We're officially 3 months into the 2016-17 NBA season, which means it's an ideal time to take a look back at how all 30 teams fared over the first half of the season. Here's how I believe the league hierarchy stacks up heading into the final 2 and a half months of the season.
(Note: All records and conference standings are as of Wednesday January 25th)
1.Golden State Warriors (39-7) (1st in Western Conference):
The NBA's newest "superteam" have lived up to expectations so far with Kevin Durant making an already loaded Warriors squad even more unstoppable. It would be a shock if they didn't at least make an appearance in the Finals this year.
Projected Finish: 1st in Western Conference
2.San Antonio Spurs (36-9) (2nd in Western Conference):
The biggest threat to the Warriors title hopes is once again Gregg Popovich's squad. Anchored by Kawhi Leonard's increasingly potent 2-way game and LaMarcus Alridge's offensive versatility, the Spurs continue to be a lethal, deep team that is capable of embarrassing their opponents on any given night.
Projected Finish: 2nd in Western Conference
3.Cleveland Cavaliers (30-13) (1st in Eastern Conference):
Aside from their current 3-6 skid which spawned one of the best public diva outbursts from Lebron James to-date, the Cavs have been every bit as dominant as they were during last year's title run. Given the weaknesses their closest competition in the Eastern Conference (Raptors, Celtics, Wizards) have with rebounding and reliable frontcourt scoring options, it's hard to envision a scenario where Lebron, Kyrie and co. don't return to the Finals for the 3rd straight season.
Projected Finish: 1st in Eastern Conference
4.Houston Rockets (34-15) (3rd in Western Conference):
New coach Mike D'Antoni and his uptempo style of offense that lets James Harden run the point is exactly what the Rockets needed to get back on track after a tumultuous 2015-16 campaign. The Rockets are playing their most impressive basketball of the Harden-era by far and barring a collapse, should continue to be one of the most explosive teams in the league down the stretch.
Projected Finish: 4th in Western Conference
5.Toronto Raptors (28-18) (2nd in Eastern Conference):
For whatever reason, people keep underestimating the Raptors. They may not have the depth or defensive prowess to be a legitimate threat to win a championship, but their explosive backcourt pairing of Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan-who is in the middle of a career season-is still more than enough to make them one of the league's premier teams.
Projected Finish: 2nd in Eastern Conference
6.Boston Celtics (27-18) (3rd in Eastern Conference):
While the chemistry and defensive issues that have emerged from the slew of injuries they've endured throughout the season has prevented them from living up to their preseason expectations, the Celtics have settled into a nice groove over the past month thanks to the nightly offensive fireworks from Isaiah Thomas and the improved ball movement that has emerged from bringing in versatile forward/center Al Horford in free agency. If this team can get fully healthy and firm up its rotation, they have a real shot of challenging the Raptors for the 2 seed in the East.
Projected Finish: 3rd in Eastern Conference
7.Los Angeles Clippers (30-17) (4th in Western Conference):
Relatively major injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have prevented this Clippers team from truly thriving in the first half of the season. They've looked excellent in the games they've had CP3 and Griffin together on the floor (they've smoked the Spurs in both of their meetings so far this season) and if they can somehow manage to get healthy in time for the playoffs, they have the talent and depth to potentially make it to their 1st Western Conference Finals in franchise history.
Projected Finish: 3rd in Western Conference
8.Utah Jazz (29-18) (5th in Western Conference):
The Jazz have quietly been one of the most consistently productive team in the NBA this season. Their deliberate offensive pace makes them kind of a snore to watch at times, but they're a talented, deep veteran team that's formidable on both ends of the floor.
Projected Finish: 5th in Western Conference
9.Washington Wizards (25-20) (5th in Eastern Conference):
The Wizards shook off whatever the hell was plaguing them at the start of the season (they were 6-12 on December 3rd) and have arguably been the hottest team in the Eastern Conference since the middle of December (they are currently on a 14-game home winning streak and have only lost 7 games since December 12th). The inconsistency of their starting forwards (Markeef Morris and Otto Porter) and weakness of their bench makes them liable to put up the occasional catastrophic dud (see their 123-96 loss to the Bucks on December 23rd), but if John Wall and Bradley Beal continue to pop off the way that they have recently, they're going to be a team that no one wants to face come playoff time.
Projected Finish: 4th in Eastern Conference
10.Atlanta Hawks (27-19) (4th in Eastern Conference):
Despite the doomsday predictions many people forcasted once they signed noted team killer Dwight Howard to replace notoriously stoic leader Al Horford in free agency and traded longtime starting point guard Jeff Teague to the Pacers for practically nothing, the Hawks haven't dropped off in the slightest from a season ago. Dennis Schroder has done a nice job adjusting to full-time starting point guard duties, Tim Hardaway Jr. has evolved into the offensive spark player their bench has long lacked and 31-year old Paul Millsap continues to be one of the NBA's most complete, criminally underrated players. I fully expect the Hawks to end up with a pretty high seed in the playoffs for the 4th time in the last 6 years.
Projected Finish: 5th in Eastern Conference
.
