Who Is The Best Team In The NBA? Week 3 Power Rankings!
After 3 weeks of basketball, it’s time for some power rankings. We’ve seen a lot more action from teams and players. We’ve started to gather our evidence and make opinions about teams and players.
All of that considered, it’s time for my power rankings. From the best teams in the NBA to who is leading the Rookie of the Year ladder, let’s see what 3 weeks of basketball have given us.
Week 3 Power Rankings
Who are the top 10 teams in the NBA after 3 weeks? After two weeks of giving teams some leeway, it’s time to be more critical. It’s time to factor in talent, expectations, competition level, etc.
This was a pretty tough list to make, with a lot of teams just missing the cut. If you’re on this list, it means you’re doing something right.
#10 – Denver Nuggets
Record: (5-4)
Offensive Rating: 101.6 (26th)
Defensive Rating: 100.1 (2nd)
Net Rating: 1.5 (14th)
The Good
The Denver Nuggets are over 0.500 with their offense struggling. Michael Porter Jr. has been awful to start this season and Nikola Jokic is keeping them afloat. The thing that I have been pleased with is the defense.
Denver hasn’t been known as a defensive team over the past few seasons, but their defense has been great this season. The Nuggets have been forcing turnovers and limiting opponents’ free throws and 2nd chance points. And it’s been working.
If the defense plays like this for the entire season? Denver becomes a much more formidable team.
The Bad
What is up with the offense? Denver is an incredibly deep team, but the offense has been lackluster. Outside of Jokic, you’re not seeing much substance from the role players.
Other than Jamal Murray coming back from injury, the only way for the offense to get drastically better is for MPJ to step up. Porter has been in a slump to start 2022 and Denver needs more than 10 points per game from him.
We all know he’s incredibly talented, but he needs to live up to that big contract extension Denver gave him this offseason. The Nuggets need MPJ to be their reliable 2nd scorer to succeed in a brutal Western Conference.
#9 – Milwaukee Bucks
Record: (4-6)
Offensive Rating: 105.3 (18th)
Defensive Rating: 107.0 (17th)
Net Rating: -1.7 (19th)
The Good
Ummm, I can’t say anything on this front. Not much is going well for the Bucks. The only reason they’re on this list is that we all know how good they are when healthy.
But if we’re talking about the Top 10 teams strictly based on what we’ve seen so far? Then the Bucks would be closer to the bottom than the top.
The Bad
Where do I start? I think it has to be the injuries. The Bucks have been hit hard with injuries, as most of their lineup has been decimated by injuries. Their two All-Stars, Middleton and Holiday, are the most notable names to miss time this season.
The offense and defense have both struggled without them by proxy. Until they get back to full strength, it will be a bumpy road for the defending champs.
#8 – Chicago Bulls
Record: (6-3)
Offensive Rating: 108.9 (9th)
Defensive Rating: 103.6 (7th)
Net Rating: 5.3 (5th)
The Good
The Chicago Bulls are a top-10 offense and defense. While we expected the offense to be good, the defense has been a pleasant surprise.
Even with the loss of Patrick Williams down low, I like their team. The new free agent acquisitions have fit in well. Guys like Derrick Jones Jr, Ayo Dosunmu, and Troy Brown Jr should see more minutes with Williams out. I think they have a very well-rounded roster.
The Bulls have been steady to start this season. Surprisingly, they’re this good given how quickly they were assembled, but here we are.
The Bad
Nikola Vucevic is declining faster than I thought he would. The 31-year old has been shooting just 38% from the field and his defense isn’t exactly top-notch either.
The Bulls haven’t been good against other good teams. They are 1-3 against playoff teams this season. While those games have been close, they have to be better.
The loss of Patrick Williams is huge, as the Bulls lose on their few good wing defenders. It has been reported that they are looking for some more wing depth, which is good because they desperately need it.
#7 – Philadelphia 76ers
Record: (8-2)
Offensive Rating: 115.4 (1st)
Defensive Rating: 106.4 (16th)
Net Rating: 8.9 (4th)
The Good
How are they this good? I’m still asking myself this question.
