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1. Houston Rockets
2017-18 record: 20-4
No team in the NBA is playing better than the Rockets right now. Not only have they won nine straight games overall, but they’ve also won eight consecutive road games and are 12-1 away from home this season. It’s Houston’s best road start since 1996-97. In addition, the Rockets are undefeated (10-0) in games in which Chris Paul has suited up this season. Oh, and Houston open up a seven-game homestand on Monday.
2. Golden State Warriors
2017-18 record: 21-6
Golden State has been road warriors of late. The Dubs knocked off the Pistons on Friday night and in the process completed the first 6-0 road trip in the history of the storied franchise. Now the schedule gets far more comfortable for the Warriors. They play nine of their next ten games at home, with their lone road game coming against the Lakers in Los Angeles. Golden State doesn’t play another game outside the state of California until 2018 (January 3rd).
3. Boston Celtics
2017-18 record: 23-5
The Celtics lost their first game this season to a Western Conference opponent on Wednesday when the Spurs toppled the C’s in San Antonio. However, Boston is still an impressive 8-1 vs. the West. The Celtics bounced back on Sunday by knocking off the Pistons on the road Sunday night, holding Detroit to a season-low 81 points.
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4. San Antonio Spurs
2017-18 record: 19-8
Incredibly, the Spurs are 11 games over .500, and their best player has yet to set foot on the floor this season. Kawhi Leonard (quad) is reportedly targeting to return on Tuesday against the Mavericks.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
2017-18 record: 19-8
The Cavs had their 13 game winning streak snapped on Friday by the Pacers in Indiana. As we know, the Celtics ran off a 16-game win streak of their own earlier this season. Remarkably, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, it’s just the second time in the history of the league that multiple teams have produced winning streaks of 13 or more games within their first 30 games of a season. In 1993-94, Houston and Atlanta had early-season winning streaks of 15 and 14 games, respectively.
6. Toronto Raptors
2017-18 record: 17-7
The Raps seem to be flying under the radar this season. While other teams create more buzz and garner national attention, Toronto keeps plugging away. They have won six straight games, have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, and possess the third-best net rating in the entire league (plus 8.0), behind only the Warriors and Rockets.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
2017-18 record: 16-11
The Timberwolves won consecutive games this week for the first time since mid-November. They are now 13-5 at home this season, including 7-0 against Western Conference teams. Minnesota has also been excellent in close contests. Minny has won nine games decided by six points or less, which is the most in the league.
8. Milwaukee Bucks
2017-18 record: 15-10
The Bucks are 11-4 since they acquired Eric Bledsoe from Phoenix. Bledsoe is averaging 18.0 points (on 44.7 percent shooting), 4.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.5 3-pointers per contest over his 15 games with Milwaukee. The trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Bledsoe are averaging a combined 75.6 points per game over the Bucks current three-game winning streak.
9. Indiana Pacers
2017-18 record: 16-11
For those of us that mocked the Pacers (myself included) for their blockbuster deal this summer, I’m sure Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard would like to point out the following:
Victor Oladipo is averaging 24.5 points (on 48.5 percent shooting), 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game this season. Meanwhile, out in OKC, Paul George is averaging 20.7 points (on 41.6 percent shooting), 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks. (FYI: The Pacers host the Thunder on Wednesday.)
10. Detroit Pistons
2017-18 record: 14-12
The Pistons’ record stood at 14-6 on the last day of November. They were in second place in the Eastern Conference. However, December has not been kind to the club from Motown. Detroit has lost all six games they have played this month and have dropped all the way to seventh in East. To be fair, all six of the Pistons’ losses have been to teams with winning records.
11. Washington Wizards
2017-18 record: 14-12
The Wizards have managed to split the eight games they have played without John Wall, going 4-4. They hope to get their star point guard back at some point this week, possibly as early as Wednesday at home vs. the Grizzlies. Wall was able to participate in full 5-on-5 practices late last week.
12. Denver Nuggets
2017-18 record: 14-12
The Nuggets suffered a tough loss on Sunday, blowing a 19-point lead to the Pacers in Indiana. It was the largest blown lead by the Nuggets this season. They are now just 3-10 on the road, and the schedule doesn’t do them any favors. Denver plays three of their next four away from home, with trips to Detroit, Boston and Oklahoma City over the next week.
13. Philadelphia 76ers
2017-18 record: 13-13
Fans in Philly are dealing with enough depressing injury news as they await an update on Carson Wentz, so here’s hoping that Joel Embiid (back tightness) is ready to rock on Tuesday. Embiid was unable to play Sunday vs. the Pelicans after experiencing tightness in the Sixers loss to the Lakers last Thursday, but is hopeful he will be cleared to play Tuesday night in Minnesota. Stay tuned.
14. New Orleans Pelicans
2017-18 record: 14-13
Per NBA.com, DeMarcus Cousins is the first player with multiple games of at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a season since Patrick Ewing in 1989-90… Rajon Rondo leads the NBA in assists per game in December. Rondo is averaging 11.8 points, 11.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds over the Pelicans five games this month.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder
2017-18 record: 12-13
The good news for Russell Westbrook is that he is averaging 27.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 10.4 assists over his last ten games. The bad news is that he’s shooting just 38.6 percent from the floor (on a team-high 24.1 field goal attempts) and 28.9 percent from 3-point territory over that 10-game stretch.
