30 Words for 30 Teams: Cavaliers surge back up NBA Power Rankings
Welcome to theScore's biweekly NBA power rankings, where you'll find roughly 30 words on all 30 teams every other Tuesday throughout the season.
1. Golden State Warriors
There's no reason to doubt the Warriors, even with injuries impacting their stars' availability in recent games. They rank at or near the top of every statistical category.
2. Houston Rockets
In five games since Chris Paul returned from injury, the Rockets have the best offense and second-best defense, boasting an absurd net rating of 22 points per 100 possessions.
3. Boston Celtics
The Celtics have two losses in the past 40 days. That silence you're hearing is their fans regretting every mean thing they said about Al Horford last season.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers' defense has tightened up. After allowing a league-worst 113.1 points per 100 possessions through 12 games, they've allowed just 99.5 over their eight-game win streak.
5. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs continue to lurk behind the Warriors and Rockets in the Western Conference peloton while they await Kawhi Leonard's return. Adding 15-20 minutes of Tony Parker to every game is an incredible luxury.
6. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors were outscored 41-10 in the third quarter against the Knicks on Nov. 22. That's a red flag, but not enough to discount quality road wins on back-to-back nights against the Rockets and Pelicans.
7. New Orleans Pelicans
With two exceptionally skilled bigs, plus Rajon Rondo and Jrue Holiday in the backcourt, the Pelicans' pass-heavy offense will be fine. If they can iron out their wing defense, they have the tools to go toe to toe with anyone.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
As everyone expected, the Tom Thibodeau-coached T-Wolves have a top-six offense and a bottom-six defense. If the latter can be raised to Thibs' high standard, look out.
9. Detroit Pistons
Since Nov. 13, the Pistons have a net rating of minus-4.0 points per 100 possessions, the seventh-worst mark in that span. They need to find their mojo again, especially on defense.
10. Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers beat the Jazz, Trail Blazers, and Magic by a combined 70 points, but bookended that streak with a second-half implosion against the Warriors and a 22-point loss to the Cavs.
11. Portland Trail Blazers
It's hard to put a finger on the Trail Blazers. The defense has been spectacular, but the offense has sputtered. They've beaten the middling Nets and Grizzlies ... and lost to the middling Nets and Grizzlies.
12. Washington Wizards
John Wall will miss time after receiving a PRP injection in his knee. Bradley Beal's averaged 30.4 points, four assists, and 3.4 rebounds in three games without his usual backcourt partner this season.
13. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are 1-4 in their past five games, which includes both a 17-point win over the (mostly) full-strength Warriors and a loss to the lowly Mavericks.
14. Indiana Pacers
Victor Oladipo has averaged 22.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists over his past six games - all victories. The retooled Pacers are an impressive 12-9.
15. Utah Jazz
The Jazz are 4-4 since Rudy Gobert went down with a lower-body injury. Ekpe Udoh and Thabo Sefolosha have stabilized the defense in the French Rejection's absence.
16. Denver Nuggets
Losing Paul Millsap for several months presents a major challenge. Nikola Jokic needs to keep the Nuggets afloat, and it's time to cement his status as an All-Star-level contributor.
17. Miami Heat
The Heat are undefeated since players called on themselves to set better screens a week ago - though they still rank 27th in the NBA with 0.81 points per possession off screens.
18. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are 4-3 when Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe are active, and lineups featuring that dynamic duo have outscored their opponents by eight points per 100 possessions. More of that, please.
19. New York Knicks
Apart from quality wins over the Cavs and Raptors, the Knicks feature all the hallmarks of a middle-of-the-pack, still-percolating team. They rank just 18th in point differential (minus-0.7).
20. Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are a respectable 7-3 at home, but only 1-8 on the road. They were close to pulling off road upsets over the Cavs and Celtics, losing by a combined four points.
21. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers have lost all seven games when Lonzo Ball took fewer than 10 shots from the field. The team's defense has been effective, but the offense needs a more confident Ball to unlock its potential.
22. Los Angeles Clippers
Patrick Beverley is out for the season, Blake Griffin might have a significant knee injury, Danilo Gallinari can't stay on the floor, and a three-game win streak hasn't erased the memory of their disastrous nine-game swoon.
23. Brooklyn Nets
Before D'Angelo Russell's injury, the Nets ranked 22nd in offensive rating; since his last appearance on Nov. 11, Brooklyn's 10th, scoring 107.6 points per 100 possessions. Spencer Dinwiddie has emerged as a legitimate rotation piece.
24. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies fired a young, widely respected coach in David Fizdale on Monday, less than 24 hours after he benched Marc Gasol in the fourth quarter of a close game. Mike Conley is still hurt.
25. Orlando Magic
During their 8-4 start, the Magic were fourth in net rating (5.1). At least part of their current nine-game loss streak is related to their schedule: All but one of their opponents over that stretch currently sits at .571 or better.
26. Dallas Mavericks
This season continues to be an understated victory lap for 39-year-old Dirk Nowitzki, who's still logging over 24 minutes per night. Dallas' three wins in the past two weeks came against struggling squads - the Bucks, Grizzlies, and Thunder.
27. Atlanta Hawks
John Collins' emphatic plays around the hoop still impress, but with 5.8 personal fouls per 36 minutes, staying on the floor is a concern. He's hit five or more fouls in 45 percent of his games to date.
28. Phoenix Suns
Allowing 109 points per 100 possessions, the Suns officially own the worst defense in the league. Tyson Chandler can't do it all.
29. Sacramento Kings
Moving Skal Labissiere into the starting lineup has improved the team on both ends, but the Kings still have the second-worst offense and defense this season, getting outscored by 11.3 points per 100 possessions.
30. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are last in the league in record (3-15), point differential (minus-12.6), and net rating (minus-14.9). They're awful in all phases of the game.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)