NBA Power Rankings: Brooklyn Nets rise after acquiring James Harden

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Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

14. Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors got off to a slow start and are still trying to find their footing, without Klay Thompson, but they’ve been better overall as of late and have the look of a team that could sneak into the playoffs in the Western Conference

As long as Stephen Curry is healthy, this team is going to have a chance to wreak havoc in the Western Conference. The big question is, how high is this team’s ceiling without Klay? We’re about to find out soon enough.

13. Atlanta Hawks

After racing off to a great 3-0 start, the Atlanta Hawks have leveled off over the last couple of weeks. Interestingly enough, the statistics say that the Hawks aren’t that far off from being a good overall team. They’re 11th in both offense and defense and have the sixth-best net rating in the league.

The Hawks need more time to mesh as a team, but they have enough talent where they could emerge as real factors in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Who is going to want to face a team this talented in a playoff series?