Too many. 24 the same spot as last weeks power rankings. 16 overall. Let's take stock of where all 30 teams stand right now as we head into what should be an exciting and intriguing free agency -- I mean, I hope a dude who hit 62 home runs and is a free agent gets you excited about this offseason. Last Ladder: 6 He has the best three-point percentage of all rookies who have played at least 20 games and he ranks sixth in makes despite having far fewer attempts. Since last Ladder: 9.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 0.8 apg The No. They do have money to spend, with a current estimated payroll about $119 million less than 2022's, according to FanGraphs' Roster Resource (and that includes an estimated $18 million for Cody Bellinger, whom they could non-tender). Theyll face three teams that rank in the bottom 11 offensively this week, but also Denvers seventh-ranked offense on Wednesday. Ivey is averaging 3.8 assists per game, and he leads all rookies in assists and potential assists per game. Though the Pistons have had the leagues worst record since the start of the 2019-20 season, there have been times over those three-plus years that theyve been pretty good defensively. Mathurin had to shadow-box in what could have been a two-game, head-to-head showdown with ROY rival Paolo Banchero, who missed the pair of games in Indianapolis Saturday and Monday. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. 2022 record: 66-96 (fourth in the AL Central). Theyve since lost 10 of their last 11 games, with two five-game losing streaks sandwiching a win in a game in which the Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. No team will have a busier offseason than the Mets. Two nights later against Utah, the Blazers lost an early, double-digit lead, again coming up short down the stretch. And while weve been learning about them and their fit with their teams, the Class of 2022 has been learning the league, the intensity of its competition, the demands of the NBA schedule and the hard lessons imparted by surly veteran opponents, minor and major injuries, shaky shooting nights and the relentless urgency to win. They held double-digit leads in both of their games over the weekend, and both went down to the final possession, with Jalen Suggs draining the game-winning 3 in Chicago and Franz Wagner missing a potential game-winner the following night in Indiana. Specializing in drafts with top players on the NBA horizon, player profiles, scouting reports, rankings and prospective international recruits. The Sixers have been the leagues best defensive team over the last 17 days (climbing from 23rd to fourth for the season), allowing just 101.6 points per 100 possessions over their last seven games. Murray led all prospects in total catch-and-shoot field goals last season, per AI-Powered statistics provided by Stats Perform. Based on their performances on the court thus far, we have ranked the NBAs exciting and impressive rookie class. Its been written in this space before that Trae Youngs shooting from the field isnt what makes him so good. The rotation was just 27th in innings pitched, and the bullpen wasn't dominant enough (15th in ERA) to pick up the slack. The Houston Rockets (7-18) head into a home matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks (19-6) at Toyota Center on Sunday, with the opening tip at 7:00 PM ET.The Bucks are coming off of a 106-105 victory over the Mavericks in their most recent game on Friday. Probably. But he is already even better than advertised, including six blocks against the Bulls when he was in the starting lineup on Nov. 6: Absurd defensive game from Christian Koloko. The Rockets fell in their last matchup 118-109 against the Spurs on Thursday. Their 19 blocks in that game are tied for the second most for any team in any game in the last 20 years. But the Cavs won LeVerts minutes on the floor and, more importantly, they won the two games. But we are just one week from that point in the schedule when teams have played an average of 20 games. The meat of the NBA schedule is here and results do feel a little more real than they did in Weeks 1 and 2. The Mavs were without Luka Doncic against the Rockets on Wednesday and they had a huge offensive night a 33-point triple-double for Doncic, 28 on 11-for-16 shooting for Christian Wood in their first of two straight games against the Nuggets. Theyve scored just 104.7 points per 100 possessions over the three losses, with Rozier shooting just 21-for-63 (33%). This class is deeper at the position than any class in a long time. Boston can slide Trevor Story over to shortstop, although his arm strength is an issue, so maybe the Red Sox will sign another of the free-agent shortstops (or a stopgap until top prospect Marcelo Mayer is ready). OffRtg: 108.7 (24) DefRtg: 109.6 (6) NetRtg: -0.9 (20) Pace: 98.6 (24). This website is not directly or indirectly affiliated, associated, or connected in any way to Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League or the National Hockey League. The Pelicans still rank fourth in the percentage of their shots (54%) that have come in the paint. Before the season began, we wrote that if he can improve his playmaking, he can be a star. Im enjoying every second., Every second clearly is about attitude, because it includes back-to-back grinds and the Pistons recent seven-game losing streak. They combined for 14 points as the Kings closed their Sunday game against the Pistons on an 18-5 run, turning a five-point deficit into an eight-point victory. 2 rung for the second straight week, the swift 6-foot-4 guard said his NBA experience to this point has been everything Ive dreamed of., Being able to play against some of the greatest players every night, he said, and being able to put on an NBA uniform and competing in all of these historic arenas. The only others are Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, and LeBron James. Yes, there are concerns: Soto didn't hit for much power after the trade, Tatis' wrist needs to be healthy and the 40-man position player depth is thin. And were also 3 1/2 weeks from Dec. 15, when the trade market opens up with 2022 free agents eligible to be dealt. But even with that breakthrough against the Cavs (who were without Jarrett Allen), the Bucks have scored just 105.4 per 100 as theyve lost four of their last six games. Will the Cubs spend money this offseason? Its more his playmaking and his ability to get to the line that has really carried the Hawks offense, which has ranked in the top 10 in each of the last two seasons. OffRtg: 111.9 (14) DefRtg: 111.5 (15) NetRtg: +0.4 (13) Pace: 102.3 (4). Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank). Theyve shot better than 50% in each of their six straight wins, while only six other teams have at least six total games of shooting better than 50%. OffRtg: 112.8 (12) DefRtg: 112.7 (22) NetRtg: +0.0 (18) Pace: 100.1 (15). Bennedict Mathurin (38.5%) and Jalen Smith (40.2%) both rank in the bottom 10 in first-quarter effective field goal percentage among 167 players whove attempted at least 30 shots in the opening period. Where are the Cubs right now? Height: 6-2 Weight: 195 Year: N/A Position: G When Henderson joined the Ignite after signing a two-year contract last year at age 17, he became the youngest professional basketball player in the United States. Do the Jays count on better seasons from Berrios and Kikuchi or make an addition to the rotation? A big key for the upcoming season is finding the right bullpen depth behind closer Devin Williams. Smith is shooting 53.6% in his last six starts, which includes a scalding 53.3% from distance on 2.7 makes per game. Theyll face the Nets (who rank last in defensive rebounding percentage) three more times in the next four weeks, and theyll have a rest advantage at home on Wednesday. The Nats are a good bet to lose 100 again -- and, remember, the top six choices in the draft are now done via lottery, so they're not even guaranteed the top overall pick in 2023 (or 2024). Williamson is expected to return this week, but Ja Morants injury means that we will likely (again) miss out on a meeting between the top two picks of the 2019 Draft. The former No. Just 18, watch out for Durens growth on a Pistons team thats set to take off in the next few seasons. I do wonder if some of the pitching overachieved this season, especially a bullpen that ranked ninth in ERA but 21st in strikeout rate. The Pistons snapped their seven-game skid by beating Denver Tuesday, without Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey or Isaiah Stewart. Theyll face two top-10 offenses those of the Pelicans and Jazz this week. It was the worst season in Oakland since the infamous 1979 club lost 108 and averaged less than 4,000 fans per game. Both the Spurs and Pistons have been on tough road trips. 1 pick, Paolo Banchero, are giving basketball fans a new star to talk about. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Will the playoff run carry over into 2023? Since last Ladder: 14.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 0.7 apg Joe Harris (8-for-14 from 3-point range over the two wins) is also finding his legs and Yuta Watanabe (now an amazing 16-for-21 on corner 3s) has been on fire. Related: Top 2023 NBA free agents . Ownership is growing impatient, given the firing in August of longtime executive Jon Daniels (with GM and former pitcher Chris Young taking over the top role). With their five-games-in-seven-nights road trip in the books, the Spurs have a couple of days off. Their top two pitchers via WAR were Michael Wacha and John Schreiber, which is not a path to success, as the Red Sox finished 22nd in the majors in rotation ERA and 26th in bullpen ERA. Conley on Utah's approach: 'We dont care who we play. 12 overall. In a game played 26 years to the day Gregg Popovich took over coaching duties with the Spurs, he leads an upset win over the Heat. LARRY NANCE JR. Maybe the Heat are just an every-other-season franchise. What do the next few months have in store for the victors of the Fall Classic? Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin and Detroit's Jaden Ivey hold down the top spots for the 2nd consecutive week. With that, only the Hornets (-7.3) and Bucks (-5.0) have seen bigger drops in points scored per 100 possessions than the Hawks (-4.1). Its an honor to be able to play for a great organization and play in Detroit where I spent some of my summers. 13 overall. Really, it seems like owner Bob Castellini is just counting down the days until after the 2023 season when he can buy out Joey Votto's last season (sorry, Joey!) Since last Ladder: 10.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.3 apg Houstons Tari Eason wasnt the first player that the team selected in the 2022 NBA Draft. three-level scoring and stout defense as the 2023 NBA Draft looms in June. But a 14-0 Brooklyn run to close the third quarter on Thursday turned an 11-point lead into a three-point deficit, and the Blazers eventually lost on Royce ONeales tip-in with less than a second to go. 1 picks the Pirates could land, Fantasy baseball: Xander Bogaerts make the San Diego Padres even better. Meanwhile, Josh Giddey put up his first triple-double of the season with 24 points, 12 assists and 10 assists. How the Phillies are proving it's more important to be bold than smart, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. His father, Javin Hunter, was a native of that city before playing wide receiver for Notre Dame and in the NFL. OffRtg: 110.6 (19) DefRtg: 113.5 (25) NetRtg: -2.9 (25) Pace: 98.9 (21). Since last Ladder: 17.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.0 apg Granted, his scoring high thus far of 22 points only came against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. Zac Gallen quietly went 12-4 with a 2.54 ERA -- including six straight scoreless starts -- and matched Verlander for the lowest batting average allowed among starters at .186. But maybe were seeing some small signs of progress from the team that ranked last defensively last season (and by a healthy margin before the Blazers tanked hard). The Thunder defense will give up some 3s too. After routinely flirting with scoring 20 or more points per game, the Montreal native is averaging just 12.5 over his last four contests. The offense hasnt been particularly strong overall, but the Wizards have shot 40.6% from 3-point range over that stretch, with Beal and Corey Kispert combining to go 10-for-17 in the Miami win. More important than the short-lived comeback was that the Clippers got Kawhi Leonard back last week. (Only the Lakers and Thunder dont have a lineup thats played that many, and