{"id":90855,"date":"2026-01-06T09:18:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T09:18:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/90855\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T09:18:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T09:18:28","slug":"nba-power-rankings-celtics-rockets-are-contenders-new-years-resolutions-for-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/90855\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Power Rankings: Celtics, Rockets are contenders; New Year\u2019s resolutions for all"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Album of the Week: \u201cDon\u2019t Be Dumb\u201d, A$AP Rocky (2026)<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a whole new year! And we\u2019re acknowledging an album that isn\u2019t out yet and has been worked on for years <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/asvpxrocky\/status\/2007176517156253927?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">but might actually see the light of day this month<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p>Welcome to the 2026 portion of this season\u2019s Power Rankings. It\u2019s time to shake everyone out of the holiday season, and today\u2019s a great day to do it (not just because it\u2019s my birthday, but that\u2019s cool too).<\/p>\n<p>The New York Knicks visit Detroit as part of a first-round rematch from last spring in a game that features the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The Los Angeles Lakers will visit San Antonio later this week. And Saturday, the Minnesota Timberwolves are in Cleveland for a matchup of two of the top shooting guards in the league.<\/p>\n<p>Fine print: These Power Rankings won\u2019t just rank every team. We\u2019ll retain the tiers that teams will be promoted into and relegated out of. There will be five tiers each week:<\/p>\n<p>Top Contenders \u2014 Locked at five, these are the class of the league<br \/>\nIn a Good Place \u2014 Could be one team, could be seven teams<br \/>\nThe Bubble \u2014 Not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack<br \/>\nNot the Tier to Fear \u2014 Not playing the worst ball in the league, but with a lot of work to do<br \/>\nBasement Floor \u2014 Bringing up the rear<\/p>\n<p>What to expect from Power Rankings:<\/p>\n<p>These are my subjective rankings. I will consider a variety of objective measures, but it\u2019s my final call.<br \/>\nThese rankings are not just a review of the past week \u2014 we are projecting forward as well, so it is a balance of the two.<br \/>\nThese are subjective, but not biased. There are no agendas in the Power Rankings, and we strive for an inclusive meritocracy<br \/>\nThe one quality that these rankings possess: \u201cRuthless aggression.\u201d<br \/>\nEnjoy the games, and enjoy the rankings, please!<\/p>\n<p>For Week 12 of The Athletic NBA Power Rankings, we will explore New Year\u2019s resolutions for each team.<\/p>\n<p>Tier 1: Top Contenders1. Oklahoma City Thunder (30-6)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  1<br \/>In the last week:  W vs ATL, W vs POR, W at GS, L at PHO<br \/>Offensive rating: 118.8 (fifth place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  104.4 (first place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Get the primary starting lineup healthy and working again<\/p>\n<p>The Thunder are only 1-4 with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein starting together. That\u2019s more of a Spurs game flow problem than anything, but it also speaks to how little that group has shared the floor this season. Hartenstein has dealt with a bad calf for several weeks, which complicates things. The Thunder have only lost six games this season, but four of them have now come with the Thunder leading by more than 10 points, including Sunday at Phoenix.<\/p>\n<p>2. Detroit Pistons (26-9)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  4<br \/>In the last week:  W at LAL, L vs MIA, W at CLE<br \/>Offensive rating: 116.7 (ninth place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  110.6 (second place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Get Cade Cunningham some shooters<\/p>\n<p>It seems like the Cade Cunningham experience always includes commentary on how he has to play through whatever deficiencies his teams have, going all the way back to Oklahoma State. Even with these Pistons playing at a high level and establishing some cushion at the top of the East, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6894551\/2025\/12\/18\/best-nba-shooting-teams-rankings-nuggets-thunder-knicks\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> we\u2019re talking about one of the worst shooting teams <\/a> in the league. Detroit is a very good team that has an identity. But it also needs to identify some perimeter relief.