NBA Power Rankings Week 2: November 10th, 2014

It is only Week 2 of the NBA Power Rankings, but there are already some surprises at the top of the rankings. There was a lot of movement after Week 1, as plenty of teams made big leaps and bounds, while others plummeted like rocks in the ocean. Check out this week's power rankings and don't hesitate to leave comments letting us know how we did, even if you agree or think we are way off.

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1. Golden State Warriors (5-1): Things couldn’t have started much better for rookie head coach Steve Kerr and without David Lee. They are turning the ball over 22.5 times per game, and are still winning at this pace, which means things could actually get better for the Warriors.

2. Houston Rockets (6-1): While the schedule has been soft thus far for the Rockets, they are not choosing who to play against. They are beating who is put in front of them, and doing it easily. They have an NBA high 11.0 point differential per game on the season, winning their games by an average of 13 points per game; they have yet to win a game by less than 11.

3. Toronto Raptors (6-1): The Raptors are as hot as any team in the NBA right now. A perfect 4-0 week with three victories all easily into double-digits. This is a team to keep an eye on as they could really make some noise in the Eastern Conference this season.

4. Memphis Grizzlies (6-1): Not many people envisioned their first loss being to the Bucks I’m sure, but that is a little hiccup for the Grizzlies who are rolling. They handled the Pelicans and Suns with relative ease, and will look to continue building the wins with a homestand this week.

5. Miami Heat (5-2): Chris Bosh is turning the clock back to Raptors’ Bosh, as he is averaging 23.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.14 steals per game. Those are outstanding numbers, and there is no reason they will slow down. They had a letdown in a big matchup against the Rockets to start the week, and lost to the Hornets, but bounced back nicely with a win against the Timberwolves and an impressive one at Dallas.

6. Chicago Bulls (5-2): A loss to the Celtics is disappointing, especially when they played without Rajon Rondo. But it was the fourth game in five nights, so they can get a little slack. Derrick Rose once again is questionable because of ankle injuries, but the team is looking solid as they have gotten used to playing without Rose.

7. Los Angeles Clippers (4-2): They won their home games against the Jazz and Blazers but got destroyed on the road by the Warriors. This is a team that just isnt clicking yet, as shooting woes has been evident. They have a short week with only two games, but they are important ones Monday against the Spurs and Saturday against the Suns.

8. Sacramento Kings (5-2): Taking a home and home with the Nuggets to start the week only got better with an overtime road victory over the Suns. What made the OT victory so impressive was it was without DeMarcus Cousins, and we even saw Cousins being the level-headed one in an exchange. A loss Sunday to the Thunder is a slight disappointment, but OKC still holds a legitimate home court advantage that will help get them some wins.

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9. Washington Wizards (5-2): They’re beating who they are supposed to, but again put up a clunker against a strong opponent. This week it was the Raptors filling that role, blowing the Wizards out of the water by 19. It’s a short week for the Wizards, who play only Wednesday against the Pistons and Saturday against the Magic.

10. San Antonio Spurs (2-3): Not ready to drop them out of the top-10. This week that could change though, as they play the Clippers, Warriors and Kings all this week. Wins this week will catapult them up the rankings, or plummeting down as the early season results haven’t been what we expected.

11. Phoenix Suns (4-3): Add another tally to the impressive win category for the Suns, who knocked off the Warriors, giving them their first loss of the season. The Suns continue to be one of the most exciting teams to watch. That lineup with three point guards is something, but shows the dangers; had Andre Iguodala been able to take advantage of Isaiah Thomas, that game could have looked much different.

12. Portland Trail Blazers (4-3): Nicolas Batum suffered a knee injury, but it does not look serious right now. They had a strong week though, blowing out the Cavaliers, Mavericks and Nuggets with relative ease. They fell in a much anticipated matchup with the Clippers, but they look to be turning things around; namely Damian Lillard, whose early season shooting woes look to be behind him now.

13. Dallas Mavericks (4-3): Pretty decisive losses at the hands of the Blazers and Heat have knocked the Mavericks down a little bit. Something to watch for when they start the week against Kings on Tuesday is Dirk Nowitzki’s scoring output. He is only 17 points behind Hakeem Olajuwon ninth-place on the all-time scoring list.

14. New Orleans Pelicans (3-2): A big time matchup Monday will showcase Anthony Davis against LeBron James. Davis has started the season on pace for one of the best in recent NBA history. As long as he is healthy they will give teams fits; ask the Spurs. Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday and Ryan Anderson are strong complementary pieces.

