NBA Power Rankings Week 1: Lakers woes and other first impressions

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Mo Bamba, Orlando Magic. Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Orlando Magic 0-2

Last rank: 30

Last Week: (L) to SAS, (L) to NYK

The Orlando Magic are rebuilding, and their goal this year is development, not wins. Losing their first two games is part of the plan, not a letdown from their goals. The major question is whether their young players are showing signs of life, and they certainly are.

We’ll discuss Mo Bamba below, but Wendell Carter Jr. has started alongside Bamba in a supersized frontcourt and averaged 11.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Franz Wagner has shot 57.1 percent from every level and averaged 14 points per game. R.J. Hampton has shot it well. Jalen Suggs has had a rough start shooting but has contributed in other ways.

First Impression: Mo Bamba looks really good. Prior to the extension deadline, the Orlando Magic signed their newly acquired young center Wendell Carter Jr. to a solid rookie contract extension. In the early going it has been their other center balling out, however, leading the team in scoring with 16.5 points per game.

Bamba has looked the most fluid and energetic he has in years, if not his entire career. There’s no question he’s scoring more confidently than ever before, and especially from outside. He has already hit six 3-pointers in just two games. A player averaging three each of triples and blocks is a player this league has never seen before. Those insane numbers won’t last, but if this confident, active Bamba can stick around the Magic could have a breakout star on their hands.

Next: No. 29

</div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to SAS, (L) to NYK</p> <p>The Orlando Magic are rebuilding, and their goal this year is development, not wins. Losing their first two games is part of the plan, not a letdown from their goals. The major question is whether their young players are showing signs of life, and they certainly are.</p> <p>We’ll discuss Mo Bamba below, but Wendell Carter Jr. has started alongside Bamba in a supersized frontcourt and averaged 11.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Franz Wagner has shot 57.1 percent from every level and averaged 14 points per game. R.J. Hampton has shot it well. Jalen Suggs has had a rough start shooting but has contributed in other ways.</p> <p><strong>First Impression: </strong>Mo Bamba looks really good. Prior to the extension deadline, the Orlando Magic signed their newly acquired young center Wendell Carter Jr. to a solid rookie contract extension. In the early going it has been their other center balling out, however, leading the team in scoring with 16.5 points per game.</p> <p>Bamba has looked the most fluid and energetic he has in years, if not his entire career. There’s no question he’s scoring more confidently than ever before, and especially from outside. He has already hit six 3-pointers in just two games. A player averaging three each of triples and blocks is a player this league has never seen before. Those insane numbers won’t last, but if this confident, active Bamba can stick around the Magic could have a breakout star on their hands.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 29 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437064" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437064" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347811983.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347811983.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347811983-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder. Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="29" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Oklahoma City Thunder" data-team-id="149" data-meta-a="0-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 27th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">29 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Oklahoma City Thunder <span class="score">0-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">27</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fthunder.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Utah, (L) to Houston</p> <p>The Oklahoma City Thunder are doing everything short of branding this season “Thank the Tank” to communicate they are trying to lose games. They’re playing a rotation stocked with young, raw prospects and are shamelessly gunning for a high pick to draft a top-tier wing prospect.</p> <p>The reason they weren’t lower in the preseason rankings, and why they aren’t 30th now, is that they still have a star guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He has been fine thus far, not getting in the way of this team losing. Do the Thunder keep him in-house for however long the rest of their rebuild takes? For now he’s locked up long-term to be the linchpin of their next good team.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Their offense is anemic. Despite the presence of Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder offense has been at the bottom of the league. Their 88.1 offensive rating is 29th in the league, and they are 26th in 3-point attempts and 28th in 3-point percentage. Their young ball-handlers are sloppy with the ball and have not yet found their stride in setting up teammates for good looks. That leads to the league’s worst net rating overall as the “worst” of the winless teams.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 28 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437065" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437065" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347787616.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347787616.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347787616-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Jerami Grant, Detroit Pistons. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="28" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Detroit Pistons" data-team-id="64" data-meta-a="0-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 28th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">28 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Detroit Pistons <span class="score">0-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">28</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fpistons.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Chicago, (L) to Chicago</p> <p>It’s hard to determine exactly how good the Detroit Pistons are vs the rest of the league given that the NBA scheduled them for two consecutive games against the Chicago Bulls. The Pistons have also had to play without Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick, providing even less information about what a full-strength Detroit team looks like vs the entire league.</p> <p>What we do have is how they looked against the Bulls, and the answer is “not very good.” No one on the team has been able to hit a shot, as Detroit ranks 30th in 3-point percentage at just 19.6 percent, and 27th in the league in overall field goal percentage. They won’t shoot this poorly the rest of the year, but it’s an inauspicious start for Motor City.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Killian Hayes looks terrible. This isn’t meant to go after Hayes, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He is young, and much of his rookie season was devoted to rehabbing an injury rather than developing his game. Even so, the Pistons have shown their commitment to him by starting him in both games thus far.</p> <p>Hayes has made one basket in two games, is shooting 9.1 percent (not a typo) from the field, and has five total assists against three total turnovers. Defensively he may as well not even be there are the Bulls’ host of guards paraded right past him. Cade Cunningham is this team’s lead ball-handler of the future, and he may not be getting any support in that area from Hayes.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 27 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437066" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437066" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347926708.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347926708.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347926708-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Jalen Green, Houston Rockets. Photo by Harrison Barden/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="27" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Houston Rockets" data-team-id="169" data-meta-a="1-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 29th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">27 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Houston Rockets <span class="score">1-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">29</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Frockets.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Minnesota; (W) over Oklahoma City</p> <p>In the early going the Houston Rockets are giving their young players some run, but they are also mixing in some of the veterans on the team. Whether that is meant to showcase Eric Gordon for a trade or help this team chase wins, the team’s veterans in Gordon and Christian Wood have played well for the Rockets to start the season.