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Tag: Climb
Marvel Rivals players have a friendly word of advice for those struggling to climb the ladder
Marvel Rivals players have issued advice for those struggling to climb the ranked ladder, and while it may sound like common sense to some, it’s an important tip to note.
Ranked in Marvel Rivals can be a hell of a grind, particularly following the seven-tier drop at the start of season one, and a bad streak can quickly derail your climb—but taking on one piece of advice from the community may help.
In a post on Reddit, players were advised not to select a character they have no experience with simply because a teammate asked for them to activate a team-up ability–and this single piece of advice could help you in a slump.
It’s no secret that there are top-tier team-ups to utilize, including the trio of Doctor Strange, the Hulk, and Iron Man, but choosing a character you have little to no experience with is not the way to go about it. Instead, stick with someone you know.
Although the right team-up can be a game-changer, sticking with a hero you know and playing them well is always better than choosing a character you are not comfortable with and having a mid game—so don’t give into peer pressure. As someone said, team-ups aren’t worth handicapping your team.
The post attracted over 3,000 upvotes and over 450 comments, full of good tips. While playing someone you don’t know in ranked isn’t ideal, it’s a good idea to be familiar with a few characters so that you can switch when required—but you should do this in Quick Play.
It’s also worth learning different roles and characters, enabling you to switch to Vanguard from Support, for example, if the team composition calls for it. Again, though, don’t do this in ranked mode.
I’d also highly recommend learning a character in the vs. AI mode. While it won’t challenge your skills too much, it will allow you to learn the abilities and cooldowns in an environment that isn’t anywhere near as stressful.
I’ll also throw another tip into the mix: don’t pick a character just because you’ve seen someone else play them well. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, so yours may be vastly different from whoever you saw shine.
Finally, another tip is not to play ranked while tilted. Take a break if you’re getting frustrated and on a loss streak! Nothing good ever comes out of playing full of rage, and it can do significant damage to your placement.
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“Marvel Rivals Players Share Tips for Climbing the Ladder: A Friendly Word of Advice”Are you finding it tough to climb the ranks in Marvel Rivals? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Many players have faced the same struggle and have come out on top. Here are some friendly words of advice from experienced Marvel Rivals players that might help you on your journey to the top:
1. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different decks and strategies. Sometimes, trying something new can lead to a breakthrough in your gameplay.
2. Take the time to analyze your opponents’ moves and learn from them. Understanding your opponents’ tactics can help you anticipate their next move and come up with a counter-strategy.
3. Practice, practice, practice! The more you play, the better you’ll get. Don’t get discouraged by losses – use them as learning opportunities to improve your skills.
4. Join a community or group of Marvel Rivals players. Sharing tips, strategies, and experiences with other players can help you grow as a player and make the climb up the ladder easier.
5. Remember to have fun! While climbing the ladder can be challenging, don’t forget to enjoy the game and appreciate the journey. Celebrate your victories, learn from your defeats, and keep pushing forward towards your goals.
With these friendly words of advice in mind, we hope you’ll be able to overcome any obstacles in your path and reach new heights in Marvel Rivals. Good luck, and may the cards be ever in your favor!
Tags:
- Marvel Rivals
- Marvel Rivals players
- Marvel Rivals tips
- Marvel Rivals strategy
- Marvel Rivals ladder climbing
- Marvel Rivals advice
- Marvel Rivals community
- Marvel Rivals competition
- Marvel Rivals gameplay
- Marvel Rivals success strategies
#Marvel #Rivals #players #friendly #word #advice #struggling #climb #ladder
NBA Power Rankings: Top contenders hold steady while Pistons climb
We’re one week from the 2025 NBA trade deadline, and while there haven’t been any major moves leading up to Feb. 6, there have been developments across both conferences.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the Sacramento Kings are open to trade talks regarding star guard De’Aaron Fox. Plus, to add to the ongoing Jimmy Butler trade saga, Charania also reported the Miami Heat are in “active conversations” with “multiple teams” to move the disgruntled superstar.
With All-Star guards potentially on the move, teams will be keeping a close eye on the standings as they push through the regular season. Are there any league-shifting trades in the works? How will that affect a team’s strategy moving forward? Also, how will it affect our power rankings?
All good things to ponder as our NBA insiders break down this week’s list.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.
Previous rankings: Preseason | Oct. 30 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 13 | Nov. 20 | Nov. 27 | Dec. 4 | Dec. 11 | Dec. 18 | Dec. 25 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 8 | Jan. 15 | Jan. 22
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA | WASCenter Isaiah Hartenstein picked up where he left off after sitting out five games because of a lower calf strain, recording 14 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and a block in a win over Portland on Sunday. The Thunder are 23-2 when Hartenstein plays. Four of Oklahoma City’s eight losses have occurred when the Thunder didn’t have Hartenstein or fellow 7-footer Chet Holmgren, with one loss coming on the night Holmgren fractured his pelvis earlier this season. — Tim MacMahon
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2024-25 record: 37-9
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Previous ranking: 2
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Next games: @ MIA (Jan. 29), vs. ATL (Jan. 30), vs. DAL (Feb. 2), vs. BOS (Feb. 4)
To start the season, it took Cleveland 20 games before it picked up its third loss. Last week, the Cavs dropped three in a row, their longest losing streak this season. Each of the defeats was gutting in its own way: Darius Garland missed two potential winning free throws with 2.1 seconds left against Houston; Ty Jerome‘s career-high 33 points weren’t enough to get by a Joel Embiid-less Sixers squad; and then another loss to the Rockets despite a 17-point rally in the fourth. — Dave McMenamin
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2024-25 record: 32-15
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Previous ranking: 3
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Next games: vs. CHI (Jan. 29), @ NO (Jan. 31), @ PHI (Feb. 2), @ CLE (Feb. 4)
Boston suffered another loss Monday, this time to the Rockets on a last-second shot, dropping the Celtics to 13-11 since Dec. 7. But over that stretch, Boston still ranks eighth in offense, fourth in defense and third in net rating. Considering that Boston is coming off yet another deep Finals run, had three players in the Olympics, went to Abu Dhabi during the preseason and the general malaise that comes with a long season, it’s hard to get too concerned about a team that has stayed consistently near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. — Tim Bontemps
Memphis won six in a row before a rough road setback Monday against the Knicks. Jaren Jackson Jr. has developed into a go-to scorer as the Grizzlies continue to tinker with a new wide-open offense that could prove problematic for teams in the postseason. First, Memphis needs to solve its issues dealing with physical teams and the Grizzlies will get another test in that respect Thursday against a Rockets squad that has beaten them three times this season. — Michael Wright
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2024-25 record: 32-14
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Previous ranking: 5
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Next games: @ MEM (Jan. 30), vs. BKN (Feb. 1), @ NYK (Feb. 3), @ BKN (Feb. 4)
Coming off its 16th clutch win of the season Monday at Boston, Houston bested Atlanta on the road Tuesday on the second night of a back to back. The Rockets are tied with the Suns for clutch victories this season, and they’ve won 10 of their past 12 outings and 10 of their past 11 on the road. Second-year forward Amen Thompson is surging, scoring 20-plus points in three of his past six games as Houston collected three wins in the last week over the East-leading Cavaliers and Celtics before Wednesday’s win at Atlanta. — Wright
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2024-25 record: 31-16
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Previous ranking: 7
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Next games: vs. DEN (Jan. 29), vs. LAL (Feb. 1), vs. HOU (Feb. 3), @ TOR (Feb. 4)
The Knicks had gone 45 years without a 143-point showing in a regulation contest before doing it in back-to-back games Saturday and Monday. The NBA’s second-most efficient offense notched consecutive wins over the Kings and Grizzlies by that tally — the Knicks’ 60th straight win when holding at least a 15-point lead, the longest active streak in the NBA. The Knicks will continue to be tested, though: They have the East’s hardest remaining slate as they head into February and are only one game behind the second-place Celtics. — Chris Herring
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2024-25 record: 28-18
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Previous ranking: 6
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Next games: @ NYK (Jan. 29), @ PHI (Jan. 31), @ CHA (Feb. 1), vs. NO (Feb. 3)
After winning eight of nine games, the Nuggets opened a five-game road swing with consecutive losses at Minnesota and Chicago. Aaron Gordon has been ramping up in his return from a calf injury and has yet to play more than 25 minutes in his past eight games coming off the bench. But Russell Westbrook has played well, shooting 62.7% and averaging 13.1 points and 5.6 assists, in his past six games. — Ohm Youngmisuk
