1. Golden State Warriors
A minor hiccup against the Indiana Pacers can be downplayed as the Warriors have been strong through the trade deadline. A win at home against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs was a sign of things to come for a special team that has taken the spotlight in the California sun this season. Stephen Curry has emerged as a favorite for MVP, but the team as a whole is the best in basketball.
2. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks carried a slight skid past the trade deadline with a loss to the Toronto Raptors, but have since won four straight. They remain arguably the most complete team in basketball, with all five starters averaging double figures. 27-4 at home, they are the favorite to push through the Eastern Conference playoffs.
3. Memphis Grizzlies
The Griz came out of the All-Star break as another strong team that did not need to acquire outside help at the trade deadline. They have been a top-three team all season, neck and neck with the Warriors in the West. Home court seems almost guaranteed to this point and, at 23-6 at the FedEx Forum, they may very well be right there with the Warriors in the end. Two impressive road wins against the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers make the Grizzlies a top candidate to succeed in the Western Conference playoffs.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
Winning three straight games after the trade deadline, scoring over 100 points in each contest, the Cavaliers are poised to make a run at the Hawks. They have since lost two in a row, but remain a half game behind the Chicago Bulls for third place in the East. J.R. Smith has played outstanding with his new team, while Iman Shumpert provides valuable insurance. The latest addition of Kendrick Perkins completes the Cavaliers' post presence while LeBron James has been largely overshadowed in the MVP conversation.
5. Houston Rockets
Coming off of a big win in overtime against the Cavaliers, the Rockets have proven that they belong in the conversation as one of the best teams in the league. James Harden is the arguable favorite for MVP and has been tremendous with Dwight Howard on the bench for a large portion of the season. The mid-season signing of Josh Smith also proved to be a huge addition, filling out the supporting cast alongside Harden.
6. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers limped out of the All-Star break, but proved they are still a top team in the NBA with an impressive win over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. The home crowd in Portland has been fantastic, but the Blazers are just 13-13 on the road. Arron Afflalo was a huge addition and his two-way play will make the Blazers a tough competitor down the stretch.
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
The hottest team in the NBA with the hottest player, the Thunder have thrived off of Russell Westbrook in the absence of Kevin Durant. Westbrook has emerged as a serious MVP candidate and has been doing nasty things without KD. Having won eight of their last ten, the Thunder acquired assets at the trade deadline that have officially brought them back into the top ten. Their biggest weakness will continue to poor health.
8. Dallas Mavericks
The one glaring issue holding this team back from taking a giant leap in the standings is Rajon Rondo. The stubborn point guard has not found his niche in Dallas and was recently suspended by the Mavericks for a verbal altercation with head coach Rick Carlisle. If Rondo can cool off and find a happy place, this team could be dangerous.
9. Chicago Bulls
Losing Derrick Rose was a blow below the waist, and now Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson have caught the injury plague. The Bulls are still in solid shape and it appears that 4-6 weeks is the timeline for Rose's return. Relying heavily on their injury-prone point guard, the Bulls are barely clinging to a top-ten spot in the rankings.
10. Toronto Raptors
Quietly hovering around the top of the Eastern Conference, the Raptors have continued their consistency after the trade deadline. Kyle Lowry proved his abilities at the All-Star game at Madison Square Garden, while DeMar DeRozan has played at a high level through an injury. One of the top teams at the beginning of the season, the Raptors remain a top ten team and may have some ferocity flying under the radar.
11. San Antonio Spurs
The defending champs are struggling in Western Conference after deadline. They lost four in a row coming out of the All-Star break, three of which were top teams in the Western Conference. Now tasked with fending off the surging Thunder, the Spurs will require Tony Parker to return to form in order to avoid facing a top team in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
12. Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin has been the point of discussion in Los Angeles, while DeAndre Jordan has carried the load in his absence. The "hack-a-Jordan" has helped the Clippers beat several tough opponents to start the second half of the season, although they lost two of their last three games to the Rockets and Grizzlies. After failing to make a deal at the trade deadline, the waiting game continues.
13. Washington Wizards
The team that has struggled the most after the trade deadline, the Wizards have fallen to fifth in the Eastern Conference. Ramon Sessions was not a sufficient addition to make up for lost ground, leaving John Wall and Bradley Beal as the lone saviors in Washington. Having lost five in a row and seven of their last ten, the Wizards need to get their you-know-what together and do it fast.
14. Milwaukee Bucks
After some questionable moves at the deadline, the Bucks have hung tough in the middle of the pack in the East. They have some improvements to make and have a more foggy future after dealing away Brandon Knight and buying out Larry Sanders, but don't forget Jabari Parker remains an integral part of this roster moving forward.
15. New Orleans Pelicans
Anthony Davis is another big name who has missed time due to injury, but the Pelicans are still very much in the hunt for the playoffs. Getting Jrue Holiday back could provide a needed spark. However, they will likely need help to move into contention now that the Thunder have bumped the Suns out of the playoffs. Nonetheless, the Louisiana birds have won four in a row without The Brow.