The offense has been thriving as they have been using more of a space and pace method. Korkmaz, Curry, and Tyrese Maxey have gotten off to blazing starts offensively.
The 76ers haven’t been useless offensively when Embiid isn’t on the floor. Embiid himself hasn’t even been at his MVP form. There’s been a lot to like about the offense.
The defense isn’t bad, but I think all 76ers fans will take a drop-off in defense for what they’ve seen from the offense.
The Bad
The 76ers don’t have a 3rd option. I think that Tobias Harris would be a great 3rd option for them, but until they trade Ben Simmons, I think they need a better #2.
My biggest concern with this team is the playoffs. Without a reliable #2, they aren’t contenders. I don’t think they can beat the Nets, Hawks, Heat, or a healthy Bucks team if Tobias Harris is their 2nd option.
If they want to go to the next level, they just have to trade Ben Simmons. There’s no other way around that. Until that happens, I’m not convinced that they’re contenders.
#6 – Phoenix Suns
Record: (5-3)
Offensive Rating: 107.3 (14th)
Defensive Rating: 107.9 (21st)
Net Rating: -0.6 (16th)
The Good
Over the past 3 games, they’ve looked like the team that made the Finals. The offense is better with Devin Booker rounding into form and the defense has been sharper. While their overall numbers might look poor, they’re trending in the right direction.
Mikal Bridges has been awesome this season and I think that the bench unit has been better thanks to Landry Shamet.
The Bad
They’ve had to rely on Kaminsky and McGee a lot more with injuries to Deandre Ayton. Getting Thaddeus Young from the Spurs would be the perfect Dario Saric filler down low.
Their perimeter shooting hasn’t been great, likely due to the slow starts of Booker and CP-3. But if they keep playing as they have in the past week, there’s nothing to worry about.
#5 – Utah Jazz
Record: (7-3)
Offensive Rating: 113.3 (2nd)
Defensive Rating: 104.0 (10th)
Net Rating: 9.3 (3rd)
The Good
Whatever. You’re good in the regular season. Moving on.
The Bad
While the Jazz might roll their way through the regular season as they did last season, they still have major flaws.
They don’t have an abundance of perimeter/wing defenders and Rudy Gobert is forced to do a lot. When teams go small and spread the Jazz out, chaos ensues. That led to their demise against the Clippers last year.
The Jazz still rely on great shooting, microwave scorers, and Donovan Mitchell way too much on offense. Without Mike Conley, their offense is a mess.
If you couldn’t tell, I don’t think the Utah Jazz are contenders.
#4 – New York Knicks
Record: (6-4)
Offensive Rating: 112.0 (4th)
Defensive Rating: 110.5 (27th)
Net Rating: 1.6 (13th)
The Good
The Knicks’ offense has been excellent this season. RJ Barrett is having a breakout campaign. Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker have brought great perimeter shooting.
This has allowed Julius Randle to play with more space and in turn, play better. The offense has been greatly improved, which was the main problem for the Knicks last season. But if I’m being honest, they’re way too good to be 6-4 right now.
The Bad
What’s going on with the defense? They got torched by Ricky Rubio last night and they haven’t been the same defensive unit that we saw last season.
Sure, adding Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier won’t make you better defensively. But 27th? I find it hard to believe that the best defense in the NBA can just slip that far down the ranks. I understand it’s early, but it’s not a good development.
The Knicks have also had some bad losses. They got blown out by the Cavs last night. They’ve lost to the Magic, Raptors, and Indiana. All of those teams are worse than the Knicks. Realistically, the Knicks should be 8-2 or 9-1 instead of 6-4.
#3 – Brooklyn Nets
Record: (7-3)
Offensive Rating: 105.8 (17th)
Defensive Rating: 103.4 (6th)
Net Rating: 2.4 (10th)
The Good
The Nets’ defense has been great? That’s surprising. The Nets have been a stout defense this season, as playing Bruce Brown more has worked. Blake Griffin continues to be a great small-ball center.
Kevin Durant is playing like the best player on the planet, carrying the offense. James Harden is still trying to figure things out, but the offense hasn’t looked bad when Harden isn’t flopping.
If the Nets defense can play like this, then they give themselves a chance every single night they’re on the floor.
