Why Are The Mavericks Good? Week 13 Power Rankings
From some new faces in the Top 10 to the mess in Los Angeles, here are my week 13 Power Rankings.
Week 13 Power Rankings
Where do teams like Dallas and Philly land after their recent runs of success? What’s going to happen with the Nets? Should we be worried about the Warriors? I answer all those questions and more with my Week 13 Power Rankings.
#10 – Dallas Mavericks
Record: (24-19)
Offensive Rating: 109.5 (16th)
Defensive Rating: 106.5 (5th)
Net Rating: 3.0 (8th)
The Good
Over the last 15 games, where Dallas is 10-5, they have the best defense in the NBA. Somehow, Jason Kidd, Mr. Waterslides, is coaching well. Huh?
They’ve beaten the Warriors, Grizzlies, and Bulls during this winning streak. They’ve been outscoring opponents by 8 points per game. This turnaround has been unexpected but welcomed to a team that looked dead a few short weeks ago.
Two big reasons for Dallas’ defensive turnaround have been limiting 3-pointers and offensive rebounds. Whatever the reason is, Dallas’s defense is carrying them. Can’t say that about the Cowboys. (too soon?)
Jalen Brunson and Luka Doncic are the only offensive pieces worth a damn on this team. Other than that, it’s a lot of praying that other guys make shots. It’s not ideal, but hey, welcome to Dallas.
The Bad
Luka Doncic still looks slow and out of shape. If Doncic was 10% closer to what he’s been over the past two seasons, the defense would be better than average.
The Mavericks paid Tim Hardaway Jr. $72,000,000 dollars just for him to shoot 39% from the field. Kristaps Porzingis has missed 16 games this season. These two guys have to be better/more available for Dallas to do damage in the playoffs.
#9 – Philadelphia 76ers
Record: (25-17)
Offensive Rating: 110.8 (10th)
Defensive Rating: 108.4 (11th)
Net Rating: 2.4 (11th)
The Good
The 76ers are 9-1 in their last 10 games. Joel Embiid has been eating to start the new year, flummoxing opposing bigs with his inside-out attack. Seth Curry and Tyrese Maxey have both been excellent this season.
The 76er defense has also improved, ranking second in the league over that same ten-game span. Who needs Ben Simmons?
The Bad
Could Tobias Harris learn how to shoot again? He’s shooting 8% worse from downtown on the same number of attempts. His 3-PT shooting has gone out the matter horn and I don’t understand it.
Speaking of Ben Simmons, could the 76ers just trade him? Like Grey’s Anatomy, it’s gotten boring after 18 seasons.
#8 – Utah Jazz
Record: (29-14)
Offensive Rating: 116.5 (1st)
Defensive Rating: 108.6 (12th)
Net Rating: 7.9 (T-1st)
The Weird?
I’m going to be honest here. I don’t care that the Jazz have one of the best offenses ever. Their defense is one Rudy Gobert away from being the worst in the NBA. We all saw what happened in the five games when Gobert was out.
I can’t take them seriously as contenders when their defense is that bad. They need to trade for a decent perimeter defender ASAP. Until then, expect another empty-calorie playoff run that goes nowhere.
#7 – Miami Heat
Record: (27-16)
Offensive Rating: 112.2 (5th)
Defensive Rating: 107.7 (8th)
Net Rating: 4.5 (5th)
The Good
The Heat have survived long without their stars. Both Butler and Adebayo are healthy and can hopefully stay that way for the rest of the season.
The offense has held serve thanks to Lowry, Herro, and a rag-tag bunch of role players. With both All-Stars set to return, the offense will get even more dangerous. The same goes for the defense, which can return to its ‘without any milk’ montra.
You know things are going well when Duncan Robinson is shooting 37% from three over the past 19 games.
The Bad
The only thing I can put here is chemistry. Will things slow down when the Heat’s two stars, who have missed considerable time this season, suddenly return?
I still have my questions about the depth, but I’ll wait and see how the Heat perform this week to judge any further.
#6 – Memphis Grizzlies
Record: (30-15)
Offensive Rating: 111.6 (7th)
Defensive Rating: 108.1 (10th)
Net Rating: 3.5 (7th)
The Good
The Grizzlies are 22-8 over their last 30 games. Their defense has come alive, complimenting an explosive offense. Ja Morant is the heartbeat of a team that has entered the NBA spotlight.
With perhaps the deepest roster in the NBA, the Grizzlies are built for the postseason. I love their pieces, how they play, and their coaching. Not a lot of be complaining about right now if you’re Memphis.
