Deciphering the NBA's 2022-23 hierarchy feels like an increasingly futile pursuit every week.

As we roll into this year's slate of Christmas Day games, the parity throughout the league is absurd. The Cleveland Cavaliers lead in net rating, but they're hardly running away from a field that includes 17 teams between plus-3.0 and minus-2.0.

The only team that's really looked like a juggernaut for any sustained stretch, the Boston Celtics, has been mediocre, at best, in December.

The Brooklyn Nets are Boston's inverse.

Up and down the standings, you can find plenty of examples of up-and-down teams. But while that might make the power rankings a tricky endeavor, we're still here to sort things out for you.

As always, championship chances, numbers, recent performance and plenty of subjectivity will be our guides.

30. Charlotte Hornets (8-24)

Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -7.3

The Charlotte Hornets are probably bad enough that the return of LaMelo Ball won't take them out of the chase for Victor Wembanyama.

Despite averages of 23.4 points, 8.0 assists and 4.4 threes and a 38.9 three-point percentage, Ball has led Charlotte to a 2-6 record in his eight games.

And if the Hornets are able to unload one or two veterans between now and the trade deadline, losses might pile up with even more frequency.

In the short term, a season like this isn't a ton of fun, but if it results in a Ball-Wembanyama pairing, it will have been worth it.

29. San Antonio Spurs (10-21)

Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -9.1

This season has featured a lot of unexpected winning streaks, but the San Antonio Spurs notching three straight in mid-December has to be near the top of that list.

This week, they went back to looking like the team they've been for most of the season.

Despite the occasional high from an individual player (like Jeremy Sochan's career-high 23 points in Thursday's loss to the New Orleans Pelicans), San Antonio still has the worst net rating in the league and an inside track on one of the top picks in the 2023 draft.

28. Washington Wizards (12-21)

Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -3.1

The Washington Wizards had a 69.5 percent win probability when they went up eight early in the second half of Thursday's road loss to the Utah Jazz. The latest meltdown pushed Washington to 2-14 in its last 16 games.

And if it wasn't there already, the front office has to start thinking about "blow it up" trades. This team doesn't figure to compete for a title (or even a playoff spot) any time soon, and if it can get someone to take on the $207.7 million Bradley Beal is owed from 2023-24 through 2026-27, it should probably jump on it.

This week, buzz emerged on that front, when The Athletic's Jovan Buha wrote, "In the ultimate pie-in-the-sky scenario, the Lakers have interest in Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal if any of the three stars were to become available."

Washington has the ability to lower that pie, and this disastrous run should convince it to do so.

Of course, he's not the only player the Wizards might be able to move for some assets either. Kyle Kuzma is putting up a career-high 21.5 points, and Kristaps Porziņģis is going for 22.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.8 threes and 1.5 blocks.

27. Detroit Pistons (8-26)

Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -7.2

The Detroit Pistons are as in on the Victor Wembanyama chase as anyone, with a league-leading 26 losses and a pretty easy path to getting worse.

Nobody's bringing more competence to the Pistons than Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks, both of whom have played more than well enough to generate some interest in the trade market.

If the Pistons can get some longterm assets in exchange for one or both, they'll all but seal their spot in the bottom three of the league. That, of course, would give them a 14 percent chance to land the top pick in the lottery.

26. Houston Rockets (9-22)

Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -6.1

The Houston Rockets had a 4-2 stretch in early December that gave us a sneak peak of what the core is capable of, but their current four-game losing streak has kept them in the hunt for the top pick in the draft and the chance to add Victor Wembanyama to this team.

Even with the losses piling up, the foundational pieces already in place continue offer reasons to be hopeful about the future, too.

Their shooting marks leave a lot to be desired (both have below-average effective field-goal percentages), but Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. are averaging 21.3 points and 18.9, respectively.

And after shooting 28.6 percent from deep over his first 12 games, rookie Jabari Smith Jr. is at 38.2 percent from three since then.

25. Los Angeles Lakers (13-18)

Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -1.7

Vibes around the Los Angeles Lakers were pretty good when Anthony Davis was dominating and the team went 8-2 over a 10-game stretch from mid-November to early December.

But AD's current absence and a 3-6 record since those 10 games have L.A. in serious jeopardy of missing the play-in tournament altogether.

When Davis is off the floor, LeBron James is averaging 30.6 points and 6.3 assists per 75 possessions, with a 59.4 true shooting percentage, but the team has a minus-2.4 net rating.

In the absence of AD, who's expected to be out at least a few more weeks, LeBron just doesn't have enough help.

