NBA Power Rankings Week 3: Cavs, Warriors aiming for NBA Finals rematch?
11/11/2024 12:19 PM
There is a lot of history between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. After all, these two teams faced off in the NBA Finals four straight times from 2015-18. Stephen Curry and the Warriors ended up seizing three titles over the LeBron James-led Cavs, but a lot has changed for these two organizations over the last several seasons. Even with all of these changes, these two franchises continue to be linked to one another, and they are once again finding themselves in familiar company at the top of the NBA power rankings early on in the 2024-25 season.
Much is different for Cleveland since the days of LeBron, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving leading the way. Those three All-Stars departing has allowed executive Koby Altman to usher in a new era of Cavaliers basketball, one that revolves around a strong core group of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. One of the offseason’s biggest moves involved the Cavs firing JB Bickerstaff and hiring Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, who has won his first 11 games as the head coach in Cleveland.
To everyone’s surprise, the Cavs find themselves at the top of the NBA with an 11-0 record. What makes this team so special is their ability to start and stop offensively. When they want to push the pace, Cleveland is able to score at will in transition, especially with their All-Star backcourt duo. Aside from their athletic abilities, the Cavaliers are also equally as dangerous at slowing things down and playing through the post with Mobley and Allen, a frontcourt pairing many thought the team would look to split up. Efficiency is the name of the game, and the Cavs are the most efficient team in the league right now when it comes to executing their intentions on offense.
Golden State made the long trip from San Francisco to Cleveland this past week with the intentions of rattling off back-to-back wins over the Eastern Conference’s two best teams after taking down the Boston Celtics on their home court. Well, things didn’t go as planned for Steve Kerr when he went up against his former assistant, as Atkinson’s crew were up by as many as 41 points. Ultimately, the Warriors fought back to make this loss look a little less of a blowout, losing by 19 points.
Even with this double-digit loss, their only double-digit defeat this season, the Warriors ended up having a road trip with wins over Houston, Boston, and Oklahoma City on Sunday evening. This Warriors team is rolling right now, and while they can light it up from beyond the arc with their three-point shooting, it has been their defense that has made headlines. Kerr has seemed to utilize his success coaching Team USA and implement some defensive tactics from the international level to find early-season success.
So far, it appears as if this success could wind up being sustainable for what has been the league’s dynasty over the last decade. The big question is whether or not both the Cavs and Warriors can sustain their success, especially heading into a very important section of the regular-season schedule with NBA Cup group stage games set to begin.
Tuesday night, when NBA Cup games start, will be the three-week mark of the 2024-25 season. At this point, it is not the Celtics or the Oklahoma City Thunder that reign supreme over the rest of the league. Right now, it is the Cavs and Warriors who sit at the top of the NBA power rankings and are contending for a chance to possibly see one another in what would be a historic and improbable NBA Finals matchup.
Previous 2023-24 NBA Power Rankings: Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (+2)
Record: 11-0 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. MIL (W2), at NOP (W9), vs. GSW (W19), vs. BKN (W5)
Upcoming schedule: at CHI (11/11), at PHI (11/13), vs. CHI (11/15), vs. CHA (11/17)
What makes the Cavs such a special team is the fact that they are receiving offensive production up and down their roster. While Mitchell is obviously the main star of the team, both Garland and Mobley are supplying Cleveland with much-needed aggressiveness and scoring prowess both players failed to show last season.
Even Allen is stepping up and shooting a very efficient 65.6 percent from the floor while averaging a double-double. Atkinson and his team are at the top of the NBA power rankings for the first time this season, with some easier matchups against the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets approaching.
2. Golden State Warriors (+3)
Record: 8-2 | Last Week’s Schedule: at WAS (W13), at BOS (W6), at CLE (L19), at OKC (W11)
Upcoming schedule: vs. DAL (11/12), vs. MEM (11/15)
Stephen Curry’s return to the court resulted in wins over both the Celtics and Thunder this past week. Golden State is the only team in the league that currently ranks inside the top five in offensive and defensive rating, proving that their success isn’t just shooting threes like it’s nothing. This team’s identity has been built on defense, and that was proven in their wins over two teams many project to win their respective conferences.
Between Buddy Hield’s red-hot start from three-point range and Jonathan Kuminga’s willingness to thrive off the bench, the Warriors should be considered the best team in the West right now.