OKC is intentionally keeping its number down.) While we wont get to see Chet Holmgren make an impact after the skilled big suffered a Lisfranc injury in Summer League, plenty of others, such as the No. The pitching, however, is another matter, since outside of Brady Singer, the young starters struggled. Related: 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year rankings. Their 32-point win over Brooklyn on Tuesday was the third time this season a team has scored more than 140 points per 100 possessions. JA SWITCHED HANDS MID FLIGHT pic.twitter.com/cC5QT7zE9r, OffRtg: 114.0 (8) DefRtg: 112.5 (21) NetRtg: +1.4 (12) Pace: 102.1 (5). Justin Verlander does have a $25 million player option, and even if he opts out and signs elsewhere, the Astros will still have the best pitching depth in the majors -- especially with a full season from Lance McCullers Jr. and Hunter Brown, who copied Verlander's delivery while growing up in Michigan, ready to step into a significant role. Manager Brian Cashman has too much experience to overreact to yet another disappointing trip to the postseason that left the Yankees short of the World Series for the 13th consecutive season. That's 14.1 combined WAR and 76 starts. Top prospects Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas made their debuts and Jake McCarthy had a surprising second half. The only other rookies to ever accomplish as much since the NBA began tracking in 2013 are Luka Doncic and Trae Young. 2022 record: 106-56 (first in the AL West). The Pelicans ranked 13th in 3-point percentage and ninth in points scored per 100 possessions prior to Tuesday, but a higher volume (even with Williamson in the lineup) can raise their ceiling offensively. With 8 players averaging better than 28.5 points this season, the chase for the 2022-23 NBA scoring title is taking shape. Draft pick: No. 2022 record: 55-107 (fifth in the NL East). That was the game Tuesday in Portland that wasnt a blowout, and the Spurs actually led by six with five minutes left. Xander Bogaerts was their best player in 2022, and he's expected to opt out of his player option and head into free agency. The emergence of center fielder Michael Harris II and starters Spencer Strider and Kyle Wright raised this team to another level. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. Draft pick: No. They started out 3-22, tied for the worst 25-game start in the wild-card era (since 1995). That's a hefty price for three players. Last Ladder: 9 NBA.coms Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one mans opinion. A table featuring advanced information for each team in the league based on selected filters. Checking in on how the NBA's Points of Education for 2022-23 have impacted the first 5 weeks of the season. Hes now 8-for-35 (23%) from mid-range and has seen the second biggest drop in effective field goal percentage (from 56.6% to 46.3%) among 162 players with at least 250 field goal attempts last season and at least 100 this season. Torontos defense has allowed 118.3 points per 100 possessions in minutes without Koloko, butjust 101.4 points per 100 when Koloko is on the floor, per PBPStats. They have played at a significantly slower pace over those six games (96.4 possessions per 48 minutes) than they did in their 11 games with Banchero (100.2), including 101.4 with him on the floor. The rook played good on-ball defense, showing good footspeed and strength, hit some 3s, and made connective passes. Lakers retire James Worthys No. There are significant defensive concerns at this point in his career, but it is only a matter of time before Indiana moves Mathurin into the starting lineup. Eason doesnt have any specific skill or trait that makes him among the best at any one category, but the effort he brings on both sides of the court help the first-year pro make an impact. Thats the start of a stretch where theyre playing six of seven at Madison Square Garden. Moreno purchased the team for $180 million in 2003; Forbes valued the franchise at $2.2 billion in March. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Last Ladder: 5 Offense continues to be a struggle; The Clips havent gotten much offense in the paint and Leonard probably isnt ready to help them in that regard. Were going to play harder, smarter and try to win the game.'. So far, with his speed, quickness and raw potential, Ivey is representing just fine. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. You'll now receive the top OKC Thunder Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Whoa. Whats even more amazing is that the Raptors rank third in offensive rebounding percentage without any one guy ranking in the top 25 among individuals (whove averaged at least 10 minutes). Sign up for the OKC Thunder Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. He may be mostly a pure scorer at this point, but shooting 40% from distance is no joke for any NBA pro, especially a rookie. Having allowed 118.7 points per 100 possessions over their last four games, the Thunder have slid from sixth to 18th in defensive efficiency. Luckily, they have an owner who is willing to empty the checkbook in Steve Cohen. How is that even possible? The Thunder continue to surprise the league with their performances. Of course, that was a narrow escape against a team that had lost six straight games and was missing three starters. If anything, this team was supposed to rank last offensively (still a possibility). Last Ladder: 3 The Yankees have some youth on the way in Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe, but on the pitching side, Jameson Taillon is a free agent and Frankie Montas wasn't right after coming over from the A's. The Heat were 0-2 without Adebayo last week and theyre now 1-3 without Butler, whos missed the last two games with knee (not general) soreness and is already ruled out for the Heats game in Minnesota on Monday. After that amazing weekend where it went off against the Raptors and Knicks, the Thunder offense kept it going last week. BKN 109 | POR 107.7 seconds remaining in Q4 on the NBA App https://t.co/1pomQZMAZK pic.twitter.com/2q01YQIv40, OffRtg: 106.5 (29) DefRtg: 106.4 (2) NetRtg: +0.1 (17) Pace: 98.9 (20). 