NBA Standings ordered by opponent PPG: Raptors defense struggling mightily

While the RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley trade has helped the Toronto Raptors become a much more effective offensive club in the last few weeks, moving off OG Anunoby and losing Jakob Poeltl to injury has taken a huge chunk out of the team's effectiveness on the defensive end.

With a lack of rim protection, pathetic perimeter defense, and a shortage of healthy NBA rotation players, the Raptors' defense went from a slightly above-average unit to the team everyone on their schedule is looking at as a potential get-right game for the offense.

The Raptors' decline can be reflected in their position in the standings, as they are now tied for the sixth-worst record in the NBA. When comparing their defense to the rest of the teams in the league, it's fairly easy to see how Toronto comes out quite unfavorably.

NBA Standings ordered by opponent PPG: Raptors defense struggling

Western Conference

1. Minnesota Timberwolves (107.3)
2. Denver Nuggets (111.0)
3. Houston Rockets (111.8)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (111.9)
5. New Orleans Pelicans (112.0)
6. Memphis Grizzlies (113.2)
7. Oklahoma City Thunder (113.3)
8. Phoenix Suns (114.4)
9. Los Angeles Lakers (115.5)
10. Portland Trail Blazers (117.1)
11. Dallas Mavericks (117.1)
12. Sacramento Kings (117.1)
13. Utah Jazz (118.2)
14. Golden State Warriors (118.2)
15. San Antonio Spurs (121.4)

Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards have been catalysts for the league's best defense by a considerable margin in Minnesota. Contenders like Denver and Los Angeles are right behind them alongside a Rockets team that has talen a huge step forward this season.

The Warriors, Blazers, and Spurs are all outside of the playoffs in the West, and all of them are in the bottom third of opponent PPG rankings in the West.

Eastern Conference

1. Miami Heat (110.6)
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (110.7)
3. Orlando Magic (111.2)
4. Boston Celtics (111.3)
5. New York Knicks (111.3)
6. Philadelphia 76ers (111.6)
7. Chicago Bulls (112.4)
8. Brooklyn Nets (115.9)
9. Toronto Raptors (116.8)
10. Milwaukee Bucks (119.9)
11. Charlotte Hornets (120.1)
12. Detroit Pistons (122.6)
13. Indiana Pacers (123.5)
14. Atlanta Hawks (123.5)
15. Washington Wizards (125.3)

The Raptors have fallen down the standings in alarming fashion, as they rank in the middle of the pack despite staying in the top third for most of the year when they had Anunoby and Poeltl healthy. Division rivals like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia all seem to have passed them by.

Outside of teams like Indiana, who purposefully play at a fast pace that will lead to a ton of extra points being given up, four of the bottom five teams in the league in points per game allowed are outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.