The Bad
James Harden isn’t playing like a top-10 player. His free throw attempts are down and he’s still trying to bait fouls. I do believe that refs are blackballing Harden because of his history, but that’s another topic entirely. The Nets just need Harden to be a dominant offensive force as he was in Houston.
We all know he can do it and the offense will get better once Harden starts scoring more. I think it’s as simple as that.
#2 – Miami Heat
Record: (7-2)
Offensive Rating: 113.0 (3rd)
Defensive Rating: 101.3 (4th)
Net Rating: 11.7 (2nd)
The Good
The Heat have been awesome on both sides of the ball. We expected a defense featuring Butler, Tucker, Adebayo, and Lowry to be great. But the offense?
The Heat’s fast-paced offense with Lowry has been excellent. They’ve been passing well, Tyler Herro has stopped missing shots, and they have been a dominant team. They have played some of the best basketball in the NBA this year.
The Bad
I don’t love their depth. They only have 2-3 guys off their bench that I trust. They need some more bodies that can give them minutes. Considering they’re an older team, more depth would help them a lot.
Speaking of age, Kyle Lowry might become a problem. Not Lowry himself, but his declining body. He’s 35 years old and the Heat need him for the playoffs. While Tyler Herro has been their backup point guard, one more ball-handler would help them out.
Also, could Duncan Robinson make some more shots? Kind of what they paid him $90 million dollars to do.
#1 – Golden State Warriors
Record: (8-1)
Offensive Rating: 110.0 (6th)
Defensive Rating: 97.0 (1st)
Net Rating: 13.0 (1st)
The Good
The Warriors have been dominating everybody this season. Their offense has a new weapon with the emergence of Jordan Poole. Even with Steph Curry not going completely nuclear yet, the offense continues to hum. The new veteran depth helps Golden State out a lot on that front.
The defense, led by Draymond Green, is as good as ever. The Warriors have been the best defensive team in the NBA this season and they have looked like title contenders once again,
The Bad
I can’t say I have any problems with the team right now. Their roster doesn’t need any improvement. We’re just kind of waiting until Klay Thompson comes back and then we’ll see what happens.
Rookie of the Year Ladder
After 3 weeks, we’ve already established a hierarchy of rookies. Some of them have amazed us and others have done the opposite. We know who is atop the leaderboard, but in what order are they?
#5 – Josh Giddey (OKC)
Giddey’s all-around game continues to impress. The 6’8″ ball handler has been a steady option for the rebuilding Thunder this season. While his scoring isn’t great, he’s still an impactful player on both sides of the ball.
10.1 points – 6.1 rebounds – 5.9 assists – 1.4 steals – 46% TS
The shooting and overall efficiency need a lot of work, but Giddey continues to maintain a steady line of production.
#4 – Franz Wagner (ORL)
Wagner has quietly been one of the best players for the rebuilding Magic this season. Wagner has been very impressive early on, displaying promising things on both sides of the ball.
13.7 points – 1.1 steals – 56% TS
Wagner’s shooting has been a pleasant surprise to me this season. His defense is exactly what we thought it would be and overall, Wagner is having an excellent season on both sides of the ball.
#3 – Chris Duarte (IND)
Duarte has looked like a veteran so far this season. The 24-year old has been cool, calm, and collected for Indiana. He’s remained their starting option and he’s been the best scoring rookie this season.
16.0 points – 56% TS
Duarte has become more efficient and he’s still shooting 42% from 3 on nearly 6 attempts per game. He’s a great all-around player and should have a very steady rookie season. He’s one of the few bright spots for Indiana.
#2 – Scottie Barnes (TOR)
Barnes has come back down to earth over the past few games. While he’s still been great, it’s nothing like his first two weeks. He displayed great defense against Brooklyn, but he still lacks an offensive game in the half-court. That’s what is holding him back right now.
16.6 points – 8.7 rebounds (3.1 ORB) – 55% TS
Barnes is still having a great season. He is a monster on the boards and he’s scoring better than I expected him to. But with Pascal Siakam coming back and his lack of a jump shot, Barnes should come back down to earth soon.