With wins in nine of their past 12 games, the Bucks have taken hold of the No. 4 seed in the East as they try to at least secure home-court advantage in the first round. The next three games for Milwaukee will provide a test against playoff teams from the Western Conference: on the road against San Antonio before hosting Memphis then heading to Oklahoma City on a back-to-back. — Jamal Collier
9. LA Clippers
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2024-25 record: 26-20
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Previous ranking: 9
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Next games: @ SA (Jan. 29), @ CHA (Jan. 31), @ TOR (Feb. 2), vs. LAL (Feb. 4)
The Clippers have three players who have arguments to make the All-Star Game: James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac. Harden has a double-double in six of his past eight games, averaging 23.1 points and 10.2 assists in that span. After having 40 points and nine assists in a win over Milwaukee last Saturday, Harden became the seventh player with at least three 40-point games in a season at age 35 or older in NBA history. He also has 10 games with 20 points and 10 assists this season, joining LeBron James, Steve Nash and Lenny Wilkens as the only players 35 or older to do so, according to ESPN research. — Youngmisuk
Over the Lakers’ four-game win streak coming into Tuesday, Anthony Davis averaged 32.8 points on 58.2% shooting, 15 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. The dominant stretch happened to coincide with Davis telling ESPN’s Sham Charania that, “I think we need another big,” before the trade deadline passes. That momentum came crashing down for both Davis and L.A. in Philly on Tuesday night, with Davis exiting early because of an abdominal strain and the Lakers getting blown out. — McMenamin
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2024-25 record: 25-21
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Previous ranking: 15
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Next games: @ PHX (Jan. 29), @ UTA (Jan. 30), vs. WAS (Feb. 1), vs. SAC (Feb. 3)
Wolves coach Chris Finch took issue with the team’s second-half performance during a win over the Hawks on Monday, calling out the best players for not coming out with more intensity. Minnesota has still won three games in a row, climbing up to seventh place in the Western Conference. They’ll have a chance to win back the confidence of their coaches, beginning with back-to-back road games in Phoenix and Utah. The Wolves then return home to host the Wizards and Kings. — Collier
12. Indiana Pacers
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2024-25 record: 25-20
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Previous ranking: 10
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Next games: vs. DET (Jan. 29), vs. ATL (Feb. 1), @ UTA (Feb. 3), @ POR (Feb. 4)
After a two-game trip to Paris, the Pacers return home for a game for the first time in 11 days on Wednesday against the Pistons. Indiana split games with San Antonio while in France and has continued to look like a different team since the calendar flipped to 2025. Since the beginning of January, the Pacers rank sixth in offensive efficiency and fourth in defensive efficiency. Indiana’s 10.2 net rating this month is the second best in the NBA, behind only Oklahoma City. — Collier
13. Dallas Mavericks
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2024-25 record: 25-22
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Previous ranking: 11
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Next games: @ NO (Jan. 29), @ DET (Jan. 31), @ CLE (Feb. 2), @ PHI (Feb. 4)
Klay Thompson‘s 21-point explosion in the first quarter of Monday’s blowout win over the Wizards was more than he had scored in his previous three games combined. He matched a franchise record and his own this season by making seven 3-pointers in the quarter. “You do that, it reminds you that there’s greatness still within you,” Thompson said postgame. — MacMahon
14. Phoenix Suns
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2024-25 record: 24-21
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Previous ranking: 19
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Next games: vs. MIN (Jan. 29), @ GS (Jan. 31), @ POR (Feb. 1), @ POR (Feb. 3)
Benched center Jusuf Nurkic caused some waves last week when he told the Arizona Republic that he and coach Mike Budenholzer “don’t have a relationship.” But it’s hard to argue with Budenholzer’s faith in newly-acquired big man Nick Richards. Since trading with Charlotte for Richards earlier this month, the Suns are 4-1 and he has fit in swimmingly — averaging 11.8 points on 62.9% shooting and 11.2 rebounds. — McMenamin
15. Sacramento Kings
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday the Kings are expected to open up talks to trade De’Aaron Fox before next Thursday’s deadline, which would take Sacramento in a different direction. Currently built to win now with veteran starters DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings will have a difficult time replacing Fox who is averaging 25.2 points and 6.2 assists. Sacramento’s decision has a ripple effect on the Hawks, who get the Kings’ first-round pick from the Kevin Huerter trade if it lands outside the top 12 picks. — Kevin Pelton
16. Detroit Pistons
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2024-25 record: 23-23
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Previous ranking: 18
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Next games: @ IND (Jan. 29), vs. DAL (Jan. 31), vs. CHI (Feb. 2), vs. ATL (Feb. 3)
Since their five-game winning streak to start January, the Pistons have been no more than two games in either direction from .500. An impressive pair of wins last week at Houston and Atlanta were followed by more disappointing performances in a loss at Orlando and a 19-point defeat Monday against the East-leading Cavaliers. After wrapping up their five-game trip Wednesday in Indiana, Detroit will be home through the All-Star break. — Pelton
17. Miami Heat
With Jimmy Butler now suspended through the trade deadline, the Heat will get a 10-day respite from the nonstop drama surrounding their star forward. The question is still the same one that has lingered over the franchise for months: Will there be a suitable deal for Butler by 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 6, or will this standoff drag on for the rest of the season and into the summer? — Bontemps
18. Orlando Magic
On Saturday, the Magic had their top three players (Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner) available at the same time for a game since October, and they ended a five-game losing streak with a win over Detroit. The good health was short-lived: Suggs subsequently sat out Monday because of a quadriceps contusion as Orlando lost a double-overtime heartbreaker in Miami. The Magic are 16-9 with a plus-4.2 differential in the 25 games Suggs and Wagner have played together, despite Banchero sitting out the majority of them. — Pelton
The Warriors are in the middle of a stretch in which they play eight of nine games at home but have lost three of the first six games in that span. Stephen Curry has said that this stretch could “make or break” the Warriors’ season as they try to stay above water without Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga. Green (calf) has been cleared to return to practice later this week, but Kuminga will be out for at least another two weeks after injuring his ankle on Jan. 4. The Warriors, who beat Utah on Tuesday, host Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Orlando. Following that, Golden State plays seven consecutive road games and won’t return to Chase Center until after the All-Star break. — Youngmisuk
2024-25 record: 20-23
Previous ranking: 21
Next games: vs. LAC (Jan. 29), vs. MIL (Jan. 31), vs. MIA (Feb. 1), @ MEM (Feb. 3)
Losers of four of their last five, San Antonio hosts former Spur Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center. The Spurs should be well-rested after spending last week in Paris for two games against Indiana, which included a 38-point loss in which San Antonio coughed up a season-high 24 turnovers. Victor Wembanyama scored only three points on three field-goal attempts in the second half. But he has produced three consecutive showings with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, one shy from tying a career-high four straight outings putting up those numbers. — Wright
21. Atlanta Hawks
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2024-25 record: 22-25
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Previous ranking: 16
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Next games: @ CLE (Jan. 30), @ IND (Feb. 1), @ DET (Feb. 3), vs. SA (Feb. 5)
Atlanta has taken six straight losses since beating the defending champion Celtics on the road in overtime. How bad has the Hawks’ offense been in that span? The Hawks join the tanking Nets and Wizards as the only teams to score less than 100 points per 100 possessions over the past five outings. To be fair, Trae Young sat out Monday in a loss against the Wolves, but that still doesn’t explain the Hawks’ struggles. De’Andre Hunter had a career-best 35 points against Minnesota, but the Hawks will need other players stepping up to stay in contention. — Herring
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2024-25 record: 18-27
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Previous ranking: 23
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Next games: vs. SAC (Jan. 29), vs. DEN (Jan. 31), vs. BOS (Feb. 2), vs. DAL (Feb. 4)
To show how weak the bottom of the Eastern Conference is: The 76ers lost seven games in a row earlier this month before pulling off back-to-back victories over the Cavaliers and Bulls and gained a game on the 10th-place Bulls in that span. This is why the ongoing belief is that no matter how hard Philadelphia tries, it’s probably going to remain in the fight for a play-in spot until the end of the season. — Bontemps
23. Chicago Bulls
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2024-25 record: 20-27
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Previous ranking: 22
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Next games: @ BOS (Jan. 29), @ TOR (Jan. 31), @ DET (Feb. 2), vs. MIA (Feb. 4)
The Bulls picked up an upset victory over the Nuggets this week before heading out on a three-game trip, which takes them through Boston, Toronto and Detroit. But the Bulls are expected to be without their leading scorer Zach LaVine, who will sit out the trip for personal reasons. LaVine’s wife posted on social media that she’s expecting the birth of their third child. — Collier
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2024-25 record: 18-29
