NBA Vitality Rankings: The keep all 30 teams land per week ahead of the alternate closing date

We’re per week out from the 2023-24 NBA alternate closing date (Feb. 8, 3 p.m. ET) and, effectively, plenty can happen between now and then, with the future’s of excessive-profile players corresponding to Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine and Atlanta Hawks’ Dejounte Murray soundless up in the air.

The Oklahoma City Order hold taken a dip in our rankings, after shedding to the backside-keep of residing Detroit Pistons closing Sunday, giving them their sixth lift of the season. And the surging LA Clippers made an announcement after blowing out the Jap Convention-main Boston Celtics, handing them their 2d home lack of the season.

Final week was once stuffed with ridiculous scoring outbursts by Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, and Karl-Anthony Cities. As we enter into the 2d half of the season, will we ask extra stamp-catching 70-level games? Will the Milwaukee Bucks receive their defensive footing with Doc Rivers? And could well well the Brooklyn Nets construct a push in the East with the return of Ben Simmons?

Questions abound as we gaze to notice where every crew settles per week ahead of the alternate closing date.

Demonstrate: For the length of the frequent season, our panel (Kendra Andrews, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from high to backside, taking stock of which teams are playing the finest basketball and which teams are wanting most cherish title contenders.

Old rankings: Submit-Finals | Nov. 1 | Nov. 8 | Nov. 15 | Nov. 22 | Nov. 29 | Dec. 6 | Dec. 13 | Dec. 20 | Dec. 27 | Jan. 3 | Jan. 10 | Jan. 17 | Jan. 24

Leap to a crew:

ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE


DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND


LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN


NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX


POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA | WAS

1. Boston Celtics


2023-24 document: 37-11

• Old ranking: 1

• Subsequent games: vs. LAL (Feb. 1), vs. MEM (Feb. 4)

Thru the principle half of the season, or no longer it is exhausting to stare upon the Kristaps Porzingis deal as anything else however an valuable lift for the Celtics. When he is on the court docket, Boston has a plus-12 accumulate rating — without problems the finest of any of the core rotation players, and a trace of factual how impactful the 7-3 Latvian valuable man has been to the Celtics, winners of seven of their past 10 games. Porzingis’ skill to both invent mismatches offensively and provide protection to the rim defensively has made him a seamless slot in Boston. — Bontemps

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2. Denver Nuggets


2023-24 document: 33-15

• Old ranking: 2

• Subsequent games: @ OKC (Jan. 31), vs. POR (Feb. 20), vs. POR (Feb. 4)

The defending champs hold won seven of their past 9 games, a stretch together with handing Boston its first home loss this season, and victories over Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Indiana (twice). Jamal Murray added his fourth 30-level sport in his past 11 games with a 35-level day outing in opposition to Milwaukee. The next sport is indubitably one the Nuggets will be motivated for as they hurry to face Oklahoma City, which beaten the Nuggets 119-93 on Dec. 29 in Denver. — Youngmisuk

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3. LA Clippers


2023-24 document: 30-15

• Old ranking: 7

• Subsequent games: @ WSH (Jan. 31), @ DET (Feb. 2), @ MIA (Feb. 4), @ ATL (Feb. 5)

The Clippers misplaced for factual the third time in January when they had their five-sport winning scuttle snapped in Cleveland on Monday. Nonetheless that loss didn’t shatter what has been a a hit starting up to this seven-sport facet motorway outing. The Clippers won abet-to-abet games at Toronto and Boston, punctuated by a 19-level lift in TD Backyard. The Clippers led by as valuable as 36 and handed the Celtics their 2d home loss in what was once L.A.’s most spectacular lift of the season. Paul George has been playing by a groin inconvenience, though, which is something the crew continues to visual display unit closely as it enters the abet half of this facet motorway outing in Washington, Detroit, Miami and Atlanta. — Youngmisuk