3. Boston Celtics (-2)
Record: 9-2 | Last Week’s Schedule: at ATL (W30), vs. GSW (L6), vs. BKN (W4), at MIL (W6)
Upcoming schedule: vs. ATL (11/12), at BKN (11/13), vs. TOR (11/16)
A loss to the Warriors at home and then back-to-back close wins against the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks have seen the Celtics fall out of the No. 1 spot in the NBA power rankings. Still, there is no reason to panic in Boston, as this team is elite when it comes to knocking down shots from the perimeter. The Celtics lead the league in made threes by a wide margin right now and are averaging 18.5 made perimeter shots per game. Oh, and Jaylen Brown is back on the floor after his recent injury absence.
While this group has its flaws when it comes to availability, the Celtics are still virtually impossible to stop on offense. One bright spot for this team early on has been Payton Pritchard, who is making a strong case for Sixth Man of the Year.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder (-2)
Record: 8-2 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. ORL (W16), at DEN (L2), vs. HOU (W19), vs. GSW (L11)
Upcoming schedule: vs. LAC (11/11), vs. NOP (11/13), vs. PHX (11/15), vs. DAL (11/17)
The Thunder’s 8-2 record is overshadowed by the injuries they have on their front lines. Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams have yet to play this season due to hand and hamstring injuries, respectively, and now Oklahoma City is set to be without starting center Chet Holmgren for months after suffering a fracture in his pelvis on Sunday against the Warriors.
There is no clear timetable for Holmgren’s rare injury, but he is expected to be out through the All-Star break in February, which is a massive blow to a Thunder team with very high title aspirations. How Oklahoma City adjusts to not having Holmgren will be interesting, as this is now a very small team with virtually no height to compensate for this loss. Mark Daigneault and this young Thunder team have their work cut out for them.
5. Phoenix Suns (-1)
Record: 8-2 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. PHI (W2), vs. MIA (W3), at DAL (W1), vs. SAC (L9)
Upcoming schedule: at UTA (11/12), at SAC (11/13), at OKC (11/15), at MIN (11/17)
More injury news from the Western Conference takes us to the Phoenix Suns, who are 8-2 on the season and set to be without Kevin Durant, who is dealing with a left calf strain and will miss at least the next two weeks. Not having Durant is obviously a big loss for Phoenix, as he was off to an MVP-like start, averaging 27.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 55.3 percent from the floor.
The good news for Phoenix and the reason why they have maintained their position inside the top five of the NBA power rankings is that Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Tyus Jones are all healthy. These three stepped up in Durant’s absence on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings, and although they lost, these three combined for 73 points. Defense will be the Suns’ calling card without Durant, as Royce O’Neale and Ryan Dunn will need to step up on the wing.
6. Denver Nuggets (+4)
Record: 7-3 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. TOR (W2), vs. OKC (W2), vs. MIA (W13), vs. DAL (W2)
Upcoming schedule: at NOP (11/15), at MEM (11/17)
Nikola Jokic is THAT guy. Without Jokic, the Denver Nuggets would probably be in a situation similar to that of the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks. After all, Denver did start this season with a 2-3 record before seeing Jamal Murray miss games with a concussion and Aaron Gordon suffering a leg injury.
Well, the Nuggets have rattled off five straight wins, and while three of said victories have been by double digits, the one constant for this team has been Jokic’s heroics and MVP play. He will undoubtedly be the Western Conference Player of the Week after leading the Nuggets to a 4-0 record this past week, and Jokic continues to prove why he is the best player in the league. This guy is single handedly carrying the Nuggets right now, and he has them back near the top of the NBA power rankings as a result.
7. Memphis Grizzlies (+4)
Record: 7-4 | Last Week’s Schedule: at BKN (L2), vs. LAL (W17), vs. WAS (W24), at POR (W45)
Upcoming schedule: at LAL (11/13), at GSW (11/15), vs. DEN (11/17)
Ja Morant is currently sidelined and on crutches with a hip injury that the Memphis Grizzlies are listing as “week-to-week” right now. The same is being said about Desmond Bane, who is dealing with a rare oblique injury for a player in the NBA. Even without their two leading scorers, Memphis has kept things going in the right direction, especially after outscoring the Washington Wizards and Portland Trail Blazers by 69 combined points in their last two games.
