29. New Jersey: Deron Williams is shooting less than 40 percent from the field and is very high in turnovers while low in assists. Without Brook Lopez in the lineup it does not look good for the Nets. Maybe Deron wishes he was still hooping in Turkey?
28. New Orleans: The Hornets have shown early signs of being a great rebounding team but that could be because they can’t make any buckets. The addition of Eric Gordon in the Chris Paul trade will help with the offensive struggles, but he has missed half of the games played thus far.
27. Detroit Pistons: Detroit put together a pair of great wins against Indiana and the Magic but have shown very little other than that. This group of role players lacks a star player and shows little motivation.
26. Golden State Warriors: The Golden State Warriors started off the season great with a record of 2-0, but since then they have dropped five straight games and have the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic up next. Once Stephen Curry gets back in the lineup they have a better chance to save this season from being a disaster.
Next Page: Week 3 Power Rankings: 25-21
25. Minnesota Timberwolves: With a 2-5 record the Timberwolves could be a better team than they record depicts. They managed to put together wins against the Mavericks as well as the Spurs, but most recently dropped two games against the Cavs and Grizzlies. Led by Kevin Love, I expect the T’wolves to finish as a .500 ball club.
24. Toronto Raptors: The Raptors have a talented little ball club but have yet to figure it out. It seems like it is always “what if,” they played the Pacers close and gave the Orlando Magic and Mavericks a close run but have yet to put together a win against a respectable team other than the .500 Knicks.
23. Milwaukee Bucks: Without Andrew Bogut in the lineup the Bucks could find themselves in a heap of trouble as the season wears on. Also, Stephen Jackson hasn’t exactly improved the Bucks offensive game. They may need to look to Brandon Jennings more to carry them.
22. Charlotte Bobcats: The Bobcats had to face the Miami Heat twice early in the season, both resulting in losses. Either way they have a record of 2-6 and play a majority of their upcoming games on the road.
21. Houston Rockets: Surprised? The Rockets have a record of 2-6 and have yet to win on the road. They have a talented roster with some solid role players but have yet to figure it out on the court.
Next Page: Week 3 Power Rankings: 20-16
20. Utah Jazz: The Mehmet Okur trade made it clear that the organization has decided to work on player development. Although they most likely will not make the playoffs this season, there is a lot of opportunity on this roster, which is a good thing to improve upon in the future.
19. Memphis Grizzlies: The Memphis Grizzlies are 3-5 on the year with wins against the Rockets, Kings and Timberwolves. Their losses include San Antonio, Chicago, Los Angeles and Oklahoma City. Until they can put together a win against a top team they will remain at the bottom of the barrel.
18. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving has injected some well needed life into this ball club, unfortunately it may take a few more years and some key additions to the team before they can be taken seriously.
17. Sacramento Kings: The Kings seem to look like they are improving but their record tells otherwise. They have yet to put together a road win at 0-3 on the season. Although they did have a nice win at home against the Lakers.
16. Phoenix Suns: Seems like every other game this team wins or loses. They have yet to put together a win streak, but have avoided a losing streak, which is a good sign. This squad is talented, and had a key addition in former Laker Shannon Brown, but we may have to wait another week or two and see what this team is really made of.
Next Page: Week 3 Power Rankings: 15-11
15. Philadelphia 76ers: Is it really always sunny in Philadelphia? After starting off the season at 1-2, Philly is coming off a four game winning streak. This is impressive but their opponents included the Warriors, Hornets, Pistons and Raptors. Let’s see how well they play against some top notch teams before they move up in the rankings.
14. New York Knicks: At 4-4, I am surprised the Knicks do not have a better record. I am confident once the team begins to gel together and get in their groove they will be top five contenders in the league.
13. Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers have a strong home record at 6-1 but have yet to put together a win on the road. With less experience on the roster in the last few years, this could become a problem later in the season. Not to mention Kobe’s wrist, a weak Gasol and a fragile Bynum, in one second this season could turn ugly very fast.
12. Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs had a terrible start to the regular season at 1-4 and were allowing opponents to shoot a league-high 49 percent. Since then, they have won three games and have only one loss. They had some key additions to the roster in Lamar Odom and Vince Carter, who may still be feeling their way in the offense.
11. Los Angeles Clippers: Let’s face it, the Clippers are the new Showtime of Los Angeles. With every game seeming to have a top ten play, they are the most enjoyable team to watch in the NBA. The addition of Chris Paul and some other key players strengthened this ball club greatly. Plus, they have only played six games and are still learning to play as a team.
Next Page: Week 3 Power Rankings: 10-6
10. San Antonio: Although the San Antonio Spurs have an undefeated record at home of 6-0 they have yet to put together a win on the road. Recently, age has been a factor for this San Antonio Spurs team. If they can stay healthy they will make a push to move up in the power rankings.
9. Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce is back in the lineup with the other three All-Stars. His return to the starting lineup sends Sasha Pavlovic back to the bench, which only strengthens the second unit.
8. Atlanta Hawks: Atlanta has proven they are solid contenders in the Eastern Conference and play teams tough in the playoffs. So far they have put together a nice start to the regular season. Jeff Teague is making an strong impact in the starting lineup shooting 57 percent from the field.
7. Indiana Pacers: Indiana is undefeated on their home floor and has only two losses on the season, one of which was to the Miami Heat.
6. Denver Nuggets: The Denver Nuggets are undefeated at home and have been gelling together well. Yes they have recently played against sub-par teams at home this past week, but this could add some well needed confidence to a team lacking a star player.
Next Page: Week 3 Power Rankings: 5-1
5. Orlando Magic: The Orlando Magic are a better team than what their record depicts. They have a strong inside presence in Dwight Howard and Ryan Anderson, accompanied with some great perimeter players.
4. Portland Trail Blazers: Led by an emerging star in LaMarcus Aldridge, the Portland Trail Blazers have been very impressive early in the season. They are undefeated on their home court and are 1-2 on the road. Experience on this roster may be a factor later in the season.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder: This young squad has very impressive records playing at home and away. The youth of this team will definitely come out as an advantage as the season wears on. Although Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been reportedly not getting along and arguing during games, both have the same goal. Win.
2. Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose. Need I say more? The Chicago Bulls currently have a record of 7-2 with only two of those wins at home. Look for last years MVP to lead this talented group of solid role players to a strong finish in the league.
1. Miami Heat: With a league-best record of eight wins and only 1 loss the Miami Heat deserve the top spot in the NBA. What is even more impressive is that they are 5-0 when playing on the road. If LeBron and Wade can stay healthy for the majority of the season, look for the Miami Heat to stay at the top of the league rankings the majority of the season.