Updated Nov. 1
There's some hypocrisy involved in this first batch of NBA Power Rankings, but park your tongue long enough to read on.
The assumption here is that when all is said and done, Indiana will walk away with its first championship, rebounding gloriously from last year's controversy. They'll knock off the Spurs in a Finals that will undoubtedly be portrayed by some as good against evil.
Sounds corny, but that's melodrama for you.
So, you ask, why is San Antonio seated atop the rankings? As defending champions, they merit that respect until they prove otherwise, particularly since they return intact.
Miami and Detroit are running neck and neck behind the front-runners, rounding out the list of teams which can realistically climb the mountain and claim the NBA title.
That's right, at this point there are only four teams complete enough to take it all, and the Heat get the nod over the defending East champs because they will end up with the better record, thanks in part to the weakness of their division.
So there you have it -- that's my rationale for the order of the fearsome foursome and I'm sticking to it. Don't worry, there will be 24 weeks for teams to prove me wrong, but this is how the horse race begins:
| POWER RANKINGS: COUNTDOWN TO NOV. 1 | ||
| Current | Team | Previous |
| 1 | San Antonio | 1 |
| It's hard to imagine them not being one of the last two teams standing. PRIMER | ||
| 2 | Indiana Pacers | 9 |
| If everyone stays healthy, it's going to be scary how good they become as a unit under superb coach Rick Carlisle. PRIMER | ||
| 3 | Miami Heat | 4 |
| They've been built with a single purpose: win a championship. PRIMER | ||
| 4 | Detroit Pistons | 5 |
| It would be interesting to see how patient the fans and players will be with Flip if the team gets off to a rocky start. PRIMER | ||
| 5 | Denver Nuggets | 8 |
| There's no doubt they're a quality team filled with standouts, but can they be great? PRIMER | ||
| 6 | Houston Rockets | 6 |
| There's no doubt they're a quality team filled with standouts, but can they be great? PRIMER | ||
| 7 | Sacramento Kings | 11 |
| If Rick Adelman can make all the pieces fit, the talent is there to not only win the Pacific Division, but make a run in the talented West. PRIMER | ||
| 8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 19 |
| There are simply no excuses for missing the playoffs this year. Heck, they should even last a round or two in the playoffs. All the pieces are in place. PRIMER | ||
| 9 | Dallas Mavericks | 2 |
| Avery Johnson's first full season should see Dallas fully commit to the defense-first philosophy he feels is necessary to win a championship. PRIMER | ||
| 10 | New Jersey Nets | 16 |
| Barring injury, they look to be the class of the Atlantic Division, and could be one of the East's most entertaining teams if the Kidd/Carter/Jefferson show takes off. PRIMER | ||
| 11 | Chicago Bulls | 12 |
| The top of the Central Division is formidable, but the Bulls are growing into a formidable force that figures to step up to that level in the immediate future. PRIMER | ||
| 12 | Utah Jazz | 27 |
| PR blurb: As long as Andrei Kirilenko stays healthy the Jazz will rebound from last year's disaster by starting up a new streak of playoff appearances. PRIMER | ||
| 13 | Washington Wizards | 13 |
| After struggling for so long, it's imperative that Washington continue to gain momentum and not have last season's success be an aberration. PRIMER | ||
| 14 | Memphis Grizzlies | 15 |
| Mike Fratello is ecstatic with his team's business-like approach during the preseason and feels Memphis may be on the cusp of something special. PRIMER | ||
| 15 | Golden State Warriors | 18 |
| Thanks to Chris Mullin, the core is young and talented, the future, incredibly bright. It would appear the Warriors' suffering days are over. PRIMER | ||
| 16 | Seattle SuperSonics | 7 |
| Bob Weiss will have his work cut out for him in trying to reach last season's heights because this year's Sonics have some holes to fill. PRIMER | ||
| 17 | Phoenix Suns | 3 |
| Amare Stoudemire's prolonged absence figures to be crippling, as it's quite likely that the team's remaining All-Stars will exhaust themselves trying to hold the fort down. PRIMER | ||
| 18 | Philadelphia 76ers | 14 |
| There are lots of 'ifs' associated with the squad, from Chris Webber's durability to the continued maturation of Samuel Dalembert and Andre Iguodala. The potential for a breakout season is there. PRIMER | ||
| 19 | Milwaukee Bucks | 25 |
| From the return of T.J. Ford to the integration of Jamaal Magloire and Bobby Simmons to the debut of top pick Andrew Bogut, the once boring Bucks will be filled with themes worth monitoring. PRIMER | ||
| 20 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 17 |
| Although a new backcourt and a new coach are in place, it's hard to say Minnesota will be significantly better than they were last year. Perhaps 2004's trip to the Western Conference finals was an aberration after all. PRIMER | ||
| 21 | New York Knicks | 24 |
| If Larry Brown can't help Isiah Thomas get this ship righted, it's hard to imagine anyone can. There are some solid pieces in place, but immediate success shouldn't be expected. PRIMER | ||
| 22 | Boston Celtics | 10 |
| The Celtics are rebuiliding with an eye on immediate success, but don't let last year's division title fool you -- rebuilding is rebuilding is rebuilding. PRIMER | ||
| 23 | Orlando Magic | 23 |
| A happier Steve Francis, healthier Grant Hill and an improved Dwight Howard should translate into more success, but the preseason goal of a playoff berth still seems far-fetched. PRIMER | ||
| 24 | L.A. Clippers | 20 |
| Depth will be a concern, but more optimism surrounds this season than any other the Clips have had this decade. PRIMER | ||
| 25 | L.A. Lakers | 21 |
| Jack Nicholson's in for a long season. But if he likes gossip and drama, he should at least be entertained. PRIMER | ||
| 26 | Atlanta Hawks | 30 |
| The process of bringing Joe Johnson over from Phoenix was ugly, but there's nothing ugly about his ability to score points from the perimeter. He'll join forces with a young roster that includes the No. 2 overall pick, Marvin Williams. PRIMER | ||
| 27 | Toronto Raptors | 22 |
| Jalen Rose provides veteran leadership, while Chris Bosh represents the face of the future. Will the trade that sent Rafer Alston to Toronto for Mike James pay off? PRIMER | ||
| 28 | Portland Trail Blazers | 26 |
| Is youngster Sebastian Telfair ready to lead this team? Is Zach Randolph ready to go after March knee surgery? New coach Nate McMillan will have a lot of questions to answer as the new season approaches. PRIMER | ||
| 29 | Charlotte Bobcats | 28 |
| Emeka Okafor is the new leader of this team, and he'll have more support with the additions of Sean May and Raymond Felton. The re-signings of Kareem Rush, Gerald Wallace and Brevin Knight offer more depth. PRIMER | ||
| 30 | New Orleans Hornets | 29 |
| The folks in Oklahoma City will be treated to a fast-paced style keyed by Chris Paul and Desmond Mason, so at least losing won’t be boring. PRIMER | ||
