NBA is in full swing, with the regular season battles heating up. With the schedule nearing the halfway point, the ranking battles between teams are becoming increasingly fierce. The rankings in the Western Conference are particularly noteworthy. The situations of popular teams such as the Rockets, Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, and Suns have changed again. The recent performances of strong teams like the Thunder, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Kings also show differences.
In the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers ended the Thunder's 15-game winning streak, consolidating their position at the top of the league. Without Mitchell, Cleveland reversed and defeated the Raptors in back-to-back games. The 33-4 Cavaliers continue to lead the league and the Eastern Conference. Cleveland, which has achieved the longest current 12-game winning streak in the league, can be considered the biggest dark horse this season.
The Celtics and Knicks, with many giants, rank second and third in the East respectively. Boston and New York are still the hottest favorites to win the championship this season. It is not easy for the Magic, plagued by serious injuries, to maintain their fourth place in the East. The improved conditions of Banchero and Little Wagner give Orlando more room to enhance its immediate combat effectiveness. The Bucks (19-16), who have won two consecutive victories, continue to rank fifth in the East.
Recently, in a direct confrontation with Wembanyama, Antetokounmpo exploded against his opponent. Milwaukee is currently in hot form, and Middleton has gradually found his rhythm after becoming a substitute. However, the Bucks' current ranking is not stable. The Heat (19-17), Pacers (20-18), Pistons (19-19), and Hawks (19-19) are ranked sixth to ninth in the East, with these four teams having very close winning rates to the Bucks. The Heat, involved in Jimmy Butler trade rumors, recently won two consecutive victories, which is not easy. The Pacers, who have won four consecutive victories, are currently in high spirits. The Pistons and Hawks, with relatively mediocre strength in the Eastern Conference, also have the opportunity to advance to the playoffs. The Bulls (17-20, temporarily ranked 10th) and the 76ers (15-20, temporarily ranked 11th) are hovering on the edge of the play-in tournament. The Nets, Hornets, Raptors, and Wizards, ranked 12th to 15th in the East, have completely entered the rebuilding phase.
Compared to the disparity in strength in the Eastern Conference, the ranking battles in the Western Conference are even more intense. The Thunder, with a record of 30-6, continues to hold the top spot in the West. Leading the second-place Rockets by as many as 5.5 games, OKC can laugh off the Western region. Even with Holmgren and Caruso out due to injury, the Thunder still maintains a strong record, which is indeed commendable. Only when the whole team returns can we verify the true strength of OKC. Whether the Thunder can go further in the playoffs is still worth looking forward to.
In the battle for the second place in the West against the Grizzlies, the Rockets came out on top. Houston, with a record of 25-12, has firmly held onto the second place in the West. Moreover, Houston has already taken a 1.5-game lead over Memphis (24-14, temporarily ranked third). The Rockets'坚守第二名，成为西部赛区的最大黑马。
The Nuggets (21-15) continue to rank fourth in the West. Denver has consolidated its current ranking with Aaron Gordon continuing to miss games and Jokic missing two games due to illness. Murray's state has significantly improved, and Westbrook has also shown remarkable combat effectiveness and strong impact power (when Westbrook starts, the Nuggets' record is 11-4, with a win rate as high as 73%). When fully healthy, the Nuggets are still one of the top teams in the West.
With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both out due to injury, Dallas stopped a five-game losing streak and recently achieved two consecutive victories. The Mavericks (22-16) rank fifth in the West and have erased the 0.5-game disadvantage with Denver. In addition, Dallas only lags behind the Nuggets by 0.4% in winning rate. This means that the Mavericks are still strong contenders for the fourth place in the West. The depth of the Mavericks' roster is evident from this.
The Lakers suffered two consecutive defeats and rank sixth in the West with a record of 20-16. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still the absolute dual cores of the Purple and Gold Army. Reeves' growth has also given them the ability to balance scoring and connecting the team. Hayes' return from injury has somewhat alleviated the problem of insufficient rotation in the Lakers' frontcourt. However, Hachimura's state has fluctuated greatly, making the call for Finney-Smith to be promoted to the starting lineup grow louder. It is worth noting that the versatile defensive ace Vanderbilt is about to return from injury (currently undergoing five-on-five training), which is good news. The championship-aspiring Lakers now have unlimited possibilities to further enhance their defensive strength.
The Timberwolves won three consecutive victories away from home against the Magic. Minnesota, with a record of 20-17, rose from eighth to seventh in the West, surpassing the Clippers. The Timberwolves are only half a game behind the Lakers, and under the leadership of Edwards, they have also become strong contenders for the playoff spots.
The Clippers (20-17) suffered two consecutive defeats and were overtaken by the Timberwolves, falling from seventh to eighth in the West. Leonard's return from injury greatly enhanced the Clippers' offensive and defensive strength. The return to health of Little Derrick Jones and Mann made the Clippers' rotation more abundant. The performances of Harden, Zubac, and Norman Powell have also been consistently stable. Once Leonard's playing time is no longer restricted, the Clippers have the chance to return to the playoff zone.
The Warriors defeated the hot Pistons to stop a two-game losing streak. The Golden State Army, with a record of 19-18, continues to rank ninth in the West. Curry's state has declined to a certain extent this season, and the continued absence of Kuminga, Pojevski, and Payton II due to injury has also severely weakened the depth of the Warriors' roster. If they cannot strengthen through trades, the Warriors may have to rely on participating in the play-in tournament to compete for a playoff spot this season.
The Spurs suffered three consecutive defeats and ranked tenth in the West with a record of 18-19. Wembanyama still appears immature when facing the top inside player in the league, Antetokounmpo. In addition, Popovich's long-term absence due to illness has also weakened the Spurs coaching staff's deployment and on-site command capabilities. Paul, who is at the end of his career, finds it difficult to help the young Spurs advance to the playoffs in the Western Conference.
The Kings, with a record of 18-19, continue to rank 11th in the West. After the dismissal of Mike Brown, Sacramento has achieved a record of 5 wins and 1 loss under the interim head coach. Moreover, the Kings' five-game winning streak is still the longest current winning streak in the Western Conference. Sacramento is gradually getting back on track, and once Fox returns from injury, the Kings still have the opportunity to improve their record and ranking. For the Kings players, making the playoffs is still the primary goal this season.
Under the joint outbreak of Durant, Beal, and Booker, the Suns defeated the Hawks. Phoenix's record came to 17-19, continuing to rank 12th in the West. It is worth mentioning that after Beal started coming off the bench, Phoenix's record was 2 wins and 1 loss. When coming off the bench, Beal averaged 20 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.3 steals, with a shooting percentage as high as 59.1%. It seems that Budenholzer has found the best way for the Suns' three giants to coexist. Although they are currently ranked fourth from the bottom in the West, the Suns' goal this season is still to make waves in the playoffs.
The Trail Blazers (13-24), along with the Jazz (9-27) and Pelicans (7-31), who have suffered two consecutive defeats, are ranked 13th to 15th in the West. These three teams have completely entered a long rebuilding period. Gaining more chips and young talents in the trade market is the current goal of Portland, Salt Lake City, and New Orleans.
Thus, the latest rankings in the NBA Western Conference have been officially released. As the season progresses, the ranking battles will continue to intensify, which is also one of the biggest highlights of the NBA.