24. Chicago Bulls (13-18)

Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -1.4

Speculation about the future of the Chicago Bulls' "big three" (for lack of a better term) is suddenly rampant, and back-to-back road wins over the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks to close the week probably won't slow it down.

More than a third of the way into the season, it seems pretty clear that the core of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević isn't leading Chicago to the level of Eastern Conference contenders like the Milwaukee Bucks or Boston Celtics.

And reports like the one featured in The Athletic this week, which detailed an on-court disconnect between LaVine and DeRozan, could suddenly feel more common and lead to more substantial trade rumors.

Right now, the Bulls are within striking distance of a bottom-three record and a 14 percent chance at the top pick of the draft. They can actually keep that pick if it lands in the top four—otherwise, they'll be sending it to the Orlando Magic as part of the Vučević deal.

This bad start and the chance to get in on the Victor Wembanyama chase should have the Bulls aggressively shopping all three of the aforementioned stars.

23. Orlando Magic (12-21)

Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -3.4

With their current 7-1 stretch that includes back-to-back wins over the Boston Celtics, the Orlando Magic could suddenly have visions of the play-in tournament dancing in their heads.

They're now within three games of 10th place, and they might already have one of the game's best forward duos.

Over these past eight games, rookie Paolo Banchero is averaging 22.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.0 threes while shooting 42.1 percent from deep. In the same stretch, Franz Wagner is going for 21.4 points and 2.1 threes.

22. Oklahoma City Thunder (14-18)

Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -1.4

With back-to-back wins over the Portland Trail Blazers to close the week, the Oklahoma City Thunder have moved to within two games of the play-in tournament.

And with how good Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been this season, the front office may have a decision to make pretty soon.

SGA is averaging 31.2 points and 5.7 assists. When he's on the floor, OKC has a point differential around that of a 40-win team. If he and the team keep this up, there's a chance they miss out on the lottery and a chance to add Victor Wembanyama to this group.

When Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor, that point differential drops to around that of a 23-win. That raises the obvious question: Do the Thunder have to find some way to shut Gilgeous-Alexander down?

Exceeding expectations is fun, but the idea of an SGA-Wembanyama two-man game might be even better.

21. Golden State Warriors (15-18)

Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: -1.3

There may have been a little hope that the Golden State Warriors could hover around .500 during Stephen Curry's absence, but their first four games without him (at least in this stretch) should probably squash that.

Golden State is 1-4 since Curry left the rotation with a shoulder injury, and the past two losses were by a combined 68 points. The Warriors gave up 91 in a half (yes, 91) to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

On the season, they're now 1-6 without Curry, and we still don't have a firm timeline for when he'll be back. It's officially time to start wondering if they'll even make the play-in tournament.

20. Toronto Raptors (14-18)

Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: +0.3

The Toronto Raptors entered Wednesday's contest against the New York Knicks on a six-game losing streak. The Knicks had won eight in a row, and the Raptors (mostly Pascal Siakam) snapped both teams' streaks.

With his team closing in on desperation mode and several of his teammates suddenly populating the rumor mill, Siakam put up a career-high 52 points on 17-of-25 shooting.

Though there are still plenty of concerns generated by the losing, Wednesday was a reminder of this team's ceiling. It still has a better point differential than a handful of .500 teams (including the Los Angeles Clippers), features a bona fide All-NBA candidate in Siakam and is better suited for positionless basketball than almost any team in the league.

It's not too late to count out a sophomore surge from Scottie Barnes. And if that happens, the Raptors could get back into the top six and avoid the madness of the play-in tournament.

19. Atlanta Hawks (16-16)

Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -1.4

The Atlanta Hawks have been up and down all season. There's been drama between Trae Young and coach Nate McMillan. Both Young and Dejounte Murray have missed some time to injuries. John Collins might be having the worst season of his career amid continuing trade rumors.

And yet, the foundation of the team may be OK.

The Hawks are plus-3.9 points per 100 possessions when Young and Murray are both on the floor (not great, but also not bad). While there has certainly been a learning curve for both of the ball-dominant guards, winning those minutes is encouraging.

There's still time for both to adjust, especially Young, who could benefit from more off-ball action like Stephen Curry.

18. Indiana Pacers (16-16)

Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: -0.9

Every time it seems like the Indiana Pacers might fade out of the playoff race, they come up with an unexpected win that forces us to reevaluate their place in the league.

This week, after going up by 28 points at halftime, they held off a Boston Celtics rally to get back to .500 and maintain a cushion between themselves and 11th place in the standings (the first spot that is eliminated from playoff consideration).

