nbapowerrankings0129.png
CBS Sports design

We're one week out from the NBA trade deadline and everyone wants to know if Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to get moved. If he does, the league's power structure will certainly update. But even if he stays with the Bucks until the summer, there will be other deals that change the calculus. 

Until then, here is where things stand with our final pre-trade-deadline Power Rankings. After the deadline, we will revisit the rosters and look ahead with that information in hand. 

  • Note: As a general Power Rankings rule, we're going to try to strike a balance between what we've seen in the last week, the season as a whole so far, and what can reasonably be expected to play out over the next few weeks. 
  • We will not go so far as to rank these teams based on championship expectations, because in that case it would take a lot more to alter, at least in tiers, the generally accepted hierarchy. Winning matters, and it will get you on the move up this board form week to week. But if you're beating bad teams, just as an example, and probably playing a little above your head, it's not necessarily going to be reflected in a completely commensurate climb up the rankings. Or vice versa.
Biggest Movers
6 Cavaliers
7 Timberwolves
Rk
Teams
 
Chg
Rcrd
1 Thunder The Thunder exited the business of breaking Golden State's 73-win record with their 10th loss of the season to Toronto on Sunday. Two days before that they lost to the Pacers. Jalen Williams hasn't played in nearly two weeks with a hamstring strain. -- 38-11
2 Spurs The Spurs bounced back from an ugly loss to the Pelicans with a big-time win over the Rockets on Wednesday. San Antonio has won five of its last seven and sits one game clear of the Nuggets for the West's No. 2 seed. 1 32-15
3 Pistons Detroit has won nine of its last 11. Three tight wins over Boston, Phoenix and Denver during this stretch reflects their league-leading 19 clutch victories. Elite defense. Offense is on cusp of top-10 ranking, but that can be deceiving. Detroit doesn't have much else to turn to besides Cade's creation, and the 3-point shooting (20th in percentage, 27th in makes per game) is a problem. 3 34-12
4 Nuggets Jamal Murray got fouled on 3-point shots twice inside the four seconds on Monday, but each time was unable to convert all three free throws with a chance to tie the game as Denver fell for just the third time in its last nine. Playing the Pistons that tight without Nikola Jokić, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson or Christian Braun is a noble effort. 2 32-16
5 Rockets Houston entered Wednesday having won five of its last six with its lone loss over that 10-day stretch coming in overtime to the Sixers. Then came the Spurs, who took them out 111-99 as the Rockets managed just 13 fourth-quarter points. -- 29-17
6 Clippers The Clippers just keep on winning. Since the last Power Rankings, they grew a 26-point lead on the Lakers, thrashed the Nets by 37 and put away the Jazz on Tuesday for their 16th win in their last 19 games. If the postseason started today they'd be safely in the play-in, and they still have plenty of time to erase the five games that separate them from a top-six seed. 3 22-24
7 Celtics Boston is right there with Detroit as the best teams in the East, but while the Pistons thrive in close games, the Celtics are just 11-14 clutch contests. All four of their head-to-head matchups have come down to the wire, and the Pistons have won three of them. -- 29-18
8 Cavaliers Make it seven wins in their last eight games for the Cavs. Donovan Mitchell ramped up the aggression without Darius Garland to the tune of 81 points on 55 shots in back-to-back wins over the Magic, and then the Lakers were no match even without Garland and Evan Mobley. 6 29-20
9 Knicks You won't find many examples of the Knicks beating a top-four team by 27 points with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns registering as the two lowest-scoring starters, but that was the case on Wednesday in a 119-92 win over Toronto. New York has quietly won four straight to get things back on track, and of course, a Giannis trade potentially looms with the trade deadline next Thursday. 2 29-18
10 Lakers The Lakers had won four of five before Cleveland blitzed them on Wednesday. They erased a 16-point deficit to beat the Nuggets last Tuesday and a 15-point deficit to beat the Mavericks on Saturday. They tried to mount a similar rally against the Clippers but a 26-point hole was a bit too deep. Big deficits aren't what they used to be, but this is not ideal. -- 28-18