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Previous ranking: 24
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Next games: vs. ORL (Jan. 30), vs. PHX (Feb. 1), vs. PHX (Feb. 3), vs. IND (Feb. 4)
The Blazers’ four-game winning streak, including a perfect 3-0 trip to the Southeast, was their longest since starting the 2022-23 season 4-0 when Damian Lillard led the way. Even the loss that ended the streak was impressive: a 10-point loss at home to the league-leading Thunder. It’s no coincidence the uptick came with Deni Avdija‘s return to the lineup. Avdija averaged 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals in those five games. After combining for only 17 points in his first three games back on the bench, all wins, Scoot Henderson had 25 against Oklahoma City. — Pelton
25. Toronto Raptors
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2024-25 record: 14-32
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Previous ranking: 29
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Next games: @ WAS (Jan. 29), vs. CHI (Jan. 31), vs. LAC (Feb. 2), vs. NYK (Feb. 4)
After beating New Orleans on Monday night, Toronto has now won six of its last seven games, including sweeping a two-game series in Atlanta and beating the defending champion Celtics. It has been a nice uptick in form for a Raptors team that won only two games in December and is again without Immanuel Quickley, this time because of a left hip strain. — Bontemps
26. Brooklyn Nets
It has been tough sledding for Brooklyn, which has lost seven straight — and 12 of its past 13 — heading into a Wednesday matchup with the Hornets. Center Nic Claxton has struggled this season and is amid a career-worst 54.0% in efficiency shooting from the field. But with the Nets in a rebuilding season, the young big has shown great potential and instincts. — Herring
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2024-25 record: 12-31
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Previous ranking: 26
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Next games: vs. BKN (Jan. 29), vs. LAC (Jan. 31), vs. DEN (Feb. 1), vs. WAS (Feb. 3)
The team had a different leading scorer for each of its past four games, a positive for a club whose leading scorer, LaMelo Ball, averages upward of 28 points. The Hornets, now second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings, can desperately use some development beyond Ball’s ability to score; particularly with second-year wing Brandon Miller out indefinitely because of a wrist injury. — Herring
New Orleans finished its most recent three-game trip winless, after cobbling together four straight victories before the start of the trek. The Pelicans face a banged-up Dallas squad Wednesday with Zion Williamson coming off back-to-back games with 28 points or more with seven-plus rebounds. Brandon Ingram, a mainstay in trade-deadline rumors, hasn’t played since Dec. 7 (left ankle sprain), and it doesn’t appear he’ll be back soon. New Orleans is 4-22 this season against sub-.500 teams with an upcoming schedule that includes the Mavericks, Celtics and two road clashes against the Nuggets. — Wright
29. Utah Jazz
Veteran power forward/center John Collins doesn’t play often these days, but his rare performances haven’t diminished trade interest in him. Collins played in only two games during Utah’s 3-14 stretch entering Tuesday night’s matchup with the Warriors in which Collins sat out. He averaged 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 62.1% from the field in his two appearances over the past month. — MacMahon
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2024-25 record: 6-39
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Previous ranking: 30
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Next games: vs. TOR (Jan. 29), vs. LAL (Jan. 30), @ MIN (Feb. 1), @ CHA (Feb. 3)
Washington has lost 14 straight games and has won a total of only 21 games since the beginning of last season. Kyle Kuzma indicated he wanted to be more aggressive, which means not fitting into the franchise’s direction of developing its young prospects. After having 30 points and 11 rebounds in a 119-109 loss at Phoenix on Saturday, Kuzma told reporters, “I just decided to be myself and not really just try to fit into everything that we’re doing here, and just really played in the moment.” Perhaps Kuzma will be more open to trade discussions this time than he was last season at the deadline. — Youngmisuk
As the NBA season heats up, the top contenders in the league are holding steady in the power rankings, while the Detroit Pistons are making a climb up the ranks.At the top of the list, teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks continue to dominate with their star-studded lineups and impressive performances on the court. These teams are proving to be the frontrunners for the championship title this season.
However, the Detroit Pistons have been quietly making a name for themselves with their recent success. Led by young stars like Cade Cunningham and Jerami Grant, the Pistons have been impressive in recent games and have climbed their way up the power rankings.
With their strong defense and improving offense, the Pistons are becoming a team to watch as they continue to exceed expectations and compete with some of the top teams in the league.
As the NBA season progresses, it will be interesting to see how the power rankings continue to shift and evolve. Will the top contenders maintain their positions, or will up-and-coming teams like the Pistons continue to make a push for the top spot? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure – the competition in the NBA is fierce, and anything can happen on any given night.
Tags:
NBA Power Rankings, Top contenders, Pistons climb, NBA standings, basketball rankings, sports news, NBA analysis, playoff race, NBA teams, league leaders, basketball updates.
#NBA #Power #Rankings #Top #contenders #hold #steady #Pistons #climb-
NBA Power Rankings: Top contenders hold steady while Pistons climb
We’re one week from the 2025 NBA trade deadline, and while there haven’t been any major moves leading up to Feb. 6, there have been developments across both conferences.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the Sacramento Kings are open to trade talks regarding star guard De’Aaron Fox. Plus, to add to the ongoing Jimmy Butler trade saga, Charania also reported the Miami Heat are in “active conversations” with “multiple teams” to move the disgruntled superstar.
With All-Star guards potentially on the move, teams will be keeping a close eye on the standings as they push through the regular season. Are there any league-shifting trades in the works? How will that affect a team’s strategy moving forward? Also, how will it affect our power rankings?
All good things to ponder as our NBA insiders break down this week’s list.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.
Previous rankings: Preseason | Oct. 30 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 13 | Nov. 20 | Nov. 27 | Dec. 4 | Dec. 11 | Dec. 18 | Dec. 25 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 8 | Jan. 15 | Jan. 22
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA | WASCenter Isaiah Hartenstein picked up where he left off after sitting out five games because of a lower calf strain, recording 14 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and a block in a win over Portland on Sunday. The Thunder are 23-2 when Hartenstein plays. Four of Oklahoma City’s eight losses have occurred when the Thunder didn’t have Hartenstein or fellow 7-footer Chet Holmgren, with one loss coming on the night Holmgren fractured his pelvis earlier this season. — Tim MacMahon
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2024-25 record: 37-9
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Previous ranking: 2
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Next games: @ MIA (Jan. 29), vs. ATL (Jan. 30), vs. DAL (Feb. 2), vs. BOS (Feb. 4)
To start the season, it took Cleveland 20 games before it picked up its third loss. Last week, the Cavs dropped three in a row, their longest losing streak this season. Each of the defeats was gutting in its own way: Darius Garland missed two potential winning free throws with 2.1 seconds left against Houston; Ty Jerome‘s career-high 33 points weren’t enough to get by a Joel Embiid-less Sixers squad; and then another loss to the Rockets despite a 17-point rally in the fourth. — Dave McMenamin
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2024-25 record: 32-15
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Previous ranking: 3
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Next games: vs. CHI (Jan. 29), @ NO (Jan. 31), @ PHI (Feb. 2), @ CLE (Feb. 4)
Boston suffered another loss Monday, this time to the Rockets on a last-second shot, dropping the Celtics to 13-11 since Dec. 7. But over that stretch, Boston still ranks eighth in offense, fourth in defense and third in net rating. Considering that Boston is coming off yet another deep Finals run, had three players in the Olympics, went to Abu Dhabi during the preseason and the general malaise that comes with a long season, it’s hard to get too concerned about a team that has stayed consistently near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. — Tim Bontemps
Memphis won six in a row before a rough road setback Monday against the Knicks. Jaren Jackson Jr. has developed into a go-to scorer as the Grizzlies continue to tinker with a new wide-open offense that could prove problematic for teams in the postseason. First, Memphis needs to solve its issues dealing with physical teams and the Grizzlies will get another test in that respect Thursday against a Rockets squad that has beaten them three times this season. — Michael Wright
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2024-25 record: 32-14
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Previous ranking: 5
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Next games: @ MEM (Jan. 30), vs. BKN (Feb. 1), @ NYK (Feb. 3), @ BKN (Feb. 4)
Coming off its 16th clutch win of the season Monday at Boston, Houston bested Atlanta on the road Tuesday on the second night of a back to back. The Rockets are tied with the Suns for clutch victories this season, and they’ve won 10 of their past 12 outings and 10 of their past 11 on the road. Second-year forward Amen Thompson is surging, scoring 20-plus points in three of his past six games as Houston collected three wins in the last week over the East-leading Cavaliers and Celtics before Wednesday’s win at Atlanta. — Wright
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2024-25 record: 31-16
