NBA Power Rankings: Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey leading 76ers post-Harden
The regular season is off and running in the NBA, and there has already been plenty of movement among teams in the standings through the first seven-plus games.
The Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged as three of the hottest teams in the league over the past week of action, while others have seemingly hit a wall and are moving in the opposite direction.
The rise of those teams has created plenty of change in the latest edition of our power rankings. With that trio climbing, other teams have dropped from their initial spots on the first rankings of the regular season released last week.
To make further sense of it all, Rookie Wire looked at the NBA and ranked each team from worst to first. We will return each week and provide our latest assessment of the best teams and those that are rising.
Detroit Pistons (2-7)
Last Rank: 26
The Pistons have lost six straight, but they have received some incredible play from their two rookies recently. Ausar Thompson is pulling in 4.1 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks second in the NBA, and is ninth in total blocks (16). Meanwhile, Marcus Sasser put up a career-high 26 points on Wednesday and is one of two rookies with multiple 20-point games this season. All of that was to say that the Pistons are still doing great things, despite their early skid.
Utah Jazz (2-7)
Last Rank: 27
Since defeating the Grizzlies on Nov. 1, the Jazz have dropped four straight games. They face the Grizzlies again on Friday in the in-season tournament and will look to duplicate their recent success against them on the road.
Charlotte Hornets (2-5)
Last Rank: 28
LaMelo Ball has upped his play of late with Terry Rozier out of the lineup. He is coming off back-to-back 30-point games and already has one triple-double this year. However, his recent play hasn’t yielded much in terms of wins yet for the Hornets. The team will look for others to step up and help Ball & Co.
Washington Wizards (2-5)
Last Rank: 30
The Wizards snapped a four-game losing streak on Wednesday against the Hornets. Kyle Kuzma has led the Wizards in scoring in six of their seven games and is averaging 25 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists this season. He had a season-high 33 points versus the Hornets.
Chicago Bulls (3-6)
Last Rank: 23
The Bulls have struggled on offense to start the season and rank in the bottom third of the league in several categories, including offensive rating (22nd), field goal percentage (25th) and 3s per game (26th). They took the Suns to overtime on Wednesday so, perhaps, that could help them kickstart things.
For more coverage on the Bulls, visit Bulls Wire
Portland Trail Blazers (3-5)
Last Rank: 24
The Trail Blazers are coming off an overtime loss to the Kings, in which Jerami Grant had a season-high 38 points. They were dealt a blow after losing Malcolm Brogdon to a hamstring injury and will be holding out hope it isn’t serious. They are expected to be without Robert Williams III for the season, which will further strain their depth chart to begin the year. The team will look to others to step up this year.
Memphis Grizzlies (1-7)
Last Rank: 19
The Grizzlies picked up their first win on Sunday over the Trail Blazers. Desmond Bane produced his fourth 30-point game of the season in that victory and has looked to be their top player in the early going without Ja Morant. However, they have struggled elsewhere, ranking last in offense, and haven’t received consistent production from several players. It could be a long year in Memphis, even with Morant returning next month.
Houston Rockets (4-3)
Last Rank: 29
The Rockets have won four straight and are above .500 for the first time since February 2021. The group knocked off the Lakers on Wednesday and will welcome the Pelicans to town in the in-season tournament on Friday. Houston was expected to take a step forward this season under Ime Udoka, and after a slow start, it appears it is doing just that.
For more coverage on the Rockets, visit Rockets Wire
San Antonio Spurs (3-5)
Last Rank: 20
The Spurs have dropped three straight since defeating the Suns on Nov. 2. Victor Wembanyama has been slowed on the court since his 38-point explosion in that victory, which was likely to be expected as teams figure out how to defend him. He and the Spurs are still must-watch TV, given his potential to break out on any night.
For more coverage on the Spurs, visit Spurs Wire
Orlando Magic (4-4)
Last Rank: 21
The Magic have dropped two straight games after falling to the Hawks on Thursday in Mexico City. The team has struggled to put teams away to start the year after leading in every game. That was most notable on Monday. They led the Mavericks by 15 points in the first half, but were outscored, 64-36, over the last two quarters to lose, 117-102. The group will have to learn how to close out teams this season, which is a key step to taking a leap in the standings. We’ll see if they can do it.
Toronto Raptors (4-4)
Last Rank: 25
The Raptors have won three out of their last four games and appear to be bouncing back after a slow start. The combination of Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam has led the team in scoring during its recent run and looks to be forming a nice duo. Siakam finished with a season-high 27 points and 11 rebounds on Wednesday in a win over the Mavericks, his third 20-point effort in five games.
Cleveland Cavaliers (3-5)
Last Rank: 15
Donovan Mitchell is off to a strong start to the season, ranking fifth in scoring (30.7 points), but the Cavaliers have struggled to put together complete performances. They were in the top 10 in offense and defense last year, even boasting the top unit on defense, but are just 25th in offense and 15th in defense this year. It is too early to gauge this team, but they certainly have some things to figure out to get back to that level from a year ago.
New York Knicks (4-4)
Last Rank: 18
The Knicks stifled Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Wednesday to get back to .500 on the season. The team has received great contributions from Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and Immanuel Quickley, who is eighth in the league in scoring off the bench (15.1 points). With their core players leading the way, the Knicks seem poised for a strong year.
