G League Power Rankings: Regular Season Week 4

It’s about that time to break down another edition of G League Power Rankings!

There’s plenty of movement to take note of over the past week. Most notably, there’s a new number one in town: the upstart Memphis Hustle! Meanwhile, other teams like Maine, Mexico City, Ontario and South Bay have begun to slowly creep up in the rankings. 

Take a look at where things stand at the moment.

1. Memphis Hustle

Record: 8-1 (1-0 this week)
Previous ranking: 4

One of just two teams in the top-ten in both offensive and defensive rating, the Hustle have been an extremely efficient squad so far this regular season. Taking very good care of the ball has been the biggest key to their third-ranked offense, as they’re third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.90) while having the third-highest assist percentage (65.0) in the league. While Dakota Mathias, who has hit two or more threes in eight of his nine outings this season, and Kenneth Lofton Jr. still lead the way, rookie Jacob Gilyard is quietly having a very strong regular season as well, with his 8.8 assists per game the fifth-best in the G.

2. Stockton Kings

Record: 10-2 (1-1 this week)
Previous ranking: 1

Just like during their opening stretch of the regular season, it’s been a total team effort on offense for Stockton. With eight players still averaging 11 or more points per game, the Kings’ ten wins have featured six different players finishing as the leading scorer: Trey Burke (three times), Neemias Queta (twice), Keon Ellis (twice), Deonte Burton, Jordan Ford, and D.J. Steward. With multiple guys capable of putting together a very productive outing on any given night, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Stockton is ranked second in the league in both offensive rating (118.3) and net rating (+8.3). 

3. Long Island Nets

Record: 10-3 (2-0 this week)
Previous ranking: 3

This Long Island team has been absolutely suffocating on defense to open the regular season. They lead the league in defensive rating (99.0), rank second in blocks per game (6.8), and have held their opponents to just 43.1% shooting from the field, the best mark in the G. They’re also the best rebounding team in the league, grabbing 50.3 rebounds per game with big man Day’Ron Sharpe currently third in that department (12.1). Meanwhile, David Duke Jr. has remained the leader on offense, pacing the team in scoring (21.4 PTS) while also posting 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

4. Cleveland Charge

Record: 8-2 (2-1 this week)
Previous ranking: 2

Sharife Cooper’s case for G League MVP continues to grow stronger with every dominant outing. He’s logged 25 or more points in six of the ten regular season games he’s played in as he remains the G’s top scorer at 26.9 points per game. While Cooper, Isaiah Mobley (23.6 PTS, 9.6 REB, 4.0 AST) and Sam Merrill (18.2 PTS, 41.3% 3PT) continue to pace the offense, this Charge team has also become elite on the other side of the ball. They’re currently ranked second in defense rating (103.9) while opponents are shooting a league-low 28.7% from three-point range against them.

5. Maine Celtics

Record: 8-4 (1-1 this week)
Previous ranking: 6

Maine’s dynamic frontcourt duo of Luka Samanic and Mfiondu Kabengele has been the driving force behind its top-ranked offense. Samanic has recorded at least 20 points and 5 rebounds in his last four games, which included his career-high 45-point effort on Jan. 12 against Delaware. At the same time, Kabengele has also put together an impressive start to his regular season thus far, with his seven 10+ point, 10+ rebound games tied for most in the league. Along with guys like Marial Shayok (19.5 PTS, 4.3 REB, 4.2 AST) and Denzel Valentine (14.7 PTS, 9.0 REB, 6.8 AST), the G’s highest scoring offense (122.8 PPG) has plenty of weapons at its disposal.

6. Mexico City Capitanes

Record: 8-4 (1-2 this week)
Previous ranking: 7

On a Mexico City team with four players averaging over 15 points per game, Mason Jones continues to stand out. His four 35+ point games in the regular season is the most in the G, and he is currently third in the league in scoring at 25.7 points per game. While the three-headed scoring monster of Jones, Shabazz Napier (22.3 PTS, 5.1 AST) and Gary Clark (20.4 PTS, 9.9 REB) is the headliner, these Capitanes can also cause considerable havoc on defense. Six players are logging at least one steal per game, including Justin Minaya (2.3 STL) and Napier (2.0 STL), who rank third and tenth, respectively, in the league in steals per game.

7. Capital City Go-Go

Record: 8-4 (1-2 this week)
Previous ranking: 5

Vernon Carey Jr. has had himself a very strong first campaign with Capital City. He’s currently one of just three eligible players averaging at least 20 points, 8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, having logged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in four of his last seven outings. While Carey orchestrates the offense, Kris Dunn, Craig Sword and Quenton Jackson have been holding it down on defense. The Go-Go rank third in defensive rating (106.8) and first in forced turnovers per game (20.0), with opponents shooting just 33% from the mid-range against them.

8. Ontario Clippers

Record: 8-5 (2-1 this week)
Previous ranking: 9

These Clippers have slowly started to rise up the Western Conference standings thanks in large part to a top-five defense. They’re currently ranked fourth in defensive rating (106.9), have allowed the fewest points per game in the G (104.3) and their opponents have shot just 31.5% from three-point range to this point in the regular season. Xavier Moon (he plays among the stars) has been a major part of their success on both sides of the ball. He leads the team in steals per game (1.6), is second in blocks per game (1.4) and is their second-leading scorer at just under 20 points per contest.

9. South Bay Lakers

Record: 7-3 (2-0 this week)
Previous ranking: 10

It’d be hard to find a more dominant rim-protector in the G this season than South Bay’s Jay Huff. The big man has put up absurd shot-blocking numbers, leading the G in blocks per game (4.4) by a considerable margin. He’s recorded four or more blocks in eight regular season games thus far; no other player in the G has more than three such outings. With Huff anchoring down low, Shaq Harrison has caused considerable chaos on the perimeter (2.1 STL) while Scotty Pippen Jr., who’s recorded 25 or more points in three-straight games, has been the team’s engine on offense.

10. Delaware Blue Coats

Record: 7-4 (1-1 this week)
Previous ranking: 8

Currently scoring at the fourth-highest clip per game (120.4 PPG) in the G, Delaware has gotten some excellent production from up and down the roster. Though Mac McClung (18.9 PTS, 5.1 AST) and Louis King (14.8 PTS, 5.5 AST, 4.7 REB) remain the focal points of an offense that’s fourth in assists per game (28.5), big man Michael Foster Jr. has also put together a very solid first season with the Blue Coats. He’s been the team’s leading rebounder (8.0 REB) and shot-blocker (2.1 BLK), currently ranking fourth in the G in the latter category.