NBA POWER RANKINGS : OCTOBER 2017

NBA POWER RANKINGS : MONTH OF OCTOBER 2017



Written By Kyle Crabbe
Twitter: @KthetruestKnick



30) Chicago Bulls


Team Record: 1 - 4
TrueFan Quick Take: Bulls will struggle for most of year. We can expect the Bulls to trade either PF Bobby Portis or PF Nikola Mirotic within the next few weeks due to their altercation. Bulls will feature young players PG Kris Dunn, PG Jerian Grant, SG/SF Denzel Valentine, and Rookie Lottery Pick PF/C Lauri Markkanen.


29) Atlanta Hawks


Team Record: 1- 6
TrueFan Quick Take: I believe the Hawks will compete all season for the NBA's worst record. To me it appears the Hawks have fully committed to a rebuild and will now position themselves for a top 3 pick to build around their young star point guard Dennis Schroder.


28) Dallas Mavericks

Team Record: 1- 7
TrueFan Quick Take: Dallas is fully into a rebuild this season. Dallas will focus this year on developing potential Rookie of the Year PG Dennis Smith and young big man C Nerlens Noel.

27) Phoenix Suns


Team Record: 3 – 4
TrueFan Quick Take: The Suns are a young team will a lot of brimming young talent. This year will be about further developing their high end young talent in SG Devin Booker ( Age 21), C Alex Len ( Age 24), PF Marquese Chriss ( Age 20), SF Dragan Bender ( Age 20), PG Tyler Ullis ( Age 22), and Rookie 4th overall pick in the 2017 Draft SF Josh Jackson ( Age 20). With the Suns moving forward with their young nucleus, I believe veteran players like PG Eric Bledsoe and C Tyson Chandler will be traded at some point this season.


26) Sacramento Kings


Team Record: 1 – 6
TrueFan Quick Take : I feel the Kings have a very good team that sports a intriguing mix of great young talent and solid veteran players. The Kings have a exciting young rookie point Guard in De'Aaron Fox that many like myself feel has a John Wall(Washington Wizards PG) upside when he develops. With PG George Hill playing as mentor to Fox the Kings have a bright future. Kings also have young players like SG Buddy Hield, SF Justin Jackson, SG Malachi Richardson, PF Skal Labissiere, and C Willy Cauley-Stein.


25) Los Angeles Lakers


Team Record: 3 – 4
TrueFan Quick Take: The Lakers also embracing a youth movement but have themselves a couple special young players. The Lakers might have this year's Rookie of the Year in the much talked about PG Lonzo Ball. In my opinion Ball will be the run away rookie of the year and will show skills we haven't seen of the point guard position since Jason Kidd or Lakers current president Ervin “Magic” Johnson. The Lakers also have good young players they will look to further develop this year in starting second year prospect Brandon Ingram, and players like SG Jordan Clarkson, PF Julius Randle, PF Larry Nance Jr, and rookie steal of the 2017 draft PF Kyle Kuzma.


24) Miami Heat


Team Record: 2 – 4
TrueFan Quick Take: The Miami Heat this year sport a Eastern Conference playoff team roster. We can expect a big season from Heat Star Center Hassan Whiteside and star Point Guard Goran Dragic. The Heat have got off to a slow start this season but they will need further development and contributions out of their young players SF Justice Winslow, SG Josh Richardson, SG Tyler Johnson, and rookie C Bam Adebyo.


23) Indiana Pacers


Team Record: 4 -3
TrueFan Quick Take: The Indiana Pacers come into this year with a more mature young team. I don't view this team as a rebuilding team but they are not a complete team ready to compete. The Pacers have a team that's very much in the middle of the pack for this year's NBA season. For the Pacers this season I believe their opportunity lies in what kind of season former 2013 2nd overall pick SG Victor Oladipo is able to have and how he performs with now finally being given the chance to be the focal point of a team. Along with Oladipo will be the ever talented SG/PG Lance Stephenson and young stud PF/C Myles Turner should provide the Pacers with a competitive roster all season in my opinion.


22) Brooklyn Nets


Team Record: 3 – 5
TrueFan Quick Take: The Brooklyn Nets will be a very exciting basketball team in 2017-18. Under head coach Kenny Atkinson the Nets play a open-fast paced offensive very similar to the Mike D'Antonio vaunted Speed Offensive system. I believe PG D'Angelo Russell will have a breakout season this year in Brooklyn under coach Atkinson. Russell will be able to play with the ball in his hands and utilize his great offensive array of weapons and trickery. I have Russell winning this year's NBA Most Improved Player with the Nets. I see the Nets hanging around the 9th and 10th seed for most of the season and not making the playoffs but I feel they will have a top 5 Offensive with contributions from newcomers like SG Allen Crabbe, SF DeMarre Caroll as well as from young developing talent like PG Spencer Dinwiddie, SF Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SG Chris LeVert, PG Isiah Whitehead, and rookie C Jarrett Allen.


