2014-15 NBA Power Rankings: Week 1

In less than 24 hours, the 2014-15 NBA season will get underway with three games including the Mavericks at Spurs.

Beginning with Gregg Popovitch's first full season as Spurs coach, the Spurs have won 50-plus games every season except 1998-99. Only 50 total games were played that season and the Spurs won 37 of them. In fact, that was the first year that the Spurs won the NBA Finals.

Entering the season as defending champions, the Spurs have won five titles during the Popovitch and Tim Duncan era. Duncan exercised his player option for this season, which could be the last of his Hall-of-Fame career.

With a career win share of 191.57, the only players in NBA history with a higher win share are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (273.41), Wilt Chamberlain (247.26), Karl Malone (234.63), Michael Jordan (214.02) and John Stockton (207.70). Mr. Fundamental ranks 19th all-time in scoring, 12th in rebounding and 15th in blocks.

Based on Vegas odds to win it all, the Spurs are a close second (+350) behind the Cavaliers (+280).

As LeBron James returns home to Cleveland, he leads a more talented trio with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love than the one he had in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Considering the Heat made a trip to the NBA Finals in all four of LeBron's seasons in Miami and won two titles, it makes sense to install them as the preseason favorites even if it takes a bit of time for them to build chemistry.

Here are my Week 1 NBA Power Rankings (2013-14 record in parenthesis):

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-49)
2. San Antonio Spurs (62-20)
3. Chicago Bulls (48-34)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (57-25)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23)
6. Dallas Mavericks (49-33)
7. Golden State Warriors (51-31)
8. Memphis Grizzlies (50-32)
9. Portland Trail Blazers (54-28)
10. Washington Wizards (44-38)
11. Toronto Raptors (48-34)
12. Houston Rockets (48-34)
13. New Orleans Pelicans (34-48)
14. Phoenix Suns (48-34)
15. Charlotte Hornets (43-39)
16. Miami Heat (54-28)
17. Denver Nuggets (36-46)
18. Brooklyn Nets (44-38)
19. Atlanta Hawks (38-44)
20. Detroit Pistons (29-53)
21. Indiana Pacers (56-26)
22. Los Angeles Lakers (27-55)
23. Sacramento Kings (28-54)
24. New York Knicks (37-45)
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (40-42)
26. Utah Jazz (25-57)
27. Boston Celtics (25-57)
28. Milwaukee Bucks (15-67)
29. Orlando Magic (23-59)
30. Philadelphia 76ers (19-63)

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It's official - LeBron James is "coming home" to Cleveland

There was plenty of speculation, but now it's official: LeBron James is a Cleveland Cavalier.

Again.

Here is the essay from LeBron (via SI's Lee Jenkins) announcing his decision:

Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I’m their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.

Remember when I was sitting up there at the Boys & Girls Club in 2010? I was thinking, This is really tough. I could feel it. I was leaving something I had spent a long time creating. If I had to do it all over again, I’d obviously do things differently, but I’d still have left. Miami, for me, has been almost like college for other kids. These past four years helped raise me into who I am. I became a better player and a better man. I learned from a franchise that had been where I wanted to go. I will always think of Miami as my second home. Without the experiences I had there, I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing today.

I went to Miami because of D-Wade and CB. We made sacrifices to keep UD. I loved becoming a big bro to Rio. I believed we could do something magical if we came together. And that’s exactly what we did! The hardest thing to leave is what I built with those guys. I’ve talked to some of them and will talk to others. Nothing will ever change what we accomplished. We are brothers for life. I also want to thank Micky Arison and Pat Riley for giving me an amazing four years.

I’m doing this essay because I want an opportunity to explain myself uninterrupted. I don’t want anyone thinking: He and Erik Spoelstra didn’t get along. … He and Riles didn’t get along. … The Heat couldn’t put the right team together. That’s absolutely not true.

I’m not having a press conference or a party. After this, it’s time to get to work.

When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission. I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn’t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio.

I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there. I just didn’t know when. After the season, free agency wasn’t even a thought. But I have two boys and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown. I looked at other teams, but I wasn’t going to leave Miami for anywhere except Cleveland. The more time passed, the more it felt right. This is what makes me happy.

