Of the teams in contention for the postseason, none have been harder to peg than Celtics Crossover Gaming.

Their talent is undeniable, led by a core three of point guard oFAB, forward Mel East and center ARSONAL. While their regular-season performance has been uneven, they find a way to elevate their play come tournament time.

That was again the case this weekend at THE TICKET, where Celtics Crossover made a second consecutive appearance in a tournament final. They didn’t get the end result they aimed for, but they do occupy the top spot for the first time this season in this week’s rankings.

Up with a Rocket!

The tournament champions strung together four straight wins, pushing Knicks Gaming up seven spots to No. 6 this week.

Falling Back

Formerly the #2 team in the rankings, 76ers GC fell three spots to No. 5 for their lowest positioning of the season.

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Note: NBA2KLeague.com’s Power Rankings are the opinion of this writer and do not reflect the views of the NBA 2K League or its clubs.

1. Celtics Crossover Gaming

Regular-season record: 5-5

THE TICKET result: Runner-up

Last week: 4

How can a team currently sporting a .500 regular-season record sit atop the rankings? For starters, they’re tied with Blazer5 Gaming for most tournament game wins (9) this season. Both teams are also the only two to appear in two championship games. While Celtics Crossover haven’t yet found a way to close out tournament finals, they’re as dangerous as any in single-elimination play, which is all that counts come August. Their remaining schedule includes just one game against a team currently in the playoffs if the season ended today, which bodes well for their chances of grabbing a postseason berth.  

🍀A well rounded offensive effort from @CLTXGaming saw them take down @PistonsGT 80-62 to advance to the finals of THE TICKET 🎟️

Check out all of the best moments from this intense semifinals matchup with the recap! pic.twitter.com/2G8GlzBzy3

— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) July 15, 2018

2. Blazer5 Gaming

Regular-season record: 8-1

THE TICKET result: Lost in first round

Last week: 1

After occupying the top spot for a majority of the season, Blazer5 finds themselves in an unfamiliar spot. The reason? A surprising loss to 17th-seeded Kings Guard Gaming in the tournament’s first round, arguably the biggest upset in the league to date. Blazer5 have now suffered a pair of losses over the past three weeks, an uncharacteristic sight for a team that’s been so dominant.

3. Cavs Legion GC

Regular-season record: 6-4

THE TICKET result: Lost in semifinals

Last week: 3

Cavs Legion fell in the semifinals of a tournament for a second time this season, losing to Knicks Gaming this go around. Hood was a one-man wrecking crew throughout, breaking the league’s single-game scoring record with 52 points in the quarterfinals. He finished with an astonishing 132 points over the three games.

History was made by @HoodBC_ as he set the all time single game #NBA2KLeague scoring record with 52 points in a @CavsLegionGC victory over @MavsGG

He joins the @Intel Analyst Desk to discuss his historic performance pic.twitter.com/vMNkxQqSp7

— NBA2KLeague (@NBA2KLeague) July 14, 2018

4. Pistons GT

Regular-season record: 6-3

THE TICKET result:

Last week: 6

These guys are no strangers to deep tournament runs, having now made a pair of semifinals this season. Their valiant run at THE TICKET ended with a loss to Celtics Crossover, but Pistons GT carries a great deal of momentum as they resume the regular season, where they have won two straight.

☠️ A 19 point & 11 assist double-double from @ImSoFarAhead_ helped lead @PistonsGT to a huge victory over @BucksGG to advance them to the semi-finals of THE TICKET 🎟️

He joins the @Intel Analyst Desk to discuss his awesome performance pic.twitter.com/SZ5l39VKej

— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) July 14, 2018

5. 76ers GC

Regular-season record: 7-3

THE TICKET result: Lost in first round

Last week: 2

It was a rather forgettable weekend for 76ers GC, who entered as the fourth overall seed of the tournament. They were bounced in the first round against Bucks Gaming for their second loss in the past three games overall. The team that blitzed out in the early portion of the season, including winning THE TIPOFF, is showing recent signs of vulnerability.

6. Knicks Gaming

Regular-season record: 3-7

THE TICKET result: Won the championship

Last week: 13

Their season looked lost just weeks ago. They entered THE TICKET with nothing to lose but played with a chip on their shoulder as the 15th seed. Four wins later and they’re the first team in the league to secure a postseason spot. Everything over the next four weeks is gravy as they lock in for their first-round matchup.   

