RANK (LAST WK)REC.
1 (3) Lakers 25-5
The Lakers had a 4-0 week highlighted by their win over the Celtics at Staples to reclaim the first spot. Kobe had a great week averaging 30ppg and made 43 of 79 of his shots (.5443%).
2 (2) Cavaliers 26-4
The Cavs had a light 3-0 week, but had to struggle down the stretch to win against both the Wizards and the Heat at home. As a team they averaged 95ppg, almost 8 points below their season average.
1 (3) Celtics 28-4
My rankings are based on three things. A team’s efficiency, a team’s overall record and a team’s record for that week. The Celtics have the league’s best record at 28-4, but back to back losses to the Lakers and Warriors on the road cost them two spots.
4 (4) Magic 24-6
The Magic have gone under the radar this season, because of all the attention paid to the Cavaliers and the Celtics. Dwight Howard continues to be the leading candidate for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and is currently fourth behind Lebron, D-Wade and Kobe for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.
5 (7) Spurs 20-10
The Spurs may be an aging team, but since their horrible 1-4 start they’ve figured out ways to come up with wins. A 4-0 week was highlighted by a game winning 3 point shot by Roger Mason against the Suns in Phoenix, followed by a 106-103 win at home against the Memphis Grizzlies.
6 (8) Hawks 19-10
I guess a 2-0 week isn’t much, but the Hawks have found their stride and are very confident. I am still not ready to put them in the same category as Cleveland or Boston, but they are slowly creeping up to the Orlando Magic.
7 (9) Nuggets 20-11
The Nuggets are settling into a 3rd to 5th seed team in the West which is where I feel they will end up. A 3-1 week with their lone loss to the Blazers in Portland wasn’t that bad.
8 (5) Hornets 18-9
A 2-2 week was just about right. They shouldn’t feel bad with losses to the Lakers and the Magic on the road. A 20 point road loss to the Magic though, was somewhat of a disappointment.
9 (6) Rockets 20-11
You keep hearing all season long, if the Rockets are at full strength they will be a very dangerous team. Well, let’s face it, that proposition seems very unlikely. All the Rockets can hope for is, when the playoffs rolls around they are at full strength. In the main time, I expect the Rockets to continue their inconsistent because of all the injuries they keep having.
10 (13) Mavericks 18-12
Dirk Nowitzi was suspended one game by the nba for hitting Utah’s Matt Harpring in the face. It didn’t matter. The Mavericks beat the L.A. Clippers 98-76 while Dirk was out to end the week 3-1.
11 (11) Suns 16-12
What a weird schedule for the Suns. They go an entire week only to play one game and it’s against their archrival San Antonio Spurs. For the second time this season, they run a back door play for Grant Hill and ended up with what should have been the game winning shot. Few seconds later, new comer Jason Richardson slides over to help stop a Tony Parker drive and leaves the Spurs Roger Mason wide open for a heartbreaking 3 point game winning shot.
12 (10) Trail Blazers 19-12
After an 8-0 start at home, the Blazers have gone 3-3. I know a few people were hopeful the Blazers would be the new Cinderella team this season, but I knew they weren’t that good yet. Before the season, I predicted they will battle for the 8th spot and I still believe this will be the case.
13 (14) Heat 16-13
The Heat are playing very well this season, but I am not surprised by their record at all. I’ve always said a healthy Dwayne Wade playing like an MVP Candidate along with rookie Michael Beasley and Shawn Marion, would be enough to make the playoffs in the East. I expect them to finish with the 6th to 7th seed.
14 (16) Pistons 17-11
I know the Pistons went 3-0 against all subpar teams in week 9, but considering their inconsistency since the Iverson trade, things are looking good in Motown.
15 (12) Jazz 18-14
Injuries have really crippled the Jazz this season, yet, they still find themselves in the playoff hunt. I expect them to make the playoffs but it will be a very tall order if they continue to be unhealthy.
16 (15) Nets 15-15
The Nets pulled off a fortunate 2-2 week thanks to a 108-107 win over the Pacers in Indy. They are currently the 7th seeded team in the East and should make the playoff though it will be very though.
17 (18) Bucks 14-17
Things were looking really dim when the Bucks were 9-15 and it was looking more like the Bucks were lottery bound. Since then, the Bucks have gone 5-2 and if the playoffs started today will have the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.
18 (17) Bulls 13-17
The Bulls have to make a change. They might lose Ben Gordon their best trade asset to free agency if they don’t pull the trigger. Their path to the playoff is not clear, then again neither was the path of the Bucks a few week ago. Note: Rookie Derrick Rose is no longer the leading candidate for the NBA ROY Award.
19 (19) 76ers 12-17
The 76ers went 0-2 in week 9 but before you knock them consider these factors. Newly acquired all-star forward Elton Brand is out for a month with a shoulder injury. In addition, the Sixers lost to Celtics and the Nuggets on the road in week 9.
20 (23) Bobcats 11-20
The Bobcats went 2-1 in week 9 and are 4-2 over their last 6 games. They are clearly playing better since the trade but until a drastic trade is made, you can expect more of the same.
21 (26) Warriors 9-23
The Warriors actually give their Celtics their second straight loss of the week. A very impressive achievement considering they were without Jamal Crawford, Corey Maggette and Monte Ellis of course has been out the entire season.
22 (24) Raptors 12-18
A 2-1 week was decent considering their recent woes. However, along with the 76ers, the Raptors are definitely the most disappointing team this season. Maybe the 36 points, 9 rebounds performance by Jermaine O’Neal against the Kings could be a sign of good things to come.
23 (22) Grizzlies 10-20
After 4 straight wins the Grizzlies return back to earth with a 1-3 week. Losses to the Lakers and Spurs were expected. People talk about the Blazers being the team of the future. I honestly believe the Grizzlies are right behind them.
24 (20) Pacers 10-20
The Pacers could easily be 15-15 but have suffered more close losses than any team in the nba this season. Keep in mind the Blazers are still without Dunleavy, their second best player who has been out the entire season.
25 (27) Knicks 11-18
In all fairness to new head coach Mike D’Antoni. He had his two best players traded and is doing his best to work with what he has. Obviously the Knicks are preparing for the future, so making the playoffs could actually hurt their draft positioning. I don’t think D’Antoni wants to hear that, but facts are facts.
26 (25) Clippers 8-21
Don’t forget before Z-Bo was acquired by the Clippers via a trade the Clips were a terrible team. He made them better, but they were still a bad team. Unfortunately for them, Z-Bo will be out for one to two weeks. In his absence, the Clippers lost their last two games by a 22 point margin in each game.
27 (30) Timberwolves 5-24
The Timberwolves finally won a game for their new head coach Kevin McHale, after losing 8 straight since he took over the helm. They are just plain terrible and it wouldn’t surprise me if McHale is shown the door soon.
28 (28) Kings 7-24
I would say I feel sorry for the Moloofs but I really don’t. I did not agree with the firing of Reggie Theus at all. He was a very good coach in a bad situation. I expect them to continue to struggle even when Kevin Martin, their best player returns.
29 (27) Wizards 5-23
Bad teams find ways to lose, simple as that. The Wizards could have been the first team to win in Cleveland this season, but allowed the Cavs to go on an 11-2 run in the final minutes. Their only win in week 9 was over the Thunder, which earned them one spot better.
30 (29) Thunder 3-28
I really like the Thunder rookie point guard Westbrook and with the signing of Krstic they should be a lot better. Obviously still bad, but maybe good enough to move up a spot or two at the very most.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
NBA WIZARD POWER RANKING 2008-09: WEEK 8
RANK (LAST WK)REC.
1 (1) Celtics 26-2
Winning 18 straight will earn any team the first spot this early in the season. A 26-2 overall record have led many experts to predict whether this team can win 73 games and beat the record held by the 1996 Bulls team that went 72-10. The Celtics are playing superb, but they have had the perfect season too. No injuries to date. Point guard Rondo and Center Perkins are playing superb this season. Tony Allen, Eddie House and Leon Powe are playing great off the bench and everything seems to be working in the Celtics favor early on. Barring injuries, something all the other contenders endured this season, the Celtics could seriously challenge the Bulls. Winning 73 games though is not going to happen. I wouldn’t put my money on an aging team going the entire season with no injuries to their starting five.
2 (3) Cavaliers 23-4
Before last week the Cavaliers had gone 1-4 on the road against teams with winning records. Their win against the Nuggets in Denver highlighted a 3-0 week. Lebron continues to be the leading candidate for the NBA MVP award. Questions: Will the Cavaliers stay pat or make the following trades. 1. Varajao and Wally for the Heat defensive stopper Shawn Marion or, 2. Wally and Boobie for the Nets Vince Carter?
3 (2) Lakers 21-5
The State of Florida was not good to the Western Conference Champions Los Angeles Lakers who suffered two straight losses to the Heat and Magic. The Lakers are not playing championship defense and maybe G.M Mitch Kupchak is scratching his head over not trading Lamar Odom to the Kings for defensive juggernaut Ron Artest when he had the chance.
4 (4) Magic 21-6
The Magic Maintained their 4th rank with a 3-0 week with two quality wins, over the Spurs and the Lakers in Orlando. Center Dwight Howard continues to be the leading candidate for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
5 (7) Hornets 16-7
After a subpar 5-5 start, the Hornets have quietly gone on to win 11-2 including four straight and have the identical record of 16-7 like last season. Maybe they can improve on that, but the four teams ahead of them will make it a very tall order to move up.
6 (11) Rockets 18-9
The Rockets recent success is due to three things. For one, they are healthy and having Artest, T-Mac and Battier back in the lineup has definitely tightened up their perimeter defense. Secondly, the move to bring Artest of the bench and start Battier has been masterful, not to mention point guard Aaron Brooks is also in the starting lineup. What this has done is allow the Rockets to return back to what they were familiar with last season, and that is establishing Yao and allowing the offense to run though him. Like I’ve always said, if Yao averages 25ppg, 10rpg and 2.5bpg, the Rockets will be a serious contender. In three games last week, Yao averaged 26.6ppg and Artest has adjusted and providing a major lift off the bench. Note: Watch out for Aaron Brooks, his speed allows the Rockets to initiate their offense quicker and get easy baskets. 7 (6) Spurs 16-10
The Spurs will be there when it counts. Even though losses to the Magic and Hornets led to a 1-2 week, the Spurs are still a contender in my book. They scored 13 to the Hornets 27 in the fourth quarter and loss a seven point lead entering the quarter and ultimately the game which stopped them from posting a 2-1 week. However, I do not expect them to get out of the West if they stay pat with no changes to their current roster.
