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Record: 0-3 Chicago Bulls Christian Wood. PER: Player Efficiency Rating is the overall rating of a player's per-minute statistical production. Week 1 ranking: 17, It has been a bummer of a start for the Pelicans, particularly because of the knee surgery that will sideline No. Charlotte Hornets The journeyman eight-time All-Star had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds while making all eight of his field goal attempts and blocking four shots -- he was plus-23 in 23 minutes -- during a win over Charlotte on Sunday night. 2020-21 record: 9-7 Record: 1-2 -- Woodyard, 6. Record: 2-0 Record: 2-1 Very notable. They started with a tough win on the road in Houston and a surprising loss to the Heat at home, with Giannis Antetokounmpo producing monster numbers but fouling out of both games. Memphis Grizzlies -- Marks, 9. -- Spears. The lone bright spot? He has been smooth offensively, averaging 5.0 assists and 18.5 points on 60% shooting in only 23.4 minutes per game. Week 1 ranking: 16, Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis definitely haven't done anything to diminish the hope that the Mavs' young franchise cornerstones can develop into one of the league's elite duos in the not-too-distant future. VA: Value Added - the estimated number of points a player adds to a team’s season total above what a 'replacement player' (for instance, the 12th man on the roster) would produce. Value Added = ([Minutes * (PER - PRL)] / 67). Week 1 ranking: 25, The Wizards started the season banged up and cobbled together a second unit of Who He Play For All-Stars, but they play hard and they play together -- basically the opposite of last season's team. Memphis Grizzlies -- Friedell, 25. But a blowout of the defenseless Warriors showed signs of what the Thunder are trying to move toward without a high-usage, ball-dominant player -- more passing, more cutting, more moving. It's why they keep making the playoffs, it's why they're always around 50 wins. Miami Heat -- Young, 21. -- Young, 27. Week 1 ranking: 23, Trae Young has been living up to his nickname "Ice Trae" so far. Gordon Hayward. Record: 2-0 Previous ranking: 10. It's clear playing Porzingis at center provides him the space to maximize his offensive potential, but the Mavs are still at their best defensively when they play big. Coach Steve Nash is exploring some rotational adjustments to maximizing the three stars, but there will be nights like Saturday against the Heat, when Durant and Irving went off and James Harden scored only 12 points on eight shots. Record: 2-1 And they're not alone; the top three teams in the conference are rolling right now, as the Clippers' win streak hit seven after Sunday's win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Denver Nuggets But Patrick Beverley (knee) and Paul George (hamstring) did not finish Sunday's win over the Thunder. Previous ranking: 25, The Hawks got back on track with three wins over the teams currently ranked last in each conference -- two over Minnesota and one overtime victory over Detroit -- and Sunday's loss to Milwaukee was played without point guard Trae Young or center Clint Capela. -- MacMahon, 26. Week 1 ranking: 20, The Kings lost their first two road games by an average of 30.5 points, and new Sacramento coach Luke Walton pulled his starters with 8:39 left in the third quarter at Utah on Saturday night after they fell behind by 32. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 27.3 points with .510/.500/.895 shooting splits during the roll. Excitement in Phoenix is tempered, however, after the NBA announced Thursday that Deandre Ayton -- the No. -- Young, Monday through Friday, host Pablo Torre brings you an inside look at the most interesting stories at ESPN, as told by the top reporters and insiders on the planet. -- Young, 13. Week 1 ranking: 21, The undefeated Timberwolves have achieved their early success with a balanced team effort around transcendent superstar Karl-Anthony Towns, who has put up dominant numbers to start his fifth season (32.0 points, 13.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.0 blocks, 3.0 steals per game). Hayward's big night came at a good time for a Charlotte team that was in the midst of a four-game losing streak. -- Lopez, 14. Throughout the regular season, our panel (ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Andre' Snellings, Royce Young and Bobby Marks, and The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which are looking most like title contenders. Incidentally, our top two held on to their positions from January, which is saying a lot for them, and NPFL top scorer Sadeeq Yusuf climbs into the top three with a record-setting performance. Previous ranking: 23, It has been a topsy-turvy few weeks for the Knicks, who won three in a row, lost five in a row and won three in a row in the 11 games prior to losing Friday night in Sacramento and Sunday night in Portland. Record: 2-1 The Wizards' star backcourt mates need all the time they can get playing together. 