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Previous ranking: 7
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Next games: vs. DEN (Jan. 29), vs. LAL (Feb. 1), vs. HOU (Feb. 3), @ TOR (Feb. 4)
The Knicks had gone 45 years without a 143-point showing in a regulation contest before doing it in back-to-back games Saturday and Monday. The NBA’s second-most efficient offense notched consecutive wins over the Kings and Grizzlies by that tally — the Knicks’ 60th straight win when holding at least a 15-point lead, the longest active streak in the NBA. The Knicks will continue to be tested, though: They have the East’s hardest remaining slate as they head into February and are only one game behind the second-place Celtics. — Chris Herring
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2024-25 record: 28-18
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Previous ranking: 6
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Next games: @ NYK (Jan. 29), @ PHI (Jan. 31), @ CHA (Feb. 1), vs. NO (Feb. 3)
After winning eight of nine games, the Nuggets opened a five-game road swing with consecutive losses at Minnesota and Chicago. Aaron Gordon has been ramping up in his return from a calf injury and has yet to play more than 25 minutes in his past eight games coming off the bench. But Russell Westbrook has played well, shooting 62.7% and averaging 13.1 points and 5.6 assists, in his past six games. — Ohm Youngmisuk
With wins in nine of their past 12 games, the Bucks have taken hold of the No. 4 seed in the East as they try to at least secure home-court advantage in the first round. The next three games for Milwaukee will provide a test against playoff teams from the Western Conference: on the road against San Antonio before hosting Memphis then heading to Oklahoma City on a back-to-back. — Jamal Collier
9. LA Clippers
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2024-25 record: 26-20
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Previous ranking: 9
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Next games: @ SA (Jan. 29), @ CHA (Jan. 31), @ TOR (Feb. 2), vs. LAL (Feb. 4)
The Clippers have three players who have arguments to make the All-Star Game: James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac. Harden has a double-double in six of his past eight games, averaging 23.1 points and 10.2 assists in that span. After having 40 points and nine assists in a win over Milwaukee last Saturday, Harden became the seventh player with at least three 40-point games in a season at age 35 or older in NBA history. He also has 10 games with 20 points and 10 assists this season, joining LeBron James, Steve Nash and Lenny Wilkens as the only players 35 or older to do so, according to ESPN research. — Youngmisuk
Over the Lakers’ four-game win streak coming into Tuesday, Anthony Davis averaged 32.8 points on 58.2% shooting, 15 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. The dominant stretch happened to coincide with Davis telling ESPN’s Sham Charania that, “I think we need another big,” before the trade deadline passes. That momentum came crashing down for both Davis and L.A. in Philly on Tuesday night, with Davis exiting early because of an abdominal strain and the Lakers getting blown out. — McMenamin
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2024-25 record: 25-21
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Previous ranking: 15
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Next games: @ PHX (Jan. 29), @ UTA (Jan. 30), vs. WAS (Feb. 1), vs. SAC (Feb. 3)
Wolves coach Chris Finch took issue with the team’s second-half performance during a win over the Hawks on Monday, calling out the best players for not coming out with more intensity. Minnesota has still won three games in a row, climbing up to seventh place in the Western Conference. They’ll have a chance to win back the confidence of their coaches, beginning with back-to-back road games in Phoenix and Utah. The Wolves then return home to host the Wizards and Kings. — Collier
12. Indiana Pacers
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2024-25 record: 25-20
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Previous ranking: 10
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Next games: vs. DET (Jan. 29), vs. ATL (Feb. 1), @ UTA (Feb. 3), @ POR (Feb. 4)
After a two-game trip to Paris, the Pacers return home for a game for the first time in 11 days on Wednesday against the Pistons. Indiana split games with San Antonio while in France and has continued to look like a different team since the calendar flipped to 2025. Since the beginning of January, the Pacers rank sixth in offensive efficiency and fourth in defensive efficiency. Indiana’s 10.2 net rating this month is the second best in the NBA, behind only Oklahoma City. — Collier
13. Dallas Mavericks
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2024-25 record: 25-22
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Previous ranking: 11
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Next games: @ NO (Jan. 29), @ DET (Jan. 31), @ CLE (Feb. 2), @ PHI (Feb. 4)
Klay Thompson‘s 21-point explosion in the first quarter of Monday’s blowout win over the Wizards was more than he had scored in his previous three games combined. He matched a franchise record and his own this season by making seven 3-pointers in the quarter. “You do that, it reminds you that there’s greatness still within you,” Thompson said postgame. — MacMahon
14. Phoenix Suns
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2024-25 record: 24-21
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Previous ranking: 19
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Next games: vs. MIN (Jan. 29), @ GS (Jan. 31), @ POR (Feb. 1), @ POR (Feb. 3)
Benched center Jusuf Nurkic caused some waves last week when he told the Arizona Republic that he and coach Mike Budenholzer “don’t have a relationship.” But it’s hard to argue with Budenholzer’s faith in newly-acquired big man Nick Richards. Since trading with Charlotte for Richards earlier this month, the Suns are 4-1 and he has fit in swimmingly — averaging 11.8 points on 62.9% shooting and 11.2 rebounds. — McMenamin
15. Sacramento Kings
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday the Kings are expected to open up talks to trade De’Aaron Fox before next Thursday’s deadline, which would take Sacramento in a different direction. Currently built to win now with veteran starters DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings will have a difficult time replacing Fox who is averaging 25.2 points and 6.2 assists. Sacramento’s decision has a ripple effect on the Hawks, who get the Kings’ first-round pick from the Kevin Huerter trade if it lands outside the top 12 picks. — Kevin Pelton
16. Detroit Pistons
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2024-25 record: 23-23
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Previous ranking: 18
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Next games: @ IND (Jan. 29), vs. DAL (Jan. 31), vs. CHI (Feb. 2), vs. ATL (Feb. 3)
Since their five-game winning streak to start January, the Pistons have been no more than two games in either direction from .500. An impressive pair of wins last week at Houston and Atlanta were followed by more disappointing performances in a loss at Orlando and a 19-point defeat Monday against the East-leading Cavaliers. After wrapping up their five-game trip Wednesday in Indiana, Detroit will be home through the All-Star break. — Pelton
17. Miami Heat
With Jimmy Butler now suspended through the trade deadline, the Heat will get a 10-day respite from the nonstop drama surrounding their star forward. The question is still the same one that has lingered over the franchise for months: Will there be a suitable deal for Butler by 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 6, or will this standoff drag on for the rest of the season and into the summer? — Bontemps
18. Orlando Magic
On Saturday, the Magic had their top three players (Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner) available at the same time for a game since October, and they ended a five-game losing streak with a win over Detroit. The good health was short-lived: Suggs subsequently sat out Monday because of a quadriceps contusion as Orlando lost a double-overtime heartbreaker in Miami. The Magic are 16-9 with a plus-4.2 differential in the 25 games Suggs and Wagner have played together, despite Banchero sitting out the majority of them. — Pelton
The Warriors are in the middle of a stretch in which they play eight of nine games at home but have lost three of the first six games in that span. Stephen Curry has said that this stretch could “make or break” the Warriors’ season as they try to stay above water without Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga. Green (calf) has been cleared to return to practice later this week, but Kuminga will be out for at least another two weeks after injuring his ankle on Jan. 4. The Warriors, who beat Utah on Tuesday, host Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Orlando. Following that, Golden State plays seven consecutive road games and won’t return to Chase Center until after the All-Star break. — Youngmisuk
2024-25 record: 20-23
Previous ranking: 21
Next games: vs. LAC (Jan. 29), vs. MIL (Jan. 31), vs. MIA (Feb. 1), @ MEM (Feb. 3)
Losers of four of their last five, San Antonio hosts former Spur Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center. The Spurs should be well-rested after spending last week in Paris for two games against Indiana, which included a 38-point loss in which San Antonio coughed up a season-high 24 turnovers. Victor Wembanyama scored only three points on three field-goal attempts in the second half. But he has produced three consecutive showings with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, one shy from tying a career-high four straight outings putting up those numbers. — Wright
21. Atlanta Hawks
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2024-25 record: 22-25
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Previous ranking: 16
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Next games: @ CLE (Jan. 30), @ IND (Feb. 1), @ DET (Feb. 3), vs. SA (Feb. 5)
Atlanta has taken six straight losses since beating the defending champion Celtics on the road in overtime. How bad has the Hawks’ offense been in that span? The Hawks join the tanking Nets and Wizards as the only teams to score less than 100 points per 100 possessions over the past five outings. To be fair, Trae Young sat out Monday in a loss against the Wolves, but that still doesn’t explain the Hawks’ struggles. De’Andre Hunter had a career-best 35 points against Minnesota, but the Hawks will need other players stepping up to stay in contention. — Herring
