NBA power rankings: Who’s No. 1 to start season? Lakers, Bucks, Nets, Suns, Jazz or Heat?
1. Milwaukee Bucks
Last season: 46-26
The reigning NBA champions open the season at No. 1, but how long will they stay in the top spot with the likes of the Lakers and Nets coming for their crown? Will the additions of George Hill and Rodney Hood offset the loss of P.J. Tucker? Can two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo take his game to yet another level with improved free-throw and 3-point shooting? He might have to for Milwaukee to win it all again.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Last season: 42-30
The collection of talent here is absurd with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan, Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk and more. The Lakers went 0-6 in preseason play, but they will be hard to stop if coach Frank Vogel can bring these guys together to establish chemistry and cohesiveness.
3. Brooklyn Nets
Last season: 48-24
Maybe it’s crazy to think a team can be a serious contender with someone like Kyrie Irving out indefinitely because he refuses to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but Kevin Durant and James Harden are just that good. Both players are capable of carrying a team on their own, but they should get help from guys like Joe Harris, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, Landry Shamet, Patty Mills, Bruce Brown and Paul Milsap.
4. Phoenix Suns
Last season: 51-21
Fresh off their surprising run to the NBA Finals, the Suns are back to take another shot at the title with Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges. Contract talks with Ayton stalled as the Suns balked at the idea of a five-year, $172.5 million max extension, with escalators that could take it to as much $207 million, but that might bring out an even better version of the former No. 1 draft pick.
5. Utah Jazz
Last season: 52-20
The Jazz bowed out in the second round of the 2021 NBA playoffs after going 52-20 to post the best record in the regular season. Can Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley take them further this time? The additions of Rudy Gay and Hassan Whiteside could help, but Gay will miss the start of the season following offseason surgery on his heel.
6. Miami Heat
Last season: 40-32
Miami was ousted in the first round of the playoffs last year after going to the NBA Finals in 2020. The Heat might be ready for another deep run after making some significant moves in the offseason. The team acquired Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade deal with the Raptors and picked up P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris in free agency, adding to a core that already featured Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.
7. Denver Nuggets
Last season: 47-25
Nikola Jokic is back after averaging 26.4 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists to earn his first MVP award last season. Michael Porter Jr., Will Barton and Aaron Gordon return as well, and Denver added Jeff Green, but when will Jamal Murray come back? He is reportedly progressing in his recovery from a torn ACL, but there is still no timetable for his return.
8. Atlanta Hawks
Last season: 41-31
The Hawks went to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 last season, and they didn’t stop at that. Atlanta advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference finals behind Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic, John Collins, Cam Reddish, Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams. The Hawks have all those guys back and they’ve added Delon Wright, one of the best backup point guards in the league.
9. Philadelphia 76ers
Last season: 49-23
Tough to tell what the 76ers will be this season. Ben Simmons showed up unannounced after holding out at the start of training camp. There’s some speculation he might even suit up for the 76ers again while the team works to accommodate his trade demand. Even if he doesn’t, this is still a talented team, with Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Shake Milton, Seth Curry, Danny Green, Tyrese Maxey and a new addition in Andre Drummond.
10. Chicago Bulls
Last season: 31-41
Chicago is ready for another Running of the Bulls after making a series of moves to improve the roster. The Bulls didn’t even make the playoffs last season despite an All-Star season from Zach LaVine, but they followed their trade-deadline acquisition of Nikola Vucevic by picking up DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Derrick Jones Jr. and Stanley Johnson over the summer.
11. Golden State Warriors
Last season: 39-33
Stephen Curry is still insanely good. Klay Thompson is expected to be cleared for practice over the next month or so after missing the past two seasons with ACL and Achilles tears. The Warriors should also have better depth with the additions of Otto Porter Jr., Andre Iguodala and Nemanja Bjelica.
12. Boston Celtics
Last season: 36-36
The Celtics got bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season after advancing to the Eastern Conference finals a year earlier. Danny Ainge resigned as president of basketball operations. Coach Brad Stevens moved to the front office. Can coach Ime Udoka lead the Celtics deeper into the playoffs again with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and new additions such as Josh Richardson, Dennis Schroder and Enes Kanter?
13. Dallas Mavericks
Last season: 42-30
Luka Doncic returns as an all-world talent after averaging 27.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.6 assists last season. The Mavericks lost a tough seven-game series to the Clippers in the opening round of the playoffs. Will the additions of Reggie Bullock, Sterling Brown and Moses Brown be enough to help them take the next step this season?
