RK LAST WK
1 (3) INDIANA 3-0
After week one, the Pacers have emerged as the league's best defensive team. Roy Hibbert is leading the league with 4.7 blocks per game and Paul George is off to a breakout season with his 25.7ppg after week one. The dynamic duo led their team to a 3-0 start and all off this happened without Danny Granger, who may out of the lineup for another two weeks.
2 (8) HOUSTON 3-0
The Dwight Howard liftoff is cruising at a 35,000 feet altitude with absolute no turbulence early on, as the Rockets jump off to a 3-0 start in week one. James Harden is the NBA's 4th leading scorer at 26ppg and Howard is leading the league in rebounds with 17rpg. This is a long season, but if week one is any indication of what's to come, well, let's just say the future looks bright in Houston.
3 (17) MINNESOTA 3-0
The Timberwolves made the third biggest jump from 17th to 3rd, thanks to their former all star Kevin Love, who averaged a league leading 29.7ppg in week one. Yes, I expected this team to make a push for one of the final playoff seeds in the West, but no, I definitely didn't expect them to be off to such a start.
4 (1) MIAMI 2-2
I expected this team to make a serious push for a 70-win season, but unfortunately they are off to a very mediocre 2-2 start. The reality is, this team is full of themselves and according to Dwyane Wade, have minor chemistry issues, but don't put too much stock into week one. Against the Sixers they came out lackluster and were down 19-0 to start the game, but came all the way back and even took an 8-point lead before eventually losing down the stretch as Lebron went 0-4 from the field with 2 turnovers in the final 2:53 in a game they should have won. In their next game against the Nets, they lost by a point in what was another winnable game in Brooklyn. Regardless of what could have happened, the Heat are off to a slow start and they need to fix it immediately. The Pacers are out to get the best record this season, so that if there is a game 7, it will be in Indiana and not Miami. The Heat better be mindful of this.
5 (6) LA CLIPPERS 2-1
The Clippers followed a surprise loss against the Kobe-less Lakers with back-to-back wins against the surging Warriors and the rebuilding Kings. CP3 was phenomenal against the Warriors, posting 42 points, 15 assists and 5 rebounds and is currently off to a monster year. He's currently leading the league with 12.2apg and is third in points and steals with 27.7ppg and 3.7spg. Obviously I don't expect CP3 to continue averaging those filthy numbers, especially not his current league leading 41.2 PER (Player Efficiency Rating), but by the end of this season, there will be no question who the best point guard in the league is.
6 (7) GOLDEN STATE 2-1
The Clippers needed a career night from Chris Paul in L.A. and that was the recipe needed to defeat the Warriors. Klay Thompson is averaging 25ppg and shooting over 65 percent from the field and his counter part Steph Curry is averaging 23.3ppg and 9apg while also shooting an impressive 56.5 percent from the field. The Warriors may not have the best individual guard, but the Curry-Thompson backcourt is definitely the best in the league and they are both off to great starts this year.
7 (9) OKLAHOMA CITY 2-1
I thought it would take 4-6 weeks for the Thunder to get Russell Westbrook back, but it only took 2 games, because the guy is a true Warrior. Westbrook returned in only the Thunder's third game of the season and scored 21 points in 33 minutes. If he's truly healthy, then the Western Conference just got really interesting. As expected, Durant is one of the league's top scorers after week one and his 29.3ppg is currently second right behind the Wolves Kevin Love's 29.7ppg. The only knock in his game after the first week would be his 1apg average.
8 (16) DALLAS 2-1
I predicted that Dirk Nowitzki will return to his all star form and lead the Mavericks to the playoffs this year, but the Monte Ellis acquisition is going to ensure the Mavericks a playoff berth. So far both players are averaging an identical 23.3ppg and if they continue to average those numbers, the Mavericks will not only make the playoffs, but could be the scariest team in a wide opened Western Conference.
9 (28) SAN ANTONIO 2-1
The Spurs dropped in the rankings due to Tim Duncan chest contusion, but Timmy's a warrior so I expect him to be in the lineup shortly. If any team can bounce back from an epic failure, it's this San Antonio team, but regardless of how well they play this season; and they might even end up with the best record again, I don't see this team getting out of the Western Conference this year.
10 (18) DETROIT 2-1
By next season, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond will be the most dominate post playing teammates, even though some may argue they already are. The duo averaged a combined 29.3ppg, 23.3rpg and 2bpg to lead their team to a 2-1 record to start the season.