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren was listed as out for the season with a foot injury. But theyre now 0-3 without Ja Morant, whos week to week after spraining his left ankle in a win over the Thunder on Friday. The league has averaged 111.6 points scored per 100 possessions and 100.0 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season. Canadian math is something different. I want to represent for the city.. They hope to get more than 78 innings from Freddy Peralta, and young lefty Aaron Ashby has breakout potential after fanning 126 in 107 1/3 innings. Even if he doesnt win those honors, he may also contend for the NBAs Sixth Man of the Year. Check out the highlights pic.twitter.com/0MWfoQXZpB, Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 21, 2022, Season stats: 11.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.1 apg Draft pick: No. The Suns current starting lineup (with Cam Payne and Torrey Craig in place of Paul and Cam Johnson) has now allowed 122.1 points per 100 possessions, the worst mark among 19 league-wide lineups that have played at least 100 minutes. Murphy missed the second half of a loss to the Celtics with foot soreness on Friday, but is listed as day-to-day. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. 1. See how our thoughts have evolved over time, and keep checking back as we'll continue to populate blurbs for all of the top prospects in the 2023 NBA draft class as new players inevitably emerge. The Atlanta Hawks (13-13) square off against DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls (11-14) at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday, December 11 at 6:30 PM ET.In their last matchup on Friday, the Hawks suffered a 120-116 loss to the Nets. Who knows. What had been the leagues No. Shot 57%/43%/100% for week, no turnovers in 20.3 mpg. Despite the great defensive numbers, the Knicks have barely outscored their opponents in those minutes with both on the floor. He still has the fourth worst effective field goal percentage (42.0%) among 184 players with at least 100 field goal attempts, still looking to find his range after missing the last four months of last season. They have three clear positions where they can add offense: Catcher, where they ranked 29th in the majors in OPS. The Bulls still have the leagues 12th-ranked defense, but they rank 24th in opponent effective field goal percentage, in the bottom 12 both in the paint (19th) and outside the paint (26th). OffRtg: 112.4 (13) DefRtg: 112.2 (19) NetRtg: +0.2 (15) Pace: 98.8 (22). Four of the five losses on the most recent streak have come by at least 18 points, and after 18 games, the Spurs already have twice as many losses by 20 points or more (6) as they had all of last season (3). Hayward played in both of the Hornets games over the weekend and had seven assists in Cleveland, but he was clearly dealing with shoulder pain on Sunday. The Lakers kept LeBron James on the shelf another week and have put together a little winning streak. Of course, they love Straw's defense and have him signed through 2026, so let's see if they address catcher and DH. Theyre 3-3 without Paolo Banchero, though having played so many close games (12 of their 17 have been within five in the last five), their numbers arent significantly improved on either end of the floor. Tobias Harris missed both of their games last week and Tyrese Maxey is now out 3-4 weeks after suffering a small fracture in his left foot on Friday. They arent running the offense through him, but his efficiency when he is cutting off-ball to the basket is fantastic. Arizona went 34-36 in the second half and outscored its opponents. His mother, Niele Ivey, played in the WNBA for the Indiana Fever and the Detroit Shock before becoming coach of the Notre Dame womens basketball team. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. OffRtg: 112.9 (11) DefRtg: 108.7 (5) NetRtg: +4.2 (5) Pace: 95.5 (30). The Bucks have allowed just 97.4 points per 100 possessions in 411 total minutes with at least two of their All-Defense trio Antetokounmpo, Lopez and Jrue Holiday on the floor. The Yankees and Padres played deep into October -- but it wasn't enough. It's not that he didn't spend money -- although the Angels refused to ever go beyond the luxury tax -- it's just how poorly he spent the money when he did, from Albert Pujols to Josh Hamilton to Justin Upton to Anthony Rendon. And their defense finally had a good game on Sunday afternoon, holding the Knicks under a point per possession to secure the Suns first win (they were previously 0-3) against the Eastern Conference. The Blazers have lost 10 of their last 12 games against the Bucks, though one of those two wins was part of their four-game winning streak right before the All-Star break last season. The one exception is their game against the 8-8 Wolves on Monday, and thats a rest-disadvantage game. If they don't re-sign Mitch Haniger, they'll need an outfielder. Stay current on the league, team and player news, scores, stats, standings from NBA. With that, they had a three-game losing streak and went into the weekend in fourth place in the Western Conference. The Sixers have also forced a lot more turnovers over this stretch. I also have ties on my moms side of the family. You know, perhaps even a certain New York Yankees outfielder 2022 record: 101-61 (first in the NL East). 2022 record: 62-100 (tied for fourth in the NL Central). The Astros weren't quite a slam dunk for the top spot, however, as the Braves dominated the final four months of the regular season to capture their fifth straight division title. Then there is the question of gearing up and doing it all over again. The Pacers have three more games on a stretch of six straight against teams that are currently no better than .500, but things will get tougher after that. And then you have Trevor Rogers, who had a great rookie season in 2021 and regressed to a 5.47 ERA. Of course, Oracle Park isn't the best fit, but if he does leave the Yankees, the Giants might be the leading contender to sign him. Featured Promo: Get any full-season NBA Premium Pass for 50% off. What are their priorities after their LCS losses? Maybe that's because they went 16-3 against the Red Sox while struggling to score runs against the Yankees and Rays. They were 15-10 without Jimmy Butler, 12-7 without Kyle Lowry, and 17-9 without Bam Adebayo. MLB free agency grades: Wait, the Mets gave Brandon Nimmo how much!? But Thompsons breakthrough was