NBA Power Rankings: Cavaliers soar, Knicks drop and a spin through every team’s rotation

Read The Athletic’s latest edition of NBA Power Rankings. Win-loss records are through Monday night, and other analysis is through Sunday’s action unless noted otherwise for this week: Tier 1: Top Contenders Last ranking: 2 In the last week: W vs. Spurs, W at Trail Blazers, W at Clippers, W vs. Magic Offensive rating: 110.9 Defensive rating: 93.8 Starters: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Luguentz Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren Top reserves: Alex Caruso, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ousmane Dieng, Ajay Mitchell The Thunder have rotated Wallace, Wiggins and Joe into the starting lineup, and they’re still waiting on the return of free-agent acquisition Isaiah Hartenstein from a fractured left hand. Denver Nuggets Last ranking: 14 In the last week: W at Nets, L at Timberwolves, W vs. Jazz, W vs. Raptors Offensive rating: 114.5 Defensive rating: 113.0 Starters: Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokić Top reserves: Russell Westbrook, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther The starting lineup isn’t the problem, at least offensively, as Denver has scored 131.7 points per 100 possessions with a five-man group that has played 118 minutes already together. San Antonio Spurs Last ranking: 24 In the last week: L at Thunder, W at Jazz, W vs. Timberwolves, L at Clippers Offensive rating: 107.6 Defensive rating: 109.5 Starters: Chris Paul, Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembanyama Top reserves: Stephon Castle, Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones, Zach Collins, Malaki Branham The Spurs are another team making things hard on themselves with a bad starting five, and they could use a healthy return from Devin Vassell to take some playmaking heat off Wembanyama and Paul. Atlanta Hawks Last ranking: 22 In the last week: L at Wizards, L vs. Kings, W at Pelicans, L vs. Celtics Offensive rating: 111.0 Defensive rating: 117.8 Starters: Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, De’Andre Hunter, Jalen Johnson, Clint Capela Top reserves: Bogdan Bogdanović, David Roddy, Zaccharie Risacher, Onyeka Okongwu, Garrison Mathews An Atlanta team that already wasn’t going to stand out for quality depth is going through it at the moment.