NBA Power Rankings Week 1

NBA Power Rankings

With Willy J

    Believe it or not it has been a full week of NBA Games so I'm going to make my Power Rankings as of the first week of the NBA. Although I used records to determine this, I did not use it to completely decide it. I also used how many points they scored and allowed per game, and also their point differential.

1. Chicago Bulls (3-0)
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0)
3. Los Angeles Clippers (3-0)
4. San Antonio Spurs (4-1)
5. Atlanta Hawks (3-0)
6. Detroit Pistons (3-1)
7. Golden State Warriors (3-1)
8. Toronto Raptors (2-1)
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0)
10. Charlotte Hornets (2-1)
11. Boston Celtics (2-1)
12. Houston Rockets (2-2)
13. Miami Heat (2-2)
14. Indiana Pacers (2-2)
15. Portland Trail Blazers (2-2)
16. Utah Jazz (2-2)
17. Milwaukee Bucks (2-2)
18. Memphis Grizzlies (2-2)
19. Sacramento Kings (2-3)
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-2)
21. Denver Nuggets (1-2)
22. New York Knicks (1-2)
23. Brooklyn Nets (1-3)
24. Los Angeles Lakers (1-3)
25. Orlando Magic (1-3)
26. Dallas Mavericks (0-3)
27. New Orleans Pelicans (0-4)
28. Phoenix Suns (0-4)
29. Washington Wizards (0-2)
30. Philadelphia 76ers (0-3)

Questions Of The Week 10/31-11/6

1. Will Russell Westbrook and his team's motivation to beat KD allow the Thunder to beat the Warriors?

Aaron:  Russell Westbrook has had major games before. He's played some great basketball before. But does Kevin Durant really want to lose this game? Doesn't he have the want to win as well? Westbrook is a great player, but we've learned this from the 2015 NBA finals with LeBron James. You can put up great numbers, but if you you aren't efficient, you're going to have a tough time. And this was a series versus a Warriors team that was struggling. You have to be efficient to beat a team like this. It can be done though. The Wolves last year beat a 73-9 team, you just have to play really efficient basketball, offensively and defensively. 

Willy: Westbrook can do all he can to have the greatest game possible but I just don't see this team beating Golden State. The Thunder barely won games against the Sixers (won by 6 points) and the Suns (won by 3 points) and these are two of the worst teams in the league, so if they barely beat them, imagine playing the Warriors. And just like Aaron put as an example, 2015 NBA Finals LeBron was flat out spectacular but his team as a whole couldn't beat Golden State. So Westbrook will go off but their only chance of winning is if Golden State just can't score, or if Westbrook's teammates step up.

Akshay: We are the ones that determine how determined another team is EVEN THOUGH they almost lost to the Suns and the Sixers?

2. Can Anthony Davis's spectacular performances lead the Pelicans to their first win this week?

Aaron: Of course. They face the Suns and Bucks this weekend. All Davis and the Pelicans have to do is outscore the suns. Greg Monroe isn't the best defensively and Davis will be going at him all night. If they don't get their win there, I think they'll get it versus the Suns.

Willy: Yes, they will have to win at some point and I think they'll beat Phoenix.

Akshay: Anthony Davis is going to get the Pelicans first win this week because of how much effort he puts in. He single handedly willed the Pelicans to almost beating Durant's warriors.

3. Can the Celtics prove that they are still a dominant team in the East?

Aaron: They already are. They lost to a hot Bulls, on a back to back. Avery Bradley has been amazing. This team in my mind is better than last year. So yes, I think they will prove it.

Willy: To me they are, but this week they play some good Eastern Conference teams so they will be able to prove themselves more.

Akshay: The Celtics don't have anything to prove. They are the biggest surprise of the league because of the way the front office handled things. When they traded the big 4, it was thought to be a rebuilding era yet they have managed to exceed expectations. If they win 55 games this year, it's great. If they do not, it's not a big deal.
 

4. Can the Bulls continue their Hot Streak?

Aaron: The Bulls have now won against 2 good teams, however, both of these teams are still getting used to everything. They were both amazing wins and then they dominated the Nets. However, they play the Celtics and the Pacers again this week. This time around, I think the Bulls won't shoot as good and will lose. The Celtics and Pacers have something to prove this week and I think the Bulls are going to be on the receiving end of it.

