Rankings are based entirely on oRtg and dRtg differential. Long blurbs on pretty much anyone trying to actually win. Short one liners about all the shitty teams. Enjoy.
GlossaryPace - Possessions per game for a team. More possessions means a faster pace.
oRtg - Points scored per 100 possessions. League average is 111.
dRtg - Points allowed per 100 possessions. League average is 111.
diff - The difference between a team's oRtg and dRtg. The rankings are based off this. League average is 0.
TS% - True shot percentage, a representation of how efficient a team is shooting the ball, factoring in free throws as well. League average is 53.3%.
FTA/FGA - Free throws attempted per field goal attempted. A measure of how often a team gets to the line.
REB% - The percentage of available rebounds a team controls. League average is 50%.
STL% - The percentage of the opponent's possessions a team ends with a steal. League average is 8.5%.
BLK% - The percentage of opponent's field goal attempts that a team blocked. League average is 8.5%.
TO% - The percentage of a team's possessions that they turned over. League average is 11.9%.
1. Milwaukee Bucks (26-9) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
95.09 | 118.41 | 102.86 | 15.55 | 55.33% | 48.73% | 0.40 | 53.18% | 9.07% | 10.36% | 9.82% |
-Milwuakee is far and away the best team in the league right now, even if the Bulls are currently sporting a slightly better record. Offensively O'Mara and Alf are sporting oRtgs of 118 and 126 respectively, proving that they're reliable inside options who can be the focal points of an elite offense. Two bigs this good on the same team is extremely rate, and broph has done a fantastic job of surrounding them with enough talent to make a run at the best record in the league. I'd like to suggest an area of improvement, but they really don't have any guys getting minutes who are dragging down their offense. Their top rated offense is supported by a defense that's just as good, it's pretty remarkable just how dominant this team has been so far.
2. Chicago Bulls (27-9) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
99.50 | 112.57 | 102.10 | 10.47 | 52.98% | 47.32% | 0.33 | 52.13% | 10.51% | 10.09% | 11.04% |
-The defending champs are not to be forgotten, as they currently are owners of the best record in the league. Their defense is still absolutely dominant, which isn't surprising as they have pretty much the same cast they had last year (up until the McGee trade). Offensively however they've taken a pretty big step back so far, but seeing as they shipped out offensive disaster Lamont McGee, it'd be shocking if their offense stayed this mediocre. Expect the Bulls to be nipping at the heels of the Bucks all season long.
3. New Orleans Hornets (22-13) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
104.54 | 118.93 | 109.41 | 9.52 | 55.98% | 51.64% | 0.26 | 48.77% | 9.54% | 10.08% | 9.45% |
-The Hornets roster sports some of the most exciting offensive players in the league. Francis, Hollis, and now Jacquez Knight form the most imposing offensive trio the league has to offer. On that end of the ball, there's very little to complain about with the Hornets. Defensively however they have some questions to answer. Despite their elite shot blocking, the Hornets defense hasn't been up to the level of the Bulls or Bucks. I'm not sure what the problem has been for them, but it's something to keep an eye on. As dominant as their offense is, their defense needs to move from top 15 to top 5 if they really want to be in the Bucks league.
4. New York Knicks (24-11) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
99.79 | 114.79 | 105.51 | 9.28 | 54.89% | 49.13% | 0.30 | 50.51% | 8.35% | 9.40% | 11.65% |
-Despite all the changes the Knicks roster has seen over the past year, they remain one of the better teams in the eastern conference. Though they aren't as dominant as the Bucks or Hornets offensively, their offense is nearly four points above average per 100 possessions. Quincy's offensive explosion may not be sustainable, but his turnover rate is definitely a very good sign for the Knicks. Their only question mark offensively is McGuire, who's play will largely decide whether the Knicks offense is just very good, or great. Defensively they aren't quite on the Bulls or Bucks level either, but are firmly in the next tier of teams.
5. Dallas Mavericks (24-10) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
98.83 | 115.30 | 107.34 | 7.96 | 53.65% | 49.86% | 0.32 | 52.22% | 9.58% | 9.99% | 9.58% |
-I'm not sure anyone expected the Mavs to be this good, but they are not a team to be taken lightly. Slick Leonard, Perry Jones, Tom Heinsohn, and the underrated Chase Connors have given Dallas a huge boost offensively. Heinsohn in particular, despite not shooting the ball that well, has been a huge plus with his rebounding and ability to draw fouls. Defensively George Hall, Perry Jones, and Slick Leonard have all chipped in and have helped turn Dallas into one of the better defensive teams in the league. It's tough to find where Dallas can improve, their only draw back offensively is Hall, who's pretty brutal on that end, but he's so vital to their defense that it's hard to suggest that they get rid of him.
