We are halfway through the NBA season and we now have a pretty good idea which teams are in the running for a playoff spot. No matter what a team's standing is though, playing at home just seems to have a remarkable effect on players' performance.
Things like less travel time, eating meals from home, going home to your family, and being surrounded by thousands of your fans can have a tremendous effect on players. It shouldn't come as a surprise then that teams seem to perform better when they're defending their home-court.
About 50 games in, which teams have made the most out of their home-court advantage?Here are the top 5 teams with the best home record in the NBA right now.
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#5 Los Angeles Clippers (19-4)
The Clippers have managed to lure two big-time names last off-season in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Despite sharing an arena with another LA team, they are still Top 5 in terms of home record at 19-4.
The Clippers have seen a lot of changes over the last three years. After trading away the Lob City core of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan in a series of deals from 2017 to 2019, the Clippers have managed to stay competitive with the roster that they have. Last year, they made the playoffs as the eighth seed and had managed to win two games against the defending champs Golden State Warriors. Their dog identity and incredible hustle proved that a roster without definite stars can go head-to-head against the best when they want to.
This year, they have managed to only drop four games at home despite their latest acquisitions PG and Kawhi being in and out of games. Currently third in the West, lower-seeded teams can only hope to steal at least one game from the Clippers in Staples.
#4 Utah Jazz (18-3)
The Jazz have been on a tear lately, winning 14 of their last 15 games, including going on a 10-game winning streak. Despite missing key player Mike Conley for a huge chunk of the season, Utah has managed to lose only three games at home.
Utah is one of those teams that have consistently been good without purposely tanking. After All-Star Gordon Hayward left for Boston to play under his college coach Brad Stevens in 2017, the Utah Jazz managed to snatch Donovan Mitchell in the NBA Draft and have never looked back. With the core of Ricky Rubio, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Derrick Favors, and Rudy Gobert, the Jazz won against the star-laden Thunder in the first round and went on to steal one game against the contending Houston Rockets. The Utah Jazz made the playoffs again last year, but had to bow down to the Rockets when they faced them in the first round.
This year, they are making a case for getting at least a Top 3 seed. They have added sniper Bojan Bogdanović and veteran Mike Conley with an improved Mitchell and DPOY Gobert and. Right now, the Jazz are top in the league in three-point percentage at 38.8, seventh in offensive rating, and eighth in defensive rating. With a great management and one of the best coaches right now in Quin Snyder, you know they can only get better from here.
#3 Miami Heat (20-2)
The Miami Heat have been quite the revelation this year. They may have added four-time All-Star and elite defender Jimmy Butler this off-season, but their rookies and core from last year have been exceeding expectations. Their two rookies, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro, are in the running for Rookie of the Year while their third-year player, Bam Adebayo, is making a case for an All-Star appearance this year.
The Heat are currently first in the whole league in true shooting percentage at 58.7 and first in rebound percentage at 52.4. Their chemistry has been great despite having several new players, and numbers show that 63.5% of their shots are assisted, which is an impressive Top 6 in the league.
Currently second in the East, playoff teams won't exactly be happy when they face them in Miami. They have only lost two games at home, and with the intensity of the postseason, they should only turn it up from here.
#2 Philadelphia 76ers (21-2)
It is widely known that Philly has one of the most passionate sports fans, be it the MLB, NFL, NHL, or the NBA. There is something about Philly's energy and overall aura that just made playing at home magical for the Sixers. Right now, they are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks at 21-2, a record that is well-deserved for the fans with the best attendance right now.
The Sixers are a nightmare for smaller opponents as their length and athleticism are capable of shutting down teams's offensive strategies. They are currently third in defensive rating at 105.0 and are third in rebound percentage at 51.9%. This should be expected from a team whose regular starting lineup's smallest player is listed at 6'5" (Josh Richardson). Everyone else is 6'8" and up.
With the Sixers meshing better throughout the season and with their fans continuing to be one of the loudest, it would be a nightmare for road teams to come to Philly, especially come playoff time.
#1 Milwaukee Bucks (21-2)
The Bucks picked up where they left off last season as they do not only have the best record in the league right now but also the best record at home this first half of the season. They have only lost 6 games so far, and two of those are at home. This is despite missing some starters throughout the season. Eric Bledsoe, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez have missed some games, but this proved to be a non-issue to the well-built team.
The Bucks are currently first in defensive rating, third in offensive rating, and first in net rating in the league. They are also first in effective field goal percentage at 55.8% and are tied with Miami for first in true shooting percentage at 58.7%.
With these numbers and a great home record, fans should be more than happy to attend to their team's games. The Bucks will especially be a nightmare for lower-seeded teams come playoff time as we know just how much better they perform in their own court. With reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge, a title can very well be in store for Milwaukee this year.
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