NBA Power Rankings: The Nets Continue to Cruise Through the Eastern Conference
Any skepticism surrounding Brooklyn’s Big 3 has quickly subsided in recent weeks. The Nets are in the midst of a dominant stretch even without Kevin Durant, winning 14 of their last 15 games as they establish themselves as the Eastern Conference favorites. And Brooklyn’s pair of leading men are shattering some shaky narratives in the process.
James Harden has been perhaps the most enjoyable player to watch in the league in his time in Brooklyn, finishing Monday night with 21 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a win over the Knicks. But is the Harden we’re seeing in Brooklyn really all that different from the Houston version? Perhaps there’s less air pounded out of the ball on each possession, but it’s foolish to paint Harden as anything but a willing and eager passer in his time with the Rockets. Harden’s extreme usage in Houston was born out of necessity. He’s long been one of the league’s most brilliant playmakers. He’s simply being allowed to showcase that skill on a nightly basis in Brooklyn.
As for Kyrie Irving, it doesn’t exactly look like he’s a squeaky wheel at the moment. He continued his brilliant season with a 34-point night on Monday, and by all accounts, he’s been a delightful presence alongside Harden over the last two months. Irving is a bit of a mercurial personality, but he’s not a bad apple. The conflation of the two in recent years has often been misguided. Like Harden, the best version of Irving is on full display in Brooklyn.
As the Nets cruise through the regular season, let’s dive into this week’s power rankings with notes on all 30 teams.
Don’t look now, but Anthony Edwards is starting to find his footing amid another difficult year in Minnesota. The 2020 No. 1 pick has tallied 20-plus points in six of his last seven contests–including a career high 34 points on Sunday–flashing a burgeoning playmaking instinct that wasn’t necessarily present during his time at Georgia. Edwards is one of the most athletic wings in the league. His jump shot isn’t necessarily broken, with rough percentages caused more by shaky shot selection than poor form. Edwards remains a confident kid. His spirit is undeniable. It’s now up to Chris Finch & Co. to refine the (admittedly ugly) edges of his game in the coming years.
29. Detroit Pistons
Hamidou Diallo isn’t exactly a franchise changer in Detroit, though he’s exactly the type of player general manager Troy Weaver should be targeting amid an extended rebuild. Diallo is a dynamic athlete on the perimeter with a 6 ' 11" wingspan, and he’s an impressive force at the rim, albeit with a shaky jumper. Taking a flier on Diallo is a worthwhile move for a team that presently appears years away from contention.
28. Houston Rockets
The Rockets continue to slide down the Western Conference standings with 16 consecutive losses, and P.J. Tucker will likely join James Harden as a notable departure sooner rather than later. But perhaps Houston fans shouldn’t despair just yet. The latest reason for optimism: Kevin Porter Jr. The former Cavaliers’ cast-off has shined since joining Houston’s lineup after the All-Star break, tallying 27 points and eight assists in Friday’s loss to the Jazz. Porter’s feel in the pick-and-roll is quite advanced for a player of his age. He’s a dynamic athlete, and if you squint hard enough, he actually does a pretty good Harden impression. Combine Porter, Christian Wood and top-four pick X (perhaps Cade Cunningham) and a potential playoff core can emerge in the next half decade.
27. Orlando Magic
The trade rumors swirling around Nikola Vucevic appear to be little more than trade-machine fodder as the deadline approaches, and rightfully so. Vucevic is in the midst of a dominant 2020–21, exiting the All-Star break averaging 29.3 points and 12 rebounds per game in his last three contests. Vucevic continues to be one of the game’s most fearsome post presences. He’s under contract through 2023. Dealing Vucevic for a combination of unproven youngsters and pick capital would be quite shortsighted, even as Orlando continues to sink in the Eastern Conference standings.
Kevin Love returned to the Cavaliers’ lineup on Friday after a 33-game absence, though the return of Larry Nance Jr. is more impactful as Cleveland eyes a run to the play-in tournament. Nance has emerged as an integral piece in Cleveland in recent seasons, wreaking havoc on the defensive end with feverish activity and perhaps the most active hands of any player in the league. Nance is an energizer bunny with more skill than he’s given credit for. He’s an increasingly quality spacer and a solid rim-runner to boot. Pairing Nance and Jarrett Allen should create a quality front line in Cleveland for years to come.
