Week Two Power Rankings + Award Race Update
It’s been two weeks of NBA basketball and we’ve seen a lot. It’s still been a relatively small sample size, but we are learning more and more about teams. Some of these revelations have been good and others have been bad, but we now have some more knowledge about teams and players.
Today, I’ll be talking about the best teams in the NBA and some updates on the current front-runners. Get prepared to be mad.
Week 2 Power Rankings
Similar to last week, since there haven’t been enough games yet, this is still mostly based on talent. A slow start for a good team doesn’t mean much, so I’m not going to put too much weight into a record after 5-7 games. If two teams are pretty close in talent, we’ll use some of the things we’ve thus far as a tie-breaker. I think that’s fair.
#10 – Denver Nuggets
Record: (4-2)
Offensive Rating: 101.0 (25th)
Defensive Rating: 97.5 (2nd)
The Good
They’re 4-2 without Jamal Murray, which speaks volumes to how good they are. The defense has surprisingly overtaken the offense, as Denver has been an elite defensive team this season. This isn’t something you’d come to expect from Denver, but here we are.
I like their depth and think that they are once again being slept on in the Western Conference.
The Bad
Jamal Murray is still out, and that sucks. When he comes back (hopefully during the regular season), this team becomes even better.
But my biggest concern right now is MPJ. He signed that extension this offseason after an awesome 2nd season, but he has been horrendous to start this season;
10.8 points – 6.0 rebounds – 33% FG – 25% 3-PT
These numbers are weird because Porter was so efficient last season, and now he’s well below average. It should be noted that season, MPJ also got off to a slow start. But this season, with Jamal Murray out? Can the Nuggets afford another slow start from MPJ?
#9 – Chicago Bulls
Record: (5-1)
Offensive Rating: 107.0 (10th)
Defensive Rating: 99.3 (6th)
The Good
They’re 5-1, which I’m sure not many people expected. All of their new additions have fitted in seamlessly, as the likes of DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso have all been excellent. They have good depth and I like their roster a lot.
Similar to Denver, their defense has been surprisingly good this season. They have looked really good, even beating some good teams like Utah along the way.
The Bad
Patrick Williams is likely to miss the rest of the regular season, which is a big blow to their frontcourt depth. While guys like Tony Bradley and Troy Brown Jr. are solid, they’re going to miss Williams’ presence.
Nikola Vucevic has been the weakest link of the Bulls’ new cast of stars. He isn’t making his perimeter shots and his defense isn’t great. While you can’t do much about the defense given his age and mobility, he needs to hit more of his outside shots.
I don’t think I’m asking for much when I say that.
#8 – New York Knicks
Record: (5-1)
Offensive Rating: 114.5 (3rd)
Defensive Rating: 108.0 (21st)
The Good
The Knicks’ offense has been red hot to start this season. They’re shooting more from outside and it’s working. The new additions of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier have fit in seamlessly. RJ Barrett is breaking out and Julius Randle is having to do less on that side of the ball.
The defense hasn’t been as good as it was last year, but I think the Knicks are fine with that if they’re getting this type of offensive production.
The Bad
They aren’t very good at closing out games. Games against the Celtics and Bulls should have been
The late-game execution for the Knicks leaves a lot to be desired.
#7 – Utah Jazz
Record: (5-1)
Offensive Rating: 111.4 (5th)
Defensive Rating: 98.3 (3rd)
The Good
The Jazz are always going to be good in the regular season. They have a fluid offense with lots of spacing, pick-and-rolls, and shooting. Their defense is anchored by Rudy Gobert, who remains one of the best interior defenders in the NBA.
The Jazz have a lot of firepower and they are picking up right where they left off last season. They play a very modern style of basketball and it’s been working for the past two seasons.
The Bad
For a team that sounds that good, the Jazz have a lot of problems that keep them from being contenders.
The main problem is they don’t have many good defenders outside of Rudy Gobert. Guys like Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, heck, even Donovan Mitchell aren’t good defenders. The Jazz got cooked by the Clippers in the 2nd round because they couldn’t stay in front of them and they haven’t changed on that front.