11 Timberwolves The Wolves finally snapped a five-game skid with a blowout over the Warriors who were without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler (make of that win what you will) and then followed that up with a win over Dallas on Wednesday. The Wolves are tied in the loss column with No. 7 Phoenix entering play on Thursday. 7 30-19
12 Raptors Major win over the Thunder on Sunday. Balance was beautiful with eight guys scoring at least nine points. Then came a 27-point loss to New York on Wednesday to end a four-game winning streak. 1 29-20
13 Suns Losses to Atlanta and Miami dropped the Suns into a loss-column tie with the Wolves for last non play-in spot as of Wednesday. The Suns have a murderous February schedule ahead of them. 5 29-19
14 76ers Bounced back from a 37-point drumming at the hands of the Hornets to beat the rudderless Bucks on Tuesday. But the Sixers are treading water of late, having lost six of their last 10. 2 26-21
15 Trail Blazers Terrible loss to the Wizards on Tuesday. Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant shot a combined 5 for 24. Portland has now lost three straight to kill the momentum of a stretch of eight wins in the previous 10. 2 23-25
16 Warriors Stephen Curry didn't play on Monday, and the Warriors lost to the Wolves by 25. The Jazz were just what the doctor ordered on Wednesday, but if the Warriors don't make a real trade at the deadline this team is probably finished for the season. -- 27-22
17 Hornets Charlotte has the best offense in the league over the last month and the second-best since Dec. 1. They've won four straight and nine of their last 14. They beat the Grizzlies by 15 on Wednesday and that was a close game by comparison to their recent blowouts. Over the last three weeks they've beaten the Jazz by 55, the Lakers by 18, the Nuggets by 23, the Magic by 27 and the Sixers by 37. 1 21-28
18 Hawks Four straight wins for the Hawks after four straight losses, with the most recent coming over the Celtics. CJ McCollum entered Wednesday 18 for his last 30 and 12 for his last 22 from 3. Jalen Johnson is averaging just under 23 PPG over his last five. Atlanta is fighting with Chicago for the East's last play-in spot, but is still just four back of a top-six seed. 3 24-26
19 Magic Franz Wagner missed five weeks, came back for two games, and now he's missed four straight again. Orlando was able to end its four-game losing streak with a win over Miami on Wednesday. Paolo Banchero has gone for 68 points and 22 rebounds over his last two. 4 24-22
20 Heat Since Jan. 1, Miami has the 23rd ranked offense in the league even as Bam Adebayo has shot 42% from 3 over that stretch with at least four triples made in three of his last seven. We're on Giannis watch here. 1 26-23
21 Bulls Chicago has won four of five with the three of those coming against the Clippers, Timberwolves and Celtics. The Bulls are one game back of Miami for the No. 7 seed, and they play the Heat three straight times beginning on Thursday. 2 23-25
22 Mavericks A four-game winning streak has given way to a two-game skid in Dallas. Cooper Flagg's efficiency has dipped in January. The defense is a top-10 unit. Will Anthony Davis be traded? 2 19-29
23 Grizzlies Memphis was above the play-in line for a minute but 11 losses in their last 14 has dropped them three games below the Clippers in the loss column. 1 18-27
24 Bucks Is Giannis going to get traded at the deadline? That is the only thing anyone cares about with regard to the Bucks, who've lost six of their last seven. -- 18-28
25 Jazz Utah has lost eight of nine and 13 of its last 16. The Jazz continue to be a defensive doormat, spotting 140 to the Warriors and surrendering an average of 131 PPG over their last 11. -- 15-33
26 Pacers Indiana has won two of its last three. The Pacers beat the Thunder last Friday. Their 36 losses is still tied with Sacramento for the second most in the league. 3 12-36
27 Pelicans Two straight wins after a three-game skid. Zion took it to Wemby in a way you'll rarely see anyone do in a win over the Spurs on Sunday. But then came Oklahoma City and New Orleans' league-worst 37th loss of the season.  3 12-37
28 Kings Remember that strange four-game winning streak in which the Kings beat the Rockets, Lakers and Knicks? Yeah, things are back to normal. They've lost six straight. -- 12-37
29 Nets You'll be hearing the Nets in a lot of trade rumors over the next week as they're the only team with significant cap space, making them a potential third-team dump zone for bad contracts. And we know Michael Porter Jr. is sought after depending on Brooklyn's price. In other news, the Nets have lost six straight and 14 of their last 16. 3 12-34
30 Wizards The Wizards ended a nine-game losing streak with a win over the Blazers on Monday. No worries from the tank department, however. Their 11 wins are still tied with Indiana for the fewest in the league. 3 12-34