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SportsTips’ NBA Power Rankings 2021: Week 12 (All-Star Break)

The NBA power rankings are in for the halfway point of the NBA...who is on top heading into Week 12?

SportsTips’ NBA Power Rankings 2021: Week 12 (All-Star Break)
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Tue 9th March 2021

We are now at the halfway point of the 2020-21 NBA season and a 2-0 Week 11 for the Brooklyn Nets has seen them jump the Utah Jazz as the top team on the SportsTips’ NBA Power Rankings!

Here’s where all 30 NBA teams stand heading into Week 12 of the 2020-21 NBA season:

1. Brooklyn Nets

NBA Championship Odds: +300
Current Record: 24-13
Previous Ranking: 1

The Nets added another two victories to their record prior to the All-Star break, defeating the Spurs by nine points in overtime and the Rockets by 18 points in Houston. Things should only improve for Brooklyn in the second half of the season, with Kevin Durant hopefully healthy enough to return to the floor and Blake Griffin joining the already loaded roster.

Brooklyn’s talent is undeniable, making their chemistry in the second half of the season the only looming question as the Nets prepare to make a run at the 2021 NBA title. 

2. Utah Jazz

NBA Championship Odds: +700
Current Record: 27-9
Previous Ranking: 2

Dropping their final two games of the first half of the season has resulted in Utah relinquishing the No. 1 spot on the SportsTips.com NBA power rankings. The Jazz suffered a five point loss to the Pelicans followed by an eight point loss to the 76ers to close out Week 11.

Although they have lost four of their past seven games, Utah still possesses the best record in the NBA, while also currently holding a 2.5 game lead in the Western Conference. The Jazz will also close out the regular season with the league’s easiest schedule (in terms of opponents’ winning percentage), putting them in a great position to take out the No. 1 seed in the West.

3. Phoenix Suns

NBA Championship Odds: +2800
Current Record: 24-11
Previous Ranking: 5

Double digit victories over the Lakers (10 points) and the Warriors (22 points) has resulted in Phoenix taking over from Los Angeles as the No. 2 team Western Conference standings. Since starting the season 8-8, the Suns have won 16 of their past 19 games.

Although still flying somewhat under the radar, Phoenix are in a great position for a high seed in the West, currently boasting the No. 8 ranked offense in the league along with the No. 3 ranked defense.

4. Philadelphia 76ers

NBA Championship Odds: +1500
Current Record: 24-12
Previous Ranking: 7

Although many have doubted Philadelphia’s ability to compete with and defeat teams with an above .500 record, the 76ers closed out the first half of the season with a two game winning streak, which included an eight point victory over the league leading Utah Jazz.

Joel Embiid has been the unofficial league MVP for the first half of the season and is the key reason behind the 76ers half game lead over Brooklyn in the Eastern Conference standings. 

5. Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Championship Odds: +275
Current Record: 24-13
Previous Ranking: 4

The Lakers needed the All-Star break as much as any team in the NBA, dropping their two games in Week 11 and relinquishing the No. 2 spot on the Western Conference standings. LA went down against the Suns at home before suffering a three point loss to the Kings in a rare game without both LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

At 24-13 the Lakers are 3.5 games behind the conference leading Jazz in the West as they eagerly await the return of Anthony Davis from a calf injury. If Davis and James are both healthy to close out the regular season, Los Angeles will be primed for another run at the NBA title. The Lakers are also rumoured to be interested in acquiring Andre Drummond from Cleveland. 

6. Los Angeles Clippers

NBA Championship Odds: +500
Current Record: 24-14
Previous Ranking: 6

Two losses in Week 11 resulted in the Clippers closing out the first half of the regular season with just four wins from their last 10 games. The Clippers suffered a five point loss to the Celtics and a two point loss to the Wizards last week, failing to make plays offensively down the stretch.

Although Los Angeles have entered the All-Star break with the No. 3 ranked offense in the NBA, that ranking falls to No. 26 in clutch situations (the last five minutes of a game in which the point differential is 5 or less). Their inability to score down the stretch may result in the Clippers acquiring another offensive shot creator prior to the trade deadline. 

7. Milwaukee Bucks

NBA Championship Odds: +750
Current Record: 22-14
Previous Ranking: 3

After closing out the first half of the regular season with a 31 point loss to Denver and a one point win over Memphis, Milwaukee are clearly the third best team in the Eastern Conference, trailing No. 2 Brooklyn by 1.5 games and leading No. 4 Boston by 3.0 games. However, the question still remains whether the Bucks are capable of being a serious title contender.

Although Giannis Antetokounmpo has continued to show why he is the reigning back to back MVP with 29.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and Khris Middleton is once again on the verge of a 20.6 point season with 50-40-90 splits, Milwaukee haven’t shown that they are capable of beating the likes of the Lakers, Nets, Clippers, Suns and 76ers on a consistent enough basis to make a deep run in the playoffs. 