</p> <p>Wood in particular has been active on both ends of the court, leading the league with 23.5 points per game to go along with 11.5 rebounds and two blocks. He is hitting 50 percent of his 6.0 3-point attempts per game, making the experiment of playing him at the 4 work well thus far.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Jalen Green as looked shaky to start. He still possesses a fair amount of the burst that he showed off in the G League last year and in Summer League and preseason this year, but in two games thus far he has struggled to find the bottom of the basket. He has scored exactly nine points in each game, shooting 32 percent from the field. Teenagers should absolutely be given slack to develop at their pace, but there was certainly excitement in Houston and around the league for a better start than this.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 26 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437067" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437067" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2132,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1236063049.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2132" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236063049.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236063049-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poetl, San Antonio Spurs. Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="26" data-rank-type="team" data-name="San Antonio Spurs" data-team-id="29" data-meta-a="1-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 26th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">26 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>San Antonio Spurs <span class="score">1-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">26</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fspurs.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Orlando; (L) to Denver; (L) to Milwaukee</p> <p>The San Antonio Spurs have been frisky to start the season, winning easily over the Orlando Magic and hanging tough against the Milwaukee Bucks. This is a team well-coached for regular-season success, but the problem is that they don’t have any high-end talent to lead them through. That will be a problem against the league’s best teams, but it could equip them to get some “system wins” over the year against lesser squads.</p> <p>One thing the Spurs are doing very well is forcing turnovers. Dejounte Murray is one of the league’s premier swipe-artists, but Derrick White has matched him with seven steals total in three games. Their 9.7 steals per game ranks eighth in the league and has sparked their offense into some easy transition baskets, a must given their lack of on-ball creation in the half-court.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Thaddeus Young is not playing. One of the league’s better two-way big men last year and a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year, Young was a part of the DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade. He can play the 4 or the 5, defends exceptionally well and has grown as an offensive player. Yet the Spurs have played him nine minutes total in just one of their first three games.</p> <p>For the Spurs, it might be about getting their young core minutes, but they already know what they have in Drew Eubanks and they could be getting much more of an impact with Young. Playing him also helps to keep him visible for potential trades to a contender. The fact that he’s been a healthy scratch twice is surprising.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 25 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437068" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437068" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347961694.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347961694.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347961694-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Jonas Valanciunas, New Orleans Pelicans. Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="25" data-rank-type="team" data-name="New Orleans Pelicans" data-team-id="69" data-meta-a="0-3" data-meta-b="Previous: 25th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">25 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>New Orleans Pelicans <span class="score">0-3</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">25</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fpelicans.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Philadelphia, (L) to Chicago, (L) to Minnesota</p> <p>The biggest storyline to start the season for the Pelicans is the fact that Zion Williamson is not playing and is not particularly close to playing, despite the initial expectation set by the team when his offseason foot surgery was first announced. It’s become clear that without Williamson this team is in trouble.</p> <p>They don’t have one glaring and obvious weakness; they’re bad on offense (26th in net rating) and not much better on defense (21st), with a penchant for fouling and a somewhat low number of 3-point attempts despite a solid percentage. Brandon Ingram is averaging 27 points and 37 minutes per game trying to keep the boat afloat, but it has been a poor start all around.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Jonas Valanciunas is still mauling people. The former Memphis Grizzlies center was brought over as part of the Steven Adams / Eric Bledsoe salary dump trade this offseason. Perhaps simply because of Zion Williamson’s absence Valanciunas has been living in the paint. He is averaging 15.7 points per game on a career-high 13.3 shot attempts per game, and averaging 12.3 rebounds per game. Whether or not feeding him is the most efficient thing to do the Pelicans are doing it and he is producing.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 24 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437069" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437069" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2135,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1236059909.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2135" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236059909.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236059909-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo by Rick Osentoski/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="24" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Cleveland Cavaliers" data-team-id="156" data-meta-a="1-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 25th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">24 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Cleveland Cavaliers <span class="score">1-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">25</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fcavaliers.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Memphis, (L) to Charlotte, (W) over Atlanta</p> <p>The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in a close game in each of their three contests thus far. In the first, a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, they were within one point with two minutes to go before the Grizzlies went on an 11-0 run. Against the Charlotte Hornets, they were leading at halftime and then a turnover-induced run by Charlotte in the 4th quarter opened a lead that could not be overcome.</p> <p>Finally, the tides turned against the Atlanta Hawks, a team the Cavs frequently have success against. The Cavs managed to get out in front and then hung on for dear life to get across the finish line. New addition Ricky Rubio has been key for them as Darius Garland has missed two games already. The offense is moving the ball well (3rd in the league in assists per game) even if they are still avoiding the 3-point line.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The “Triple Towers” look has issues. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made the surprising decision to move Isaac Okoro to the bench and start Lauri Markkanen at the 3, giving the team two 7-footers at the two forward positions. Given that they already start an undersized 6’1″ shooting guard in Collin Sexton, the juxtaposition leaves a major gap of 11 inches. Against teams with good forwards, this could be a death sentence, as it was against Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward on the Hornets.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 23 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437070" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437070" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348158859.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348158859.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348158859-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="23" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Toronto Raptors" data-team-id="81" data-meta-a="1-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 20th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">23 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Toronto Raptors <span class="score">1-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">20</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fraptors.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Washington, (W) over Boston, (L) to Dallas</p> <p>There was optimism that this season the Toronto Raptors would bounce back to being a clear playoff team, that the chaos of the Raptors’ season a year ago (from playing home games in Tampa to COVID outbreaks) would fade as Nick Nurse and the Raptors took up the winning torch again.