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2024-25 record: 18-27
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Previous ranking: 23
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Next games: vs. SAC (Jan. 29), vs. DEN (Jan. 31), vs. BOS (Feb. 2), vs. DAL (Feb. 4)
To show how weak the bottom of the Eastern Conference is: The 76ers lost seven games in a row earlier this month before pulling off back-to-back victories over the Cavaliers and Bulls and gained a game on the 10th-place Bulls in that span. This is why the ongoing belief is that no matter how hard Philadelphia tries, it’s probably going to remain in the fight for a play-in spot until the end of the season. — Bontemps
23. Chicago Bulls
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2024-25 record: 20-27
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Previous ranking: 22
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Next games: @ BOS (Jan. 29), @ TOR (Jan. 31), @ DET (Feb. 2), vs. MIA (Feb. 4)
The Bulls picked up an upset victory over the Nuggets this week before heading out on a three-game trip, which takes them through Boston, Toronto and Detroit. But the Bulls are expected to be without their leading scorer Zach LaVine, who will sit out the trip for personal reasons. LaVine’s wife posted on social media that she’s expecting the birth of their third child. — Collier
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2024-25 record: 18-29
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Previous ranking: 24
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Next games: vs. ORL (Jan. 30), vs. PHX (Feb. 1), vs. PHX (Feb. 3), vs. IND (Feb. 4)
The Blazers’ four-game winning streak, including a perfect 3-0 trip to the Southeast, was their longest since starting the 2022-23 season 4-0 when Damian Lillard led the way. Even the loss that ended the streak was impressive: a 10-point loss at home to the league-leading Thunder. It’s no coincidence the uptick came with Deni Avdija‘s return to the lineup. Avdija averaged 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals in those five games. After combining for only 17 points in his first three games back on the bench, all wins, Scoot Henderson had 25 against Oklahoma City. — Pelton
25. Toronto Raptors
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2024-25 record: 14-32
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Previous ranking: 29
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Next games: @ WAS (Jan. 29), vs. CHI (Jan. 31), vs. LAC (Feb. 2), vs. NYK (Feb. 4)
After beating New Orleans on Monday night, Toronto has now won six of its last seven games, including sweeping a two-game series in Atlanta and beating the defending champion Celtics. It has been a nice uptick in form for a Raptors team that won only two games in December and is again without Immanuel Quickley, this time because of a left hip strain. — Bontemps
26. Brooklyn Nets
It has been tough sledding for Brooklyn, which has lost seven straight — and 12 of its past 13 — heading into a Wednesday matchup with the Hornets. Center Nic Claxton has struggled this season and is amid a career-worst 54.0% in efficiency shooting from the field. But with the Nets in a rebuilding season, the young big has shown great potential and instincts. — Herring
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2024-25 record: 12-31
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Previous ranking: 26
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Next games: vs. BKN (Jan. 29), vs. LAC (Jan. 31), vs. DEN (Feb. 1), vs. WAS (Feb. 3)
The team had a different leading scorer for each of its past four games, a positive for a club whose leading scorer, LaMelo Ball, averages upward of 28 points. The Hornets, now second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings, can desperately use some development beyond Ball’s ability to score; particularly with second-year wing Brandon Miller out indefinitely because of a wrist injury. — Herring
New Orleans finished its most recent three-game trip winless, after cobbling together four straight victories before the start of the trek. The Pelicans face a banged-up Dallas squad Wednesday with Zion Williamson coming off back-to-back games with 28 points or more with seven-plus rebounds. Brandon Ingram, a mainstay in trade-deadline rumors, hasn’t played since Dec. 7 (left ankle sprain), and it doesn’t appear he’ll be back soon. New Orleans is 4-22 this season against sub-.500 teams with an upcoming schedule that includes the Mavericks, Celtics and two road clashes against the Nuggets. — Wright
29. Utah Jazz
Veteran power forward/center John Collins doesn’t play often these days, but his rare performances haven’t diminished trade interest in him. Collins played in only two games during Utah’s 3-14 stretch entering Tuesday night’s matchup with the Warriors in which Collins sat out. He averaged 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 62.1% from the field in his two appearances over the past month. — MacMahon
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2024-25 record: 6-39
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Previous ranking: 30
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Next games: vs. TOR (Jan. 29), vs. LAL (Jan. 30), @ MIN (Feb. 1), @ CHA (Feb. 3)
Washington has lost 14 straight games and has won a total of only 21 games since the beginning of last season. Kyle Kuzma indicated he wanted to be more aggressive, which means not fitting into the franchise’s direction of developing its young prospects. After having 30 points and 11 rebounds in a 119-109 loss at Phoenix on Saturday, Kuzma told reporters, “I just decided to be myself and not really just try to fit into everything that we’re doing here, and just really played in the moment.” Perhaps Kuzma will be more open to trade discussions this time than he was last season at the deadline. — Youngmisuk
As the NBA season heats up, the top contenders in the league are holding steady in the power rankings, while the Detroit Pistons are making a climb up the ranks.At the top of the list, teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks continue to dominate with their star-studded lineups and impressive performances on the court. These teams are proving to be the frontrunners for the championship title this season.
However, the Detroit Pistons have been quietly making a name for themselves with their recent success. Led by young stars like Cade Cunningham and Jerami Grant, the Pistons have been impressive in recent games and have climbed their way up the power rankings.
With their strong defense and improving offense, the Pistons are becoming a team to watch as they continue to exceed expectations and compete with some of the top teams in the league.
As the NBA season progresses, it will be interesting to see how the power rankings continue to shift and evolve. Will the top contenders maintain their positions, or will up-and-coming teams like the Pistons continue to make a push for the top spot? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure – the competition in the NBA is fierce, and anything can happen on any given night.
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NBA Power Rankings, Top contenders, Pistons climb, NBA standings, basketball rankings, sports news, NBA analysis, playoff race, NBA teams, league leaders, basketball updates.
#NBA #Power #Rankings #Top #contenders #hold #steady #Pistons #climb-
LSU, Kim Mulkey have a hill to climb: beating South Carolina | LSU
Before these games, former Louisiana Tech coach Sonja Hogg likes to compare her old point guard to a duck swimming across a pond.
On the surface, Kim Mulkey appears calm and composed, Hogg thinks, even elegant and graceful. But that serenity arises only as a result of what’s underneath — a frenetic, frantic paddling, churning her toward an annual showdown with the only Southeastern Conference opponent that her LSU women’s basketball program still hasn’t defeated: Dawn Staley’s reigning-champion South Carolina team.
“I think they have a lot of respect for each other,” Hogg said. “But as a competitor, yeah, Kim wants to get that monkey off her back and wants, first of all, her team to win — period.”
When the two women’s college basketball powerhouse programs collide at 4 p.m. Friday on ESPN, LSU will try to find a win that has eluded it in recent years.
The No. 5 Tigers (20-0, 5-0 SEC) haven’t beaten South Carolina since 2012, which means their losing skid in the matchup now spans 12 seasons, two coaches and 16 games. Even under Mulkey, LSU is 0-4 against the Gamecocks, one of only two Division I teams with more wins than the Tigers over the last four seasons.
Overall, Mulkey-coached squads are 2-5 against Staley’s South Carolina teams. One of Mulkey’s groups hasn’t beaten a Staley squad since 2019, when Baylor bounced the Gamecocks out of the Sweet 16 on its way to a national championship. That season, South Carolina lost 10 games.
The No. 2 Gamecocks (18-1, 6-0) were already an elite program then. In the four previous seasons, they had appeared in two Final Fours and won a national title.
But something changed after they lost that game to Baylor.
They’ve lost only 10 total games in the five years since, a run in which they made four Final Four appearances and won two championships, including the title that punctuated their undefeated 2023-2024 season.
LSU has a national championship now too. But to win that title, Mulkey’s Tigers didn’t have to topple the Gamecocks, now a bitter rival seeking a fifth consecutive win in the head-to-head matchup.
What are the stakes? It’s not an easy question to answer. LSU would, of course, love to break that losing streak, but how much can only one regular-season game in January really matter?
“I don’t think that she would put any extra pressure or extra incentive into that particular game,” said Bill Brock, Mulkey’s longtime associate head coach at Baylor. “But I just know her being the competitor that she is, she knows in the back of her mind, if we’re going to compete for an SEC championship, we’re going to have to probably go through South Carolina.”
Which means that Mulkey is now chasing Staley. Those roles were once reversed, with South Carolina hunting the kind of teams that made runs to the Final Four look routine. Staley didn’t lead the Gamecocks to the NCAA Tournament until 2012, her fourth season as their coach and the same year Baylor took home its second national title under Mulkey at the end of a 40-0 run.
