Are We Sleeping On The Phoenix Suns? My Week 4 Power Rankings!
From the Washington Wizards’ elite defense to the continued excellence of Evan Mobley, it’s time for my Week 4 power rankings. I will be giving you my 10 best teams in the NBA, along with some award race updates.
Week 4 Power Rankings
Who are the top 10 teams in the NBA after 4 weeks? After 4 weeks of play, we’ve seen some surprising revelations from around the NBA. Some teams who you might not expect to be in the Top 10 are here, for now.
#10 – Washington Wizards
Record: (9-3)
Offensive Rating: 107.1 (17th)
Defensive Rating: 102.4 (4th)
Net Rating: 4.7 (10th)
The Good
The Wizards have a good defense now, which is incredibly surprising. I thought that their defense would cool down, but it still hasn’t. They are a very good 3-PT shooting defense and Wes Unseld Jr. is doing a great job with this team.
Even with Beal struggling, other guys have stepped up. Kuzma, Harrell, and Spencer Dinwiddie have all made major impacts for a team currently near the top of the Eastern Conference.
The Bad
Are we sure that what the Wizards are doing is sustainable? Their roster isn’t one of the most talented in the NBA, so I find it hard to believe they’ll be a top seed in the East come playoff time.
The Wizards haven’t beaten good teams and I haven’t been impressed with their level of competition. That might explain their 9-3 record.
#9 – Los Angeles Clippers
Record: (8-5)
Offensive Rating: 106.7 (19th)
Defensive Rating: 102.1 (3rd)
Net Rating: 4.7 (9th)
The Good
After a slow start to the year, the Clippers have turned things around. Paul George has been carrying the offense, playing at an MVP level.
The real strength of the team is in defense. Even without Kawhi, the Clippers’ defense has been great. They are aggressive, they force turnovers, and their defense is going to be good all season.
The Bad
No Kawhi Leonard means they won’t be contenders. I think they can be competitive in a playoff series, but that’s about it.
The offense does worry me at times. Other than Paul George, they haven’t been getting great production from guys like Eric Bledsoe and Justice Winslow.
Hopefully, they can get Marcus Morris back from injury because they need more scoring.
#8 – Philadelphia 76ers
Record: (8-6)
Offensive Rating: 114.3 (1st)
Defensive Rating: 109.5 (23rd)
Net Rating: 4.8 (7th)
The Good
The 76ers offense has the best in the league. Their shooting, led by Seth Curry and Furkan Korkmaz, has been excellent. Tyrese Maxey, now in a bigger role, is shining.
Tobias Harris and Embiid have missed some time with injury/Covid, but when healthy, that 1-2 combination is solid.
The Bad
The 76ers have cooled off recently. Injuries and Covid have a part in that, but so has their shooting. When they haven’t been lighting the world on fire, they haven’t been winning.
The defense is below average without Ben Simmons on the floor, so they need their offense to be great to win games. I don’t exactly think that’s a recipe for success.
#7 – Utah Jazz
Record: (8-5)
Offensive Rating: 112.3 (2nd)
Defensive Rating: 105.6 (11th)
Net Rating: 6.7 (3rd)
The Good
As much as I love to criticize the Jazz, they’re good. Their offense is an elite mixture of passing, movement, and shooting. They have so many weapons that opposing defenses have to deal with.
Rudy Gobert anchors them defensively and they’re one of the best all-around teams in the NBA.
The Bad
While their defense is good, they don’t have many options on the perimeter. Gobert holds them up defensively, but if teams go small against the Jazz, things go south quickly.
Their reliance on 3-PT shooting is always a dangerous game. If they’re not shooting well, they aren’t the same team.
Oh, Donovan Mitchell can’t make shots now. That’s great.
#6 – Denver Nuggets
Record: (9-4)
Offensive Rating: 106.9 (18th)
Defensive Rating: 101.3 (2nd)
Net Rating: 5.6 (4th)
The Good
The Nuggets defense has been their saving grace this season. That’s a good sign for them given how good their offense can be.
Denver has a deep roster with great coaching from Michael Malone. Even with MPJ out, they have remained an elite team. That is thanks to Nikola Jokic, or the best center in the basketball, or that guy with two crazy brothers. Whichever name you pick for him is irrelevant.
The Bad
Speaking of MPJ, his back injury is looking to be serious. He’s already missed about a week and there are no indications that he’ll be back anytime soon. Kind of a nightmare season for MPJ after signing that extension.
#5 – Chicago Bulls
Record: (9-4)
Offensive Rating: 108.4 (13th)
Defensive Rating: 103.4 (5th)
Net Rating: 5.0 (6th)
The Good
The Bulls have been great this season. Their defense has been amongst the best in basketball. DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine are an elite scoring duo. New point guards in Ball and Caruso have been seamless fits.
The bench depth has been better than expected. Rookie Ayo Dosunmu has looked solid this season. The Bulls have been playing well on both sides of the ball.
