Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

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Full All-Star rosters

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There are injury replacements in here, hence some weird things like Banchero starting!

[ShamWowNY]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

Be careful what you wish for. The NBA was having what may have been one of the least-memorable All-Star weekends in recent memory. Lamar Stevens, a 15th man who was just traded to the Miami Heat, "won" the dunk contest in an absolute snoozer. Team Giannis was without its namesake captain, as he sat with a soft tissue injury in his left knee. Viewership was at an all-time low. You could hear the prayers from NBA offices for something, anything newsworthy.

Well, those prayers were answered, in a twisted way. In the third quarter, Kawhi Leonard landed awkwardly on a routine layup. The crowd went silent as he laid on the hardwood. Time for prayers of a different kind.

Leonard was ruled out for the season on Tuesday with a left knee injury. This is an unprecedented situation, with the only analogue being Paul George's gruesome tibia fracture with Team USA in 2014. We have never seen a player injured, let alone seriously, in the All-Star Game.

For a player from the West's top team to suffer such an injury, in the All-Star Game, in the midst of a stellar comeback season, is tremendously tragic on so many levels. I hope this injury doesn't linger, that yet another knee injury doesn't rob Kawhi of his chance at a hometown ring. This season seemed like a real shot. And then, this, the most cruel, unexpected twist of fate.

*Deep breath*. But, the season marches on. With the trade deadline behind us and the buyout market in full swing, teams have reached their final form for the playoff sprint (or tank-a-thon, depending on who you are).

By this point, you know our Power Rankings aren't just rankings - teams can fall into one of six tiers. Slightly updated for this juncture of the season, the six categories are:

• Wembanyama Watch – They’re rebuilding and nothing matters more than development and lottery ping pong balls.
• Turning to the Tank – These teams are starting to pull back, resting players and working inexperienced depth pieces into the rotation.
• Looking to make the Play-In– These teams have been rebuilding/retooling and they're pushing for a top-10 spot.
• Play-In or Better – In the mix, as long as they avoid abject disaster.
• On the brink of contention – A piece away from believing they can win the title.
• Contender – They are contending for the championship, barring a massive injury.

As always, I am sure we will all agree on the placement of all 30 teams, especially your favorite team. Let's take a look at where these teams stand for the final quarter of the season.

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Tier 1: The Contenders

1. Boston Celtics, 46-13, +11.2 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Jakob Poetl, Jordan Nwora, and George Hill

The Celtics have spent significant amounts of time this season without Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Marcus Smart, and Robert Williams - that is to say, every member of their entire ideal starting 5 has missed multiple weeks due to injury (including Tatum's ongoing month-long absence). That five haven't shared the floor since Horford's injury in December. That doesn't seem to be an issue in the slightest for the league's best team.

Joe Mazzulla has coached the tape-to-tape best defense in the NBA with an astounding defensive rating of 100.5, a top-five defense in the past decade and the best since the 2015-16 Spurs (99.0). The addition of Jakob Poetl shores up the front-court rotation without Horford, and provides an interesting potential wrinkle this off-season as the contracts of Poetl, Horford, and Grant Williams expire.


2. New Orleans Pelicans, 40-19, +3.1 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Kevin Durant, Myles Turner, Markieff Morris, Yuta Watanabe; signed Kris Dunn

For a second there you had me sweating, New Orleans. David Griffin was too, I'm sure. The Pelicans lost six of their first nine games with Kevin Durant, including brutal losses to the bottom-feeding Pistons, the middling Heat, and in KD's second game in New Orleans, the Brooklyn Nets. But then they ripped off 13 straight wins before dropping their final game before the All-Star break. Phew.

That means since trading for KD, the Pelicans are 16-7. That's a winning percentage of .696, or a 57-win pace. Not half bad. Myles Turner has planted a firm stake in the DPOY conversation, Zion Williamson has stayed healthy, and the BI/KD division of scoring labor is sorting itself out nicely. I have the Pelicans as the most dangerous team in the West.


3. Milwaukee Bucks, 45-13, +10.3 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Jae Crowder; signed Mo Harkless

If I told you at the start of the season that Khris Middleton had only played 20 games at the All-Star break due to multiple injuries, you wouldn't project Milwaukee to have the second-best net rating in the league. And yet here we sit. Giannis has put the Bucks on his back, offering the most complete season of his career. He's showcasing playmaking skill, adding a gaudy 8.1 assists to his 28.8 points per game, plus he's posted his best steal and block numbers since 2016-17.

