NBA Power Rankings: Up is down, down is up after crazy start

It was anticipated there could be some surprising results early in the 2019-20 NBA season. The Week 1 edition of the NBA Power Rankings bear that out.

The wildest offseason in memory was expected to create some turbulence at the start of the 2019-20 NBA season. With more than 40 percent of the NBA players on new teams, it was anticipated there would be a lengthy get-to-know-each-other period for the teams that had the most upheaval.

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Some of those remade rosters are coming together more quickly than others at the end of a wacky opening week for the NBA. How wacky? The Houston Rockets blew a double-digit lead at home to the Milwaukee Bucks, who blew a double-digit lead at home to the Miami Heat, who are 2-1 despite getting zero minutes from new father Jimmy Butler.

Karl-Anthony Towns is suddenly the greatest shooter in the NBA, the Sacramento Kings are God-awful thus far (OK, so some things don’t change) and the Phoenix Suns have as many wins through three games (two) as they had through 13 games a season ago.

A quick explanation about these rankings. They are simply based on what has transpired so far this season. Early in the season, when the sample sizes are minuscule, there may be some odd-looking results. It will normalize over time. I prefer this method to randomly drawing teams out of a hat or going strictly by the “eye test,” since I have not seen every minute of every game.

With that, let’s dive in.

Last week: Lost at Phoenix 124-95, lost to Portland 122-112, lost at Utah 113-81

This week: Monday vs. Denver, Wednesday vs. Charlotte, Friday vs. Utah, Sunday at New York

It has not been a splendid start for the Sacramento Kings under new coach Luke Walton. The Kings entered the season without young big man Harry Giles — who is once again experiencing knee problems — and lost Marvin Bagley III for the next four to six weeks after he fractured his thumb in the opener at Phoenix.

The Kings haven’t just been losing so far. They’ve been getting demolished. All three of their losses so far have been by double-digits and they’ve lost by 29 at Phoenix and 32 at Utah in their first two road tests.

Sacramento is shooting 39.6 percent overall. Their opponents are shooting 53.3 percent. But at least the Kings are averaging almost 21 turnovers per game so far, so there’s that.

Last week: Lost to Clippers 141-122, lost at Oklahoma City 120-92

This week: Monday at New Orleans, Wednesday vs. Phoenix, Friday vs. San Antonio, Saturday vs. Charlotte

The post-dynasty era may have already started for the Golden State Warriors, who have been thumped in both of their outings so far this season. The Warriors have a net rating through two games of minus-23.3 and defensively have allowed their first two opponents to post an effective field goal percentage of 69.5. Countering that with their own 41.4 percent mark hasn’t helped.

Yes, the Dubs have a ton of injuries already. Klay Thompson won’t be around and isn’t expected to play this season. Kevon Looney is experiencing problems with neuropathy, Alen Smailagic has an ankle sprain, Willie Cauley-Stein is out with a foot problem and Alec Burks still hasn’t played because of an ankle injury.

Stephen Curry is shooting just 4-for-20 from 3-point range through two games with nine assists and 10 turnovers. So that potential third MVP campaign is off to a less-than-rousing start. Draymond Green is managing just 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 26.2 minutes per game and D’Angelo Russell is shooting 34.6 percent overall so far.