ESPN Power Rankings NBA: Can anyone catch the Suns and Warriors? ESPN+ Editorial Picks in Spanish

Nov 29, 2021

The battle for No. 1 in the NBA Power Rankings is on.

The Golden State Warriors, winners of seven straight games, enter with the best record in the league (18-2) into Tuesday night's Western Conference leaders game against the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix, meanwhile, hasn't lost in over a month and is one win away from tying the franchise record of 17 consecutive wins.

Meanwhile, in the NBA, the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks are looking like themselves again and have managed to escape the Eastern Conference play-in race. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have won seven in a row before a Wednesday night meeting with LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are back to .500, the injury-plagued Denver Nuggets continue to slide down the West standings, and the Memphis Grizzlies are preparing for a stretch without star guard Ja Morant, who suffered a sprained right leg. left knee on Friday.

How do the 30 teams stack up in the final standings for November?

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) ranks the 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of the teams that are playing the best basketball at the moment and which ones look like title contenders.

1. Golden State WarriorsRecord: 18-2Previous Rank: 1

The Warriors are 18-2. Klay Thompson seems to be just weeks away from making a comeback. Stephen Curry is playing like he's on his way to winning his third career MVP award. Draymond Green continues to play like he's headed for another Defensive Player of the Year award. They have a chance to snap Phoenix's 16-game winning streak on Tuesday and will see the Suns again on Friday night. Everything is looking up for Steve Kerr and his talented roster right now.-- Friedell

This week: @PHX, PHX, SA

2. Phoenix SunsRecord: 17-3Previous Rank: 2

With one more victory, the Suns would tie their franchise record with 17 consecutive wins. They'll get a chance Tuesday night against the only team in the league with as many wins as the Suns have this season: the Warriors. Phoenix's 16-game streak is also tied for the third-longest winning streak in NBA history for a team that lost in the NBA Finals the previous season. -- Lopez

This week: GS, DET, @DET

3. Brooklyn NetsRecord: 14-6Previous Rank: 3

Brooklyn is a team that can be viewed in two different ways. Good: The Nets have the third-best record in the NBA, the best record in the East, and Kevin Durant and James Harden are healthy. Bad: They've had three games against the other elite NBA teams this season (Milwaukee, Golden State and Phoenix) and have been completely outclassed in all of them. -- Bontemps

This week: NY, MIN, CHI

4. Milwaukee BucksRecord: 13-8Previous Rank: 9

The Bucks look like one of the powerhouses of the Eastern Conference once again. They've won seven straight games, thanks to the best defensive efficiency in the NBA during that span, and are still unbeaten (9-0) this season when Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are in the starting lineup. Milwaukee has benefited from playing soft competition recently, so hosting the Hornets and Heat this week should provide a better benchmark.--Collier

This week: CHA, @TOR, MIA

5. Miami HeatRecord: 13-7Previous Rank: 6

Playing without Tyler Herro, the Heat earned a solid victory over the Bulls on Saturday night, thanks in part to Gabe Vincent's 20-point chip off the bench. Miami has another matchup with the Bucks on Saturday night, but has to feel good about the way things are going, especially the way the defense continues to coalesce around Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.--Friedell

This week: DEN, CLE, @IND, @MIL

6. Utah JazzRecord: 13-7Previous Rank: 5

It wasn't a good week for the Jazz, who blew late leads in home losses to the Grizzlies and Pelicans. "This is not who we are," Donovan Mitchell said after Friday's loss to New Orleans, during which he went 6-for-21 from the field days after going 5-for-20 against Memphis. "We have to be better. I have to be better. We have to start moving the ball or this is going to be what we are." Utah responded by crushing the Pelicans in a rematch the next night. --MacMahon

This week: POR, BOS, @CLE

7. Chicago BullsRecord: 13-8Previous Rank: 4

The Bulls lost three of four games last week while passing up some winnable games with losses to the Heat and Rockets. Despite their strong start, their half-court offense is taking some time to solidify against teams that prevent them from running in transition. According to data from pbpstats.com, Chicago ranks 27th in offensive efficiency after field goals made by their opponent. -- collier

This week: CHA, @NY, @BKN

8. Washington WizardsRecord: 13-7Previous Rank: 7

The Wizards rebounded from a 127-102 loss in New Orleans with two straight wins. They pulled out a two-point victory in Oklahoma City before picking up a quality win in Dallas. They will look to close out this road trip in San Antonio with their third straight victory. Washington is starting to get reinforcements as well, as Davis Bertans has returned from injury and Rui Hachimura has been slowly improving for a possible return in December. The Wizards continue to play much-improved defense and remain one of the biggest surprises in the East. --Youngmisuk