21) Philadelphia 76ers


Team Record: 3 – 4
TrueFan Quick Take: The Philadelphia 76ers sport a team with some of the most impressive young talent in the league. With young stars C Joel Embiid, PG/SF Ben Simmons, PF Dario Saric to go along with 2017 1st overall pick in Rookie PG Markelle Fultz. For the 76ers staying as healthy as possible is the main concern for this young team. Barring injuries the 76ers can have a special season and compete throughout the Eastern Conference.


20) New Orleans Pelicans


Team Record: 3 – 4
TrueFan Quick Take: The New Orleans Pelicans come into this season featuring the best frontcourt in the NBA. In PF/C Anthony Davis and PF/C DeMarcus Cousins the Pelicans have a frontcourt tandem that is as talented as any we've seen whether talking Houston's Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon or San Antonio's David Robinson and Tim Duncan combination these two have equally immense talent. If the Pelicans are able to pull it together, I believe they can be a 8th seed in the tough Western Conference, but if they are to faltered we can see PF/C DeMarcus Cousins being traded by the trade deadline.


19) New York Knicks


Team Record: 3 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The New York Knicks have turned the page on their Franchise and have completely moved into the Kristaps Porzingis Era. The Knicks sport a roster with depth in the frontcourt and with a abundance of perimeter shooters. I believe under Head Coach Jeff Hornacek Kristaps Porzingis will have a breakout season and lead the Knicks into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. I believe by year end Porzingis will be a top 5 two-way player in the NBA. The Knicks will focus this season on developing their young team's identity with their young building blocks in SG Tim Hardaway Jr, PF Kristaps Porzingis, C Enes Kanter, PG Frank Ntilikina, C Willy Hernangomez and SF Doug McDermott.


18) Orlando Magic


Team Record: 5 – 2
TrueFan Quick Take: The Orlando Magic have a very good group of young talent that I believe will compete for a 8th seed in the Eastern Conference for much of this year's season. Their off-season addition of SG/SF Johnathan Simmons from the San Antonio Spurs fits nicely with their young nucleus of PG Elfrid Payton ( Age 23), SG Evan Fournier ( Age 25), SF Aaron Gordon ( Age 22), and C Nikola Vucevic ( Age 27). I believe that Orlando will continue to build around and developed young high-flyer SF Aaron Gordon, and the season he has will project how far this Orlando Magic team goes this season.


17) Detroit Pistons


Team Record: 5 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The Detroit Pistons to me sport a definite Eastern Conference playoff team. I feel that if no significant injuries happen to their main players; PG Reggie Jackson, SG Avery Bradley, SF Tobias Harris, and C Andre Drummond, the Pistons will for sure be in the playoffs at season's end. The addition of Avery Bradley is a huge advantage for the pistons for Bradley is arguably the league's best perimeter defender. Along with Andre Drummond being one of the two or three best rebounders in the league, under Head Coach Stan Van Gundy the Pistons should have a good season.


16) Denver Nuggets


Team Record: 3 – 4
TrueFan Quick Take: The Denver Nuggets have a great blend of intriguing young players and mature players coming into their prime. The Nuggets should battle for a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference all season and possibly earn a 8th seed. This season for the Nuggets will be about young star C Nikola Jokic's development into their Franchise Player and the development of young prospects in PG Emmanuel Mudiay, SG Gary Harris, PG/SG Jamal Murray, and PF Juan Hernangomez.


15) Utah Jazz


Team Record: 4 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The 2018 Utah Jazz sport a young team coming into their prime. The Jazz have a great youthful core all coming into the Basketball primes at the same time in C Rudy Gobert ( Age 25), PG Ricky Rubio( Age 27), SG Rodney Hood( Age 25), SG Alec Burks( Age 26), and PF Derrick Favors( Age 26). The Jazz also under Head Coach Quinn Snyder have one of the NBA's best defenses with Defensive ratings of 3rd and 7th in the past two seasons. Adding the 2017 NCAA ACC leader in steals in rookie PG/SG Donovan Mitchell should only continue that play with the Jazz this season.


14) Charlotte Hornets


Team Record: 4 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The Hornets have a very interesting and exciting team this season. With adding C Dwight Howard the Hornets sure up the major weakness of past seasons in Rim Protection. Howard will bring the hornets that need in addition to being an great supreme rebounder and elite defensive big man. Combine that with star point guard Kemba Walker and a talented group of wing players in SG Nicholas Batum, SG Jeremy Lamb, SF Marvin Williams, and SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The hornets also sport a impressive young bench with sharp shooting rookies SG Malik Monk and SF Dwayne Bacon. I believe the Hornets will have a improvement on last season and compete for a 5th or 6th seed in the East this year.