Once again, Taylor Jenkins does not get enough credit for the job he does with this Grizzlies team. Facing constant injury concerns, Jenkins always has his team ready to go any night against any team. That speaks volumes as to why he deserves to be in the early Coach of the Year race. Across the board, Memphis has impressed, and their defensive effort is what has them at 7-4 overall this season.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (+1)
Record: 6-4 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. CHA (W21), at CHI (W16), vs. POR (W24), vs. MIA (L1)
Upcoming schedule: at POR (11/12), at POR (11/13), at SAC (11/15), vs. PHX (11/17)
Outside of Anthony Edwards, who are the Minnesota Timberwolves? With Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo still finding their footing in Chris Finch’s system, Minnesota still appears to be a work in progress. With this said, there is still potential for the Timberwolves to grow back into the defensive juggernaut they were a season ago.
As of right now, the Timberwolves currently rank fifth in points allowed per game, and their perimeter defense has been stifling at times. When you rebound well, stop three-point shots, and have Rudy Gobert patrolling the paint as one of the league’s best rim protectors, it’s clear to see why Minnesota can be the best defensive team in the league. Even so, others are going to have to continue rising to the occasion on offense to preserve Edwards’ excellence for all 82 games.
9. Los Angeles Clippers (+6)
Record: 6-4 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. SAS (W9), vs. PHI (W12), at SAC (W9), vs. TOR (W2)
Upcoming schedule: at OKC (11/11), at HOU (11/13), at HOU (11/15), vs. UTA (11/17)
Did you think the Los Angeles Clippers would be 6-4 without Kawhi Leonard and trending up the NBA power rankings inside the top 10 through three weeks? There is no denying that the Clippers are an offensively challenged team right now. At the same time, Norman Powell is looking like an early All-Star candidate, averaging 25.5 points per game while shooting 49.4 percent from three-point range.
The Clippers have really found success early on this season by being a gritty, hard-nosed defensive team. Terance Mann, Kris Dunn, and Derrick Jones Jr. are all scrappy defensive players who can guard virtually every position. With these three, as well as James Harden and others always swiping at the ball, the Clippers have been able to force a ton of turnovers and transition scoring opportunities. Whether or not this team can sustain success with their lack of offensive production is the big question heading into NBA Cup group stage games.
10. Sacramento Kings (+3)
Record: 6-4 | Last Week’s Schedule: at MIA (W1), vs. TOR (W15), vs. LAC (L9), at PHX (W9)
Upcoming schedule: at SAS (11/11), vs. PHX (11/13), vs. MIN (11/15), vs. UTA (11/16)
Much of who the Sacramento Kings were a season ago is still true today. This team’s fate is once again going to come down to how they close out games, as the Kings are 2-2 in contests decided by one possession or overtime. DeMar DeRozan currently leads the team in scoring at 25.2 points per game, and De’Aaron Fox is beginning to find his groove offensively as well after a slow start.
A recent win over the Suns on Sunday has catapulted the Kings into the top 10 of the NBA power rankings, yet it came at a cost. Malik Monk left this game with an ankle injury, and he is likely to miss some time moving forward. This is a bigger loss than many would imagine, as Monk holds things down in the second unit when DeRozan and Fox are on the bench. Perhaps this will open up more minutes for sharpshooter Doug McDermott off the bench.
11. Houston Rockets (+1)
Record: 6-4 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. NYK (W12), vs. SAS (W27), at OKC (L19), at DET (W2)
Upcoming schedule: vs. WAS (11/11), vs. LAC (11/13), vs. LAC (11/15), at CHI (11/17)
Much like how the Orlando Magic showed clear growth, especially on defense, under Jamahl Mosley, the Houston Rockets are following a similar blueprint with Ime Udoka. While young, the Rockets have been excelling on defense, holding their opponents to just 101.2 points per game in their six wins this season. In their losses, Houston is allowing an average of 118.0 points per game. That is going to be the storyline to watch with this Rockets team this season.
12. Indiana Pacers (+6)
Record: 5-5 | Last Week’s Schedule: at DAL (W7), vs. ORL (W7), at CHA (L20), vs. NYK (W11)
Upcoming schedule: at ORL (11/13), vs. MIA (11/15), vs. MIA (11/17)
Even with Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner all on the court, the Indiana Pacers are an incomplete team right now. Aaron Nesmith is out at least until December with a left ankle sprain, and Andrew Nembhard will miss at least two weeks with a sore left knee. Obi Toppin is also dealing with an ankle injury, and the Pacers have lost both of their backup big men — James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson — to Achilles injuries. As a result, the Pacers have not been able to really impress early on. Then again, wins over the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks are notable as far as keeping this team in the shadows.