🏆 Led by tournament MVP @iamadamthe1st (21 PTS/4 AST) @KnicksGaming took down @CLTXGaming 83-80 to win THE TICKET 🎟️and gain an automatic berth to the #NBA2KLeague playoffs

Relive every big moment from this incredible championship game with the recap! pic.twitter.com/Sls5yXQzf9

— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) July 15, 2018

7. Wizards District Gaming

Regular-season record: 5-4

THE TICKET result: Lost in quarterfinals

Last week: 5

They have an MVP candidate in Boo Painter, who his teammates can become too reliant on at times. Boo carried his squad with 39 points in a first-round win over Heat Check. He followed it up with 35 against Knicks Gaming, but didn’t get enough in the way of support as Wizards District were bounced from the tourney.

8. Mavs Gaming

Regular-season record: 5-4

THE TICKET result: Lost in quarterfinals

Last week: 7

Mavs Gaming fell in the quarterfinals for a third straight tournament. Their most recent loss came as Hood set a league scoring record (coincidentally besting Dimez’s previous mark of 50) in a loss to Cavs Legion. Mavs Gaming enter Week 9 on a two-game losing streak in the regular season and have a doubleheader awaiting them.

9. Heat Check Gaming

Regular-season record: 5-4

THE TICKET result: Lost in first round

Last week: 8

Different tournament, same result. Heat Check suffered a first-round loss to Wizards District for the second time in a matter of weeks. The latest defeat came as they were unable to contain Boo Painter. On the bright side, they have won three of their past four regular-season games to jump into the playoff hunt.

10. Jazz Gaming

Regular-season record: 5-4

THE TICKET result: Lost in first round

Last week: 9

Jazz Gaming entered the weekend in a mini-slump of sorts with a two-game losing streak. Things didn’t get better in their opening game vs Pistons GT. Despite a huge performance by Yeah I Compete (34 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals), he wasn’t able to carry his squad out of the first round for a second straight tournament.

11. Magic Gaming

Regular-season record: 5-4

THE TICKET result: Lost in first round

Last week: 10

Magic Gaming have turned their season around with some improved play of late. However, it wasn’t enough to get them out of the opening round of a tournament for the first time this season. Their downfall was an inability to stop Cavs Legion’s Hood (48 points) and hitting just 5 of 16 3-pointers.

12. Kings Guard Gaming

Regular-season record: 3-6
THE TICKET result: Lost in quarterfinals

Last week: 15

Kings Guard had to play their way into the tournament as a result of five straight regular-season losses. Which is why their upset of top-seeded Blazer5 in the first round was all the more surprising. Mootyy looked the part of a first-round pick in averaging 27.0 points and 12.6 rebounds over the three games.

13. Pacers Gaming

Regular-season record: 3-5

THE TICKET result: Lost in first round

Last week: 11

Pacers Gaming secured the No. 3 seed in the tournament thanks to a 3-1 stretch coming in. Unfortunately, they were pitted against an underseeded Mavs Gaming squad in the first round. Some late miscues spelled their demise as they surrendered the lead in the fourth quarter in a tough loss that sent them packing.

14. Raptors Uprising GC

Regular-season record: 4-6

THE TICKET result: Lost in first round

Last week: 12

Raptors Uprising entered the weekend as one of the hotter teams in the league over the past month. As a result, they were rewarded with the tournament’s No. 2 seed. Their subsequent play didn’t match their seeding as they suffered a first-round upset against Knicks Gaming for the early exit.

15. Bucks Gaming

Regular-season record: 3-6

THE TICKET result: Lost in quarterfinals

Last week: 17

A two-game skid entering the tournament didn’t prevent Bucks Gaming from making some noise. They upset 76ers GC in their opener and came a couple baskets short against Pistons GT for a spot in the semifinals. Game6Drake broke out with 50 total points in the two games in his new role facilitating the offense at small forward.

16. Grizz Gaming

Regular-season record: 4-6

THE TICKET result: Lost in first round

Last week: 14

Grizz Gaming had won two of three games entering the tournament. But facing Celtics Crossover in the opening round proved to be an overwhelming task. They fell behind at the onset and couldn’t keep up in an eventual 24-point loss despite 23 points from DDouble2K.

17. Warriors Gaming Squad

Regular-season record: 2-7

THE TICKET result: Lost play-in game

Last week: 16

Warriors Gaming Squad picked up a solid win in Week 8 against Mavs Gaming. They have since followed that up with consecutive losses, most recently falling to Kings Guard Gaming in the play-in game of THE TICKET. They currently own the league’s worst regular-season record and face an insurmountable battle in securing a playoff spot.