Power Rankings, Week 13: Thunder hold No. 1 spot as season nears halfway point – NBA.com

Oklahoma City stays at the top and Miami enters the Top 10 as the regular season reaches the midway point this week.
John Schuhmann
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has OKC nipping at Minnesota’s heels for No. 1 in the West as Week 13 begins.
The 2023-24 season hits the halfway mark this week. When two of Friday’s eight games are complete, we’ll be at 615/1,230, 50% of our way to the playoffs.
When we hit the halfway point last season, the Brooklyn Nets were in second place in the Eastern Conference and still had Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on their roster. In the West, the Los Angeles Lakers were in 12th place and still had Russell Westbrook.
A lot can change in the next few weeks and months. The trade deadline is 24 days away.
Plus-Minus Players of the Week
Teams of the Week
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East vs. West
Schedule strength through Week 12
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Movement in the Rankings
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Week 13 Team to Watch
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Previously…
OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
The league has averaged 115.1 points scored per 100 possessions and 99.9 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.

NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail or contact him via Twitter.
Record: 27-11
OffRtg: 120.2 (4) DefRtg: 111.0 (3) NetRtg: +9.2 (2) Pace: 101.4 (6)
The Thunder followed their win over the Celtics with a couple of brutal starts against two below-.500 teams. But they’ve since won four straight and are just a half-game behind the Wolves for first place in the Western Conference.
Three takeaways
After two games at home, the Thunder are back on the road for seven of their next eight games. They’re currently 7-5 against the other eight West teams that currently have winning records (a group that now includes Utah), set to face the Clippers (1-0), Jazz (1-0) and Wolves (1-1) on a four-game trip this week.
Week 13: @ LAL, @ LAC, @ UTA, @ MIN
Record: 30-9
OffRtg: 120.8 (3) DefRtg: 111.1 (4) NetRtg: +9.8 (1) Pace: 99.2 (18)
The Celtics have the league’s second-biggest home-road differential regarding winning percentage and its fifth-biggest regarding point differential per 100 possessions (plus-15.6 vs. plus-4.3). That’s mostly because they remain perfect (19-0) at home, but they’ve also lost three of their last four games on the road.
Three takeaways
The Celtics’ next stretch of five games in seven days isn’t until March, but they’ve got another marquee matchup this week, hosting the champs on Friday. The Celtics had won six straight against the Nuggets before losing in Denver last January.
Week 13: @ TOR, vs. SAS, vs. DEN, @ HOU
Record: 28-13
OffRtg: 118.6 (7) DefRtg: 113.0 (9) NetRtg: +5.5 (5) Pace: 98.1 (28)
The Nuggets hit the halfway mark of their season with the same record (28-13) as they had after 41 games last season. They’re in third place instead of tied for first but are 1.5 points per 100 possessions better than they were at that point last year (plus-4.0) and rank ninth instead of 19th defensively.
Three takeaways
The Nuggets got the Pacers without Tyrese Haliburton on Sunday, but that was the start of a stretch where they’re playing eight of nine games against teams that currently rank in the top 10 offensively. They’ll have a rest advantage (and it’s unknown if they’ll see Joel Embiid in uniform) when they begin a five-game trip in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The Joker goes behind his head for the DIME! 🃏🥶 pic.twitter.com/keuYoPOknu
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 13, 2024

Week 13: @ PHI, @ BOS, @ WAS
Record: 28-11
OffRtg: 114.0 (20) DefRtg: 108.4 (1) NetRtg: +5.6 (4) Pace: 98.6 (23)
The Wolves blew a great opportunity (up seven with a little more than two minutes left) to become the first team to beat the Celtics at home, and they were 2-4 in 2024 after losing that game in overtime. But they’ve since won two straight, getting a big win over the Clippers on Sunday.
Three takeaways
The Wolves will play five of their next seven games against teams that rank in the bottom six offensively, but they’ll also have two games in the next 15 days against the fourth-ranked Thunder. The home team has won the first two meetings between the top two teams in the West, with the difference between the two games being on Oklahoma City’s end of the floor. In fact, the Wolves scored exactly 106 points on 100 possessions in both games.
Week 13: @ DET, vs. MEM, vs. OKC
Record: 25-14
OffRtg: 119.0 (6) DefRtg: 113.7 (13) NetRtg: +5.3 (6) Pace: 98.2 (26)
The Clippers have gone from 12th place (when they lost their first five games with James Harden) to fourth, but they’re just 1-4 against the three teams ahead of them after losing in Minnesota on Sunday.
