A little over a month remains in the 2023-24 NBA regular season, so playoff races are getting super tight. Many clutch moments could influence matters as teams continue to try to make the postseason and position themselves for the deepest run possible.
Since crunchtime is a major factor in how this all plays out, I thought we’d look at the go-to clutch performers for each team this season — and someone who has struggled to come through in the clutch thus far. Are these teams set up for big moves when the game is close? (For those who need a refresher: The NBA defines clutch time as a game within five points in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime.)
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We’ll do that before, as always, flawlessly ranking the 30 teams for the 21st straight week.
Reminder: The Power Rankings don’t just rank the 30 teams. We divide these teams into tiers, which teams can move in and out of. We currently have the tiers broken into seven new categories:
- Incomprehensibly bad – These guys are historically inept right now.
- Not tanking but maybe someday — They haven’t started tanking yet, but it’s on the table this season.
- Looking to make the Play-In — They’ve been rebuilding/retooling and think they can crack the top 10 in their respective conference.
- Play-In Tournament teams or better — They should be in the mix unless something disastrous happens.
- Playoff teams — Probably don’t have to worry about dropping down to the Play-In Tournament.
- On the brink of contention — A piece away from us believing they can win the title.
- Contenders — They are contending for the championship, barring a massive injury.
As always, I am sure we will all agree on the placement of all 30 teams, especially your favorite team.
Here’s how the Power Rankings work:
- It’s up to my discretion how the rankings shake out. For some teams, they’ll be hit in the short term. Others will be given the benefit for the long term. Yes, it is entirely subjective.
- If I have a team ahead of another team, there’s no reason to ask why they’re ranked above the team you like. The answer is pretty simple: I think that team is set up better for success.
- Yes, I watch the games. And yes, I watch your favorite team.
- This is supposed to be fun, so let’s have fun.
With all that said, let’s dive into Week 21 of The Athletic’s NBA Power Rankings. Stats and records are through Monday’s action.
Denver Nuggets
Who’s their clutch guy? Nikola Jokić | 107 points, 35-of-63 (55.6 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 27 points, 6-of-21 (28.6 percent) FG
Obviously, Jokić is the most unstoppable force in the league, and that gets emphasized even more in clutch moments. There’s nothing you can do if he decides to post you up. You just have to hope he swings the ball to KCP, who has struggled a lot in a small sample of opportunities. Everybody else on the floor is great in the clutch. Michael Porter Jr, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are all at 55 percent or better from the field in such situations. Good luck, everybody!
Oklahoma City Thunder
Who’s their clutch guy? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 98 points, 33-of-54 (61.1 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Lu Dort | 19 points, 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) FG
Here’s the messed up thing about trying to stop the Thunder in the clutch: Jalen Williams is also a killer. He’s scored 60 points on 20-of-30 shooting in the clutch this season while shooting 93 percent at the free-throw line. So, even if you manage to get the ball out of SGA’s hands or deny him, they have other guys on the court. Of course, Gilgeous-Alexander also will demoralize you, and he can do it with passing too (18 assists to four turnovers). Plus, Chet Holmgren has been great. You have to pray Dort or Josh Giddey get the ball in a hand grenade scenario.
Boston Celtics
Who’s their clutch guy? Kristaps Porziņģis | 52 points, 16-of-24 (66.7 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Jayson Tatum | 59 points, 15-of-48 (31.3 percent) FG
The Celtics actually have been really good in the clutch with some of their individual shooting performances. Porziņģis has been a perfect safety valve. Derrick White has been nearly as good, and Jaylen Brown is shooting 50 percent from the field in the clutch. But Tatum receives the highest usage and the most clutch opportunities, but he really struggles to make such shots. His numbers get bumped by how often he gets to the free-throw line (24-of-30) in the clutch, so that helps quite a bit. However, the Celtics’ clutch approach continues to receive scrutiny, and it would be good to see them solve that final piece to their puzzle. Or maybe they’ll be up 20 all the time in the East playoffs, so it won’t matter.
