Volume 26:30

CT Way-Too-Early NBA Power Rankings

With the New York Knicks NBA champions, there is no better time to look forward at how each team will do next season. The CT has assembled its Way-Too-Early power rankings:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder are great on paper and look just like the team that everyone knows is capable of a title.

2. San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio has the firepower and the willpower to get to back to the championship. But can they win it?

3. Boston Celtics

Boston looks very strong, and being front runners for Giannis Antetokoumpo, this team could get very scary.

4. New York Knicks

The Knicks look like contenders to run it back. Will anyone stop them?

5. Denver Nuggets

6. Cleveland Cavaliers

7. Detroit Pistons

8. Houston Rockets

9. Indiana Pacers

Tyrese Haliburton is going to return and should put Indy right back into title contention.

10. Minnesota Timberwolves

11. Los Angeles Lakers

The Lebron James era seems like it’s done in LA. But Luka Doncic leads a still very talented Lakers squad.

12. Philadelphia 76ers

13. Toronto Raptors

14. Portland Trailblazers

15. Charlotte Hornets

16. Los Angeles Clippers

17. Orlando Magic

18. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors are getting old. Their title window is closing quickly with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. Is this the last hurrah? Because they are nearing a rebuild.

19. Atlanta Hawks

20. Dallas Mavericks

21. Miami Heat

22. Milwaukee Bucks

Set to lose Giannis– it’s rebuild time in Wisconsin.

23. Sacramento Kings

24. Phoenix Suns

25. Chicago Bulls

26. Memphis Grizzlies

27. New Orleans Pelicans

28. Brooklyn Nets

29. Utah Jazz

30. Washington Wizards

NHL Tier Rankings

The Carolina Hurricanes have won their second Stanley Cup title. So now it’s time to look to next season. Each team is split into tiers based on where they project to finish in their divisions:

1st place: Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights. These teams are the cream of the crop and all look ready to rule their divisions.

2nd place: Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers. These teams are all different. For Montreal, this could be the season where they get title number 24. This team is young and talented. Want a team that could end Canada’s drought? Look no further the Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. The Wild are also very talented and seem poised to take the next step. Meanwhile, for Sydney Crosby and Pittsburgh, this is the last ride.

3rd place: Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks. These squads have all experienced success with a young team. Their championship windows are wide open– it’s all about getting closer, not about winning now. The future is here in the form of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and San Jose Sharks. Then there’s the Dallas Stars, for them it’s a bit more urgent but they still have a bright future.

4th place: Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Utah Mammoth, Anaheim Ducks. These teams are one piece away. They are the teams that will dominate in ten years. Until then, they are middle of the pack and have a young core, at least for the Islanders, Mammoth, and Ducks. Then there is the old core, the Boston Bruins.

5th place: Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings

6th place: Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Seattle Kraken

7th place: Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks

8th place: Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, Calgary Flames

World Cup

The USA and Mexico have won their groups. The pair of host nations both won their first two matchups, and sealed their groups with other results. Mexico’s group A has South Korea at three points and Czechia, as well as South Africa at one point. South Korea face South Africa and Mexico plays Czechia. A win for the Koreans seals a spot in the knockout stage.

Group B is tight. Canada and Switzerland are each on four points and Qatar and Bosnia & Herzigovinga are at one point.

Group C is led by Brazil and Morocco, who each have four points. Scotland has three and Haiti has zero.

In Group D, the USA has six points, while Australia and Paraguay have three, and Turkiye has zero. Those first four groups have each played two games. The other groups have played one. Here are the standings.

Group E:

Germany 3

Ivory Coast 3

Ecuador 0

Curaçao 0

Group F:

Sweden 3

Japan 1

Netherlands 1

Tunisia 0

Group G:

New Zealand 1

Iran 1

Belgium 1

Egypt 1

Group H:

Uruguay 1

Saudi Arabia 1

Spain 1

Cape Verde 1

Group I:

Norway 3

France 3

Senegal 0

Iraq 0

Group J:

Argentina 3

Austria 3

Jordan 0

Algeria 0

Group K:

Colombia 3

Congo DR 1

Portugal 1

Uzbekistan 0

Group L:

England 3

Ghana 3

Panama 0

Croatia 0

Thanks for reading