NBA Power Rankings: Warriors stay on top behind elite play of Steph Curry

The NBA season continues to produce several highlights as the stars of the league turn in elite performance after elite performance with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant leading the way.

Curry notched the first 50-point game of the season last week in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. He put up 40 points two games later to lead the Warriors to the best record in the league (11-2) after nearly the first four weeks of the season.

Meanwhile, Durant has continued his scoring tear to start the season as he has produced at least 20 points in each of the Brooklyn Nets’ 14 games. He leads the league in 30-point games and is your scoring leader to this point of the year.

To further make sense of it all, Rookie Wire took a look at the NBA and ranked each team from worst to first. We will come back each week and provide our latest assessment on the best teams and those that are rising.

Houston Rockets (1-12)

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Last Rank: 29

How bad are things for the Rockets? Other than having the longest losing streak in the league at 11 games, they allowed the Portland Trail Blazers, who were winless on the road at 0-6, to come into Houston and defeat them on Friday. The team knows it is young but isn’t using that as an excuse. They now begin a four-game road trip starting with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

For more coverage on the Rockets, visit Rockets Wire

New Orleans Pelicans (2-12)

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Last Rank: 30

After missing seven games, Brandon Ingram returned on Saturday to help the Pelicans snap their nine-game losing streak and defeat the Grizzlies. Pelicans head coach Willie Green previously said he believes they have given themselves chances to win but haven’t been able to close out teams. They did that on Saturday and will be looking to build upon that win.

Orlando Magic (3-10)

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Last Rank: 26

Orlando posted just a 1-4 record on its recent homestand and now hits the road for five games beginning with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. They will also see the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks twice on that trip. All of that is to say their two-game losing streak could be extended even longer.

Detroit Pistons (3-9)

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Last Rank: 28

The Pistons went 2-1 last week, picking up wins over the Rockets and Toronto Raptors. Cade Cunningham helped the Pistons defeat Jalen Green and the Rockets in their first matchup of the season and downplayed any trash-talk by his rookie counterpart. Cunningham looks to be improving on a nightly basis and is beginning to show why the Pistons took him first.

San Antonio Spurs (4-9)

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Last Rank: 25

Dejounte Murray registered a triple-double on Sunday but the effort was not enough as the Spurs lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. He is the first player in franchise history to have multiple triple-doubles within the first 15 games of a season. The Spurs have just two games this week with the Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves, a decent stretch to get back on track.

Minnesota Timberwolves (4-8)

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Last Rank: 23

Minnesota nearly got the week started off right after a Karl-Anthony Towns half-court prayer banked in to force overtime against the Grizzlies. However, they were unable to stay on top and lost. They managed to beat the Lakers on Friday without LeBron James to snap a six-game losing streak but lost again to the Clippers on Sunday. They seemingly have the pieces to stay relevant in the Western Conference but just haven’t been able to do so. Perhaps a four-game homestand this week can help right the ship.

Sacramento Kings (5-8)

AP Photo/Garett Fisbeck

Last Rank: 20

Sacramento has lost four in a row and is coming off a disappointing defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder. They blew an 18-point lead in that contest and completely fell apart late. Kings head coach Luke Walton could be reportedly on the hot seat if their losing streak continues. Something to monitor in Sacramento.

Atlanta Hawks (5-9)

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Last Rank: 24

Atlanta somehow snapped a six-game losing streak to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. It took Trae Young dropping 42 points with 25 coming in the first half alone but the Hawks finally got back in the win column. The Hawks certainly have their fair share of issues, ranking 27th in defense, but with a matchup against the Magic on Monday, they could continue to turn things around.

Portland Trail Blazers (6-8)

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Last Rank: 19

The Trail Blazers went just 1-3 last week on the road with their lone win coming against the Rockets. They have an offense ranked 10th in the league but have struggled on defense to this point. Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups hinted some lineup changes could come because of a lack of effort, which is generally not a positive statement just 14 games into a season.

Oklahoma City Thunder (5-7)

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Last Rank: 27

The Thunder saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday to the Brooklyn Nets, but that shouldn’t take away from a strong week of basketball. Their win over the Kings on Friday was their fourth comeback of the season by at least 15 points as the group is getting contributions from essentially every player on the roster. We’ll see if they can continue their upward swing this week.

For more coverage on the Thunder, visit Thunder Wire

Indiana Pacers (6-8)

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Last Rank: 22

The Pacers have been a tough team to pinpoint this season but appear to have things going in the right direction. They have won five out of seven games and TJ McConnell is playing some of his best basketball right now. The team has a tough matchup with the Knicks on Monday but has an easy schedule after that. Indiana could continue to ascend up the standings.

Boston Celtics (6-7)

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Last Rank: 21

Boston continues to struggle in games decided by three points or less, going 0-3 to this point. They dropped two such games last week but have won four of six overall. Jayson Tatum’s numbers are down a bit across the board but the team is hanging around. It could be only a matter of time before things go their way.

For more coverage on the Celtics, visit Celtics Wire

Toronto Raptors (7-7)

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Last Rank: 18

After a promising start, the Raptors have lost four of five games to fall to .500. The latest loss came to the Pistons, who have largely struggled this season. The team wants to see Scottie Barnes stay aggressive as they have been generally good when he scores in double figures. They have struggled to get production from others, though, after dealing with a few injuries.

Memphis Grizzlies (6-7)

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Last Rank: 11

The lone win of the week came over the Timberwolves as Ja Morant completely took over late. However, they have since dropped three straight, including one to the Pelicans who had lost nine in a row. Fortunately, the Rockets are on deck on Monday, a game they should win.

