NBA Power Rankings: Week Four

1. Los Angeles Clippers: 10-2 (Up one spot)

If you predicted the Clippers having the best record in the NBA through 12 games this season, say “aye”. No one? Didn’t think so.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: 9-2 (Down one spot)

The Cavs keep on winning and have looked good while doing it. They stopped DeMar DeRozan from scoring 30 points for the ninth time in 10 games and now have a 9-2 record to show for it.

3. Golden State Warriors: 9-2 (No movement)

Stephen Curry is back to his normal ways. Kevin Durant is what we all expected him to be, and Draymond Green looks like an absolute beast on the court. The only thing that can use improvement is the play of Klay Thompson. However, Steve Kerr doesn’t seem worried.

4. San Antonio Spurs: 9-3 (No movement)

The Spurs started off the season on a bit of a poor note, but they now seem to have found their groove. They have now reeled off four straight wins and look to keep it going tomorrow night against a surprising Los Angeles Lakers team.

5. Atlanta Hawks: 9-2 (Up four spots)

Don’t look now, but the Hawks have won six straight games, including back-to-back games against the Cavs and Bulls. They look like they may be on to something here.

6. Toronto Raptors: 7-4 (No movement)

DeRozan is simply playing incredible basketball. He is lacking in the peripheral stats, but his scoring is more than making up for it, and he’s still averaging over 30 points per game. The Raps aren’t getting much offensive help anywhere else, but they are getting solid contributions from Lucas Nogueira.

7. Charlotte Hornets: 7-3 (Up one spot)

Kemba Walker is playing the best basketball of his life and Nicolas Batum is playing incredibly well on the defensive side. Getting a healthy Michael Kidd-Gilchrist back into their lineup would do wonders for the Hornets.

8. Utah Jazz: 7-5 (Down one spot)

Gordon Hayward looks like a man on a mission to start the season. He is averaging 22.5 points, seven rebounds, and four assists per game. Don’t expect this to continue all season…or maybe you should.

9. Oklahoma City Thunder: 7-5 (Down four spots)

Russell Westbrook will do everything he can to keep this team afloat in the Western Conference playoff race all season. The only question is, will it be enough to get them in?

10. Portland Trail Blazers: 7-5 (No movement)

The Trail Blazers were 7-1 against teams that aren’t the Warriors or the Clippers, but then came the Chicago Bulls. Portland looked average, at best, against an average team. However, there is no need to panic, Blazers fans.

11. Houston Rockets: 6-5 (Up one spot)

James Harden just won’t stop being awesome. There is no reason to believe that he is going to slow down anytime soon. He may already be the front-runner for the MVP award by a landslide. How about that match-up against Westbrook last night?

12. Chicago Bulls: 7-4 (Up one spot)

After starting the season with three straight wins, the Bulls then lost their next three and have now won three in a row once again. This time, they did it in dominant fashion. Please, will the real Chicago Bulls show themselves?

13. Boston Celtics: 6-5 (Down one spot)

The Celtics should be happy to be 6-5 with the way they have been playing lately. It was mentioned once and it will be mentioned again – the Celtics need Al Horford and Jae Crowder back ASAP.

14. Los Angeles Lakers: 7-5 (Up four spots)

The Lakers are trending way up and they are doing it at an extremely fast speed. Maybe they are overachieving a bit, but who cares? They are one of the most fun teams to watch in the entire association, and it feels so right. The NBA needs the Lakers to be good again.

15. Memphis Grizzlies: 6-5 (Up one spot)

What a win over the league leading Clippers! From Mike Conley’s game winning assist to Marc Gasol’s Connor McGregor-style dance, everything about that finish was amazing.

16. Indiana Pacers: 6-6 (Up one spot)

The Pacers just won a big game versus the Cavs, albeit without LeBron James, but a win is a win. Now, if only they can start to win games against lesser opponents. That’s easier said than done.

17. Detroit Pistons: 6-6 (Down three spots)

Well, the Pistons finally got their first road win off their backs. That’s the good news. The better news is that Andre Drummond’s injury ended up costing him only one game. The bad news is that their schedule gets tough. Eight of their next nine games are against teams over .500.

18. Milwaukee Bucks: 5-5 (Down two spots)

The Bucks recently lost to two of the worst teams in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans. If they want any chance of returning to the playoffs this year, the Bucks have to start winning games against weaker opponents.

19. New York Knicks: 3-4 (Up two spots)

Well, it finally looks like the Knicks realize that Kristaps Porzingis is the future of their organization. He went bonkers last night, tallying 35 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while adding a block and a steal. The kid is going to be alright.

20. Orlando Magic: 5-7 (Down one spot)

The Magic did just enough to squeeze out a win against the Pelicans, who were missing Anthony Davis. Beating a team with a record of 2-10 by five points, with their best player missing, is not going to cut it.

21. Denver Nuggets: 4-7 (Down one spot)

After starting the season 3-3, the Nuggets went on to lose four in a row by a total of 41 points. At least Jamal Murray is starting to score a little bit.

22. Minnesota Timberwolves: 3-7 (Up three spots)

The T-Wolves are too good to be losing this much. At some point during the season, things should start to pick up. Andrew Wiggins has been excellent of late. He leads the league in three-point percentage and seems to have found his scoring touch.

23. Sacramento Kings: 4-8 (Down one spot)

Big news hit Sacramento this week. A general manager in the Western Conference believes that the Kings have around two months to trade DeMarcus Cousins before his trade value takes a significant hit. Sorry, Kings fans, but now may be the time.

24. Brooklyn Nets: 4-7 (Up four spots)

The Nets actually look decent. How many times are we going to be able to say that this season? We should cherish it while it lasts.

25. Phoenix Suns: 3-9 (Down one spot)

The Suns were actually competitive on the road against the Warriors this past weekend. However, they got crushed by the Nets and the Nuggets. Basketball is a weird sport.

26. Miami Heat: 2-8 (Down three spots)

Things have not been going well for the Heat. They have now lost six games in a row and are plagued by injuries. Maybe things will get better before they get worse? Heat fans sure hope so.

27. Washington Wizards: 2-8 (Down one spot)

Just when you thought things could not get any worse for the Wizards, they go and lose to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers. Their four-day break next week cannot come any sooner.

28. Dallas Mavericks: 2-8 (Down one spot)

Harrison Barnes has been the lone bright spot on a team looking for anything to be happy about. J.J Barea joined Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams on the list of injured players for the helpless Mavs.

29. New Orleans Pelicans: 2-10 (No movement)

Every basketball fan in the world should be feeling for Anthony Davis right now. Not only can his team not buy a win, he is now on the injured list with a right quad contusion. Please get well soon, AD.

30. Philadelphia 76ers: 2-9 (No movement)

Good news, 76ers fans! If they keep this pace, they will have more wins than last season. On a serious note, their future looks bright, and they have actually been playing some decent basketball. Trust the process.

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