By Kevin Pelton | ESPN, 2025-02-17 20:00:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
在经历了本月NBA交易截止日前震动联盟的一周后，现在是时候重新审视西部联盟在全明星周末后的局势了。
动荡的交易截止日对西部联盟的影响最大，卢卡·东契奇(Luka Doncic)和安东尼·戴维斯(Anthony Davis)在最近两支总决赛球队中互换了位置，2022年总冠军金州勇士队增加了吉米·巴特勒，圣安东尼奥马刺队增加了德阿隆·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)给首次入选全明星的维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)，而萨克拉门托国王队用扎克·拉文(Zach LaVine)取代了福克斯。
然而，这些举动都没有影响到我的西部联盟分级中的顶层球队，这是对11月和1月的盘点的更新。俄克拉荷马城雷霆队历史性的常规赛表现仍然使他们位居榜首，他们已经领先西部其他球队8个胜场。与此同时，2023年总冠军丹佛掘金队已经冲到了另一个季后赛深远征程的位置。
在ESPN的篮球实力指数的帮助下，让我们根据我们在常规赛剩余的三分之一和季后赛中的预期，重新审视西部联盟的15支球队。请注意，在每个级别中，球队按字母顺序排列。
跳转至分级：
一枝独秀的领跑者
一支从混战中脱颖而出的球队？
季后赛？附加赛？ 仍待定
附加赛希望迅速破灭
为乐透做准备
第一级：一枝独秀的领跑者
俄克拉荷马城雷霆
目前战绩： 44胜10负（西部第一）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 9胜3负
分级变动： 无
雷霆队继续朝着NBA历史上最具统治力的常规赛之一前进。俄克拉荷马城仍然拥有比历史上任何球队都更好的净胜分（场均+12.9分），尽管有三支球队——1971-72赛季的洛杉矶湖人队和密尔沃基雄鹿队，以及2016-17赛季创下73胜9负纪录的金州勇士队——在前54场比赛中的节奏都领先于雷霆队。
全明星周末后，我们将关注以赛亚·哈尔滕施泰因(Isaiah Hartenstein)和切特·霍姆格伦(Chet Holmgren)如何配合。自从霍姆格伦在2月7日回归以来，这两位内线球员已经首发了三场比赛，而早期的回报令人鼓舞：在49分钟的比赛中，净胜30分。
第二级：一支总决赛竞争者正在崛起……
丹佛掘金
目前战绩： 36胜19负（西部第三）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 10胜3负
分级变动： 上升
在所有对丹佛2023年冠军球队缺失环节的关注中，掘金队在过去三个赛季的表现一直与贾马尔·穆雷(Jamal Murray)的表现息息相关。穆雷周二对阵波特兰开拓者队的55分表现突出了他自从开局缓慢以来表现得有多出色——掘金队作为一个整体也是如此。
在经历了八连胜之后，掘金队现在的净胜分（场均+5.6分）比过去两个赛季都要好。丹佛队仅落后孟菲斯灰熊队半个胜场，争夺第二种子席位和前两轮的主场优势。
考虑到掘金队相对于孟菲斯和休斯顿的经验优势，以及相对于洛杉矶两支球队的连续性优势，我认为他们现在已经从除了雷霆之外的任何球队中提升到了不同的半个级别。
……但这些球队仍在竞争
休斯顿火箭
目前战绩： 34胜21负（西部第四）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 6胜8负
分级变动： 无
火箭队在全明星周末前表现低迷，过去的九场比赛输掉了七场。这七场失利中有五场是在首发控球后卫弗雷德·范弗利特(Fred VanVleet)缺席的情况下发生的。在范弗利特缺席的情况下，休斯顿的进攻效率在NBA中排名倒数前十，而火箭队的防守还不够出色来弥补。
好消息是全明星周末将给范弗利特和前锋小贾巴里·史密斯(Jabari Smith Jr.)时间来康复，而不会错过比赛。坏消息是，在范弗利特倒下时排名西部第二的休斯顿现在正在为保持首轮主场优势而战。
洛杉矶快船
目前战绩： 31胜23负（西部第六）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 7胜6负
分级变动： 无
科怀·伦纳德(Kawhi Leonard)本赛季出战的前10场比赛中，快船队赢了八场，但在2月初经历了一波三连败，包括以25分输给同城对手湖人队，而卢卡·东契奇在场边观看。快船队反弹并在上半场结束时取得了一波三连胜，包括以14分大胜灰熊队。
在积分榜上，快船队仍然更接近附加赛（领先明尼苏达森林狼队一场）而不是前五种子（落后湖人队两场）。森林狼队也拥有更好的净胜分。尽管如此，健康的伦纳德的潜力仍然让快船队保持在这个级别。
洛杉矶湖人
目前战绩： 32胜20负（西部第五）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 10胜2负
分级变动： 上升
值得注意的是，湖人队在没有戴维斯和东契奇的情况下取得了一波五连胜，然后在卢卡·东契奇的湖人队首秀中将连胜扩大到六场，然后在全明星周末前输给了犹他爵士队。湖人队现在距离第四种子席位和首轮主场优势仅差半个胜场。这波连胜依赖于在攻防两端肯定不可持续的投篮，湖人队在这六场比赛中命中了联盟最佳的42%的三分球，而对手的命中率仅为NBA最低的29.5%。
尽管如此，这为湖人队赢得了时间，让东契奇恢复健康并将他融入阵容，而不必担心在积分榜上落后。随着东契奇参加更多比赛，我们将更好地了解湖人队的上限。
孟菲斯灰熊