Three takeaways
The Clippers are playing just two games over the next eight days, though one of those — Tuesday against the Thunder — is a big one. It will be the fifth game in seven days for Oklahoma City and the Clippers are 5-1 in rest-advantage games thus far, though the first meeting (Dec. 21) was a 19-point win for the Thunder and the end to the Clips’ nine-game winning streak.
Week 13: vs. OKC, vs. BKN
Record: 24-16
OffRtg: 116.9 (12) DefRtg: 111.9 (6) NetRtg: +5.0 (7) Pace: 99.5 (17)
The Pelicans continue to pick up quality wins, and they’re 3-1 on a five-game trip that concludes with a second straight game in Dallas on Monday They’ve won seven of their last nine overall and eight of their last nine on the road, with the one loss having come in Denver on Friday night.
Three takeaways
The only top-nine team in the West that the Pels haven’t faced is the Suns, who will be in New Orleans on Friday. That’s Game 2 of a four-game homestand that also includes visits from the Jazz and Thunder. After that, they’ll have played 24 of 45 against the (current) top nine in the West.
Week 13: @ DAL, vs. CHA, vs. PHX
Record: 28-12
OffRtg: 121.1 (2) DefRtg: 116.3 (19) NetRtg: +4.8 (8) Pace: 102.4 (4)
The Bucks got their signature win, crushing the Celtics (who had played an overtime game the night before) on Thursday. And Damian Lillard got his signature moment, beating the Kings with a 32-footer at the buzzer on Sunday (when the Bucks were the team playing the second game of a back-to-back).
Three takeaways
For the next 12 days, the Bucks will only be playing the Cavs (x 3) and Pistons (x 2). They’re 3-0 against those teams thus far, with the opponents having shot 19-for-100 (that’s 19% for the non-math majors out there) over the three games.
DAMIAN LILLARD FOR THE WIN 🚨⌚️ pic.twitter.com/bJLRVh5OSr
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 15, 2024

Week 13: @ CLE, @ DET
Record: 24-13
OffRtg: 119.1 (5) DefRtg: 110.8 (2) NetRtg: +8.3 (3) Pace: 100.0 (12)
The Sixers are just 3-7 without Joel Embiid, who’s missed seven of the last nine games. But all three of those wins have come against good or decent teams, and they blew out the Kings on Friday.
Three takeaways
Stopping the Nuggets’ offense on Tuesday will be a tougher challenge, especially if Embiid is not available. He’s listed as questionable for the Sixers’ game against the Rockets on Monday afternoon.
Week 13: vs. HOU, vs. DEN, @ ORL, @ CHA
Record: 23-16
OffRtg: 122.0 (1) DefRtg: 119.3 (26) NetRtg: +2.8 (10) Pace: 103.4 (2)
Tyrese Haliburton suffered a left hamstring strain against the Celtics on Monday, but the Pacers won that game and the two (without their star) that followed it. The winning streak came to an end in Denver on Sunday afternoon, but they’ve still won nine of their last 11 games.
Three takeaways
The Pacers are one of five winless teams (they’re 0-3) in rest-disadvantage games, having scored just 112.8 points per 100 possessions over the three losses. They’ll have two more rest-disadvantage games this week, with the first (in Utah on Monday) against the hottest team in the league.
Week 13: @ UTA, @ SAC, @ POR, @ PHX
Record: 23-16
OffRtg: 114.6 (17) DefRtg: 113.1 (10) NetRtg: +1.5 (13) Pace: 98.1 (29)
Jimmy Butler has missed the Heat’s last seven (and 12 of the last 13) games, but they keep finding ways to win. They’re 9-6 without their star, having picked up an important (and narrow) win over the Magic on Friday.
Three takeaways
They’ll have two more division games this week and while the Heat’s offense hasn’t been very potent of late, their win over the Hornets began a stretch of four straight games against teams that rank in the bottom 10 defensively.
Week 13: @ BKN, @ TOR, vs. ATL, @ ORL
Record: 23-17
OffRtg: 117.5 (10) DefRtg: 116.1 (18) NetRtg: +1.4 (14) Pace: 100.8 (9)
The Mavs lost their first three games without Luka Doncic this season, but then won two straight, with the second of those Doncic-less wins being the Knicks’ first loss with OG Anunoby. But they blew a huge opportunity (regarding the standings) against a very shorthanded Pelicans team on Saturday, falling to 2-4 without their MVP candidate.
