Week 6 Power Rankings: Celtics Claim Top Spot; Magic and Clippers Enter Top 10

The season has advanced beyond its 20% mark, with a total of 250 games out of 1,230 having been played so far. Although it is still relatively early in the season, we can start making a few observations about the performance of the 30 teams mentioned below.

Only two teams in each conference have been comfortably good, to the point that (barring serious health issues) they don’t have a lot to worry about. Two teams in the East — the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic — have separated themselves, mostly because of how weak the rest of the conference has been.

After that? If you’re the fifth-place team in the East, you’re only .500. If you’re the third-place team in the West, you have seven other teams with winning records (along with a team that reached the conference finals last season) on your tail.

The next couple of weeks could tell us which of these better-than-expected teams are for real, and which are not.

Plus-Minus Players of the Week

Right Way: Ivica Zubac (LAC) was a plus-74 in four games last week.Wrong Way: Tyrese Haliburton (IND) was a minus-49 in four games last week.

Teams of the Week

Make It Last Forever: Milwaukee (4-0) — The Bucks are alive!Something Just Ain’t Right: Detroit (0-3) — Just when it looked like the Pistons were making that leap …

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East vs. West

The West is 44-25 (.638) against the East in interconference games, though the East was 10-7 last week.

Schedule strength through Week 5

Toughest: 1. New Orleans, 2. Washington, 3. TorontoEasiest: 1. Cleveland, 2. Miami, 3. BostonSchedule strength is based on cumulative opponent record.

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Movement in the Rankings

High jumps of the week: Milwaukee (+10), LA Clippers (+8), San Antonio (+6)Free falls of the week: Detroit (-8), Minnesota (-8), Sacramento (-7)

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Week 6 Team to Watch

Oklahoma City — Having played seven of their last eight games at home, the Thunder embark on a four-game trip that has them visiting the Kings, Warriors, Lakers and Rockets, with a chance for revenge in a huge game at Golden State on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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Previously…

Last week: Rockets, Mavs and Lakers rise; Cavs stay at No. 1The archive: NBA.com Power Rankings

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 112.6 points scored per 100 possessions and 99.7 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.

* = Emirates NBA Cup game

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, contact him via Bluesky.