目前战绩： 36胜18负（西部第二）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 9胜3负
分级变动： 无
我不会责怪灰熊队及其球迷感觉他们属于与掘金队同级别的球队。孟菲斯不仅在积分榜上仍然领先半个胜场，而且球队的+7.5的净胜分也远远更好。尽管如此，我们有理由怀疑灰熊队在对阵弱队时的成功是否能延续到对阵最强球队时。
对阵这个级别中的其他四支球队，孟菲斯的战绩为3胜8负，是这个小组中最差的。（休斯顿队以8胜1负的战绩最佳。）灰熊队的深度在常规赛中比季后赛中发挥得更好，而且他们没有一个顶级的侧翼防守者来对付像卢卡·东契奇、勒布朗·詹姆斯和科怀·伦纳德这样的球员。孟菲斯仍然有现实的机会进入西部决赛，但也许并不像灰熊队的战绩所显示的那么好。
第三级：在季后赛混战中，但附加赛仍然隐约可见
达拉斯独行侠
目前战绩： 30胜26负（西部第八）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 7胜7负
分级变动： 无
安东尼·戴维斯和首发中锋丹尼尔·加福德(Daniel Gafford)的受伤，加上德里克·莱夫利二世(Dereck Lively II)已经缺阵，将使独行侠队很难摆脱附加赛。达拉斯队落后快船队两个胜场，争夺第六名，并且还必须超过明尼苏达才能直接晋级季后赛。我们看到戴维斯在2023年带领湖人队从附加赛打入西部决赛，所以这是可以做到的。
尽管如此，独行侠队的缺席并没有给他们留下多少犯错的余地，并限制了他们弄清楚戴维斯如何融入阵容的时间。此外，通往西部决赛的道路不再像俄克拉荷马城和丹佛可能会在同一半区时那样清晰。
金州勇士
目前战绩： 28胜27负（西部第十）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 7胜7负
分级变动： 无
吉米·巴特勒时代在湾区开局良好，四场比赛赢了三场，他场均得到21.3分——比交易前在迈阿密热火队多出四分。巴特勒制造犯规的能力不出所料地使金州勇士队受益，勇士队在此期间平均获得了27.5次罚球机会，高于本赛季前51场比赛的20.4次。
勇士队上周三错失了在积分榜上上升的绝佳机会，他们在达拉斯以111-107输掉了比赛。金州勇士队仍然可以通过周日在主场获胜来追平本赛季系列赛，但还有更多工作要做才能赶上独行侠队。
就像我们关注进入前六名并避免附加赛一样，进入前八名也很重要，因为这意味着只需赢得一场比赛即可晋级，并有机会避开头号种子雷霆队。
明尼苏达森林狼
目前战绩： 31胜25负（西部第七）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 9胜5负
分级变动： 无
当唐特·迪温琴佐(Donte DiVincenzo)在进入首发阵容后不久就因草皮脚趾受伤而倒下时，这似乎对明尼苏达队令人质疑的侧翼深度来说是个问题。相反，森林狼队在朱利叶斯·兰德尔(Julius Randle)因内收肌拉伤而倒下之前，取得了一波五连胜。明尼苏达队在没有去年10月交易卡尔-安东尼·唐斯换来的两名球员的情况下，保持了5胜4负的战绩。
在他们缺席的情况下，森林狼队看到了迈克·康利(Mike Conley)在糟糕的开局后恢复了状态。自从1月17日以来，他的三分球命中率为47%，而此前的命中率为36%。年轻的后卫杰伦·克拉克(Jaylen Clark)和罗布·迪林厄姆(Rob Dillingham)改善了明尼苏达队的第二阵容。如果森林狼队能够在迪温琴佐和兰德尔回归时保持这些进步，他们就可以冲击前六种子席位并跳回第二级。
萨克拉门托国王
目前战绩： 28胜27负（西部第九）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 6胜7负
分级变动： 无
国王队在扎克·拉文时代至今取得了3胜3负的战绩，尽管他们的潜在表现并不那么令人印象深刻。萨克拉门托队在一个赛程较弱的情况下，场均净负3.0分，其中六场比赛有一半是对阵新奥尔良鹈鹕队。鹈鹕队在国王队休息前的最后一场比赛中给了国王队一场加时赛失利。在赛季末，萨克拉门托队可以期待拉文更好的投篮表现，自从交易以来，他的三分球命中率为46投12中（26%）。
尽管如此，国王队似乎在这个级别中拥有最低的上限。BPI预测显示萨克拉门托队只有28%的机会进入季后赛，而且国王队在任何首轮对决中都将是重大的劣势。
第四级：附加赛希望迅速破灭
菲尼克斯太阳
目前战绩： 26胜28负（西部第十一）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 5胜8负
分级变动： 无
在他们在交易截止日当周未能升级他们的阵容之后，拥有NBA最高薪资的太阳队越来越有可能完全错过附加赛。尽管菲尼克斯队在一月份增加了首发中锋尼克·理查兹(Nick Richards)，但球队随后的唯一举动是将几乎没有上场的优素福·努尔基奇(Jusuf Nurkic)送到夏洛特黄蜂队，从而减少了太阳队的税收。
在二月份，菲尼克斯队的战绩为1胜6负，球队唯一的胜利是在加时赛中对阵犹他爵士队。太阳队现在落后西部第十名1.5个胜场，并且根据BPI的数据，在全明星周末后拥有NBA第二艰难的赛程。BPI模拟显示菲尼克斯队只有28%的机会进入附加赛。
波特兰开拓者
目前战绩： 23胜32负（西部第十三）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 9胜4负
分级变动： 无
全明星周末前的一次0胜3负的客场之旅，加上德安德烈·艾顿(Deandre Ayton)遭遇小腿拉伤，削弱了开拓者队进入附加赛的希望。值得注意的是，波特兰队在一个月前还是13胜28负，竟然达到了这一点。开拓者队在接下来的11场比赛中取得了10胜1负的战绩，这一波爆发主要由他们的年轻天才带领。这一波表现表明波特兰队最早可以在下个赛季争夺季后赛。
