Alright, so Vegas just dropped its NBA preseason power rankings, and if you weren’t paying attention, you better start now. The Oklahoma City Thunder are sitting pretty at the number one spot with a +8.1 rating, but what really gets me hyped is Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs right on their heels at number two with a +7.4. Seriously, the gap between the top two and the rest of the league is wild.
The Top Tier’s Big Drop-Off and What It Means
Look, these ratings aren’t just pulled out of thin air. They’re built on regular season win totals, championship odds, injury news, and even some early regular season game pricing, plus a little manual tweaking. And get this: the home court advantage in the NBA is rated at a massive 3 points from a neutral site, way more than the NFL’s 1.5. That’s huge for betting and for understanding team strength. After the Thunder and Spurs, there’s a serious drop-off. The Boston Celtics are way back at third with a +4.8 rating. Then you’ve got the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks both at +3.9. It really shows you how much higher Vegas thinks those top two teams are entering the season.
Three Teams Ready to Shock Everyone
While the top of the list is eye-opening, the real fun is digging into the potential risers. We’re talking about teams that are currently undervalued but could be making some serious noise as the season gets rolling.
First up, the **Houston Rockets**. Last season, they were second in overall market rating before Steven Adams got hurt and missed the rest of the year. They were the number one rebounding team and, get this, the NBA’s best in 3-point shooting. That’s not a coincidence, forcing teams to crash the glass creates open looks for high-quality threes. Now, Adams is back, plus they’ve got Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart. Seriously, this team is a no-brainer to go over 47.5 wins, a sneaky long shot for a division winner, and could be genuinely dangerous in the playoffs if they can stay healthy.
Then there’s the **Utah Jazz**. Everyone’s talking about them surpassing 36.5 regular season wins, and yeah, I’m buying the hype. This squad is loaded with young talent, and they’ve got an elite coach in Will Hardy who can actually put it all together. They’ve been rebuilding, doing the whole “tanking” thing for a few years, and now it’s time to hit the gas. Don’t be surprised if they’re the biggest riser this year and quickly become a top-10 team.
Finally, the **Dallas Mavericks** are the hardest team to figure out, and that’s exactly why they’re intriguing. They’ve got a new head coach, Kyrie Irving is back, Derrick Lively is getting healthier, and then there’s Cooper Flagg. This kid could be an All-Star starter and All-NBA player right out of the gate, or he might need another year. Full disclosure, I actually put some money on Flagg winning Most Improved Player at 100-1 odds and the Mavs to go under 34.5 wins. It’s a total wild card team.
So, here’s the deal: these preseason rankings are setting the table. The Thunder and Spurs are clearly the teams to watch from the jump, but keep an eye on those risers. The regular season is about to kick off, and it’s going to be a battle to see which of these early predictions actually pan out. You know I’ll be watching every single minute.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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