I just can’t view Utah as contenders with their lack of great individual defenders.
#6 – Brooklyn Nets
Record: (4-3)
Offensive Rating: 103.7 (20th)
Defensive Rating: 104.1 (14th)
The Good
The Nets have started to get things going. James Harden is slowly getting back into shape and is starting to understand that he now has to play basketball instead of acting like a fish.
The Nets have started to use Bruce Brown more, which is good. Other guys like Patty Mills and Blake Griffin have been excellent this season. The defense has been pretty good, outperforming their offense, which is just a shocking statement to say.
Oh yeah, there’s this guy named Kevin Durant. You might have heard of him.
The Bad
Without Kyrie Irving, they are still going to have to adjust. They are still very talented, but there’s a reason they’re 4-3. Not everything has worked itself out yet.
Joe Harris and James Harden haven’t been as good as the Nets need them to be. Other than Blake Griffin, can we trust their center depth?
#5 – Golden State Warriors
Record: (5-1)
Offensive Rating: 106.6 (11th)
Defensive Rating: 98.7 (5th)
The Good
The Warriors have been playing their veterans more. It’s been working. The offensive help around Steph has been much better. The bench is giving them good minutes of most nights and when Jordan Poole is hitting shots, the Warriors are tough to stop.
They just need Klay Thompson to come back healthy and they will be off and running.
The Bad
I think the same questions will always be posed to the Warriors throughout this season;
- Is Klay Thompson going to come back 100%?
- Are the veterans going to be able to stay healthy over the duration of an entire season?
Until I get answers to those first two questions, I will not be completely sold on the Warriors.
#4 – Phoenix Suns
Record: (2-3)
Offensive Rating: 103.1 (23rd)
Defensive Rating: 109.1 (23rd)
The Good
I thought that the Suns would get off to a better start than this, but they are still a talented team. Guys like Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton are going to continue to blossom. Booker and Chris Paul pair up to make one of the best backcourts in the NBA.
The bench is solid, the defense is pretty good, and Monty Williams is a great coach. They are almost identical to the team they were last year, a team that made the NBA Finals.
The Bad
They’re 2-3? I certainly didn’t expect that. Booker and CP-3 have regressed offensively from last season and the only guy to show growth is Bridges, who is off to an awesome start.
That would explain why the offense is not in the best spot right now. Shooting 31% from distance also doesn’t help.
#3 – Atlanta Hawks
Record: (3-3)
Offensive Rating: 106.2 (12th)
Defensive Rating: 105.8 (15th)
The Good
While their 3-3 record doesn’t stand out, the Hawks are easily one of the best rosters in the NBA. They are incredibly deep and incredibly talented. They have so many different guys for different situations that Nate McMillan can use at his disposal.
They have great defenders, they are versatile, in other words, they are built for the postseason.
The Bad
They’re 3-3. They lost to Cleveland, got smacked by the 76ers, and they lost to the Washington Wizards. I know it’s the start of the season, but that’s not good.
The Hawks are still trying to figure things out with Nate McMillan, as this isn’t the same schemes they were running last year.
Having this much talent is also a problem, as there are so many guys who deserve minutes, some guys will be pushed out.
#2 – Miami Heat
Record: (5-1)
Offensive Rating: 111.6 (4th)
Defensive Rating: 95.1 (1st)
The Good
When you’re top-5 in both offense and defense, you’re a good team. The defense was expected to be good. Adding Tucker, Lowry, and Morris to a team already with Butler and Adebayo was a death sentence to the rest of the NBA. They have defenders everywhere and they can shut down anybody.
The offense has looked a lot better. Lowry is a great floor general, Bubble Tyler Herro is back, and Adebayo + Butler are back to being All-Stars.
The Bad
Is there a bad for the Heat? I thought that their lack of bench depth would hurt them, but they’ve been just fine so far. Even without a conventional ball-handler behind Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro has stepped into that role marvelously.