6. Houston Rockets (27-7) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
101.67 | 116.04 | 109.21 | 6.82 | 56.18% | 50.34% | 0.33 | 51.83% | 6.70% | 9.67% | 12.35% |
-According to their record, the Rockets should be much higher on this list. Their point differential however hasn't been elite, and they've been the recipients of quite a bit of luck thus far in the season. Regardless, their offense, though not quite elite, is one of the better ones in the league, and their defense has managed to stay above average. Their rebounding and shooting have been excellent thanks to O'Keane and Gola, but they turn the ball over far more than their opponents do which is a huge red flag. At some point that's going to catch up with them, but even so, they're still one of the better teams in the league.
7. Orlando Magic (19-12) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
103.19 | 115.49 | 109.25 | 6.24 | 54.58% | 50.07% | 0.29 | 48.68% | 9.86% | 7.77% | 9.83% |
-There was lots of hype around the Magic heading into the season, and thus far they haven't quite lived up to it. Offensively they've been bogged down by Vince King's subpar shooting and Larry Davidson's insistence on taking shots when he's clearly the worst offensive player on the floor. Despite having Bob Petit, the Magic don't rebound particularly well either, a problem they hope to remedy with the addition of Xi. There is one area of the game where the Magic excel however, and that's been the turnover battle. Orlando posts one of the lowest turnover rates and one of the highest steal rates in the league, and if their shooting starts to come around to expected levels, the added possessions will be a huge plus.
8. New Jersey Nets (21-12) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
100.09 | 114.00 | 109.42 | 4.58 | 54.83% | 51.13% | 0.29 | 51.63% | 7.65% | 7.38% | 12.41% |
-Last year the Nets were one of the more feared teams in the league, and to me the most talented team in the league. This year, they're still really, really good, but just aren't at the same level. They've been above average offensively and defensively, but not especially great in either regard. The addition of Trey Mack however may push the Nets back into the top 5, especially if his turnover problems are a thing of the past. The Nets certainly have plenty of talent locked up in their Flint/Parker core, and with a duo like that there's no counting New Jersey out. There has been some talk of them trading Flint, and I'd be pretty surprised if they can contend without him, but that's yet to be determined.
9. Denver Nuggets (21-16) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
97.34 | 113.13 | 108.77 | 4.36 | 53.85% | 48.81% | 0.31 | 50.64% | 8.64% | 6.75% | 11.26% |
-The Nuggets aren't a great team, they don't do anything especially noteworthy, their rebounding and shooting are mediocre, they don't do an especially impressive job of holding onto the ball, and their best player is a guy who couldn't get burn on a team ranked just two spots ahead of them. With that said, their defense is solid, if unspectacular, and their offense gets the job done. and they don't have a clear flaw. They aren't the most exciting team in the league, but greeme's put together a group of guys who can win a few games.
10. San Antonio Spurs (20-16) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
103.32 | 115.28 | 111.11 | 4.17 | 55.48% | 51.43% | 0.29 | 50.46% | 9.65% | 6.49% | 11.72% |
-The Spurs are a pretty interesting bunch. PF-PG, their collection of offensive talent is up there with anyone in the league. Robinson, Roe, Arizin, and Cooper have put up fantastic numbers on that side of the ball. Their offensive efficiency is dragged down by Beals who spent a large number of minutes at the PG spot doing nothing but missing shots and turning the ball over, but since acquiring and inserting Cooper into the lineup, their offense has been among the league's best. Defensively they're anchored by Drummond, who at 32 remains a dominant shot blocker, but on the whole grade out as pretty average. Cooper, and Robinson aren't exactly defensive stalwarts, but their steals and blocks help cover up their flaws. All in all I wouldn't be surprised to see the Spurs move up this list as Beal's time at PG starts fading as nothing more but a distant memory.
