30. Utah Jazz (0-6)
Previous Week Ranking: 28th
It does not look like the Jazz are trying to win any games. The team has lost all 6 games this year by an average of 18.7 points per game. That is more than double the point differential of the second-worst team. Utah is averaging less than 100 points per game in today’s NBA where that is almost given in the regular season. Thoughts and prayers.

29. Washington Wizards (2-3)
Previous Week Ranking: 30th
You can say the Wizards hate is spilling over from last season, but they are just not a good team. They won two games against the Atlanta Hawks this week, however, if you watch their games, they do not give you confidence as a team. Would you want your favorite team to consider a trade for Trae Young?

28. Milwaukee Bucks (1-5)
Previous Week Ranking: 19th
Milwaukee took the biggest drop this week and it is justified. There was a report from a credible source that came out this week saying the Bucks could consider trading Giannis this year. That is almost unfathomable for theteam and city that he has carried since his arrival in the NBA.

27. Philadelphia 76ers (1-4)
Previous Week Ranking: 22nd
It was mentioned last week that it is hard to Rank the Sixers considering two of their top three players are sidelined due to injury. The bad news continued this week with Joel Embiid shoving a reporter who wrote some questionable comments about his motivation and referenced his family. Regardless of who was right or wrong, Embiid is set to receive a hefty fine and his return date is still uncertain. Paul George, on the other hand, is expected to return tonight versus the Phoenix Suns.

26. Portland Trail Blazers (2-5)
Previous Week Ranking: 27th
Anfernee Simons has been the Trail Blazers’ only bright spot early in the season. The problem is he is a high-volume shooter with less than average shooting percentages. It sort of reminds me of Russell Westbrook when he was alone in OKC. If you are Portland, is there another player you would want to get more shots up over Simons, though?

25. Detroit Pistons (2-5)
Previous Week Ranking: 29th
The Pistons were the recipient of a bump in The Rankings due more so to the play of teams above them, rather than anything they did. Cade led the team to two wins in the team’s last three games, and both wins came by double-digits over the Sixers and Nets.

24. Toronto Raptors (2-5)
Previous Week Ranking: 26th
RJ Barrett looks like he should deserve serious All-Star consideration this year in the Eastern Conference. Toronto is mostly ignored by the national media and understandably as they are not a great team. What will bring Toronto into the news cycle is when their boy Drake starts chirping at DeRozan doing gameplay. Do less Drizzy!

23. Atlanta Hawks (3-4)
Previous Week Ranking: 14th
Two losses, a home and away, to the lowly Wizards is not what you want for your team. Atlanta looks to have a star in the making with Jalen Johnson, but this team is not good enough to make noise in the NBA Playoffs. My advice: trade Trae Young and enter the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.

22. Brooklyn Nets (3-4)
Previous Week Ranking: 25th
Does Cam Thomas have a realistic shot at the NBA scoring title? Similar to Simons and the Trail Blazers, there are not many players on the Nets I would rather have a green light than Thomas. While playing alongside players who actively will not shoot (Ben Simmons), and who says no to going for broke.

21. Charlotte Hornets (2-4)
Previous Week Ranking: 24th
Having back-to-back games against arguably the best team in the NBA was tough for Charlotte. Frustration clearly got to Grant Williams who practically tackled his former teammate Jayson Tatum. It is hard not to empathize with a guy who was traded from a team that won the NBA Championship last year and after a pit stop in Dallas is playing for a team likely in the lottery.

20. Chicago Bulls (3-3)
Previous Week Ranking: 23rd
Last week The Rankings shared in the excitement of seeing Lonzo Ball return to the court. Within days, Ball has disappointingly been sidelined again this time with a wrist injury. It sounds like a short-term issue that does not require surgery, but forgive me for thinking negatively. The Bulls are a different team when he is on the court.

19. San Antonio Spurs (3-3)
Previous Week Ranking: 21st
The Spurs have a better roster this year than they did last year, yet the chatter in San Antonio seems to be criticism of Wemby’s slow start. A popular narrative has blame falling on Chris Paul for dominating the game and controlling the offense, but I think it is too early for the CP3 hate. Let this roster gel a bit and hopefully Gregg Popovich returns to the sideline soon.

18. Indiana Pacers (2-4)
Previous Week Ranking: 18th
The Pacers of this year resemble last year in the fact that they play zero defense and run an offense reminiscent of the 07 seconds or less Suns. For the first three quarters of their game against the Boston Celtics this week, they looked like a team that could contend. Then they fully imploded and the Celtics showed why they are the best team in the league even though the Pacers eventually won. Having to barely hold off a 20+ point lead in the 4th is not something to hang your hat on considering your only other win is against the Pistons.

17. LA Clippers (2-4)
Previous Week Ranking: 13th
James Harden was announced as a participant for season 2 of the Netflix hit show, Starting 5. Like other viewers, I think the Clippers wish the James Harden showing up was the one from Houston. The Clippers have an aging roster, with minimal trade assets, and appear to be in an undesirable position now and in the future.

16. New Orleans Pelicans (3-4)
Previous Week Ranking: 10th
New Orleans has taken some brutal losses lately and does not look like the team many expected them to be. Portland and the Hawks beat the Pelicans by a combined 37 points this past week. Zion still looks like Zion when he is on the court, and Dejounte Murray is sidelined, but I expected more from the Pelicans early on.

