30 Words for 30 Teams: NBA Power Rankings
Welcome to theScore's bi-weekly rankings of all 30 teams, where you'll find roughly 30 words on your favorite team every other Monday.
Related: Preseason NBA power rankings
1. Golden State Warriors (7-0)
You don't need last season's triumph to make a case for the Warriors as the NBA's top team. They've won seven games - five of which came against West playoff teams - by an average margin of 18.3 points.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (6-1)
The Cavs bounced back from their opening-night loss by reeling off six straight wins, and they haven't even got Kyrie Irving back yet.
3. Atlanta Hawks (7-1)
Much like Cleveland, Atlanta has rebounded from an opening-night upset (at the hands of the Pistons) with an impressive winning streak, allowing last season's HaWWWWWWWks back into our lives.
4. San Antonio Spurs (4-2)
The Spurs don't have an impressive win yet, but their only losses have come in OKC and D.C., Manu Ginobili (53-48-83) has shot the lights out to compliment the All-NBA frontcourt, and they boast the league's No. 2 point differential.
5. Detroit Pistons (5-1)
Easily the most surprising team of the season's first two weeks, the Pistons are perfect on the road, and beat the Bulls and Jazz in Detroit. Andre Drummond is averaging 20 and 20.
6. Houston Rockets (4-3)
After starting the season with three straight losses, the Rockets have taken down the Thunder, Magic, Kings, and Clippers in that order, with James Harden averaging 38.5 points during that stretch.
7. Miami Heat (4-3)
A Sunday night beatdown of the Raptors in Miami propelled the veteran-laden Heat to a top-seven spot. In other news, Hassan Whiteside has been just as good as he was last season, if not better.
8. Toronto Raptors (5-2)
The Raps were looking at a top-three ranking before their perfect start came to an end with losses in Orlando and Miami, but games against the Knicks, Sixers, Pelicans, and Kings are just what the doctor ordered.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-3)
OKC has lost close games to the Rockets, Raptors, and Bulls, but they're outscoring opponents by a whopping 15 points per 100 possessions with Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka sharing the court.
10. Los Angeles Clippers (4-2)
After feasting on mediocre teams for a perfect start, the Clippers were brought back down to earth somewhat by the Warriors and Rockets, and now have a hobbled Chris Paul to worry about.
11. Utah Jazz (4-2)
Utah's defense has picked up where it left off last season, allowing a league-best 90.3 points per 100 possessions through six games - the top defensive rating in NBA.com's 20-year archive.
12. Phoenix Suns (3-4)
The Suns have played the sixth-toughest schedule so far, and just need to stay afloat until December, when their schedule takes a friendly turn.
13. Portland Trail Blazers (4-3)
It's not likely sustainable given the level and depth of talent lost over the summer, but C.J. McCollum (21.6 PPG) and the Blazers have been one of the pleasant surprises of the early season.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-2)
It's been tough to get a read on Minnesota, but a strong showing against the Hawks on Monday would validate this ranking after a win in Chicago on Saturday.
15. Chicago Bulls (4-3)
The first scoreless overtime in franchise history Saturday against the Timberwolves was the latest dip in an up-and-down start for Chicago.
16. Boston Celtics (2-3)
Despite their losing record, the Celtics are one of six Eastern Conference teams with an average point differential of at least plus-three.
17. Washington Wizards (3-3)
The Wizards' .500 start would be much more palatable had Bradley Beal not left a 15-point loss in Atlanta - following a 20-point loss in Boston - with a shoulder injury.
18. Orlando Magic (3-4)
It's tough to find a team that loses harder than Orlando, which lost four games - including two overtime games - to the Wizards, Thunder, Bulls, and Rockets by a combined 14 points.
19. Milwaukee Bucks (4-3)
The Bucks have quietly reeled off four straight wins after an 0-3 start, but there's a reason you haven't heard much about it - those four wins came against the Nets (twice), Sixers, and Knicks.
20. Indiana Pacers (3-4)
The Pacers may be just outside the bottom third, but Paul George has averaged 31 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists in three straight starts at small forward.
21. Charlotte Hornets (2-4)
Don't sleep on Charlotte's 2-4 start. They've beaten the Bulls and Mavs, their four losses have come to Miami, Atlanta, and San Antonio, and they're stunningly running a top-four offense.
22. Dallas Mavericks (3-3)
Dirk has looked spry in limited minutes and Rick Carlisle can never be counted out, but it's tough to envision this team in the Western Conference playoff race come the spring.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (3-4)
This team is supposed to be a second-tier championship contender. Instead, the Grizzlies have looked like a team on the cusp of demolition - their four losses coming by a combined 109 points.
24. New York Knicks (3-4)
Progress is a slow process at The Garden, where Knicks fans are just hoping for better than last season's 65-loss debacle. So far, so good, especially from Kristaps Porzingis.
25. Denver Nuggets (2-4)
An opening-night upset of the Rockets was a nice start, but the last five games have been more like it for the 2015-16 Nuggets - a win over the Lakers, and four losses by a combined 68 points.
26. Sacramento Kings (1-6)
If you thought Sacramento was a fringe playoff contender, the last two weeks have been a sobering reminder that the Kings will only go as far as DeMarcus Cousins carries them, and an injured Boogie has meant the same old Kings.
27. Los Angeles Lakers (1-5)
The bad news? Kobe Bryant is hoisting up eight 3-pointers a game despite his 20 percent conversion rate and 37 percent effective field goal percentage. The good news? The Lakers get one more date with the Nets, so an 81-loss season should be avoidable.
28. New Orleans Pelicans (0-6)
The Pelicans are banged up and have faced one of the toughest schedules, but Alvin Gentry's team is going to have to get him a win some time soon given the expected dog fight for a West playoff spot.
29. Philadelphia 76ers (0-6)
At least Jahlil Okafor has looked good, right Sixers fans? Trust. The. Process.
30. Brooklyn Nets (0-7)
The winless Nets have the worst point differential (-12.4), the worst offense, a bottom-four defense, a dearth of young developing talent, and don't control their own first-rounder until 2019. Has there been a more depressing NBA situation in recent memory?