Tiering is the new power rankings- NBA edition
By: Josh Kaplan
Tags: NBA

With the NBA season right around the corner Its time to predict how each teams season will go, who has a chance at the title and who is going to have the inside track at next years #1 overall pick. Its impossible to predict injuries and power rankings are rarely correct so this will be a tiering of all 30 teams if they were healthy. Even though we cannot predict injury, we can clearly see trouble in the locker room or issues with team chemistry from afar, so those will be factored into where teams land in the tiers. I started writing this before I even looked at the teams and that was a bad idea, a lot of teams look good but who cares, let’s go.

TIER 4 — On to next year before this one even starts. The teams here are young and I don’t watch enough college basketball to say they’re already going to be good or the team is just bad.

Cavs- The cavs have a few good young players and a few good old players but none of them have played together, even in the preseason. They’ll probably start slow then end the year better than they began and have a decent chance at a high lottery pick while also looking good. If you are a cavs fan reading this hoping they make the playoffs just remember that you are a cavs fan, and Lebron plays in LA; you are a getting a lottery pick.

Knicks — Knicks have hope with a few good young players but there are too many question marks to put them in the race for the playoffs just yet. Will Tibbs run the young ones into the ground before we get to see their potential? Maybe. The only thing I really see helping the Knicks is that Dolan cant trade his young core for a superstar who would sell more tickets because he cant current sell any tickets. Put the Knicks down as the team Corona helps the most.

OKC- Tons of upcoming picks, they’ve fully sold and gone all in on the rebuild and with their past history of picks (Harden, Durant, Westy, Adams) who could blame them? They are playing for next year already but it will be interesting to see how this new roster does, just like they were a surprise last year maybe they will be again.

Magic- The magic didn’t do much during the off season and they were 33–40 last year. They’ll be in the same area this year unless Aaron Gordon take a jump or Cole Anthony turns into the real deal. They could turn out to be a little worse than last year if the east is at all beefier with the Nets and Wiz hopefully being better in 20/21. Start scouting the 8th pick in next years draft Magic fans.

Bulls- The bulls have a good youngish core and should probably finish around where the Magic do, but the wild card is their new head coach. Donovan did good work with OKC and itll be interesting to see what he can do with Lauri and Levine. I think the ceiling is high for the bulls but the floor is very very low.

Kings- Is Mike Bibby back yet? The kings had a few good players leave via free agency which could in a perfect world let their young core grow but it’s the Kings, so who knows what will happen. They once again turned over most of their front office in the off season so even if their young core does well I bet they get traded or fade away like every other kings star.

Pistons- The pistons could likely be bumped into the next tier but the truth is no one really knows how Detroit is going to play. They have a completely retooled starting lineup with some big names but we still have to see how they preform together. Personally, I hope Blake Griffin returns to all star form and leads them to the playoffs but no one really knows how this team is going to perform so lets hope the 6th pick next year is a good one.

Tier 3- 8th seed or pick 14 the choice is yours. This tier is the teams in limbo. They could be good but not great or they could be bad not horrible, no chance at the #1 pick and very little chance at the ship.

Hornets- Hayward getting hurt sucks, but he’ll be back. We should start calling Gordon Hayward the terminator because he will be back. The hornets are moving in the right direction but need more time to upset a high seed in the playoffs, and much more time to become one.

Spurs- Pop is an X factor here that could push the Spurs into making a playoff run but their roster seems too cobbled together to really be good. It kind of like years OKC team, if they suck, they suck but if they are good they will use every ounce of that to trade their players for future picks.

Grizzlies- Morant and Jackson are future studs but this team needs a little something to really make some noise. Maybe a buyer at the trade deadline if they are doing well but as constructed they are likely in the bottom of the west or just on the outside looking in. Losing in the first round of the playoffs might be a welcomed sight to grizz fans though.

T-wolves- The Wolves obviously have all the talent they need but they have had that in spades for 5 years now. Finishing towards the bottom of the playoff teams in the west just feels right for this bunch. Maybe Rubio will spark them into finding some defense and the wolves obviously aren’t terrible, but I foresee the 6th seed and first round exit from the playoffs in their future.

Pacers- The pacers have been great at developing talent for a few years now and while im putting them around 6th seed in the east that doesn’t mean they couldn’t jump higher. If Oladipo returns to his all star form this team could be top 4 in the east, but we don’t speculate about injury around here.

Tier 2- The Vuvuzelas AKA noise makers

Rockets- I wanted to put the rockets into tier 3 but I fucking love Demarcus Cousins. If he and wall can find some chemistry, I say ship harden out for whatever you can build the next couple years around them. Also, Tucker, Gordon and wood are all good to great at what they do, even without harden this team COULD make some noise. Also Christian Wood literally translates to Jesus Penis, so that should be some good luck.