</p> <p>Instead, it’s been a rocky start for the Raptors, who laid the smackdown on the Celtics but lost to a theoretically worse Washington team and to a Dallas Mavericks team that looked terrible itself against the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the week. Their defense has been solid with a collection of long, strong defenders, but this team misses Pascal Siakam, still out recovering from an injury.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: OG Anunoby is not having a breakout year. Obviously, there is plenty of time for that to turn around, but for now a preseason favorite for “Most Improved Player” has been a pretty poor offensive player. He is scoring 16 points per game but needs 16.7 field goal attempts to get there, shooting just 32 percent from the field. In the team’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks, he essentially disappeared offensively down the stretch. The Raptors are putting the ball in his hands and giving him the opportunity to develop into that player, but so far he’s been a wild mess trying to score.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 22 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437071" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437071" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347816990.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347816990.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347816990-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="22" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Sacramento Kings" data-team-id="84" data-meta-a="1-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 22nd" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">22 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Sacramento Kings <span class="score">1-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">22</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fkings.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Portland, (L) to Utah</p> <p>The Sacramento Kings are riding a 15-year playoff drought, the longest in the league, and are optimistic that this season can be different. They have excised Marvin Bagley from the rotation (understandably so), upgraded defensively with rookie Davion Mitchell and big man Tristan Thompson, and hope to make the leap up into the play-in field at the very least.</p> <p>So far, so decent. The Kings won against a team they will be battling with for that postseason berth, the Portland Trail Blazers, and then lost to one of the Conference’s best in the Utah Jazz. De’Aaron Fox has been running and running, Buddy Hield has been hot from 3-point range (45.5 percent on an insane 11 3-point attempts per game) and Richaun Holmes has been very solid starting at center. After finishing last season 30th in the league in defensive rating, this year they are a respectable 19th through two games.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Harrison Barnes has been en fuego. Barnes has gone through a few different iterations of his career, from role player on a title team in Golden State to lead guy on the Dallas Mavericks between the Dirk and Luka eras. In Sacramento, he had been a supporting two-way starter but thus far this season he has broken out to be their best player thus far.</p> <p>Barnes dropped 36 points and nine rebounds on the Trail Blazers, hitting eight of his 11 3-pointers. He then came back and had a line of 25 points, 15 rebounds and two assists against the Utah Jazz. If Barnes has anything close to a season like this, the Kings’ playoff hopes are back in business.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 21 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437072" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437072" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348333158.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348333158.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348333158-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Chris Duarte and Malcolm Brogdon, Indiana Pacers. Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="21" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Indiana Pacers" data-team-id="100" data-meta-a="1-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 19th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">21 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Indiana Pacers <span class="score">1-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">19</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fpacers.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Charlotte, (L) to Washington, (W) over Miami</p> <p>At one point on Saturday night, the Indiana Pacers were as close to an “even” team as one gets. They lost their first game by just one point to the Charlotte Hornets, then went to overtime in game two against the Washington Wizards, again losing by a single point. Game three against the Miami Heat? Again went to overtime, before the Pacers finally clawed out the victory.</p> <p>Wins and losses aside, the Pacers have played three tight games against the teams they will be battling with in the middle of the Eastern Conference. They have acquitted themselves well despite missing two starters, Caris LeVert and TJ Warren. New head coach Rick Carlisle will have his work cut out for him navigating a surprisingly strong Eastern Conference without those two players.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The play of Chris Duarte. One way that the Pacers are filling in for Warren is by starting Chris Duarte, the 24-year-old rookie wing out of Oregon. He has stepped in and immediately been a difference-maker, hitting 11 3-pointers in three games at a 45.8 percent clip. He is averaging 20.3 points per game to lead all rookies, and will likely be a candidate to continue starting, or at the very least playing a high minute total, for the rest of the season and beyond.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 20 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437073" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437073" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348158003.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348158003.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348158003-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Daniel Gafford, Washington Wizards. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="20" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Washington Wizards" data-team-id="142" data-meta-a="2-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 20th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">20 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Washington Wizards <span class="score">2-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">20</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fwizards.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Toronto, (W) over Indiana</p> <p>The Washington Wizards were a difficult team to peg prior to the season starting — and to some extent still are. They lost a talented player in Russell Westbrook by trading him for good role players, but no other premium shot creator. Who would step into Westbrook’s shoes to be the secondary creator beside Bradley Beal?</p> <p>The best guess coming into the season was Spencer Dinwiddie, and he certainly has come through thus far, averaging 23.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The new pieces have stepped up in a major way too, with Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell both averaging 18 points per game for a suddenly fueled-up offensive attack.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Daniel Gafford and the block party. The Wizards picked up Gafford last season almost as an afterthought when the Chicago Bulls were clearing money and roster spots to bring in Nikola Vucevic. He had a hyper-efficient end to the season and was rewarded with a contract extension prior to this one. In two games he has totaled six blocks, which is insane when you realize he is only playing 20 minutes per game as a low-usage starter ahead of Montrezl Harrell. If he can earn more playing time he could lead the league in blocks this year, or be right in the mix.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 19 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437074" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437074" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347926807.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347926807.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347926807-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves. Photo by Harrison Barden/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="19" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Minnesota Timberwolves" data-team-id="86" data-meta-a="2-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 21st" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">19 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Minnesota Timberwolves <span class="score">2-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">21</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Ftimberwolves.