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4. Minnesota Timberwolves


2023-24 document: 33-14

• Old ranking: 5

• Subsequent games: vs. DAL (Jan. 31), vs. ORL (Feb. 2), vs. HOU (Feb. 4), @ CHI (Feb. 6)

The Wolves bounced abet from a disappointing loss to San Antonio with a victory over Oklahoma City on Monday evening, transferring abet into sole possession of first location in the Western Convention. Minnesota has been in or tied for first location in the West for all however in some unspecified time in the future since Nov. 19, when the Order held possession for a day closing week. These two teams and Denver will proceed to fight for their location in the standings, as Minnesota hosts Dallas, Orlando and Houston this week ahead of heading on the facet motorway. — Collier

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5. Philadelphia 76ers


2023-24 document: 29-17

• Old ranking: 4

• Subsequent games: @ UTA (Feb. 1), vs. BKN (Feb. 3), vs. DAL ( Feb. 5)

After a two-sport absence that resulted in the 76ers shedding to the Nuggets and Trail Blazers, Joel Embiid returned to the starting up lineup Tuesday evening in opposition to the Warriors. Embiid — who has extra substances scored than minutes performed to this level this season, something finest Wilt Chamberlain has performed for a chunky season — can omit finest five extra games to soundless be eligible for a 2d straight MVP award. — Bontemps

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6. Milwaukee Bucks


2023-24 document: 32-15

• Old ranking: 6

• Subsequent games: @ POR (Jan. 31), @ DAL (Feb. 3), @ UTA (Feb. 4), @ PHX (Feb. 6)

The Bucks dropped Doc Rivers’ instructing debut Monday in opposition to the Nuggets, however Milwaukee has taken a step in the shapely route defensively in the past week. In four games since Adrian Griffin was once fired as head coach, Milwaukee is giving up 110.9 substances per 100 possessions, ninth in the NBA for the length of that span. Monday was once the principle day of a 9-day, five-sport facet motorway outing for the Bucks, which continues Wednesday evening in Portland for Damian Lillard’s first sport there since being traded this summer. — Collier

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7. Oklahoma City Order


2023-24 document: 32-15

• Old ranking: 3

• Subsequent games: vs. DEN (Jan. 31), vs. CHA (Feb. 2), vs. TOR (Feb. 4), @ UTA (Feb. 6)

Rookie of the 12 months candidate Chet Holmgren had his worst two-sport offensive stretch for the length of the Order’s abet-to-abet losses to the Pistons and Timberwolves. He was once held to a mixed 13 substances on 6-of-20 capturing in the losses, which brought about Oklahoma City to fall out of first location in the West. Restful, Holmgren is averaging 16.7 substances on 53.3% capturing, a predominant ingredient in the 32-15 Order’s success. Nonetheless Oklahoma City is 2-5 when he fails to fetch in double digits and 5-8 when he shoots lower than 50%. — MacMahon

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8. Cleveland Cavaliers


2023-24 document: 28-16

• Old ranking: 8

• Subsequent games: vs. DET (Jan. 31), @ MEM (Feb. 1), @ SA (Feb. 3), vs. SAC (Feb. 5)

Destroy up the Cavs! No longer finest has Cleveland won 10 out of its past 11 games — together with a double-digit comeback in opposition to the Clippers — however Darius Garland has been upgraded to questionable to construct his return Wednesday from a 19-sport absence due to a fractured jaw. The Cavaliers are No. 5 in the East however finest 2½ games in the abet of the No. 2 Bucks, whom they’ve beaten twice in the past two weeks. — McMenamin

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9. Fresh Orleans Pelicans


2023-24 document: 26-21

• Old ranking: 12

• Subsequent games: @ HOU (Jan. 31), @ SA (Feb. 2), vs. TOR (Feb. 5)

Regardless of playing the league’s hardest schedule in January, the Pelicans hold even handed one of many month’s high offensive rankings, scoring 120.5 substances per possession, the fourth-finest ticket in the league. Fresh Orleans has long gone 7-7 in January, and all seven wins had been by double digits, together with five of these by 20 substances or extra. Then again, five of the seven losses had been by double digits as effectively, and the Pelicans hold dropped three in a row. They will gaze to build up abet no longer off target in opposition to Houston on Wednesday. — Lopez

