All-Star Weekend. The bonus level of the NBA season! That is, if bonus levels were the lightning rod of all the league’s complaints.
I was in the Bay Area for All-Star Weekend, and I can confirm that some people enjoyed the event, just like some people enjoy the state of the game. Of course, the expressions of dissatisfaction tend to be much, much louder.
I think it’s more fun to complain about the nba than to actually watch it. Crazy, cancel all star weekend and let’s just give everybody a break since we’re so miserable around this time…
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) February 17, 2025
NBA commissioner Adam Silver might have realized that the constant thoughts of changing the game perhaps gives too much validation to fixing things that aren’t broken. He made it a point Saturday to simply say, “I am happy with the state of the game right now.”
Being that this is the All-Star break version of Power Rankings, we’ll focus on the weekend here. Every team was represented (well, almost every team …), so it’s a good time to see how the league spent what was supposed to be a celebratory event.
A reminder: These Power Rankings won’t just rank every team. We will retain the tiers that teams will be promoted into and relegated out of. There will be five tiers every week:
• Top Contenders – Locked at five, these are the class of the league
• In a Good Place – Could be one team, could be seven teams
• The Bubble – Not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack
• Not the Tier to Fear – Not playing the worst ball in the league, but with a lot of work to do
• Basement Floor – Bringing up the rear
Here now is Week 17 of The Athletic’s NBA Power Rankings. Win/loss records and statistics are through the final games before the All-Star break.
Last ranking: 1
In the last week: W vs. MIA, L at MIN
Offensive rating: 117.3 (sixth)
Defensive rating: 104.5 (first)
All-Star Weekend moment: You want effort in the All-Star Game? Not even two minutes into the first All-Star semifinal, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander flew out to block a Jalen Brunson 3-point attempt. Not even a minute later, Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder teammate (but All-Star opponent) Jalen Williams blocked a Donovan Mitchell 3-point attempt. These guys only know one way to play.
Last ranking: 2
In the last week: W at TOR
Offensive rating: 121.9 (first)
Defensive rating: 111.5 (eighth)
All-Star Weekend moment: Not only did the Cavaliers have three All-Stars, but all three participated in All-Star Saturday Night as well. Darius Garland made it to the final round of the 3-point shootout while wearing his father Winston’s No. 22. Mitchell and Evan Mobley overcame San Antonio’s chicanery to win the skills challenge. Mitchell beat his Cleveland teammates in the All-Star Game semifinal but was toast for the final, missing all seven of his shots.
Last ranking: 3
In the last week: W vs. SA
Offensive rating: 118.8 (fourth)
Defensive rating: 109.6 (fifth)
All-Star Weekend moment: Stephen Curry was the MVP of the All-Star Game, but Jayson Tatum led all scorers in the tournament final in addition to scoring the game-sealing dunk. Tatum can take solace in the fact that a format change will likely need to be required for anyone to surpass the record of 55 points that he set in the 2023 All-Star Game.
Last ranking: 5
In the last week: W at IND, W vs. ATL
Offensive rating: 119.9 (second)
Defensive rating: 113.9 (18th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Whatever tips Jalen Brunson got from 2022 3-point contest winner Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t work, as Brunson was a quick out Saturday night. Towns then went on to get a win over Brunson in the first All-Star semifinal.
Last ranking: 4
In the last week: W at PHO, L at LAC
Offensive rating: 117.8 (fifth)
Defensive rating: 110.9 (seventh)
All-Star Weekend moment: Jaren Jackson Jr. didn’t get a win Sunday, but the Defensive Player of the Year candidate had a steal and two blocks; no other player had multiple blocks in a game. Jackson’s rookie teammates Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells earned their way to Sunday’s game, but they played the fewest minutes of the Rising Stars on Sunday.
Last ranking: 6
In the last week: W vs. POR
Offensive rating: 119.5 (third)
Defensive rating: 113.7 (16th)
All-Star Weekend moment: A moment for real hoops, if you will. The Nuggets entered the All-Star break with a league-best eight-game winning streak, with All-Star and reigning MVP Nikola Jokić averaging a 30-point triple-double in those games. Please hear me out when I say this, because this is not Denver’s fault: It has not played a winning team at all during this win streak. The last time the Nuggets played one of the 16 NBA teams with a winning record was also the last time they lost. The Nuggets are playing the schedule they have been dealt extremely well. I’m eager to see how the next few weekends go for them.
