Ranking All 30 NBA Teams based off their 23-24 Regular Seasons
Introduction:
This NBA regular season has provided us with many memorable matchups, intense rivalries, all-time highlights, exciting game winners, and of course a ton of hilarious quotes and memes. But let’s get serious. With approximately 10-12 games left for every NBA team, the race to the playoffs has never been more intense. One thing we’ll all miss about the regular season, though, is watching all 30 teams play basketball day in and day out. And as we know about the NBA, things can change in an instant, or perhaps just over the course of the summer’s offseason. From Wemby’s Spurs, to the Wizards rebuild, to the young Blazers and Hornets, to the emergence of Jalen Green for the Rockets. It’s not only the playoff teams that make the league great, its all 30 of its teams.
I sought out to rank every team in order based on a comprehensive overview of their regular season success, and how they performed given expectations, not just the current standings. I will provide a quick 1-2 sentence explanation for each team’s rankings.
Ranking:
30. Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards have been the worst team in the entire NBA this season, and nothing has gone to plan. Originally, the promise of Kuzma, Avidja, and Gafford continuing to take leaps with the acuisitions of Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones, was supposed to make this team make at least a little noise in the east.
29. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were a team that many fans had taking a leap this year similar to the Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers. However, this team got off to the worst start in NBA history, and have shown they still have a long way to go in their rebuild - but hey at least they finally traded fan non-favorite Killian Hayes right…
28. Charolette Hornets
Charolette showed once again that they cannot rely on LaMelo Ball to stay healthy through a regular season, and suffered another painful season despite Brandon Miller being perhaps the 2nd best rookie in the league. However, they had a positive deadline by acquiring some talent by trading PJ Washington and Gordon Hayward.
27. Portland Trailblazers
After losing Damian Lillard after many years of success, hope existed for Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and DeAndre Ayton leading this team through a strong rebuild. I believe they have a bright future, but are still a couple of years and hard decisions away from becoming an nba playoff team once more.
26. San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio can feel great about this season even if they finish with the worst record in the western conference because of one man: Victor Wembanyama. The rookie has begun his takeover of the league and if they put the right pieces around him this summer they can finally take a major leap next season.
25. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors finally sold high on 2 of their best players, OJ Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. Most of the season focused on rebuilding and retooling around 1st time all-star Scottie Barnes, and they can take a positive leap next season if they stay on the right path.
24. Memphis Grizzlies
It is truly hard to judge this Grizzlies team after they suffered some of the worst injury luck I can remember for any recent nba team. GG Jackson and Vince Williams have taken major roles on this team, but Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and especially Ja Morant have been sincerely missed by this team.
23. Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn has unfortunately not been in the accelerated rebuild that it seemed they would be after they traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving away last season. They are further than we thought, and Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Nicholas Claxton have not stepped up in the way many thought they would.
22. Utah Jazz
The Jazz started this season on a role, and many had them taking a leap into the thick of things in the western conference play-in tournament. Then they were faced with an injury to Lauri Markkanen, and were sellers at the deadline, and now they will seemingly miss the play-in tournament despite their young core taking a leap.
21. Atlanta Hawks
Hawks fans should be really disappointed in this team and how the season has unfolded. If not for a weak bottom of the East, they would not be a play-in team and have had horrible performances in attempt to stay mediocre in this league.
20. Golden State Warriors
Golden State has had an inconsistent, underwhelming, and slightly embarrassing season. Their rookies Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis have been bright spots, but baring an unseen turn of events, they appear to be a play-in exit to the Lakers or get usurped by the Rockets to miss the play-in all together.
19. Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls have spent another season barely cutting it in the East, and this team has little hope to turn things around despite Coby White’s emergence and the hope of Lonzo Ball returning next season. The management needs to stop being stubborn and blow this thing up, so Bulls fans can be excited next season.
18. Houston Rockets
If the Rockets had played like they have the last few weeks all season, things would be very different for this team. Despite injuries and a slow start, they are 9-1 in their last 10 games and are now one of the most intriguing play-in contenders, as they could surpass the 10th seed Warriors if they keep it up.
17. Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers would be towards the top of these rankings if not for a Joel Embiid injury that completely turned their season around. They traded Harden for an unsubstantial package to start the year, and their veteran role players have not stepped up to make life easier for Tyrese Maxey as they attempt to survive til Embiid returns.
16. Miami Heat
Miami has had another solid season, and we know what they can do in the playoffs. As far as the regular season concerns, Miami has found various role players like usual to carry them to wins and Jimmy Butler appears to continue to prioritize his playoff greatness above all else.
15. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers have had the most inconsistent season of any team in the NBA, at times looking like the 3rd best team in the league and at other times looking like a high lottery team. They hope to put it all together over the next few weeks, and have the experience and talent to make another run if they can get to the playoffs.
14. Indiana Pacers
Indiana has taken another leap following a solid rebuilding year last season, and is now in the race to avoid the play-in tournament and get a full playoff series of experience. This team is young, hungry, and has paved a great path to continue building towards being a perennial threat in the east.
13. Phoenix Suns
It’s been a very strange year for the Suns, who have had some bad losses but have generally been a consistent team in big games in the west. Grayson Allen has become the glue guy hero for this team, and despite the disappointing season by Beal, you can’t count at the Suns come April.
12. Sacramento Kings
The Kings are where people expected, and haven’t done anything too spectacular this season yet. They have won close games and Sabonis and Fox have played like All-Stars, but this team’s evaluation of success has moved on from the regular season to seeing if they can make the playoffs and make a little run to build on.
11. Dallas Mavericks
Dallas has had an up-and-down year with a minor Luka Doncic injury holding this team back from the middle of the West. In February, they won the trade deadline with the acquisitions of PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford without giving up much, and with Luka and Kyrie leading the way you can’t count out this team come the playoffs.
10. New Orleans Pelicans
This team showed that despite the inconsistencies in the first couple years of the Zion Williamson era, they have the pieces to win a ton of regular season games. Shoutout to Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Jose Alvarado, Naji Marshall - the unsung heroes of this Pelicans team.
9. Orlando Magic
The Magic took the biggest leap in the league this season besides the OKC Thunder, and now position themselves for a playoff series against the Knicks. Their youth may show in the playoffs, but for now, cue the “ORLANDO MAGIC” theme song.
8. Los Angeles Clippers
Wow, what a weird season it has been for the Clippers. From the early struggles after the Harden trade, to the historic middle of the season run, to the Russ injury and inconsistencies down the stretch… it is really hard to evaluate this team and their playoff hopes.
7. New York Knicks
The Knicks, caught in constant mediocrity 2 years ago, have built perhaps the deepest 12-man rotation in the league and taken another step this year. If they can successfully rework Julius Randle back in the rotation, and their defense holds true, Brunson can take this team to the conference finals against the Celtics.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland has had a tremendous run this year considering suffering lengthy injuries on and off from Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley. Their bench and remaining starters stepped up, and they should be able to win at least their 1st round series against the Pacers or Heat.
5. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks struggled to find consistency this year, and although being the 5th best team isn’t a small feat, Giannis and Lillard alone could’ve made this the best team in the NBA. Factoring in their early coaching change though, the Bucks have positioned themselves well for an NBA playoff run.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves took a leap this year after losing to the Lakers last year in the play-in tournament, and losing to the Nuggets in the 1st round as an 8th seed. They have depth, defense, and youth - positioning themselves for another leap by advancing further in the playoffs.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC, after giving us a masterclass in rebuilding over the last 5 years, is now at the top of the West. They have beat great teams, Shai is a top 2 MVP candidate, and other guys have stepped up. They deserve tremendous props from all NBA fans.
2. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have been the most consistent team in the West all year, and have met expectations following winning a championship. Like many teams at the top, however, they haven’t exceeded expectations.
1. Boston Celtics
Not much to say here, other than the fact that they have seemingly been the most consistent team and best team… all season long.
Thank you all for reading, and enjoy the rest of the NBA regular season as we prepare for a truly exciting 2024 playoffs.