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Houston, (W) over New Orleans</p> <p>There were a number of reasons to like the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason. They were awesome to end the season last year, which is sometimes fool’s gold but hinted at the synergy among this young group. They had a full offseason with new head coach Chris Finch, most of their core is young enough to expect to improve, and they added a couple of solid defensive role players in Patrick Beverley and Taurean Prince.</p> <p>The verdict? So far, so good. The Timberwolves rolled over the Houston Rockets, then beat a New Orleans team that looks like their direct competition for the play-in game. Karl-Anthony Towns has been excellent, averaging 27.5 points and seven rebounds (plus 2.5 blocks!) per game. Right there with him, Anthony Edwards has scored 24 points per game with 7.5 rebounds of his own, and as a pretty-darn-good third banana, D’Angelo Russell is averaging 17.</p> <p>Behind the star power, it’s a collection of role players, with no other double-digit scorers but a number of players rebounding, defending and playing hard. That’s an unusual look for a team that has only made the playoffs once in a dozen years, but it might be the new normal in Minnesota.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The defense! Granted, the opponent has to be considered, but even so, the Timberwolves have the second-best net rating in the league, largely fueled by the fact that they are leading the league in both steals <em>and</em> blocks, with 15.5 and 10 per game respectively.</p> <p>If the Wolves can build a defensive framework around their three offensive engines, this team could skip right through the play-in and make the playoff field proper. Let’s see them demonstrate it against some real competition, but it’s been impressive so far. The Timberwolves of old didn’t do this to anyone, stars or scrubs.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 18 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437075" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437075" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2135,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1236059559.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2135" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236059559.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236059559-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets. Photo by Rick Osentoski/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="18" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Charlotte Hornets" data-team-id="170" data-meta-a="2-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 18th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">18 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Charlotte Hornets <span class="score">2-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">18</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fhornets.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Indiana, (W) over Cleveland</p> <p>Full disclosure: I wanted to raise the Charlotte Hornets higher. They are incredibly fun to watch, with LaMelo Ball a monster in transition and Miles Bridges skying over everyone for dunks. Kelly Oubre Jr. has jumped right in and contributed to the up-and-down transition attack, with his own share of flashy highlight plays.</p> <p>Ball has been incredible, averaging 24 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game — oh yeah, and a whopping 3.5 steals! He has been everywhere all over the court, and once he has the ball in his hands anything could happen. Watching him and his brand of basketball is an absolute blast. In the end, though, they have a one-point win over Indiana and a second only mildly-impressive win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ll need to prove it again to move up the list.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Gordon Hayward looks great. While Ball has rightfully been the headline, the fact that Gordon Hayward is fully healthy and absolutely balling out has to give the Hornets both joy and confidence moving forward. He has been the lead ball-handler when Ball is off the court, averaging 6.0 assists to go with his 22.5 points per game on 54.5 percent 3-point shooting. He’ll cool off, but his calm demeanor running the offense makes this team even more dangerous. A healthy Hayward means the playoffs are well in view; one who is still completing his recovery or who has lost a step likely means play-in or worse in such a tough middle of the East.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 17 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437076" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437076" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348148622.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348148622.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348148622-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Robert Williams III, Boston Celtics. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="17" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Boston Celtics" data-team-id="18" data-meta-a="0-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 12th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">17 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Boston Celtics <span class="score">0-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">12</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fceltics.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to New York, (L) to Toronto</p> <p>Last season was a disappointment for the Boston Celtics, and this year was supposed to be a bounceback. It absolutely still can be, and Jaylen Brown is playing as if it still will be. The two losses, one of them in a bonkers double-overtime game in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks, the other a dispiriting loss to the Toronto Raptors, are not an indicator of whether the Celtics will be good this season.</p> <p>Ultimately the players are, and they look up-and-down. Brown played incredibly well in the loss to the Knicks but was every bit as abysmal as the rest of the team in their 32-point loss to the Raptors. Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart and Dennis Schroder have all shot terribly from the field and the team is coughing up turnovers like they’re….well, I’m not going to finish that metaphor. You get the idea. Fixable reasons, but legitimate reasons nonetheless: the Celtics are winless because they’ve played poorly.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The exception has been Robert Williams III, who looks to be having something of a breakout season. After playing more than 30 minutes in a game just once in his career prior to this season, Williams played just under 45 in the double-overtime game. he’s averaging 12.5 points, eight rebounds, two steals and four blocks per game. Even more surprising has been just two total fouls across two games. If he stays healthy he might turn into another franchise cornerstone for the Celtics.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 16 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437077" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437077" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348353020.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348353020.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348353020-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Paul George, LA Clippers. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="16" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Los Angeles Clippers" data-team-id="77" data-meta-a="0-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 15th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">16 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Los Angeles Clippers <span class="score">0-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">15</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fclippers.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Golden State, (L) to Memphis</p> <p>The LA Clippers are a very talented team even without their best player, Kawhi Leonard. Paul George is an excellent two-way wing, Reggie Jackson has become a solid starter and they have a variety of versatile players who can mix-and-match on defense with little downside.</p> <p>The swing factor for these Clippers will be outside shooting. They aren’t a group that puts a lot of pressure on the rim, but rather they work to get open looks from outside the paint. Last season they led the league in 3-point shooting, but that has come down to earth this year. The Clippers are currently eight in attempts but only 21st in accuracy, hitting 34.2 percent of their 3-pointers. That should come around given the talent of the shooters on this team, and when it does the win column should start to go up as well.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The small-ball lineup is wobbly. The Clippers have leaned into their small-ball look, the weapon they found that mowed down multiple opponents in the playoffs. They have played 61 possessions without a traditional center on the court (<a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/team/13/lineups?off=4469&off=4639&off=4145#tab-four_factors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Cleaning the Glass</a>), playing Marcus Morris, Nic Batum or Justice Winslow as the “small-ball 5”. Those lineups have scored at an elite rate but been outscored by even more. Those lineups are their best weapon against the best teams in the West, so how they turn out over the long run will correlate with how this team does late in the season.