USA TODAY International Edition
Thunder surge; Warriors up to No. 1
We apologize for belaboring the point, but the Oklahoma City Thunder, now two games out of fourth place in the NBA Western Conference, are a fascinating case study.
They have won eight of their past 10 games, including the Christmas Day showdown with the Houston Rockets, and close out the calendar year with three consecutive games at home, where they’re 13-4.
This, not what we saw for the first 25 or so games, is more like what we expected when Paul George and Carmelo Anthony opted to join forces with reigning MVP Russell Westbrook over the summer.
Will it last?
With 2018 around the corner, here’s how we view the league’s current power structure. (Notes: Voters, listed at the end, include NBA reporters from across the USA TODAY Network ... Records and statistics are through Tuesday.) 1 (last week: 2). Golden State Warriors (27-7): This is first time the Warriors rank No. 1 since the first week of the season, and we have a feeling they won’t be leaving anytime soon. They are on pace for their fourth 65-win season in four years.
2 (1). Rockets (25-7): Three consecutive losses might move the Rockets down one spot in our rankings, but it doesn’t change the fact that they’re the No. 1 contender in the Western Conference not named Golden State.
3 (3). Cavaliers (24-10): The Warriors might have gotten the best of the Cavs, but the third consecutive Christmas showdown between the two teams didn’t disappoint. Throw a healthy Isaiah Thomas and Stephen Curry into the mix, and the second time these two teams meet (Jan. 15) gets all the more interesting. 4 (5). Raptors (23-9): Not only do the Raptors have the second-best record this month (10-2), they have the league’s best home record this season (12-1) as well. 5 (4). Celtics (27-10): The Celtics have cooled off since their 16-game winning streak, going 11-8 while ranking
10th on offense and 14th on defense during that span.
6 (6). Spurs (24-11): The fact that Kawhi Leonard, who played a season-high 26 minutes and scored a season-best 21 points in Tuesday’s win over Brooklyn, is starting to see more minutes since returning from his injury isn’t a “welcome sign” for the rest of the NBA’s teams, as Nets coach Kenny Atkinson sees it. “It just changes the game,” Atkinson said. “He makes such a difference. Defensively, it’s just unbelievable. I felt like he was guarding our whole team at times.”
7 (7). Timberwolves (21-13): The T’wolves are on a roll. Andrew Wiggins? Not so much. The 22-year-old, who
signed a five-year, $148 million contract extension before the start of the season, has taken a step in the wrong direction, averaging career lows in a handful of advanced statistical categories, including true shooting percentage and offensive rating.
8 (17). Thunder (19-15): Nine of Oklahoma City’s 14 games this month have been decided by five points or fewer. Eight of those games have been wins.
9 (11). Wizards (19-15): The Wizards have won five of their past seven games and just like that are a half-game behind Detroit for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. 10 (12). Nuggets (19-15): The Nuggets have held their past three opponents — Portland, Golden State and Utah — to 85 points or less, a feat no Nuggets team has accomplished since 2012.
11 (9). Pistons (19-14): The Pistons, who have won five of their past six games, will be without starting point guard Reggie Jackson for at least six weeks after he suffered a Grade 3 right ankle sprain Tuesday. Jackson, 27, is averaging 14.6 points and 5.5 assists this season. 12 (8). Pacers (19-15): Three players in Pacers history have averaged at least 24.5 points per game for a season. Victor Oladipo is on pace to become the fourth. 13 (13). Bucks (17-15): The rollercoaster ride of a season continues for the Bucks, who have gone 5-5 over their past 10 and can’t seem to venture away from near-.500 territory. 14 (18). Heat (18-16): Josh Richardson, who averaged 7.6 points on 35.4% shooting in 15 games in November, has improved those numbers to 17.8 points on 55% shooting in 13 games in December, as well as 3.8 rebounds (up from 2.9), 2.6 assists (up from 1.8) and 47.5% shooting (up from 25%) from beyond the arc. 15 (15). Pelicans (17-16): Jrue Holiday is one of two players (Kyrie Irving is the other) averaging at least 22 points while shooting at least 50% from the field and 43% on three-point attempts this month.