• Updated thePeachBasket Objective Power Rankings top 10
• Top performers in the NBA by average - the best to do it!
• A look ahead at the marquee match-up for the coming week

• Updated thePeachBasket Objective Power Rankings
• Top performers in the NBA by average
• A look at the marquee match-up in the week to come

• Updated thePeachBasket Objective Top 10 Power Rankings
• The best players to do it, by average
• A look at the marquee match-up for the week to come

• Updated and final Top 10 in thePeachBasket Objective Power Rankings
• Top Performers by average
• Quick overview of the Play-in Tournament games

• #10: New York Knicks (NEW after 2-1) – Solid stretch lands them back in top 10.
• #9: Minnesota Timberwolves (↓ from #7) – Only winless team at 0-2.
• #8: Toronto Raptors (↑ from #10) – Positive week keeps them steady.
• #7: Denver Nuggets (↓ from #4) – 2-2; await Jokic return.
• #6: Boston Celtics (↓ from #5) – Uneven results, including Cleveland loss.
• #5: Phoenix Suns (↑ from #8) – Top offense fuels rise.
• #4: Houston Rockets (↑ from #5) – Efficient play drives climb.
• #3: San Antonio Spurs (= #3) – Solid week holds position.
• #2: Detroit Pistons (↓ from #1) – Still East's best, razor-thin from #1.
• #1: Oklahoma City Thunder (↑ from #2) – Claims top spot.
  Full 30-team list at PeachBasket.net.

• Scoring: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) – 39 PPG (3 games); also 15 FGM. Max Christie (DAL) – 5.73 FGM (3 games).
• Rebounding: Jalen Johnson – 16.3 RPG, 13 DRPG (3 games); Marvin Bagley III – 7 ORPG (1 game).
• Assists: Ja Morant (MEM) – 12.5 APG (2 games).
• Blocks: Rudy Gobert, Myles Turner – 3 BPG (2 games each).
• Steals: Aaron Wiggins (OKC) – 5 SPG (1 game).
• Game Score: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 35.2.​

• [00:00] Intro & Format
  Jose Salviati welcomes you to the only objective NBA power rankings at ThePeachBasket.net.
  
  
• [01:15] Top 10 Power Rankings
  Thunder go 4-0 for #1; Spurs hold #3; Pistons stay #2. Lakers drop to #12, Heat jump to #8, Celtics to #5 on Jaylen Brown's heroics.
  ​
• [05:45] Week 11 Stat Leaders
  Kawhi Leonard tops scoring (38.8 PPG); Stephen Curry leads 3s made; Scotty Barnes grabs 14.3 RPG; Cade Cunningham dishes 10.3 APG; Chet Holmgren & Alex Sarr average 4 BPG; Ziaire Williams swipes 4 SPG.​
  
  
• [10:30] Week 12 Matchup Preview
  East showdown: Knicks at Pistons—can NY grab a road W against the slumping #2 seed?
  
  
• [12:15] Full Court Press: LeBron at 41
  LeBron's poster dunks amaze at 41, but 11 players appeared older: John Stockton (#10), Kareem (#7), Vince Carter (#4), Robert Parish (#3), topped by coach Nat Hickey who played at 45y 363d.

• Power Rankings Unchanged Since Week 6: Thunder, Pistons, Spurs hold top 3 lock.
• Monster Week for Clippers & Celtics: Kawhi's double-nickel; Jaylen Brown drops 50.
• NBA History Fun Fact: LeBron ranks just 12th oldest ever to play.​
  
  

• Full Week 11 rankings: thePeachBasket.net
• Stat leaderboards: thePeachBasket.net
  
  

• Power Rankings Shuffle (0:45) — No new teams in the top 10, but plenty of intra-group movement. Detroit climbs back to No. 1, OKC slips, and the Knicks stay perfect but stuck at No. 10.
• Top 10 After Week 15 (2:10)

