Yahoo senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill ended March with a well-written article detailing the fast-changing landscape taking place in the league. In Goodwill’s article, the main focus was how commissioner Adam Silver has been tasked with maximizing profits, growing the game and making sure the players compete after new rules take place. The league’s improved with players rights, safety and dialogue compared to 20 years ago. Most of the improvements are because Silver values the league and cares about who benefits.
There has been a lot of difficult things to navigate through. Most issues took place after the COVID-19 pandemic almost five years ago. The play-in at the end of the regular season draws ratings, but many viewers complain it disrupts a sport that should be determined by the top eight teams. A good number want to forget about the remaining four play-in teams not in the top eight. There’s the creative and new in-season tournament, but it isn’t needed less than one month into a new season. What’s there to show for a tournament that doesn’t stand out compared to the playoffs in April?
There’s also the recent All-Star game format fiasco. Silver believes that how the NHL does their All-Star game, so should the NBA. While it’s a preposition, popular analysts like Stephen A. Smith had a strong rebuke of the new format idea. The NBA has been criticized for constant elimination of defense, terrible officiating and a growing season schedule. There’s now a rule in place that any player up for an award must play 65 games to be considered. Silver’s not respected nor taken seriously enough by the players when it comes to play and events like the All-Star game.
While some of these changes are to grow revenue and make the game safer, it’s also difficult to watch and pay attention to for nine straight months. Silver’s predecessor David Stern got many things wrong in his 30 year tenure, but he also got a lot of things right. Stern knew how to grow the league, who to promote and market, how to get players and owners on the same page and how to make events fun. Adam Silver has failed to make the NBA fun once play resumed (minus increasing the number of games), made both the players and owners unhappy (for various reasons) and doesn’t know how to grow the league past revenue, sales and promotions.
It doesn’t help commissioner Adam Silver that with the longer schedule and added tournaments, the playoff race is a non-factor. Yes, all but a half dozen teams can clinch high seeds, but there’s no reason to watch a sport an extra week or two when audiences know who’s going to at least a play-in game for two or three more extra days.
While it’s important the consumer understands the league’s current business model, viewership has declined every week of this new season. I’ll discuss in the next NBA power rankings (part two) how gambling has tied in and how the league struggles to stay at or near the top while balancing revenue and growing the brand for future generations. Commissioners consistently balancing both is how they leave a positive mark once stepping down. They also need to deal with certain obstacles and detriments that harm the sport. When one is prioritized more than the other, business plateaus. There should be easier solutions implemented before the profits become losses.
Here’s the first power rankings of the new season. Similar to the NHL rankings, this one will be objective in placement as the season is still young.
#30 Washington Wizards (last season’s final ranking: 30)
Congratulations to Washington on their recent accomplishment. The Wizards join last year’s Pistons as the second team in the last nine years to lose every game in November. Unlike Detroit, there’s little hope they play better before spring.
#29 Utah Jazz (last season’s final ranking: 22)
You won’t find a blunder like the one Utah committed in a home loss against the Lakers December first. Jazz coach Will Hardy called his last timeout right before Colin Sexton’s game-winning layup. Utah lost by one point and Hardy’s been compared to former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus.
#28 Toronto Raptors (last season’s final ranking: 24)
Toronto’s offense is better, but the defense has to improve. It’ll be a hard month to play better with the number of postseason favorites on their schedule.
#27 Philadelphia 76ers (last season’s final ranking: 17)
Philadelphia’s the true test of patience for anyone doing power rankings. While the NHL power rankings weren’t too difficult outside of Nashville, the 76ers push the envelope on how they play worse each game. From former league MVP center Joel Embiid’s extreme load management, players arguing in the locker room and now Paul George’s left leg injury, Philadelphia went from title contender at the start of the season to selling tickets for $1 in their Wednesday home game against Orlando.
#26 Charlotte Hornets (last season’s final ranking: 28)
Franchise star point guard LaMelo Ball’s fully healthy yet Charlotte has the worst field goal percentage 21 games into the season. The efficiency will get better but it could be slower than expected.