13) Minnesota Timberwolves


Team Record: 4 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The 2018 Minnesota T'Wolves are another young team entering their prime. With the off-season addition of stud SG/SF Jimmy Butler, the wolves are poise to make their first playoff appearance since the Kevin Garnett era. The Wolves sport a deeply talented roster with excellent additons in SG Jamal Crawford, PF Taj Gibson, and PG Jeff Teague. I expect big all-star seasons from the Wolves two young superstars in PF/C Karl Anthony-Towns and SG/SF Andrew Wiggins. In my opinion the T'Wolves will land in the playoffs this year around the 7th seed in the Western Conference.


12) Portland Trailblazers


Team Record: 4 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The Trailblazers enter this year with new found expectations as their roster has them in position to compete every night this season. This year's Trailblazers sport one of the NBA's best backcourt's in PG Damian Lillard and SG CJ McCollum. I believe both Lillard and McCollum are headed for big seasons, with Damian Lillard making his first All-Star Game selection in my opinion. The Trailblazers can go further this season in my opinion with the development of SF Maurice Harkless, PF/C Meyers Leonard, and Stud bigman C Jusuf Nurkic.


11) Toronto Raptors


Team Record: 4 – 2
TrueFan Quick Take: The Raptors have a very veteran laced roster and have serious aspirations of contending in the Eastern Conference this season. The Raptors have one of the better backcourts in the NBA of recent years in PG Kyle Lowry and SG Demar DeRozan. They will need contributions from a young bench to advance further this season in the Eastern Conference.


10) Los Angeles Clippers


Team Record: 4 – 2
TrueFan Quick Take: The 2018 Clippers sport a very talented and deep roster this season. This year's Clippers has added some nice pieces to make up of the huge departure in Superstar PG Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets this off-season. The Clippers should compete in my opinion against all the elite teams but how far they go this year will depend on how healthy they can stay. Superstar PF Blake Griffin has had a injury prone career and Clippers biggest off-season signing SF Danilo Gallinari has endured a similar fate in his young career. If both players are to play a relatively injury free season the Clippers should find themselves in the thick of the Western Conference all year in my opinion.


9) Milwaukee Bucks


Team Record: 4 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The 2018 Milwaukee Bucks will be must watch TV. With the development of young Star Phenom Giannis Antetokounmpo aka the “Greek Freak”, the Bucks will be a team on the rise this season in the NBA. Under Head Coach Jason Kidd I expect Antetokounmpo to have a MVP caliber season and lead the Bucks to a top 5 seed in the Eastern Conference this season.


8) Memphis Grizzlies


Team Record: 5 – 2
TrueFan Quick Take: The Memphis Grizzlies 2018 team will look to continue the chemistry and success PG Mike Conley in tandem with C Marc Gasol have had over the past several seasons. Gasol and Conley are two elite players at their positions that form a good one-two punch should lead the Grizzlies all season toward a possible playoff berth. I estimate them competing for a 7th or 8th seed in the Western Conference all season.


7) Washington Wizards


Team Record: 4 – 2
TrueFan Quick Take: The 2018 Wizards are looking to become a truly elite Eastern Conference team this season. The Wizards have arguably the best backcourt in the Eastern Conference in PG John Wall and SG Bradley Beal and hope for the two to lead them to greener pastures in 2018.

6) Cleveland Cavaliers


Team Record: 3 – 4
TrueFan Quick Take: The 2018 Cavaliers I believe will have a great season if they are able to get their entire team healthy. With a healthy roster this year's Cav's are arguably the most talented roster in the NBA. I expect the Cav's to take off once PG Isaiah Thomas returns from hip surgery. I believe the Cav's will have a excellent second half of the season that will propel them to a dominate playoff run this season.


5) San Antonio Spurs


Team Record: 4 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: This year's Spurs have another chance to make another run at the NBA championship. With arguably the best two-way player and for sure best defensive player in today's NBA in Kawhi Leonard; the Spurs have a leader that is capable of leading them to another finals appearance this season. Spurs have surrounded Leonard with a talented group of veterans in PF LaMarcus Aldridge, PG Tony Parker, SG Danny Green, PG Patty Mills, C Pau Gasol, SF Rudy Gay, and SG Manu Ginobili. The Spurs also have intriguing young talent that will look to make contributions in PG Dejounte Murray and SF Kyle Anderson


4) Oklahoma City Thunder


Team Record: 4 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: With a superb off-season under great general manager Sam Presti, the 2018 OKC Thunder have Championship ambitions. By bringing in Superstars SG Paul George and SF Carmelo Anthony to team up with 2017 MVP Russell Westbrook the Thunder have positioned themselves to be as deadly as any team this season. The Thunder in my opinion also got a steal in the 2017 draft in selecting 19 year old sharpshooting SG Terrance Ferguson. I see Ferguson being a great young piece coming off the bench for the Thunder. We can expect a special season from the 2018 Oklahoma City Thunder.


