NBA Power Rankings: Bulls rise, Pelicans fall after one week

The 2021-22 NBA season is one week old and there’s already some big movers in the league’s power rankings. The Chicago Bulls have jumped up 10 spots to move into the top five after a 4-0 start. The offseason additions have made an immediate impact and Zach LaVine remains one of the league’s most explosive offensive players. Chicago’s defense is better than expected, which could mean big things for the Bulls as the season keeps going. The Golden State Warriors have also made a jump into the top five after ranking ninth in the initial list.

Most teams have only played between two to four games, so there hasn’t been much data to go on so far. The Milwaukee Bucks look ready to pick up right where they left off in July as defending champions, while the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have struggled in the early going. Aspiring playoff teams like the Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves have been better than expected, while trendy picks such as the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks have slightly underwhelmed.

Let’s take a look at Chinmay Vaidya’s power rankings for Week 2 of the NBA season.