2014-15 Preseason NBA Rankings

The season starts in less than 7 days. While we're waiting for the opening tip, I've analyzed the off-season moves & personnel changes for all 30 teams. This right here is where I rank them coming out the gate. Some teams may fall, some teams may rise, depending on the ebb & tide of the season. The East is wide open, thanks to LeBron James shifting the power of the conference once again by heading back home to Cleveland. Expecting the Cavs to win it all in their first year might be a stretch, but it wouldn't surprise me much if they did. Because it's their 1st year together, it opens up the door in the East for teams like the Bulls, Wizards, Knicks, Nets, Raptors, Hornets & Hawks to make a push to challenge for the East crown. I expect Cleveland & Chicago to fight for the top seed all year long, while 3-8 will be the street fight it usually tends to be in the Eastern Conference. 

Meanwhile, In the Western Conference,  the key word is depth. The Suns won 48 games last season and still missed the playoffs. I expect the same thing this year, with all 8 playoff teams having enough talent & star power to win 50 games during the regular season. It's going to come down to 7 teams fighting for two spots as the regular season winds down. Kevin Durant being out for the 1st month of the season puts Oklahoma City in a position where they can get behind early in the standings, which gives teams like the Clippers, the Rockets, Blazers, Grizzles, Mavs & Warriors an opportunity to stake claim to one of the top two seeds in the conference (The other one goes to the Spurs, who I think will fall no lower than 3rd in the West this year).

No matter your preference, there's gonna be plenty of exciting basketball this season. Many teams will be competitive this year, which only makes me hyped to get the season underway...

Let me make it clear by saying that THESE ARE NOT PREDICTIONS ON WHERE THEY'LL FINISH IN THEIR CONFERENCE. THIS IS THEIR RANK HEADING INTO THE SEASON.

1. Cleveland

2. Chicago

3. New York

4. Brooklyn

5. Toronto

6. Charlotte

7. Washington

8. Atlanta

9. Miami

10. Detroit

11. Indiana

12. Milwaukee

13. Boston

14. Orlando

15. Philadelphia

1. San Antonio 

2. LA Clippers

3. Oklahoma City

4. Houston

5. Portland

6. Dallas

7. Golden State

8. Memphis

9. New Orleans

10. LA Lakers

11. Denver

12. Phoenix

13. Sacramento

14. Utah

15. Minnesota