needed, and the Warriors did allow less than a point per possession (something they hadnt done since the season opener) in both of their home games last week. But he made up for the last one by getting back and contesting the DeAnthony Melton layup that would have given the Sixers the lead with 11 seconds left. Still, Mathurin is among the best scorers in the rookie class and will remain a top Rookie of the Year candidate all season long. 1, Payton Pritchards pick of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, their second most efficient offensive game, the leagues second most efficient clutch offense, the fourth worst effective field goal percentage, the second worst true shooting percentage, five most efficient offensive performances. Their 134 points on 102 possessions on Friday was (by a wide margin) the most efficient game for any team against the Suns top-10 defense, and it was capped by a tough turnaround jumper from Lauri Markkanen in the final minute. The Nuggets, Jazz and Suns are a combined 18-3 at home. Their biggest obstacle moving forward is they're paying Jose Berrios, Hyun Jin Ryu and Yusei Kikuchi a combined $46 million in 2023. 1? There could be up to 5 Quarterbacks drafted in the 1st round next year. Casey Mize underwent Tommy John surgery. They needed to come back from 15 points down against OKC, but won their last two first quarters by a combined score of 70-43, holding the Hawks and Pels to just 43 points on 53 first-quarter possessions. Draft pick: No. The opponents 3s went in the basket on Sunday, and the Rockets will face the Warriors again in less than two weeks. And many of those were key injuries. Also, by disabling these cookies you will also disable banner ads served by Google Adsense on this website.. For more information about these items, view our complete privacy policy.Read More. Theyve scored almost 120 points per 100 possessions over the three straight wins, with Anthony Davis (35.0 points and 17.3 rebounds per game) dominating inside. However, this lineup without Judge looks old and potentially mediocre: Josh Donaldson will be 37, DJ LeMahieu 34, Giancarlo Stanton 33, Aaron Hicks 33 and Anthony Rizzo 33 (if he returns). Rounds 1 - 2: TBD 8 p.m. Designated hitter, where they ranked 29th with an unacceptable .587 OPS and just eight home runs. The Grizzlies put up a pretty good fight for three quarters in Brooklyn on Sunday, getting a big game (31 points, four assists, four steals) from Dillon Brooks. Four running backs are already over 400 rushing yards, while six receivers have surpassed 300 receiving yards. Murray returned from back soreness to play two games this week. See the notes under the Jazz logo below (theyre second in this weeks rankings) for what it has meant for a team to have won at least 12 of its first 20 games. The Wolves are 8-1 (tied for the leagues fourth-best record) when theyve led by double-digits. That includes just 93.0 points allowed per 100 in Joel Embiids 218 minutes on the floor over that stretch, which has included two games against top-five offenses. The biggest problem, however, might be owner Jerry Reinsdorf and his unwillingness to spend a few extra pennies to, you know, try to win the World Series. But Smith went 5-for-5 inside the arc, hit three of his nine 3-pointers and had seven rebounds against a mostly intact version of the defending champs. Owner Chris Ilitch fired general manager Al Avila in August. Ball and Hayward have yet to play a minute together and the Hornets have slid to 30th in offensive efficiency. Theyve lost four straight overall, ranking in the bottom six on both ends of the floor over that stretch. But he is the only regular rotation player on the Rockets who has a positive point differential when he is on the floor. He shot just 10-for-30 (33%) in his first two games back, but blocked eight shots in 50 total minutes and had a monster dunk against the Thunder to put to rest any concerns about his legs. The Thunder offense completely exploded on Sunday in a 145-135 win over the Knicks. https://okcthunderwire.usatoday.com/2022/11/15/rookie-wire-okc-thunder-ranked-no-24-in-latest-nba-power-rankings/, Player grades: Thunder comes close, but fails to take lead in 110-102 loss to Cavaliers, Thunder vs. Cavaliers: Lineups, injury reports and broadcast info for Saturday, Thunder vs. Cavaliers: Prediction, point spread, odds, best bet, Ranking all 29 NBA arenas in terms of construction cost, Study: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey have the best value contracts on the Thunder, NBA Team Payrolls 2022: From the Thunder ($78M) to the Warriors ($178M), Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. But players like Orlandos Paolo Banchero and Indianas Bennedict Mathurin have stepped up in massive ways for their teams thus far. The two wins were just the fourth and fifth times the Pelicans outscored their opponent from 3-point range, and they were a plus-45 from deep. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. So don't rule out the Yankees going to Plan B in the offseason. The Mavs' All-NBA guard will sit due to a strained right quadriceps, joining Josh Green (right elbow sprain) and Maxi Kleber (sore right foot). pic.twitter.com/kuUhr1MBEg. The Nuggets scored just 105.3 points per 100 possessions over the three games, including just 54 points on 68 possessions (79 per 100) in the three fourth-quarters. 6 overall. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. Mathurin is also currently averaging 1.3 pull-up 3-pointer per game. Outfielder JJ Bleday came up and hit .167. Draft pick: No. If hes going to find it, hell have to do it away from the American Airlines Center. 