Here at the ICT Zone, our power rankings are based on a very simple philosophy. "To be the man you gotta beat the man", if a lower ranked team beats a higher ranked team, then the two teams automatically swap spots regardless of results from prior weeks. After a few weeks off, we are back with week eight of the the NBA season.
The Grizzlies have been a volatile presence in our rankings so far this season, becoming the first team to occupy the top and bottom spots at some point. Despite having perhaps the frontrunner for Rookie-of-the-Year in Ja Morant, the Grizzlies have not been able to match up well against other teams. While surprisingly getting the number 2 pick in the 2019 draft helps move along the Grizzlies' timeline, they still have quite a way to go to be contenders in the West.
One team that has struggled of late is the Minnesota Timberwolves, having lost their past 5 games. Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins have been carrying the team, but their supporting cast needs to step up if they want to be a playoff team. Still, having 2 all-star-caliber players puts them ahead of other teams vying for one of the last spots in the Western Conference.
Teams that have been first: Sacramento Kings (1x), Houston Rockets (2x), Memphis Grizzlies (1x)
Teams that have been last: Memphis Grizzlies (2x), Golden State Warriors (1x), Minnesota Timberwolves (1x)
1. Memphis Grizzlies +29
(7-16)
2. Sacramento Kings +7
(10-13)
3. Milwaukee Bucks +2
(22-3)
4. Boston Celtics +7
(17-5)
5. Detroit Pistons +23
(10-14)
6. Miami Heat -2
(18-6)
7. Los Angeles Lakers -5
(21-3)
8. Los Angeles Clippers +2
(18-7)
9. Houston Rockets -8
(15-8)
10. San Antonio Spurs +17
(9-14)
11. Indiana Pacers -3
(15-9)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder +4
(11-12)
13. Charlotte Hornets +10
(10-16)
14. Utah Jazz +15
(13-11)
15. Brooklyn Nets
(13-10)
16. Portland Trail Blazers +6
(10-15)
17. Philadelphia 76ers
(18-7)
18. Orlando Magic -12
(11-12)
19. Atlanta Hawks -1
(6-18)
20. Phoenix Suns -7
(11-12)
21. Washington Wizards -2
(7-16)
22. Denver Nuggets -19
(14-8)
23. Golden State Warriors -3
(5-20)
24. New Orleans Pelicans -12
(6-19)
25. Toronto Raptors -4
(16-7)
26. Dallas Mavericks -19
(16-7)
27. New York Knicks -4
(4-20)
28. Cleveland Cavaliers -2
(5-18)
29. Chicago Bulls -5
(8-17)
30. Minnesota Timberwolves -16
(10-13)
This year's draft is shaping to be one for the ages. Not only does it include game-changing prospects, but the turnaround from the finals last week to the draft and then free agency next week is so condensed compared to years past. Look for GMs and Players to move with more urgency. Draft night is set to have Woj bombs...
USA Men's Basketball heads into these Olympic games with less certainty than they've had in years, which leads me to believe they'll fall short of a gold medal. The squad is too thin, there is no clear leader, and the roster feels more like a mix and matching of stars than an actual roster.
Without hyperbole, I confidently say that the Milwaukee Bucks championship is the best thing to have happened to the NBA in a long time. With this championship, three vital things happened:
