G League Power Rankings: Week 5

Winter Showcase is inching closer and closer by the day. With that in mind, being that it’s Friday, it’s time for another round of fresh power rankings. 

There’s been quite a lot of movement in the past week to say the least. Teams like South Bay, Rio Grande Valley, Cleveland and College Park are on the rise while Mexico City makes its return to the list. Yet despite all of that madness, Ontario, as they have been the past couple of weeks, is still on top.

Take a look at where things currently stand in the G.

1. Ontario Clippers

Record: 11-2 (2-0 this week)
Previous ranking: 1

Moussa Diabate continues to provide a big impact on a nightly basis for top-ranked Ontario. He’s logged double-doubles in five of his last six games, capped off by his 28-point, 23-rebound outing on Thursday, and is one of only three eligible players averaging at least 18 points, 11 rebounds, and a block per game. He’s been a leading force for a Clippers team with the league’s top net rating (+9.4) and second-best defensive rating (104.3). 

2. South Bay Lakers

Record: 9-3 (2-0 this week)
Previous ranking: 5

A winning streak that was extended to 7 games following a two-game sweep of Ignite has the Lakers firmly in control of a Winter Showcase berth. They have continued to ride the hot hand of Scotty Pippen Jr., as he’s averaging over 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals per game over this current stretch. As a team, South Bay has the league’s best net rating (+15.9) and ranks in the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency in their still-active run of dominance.

3. Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Record: 10-3 (3-0 this week)
Previous ranking: 9

The defending champs are now owners of the top spot in the South Division on the heels of a 7-game winning streak. A total team effort has gotten Rio Grande Valley to this point, as six players are averaging 14 or more points per game during this run. Louis King, in particular, has done it all over these recent games, posting 17.3 points, 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per outing. His recent play is probably best exemplified by his 22-point, 7-rebound, 7-assist, 5-steal outing in the Vipers’ Dec. 3 victory over Lakeland.

4. Fort Wayne Mad Ants

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

Gabe York has continued to play like an absolute torch of late. The league’s fourth-highest scorer just recently took home Player of the Week honors for the second time this season after averaging 36.5 points and 6.5 made threes per game during the week of Nov. 28 - Dec. 4. It was a stretch that included him setting new season highs in both points (43) and made threes (7) against Windy City on Dec. 3. Thanks in no small part to his play, Fort Wayne ranks fourth in defensive efficiency and has the third-best net rating in the G.

5. Cleveland Charge

Record: 10-4 (2-0 this week)
Previous ranking: 8

A four-game winning streak, including a win over Fort Wayne, has the Charge in first place in the Central Division. Sharife Cooper is averaging nearly 25 points and 9 assists in that span, with Cleveland now 9-1 in games when he scores 20 or more points. Jamorko Pickett has also stepped up in a big way of late, logging 20.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game during the streak and even setting a new season-high with his 28-point effort against Windy City on Dec. 5.

6. College Park Skyhawks

Record: 9-4 (3-0 this week)
Previous ranking: 10

Don’t look now, but College Park holds the top spot in the East Division after taking back-to-back games against Maine. Backcourt leader Brandon Williams was instrumental in making that a reality, averaging nearly 28 points per game in those contests. That included his 28-point, 8-rebound, 2-steal effort to lead the Skyhawks to a 21-point win in the opening game of the series. They have also gotten big games from the likes of Jared Rhoden (27 PTS, 8 REB on Dec. 4) and Tyrese Martin (31 PTS, 7 REB on Dec. 6) to get them to this point.

7. Maine Celtics

Record: 8-5 (0-3 this week)
Previous ranking: 2

Their team’s recent slump aside, Luka Samanic and Mfiondu Kabengele still remain one of the more productive frontcourt tandems in the league. The reigning G League Player of the Month, Samanic is one of only three eligible players averaging 20+ points and 10+ rebounds and recently had his tenth double-double of the season against College Park. On the other hand, Kabengele has been the anchor down low, currently fifth in the league in blocks per game (2.3) while also logging 17.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest.

8. Mexico City Capitanes

Record: 9-5 (3-0 this week)
Previous ranking: N/R

Mexico City’s trio of former NBA veterans continue to get the job done for this team. Jahlil Okafor (21.3 PTS, 8.1 REB, 1.1 BLK), Gary Clark (19.5 PTS, 10.1 REB, 1.2 STL) and Mason Jones (19.1 PTS, 7.1 AST, 5 REB) lead a Capitanes squad ranked second in true shooting percentage (65.3%) and one that is currently fifth in defensive rating (106.7). With that kind of production leading the way, it’s no surprise that Mexico City has won three in a row to keep pace with Rio Grande Valley in the South Division. 

9. Windy City Bulls

Record: 6-4 (0-2 this week)
Previous ranking: 3

Despite their recent slide, Windy City’s chances moving forward continue to look up. They still can claim the league’s best defensive rating (103.4) while ranking second in rebounds per game (49.4) and first in opponent field goal percentage (41.7%). Leading scorer Carlik Jones (19.8 PTS, 7.9 AST, 5.7 REB) also continues to stuff the stat sheet, popping off for a season-high 36 points along with 11 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals on Dec. 3 against Fort Wayne.

10. Iowa Wolves

Record: 7-5 (1-2 this week)
Previous ranking: 7

The play of Luka Garza continues to dazzle. The Wolves big man went out and dropped a career-high 44 points, tied for the second-most by any player in a game this season, and also added 16 rebounds in Iowa’s Dec. 5 game against Fort Wayne. Now the league’s leading scorer at 29.8 points per game, he’s been the engine behind an Iowa offense ranked third in offensive rating and is still looking to maintain its spot in an ultra-competitive Central Division.