Willy: Both of the games that they played were at home which definitely plays a factor, and the two games they play Indiana and Boston are on the road. Also when a good team like the Pacers and the Celtics lose they obviously want to beat them the next time especially Division Rivalries like the Pacers, so we will see a different motivated team playing the Bulls. Speaking of motivation, how about Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah's return to Chicago, we will definitely see those two fired up. So I'm really not sure how this week will end up for Chicago, but I think one of these teams will put the three game winning streak to a stop.

Akshay: I don't see Dwyane Wade raining 3 point buckets as he is doing right now. He was 7/44 from behind the arc last season and that's what worries me. The front court toughness isn't present here but their back court has covered for it. Wade is reaching father time and it will start to show soon.

5. Will we see an improved Knicks team?

Aaron: I think we already have. They played a great game against the Grizzlies. This to me was the Knicks playing some good basketball. Are they going to be better this week? Not really. I think this is what you'll see from the Knicks this season.

Willy: The Knicks are slowly getting themselves used to each other and building the chemistry, so it will take time. They do have a tough week, you can say that at least 3 of the 4 teams they are playing will make the playoffs this season which can be a tough schedule. So as far as the record I don't think so, but we will see them play better Basketball.

Akshay: The Knicks are terrible.

6. How dominant will the Cavaliers be this week?

Aaron: The Cavs are a great team. They will dominate 76ers, but the Celtics could be a bump in the road. They sort of remind me of an athletic grit and grind Grizzlies. This is a team that beat the Warriors last season the same way they beat most teams, with great defense and amazing offensive execution. The Cavs will be good, but just not as good as last week. 

Willy: They play two games this week, and honestly they will win both easily. But the game against Boston is not one they should treat like the Sixers game. This Boston team is one of the teams in the East that is looking to take that crown from Cleveland and Cleveland will have a chance to show they are still the top of the East

Akshay: The Cavaliers will be as dominant as LeBron wants them to be. The team is clicking on all cylinders and could compete for 65 games this season. I'm calling it that they will win 67 games.

7. Can the Thunder continue their hot streak?

Aaron: Listen..... the 76ers, Suns, and Lakers are totally different from the Clippers, Warriors, and Wolves. They play the Clippers and Warriors back to back and I think a loss to the Clippers won't mean a whole lot to Westbrook anyways as long as he gets to put in full effort against the Warriors.

Willy: No they will not. You can even say that they will go 0-3 this week. Playing the Clippers, one of the most dominant teams in the West, will not go well. Playing Golden State, is an expected loss, but you never know. And playing the young Timberwolves team who are much different than last year. So at the end of week we could see them at 3-3 and wouldn't be surprised.

Akshay: The thunder will not continue their hot streak. If you ask me, this isn't even a hot streak. They beat up on three of the four worst teams of last season and barely won those. It was a 4 point game late in the Lakers game in which the inexperienced lakers let it slip away. They went to overtime with Phoenix which shouldn't happen if you consider yourself to be on a streak.

8. Who will win the first battle for the 2nd spot in the West, the Spurs or the Clippers?

Aaron: Spurs. Who has the best defensive player in the league? Spurs. Who has the best bench in the league? Probably the Spurs. This team is amazing offensively and defensively. Pau has had an instant impact and fits right in. And to top that off, Kawhi is playing better than he ever has. And why are we talking about 2nd seed? I think the Spurs have a shot at the first. This is the best we've seen the Spurs in a few years.

Willy: I see the Spurs taking the first game. Only because of what we saw them do to the Warriors, who are viewed as the Number One team. Also Kawhi and the Spurs are ripping right through their opponents and are undefeated, just like the Clippers, so expect a close one.

Akshay: The Clippers will win the battle for the second spot. Blake Griffin is playing like a monster. If he can be the Griffin of the 2015 playoffs, he can be a dark horse MVP contender.

