RK (LW) TEAM REC
1 (1) SPURS 57-16
I’m not going to demote the Spurs, at least not yet. I understand they are on a 3-game losing streak, but they are 3.5 games ahead of Chicago, for the best record. Timmy will probably be out for another two weeks and Manu may miss a game or two because of the collision he suffered with the Grizzlies Mark Gasol, but it will take a longer losing streak by the Spurs for me to promote anyone to the number one spot.
2 (4) LAKERS 53-20
The Los Angeles Lakers are clearly the favorite to repeat and I must say, if Miami does not make it to the finals, the Lakers will 3-peat. I am going on record right now to predict that there is no other team in the East other than Miami that can defeat the Lakers in a 7-game series and that includes the Celtics, who have clearly taken a step backwards since trading their defensive center Kendrick Perkins.
3 (3) BULLS 53-19
The Bulls may end up with the best coach and the league’s MVP in a Derrick Rose, but I will go on record right now to say the Bulls will not be the NBA Champions this season. The entire media world have anointed Derrick Rose as the league MVP and he probably will end up with the award, but if you review the numbers by points, assist, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goal percentage and free throw percentage, you’ll realize that Lebron, Dwight and Wade are way ahead of D-Rose. I think everyone ignores two things. First, Rose is only shooting 43.9%, the second lowest for an MVP if he wins (Iverson 42%), second, Tom Thibodeau has been an absolute genius as a coach on defense and he’s really doesn’t get enough credit. Everyone talks about how many games Boozer and Noah have missed, but if Rose was to miss the Bulls next 10 games, at the very worst, they’ll end up with a 6-4 record.
4 (5) HEAT 51-22
For the second time in a non overtime game in the history of the NBA, three players from the same team posted at least 30 points and 10 or more rebounds and that is exactly what Lebron, D-Wade and Bosh did against the Rockets. The only team I thought could beat the Heat in a 7-game series was the Celtics, but with their recent slippage, I think the Heat might make it to the finals and if they do, they will win the NBA Title.
5 (6) MAVERICKS 52-21
The Mavericks are in an excellent position to upset the Spurs, but as we all know, the championship will go through L.A and the Mavericks will not beat the Lakers 4 times in a 7-game series. I expect them to battle the Lakers in the Western Conference Semi -Finals, but that is where I expect their season to end.
6 (2) CELTICS 51-21
The Celtics are stumbling and though management may not admit it, trading Kendrick Perkins was the worst mistake. To compound that mistake, Rondo is injured and unless Shaq returns and plays better than he did in last year’s playoffs, the Celtics will lose to the Miami Heat in the second round of the Eastern Conference.
7 (7) THUNDER 48-24
Kevin Durant’s MVP credentials are continuing to fall and it has nothing to do with the play of D-Rose, Lebron and Dwight, it has everything to do with his own teammate Russell Westbrook. Against the Blazers when Durant was completely shut down by the Blazers Gerald Wallace, it was Westbrook that stepped up and hit some timely 3s that led to a 99-90 victory against the Blazers. Without Westbrook, the Thunder are barely a .500 team, which is why Durant is not seriously being considered an MVP candidate this season despite leading the league in scoring.
8 (8) MAGIC 47-26
The Magic have gone about their business quietly and are currently on a 5-game winning streak. Dwight Howard has been an absolute beast during the streak averaging 25.8ppg, 16.4rpg, 3.6bpg while shooting a whopping 69.5 percent from the field, but somehow the NBA is on a super hyper promotion of Derrick Rose, whose numbers dwarf’s Dwight.
9 (9) NUGGETS 44-29
The Nuggets stumbled a little bit with two losses, but are right back on track and currently on a 3-game winning streak. This team is much better off without Carmelo Anthony, but the real test will be how they perform in the playoffs.
10 (10) HAWKS 42-32
The feeling I get is that Hawks are more interested in the off-season than the playoffs and are not operating like a confident bunch. There is no way this team makes it out of the Eastern Conference Semis. It wouldn’t surprise me to them knocked out by the Sixers in the first round either.
11 (11) TRAIL BLAZERS 42-31
I don’t expect the Blazers to overtake the Nuggets for the fifth seed in the Western Conference, but I expect them to hold on to the sixth. I know the Hornets are breathing down their necks, but when it’s all said and done, the Blazers will finish sixth in the West. The addition of Gerald Wallace has really been a plus for the Blazers. He is capable of putting up huge numbers and gave a sample of that by scoring 40 points against the Thunder.
12 (12) HORNETS 42-32
Losing forward David West for the rest of the season was a major blow, but I still expect the Hornets to make the playoffs as a seventh or eighth seed in the Western Conference. Without West, the Hornets will be a quick first round out, but they will definitely make the playoffs.
13 (13) GRIZZLIES 41-33
The Memphis Grizzlies are fighting for dear life, but with a 2.5 game lead over the Rockets making the playoffs seems very likely. Losing Rudy Gay for the rest of the season will not stop them from making the playoffs, but it will lead to an early playoff exit.
14 (14) ROCKETS 38-35
The Rockets were sporting a 5-game winning streak before facing the Miami Heat and did everything they could before losing 119-125 to the Heat in Miami. The road doesn’t get any easier with 3 of their next 5 games coming against teams with .500 or better winning records. The good thing is that 3 of those 5 games will be at home.
15 (15) 76ERS 37-36
Losing to the Heat in Miami is acceptable, but their 114-111 overtime loss to Sacramento was a major blow. The only positive is that they are currently 2 games ahead of the Knicks who are sporting a 6-game losing streak. Regardless of what happens down the stretch, I expect the Sixers to end up with the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
16 (17) SUNS 36-36
The schedule dealt the Suns a very difficult blow and it happened at the worst time of the season. Three of their last four games (all losses) were against the Lakers, Hornets and Mavericks. The news doesn’t get any better for the Sun either, because 6 of their last 10 games of the regular season are against title contenders. The Suns will have to finish with an 8-2 record or better for them to have any chance of making the playoffs and that seems highly doubtful considering their schedule over the next 10 games.
17 (16) KNICKS 35-38
The Knicks are sporting a 6-game losing streak, but they are still 4.5 games ahead of the Bobcats with only 9 games left, so I definitely expect them to make the playoffs. I think once they get to the playoffs, you’ll finally see why the Knicks got Carmelo. He is a big game player and in a 7-game series where the game is slowed down, the Knicks will have a guy who is capable of making big shots down the stretch. I don’t think that will be enough to advance, but it will certainly be interesting to see how things unfold.
18 (18) JAZZ 36-38
The Jazz will miss the playoffs this year and I expect them to go into major rebuilding mold this off-season. At this point, I think every player on this team is expandable, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see a completely new starting lineup come next season.
19 (20) WARRIORS 32-42
GSW took advantage of the schedule and manhandled two sub .500 teams, the Raptor and Wizards. After losing their previous 6 games, the Warriors beat the Raptors and Wizards by a combined 48 points. Monte Ellis was a beast in both games and averaged 32ppg and 11.5apg on 56 percent shooting from the field.
20 (19) PACERS 32-42
The Pacers are in serious trouble and if they keep alternating wins and losses, they could find themselves out of the play race very quickly. To assure a playoff berth, the Pacers will have to finish the season with a 6-2 record.
