NBA Power Rankings: Week 5

9 out of the 10 teams in The Rankings this week were on the list last week, so the NBA is starting to sort itself out in terms of contenders.  However, the Timberwolves have dropped to two games below .500 and the Hawks, Bulls, and Grizzlies have all fallen out of contention for these Rankings.  However, there is still time, and as is evident by the quick rise of the Nuggets, Suns, and Pistons, the On The Verge section may look completely different next week.  I have waited a little longer to write these Rankings because of the indecision in the East, where only the Pacers and Heat have winning records.  The only other team in these Rankings, as you may have seen, is the Celtics, who are a completely different story.  They appeared on the Power Tankings last week but then soared to the 4th seed in the East.  Granted, the East is awful this year, but I still thought they deserved a spot on the rankings because it looks as if they could win their division, guaranteeing a Top-4 seed.  After all, these Power Rankings must take into account placement in a team's own conference, as opposed to record alone.

1.  Indiana Pacers (18-3)
[Previous Ranking: 2]: Still the NBA's best defensive team (89.5 ppg allowed) the Pacers are looking strong, although the true test will be when they play the Heat today in those teams' first head-to-head matchup of the season. If Paul George can somehow match LeBron, and Roy Hibbert can contain the Heat's drives to the basket, the Pacers have a serious shot at securing their placement as #1 in the East.

2.  Portland Trail Blazers (18-4)
[Previous Ranking: 4]: A ridiculous 41.5% 3-point percentage, a 6th-best point differential (+6.3), and scoring 106.2 ppg (2nd in the league) has led them to an 8-2 record over their last 10 games and the top spot in the Western Conference. If they continue on to win the Western Conference, it surely would be the surprise of the season but if you look at their roster, it is not a surprise. LeMarcus Aldridge, Damien Lillard, and the emergence of Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez make for a very solid core that should contend for the top spot right up to the end of the year.

3.  Miami Heat (16-5)
[Previous Ranking: 3]: Their 3-point percentage has dropped a bit (although it still sits at a strong 39.5%) but they continue to lead the league in turnovers forced per game (18.6). The Heat are looking consistent in all facets of the game and, as I have said before, should be in the Top 3 of these rankings the entire year, and if they can manage to knock off the Pacers a few times, might even take hold of the #1 seed before all is said and done. The real test is tonight for them too, to show the Pacers that they are still top dog.

4.  San Antonio Spurs (15-4)
[Previous Ranking: 1]: The Spurs have fallen off a bit in these rankings, although mostly because of the improvement of the other top teams as opposed to their own poor play. The Spurs will always
be one of the top teams in the West, especially if they continue to lead the league in point differential (+8.7) and only give up 93.1 ppg. There is nothing to worry about for the Spurs, as long as Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are healthy for the playoffs.

5.  Oklahoma City Thunder (15-4)
[Previous Ranking: 5]: The Thunder score 104.7 ppg and as long as Durant and Westbrook are in the game, there is nothing really new to say. They have gone 9-1 in their last 10 games, but they have always been expected to contend for the top spot in the West this year, so their success is not much of a surprise. The Thunder are very consistent and should continue to be.

6.  Houston Rockets (15-7)
[Previous Ranking: 8]: Leading the league in points scored (107.5) is a good way to rise up in the standings and these power rankings. But turning the ball over 18.3 times per game (worst in the league) is not a good way to sustain that level of offensive success. As is always the case with these Rockets, they are able to win on pure talent, but to take their game to the next level their ball security and defense will need to greatly improve. Nothing new here.

7.  Los Angeles Clippers (14-8)
[Previous Ranking: 6]: The Clippers are a bit of an enigma in that they are 4-5 against the very week Eastern Conference, even though they score more points per game (104.1) than any team from the East. The good news, for them, is their 10-3 record against the West, which will be all that matters when push comes to shove and the standings are determined for the playoffs. The Clippers will look to improve on their poor play against the East, as 5 of their next 8 games are against Eastern Conference teams, in order to stay relevant in their own conference.