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10. Fresh York Knicks


2023-24 document: 31-17

• Old ranking: 10

• Subsequent games: vs. IND (Feb. 1), vs. LAL (Feb. 3), vs. MEM (Feb. 6)

No Julius Randle? No pronounce! Effectively, at the least, to this level. Happily for Fresh York, it looks Randle’s shoulder hurt is going to be measured in weeks, no longer months, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, meaning the Knicks must build up him abet with plenty of time left in the frequent season — and hold the upcoming All-Star shatter to mitigate the series of games disregarded. Restful, Fresh York has been the freshest crew in the league of leisurely, ripping off wins in 13 of its past 15 games since OG Anunoby made his debut. That Anunoby alternate has place the Knicks abet in the fight for a high-three seed in the East. — Bontemps

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11. Dallas Mavericks


2023-24 document: 26-21

• Old ranking: 13

• Subsequent games: @ MIN (Jan. 31), vs. MIL (Feb. 30), @ PHI (Feb. 5), @ BKN (Feb. 6)

Luka Doncic has scored or assisted on an moderate of 79.7 substances all the device in which by the final three games. Per ESPN Stats & Facts, finest Wilt Chamberlain has accounted for extra substances over a three-sport span, generating 82 and 81 substances in overlapping three-sport runs in 1962. Doncic rested for a filled with 10 minutes for the length of the Mavs’ stretch of three games in four nights, starting up along with his franchise-document 73-level performance in Atlanta, as co-principal particular person Kyrie Irving has been sidelined by a sprained shapely thumb. The Mavs, who had misplaced five of the earlier seven games, went 2-1 for the length of Doncic’s historic week. — MacMahon

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12. Sacramento Kings


2023-24 document: 27-18

• Old ranking: 15

• Subsequent games: @ MIA (Jan. 31), @ IND (Feb. 2), @ CHI (Feb. 3), @ CLE (Feb. 5)

After a four-sport skid, the Kings are utilizing a four-sport winning scuttle, with basically the most valuable difference being that their defense has been the 12th finest in the league all the device in which by the final four games. The Kings stays a noteworthy crew, led by De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk. Their role players’ strong contributions had been a nice shock, too, as Harrison Barnes is averaging 25.7 substances all the device in which by the final four games.— Andrews

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13. Indiana Pacers


2023-24 document: 27-21

• Old ranking: 14

• Subsequent games: @ NY (Feb. 1), vs. SAC (Feb. 2), @ CHA (Feb. 4), vs. HOU (Feb. 6)

The Pacers’ three-sport winning scuttle was once snapped Tuesday in opposition to Boston no subject the return of All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who posted 13 substances and 10 assists in 22 minutes. Nonetheless even for the length of his absence, the Pacers hold maintained their explosive offense. They’ve recorded at the least 30 assists in 27 games this season, already the 2d most in a season in franchise history (38 games in 1991-92). — Collier

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14. Phoenix Suns


2023-24 document: 27-20

• Old ranking: 9

• Subsequent games: @ BKN (Jan. 31), @ ATL (Feb. 2), @ WSH (Feb. 4), vs. MIL (Feb. 6)

Regardless of Devin Booker scoring 152 substances over a three-sport span, the Suns came away with one lift to expose for it. In that lone lift in opposition to the Heat, four Suns players scored between 19 and 23 substances, with Eric Gordon main the crew in scoring off the bench (23 substances). Phoenix has three games left on its seven-sport facet motorway outing in opposition to teams with a mixed document of 47-81 — a excellent likelihood to rob relieve of a soft schedule. — McMenamin

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15. Los Angeles Lakers


2023-24 document: 24-25

• Old ranking: 17

• Subsequent games: @ BOS (Feb. 1), @ NY (Feb. 30), @ CHA (Feb. 5)