14. Charlotte Hornets
Last season: 33-39
The Hornets return Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington from a team that went to the play-in tournament last season. They’ve added free agents Kelly Oubre Jr. and Ish Smith as well as rookie first-round draft pick James Bouknight, who averaged 15. 8 points per game in the preseason.
15. New York Knicks
Last season: 41-31
The Knicks went 41-31 to claim the No. 4 seed in the East after winning just 21 games in 2019-20. Coach Tom Thibodeau brought out the best in guys like Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett. The Knicks have added Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker, but that might not be enough to replicate last season’s success.
16. Los Angeles Clippers
Last season: 47-25
The Clippers are cautiously optimistic about the potential return of Kawhi Leonard, but he won’t be back anytime soon after tearing his ACL. Can Tyronn Lue keep the team in playoff position with Paul George, Marcus Morris, Eric Bledsoe, Terance Mann, Reggie Jackson and Ivica Zubac?
17. Portland Trail Blazers
Last season: 42-30
Terry Stotts was fired after the Blazers bowed out in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. Maybe Chauncey Billups can get more from a group that still features Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Norman Powell and Jusuf Nurkic along with offseason acquisitions Tony Snell and Larry Nance Jr.
18. Memphis Grizzlies
Last season: 38-34
The Grizzlies emerged from a pack of would-be playoff contenders to earn the No. 8 seed in the West last season. They hope to take another step this season with Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Kyle Anderson, Brandon Clarke, Desmond Bane and Steven Adams, who came over in a trade with the Pelicans.
19. Indiana Pacers
Last season: 34-38
The Pacers still have a strong core with Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon, Myles Turner, Caris LeVert and T.J. Warren, and now they have coach Rick Carlisle, who came in to replace Nate Bjorkgren after stepping down in Dallas with two years remaining on his contract.
20. Sacramento Kings
Last season: 31-41
Can the Kings finally end their 15-year playoff drought? They went 4-0 in the preseason, holding opponents to 102.3 points per game, with rookie defensive dynamo Davion Mitchell joining a core group of De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Harrison Barnes, Richaun Holmes, Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley III.
21. Toronto Raptors
Last season: 27-45
Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan are long gone and Kyle Lowry has taken his talents to South Beach, leaving Masai Ujiri to retool his roster around Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and rookie first-round pick Scottie Barnes.
22. Washington Wizards
Last season: 34-38
The Wizards moved Russell Westbrook to the Lakers in exchange for Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and acquired Spencer Dinwiddie in a multi-team trade, improving their depth around Bradley Beal, Rui Hachimura, Davis Bertans and Deni Avdija.
23. New Orleans Pelicans
Last season: 31-41
Zion Williamson will miss the start of the season after having foot surgery, but the Pelicans should be a play-in contender when he returns to join Brandon Ingram, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jonas Valanciunas and rookie Trey Murphy III, who averaged 17.5 points in the preseason.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last season: 22-50
The Cavaliers could be much improved after winning just 22 games last season. They drafted Evan Mobley with the No. 3 pick, signed Lauri Markkanen, traded for Ricky Rubio and re-signed Jarrett Allen, who returns along with Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
25. Minnesota Timberwolves
Last season: 23-49
Gersson Rosas is out and Sachin Gupta is in as president of basketball operations in Minnesota, where the Timberwolves hope Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards can build on their late surge last season.
26. Detroit Pistons
Last season: 20-52
No. 1 draft pick Cade Cunningham didn’t appear in a single preseason game due to an ankle injury. The Pistons won’t rush Cunningham, but coach Dwane Casey recently said he was “on course” to play in Wednesday’s season opener against the Bulls.
27. San Antonio Spurs
Last season: 33-39
DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay and Patty Mills all left town as free agents. Gregg Popovich is a legend, but even he might find it difficult to win with Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, Bryn Forbes, Lonnie Walker IV and Devin Vassell.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder
Last season: 22-50
OKC signed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a max contract extension after using the No. 6 pick in the draft to select Josh Giddey, who averaged 13.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field and 40% from 3-point range.
29. Orlando Magic
Last season: 21-51
New coach Jamahl Mosley will be tasked with some heavy lifting as Orlando enters a major rebuild. Cole Anthony returns after averaging 12.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season. No. 5 pick Jalen Suggs averaged just 5.0 points on 27.3% shooting in the preseason.
30. Houston Rockets
Last season: 17-55
The Rockets lost 45 of their last 51 games to finish 17-55 last season. This season probably won’t be much better, but fans will enjoy watching No. 2 pick Jalen Green, who averaged 13.2 points in preseason, and No. 16 pick Alperen Sengun, who averaged 9.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.
