Jason Timpf: NBA Power Rankings for the Week of January 12

We had a jam-packed weekend of hoops featuring a lot of interesting basketball around the league. Some teams are hitting every checkpoint you want to see from an eventual champion, others are grinding through midseason funks, and a few are quietly stacking wins while flying under the radar.

After breaking down my biggest takeaways from the weekend, we’ll get into the power rankings, with all title odds provided by our partner, Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.

 Five Big Takeaways from the Weekend

1. The Minnesota Timberwolves are a top-tier contender: Minnesota has been the best team in the league since November 29th, checks every box defensively, and has taken a massive leap offensively behind Anthony Edwards’ growth in crunch time. They are now stacking signature wins and look frightening on both ends.

2. The Atlanta Hawks are finally playing real defense: Atlanta is quietly putting together one of the best defensive stretches in the league, with elite aggregate foot speed, aggressive ball pressure, and versatile coverage. Over a seven-game span against strong offenses, they posted the best defensive rating in the NBA.

3. There is no concern about the Houston Rockets: Houston is simply in a midseason funk caused by injuries, shooting slumps, and rhythm issues. Even championship teams go through stretches like this – the Rockets still have all the pieces needed to contend once things stabilize.

4. Scottie Barnes is playing the best basketball of his career: Barnes has made a significant leap as a one-on-one shot creator, dramatically improving his efficiency and foul-drawing rate. His physicality, post seals, and improved decision-making are driving Toronto’s recent success.

5. The Denver Nuggets are an incredibly special team: Even without Nikola Jokić, Denver continues to win through shifting circumstances. Role players have stepped up across the board, reinforcing the championship culture that allows the Nuggets to sustain high-level play regardless of injuries.

Jason Timpf’s NBA Power Rankings: January 12-18

Without further ado, here is this week’s Top 10:

No. 10 – Toronto Raptors (+15000)

They’ve won six out of eight. They’re sixth in defense in that span. They’re grabbing 34% of their own misses over this eight-game stretch. That offensive rebounding was a huge part of their win against the Sixers last night and has been a huge part of their success as of late.

No. 9 – Los Angeles Lakers (+3000)

A forgivable loss in San Antonio. No Austin, no LeBron, and some lower-rotation players were forced to play and really struggled. There was a stretch where Luka stepped off the floor and they literally couldn’t score. I’m not too worked up about that.

The loss at home to the Bucks was bad. Luka was terrible in that game. If they get anything close to his usual production, they win because of how well LeBron played. Luka has way more bad games than any of his peers, and until that stabilizes, the Lakers will have a hard time sustaining success.

No. 8 – New York Knicks (+1200)

They’ve lost five of their last seven. This is a classic case of a championship contender in one of those funks that are a natural part of the NBA regular season. They’re not playing defense right now. The engagement and energy are way down.

Josh Hart is back. OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns started to hit shots again. I’m not worried about them. I think the Knicks will be fine.

No. 7 – Boston Celtics (+2000)

They dropped games to Denver and San Antonio. Denver gave them issues with switching in the fourth quarter, and they couldn’t guard Jamal Murray. Against San Antonio, they got physically overwhelmed late.

Derrick White and Jaylen Brown got a little tunnel vision-y at times and forced the issue instead of trusting the offense. Even then, they were right there late. More of a tip of the cap to really good teams.

No. 6 – Phoenix Suns (+50000)

They’re 9-2 in their last 11 games, tied for the best record in the league in that span. Eighth in offense, second in defense, with a signature win over the Knicks.

Dillon Brooks has been one of the most improved players in the league this year. If Phoenix keeps winning and he keeps putting up these numbers, he’s got a real case for that award.

No. 5 – Denver Nuggets (+750)

Denver is 4-3 since Jokic went down. Continuing to get consistent high-level basketball through shifting circumstances. That’s one of the major themes of today’s show.

In the NBA regular season, guys are in and out of the lineup. The teams that sustain success through those moments are the teams that float to the top. Denver is hitting every checkpoint along the path.

No. 4 – San Antonio Spurs (+1200)

They’re 4-5 in their last nine games. In those losses, they’ve had a 104 offensive rating. Minnesota absolutely strangled them on offense down the stretch.

Teams put a big forward on Wemby and get physical underneath him, forcing tough fadeaways. De’Aaron Fox pick-and-roll is their most reliable offense late, and it’s not as good as what most teams in the West have. I still believe in the Spurs, but they’ve got to score more consistently against tougher teams.

No. 3 – Minnesota Timberwolves (+3000)

Best team in the league since November 29th at 16-6. Racking up wins against good teams and looking like a bona fide top-tier contender.

They check every box. Elite defense, depth, versatility, and Edwards has taken a massive leap, especially in crunch time. I’m completely sold on the Timberwolves.

No. 2 – Detroit Pistons (+1750)

They’re dealing with injuries, but they’re 3-1 in those games on the strength of their defense.

Even in the loss to the Clippers, their physicality stood out. Playing well while banged up is a strong indicator of a team built to go far.

No. 1 – Oklahoma City Thunder (+110)

They’ve won three in a row as the schedule lightened up. Their three-point shooting has been bizarrely bad on unguarded catch-and-shoot threes, which feels like it has to be a case of the yips.

I have no doubt they’ll snap out of it and start hitting shots again, but it’s something to keep an eye on because it could make them more vulnerable than they otherwise would be.