NBA Power Rankings Week 15: Utah Jazz continue to climb as the Oklahoma City Thunder enter the mix
We are now past the halfway mark of the 2019-20 NBA season, and the race to make the playoffs is shaping up nicely. There is plenty of competition in both conferences to secure one of the final postseason spots, while several standout teams are also continuing to underline their title credentials. So, as we head into Week 15 of the season, here are the latest NBA Power Rankings.
#10 Oklahoma City Thunder – Record: 28-19
Many ruled out the Thunder’s chances of qualifying for the playoffs following the offseason departures of Russell Westbrook and Paul George – although another perfect week has resulted in OKC's record jumping to 28-19. They are now eight games clear of the 9th placed Spurs – and with Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Danilo Gallinari all performing well – the Thunder are unlikely to fade anytime soon.
#9 Indiana Pacers – Record: 30-17
The Pacers should finally get Victor Oladipo back from injury this week - and incredibly, the All-Star is returning to an Indiana team with a 30-17 record. The Pacers have received little attention for their exploits this season and despite Sunday's loss to the Trail Blazers, Nate McMillan's team has been excellent since the turn of the year, and will only get better in the coming weeks.
#8 Miami Heat – Record: 31-14
Miami's form has slipped since the turn of the year, although they managed to pick up two overtime wins over the Kings and Wizards last week. Miami finished the week with a loss to the Clippers, although Erik Spoelstra's team remains competitive, and the front office could still upgrade the roster ahead of the trade deadline.