9. Can Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis continue their stellar performances?

Aaron: We are honestly going to see amazing play from Westbrook all year. He's going to be very inefficient and you'll see the numbers. Davis on the other hand will decline. Guys will come back, and when they start to lose too many game, Davis won't try as hard. Simple. 

Willy: Yes. Although Westbrook is playing two of the best point guards this week, there is really no stopping him. And he is really their main Offensive player so he will get the ball the most and get the great stats. Same with Anthony Davis, he is their main player and really their only player on his team with his amazing talent.

Akshay: No, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis can not continue this. They are playing out if this world but that's going to stop soon. Their legs won't stay under them if they keep doing this.

10. How will Playoff pictures be affected?

Aaron: The Bulls, Thunder, and Knicks will start to drop. The Warriors, Wolves, Wizards, and Pacers will start to climb.

Willy: A lot of the playoff teams are playing other teams in their conference, so this week we will get to see a glimpse of who is better than who.

Akshay: The playoff picture will look almost the same as people predict. It's not like there has been a surprise team so far this season. The Blazers might take the third or fourth seed and that's the biggest shakeup so far.

Top NBA Games Of The Week 10/31-11/6

TOP GAMES OF THE WEEK

With Willy J

November 1st

Rockets @ Cavaliers 6:00 PM ET

This game is very important James Harden and the Rockets to test them on how good this team really is facing one of the Top Teams in the League. 

November 2nd

Bulls @ Celtics 8:00 PM ET

This is an important game for both teams. The Celtics look to seek revenge and prove they are still one of the dominant teams in the East. While if the Bulls win this game they will put a huge boost on their Playoff chances, already beating two of the Elite Eastern Teams

Thunder @ Clippers 10:30 PM ET

This game is chance for the Oklahoma City Thunder to prove that they are prepared to face the challenging West Teams without Kevin Durant, since this the Thunder's first legitimate challenge this season

November 3rd

Celtics @ Cavaliers 8:00 PM ET

This is a game vital for Boston to prove that they can put up a fight against the reigning NBA and Eastern Conference Champs. While the Cavaliers can show that they still are the Best in the East

Thunder @ Warriors 10:30 PM ET

Who doesn't want to see this game. Kevin Durant going against his former team,

 Russell Westbrook, who has become a whole other beast, going against his former teammate. Not only that but the Thunder were defeated by the Warriors in the Playoffs. You can already feel the tension and excitement!

November 4th

Hawks @ Wizards 7:00 PM ET

Both of these teams are going to be in the race for playoff spots can prove how they play against the other teams running for the Playoffs

Knicks @ Bulls 8:00 PM ET

Another exciting game. We can expect a big rivalry from these teams that was formed in the 90's come back to life again. Both teams made a big trade this summer sending former MVP Derrick Rose to the Knicks so Derrick Rose will play against his former Home Crowd. Not only that, but both teams are being viewed as the bottom Playoff teams so we can expect these two teams to be fighting for Playoff Spots

November 5th

Bulls @ Pacers 7:00 PM ET

Both teams played a few nights ago and Chicago blew them out. Indiana can prove here that they are still Top Four in the East. Not only that but they can prove that they are still best in the Division. While if Chicago wins and beats Boston, we can definitely view them as one of the Top Teams in the East

Clippers @ Spurs 8:30 PM ET

This game will tell us a lot about how the Western Conference will set up. These two teams are going to be the teams fighting for 2nd in the West and hope to beat the Warriors in the Playoffs, so this game will give us an idea of who is Top 2 in the West

This week as we can see will prove a lot of things about a lot of teams and how they will fare out in their Conferences

Harrison Barnes Is Going To Be A Star Player

By Matthew Addie - https://www.flickr.com/photos/heelsports/8541868627/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26073051

This summer, the Dallas Mavericks signed Harrison Barnes after most of the big name players were taken. Many people have said that Harrison Barnes is overpaid and cannot lead a team or be a big name player. In this article, we see whether this is true or not.

While only 2 games have been played in this regular season, Harrison Barnes has looked solid, averaging 25 PPG, 7 RPG, and only 1.5 Turnovers per game in these 2 contests. Compare that to his career average of just a little over 10 PPG, and it looks pretty impressive. Barnes has also managed to shoot 56.8% from the field and 50% from the 3-point line in these games.

