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NBA Power Rankings Week 1

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By @courtzierk

NBA Power Rankings: Week 1

Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors
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What an amazing start to the NBA season. A week full of upsets, disappointments and celebrations resulted in some surprising positions in the standings. Here is the week one edition of the NBA power rankings.

30. Los Angeles Lakers (0-5)

Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors
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30. Los Angeles Lakers (0-5)

Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors
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Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise; this Lakers team is the worst in the league. No other team approaches their futility on the defensive side of the ball (122.5 defensive rating). On the offensive end, Kobe is scoring, but his on-off split is minus-27.1. That means this team is actually 27 points better without him on the court. Take that for what it is worth.

29. Philadelphia 76ers (0-4)

Houston Rockets v Philadelphia 76ers
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29. Philadelphia 76ers (0-4)

Houston Rockets v Philadelphia 76ers
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The 76ers, while they may not field an actual NBA roster, have managed to keep games competitive. They may sneak up on some unsuspecting teams at some point and sneak in a few wins.

28. Indiana Pacers (1-3)

Milwaukee Bucks v Indiana Pacers
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28. Indiana Pacers (1-3)

Milwaukee Bucks v Indiana Pacers
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Have you seen the lineups that the Pacers have been fielding? Not pretty. They managed to eek out a win against the 76ers, but outside of that, they have looked really, really bad.

27. Orlando Magic (0-4)

Orlando Magic v Chicago Bulls
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27. Orlando Magic (0-4)

Orlando Magic v Chicago Bulls
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The Magic have been bad, but at least there are things to be optimistic about in Orlando. Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris have been good. Evan Fournier has surprised. Elfrid Payton has been inconsistent, but is fearless and fun to watch. Victor Oladipo will come back soon. Things will get better in Orlando.

26. Detroit Pistons (0-3)

Brooklyn Nets v Detroit Pistons
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26. Detroit Pistons (0-3)

Brooklyn Nets v Detroit Pistons
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The thing that haunted the Pistons all of last year continues to do the same this season. They plain and simply can’t shoot the ball. Josh Smith may be the worst decision maker in the league in terms of his shot selection. Van Gundy’s head may start exploding soon if he has to watch this awful brand of basketball for long.

25. Denver Nuggets (1-2)

Sacramento Kings v Denver Nuggets
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25. Denver Nuggets (1-2)

Sacramento Kings v Denver Nuggets
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The Nuggets have been offensively impotent through three games and rank near the bottom in every statistical category. Their defense has been greatly improved, but being blown out by a Thunder squad missing KD, Westbrook, Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb should remind people where this team is at right now.

24. Oklahoma City Thunder (1-3)

Oklahoma City Thunder v Brooklyn Nets
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24. Oklahoma City Thunder (1-3)

Oklahoma City Thunder v Brooklyn Nets
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The poor, poor Thunder. Just when they thought things couldn’t get any worse, Andre Roberson went down with a left ankle sprain and will miss at least one game. This team is now operating with eight players, and it is becoming less and less likely that they can avoid digging an inescapable hole before Westbrook and KD return. I'm sure Seattle SuperSonics fans everywhere are secretly grinning.

23. Utah Jazz (1-3)

Utah Jazz v Dallas Mavericks
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23. Utah Jazz (1-3)

Utah Jazz v Dallas Mavericks
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Some people have gone as far as to label the Utah Jazz as the potential candidates to be “this year’s Suns”. I won’t go that far, but they have been playing good basketball despite their 1-3 record. They beat a good Suns team and brought the Clippers to the brink of a loss in Los Angeles.

22. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-2)

Chicago Bulls v Minnesota Timberwolves
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22. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-2)

Chicago Bulls v Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Wolves have surprised a lot of people with the quality basketball they have played through three games. They beat the Pistons and nearly beat both the Grizzlies and Bulls in very competitive games. Expect this team to rise in the upcoming weeks.

21. Boston Celtics (1-2)

Boston Celtics v Dallas Mavericks
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21. Boston Celtics (1-2)

Boston Celtics v Dallas Mavericks
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One thing is clear: Brad Stevens is a great coach, and this team plays really, really hard for him. After blowing out the Nets on opening night, they ran up against a Rockets team playing lights-out ball and nearly mounted a monumental comeback against the Mavericks. This team could be better than people thought.

