Five weeks into the 2022-23 NBA season, the Utah Jazz inactive person the astir wins successful the Western Conference. But the topsy-turvy standings amusive doesn't extremity there, due to the fact that present the red-hot Sacramento Kings are gaining crushed with a seven-game winning streak.
In betwixt the world-beating Jazz and Kings, the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers are starting to conscionable expectations, but nary person managed to abstracted from the pack.
Then determination are the teams that boast 2 of the champion players successful the NBA truthful acold this play successful the Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks and Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors. Dallas and Golden State haven't rather afloat wasted the MVP-caliber performances of Doncic and Curry, but they decidedly haven't capitalized capable truthful acold arsenic some teams hover astir .500.
The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks inactive look similar the 2 superior contenders successful the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, conscionable erstwhile it looked similar the Brooklyn Nets mightiness yet person the look of a existent challenger, they dropped a crippled to a short-handed Philadelphia 76ers squad that was playing without Joel Embiid and James Harden. Still, with Kyrie Irving backmost connected the tribunal for Brooklyn and Ben Simmons starting to find his form, the Nets could person a accidental to get backmost into the conversation.
See wherever the East's elite, the West's surprises and each 30 teams basal this week.
Note: Throughout the regular season, our sheet (Kendra Andrews, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking each 30 teams from apical to bottom, taking banal of which teams are playing the champion hoops present and which teams are looking astir similar rubric contenders.
Previous rankings: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5
1. Boston Celtics
2022-23 record: 13-4
Previous ranking: 1
Boston is present 12-0 this play against teams not playing successful Cleveland and Chicago, and 1-4 against the Cavaliers and Bulls aft a 2nd shellacking successful Chicago connected Monday night. That said, Boston inactive is cruising on with the league's second-ranked discourtesy and inching northward successful the antiaircraft ranks, each portion Robert Williams III continues to advancement toward returning from genu country 2 months ago. -- Bontemps
2. Milwaukee Bucks
2022-23 record: 12-4
Previous ranking: 2
Brook Lopez collected 5 blocks successful Monday's triumph implicit the Trail Blazers to travel up his four-block show successful the erstwhile crippled against the Sixers and summation his league-high full to 44. As the anchor of Milwaukee's league-leading defense, Lopez is besides 1 of the aboriginal favorites for Defensive Player of the Year. -- Collier
3. Phoenix Suns
2022-23 record: 11-6
Previous ranking: 6
Phoenix has won 3 retired of 4 to stabilize portion Chris Paul continues to miss clip due to the fact that of a bottommost injury. The Suns person caught occurrence from the outside, averaging 18 made 3s connected 47.8% successful those 3 wins. -- McMenamin
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
2022-23 record: 11-6
Previous ranking: 7
Donovan Mitchell (29.8 points, 6.0 assists) and Darius Garland (23.9 points, 7.8 assists) proceed to marque their lawsuit arsenic the astir talented backcourt successful the league. Now they conscionable person to bash thing astir Garland's turnovers. He's averaging 7.0 turnovers implicit the Cavs' past 3 games, bringing his play mean to 4.0 per crippled -- 2nd worst successful the NBA down Philadelphia's Joel Embiid (4.4). -- McMenamin
5. Utah Jazz
2022-23 record: 12-7
Previous ranking: 9
Malik Beasley -- 1 of the players acquired successful the Rudy Gobert commercialized -- had a sizzling agelong interrupted by an disconnected nighttime successful Monday's nonaccomplishment to the Clippers. Beasley was 34-of-71 (47.9%) from 3-point scope successful the erstwhile 7 games, erstwhile helium averaged 19.4 points per game. The Jazz are 6-2 erstwhile Beasley hits astatine slightest 4 3s. -- MacMahon
6. Denver Nuggets
2022-23 record: 10-7
Previous ranking: 3
Even though back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were backmost successful the lineup, Denver mislaid to a Detroit Pistons squad without Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart. The Nuggets fertile 24th successful antiaircraft rating, but 2 of their adjacent 3 opponents fertile successful the bottommost 5 of violative efficiency, providing them with a get-right opportunity. -- Andrews
7. Memphis Grizzlies
2022-23 record: 10-8
Previous ranking: 5
Ja Morant was expected to beryllium week-to-week with a near ankle sprain, but helium missed lone 1 crippled earlier returning Tuesday nighttime against the Kings. He scored 20 of his 34 points successful the 4th quarter, but Morant missed a archetypal escaped propulsion erstwhile helium had a accidental to necktie the crippled successful the last seconds. -- MacMahon
8. LA Clippers
2022-23 record: 11-7
Previous ranking: 12
The Clippers person won 3 consecutive games with Kawhi Leonard backmost successful the starting lineup. But arsenic is the Clippers' way, conscionable arsenic 1 prima returns, different prima gets hurt. Paul George missed Monday's triumph implicit Utah due to the fact that of a close hamstring strain. It doesn't look to beryllium a superior issue, but it besides isn't wide yet erstwhile George volition return. Still, the Clippers are opening to people and support astatine a precocious level, Norman Powell is heating up, and Reggie Jackson is uncovering a rhythm. -- Youngmisuk
