The League Pass Rankings, a watchability scale to help you avoid wasting time on things like, "Wait, has this team actually ordered its players to tie their shoes together as part of its Lose-A?" Power rankings are not what these are. Bill Simmons found a formula in a glass bottle on the shore of Malibu. The teams are scored in five different categories. Do peoplelink away when you talk about this team? If a superstar does something amazing, do you keep playing games? Where are they on the continuum from "Golden State Warriors beautiful game" to "Julius Randle just took four jab steps and launched an 18-footer"? The League Pass Mina is all the little things that mean a lot to damaged die hards. The Washington Wizards were the subject of a joke. The Jazz are not a basketball team after detonating the Donovan Mitchell. The NBA mandates that the Jazz field a team instead of working together to rig the lottery because they are an airport waiting area for players. They are the NBA Spider-Man Pointing meme of combo guards. Both Markkanen and Beasley aren't very good. He can bring the ball up, pass it once and head into the stands for a drink. I'm looking forward to watching Sexton again. Two seasons ago, he averaged 24 points on 47.5% shooting, but he was dismissed because of Cleveland's poor play. It's difficult to put up those numbers. Sexton plays with classic little guy swagger, throwing himself inside for a rebound and going at larger superstars as if they should be afraid of him. The Utah broadcast team shrieked at Rudy Gay's debut as if the Jazz were getting the best player in the world. The Jazz are not tanking, how dare anyone suggest it, the caretakers of the community treasure would never allow that to happen to the Jazz Men. The uniforms are against NBA art. They are high school gym class-level. The team is going all-in on black. The Jazz note is front and center, but they've ruined that by removing the blue, yellow and green in the note head in favor of black. There is a shadow of that note on the new court. The person is cool. The Pacers are in the running to be the worst team in the league. San Antonio gravitas is bought by winning five titles and their last tank job kick-starting that dominance. The whole Spurs team is boring. He takes joy in passing and operates two steps ahead of defenses. He gets off the ball before the game starts. There is a ball on the floor. He celebrates an assist more loudly than a basket. Sometimes, you will catch Haliburton shouting with joy as his big man is about to cut one of his feathery lobs. There's a fun alley-oops connection betweenHaliburton and Jackson. He could be the leader in assists. The Pacers had the ball moving side-to-side while Indiana's young bigs seemed to catch Haliburton's spirit. You don't knowTerry Taylor is the most ferocious offensive rebounder. He will use four men to get a second chance. T.J. McConnell must be angry that Jose Alvarado took his throne. McConnell should hide in the stands and wear a mask. Chris Duarte weaves behind screens. The team ranked 27th in dunks, and Bennedict Mathurin is a blast of athletic ability. There is a lot of room on the island. The Spurs were a League Pass nerd team for a long time because of the way they played. The Spursgasm was born and the sport was raised to its best point in the last year of the decade. That's right, welp. I would like to know if you would like to take part in the Low-Risk Point Guard Sibling Olympics. Do you know about Point Josh Primo? Even if Popovich will have everyone sharing and moving, it will be hard to hone your secondary playmaking on a team that is light on first-option types. Vassell is a potential 3-and-D monster who has shown ball-handling chops. If Poeltl ends up on a playoff team again, the drama of his free throws will be a big deal. Three first-round picks who should see minutes are led by Jeremy Sochan. Maybe the best non-fiesta jersey in Spurs history is this one. There is a spur jutting out of the "X" in the "SATX" wordmark. The pattern on the side is similar to Mexican serapes. The Texas state logo is a nod to the team's roots in the American basketball association. This court is 50 years old. The center-court logo looks like someone draped a carpet over the big spur when the gold isn't going. They would be at least three places higher. The roster is a mess without him. It is difficult to find a perimeter trio with almost zero overlap. Giddey is a genius passer who dares long-range, no-look lasers. Dort is a brick wall with 3s and bulldozes. Gilgeous-Alexander is the phantom that is everywhere and nowhere at the same time as he slithers into the lane. Good luck with that distribution. You would play Kenrich Williams and Mike Muscala if you wanted to win. Three of the first 34 picks in the last draft are young guys who deserve time. Pokusevski has shown signs that he is a basketball player. He can see and block shots. Do he think you get more points if you jump at higher speeds? There is a person who is very clever. Does a corner 3 hit the side of the board? Don't sleep on the fact that the Thunder has hired a shooting guru. Midtier teams can't afford to lose to the Wembanyama brigade. They can be the difference between the two. The Los Angeles Lakers were doomed