#1 – Evan Mobley
Evan Mobley is still running away with this award. The unicorn 7-footer has shown no signs of slowing down, posting a career-high 26 points against the Knicks. He’s been doing it all on both ends of the floor.
14.9 points – 8.0 rebounds – 2.3 stocks (stl + blk) – 58% TS
Mobley has contested 177 shots this season. The next closest player is at 128 shots. I think that sums things up pretty well. Mobley has been a force on both ends of the floor. And after 3 weeks, he’s still running away with this award.
Most Valuable Player Ladder
The MVP award is still far from being decided. There hasn’t been enough of a sample size to dilute the massive player pool of candidates. But I still think we can find ourselves some MVP candidates.
#3 – Nikola Jokic (DEN)
Yesterday, one of the things I talked about in my article was Nikola Jokic. I did it because I hadn’t done it before. I don’t think mentioning him two days in a row hurts.
Jokic has remained incredibly dominant this season. He’s held Denver up with sub-par offensive help and he’s still without his 2nd best player in Jamal Murray. If that doesn’t scream MVP, I don’t know what does.
25.4 points – 13.4 rebounds – 5.2 assists – 1.6 steals – 60% FG – 40% 3-PT – 82% FT
I don’t know how many centers could average 25+ points, 13+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and do so on 60-40-80 shooting splits. The only season that comes close to what Jokic is doing now is 1977-78 Bill Walton. But even Walton wasn’t averaging that many points and doing so that efficiently.
Walton does beat Jokic out in the hair department. I think anybody would lose to him in that regard.
Jokic has again been brilliant in the post. I mean, just look at these numbers;
Nikola Jokic Post-Up Numbers In 2022
6.1 Post-Ups Per Game (4th)
1.7 FGM Per Game (3rd)
56% FG (2nd)*
4.0 PPG (3rd)*
(* indicates players with 2.0 post-ups per game. 8 players qualify as of right now)
What about at the elbow? Denver loves to move Jokic around inside the arc and just let him pick apart defenses. Let’s see how he’s doing from there;
Nikola Jokic Elbow Touches In 2022
6.1 Elbow Touches Per Game (3rd)
1.8 FGM Per Game (3rd)
67% FG (2nd)*
4.0 PPG (3rd)*
0.9 APG (2nd)
(* indicates players with 1.5+ elbow touches per game. 18 players qualify as of right now)
Jokic continues to be marvelous in 2022. He is dominating teams from the mid-range with his scoring and passing. He is shooting more 3’s and is even more efficient than ever. He is doing things that the center position has never done before. I think he deserves to be on this list.
#2 – Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry hasn’t been off to a blistering start in 2022. Last season, Curry was a supernova of scoring. That hasn’t been the case this season, but Curry has been no slouch.
He’s the best player on the best team in the NBA. His all-around numbers are still sparkling and in a few weeks, expect his scoring numbers to be great.
25.1 points – 6.6 rebounds – 6.2 assists – 1.4 steals – 59% TS
While those numbers are a steep decline from his 2021 campaign, he’s still been excellent.
Warriors Offense With Stephen Curry: 113.7 ORtg
Warriors Offense W/O Stephen Curry: 106.0 ORtg
I think this explains Curry’s value perfectly. Even when he’s not lighting the world on fire, he’s incredibly impactful.
#1 – Kevin Durant
While I find it unlikely that KD will win MVP, he certainly deserves it. He continues to be a scoring machine, but he’s doing the other things just as well. His playmaking has been impressive and he’s no slouch defensively. Durant is off to a torrid start to 2022.
28.6 points – 8.6 rebounds – 5.4 assists – 66% TS
Durant remains one of the most lethal scorers the NBA has ever seen. He’s currently leading the league in scoring, on pace for his 5th scoring title. His playmaking has been impressive, as he is still creating for others when needed.
While MVP voters won’t give Durant the light of day because he plays with James Harden, he has been incredible this season.
Kevin Durant In Isolation (2022)
5.5 Possessions Per Game (6th)
1.22 Points Per Isolation (6th)
6.7 Points Per Game (3rd)
61% FG (4th)
Kevin Durant remains a killer in isolation.
What Are Your Thoughts On My Week 3 Power Rankings + Award Races? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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