15. Brooklyn Nets (4-2): As long as Brook Lopez and Deron Williams are in the lineup, this is a dangerous team. The question is how long will they both be? Joe Johnson continues to quietly do about his business as well as a matchup nightmare for opposing teams.

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16. Utah Jazz (3-4): The Jazz provided some memorable games this past week. They hung tough with the Clippers in Los Angeles, and then pulled off an improbable win with a Gordon Hayward buzzer beater to sink the Cavaliers. A blowout loss in Dallas was quickly recovered from with a come from behind win in Detroit. Good start to a five-game Eastern Conference trip.

17. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-3): In the running for most surprising start. With all that talent, losses are hard to imagine seeing. It happens, but losing at the buzzer in Utah is not how you would envision it. All talk about Kyrie Irving and LeBron James budding heads was put to rest a bit with a win over the Nuggets. The Cavaliers now leave Cleveland only two more times in November, which could jump start the season.

18. Boston Celtics (3-3): The Celtics were getting knocked back down to earth to start the week after a strong opening night. But they bounced back beating the Pacers at home but more impressively knocking off the Bulls, in Chicago nonetheless. Oh, forgot to mention also the win in Chicago was without Rajon Rondo.

19. Atlanta Hawks (2-3): They played it tough with the defending champs, and followed that up with another tough loss in double-OT to the Hornets. But for like many teams in the recent history, a visit by the Knicks got them back on track. They’ll look to take a home-and-home with the Knicks Monday before hosting the Jazz and Heat and traveling to visit the Cavaliers.

20. Charlotte Hornets (3-4): Giving the Lakers their first win of the season is never a positive. It is a disappointing finish to what was looking like a strong week, as the Hornets picked up a double-OT victory over the Hawks and beat the Heat. That was a nice response to a loss to another up-and-coming team, the Pelicans, on Tuesday.

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21. Milwaukee Bucks (3-4): A road victory in Indiana is nice, even with how poor the roster looks right now is a good win for the Bucks. The victory against the Grizzlies, their first of the season, is the impressive feat this week for the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high in the game as well, getting people excited once again for the “Greek Freak”. 

22. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-5): They’re still playing extremely short-handed, and without their top guns wins will be a struggle to come by. A close call with the Grizzlies and a victory over the upstart Kings put a little better end to a week that saw two blowout losses at the hands of the Nets and Raptors.

23. Detroit Pistons (2-4):  It wasn’t a busy week for the Pistons, but back-to-back 98-95 wins over the Knicks and Bucks gave them their first weeks of the season. It would have been three in a row if they hadn’t blown a double-digit lead against the Jazz Sunday. That will peeve Stan Van Gundy for a little while, but they look much better in Week 2 than Week 1.

24. Orlando Magic (2-5): Another young team that is worth tuning into League Pass to watch, and they do not even have Victor Oladipo yet. Their road trip through the Atlantic Division will continue with stops in Toronto and New York before hosting the Bucks and traveling to Washington D.C. to end their week of games.

25. New York Knicks (2-5): The good vibes from a win in Cleveland followed with a defeat of the Hornets is gone. The Knicks are now riding a four-game losing streak in large part because Carmelo Anthony’s shot is not working right now. That, and also the team lacks energy and effort on a consistent basis; not talk you want to hear two weeks into the season.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-5): The Ricky Rubio injury is a big loss for this team, as he had been playing great ball. They did have a nice win in Brooklyn, but there may not be many wins for them this season. But they will be a team to check in on NBA League Pass because of Andrew Wiggins and some other young, intriguing players like Zach LaVine and Anthony Bennett.

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27. Los Angeles Lakers (1-5): The Lakers were able to get their first win of the season Sunday over the Hornets. Who is happier about that, people associated with the Lakers, their fans, or Charles Barkley?

28. Indiana Pacers (1-6): They won opening night and it has been losing ever since. Their return to Miami Wednesday just does not have the same feel as it should with so many injuries and defections from last season’s playoff series. The guys are fighting hard, but playing without so many starters from last season is a formula for any team to lose.

29. Denver Nuggets (1-5): Is it far to say that Bryan Shaw may have the hottest seat in the NBA? The Nuggets are a disjointed team right now with a head coach that has no idea how who to play and when. This is a bad team going nowhere fast with an east coast trip this week.

30. Philadelphia 76ers (0-7): When you are the last remaining winless team in the NBA, the cellar is your spot. This season isn’t about wins and losses for the 76ers though, as they are looking to develop young talent. One person who has stood out thus far in K.J. McDaniels, who is providing young Dwyane Wade-like defensive stats, and is shooting the ball better than people thought he would.