Power Rankings - Week 5
Nov 23, 2021 0:04:01 GMT -5
Golden State Warriors (Caleb), San Antonio Spurs (Chris), and 4 more like this
Post by Skip Bayless (Bball26 Analyst) on Nov 23, 2021 0:04:01 GMT -5
2021 Basketball Dynasty 26 Power Rankings - Week 5
1.
Washington Wizards (9-0) – Octy has everyone's respect as a GM. He just puts together winners and this year is no exception. The depth on this team is excellent. However, I'm not sure if this team can keep this up for a whole season. Jonas Val is eating in New Orleans, but will that continue once Zion is back? Can Horford stay healthy for a full season at his advanced age?
2.
New Orleans Pelicans (9-0) – Gotta give Johnny credit. He's made moves that weren't the most popular, but his team continues to fire on all cylinders despite not having Kyrie. If a guy like Covington can start to get going here, the Pelicans will be more of a nightmare than they already are to play against.
3.
Milwaukee Bucks (7-2) – Is there a better big 3 in this league than Giannis, Dejounte, and LaMelo? All 3 are scoring 40+ FPG and are showing no signs of slowing down. That isn’t even considering Bridges, who is one of the biggest surprises early on this season. With role plays like Conley, Vassell, and Tate, Milwaukee is well positioned for another title run.
4.
Minnesota Timberwolves (7-2) - One of the best squads from last year continues to be among the best in the league this year. Injuries is a concern with guys like Brogdon, Aaron Gordon, and of course AD on the team, but when healthy the Timberwolves can compete with anyone in the top 5.
5.
Atlanta Hawks (8-1) – Despite a down year so far from Lillard and arguably Harden, the Hawks have had a really good year thanks to CP3, Rubio, and Carmelo. Depth is still a concern, but guys like Niang and McGee have been good when given the opportunity this year.
6.
Golden State Warriors (7-2) – As long as Curry is playing like this, any team is going to have difficulties against this squad. It would be nice if Embiid could stay healthy, but such is life with the big man. Deni has taken a step up this year and if Malik + Dozier can get closer to 20 FPG this team can hang with any of the top dogs.
7.
Orlando Magic (6-3) – Despite all the talk around Sarge inheriting a good squad, I think he’s made this team into a real title contender. Yes, KPJ has started as slow as he could’ve, but the talent is there and he’ll figure it out as he continues to get reps with Green and Wood. Hayward and Tatum still have another gear to hit and once they find that I think this team starts looking more dangerous than it already is.
8.
Miami Heat (6-3) – Morant is a flat out stud this year which has helped the Heat weather an up and down so far. Hunter and Fournier have been disappointing while guys like Herro and Schroder are playing very well. If this team is fully healthy come playoff time, they’re a real dark horse to win it all.
9.
Boston Celtics (4-5) – The record isn’t ideal and in the East you definitely want to see that improve. We all know about this team’s studs. Even without Ben Simmons this team has looked decent because guys like Pat Bev, LMA, and Hartenstein are stepping up. Always worried about SGA rest down the line and who knows if Ben even plays this year.
10.
New York Knicks (4-5) – PG has been magnificent so far for Sood and for once this Knicks team also has above average depth. There’s rumors that Smart is on the block, but at 25 FPG I think he’s a key component to this squad. If Gallo can finally get it going we’ll see this team start to move up the rankings.
11.
Brooklyn Nets (6-3) – New ownership has to be happy with the team they inherited. Injuries are always going to be a concern on a team with KD, Capela, and WCJ, but so far so good this year.
12.
Chicago Bulls (3-6) – This team is finally healthy and it’s showing as they were in the top 10 in scoring this past week. KP looks like a unicorn again which Bulls fans have to be very excited about.
13.
Cleveland Cavaliers (5-4) – Another team that had struggled with injuries early with Jokic, Lebron, and Middleton all missing time, but might be hitting their stride here soon. Brunson has been a star.
14.
Sacramento Kings (5-4) – Slightly concerning that Pritchard can’t find any minutes right now but this team has been doing just fine with Westbrook, Tobias, and Dinwiddie leading the way. Thad Young got some nice run with Poetl out, but that will likely end soon. Oh and Zubac is finally having a semi-breakout year.
15.
Los Angeles Clippers (3-6) – Team is better than the record shows, but injuries continue to hamper them with Mitchell Robinson and Devonte Graham down now. When fully healthy, this team has depth, but is missing the 35 FPG + stud you need to go deep in the playoffs.
16.
Philadelphia 76ers (6-3) – Kanter and Bullock look like bad offseason signings at the moment. Giddey has played very well though alongside Trae Young and Sabonis.
17.
Oklahoma City Thunder (6-3) – Another team without a true stud, but plenty of guys that score points night in and night out. Kuminga is said to be available so Loren might be adding more firepower very soon.
18.
Charlotte Hornets (3-6) – Hasn’t been as good as last year yet, but this team has a lot of potential especially with Wiseman and hopefully DiVincenzo coming back soon. However, it’ll be an uphill battle making the playoffs out East.