11 (28) PHILADELPHIA 3-0
Unlike most pundits who ranked the Sixers last in the rankings to start the season, I felt they were a little better, but definitely not good enough to beat both the Heat and Bulls in the same week. Rookie Michael Carter-Williams had a surprising week averaging 20.7ppg, 9apg and 4.33 steals including nine against the Heat to lead his team to a 3-0 week. He will not continue at that pace, but he will average over 14 shot attempts this season, which should be enough to earn him an all-rookie first team spot.
12 (22) PORTLAND 2-1
LaMarcus Aldridge predicted that his team would make the playoffs this season and started the year putting his money where is mouth is, or stats where his mouth is by averaging 25.7ppg to lead his team to a 2-1 record. However, Aldridge is not the only Blazers who had a good week. Point guard Damian Lillard; the NBA's reigning ROY, is off to a monster second season. He averaged 25ppg, 5.0rpg and 5.3apg in week one and if he and Aldridge maintains those numbers, the Blazers one-two punch may eventually lead them to the playoffs.
13 (4) CHICAGO 1-2
Sometimes you just have to shut up and play ball and Derrick Rose spend the entire preseason and first week of the season doing the opposite. I definitely expect this team to finish with one of the best records in the East, but the Bulls will only go as far as Rose will take them. Rose 14.3ppg and 4.3apg average on a miserable .288 shooting in week one were so bad, that it prompted him to issue yet another statement; an obvious one this time, claiming he's playing bad and takes full responsibility for his team's poor play. Hopefully week one humbled Rose to the point where we will start seeing a better player moving forward.
14 (5) BROOKLYN 1-2
On paper, the Nets have the best starting lineup in the league, but as the famous saying goes, Rome was not built in a day. You have a bunch of veterans that don't want to step on each other's toes, but for this team to be successful, someone will have to take the lead. Will it be new head coach Jason Kidd, or new comer Paul Pierce, or point guard Deron Williams, who handles the ball more than 50 percent of the time? I believe this team will bounce back, but as I stated last week, I don't see them cracking the top 3 in the Eastern Conference.
15 (30) PHOENIX 2-1
I ranked the Suns 30th to start the season, but I underestimated Eric Bledsoe, the Suns newly acquired point guard from the L.A. Clippers. Bledsoe, backed up CP3 last season, but was considered a starting point guard by many pundits including myself and the young fellow is off to a great start. Bledsoe averaged 22ppg and 8.7apg in week one and for the season, I expect him to average 20 or more points and over 9 assist, which should make him a candidate for MIP Award (Most Improved Player). Being realistically though, I still can't imagine the Suns making the playoffs with Bledsoe being their best player.
16 (15) LA LAKERS 2-2
There's nothing new to report out of Lakerland and this probably wouldn't change until Kobe returns. Pau Gasol is averaging 15.8ppg and 11rpg, and shooting guard Xavier Henry is the team's second leading scorer with 14.3ppg. The Lakers have a 2-2 record and you can expect them to hover around .500 ball until
Kobe's return.
17 (10) MEMPHIS 1-2
The Grizzlies will make the playoffs this year, so be don't alarmed by their 1-2 start. Their two losses came against the Spurs and Mavericks on the road and most teams would've suffered the same fate. I'm sure losing former head coach Hollins will be felt on the defensive end, but it's still too early to gauge how far the Grizzlies will slide.
18 (11) NEW YORK 1-2
Carmelo Anthony is averaging 21ppg and 11rpg, but shooting only .377 from the field. Carmelo is a beast, so I expect his scoring and field goal percentage to increase, but the Knicks are doomed if Raymond Felton (13ppg) continues to be the team second leading scorer. The Knicks acquired scoring forward/center Andrea Bargnani to bolster their offense this offseason, but so far, he's only averaging 9.7ppg and with Stoudemire ailing, Bargnani has to be the Knicks second best offensive players in order for them to be successful this season.
19 (14) NEW ORLEANS 1-2
The Pelicans are off to somewhat of a disappointing 1-2 start, but I can't help but appreciate the numbers Anthony Davis is putting up so far this season. He is obviously my pick for the MIP Award, but a 23.7ppg, 12.3rpg, 4bpg and 2.7spg with a 35 PER, is just too juicy to not be in awe. I don't see him continuing at this pace, but he should average 20ppg, 11rpg, 2spg and around 3bpg and win the MIP Award.