LA Clippers
Who’s their clutch guy? Kawhi Leonard | 78 points, 25-of-58 (43.1 percent) FG
Who has struggled? James Harden | 30 points, 8-of-20 (40.0 percent) FG
Norman Powell and Paul George have been great at converting in the clutch this year, but Kawhi is still the guy they go through. And his free-throw shooting (92.3 percent) means you can’t touch him at all. Kawhi is still one of the most feared one-on-one players, and the Clippers have the depth and offense to make you hesitate to double. Even though Harden got the nod for the struggling option, he still hasn’t been that bad because he’s been great distributing the ball. They just don’t have many clutch shortcomings.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Who’s their clutch guy? Anthony Edwards | 80 points, 29-of-65 (44.6 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Karl-Anthony Towns | 57 points, 18-of-48 (37.5 percent) FG
Towns is down with a knee surgery and will hopefully be back for the playoffs. But when he was on the court this season, he simply didn’t capitalize on spreading the floor with his shot. He did go 15-of-17 from the line, but his 3-point shot (6-of-23) was not indicative of the elite shooter he is. Edwards is obviously the go-to guy and, at times, looks like an all-time superstar. Other times, he settles for bad pull-up jumpers and looks tired. His clutch free-throw shooting must get better, no matter what. He’s shooting just 68.2 percent from the line in crunchtime.
New Orleans Pelicans
Who’s their clutch guy? Brandon Ingram | 49 points, 18-of-42 (42.9 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Zion Williamson | 32 points, 13-of-27 (48.1 percent) FG
While Williamson has a higher field goal percentage, it’s a much lower volume of opportunities, and his free-throw shooting and playmaking have actually been subpar. He has more turnovers than assists while shooting just 6-of-13 from the line. However, he should be a great option outside of that because he gets so many good shots at the rim. Ingram’s efficiency isn’t super high, but he’s money inside the arc (51.6 percent). Both are scary options in a playoff scenario.
Phoenix Suns
Who’s their clutch guy? Devin Booker | 71 points, 22-of-48 (45.8 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Grayson Allen | 18 points, 4-of-13 (30.8 percent) FG
Kevin Durant is shooting only 36.4 percent in the clutch this season, so you could say he’s the guy struggling considering he takes the most shots on the team. But his free-throw shooting and defense have been pretty reliable. Allen and Jusuf Nurkić (40.0 percent) haven’t been able to make it happen in crunchtime. I highlighted Allen here because it’s such a stark difference from his shooting at all other times, and he’ll have to knock down some big 3-pointers in the playoffs. Booker continues to be as good as it gets when the game is in the balance. His 3-point shooting has been bad, but everything else has been excellent. And he doesn’t turn it over.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Who’s their clutch guy? Donovan Mitchell | 78 points, 23-of-52 (44.2 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Darius Garland | 36 points, 8-of-32 (25.0 percent) FG
Even though he has a couple more turnovers than assists in the clutch, Mitchell has been pretty good when the Cavs need a big bucket in a tight game. His 3-point shooting, free-throw efficiency and ability to get to the rim have all been shining in clutch situations. If he can be this reliable in the playoffs, Cleveland will have a good run. Garland has been in and out of the lineup this season, but he’s really struggled to come through in the clutch. His free-throw shooting is the only thing holding up. This team needs to get healthy, though.
Milwaukee Bucks
Who’s their clutch guy? Giannis Antetokounmpo | 90 points, 26-of-45 (57.8 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Malik Beasley | 18 points, 7-of-22 (31.8 percent) FG
Giannis is getting the nod over Damian Lillard just because of his efficiency. Both have been good options, and, Lillard wasn’t struggling with his 3-point shooting (30.3 percent), he’d be the clear-cut guy here. Giannis has actually been pretty good at the free-throw line, sitting at around 75 percent. Both have been great at making plays for others. One of the others is Beasley, and he’s going to really lock in to make defenses pay when they swarm the stars. He’s struggled in limited opportunities, but he’s too good of a shooter to remain this bad in the clutch.
Dallas Mavericks
Who’s their clutch guy? Luka Dončić | 59 points, 18-of-39 (46.2 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Tim Hardaway Jr. | 25 points, 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) FG
The 1-2 combo of Dončić and Kyrie Irving is pretty difficult to contend with in late-game situations. Both have been incendiary this season and put opponents on their heels. Dončić has just been a much higher-volume playmaker in addition to the scoring, so he gets the nod there. Surprisingly, Hardaway has been awful at late-game shots. Opponents still fear his shot making, but they’d much rather it go to him than the two stars.
