Predicting the Top 10 Offenses and Defenses of the 2014-15 NBA Season
Some NBA teams thrive when putting the ball in the bucket. Others are at their best when they can settle into their defensive stances and prevent the opposition from posting impressive offensive totals.
Of course, the best squads can do both.
During the 2013-14 season, it was the Los Angeles Clippers who emerged as the league's best collection of offensive talent, while no team was better at preventing points than the Indiana Pacers, even with their late-season decline factored in. But who will emerge at the top of the heap going forward?
Offensive and defensive rating, approximations of how many points a team scores and allows per 100 possessions, is at the heart of these rankings. After all, that's the ultimate measure of a team's success on either end, as it shows how effective the team is in a pace-neutral and standardized setting.
Style doesn't come into play, and neither does a team's success in the win-loss column. For the best defenses, it's all about preventing points, and offensive teams have to worry about doing the opposite.
While there aren't too many new teams breaking into the elites, there are certainly plenty of shakeups within the upper tier of the standings, due primarily to schematic shifts and personnel changes.
Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com.
No. 10 Defense: Oklahoma City Thunder
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Losing Kevin Durant during the early portion of the season hurts quite a bit on the defensive end, especially because we don't have a definitive target for his expected return. The reigning MVP made significant strides in so many different facets of his game last year, and defense was certainly one of them, as he became more of a lockdown contributor than ever before.
In fact, the Oklahoma City Thunder saw him earn 4.4 defensive win shares last season, more than anyone else on the roster.
Part of that is due to the exorbitant number of minutes he played during his award-winning go-round, but even when minutes are factored out of the equation by looking at defensive win shares per 48 minutes, Durant finished fourth among players who spent at least 400 minutes on the court, worse than only Serge Ibaka, Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams.
The defensive potential isn't quite as high without him on the court, but it's not as though there's a shortage of game-changing players. Ibaka is a strong Defensive Player of the Year candidate, while Westbrook is emerging as one of the best—and most underrated—defensive point guards in the sport.
But with a big decline coming at the beginning of the year and a limited amount of internal improvement to account for, it's tough to see OKC repeating last year's finish, when its 103.9 points allowed per 100 possessions gave it the NBA's No. 6 mark.
Defensive Honorable Mentions: Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Pelicans
No. 10 Offense: Phoenix Suns
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Remember when the Phoenix Suns were supposed to spend the 2013-14 season tanking their way to a high lottery pick and a potential star to add to their growing collection of young talent?
So much for that.
Instead, Jeff Hornacek installed his two-point guard system and watched as Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe (when healthy), Gerald Green and the rest of the Suns raced their way to a No. 8 finish in the league-wide offensive rating standings. Though the team wasn't undeniably elite in any particular facet of the game and occasionally turned the ball over too frequently, it shot efficiently, created second-chance opportunities and spent plenty of time at the charity stripe.
What's different this year?
The backcourt, bolstered by Bledsoe's return to health and the arrivals of Isaiah Thomas, Zoran Dragic and—to a lesser extent—Tyler Ennis, will be even more potent, capable of carrying this squad to gaudy point totals night in and night out. But the league should be more ready for how the Suns play, and the loss of Channing Frye is going to hurt more than most expect.
Losing his 11 points per game is painful enough, but even more important is the lost gravitational field that he created as he pulled defenders toward him and opened up bigger lanes for the guards to drive through and get to the rim. With Frye on the floor, Phoenix scored 112.7 points per 100 possessions. Without him, just 104.4.
The Suns enjoyed a strong offseason, and Markieff Morris' development should help mitigate some of what was lost when Frye went to the Orlando Magic. But expecting further improvement upon last year's astronomical ascent is a bit much at this stage.
Offensive Honorable Mentions: Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors
No. 9 Defense: Toronto Raptors
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The Toronto Raptors probably aren't the first team to pop into your head when you start thinking of the best defenses in the NBA, but Dwane Casey's squad has earned that type of recognition.
In 2013-14, the Raptors allowed only 98 points per game, a number bested by just seven squads throughout the Association. Factoring in the sluggish pace, Toronto's defensive rating of 105.3 allowed it to emerge as the No. 10 point-preventing unit in the NBA.
