Last week, Oklahoma City beat Cleveland and tied their head-to-head matchups. They have finished playing against each other in the regular season, but could the two meet up in the NBA Finals? A few teams hit rough patches but are looking toward rebounding in the upcoming week. We are entering the part of the season where teams at the bottom need to consider moving bodies for assets and start planning for upcoming seasons. Below is a look at Week 14’s NBA Power Rankings.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Oklahoma City revenged their January 8th loss, beating Cleveland 134-114 Thursday. It was their final matchup of the regular season, but Cleveland rebounded Saturday, defeating Minnesota. Cleveland still claims the top spot, but Oklahoma City is on their heels.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
Thursday’s 20-point victory over Cleveland nearly vaulted the Thunder to the number one spot but dropped Friday’s game to Dallas without the services of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder will look to bounce back this week with games against Utah, Dallas, and Portland in Week 14.
3. Houston Rockets
Houston continues to rise in the power rankings, thanks to their stout defense. Houston posts the NBA’s fourth-best 107.9 opponent points per game as well as the fifth-best +6.3-point differential. Houston has a winnable matchup Monday against Detroit, followed by back-to-back games against Cleveland. Houston will rely heavily on their defense to take at least one game against the NBA’s best team in Cleveland.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
4th in point differential, Memphis continues their hot play. Entering Monday, the Grizzlies own the league-best 123.4 PPG and have a chance to go 4-0 with matchups against Minnesota, Charlotte, New Orleans, and Utah. A strong week is needed with next week’s schedule more difficult with games against New York, Houston, and Milwaukee.
5. Boston Celtics
Boston saw two games slip away last week with a 110-97 loss against Toronto and a 119-115 overtime loss to Atlanta. Boston’s defense has been a question mark all season long, and shooting falls have come back to haunt the Celtics, with opponents posting a 79.2 FT% (5th-highest). The Celtics need to rebound with this week’s schedule featuring Golden State, both Los Angeles teams, and Dallas.
6. Denver Nuggets
Denver’s hot play continued in Week 13. They are right where they need to be halfway through the season and continue to improve defensively. An undefeated Week 14 can see Denver crack the top 5 for the first time this season.
7. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers finished a perfect week thanks in part to continued hot play from Norman Powell. Everything is clicking at the right time, and get a four-game homestand this week with games against Chicago, Boston, Washington, and Milwaukee.
8. New York Knicks
New York hit a rough stretch as the calendar flipped. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games seeing their defense take a step back. They are ranked as one of the NBA’s best offensively and defensively, but now is the time to put more emphasis on the defensive side of the ball.
9. Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee enters Week 14 as one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They’ve won their past four games by an average of 21.5 points and can take another step forward with this week’s games against New Orleans, Miami, and Los Angeles Clippers.
10. Indiana Pacers
8-1 over their last nine games, Indiana is a tough matchup for any team. After beating Cleveland on January 12th, the Cavaliers got revenge with a 127-117 victory Tuesday night. Look for Indiana to continue their ascent as one of the hottest young squads in the NBA.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota continued their trend of inconsistency throughout the season. This cannot be the case heading into Week 14 with tough matchups against Memphis, Dallas, and Denver. Their Week 14 and Week 15 schedules are one of their toughest stretches of the season, and dropping below .500 is not ideal for the Timberwolves.
12. Dallas Mavericks
Two losses early last week, Dallas managed to beat the Oklahoma City team Friday night that had Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sit out nursing a wrist injury. The Mavericks continue to stay afloat while Luka Doncic works his way back from a calf injury.
13. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are starting to see other players step up and take some of the workload off LeBron’s shoulders. They’re four games over .500 and need consistency to stay with the end of this week, featuring contests against Boston and Golden State.
14. Sacramento Kings
9-1 over their last 10 games, Sacramento continues to rebound after a slow start to the season. Firing on all cylinders, Sacramento will look to build off their hot start to the new calendar year with games against Golden State, Denver, and New York. This week will be a true test.
15. Orlando Magic
Three straight losses against three of the best teams in the NBA (Milwaukee, Boston, and Denver) saw a tough Week 13 for the Magic. However, the Magic have a great schedule ahead, with games against Toronto, Portland, and Detroit.
16. Golden State Warriors
Golden State continues their fight to stay above .500, but how long can this last before they make a needed acquisition? Klay Thompson’s absence has been felt, and Golden State must make a move for a wing defender.
17. Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta enters Week 14 finishing last week 3-0. They’re going to live and die by the three, but this isn’t something new for the Hawks. Atlanta will look to build upon their three-game winnings streak with matchups against New York, Detroit, and two against Toronto.
18. Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler is back, but Miami is searching for defensive efficiency. Miami starts this week against Portland and ends with Brooklyn, but Thursday’s matchup with Milwaukee will be a game they need to win.
19. Detroit Pistons
Detroit continues their feisty play and are sitting at .500. They’ve taken a huge step compared to last season and should be in the play-in tournament come playoffs.
20. Phoenix Suns
Needing to make a move, rumors are floating with a three-team deal that could see Phoenix acquire the services of Jimmy Butler. A move is needed, but they cannot afford to move any pieces of an already short bench.
21. San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio hit a wall last week, dropping two games to Memphis and one to Miami. The rough stretch could continue with two games against Indiana, followed by Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee.
22. Utah Jazz
Keyonte George continues to be a bright spot for a Utah team that has underachieved throughout this season. Defense continues to be an issue, and the lost season continues for Utah.
23. Chicago Bulls
Losers of five straight, Chicago’s defense is a major concern, most notably against the Western Conference. The Bulls are at risk of falling out of a play-in spot and must rebound this week against the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Philadelphia 76ers.
24. Philadelphia 76ers
Six straight losses, and Philadelphia is now without Paul George and Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey will continue to shoulder the workload and will be heavily relied upon in games against Denver, Cleveland, and Chicago.
25. Portland Trail Blazers
Portland continues to sneak out wins when teams slip up. They’re not a good team, but have bright spots in certain players. They are nearing the point in the season where they try to build upon their draft lottery position.
26. Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte enters Week 14 having one back-to-back games. They struggle with offensive and defensive efficiency and could find themselves back to a losing streak with this week featuring matchups against Dallas, Memphis, Portland, and New Orleans.
27. New Orleans Pelicans
Zion returned to action, but the Pelicans are still without Brand Ingram. The season is lost, and the most important thing is finishing the season keeping Zion Williamson healthy.
28. Brooklyn Nets
The tough season continues in Brooklyn, as well as seeing their most talented players fall injured. This week’s schedule isn’t for the faint of heart, with games against New York, Phoenix, and Miami.
29. Toronto Raptors
Toronto was on the right path seeing Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Scottie Barnes on the court, but Quickley is dealing with a groin injury. The long season continues, and it is time to start looking at draft lottery positioning.
30. Washington Wizards
Washington’s entire roster needs a makeover. They struggle offensively and defensively, and not one acquisition will set the team up for future success. Now is the time to move Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas for draft assets and rebuild the entire roster.
