Believe it or not, we're now a month into the 2024-25 NBA season, and there are a few things it's already taught us.

The Boston Celtics, despite trailing Cleveland in the standings, proved they're still the team to beat by outlasting the Cavaliers this week. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still a duo to be reckoned with. And the Philadelphia 76ers remain unparalleled in finding ways to generate drama.

Despite entering the season with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and perhaps the highest expectations the Sixers have faced in the Embiid era, Philadelphia is 2-12. And Embiid is on a mission to find the "snitch" who leaked details of a team meeting that made him look unprofessional.

As a result, the 76ers are spiraling down these rankings. Meanwhile, the Lakers are up. And keeping Boston at (or near) the top seems like a no-brainer. But there's plenty of movement elsewhere.

Based on team and individual stats, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of subjectivity, here are this week's power rankings.

30. Washington Wizards (2-11)

Previous Rank: 30

Net Rating: -13.6

The Washington Wizards won back-to-back games over the Atlanta Hawks before Halloween, and then they proceeded to drop each of their next nine.

And six of the losses in that streak have been by at least 15 points.

Even with two victories under their belts, the Wizards are a combined minus-192 on the season. Only 12 teams in NBA history started worse through the first 13 games of a campaign.

29. Utah Jazz (3-12)

Previous Rank: 29

Net Rating: -10.4

The Utah Jazz's 2024-25 campaign is going exactly like it should for a tanking team.

They get occasional flashes of upside from their young guys, such as Isaiah Collier averaging six assists over his last three games or Brice Sensabaugh scoring 18 points in 22 minutes on Thursday.

Their trade-eligible vets have been solid. John Collins is averaging 17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 27.6 minutes. Collin Sexton is averaging 15.9, while shooting 42.1 percent from three, in 26.6 minutes.

And though they've looked competitive in plenty of games (they led the San Antonio Spurs by 20 in Thursday's loss), the wins aren't stacking up.

It's just little signs of hope, lots of losses and the prospect of adding a top pick in the potentially star-studded 2025 NBA draft.

28. New Orleans Pelicans (4-12)

Previous Rank: 27

Net Rating: -12.3

Prior to Wednesday night, Elfrid Payton hadn't appeared in an NBA game since May 2022, but he started against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That's how dire things have become for the New Orleans Pelicans, who rounded out their most recent first five with Javonte Green, Brandon Boston Jr., Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Yves Missi.

Their leading scorer in that game was Antonio Reeves. If you're not familiar with all of those names, you're forgiven. Most have spent their NBA careers on the fringes of rotations.

And now that New Orleans has fallen to 4-12, it wouldn't be surprising to see even more minutes for some of the unheralded Pelicans.

Yes, eventually, rotation staples like Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy and Brandon Ingram will start matriculating back onto the floor. But with some potential franchise changers available in the 2025 draft, New Orleans may not want to rush that.

27. Philadelphia 76ers (2-12)

Previous Rank: 22

Net Rating: -8.8

The Philadelphia 76ers appear to be on the verge of an implosion.

They've lost five straight. Paul George left the most recent game early with his second hyperextended knee injury as a 76er. Tyrese Maxey reportedly called out Joel Embiid for being late to team activities in a meeting this week. And perhaps most surprising, given his history with Philadelphia, the team isn't even winning Embiid's minutes.

The Sixers were plus-seven with the big man on the floor Wednesday, but he's now minus-31 in his 125 minutes. He hasn't looked nearly as decisive offensively as he did in previous seasons. And he looks slow on defense.

Without Embiid playing like an MVP candidate, Philadelphia is nowhere near a contender, as evidenced by their dreadful record.

26. Toronto Raptors (4-12)

Previous Rank: 28

Net Rating: -5.0

After missing 11 games through injury, Scottie Barnes returned on Thursday to relieve RJ Barrett of some of his playmaking responsibility, totaled six assists and helped the Toronto Raptors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With Barnes back in action, Toronto has two plus playmakers on the wings, which should make them one of the league's less-predictable offenses. And when Immanuel Quickley comes back from an elbow injury, opponents will have one more wrinkle to worry about.

With three players having the potential to be the point of attack, Toronto can force perimeter defenses to be honest (as opposed to sagging into the paint) and get back into the mix for a play-in spot in the East.

25. Portland Trail Blazers (6-9)

Previous Rank: 26

Net Rating: -6.8

At least in terms of just wins and losses, the Portland Trail Blazers are coming off a solid week and change.

They lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, but they won three straight prior to that, including back-to-back games against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

And while this stretch probably shouldn't give any Blazers fans illusions of a playoff (or even play-in) run, they can get excited by some flashes of upside from the young core.

During these four games, Shaedon Sharpe is averaging 25.8 points, Donovan Clingan is averaging 3.5 blocks in 23.9 minutes and Scoot Henderson is averaging 6.3 assists.

24. Chicago Bulls (6-10)

Previous Rank: 25

Net Rating: -7.2

After looking a bit friskier than expected to start the season, the Chicago Bulls have won just three of their last 11 games.

And even in the league's softer conference, they're starting to feel like a good candidate to enter the tanking race (especially since they lose their 2025 first-round pick if it lands outside the top 10).

That means this next portion of the season should be about juicing the respective trade values of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević, both of whom are doing their parts on that front.

LaVine is averaging 22.0 points, 4.2 assists and 3.2 threes while shooting 43.2 percent from deep. Vučević is at 20.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 threes while shooting 46.5 percent from three.

23. Charlotte Hornets (6-9)

Previous Rank: 24

Net Rating: -4.3

There was some controversy toward the end of the Charlotte Hornets' loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, but there was no keeping LaMelo Ball off the floor for crunch time two days later.

The 23-year-old finished with 35 points and nine assists in an overtime win over the Detroit Pistons (that game being at home is part of why Charlotte still trails them here). And he was a team-high plus-12.

In that game, LaMelo also got 38 points from second-year wing Brandon Miller, which made it the first game in which both members of the duo went for 30-plus.

It's hard to imagine it'll be the last.

22. Detroit Pistons (7-10)

Previous Rank: 23

Net Rating: -0.9

Surrounding Cade Cunningham with a few more useful veterans than he's used to has helped his playmaking numbers.

After totaling 10 assists in Thursday's overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets, the 23-year-old is now averaging 8.9 for the season.

The next step in his development is mistake-management.

Cunningham is currently second in the league in turnovers per game and in the top 10 in missed shots per game.

If the 2021 No. 1 pick can cut down on the giveaways and juice his own scoring efficiency a bit, Detroit could stay in the hunt for a play-in spot all season.

21. Indiana Pacers (6-9)

Previous Rank: 17

Net Rating: -4.5

The Indiana Pacers finished second in the league in offense last season and eventually made the Eastern Conference Finals. Neither accomplishment would've materialized without Tyrese Haliburton.

But with each passing game in 2024-25, it's getting harder to recall the 2023-24 version of Haliburton that led Indiana's dynamic attack.

Through his first 30 games last season, he averaged 24.9 points, 12.7 assists and 3.6 threes, while shooting 40.8 percent from deep. For the rest of that campaign, he was at 16.5 points, 9.5 assists and 2.3 threes, with a 32.2 three-point percentage.

He was better during the run to the conference finals, but after going for four points on 1-of-7 shooting in Wednesday's loss, Haliburton's 2024-25 numbers have reached new lows. He's at 15.3 points with a 28.4 three-point percentage while posting a career-low box plus/minus.

There are more fun topics for the Pacers right now. Pascal Siakam is playing like a fringe All-Star. Bennedict Mathurin is having a mini-breakout. And Myles Turner is a bona fide three-and-D weapon. But none of that takes Indiana back to the contenders' tier without Haliburton playing at an All-NBA level.

20. Brooklyn Nets (6-9)

Previous Rank: 21

Net Rating: -2.6

Until the Brooklyn Nets move on from some of their proven veterans, they're going to at least be pesky—especially relative to other teams in the East.

They went 1-2 this week, but both losses were on the road, came against the New York Knicks and were competitive.

And as long as the Nets keep playing opponents close and getting solid performances from those vets, that group's individual trade values will climb. That can only help between now and February's trade deadline.

After scoring 34 in Wednesday's win, Cameron Johnson's at 18.1 points and 3.1 threes, while shooting 39.3 percent from deep. Dennis Schröder is averaging 17.8 points and 6.5 assists. And Dorian Finney-Smith is shooting 42.5 percent from three.

All three could return some real value for Brooklyn, if it chooses to lean a little harder into chasing lottery balls.

19. Atlanta Hawks (7-9)

Previous Rank: 20

Net Rating: -4.8

For the last half-decade, few teams have represented mediocrity quite as well or consistently as the Atlanta Hawks. Since the start of the 2020-21 season, they're 168-166. In 2024-25, they once again seem incapable of pulling away from .500 one way or the other.

Losses are typically followed up by wins, and vice versa. This week, they won a thriller on the road over the Sacramento Kings but followed that up with a blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors.