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Last ranking: 8
In the last week: W vs. PHO, L vs. GS
Offensive rating: 113.6 (12th)
Defensive rating: 109.3 (fourth)
All-Star Weekend moment: The new All-Star format meant that you got to see 12 minutes of Amen Thompson play great for Team Mitch Friday night despite being upset by the G League team that featured … No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard, who was scoreless in both games. But it also meant that, if you blinked Sunday night, you missed Alperen Şengün, who only played five minutes despite being on a Global Stars team that won a game. Şengün hasn’t had the healthiest month, so ultimately it was a positive sign that he played at all Sunday.
Last ranking: 7
In the last week: L at UTA
Offensive rating: 114.6 (ninth)
Defensive rating: 113.9 (17th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Everyone thought Hornets legend Dalton Knecht was going to play LeBron James on Sunday. But James pulled himself out of the game because of ankle and foot discomfort. So now we wait to see James and Knecht get ready for the Hornets on Wednesday following a shortened break (that game was postponed last month because of the California wildfires).
Last ranking: 9
In the last week: L vs. NY, W at WAS
Offensive rating: 114.4 (10th)
Defensive rating: 114.3 (21st)
All-Star Weekend moment: Pascal Siakam was a starter on the Global Stars team that made it to the championship Sunday. But a combination of an early 11-1 deficit, Victor Wembanyama and an extended break for the ceremonial handoff from San Francisco to next year’s host city, Los Angeles, followed by a tribute to TNT’s “Inside the NBA” crew, cut Siakam’s night short.
Last ranking: 11th
In the last week: W vs. MEM, W at UTA
Offensive rating: 111.5 (19th)
Defensive rating: 108.3 (second)
All-Star Weekend moment: Norman Powell was already a high-profile All-Star snub, one who not only has never made it to the game before but is also on the other side of 30. So it was even more disheartening for two Western Conference players to unexpectedly not play Sunday. At least Powell got to participate in the 3-point contest, even though his appearance was a short one. James Harden can be a free agent in 2025, but his participation in the All-Star host city handoff Sunday night was just the latest sign that he has no plans on changing teams next season.
Last ranking: 12
In the last week: W at MIN
Offensive rating: 113.6 (13th)
Defensive rating: 112.4 (11th)
All-Star Weekend moment: It was certainly a mixed bag for the Bucks’ All-Star Weekend. Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t able to play, but he said his kids hacked his phone after the dunk contest. Unfortunately, Antetokounmpo’s teammate Andre Jackson Jr. had a forgettable dunk contest Saturday night — 69-year-old Hall of Fame finalist Marques Johnson probably had a better time dunking than Jackson did. Damian Lillard wasn’t able to three-peat in the 3-point contest, but his best moment in his homecoming All-Star appearance was hitting the game-sealing 3-pointer in Sunday’s semifinal.
Still dunking at 69 years old! 🙏🏾
Mac made me decide to DUNK 😂 pic.twitter.com/BGaQAZVdfe
— Elder Marques Johnson (@olskool888) February 17, 2025
Last ranking: 15
In the last week: W at CHI, W at CHI
Offensive rating: 113.1 (15th)
Defensive rating: 112.4 (12th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Ausar Thompson went full Nick Anderson at the free-throw line Friday night, missing four free throws when his Team Mitch led 37-35 with a target score of 40 before being upset by the G League outlet. The following night, Cade Cunningham was eliminated in the first round of the 3-point contest, which wasn’t a surprise given that Cunningham had the lowest 3-point percentage of the field this season. But Cunningham made his All-Star debut, and the Pistons’ four-game win streak has them sitting with a top-six record in the East and a positive point differential for the first time all season.
Last ranking: 10
In the last week: L vs. MIL, W vs. OKC
Offensive rating: 113.6 (14th)
Defensive rating: 110.2 (sixth)
All-Star Weekend moment: Unless you were looking forward to the Leonard Miller show Friday night (and why wouldn’t you?! Miller had 19 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes between two games Friday night while the G League team nearly played its way to Sunday), it was a thoroughly disappointing All-Star Weekend for Minnesota. Anthony Edwards was expected to play Sunday, but he never got out of his warm-ups. Edwards has only missed two games all season, which makes his lack of participation Sunday even more of a surprise than LeBron James’.
Last ranking: 13
In the last week: W at NO, L at NO
Offensive rating: 115.3 (eighth)
Defensive rating: 114.3 (20th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Unless you count two-way contract Isaac Jones’ participation in the G League Up Next game (and I do not), the Kings were shut out from All-Star Weekend. They were certainly the only team with zero representation in either the All-Star Game, All-Star Saturday Night events or Rising Stars. They do have Oscar Robertson’s number retired, though, and The Big O was not impressed with Draymond Green yapping. Score one for the Kings-Warriors rivalry!
