NBA Power Stinking (Early Feb. 2026 Review)

Since I skipped last month's Power Stinkings, I wanted to try to wait 'til the All-Star Break - the de facto midpoint of the season - to get this latest post off.  But instead it's like, let's get this last one done before the trade deadline, so I can at least make another bold prediction or two before a number of teams more or less seal their fates for this year.

1.  SACREMENTO KINGS (13-36)

The Kings very much deserve to be at the top of the Power Stinkings.  For one, they now have a worst record than even the Wizards or Pelicans.  Second is that their roster, on paper, is or was more talented and deep than half the other squads out there.  So it's obvious their issues aren't just relegated to the players but rather how this organization is being run or whatever.

I feel sorta bad for DeAndre Hunter getting traded into this mess. He went from being stuck on a middling squad to a brief stint with a contender to now being employed by one of the most ass-backwards franchises out there.

And speaking of trades, let's hope that Westbrook is able to find his way outta there also, preferably to a contender.  He's a real interesting case, inarguably one of the most-talented to ever play the game - but so good that he doesnt' work well with others.  If basketball were a solo game, the ScapeGOAT would've won a number of rings by now.

2.  NEW ORLEAND PELICANS (13-38)

Similar to the Kings, the reason the Pelicans don't deserve any love is because, you know, this isn't supposed to be a tanking year.  At the start of last season, New Orleans had arguably the (second) best starting five in the league (on paper), and they also entered this current one with promise.  How quickly it all has dissolved, and you don't even hear about Zion Williamson anymore.

In order for Zion to get his previous standing back of being almost the most-exalted player in the NBA, he'll have to absolutely dominate, which it appears he never will.  It would have served him better if, from the beginning of his career, he would have been allowed to play more along the lines of a traditional PF instead being forced into a point-forward, wannabe-Lebron type.  Now, he's even less-appealing trade bait than a couple of rookies on the team.

Remember when Zion and Ja were considered to be the most-promising young players in the league?  Things can change fast in the modern-day, injury-ridden NBA.

3.  WASHINGTON WIZARDS (13-35)

The Wizards trading for Trae Young and then deciding to like rest him for the season, I don't know if I agree with that.  That's that betrayal-of-fans' shit I've been talking about.  Niggas is paying the price of admission, so give them a good show, even if you are garbage.  I'm not saying that the current roster isn't entertaining, but it wouldn't hurt for this team to field, you know, a player with like name recognition.

I feel sorry for a vet of Khris Middleton's caliber being stuck on this squad, but that's the kinda shit that sometimes happens when you demand to be overpaid into perpetuity.  The good news though is that is #1 Khris is making over $30mil even though his team sucks, and #2 he'll probably be brought out, which will create a real interesting scenario in terms of what team he lands on.  Maybe, if Giannis sticks around, he can even end up back on the Bukcs.

4.  BROOKLYN NETS (13-35)

The Nets suck, but at least expectations were low entering this season, so it's not like anyone is surprised or disappointed.  What doubly sucks is Porter Jr. not even making the All-Star team.  People like to say 'anyone can score 20 points playing for a garbage team'.  Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of players on these types of squads never achieve that average, which, you know, is one of the reasons why such squads suck to begin with.

5.  UTAH JAZZ (15-35)

It's been a long time since I've heard anything, good or bad, about the Jazz, and the sad thing is that the braintrust probably wants it that way.  Last season they tanked in an attempt to land Cooper Flagg, and now you see why you're never supposed to tank no matter what, because a losing culture can persist just like a winning one.

6.  MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (18-29)

The Grizzlies are another interesting case of a geniunely bad team, i.e. one who, as far as we know, entered this season at least expecting to make the Playoffs.  This Ja Morant situation as metastasized into a shitstorm, i.e the team's star player who, depsite not being what he used to, they need him in order to win yet are forced to move on for personal reasons. Everyone involved is tired of losing type shit.

