#25: Oklahoma City Thunder – Current Record: 6-8
Picked to finish at the bottom of the league standings this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have surprisingly exceeded expectations placed on them and are just two games back from being .500 early on this season!
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Luguentz Dort and Darius Bazley have all played some great basketball early on in the year and this team has won 5 of their last 7 games! Granted three of these wins were against teams ranked below them in these rankings, the Thunder are still a team to keep an eye on in the Western Conference.
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This win streak is not expected to continue for much longer, but their defense is definitely above-average right now. OKC ranks 13th in the league in defensive rating and this has been the catalyst for them all year long since their offense only ranks 29th in the league in terms of offensive rating.
With 35-plus draft picks through 2028, general manager Sam Presti and this front-office are building something special, but we should not expect them to take a massive leap forward in the Western Conference for at least another year or two.
#24: Indiana Pacers – Current Record: 6-10
One of the most disappointing teams over the last few seasons has been the Indiana Pacers and they are continuing to struggle this season. Recently losing in Detroit, this Pacers team has no identity right now and they look lost on the offensive-end of the floor from time-to-time.
Domantas Sabonis has not looked like the dominant All-Star big man he has the previous two seasons. With Caris LeVert working his way back up to full-speed and the team being hopeful that T.J. Warren will be able to return from his foot injury sometime between December and January, there is hope for this team, but something needs to change in a positive way quickly.
Given how talented the Eastern Conference is this season, Indiana is going to need to switch something up because they cannot keep being a sub-par team if they are to make a playoff push. Trading Myles Turner remains a big possibility for this team ahead of the trade deadline, especially since his value remains relatively high.
The Pacers are the most inconsistent team in the league right now and it is hard to trust them because of this. Some nights they are picking up wins over the 76ers and Jazz while on other nights, they are losing to teams like the Pistons and Raptors. Finding a balance on both ends of the court the rest of the season will be key for this team and we will have a better idea if they are a real playoff team or not within the next few weeks.
#23: Minnesota Timberwolves – Current Record: 6-9
The Timberwolves’ “Big 3” of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards has been one of the better trios in the league this season, as the three are averaging a combined 63.8 points per game while shooting 43.6% from the floor on the year. However, the rest of this roster is a big question mark.
Minnesota ranks 24th in the league in bench points per game and their transition defense has been terrible this year, as the Timberwolves are giving up the 6h most fast break points to their opponents in the league.
Consistency is going to be the key for the Timberwolves this season, especially if they are to possibly sneak into the playoff picture. They definitely have the capability and personnel to be a playoff threat this year, but finding a balance between star talents and secondary talents will be key.
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Towns, Edwards and Russell cannot do everything for this team, so others are going to have to step up if they are to go on a little bit of a run over the next few months. This team seems to be one key piece away from being a competitive playoff team out West.
#22: Sacramento Kings – Current Record: 6-9
Given their 15-year playoff drought, it is hard to say that this Kings team has a chance at making the playoffs, but they have not been terrible to begin the year. They have some solid wins over the Suns and Hornets this year and currently ranking 9th in offensive rating, Sacramento could wind up scoring their way to the play-in tournament.
What they decide to do with Marvin Bagley III remains a big question mark, as does the potential trade status of Buddy Hield, who the team almost moved to the Lakers in the offseason.
The Kings’ biggest problem right now is not necessarily their depth, but playing with the same consistency every single night. When they play teams with more talent than them, Sacramento plays really well, but against some of the worst teams in the league, they play down to their level of competition.
This is something that needs to be fixed and if it cannot, Luke Walton could wind up being relieved of his coaching duties. Now in his third year with the team, Walton is once again on the “hot seat” and could be gone by the All-Star break if things go south for this team.
#21: Memphis Grizzlies – Current Record: 8-7
Ja Morant looks like this year’s Most Improved Player and he is well on his way to his first All-Star Game appearance of his career. Through 15 games, Morant is averaging 26.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.6 steals and is shooting 50.2% from the floor, 38.4% from three-point range.
The advancements he has made on his perimeter shooting has helped the Grizzlies tremendously in terms of opening up their offense, but others have really stepped up as well for this team. Desmond Bane is a second-year wing who has been playing some really good basketball and De’Anthony Melton has also been a strong, improved player for this franchise.
With Dillon Brooks starting to get up to speed since returning from his hand injury, the Memphis Grizzlies are starting to emerge from their slow start. With four of their next six games being at home, we will really get to see what this team looks like at full strength, but there is no denying that they are a team that nobody wants to see late in the year.
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Offensively, they can hang with any team in the league, but Memphis’ defense has failed them from time to time. They are giving up the 10th most points in the paint to their opponents this season, but have made up for this by ranking first in the league in second-chance points on offense.
Crashing the glass on both ends of the court, the Grizzlies are going to start looking like the playoff team they were a season ago, but adding another frontcourt player could be something they look to do ahead of the trade deadline this year.