8 (8) Hawks 17-10
The Hawks almost went 3-0 but lost 88-85 to the Celtics in Atlanta. They are definitely a threat, but the top 3 teams in the East are pretty locked in. The only thing that concerns me about the Hawks is, down the stretch of games Joe Johnson becomes their entire offense. There is no ball movement whatsoever. Either he takes his man one on one or, he passes to his teammates whom aside from Bibby are not good jump shooters.
9 (5) Nuggets 17-10
The Nuggets have been on a roll since trading for Billups, going 14-4 until last week. Three straight losses to Houston, Cleveland and Phoenix have brought them down to earth a little.
10 (14) Trail Blazers 17-10
I really like the Blazers, but this talk about being a contending team is a little over blown. A 2-0 week was great, but the Blazers will contend when center Greg Oden averages 15ppg, 12rpg, 3.5bpg. With those types of numbers he will own the paint, especially defensively. By then, which I predict will be during the 2010-11 season, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez and Brandon Roy of course, will be solid enough to handle the perimeter.
11 (12) Suns 16-11
Since trading for Jason Richardson the Suns have gone 3-1 with their lone loss to the Blazers in Portland. The Blazers had to get a career high 52 points from Brandon Roy to give them a 124-119 win over the Suns. With an aging Shaq and Amare who wants to be a great defender but lacks the discipline, the Suns simply do not have the makeup to be a great defensive team. Trading for Jason Richardson helped re-indentified them as the offensive team that they are. Like last season, you can expect them they try to outscore teams. Obviously that is not a recipe for a championship team, but then again I don’t think even the Suns players believe they are a championship contender.
12 (10) Jazz 17-12
Boozer used to be one of my favorite players in the league when he played for the Cavaliers. Since deceiving the Cavs into allowing him to become a free agent only to bolt to the Jazz for more money, I have looked at Mr. Boozer in a different light. Since bolting the Cavs, Boozer has played in 251 out of 357 possible regular season games for the Jazz. While waiting to have his third MRI on his injured quad that’s kept him out of 17 games this season, Boozer claims he will test the free agent market at the end of this season. I know players are supposed to look out for their families, but with a great coach like Sloan and a great point guard like Williams for a teammate, his comments were inappropriate, especially after being out for 17 games already this season.
13 (9) Mavericks 15-11
If the season ended today, the Mavs would not make the playoffs. A 2-2 week did not help their cause obviously. Even worse, was watching Devin Harris outplay Jason Kidd. Harris had 41 points and 13 assists to Kidd’s 17 points and 7 assists giving the Nets an impressive 121-97 win over the Mavericks. The Nets and Mavs exchanged both players in a trade last season. In all fairness Devin could not put up those numbers in Dallas because the Mavs are loaded with scorers and that is why having Kidd, a play making point guard was a better fit for the Mavericks. A 15-11 record is not really that bad, but it wouldn’t be good enough to make the playoffs in the West if the season ended today.
14 (15) Heat 14-12
Like I said before, the Heat are not a contender but they will make the playoffs because they have Dwyane Wade. However, somebody needs to step up because the Heat cannot expect Dwyane Wade to put up big numbers every night for them to win games. In three straight losses Dwyane Wade averaged 17.66ppg on 33.9 percent shooting. In their last two games, both wins, Wade averaged 39ppg while making 55.3 percent of his shots. Wade played in 51 out of 82 games in each of the previous two seasons before this one, and if the Heat players don’t step up, they could risk losing him to another injury. The guy needs help, simply put!
15 (17) Nets 3-13
Devin Harris continues to be the leading candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. His 24.4ppg, 6.7apg average might be good enough to give him his first all-star invitation. The Nets are also currently a playoff team which increases his chances.
16 (13) Pistons 14-11
The Pistons had another subpar week going 1-2 last week. In their last game on Sunday coach Michael Curry benched Iverson down the stretch against the Hawks in Atlanta, and Iverson was noticeably angry on the bench. Iverson did play 41 minutes in the game, but to be bench down the stretch was a shocker to everyone. Could that be the beginning of the end for Iverson in Detroit or, did the first year head coach set himself up to be fired, which seems to be the recent trend in the nba this season.
17 (16) Bulls 13-14
It’s funny how a15-11 record has the Mavs out of the playoffs in the West but 13-14 mark has the Bulls sitting in the seventh seed in the East. Rookie Derrick Rose recently loss his lead in the rookie of the year race to O.J.Mayo but had a comeback game with 24 points, 3 assist to give the Bulls a 106-98 win over the Jazz in their last game. Ben Gordon had me concern when he passed up a guaranteed 6 year $66 million contract extension from the Bulls this summer, but his team leading 20.9ppg might be solid enough to get him more money next summer. I expect the Bulls to move him rather then lose him to free agency before the trading deadline.
18 (22) Bucks 13-16
The Bucks capped off their 3-1 week by winning their last two games by a combined 58 points. They are making a push for the playoffs in the East.
19 (26) 76ers 12-15
The 76ers went 2-1 without Elton Brand who is out with a shoulder injury for at least a month. Their lone loss was a one point heartbreaker to the Indiana Pacers at home. I expect point guard Lou Williams and forward Thaddeus Young to step up in his absence. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the 76ers improve while Brand is out.
20 (16) Pacers 10-17
A 3-1 week will put you in discussions but making the playoffs is still a distant memory for this team. Highlights: The Pacers are the only team to beat both the Lakers and the Celtics this season. Also, Danny Granger is the leading First Time Candidate to make the all-star team this year.
21 (18) Knicks 11-16
I was hopeful when the Knicks first traded Crawford and Z-Bo for Al Harrington that they would make the playoffs, but that was only because of Mike D’Antoni’s coaching style. I honestly thought Harrinton would flourish under D’Antoni and he did early on. Over the last four games though all losses, Al Harrington is averaging 15.5ppg on 29.4 percent shooting. The Knicks will never make the playoffs with Al putting up horrific numbers like those.
22 (19) Grizzlies 9-17
After winning four straight the week before, the Grizzlies loss three straight last week. You can expect the Grizzlies to be inconsistently especially when a rookie leads the team in scoring. Mayo, the nba leading candidate for the ROY Award had a subpar week averaging 13.5 on 44 percent shooting in two losses.
23 (27) Bobcats 9-19
I’ve been high on D.J. Augustine all season and even though he is averaging 13.2ppg and 4.6apg, his career high 29 points against fellow rookie Derrick Rose served notice. Newly acquired Boris Diaw and Raja Bell are playing inspired basketball again. I expect the Bobcats to make at least one more if not two trades before the deadline.
24 (20) Raptors 10-17
The expectations for the Raptors were very high coming into the season, but things have plummeted to say the least. The Jermaine O’Neal trade has been a total disaster and the Raptors are trying to find answers with nowhere to look. They are stuck with O’Neal’s contract and their immediate future looks bleak.
25 (23) Clippers 8-19
The Clippers have turned the corner and Z-Bo is playing like a monster. Will they make the playoff? No. Will coach Mike Dunleavy get fired? No, the owner is a bit tight when it comes to spending and will not waste money on another coach while still paying Dunleavy, especially knowing the team is not playoff bound this season.
26 (24) Warriors 8-20
Jamal Crawford is capable of putting up big points as evident in the Warriors 110-103 win over the Charlotte Bobcats when he scored 50 on 14 for 26 shooting. The same Crawford can shoot his team out of games also, as evident in the previous three games all losses when he averaged 19.33 shot attempts per game while making only 34.4 percent of his shots.
27 (25) Kings 7-21
Firing Reggie Theus was the worse coaching firing this season. The Kings traded away Bibby and Artest in the off season and have been without their leading scorer Kevin Martin for some games this season. Yet, a good coach gets fired. Since firing Reggie the Kings are 1-3 with their lone win over the Timberwolves, the second worse team in the nba. Personally, I think G.M.s around the league have been firing coaches lately to save their own tails and this was clearly the case in Sacramento.
28 (28) Wizards 4-21
I guess 3-11 is an improvement by new head coach Ed Tapscott, considering the team was 0-10 under former head coach Eddie Jordan. I guess in Washington’s case the firing was justified considering there are two former all-stars on that team, Caron Butler and Antawn.
29 (30) Thunder 3-25
The Thunder are playing better under new head coach Scotty Brooks. They are still losing a ton of games but they have been very competitive as of late I must admit.
30 (29) Timberwolves 4-22
Rumors has it, Kevin McHale is trying to replace himself with Flip Saunders, a former coach of the Timberwolves who was previously fired by McHale. McHale has gone 0-7 since taking over the coaching helm two weeks ago and he epitomizes my claim to a tee, of a G.M. firing a head coach to pass the blame.
1 (1) Celtics 26-2
Winning 18 straight will earn any team the first spot this early in the season. A 26-2 overall record have led many experts to predict whether this team can win 73 games and beat the record held by the 1996 Bulls team that went 72-10. The Celtics are playing superb, but they have had the perfect season too. No injuries to date. Point guard Rondo and Center Perkins are playing superb this season. Tony Allen, Eddie House and Leon Powe are playing great off the bench and everything seems to be working in the Celtics favor early on. Barring injuries, something all the other contenders endured this season, the Celtics could seriously challenge the Bulls. Winning 73 games though is not going to happen. I wouldn’t put my money on an aging team going the entire season with no injuries to their starting five.
2 (3) Cavaliers 23-4
Before last week the Cavaliers had gone 1-4 on the road against teams with winning records. Their win against the Nuggets in Denver highlighted a 3-0 week. Lebron continues to be the leading candidate for the NBA MVP award. Questions: Will the Cavaliers stay pat or make the following trades. 1. Varajao and Wally for the Heat defensive stopper Shawn Marion or, 2. Wally and Boobie for the Nets Vince Carter?
3 (2) Lakers 21-5
The State of Florida was not good to the Western Conference Champions Los Angeles Lakers who suffered two straight losses to the Heat and Magic. The Lakers are not playing championship defense and maybe G.M Mitch Kupchak is scratching his head over not trading Lamar Odom to the Kings for defensive juggernaut Ron Artest when he had the chance.
4 (4) Magic 21-6
The Magic Maintained their 4th rank with a 3-0 week with two quality wins, over the Spurs and the Lakers in Orlando. Center Dwight Howard continues to be the leading candidate for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
5 (7) Hornets 16-7
After a subpar 5-5 start, the Hornets have quietly gone on to win 11-2 including four straight and have the identical record of 16-7 like last season. Maybe they can improve on that, but the four teams ahead of them will make it a very tall order to move up.
