Power rankings: Where did the NBA Cup champion Milwaukee Bucks land?

There are a few points during the NBA season that are a good time to take the temperature of the league. Right after the wonky scheduling that accommodates the NBA Cup is as good a juncture as any. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference. We’ll start the power rankings with the NBA’s worst team, which appears to undoubtedly be the…

Kyle Kuzma posted during the Detroit Pistons record losing streak last season, “don’t be that team”, essentially warning others not to lose to such a moribund franchise. This season, it’s the Wizards who are the cellar dwellers of the NBA, losing 21 of their first 24 games. Sports Illustrated noted that they’re on pace for the worst season in NBA history. Be careful what you wish for, Kyle.

No team has been more ravaged by injuries this season than the Pelicans. Every important player on their roster has missed some stretch, led by Zion Williamson, who has only played in six games so far. The New York Post reported that the team is open to trading Williamson and Brandon Ingram, as this nucleus just has not delivered the results New Orleans has hoped for.

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The Jazz were one team who were expected to “fail for Flagg”, to put themselves in prime position to draft the Duke phenom. They are right on schedule, having lost 20 of their first 25 games. Utah will still need to prioritize the development of their young cornerstones, such as Keyonte George and Walker Kessler.

Scottie Barnes has generally been durable throughout his first three NBA seasons, but this year has been a different story. He missed 11 games early in the season with an orbital fracture, and has missed more time recently due to a sprained ankle. The franchise committed a boatload of money to him this offseason, but so far, the Raptors’ franchise player has not been available as much as fans would like.

When healthy, the Hornets can be one of the most entertaining teams in the NBA. However, they find themselves mired near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, even with a mostly healthy LaMelo Ball. Sports Illustrated’s Zach Roberts thinks Charlotte will target perimeter players at the trade deadline as they continue to reshape their roster.

Portland’s decision to acquire center Deandre Ayton has set the franchise back more than just financially. Head coach Chauncey Billups decided to effectively bench him for the second half of a game in early December, saying later to HoopsHype, “I didn’t like his spirit in the game.” Ayton’s presence also blocks the minutes Robert Williams and Donovan Clingan can play.

The Nets were predicted to be one of the NBA’s worst teams heading into the year, but they’ve played much better than people expected. Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Brener wrote in mid-November that head coach Jordi Fernandez should be on the watchlist for Coach of the Year. He’s done a tremendous job so far, but things may level off after Brooklyn traded veteran Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors.

At this time last year, the Pistons were historically dreadful and in the midst of a record setting losing streak. Detroit is in a much better place now, and Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press believes that defined roles for the team’s younger players is a big reason why. It’s a fair point, as former head coach Monty Williams seemed to juggle his rotations more than J.B. Bickerstaff is doing this year.

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The Bulls’ start to the season has unfolded much the same way as each of the last few seasons. They’re hovering a few games below .500, but without any real shot of challenging in the Eastern Conference. As a result, trade talks focused around center Nikola Vucevic have heated up. BVM Sports and others report that the Bulls are demanding a first-round pick in a deal for the veteran big man.

It’s not saying a whole lot, but the 76ers have begun their climb up the Eastern Conference standings after a rocky start to the season. Philadelphia is going to be hard-pressed to have their full team together much if at all, though, as Joel Embiid works his way back from a sinus fracture. Additionally, rookie Jared McCain is out indefinitely after a lateral meniscus tear.

It’s the same as it ever was for the Kings, which isn’t what they or their fans have hoped for. The addition of DeMar DeRozan was supposed to have Sacramento in the mix for a top six seed in the west, but they once again find themselves in play-in territory. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins said in late November, “Mike Brown is playing with fire. It’s no way the Kings should be playing this horrible with all that talent.”

The Spurs are making their ascent in the manner that many thought they might. Victor Wembanyama continues to be the anchor that carries San Antonio back to respectability, but the team has also greatly benefitted from the leadership of veteran Chris Paul. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the team initially wasn’t sure how Paul would mesh with such a young team, but it’s been a win-win for all parties thus far.

ClutchPoints’ Jaren Kawada tabbed the Pacers as the NBA’s biggest disappointment in the first month of the season, and it’s hard to argue with that pick. Indiana was riding high last spring as the darling of the league, making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. The team has yet to kick their offense into the same high gear that it operated on last season.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic wrote in late November, “J.J. Redick said the Lakers are going to have to look at changing their defensive schemes against the league’s better offenses.” It’s hard to argue with Redick’s strategic chops as Lakers head coach, but he may not be able to be as malleable as he would like given Los Angeles’ current roster.

