NBA Power Rankings: Top contenders hold steady while Pistons climb ...Middle East

News by : (TOP world News today) -

We’re one week from the 2025 NBA trade deadline, and while there haven’t been any major moves leading up to Feb. 6, there have been developments across both conferences.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reportedthe Sacramento Kings are open to trade talks regarding star guard De’Aaron Fox. Plus, to add to the ongoing Jimmy Butler trade saga, Charania also reportedthe Miami Heatare in “active conversations” with “multiple teams” to move the disgruntled superstar.

With All-Star guards potentially on the move, teams will be keeping a close eye on the standings as they push through the regular season. Are there any league-shifting trades in the works? How will that affect a team’s strategy moving forward? Also, how will it affect our power rankings?

All good things to ponder as our NBA insiders break down this week’s list.

Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.

Preseason| Oct. 30| Nov. 5| Nov. 13| Nov. 20| Nov. 27| Dec. 4| Dec. 11| Dec. 18| Dec. 25| Jan. 1| Jan. 8| Jan. 15| Jan. 22

ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLEbr/>DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | INDbr/>LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MINbr/>NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHXbr/>POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA| WAS

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Isaiah Hartenstein picked up where he left off after sitting out five games because of a lower calf strain, recording 14 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and a block in a win over Portland on Sunday. The Thunder are 23-2 when Hartenstein plays. Four of Oklahoma City’s eight losses have occurred when the Thunder didn’t have Hartenstein or fellow 7-footer Chet Holmgren, with one loss coming on the night Holmgren fractured his pelvis earlier this season. — Tim MacMahon

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Darius Garland missed two potential winning free throws with 2.1 seconds left against Houston; Ty Jerome‘s career-high 33 points weren’t enough to get by a Joel Embiid-less Sixers squad; and then another loss to the Rockets despite a 17-point rally in the fourth. — Dave McMenamin

3. Boston Celtics

— Tim Bontemps

4. Memphis Grizzlies

Jaren Jackson Jr. has developed into a go-to scorer as the Grizzlies continue to tinker with a new wide-open offense that could prove problematic for teams in the postseason. First, Memphis needs to solve its issues dealing with physical teams and the Grizzlies will get another test in that respect Thursday against a Rockets squad that has beaten them three times this season. — Michael Wright

5. Houston Rockets

Amen Thompson is surging, scoring 20-plus points in three of his past six games as Houston collected three wins in the last week over the East-leading Cavaliers and Celtics before Wednesday’s win at Atlanta. — Wright

6. New York Knicks

— Chris Herring

7. Denver Nuggets

Aaron Gordon has been ramping up in his return from a calf injury and has yet to play more than 25 minutes in his past eight games coming off the bench. But Russell Westbrook has played well, shooting 62.7% and averaging 13.1 points and 5.6 assists, in his past six games. — Ohm Youngmisuk

8. Milwaukee Bucks

— Jamal Collier

9. LA Clippers

James Harden,Norman Powelland Ivica Zubac. Harden has a double-double in six of his past eight games, averaging 23.1 points and 10.2 assists in that span. After having 40 points and nine assists in a win over Milwaukee last Saturday, Harden became the seventh player with at least three 40-point games in a season at age 35 or older in NBA history. He also has 10 games with 20 points and 10 assists this season, joining LeBron James, Steve Nash and Lenny Wilkens as the only players 35 or older to do so, according to ESPN research. — Youngmisuk

10. Los Angeles Lakers

Anthony Davis averaged 32.8 points on 58.2% shooting, 15 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. The dominant stretch happened to coincide with Davis telling ESPN’s Sham Charania that, “I think we need another big,” before the trade deadline passes. That momentum came crashing down for both Davis and L.A. in Philly on Tuesday night, with Davis exiting early because of an abdominal strain and the Lakers getting blown out. — McMenamin

11. Minnesota Timberwolves

— Collier

12. Indiana Pacers

— Collier

13. Dallas Mavericks

Klay Thompson‘s 21-point explosion in the first quarter of Monday’s blowout win over the Wizards was more than he had scored in his previous three games combined. He matched a franchise record and his own this season by making seven 3-pointers in the quarter. “You do that, it reminds you that there’s greatness still within you,” Thompson said postgame. — MacMahon

14. Phoenix Suns

Jusuf Nurkic caused some waves last week when he told the Arizona Republic that he and coach Mike Budenholzer “don’t have a relationship.” But it’s hard to argue with Budenholzer’s faith in newly-acquired big man Nick Richards. Since trading with Charlotte for Richards earlier this month, the Suns are 4-1 and he has fit in swimmingly — averaging 11.8 points on 62.9% shooting and 11.2 rebounds. — McMenamin