#25 Portland Trail Blazers (last season’s final ranking: 26)
Portland surprised viewers with their better start to the season despite injuries to center Deandre Ayton and forward Matisse Thybulle last month. Solid play from guards Anfernee Simmons and Shaedon Sharpe makes the Trail Blazers more competitive than last year.
#24 Chicago Bulls (last season’s final ranking: 19)
If there’s any national station talking about the Bulls, the conversation is on how Josh Giddey shouldn’t be a point guard. This wasn’t what Chicago had in mind when they traded for him in the offseason. Though a lot of analysts did say trading Alex Caruso for Giddey wasn’t a good idea. The Bulls are a mess despite the roster talent.
#23 San Antonio Spurs (last season’s final ranking: 27)
When coach Gregg Popovich had another stroke and star center Victor Wembanyama missed some games after a bruised right knee, veteran point guard Chris Paul stepped up. Paul’s been one of the Spurs’ better free agent signings the last five years. Chris Paul’s leadership got San Antonio wins against Sacramento and Oklahoma City, two teams expected to make the playoffs this year. The Spurs will be a tough team to keep out the play-in.
#22 Detroit Pistons (last season’s final ranking: 29)
The Pistons have more wins after one month than they had after December 2023. They finished November at 8-9 for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. It’s already a success for Detroit and coach JB Bickerstaff was a great hire for the team. They might be the best early season story.
#21 New Orleans Pelicans (last season’s final ranking: 11)
Unlike Philadelphia, New Orleans has legit reasons for a poor start. Injuries to stars Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Brandon Ingram, C.J. McCollum and Jose Alvarado doomed their season after a month. It’s not fair when so many people were excited to see how New Orleans would hold their own in the west.
#20 Miami Heat (last season’s final ranking: 18)
We might be having a different conversation about Miami if they pulled out wins in November against Phoenix and Detroit. If we take those two games out of the Heat’s first month of the season, they’ve beaten playoff hopefuls Minnesota and Indiana while losing to Denver, Sacramento and division rival Orlando. Miami’s not a good team to start the season.
#19 Brooklyn Nets (last season’s final ranking: 23)
This will be one of the hardest teams to analyze throughout the season. Brooklyn barely beat New Orleans and Charlotte but almost beat Boston, New York and Cleveland. The Nets are last in rebounding but top five shooting three-pointers. At least they’re interesting to watch.
#18 Atlanta Hawks (last season’s final ranking: 20)
After last rankings had the hilarious mediocre Hawks stat, Atlanta’s won five straight to get back to over .500 at 12-11. One couldn’t find a more average sports franchise if they tried.
#17 Indiana Pacers (last season’s final ranking: 13)
Indiana still has a top ten offense but the defensive issues balance out the positives. The Pacers are a bottom three team in rebounding and that’s a factor in losses to Orlando (twice), Philadelphia and New Orleans. They have to show growth on defense or it’ll be a fast postseason exit.
#16 Memphis Grizzlies (last season’s final ranking: 25)
Almost every basketball fan knew last year was an anomaly for Memphis. Now that almost everyone’s back fully healthy, the Grizzlies are top three in rebounds and field goal percentage and second in points scored. Starting forward Jaren Jackson Jr. has improved the most for the veterans while rookie Scottie Pippen Jr. and undrafted center Jay Huff look like offseason steals.
#15 Milwaukee Bucks (last season’s final ranking: 9)
Milwaukee should feel good they won seven of their last nine but remember, this was a championship team that decided to tweak their roster two years after winning a championship. The Bucks remain stagnant since winning their second franchise title back in 2021. That’s a shame since many wanted to see the smaller franchise dominate the league this decade.
#14 Sacramento Kings (last season’s ranking: 14)
If Sacramento makes the playoffs as a top six team, forward De’Aaron Fox has to be an MVP candidate. He’s averaging 28 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals a game. It would be criminal for him to miss accolades and awards he deserves.
#13 Houston Rockets (last season’s final ranking: 20)
Ime Udoka should be the favorite for coach of the year. Houston’s gone from worst team in the league to division leader in the southwest and second place in the western conference. It’s a surprise the Rockets are this good.