<\/p>\n<p>3. San Antonio Spurs (25-10)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  2<br \/>In the last week:  L vs CLE, W vs NY, W at IND, L vs POR<br \/>Offensive rating: 118.1 (sixth place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  112.8 (eighth place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Get Victor Wembanyama back up to 30 minutes<\/p>\n<p>As exciting as the season has been for the Spurs, it has been one full of starts and stops for their best players. Victor Wembanyama had to begin the season without De\u2019Aaron Fox, and right when Fox got healthy, Wembanyama had to miss a month with a calf injury. Wembanyama finally returned to the starting lineup, and the Spurs suffered back-to-back losses before Wembanyama injured his knee against the Knicks. San Antonio certainly hasn\u2019t reached anything close to final form yet.<\/p>\n<p>4. Boston Celtics (22-12)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  9<br \/>In the last week:  W at UTA, W at SAC, W at LAC<br \/>Offensive rating: 122.3 (second place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  114.5 (15th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Full health for Jayson Tatum<\/p>\n<p>When this season began, I expected the Celtics to struggle defending, be lost in the event that Jaylen Brown approached 20 missed games and have a winter teardown for salary-cap purposes. None of those things would have encouraged a Jayson Tatum return. I still don\u2019t want to see Tatum rush back from injury, but the Celtics sure are playing like a team that deserves to see what it can do if he is healthy. And that\u2019s led by Brown, who might be the first player ever to turn a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FCHWPO\/status\/2007207284733321544?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"> Player of the Month snub<\/a> into a 50-piece <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FCHWPO\/status\/2007724018154213865?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"> salsa lesson<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>5. Houston Rockets (21-11)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  6<br \/>In the last week:  W vs IND, W at BRK, L at DAL<br \/>Offensive rating: 121.2 (third place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  112.5 (sixth place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Reed Sheppard\u2019s assertiveness<\/p>\n<p>Sheppard is coming off one of his least impactful games of the season Saturday in Dallas, finishing with more fouls (four) than buckets (3-of-10 shooting) while the Rockets were outscored by 24 points in his minutes despite losing by only six points. There aren\u2019t many ballhandling options in Houston, and even fewer of those options can confidently make shots. The Rockets are 11-4 when Sheppard scores more than 12 points this season; it\u2019s not a requirement for Houston\u2019s success, but it could be a part of the ceiling for this Rockets team.<\/p>\n<p>Tier 2: In a Good Place6. Denver Nuggets (23-12)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  3<br \/>In the last week:  L at MIA, W at TOR, L at CLE, L at BRK<br \/>Offensive rating: 123.0 (first place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  116.9 (21st place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Jamal Murray All-Star selection (and bubble wrap)<\/p>\n<p>Denver isn\u2019t going to have Nikola Joki\u0107 for a while, which is spooky considering the fact that he\u2019s among <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6687827\/2025\/10\/23\/which-all-stars-can-teams-count-on-2025-nba-star-reliability-tiers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">the most reliable stars in basketball<\/a>. Cameron Johnson wasn\u2019t able to play in a return game to Brooklyn either. But it could be worse. Denver just got both Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon back after both missed nearly two months with their own injuries. And Murray is putting up Mountain Steph Curry numbers. Joki\u0107 might not be healthy enough to be an All-Star, but this should be the year he finally has an All-Star teammate.