I blame it on the braintrust, because the squad they had a few years back - with the likes of Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones and Xavier Tillman and what's his name and even the more recently-bounced Desmond Bane - like those dudes seemed like they really, you know, loved each other type shit.  That's the kinda chemistery that money can't buy, and, even if dudes never did reach the promised land, the braintrust should have tried a lot harder not to allow that kind of dynamic to be broken up.  You can't have a core of like American whiteboys and Europeans and expect shit to get crunk on the sideline.

So now, who knows when this team will become relevant again.  No disrepect to the likes of Zach Edey, Santi Aldama or even Jackson Jr., but no fan is going to break their neck to watch this team play.  And that, dear reader, is the power of a Morant.

7.  MILWAUKEE BUCKS (18-29)

The person I feel most sorry for in this sitatuion is actually Myles Turner.  Remember that he spent a deadass decade with the Pacers, more or less stabbed the franchise in the back to play with Giannis, and now is more or less forced to play without Giannis.  And man, do the Bucks suck without him.

Giannis is arguably the best player in the NBA (depending on the construction of your team), who's style could mesh with any roster.  Every team these days prefer the fast, semi-organized style, and it's like Giannis was built for these times.  And sorry if I can't spell his last name type shit.

The point being made, going back to the acquisition of Turner, is that if Milwaukee does give dude up, you know, we don't want to hear no rebuild type shit.  Giannis is a generational talent, so wheover they get back in return, unless he's traded for draft picks, needs to make an immediate impact.  Meanwhile, the prevailing word on the streets is that he will in fact be traded for draft picks.  So once again, it's a sad day in the career of Myles Turner, as far as the potential of him finally winning a ring is concerned.  And that's why sometimes, you know what I'm saying?  Stick to the rivers and lakes that you're used to.

8.  INDIANA PACERS (13-36)

The thing about the Pacers, yes, record-wise these dudes suck ass and arguably deserve to top the Power Stinkings.  But last season, when they made the deadass Finals, their core consisted of Siakim, Turner and Haliburton.  Tyrese is hurt, and Myles bounced as a free agent.  And the point being made is that would you expect any team, after losing two of their three best players yet getting nothing in return, to actually stay competitive?

That answer is definitely no, if you're the 2025-26 Indiana Pacers.  So now it's like, when is it going to be safe to start calling these dudes flukes again?  That playoff run from last season was truly some fairytale shit, never-ever to happen again anytime soon. 

9.  DALLAS MAVERICKS (19-30)

You know a team is lucky (in the Adam Silver-sense of the word) when they suck but still are one of the most must-watch in the league.  And the reason we must watch, dear reader, is because of Cooper Flagg, who finally though not delayedly(?), is coming into his own.  And you have to admit that for a whiteboy, he's relatively entertaining.

But dude won't be a rookie forever, and eventually, to maintain this type of popularity, you have to start winning.  Just as Morant or Williamson.  I know dudes still sell a shitload of jersey, but you know what I mean.

It seems like Dallas' braintrust (as well as the media) finally got incepted, slowly but surely accepting what I've been saying all along, that dude shouldn't be forced to play out of position.  Now, they're even saying that they should rebuilt around him, and why not?

This curent iteration isn't going to win shit, and better to start now before Flagg turns into a Giannis or a diva who demands victory.  I'm also looking forward to Kyrie coming back, but it's very much possible that his style won't mesh with Cooper's.  This is going ot be interesting, because what other team is even willing to pay top dollar for the likes of Davis or Irving these days?

10.  PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS (23-27)

I haven't really been following the Blazers, as it's rare these days I read beyond the headlines, and, you know, they seldom make headlines.  Most recenlty, what I heard is that they've been performing unexpectedly well.  But oh shit, I just checked the standings, and they're on a five-game losing streak.  So I guess it's like back-to-earth in Portlant.

One bit of good news is that they've sent someone, Deni Avidja, to the All-Star Game, like the first Blazer to acheive that accolade since the days of Dame.  And at the very least, it looks like Portland will make the Play-Ins - young, hungry but not quite OKC-ish.

