RK (LW) TEAM REC
1 (1) SPURS 17-3
The Spurs are once again entering yet another week in the top spot. I think the ‘big 3’ knows what’s at stake and from the looks of things, the Lakers may have to beat the Spurs in San Antonio if they expect to 3-peat, because the Spurs are on track to finish with the best record in the league.
2 (5) CELTICS 16-4
Rondo has been in and out with nagging injuries, but that has not stopped the Celtics from maintaining. They currently have the best record in the league. The Celtics are considered to be an aging team by many, but I consider them an ageless wonder. Barring injuries, all roads to the finals will lead through Boston.
3 (6) MAVERICKS 16-4
The Mavericks are currently the hottest team in the league sporting a nine game winning streak. They are clicking on all cylinders and if I had to point to one reason for their success, I would say it’s their defense. Clearly, they have become one of the better defensive teams in the West.
4 (4) MAGIC 15-6
Stan Van Gundy, the Orlando Magic head coach has been quoted saying, “there’s Miami, Brett Farve and then, there’s everyone else, as if to say, the Magic gets no respect. Truth be told, I think the Magic are very content playing under the radar and with a 15-5 record are only one game behind the Boston Celtics for the best record in the East.
5 (5) LAKERS 14-6
The Lakers finally snapped the four games skid by blowing out the Sacramento Kings 113-80. The Lakers Andrew Bynum was cleared to practice 5 on 5 and is expected to return soon. Like I’ve always said, if Bynum is 100% healthy, the Lakers would be my pick to win the nba championship and give coach Phil Jackson his fourth 3-peat.
6 (6) JAZZ 15-6
Deron Williams is leading this team and the Jazz are taking heed. They are one of those teams that no one’s really talking about, but by the time the season ends, the Jazz will be right there with the big boys in the West.
7 (10) NUGGETS 13-6
My guess is the Nuggets will not trade Carmelo Anthony before the trading deadline in February and probably might even wait until next summer before working out a sign-and-trade deal with Melo. Things have stabilized in Denver and with head coach George Karl recently receiving a clear bill of health in regards to his cancer, the Nuggets are playing like a cohesive unit.
8 (12) HEAT 13-8
Lebron’s long awaited return to Cleveland came and went and the King did not disappoint scoring 38 points in only 29 minutes. I was impressed with Lebron’s performance, but I was even more impressed by the way the Heat team played together as a unit. It was their best game together as a team and could be the beginning of good things to come.
9 (8) HAWKS 13-8
The Hawks $126 million man Joe Johnson will have arthroscopic elbow surgery and could be out for some time, but I expect the Hawks to continue to play well. Johnson’s absence will force them to depend and each other to play together. However, there’s no denying Johnson will be missed, which means other players will have to step up.
10 (9) THUNDER 14-7
Russell Westbrook is a stud! He is currently averaging 24.1ppg, 8.7apg and 2.2spg. Kevin Durant may be the poster child, but Westbrook is clearly the mvp of that team.
11 (13) HORNETS 13-7
Since starting the season 11-1 the Hornets have gone 2-6 and are falling faster than the Dow Jones did when Obama first took office. The NBA is making an unprecedented move to acquire the Hornets from Mr. Shinn, the Hornets current owner in an attempt to keep the team in New Orleans and maybe all the hoopla involving this change has been wearing down on the players.
12 (14) KNICKS 13-7
I keep asking myself if the Knicks are for real, but with four straight wins, it’s hard to argue that they are not a playoff team. Amare Stoudemire has clearly emerged as one of the top power forward in the league. His 24.9ppg and 9rpg averages can be measured against any power forward and may come out ahead with the exception of the Mavericks Dirk.
13 (11) SUNS 11-9
The Suns are back in the playoff picture following wins over Golden State, Indiana and Washington. The Trail Blazers and the Warriors have helped the Suns move up to the 8th seed in the West, by compiling losses of their own.
14 (11) BULLS 10-8
The Bulls free agent prize, power forward Carlos Boozer has been with the team for only several games now, so I expect them to go through a period of transition with him, but once he gets acclimated to the system, the Bulls will be a force to reckon with.
15 (13) PACERS 10-9
At 10-9, the Pacers are off to a very impressive start considering they were not projected to make the playoffs. They are currently seeded 7th in the East and even though I don’t see any real upside with this team, I feel they have an excellent shot at making the playoffs.
