NBA Power Rankings: Thunder bests Cavaliers in The Rematch; Celtics struggle

Posted by Admin January 20, 2025 NBA

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The NBA saw “The Rematch” turn into “The Blowout” between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite missing their two top centers, OKC destroyed Cleveland in its best win yet. The contest served as a possible NBA Finals preview.

The trade deadline inches closer. The top available target returned to his squad as Jimmy Butler finished a seven-game suspension. Despite that, the Miami Heat should still seek out a trade before the deadline passes.

The Boston Celtics have also caused panic among their fanbase. Hovering around .500 for the last few weeks is something Boston isn’t used to. The reigning NBA champions are amid rare struggles.

Throughout the 2024-25 season, Thunder Wire will conduct weekly NBA power rankings. Here is the latest edition for the Jan. 13-19 week:

30. Washington Wizards (6-35)

Previous Ranking: 30

The Wizards remain the league’s worst team. They’ve lost 10 in a row. By the end of the season, they hope to be in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. Washington is in a full-blown rebuild situation as Jordan Poole has led it to plenty of losses.

29. Utah Jazz (10-30)

Previous Ranking: 26

Even though the Jazz have been among the worst teams, they’ve at least kept most of their losses competitive. That’s all Utah can realistically hope for in its first season where it’s fully committed to bottoming out. Their sole win in the last six games was against the Nets.

28. Toronto Raptors (10-32)

Previous Ranking: 28

In a lost season, the Raptors had a little fun this past week playing spoiler. Back-to-back wins over the Warriors and Celtics caused panic for both fanbases. Toronto is more focused on college players who can help out next season, but it’s always fun for it to beat the Celtics considering its rivalry over the years.

27. New Orleans Pelicans (11-32)

Previous Ranking: 29

The Pelicans have won three in a row. Since his return, Zion Williamson has been their best player. He had 24 points and 14 rebounds in a win over the Jazz. It might be too little, too late for New Orleans’ postseason aspirations, this at least shows injuries likely derailed its season.

26. Portland Trail Blazers (14-28)

Previous Ranking: 24

The Trail Blazers have lost five of their last six games. It’s another rebuilding season for them. They’re focused on player development. They should be happy with Scoot Henderson’s career-best 39 points against the Nets. He’s struggled to adjust to the NBA in his first two seasons but this outburst showed off his potential as a scorer.

25. Charlotte Hornets (10-28)

Previous Ranking: 27

The Hornets have won two straight but lost Brandon Miller for the foreseeable future with a tear in his wrist. It’s a brutal loss as he’s been Charlotte’s second-best player since his arrival. Not much motivation is left for the Hornets for the rest of the season besides ensuring LaMelo Ball is named an All-Star, which should happen.

24. Brooklyn Nets (14-29)

Previous Ranking: 25

The Nets have some catching up to do to be a bottom-three team but they’re determined. Lengthy injury reports suggest they’re committed to tanking the rest of the way. An embarrassing 59-point loss to the Clippers caught the NBA’s attention for all the wrong reasons.

23. Philadelphia 76ers (15-26)

Previous Ranking: 22

The Sixers have been given the benefit of the doubt for their slow start but they might’ve lost that privilege. Joel Embiid is out again for at least a week with knee swelling. They’ve lost six in a row. The vibes are bad in Philly and the only saving grace is a weak Eastern Conference keeping them within striking distance for the postseason.

22. Chicago Bulls (18-25)

Previous Ranking: 23

Here’s Exhibit A of that. The Bulls have lost five in a row and are only up by two games over the Sixers for the 10th spot. They’ve been perfectly mediocre again. That’s been the case for years. Chicago has been headlined by Zach LaVine’s comeback season. He’s been its top scorer and could sneak in as an All-Star because of it.

21. San Antonio Spurs (19-22)

Previous Ranking: 20

While this has been a fun season for the Spurs, back-to-back blowout losses to the Grizzlies show they’re still a while away from being an actual title contender. That’s good news for the rest of the league. Victor Wembanyama is talented enough to lead San Antonio back to title contention. It just won’t happen this year.

20. Miami Heat (21-20)

Previous Ranking: 13

Even though Jimmy Butler is back from a seven-game suspension, something tells me this isn’t the end of that saga. He still wants out and Miami should just deal him for the best available deal by the trade deadline. It’s an awkward situation for the rest of the roster. There’s no point in pretending everything will be fine once Butler returns.

19. Golden State Warriors (21-20)

Previous Ranking: 17

Injuries have started to hit the Warriors. Talk about poor timing as they’ve fallen in the standings. Draymond Green has missed time with a calf injury. Stephen Curry scored 26 points in a win over the Wizards but suffered an ankle injury. Golden State has hovered around .500 for most of the season.

18. Phoenix Suns (21-20)

Previous Ranking: 21

The Suns have played better with five wins out of their last six games. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have been scoring heaters in recent weeks. They’re scoring 30-plus points consistently. They also acquired Nick Richards from the Hornets in a deal. He’ll be a backup center as Phoenix is desperate for depth.