last season with two huge comeback wins by the Oklahoman. The broadcast isn't as propaganday as it used to be. The progress has been made. The cherry blossom uniform is the best thing to happen to this franchise since Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was taken by the Charlotte Bobcat. The uniforms should have a no-trade clause. This is the first season that the team has used multiple courts and they nailed every detail. Gandalf is here again. After ignoring their wizarding heritage for a long time, the team is now embracing it. It took me a long time to realize that the wizard's white beard and black cloak differed in appearance. I may have problems. It's the team! The Wiz could push for a high-end play-in spot, or Avada Kedavra could slip into the Wembanyama sweepstakes. If you want to watch a team that has been under 500 in wins in the last year, you should look at them. Deni Avdija is a ball-mover who likes defense, but needs to do more on offense. In the final year of his contract, Hachimura has a lot to prove. Kyle Kuzma was the epitome of NBA style. One of the league's most artful three-level scorers is Bradley Beal. It's not uncommon for you to hear that Beal can't be the No. 1 guy on a title team but who cares? What number of such players exist? The second-best player on a great team would look incredible if he were the top scorer. The Wizards had a three-year window in which to trade for a lot of picks. Daniel Gafford has a reputation for dunking. There is a person here. The funniest NBA streak of all time is the 10-season run of the Magic. Consistency in offensive incompetence is Dimaggio level. They need to go all out for 19th on the last day of the season. I believe we are on rebuild number three. Maybe this one will take. The Magic have been looking for an all-court hub with the passing and shooting chops to lift his teammates. With his heady cuts and quick passes, and his ball-handling guile, it's easy to see why he's an ideal second wing. He's a decent starting center at just 23 years old. They should get another top pick. On Wednesday, October 19th.
Mavericks vs Suns, 10 p.m.30. UTAH JAZZ (17.5)
29. INDIANA PACERS (19)
28. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (21.5)
27. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (21.5)
26. Washington Wizards (24)
25. ORLANDO MAGIC (24.5)
Knicks vs. Grizzlies, 7:30 p.m.
The day of Friday, October 21.
The Celtics are playing the Heat at 7:30pm.
Nuggets vs Warriors, 10 p.m.
It's all times Eastern.
Cole Anthony plays as if he's the best player on the floor, and I like it. He is a good backup and starter.
The rest is a mystery. The Magic need a perimeter orchestrator. What's the name of the man?
Some lineup combinations would be introduced between now and 2030. Is it possible to go giant with all four of them? Is there a center-less front-court of Wagner/Banchero? I will not give up on the project.
The broadcast trio of David Steele, Jeff Turner, and Dante Marchitelli are great. They have a lot of fun.
This is the floor for a team that features one of the league's most inventive passers in LaMelo Ball; Eric Collins' rapturous play-by-play; and some of the league's best. They unveiled a mint shade two years ago, and the Hornets can own that.
Another hit is this alternate court.
There is a silhouette of a scary looking Hornet on the screen. Outside of the "H" and "S" of the jersey, there is a stinger theme.
The half-basketball with turquoise lining is a rare example of a circle being divided by color.
The Hornets played fast and ranked second in dunks, but almost half of the dunks were taken by Miles Bridges and Montrezl Harrell. James Borrego cooked up a zone defense that was called "nothing else is working, let's try this?"
ord is a great coach. We haven't spent enough time talking about how hilarious and perfectly Hornets it is that Charlotte hired one coach, Kenny Atkinson, only for him to bail once he got a look inside, and then turn to the coach they fired four years ago.
It will either result in a tug-of-war or a meeting in the middle. Clifford has to play a bunch of young guys. I'm curious how Ball finds his footing in a half-court sequence, what moves and passes he leans on, and how he integrates teammates.
Over the last two years, Terry Rozier has canned many clutch jumpers. Mason Plumlee decided that he was going to unleash a spin move from the foul line. I'm ready to live, baby! Plumlee used to shoot free throws lefty last season. That actually happened.
The games of the Knicks featured tons of free throws. If you like bumping into each other, you'll like their starting five. They were shocked by the bench, and if the basketball gods are kind, we'll see more of them. It's possible that Toppin will stage his own dunk contest.
Rivalries on the first night.
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Quickley went up two levels as a player last season. The ball will pop and the bench will be made. Hartenstein could finish games if Robinson isn't right.
Order and spacing should be restored to the beginning five. The Madison Square Garden has theater lighting and a royal blue court. If they add more black-and-orange art, I'll drop them one spot. You are a part of the Knicks. Do not be part of the team.
