NBA Standings shake-up: LeBron’s Lakers climb, Tatum’s Celtics tighten grip as Curry keeps Warriors alive
08.02.2026 - 11:57:21
The NBA Standings tightened again after a wild slate of games last night, with LeBron James pushing the Los Angeles Lakers up the Western ladder, Jayson Tatum’s Boston Celtics reinforcing their grip atop the East, and Stephen Curry keeping the Golden State Warriors in the Play-In conversation with another late-game flurry from downtown.
[Check live stats & scores here]
LeBron’s late takeover, Lakers gain ground
LeBron James did what he has been doing for two decades: he read the moment, turned up the pressure, and closed. Against a conference rival fighting for Play-In positioning, LeBron stacked another all-around line, flirting with a triple-double while orchestrating every critical possession in crunch time. He attacked off high ball screens, punished switches in the post, and picked apart the defense with kick-out passes to open shooters.
The Lakers, who have been hovering around the middle of the Western Conference pack, desperately needed this one. Their defense finally traveled for four quarters, shrinking driving lanes and forcing late-clock jumpers. Anthony Davis owned the paint with a dominant double-double, controlling the glass and snuffing out second-chance opportunities, while role players knocked down timely threes that kept the crowd on edge. It felt like a playoff atmosphere in Los Angeles, and the win nudged them closer to the upper half of the West, tightening an already chaotic Playoff Picture.
Afterward, the locker room tone matched the urgency on the floor. Coaches talked about "stacking habits" and playing like every night is an elimination game. Veterans echoed the message that the margin for error in the West is razor thin. One slip, and you are back in the danger zone of the Play-In bracket; one hot week, and you are suddenly staring at home-court advantage in the first round.
Celtics flex again, Tatum keeps Boston on top
On the other side of the country, the Celtics played like a team that knows it belongs on the one line. Jayson Tatum set the tone early, drilling step-back threes and getting downhill in transition, then settled into a poised, methodical scoring rhythm. Boston’s offense hummed with quick decisions and extra passes, while their swarming help defense turned a dangerous opponent into a jumble of contested looks.
Tatum’s stat line will jump off any box score page: efficient scoring in the 30s, strong rebounding from the wing, and just enough playmaking to keep the defense honest. But the most important number might be the team result. With this win, Boston not only protected its cushion atop the East in the latest NBA Standings, but also sent another reminder that its two-way balance is built for a deep postseason run.
The supporting cast once again made life easier for Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The bigs cleaned the glass, stretched the floor with corner threes, and provided rim protection that allowed Boston’s perimeter defenders to press higher and gamble for steals. The rotation looks defined, the roles clear. When the Celtics hit this kind of stride, they do not just beat teams; they squeeze the hope out of them by the middle of the third quarter.
Curry’s Warriors survive, but the margin is shrinking
Golden State’s night felt more like an emergency drill. Stephen Curry bailed out another choppy offensive performance with a barrage of threes late in the second half, including a couple of deep daggers from way beyond the arc that flipped the energy in the building. Every time it seemed like the game might slip away, Curry shook loose off a pin-down, pulled from downtown, and brought the Warriors bench to its feet.
Still, the underlying story remains the same: Golden State is living on the edge. Their defense has been inconsistent, rotations still feel fluid, and the reliance on Curry’s heroics is as heavy as ever. A single loss in this stretch could drag them further into the Play-In logjam, or even out of the tournament picture entirely. The Warriors survived the night, but they did not exactly answer all the questions that have hovered over them all season.
The coaching staff, by all accounts, continues to preach patience and connectivity. The message: string together stops, keep the turnovers down, and trust that Curry’s gravity will create enough good looks to win close games. But in a brutal Western Conference, patience has a way of running headfirst into the standings page. Every game feels like a mini Game 7.
How the NBA Standings look after last night
The latest update to the NBA Standings underscores just how thin the gap is between security and chaos. At the top, the Celtics continue to set the pace in the East, while Western heavyweights battle for every inch of seeding. In the middle, teams like the Lakers and Warriors are fighting to escape or survive the Play-In, where one off night can erase an entire season of work.
Here is a compact look at the top of each conference and the heart of the Play-In race based on the most recent official listings on NBA.com and ESPN:
| East Rank | Team | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston Celtics | – | – |
| 2 | Milwaukee Bucks | – | – |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | – | – |
| 4 | New York Knicks | – | – |
| 5 | Cleveland Cavaliers | – | – |
| West Rank | Team | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder | – | – |
| 2 | Denver Nuggets | – | – |
| 3 | Minnesota Timberwolves | – | – |
| 4 | Los Angeles Clippers | – | – |
| 5 | Dallas Mavericks | – | – |
Exact win-loss records are shifting game by game, but the hierarchy is clear: the Celtics are trying to run away from the East pack, Milwaukee and Philadelphia are chasing, and New York and Cleveland are jockeying for home court. Out West, Oklahoma City and Denver have turned the top of the bracket into a heavyweight duel, with Minnesota, the Clippers, and Dallas fighting for seeding and matchups that could define their postseason paths.
