Top 5 - Bottom 3 (Week 1)

Welcome to the newest weekly feature here at the Club.. the Top 5 & Bottom 3. Each week we will determine the absolute cream of the NBA crop, as well as determine the bottom dwellers raping the other franchises via revenue sharing.

Got beef with our rankings? Let us know what you think. Got serious beef with the rankings? Get the F out da Club. Now without further ado, the best and worst the National Basketball Association has to offer...


Top 5

1. Miami Heat (Record: 16-6)
The defending champs have had minimal bumps thus far in their title defense. Lack of interest in the regular season could be this team's only weakness(other than depth in the frontcourt, but I digress). LeBron & Co. are simply waiting for the postseason to begin to dominate the Eastern Conference with their #1 seed and home court throughout the playoffs.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (20-4)
The Thunder deserve to be in the number one spot with their stellar play and impressive game of early MVP Kevin Durant. Last year's failures in the NBA Finals still seem more important than records through a 1/4th of this season, thus landing OKC at #2. The NBA Finals rematch on Christmas day against Miami will likely determine next week's top team.

3. Los Angeles Clippers (18-6)
Lob City has come out of the gate very sharp and have put up W's to match their sexy play. While NBA fans love seeing Blake Griffin jump out the building on a regular basis, Vinny Del Negro is doing something right with his roster and has put together an impressive 10 game winning streak. The Clips are currently reigning supreme in the Staples Center and are very much a contender for the title.

4. Memphis Grizzlies (16-6)
The Griz are the surprise of the NBA right now and are playing similarly to their playoff run two seasons ago.  Z-Bo is quietly putting up MVP numbers for his squad, averaging 17 points and almost 13 rebounds a game (good for 2nd best in the NBA). Rudy Gay, the other Gasol, and Mike Conley round out a core group of players that could challenge in the West.

5. New York Knicks (18-6)
As a 76ers fan, it pains me to put the Knickerbockers in the top five. Their play and stratospheric shooting numbers (averaging 12 three's made per game, by far best in the league) have the island of Manhattan excited about the Knicks chances for the first time in a long time. The imminent return of Amar'e will disrupt the teams rhythm and the inevitable decline in shooting % will doom the team.. but for now Knicks fans enjoy the VIP, the champagne, and being labeled as one of the best in the Club. 
 

Bottom 3

1. Washington Wizards (Record: 3-19)
The Wiz kids currently sit in the cellar with only three wins approaching Christmas. Injuries to stars John Wall and Nene certainly haven't helped this helpless franchise, but a winning percent of .136 is inexcusable. Washington has started 11 different players already this season, with neither Wall or Nene being one of them. Eleven!

2. Charlotte Bobcats (7-17)
The doormat of the association since 2004, Charlotte's NBA team is so bad most people think they still have a different animal as a mascot. The Hornets, er, Bobcats, started the season strong with seven wins, but are winless since beating the Wizards in OT around Thanksgiving. The Bobcats are currently caught in a losing streak of 12 games, making them an easy choice for the bottom three. Twelve!


3. Phoenix Suns (10-15)
While teams like New Orleans and Cleveland have much worse records than the Suns, those teams can at least attribute poor play to injuries to stars (i.e. Uncle Drew's broken hand, the Unibrow's busted ankle). The Suns lack star power, unless Marcin Gortat arouses you, and the majority of their wins are against the trash of the NBA. The Suns wins include Cleveland (twice), Detroit, Charlotte, New Oreleans, etc. The Suns, like all NBA teams, are permitted to have 13 players on their active roster. Thirteen!