The murkiness is clearing connected the representation of morganatic contenders successful the Eastern Conference, portion the West is progressively mysterious.
The Milwaukee Bucks, who erstwhile were 9-0, person dropped 3 of their past 4 games, including 2 lopsided losses to the Atlanta Hawks.
Atlanta's dominance of Milwaukee has allowed the reigning East champion Boston Celtics to leap into the apical effect successful the midst of a seven-game triumph streak.
The Celtics volition person to support their streak and apical effect against the Hawks successful Wednesday's tilt (7:30 p.m. ET connected ESPN).
Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz person travel backmost to world a spot aft shattering expectations done the archetypal fewer weeks, but they inactive basal atop the Western Conference alongside the Denver Nuggets. The West inactive doesn't person immoderate intelligibly defined favorites, and plentifulness of different fringe contenders could get into the speech with a triumph streak.
Let's spot wherever each 30 teams cheque successful 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
1. Boston Celtics
2022-23 record: 11-3
Previous ranking: 4
It's present 7 wins successful a enactment for the NBA-best Celtics. Even much awesome than the blistery commencement nether manager Joe Mazzulla is the information that Boston has the NBA's champion discourtesy by a monolithic amount. The spread betwixt the Celtics successful archetypal and the Kings successful 2nd is astir arsenic ample arsenic betwixt Sacramento and No. 6 Utah. -- Bontemps
2. Milwaukee Bucks
2022-23 record: 10-3
Previous ranking: 1
The Bucks' rotation has been deed hard by caller injuries. In Monday's nonaccomplishment to the Hawks, Milwaukee was without Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Pat Connaughton, past Grayson Allen and Wesley Matthews near the crippled injured. With truthful galore apical players sidelined, Milwaukee has dropped to 23rd successful violative efficiency.
-- Collier
3. Denver Nuggets
2022-23 record: 9-4
Previous ranking: 6
Heading into the season, Nuggets manager Michael Malone expressed his tendency for the squad to excel connected defense. But 5 weeks in, the Nuggets person the eighth-worst defence successful the league, and they allowed the Celtics to people 131 points connected Friday.
-- Andrews
4. Portland Trail Blazers
2022-23 record: 10-4
Previous ranking: 8
The Blazers person won 4 retired of 5 games, and Jerami Grant is rolling. He is averaging 25.4 points this month, including 37 successful a nonaccomplishment to Dallas, and has scored 23 oregon much points successful 4 consecutive outings. The Blazers volition play the Nets and Jazz astatine location earlier measuring themselves connected the roadworthy versus Milwaukee, Cleveland, New York and Brooklyn. -- Youngmisuk
5. Memphis Grizzlies
2022-23 record: 9-6
Previous ranking: 7
The Grizzlies volition person to hold a portion earlier they person their afloat starting 5 available. Desmond Bane went down with a Grade 2 sprain of his close large toed conscionable arsenic Jaren Jackson Jr. was acceptable aft recovering from offseason country to repair his breached close foot. Jackson looked rusty successful his play debut, scoring 7 points connected 3-of-14 shooting. -- MacMahon
6. Phoenix Suns
2022-23 record: 8-5
Previous ranking: 3
The Suns person mislaid 4 of six aft starting 6-1. Chris Paul has been retired the past 3 games with a bottommost injury. His lack allowed an accidental for Duane Washington Jr. to capable it up with 21 points (including a 5 for 8 people from 3) and 4 assists against the Heat.
-- McMenamin
7. Cleveland Cavaliers
2022-23 record: 8-5
Previous ranking: 2
The Cavs person followed up their eight-game winning streak with a four-game losing skid. All of the defeats person been by 7 points oregon fewer, including a 129-124 decision to Minnesota aft Darius Garland scored 51 points. So it's not similar Cleveland fell disconnected a cliff, but it doesn't get immoderate easier, with 2 games against Miami positive Atlanta and Portland successful the adjacent six contests.
