NBA midseason grades: Report cards for every East team, plus each roster’s MVP so far

Every team in the Eastern Conference has played at least 41 games, which means we have reached the NBA regular season’s midway point, which means it is high time for a report card. (Our midseason awards can be found here.)

The Detroit Pistons (31-10), led on offense by Cade Cunningham and owners of the East’s best defense, are running away with the No. 1 seed, holding on to a 5.5-game lead in the conference.

Still, the East is as wide open as it has ever been. The second-place and surprising Boston Celtics (26-16) could return Jayson Tatum for the fourth quarter of this season. The New York Knicks (25-18) have been floundering, but we know what they are capable of when they are firing on all cylinders. Same goes for the sloooowly-getting-better Cleveland Cavaliers (24-20).

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Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers (23-19) and Orlando Magic (23-19) are lurking, if only they could stay healthy. Then there are the Toronto Raptors (26-19), who are as plucky as anybody.

We have yet to see a team in the East that has made the statement: We are prepared to battle whomever emerges from the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. Maybe Detroit is THEM. The Pistons could use one more impact player, but that is for the trade deadline to determine.

Now, though, it is time to get to the grades …

Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards

(Our first-quarter grades can be found here.)

• Midseason MVP: Jalen Johnson (23-10-8 on 51/36/78)

• Offensive rating: 113.4 (22nd) • Defensive rating: 114.8 (16th)

• Best lineup: Johnson • Nickeil Alexander-Walker • Dyson Daniels • Zaccharie Risacher • Kristaps Porziņģis (+19 in 129 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 11-18 • Against losing teams: 9-7

Comments: Since trading Trae Young, the Hawks are 3-4, hardly the start they anticipated upon dealing the four-time All-Star point guard. … On the whole, they have been outscored by 1.4 points per 100 meaningful possessions when Young is not on the court, per Cleaning the Glass. … Atlanta was supposed to be a darkhorse candidate to emerge from the East. Instead, it looks like it could be bound for the play-in again. … Is another big move in development?

Grade: D

• Midseason MVP: Jaylen Brown (30-7-5 on 49/36/79)

• Offensive rating: 121.4 (2nd) • Defensive rating: 114.0 (14th)

• Best lineup: Brown • Payton Pritchard • Derrick White • Sam Hauser • Neemias Queta (+53 in 134 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 13-12 • Against losing teams: 13-4

Comments: The Celtics own the East’s second-best record and its second-best net rating, all in the absence of an injured Jayson Tatum. … Tatum’s return could be sooner than later. … Jaylen Brown has played his way into the MVP conversation. … Anfernee Simons and Sam Hauser have also played well enough for the Celtics to consider a) not moving either at the deadline or b) packaging one or both of them, along with picks, for a significant upgrade. … They could use another big.

Grade: A

• Midseason MVP: Michael Porter Jr. (26-7-3 on 49/40/85)

• Offensive rating: 112.3 (25th) • Defensive rating: 117.4 (26th)

• Best lineup: Porter • Egor Demin • Tre Mann • Noah Clowney • Nicolas Claxton (+18 in 306 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 5-18 • Against losing teams: 7-11

Comments: The Nets may have won their trade of Cam Johnson, given how well Michael Porter Jr. has played to this point and the fact that they received an additional first-round pick in the deal. … Porter might fetch more first-round assets if he is shopped by the deadline. … The Nets needed one of their five first-round picks to pop, and none of them have, though Egor Demin has played better of late (14-3-3 on 45/45/83 shooting splits in his last 14 appearances).

Grade: C

• Midseason MVP: Kon Knueppel (19-5-4 on 49/44/89)

• Offensive rating: 116.9 (7th) • Defensive rating: 116.7 (21st)

• Best lineup: Knueppel • LaMelo Ball • Brandon Miller • Miles Bridges • Moussa Diabate (+63 in 112 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 7-16 • Against losing teams: 9-11

Comments: Rookie wing Kon Knueppel, it seems, was a true find at the No. 4 draft slot. … Brandon Miller should be good, too. Together they are a decent foundation. … Is LaMelo Ball a part of that same foundation? He is reportedly open to a trade away from Charlotte, and it might be in the Hornets’ best interest to deal him. … They have not won with him. … Then again, they are +11.5 points per 100 meaningful possessions when Knueppel, Miller and Ball share a court.