They have answered my questions about playing against elite teams. They’ve beaten the Nets, Clippers, Jazz, and been competitive with the 76ers two times.
The Bad
Their frontcourt is thin right now. Patrick Williams is out long-term and Vucevic has Covid. For the next week of action, they are going to be the smaller team on the floor.
Other than that, things are looking good for them.
#4 – Miami Heat
Record: (8-5)
Offensive Rating: 111.6 (4th)
Defensive Rating: 104.6 (9th)
Net Rating: 7.0 (2nd)
The Good
The Heat have looked incredibly dominant on both sides of the ball. Their defense is built for the playoffs and is one of the best units in the NBA.
Their offense has been up and down, but when they get going it’s tough to stop them. Herro, Butler, and Adebayo have all been superb offensively this season.
The Bad
They rely heavily on their Big 4 to score. They don’t have the supreme depth to deal with off nights from Butler, Adebayo, and Herro.
Their depth was a big problem for me coming into the season, and it still is. Getting more depth would allow them to give more rest to their veterans, mainly Lowry.
Shoving the reigning MVP might also be a bad thing.
#3 – Phoenix Suns
Record: (9-3)
Offensive Rating: 109.1 (8th)
Defensive Rating: 104.0 (8th)
Net Rating: 5.1 (5th)
The Good
The Phoenix Suns have been dominating the rest of the league since their 1-3 start. They are 8-0 since that point and have been superb on both sides of the ball.
Even with Deandre Ayton out, they have responded. Booker and Paul have picked up their scoring. Mikal Bridges remains solid. Frank the Tank is giving Monty Williams great minutes off the bench.
The Bad
Deandre Ayton isn’t healthy? I honestly can’t tell you a lot of bad things about this team. They have everything you need to win in the NBA.
Quick side note, Chris Paul is refusing to shoot at the rim.
#2 – Brooklyn Nets
Record: (10-4)
Offensive Rating: 108.2 (14th)
Defensive Rating: 103.5 (7th)
Net Rating: 4.7 (8th)
The Good
Their offense is getting better as James Harden rounds back into form. We saw him unleash hell on the Pelicans and I just need to see that more often.
Kevin Durant, his shoulder be damned, is playing out of his mind. The offensive help around them from the likes of Mills, Harris, and Aldridge is solid.
The defense has been surprisingly stout. Thank Bruce Brown and Blake Griffin for that.
The Bad
James Harden still isn’t fully back, but he’s close. If Harden comes back to his MVP form, then the Nets will have no use for Kyrie Irving. They’re just that good.
Playing Cameron Thomas couldn’t hurt though.
And of course,
SCARY HOURS
#1 – Golden State Warriors
Record: (11-2)
Offensive Rating: 112.0 (3rd)
Defensive Rating: 99.3 (1st)
Net Rating: 12.7 (1st)
The Good
The Warriors have been back in dynasty form. Their offense is led by Steph Curry, but they are a lot less reliant on him. Poole and Wiggins are great complementary pieces. The bench, now infused with veterans, has been exactly what the Warriors need.
The defense remains elite from last season, led by Draymond Green. The Warriors are playing great on both sides of the ball and they have been running over teams so far this season.
The Bad
Klay Thompson isn’t back yet?
This team has been beating the crap out of teams this season. If not for a bad jump ball against Charlotte, the Warriors might be 12-1.
Speaking of which, what in the world was that jump ball?
Rookie of the Year Ladder
To be honest, the rookie of the year award race hasn’t been that exciting. We know who’s good and we haven’t seen much change to these standings. The only way this award can change is if Cunningham and Jalen Green start playing better.
With that being said, who’s on top?
#5 – Chris Duarte (IND)
Duarte has remained a starter for Indiana, who is slowly turning their season around. Duarte remains above 40% from 3 and is giving Indiana great production on both ends of the floor.
14.3 points – 53% TS – 40% 3-PT
What I’ve been impressed with is Duarte’s defense. He has been an impactful defender and helps Indiana stay afloat on that end.
Indiana Defense With Chris Duarte (450 minutes): 107.3 Opponent ORtg
Indiana Defense Without Chris Duarte (233 minutes): 117.5 Opponent ORtg
While we think of Duarte as a scorer, he is making an impact on defense as well.
#4 – Franz Wanger (ORL)
Wagner continues to be solid for the Magic. The forward is a great defender, but his offense continues to impress me. From his shooting to his great playmaking, Wagner is having a great season.
13.0 points – 1.5 steals – 53% TS – 36% 3-PT
Wagner is a great offensive rebounder (1.3 per game) and he’s been contributing well for the Magic. Their offense plummets when he’s not on the floor.
Magic Offense With Franz Wagner (417 minutes): 104.8 ORtg
Magic Offense Without Franz Wagner (209 minutes): 94.3 ORtg
Wagner is an ideal gadget player in today’s NBA, filling any role that the Magic need him to be.