What's going to change now?
All the key pieces are back in place for the Raptors, who are looking to build off a stellar second half to their 2013-14 campaign. In fact, let's go back even further than the halfway point of the season, looking at what happened after Rudy Gay played his last game for Toronto on Dec. 6. From that day forward, the team posted a 102.4 defensive rating, per NBA.com's statistical databases (subscription required), one that allowed it to trail only eight other squads.
This is a team that forces turnovers, holds its opposition to low shooting percentages and rebounds well. The only issue is excessive fouling, which should be a point of emphasis throughout the early portion of the season, unless it doesn't allow the Raptors to be quite as aggressive.
With James Johnson coming to town and providing Toronto with a bigger wing defender, Casey's troops should keep getting better. Every major contributor is still moving toward his athletic prime, after all.
No. 9 Offense: Oklahoma City Thunder
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are the first of three teams to appear in the top 10 for both offense and defense, and that's no easy feat. During the 2013-14 season, there were only four squads who managed to accomplish that feat: the Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and, somewhat surprisingly, the Toronto Raptors.
For OKC, the biggest obstacle when shooting for the repeat, as also described on their defensive slide, is the absence of Kevin Durant. The reigning MVP is out for the opening salvo of the campaign with his Jones fracture, and there's no guaranteed return data. All we know is that he's taking his rehab slowly and refusing to rush the process in order to get back on the court.
Unfortunately for the Thunder, there's a big difference in offensive capabilities when he's on the court versus when he's on the bench, either catching his breath or wearing street clothes.
During the former situation, OKC scored 112.3 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would have toppled the season-long numbers posted by every team in the NBA. But during the latter, the offensive rating plummeted all the way to 103.3, which would have been one of the five worst numbers last season. To be fair, some of that also came sans Westbrook as well.
The Thunder should be more prepared to stay afloat without the reigning MVP in the lineup, but his absence—however short it may end up being—will make it quite tough for the Thunder to do any better than last year's No. 7 finish.
No. 8 Defense: Washington Wizards
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Is Trevor Ariza a better defensive player than Paul Pierce at this stage of their respective careers? Let's kick things off for the Washington Wizards with a head-to-head breakdown of their relevant statistical scores from the 2013-14 season (numbers coming from Basketball-Reference.com and 82games.com:
| Trevor Ariza | 104 | 3.7 | 0.065 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 3.4 points better | 15.6 |
| Paul Pierce | 106 | 2.3 | 0.053 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 6.8 points better | 12.5 |
It's debatable, but I'd give a slight edge to Pierce, a wing player whose individual defensive skill has been massively underrated for quite some time now. But even if they're dead even or Ariza pulls slightly ahead, replacing one with the other won't make too much of an impact on the Wizards defense.
Last season, this team finished the year allowing 104.6 points per 100 possessions, which placed it at No. 8 in the league-wide hierarchy. It was quite adept at creating turnovers and grabbing defensive rebounds, though it finished right in the middle of the pack when it came to effective field-goal percentage allowed and free throws allowed per field-goal attempt.
If the Wizards are going to improve rather than stagnate, it's all going to be about the impact John Wall can make at point guard. Bradley Beal's injury and the improvement of the bench should just about cancel each other out in terms of season-long defensive ability, but even more growth from Wall should allow the Wizards to stave off the other improving units around the league.
"He's not the same player who entered the league four years ago, and he's made significant strides on both offense and defense," Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes wrote about the former No. 1 pick over the summer. "In fact, we haven't even credited him for his growth as a stopper; Wall's length and speed make him one of the most fearsome on-ball guards in the game."
Still only 24 years old, Wall doesn't have to stop making use of his tireless work ethic quite yet.
No. 8 Offense: New Orleans Pelicans
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"Here we go again. This is all about that Anthony Davis hype, even though he hasn't proved he deserves to be featured amongst the big boys yet."
Yeah, yeah.
I can hear the cries already, but this ranking isn't only because a certain unibrowed power forward is set to improve upon his fantastic sophomore campaign, averaging 20 points per game with ease while displaying some guard-esque moves like driving to his left from the perimeter and draining a pull-up jumper.