L.A. allowed 127 or extra substances for the fifth straight sport in Tuesday’s 138-122 loss to the Hawks. The Lakers are 2-3 in that span and can’t appear to muster a smidge of consistency. “We could well well maybe, on any given evening, beat any crew in the NBA,” LeBron James acknowledged. “After which on any given evening, we are able to build up our ass kicked by any crew in the NBA. That’s factual the [facts].” — McMenamin

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16. Miami Heat


2023-24 document: 24-23

• Old ranking: 11

• Subsequent games: vs. SAC (Jan. 31), @ WSH (Feb. 2), vs. LAC (Feb. 4), vs. ORL (Feb. 6)

On Jan. 15, the Heat had been 24-16 and playing about a of their finest basketball of the season. Since then, Miami has misplaced seven in a row, the longest shedding scuttle in Erik Spoelstra’s time as head coach (since 2008-09). Over these seven games, Miami has averaged factual 101.7 substances. Miami has also struggled defensively, allowing 124.2 substances per 100 possessions in that stretch. Sooner than that, the Heat’s defensive rating was once 112.6, ninth finest in the league to that level. That is the Heat crew that wants to expose as much as build up the season abet no longer off target. — Lopez

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17. Orlando Magic


2023-24 document: 24-23

• Old ranking: 16

• Subsequent games: @ SA (Jan. 31), @ MIN (Feb. 2), @ DET (Feb. 4), @ MIA (Feb. 6)

Paolo Banchero had 36 substances, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in Monday’s loss to the Mavericks, elevating his season averages to 23.0 substances, 7.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. He’s on sail to change into the sixth player to moderate these numbers all over a full season in a player’s rookie or sophomore season, joining Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Jerry West, Sidney Wicks and Oscar Robertson (the finest player to create it twice). If the Magic would prefer to climb abet up the standings, they’ll need the former No. 1 rob to proceed his stellar play. — Lopez

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18. Utah Jazz


2023-24 document: 24-25

• Old ranking: 18

• Subsequent games: vs. PHI (Feb. 1), vs. MIL (Feb. 4), vs. OKC (Feb. 6)

John Collins averaged 15.3 substances and 7.5 rebounds while capturing 60.4% from the ground in January. It has been his finest month in a Jazz uniform, however his minutes hold dropped to 24.3 per sport. That’s because Collins and Walker Kessler, the 7-footer who was once an All-Rookie change closing season, are splitting time and no longer regularly ever on the ground together. Nonetheless coach Will Hardy is inserting Collins in scrape to play to his strengths as a rim runner for the Jazz, who won 10 of their 16 games in January to catapult abet into the Western Convention playoff flee. — MacMahon

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19. Houston Rockets


2023-24 document: 22-24

• Old ranking: 19

• Subsequent games: vs. NO (Jan. 31) , vs. TOR (Feb. 2), @ MIN (Feb. 4), @ IND (Feb. 6)

Jalen Green’s curler-coaster season has taken an upward flip currently, as he recorded the principle three level-rebound double-doubles of his profession over his past three games. Green averaged 29.7 substances and 10.7 rebounds in that span, which incorporated two 30-level performances, matching his total for the relaxation of the season. His 34-level, profession-excessive 12-rebound, seven-support day outing in Monday’s lift over the Lakers was once arguably the finest all-round sport of the 2021 2d total rob’s profession. — MacMahon

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20. Chicago Bulls


2023-24 document: 22-26

• Old ranking: 20

• Subsequent games: @ CHA (Jan. 31), vs. SAC (Feb. 3), vs. MIN (Feb. 6)

Accidents are starting up to pile up for the Bulls now that ahead Patrick Williams will be sidelined for at least two weeks by a left foot hurt. He joins Zach LaVine and Torrey Craig on the injured record, scaling down a Bulls rotation that aspects two players in the tip 10 in minutes per sport — DeMar DeRozan (fourth) and Coby White (10th). After traveling to Charlotte on the 2d evening of a abet-to-abet, the Bulls return home to host two no longer easy Western Convention opponents in the Kings and Timberwolves. — Collier