11.  ATLANTA HAWKS (24-27)

Age factors aside, this current iteration of the Hawks being able to get rid of Young and replacing him with McCollum sounds like good business to me.  The only downside is that maybe Trae had more of a lockerroom presence, you know, like morale type shit.  'Hey guys, y'all play better without me, but still, go out there and kick ass'.  But by this point, he was no longer needed on the court, and McCollum is by far one of the better 2-guards in the league.

Whether or not that'll expeditiously translate into winning is another matter.  Team sports can be a funny beast, and sometimes,when dudes are like unexpectedly winning, you need to just leave shit alone rather than making changes.  'Our star player was hurt, but now he's healthy, yet the team is winning without him'.  Then leave his ass on the bench.  Like you see what happened in OKC.

'We just acquired a borderline allstar and need to get him into the mix immediately'.  No you don't, not if niggas is winning.  But that said, I'm totally expecting (or hoping) that this team will mesh post-Trae, and CJ, finally being (on a quality team) in the Eastern Conference, will represent.

12.  CHICAGO BULLS (24-26)

The Bulls started the season as one of the hottest teams in the league, have since come back down to earth big time, and now seem to be sorta balancing out between those two opposites.  I agree that they're one of the squads who should be mnost aggressive in seeking an upgrade, but outside of maybe Josh "the Snub" Giddey and another-maybe Vucevic, like who else does on this roster does other squads really want anyway?  Coby White has made a name for himself, and so has Buzelis, who's but a youngster.  But who's going to trade a top-level superstar for those guys?  Chicago would more realistically be in the Morant (as opposed to Giannis) sweepstakes, though you obviously wouldn't want to force Giddey out of the point.

13.  ORLANDO MAGIC (25-23)

I'm still holding to my contention that the Desmond Bane trade was overrated (by pundits).  Remeber when niggas was like 'oh, the Magic are contenders now. They got Desmond Bane!'  LMAO.  Fuk was you talking about?

Currenlty, they don't appear to be any better than they were the last couple of seasons - perhaps even worse.  And as I've been saying for years, dudes need to focus more on the post, though I guess now, theoretically they're just one player away.  But knowing this braintrust, they'll probably go after a six-foot G rather than the C they need.  And speaking of which, it'd be interesting if Morant could make his way over to reunite with Desmond, though without Orlando losing any of their big three in return.

14.  MIAMI HEAT (27-24)

Even though it's hard at times, I still believe in the Heat and am glad to see that they've established a winning record.  This team has a balanced roster, coupled with an exceptional brainstrust and winning culture, so sky's the limit.  

15.  LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (23-25)

Let me repeat that Kawhi Leonard is one of the best players in NBA history.  He'll make the Hall of Fame and all that kinda shit, but the reason Kawhi is not recognized for how great he truly is is due to personality and familial issues.

That said, don't sleep on the Clippers.  Since the onset of the season they got rid of some dead weight (no offense to anyone), which they could afford since the roster was overstacked to begin with.

I'm also happy to hear that John Collins, one of the most undervalued players in the league, has apparently found his fit next to Leonard and the Beard.  Speaking of which, I honestly thought that Harden would be washed up by now.  But I guess it's more like, you know, he's one of those chucks who just needs the right supporting cast.

The Spurs Having OKC's Number

The Spurs apparently have OKC's number.  This is where, if you're a team like the Thunder, the NBA rigging in your favor becomes important.  And relatedly, this is also why it's imperative to have at least one hands-down superstar on your team.  You know, not just someone who's really good but a player who fans across the board want to win.

Every perennial champion or contender is going to have at least one team they simply can't beat, whether that team is also contenders or not.  That's been true going back at least to the 1990s.

The 1998 Bulls for instance couldn't hang with the 1998 Lakers, even before Kobe truly found his footing.  I remember Jordan and co. also had what looked like issues with the early-1990s' Nets, a relatively garbage team but one likewise replete with quality players who were younger (and faster) than the Bulls core.