Grade: D

• Midseason MVP: Josh Giddey (19-9-9 on 47/39/76)

• Offensive rating: 114.4 (16th) • Defensive rating: 116.8 (23rd)

• Best lineup: Giddey • Matas Buzelis • Kevin Huerter • Isaac Okoro • Nikola Vučević (+5 in 65 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 10-11 • Against losing teams: 11-11

Comments: Shocker of all shockers: The Bulls are hovering around .500 again, bound for another play-in tournament in a watered-down Eastern Conference, no chance at winning. … Lots to like about Matas Buzelis. … You can’t help but appreciate Nikola Vučević’s efforts, too, even as he seems endlessly frustrated by Chicago’s perpetual quest for mediocrity. … What to do with Coby White, a 2026 free agent? … The Bulls are full of questions, empty of answers.

Grade: D

• Midseason MVP: Donovan Mitchell (29-5-6 on 49/38/84)

• Offensive rating: 116.5 (10th) • Defensive rating: 114.6 (15th)

• Best lineup: Mitchell • Darius Garland • De’Andre Hunter • Evan Mobley • Jarrett Allen (+29 in 51 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 10-15 • Against losing teams: 14-5

Comments: That redundancy of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland in the backcourt and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt? Still a problem. … Far more of a problem than it was a year ago at this time, when the Cavs were bound for a 64-win campaign. … Then again, when all four are on the court, Cleveland is still +7.2 points per 100 meaningful possessions. … Maybe they need a wing. … Maybe they just need Garland healthy. … They need something.

Grade: C

• Midseason MVP: Cade Cunningham (26-6-10 on 45/33/82)

• Offensive rating: 116.0 (11th) • Defensive rating: 108.5 (2nd)

• Best lineup: Cunningham • Ausar Thompson • Duncan Robinson • Tobias Harris • Jalen Duren (+57 in 276 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 14-4 • Against losing teams: 17-6

Comments: The Pistons own the East’s best record and best net rating. How could we complain? … Cade Cunningham has been everything Detroit could have asked for from its No. 1 pick. … Jalen Duren should be an All-Star. … They need to upgrade the Tobias Harris position if they want to seriously compete with the West. … Lauri Markkanen would be nice, but his cost is prohibitive. … Michael Porter Jr.? Now, he would establish them as clear favorites in the East.

Grade: A

• Midseason MVP: Pascal Siakam (24-7-4 on 48/38/68)

• Offensive rating: 107.9 (30th) • Defensive rating: 116.0 (19th)

• Best lineup: Siakam • Andrew Nembhard • Ben Sheppard • Bennedict Mathurin • Jay Huff (+9 in 39 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 3-25 • Against losing teams: 7-9

Comments: Look at what the Celtics have done without Tatum, and look at what the Pacers have done without Tyrese Haliburton. … It’s not the worst-case scenario. Indiana has quickly pivoted to becoming a tanking team, once it became clear it had no chance of seriously competing for a playoff spot. … In that sense, they are a success, falling to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, in line for a top-four overall pick. Could be a lot worse, actually.

Grade: C

• Midseason MVP: Norman Powell (24-4-3 on 49/42/85)

• Offensive rating: 113.7 (20th) • Defensive rating: 112.8 (8th)

• Best lineup: Powell • Tyler Herro • Davion Mitchell • Andrew Wiggins • Bam Adebayo (+27 in 94 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 10-18 • Against losing teams: 13-3

Comments: The Heat installed a new, almost pick-and-roll-less offense, which was all the rage as the season began, only to settle in at 20th in the NBA on that end by midseason. … They still play at the fastest pace in the league — by a wide margin. … Norm Powell, the Clippers’ loss, is Miami’s gain. … Bam Adebayo, forever an anchor of a top-10 defense. … The Heat are 4-7 with Tyler Herro in the lineup and cannot find any sense of a rhythm as he battles a series of injuries.

Grade: C

• Midseason MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo (29-10-6 on 65/40/65)

• Offensive rating: 113.0 (23rd) • Defensive rating: 116.1 (20th)

• Best lineup: Antetokounmpo • Ryan Rollins • Kevin Porter Jr. • AJ Green • Myles Turner (+44 in 173 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 6-18 • Against losing teams: 12-6

Comments: The Bucks are performing like a top-tier team when Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the court, outscoring opponents by 6.9 points per 100 possessions. … They are operating like a bottom-dweller when he is on the bench, getting outscored by 9.5 points per 100 possessions. … Still, Antetokounmpo insists he will not ask out of Milwaukee, leaving that discussion to the team and his agents. … Might the Bucks make one more desperation move to satiate Giannis?