20. Charlotte Hornets (1-3)

Charlotte Hornets v New York Knicks
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20. Charlotte Hornets (1-3)

Charlotte Hornets v New York Knicks
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The Hornets have played some horrendously ugly basketball so far. Things aren’t pretty now, but they will definitely get better. This team is much better than they have played thus far.

19. Milwaukee Bucks (2-2)

Milwaukee Bucks v Indiana Pacers
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19. Milwaukee Bucks (2-2)

Milwaukee Bucks v Indiana Pacers
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The Bucks have been competitive in every game, Brandon Knight is lighting things up and Jabari Parker is getting better with every game. This team will be in a lot of competitive losses, but they will be fun to watch.

18. Atlanta Hawks (1-1)

Indiana Pacers v Atlanta Hawks
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18. Atlanta Hawks (1-1)

Indiana Pacers v Atlanta Hawks
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The Hawks have only played two games, resulting in a loss to the Raptors and a win against the Pacers. Their performances in both were fairly average. I think the Hawks will end up being one of the better teams in the East, but they have yet to prove it.

17. New York Knicks (2-2)

Washington Wizards v New York Knicks
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17. New York Knicks (2-2)

Washington Wizards v New York Knicks
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Through the first week, the Knicks may be a bigger surprise than any other team. Entering the season, most people predicted them to be one of the league’s worst teams and incapable of playing team-oriented offense, as opposed to playing any defense at all. So far it has been anything but, and they have actually been fun to watch.

16. Brooklyn Nets (2-1)

Oklahoma City Thunder v Brooklyn Nets
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16. Brooklyn Nets (2-1)

Oklahoma City Thunder v Brooklyn Nets
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Following their opening night humiliation against the Celtics, the Nets have bounced back with big wins over the Pistons and Thunder. Although those aren’t top notch opponents, they have looked incredibly efficient in both of their victories.

15. New Orleans Pelicans (2-2)

Charlotte Hornets v New Orleans Pelicans
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15. New Orleans Pelicans (2-2)

Charlotte Hornets v New Orleans Pelicans
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The Pelicans are shooting worse than any other team in the league, both from the floor and from the free throw line. Anthony Davis is playing out of his mind, averaging 23 PPG, 13 RPG, and four BPG. Tyreke Evans is scoring a lot but doing so very inefficiently. Overall, it hasn’t been pretty so far in New Orleans.

14. Washington Wizards (3-1)

Washington Wizards v New York Knicks
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14. Washington Wizards (3-1)

Washington Wizards v New York Knicks
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The Wizards opened up with a disappointing loss to the Heat, but they responded with back-to-back wins over the Magic and Bucks. It is obvious that this team misses Bradley Beal so far, but John Wall is playing sensationally, averaging 21 points and 11 assists through three games. I’m withholding judgment until I see them beat some quality opponents.

13. Toronto Raptors (3-1)

Thunder v Raptors
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13. Toronto Raptors (3-1)

Thunder v Raptors
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The Raptors are playing solid, but unspectacular ball. They are in the middle of the pack in most statistical categories. They have a favorable schedule coming up, and I expect them to continue to rise up these rankings.

12. Cleveland Cavaliers (1-2)

Cleveland Cavaliers v Portland Trail Blazers
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12. Cleveland Cavaliers (1-2)

Cleveland Cavaliers v Portland Trail Blazers
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The Cavs famously sputtered out of the gate against the Knicks, but then went on to impressively beat the Bulls. Then, after starting the game 10-for-10 from the floor against the Blazers, they then went on to shoot 21 for their next 85 shots. LeBron James only took four field goal attempts in the second half while Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters bombed away. This team has a LONG way to go.

11. Portland Trail Blazers (2-2)

Cleveland Cavaliers v Portland Trail Blazers
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11. Portland Trail Blazers (2-2)

Cleveland Cavaliers v Portland Trail Blazers
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The Blazers had a nice rebound game against the Cavs to even their record at 2-2. Damian Lillard finally got going, Wesley Matthews is playing the best ball of his career and LaMarcus Aldridge continues to do what he does -- play dominant basketball. Looks like the Cavs game may have helped them get their offense back on track.

10. Phoenix Suns (3-1)

San Antonio Spurs v Phoenix Suns
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10. Phoenix Suns (3-1)

San Antonio Spurs v Phoenix Suns
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The Suns have two wins against the lowly Lakers and had an impressive win against San Antonio, but they also laid an egg against the Jazz. I'm still not sure what to expect from this team on a consistent basis. They have shown nice offensive balance, with six players averaging double digits in scoring, but are playing average defense and struggling to rebound the ball.