圣安东尼奥马刺
目前战绩： 23胜29负（西部第十二）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 4胜7负
分级变动： 无
增加德阿隆·福克斯并没有产生马刺队希望的立竿见影的效果。在亚特兰大赢得他的首秀后，圣安东尼奥队以1胜3负的战绩结束了球队一年一度的牛仔竞技客场之旅。福克斯表现出色，场均得到21.6分和7.8次助攻，但文班亚马按照他的全明星标准来说一直很安静，在这五场比赛中场均得到21.2分。
当然，福克斯的交易从来都不是为了本赛季。相反，马刺队正在为2025-26赛季及以后做好竞争的准备。文班亚马和明日之星MVP斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)的发展，加上福克斯的融入，是本赛季最后两个月最重要的。
第五级：期待乐透抽签
新奥尔良鹈鹕
目前战绩： 13胜42负（西部第十五）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 2胜10负
分级变动： 无
在交易了布兰登·英格拉姆(Brandon Ingram)并看到两名首发球员（赫伯·琼斯(Herb Jones)和德章泰·穆雷(Dejounte Murray)）接受了赛季报销手术后，鹈鹕队可以翻过2024-25赛季的篇章了。穆雷的跟腱断裂是新奥尔良队本赛季遭受的众多伤病中最糟糕的，因为他的康复肯定会持续到2025-26赛季的上半段。
犹他爵士
目前战绩： 13胜41负（西部第十四）
自1月20日盘点以来的战绩： 3胜11负
分级变动： 无
鹈鹕队、爵士队和夏洛特黄蜂队都以13胜的战绩进入了全明星周末。他们不太可能被联盟垫底的华盛顿奇才队（9胜45负）超过，也不太可能赶上多伦多猛龙队。多伦多猛龙队有17场胜利，并且根据BPI的数据，拥有NBA最轻松的剩余赛程。在所有可能性中，这意味着这三支球队中的一支将只有12.5%的机会获得状元签，而另外两支与华盛顿队一起以垫底前三名结束的球队将获得14%的机会。
鉴于杜克的库珀·弗拉格(Cooper Flagg)确立了自己作为顶级新秀的地位，因此请期待这三支球队在赛季末为争夺位置而展开激烈的竞争。
点击查看原文：NBA West tiers: Stacking all 15 teams after trade deadline
NBA West tiers: Stacking all 15 teams after trade deadline
After a league-shaking week leading up to this month’s NBA trade deadline, it’s time to revisit where the Western Conference stands coming out of the All-Star break.
The turbulent trade deadline had the majority of its impact on the Western Conference, where Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers) and Anthony Davis (Dallas Mavericks) changed places on two recent conference finalists, the 2022 champion Golden State Warriors added Jimmy Butler, the San Antonio Spurs added De’Aaron Fox to first-time All-Star Victor Wembanyama and the Sacramento Kings replaced Fox with Zach LaVine.
Yet none of those moves affected the top of my West tiers, updating previous check-ins in November and January. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s historic regular season still has them on top as they’ve opened up an eight-game lead on the rest of the conference. Meanwhile, the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets have surged into position for another deep playoff run.
With the help of ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, let’s revisit the 15 West teams based on what we can expect over the remaining third of the regular season and into the playoffs. Note that within each tier, teams are listed alphabetically.
Jump to a tier:\
