Overview of Preseason Power Rankings, Part 5 | Group Chat
In this installment of Group Chat’s preseason NBA power rankings, Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, J. Kyle Mann, and the crew work through teams No. 10 through No. 6. The big picture: the top three teams are still considered clear-cut, but the middle of the league is a messy, overlapping tier where health, playoff matchups, and random variance could swing almost everything. The discussion leans heavily on roster fit, defensive identity, offensive creation, and which teams have enough high-end talent to matter in the postseason.
Main Themes
- The middle of the league is crowded. The hosts repeatedly note that teams ranked 4 through 10 are separated by tiny margins.
- Playoff viability matters more than regular-season floor for some of these teams, especially in the West.
- Health is a major swing factor for nearly every team discussed.
- The best teams here all have one major question: can their structure hold up once the game slows down in the playoffs?
Team-by-Team Breakdown
No. 10: Houston Rockets
The Rockets are framed as one of the most physical and defensively imposing teams in this group, but also one with real postseason baggage after a brutal end to last season.
Why they’re still intriguing
- Their defense remains elite.
- A healthy version of the roster, with more stability from veterans, should be better than the injury-ravaged version that finished last year.
- They have serious lineup physicality with players like Amen Thompson, Marcus Smart, and Tari Eason on the perimeter.
Biggest concerns
- Turnovers and offensive organization remain the main issue.
- Alperen Şengün needs to be more consistent as an offensive fulcrum.
- The team is still susceptible to the emotional and strategic drag of a clunky offense.
- There’s uncertainty around how much the older stars can carry over the course of the season.
Development watch
- Amen Thompson is the key breakout candidate. The hosts want to see him become more dangerous as a cutter, connector, and secondary creator.
- Reed Sheppard is discussed as a young player who wasn’t ready for the full spotlight yet.
- The team’s shooting development and overall offensive synchronization are major swing points.
No. 9: Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are treated like an almost entirely new team, built around a very different offensive vision.
Why there’s optimism
- Luka Dončić completely changes their offensive ceiling.
- The roster construction now makes more sense around his strengths.
- The vibes around the group are described as unusually strong.
- Austin Reaves is seen as a major fit next to Luka.
Main questions
- How good can they be defensively?
- Can they find the right wing/defensive combinations around Luka and Reaves?
- How much can Walker Kessler stabilize their rim protection and defense?
Key takeaways
- The hosts think the Lakers could be very good offensively.
- They’re less certain about the defense, but believe even a middle-of-the-pack defense could be enough if the offense hits.
- Walker Kessler is identified as the most likely player to “level up” dramatically because of the lob and spacing benefits of playing with Luka.
- Matisse Thybulle gets singled out as a strong perimeter defender who could have a role if he stays on the floor.
- The episode also emphasizes that Bronny James may finally get a more normal developmental environment.
No. 8: Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets are still anchored by Nikola Jokić, but the hosts are nervous about almost everything around him.
What worries them
- The defense is still a problem.
- The bench remains shaky.
- The roster is expensive and aging.
- Several important players are either injury-prone or hard to trust over a full season.
What they like
- Jokić is still the ultimate safety net.
- The team can still win a lot of games in the regular season.
- Some veteran additions could help them survive non-Jokić minutes.
Key talking points
- Aaron Gordon is viewed as essential but heavily overextended.
- Christian Braun is a major bounce-back candidate, and his contract is part of the pressure around the roster.
- The hosts are skeptical that the current mix solves the long-running issues that have shown up against elite teams like Minnesota and Oklahoma City.
- They view the Nuggets as a team that may be stable in the regular season but increasingly vulnerable in a deep playoff run.
No. 7: Boston Celtics
The Celtics discussion centers on whether the team can be better in structure, even if they win fewer games.
The argument for Boston
- On paper, the team’s talent balance still makes sense.
- They should still be strong on both ends.
- The addition of more size and frontcourt help is seen as important.
The big questions
- Can Jayson Tatum carry more offensive responsibility after returning from injury?
- Will Derrick White regain his shooting touch?
- Can Paul George serve as a dependable playoff stabilizer?
- Does Mitchell Robinson dramatically improve their frontcourt and offensive rebounding?
Key takeaways
- The hosts think the Celtics may have a more coherent, pass-heavy, and balanced offense than last season.
- They worry less about the regular season and more about whether they have a true bailout option late in playoff games.
- Mitchell Robinson is seen as a very important frontcourt addition, especially for offensive rebounding and defensive pressure.
- There’s some debate about whether the team has enough true star-level certainty beyond Tatum.
No. 6: Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers are treated as one of the safest regular-season bets in the league, but still a team with obvious playoff doubts.
Why they’re trusted
- They have one of the best regular-season profiles in the NBA.
- Their offense and defense both have enough structure to win a lot of games.
- They have roster flexibility, with players who can slide across positions and lineups.
What still needs to happen
- Evan Mobley needs at least a modest offensive step forward.
- They still need more reliable creation and more unpredictability in the playoffs.
- Their half-court offense can get flattened when opponents turn up the physicality.
Core concern
- The hosts are not convinced the Cavaliers have changed enough to solve the same playoff problems that have followed them before.
- They like the regular-season floor, but remain skeptical that this group can beat the very best teams in a seven-game series.
Closing Thoughts
This episode is mostly about sorting the middle of the league into tiers and deciding which teams have real title upside versus just a strong regular-season floor. The Rockets, Lakers, Nuggets, Celtics, and Cavaliers all have something compelling — but each also carries a major structural question that could define their season.
The episode ends with the crew teasing the final part of the rankings and continuing the usual Group Chat banter.