8.  Golden State Warriors (12-10) 
[Previous Ranking: 9]: The highest 3-point percentage (41.7%) the league should give the Warriors one of the best records in the West, but instead they hold only the 9th seed, which would not even give them a playoff birth. This has something to do with the fact that most of the good teams in the NBA are in the Western Conference, but also proves that teams that rely mostly on 3-point shooting (the Heat do not count for they have many other ways to score) are not as effective as they should be. However, the Warriors are still ranked as high as they are on these rankings because they have Stephen Curry who has become a superstar and Andre Iguodala who is not playing up to his enormous potential. They should get back on track soon enough and justify their ranking on this list.

9.  Dallas Mavericks (13-8) 
[Previous Ranking: 7]: The Mavs have fallen a bit, going 5-5 in their last 10 games, but still ought to be considered a contender in the West (that word West certainly has appeared a lot in these rankings, hasn't it?) They are forcing a very good 16.8 turnovers per game and scoring a lot of points, and Monta Ellis has really meshed well with Dirk Nowitzki. Many will be surprised at the end of the year when they see the Mavericks in one of the Top 5 spots in the West.

10.  Denver Nuggets (13-8) [Previous Ranking: Unranked]: The Nuggets have come out of nowhere and have gone on a 8-2 run over their last 10 games. An underrated thing that they do well is control the basketball, as displayed by their mere 13.8 turnovers per game (3rd best in the league). They also have a 29.0% offensive rebound percentage, which is also 3rd best in the league. They might get stuck in the race for one of the final playoff spots in the West, but by staying consistent and being good at the less publicized aspects of the game like ball security and rebounding, they should have a pretty good chance.

*11.  Boston Celtics (10-12)
[Previous Ranking: Unranked]: I decided to add this extra spot because the Celtics are on such a roll right now (3 game winning streak, including a 41-point rout of the Knicks on Sunday) and with the mess that is the Eastern Conference, have a very good chance at landing the #3 seed for the playoffs. Although it is probably not beneficial for them to be winning so many games, Brad Stevens has taken a bunch of bench players and turned them into a serious contender for that 3rd sport in the East (ex. Jordan Crawford being named player of the week for last week). I had to include them because of their potential and situation that could lead them to make a run in the playoffs much farther than anyone expected.

On The Verge: Phoenix Suns (11-9) [Previous Ranking: Unranked], Atlanta Hawks (11-10) [Previous Ranking: Unranked], Charlotte Bobcats (10-11) [Previous Ranking: Unranked]

*Special 11th team for this week

NBA Power Rankings: Week 3

Since last week, the top teams in the NBA have, for the most part, stayed the same. Although, the Bulls have fallen out of the Top 10 and now Derrick Rose has injured his other knee, so their future is looking foggier by the minute. The mirage that was the Phoenix Suns has come back to reality, now only 6-6, and continues to look worse. The Sixers and Celtics have both fallen even out of contention for spots on the rankings while the Mavericks and Warriors have capitalized on their chances and have each gained Top 10 rankings. If the Hawks and Grizzlies make the most of their opportunities, they could do the same next week. Here are the rankings:

1.  San Antonio Spurs (11-1) [Last Week: 2]: Only one loss, first place in the Western Conference, and now first place in our rankings. The Spurs just never cease to amaze you, as they keep winning despite being the 5th oldest team in the NBA (28.3 yrs). They still are allowing the 2nd-fewest points per game in the league (89.3), with the highest differential of points scored to points allowed per game (+10). Currently on a 9-game winning streak, tied for highest in the league, they are showing no signs of slowing down.

2.  Indiana Pacers (11-1) [Last Week: 1]: Their one loss came to the Bulls, who have the size and defensive capability to keep up with the Pacers, but other than that have been dominating their competition. They allow the fewest points per game in the league (86.9) and are third in differential of points scored to points allowed per game (+9.6). The Pacers are also allowing a league-best 40.2%  field goal percentage by their opponents. However, the question has always been if they can offensively match other teams with good defenses, as evident by their loss to the Bulls. Only time will tell.

