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The 2020-21 season is well underway and several key results already see teams moving up and down the NBA power rankings. The league standings generally don't make sense at this point and that's the case this year as well with OKC Thunder leading the West and Orlando Magic perched atop the East.
Having said that, there are a few teams that have exhibited fundamental shortcomings and we can slowly start to separate the contenders from the pretenders. As the games go on, we'll also be able to correctly predict playoff bound teams from each conference.
NBA Power Rankings: Teams start to show their potential
With conditioning – or lack thereof – being a key factor in the early weeks, not all teams are performing to their strengths. Another thing that needs to be taken into consideration for the NBA power rankings are the fixtures played by each unit so far. So don't be surprised to not see any of the unbeaten franchises on the upcoming list. Without further ado, let's look at the top 10 teams entering Week 2.
Note: Only results till Sunday, December 27th have been considered for this round of NBA power rankings.
#10 Denver Nuggets (0-2)
The striking feature about the Denver Nuggets this season is the drop in their defensive solidity. Losing players such as Jerami Grant and Torrey Craig didn't help in that aspect but you can expect their coaching staff to quickly turn this around.
Nikola Jokic is leading the line for the Nuggets in all three major categories. But they need Jamal Murray to find his rhythm if they want to climb the standings and the NBA power rankings quickly.
#9 Phoenix Suns (2-1)
The Phoenix Suns could be the surprise package of this season. Not only do they have Chris Paul trying to replicate his impact from last year, but they've also got Devin Booker leading the line for them.
Whenever Booker can't get going, he can simply lay it off to Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Payne, or any one of the umpteen solid role players they have. They've beaten the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings so far but have a tough week ahead against Western Conference playoff contenders in Pelicans, Jazz, Nuggets, and Clippers.
Also read: NBA Power Rankings - 5 Dark horses for 2020-21 MVP award
#8 Boston Celtics (1-2)
The Boston Celtics have lost two games in a row after a statement win against the Milwaukee Bucks in their season opener. Kemba Walker's absence is a huge factor and that's the main reason why they aren't further down this list.
Scoring down the stretch could become a problem for the Celtics if they become overly reliant on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, however good they must be. At the same time, they need to find a way to get to the free-throw line more often.
#7 Indiana Pacers (3-0)
The Indiana Pacers are working their magic under new head coach Nate Bjorkgren. Domantas Sabonis is playing at an elite level while Myles Turner is taking care of protecting the rim. Even Victor Oladipo is showing signs of rejuvenation.
TJ Warren's output is possibly the only disappointment for them so far this season but he's playing his part while protecting the basket. The Pacers showcased that they're legit by holding their nerve to win a close one against the Celtics and start the next week with a second consecutive game against them.
#6 Philadelphia 76ers (2-1)
The Philadelphia 76ers are more about defense than offense so far this season. They haven't shot the ball as well as they would've liked but with so many new pieces coming in, including a new head coach, that's expected.
Joel Embiid is setting the tone for this side on both ends of the court by averaging 28 points and 12 boards to start the season. Ben Simmons still can't shoot the ball though. The Sixers have an easy run of fixtures coming up that will see them take on the Charlotte Hornets twice.
#5 Miami Heat (1-1)
The Miami Heat have bounced back after a surprising loss against the Orlando Magic. That they did it against a gritty New Orleans Pelicans side without Jimmy Butler playing for the majority of the second half shows how much the team has grown.
The Heat have six players scoring in double digits so far. Bam Adebayo leads the pack with 21 points while Duncan Robinson has been scorching hot from downtown to average 18.5 points of his own.
Also read: NBA Power Rankings: Predicting the top 5 centers going into the 2020-21 season
#4 Milwaukee Bucks (1-2)
The Milwaukee Bucks are already starting to feel the negative effects of a shallow bench. They pulled out all the stops to land Jrue Holiday but their second unit is simply not good. Losing a close one against Boston is excusable but getting blown out by the Knicks is not for a team with championship aspirations.
The Bucks have two critical fixtures against the team that had their number all season last year in Miami Heat. It's the perfect opportunity for Giannis Antetokounmpo and co. to bounce back, but also an opening for more humiliation.
#3 LA Clippers (2-1)
The LA Clippers have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in one week alone. They beat the LA Lakers and Denver Nuggets to start the season but got humiliated by Dallas Mavericks in a 51-point blowout loss.
Kawhi Leonard missed the last game, so you can rest assured that this won't be a common sight. Besides this blip, Ty Lue's men have done well. Paul George is playing at an MVP level and Marcus Morris' return, whenever that is, will be an additional boost.
#2 Brooklyn Nets (2-1)
The Brooklyn Nets have gone from pretenders to contenders in just one week by dispatching the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics with ease. They did lose a close game to the Charlotte Hornets to record their first loss of the season but every team has an off-night.
Most importantly for them, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are in top form and together the duo is averaging 55 points per game. They've lost Spencer Dinwiddle for the season due to an ACL injury so it'll be interesting to see how they shape up from here onwards.
#1 LA Lakers (2-1)
The LA Lakers are clearly the deepest team in the league. They lost to the LA Clippers in the season opener but have eased to two wins since then without Anthony Davis and LeBron James having to force the issue.
They boast of Dennis Schroder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and Marc Gasol, all of whom are solid two-way players. Then there's the 2020 Sixth Man of the Year in Montrezl Harrell who's averaging 17 points on 73.3% shooting to start the season. Expect the LA Lakers to be at the top of the Western Conference standings soon.
Also read: NBA Power Rankings - Predicting the top 8 Western Conference teams