And with sincerest apologies to Wally Szczerbiak, Indiana's better-than-expected campaign can largely be credited to "legitimate All-Star candidate" Tyrese Haliburton.

After going for 33 points and eight assists against Boston, Haliburton is up to 20.0 points and a league-leading 10.6 assists on the season, making him one of just two 20-10 guys in the league right now (along with James Harden).

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-16)

Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -0.1

The Minnesota Timberwolves might have a Rudy Gobert problem (and we won't even touch the price it took to acquire him).

After nine seasons as one of the game's most positively impactful players, Gobert now has a career-worst minus-3.1 net rating swing (meaning the team is minus-1.6 points per 100 possessions with Gobert on the floor and plus-1.5 with him off). He came back for Wednesday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks, right after the team went 3-0 without him.

Perhaps most concerning, Anthony Edwards is averaging 21.3 points per 75 possessions with a 54.6 true shooting percentage when Gobert is on the floor, compared to 24.0 with a 57.8 true shooting percentage when Gobert is out.

16. Miami Heat (16-16)

Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: -1.3

Right when it looked like the Miami Heat were getting on track with a four-game winning streak, they lost to the spiraling Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

It'd be easy to chalk the disappointment up to the absence of Jimmy Butler. The problem with that, of course, is that it's hard to believe the absences will ever stop. Butler hasn't gotten to 60 appearances in a season since 2018-19 (and hasn't gotten to 70 since 2016-17).

If that trend holds (and his 12 absences already this season suggest it will), Miami will have a hard time escaping the play-in range. Finishing there would dramatically decrease the Heat's odds of making the playoffs, potentially depriving us of the one stretch each season when we know Butler will consistently be available and ready to dominate.

15. Dallas Mavericks (16-16)

Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: +1.4

The Dallas Mavericks got a much-needed win on Thursday, evening their overall record at .500 and moving them to 4-11 on the road.

Still, Dallas is 3-5 over its past eight and continues to look way too reliant on Luka Dončić.

The fifth-year playmaker and MVP candidate is averaging 53.8 "points plus points by assist" per game, and the Mavs are averaging 119.8 points per 100 possessions (a mark that ranks in the 93rd percentile) when he's on the floor.

When he leaves, that offensive rating plummets by a whopping 14.3 points.

Dallas desperately needs someone to at least make the offense passable when Luka is out. It wouldn't hurt to have one more playmaker on top of he and Spencer Dinwiddie to lighten Dončić's load when he's in the game, too.

14. Utah Jazz (19-16)

Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: +1.4

The Utah Jazz have certainly cooled off since their 10-3 start, but the same cannot be said of Lauri Markkanen.

Catch-all metrics from around the internet suggest he's producing like a top-20 player this season, behind an average of 22.8 points and a 67.0 true shooting percentage.

Prior to this season, the only player who'd matched or exceeded both of those marks for an entire season was Stephen Curry in 2017-18 (though Nikola Jokić and Kevin Durant are on pace to join the club with Markkanen this season).

13. Portland Trail Blazers (17-15)

Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: +0.3

A 6-2 stretch from early to mid-December had the Portland Trail Blazers headed for what felt like legitimacy, but closing this week with back-to-back losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder is a bit of a downer.

Sure, both games were in OKC, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is good enough to have anyone on upset alert when facing him, but a real contender probably wins at least one of those contests.

It's safe to say Damian Lillard is all the way back after a down 2021-22 (he's averaging 29.4 points, 7.1 assists and 5.7 threes over his last nine games). And his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than it was last season. But a near-.500 record, around average net rating and performances like these two against the Thunder suggest something is still missing.

12. Sacramento Kings (17-13)

Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: +2.2

The Sacramento Kings have been one of this season's best stories, and their versatile, sweet-shooting frontcourt has been a big part of their success.

Domantas Sabonis is putting up 17.9 points, a league-leading 12.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists. He shouldn't just be getting All-Star consideration. There might even be an All-NBA case.

Meanwhile, after an ice-cold start to the season, Harrison Barnes has hit a respectable 36.1 percent from deep over his last 21 appearances. As for Keegan Murray, he's putting up 15.2 points and 3.4 threes while shooting 48.6 percent from deep over his last 10 games.

For the season, when all three of the above are on the floor, Sacramento is plus-10.8 points per 100 possessions.

11. New York Knicks (18-14)

Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: +2.6

The streak had to end eventually, but Wednesday's loss to the Toronto Raptors shouldn't squash the good vibes of the New York Knicks' eight straight wins.