11. Los Angeles Clippers (20-15) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
100.93 | 112.92 | 109.63 | 3.29 | 54.36% | 49.64% | 0.31 | 50.82% | 9.16% | 5.64% | 12.06% |
-Marty's team started off the year pretty hot, and their outspoken GM let everyone know that his team had arrived. Just a rough stretch and a few injuries later and Marty seems ready to blow the Clippers up and start from scratch. Led by the talented foursome of Tremont, Baylor, White, and Woods, the Clippers haven't put up the huge offensive numbers you would expect with that kind of talent. Their 112.92 oRtg is above average, but far from spectacular, and their defense has been good but their lack of shot blocking makes it look less than imposing. For a team that shoots 47%, the Clippers poor three point shooting has held them back from being one of the better offenses in the league.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (18-17) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
103.04 | 113.99 | 111.76 | 2.22 | 54.91% | 50.67% | 0.26 | 49.02% | 8.25% | 7.68% | 11.68% |
-The Thunder are in a similar situation to the Clippers. Their team is good, they don't have especially obvious flaws, but they're just not good enough to actually contend. Their best player is likely Frank Ramsey, but his turnovers at point guard have been absolutely brutal. Defensively they haven't been the same since moving Sinclair, and offensively despite a fair amount of talent, they've been pretty mediocre thanks to guys like Matthew Rice shooting 38% in significant minutes. Aaron knows it's time to blow the team up, and I can't say I disagree with him.
13. Toronto Raptors (19-16) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
94.05 | 107.74 | 106.56 | 1.19 | 52.28% | 47.40% | 0.31 | 50.47% | 8.03% | 9.11% | 13.22% |
-Toronto's a team that I'm pretty sure had no intention on actually winning any games this year, and yet they find themselves looking playoff bound. Their offense is brutally bad, and I mean really, really bad. Rollins is putting up huge volume but not doing so efficiently, and they've got Kent Caldwell pretty much removing himself from the offensive end. Talley's been a bright spot, shooting the ball efficiently and, despite being a converted SG, keeping turnovers down. He reminds me a lot of a young Jason Terry. Defensively the Raptors are well above average, led by Caldwell's dominant shot blocking with solid team defense all around. The Raptors probably expect to come back to earth soon, but as long as their defense keeps it up, that simply won't happen.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (22-17) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
97.83 | 110.87 | 110.73 | 0.14 | 51.98% | 47.54% | 0.30 | 50.93% | 8.66% | 6.72% | 10.44% |
-It's a contract year for the Blazers, and so far with a 22-17 record things are looking pretty good. I'm not sure this is a function of the Blazers actually being any good, or that all the teams below them are probably trying to tank. Their offense is mildly below average, their defense is mildly above average, and their team on the whole, is remarkably average. Their 22-17 record actually shows a decent amount of luck, as their tiny point differential means they should be more like 20-19, and going forward shouldn't be much more than a .500 team. That may be enough to get by the contract year, but they'll be cutting it close.
15. Utah Jazz (18-15) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
100.61 | 113.50 | 113.63 | -0.13 | 53.05% | 49.94% | 0.23 | 51.40% | 8.24% | 8.00% | 10.60% |
-The Jazz are currently sitting at 18-15 with a firm hold on the 8th seed assuming the Thunder tank from here out. Their direction is a bit questionable, as they clearly aren't talented enough to make any real noise if they make the playoffs, and yet don't have enough upside on their roster to really justify doing anything other than tanking. This of course has been Jah's MO in the past, so it's not exactly surprising to see, but I wouldn't expect the Jazz to really make much noise this year or in the immediate future. Rosenbluth's a cool player, but he isn't going to be a huge volume scorer. Twyman is relatively inefficient for a guy putting up that kind of volume, and despite having some shot blockers their team isn't very good defensively. I'm not entirely sure what Jah's going to do with this roster to try and make it a contender, but it's going to be tough.
16. Indiana Pacers (14-12) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
99.74 | 111.32 | 112.86 | -1.53 | 53.78% | 49.31% | 0.36 | 52.05% | 8.31% | 5.45% | 12.45% |
-Biggie and the Pacers are attempting to make the playoffs this year and avoid a contract year next season, and so far their record says things are going pretty well. That's the good news. The bad news is their point differential suggests they've been quite lucky to be two games over .500. Recent acquisitions may help the Pacers push forward, but their lack luster defense and mediocre offense aren't anything to get overly excited about. For now, Biggie seems content making a push for the 7th or 8th seed, and in a conference only featuring 5 teams that actually want to make the playoffs, he'll probably make it, but there just isn't a ton to get excited about with the Pacers.