3) Boston Celtics


Team Record: 5 – 2
TrueFan Quick Take: The Boston Celtics changed much of their team from a year ago and might have the opportunity to improve on a season in which they won the most games in the Eastern Conference. With the major addition of Kyrie Irving, the Celtics have now one of the top 5 young players in today's NBA. Irving with the excellent young wing players the Celtics have acquired in SG/SF Jaylen Brown, SG Marcus Smart, and rookie SF Jayson Tatum. I believe the Celtics will have a strong season and will finish with a top 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.


2) Houston Rockets


Team Record: 5 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The Houston Rockets coming off a great 2017 season will look to take the next step toward a NBA Championship in 2018. With the major trade in the off-season netting the Rockets Superstar Point Guard Chris Paul, we can expect the Rockets to offer more of a punchers chance this year in the Western Conference playoffs. The Rockets under offensive genius Head Coach Mike D'Antoni I believe will finish this season with a top 3 seed in the Western Conference.


1) Golden State Warriors


Team Record: 5 – 3
TrueFan Quick Take: The defending champions this year might have a better team than they did last season. With a handful of smart resignings and acquisitions in the off-season in the likes of the additions of SG Nick Young, SF Omri Casspi, drafting of C Jordan Bell, has put the 2018 Golden State Warriors in a great position to repeat as champs this season. I expect big statistical seasons from the Warriors two superstars in PG Steph Curry and SF Kevin Durant and I believe both will be in MVP talks all season.






Thanks For Viewing. Check back monthly for the Monthly NBA TrueFan Power Rankings.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

3 Current Free Agents For The 2021 NY Knicks

Image
  3 Current Free Agents For The 2021 NY Knicks Written By Kyle Crabbe Twitter:@KthetruestKnick, @PaceofSportsTks The 2020-21 NBA Season for Knicks fans has been very optimistic as Knicks' basketball under new Head Coach Tom Thibodeau have been played above team expectations. In a year where many didn't know what to expect from the Knicks, New York has played competitive basketball through their first handful of games and look like their might be a possibility of playoffs. The early season has seen great play from Knicks Forward Julius Randle as he is been playing his career best basketball under Coach Thibs. Randle, this season is producing a stat line of 22 Points, 11 Rebounds, and 7 Assists per game. Randle has been playing at a All-Star level under the new leadership and coaching of Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks this year have also saw improvement from their young players such as RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and Kevin Knox. As the Knicks still s...
Read more

New York Knicks 2019 Point Guards In-Depth Breakdown

Image
Do The New York Knicks Have Their Franchise Point Guard? Written By Kyle Crabbe Follow on Twitter: @KthetruestKnick As the 2017-18 NBA Season winds down to the final team standing, we NBA fans turn our attention to the next major aspects of the Basketball calendar year which will be the NBA Draft followed by NBA's Free Agency period where said teams that fell short in their Championship pursuits try to retool, rebuild and restock for the next season's shot at the title. With the Golden State Warriors winning their 3 NBA Championship out of the last four seasons we can look to their team as the current “Golden” standard for how you construct a Championship level basketball team in today's modern NBA. This current Golden State Warriors team is built around it's Generational Point Guard, Sharp Shooter Steph Curry. Steph Curry, was drafted by the Warriors 7 th Overall in the 1 st Round in the 2009 NBA Draft, and has developed under the Warrio...
Read more

New York Knicks 2019 Free Agency Review And Grades

Image
2019 New York Knicks Free Agency Review  Written By Kyle Crabbe Twitter:@KthetruestKnick The 2018-19 NBA Season created a lot of turnover for the New York Knicks Basketball team. With the major trade of Phenom Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks earlier this year in January the Knicks Franchise set themselves to make major moves to the Franchise come the 2019 Off-season. Many in the media and around basketball circles voiced and believed the Knicks would be in on the spree of huge names like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, or Kawhi Leonard could land in New York during the 2019 NBA Free Agency. The Knicks didn't land the big names or acquire a combination of Star Players that was rumored and populated though the major media outlets, but they did have a productive and successful 2019 Free Agency. The Knicks were able to sign a group of veteran players and couple young players brimming with potential that can contribute to whatever success the Kn...
Read more