The Lakers have also had problems with faster teams, even going back to the Kobe + Shaq championship days.  J.J. Redick finally admitted, indirectly, that LAL's core is too old and too white - something that we at NBA Inception understood since the time they traded for Doncic.  But this organization being unable to defend youth isn't anything new.  Derek Fisher used to always get burned by opposing star PGs.  The present-day Lakers have one of the most hardheaded braintrusts in the NBA, so again, you shouldn't realistically be expecting them to win a championship anytime soon unless, you know what I'm saying?  Is Luka really rig-worthy?

ARE THE SPURS CONTENDERS?

There's a difference between being able to beat a champion and actualy being a contender.  The conference playoffs have three rounds, meaning that even if San Antonio does luck out and face OKC, somewhere along the line there's two other teams they also have to beat before getting to the Finals.  And that's also presuming that the Thunder doesn't figure them out between now and then.

So I'm not in a rush to call these gusy contenders even though I'm glad there's at least one team out there has proven they can beat OKC.  The more interesting observation, in the grand scheme of it all, is that besides the Knicks and Nuggets, all of the other older teams in the NBA looked more or less washed.  But of course if you've been reading this blog over the past few years, then you knew this day was coming.

SHOUTOUT TO JALEN WILLIAMS

Something all star players should fear(?) is their team proving bettrer without than with them.  I know that isn't fully the case with Jalen, but you get what I mean.  You're looking from the sideline, watching your team go like 23 and 1 or some shit, and on one hand you're like 'wow, this is amazing'.  You're jumping out of your seat and cheering, as if you too are on the court.  But in the back your mind it's like 'what if they start losing when I come back?'

The NBA is a strange beast these days.  Predictability has, in large part, been thrown out the window.  Or rather let me say that dudes are now injured so often that, you know what I'm saying, you have to live with or without them.  And some teams learn to play better without a star player or two.  Wemby almost ended up there himself until, oh shit, the Spurs starting beating the Thunder.  Then it became obvious that even if they did having a higher winning percentage when he was injured, they aren't actually better without him.

CONCLUSION

Honestly, I don't want to see a non-superteam(?), you know, only lose like five game throughout the entire season.  When something like that happens, you know what I'm saying?  SGA isn't Jordan, like people don't want to see him winning all the time like that.  If he were Jordan, then Team Canada wouldn't be so garbage.  And when the Warriors only lost nine games, it's like with the roster they had, they should have won all 82.  So thank you Wemby and co. for at least making the NBA competitive again.  And as for the Thunder's braintrust, if you're looking forward to the benefit of rigging - which often separates champions from other contenders in the world of professional sports - then I suggest you like market your brand better or something.

NBA Power Stinkings (December 2025, Part 2)

Sorry it took so long to get this second part off.  I was thining that maybe the teams on the lower half of the Power Stinking spectrum shouldnt even be mentioned, since technically they don't stink(?).  But none of us can see the future, and some of these better squad will inevitably fall off as the season wears on.

So that's the theme for today, not focusing on why these teams are good but rather postulating how they may most likely fail.

15. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (14-11)

NBC recently pointed out how the Cavs aren't doing as well as they did last (regular) season, but that may be a good thing.  No use having the best record just to flunk in the First Round.  The better turnaround is to underperform in the regualr season but then represent in the postseason.  Unforutnately though, except for that 2016 championship, that Cavs aren't known for pulling off miracles.

It amazes me how much this roster seems to depend on Darius Garland.  But the bigger issue, I would agree, is the apparent lack of development in Evan Mobley.  Like I have yet to read anything positive about him this seaosn.  And I know he isn't a bad player, being a double-double machine, defensive force and all.  But Cleveland isn't likely going anywhere special unless he develops into the Kareem I predicted him to be.

14. ATLANTA HAWKS (14-11)

Add Trae Young to the ever growing unexpectedly-suddenly-expendable superstar list.  And the thing about these scenarios, as I continually point out in this blog, is it being kinda hard to shop a max player whom even his own team doesn't want(?) anymore.  I mean, it ain't like dude is KD.