The Knicks would never risk accidentally broadcasting James Dolan shouting back at fans urging him to sell the team if an in-game feed of Leon Rose and the hangdog were to be broadcasted. They might be frowning at Tom Thibodeau's refusal to play.
The potential for cranky Randle to turn against the fans adds to the comedy.
Houston ranked first in dunks and second in pace and features a bunch of telegenic young players. The man goes from zero to 100 in a second. He can slow down for smooth pull-ups, which is a break from the Houston style.
What do you think about Alperen Sengun. You sometimes wonder if he traveled after watching him shift his feet three times without dribbling. Is that weird that it was legal? The referees whistled Sengun for traveling, even though he was carrying the ball 20 steps.
Sometimes he passes fakes to no one in order to get defenders to look into that void. Is it smart or crazy?
He dunks like he wants to break the basket down. Daishen's game is similar to that of Sherman Douglas.
Houston gagged up one of the highest turnover rates in recent history because it fouls out everyone and its style of play is ragged.
Tari will take care of the defense. He is here to take care of people. There is some preternatural polish in the package.
Harkless wondered what city he was in when Favors and Maurice said they were coming for Smith. Chris Morris wrote "Trade me!" on his shoes, but Eric Gordon is too professional to do that.
It's always good to have Boban Marjanovich in your life. There is a hint of danger in every move Garrison Mathews makes. Every team needs someone like that.
This isn't high enough for Sacramento.
You don't know when the #KangZZ might show up. Remember when the NBA kicked into Conspiracy Theory mode because of the fact that Vivek Ranadive sat courtside between the general manager he had just fired and the new one? The power structure and habit of hiring coaches before GMs made it possible.
Jimmer Fredette's birthday was celebrated by The Athletic's recalled Ranadive while he negotiated a buyout with Fredette. There is a hidden #KangZ treasure.
Happy bday @jimmerfredette pic.twitter.com/dyJqAzJBOu
— Vivek Ranadivé (@Vivek) February 26, 2014
Ranadive is making the "hang loose" gesture in front of a picture of him.
Team Play-In-Or-Bust should be built around a two-man game. Opposites in build are tethered in craft and wink-wink IQ. Fox could shift in sync with each move, and Sabonis could flip the angle of his screen twice. The occasional inverted pick-and-roll is possible because of the brutality of the Sabonis.
Kevin "Red Velvet" Huerter adds shooting andunderappreciated playmaking to the mix. The best of its kind, the push shot, continues even though I will miss the Haliburton- RichaunHolmes connection.
They will score a lot. Matthew Dellavedova and Kent Bazemore completed their NBA Mad libs.
The Miami Vice-style jerseys were discontinued.
For casual fans, the Heat are hard to sell. They were 28th in speed and 26th in dunks. It's an acquired taste to watch Jimmy, Kyle, and Bam make magic. You have to pay attention to the smart cuts, shoulder fakes, give-and-gos, and slick interior passes that make Miami's half court offense hum.
They get moved with overzealous full-court hit-aheads. I'm looking forward to seeing what Tyler Herro does. The team encouraged him to become a high-volume pick-and-roll ball handler at the expense of some catch-and-shoot 3s. He should aim for Klay Thompson.
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JimmyButler's game is beautiful and almost contradictory. He plows into them. He is violent but never reckless. He can transition from a burrowing drive into a stop-on-a-dime jumper in a matter of seconds. His off-ball cuts bring the same balletic intensity. The league's mostunderappreciated cutter might beButler.
Duncan Robinson has a difficult minutes decision with the coach. Don't fall asleep on Big Yurt.
There is almost nothing funny about the Heat.
There is no other sport like basketball. Fans in Portland are starting to realize that they may see one of those nights. When one last 30-footer forces a timeout, and the crowd is in his house, he scowls and looks at them.
Fear is heard on the road. It begins with a low murmur. As the streak unfolds, the noise becomes a sort of collective shriek that begins when he pauses mid-ibble.
For the first time in ages, the Blazers have surrounded their star with some oomph: Josh Hart rampaging end-to-end; Nassir Little testing the limits of his game; Anfernee Simons flicking 3s and hunting tin; Gary Payton II rim- running and committing felonies on
Simons is the league's prettiest floater, he flips that baby from all angles.
Trendon has a floater as well. Drew Eubanks uses his strength to dunk and swat.
Chauncey Billups may have to start over on defense.
The team name is the best and the artwork is the best. The floor is close to taking my court design spot.
