NBA Top 10. Mar. 15
This past week in the NBA brought bunches of players’ 40-point games, multiple 50-point games, and even one 60-point game. Many star players have carried their teams to wins lately.
With that, here's a look in on the top ten teams in the league.
1. Phoenix Suns
Despite Chris Paul being out since the All-Star break, the Suns have stayed afloat.
The depth of this Phoenix team is one of its biggest strengths, as they have seen players like Cameron Johnson and Cam Payne step up in Paul’s absence.
Devin Booker has become the primary playmaker, averaging 8.3 assists over his last ten games, and the Suns still hold a comfortable 7.5 game lead for first in the West.
2. Golden State Warriors
For the first time in nearly three years, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green got to share the court.
Monday night’s game against the Wizards saw the return of Green from injury, where he recorded seven rebounds and six assists.
Curry dropped 47 in the game on his 34th birthday. The return of Green, a former Defensive Player of the Year, pushes the Warriors back into full-blown title contention.
3. Miami Heat
The Heat are quietly leading the Eastern Conference.
With tough defense and shooters around their core of stars, Miami will be one of the favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals.
They spread the ball around, with six players averaging double figures in points. Tyler Herro is likely a lock to win Sixth Man of the Year as well, with his 20.9 points per game.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies compete with the Warriors for the second seed in the Western Conference.
The two teams still have one more meeting on Mar. 28, in a game that could make a big impact on the standings.
Memphis has played well on both ends of the floor all season, leading the league in both rebounds and blocks per game to go along with its fourth-ranked 114.4 points per game.
5. Milwaukee Bucks
Winners of seven of their last ten, the Bucks have found their groove.
Brook Lopez has returned to the lineup for the first time since October, which will improve their depth.
Although he likely won’t win the MVP award, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been as incredible as ever this season, averaging nearly 30 points per game and with 11.5 boards and 5.9 assists.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers looked unstoppable in their first few games with James Harden, but things have slowed down a bit since then.
Losses to Brooklyn and Denver, along with a narrow win over the Magic, have raised concerns.
Harden’s playmaking is elite, but coach Doc Rivers said he will need the star guard to be more aggressive scoring for Philadelphia to play its best basketball.
7. Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic is currently the Mavericks’ leader in every per-game stat except blocks.
The 23-year-old megastar continues to put Dallas on his back, and they have an 8-2 record over its last ten games.
Dallas sits at fifth in the Western Conference, but they are tied in record with the fourth-seeded Jazz.
8. Boston Celtics
The Celtics have turned their season around, going 16-3 over their last 19 games.
Jayson Tatum has fully established himself as premiere bucket-getter with his 26.8 PPG, and the Celtics have had a dominant defense.
In a crowded east, Boston has cemented itself as a top-tier team.
9. Utah Jazz
The Jazz has been mostly what everybody expected this season; a very good team with solid depth, led by Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
Their real challenge will be how far they go in the playoffs, as Utah has failed to reach the conference finals the past five years despite making the playoffs every year.
10. Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic continues to put up unreal numbers and lead Denver to the playoffs, despite a lack of a true second option.
However, the Nuggets do have solid depth and multiple guards who can create from the perimeter.
That was evident in their matchup against Philadelphia on Monday, where rookie guard Bones Hyland dropped 21 points in a Nuggets win.
Daniel Mader is a second-year majoring in digital/print journalism. To contact him, email dbm5725@psu.edu.
