13. Oklahoma City Thunder (28-19)
Billy Donovan has his team sitting comfortably in 7th place in the West, a feat almost nobody predicted when Russell Westbrook was effectively swapped for Chris Paul, and Paul George was shipped to the Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and a slew of first-round picks. Gilgeous-Alexander has to be mentioned as a candidate for the Most Improved Player Award.
Gallinari is a crafty veteran who is better than people think, and Chris Paul has been solid (as he has generally been throughout his career when healthy) despite a plethora of early-season trade rumors. While it’s difficult to imagine the Thunder doing any damage in the post-season, they’ve positioned themselves nicely going forward (assuming they hit on a couple of their future first-round picks) courtesy of their under the radar heist of picks acquired from the Clippers.
14. Memphis Grizzlies (21-24)
Ja Morant is the frontrunner to win NBA Rookie of the Year, averaging 17.9 PTS, 3.5 REB, and 7.0 AST at the halfway point. The frontcourt is loaded with big men in Jonas Valanciunas, Jaron Jackson Jr., and Brandon Clarke, while Dillon Brooks is also having himself a bit of a comeback year (though we’d like to see his consistency and defensive stats improve). The Grizzlies have been playing at a pretty fast pace, and also lead the NBA in Assists with 28 per game.
All things considered, Memphis has to be happy with their current predicament (8th in the West) and will be playing with house money for the rest of the year. With Portland and New Orleans bound to make a run, it might be difficult to hang on to the last playoff spot in the West. And like any small-market team, it’s imperative they hit on their draft picks, given it’s unlikely you’ll see them attracting any big-name, or elite free agents.