NBA power rankings: Bucks, Kings move up while Warriors continue downward spiral

We’re one month into the 2023-24 NBA season and teams are starting to give fans a better idea of where they stand in the league hierarchy. Two squads in particular have started to make a climb towards the top of the power rankings after rough starts.

The Milwaukee Bucks entered the year with a lot of hype after trading for superstar point guard Damian Lillard to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee had some unusual results but appears to have found its way of late. The Bucks have won four in a row, including some revenge over the Raptors and dominant showings on both nights of a back-to-back set Friday and Saturday. Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Khris Middleton are about as formidable a trio as there is when everyone is healthy.

Last year’s biggest surprise story was the Sacramento Kings, who used a devastating offense to win the Pacific division and snap a 16-season playoff drought. The Kings got off to a slow start this season, but have rattled off six straight wins including triumphs over the Thunder, Cavaliers, Lakers and Mavericks. Sacramento’s offense is starting to get into a groove, and point guard De’Aaron Fox is back after being sidelined with an ankle injury. However, not everything is sunshine and rainbows in Northern California.

Dynasties don’t last forever, but the Golden State Warriors might meet their end sooner than people believed. The homegrown trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have posted a -15 in 146 total minutes, and that’s just the first part of the problem. Golden State’s offense isn’t clicking, largely due to Thompson’s shooting struggles. Green’s emotions have gotten the best of him multiple times, resulting in ejections and a five-game suspension. The brilliance has been replaced by stupidity. And it’s resulted in six straight losses to fall under .500. If something doesn’t quickly change, this team’s historic run will be quickly forgotten.

Here’s a look at the full power rankings after the fourth week.