Clippers, Bucks are voted the best
Power rankings before the 2019-20 NBA season, as voted on by USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt, Mark Medina, AJ Neuharth-Keusch and Matt Eppers. The season begins Oct. 22.
1. Los Angeles Clippers – Talent-wise, they’re arguably the best and deepest team in the NBA. The most regular-season wins in franchise history (58 or more), and perhaps the first championship, are certainly in the cards.
2. Milwaukee – Led by MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, AllStar Khris Middleton and Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer, the Bucks are poised to take another step forward and represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. Health permitting, they’re the preseason favorites to do just that.
3. Philadelphia – Yes, losing Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick hurts, but the Sixers added two difference-makers in Al Horford and Josh Richardson to the already-elite group of Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid. They very well could end up being the best team in the East.
4. Los Angeles Lakers – For the first time in a long time, the Lakers have their sights set on a championship. They have arguably the best duo in the league with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and anything less than a title will be a disappointment. The problem? They might not be the best team in their own building.
5. Utah – The Western Conference’s biggest offseason splashes were made in L.A., and the Lakers and the Clippers might be viewed as more legitimate title contenders than the Jazz. That shouldn’t necessarily be the case. The Jazz are the real deal, and the time for them to make a run is now.
6. Denver – It was a quiet summer for the Nuggets from an acquisition standpoint, and that’s a good thing. They took care of business internally and enter the season as one of the league’s most dangerous groups, led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokic.
7. Houston – Sure, there are questions about the James Harden-Russell Westbrook fit. But at the end of the day, the Rockets are the only team in the league with two of the past three league MVPs.
8. Golden State – The Warriors’ dynasty changed forever the moment Kevin Durant announced his decision to head east. But that doesn’t mean this group isn’t going to be competitive.
9. Portland – Jusuf Nurkic is expected to be out for a good portion of the season, which hurts tremendously, but the addition of Hassan Whiteside should help mitigate his absence. Still, don’t expect another 53-win season.
10. Boston – Kemba Walker might not be Kyrie Irving in terms of pure talent, but he’s close, and Irving’s departure might be just what the Celtics need to turn things around. The loss of Horford? Not so much.
11. San Antonio – The Spurs aren’t title contenders, but don’t be surprised if they make the postseason for the 23rd consecutive year, especially with the return of Dejounte Murray.
12. Indiana – The bad news: The Pacers enter the season without their best player, Victor Oladipo, and there’s no timetable for his return. The good news: The Pacers stayed afloat without him for the second half of last season, and they made plenty of moves over the summer to help fill the void.
13. Brooklyn – The Nets struck gold this summer, landing Durant, Irving and DeAndre Jordan to accompany Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie. Expectations should be tempered with Durant expected to miss the whole season, but the future is as bright as can be.
14. Toronto – It’s not every year you see the reigning NBA champions this low in the preseason power rankings. Behold,