It's more because the Pelicans went to war last season without any semblance of continuity. Injuries plagued this team throughout the year, even limiting it to the point that no five-man lineup played more than 22 games together, per NBA.com.
When everyone is healthy, New Orleans has an abundance of offensive talent, with Davis at the center of everything. Eric Gordon remains an inside-outside threat at shooting guard, Tyreke Evans is always good for some Euro-stepping offensive exploits, Jrue Holiday isn't far removed from his All-Star season with the Philadelphia 76ers and Ryan Anderson can drill triples with the best of them. The fragility of those players almost ensures there will be some unfortunate blows, but it can't possibly be as bad as last year.
Oh, and even then, the Pelicans finished with the league's No. 13 offensive rating, scoring 107.2 points per 100 possessions.
Frankly, this ranking might not be nearly aggressive enough.
No. 7 Defense: Los Angeles Clippers
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The Los Angeles Clippers defense is only going to keep improving.
Gven Doc Rivers' sterling defensive reputation, it might surprise you to hear the 2012-13 Clippers posted a better defensive rating (103.6, No. 8 in the league) under Vinny Del Negro than they did after he was fired and replaced by Rivers. During his first season in charge, they regressed, allowing 104.8 points per 100 possessions and finishing at No. 9 in the league-wide rankings.
But if you look at the two halves of the season, they still improved during the year.
According to NBA.com's databases (subscription required)—which, keep in mind, use different approximations for possessions—LAC had a 102 defensive rating before the All-Star break and a 102.1 after it.
Wait? Didn't I say they were improving?
Well, compared to the league as a whole, they were. Offenses often tend to get better throughout the season, as injuries and fatigue tear down defensive standouts while schemes, plays and executions get tighter and tighter as the year progresses. On those leaderboards, the Clippers were No. 8 prior to the midseason classic and No. 6 after it.
That trend should continue as everyone (especially DeAndre Jordan) gains more comfort under Rivers. Plus, this team has a deeper frontcourt now, following the offseason acquisitions of Spencer Hawes and Ekpe Udoh, which should keep the starters fresher for the stretch run.
No. 7 Offense: Houston Rockets
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James Harden and Dwight Howard are going to put up efficient points in bunches. That much is already clear, but the production level of the bench isn't quite so transparent.
Jason Terry (who has clearly declined dramatically in recent years), Francisco Garcia, Earl Clark and Donatas Motiejunas are really the only reliable contributors off the pine, though there's admittedly plenty of potential from numerous sources. Chances are, the Rockets will get big outings from various second-unit players every once in a while, though it'll be tough to count on the supporting cast on a regular basis.
Even without much of an established bench, Harden and Howard are two of the best offensive players at their respective positions, capable of carrying the load any given night. They were the primary reasons the Rockets managed to score 111 points per 100 possessions last season, a mark that was topped by only three teams throughout the Association.
The other big change here, beside the attrition of the bench, was essentially swapping Chandler Parsons for Trevor Ariza. While the new arrival may actually be a slightly better fit for the team, given his defensive inclinations, losing Parsons' playmaking abilities and knack for creating shots will ultimately cause the Rockets to take a minor step backward on the offensive end.
Houston is by no means going to endure a poor scoring season, but don't be surprised when it finishes outside the top five. Losing two of your top four playmakers (Parsons and Jeremy Lin) with no replacements tends to do that.
No. 6 Defense: Golden State Warriors
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In 2013-14 the Golden State Warriors, even though they had trouble staying healthy for much of the year, only allowed 102.6 points per 100 possessions. It was a number bested by just three squads throughout the NBA.
Having the Dubs dip down to No. 6 in 2014-15 isn't so much about them taking a step backward. If anything, they should maintain their level of play under Steve Kerr, as the roster is incredibly similar to last year's and should boast plenty of continuity-caused chemistry.
Instead, they're only falling those two spots in the standings because they're being jumped by two teams that improved significantly, to the point that they're now going to move past the Warriors with some room to spare. We'll get to those later, but for now, let's keep the focus on Golden State.