21 (22) BOBCATS 30-42
The Bobcats must finish the season with a record of 7-3 or better in order for them to make the playoffs. They are currently sporting a 2-game winning streak and I think they are more capable of going on a run than the Pacers, which is why I expect the Bobcats to beat out the Pacers for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
22 (21) BUCKS 29-43
The Bucks are 2 games out of the playoffs and I think by the time the regular season ends, they will still be out of the playoffs. I watch their game against the Bulls, a 99-90 loss, and I know the Bulls have the best record in the Eastern Conference, but that Bucks had the game under control until down the stretch. They fell apart in a game that they had to win to keep their playoffs hopes alive and at that moment it became obvious to me that the Bucks will not make the playoffs.
23 (23) CLIPPERS 29-45
The Clippers have an 8-5 record over their last 13 games and have adjusted very well to Mo Williams, their newly acquired point guard. Baron Davis was a better all around point guard, but Williams is definitely a better shooter. His shooting along with Eric Gordon has really helped open the floor for Griffin and Kaman, a trend that will obviously improve come next season.
24 (24) PISTONS 26-47
The Pistons are playing better basketball as of late and Rip Hamilton in particular has returned back to his old form averaging 17.8ppg over the last 5 games. My guess is Rip will finish the season strong in hopes of bolstering his trade value, because we all know his days in Detroit are numbered.
25 (27) KINGS 20-52
The Kings are winners of 4 of their last 5 games and the reason for this turnaround has to be Marcus Thornton. Over the last 5 games, Thornton averaged 24.8ppg, 6.6rpg and 4.8apg while making 49 percent of his shots from the field. Thornton is averaging 22ppg since joining the Kings via a trade from New Orleans. I am going on record to say that he will average between 23-25ppg next season and win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award.
26 (25) NETS 23-49
Newly acquired Nets all-star point guard Deron Williams has been in and out of the lineup since joining the team due to some injuries, but he is expected to return soon to help the team finish the season strong. I think it’s imperative that the Nets finish strong so that when next season rolls around, Williams will be satisfy with the direction of the team and sign the extension the team will certainly offer him.
27 (25) RAPTORS 20-53
I think the Raptors need to blow up the team and rebuild, starting with signing a new general manager. I think this team has a lot of potential and could get lucky in the draft, but their future will depend on how they draft, which is why it would be wise to bring in someone with a completely new perspective.
28 (28) WIZARDS 17-55
The Wizards are a nice young team with a boatload of potential, which will increase even more when the draft rolls around. I think this team needs a player who can command scoring in the post to play alongside their shot blocking sensation JaVale McGee. The Perimeter is already solid with Wall, Young and Lewis and once Wall improves his shooting, the Wizards could move up really quickly.
29 (29) TIM BERWOLVES 17-57
Kevin Love has missed 4 games if you include the game against the Kings in which he played only 14 minutes, but had to leave early after injuring his groin. The team is contemplating shutting Love down for the remainder of the season and why not? They have absolutely nothing to play for. They have the worst record in the Western Conference and even if Love returns, might still end up with the last seed in the West.
30 (30) CAVALIERS 14-58
The Cavaliers have the worst record in the league and will more than likely end up with the league’s worst record, but for all the Cavaliers haters, I must warn you that depending on how the balls bounces during the lottery, this team could easily make the playoff next season and probably even advance past the first round. As of now, there is a hostile crowd in Cleveland anticipating the second return of Lebron on Tuesday.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
NBA WIZARD 2010-11 NBA POWER RANKING WEEK 22
RK (LW) TEAM REC
1 (1) SPURS 56-13
The Spurs shook off their 30 point loss to the Heat by beating in-state rival Dallas Mavericks and the slumping Bobcats. With 13 losses, the speculation of whether the Spurs will win 70-games this season is finally over, but in all likelihood, the Spurs will still finish the season with the league’s best record.
2 (2) CELTICS 49-19
The Celtics have a 3-4 record over their last 7-games and are not looking like the team that made it to the NBA Finals last summer. Not to beat a dead horse, but Rondo is clearly injured and his numbers only proves this. Over the last 5 games, Rondo averaged only 3.4ppg and 6.2apg and has clearly been a step slower in recent weeks.
3 (5) BULLS 49-19
The Bulls 8-game winning streak finally came to an end when they lost to the Pacers in a 115-108 overtime nail biter. I believe it is imperative that the Bulls finish with the best record in the East, because I doubt they will be able to beat the Heat and Celtics in a 7-game series without having home-court advantage.
4 (4) LAKERS 50-20
The defending champion Lakers have been sizzling hot over the last several weeks and don’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. The Lakers have won 12 of their last 13 games and are looking more like a team that is ready to 3-peat.
5 (6) HEAT 48-22
There is one big difference between Lebron and D-Wade. Wade attacks to score, while Lebron attacks to set up his teammates. Well, that only works when the rest of the team are making shots. Over the last several games Lebron has taken a page out of Wade’s book and remained in attack mode throughout those games. His assist may have been down (5 total), but Lebron made 31 of 46 shots from the field and averaged 38ppg over the last two games. There Heat are almost unbeatable if Lebron plays in attack mode for an entire game and the last two games proves this point.
6 (5) MAVERICKS 49-21
The Mavs continues to prove my theory and that is, they will not beat the Spurs or Lakers in a 7-game series. Having Brandon Haywood should fortify the middle, but the Lakers and Spurs are still a hair above them.
7 (7) THUNDER 45-24
Going into Miami and defeating the red-hot and revamped Heat was a thing a beauty. Finally, Kevin Durant can say that he beat a Lebron James-led team. Going into Miami, Durant had never beat Lebron, now that mark stands at 1-6.
8 (8) MAGIC 44-26
The Magic are not going to add another big man to help Dwight Howard, which means the emergence of Gilbert Arenas is the only way I see the Magic making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Not only is Gilbert injured, but he clearly has not emerged into the player the Magic were anticipating when they traded for him. Sadly, I think Gilbert Arenas best days are behind him.
9 (9) NUGGETS 41-29
No I’m not going to jump off the band wagon just because the Nuggets lost their last two games, especially when both losses came on the road against two Eastern Conference power houses, the Magic and Heat. I think this team is dangerous because they have so many intangibles.
10 (11) HAWKS 40-30
The Hawks are still trying to adjust to Kirk Hinrich, who has been a backup point guard for most of his career, but now he is expected to run the team. The problem I see with the Hawks is outside of Joe Johnson and Al Horford, the Hawks have a problem scoring and the recent addition of Hinrich is not enough to show up this deficiency.
11 (12) TRAIL BLAZERS 40-30
A 3-1 week with the lone loss being an 84-80 loss against the Lakers in L.A was a very successful week. LaMarcus Aldridge has emerged as the Blazers number one option and will remain their first option until at least next season, by which time Brandon Roy will hopefully be fully healed.
12 (10) HORNETS 40-31
Chris Paul had a night that he hopes to soon forget against the Celtics when he shot 0-9 from the field for only 4 points. He did manage to get 15 assists in the game, but on offense Paul was completely shut down. I don’t want to make too much of one game, because CP3 came into that game averaging 28.7ppg in the previous 3 games.
13 (13) GRIZZLIES 38-32
The Grizzlies are only 1.5 games ahead of the Rockets for the eighth and final playoffs spot and next week could prove to be their most difficult of the season. The Grizzlies will be matched up against the Jazz, Celtics, Bulls and Spurs if they can come out of those games with a 2-2 record they should consider themselves lucky.
14 (17) ROCKETS 37-34
The Rockets are sporting a 4-game winning streak and are definitely making a charge to unseat the Grizzlies for the eighth and final spot in the West. I think they are the Grizzlies biggest challenge, which should make the last few weeks of the playoffs race very interesting in the West.