16. Miami Heat
The addition of Goran Dragic was a great move by Pat Riley. Unfortunately, the loss of Chris Bosh put the Heat right back where they were before Dragic. They have had one of the most grueling schedules coming out of the All-Star breaking, playing on back-to-back nights on multiple occasions. Several teams are now hot on their tails for the final playoff seeds and, while it looks the Heat will maintain their position, an NBA title may appear miles down the horizon.
17. Charlotte Hornets
Quietly hovering around playoff contention, the Hornets have finally shown signs of life without making a trade. The team is solid, sitting just one game back from the eighth seed in the East, but has been largely inconsistent. Labeled a pretender, the Hornets have followed suit. They have lost six of their last seven games, with their last win coming against a Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls team.
18. Indiana Pacers
The biggest surprise in the East coming out of the trade deadline, the Pacers have benefited from a healthy George Hill, who just recently recorded his first career triple-double against the Cavs. With the idea of Paul George coming back very much in the picture, the Pacers could easily snatch a playoff berth.
19. Brooklyn Nets
Even with Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez, the Nets have been unimpressive all season. They decided not to trade either of their three main stars and remain under .500, clinging to the eighth seed in the East. If they can secure a playoff berth, a first round sweep will likely be in order.
20. Detroit Pistons
Acquiring Reggie Jackson and Tayshaun Prince has not made up for the loss of Brandon Jennings and even fooled yours truly into thinking they would snatch a playoff spot. On the contrary, the Pistons have lost three straight games. They remain just a half game out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, but have been surpassed by the Pacers, Hornets, and Celtics.
21. Phoenix Suns
While they remain above .500, the Suns will need some serious help to get back into contention after dumping Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas at the trade deadline. They were able to acquire talents such as Brandon Knight and Marcus Thornton, but were forced to surrender their top two guards, signing away their season at the deadline.
22. Boston Celtics
The Celtics secured a solid piece in Isaiah Thomas and sit a half game back from a playoff spot in the East. The loss of Jared Sullinger was unfortunate, but Jae Crowder has proven to be a solid acquisition after the Celtics dished Rajon Rondo to the Mavericks. Still trying to find the right pieces, the Celtics are in a tough spot in the standings.
23. Sacramento Kings
Clinging to the likes of DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings have not improved with George Karl at the helm. They continue to struggle in the Western Conference and have now lost seven of their last ten. A solid team towards the beginning of the season, the second half appears to be a whole different story.
24. Utah Jazz
After trading Enes Kanter to the Thunder, the Jazz bought out Kendrick Perkins and have one of the least recognizable rosters in the NBA. Their future is incredibly cloudy and they are one of the most irrelevant teams in the league, eight and a half games out of a playoff position.
25. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets dumped multiple players at the trade deadline and now look ahead to the NBA Draft Lottery. They still have talent, but shipping off Arron Afflalo and JaVale McGee has resulted in a five-game losing streak. The Nuggets have now lost nine of ten games and are in need of some new talent.
26. Orlando Magic
Another quite team, the Magic have young talent to look forward to developing. Victor Oladipo has finally emerged in his second season in the league and showed some incredible leaping ability in the Slam Dunk Contest. However, the Magic's season has stalled as they sit among the bottom-dwellers in the East.
27. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers had won three straight games until losing to the Thunder and are not in as rough shape as it may have seemed. Injuries have plagued them from the get-go with their top draft pick Julius Randle going down with a broken leg on opening night. Kobe Bryant was also shut down for the season, leaving the team in the hands of Carlos Boozer and Nick Young. Byron Scott has been forced to work with a lineup uncharacteristic of the Lakers, yet players such as Jordan Hill have showed value at times. Nonetheless, they will be looking ahead to the draft and free agency to build upon.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves
The acquisition of Kevin Garnett was a wise move and allows a young roster to develop and grow. Garnett is not much of a difference-maker this season, but Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine will benefit hugely from his presence. The Wolves had to surrender Thaddeus Young in order to get KG and are now the worst team in the Western Conference.
29. Philadelphia 76ers
Illogically shipping out their most promising players in Michael Carter-Williams and K.J. McDaniels, the 76ers continue the greatest tanking effort in NBA history. Javale McGee is a question mark and only highlights the uncertainty surrounding Joel Embiid. Having lost seven of their last ten games, the 76ers continue to search for answers.
30. New York Knicks
The worst team in the NBA has a good shot at the lottery after buying out Amar'e Stoudemire and shutting down Carmelo Anthony. They will be challenged by the 76ers, but have performed terribly under Derek Fisher. Phil Jackson is at the center of a New York City nightmare and, with this season a wash, will face many challenges in the offseason as he attempts to right the ship.