8. Portland Trail Blazers

NBA Championship Odds: +6000
Current Record: 21-14
Previous Ranking: 11

What Damian Lillard has done for the Portland Trail Blazers this season has been nothing short of remarkable. Lillard is averaging 29.8 points and 8.0 assists per game without CJ McCollumn and Jusuf Nurkic, leading Portland to a 21-14 record and the No. 5 seeding in the West.

The Blazers defeated the Hornets, Warriors and Kings to close out Week 11, with Enes Kanter, Carmelo Anthony and Robert Covington continuing to support Lillard and make valuable contributions of their own. 

9. Denver Nuggets

NBA Championship Odds: +2500
Current Record: 21-15
Previous Ranking: 9

A 3-0 Week 11 has resulted in Denver closing out the first half of the regular season on a four game winning streak and in the No. 6 seed in the West. Nikola Jokic has been a top three player in the league throughout the first half of the season, averaging 27.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.6 assists, while Jamal Murray has begun to find his 2020 playoff bubble form, scoring 22+ points in 12 consecutive games.

If the Nuggets can get more out of Michael Porter Jr as they welcome back Will Barton, Gary Harris and Paul Milsap, Denver will be capable of another deep playoff run, especially if Jokic continues to play at an MVP level. 

10. Boston Celtics

NBA Championship Odds: +3300
Current Record: 19-17
Previous Ranking: 15

Although the first half of the regular season has been ultimately disappointing for Boston, the Celtics have entered the All-Star break with a four game winning streak behind them and they are currently the No. 4 seed in the East.

Boston defeated the Clippers and Raptors last week as they continue to play without Marcus Smart. In fact, the Celtics have rarely had Smart, Tatum, Brown and Walker available at the same time, which has tested the roster strength and depth of this team.

If Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum can continue to play at an All-Star level while Kemba Walker continues to improve his shooting stroke, the return of Marcus Smart should give Boston the necessary boost on both sides of the ball to secure a top four seed in the East by the end of the regular season.

11. San Antonio Spurs

NBA Championship Odds: +6000
Current Record: 18-14
Previous Ranking: 10

Now four games above .500 and the No. 7 seed in the West, the San Antonio Spurs were undeniably one of the biggest surprises for the first half of the 2020-21 NBA regular season. Although LaMarcus Aldridge has struggled this season, Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson have stepped into bigger roles and DeMar DeRozan has continued to transform his game, averaging a career high 7.2 assists.

However, the biggest area of their game that San Antonio has corrected this season is their defense. The Spurs are now a top 10 ranked defensive team in the league, after being a bottom 10 team in the previous two seasons

12. Dallas Mavericks

NBA Championship Odds: +4000
Current Record: 18-16
Previous Ranking: 13

A pair of wins over the Magic and the Thunder has seen the Mavericks move two games above .500 and into the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. 22 year old Luka Doncic is putting together another incredible year, averaging 28.6 points, 9.0 assists and 8.4 rebounds per game in the first half of the season.

Although Kristaps Porzingis has struggled on both sides of the ball this season, the 25 year old has shown evidence of physical improvement over the past month. Dallas will need Porzingis to be a consistent two-way force in the second half of the season, so that he can relieve and complement Doncic.

13. Miami Heat

NBA Championship Odds: +3300
Current Record: 18-18
Previous Ranking: 8

Following their six game winning streak, Miami dropped their opening game of Week 11 against the Hawks before entering the All-Star break on the right note with a win over the Pelicans.

Given the on-court absences that the Heat have faced due to injury and health and safety protocols, Miami being a .500 team at the halfway point of the season is an impressive feat. Led predominantly by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat are more than capable of climbing the Eastern Conference standings at a rapid rate if they can keep their role players on the floor in the second half of the season.

14. Golden State Warriors

NBA Championship Odds: +7000
Current Record: 19-18
Previous Ranking: 12

Although Golden State closed out the first half of the regular season with a pair of losses to Portland and Phoenix, the Warriors are still one game above .500 and just half a game behind the No. 8 seed. Steph Curry has reminded the NBA world just how good he is, averaging 29.7 points on 47.8% shooting from the field and 41.1% shooting from three point territory.

However Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre Jr and most recently Draymond Green have all provided valuable contributions to keep the Warriors in the playoff race. Green is averaging a career high 8.6 assists per game. 

15. New York Knicks

NBA Championship Odds: +10000
Current Record: 19-18
Previous Ranking: 16

After suffering a 26 point blow out loss against the Spurs, New York closed out Week 11 with a 10 point victory over the Pistons, entering the All-Star break with a 19-18 record and as the No. 5 seed in the East.

