A look at some of the NBA Power Rankings
Your Boston Celtics are atop the standings with an 11-3 record. The Bucks and Jazz have lost 2 games in a row to fall behind Boston. But does that make the Celtics the best team in the league? Let’s sample some power rankings from around the web (most of which were released before last night’s results).
NBA.com – John Schuhmann – Rank #1
As a team, the Celtics have seen the second-largest increase in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio, going from 1.82 (11th) last season to 2.06 (second) this season. And in Week 4, they scored 3.4 more points per 100 possessions than any other team. This would be the largest gap between the first and second ranked offenses in the 27 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.
Sports Illustrated – Wilton Jackson – Rank #2
Boston went a perfect 4-0 last week and is riding a six-game winning streak. Jayson Tatum is building his resume as one of the league’s elite scorers, averaging 32.3 points per game, third best behind Steph Curry and Luka Dončić. If Tatum continues to hit his stride and the team’s three-point shooting stays hot (the Celtics lead the league in three-pointers made), Boston could potentially move into first place. Boston faces the Thunder on Monday, followed by the start of a three-game road trip with stops in Atlanta and New Orleans.
Athleticism – Zach Harper – Rank #2
The Celtics are on fire right now, winning six straight games. Nothing embarrassing about their record with the schedule, although they would at least like to part ways with Cleveland so far. Jayson Tatum plays like he’s arguably the best player in the world right now, and their offense is demolishing opposing teams in the half court. Their poor defense doesn’t even matter because the teams in front of them can’t stop Boston.
So let’s look at the rest of the league to find contenders. For much of the season, the Bucks were in pole position. They have the best defense in the league and an MVP on offense. They haven’t generated much offense (ranked 23rd) and are sorely missing Khris Middleton. Will his return be enough to balance the offense? I expect this team to be a key contender throughout the season.
In the West, the Jazz could return to reality with a few defeats. Then there’s a large group of teams with 8 or 9 wins, including the Nuggets and Grizzlies who the Celtics recently beat as part of their current winning streak.
The defending champion Warriors have struggled to integrate younger players into the team and currently sit on the south side of .500. Enough virtual ink has been wasted on networks like the Nets and Lakers but I’m just petty enough to bring them up just to sneer at their expense.
It’s a long NBA season and a lot can and will happen between now and Christmas, not to mention the playoffs. But it’s fun to be at the top of the leaderboard, no matter what the calendar reads.
So what is your opinion? Are the Celtics the best team in the NBA?
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