NBA Power Rankings Update: The Toronto Raptors Claw Their Way to the Top
Teams Ranked 10th to 1st
A handful of teams drop a spot, the Boston Celtics are rising, and the Toronto Raptors climb to number one.
| Ranking | Team | Record | nERD | Last Ranking | Plus/Minus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Los Angeles Lakers | 17-11 | 56.0 | 12 | 2 |
| 9 | Philadelphia 76ers | 19-10 | 58.6 | 8 | -1 |
| 8 | Charlotte Hornets | 14-13 | 58.9 | 10 | 2 |
| 7 | Indiana Pacers | 18-10 | 62.0 | 8 | 1 |
| 6 | Golden State Warriors | 19-10 | 63.9 | 5 | -1 |
| 5 | Denver Nuggets | 18-9 | 65.0 | 4 | -1 |
| 4 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 17-9 | 70.1 | 3 | -1 |
| 3 | Boston Celtics | 17-10 | 71.6 | 6 | 3 |
| 2 | Milwaukee Bucks | 18-9 | 71.9 | 1 | -1 |
| 1 | Toronto Raptors | 23-7 | 73.1 | 2 | 1 |
Risers
The Boston Celtics got off to a much slower start than expected this season, going 10-10 over their first 20 contests. They've rattled off seven straight wins since then, however, and are now only a game back from second place in the Eastern Conference. They have one of the most talent-filled rosters in the Association, and while they've always been a title contender on paper, they're finally starting to play like one on the court. We currently give them the league's third-best title odds at 11.4%.
The Toronto Raptors take over the top spot in our rankings this week, and rightfully so. They have the NBA's best record at 23-7 and are fresh off a 20-point beatdown of the defending champion Golden State Warriors, completing a 2-0 sweep of their season series. They rank second in the league in offensive rating (114.7), seventh in defensive rating (106.3), and second in margin of victory (8.53), making them one of only two teams in the league to place in the top-seven in all three categories (the Milwaukee Bucks being the other). Kawhi Leonard has been a perfect fit with the team, but perhaps the most impressive thing about all this is that the Raptors are 7-1 without him in the lineup this year.
Fallers
The Denver Nuggets are the top team in the Western Conference with a record of 18-9, but they drop a spot in our rankings after a 1-2 week. They might be in for tougher times ahead as well, as they play their next six games against opponents with records above .500, and are down three regular starters -- Gary Harris (hip), Paul Millsap (toe), and Will Barton (hip) -- for the foreseeable future.
The Milwaukee Bucks drop a spot this week mostly to make room for the Toronto Raptors. They are admittedly an underwhelming 5-5 over this last 10, but they still rank third in the Association in offensive rating (114.0), fourth in defensive rating (105.4), and first in margin of victory (8.89).
