The NBA is through one month of action and we have some surprising results at the top of each conference. In the Western Conference, it’s nothing too shocking with the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors in the top two spots, but the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies are in third and fourth place. Teams like the Portland Trail Blazers are .500 or worse while teams like the Denver Nuggets would be in the playoffs if they started today.
In the East, the Gordon Hayward-less Boston Celtics just can’t lose. They have now won 10 straight games – even as injuries pile up. Kyrie Irving will miss the team’s next game but he’s played at an MVP-like candidate. If you were thinking that the Cleveland Cavaliers would be in second place, that’s incorrect. The Detroit Pistons are in second with a record 9-3. They have won four straight and eight of their last 10. The Orlando Magic are in third with a record of 8-4. With that in mind, let’s have a look at this week’s power rankings.
1. Golden State Warriors
Last Week: 1
NBA Title Odds: -200
The Warriors (9-3) beat San Antonio and Denver on the road this week, and then Miami and Minnesota at home. They’ll host Philadelphia and Orlando next, and then head to Boston. The Warriors won all four games by an average of 20 points, and they lead the NBA in point differential at +11.2, and they have won five in a row overall. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant rank eighth and 10th in the NBA in points scored, respectively, and the Warriors have scored 100 points or more in 11 of their first 12 games.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last Week: 2
NBA Title Odds: +500
The Cavaliers (5-6) beat Washington on the road, then they defeated Milwaukee and lost to Atlanta, both at home. This week, the Cavaliers will head to Houston, Dallas, New York and Charlotte. LeBron James averaged 37.7 points, 9.7 assists and 8.0 rebounds over the last week, but the Cavaliers are still 28th in the league in points allowed. No team in the league is being more scrutinized than the Cavaliers right now, and it boils down to their inability to stop anyone on the defensive end of the floor.
3. Houston Rockets
Last Week: 5
NBA Title Odds: +1000
The Rockets (8-3) beat Atlanta on the road and Utah at home, which is where they stay this week to host Cleveland, Memphis and Toronto, while visiting Indiana and Phoenix. The Rockets played two games, averaging 128.0 points. James Harden averaged 42.5 points and 12.0 assists in those two games, and he is now third in the league in scoring, just ahead of James. The Rockets are also still without Chris Paul for a couple more weeks, but Harden has proven time and time again that he can carry the load for the Rockets.
4. San Antonio Spurs
Last Week: 3
NBA Title Odds: +1200
The Spurs (7-4) won three home games this week against Charlotte, Phoenic and the Los Angeles Clippers, and they’ll host Milwaukee and Chicago next week, also well as visits to Dallas and Minnesota. LaMarcus Aldridge continues to impress in the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who is behind in his rehab. Aldridge is averaging 22.6 points and 8.3 rebounds so far this season.
5. Boston Celtics
Last Week: 6
NBA Title Odds: +1500
The Celtics (10-2) won in Oklahoma City, Orlando and Atlanta, as well as at home over the Los Angeles Lakers. They’ll host Charlotte, Toronto and Golden State this week, and they’ll also visit Brooklyn. The Celtics have now won 10 in a row overall, and they are tops in the league in terms of points allowed. They’re second in the NBA in point differential at +9.2, but Al Horford might be out for a few games with a concussion.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Week: 4
NBA Title Odds: +1500
The Thunder (4-6) lost at home to Boston, and then on the road in Portland and Sacramento. They’ll head to Denver next, and then it is back home to host the Clippers, Dallas and Chicago. The Oklahoma City offense faltered this week, averaging 93.0 points and they’re 24th in the NBA in points scored as they’re still trying to figure out how to get Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George working together in the same offense.
7. Washington Wizards
Last Week: 7
NBA Title Odds: +3500
The Wizards (5-5) lost at home to Cleveland and Dallas this week, but they won in Toronto. They’ll stay home next week to host the Lakers, Atlanta and Sacramento, and they’ll play the first half of a home-and-home in Miami as well. In the game they won, the Wizards allowed 96 points and in their two losses, they allowed an average of 121.5 points. The Wizards are currently 24th in the NBA in points allowed.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Last Week: 9
NBA Title Odds: +5000
The Timberwolves (7-4) won at home over Dallas and Charlotte, but they lost at Golden State and they’ll stay on the road to head to Phoenix and Utah before returning home to host San Antonio. The Timberwolves averaged 96.5 points allowed in their two wins, but they allowed 125 points to the Warriors in their loss. The defense is always going to be the key for the Timberwolves this season if they want to move up in the tough Western Conference.
9. Milwaukee Bucks
Last Week: 10
NBA Title Odds: +6000
The Bucks (4-6) lost in Detroit and Cleveland, and they’ll travel to San Antonio next before going back home to host the Lakers, Memphis and Detroit. The Bucks also pulled off a big trade as they got Eric Bledsoe from Phoenix for Greg Monroe, a protected first-round pick and a protected second-round pick in 2018. The Bucks are trying to get more help for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who continues to lead the league in scoring with 31.9 points, as well as adding 9.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
10. Toronto Raptors
Last Week: —
NBA Title Odds: +6500
The Raptors (6-4) won in Utah and at home over Chicago, but they lost to Washington, also at home. They’ll stay home to host New Orleans and then head on the road to visit Boston, Houston and New Orleans. DeMar DeRozan averaged 29.0 points for the Raptors this week, and they’re eighth in the NBA in points per game. They’re also 12th in the league in points allowed, which is a solid balance in an Eastern Conference that seems like it is up for grabs right now.
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.