The clear-cut favorite\
One team emerging from the pack?\
Playoffs? Play-in? Still TBD\
Play-in hopes are fading fast\
Preparing for the lottery
Tier 1: The clear-cut favorite
Oklahoma City Thunder
Current record: 44-10 (1st in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 9-3\
Tier change:
The Thunder continue cruising along toward what could be the most dominant regular season in NBA history. Oklahoma City still has a better point differential (plus-12.9 points per game) than any team has ever recorded, though three teams – the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, plus the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors team that finished a record 73-9 – were ahead of the Thunder’s pace through 54 games.
After the All-Star break, we’ll be monitoring how Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren fit together. The two big men have started three games up front since Holmgren returned Feb. 7, and the early returns are encouraging: a plus-30 margin in 49 minutes of action.
Tier 2: One conference finals contender is gaining ground …
Denver Nuggets
Current record: 36-19 (3rd in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 10-3\
Tier change:
For all the focus on the missing pieces from Denver’s 2023 title team, the Nuggets have gone as Jamal Murray has gone over the past three seasons. Murray’s 55-point effort Tuesday against Portland highlighted how well he has played since a slow start – as has Denver as a team.
In the wake of an eight-game winning streak, the Nuggets now have a better point differential (plus-5.6 points per game) than either of the past two seasons. And Denver is only a half-game back of the Memphis Grizzlies for the second seed and home-court advantage in the first two rounds.
Given the Nuggets’ experience edge over Memphis and Houston and continuity advantage as compared to the two L.A. teams, I think they’ve now elevated into a different half-tier from anyone but the Thunder.
… but these teams are still in the mix
Houston Rockets
Current record: 34-21 (4th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 6-8\
Tier change:
The Rockets slumped their way to the All-Star break, losing seven of their past nine games. Five of those seven losses came without starting point guard Fred VanVleet. In VanVleet’s absence, Houston’s offensive rating has ranked among the NBA’s bottom 10 teams, and the Rockets’ defense hasn’t been good enough to compensate.