6 (11) Rockets 18-9
The Rockets recent success is due to three things. For one, they are healthy and having Artest, T-Mac and Battier back in the lineup has definitely tightened up their perimeter defense. Secondly, the move to bring Artest of the bench and start Battier has been masterful, not to mention point guard Aaron Brooks is also in the starting lineup. What this has done is allow the Rockets to return back to what they were familiar with last season, and that is establishing Yao and allowing the offense to run though him. Like I’ve always said, if Yao averages 25ppg, 10rpg and 2.5bpg, the Rockets will be a serious contender. In three games last week, Yao averaged 26.6ppg and Artest has adjusted and providing a major lift off the bench. Note: Watch out for Aaron Brooks, his speed allows the Rockets to initiate their offense quicker and get easy baskets. 7 (6) Spurs 16-10
The Spurs will be there when it counts. Even though losses to the Magic and Hornets led to a 1-2 week, the Spurs are still a contender in my book. They scored 13 to the Hornets 27 in the fourth quarter and loss a seven point lead entering the quarter and ultimately the game which stopped them from posting a 2-1 week. However, I do not expect them to get out of the West if they stay pat with no changes to their current roster.
8 (8) Hawks 17-10
The Hawks almost went 3-0 but lost 88-85 to the Celtics in Atlanta. They are definitely a threat, but the top 3 teams in the East are pretty locked in. The only thing that concerns me about the Hawks is, down the stretch of games Joe Johnson becomes their entire offense. There is no ball movement whatsoever. Either he takes his man one on one or, he passes to his teammates whom aside from Bibby are not good jump shooters.
9 (5) Nuggets 17-10
The Nuggets have been on a roll since trading for Billups, going 14-4 until last week. Three straight losses to Houston, Cleveland and Phoenix have brought them down to earth a little.
10 (14) Trail Blazers 17-10
I really like the Blazers, but this talk about being a contending team is a little over blown. A 2-0 week was great, but the Blazers will contend when center Greg Oden averages 15ppg, 12rpg, 3.5bpg. With those types of numbers he will own the paint, especially defensively. By then, which I predict will be during the 2010-11 season, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez and Brandon Roy of course, will be solid enough to handle the perimeter.
11 (12) Suns 16-11
Since trading for Jason Richardson the Suns have gone 3-1 with their lone loss to the Blazers in Portland. The Blazers had to get a career high 52 points from Brandon Roy to give them a 124-119 win over the Suns. With an aging Shaq and Amare who wants to be a great defender but lacks the discipline, the Suns simply do not have the makeup to be a great defensive team. Trading for Jason Richardson helped re-indentified them as the offensive team that they are. Like last season, you can expect them they try to outscore teams. Obviously that is not a recipe for a championship team, but then again I don’t think even the Suns players believe they are a championship contender.
12 (10) Jazz 17-12
Boozer used to be one of my favorite players in the league when he played for the Cavaliers. Since deceiving the Cavs into allowing him to become a free agent only to bolt to the Jazz for more money, I have looked at Mr. Boozer in a different light. Since bolting the Cavs, Boozer has played in 251 out of 357 possible regular season games for the Jazz. While waiting to have his third MRI on his injured quad that’s kept him out of 17 games this season, Boozer claims he will test the free agent market at the end of this season. I know players are supposed to look out for their families, but with a great coach like Sloan and a great point guard like Williams for a teammate, his comments were inappropriate, especially after being out for 17 games already this season.
13 (9) Mavericks 15-11
If the season ended today, the Mavs would not make the playoffs. A 2-2 week did not help their cause obviously. Even worse, was watching Devin Harris outplay Jason Kidd. Harris had 41 points and 13 assists to Kidd’s 17 points and 7 assists giving the Nets an impressive 121-97 win over the Mavericks. The Nets and Mavs exchanged both players in a trade last season. In all fairness Devin could not put up those numbers in Dallas because the Mavs are loaded with scorers and that is why having Kidd, a play making point guard was a better fit for the Mavericks. A 15-11 record is not really that bad, but it wouldn’t be good enough to make the playoffs in the West if the season ended today.
14 (15) Heat 14-12
Like I said before, the Heat are not a contender but they will make the playoffs because they have Dwyane Wade. However, somebody needs to step up because the Heat cannot expect Dwyane Wade to put up big numbers every night for them to win games. In three straight losses Dwyane Wade averaged 17.66ppg on 33.9 percent shooting. In their last two games, both wins, Wade averaged 39ppg while making 55.3 percent of his shots. Wade played in 51 out of 82 games in each of the previous two seasons before this one, and if the Heat players don’t step up, they could risk losing him to another injury. The guy needs help, simply put!
15 (17) Nets 3-13
Devin Harris continues to be the leading candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. His 24.4ppg, 6.7apg average might be good enough to give him his first all-star invitation. The Nets are also currently a playoff team which increases his chances.
16 (13) Pistons 14-11
The Pistons had another subpar week going 1-2 last week. In their last game on Sunday coach Michael Curry benched Iverson down the stretch against the Hawks in Atlanta, and Iverson was noticeably angry on the bench. Iverson did play 41 minutes in the game, but to be bench down the stretch was a shocker to everyone. Could that be the beginning of the end for Iverson in Detroit or, did the first year head coach set himself up to be fired, which seems to be the recent trend in the nba this season.
17 (16) Bulls 13-14
It’s funny how a15-11 record has the Mavs out of the playoffs in the West but 13-14 mark has the Bulls sitting in the seventh seed in the East. Rookie Derrick Rose recently loss his lead in the rookie of the year race to O.J.Mayo but had a comeback game with 24 points, 3 assist to give the Bulls a 106-98 win over the Jazz in their last game. Ben Gordon had me concern when he passed up a guaranteed 6 year $66 million contract extension from the Bulls this summer, but his team leading 20.9ppg might be solid enough to get him more money next summer. I expect the Bulls to move him rather then lose him to free agency before the trading deadline.
18 (22) Bucks 13-16
The Bucks capped off their 3-1 week by winning their last two games by a combined 58 points. They are making a push for the playoffs in the East.
19 (26) 76ers 12-15
The 76ers went 2-1 without Elton Brand who is out with a shoulder injury for at least a month. Their lone loss was a one point heartbreaker to the Indiana Pacers at home. I expect point guard Lou Williams and forward Thaddeus Young to step up in his absence. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the 76ers improve while Brand is out.
20 (16) Pacers 10-17
A 3-1 week will put you in discussions but making the playoffs is still a distant memory for this team. Highlights: The Pacers are the only team to beat both the Lakers and the Celtics this season. Also, Danny Granger is the leading First Time Candidate to make the all-star team this year.
21 (18) Knicks 11-16
I was hopeful when the Knicks first traded Crawford and Z-Bo for Al Harrington that they would make the playoffs, but that was only because of Mike D’Antoni’s coaching style. I honestly thought Harrinton would flourish under D’Antoni and he did early on. Over the last four games though all losses, Al Harrington is averaging 15.5ppg on 29.4 percent shooting. The Knicks will never make the playoffs with Al putting up horrific numbers like those.
22 (19) Grizzlies 9-17
After winning four straight the week before, the Grizzlies loss three straight last week. You can expect the Grizzlies to be inconsistently especially when a rookie leads the team in scoring. Mayo, the nba leading candidate for the ROY Award had a subpar week averaging 13.5 on 44 percent shooting in two losses.
23 (27) Bobcats 9-19
I’ve been high on D.J. Augustine all season and even though he is averaging 13.2ppg and 4.6apg, his career high 29 points against fellow rookie Derrick Rose served notice. Newly acquired Boris Diaw and Raja Bell are playing inspired basketball again. I expect the Bobcats to make at least one more if not two trades before the deadline.
24 (20) Raptors 10-17
The expectations for the Raptors were very high coming into the season, but things have plummeted to say the least. The Jermaine O’Neal trade has been a total disaster and the Raptors are trying to find answers with nowhere to look. They are stuck with O’Neal’s contract and their immediate future looks bleak.
25 (23) Clippers 8-19
The Clippers have turned the corner and Z-Bo is playing like a monster. Will they make the playoff? No. Will coach Mike Dunleavy get fired? No, the owner is a bit tight when it comes to spending and will not waste money on another coach while still paying Dunleavy, especially knowing the team is not playoff bound this season.
26 (24) Warriors 8-20
Jamal Crawford is capable of putting up big points as evident in the Warriors 110-103 win over the Charlotte Bobcats when he scored 50 on 14 for 26 shooting. The same Crawford can shoot his team out of games also, as evident in the previous three games all losses when he averaged 19.33 shot attempts per game while making only 34.4 percent of his shots.
27 (25) Kings 7-21
Firing Reggie Theus was the worse coaching firing this season. The Kings traded away Bibby and Artest in the off season and have been without their leading scorer Kevin Martin for some games this season. Yet, a good coach gets fired. Since firing Reggie the Kings are 1-3 with their lone win over the Timberwolves, the second worse team in the nba. Personally, I think G.M.s around the league have been firing coaches lately to save their own tails and this was clearly the case in Sacramento.
28 (28) Wizards 4-21
I guess 3-11 is an improvement by new head coach Ed Tapscott, considering the team was 0-10 under former head coach Eddie Jordan. I guess in Washington’s case the firing was justified considering there are two former all-stars on that team, Caron Butler and Antawn.
29 (30) Thunder 3-25
The Thunder are playing better under new head coach Scotty Brooks. They are still losing a ton of games but they have been very competitive as of late I must admit.
30 (29) Timberwolves 4-22
Rumors has it, Kevin McHale is trying to replace himself with Flip Saunders, a former coach of the Timberwolves who was previously fired by McHale. McHale has gone 0-7 since taking over the coaching helm two weeks ago and he epitomizes my claim to a tee, of a G.M. firing a head coach to pass the blame.
Monday, December 15, 2008
NBA WIZARD 2008-09 POWER RANKING: WEEK 7
RANK (LAST WK)REC.
1 (1) Celtics 22-2
The Boston Celtics continue their dominance by setting a new franchise record after 24 games with a 22-2 record. This is an amazing feat considering the many records set by the Celtics not to mention an nba leading 17 championships.
2 (3) Lakers 20-3
The Lakers went 1-1 against the Sacramento Kings in a home and home last week. They lost to the Kings in Sacramento and had to hold on to beat them in L.A three days later. A 3-1 week however, was good enough to inch them ahead of the Cavaliers.