1. Detroit Pistons (3–1)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (1–2)
3. San Antonio Spurs (1–2)
4. Houston Rockets (3–1)
5. Phoenix Suns (3–1)
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (4–1)
7. Boston Celtics (2–1)
8. Denver Nuggets (2–1)
9. Toronto Raptors (1–2)
10. New York Knicks (3–0)

• Players of the Week by the Numbers (5:30) —
  
  
  • Scoring Leader: Cooper Flagg (41.5 PPG over two games)
  • Rebounding Machine: Karl-Anthony Towns (17.7 RPG)
  • Assists Leader: Andrew Nembhard (10.7 APG)
  • Steals Leader: Ausar Thompson (3.3 SPG)
  • Blocks Leader: Myles Turner (4.0 BPG)
  • Game Score Leader: Nikola Jokic (33.6, in his return game)
    
    
• Marquee Matchups to Watch (12:00) —
  Both in Denver: Pistons vs. Nuggets, and Thunder vs. Nuggets.
  
  
• Full Court Press: NBA Viral Talk (14:30)
  This week’s AI-assisted segment unpacks hot topics, including:
  
  
  • Giannis trade speculation
  • Dylan Brooks calling LeBron “overrated”
  • Anthony Davis on the trade block
  • The Cavaliers acquiring Dennis Schroder
  • The incredible career path of journeyman guards like Ish Smith and Schroder

• 🔗 See the full 30-team power rankings: ThePeachBasket.net
• 🏀 Follow Run It Back: NBA Week in Review on all major podcast platforms
• 📧 Subscribe for weekly NBA insights: info@thepeachbasket.net
  
  

1. Detroit Pistons (3–1) – Hold the #1 spot for the second week.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (2–2) – Still strong despite a split week.
3. San Antonio Spurs (4–0) – Perfect week but still chasing the top two.
4. Boston Celtics (4–0) – Big movers up from #7 after a flawless stretch.
5. Houston Rockets (2–2) – Drop one spot.
6. New York Knicks (3–1) – Climbing fast after several rough weeks for others.
7. Phoenix Suns (1–3) – Slide from #5.
8. Denver Nuggets (1–3) – Rough week but hold ground.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (1–2) – Drop from #6.
10. Toronto Raptors (2–1) – Slight fall from last week’s #9.

• Points: Anthony Edwards – 34.7 PPG (top scorer)
• 3PT Makes: Trey Murphy III – 7.0 per game
• Field Goals: Jaylen Brown – 13.0 per game
• Rebounds: Donovan Clingan – 17.0 RPG (including 7 offensive)
• Assists: Isaiah Collier – 14.3 APG
• Blocks: Robert Williams – 3.0 BPG (over two games)
• Steals: Jamal Maack – 4.0 SPG (grit performance from a late second-round pick)
• Game Score: Donovan Mitchell – 27.6 average

• Giannis Saga Continues: Milwaukee keeps him — but tension remains.
• Blockbuster Guard Swap: James Harden and Darius Garland trade places.
• AD Heads to Washington: Anthony Davis joins the Wizards, who may be forming a plan if health allows.
• Golden State’s Gamble: Warriors chase Porziņģis instead of Giannis.
• No Super Teams, but a “Noisy Middle Class”:
  • Lakers: Add Luke Kennard for shooting depth.
  • Knicks: Add pesky guard Jose Alvarado.
  • Celtics: Add big man Nikola Vučević.