<\/p>\n<p>7. Phoenix Suns (21-14)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  7<br \/>In the last week:  W at WAS, L at CLE, W vs SAC, W vs OKC<br \/>Offensive rating: 114.9 (15th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  113.1 (ninth place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Get Devin Booker\u2019s 3-pointer back<\/p>\n<p>Booker beating the Thunder was sweet for several reasons. One, it was revenge for Booker\u2019s team when he was out with a groin injury and the Suns lost by 49 points in Oklahoma last month. Two, Booker said the secret was out on the Thunder\u2019s defense, and he led an 18-point comeback. But three, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NBA\/status\/2008020397489549542\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Booker\u2019s game-winning 3<\/a> was his only make in four attempts, and this has been by far the worst 3-point shooting season of Booker\u2019s career (29.7 percent). Booker\u2019s never been a 40 percent 3-point shooter, but he consistently gets his 25 points anyway. If the statement win against the Thunder can jump-start Booker\u2019s jumper, then the Suns have even more to look forward to in what has been a triumphant season so far.<\/p>\n<p>8. New York Knicks (23-12)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  5<br \/>In the last week:  W at NO, L at SA, L vs ATL, L vs PHI<br \/>Offensive rating: 120.7 (fourth place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  115.2 (16th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Avoid giving me material<\/p>\n<p>I realize that a few people who love the Knicks are coming to Power Rankings and expecting to be feted. And perhaps there has been some disappointment because of some of the shortcomings the Knicks have had. I keep trying to tell you: This is an equal opportunity space, and every team can get it. But you can send me all complaints at <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/eydu7U6kfv8?si=LNhyRlmuEwsOJ8Qu\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> 510-1973<\/a>,\u00a0my new local Knicks hotline for the last time you couldn\u2019t say anything about them.<\/p>\n<p>9. Minnesota Timberwolves (23-13)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  8<br \/>In the last week:  W at CHI, L at ATL, W at MIA, W at WAS<br \/>Offensive rating: 117.2 (eighth place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  112.7 (seventh place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Find another young contributor<\/p>\n<p>The Timberwolves are a sneaky old team, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/leagues\/NBA_2026.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Basketball-Reference<\/a> has only five teams with a higher average age. None of the seven players who get more than 15 minutes per game is on a rookie deal. Even Bones Hyland is a fifth-year player. Minnesota is getting rough sophomore seasons from 2024 first-round picks Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark hasn\u2019t progressed as a shooter, and young bigs Leonard Miller and rookie Joan Beringer are mothballed. The Timberwolves are going to need at least one of those guys to emerge soon.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-6942370 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/260105-LeBron-James-Luka-Doncic-scaled-e1767622867345.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2176\" height=\"1088\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\n      LeBron James, Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and the Lakers are perfect in crunchtime but have 11 double-digit defeats this season. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<p>Tier 3: The Bubble10. Los Angeles Lakers (22-11)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  10<br \/>In the last week:  L vs DET, W vs MEM, W vs MEM<br \/>Offensive rating: 117.4 (seventh place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  117.6 (24th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Stop getting blown out<\/p>\n<p>There are a lot of strength-of-schedule merchants out there (we\u2019ll get to you all later), but when it comes to the Lakers, the reality is this: They won\u2019t be considered a serious threat until they stop looking uncompetitive in so many games. The Lakers shouldn\u2019t apologize for winning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6937243\/2026\/01\/03\/lakers-clutch-time-record-grizzlies\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> every coin flip game<\/a> they have played so far this season. But they\u2019ve lost 11 games this season by 10 points or more. The only teams in the league that have lost more of those games are all no higher than 12th place in their respective conferences.<\/p>\n<p>11. Toronto Raptors (21-15)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  12<br \/>In the last week:  W vs ORL, L vs DEN, W vs ATL<br \/>Offensive rating: 114.0 (19th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  112.4 (fourth place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Be careful with RJ Barrett<\/p>\n<p>Toronto cannot defend with all three of Barrett, Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes on the floor together. But Barrett makes the Raptors offense reach levels that were more challenging with him out. The question is, do the Raptors consider Barrett replaceable offensively for perhaps a better defensive fit? Or should the Raptors give Barrett, 2025 trade acquisition Ingram and franchise player Barnes the time they need to explore their ceiling together?