25. Sacramento Kings
Harrison Barnes's name is increasingly appearing in trade rumors across the league, and a contender would be smart to cough up some draft picks for the former Warriors wing. Barnes isn’t a standout player in any particular aspect of his game, but he’s a rock-solid piece who can fill in holes across a roster. Barnes is a quality spot-up shoot and a better playmaker off the bounce than he gets credit for. He can upsize and guard larger forwards, potentially making for a sensible fit alongside Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in Boston. As Danny Ainge weighs how to use his trade exception, Barnes could be the best available option.
We’re in the midst of yet another lost season in Washington, though perhaps Rui Hachimura can bring a modicum of optimism to the nation’s capital. The second-year forward posted a season-high 29 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s loss to the Bucks, and he added another 22 points and seven rebounds on Monday. Hachimura is quite the athletic four. He’s coordinated and oftentimes dynamic off the bounce. It’s difficult to imagine a path to contention for Washington barring some lottery luck, but Hachimura should still be a quality piece for the franchise for years to come.
Aleksej Pokusevski is, well, not a good NBA player at this point, but those who looked to bury Oklahoma City’s rookie for his rough start to the season aren’t looking closely enough. Poku’s size and athleticism alone make him an intriguing NBA prospect, and recent nights have featured a player with increasing confidence both from beyond the arc and off the bounce. Pokusevski drained five threes en route to a career-high 23 points in Sunday’s win over the Grizzlies. His NBA instincts are improving by the week. I’m not showering All-NBA honors on the 19-year-old quite yet, but the previously maligned rookie can certainly be a quality player in the years to come.
22. Chicago Bulls
Billy Donovan’s decision to reshuffle his starting lineup raised some alarm bells in Chicago as Tomáš Satoranský and Thad Young replaced Coby White and Wendell Carter Jr. But we shouldn’t take those moves to mean Donovan has lost faith in his team’s young core. Carter specifically has struggled in recent weeks, with his aggression and confidence on the offensive end waning by the game. Perhaps a move to the bench will reinvigorate him. Carter can attempt to feast against second units, and while that shouldn’t be his long-term NBA destiny, a brief move to the bench could pay significant dividends. I’m not willing to give up on Chicago’s youngsters just yet, despite a relatively disappointing season.
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Zion Williamson continues to be as good as advertised after bulldozing his way past the Clippers with a 27-point performance on Sunday night. And his dominant statistical season may be flying a bit under the radar. Williamson is averaging 25.5 points per game in 2020–21 on an outrageous 62.9% from the field, and he leads the league in field goals within five feet by a healthy margin. Williamson’s first step is sudden and explosive. He’s an otherworldly leaper for a player of his size. He sports a deft touch around the rim, able to finish over or around any big in sight. Let’s hope Stan Van Gundy gives Williamson the keys to New Orleans’s late-game offense sooner than later.
19. Indiana Pacers
Caris LeVert posted a modest 13 points on 5–14 in his Pacers debut over the weekend, but his stat line is almost immaterial as he returns to the floor after surgery to remove a cancerous mass on his kidney. LeVert is certainly a resilient individual, previously missing extensive time in 2019 and 2020 due to leg and thumb injuries. Let’s hope to see LeVert log a healthy rest of the 2020–21 season, potentially providing a major boost to Indiana’s backcourt in the process.
18. Atlanta Hawks
Danilo Gallinari’s dismal start to the season appears to be in the rearview mirror as he finds his rhythm in Atlanta. Gallinari paced the Hawks with 20 points in Sunday’s win over the Cavaliers, marking his fourth 20-point performance in his last five contests. His hot streak has coincided with six straight wins for Atlanta, and in the process, potentially expedited John Collins’s exit from the franchise. I’m still skeptical that Gallinari’s contract will be worthwhile for Atlanta. But if he keeps up his current pace, the Hawks could be the best unit in the crop of play-in teams.
Jonas Valanciunas isn’t exactly the NBA’s most-decorated big man with zero All-Star appearances in nine seasons, but he remains an integral part of Memphis’s attack. Valanciunas is averaging 16 points and a career-high 11.7 rebounds per game in 2020–21, posting efficient offensive numbers in the process. Valanciunas sports a healthy 1.00 points per roll possession. He’s scoring at a better clip in the post than Vucevic and Domantas Sabonis. Valanciunas is adding a bit of a mean streak to Memphis’s front line as well, helping serve as a de-facto bodyguard for Ja Morant. Memphis’s return for Marc Gasol in 2019 continues to serve the franchise well in a new era.