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 15 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437078" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437078" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1163,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348175582.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="1600" height="1163" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348175582.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348175582-768x558.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls. Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="15" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Chicago Bulls" data-team-id="24" data-meta-a="3-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 16th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">15 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Chicago Bulls <span class="score">3-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">16</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fbulls.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Detroit, (W) over New Orleans, (W) over Detroit</p> <p>The Chicago Bulls are an impressive 3-0, after going 4-0 in an absolute blitz of a preseason. Their home run swings over the offseason may have come through, and they might be in position for a monster season, a la Atlanta last season.</p> <p>The hesitation is that they have played the Pistons twice and the Pelicans once, teams a combined 0-5 thus far. They are also living inside the arc, with their 25.7 3-point attempts per game last in the league despite a very strong average of 41.6 percent, third in the league. Only Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine are averaging more than five attempts per game. To keep up offensively with better teams they will need to improve their shot diet however possible.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The ball movement is incredible. The Chicago Bulls have four players all averaging at least four assists per game — Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic — with Alex Caruso close behind with 3.3. There is no one “creator” on this team but rather four different starters who can make things happen with the ball. That gives this offense a tremendous amount of versatility in attacking defenses.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 14 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437079" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437079" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347936942.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347936942.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347936942-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Julius Randle, New York Knicks. Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="14" data-rank-type="team" data-name="New York Knicks" data-team-id="27" data-meta-a="2-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 14th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">14 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>New York Knicks <span class="score">2-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">14</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fknicks.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Boston, (W) over Orlando</p> <p>Last season the New York Knicks rode a top-5 defense and some unlucky opponent shooting to the 4-seed and a winning record. This time around they’re riding a potent offensive attack (4th-best in the league) and newcomer Evan Fournier’s prolific offense to a 2-0 record, including surviving a wild 2OT game against the Boston Celtics.</p> <p>Fournier and Julius Randle are averaging 25 and 28 points respectively in driving this Knicks offensive engine. They are getting up 49.5 3-pointers per game, tops in the league, which even with the 2OT game is a crazy number. They lead the league in assists as Randle is averaging a whopping eight per game. Nothing about their start seems fluky statistically, so the Knicks might just fight their way even higher up these standings week by week.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: It’s a crowded mix of guards. The Knicks moved RJ Barrett full-time to small forward and still have an absolute glut of guards to sort out. Kemba Walker and Fournier are starting, with Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley all scrapping for minutes off the bench.</p> <p>That’s without considering their two intriguing rookies, Quintin Grimes and Miles McBride, who are unlikely to get any rotation minutes unless there are significant injuries ahead of them. If seems like excising Burks would free up more minutes for Quickley, but that might not be a goal of Tom Thibodeau’s.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 13 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437080" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437080" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347964742.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347964742.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347964742-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="13" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Portland Trail Blazers" data-team-id="34" data-meta-a="1-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 13th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">13 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Portland Trail Blazers <span class="score">1-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">13</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Ftrailblazers.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Sacramento, (W) over Phoenix</p> <p>If the Portland Trail Blazers are supposed to be winning over Damian Lillard to prove he can win in Portland, they’ve done a so-so job of it thus far. They lost in their season opener to the Sacramento Kings, but Lillard shot 0-for-9 from 3-point range and likely could take ownership of that loss himself. In their second game, they absolutely beat down the reigning Western Conference champs, a 29-point home demolition of the Phoenix Suns.</p> <p>Lillard is just 2-for-16 from distance, and that reality will absolutely turn around. CJ McCollum has been brilliant carrying the team offensively, while Jusuf Murkic has been a monster on the glass with 13 rebounds per game. Despite Lillard’s woes they rank second in offensive rating and are slicing teams up inside. The question, as always, is if they will be able to come up with stops when they need them. Against the Kings, they could not.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Live-ball turnovers. The Portland Trail Blazers have not done an excellent job of protecting the ball, with 24 total turnovers across the two games. Yet half of those turnovers are dead-ball turnovers; opposing teams are averaging just six steals per game, the fourth-fewest in the league. Last season they were No. 1 in this category with 6.1 steals-against. Not all turnovers are created equal and having the chance to set your defense after a turnover is a valuable proposition.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 12 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437081" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437081" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348345897.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348345897.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348345897-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="12" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Memphis Grizzlies" data-team-id="211" data-meta-a="2-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 17th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">12 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Memphis Grizzlies <span class="score">2-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">17</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fgrizzlies.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Cleveland, (W) over LA Clippers</p> <p>The Boston Celtics were the biggest fallers of this week’s Power Rankings, dropping from 12th to 17th, and the Memphis Grizzlies swapped places with them as the biggest risers. They have looked very good through two games, with Ja Morant absolutely balling out thus far.</p> <p>The third-year point guard is ready for his All-Star moment. He is averaging 32.5 points per game to go along with seven assists and four rebounds. He has made a whopping 24 2-point field goals in two games; he is tied with the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic for first in that area, with bigs and forwards filling the list below him. He even had a nasty block of Lauri Markkanen that deserves mention as well.</p> <p>The Grizzlies haven’t played a top-tier contender, but they have two comfortable wins and one of those against a team most picked to finish above Memphis this season. They aren’t consolidating anything; they are a deep team on the rise.