Three takeaways
The Mavs are just 5-11 in games played between the nine West teams that currently have winning records. They’ll get another shot at the fifth-place Pelicans (whom they trail by a game) on Monday, with Doncic listed as doubtful and Dereck Lively II (who’s missed the last five games) listed as questionable.
Week 13: vs. NOP, @ LAL, @ GSW
Record: 23-16
OffRtg: 117.6 (9) DefRtg: 113.4 (12) NetRtg: +4.2 (9) Pace: 98.4 (25)
The Knicks are no longer undefeated with OG Anunoby, having lost in Dallas on Thursday. But they still have the league’s No. 1 defense in 2024 and, with their win in Memphis over the weekend, have held their opponent under a point per possession in three of their seven games this month.
Three takeaways
That stretch begins with a big matchup against the Magic on Monday. The Knicks are just 2-3 (fewest games played) within the second tier (4-8) in the Eastern Conference, having lost in Orlando 16 days ago. That was their last game with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Week 13: vs. ORL, vs. HOU, vs. WAS, vs. TOR
Record: 23-16
OffRtg: 116.4 (14) DefRtg: 115.9 (17) NetRtg: +0.5 (17) Pace: 100.2 (11)
The Kings went 2-2 on the Eastern Conference portion of the five-game trip that ends in Phoenix on Tuesday, beating two of the bottom three teams in the East and losing to two of the top three.
Three takeaways
The Kings were a league-best 8-2 in interconference games before their losses in Philadelphia and Milwaukee over the weekend. Their trip ends with a big game in Phoenix, but they’ll have two more games against Eastern Conference opponents when they get home.
Week 13: @ PHX, vs. IND
Record: 21-18
OffRtg: 117.0 (11) DefRtg: 115.5 (16) NetRtg: +1.6 (12) Pace: 98.2 (27)
Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant have played in four straight games together, but while the numbers have been great with all three on the floor, quality wins remain hard to come by for the Suns.
Three takeaways
Two more games within the West’s top eight are coming this week, with the Suns currently (0-2) against the sixth-place Kings, who will be in Phoenix on Tuesday. Three nights later, the Suns will be in New Orleans to face the fifth-place Pelicans for the first time.
Week 13: vs. SAC, @ NOP, vs. IND
Record: 21-20
OffRtg: 114.4 (18) DefRtg: 116.7 (20) NetRtg: -2.3 (23) Pace: 100.7 (10)
About six weeks ago, the Jazz were 7-16, in 12th place in the West and seven games behind the sixth-place Lakers. At the midway point of their season, they’re 21-20, in ninth place and a game and a half ahead of L.A., who they beat on Saturday to extend their current winning streak (which includes wins over the Sixers, Bucks and Nuggets) to five games.
Three takeaways
The second half of the Jazz’s six-game homestand is also the end of their second stretch of five games in seven days. They’ll have a rest advantage against the Pacers on Monday, but will be at a disadvantage against the Thunder three nights later.
Week 13: vs. IND, vs. GSW, vs. OKC, @ HOU
Record: 22-15
OffRtg: 114.2 (19) DefRtg: 112.2 (8) NetRtg: +2.0 (11) Pace: 98.6 (24)
The Cavs have now played 12 games without both Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, and they’ve won nine of the 12. Their visit to Paris was a business trip, and they TCB’d the Nets.
Three takeaways
The Cavs return home for two games before embarking on a four-game trip, and they’ll play the Bucks three times in the next 12 days. They shot 6-for-43 (14%) from 3-point range in losing the first meeting less than three weeks ago.
Week 13: vs. CHI, vs. MIL, @ ATL
Record: 21-18
OffRtg: 112.2 (24) DefRtg: 111.2 (5) NetRtg: +1.0 (16) Pace: 99.6 (15)
The Magic won their first two games without Franz Wagner, but have since lost three straight, slipping to the bottom of the second tier (4-8) in the Eastern Conference.
Three takeaways
Each of these last three games without Wagner has come against teams — the Wolves, Heat and Thunder — that rank in the top 10 defensively. The Magic will now face the top-ranked defense in January, that of the Knicks. They’re currently 4-3 (2-2 on the road) in games played within that second tier of the East.