#3 – Josh Giddey (OKC)
Aside from his scoring/shooting problems, Giddey is having a superb season. He’s showcased his great rebounding and playmaking abilities on offense. On defense, he’s showing you his quick hands. The next step for Giddey is his scoring.
9.5 points – 6.5 rebounds – 6.1 assists – 45% TS
105 points in over 310 minutes of action isn’t pretty. However, Giddey is leading rookies in assists by a wide margin and is top-3 in rebounding. Not too bad.
#2 – Scottie Barnes (TOR)
Scottie Barnes is still impressing me. He remains a very versatile defender for Nick Nurse and the Raptors. On offense, he’s being creative. While he lacks a 3-PT shot, Barnes is using all the tricks in the bag to score. From offensive rebounds to well-time cuts, Barnes is finding ways to be productive.
16.2 points – 8.3 rebounds – 1.1 steals – 56% TS
Barnes is an elite offensive rebounder (36% of his rebounds are offensive) and he’s generating 3.4 second-chance points per game (11th in the NBA). Barnes is also scoring 2.1 points per game off of cuts.
So while he can’t shoot, Barnes is finding other ways to be productive. That, along with his great defense has made him into a great player for the Raptors. Maybe taking him over Jalen Suggs was the right pick after all.
#1 – Evan Mobley (CLE)
There is no debate about who has been the best rookie in the NBA. It’s Evan Mobley and it’s been like that for the whole season. The 7-foot unicorn has been a force for the Cavs on both ends of the floor.
Mobley bleeds versatility. He can guard 1-5 on defense and then shoot 3’s on offense. He’s been poised, under control, the whole 9 yards. He’s been everything the Cavs dreamed he would be and more.
15.6 points – 7.9 rebounds – 2.6 stocks – 59% TS
More examples that Evan Mobley is a beast, rapid-fire edition;
- Averaging 2.6 stocks per game (steals + blocks)
- Shooting 76% (53/70) from the field in the restricted area
- Cavs have a 103.1 defensive rating with Mobley on the floor
- Leads the NBA in contested shots with 209 – next closest player is 160
- Opponents are shooting 109/252 when guarded by Mobley (43.3%)
Yeah…Evan Mobley is kind of good at basketball.
Most Valuable Player Ladder
Which superstars have been playing the best so far this season? How much are they impacting the success of their team? Let’s see who is atop this stacked leaderboard.
#3 – Nikola Jokic
Whoa. We’re talking about this guy again? Without Jamal Murray and MPJ for the foreseeable future, the Nuggets are still 9-4. Jokic is putting up historic numbers that have never been seen before at his position, etc, etc, etc. You get the point. He’s pretty good.
25.3 points – 13.7 rebounds – 6.3 assists – 67% TS
Jokic is being more efficient than he was last season. He’s shooting more 3’s (1 more attempt per game) and shooting a whopping 39% from 3. Centers shouldn’t be able to do that, but Jokic is the outlier.
Jokic’s defense is much improved from last season as well. When he’s on the floor, opposing offenses have a 96.2 offensive rating. When he’s not on the floor, opposing offenses have a 111.6 offensive rating. Not too bad for someone who can’t jump over a quarter.
And now it’s time for some more talk about Jokic’s incredible efficiency;
- Jokic is shooting 73% (56/77) from the restricted area
- Jokic is shooting 58% (28/48) in the paint (non-RA)
- Jokic is shooting 63% (15/24) from the mid-range
- Jokic is shooting 39% (19/49) on above the break 3-pointers
Don’t worry Nuggets fans, I will keep talking about Nikola Jokic.
#2 – Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is (spoiler) still pretty good at basketball. Curry and the Warriors are the best team in basketball and Curry continues to play brilliantly. His offensive game is so hard to stop and he doesn’t have to have the ball in his hands to be dangerous, which is what makes him special.
Curry is on track for another fantastic season and he makes everything look easy when it’s not. Get ready everybody to bask in some Steph Curry greatness.
28.1 points – 6.2 rebounds – 6.7 assists – 1.7 steals – 62% TS
Curry is shooting a career-high 13.3 threes per game and he’s still shooting 39% from 3. Curry has once again decided to try and reset our expectations for the 3-PT shot, taking more 3-pointers than he’s ever attempted.
Curry’s all-around game is still very solid. He’s giving you 6.7 assists per game plus a lot of open shots for teammates because defenses have to pay attention to him. He’s continued to be a great rebounder for his position and he’s having another great season.
With how the Warriors and Curry are currently playing, it’s not hard to imagine him winning MVP this season. But that might be hard if the other guy won’t stop going off.
#1 – Kevin Durant
29.6 pts – 8.4 rebounds – 5.1 assists – 68% TS – 59/42/84 shooting splits
59% (45/76) shooting in the paint (non-RA)
61% (52/85) shooting in the mid-range
40% (25/62) shooting from above the break
{Salivating}
What Do Your Power Rankings Look Like? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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