The Warriors feel like a sneaky candidate to make a splash ahead of the March 25 trade deadline. Golden State is better than pick-neutral in 2021 and beyond, and Kelly Oubre Jr. could make for a salary-matching piece if the Warriors are looking to make an upgrade. Aaron Gordon has long been rumored as a potential fit in the frontcourt, and trading for Victor Oladipo (and subsequently acquiring his Bird rights) could also be in play for Bob Myers & Co. With all eyes currently on the Celtics, perhaps it will be the Warriors who make the biggest move before the season’s home stretch.
15. New York Knicks
RJ Barrett continues to make a notable leap in his second year with the Knicks, and Saturday’s win over the Thunder marked perhaps his best performance of 2020–21. Barrett tallied 32 points on 12–21 shooting, bulldozing his way to the rim against any defender in his path. Barrett is a grown man inside the arc, able to burrow his way to the tin with relative ease. He continues to improve as a playmaker in traffic, and his jumper is relatively respectable. Surround Barrett with enough spacing, and he could blossom into an All-Star at some point in the coming seasons.
Plenty of people scoffed at Charlotte’s decision to bring in Terry Rozier as a Kemba Walker replacement before 2019–20, but the move continues to pay dividends for James Borrego’s squad. Rozier is averaging 20.3 points per game this season on 49/43/82 shooting splits, and he’s been a valuable late-game cog alongside LaMelo Ball in the backcourt. Rozier single-handedly closed the contest against Detroit on Thursday, catching fire at the perfect time in Charlotte’s first game out of the All-Star break. Rozier isn’t a perfect point guard, but he continues to be a valuable instant-offense piece on a lovable Hornets squad.
The LaMarcus Aldridge era in San Antonio has ended with a relative thud, so where could we see the aging big man land? Let’s sift through some options.
The Knicks could use another center as they await Mitchell Robinson’s return, and Aldridge’s spacing could provide a boost to both Barrett and Julius Randle. Sacrificing Detroit’s second-round pick would be quite shortsighted, but would the Knicks part with their own second rounder? Perhaps that’s more palatable.
The Celtics could use part of their trade exception to add Aldridge as another frontcourt piece, and Miami may make for a sensible home as a complement to Bam Adebayo and youngster Precious Achiuwa. We can’t expect San Antonio to recoup much for Aldridge given his considerable decline, though perhaps he could make a modest impact in a new location through the rest of 2020–21.
12. Dallas Mavericks
So this is the Kristaps Porzingis we’ve been waiting for. The Mavericks big man has come out of the All-Star break with a fury, tallying 75 points in his last three games. Porzingis has been more aggressive and impactful on the glass, and he continues to flash his eye-popping range. The Dončić -Porzingis pairing may never be a perfect one, but there’s still some serious offensive upside in Dallas. If we get Porzingis near his best the rest of the way, Dallas could threaten for a top-five seed in the Western Conference.
11. Boston Celtics
More Time Lord, please. Robert Williams is still a bit of a raw prospect in his third season, yet Boston’s young center provides an energy and athleticism that isn’t quite present when Tristan Thompson or Daniel Theis is on the floor. Should Williams seize the starting role in Boston? Not exactly. But perhaps his presence could make a player like Thompson superfluous if Danny Ainge is looking to make a deadline deal.
Portland will receive a major boost when C.J. McCollum returns to the lineup on Tuesday, yet it’s hard to consider the Blazers serious contenders in the West unless they clean up their abysmal defense. Portland entered Monday night ranking No. 29 in defensive rating, sitting in the bottom third in transition defense and points allowed in the paint. Perhaps a certain deadline addition can make a marked difference. P.J. Tucker is the premier defensive piece available on the trade market, and a move to Portland could reinvigorate his spirit after some (to put it charitably) questionable effort at the end of his Rockets tenure. Adding Tucker alongside Robert Covington and Jusuf Nurkić could create a sturdier frontcourt than we’ve seen thus far from the Blazers in 2020–21.
9. Miami Heat
I’m a bit curious as to why Jimmy Butler’s outstanding season is being overlooked as the Heat continue to climb in the Eastern Conference standings. The 2020 bubble star has been on an absolute tear over the last month, averaging 25.4 points and 9.1 assists per game in his last nine contests. Butler is a necessary fulcrum in an offense that lacks a certain playmaking element, pinging the ball to perimeter shooters off handoffs, pick-and-rolls and post-ups. It’s unlikely Miami reaches the Finals once again, but it’s not exactly prudent to bet against Butler. When the chips are down, he’s one of the most reliable leading men in the league.