Jalen Johnson has been the talk of the town when it comes to a star who's emerged out of nowhere.  Like I never even really heard of dude before.  But suddenly he's the man and proving, as a single player, to be what Atlanta hoped for when they paired Young with Murray a couple of seasons ago.

The rest of the roster is cool and play well as a unit, but there really isn't anyone else to fear to per se.  So it's safe to say that the Hawks will rise and fall with Johnson.

And as for Trae, bringing him back at this point and trying to reincorporate him, imo, is a no-no, unless he's able to relegate himself to the 2 and play off the ball (which is unlikely) or unless Johnson gets hurt.  They can offload him for a couple of complimentary players, save money and still progress in terms of on-court production.

13. MIAMI HEAT (14-11)

The Heat are a team that are known to overachieve in the postseason regularly.  Their achievements may not be miraculous per se, not in the Haliburton sense - rather being more attributable to good organization - but you get what I mean.  Meanwhile, they have a roster that's more or less built for the modern NBA.

But depending on what team you face, being undersized isn't always a good thing.  So yeah, it does kinda concern me that they don't seem to have anything like a traditional four whom they trust with big minutes.

The bigger concern though may be their lack of depth at the point.  I don't even know who's behind Mitchell on the depth chart.  Okay, I just googled it - Jahmir Johnson.  No disrespect, but TF is that?

12. TORONTO RAPTORS (15-11)

Let me be frank and say that I have a hard time believing in the Raptors.  What I do believe in, however, is pressure defense.

I've been waiting a long time for some braintrust to develop an effective way to defend againt the incessant three-point chucking that has become the norm.  And the answer may have been there all along, you know, fullcourt D type shit.

And you have to give it to Toronto's coaches for actually convincing dudes to play hard.  It probably wouldn't work if, you know, they had a diva or two on the roster.  I guess that's the advantage of not having even a single player who's like overly popular.

I don't really know enough about the Raptors to predict what may go wrong, and I like rooting for underdogs anyway.  That said, I have yet to hear anyone mention them as contenders.  And even then, if you really want to excel in media-driven professional sports, it helps to have a superstar.

11. PHOENIX SUNS (14-10)

I firmly agree with the other pundits who assert that the Suns have thus far been the surprise team, in a way, of the season.  Players like Booker, Brooks and even Williams are far from slouches.  But still, I don't think any of us was expecting this squad to actually be formidable.  And it's kinda scary, sorta in that Pacers-from-last-postseason kinda way.  Like if a team with an inferior roster starts beating better-built squads, then the sky's the limit.

The worst thing that can happen to Phoenix is reality catching up with them, like it has with the Bulls.  You pull a Buster Douglas, beating teams that you aren't supposed to but then, after knocking out Tyson, are like 'wait aminute. I'm fodder, not a champion'.

This is actually a feel-good story, considering how much this franchise recently suffered with their quote/unquote Big 3.  And if they sustain this, I think it's safe to say that Suns are just one compatible (disgruntled) star away from being contenders, if they can get someone like that without giving up any key pieces.    

10. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (16-7)

The NBA is a superstar-driven league, but there's obviously something going on these days that we're all missing.  When the next big thing goes down, on a team who's roster has only one other proven star, yet the team performs better without him, like that kinda shit is becoming increasingly common.  But the good thing about Wemby is that at least he's too young and popular for the Spurs to consider trading or benching, even if they are arguably better without him.

The Spurs biggest drawback, come postseason time, would likely be lack of experience.  Fox has been in the league for almost a decade but only has seven playoff games under his belt.  Barnes has championship experience from his days with the Dubs, but that was a long time ago and since then, he's been stuck on teams like the Blazers.  Oh yeah, Olynyk has been around the block a few times also, but neither he or Barnes, though made men(?), are like central pieces on this roster(?).

The Spurs are young, and in today's NBA, youth is an advantage more than its ever been.  But remember, OKC is out there also.

9. ORLANDO MAGIC (15-10)

I've been consistently dogging the Bane trade for months but am now eating my words a bit.  The thing is though, the Magic have been an upper-mid level Eastern Conference team for a couple of seasons now.  So it's not like them having a winning record or holding down a 3rd or 4th seed is anything new during the Banchero era.

