All right folks, I haven't seen this thread in awhile, but for those of you who may have forgotten, you may find people telling you things like "Power Rankings don't matter" and "who cares?" Here's a counterpoint, they ABSOLUTELY DO MATTER, because that is how life is. An endless series of ranked choices to maintain the illusion of control over what is effectively a random universe is the definition of the human experience. The arbitrariness is not the problem - rather it is the SOLUTION to the problem, which is itself. If we're not in the top 5 by mid December it's time to get VERY AGITATED.
Ahem, guess who's now a consensus top 5, as high as #2 on NBA.com Let's aim for consensus 1. 50 wins plus a #1 power ranking will make a nice affordable goal for the Till-man.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27189056/league-best-teams-now 1. Milwaukee Bucks 2. Denver Nuggets 3. LA Clippers 4. Philadelphia 76ers 5. Houston Rockets 2018-19 record: 53-29 2020 title odds: 8-1 Previous rank: No. 7 The Rockets rolled the dice by reuniting Russell Westbrook with James Harden, particularly considering the hefty price of the lightly protected 2024 and 2026 first-round picks they sent to Oklahoma City along with Chris Paul. "It's risky for sure, but I believe the upside is greater than with CP," a team source said. Westbrook's ball dominance and poor 3-point shooting present fit concerns, but Harden pushed hard for the trade, which the Rockets hope will allow them to be legitimate contenders through The Beard's prime, a window that was closing because of the 34-year-old Paul's physical decline. -- Tim MacMahon Key additions: Russell Westbrook, Tyson Chandler Key subtractions: Chris Paul 6. Los Angeles Lakers 7. Boston Celtics 8. Portland Trail Blazers 9. Utah Jazz 10. Toronto Raptors 11. Golden State Warriors 12. Brooklyn Nets 13. San Antonio Spurs 14. Miami Heat 15. Indiana Pacers 16. Detroit Pistons 17. New Orleans Pelicans 18. Dallas Mavericks 19. Orlando Magic 20. Sacramento Kings 21. Minnesota Timberwolves 22. Atlanta Hawks 23. Chicago Bulls 24. Oklahoma City Thunder 25. Phoenix Suns 26. Memphis Grizzlies 27. Washington Wizards 28. New York Knicks 29. Charlotte Hornets 30. Cleveland Cavaliers
Is Kevin Love helping the Cavs lock down that stellar ranking this year? They better hold onto him with a tight grip.
Not a bad list, actually. I think the Rockets, Clippers and Denver will be the top 3 in the West, and I'd put the Blazers and j*zz ahead of the Lakers.
I remember a quote from Tristan Thompson last year before the season started. He said the Cavs are still Eastern Conference champions until someone takes that away from them.
5. Houston Rockets 2018-19 record: 53-29 Pace: 98.4 (27) OffRtg: 114.9 (2) DefRtg: 110.1 (17) NetRtg: +4.8 (5) Key addition(s): Russell Westbrook Key departure(s): Chris Paul Key question: Will there be more slippage on defense? Westbrook's fit in the Houston offense, and his ability to coexist with the only guy (Harden) who's had a higher usage rate over the last 23 seasons, will be more fascinating to watch. It's not clear that Westbrook's explosiveness will make up for his poor perimeter shooting when he doesn't have the ball in his hands as much. But the Rockets have ranked first or second in offensive efficiency in each of coach Mike D'Antoni's three seasons in Houston. Plus, minutes will be staggered so that only one of Harden or Westbrook will be on the floor for about half the game. Having two of the top three guys in drives per game last season will put a ton of pressure on opposing defenses. More important is that the Rockets' own defense doesn't take another step backward. Last season, the Rockets allowed 108.8 points per 100 possessions in the 58 games in which Paul played and 113.0 per 100 in the 24 games that he missed.
