From Victor Wembanyama doing something unprecedented to the not fun Chicago Bulls, we break down teams 30 to 11 in our 12th edition of the NBA League Pass Rankings.
It's time for our 12th annual NBA League Pass Rankings -- a tradition that started at a now-defunct website mostly because my old boss enjoyed making fun of the early 2010s
Portland has the league's best art. Its big swings hit because they flow from the Blazers' core iconography: red, black and the pinwheel -- the best logo in sports. Take this daring new court: Utah proved the league's most adaptable team, turning the thrown-together bounty of two megatrades into a fast-paced, 3-point machine by maximizing each player's strengths instead of getting hung up on their weaknesses. Lauri Markkanen's ability to score in a variety of ways from anywhere on the floor made it easy for everyone else to find their comfort zones.
Every year, one team obliterates its ranking. This year, it might be Orlando. The Magic have two future All-Stars with complementary games in Butler is a bruising cutter with genius-level anticipation. He cuts for baskets and free throws, and to draw the defense in ways that unlock open shots for others. Butler is good at so many unglamorous winning things and takes nothing away with turnovers and fouls; a lot of his sometimes unnoticed greatness lies in the absence of negative events.
In franchise-building terms -- which do not matter, really -- this comes after a mostly disastrous run of first-round picks in the Michael Jordan era.-- who seem like ancient artifacts from some other Charlotte team that might or might not have ever existed, and several young players the Hornets If that fails, he might spin back, pump fake, duck down and lope forward into the league's most elongated up-and-under. AndIn his San Antonio prime, the mere act of bringing the ball within a 15-foot radius of Leonard was dangerous. He would suddenly appear, reach out one giant hand, and take the basketball as calmly as if you had just given it to him.
Smith is a winner. Eason wants the ball more than you do. He was one of only three rotation players to snare at least two steals and one block per 36 minutes, and posted one of the league's best offensive rebounding rates. If he can hit enough 3s, Eason has major potential. It wasn't pretty, but it was kind of mesmerizing. The Knicks reveled in pounding opponents until they wilted. They seemed to sense when a team might break. You could tell they knew they had Cleveland in the bag in the playoffs:Hart fit right into this ethos, rampaging on the glass and driving the ball down the throats of backpedaling defenders in transition -- leaping at full speed, knees up, at anyone who dared contest him.bring zip and wildness to New York's staid, low-risk offense.
As so many teams use the same plays to chase the same shots, it is refreshing to watch Memphis dust off old tools. They gobble offensive boards; Adams is a one-man rebounding team. The Grizz are Team Floater, though their preeminent artiste --games, and the algorithm shoots New Orleans way up. Of course, that number would constitute almost exactly half of Williamson's career games over four seasons. So, yeah.The unicorn trope lost all meaning long ago, but Williamson is a true one-of-one.
If preseason is any indication -- you never know -- Wembanyama is as advertised on defense and maybe ahead of schedule on offense. The Spurs are starting Wembanyama at power forward, which means having him guard stretchy fours and wings, while-- reclaiming his healthy Portland form -- patrols the middle. That would seem a favor to opposing offenses: Wembanyama off to the side, his rim protection neutered.
We are entering elite watchability territory. Seldom do you encounter a team this young and busting with upside that could also push 50 wins.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Monday's TransactionsBASEBALL Major League Baseball National League BASKETBALL
Read more »
The Post’s college football rankings, Heisman watch following Week 7A top-10 showdown looms in Columbus.
Read more »
The Post’s college football rankings, Heisman watch following Week 7A top-10 showdown looms in Columbus.
Read more »
This week's top 25 high school football rankings by The TimesA look at the L.A. Times’ top 25 high school football teams in the Southland heading into Week 9.
Read more »