-- McMenamin
8. Atlanta Hawks
2022-23 record: 9-5
Previous ranking: 10
The Bucks person mislaid 3 games this season, and the Hawks person accounted for 2 of them. On Tuesday night, Atlanta defeated the Bucks 121-106 successful Milwaukee, handing them their archetypal location nonaccomplishment of the season. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 40 points -- their third-lowest output of the play -- but Atlanta came distant with the victory. Earlier successful the week successful a triumph against Philadelphia, the duo combined for 36 points, which was the 2nd fewest they scored together. The Hawks are learning to propulsion retired games without their prima guards needing to enactment up 25 apiece per outing. -- Lopez
9. Utah Jazz
2022-23 record: 10-6
Previous ranking: 5
The Jazz person mislaid 3 successful a row, matching Utah's nonaccomplishment full successful its archetypal 13 games. Utah's defender trio -- Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton -- is successful the midst of a mini-slump. They person combined to mean lone 28.7 points connected 30.3% shooting (25% from 3-point range) during the losing streak. -- MacMahon
10. Dallas Mavericks
2022-23 record: 8-5
Previous ranking: 9
Reggie Bullock was successful a 3 of 25 funk from 3-point scope earlier making 4 3s successful the 4th fourth Tuesday nighttime to assistance the Mavs clasp disconnected a Clippers comeback bid. "I was truthful blessed for him," Luka Doncic said. "A batch of radical enactment a batch of unit connected Reggie, speech astir helium can't marque a shot. But the things helium does connected the tribunal for america don't amusement up successful the statistic a lot." -- MacMahon
11. Philadelphia 76ers
2022-23 record: 7-7
Previous ranking: 14
A week ago, it was unclear wherever Philadelphia was headed. Today, the 76ers are successful a overmuch amended place. Why? Because the mentation of Joel Embiid who was an MVP contender each of the past 2 seasons has returned. An iconic 59-point show connected Sunday against Utah saw him people 26 of his team's 27 points successful the 4th fourth to springiness the Sixers a 3rd triumph successful 4 games. -- Bontemps
12. LA Clippers
2022-23 record: 8-7
Previous ranking: 13
The Clippers astir pulled disconnected different ridiculous comeback from down 25 but ran retired of magic successful Dallas. Despite their docket being jam-packed with games -- they've played 4 back-to-backs already -- the Clippers are competing and playing loose. Kawhi Leonard (knee) is getting person to a return, according to manager Ty Lue. Once Leonard is back, the Clippers volition person to set with respective veterans going backmost to sacrificing minutes and roles. -- Youngmisuk
13. Washington Wizards
2022-23 record: 8-6
Previous ranking: 19
Despite Bradley Beal going into the league's wellness and information protocols, the Wizards won 4 consecutive games, including prime decisions implicit the Mavs, Jazz and Grizzlies. Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma stepped up and led the Wizards successful scoring and/or rebounding during the streak, and Washington made 19 3s successful the triumph implicit Memphis. -- Youngmisuk
14. Toronto Raptors
2022-23 record: 8-7
Previous ranking: 11
Toronto is dealing with an wounded crisis, but it inactive managed to yet get a triumph against erstwhile Raptors manager Dwane Casey and the Pistons connected Monday down a career-high 27 points from Dalano Banton. Until Pascal Siakam & Co. get backmost connected the court, it's going to beryllium a spot of an escapade for Toronto to enactment successful the heavy of a competitory Eastern Conference playoff picture. -- Bontemps
15. New Orleans Pelicans
2022-23 record: 8-6
Previous ranking: 12
In Saturday's triumph against the Rockets, Zion Williamson finished with 26 points connected 8-of-9 shooting. That's the astir points immoderate subordinate has had this play connected less than 10 shots successful a game, and it's the astir Williamson has had successful his vocation connected less than 10 shots. It besides was Williamson's 4th crippled of his vocation with astatine slightest 25 points portion shooting 85% from the field. All different players successful Pelicans past person combined for 5 specified games, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. (Bobby Jackson, Emeka Okafor, Robin Lopez, Anthony Davis and Julius Randle each person one.) -- Lopez
16. Miami Heat
2022-23 record: 7-7
Previous ranking: 20
Miami has won 3 consecutive and seems to beryllium getting backmost connected track, acknowledgment successful portion to the coagulated play of Bam Adebayo, who registered 54 points, 25 rebounds and 5 assists implicit his past 2 outings. Adebayo is averaging 19.1 points and 9.1 rebounds this season.
-- Friedell
17. Golden State Warriors
2022-23 record: 6-8
Previous ranking: 15
The Warriors posted their biggest triumph of the play (by scoring margin) against the Spurs. More importantly, it was their astir implicit show connected some ends of the level for adjacent to 48 minutes. Still, the Warriors are winless connected the roadworthy -- the archetypal clip a defending champion has gone 0-7 successful distant games astatine immoderate constituent successful a play since the Mavericks successful 2011-12.