I’m confident Jamal Murray will work his way out of his current slump in time for the postseason. The bigger question for Denver lies at the other guard spot. Gary Harris has been out of the lineup since Feb. 1, and his previous production was disappointing. There have been whispers of a potential Victor Oladipo deal, though frankly, another internal option may prove more promising. Will Barton has scored 20-plus points in three straight games, including a 20-point, five-assist performance against Indiana on Monday night. It’s been a bit of an inconsistent year for Barton, but if he continues to play as he did in recent nights, Denver is a far more dangerous team in the Western Conference.
The Clippers got back on track on Monday night with a win over the Mavericks, though it’s still hard to shake the concerns over the mentality of this roster as we inch closer toward the playoffs. Kawhi Leonard called Los Angeles’s inconsistency “very concerning” after Sunday’s drubbing against the Pelicans, a sentiment echoed by head coach Tyronn Lue. Maybe it’s a deadline addition that can cure Los Angeles’s occasional woes. Perhaps it’ll flip the switch in the postseason. I’m not ready to hit the panic button on any team featuring the two-time Finals MVP. But it’s still not unfair to be at least a touch worried amid a rocky stretch.
Jrue Holiday isn’t exactly in the midst of his most impressive statistical season, but look closer, and you see the marked impact he’s had on Milwaukee’s roster in 2020–21. The Bucks are outscoring teams by a whopping 11.3 points per 100 possessions with Holiday on the court. They sport a plus-13.8 net rating when Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo share the floor, and they blitz teams when Holiday is paired with Khris Middleton. Holiday can dictate crunch-time possessions with ease. He’s a quality off-ball shooter, and his defensive presence could prove invaluable in a matchup against Irving and Harden. The Bucks didn’t necessarily get a bona fide superstar when they traded a horde of draft picks this offseason, though the Holiday addition could make the difference between a Finals appearance and another disappointing early exit.
Don’t let the dampened scoring totals fool you: This is the best version of Kyle Kuzma we’ve seen in his time with the Lakers. The fourth-year forward is filling his role in Los Angeles with aplomb, shooting a career-high 37% from three while seizing increased defensive duties on some of the best wings in the Western Conference. Kuzma has cut out most of the maddening isolations that used to be his signature. He’s a more willing passer and a more aggressive rebounder. As the Lakers eye back-to-back titles, they’ll need this version of Kuzma to appear in the postseason.
4. Phoenix Suns
Deandre Ayton’s performance in his third season continues to be frustrating for a player with his physical gifts. The 2018 No. 1 pick is still posting solid enough counting stats, but it’s no mystery as to why Monty Williams is shying away from him Ayton late in games. He continues to be mistake prone in defensive rotations, and his offensive impact is more muted than one would hope. Ayton appears almost addicted to foul-line jumpers. His turnover rate has climbed this season. Both Chris Paul and Devin Booker sport better net ratings without Ayton on the floor, a pretty strong indictment of his performance in a team context. Barring a transformation in the coming weeks, we could see Ayton head to the bench in key postseason moments.
The spotlight will be on Ben Simmons in Joel Embiid’s absence, though a significant share of the playmaking load will likely fall on Tobias Harris in the coming weeks. Harris continues to evolve as a secondary playmaker in his third season with the Sixers, evolving out of his initial role as a glorified spacer. Harris is sporting the best assist rate of his career in 2020–21. He’s averaging a quality 1.02 points per pick-and-roll possession. You can feel Harris playing with more decisiveness off the catch, sporting confidence in each read as he works his way into the lane. We can discuss Simmons’s growth (as well as his flaws) ad nauseum. But don’t discount Harris’s importance as Philadelphia eyes its first Finals since 2001.
2. Utah Jazz
Rudy Gobert is once again in the midst of another potential All-NBA campaign, and the Stifle Tower turned in one of the most impressive stat lines of the season against the Warriors on Sunday. Gobert gobbled 28 rebounds (including eight on the offensive glass) to go along with 24 points, turning back the clock to the last century when centers dominated the sport. Chalk it up to luck of the draw if you wish, but nearly 30 rebounds is an impressive accomplishment regardless of the opponent. Gobert continues to be a touch overlooked as one of the top players in the game, even as he contends for a third Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Nets are cruising without Kevin Durant, winning 14 of their last 15 after Monday’s win over the Knicks. Harden is playing at an MVP level, and Irving continues to light up the scoreboard with ease as he posts the most impressive statistical season of his career. The smooth sailing through February and March is all the more reason for Brooklyn to be cautious with Durant’s return from a hamstring strain, especially as he returns from a torn Achilles. Durant posting big numbers in the dog days of the season is pretty inconsequential. His health in June and July is the main priority. There’s plenty of chatter surrounding the severity of Durant’s injury. As the Nets roll, the more caution the better.