3 (2) Cavaliers 20-4
The Cleveland Cavaliers are 1-4 on the road against teams with a .500 or better record. Should they stay pat or, should they package Wally’s expiring $13 million contract along with Boobie Gibson to the New Jersey Nets for Vince Carter? What concerns me though is, with the Cavaliers needing a defensive stop against the Hawks in Atlanta, coach Mike Brown had Ben Wallace on the bench. The Cavs got the stop they needed, but lost a crucial rebound to the Hawks Marvin Williams. A similar situation occured in Detroit a few weeks ago when instead of having Ben in the game, coach Brown opted to go with Varajao who gave up back to back 3s to Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace. If his staple is defense, then why has Ben Wallace been on the bench when crucial stops are needed? I think any good coach could have gone 20-4 with this current Cavaliers roster, considering 15 of their opponents had losing records. This is not a knock on coach Brown who is a good coach with a great team, not a great coach with a good team. If Vince is available I would pull the trigger if I were G.M. Danny Ferry.
4 (4) Magic 18-6
The Magic maintain their 4th rank by going 3-1 in week 7. Not for a back door cut leading to a layup by Grant Hill, the Magic would have finished the week a perfect 4-0. Note: Magic center Dwight Howard maintained his lead as the leading candidate for the nba’s defensive player of the year award.
5 (6) Nuggets 16-7
The Nuggets had a light week going 2-0 to increase their power ranking by one position moving up to 5th place by the end of the week. Highlight: Forward Carmelo Anthony matched George Gervin NBA record with 33 points in the third quarter and finished with a season-high 45 points in a 116-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves to start the week.
6 (9) Spurs 15-8
The San Antonio Spurs had a perfect week going 4-0. Their ‘big 3’ are all back from injuries and playing well. For the first time in years expectations are down but the Spurs could pose a major threat in the Western Conference.
7 (10) Hornets 13-7
A 1-1 week doesn’t mean much especially when the lone loss was against the Celtics in Boston. Tyson Chandler is day- to- day and that seems to be the Hornets only concern right now.
8 (11) Hawks 14-9
The Hawks recovered from their two road losses to the Rockets and the Spurs early in the week, by beating Miami and ending the Cavaliers 11 game winning streak in Atlanta. Note: They have a December 17th date at home with the defending champions Boston Celtics and a December 21st road game against Pistons in Detroit. By the end of week eight it will be much clearer if the Hawks are on the upside.
9 (8) Mavericks 13-9
The Mavericks continues to win close games which is something they were unable to do at the beginning of the season. The problem with always being in close games is that sooner or later teams tend to fall short, as was evident in a game against the Spurs. A 133-126 overtime loss to the Spurs prevented them from having a perfect 3-0 week.
10 (13) Jazz 15-10
The Jazz have a very impressive record considering all the injuries they’ve endured this season, but week eight will prove to be very challenging. Six of the Jazz next seven games will be on the road which could be a very tall order if all-star forward Carlos Boozer doesn’t return. Note: Coach Jerry Sloan celebrated his 20th anniversary as head coach of the Jazz and Boozer is also expected back next week.
11 (7) Rockets 15-9
Tracy McGrady returned back from injury but Ron Artest is now the latest Rocket sidelined by injury. Until the Rockets return to full strength, you can expect inconsistencies in their play. Also, they must continue to run their offense through Yao who is clearly their best player.
12 (14) Suns 14-10
If the playoffs started today the Suns would be out. This was the reason Suns G.M. Steve Kerr traded Boris Diaw and Raja Bell for Jason Richardson. Having Jason Richardson and Amare running the break with Steve Nash at the helm will really open things up for the Suns. Trading for Richardson was a necessary means to an end. Bell, who had been known for his defense and Diaw were both playing uninspired basketball. A change was inevitable and this trade makes the Suns better, whether it was the best move remains to be seen.
13 (15) Pistons 13-9
Antonio McDyess give the Pistons an early Christmas present when he re-signed with the team on Monday December 8th. He helped the Pistons go 2-1 last week. His leadership should help stabilize and bring chemistry to the locker room.
14 (5) TrailBlazers 15-10
8 of the Blazers 15 wins have come by 7 points or less with three of those wins by a single point. I commended the Blazers for winning so many close games down the stretch but sooner or later, those close games catches up with you and that was the case in week 7. The Blazers suffered a 108-109 loss to Orlando, their first home loss of the season, followed by a 112-120 overtime loss to the L.A. Clippers. A 0-3 week dropped them nine spots to the 14th rank by the end of week 7.
15 (16) Heat 12-11
I predicted the Heat would make the playoffs, but by the end of week 6 they were the 4th seed in the East and Dwyane Wade was the second leading candidate for the MVP award. Over the last two games both losses, Dwyane Wade averaged 19ppg while making only 35 percent of his shots. I still expect them to make the playoffs but I expect them to finish between the 6 to 8th seed.
16 (18) Bulls 11-12
The Bulls ended week 7 tied with the Knicks and owners of the 8th and final seed in the Eastern Conference if the season ended today. A 2-1 week may have earned them the 16th rank but rookie Derrick Rose loss his rookie of the year lead to Memphis rookie O.J. Mayo. This race will be very juicy and will continue until the end of the season.
17 (12) Nets 11-11
After dominating for most of the season, New Jersey guard Devin Harris returned to earth a little by averaging 18ppg while making only 35.7 percent of his shots. As a result the Nets loss 3 straight.
18 (20) Knicks 11-12
The Knicks will make the playoffs and if not will come really close. After a 100-105 loss to in Chicago to start the week, the Knicks rallied to win their last two games and a tied with the Bulls for the final playoff spot.
19 (24) Grizzlies 9-15
O.J. Mayo season average: 21ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.7apg while making 46.7 from the field, 44.6 from 3s and 90.1 from the free throw line. He helped the Grizzlies have a perfect 4-0 week and is now the leading candidate for the nba rookie of the year award. The Memphis Grizzlies have the best upside of every non playoff team.
20 (21) Raptors 10-13
The Raptors felt the need to make a change and did so by firing coach Sam Mitchell. A 2-2 record last week moved the Raptors up one position to the 20th rank. More time is needed to determine whether the firing of Sam Mitchell was the best move for the Raptors or, whether a trade will be needed to turn things around.
21 (22) 76ers 10-14
A trend of underachieving teams firing coaches continued in Philadelphia when the 76ers fired head coach Maurice Cheeks after back to back losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ironically, Elton Brand whose been struggling this season, scored a season-high 27 points in a 104-89 win over the Wizard giving new head coach Tony DiLeo a win in his debut. Hopefully Brand can return to his old form under DiLeo.
22 (19) Bucks 10-15
The Bucks have their full team back, but still went 1-3 last week. I expected Redd to be move before the season, but after trading for Richard Jefferson and re-signing center Andrew Bogut it seemed like the Bucks decided against rebuilding. However, if the losses keep piling up, you can expect the Bucks to seriously consider whether to keep all-star guard Michael Redd or move him before the deadline.
23 (27) Clippers 6-17
Zack Randolph is playing the way I thought he would when the Clippers traded for him, like a monster down low. In the Clippers two wins last week, Z-Bo dominated Portland and Houston with an average of 34ppg, 12rpg on 51 percent shooting. Seven of their next eight games are against teams with losing records, with five of those games on the road. The Clippers must go at least 6-2 in those games to end the year because, their first 7 games to start the year is against teams with winning records.
24 (26) GoldenState 7-17
Five of their next seven opponents have winning records and the Warriors are currently sporting a two game losing streak. The good news is Monte Ellis will be returning soon, but over the next seven games the Warriors must figure out a way to go 5-2 to end the year. A though order considering two of those games are against Orlando and one against Boston. A 5-2 record will put the Warriors at 12-19 with Ellis returning to the lineup to help the team fight for the eighth seed.
25 (28) Kings 6-18
If the Kings had their way they would play the Lakers in every game for the remainder of the season. Last week they beat the Lakers in Sacramento and took them to the limit but lost the game down the stretch in L.A.
26 (17) Pacers 7-16
The Pacers will not make the playoffs this season. Even though they were competitive and can brag of beating the Lakers and the Celtics, a 0-4 performance last week led to a nine point drop to the 26th spot.
27 (23) Bobcats 7-17
I expected Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton to get traded but surprisingly, it was guard Jason Richardson who was dealt to the Phoenix Suns for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw. The Bobcats are counting on Bell’s defense and Diaw all around game even though both players were playing uninspired basketball for Phoenix this season. Maybe a change of scenario and new coach Larry Brown may be a motivation a serve as a recipe to turn their subpar performances around from earlier in the season.
28 (25) Wizards 5-18
The Wizards have been playing better as of late but a 5-18 record is really nothing to brag about. Even if Gilbert returns at this point, I simply don’t see the Wizards making the playoffs. I still expect the Wizards to make a splash before the trading deadline.
29 (24) Timberwolves 4-19
Since firing Randy Whittman and stepping into the coaching role, Kevin McHale has yet to win a game. Last week the Wolves went 0-4 under McHale and it should be apparent that the Wolves are simply not a good team.
30 (30) Thunder 2-23
Instead of having P.J. constantly yelling and suppressing his game, new coach Scotty Brooks have allowed second year sensation Kevin Durant to flourish. Last week the Thunder went 0-4 which is no surprise. Durant on the other hand averaged 29.75ppg, 8.5apg, 2.25bpg, while making more than 50 percent of his shots. Unfortunately, the Thunder will end up with the league’s worst record, which could mean one thing: Having the best odds (25%) of landing the first pick in next year’s draft.
1 (1) Celtics 22-2
The Boston Celtics continue their dominance by setting a new franchise record after 24 games with a 22-2 record. This is an amazing feat considering the many records set by the Celtics not to mention an nba leading 17 championships.
2 (3) Lakers 20-3
The Lakers went 1-1 against the Sacramento Kings in a home and home last week. They lost to the Kings in Sacramento and had to hold on to beat them in L.A three days later. A 3-1 week however, was good enough to inch them ahead of the Cavaliers.