To make the move I needed the support of my wife and my mom, who can be very tough. The letter from Dan Gilbert, the booing of the Cleveland fans, the jerseys being burned -- seeing all that was hard for them. My emotions were more mixed. It was easy to say, “OK, I don’t want to deal with these people ever again.” But then you think about the other side. What if I were a kid who looked up to an athlete, and that athlete made me want to do better in my own life, and then he left? How would I react? I’ve met with Dan, face-to-face, man-to-man. We’ve talked it out. Everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge?

I’m not promising a championship. I know how hard that is to deliver. We’re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I’m realistic. It will be a long process, much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested. I know that. I’m going into a situation with a young team and a new coach. I will be the old head. But I get a thrill out of bringing a group together and helping them reach a place they didn’t know they could go. I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can’t wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates.

But this is not about the roster or the organization. I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.

In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.

I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m coming home.

As James leaves Miami, that will lead Chris Bosh to return home, sort of, to the Houston Rockets to form a new Big Three with Dwight Howard and James Harden. (He is from Texas, however, he's from Dallas.)

The best player in the NBA, LeBron joins one of the best young point guards in the league, Kyrie Irving. While Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, could develop into one of the best players in the league, it's possible that he gets sent along with others and/or picks to Minnesota for Kevin Love, who has said that he would re-up with the Cavs. Love's existing contract expires after the 2014-15 season.

Based on odds from Sportsbook.com, Vegas has installed the Cavs (4/1) as the favorites to win the NBA Championship ahead of the Spurs and Thunder (both 6/1).  Miami now has 75/1 odds.  I'm guessing Riley is "pissed."

With the biggest free-agency domino falling, LeBron's official decision to return to Cleveland should now open the floodgates of free-agency deals getting done around the Association.

Kyrie Irving (biceps) leaves game in Q2 and won't return

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving left tonight's game in the second quarter with a biceps injury and he won't return, per Joe Gabriele of Cavs.com.

At this point, the severity of the injury and whether or not he will miss additional time is unclear.

In his 10 minutes played, Irving had two points on 0-for-5 shooting, four rebounds and two assists.

Entering tonight's game, Irving had averaged 23.44 points, 6.89 assists, 5.44 rebounds and 2.33 steals per game over his previous nine games.

The Cavs next game is Tuesday when they host LeBron James and the Heat.

Jarrett Jack, Cavs agree to 4-year deal

The Cleveland Cavaliers and point guard Jarrett Jack agreed to a four-year deal worth $25 million, according to Warriors beat writer Marcus Thompson.

With Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters as the team's starting backcourt, Jack provides some depth behind the duo and some insurance in the event one, especially Irving, misses time.

Missing double-digit games in each of his first two seasons as a pro, Irving has missed a total of 38 games in his first two seasons combined.

In 12 postseason games last year, Jack averaged 17.2 points, 4.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game in addition to shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 89.6 percent from the line.

Kyrie Irving (knee) won't play vs. Bulls on Tuesday

When the Cavaliers face the Bulls tonight in Chicago, they will be without point guard Kyrie Irving, who is dealing with a hyper-extended right knee.

Not only will he miss tonight's game, he is listed as questionable for tomorrow night's game as well, per Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.

"It's one of those things that needs rest," coach Byron Scott said. "The last couple of games, I think it's built up. He hasn't been able to have any rest on it, so when you have a knee that's as sore as his is, you need rest and he needs treatment."

Irving initially sustained the injury prior to the team's three-game road trip and Irving has scored less than 20 points in the first two of those games on 10-of-25 shooting. The second-year guard currently leads the team in scoring (23.3 per game), assists (5.6) and steals (1.64).

With Irving out, Shawn Livingston will get the start.

Kyrie Irving out four weeks with broken finger

Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Iriving will miss the next four weeks due to a hairline fracture in his left index finger, according to Bob Finnin of The News-Herald.

Irving, the No. 1 overall pick in 2011, currently ranks sixth in the NBA in scoring with 22.9 points per game. In addition, he is averaging 5.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game.

At this point, it's not known will start in Irving's place.

Coach Byron Scott could start Jeremy Pargo or Donald Sloan, or go with a backcourt of Dion Waiters and Daniel Gibson, currently the team's leading scorer off the bench.

Eastern Conference Preseason Predictions for the 2012-13 NBA Season

With NBA training camps opening up, it's time for preseason predictions.  Kyle Baillargeon takes a team-by-team look into his crystal ball of all 30 NBA teams.

Here is how Kyle sees the Eastern Conference playing out:

1. Miami Heat - 64-18

The champs are back and they brought Ray Allen with them for this round.  Allen will find himself open far more often than he did last year, and he'll make the most of it.  Miami may even make a run for 70.