Sacramento Kings
Who’s their clutch guy? De’Aaron Fox | 102 points, 40-of-83 (48.2 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Harrison Barnes | 29 points, 9-of-25 (36.0 percent) FG
Fox was the NBA’s most clutch player last season and has been among the league’s most clutch players once again. Mike Brown trusts him to make any decision at the end of games. Fox oddly has struggled with free throws and taking care of the ball, but the scoring is there. Malik Monk also has been excellent in the clutch. Barnes has not, but that changes with a couple 3-pointers falling for him. Just don’t fail to box out because Domantas Sabonis has been huge on the boards and converting.
Indiana Pacers
Who’s their clutch guy? Tyrese Haliburton | 73 points, 25-of-39 (64.1 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Aaron Nesmith | 26 points, 9-of-24 (37.5 percent) FG
It almost doesn’t make sense how good Haliburton has been in the clutch this season. It feels like he hasn’t missed a shot. He took over the Dame Time celebration in certain moments and made it from all over the floor. He’s been more reliable than is reasonable to expect. Even though Haliburton is struggling a bit lately, you expect him to deliver. Nesmith has had a good season, but not in crunchtime. He hasn’t made a clutch 3-pointer all season.
Orlando Magic
Who’s their clutch guy? Paolo Banchero | 94 points, 29-of-73 (39.7 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Franz Wagner | 39 points, 11-of-33 (33.3 percent) FG
The Magic – much like with most situations on offense – have really struggled in the clutch. It’s why Banchero is their easy guy to pick for the clutch option despite his inefficiency. He turns it over quite a bit and shoots 3s poorly, and his free-throw shooting needs to be better (71.8 percent). But he’s a bull and is able to get some pretty good shots. Wagner has struggled like everybody else on this team. His free-throw shooting has been good, but he’s just 1-of-14 on clutch 3-pointers.
Los Angeles Lakers
Who’s their clutch guy? LeBron James | 89 points, 33-of-61 (54.1 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Austin Reaves | 55 points, 13-of-33 (39.4 percent) FG
LeBron is still that guy when it comes to big moments. He’s been relentless most of the season. When he’s not taking a bad 3-point shot (26.1 percent), he’s attacking the basket and making it unfair for the defense. LeBron has surprisingly turned the ball over a lot, but he’s still been money. Reaves gets the struggle nod because he hasn’t shot the 3 well, and there just aren’t many other guys eligible. D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis have been great. Although, we should note that Reaves has been an excellent playmaker in the clutch.
New York Knicks
Who’s their clutch guy? Jalen Brunson | 66 points, 23-of-49 (46.9 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Donte DiVincenzo | 18 points, 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) FG
The Knicks actually don’t have too many poor performers in the clutch this season, and DiVincenzo’s inclusion here isn’t on a lot of attempts. Mostly, it’s been Brunson or Julius Randle hammering the opposition. Brunson, the Pivot God, just leaves everybody trying to have more patience than him. And he seems to always win in those situations. It’s surprising he’s only a 72.7 percent free-throw shooter in the clutch, but I expect that to rise in the playoffs.
Miami Heat
Who’s their clutch guy? Jimmy Butler | 52 points, 16-of-45 (35.6 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Tyler Herro | 31 points, 11-of-32 (34.4 percent) FG
Last season, the Heat were phenomenal in the clutch and carried that into the postseason. Miami hasn’t been that during this season, so the team could really use Butler being that guy again. He hasn’t been nearly as efficient. He does make some big defensive plays, but they need shot-making. Herro has more shot attempts than points, which isn’t ideal. He simply doesn’t get to the free-throw line much (only five attempts in the clutch this season). They need better execution in tight situations.
Golden State Warriors
Who’s their clutch guy? Stephen Curry | 165 points, 51-of-103 (49.5 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Klay Thompson | 47 points, 14-of-47 (29.8 percent) FG
Nobody has more clutch points than Curry this season, and his efficiency in these tight moments is crazy when you consider the volume of attempts he has. The Warriors have lived in the clutch, and it’s their defense that has let them down. Curry has just been absurd in most of these moments. His fellow Splash Brother hasn’t been nearly the same. Thompson might do better now that he’s coming off the bench when the Warriors are healthy, and teams will still fear him, even if he’s 0-of-50. But seeing him be shooting sub-30 percent is still disorienting.