1 overall pick. 2020-21 record: 7-10 Cleveland Cavaliers Oklahoma City Thunder PRL (Position Replacement Level) = 11.5 for power … Indiana Pacers Record: 1-2 2020-21 record: 6-9 -- MacMahon, 10. -- Lopez, 18. Record: 2-1 That group started the week with a net rating of plus-8.5. Washington Wizards ESPN Analytics. Previous ranking: 13, Good luck predicting who is going to lead the Spurs in scoring on a given night. Previous ranking: 15, Miami is still playing without Jimmy Butler and Avery Bradley (health and safety protocols), Tyler Herro (neck spasms) and Meyers Leonard (left shoulder strain), but Bam Adebayo is doing his best to keep the Heat afloat. 2020-21 record: 13-4 Brooklyn Nets -- Young, 26. Throughout the regular season, our panel (ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Andre' Snellings, Royce Young and Bobby Marks, and The Undefeated's Marc J. … Once they find their rhythm and Antetokounmpo gets the fouls under control, the Bucks project to be dominant on both offense and defense again this season. 1 above the Spurs because, well, we want to. Watch », A combination of the schedule, Al Horford missing time because of a personal issue (a newborn baby) and the team just not being as good as its early record suggested has the Thunder returning to reality. ESPN Previous ranking: 17, Had it not been for rookie Cole Anthony's game winner over the Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Magic would be in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. New Orleans Pelicans Previous ranking: 7, The Jazz are the most prolific 3-point shooting team in NBA history at this point, averaging 16.8 made 3s per game. And with it, Rui Hachimura has the look of an intriguing rookie who might be even better than the already optimistic expectations. Beating Giannis and Milwaukee in overtime (on the road) after a dominant fourth-quarter comeback? -- Young, 8. He's fine." Conley looked like himself in Saturday's blowout of the Kings, when he had 12 points and eight assists. Power Rankings Power Rankings; Transactions Transactions; Salaries Salaries; NBA History NBA History; Coaches Coaches; NBA.COM tickets NBA.COM tickets; Awards Awards; Which NBA players can and can't be traded. The Kings' offense is a work in progress: They've shot under 40% in two of their three games. Lin has engaged in a number of forums discussing the issue of violence against Asians, including one last year with former NBA player Caron Butler, Indian American civil-rights attorney Vanita Gupta and one-time presidential candidate Andrew Yang. Losses to the Knicks and Jazz followed -- although Stephen Curry took some of the sting from the Utah loss by passing Reggie Miller for No. Record: 0-2 2020-21 record: 12-4 Sacramento was unable to build on the win, however, with its ensuing two games on the schedule against the Grizzlies being postponed because of the league's health and safety protocols. Milwaukee Bucks Players Players; Injuries Injuries; PickCenter PickCenter; Remembering Kobe Remembering Kobe; NBA Finals NBA Finals; Tickets Tickets; World of Woj World of Woj; Power Rankings Power Rankings; Transactions Transactions; Salaries Salaries; NBA History NBA History; Coaches Coaches; NBA.COM tickets NBA… Watch on ESPN+, 25. -- Marks, 29. Atlanta surely missed Capela, who turned in back-to-back stellar performances prior to sitting. 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Over the past four seasons, the Thunder were last in the league in passes per game, but are 17th so far this season, averaging about 36.5 more per game, according to Second Spectrum. The defending-champion Lakers, meanwhile, have won eight of their past 10. ESPN's NBA Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a measure of team strength developed by the ESPN Analytics team. Two nights later he put up 25 points and nine assists in an encore performance, racking up another win over the NBA's latest super team. Power Rankings Notebook: Brown's rising usage rate. Power Rankings Power Rankings; Transactions Transactions; Salaries Salaries; NBA History NBA History; Coaches Coaches; NBA.COM tickets NBA.COM tickets; Awards Awards Orlando Magic He has a team-best plus-13.3 net rating in 20 minutes per game. NBA: Scores/Schedules Standings Statistics Transactions ... Of top five players in minutes, one is shooting better … San Antonio Spurs Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Eric Woodyard, Royce Young and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders. Previous ranking: 21, With the basketball world tuning in to get a first glimpse of Brooklyn's big three, Cavs guard Collin Sexton stole the show. 2020-21 record: 10-6 Still, coach Tom Thibodeau has this team playing hard, and New York currently sits fifth in the league in defensive rating -- though that number is inflated by opponents having the worst 3-point shooting percentage in the league by a full point. The Jazz hoped that Conley's arrival would benefit Donovan Mitchell, and the early returns on that are positive, with the young star guard averaging an efficient 23.7 points (68.1 true shooting percentage) in the first week. But Russell Westbrook's injured quad improved during the break, and Bradley Beal got some needed rest. 2 overall pick of the 2016 draft. -- Marks, 15. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft -- has been suspended 25 games for a violation of the NBA's anti-drug policy after testing positive for a banned diuretic. -- Snellings, 20. Bold prediction: Joel Embiid will be the NBA's Most Valuable Player. 