Last ranking: 16
In the last week: W vs. GS, W vs. MIA
Offensive rating: 115.4 (seventh)
Defensive rating: 113.5 (14th)
All-Star Weekend moment: The best part of Dallas’ All-Star Weekend is that Kyrie Irving made it through his two games in one piece. The Mavericks are going to need Irving to cook with fellow All-Star Anthony Davis out indefinitely with an adductor strain, along with the right ankle stress fracture to center Dereck Lively II, a Rising Stars selection.
Last ranking: 14
In the last week: L at DAL, W at HOU
Offensive rating: 112.1 (17th)
Defensive rating: 111.8 (ninth)
All-Star Weekend moment: The Warriors were the host team, and Stephen Curry became the first player since Anthony Davis in 2017 to win All-Star MVP while representing the home team. Golden State was all over the weekend. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Pat Spencer’s Rising Stars squads met in the championship Friday, with Jackson-Davis earning the right to get a 3 in his coverage from Curry on Sunday. Brandin Podziemski was on the Rising Stars team that lost to Jackson-Davis’ team in the semifinal. Draymond Green and Moses Moody (skills challenge) and Buddy Hield (3-point contest) all made their respective event’s final round before falling short.
IT WAS STEPH CURRY’S SHOW IN THE BAY 🤩
🌟 20 PTS
🌟 10 REB
🌟 6 3PM
🌟 WHe takes home his 2nd Kobe Bryant Trophy as he wins the #KiaAllStarMVP at 2025 #NBAAllStar! pic.twitter.com/62ArXQffSB
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2025
Last ranking: 19
In the last week: L at NY
Offensive rating: 111.2 (23rd)
Defensive rating: 113.5 (15th)
All-Star Weekend moment: The new definition of getting Trae-d is getting in the All-Star Game as a replacement; none of Trae Young’s All-Star selections have come from the head coaches initially, and his last two selections were after injuries. Young wound up with seven assists in only 10 minutes across two games Sunday. Rookie Zaccharie Risacher, the first pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, had quiet nights in Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge as well as Saturday in the skills challenge.
Last ranking: 20
In the last week: W vs. CHA
Offensive rating: 107.2 (29th)
Defensive rating: 108.7 (third)
All-Star Weekend moment: Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva combined for nine points in a losing effort during Friday’s first game. But this was Mac McClung’s weekend. The 6-foot-2, 26-year-old guard was a relatively quiet member of the G League team that won a game Friday night, but he solidified himself as a dunk contest legend by scoring four 50s. McClung has only played in one game for five minutes with Orlando this season, but his ability to jump over a Kia and Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley set a high bar for the contest going forward.
MAC MCCLUNG WITH A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN DUNK 😧
Another PERFECT 50 to end the #ATTSlamDunk Contest 📈 pic.twitter.com/1viDIbqozQ
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2025
Last ranking: 18
In the last week: L at OKC, L at DAL
Offensive rating: 111.2 (21st)
Defensive rating: 112.2 (10th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Before Tyler Herro made his All-Star debut Sunday, he became the fifth different Heat player to win the 3-point contest. Unlike Glen Rice, Jason Kapono, Daequan Cook and James Jones, Herro was an All-Star for the Heat as well. Jaime Jaquez Jr. also was on the floor this past weekend, losing the first game of the Rising Stars Challenge.
Last ranking: 21
In the last week: L at BOS
Offensive rating: 112.4 (16th)
Defensive rating: 114.1 (19th)
All-Star Weekend moment: I mentioned last month that I didn’t see how anyone could look forward to the skills challenge. Leave it to Chris Paul to change that after the shenanigans he and Victor Wembanyama tried to get away with Saturday. It was the moment the milquetoast event deserved, to be honest. Combine that with Rising Stars MVP rookie Stephon Castle’s efficient dunk contest performance that helped push McClung to necessary perfect scores, and there’s an argument for Wembanyama’s anointed All-Star debut coming in third for most memorable moments of the weekend for San Antonio.
CP3 and Wemby were DISQUALIFIED after trying to hack the NBA Skills Challenge 😭 pic.twitter.com/lXoyha5IQ4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 16, 2025
Last ranking: 17
In the last week: L vs. MEM, L at HOU
Offensive rating: 113.9 (11th)
Defensive rating: 115.6 (25th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Rookie Ryan Dunn actually outscored Kevin Durant in Sunday’s All-Star semifinal, so that’s something Dunn likely will remind his veteran teammate of for the rest of the season, at least. Durant was quite competitive (and agitated) Sunday night. He wasn’t trying to have the rookies beat his team Sunday, getting down in a defensive stance while repeatedly arguing for better officiating. Durant also said that he hopes he has 10 more All-Star games left in him. In the meantime, Phoenix has to worry about the fact that it’s a Grayson Allen miracle against the Jazz shy of a seven-game losing streak.
