LB has already written extensively about the chaotic delight in the Sixers fine start to the season. With wins over Miami, Washington, and Chicago in a year where they were supposed to win 16.5 wins (the .5 would've been really impressive), the rest of the league and basketball twitter and everyone in Philadelphia has taken notice. That extends to the first edition of the NBA Power Rankings, in which the Sixers are on top. AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
To the experts:
SB NATION: #1
I know they aren't the best team in the league. They're probably not actually any good. But I don't care. So for one week, they get this lofty honor.
YAHOO!: #1
After entering the season with what was considered the league's weakest roster, the Sixers and rookie Michael Carter-Williams beat reigning champion Miami, Washington (on the road) and Chicago. Reality could hit soon, but, for now, the Sixers can enjoy the top spot.
NBA.COM: #1
It started out as a joke. From the Wells Fargo Center, I tweeted out my first "Power Rankings Update" as the buzzer sounded on the Sixers' miraculous 114-110 victory over the Heat. Two nights later, Philly came back to win in Washington and the tradition continued. And when they came back again to beat the Bulls on Saturday, I had no choice but to keep it alive.
But do the Philadelphia 76ers really deserve to be ranked No. 1 in the first Power Rankings of the regular season? Answer: Heck, yeah! Sam Hinkie is a mad scientist.
As crazy as this seems, maybe it's just the model for when you change your ratio of mid-range attempts to 3-point attempts from 1.7 (last season) to 0.8 (this year). Brett Brown is letting his team push the ball and shoot early in the clock. But ultimately, they're taking the right kinds of shots, getting to the basket a lot more than they did under Doug Collins too. And they're shooting pretty well at the basket.
ESPN: #10 (HATERS)
The Sixers have been bumped all the way up to a spot in the hallowed No. 10 this week, which has to be one of the biggest leaps weve ever authorized. If you were hoping to see them even higher, I totally understand, but were sorry: Its going to take more than three funky results for us to divorce the principles weve applied to these rankings for more than a decade and promote them all the way into the upper crust.
The madness continues when the Warriors visit town Monday. Philly will be going for its first 4-0 start since the Allen Iverson-led team that made the Finals went 10-0 in 2000-01 and the MCW/Steph matchup brings together two of only five players averaging at least 20 points and nine dimes.
CBS: #1
I have ABSOLUTELY no idea.
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We'll see you next week when everyone uniformly has the Sixers at #1. Suck it, FrostDonkeys.