While these numbers are solid, this has been two games, which both happen to be losses, and have no reason to justify that he could lead a team, right? Well, let's take a look at the Rockets vs Mavericks game. Barnes had 31 points in this 8 point loss. James Harden had 26. And while Barnes did struggle defensively on Ariza, he still managed to have a great night while having the most points out of anyone in that game.


Take a look at the game vs the Pacers and it tells a whole different story. Barnes was outscored by Dirk Nowitzki, Deron Williams, J.J. Barea, Paul George, Myles Turner, and Jeff Teague. However, Barnes did hit the shot to put the game into overtime. While he was good, he certainly wasn't great. This proves that Barnes's game was just a really good game for him right, he can't possibly do this on a regular basis right?


Well, let's take a look at how Barnes is scoring these points. Interestingly enough, Barnes has gone into Isolation about 14% of the time in these two games. While he obviously hasn't taken that many shots in isolation, he is 4th in points in isolation so far. He's only behind Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, and Damian Lillard. Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving however, have played 3 games, while Barnes has only played 2. And you may think Barnes has gone into isolation, but he can't possibly be making the shots. WRONG! Barnes has been 6 for 6 in isolation so far which means he's been perfect in isolation situations. Of course as the season continues, this will change, but he's obviously been great in iso so far. In fact, he's been better than Kawhi in isolation in not only efficiency, but he's scored more often than Kawhi in iso as well. While he's been better just catching and shooting, Barnes has shown that he can still shoot over 50% no matter how many dribbles he takes.

Harrison Barnes has also been able to shoot no matter how close the defender is to him. When a defender has been within 2-4 ft of Barnes he's hit 46.7% of his shots, and it only increases from there.

Now I know what you're thinking, Barnes has played 2 games this season, 2 games! You can't take two game to prove a point. But this isn't Barnes being left wide open to score his career high, this is him taking the ball and wanting to score. And while it's only been 2 games, he's doing it very efficiency and more than lots of NBA stars. Not to mention, Barnes is 24 years old. He still has room to grow. If he can hit isolation shots in 2 games, can't he do it in more, and if he's only 24 can't he only get better at them. It may be 2 games, but Harrison Barnes is looking like a promising player. He's been around guys like Klay, Steph, and Iggy. He knows how to improve and get to that level. And so far, it looks like Barnes is on the right track.

How The New Players On The Warriors Have To Change

By Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA - Kevin Durant, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

A team doesn't just win 73 games by being amazing players. They win because of their offense and defense. They win by doing what works. But when new players come in, things can change. Here's how guys like Kevin Durant and Zaza Pachulia must adapt to the Warriors offense.

Last year, the Warriors lead the league in points coming off an off-ball screen with 1139 points that season. The Thunder on the other had were 17th with only 411 of their points coming off of off-ball screens. Durant is going to have to get used to always coming off of screens. It's not about just getting open, it's about getting in  the best position to score right off of the screen. The Warriors are always moving, and Steve Kerr wants to cut down in isolation this year. KD needs to be moving all the time. In fact, the Warriors also lead the league in points off of cuts with 1225 points. OKC had 892. To get these wide open looks, isn't a talent thing, it's a movement thing. The whole team gets points by players cutting, something that KD has to get used to.

Zaza has to get used to playing more high post. The Dallas Mavericks last year had an offense that really revolved around the low post. The Warriors were at the bottom in those terms. Andrew Bogut and the other bigs for the Warriors started up top behind the three point line, made a pass, then would go to set a screen for someone to come back up to the top, cut, set a ball screen and then roll. There was very little posting up for the big men in that offense. Zaza isn't going to be able to camp out in the paint this year. He's going to be moving and moving. He will also have to learn how to work the high post like Bogut was able to. Bogut did a lot of work in the high post hitting cutters and doing hand offs. Players would curl off him and he would hand off the ball for wide open layups. The Warriors loved to keep the paint open for baseline cutters so Zaza's going to have to learn how to play outside the paint.

