This rankings do not reflect the strength of the team at that given month but rather is a combination of each team’s play in prior months, performance during that month, and overall outlook for upcoming months. It is difficult to write in depth about all 30 teams, as such, I will go in depth on a couple notable teams of the month and the rest will receive brief analysis.
1. Golden State Warriors [8-1] ( - )
Is there any question that this team is in first place? I doubt their position will fluctuate too much throughout the year but it will be interesting to see how the Cousins experiment plays out. I will say that Curry’s 52% 3 point percentage given the sheer volume of threes he takes is something that is hard to get your mind around. Klay has however, struggled shooting a career low 33.8% from behind the arc.
2. Milwaukee Bucks [7-0] ( - )
This team is playing with a sense of identity this season under new coach Mike Budenholzer. The notable points of improvements is in the defense (which ranks 2nd) and pace. They currently rank 8th in blocks (6.1) and allow the least points in the paint in the entire league (39.4). The length of the Bucks and their ability to block driving lanes and lock down the paint is a major contributor to their current defensive ranking. PACE as a stat represents the number of possessions a team has per 48 minutes. Last season the Bucks had a PACE of 97.16, but this season it sits at 106.07 (5th overall). I want to make clear that PACE does not mean better offense as frequent turnovers for example may inflate the value of your team’s PACE. The reason I think PACE is of particular importance for this Bucks team is due to their players and playstyle. The Bucks want to run the ball in transition putting the ball into the hands of Giannas and Bledsoe so they can attack the hoop. The addition of stretch forwards such as Brook Lopez and Ersan Ilyasolva means there is always a three point threat on the perimeter when Bledsoe or Giannas attack. You can expect a lot of noise from this team this year.
3.Toronto Raptors [7-1] ( - )
When Leonard is not resting, this team looks impossible to beat. Lowry is facilitating the ball incredibly well to start the year averaging a league leading 11.3 assists/game which is way up from the 6.9/game he posted last season.
4. Denver Nuggets [6-1] ( - )
The Nuggets’ offense is smooth as ever being able to play inside with Jokic and outside with Gary Harris and Jamal Murray. The greatest improvement in this team is their defense which at the moment ranks 6th compared to last season’s abysmal 22nd finish.
5. San Antonio Spurs [5-2] ( - )
DeRozan has looked comfortable in the spurs system and is actually racking up a career high in assists (8.0 per game). This could very well be another 50 win season for the spurs. If only their defense wasn’t one of the worst in the league.
6. Boston Celtics [5-2] ( - )
They rank 1st in defense and are keeping opponents below 100 points on average. The Celtics are way below their offensive ceiling however and will likely make a move up the ranking once they find an offensive rhythm. This will depend on how long it takes Kyrie to get out of his shooting slump and how long it will take for Hayward to return to his former All Star self. Sophomore, Jayson Tatum is doing a great job picking up slack for his struggling veterans, scoring with 15.7 points/game in the meanwhile.
7. Utah Jazz [4-3] ( - )
Rubio has struggled to be the consistent scorer for this Jazz team but last years trade deadline pick up , Jae Crowder, has really stepped up averaging 14.4 points per game. This Jazz team remains defensive minded but at the moment seem to be struggling on that end of the floor, with a defensive rating of 107.7, which is good for 13th in the league.
8. New Orleans Pelicans [4-3] ( - )
The Pels came out of the gates firing on all cylinders but have now settled down as a result of injuries. Elfrid Payton has been proven to be a strong add but has missed games due to injury. Anthony Davis has also missed time with an elbow injury. They technically are undefeated at full strength (4-0) granted this is a small sample size.
9. Portland Trailblazers [5-2] ( - )
The back court duo of Lillard and McCollum continue to carry this team. The Blazers looks to have another great regular season but watch for role player such as Nurkic to push them into the upper seeds of a competitive western conference.
10. Philadelphia 76ers [4-4] ( - )
Expectations for this team were high and at the moment, they seem to be short of that plateau. All 4 losses however did come to teams currently above them in the standings which should reduce the concern in Philly fans; or increase it in those who thought the 76ers were finals bound.
11. Indiana Pacers [5-3] ( - )
The Pacers are quietly on a roll. They are 4th in both field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. Myles Turner needs to become as big of a threat he is on offense as he is on defense for this team to be competitive with Toronto, or Boston, or Milwaukee. On the bright side Oladipo has developed into a clutch shooter down the stretch with a TS% 82.5 in the last minute of the game.
12. Sacramento Kings [5-3] ( - )
The kings are hot right now winning 4 in a row to finish October. De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield are really flourishing but have yet to be tested by strong opponents. They could be a dark horse to make the playoffs, which would break a 12 year drought.
13. Detroit Pistons [4-3] ( - )
Blake showing he still has what it takes to lead a team, but their easy schedule to start may have inflated their win total.