<\/p>\n<p>12. Miami Heat (20-16)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  13<br \/>In the last week:  W vs DEN, W at DET, L vs MIN, W vs NO<br \/>Offensive rating: 115.0 (14th place) <br \/>Defensive rating: 111.9 (third place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Keep running<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s January, and the Heat still lead the NBA in pace. And when they exceed their average pace of 104.66 possessions, they are 13-5. Some teams need to slow down to play their best basketball. That is not the case for Miami, and their two wins to begin 2026, at Detroit and against the Pelicans, were a strong reminder for them.<\/p>\n<p>13. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-17)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking: 14<br \/>In the last week: W at SA, W vs PHO, W vs DEN, L vs DET<br \/>Offensive rating: 116.1 (10th place)<br \/>Defensive rating: 113.7 (12th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: No postseason excuses<\/p>\n<p>The Cavaliers are going to exceed last season\u2019s loss total as soon as this upcoming week, so they\u2019re not measuring the success of this season by what happens this winter as long as they make the playoffs. It\u2019s all about what happens once they get there. No injuries. No accusations of softness. Finish the season playing your best basketball with a group that is getting great play from Donovan Mitchell while he is surrounded by talent that will be hard to reconstruct after the spring.<\/p>\n<p>14. Philadelphia 76ers (19-14)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  15<br \/>In the last week:  W at MEM, W at DAL, W at NY<br \/>Offensive rating: 114.8 (17th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  113.7 (13th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Keep turnovers down<\/p>\n<p>Philadelphia is 15-3 this season when it has fewer than 15 turnovers in a game. That\u2019s a high bar for a team that isn\u2019t even a high turnover team and has multiple ballhandlers in both the first and second units. The trio of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George is headed in the right direction.<\/p>\n<p>15. Golden State Warriors (19-17)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  16<br \/>In the last week:  W at BRK, W at CHA, L vs OKC, W vs UTA<br \/>Offensive rating: 113.9 (20th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  112.4 (5th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Keep Draymond Green\u2019s turnovers down<\/p>\n<p>As important as Green is to what the Warriors have done over the years, his erratic play stands out for the wrong reasons. Green has more fouls than buckets this season, makes only 42.9 percent of his field goals and isn\u2019t feared as a shooter despite taking more 3s than ever. His turnovers are a 10-year high despite averaging his fewest assists in that span as well. But the Warriors are 8-2 when Green has no more than two turnovers in a game this season. Green has to start (and be handcuffed to Stephen Curry), so if that\u2019s the case, he has to stop putting his team at a disadvantage.<\/p>\n<p>16. Orlando Magic (20-16)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  11<br \/>In the last week:  L at TOR, W at IND, L at CHI, W vs IND<br \/>Offensive rating: 115.0 (13th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  113.7 (11th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Get the homegrown big three extended run<\/p>\n<p>The Magic have only won five out of the 11 games that Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs have played together this season. That is despite the fact that the Magic outscore their foes by 16.7 points per 100 possessions when those three have shared the floor in 136 minutes. The sample size and win total are too small, and it\u2019s because all three of those players have struggled with injury at various times. Orlando has exciting developments in terms of Desmond Bane fitting in and Anthony Black breaking out, but the young core needs to show some durability.