3 (2) Cavaliers 20-4
The Cleveland Cavaliers are 1-4 on the road against teams with a .500 or better record. Should they stay pat or, should they package Wally’s expiring $13 million contract along with Boobie Gibson to the New Jersey Nets for Vince Carter? What concerns me though is, with the Cavaliers needing a defensive stop against the Hawks in Atlanta, coach Mike Brown had Ben Wallace on the bench. The Cavs got the stop they needed, but lost a crucial rebound to the Hawks Marvin Williams. A similar situation occured in Detroit a few weeks ago when instead of having Ben in the game, coach Brown opted to go with Varajao who gave up back to back 3s to Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace. If his staple is defense, then why has Ben Wallace been on the bench when crucial stops are needed? I think any good coach could have gone 20-4 with this current Cavaliers roster, considering 15 of their opponents had losing records. This is not a knock on coach Brown who is a good coach with a great team, not a great coach with a good team. If Vince is available I would pull the trigger if I were G.M. Danny Ferry.
4 (4) Magic 18-6
The Magic maintain their 4th rank by going 3-1 in week 7. Not for a back door cut leading to a layup by Grant Hill, the Magic would have finished the week a perfect 4-0. Note: Magic center Dwight Howard maintained his lead as the leading candidate for the nba’s defensive player of the year award.
5 (6) Nuggets 16-7
The Nuggets had a light week going 2-0 to increase their power ranking by one position moving up to 5th place by the end of the week. Highlight: Forward Carmelo Anthony matched George Gervin NBA record with 33 points in the third quarter and finished with a season-high 45 points in a 116-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves to start the week.
6 (9) Spurs 15-8
The San Antonio Spurs had a perfect week going 4-0. Their ‘big 3’ are all back from injuries and playing well. For the first time in years expectations are down but the Spurs could pose a major threat in the Western Conference.
7 (10) Hornets 13-7
A 1-1 week doesn’t mean much especially when the lone loss was against the Celtics in Boston. Tyson Chandler is day- to- day and that seems to be the Hornets only concern right now.
8 (11) Hawks 14-9
The Hawks recovered from their two road losses to the Rockets and the Spurs early in the week, by beating Miami and ending the Cavaliers 11 game winning streak in Atlanta. Note: They have a December 17th date at home with the defending champions Boston Celtics and a December 21st road game against Pistons in Detroit. By the end of week eight it will be much clearer if the Hawks are on the upside.
9 (8) Mavericks 13-9
The Mavericks continues to win close games which is something they were unable to do at the beginning of the season. The problem with always being in close games is that sooner or later teams tend to fall short, as was evident in a game against the Spurs. A 133-126 overtime loss to the Spurs prevented them from having a perfect 3-0 week.
10 (13) Jazz 15-10
The Jazz have a very impressive record considering all the injuries they’ve endured this season, but week eight will prove to be very challenging. Six of the Jazz next seven games will be on the road which could be a very tall order if all-star forward Carlos Boozer doesn’t return. Note: Coach Jerry Sloan celebrated his 20th anniversary as head coach of the Jazz and Boozer is also expected back next week.
11 (7) Rockets 15-9
Tracy McGrady returned back from injury but Ron Artest is now the latest Rocket sidelined by injury. Until the Rockets return to full strength, you can expect inconsistencies in their play. Also, they must continue to run their offense through Yao who is clearly their best player.
12 (14) Suns 14-10
If the playoffs started today the Suns would be out. This was the reason Suns G.M. Steve Kerr traded Boris Diaw and Raja Bell for Jason Richardson. Having Jason Richardson and Amare running the break with Steve Nash at the helm will really open things up for the Suns. Trading for Richardson was a necessary means to an end. Bell, who had been known for his defense and Diaw were both playing uninspired basketball. A change was inevitable and this trade makes the Suns better, whether it was the best move remains to be seen.
13 (15) Pistons 13-9
Antonio McDyess give the Pistons an early Christmas present when he re-signed with the team on Monday December 8th. He helped the Pistons go 2-1 last week. His leadership should help stabilize and bring chemistry to the locker room.
14 (5) TrailBlazers 15-10
8 of the Blazers 15 wins have come by 7 points or less with three of those wins by a single point. I commended the Blazers for winning so many close games down the stretch but sooner or later, those close games catches up with you and that was the case in week 7. The Blazers suffered a 108-109 loss to Orlando, their first home loss of the season, followed by a 112-120 overtime loss to the L.A. Clippers. A 0-3 week dropped them nine spots to the 14th rank by the end of week 7.
15 (16) Heat 12-11
I predicted the Heat would make the playoffs, but by the end of week 6 they were the 4th seed in the East and Dwyane Wade was the second leading candidate for the MVP award. Over the last two games both losses, Dwyane Wade averaged 19ppg while making only 35 percent of his shots. I still expect them to make the playoffs but I expect them to finish between the 6 to 8th seed.
16 (18) Bulls 11-12
The Bulls ended week 7 tied with the Knicks and owners of the 8th and final seed in the Eastern Conference if the season ended today. A 2-1 week may have earned them the 16th rank but rookie Derrick Rose loss his rookie of the year lead to Memphis rookie O.J. Mayo. This race will be very juicy and will continue until the end of the season.
17 (12) Nets 11-11
After dominating for most of the season, New Jersey guard Devin Harris returned to earth a little by averaging 18ppg while making only 35.7 percent of his shots. As a result the Nets loss 3 straight.
18 (20) Knicks 11-12
The Knicks will make the playoffs and if not will come really close. After a 100-105 loss to in Chicago to start the week, the Knicks rallied to win their last two games and a tied with the Bulls for the final playoff spot.
19 (24) Grizzlies 9-15
O.J. Mayo season average: 21ppg, 4.2rpg, 2.7apg while making 46.7 from the field, 44.6 from 3s and 90.1 from the free throw line. He helped the Grizzlies have a perfect 4-0 week and is now the leading candidate for the nba rookie of the year award. The Memphis Grizzlies have the best upside of every non playoff team.
20 (21) Raptors 10-13
The Raptors felt the need to make a change and did so by firing coach Sam Mitchell. A 2-2 record last week moved the Raptors up one position to the 20th rank. More time is needed to determine whether the firing of Sam Mitchell was the best move for the Raptors or, whether a trade will be needed to turn things around.
21 (22) 76ers 10-14
A trend of underachieving teams firing coaches continued in Philadelphia when the 76ers fired head coach Maurice Cheeks after back to back losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ironically, Elton Brand whose been struggling this season, scored a season-high 27 points in a 104-89 win over the Wizard giving new head coach Tony DiLeo a win in his debut. Hopefully Brand can return to his old form under DiLeo.
22 (19) Bucks 10-15
The Bucks have their full team back, but still went 1-3 last week. I expected Redd to be move before the season, but after trading for Richard Jefferson and re-signing center Andrew Bogut it seemed like the Bucks decided against rebuilding. However, if the losses keep piling up, you can expect the Bucks to seriously consider whether to keep all-star guard Michael Redd or move him before the deadline.
23 (27) Clippers 6-17
Zack Randolph is playing the way I thought he would when the Clippers traded for him, like a monster down low. In the Clippers two wins last week, Z-Bo dominated Portland and Houston with an average of 34ppg, 12rpg on 51 percent shooting. Seven of their next eight games are against teams with losing records, with five of those games on the road. The Clippers must go at least 6-2 in those games to end the year because, their first 7 games to start the year is against teams with winning records.
24 (26) GoldenState 7-17
Five of their next seven opponents have winning records and the Warriors are currently sporting a two game losing streak. The good news is Monte Ellis will be returning soon, but over the next seven games the Warriors must figure out a way to go 5-2 to end the year. A though order considering two of those games are against Orlando and one against Boston. A 5-2 record will put the Warriors at 12-19 with Ellis returning to the lineup to help the team fight for the eighth seed.
25 (28) Kings 6-18
If the Kings had their way they would play the Lakers in every game for the remainder of the season. Last week they beat the Lakers in Sacramento and took them to the limit but lost the game down the stretch in L.A.
26 (17) Pacers 7-16
The Pacers will not make the playoffs this season. Even though they were competitive and can brag of beating the Lakers and the Celtics, a 0-4 performance last week led to a nine point drop to the 26th spot.
27 (23) Bobcats 7-17
I expected Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton to get traded but surprisingly, it was guard Jason Richardson who was dealt to the Phoenix Suns for Raja Bell and Boris Diaw. The Bobcats are counting on Bell’s defense and Diaw all around game even though both players were playing uninspired basketball for Phoenix this season. Maybe a change of scenario and new coach Larry Brown may be a motivation a serve as a recipe to turn their subpar performances around from earlier in the season.
28 (25) Wizards 5-18
The Wizards have been playing better as of late but a 5-18 record is really nothing to brag about. Even if Gilbert returns at this point, I simply don’t see the Wizards making the playoffs. I still expect the Wizards to make a splash before the trading deadline.
29 (24) Timberwolves 4-19
Since firing Randy Whittman and stepping into the coaching role, Kevin McHale has yet to win a game. Last week the Wolves went 0-4 under McHale and it should be apparent that the Wolves are simply not a good team.
30 (30) Thunder 2-23
Instead of having P.J. constantly yelling and suppressing his game, new coach Scotty Brooks have allowed second year sensation Kevin Durant to flourish. Last week the Thunder went 0-4 which is no surprise. Durant on the other hand averaged 29.75ppg, 8.5apg, 2.25bpg, while making more than 50 percent of his shots. Unfortunately, the Thunder will end up with the league’s worst record, which could mean one thing: Having the best odds (25%) of landing the first pick in next year’s draft.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
NBA WIZARD 2008-09 POWER RANKING: WEEK 6
RANK (LAST WK) REC.
1 (2) Celtics 20-2
The Boston Celtics reclaimed the 1st spot after losing it after the first week of the season to the Los Angeles Lakers whom previously held the spot for four straight weeks.
2 (3) Cavaliers 17-3
Don’t be surprise and a few may disagree, but how can you? In addition to winning eight straight games, the Cavaliers had the league’s best defense and second best offense by the end of week six. Due to those three reasons I felt obligated to rank the Cavaliers above the Lakers.
3 (1) Lakers 17-2
After holding on to the 1st spot for four consecutive weeks the Lakers dropped two positions to the 3rd spot after losing by a point to the Indiana Pacers and barely holding on to beat the injury riddled Washington Wizards by two. They still have the league’s best offense but as of late their defense have slackened and looking more like last year’s team.
4 (5) Magic 15-5
The Magic started the week with a bad loss to the Celtics, but rallied to win their last three games of the week. MVP candidate Dwight Howard continues to play like a beast and is currently leading the league in rebounds with 14.8 and blocks with 4.2 per game.
5 (4) TrailBlazers 15-7
The nba’s Cinderella team went 3-1 in week six and dropped one position to the 5th spot. I don’t think anyone should be surprise and for the doubters, the Trailblazers are for real.