You can spot the exact moment in which it all changed. In 2019, Staley started to guide South Carolina across a Rubicon, transforming a program that competed at an elite level into one that competed at a historically elite level. The dividing line is its Sweet 16 loss to Mulkey’s Baylor team.
“At that time,” Fred Chmiel said, ‘they were the bull’s-eye.”
Chmiel, now the head coach at Bowling Green, coached on Staley’s staff for eight seasons, helping her recruit the freshman class that lifted South Carolina past the Sweet 16 and into the 129 wins it earned across the four seasons after its 2019 loss to Mulkey’s Bears.
“They were the target everybody was chasing,” Chmiel said, “and we weren’t ready for that yet. But I do think that we regrouped, and we did figure out that it takes levels of talent. It takes a lot more than what we had at that time, and our youth showed through.”
One of those younger players was a sophomore named LaDazhia Williams. She grabbed two rebounds for South Carolina but watched most of the game from the bench. There, she could observe Baylor’s domineering post players — the 6-foot-4 Lauren Cox and the 6-7 Kalani Brown — unaware that she’d later become a similarly strong interior presence for the coach yelling and stomping at the other end of the floor.
They too, to her surprise, would also win a title — but at LSU after Mulkey first careened into two more games against the Gamecocks.
In the 2022 matchup, a physical South Carolina team grabbed 24 more rebounds than her Tigers in a 66-60 win.
In 2023, a more talented LSU team fell into a 16-point first-quarter deficit it couldn’t erase. After the 88-64 loss, Mulkey said her program “aspires to be that one day” in a nod to South Carolina’s depth, talent and pedigree.
And just two months later, it proved that it was.
Williams — the ex-South Carolina center who had developed into a veteran who could score 18 points per game in the Final Four — thinks the regular-season loss to the Gamecocks gave the Tigers the focus they needed to make a deep run through the NCAA Tournament.
“We really just locked in,” Williams said, “even with practices, just making sure we didn’t let ourselves or each other slack off, just making sure we’re getting on each other without the coaches having to say anything.”
LSU Tigers forward LaDazhia Williams (0) ties up with Iowa Hawkeyes forward McKenna Warnock (14) in the first period of the NCAA Championship game on Sunday, April 2, 2023 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
In the past four seasons, South Carolina has lost only four games — one of which was the defeat that gave LSU a title-game date with Iowa in 2023. No other Division I team has fewer than 10 losses across that same stretch of play.
The Tigers nearly handed the Gamecocks one or two extra defeats last season.
But junior Bree Hall snuck behind Mikaylah Williams, where she found the space she needed to bury the go-ahead corner 3-pointer that propelled South Carolina to its 15th straight win over LSU.
The Tigers nearly won the rematch too. But in the 2024 SEC tournament final, they couldn’t erase a six-point fourth-quarter deficit by the time the game descended into a scrap, started by an exchange between Flau’jae Johnson and Ashlyn Watkins and escalated by a shove from Kamilla Cardoso.
Chmiel — the South Carolina assistant turned Bowling Green head coach — observed from afar, the day after his Falcons team wrapped up its regular season with a loss to Eastern Michigan.
“When you’re South Carolina, you’re the hunted,” Chmiel said. “And I do think that LSU came in with a big gun, so to speak, hunting and chasing us down. I think everybody is South Carolina’s rivalry right now, but I do think that LSU is pretty good at poking the bear.”
The benches clear during a player altercation during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against LSU at the Southeastern Conference women’s tournament final Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
For the second time since 2021, LSU is undefeated ahead of a top-five matchup with South Carolina. The Gamecocks, on the other hand, already have a loss. In November, No. 1 UCLA handed them that defeat, which is now only the second regular-season game they’ve dropped over the past four seasons.
The Tigers had to survive a few close games — against Washington, Stanford, Tennessee and Vanderbilt — to stay unbeaten.
But South Carolina has played only one game all year that was decided by fewer than 10 points, and that contest was its season-opener against Michigan. Since then, it’s picked up six double-digit wins over ranked teams, setting up quite the challenge for Mulkey’s LSU team.
“Kim is the ultimate competitor,” Brock said. “I mean, she wants to beat you if you’re playing ping pong or if you’re playing checkers or if you’re playing marbles or whatever. So, if you’re gonna try to keep score and determine a winner, she’s gonna try to be at the top of that.”
Hogg expects Mulkey to project an air of calm confidence before the game tips off.
But maintaining that composure once it begins is easier said than done, especially given the way the last matchup ended and LSU’s prolonged losing skid, which will only grow longer if the Tigers fall short once again.
“I really think that Kim has a knack for getting a feel for the game,” Hogg said, “getting a feel for the crowd. She knows she’s played up there before, and it’s not an unknown at all, so I think she will try to keep them calm, cool and collected and not let anybody intimidate them.
“So, it’s going to be a real battle.”
The LSU women’s basketball team, led by new head coach Kim Mulkey, faces a tough challenge as they prepare to take on the top-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. Mulkey, a legendary coach who has won three national championships with Baylor, will need to rally her team to overcome the formidable opponent in front of them.South Carolina, led by star player Aliyah Boston, has been dominant this season with an impressive record and is currently ranked as the best team in the nation. LSU, on the other hand, has had a mixed season so far and will need to bring their A-game to compete with the powerhouse Gamecocks.
Mulkey’s leadership and experience will be crucial in guiding the Tigers as they face this uphill battle. With her track record of success and ability to motivate her players, LSU has a fighting chance to pull off an upset against South Carolina.
The matchup between LSU and South Carolina promises to be an exciting and intense game, with both teams hungry for a win. It will be a true test of the Tigers’ skill and determination as they strive to climb the hill and emerge victorious against their formidable opponent.
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LSU women’s basketball, Kim Mulkey, South Carolina, SEC basketball, LSU vs South Carolina, Kim Mulkey coaching, women’s college basketball, LSU Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks, NCAA basketball.
#LSU #Kim #Mulkey #hill #climb #beating #South #Carolina #LSURanks, Rewards & How to Climb the Ladder
If you’ve played games like Overwatch or League of Legends, Marvel Rivals’ ranked system will feel familiar. It’s all about earning points with every win and losing them when you take a loss. This dynamic system ensures players are constantly moving between ranks, making each match exciting. Here’s everything you need to know about climbing the ranks and reaping the rewards in Marvel Rivals.
How to Unlock Ranked Play in Marvel Rivals
Getting started with Ranked games is simple:
- Log into the game and head to the main menu.
- Select the Competitive tab to access Ranked matches.
- To unlock the Ranked mode, you need to reach Level 10.
Luckily, reaching Level 10 is quick—just play some Quick Matches to level up in no time.
Marvel Rivals Ranks Explained
Marvel Rivals features nine ranks in total, ranging from Bronze all the way to One Above All. Each of the first seven ranks is divided into three tiers (III, II, and I), requiring 100 points per tier to advance.
The Full List of Ranks
- Bronze (III, II, I)
- Silver (III, II, I)
- Gold (III, II, I)
- Platinum (III, II, I)
- Diamond (III, II, I)
- Grandmaster (III, II, I)
- Celestial (III, II, I)
- Eternity
- One Above All (reserved for the top 500 players).
Key Ranked Mechanics
- Inactivity Penalty: If you’re at Eternity or higher, your ranked points will slowly drain if you don’t play regularly. Stay active to keep your spot!
- Champion Bans: At Diamond III and above, teams can ban one champion each, making strategy even more crucial.
- Queuing with Friends: Players in adjacent ranks can queue together. For matchmaking purposes, Bronze and Silver are treated as the same rank.
The Chrono Shield: Your Safety Net
If you’re on a losing streak and at risk of being demoted, the game grants you a Chrono Shield. This prevents rank demotion for a limited time, giving you a chance to bounce back. But beware—it needs to recharge after use, so don’t rely on it too much!
Marvel Rivals Season 1 Ranked Rewards
Season 1 offers exclusive rewards based on your rank, with the Blood Shield Invisible Woman Costume as the standout prize. Here’s what you can earn:
- Blood Shield Invisible Woman Costume: Reach Gold III or higher.
- Silver Crest of Honor: Achieve Grandmaster III or higher.
- Gold Crest of Honor: Reserved for those who reach One Above All.
These rewards are based on your peak rank during the season, so even if you drop down later, you’ll still receive the best rewards you’ve earned!
Final Tips
Ranked play is all about consistency, teamwork, and adapting to challenges. If you’re new, check out our Hero tier list for the best-performing characters or our beginner’s guide to find the perfect hero to start with.
