Power Ranking Predictions for the 2013-2014 NBA Season

Power Ranking Predictions for the 2013-2014 NBA Season

1. Miami Heat- The Heat is one of the top-tier teams in the East, and they have something that the other teams don’t. They have chemistry. The core of this team has been together for 3 years now, and know how to play with each other. A lot of the better teams in the East have different players from last year, so they will be dealing with chemistry problems early on in the season. Plus the Heat have the best player in the NBA. They have LeBron James.

2. San Antonio Spurs- The Spurs played great last year, but they play great every year. They have made the playoffs for 16 seasons in a row now. There is no question that they will make the playoffs. The only question is how far will they go? The Spurs were able to get to the Finals last year, and took the Heat to 7 games. They have the best Coach in the NBA with Greg Popovich, and they have a mix of experienced players (Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan) with young stars (Kwahi Leonard, Tiago Splitter).

3. Los Angeles Clippers- The Clippers played great last year. They had a whole month when they didn’t lose a game. But they fell short in the playoffs. Now they have Doc Rivers, who has a lot of playoff experience. They were also able to re-sign their All-Star MVP Chris Paul, and their swingman Matt Barnes. Then they shocked the NBA community by bringing in sharpshooter J.J. Redick, and defensive small forward Jared Dudley. This team is better than it was last year, and could make it to the Western Conference Finals.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder- The Thunder seem to be getting worse and worse with each passing offseason. This offseason they lost Kevin Martin, and last offseason they lost super star James Harden. They keep losing key pieces to their team. They need to make big moves next offseason. They need to figure out what they are going to do with the aging Kendrick Perkins. But there is some good news. The Thunder has some good young pieces. Reggie Jackson has proven to be a reliable backup point guard, and is getting better with every season. Also in the Orlando Summer League Jeremy Lamb has shown major improvement from last season. The Thunder’s future depends on how well the young pieces of the team develop.

5. Indiana Pacers- The Pacers were a great team this year. They exceeded expectations by taking the Heat to 7 games in Eastern Conference Finals this past season. They have great young players who give the Heat trouble. They have one of the best Centers in the league with Roy Hibdert, a rising super star in Paul George (who recently played in his first NBA All-Star Game), a tough defender and good shooter in David West, and offensive power off the bench with returning star Danny Granger. This team is going to be great next season.

6. Memphis Grizzlies- The Grizzlies have been one of the top teams in the West for many of the past few years. They always play well in the playoffs. This past year they were able to play in the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Even though they were swept 0-4, it was a big accomplishment for them to get that far. They are a great defensive team, but lack some scoring punch from the outside. They recently signed Mike Miller who played with the Heat last year. They can score from the inside with Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol. They have a good team, but they need to work on their scoring.

7. Chicago Bulls- Derrick Rose is finally returning next season! He took a long time returning from this injury, and for Bulls fans it better be worth it. The 2013-2014 Bulls team is going to be better than the 2011-2012 (last time Derrick Rose played) Bulls team. Joakim Noah is better, Loul Deng is better defensively, Carlos Boozer is a better scorer, and they have a rising star in Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler played great defense against LeBron James last year in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Butler also showed that he can score. This Bulls team is going to be good.

8. Golden State Warriors- The Warriors made a lot of noise last year in the play offs. They took the Spurs to 6 games in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. The Warriors have a good inside-out combo with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and David Lee. David Lee, and Andrew Bogut can score inside, while rebounding, and defending the basket very well. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson can shoot and create scoring opportunities for other player. Harrison Barnes can drive in the lane and shoot from mid-range. What more could a coach ask for from this starting five? A defensive stopper who can guard multiple positions? That would be a good guess, and that is what they obtained when they signed Andre Iguodala. Iguodala can shoot well and is a great defensive player. The Warriors also signed key bench player with Toney Douglas and Jermaine O’neal.

9. Brooklyn Nets- The Nets, like the Clippers, made big moves this offseason. The Nets were able to add two future hall-of-famers, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, to their starting line-up. They were also able to add Andrei Kirilenko to their bench. Kirilenko is a great defender who can also score. The Nets also got rid of big contracts between Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, Marshon Brooks, and Keith Bogans. The Nets also struck gold in the NBA Draft by drafting Mason Plumlee. Plumlee has a lot of potential, and now that he is learning from Brook Lopez and Kevin Garnett, he will be able to develop the skills he needs. The Nets also hired Jason Kidd as their new head coach. Kidd hasn’t shown that he is a good coach yet. He got a technical foul in his first game as a coach, and he had a record of 0-5 in the Orlando Summer League.

10. Houston Rockets- The Rockets were able to sign one of the best Centers this offseason, Dwight Howard. The 3 time Defensive Player of the Year had a career low season last year with an injured back, yet he still managed to lead the league in rebounding. Omer Asik was second in the league in rebounding. So the Rockets have the best two rebounds in the league on the same team now. They also have super star scorer James Harden, and budding sharpshooter Chandler Parsons. This team is good, all they need to work on is their bench.

11. New York Knicks

12. Minnesota Timberwolves

13. Denver Nuggets

14. Portland Trail Blazers

15. Atlanta Hawks

16. Washington Wizards

17. Cleveland Cavaliers

18. New Orleans Pelicans

19. Dallas Mavericks

20. Detroit Pistons

21. Los Angeles Lakers

22. Milwaukee Bucks

23. Boston Celtics

24. Toronto Raptors

25. Sacramento Kings

26. Charlotte Bobcats

27. Utah Jazz

28. Phoenix Suns

29. Orlando Magic

30. Philadelphia 76’ers