15 (15) 76ERS 36-34
As expected, the Sixers have wrestled the sixth seed from the Knicks in the Eastern Conference. I thought it would take an additional week, but with the Knicks recent slippage, the Sixers were able to take a half game lead over them.
16 (14) KNICKS 35-34
The one thing everybody argued after the trade was that the Knicks did not play any defense and that the addition of Carmelo did not make them any better defensively. I definitely agree with this theory, but I think if the game is close the Knicks will have a very good chance because they possess two of the game’s best closers in Carmelo and Stoudemire.
17 (16) SUNS 35-33
The Suns are at full strength now that they have Nash and Channing Frye back in the lineup. Obviously they needed to be at full strength to make a stretch run, if they expect to beat out the Rockets and Griz for the eighth seed in the West. Currently they are only two games out of the playoffs, so they still have a great chance of making it now that they have their full team.
18 (18) JAZZ 36-34
The Jazz are 4-6 over their last 10 games and are currently 2.5 games out of the playoffs. If I were to make a prediction, it would be that the Jazz will not make the playoffs this season. Quite frankly I don’t see them overtaken the Rockets and Grizzlies for the eighth spot.
19 (20) PACERS 30-40
Only in the Eastern Conference can a team lose 8 of 11 with a 30-40 record and still hang on to the eighth seed. The Pacers actually have a 1.5 game lead and may even end up with the eighth seed despite their poor play as of late.
20 (19) WARRIORS 30-40
The Warriors just can’t seem to get it together and last week was no exception. GSW lost 4 straight with two losses coming against the Mavericks. The funny thing is the Warriors would actually be tied with the Pacers for the eighth seed if they were in the Eastern Conference.
21 (22) BUCKS 28-41
I guess the rumors of Michael Redd’s return may have hit home, because Carlos Delfino finally realized that he may lose out his starting spot at the shooting guard position if Redd return. Over the last two games, Delfino averaged 28ppg including a 30 point career high to lead the Bucks to a 100-95 win against the Knicks.
22 (21) BOBCATS 28-41
The Bobcats are sporting a 3-game losing streak and are slipping further away from making the playoffs. They are currently 2.5 games out of the eighth spot and are in danger of not making the playoffs. Michael Jordan felt his team was good enough to make the playoffs so he traded away former all-star forward Gerald Wallace to save some money which made sense financially, but now the Bobcats have a challenge on their hands and missing the playoffs will be a major disappointment.
23 (23) CLIPPERS 27-44
Eric Gordon’s return back to the lineup obviously makes life easier for Blake Griffin and now that the team is at full strength with Kaman also back, we will finally get to see the potential of this team. Obviously they are not going to make the playoffs this year, but this team has a major upside and could be a force by next season.
24 (25) PISTONS 25-45
I think it’s really unfair to first year head coach John Kuester that most of his players are trying to push him out. Rumor has it that some Pistons players are referring to him as Sean Penn as in “Dead Man Walking,” meaning his days are numbered and that is just plain wrong. Then again Kuester brought this on himself when he decided to alienate Rip Hamilton, one of the team’s most popular players a few months ago.
25 (26) RAPTORS 20-49
Raptors center Bargnani returned back to form by scoring 33 and 23 points against the Wizards and Thunder respectively leading to two straight wins for the Raptors. The bad news and what has been a familiar theme was that Bargnani only managed to pull 8 rebounds combined in both games and that is just terrible coming from a center.
26 (24) NETS 22-46
The Nets are shutting down Deron Williams for several games due to a wrist injury and it’s a good thing because trying to make the playoffs this season is not in their best interest. The team has definitely made some improvements, but forcing Williams to play with an injured wrist did not help them in anyway.
27 (29) KINGS 17-51
Samuel Dalembert had a monster game posting 26 points and 17 rebounds against the Timberwolves to help the Kings win 127-95. It was just in time because rookie DeMarcus Cousins got injected for letting his temper get the best of him.
28 (28) WIZARDS 17-51
Every so often the Wizards show why I am so high on their future. Against the Bulls, though it was a loss, Wizards center JaVale McGee was an absolute monster when he swatted a league high 12 shots away. The trio of Wall, McGee and Young will be a force to reckon with in the next two seasons.
29 (27) TIMBERWOLVES 17-54
The Timberwolves are extremely fortunate to have Michael Beasley in the lineup after an ill-advised flagrant foul by the Lakers Andrew Bynum. At first glance, I thought Beasley would be out for the remainder of the season especially with the Wolves horrible record, but he returned the very next game against the Kings to post 13 points in 15 minutes. I think it would be in the team’s best interest if Beasley is shut down for a few games.
30 (30) CAVALIERS 13-55
The Cavaliers are the worst team in the league and figures to be until the end of the season. The only thing left to salvage this season is the development of forward J.J. Hickson so hopefully by next season he will be ready to take the next step.
1 (1) SPURS 56-13
The Spurs shook off their 30 point loss to the Heat by beating in-state rival Dallas Mavericks and the slumping Bobcats. With 13 losses, the speculation of whether the Spurs will win 70-games this season is finally over, but in all likelihood, the Spurs will still finish the season with the league’s best record.
2 (2) CELTICS 49-19
The Celtics have a 3-4 record over their last 7-games and are not looking like the team that made it to the NBA Finals last summer. Not to beat a dead horse, but Rondo is clearly injured and his numbers only proves this. Over the last 5 games, Rondo averaged only 3.4ppg and 6.2apg and has clearly been a step slower in recent weeks.
3 (5) BULLS 49-19
The Bulls 8-game winning streak finally came to an end when they lost to the Pacers in a 115-108 overtime nail biter. I believe it is imperative that the Bulls finish with the best record in the East, because I doubt they will be able to beat the Heat and Celtics in a 7-game series without having home-court advantage.
4 (4) LAKERS 50-20
The defending champion Lakers have been sizzling hot over the last several weeks and don’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. The Lakers have won 12 of their last 13 games and are looking more like a team that is ready to 3-peat.
5 (6) HEAT 48-22
There is one big difference between Lebron and D-Wade. Wade attacks to score, while Lebron attacks to set up his teammates. Well, that only works when the rest of the team are making shots. Over the last several games Lebron has taken a page out of Wade’s book and remained in attack mode throughout those games. His assist may have been down (5 total), but Lebron made 31 of 46 shots from the field and averaged 38ppg over the last two games. There Heat are almost unbeatable if Lebron plays in attack mode for an entire game and the last two games proves this point.
6 (5) MAVERICKS 49-21
The Mavs continues to prove my theory and that is, they will not beat the Spurs or Lakers in a 7-game series. Having Brandon Haywood should fortify the middle, but the Lakers and Spurs are still a hair above them.
7 (7) THUNDER 45-24
Going into Miami and defeating the red-hot and revamped Heat was a thing a beauty. Finally, Kevin Durant can say that he beat a Lebron James-led team. Going into Miami, Durant had never beat Lebron, now that mark stands at 1-6.
8 (8) MAGIC 44-26
The Magic are not going to add another big man to help Dwight Howard, which means the emergence of Gilbert Arenas is the only way I see the Magic making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Not only is Gilbert injured, but he clearly has not emerged into the player the Magic were anticipating when they traded for him. Sadly, I think Gilbert Arenas best days are behind him.
9 (9) NUGGETS 41-29
No I’m not going to jump off the band wagon just because the Nuggets lost their last two games, especially when both losses came on the road against two Eastern Conference power houses, the Magic and Heat. I think this team is dangerous because they have so many intangibles.