The Warriors' most deadly lineup last year was their small ball lineup. The reason why this lineup was so successful was because of cutting and passing. KD is going to have to learn that it isn't about getting off good shots, it's about getting off the best shot possible. Draymond's ability to move at the 5 made it tough for the big to help on guys like Curry and Thompson, but get back onto Draymond. This made it easier for guys to cut and get to the rim. It also made it so the baseline was open a lot. They'd have most of the offense working behind the 3 point line which would make it easy for cutters to come in baseline. There was very little isolation in this lineup and lots of passing and cutting, something that KD isn't that used to. The bigs are his friends, they are going to get him open, and he's going to have to help them by moving and hitting them while they are moving.


It's not just the new players that have to adapt though. Curry is going to have to realize he can't go into isolation as much. But KD is on a totally new team with a totally different offense, and him and Zaza have some changes to make.

Washington Wizards: Stability

By Keith Allison - Flickr: Bradley Beal, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

The Washington Wizards had a very disappointing season last year. This was due to injuries and locker room problems. They would have amazing games, like the game when they destroyed the Cavs but they just had some really really bad games. Another reason why the Wizards had a tough time was probably because of Coach Randy Whitman's want to play small. This took Nene Hilario out of the starting lineup and it didn't really lead to good results. Nene was a great veteran leader who brought tons of energy to the starting lineup. Kris Humphris really wasn't the best suited to start. Nene was top 5 on the Wizards in offensive rating and top 3 in defensive. On the other hand, Kris was 14th on the team for offensive rating and 15th in defensive rating! How did he start over Nene?! No clue.

Okay, now that we see the reasoning for the Wizards problems, we can now take a look at how they've been sort of solved. First, Bradley Beal was given a max contract. Now, people are complaining that Beal didn't deserve this because of injuries. First off, there is plenty of money to go around. Second, if the Wizards lose Beal, what does this do? It would probably send the Wizards back into the lottery. This not only puts the team back to a losing record, but this sends a bad message to John Wall about the direction of the team and could very well send John Wall packing. The signing of Bradley Beal wasn't just to keep Beal happy but to also keep John Wall happy.

Next, Bradley Beal and John Wall put aside their differences. Beal and Wall both acknowledged that they aren't too fond of each other at times and seem to both want to be the star of the team. However, in an interview with CSN Mid-Atlantic, Beal said, "It’s tough because we’re both alphas. It’s always tough when you have two guys who firmly believe in themselves, who will bet on themselves against anybody else, who want to be that guy. We both can be that guy. Sometimes I think we both lose sight of the fact that we need each other. I wouldn’t be in the situation I’m in without John. John wouldn’t be in the situation he’s in without me, without the rest of the team. It goes hand-in-hand so it’s kind of a pride thing. We got to (hash) out our pride, figure out what our goals are individually, help each other achieve those goals, figure out what our team goal is, where do we see ourselves five years from now, 10 years from now and go from there." As you can see, Beal wants to play with Wall because he knows he NEEDS to. Hopefully they resolved this issue this summer.

The firing of Randy Whitman lead to the hiring of Scott Brooks. I think Scott Brooks is going to love working with John Wall. He is going to help Wall lead the team like he never has. Combine that with John Wall's amazing passing ability and his defense and you got the next best up and rising point guard in the league. You know he'll love Markieff. Hopefully he can adapt to using screens like the Warriors run in their offense and use that for Bradley Beal and use a lot of pick and roll with John Wall and Marcin Gortat. Kelly Oubre told my mind on sports, "I feel like everyone's bought in (on Scott Brooks' coaching)".


The Wizards also have made some great off-season moves besides the signing of Bradley Beal. Grabbing Trey Burke was huge knowing that they traded almost nothing for him. Burke has proved that he is a very efficient bench scorer in just the little amount of preseason games he has played with the Wizards. And while they did lose Raymond Sessions, who just happens to be one of my favorite players in the league, it is alright since they do have John Wall starting at the point guard slot and Trey Burke won't be asked to run the team. The Wizards also signed Ian Mahinmi who is a great guy to put in defensively. He is a great back up to Gortat and if they want to go big they can put him in for Markieff. They still have bench scorer Marcus Thornton who will bring very efficient scoring to the team off the bench.