• 0:00 – What Run It Back covers
  • Weekly recap show: power rankings, stat standouts, viral news (Full Court Press), and the marquee matchup preview.
  • Note that Week 17 was a short slate because of All-Star Weekend, so movement at the top is limited.
• 0:40 – Top 10 power rankings after Week 17
  • No new teams enter the top 10 for the third straight week; no one drops out.
    1. Raptors – 1–1 week, barely hanging on while the surging Cavs sit right behind them at No. 11.
    2. Timberwolves – Busy 3–1 week but stay at No. 9.
    3. Suns – 2–1 and slide one spot down to No. 8.
    4. Nuggets – Also 2–1 but collect a few more ranking points and leapfrog Phoenix into No. 7.
    5. Knicks – 2–1 and hold at No. 6.
    6. Rockets – 1–1 and remain No. 5.
    7. Celtics – 1–1 and stay locked into No. 4.
    8. Thunder – 2–1; drop from No. 2 to No. 3, their lowest slot of the season so far.
    9. Spurs – Perfect 3–0 week pushes them past OKC into No. 2.
    10. Pistons – 2–0 and keep the top spot for the third straight week.
• 3:30 – Stat standouts of Week 17
  • Victor Wembanyama leads the league in scoring for the week at 33.0 points per game over two games, plus posts the top game score at 28.2.
  • Sam Merrill (Cavs) averages six made threes per game to lead all shooters.
  • Nic Claxton hits 12 field goals in his lone outing to top that category.
  • Nikola Jokić pulls down 14.5 rebounds per game across two games to lead the glass.
  • Defensive boards: Jalen Johnson and Alexandre Sarr each grab 12 in single-game samples.
  • Offensive boards “dog work”: four players at 4.5 per game over two games—Justin (Anigwe/Ang), Day’Ron Sharpe, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Igo Dora of the Suns get shoutouts.
  • Playmaking and defense:
    • Assists – LeBron James and Nikola Jokić share the lead at 11 per game (two games each).
    • Blocks – Scottie Barnes and Myles Turner at 3.5 per game.
    • Steals – Jalen Suggs at 4.5 steals per game over two games.
• 6:00 – Marquee matchups for Week 18
  • Clippers at Lakers: fresh chapter in the Battle of L.A.
  • Knicks hosting No. 1 East seed Detroit Pistons in a high-stakes measuring-stick game.
  • Cavs at Thunder in OKC: test of whether Cleveland’s recent surge is sustainable or just a hot stretch.
• 7:00 – Full Court Press (All-Star Weekend one-word reviews)
  • Jose skips his usual “ask the AI” format and gives rapid-fire, one-word verdicts:
    • Dunk contest: “dud” – feels tired, lacking creativity and star power, and maybe past saving unless actual headliners jump in.
    • Shooting Stars: “cute” – family connections (Harper, Brunson) were fun, but the event itself feels low stakes.
    • Three-point contest: “nostalgic” – Damian Lillard’s win and Devin Booker’s late collapse create genuine drama and a classic feel.
  • All-Star Game(s): "improved" four USA vs. World games instead of one traditional contest.
    • Jose sees real improvement: effort, blocked shots, dives for loose balls, and players who clearly wanted to win.
    • Wonders if the format’s success is tied to the Olympic-year USA–World stakes or if it can last beyond 2026.
    • Shouts out Wembanyama for backing up his promise to compete hard even in losses.
    • Overall creator consensus at thePeachBasket Slack: roughly 8–9 out of 10 for the new game format, with plenty still to fix across All-Star Weekend as a whole.
• 11:20 – Closing
  • Week 17 and All-Star Weekend are officially wrapped.
  • Jose invites listeners back after Week 18 to once again “run it back.”

• “The Spurs went 3–0, and that’s better than 2–1—sometimes it really is that simple.”
• “Offensive rebounds are where the dogs live; I’ve always had a soft spot for the guys who do that work.”
• “The dunk contest looked tired—creativity and passion feel like they’ve left the building.”
• “For the first time in a long time, the All-Star games actually felt competitive.”