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21. Golden Roar Warriors


2023-24 document: 20-24

• Old ranking: 21

• Subsequent games: @ MEM (Feb. 2), @ ATL (Feb. 3), @ BKN (Feb. 5)

Whatever the yarn double-time beyond laws loss in opposition to the Lakers on Saturday, there’s some factual news for Golden Roar: It will probably hold stumbled on a five-man lineup it’ll depend on with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga. In barely 66 minutes together, that five-man combo has a accumulate rating of plus-13.2, which is the highest of any Warriors lineup with at the least 60 minutes logged together without the injured Chris Paul. — Andrews

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22. Atlanta Hawks


2023-24 document: 20-27

• Old ranking: 22

• Subsequent games: vs. PHX (Feb. 2), vs. GS (Feb. 3), vs. LAC (Feb. 5)

Atlanta was once a Saddiq Bey sport-saving dunk away from its 2d five-sport shedding scuttle of the season Sunday, however when the fourth-yr ahead slammed home Trae Young’s omit, it sealed the Hawks’ 126-125 lift over the Raptors. Dejounte Murray had two winning photography closing week, and matched with Bey’s dunk, the Hawks hold recorded three skedaddle-ahead baskets with two seconds or much less final in the fourth quarter or time beyond laws, basically the most in the NBA this season, in response to ESPN Stats & Facts analysis. The next two weeks will be pivotal for the Hawks. They started a arresting four-sport homestand Tuesday evening, ahead of jetting up the fly for a two-sport facet motorway keep of residing in opposition to the Celtics and Sixers. — Lopez

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23. Brooklyn Nets


2023-24 document: 19-27

• Old ranking: 24

• Subsequent games: vs. PHX (Jan. 31), @ PHI (Feb. 3), vs. GS (Feb. 5), vs. DAL (Feb. 6)

Brooklyn bought a substantial-needed enhance Monday evening with the return of Ben Simmons, who nearly place up a triple-double in 18 minutes in a blowout victory over the Jazz. Simmons, along with his skill to assault downhill in both the half court docket and transition, provides Brooklyn an extraordinarily varied dimension. The demand now, pointless to claim, is whether or no longer or no longer Simmons — who has disregarded far beyond regular time than he has performed the past three years, and disregarded 38 games due to a abet inconvenience ahead of returning — can truly carry on the court docket. Restful, after Monday’s lift, the Nets are factual 5-12 over their past 17 contests. — Bontemps

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24. Memphis Grizzlies


2023-24 document: 18-29

• Old ranking: 25

• Subsequent games: vs. CLE (Feb. 1), vs. GS (Feb. 2), @ BOS (Feb. 4), @ NY (Feb. 6)

Memphis has been hit so exhausting by injuries that the NBA granted the Grizzlies three 10-day hardship roster exemptions. The Grizzlies, who hold managed to lift three of their past five games, had been relying heavily on a pair of players on two-potential contracts: GG Jackson and Scotty Pippen Jr. Jackson has averaged 10.6 substances on 66.3% perfect capturing in 19.5 minutes per sport this month, while Pippen has averaged 8.5 substances and 4.0 assists in three games since signing with Memphis. — MacMahon

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25. Toronto Raptors


2023-24 document: 17-30

• Old ranking: 23

• Subsequent games: @ HOU (Feb. 2), @ OKC (Feb. 4), @ NO (Feb. 5)

Even after Toronto snapped a five-sport shedding scuttle with a lift over the Bulls on Tuesday evening, the Raptors are soundless 12th in the Jap Convention standings and gaze far extra at likelihood of fail to see the play-in than to sneak into the tip 10 by season’s conclude. That must construct players corresponding to Bruce Brown even extra on hand ahead of next week’s alternate closing date than they presumably already had been, and serves as a reminder that Toronto owes San Antonio a high-six stable first-round rob. Staunch now? The Raptors sit in the sixth location in the lottery. — Bontemps

