THE TURN Pre-Tournament Power Rankings
July 11, 2021
With T-Wolves Gaming already holding the first piece of the Banner Chain, the run for the second segment, THE TURN powered by AT&T, is set to begin on Wednesday.
Which teams have the best shot at coming away with the trophy and the $117,000 prize awarded to the winner? The best answers are at the top of this week’s power rankings.
THE TURN Contenders
The defending Season 3 champions Wizards District Gaming just had their nine-game win streak snapped. However, they have still won 10 of their last 11 games. It isn’t easy to imagine another team defeating WDG in a best-of-three series right now.
Pacers Gaming, T-Wolves, and Grizz Gaming are still in the conversation, but I expect it to be WDG’s tournament.
- Wizards 14-4
- T-Wolves Gaming 12-6
- Pacers Gaming 13-5
- Grizz Gaming 12-6
- Hornets Venom 11-5
The @TWolvesGaming are HOT🔥 They go 2-0 tonight! pic.twitter.com/ZRB7fdpBl1
— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) July 11, 2021
The Dark Horses
This group of teams have recently found a groove but haven’t done enough for me to elevate them to the next tier.
NBA 2K League stats expert Harris Rubenstein likes Kings Guard Gaming because of their defensive resurgence and recent strong play from former league MVP Mama I’m Dat Man. There is no ignoring their 7-3 record in the last 10, but I still have them on the outside looking in at the top contenders. The same goes for Nets GC. Choc’s play powers the team and keeps them competitive, but he needs help if the team is going to turn the corner.
- Kings Guard Gaming 11-7
- Nets GC 11-7
- Pistons GT 9-7
- Magic Gaming 10-8
- 76ers GC 9-7
.@76ersGC were rollin' tonight as they get the sweep in their matchup🧹 pic.twitter.com/ZWB5ZvoemO
— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) July 9, 2021
The Major Long Shots
Consistency has been the significant bugaboo for this group, except for Heat Check Gaming. They have been surging hard after a horrible start to the season. HCG is the only team from this section with a realistic chance to advance deep into THE TURN, powered by AT&T.
SAV has found himself as the point guard while HotShot has been steady, and the other pieces are beginning to fit. Famous is a warrior, and he was never going to sit back and allow his squad to fall by the wayside without a fight.
He deserves credit for keeping things from coming off the rails after such a tough start.
- Heat Check Gaming 8-8
- Warriors Gaming Squad 8-6
- Knicks Gaming 9-9
- Blazer5 Gaming 8-8
- Jazz Gaming 7-7
- Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai 9-9
It took 10 quarters but @KnicksGaming get the sweep🧹 pic.twitter.com/j2OXzuDIil
— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) July 11, 2021
The No-Chance Group
Tyler Perry has a series called “The Haves and The Have-Nots.” No’s. 17-23 would represent the latter in an NBA 2K League version.
The two most exciting teams in this group are Raptors Uprising GC, who are finally showing some signs of life after initially looking like a team that had never played 2K together. They are on a three-game win streak which felt like an unrealistic dream just two weeks ago.
There is also Cavs Legion GC, who have demonstrated the ability to defeat the best teams in the league, but also the propensity to play well beneath expectations. If you’re looking for the ultimate Cinderella Story, Raptors GC and Cavs Legion GC are the most likely stars of an unlikely angle.
- Cavs Legion GC 5-13
- Mavs Gaming 6-12
- Celtics Crossover Gaming 6-10
- Raptors Uprising GC 5-13
- Hawks Talon GC 5-11
- Lakers Gaming 3-13
- Bucks Gaming 3-13
Brian Mazique is a life-long hoops junkie and a fan of the NBA 2K franchise since its inception in 1999. Professionally, he has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, and has covered sports and video games for the past 15 years for a variety of platforms, including Bleacher Report, Forbes, and Heavy.com. The views on this page are that of this writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA 2K League or its clubs.