I don’t have any problems with the Heat right now.
#1 – Milwaukee Bucks
Record: (3-4)
Offensive Rating: 106.0 (14th)
Defensive Rating: 109.1 (22nd)
The Good
I think that when healthy, they are the best team in the NBA. They have so much depth, great defense, and an unstoppable force in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
I like their depth and Mike Budenholzer seems to know what he’s doing a little bit more now.
The Bad
I might have jinxed the Bucks. Before the season, I said the only thing that could slow them down was injuries. Well, injuries have hit them pretty hard. Holiday, Middleton, Portis, Lopez, and DiVincenzo have all missed time to start this season.
The Bucks have been left rather thin at some positions, with Pat Connaughton starting at center during some games.
The defense hasn’t looked great and neither has the offense. To give the Bucks the benefit of the doubt, they have been more injured than anybody in the NBA thus far. When healthy, I doubt they are going to be this bad on both ends of the floor.
Rookie Of The Year Ladder
This week, I am expanding my Rookie of the Year ladder to 5 candidates. We have seen more rookies playing and I have been impressed with a lot of them. Expect for Jalen Green. He kind of sucks.
Honorable Mentions: Alperen Sengun (HOU), Herb Jones (NOP), Austin Reaves (LAL)
#5 – Josh Giddey (OKC)
Giddey with the 6th overall pick and was the perfect pick for the Thunder. Giddey is a very young player at 19 years old, but he oozes potential. He can rebound, pass, and handle very well for his age and size. Giddey is a 6’8″ point guard and he’s been off to a great start with the Thunder.
10.7 points – 5.8 rebounds – 5.7 assists – 1.3 steals – 50% TS
Giddey was never marketed as a scorer coming into the NBA. His outside shot still needs work, but he’s had a few good games scoring the ball. His rebounding and playmaking abilities have already been displayed, as well as his pick-pocket ability.
Other than the scoring, Giddey has been excellent this season for the rebuilding OKC Thunder.
#4 – Chris Duarte (IND)
Last week, I had Chris Duarte at the #1 spot thanks to his hot scoring stretch with the Pacers. Duarte hasn’t dropped off by any means, but similar to Tyrese Haliburton last year, there aren’t too many other places that his game can go.
He can defend pretty well, shoot, and score off the dribble. That’s about it. Not to call him limited, but I don’t think we’re going to see Chris Duarte dribble isolations any time soon. He knows his role and plays it well. But I don’t see his game transforming much this season.
17.7 points – 43% FG – 39% 3-PT
Duarte has gotten a little bit better efficiency-wise, but his game hasn’t changed much. With Caris Levert coming back from injury, Duarte is likely to go back to the bench and help lead the 2nd unit. I think that’s a better use of his skillset anyway.
The only way Duarte can improve is his mid-range shooting, where he has been awful this season. He’s shooting just 36% on shots 10 feet to the 3-PT line. If Duarte can improve anywhere, it’s from the mid-range.
#3 – Franz Wagner (ORL)
Wagner has quietly overtaken Jalen Suggs as the Magic’s best rookie from this past year’s draft, and it’s not even close. Wagner was a gadget player coming out of Michigan and after struggling in the preseason, I kind of shifted my eyes away from him. Allow me to apologize.
Wanger is a solid help defender and passer. But his shooting has completely blown me away. Wagner wasn’t a good scorer/shooter at Michigan, but that has all changed in the NBA.
13.9 points – 49% FG – 44% 3-PT
Wagner has become a great catch-and-shoot shooter for Orlando. He and Cole Anthony have looked like keepers this season for Orlando and I think that Wagner is going to fly under the radar this season, in a good way.
#2 – Scottie Barnes (TOR)
Scottie Barnes retains a top-3 spot in my ROTY ladder, and for good reason. Barnes being chosen #4 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft over Jalen Suggs was viewed as controversial. Not anymore.
