Despite being on-pace to finish with a superior record compared to last season, the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves only in the 5th seed of the Eastern Conference. The 76ers are a dangerous team capable of potentially reaching the NBA Finals if they can perfect their chemistry. Length can play a huge factor come playoff time, and Philadelphia has it in spades. That being said, without a surefire clutch-time scorer like they had last year with Jimmy Butler, this team may struggle to win close games in the postseason.
If these rankings are any indication, the Clippers are a doomed team. Being in the 30th spot this week is not the end of the world, though. Paul George still has a ways to go before he's completely back to his usual self, and it's reasonable to assume he can be near his MVP-level play from last season as long as he can remain healthy. Kawhi Leonard is probably the most lethal playoff performer in the league, and his workload hasn't been excessive this year. There may not be a team in the league that can match the Clippers' combination of star power and depth.
Teams that have been first: Sacramento Kings (1x), Houston Rockets (2x), Memphis Grizzlies (1x), Boston Celtics (1x), Oklahoma City Thunder (1x), Philadelphia 76ers (1x)
Teams that have been last: Memphis Grizzlies (2x), Golden State Warriors (1x), Minnesota Timberwolves (2x), Sacramento Kings (1x), Los Angeles Clippers (1x)
1. Philadelphia 76ers +8
(25-14)
2. Miami Heat +23
(27-10)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder -2
(22-16)
4. Milwaukee Bucks
(33-6)
5. Utah Jazz +6
(25-12)
6. Los Angeles Lakers +2
(30-7)
7. Orlando Magic -2
(18-20)
8. New Orleans Pelicans -2
(13-25)
9. Houston Rockets -6
(25-12)
10. San Antonio Spurs +3
(16-20)
11. Washington Wizards +18
(12-25)
12. Denver Nuggets +12
(26-11)
13. Boston Celtics -3
(25-11)
14. Memphis Grizzlies +4
(16-22)
15. Indiana Pacers -8
(23-15)
16. Dallas Mavericks -4
(23-14)
17. Minnesota Timberwolves +2
(15-22)
18. Sacramento Kings +12
(15-23)
19. Cleveland Cavaliers -17
(11-27)
20. Detroit Pistons +1
(14-25)
21. Golden State Warriors -4
(9-30)
22. Chicago Bulls
(13-25)
23. Phoenix Suns +4
(14-23)
24. Toronto Raptors -9
(25-13)
25. Portland Trail Blazers +3
(16-23)
26. Brooklyn Nets
(16-20)
27. New York Knicks -4
(10-28)
28. Charlotte Hornets -8
(15-25)
29. Atlanta Hawks -13
(8-30)
30. Los Angeles Clippers -16
(26-12)
It is time to throw away the American inferiority complex with its place in the sport, where many blindly claim that technique should come above all in choosing and developing the best prospects and that the U.S. is not an international power because it cares too much about athleticism.
Following last year's list of nine underground teams to watch, I bring the list back with eight new teams you need to follow. From entertaining amateur players to professional coaches revolutionizing the sport from behind the scenes, here are eight underground soccer teams to watch this season.
The Premier League is here and with that comes an uncountable number of variables and uncertainty from which teams will stay up to which teams will secure a Champions League spot. Here is a prediction of the premier league table from 20th to 1st.