What is becoming increasinly obvious is that this team is better with Banchero or Wagner but not both healthy at the same time.  Interestingly, if one of them has to go and the decision was made based on on-court success rather than popularity, it would have to be Paolo, not Franz.  Apparently that's a decison this braintrust has to eventually face, and hopefully they'll do the professional rather than trendy thing.

That said, Desmond is now proving his worth.  And since we already know this team can function without its biggest star, he may now be more valuable to Orlando's success than Banchero.

8. MINNESOTA TIMEBERWOLVES (15-9)

Eventually, you have to give props where props are due.  Not every great team is going to win a championship.  Malone + Stockton never won a ring, nor has the Lob City Clippers.  But still, we appreciate them for putting on good shows, which is what entertainment is all about.

That's how I feel about the Timberwolves.  On paper, this year's roster is worst than last season.  But here they are, once again in the mix.  And all things considered, there's no reason not to belive that they can't make the WCF (and lose) yet again.  This is one of the teams that should seriously be looking for an upgrade, if finances, in any way, allow.

We already know what the T-wolves can and can do with Edwards as the undisputed alpha.  So now it's time to give Randle, a perenially-underrated player, his chance to lead.

Anthony came into the league with Jordan-like potential, but I think his ceiling has already been more or less reached.  Julius is the x-factor, and if he goes down, I think then it'd be safe to write this team off.

7. BOSTON CELTICS (15-9)

I'm a big Jaylen Brown fan.  He's a victim of colorism, always being considered a second fiddle to Tatum, despite the fact they're at least equally as good.  Jayson, make no mistake, is a phenom.  But if you were to force me, I would even argue that Jaylen is the all-around better player, an MVP type, and I'm glad he's finally getting a chance to prove that over an extended period (though not glad that Tatum is hurt).

The Celtics' roster, as a whole, isn't anyting to write home about.  All things considered, I think it's safe to say they've definitely downgraded, intentionally, from last season.

But they do have the advantage of playing for an organization with a winning culture, which, dear reader, does make a difference.  But that said, if Brown were to also go down, like if they're still able to win without them then consider Boston contenders.

6. NEW YORK KNICKS (17-7)

The Knicks are defintely at the top of my list of teams who, regardless of how good the roster may be, I have a hard time envisioning as champions.  That said, in terms of all-around talent, their starting five has to be the best in the league.  Also, they're in the East, and all of their main conference rivals have (more) serious injury issues (for now).  So as I said from the onset of this sesaon, there's no reason they shouldn't at least make the Finals.  And them versus the Thunder would be like the ultimate young squad vs. vets type of scenario.

When teams are top heavy like this, it's usually the bench that suffers, and so it is with NYK.  But in terms of what can go wrong, based on this team's recent history it would have to be injuries.

In the grand scheme of the 2025-26 Knicks, the Pistons have to be the biggest pain in the ass.  If not for Detroit, they'd be able to comfortably play the load management game and still secure the number one seed.  Bur being in this type of race means that dudes have to continue to play hard, thus increasing the liklihood of injuries.

5. DENVER NUGGETS (17-6)

The Nuggets are a team that're playing exactly to expectations, which in their case is a good thing.  They have a perennial MVP C and build around him smartly rather than making rash or trendy decisions.

It looks like Sacramento are on the verge of tanking, so I hope Denver will bring Westbrook back and give him a more solid chance to win a ring.

With that in mind, I'd still argue that the biggest potential drawback for this squad, if they once again face a team like OKC in the postseason, is lack of energy.  Denver would be an exceptional 1990s' team, back in the days when everyone was playing halfcourt.  But in the here and now, with dudes literally running themselves ragged, speed matters more than ever.

So the biggest potential drawback for this team is failure to adjust.  Again, we as fans appreciate all great squads.  But for the Nuggets to go deep into the playoffs to once again get knocked out by what will likely be a younger, faster team means that they didn't properly adjust between this season and last.

