The Contenders
1. Indiana Pacers (32-7) – The Pacers have won four straight and eight of their last ten games. After a considerably significant slump, Paul George has surfaced back to playing at an MVP level. He’s heating up.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (31-10) – The Thunder got some big wins this week against the Rockets and Warriors as a result how great Kevin Durant is. The superstar raved NBA fans this week after scoring a career high of 54 points against the Warriors.
3. San Antonio Spurs (32-9) – This franchise is the model of consistency in the NBA. They are well-coached and execute at a high level. They currently have the second best record in the NBA and have yet to peak.
4. Miami Heat (29-11) – The defending champs continue to hover around the best record in the league. Despite resting multiple guys, they are going to continue to be one of those teams that can rely on their experience to win ball games.
5. Portland Trail Blazers (32-9) – The Blazers are a half-game out from the number one overall seed out West after defeating the Spurs this week. They have been playing consistent basketball, and we can officially call them a legit contender in the West.
Prove You’re Worthy Of Being Mentioned With The Elite
6. Los Angeles Clippers (28-14) – The Clippers went to Madison Square Garden and got a pretty impressive win against the Knicks without Chris Paul. It seems as if they’ll be able to hold down the fort without their best player.
7. Houston Rockets (27-15) – Houston dropped a bomb this week when they gave up a game they should have won against Oklahoma City. However they found a way to bounce back and finished the week strong.
8. Golden State Warriors (26-16) – The Warriors have cooled off after being one of the hottest team in basketball. After looking elite for a small time frame, they have regressed back to their standard form.
Middle Of The Pack
9. Dallas Mavericks (24-18) – Dallas is heating up and looking to make that next leap as we get toward the All-Star break.
10. Phoenix Suns (23-17) – Many thought that this team would be at the center of the tank sweepstakes, but new head coach Jeff Hornacek has this young team playing excellent basketball. They might be a playoff team out West.
11. Memphis Grizzlies (20-19) – The Grizzlies have turned their season around just in time for the return of Marc Gasol. They went 4-0 last week and are looking to continue climbing the standings out West.
12. Toronto Raptors (20-19) – Ever since the Rudy Gay trade, the Raptors have been playing some excellent basketball. They have won six of 10 and are looking like a playoff team out East.
13. Atlanta Hawks (20-19) – The Hawks have quietly put together a solid season thus far. The Milsap-Horford connection has been very effective and they’re winning more ball games than many expected.
14. Denver Nuggets (20-20) – This team is finally starting to play some very good basketball. They’ve won five games in a row now, and have found out how to thrive in Brian Shaw’s system.
15. Washington Wizards (19-20) – John Wall has elevated his game to another level this season. As a result, the Wizards are currently a playoff team and are fighting for that number three seed in the Eastern Conference.
16. Chicago Bulls (19-20) – This team is starting to get themselves back into playoff form. They’ve won seven of their last 10 games, and continue to show their resilience each night they play.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-21) – The Timberwolves have been a very disappointing ball club due to their inability to win close ball games. As a result, they see themselves under the .500 mark.
Pretty Bad
18. Brooklyn (16-22) – The Nets have finally turned the corner after winning seven of their last 10 games. They gotten themselves back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and are playing well under Jason Kidd after remaining patient in adopting his philosophies.
19. Detroit Pistons (16-22) – The Pistons can never put together a consistent stretch of good basketball. Because of that, they’ll continue to hover around as one of the worst teams in the league. They still can make the playoffs in the subpar East, but they would eliminated in the first round.
20. Los Angeles Lakers (16-25) – The Lakers have won two games in a row and have used their loss in Phoenix as a means of motivation. This team could potentially be experiencing a turing point in their season on this Grammy trip.
21. Charlotte Bobcats (17-25) – The Bobcats are playing better basketball than what we are accustomed to seeing, but they are still pretty bad team nonetheless.
22. Cleveland Cavaliers (15-25) – As of now, they are playing .500 level basketball, and could be making a playoff appearance if they keep this pace up.
23. New York Knicks (15-25) – The Knicks have now lost three games in a row after posting a four game winning streak. There still is potential for this team to fully turn things around, but time is running out as we inch toward the All-Star break.
Tank Tank Tank Tank Tank Tank
24. New Orleans Pelicans (15-24) – The Pelicans have had some unfortunate injuries throughout this season. They currently hold the longest losing streak in the NBA at eight games. Tough times for the young guys.
25. Sacramento Kings (14-25) – Sacramento has been playing .500 level basketball over their last 10 games. They aren’t a good team but they are starting to find chemistry with their young pieces.
26. Boston Celtics (14-28) – The Celtics got Rajon Rondo back this week and that seemed to provide an emotional lift for the fans and players in this franchise. However, that has yet to translate to wins, as they are currently 0-2 with Rondo in the starting lineup.
27. Utah Jazz (14-28) – Utah has quietly been playing .500 basketball over their last 10 games. However, they find themselves in the “tank” discussion because there is nothing better for this franchise to do. Their young guys are continuing to get better though.
28. Philadelphia 76ers (13-27) – The 76ers are clearly one of the few teams that understands that their franchise is in rebuild mode. They’ll be counting on a quality draft pick coming their way.
29. Orlando Magic (11-30) – This week they competed very hard and found a way to get a their first victory in their last 10 games. Aaron Afflalo’s return should help them out moving forward.
30. Milwaukee Bucks (7-33) – No one tanks harder than the Bucks. Period.
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Nick Young Jokes About Drawing Fouls, Kissing His Biceps, And Xavier Henry
