The season has just started so early stats mean nothing. But that doesn’t mean we can’t issue out power rankings!!! So here’s the debut of the NBA Power Rankings, Week 1 Style!!!
#30 Cleveland Cavaliers (0-3, -14, LW: N/A)
#29 Oklahoma City Thunder (0-3, -11.7, LW: N/A)
#28 Chicago Bulls (0-3, -9, LW: N/A)
Rookie Wendell Carter early on is averaging 8.0 points and 2.5 boards. Please note the opening to these rankings, but at the same time if I was a 6’10” NBA center I get the feeling that I would get 2.5 rebounds in 19 minutes just by standing flat on my feet underneath the basket.
#27 Los Angeles Lakers (0-3, -6.3, LW: N/A)
#26 Phoenix Suns (1-2, -9, LW: N/A)
#25 Brooklyn Nets (1-2, -7, LW: N/A)
#24 Orlando Magic (2-2, -6.8, LW: N/A)
#23 Sacramento Kings (1-2, -5, LW: N/A)
#22 Houston Rockets (1-2, -4.3, LW: N/A)
#21 Atlanta Hawks (1-2, -3.7, LW: N/A)
#20 New York Knicks (1-3, +1, LW: N/A)
Is there a sadder story in pro sports than the Knicks? I mean, basketball is the city game. Madison Square Garden is the Mecca of sporting arenas in the country. Yet, the Knicks have a lifetime record of 2762-2881. They have two championships in 73 seasons, and that ain’t changing this season. The only thing sparing them from being the biggest joke in the city is the Nets.
#19 Washington Wizards (1-2, -1.3, LW: N/A)
#18 Miami Heat (1-2, -1, LW: N/A)
#17 Utah Jazz (1-2, -1, LW: N/A)
#16 Dallas Mavericks (2-1, -3.7, LW: N/A)
#15 San Antonio Spurs (2-1, -2.7, LW: N/A)
#14 Memphis Grizzlies (2-1, -2, LW: N/A)
#13 Boston Celtics (2-2, +1.3, LW: N/A)
#12 Minnesota Timberwolves (2-2, +2.5, LW: N/A)
#11 Charlotte Hornets (2-2, +2.8, LW: N/A)
#10 Philadelphia 76ers (2-1, +0.7, LW: N/A)
#9 Los Angeles Clippers (2-1, +3.3, LW: N/A)
#8 Indiana Pacers (2-2, +5.3, LW: N/A)
A postseason crush for many an NBA fan this past spring, Victor Oladipo is putting up a 22-6-3 in the first three games of the season. The East has some legit teams – unlike years past – but a top four finish in the conference isn’t out of the question for the Pacers.
#7 Detroit Pistons (2-0, +2.5, LW: N/A)
#6 Portland Trail Blazers (2-1, +7, LW: N/A)
#5 Golden State Warriors (3-1, +6.8, LW: N/A)
#4 Milwaukee Bucks (3-0, +9.7, LW: N/A)
For nostalgia fans this season in the East will remind you of the 1980’s. Back then the East was the battle field for three legit contenders: The Celtics, the 76ers, and the Bucks. The Eastern Conference Champiion was either the Celtics or the 76ers, because one of them didn’t have to play the Bucks in the Conference Semi-Finals. This season could turn out the same way, but just maybe the Bucks will be the team who survives.
#3 New Orleans Pelicans (2-0, +19.5, LW: N/A)
#2 Denver Nuggets (3-0, +13, LW: N/A)
#1 Toronto Raptors (4-0, +12.3, LW: N/A)
I’m not offering up any new stats yet, because the league is just underway and I really haven’t gotten into the basketball stats yet to find nuggets that I enjoy. That and the Spurs and Lakers decided to go to overtime just to guarantee I couldn’t get all three rankings out before 1:00 AM. But I will, trust me.