This team has started to defend like a Tom Thibodeau squad, Julius Randle is looking like his All-NBA self again, Jalen Brunson is one of the game's steadier floor generals and the switch to Quentin Grimes as the starting 2 seems to have filled a lot of gaps.

Grimes missed Wednesday's loss (perhaps part of why they came up short), but he's averaging 11.2 points, 2.5 assists and 1.9 threes while shooting 39.2 percent from deep since he entered the starting lineup on November 20.

On a team that dominates the ball with Randle, Brunson and RJ Barrett, a low-usage floor-spacer, ball-mover and defender like Grimes is a perfect fit.

10. Los Angeles Clippers (19-14)

Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: -0.1

Kawhi Leonard has been appearing more consistently of late. His numbers are starting to look more like the old Kawhi's too.

Since December 5, Leonard has missed only two games and is averaging 19.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 30.2 minutes.

There's still a ways to go, but after weeks of mystery to start the season, it's nice to finally be getting some stability from Leonard.

Lost in all the analysis of Kawhi is just how good Paul George has been. With averages of 23.4 points, 5.0 assists and 2.9 threes, George deserves a ton of credit for keeping the Los Angeles Clippers afloat without Leonard.

L.A. is plus-8.0 points per 100 possessions with PG on the floor and minus-8.4 without him.

9. Phoenix Suns (19-13)

Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: +5.1

The Phoenix Suns emerged from a five-game losing streak by winning three in a row, but they closed this week with a disappointing loss to the reeling Washington Wizards.

Of course, Devin Booker missed that contest with groin soreness. With the 58 points on 21-of-35 shooting he registered in Saturday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans, it's easy to imagine him making the difference in the game against Washington.

And though it might be tempting to attribute the Suns' underwhelming record to health, the team is just 5-5 when all three of Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton play.

Something else is amiss. If it's as simple as plugging someone in who actually plays into Jae Crowder's roster spot, then Phoenix needs to make a deal soon.

8. Philadelphia 76ers (18-12)

Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: +4.1

The Philadelphia 76ers are finally starting to string some wins together and look like the contender plenty expected them to be before the season started.

During their current six-game winning streak, the division of labor between the top four scorers feels almost perfect.

Joel Embiid is averaging 34.3 points and 4.0 assists. James Harden is adding 20.7 points and 11.3 assists. Tobias Harris is averaging 18.0 and shooting 44.8 percent from three. And De'Anthony Melton is pitching in 16.4 points, 3.8 threes and 2.4 steals.

If those roles and production can remain relatively steady after the return of Tyrese Maxey (reportedly still a few weeks away), Philadelphia could start to threaten the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics at the top of the East.

7. Memphis Grizzlies (19-11)

Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: +4.0

The Memphis Grizzlies' stint at the top of the power rankings and the Western Conference standings was short-lived thanks to back-to-back losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets.

Of course, the former is more concerning than the latter, which happened in Denver, but even that shouldn't raise too many alarms.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is good enough to surprise anyone on any given night, and Memphis still hasn't played a single minute with all of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. all available. That the Grizzlies are this good in spite of that should concern the rest of the NBA.

6. New Orleans Pelicans (19-12)

Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: +5.0

Zion Williamson had been on a tear over his last 10 games, with averages of 29.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists, but he entered the league's health and safety protocols ahead of Thursday's contest.

Fortunately for the New Orleans Pelicans, that game was against the San Antonio Spurs.

New Orleans cruised to its first victory since December 11 behind 40 points from CJ McCollum, a performance that punctuates a strong recent stretch.

Over his first 21 appearances of the season, McCollum averaged 17.0 points and 5.9 assists while shooting 39.5 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from three.

In his last six, he's at 28.2 points and 6.2 assists with a 48.5 field-goal percentage and a 47.1 three-point percentage.

If this upcoming stretch without Zion gives McCollum a chance to solidify whatever confidence he's gained lately, New Orleans will be in even better shape.

5. Brooklyn Nets (20-12)

Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: +2.7

It came against the Golden State Warriors (who have one of the worst defenses in the NBA), but the Brooklyn Nets' 91-point first-half explosion on Wednesday is still worth noting.

That total is the third-most ever put up in a first half, and it serves as a good exclamation point for what the Nets have done this month.

Since December 1, they're first in the league in points per 100 possessions and second in three-point percentage. While Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are obviously important factors in the surge, Ben Simmons looking more like his old self deserves some shine, too.