1. Detroit Pistons (2–1) – 5 weeks at #1
2. San Antonio Spurs (3–0) – Closing the gap fast
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (3–1) – Steady elite play
4. Boston Celtics (3–1) – Holding strong
5. Houston Rockets (3–1) – Consistent top-5 form
6. New York Knicks (2–1) – Rise above Minnesota
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (2–1) – Drop one spot
8. Denver Nuggets (1–2) – Edge ahead despite record
9. Toronto Raptors (2–2) – Climb into the top 10
10. Phoenix Suns (1–2) – Slip two places but hang on

• Points: Kawhi Leonard – 37.0 PPG (1 game)
• Rebounds: Nikola Jokić – 16.3 RPG
• Assists: Nikola Jokić – 10.7 APG
• Steals: Nick Clifford – 4.0 SPG
• Blocks: Victor Wembanyama – 4.3 BPG

• Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio Spurs – A potential NBA Finals preview.
  • Cade Cunningham leads Detroit’s disciplined execution.
  • Wemby and San Antonio remain the league’s most efficient defensive unit.
  • Expect national buzz and “future of the league” storylines around this matchup.
    
    

1. Scoring rank (individual brilliance)
2. Game Score rank (overall game impact)
3. Conference standing (team success)

• 1️⃣ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) – Avg. score: 1.67
• 2️⃣ Luka Dončić (DAL) – 3.33
• 3️⃣ Nikola Jokić (DEN) – 3.67
• 4️⃣ Cade Cunningham (DET) – 7.33

“Using only objective data, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the 2025–26 MVP leader right now — by a wide margin.”

• Detroit holds No. 1 for fifth straight week.
• Jokić leading both rebounds and assists again.
• Wemby blocks over 4 shots per game — anchors Spurs’ rise.
• MVP race grounded in real numbers — not voter fatigue.

• 00:00 – Intro and show format
• 00:45 – Objective NBA Power Rankings (Top 10 teams)
• 03:45 – Weekly Stat Standouts (leaders by average)
• 06:00 – Looking ahead to Week 22 marquee matchups
• 06:45 – Full Court Press: Bam Adebayo’s 83‑point game and the discourse around it
• 10:30 – Closing thoughts and looking ahead to Week 22

• #10 – Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Go 2–2 for the week.
  • Drop two spots and slide down to 10 after a mediocre stretch.
• #9 – Denver Nuggets
  • Also 2–2 in Week 21.
  • Hold steady at 9 for the second straight week despite the .500 record.
• #8 – Los Angeles Lakers
  • “Suddenly very hot” and debuting in the top 10 after a long absence.
  • Perfect 4–0 in Week 21.
  • Leap from #12 up to #8, possibly heating up at the right time.
• #7 – Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Go 1–2 and stay at #7 for the third straight week.
  • Not trending up at the time you’d want to be.
• #6 – Houston Rockets
  • 2–2 week.
  • Remain at #6 for the second week in a row.
• #5 – New York Knicks
  • Another 2–2 team that doesn’t move.
  • Hold the #5 spot for the second straight week.
• #4 – Boston Celtics
  • 2–2 yet again.
  • Stuck at #4 for the sixth consecutive week, unable to break into the top three.
• #3 – Detroit Pistons
  • Best team in the East in these rankings.
  • Go 3–1 in Week 21, a strong showing but not quite enough to hold off a West team that had slightly better quality wins.
  • Land at #3 heading out of the week.
• #2 – San Antonio Spurs
  • Finish 3–1 in Week 21
  • Do just enough, with stronger wins, to leapfrog Detroit into the #2 spot.
  • Not necessarily the best team in the West, but firmly seated at #2 this week.
• #1 – Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Go 2–0, the only other perfect team in the top 10.
  • That clean week is enough to keep them at #1 for the second straight week.
  • Jose calls them the top team in the objective rankings for Week 21.

• Points Leader – Bam Adebayo
  • Drops an 83‑point game that makes the scoring lead a no‑brainer.
  • Week line includes several “very average for Bam” games (20, 21, 24, 24) plus the historic 83.
  • Ends the week averaging 37 points per game, easily topping the league for Week 21.
• Three‑Pointers Made – Collin Sexton
  • Plays one game this week.
  • Knocks down 7 threes to lead everyone in average makes from deep.
• Field Goals Made – Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander
  • Plays two games.
  • Averages 13.5 made field goals per game, tops in the league for the week.
    