2. Boston Celtics - 61-21

Retooled and reloaded, the Celtics have been seemingly at the end of their run for the last three years. But they keeping coming back, ready to contend. This squad is bigger up front and could have the best four-guard rotation in the league.

3. Philadelphia 76ers - 50-32

Adding Bynum is huge for Philly, so long as he stays healthy.  Will the team miss Iguodala, though?  If Evan Turner plays to his potential, then the answer to that question is no.

4. Indiana Pacers - 48-34

With more teams going small at the center position, Roy Hibbert is somewhat of an anomaly.  The Pacers were built to succeed in a short season, but how will this team fare over 82 games?

5. Milwaukee Bucks - 44-38

The dropoff is steep in the Eastern Conference, and this number of wins says more about how bad the rest of the conference is as opposed to how good the Bucks are. Jennings, Ellis and crew should have no problem making the playoffs, where they'll hope to make some noise.

6. Brooklyn Nets - 41-41

A tough team to determine, considering the general overhaul.  Deron Williams and Joe Johnson is one of the strongest backcourts in the game.  And don't underestimate how the move to Brooklyn could positively effect the team's psyche.

7. Chicago Bulls - 40-42

It's going to be a long year for the Bulls, though they did play decently for stretches without Rose last year.  The team is not completely devoid of talent, but they just can't expect to contend without their star.  Rose may be ready sometime after the All-Star break, but the Bulls may be better off tanking the season and hoping for a high pick.

8. Atlanta Hawks - 40-42

The Hawks are in a quasi-rebuilding mode, as they still have enough talent to sneak into the playoffs.  However, if they start to slide downhill in the middle of the season, don't be surprised to see Josh Smith on his way out sooner rather than later.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers - 36-46

Irving is the real deal, and this team could surprise people in the east.  They'll definitely be an exciting team, which is all you can ask for right now in Cleveland.

10. Toronto Raptors - 35-47

Valanciunas was considered by many as one of the top prospects out of his draft, and now he gets to show Toronto what they waited for. There's not a whole lot else to be excited for in Toronto, as it seems as though they based their entire offseason on trying to get, and subsequently failing to get, Steve Nash.

11. New York Knicks - 35-47

It's tough to make heads or tails of what the Knicks are trying to accomplish.  Carmelo and Amare don't seem to work entirely well together.  Jason Kidd would have been a great addition if he were five years younger.  Meanwhile, Rasheed Wallace should be a wonderful influence on whatever young players the Knicks have.

12. Detroit Pistons - 33-49

Detroit may have themselves a bright future, but they'll have to make sure they don't waste their cap space after this season like they did a few years ago.  In a perfect world, everyone will stay healthy, they'll show some signs of real potential, and they'll get a high pick.

13. Washington Wizards - 33-49

John Wall is not Derrick Rose or Kyrie Irving, but he is still ultra talented.  This is his team, and he needs to raise his game.  If he does, then he and Bradley Beal could make for a great young backcourt.

14. Charlotte Bobcats - 25-57

The Bobcats did a great job of not screwing up their pick this year, and MKG is a great talent.  Kemba Walker has the keys to the squad now, and he can definitely make things happen on occasion.  This team is still a ways away, but hopefully their front office will make it a streak of good draft picks next year.

15. Orlando Magic - 13-69

Not many good things to say about Orlando.  They didn't get much for the best center in the league.  They would have been smart to stick with Van Gundy, however.

Later today, we will post Kyle's predictions for the Western Conference.

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NBA Notes, 1/28/12

Here are some notes and stats from the NBA games last night:

- The Bobcats lost to the Sixers last night for their seventh straight loss, the league's longest current losing streak, and now Charlotte has the NBA's worst record: 3-17.

- Nets PF Kris Humphries had his second straight double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Cavs. Humphries is averaging 13.4 PPG and 10.8 RPG this season.

- Anthony Morrow scored in double-digits for his fourth straight game with 22 points last night. It was his fourth game this season with 20-plus points, but the first since January 11th.

- Bouncing back from a 1-for-7 night, Cleveland's Kyrie Irving scored 32 points on 12-of-20 shooting last night. The league's No. 1 pick is leading the team in scoring (17.6 PPG).

- Atlanta's Josh Smith was two assists shy of a triple-double last night: 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. He added three blocks as well.