11.Oklahoma City Thunder (27-19) (6th in Western Conference):
The unreal, cyborg-like play of Russell Westbrook has helped elevate an otherwise average team into a playoff spot in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. The Thunder are more than likely going to get eviscerated by the talent-loaded pool of teams in the West come playoff time, but for now, it's a distinct pleasure to watch Westbrook go berzerk just about every night.
Projected Finish: 7th in Western Conference
12.Memphis Grizzlies (27-20) (7th in Western Conference):
Like the Jazz, the Grizzlies are a team that flies under-the-radar because they don't have a true superstar and play a brand of basketball that isn't very flashy or exciting to watch. Injuries to floor general Mike Conley and free-agent pickup Chandler Parsons have put them through some rough patches offensively, but their strong defense led by Marc Gasol and the ageless Tony Allen has proven to be enough to keep them in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Projected Finish: 6th in Western Conference
13.Charlotte Hornets (23-23) (tied for 6th in Eastern Conference):
The Charlotte Hornets are another mid-tier Eastern Conference team that has played exactly up to expectations thus far in 2016-17. Nicolas Batum has proven to be well worth the near-max contract the team gave him in the offseason and Kemba Walker has brought his game to the next level with career-highs in scoring (23 PPG), 3 point percentage (41.1%) and field goal percentage (45.7%). Despite their recent struggles (they're 4-7 in January and have lost their last 7 road games), I expect the Hornets to be a near-lock to secure a playoff spot.
Projected Finish: 6th in Eastern Conference
14.Indiana Pacers (22-22) (tied for 6th in Eastern Conference):
Different year, same above-average Pacers team. Jeff Teague has solved their issues at point guard and 2nd-year player Myles Turner has made pretty significant progress on both ends of the floor, but their horrific play away from Bankers Life Fieldhouse (they are an abysmal 6-16 on the road) and rebounding woes have prevented them from gaining any ground in the East.
Projected Finish: 8th in Eastern Conference
15.Chicago Bulls (23-24) (8th in Eastern Conference):
The Bulls 2016-17 campaign has been a wild ride full of triumph, internal dysfunction and some of the most extreme erratic play I've ever seen in the NBA. Jimmy Butler continues to prove anyone that doubted his ability to be a number 1 wrong with his sensational play on both ends of the floor, Dwyane Wade splits his time between looking like an ageless superstar and a hobbled old man that should be playing in weekend rec leagues at the YMCA, Rajon Rondo has already managed to get yanked from the starting lineup and create several internal shitstorms, and Robin Lopez still looks like the human version of Animal from The Muppets. I'm already getting my popcorn ready for the next chapter of this roller coaster season.
Projected Finish: 10th in Eastern Conference
16.Milwaukee Bucks (21-24) (9th in Eastern Conference):
Despite the rise of Giannis Antetokounmpo to true superstar status and a handful of huge wins against top-end teams (November 29th against the Cavaliers, January 9th against the Spurs, January 23rd against the Rockets), the Bucks just haven't been able to play consistently strong basketball. That being said, the Bucks are still well in striking in distance of the playoffs and their talented young corps (Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, Malcolm Brogdon) has more than enough upside to propel them to a playoff berth.
Projected Finish: 9th in Eastern Conference
17.Detroit Pistons (21-25) (10th in Eastern Conference):
The Pistons have arguably been the biggest disappointment in the Eastern Conference this season. They've looked really flat for several prolonged stretches over the past couple of months and have largely failed to build off the promise they showed last season. Of all the bubble teams in the East, the Pistons have the best chance of righting the ship in the 2nd half of the season, but they're going to need to sure up their offense and get more contributions from their bench in order to do so.
Projected Finish: 7th in Eastern Conference
18.Denver Nuggets (19-25) (8th in Western Conference):
Led by the stellar play of 2nd-year power forward Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have found some success of late and separated themselves from a lot of the other below-average teams fighting for the honor of getting crushed by the Warriors or Spurs in the 1st round of the playoffs. I still think that they're too raw and inconsistent to make the playoffs, but the flashes of true excellence they've displayed this season has me really encouraged for their prospects moving forward.
Projected Finish: 9th in Western Conference
19.Portland Trail Blazers (20-27) (9th in Western Conference):
The 2016-17 Portland Trail Blazers are proving just how much of a fluke their excellent 2015-16 season was. This team simply doesn't enough have enough frontcourt scoring options or defensive talent to back up their outstanding guard tandem of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and compete with the NBA's elite teams. Despite their early-season struggles, their veteran pedigree gives them a good shot of squeaking into the playoffs due to the shakiness and youth of the other teams (Nuggets, Kings, Pelicans, Timberwolves) fighting for the 8 seed in the west.
Projected Finish: 8th in Western Conference
20.New York Knicks (20-27) (11th in Eastern Conference):
The flashes of promise the Knicks have shown at various points of the season have been overshadowed by a slew of spectacular late-game collapses and their continued internal dysfunction (thanks Carmelo, Derrick Rose and Phil Jackson!). If that doesn't describe the Knicks organization in a nutshell, I don't know what does.