Ranks, Rewards & How to Climb the LadderAre you looking to level up in your career, reach new heights in your personal goals, or improve your skills in a specific area? Understanding the concept of ranks, rewards, and how to climb the ladder can help you achieve your aspirations.
Ranks represent your current position or status in a particular hierarchy or system. This could be in the form of a job title, a level in a game, or a ranking in a competition. Rewards are the benefits, incentives, or recognition that come with reaching higher ranks. These could include promotions, bonuses, achievements, or simply personal satisfaction.
So, how can you climb the ladder and reach higher ranks? Here are some tips to help you on your journey:
1. Set clear goals: Define what you want to achieve and establish specific, measurable objectives to guide your progress.
2. Develop your skills: Invest in continuous learning and improvement to enhance your abilities and increase your value.
3. Seek feedback: Solicit feedback from peers, mentors, or supervisors to identify areas for growth and development.
4. Take on challenges: Step out of your comfort zone, tackle new challenges, and demonstrate your capabilities.
5. Network and build relationships: Cultivate connections with others in your field, seek mentors, and collaborate with like-minded individuals.
6. Stay motivated and persistent: Keep your eye on the prize, stay determined, and persevere through setbacks.
Remember, climbing the ladder is a journey that requires dedication, effort, and patience. By following these tips and staying focused on your goals, you can reach new heights and reap the rewards that come with higher ranks. Good luck on your climb!
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- Ranks and rewards in climbing the ladder
- Tips for climbing the ladder in your career
- How to advance in your career with ranks and rewards
- Career progression: climbing the ladder effectively
- Strategies for moving up the ranks and earning rewards
- Advancing in your career: tips for success
- Climbing the ladder: key steps for success
- Achieving success through ranks and rewards
- Career growth: maximizing your potential
- Developing a successful career path through ranks and rewards
#Ranks #Rewards #Climb #Ladder
Tatelines | A mountain to climb in Orlando | Content
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CHAMPAIGN — Culture can form habitual behavior that manifests in distinct outcomes over time.
That’s one way of saying that you anticipated the football playoff losses of Indiana, SMU and Tennessee — the oft-brilliant Vols have nine losing seasons since 2008 — in the lopsided opening round.
Culture has its way of creeping into these events. We anticipated those results because we doubted that Indiana and SMU belonged. And love ‘em or hate ‘em, we’ve grown accustomed to the consistency of Notre Dame, Penn State and Ohio State over time.
This same culture is part of the mountain Illinois must climb on Tuesday. The underdog Illini have never faced South Carolina but stand 0-6 against SEC members.
Furthermore, since Jan. 1, 1964, when the late Dick Butkus sparked a 17-7 defeat of Washington in the Rose Bowl, the Illini are 5-12 in mostly secondary bowls. The biggest win may have come in 1990 over Virginia (31-21) in this same Citrus Bowl, but my favorite was the 38-14 defeat of Baylor in the 2010 Texas Bowl with Nathan Scheelhaase outplaying Robert Griffin III.
Sitting it out
Who’ll step up in behalf of Illinois’ premier performer, Pat Bryant?
The answer is no one can be expected to match an extraordinary season in which he caught the winning passes in overtime against Nebraska and Purdue, and the remarkable 40-yard game saver with four seconds left at Rutgers.
The short-pass game may be effective but the Illini need a vertical threat to prevent the Gamecocks from overloading up front. That’s where Bryant excelled, averaging 18.2 yards per catch.
Meanwhile, South Carolina will be without 881-yard, 11-TD running back Rocket Sanders and super-star Kyle Kennard, the Nagurski Award winner at defensive end.
The opt-outs by Sanders and Kennard don’t change the likelihood that the ground game favors the Gamecocks. And that’s essentially because 240-pound quarterback LaNorris Sellers is one of the premier ball-carriers in the country (655 yards rushing, 2,274 yards passing).
Running QBs have been a problem for Illinois this season. Forewarned is forearmed in this case.
Portal perusal
Defensive coordinator Aaron Henry and the Illini made big news in the portal last week in landing three members of Wisconsin’s front five.
If you look back to November, you’ll see edge Leon Lowery Jr. and nose Curt Neal were Badger starters and 6-7, 290-pound James Thompson Jr., a multi-year regular, was earning a redshirt due to an injury.
They are Illini now, and poised to bolster the most needy sector of the UI team.
The Badgers finished 5-7 and their shoddy defense left concerns about their talent, but consider that they lost to Alabama, Southern Cal, Penn State, Iowa and Oregon before crumbling in the last two games against Nebraska and Minnesota. The Badgers, who have seen at least 25 varsitymen enter the portal, face anther challenging campaign with early trips to Alabama and Michigan, and back-to-back dates with Ohio State and Oregon, all before hosting Illinois and their former teammates Nov. 22.
Scheduling is critical in an 18-team conference. It makes you wonder how Indiana would have done with Wisconsin’s 2024 schedule … Alabama, Oregon, Penn State, ugh.
Rosters in flux
Legal scholars on the bench are making it impossible for the NCAA to determine its own rules.
Transfers became widespread when a judge ruled that the NCAA can’t require a year in residency. Nor can schools prevent athletes any longer from capitalizing on their ability to draw pay for play.
Those two rulings are causing incredible chaos. And this latest ruling involving Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is an even greater shock. Pavia attended a year of junior college, and a district court judge says that doesn’t count against his Division I eligibility. So, of course, the NCAA will appeal, but at the same time has granted a waiver for all junior college athletes with expiring NCAA eligibility to play in 2025.
This paints a new picture, an entirely different option, for juco transfers like Illini left tackle J.C. Davis. Next year’s UI lineup just keeps changing … daily … in December.
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#Tatelines #mountain #climb #Orlando #ContentHow the Raiders can climb back up in the NFL Draft over the final two weeks to land a QB
HENDERSON, Nev. — Antonio Pierce doesn’t care. The head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders (3-12) knows there’s speculation about his job security and that many people consider him a lame duck heading into the offseason. But he’s not mailing it in or worrying about the draft order.
“We don’t do this to lose,” Pierce said Monday. “None of that s— matters to us. The only thing that matters is winning. That’s all we want to do.”
But we care. We know some fans are upset about likely losing the chance to draft first overall and land a top quarterback, so here is our belated gift: a look at the Raiders’ best path to Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward in the draft.
With their win over the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) last Sunday, the Raiders dropped from the No. 2 slot to No. 6 in the projected order atop the 2025 NFL Draft. They now are on target to pick behind, in order, the New York Giants (2-13) at No. 1, New England Patriots (3-12), the Jaguars, the Tennessee Titans (3-12) and the Cleveland Browns (3-12).
That’s caused a not-insignificant segment of the Raiders fan base to be up in arms about their lessened chances of drafting one of the top quarterback prospects, namely Sanders of Colorado or Ward of Miami. For those fans, the good news is that there are two weeks left to play in the 2024 regular season and their team could still move back up the draft board.
Updated NFL Draft order (NYG clear favorites for No. 1 pick)
1. Giants (2-13)
2. Patriots (3-12)
3. Jaguars (3-12)
4. Titans (3-12)
5. Browns (3-12)
6. Raiders (3-12)
7. Panthers (4-11)
8. Jets (4-11)
9. Bears (4-11)— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) December 23, 2024
The Raiders travel to play the New Orleans Saints (5-10) on Sunday. Las Vegas has shown it can lose to any team, but the Saints may be beatable if they’re without Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and old friend Derek Carr, who are all dealing with injuries.
In the season finale, the Raiders will host the Los Angeles Chargers (9-6), who beat them 22-10 in Week 1. The Chargers haven’t yet clinched a playoff spot and, even if they do in Week 17, they may still be playing for seeding in Week 18. Divisional games can get weird, but unless the Chargers have locked up their playoff positioning and decide to rest their starters, it’s tough to see the Raiders knocking them off.
Yet how the Raiders fare won’t be the only factor in where they will be slotted in the first round of the draft. If they end up tied with another team, the first tiebreaker is strength of schedule. If teams have the same strength of schedule, then division or conference tiebreakers come into play. If those aren’t applicable, then it goes to head-to-head matchups. It gets complicated if those aren’t applicable, but we’ll spare you those details for now.
Here’s a breakdown of what lies ahead for the teams the Raiders trail in the draft order.
New York Giants (No. 1)
With their televised mishandling of Saquon Barkley this offseason, the Giants are why no team should want to be on “Hard Knocks.” Not to mention owner John Mara prophetically lamenting the possibility of Barkley thriving with the Eagles.
It’s a great reason to clean house if you’re Mara, and there is no better way to do so than with the No. 1 pick. The Giants are like a Japanese bullet train in that regard, losing 10 straight games with the subtlety of a circus clown. Last week, Drew Lock threw two pick sixes.