14. Charlotte Hornets [4-4] ( - )
This team has been living and dying by Kemba Walker, who has been on a tear this first month. He is shooting a career high of 20.5 FGA/game with shooting splits of 47.1%/40.4% (FG%/3P%), which are also career highs. Expect the volume to be there but fans should also be aware that it will be difficult for him to maintain this efficiency level all season in which case the team may be exposed as the season goes on.
15. Minnesota Timberwolves [4-4] ( - )
The Jimmy Butler trade saga continues, Karl Anthony Towns starts the season slow for his standards but the raw talent on this team still keeps them out of the basement.
*Wow! Derrick Rose went off for 50, his constancy may be key for this teams success going forward
16. Los Angeles Lakers [3-5] ( - )
This has been the one of the worst starts for a Lebron team in basically the better part of the last 15 years. Lakers did lose secondary scorer, Brandon Ingram, and veteran, Rajon Rondo, who were suspended for an on court altercation causing them to miss 4 and 3 games, respectively, this month however.
17. Houston Rockets [1-5] ( - )
Yikes! The defending Western Conference Champions lost their last 4 to close out October and are sitting at near the bottom of the West. It is not time to panic however since Chris Paul and James Harden have missed games successively with suspension and injury, respectively. If anything, this month tells us that the Rockets are not the same team when missing one of their stars. You should expect them to bounce back in November.
18. Miami Heat [3-4] ( - )
The heat are in a weird spot where they are not bad and they are not good, they are just mediocre. There is not really a sense of direction with this team in regards to the future but for this season however they will definitely be in the playoff hunt in the East.
19. Oklahoma City Thunder [2-4] ( - )
Slow initial start but have bounced back since the return of Russell Westbrook. This team’s lack of scoring off the bench and its dependance on starters will put them at a disadvantage as the season continues.
20. Los Angeles Clippers [4-3] ( - )
They are in a similar spot as the Heat but in the uber competitive West, it may be hard for them to get into the last and final playoff spot. At least they’re poised to be one of the most attractive teams this upcoming offseason for free agents with $70 million in potential cap space.
21. Memphis Grizzlies [4-2] ( - )
This start looks better than it should given the disaster that was last season. With Conley and Gasol finally back, this team makes a formidable opponent and could sneak into the playoff picture.
22. Brooklyn Nets [3-5] ( - )
The team’s youth is extremely energizing and fun to watch, unlike their other New York counterparts.
23. Dallas Mavericks [2-6] ( - )
Luka Doncic has been a thrill to watch and will for sure be a contender for rookie of the year. The most surprising feat is the transformation of DeAndre Jordan, who is shooting 82.4% free throws on the season. This is up from 58% last year...
24. Chicago Bulls [2-6] ( - )
Zach Lavine has gone off on a tear to start the season, coming back from an ACL tear last year, the rest of the team needs to pick up some slack. Regardless they will likely bottom out in the East.
25. Orlando Magic [2-5] ( - )
Poor backcourt plus average front court equals below average season. Aaron Gordon has yet to breakout and the best player is now once again Nikola Vucevic.
26. Phoenix Suns [1-6] ( - )
Number one pick, DeAndre Ayton has brought over some of the momentum from the pre-season into October. Besides him and Booker, there is much going for this team. It will be interesting to see whether management will actively look to improve the roster in trades or take the passive route by trying to acquire young talent in the draft.
27. Atlanta Hawks [2-5] ( - )
Rookie, Trae young is showing great promise while Taurean Prince has picked up where he left off and is putting up solid numbers. This will be a development season for Hawks.
28. Washington Wizards [1-6] ( - )
This team has been an absolute disaster. They seem to be really missing a center that can create solid picks for Wall. They should be praying for Dwight to return at this point.
29. New York Knicks [2-6] ( - )
Praise Tim Hardaway Jr. for having the season of his life. This team is 29th in assists which means their plays are dull and slow and overall not fun to watch from an average fan’s perspective. Porzingis is dearly missed. The large market Knicks will be a prime free agent destination this coming offseason but will need to develop sophomore, Frank Ntilikina and rookie, Kevin Knox to show free agents that they can be competitive in the East.
30. Cleveland Cavaliers [1-6] ( - )
Last’s offseason move to secure forward Kevin Love in a contract extension was surprising. Love was locked in until the summer of 2023. This may have been a move to maintain Love as an asset and to at least show some relevance in a weak East. At the moment, the Cavs seem to have spectacularly failed on both of these goals. The Cavs just straight up stink, even when Love is on the floor, opponents are walking all over them. Now that Love is out for a few weeks at minimum with a left toe injury (surgery has not yet been ruled out), his value as an asset is beginning to diminish. His long term contract is restricting and is not appealing to many teams and his overall injury history further devalues him. The team’s outlook is very poor, and I am not just talking about this season.
*It has been announced that the Cavs have fired head coach Ty Lue which is a bit of a surprise given how early in the season it was but it seems like an inevitability given the direction and future of this franchise.
All stats were taken Oct. 31st from nba.com and basketball-reference.com
By: Jason Lam and Khashayar Akbari
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