    

• Total Rebounds – Nikola Jokic
  • Plays four games.
  • Averages 15.5 rebounds per game to lead Week 21.
• Offensive Rebounds – Daniel Gafford
  • Plays three games.
  • Puts up 5.7 offensive boards per game, best in the league.
• Defensive Rebounds – Nikola Jokic
  • Adds 13 defensive rebounds per game, giving him the top spot in that category as well.

• Assists – Cade Cunningham
  • Plays four games.
  • Averages 13.3 assists per game, leading all playmakers.
• Blocks – Victor Wembanyama & Donovan Clingan (tie)
  • Both play three games.
  • Each averages 3.3 blocks per game, sharing the Week 21 lead.
• Steals – Nikola Jokic & Kris Dunn (tie)
  • Both log four games.
  • Each averages 3.3 steals per game, an eye‑catching number for both a big and a guard.
• Top Game Score – Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander
  • Posts the best single‑game performance of the week by game score.
  • Finishes with an impressive 37.5 game score in his standout outing.

• San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers
  • The “suddenly finals favorite” Spurs travel to LA.
  • Clippers are “hot but hurt,” making this a compelling test entering the stretch run.
• New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets (Battle of New York)
  • Intriguing rivalry matchup.
  • Jose notes that outside of their fan bases, this game may not move the needle much, but it’s one of the better options in a relatively thin week for elite‑vs‑elite clashes.

• “Where were you when you heard?” type moment
  • Jose frames Bam’s 83 as one of those iconic NBA performances that fans will remember.
  • He was at Disneyland when he heard Bam had 31 in the first quarter and joked that Bam was going for 120.
• Context of the Blowout vs Wizards
  • In the three‑point era, big leads don’t feel safe until late.
  • Jose notes the game wasn’t truly “over” until about 9:05 left in the fourth when Bam’s and‑one put the Heat up 22.
  • Even then, 22 with 9 minutes to go is comfortable but not insurmountable, and the Wizards quickly hit a three that nudged the win probability back a bit.
• Why Spoelstra kept Bam in
  • At 9:05, Bam was at 70 points; Jose argues there was no logical reason to pull him given both the game situation and the rare opportunity.
  • Bam’s previous career high was 41, making this truly once‑in‑a‑lifetime “lightning in a bottle.”
  • When someone you don’t expect (like Bam rather than Luka or Steph) has 31 after one, you have to see how far it goes.
• Late‑Game Weirdness
  • Jose admits it felt strange when the Heat intentionally fouled to get the ball back and keep feeding Bam.
  • That’s the one aspect he agrees with critics on—it looked odd.
  • Outside of that, he sees the performance as completely legitimate.
• Bam’s Complete Game, Not Just Scoring
  • Even while chasing history, Bam kept playing a full game:
    • Still passing and dishing assists.
    • Defending, blocking shots, and playing hard in the fourth.
  • Jose emphasizes this wasn’t empty stats; it was dominance plus all‑around impact.
• The Wizards’ Role
  • Wizards are the worst defensive team in the league, and Jose says what viewers saw really was their best effort.
  • They tried triple teams, constant fouling, and still couldn’t stop Bam.
  • He pushes back on blaming Bam for exploiting that defense.
• On Scoring Records and What’s Next
  • Jose has no problem with the 83 and looks forward to seeing someone hit 90 one day.
  • He even floats the idea that Wilt’s 100 might be matched or passed in the modern era.

• The Thunder maintain their grip on the top spot in the objective power rankings, while the Spurs, Pistons, and Lakers all shape a shifting top 10 landscape as the season’s final stretch approaches.
• Bam Adebayo’s 83‑point game becomes one of the defining performances of the modern NBA, sparking debate about sportsmanship, defense, and how far you ride a hot hand.
• Role players and stars alike are putting up big weekly stat lines, with Jokic, Cade, SGA, Wembanyama, and others all staking their claim as Week 21 standouts.
• Week 22’s schedule might not be stacked with top‑tier clashes, but matchups like Spurs–Clippers and Knicks–Nets still offer important context as teams jockey for playoff position.