Different colored areas have been tried by a few teams. The contrast works better on the boundaries than the other way around. Whoever decided to extend the striping from the center-court pinwheel onto each sideline deserves a lot of money.
The pinwheel was placed in the center of the new jersey he helped design.
The pinwheel is well-suited to jerseys that only show their primary logo. The numbers were rendered in white by the team.
Lonzo Ball's importance as Chicago's fast-break engine is reflected in this eight spot drop from last year.
The Bulls were running circles around the Lakers at the time, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Even though he didn't play, his absence didn't seem to matter. The Bulls looked like they were playing a different game. They moved ahead of the Lakers. Alex Caruso and Ball wreaked havoc on the defensive side of the ball. The Lakers stopped playing. The Bulls were moving around.
The team went missing six weeks later. It became more predictable and dependent on DeMar DeRozan's game. In 67 games, Lavine dunked 62 times, the most by a dunker since Vince Carter. rick Jones Jr. could jump over someone at any time.
Stick around if LaVine can hit one or two fading step-back 3s. There is a possibility of a high- degree of difficulty.
When he was playing with LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, he became a run-of-the-mill pick-and-pop shooter and averaged eight post touches per 100 possessions, the second-lowest of his career.
The appeal of the unknown and how quickly they develop is important to a team that could be trapped in upper-class mediocrity. The career of Williams could go in a number of different directions.
They keep the broadcast light-hearted and don't lose anything. The logo, court, and jerseys are of the highest caliber.
Fans are concerned about the homogeneity of the teams. There is an easy way to counteract the concern: watch the basketball experiment in Toronto.
Fred VanVleet is one of several tall people who can do a lot of things on offense. They use their length in a number of ways, including playing wacky zones, bombarding the glass, and posting up size mismatches. On defense, they allow a lot of 3s on purpose, confident their speed and preposterous arms make for frightening close outs. Chris Boucher has blocked more 3s than any other player.
Toronto possessions after made baskets lasted the longest in the league at 18.3 seconds. The half-court offense is tiring, but it makes it appealing.
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Scottie Barnes, 6-9 point-whatever, is the perfect foundation player for this ethos, and he might soon be able to lift Toronto's offense from the muck. He seemed to play in second gear last season as he adjusted to the NBA. He seemed to have a better idea of how good he could be.
You appreciate VanVleet more the longer you watch him. Every seemingly innocuous move opens a few inches of space and adds up to an open shot.
You don't know where the first Precious Achiuwa dribble will lead, but his transformation into a stretch center changed Toronto's offense.
Red-and-white jerseys are great. Every season, the pitch on the call gets higher. The alternate black-and-gold look received a thumbs down.
Cunningham has the ability to find life in places where possessions often die, in the extended paint with a live dribble, against a set defense.
Cunningham is tall enough to see everything. He knows how every pivot and twist might affect the defense. The ball finds a shooter after one lunge inside from a help defender. Every chance will open up once Cunningham refines his touch.
Both Cunningham's patient game and Jaden Ivey's lightning-bolt drives form the perfect dichotomy. The Pistons could one day face pitches from Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson.
Bojan makes the floor bigger. The water level in Saddiq Bey's game should be correct. Don't try to mess with the man. Detroit's switch-everything defense depends on beef stew shooting more 3s. Stewart might share the floor with Duren in short periods of time.
There is a mystery surrounding the rest of the bench.
This is also part of the equation.
The teal and flaming horse were back in the 90s. Fans are wondering if they like these now. The affection is ironic or genuine. Is teal and red mesh a thing? The logos on the exhaust pipes are pretty cool.
The new black jerseys are a flop. Black has been the team's alternate for a decade and the blocky lettering looks generic.
There are two main courts in Detroit with the edges of a basketball along each sideline.
The Clips are entertaining because they live on jumpers and rarely fly above the rim. Everything looks effortless when Paul George glides in a way.
There is a lot of power and strength in the pull-up game. Two seasons ago, Leonard showed that he can still dial up peak Spurs-era sharktopus mode on defense, and there is no wing player who instills the same level of panic as him. In that netherworld between a corner shooter and a big man, the weakside help defender is the only one who can dictate terms. The best ballhandlers freeze at the sight of that threat. Wait, Kawhi is going to get into that lane. What about the outside of the building? Is it possible that he could grab that as well? Leonard has already won if you think overthink.
The Clip are in the middle of the pack if Leonard returns.