6 (6) Nuggets 14-7
The Denver Nuggets are looking like a team again. However, even though they may be 13-4 since trading for Billups, I still don’t consider them the third best team in the West, at least not yet.
7 (7) Rockets 13-7
I really feel bad for the Rockets because of their injury situation. If they are a healthy team when it counts, maybe McGrady and Yao will finally get pass the second round.
8 (14) Mavericks 11-8
The Mavericks are back to playing good basketball after a terrible 2-7 start. Earlier in the season, the Mavericks might have loss two out of their three games they won in week six. The new look Mavs beat the Clippers and the Atlanta Hawks by the identical score of 100-98 in both wins. In all fairness both wins were at home but it still shows that the Mavericks are back.
9 (8) Spurs 11-8
Just in case you forgot about the Spurs, a17 points win over the red hot Nuggets and a 35 points blowout of the Golden State Warriors should serve as a reminder. The Spurs are also very glad to have their big 3 back and healthy.
10 (10) Hornets 11-6
The Hornets used a light week and continued to regroup with two very impressive wins over the Phoenix Suns and the Memphis Grizzlies. After starting the season 5-5 the Hornets have gone 6-1 over their last 7 games.
11 (9) Hawks 12-7
The Hawks defensive stopper Josh Smith returned back with a vengeance and a statement. “I think we can be as good as Boston, Orlando and Cleveland.” With a 2-1 week which included a two point loss to Dallas on the road, maybe the Hawks could be as good as Orlando, but Cleveland and Boston are two different animals.
12 (11) Nets 11-8
The Nets were supposed to be lottery bound, but that was before Devin Harris decided to play like an all-star. If he continues at his current pace of 24.4ppg and 6.1apg he will definitely make the all-star team. A 2-1 week and 11-8 overall record was enough to earn the Nets the 12th spot by the end of week 6.
13 (15) Jazz 13-9
The Jazz continues to weather the storm and are surprisingly doing fine considering injuries to their top 4 players who have all missed games this season. I expect them to move up in the rankings when they are at full strength.
14 (12) Suns 12-9
If the Phoenix Suns are not careful they might not make the playoffs. One of two things must happen to turn around the funk the Suns are in. Either new coach Terry Porter must speed up the tempo and allow the Suns to play like they’ve always played or, he will be fired which seems to be the new trend in the nba. On another note, Amare needs to stop complaining that he is not the man and start playing the intense defense he promised to play this season.
15 (13) Pistons 11-8
Hopefully the return of Antonio Mcdyess may bring chemistry to a locker room in complete chaos. The only positive thing about trading for Iverson is the fact that the Pistons will free up over $20 million next season when he becomes a free agent. From a basketball standpoint the Pistons looks lost on offense, especially Rip Hamilton.
16 (18) Heat 11-9
A subpar schedule may have helped the Heat start 11-9, but D-Wade’s MVP type play will eventually lead them to the playoffs. It’s funny to think that critics actually projected the Heat being a lottery team before the season. A 3-0 week earned them the 16th spot.
17 (20) Pacers 7-13
How do you beat the Lakers and Celtics once and take the Celtics to overtime, but somehow have a 7-13 record? That is the million dollar question. Note: The Pacers were leading at the half in 7 of their 13 losses.
18 (17) Bulls 9-11
Most analysts have Derrick Rose as the nba leading candidate for the rookie of the year award. However, with a subpar 9-11 record, O.J. Mayo would be my pick if the season ended today. The argument cannot be made that Rose is on a winning team because by the end of week 6 he wasn’t.
19 (21) Bucks 9-13
The Bucks are at full strength now that center Bogut and all-star guard Michael Redd have both returned from injuries. I expect them to move up in the rankings but making the playoffs will be the best case scenario this season.
20 (19) Knicks 9-11
The Knicks were 6-6 before trading Randolph and Crawford and 3-5 since. I still believe the Knicks will make a push for the eighth playoff spot in the East under Mike D’Antoni. His system will allow players like the newly acquired Al Harrington, and players like David Lee, Nate Robinson and Chris Duhon to improve.
21 (16) Raptors 8-11
Add the Raptors to the list of underachievers in the nba. It’s unfortunate that whenever a team underachieves the head coach is always the first to blame. I didn’t agree with the firing of Sam Mitchell and interim coach Triano has yet to win a game (0-2). Jermaine O’Neal has to be a factor for the Raptors to improve.
22 (22) 76ers 9-12
The 76ers figured to be a top 5 team in the East when they made a splash in the offseason by signing free agent forward Elton Brand. His arrival hasn’t produced the victories they hoped for, but I do expect them to recover. At this point, they will be glad just being a playoff team. Hopefully Brand hamstring injury isn’t major. Then again it could be a blessing in disguise. Maybe Iguodala could return to his old form if Brand is out for an extended period.
23 (23) Bobcats 7-13
The Bobcats cannot stay put and I do expect them to make a trade very soon. A combination of Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton should bring in a very capable player via a trade. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are having discussions with the Wizards, Raptors, Suns, Detroit and Sixers, all underachieving teams.
24 (27) Grizzlies 5-15
O.J. Mayo has taking over the lead for the nba rookie of the year award. He leads all rookies with 21ppg while making 47 percent of his shots and almost 40 percent from 3s. I am excited about their future because they will get another lottery player in next year’s draft.
25 (29) Wizards 3-15
Even if Gilbert Arenas returns immediately, the Wizards will struggle to make the playoffs and probably might still fall short. They are 2-5 since the firing of head coach Eddie Jordan and their future looks really deem. They already have a new coach so the only other option I see is playing it out or, making a trade.
26 (25) Warriors 5-15
The Warriors will not make the playoffs because of the following reasons: Monte Ellis injury was a crippler to begin the season. The Warriors should have offered Josh Smith a contract with a $14 million average. That would have been only $2 million more than his worth and the Hawks would not have matched it. C.J Watson would be a backup point guard on every other team in the nba except the Warriors. Just imagine for a second… Monte Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Josh Smith and Andris Biedrins for a starting lineup. The Warriors would have had the best offense and definitely a top 5 defense.
27 (26) Clippers 4-16
I was one of those who thought the Clippers would improve once they got an inside scorer. Newly acquired forward Z Bo fit this bill to a tee, but a 1-3 week has me puzzled. Could Mike Dunleavy be on the firing block since that seems to be the new trend in the nba this season?
28 (26) Kings 5-16
The Kings best player Kevin Martin recently returned after been out for weeks with an injury. Unfortunately it seems like even when a team is not good enough coaches are getting blamed more and more these day. The Kings loss seven consecutive games at Arco for the first time since the 1993-94 season. Hopefully the Maloofs don’t make the mistake of trading head coach Reggie Theus, because he is definitely a good coach.
29 (24) Timberwolves 4-15
Wasn’t the Timberwolves supposed to be in rebuilding mold after giving away Kevin Garnett to the Celtics? I don’t understand the concept of bad teams with young players expecting to have better records.
30 (30) Thunder 2-19
Will new coach Scotty Brooks make a difference? The answer is absolutely no. Like I said before, I think P.J. was just too demonstrative for his own good which works in college but not in the nba. At least the fans can look forward to a high draft pick in next year’s draft.
1 (2) Celtics 20-2
The Boston Celtics reclaimed the 1st spot after losing it after the first week of the season to the Los Angeles Lakers whom previously held the spot for four straight weeks.
2 (3) Cavaliers 17-3
Don’t be surprise and a few may disagree, but how can you? In addition to winning eight straight games, the Cavaliers had the league’s best defense and second best offense by the end of week six. Due to those three reasons I felt obligated to rank the Cavaliers above the Lakers.
3 (1) Lakers 17-2
After holding on to the 1st spot for four consecutive weeks the Lakers dropped two positions to the 3rd spot after losing by a point to the Indiana Pacers and barely holding on to beat the injury riddled Washington Wizards by two. They still have the league’s best offense but as of late their defense have slackened and looking more like last year’s team.
4 (5) Magic 15-5
The Magic started the week with a bad loss to the Celtics, but rallied to win their last three games of the week. MVP candidate Dwight Howard continues to play like a beast and is currently leading the league in rebounds with 14.8 and blocks with 4.2 per game.
5 (4) TrailBlazers 15-7
The nba’s Cinderella team went 3-1 in week six and dropped one position to the 5th spot. I don’t think anyone should be surprise and for the doubters, the Trailblazers are for real.
6 (6) Nuggets 14-7
The Denver Nuggets are looking like a team again. However, even though they may be 13-4 since trading for Billups, I still don’t consider them the third best team in the West, at least not yet.
7 (7) Rockets 13-7
I really feel bad for the Rockets because of their injury situation. If they are a healthy team when it counts, maybe McGrady and Yao will finally get pass the second round.
8 (14) Mavericks 11-8
The Mavericks are back to playing good basketball after a terrible 2-7 start. Earlier in the season, the Mavericks might have loss two out of their three games they won in week six. The new look Mavs beat the Clippers and the Atlanta Hawks by the identical score of 100-98 in both wins. In all fairness both wins were at home but it still shows that the Mavericks are back.
9 (8) Spurs 11-8
Just in case you forgot about the Spurs, a17 points win over the red hot Nuggets and a 35 points blowout of the Golden State Warriors should serve as a reminder. The Spurs are also very glad to have their big 3 back and healthy.
10 (10) Hornets 11-6
The Hornets used a light week and continued to regroup with two very impressive wins over the Phoenix Suns and the Memphis Grizzlies. After starting the season 5-5 the Hornets have gone 6-1 over their last 7 games.
11 (9) Hawks 12-7
The Hawks defensive stopper Josh Smith returned back with a vengeance and a statement. “I think we can be as good as Boston, Orlando and Cleveland.” With a 2-1 week which included a two point loss to Dallas on the road, maybe the Hawks could be as good as Orlando, but Cleveland and Boston are two different animals.
12 (11) Nets 11-8
The Nets were supposed to be lottery bound, but that was before Devin Harris decided to play like an all-star. If he continues at his current pace of 24.4ppg and 6.1apg he will definitely make the all-star team. A 2-1 week and 11-8 overall record was enough to earn the Nets the 12th spot by the end of week 6.
13 (15) Jazz 13-9
The Jazz continues to weather the storm and are surprisingly doing fine considering injuries to their top 4 players who have all missed games this season. I expect them to move up in the rankings when they are at full strength.
