The 2024-25 regular season continues to roll along. As the calendar flipped from November to December, the 2024 NBA Cup is close to advancing to its quarterfinal stage.
The event has created excitement in an otherwise mundane part of the six-month schedule.
To wrap up this week, the top two seeds from both conferences squared off on Sunday for exciting finishes. Both home teams won in the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets over the visiting Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Throughout the 2024-25 season, Thunder Wire will conduct weekly NBA power rankings. Here is the latest edition for the Nov. 25-Dec. 1 slate:
Previous Ranking: 30
The Wizards haven’t tasted a win in over a month. They’ve lost 14 in a row. This was all done intentionally as Washington rebuilds its team. Kyle Kuzma could fetch a decent return as trade bait.
Previous Ranking: 24
The Pelicans’ season may already be over. Zion Williamson will be out for a while. Brandon Ingram switched to Klutch agency. That only happens when a star player asks out of their situation. Ingram could be a trade piece.
Previous Ranking: 29
The Jazz continue to collect losses. It’s a full-on rebuild in Utah. This is likely for better after attaining middling lottery picks in the last couple of drafts.
Previous Ranking: 27
The Hornets had a fun start but a five-game losing skid has them near the bottom again. LaMelo Ball will miss multiple weeks with a calf strain. Charlotte’s promising early returns has been ruined by injuries.
Previous Ranking: 28
RJ Barrett has put up scoring numbers in a losing situation. He totaled 37 points in a rare win over the Heat. Toronto has some decent pieces and Barrett is one of them.
Previous Ranking: 21
The Bulls have lost two in a row. Their defense has leaked as both losses saw the opposing team score over 130 points. Josh Giddey has struggled to stay on the court for Chicago.
Previous Ranking: 20
Deandre Ayton scored 26 points in the Trail Blazers’ win over the Kings. Donovan Clingan is out with an injury but his return will make for an interesting decision on who Portland starts between the two seven-footers.
Previous Ranking: 26
Cade Cunningham had 24 points in his return. The Pistons have been a tough out this year. This is a massive improvement from the last few years where they were the laughingstock around the league.
Previous Ranking: 23
The Sixers returned Paul George from a knee injury. They’ll need him to stay healthy. He and Joel Embiid have seldom played together. That must happen more often to escape the hole they’ve dug in the standings.
Previous Ranking: 25
The Nets have been a fun story this season but that may end soon. Cam Thomas will be out for several weeks with a hamstring strain. He’s been Brooklyn’s best scorer. If the Nets want a high lottery pick the losing needs to start.
Previous Ranking: 17
The Kings have had a disastrous start. For whatever reason, DeMar DeRozan has been an odd fit in Sacramento. The mojo there isn’t right. They are too talented to be below .500 still.
Previous Ranking: 22
The Pacers have also had a forgettable start to their season. The main culprit is Tyrese Haliburton. He went from an All-Star starter last year to not even the best player in Indiana.
Previous Ranking: 18
The Heat are consistent for better or worse. They’ve hovered around .500 for most of the season. Tyler Herro has been Miami’s best scorer. Jimmy Butler has looked better recently too.
Previous Ranking: 19
Trae Young and Jalen Johnson have the Hawks rolling. They helped them clinch a quarterfinal spot in the NBA Cup. Atlanta has won three in a row. It’s been a fun squad to keep track of this year.
Previous Ranking: 13
The record is one thing. But Anthony Edwards’ postgame burst about team morale should set off all types of alarms in Minnesota. The Timberwolves have looked like a downgrade from last season.
Previous Ranking: 16
Victor Wembanyama notched his third career triple-double in a close win over the Kings. The Spurs have been a surprise team this year. Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes have been much-needed veteran leaders in San Antonio.
Previous Ranking: 15
The Suns desperately need Kevin Durant back. What was once a hot start has sizzled out. Phoenix’s top-heavy roster will bite it if any of its three best players missed notable time.
Previous Ranking: 14
The Bucks have won six in a row. All the early panic on their slow start looks silly now. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to put up monster numbers. He’s one of the best players in the league for a reason.
Previous Ranking: 9
This was a slow week for LeBron James. He struggled to score in their loss to the Thunder. At least Dalton Knecht has looked like a steal. He could get some Rookie of the Year hype.
Previous Ranking: 7
The Clippers have turned Intuit Dome into a real home-court advantage. They’ve won eight straight home games. James Harden had a throwback performance with 43 points against the Wizards. He’s helped LA stay afloat with Kawhi Leonard still out.
Previous Ranking: 6
The Nuggets had a rough week. Giving up 145 points in a loss to the Knicks saw head coach Michael Malone rip Denver for its effort. Nikola Jokic has put up monster numbers still but the Nuggets need more from the rest of their roster.
Previous Ranking: 12
The Knicks are starting to figure. All the new pieces took some time to mesh, but they’ve racked up wins recently. Mikal Bridges scored 31 points in a blowout win over the Pelicans. He’ll sink or swim New York’s season.
Previous Ranking: 4
The Warriors have lost four in a row. Stephen Curry has missed time. But Buddy Hield has also crashed back down to Earth after an unsustainable start to his season. Golden State is better than this and has been the surprise team of the year.
Previous Ranking: 11
The Mavericks celebrated Luka Doncic’s return with a fourth straight win. Dallas not only survived but thrived in his absence. It has turned its season around after a slow start.
Previous Ranking: 10
The Grizzlies also saw the return of their superstar from injury. Ja Morant is back after missing time with a hip injury. Memphis has been one of the league’s best teams this season. It’s won six straight games.
Previous Ranking: 8
A potential death blow injury has been forgotten about. Paolo Banchero’s injury felt like a season-altering event. That’s what it did but for the right reasons for Orlando. Franz Wagner has turned into one of the league’s best players with him out. It’s won six in a row.
Previous Ranking: 5
The Rockets picked up their best win of the season over the Thunder. Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 38 points. Houston is one of the league’s best defenses. It’s taken care of bottom feeders to start this year.
Previous Ranking: 3
The Thunder turned in a successful four-game road trip with a 3-1 record. They created some distance from the Warriors and Lakers with close wins. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played like an MVP candidate in recent games.
Previous Ranking: 2
The Celtics remain one of the league’s best teams. In a matchup of top-two seeds, Boston lost a close contest against the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points.
Previous Ranking: 1
Think of the Cavaliers’ win over the Celtics as revenge. Boston handed Cleveland its first loss of the season. Since then though, they’ve lost two against the Hawks. Nonetheless, the Cavaliers have looked like a title threat this year.