2020-21 record: 9-6 Check out which other teams are cruising into Week 6, and which teams are sliding. Record: 2-0 Previous ranking: 30, After suffering four more losses this week, the Pistons matched their worst start (3-13) through 16 games in franchise history, per ESPN Stats & Information research. Newcomers Willie Cauley-Stein and Alec Burks and veteran forward Kevon Looney are injured and out. -- Woodyard, Clippers or Jazz: Who are the Lakers' biggest rivals in the West? Week 1 ranking: 6, Russell Westbrook (26 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists per game) lived up to high expectations as the Rockets split their first two games. Oklahoma City Thunder Week 1 ranking: 1, The opening-night win over the Lakers felt like a statement beyond just general NBA contendership terms, but one localized directly at the supposed big brother across the hall. Add the Warriors' youth, and their horrible start -- including 28-point blowout loss Sunday in Oklahoma City -- makes sense. Previous ranking: 11, The Nuggets are starting to look more like the team that reached the Western Conference finals last season. Golden State Warriors Brooklyn Nets -- Young, 2. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first player with 15 rebounds, 10 blocks and no personal fouls in a game. -- McMenamin, 2. Week 1 ranking: 22, The Pistons won their opener in Indiana but have since lost to the Hawks and Joel Embiid-less 76ers. Xavier Tillman, the No. -- Snellings. Phoenix Suns The inability to close out games: The Nets blew fourth-quarter leads in all three games, eventually losing in OT to Minnesota and Memphis. Boston Celtics. The 24-year-old Murray also is coming off his second career triple-double on Sunday (11 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists). Record: 2-1 It seems like a lost season so far for the Wizards, who are undermanned and in a stretch of six of eight games on the road. -- Snellings, 19. The NBA is back! R. Hollis-Jefferson. -- Snellings, 4. Phoenix Suns Sporting a deep and veteran cast, the Raptors could be poised for a stronger-than-predicted defense of their championship this season. Still, it was a big week for center Deandre Ayton, who averaged 22 points and 14.8 rebounds on 64.3% shooting. The past six games have been particularly rough for No. Another early Achilles heel for Brooklyn? But Brandon Ingram has been a major bright spot, averaging 27.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists through three games, displaying the talent level that led the Lakers to select him with the No. -- MacMahon, 8. Record: 2-1 James Harden hasn't played up to his standards so far this season, making only 3 of 26 3-point attempts. 2020-21 record: 3-13 Orlando Magic And this was without Jimmy Butler, by the way, who has been away from the team following the birth of his daughter. Siakam is looking to make another leap, and is averaging just under 29 points and 11 rebounds for the first week of the season. It's early in the season, but for a team that has historically been far better at home than on the road, securing a high seed and home-court advantage would be no small feat. Previous ranking: 12, The Blazers are quietly managing their injury misfortune, and with Sunday's game against the Knicks as the most recent example, they're doing it with a tried and true method: Dame. Previous ranking: 27, Zach LaVine is averaging a career-best 26.8 points with 5.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game and helped Chicago post its longest winning streak (three games) since February 2019, before Saturday night's loss to the Lakers. Murray, 23, who missed all of last season because of a knee injury, has already proven himself as one of the NBA's premier defensive point guards. Week 1 ranking: 4, The Nuggets don't have the luxury of sneaking up on anyone anymore but still handled their business opening week. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort continue to be bright spots for OKC, whose season focus is on development. 2020-21 record: 8-8 Previous ranking: 14, The up-and-down nature of this Warriors season never seems to stop. Record: 1-2 -- Bontemps, 17. • Clippers at Pelicans, 9 p.m. on ESPN -- Spears, 18. All times Eastern, It's no surprise Kristaps Porzingis thrived in his first two starts at center this season, averaging 24 points on 65.5% shooting in a pair of wins. The league average is 15.00 every season. Week 1 ranking: 3, It is only a two-game sample, but there is a sense of a mental toughness developing in Philadelphia. ESPN -NBA, NBA Power Rankings. -- Bontemps, 21. -- MacMahon, 20. The Utah Jazz have won eight straight games and sit a half-game behind the LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers for the best record in the league. LA Clippers Record: 0-3 Week 1 ranking: 14, Beating Memphis on opening night with a dominant fourth quarter? "Nothing to worry about. 16. Also, point guard Chris Paul's 135 assists are the most by a Suns player through 15 team games since Steve Nash (140) in 2011-12, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. -- McMenamin, 27. NBA Power Rankings: The questions, stars and matchups that matter in the second half 2d How Arthur Smith forged a path separate from billionaire dad to become Atlanta Falcons coach Maxi Kleber's eventual return after recovering from COVID-19 provides a best-of-both solution, because he's a 6-foot-10 quality defender and a 3-point threat.