14 (12) Suns 12-9
If the Phoenix Suns are not careful they might not make the playoffs. One of two things must happen to turn around the funk the Suns are in. Either new coach Terry Porter must speed up the tempo and allow the Suns to play like they’ve always played or, he will be fired which seems to be the new trend in the nba. On another note, Amare needs to stop complaining that he is not the man and start playing the intense defense he promised to play this season.
15 (13) Pistons 11-8
Hopefully the return of Antonio Mcdyess may bring chemistry to a locker room in complete chaos. The only positive thing about trading for Iverson is the fact that the Pistons will free up over $20 million next season when he becomes a free agent. From a basketball standpoint the Pistons looks lost on offense, especially Rip Hamilton.
16 (18) Heat 11-9
A subpar schedule may have helped the Heat start 11-9, but D-Wade’s MVP type play will eventually lead them to the playoffs. It’s funny to think that critics actually projected the Heat being a lottery team before the season. A 3-0 week earned them the 16th spot.
17 (20) Pacers 7-13
How do you beat the Lakers and Celtics once and take the Celtics to overtime, but somehow have a 7-13 record? That is the million dollar question. Note: The Pacers were leading at the half in 7 of their 13 losses.
18 (17) Bulls 9-11
Most analysts have Derrick Rose as the nba leading candidate for the rookie of the year award. However, with a subpar 9-11 record, O.J. Mayo would be my pick if the season ended today. The argument cannot be made that Rose is on a winning team because by the end of week 6 he wasn’t.
19 (21) Bucks 9-13
The Bucks are at full strength now that center Bogut and all-star guard Michael Redd have both returned from injuries. I expect them to move up in the rankings but making the playoffs will be the best case scenario this season.
20 (19) Knicks 9-11
The Knicks were 6-6 before trading Randolph and Crawford and 3-5 since. I still believe the Knicks will make a push for the eighth playoff spot in the East under Mike D’Antoni. His system will allow players like the newly acquired Al Harrington, and players like David Lee, Nate Robinson and Chris Duhon to improve.
21 (16) Raptors 8-11
Add the Raptors to the list of underachievers in the nba. It’s unfortunate that whenever a team underachieves the head coach is always the first to blame. I didn’t agree with the firing of Sam Mitchell and interim coach Triano has yet to win a game (0-2). Jermaine O’Neal has to be a factor for the Raptors to improve.
22 (22) 76ers 9-12
The 76ers figured to be a top 5 team in the East when they made a splash in the offseason by signing free agent forward Elton Brand. His arrival hasn’t produced the victories they hoped for, but I do expect them to recover. At this point, they will be glad just being a playoff team. Hopefully Brand hamstring injury isn’t major. Then again it could be a blessing in disguise. Maybe Iguodala could return to his old form if Brand is out for an extended period.
23 (23) Bobcats 7-13
The Bobcats cannot stay put and I do expect them to make a trade very soon. A combination of Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton should bring in a very capable player via a trade. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are having discussions with the Wizards, Raptors, Suns, Detroit and Sixers, all underachieving teams.
24 (27) Grizzlies 5-15
O.J. Mayo has taking over the lead for the nba rookie of the year award. He leads all rookies with 21ppg while making 47 percent of his shots and almost 40 percent from 3s. I am excited about their future because they will get another lottery player in next year’s draft.
25 (29) Wizards 3-15
Even if Gilbert Arenas returns immediately, the Wizards will struggle to make the playoffs and probably might still fall short. They are 2-5 since the firing of head coach Eddie Jordan and their future looks really deem. They already have a new coach so the only other option I see is playing it out or, making a trade.
26 (25) Warriors 5-15
The Warriors will not make the playoffs because of the following reasons: Monte Ellis injury was a crippler to begin the season. The Warriors should have offered Josh Smith a contract with a $14 million average. That would have been only $2 million more than his worth and the Hawks would not have matched it. C.J Watson would be a backup point guard on every other team in the nba except the Warriors. Just imagine for a second… Monte Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Josh Smith and Andris Biedrins for a starting lineup. The Warriors would have had the best offense and definitely a top 5 defense.
27 (26) Clippers 4-16
I was one of those who thought the Clippers would improve once they got an inside scorer. Newly acquired forward Z Bo fit this bill to a tee, but a 1-3 week has me puzzled. Could Mike Dunleavy be on the firing block since that seems to be the new trend in the nba this season?
28 (26) Kings 5-16
The Kings best player Kevin Martin recently returned after been out for weeks with an injury. Unfortunately it seems like even when a team is not good enough coaches are getting blamed more and more these day. The Kings loss seven consecutive games at Arco for the first time since the 1993-94 season. Hopefully the Maloofs don’t make the mistake of trading head coach Reggie Theus, because he is definitely a good coach.
29 (24) Timberwolves 4-15
Wasn’t the Timberwolves supposed to be in rebuilding mold after giving away Kevin Garnett to the Celtics? I don’t understand the concept of bad teams with young players expecting to have better records.
30 (30) Thunder 2-19
Will new coach Scotty Brooks make a difference? The answer is absolutely no. Like I said before, I think P.J. was just too demonstrative for his own good which works in college but not in the nba. At least the fans can look forward to a high draft pick in next year’s draft.
Monday, December 1, 2008
NBA WIZARD 2008-09 POWER RANKING: WEEK 5
RANK (LAST WK) REC.
1 (1) Lakers 14-1
The Lakers continues to dominate this season. A 3-0 week with only one loss was enough to maintain the 1st spot for a fourth straight week. Phil Jackson could be off to his best start if the Lakers go 4-0 in week 6.
2 (2) Celtics 16-2
The Boston Celtics are playing better than last season. They have their exact record from last season at 16-2 which is very impressive considering every team is gunning for them.
3 (3) Cavaliers 14-3
In three consecutive games Lebron did not play in the fourth quarter which is a testament of how good the Cavaliers are. In four wins Lebron averaged 29.75 minutes per game in week 5. The Cavaliers are off to their best start in franchise history.
4 (10) TrailBlazers 12-6
The Trailblazers are one of two unbeaten teams at home in the nba. Greg Oden is back and even though he only averaged 6.1ppg, 9.1rpg and 1.25bpg in 25 minutes per game, his physical presence in the middle allowed the Blazers to hold their four opponents to an average of 81.25ppg in four straight wins. The more minutes Oden plays the more dominant the Blazers will be on defense.
5 (6) Magic 13-4
The injury ridden Orlando Magic went 4-0 in week 5. The Magic are currently without starting guards Mickael Pietrus, Jameer Nelson and Keith Bogans who comes off the bench. Without those players the Magic will struggle, but still managed to move up one position to claim the 8th spot in week 5.
6 (4) Nuggets 12-6
The Nuggets are 11-3 since trading for Chauncey Billups and are clearly playing more like a team. Chris Andersen is back after a two year suspension and has made up for the loss of former Nuggets center Marcus Camby, by averaging 2.11 blocks per game in only 17.8 minutes.
7 (5) Rockets 11-7
I don’t see McGrady and Artest co-existing. Both are low percentage shooters, but at least in Artest case you get a top 5 perimeter defender. With McGrady out the last 3 games with knee soreness the Rockets went 2-2 in week 5 and earned the 7th spot.
8 (11) Spurs 9-7
Finally Parker and Ginobili are back but without them the Spurs went 6-2. Then again let’s be real, with Tim Duncan alone the Spurs are barely a playoff team, so I am sure they gladly welcome the return of those two players.
9 (12) Hawks 10-6
I really like the Hawks and without Josh Smith, one of the nba’s top 3 defenders out with an ankle injury, the Hawks are still playing with a lot of intensity and a light 2-1 week was good enough to move them up three positions to the 9th spot in week 5.
10 (13) Hornets 9-6
Two questions. Are the Hornets tuning out coach Byron Scott who was on the verge of being fired a few seasons ago but was saved by the emergence of CP3? Were they overrated entering this season because of how they ended last season? I will have the answer to both questions by the end of December.
11 (16) Nets 9-7
Devin Harris! Devin Harris! Devin Harris! 25.3ppg in 13 games this season is very impressive, but 81 points over the last two games wow! If the season ended today he will definitely be the nba’s most improved player.
12 (7) Suns 11-7
Amare is having a tough time dominating the paint with Shaq taking up so much of what used to be his space. The Suns went 2-2 in week 5 with Amare averaging 19.25ppg. He is clearly unhappy because he truly believes he should be leading the league in scoring.
13 (9) Pistons 10-6
A.I stat line for week 5 was 14ppg, 5apg with a 34.3 field goal percentage. For the season A.I. is averaging 17.8ppg, 5.6 apg and 1.73 steals per, all career lows. Rip Hamilton, the Pistons leading scorer for many years is also having his worse season since his rookie year with a 16.1ppg average. I see two things happening with the Pistons. With A.I. the ball simply doesn’t move as smoothly as it did when Chauncey was there. Also, first year coach Michael Curry may not be polished enough to handle the personalities on his team and may not be respected enough as evident when A.I. refused to practice on Thanksgivings day.
14 (15) Mavericks 8-8
After taking a backseat to Josh Howard and Dirk for the first 9 games of the season, Jason Terry decided to take matters into his own hand over the last 7 games. The Mavericks went 2-7 in the first 9 games with Terry averaging 17ppg and 6-1 over the last 7 games with Terry averaging 24ppg.
15 (8) Jazz 11-7
Considering all the injuries the Jazz have suffered this season, I am actually surprise to see them with an 11-7 record, then again they are playing hard and competing like a Jerry Sloan team will.
16 (19) Raptors 8-8
Chris Bosh has been a monster this season averaging 29.1ppg, 10.7rpg in 14 games against the rest of the league but only 10.5ppg and 6.5rpg against the Celtics and the Lakers. The Raptors also have four other players averaging double digits, but are only 8-8 for the season because they allow their opponents to score almost 100 points a game, 99.7ppg.
17 (20) Bulls 8-9
The Bulls went 2-1 and moved up three positions to claim the 17th spot in week 5. Rookie Derrick Rose is the leading candidate for rookie of the year if the season ended today.
18 (17) Heat 8-9
Dwyane Wade is leading the league in scoring at 28.2ppg on a sub-500 team which means he has no chance of winning league’s MVP award. However, I do expect the Heat to make the playoffs.
19 (21) Knicks 8-8
After trading Jamal Crawford and Zack Randolph the Knicks are a completely different team. After losing to Cleveland and Detroit the Knicks regrouped in a 138-125 win over Golden State to finish the week 1-2 earning the 19th spot. Maybe Al Harrington will become the great player he thinks he is because the Knicks will need him to play big in order for them to make the playoffs.