Given the log jam of teams ranked between five and 11 in the Eastern Conference it is tough to tell just how good this Knicks team is. However Tom Thibodeau has given New York an identity in his first season, as the Knicks are the No. 2 ranked defensive team in the league at the halfway mark of the season.

16. Charlotte Hornets

NBA Championship Odds: +20000
Current Record: 17-18
Previous Ranking: 17

Although they are one game below .500, the Hornets have been one of the great improvers of this season. Charlotte went down against Portland in their opening game of Week 11, before closing out the first half of the regular season with a 33 point win over Minnesota.

Terry Rozier has drastically improved on offense, however the additions of Gordon Hayward and Rookie of the year favorite LaMelo Ball have made the Hornets one of the most watchable teams in the league. Ball is averaging 15.8 points, 6.3 assists and 6 rebounds in his debut season in the NBA.

17. Toronto Raptors

NBA Championship Odds: +3300
Current Record: 17-19
Previous Ranking: 14

Toronto desperately needed this All-Star break after several coaches and players were deemed ineligible to compete due to COVID-19. The Raptors were just starting to look like one of the best teams in the East, before the outbreak led to four losses in five games, including losses against Detroit and Boston to close out Week 11 and the first half of the regular season.

Now with some time off to get healthy and piece their roster back together, Toronto are faced with the decision of what to do with Kyle Lowry, who is having a tremendous season and is currently a free agent. Lowry could be a valuable asset for any contender as we approach the trade deadline.

18. Memphis Grizzlies

NBA Championship Odds: +12500
Current Record: 16-16
Previous Ranking: 18

Once again the Grizzlies have closed out their week with a .500 record after comfortably defeating the Wizards and barley losing to the Bucks. Ja Morant and Jonas Valanciunas have been the key reasons behind Memphis’ success this season.

However the Grizzlies will need Justise Winslow and Jaren Jackson Jr. (who is expected to return in the second half of the season) to increase their output on the floor if they are going to compete for a playoff spot this season.  

19. Atlanta Hawks

NBA Championship Odds: +10000
Current Record: 16-20
Previous Ranking: 23

Atlanta fired head coach Lloyd Pierce to kick off Week 11 and won their final two games of the first half of the regular season under interim head coach Nate McMillan. The Hawks defeated Miami and Orlando last week to improve their record to 16-20, which now sees them sitting in 11th on the Eastern Conference standings.

If De’Andre Hunter can return from his knee injury and play at a similar level, Atlanta are every chance to make a push for a playoff spot/play-in tournament spot in the East with Hunter, Trae Young, John Collins and Clint Capella leading the charge.  

20. Indiana Pacers

NBA Championship Odds: +5000
Current Record: 16-19
Previous Ranking: 19

Indiana closed out the first half of the regular season with a win over the Cavaliers and a pair of double digit losses against the 76ers and Nuggets, entering the All_Star break with a 16-19 record.

Having lost Victor Oladipo and seen no game time from TJ Warren or Caris LeVert, Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis have done everything in their power to keep the Pacers competitive. TJ McConnell is having a career year as a veteran off the bench, however Indiana needs to unearth a genuine scorer if they are going to make the playoffs.

21. Chicago Bulls

NBA Championship Odds: +25000
Current Record: 16-18
Previous Ranking: 20

Chicago lost to Denver and defeated New Orleans to enter the All-Star break with a 16-18 record and as the No. 9 seed on the Eastern Conference standings. Zach LaVine has been the standout player for the Bulls this season, averaging 28.7 points per game on 52.5% shooting from the field, 43.5% shooting from the three and 85.7% shooting from the line.

As well as Lavine, No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Patrick Williams, looks to be a more than capable power forward for the future in Chicago, making the injury prone Lauri Markkanen an interesting asset as we approach the trade deadline. 

22. New Orleans Pelicans

NBA Championship Odds: +8000
Current Record: 15-21
Previous Ranking: 21

New Orleans won just one of their three games in Week 11, rounding out the first half of the season with a 15-21 record. However, the Pelicans one victory was against the league leading Utah Jazz.

In what has been an interesting season for New Orleans, the core playing group from the 2019-20 season have all been performing well, with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart all having solid seasons.

However, Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe have tied up a lot of salary cap and are also not performing to their potential. On the bright side, Zion Williamson is starting to look like the generational talent that we expected him to be prior to his injuries last season.

23. Washington Wizards

NBA Championship Odds: +15000
Current Record: 14-20
Previous Ranking: 22

In true Wizards fashion, Washington suffered a 14 point loss against the .500 Grizzlies to open up Week 11, before finishing the first half of the regular season with a two point win over the championship contending Clippers.

