Atlanta Hawks: Eastern Conference Power Rankings, Nov. 19
By John Buhler
15. team. 93. . . Previous: . Philadelphia 76ers
While the Houston Rockets stole the headlines over the last 48 hours, the Philadelphia 76ers still stink. They are the only team in the NBA to have not won a game yet. Though the team still plays hard for HC Brett Brown, you have to believe that the players and the fans are getting tired of all this losing.
The Sixers have hyper-tanked the last three seasons and it hasn’t gotten them anywhere closer to relevancy in the NBA. GM Sam Hinkie’s plan is slowly running out of time. Sixers players and fans can look at the Minnesota Timberwolves and see an exciting, potentially playoff caliber team and wonder why that can’t happen in Philly. Patience over the long drawn out overhaul is beginning to wear thin in Philadelphia.
. . Previous: . Brooklyn Nets. 14. team. 147
The Nets have two wins this season (Houston and Atlanta). While Brook Lopez is still one of the most fundamentally sound big men in the game, there isn’t much to get excited about with this Brooklyn Nets team.
Moving Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to a starting role is intriguing, but the decline of Joe Johnson and the dangerously low ceiling of their point guard duo of Jarrett Jack and Shane Larkin are a major concern. Even at 2-10, Brooklyn has not incentive to tank as Boston has their unprotected first round pick. This team is in salary cap purgatory.
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Previous: . Orlando Magic. 13. team. 38. .
This is a team that sits at .500 through their first 12 games. Don’t get me wrong, I want to see the Orlando Magic do well, as they’ve suffered terribly in the aftermath of the Dwight Howard exodus, but I have to see more of this team to believe if they have consistency or the defensive tenacity to move up in these rankings.
Their young corps is fantastic and Scott Skiles seems like the perfect coach for the Magic to take the next step. This isn’t a team that a superior team can’t just mail it in for anymore. The Magic play hard. Orlando could go either way this year: fight for a 7 or 8-seed with about 4 or 5 other teams in the East or lose around 50 games.
Next: Tier IV: Not Playoff Bound