NBA
Power rankings
With the NBA’s second season set to tip off Saturday, here’s how we view the league’s current power structure:
1. Houston (65-17): Perhaps the most impressive stat of the Rockets’ recordbreaking season: They went 42-3 in games in which James Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela played.
2. Golden State (58-24): The Warriors’ quest for a third title in four years hasn’t been without bumps, and all eyes remain on the injured Stephen Curry, who might not return until the second round. It’s clear as it’s ever been how valuable the two-time MVP is to the defending champions. They enter the playoffs as losers of six of their last 10.
3. Toronto (59-23): Few teams, if any, have as much to prove as the Raptors. Can they get over the hump and reach the Finals for the first time, or will the playoff spotlight be too bright for Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan?
4. Philadelphia (52-30): No team in the league heads into the playoffs as hot as the Sixers, who won their final 16 games — eight of which were played without Joel Embiid.
5. Cleveland (50-32): The bad news for the Cavaliers as they prepare for their series with Indiana? They went 1-3 against the Pacers. The good news? All four were played before the trade-deadline roster overhaul.
6. Portland (49-33): The third seed is the Trail Blazers’ highest since 2000, but a first-round date with New Orleans is a not-so-rewarding reward. Portland lost four of its final five games.
7. Oklahoma City (48-34): The Thunder managed to land the fourth seed in the Western Conference. If you buy what Russell Westbrook stated, the Thunder’s best possible finish to the season is a title.
8. Utah (48-34): The Jazz in 2016-17, with Gordon Hayward, finished as the fifth seed in the West. The Jazz in 2017
18, without Gordon Hayward, finished as the fifth seed in the West. Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Quin Snyder — take a bow.
9. New Orleans (48-34): Since DeMarcus Cousins’ season-ending Achilles injury, Anthony Davis led the league in scoring (30.2 points a game) and blocks (3.2), ranked sixth in rebounding
(11.9) and third in steals (2.1) and shot
51.4% from the field. The Pelicans won
21 of their final 34.
10. Boston (55-27): While not your typical No. 2 seed, the Kyrie Irving-less Celtics won’t be an easy out. This group has shown it can overcome the odds — especially if Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier and Jayson Tatum play with a veteran’s savvy as they have all season.
11. Indiana (48-34): The Pacers just finished the NBA’s most surprising, and perhaps most impressive, campaign. Facing LeBron James in the first round seems like a cruel prize, but for a team led by Coach of the Year candidate Nate McMillan and Most Improved Player front-runner Victor Oladipo, this won’t be a cakewalk for Cleveland.
12. San Antonio (47-35): They certainly cut it close, but did you really think the Spurs’ playoff streak would end at 20 seasons? Even without Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs should never be taken lightly, and the playoffs could be a redemption run for LaMarcus Aldridge.
13. Minnesota (47-35): It came down to the final night of the season, but the Timberwolves’ 13-season playoff drought is over. Their consolation prize? A Houston team coming off the winningest season in franchise history. The Rockets swept the season series.
14. Miami (44-38): If the Heat’s four regular-season games against Philadelphia (2-2) were any indication, hoops fans could be in for a treat. The aggregate score of the season series? 409
407, Miami.
15. Milwaukee (44-38): Inconsistency and underperformance plagued the Bucks season, but now comes a fresh start. They’re looking to earn their first playoff series win since 2001.
16. Washington (43-39): If there were a model for how to not enter the postseason, it’d look like the Wizards. They lost nine of their final 12 games, including their regular-season finale to Orlando. They might have the talent to take down Toronto and pull off the No. 8 vs. No. 1 upset, but inconsistency has undermined this team all season.
Contributing: USA TODAY’s Sam Amick, Jeff Zillgitt, Michael Singer and AJ Neuharth-Keusch; The Indianapolis Star’s Clifton Brown; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Matt Velazquez; HoopsHype’s Jorge Sierra and Raul Barrigon.