9. New Orleans Pelicans
2022-23 record: 10-7
Previous ranking: 15
While immoderate fans lament the Warriors' sitting Stephen Curry for the 4th consecutive crippled successful New Orleans, the Pelicans aren't complaining. New Orleans defeated the Warriors by 45 points connected Monday -- the second-largest triumph successful Pelicans franchise history. Brandon Ingram had 34 points against Golden State -- his archetypal 30-point crippled of the season. Ingram's 3-point shooting has stood retired this season; he's up to 48.2% connected 4.3 attempts per game, which is up from 32.7% connected 4.1 attempts a play ago. -- Lopez
10. Atlanta Hawks
2022-23 record: 10-7
Previous ranking: 8
Minutes were spotty for Hawks rookie AJ Griffin to commencement the season, but helium has made the astir of the clip helium has been connected the level successful the past 2 games. On Saturday against Toronto, Griffin had 17 points successful 30 minutes disconnected the seat and scored the overtime victor against the Raptors connected an alley-oop from Trae Young. Griffin earned his first-ever commencement Monday successful spot of De'Andre Hunter (non-COVID-19 illness) and again enactment up 17 points connected 7-of-11 shooting. -- Lopez
11. Portland Trail Blazers
2022-23 record: 10-7
Previous ranking: 4
The Blazers are successful a pugnacious stretch, not lone losing 3 of their past 4 games but missing Damian Lillard for astatine slightest different week aft the constituent defender strained his calf. Snapping the descent volition beryllium hard with the Blazers' adjacent 4 games against the Cavs, Knicks, Nets and Clippers. -- Youngmisuk
12. Sacramento Kings
2022-23 record: 10-6
Previous ranking: 18
Light the beam! The Kings are connected a seven-game triumph streak, and successful their astir caller triumph against the Grizzlies they enactment unneurotic their champion antiaircraft show of the season. De'Aaron Fox is playing astatine an All-Star level, and each is good successful Kings land. -- Andrews
13. Dallas Mavericks
2022-23 record: 9-7
Previous ranking: 10
Dallas has a inclination of playing down against depleted teams. The Mavs person managed to suffer to the Pelicans without Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Orlando Magic without Paolo Banchero, the Wizards without Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, and the Nuggets without Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. Dallas is besides 0-4 erstwhile Luka Doncic doesn't people 30 points -- including a nonaccomplishment to the Rockets helium sat retired to rest. -- MacMahon
14. Indiana Pacers
2022-23 record: 10-6
Previous ranking: 20
Don't vessel the Rookie of the Year grant to Orlando conscionable yet due to the fact that Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin is making a beardown lawsuit to beryllium the league's champion rookie contempt coming disconnected the bench. Mathurin is averaging 19.3 points per game, and his 22-point show Tuesday was his seventh 20-point crippled arsenic a reserve this season, breaking a necktie with Dallas' Christian Wood for the astir successful the league. -- Collier
15. Washington Wizards
2022-23 record: 10-7
Previous ranking: 13
Washington has won six of its past 7 games. Kyle Kuzma is averaging 20.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists successful November. Bradley Beal is backmost from the wellness and information protocols and averaging 26 points and 6.3 assists implicit his past 3 games. Perhaps the astir important happening is Kristaps Porzingis remaining available. He was large successful an overtime triumph implicit the undermanned Heat, dropping 20 points, 17 rebounds and 5 assists. -- Youngmisuk
16. Toronto Raptors
2022-23 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 14
Another season, different slate of injuries for the Raptors, who should get Gary Trent Jr. backmost Wednesday erstwhile Toronto hosts the Nets and person Pascal Siakam pursuing on down him successful the adjacent future. That said, Toronto is inactive successful the apical 10 successful discourtesy and wide nett standing adjacent with each the injuries it has had -- pointing to the imaginable upside for this radical if manager Nick Nurse tin get each of his players connected the level for an extended play of clip together. -- Bontemps
17. Philadelphia 76ers
2022-23 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 11
The instrumentality of Ben Simmons became a galvanizing infinitesimal for the 76ers, who managed to bushed the star-studded Nets with their 3 starring scorers -- Joel Embiid, James Harden and Tyrese Maxey -- sidelined by injuries. Still, it's going to beryllium an uphill ascent to scrap retired victories until reinforcements arrive, but there's astatine slightest a accidental Embiid could instrumentality arsenic soon arsenic this play successful Orlando. -- Bontemps
18. Minnesota Timberwolves
2022-23 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 21
The Timberwolves are connected a four-game winning streak and seemingly starting to enactment everything unneurotic aft a rocky start. They're 10th successful the West, but 10th and 4th are separated by lone a crippled and a half. -- Andrews
19. New York Knicks
2022-23 record: 9-9
Previous ranking: 19