He missed some of the run in December, but Simmons is averaging 10.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting 70.5 percent from the field since November 15. And in the same stretch, he's in the top 10 for three-point assists per 100 possessions.

4. Denver Nuggets (19-11)

Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: +1.8

Having Nikola Jokić out of the MVP conversation was always silly, and his recent stretch should make it tough to push him out again.

Since returning from an injury in mid-November (14 games), Jokić is averaging 28.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.4 assists. In his past six appearances, a stretch that included a 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist masterpiece, he's put up 30.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 10.3.

And somehow, the most eye-popping number might still be his seasonlong 68.8 true shooting percentage.

3. Boston Celtics (22-10)

Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: +5.9

Right as plenty in the media seemed ready to crown the Boston Celtics as a legitimate juggernaut and runaway title favorite, they started a 1-5 slide that featured back-to-back losses to the Orlando Magic and an overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jayson Tatum missed one of the Orlando losses and Robert Williams III has only been back for the past three games, but this stretch still has to at least be concerning.

Through November 30, Boston was leading the league in three-point percentage and offensive rating (by a landslide in the second mark's case). In December, the Celtics are 28th in three-point percentage and 30th (last) in offensive rating.

Things could certainly stabilize over the rest of the season, but that swing suggests this could be one of the game's most volatile and three-point reliant attacks.

2. Milwaukee Bucks (22-9)

Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: +3.8

Given the standard they've set for themselves over the past few years, the Milwaukee Bucks' current 3-3 stretch is at least a little disappointing.

And though these six games probably aren't cause for serious concern, it's worth noting that Milwaukee is showing signs of mortality this season.

Even after his 45-point performance, Giannis Antetokounmpo's scoring efficiency is way down from where he was from 2018-19 through 2021-22 (though he's still a little above average).

After returning from an offseason wrist surgery, Khris Middleton hasn't found anything resembling a rhythm. Through seven appearances, he's shooting 32.5 percent from the field and 26.8 percent from deep.

That duo's struggles (which is a relative term in Giannis' case) are a big part of why Milwaukee's offense ranks in the bottom half of the league, but there's plenty of time for both to get on track.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (22-11)

Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: +6.5

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on a five-game winning streak that started on the road against the Dallas Mavericks and features recent victories over Donovan Mitchell's former team and Giannis Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks.

During the streak, Mitchell is putting up 31.8 points and 4.4 threes, while shooting 46.8 percent from deep.

If he keeps this up, the Cavs stay at or near the top of the net rating leaderboard (they're currently first) and Stephen Curry's absence lasts a few weeks, Mitchell may have a shot at a First Team All-NBA nod.

Stat of the Week

With the way Nikola Jokić has dominated conventional and advanced statistics for the last several years, he could probably be the focus of this weekly feature, well, every week.

This season, I've mostly been able to refrain. This week, though, we have to take a look at Jokić's absurd two-point efficiency.

Right now, he's shooting 67.5 percent on 12.5 two-point attempts per game. Among seasons in which the player shot at least 12.5 twos per game, that percentage trails only Wilt Chamberlain's 68.3 in 1966-67.

Of course, we don't have access to complete box scores from back then, so there's no way to know Wilt's exact number.

The top four of that list in the three-point era reads:

1. Jokić (67.5 percent in 2022-23)
2. Jokić (65.2 in 2021-22)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (64.1 in 2018-19)
4. Giannis (63.6 in 2020-21)

What separates Jokić from Giannis is the type of shots the former is scoring.

On two-pointers from three feet and out this season, Jokić is shooting 62.6 percent. Among the 101 players with at least 100 attempts from that range, Jokić's mark leads and is almost four percentage points clear of Kevin Durant's second-place mark. Giannis' 29.9 percent on such shots ranks 101st.

First-Time All-Star Candidates

The NBA tipped off All-Star voting this week, and there are plenty of players who should get some consideration for their first trip to the game.

As a guide to who should be on that list, we'll use an exercise that sorts players by the average of their ranks in popular catch-all metrics from around the internet.

Some potential first-timers who are in or around the top 24 are below:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 31.2 points, 5.7 assists, 1.7 steals per game, 61.8 true shooting percentage
• Tyrese Haliburton: 20.0 points, 10.6 assists, 2.9 threes, 60.0 true shooting percentage
• Lauri Markkanen: 22.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.9 threes, 43.8 three-point percentage, 66.8 true shooting percentage
• Jalen Brunson: 20.4 points, 6.3 assists
• Aaron Gordon: 17.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 threes, 67.2 true shooting percentage