Week 13: @ NYK, @ ATL, vs. PHI, vs. MIA
Record: 19-22
OffRtg: 112.5 (22) DefRtg: 114.7 (15) NetRtg: -2.2 (22) Pace: 96.7 (30)
The Bulls are 4-1 since Zach LaVine (and Nikola Vucevic) returned from an extended absence, though it’s worth noting that three of those four wins have come against the Hornets (x 2) and Spurs (without Victor Wembanyama).
Three takeaways
Their win in San Antonio on Saturday began a stretch (that takes them to the All-Star break) where the Bulls are playing 11 of 15 games on the road. But it’s a relatively easy schedule regarding the opponents and there’s an opportunity to climb back to .500 if they continue to play relatively well.
Week 13: @ CLE, @ TOR, vs. MEM
Record: 19-19
OffRtg: 113.1 (21) DefRtg: 112.1 (7) NetRtg: +1.0 (15) Pace: 98.7 (22)
The Rockets are 1-3 on the six-game trip that concludes with a couple of tough games this week and, with the Jazz on a run, Houston has slipped into 10th place in the Western Conference.
Three takeaways
The Rockets are just three wins from matching their total from last season (22-60) and have won their last three games when they’ve had a chance to climb above or fall below .500. But their road trip continues with a game in Philly on Monday afternoon and they lost to the Sixers (without Joel Embiid) at home less than three weeks ago.
Week 13: @ PHI, @ NYK, vs. UTA, vs. BOS
Record: 19-21
OffRtg: 112.2 (23) DefRtg: 114.0 (14) NetRtg: -1.8 (21) Pace: 101.1 (8)
With the Jazz continuing to win, the Lakers have slipped out of Play-In position and into 11th place in the Western Conference. And it’s not clear that they have what it takes to get back above .500.
Three takeaways
The Lakers will play their next six games in L.A., a stretch that begins with a visit from the second-place Thunder on Monday. They’ve won just two of their last eight games against the top 10 in the West, but one of those two wins was in Oklahoma City just before Christmas. James scored a season-high 40 points in that game but is listed as questionable for Monday.
Week 13: vs. OKC, vs. DAL, vs. BKN, vs. POR
Record: 15-24
OffRtg: 115.5 (15) DefRtg: 116.9 (21) NetRtg: -1.4 (19) Pace: 99.5 (16)
The Raptors won three of their first four games with Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, but they went 0-3 on the second half of their six-game road trip, and the free-throw discrepancy wasn’t to blame for the last two of those losses.
Three takeaways
The Raptors are just a game and a half out of the Play-In Club, with the 10th-place Nets continuing to slide. But the post-trade results haven’t kept the focus off of what’s going to happen with Pascal Siakam in the next 3 1/2 weeks. They will play five of their next six games at home but have some tough opponents in town this week.
Week 13: vs. BOS, vs. MIA, vs. CHI, @ NYK
Record: 18-21
OffRtg: 116.7 (13) DefRtg: 117.7 (24) NetRtg: -1.0 (18) Pace: 99.7 (13)
The Warriors did not get Draymond Green back last week, and they did not play well against the Pelicans on Wednesday, suffering their worst loss of the season. They began a four-game trip with a win in Chicago, but still haven’t won two straight games since before Christmas.
Three takeaways
So it’s a good time for Green to be making his return, and he’s not on the injury report for their game in Memphis on Monday. The Warriors are 4-0 against the three teams below them in the Western Conference standings, yet to face the 13th-place and injury-depleted Grizzlies.
Week 13: @ MEM, @ UTA, vs. DAL
Record: 14-25
OffRtg: 107.8 (29) DefRtg: 113.2 (11) NetRtg: -5.4 (25) Pace: 99.7 (14)
The hits just keep on coming for the Grizzlies. On Monday, they announced that Ja Morant is out for the season with a labral tear in his right shoulder. On Tuesday, Marcus Smart suffered a finger injury that will keep him out through the All-Star break. And on Friday, Desmond Bane suffered an ankle sprain that will keep him out for at least six weeks. Jaren Jackson (knee contusion) also missed two of their three games last week.
Three takeaways
Two of those 15 home losses have come (by a total of 46 points) against the Wolves, and the Grizzlies will begin a four-game trip in Minnesota on Thursday. First, they face the Warriors for the first time.