10 (11) HAWKS 40-30
The Hawks are still trying to adjust to Kirk Hinrich, who has been a backup point guard for most of his career, but now he is expected to run the team. The problem I see with the Hawks is outside of Joe Johnson and Al Horford, the Hawks have a problem scoring and the recent addition of Hinrich is not enough to show up this deficiency.
11 (12) TRAIL BLAZERS 40-30
A 3-1 week with the lone loss being an 84-80 loss against the Lakers in L.A was a very successful week. LaMarcus Aldridge has emerged as the Blazers number one option and will remain their first option until at least next season, by which time Brandon Roy will hopefully be fully healed.
12 (10) HORNETS 40-31
Chris Paul had a night that he hopes to soon forget against the Celtics when he shot 0-9 from the field for only 4 points. He did manage to get 15 assists in the game, but on offense Paul was completely shut down. I don’t want to make too much of one game, because CP3 came into that game averaging 28.7ppg in the previous 3 games.
13 (13) GRIZZLIES 38-32
The Grizzlies are only 1.5 games ahead of the Rockets for the eighth and final playoffs spot and next week could prove to be their most difficult of the season. The Grizzlies will be matched up against the Jazz, Celtics, Bulls and Spurs if they can come out of those games with a 2-2 record they should consider themselves lucky.
14 (17) ROCKETS 37-34
The Rockets are sporting a 4-game winning streak and are definitely making a charge to unseat the Grizzlies for the eighth and final spot in the West. I think they are the Grizzlies biggest challenge, which should make the last few weeks of the playoffs race very interesting in the West.
15 (15) 76ERS 36-34
As expected, the Sixers have wrestled the sixth seed from the Knicks in the Eastern Conference. I thought it would take an additional week, but with the Knicks recent slippage, the Sixers were able to take a half game lead over them.
16 (14) KNICKS 35-34
The one thing everybody argued after the trade was that the Knicks did not play any defense and that the addition of Carmelo did not make them any better defensively. I definitely agree with this theory, but I think if the game is close the Knicks will have a very good chance because they possess two of the game’s best closers in Carmelo and Stoudemire.
17 (16) SUNS 35-33
The Suns are at full strength now that they have Nash and Channing Frye back in the lineup. Obviously they needed to be at full strength to make a stretch run, if they expect to beat out the Rockets and Griz for the eighth seed in the West. Currently they are only two games out of the playoffs, so they still have a great chance of making it now that they have their full team.
18 (18) JAZZ 36-34
The Jazz are 4-6 over their last 10 games and are currently 2.5 games out of the playoffs. If I were to make a prediction, it would be that the Jazz will not make the playoffs this season. Quite frankly I don’t see them overtaken the Rockets and Grizzlies for the eighth spot.
19 (20) PACERS 30-40
Only in the Eastern Conference can a team lose 8 of 11 with a 30-40 record and still hang on to the eighth seed. The Pacers actually have a 1.5 game lead and may even end up with the eighth seed despite their poor play as of late.
20 (19) WARRIORS 30-40
The Warriors just can’t seem to get it together and last week was no exception. GSW lost 4 straight with two losses coming against the Mavericks. The funny thing is the Warriors would actually be tied with the Pacers for the eighth seed if they were in the Eastern Conference.
21 (22) BUCKS 28-41
I guess the rumors of Michael Redd’s return may have hit home, because Carlos Delfino finally realized that he may lose out his starting spot at the shooting guard position if Redd return. Over the last two games, Delfino averaged 28ppg including a 30 point career high to lead the Bucks to a 100-95 win against the Knicks.
22 (21) BOBCATS 28-41
The Bobcats are sporting a 3-game losing streak and are slipping further away from making the playoffs. They are currently 2.5 games out of the eighth spot and are in danger of not making the playoffs. Michael Jordan felt his team was good enough to make the playoffs so he traded away former all-star forward Gerald Wallace to save some money which made sense financially, but now the Bobcats have a challenge on their hands and missing the playoffs will be a major disappointment.
23 (23) CLIPPERS 27-44
Eric Gordon’s return back to the lineup obviously makes life easier for Blake Griffin and now that the team is at full strength with Kaman also back, we will finally get to see the potential of this team. Obviously they are not going to make the playoffs this year, but this team has a major upside and could be a force by next season.
24 (25) PISTONS 25-45
I think it’s really unfair to first year head coach John Kuester that most of his players are trying to push him out. Rumor has it that some Pistons players are referring to him as Sean Penn as in “Dead Man Walking,” meaning his days are numbered and that is just plain wrong. Then again Kuester brought this on himself when he decided to alienate Rip Hamilton, one of the team’s most popular players a few months ago.
25 (26) RAPTORS 20-49
Raptors center Bargnani returned back to form by scoring 33 and 23 points against the Wizards and Thunder respectively leading to two straight wins for the Raptors. The bad news and what has been a familiar theme was that Bargnani only managed to pull 8 rebounds combined in both games and that is just terrible coming from a center.
26 (24) NETS 22-46
The Nets are shutting down Deron Williams for several games due to a wrist injury and it’s a good thing because trying to make the playoffs this season is not in their best interest. The team has definitely made some improvements, but forcing Williams to play with an injured wrist did not help them in anyway.
27 (29) KINGS 17-51
Samuel Dalembert had a monster game posting 26 points and 17 rebounds against the Timberwolves to help the Kings win 127-95. It was just in time because rookie DeMarcus Cousins got injected for letting his temper get the best of him.
28 (28) WIZARDS 17-51
Every so often the Wizards show why I am so high on their future. Against the Bulls, though it was a loss, Wizards center JaVale McGee was an absolute monster when he swatted a league high 12 shots away. The trio of Wall, McGee and Young will be a force to reckon with in the next two seasons.
29 (27) TIMBERWOLVES 17-54
The Timberwolves are extremely fortunate to have Michael Beasley in the lineup after an ill-advised flagrant foul by the Lakers Andrew Bynum. At first glance, I thought Beasley would be out for the remainder of the season especially with the Wolves horrible record, but he returned the very next game against the Kings to post 13 points in 15 minutes. I think it would be in the team’s best interest if Beasley is shut down for a few games.
30 (30) CAVALIERS 13-55
The Cavaliers are the worst team in the league and figures to be until the end of the season. The only thing left to salvage this season is the development of forward J.J. Hickson so hopefully by next season he will be ready to take the next step.
Monday, March 14, 2011
NBA WIZARD 2010-11 NBA POWER RANKING WEEK 21
RK (LW) TEAM REC
1 (1) SPURS 54-12
The Spurs had an impressive 3-0 week, led by Tony Parker’s 23.8ppg. Like I predicted after the all-star break, I expected Parker to be the Spurs MVP following the break and he hasn’t disappointed.
2 (2) CELTICS 47-17
There was a time this season when the Celtic’s Rajon Rondo was averaging over 15apg, but that seemed like a long time ago because Rondo has clearly slowed down as of late due to nagging injuries and his team have slowed down with him. Last week Rondo averaged 9ppg along with a subpar 5.7apg to lead the team to a 1-2 record. Of all the Celtics players, Rondo is the one that must be at full strength in order for the Celtics to make it to the NBA Finals. He is clearly the engine that runs that team.
3 (5) BULLS 47-18
The Bulls are sporting a 6-game winning streak led by Derrick Rose, the overwhelming favorite to win the NBA’s MVP Award. However, there are still 17 games left in the Bulls season so I will have to reserve my vote until the end of the season.
4 (4) LAKERS 47-20
The Lakers are back to their winning ways and have won 9 of their last 10 games in convincing fashion. It’s unfortunate that they waited until after the all-star break to get their act together, but then again, it must be really difficult staying focus for an entire season especially after coming off back-to-back titles.