Despite the addition of Russell Westbrook, the Wizard are six games below .500, sitting 12th in the East and have not noticeably improved on either side of the ball. Bradley Beal is the league’s leading scorer with 32.9 points per game, however with 38 games and eight back to backs remaining in their schedule, it is going to be tough for Washington to make a playoff run. 

24. Oklahoma City Thunder

NBA Championship Odds: +25000
Current Record: 15-21
Previous Ranking: 25

The Thunder lost to the Mavericks and defeated the Spurs to close out the first half of the regular season with a 15-21 record. Given the strength of their roster and the amount of draft picks that they are sitting on, OKC were not expected to win many games this season.

However, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has almost single handedly kept OKC off the bottom of the Western Conference, averaging 23.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game.

The play of SGA, Lu Dort, Darius Bazley and Hamidou Diallo has resulted in this team over performing in the first half of the season, which will likely see the Thunder trade either Al Horford, George Hill and Trevor Ariza, to free up cap space as we approach the deadline .

25. Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA Championship Odds: +30000
Current Record: 14-22
Previous Ranking: 24

After defeating the Rockets and losing to the Pacers, Cleveland will enter the All-Star break with a 14-22 record, 2.5 games behind Indiana for the spot in the play-in tournament.

With Kevin Love expected to return alongside Jarrett Allen, Collin Sexton Darius Garland and Issac Okoro, the Cavs may be able to muster a playoff push in their final 36 games. However, what Clevland can get in return (if anything) for Andre Drummond will have massive implications on how Cleveland perform in the second half of the season.

26. Sacramento Kings

NBA Championship Odds: +30000
Current Record: 14-22
Previous Ranking: 26

Sacramento defeated the Lakers in their opening game of Week 11, before closing out the first half of the regular season with a loss against Portland. The Kings are now 14-22, 13th on the Western Conference standings and quite literally have the worst defense in NBA history, allowing 120 points per 100 possessions.

De’Aaron Fox has continued his individual improvement this season and rookie Tyrese Haliburton is getting better each week. However, Sacramento’s defensive woes are too substantial to see them making a push for the play-in tournament in the second half of the season.

27. Detroit Pistons

NBA Championship Odds: +100000
Current Record: 10-26
Previous Ranking: 27

Although Detroit have won just 10 games this season, they are certainly not the worst franchise in the NBA. The Pistons have now parted ways with Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin and have shown throughout the season that they can at least compete in the majority of their games.

Detroit beat the undermanned Raptors to open up Week 11, before losing to the Knicks for the second time in three games. Sitting comfortably at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Pistons will continue to develop the young talent on their roster such as Jerami Grant, Saddiq Bey, Josh Jackson and Isaiah Stewart as they prepare for another lottery draft pick in 2021.

28. Orlando Magic

NBA Championship Odds: +30000
Current Record: 13-23
Previous Ranking: 28

Orlando lost both of their Week 11 matches, going down to the Mavericks and the Hawks to finish the first half of the regular season with a 13-23 record. Although there is talent on their roster, the Magic look to be trapped in their current situation. Other than Nikola Vucevic, Orlando’s roster is littered with injury and mediocrity making it impossible to move on any of their ageing veterans.

Orlando will eagerly await the return of Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Issac and Markelle Fultz, however from a front office perspective there aren’t really any moves to be made unless they’re prepared to part ways with Vucevic. 

29. Houston Rockets

NBA Championship Odds: +50000
Current Record: 11-23
Previous Ranking: 29 

Losses to Cleveland and Brooklyn in Week 11 have continued the Rockets tailspin of a season since trading James Harden. Houston are now on a 13 game losing streak since Christian Wood went down with an ankle injury and although Wood is expected to return after the All-Star break, the damage has already been done this season.

Victor Oladipo, P.J Tucker and Eric Gordon have all been rumored to other franchises and DeMarcus Cousins has already agreed to part ways with the team.

30. Minnesota Timberwolves

NBA Championship Odds: +100000
Current Record: 7-29
Previous Ranking: 30

Although Houston may currently be in a worst state as a franchise, Minnesota have had a worse first half of the season in terms of on court production, losing their only game in Week 11 against the Hornets to remain a seven win team after 36 games.

Although Karl Anthony-Towns is starting to look like his old self, D’Angelo Russell is still out indefinitely after a knee procedure. Thankfully for the Timberwolves, the top three pick that they owe the Warriors is protected, meaning they likely won’t lose it this season, as Minnesota currently have the worst record in the NBA. 

*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy ofBet365. 

If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our NBA hub page for all your basketball needs.

Jesse is and always has been a lover of sports. No matter the league, no matter the game, Jesse is constantly keeping up to date with the latest odds, news, injuries and stats. He has a strong interest in the NBA and the NFL, and he will always strive to keep you up to date with the best news, odds, predictions and picks that the ever engaging sporting world has to offer.

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