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NBA midseason power rankings: 30 words for 30 teams

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Welcome to theScore's biweekly NBA power rankings, where you'll find roughly 30 words on all 30 teams every other week through the end of the season.

This edition of our rankings comes to you later in the week, as we celebrate the crossing of the season's official halfway point. Without further ado...

1. Golden State Warriors (36-6)

The Warriors have quietly surged to No. 1 on the defensive end and leapfrogged Toronto for No. 1 on the offensive end, are on pace for 70 wins, and should only get better from here.

2. San Antonio Spurs (32-9)

The Spurs are on pace to follow up the best regular season in the franchise's storied history with...the second-best regular season in franchise history.

3. Houston Rockets (33-12)

Speaking of franchise history, James Harden and Mike D'Antoni have Daryl Morey's retooled team on pace for the Rockets' first-ever 60-win season.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-11)

The Cavs have lost four of seven despite the fact that LeBron James suited up for all those games, and only two of seven came against winning teams.

5. Los Angeles Clippers (29-14)

The Clippers will tumble down these rankings in the coming weeks without Chris Paul, but for now, we honor their league-leading seven-game win streak and their 5-2 record against the top seven here.

6. Toronto Raptors (28-14)

Losing in Philly is a reminder there are no guaranteed victories, but after a brutal stretch of schedule between late December and mid-January, only five of Toronto's next 18 games are against winning teams (and one of those is the Paul-less Clippers).

7. Utah Jazz (27-16)

Rudy Gobert ranks in the top 15 for Win Shares, Value Over Replacement Player, and Real Plus-Minus, making him the only big man to rank that high in all three metrics.

8. Oklahoma City Thunder (25-18)

With all due respect to the playoff-bound Thunder, only two questions matter in OKC right now - "What did Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook say to each other?" and "How is Westbrook going to get Zaza Pachulia's ass back?"

9. Boston Celtics (26-16)

What's more embarrassing for a so-called contender than a 2-11 record against the top-10 teams in these rankings? Getting punked at home by the Porzingis-less Knicks.

10. Washington Wizards (22-19)

Washington's 15-6 record since Dec. 8 is the best mark in the East, fourth-best overall, and has included the Wizards posting top-10 ratings in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

11. Memphis Grizzlies (25-19)

After starting the season 12-0 in games either decided by five points or less or in overtime, Memphis has now lost four of six in those situations.

12. Atlanta Hawks (24-18)

Atlanta's returned to the East's top four by winning nine of 11, but only one of those wins came against a winning team (though it was San Antonio), so don't give up on a Paul Millsap trade just yet.

13. Indiana Pacers (22-19)

Much like the Hawks, the Pacers have climbed the East ladder by beating also-rans in the last couple weeks, but it's worth mentioning Jeff Teague has been averaging roughly 17 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds for over a month.

14. Charlotte Hornets (21-21)

Perhaps the most disappointing team in the East's middle tier, a December-January slump might have cost Kemba Walker an All-Star spot for the second straight year.

15. Milwaukee Bucks (20-21)

If the Bucks get Khris Middleton back for the final two months of the regular season, a top-four seed could be within reason, and 'Fear The Deer' will finally be an appropriate warning.

16. Chicago Bulls (21-22)

That this mismatched collection of talent is even a middle-of-the-pack team speaks to the two-way excellence of Jimmy Butler, who's somehow still getting better.

17. Detroit Pistons (20-24)

The only reason the Hornets are the most disappointing team of the East's middle tier is because the Pistons aren't even mediocre enough to qualify for mid-tier status.

18. Denver Nuggets (17-23)

Nikola Jokic turns 22 in a month, will earn less than $4.5 million combined between now and 2019, and is probably already the best player on the Western Conference's 8-seed.

19. Philadelphia 76ers (14-26)

Not only have the Sixers won seven of nine (and 10 of 18 overall), they're also 12-12 with Joel Embiid in the lineup since Nov. 11, and Ben Simmons hasn't even touched the floor yet.

20. New Orleans Pelicans (17-26)

If the Pelicans can keep Anthony Davis healthy, New Orleans might just be awarded the West's final playoff spot by default.

21. New York Knicks (19-24)

Not even a resounding win in Boston can distract from the latest mess at MSG. Derrick Rose briefly went missing, Carmelo Anthony and Phil Jackson are at odds, the defense is a joke, and Kristaps Porzingis is ailing.

22. Portland Trail Blazers (18-26)

The only hope for Portland fans is that a terrible defensive team can catch lightning in a bottle in the second half of the season for a second straight year.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-28)

Let's check in on Tom Thibodeau and the T-Wolves:

On second thought, maybe next week...

24. Dallas Mavericks (14-27)

The Mavs have played .500 ball over their last 20 games, and are somehow within 3.5 games of eighth in this sham of a West playoff race...can Dirk and Rick do it again?

25. Sacramento Kings (16-25)

The Kings blew a 22-point home lead against the Pacers on Wednesday while losing Rudy Gay to a torn Achilles, and are now on pace to lose 50 games for the eighth time in nine seasons (prorating the lockout year).

26. Phoenix Suns (13-28)

The Suns are in last place out West and might be wise to build through the draft. They're also 4.5 games out of eighth, and might have the assets to chase a star.

27. Orlando Magic (17-27)

Orlando's slim playoff hopes always relied on the Magic's defensive potential making up for their stunning lack of NBA-quality scoring talent. At the halfway point, the team ranks 21st in defensive efficiency.

28. Miami Heat (12-30)

The Heat were never going to be good this season, but injuries have derailed what was at least a competitive losing team and revved up the tanks in South Beach.

29. Los Angeles Lakers (15-31)

The Lakers have lost 21 of 26, but they're still a fun, young team and have immensely improved their odds of retaining their top-three protected 2017 pick. Plus, it could be worse. They could be the Nets.

30. Brooklyn Nets (8-33)

The Nets, unfortunately, are the Nets. It could not be worse.

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