The league is already an eighth of the way into the season, and while that is far too early to make any bold declarations, there have been some important impressions that have been left. The Sixers have managed to live up to the hype so far, and have been a fearsome team even as they have shown there is still room for improvement. But the big surprise has been on the West Coast, where Luka Doncic and the Lakers have been astounding to watch. That’s our 1-2 in the NBA power rankings here in Week 4.
Let’s have a look …
NBA Power Rankings, Top 10: Sixers No. 1, Lakers Surging
Team to watch: Los Angeles Lakers
Quote that matters: “Back in the day … it was like pick [him] up full court. He’s gonna play a lot of minutes, wear him down and then later in the game you could maybe switch on this to him and then he might have a harder time going around people. But I don’t see that. He’s playing at an elite level. Watching him, it just looks to me like he is in elite shape. He’s playing with a great amount of confidence. He’s got shooters around him, and he has a rolling big. … It’s a perfect offensive storm. And he’s the MVP right now.” — Blazers coach Micah Nori on Luka Doncic.
The Lakers have won five straight, and they managed to beat a tough Pistons team on the road on Sunday, without Luka Doncic. That’s a hopeful sign that the team can build some depth and resiliency around Doncic, because there are signs that some of the projected question spots (forward especially, and bench) on the roster are getting good answers. If that holds up to be true, and Doncic keeps playing at something close to his current level, this Lakers team will continue to rank at the top of the league. It’s early, and there are a lot of “ifs” but so far, so good in L.A.
- Philadelphia Sixers, 9-2.
- Los Angeles Lakers, 9-2.
- San Antonio Spurs, 9-2.
- Boston Celtics, 8-2.
- Oklahoma City Thunder, 8-2.
- Minnesota Timberwolves, 8-3.
- Detroit Pistons, 6-3.
- Houston Rockets, 7-3.
- Golden State Warriors, 7-3.
- Atlanta Hawks, 7-4.
No. 11-20 in the Rankings: Don’t Give Up on the Nuggets
Team to watch: Denver Nuggets
Quote that matters: “I think when we’re playing good, it’s really good, and when we’re playing bad, it’s really bad. We cannot find consistency.” — Nuggets center Nikola Jokic
Don’t give up on the Nuggets quite yet. They’ve won four out of five and are still very much sorting themselves out, but if Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray can keep playing at their current levels, there is hope that the supporting cast will start to figure itself out. Cameron Johnson has had a good start, and so has the much-maligned Christian Braun. The Nuggets need more, of course, but there is enough talent on the roster for them to get back in their stride as long as their stars keep carrying the load in the meantime.
11. New York Knicks, 5-4.
12. Denver Nuggets, 5-4.
13. Memphis Grizzlies, 6-3.
14. Portland Trail Blazers, 6-3.
15. Dallas Mavericks, 6-4.
16, Cleveland Cavaliers, 5-5.
17. Toronto Raptors, 5-4.
18. Washington Wizards, 4-6.
19. New Orleans Pelicans, 4-6.
20. Miami Heat, 4-6.
NBA Power Rankings, Down at the Bottom: Bucks ‘Vibes’
Team to watch: Milwaukee Bucks
Quote that matters: “The vibes of the team for sure I’m always going to be aware of that regardless of what the results are early in the season, late in the season, I think that’s key for any head coach. You always want to be tapped into that.” — Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins
The Bucks are currently 28th in both offensive rating and defensive rating, and have lost six straight. They’re 30th here in our NBA power rankings. Jenkins is trying to change the culture with the Bucks, but that’s hard to do with the roster the team has on hand. No doubt the Kings and Bulls have been worse than the Bucks at times, but the issue in Milwaukee is that, 10 games into the season, all of their young players–even 24-year-old veteran Ryan Rollins–are struggling. First-round picks Nate Ament and Brayden Burries are not making much of an impact and one of the prizes from Miami in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade–Kel’El Ware–is shooting 39.8% from the field and 20.0% from the 3-point line.
21. Indiana Pacers, 3-7.
22. Charlotte Hornets, 3-7.
23. Phoenix Suns, 3-5.
24. Orlando Magic, 2-7.
25. L.A. Clippers, 2-7.
26, Brooklyn Nets, 2-8.
27. Utah Jazz, 1-9.
28. Chicago Bulls, 1-8.
29. Sacramento Kings, 1-9.
30. Milwaukee Bucks, 1-9.
NBA Power Rankings: Luka Doncic Leads Lakers ‘Storm,’ Beware Nuggets & More