Barnes has lit up the NBA for the Raptors, as his production has come much earlier than I predicted. Barnes is a great defender, but his offense has been surprisingly good. Even with his lack of a jump shot, he’s finding ways to score and he’s doing it efficiently. He’ll be one of the few bright spots for a rebuilding Raptors team.
18.1 points – 8.9 rebounds – 3.0 ORB – 55% FG
Barnes has been solid on both ends of the floor. He has been a great mid-range shooter, as he’s just been taking what the defense gives him. He’s a fantastic rebounder and showing you why the Raptors bet high on his raw talent.
#1 – Evan Mobley (CLE)
I think that Evan Mobley is on track to make an All-Defensive Team this season. That’s how good the 3rd overall pick from USC has been. Mobley is a unicorn. As a 7-footer, he can do it all. He’s an elite rim protector who can guard 1-5 on defense. He can shoot, pass, and handle on offense. He’s the new mold of centers in the NBA.
And man oh man has he been fantastic. I didn’t expect him to be that great as a rookie, due to his lack of a true role with the Cavs and his lack of lower body strength to post guys up. I have been wrong on both of those fronts.
13.4 points – 7.6 rebounds – 1.4 blocks – 1.1 steals – 57% TS
Mobley has been scoring and rebounding well. His offensive game looks pretty polished, even with the Cavs (stupidly) using two other 7-footers around him. Mobley has a 1.7 BPM, which is excellent, especially for a rookie.
He leads the league in contested shots (114) and by a wide margin. What’s more impressive about those 114 contested shots, is that 41 of them were 3-pointers. Opponents are only shooting 44% when they’re being guarded by Mobley, proving his elite defensive prowess.
If Mobley keeps this up, he’s a lock for Rookie of the Year. He might get some DPOY votes and will most certainly make an All-Defensive team. There are worse ways to start your rookie campaign.
Most Valuable Player Ladder
Since NBA.com can’t seem to make a good MVP ladder (Montrezl Harrell and Miles Bridges are in the running), I decided to make my own. Not all the players on this list have exactly been tearing it up to start the season, but they’re still MVP candidates.
(Seriously, though. Why were Harrell and Bridges anywhere near the MVP award? I want to see the thought process on that one).
#3 – Luka Doncic (DAL)
Again, Doncic is having to do things that no superstars should have to go through. Not only does he have no help, his offense is being run into the ground by Jason Kidd. Kidd insists on not giving Luka the ball and trying to involve other people.
It’s the right idea, but it can’t work because Dallas’ roster just isn’t good enough to rely on anybody else other than Doncic.
Similar to last season, Doncic isn’t off to the fastest off starts. He’s shooting just 24% from 3 and his scoring is down 5 points per game.
But once he gets going, so will Dallas. Nobody can stop Luka Doncic when he gets going.
#2 – Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL)
The Bucks have gotten off to a slow start this season, thanks to injuries. Giannis has kept them afloat so far this season, putting up normally historic numbers that we have just normalized over time.
27.3 points – 11.1 rebounds – 6.0 assists – 1.7 blocks – 61% TS
Giannis shooting 4.4 three-pointers per game isn’t good, but other than that, he has been putting up his usual numbers. He’s as efficient as ever, the defense is still excellent, and he currently has a 10.6 DBPM. That’s incredibly good.
Giannis continues to make historical seasons seem like clockwork. He’s done these type of things for the past 3-4 seasons and unfortunately, it might get overlooked. Don’t worry Giannis, I got you covered.
#1 – Kevin Durant (BKN)
With James Harden struggling to score to start the year, KD has had to carry the load offensively. He’s been able to handle it. Durant has started off this season with a bang, still showing no signs of slowing down.
I don’t know how it’s possible for someone who is 32 years old to still be scoring at this high of a level. It just doesn’t make sense;
27.7 points – 8.9 rebounds – 5.3 assists – 66% TS
Durant has continued to be ultra-efficient, he’s sharing the ball with others, and he’s carried the Nets so far this season.
What Are Your Thoughts On This Week’s Power Rankings? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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