New York managed to not lone past its five-game West Coast trip, but really finished it with a 3-2 grounds to travel backmost location astatine .500, and present volition play six of its adjacent 7 successful New York. The atrocious quality is its upcoming opponents -- Portland, Memphis, Milwaukee, Dallas, Cleveland and Atlanta -- are each apt playoff teams. -- Bontemps
20. Brooklyn Nets
2022-23 record: 8-10
Previous ranking: 22
There is nary roller coaster rather similar a Brooklyn Nets roller coaster. In the span of a week they gave up 153 points successful a nonaccomplishment to the Kings, picked up their champion triumph of the play 2 days aboriginal against the Blazers, brought Kyrie Irving backmost aft an eight-game suspension during a Sunday triumph implicit the Grizzlies, past were beaten by an undermanned Sixers squad successful Ben Simmons' instrumentality to Philadelphia connected Tuesday. The bully quality for the inconsistent radical is that Simmons yet appears to person recovered his stride. He has 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists implicit his past 4 games. -- Friedell
21. Golden State Warriors
2022-23 record: 8-10
Previous ranking: 17
The bully quality for the Warriors: They yet got a roadworthy win! Also, Klay Thompson enactment unneurotic 2 consecutive beardown performances, including a 41-point crippled successful which helium made 10 3s. The not truthful bully for Golden State: Its seat is inactive struggling mightily, and it got blown retired by the Pelicans. -- Andrews
22. Miami Heat
2022-23 record: 7-11
Previous ranking: 16
Miami has mislaid 4 consecutive and is struggling without swingman Jimmy Butler, who is dealing with a genu injury. About the lone bully quality is that Kyle Lowry is averaging 17.6 points, 11.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds implicit his past 5 games. -- Friedell
23. Chicago Bulls
2022-23 record: 7-10
Previous ranking: 23
The Bulls got a much-needed triumph against the Celtics connected Monday to halt a four-game losing streak. But present Chicago volition embark connected a six-game roadworthy travel crossed the adjacent 2 weeks that begins successful Milwaukee and includes a West Coast plaything against the Thunder, Jazz, Suns, Warriors and Kings. -- Collier
24. Oklahoma City Thunder
2022-23 record: 7-10
Previous ranking: 24
In past Wednesday's crippled against the Washington Wizards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deed a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left. It was the 4th tying oregon go-ahead 3-pointer helium has deed successful the last 5 seconds of the 4th fourth oregon overtime successful the past 2 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. That's doubly arsenic galore arsenic immoderate different subordinate during that span. Another Stats & Info nugget: Gilgeous-Alexander became the 2nd subordinate to grounds 10 games of 30 points and 50% shooting successful his archetypal 14 games of the play -- joining Wilt Chamberlain, who did it successful 1962-63. -- Lopez
25. Los Angeles Lakers
2022-23 record: 5-11
Previous ranking: 28
Anthony Davis' stat enactment against the Suns connected Tuesday had ne'er been logged earlier successful NBA history: 37 points connected 11-for-17 shooting (15-for-16 escaped throws), 21 rebounds, 5 steals and 5 blocks. He is hoping his play is giving LeBron James immoderate bid of caput to afloat retrieve from his groin strain earlier returning. "We privation him to instrumentality his time," Davis said aft James missed his 5th consecutive game. "God forbid, it lingers onto thing else." -- McMenamin
26. Orlando Magic
2022-23 record: 5-13
Previous ranking: 27
Orlando has mislaid 4 of its past five, but the bully quality for the Magic is that Franz Wagner continues to amended successful the midst of a coagulated month. The second-year guardant is averaging 22.2 points, 4.9 assists and 4.1 rebounds successful 34.3 minutes per crippled successful November. -- Friedell
27. Charlotte Hornets
2022-23 record: 4-14
Previous ranking: 26
Charlotte is 1-10 successful November. The agleam spot for the Hornets precocious is the play of Kelly Oubre Jr. The seasoned swingman is averaging 24.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals implicit his past 3 games. -- Friedell
28. San Antonio Spurs
2022-23 record: 6-12
Previous ranking: 25
Maybe a instrumentality to the AT&T Center tin assistance the Spurs get backmost connected track. After a 5-2 start, the Spurs person mislaid 10 of their past 11, but the lone triumph successful that clip was a location triumph implicit Milwaukee. The Spurs person had the league's worst antiaircraft standing this play (117.9), but that fig has been adjacent worse successful the past 11 arsenic San Antonio has fixed up 120.2 points per 100 possessions implicit that stretch. -- Lopez
29. Detroit Pistons
2022-23 record: 4-15
Previous ranking: 29
The Pistons can't halt anybody. They springiness up the second-most points per 100 possessions successful the NBA, down lone San Antonio, and their defence is the main crushed they had dropped 7 successful a enactment earlier a triumph Tuesday nighttime successful Denver. -- Collier
30. Houston Rockets
2022-23 record: 3-14
Previous ranking: 30
The Rockets are competitory precocious successful games overmuch much often than past play -- a motion of advancement -- but closing them has been a large problem. Houston ranks past successful the league by a wide borderline successful clutch violative standing (71.9 points per 100 possessions). Point defender Kevin Porter Jr. is 4-of-14 from the level (1-of-7 connected 3s) with lone 1 assistance successful 24 clutch minutes. -- MacMahon
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