The All Too Early Top 10 Offense and Defense Rating Teams.
The beginning of December is typically the first time I look at this, unless prompted, though December is still too early to take too much stock in it. But for fun I thought I'd just post it.
Right now, there are just three teams that have ratings in the Top 10 for both offense and defense.
Cleveland 8th in O, 2nd in D
New Orleans 6th in O, 5th in D
Phoenix 2nd in O, 6th in D
None of these teams have a superstar (in my book).
Of teams with established superstars, the Warriors have the 8th best O, but sit 20th in defense, their lowest in the Kerr era (when healthy).
Milwaukee is 1st in D, but 16th in offense. Could be the missing Middleton part.
Philly is also showing us defense by being 3rd in D, but only 19th in O.
Denver is 4th in O, and 23rd in D. This team hasn't really ever been known for their defense though.
The Dallas Luka's are an average 11th in O and 12th in D.
Dysfunctional Brooklyn is 12th in O, and 13th in D.
Likely newcomer to the superstar pact is Ja Morant, and the Grizzlies are 9th in O, and 18th in D (they have some injuries though).
Of note, Jayson Tatum is actually posting superstar-like numbers this season thus far, compared to years past. Boston is leading by far 1st in offense, but are 21st in defense. Is D'Antoni now on this coaching staff?
There is much imbalance at this time in the league, but a ton of time for things to shift massively.