1. Golden State Warriors (16-0) –
    The Warriors set the all-time record for consecutive wins to start a season last night. Comparisons to the ’95-’96 Bulls are all over the Internet. With Steph Curry currently defending his MVP title very well and the team playing lights out in every way, the real question we can start asking ourselves is: how good can this team get?
  2. San Antonio Spurs (11-3) +4
    No LaMarcus Aldridge? No problem. Kawhi Leonard and the red-hot Spurs are continuing the success this franchise has seen in the last few decades. Leonard himself has been shooting lights out, and a tough loss to the Pelicans is the only one in their last 9 games. The Spurs are touting the best defense in the league, allowing opponents only 91 PPG.
  3. Cleveland Cavaliers (11-3) -1
    Sure, Kyrie Irving still might be out, but with the emphatic return of Kevin Love and great overall play by the team, the Cavs are getting off to the hot start most thought they would. This is the predominant team to beat in the East, and getting Kyrie back could make them truly unstoppable.
  4. Chicago Bulls (9-4) +4
    The Derrick Rose injury storyline is one Chicago fans are frankly sick of hearing. But it seems as if Rose is not the concern anymore. The outstanding play of the 35-year-old Pau Gasol, Jimmy Butler leading the team extremely well, and Fred Hoiberg experiencing success in his first season of NBA coaching are all causes for smiles in Chicagoland.
  5. Miami Heat (9-4) +8
    After starting 3-3, Miami has now won 6 of its last 7. All 5 starters are averaging at least 10 PPG, and the Whiteside-Bosh combo inside has led the Heat to become one of the best defensive teams in the league. Three-point shooting is an area for concern – both Wade and Goran Dragic, the two starting guards, are shooting below .300 from long range.
  6. Atlanta Hawks (10-6) +1
    Watching Kent Bazemore go down with a nasty ankle injury did not help this team. The Hawks are a team that needs to be healthy in order to dominate, but has shown that they can still win games when they’re missing a few parts.
  7. Washington Wizards (6-5) +11
    The Wizards rebounded from a tough three-game stretch with three straight wins against the Magic, Bucks, and Pistons before losing last night to Indiana. Bradley Beal, when playing, has been carrying this team and is currently shooting about 47% from three. The Wizards have only played 11 games, but look like a definite contender this year.
  8. Dallas Mavericks (9-6) +8
    Dirk Nowitzki, who is now 37, is shooting a ridiculous 52% from three-point range. According to ESPN staff writer Tim McMahon, he and teammate Zaza Pachulia are competing to see who will have more dunks this season. So far, so good in Dallas.
  9. Oklahoma City Thunder (9-6) -2
    If there’s one thing that can be said about this team, it’s that Russell Westbrook is extremely fun to watch. Durant’s continued injuries have the Thunder with a worse record than they’d like, but still, the team is pouring in close to 110 PPG. Westbrook, in Durant’s absence, is top 5 in the NBA in points and assists.
  10. Toronto Raptors (9-6) -6
    After a 5-0 start, the Raptors have finally come back down to earth. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are likely one of the best guard combos in the NBA, with both averaging at least 20 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 4 APG. With consistent play, they’re a favorite to win a weak Atlantic Division.
  11. Indiana Pacers (9-5) +9
    The return! Paul George is back and clearly hungry for missed time. He’s shooting lights out from 3 and leading a team that is playing much better than expected. Their losses are all to teams over or very close to .500. With a lot of young talent (including rookie Myles Turner), this team bring fresh excitement to the East.
  12. Boston Celtics (7-7) +7
    The loss to the Nets was not pretty, but the Celtics are quietly putting together a solid season, led by Isaiah Thomas. Marcus Smart’s absence has certainly been noted.
  13. Charlotte Hornets (8-6) +11
    Who would’ve thought the Hornets would be over .500 this far into the season? Al Jefferson is a nice role player for this team, but Charlotte’s guard play has been stellar – starters Kemba Walker and Nicholas Batum and benchmen Jeremy Lamb and Jeremy Lin are combining for 60 PPG on 46% shooting.
  14. Los Angeles Clippers (7-7) -11
    The Clippers, widely thought to be one of the top teams in the West, are only 2-5 in their last seven games. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have not been in sync recently, and “Lob City” is starting to fade. Still, DeAndre Jordan is shooting over 70% from the field and averaging 13 RPG.
  15. Detroit Pistons (7-7) -3
    Detroit has cooled down significantly from their 5-1 start. The shooting has simply not been there – the Pistons bench has one player shooting over 40% from the field (Aron Baynes), and the team has hit 100 points once in their last 8 games, in which they’ve compiled a 2-6 record. Andre Drummond is somehow still averaging close to 18 boards a game.
