Before the 2022-23 NBA season began, there appeared to be a clear line separating the contenders and lottery dwellers. With a franchise-changing prospect like Victor Wembanyama set to enter the league next year, rebuilding teams were expected to pile up losses.
Through the first two weeks of the new campaign, though, the supposed title hopefuls and tankers aren’t following the script.
After Tuesday night’s games, the Jazz and Spurs are near the top of the Western Conference standings. The Clippers, Heat, Nets and Warriors, meanwhile, find themselves outside of not just the NBA Playoff bracket, but also the Play-In Tournament group.
It’s still very early in the season, of course, but that’s not going to stop us from putting on our helmets for this edition of Tank Watch. Here’s a glimpse of the standings in each conference and the latest lottery odds.
MORE: How to watch every Victor Wembanyama game this season
NBA standings 2022: Eastern Conference
Yes, it’s early. No, we don’t care. That sound you hear emanating from Florida? That’s every Magic fan simultaneously marveling about the early play of Paolo Banchero and cheering on every loss with the hopes of adding Wembanyama to an already stacked — and tall — bevy of young talent.
(Current as of Nov. 2)
| Seed | Team | Record | Games Back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bucks | 6-0 | — |
| 2. | Cavaliers | 5-1 | 1 |
| 3. | Celtics | 4-2 | 2 |
| 4. | Raptors | 4-3 | 2.5 |
| 5. | Hawks | 4-3 | 2.5 |
| 6. | 76ers | 4-4 | 3 |
| 7. | Bulls | 4-4 | 3 |
| 8. | Knicks | 3-3 | 3 |
| 9. | Hornets | 3-4 | 3.5 |
| 10. | Wizards | 3-4 | 3.5 |
| — | Pacers | 3-5 | 4 |
| — | Heat | 3-5 | 4 |
| — | Nets | 2-6 | 5 |
| — | Pistons | 2-6 | 5 |
| — | Magic | 1-7 | 6 |
NBA standings 2022: Western Conference
If the Lakers somehow end up firmly in the running for the No. 1 pick — remember, the Pelicans own their pick from the Anthony Davis trade — this could go down as one of the great fork-in-the-road drafts/trades in NBA history.
MORE: Full details on Lakers-Pelicans picks, swaps following Anthony Davis trade
(Current as of Nov. 2)
| Seed | Team | Record | Games Back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Suns | 6-1 | — |
| 2. | Trail Blazers | 5-1 | 0.5 |
| 3. | Jazz | 6-2 | 0.5 |
| 4. | Spurs | 5-2 | 1 |
| 5. | Pelicans | 4-2 | 1.5 |
| 6. | Nuggets | 4-3 | 2 |
| 7. | Thunder | 4-3 | 2 |
| 8. | Grizzlies | 4-3 | 2 |
| 9. | Timberwolves | 4-4 | 2.5 |
| 10. | Mavericks | 3-3 | 2.5 |
| — | Clippers | 3-4 | 3 |
| — | Warriors | 3-5 | 3.5 |
| — | Kings | 2-4 | 3.5 |
| — | Lakers | 1-5 | 4.5 |
| — | Rockets | 1-7 | 5.5 |
NBA Draft 2023 lottery odds
As it stands right now, the Rockets are the big winners. Not only do they have the NBA’s worst record, they also have swap rights with the Nets who are themselves struggling mightily early on. The longer that Brooklyn’s season stays off the rails, the more that Nets-Rockets deal for James Harden looms larger.
Want to stay
| Seed | Team | Top four pick | No. 1 pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Rockets | 52.1% | 14.0% |
| 2. | Magic | 52.1% | 14.0% |
| 3. | Pelicans (via Lakers) | 52.1% | 14.0% |
| 4. | Pistons | 48.1% | 12.5% |
| 5. | Rockets (via Nets) | 42.1% | 10.5% |
| 6. | Kings | 37.2% | 9.0% |
| 7. | Warriors | 32.0% | 7.5% |
| 8. | Pacers | 26.3% | 6.0% |
| 9. | Heat | 20.3% | 4.5% |
| 10. | Wizards | 13.9% | 3.0% |
| 11. | Hornets | 9.4% | 2.0% |
| 12. | Thunder (via Clippers) | 7.1% | 1.5% |
| 13. | Jazz (via Timberwolves) | 4.8% | 1.0% |
| 14. | Knicks (via Mavericks) | 2.4% | 0.5% |
NBA Mock Draft 2023
SN’s latest mock draft, curated by Kyle Irving, breaks down where the top 30 prospects could land in the 2023 NBA Draft. Irving unsurprisingly predicts that Wembanyama will be the top pick.
Here is SN’s projected top 10:
- Victor Wembanyama, Metropolitans 92
- Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite
- Nick Smith, Arkansas
- Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite
- Cameron Whitmore, Villanova
- Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite
- Dariq Whitehead, Duke
- Dillon Mitchell, Texas
- Jarace Walker, Houston
- Cason Wallace, Kentucky