During the 2013-14 campaign, the Dubs ranked extraordinarily high in two of the four defensive factors: No. 3 in effective field-goal percentage allowed and No. 5 in defensive rebounding percentage. On the flip side, they ranked in the league's bottom half for both opponent's turnover percentage and free throws allowed per field-goal attempt.
There's plenty of room for improvement here, but with a roster that doesn't feature many new players and should see Andre Iguodala's role start to decline, it's not a safe bet to count on them shoring up those two major flaws. Kerr's status as the new head coach doesn't allow for much clarity either, as he has no coaching profile to draw from whatsoever, and it seems as though he'll lean more toward offense while replacing Mark Jackson.
No. 6 Offense: Denver Nuggets
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During the 2012-13 season, the Denver Nuggets scored 110.4 points per 100 possessions, which gave them an offensive rating so high that only four squads throughout the entire Association managed to top it. But in 2013-14, that number dipped to 106, and the Nuggets fell into the league's bottom half, if only barely.
The truth for 2014-15 lies somewhere in between, though likely much closer to the earlier campaign than the later one.
After all, last season's disaster was primary caused by one injury after another, as four players suffered season-ending blows (Danilo Gallinari, Nate Robinson, J.J. Hickson and JaVale McGee), while seemingly everyone else had to deal with one malady after another. At one point, Denver was using Randy Foye and Evan Fournier as de facto point guards, so of course its offensive production was going to suffer.
Consider 2014-15 a do-over. A mulligan, if you will.
Now, all of the players who had surgery will be ready to go early on in the season, and they'll be joined by Arron Afflalo, brought back after gaining experience as a No. 1 option with the Orlando Magic. Between his return, the newly healthy contributors and the improvement from players like Kenneth Faried, this offense should be back in business.
There's still no Andre Iguodala to take some of the ball-handling responsibilities away from Ty Lawson, but this roster—one of the deepest in the league—is filled with offensive talent, especially if Faried can build upon his performance at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and Timofey Mozgov continues looking like a consistent and reliable offensive presence at the 5.
Though there's a great chance no one on the roster averages 20 points per game, the combined efforts will create one of the more potent offenses in the league.
No. 5 Defense: Indiana Pacers
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It might seem blasphemous to have the Indiana Pacers moving this far down after leading the NBA in defensive rating during the 2013-14 season. Even with a late-season collapse, they still finished in the No. 1 spot, though they weren't able to maintain the historic pace from the early portion of the campaign.
But think about what this team lost.
Sure, Frank Vogel is still in charge of the proceedings, while Roy Hibbert anchors the paint and is joined by both David West (aging, but still effective) and George Hill. There's no cause for concern there, but this team does have to replace both Paul George and Lance Stephenson.
While the Pacers actually allowed fewer points per 100 possessions with Stephenson on the bench, they were 2.3 points better over the same span when George was playing. But given the weakness of Indiana's bench and the amount of time that those two spent on the court, those numbers can both be misleading. Let's attack this a different way.
With 6.4 defensive win shares, George paced the Pacers in that category, and Stephenson's 4.8 weren't far behind. If we take playing time out of the equation and look solely at defensive win shares per 48 minutes, they finish at No. 2 and No. 10, respectively. Andrew Bynum, thanks to only playing 36 minutes all year with Indiana, is the only player ahead of George.
Losing those two hurts—George more so than Stephenson—but the gap is lessened because it's defensive liability Rodney Stuckey replacing the latter former starter.
If anything, I may be generous by putting Indiana at No. 5. Kevin Pelton's projection system for ESPN (subscription required) has the team allowing 107 points per 100 possessions, the seventh-best total of any franchise in the Association.
No. 5 Offense: Portland Trail Blazers
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The Portland Trail Blazers were an unstoppable force on the offensive end during their breakthrough campaign, scoring 111.5 points per 100 possessions and trailing only the Los Angeles Clippers in offensive rating.
In fact, Rip City actually managed to finish in the top half for each of the four offensive factors: No. 3 in turnover percentage and offensive rebounding percentage, and No. 14 in effective field-goal percentage and free throws per field-goal attempt. That bodes well for the follow-up efforts, especially because the bench is set to be significantly better.
