Power Rankings, Week 20: Nuggets rise to No. 2 as Celtics roll along
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are rolling, going 6-0 since the All-Star break.
The 2023-24 season is just about *75% complete. And as we hit the three-quarter mark, there isn’t a single team within three games of .500 … on either side.
* We’ll be there after Tuesday’s games.
On the day before the All-Star break, the Golden State Warriors won in Utah, improving to 27-26 and giving us 18 teams with winning records. Since then, those 18 teams have stayed clear of .500, while the other 12 haven’t come close.
(We miss you, 2022-23 Hawks.)
Ten of the 18 teams with winning records reside in the Western Conference, and two of them won’t make the playoffs. As things stand right now, the ninth-place Warriors and 10th-place Lakers would face each other just to stay alive in the SoFI Play-In Tournament, with the winner still needing to win on the road (Dallas or Phoenix) to make the playoffs.
Of course, while the West is having its strongest season in the last five years, the Warriors would also be in ninth place in the East with the same record they have in the West. If you mixed conferences and seeded teams 1-16, you’d still have eight teams from each side.
Plus-Minus Players of the Week
- Right Way: Derrick White (BOS) was a plus-88 in three games last week.
- Wrong Way: Miles Bridges (CHA) was a minus-78 in four games last week.
Teams of the Week
- Make It Last Forever: Boston (3-0) — Who made the Celtics mad?
- Something Just Ain’t Right: Memphis (0-4) — Two losses to another bottom-six team will do it.
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East vs. West
- The West is 181-144 (.557) against the East in interconference games, though the East was 11-10 last week.
Schedule strength through Week 19
- Toughest: 1. Houston, 2. San Antonio, 3. Golden State
- Easiest: 1. Phoenix, 2. Milwaukee, 3. Cleveland
- Schedule strength is based on cumulative opponent record.
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Movement in the Rankings
- High jumps of the week: Miami (+5), Denver (+3), Milwaukee (+3), San Antonio (+3)
- Free falls of the week: Indiana (-6), Four teams (-3)
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Week 20 Team to Watch
- Boston — There’s no doubt that the Celtics are the best team in the league and that they’ll finish with the best record. But this week – games at Cleveland, Denver and Phoenix – provides three opportunities for some playoff-like hoops on national TV.
* * *
Previously…
- Last week: Nuggets, Bucks starting to make their move
- The archive: NBA.com Power Rankings
OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
The league has averaged 114.9 points scored per 100 possessions and 99.6 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.
NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail or contact him via threads.