5 (3) MAVERICKS 47-19
Before Saturday’s 96-91 loss to the Lakers, the Mavericks had a 20-3 record in their previous 23 games. The Mavericks loss each of those games by only a point, which clearly shows how dominant they’ve been. Second year guard Rodrigue Beaubois’s return should strengthen the Mavs backcourt and help fill the perimeter void left by Caron Butler, who is out with a season ending injury.
6 (6) HEAT 45-21
After finally beating a championship contending team (Lakers), the Heat ended that week with one of their most impressive outings this season by beating the Grizzlies 118-85. Those wins didn’t really impress me because the Heat has what it takes to be a dominant team. It will be interesting to see if they can continue at this pace to finish the season strong.
7 (8) THUNDER 42-23
One of the reason I’m reserving my vote for MVP is because of players like Kevin Durant. The guy is leading the league in scoring for a second straight season. The Thunder are also sporting a 3-game winning streak and are expected to finally have newly acquired center Kendrick Perkins join the team following a knee injury.
8 (7) MAGIC 42-25
If Dwight Howard had a better supporting cast, the Magic would have a better record and Howard would definitely be the leading candidate to win the MVP Award. Howard has been an absolute beast, but his team has not really follow suit.
9 (10) NUGGETS 39-27
When the Nuggets traded Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups the consensus around the league was that the team was in complete rebuilt mold. Well it only took a few games for that thinking process to change, because the Nuggets have really excelled since the trade. The team has been without Danilo Gallinari, the player who is expected to replace Melo as the team’s starting small forward for the last 6 games, yet the Nuggets have a 7-2 record in the post Melo era.
10 (13) HORNETS 39-29
Following a nasty injury in Cleveland, CP3 was expected to be out for a while, but after only 2 games he was back in the fold with a monster 33 points and 15 rebounds performance to lead the Hornets to a 115-103 win against the Kings. The guy is a true warrior and in mine opinion is still the best pure point guard in the NBA.
11 (12) HAWKS 38-28
Newly acquired point guard Kirk Hinrich definitely makes the Hawks a better team, but in all honesty does anyone think they can beat the Celtics, Bulls, Heat or Magic in a 7-game series? Unless you’re a Hawks fan, the answer is no, which means they are currently only the fifth best team in the Eastern Conference.
12 (9) TRAIL BLAZERS 37-29
The Blazers began their 4-game road trip with two impressive wins over the Magic and the Heat, but they ended up losing their next two games against the Bobcats and Hawks. In all, they finished the week and their road trip with a 2-2 record which is considered a decent outcome for a road trip.
13 (11) GRIZZLIES 36-31
The Griz had a subpar week going 1-2 and did not gain any ground on Phoenix even though Steve Nash was out. I still expect the Grizzlies to finish with the eighth spot, but the Suns and Jazz will be lurking in their rearview mirror and will gladly take over the spot if there’s any slippage on the part of the Griz.
14 (14) KNICKS 34-31
Word out of New York is that the Knicks intend to sign their newly acquired point guard Chauncey Billups to an extension and why not? At worst, they get to keep him for an additional year. At best, they sign him for an additional two seasons and by 2012, he will be in the final year of an expiring contract making him the perfect trade chip if the team chooses to go after the Hornet’s Chris Paul.
15 (15) 76ERS 34-32
The Sixers posted a 2-2 record which was not great, but good enough to maintain the seventh seed, a position they will end up with at the very worse. However, I think this team may be getting a little greedy and might even move up to the sixth seed by the time the season ends.
16 (16) SUNS 33-31
The Suns were without Nash who is listed day-to-day with a pelvic injury, when they were annihilated in a 118-88 loss to the Magic. I expect Nash to be back sooner rather than later because without him, the Suns have absolute no shot at making the playoffs.
17 (17) ROCKETS 33-34
The Rockets are a game under .500 and still have a chance to make the playoffs. They are currently only 3 games behind the Grizzlies and along with the Suns and Jazz should give the Grizzlies a run for the final spot in the Western Conference.
18 (18) JAZZ 34-33
The Jazz obviously have a good chance of making the playoffs, but truth be told, I am not as optimistic as the rest of their fans are. I don’t have anything against Ty Corbin, the Jazz new head coach, but if I were a betting man, I would have definitely put my money on them making the playoffs if Jerry Sloan was still their coach. Under Corbin or in the post Sloan era, the Jazz have a 3-10 record, which is why I don’t think this year’s Jazz will make the playoffs.
19 (20) WARRIORS 30-36
The on again off again Warriors were back on again and had a nice 3-1 record in week 20. Even more impressive was the fact that they stopped Kevin Love’s double-double streak at 53 games when they held love to 6 points and 12 rebounds.
20 (19) PACERS 28-38
Word out of Indiana is that ownership might be looking to completely overhaul the front office. I’m not sure if that means Larry Bird is next in line to be fired, but something has to be done. Since posting a 7-2 record after firing former head coach Jim O’Brien, the team has only won one game over their last nine outings.
21 (21) BOBCATS 28-38
The Bobcats finally got back on track and are sporting a 2-game winning streak following a 6-game losing streak. The race for the eighth seed in gearing to be a dog fight in the East and the first team that wins a few games in a row might take over the lead for good.
22 (23) BUCKS 26-39
Before Sunday’s nightmare game against the Celtics, the Bucks were riding high on a 3-game winning streak. In reality though, 2 of their wins came against the Wizards and Cavaliers with their last being a very impressive 102-74 blowout win against the Sixers. Unfortunately, the Bucks followed up their impressive win against the Sixers with a record low 56 point outing against the Celtics.
23 (22) CLIPPERS 26-41
The L.A. Clippers are out of playoff contention and the only thing left to do is to use their last 15 games to improve, but in order to do that they need to be at full strength. Unfortunately, Eric Gordon is out again after reinjuring his wrist and may be out for a few weeks.
24 (25) NETS 21-43
Yes, the rumors are actually true! The Nets are sporting a 4-game winning streak. Call it the Deron Williams effect. The team finally has a closer and the rest of their players are following suit and playing well. The main beneficiary has been Nets forward Chris Humphries. He has been an absolute beast over the Nets last four games averaging 17ppg and 17.25rpg.
25 (24) PISTONS 23-44
The Pistons are not going anywhere this season. They stayed pat at the trade deadline which only leaves buyout scenarios at this point. Then again if a buyout was going to occur, it would have probably been done by now. Tayshaun Prince was the player most likely to be bought out, but from the looks of things, this team will probably finish the season with their current roster.
26 (26) RAPTORS 18-48
The Raptors last four losses were by 7, 1, 2 and 5 points respectively. I understand they were all losses, but the Raptors were in each of those games rather than being blown out. There is no consolation for losing, but as the seasons wears down there are some signs indicating that the Raptors will be a much better team next season.
27 (29) TIMBERWOLVES 17-51
It’s finally over! Kevin Love’s double-double streak ended at 53 games against the Warriors. The funny is I thought when Love streak ended it would be because he was short on rebounds, but surprisingly, it was points or lack thereof that ended his streak. Love got 12 rebounds, but was held to only 6 points on 1-6 shooting.
28 (27) WIZARDS 16-48
At full strength the Wizards are currently a lottery team, but with Lewis, Blatche and now Nick Young all suffering from injury bug, losses are bound to pile up. This team could mimic the Oklahoma City Thunder in that they have some excellent young players with unlimited potential.
29 (28) KINGS 15-49
The Kings got a steal when they traded for Marcus Thornton, a second year guard from the Hornets. I expect Thornton and Cousins to have a breakout season next year, the only question is whether it will be in Sacramento or Anaheim California.
30 (30) CAVALIERS 12-53
Is the season over yet? The Cavaliers management cannot wait for the summer. I expect the Cavaliers to make the playoffs next season and depending on how well they do in the draft, they could easily be one of the best teams in the league.
1 (1) SPURS 54-12
The Spurs had an impressive 3-0 week, led by Tony Parker’s 23.8ppg. Like I predicted after the all-star break, I expected Parker to be the Spurs MVP following the break and he hasn’t disappointed.
2 (2) CELTICS 47-17
There was a time this season when the Celtic’s Rajon Rondo was averaging over 15apg, but that seemed like a long time ago because Rondo has clearly slowed down as of late due to nagging injuries and his team have slowed down with him. Last week Rondo averaged 9ppg along with a subpar 5.7apg to lead the team to a 1-2 record. Of all the Celtics players, Rondo is the one that must be at full strength in order for the Celtics to make it to the NBA Finals. He is clearly the engine that runs that team.
3 (5) BULLS 47-18
The Bulls are sporting a 6-game winning streak led by Derrick Rose, the overwhelming favorite to win the NBA’s MVP Award. However, there are still 17 games left in the Bulls season so I will have to reserve my vote until the end of the season.
4 (4) LAKERS 47-20
The Lakers are back to their winning ways and have won 9 of their last 10 games in convincing fashion. It’s unfortunate that they waited until after the all-star break to get their act together, but then again, it must be really difficult staying focus for an entire season especially after coming off back-to-back titles.
5 (3) MAVERICKS 47-19
Before Saturday’s 96-91 loss to the Lakers, the Mavericks had a 20-3 record in their previous 23 games. The Mavericks loss each of those games by only a point, which clearly shows how dominant they’ve been. Second year guard Rodrigue Beaubois’s return should strengthen the Mavs backcourt and help fill the perimeter void left by Caron Butler, who is out with a season ending injury.
6 (6) HEAT 45-21
After finally beating a championship contending team (Lakers), the Heat ended that week with one of their most impressive outings this season by beating the Grizzlies 118-85. Those wins didn’t really impress me because the Heat has what it takes to be a dominant team. It will be interesting to see if they can continue at this pace to finish the season strong.
7 (8) THUNDER 42-23
One of the reason I’m reserving my vote for MVP is because of players like Kevin Durant. The guy is leading the league in scoring for a second straight season. The Thunder are also sporting a 3-game winning streak and are expected to finally have newly acquired center Kendrick Perkins join the team following a knee injury.
8 (7) MAGIC 42-25
If Dwight Howard had a better supporting cast, the Magic would have a better record and Howard would definitely be the leading candidate to win the MVP Award. Howard has been an absolute beast, but his team has not really follow suit.
9 (10) NUGGETS 39-27
When the Nuggets traded Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups the consensus around the league was that the team was in complete rebuilt mold. Well it only took a few games for that thinking process to change, because the Nuggets have really excelled since the trade. The team has been without Danilo Gallinari, the player who is expected to replace Melo as the team’s starting small forward for the last 6 games, yet the Nuggets have a 7-2 record in the post Melo era.
10 (13) HORNETS 39-29
Following a nasty injury in Cleveland, CP3 was expected to be out for a while, but after only 2 games he was back in the fold with a monster 33 points and 15 rebounds performance to lead the Hornets to a 115-103 win against the Kings. The guy is a true warrior and in mine opinion is still the best pure point guard in the NBA.
11 (12) HAWKS 38-28
Newly acquired point guard Kirk Hinrich definitely makes the Hawks a better team, but in all honesty does anyone think they can beat the Celtics, Bulls, Heat or Magic in a 7-game series? Unless you’re a Hawks fan, the answer is no, which means they are currently only the fifth best team in the Eastern Conference.
12 (9) TRAIL BLAZERS 37-29
The Blazers began their 4-game road trip with two impressive wins over the Magic and the Heat, but they ended up losing their next two games against the Bobcats and Hawks. In all, they finished the week and their road trip with a 2-2 record which is considered a decent outcome for a road trip.
13 (11) GRIZZLIES 36-31
The Griz had a subpar week going 1-2 and did not gain any ground on Phoenix even though Steve Nash was out. I still expect the Grizzlies to finish with the eighth spot, but the Suns and Jazz will be lurking in their rearview mirror and will gladly take over the spot if there’s any slippage on the part of the Griz.
14 (14) KNICKS 34-31
Word out of New York is that the Knicks intend to sign their newly acquired point guard Chauncey Billups to an extension and why not? At worst, they get to keep him for an additional year. At best, they sign him for an additional two seasons and by 2012, he will be in the final year of an expiring contract making him the perfect trade chip if the team chooses to go after the Hornet’s Chris Paul.
15 (15) 76ERS 34-32
The Sixers posted a 2-2 record which was not great, but good enough to maintain the seventh seed, a position they will end up with at the very worse. However, I think this team may be getting a little greedy and might even move up to the sixth seed by the time the season ends.
16 (16) SUNS 33-31
The Suns were without Nash who is listed day-to-day with a pelvic injury, when they were annihilated in a 118-88 loss to the Magic. I expect Nash to be back sooner rather than later because without him, the Suns have absolute no shot at making the playoffs.
17 (17) ROCKETS 33-34
The Rockets are a game under .500 and still have a chance to make the playoffs. They are currently only 3 games behind the Grizzlies and along with the Suns and Jazz should give the Grizzlies a run for the final spot in the Western Conference.
18 (18) JAZZ 34-33
The Jazz obviously have a good chance of making the playoffs, but truth be told, I am not as optimistic as the rest of their fans are. I don’t have anything against Ty Corbin, the Jazz new head coach, but if I were a betting man, I would have definitely put my money on them making the playoffs if Jerry Sloan was still their coach. Under Corbin or in the post Sloan era, the Jazz have a 3-10 record, which is why I don’t think this year’s Jazz will make the playoffs.
19 (20) WARRIORS 30-36
The on again off again Warriors were back on again and had a nice 3-1 record in week 20. Even more impressive was the fact that they stopped Kevin Love’s double-double streak at 53 games when they held love to 6 points and 12 rebounds.
20 (19) PACERS 28-38
Word out of Indiana is that ownership might be looking to completely overhaul the front office. I’m not sure if that means Larry Bird is next in line to be fired, but something has to be done. Since posting a 7-2 record after firing former head coach Jim O’Brien, the team has only won one game over their last nine outings.
21 (21) BOBCATS 28-38
The Bobcats finally got back on track and are sporting a 2-game winning streak following a 6-game losing streak. The race for the eighth seed in gearing to be a dog fight in the East and the first team that wins a few games in a row might take over the lead for good.
22 (23) BUCKS 26-39
Before Sunday’s nightmare game against the Celtics, the Bucks were riding high on a 3-game winning streak. In reality though, 2 of their wins came against the Wizards and Cavaliers with their last being a very impressive 102-74 blowout win against the Sixers. Unfortunately, the Bucks followed up their impressive win against the Sixers with a record low 56 point outing against the Celtics.
23 (22) CLIPPERS 26-41
The L.A. Clippers are out of playoff contention and the only thing left to do is to use their last 15 games to improve, but in order to do that they need to be at full strength. Unfortunately, Eric Gordon is out again after reinjuring his wrist and may be out for a few weeks.
24 (25) NETS 21-43
Yes, the rumors are actually true! The Nets are sporting a 4-game winning streak. Call it the Deron Williams effect. The team finally has a closer and the rest of their players are following suit and playing well. The main beneficiary has been Nets forward Chris Humphries. He has been an absolute beast over the Nets last four games averaging 17ppg and 17.25rpg.
