NBA Power Rankings: Week 6
Week 6 of the NBA Power Rankings, and happy American Thanksgiving to everyone is the United States. Thanksgiving is for Football if we are being honest, but Christmas is for the NBA.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Last: #1
The Thunder are 17-1, James thinks there is a 3% chance that they beat the best record ever, either way this team is incredible oh and their point differential is +16.9. Can anyone dethrone the Thunder?
2. Denver Nuggets
Last: #2
Some of the injury bug is starting to hit the Nuggets, their depth was the issue last year, this will be a test for them with Braun and Gordon out for a few weeks. But you still have Jokic, so they should be fine for the short term.
3. Houston Rockets
Last: #3
The Rockets are legit, with Kevin Durant on the squad their scoring has gone way up, all the way to the best offensive team in the league. These three teams feel like a tier above the rest in the NBA.
4. Detroit Pistons
Last: #4
The Detroit Pistons just don’t lose games, they have won 13 in a row and are now 15-2 on the season. Jalen Duren is having a great season, and the Pistons are legit.
5. Los Angeles Lakers
Last: #7
The Lakers got Lebron back and they have won 4 in a row and are 12-4 to start the season. Wins over Utah twice, and they are still figuring out this three headed monster of Luka, Bron and Reaves.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last: #6
Darius Garland has made his return after missing 5 games, and the Cavs are kind of just hanging around in the East. I think this team does need to prove it in the playoffs, but maybe they just coast to a 3-4 seed.
7. San Antonio Spurs
Last: #8
The Spurs are surviving without Wemby, they won the first three games without him before falling to the Suns who are hot right now. When healthy this team will be a force in the West.
8. Phoenix Suns
Last: #NR
Well as all expected the Suns are 11-7 and are firmly in a playoff spot. We all thought the Suns would flame out after trading Kevin Durant and letting Bradley Beal go. Can the Suns keep this up?
9. Toronto Raptors
Last: #12
I might have been wrong about the Raptors, they have a top 5 offense and a middle of the road defense. One thing of note to show they are real, they have the best record against other top Eastern Conference teams.
10. New York Knicks
Last: #4
The Knicks have won a single game away from Madison Square Garden. They still have an elite offense, but they can’t defend for shit. They have somewhat turned into their nemesis Pacers, if they really want to compete for a championship they need to learn to stop the ball.
11. Miami Heat
Last: #13
The Heat are good and they don’t have Tyler Herro. They have been beating good teams, and they have a lock down defense. When we get to the middle of the season, I will be intrigued on where we put them in our tier list.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves
Last: #11
The Wolves are dropping down my rankings and things just don’t seem good in Minnesota right now. They lost last night after Ant dropped 40+ in overtime to a Sacramento team that is full on selling.
13. Orlando Magic
Last: #NR
The Magic are slowly starting to get back to what I expected them to be. Desmond Bane has not been the best since moving to Florida, but the Magic have beat the Knicks twice and they are back to two games over .500.
14. Atlanta Hawks
Last: #14
The Hawks are staying at the 14th spot for me. Tyler mentioned on the pod last night how good Jalen Johnson has been and he is right, where Trae Young has started the season slowly. If the Hawks can get going, I expect them to make a move up the standings.
15. Philadelphia 76ers
Last: #15
I could just leave the 76ers here for the rest of the season, Paul George did make his season debut in those sweet black 76ers jerseys from Allen Iverson's day. They are alternating wins and loses back and forth. They can be scary, but they need more consistency.