The bad news is Giannis aggravated something in his left knee, and his return timeline is unclear. It's very possible that we don't see him in action until the playoffs. Luckily, Khris Middleton is set to return after the break from his hamstring injury, which will help keep the ship afloat until Giannis returns.

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Tier 2: Brink of Contention

4. Los Angeles Clippers, 43-18, +9.1 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Daniel Theis, Mason Plumlee, Bones Hyland; signed Carmelo Anthony, Danny Green

We opened this article detailing the most important Clippers story of the season - Kawhi Leonard's season-ending injury. It's a shame on so many levels, especially considering the level to which Kawhi and his team had played to this point: the league's third-best defense, third-best net rating, and the top record in the West. All of that changes now, and it remains to be seen what kind of changes Tyronn Lue will be forced to make to the rotation.

The Clippers have been active in the buy-out/free agent market, signing Danny Green and Carmelo Anthony to shore up their depth. The Kawhi injury is only the foremost injury woe, as Robert Covington, Nic Batum, Daniel Theis, and Mason Plumlee are all out until March at the soonest. They've already fallen out of the Contender tier, and time will tell how much further they'll drop.


5. Phoenix Suns, 37-23, +4.6 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for OG Anunoby, Fred Van Vleet, Gary Trent Jr., Otto Porter Jr.

The Suns momentum is headed in the opposite direction. With new owner Matt Ishibia at the helm, the Suns made an aggressive move at the deadline, exchanging two players who weren't playing in Mikal Bridges (season-ending injury) and Jae Crowder (wanted out) for the entire supporting cast of the Toronto Raptors. The long-term impact remains to be seen, as Van Vleet and Trent enter UFA in the offseason and Anunoby has an opt-out after next season, but it's clear that Ishibia is focused on the short-term. Chris Paul isn't getting younger.

Phoenix has remained relatively healthy in a season defined by a rash of injuries to top players, which doesn't shock anyone given the reputation of their training staff. A top-5 defense paired with the merely-effective offensive engine of Paul and Booker places Phoenix firmly in the A-tier to the Clippers S-tier, though that very well may change in the final quarter of the season.


6. Memphis Grizzlies, 38-19, +4.4 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Royce O'Neale

Jaren Jackson Jr. is an absolute marvel. There's no other way to put it. A league-best 2.7 blocks per game, a steal per game, and the ability to switch on the perimeter is a terrifying proposition for any of the league's scoring dynamos. The Western Conference could very well come down to a KD-JJJ playoff duel - I'm rooting for that, at least.

The addition of Royce O'Neale shores up a competent-but-streaky wing rotation, but injuries to Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke create some frontcourt depth issues. I wouldn't be shocked to see another move from Memphis for a bought-out center - Nerlens Noel, anyone?

7. Denver Nuggets, 34-25, +5.0 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Thomas Bryant

The Nuggets have had a bit of a frustrating season. Nikola Jokic has another All-NBA nod coming his way, but their offense has sputtered, even when he's on the floor - their offensive rating of 108.9 is the worst since the pre-Jokic era by a significant margin. It doesn't help that Jamal Murray has only played a handful over 20 games.

Credit where credit is due, Denver has really cleaned up their defense this season. But it doesn't quite feel like the Nuggets are all that scary compared to their peers in the West. They've largely stood pat, not making any major moves in the trade or buy-out market (though I'm thankful Thomas Bryant will hoover up DeAndre Jordan's minutes), despite really feeling like a team that needs another piece or two.

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Tier 3: Play-In or Better

8. Sacramento Kings, 34-23, +1.6 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Mike Muscala

Is Mike Brown the Coach of the Year favorite? It's close between him and Mazzulla, but I might lean towards the beam-lighing Brown. The Kings offense has been a revelation for a city that deserves everything it's gotten this season and more. Mike Muscala was a sneaky-excellent deadline pickup for them, because it never hurts to have a seven-footer who can shoot.


9. Portland Trail Blazers, 32-26, +0.3 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Matisse Thybulle

I have nothing but respect for the Portland Trail Blazers, who utterly refuse to do anything but re-tool. Was anyone expecting a servicable defense and a mediocre offense, though? I certainly wasn't, especially considering Damian Lillard is scoring 29 a game with a 50-40-90 season through the All-Star break. That would be the third-best 50-40-90 season in terms of scoring, behind only 1987-88 Larry Bird and 2015-16 Stephen Curry.