25 (24) PISTONS 23-44
The Pistons are not going anywhere this season. They stayed pat at the trade deadline which only leaves buyout scenarios at this point. Then again if a buyout was going to occur, it would have probably been done by now. Tayshaun Prince was the player most likely to be bought out, but from the looks of things, this team will probably finish the season with their current roster.
26 (26) RAPTORS 18-48
The Raptors last four losses were by 7, 1, 2 and 5 points respectively. I understand they were all losses, but the Raptors were in each of those games rather than being blown out. There is no consolation for losing, but as the seasons wears down there are some signs indicating that the Raptors will be a much better team next season.
27 (29) TIMBERWOLVES 17-51
It’s finally over! Kevin Love’s double-double streak ended at 53 games against the Warriors. The funny is I thought when Love streak ended it would be because he was short on rebounds, but surprisingly, it was points or lack thereof that ended his streak. Love got 12 rebounds, but was held to only 6 points on 1-6 shooting.
28 (27) WIZARDS 16-48
At full strength the Wizards are currently a lottery team, but with Lewis, Blatche and now Nick Young all suffering from injury bug, losses are bound to pile up. This team could mimic the Oklahoma City Thunder in that they have some excellent young players with unlimited potential.
29 (28) KINGS 15-49
The Kings got a steal when they traded for Marcus Thornton, a second year guard from the Hornets. I expect Thornton and Cousins to have a breakout season next year, the only question is whether it will be in Sacramento or Anaheim California.
30 (30) CAVALIERS 12-53
Is the season over yet? The Cavaliers management cannot wait for the summer. I expect the Cavaliers to make the playoffs next season and depending on how well they do in the draft, they could easily be one of the best teams in the league.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
NBA WIZARD 2010-11 NBA POWER RANKING WEEK 20
RK (LW) TEAM REC
1 (1) SPURS 51-12
The Spurs had gone the entire season without having any of their starters miss a game, but that all changed when Parker went down with a strain calf against the Grizzlies. To everyone surprise, Parker who was expected to be out for about a month, returned three games later to help the Spurs annihilate the slumping Miami Heat 125-95 in San Antonio.
2 (2) CELTICS 46-15
When the Celtics first traded Kendrick Perkins, the consensus around the league was that the Celtics took a step backwards. Well, in their five games since the trade the Celts are 5-0 and their two new acquisitions Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic have combined to average 22.2ppg and 6.4rpg and offensively, the team is looking better than ever.
3 (4) MAVERICKS 45-17
Of all the contenders, the Mavs is the one team that no one is really talking about. Despite their recent 8-game winning streak, which was finally ended by the Griz in a 104-103 loss, this team is not really getting their due respect. My guess is regardless of how good they are and how much they’ve improved on defense nobody thinks they can beat the Spurs and Lakers.
4 (6) LAKERS 45-19
The Lakers are sporting a 7-game winning streak and the rest of the NBA is jumping back on their bandwagon and why not? The Lakers went into San Antonio, the team with the NBA’s best record and blew them out in their own gym. Their 99-83 win over the Spurs was not really indicative of how dominant the Lakers were, because they were up by more than 25 points for most of the game. This team is preparing to defend their title.
5 (5) BULLS 43-18
Derrick Rose has emerged as the undisputed leading candidate to win the NBA MVP Award. The race was considered a two-way race between Rose and Lebron, but after leading his team to two victories over the Heat in ten days, Rose is now the clear cut favorite.
6 (4) HEAT 43-20
The latest news out of Miami following their fourth straight loss was that there were a few players crying in the locker room after their loss to the Bulls. I am willing to bet, Mike Miller was definitely one of those players. The guy can’t hit a rock in an empty ocean right now and Lebron is simply not attacking the rim. During their four losses, Lebron attempted seven free throws or less in each of those games. Bosh is soft on the interior and that is not going to change any time soon so unless Lebron imposes his will by attacking the basket, his team will continue to struggle.
7 (7) MAGIC 40-23
The Magic probably had their most fulfilling win when they overcame a 24-point third quarter deficit to defeat the Heat 99-96 in Miami for their fourth straight win. Even though they won that game, one thing was evident and that is the Magic will live and die by the 3 point shot. As a team, they made 16 of 29 in that game led by Jason Richardson who made 6 of 8. I think in a 7-game series, the Magic will not survive against the Heat, Celtics or Lakers by simply shooting 3s.
8 (9) THUNDER 39-22
The Thunder alternated 3-game streaks by winning their last 3 games after losing their previous 3. In their defense, those losses came against the Spurs, Magic and Lakers respectively. It will be interesting to see how this team acclimates newly acquired center Kendrick Perkins, who is definitely a defensive stud, but is nowhere close to the offensive player that Jeff Green is, the player who the Thunder traded for Perkins.
9 (10) TRAIL BLAZERS 35-27
The Blazers have one of the best collections of guard/forward combo in the league, especially since acquiring Gerald Wallace from the Bobcats. They have a 3-forward rotation of Aldridge, Batum and now Wallace to go with their 3-guard rotation of Roy, Matthews and Miller. This should serve them well moving forward and create major matchup problems for their opponents.
10 (11) NUGGETS 37-27
The Nuggets in another one of those teams that is extremely deep at every position especially since trading Carmelo Anthony. They may not have that one go to player, but they can rotate another player at every position if the starter at that position is having a poor game, which is definitely a luxury to have.
11 (12) GRIZZLIES 35-29
The Grizzlies are determined to make the playoffs and have been able to hold on to the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference even without Rudy Gay, their leading scorer who has been out for eight games (Grizzlies 5-3 record during that stretch). It’s going to be a dog fight between this team and the Suns for that last playoff spot in the West.
12 (8) HAWKS 37-26
The Hawks are still adjusting to playing without point guard Mike Bibby who they traded to the Wizards for Kirk Hinrich. In the long run though, I think the Hawks will come out ahead because Hinrich is almost as good a shooter as Bibby but a far better defender. His defense was on display when he held Derrick Rose to 5 for 21 shooting to help the Hawks beat the Bulls 83-80 in Atlanta.
13 (14) HORNETS 37-28
The entire city of New Orleans was holding their breath after Chris Paul suffered a concussion when he collided with the Cavaliers Ramon Sessions in Cleveland on Sunday. Fortunately, the good news out of New Orleans is that CP3 is listed day-to-day. Obviously, the Hornets are a lottery team without him in the lineup.
14 (14) KNICKS 32-29
The Knicks Chauncey Billups has been out for three games because of a bruise thigh, but the Knicks have not missed a beat. In the team’s three games without Billups, the Knicks only loss came against the Cavaliers. Surprisingly though, the Knicks are 0-3 against the Cavaliers this season.
15 (13) 76ERS 32-30
The more I watch the Sixers the more I like what I see. Head coach Doug Collins has his team clicking on all cylinders especially on the defensive end. I expect this to continue and this team is definitely my sleeper team and I predict they could do some damage in the playoff.
16 (16) SUNS 32-29
The Suns are 6-4 over their last 10 games and are doing everything to make the playoff race interesting in the bottom of the Western Conference. I must point out that 3 of their wins were by 2 points or less, which could be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it, because all three of those wins could have been losses, just ask the Heat.
17 (18) ROCKETS 32-32
The Rockets management must have been high on Kyle Lowry, which was one of the main reason the team decided to trade their starting point guard Aaron Brook and so far, Lowry has not disappointed. Over the Rockets last five games, Lowry averaged 18.2ppg and 6.5apg in 35.6 minutes per game to lead the team to a 4-1 record.