Not only will C.J. McCollum have the benefit of entering the season healthy, but there are other breakout candidates as well. Thomas Robinson, Meyers Leonard and Will Barton all qualify as such, while Steve Blake and Chris Kaman should be solid, minute-eating veteran contributors.
So, why is Portland taking a slight step backward?
Last season's run was a legitimate one, but the Blazers had the luxury of catching the league by surprise while its starters remained almost completely healthy from start to finish. Betting on the opposite would be ill-advised, but it's tough to believe that Rip City can experience such good fortune once more, unless karma isn't done paying the city back for Greg Oden and Brandon Roy. It probably shouldn't be, but that's not exactly how fortune works in the NBA.
Even after the All-Star break, the Blazers dropped down to No. 11 on the offensive rating leaderboard, per NBA.com's statistical databases (subscription required), though that was partially due to the absence of LaMarcus Aldridge, who missed a handful of contests toward the end of the season. A decline is by no means out of the question.
No. 4 Defense: Charlotte Hornets
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Steve Clifford is a defensive mastermind.
During his first season as the head coach of the Charlotte franchise, he steered the Bobcats to a No. 5 finish in defensive rating, as they allowed only 103.8 points per 100 possessions. This team, even though it featured notorious sieve Al Jefferson at the 5, excelled on the less glamorous end, as the only true weakness was an inability to force turnovers.
Well, now it's going to be even better.
The main defensive pieces, save the ever-underrated Josh McRoberts, are back in place, and Lance Stephenson is about to be thrown into the fray for the Hornets. Though he didn't make any impact on the Indiana Pacers' turnover percentage last year, he's still a havoc-wreaking defender who gives Clifford yet another weapon to use at his discretion.
"[Tom] Thibodeau has different kinds of players (in Chicago) than we do, but defensively the schemes are all the same," Charlotte president of basketball operations Rod Higgins told Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling last season. "It's almost like a mirrored situation, so you kind of knew going in what Coach Clifford was going to be about defensively. There were no surprises there."
Cliffford goes on to explain many of his defensive philosophies and inspirations in that article, and it's tough to read through the entire thing without becoming convinced that his Hornets will only continue on their upward trajectory, especially as they continue to gain familiarity with his stylings.
No. 4 Offense: San Antonio Spurs
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The San Antonio Spurs finished with the league's No. 6 offensive rating during the 2013-14 season, and there's no reason to veer far from that number one year later. The roster has an intriguing blend of old pieces who might take slight steps backward, but there's also enough young talent to mitigate any declines that Father Time might dictate.
If anything, they're bound to get a little better, based on the ridiculous chemistry displayed throughout the postseason. Particularly in the NBA Finals, where they systematically dismantled the defending champions and put an end to LeBron James and the Miami Heat's hopes of a three-peat, the Spurs played some of the most beautiful offensive basketball the Association has ever witnessed.
Throughout its 23 playoff outings, San Antonio scored 114.2 points per 100 possessions, a mark that only the Houston Rockets topped during their six-game series with the Portland Trail Blazers. Had the Spurs posted such a number throughout the regular season, it easily would've paced the league.
Gregg Popovich will inevitably play his backups and young up-and-comers throughout the regular season, though, as there's no real motivation for him to put the pedal down from Game 1 through Game 82. It's all about the playoffs for this veteran team, even if that doesn't allow it to live up to its full offensive potential.
The Spurs have been at least 2.4 points per 100 possessions better than the league average each of the last five seasons, and there's no reason for that trend to draw to a screeching halt anytime soon. After all, the roster is almost entirely intact, and the league's best coach is still implementing his unstoppable offensive system.
Consider the Spurs boring at your own peril.
No. 3 Defense: Chicago Bulls
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At this point, defense seems like a sure thing whenever Tom Thibodeau is the one calling the signals.
