When the NBA season tips off this week the standings will show every team starting out tied in the same spot. That will quickly change, but in the minds of many it already has, as preseason expectations begin to rate teams on where they belong before any games that actually count have been played.
A glance at the rankings on three different sites may reveal teams in three slightly different orders. These rankings are subjective, particularly before the season when we have no current data to support them. Most Power Rankings will show the Boston Celtics hovering in the middle of the pack, better than the lottery teams but not quite good enough to be a legitimate contender.