16 (12) TRAIL BLAZERS 8-12
Wesley Matthews is emerging into a nice young player for the Blazers, but Brandon Roy has taken a step backwards due to several knee injuries. Like I’ve always said, the Blazers will go as far as Roy can take them and so far, he can barely walk, so there you go.
17 (21) RAPTORS 8-13
I guess only in the East a team can be 5 games below .500 and still be in the playoffs. The Raptors own that distinction and are currently hanging on the 8th and final playoff seed in the East.
18 (16) WARRIORS 8-12
The Warriors are fun and entertaining, but I’ve always felt that their Achilles heel is also their strength. They have the best offensive backcourt in the nba, but due to the undersize, Monte Ellis and Steph Curry are usually a liability on defense. They will continue to be fun to watch, but unless the Warriors add some size to their backcourt, they will continue to struggle with their perimeter defense.
19 (20) BUCKS 7-12
I really thought Corey Maggette would have impacted the Bucks offensive. Along with Bogut and Jennings, I expected the Bucks to be much better offensively, but that simply has not been the case in Milwaukee. The good news is the Bucks are in the East and right ahead of them is Toronto, which means making the playoffs should be attainable since their defense is very potent.
20 (19) GRIZZLIES 8-13
The Grizzlies are obviously in the bottom half of the league, so four straight losses doesn’t surprise me, especially with three of those losses being against .500 and better teams. However, I believe the Grizzlies are playing below their potential.
21 (25) ROCKETS 7-13
The Rockets have played without Yao and Brooks, their starting center and point guard in all but 5 games this season and let’s face it, very few teams in this league can survive without two starters. With Yao and Brooks the Rockets were off to a disappointing start, without them they simply have no chance of making the playoffs in the West.
22 (22) BOBCATS 7-13
The Bobcats need to make a change. After a breakout season last year, Gerald Wallace may have taken a step backwards and Stephen Jackson may be gritty, but he cannot be the Bobcats best player if they expect to really move up. Although they may be solid on the defensive end, they simply don’t score enough points, which is why I think a change or an addition to their team may be necessary.
23 (17) CAVALIERS 7-13
I guess the Cavaliers are still stunned from their 118-90 loss to their former king, Lebron James. But they must move on and do so in a hurry, because the 34 points loss they suffer in their very next game to the Timberwolves, one of the worse teams in the league was unacceptable.
24 (24) PISTONS 7-14
The Pistons will have to compete with their current roster until around the all-star break at which time the team is expected to be sold. I don’t anticipate any major changes out of Detroit until a new owner arrives. Could Magic Johnson pull the rabbit out of the hat? Could he be in line to buy the Pistons? Is that why he cashed out $160 from selling his starbucks and 24 hour fitness chains? All speculations will be answered in February.
25 (26) WIZARDS 6-11
Rookie sensation John Wall is in a bit of a slum since returning from his ankle injury. Over the last three games, Wall is averaging 13.7ppg and 7.3apg meanwhile Gilbert Arenas numbers continues to rise and he could be leading the team in scoring by the end of week 7. I remember not long ago Wall was averaging 23ppg and 10apg. Oh yeah, that was before Arenas returned.
26 (27) 76ERS 6-14
Trade rumors seem to be intensifying around Iguodala, the Sixers high flying small forward. I believe a change is coming very soon in Philadelphia and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Iggy traded soon.
27 (23) NETS 6-15
I am very surprised to see that the Nets are second to last in scoring in the league at 93.2 points per game, especially because they have an up tempo point guard like Devin Harris. I think new head coach Avery Johnson has the strangle hold on his team and is not allowing them to play freely.
28 (28) TIMBERWOLVES 5-15
Kevin Love continues to lead the league in rebound with 15.3 rebounds per game and Michael Beasley’s 21.6ppg, leads the team in scoring. Because of that, the Timberwolves have surprisingly stayed in games with some good team, but they always find a way to lose down the stretch because they don’t have any consistent scoring from their wing players.
29 (30) CLIPPERS 4-17
The nba should just give Blake Griffin his ROY Award, because there’s nothing anyone can do about it, not even John Wall. Baron Davis return should further help bolster Griffin chance of winning the award. The Clippers will succeed when Griffin learns how to use his athleticism on the defensive end, until then they are lottery bound.
30 (25) KINGS 4-14
Word out of Sacramento is that coach Paul Westphal days are numbered. I don’t know if that is the case or not, but something has to change in Sacramento and with the Kings losing their last seven games a change may be inevitable.
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