#12 Phoenix Suns (last season’s final ranking: 12)
Though star forward Kevin Durant will only miss a week with a sprained ankle, Phoenix is a different team without him. They’re 10-2 when Kevin Durant plays and a stunning 2-6 without him. No wonder Suns owner Mat Ishbia said Durant’s not leaving.
#11 Dallas Mavericks (last season’s final ranking: 6)
Although it’s on Facebook, the site Full Court put some very interesting stats on the current Dallas winning streak. Franchise star point guard Luka Doncic has been a liability for the Mavericks and the starting forwards and centers. Dallas is a .500 team when he’s started games compared to 5-1 without him. It’s eye-opening that forwards P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall score 20+ points a game and Dallas’ offense averages ten more points without Doncic in the starting lineup.
#10 Los Angeles Clippers (last season’s ranking: 5)
Los Angeles went on a three game losing streak, four game winning streak, three game losing streak and five game winning streak. No wonder Ty Lue’s more gray than usual.
#9 Los Angeles Lakers (last season’s final ranking: 15)
Media outlets will talk about the emergence of shooting guard Dalton Knecht, and for good reasons. Right now the Lakers are doing well because Anthony Davis averages 28 points and eleven rebounds a game. This is how Davis used to play in New Orleans before the trade to Los Angeles. It would be fun if he stayed at this level of production the whole season.
#8 Golden State Warriors (last season’s final ranking: 16)
No one expected the Warriors to be a top team in the western conference after trading Klay Thompson to Dallas. Center Trayce Jackson-Davis and forwards Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins have done well to start the season but the two areas that count for all but three of Golden State’s wins are better rebounding and bench depth. The Warriors haven’t had a decent scoring bench in years and they’re top three in second chance scoring opportunities. Once Golden State finds ways to stop choking fourth quarter leads, they’ll be one of the best teams in the west.
#7 Minnesota Timberwolves (last season’s final ranking: 3)
Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards was right for blasting his team on playing, “soft” and “growing apart.” A big reason Minnesota struggled was their drop in rebounding. Center Rudy Gobert can still get a good number of second chance points, but Minnesota’s one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. There’s a valid discussion that the nosedive in offensive rebounds is a downside of trading Karl Anthony-Towns to New York last summer.
#6 New York Knicks (last season’s final ranking: 8)
What a dominant win over Orlando. New York’s already a top five team in points scored and third best in both regular and three point field goal percentage. Now the Knicks are playing like the team many wanted to see in October. Don’t be surprised if the New York is in the top five or top ten all year.
#5 Orlando Magic (last season’s final ranking: 7)
The Magic have done well since star forward Paolo Banchero went down to a torn, right oblique. Franz and Moritz Wagner have stepped up on offense and Jalen Suggs is more efficient. That’s something to build on once Banchero returns.
#4 Denver Nuggets (last season’s final ranking: 1)
Two things can be true: Russell Westbrook’s 200th triple-double is a feat worth celebrating and he’s not going to be what makes the Nuggets a title contender. Denver needs starting point guard Jamal Murray to play like it’s the 2023 postseason if the Nuggets want to make a deep playoff run.
#3 Oklahoma City Thunder (last season’s final ranking: 4)
Signing center Isaiah Hartenstein was one of the best free agency moves for any team. Chet Holmgren’s hip injury means he’s out at least another month. The veteran Hartenstein makes Oklahoma City rebound better. It’s made the Thunder stay in first place in both the northwest division and western conference.
#2 Boston Celtics (last season’s final ranking: 2)
Should it concern more viewers a good number of Celtics wins to playoff contending teams have been closer than they should be? It’s still early in the season but keep an eye on Boston after Christmas. The Celtics have the depth and talent to wrap up the eastern conference before 2025. It’s odd they aren’t separating themselves this early.
#1 Cleveland Cavaliers (last season’s final ranking: 10)
Head coach Kenny Atkinson became the only coach in NBA history to win his first 15 games to start a tenure with a franchise. Cleveland will also improve throughout the season, especially on second chance scoring opportunities. That should get more attention.
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