This week: @SA, MIN, CLE, @TOR

9. Dallas MavericksRecord: 10-8Previous Rank: 10

Kristaps Porzingis' streak of seven straight 20-plus point performances was snapped in Saturday's loss to the Wizards. He was particularly pleased to be a standout act in two games against the Clippers, instead of being used almost solely as a spacer in last season's playoffs. "What a contrast, right?" said Porzingis, who scored 55 points on 19-of-34 shooting as the Mavs split the two games in Los Angeles. "Honestly, I haven't felt that way in a while. The last time I can remember it was probably with New York.'" --MacMahon

This week: CLE, @NO, NO, MEM

10. Charlotte HornetsRecord: 13-9Previous Rank: 13

Charlotte continues to keep things interesting every week. The Hornets posted a win over the Timberwolves on Friday, followed by an overtime loss to the Rockets on Saturday night. They have three more intriguing road games this week against the Bulls, Bucks and Hawks. Kelly Oubre Jr. needs to stay hot to give the young team their best chance this week: He's averaging 23.7 points per game over his last three games. --Friedell

This week: @CHI, @MIL, @ATL

11. LA ClippersStand: 11-9Previous ranking: 12

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The Clippers are starting to get a little healthier. Marcus Morris Sr. returned last week and Serge Ibaka is back, although he's still not a major part of the rotation. But the Clippers are missing Nicolas Batum, who has missed the past four games while under health and safety protocols. The Clippers are 2-2 in that stretch, and a healthy Batum could have made the difference in the Clippers' 112-104 overtime loss to the Mavericks on Tuesday. They played hard against the Warriors on Sunday until Steph Curry pulled away in the fourth. --Youngmisuk

This week: NO, SAC, @LAL, @SAC

12. Philadelphia 76ersRecord: 10-10Previous Rank: 11

Philadelphia brought back Joel Embiid after a nearly three-week absence due to COVID-19 on Saturday night, but that wasn't enough to stop the 76ers from losing in double overtime to the Timberwolves. More important in the long run, though, is that Embiid immediately seemed back to normal when he walked onto the court. -- Bontemps

This week: ORL, @BOS, @ATL

13. Atlanta Hawks Record: 11-10 Previous Rank: 18

Atlanta's seven-game winning streak ended Saturday against the Knicks, but it was another stellar night for Clint Capela, who finished with 16 points and 21 rebounds. It was his 22nd 15-point, 15-rebound game since he joined the Hawks last season, tied with Rudy Gobert for the most during that span. In his last eight games, Capela is averaging 15.1 points and 15.1 rebounds per game.--Lopez

This week: @IND, PHI, CHA

14. New York KnicksRecord: 11-9Previous Rank: 14

As Kemba Walker continues to struggle, at some point Tom Thibodeau will have to consider making a change to his starting lineup at point guard. Of course, given the poor performance of the Knicks' starting group overall (he's been outscored by more than 15 points per 100 possessions for the most played five-man group in the NBA), some would say he should do it now. -- Bontemps

This week: @BKN, CHI, DEN

15. Portland Trail BlazersRecord: 10-10Previous Rank: 17

Portland opened last week with its fourth straight victory, by 19 points over Denver. But the Blazers lost in Sacramento the next night before losing by 15 to the Warriors on Friday. They will complete a three-game road series at Utah on Monday. At 10-10, Chauncey Billups' Blazers continue to struggle to find consistency. --Youngmisuk

This week: @UTAH, DET, SA, BOS

16. Denver NuggetsRecord: 9-10Previous Rank: 8

The Nuggets are sinking fast with season-crippling injuries. Denver has lost six straight games, the last four without MVP Nikola Jokic (wrist). The Nuggets' injury report is jam-packed. Sitting next to Jokic are Jamal Murray (knee) and Michael Porter Jr. (back), who are out indefinitely. And Denver lost valued backup P.J. Dozier for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. The Nuggets begin a seven-game road trip Monday in Miami, where the Nuggets will face the Heat for the first time since Jokic and Markieff Morris had their matchup that resulted in a one-game suspension for Jokic. Morris hasn't played since that game. --Youngmisuk

This week: @MIA, @ORL, @NY

17. Boston CelticsRecord: 11-10Previous Rank: 15

Boston earned a victory Sunday night over the Raptors to finish November above .500, giving the Celtics a bit of a lift going into a brutal December. How hard will it be? The Celtics have 15 games on the schedule, with each opponent having a record of .500 or better. -- Bontemps

This week: PHI, @UTAH, @POR

18. Los Angeles Lakers Record: 11-11 Previous ranking: 16

"I mean, it's right up there with any other challenge I've ever had in my career," LeBron James said of the Lakers' season after Sunday's win over Detroit. "Which really brings out the best in me and I love that." Los Angeles fans will love to see some consistency in their team after the seesaw continued this week. -- McMenamin

This week: @SAC, LAC

19. Minnesota TimberwolvesRecord: 10-10Previous Rank: 23

The Timberwolves are fresh off a win in one of the most exciting games of the season thus far, a double-overtime road victory against the 76ers that marked Minnesota's sixth win in their last seven games, including one five-game winning streak, the team's longest since the 2016-17 season. With a defense that ranks 10th in the NBA in efficiency, the Wolves appear poised for a legitimate challenge for at least a spot in the play-in tournament. It would be only Minnesota's second postseason appearance since 2003-04. -- collier