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The new starters. Although their roster core has not changed much from last season, this team does have three new starters. Steven Adams is bowling opponents over by racking up 11.5 rebounds per game, including 5.5 offensive rebounds per game (second before Jakob Poeltl). Second-year wing Demond Bane is averaging 20.5 points per game and showing off a whole bag of tricks as much more than a spot-up 3-and-D wing. De’Anthony Melton is finally getting his day in the sun as well, putting up 21 points per game, hitting 57.1 percent of his 3-pointers and is a combined +32 in two games.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 11 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437082" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437082" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1236085737.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236085737.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236085737-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks. Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="11" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Dallas Mavericks" data-team-id="79" data-meta-a="1-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 9th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">11 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Dallas Mavericks <span class="score">1-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">9</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fmavericks.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Atlanta, (W) over Toronto</p> <p>The Mavericks began the season with a matchup with the Atlanta Hawks, the other end of the “Luka Doncic Trade” that brought Doncic to Dallas with Trae Young and the pick that became Cam Reddish going to Atlanta. Despite Luka being the better player, the Hawks were the better team that night, laying a 26-point devastation on the Mavs.</p> <p>Their second game was a bit of a bounceback, a close win over the Toronto Raptors. Doncic is averaging a cool 22.5 points, 10 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game. Kristaps Porzingis, hoping for a bounceback season, has been largely anonymous, shooting 33.3 percent from the field and averaging just 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Jason Kidd’s coaching. The Dallas Mavericks have one of the league’s fastest-rising stars in Luka Doncic and a team of dependent players around him who hopefully complement each other to make things work around Doncic on offense. New head coach Jason Kidd has swept in handmade scheme changes that (he has publicly professed) seek to limit their 3-point attempts and get the ball out of Luka’s hands more often.</p> <p>That’s what has happened thus far, with the Mavericks moving shots into the midrange and running plays for non-Doncic players, such as Tim Hardaway Jr. (a decent option) and Dorian Finney-Smith post-ups (not a decent option). Kidd was a terrible coach at his previous two stops; can he prove all of his doubters wrong this year?</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 10 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437083" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437083" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347986390.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347986390.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347986390-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="10" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Miami Heat" data-team-id="110" data-meta-a="1-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 8th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">10 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Miami Heat <span class="score">1-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">8</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fheat.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Milwaukee, (L) to Indiana</p> <p>The Miami Heat are built for the postseason. They have a starting lineup with three aging veterans who will be unable to “bring it” every night in the season but who will be an incredibly tough out in the playoffs. For now, they will likely ride the wins and losses roller coaster, with not every game mattering as much as the end goal.</p> <p>Miami looked incredible against the Milwaukee Bucks even if the defending champions were missing multiple starters. They looked less amazing against the Indiana Pacers, a team that fed Domantas Sabonis inside against a Heat team that went smaller this offseason. Once Lowry gets healthy that seesaw might settle down a little.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Tyler Herro is getting the volume. Herro is averaging 23 field goal attempts per game this season, behind only Paul George and Ja Morant leaguewide. He is therefore putting up 28.5 points per game with eight rebounds and 2.5 assists. Herro won’t get this level of volume every night and has to improve as a consistent scorer, but he has played well thus far.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 9 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437084" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437084" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348148752.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348148752.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348148752-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers. Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="9" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Philadelphia 76ers" data-team-id="93" data-meta-a="1-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 10th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">9 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Philadelphia 76ers <span class="score">1-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">10</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2F76ers.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over New Orleans, (L) to Brooklyn</p> <p>No one knows what to think of the Philadelphia 76ers team. They brought back most of the same group that had the best record in the Eastern Conference, with the obvious exception of Ben Simmons. How good are Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and shooters around him? If he leads them to the East’s best record does Embiid win MVP?</p> <p>Philadelphia cut through the drama and won their first game, a beatdown of the New Orleans Pelicans, then lost a tight contest to the Brooklyn Nets. They may never get a <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/21/sixers-believe-rush-deal-ben-simmons/">fair trade package for Ben Simmons</a>, but if he either returns or can be the centerpiece of a trade that brings some help the 76ers could be even better.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The Ben Simmons saga is painful for everyone. We don’t want to hear anything more about it, but we also can’t stop listening. He misread the leverage he had, caved early and unexpectedly, and now is clumsily trying to use both physical and mental injury to keep from playing but also avoid losing his salary. It feels like he is working his way down a list of ways to get out of playing. Whatever is actually going on inside his head and camp, this doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 8 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437085" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437085" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347926603.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347926603.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347926603-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="8" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Phoenix Suns" data-team-id="66" data-meta-a="1-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 3rd" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">8 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Phoenix Suns <span class="score">1-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">3</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fsuns.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Denver, (W) over Los Angeles Lakers, (L) to Portland</p> <p>The Phoenix Suns won the Western Conference last year, but they also took a big leap forward and had an injury-paved highway to the Finals — that’s not to say they didn’t earn it, but there are indicators they’re not quite as good as last season indicated. Thus far those indicators look like they may have been on to something.</p> <p>The schedule didn’t do the Suns any favors, giving them three playoff teams from a season ago. They swapped a win and a loss against the Nuggets and Lakers before getting drubbed by the Trail Blazers. There’s not a single culprit; they’ve been mediocre on both ends of the court, and both Chris Paul and Devin Booker have been less than prolific. There is plenty of time to set things right, and a softer portion of the schedule should help with that, but the start has been jagged for Phoenix.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: DeAndre Ayton’s play. How has the Suns’ center looked in the aftermath of not agreeing to a contract extension? He hasn’t seemed to be pouting, as some posited could happen; he also isn’t going out and dominating to prove he should have received a max offer. He’s averaging a ho-hum 10.3 points and eight rebounds per game, and only has two blocks in three games. At least thus far, he hasn’t demonstrated that the Suns made a mistake in holding back a max contract from him.