13. Dallas Mavericks (-6)
Record: 5-5 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. IND (L7), vs. CHI (W20), vs. PHX (L1), at DEN (L2)
Upcoming schedule: at GSW (11/12), at UTA (11/14), vs. SAS (11/16)
A 5-5 record for the Dallas Mavericks to begin the season needs to be examined further. A loss to the Rockets came down to the final few possessions. Against the Pacers, Dallas simply ran out of steam in the final two minutes. The last two games this team has played resulted in one and two-point losses against the Suns and Nuggets, respectively. The fact of the matter is that the Mavs could’ve won all four of these games, resulting in us looking at this team with a much different opinion. The Mavericks are still a top contender in the West, and they will have a massive chance to prove this during Klay Thompson’s return game against the Warriors on Tuesday. Get your popcorn ready for this one!
14. Los Angeles Lakers (-6)
Record: 6-4 | Last Week’s Schedule: at DET (L12), at MEM (L17), vs. PHI (W10), vs. TOR (W20)
Upcoming schedule: vs. MEM (11/13), at SAS (11/15), at NOP (11/16)
After beginning the season 3-0, the Lakers have come back down to Earth. At the same time, this team is 5-0 at home this season and still very much in the mix for being one of the better Western Conference teams in the NBA power rankings. LeBron James, who is about to turn 40 years old, has recorded back-to-back triple doubles in the Lakers’ last two wins, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to record triple-doubles in consecutive games. This team is going to go as far as James and Anthony Davis, who is dealing with an eye injury, can take them.
15. Orlando Magic (-1)
Record: 5-6 | Last Week’s Schedule: at OKC (L16), at IND (L7), vs. NOP (W27), vs. WAS (W27)
Upcoming schedule: vs. CHA (11/12), vs. IND (11/13), vs. PHI (11/15)
Without Paolo Banchero, the Orlando Magic were free-falling down the NBA power rankings. However, back-to-back 27-point victories over the New Orleans Pelicans and the Wizards have momentarily saved this team. Obviously, this team is not going to be who they can potentially be on offense without Banchero. That is why the play of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jalen Suggs, and others setting the tone on defense is so vital. Mosley had his team as one of the most improved a season ago because of the defensive identity they built, and this once again needs to be Orlando’s focus if they are to remain afloat without Banchero.
16. Brooklyn Nets (+9)
Record: 4-6 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. MEM (W2), at BOS (L4), at CLE (L5)
Upcoming schedule: at NOP (11/11), vs. BOS (11/13), at NYK (11/15), at NYK (11/17)
One of the biggest surprises early on this season has been Jordi Fernandez finding a lot of fight in his Brooklyn Nets team. Let’s be honest — none of us thought the Nets would be a competitive team this season with a roster full of assorted talent. However, Brooklyn has been competitive in virtually every game they have played, and the Nets almost upset both the Celtics and the Cavs this past week. While it is unlikely that this early-season success can be sustained, the Nets have certainly earned respect around the league with their effort. It will be interesting to see how they fare against Boston a second time around, as well as two straight matchups with New York this week.
17. New York Knicks (-11)
Record: 4-5 | Last Week’s Schedule: at HOU (L12), at ATL (L5), vs. MIL (W22), at IND (L11)
Upcoming schedule: at PHI (11/12), vs. CHI (11/13), vs. BKN (11/15), vs. BKN (11/17)
Karl-Anthony Towns has been great for the New York Knicks. Next to Jalen Brunson, Towns is averaging 24.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game while shooting 53.7 percent from three-point range. However, the Knicks are only 4-5 this season and have really lost a step when it comes to their intensity and effort on defense. It just seems like it is going to take a lot of time for New York to fully become the title-contending team many thought they would be to begin the season. While there is nothing to worry about as far as talent goes, it is worth asking the question of if this organization made a mistake sacrificing all of their depth and positive energy in the offseason for Towns and Mikal Bridges.
18. Miami Heat (-1)
Record: 4-5 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. SAC (L1), at PHX (L3), at DEN (L13), at MIN (W1)
Upcoming schedule: at DET (11/12), at IND (11/15), at IND (11/17)
If it wasn’t for Erik Spoelstra drawing up a perfect out of bounds play to pull off a miraculous victory on the road against the Timberwolves, then the Miami Heat would’ve been 0-4 this past week. Miami is a very average offensive team right now, and they are not any better on defense. There really isn’t one area in which the Heat are above average, which is concerning now that Jimmy Butler is dealing with an ankle injury. To this point, there is still no telling who the Heat could be this season.