Chicago Bulls
Who’s their clutch guy? DeMar DeRozan | 147 points, 42-of-83 (50.6 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Nikola Vučević | 61 points, 22-of-54 (40.7 percent) FG
DeRozan is still pretty much unstoppable when the game is tight. Look at his unbelievable efficiency. He’s second in clutch points this season, only behind Curry. Nobody else is close to them. Everybody knows he’s getting the ball with Zach LaVine out, and he still cooks everybody. DeRozan has turned it over a lot, but you live with it. They haven’t had too many struggling options, so Vučević takes the hit here. His low percentage is mostly due to 3-point shots, which you should trust him to make.
Philadelphia 76ers
Who’s their clutch guy? Joel Embiid | 41 points, 10-of-25 (40.0 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Tyrese Maxey | 56 points, 16-of-42 (38.1 percent) FG
Yeah, I know Embiid has been gone for a while, but despite his low field goal percentage, he was so clutch for them. His free-throw shooting in the clutch is unreal. He was 20-of-21 this season. Maxey has struggled to make shots inside the arc during crunchtime. His perfect role was being a guy to help spread the floor for Embiid and crush the opponent when the ball swung to him. But there’s plenty of optimism for a young scorer like Maxey in the future with situations like this.
Houston Rockets
Who’s their clutch guy? Alperen Şengün | 90 points, 32-of-63 (50.8 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Jabari Smith Jr. | 29 points, 10-of-24 (41.7 percent) FG
The Rockets know where to go when the game is on the line. Şengün is a bully in these situations. He puts his shoulder into you, knocks you off your position and gets a bucket inside the free-throw line. There’s not much you can do about it. His free-throw shooting (63.4 percent) is bad, but he’s still efficient at making shots. And Dillon Brooks has shot the ball well too. Smith gets the nod over Fred VanVleet, who has a similar field goal percentage, but the point guard has an 21:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the clutch.
Atlanta Hawks
Who’s their clutch guy? Trae Young | 107 points, 24-of-49 (40.7 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Dejounte Murray | 71 points, 26-of-69 (37.7 percent) FG
Young takes some optimistic attempts in the clutch and hasn’t shot all that well. But he’s elite at getting to the free-throw line and has made 85.2 percent of those free-throw attempts. He also doesn’t really turn the ball over much. During Young’s absence, Murray is the guy in the clutch but hasn’t been able to hit those shots. Most guys on this roster have struggled to make shots in the clutch as the Hawks continue to teeter this season, although they had a great week.
Brooklyn Nets
Who’s their clutch guy? Mikal Bridges | 102 points, 35-of-66 (53.0 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Cam Thomas | 34 points, 8-of-31 (25.8 percent) FG
Even though the Nets’ season has fallen apart, Bridges has still been ultra reliable when it comes to clutch moments. His 76.3 percent free-throw shooting could definitely be better, but he has a ton of free-throw attempts too. Bridges rarely turns it over and always gets to a good spot on the floor to find a shot. Surprisingly, Thomas has been terrible in the clutch. He’s not afraid to take shots, but he also doesn’t take the best shots. I still like a player like him who can create an attempt out of nothing.
Utah Jazz
Who’s their clutch guy? Lauri Markkanen | 50 points, 15-of-31 (48.4 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Keyonte George | 40 points, 11-of-28 (39.3 percent) FG
Their two main options in the clutch are Jordan Clarkson and Markkanen. I chose Markkanen because he’s been a better shot-maker, but Clarkson has been the better playmaker overall. The Jazz are well-coached, and the players they throw out there in crunchtime are rarely afraid of those moments. We see them attack with confidence at that time. George being the “struggle” pick is simply due to a slightly lower field goal percentage, the Jazz not really having options failing, and he’s basically at a 1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the clutch. But he’s been good for a rookie.