3.  Miami Heat (9-3) [Last Week: 3]: The Heat are fourth in points scored per game (107.1) and 2nd in differential of points scored to points allowed per game (+9.9).  As a team, they are shooting a whopping 45.9% from three-point range, a rate that, although ridiculous, they might actually be able to sustain for most of the season (see: Ray Allen, Shane Battier, and, oh yeah, LeBron James).  The Heat also are amazing at turning their defense into offense, and are able to because the force an average of 18.8 turnovers per game, which is first in the league.  They should be fighting for a third straight NBA title and it would be disappointment if they didn't make the finals.

4.  Portland Trail Blazers (11-2) [Last Week: 7]: The Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge led Blazers are currently on a 9-game wining streak. At this point, although early in the season, they seem to be for real. A 41.9% three-point percentage is third-best in the league and has certainly helped get them to the record they have now. However, they play the Warriors, Pacers, Thunder, and Mavericks all within the next 8 games, so they will have an opportunity to prove their legitimacy.

5.  Oklahoma City Thunder (8-3) [Last Week: 4]: Kevin Durant averages 12.5 free throws per game, and he and Russell Westbrook are currently carrying the Thunder to a 3-game win streak. They should be better defensively, however, with Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins down low, but are allowing an average of 101.1 points per game, which is 10th worst in the league. The Thunder are winning on the talent of Durant and Westbrook, but will need to improve defensively if they expect to win the Western Conference.

6.  Los Angeles Clippers (8-5) [Last Week: 5]: Chris Paul is still averaging career highs in points per game (19.3 now, 18.6 career), assists per game (12.5 now, 9.9 career), and rebounds per game (5.2 now, 4.4 career).  DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin together form the best front court the Clippers have had in years and have been hoping for it since they drafted him in 2008.  Doc Rivers is still settling in to the team, and while it seems as Los Angeles is finally embracing the Clippers as their team, as evident by their 5-1 record at home, they have only a 3-4 record on the road.  That should change as the season progresses and these Clippers will be going places.

7.  Dallas Mavericks (9-4) [Last Week: On The Verge]: The Mavericks have surprised a lot of people this year, as last year it seemed that as Dirk Nowitzki began to decline, the team would also. However, they are riding a 4-game winning streak and Dirk is a huge reason why. He averages 20.4 points per game, as opposed to 17.3 last year. Monta Ellis is also having a career year, scoring an average of 23.5 points per game (19.5 career) and averaging 5.7 assists per game (4.7 career). His field goal percentage (48.9%) is also much higher than last year (41.6%). This improved efficiency has certainly been aided by the much higher level of talent around him this year than last, and has lead to an average of 7.3 free throws attempted per game, which is 7th in the league. Look for the Mavericks too keep on rolling, but eventually settle for the 6-8 spot in the Western Conference.

8.  Houston Rockets (8-5) [Last Week: 6]: The Rockets score an average of 109.7 points per game, which is the highest rate in the league. However, defense and ball security have kept them from being an elite team. They give up 105.9 points per game, which is second-worst in the league, and turn the ball over at a rate of 18.7 time per game, which is worst in the league. There is no way that the Rockets can expect to go anywhere in the playoffs with those numbers, and with the James Harden and Jeremy Lin constantly handling the ball it will be hard to fix them. Just to point out another major flaw of Houston's game: Dwight Howard averages 11.5 free throws per game, which is the second-most in the league. He is shooting 54.4% at the line, which is the fourth worst rate in the league.

9.  Golden State Warriors (8-5) [Last Week: On The Verge]: The Warriors are all-around solid.  hey are fifth in the league in differential of points scored and points allowed per game (+5.7) and have incredible 3-point shooting (44.6% as a team, which is second in the league). Andre Iguodala has given the Warriors another big-time option to keep defenses from over-playing Stephon Curry. But, Iguodala does run hot and cold, and has only scored a total of 15 points in the last two games combined.  They lost both games, and will continue to lost if Iguodala cannot find some consistency.

10.  Minnesota Timberwolves (8-6) [Last Week: 10]: Kevin Love. 24.8 points per game (4th in the league). 13.5 rebounds per game (2nd in the league by only 0.2 rebounds, behind Dwight Howard with 13.7). 4.7 assists per game (1st among power forwards). 0.9 steals per game. 8.0 free throw attempts per game (4th in the league). He is the team and as he goes they go, for without him they wouldn't be even close to being in these rankings. He is that good. Period.