16. Portland Trail Blazers
2017-18 record: 13-12
Portland has squandered an opportunity to stash away some wins this month. The Blazers have had an easy schedule, with just four games over the last 11 days - and all of those games at home. However, Portland dropped all four and has yet to notch a win in December.
17. Utah Jazz
2017-18 record: 13-14
Utah had won six games in a row as of last Monday, but have now dropped three straight. The upcoming schedule won’t get any easier for the Jazz, as they play their next five away from home. The final four games on their current six-game road trip are at Boston, at Cleveland, at Houston and at Oklahoma City. Their next five games after they return home include matchups vs. the Spurs, Thunder, Nuggets, Warriors and Cavs. Yikes.
18. Miami Heat
2017-18 record: 12-13
Erik Spoelstra notched his 452nd career victory on Saturday, which means he is just three wins shy of breaking the Miami franchise record for total coaching wins, currently held by Pat Riley. Coach Spo is one of only two active head coaches with more than 450 wins with their current team. Gregg Popovich is the other.
19. New York Knicks
2017-18 record: 13-13
Welcome back to the 30-point club, KP. In the Knicks 111-107 victory over Atlanta on Sunday night, Porzingis scored 30 points in a game for the first time since November 11th. KP had scored 30-plus points in eight of his first 11 games this season. The Knicks are 7-2 when he cracks the 30-point plateau.
20. Orlando Magic
2017-18 record: 11-17
The Magic went 1-2 last week, but those losses can’t be pinned on Nikola Vucevic. In fact, Vooch had arguably the individual best week of his career. Over Orlando’s three games, Nikola Vucevic averaged 24.7 points, 15.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 treys, 1.3 steals and 3.0 blocks.
21. Los Angeles Lakers
2017-18 record: 10-15
Over the Lakers first 14 games of the 2017-18 season, Brandon Ingram averaged 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 33.4 minutes, while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor. In the 11 games the Lakers have played since then, Ingram is averaging 19.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 34.5 minutes, while shooting 47.0 percent from the floor.
22. Charlotte Hornets
2017-18 record: 9-16
Dwight Howard turned back the clock this past weekend. Over the Hornets back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday, Howard scored a combined 46 points, grabbed 32 rebounds and blocked eight shots. He also committed seven turnovers and made just six of the 14 free throws he attempted.
23. Brooklyn Nets
2017-18 record: 10-15
It will be interesting to see what type of production the Nets get from Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas. Both Okafor and Sauce Castillo are expected to make their Nets debut on Tuesday when Brooklyn hosts the Wizards. Of the two, Okafor is more likely to see enough playing time to make a fantasy impact.
24. LA Clippers
2017-18 record: 9-15
Milos Teodosic (foot) is inching closer and closer to returning to the Clippers lineup. Coach Doc Rivers has hinted there’s a strong chance Milos will be back in the mix for Monday’s game vs. the Raptors. Keep in mind, in a poll of NBA general managers in the summer of 2016, Teodosic was voted the best international player not in the league. The flashy point guard’s upside is tantalizing.
25. Memphis Grizzlies
2017-18 record: 8-18
Tyreke Evans started off hot and has yet to slow down. He has led the Grizzlies in scoring (or tied for the team lead) in a team‐high 11 games. He has scored 20-plus points off the bench seven times this season, and set a franchise record by scoring at least 20 points off the bench in six straight games last month.
26. Dallas Mavericks
2017-18 record: 7-20
Dennis Smith Jr. has downplayed the seriousness of his hip injury, but coach Rick Carlisle is determined to err on the side of caution. Carlisle told reporters on Sunday that there is currently no strict timeframe for DSJ’s return. “He’s getting a little better each day, but I’m not going to give you any timetables right now,” Carlisle said. “Him being 100 percent healthy is the No. 1 priority. That’s what’s got to be our focus.”
27. Phoenix Suns
2017-18 record: 9-19
The Suns are struggling, but T.J. Warren continues to play well. Warren is averaging 20.8 points over Phoenix’s last four contests, while shooting a stellar 50.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from downtown and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line.
28. Sacramento Kings
2017-18 record: 8-18
Zach Randolph has been surprisingly solid for Sacramento this month. Z-Bo has scored at least 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds in each of the five games the Kings have played in December. It’s his longest such streak since January of 2015. He also provided what was quite possibly the quote of the season last week (link here).
29. Atlanta Hawks
2017-18 record: 6-20
It sounds like there could be some trouble brewing in the ATL. Dennis Schroder was benched for the final 8:14 of the fourth quarter on Sunday night in the Hawks loss to the Knicks. Schroder was understandably frustrated and vented to reporters. “You’ve got to ask Coach and then let me know,” Schroder told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’m supposed to be out there but it didn’t happen. So, that’s it.” Coach Mike Budenholzer stated it was simply a “coach’s decision.”
30. Chicago Bulls
2017-18 record: 5-20
The Bulls lost 20 of the first 23 games they played this season. Then Nikola Mirotic returned to action. In the two games Chicago has played since Niko made his debut, they are a 2-0. Break up the Bulls! Mirotic scored a team-high 19 points in just 20 minutes off the bench in the Bulls victory over the Knicks on Saturday night.