Wizards-I am much higher on the Wizards than most people. Bertans and Hachimura really got to develop last year, Beal is a terrific shooter and oh yeah they have Westbrook now. Westbrook almost certainly hated playing with Harden on the court and he definitely did not like harden off the court. According to some rumors Harden does not like to watch film as much as Westbrook does, even in the playoffs and that can cause a huge rift between teammates, roommates, lovers or all three.

Pelicans/Hawks- I feel like I can say the same things about both of these teams. Young superstars, big players coming over on trades and now they are going to get this season to try to put something together. Im really looking forward to watching these two teams play this season, both should be putting on shows all year long. Regardless how many wins each teams get, im willing to be their games will be fun to watch.

Raptors- Last tear the Raptors proved that even without Kawai they have a chance at winning. They aren’t going to be favored in the east and they certainly wouldn’t be favored in the west but when the Raptors win a playoff series no one is going to be shocked. Also looking at what the heat did without a true superstar (Jimmy is amazing but he is a dirt dog, not a shinny star) gives the raptors even more hope.

76ers-I hate the 76ers so when they lose in the first round of the playoffs ill be sure to get a big laugh. Despite hating the 76ers I actually love Ben Simmons and when he is on he can really bury a lot teams on the break the same way Lebron does, so he and he alone gives them a shot at making some noise. Also embiid is really good, and all the off season moves they made were really good. PS Tobias Harris is going to have a strong year. Fuck the 6ers.

Jazz- New year same old Jazz. I predict a top 5 defense, Mitchell and Conley will gel a little more and hopefully that can take this team from a second-round exit to the conference championship where anything can happen. Sorry this isn’t longer Jazz fans but you know the drill at this point. Even if your superstar (Spider) leaves, im sure yall will draft another all star with pick 18 or whatever.

Nuggets- Will Murray be as good outside of the bubble as he was inside of the bubble? If he is then he and Jokic are for sure a top 5 duo in the NBA and that should be enough to get close to the conference championship, even in the west. If you are a casual fan and have not really watched Jokic play, do your self a favor and watch some nuggets games this year.

Suns- Im very high on the suns and I think its finally time for Chris Paul to get somewhere in the playoffs. Hes not going to get a ring but a conference championship isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Paul will for sure make Ayton better as hes done with big men throughout his career and he should take some pressure off of Booker. With how good this team was in the bubble the sky really is the limit, who knows how much noise this team could make.

Nets-Bitch ass nets are probably gonna win the east. I don’t like kyrie but man this team is good and deep. Dinwiddie, Allen, Jordan, Harris, Levert AND kyrie/Durant. Man this team might be really good and really hateable. Im publishing this the day after night 1 of the NBA and the nets are LEGIT as fuck. God damn they could be good.

Blazers- Nurk is back, Dame might be the best player in the NBA and they somehow got Melo to buy into being a roll player. RCo, Kanter and the rest of the crew should be up for doing exactly what this teams needs to get dubs. Oh ya, they have a rather good shooter named CJ too.

Celtics- Much like the Jazz, the Celtics (My favorite team) are in the position of new year same old team. This team will likely going to 7 games in the semi finals or 7 games in the conference finals but ultimately fall short just like every other year for the past 13. X factors are Teague and Tristan, rebounding and a backup point guard are what this team needed and they got it in those two players. If the new rookies can play well and spell the starters for a while maybe this team gets to the finals, but prolly not.

Tier 1- It could happen (angels in the outfield)

Heat- The heats best 5 is pretty small but dammit, it’s a pretty damn good best 5. Dragic, Herro, Bam, Duncan and Jimmy are all battle tested and ready to run it back. It would not surprise me at all to see this team finish 4th in the east and then turn it on in the playoffs and prove that they are still the team we saw in the finals last year. Conference finals that is, or the last couple games of the NBA finals. Also I know I said Jimmy wasn’t a superstar but that doesn’t mean he isn’t good, the man is great and works amazingly with Bam.

Mavs- Any year now is going be the year Luka really explodes and pushes this team at the very least out of the west and into the finals. I think Josh Richardson will be a great 3rd scorer once Kirstaps comes back, these guys could win it all on Lukas back.

Clippers- See my write up on the Jazz or Celtics, same thing new year. Will Kawai and PG mesh better this year? I think PG will have a good year and despite losing a few good players this team is still very deep and talented.

Milwaukee- I still think the bucks are a Greek freak ankle sprain away from making the finals last year so with adding Jrue and Portis I think they are in a great place to finally get to the finals. Jrue will take a little defensive pressure off of middleton and portis will be able to spread the floor, board and shoot the three. I think Milwaukee Is the team to beat in the east. (as of dec 23 the nets look scary)

Warriors- Ive looked around and a lot of people have the warriors in the middle of the pack of the NBA and for the life of me I cant figure out why. Curry, Kerr and Draymond is something you can build around. Wiesman, Wiggins and Oubre Jr are all good, I don’t see any reason why this team cant win the west.

Lakers- yer the champ till yer not the champ anymore. Plus I love their off season acquisitions, but as I said im a Celtics fan so I hope the lakers lose in heart breaking fashun.