Week 3 of NBA basketball is already done and several teams are already making their mark on the court. The early contenders are dominating their opponents while rebuilding teams are struggling to get some wins lately.
Today, we will be grading all 30 NBA teams after week 3 of NBA basketball.
Atlanta Hawks: B- (Last Week C+)
The Hawks have compiled a 2-1 record this past week against good teams. Trae Young’s shooting and savvy playmaking has finally begun to come around and that’s great news for Atlanta.
Boston Celtics: A- (Last Week A+)
Boston finally suffered its first loss this past week against the Timberwolves and to make things worse, they also lost to Joel Embiid and the Sixers. But don’t fret for them as they quickly turned things around by dismantling the Raptors and the Nets.
Brooklyn Nets: C (Last Week B-)
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The Nets has lost some winnable games by failing to execute down the stretch. They will inevitably struggle now that their leading scorer, Cam Thomas, is out for a couple of weeks due to an injury.
Charlotte Hornets: C- (Last Week C)
Mark Williams is slowly becoming a stud for the Hornets. LaMelo Ball finally found his shooting stroke back but the team still struggled to start a winning streak this past week. They just need to settle down and execute better.
Chicago Bulls: C- (Last Week D-)
For all the talk about becoming a contender this season, the Bulls are nowhere close to it. Although they managed to show life this past week, there are still plenty of things they could improve on to at least give this team a fighting chance this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers: B- (Last Week C-)
Cleveland has started to display their potential as a team. They won two games against the Warriors this past week and that’s no easy feat. Donovan Mitchell is gunning for an all-star starting spot this season.
Dallas Mavericks: A (Last Week A-)
This Mavs team is slowly becoming a legitimate team that can contend for a championship this season. They dismantled the newly-looked Clippers with Doncic and Irving leading the way for them. Their role players were vital to their recent success on the court.
Denver Nuggets: A+ (Last Week A)
Even with Jamal Murray out due to an injury, this Nuggets team is as lethal as ever. They trashed New Orleans and executed down the stretch to get past Golden State. Nikola Jokic is playing at an MVP level right now and there’s nobody in the league that could stop him.
Detroit Pistons: D- (Last Week D)
Head coach Monty Williams’ roster rotation is baffling as he continues to bench young players with tons of upside. Wiseman has barely touched the floor this season and sophomore guard Jaden Ivey had some DNPs as well. The losses are really concerning at this point.
Golden State Warriors: B- (Last Week A+)
Golden State lost to Cleveland twice and also to the Nuggets. Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins are in a slump. At 35, Stephen Curry is shouldering a heavy load for this aging team and he desperately needs his teammates to help him out.
Houston Rockets: B+ (Last Week C)
The Rockets are flaming hot right now after an atrocious start to the season. Alperen Sengun is playing at an all-star level and is quickly becoming one of the best centers in the league.
Indiana Pacers: B+ (Last Week C-)
The Pacers are on a roll right now. They trashed both the Spurs and the Jazz and managed to eke out a win against the Bucks this past week. Halliburton is legitimately becoming one of the best point guards in the league.
Los Angeles Clippers: C- (Last Week B+)
Harden’s arrival has yet to result in a win for this revamped Clippers’ squad. They lost to Brooklyn and New York and got themselves embarrassed by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. There are just too many stars sharing a single basketball.
Los Angeles Lakers: C (Last Week B-)
After suffering a three-game losing streak, the Lakers finally won a game this past week. Fan favorite Austin Reaves surprisingly was demoted from his starting spot in exchange for the streaky Cam Reddish. That major move may stick for a while.
Memphis Grizzlies: D (Last Week D-)
Memphis finally won their first game of the season this past week after a winless first couple of weeks. The sad thing is that the losses quickly piled up after their win to start the week. They badly need Ja Morant’s presence to turn this season around.
Miami Heat: B (Last Week C-)
After a struggling start to the season, Miami has finally found its groove and is now on a winning streak. It’s not just Jimmy Butler but it’s a collective effort within the team that led to their recent success. After all, they are the defending champs of the East and losing isn’t a part of their culture.
Milwaukee Bucks: B (Last Week B)
This was not an easy week for the Bucks. The pairing of Lillard and Antetokounmpo hasn’t found its stride yet and Khris Middleton’s game has sadly regressed. They went 2-2 against a relatively easy schedule this past week.
Minnesota Timberwolves: A- (Last Week B)
The Wolves haven’t lost a game yet in November. Towns, Gobert and Edwards are balling right now and the entire league are taking notice of their progress. They are a competitive bunch and are poised to make some serious noise this year.
New Orleans Pelicans: C- (Last Week B-)
This was not a good week for the Pelicans. Not only did they go 0-3, but they also lost CJ McCollum due to a collapsed lung. It’s quite ironic that whenever Zion Williamson is healthy, his other teammates are now out due to injuries. They simply can’t catch a break.
New York Knicks: C (Last Week D)
While Randle is still struggling with his shot, spitfire point guard Jalen Brunson has been amazing for the Knicks this past week. They spoiled James Harden’s Clipper debut and Victor Wembanyama’s first game at MSG.
Oklahoma City Thunder: B- (Last Week C-)
Now that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is back, OKC is on a roll. This team will only go far as long as SGA is healthy. Josh Giddey has lost a little bit of flair this season but there’s hope he’ll turn things around as the year progresses.
Orlando Magic: B- (Last Week B)
The Magic has struggled on the floor whenever Markelle Fultz is out due to injury. They lost a couple of winnable games this past week due to their fourth-quarter woes. Still, they ended the week with a bang as they blew out the struggling Bucks.
Philadelphia 76ers: A+ (Last Week A+)
Joel Embiid and the Sixers are now at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Harden’s departure has been a blessing in disguise as other players from the team have stepped up lately. Tobias Harris is playing the best basketball of his career right now and Tyrese Maxey is a star.
Phoenix Suns: B- (Last Week C-)
It’s quite clear that Phoenix needs Booker for them to be considered as a legitimate contender this season. Durant can’t do it alone. Beal is still finding his shot in a Suns uniform. We have yet to see them all on the floor but that may change soon.
Portland Trail Blazers: C- (Last Week B)
This was a tough week for the Blazers. They lost to the struggling Grizzlies and the De’Aaron Fox-less Kings. To make matters worse, prized rookie Scoot Henderson will be sidelined for a couple of weeks due to an injury.
Sacramento Kings: B- (Last Week C)
After initially struggling with De’Aaron Fox’s absence, the Kings finally found a recipe on how to win games without their star point guard. Domantas Sabonis is playing well and so is sophomore guard Keegan Murray.
San Antonio Spurs: C (Last Week B)
Even with Wembanyama’s usual numbers, San Antonio struggled mightily this past week. The youth and inexperience of this team are showing and this could be a recurring theme throughout the season for them.
Toronto Raptors: C+ (Last Week C)
The Raptors piled up some good wins against the Spurs and the Mavs this past week before succumbing to the mighty Celtics to end their week. There’s a lot to like about the team’s performance. Scottie Barnes is the best player in Toronto right now.
Utah Jazz: D (Last Week D-)
Jordan Clarkson’s shot has been falling lately and that’s good news for the struggling Jazz. Albeit a small sample, with Kessler out and Markkanen playing the center spot with Collins at the 4, Utah managed to play much better on the court in their win against Memphis.
Washington Wizards: D (Last Week D-)
Washington only managed to win one game this past week. The team is young and unsurprisingly inconsistent. We’re still waiting for Jordan Poole’s breakout game in a Wizards uniform.
