5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is coming out to not just be the dark horse of the Eastern Conference but of the whole league. I’m saying this with confidence because of the immense depth and talent of their starting five. We have watched them prove this all season long and they’re really shaping up to be a title contender now with how well things are going for them.
Everyone anticipated Donovan Mitchell to become an All-Star in Cleveland, and he has delivered. He has been effectively integrated into the Cavaliers' offense, and all lingering questions about his trade have been put to rest. It’s no wonder Spida was able to score 71 points earlier tonight in their overtime win against the Bulls.
4. Memphis Grizzlies
When writing about the most entertaining teams in the NBA, it’s impossible to miss the Memphis Grizzlies.
Ja Morant has elevated himself as one of the best players in the league right now, giving the Grizzlies a huge advantage against most teams every night. He has scored at least 30 points in five of the last seven games and is averaging 29 points, 9.3 assists, and 4.4 rebounds over that span. The 23-year-old is always a fun watch because of his high basketball IQ and his ability to explode to the rim. I won’t get tired of saying that this guy is a walking highlight reel.
3. Denver Nuggets
With the two-time MVP on the squad, the Denver Nuggets are poised to rack up a lot of wins this season. Just to give people how incredible Nikola Jokic has been this campaign, he has had FIVE triple-doubles in the past eight games, all of which were wins.
He has the best record right now with triple-doubles and it’s so insane to think he put up big numbers against powerhouse teams like Boston, Memphis, and Phoenix. Out of this world.
The Joker’s teammates have been stepping up to add to their title hopes. Michael Porter Jr. and Jammal Murray have been contributing and Aaron Gordon continues to be an impact player for the Nuggets.
2. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks are second in the rankings after a tremendous week by Luka Doncic. He started the week with a career-high 60 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists in a victory against the Knicks, making him the first player in NBA history to ever record a 60-point and 20-rebound triple-double. We all needed a recovery beer after that incredible performance.
To add to that, Luka was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, with an average of 48.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 10.7 assists in his last three games. One of the greatest basketball tacticians to ever coach the game, Gregg Popovich, wanted to hold him under 50 points but he emerged with 51 against the Spurs. Everybody’s talking about Luka Magic and we’re here for it.
1. Brooklyn Nets
Who else deserves the top spot in this week’s League Power Rankings other than the Brooklyn Nets?
After absolute chaos to start the season, the Nets are the hottest team on the court now after winning 11 straight. The early season drama has awakened a beast in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, guided by a new playing philosophy by head coach Jacque Vaughn. They had a huge turnaround that has propelled them back to elite status.
Brooklyn has the best shooters currently with the dynamic duo and the blossoming of Nic Claxton, TJ Warren, and Yuta Watanabe. It’s a new year and the Nets look like a new team. If they keep this high-playing level up, they’re definitely going to be dominating in 2023.