Lock injured his shoulder but is expected to play Sunday against the Colts. That’s good news for Giants fans, for while Lock has a good arm, his lack of pocket awareness and disdain for ball security will keep the speed train moving.
The Giants finish at Philadelphia, which will likely have the No. 2 seed in the NFC wrapped up and could rest quarterback Jalen Hurts. But the Giants were embarrassed by the Eagles 28-3 in their first meeting, and Kenny Pickett is not that terrible.
So, Raiders fans, tip your cap to the Giants. This is how you (implicitly) tank for the top pick. The Raiders are not passing the Giants. Neither is anyone else.
New England Patriots (No. 2)
A New England radio station played Dido’s song “Thank You” on Monday, saluting the Raiders for beating the Jaguars and letting the Patriots move up to No. 2 on the draft board … so they can (perhaps) turn around and trade the selection to the Raiders for a boatload of picks.
That’s because the Patriots got their franchise quarterback this year in Drake Maye. The 22-year-old has overcome a brutal offensive line (its 72 quick pressures allowed are tied with the Bengals for the most in the NFL) and timid receivers to keep the Patriots in half of their games over the last two months. They are 2-6 over that span with four losses coming by a total of 13 points, and Maye is good for two or three great throws on the run a week.
That makes their hold on the No. 2 spot a bit tenuous. They host the Chargers on Sunday, and given Los Angeles’ lack of offensive firepower, an upset is possible. In Week 18, the Patriots host the Bills, who may have nothing to play for since the Kansas City Chiefs already locked up the No. 1 seed.
In short, Patriots fans shouldn’t thank the Raiders quite yet. It could be the other way around in two weeks.
GO DEEPER
Is there anything worth salvaging from this year’s Raiders roster?
Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 3) and Tennessee Titans (No. 4)
The Jaguars and Titans play each other Sunday in Duval, so we grouped them together. Barring a tie, one will fall down the draft order. If they tie, then they both will. Either outcome would be a positive for those rooting for the Raiders’ draft fortunes, but the most ideal would be a Tennessee win.
That’s because Jacksonville just signed quarterback Trevor Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million contract and isn’t a threat to take a quarterback in Round 1. Tennessee, on the other hand, recently benched 2023 second-round pick Will Levis and will probably be exploring its options. Those rooting for the Raiders to draft a quarterback could breathe a little easier with a Titans victory.
Looking ahead to Week 18, the Jaguars play the Indianapolis Colts (7-8) on the road, while the Titans host the Houston Texans (9-7). The Colts are still in the playoff picture, so they could have something to play for. And though the Texans have already clinched the AFC South, they may be jockeying with the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) or Ravens for playoff seeding.
It would help the Raiders’ draft positioning if both the Jaguars and Titans won in Week 18, but that feels like wishful thinking. Nonetheless, the Raiders will leapfrog at least one of these teams as long as they lose out.
Cleveland Browns (No. 5)
The Raiders beat the Browns in Week 4 — the day before then-injured receiver Davante Adams requested a trade — so Cleveland holds the tiebreaker in the draft order. To move ahead of the Browns, the Raiders need them to win at least one of their last two games.
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is set to have a $72.935 million cap hit in 2025, so he’ll likely be on the roster, but he suffered a torn Achilles in Week 7 and has been awful since Cleveland traded for him in 2022. It would be organizational malpractice if the Browns didn’t seek an upgrade at quarterback.
The Browns host the Miami Dolphins (7-8) this week and travel to play the Baltimore Ravens (11-5) in Week 18. The Dolphins have been notoriously terrible in cold-weather games since drafting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. When it’s 45 degrees or colder, Tagovailoa has an 0-7 record. While it’s forecast to be 55 in Cleveland on Sunday, it’s supposed to be windy and rainy. Maybe the Browns can take advantage of the bad weather and upend the Dolphins.
Topping the Ravens, who could be playing to clinch the AFC North, on the road will be much more difficult. It doesn’t bode well for the Raiders’ odds of moving ahead of the Browns if Cleveland can’t beat the Dolphins.
GO DEEPER
NFL Week 17 playoff scenarios: Broncos, Chargers, Commanders eye berths
(Photo of Deshaun Watson being tackled by K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Snowden: Steve Marcus / Getty Images)
The Las Vegas Raiders have had a rollercoaster season so far, and with just two weeks left in the NFL regular season, they find themselves in need of a quarterback to lead their team into the future. With a record of 6-8, the Raiders are currently sitting just outside of the top 10 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. However, with a strong finish to the season, they have a chance to climb back up in the draft order and secure a top quarterback prospect.Here are a few ways the Raiders can position themselves to land a quarterback in the upcoming draft:
1. Win their remaining games: The most obvious way for the Raiders to climb back up in the draft order is to win their final two games of the season. A strong finish could potentially move them into the top 10 picks, giving them a better shot at landing a top quarterback prospect.
2. Root for other teams to lose: In addition to winning their own games, the Raiders will also need some help from other teams in order to move up in the draft order. They should be rooting for teams ahead of them in the standings to lose, which would improve their chances of securing a higher draft pick.
3. Evaluate potential trade opportunities: If the Raiders are unable to climb back up in the draft order through their own performance and the outcomes of other games, they may need to explore trade opportunities to move up. They could package picks or players in exchange for a higher draft pick, giving them a better chance at landing a top quarterback prospect.
Overall, the Raiders have their work cut out for them over the final two weeks of the season if they hope to secure a quarterback in the upcoming draft. By winning their remaining games, rooting for other teams to lose, and evaluating potential trade opportunities, they can position themselves for success in the draft and set themselves up for future success on the field.
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- Quarterback prospects for Raiders
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WYBOT C1 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaners, Powerful Suction, Wall Climb Pool Robot with Intelligent Route Planning, Lasts 150Mins, Ideal for In-Ground Pools Up to 1,614 Sq.ft
Price:$499.99– $399.99
(as of Dec 28,2024 18:39:36 UTC – Details)
Powerful Suction: Equipped with an upgraded independent water pump motor, achieving a maximum filtration rate of 2642 GPH, dual PVC brushes with a strong grip, which can thoroughly and efficiently attack various debris, garbage like sands, leafs, and tough dirt from ALL pool surfaces. Ensuring a thoroughly clean and crystal-clear pool, provides you with a refreshing swimming experience.
FULL POOL CLEAN: Offering default settings and versatile cleaning modes, this pool cleaner efficiently cleans pool floors, walls, and waterlines. In default mode, it intelligently allocates cleaning time, starting with wall cleaning before moving on to a deep cleaning of the pool floor.
Extended Runtime Upgrade: The pool vacuum boasts a long battery life, providing up to 150 minutes of continuous run time. Moreover, its rapid charging capability ensures it is ready for the next cleaning session in about 3 hours. This innovative robotic pool cleaner is designed for inground swimming pool up to 1,614 sq.ft and water depth of 9.8ft.
Intelligent Navigation System: Utilizing precise positioning and intelligent navigation technology, the pool cleaner follows an N-shaped path for wall cleaning and an S-shaped path for pool floor cleaning, ensuring comprehensive coverage and optimal cleaning results. Upgraded motors, high-adhesion brushes, and a four-wheel-drive system make the machine suitable for various pool surfaces, including PVC, tiles, mosaic, and glass.
Easy Filter Cleaning: Large top load filter cartridges with superior filtering abilities that traps and locks-in debris for optimal cleaning. To clean the filters, simply press the front button to open the top covers, take out the filter baskets from your pool cleaner, and rinse them with a garden hose.Customers say
Customers find the pool vacuum effective at cleaning the bottom, walls, and steps of their pools. They appreciate its functionality and efficient cleaning. The battery life is satisfactory, with an hour-long runtime. Many customers find it easy to set up and maintain. It picks up leaves and debris as small as sand. Overall, they find it a great value for money. However, some customers have reported issues with sturdiness and erratic behavior.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Introducing the WYBOT C1 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner – the ultimate solution for keeping your in-ground pool sparkling clean with minimal effort.This innovative pool robot features powerful suction and the ability to climb walls, ensuring every inch of your pool is thoroughly cleaned. With intelligent route planning, the WYBOT C1 navigates your pool efficiently, saving time and energy.
One of the standout features of the WYBOT C1 is its long-lasting battery life, allowing it to clean for up to 150 minutes on a single charge. This means you can sit back, relax, and let the WYBOT C1 do all the hard work for you.
Ideal for pools up to 1,614 square feet, the WYBOT C1 is the perfect choice for pool owners looking for a reliable and efficient cleaning solution. Say goodbye to manual cleaning and hello to a pristine pool with the WYBOT C1 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner.
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