- Detroit rookie Brandon Knight, who has now played 40-plus minutes in back-to-back games, had a solid line: 20 points, eight assists, five rebounds and no turnovers. He also made four three-pointers.

- Greg Monroe had his second straight 20-10 night with 22 points and 11 rebounds last night. He added four assists and two steals.

- Jason Maxiell had season highs off the bench in points (19) and rebounds (eight).

- Minnesota point guard Ricky Rubio had his third double-double in the past four games with 18 points and 10 assists last night. That said, he no steals for the first time since January 8th, which ends a 10-game streak with two-plus steals.

- Kevin Love had another double-double (18 points, 16 rebounds), but it was only the third time this season that he did not make a three. He took only one three-point attempt; he had three-plus attempts in all other games this season.

- The Orlando Magic scored only 67 points last night in their 26-point loss to the Hornets. Aside from Dwight Howard (28 points), no other Orlando player scored in double digits.

- Houston's Jordan Hill, the eighth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, had a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in 18 minutes off the bench. It was his third double-double of the season.

- Milwaukee's Drew Gooden had 23 points, 15 rebounds and six assists last night. He had 24 points on January 3rd, but it was a season high in rebounds and assists.

- Brandon Jennings scored 25 points. It was his sixth straight game with 20-plus points, but he had only three assists, which is his low during that six-game span.

- Chicago's Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds last night. It was only his sixth double-double of the season.

- New York's Bill Walker scored 21 points, all via his seven three-pointers, off the bench last night.

- In the six games Dwyane Wade missed from Jan. 17th to 25th, Miami's Chris Bosh scored 23-plus points in five of six games and he had three 30-point games. With D-Wade back last night, Bosh had only 13 points on 4-of-18 shooting.

- Mavs guard Rodrigue Beaubois had season highs last night in points (22), rebounds (six), assists (seven) and blocked shots (four).

- After missing a couple of games, Denver's Rudy Fernandez returned to score a season-high 23 points off the bench and he knocked down a season-high five three-pointers. He also had three steals.

- The Suns scored only 71 points last night and Grant Hill led the team in scoring (12 points).

- Marcus Camby had 20 rebounds and no points last night. In his past three games, Camby has seven points and 58 rebounds.

- Four Thunder players scored at least 19 points: Kevin Durant (37), Russell Westbrook (28), Serge Ibaka (20) and James Harden (19). No other player scored more than six points (Nick Collison).

- For a second time this season, Golden State's Dorrell Wright knocked down six three's. Wright is averaging only 10.3 points this season after averaging 16.4 PPG last year.

2011 NBA Mock Draft, 2.0

The 2011 NBA Draft is roughly 72 hours away.

Here is the latest update of our mock draft from Kyle Baillargeon, our NBA Draft guru, (see his first mock) with plenty of changes throughout:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Kyrie Irving, Duke (discuss pick): Irving has the potential to be an all-star caliber point guard. In an era of great point guards, Cleveland would be smart to start rebuilding around one of their own.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves - Derrick Williams, Arizona (discuss pick): I still think Minnesota will wind up making a trade here. If that doesn't work out, however, expect them to take Williams and look to trade someone out of their front court (likely Beasley, if anyone is willing to take him). Rubio to Williams doesn't sound so bad in Minnesota.

3. Utah Jazz - Brandon Knight, Kentucky (discuss pick): The Jazz will look to start from scratch at the point guard position and it looks like Knight gets the edge over Kemba Walker.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Enes Kanter (discuss pick): The Cleveland dream scenario is gone now that Minnesota has taken Williams. Expect them to go with Kanter to beef up their front court.

5. Toronto Raptors - Jonas Valanciunas (discuss pick): Colangelo loves international players, and with his recent extension he has the kind of security to make this pick. Also, Toronto doesn't have a good center on the roster.

6. Washington Wizards - Tristan Thompson, Texas (discuss pick): The Wizards can pair Thompson up with JaVale McGee and potentially trade Andray Blatche for some help elsewhere. The team is still in the early rebuilding stages, and Thompson is a good building block here.

7. Sacramento Kings - Kemba Walker, Connecticut (discuss pick): While Knight isn't available in this version of the mock draft, Walker can come in and allow the Kings to move Tyreke Evans to the SG position where he belongs.

8. Detroit Pistons - Bismack Biyombo (discuss pick): The Pistons will hope that Biyombo can be another Ben Wallace. Thankfully, the original Ben Wallace is already in Detroit and hopefully he can take the beast from Congo under his wing.