The Bad
nothingfound.exe
#5 – Chicago Bulls
Record: (27-14)
Offensive Rating: 112.3 (4th)
Defensive Rating: 109.8 (19th)
Net Rating: 2.5 (10th)
The Good
The Bulls are still leading the East. Their new free agent signings have fit like a hand in a glove. Even major injuries in the frontcourt haven’t slowed them down. The offense has held them together, as it’s hard to guard all the great scorers the Bulls have.
The Bad
The frontcourt injuries are piling up. Patrick Williams is still out with his wrist injury. Derrick Jones Jr. will miss time with a knee injury. Javonte Green is still out with a hamstring injury. Zach Lavine’s knee injury is thankfully not serious, but he will also miss time.
Even with Alex Caruso returning in a few days, this team will need to find production. Dosunmu, Troy Brown Jr, and Tony Bradley will play bigger roles. With their depth cut short, the Bulls need production from these guys to stay afloat.
#4 – Brooklyn Nets
Record: (27-15)
Offensive Rating: 111.5 (8th)
Defensive Rating: 108.8 (13th)
Net Rating: 2.7 (9th)
The Good
The Nets find ways to win. It’s not pretty, but it works. Recently, with a struggling defense, it’s been guys like Kessler Edwards who have played well. The Nets have seen James Harden start to play better. Patty Mills continues to cover for Joe Harris wonderfully.
Without KD (more on that later), the Nets need Harden and Irving to carry them. That will be possible because 11 out of the next 14 games for Brooklyn will be on the road. They need their stars to show up, or else.
The Bad
This injury could break the Nets’ season if they’re not careful.
#3 – Milwaukee Bucks
Record: (27-18)
Offensive Rating: 111.2 (9th)
Defensive Rating: 107.4 (7th)
Net Rating: 3.8 (6th)
The Good
The Bucks are still 16-3 with their Big 3 on the floor. It’s been a struggle to have those guys stay healthy, which is its own problem. Nevertheless, I think this team is the best in the East. When healthy (fingers crossed), nobody can deal with this team.
The Bad
Where is Brook Lopez, again?
#2 – Phoenix Suns
Record: (33-9)
Offensive Rating: 111.8 (6th)
Defensive Rating: 104.1 (2nd)
Net Rating: 7.7 (3rd)
The Good
The Suns, like the San Francisco Giants last year, continue to hold a lead in a conference where a team of superstars tails them from behind. The offense has come alive, rising to meet what has been one of the best defenses in the NBA.
The coaching and chemistry remain great. This team has it all, ready for another run to the Finals.
The Bad
Dinosaurs aren’t that bad, are they?
#1 – Golden State Warriors
Record: (31-12)
Offensive Rating: 110.5 (12th)
Defensive Rating: 102.6 (1st)
Net Rating: 7.9 (T-1st)
The Good
nothingfound.exe
The Bad
This might be the last week the Warriors find themselves at #1 with how they’ve been playing. The return of Klay Thompson has made the offense clunky. Steph Curry is in one the worst shooting slump of his career. To make matters worse, his hand is bothering him.
With Draymond Green out for the next few weeks, this team has to figure things out. The offense hasn’t been the same without Draymond. The defense too has seen some slip in production.
When things are going well, I don’t think there’s any debating about who the best team in the league is. But right now, things aren’t looking so golden in the Bay Area.
Rookie of the Year Ladder
After a one-week hiatus, it’s time for some more rookie talk. We have our front runners for the award where only scoring points matter, but regardless, here are the top 5 rookies (so far).
#5 – Josh Giddey (OKC)
Giddey’s scoring has been steadily improving throughout the season. Over the past five games, he’s shooting 50% from the field and 35% from distance. Considering his scoring struggles at times this season, it’s very encouraging.
Giddey’s been the best playmaker of this draft class by a mile. His potential as a secondary creator is enticing, with his ability to see over the defense. His herky-jerky movements make him one of my favorite players to watch. OKC’s got a good one in Giddey.
11.5 points – 7.4 rebounds – 6.3 assists – 47% TS – great hair
#4 – Cade Cunningham (DET)
Cunningham continues to be rock-solid for the Pistons. His scoring ability improves seemingly every night. His size and shooting have flashed at times this season. He’s always in control, always poised. Sometimes he violently points at Jalen Smith, but other than that, he’s been great.
After being inconsistent to start the season, Cunningham is turning in good games more often than not. On a team that is asking him to do a lot with the ball, he’s doing just fine. I wonder how Jalen Green’s doing?
