How quick were we to write off the San Antonio Spurs? Following an offseason in which a number of other teams in the West acquired All-Star players, the Spurs are one of two undefeated teams remaining in the conference (along with the Los Angeles Clippers). The fact that they've done this without Kawhi Leonard has them at No. 1 in our rankings after a crazy first week of the season, replacing the Golden State Warriors.
How does the rest of the league shake out? Here are our latest NBA Power Rankings.
30) Chicago Bulls (0-3)
The Bulls have pushed the button the rebuild, meaning it will be a long year in the Windy City. This season will be about identifying core players for the future because there aren't going to be many wins.
29) New York Knicks (0-3)
The Knicks are worse than we thought they'd be, but the good news is that Kristaps Porzingis is putting up crazy numbers. It looks like he will have no problems being the focal point of the offense.
28) Dallas Mavericks (1-4)
The Mavericks finally got their first win of the season with an impressive victory over the Grizzlies on Wednesday, ended a terrible start to the season that included losses to the Hawks and Kings.
27) Atlanta Hawks (1-3)
Atlanta hasn't won since their season-opening victory over the Mavs - which isn't a great win. However, they get somewhat of a pass because all of their games have come on the road so far.
26) Phoenix Suns (2-3)
Suddenly, the Suns are 2-0 since firing head coach Earl Watson and sending Eric Bledsoe away from the team while they wait to trade him. Will this continue? No. But at least the Suns have life.
25) Sacramento Kings (1-3)
Sacramento had an incredible offseason with quality draft picks and veteran signings, but this group still has a long way to go before they'll start winning games. The Kings will be improved and the future will look bright, yet their starting lineup just simply isn't good enough to consistently win against quality competition.
24) Indiana Pacers (2-3)
Indiana is as inconsistent as you'd expect from a young team, but their 23-point win over the Timberwolves in which they shot 66.7 percent from the field as a team shows their potential.
23) Philadelphia 76ers (1-4)
Speaking of potential, we present Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Top pick Markelle Fultz is dealing with his shoulder injury, but Simmons and Embiid have Philly playing at a high level. Now, they just need to turn their close losses into wins. That will come with time.
22) New Orleans Pelicans (1-3)
The good news for the Pelicans is that the pairing of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins is working for both individually. The bad news is that the Pelicans still aren't winning because of the lack of talent around them.
21) Brooklyn Nets (3-2)
THE NETS HAVE A WINNING RECORD! Brooklyn doesn't have the roster to really compete for the playoffs and only have wins over the Hawks and Magic - two teams without much talent - but the fact that they had a winning record after last year's disaster (especially after losing Jeremy Lin for the year in the opener) gives fans reason to feel good. D'Angelo Russell and Allen Crabbe look promising in the backcourt and the offense is clicking on all cylinders, leading the league in points per game (121.2). At worst, it looks like this team may actually be fun to watch.
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20) Denver Nuggets (1-3)
The Nuggets were supposed to be better following the addition of Paul Millsap. Instead, they've struggled to mesh and have only beaten the Kings.
19) Los Angeles Lakers (2-2)
Look for the Lakers to make a small jump this year! Their young core has alternated wins and losses, picking up a big win over the Wizards in their last outing. This group may make some noise in the West.
18) Miami Heat (2-2)
Miami has two wins over bad teams (Hawks, Pacers) and losses to teams with winning records (Magic, Spurs). Is this group capable of really competing at a playoff level? They haven't shown they can yet.
17) Charlotte Hornets (2-2)
Dwight Howard has been a difference-maker for this team in the middle and Kemba Walker is playing at a high level, making up for them playing without Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for two games and Nicolas Batum, who is still out for a few weeks. They look like a playoff lock in the weak East.
16) Detroit Pistons (3-2)
The Pistons have looked good in their wins over the Hornets, Knicks, and Timberwolves thanks to the improved play of Tobias Harris, who already has two 30-point games on the year.
15) Orlando Magic (3-1)
Who would've thought that Orlando would have a blowout win over the Cavs and a loss to the Nets on their resume at this point in the season? Their offense (119 points per game, third in the NBA) has been one of the biggest surprises in the league.
14) Utah Jazz (2-3)
As expected, Utah has had trouble finding their offense without Gordon Hayward in the picture. Their entire starting lineup is averaging double-digit points, but no one has more than 16 per game. They need to find a go-to guy.
13) Boston Celtics (2-2)
Hayward's new team has struggled since his injury, which can be expected. They're 0-2 against teams with winning records and 2-0 against teams with losing records. Can they find their footing with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum seeing more and more playing time?
12) Oklahoma City Thunder (2-2)
Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony are still trying to figure out how to play together, but when it looks right, they're scary good. OKC just needs to find more consistency.
11) Minnesota Timberwolves (2-3)
Minnesota was trending the right direction following wins over the Thunder and Jazz, but have since lost to Indiana and Detroit. Like Oklahoma City, they are trying to figure out how to play with Jimmy Butler.
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10) Portland Trail Blazers (3-1)
All that stands between Portland and an undefeated record is a three-point loss to the Bucks. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are playing well and Jusuf Nurkic has been a factor in the paint. They're looking like a legit playoff team.
9) Milwaukee Bucks (3-1)
Milwaukee was a team many were looking at as a breakout team in the Eastern Conference this season and they've looked the part so far, posting a 3-1 record. Those wins weren't fluky, either. They came against the Celtics, Trail Blazers, and Hornets, all of whom project to be playoff teams this year. Giannis Antetokounmpo's breakout season (36.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 5.3 rpg, 2.3 spg) has many thinking this group can grab a top-four seed and be a factor in the playoffs.
8) Toronto Raptors (2-2)
We haven't learned much about Toronto yet this season. Easy wins over Philly and Chicago have been followed by narrow losses to Golden State and San Antonio. The final verdict on this team won't be decided until the playoffs.
7) Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2)
Cleveland has been tough to figure out this year. They've beaten Boston and handled the Bucks, but have also lost to the Nets and were blown out by the Magic. It seems like they're also having trouble breaking in their new pieces and seem to play up or down to their competition.
6) Memphis Grizzlies (3-1)
Prior to that loss to Dallas, no one had gotten off to a better start to the season than the Memphis Grizzlies. They already have wins over both the Warriors and Rockets. We thought this group was going to take a step back this year after letting Tony Allen, Zach Randolph, and Vince Carter leave, but right now, they're looking like a legitimate playoff team and has one of the best resumes in the league. The key for them will be continuing to maintain their offensive success.
5) Washington Wizards (3-1)
The Wizards have a starting lineup that can compete with anyone. That said, their bench is a major issue, and a loss to the Lakers showed that.
4) Los Angeles Clippers (3-0)
The Clippers have looked fine in the post-Chris Paul era. The players they got back in that trade (Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker) have all been vital to their success and Blake Griffin has flourished as the unquestioned No. 1 option.
3) Golden State Warriors (3-2)
A 1-2 start was puzzling, but this juggernaut appears to have righted the ship with wins over Dallas and Toronto. They'll be just fine.
2) Houston Rockets (4-1)
Houston has been rolling despite the injury to Chris Paul with Memphis being their only loss. They're delivering on all their preseason hype.
1) San Antonio Spurs (4-0)
Perhaps the most overlooked team of the offseason, San Antonio has wins over Minnesota, Toronto, Miami, and Chicago despite playing without Kawhi Leonard. LaMarcus Aldridge looks reborn and Rudy Gay has been a major factor off the bench. These guys will be right in the mix with the Warriors, Rockets, and Thunder at the end of the season.
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