NBA Power Rankings Update: Have the Houston Rockets Caught Up to the Golden State Warriors?
Teams Ranked 10th to 1st
The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets continue to jockey for the top spot, but the Toronto Raptors are closer to them than you might think.
| Ranking | Team | Record | nERD | Last Ranking | Plus/Minus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 19-13 | 54.2 | 12 | +2 |
| 9 | Indiana Pacers | 18-14 | 55.0 | 10 | +1 |
| 8 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 16-15 | 55.5 | 6 | -2 |
| 7 | Washington Wizards | 17-14 | 56.0 | 9 | +2 |
| 6 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 24-9 | 56.5 | 7 | +1 |
| 5 | San Antonio Spurs | 22-11 | 56.7 | 5 | Even |
| 4 | Boston Celtics | 26-9 | 61.9 | 4 | Even |
| 3 | Toronto Raptors | 22-8 | 73.7 | 3 | Even |
| 2 | Houston Rockets | 25-5 | 77.3 | 2 | Even |
| 1 | Golden State Warriors | 25-6 | 81.1 | 1 | Even |
The Expected
The Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and San Antonio Spurs continue to rank first to fifth, respectively, for the third week in a row.
The big takeaway here is that the Rockets were able to rattle off a 14-game win streak, move into a dead heat with the Warriors in terms of margin of victory, offensive efficiency, and defensive efficiency, yet they've still failed to catch them at the top of our power rankings. The Warriors might never let go of that top spot.
No one gives the Toronto Raptors enough credit. They have the fourth-best record in the Association, currently sit a mere 1.5 games behind the Celtics in the standings for the top spot in the Eastern Conference (and have them beat in the loss column), rank in the top-six in the NBA in both offensive (fourth) and defensive (sixth) efficiency, and have a point differential (8.7), net rating (8.6), and nERD (73.7) just behind the Warriors and Rockets and far ahead of their closest competitors.
The Unexpected
This space might as well be named after the Oklahoma City Thunder, who continue to rank in the top-eight (down two spots) in the NBA in nERD, despite being in a four-way tie for the 13th-best record in the league. They've won eight of their last 11 games, however, and now sit seventh in the Association in point differential (2.5), while boasting the NBA's top defensive rating (100.8 points allowed per 100 possessions).
The Minnesota Timberwolves, at 19-13, have climbed into the top-10 for the first time all season, having won five of their last seven games. They rank fifth in the league in offensive efficiency and 11th in point differential, and if they ever sort out their 25th-ranked defense, they should continue to rise in these rankings.
