The Golden State Warriors reaffirmed their position as the best team in the NBA by improving to 16-2 this past week and the scariest part about their success is that they are only starting to tap in to their elite potential. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers dropped a spot in our power rankings after hitting their first slump of the season while the Toronto Raptors climbed in to our top-five list by leapfrogging the Atlanta Hawks. Here is a look at the top-five teams in the NBA right now.
1. Golden State Warriors (16-3)
Last Week: 1
NBA Championship Odds: -120
Don’t look now but the Warriors have won 12 in a row and they have recorded 30 or more assists in almost all of those victories. That is a testament to how quickly they have developed their chemistry with Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry in particular both averaging at least 26.0 points per game this season. Golden State also ranks second in block shots and seventh in defensive efficiency so they are clearly getting the job done at both ends of the floor right now. The Warriors entered this season as the obvious sports betting favorites to win an NBA title and their excellent start has only reinforced that notion.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-5)
Last Week: 2
NBA Championship Odds: +300
The defending NBA champions took their place atop the Eastern Conference with four straight wins before finally dropping a 118-101 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in which they simply looked disinterested. That has largely been the case for Cleveland so far this season as they can dominate when focused but might be bored with regular season basketball. As it stands, the Cavaliers still need to clinch the best record in the Eastern Conference in order to earn home court advantage for the playoffs but that shouldn’t be a problem as long as they can stay healthy. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love continue to improve their chemistry and they haven’t had to do it all on their own this season with Channing Frye, J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson all pitching in up front.
3. San Antonio Spurs (16-4)
Last Week: 4
NBA Championship Odds: +750
The Spurs extended their perfect start on the road to 11-0 and suddenly they are right behind the Warriors in the Western Conference playoff race at 15-4 on the season. Kawhi Leonard has averaged 24.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game this season and while there is no doubt that this is his team now he has received some strong support from LaMarcus Aldridge as well as Patty Mills and Pau Gasol. San Antonio might not deserve to be in the same category as Golden State and Cleveland just yet but they are certainly well on their way following a relatively slow start to the season.
4. Los Angeles Clippers (16-5)
Last Week: 3
NBA Championship Odds: +1400
The Clippers pace was bound to eventually slow down a little bit and they fall one spot in our power rankings after dropping three in a row. Los Angeles spend an extra day in Dallas following their win over the Mavericks to do some team bonding and it will be interesting to see if that decision has a positive long-term impact because the team has dropped three in a row since including a brutal 127-122 double-overtime loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Doc Rivers stole the headlines with his recent sideline explosion but the reality is it doesn’t make sense to panic about LA’s situation after they finally suffered their first poor stretch of the season since it was bound to happen eventually. The core talent and leadership on this team are still among the best in the NBA so it won’t be long before the Clippers bounce back.
5. Toronto Raptors (13-6)
Last Week: –
NBA Championship Odds: +3300
Toronto leapfrogged Atlanta in to the final spot on this list following a four-game win streak that left them right behind the Cavaliers at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. The Raptors have averaged 155.5 points per game during their current run which included road wins at Houston and Milwaukee and it appears as though they are once again primed to be Cleveland’s top competition in the East. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry will continue to lead the way but Toronto is also getting valuable contributions from Jonas Valanciunas, Terrence Ross and DeMarre Carroll and that has made the biggest difference as they continue to show improvement with each passing week this season.
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