Gross Bombs: NFL Props for Week 16
Josh Gross
Welcome to FTN Fantasy’s NBA Power Rankings!
It’s been a week of high drama in the NBA, and unfortunately, that drama has included several key injuries. Stars like Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Zion Williamson and Chet Holmgren are all expected to miss significant time, shaking up the landscape and influencing this week’s rankings. As a result, we’re starting to see the true contenders pull away from the pack, especially in the Eastern Conference, where only two teams are currently holding winning records. Curious to see how far your favorite team dropped due to injury? Check out our full NBA Power Rankings table.
Every Monday, we bring you an up-to-the-minute snapshot of the league with our exclusive power rankings, powered by the FTN NBA Betting Model. These rankings adjust for recent results, injuries and news, giving you a dynamic view of the NBA’s shifting landscape. We also track which teams are trending up – and which are trending down.
But this isn’t just about rankings – it’s about giving you the edge. Whether you’re betting on the NBA or simply keeping tabs on your favorite team’s performance, our rankings provide key insights to help you make smarter decisions. Curious to see how we evaluate a specific matchup? Our NBA Betting Model is constantly updated with the latest data, and we highlight the best value picks in our NBA Bet Tracker.
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Key Takeaways
The Eastern Conference is Currently a Two-Team Race
Right now, the Eastern Conference has just two teams above .500 – the Cavs and the Celtics. Outside of the top two, the next-best teams – according to our model – are the Knicks and Bucks, both of which are currently sitting below .500. While it’s still early in the season to draw any major conclusions, the early signs suggest that the No. 3 seed in the East is far more up for grabs than the No. 1 and No. 2 spots.
Don’t Give Up if Your Team is Off to a Slow Start
Every fan hopes their team gets off to a strong start, but it’s important to keep in mind just how early we are in the season. Three of our top-11 teams are currently at or below .500. Our power rankings aim to be more predictive than reactive, and a 10-game sample isn’t enough to make sweeping judgments. So, even though teams like the Mavericks, Knicks and Bucks may have more losses than their fans would like to see, we still expect them to be right in the playoff race when it matters.
The Cavaliers Are LEGIT!
Coming into the season, our model ranked Cleveland as the eighth-best team in the league, slightly higher than where the betting market had them. But we may have undersold the Cavs – since then, they’ve surged to #2 following an 11-0 start. Not only are they winning, but they’ve been dominating with a balanced attack that’s been tough for other teams to handle.
Injuries Are a Killer
The Thunder were our No. 2-ranked team heading into the season, and they started strong – until Chet Holmgren went down last night. Chet is expected to miss 8-10 weeks, which drops Oklahoma City to #8 in our rankings. At this point, the Thunder will need Isaiah Hartenstein to get healthy fast if they want to keep pace.
Unfortunately, injuries are hitting teams all over the league, and it shows in our rankings. The Suns (Kevin Durant), Nuggets (Aaron Gordon), Magic (Paolo Banchero), Heat (Jimmy Butler), 76ers (Tyrese Maxey), Grizzlies (pretty much everyone?) and Pelicans (Zion, and… also everyone?) have all been affected. At this point in the season, any team that’s managed to stay healthy is counting its blessings.
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