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Despite Kawhi Leonard missing the first two months of the season, the Clippers have been one of the NBA’s biggest positive surprises. It turns out that James Harden still has the ability to carry a team to respectability, just like he did in his heyday with the Houston Rockets. Harden told LAFB Network, “Just helping guys as much as I can to where it makes the game a lot easier for them. It’s really fun.”

The Hawks have been a much improved team since their key role players have returned from injury. They made a run to Las Vegas in the NBA Cup, but lost in the semifinals. Atlanta will now have to deal with another injury blow, as reserve center Onyeka Okongwu has been sidelined with knee inflammation.

Most of the attention Miami has received recently has been about the trade speculation surrounding Jimmy Butler. What’s been lost in the narrative is that Erik Spoelstra’s team has been playing solid basketball this year, despite the uncertainty of the future. It’ll be interesting to see if they go in the opposite direction and add a piece at the trade deadline.

Since a scintillating start to the year, the Warriors have come back down to Earth a little bit. Buddy Hield hasn’t shot as well as he did to begin the season, and Draymond Green has called out the team for multiple fourth quarter collapses. He told Sports Illustrated, “When you’re in a bit of a rut, it’s never going to be easy to win.”

Despite Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner going down with tore oblique injuries, the Magic have found ways to be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. Head coach Jamahl Mosley has done a fantastic job mixing and matching the rotation during this brutal stretch, and is one of the frontrunners for Coach of the Year.

It’s taken a minute for Minnesota to find their rhythm after the blockbuster trade for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, but the Timberwolves are coming around. The calling card of last year’s team was defense, which has started to improve in early December. Sports Illustrated’s Tony Liebert wrote that the Wolves only allowed 85.5 points per game in a four-game winning streak.

Perhaps more than any other team, it would be easy for Phoenix to play isolation basketball given the talented scorers they have on their roster. However, the Suns have embraced ball movement under new head coach Mike Budenholzer, as Shane Young of Forbes dove into. This mentality helps develop the team chemistry necessary to make a deep postseason run.

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The Bucks are your 2024 NBA Cup champions, which is somewhat of a surprise given their turbulent play in October and early November. Give Doc Rivers and his coaching staff credit; it finally looks like they’ve found a formula that works. ESPN reported that Milwaukee decided to leave the champagne on ice in Las Vegas, as they focus on more meaningful goals for the rest of the season.

After a couple of months where the discussion has centered around Denver’s lack of depth, the Nuggets appear to be mindful of their shortcomings. According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Denver is “determined” to make a meaningful move to improve their roster before the trade deadline.

Many thought the Grizzlies would be back in the mix as a Western Conference contender with better injury luck, and that has indeed come to fruition. Head coach Taylor Jenkins told ESPN in November, “It was a humbling experience last season. It was miserable not being a part of playoff basketball.” They’re playing with an added chip on their shoulder in 2024-2025.

The Rockets have taken a major step forward this season, as the team finds itself near the top of the Western Conference standings. According to Shaun Powell from the NBA’s official website, head coach Ime Udoka has successfully installed a tenacious defensive mindset in Houston, which is a huge reason for their success.

One Eastern Conference scout told ESPN in mid-December, “Stuff is coming so much easier for them than it did last year. We knew the spacing would be better with Towns, but I didn’t think they’d be humming like this so quickly.” The Knicks’ offense has been simply elite, and the team hopes their defensive efficiency can get to the same level as the year goes on.

Anything short of a championship is going to be a disappointment for the Mavericks, so the regular season may not mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. With that said, they would probably be best served trying to avoid playing the Oklahoma City Thunder until the Conference Finals, which would increase their chances of making a deep run in the postseason.

The Cavaliers have been a playoff team in each of the last couple of seasons, but new head coach Kenny Atkinson appears to have unlocked something that elevated their ceiling. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report wrote, “Just about everything is going right on the floor. The Core Four looks good together and when staggered. Both Evan Mobley and Darius Garland have gotten better.”

The Wall Street Journal’s Robert O’Connell wrote a story in mid-December called, “The elite team of thieves plotting to steal an NBA title.” He meant that in the most positive way, as the Thunder have made a habit of stealing the ball at a rate that has stymied their opponents’ offenses. It’s no surprise they’ve been this proficient, given the offseason addition of Alex Caruso.

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Until further notice, the Celtics have to be considered the best team in the NBA. Center Kristaps Porzingis returned to the lineup earlier than some might have expected, and he’s given them the unique dimension that makes Boston virtually unbeatable. Head coach Joe Mazzulla told Yahoo Sports, “With KP back, you have an opportunity to go to post-ups. We got a back door cut for Jayson Tatum. So it just adds different layers to what you do.”