Piston Powered NBA Power Rankings: November 3rd through November 8th

team. 147. Not much has changed in the NBA’s basement. The Brooklyn Nets are still beyond redemption, and they don’t even have a good reason to try and be awful. Normally in the current draft structure, a team is better served to try and be terrible than to strive for mediocrity, but the Nets don’t even own their own draft picks at this point. They’re bad and not getting any better (or more watchable) any time soon. If there is a team to make a point of skipping on NBA League Pass every time possible, this is the one.. 0-7. Previous: . Brooklyn Nets. 30

93. Yet another team to not work their way out of last week’s ranking are the Philadelphia 76ers. Rookie big man Jahlil Okafor is still putting up solid scoring numbers, averaging 19.7 points per game on 52.7% shooting from the floor, but his rebounding numbers are surprisingly low for a 6-foot-11, 275 lbs big man. He’s grabbing 5.5 rebounds while playing 34 mintutes per game, and his rebounding percent is a surprisingly low 9.1%. It stands to reason these strange numbers are a result of being a 19-year old in a game played by grown men, but it’s a stat worth keeping an eye on.. 0-6. Previous: . Philadelphia 76ers. 29. team

The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that has finally gotten into the win column. Mind you, that win came against the moribund Brooklyn Nets, but when you’re the Lakers right now, a win is a win. It might be the last win the Lakers get in awhile, too. The next six games for the Lakers are against teams like the Miami Heat, the surprising Orlando Magic, the Dallas Mavericks, your Detroit Pistons, the Phoenix Suns and the Toronto Raptors. Each of those teams is head and shoulders above the Lakers right now, so this miserable start is certain to get worse in Los Angeles.. 1-5. Previous: 28th. Los Angeles Lakers Lakers. 28. team. 20

team. 69. The New Orleans Pelicans are the first team to move up or down in our Piston Powered Power Rankings, and thanks to another two losses the Pelicans have dropped to 27th. The Pelicans’ injury report is still extensive. Omer Asik is questionable to play Tuesday against the Mavericks, Norris Cole has no timetable for return from a high ankle sprain, Tyreke Evans is still expected to miss another two months, Kendrick Perkins may be out another couple months with a pectoral strain, and Quincy Pondexter is out with a knee injury and has no timetable for return. This is an unwell team, and making the playoffs may already be out of the question for the Pelicans with this horrendous start.. 0-6. Previous: 26th. New Orleans Pelicans. 27

Previous: 17th. Sacramento Kings. 26. team. 84. The Sacramento Kings have dropped off a cliff in the past week. That should come as no surprise considering the fact that superstar big man DeMarcus Cousins has missed the last four games with an Achilles strain, and is questionable to return in Monday’s game against the Spurs. This team’s ceiling is mediocre even with Cousins, but without him the Kings are dead men walking.. 1-6