9. Los Angeles Clippers (3-1)

Utah Jazz v Los Angeles Clippers
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9. Los Angeles Clippers (3-1)

Utah Jazz v Los Angeles Clippers
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The Clippers have been a bit perplexing so far, with games coming down to the wire against the Lakers and the Jazz, and they also came up short against Sacramento. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are both playing amazing basketball. Jordan Crawford is doing his part off the bench, but it feels like that small forward position may be a struggle for them all season. The Reggie Bullock era may be underway.

8. Dallas Mavericks (3-1)

Boston Celtics v Dallas Mavericks
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8. Dallas Mavericks (3-1)

Boston Celtics v Dallas Mavericks
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The Mavs may have been higher if they didn’t allow the Celtics to nearly come back from a 30-plus point deficit through their incapability to take care of the ball. That said, they are shooting the lights out and are scoring at will. Their defense remains suspect, but if they continue to shoot at this level, the Mavericks could be a top five team when all said and done.

7. Sacramento Kings (3-1)

Sacramento Kings v Denver Nuggets
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7. Sacramento Kings (3-1)

Sacramento Kings v Denver Nuggets
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Don’t look now, but the Kings have wins over the Blazers, the Clippers and the Nuggets (road game on back-to-back). This team is riding high early on. I’m still concerned about their ability to sustain this level of play, but hey, you have to give them their due.

6. Miami Heat (3-1)

Houston Rockets v Miami Heat
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6. Miami Heat (3-1)

Houston Rockets v Miami Heat
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The new big three of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng have certainly taken the league by storm over the first week of the season. Bosh played at an MVP caliber clip week one, and the Heat certainly benefited from it. Their only loss came to a Houston team that is playing the best ball in the league.

5. Memphis Grizzlies (4-0)

New Orleans Pelicans v Memphis GrizzliesNew Orleans Pelicans v Memphis GrizzliesNew Orleans Pelicans v Memphis Grizzlies
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5. Memphis Grizzlies (4-0)

New Orleans Pelicans v Memphis GrizzliesNew Orleans Pelicans v Memphis GrizzliesNew Orleans Pelicans v Memphis Grizzlies
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I’ll probably catch flack for this, but I just can’t put the Grizzlies any higher because their games are just so darn ugly. I mean, they beat the Hornets scoring 71 points. At some point, their offensive inefficiencies will come back to bite them. But they really do play some great defensive basketball, and winning four straight games to start the season, setting the franchise mark, should be recognized.

4. Chicago Bulls (3-1)

Orlando Magic v Chicago Bulls
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4. Chicago Bulls (3-1)

Orlando Magic v Chicago Bulls
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So far, the Bulls have lived up to their billing, with their only loss coming against the Cavs. They have played great defense, as always, but their offensive efficiency is what is truly setting them apart. Jimmy Butler is playing like an All-Star, and much of the offense is surprisingly running through Pau Gasol, who is playing more like the Gasol of old. Nikola Mirotic has added some pop off the bench. This team looks like the real deal.

3. San Antonio Spurs (1-1)

San Antonio Spurs v Phoenix Suns
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3. San Antonio Spurs (1-1)

San Antonio Spurs v Phoenix Suns
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The Spurs really get the benefit of the doubt here, having only played two games, one of them being a loss to the Suns. Kawhi Leonard is back in the lineup, and Tiago Splitter should be back soon. I have no worries about this team at all yet.

2. Golden State Warriors (3-0)

Golden State Warriors v Portland Trail Blazers
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2. Golden State Warriors (3-0)

Golden State Warriors v Portland Trail Blazers
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This team is flat out good. We have always known about their propensity for offensive explosions, but what’s this? Defense? Through three games, they are playing the best defense in the league. If they keep playing at this pace, and with this intensity, they will be nearly impossible to beat.

1. Houston Rockets (5-0)

Houston Rockets v Miami Heat
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1. Houston Rockets (5-0)

Houston Rockets v Miami Heat
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This one pains me, but even I have to give credit where credit is due. Through the first week of the season, no team has played better basketball than the Houston Rockets. Sure, their strength of schedule has been questionable early, but a win against a tough Heat team on the road last night should answer any doubts. This team is legit. They just aren’t very deep, which could end up leading to their downfall. Until then, they remain the top team.

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