5. Houston Rockets
It was only a brief moment, but the Rockets previously held the longest winning streak in the league. After losing 15 straight, they won an astounding seven consecutive games before the Bucks derailed them. They are a team tangled in their own youthfulness; they can be young and explosive but at the same inexperienced in playing consistent basketball. You take the good with the bad with a struggling team and they are worth a peep every now and then on League Pass.
Christian Wood has been working hard for an All-Star vote with his double-doubles. Alperen Sengun carves out head-scratching moves that can either be good for his team or not so good for his team. Jae'Sean Tate continues to be a dog for the ball. The emergence of Garrison Mathews has also been a delight. In the Rockets' last eight games, he's averaging 17.0 points including four 3s on 46.4 percent shooting from deep. Even without the aerial acrobatics and incredible shot-making from the injured Jalen Green, there is something brewing in Houston.
4. Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets are once again in the League Pass rankings, but they're not here for the usual reasons. LaMelo Ball is out. So is Terry Rozier. Heck, seven of their 10 rotation guys didn't suit up in their previous game against the Kings. But guess what, the Hornets are still buzzing along!
Miles Bridges is all systems go on his Most Improved Player campaign while Gordon Hayward is the wily veteran providing experience and stability to the group. Of all players who have benefited from the depleted lineup, it has got to be Kelly Oubre Jr. and Cody Martin. The two have provided a huge shot in the arm for the Hornets and have kept them competitive during this stretch. Aside from the established names, the draw in Charlotte includes its young guns who have been called up. Rookie James Bouknight stole the show in a recent game against the Kings when he drilled six triples en route to 24 points off the bench.
3. Denver Nuggets
Reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic is the No. 1 reason you should tune in to the Nuggets. Despite the lack of personnel, Jokic is still putting up gaudy stats (26.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 7.2 APG). The ball is not moving as crisp as it was before, with Jokic's passing options limited, but we are seeing more offense from the big guy. We see a lot more of those signature fadeaways, twirling on one-legged layups, and improbable shots from distance. Everyone knows that the ball is going to him and the entire defense is predicated on stopping him, and yet he still finds ways to score.
The Nuggets are a bit of an eyesore as they navigate the season with their mountain of injuries. But if there's one thing certain, that's Nikola Jokic making a strong case for another MVP season.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
After a slow start, the Bucks are chugging along and gaining steam. The injuries have kept them out of the conversation of teams to beat, especially with the rise of the Nets and Bulls in the East, but they are keeping up. They're currently third in the East with a 17-10 record and 8-2 in their last 10 games.
On one hand, the Bucks are still the defending champions and an easy pick to win it all again. At the same time, we haven't seen them play to their full strength and employ their brand of basketball that led them all the way to the title last year. They're not as scary as they once were. Granted that injuries have slowed them down, including Brook Lopez still being out, so it wouldn't be too surprising to see them contend for the top seed later on.
1. Utah Jazz
If there ever was a non-sexy pick as the top team to watch on League Pass, it's probably the Utah Jazz. Maybe it's because of the lack of drama. Maybe it's fatigue since fans already saw them get the best record last season before collapsing in the postseason. Maybe it's the Suns and their hot streak. Maybe it's Steph Curry going inferno and the return of the Warriors as a contender. Maybe it's all these things.
All that being said, the Jazz are 18-7 and have won their last six games. After Saturday's games, they have the highest offensive rating at 117.2, seventh in defensive rating with 106.4, and second overall in net rating behind only the Warriors.
The Jazz are still pretty much the Jazz. Donovan Mitchell is still racking up points aplenty and Rudy Gobert continues to gobble up opposing offenses. All the hype is with the Warriors, Suns, Nets, and Bulls, but don't sleep on the Jazz as a top-tier team.
