The Golden State Warriors own the best record in the NBA while the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and Atlanta Hawks are currently seeded 1-3 in the Eastern Conference, but that hasn’t changed the order at the top with the Cleveland Cavaliers still seeded as the NBA title favorites. The Cavaliers still have a lot of work to do but they have the league’s most complete superstar and a strong supporting cast so it’s no surprise they still occupy the top spot in the NBA Power Rankings this week.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (+350)
Cleveland slipped a little following a 127-98 loss to the Atlanta Hawks but if there is a silver lining, it’s that the team understands what went wrong and the final score looked a lot worse than the actual game did. LeBron James talked after the game about how defensive breakdowns and a lack of consistency led to the loss but also noted that it is still very early in the season.
The Cavaliers did beat the Raptors a couple of nights earlier. When healthy, it will be hard for any other team in the Eastern Conference to match up with them for a seven game series. LeBron and company understand it’s a long season and they are building towards something bigger so even though there may be stumbles along the way as they keep on getting every opponents best effort.
T-2. Golden State Warriors (+500)
The Warriors responded to Andrew Bogut’s injury with a 105-98 loss at Memphis and nobody was surprised because even with Stephen Curry playing at an MVP level, they are not the same team when Bogut is missing. Curry and Klay Thompson are arguably the best 1-2 tandem in the game and Steve Kerr has his team playing at an elite level at both ends of the floor, but it will be tough to maintain their incredible early season pace if Bogut misses extended time.
The key for this team will be health down the stretch and in to the playoffs. If they can maintain their home advantage along the way will be an added bonus. Nine teams in NBA history have started the season with a 21-2 mark and five of the previous eight went on to reach the NBA Finals with four of them winning it all.
T-2. San Antonio Spurs (+500)
Even the casual NBA fan understands that Gregg Popovich is arguably the smartest and most effective head coach in the league but just in case they don’t completely understand the depth of it, here is an underlying number that should be remembered: +7.6 is San Antonio’s net efficiency rating this season, which is second to only Golden State and Dallas despite that no one player has started all 25 games. And only three have played in each of them: Aron Baynes, Boris Diaw, and Danny Green.
The Spurs have maintained their dominance despite their big three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker all getting time off to rest and considering the play of their starters, the improvement of their depth players, and the coaching ability of Popovich it’s impossible to overlook San Antonio as a true NBA title contender again this season.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (+750)
On the strength of seven straight wins, Oklahoma City has pulled within a half-game of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They’ve moved to 9-1 over their past 10 games with both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook back healthy and playing at an elite level. The Thunder are 7.5 games back of Houston and Portland for third and fourth in the standings and while it will be tough to close that gap, there is still plenty of time for them to inch closer to not only a postseason spot but home court advantage – if they can stay hot. There is little doubt at this point that a healthy Oklahoma City team will make the playoffs and once they get in, will be a nightmare matchup for the team they play in the opening round.
T-5. Chicago Bulls (+1,000)
Even if Derrick Rose is healthy there are legitimate doubts about whether he can still play at an MVP level and that should be a concern for a Chicago team that will heavily rely on him come playoff time. The arrival of Pau Gasol and development of Jimmy Butler has been key to their success this season, and head coach Tom Thibodeau understands how to put his players in the right position to get the most out of them. The Bulls are one of five teams in the NBA right now that ranks in the top-five in both offensive and defensive efficiency and they also have the benefit of being the best road team in the conference by a wide margin at 11-4 as the visitors. Rose needs to stay healthy but at this point both Gasol and Butler are just as important to Chicago’s title hopes.
T-5. Memphis Grizzlies (+1,000)
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph have looked dominant so far this season, including a big win over Golden State that served as a statement they are a true NBA title contender. Mike Conley, Courtney Lee, Tony Allen, and Vince Carter have provided enough offense around Gasol and Randolph to help them push the Warriors at the top of the standings.
The Thunder’s has served as a big benefit to a Memphis team that is challenging for the top spot in the west. The Grizzlies have won 12 of their 13 home games and if they can find a way to lock up top spot and home advantage for the playoffs, it would be a major boost for a team that is already potentially good enough to win it all.
7. Dallas Mavericks (+1,200)
Dallas has posted excellent efficiency numbers, a 19-8 record that has them within 3.5 games of top spot in the Western Conference, and now they’ve acquired Rajon Rondo. Those are all good things but still not enough to compensate for the fact that the Mavericks are 0-5 against Western Conference teams that are in a playoff position. The Mavericks can beat up on the teams below them in the standings all they want but it won’t matter nearly as much until they start winning games against the teams they could potentially match up against come playoff time.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (+1,400)
Every time that Blake Griffin throws down a massive one-handed slam on a nice behind the back pass from Chris Paul, it brings fans to their feet and has them talking about how good the Clippers look this season. Blake Griffin is one of only three players over the past 10 seasons to score 45 points in a game and score a buzzer-beating winner, and he continues to hit big shots. Still, Los Angeles hasn’t been able to get the job done in the playoffs the last two seasons and unless they make a serious climb in the standings, they probably won’t climb the NBA Power Rankings. The Clippers are a bonafide playoff team but there is still little reason to think they can beat the Warriors, Spurs, or Grizzlies as the lower seed in a playoff series.
9. Houston Rockets (+1,600)
It’s somewhat surprising that Houston hasn’t inched up the rankings after posting an 8-3 record without Dwight Howard – especially when you consider that James Harden has played at an MVP level. Trevor Ariza has filled the hole left by Chandler Parsons while Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones have both really bought in, but the Rockets still aren’t considered in the same class as teams like Golden State and San Antonio. That will change if Howard can stay healthy now and Houston can lock up one of the top seeds in the Western Conference.
10. Toronto Raptors (+2,000)
Kyle Lowry has taken his game to another level with DeMar DeRozan out and it will be hard to ignore him as an All-Star player this time around. Lou Williams and Greivis Vasquez have also been very good and Toronto will be very deep when DeRozan gets back healthy. That said, the Raptors could benefit from upgrading their big men with Jonas Valanciunas, Amir Johnson, and little else right now. Another tough loss to Cleveland hurts in terms of both confidence and the fact that the Raptors are battling the Cavaliers for a top seed in the Eastern Conference.
T-11. Portland Trailblazers (+2,500)
T-11. Washington Wizards (+2,500)
12. Atlanta Hawks (+3,300)
13. Miami Heat (+7,500)
T-15. Brooklyn Nets (+10,000)
T-15. New Orleans Pelicans (+10,000)
T-15. Phoenix Suns (+10,000)
T-15. Sacramento Kings (+10,000)