<\/p>\n<p>Tier 4: Not the Tier to Fear17. Chicago Bulls (17-18)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  19<br \/>In the last week:  L vs MIN, W vs NO, W vs ORL, L vs CHA<br \/>Offensive rating: 113.5 (22nd place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  117.2 (23rd place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Survive the Play-In Tournament<\/p>\n<p>Look, the Bulls are going to be in the Play-In. It\u2019s what they do. All we ask is that Chicago actually make the playoffs if it\u2019s going to do this again. The Bulls are so perfectly mid that asking them to tank out doesn\u2019t feel right either. Resolutions should be about being better, so perhaps the Bulls can get themselves a seven-game series in three months. They have certainly shown that they can beat the teams that they\u2019ll likely need to face. Except Miami. We don\u2019t need to see the Bulls deal with Miami in the Play-In again.<\/p>\n<p>18. Atlanta Hawks (17-20)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  20<br \/>In the last week:  L at OKC, W vs MIN, W at NY, L at TOR<br \/>Offensive rating: 114.6 (18th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  115.5 (17th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Find a new home for Trae Young<\/p>\n<p>Young has played in 10 games this season. The Hawks won two of them, both in October, and one of those wins was when Young was injured in the first half at Brooklyn. His December return was not successful at all, and the Hawks snapped their losing streak with Young nursing a quad injury. This is headed for an unceremonious split, and it\u2019s going to take Atlanta to figure it out since Young has a player option this summer. It\u2019s to the point where Young playing for Atlanta is a threat to the Hawks.<\/p>\n<p>19. Memphis Grizzlies (15-20)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  17<br \/>In the last week:  L vs PHI, L at LAL, L at LAL<br \/>Offensive rating: 113.1 (23rd place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  114.3 (14th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: A purpose for Ja Morant<\/p>\n<p>The Grizzlies are probably stuck with Morant, who alternates between bad defense, bad shooting and not being able to go because of injury this season. Morant felt out of place in a Grizzlies offense that didn\u2019t run pick-and-rolls, but he\u2019s not a special threat out of ball screens now like he was three seasons ago. Memphis has to be concerned about trying to win games, but it would be good if it could also find a way to get Morant to look like a star again.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-6942498 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/260105-Giannis-Antetokounmpo-scaled-e1767625979387.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1971\" height=\"985\"  \/><\/p>\n<p>\n      Will 2026 be the year we get a decision on, or from, Giannis Antetokounmpo? Lachlan Cunningham \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>20. Milwaukee Bucks (16-20)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  18<br \/>In the last week:  W at CHA, L vs WAS, W vs CHA, W at SAC<br \/>Offensive rating: 113.6 (21st place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  115.7 (18th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: A resolution on Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/p>\n<p>It would just be nice to not discuss Antetokounmpo\u2019s future at some point. Some players should be allowed to spin their wheels in the abyss, so if that\u2019s what Antetokounmpo wants to do, then let him. And if that\u2019s not what Antetokounmpo wants to do, then he should let the Bucks know that too. Antetokounmpo hasn\u2019t played more than six consecutive games all season, so his energy should be directed toward staying on the floor and being the generational talent that he is for a team that desperately needs his presence to get out of the East\u2019s bottom five.<\/p>\n<p>21. LA Clippers (12-22)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  23<br \/>In the last week:  W vs SAC, W vs UTA, L vs BOS<br \/>Offensive rating: 115.5 (11th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  117.8 (25th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Get to 42 wins<\/p>\n<p>The Clippers did well to double their win total in a two-week span, but as usual, they suffered a catastrophic loss to reset their reality. They didn\u2019t just lose to the Celtics amid a sea of green at Intuit Dome. They allowed a second 50-point performance at home, got blown out and lost one of their better players to another multi-week injury (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6940571\/2026\/01\/04\/clippers-derrick-jones-injury-right-mcl-out-six-weeks\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Derrick Jones Jr. again<\/a>). The Clippers are going to need a few more of those undefeated weeks, and they\u2019re going to have to leave the Pacific Time Zone with a short-handed roster to do it.