19.
Utah Jazz (4-5) – It’s been an up and down season so far for TJ. Fox and Kemba are off to slow starts and the role players haven’t pulled their weight. Thomas Bryant’s return may jumpstart the scoring, but it’s still not clear when he’ll be back.
20.
Memphis Grizzlies (5-4) - One of the bigger surprises early this year due to the young guys playing very well right now. Portis should come down to earth a bit and Robert Williams is always an injury risk, but the front office in Memphis should be very happy with the season so far.
21.
Houston Rockets (5-4) – #3 overall pick Jalen Green has gone through some early season struggles, but this team has still managed to squeak out a winning record thus far. It’ll be very interesting to see how Klay plays in his return to action later this year.
22.
Portland Trailblazers (1-8) – The team is not as bad as the record suggests and with Sexton out for the year we should see Garland play very well. Vanderbilt has also started to play very well as of late.
23.
Dallas Mavericks (4-5) – Very disappointing season in Dallas as injuries have really derailed what looked like a dark horse coming into the year. The talent is there though and Kyle just has to hope MPJ can come back at some point this year. The future still looks fantastic.
24.
Phoenix Suns (3-6) – The early season loss of Patrick Williams has marred what has otherwise been a decent season in Phoenix. 30 FPG Bamba is awesome alongside Jarrett Allen. Would love to see more from Suggs as he gets more comfortable his rookie year.
25.
Detroit Pistons (2-7) – Cade has been an absolute monster over his last 4 games averaging 40+ FPG. They’re building something in Detroit and I’m looking forward to seeing where this team stands once Kawhi is back healthy.
26.
Denver Nuggets (3-6) – Kuzma at 27 FPG is insane and I don’t know if many people saw that coming into the year. The rookies on this squad have been disappointing overall and you’d like to see JJJ take his FPG closer to 30.
27.
San Antonio Spurs (2-7) – Has unfortunately ran into the injury bug here with Mobley and OG out, but prior to that this team has looked really fun. Metu and Little have surprised me and it’s good to see DLo back playing again.
28.
Los Angeles Lakers (2-7) – Injuries have just killed Griff dating back to last season and this is starting to look like another lost year for the Lakers.
29.
Toronto Raptors (0-9) – Cole Anthony at 33 FPG has to be the biggest surprise this season right?
30.
Indiana Pacers (0-9) – At least Drummond is racking up points in Philly? Honestly if Jon is able to land another top pick this team is going to be insane next year with Zion, Isaac, Sengun, and Chet/Paolo.
| Top Scorers | |
| Washington Wizards | 905.5 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 867 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 862 |
1.
Washington Wizards (9-0) – Octy has everyone's respect as a GM. He just puts together winners and this year is no exception. The depth on this team is excellent. However, I'm not sure if this team can keep this up for a whole season. Jonas Val is eating in New Orleans, but will that continue once Zion is back? Can Horford stay healthy for a full season at his advanced age? 2.
New Orleans Pelicans (9-0) – Gotta give Johnny credit. He's made moves that weren't the most popular, but his team continues to fire on all cylinders despite not having Kyrie. If a guy like Covington can start to get going here, the Pelicans will be more of a nightmare than they already are to play against.3.
Milwaukee Bucks (7-2) – Is there a better big 3 in this league than Giannis, Dejounte, and LaMelo? All 3 are scoring 40+ FPG and are showing no signs of slowing down. That isn’t even considering Bridges, who is one of the biggest surprises early on this season. With role plays like Conley, Vassell, and Tate, Milwaukee is well positioned for another title run. 4.
Minnesota Timberwolves (7-2) - One of the best squads from last year continues to be among the best in the league this year. Injuries is a concern with guys like Brogdon, Aaron Gordon, and of course AD on the team, but when healthy the Timberwolves can compete with anyone in the top 5.5.
Atlanta Hawks (8-1) – Despite a down year so far from Lillard and arguably Harden, the Hawks have had a really good year thanks to CP3, Rubio, and Carmelo. Depth is still a concern, but guys like Niang and McGee have been good when given the opportunity this year. 6.
Golden State Warriors (7-2) – As long as Curry is playing like this, any team is going to have difficulties against this squad. It would be nice if Embiid could stay healthy, but such is life with the big man. Deni has taken a step up this year and if Malik + Dozier can get closer to 20 FPG this team can hang with any of the top dogs. 7.
Orlando Magic (6-3) – Despite all the talk around Sarge inheriting a good squad, I think he’s made this team into a real title contender. Yes, KPJ has started as slow as he could’ve, but the talent is there and he’ll figure it out as he continues to get reps with Green and Wood. Hayward and Tatum still have another gear to hit and once they find that I think this team starts looking more dangerous than it already is. 8.