19. Chicago Bulls (-3)
Record: 4-6 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. UTA (L9), at DAL (L20), vs. MIN (L16), at ATL (W12)
Upcoming schedule: vs. CLE (11/11), at NYK (11/13), at CLE (11/15), vs. HOU (11/17)
Nikola Vucevic and his early season success are the story for the Chicago Bulls so far this year. Through 10 games, Vucevic is averaging 20.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while shooting 47.7 percent from three-point range. At this rate, the veteran big man has established himself as the best frontcourt player on the trade market, and he could wind up bringing back some valuable assets to Chicago… that is, if the team does decide to trade him. After going 1-3 this past week, the Bulls now face a tough stretch with two games against Cleveland, one against New York, and another against Houston.
20. Charlotte Hornets (+3)
Record: 4-6 | Last Week’s Schedule: at MIN (L21), vs. DET (W1), vs. IND (W20), at PHI (L2)
Upcoming schedule: at ORL (11/12), vs. MIL (11/16), at CLE (11/17)
The duo of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller is beginning to emerge as one of the better youthful combos in the entire NBA. These two have been responsible for the early success first-year head coach Charles Lee has been able to find, as the Charlotte Hornets found their first win streak of the season this past week with wins over the Detroit Pistons and the Pacers. Ball has scored at least 30 points in back-to-back games and in six of the team’s first 10 games. If the Hornets can win two of their next three games, they will be in playoff position near the top of the Eastern Conference standings and continue moving up the NBA power rankings.
21. Detroit Pistons (+8)
Record: 4-7 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. LAL (W12), at CHA (L1), vs. ATL (W1), vs. HOU (L2)
Upcoming schedule: vs. MIA (11/12), at MIL (11/13), at TOR (11/15), at WAS (11/17)
One of the biggest risers in the NBA power rankings due to their play this past week is the Pistons. JB Bickerstaff and the veterans on this roster, highlighted by Tobias Harris, have helped set a new culture for a team that has been used to losing games. Not to mention, Cade Cunningham is having an All-Star-like campaign to begin the new year. What stands out the most in Detroit is Jaden Ivey averaging 18.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor. The rise of Ivey has given the Pistons an identity on the offensive end of the court outside of Cunningham.
22. Atlanta Hawks (+2)
Record: 4-7 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. BOS (L30), vs. NYK (W5), at DET (L1), vs. CHI (L12)
Upcoming schedule: at BOS (11/12), vs. WAS (11/15), at POR (11/17)
Zaccharie Risacher, the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, put together his best performance of his rookie season this past week in the Atlanta Hawks’ five-point win over the Knicks. In a total of 37 minutes, Risacher recorded 33 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including six made threes. If Risacher can continue to step up and give the Hawks strong minutes on offense, then he could establish himself as the third key member of this team next to Jalen Johnson and Trae Young.
23. San Antonio Spurs (-4)
Record: 4-6 | Last Week’s Schedule: at LAC (L9), at HOU (L27), vs. POR (W13), vs. UTA (L1)
Upcoming schedule: vs. SAC (11/11), vs. WAS (11/13), vs. LAL (11/15), at DAL (11/16)
Gregg Popovich’s absence is the main concern for the San Antonio Spurs right now. The long-time Spurs coach suffered a serious health concern recently and is out indefinitely, with no timetable given for when he could return to the sidelines in San Antonio. To make matters worse, the Spurs lost Jeremy Sochan to a broken thumb, and Victor Wembanyama is struggling to assert himself on offense right now. The only bright spot for this team is that Devin Vassell has retuned and scored 21 points off the bench in his first game of the season.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (-3)
Record: 2-8 | Last Week’s Schedule: at CLE (L2), vs. UTA (W23), at NYK (L22), vs. BOS (L6)
Upcoming schedule: vs. TOR (11/12), vs. DET (11/13), at CHA (11/16)
A win over the Utah Jazz, who rank 29th in the NBA power rankings (spoiler alert), ended up being the Bucks’ lone victory this past week. This team is now 2-8 through 10 games, which has led to an outcry of speculation about what Milwaukee is going to do. The short answer is that this team won’t and can’t really do anything because of their financial positioning and lack of draft picks. Doc Rivers truly has his work cut out for him, as both his clock and that of Giannis Antetokounmpo is ticking. The Bucks better start playing with a sense of urgency before this season slips away from them.