On The Verge: Atlanta Hawks (8-5) [Last Week: Unranked],
Chicago Bulls (6-5) [Last Week: 9], Memphis Grizzlies (7-6) [Last Week: Unranked]

NBA Power Rankings: Week 2

With most teams having played 7 games so far this season, there are few surprises among the Top 10, although many assumed the Heat would have started better than they have.  Nonetheless, there is still a lot of basketball to be played, and the rankings are sure to fluctuate quite a bit before all is said and done.  For the inaugural power rankings each will be a bit longer than normal, but should serve as a good starting point for what should be a great season of NBA basketball.

1. Indiana Pacers (8-0): The Pacers have gotten off to an unbelievable start, although they haven't hit real competition yet (with the exception of the Bulls).  They are holding opponents to a ridiculous 84.5 ppg, which is 7 points less than the next best team (Spurs).  And even though that number is in no way sustainable, especially against better teams, with Roy Hibbert guarding the rim, they should finish as a Top 3 defensive team with one of the top plus/minus ratings of any team (currently +10.4 and ranked first in the league).  The Pacers currently have the best chance of knocking off the Heat in the east, but only if Paul George can continue his development into a perennial MVP candidate and big-time scorer to match LeBron.  George currently is averaging 24.9 ppg, by far his career high, is shooting 40.4% from 3-pt land, and also averaging 7.8 rebounds per game.  To add to his incredible talent is an even more incredible potential.  He is only 23 years old.

2. San Antonio Spurs (7-1): The Spurs have always been a great defensive team and they have continued to be so far this year giving up 91.5 ppg.  In his 18th year coaching the Spurs, Gregg Popovich has 912 career wins, and is showing no signs of slowing down.  The question with this team has always been whether they can sustain their success for an entire season with stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili getting up there in age (37, 31, and 36 respectively).  However, youngsters such as Danny Green and Kahwi Leonard should be able to take some heavy minutes off the shoulders of the veterans, yet the luxury of this team has always been the ability to lean on the stars in the big moments.  This combination of youth and savvy veterans puts them in prime position to contend with the other big guns in the West for another trip to the Finals.

3. Miami Heat (5-3): Although the Heat have not had the best start by their standards, it would be surprising to no one if they suddenly went on a 10-15 game winning streak.  They are just that talented.  All the evidence needed is the two championships in the last two years.  They have even more depth this year, having added Greg Oden and Michael Beasley, and Norris Cole has blossomed into a better-than complementary scorer as a starter or a major spark off the bench in his third season, and as a result his minutes have jumped from a career average of 19.5 mpg to 22.0 mpg.  Cole's floor time should continue to grow, as he also adds another 3-pt threat to the already dynamic duo of Ray Allen and Shane Battier.  It is almost unfair the amount of talent on this team, and when everyone is healthy, should become better than last year.  Unless some serious injury occurs to LeBron James, the Heat should be a Top 3 team for the entire season.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-1): As Russel Westbrook only missed two games and has returned way sooner than expected while still putting up 19 ppg, it is same to say he is fine.  Last season while on the floor together, Westbrook and Kevin Durant registered a +9.2 plus/minus, good for second in the league.  Sure, they lack that dynamic scorer of the bench that made them truly elite now that James Harden is running with Dwight Howard in Houston, and it was proven last year that an injury to either Durant or Westbrook will prematurely end their hopes of a championship.  They are still off to a good start with the second-highest winning percentage in the West, and should be in the mix to trade for a scoring wing when the trade deadline gets closer.

5. Los Angeles Clippers (5-3): The Clippers could very well be the best team in the Western Conference, although their record shows them to be only slightly above average.  However, with Doc Rivers as the new head coach, he will need some to time to adjust to his new setting and his players likewise must adjust to him.  However, under Rivers, who was a former point guard and coached all-star Rajon Rondo in Boston, Paul has been playing the best basketball of his career.  He is currently averaging 12.4 assists per game and 21.3 ppg, both of which are well higher than his career averages (9.9 apg, 18.6 ppg).  The addition of sharp-shooting J.J. Reddick has surely helped him, as has the rapid improvement of DeAndre Jordan, who is developing into a potential defensive-player-of-the-year candidate under the defensive-minded Rivers.  If the Clippers continue to score a whopping 109.9 ppg (league-high), there will be no stopping them.