Indiana Pacers (6-3)
Last Rank: 22
The Pacers have won three straight after holding off the Bucks on Thursday despite a season-high 54 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Tyrese Haliburton, who had 29 points, lifted the Pacers to the win with a key 3-pointer late. The group will now have a two-game set against the Sixers, which should be a good test for Rick Carlisle & Co. For now, they’re third in the Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn Nets (4-4)
Last Rank: 14
The Nets are once again dealing with injuries. They will be without their leading scorer, Cam Thomas, for at least two weeks due to an ankle sprain and will miss Ben Simmons (hip) for the second straight game on Friday. There is some good news, though: They will get Cam Johnson (calf) back on Friday, which will be a welcomed addition to the lineup.
For more coverage on the Nets, visit Nets Wire
New Orleans Pelicans (4-4)
Last Rank: 11
The Pelicans, who have lost three straight, will be down CJ McCollum due to a small pneumothorax in his right lung for the immediate future. They have received some strong play from rookie Jordan Hawkins and will need to continue to rely on him and others to step up.
Atlanta Hawks (5-3)
Last Rank: 17
Trae Young dropped 41 points to lead the Hawks to a win over the Magic on Thursday in Mexico City. The group overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter for their fifth win in six games. They are seemingly playing better of late, led by the likes of Young, Dejounte Murray and De’Andre Hunter, and look to be settling in this season.
Miami Heat (4-4)
Last Rank: 13
After starting 1-4, the Heat have won three straight but received news that they’ll be without Tyler Herro for “several weeks” due to an ankle sprain. Herro leads the team in scoring (22.9 points), so they’ll need other players to help fill in for him. Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. could see a larger role now.
Sacramento Kings (3-4)
Last Rank: 10
De’Aaron Fox will miss his fifth straight game on Friday but appears to be trending toward returning soon. The Kings have gone 1-3 without Fox and will be eager to get their All-Star back in the lineup as soon as possible to get their offense back on track.
Los Angeles Lakers (3-5)
Last Rank: 7
The Lakers finish a four-game road trip on Friday, in which they have gone winless. They have dealt with injuries to Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes, and expect to have them available versus the Suns on Friday. With more players getting back, the Lakers should return to form soon.
For more coverage on LeBron and the Lakers, visit LeBron Wire
LA Clippers (3-4)
Last Rank: 9
The Clippers have entered the James Harden era and are beginning to integrate the former MVP into the lineup. He has played two games thus far, averaging 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on 44.4% shooting from 3-point range. They should start to roll once Harden adjusts to his new teammates.
Oklahoma City Thunder (5-3)
Last Rank: 12
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off his first 40-point game of the season and the Thunder look to be rounding into form as a team on the rise. Gilgeous-Alexander is 10th in the league in scoring, averaging 28.1 points, seven rebounds and 6.4 assists.
For more coverage on the Thunder, visit Thunder Wire
Minnesota Timberwolves (5-2)
Last Rank: 16
The Timberwolves have taken advantage of a home-heavy schedule to start the season. They are 5-0 at the Target Center, the second-most home wins to start a season in franchise history. The group is first in the league in defense and has held opponents to under 40% shooting in four straight games. They will look to bring that stout defense on the road with their next five games away.
Phoenix Suns (4-4)
Last Rank: 6
Bradley Beal debuted with the Suns on Wednesday, recording 13 points, four rebounds and four assists in a win over the Bulls. It will likely take him some time to get up to speed after missing the first seven games of the season, but the Suns should begin to assert themselves once he is comfortable in their system.
Dallas Mavericks (6-2)
Last Rank: 5
The Mavericks are coming off a 127-116 loss to the Raptors on Wednesday. However, they became the first team since 2018 to score at least 110 points in each of their first eight games. They rank third in the league in offense, fourth in points per game, 10th in field-goal percentage and first in 3s. In other words: The Mavericks have had no problem with scoring this season.
Milwaukee Bucks (5-3)
Last Rank: 3
The Bucks lost on Thursday despite Giannis Antetokounmpo erupting for a season-high 54 points. The group is eighth in offense but 25th in defense for a minus-1.9 net rating. With Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton handling the bulk of the scoring duties, it is clear something will need to change on defense for the Bucks to be taken seriously in the Eastern Conference.
Golden State Warriors (6-3)
Last Rank: 4
Stephen Curry has led the Warriors in scoring in every game this season and ranks sixth in the league in that category, averaging 30 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 47.3% shooting from 3-point range. He is the first player in history with at least four 3s in each of his first nine games of a season. So, things are going well in the Bay at the moment.
For more coverage on the Warriors, visit Warriors Wire
Boston Celtics (5-2)
Last Rank: 2
The Celtics have dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season. However, they are one of four teams ranked in the top 10 in offense and defense, and have been getting it done on both ends of the court. The bench is contributing at a high level and is giving Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday plenty of help each night. Their two-game skid should be a minor bump in the road.
For more coverage on the Celtics, visit Celtics Wire
Philadelphia 76ers (6-1)
Last Rank: 8
There is a real chance the 76ers could be undefeated, save for a one-point loss to the Bucks on opening night. They have won six straight and are fourth in the league in offense and defense. While Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are leading the way in the starting lineup, the team has received some incredible contributions off the bench. The Sixers are second in bench scoring and have been given a jolt from Patrick Beverley and Kelly Oubre Jr. in the early going. They love their new-and-improved bench, which should enable them to have a strong year.
For more coverage on the 76ers, visit Sixers Wire
Denver Nuggets (8-1)
Last Rank: 1
The Nuggets continue to show no signs of a championship hangover. They are ranked in the top 10 in offense and defense, and have Nikola Jokic performing at a high level once again. They will be tested, though, with Jamal Murray expected to miss the remainder of the month with a hamstring injury. Their bench players have performed well to this point so we’ll see how they can continue to handle the workload.