Week 13: vs. GSW, @ MIN, @ CHI
Record: 16-22
OffRtg: 115.3 (16) DefRtg: 117.0 (23) NetRtg: -1.8 (20) Pace: 98.9 (21)
The Nets are somehow still in the Play-In Club, though they’ve lost 12 of their last 15 games, having gone to Paris and fallen into a 26-point hole against the Cavs.
Three takeaways
The Nets are home for just one game before heading out West for three. They’ll have a rest advantage against the Heat on Monday, having won two of the first three meetings.
Week 13: vs. MIA, @ POR, @ LAL, @ LAC
Record: 15-23
OffRtg: 117.9 (8) DefRtg: 120.4 (27) NetRtg: -2.5 (24) Pace: 102.3 (5)
The Hawks have two wins over good teams — the Thunder and Sixers — in January. And both times, they’ve followed up the win with two losses in which their top-10 offense has come up empty.
Three takeaways
The Hawks are just 3-14 against the eight Eastern Conference teams that currently have winning records, set to face three of them this week. One of those three wins was in Orlando, and the Magic will be in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Week 13: vs. SAS, vs. ORL, @ MIA, vs. CLE
Record: 7-31
OffRtg: 111.7 (25) DefRtg: 120.9 (30) NetRtg: -9.2 (27) Pace: 103.5 (1)
After five straight tough games to start 2024, the Wizards’ schedule has started to get a little easier, and they got an easy, 28-point win in Atlanta on Saturday, putting an end to a six-game losing streak.
Three takeaways
The Wizards remain the only team that hasn’t won two straight games, but a home game against the Pistons on Monday afternoon is the best possible chance to shed that distinction. They have two games each against Detroit and San Antonio over the next 15 days.
Week 13: vs. DET, @ NYK, vs. SAS, vs. DEN
Record: 7-31
OffRtg: 109.0 (27) DefRtg: 118.0 (25) NetRtg: -8.9 (26) Pace: 102.6 (3)
Your best argument for the West being much better than the East might be that the Spurs (0-11 vs. the East before Wednesday) beat the Pistons and Hornets by a combined 58 points last week. Those were, easily, their two most dominant wins of the season.
Three takeaways
Wembanyama sat out the Chicago loss and has now missed the second game of each of the Spurs’ last three back-to-backs. They’ll have another one Friday and Saturday (at Charlotte and Washington), Games 3 and 4 of a five-game trip that begins Monday afternoon in Atlanta.
Week 13: @ ATL, @ BOS, @ CHA, @ WAS
Record: 10-29
OffRtg: 107.1 (30) DefRtg: 117.0 (22) NetRtg: -9.9 (28) Pace: 99.1 (19)
It might say a lot about the Nets that the Blazers got a win in Brooklyn eight days ago because Portland has lost its other seven January games by an average of 30 points.
Three takeaways
The schedule gets a little easier over the next two weeks, with five of the Blazers’ next seven games against teams that are currently at or below .500. They beat the Nets behind 38 points and 11 assists from Simons eight days ago, and they’ll face them again on Wednesday.
Week 13: vs. BKN, vs. IND, @ LAL
Record: 8-29
OffRtg: 108.9 (28) DefRtg: 120.7 (29) NetRtg: -11.9 (30) Pace: 98.9 (20)
LaMelo Ball returned from a 20-game absence on Friday, but he hasn’t been able to get the Hornets back in the win column. They’ve lost five straight and 16 of their last 17.
Three takeaways
The loss in Miami began a stretch where the Hornets are playing five of seven games against teams that rank in the top 10 defensively. But they’ll get a second shot at the Spurs’ 25th-ranked defense on Friday.
Week 13: @ NOP, vs. SAS, vs. PHI
Record: 3-36
OffRtg: 109.3 (26) DefRtg: 120.6 (28) NetRtg: -11.2 (29) Pace: 101.3 (7)
The Pistons got their first chance to play the last-place team in the other conference, but they were without Cade Cunningham and lost by 22, allowing the Spurs to register their most efficient offensive performance of the season (130 points on 98 possessions).
Three takeaways
They got clobbered by the Spurs, but the Pistons will get to play three games against the Wizards (x 2) and Hornets over the next two weeks. Their six-game homestand (which begins Wednesday) also includes four games against the Wolves, Bucks (x 2) and Thunder.
Week 13: @ WAS, vs. MIN, vs. MIL
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