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26. Portland Trail Blazers


2023-24 document: 14-33

• Old ranking: 26

• Subsequent games: vs. MIL (Jan. 31), @ DEN (Feb. 2), @ DEN (Feb. 4)

Portland continues to flash glimpses of its doable, taking place to the wire in opposition to the Order and then winning in Houston in time beyond laws closing week. The Blazers then beat the Sixers by 26 substances Monday — their finest margin of victory this season. Unlike about a of the assorted teams at the backside of the standings, the Blazers are having some perfect-wanting commentary games that must present the franchise hope. — Andrews

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27. San Antonio Spurs


2023-24 document: 10-37

• Old ranking: 28

• Subsequent games: vs. ORL (Jan. 31), vs. NO (Feb. 2), vs. CLE (Feb. 3)

The Spurs hold proven signs of pronounce in the past month. Since Tre Jones entered the starting up lineup Jan. 4, San Antonio is 5-6 when both Jones and Victor Wembanyama play. The new starting up lineup of Jones, Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagnie and Jeremy Sochan has a plus-12.7 accumulate rating in 129 minutes — sixth in the West amongst all five-man groups to play at the least 100 minutes this season. On high of that, the crew’s defensive rating of 116.8 is 14th in the league since Jones started starting up. — Lopez

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28. Charlotte Hornets


2023-24 document: 10-35

• Old ranking: 27

• Subsequent games: vs. CHI (Jan. 31), @ OKC (Feb. 2), vs. IND (Feb. 4), vs. LAL (Feb. 5)

LaMelo Ball disregarded his 2d straight sport Monday due to an even ankle hurt. Coach Steve Clifford acknowledged Ball’s ankle is “truly sore” and that he’s hopeful his franchise level guard can return to play in opposition to Chicago on Wednesday. “His effectively being is the No. 1 inconvenience,” Clifford acknowledged. “He’s our finest player, and we have got bought to make certain that he’s healthy, so clearly we’re being cautious. He wants to play.” In Ball’s absence, P.J. Washington and Brandon Miller hold tried to compensate. Washington scored 43 substances in a loss to Utah, and Miller matched his profession excessive of 29 in a loss in opposition to the Knicks on Monday. — Youngmisuk

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29. Washington Wizards


2023-24 document: 9-37

• Old ranking: 29

• Subsequent games: vs. LAC (Jan. 31), vs. MIA (Feb. 2), vs. PHX (Feb. 4)

Whatever the truth that here’s clearly a rebuilding season, the Wizards modified Wes Unseld Jr. as head coach Thursday with assistant Brian Keefe, who was once elevated to interim coach. With Unseld now in a front location of job role, Keefe’s early focus has been to place better habits and effort. After shedding to Utah in Keefe’s first sport, the Wizards won at Detroit and San Antonio — their first winning scuttle of the season. They’d better revel in it now since the Wizards’ next 11 games feature about a of the NBA’s finest: the Clippers, Heat, Suns, Cavs (twice), Celtics, Sixers, Mavs, Pels, Nuggets and Order. — Youngmisuk

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30. Detroit Pistons


2023-24 document: 6-40

• Old ranking: 30

• Subsequent games: @ CLE (Jan, 31), vs. LAC (Feb. 2), vs. ORL (Feb. 4)

The Pistons are coming off an upset victory over the Order on Sunday without Cade Cunningham and had been exhibiting some signs of life. They are 3-4 in their past seven games, no longer world beating by any formula, however a step ahead for a squad that keep of residing the league document for longest shedding scuttle earlier this season. A predominant lustrous location? Twenty-yr-worn heart Jalen Duren, who has averaged 15 substances, 14 rebounds and 3 assists on 64% capturing over that stretch. The Pistons will gaze to produce on this momentum as they hurry to face the surging Cavs ahead of returning home to host the Clippers and Magic over the weekend. — Collier