We're a quarter of the way through NBA season 2019-20, and we're starting to see some tiers emerging at either end of the league.
20. San Antonio Spurs (Up 1)
(9-14) Last week: 1-0
The Spurs continue rise from the ashes, as they always seem to. Since breaking their 8 game losing streak, the Spurs have played better than .500 basketball and put themselves back in the playoff conversation. The Spurs are the undead – you cannot kill them.
It's nice to see Coach Popovich loosen the reigns on 2018 1st round pick Lonnie Walker IV. Walker poured in a career high 28 points and took the assignment on James Harden in the Spurs controversial win over the Rockets.
19. Portland Trailblazers (Down 3)
(10-15) Last week: 1-2
The Blazers tissue thin forward rotation was stretched further this week, with Rodney Hood tearing his Achilles tendon. The 27 year old was having a quietly solid season for Portland, averaging 11 points and knocking down a blistering 49.3% of his long range attempts. A trade looks a certainty now, with the Thunder's Danilo Gallinari the favourite to be brought in.
Portland were quietly reeling after the initial glow of Carmelo's reanimation, but they got the good oil (an easy win against the Knicks) to get them back in the winners circle.
18. Phoenix Suns (Down 3)
(9-11) Last week: 1-2
The Suns are treading water, right now. Their centre 'rotation' essentially consists of an over matched Frank Kaminsky, who has at least started to shoo the ball well, and moving Kelly Oubre up to the 5 in smaller lineups. Aron Baynes returned against the Wolves and dropped 12 points in 15 minutes. The Greatest Shooter In The World also knocked down a pair of 3's.
The main reason that the defense hasn't totally cratered without a presence in the middle is point guard pair Ricky Rubio and Jevon Carter. They are the Suns leaders in Defensive Rating.
17. Orlando Magic (Steady)
(12-12) Last week: 2-1
Orlando reeled off an unremarkable 4 game winning streak against a cupcake schedule: Dubs, Wiz, Suns, Cavs. They've since lost to the Bucks and Lakers, with a home game against Houston preceding a Western road trip. Swings and roundabouts, is suppose.
Markelle Fultz looks firmly entrenched as the starting point guard. He's averaging 13.7 points and 5.8 assists. With DJ Augustin back in his natural habitat as a good backup, the Magic suddenly have a solid rotation and the one.
16. Minnesota Timberwolves (Down 3)
(10-14) Last week: 0-4
Losers of 6 straight, the Wolves are in a nosedive. Karl Anthony Towns continues to put up MVP numbers and Andrew Wiggins has continued his strong play after returning to the team. It hasn't translated to wins in the past week or so, however. The Wolves could do with some old fashioned digging in, and try to grind out a game on defense. Minnesota have only held a team to under 100 points once all season – Charlotte on October 26th! They've conceded 128.4 points through their current losing streak.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (Up 4)
(11-13) Last week: 3-1
The Thunder are getting it together. Winners of 5 of their past 7 games, OKC is tied with Phoenix for the final Western playoff spot. Their offense is finally beginning to click on a night to night basis. The Wolves had 3 players score 20 or more against Portland and had 5 different players rack up 20+ points against Minnesota.
The Thunder flat out stole that game from the Timberwolves, thanks to the manic competitiveness of on Christopher Emmanuel Paul. The man never misses a beat.
14. Sacramento Kings (Up 4)
(11-13) Last week: 3-1
Dr Jekyll, meet Mr Hyde.
In their past 7 contests, the Kings have taken down Denver, Dallas, Houston and a resurgent OKC. They've lost to Chicago, Portland and San Antonio. Yeah......I've no idea what to make of that.
It does show what this team could do once De'Aron Fox and Marvin Bagley are healthy, but it also shows a fragility, losing to teams that they probably feel they should beat.
13. Brooklyn Nets (Up 1)
(13-11) Last week: 2-1
The Ewing Theory vibes continue to resonate around the surging Nets. With 8 wins in their last 11, the Nets are now sitting 7th in the conference, all without supposed bellwether Kyrie Irving. Throw in Boston's resurgence with Kemba Walker in Irving's place, and.....maybe there is something to this.
Spencer Dinwiddie continues to shine in Kyrie's absence. What the Nets decide to do with him once Irving returns will be fascinating. Do they trade him? If not, how does Coach Kenny Atkinson stagger their minutes?
12. Utah Jazz (Steady)
(14-11) Last week: 2-1
The Jazz continue to struggle. In what is a disappointing season thus far, the Jazz's offense is ranking 23rd in points per 100 possessions. Their previously elite defense – the bedrock of Coach Quin Snyder's teams – has slipped to 14th in the same metric.
The one saving grace for Utah – as it seems to be every season – is that they've played an incredibly tough schedule so far. According to Tankathon, the Jazz have the easiest remaining schedule in the entire league.
11. Indiana Pacers (Steady)
(16-9) Last week: 2-2
Despite a big win against Boston last time out, the Pacers appear to have lost a little of their momentum in the past week, with a loss to the Pistons and a lucky escape against the Knicks. Still, if you had offered any Indy fan if 6th place in the East in mod December, with no Oladipo and so many new pieces to integrate, they'd have likely bitten your hand off.
Myles Turner continues to make a sneaky Defensive Player of the Year bid. His game saving block in the Knicks win was majestic.