<\/p>\n<p>22. Portland Trail Blazers (16-20)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  25<br \/>In the last week:  W vs DAL, L at OKC, W at NO, W at SA<br \/>Offensive rating: 113.0 (24th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  116.2 (19th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: A return to health of the point guards<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a really unfortunate season for the Trail Blazers as far as their point guard situation. Jrue Holiday got off to a great 12-game start, but his calf has kept him out for more than seven weeks. Damian Lillard is rehabbing his Achilles. Scoot Henderson hasn\u2019t debuted yet. Even Blake Wesley broke his foot. If there\u2019s been a silver lining, it\u2019s that all of the injuries to the small guards allows Portland to let Deni Avdija cook. The only players in the NBA averaging at least 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists are Nikola Joki\u0107, Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Avdija.<\/p>\n<p>23. Dallas Mavericks (13-23)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  26<br \/>In the last week:  L at POR, L vs PHI, W vs HOU<br \/>Offensive rating: 109.4 (28th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  113.1 (10th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Maximize Cooper Flagg<\/p>\n<p>Head coach Jason Kidd said that Cooper Flagg has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallasnews.com\/sports\/mavericks\/2026\/01\/04\/dallas-mavericks-cooper-flagg-rookie-wall-stamina\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> to touch, rub and hold the rookie wall<\/a>. I\u2019m surprised Kidd didn\u2019t say that Flagg will need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymotion.com\/video\/xczm9g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">ride the snake<\/a> to get through the rookie wall as well. Certainly, he\u2019ll be headed for that method with Flagg starting at point guard once again, though Dallas was able to survive a rough Flagg scoring game against the Rockets and get its first win in five games.<\/p>\n<p>24. Charlotte Hornets (12-23)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  24<br \/>In the last week:  L vs MIL, L vs GS, L at MIL, W at CHI<br \/>Offensive rating: 115.3 (12th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  117.8 (26th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Feature Kon Knueppel<\/p>\n<p>Only 17 rookies before this season have made 100 3s and hit those 3s at a 40 percent clip or better. Only four of those 17 rookies in league history made more than 2.0 3s per game: Stephen Curry (2.1, 43.7 percent), Landry Shamet (2.1, 42.2 percent), Tyrese Haliburton (2.1, 40.9 percent) and Keegan Murray (2.6, 41.1 percent). Knueppel is at 3.6 3s per game while hitting 42.8 percent. He\u2019s also shooting the same free-throw percentage (88.5 percent) that Curry did as a rookie. Charlotte has a special shooter, and LaMelo Ball should be getting Knueppel more shots than Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges.<\/p>\n<p>25. Brooklyn Nets (11-22)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  22<br \/>In the last week:  L vs GS, L vs HOU, L at WAS, W vs DEN<br \/>Offensive rating: 112.3 (25th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  116.7 (20th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Meaningful basketball<\/p>\n<p>Check back in a month or so to see if the Nets are going to get to actually play themselves into Play-In territory. They\u2019re not that many games off, and Michael Porter Jr. just had a successful #RevengeGame against a Nuggets team that didn\u2019t have Nikola Joki\u0107 but still had enough of Porter\u2019s former teammates to where it meant something. Remarkably, the Nets are basically in the same spot now as they were a year ago despite all of the efforts made to strip down Jordi Fernandez\u2019s roster.<\/p>\n<p>Tier 5: Basement Floor26. Utah Jazz (12-22)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  21<br \/>In the last week:  L vs BOS, L at LAC, L at GS<br \/>Offensive rating: 114.8 (16th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  121.6 (30th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Finding a defense<\/p>\n<p>Utah started its rebuild in 2022 by trading multi-Defensive Player of the Year award recipient Rudy Gobert. The Jazz have since ranked 23rd, 30th, 30th and 30th again in defensive efficiency. If you hate defense and enjoy points, go watch a Jazz game. They\u2019re the only team in the league that scores (119.7) \u2014 and allows (126.7) \u2014 more than 119 points per game.