This week: IND, @WAS, @BKN

20. Cleveland CavaliersRecord: 10-10Previous Rank: 19

All it took for Cleveland to snap its five-game losing streak was for Rookie of the Year favorite Evan Mobley to return to the lineup. Mobley recovered from missing a sprained elbow to produce 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in Saturday's 105-92 win over the Magic. -- McMenamin

This week: @DAL, @MIA, @WAS, UTAH

21. Memphis Grizzlies Record: 10-10 Previous Rank: 21

The results of the MRI on franchise star Ja Morant's left knee sprain were a relief, but he will miss a few weeks. "We avoided major injuries," coach Taylor Jenkins said before Sunday's game against the Kings. "Basically, there's no set schedule, just for everyone to understand." The Grizzlies managed to stay afloat when Morant missed time with a sprained ankle last season, going 4-4 ​​over that stretch. --MacMahon

This week: @TOR, OKC, @DAL

22. Indiana PacersRecord: 9-13Previous Rank: 22

The Pacers have been one of the toughest teams in the league to measure and continued their up-and-down play last week. They won handily on the road against the Bulls and at home against the Raptors, but had an overtime loss to the Lakers and a blowout loss to the Bucks. -- Collier

This week: @MIN, ATL, MIA

23. Toronto Raptors Record: 9-12 Previous Rank: 20

Toronto got off to a 6-3 start, fueled by a five-game winning streak, but the Raptors have lost nine of 12, including Sunday's loss at home to the Celtics. The Raptors need OG Anunoby back on the court, as his absence due to injury was felt big against Boston, which simply drained Toronto. -- Bontemps

This week: MEM, MIL, WAS

24. Sacramento KingsRecord: 8-13Previous Rank: 25

Let the Lakers make the Kings feel good about themselves for one night. Losers of eight of 10 going into Friday night's game in Los Angeles, the Kings overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter and a seven-point deficit in the first overtime to beat the Lakers in triple overtime. Something to keep in mind: Marvin Bagley III is back in the rotation with Alvin Gentry leading the way, and he's averaging 11.5 points on 81.8% shooting and 7.5 rebounds in the Kings' last two wins. -- McMenamin

This week: LAL, @LAC, LAC

25. Oklahoma City ThunderRecord: 6-13Previous Rank: 24

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed two games last week with a sprained right ankle and has been struggling recently. She has scored fewer than 20 points in her last five games, the first time that has happened since the end of the 2019-20 season. Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting 30.8% from the field and 19.4% from 3-point range in this slump. --MacMahon

This week: @HOU, HOU, @MEM

26. San Antonio SpursRecord: 5-13Previous Rank: 26

The free throw line hasn't been kind to San Antonio this season. The Spurs rank last in free throws made per game and second last in free throws attempted per game. San Antonio is also shooting a league-low 69% from the line. San Antonio still ranks 18th in scoring this year despite being last in 3-pointers made and attempted. -- Lopez

This week: WAS, @POR, @GS

27. Detroit PistonsRecord: 4-16Previous Rank: 27

The Pistons' week was most notable for the fallout after the on-court brawl between LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart, but Detroit has also lost a season-high six straight games. The Pistons have struggled to make shots all season and are last in the league in 3-point percentage (29.7%). -- collier

This week: @POR, @PHX

28. New Orleans PelicansRecord: 5-17Previous Rank: 29

In Friday night's win over the Jazz, the Pelicans' Willy Hernangomez hit a 3-pointer late in the first half to take the lead at halftime and then Devonte' Graham hit a 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left fourth to lead New Orleans to victory. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Pelicans became the first team since 2013 to hit 3-pointers to take the lead in the final two seconds of each half.--Lopez

This week: @LAC, DAL, @DAL, @HOU

29. Orlando MagicRecord: 4-17Previous Rank: 28

Orlando has lost six straight and begins a four-game West Coast road trip later this week. The good news for the Magic is that Markelle Fultz has begun practicing with the team's G League affiliate and seems to be slowly getting closer to returning to the court. The Magic need all the help they can get, as young players Cole Anthony and Mo Bamba are also dealing with injuries. --Friedell

This week: @PHI, DEN, @HOU

30. Houston RocketsRecord: 3-16Previous Rank: 30

John Wall's desire to play puts the franchise in the position of trying to figure out how to respect the five-time All-Star while still prioritizing the development of Kevin Porter Jr. It's been a rocky start to the first season of Porter as a full-time starting point guard, but he showed promise during the Rockets' shocking two-game winning streak, averaging 18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 10.5 assists in upsets against the Bulls and Hornets. which came on the heels of a 15-game losing streak. . --MacMahon

This week: OKC, @OKC, ORL, NO