  16. New York Knicks (8-7) +9
    It’s kind of incredible how this team is 8-7 with Carmelo Anthony and rookie phenom Kristaps Porzingis as the only two significant players on the team. Arron Afflalo and Langston Galloway have contributed, but Anthony and Porzingis are currently combining for about 36 PPG and 16 RPG. How long can this team last in the revitalized East?
  17. Phoenix Suns (7-7) +4
    The Suns folded against the Spurs’ lockdown D, turning the ball over 28 times in that game. Despite scoring well and having another great 1-2 combo (Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight), nothing spectacular stands out about the Suns. They’re a good candidate for a .500 season.
  18. Memphis Grizzlies (8-7) -4
    The Grizz are now 8-7 after starting 3-6, showing marked improvement in multiple categories. In wins against the Blazers, T-Wolves, Thunder, and Mavericks, Memphis topped 100 each time, a task it had not done well previously. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are the de facto leaders of this nicely balanced team.
  19. Utah Jazz (6-7) -9
    In 13 games, the Jazz have scored over 100 just once. Offense is ultimately why they have started to lose, as Utah is 29th in both assists and PPG – no player averages even 3 assists a game.
  20. Denver Nuggets (6-9) +3
    This team’s identity is very up in the air; Denver is one of the only teams with no true big names. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay is not shooting well, while relative unknowns such as Will Barton have stepped up.
  21. Milwaukee Bucks (6-8) -4
    The streaky Bucks stand at 6-8 after two 3-game losing streaks and a 4-game win streak. Injuries to Michael Carter-Williams, Jabari Parker and O.J. Mayo have likely played a large role in Milwaukee’s inconsistent start. This team could be a dark horse for strong play in the second half of the season once the pieces have been put back together.
  22. Portland Trailblazers (6-10) -7
    Damian Lillard has continued to play at a high level, and C.J. McCollum has proved to be a versatile 2=guard. Nothing else is super sexy about this below-average team, with a 2-8 record in their last 10.
  23. Orlando Magic (6-8) -1
    Scott Skiles’ start with the Magic has been dynamic, to say the least. The team is very young, and injuries have seemed to play a role early on. Evan Fournier has played surprisingly well to keep this team in the conversation in the East.
  24. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-8) -13
    The Wolves have come down to earth, going 2-6 in their last eight to settle in towards the bottom of the competitive West. They nearly lost to the winless 76ers, and are clearly a young team still figuring some things out. Still, if you’re a Minnesota fan, you have to be excited about the Wiggins-Towns combo in the future.
  25. Sacramento Kings (5-10) +1
    An injured DeMarcus Cousins has now only played in two-thirds of the 15 Kings games this season. When you’re that essential to a team, every missed game is important. Rudy Gay and Rajon Rondo have had their moments, but this team simply doesn’t look playoff ready right now. It will be interesting to watch Willie Cauley-Stein develop throughout the season.
  26. Houston Rockets (5-9) -17
    Who saw this coming? The Rockets now hold a bottom-five record in the NBA after losing six of their last seven. Coach Kevin McHale has been replaced by interim J.B. Bickerstaff, who also hasn’t been able to solve internal problems. James Harden isn’t playing up to the level he should be, despite still averaging close to 28 PPG.
  27. New Orleans Pelicans (3-11) —
    Finally, a few wins. The story with this team so far has been injuries, and The Brow can only do so much. The Pels are allowing close to 110 PPG, easily last in the NBA. Still, wins over the Mavericks, Suns, and Spurs, all teams at or above .500, have shown where this team could be if they were healthy.
  28. Brooklyn Nets (3-11) +1
    There’s nothing special about the Nets, and it seems as if this season, almost every team has some kind of spark – the same reason why only six teams have not reached six wins yet. Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young have had their moments down low, but this team simply doesn’t have the pieces to keep up this year.
  29. Los Angeles Lakers (2-12) -1
    Before the Warriors-Lakers game on Tuesday night, Magic Johnson tweeted implying that his Lakers simply had no chance of stopping the Warriors from becoming the first NBA team ever to start 16-0. He was right. Kobe Bryant is shooting an abysmal 31% from the field, including 20% from three-point range.
  30. Philadelphia 76ers (0-15) —
    On the up and coming social media app WhatsGoodly, one poll asked whether the Warriors’ winning streak or the 76ers losing streak would end first. Overwhelmingly, users said the Warriors’ streak would continue for longer. This team is bad – very bad, but their last two losses have both only been by five points – they have to win soon, right?


    Image via rantsports.com

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