15. Sacramento Kings

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday the Kings are expected to open up talks to trade De’Aaron Fox before next Thursday’s deadline, which would take Sacramento in a different direction. Currently built to win now with veteran starters DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings will have a difficult time replacing Fox who is averaging 25.2 points and 6.2 assists. Sacramento’s decision has a ripple effect on the Hawks, who get the Kings’ first-round pick from the Kevin Huerter trade if it lands outside the top 12 picks. — Kevin Pelton

16. Detroit Pistons

— Pelton

17. Miami Heat

now suspended through the trade deadline, the Heat will get a 10-day respite from the nonstop drama surrounding their star forward. The question is still the same one that has lingered over the franchise for months: Will there be a suitable deal for Butler by 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 6, or will this standoff drag on for the rest of the season and into the summer? — Bontemps

18. Orlando Magic

Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner) available at the same time for a game since October, and they ended a five-game losing streak with a win over Detroit. The good health was short-lived: Suggs subsequently sat out Monday because of a quadriceps contusion as Orlando lost a double-overtime heartbreaker in Miami. The Magic are 16-9 with a plus-4.2 differential in the 25 games Suggs and Wagner have played together, despite Banchero sitting out the majority of them. — Pelton

19. Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry has said that this stretch could “make or break” the Warriors’ season as they try to stay above water without Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga. Green (calf) has been cleared to return to practice later this week, but Kuminga will be out for at least another two weeks after injuring his ankle on Jan. 4. The Warriors, who beat Utah on Tuesday, host Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Orlando. Following that, Golden State plays seven consecutive road games and won’t return to Chase Center until after the All-Star break. — Youngmisuk

20. San Antonio Spurs

Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center. The Spurs should be well-rested after spending last week in Paris for two games against Indiana, which included a 38-point loss in which San Antonio coughed up a season-high 24 turnovers. Victor Wembanyama scored only three points on three field-goal attempts in the second half. But he has produced three consecutive showings with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, one shy from tying a career-high four straight outings putting up those numbers. — Wright

21. Atlanta Hawks

Trae Young sat out Monday in a loss against the Wolves, but that still doesn’t explain the Hawks’ struggles. De’Andre Hunter had a career-best 35 points against Minnesota, but the Hawks will need other players stepping up to stay in contention. — Herring

22. Philadelphia 76ers

— Bontemps

23. Chicago Bulls

Zach LaVine, who will sit out the trip for personal reasons. LaVine’s wife posted on social media that she’s expecting the birth of their third child. — Collier

24. Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard led the way. Even the loss that ended the streak was impressive: a 10-point loss at home to the league-leading Thunder. It’s no coincidence the uptick came with Deni Avdija‘s return to the lineup. Avdija averaged 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals in those five games. After combining for only 17 points in his first three games back on the bench, all wins, Scoot Henderson had 25 against Oklahoma City. — Pelton

25.Toronto Raptors

Immanuel Quickley, this time because of a left hip strain. — Bontemps

26. Brooklyn Nets

Nic Claxton has struggled this season and is amid a career-worst 54.0% in efficiency shooting from the field. But with the Nets in a rebuilding season, the young big has shown great potential and instincts. — Herring

27. Charlotte Hornets

LaMelo Ball, averages upward of 28 points. The Hornets, now second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings, can desperately use some development beyond Ball’s ability to score; particularly with second-year wing Brandon Miller out indefinitely because of a wrist injury. — Herring

28. New Orleans Pelicans

Zion Williamson coming off back-to-back games with 28 points or more with seven-plus rebounds. Brandon Ingram, a mainstay in trade-deadline rumors, hasn’t played since Dec. 7 (left ankle sprain), and it doesn’t appear he’ll be back soon. New Orleans is 4-22 this season against sub-.500 teams with an upcoming schedule that includes the Mavericks, Celtics and two road clashes against the Nuggets. — Wright

29. Utah Jazz

John Collins doesn’t play often these days, but his rare performances haven’t diminished trade interest in him. Collins played in only two games during Utah’s 3-14 stretch entering Tuesday night’s matchup with the Warriors in which Collins sat out. He averaged 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 62.1% from the field in his two appearances over the past month. — MacMahon

30. Washington Wizards

Kyle Kuzma indicated he wanted to be more aggressive, which means not fitting into the franchise’s direction of developing its young prospects. After having 30 points and 11 rebounds in a 119-109 loss at Phoenix on Saturday, Kuzma told reporters, “I just decided to be myself and not really just try to fit into everything that we’re doing here, and just really played in the moment.” Perhaps Kuzma will be more open to trade discussions this time than he was last season at the deadline. — Youngmisuk

Copyright © 2025 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.

NBA Power Rankings: Top contenders hold steady while Pistons climb Top World News Today.

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( NBA Power Rankings: Top contenders hold steady while Pistons climb )

Also on site :

Most Viewed News
جديد الاخبار