25. Portland Trail Blazers (+1)
Record: 3-7 | Last Week’s Schedule: at NOP (W18), at SAS (L13), at MIN (L24), vs. MEM (L45)
Upcoming schedule: vs. MIN (11/12), vs. MIN (11/13), vs. ATL (11/17)
Back-to-back losses by a combined 69 points basically tell the tale of the Portland Trail Blazers. Although Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Deandre Ayton can sometimes keep this team in games, Portland is nothing more than a work in progress. This team currently ranks 29th in offensive rating and 21st in defensive rating. There is no clear vision for Scoot Henderson nor Donovan Clingan, which is why change across the organization is on the horizon for the Blazers.
26. New Orleans Pelicans (-6)
Record: 3-7 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. POR (L18), vs. CLE (L9), at ORL (L27)
Upcoming schedule: vs. BKN (11/11), at OKC (11/13), vs. DEN (11/15), vs. LAL (11/16)
No team has been hit harder this season by the injury bug than the New Orleans Pelicans. Dejounte Murray is out with a fractured hand, Herb Jones has a shoulder injury, CJ McCollum has an adductor injury, and now Zion Williamson is out indefinitely with a left hamstring strain. The only good news is that Trey Murphy III is going to be returning from his injury and making his season debut on Monday against the Nets. Without their main core group, the Pelicans find themselves among the bottom feeders of the NBA power rankings.
27. Philadelphia 76ers (-5)
Record: 2-7 | Last Week’s Schedule: at PHX (L2), at LAC (L12), at LAL (L10), vs. CHA (W2)
Upcoming schedule: vs. NYK (11/12), vs. CLE (11/13), at ORL (11/15)
Tyrese Maxey was leading the Philadelphia 76ers and trying to keep things afloat with Paul George and Joel Embiid out. Once George returned, Maxey hit the injured list with a hamstring issue that will sideline him for the next two weeks. On top of all of this, Embiid found a way to get himself suspended for three games without even playing after a locker room altercation with a media member who spoke badly about his family. Nothing is going right for the 76ers right now, and until they have their three All-Stars on the court, this team is nothing more than one that lies near the bottom of the NBA power rankings.
28. Toronto Raptors (-)
Record: 2-9 | Last Week’s Schedule: at DEN (L2), at SAC (L15), at LAC (L2), at LAL (L20)
Upcoming schedule: at MIL (11/12), vs. DET (11/15), at BOS (11/16)
The Toronto Raptors are currently occupying last place in the Eastern Conference after dropping their fourth straight game on Sunday to the Lakers. Without Scottie Barnes, the Raptors are not a good defensive team, and they are struggling to find a rhythm on offense with Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett being the only players who can create scoring opportunities for themselves. While they may be 2-3 at home, the Raptors are the only team in the league without a road win this season.
29. Utah Jazz (+1)
Record: 2-7 | Last Week’s Schedule: at CHI (W9), at MIL (L23), at SAS (W1)
Upcoming schedule: vs. PHX (11/12), vs. DAL (11/14), at SAC (11/16), at LAC (11/17)
The Utah Jazz are no longer ranked 30th in the NBA power rankings, for the time being, after getting their first two wins of the season this past week. Will Hardy is a good coach, but the Jazz just aren’t in a position for him to grow with this team. Through nine games, Utah ranks 30th in field goal percentage (42.0%) and 30th in points per game (105.0). To make matters worse, the Jazz are giving up the fifth-most points per game on defense. When you can’t score and can’t stop your opponents from scoring, you probably aren’t going to win many games.
30. Washington Wizards (-1)
Record: 2-6 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. GSW (L13), at MEM (L24), at ORL (L27)
Upcoming schedule: at HOU (11/11), at SAS (11/13), at ATL (11/15), vs. DET (11/17)
Bilal Coulibaly looks to be the cornerstone of the Washington Wizards for many years to come. His development through the early portion of the 2024-25 season is already noticeable, and the Wizards are beginning to learn that they can play through him. However, Coulibaly is not enough for the Wizards to be anything special at the moment, as this is still a young team that is learning every time they take the court. Expect the Wizards to be active in trade talks over the next month and a half, as Malcolm Brogdon, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kyle Kuzma will be on the block. Once again, this team is at the bottom of the NBA power rankings.
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