Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 16 of the 2023-24 season (Feb. 5-11).
The NBA is about to take a small hiatus as the All-Star Game approaches. This is always an important part of the year, a little more than halfway through the season, because it allows people to see who is the best and worst teams in the league.
The latest power rankings show a mix of teams, some surprising and some completely expected.
Dallas Mavericks
Kyrie Irving is back and the Mavericks have a couple of new recruits and they have won four games in a row and sit just behind the Phoenix Suns.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers are without Joel Embiid, who recently had a serious knee injury. They have been struggling with just two wins in their last ten games. They have slipped down to fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 31-21 record but they don't know when Embiid will be back.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Doc Rivers era hasn't gotten off to the best start, having lost their last six of ten games but remain the third team in the Eastern Conference with a 34-19 record. They are not currently looking like championship contenders.
New York Knicks
The Knicks went on a nine-game winning streak but have recently lost two in a row and have become the fourth team in the East. The momentum they once had seems to be gone but they could get it back with their new players.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are battling with the Oklahoma City Thunder for third place in the Western Conference with a 36-17 record. They have won their last seven of ten games.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Tied with the Nuggets, the Thunder have won six of their last ten games and are hoping to score a few more wins before the All-Star Break.
With 35 wins and just 16 losses, the Clippers are undoubtably one of the best teams in the Western Conference after years of falling short. Over their last ten games, they have only lost two times.
The Timberwolves are still the best team in the Western Conference with a 36-16 record, although the Clippers are close behind them and actually briefly dethroned them.
The Celtics have won four games in a row and have taken eight of their last ten games. They still have the best record in the Eastern Conference and are five games ahead of the second seed.
Speaking of the second seed, the Cavaliers are the second-best team in the East but they are playing like the best team in the entire NBA. After an up-and-down start, they have won 17 of their last 18 games and have only lost twice in 2024. Fully healthy and fully competitive, this is the most promising team in the NBA right now.
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 16 of the 2023-24 season (Feb. 5-11).