Toronto Raptors
Who’s their clutch guy? Scottie Barnes | 73 points, 26-of-55 (47.3 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Immanuel Quickley | 29 points, 8-of-26 (30.8 percent) FG
Pascal Siakam and Dennis Schröder had plenty of clutch moments for the Raptors this season, and they were pretty good overall at it. However, Barnes has been the guy they’ve been steering to all season, and he’s pretty dynamic in the clutch. He shoots a good percentage, distributes the ball and makes plays. He just needs to be a better free-throw shooter (72 percent). Quickley has only been there a couple of months, and he’s really struggled, but he’s fearless and has a bright future of making big shots.
San Antonio Spurs
Who’s their clutch guy? Victor Wembanyama | 48 points, 15-of-34 (44.1 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Keldon Johnson | 32 points, 11-of-30 (36.7 percent) FG
Surprise, surprise! Wembanyama has been pretty good at this. He has these runs, and sometimes they coincide with crunchtime. He just goes on these flurries of scoring, and there’s nothing the opponent can do about it. But he still needs to make better decisions taking care of the ball and making his free throws. Johnson has the same shooting percentage as Devin Vassell, but Vassell has been a much better clutch playmaker and a better 3-point shooter.
Memphis Grizzlies
Who’s their clutch guy? Jaren Jackson Jr. | 62 points, 21-of-48 (43.8 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Desmond Bane | 32 points, 9-of-23 (39.1 percent) FG
Both options for the Grizzlies have done a great job at the free-throw line, which makes their field goal percentages easier to tolerate. They’re also not supposed to be in this role. It’s supposed to be Ja Morant. Jackson has done an admirable job, and Bane has been a bit disappointing in that respect. Even though the percentages are close, Jackson has double the volume. They both really miss having a playmaker to set them up. Vince Williams Jr. has also struggled but has a low amount of attempts.
Portland Trail Blazers
Who’s their clutch guy? Anfernee Simons | 68 points, 24-of-43 (55.8 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Malcolm Brogdon | 44 points, 15-of-37 (40.5) FG
Brogdon gets the nod for struggling because he’s third on the team in clutch-time shot attempts but eighth in shooting percentage. And hovering around 40 percent is generally the tipping point with this convo. Simons, however, has been spectacular. He scores at all three levels in the clutch and makes his free throws. And, while Jerami Grant has been almost as good, he has turned the ball over a lot. Portland has a lot of fun options in the clutch despite how bad the team is, which hopefully will inspire confidence for the future.
Washington Wizards
Who’s their clutch guy? Kyle Kuzma | 49 points, 19-of-55 (34.5 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Jordan Poole | 21 points, 7-of-24 (29.2 percent) FG
This is how bad the Wizards have been overall and in the clutch this season: Kuzma, with 49 points on 53 shot attempts, is the best option they’ve had. And it’s not particularly close. Everybody else is in that Poole range for effectiveness, in the rare event they even get to a crunchtime situation. I’m not even sure what to say when it comes to the Wizards anymore. I almost want to bring back the schtick I did years ago, when I just wrote about failed illusionists instead.
Detroit Pistons
Who’s their clutch guy? Cade Cunningham | 49 points, 15-of-39 (38.5 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Jaden Ivey | 31 points, 8-of-19 (42.1 percent) FG
Bojan Bogdanović actually was the guy who struggled the most in the clutch, but he’s now on the Knicks. The reason Ivey gets the nod here is two-fold. His efficiency is right in line with what Cunningham has done this season, so they’re interchangeable in that sense. However, Cunningham gets a ton more chances, and Ivey has more turnovers than assists for the clutch season. Cunningham has gone through too many fourth quarters of disappearing, and I’d like to see him consistently have more of Ivey’s penchant for the moment.
Charlotte Hornets
Who’s their clutch guy? Miles Bridges | 41 points, 13-of-25 (52.0 percent) FG
Who has struggled? Mark Williams | 18 points, 5-of-13 (38.5 percent) FG
This is pretty bleak, but it often is with the Hornets – who, by the way, just ruined our chance at the Wizards taking a 27-game losing streak into a matchup with the Pistons in a couple weeks. Most of the Hornets’ heavy options in the clutch aren’t there anymore. Terry Rozier still leads them in clutch points. Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington were top six in clutch points for them too. Bridges has been pretty solid and even won them a game or two. They don’t have many bad options, which is why Mark Williams is included here. He’s solely around the hoop, so he has to finish those.
