The NBA is off to a rolling start and the power rankings had one major change this week as one of the favorites tumbled down the list due to a terrible injury. That’s the Boston Celtics, who lost Gordon Hayward for an indefinite period of time. The Golden State Warriors have already lost two games this season but they are still at the top of the power rankings, clearly ahead of everyone else. They’ll have to pick up the pace, though, as two other teams in the Western Conference are still undefeated: the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers. Coincidentally, both teams are in play for Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe. His trade could make a significant shift in the power rankings but until then, here is the latest look at how the odds makers rank the teams.
1. Golden State Warriors
Last Week: 1
NBA Title Odds: -250
The Warriors (3-2) had a busy start as they lost at home to Houston and in Memphis, and they also won in New Orleans and Dallas, along with at home against Toronto. This week will see the Warriors at home against Washington and Detroit, and then visiting the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio. Stephen Curry is averaging 29.2 points and 5.6 assists to start the season, while Kevin Durant isn’t far behind at 25.0 points and 7.6 boards as the Warriors are second in the NBA in points per game.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last Week: 2
NBA Title Odds: +400
The Cavaliers (3-2) won at home over Boston and Chicago, and in Milwaukee, but they lost at home to Orlando as well as in Brooklyn. Next, the Cavaliers will visit New Orleans, and return home to host New York and Indiana. Lebron James put up 27.6 points, 9.0 assists and 7.4 rebounds over the first week of the season, while Kevin Love is next with 17.2 points and 11.2 rebounds for the Cavaliers.
3. San Antonio Spurs
Last Week: 4
NBA Title Odds: +1200
The Spurs (4-0) have won their first four games at home over Minnesota and Toronto, as well as in Chicago and Miami. The Spurs will stay on the road to visit Orlando, Indiana and Boston, and then it is back home to host Golden State. Kawhi Leonard has yet to play a game because of a quadriceps injury, but LaMarcus Aldridge has averaged 26.0 points and 8.8 rebounds through four games. The Spurs are also second in the NBA in points allowed. They are one of two teams left undefeated so far this season.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Week: 5
NBA Title Odds: +1200
The Thunder (2-2) won at home over New York and Indiana, but they have lost at home to Minnesota and in Utah, and then this week sees a three-game road trip to Minnesota, Chicago and Milwaukee as well as a home game against Boston. Russell Westbrook has averaged 21.5 points, 12.8 assists and 9.5 boards to start the season, while Carmelo Anthony leads the team in scoring with 24.8 points per game as the Thunder tries to work Anthony and Paul George into the lineup with Westbrook.
5. Houston Rockets
Last Week: 6
NBA Title Odds: +1400
The Rockets (4-1) won at Golden State, Sacramento and Philadelphia, as well as at home over Dallas, and they lost at home to Memphis. This week, the Rockets will visit Memphis, Charlotte, Atlanta and New York, and they’ll host Philadelphia. Houston lost Chris Paul to a knee injury for a few weeks after the season opener against the Warriors, but James Harden has averaged 26.4 points and 9.6 assists, while Eric Gordon is chipping in with 24.6 points for the Rockets, who lead the NBA in three-point attempts per game, but they’re the second-worst team in the league in terms of three-point shooting percentage.
6. Boston Celtics
Last Week: 3
NBA Title Odds: +3000
The Celtics (2-2) lost at Cleveland and at home to Milwaukee, but rebounded for wins in Philadelphia and at home over New York. They’ll head to Milwaukee and Miami next and then host San Antonio and Sacramento. Kyrie Irving has put up 20.0 points and 6.0 assists for the Celtics, who have six players averaging double figures to make up for the loss of Gordon Hayward, who is out for the season after a brutal ankle injury in the season opener in Cleveland.
7. Washington Wizards
Last Week: 8
NBA Title Odds: +3500
The Wizards (3-1) won at home over Philadelphia and Detroit, and then they won in Denver before losing in Los Angeles to the Lakers. They’ll visit Golden State and Sacramento before returning home to host Phoenix and Cleveland. Bradley Beal put up 24.5 points over the first week, while John Wall has 22.8 points and 9.8 assists for the Wizards, who will look to overtake the Celtics in the Eastern Conference.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Last Week: 7
NBA Title Odds: +5000
The Timberwolves (2-3) lost in San Antonio and Detroit, and at home to Indiana, while beating Utah at home and Oklahoma City on the road. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging a double-double with 23.2 points and 10.4 rebounds, and Andrew Wiggins is next with 20.4 points for the Timberwolves, who are fifth-worst in the NBA when it comes to points allowed per game.
9. Milwaukee Bucks
Last Week: 9
NBA Title Odds: +6000
The Bucks (3-1) won at Boston and at home over Portland and Charlotte, while they lost at home to Cleveland. They’ll host the Celtics this week, along with Oklahoma City and road games in Atlanta and Charlotte. Giannis Antetokounmpo is off to an MVP-like start with 36.8 points (which leads the league so far), 10.8 rebounded and 5.3 assists, along with 2.2 steals. Reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon is averaging 16.0 points for the Bucks.
10. Portland Trail Blazers
Last Week: —
NBA Title Odds: +8000
The Trailblazers (3-1) won in Phoenix and Indiana, as well as at home against New Orleans, but they lost in Milwaukee. The Trailblazers are at home for most of the week as they host the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers, Toronto and Phoenix, and they’ll visit Utah as well. C.J. McCollum was suspended for the season opener, but he is averaging 25.7 points, while Damian Lillard is next with 21.0 points and 5.8 assists for the Trailblazers, who are second in the NBA in point differential and three-point shooting percentage.
The 2017-18 NBA is well underway. It’s been a wild offseason already, but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest NBA betting lines right here.