Grade: D

• Midseason MVP: Jalen Brunson (28-3-6 on 48/39/85)

• Offensive rating: 118.9 (4th) • Defensive rating: 115.9 (18th)

• Best lineup: Brunson • Miles McBride • Josh Hart • Mikal Bridges • Karl-Anthony Towns (+45 in 118 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 11-13 • Against losing teams: 14-5

Comments: The Knicks, who entered the season as betting favorites to win the East, are now staring up at Detroit in that regard. … They also trail the Tatum-less Celtics in the standings. … They are 2-9 with the 27th-ranked net rating (-8.4) in their last 11 games. … Newsday’s sources suggested the sharks are circling Karl-Anthony Towns, though another report shot down that idea. … It is hard to imagine the Knicks shaking up their core for anyone but Antetokounmpo.

Grade: C

• Midseason MVP: Paolo Banchero (21-9-5 on 45/27/76)

• Offensive rating: 114.4 (18th) • Defensive rating: 113.6 (12th)

• Best lineup: Banchero • Jalen Suggs • Desmond Bane • Franz Wagner • Wendell Carter Jr. (+47 in 117 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 12-12 • Against losing teams: 11-7

Comments: Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero have played 16 games together; the Magic are 8-8 in those outings. … Hard to tell what Orlando is capable of, since Jalen Suggs has also had trouble staying on the court. … Anthony Black’s progress (16-4-4 on 47/36/73 shooting splits) is a revelation. … Of the 48 players who have taken 15 or more shots per game, Banchero ranks 44th in true shooting percentage (55%). … Can Orlando get back into the top 10 on defense?

Grade: C

• Midseason MVP: Tyrese Maxey (30-4-7 on 47/40/88)

• Offensive rating: 114.4 (15th) • Defensive rating: 113.2 (11th)

• Best lineup: Maxey • VJ Edgecombe • Paul George • Dominick Barlow • Joel Embiid (+22 in 142 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 9-14 • Against losing teams: 14-5

Comments: Tyrese Maxey, what a player. … VJ Edgecombe is going to be a heck of a backcourt partner to Maxey. The 76ers are set there. … Joel Embiid since mid-December: 28-8-4 on 51/30/86 splits, and he can barely even jump. Can he stay healthy through multiple rounds of playoffs? … Paul George is also contributing as somewhat of an outsized role player. … Who wants to face these Sixers in the first round? Just imagine if they acquire another wing.

Grade: B

• Midseason MVP: Scottie Barnes (20-8-6 on 50/32/82)

• Offensive rating: 114.1 (19th) • Defensive rating: 112.5 (6th)

• Best lineup: Barnes • Immanuel Quickley • RJ Barrett • Brandon Ingram • Jakob Poeltl (+18 in 166 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 11-12 • Against losing teams: 15-7

Comments: The Raptors own the league’s sixth-rated defense, and their rim protector, Jakob Poeltl, has not played since Dec. 21 … You can see why Toronto might be interested in Anthony Davis. … You can see why they might want Ja Morant, too, since the Immanuel Quickley spot could also be upgraded. … But who wants the three years left on his deal after this season? … Collectively, though, we couldn’t ask for much more from this team, especially Brandon Ingram.

Grade: A

• Midseason MVP: Alex Sarr (17-7-3 on 51/35/70)

• Offensive rating: 109.6 (28th) • Defensive rating: 120.7 (29th)

• Best lineup: Sarr • Bub Carrington • Tre Johnson • Kyshawn George • Khris Middleton (-5 in 41 minutes)

• Against .500+ teams: 2-20 • Against losing teams: 8-12

Comments: Is Trae Young ever going to play for this team this season? Maybe they will nurse his quad injury for as long as it takes to pull their tank into a bottom-four spot. … The Wizards are still waiting on a star to emerge from their recent string of first-round draft picks, though Alex Sarr (17-7-3 on 51/35/70 shooting splits and a league-leading 2.2 blocks per game) is a player. … Get Tre Johnson more shots than his 10 per game. … Another high-end lottery pick loading.

Grade: B