All 30 NBA teams have reached the midpoint of their regular seasons, with the Charlotte Hornets being the last team to play their 41st game. It’s time to provide grades for the second quarter of the NBA season!
In Week 7 Power Rankings, initial grades were assigned, which are referenced here. However, these grades do not reflect performance over the entire first half of the season. Have teams improved, stayed consistent, or regressed in performance?
I will be assigning letter grades to each team based on their performance since the second week of December. I will also highlight a key aspect of each team’s recent performance. With only 45% of the regular season remaining, let’s dive into the Week 14 of The Athletic’s NBA Power Rankings. Win/loss records are up to date with Monday’s games, and statistics are as of Monday.
Tier 1: Top Contenders
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-8)
- Last ranking: 1
- Recent performance: W vs. UTA, L vs. DAL, W at POR
- Offensive rating: 116.2 (sixth)
- Defensive rating: 103.9 (first)
- First quarter grade: A-
- Second quarter grade: A
- Highlight: Thunder maintaining top-ranked defense with improved offense.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (37-9)
- Last ranking: 2
- Recent performance: L at HOU, L at PHI, L vs. HOU, W vs. DET
- Offensive rating: 121.1 (first)
- Defensive rating: 111.8 (10th)
- First quarter grade: A
- Second quarter grade: A
- Highlight: Cavaliers’ offense improving further with exceptional 3-point shooting.
3. Houston Rockets (31-14)
- Last ranking: 4
- Recent performance: W vs. CLE, W at CLE, W at BOS
- Offensive rating: 114.6 (ninth)
- Defensive rating: 108.6 (fourth)
- First quarter grade: A
- Second quarter grade: B
- Highlight: Rockets’ strong defensive performance despite slight dip.
4. Boston Celtics (32-15)
- Last ranking: 3
- Recent performance: W at LAC, L at LAL, W at DAL, L vs. HOU
- Offensive rating: 118.6 (third)
- Defensive rating: 109.8 (fifth)
- First quarter grade: A-
- Second quarter grade: B-
- Highlight: Celtics’ defensive improvement with tightened play.
5. New York Knicks (31-16)
- Last ranking: 6
- Recent performance: W at BRK, W vs. SAC, W vs. MEM
- Offensive rating: 119.6 (second)
- Defensive rating: 112.7 (14th)
- First quarter grade: B-
- Second quarter grade: B+
- Highlight: Knicks’ offensive efficiency driven by Karl-Anthony Towns’ superb shooting.
Tier 2: In a Good Place
6. Memphis Grizzlies (31-16)
- Last ranking: 5
- Recent performance: W vs. CHA, W vs. NO, W vs. UTA, L at NY
- Offensive rating: 117.5 (fifth)
- Defensive rating: 110.5 (seventh)
- First quarter grade: B+
- Second quarter grade: B
- Highlight: Grizzlies’ offensive dominance supported by strong rebounding.
7. Denver Nuggets (28-18)
- Last ranking: 7
- Recent performance: W vs. PHI, W vs. SAC, L at MIN, L at CHI
- Offensive rating: 118.0 (fourth)
- Defensive rating: 113.6 (19th)
- First quarter grade: C
- Second quarter grade: B+
- Highlight: Nuggets’ improvement in offensive efficiency powered by Nikola Jokić.
This structure is optimized for SEO and readability, providing key information on each team’s performance in the NBA season.