NBA Power Rankings week 6- the quarter pole finds OKC Thunder defying the odds

Offense: (110.9 ) – 6th
Defense: (103.3 ) – 5th
Net: (plus +7.6) – 4th

Record: 17-3
Games Week 6 (3-1):  Wins vs. Spurs, Pelicans, Wizards, lost to Mavericks
Games Week 7 (4 games): Tues, Dec. 3 at Nuggets | Weds, Dec. 4 at Jazz | Fri, Dec. 6 at Blazers |  Sun, Dec 8 vs. Wolves

Are the Lakers as good as their record suggests?

It’s hard to know at this point given they’ve faced six teams with records over .500 winning and won half of them (Heat, Jazz first meeting with Mavericks) and lost three (Clippers, Raptors, the second meeting with Mavericks).

Moreover, all ten teams the Lakers beat during their win streak are sub .500 clubs and several of those games required buzzer beaters, calls made in the final minute that favored the Lakers and even mistakes made by officials (Kings).

This week things heat up as the Lakers will hit the road for one of the most difficult back-to-back sets going when they travel to altitude to face the Nuggets and Jazz. It’s an opportunity to see if LeBron and co. were playing down to their competition or aren’t as good as the record suggests.

It’s likely the former – however, the concern moving forward is whether LeBron James despite having a full postseason off will be able to manage 82 contests playing 35 minutes each outing. Notably, James turns 35 at the end of the month.