10. Minnesota Timberwolves, 32-29, +3.2 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Mike Conley,, Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Mike Conley has made an immediate impact for a team that needed a...steadier hand, shall we say, at the point. The Timberwolves season started to take a turn for the better in mid-January once Karl-Anthony Towns returned from a nagging back injury, but prior to then it's a bit of a bloodbath including a 13-game streak from December 19 to January 13 with only one win. Since that final loss that left them 19-24, they've put together a solid 13-5 run. With Conley behind the wheel, I expect the sailing to get even smoother from here on out.


11. Chicago Bulls, 32-27, +4.6 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Kelly Oubre Jr, signed Russell Westbrook

Remember how I mentioned above that this has been a banner year for injuries to key players on contenders? Well, Chicago has some fresh wounds. In the last two weeks, the Bulls have lost Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso for the season - LaVine to a torn MCL, and Caruso to a ruptured achilles. To lose the focal point of their offense in LaVine and their defense in Caruso deals a major blow to the Bulls season.

It stings even more given LaVine was in the middle of his undisputed best season as a pro: he's averaging over 30 a game with career bests in rebounds and assists. Recent additions Russell Westbrook and Kelly Oubre will fill their spots in the starting lineup, but they won't approach the impact of LaVine and Caruso.


12. Cleveland Cavaliers, 31-30, -1.5 net rating
In-Season Moves: N/A

Another team that has been beset by injuries, Cleveland has had Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Ricky Rubio, Caris LeVert, and now Darius Garland miss significant time. Despite this, the Cavaliers have mounted a valiant campaign that sees them just above water in the East. The last month has seen them go 12-3 to pull into a safe-ish Playoff spot, though the length of Garland's injury could determine how things shake out down the stretch.


13. Atlanta Hawks, 32-27, -0.2 net rating
In-Season Moves: Signed Patrick Beverley

This Trae-Dejounte pairing is working out as expected, I'd say - the Hawks have the third-best offense in the league by offensive rating, but on the other hand, their defense is the third worst in the league by the same metric. With Trae missing some time with a tweaked ankle, Patrick Beverley was brought in off the buy-out market to plug some gaps. We'll see if he can earn a more permanent rotation role.


14. Dallas Mavericks, 32-28, -1.1 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Kyrie Irving; signed Lance Stephenson (since waived), Kemba Walker, Terrence Ross

Finally, some help for Luka. He's the MVP frontrunner, sure, but I was really getting worried there for the poor guy. Kyrie can take some of the load off his shoulders. Wait, they've lost all four games since the trade, all to Western Conference foes? And they've only won a single game in the month of February? And only two wins over Western Conference opponents in the last month? Hopefully a homestand hosting the Spurs, Lakers, and Pacers can get them right for the homestretch, otherwise that Play-In spot they're desperately holding on to might slip away.


15. Philadelphia 76ers, 29-28, +3.2 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Jalen McDaniels, Aaron Holiday

A top-10 offense and a top-10 defense should have you riding high, especially in a weak Eastern Conference. Somehow, however, the 76ers are barely avoiding slipping into the Play-In. They were slow out of the blocks, with a losing record at the turn of the new year, but turned it around in January with a 10-4 record. Then Tobias Harris went out with a hand fracture, the Sixers dropped both games of a double-header vs the Magic, and things got precarious again. Doc Rivers' seat is red hot.


16. Washington Wizards, 30-29, +2.5 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Derrick Rose, Terry Taylor (Sent out Rui Hachimura, Will Barton)

A tale of two halves for the Wizards - a rip-roaring start had them sitting ten games above .500 well into January, but the whole team is in a mid-season slump. They barely squeaked out a win over the literal worst-net-rating-in-NBA-history Rockets, for chrissake. Now that their wing defender Deni Avdija is set to miss a month or more with torn elbow ligaments, I figure it gets worse before it gets better (if it does at all).

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Tier 4: Looking to make the Play-In

17. Golden State Warriors, 30-28, +5.0 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Gary Payton II, banished James Wiseman, signed Rajon Rondo

These pesky Warriors. Just when you think they're done, they pull themselves back into it. They're currently sitting 10th in the West, but I expect them to fight tooth and nail towards that sixth seed. In the month and a half Steph missed with a fractured arm, the team went 7-14; since his return, 7-7. Not world-beating by any means, but their remaining schedule is quite favorable: OKC twice, the Lakers twice, the Rockets twice, and the Spurs once. That's a third of their remaining games that look to be on the easier side. Plus, consider they have three games in hand on the ninth-seeded T-Wolves, two in hand on the eighth-place Mavs, and one on Denver. It should be an exciting fight to the finish for the dynasty that won't die.