The good news is the All-Star break will give VanVleet and forward Jabari Smith Jr. time to rehab without missing games. The bad news is Houston, second in the West at the time VanVleet went down, is now fighting just to maintain home-court advantage in the first round.
LA Clippers
Current record: 31-23 (6th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 7-6\
Tier change:
The Clippers won eight of the first 10 games Kawhi Leonard played this season before experiencing a three-game losing streak in early February, including a 25-point loss to the rival Lakers with Luka Doncic watching from the sidelines. The Clippers bounced back to end the first half on a three-game winning streak, including a resounding 14-point win over the Grizzlies.
In the standings, the Clippers are still closer to the play-in (one game up on the Minnesota Timberwolves) than a top-five seed (two games back of the Lakers). Minnesota also has a better point differential. Still, the potential of a healthy Leonard keeps the Clippers in this tier.
Los Angeles Lakers
Current record: 32-20 (5th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 10-2\
Tier change:
Remarkably, the Lakers put together a five-game winning streak without either Davis or Doncic, then ran it to six in Luka Doncic’s Lakers debut before losing at Utah ahead of the All-Star break. The Lakers are now within a half-game of the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round. The winning streak relied on what’s surely unsustainable shooting at both ends, with the Lakers hitting a league-best 42% of their 3s over those six games and opponents hitting an NBA-low 29.5%.
Still, it bought the Lakers time to get Doncic healthy and integrate him in the lineup without having to worry about losing ground in the standings. We’ll have a better idea of the upside for the Lakers as Doncic plays more games.
Memphis Grizzlies
Current record: 36-18 (2nd in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 9-3\
Tier change:
I wouldn’t blame the Grizzlies and their fans for feeling like they belong alongside the Nuggets. Not only is Memphis still a half-game up in the standings, the team’s plus-7.5 point differential is far better. Despite that, it’s fair to wonder whether the Grizzlies’ success against lesser opponents carries over against the best teams.
Against the other four teams in this tier, Memphis is 3-8, the worst of this group. (Houston is best at 8-1.) The Grizzlies’ depth plays better over the course of the regular season than the playoffs, and they don’t have a premier perimeter defender to throw at the likes of Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. Memphis still has a realistic chance at the conference finals, but it’s perhaps not as good as the Grizzlies’ record would indicate.
Tier 3: In the playoff mix, but the play-in still looms
Dallas Mavericks
Current record: 30-26 (8th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 7-7\
Tier change:
Injuries to Anthony Davis and starting center Daniel Gafford with Dereck Lively II already sidelined will make it difficult for the Mavericks to climb out of the play-in tournament. Dallas is two games back of the Clippers for the sixth spot and would also have to pass Minnesota to advance directly to the playoffs. We saw Davis lead the Lakers from the play-in to the conference finals in 2023, so it can be done.
Still, the Mavericks’ absences have given them little margin for error and limited the time they’ll have to figure out how Davis fits in the lineup. Additionally, the path to the conference finals no longer looks as clear as when it appeared Oklahoma City and Denver would probably be on the same side of the bracket.
Golden State Warriors
Current record: 28-27 (10th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 7-7\
Tier change:
The Jimmy Butler era in the Bay started well with three wins in four games as he averaged 21.3 points – just over four points more than with the Miami Heat before the trade. Butler’s ability to get to the foul line has predictably benefited Golden State, which has averaged 27.5 free throw attempts in that span, up from 20.4 in the season’s first 51 games.
The Warriors did miss a golden opportunity to move up in the standings last Wednesday, when they lost 111-107 at Dallas. Golden State can still tie the season series by winning at home Sunday but has more work to catch the Mavericks.
As much as we focus on getting in the top six and avoiding the play-in, finishing in the top eight is also important because it means having to win only a single game to advance and the chance to avoid the top-seeded Thunder.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Current record: 31-25 (7th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 9-5\
Tier change:
When Donte DiVincenzo went down because of a turf toe injury not long after moving into the starting lineup, it looked like a problem for Minnesota’s questionable perimeter depth. Instead, the Timberwolves ran off five straight wins before losing Julius Randle to an adductor strain. Minnesota has stayed afloat 5-4 without both players acquired in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns last October.