Last ranking: 25
In the last week: W vs. PHI
Offensive rating: 108.6 (27th)
Defensive rating: 114.6 (22nd)
All-Star Weekend moment: The only All-Star representative for the Brooklyn Nets was Cameron Johnson in the 3-point contest, and Johnson was eliminated quite early. But Johnson played in the last four games for Brooklyn, his longest streak of consecutive games since the day after Christmas. The Nets enter the All-Star break on a three-game win streak and are one game in the loss column out of a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
Last ranking: 23
In the last week: L vs. TOR, L at BRK
Offensive rating: 111.2 (22nd)
Defensive rating: 115.0 (23rd)
All-Star Weekend moment: What a mess. When Paul George signed this offseason, it gave the Sixers three 2024 All-Stars. Lack of availability caused Joel Embiid to miss out in 2025, while Philadelphia’s poor record canceled a repeat bid from Tyrese Maxey, the NBA’s leading non-All-Star scorer at 27.6 points per game. George has simply declined too much as a scorer to be an All-Star, no matter how much he plays, who he plays wit, or how much the Sixers win. Rookie Jared McCain was selected as a Rising Star, but he is out for the season, so he had to settle for meeting Stephen Curry. At least the Eagles won the Super Bowl.
Last ranking: 24
In the last week: L vs. DET, L vs. DET
Offensive rating: 111.6 (18th)
Defensive rating: 116.4 (27th)
All-Star Weekend moment: I loved Matas Buzelis coming out to Rage Against the Machine’s “Bulls on Parade” for the dunk contest Saturday, one night after he was an injury replacement for Rising Stars. It was all downhill from there for Buzelis, unfortunately, as he had a whale of a time simply completing a dunk.
Last ranking: 22
In the last week: L at DEN
Offensive rating: 110.2 (24th)
Defensive rating: 115.6 (24th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Nuggets rookie Julian Strawther replaced Scoot Henderson in Rising Stars because of Henderson spraining his right ankle in Denver last week. Strawther then teamed up with Portland’s second-year forward Toumani Camara and watched Trail Blazers two-way contract Bryce McGowens called game in an upset win for Team G League on Friday night.
Last ranking: 26
In the last week: W at PHI, L vs. CLE
Offensive rating: 109.9 (26th)
Defensive rating: 115.8 (26th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Gradey Dick’s team lost the first semifinal Friday night. But Dick did his part, scoring a game-high 12 points in 12 minutes on 5-of-7 shooting from the field while making 2 of 3 from 3.
Last ranking: 27
In the last week: L at ORL
Offensive rating: 107.9 (28th)
Defensive rating: 113.3 (13th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Brandon Miller was selected to be a Rising Star, but like McCain, Miller’s season is over because of injury. The Hornets are in the middle of a 21-day stretch of nine road games in a row, and their game Wednesday against the Lakers will be fascinating to watch after the failed Mark Williams-Dalton Knecht trade.
Last ranking: 28
In the last week: W vs. LAL, L vs. LAC
Offensive rating: 111.3 (20th)
Defensive rating: 118.3 (28th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Keyonte George was the lone Rising Stars player for the Jazz despite Utah having six players drafted in the top 32 picks from the last two drafts. George led his team in scoring to win the first Rising Stars semifinal before taking a back seat to Castle in the championship game Friday and Sunday’s All-Star Game.
Last ranking: 29
In the last week: L vs. SAC, W vs. SAC
Offensive rating: 109.9 (25th)
Defensive rating: 118.7 (29th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Further proof that the Pelicans can’t have nice things this season: Yves Missi has only missed three games, the fewest for a team absolutely slaughtered by the injury bug. But Missi hyperextended his right knee in the last game before the All-Star break, keeping him out of Friday’s Rising Stars event.
Last ranking: 30
In the last week: L vs. IND
Offensive rating: 105.7 (30th)
Defensive rating: 118.7 (30th)
All-Star Weekend moment: Even during All-Star Weekend, the Wizards couldn’t get a win. Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington were part of a Rising Stars team that was upset by the G League team, while Alex Sarr lost the first semifinal after attempting only two shots (both 3-pointers) in 11 minutes. Sarr went on to team up with fellow French rookie Zaccharie Risacher of the Hawks in the skills challenge, but the first two picks of the draft failed to advance.
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(Top photo of Jayson Tatum: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
