All the talk is out the window. The only thing that matters from this point forward is how teams perform on the court. As we head into the new season, there is much debate as to which teams are considered the favorites to win the title and which ones face an uphill battle on the path to the Playoffs.

Here’s how the 21 teams stack up in NBA2KLeague.com’s our preseason NBA 2K League Power Rankings.

Editorial note: This article is the opinion of this writer and do not reflect the views of the NBA 2K League or its clubs.

1. Knicks Gaming

The champs are here. Now they’ll try to repeat. After shocking the league to capture the title as the eighth seed last season, Knicks Gaming is back, with Iamadamthe1st and Goofy the key cogs among four returning starters. Missing in action is finals MVP NateKahl, who moved across town to Nets GC. The players know what it takes to win, but there will be a target on their backs. Until further notice, Knicks Gaming has earned the right to occupy the top spot.

2. Heat Check Gaming

The self-proclaimed “Bad Guys” from South Beach rode the us-against-the-world mentality all the way to last year’s NBA 2K League Finals. Perhaps dubbing them the “Good Guys” is more appropriate for a squad that certainly looks very formidable on paper heading into the upcoming campaign. MVP finalist Hotshot leads a trio of returnees who have unfinished business to attend to after coming up just short last season.

3. 76ers GC

They owned the second-best record during the regular season last year and advanced to the semifinals of the Playoffs. Yet, it felt like a disappointing result for THE TIPOFF champions. They’ll be motivated to get over the hump this year, especially with a lineup that returns four starters, including point guard Radiant, who is as steady as they come at his position. The ingredients are all here for a championship run.

4. Mavs Gaming

Former top pick Dimez is back for his sophomore season, albeit with a new supporting cast in tow. While that sounds potentially daunting, it’s actually the opposite as Mavs Gaming features a revamped roster following a stellar draft. There will naturally be some growing pains along the way, but it won’t be difficult for this group to easily surpassing last year’s sub-.500 regular-season record with aspirations of much grander accomplishments.

5. Pacers Gaming

They finished in the bottom half in these rankings last year after an up-and-down campaign. Yet, no team makes bigger jump heading into this season. That’s what happens when adding an MVP finalist in Ramo to a squad that includes Wolf and Swizurk to form what Pacers Gaming believes is a new Big 3. Expectations will definitely be higher in Indy, but this squad appears up for the challenge.

6. Blazer5 Gaming

The league’s best regular-season team was unceremoniously booted in the first round of the Playoffs by the eventual champions. The positive news? Back in the fold are OneWildWalnut, who was named both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year of the inaugural season, and Mama Im Dat Man, an MVP finalist himself. One thing’s a certainty: No one will be doubting Blazer5 this time around.

7. Warriors Gaming Squad

Can a team go from worst to first? That’s what WGS will attempt to do following a frustrating 2018 season. There’s reason for optimism, however, as an impressive draft class could pay immediate dividends. In Gradient and CB13, they have a pair of rookies with impressive skills to match the hype. The duo needs to establish a new culture in helping wash away last season’s disappointment.

8. Magic Gaming

A late-season surge put them on the verge of the Playoffs, only to be left out in the cold due to tiebreakers. KingCamRoyalty led the resurgence after starting the season as a sixth man. He returns to a team that will be be counting on their impressive draft haul, led by first-round pick Reizey, and the game-planning of new coach Jonah Edwards to secure a spot in the postseason.

9. Cavs Legion GC

Their season ended on a tough note, losing the last two games of a three-game series in the semifinals. Cavs Legion decided to rehaul their roster, welcoming in oLARRY and LYKaPRO, two unretained season 1 vets, to the mix. The team has interesting pieces in place. How they fit those pieces together will be key.

10. Celtics Crossover Gaming

No team had a more rollercoaster campaign than this one last year. CCG were at times among the strongest teams in the league, evident by a pair of tournament finals appearances. Yet, they found themselves on the outside looking in when the playoffs started. The league’s leading assist man, oFab, will again be relied on to keep the offense humming with a trio of new faces in the fold.

11. Nets GC

New York’s newest team has aspirations of making a first-year splash to similar to that of their Knicks Gaming brethren. They have the right player setting the tone in NateKahl, who is fresh off being named MVP of the Fnals. They’re a team that won’t have to worry about unnecessary outside distractions, such as chemistry issues or egos, allowing them to instead focus on perfecting their craft.

12. Raptors Uprising GC

The most surprising playoff team from a year ago is this one. But they earned every bit of it, stringing together an impressive five straight wins to close the regular season to make the Playoffs. Raptors Uprising appears to like the team they had and wanted to run things back in 2019, returning four of five starters while adding veteran point guard Doza to the mix.

13. Jazz Gaming

Seven consecutive losses to close the season worked out in their favor in helping win the draft lottery and the rights to draft Ria. They should be optimistic yet cautious, as Mavs Gaming learned last year that having the top pick doesn’t guarantee a postseason berth. Jazz Gaming still might be a year away from being serious contenders, but they have a strong base in place.

14. Hawks Talon GC

Two of the league’s better big men find themselves on the same squad. Shotz and Arsonal will team up to form an intimidating frontcourt duo that will be a handful for opposing teams. Hawks Talon is counting on first-round pick DevGoss to not only to balance things out as a scoring threat in the backcourt, but more importantly, step up and take charge as the team’s vocal leader.

15. Lakers Gaming

It appears a high priority was placed on experience when constructing their roster. They have five sophomore players on their roster, but naturally as an expansion team none of them played with one another last season. There could be some early hiccups as a result, but a core that features Mootyy, Vert and Kontrul seems likely to put it all together sooner than later.

16. Grizz Gaming

For a team pegged to finish near the bottom of the standings last season, they made a valiant effort to end up in the middle of the pack thanks to a strong second half push. AuthenticAfrican, who holds the single-game scoring record with 84 points, gets some reinforcements in the form of draftees Vandi and Jayrod, who give Grizz Gaming’s backcourt a new and dynamic look.

17. Wizards District Gaming

At one point during the offseason, WDG had the look and feel of a title contender. That was before losing reigning scoring champion BooPainter to disqualification from the league. They still possess a strong duo in JT and Dayfri, but it’s going to be an uphill battle trying to replace their former MVP finalist in the lineup. A third player must step up, but who will it be?

18. T-Wolves Gaming

Give them credit for going bold when building their expansion franchise. They traded for Hood as their first acquisition, so it’ll be worth watching how he adapts to his new surroundings. Pairing him with Feast, who by default has a more reserved personality, should serve as a nice compliment. Still, getting their chemistry together will be priority No. 1.

19. Pistons GT

A bold decision to trade Ramo has completely changed their outlook for the season. They appear to face a tough road in attempting to return to the playoffs minus their key cog and MVP finalist from a year ago. Their rebuild, however, is off to a good start with the additions of MrStylez and May in the draft’s first round to join holdover Insanity.

20. Bucks Gaming

The highlight of their season was a first-round upset of 76ers GC in the THE TICKET tournament. They’ll have higher aspirations this season. Drake once again will be counted on as the de facto leader, but Bucks Gaming hopes the addition of first-round picks Plondo and SlayIsland will be difference-makers. Patience will be key as piecing it all together could take some time.

21. Kings Guard Gaming

A four-win regular-season only got compounded when they lost Timelycook to a season-long suspension earlier this month. What they have now is Colt in the paint and a handful of new additions. Bp, the third pick in the draft, has an opportunity to step in and become a high volume scorer from the get-go. They must figure out how everyone else fits around those two.

Editorial note: This article is the opinion of this writer and do not reflect the views of the NBA 2K League or its clubs.