NBA Power Rankings Update: The Toronto Raptors Claw Their Way to the Top
Teams Ranked 20th to 11th
The San Antonio Spurs rebound from a difficult stretch, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers backslide a bit, and the Sacramento Kings continue to prove their worth.
| Ranking | Team | Record | nERD | Last Ranking | Plus/Minus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Houston Rockets | 13-14 | 45.9 | 19 | -1 |
| 19 | San Antonio Spurs | 15-14 | 47.3 | 25 | 6 |
| 18 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 13-15 | 48.3 | 15 | -3 |
| 17 | Portland Trail Blazers | 15-13 | 49.4 | 16 | -1 |
| 16 | Utah Jazz | 14-15 | 50.6 | 20 | 4 |
| 15 | Memphis Grizzlies | 16-11 | 52.9 | 13 | -2 |
| 14 | Sacramento Kings | 15-12 | 53.2 | 17 | 3 |
| 13 | Los Angeles Clippers | 17-11 | 53.3 | 7 | -6 |
| 12 | New Orleans Pelicans | 15-15 | 53.7 | 11 | -1 |
| 11 | Dallas Mavericks | 15-12 | 54.5 | 14 | 3 |
Risers
The San Antonio Spurs were a surprise entry in our bottom tier last week, but have rattled off four straight wins since then to come roaring back into the middle. They are back over .500 now at 15-14, but that's only good enough for 10th in the Western Conference at the moment, where the eight teams ranked between seventh and 14th are only separated by two and a half games.
Maybe the Sacramento Kings are actually good. Their 6-3 start to the season was cute, but we're nearly 30 games in, and they're still a respectable 15-12. We still only give them an 11.8% chance of making the postseason, but that number is rising pretty steadily, and winning five of their last six has certainly helped.
Fallers
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been riding high since the Jimmy Butler trade, but they lose a bit of ground in our rankings after going 0-3 this week. They have been awful on the road this season, going 2-11, so the fact that they play seven of their next 10 away from the Target Center might be an issue.
At 17-10 and fourth place in a competitive Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers have been one of the most pleasant surprises of this young season. They have lost five of their last seven, however, including blowout losses to the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and San Antonio Spurs. Things don't get any easier from here, either, as they are about to play nine straight games against teams with records north of .500.