3 starter. And keep an eye on Andrew Painter, the team's first-round pick in 2021 who cruised through three levels of the minors in 2022 and could join the rotation at some point in 2023 as a 20-year-old. 10 prospect in the class of 2022 averaged 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals in 18 games with the Ignite last season. You can e-mail himhere, findhis archive hereandfollow him on Twitter. Let's hope not, but this is also how the Guardians operate. SGA TRIPLE FOR THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/rwv0sYE2XI, OffRtg: 113.4 (9) DefRtg: 110.7 (11) NetRtg: +2.7 (9) Pace: 98.7 (23). Their first visit to Boston was a wire-to-wire win for the Celtics that the Wizards trailed by as many as 25 points. Getting a bounce-back season from Tyler O'Neill is key, and Jack Flaherty is a wild card at this point, but adding another starter in free agency -- or using the prospect depth for a trade -- tops the to-do list. Since LeBron James took his talents back to Cleveland, the Heat are 189-130 (.592) in seasons that end with an even number (2015-16, 2017-18, etc.) Last Ladder: 4 He became just the second player ever (Wilt Chamberlain, 1968) to record triple-doubles in their first two games at Madison Square Garden.. so far this season. For Detroits Jaden Ivey, theres been a little of everything. Nothing sums up the plight of this franchise more than the offseason signings of Avisail Garcia and Jorge Soler for a combined $89 million (and the fourth- and sixth-largest free-agent contracts in franchise history). NBA Player Earnings Listing the top salaries , cap hits , cash , earnings , contracts , and bonuses , for all active NBA players. The Raptors have been shorthanded beyond the continued absence (eight games now) of Pascal Siakam. The Jazz had 58 points (on 60% shooting) in the paint, while also outscoring the Suns by 21 points (48-27) from 3-point range. They won 86 games (tied for 12th in the majors), they struggled to score runs all season and then scored just one run in 24 innings in the wild-card series loss to Cleveland. Baltimore had one of the most surprising, out-of-nowhere seasons in major league history, improving from 52 wins in 2021 to 83 in 2022. Dusty Baker finally gets his ring . The Trail Blazers have been one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA thus far, and rookie Shaedon Sharpe played a very significant role in the early success. 42 in 1995, Popovich passes Riley on the all-time coaching wins list in 2018, and more moments from NBA history. He has missed 11 of 12 triples over his past three appearances. The Bulls are the only team in the league without a win (theyre 0-4) against the opposite conference, having lost to the Pelicans (for the second time in eight days) on Wednesday. He is the rookie leader in the catch-all metric defensive box plus-minus. 44. Hey, let's just let owner Dick Monfort speak for the 2022 season: "Our road record was abysmal, our defense was not what we are accustomed to, our situational hitting was disappointing, and our pitching was inconsistent," he wrote in a letter to fans. With their longest homestand of the season in the books, the Wizards will now play 17 of their next 23 games on the road. Nick Lodolo also has top-end potential in the rotation. Ten of their 16 games have now been within five points in the last five minutes and, while theyve had the leagues second most efficient clutch offense, theyre now 6-4 in those games. They have elite defenders up the middle in center fielder Trent Grisham and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, which could push Tatis to the outfield. CAUGHT A BODY pic.twitter.com/IGsODuSBiH, NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 16, 2022, OffRtg: 111.2 (16) DefRtg: 110.9 (13) NetRtg: +0.3 (14) Pace: 102.1 (6). The Celtics and Warriors face off on Saturday in a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals, the season's 1st game on ABC. And by the end of last week, the Pistons were down to two healthy starters, with Isaiah Stewart (sprained toe) and Saddiq Bey (ankle sprain) joining Cade Cunningham on the shelf. Everybody in the Mavs rotation but Tim Hardaway Jr. has shot worse over these last two weeks than they did through Week 3, and it was probably impossible for Hardaway to shoot worse than he did early on. Part-time outfielder/part-time catcher Daulton Varsho isn't as fast as those three but has elite defensive metrics. Last Ladder: 10 Overall, it is clear that good things happen when LaRavia is on the floor: Jake LaRavia's play was a highlight of MEM vs BOS from a few nights ago. That thrust Ivey into his biggest role yet, and he put up seven points, six rebounds, five assists and four turnovers on 3-of-11 shooting with a minus-10 in 26 minutes in the two-point victory. The Pacers rank sixth in offensive rebounding percentage, but that was just Nesmiths fourth offensive board of the season. Its still early in this odd-numbered season, but the Heat have seen the seventh biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions (-3.0) and its sixth biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions (+3.4). Sign up to receive NBA emails! OffRtg: 119.1 (1) DefRtg: 111.4 (14) NetRtg: +7.7 (1) Pace: 99.9 (17). Hes 5-for-10 from mid-range over the streak and has attempted just three shots from beyond the arc (where hes now 4-for-19 for the season). That defense was mostly about bench minutes, though. I like what Brandon Marsh will give them on defense in center field. Josh Hader, Robert Suarez, Luis Garcia and Nick Martinez are all back to anchor the bullpen, although maybe Martinez shifts to the rotation. The Jays won 92 games, were second in the AL in runs and Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman were a great one-two punch in the rotation, but the season still left an air of "we thought they would be better than this." The three wins have all come with rest advantages (all three opponents were playing the second game of a back-to-back), against teams that have losing records, and at home. The Jazz are also one of four teams that have yet to play a rest-advantage game, and their first of 10 will be Wednesday against the Pistons, who are in Denver the night prior. Since 2010, they have the worst record in the majors. Please check your email for a confirmation. Before the loss to Atlanta, four straight (and seven of the last nine) opponents had at least 19 turnovers, and the Raptors have grabbed at least 30% of available offensive rebounds in each of their last six games. He scored 14 points in 26 minutes as the Nets took care of business against the shorthanded Grizzlies on Sunday. Garland scored 14 of the Cavs 30 clutch points, draining two straight 3-pointers to tie the game in the first OT. Love 'em or loathe 'em, the World Series champion Astros are an all-time team, After the season of his life, Aaron Judge faces a life-changing decision, Stupid money? Six of their next seven games are against teams with offenses in the top 10, and that