In their absence, the Timberwolves have seen Mike Conley return to form after a dreadful start. He’s shooting 47% from 3 since Jan. 17, as compared to 36% beforehand. And young guards Jaylen Clark and Rob Dillingham have improved Minnesota’s second unit. If the Timberwolves can maintain those improvements when DiVincenzo and Randle return, they can make a run at a top-six seed and jump back into the second tier.
Sacramento Kings
Current record: 28-27 (9th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 6-7\
Tier change:
The Kings are 3-3 so far in the Zach LaVine era, though their underlying performance has been less impressive. Sacramento has been outscored by 3.0 points per game against a weak schedule, with half of those six games against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans handed the Kings an OT loss in their last game before the break. Down the stretch, Sacramento can expect better shooting from LaVine, who’s 12-of-46 (26%) beyond the arc since the trade.
Still, the Kings seem to have the lowest ceiling in this tier. The BPI projections show Sacramento making the playoffs just 28% of the time, and the Kings would be heavy underdogs in any first-round matchup.
Tier 4: Play-in hopes are fading fast
Phoenix Suns
Current record: 26-28 (11th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 5-8\
Tier change:
After they were unable to upgrade their roster the week of the trade deadline, it’s looking increasingly likely the Suns will miss the play-in entirely with the NBA’s highest payroll. Though Phoenix added starting center Nick Richards in January, the team’s only subsequent move sent little-used Jusuf Nurkic to the Charlotte Hornets, cutting the Suns’ tax bill.
During February, Phoenix has gone 1-6, with the team’s only win coming in overtime against the Utah Jazz. The Suns are now 1½ games back of 10th in the West and have the NBA’s second-hardest schedule after the All-Star break, per the BPI. The BPI simulations show Phoenix reaching the play-in just 28% of the time.
Portland Trail Blazers
Current record: 23-32 (13th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 9-4\
Tier change:
An 0-3 road trip before the All-Star break, combined with Deandre Ayton suffering a calf strain, dampened the Blazers’ hopes of getting in the play-in mix. It’s remarkable that Portland even got to that point after being 13-28 a month ago. The Blazers went 10-1 over their next 11 games, a surge led primarily by their young talent. That run suggests Portland could contend for the postseason as soon as next season.
San Antonio Spurs
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 23-29 (12th in the West)\
Current record: 4-7\
Tier change:
Adding De’Aaron Fox hasn’t had the immediate impact the Spurs hoped. After winning his debut in Atlanta, San Antonio went 1-3 to close the team’s annual rodeo road trip. Fox has played well, averaging 21.6 points and 7.8 assists, but Wembanyama has been quiet by his All-Star standards with 21.2 points per game over those five games.
Of course, the Fox trade was never about this season. Instead, the Spurs are setting up to compete in 2025-26 and beyond. The development of Wembanyama and Rising Stars MVP Stephon Castle, plus the integration of Fox, is most important over the season’s final two months.
Tier 5: Looking forward to the lottery
New Orleans Pelicans
Current record: 13-42 (15th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 2-10\
Tier change:
After trading Brandon Ingram and seeing two starters (Herb Jones and Dejounte Murray) undergo season-ending surgery, the Pelicans can turn the page on 2024-25. Murray’s Achilles rupture was the worst of the numerous injuries New Orleans has suffered this season because his rehab will surely linger into the first half of the 2025-26 campaign.
Utah Jazz
Current record: 13-41 (14th in the West)\
Record since Jan. 20 check-in: 3-11\
Tier change:
The Pelicans, Jazz and Charlotte Hornets all hit the All-Star break with 13 wins. They’re not likely to be passed by the Washington Wizards, a league-worst 9-45, or catch the Toronto Raptors. Toronto has 17 wins and the NBA’s easiest remaining schedule, per the BPI. In all likelihood, that means one of the three teams will have just a 12.5% chance at the No. 1 pick, as compared to 14% for the two others that finish with bottom-three records alongside Washington.
Given what’s at stake with Duke’s Cooper Flagg establishing himself as the top prospect, expect aggressive jockeying for position among these three teams down the stretch.
By Kevin Pelton | ESPN, via ESPN