The player I'm most interested to see this season off the Wizards bench is Kelly Oubre. He has looked so amazing in the preseason and could even take that starting role from Otto Porter. He is lengthy player and a crafty finisher. He's got a good shot and resemble Kevin Durant in some ways. I think Oubre will be amazing this season and could be a great Most Improved candidate. Oubre might just develop into something special this season.


As you can see, the Wizards look like they have fixed some major problems this season. While this doesn't fix injuries or anything, if they catch a break, they could get back into the second round of the playoffs once again.

The Indiana Pacers: Putting Together The Pieces Of The Puzzle

By File:Anthony Tolliver defending Paul George.jpg: joshuak8 derivative work: Chrishmt0423 - → This file has been extracted from another file: Anthony Tolliver defending Paul George.jpg , CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31545591

While a lot of the attention in the offseason has been switched on to the Warriors and the Knick this offseason, the Pacers have been building a masterpiece under the radar. Let's take a look at the significance of the roster they've been putting together.

Jeff Teague- This point guard comes from the 2014-15 coach of the year, Mike Budenholzer who transformed the whole Hawks team. This was a team that was second in defensive rating in the league last season, only falling behind the Spurs. However, as good as this team was, they didn't have a superstar which hurt their chances dearly of scoring when it came to the playoffs. Now Jeff Teague is a guy that likes to get the offense going. He is a fast paced guard. One of the biggest things Teague brings to the floor though, is his shooting. Last year, Monta Ellis had a rough year. The paint was very tight and his offense didn't thrive. Now that Teague, a 40% 3-point shooter and a great player off the dribble, is on the team, this will open up the paint for the rest of the team.

Myles Turner- This guy made his mark in the playoffs last year. He's proven he has a place in the league. His toughness mentality is amazing and you know he'll be learning a lot from big Al Jefferson on toughness. This just might be Myles Turner's break out season as he didn't really have a chance last season to do so. Expect big things from him defensively.

Paul George: He is star of the team. Of course with Paul George, you will know what you're getting out of him, a lot of offense and a lot of defense. With a small forward that can guard guys like KD and LeBron James you know that Pacers are going to have an easier time winning against these elite teams.

Thaddeus Young: This is probably one of the most underrated acquisitions that have happened this off-season. Thaddeus Young is known to be a good solid defender. He is one of the leading power forwards in steals for a few years now. Young has a pretty good post game and can somewhat stretch the floor. But the ability to put the ball on the deck and rebound efficiently from the power forward sport is what stands out. Young is an athletic power forward. He can drive better than most of them. And to top that off, he can rebound. This left handed big men is a big piece since the Pacers lacked good big men last season. Young brings a lot to the table that a lot f power forwards don't have. He cuts and runs the floor. You know him and Teague are going to be having a great time in transition.


Monta Ellis: This year is the year that Monta Ellis has a comeback year. It was rough for him, but for two reason. Number 1, he didn't have many big men to play pick and roll/pop with. This year he has Jefferson and Young. Number 2, with more shooters the paint will be open more. I have a good feeling about Ellis this year.

The Bench: Al Jefferson is going to be the guy to come off the bench to destroy the other team. They are going to ask him to score and rebound. He will be used constantly in pick and roll with Paul George, Monta Ellis, and Jeff Teague a ton.

Aaron Brooks is the guy that I'm so happy they grabbed, besides D.J. Augstine, I think Aaron Brooks is one of the best bench players you could have. This is a guy that is know to be able to shoot and score. But not only can he score, he has a big effect on his teammates. His ability to pass is amazing. The acquisition of Brooks is very important to the success of the Pacers success.

The other players they have, guys like Rodney Stuckey and and C.J. Miles can just flat out score. Glenn Robinson III might be a guy that can really provide a lift offensively as well as Joe Young. They also have a good defensive center in Rakeem Christmas if someone were to go down. Their bench is something that they can count on.

As you can see, the Pacers are on track to win this season. If they can stay healthy, their limit is unknown.  They are going to be a very fast paced team that is going to push tempo. To me, they have a roster that has a chance at taking down the Cavs. I can't wait to see this team in action!