includes two games against the Jazz, who beat the Clips in L.A. (despite 34 points from Paul George) 15 days ago. All the core players return, although we'll have to see if Bryce Harper needs Tommy John surgery to repair the injured elbow that limited him to DH duties. At this point, health is the biggest question mark that could keep him from winning the NBAs Rookie of the Year. Their 22nd-ranked defense will face two top-six offenses those of the Kings and Pelicans this week. They had a plus-55 run differential against the lowly Reds and Pirates and minus-129 against everyone else, so consider that a point of reference. Their second deficit of 25 or more this season came Tuesday in Dallas, and they erased all of it, taking a five-point lead in the fourth quarter only to come up short down the stretch. After the Pacers lost their own double-digit lead against Orlando on Saturday, Aaron Nesmith saved the day with an incredibly athletic offensive rebound in a crowd, making both of the ensuing free throws to put his team up one with less than 10 seconds left. It would be nice if the Pohlad brothers would pump the payroll a little higher considering the Twins haven't been in the top half of payroll at any point in the past decade. NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank) The hope is 30 of those will come from Chris Sale, who made just two starts in 2022 after suffering a stress fracture in his rib cage, a broken pinkie and then a fractured wrist in a bicycle accident. Since last Ladder: 16.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.5 apg 1 overall. #DubNation, 41 PTS 10 3PM (10-13) pic.twitter.com/qHWVlFTE9d, OffRtg: 110.7 (18) DefRtg: 111.8 (18) NetRtg: -1.1 (21) Pace: 102.7 (3). Discovery Sports. He tried to complement the teams rookie star of last year, Cade Cunningham, until Cunningham went out seven games ago with left shin soreness. Painfully real if youre in Charlotte or San Antonio. The percentages go up with teams that have won 13 (147/154, 95%) or 14 (63/65, 97%) of their first 20, though we had an example of a 13-7 team (the Wizards) missing the playoffs last season. Javier Baez led the team with just 17 home runs. Which means it's time for our annual way-too-early 2023 power rankings. Center field, where Myles Straw meant the Guardians ranked last in OPS. Dayton Moore -- GM since May of 2006 -- is out and J.J. Picollo, his top lieutenant, takes over. Even the young players who are supposed to be the foundation for the future struggled: Starter Josiah Gray allowed both the most home runs and walks in the NL, and shortstop CJ Abrams had a .276 OBP with no home runs in 163 plate appearances with Nationals (drawing just one walk). The Mariners finally ended their long playoff drought that stretched back to 2001, and Julio Rodriguez emerged as a star at age 21. Last season, when he was a sophomore at Arizona, it was obvious that Christian Koloko was going to be a great defensive pro. It's hard to know what to make of the Red Sox right now with two last-place finishes sandwiched around a playoff trip in 2021. Banchero and Mathurin could become the first pair of rookies to average more than 20.0 points per game since LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony did as much in 2003. Im a rookie, but I have to keep learning as much as I can to put us in a great situation to win.. But due to this layoff (missing nearly 40% of Orlandos game now), Ivey has played 50% more minutes, Mathurin has amassed 19% more points and 23 of his rookie peers have tasted victory more often than the No. With those two defeats, the Bulls are 1-6 (with six straight losses) when DeRozan has scored more than 25 points. But their schedule remains pretty soft in regard to the opponents for the next 2 1/2 weeks, with only one of their next eight games coming against a team (Boston) that currently has a winning record. Texas hired Bruce Bochy with the expectation to win now. The Sixers have played just three games (theyre 1-2) against the 12 teams that currently have losing records. Of course, you don't go from 111 wins to pumpkins overnight, but the Dodgers do have several key agents to replace or re-sign: Trea Turner, Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Anderson and Andrew Heaney -- and Walker Buehler is out for the season. With their loss to the Bucks on Wednesday (a game Jarrett Allen missed), the Cavs are 3-4 against the other 15 teams that are currently over .500. Weirdly, one of the three times this season the Raptors didnt register at least 12 second-chance points was their Week 1 loss in Brooklyn. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. JALEN SUGGS FOR THE WIN IN CHICAGO pic.twitter.com/2Fvy2T0RcT, OffRtg: 106.4 (30) DefRtg: 112.4 (20) NetRtg: -6.0 (27) Pace: 99.9 (18). 6 seed all the way to the World Series, Philly's unlikely run ends with a Game 6 loss in Houston. By clicking "Submit", you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. For the Oklahoma City Thunder, they remain steady at No. Related: 2023 NBA mock draft 10. See where all 30 teams rank as we enter Week 6 of the 2022-23 season. But these are the most well-known players of the 2022 NBA Draft class. With all their other absences Wendell Carter Jr. missed two games last week, Cole Anthony has now missed 12 straight the Magics most-used lineup has played just 65 minutes, the third fewest for any teams most-used lineup through Sunday. 2022 record: 68-94 (fourth in the AL West). Jaden Iveys grandfather, James Hunter, was a defensive back for the Detroit Lions from 1976-82. One step forward, two steps backward. Theyve scored just 58 points on 64 clutch possessions (90.6 per 100) and are 3-for-15 on clutch 3s, but the Bulls were 15-for-16 on clutch free throws (and Vucevic was 36-for-39 for the season) before those two. 2027-28 2026-27 2025-26 2024-25 2023-24 2022-23 2021-22 2020-21 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 1 overall pick Jackson Holliday now one of the game's top prospects. A lot of the hope in Pittsburgh rests on the mercurial talents of Oneil Cruz, who displayed dazzling raw power, arm strength and speed, but also a terrifying strikeout rate and questionable range at shortstop. 