US media rates the midseason performance of 30 teams: Thunder and two others get A+, Rockets B, Lakers C, Kings worst with F

On January 17th Beijing time, as the NBA regular season reaches its midpoint, CBS provided ratings for all 30 teams’ midseason performances. The Thunder, Nuggets, and Pistons received the highest A+ rating, the Trail Blazers earned a B+, Rockets got a B, Lakers a C, Warriors a C-, and the Clippers have bounced back recently but only managed a D+ overall. The Kings scored the lowest with an F, being the only team to receive this grade. Below are the detailed ratings for all 30 teams along with in-depth analysis of five highly followed teams—

A+:Thunder, Nuggets, Pistons

A:Timberwolves, Suns, Spurs, Celtics, Raptors

B+:Trail Blazers

B:Rockets, 76ers

B-:Heat, Knicks, Magic

C+:Jazz

C:Lakers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Nets, Bulls

C-:Warriors, Hornets, Cavaliers

D+:Clippers, Bucks

D:Mavericks, Pelicans, Pacers, Wizards

F:Kings

Los Angeles Lakers rating: C

Optimistic reason: They have Luka Doncic

Pessimistic reason: There is no player on the roster who truly fits Doncic’s playing style.

The Lakers’ win rate is clearly above .500, but their net efficiency does not correspond to such a record. From one perspective, this might not be the worst outcome—they at least maintain a respectable facade without struggling in the play-in tournament. After all, this is the Los Angeles Lakers, featuring two superstars, Doncic and LeBron James. They are a playoff-caliber team, but their actual strength is mediocre. It’s not a total embarrassment, yet no one holds unrealistic expectations. Everyone knows this team will soon face collapse and a rebuild. This is also why Rich Paul frequently appears on podcasts, trying to involve other players’ agents—he wants his stars to stay on this sinking "lifeboat."

LeBron’s recent stats remain impressive, Doncic has maintained excellent form since the opener, and Reeves performs well when healthy. Yet, even with these three together, the results are disastrous. According to advanced stats site Cleaning the Glass, when these three core players are on the court simultaneously this season, the team’s offensive efficiency ranks in the bottom 26% of the league. This perfectly sums up the Lakers this season: the team’s overall performance falls far short of the sum of individual talents.

On paper, this Lakers roster shines with stars: two future Hall of Famers, one rising All-Star, a top draft pick center, a former Defensive Player of the Year, and a bench filled with former first-round picks.

However, the team lacks any cohesion and looks lifeless on the court. Head coach JJ Redick openly criticized the team for lacking energy and effort during games. Interior rim protection is virtually nonexistent, and Smart might be the only player whose defense is consistently at or above league average.

The Lakers are about to set a franchise record for two-point shooting percentage—surpassing 60%! Yet, their offensive efficiency remains around the top ten in the league. For a team with so many ball-dominant players, why are their three-point attempts and makes so scarce? Their current record is largely due to an astonishingly high winning rate in clutch moments.

Their true strength is far from bottom-tier in the league, but their season results only merit a C grade. One benefit of this performance is that it spares them endless debates about "What’s wrong with the Lakers?"—a question that has plagued the Clippers and Warriors all season. For the Lakers, this is a small victory.

Nevertheless, their defensive level will never support a Finals run. Right now, they are merely "buying time," waiting for the July offseason to overhaul the roster again.

Los Angeles Clippers rating: D+

Optimistic reason: Kawhi Leonard’s high availability and MVP-level performance since November.

Pessimistic reason: Kawhi has played 24 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in his Clippers tenure, behind only the 27-game streak at the start of the 2023-24 season.

After Thursday’s win, the Clippers improved to 12-11 without Paul, surpassing .500 for the first time this season. Is Paul the "problem"? Clearly not. This victory somewhat justifies the team’s earlier disrespectful treatment of a franchise legend. The Clippers’ rebound is due to regaining defensive toughness and Kawhi returning to elite form. During their 11-2 run, Kawhi averaged nearly 33 points per game while showing his best defense in years. Early in the season, the team was vulnerable in transition defense, but during this streak, opponents ranked fifth fewest in fast-break points per game.

