NBA Power Rankings Update – January 21

The Eastern Conference is wide open heading into this weekend. There are just 2.5 games separating the top six teams in the East before Friday night’s games tipped off, and the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are currently tied for the top spot in the conference. Only 6.5 games separate the 10^th seed from the No. 1 seed too, so it is conceivable for one of the top teams to miss the playoffs entirely if they hit a bad stretch or suffer a couple major injuries.

1. Brooklyn Nets

This Week’s Odds: +290

Last Week’s Odds: +280

Kevin Durant will miss at least a month after spraining the MCL in his left knee last weekend. Durant was one of the frontrunners to be named NBA MVP, so his absence until at least February is going to be hard for Brooklyn to overcome. Kyrie Irving has only played five games as he continues to refuse to be vaccinated, so the burden is squarely on James Harden’s shoulders.

2. Golden State Warriors

This Week’s Odds: +375

Last Week’s Odds: +350

It’s been a rough past couple weeks for the Golden State Warriors. They were hoping to take off with the return of Klay Thompson, but they have lost six of their last ten games. Golden State is now 3.5 games behind Phoenix in the Pacific Division, and Thompson has struggled to get his feet under him. Andrew Wiggins is playing well in a complementary role though, averaging 18.3 PPG while making 48.7% of his field goals and 41.6% of his threes.

3. Milwaukee Bucks

This Week’s Odds: +700

Last Week’s Odds: +750

Giannis Antetokuonmpo can never be counted out. The two-time NBA MVP is having a stellar season, averaging 28.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 6.1 APG for the Milwaukee Bucks. The defending champions are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, but they have the third lowest odds to win the NBA Championship for a reason.

4. Phoenix Suns

This Week’s Odds: +700

Last Week’s Odds: +850

The Phoenix Suns are fully in the driver’s seat in the Western Conference. Phoenix has won five in a row to move to 35-9, and the Suns are close to being favorites to locking up homecourt advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs. They don’t have a single top ten player, but they have a collection of talented players that gel well together with Chris Paul running things on the perimeter.

5. Utah Jazz

This Week’s Odds: +1000 (No Change)

We have seen the Utah Jazz really struggle in recent weeks. They have lost six of their last seven games, and they have fallen to bad teams like Houston, Detroit, and Indiana during this stretch. The lack of quality guard play aside from Donovan Mitchell has really hurt the Jazz, as Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley Jr., and Joe Ingles are all having a tough time.

6. Los Angeles Lakers

This Week’s Odds: +1400 (No Change)

LeBron James is dead last on the Los Angeles Lakers in plus/minus. James is trying to carry a team that was poorly constructed this offseason, and that has led to him playing center in smallball lineups and getting taken advantage of in the paint. It’s been a very disappointing year for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Russell Westbrook was recently benched for his poor play.

7. Miami Heat

This Week’s Odds: +1400 (No Change)

The team with the most enticing odds on the board might be the Miami Heat. Erik Spoelstra has proven he is one of the best coaches in the league, and the Heat can still make a few moves at the trade deadline. Jimmy Butler is back in the lineup, and there is a lot of depth on this roster.

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