Miami Heat (6-3) – Morant is a flat out stud this year which has helped the Heat weather an up and down so far. Hunter and Fournier have been disappointing while guys like Herro and Schroder are playing very well. If this team is fully healthy come playoff time, they’re a real dark horse to win it all. 9.
Boston Celtics (4-5) – The record isn’t ideal and in the East you definitely want to see that improve. We all know about this team’s studs. Even without Ben Simmons this team has looked decent because guys like Pat Bev, LMA, and Hartenstein are stepping up. Always worried about SGA rest down the line and who knows if Ben even plays this year. 10.
New York Knicks (4-5) – PG has been magnificent so far for Sood and for once this Knicks team also has above average depth. There’s rumors that Smart is on the block, but at 25 FPG I think he’s a key component to this squad. If Gallo can finally get it going we’ll see this team start to move up the rankings. 11.
Brooklyn Nets (6-3) – New ownership has to be happy with the team they inherited. Injuries are always going to be a concern on a team with KD, Capela, and WCJ, but so far so good this year. 12.
Chicago Bulls (3-6) – This team is finally healthy and it’s showing as they were in the top 10 in scoring this past week. KP looks like a unicorn again which Bulls fans have to be very excited about. 13.
Cleveland Cavaliers (5-4) – Another team that had struggled with injuries early with Jokic, Lebron, and Middleton all missing time, but might be hitting their stride here soon. Brunson has been a star. 14.
Sacramento Kings (5-4) – Slightly concerning that Pritchard can’t find any minutes right now but this team has been doing just fine with Westbrook, Tobias, and Dinwiddie leading the way. Thad Young got some nice run with Poetl out, but that will likely end soon. Oh and Zubac is finally having a semi-breakout year. 15.
Los Angeles Clippers (3-6) – Team is better than the record shows, but injuries continue to hamper them with Mitchell Robinson and Devonte Graham down now. When fully healthy, this team has depth, but is missing the 35 FPG + stud you need to go deep in the playoffs.16.
Philadelphia 76ers (6-3) – Kanter and Bullock look like bad offseason signings at the moment. Giddey has played very well though alongside Trae Young and Sabonis.17.
Oklahoma City Thunder (6-3) – Another team without a true stud, but plenty of guys that score points night in and night out. Kuminga is said to be available so Loren might be adding more firepower very soon. 18.
Charlotte Hornets (3-6) – Hasn’t been as good as last year yet, but this team has a lot of potential especially with Wiseman and hopefully DiVincenzo coming back soon. However, it’ll be an uphill battle making the playoffs out East. 19.
Utah Jazz (4-5) – It’s been an up and down season so far for TJ. Fox and Kemba are off to slow starts and the role players haven’t pulled their weight. Thomas Bryant’s return may jumpstart the scoring, but it’s still not clear when he’ll be back. 20.
Memphis Grizzlies (5-4) - One of the bigger surprises early this year due to the young guys playing very well right now. Portis should come down to earth a bit and Robert Williams is always an injury risk, but the front office in Memphis should be very happy with the season so far. 21.
Houston Rockets (5-4) – #3 overall pick Jalen Green has gone through some early season struggles, but this team has still managed to squeak out a winning record thus far. It’ll be very interesting to see how Klay plays in his return to action later this year. 22.
Portland Trailblazers (1-8) – The team is not as bad as the record suggests and with Sexton out for the year we should see Garland play very well. Vanderbilt has also started to play very well as of late. 23.
Dallas Mavericks (4-5) – Very disappointing season in Dallas as injuries have really derailed what looked like a dark horse coming into the year. The talent is there though and Kyle just has to hope MPJ can come back at some point this year. The future still looks fantastic.24.
Phoenix Suns (3-6) – The early season loss of Patrick Williams has marred what has otherwise been a decent season in Phoenix. 30 FPG Bamba is awesome alongside Jarrett Allen. Would love to see more from Suggs as he gets more comfortable his rookie year. 25.
Detroit Pistons (2-7) – Cade has been an absolute monster over his last 4 games averaging 40+ FPG. They’re building something in Detroit and I’m looking forward to seeing where this team stands once Kawhi is back healthy. 26.
Denver Nuggets (3-6) – Kuzma at 27 FPG is insane and I don’t know if many people saw that coming into the year. The rookies on this squad have been disappointing overall and you’d like to see JJJ take his FPG closer to 30. 27.
San Antonio Spurs (2-7) – Has unfortunately ran into the injury bug here with Mobley and OG out, but prior to that this team has looked really fun. Metu and Little have surprised me and it’s good to see DLo back playing again. 28.
Los Angeles Lakers (2-7) – Injuries have just killed Griff dating back to last season and this is starting to look like another lost year for the Lakers. 29.
Toronto Raptors (0-9) – Cole Anthony at 33 FPG has to be the biggest surprise this season right? 30.
Indiana Pacers (0-9) – At least Drummond is racking up points in Philly? Honestly if Jon is able to land another top pick this team is going to be insane next year with Zion, Isaac, Sengun, and Chet/Paolo. 
