NBA Power Rankings Based on NBA Championship Odds After Week 6
The NBA season just kicked off last month, so many of the championship odds aren't going to change. Yet, that doesn't mean there isn't a hierarchy of teams in the league.
The Association is constantly changing, and keeping up with who looks best can be difficult. Every week, I'll be providing my NBA Power Rankings for each team in relation to their NBA title odds.
Here's how things stand after the first few weeks of action. All odds listed are via WynnBET.
1. Golden State Warriors (+400, LW: No. 1)
The Warriors keep chugging along as the best team in the league. With Klay Thompson and James Wiseman on their way back, they are only getting stronger.
2. Phoenix Suns (+1000, LW: No. 2)
The Suns got the signature win of their winning streak over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Their matchup with the Warriors will give us a real look at how legit they are.
3. Brooklyn Nets (+325, LW: No. 3)
The Nets had another bad loss to a league powerhouse, but Brooklyn is slowly getting their act together. As long as Kevin Durant is rolling, Brooklyn has a chance.
4. Milwaukee Bucks (+700, LW: No. 8)
Milwaukee is on a roll. It's won seven games in a row and is creeping up the Eastern Conference standings. One more good week, and they could jump the Nets in this ranking.
5. Miami Heat (+1400, LW: No. 5)
Miami is going to be the consistent team in the top 10 of this ranking. The Heat got a great win over the Bulls and that's what keeps them in the top 5.
6. Utah Jazz (+1000, LW: No. 6)
Utah suffered a weird loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, but were able to right the ship the day after. They followed that up with a big win over the Portland Trail Blazers and look to be back on track.
7. Chicago Bulls (+3500, LW: No. 4)
Chicago lost to Miami on Saturday night, but followed it up with a solid win over the Hornets. The Bulls are still second in the East, but the head-to-head matchup with the Heat drops them to No. 7.
8. Washington Wizards (+12500, LW: No. 7)
Although they are the No. 4 seed in the East, the Wizards are showing signs of slowing down. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games and haven't been able to string wins consistently. Washington needs to get back on track to stay near the top of the Eastern Conference.
9. Dallas Mavericks (+3000, LW: No. 16)
Dallas looks better with Luka Doncic running the show. The Mavericks have a good chance to get on a winning streak with back-to-back games against New Orleans. If Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Brunson can keep up their production, the Mavericks can be dangerous.
10. Los Angeles Clippers (+2000, LW: No. 9)
The Los Angeles Clippers once again lost to the New Orleans Pelicans, which is cause to be moved down. The Clippers have lost two in a row and are 4-6 in their last 10, making them fall a little.
11. Atlanta Hawks (+4000, LW: No. 17)
Atlanta has turned the ship around and is now rolling. The Hawks are just two games out of the No. 3 seed and can easily make that ground up over the course of the season.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves (+20000, LW: No. 22)
Minnesota is in the same boat as the Hawks. The T-Wolves are 7-3 in their last 10 games and are firmly in the playoff picture. All they need is consistency and they will have one of their more successful seasons in recent memory.
13. Charlotte Hornets (+20000, LW: No. 1)
Charlotte lost to the Houston Rockets in overtime on Saturday and lost to the Bulls on Monday. Their struggles put them closer to the middle of the pack, but Terry Rozier's emergence puts them on the right side of the middle.
14. Boston Celtics (+5000, LW: No. 10)
Boston had a bad loss to the Spurs, which undoes a lot of the good work it had done prior to that. The loss was indicative of how the season has gone for the up-and-down Celtics though.
15. Denver Nuggets (+2000, LW: No. 11)
The Denver Nuggets are sitting at .500, but struggling at the same time. They just got word that Michael Porter Jr.'s back will require medical attention, pushing their season trajectory back.
16. Philadelphia 76ers (+2000, LW: No. 12)
Now that Joel Embiid is back, the 76ers can get back on the right path. Philadelphia struggled without him, but are still in a position to make a solid run.
17. New York Knicks (+7500, LW: No. 18)
The Knicks are a mess. Julius Randle and Kemba Walker are falling flat of expectations, and New York can't seem to keep anyone healthy. The Knicks need a winning streak to get to the top of the conference, but it looks like another big change is needed.
18. Portland Trail Blazers (+7500, LW: No. 14)
Portland just got blown out by the Utah Jazz. That loss showed them what most of us already knew: The Trail Blazers can't compete with the league's elite.
19. Los Angeles Lakers (+1100, LW: No. 20)
The Lakers are the most dramatic team in the NBA and they can't win several games in a row. Los Angeles lost a heartbreaker to the Kings in triple-OT. That shouldn't have happened and they will stay at the bottom of the second tier.
20. Memphis Grizzlies (+7500, LW: No. 15)
If the Grizzlies don't have Ja Morant moving forward, they are toast. They have enough to get by every once and a while, but they will slide without him.
21. Cleveland Cavaliers (+50000, LW: No. 19)
Cleveland just got Evan Mobley back, but they've felt his absence. The Cavs went on a serious losing streak and can't defend home court. They are still a blue-collar team, but wins are not a big part of their future.
22. Toronto Raptors (+20000, LW: No. 21)
Toronto hasn't taken a huge leap forward after getting back to full strength, but the Raptors are still not a fun team to play. They are creeping around .500 and can get back to it with the right scheduling luck.
23. Indiana Pacers (+20000, LW: No. 23)
The Pacers are the epitome of "mid." They won't string wins together, or look solid for more than three days or win games they should win. Indiana needs a clean reset once this season is done.
24. San Antonio Spurs (+30000, LW: No. 26)
The Spurs are on a two-game winning streak and have gotten them against two of the Eastern conference's best teams. If the Spurs can keep them up, maybe they can sneak into the play-in.
25. Sacramento Kings (+20000, LW: No. 24)
Sacramento is one more dysfunctional week away from being relegated. The Kings fired Luke Walton and are now searching for their next identity. The team is struggling, but the win over the Lakers was a gutsy one.
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (+50000, LW: No. 25)
The Thunder have lost six in a row and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks off. However, a lot of their recent losses have been close, so this is more of a participation trophy for them.
27. New Orleans Pelicans (+20000, LW: No. 29)
The Pelicans have somehow won three of their last four and have moved to 6-17 on the season. They still aren't good, but the win over the Jazz was very impressive.
28. Detroit Pistons (+50000, LW: No. 27)
Detroit is just hoping that Cade Cunningham can stay healthy and develop. The Pistons have lost six in a row and are close to being right next to the Magic in these rankings.
29. Houston Rockets (+50000, LW: No. 30)
The Rockets are still one of the worst teams in the league, but they have won three games in a row and look rejuvenated. John Wall may be on his way out soon, which could erase a cloud that's been over their head all season long.
30. Orlando Magic (+100000, LW: No. 28)
The Magic must take the place of the worst team in the league this week. Orlando has the longest losing streak in the league and just can't seem to get a win these days.