NBA Power Rankings: Cavaliers and Thunder Surge, Bucks and Knicks Falter

The early stages of the 2024-25 NBA season have seen significant shifts in the power rankings, with several teams making strong statements and others facing unexpected challenges. The Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder are currently at the top of the rankings, each boasting impressive records. The Celtics, with a 6-1 record, continue to demonstrate their championship potential, while the Thunder remain undefeated at 6-0, highlighting their strong start to the season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have also made a notable rise, ranking second in the latest power rankings. Their success can be attributed to several factors, including Darius Garland‘s rediscovered three-point shooting, Donovan Mitchell‘s consistent offense, Jarrett Allen‘s near-perfect shooting, and Evan Mobley‘s two-way improvement. However, the most significant change has been the schematic tweaks implemented by new coach Kenny Atkinson, which have re-oriented the team around a drive-and-kick game and increased the pace of the offense.

On the other hand, teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks have fallen back in the rankings. The Bucks, despite their strong roster, have struggled to maintain consistency, while the Knicks have faced early-season setbacks that have dropped them lower in the rankings.

The Los Angeles Lakers, led by Anthony Davis, have also shown promising signs. Davis is leading the league in scoring and averaging nearly four stocks (steals + blocks) per game, making the Lakers a more formidable opponent than initially anticipated.

The New Orleans Pelicans, despite being plagued by injuries to key players such as Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Herb Jones, are still managing to stay afloat with a 3-4 record. Their resilience in the face of adversity has kept them relatively high in the power rankings.

The Brooklyn Nets, with Dennis Schroeder playing a crucial role, have shown better performance than expected, but their front office’s focus on the draft lottery may limit their ability to sustain this level of competitiveness.