Week 1 Power Rankings: 76ers GC Stays Atop Rankings, Celtics Crossover Gaming Rises - NBA 2K League

Week 1 Power Rankings: 76ers GC Stays Atop Rankings, Celtics Crossover Gaming Rises

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.

If anything, Week 1 of the NBA 2K League regular season proved that nothing is decided until the final buzzer sounds. A number of great finishes were highlighted by two furious comebacks from Celtics Crossover Gaming.

The wins propelled Celtics Crossover into the top-3 of the latest rankings, while Cavs Legion GC were among the teams that saw themselves move in the opposite direction.

1. 76ers GC

Record: 1-0
Last week: 1

Another week, another steady performance. 76ers GC stuck with the formula that helped them capture the THE TIPOFF title, spreading the floor and draining shots from the outside in dispatching Bucks Gaming to open the regular season. ZDS poured in 27 points on six 3-pointers, proving the shooting guard’s play last week was no fluke. He’s a sleeper no longer.

2. Blazer5 Gaming

Record: 1-0
Last week: 2

Not nearly as crisp and dominant as they were during the tournament, Blazer5 picked things up in the second half in pulling away from Magic Gaming. Dat Boy Shotz continued his strong play in the post with 25 points and nine rebounds. The team also got a boost from GRANT MONSTER, who was feeling it from deep with five 3-pointers on the way to 17 points.

3. Celtics Crossover Gaming

Record: 2-0
Last week: 5

Just call them the Comeback Kids. No team had a better weekend than this bunch, but it wasn’t without some serious dramatics. Not surprisingly, oFAB was the driving force behind the wild wins. He finished with a combined 47 points and 35 assists, while his rangy play on defense was a major factor in Celtics Crossover forcing opportunistic turnovers that altered the outcomes of both games down the stretch.

4. Mavs Gaming

Record: 1-0
Last week: 8

If you’re looking for a squad that perhaps felt disrespected by their initial ranking, look no further than this one. Mavs Gaming has the look of a team that’s going to continually cause headaches for opposing defenses. They have a game plan and know how to execute it. It’s a sight to see, with Dimez and Dayfri playing the high-low game, allowing their shooters unabated looks from beyond the arc.

5. Pistons GT

Record: 1-0
Last week: 4

What this team might lack in ‘wow’ factor it more than makes up in efficiency. Using a team-oriented approach, Pistons GT simply finds ways to grind out victories, as Heat Check Gaming can attest. Shoutout to Rux, their unassuming power forward, who can trash talk with the best of ‘em. When he’s feeling it, his signature hook and reel celebration gets the squad fired up.

6. Jazz Gaming

Record: 1-1
Last week: 6

A solid weekend was a couple of bounces away from being a great one. After dropping a nail-biter to Kings Guard Gaming, they regrouped to upend Cavs Legion CG for a much-needed win. MrSlaughter01 tallied a combined 43 points and 17 rebounds to carry the load, while Yeah I Compete finished one assist shy of notching back-to-back double-doubles. All things considered, it’s hard for them not to head home pleased with the split.

7. Cavs Legion GC

Record: 0-1
Last week: 3

Cavs Legion played at times like the team to beat during the tournament. They failed to capture that same feel in their opener vs Jazz Gaming. Much of it had to do with a tweaked offensive approach that saw leading man Hood unable to get into the same groove he’d been accustomed to getting in. A little fine-tuning offensively will likely get things turned around sooner than later.

8. Kings Guard Gaming

Record: 1-0
Last week: 10

They have found themselves in a number of close contests to this point and the results have been mixed. Timelycook made sure Saturday’s result was a good one, as he hit the game-winning jumper vs Jazz Gaming. Mootyy was assertive on the offensive end, knocking down four 3-pointers to help score 18 points. This group looks close to putting it all together, which is a scary proposition for the teams ahead of them.


9. Knicks Gaming

Record: 1-0
Last week: 14

The hometown crew got in the win column thanks to some heroics by YEYNotGaming. The shooting guard’s 3-pointer broke a deadlock with 2.4 seconds left to bury Warriors Gaming Squad. Point guard iamadamthe1st and power forward G O O F Y 7 5 7 had an effective 1-2 connection working in the win. If Knicks Gaming continues to share the ball like they did, they’ll be a tough matchup against most foes.

10. Pacers Gaming

Record: 0-1
Last week: 7

A strategic change didn’t pay dividends in a disappointing loss to Grizz Gaming. The team moved two-way star WoLF 74 from small forward to the two-guard spot, in the process turning his facilitating responsibilities over to vGooner-. The result was a stagnant offense that looked out of sorts. WoLF 74 was limited to just three points on two shots, a week after carrying the offensive load in the tournament.

11. Warriors Gaming Squad

Record: 0-1
Last week: 9

An early double-digit lead vs Knicks Gaming didn’t last for the crew from California. Shawn_Win was far more involved on the offensive end, a welcome sight for the first-rounder who struggled to find his groove last week. Vert was his usual reliable self in the paint, finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds.


12. Grizz Gaming

Record: 1-0
Last week: 17

Perhaps the best story of the weekend belongs to these guys. After dropping all four of their games at THE TIPOFF, Grizz Gaming regrouped and looked like a far more cohesive unit in pulling off the upset vs Pacers Gaming. The difference was AuthenticAfrican, who switched off his normal position at center to a more ball-centric small forward and scored 24 points to go with seven assists.

13. Bucks Gaming

Record: 0-1
Last week: 11

It was a one-man show for Bucks Gaming in their opener. KinG PeroXide finished with a Week 1 high of 41 points, feasting in the paint in a losing effort against 76ers GC. They still appear to be trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together. The good news is there is still plenty of time to do just that.

14. Wizards District Gaming

Record: 0-1
Last week: 13

As far as moral victories go, this squad showed it could hang with one of the league’s top teams. Unfortunately, blowing a comfortable lead in the final minutes against Celtics Crossover Gaming will leave a bad taste in their mouths. Cleaning up the sloppy play late will be a key point of emphasis moving forward. Boo Painter did his part with 30 points in the losing effort.

15. Raptors Uprising GC

Record: 0-2
Last week: 12

Talk about a tough draw. They were pitted against Mavs Gaming and Celtics Crossover Gaming, two clubs that are looking like early contenders. Raptors Uprising GC came out flat in their opening game, only to give up a lead and suffer a heartbreaking loss against Celtics Crossover in the nightcap. They need to find a way to get second-round pick Detoxys more involved offensively.

16. Heat Check Gaming

Record: 0-1
Last week: 15

It’s hard to pinpoint one major issue plaguing them so far. But it’s the minor things that add up. Case in point: late in Saturday’s loss vs Pistons GT, they were in need of a bucket. The ball was swung to the wing to their best marksman, sharpshooterlos, who was left unguarded but also standing out of bounds while receiving the pass. The turnover ended any bid at a comeback.

17. Magic Gaming

Record: 0-1
Last week: 16

This was a rejuvenated bunch on the heels of a disappointing performance in THE TIPOFF. They again failed to get in the win column in losing to Blazer5 Gaming, but they played with a competitive spirit that was missing a week prior. Most of the heavy lifting was done by marley213s, who flirted with a triple-double (18 points, 13 rebounds, six assists) in the loss.


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.