NBA Power Rankings |
RK (LW) | Team | Record | Next Game |
1 () | Miami Heat | 0-0 | The returning NBA Champions are looking for a three-peat. With LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh all back, is there really any doubt that they can't pull it off? |
2 () | San Antonio Spurs | 0-0 | San Antonio nearly won the title last year, but a miracle Ray Allen three sent the Finals to Game 7, where Miami prevailed. Can San Antonio push for one last title for Duncan? |
3 () | Indiana Pacers | 0-0 | The Pacers were one game away from shocking the world and knocking the Heat out of the playoffs in the ECF. With the evolution of Paul George and a healthy Danny Granger returning, can they take the next step? |
4 () | Oklahoma City Thunder | 0-0 | OKC's season was over when Russell Westbrook went down, but with Westbrook back and healthy, Kevin Durant and the Thunder are once again contenders in the West. |
5 () | Houston Rockets | 0-0 | After scoring defensive juggernaut Dwight Howard in free agency, the Rockets are now considered big-time players in the league. Can James Harden establish himself as a superstar in the NBA? |
6 () | Chicago Bulls | 0-0 | Derrick Rose is back. More than a year removed from his ACL tear in the 2012 playoffs, and after missing the entire 2012-2013 season, Rose is returning on opening night. |
7 () | Brooklyn Nets | 0-0 | Brooklyn now has arguably the most star-studded lineup in the league. The problem is that they are aging stars. Regardless, they should be a major threat to the Heat come Playoff time. |
8 () | Memphis Grizzlies | 0-0 | Memphis was swept by a white-hot Spurs team in the WCF, but they are still a fantastic defensive-minded team. That being said, can they score? |
9 () | Golden State Warriors | 0-0 | What a turnaround for the Warriors. Golden State has a budding superstar in Steph Curry, and a legitimate stud in Andre Iguodala. With their well-rounded roster, anything is possible. |
10 () | Los Angeles Clippers | 0-0 | The Clippers have a bonafide head coach in Doc Rivers, a superstar point guard in Chris Paul, and an awesome bench. Defensively, they may struggle. |
11 () | Denver Nuggets | 0-0 | Even with the loss of Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets are a dangerous Run and Gun team. Rookie head coach Brian Shaw will be tested early, though, with this young roster. How will Danilo Gallinari respond to his injury last season? |
12 () | Dallas Mavericks | 0-0 | Dirk Nowitzki came back a little too late for the Mavs last season, but boy did he look good as he almost lead them to the 8th seed in the West. With a legit scorer on the wing in Monta Ellis, is Dallas a contender again? |
13 () | Washington Wizards | 0-0 | After trading for former Sun Marcin Gortat, the Wizards now have a solid lineup in the Eastern Conference. They should be a lock for the playoffs, but can they make some noise? |
14 () | Minnesota Timberwolves | 0-0 | The T-Wolves have a healthy Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio for the first time in forever, and after adding scorer Kevin Martin, the Wolves are primed for the playoffs. Now if only they could stay healthy... |
15 () | New York Knicks | 0-0 | May the defensive woes continue for New York, but they should score. A lot. If Amare Stoudemire can ever return to at least a sliver of his form from his prime, they should be solid. |
16 () | Cleveland Cavaliers | 0-0 | Cleveland is now on the up-and-up. Kyrie Irving is a serious star, and Andrew Bynum is cleared and ready to go for the Cavs. With another 1st overall pick in Anthony Bennett, the Cavs have talent. |
17 () | Portland Trailblazers | 0-0 | Last season, Portland's bench was atrocious. But after adding Mo Williams, C.J. McCollum, Thomas Robinson, and Dorell Wright, they suddenly have team with depth. About time. |
18 () | Detroit Pistons | 0-0 | The Pistons might have the best frontcourt in the NBA in Josh Smith, Greg Monroe, and Andre Drummond, but offensively, the team could be a mess with Brandon Jennings running the show. They should be fun to watch, though. |
19 () | New Orleans Pelicans | 0-0 | The Pelicans have a new name and a decent team. They should compete for the 8th seed in the playoffs behind Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis, but the importance is the future for this team. |
20 () | Los Angeles Lakers | 0-0 | Somehow, some way, Kobe Bryant has been cleared for takeoff for the season opener. However, will he have enough talent in L.A. to take the Lakers to the playoffs? |
21 () | Boston Celtics | 0-0 | Boston traded away Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and kind of Doc Rivers for a load of young players and draft picks. Obviously they are looking to the future, but we'll see what Rajon Rondo says to that. |
22 () | Atlanta Hawks | 0-0 | After adding Paul Millsap to replace Josh Smith, Al Horford will once again play the center role. The Hawks will be a fun team to watch, and they might just sneak into the playoffs in the East. |
23 () | Toronto Raptors | 0-0 | Toronto has plenty of talent, but the problem is their chemistry. Rudy Gay and Demar DeRozan are supreme athletes but inconsistent scorers. However, they still have a shot for the playoffs. |
24 () | Charlotte Bobcats | 0-0 | The Charlotte Bobcats are finally beginning to resemble a basketball team, as they have added arguably the best low-post scorer in the league in Al Jefferson. Cody Zeller will join him in the frontcourt, and Charlotte has a chance in the wide-open East. |
25 () | Sacramento Kings | 0-0 | The Kings are all-in on center DeMarcus Cousins, but is that a good thing? Cousins has talent, but he has an attitude as well. This Kings team should be somewhat competitive, regardless. |
26 () | Phoenix Suns | 0-0 | The Suns have just traded away one of their best players in Marcin Gortat, but the backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe might make up for that alone. |
27 () | Milwakee Bucks | 0-0 | Milwaukee has a mix of youth and experience, but how will O.J. Mayo do as the number 1 option? They probably won't make the playoffs, but they'll be interesting. |
28 () | Orlando Magic | 0-0 | Orlando has the favorite for the Rookie of the Year in Victor Oladipo, but that won't save them from being bad this year. |
29 () | Utah Jazz | 0-0 | Utah has decided to give the young guys a shot, which is great, but it seems they forgot to replace the guys that they let go this offseason. Their bench will be abysmal. |
30 () | Philadelphia 76ers | 0-0 | Philadelphia struck out on the Andrew Bynum trade, and now they're starting from scratch. Rookies Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel have a chance to make a big impact. |