9. Charlotte Bobcats - Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State (discuss pick): New GM Richard Cho will try to make a splash by taking a player we had in the top three in our last mock. Charlotte would be very happy to see Leonard slide this far.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Alec Burks, Colorado (discuss pick): Burks could give Milwaukee an explosive tandem in the backcourt for years to come.

11. Golden State Warriors - Marcus Morris, Kansas (discuss pick): Morris is a bit on the smaller side, but that won't hurt him as much in the run-and-gun Golden State offense. He can also inject some much-needed toughness into the front court.

12. Utah Jazz - Jan Vesely (discuss pick): Vesely could very likely be gone at this point in the draft, perhaps even to Utah with the third pick. But if he somehow falls this far, expect Utah to snatch him up.

13. Phoenix Suns - Chris Singleton, Florida State (discuss pick): Singleton can give Phoenix a strong perimeter defender from the start. While Singleton has a lot of work to do on the offensive end, who better to learn from than Steve Nash?

14. Houston Rockets - Jimmer Fredette, BYU (discuss pick): Jimmer may seem like a bit of a head-scratcher here, but are Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic really the point guards of the future in Houston? Not likely. Jimmer would be an upgrade for Houston, and likely just the first of many moves by Daryl Morey this offseason.

15. Indiana Pacers - Klay Thompson, Washington State (discuss pick): The Pacers will hope that Thompson becomes their point guard of the future. There is a chance he won't be, but he can shoot and could at the very least be a good role player.

To see the rest of our first-round NBA Mock Draft, click here. Or for our NBA Mock Draft database, click here.

2011 NBA Mock Draft, 1.0

The NBA Finals will end June 14th (or earlier if the series does not go seven games) and then all attention will turn to the 2011 NBA Draft, which will happen in Newark (NJ) on Thursday, June 23rd.

At least, it will be all of the good attention considering the NBA's current labor deal ends on June 30th and there is the threat of a shortened 2011-2012.

Back to the good stuff, here are the first ten picks of our 2011 NBA mock draft from Kyle Baillargeon, our NBA Draft guru:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Kyrie Irving, Duke (discuss pick): Irving has the potential to be an all-star caliber point guard. In an era of great point guards, Cleveland would be smart to start rebuilding around one of their own.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves - Enes Kanter, International (discuss pick): We can't predict trades, but we expect Minnesota to trade out and someone else to come in and take Derrick Williams. Assuming Minnesota stays with this pick, however, Kanter is the guy here, as the Wolves are already set at SF and PF.

3. Utah Jazz - Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State (discuss pick): The Jazz would rather have Kanter, for sure. But he's gone. Andrei Kirilenko will be gone soon, and the Jazz can use this pick to get their SF of the future.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Derrick Williams, Arizona (discuss pick): A dream scenario for Cleveland, this will allow them to not only build around two potential studs, but also trade J.J. Hickson for some help elsewhere.

5. Toronto Raptors - Jonas Valanciunas, International (discuss pick): Colangelo loves international players, and with his recent extension he has the kind of security to make this pick. Also, Toronto doesn't have a good center on the roster.

6. Washington Wizards - Tristan Thompson, Texas (discuss pick): The Wizards can pair Thompson up with JaVale McGee and potentially trade Andray Blatche for some help elsewhere. The team is still in the early rebuilding stages, and Thompson is a good building block here.

7. Sacramento Kings - Brandon Knight, Kentucky (discuss pick): Knight gives the Kings a chance to move Tyreke Evans to the SG position where he belongs. Kemba Walker is an option, but Knight looks to have the bigger upside.

8. Detroit Pistons - Bismack Biyombo, International (discuss pick): The Pistons will hope that Biyombo can be another Ben Wallace. Thankfully, the original Ben Wallace is already in Detroit and hopefully he can take the beast from Congo under his wing.

9. Charlotte Bobcats - Kemba Walker, Connecticut (discuss pick): The Bobcats have a penchant for taking known collegiate products in the draft. It hasn't really worked out for them, but Walker is an immediate upgrade over D.J. Augustin.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Chris Singleton, Florida State (discuss pick): The Bucks could use a strong permimeter defender, and Singleton would help immediately. He needs to work on his offensive game, but that could come with time and hard work.

Click here to view the rest of the first round in our 2011 NBA Mock Draft. Or, to see more mocks from around the internet, check out our 2011 NBA Mock Draft Database.