However, we are assessing the entire season, not just recent weeks. The dreadful 6-21 start is a fact. Although the Clippers are steadily improving, their overall record remains below .500 with little margin for error. The acquisition of Beal was a disaster, from which the team has yet to recover. When Harden is out, no one can carry the offense or maintain scoring. There is a "Powell-sized" gap in the roster that must be addressed before the trade deadline. Additionally, rebounding issues persist.

Meanwhile, the shadow of the Aspiration-related investigation looms over the Clippers’ season. If new violations surface next month, the recent progress could be completely disregarded. This rating does not factor in that risk but highlights how precarious the Clippers’ situation is. All their positive momentum depends on a star known as the league’s most unreliable in attendance—he must continuously perform at MVP level. Perhaps tomorrow he wakes up with knee pain, and the team’s good situation collapses instantly (Kawhi missed today’s game due to injury).

If the Clippers could maintain this level all season, if their roster balance is as expected, and if the future wasn’t so heavily compromised, their current state wouldn’t be so alarming. But this is the Clippers’ reality: they are clawing out of a deep hole dug early in the season, yet the light at the end of the tunnel remains distant.

Houston Rockets rating: B

Optimistic reason: Improved health has fully unlocked Amen Thompson’s potential.

Pessimistic reason: The team’s backcourt depth still has weaknesses.

The Rockets’ season has been a rollercoaster: a stunning 13-4 start in the first month, followed by painful slumps—including a recent three-game losing streak with back-to-back losses to the Trail Blazers and a second defeat to the 11-win Kings.

Notably, with Eason returning from injury in late December and Fini-Smith making his season debut on Christmas, the Rockets’ rotation was strengthened. Though both missed the last two games, their prior presence allowed young star Amen Thompson more freedom to showcase his versatile skills—a chance he hadn’t had before.

Eason’s return greatly boosted the team’s perimeter spacing. He attempts nearly five three-pointers per game, hitting 46.9%. This threat allows players like Thompson to drive aggressively to the basket—he can finish powerful dunks or pass out to shooters who are now plentiful on the Rockets roster, ready to catch and shoot.

Golden State Warriors rating: C-

Optimistic reason: Nearly 37-year-old Stephen Curry remains among the NBA’s top ten players this season.

Pessimistic reason: Besides Curry and occasionally Butler stepping up, no one else consistently creates high-quality scoring chances.

This season’s Warriors feel like a replay of the last four or five years. Tired of hearing the same story? Let me summarize: Curry still brilliant, Draymond Green declining and causing off-court distractions; weak perimeter shooting, poor bench scoring, undersized lineup; Kuminga unable to fit the system; trade deadline rumors linking the team to every star in the league.

I guess this cycle will continue until Curry retires?

Butler’s arrival brought a faint glimmer of hope. Though sometimes frustratingly passive on court, he still performs at an All-Star level. He is the only Warrior consistently drawing fouls and creating offense, crucial to their attack. The stars may be talented enough, but role players have been a major drag. This issue won’t be fixed by adding one strong player.

Kuminga’s development lags behind expectations, Pojeimski’s progress has stalled, and veteran Horford seems to be in sharp decline. The Warriors remain two or three quality players short of truly threatening Western powers. While it’s clear the team needs trades to improve, their current situation is below outside expectations.

Portland Trail Blazers rating: B+

Optimistic reason: Two-way contract players LaVine and Sissoko have shown they belong in the regular rotation.

Pessimistic reason: How exactly should Henderson fit into the team’s system?

Though the Trail Blazers’ pace has slowed from the season’s start, they remain a tough matchup. Despite frequent lineup injuries, their effort and intensity on court stay consistent. The biggest highlight is Avdija’s rise. In this light, the backcourt injury crisis isn’t entirely negative—Avdija can still shoulder much of the playmaking load and attack the rim aggressively, even when opponents focus their defense on him.

As the second half begins, can the Trail Blazers fix their prominent turnover issues? Can they improve defensive rebounding? Looking at the Western Conference’s lower standings battle, Portland likely still has a good chance to secure a play-in spot.