Week 3 Power Rankings: Blazer5 Gaming Jumps Into Top Spot - NBA 2K League

Week 3 Power Rankings: Blazer5 Gaming Jumps Into Top Spot

If upsets are your thing, this past weekend provided the biggest one to date in the NBA 2K League. It came courtesy of Raptors Uprising GC, who got their first win of the regular season by defeating previously unbeaten 76ers GC. The loss knocked 76ers GC from their perch atop the rankings.

Up with a Rocket!
Raptors Uprising used the signature win to climb a league-best six spots this week to No. 10.

Falling Back
Grizz Gaming had a tough go in losing both games of a doubleheader as they dropped three spots to the bottom of the list.

1. Blazer5 Gaming
Record: 3-0
Last week: 2

There’s a team other than 76ers GC occupying the top spot for the first time this season. It’s the crew from Portland who have adopted the mantra “Doubted” in the belief they have been overlooked since the onset of the campaign. It’s hard to doubt Blazer5 Gaming any longer after keeping their perfect regular season record intact with another steady performance vs Bucks Gaming.

2. Pistons GT
Record: 3-0
Last week: 4

A squad that was in search of a signature win got just that in toppling Celtics Crossover Gaming. Pistons GT got it done with a strong effort on the defensive end, controlling the pace and keeping oFAB and company from getting out on the break. iiNsaniTTY provided a nice spark, hitting all six of his shots (including a pair of 3-pointers) en route to 14 points.

3. 76ers GC
Record: 3-1
Last week: 1

They faced a daunting task in trying to maintain their perfect record with a doubleheader. The result was a split, using a late bucket by Steez to topple Wizards District Gaming before succumbing to a surprising Raptors Uprising team. 76ers GC showed their resilience in digging out of large early deficits in both matchups.

4. Mavs Gaming
Record: 3-1
Last week: 3

A balanced attack did the trick vs Heat Check Gaming, with all five players scoring in double figures. JLB turned in his best game of the season, as the German big man scored 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. He’s an added weapon on the perimeter that opponents have to worry about as they attempt to keep Dimez from beating them.

5. Jazz Gaming

Record: 3-1
Last week: 6

They let Grizz Gaming hang around for a half before using a scoring burst in the third quarter to effectively seal the game. Jazz Gaming was effective sharing the ball, racking up 27 assists — including 17 from Yeah I Compete — in the triumph. A huge matchup with Mavs Gaming looms as Compete and Dimez square off at the point.

6. Cavs Legion GC
Record: 3-1
Last week: 7

Here’s another team that did an excellent job of spreading the scoring wealth. Cavs Legion again played without leading-scorer Hood, but received solid offensive output from every starter in beating Pacers Gaming for their third-straight win. ToXsiK found his stroke from the outside with a season-best 12 points, while Godddof2k led the way with 16 points.

7. Celtics Crossover Gaming
Record: 2-2
Last week: 5

They have thus far beaten the teams they’ve supposed to, but have dropped both contests against top-five teams on consecutive weeks. Last week’s loss to Mavs Gaming was followed up by a narrow defeat to Pistons GT. If they are able reclaim some of the late-game mojo that was so prevalent earlier this season, Celtics Crossover won’t be down for long.

8. Kings Guard Gaming
Record: 2-1
Last week: 9

Their trend of trading wins and losses continued as they secured an easy victory against Grizz Gaming. Big man worthingcolt led five players in double figures with 26 points. Safiya4ya was in top form from distance in making all five of his 3-pointers. Kings Guard gets the doubleheader treatment in Week 4, including a showdown with 76ers GC.

9. Wizards District Gaming
Record: 2-2
Last week: 8

No team has played as many close games as this one. Unfortunately, Saturday was another in which they came out on the wrong side of things. Wizards District led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter vs 76ers GC but ultimately couldn’t pull off the upset. Boo Painter and Jin did their part, combining for 49 of their team’s 59 points.

10. Raptors Uprising GC
Record: 1-3
Last week: 16

Not many gave them a chance against the league’s top team, but a win over the boys from Philly might just be the thing to jumpstart Raptors Uprising’s season. They got contributions across the board, none more so than Kenny, who thrived in his role as a point-forward. The first-rounder finished with 24 points, 5 assists and 4 steals.

11. Knicks Gaming
Record: 1-2
Last week: 10

The most alarming part of Knicks Gaming’s second consecutive loss was the lack of urgency displayed when they fell behind to Magic Gaming. They too often were content settling for 3-pointers while showing little offensive flow in attempting to mount a comeback. They’ll attempt to get on track with a doubleheader in Week 4.

12. Heat Check Gaming
Record: 1-2
Last week: 11

They were unable to keep the good vibes rolling for a second week in a row, falling to Mavs Gaming. A few more defensive stops down the stretch would have altered the outcome. Hotshot had another strong outing with 18 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 steals to lead his squad.

13. Magic Gaming
Record: 2-2
Last week: 17

There perhaps wasn’t a happier team this past weekend than this one. A squad that didn’t have much to smile about coming in was nothing but smiles in winning their first two games of the season. KingCamRoyalty was inserted into the lineup and responded with 37 points, 19 rebounds and 9 assists over the two games.

14. Pacers Gaming
Record: 0-3
Last week: 12

Things have been unkind to Pacers Gaming since the regular season got underway. Saturday might have been their lowest point, as they were unable to surpass the 50-point barrier in a loss to Cavs Legion. The story remained the same: WoLF 74 and TuckerLocksUp led the way but got too little in the way of support.

15. Bucks Gaming
Record: 0-3
Last week: 15

They experimented with a lineup change, moving Game6Drake over to shooting guard and inserting XxSTL2LAxX at point guard. The experiment didn’t pay dividends in the win column, but did provide a fresh offensive approach as the team knocked down 12 3-pointers. It’s something to build off of as they search for their first win.

16. Warriors Gaming Squad
Record: 0-3
Last week: 13

They are a long ways removed from being the team that was a quarterfinalist in THE TIPOFF. Not much has gone right since then, including their latest setback — a lackluster loss in which they managed just 48 points against Magic Gaming.

17. Grizz Gaming
Record: 1-3
Last week: 14

A Week 1 victory was a promising sign for this squad. But three straight losses, including a doubleheader setback on Saturday, has them headed in the wrong direction. AuthenticAfrican and UniversalPhenom were bright spots as the frontcourt mates averaged 21 PPG and 15.5 PPG, respectively, for the weekend.