The World Is Upside Down: NBA Weekly – Detroit Owns the East, LeBron Won’t Age, and the Thunder Are Terrifying
If you haven’t looked at the NBA weekly standings since Christmas, you might think your app is glitching. It isn’t.
We just wrapped up another week of basketball, and the storylines are getting weird. The Detroit Pistons—a team that was a punchline for a decade—are currently the best team in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, out West, the Thunder look unstoppable, and the Lakers have remembered they employ LeBron James.
Here is who won, who lost, and who is shocking the league.
The Winners – NBA weekly
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (36-8) They aren’t just winning; they are bullying people. The Thunder dismantled the Spurs 119-98 this week, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (34 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast). They are 36-8, sitting comfortably as the #1 seed in the West, and frankly, they look bored with the regular season.
2. The “Old Man” Lakers (25-16) Don’t look now, but Los Angeles is the hottest team in basketball. Winners of 13 of their last 15, they crushed the Hawks 141-116. LeBron James dropped 31 points and 10 assists, refusing to acknowledge that he should be retired. They have climbed from the play-in mud to the #6 seed and are dangerous.
3. Detroit Pistons (31-10) We have to keep saying it until it feels real. The Pistons are 31-10. They hold the #1 seed in the East, 5.5 games clear of Boston. Whatever Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren are doing, it’s working. They are the biggest “Winner” of the entire season so far.
The Losers – NBA weekly
1. Christian Braun (Nuggets) The Nuggets are fine (3rd in West), but Braun is having a nightmare. Once a reliable spark plug, his offensive production has fallen off a cliff this week. He is playing like a guy who lost his confidence, and Denver needs him to wake up before the playoffs.
2. San Antonio Spurs (30-13) “Loser” is harsh for a 2-seed, but they got exposed by OKC this week. The 21-point blowout loss proved there is still a massive gap between Wembanyama’s squad and the true title favorite. They are good, but they aren’t “Thunder Good” yet.
3. Chicago Bulls (20-22) They are 9th in the East and treading water. A tough 119-113 loss to the Rockets this week highlighted their biggest issue: they can score (117.4 PPG), but they can’t stop anybody. They are stuck in basketball purgatory.
Stats of the Week – NBA weekly
- 34 Points: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s output vs. the Spurs, solidifying his MVP case.
- 141 Points: The Lakers’ offensive explosion vs. Atlanta.
- 5.5 Games: The Pistons’ shocking lead over the Celtics for the top spot in the East.
The Standings (Snapshot)
NBA weekly – Western Conference:
- OKC Thunder (36-8) – The Juggernaut
- San Antonio Spurs (30-13) – The Contender
- Denver Nuggets (29-14) – The Champs Lying in Wait …
- LA Lakers (25-16) – The Dark Horse
NBA weekly – Eastern Conference:
- Detroit Pistons (31-10) – The Shock
- Boston Celtics (26-16) – The Sleeping Giant
- New York Knicks (25-18) – The Grinders
Must-Watch Schedule (Jan 20-27)
Mark your calendars. These are the games that matter this week.
- Tue, Jan 20:Lakers vs. Nuggets (10:00 PM ET)
- Why: LeBron vs. Jokic. The hottest team in the league vs. the defending champs. Playoff preview?
- Wed, Jan 21:Bucks vs. Thunder
- Why: Giannis tries to stop the OKC buzzsaw. Good luck.
- Thu, Jan 22:Timberwolves vs. Bulls
- Why: Chicago needs a win desperately; Minnesota needs to keep pace in the West.
- Sat, Jan 24:Sixers vs. Knicks
- Why: An Atlantic Division grudge match. Embiid vs. The Garden crowd.
