Nba Standings Take Shape in Stretch-Run Report Cards
' stretch-run report cards reshuffle the nba standings after the All-Star break, placing the Detroit Pistons at No. 1 with a 42-13 record and an A+ grade — a ranking that matters now as teams head into the final fewer-than-30-games portion of the season.
Nba Standings and the No. 1 Pistons
The piece opens by noting it is no surprise that Cade Cunningham, Tobias Harris and the Pistons receive a high mark for their play this season; an accompanying photo credit reads Jayden Mack / Getty Images. Detroit sits atop the list at 42-13 with an A+, and the column flags that performance as especially notable after the franchise won 14 games two years ago.
Grades for the top nine teams
The writeup hands out grades for each team post-All-Star break and lists the top nine with records and brief takes: the Boston Celtics (37-19) earn an A+ despite losing Al Horford, Kristaps Porziņģis, Luke Kornet and Jrue Holiday (plus Jayson Tatum so far) and still holding the second-best record in the East; the New York Knicks (37-21) receive an A- with criticism for inconsistency and a 0-3 showing against Detroit that produced a minus-84 point differential; the Cleveland Cavaliers (36-22) get a B, described as on a hot streak and bolstered by the addition of James Harden.
The Toronto Raptors (34-23) receive an A- after overcoming summer criticism about spending, credited for defense and two All-Stars; the Philadelphia 76ers (31-26) earn an A amid lingering consistency issues for Joel Embiid and Paul George but praise for Tyrese Maxey and company; the Orlando Magic (30-26) are graded D- for playing well below expectations and no longer fielding an elite defense, with injuries noted; the Miami Heat (31-27) earn a B for drastically changing how they play — described as the fastest this team has been — with a strong defense and questions about how Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware will play together; the Atlanta Hawks (28-31) are discussed as having made a big change in sending out Trae Young and getting the call right, though the entry ends mid-sentence with 'They’re still very much the Hawk' — unclear in the provided context.
How the report frames the post‑All‑Star "stretch run"
The column argues the period after the All-Star break should be called the "stretch run, " not the "second half, " because every team resumes play with fewer than 30 games left. It mocks teams that are tanking — calling that phase the "stretch saunter because we're going to say our best players are out for the rest of the season with a surgery they probably needed in the summer" — and closes that aside with the chirp "Allegedly!" before declaring the stretch run the perfect time to hand out grades to all 30 teams in the NBA Rewind feature.
Newsletter, image credit and an odd CBS note
The piece also points readers to the NBA Stock Report, described as a Monday staple in The Bounce and noted as "our free NBA newsletter that you can sign up for and receive every day in your inbox. " Separately, the context set includes the terse line "429 Too Many Requests" tied to CBS Sports — unclear in the provided context — which appears alongside material in the source package.
Readers tracking the nba standings will see these grades reflected in ongoing coverage; the column promises continuing updates in the NBA Rewind. Expect the next roundup to follow the same Monday cadence and the NBA Stock Report to appear for subscribers in their inboxes on its regular schedule.
