NBA Power Rankings: The curious case of the Knicks; red-hot Magic surging in East

In the latest edition of our NBA Power Rankings, we take a deeper look at the New York Knicks and feature the red-hot Orlando Magic.

Most teams in the NBA are approaching or have already hit the 20-game mark of the 2023-24 NBA season. With a solid sample size already in the books, we're beginning to learn more and more about teams. In our latest edition of our NBA Power Rankings, we dive into the curious case of the New York Knicks and highlight the red-hot Orlando Magic.

Buy or sell the Orlando Magic as one of the best teams in the NBA

As one of the young standout teams in the Eastern Conference, the Magic just had a nine-game winning streak snapped and have won 10 of their last 12 contests. They're currently the second seed in the East standings and have a top 3 defense in the NBA. Led by the dynamic duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, it's impossible not to take notice of what Orlando is doing right now in the East.

With the Magic surging up the East hierarchy, let's get to this week's NBA Power Rankings.

30. Detroit Pistons

On a 17-game losing streak, there's no debate on who the worst team is in the league right now. Despite all their talent, the Pistons have struggled to find their footing so far this season. Quite frankly, with the rate they're losing so far this season, there's no guarantee that's going to change anytime soon.

And if it doesn't, big changes could be coming the Pistons way. The goal for this team for the rest of the season will revolve around identifying which young players on their roster should be considered foundational pieces and which shouldn't. That's unfortunate considering there were some who believed the Pistons could be a surprise team in the Eastern Conference this season.