The team needs John Wall, Norman Powell, and Terance Mann to be on top of their game. Many of the preseason analysis has skirted past Powell. He should finish a lot of games. Every game will teach us which perimeter trios work best around Leonard and George, as the Clips will play five out, centerless lineups.
When no one notices the difference between the primary and special court, your art is dull.
These are supposed to be sailing ships.
Start over if you want to scrap it all.
Jim Jackson is a radio personality.
It's low for a 64 win team with a pick-and-roll attack, potential for drama with Deandre Ayton, and the return of the classic purple sunburst jerseys.
It was unusual for a Chris Paul team to increase the pace last year. Booker is a vintage scorer with a silky leaning mid-ranger and a nasty post game. They rain old school fire. It's what makes Paul who he is that can be annoying, but it's what makes him who he is.
One of the reasons for the fake-laughing meme was due to on-court disagreements. That thing isn't limited to sports. It's a good idea to try it in your life. It's a good way to stop the small talk with your high school friends.
When Paul kicks that fastidiousness and decides to preen, it is so gratifying.
The young guys are going to stretch themselves, as evidenced by the 20-plus-point games that CAMERON J Johnson racked up last season. The defense ofBridges is a show. He's the rare wing defender who can block his own guy's shot before it gets to the shooter.
We've seen and enjoyed this movie, and it's time to move on: Paul and Booker were able to get to midrangers from the right elbow, and the Suns' defense forced those same shots on the other side. They are members of Team Bizarro.
Monty Williams needs to find roles for two people. Josh Okogie is a defensive player. Kevin Ray and Eddie Johnson have a good relationship.
Trae Young and Dejounte Murray are going to be interesting to watch. Over the first 20 games there could be some issues. Will Murray be able to catch and shoot 3s? Young might play off the ball.
It's good to have variety. Young can do anything against a pick-and-roll scheme. Young doesn't get enough credit for his next level anticipatory passing, even though we know about the 3s and floaters. He sees everything early, and can make almost any pass, including long lefty slingshots and other across the floor reads.
Murray offers a reprieve and the ability to float across huge chunks of space on defense.
Atlanta is a top 10 dunk team. John Collins finishes with power and flair. There is a two-handed thunder dunker. Okongwo will be a starter sooner than later, he is one of the most important players for the Hawks now.
Young is leaning into a villain. Hot streaks are followed by sumptuous snarls of trash talk. A cinder block named AARON HOLIDAY attacks the rim with the aggression of a taller person.
We're in the middle of the range where every team feels too low, and this will end up being the case for the Cavs. Cleveland has something for everyone. Mitchell is a hunched blur and seeks to cause pain at the rim. There is no dunker at the summit. The man is all about crafting and demoralizing 3s. Evan is about to show a lot of his skills. They all compliment one another.
I don't like the wine-and-gold scheme but the creative team has come up with a new jersey set.
The shades are not loud. There is a spot on the left side of the shorts where the "C" stands out. The "V" in "Cavs" can be turned into a basket.
The shaded city skyline has been erased and the court has been cleaned.
There is a tour called Kevin Love reunion tour. Love was the only champion holdover on a rebuilding team. Love is here and happy, and that story almost never ends with a veteran sticking around to enjoy the fruits of that rebuild.
Last season, J.B. Bickerstaff proved that he is willing to buck convention and play big lineups with big players.
I like how Robin Lopez sits on the floor in the corner instead of on the bench.
John Michael and Austin Carr are both serious people. At the broadcast table, keep an eye on Michael, he is standing and leaning and crouching. He doesn't like watching through a monitor.
A top-12 finish is guaranteed by the man. Few athletes have been able to combine grace, power and high IQ. On three straight possessions, he could: rain in a soft mid-ranger, slam someone on the block, and then pump-and-go from the line and kiss in a falling layup.
The James Harden -Embiid two-man game was so potent, Embiid so effective scoring off Harden's pocket passes, defenses had to resort to desperate and dangerous counter-measures. There is a whole season of that game. Points are lost for how many free throws they make. It's a long day.
When Harden is resting, Tyrese Maxey plays off Philly's two stars. He is ready to catch a kick out and fly through the diagonal crease Harden has unlocked.
There is a person on defense. He is blocking your shot when he is over there. Almost every Philadelphia reserve has a feast or famine element. You cannot ignore it.
Philadelphia is a top four art team. Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby do not have to use homerish propaganda. The product's credibility is hurt by it.
Montrezl Harrell was allowed to do pull-ups on the rim after he dunked. I would watch a broadcast that focused on P.J. Tucker.
The top 10 will be announced on Thursday.
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