20 (21) ATLANTA 1-2
Jeff Teague and Al Horford are leading the Hawks in all 5 statistical categories and Paul Millsap is the team's second leading scorer with 16.3ppg, but the Hawks do not have a bench. The starting lineup is decent enough to compete on most nights, but their lack of a bench will be the key reason why I see the Hawks missing the playoffs this season.
21 (29) ORLANDO 2-2
Arron Afflalo is leading the way with 20.8ppg, but the real drama brewing in Magicland is between Jameer Nelson and Victor Oladipo. Nelson is in the starting lineup for now, but it's been rumored that Nelson may be on the move. It wouldn't surprise me to see Oladipo in the starting lineup and Nelson traded way before the trading deadline in February.
22 (20) CLEVELAND 1-2
The Cavaliers are off to a poor start, particularly Kyrie Irving who is averaging 15.3ppg on a miserable 34 percent shooting from the field. Then you have Andrew Bynum, who may not be as healthy as many Cavs fans might have hoped, evidently he's only averaging four points in 9 minutes per game this season. I expect things to turn around mainly because Irving numbers will improve and if Bynum can return to even 85 percent of his post injury form, the Cavs will be in good shape.
23 (23) TORONTO 2-1
A win over the lottery-bound Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks doesn't count for much in my book, so the Raptors 2-1 start is deceiving. Rumor has it that Rudy Gay will be the next Raptors players to be moved in an effort to tank the season to increase their odds of landing Toronto's native Andrew Wiggins, the consensus first pick in next year's draft.
24 (26) MILWAUKEE 1-2
Zaza Pachulia is the Bucks leading scorer at 13ppg. Pachulia will be a bench player on at least 25 teams in the league, so for him to be leading the Bucks is indicative of their future and that is to end up with one of the worst records in the league this season. This team is definitely lottery bound.
25 (25) CHARLOTTE 1-2
The Bobcats are once again, one of the lowest scoring teams in the league, 29th to be exact at 85.7ppg. The addition of Jefferson hasn't helped in the rebounding department either. At 38.3rpg, this team currently ranks 28th in the league. The Bobcats are definitely lottery bound and with owners like Prokhorov willing to pay $75 million in luxury tax penalties this year, an owner like Michael Jordan is probably set to earn over $60 million as a result of that.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (12) DENVER 0-2
It's still very early, but new head coach Byron Scott is off to a slow start. The Nuggets are 0-2, but if you're a Nuggets fan, you need to be optimistic because at 48 rebound per game, the Nuggets ranks 3rd overall in the league. Rebounding is one of the key stats attached to defense, which ultimately win games, so if the Nuggets continue rebounding the ball at this level, there's no way I see them missing the playoffs.
27 (24) SACRAMENTO 1-2
DeMarcus Cousins is off to a 20/10 season and Isaiah Thomas is leading the bench with 19ppg, but what more can one expect from the Sacramento Kings. Actually there's Ben McLemore, a ROY candidate, but at 8.3ppg on .385 percent shooting, McLemore has yet to impress and barely deserves mentioning at this point.
28 (19) UTAH 0-3
The Jazz are off to terrible 0-3 start, but next to the Sixers, this team has had the toughest schedule early on. They lost to Phoenix on the road and also had two tough losses against two Western Conference giants, the Rockets and Thunder at home. I can't really beat them up for being 0-3, but they are winless, so I can't rank them any higher than 28th at this point.
29 (28) BOSTON 0-3
The Celtics were already a bad team, so imagine not having Rondo; who hasn't even been cleared for contact, in the lineup, disaster is the only thing you can expect. The result of this is the Celtics are dead last in assist at 14.3 per game and 28th in scoring at 87.3 points. This might actually work in the Celtics favor, especially if they end up drafting Andrew Wiggins.
30 (13) WASHINGTON 0-3
The Wizards had the largest drop and are clearly the worst team in the league after week one. So far this team hasn't been able to guard a little puppy trying to enter a closed door, which is why their 29th ranked defense is allowing their opponents to score 108.3ppg. I'm really shocked to see this team playing so poorly, especially after acquiring Marcin Gortat. I predicted that they would make the playoffs, so I don't think Wizard fans should panic quite yet.
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