If you took Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Gordon Hayward, Carlos Boozer and Andrea Bargnani, forced Thibodeau to coach them and then waited for him to lose his mind over the course of a season, it wouldn't happen. In fact, he'd probably just get them to commit on the less-glamorous end, come up with some new twist to his paint-packing schemes and cackle maniacally as they finished with one of the league's better defensive ratings.
Scratch that.
There's no "probably" necessary in that sentence. He would make that happen, and the rest of the league would then try to imitate whatever nuanced plans he used to accomplish such an amazing feat.
But that's all beside the point, because the Bulls have an incredibly talented defensive roster.
Joakim Noah is set to battle for Defensive Player of the Year yet again (assuming his knees don't give him too many problems); Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler are outstanding defenders; and Pau Gasol, while he's by no means a point-stopping stalwart, is a significant upgrade over Carlos Boozer. There's plenty for Thibodeau to work with while he attempts to back up last year's No. 2 finish in defensive rating.
The only reason for a slight decline here is the increased offensive focus that's bound to take place in the Windy City. The Bulls will inevitably hand major minutes to Doug McDermott, Nikola Mirotic and Gasol, who has to try much harder than he did protecting the rim for the Los Angeles Lakers last season. There's going to be a small step backward on the defensive end, though the offensive capabilities of this new-look squad will more than make up for the difference.
No. 3 Offense: Los Angeles Clippers
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Last year's No. 1 offense isn't expected to get much worse in 2014-15, but it also didn't get much better, which has allowed two surging squads to leap past it in these projected standings.
The Los Angeles Clippers still have their major pieces in place, and Doc Rivers should be able to work with his team even more effectively now that he's in the second year of his tenure as head coach. Blake Griffin is the best power forward in the game and Chris Paul can say the same thing about his place in the point guard hierarchy, and that's always going to make for a devastating duo.
But can this team score 112.1 points per 100 possessions once more? And if it can, will that be good enough to finish in the league's top spot again?
That's where the bench comes into play.
Upgrading the frontcourt reserves to include Glen Davis, Ekpe Udoh and, most significantly, Spencer Hawes both helps and hurts. On one hand, it will keep the starters fresh, especially for the inevitable postseason run. But it also gives Rivers the luxury of handing his backups more playing time, which won't result in production that's quite so stellar.
Chances are, this team and the next-best offensive one will be nearly interchangeable, flip-flopping spots throughout the season. But the Clippers are not going to defend their title as they strive for their first set of rings since, well, forever.
No. 2 Defense: San Antonio Spurs
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Is there any doubt that the San Antonio Spurs belong as one of the top defenses in the NBA? Should Gregg Popovich decide he wants to do away with strict minutes restrictions, putting Tim Duncan on the court more than anticipated, this would be the league's best point-preventing unit.
But that's probably not going to happen anytime soon.
Either way, the Spurs emerge as one of three teams to rank in the top 10 on both sides of the court. The Los Angeles Clippers, between their No. 3 offense and No. 7 defense, had a total rank of 10, while the Oklahoma City Thunder's two halves add up to 19. The Spurs leave both of them in the dust, as the finishes of No. 4 and No. 2 make an early case they'll be the very best team in the league.
Last season, San Antonio allowed 102.4 points per 100 possessions, and that was good enough for it to finish behind only the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers, both of whom are projected to drop off slightly during the 2014-15 campaign. Someone has leapfrogged this squad, but it's not as though Pop's Spurs are going to be anything but elite.
The same pieces remain in place, even if the aging ones won't spend an abundance of time on the court, and Kawhi Leonard is only continuing to grow into a rare perimeter player who gains some Defensive Player of the Year consideration.
During the annual survey of general managers that NBA.com's John Schuhmann put together, only Tom Thibodeau received more votes in the defensive coaching category than Popovich. Of course, the signal-caller for the reigning champions also led the polls in the manager/motivator, in-game adjustments, best offense and best overall categories. So defense was actually the only area in which he didn't top the charts, but it's not as though a second-place finish to Thibodeau is cause for embarrassment.
No. 2 Offense: Dallas Mavericks
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The Dallas Mavericks have offensive options galore.