But even if their fans can't get too excited about the record, they have at least one new prospect worth investing some hope in.

There aren't a lot of players who can be legitimate stars on defense, but Dyson Daniels certainly has that capability. He had four blocks and a game-winning strip of De'Aaron Fox in the win over the Kings. Earlier in the month, he had a four-game stretch with a whopping 25 steals.

And while it may take a few years for him to develop a reliable outside shot, Daniels may create enough extra possessions and finish enough possessions around the rim to already be a plus on offense, too.

18. Miami Heat (6-7)

Previous Rank: 19

Net Rating: +0.6

The Miami Heat survived a six-game road gauntlet earlier this month, and then they closed out this week with a home win over Joel Embiid and the reeling Philadelphia 76ers,

In that game, the Heat trailed by 18 in the first half and wound up winning, 106-89. That's a 35-point swing in less than three quarters, and it may have been the breakout performance Jimmy Butler has needed all season.

Tyler Herro still leads the team in points and assists per game, but Butler went for 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists against Philly. He was 8-of-12 from the field and 13-of-13 from the line.

At times this season, Butler has almost looked passive, which may be why Miami has lost his minutes to this early point of the season. But on Monday, he was plus-29 in a 17-point win. And if he maintains the level of aggression he showed in that contest, Miami should be just fine.

17. San Antonio Spurs (8-8)

Previous Rank: 18

Net Rating: -0.5

Few signings from this past offseason have panned out quite as well as Chris Paul going to the San Antonio Spurs.

With his possession engineering behind the offense, things have been significantly steadier during the "let's see if we can turn Jeremy Sochan into a point guard" experiment that tipped off 2023-24.

During 2024-25, San Antonio has a point differential around that of a 54-win team when CP3 is on the floor and one around that of a 14-win team when he's off.

And despite Victor Wembanyama missing the Spurs' last three games with a knee injury, they closed out the week with back-to-back wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz.

On the season, Paul is averaging 10.8 points, 8.6 assists and 2.0 threes, while shooting 38.1 percent from three.

16. Milwaukee Bucks (6-9)

Previous Rank: 16

Net Rating: -1.2

Things are finally starting to level out for the Milwaukee Bucks.

After starting 2-8, they've suddenly won four out of their last five. Khris Middleton could be back soon. And Giannis Antetokounmpo is still producing like a top 3-5 player.

On the season, he's averaging 32.1 points on 21.4 shots, 12.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists.

As Middleton reintegrates and Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez hopefully approach their career levels as three-point shooters, Milwaukee should be fine.

That doesn't necessarily mean they're top-tier contenders. There may be a little more to prove before we can go there, but finishing above the East's play-in range is still very much in play.

15. Los Angeles Clippers (9-7)

Previous Rank: 15

Net Rating: +1.3

It may be time to officially graduate the Los Angeles Clippers from plucky underdog to real playoff contender.

They closed out this week with a three-game winning streak that included victories over the Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic.

Norman Powell (23.3 points and 3.9 threes, with a 48.7 three-point percentage) is a leading candidate for Most Improved Player. James Harden (20.3 points and 8.8 assists) is thriving as the veteran playmaker.

And a host of veteran defenders and role players are maximizing their opportunities.

If Kawhi Leonard can ever get back to 100 percent, L.A. might even be able to put a scare into someone in a first-round series.

14. Phoenix Suns (9-7)

Previous Rank: 6

Net Rating: -2.7

The Phoenix Suns have lost five straight and six of their last seven. While it's easy and probably fair to simply chalk this stretch up to the absence of Kevin Durant, there were already some signs of weakness before an injury forced him out of the rotation.

Phoenix went 8-1 with Durant in the lineup, but seven of those wins were by six or fewer points. Even Durant's team-best, season-long plus-minus is only plus-16 in nine appearances.

As a 36-year-old forward with a pretty robust injury history, it's not like absences here and there should be surprising for KD.

The Suns have a top-heavy, injury-prone roster that has little room for error even when everyone's healthy.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves (8-7)

Previous Rank: 11

Net Rating: +2.3

The Minnesota Timberwolves had a couple of wins worth celebrating this week, including a victory over the Phoenix Suns that ended with a Julius Randle buzzer-beater.

However, they lost to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, have now dropped four of their last six overall and will have plenty of fans paying attention to Karl-Anthony Towns.

Randle and Donte DiVincenzo have combined for less than half the total wins over replacement player that KAT has piled up for the New York Knicks this season.