15. Orlando Magic (3-4)
Previous Week Ranking: 11th
Heartbreaking news came out of Orlando when Paolo Banchero was sidelined due to an oblique injury just days after dropping a 50-piece. The Magic have a balanced team and a relatively good bench, but PB is the leader on this team and his injury seemed to suck the air out of a team with high expectations.

14. Houston Rockets (3-3)
Previous Week Ranking: 20th
H-Town has an exciting team to watch. They continued their dominance in a strange rivalry with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs and followed that up with a win against a Western Conference favorite, Dallas. This team has athleticism and plays hard. How they will compete over an 82-game season is more of an unknown.

13. Miami Heat (3-2)
Previous Week Ranking: 15th
The Heat have still not beaten any team of note. Their three wins have come against the Hornets, Pistons, and Wizards. We will learn more about Miami considering the team’s next four games are against the Kings, Suns, Nuggets, and Timberwolves.

12. Memphis Grizzlies (4-3)
Previous Week Ranking: 12th
Ja Morant is electrifying as ever and is still the closest thing we have seen to pre-knee injury Derrick Rose. Recent routs of Milwaukee and Philadelphia would have seemed impressive in the preseason. Memphis has a roster that is built to win in today’s NBA and looks to be on the right track.

11. Sacramento Kings (3-3)
Previous Week Ranking: 16th
As predicted, Sacramento needed a couple get right games following a tough start. If you forgot DeMar DeRozan was on the Kings to start the season, you are forgiven, but he cannot be ignored now. DeRozan is leading the team with 25+ points per game and has seamlessly integrated into the starting lineup.

10. Denver Nuggets (3-3)
Previous Week Ranking: 17th
Nikola Jokic is unstoppable and the man does not seem to even like playing basketball. He is averaging a triple-double with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists per game while leading his team in all three categories. Can the Denver front office please get this dude some help? Jokic’s remarkable play can cover up a lot of flaws for a team that could and should be better.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-3)
Previous Week Ranking: 6th
It was referenced last week, but the Timberwolves are showing they are a team that just wants to get to the playoffs. They are talented and with Anthony Edwards leading the charge, there is not a team in the league they cannot beat. The dude is vicious on a basketball floor and even told Bronny James he did not have to shower after checking into the game for a couple of minutes. Pure comedy.

8. New York Knicks (3-2)
Previous Week Ranking: 8th
In a week where the Knicks went 2-1, they showed they can beat you with different players going off. KAT dropped 44 against Miami and the next game Brunson put up 38 versus Detroit. Early indications show that KAT is a better fit for the Knicks’ roster than Julius Randle was.

7. Los Angeles Lakers (4-2)
Previous Week Ranking: 3rd
The Lakers being relevant is good for the NBA as a whole and taking two straight losses should not be a concern for this team’s quick start. Anthony Davis leads the league in scoring with 31.8 points per game and looks like an MVP. The two losses this week came to the Cavaliers and Suns who have a combined record of 12-1 to start the season. LA should be just fine as they get three of their next four matchups against teams with losing records.

6. Dallas Mavericks (4-2)
Previous Week Ranking: 5th
Dallas versus Minnesota was the headline game of the week in the NBA and it lived up to the hype. In a rematch of last year’s Western Conference, the Mavericks got the better of the Timberwolves. If you think Ant thrives in high-intensity situations, Luka proved he does too. Luka should be the early season MVP favorite and he let the league know.

5. Golden State Warriors (5-1)
Previous Week Ranking: 9th
People laughed at Steve Kerr claiming he had one of the deepest teams he has ever coached after one game, but who is laughing now? Even without Steph, the Warriors managed to go 3-0 this week. Is Buddy Hield the new Klay Thompson?

4. Phoenix Suns (5-1)
Previous Week Ranking: 4th
Phoenix is currently on a four-game winning streak. The main reason is that they have two of the best offensive scorers in the league today and they have played like it. The role players appear improved compared to last season. Phoenix is coming for the Western Conference’s top spot.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-0)
Previous Week Ranking: 7th
After another undefeated week, my preseason take on the Cavaliers continues to age gracefully. Respect must be paid to Cleveland. The biggest difference this year is without a doubt, Kenny Atkinson. Kenny is a player’s coach and the talent on this roster has clearly bought into his scheme.

2. Boston Celtics (6-1)
Previous Week Ranking: 1st
For the first time since February 4th, the Celtics are not the top team in The Rankings. Boston’s run was legendary, but they have finally conceded 1st. This was a tough decision because the Celtics’ only loss was to the Pacers and they overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to send the game to overtime. A microphone caught Tatum telling his teammates they could chip away at the lead since they are the best team in the league and it is hard to argue the way they have been playing. Boston is still a clear favorite in the Eastern Conference.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (6-0)
Previous Week Ranking: 2nd
The league is on notice: Oklahoma City is coming for the crown! The Thunder are 6-0 and have a stunning point differential of +17.7 points per game. The closest game they have played in was a 12-point win against the San Antonio Spurs. And yet the most remarkable statistic is that opposing teams are averaging just 97.5 points per game against the Thunder. OKC locks up teams while simultaneously lighting up the scoreboard themselves. It is early, but an OKC and Boston NBA Finals is salivating for all basketball fans.