Dirk Nowitzki has shown no signs of letting Father Time slow him down, quelling all doubts about diminished production by putting together a spectacular 2013-14 season. He meshed marvelously with Monta Ellis, whom head coach Rick Carlisle got to play to his strengths—driving to the basket and largely eschewing the perimeter jumpers he so often struggles with.
Those are the two centerpieces of the Dallas offense, but everything else around them has changed.
The offensive downgrade from Jose Calderon to Raymond Felton, Jameer Nelson and Devin Harris is a big one, as none of the current options can help space the court and efficiently knock down jumpers quite like the man who was traded to the New York Knicks this offseason. But that decline is made up for by the presence of Tyson Chandler, who draws plenty of defensive attention with his rolls to the hoop and thunderous alley-oop finishes.
Of course, the biggest change comes at small forward, where Chandler Parsons is bringing more to the table than Vince Carter and Shawn Marion could at this stage of their careers. He's a fantastic shooter from the outside, a capable ball-handler who allows for even more diversity in the offensive sets Carlisle calls and a player who will immediately become one of the best tertiary options in the Association.
Last season, Dallas finished third in offensive rating, scoring 111.2 points per 100 possessions. Expect a slight improvement this year, both in terms of production and final placement among the NBA's best of the best.
No. 1 Defense: Memphis Grizzlies
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The Memphis Grizzlies are the same squad they were last year, except Vince Carter has joined the roster and everyone is a bit older. Seeing as Carter is a high-quality defender who has fully accepted his role as an occasional stopper, that's a positive change for Dave Joerger's squad.
But if they're pretty much the same, save those minor changes, why are they vaulting all the way up to No. 1? After all, the Grizz allowed 104.6 points per 100 possessions last season and finished down at No. 7 in the defensive rating standings.
The answer is pretty simple.
All the top-notch pieces are back, whether we're talking about the perennially underrated Mike Conley, the universally feared Tony Allen or practically any other important defensive part of the roster. And Marc Gasol, who won Defensive Player of the Year the last time he was fully healthy for a season, is certainly included within that group.
Thanks to a troublesome knee, the Spanish 7-footer played the early portion of the year, then missed quite a few games before returning to the lineup for a Jan. 14 contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Once he came back, the team started winning and became nothing short of dominant on the defensive end.
In fact, NBA.com's databases (subscription required) show that Memphis allowed only 99.7 points per 100 possessions from that point forward, a mark that actually put them ahead of teams like the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs, leaving them trailing only the Chicago Bulls.
This may seem like a bold pick. It's not.
When at full strength, the Grizzlies are just that good at suffocating the opposition.
No. 1 Offense: Cleveland Cavaliers
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The poor Eastern Conference...
While two of the three offensive honorable mentions came from the NBA's weaker half, the Cleveland Cavaliers are the first ranked team to show up and receive credit for their work on this side of the court. Fortunately, they help redeem the overall futility of their conference by finishing in the top spot with room to spare, even if nine of the 10 best offenses belong to the West.
What the Cavaliers did last season (104.2 points per 100 possessions and a No. 22 finish) is completely irrelevant. After all, the roster is now entirely different and figures to be brimming over with absolutely dominant offensive options.
Kyrie Irving already looked like an improved player during the preseason, showing incredible comfort with his new teammates and first-year head coach David Blatt's schemes. He shot the ball more efficiently than ever before and showed remarkable care for the rock, looking like the oft-hyped point guard so many have expected him to become for years.
While there will be an adjustment period for Kevin Love, much like there was for Chris Bosh when LeBron James came to South Beach, the big man is one of the premier offensive players in the Association, and he'll thrive on the perimeter when the ball-handlers draw plenty of defensive attention.
Then there's James, about whom nothing really needs to be said. He's the best offensive player in the game, and he can single-handedly turn just about any squad into a dominant scoring unit.
That trio should immediately assert itself as one of the best offensive troikas the sport has witnessed, and there's a convincing amount of young talent (Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova) and veteran contributors (James Jones, Shawn Marion, Mike Miller and Anderson Varejao) surrounding it.
Don't be surprised when Cleveland submits one of the best offensive seasons in recent memory, even if the players are working to mesh with one another all the while.