Milwaukee Bucks (6-8)

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Last Rank: 14

The Bucks went 2-3 on their recent road trip, posting wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and Knicks. However, they lost to the Wizards, Celtics and Hawks after giving up 42 points to Trae Young. One highlight of the week was seeing Giannis’ wholesome reaction to visiting the White House as defending champs.

Charlotte Hornets (8-7)

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Last Rank: 15

The Hornets have bounced back nicely after winning three straight following a five-game losing streak. They have gotten nice contributions lately with Kelly Oubre Jr. pouring in 37 points in a win over the Grizzlies, the most in team history off the bench.

For more coverage on LaMelo Ball and the Hornets, visit Lonzo Wire

Los Angeles Lakers (8-6)

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Last Rank: 16

The Lakers have dealt with several key injuries but got a huge boost when Talen Horton-Tucker returned on Sunday. They have won three of four and have managed to stay afloat with LeBron James dealing with an abdominal injury.

For more coverage on LeBron James and the Lakers, visit LeBron Wire

New York Knicks (7-6)

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Last Rank: 8

The Knicks‘ lone win of the week came against the 76ers after they closed the game on a huge run. After that, though, there wasn’t much to be happy about as New York has gone 2-5 since starting 5-1. One area of concern: The defense. They are ranked 25th after they were fourth last season.

Cleveland Cavaliers (9-5)

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Last Rank: 12

The Cavaliers could be riding a seven-game win streak but a disastrous closeout against the Washington Wizards ensured them of their fifth loss of the season. They led by four points with 30.4 seconds left but failed to defend and make free throws. Still, Cleveland is rolling right now and one of the feel-good stories of the league.

Los Angeles Clippers (8-5)

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Last Rank: 17

The Clippers recently reeled off seven consecutive wins prior to losing to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. They are getting strong contributions up and down the roster with Paul George playing like an MVP candidate. We’re obligated to tell you they are also doing it without Kawhi Leonard.

Dallas Mavericks (8-4)

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Last Rank: 9

Despite winning four of five, the Mavericks have struggled against tougher competition. During that span, they haven’t beat a team with a winning record and lost to the Chicago Bulls by 10 points. We’re not downplaying their record, we’re just not sure yet if the Mavericks can be taken as a serious contender until they start posting some signature wins.

Miami Heat (8-5)

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Last Rank: 3

The Heat’s five-game West Coast road trip hasn’t treated them particularly well. They have gone just 1-3 heading into the final game on Monday versus the Thunder but Jimmy Butler has missed some time so we don’t believe the struggles are a cause for concern.

Philadelphia 76ers (8-6)

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Last Rank: 2

Last week, we were hyping up the Sixers after winning six straight games. The situation has completed changed with the team dropping four consecutive heading into a five-game West Coast swing. Of course, the Sixers are without Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle so some of that was to be expected. Tyrese Maxey has been fun but it is clear they will need Embiid back as soon as possible.

For more coverage on the 76ers, visit Sixers Wire

Utah Jazz (8-5)

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Last Rank: 4

The Jazz have lost four of five games after starting 7-1 on the season. They haven’t played with the urgency needed at times, and have struggled to play consistently throughout games. For a team that must show the NBA it is legitimate, the Jazz are failing to do so as of late.

Phoenix Suns (9-3)

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Last Rank: 13

After starting 1-3, the Suns have won eight straight for the longest active winning streak in the NBA. They look to be back on track after that slow start and are getting it done on both ends of the floor — they rank in the top 10 in offense and defense. Chris Paul is also showing no signs of slowing down, leading the NBA in assists and steals.

Denver Nuggets (9-4)

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Last Rank: 10

The Nuggets have won five straight, and picked up one of them without Nikola Jokic on Wednesday versus the Pacers. Nuggets rookie Bones Hyland has played a key role in their recent surge, averaging 15 points, four rebounds and 3.7 assists over his last three games. Michael Malone can’t stop saying enough nice things about Hyland, something we are here for.

Chicago Bulls (9-4)

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Last Rank: 7

The highlight of the week came on Monday after outscoring the Nets 42-17 in the fourth quarter to win by 23 points. Chicago has the sixth-best net rating in the league and has continued to roll behind the stellar play of DeMar DeRozan, who had 33 points on Sunday as the Bulls snapped the Clippers’ seven-game win streak. They are expected to receive a huge boost with Coby White returning this week as things look to be going really well in the Windy City.

For more coverage on Lonzo Ball and the Bulls, visit Lonzo Wire

Washington Wizards (9-3)

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Last Rank: 6

Washington has won four straight and has been one of the feel-good stories in the NBA to begin the season. They put forth an incredible comeback versus the Cavaliers to win after trailing by four points with 30.4 seconds left in the contest. The Wizards have a top-10 defense and are proving to the NBA they should be taken seriously.

Brooklyn Nets (10-4)

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Last Rank: 5

Brooklyn finished off its season-long six-game road trip with a 5-1 record. As we previously mentioned, Kevin Durant continues to play like Kevin Durant after posting 14 straight 20-point games, the fourth-longest streak in franchise history. He leads the NBA in scoring (29.6 points per game) and has the most 30-point games with seven after scoring 33 on Sunday. Plus, James Harden is putting up triple-doubles and Patty Mills is coming off a 29-point performance. The Nets are rounding into form without Kyrie Irving.

For more coverage on the Nets, visit Nets Wire

Golden State Warriors (11-2)

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Last Rank: 1

The Warriors maintain their top spot after a 3-1 week. Stephen Curry continues to play at an elite level after scoring 50 points on Wednesday, the most in a game this season. Their contest on Tuesday versus the Nets figures to be must-watch TV as an early-season matchup to determine the top team in the league.

For more coverage on the Warriors, visit Warriors Wire

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