<\/p>\n<p>27. Washington Wizards (9-25)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  29<br \/>In the last week:  L vs PHO, W at MIL, W vs BRK, L vs MIN<br \/>Offensive rating: 110.4 (27th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  121.3 (29th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Get a veteran point guard to finish the season<\/p>\n<p>CJ McCollum is going to help some team in the spring. He can still get it done in the areas of the floor that small guards need to get buckets from when games get tight \u2014 ask the Bucks about that. But even if Washington doesn\u2019t find a home for McCollum, it could use a point guard who won\u2019t demand playing time but can help with the development of the young Wizards such as Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington and Tre Johnson.<\/p>\n<p>28. New Orleans Pelicans (8-29)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  28<br \/>In the last week:  L vs NY, L at CHI, L vs POR, L at MIA<br \/>Offensive rating: 111.9 (26th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  119.5 (27th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Sell high on Zion Williamson<\/p>\n<p>The Pelicans are back to getting hammered on the floor, with their five-game win streak undone by a six-game losing streak. But Williamson is back to starting and crushing defenses, averaging 27.7 points on 61.9 percent field goals and 10 free-throw attempts per game during the losing streak. His activity has been high, averaging 3.0 offensive rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks during the streak as well. New Orleans needs some assets to offset what it gave away to draft Derik Queen, and there\u2019s no point in waiting for Williamson\u2019s games played streak to be jeopardized. Get what you can get for Williamson, and don\u2019t wait until the deadline to do it.<\/p>\n<p>29. Indiana Pacers (6-30)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  30<br \/>In the last week:  L at HOU, L vs ORL, L vs SA, L at ORL<br \/>Offensive rating: 108.3 (29th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  117.2 (22nd place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Get ready for 2026-27<\/p>\n<p>The calendar year just began, but Indiana is surely thinking about fast-forwarding to next season. There\u2019s a lot of work that needs to be done to get there. It\u2019s not just about getting Tyrese Haliburton\u2019s Achilles healthy. Indiana has to take a hard look at the players it has and what is needed to support Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. The Pacers\u2019 reliable role players are not healthy enough, and the young players who play the most have had thoroughly discouraging seasons.<\/p>\n<p>30. Sacramento Kings (8-28)<\/p>\n<p>Last ranking:  27<br \/>In the last week:  L at LAC, L vs BOS, L at PHO, L vs MIL<br \/>Offensive rating: 108.3 (30th place) <br \/>Defensive rating:  119.8 (28th place)<\/p>\n<p>2026 resolution: Free the vets<\/p>\n<p>There was a gripe about how the Kings should be given more grace because their schedule has been so difficult. And then they lost to the Clippers by 40 points. The schedule you played is going to look hard if you lose the games. And no team has looked more overmatched this season than Sacramento.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Album of the Week: \u201cDon\u2019t Be Dumb\u201d, A$AP Rocky (2026) It\u2019s a whole new year! And we\u2019re acknowledging&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":90856,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[1262,9127,355,6425,9128,1266,9139,9134,1267,9140,9136,9129,9142,9141,9135,1263,1268,9130,21,9137,9,11,1104,10,9132,1264,9126,4575,9133,9143,9138,1265,9131,1105],"class_list":{"0":"post-90855","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-atlanta-hawks","9":"tag-boston-celtics","10":"tag-brooklyn-nets","11":"tag-charlotte-hornets","12":"tag-chicago-bulls","13":"tag-cleveland-cavaliers","14":"tag-dallas-mavericks","15":"tag-denver-nuggets","16":"tag-detroit-pistons","17":"tag-golden-state-warriors","18":"tag-houston-rockets","19":"tag-indiana-pacers","20":"tag-los-angeles-clippers","21":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","22":"tag-memphis-grizzlies","23":"tag-miami-heat","24":"tag-milwaukee-bucks","25":"tag-minnesota-timberwolves","26":"tag-nba","27":"tag-new-orleans-pelicans","28":"tag-new-york","29":"tag-new-york-headlines","30":"tag-new-york-knicks","31":"tag-new-york-news","32":"tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","33":"tag-orlando-magic","34":"tag-philadelphia-76ers","35":"tag-phoenix-suns","36":"tag-portland-trail-blazers","37":"tag-sacramento-kings","38":"tag-san-antonio-spurs","39":"tag-toronto-raptors","40":"tag-utah-jazz","41":"tag-washington-wizards"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90855"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90855\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}