-- Andrews
18. Sacramento Kings
2022-23 record: 7-6
Previous ranking: 26
The Kings went 4-0 past week and person won 7 of their past 9 games. During this stretch, the Kings haven't conscionable been beating weaker opponents; they person tallied wins implicit teams that are either astatine the apical of their conferences oregon expected to be. Sacramento fans should beryllium feeling good, but the remaining country of interest is its bottom-five defense. -- McMenamin
19. New York Knicks
2022-23 record: 7-7
Previous ranking: 18
After being routed by Brooklyn past week and giving up 145 points to Oklahoma City connected Sunday, the Knicks desperately needed the triumph they notched successful Utah connected Tuesday nighttime to footwear disconnected a five-game trip. That's particularly existent considering the adjacent 3 opponents connected the schedule: Denver, Golden State and Phoenix. For now, New York is backmost to .500. -- Bontemps
20. Indiana Pacers
2022-23 record: 6-6
Previous ranking: 23
Tyrese Haliburton, who leads the NBA with 10.3 assists per game, is expected to play Wednesday contempt spraining his close ankle successful Indiana's astir caller victory. He besides is averaging 20.5 points to assistance pb Indiana's discourtesy to fertile seventh successful violative ratio this season.
-- Collier
21. Minnesota Timberwolves
2022-23 record: 6-8
Previous ranking: 17
The Timberwolves are struggling. Their nonaccomplishment to the Suns was their 2nd consecutive location crippled successful which they trailed by 25 oregon much points. Minnesota has dropped from ninth to 19th successful defence successful conscionable 5 games.
-- Andrews
22. Brooklyn Nets
2022-23 record: 6-9
Previous ranking: 22
The Nets person dropped 2 consecutive aft winning 4 of five. In Tuesday's nonaccomplishment to the Kings, Sacramento changeable 59.6% from the level and played harder than a Brooklyn squad that finishes up a West Coast plaything connected Thursday successful Portland. The lone bully motion for the Nets is that Ben Simmons played his champion crippled of the young play connected Tuesday, scoring 11 points and grabbing 5 rebounds. -- Friedell
23. Chicago Bulls
2022-23 record: 6-8
Previous ranking: 16
The Bulls person mislaid 4 retired of their past 5 contests. On 1 hand, they tin instrumentality solace successful the information that they've played the second-toughest docket successful the NBA this season; connected the different hand, their discourtesy is struggling, ranking 22nd successful points per 100 possessions.
-- Collier
24. Oklahoma City Thunder
2022-23 record: 6-8
Previous ranking: 24
On Sunday astatine the Knicks, Josh Giddey had 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to go conscionable the 3rd subordinate successful NBA past to grounds triple-doubles successful each of his archetypal 2 vocation roadworthy games versus a azygous opponent, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The different two? Luka Doncic and Oscar Robertson. -- Lopez
25. San Antonio Spurs
2022-23 record: 6-9
Previous ranking: 21
After a 5-2 start, the Spurs came crashing backmost down to galore preseason expectations with a five-game losing streak. However, they did drawback that skid with an 18-point triumph implicit Milwaukee. Keldon Johnson has continued his beardown commencement by scoring astatine slightest 15 points successful each of his 14 games this season. That's the longest specified streak by a Spur since Kawhi Leonard had 17 consecutive games of astatine slightest 15 points oregon much successful 2015-16. -- Lopez
26. Charlotte Hornets
2022-23 record: 4-11
Previous ranking: 25
Charlotte snapped an eight-game losing streak with a triumph implicit the Magic connected Monday night, but the amended quality is that LaMelo Ball is really backmost connected the level aft missing the opening of the play with an ankle injury. Ball has 15 assists implicit his archetypal 2 games -- but with 7 turnovers.
-- Friedell
27. Orlando Magic
2022-23 record: 4-10
Previous ranking: 29
Orlando really picked up bully wins implicit the Mavs and the Suns successful the past week, and it has continued to thrust the coagulated play of Wendell Carter Jr., who is averaging 18.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists successful November.
-- Friedell
28. Los Angeles Lakers
2022-23 record: 3-10
Previous ranking: 28
Could this week beryllium the accidental for the Lakers to commencement looking similar a decent hoops team? They get 4 days without a crippled aft beating the Nets to hole for the Pistons connected Friday, erstwhile L.A. is hoping LeBron James, Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant volition each beryllium available.
-- McMenamin
29. Detroit Pistons
2022-23 record: 3-12
Previous ranking: 27
After a triumph connected opening nighttime against the Magic, the Pistons person mislaid 12 consecutive against Eastern Conference opponents. Detroit besides has been without Cade Cunningham, who has missed 3 games successful a enactment with a sore shin and is expected to beryllium reevaluated this weekend.
-- Collier
30. Houston Rockets
2022-23 record: 2-12
Previous ranking: 30
Jalen Green has scored astatine slightest 20 points successful his past six games, averaging 26.0 points connected 53.8% shooting during that span. He had 25 points, six rebounds and a career-high-tying 7 assists successful Monday's nonaccomplishment to the Clippers, joining teammates KJ Martin and Kevin Porter Jr. arsenic the lone 20-or-younger players successful franchise past to station lines of astatine slightest 25-5-5. -- MacMahon
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