15.7 points – 5.6 rebounds – 5.3 assists – 50% TS
#3 – Franz Wagner (ORL)
The ultimate gadget player has been one of the most impressive rookies this season. I predicted that Wagner would be NBA-ready due to his experience overseas. I was right in that assessment, as Wagner has looked great on an otherwise gloomy Orlando squad.
Wagner can run the offense when needed. He’s run the pick-and-roll, been a secondary scorer, a spot-up shooter. Any role you can fathom, Wagner has probably done that at some point this season. He’s a solid defender who has versatility on that end.
Wagner has been the Magic’s best rookie this season by a mile. He’s one of the pillars of this rebuild and I think he’s got a bright future ahead of him.
15.5 points – 55% TS – Luka Doncic Does NOT Like His Brother
#2 – Scottie Barnes (TOR)
Scottie Barnes is strange. Not just his freakish athleticism, but his production. After bursting onto the scene, Barnes hasn’t stood out in what seems like months. I have watched him play a few times, but he blends in. The focus with the Raptors has been more on VanVleet and Siakam.
Barnes’s shooting has died down considerably and his production since getting Covid has plummeted. His overall body of work is solid, but he’s had a weird rookie season.
14.5 points – 7.9 rebounds – 54% TS
#1 – Evan Mobley (CLE)
Evan Mobley is an alien. The #3 overall pick continues to dazzle with his versatility on both ends of the floor. He’s become a great lob threat partner for Darius Garland. His shooting has been sporadic this season, but he’s capable of stretching the floor.
He’s already made his mark as one of the best defenders in the NBA. He can guard 1-5. He can contend with bigger centers in the post and stay with speedy guards on the perimeter. His freakishly long arms make him a great closeout defender.
Evan Mobley does the little thing well, a big reason for the Cavs shaping up to be a playoff team this season. Not to brag or anything, but Evan Mobley was my favorite prospect coming out of the draft this season. Just saying.
15.0 points – 8.0 rebounds – 2.2 stocks – 56% TS – ALIEN
Can Lebron Give Lakers Fans Their Promise For Better?
(Sorry for not talking about this earlier, but I think it’s still worth going over now)
When you’re considered to be one of the greatest players ever, tweeting something like this is unusual;
The Lakers have been a model of inconsistency this season. Their production on both ends of the floor varies from night to night, with almost no pattern or warning as to what version of LA we’ll get this season. It’s impossible to talk about this team without jumping the shark, but that’s where we stand.
After a promising stretch, it seemed like the Lakers had turned the page. They were winning, playing hard, and looking spry. That momentum is all but gone, with the season up in the air. Lebron James was not present for his postgame presser after the Saturday night obliteration at the hands of Denver.
The Lakers and James have been taking the long approach with this season, comparing themselves to Tom Brady’s Bucs or a marathon. It’s the right idea for a weird group of veterans, but the Lakers are simply running out of time.
With 40 or so games left, the Lakers are 7.5 games out of the 4th seed in the West. They still have more questions than answers. Magic Johnson says that Lakers fans “deserve more than a lack of effort and no sense of urgency,” later saying that Jeanie Buss also deserves better (for some reason).
To make things worse, Frank Vogel said that on Friday before the loss, the Lakers had a “spirited fill session” where they called out “every single one” of their defensive breakdowns. Clearly, the Lakers were a step slow as Denver racked up 133 points and won by 37. Some spirited film session, huh?
It’s impossible to talk about this team. To reiterate, this team doesn’t have that much more time to gel. Getting Anthony Davis back will help, but there are still so many question marks with this team. When you have Lebron James tweeting that (look above), it’s not a good sign.
Expect the Lakers to make a lot of moves at the trade deadline this year. God knows they need some sort of solution and they’ll do just about anything to try and get another ring. The excuse of ‘we need more time’ has run thin. Jeanie Buss, who needs better for some reason, will not stand by for this and who can blame here? This season has been even worse than 2021, even with all the tinkering done in the offseason.
While Kuzma, KCP, Caruso, McGee, and Danny Green thrive elsewhere, the Lakers are a sinking ship in the West. In the year of our lord 2022, the Lakers are the epitome of craziness. I recommend that we all sit back, relax, and watch the chaos.
What Are Your Thoughts On This Week’s Power Rankings? Leave A Comment Down Below!
Follow My Instagram & Facebook To Never Miss A Post: @hoopnotions
1 thought on “Why Are The Mavericks Good? Week 13 Power Rankings”
Comments are closed.