17. Detroit Pistons (21-21)

Previous Ranking: 15

Caden Cunningham scored 36 points in a resume-building win over the Knicks. He should be a first-time All-Star this season. The Pistons have had their best season in years. Adding the right veterans has provided them a boost. One of those is Malik Beasley. He scored 22 points in New York and has been a key role player.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-20)

Previous Ranking: 16

The Timberwolves had a chance to collect a statement win. Controlling most of their game against the Cavaliers, Minnesota could’ve picked up a massive victory after a so-so season. It could’ve jetpacked them to the top of the standings with some much-needed momentum. Instead, Cleveland took over. The Timberwolves simply aren’t the same team they were a year ago.

15. Sacramento Kings (22-20)

Previous Ranking: 18

The Kings have been one of the hottest teams since Doug Christie became the interim coach. They’ve won nine of their last 10 games. A high-scoring win over the Rockets showed that perhaps Sacramento can turn its season around. Domantas Sabonis has played like an All-Star. While the move was criticized, moving on from Mike Brown looks like a season-saving move.

14. Orlando Magic (23-20)

Previous Ranking: 10

The Magic have hit a road bump. They lost four of their last five games. Two blowout losses against the Celtics and Bucks highlight their worst stretch this season. Paolo Banchero’s return wasn’t the shot in the arm that Orlando liked hoped for. Not in the immediate aftermath at least.

13. Atlanta Hawks (22-19)

Previous Ranking: 19

The Hawks have been an annoyance to the league’s best teams. Credit Trae Young, his squad always shows up against the top of the NBA. They’ve won three in a row and capped off another thrilling win over the Celtics. Atlanta could be an upset threat in the playoffs.

12. Indiana Pacers (24-19)

Previous Ranking: 14

After middling around for most of the season, the Pacers have caught fire. They’ve won eight of their last nine games. The sole loss in that stretch was to the Cavaliers. Pascal Siakam has graduated as Indiana’s best player during this stretch. He had 21 points in a win over the Sixers.

11. Dallas Mavericks (23-19)

Previous Ranking: 9

At this point, the Mavericks hope to be in the playoff picture when Luka Doncic returns. They’ve missed their MVP candidate since he suffered a calf strain on Christmas. He could return around the All-Star break. Dallas snapped a three-game losing streak by beating an SGA-less Thunder. It was a morale boost for the fans to beat a heated rival.

10. Los Angeles Lakers (22-18)

Previous Ranking: 11

The Lakers returned to action after seeing two games postponed last week due to the California wildfires. They barely avoided an upset against the Nets when Austin Reaves scored a career-high 38 points. Los Angeles hopes to find a groove.

9. LA Clippers (24-17)

Previous Ranking: 12

The Clippers have had four straight wins. Off the league’s second-best defense, they’ve found their identity as a scrappy squad filled with veterans. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden headline their roster. The former continues to knock off rust after recently making his season debut.

8. New York Knicks (27-16)

Previous Ranking: 6

The Knicks’ recent struggles were punctuated when Karl-Anthony Towns suffered a bone chip in his thumb. This cost him the chance to play against his old squad as the Timberwolves destroyed New York. While they’re one of the top teams in the East, there’s a gap between them and the true title contenders.

7. Milwaukee Bucks (24-17)

Previous Ranking: 8

The Bucks have won four in a row. All by double-digit points too. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have taken turns scoring 30-plus points for Milwaukee. They’ve taken advantage of a soft part of their schedule. It’s all about playoff success for the Bucks though at this point.

6. Denver Nuggets (26-16)

Previous Ranking: 7

The Nuggets have won six of seven games but more importantly, Jamal Murray has played better. He scored 30 points in a blowout win over the Heat. Denver will need him to return to his All-Star form if it wants to make a deep playoff push.

5. Memphis Grizzlies (27-15)

Previous Ranking: 5

The Grizzlies enjoyed back-to-back blowout wins over the Spurs. They’ve been one of the league’s best teams. Add in juggling injuries, Memphis has had a stellar season. Ja Morant has missed time recently, which knocked him out of award eligibility. That likely means little to him as the playoffs are more important.

4. Houston Rockets (28-13)

Previous Ranking: 4

If Jalen Green can maintain his hot streak for the rest of the season, the Rockets could be a dangerous threat in the playoffs. Houston already owns one of the league’s top defenses. Pair that with a legitimate top scorer, they’ll have enough to win clutch games. Regardless, this has been a successful year for Houston after being one of the league’s worst teams for several years.

3. Boston Celtics (29-13)

Previous Ranking: 3

Trouble in paradise with the Celtics. Upset losses to the Raptors and Hawks expose that perhaps this isn’t the same dominating squad from last season. They’re a tier below the Thunder and Cavaliers and will likely settle for the second seed. Either way, the reigning NBA champions shouldn’t be taken lightly in the playoffs.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers (35-6)

Previous Ranking: 2

“The Rematch” resulted in the Cavaliers’ worst loss. Trailing by as many as 42 points, Cleveland’s league-best offense suddenly stopped producing points. Donovan Mitchell continues to struggle against the Thunder. Meanwhile, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were no-shows.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (35-7)

Previous Ranking: 1

Injuries refuse to slow the Thunder down. Despite being without Isaiah Hartenstein, OKC humiliated the Cavaliers under the national spotlight. The surreal win is its best this year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played like the MVP favorite with 40 points in three quarters. To further his case, the Thunder couldn’t crack 100 points in a loss to the Mavericks without him.