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 7 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437086" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437086" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2214,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1236063320.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2214" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236063320.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1236063320-768x531.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Russell Westbrook, Loa Angeles Lakers. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="7" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Los Angeles Lakers" data-team-id="20" data-meta-a="0-2" data-meta-b="Previous: 5th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">7 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Los Angeles Lakers <span class="score">0-2</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">5</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Flakers.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Golden State, (L) to Phoenix</p> <p>Everyone could see this coming. Russell Westbrook was a terrible fit with LeBron James and Anthony Davis from the jump. LeBron and Davis won a title surrounded by shooters, and instead of focusing on that reality (it’s how LeBron won in Cleveland as well), they brought in one of the most damaging shooters in basketball in Westbrook. Add in the fact that Westbrook does absolutely nothing valuable as an off-ball player, and this was always going to be a trainwreck.</p> <p>We tried to talk ourselves out of it by talking up LeBron and AD and all that they bring to the table. We made Westbrook a “regular season player” to convince ourselves he would have a strong start. We commended their value signings to fill out the roster. Yet we all knew it would be like this.</p> <p>The Lakers’ upcoming schedule is as soft as it gets, and they could end up at 7-3 or something similar without addressing any of their issues. The Lakers have two of the 10 best players in the world, but they may have made such a serious mistake that it dooms even them from competing for a title.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The Lakers’ injury woes. The fit of Westbrook with the rest of this team’s core would have been bad enough on his own. Yet Trevor Ariza, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn are all out, thinning the roster of useful wing players. That has almost forced the Lakers to play traditional centers and slide Davis to the 4, only exacerbating their spacing issues.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 6 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437087" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437087" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347824796.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347824796.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347824796-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="6" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Denver Nuggets" data-team-id="73" data-meta-a="2-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 11th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">6 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Denver Nuggets <span class="score">2-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">11</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fnuggets.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Phoenix, (W) over San Antonio</p> <p>Last season the Denver Nuggets traded for Aaron Gordon, shoring up their greatest weakness and in the process vaulting into title contention. Then Jamal Murray tore his ACL, and the Nuggets’ ceiling was dropped significantly. MVP Nikola Jokic still led them to the second round, continuing his streak of winning at least one series in every postseason he plays.</p> <p>Murray is still out until the spring at the earliest, but Jokic and the Nuggets are off to a strong start nonetheless. Monte Morris is a capable fill-in for Murray, and Will Barton has stepped up as a secondary scorer. Jokic is leading the way of course, with 29.5 points and 14.5 rebounds. They haven’t been gang-busters but they’ve been solid, and that should be enough until Murray is back.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Michael Porter Jr.’s slow start. The reason the Nuggets were confident coming into the season was Porter, who signed a maximum rookie extension before the season. After averaging 13.4 field goal attempts and 19 points per game last season he is down to just 10 attempts and 11 points per game, respectively. It could be nothing, a two-game blip against solid wing defenders, but the Nuggets need him to step up and be a 20-point per game scorer this season.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 5 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437088" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437088" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1101,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347981470.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="1600" height="1101" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347981470.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347981470-768x528.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="5" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Atlanta Hawks" data-team-id="125" data-meta-a="1-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 6th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">5 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Atlanta Hawks <span class="score">1-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">6</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fhawks.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Dallas, (L) to Cleveland</p> <p>The Atlanta Hawks look like a team to trust in. They were the East’s 5-seed a season ago, and Western Conference Finals run aside they demonstrated in the playoffs they have a lot of lineup versatility. Coming into this season they were (mostly) healthy, and with such a young core looked like a team on the rise.</p> <p>Game one only affirmed that, a 26-point smackdown of the Dallas Mavericks. Their defense was ferocious in holding Dallas to just 87 points, while Trae Youg had 19 points and 14 assists conducting a smooth offensive attack. But in their second game, they faltered against the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the offense going cold for long stretches as the Cavs won their first game of the year.</p> <p>Most likely the Hawks’ loss was a blip, a bit of cold shooting and a team hungry for its first win. It’s worth watching, but the bet here is that the Hawks establish themselves as the third-best team in the conference by this time next month. If not, perhaps we can look back on their first loss for signs of what went wrong.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The two options at small forward. The Atlanta Hawks have solid starters and solid backups at four of the five positions, with small forward being the only unknown. Both De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish are highly-drafted talents at the position, but they also have been frequently injured to start their careers. Both are getting plenty of run, ranking second (Reddish) and third (Hunter) in field goal attempts to start the season. Reddish in particular has balled out, averaging 19.5 points per game and hitting an unsustainable 66.7 percent of his 3-pointers. Hunter is a steadier defender, but Reddish may play his way into the starting lineup if he keeps shooting like this.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 4 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437089" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437089" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2200,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348005339.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2200" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348005339.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348005339-768x528.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="4" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Golden State Warriors" data-team-id="41" data-meta-a="2-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 7th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">4 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Golden State Warriors <span class="score">2-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">7</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fwarriors.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Los Angeles Lakers, (W) over Los Angeles Clippers</p> <p>No one doubts the championship mettle of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but the options around them feature a lot of unknowns. Andrew Wiggins as a key piece on a contender? The unproven Jordan Poole as the second option offensively? Could this team really be a threat to win the Western Conference even when Klay Thompson comes back?</p> <p>The answer looks like it might be yes, right now even with Thompson. Poole has been up-and-down but is brimming with confidence and scoring punch, and the team’s offseason additions have stepped up and been a perfect fit for the system. Nemanja Bjelica was key in the win over the Lakers, while Otto Porter Jr. and especially Andre Iguodala have provided important minutes at the forward positions. This team is suddenly deep and versatile and a legitimate threat in the West.