Projected Finish: 12th in Western Conference
21.Philadelphia 76ers (17-27) (12th in Eastern Conference):
The process appears to be finally paying off in Philadelphia. Rookies Dario Saric and Joel Embiid along with 3rd-year low-post scorer/rim-protector Nerlens Noel have drastically changed the way this team plays on both ends of the floor and finally brought some hope to this long-suffering franchise. If Ben Simmons can return after the All-Star Break and quickly click with his teammates, the 76ers might be able to pull off a dark horse playoff run.
Projected Finish: 11th in Western Conference
22.Sacramento Kings (18-27) (10th in Western Conference):
The presence of a great coach in Dave Joerger has done basically nothing to fix the ailments that have plagued the Kings for the duration of this decade. DeMarcus Cousins still has way too much weight on his shoulders, the veteran castoffs they picked up in free agency (Arron Afflalo, Matt Barnes, Ty Lawson) are making minimal contributions and losing Rudy Gay for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles is devastating to their offensive productivity.
Projected Finish: 11th in Western Conference
23.New Orleans Pelicans (18-28) (11th in Western Conference):
The Pelicans really need to get some help for Anthony Davis. Davis is in the midst of a career year (28.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game) and yet the Pelicans are still sitting 10 games below .500. Without a supporting cast that can aid Davis on a regular basis, the Pelicans will be DOA for the foreseeable future.
Projected Finish: 12th in Western Conference
24.Minnesota Timberwolves (17-28) (12th in Western Conference):
Despite possessing some of the most coveted young talent in the NBA (Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LeVine) and bringing in a coach in Tom Thibodeau that has enjoyed a pretty sizable amount of success throughout his career, the Timberwolves just haven't been able to put the pieces together in 2016-17. Their combination of young players making silly mistakes and poor outside shooting (35%, 21st in the league) has put them on the losing end of a number of close games this season. While I still strongly believe this team is going to be scary good in the next 2-3 years, I don't expect them to put together a particularly impressive stretch run this season.
Projected Finish: 10th in Western Conference
25.Orlando Magic (18-29) (13th in Eastern Conference):
The Magic led by future Hall-of-Famers such as Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton have once again just managed to be kind of there over the first 47 games of the season. They're neither inept enough to pick up a high-lottery pick or competent enough to be taken seriously as a playoff contender, and that ever-present state of anonymity seems to suit them nicely as an organization.
Projected Finish: 13th in Eastern Conference
26.Miami Heat (16-30) (14th in Eastern Conference):
The post-Wade Heat have pretty much been the young, identity-challenged team people around the league expected them to be. Veteran holdovers Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside have thrived with more opportunities to the touch the ball, but the young players outside of Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson haven't showed any real promise in extended playing time. At least they have the bizarre potential rise of Dion Waiters as a clutch player to help them through this painful rebuilding season.
Projected Finish: 14th in Eastern Conference
27.Dallas Mavericks (16-29) (13th in Western Conference):
Age has finally caught up with the Mavericks as they appear to be on track to miss the playoffs for only the 2nd time in the last 17 years. The odd mix of over-the-hill guys (J.J. Barea, Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki) and below-average young players (Justin Anderson, Seth Curry, Dwight Powell) has resulted in the worst on-court product the Mavs have had since the early 90's.
Projected Finish: 13th in Western Conference
28.Phoenix Suns (15-30) (14th in Western Conference):
The Suns are doing about as well as you would expect a raw, largely talent-deprived team in the Western Conference to be doing at this point of the season. Amidst all of the growing pains and lopsided losses that come with the rebuilding process, Devin Booker is beginning to look like the prolific scorer/outside shooter they drafted him to be and Eric Bledsoe has looked strong since returning from the torn meniscus that prematurely ended his 2015-16 season. The next few seasons aren't likely to be pretty, but there are glimmers of hope on the horizon for this long-suffering organization.
Projected Finish: 14th in Western Conference
29.Los Angeles Lakers (16-33) (15th in Western Conference):
Remember when the Lakers started the season 7-5 and people were talking about them as a playoff team? That was fun. The Lakers have pissed away any good fortune they had in mid-November with their collection of overpriced veterans (Timofey Mozgov, Luol Deng, Jose Calderon) they brought in to try and speed up the rebuilding process stinking up the floor on a nightly basis and a sorry-ass defense that could get lit up by most middle school teams. If it wasn't for their occasional flourishes of offensive fireworks courtesy of Jordan Clarkson, D'Angelo Russell and the always-entertaining Nick Young, this team would be completely unwatchable.
Projected Finish: 15th in Western Conference
30.Brooklyn Nets (9-36) (15th in Eastern Conference):
The Nets have been the basketball equivalent of watching Gigli this season and they deserve sympathy from every single NBA fan. I'm pretty firmly convinced that a lot of D-league teams could take out this woefully untalented team on most nights. Early congrats to the Celtics for securing the number 1 pick in the 2017 Draft.
Projected Finish: 15th in Eastern Conference
No comments:
Post a Comment