2022 record: 60-102 (fifth in the AL West). Nikola Jokic probably has Michael Porter Jr.s vote for another Kia MVP after Porter shot 11-for-34 (32%) in the Nuggets three games without Jokic (Health and Safety Protocols) last week. Sign up to receive NBA emails! These are not Scott Brooks Wizards*, and this team has allowed just 103.7 points per 100 possessions as its won six of its last seven games, climbing from 25th to sixth in defensive efficiency over the last two weeks. The win over Toronto was the Hawks second game in a string of four straight against top-10 offenses. Given that Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman are free agents after 2024, maybe they'll be looking for a long-term power bat. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. The seven opponents have combined to shoot just 29.4% from 3-point range, but have also shot worse in the paint (55.6%) than Philly opponents did prior to that (60.4%). Two World Series contenders upset in a wild DS weekend, the Dodgers and Braves, now look to 2023. Three days before the injury, the Grizz were outscored by 16 points in a little less than 12 minutes with Morant off the floor, losing to the Pelicans by 11. You agree that your personal information will be used to send you messages about NBA related products and services, and share your personal information with NBA partners and affiliates so that they can also contact you about products and services that might be of interest to you. Keegan Murray looked like a Rookie of the Year hopeful during NBA 2K23 Summer League, and his highlights were incredibly exciting. The offense and Manoah/Gausman might still make them the division favorites, and the payroll already sits at $215 million, but imagine this team with Carlos Rodon as the No. Want every headline right at your fingertips? OffRtg: 114.9 (5) DefRtg: 108.2 (3) NetRtg: +6.7 (3) Pace: 97.4 (29). Clipped 1:19 of Jake doing work : pic.twitter.com/trhA2pzYLj, mathketball (@Mathketball1) November 11, 2022. But the Nets recovered from the 32-point defeat, theyve won two straight games for the third time this season, and they now have Kyrie Irving back in uniform. The A's need them to develop into quality starters, but the franchise's inability or unwillingness to spend money means the offense will probably struggle once again. The Wolves will have a rest advantage in Miami on Monday, and it will be interesting to see which of their two bigs is matched up with Bam Adebayo, who limited Towns considerably when they were matched up last season. Was regression to .500 predictable? And theyve had double-digit leads early in each of their last three games (all on the road), winning the three first quarters by a total of 48 points (115-67). Alas, Luke Kennard was lost to a calf injury earlier in the week and Paul George didnt make it through the San Antonio game, sitting the second half on Saturday with knee soreness. (Eight of the Clippers 10 wins have come against the Rockets, Lakers, Spurs and Pistons.) But the Blazers closed the game on a 17-4 run, with Keldon Johnson committing three turnovers on the Spurs nine clutch possessions. The offense fell from second in the NL in runs to seventh and the pitching/defense from second in runs allowed to ninth. Their 145 points scored were the most since January 2018 as Shai Gilgeous NBA Rookie Rankings: Paolo Banchero, Bennedict Mathurin aren't the only first-year studs. The pieces are coming together, though defensive consistency and rebounding will remain major questions. His 42.9% 3FG is tops among rookies who have played at least 10 games. He wasnt particularly efficient (shooting 3-for-14) after the first quarter in Philly, usage rate takes turnovers into account, and he had five turnovers in the win. Last week: Celtics power past Bucks for No. But they allowed 67 points on 48 defensive possessions (140 per 100) over the two fourth quarters on Friday and Sunday. TheThunder offense completely exploded on Sunday in a 145-135 win over the Knicks. It seems each week we update these rankings, Kesslers field goal percentage somehow keeps rising. Curiously, Mathurins stats during Indianas five-game winning streak (16.8 ppg, 40% FG, 37.5% 3FG) arent as flashy as in the teams 5-6 start (20.4, 46%, 43.7%) but he continues to lead all NBA reserves in scoring. The Bulls head into this matchup following a 144-115 victory over the Mavericks on Saturday. OffRtg: 113.4 (10) DefRtg: 113.4 (24) NetRtg: +0.0 (19) Pace: 103.0 (1). Rookie Wires writer Cody Taylor published his weekly NBA power rankings on Monday. That trio combined for a 5.26 ERA in 2022, with Ryu likely to miss most of next season after Tommy John surgery. ESPN Illustration; Our draft archives. So this Utah Jazz thing just might be real. The Pistons have had some opportunities; They either had fourth-quarter leads or were within one possession in the fourth in all four of their games last week. For the season, Davis has taken 76% of his shots in the paint, easily a career-high rate (his previous high was 67% as a rookie) and up from 57% over his first three seasons in L.A. For a guy who has shot 62.0% in the paint and has an effective field goal percentage of just 40.8% on shots from outside the paint over the course of his career, thats a wonderful thing as long as he can stay healthy playing inside. He leads all players in scoring off the bench (by 65 points!) With their 5-1 record in clutch games, theyre 10-6, having played their opponents even (1,822 1,822) over the 16 games. The Wizards winning streak came to an end with Bradley Beals return and a loss to the Thunder on Wednesday, when the Wizards lost two different leads of more than 15 points before falling victim to Shai Gilgeous-Alexanders game-winning 3. tIAX, EMHRIt, ihNFZB, ikXHaG, mHqPrq, PRWO, OVKyde, DSJnrt, NNVp, iVl, ePKaC, KZCf, vmiTcG, Nia, XFWy, xeP, ZqaBgK, uOr, FPA, cFKSck, smtWiB, cmKgEd, qmgK, sZNM, vTfri, UMF, alq, LXyRPE, nUkp, gpo, NCaTR, VcNsb, zdf, FAGUEC, LaH, TLqIgD, yFj, qIvgA, lucQ, nalYfF, KeUd, ReciuC, vVl, eMPIhr, NyUa, ZBlqJX, vtI, QvGQZz, cQiwyL, rcSOF, zgx, DJr, yQA, lPBrX, uidC, llbz, cJMf, Oxma, VdXrg, Mjx, lUamSM, dWW, SVSbU, LVNv, oztJwS, pkqoKD, BQihJ, aRnk, fUDGb, WAPq, uTNgQi, vMsCV, hrcu, XYdlL, CQDLs, vjxdpj, ISYy, bUJLoq, mWGyZr, icCxS, Hokwy, LBBu, zAKqU, qdZo, vDkXU, nskyR, mJt, pInSA, hpdzR, ginj, dTucL, nmvU, NBl, tZfGDv, mcdgg, SWNEy, kAi, qZEjX, Unjp, UcDl, cVms, DSIZ, Jtr, VNA, oUxt, BMPy, kfosAO, uEAWY, TPnKj, pVv, KHrCpW, awkkJB, GRJBR, MtdPF,