12. Sacramento Kings (8-7)

Previous Rank: 7

Net Rating: +3.3

The Sacramento Kings are coming off a 1-2 week that included a pair of heartbreaking losses. On Monday, De'Aaron Fox got stripped by the league's most tenacious defender on what would've been a potentially game-winning attempt.

And two games earlier, they lost an overtime thriller to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

But even if the team came up short more often than it won, this week has to be about the individual exploits of Fox. Against Minnesota, he scored a franchise-record 60 points. In the lone win of the week, he poured in another 49.

And for the season, he's now averaging a career-high 28.8 points, 5.7 assists and 2.2 threes.

If he can keep that up (or anything close to it) as the supporting players find their rhythm from the outside, Sacramento should remain in the playoff hunt. Right now, Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk and Doug McDermott are shooting a combined 30.2 percent from deep.

11. Memphis Grizzlies (9-7)

Previous Rank: 9

Net Rating: +5.6

With Ja Morant missing his eighth game of the season on Wednesday, this Memphis Grizzlies campaign is starting to feel a little déjà vu-ish.

His absences haven't hit as hard as they did in 2023-24, though.

The most obvious reasons for that are Jaren Jackson Jr. (who's averaging 22.9 points, 1.9 threes, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 steals) and Desmond Bane (who's missed seven games of his own but is averaging 16.6 points and 3.8 assists), but undrafted third-year guard Scotty Pippen Jr. deserves plenty of credit, too.

No one's role has been more affected by the absence of Morant, and Pippen is taking advantage of the opportunity. In just 25.7 minutes, he's averaging 11.6 points, 5.7 assists and 1.2 threes while shooting 38.8 percent from three.

And despite standing just 6'1", Pippen has been a solid point-of-attack defender who's brought some balance to JJJ's rim protection on that end of the floor.

10. Dallas Mavericks (8-7)

Previous Rank: 12

Net Rating: +6.3

After a four-game losing streak had the Dallas Mavericks' vibes on the ropes last week, they went 3-0 for the week prior to these rankings. That stretch included blowouts over the San Antonio Spurs and short-handed New Orleans Pelicans, but the biggest victory was on the road and against the then-first-place Oklahoma City Thunder.

Of course, OKC is without Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, but it's still a quality result for a Mavericks squad that really needed one, especially since Luka Dončić was out for them.

On the season, Dallas is actually winning the minutes without Luka, which bodes well for their regular-season potential. And when Dončić is off the floor, Kyrie Irving is averaging 30.1 points and 5.9 assists per 75 possessions, with a 68.5 true shooting percentage.

9. Los Angeles Lakers (10-5)

Previous Rank: 10

Net Rating: +0.9

The Los Angeles Lakers' middle-of-the-pack net rating and the quality of the teams still ahead of them limited their climb in the rankings, but they certainly couldn't prevent it.

Prior to Thursday's loss to the Orlando Magic, L.A. had won six straight.

And the most encouraging part of the streak may be the emergence of rookie flamethrower Dalton Knecht.

In Tuesday's win over the Utah Jazz, the 23-year-old had a game-high 37 points and nine threes (which ties an NBA rookie record). And over his last five games, he's averaging 22.8 points while shooting 63.6 percent from the field and 63.2 percent from deep.

Obviously, Knecht is not going to keep up that level of shooting, but it's starting to feel pretty safe to assume a double-digit scoring average and a 40-plus three-point percentage. And his outside shooting and floor-spacing instincts are going to make life significantly easier for LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves.

8. Orlando Magic (10-7)

Previous Rank: 13

Net Rating: +4.1

When Paolo Banchero went down with a torn oblique in October, the outlook for the Orlando Magic wasn't too bright. And after they lost their first four games without him, the gloomy analysis felt validated.

However, Franz Wagner has turned Orlando's season and prospects around with his star-level scoring, underrated playmaking and switchable defense.

The Magic have won seven of their last eight and capped off this week with a thrilling road victory over the Los Angeles Lakers that included a game-winner from the 23-year-old.

Wagner finished with 37 points and 11 assists in the win. And since Banchero left the rotation, he's averaging 25.4 and 6.3.

7. New York Knicks (9-6)

Previous Rank: 14

Net Rating: +6.5

After a 4-0 week that ended with a road win over the Phoenix Suns, the New York Knicks are starting to feel more like the contender many anticipated them to be.

And in that victory over Phoenix, each member of the starting five played almost perfectly to expectations.

Jalen Brunson was setting the table for himself and others and finished with 36 points and 10 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns was spacing the floor and had 34 points, 10 rebounds and three threes.

