The Coinbase 3v3 SLAM OPEN Power Rankings | Week 1

First official power rankings for 3v3! Since we don’t have a historical 3v3 reputation, we’re going to base rankings off what we saw from last week. It was a good start for the league, high-end competition from your stars and good teams along with scrappy play from the community teams. We’ll rank those community teams separately at the bottom, but they don’t mean too much until we get to the end of this week! Without further ado, let’s start in the Eastern Conference this time.

Eastern Conference

1. 76ers GC – 3 points

I think what impresses me the most about this team so far is just how calm they are in their execution. They could be a bucket away from losing, but when the cameras are on, they seem stoic and in control. Dre has been the best 3v3 player so far, serving up a great display of timely shot-creation for both him and his teammates. With how he’s playing in 5v5 as well, it’s fair to start tossing his name around in MVP discussions, but it’s still too early for that. For now, they make 3v3 a whole lot more fun to watch.

2. Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai – 2 points
3. Wizards District Gaming – 3 points

All this offseason talk of 3v3 guards taking over the league, yet here are the Wizards at 3-0 with Dayfri at PG! Comedy aside, elite 2K players remain as such regardless of the game mode. Newdini, Awkward, and Dayfri are still the best trio in the league and when you give them a chance to win a game of 2K to 21, they are still going to win a majority of those games. Two-time champs are just built differently.

4. Hawks Talon GC – 2 points
5. Raptors Uprising GC – 1 point

I’m not sure if there is a player in the league under more pressure to perform right now than Fanta. This is supposedly his game mode to lose and honestly, his first week should prove to everyone just how hard it is to win in this league. I actually thought the Raptors Uprising GC team played really well this week, yet they only have one win to show for it. Once this squad gets in a groove and Fanta starts figuring out the game mode more, it should be smoother sailing, but wins don’t come easy in this league, regardless of how good you are coming into the league.

6. Hornets Venom GT – 2 points
7. Grizz Gaming – 1 point
8. Celtics Crossover Gaming – 2 points

This is my darkhorse 3v3 team in the East. I’m going to keep them low for now, just to make sure I’m not crazy, but I think they have a ton of upside. FT being able to just iso defenders and go to work is perfect for his skillset and Tayzo, quietly as always, has been dominant against opposing PGs so far. Add in Bulleyy hitting shots and rebounding and you have a team with a real chance to make some noise. Let’s wait and see if they get to Indy first, but I like the cut of this team’s jib.

9. NetsGC – 1 point
10. Knicks Gaming – 0 points
11. Heat Check Gaming – 0 points
12. Magic Gaming – 0 points

Western Conference

1. Pistons GT – 3 points

I went back and forth between putting Pistons GT and T-Wolves Gaming at #1, but screw it, I’m putting Radiant #1. It feels like the 3v3 mode was made specifically for Radiant to just dominate people. He’s averaging almost 15 ppg in 3v3 so far, which in a game to 21 is pretty damn good if you ask me! Add in Ramo and Bagmotion being excellent defenders and rebounders and we might have ourselves a potential favorite…key word potential. Kaii and T-Wolves Gaming still loom at #2.

2. T-Wolves Gaming – 3 points
3. Lakers Gaming – 2 points
4. Pacers Gaming – 2 points

This could not have been an easy week for Pacers Gaming. Trading away someone of 630’s caliber is bound to have an impact on the team, both mentally and emotionally, so for them to come out with the focus and passion they did this week needs to be commended. On top of that, Vandi is starting to give us some “Great Vandini” vibes, so they were really fun to watch this week. Mama Im Dat Man left them with a bad taste in their mouth to end the week, but so far so good for a Pacers Gaming team that needs momentum anywhere they can find it.

5. Jazz Gaming – 2 points
6. Blazer5 Gaming – 2 points
7. Bucks Gaming – 2 points
8. Cavs Legion GC – 2 points
9. DUX Infinitos – 2 points

This Dux Infinitos team has some serious mental toughness. Losing Killeyy a couple days before 3v3 is supposed to start is hard enough, but to remain competitive and come away with a 2-1 record? Incredibly impressive. I don’t know what their long-term chances are at winning 3v3 without Killeyy in the lineup, he was my preseason pick for potential 3v3 MVP, but wins are wins are wins. So far so good.

10. Warriors Gaming Squad – 1 point
11. Mavs Gaming – 1 point
12. Kings Guard Gaming – 1 point

Alright, before I get roasted for this one too badly, Kings Guard ended the week with a really nice win over Pacers Gaming. Did I call Mama Im Dat Man “potentially over the hill” on broadcast? Yes I did. Did he respond by missing 3 shots in 3 games and dominating Pacers Gaming? Yes he did. We need more of that. This Kings Guard team was supposed to be coming for everything this year, 5v5 and 3v3. I’m expecting a big week out of them as they fight to get back on stage in Indy. Let’s hope they hit my expectations…this time.

Community Teams

We’ll keep it easy and do a general recap for our community teams. I think there is a pretty clear split between the teams that will really put 2K League teams to the test and others that look a little out of place. Handlez, Basketball Godz, and Team Smoke are all currently projected to make it out of their group and get to Indy, which congrats to them that’s an incredible accomplishment already. They’ve won with discipline, high-end scoring, and some fantastic guard play. Team Glitchy also has a ton of talent, but they’ve been on the wrong side of some tough losses. We’ll see how this week pans out. We could easily see these squads shuffle again before Indy, or could just as easily see them solidify their place as top 3v3 teams. Been very fun to watch so far, I respect their competitiveness and determination.

Handlez – 3 points
Basketball Godz – 2 points
Team Smoke – 2 points
Glitchy – 1 point
Dot Squad – 0 points
Dreamshakers – 0 points
Intimidators – 0 points
Triple Threat – 0 points