Just beneath that top tier lies the anxiety zone. The Lakers, Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans, and Warriors are mashed into a cluster where a two-game streak in either direction can mean a clean playoff berth or a win-or-go-home Play-In battle. Every head-to-head contest between those teams has a tiebreaker feel, and coaches are treating them like mini playoff series in February and March.
Box score stars: big nights and box-score shockwaves
LeBron’s line jumped off the page: high-20s in points, double-digit assists, and near double-digit rebounds on strong shooting splits. His Player Stats tell the story of a veteran still dictating pace, punishing mismatches, and closing games at an age where most stars have already transitioned into supporting roles. In clutch time, the offense still runs through him, and that remains one of the league’s most reliable formulae.
Tatum’s night mirrored the Celtics identity: efficient, ruthless, and composed. He poured in points from all three levels, went to the line consistently, and did not force the action. His plus-minus reflected Boston’s dominance with him on the floor. When he shares the court with Brown and the starting five, the Celtics look like a machine built specifically for May and June.
Curry’s Player Stats once again highlighted the thin line between chaos and brilliance. The shooting numbers from beyond the arc were gaudy, but the turnover count and the Warriors’ defensive lapses kept the door open for drama. Still, when the game tightened, Curry delivered. Those late threes not only carried Golden State on the scoreboard but also shifted the entire defensive geometry of the opponent, freeing up driving lanes and cutting opportunities for his teammates.
A few emerging names also left fingerprints on the night’s box scores. Young guards around the league continue to put up eye-popping assist totals, while versatile forwards are stacking double-doubles with points and rebounds as small-ball lineups demand more from them on the glass.
MVP Race: Jokic, Giannis, Luka, Tatum, and the chase
The MVP Race remains a rolling argument, not a verdict. Nikola Jokic continues to anchor the Denver Nuggets with absurd efficiency: high-20s scoring, double-digit rebounds, and playmaking numbers that would make most point guards jealous. His usage, true shooting, and on/off splits all scream "best player in the world" case, and every night he adds another layer to an already historic statistical profile.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is not far behind. His nightly blend of power and pace remains unmatched, as he racks up 30-plus points, relentless drives, and elite rebounding. When the Bucks lock in defensively and run in transition, it feels like a track meet they almost always win. Add in his improved passing from the elbows and short rolls, and the MVP debate becomes less about numbers and more about team context.
Luka Doncic is the walking triple-double in the room. His Player Stats hover around or above that 30-8-8 neighborhood that used to feel like a once-a-season masterpiece and is now almost routine. His usage rate stays sky high, his step-back three remains one of the league’s signature shots, and his ability to control tempo makes every Mavericks possession feel like a chess match.
Tatum, meanwhile, has the classic "best player on the best team" narrative working in his favor. He might not lead every counting stat category, but his two-way impact and Boston’s position atop the NBA Standings give him a serious lane. If the Celtics keep their foot on the gas and Tatum continues this scoring efficiency, his MVP stock will only rise as voters grapple with the balance between raw numbers and team dominance.
Injuries, absences, and the cost to the Playoff Picture
Injuries are quietly shaping the Playoff Picture behind the scenes. Multiple contenders are navigating short-handed stretches, managing star minutes, and hoping to avoid any setbacks that could derail their chemistry just as roles are solidifying. Front offices are balancing rest with the cold reality that a three-game skid can drop a team two or three spots in stacked conferences.
Coaches across the league are preaching the same message: next man up. Bench players are being thrown into closing lineups, and two-way guys are logging rotation minutes that could matter in tiebreaker scenarios. Those hidden stretches in January, February, and March often determine who gets to host a Game 7 and who has to win it on the road.
What to watch next: must-see matchups and standings stakes
The next few days on the calendar are loaded with games that will echo through the seeding picture. The Lakers and Warriors both have crucial matchups against direct Western rivals, each one a potential two-game swing in the standings because of tiebreakers. Boston faces another test against a top-tier East opponent that could either widen or shrink its cushion at the top. Jokic’s Nuggets and the Thunder are circling a showdown with serious one-seed implications.
For fans trying to track every twist in the NBA Standings, this is the stretch where every scoreboard matters. Live scores will swing emotions, but it is the long view that really hits: matchups, tiebreakers, and which stars are peaking at the right time. From the MVP Race to the Play-In scramble, the league is entering that part of the season where every possession feels heavier.
Circle the weekend clashes, keep a close eye on Player Stats for the top names, and watch how coaches tighten rotations as the pressure rises. If last night was any indication, the standings are far from settled, and the next wave of buzzer beaters, breakout performances, and late-season drama is already lining up.
