NBA Power Rankings: Picking the most improved player on each team
The NBA Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's basketball editors.
This week, we're singling out each team's most improved player with over one-third of the season completed.
1. Los Angeles Lakers (21-7)
Previous rank: 1
Traditional numbers don't tell the full story, but Alex Caruso has taken a step forward. He's hitting 43.8% of his threes, and even his shifts without LeBron James or Anthony Davis are impressive.
2. Utah Jazz (22-5)
Previous rank: 2
Mike Conley struggled during his first season in Utah, but his resurgence is a huge reason why the Jazz are among the Association's top teams.
3. Milwaukee Bucks (16-11)
Previous rank: 4
Donte DiVincenzo's numbers don't jump off the page, but he's shooting 42.3% from deep as a full-time starter, providing the Bucks with necessary floor-spacing.
4. Philadelphia 76ers (18-9)
Previous rank: 5
It's hard for an All-NBA player to significantly improve their game, but that's exactly what early MVP candidate Joel Embiid has done. The center is averaging a career-high 29.6 points with superb efficiency.
5. Los Angeles Clippers (19-8)
Previous rank: 3
When Nicolas Batum washed ashore in L.A. this offseason, his career was in shambles. It's a minor miracle that he's averaging nearly 30 minutes a night for a legit contender.
6. Brooklyn Nets (16-12)
Previous rank: 6
Joe Harris' 3-point efficiency has improved even more with Brooklyn's Big 3 in the fold. The 6-foot-6 wing is shooting almost 50% from deep.
7. Phoenix Suns (17-9)
Previous rank: 10
Chris Paul improved the Suns entirely, but Mikal Bridges' growth has been notable. He's averaging a handful of points more than last season and shooting 39.5% from three on nearly twice as many attempts.
8. Denver Nuggets (15-11)
Previous rank: 7
Nikola Jokic is on pace for career highs in points (26.5), rebounds (11.5), assists (8.7), and steals (1.5) per game. The 25-year-old's improvement has him on the shortlist for MVP. What a rise.
9. Boston Celtics (13-13)
Previous rank: 8
Jaylen Brown's playmaking wasn't a huge part of his game until this season. Heading into Sunday, his 18.4% assist percentage ranked in the 90th percentile among wings, according to Cleaning the Glass.
10. Golden State Warriors (14-13)
Previous rank: 11
Flanking Stephen Curry has Andrew Wiggins shooting a career-best 36.5% from deep. Similarly, perhaps Draymond Green's tutelage is the reason for the 2014 No. 1 pick's increased competency on defense.
11. San Antonio Spurs (16-11)
Previous rank: 12
The Spurs struck gold by selecting Keldon Johnson 29th overall in 2019. The wing is averaging 14.5 points and seven rebounds per game as a full-time starter in his second season.
12. Portland Trail Blazers (16-10)
Previous rank: 15
It's slim pickings from a Trail Blazers side short on individual improvements. Jusuf Nurkic's latest ailment means Enes Kanter's production is up, a blessing that helps draw attention away from his defensive shortcomings.
13. Toronto Raptors (12-15)
Previous rank: 19
Chris Boucher isn't just the Raptors' most improved player, he's a league-wide candidate, too. The big has stepped up massively and is thriving in his new high-energy bench role.
14. Indiana Pacers (14-13)
Previous rank: 9
As we detailed last month, Myles Turner has finally taken a leap. Though he's cooled off lately, the Pacers center still leads the league in blocks with 3.4 per contest.
15. Dallas Mavericks (13-15)
Previous rank: 17
Jalen Brunson has taken positive strides in his development, emerging as a reliable marksman. The Villanova product is shooting a career-best 51.5% from the floor and 38.2% from distance.
16. Memphis Grizzlies (10-11)
Previous rank: 14
Kyle Anderson has transformed his game by becoming a reliable 3-point threat. He's shooting a career-best 35.9% from distance while more than doubling his scoring average from last season in the process.
17. Miami Heat (11-15)
Previous rank: 25
Max Strus has made the most of a training camp contract. The second-year forward - now on a two-way deal - has earned a spot in Miami's rotation with his efficient outside stroke.
18. Atlanta Hawks (11-15)
Previous rank: 16
The Hawks have seen improvement from Kevin Huerter, but De'Andre Hunter has blossomed. Before his injury, he was Atlanta's most consistent player, showcasing the two-way skills that made him the fourth pick in the 2019 draft.
19. Houston Rockets (11-15)
Previous rank: 13
Christian Wood has proven last season's late dominance with Detroit wasn't a fluke. His 22 points and 10.2 rebounds per game lead the new-look Rockets. He's a front-runner for the NBA's Most Improved Player honor.
20. Sacramento Kings (12-13)
Previous rank: 26
They aren't substantial jumps, but Harrison Barnes' numbers are up across the board, including career highs in rebounds (6.3) and assists (3.5) per game. He also leads the Kings in minutes per contest at 35.6.
21. Charlotte Hornets (13-15)
Previous rank: 23
He wasn't on the Hornets last season, but Gordon Hayward has rejuvenated his career after struggling in Boston. He's scoring at a career-best rate and doubling as a veteran in a young Hornets locker room.
22. New Orleans Pelicans (11-15)
Previous rank: 24
The Pelicans' ascendancy has largely stalled due to a host of reasons, but second-year guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has shown enough growth to merit the increased workload this season under Stan Van Gundy.
23. New York Knicks (13-15)
Previous rank: 20
Julius Randle is posting career bests in nearly every category, but it's his improved rebounding and assist returns that represent the biggest indicators of the seventh-year pro's progression under Tom Thibodeau.
24. Chicago Bulls (10-15)
Previous rank: 22
Zach LaVine was good last year, but he's even better this season. He's attacking the rim and scoring in the midrange more, while still popping treys. He's averaging 31 points per game in February.
25. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-17)
Previous rank: 18
Larry Nance has been forced to play further from the hoop, emboldening the sixth-year forward to pester passing lanes. Prior to an injury, he was up to 1.9 steals per game, fourth in the league.
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (11-15)
Previous rank: 21
Slam Dunk champ Hamidou Diallo has grown from a mistake-addled novice to a key contributor at both ends and bona fide weapon off the bench. The Thunder's elite-level player development has done it again.
27. Orlando Magic (10-18)
Previous rank: 27
Nikola Vucevic's improved efficiency from long range has made him an even more unstoppable offensive weapon. He's shattering his previous career-best mark by converting 43.1% of his 6.2 threes attempted per game.
28. Detroit Pistons (9-19)
Previous rank: 28
Some questioned Jerami Grant's decision to leave the Nuggets for a lottery team in Detroit. But he wanted a bigger offensive role, and he's got it: he leads the Pistons in scoring and usage.
29. Washington Wizards (7-17)
Previous rank: 29
Garrison Mathews' 3-point shooting isn't the only reason why he's earning more crunch-time minutes. His ability to create turnovers has been a bright spot on one of the NBA's worst defensive units.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (7-20)
Previous rank: 30
A threadbare roster has necessitated Naz Reid's increased usage, and the Timberwolves big man is making the most of the opportunity with improved shot-making returns in the paint (65.8%) and beyond the arc (38.2%).