Album of the Week: “Control,” Janet Jackson (1986)

As we descend into spooky season, the NBA has mercifully returned with real games. Sure, you made the conference finals the last two years. But what have you done for me lately?

I’m sure after last week’s season-opening Power Rankings, many of you have questions. The entire NBA season is a series of questions, bound by the primary objective that most teams have of trying to win a championship or build toward some sort of team that could contend in a reasonable amount of time. Every week will present an opportunity to ask the questions that really matter, such as what channel is the NBA on tonight or why are we still playing “Who He Play For?”

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We’re not going to ask questions every week, but we will this week. Some big ones. Because that’s what we do when there have only been two or three games.

Fine print: These Power Rankings won’t just rank every team. We’ll retain the tiers that teams will be promoted into and relegated out of. There will be five tiers each week:

Top Contenders – Locked at five, these are the class of the league

– Locked at five, these are the class of the league In a Good Place – Could be one team, could be seven teams

– Could be one team, could be seven teams The Bubble – Not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack

– Not to be confused with Walt Disney World. The middle of the pack Not the Tier to Fear – Not playing the worst ball in the league, but with a lot of work to do

– Not playing the worst ball in the league, but with a lot of work to do Basement Floor – Bringing up the rear

What to expect from Power Rankings:

These are my subjective rankings. I will consider a variety of objective measures, but it’s my final call.

These rankings are not just a review of the past week — we are projecting forward as well, so it is a balance of the two.

These are subjective, but not biased. There are no agendas in the Power Rankings, and we strive for an inclusive meritocracy

The one quality that these rankings possess: “Ruthless aggression.”

Enjoy the games, and enjoy the rankings, please!

For Week 2 of The Athletic NBA Power Rankings, we will explore The Big Question for each team. Win-loss records and other statistical data are through Sunday’s action.

Tier 1: Top Contenders

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0)

Last ranking: 1

In the last week: W vs HOU, W at IND, W at ATL

Offensive rating: 116.4 (10th place)

Defensive rating: 106.8 (fifth place)

The Big Question: Is Chet Holmgren breaking out this season?

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the constant; there aren’t serious questions about his variability. Same thing with the Thunder defense, which is going to be there this season. But with Jalen Williams out to begin the season, the attention shifts to the “other” 2022 lottery pick who got paid, Chet Holmgren. And it is easy to forget that Holmgren had only played in 114 NBA games through three NBA seasons. Holmgren is only 23 years old, and his opportunity to establish himself as a star is probably what represents Oklahoma City’s greatest area of potential improvement. On that front, Holmgren is off to an auspicious start, scoring 28 points on ring night while dropping 31 points in under 30 minutes at Atlanta. If Holmgren’s 3-pointer can be consistent and he can weaponize his ballhandling to the point of drawing free throws more often, then the Thunder will be even more difficult to guard, making them an even more complete team.

2. New York Knicks (2-1)

Last ranking: 4

In the last week: W vs CLE, W vs BOS, L at MIA

Offensive rating: 109.6 (22nd place)

Defensive rating: 105.6 (fourth place)

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The Big Question: Can the Knicks count on Mitchell Robinson as a starter?

Mike Brown has made it clear how he is going to change the team. Mikal Bridges will take more of the ballhandling responsibility, Karl-Anthony Towns will start halves next to a paint-bound center, and Josh Hart will bolster the second unit. Towns is off to a tremendous start as a rebounder, averaging 14.0 per game. New York has yet to play Robinson, though, electing to start Ariel Hukporti for two games while starting Miles McBride against the Celtics. Robinson has missed at least 20 games in four of the last five seasons, and that makes it difficult to develop chemistry and consistency when a starter is out so often.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1)

Last ranking: 9

In the last week: L at NY, W at BRK, W vs MIL

Offensive rating: 115.0 (13th place)

Defensive rating: 114.1 (14th place)

The Big Question: Who is going to help Donovan Mitchell on the perimeter until Darius Garland gets back?

Mitchell is having a great start, averaging 30 points on 51.7 percent shooting. So far, he has two big boosts to help him out.