6. Houston Rockets (5-3): Harden and Howard seem to have meshed so far, and there hasn't been any Dwight-drama yet (knock on wood).  Things are looking up for the Kevin McHale-led Rockets who have aspirations of a championship.  They are in 5th place in the league with 106.1 ppg which should give them a better record than they have, except they are also in second place in the league with 19.4 turnovers per game.  The Rockets can not afford to keep up that rate of turning the ball over, but with Harden and   Jeremy Lin handling the ball as much as they do, it is hard to imagine that number changing too much.  They also have only 18.4 assists per game as an entire team, which is 10 less than the league lead (Miami).  The pure talent is there, and that is why this team will get by with a relatively high seed, but to advance deep into the playoffs, they will need to solve their ball-handling problems.

7. Portland Trail Blazers (5-2): The dual threat of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge have carried the team to seemingly new heights, with Lillard averaging 21.1 ogg and Aldridge averaging 22.6 ppg.  As a team, the Blazers are shooting an incredible 42.4% 3-pt field goal percentage, which is unsustainable, but with above-average sharp-shooters like Wesley Matthews (currently shooting an incredible 48% from beyond the arc!), Nicolas Batum, and Mo Williams (along with Lillard, of course), they should be a Top-5 3-pt team by the years end.  With three underrated big men in Robin Lopez, Myers Leonard, and Thomas Robinson to go along with Aldridge, the Blazers have solid depth all around, and the scary thing is, when first round pick C.J. McCollum makes his debut (he has been hampered by a foot injury), he will add an entirely new dynamic to the team, especially while on the floor with Lillard.

8. Phoenix Suns (5-2): Nobody expected the Suns to have be tied for 4th place in the Western Conference.  Heck, most people who followed their offseason transactions expected them to finish with the worst record in the league in order to draft Kansas's phenom Andrew Wiggins (they traded away Luis Scola and Marcin Gortat).  However, even with the inspired play of point guard Eric Bledsoe (20.9 ppg and 7.3 apg) and the always-steady Goran Dragic (13.3 ppg), the Suns still should not have started off this well.  Their Top-5 draft pick Alex Len still hasn't even played with an ankle injury!  But the unexpected development of big men Markieff Morris (17.2 ppg and 6.8 rpg) and Miles Plumlee (11.7 ppg and 9.6 rpg) has sparked a storybook start to a season that was thought to be headed for the dumps.  This type of success for such a young team is hard to sustain, and the Suns will most likely fall back to an average if not below-average team as the season progresses.

9. Chicago Bulls (3-3): Derrick Rose is an enigma.  He missed more than a year with the same injury in which Adrian Peterson recovered from over the course of one NFL offseason.  When he struggles, while still on the floor for over 31 minutes per game, the team will struggle.  The Bulls as a team are holding opposing teams to a mere 91 ppg (second in the league) thanks to the always-defensively-sound Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, and Luol Deng.  However, with Rose running the offense, they are only scoring one point more per game, good for 27th in the league.  Rose has only 0.3 more assists per game (4.5) than turnovers per game (4.2), which is asking for trouble.  He is also scoring only 14.7 ppg, 6 pts less per game than his career average.  The Bulls were supposed to be one of the teams with the best shot of beating the Heat, but they first need to stop beating themselves.

10. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-3): Kevin Love is back and better than ever.  He is averaging 26.4 ppg, 5.0 apg, 15.0 rpg, and is shooting 36.4% from 3-pt range.  His career averages in those same respective categories are 17.6 ppg, 2.0 apg, 12.2 rpg, and 35.3% of 3s.  When the still-25-year-old Love is playing out of his mind like this, he is by far the best player in the league, and it almost doesn't matter what anyone else on his team does.  The thing is, he has always had the potential to put up numbers like this, and is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down.  It is absolutely pointless to mention any other player on the Timberwolves at the moment, because Kevin Love will carry the team to the playoffs on his shoulders alone.

On The Verge: Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors