Not many experts would have predicted that the Atlanta Hawks would be competing for the best record in the NBA through January but after stringing together 14 wins in a row, they are right there behind the Golden State Warriors for the best win percentage in the NBA. Those same experts probably wouldn’t have predicted the Cleveland Cavaliers would struggle as much as they have but after putting together four straight wins, it seems as though the public is jumping all over LeBron James and company to win the NBA title once again and that has led to another major shift in the futures odds as you will see in the updated NBA power rankings.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
This Week: +400
Last Week: +700
The Cavaliers have been one of the league’s most inconsistent teams all season but the fact that they play in the Eastern Conference means that they should have no problem locking up a playoff spot. Once they get in, they will have an easier road to the NBA Finals. Cleveland has won four in a row including victories at the Los Angeles Clippers and then home to the Chicago Bulls, and perhaps just as importantly, it seems as though the team is finally coming together and buying in to what head coach David Blatt has been selling.
2. Golden State Warriors
This Week: +450
Last Week: +500
Golden State actually moved up in terms of their odds to win it all while at the same time taking a step back from top spot in the power rankings thanks to Cleveland’s ascent. But everything about this team’s play has them at the front of the line in the Western Conference. A 126-113 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night increased the Warriors lead atop the standings to 4.5 games and they have now won 18 straight home games with Andrew Bogut in the lineup.
3. San Antonio Spurs
This Week: +650
Last Week: +650
The Spurs have won four of five but didn’t budge in the power rankings for the same reason they were so high despite losing games to the Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards earlier on in January. Kawhi Leonard is back and his return will only give head coach Gregg Popovich more flexibility as he looks to make sure that Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili aren’t pushed too hard during the regular season so that they will be ready come playoff time.
4. Atlanta Hawks
This Week: +700
Last Week: +1000
Atlanta’s steady climb up the NBA power rankings continued this week as they extended their win streak to 14 by remaining undefeated, including a pair of lopsided wins over two teams expected to compete with them for a conference title in the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls. No Hawks player is averaging more than the 17.2 points per game that Jeff Teague has put up and they still need to address their interior defense, but the team is buying in to what the coaching staff is selling.
5. Dallas Mavericks
This Week: +750
Last Week: +800
The Mavericks got a slight bump in the rankings after stringing together three straight wins and with Dirk Nowitzki and Rajon Rondo both looking good in the process, but the same questions still linger about a team that has to prove it can take care of the tougher opponents on its schedule. Dallas will have plenty of opportunities to measure up against some of the top teams in the Western Conference the rest of the way and how they match up will determine whether or not they can lock up home court advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs.
6. Chicago Bulls
This Week: +850
Last Week: +550
The biggest drop on this list belongs to a Chicago team that has lost six of its last nine games and continues to slide in the Eastern Conference standings. Joakim Noah is dealing with nagging injuries and it doesn’t help that Jimmy Butler is struggling for the first time all year. Further complicating matters is the fact that Cleveland is four games back of fourth and home court advantage for a potential first round series with the Bulls.
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
This Week: +1000
Last Week: +900
The good news is that Oklahoma City has won four straight, including a big win over Golden State and is now two games above .500 for the season. The bad news is that both the Spurs and Phoenix Suns are playing well, which means that the Thunder have not gained a single game on the teams they are chasing for the final two playoff seeds during their run.
T-8. Memphis Grizzlies
This Week: +1400
Last Week: +1600
Zach Randolph is healthy again and playing at a high level as part of arguably the most dominant big man tandem in the NBA along with Marc Gasol. Factor in the addition of Jeff Green and it’s no surprise that Memphis is right behind Portland for the second spot in the Western Conference.
T-8. Los Angeles Clippers
This Week: +1400
Last Week: +1200
The Clippers took a small step back following losses to LeBron’s former team and LeBron’s current team, but they rebounded with a pair of easy wins over Sacramento and Boston to keep the Spurs at bay for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. An eight-game road trip that includes the Suns, Spurs, Thunder, and Mavericks will provide plenty of insight in to how far along this LA team is as a contender.
10. Houston Rockets
This Week: +1800
Last Week: +1600
Houston also suffered a slight drop in the NBA power rankings after losing back-to-back games against Golden State. James Harden and company have already set an NBA record with 11 games this season in which they recorded at least 15 triples but whether or not they can be considered a legitimate contender out of the Western Conference will continue to depend on how they fare against the top teams on their schedule so the consecutive losses to the Warriors results in a small dip.
11. Portland Trail Blazers +2000
12. Toronto Raptors +2200
13. Washington Wizards +2500
14. Detroit Pistons +6600
15. Phoenix Suns +10000
