NBA Power Rankings, Week 8

In the span of a week, Anthony Davis somewhat changed the outlook of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ season. What was once an underperforming collection of aging stars is now a hot team capable of beating the NBA elite, anchored by one of the league’s best big men in Davis. But the Lakers also got a taste of what life without Davis would be like in their 116-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The other veteran team that underperformed to start the season, the Brooklyn Nets, started to build some momentum thanks to Kevin Durant. Durant led the Nets to a win streak against the teams on their schedule they should beat, but didn’t do enough to pull off a win against the red-hot Boston Celtics in their most recent game.

Then again, very few are beating the Celtics right now. Boston still owns the best record in the NBA at 20-5, and aside from a few upsets to other contenders in the East, it looks like the Celtics are the better team on the floor most nights.

As Boston dominates the Eastern Conference, the West seems to get a new potential frontrunner every week. Now the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies are gaining ground on the Phoenix Suns for the top seed in the conference.

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Kendra Andrews, Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

1. Boston Celtics
2022-23 record: 20-5
Previous ranking: 1

After sweeping a road back-to-back against the Nets and Raptors to begin a six-game trip, the league’s best team thus far will head West for the first time this season beginning Wednesday in Phoenix, before going on to Golden State Saturday and then wrapping up with a home-and-home in Los Angeles to start next week. — Bontemps

2. Milwaukee Bucks
2022-23 record: 17-6
Previous ranking: 2

Giannis Antetokounmpo, who turned 28 Tuesday, has scored at least 30 points in seven straight games, the longest streak of his career. He’s averaging 36.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists during that span and is now tied for second in the NBA (31.9 points) in scoring with Joel Embiid, behind Luka Doncic. — Collier