With just one week of games left in the regular season, every NBA 2K League team falls into one of three categories: Safe and secure in their playoff positioning, on-the-TICKET-powered-by-AT&T bubble, or locked into the last-hope tournament coming after Week 10.

With those parameters, let’s take a look at the power rankings ahead of the league’s last regular-season week.

Safe and Secure

1 – Wizards District Gaming 21-5
2 – T-Wolves Gaming 19-7
3 – Jazz Gaming 17-9
4 – Pacers Gaming 19-7
5 – Hornets Venom GT 17-7
6 – Grizz Gaming 16-10

There was no movement in the Top 6 from Week 8 to 9. Because the teams that have proven to be elite performed well in Week 9 with a combined 9-3 record, that included a 3-1 week for Grizz Gaming that resulted in the squad clinching a playoff berth for the first time in team history.

This group will likely head into the NBA 2K League playoffs as the odds-on favorites to win it all, with the dominant WDG team leading that premier group.

.@GrizzGaming took a huge sweep tonight as they try to lock down a spot in the playoffs! pic.twitter.com/MBCuwy9RBd

— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) August 5, 2021

On-the-TICKET Bubble

7 (⬆️1) – Warriors Gaming 16-10
8 (⬆️1) – Nets 15-11
9 (⬇️2) – 76ersGC 14-10
10 (⬆️2) – Blazer5 13-11
11 (⬆️4) – Pistons GT 13-11
12 (⬇️1) – Knicks Gaming 13-13
13 (⬇️3) – Kings Guard Gaming 13-13
14 (⬇️1) – Celtics Crossover 11-13
15 (⬆️1) – Magic Gaming 12-14
16 (⬇️2) – Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai 12-14
17 (⬆️1) – Heat Check Gaming 10-14

There was a ton of movement in this pack of teams, and many of them have very different situations ahead of Week 10. Warriors Gaming is barely a part of the top grouping because there is a slim chance they could find themselves in The TICKET. However, just one win or a pair of losses from Blazer5 or Pistons GT will secure their spot. Nets GC still has some work to do after their bye week. Just one win over the hapless Bucks Gaming squad will secure a playoff spot. However, things could get interesting if they were to get swept, and Knicks Gaming was to pull off a sweep over Blazer5 (another team in desperate need of a victory). Nets and Knicks have split their regular-season meetings, and they are very close in the category of point differential.

Still, the Nets control their destiny in this instance.

The most interesting dynamic is between Blazer5, Kings Guard Gaming, and Pistons GT in the West. The three teams will likely compete in the final game on Saturday night. Teams like Celtics Crossover, Heat Check Gaming, Magic Gaming, and Gen.G need to win out and a ton of help to have a glimmer of hope of escaping The TICKET.

The TICKET is Our Last Hope

18 (⬇️1) – Raptors Uprising 9-17
19 – Cavs Legion GC 9-17
20 (⬆️1) – Mavs Gaming 8-18
21 (⬆️1) – Hawks Talon GC 6-18
22 (⬇️2) – Bucks Gaming 4-20
23 – Lakers Gaming 3-21

This bottom group knows it is headed for The TICKET. Still, if we’re being honest, only two of these squads have any evidence that they are capable of making some noise in the league’s last-hope tournament.

Raptors Uprising seems to have invigorated its chances with the acquisition of Dimez, and the Cavs Legion has proven they are capable of knocking off any team. FAB went for 61 points in an epic victory over Blazer5 in Week 9.

RUGC and the Cavs need more herculean efforts from the first two NBA 2K Leaguers in history if they are going to make the most out of their TICKET experience.

The Game of the Week goes to @RaptorsGC 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lIPD3rkuYW

— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) July 31, 2021

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