Who are the best teams in the NBA this season? Through a third of the season, a clear picture of the NBA’s elite has begun to emerge. In what seems to be the norm nowadays, the west has dominated and the east has lagged behind. Most of the best teams in the league perfect their craft west of the Mississippi, and their dominance isn’t even accurately represented on this list. Without further ado, here are the current top 10 teams in the NBA.
1. Golden State Warriors (23-5)
The Warriors kick off the top teams in the NBA after having the most impressive start to the season. New head coach Steve Kerr has clearly found the winning formula, and impressively so given his lack of coaching experience. He made a bold move by asking Andre Iguodala to move to the bench in favor of Harrison Barnes, but Barnes thrives better as a complementary player, and Iguodala has made Golden State’s bench one of the deepest in the league. All of this, of course, is secondary to the MVP-like season that Stephen Curry is putting together, and the emergence of Klay Thompson as one of the best two-way guards in the NBA. An injury to Andrew Bogut could cause some issues, but for now it’s smooth sailing for the Warriors.
2. Portland Trail Blazers (24-7)
One of the most improved aspects of the Trail Blazers this season is their depth. This will also be one of the most important aspects of Portland, as they will be without starting center Robin Lopez until at least the middle of January, probably longer. LaMarcus Aldridge is playing at an all-star level, and has combined with Damian Lillard to lead this team to one of their best starts ever. Lillard himself is having a breakout year, hitting clutch shots and taking over games late in the fourth quarter. The additions of Steve Blake and Chris Kaman bolstered the bench and provided the depth this team needs to play consistently throughout the season. Watch out for Portland, because big things could be coming.
3. Memphis Grizzlies (21-8)
Memphis gets the nod at number three here despite going into Christmas day on a three-game losing streak. Given the nature of their schedule and how well they have played so far, they get the benefit of the doubt. The injury to Zach Randolph hurts, and that was evident in the Grizzlies’ most recent loss at home to the Utah Jazz. That, and the injury to Tony Allen left the NBA’s fourth best defense without two of its most important members. Assuming these two return healthy, the Grizzlies should continue firing on all cylinders. Mike Conley should make the all-star team alongside Marc Gasol, as both are playing at an extremely high level. Memphis will be dangerous come playoff time, for them it is just a matter of staying healthy enough to get there.
4. Toronto Raptors (22-7)
Coming in at number four is the eastern conference’s first entrant, the Toronto Raptors. Toronto has played every bit as well as they did last year, and are atop the eastern conference thanks to the gritty play of Kyle Lowry, Jonas Valanciunas, Terrence Ross and a never say die attitude. Toronto has weathered a major injury to DeMar DeRozan, their leading sorer, and have gone 9-4 in his absence. Obviously, they want him to come back as soon as possible, but he won’t be back until at least January. Toronto is a team that you cannot count out until the clock reads 0:00, making them dangerous no matter who they play. Not to mention how the Air Canada Centre is a nightmare for opponents, which has quickly become one of the most vibrant atmospheres in the NBA. Toronto is the early favorite in the east.
5. Atlanta Hawks (21-8)
Not far behind Toronto is the surprising Atlanta Hawks. Up until Thanksgiving, Atlanta was playing .500 basketball, still trying to figure themselves out. Al Horford has reinserted himself into the lineup nicely from last year’s season-ending pectoral injury, and Jeff Teague has elevated his game as well. Since Thanksgiving, Atlanta has won 14 of 15 games, and is first in the league in assists per game. Paul Millsap has proven why he deserved a big contract, but the real change here has been player development. Dennis Schroder, DeMarre Carroll, and Pero Antic have provided a spark and added versatility to Atlanta that they did not have last year. Meanwhile, head coach Mike Budenholzer has established himself as one of the best new coaches in the NBA, and clearly has learned a thing or two from his mentor, Gregg Popovich.
6. Houston Rockets (21-7)
Perhaps the injury bug hasn’t hit any team harder than the Houston Rockets. Dwight Howard, Terrence Jones, Kostas Papanikolaou, and Isaiah Canaan have all missed a significant amount of time, but the Rockets have not skipped a beat. That is due in large part to James Harden, who has been a monster so far and is very much in the MVP running. Trevor Ariza has filled in admirably for the departed Chandler Parsons, and Houston will be even better if he can find his shot again. Meanwhile Donatas Motiejunas played exceptionally well without Howard, providing old-school low-post moves that head coach Kevin McHale would be proud of. Who knows what newcomer Josh Smith will provide, but he could be a steal if he is able to contribute like he did back in Atlanta. Once healthy, Houston will be even more of a legitimate threat in the western conference, and ‘The Bearded One’ could wind up as the NBA MVP if he keeps his level of play up.
7. Washington Wizards (20-8)
Washington has been one of the surprises of the league so far this season, as they have continued their ascent through the eastern conference after reaching the playoffs last year. John Wall has transformed his game to be the all-around point guard the Wizards need. He guided them through Bradley Beal’s injury and his chemistry with Marcin Gortat has accelerated this team to a new level of performance. Add in solid contributions from Nene, new addition Paul Pierce, and a top five defense and you have a gelling core in a weak conference. Washington should only improve as the season progresses, and Wall should absolutely make this year’s all-star team.
8. San Antonio Spurs (18-13)
The Spurs have stumbled recently, suffering a four game losing streak that included consecutive triple overtime losses at home. Assuming something that ridiculous doesn’t happen again, the Spurs are still one of the best teams in the league. Injuries to two major contributors, Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard have slowed their progress as well. Leonard’s appears to be much more serious, and the timetable for his return is still unknown, a huge blow for the reigning champs. Parker has already returned to action, and with an improved Danny Green playing at a career-high level, the Spurs should be fine. That injury to Leonard is a major concern, however, and the Spurs need to rebound quickly before they lose too much ground in the western conference.
9. Chicago Bulls (20-9)
The Bulls have finally played at the level we all expected them to, it just took longer than everyone expected. Injuries played a role in that delay, as Joakim Noah missed time and Derrick Rose had some lingering hamstring issues. Those two seem to be back on track, however, and they join a team that had been reaching its potential without them. Anchoring the team in their absences were perhaps the breakout star of this season, Jimmy Butler, and new signings Pau Gasol, Aaron Brooks, and Nikola Mirotic. Gasol has revived his career with the Bulls, and Mirotic has been every bit as good as advertised. If Rose can stay healthy (*knock on wood*) this team could assert itself as the best team in the east; that just appears to be as big an ‘if’ as any.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder (15-16)
This may be the biggest surprise on the list, given the success of teams like the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Oklahoma City’s record is largely based on the injuries that crippled them at the start of the season. Even though Kevin Durant injured his ankle and has missed the last few games, his return makes this team, once again, one of the best in the league. Russell Westbrook is playing at an MVP level, and the young guns have grown into their increased roles. Steven Adams is having a great year, Serge Ibaka has expanded his game and become a more reliable player, and the defense is among the best in the league. When Durant returns, this team should roll once again, justifying their spot as one of the top ten teams in the NBA.