Power Rankings, Week 1: Bucks, Nets and Suns start season on top
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are ready to defend their championship perch.
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Every season, almost every team believes it can be better than the year before. This season, other teams believe it, too.
In the 2021-22 NBA.com GM Survey, 13 different teams received votes for the “Which team will be most improved?” question. That’s the highest total in the history of the survey and almost double the average of the last 10 years (6.7). The Chicago Bulls got the most votes, but only 27% of the total.
There was no Kevin Durant or LeBron James or Anthony Davis changing teams this season. The two teams that shook things up the most were the Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. But for both, you can make a valid argument for why the moves they made won’t work out so well. Other teams that received votes made smaller moves or have young cores that should see year-to-year improvement.
For all 30 teams in the league, even when you disregard injuries, there are best and worst-case scenarios for how the next eight months will play out. Right now, nobody knows which teams and players will fulfill their potential for the 2021-22 season and which will disappoint.
But we’ll start finding out on Tuesday. The games count now, all of them matter, and the very first one will feature the two teams projected to be the best in the league.
The Brooklyn Nets were No. 1 in the offseason Eastern Conference rankings, but Kyrie Irving’s absence is a good excuse to start the season with the defending champs in the top spot. The Nets, of course, have an immediate opportunity to take it back, visiting Milwaukee on ring night.
Plus-Minus Players of the Preseason
- Right Way: Lonzo Ball (CHI) was a plus-88 in four preseason games.
- Wrong Way: Devonte’ Graham (NOP) was a minus-71 in four preseason games.
Teams of the Preseason
- Make It Last Forever: Dallas (4-0) — With a 68-point road win to boot.
- Something Just Ain’t Right: Portland (0-4) — The second-best offense from last season ranked in the bottom three in effective field goal percentage, turnover rate, and offensive rebounding percentage in the preseason.
Movement in the Rankings
- High jumps of the preseason: Sacramento (+4), Memphis (+3), Minnesota (+3)
- Free falls of the preseason: Indiana (-3), New Orleans (-3)
Week 1 Team to Watch
- L.A. Lakers — Seeing how LeBron James and Russell Westbrook play alongside each other would be reason enough to tune in. But the Lakers also begin their season with games (all at home) against the Warriors (Tuesday), Suns (Friday) and Grizzlies (Sunday).
Previous Power Rankings
- Offseason: Nets atop the East | Suns lead the West
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league averaged 99.7 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes and 111.7 points scored per 100 possessions last season.
NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail or contact him via Twitter.
