There's lots of shuffling in the middle tier this week, including the Miami Heat jumping in, the Los Angeles Clippers making a play to jump out, and the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks each backsliding ever so slightly.
| Ranking | Team | Record | nERD | Last Ranking | Plus/Minus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 16-18 | 49.0 | 19 | -1 |
| 19 | Miami Heat | 16-17 | 49.3 | 23 | 4 |
| 18 | Sacramento Kings | 19-16 | 49.7 | 14 | -4 |
| 17 | Houston Rockets | 19-15 | 50.5 | 20 | 3 |
| 15 | New Orleans Pelicans | 15-20 | 51.2 | 13 | -2 |
| 15 | Memphis Grizzlies | 18-16 | 51.2 | 15 | 0 |
| 14 | Dallas Mavericks | 16-17 | 51.5 | 12 | -2 |
| 13 | Utah Jazz | 17-19 | 52.4 | 16 | 3 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Clippers | 20-14 | 52.5 | 18 | 6 |
| 11 | Charlotte Hornets | 16-17 | 54.0 | 11 | 0 |
Risers
The Miami Heat are red-hot, winning five of their last six and nine of their last 13. At 16-17, they now sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, and we give them a fairly commanding 73.6% chance of making the postseason. They'll need to take advantage of playing six of their next eight at home, however, because they'll play 12 of 16 away from AmericanAirlines Arena after that.
The Los Angeles Clippers had a rough start to December, losing seven of nine, and practically wiping out their hot 15-6 start to the season. They have turned things around lately, however, winning three of their last four. They play eight of their next 11 at home -- where they are a commanding 12-4 this year -- so they'll have a good opportunity to build on their recent success.
Fallers
The New Orleans Pelicans are really starting to lose ground in the Western Conference playoff race. At 15-20, they now have the worst non-Phoenix Suns record in the conference, putting them at the bottom of a competitive 14-team pileup. They currently sit a full four games behind the Sacramento Kings for the eighth and final playoff spot, and we only give them an 18.8% chance of making the postseason at this juncture. Because of all that, don't be surprised if the Anthony Davis trade rumors hit a fever pitch in the coming weeks.
The Dallas Mavericks have been a pleasant surprise this season, and Luka Doncic fever is sweeping the NBA. Their recent six-game losing streak has brought them back down to earth a little, though. Five of those six losses notably came on the road, but it doesn't get any easier over their next six contests, as they play five of those away from Dallas. Their 2-14 record on the road is concerning, but their 14-3 mark at American Airlines Center gives some hope for a quick turnaround, as their schedule gets a bit more home-friendly after this upcoming six-game stretch.