</p> <p><strong>First Impression:</strong> Stephen Curry is amazing. This is something we all knew, after his back-to-back MVPs and his three titles and his outside shot changing an entire generation of basketball development. Yet even at the age of 33 he is still a breathtaking offensive player, capable of incendiary scoring at any moment and from any distance. He is averaging 33 points per game across two wins, second in the league, and his brilliance will allow the Warriors to stay in any game.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 3 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437090" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437090" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348161327.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348161327.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348161327-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets. Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="3" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Brooklyn Nets" data-team-id="147" data-meta-a="1-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 2nd" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">3 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Brooklyn Nets <span class="score">1-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">2</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fnets.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (L) to Milwaukee, (W) over Philadelphia</p> <p>We’ll set aside the Kyrie Irving saga for a moment. He will probably be back at some point, but for now, the Nets are playing without him and we will evaluate them as such. In lieu of Irving, the Nets have gone big, sliding everyone up a position and starting Nicolas Claxton at center alongside Blake Griffin.</p> <p>This lineup hung in for a bit with the Milwaukee Bucks on ring night before Milwaukee stepped on the gas and pulled away. The Nets came back in their second game and won a tight contest against another Eastern Conference foe, this one missing a ball-handling player of their own, a 114-109 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets have to figure out their new rotation and identity with this new mix of players, both with new players and without one old. In a few weeks, the ship should be righted and the Nets will be pushing for the top spot in the East, and maybe these Power Rankings, once more.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Durant is out of position. One of the greatest things that Kevin Durant offers his teams is the ability to play one of the best shooters in the league at power forward, and his length and rim protection even allows teams to play him at small-ball 5 at times. Yet the Nets have played him primarily as a small forward. Per <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/984/positions#tab-team_efficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cleaning the Glass</a>, when he has played at the 3 (thus paired with two bigs) the Nets have had a -19.6 net rating; when he plays at the 4 alongside just one big, they have had a +32 net rating. Irving’s absence and a signing-spree on bigs this offseason have contributed to an unbalanced roster, but the Nets should push to get Durant to the 4 as often as possible.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 2 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437091" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437091" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2200,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1348296257.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="3200" height="2200" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348296257.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1348296257-768x528.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="2" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Utah Jazz" data-team-id="118" data-meta-a="2-0" data-meta-b="Previous: 4th" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">2 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Utah Jazz <span class="score">2-0</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">4</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fjazz.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Oklahoma City, (W) over Sacramento</p> <p>The Utah Jazz had the league’s best record a season ago, but it didn’t necessarily mean anything for their title odds as they yet again lost in disappointing fashion in the playoffs. Much like the Milwaukee Bucks and other teams before them, regular-season success means little until they prove it in the postseason. Add to that an easy schedule to start the season, and 2-0 means nothing.</p> <p>Even so, you can only win the games in front of you, and the Jazz have done just that. They clobbered the Thunder before winning a closer game against the frisky Kings. Donovan Mitchell has been inefficient but relentless in getting to his 21.5 points per game, and five Jazz players are averaging at least 13.5 points per game. They are once again bombing away, but the accuracy hasn’t been there yet. When and if it comes around the Jazz will turn it up another notch.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: The Year of Rudy? Gobert has been absolutely dominant to start the season, averaging a career-high 16.5 points per game on the back of a prolific showing at the free-throw line. He is likely pulling in an absurd 20.5 rebounds per game, with 21 against the Thunder and 20 against the Kings. Those numbers are probably just a blip given the opponent, but if Gobert is increasing his impact across the board it will help the Jazz find that next gear they’ve been missing.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 1 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_437092" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img class="size-full wp-image-437092" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1347581396.jpeg" alt="NBA" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347581396.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1347581396-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images</p> </div> </div> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="Rank" data-rank="1" data-rank-type="team" data-name="Milwaukee Bucks" data-team-id="89" data-meta-a="2-1" data-meta-b="Previous: 1st" data-inner-content=""> <div class="power-ranking remove-native-227"> <div class="order">1 </div> <div class="power-head"> <h3>Milwaukee Bucks <span class="score">2-1</span> </h3> <h4> <span class="last-rank-title">Last rank: </span><span class="last-rank-info">1</span> </h4> </div> <div class="power-logo"> <img src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fbucks.png"> </div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Last Week</strong>: (W) over Brooklyn, (L) to Miami, (W) over San Antonio</p> <p>The Milwaukee Bucks came out on opening night, received their championship rings, and promptly crushed the team everyone was picking over them for this year’s championship. Then, as a team confident in themselves and with eyes on June, they sat multiple key pieces two days later, resulting in a blowout loss to the Miami Heat. They came back and beat the Spurs to right their record after three games.</p> <p>The Bucks are playing the long game, holding down the minutes of their star players to ensure they’re healthy at the end of the year. Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing just 28 minutes a game and yet filling up the stat sheet as usual, with 22.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 blocks. If he plays enough minutes this year he could be in the mix again for the MVP.</p> <p><strong>First Impression</strong>: Bench mob. To limit the minutes of your starters you have to lean on your bench, and after they had one of the league’s thinnest groups last year this year they have a lot more options, even with multiple players out with injury. Pat Connaughton is leading the team in minutes played, Jordan Nwora has come on in his second season and Thanasis Antetokounmpo has been a whirlwind of activity. New additions in George Hill and Grayson Allen have played solid minutes and started four games between them.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history for 75th anniversary" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/19/ranking-75-best-players-nba-history-75th-anniversary/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/25/nba-power-rankings-week-1-lakers-woes/2/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/19/ranking-75-best-players-nba-history-75th-anniversary/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Ranking the 75 best players in NBA history for 75th anniversary </a> </div> </div> <p>Looking ahead we will get a full week of games from every team, starting to smooth out small sample sizes and give us like-to-like matchups to continue evaluating teams. Will Steph Curry stay hot? Can the Lakers right the ship? Are the Timberwolves for real? Check back next week and I’ll walk you all through it.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">

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