30 Words for 30 Teams: Warriors assume rightful perch in NBA Power Rankings
Welcome to theScore's biweekly NBA power rankings, where you'll find roughly 30 words on all 30 teams every other Tuesday throughout the season.
1. Golden State Warriors
Stats in which the Warriors lead the NBA: Net rating (+14.4), offensive rating (116.2), 3-point percentage (41.3), true shooting percentage (63.2), assists per game (31.3), blocks per game (8.7). - John Chick
2. Houston Rockets
Houston hasn't missed a beat with Chris Paul out, and has seen Clint Capela's star rise in the early going. The rest of their November includes games against the Suns, Knicks, Nets, and Pacers. - Chick
3. Boston Celtics
Among the many takeaways from the Celtics' incredible 12-game win streak: they're stone-cold closers. Six of those 12 wins have come by seven points or less, and they've trailed in the fourth quarter in five of them. - Joe Wolfond
4. Detroit Pistons
The 10-3 Pistons are the only East team to rank top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and Andre Drummond is canning free throws. Fun times. - Joseph Casciaro
5. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have been fine while they wait for Kawhi Leonard, and their upcoming schedule isn't exactly a murderer's row, but they've lost five of eight since a 4-0 start. - Casciaro
6. Washington Wizards
In recent years, no team has had as disproportionate a ratio of tall talk to results, but the Wizards say they're ready to let their play speak for itself. Their past three games have been dominant. - Wolfond
7. Toronto Raptors
For a team still trying to figure out its identity, the Raptors have been pretty steady, without too many high highs or low lows. They're still searching for consistent effort from their starters, and a statement win. - Wolfond
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota gets the short-handed Spurs on Wednesday, with that game and a relatively easy stretch beyond representing a chance for them to prove they belong among the West's elite. - Chick
9. Orlando Magic
The Magic are expectedly coming back to Earth, but their own little Big 3 of Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier should be more than enough to keep them in the playoff picture. - Chick
10. Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee's won three straight, and while Eric Bledsoe hasn't shot great, his slashing ability has taken some pressure off the best player in the NBA right now. Bucks fans have visions of the team's first conference finals appearance since 2001. - Chick
11. Memphis Grizzlies
Losses to the Bucks and Rockets hurt, but weren't shocking. Memphis has an up-and-down schedule over the next week but is still running with a top-10 defense. - Chick
12. Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard's playmaking continues to evolve and C.J. McCollum continues to rain fire from deep, but Portland's third-ranked defense has been its most pleasantly surprising development. They also rebound like maniacs. - Wolfond
13. New Orleans Pelicans
Perpetual conundrum for the top-heavy Pels: They need to stagger Anthony Davis' and DeMarcus Cousins' minutes, but the team only approaches greatness when the two share the floor. - Wolfond
14. Denver Nuggets
Denver's 7-3 in their last 10, and Nikola Jokic is flirting with 50-40-90. Fourteen of their last 22 games of 2017 take place away from the mile-high environs of home, however. - Chick
15. Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC's finally entrusting a large portion of its offense to Paul George, and reaping the rewards. Their underwhelming record reflects their curiously poor crunch-time defense more than it does their true ability. - Wolfond
16. Philadelphia 76ers
The absurd two-way potential of Philadelphia's Embiid-Simmons-Covington core was on full display Monday in L.A., where the trio combined for 85 points, 34 rebounds, 10 assists, five steals, and two blocks on 63 percent shooting. - Casciaro
17. Cleveland Cavaliers
The defense remains a catastrophe, and LeBron's probably being overworked (38.1 minutes per game), but as long as the Cavs' shooters start finding their strokes, this team can outscore the rest of the East. - Wolfond
18. New York Knicks
Kristaps Porzingis is unguardable, Frank Ntilikina is impenetrable, and the Knicks' role players are making a consistent impact. Good riddance to the old fella. - Wolfond
19. Miami Heat
The Heat are still looking to find that spark that propelled them to a 30-11 finish last season. The offense just hasn't flowed as seamlessly, and their 3-point shooting has been a weakness. - Wolfond
20. Los Angeles Clippers
Injuries have hammered the Clippers, their defense has cratered, and the shine has come all the way off their 4-0 start. They've lost six straight, and find themselves looking up at the Lakers in the standings. - Wolfond
21. Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte's 5-7 record doesn't seem so bad when you consider they're about to get Nicolas Batum back and played the East's second-toughest schedule without him. - Casciaro
22. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers' porous defense has been their undoing more often than not, but their offense continues to impress, with playmaking, 3-point shooting, and speed from every position. - Wolfond
23. Los Angeles Lakers
The young Lakers boasting a top-four defense after a last-place finish on that end of the court last year is one of the opening month's legitimate shockers. - Casciaro
24. Utah Jazz
Utah's officially in trouble. Their offense resembles a car stuck in quicksand, and defensive savior Rudy Gobert is out four to six weeks with a bruised knee. - Chick
25. Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn already has 20 percent of its consensus over/under for wins this season. In other words, things aren't so bad. Or maybe they are: D'Angelo Russell is out indefinitely with a knee injury. - Chick
26. Phoenix Suns
Interim coach Jay Triano is prioritizing effort and engagement from the team's young prospects. That's where the Suns are, and the lottery awaits. - Chick
27. Sacramento Kings
Sacramento's plan to combine youth and veteran guidance hasn't been without issues. George Hill looks washed and Vince Carter has kidney stones. Best turn this project over to De'Aaron Fox now. - Chick
28. Dallas Mavericks
Nerlens Noel has played 42 total minutes in Dallas' last six games - inexcusable given the Mavs' dearth of young talent, and rather curious given the big man's contractual status. - Casciaro
29. Chicago Bulls
The Windy City gong show just got worse - or better, depending on your interpretation of entertainment. Nikola Mirotic is back in the same locker room as Bobby Portis, and they aren't talking. - Chick
30. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have looked frisky during a tough stretch of schedule. Rookie forward John Collins - a bright light in an otherwise dim year - should probably be playing more than 21 minutes a game. - Wolfond