20 (22) Pacers 6-10
T.J. Ford has made a difference and Danny Granger is a candidate for most improve player, but the Pacers are definitely missing Mike Dunleavy. Their playoff hopes are getting slimmer by the minute.
21 (18) Bucks 7-12
The Bucks have really been dealt a difficult hand with injuries to Redd, Bogut and Villanueva. Follow that with a very difficult schedule in week 5 with matchups to the Magic, Hawks, Detroit and Cleveland means the Bucks are lucky to have a 7-12 record.
22 (14) 76ers 7-10
The 76ers reclaimed the dreadful title of the league’s most disappointing team after going 0-4 in week 5.
23 (27) Bobcats 5-11
D.J. Augustin has given the Bobcats another trade piece in Raymond Felton. Adam Morrison, Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton can all be move and probably will be in some combination form before the trade deadline.
24 (23) Warriors 5-12
The Warriors have gone 0-4 since trading for Jamal Crawford. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s a good fit for the Warriors. When Monte Ellis return this fact will be more obvious.
25 (25) Timberwolves 4-11
The Wolves maintain the 25th spot with a 1-3 week. The one bright spot for the Wolves is center Al Jefferson who is averaging 22.3ppg and 10.3 rpg.
26 (24) Kings 5-14
A 0-4 week sounds terrible until you put it in prospective. The Kings who are without Kevin Martin, their leading scorer, lost their first two games of the week by a combined 3 points and lost their last game in week 5 to the red hot Dallas Mavericks.
27 (26) Grizzlies 4-13
The Grizzlies keep losing and went 0-3 in week 5, but rookie O.J. Mayo is making a major push for the nba rookie of the year award. He averaged 28ppg and made 59.6% of his shots. For the season he is averaging 21.9ppg and is the main reason I watch the Grizzlies play.
28 (28) Clippers 3-13
Z-Bo was inserted in the starting lineup in his second game with the Clippers since the trade and did not disappoint. He had 27 points and 13 rebounds in a nail biting 97-96 win against the Miami Heat. He will definitely provide the low post scoring the Clippers need, but it might be too late for the Clippers to make the playoffs.
29 (29) Wizards 2-12
After a 124-100 blowout of the Warriors in Ed Tapscott's debut, I thought just maybe the Wizards were about to turn the corner. Then again I am not sure after losses to Orlando and the Hawks.
30 (30) Thunder 2-16
I don’t understand the firing of P.J because the Thunder are 1-4 since. Then again new head coach Scotty Brooks may be a better fit considering his youth and the fact that the Thunder are a young team.
1 (1) Lakers 14-1
The Lakers continues to dominate this season. A 3-0 week with only one loss was enough to maintain the 1st spot for a fourth straight week. Phil Jackson could be off to his best start if the Lakers go 4-0 in week 6.
2 (2) Celtics 16-2
The Boston Celtics are playing better than last season. They have their exact record from last season at 16-2 which is very impressive considering every team is gunning for them.
3 (3) Cavaliers 14-3
In three consecutive games Lebron did not play in the fourth quarter which is a testament of how good the Cavaliers are. In four wins Lebron averaged 29.75 minutes per game in week 5. The Cavaliers are off to their best start in franchise history.
4 (10) TrailBlazers 12-6
The Trailblazers are one of two unbeaten teams at home in the nba. Greg Oden is back and even though he only averaged 6.1ppg, 9.1rpg and 1.25bpg in 25 minutes per game, his physical presence in the middle allowed the Blazers to hold their four opponents to an average of 81.25ppg in four straight wins. The more minutes Oden plays the more dominant the Blazers will be on defense.
5 (6) Magic 13-4
The injury ridden Orlando Magic went 4-0 in week 5. The Magic are currently without starting guards Mickael Pietrus, Jameer Nelson and Keith Bogans who comes off the bench. Without those players the Magic will struggle, but still managed to move up one position to claim the 8th spot in week 5.
6 (4) Nuggets 12-6
The Nuggets are 11-3 since trading for Chauncey Billups and are clearly playing more like a team. Chris Andersen is back after a two year suspension and has made up for the loss of former Nuggets center Marcus Camby, by averaging 2.11 blocks per game in only 17.8 minutes.
7 (5) Rockets 11-7
I don’t see McGrady and Artest co-existing. Both are low percentage shooters, but at least in Artest case you get a top 5 perimeter defender. With McGrady out the last 3 games with knee soreness the Rockets went 2-2 in week 5 and earned the 7th spot.
8 (11) Spurs 9-7
Finally Parker and Ginobili are back but without them the Spurs went 6-2. Then again let’s be real, with Tim Duncan alone the Spurs are barely a playoff team, so I am sure they gladly welcome the return of those two players.
9 (12) Hawks 10-6
I really like the Hawks and without Josh Smith, one of the nba’s top 3 defenders out with an ankle injury, the Hawks are still playing with a lot of intensity and a light 2-1 week was good enough to move them up three positions to the 9th spot in week 5.
10 (13) Hornets 9-6
Two questions. Are the Hornets tuning out coach Byron Scott who was on the verge of being fired a few seasons ago but was saved by the emergence of CP3? Were they overrated entering this season because of how they ended last season? I will have the answer to both questions by the end of December.
11 (16) Nets 9-7
Devin Harris! Devin Harris! Devin Harris! 25.3ppg in 13 games this season is very impressive, but 81 points over the last two games wow! If the season ended today he will definitely be the nba’s most improved player.
12 (7) Suns 11-7
Amare is having a tough time dominating the paint with Shaq taking up so much of what used to be his space. The Suns went 2-2 in week 5 with Amare averaging 19.25ppg. He is clearly unhappy because he truly believes he should be leading the league in scoring.
13 (9) Pistons 10-6
A.I stat line for week 5 was 14ppg, 5apg with a 34.3 field goal percentage. For the season A.I. is averaging 17.8ppg, 5.6 apg and 1.73 steals per, all career lows. Rip Hamilton, the Pistons leading scorer for many years is also having his worse season since his rookie year with a 16.1ppg average. I see two things happening with the Pistons. With A.I. the ball simply doesn’t move as smoothly as it did when Chauncey was there. Also, first year coach Michael Curry may not be polished enough to handle the personalities on his team and may not be respected enough as evident when A.I. refused to practice on Thanksgivings day.
14 (15) Mavericks 8-8
After taking a backseat to Josh Howard and Dirk for the first 9 games of the season, Jason Terry decided to take matters into his own hand over the last 7 games. The Mavericks went 2-7 in the first 9 games with Terry averaging 17ppg and 6-1 over the last 7 games with Terry averaging 24ppg.
15 (8) Jazz 11-7
Considering all the injuries the Jazz have suffered this season, I am actually surprise to see them with an 11-7 record, then again they are playing hard and competing like a Jerry Sloan team will.
16 (19) Raptors 8-8
Chris Bosh has been a monster this season averaging 29.1ppg, 10.7rpg in 14 games against the rest of the league but only 10.5ppg and 6.5rpg against the Celtics and the Lakers. The Raptors also have four other players averaging double digits, but are only 8-8 for the season because they allow their opponents to score almost 100 points a game, 99.7ppg.
17 (20) Bulls 8-9
The Bulls went 2-1 and moved up three positions to claim the 17th spot in week 5. Rookie Derrick Rose is the leading candidate for rookie of the year if the season ended today.
18 (17) Heat 8-9
Dwyane Wade is leading the league in scoring at 28.2ppg on a sub-500 team which means he has no chance of winning league’s MVP award. However, I do expect the Heat to make the playoffs.
19 (21) Knicks 8-8
After trading Jamal Crawford and Zack Randolph the Knicks are a completely different team. After losing to Cleveland and Detroit the Knicks regrouped in a 138-125 win over Golden State to finish the week 1-2 earning the 19th spot. Maybe Al Harrington will become the great player he thinks he is because the Knicks will need him to play big in order for them to make the playoffs.
20 (22) Pacers 6-10
T.J. Ford has made a difference and Danny Granger is a candidate for most improve player, but the Pacers are definitely missing Mike Dunleavy. Their playoff hopes are getting slimmer by the minute.
21 (18) Bucks 7-12
The Bucks have really been dealt a difficult hand with injuries to Redd, Bogut and Villanueva. Follow that with a very difficult schedule in week 5 with matchups to the Magic, Hawks, Detroit and Cleveland means the Bucks are lucky to have a 7-12 record.
22 (14) 76ers 7-10
The 76ers reclaimed the dreadful title of the league’s most disappointing team after going 0-4 in week 5.
23 (27) Bobcats 5-11
D.J. Augustin has given the Bobcats another trade piece in Raymond Felton. Adam Morrison, Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton can all be move and probably will be in some combination form before the trade deadline.
24 (23) Warriors 5-12
The Warriors have gone 0-4 since trading for Jamal Crawford. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s a good fit for the Warriors. When Monte Ellis return this fact will be more obvious.
25 (25) Timberwolves 4-11
The Wolves maintain the 25th spot with a 1-3 week. The one bright spot for the Wolves is center Al Jefferson who is averaging 22.3ppg and 10.3 rpg.
26 (24) Kings 5-14
A 0-4 week sounds terrible until you put it in prospective. The Kings who are without Kevin Martin, their leading scorer, lost their first two games of the week by a combined 3 points and lost their last game in week 5 to the red hot Dallas Mavericks.
27 (26) Grizzlies 4-13
The Grizzlies keep losing and went 0-3 in week 5, but rookie O.J. Mayo is making a major push for the nba rookie of the year award. He averaged 28ppg and made 59.6% of his shots. For the season he is averaging 21.9ppg and is the main reason I watch the Grizzlies play.
28 (28) Clippers 3-13
Z-Bo was inserted in the starting lineup in his second game with the Clippers since the trade and did not disappoint. He had 27 points and 13 rebounds in a nail biting 97-96 win against the Miami Heat. He will definitely provide the low post scoring the Clippers need, but it might be too late for the Clippers to make the playoffs.
29 (29) Wizards 2-12
After a 124-100 blowout of the Warriors in Ed Tapscott's debut, I thought just maybe the Wizards were about to turn the corner. Then again I am not sure after losses to Orlando and the Hawks.
30 (30) Thunder 2-16
I don’t understand the firing of P.J because the Thunder are 1-4 since. Then again new head coach Scotty Brooks may be a better fit considering his youth and the fact that the Thunder are a young team.
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