4. HOUSTON ROCKETS

The Rockets are good but, based on their record, clearly not invincible.  The liklihood is that they'll become better as the season wears on.  Imagine if Fred Van Vleet were actually healthy?  Then, they'd have to worry less about injuries, which is kinda ironic since, you know, he's injured. You don't really feel it right now, but maybe his absence will become more pronounced come postseason.

That said, it's been awhile since I've seen dudes play.  Maybe it's KD fatigue?  I don't know.  But it's hard for me to predict what can go wrong outside of injuries, which is a very common concern these days, unless of course Houston runs into Steph "the Rocket Lander" Curry come postseason.  Then, we'll really get a chance to ascertain if the Durant addition was worth it.

3. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (17-6)

I had to rank LAL lower on the power stinkings, even though they may not actually be better than Denver, because unlike the Nuggets, this team has thus far exceeded expectations.  I don't even believe the dicriders were expecting them to get off to this sound of a start or for Austin Reaves to suddenly start looking like a lock allstar.

When Lebron made a game-winning pass to a (much less-popular teammate) rather than using to opprotunity to try to perpetuate his double-digit winning streak, that was some super symbolic shit.  LBJ was never a chuck per se, but he is one of those Kobesque, obsessed-with-winning types who never seemed overly confident in his teammates, even eventually turning his back on a non-injured, semi-prime D-Wade.

So as I argued before, I dont think his newfound humbleness is based on age per se, you know, 'I'm getting old, so let me have more confidence in my younger teammates'.  Rather, Lebron has recognized that for the first time ever, he has a teammate whose hands down better, than being Doncic.  Yes, King James being nearly 20 years older than Luka does factor into that dynamic, but you get what I mean.

L.A.'s roster isn't perfect, but at the same time, you know what I mean?  NBA basketball is a team, not individual, sport.  And if dudes increasingly learn how to play together, besides having at least two exceptional scorers (not including Lebron), you know what I'm saying?  They have a number of quality role players.  (Whatever happened to Gabe Vincent?)

The downside is both Luka and Austin being white, and no, I'm not making that observation as a racist.  What I'm saying is that, when playoffs time comes around, players accordingly become more physical, and refs increasingly embrace physicality.  Take last postseason for instance.  Meanwhile, relatively speaking white players, including Doncic and Reaves based on previous observations, don't respond particularly well to overly-aggressive defenders.

So that's something to lookout for.  Lebron has reportedly committed to LAL to the end of this season.  And that's a good thing, because once whitey and them start getting tossed around, they're going to need the ironman more than ever.

2. DETROIT PISTONS

It looks like there may be a ECF this coming postseason featuring the Knicks v. Pistons, who btw had a really exciting First Round matchup last playoffs.  Detroit's performance isn't surprising per se, not to the people who believed in Cunningham and the young core.  The Pistons have played the game right, complementing promising youth with quality veteran role players who aren't divas and whose playing styles don't stunt the development of up-and-comers.

Detroit has admirable depth, but lose Cunningham or Duran, the head or the tail so to speak, and the ship likely falls apart.  That's a scary thought in today's NBA, as no team would ideally be built in such a way that a single player would knock them out of the race.

1. OKC THUNDER (23-1)

I was looking for a reason, any reason, not to do the obvious and put the Thunder at the bottom of the Power Stinkings.  But damn, 23 and 1?!  What are they going to do, lose only three or four games for the entire season?

Jalen Wiliams doesn't start the season, but still they win games.  Then SGA goes down, but still, they win games.  If they keep winning like this, the Thunder can then increasingly embark on load management yet still claim the regular season record for wins.

The reason this team looks invincible is that they don't have any superduperstars per se.  SGA, MVP he may be, isn't a Durant or Lebron or Steph.  This isn't a superteam in the traditional sense of the word, i.e. having three players who are proven perennial allstars.  They're just well built and, oh shit, moderately priced.  So the sky's the limit.  Combine their talent and athleticism with their champoinship confidence, and these dudes may be able to win it all even if SGA is hurt.