Each week, Melissa Rohlin of the California Post will power rank the NBA’s 30 teams:
1.
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Rohlin → rank → teams
There was palpable pain on Victor Wembanyama’s face after the Knicks eliminated the Spurs in the NBA Finals.
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Knicks → be → Finals
The Spurs had double-digit leads in each of their four losses in that series.
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Spurs → have → series
Wembanyama blamed himself.
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Wembanyama → blame → himself
Here’s to betting he’s going to be a beast this season.
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he → ’ → ?
We underestimated the Knicks last season and won’t repeat that mistake.
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We → underestimate → mistake
They return 10 of their 12 rotational players.
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They → return → players
They’ve proven that no deficit fazes them.
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deficit → prove → them
The 2025 championship Thunder were stunned by the Spurs in the Western Conference finals last season.
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Thunder → stun → finals
This roster is deep, young, talented and hungry to get back atop the league.
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roster → get → league
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has won two straight MVP awards, isn’t going to take his foot off the gas this season.
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who → win → gas
It might take them a second to figure things out and develop chemistry.
uncertain
It → take → chemistry
But if they do, watch out.
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they → do → ?
It’ll be interesting to see if this superteam takes over the league or flames out, such as the disappointing Nets who never got past the second round of the playoffs despite having Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the roster.
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who → see → roster
The regular season doesn’t matter for this Cavs team.
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season → matter → team
They keep combusting in the playoffs, including getting swept by the Knicks in the 2026 Eastern Conference finals.
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They → combust → finals
Either they make a deep run with Donovan Mitchell, Harden, Peyton Watson and Evan Mobley or else it’s hard to imagine there isn’t going to be a reckoning soon.
6.
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it → make → Mitchell
This team has a lot of question marks.
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team → have → marks
If Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler play to their potential and the team’s perimeter defense surpasses expectations, the Lakers could be very good.
uncertain
Lakers → play → expectations
But this team has nine new players, including Kessler, who played only five games last season after having season-ending shoulder surgery.
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who → have → surgery
Fred VanVleet has returned after missing last season because a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee that he suffered in an offseason workout in September 2025.
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he → return → September
Alperen Sengun is looking good.
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Sengun → look → ?
Didn’t you learn not to overlook Tyrese Haliburton back in 2025?
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you → learn → 2025
You know, when he stunned the NBA by leading the Pacers to the NBA Finals before suffering a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 of that series?
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he → know → series
Sure, he’s going to be shaking off rust this season.
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he → go → rust
But he’s someone to keep your eye on.
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he → ’ → eye
The Pistons added more scoring threats after Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren were overcrowded by defenders in the paint last postseason.
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Cunningham → add → paint
If Ausar Thompson can also be counted on having a reliable outside shot, they could be good.
uncertain
they → count → shot
The Timberwolves’ ceiling rose after they acquired LaMelo Ball, pairing him with Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels.
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they → rise → Edwards
If the hype is real, the Timberwolves could give the top teams in the West a run for their money.
uncertain
Timberwolves → give → money
Brown is gone.
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Brown → go → ?
We’re going to see what Jayson Tatum can do without his longtime counterpart, with whom he won a championship in 2024.
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he → go → 2024
And this should be a revenge season of sorts for Paul George, who caught a lot of strays from pundits amid the Brown trade.
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who → catch → trade
The Nuggets had an underwhelming offseason.
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Nuggets → have → offseason
But any team with Nikola Jokic is going to be in the championship hunt.
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team → go → hunt
Their starting five of Joker, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun is very skilled, but their lack of depth could haunt them.
uncertain
lack → haunt → them
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo are going to be a lot of fun on both sides of the court.
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Antetokounmpo → go → court
Kawhi Leonard has returned to the Raptors, whom he carried to a championship in 2019.
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he → return → 2019
After far too many injury-riddled seasons with the Clippers, he looked great last year, averaging 27.9 points on 50.5% shooting, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game over 65 contests.
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he → riddle → contests
When he’s healthy, he’s one of the league’s best players.
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he → ’ → players
…and 42 more, not listed.
The Aporia