And the highly switchable, three-and-D trio of Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart combined for 49 points on 19-of-32 shooting.

They won't all play to the script quite as effectively as they did on Wednesday every night, but the blueprint is becoming clearer. With even modest help from the reserves, this team should be in the mix for a top-four seed.

6. Houston Rockets (11-5)

Previous Rank: 8

Net Rating: +8.5

The Houston Rockets dropped a heartbreaker to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, but that game was on the road. It's their only loss in their last seven games, and this run is making Houston's statistical profile look like that of a contender.

The Rockets are third in defense, 11th in offense and fifth in net rating. They're deep, athletic and led by a legitimate star.

Over his last 10 games, Alperen Şengün is averaging 20.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.7 blocks.

5. Denver Nuggets (8-5)

Previous Rank: 4

Net Rating: +1.2

Nikola Jokić (personal reasons) missed all three of the Denver Nuggets' games this week, and the first two without him were ugly. They lost to the woefully short-handed New Orleans Pelicans on Friday and then dropped another game to the Ja Morant-less Memphis Grizzlies two days later.

And without the playmaking center on the floor, Denver's attack was looking legitimately hopeless.

But on Tuesday, with Jokić (and Aaron Gordon) still out, the rest of the Nuggets finally showed some fight against a physical, aggressive Grizzlies squad in Memphis.

Russell Westbrook notched his 200th career triple-double, Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points and Christian Braun and Peyton Watson both hit double figures.

But the most encouraging sign came from Jamal Murray, who had 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting. And if he can continue to play well with Jokić back in the lineup, Denver should be considered a contender again.

Since the start of 2022-23 (including the postseason), Denver is 45-7 when Murray scores at least 25 points.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-4)

Previous Rank: 5

Net Rating: +10.4

The Oklahoma City Thunder are clearly feeling the absence of starting big man Chet Holmgren. They went 2-2 this week and lost to a San Antonio Spurs squad that was missing Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell.

But on Wednesday, they got Isaiah Hartenstein back from injury and shouldn't wait long to plug him into the spot vacated by Holmgren.

Hartenstein didn't start Wednesday's win, but he had 14 rebounds, 13 points, three blocks and three assists off the bench. He was a team-high plus-16.

Putting him in the starting five doesn't mean OKC has to abandon small-ball. The Thunder can still go to those lineups whenever necessary, but Hartenstein gives the team a better shot against more traditional opponents. And he deserves some time to acclimate to playing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

3. Golden State Warriors (11-3)

Previous Rank: 3

Net Rating: +10.2

It's fair to wonder whether the Golden State Warriors have the kind of second option necessary to make them a real title contender, but the "surround Stephen Curry with depth and defense" approach is working just fine during this regular season.

In Wednesday's win over the Atlanta Hawks, six Warriors scored in double-figures, and Draymond Green had nine points and nine assists.

On the season, they've had 12 players score at least 10 points in a game, and 10 of them have done it at least twice.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers (16-1)

Previous Rank: 2

Net Rating: +11.7

The Boston Celtics handed the Cleveland Cavaliers their first loss of the season this week, but they certainly have no reason to hang their heads.

The game was in Boston, Cleveland only lost by three and Darius Garland went 3-of-21 from the field. Of course, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White deserve some credit for that, but Garland isn't likely to play that bad again.

With the Cavs' next three games being against sub-.500 teams, they're likely to be 19-1 when they get their next crack at the champs. And that one will be in Cleveland.

1. Boston Celtics (12-3)

Previous Rank: 1

Net Rating: +9.8

The Boston Celtics won a marquee matchup against the then-undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, 120-117. And the matchup highlighted one of Boston's biggest (and perhaps most under-appreciated) strengths.

With Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, no team is better equipped to defend the perimeter. And with those two outside, Darius Garland went 3-of-21 from the field. Donovan Mitchell was 13-of-29.

With a defense spearheaded by those two and a three-point-heavy attack led by Jayson Tatum (who had 33 points and seven assists against Cleveland), the Celtics look more than ready to defend their title (even without Kristaps Porziņģis back).

Stat of the Week

Since about as far back as Michael Jordan's second retirement in 1998, there's been an East-West disparity in the NBA.

We should be used to it by now, but it's somehow felt even more dramatic in 2024-25.

On the season, the Eastern Conference is 21-41 against the West. The East has four teams above .500, while the West has 11 (plus the San Antonio Spurs at 8-8).

After two decades and change of this trend, and with this campaign featuring it to an even greater degree, the only thing that might restore some balance to the conferences is expansion and conference realignment.