Not to be confused with the actual standings. The below rankings are based solely off opinion of expert analysts (specifically, me)

1. 76ers (4-0)

The crafty vets are at it again, and off to their best start in franchise history. The 76ers find themselves in a familiar position, standing alone at the top of the league. However, the wins have not come easy, as the 76ers have won their four games by a combined margin of just 11 points. That’s an average margin of victory of 2.8 points per game. “We’re 4-0,” said GM Casey McClure, “but we could easily be 0-4.” On the other hand, Philly has continued to excel in the final moments of the game, which seems to be what separates them from the rest of the league.

Arguably the biggest move Philly made this offseason was that of acquiring Jupiter alumn Michael Cuva. The rookie has shown a high level of adaptability, as he has quickly emerged into one of the league’s leading scorers (17.3 PPG) and MVP candidates. In order to bring Cuva in to the city of Philadelphia, the franchise’s core players (McClure, Hamadeh, Viton, and Gannon) all had to take some serious pay-cuts, but that’s what should be expected from a franchise that has continuously demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to winning.

With the 2017 76ers being only the second team in the history of the league to win their first four games of the regular season, many are talking about the possibility of matching last year’s Spurs’ perfect regular season. Philly is taking it one game at a time, though. The three-time champs close out against the Heat and Celtics in their quest for perfection.

2. Spurs (1-1)

Pavlov has kept the Spurs championship spirit alive, despite many critics claiming the Owers brothers’ departure meant the end of San Antonio’s dominance. The Spurs have completed the fewest games in the league so far, with the rainout game versus the Warriors still pending. However, they have showed true potential in the little we’ve seen from them.

Sean has really developed into one of the league’s best point guards, really picking up his scoring numbers this year, leading the team with 14 PPG. Alex Pavlov has kept his team in check. “The Spurs hold each other accountable,” said ESPN analyst Jared Mesches, “They are a disciplined team and it translates to wins.”

San Antonio brought Travis Hughes to the city as a fluke in what ended up being debatably the biggest steal of the 2017 draft. Travis has really helped fill the scoring void that needed to be filled after the Owers brothers left, going off for 24 points in an overtime contest versus the 76ers.

Currently sitting in the third playoff spot, the Spurs are expected to be battling it out for a 2 or 3 seed. There’s a lot of ball still to play for the defending champs, but expect this team to make the postseason and have a strong showing once they get there.

3. Warriors (2-1)

This team is stacked with offensive fire power, led by its Big 3 of Brandon Colon, Rob Burns, and Allen Brown. The team leads the league in points per game, averaging 62.0. However, the Big 3 have accounted for 56.4 of those 62.0 points per game, with the fourth leading scorer only averaging 2.0 points per game. Golden State may need to get some more production from its role players or else opposing defenses will have an easy time keying in on the three stars come postseason time.

As good as the Warriors’ offensive display has been, their defensive intensity could use some work. The team is practically tied with the Heat in points allowed per game, giving up 57.7 on average.

Overall, this team has proven to be a valid title contender in their first appearance in the league. Currently sitting at the number 2 seed, Golden State’s remaining regular season opponents include Houston and Oklahoma City, as well as the final nine minutes of their tightly contested game with the Spurs.

4. Thunder (1-2)

Many analysts crossed the Thunder off when they dropped their first two opening games in a Sunday-Monday double header in June. However, now, all of sudden most of those former skeptics foresee this same team making a run in the playoffs. Oklahoma City has achieved success in a very obscure manner, as they are the only team in the league without a single player averaging at least 14 points per game. In fact, their leading scorer, Anthony Zaleski, is only averaging 8.7 PPG. The 2016 BGBL Thunder seem to be resembling the NBA’s 2015 Atlanta Hawks. The team does not necessarily have a superstar, but they have five players averaging between 7 and 9 points per game.

GM Michael Conforti raised many eyebrows when he decided to use all three franchise tags on teammates Ham Long, Ozzie Jiminez, and Matt Meyers, passing up on a lot of new talent in the draft. Once again though, the GM has proven he knows what he’s doing. Ozzie is tied with Casey McClure as the league leader in assists. Rookie Anthony Zaleski had a big showing in the Thunder’s recent victory over the Heat, accumulating 16 points and 15 rebounds, as he is quickly developing into one of the league’s dominant big men.

As it stands today, Oklahoma City would not qualify for the playoffs. However, it appears a big second half of the season is inevitable. The Thunder’s final three games include matchups against the league’s two newcomers (Celtics & Warriors) as well as a regular season finale against the Rockets that could potentially have some serious playoff implications.

5. Heat (2-2)

The Heat are trying to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time in its long franchise history. Miami has been inconsistent to say the least. The team barely survived an overtime thriller versus Boston when second-year veteran Trevor Gilson’s three pointer drilled in with less than ten seconds to go. The team has been experiencing some chemistry issues throughout the season, but they appeared to put that aside with a big victory over their long-time rival Houston Rockets just before the midseason break. Miami is going to need to do something to fix their league-worst defense, giving up 57.8 points per game to opposing offenses.

The squad has a tough road ahead, as they conclude the season by playing each of the competitors in last year’s BGBL Finals (76ers & Spurs).

6. Rockets (1-2)

Nick Chiocca has brought Houston back to the league. However, Chiocca’s Rockets have a long way to go if they plan on avenging the 2014 team’s loss in the BGBL Finals. Other than a 20-point whopping over the winless Celtics, the Rockets have yet to look very impressive thus far.

Three-point specialists Nick Chiocca & Matt Leow have struggled to hit up to their full potential from beyond the arc. However, if the two of them could get going, it would be a huge boost for a team that needs a big late season run. Doniel Jean-Pierre has been a huge bright spot for this team, as he is most likely the team’s MVP so far. Jean-Piere not only leads the team in scoring, but also has proven he can provide enthusiasm and leadership when the team needs it most. Chiocca has been very happy with the player this late-round draft pick has turned into.

The story of the season for this team so far has been chemistry issues. Many skeptics predicted this going in, questioning how so many personalities would fit together. However, in a conversation with the media, GM Chiocca claims the team has a heightened sense of morale entering this week’s brutal double header against the Spurs and Warriors. They are certainly going to need it. The Rockets will close out against the Thunder in the final game of the regular season.

7. Celtics (0-3)

Do not let Boston’s record fool you. The team has experienced some serious heartbreak this season, losing to the Warriors and Heat by a combined 6 points. The Celtics have certainly demonstrated they have the ability to compete with any team in this league, portraying a high degree of chemistry thus far. Their star Christ Starling has had no problem putting points on the board, as he is one of just three players in the league averaging over 20 points per game. Even though this team is at the bottom of the league, chemistry has not been the reason why. This team has really meshed well together. They simply haven’t been getting the breaks they need.

As the first team to be comprised solely of rookies since the league commenced in 2013, Boston has a long way to go if they want to qualify for one of the five playoff spots. The Celtics certainly need to win at least two of its final three games if they even want a shot. The Celtics play a double header against the Thunder and Spurs this coming week and conclude with a matchup versus the currently undefeated Philadelphia 76ers.