18. Miami Heat, 27-32, +0.7 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Kelly Olynyk, dumped Duncan Robinson and Dwayne Dedmon

Like Portland, Miami is a team that refuses to tear themselves down to the studs. Sadly, this season has shown the limitations of their roster, and it might be time for a revamp. They badly missed Bam Adebayo, who played his first game in calendar year 2023 just before the All-Star break, posting 15-13-9 with three steals and two blocks versus the Nets. More games like that, and the Heat will catch the stalling...


19. New York Knicks, 28-32, -1.1 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Josh Richardson, Rui Hachimura

The Knicks have been consistently mediocre this season. The furthest they've gotten from .500 in either direction is four games, and that feels fitting. Right now, they're four games below it after going 5-9 over the last month. The Knicks have hemorrhaged points to opposing offenses, keeping their sixth-best offense from winning games for them.


20. Orlando Magic, 25-34, -1.5 net rating
In-Season Moves: Sold Mo Bamba for a second

HERE COME THE ORLANDO MAGIC! Don't look now, but they've won twelve of fifteen games since snapping an eight game losing streak in January. With the Toronto Raptors now starting five guys they found on Yonge Street, there may be a Play-In berth with Orlando's name on it.


21. Los Angeles Lakers, 23-36, -2.6 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba

Oh, those Lakers. They are certainly "looking to make the Play-In." As of publication, they're 7.5 games back of the 10th-place Warriors, who also have a game in hand. The Lakers got significantly more talented at the trade deadline, but it's too little, too late in my eyes. I'm also not convinced LeBron has that extra gear anymore - his scoring is down significantly, as is his efficiency. AD has remained surprisingly (mostly) healthy, but he too has had a worse season than last year, and he's nowhere near peak production. The Lakers are still fighting, but I'm not sure there is much left to fight for.

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Tier 5: Turning to the Tank

22. Utah Jazz, 30-30, -2.0 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, Russell Westbrook (bought out), Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, and picks

The Jazz have been a fun story. A heartwarming tale of cast-offs and unproven talent that have surprised the league with stretches of above-average play. But with Lauri Markannen experiencing a set-back in recovery from his ankle sprain, it's time to just shut him and injured teammate Collin Sexton down for the year, accept your fate, and get to improving those lottery odds.


23. Toronto Raptors, 27-32, -1.5 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Mikal Bridges, Grayson Allen

Once Pascal Siakam went down with a broken leg just a week before the trade deadline, it seemed clear that the Raptors were at a fork in the road - to sell or not to sell, that was the question. Masai took one look at Wembanyama and Scoot tape and sold, baby, sold. And you know, Mikal Bridges and a lotto ticket is a pretty solid return for two expirings and OG Anunoby. Toronto has Bridges locked in for three years, and still has the option to strip down further this offseason if they want to move Siakam and go all-in on a youth movement.


24. Indiana Pacers, 22-38, -0.9 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Saddiq Bey, sold Myles Turner, rented their capspace a million times over

For a second there, it looked like the Pacers would be in the mix - just a month ago, they were only two games out of a Play-In berth. Then, they lost seven straight. The Pacers have been incredibly streaky and a better team than their record suggests, but it's time to sit vets and get the young guys more run.

Side note: Tyrese Haliburton has 714 assists on the year. This is already an Indiana Pacers franchise record (Mark Jackson, 713). As I see it, Indiana has two options: fully accept the tank and sit him for the rest of season, or have him gun for 1,000 assists. All it takes is 13 assists a game for the last 22 games of the season to do what only three other players have ever done - no biggie. I fully support either option.


25. Charlotte Hornets, 23-37, -5.9 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Lonzo Ball

The Hornets could still get frisky here. Maybe they want to fight with the Magic for the 10 seed that Toronto has cast aside. They're only 2.5 games off Orlando, and 4.5 from Toronto. But moving Kelly Oubre, Mason Plumlee, and Jalen McDaniels indicates to me that there isn't much enthusiasm for that in Charlotte. I will say I hope Lonzo Ball is able to make a return at some point, whether this season or next - it would be a joy to see him and LaMelo as teammates in the pros.