17. Phoenix Suns (14-15) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
101.81 | 113.72 | 115.65 | -1.93 | 53.51% | 47.76% | 0.32 | 50.79% | 7.48% | 3.08% | 10.51% |
-Spencer is tearing the Suns down pretty quickly, expect them to keep moving down the list. Their defense is especially awful.
18. Atlanta Hawks (16-18) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
102.94 | 106.10 | 109.29 | -3.19 | 51.86% | 46.85% | 0.30 | 51.54% | 9.70% | 8.06% | 14.48% |
-The Hawks offense is among the worst in the league, despite Bob Cousy's impressive numbers. Nolan Ellison's a big reason they've been this bad, his efficiency has been pretty awful.
19. Golden State Warriors (12-20) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
100.87 | 111.34 | 115.13 | -3.79 | 54.86% | 50.24% | 0.27 | 48.57% | 8.07% | 7.35% | 13.52% |
-Poor Game lost out on Schayes, but he shouldn't feel too bad because it's not likely he'd of made his team any good. Their defense is terrible, and their offense is pretty average at this point.
20. Memphis Grizzlies (13-23) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
99.35 | 109.29 | 113.27 | -3.98 | 52.70% | 47.23% | 0.34 | 49.32% | 7.23% | 8.37% | 11.88% |
-Memphis has been trying to tank pretty hard, but hasn't been able to be quite awful enough offensively or defensively. K.C. Jones' big volume on poor percentages is definitely helping though.
21. Washington Wizards (12-20) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
99.91 | 110.37 | 114.53 | -4.16 | 52.33% | 47.42% | 0.30 | 48.20% | 8.35% | 5.38% | 10.33% |
-Washington's the Denver of losing teams. They're bad, but they're not REALLY bad at anything.
22. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-22) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
102.07 | 105.63 | 110.67 | -5.04 | 51.08% | 46.00% | 0.39 | 49.72% | 8.87% | 9.05% | 12.26% |
-The luckiest team in the league, by far. Their defense is alright, but their offense is miserable. They have no right being two wins within .500.
23. Detroit Pistons (12-23) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
99.01 | 107.12 | 113.17 | -6.05 | 51.74% | 47.46% | 0.27 | 49.73% | 7.35% | 6.59% | 12.94% |
-With Parker gone, it isn't exactly surprising that the Pistons aren't any good now. Their defense is decent enough to keep them in some games though. They should trade Stokes to the Magic, that would solve all their problems.
24. Miami Heat (14-24) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
100.99 | 108.50 | 114.87 | -6.37 | 52.42% | 48.32% | 0.25 | 46.16% | 9.12% | 7.06% | 11.29% |
-I don't understand how a team with Irish and Barker can be this bad. A masterful job of tanking by Insane.
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-21) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
101.16 | 109.90 | 116.83 | -6.92 | 52.71% | 48.62% | 0.30 | 50.88% | 7.05% | 6.51% | 12.04% |
-One would think a defense with Wilt anchoring it couldn't be THIS bad. The worst defense in the league, and their offense isn't any good either. Even though they're trying to lose, Wilt's lack of impact on that end would concern me.
26. Boston Celtics (7-25) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
101.83 | 106.65 | 114.34 | -7.69 | 52.64% | 47.83% | 0.33 | 48.60% | 8.44% | 4.39% | 13.70% |
-The Celtics are bad, really, really bad. Their record may cause them to think they have a chance at worst record, but unfortunately for them they aren't quite as awful as the next few teams.
27. Charlotte Lolcats (8-20) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
101.84 | 104.46 | 113.80 | -9.34 | 51.53% | 47.41% | 0.27 | 48.50% | 7.47% | 7.16% | 14.24% |
-No Barker? No winning. Their best scorer, center Bob Hopkins, is shooting under 41%. Yeah.
28. Philadelphia 76ers (5-26) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
95.81 | 101.35 | 115.82 | -14.46 | 50.13% | 45.99% | 0.26 | 44.02% | 9.12% | 7.93% | 12.50% |
-Philly is one of only two teams, according to point differential, that really has a shot at the worst record in the league. The literally don't do anything well.
29. Los Angeles Lakers (6-27) Pace | oRtg | dRtg | diff | TS% | eFG% | FTA/FGA | REB% | STL% | BLK% | TO% |
99.44 | 99.42 | 115.62 | -16.21 | 50.78% | 45.50% | 0.34 | 49.01% | 7.92% | 5.44% | 17.05% |
-I was unsure an offense could be this bad. An impressive tank job by the Lakers, they're surely excited about their 20-25% chance of landing Oscar.