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Tier 6: Wemby Watchers

26. Detroit Pistons, 22-38, -6.2 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for James Wiseman

Cade Cunningham is going to be very, very good. Jaden Ivey is doing what he should be - making a lot of bad decisions. It's how you learn! And Wiseman could still be good, who knows!


27. Oklahoma City Thunder, 20-37, -7.8 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for two SRP (Mike Muscala)

Shai is a superstar. This offseason is a major test of Sam Presti - could it be time to make a move if someone like Pascal Siakam becomes available?


28. San Antonio Spurs, 17-42, -8.5 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Payton Pritchard, Danilo Gallinari, Evan Fournier, Dewayne Dedmon, picks

I didn't think Pop had it in him to tank this brazenly. I was wrong. With the season he's had, I think the Keldon Johnson extension will be an absolute heist.


29. Brooklyn Nets, 17-41, -3.3 net rating
In-Season Moves: Traded for Dyson Daniels, Trey Murphy III, Jaxson Hayes, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Kira Lewis Jr., a bevy of picks

Mission accomplished. This team stinks AND has a ton of assets.


30. Houston Rockets, 7-51, -17.7 net rating
In-Season Moves: N/A

The Houston Rockets possess, as of now, the worst net rating in NBA history, clearing the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks by -2.5 points. Also, the 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats are officially on notice - with one or fewer (ha!) wins the rest of the season, the 2022-23 Rockets will officially be crowned the worst regular-season team of all time.

[studbucket]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

Good writing and overview, thanks for providing that, I can tell you put definite effort and energy into the overview.

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

Nice report, always enjoy the world-building notes of teams outside of the main team used. Now that the playoffs might be a bit of stretch to push toward, what's the gameplan for Indiana the rest of the season? Any players that haven't been getting minutes that you're looking to seeing how they play?

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

I'm really loving the depth in this dynasty and I like reading about what's happening around the league.

[RolePlayer]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

Nice report, surprising to see the Lakers doing so bad.

[ShamWowNY]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

Good writing and overview, thanks for providing that, I can tell you put definite effort and energy into the overview.

I'm really loving the depth in this dynasty and I like reading about what's happening around the league.

Nice report, surprising to see the Lakers doing so bad.

Nice report, always enjoy the world-building notes of teams outside of the main team used. Now that the playoffs might be a bit of stretch to push toward, what's the gameplan for Indiana the rest of the season? Any players that haven't been getting minutes that you're looking to seeing how they play?

Thanks all, I really get as much out of telling stories about what's happening around the league as I do my own team (especially given how rough this season has been down the stretch). I think at this point, I'm leaning into the tank. I'm going to play my standard rotation vs the Pistons, then we're playing depth guys.

In terms of deeper bench players I'd like to see get some run, I think it'll be interesting to see what Saddiq Bey and Aaron Nesmith do with starter-level minutes. Bey is extension-eligible this offseason, and if he plays well I might have to lock him in. But Nesmith plays a similar role, and I want to save money there if I can, given Haliburton is also due a huge extension (probably near a max!).

[ShamWowNY]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

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Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

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Box Scores

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[ShamWowNY]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

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Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

[marshdaddy]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

My man, keep on churning out incredible stuff. I know how much time and energy those league-wide posts take, so hats off to you for sticking to those.

When you said you get as much out of telling stories of the league, you struck a chord. As great as it is to follow the Pacers, the league can become very narrow from a viewer standpoint if the grand scheme isn't laid out as well. Great job in providing context to what is happening and getting the full scope, it makes appreciating your team/journey all the better.

[ShamWowNY]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)

My man, keep on churning out incredible stuff. I know how much time and energy those league-wide posts take, so hats off to you for sticking to those.

When you said you get as much out of telling stories of the league, you struck a chord. As great as it is to follow the Pacers, the league can become very narrow from a viewer standpoint if the grand scheme isn't laid out as well. Great job in providing context to what is happening and getting the full scope, it makes appreciating your team/journey all the better.

Man, especially when your team STINKS! Hopefully this offseason is as exciting as I know it can be, and we're battling for playoff seeding instead of sitting our best players and losing ten of eleven games. In the meantime, there's more excitement to be had with the other squads. Lots of drama on the play-in bubble! Speaking of...

[ShamWowNY]

Re: Off to the Races || Indiana Pacers (2K23)