18 (17) JAZZ 33-30
I guess in an effort to create stability, the Jazz management signed new head coach Tyrone Corbin to a multi-year contract. Over the last month the team lost Jerry Sloan, their coach of 23 years who abruptly resigned and then traded Deron Williams, their all-star point guard, so it was only fitting that the struggling Jazz signed Corbin.
19 (19) PACERS 27-35
The excitement of their new head coach may be wearing out or maybe this team wasn’t really that good to begin with. Over their last 6 games, the Pacers have a 1-5 record with most of their losses coming against teams with .500 or better record. Luckily for them, the Bobcats were not able to gain any ground in the standings.
20 (20) WARRIORS 27-35
After starting the month of February with a 6-2 record, the Warriors have fallen into another funk recently. Over their last six games, the team has gone 1-5. In their defense, two of those losses came against the Celtics, the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
21 (21) BOBCATS 26-36
The Bobcats only win since trading Gerald Wallace came against the Sacramento Kings, which doesn’t really count for much considering the Kings have a 15-45 record. Since then, the Bobcats have gone on to lose 4 straight and are lucky to be only one game behind the Pacers for the eighth and final playoffs spot in the East.
22 (24) CLIPPERS 23-40
The Clippers were elated to have their leading scorer Ben Gordon back. The team posted a 4-14 record without Gordon in the lineup. Unfortunately, their excitement was short- lived because Gordon reinjured his wrist after only two games back.
23(22) BUCKS 23-38
The Bucks may not be completely out of the playoff race as I reported a few weeks ago. They are currently only 3.5 games out of the eighth spot even though they are 16 games below the .500 mark. Only in the Eastern Conference is such as thing possible.
24 (23) PISTONS 23-41
Detroit head coach John Kuester has a new player in his dog house and his name is Tracy McGrady. For almost a month, Rip Hamilton was in Kuester’s dog house, now the coach has turn his dislike to Tracy McGrady. I expect Kuester to keep his job through the end of the season, but he will be relieved of his duties by season’s end, I am sure of it.
25 (25) NETS 19-43
The Nets enjoyed their mini vacation in London by posting back-to-back wins over the Raptors including a 137-136 triple overtime thriller in the second game. I am not going to proclaim that the Nets are back, but I will say Brook Lopez has benefited greatly since the arrival of all-star point guard Deron Williams. Over his last 5 games, Lopez averaged 24.2ppg and 8.2rpg.
26 (26) RAPTORS 17-46
The Raptors were on the shorter end of the stick with back-to-back losses to the Nets in London. The one thing I took from that game is that Andre Bargnani lives and dies by the jump shot. He has absolutely no interest in attacking the rim. You could see that his teammates were not excited about his lack of aggressiveness down the stretch and in overtime.
27 (27) WIZARDS 16-46
In exactly two years Nick Young and John Wall will form the best backcourt in the entire NBA. Nick is already an excellent shooter while Wall is as quick as they come. As they improve and develop together, the Wizards could become a scary team very quickly.
28 (29) KINGS 15-45
The only way the Kings stay in Sacramento is if negotiations between the Maloofs and Anaheim fails, at least that’s according to Sacramento’s mayor and former NBA all-star Kevin Johnson. Well, that is all hopeful thinking because the Kings are Anaheim-bound.
29 (28) TIMBERWOLVES 15-49
Kevin Love posted his 50th straight double-double, tying hall-of-famer Moses Malone for the most consecutive double-double since the NBA/ABA merger. The funny thing is I don’t see his streak ending anytime soon. I think he is on his way to breaking the all time record in NBA history, which stands at 58 games.
30 (30) CAVALIERS 12-50
The Cavaliers are 3-0 against the New York Knicks and 9-50 against the rest of the league. It may be early but Baron Davis seems to be fitting in well and putting behind the notion that he would have a problem coexisting with his former head coach and Cavs current coach Byron Scott. Then again how could they not get along on a team with a 12-50 record?
1 (1) SPURS 51-12
The Spurs had gone the entire season without having any of their starters miss a game, but that all changed when Parker went down with a strain calf against the Grizzlies. To everyone surprise, Parker who was expected to be out for about a month, returned three games later to help the Spurs annihilate the slumping Miami Heat 125-95 in San Antonio.
2 (2) CELTICS 46-15
When the Celtics first traded Kendrick Perkins, the consensus around the league was that the Celtics took a step backwards. Well, in their five games since the trade the Celts are 5-0 and their two new acquisitions Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic have combined to average 22.2ppg and 6.4rpg and offensively, the team is looking better than ever.
3 (4) MAVERICKS 45-17
Of all the contenders, the Mavs is the one team that no one is really talking about. Despite their recent 8-game winning streak, which was finally ended by the Griz in a 104-103 loss, this team is not really getting their due respect. My guess is regardless of how good they are and how much they’ve improved on defense nobody thinks they can beat the Spurs and Lakers.
4 (6) LAKERS 45-19
The Lakers are sporting a 7-game winning streak and the rest of the NBA is jumping back on their bandwagon and why not? The Lakers went into San Antonio, the team with the NBA’s best record and blew them out in their own gym. Their 99-83 win over the Spurs was not really indicative of how dominant the Lakers were, because they were up by more than 25 points for most of the game. This team is preparing to defend their title.
5 (5) BULLS 43-18
Derrick Rose has emerged as the undisputed leading candidate to win the NBA MVP Award. The race was considered a two-way race between Rose and Lebron, but after leading his team to two victories over the Heat in ten days, Rose is now the clear cut favorite.
6 (4) HEAT 43-20
The latest news out of Miami following their fourth straight loss was that there were a few players crying in the locker room after their loss to the Bulls. I am willing to bet, Mike Miller was definitely one of those players. The guy can’t hit a rock in an empty ocean right now and Lebron is simply not attacking the rim. During their four losses, Lebron attempted seven free throws or less in each of those games. Bosh is soft on the interior and that is not going to change any time soon so unless Lebron imposes his will by attacking the basket, his team will continue to struggle.
7 (7) MAGIC 40-23
The Magic probably had their most fulfilling win when they overcame a 24-point third quarter deficit to defeat the Heat 99-96 in Miami for their fourth straight win. Even though they won that game, one thing was evident and that is the Magic will live and die by the 3 point shot. As a team, they made 16 of 29 in that game led by Jason Richardson who made 6 of 8. I think in a 7-game series, the Magic will not survive against the Heat, Celtics or Lakers by simply shooting 3s.
8 (9) THUNDER 39-22
The Thunder alternated 3-game streaks by winning their last 3 games after losing their previous 3. In their defense, those losses came against the Spurs, Magic and Lakers respectively. It will be interesting to see how this team acclimates newly acquired center Kendrick Perkins, who is definitely a defensive stud, but is nowhere close to the offensive player that Jeff Green is, the player who the Thunder traded for Perkins.
9 (10) TRAIL BLAZERS 35-27
The Blazers have one of the best collections of guard/forward combo in the league, especially since acquiring Gerald Wallace from the Bobcats. They have a 3-forward rotation of Aldridge, Batum and now Wallace to go with their 3-guard rotation of Roy, Matthews and Miller. This should serve them well moving forward and create major matchup problems for their opponents.
10 (11) NUGGETS 37-27
The Nuggets in another one of those teams that is extremely deep at every position especially since trading Carmelo Anthony. They may not have that one go to player, but they can rotate another player at every position if the starter at that position is having a poor game, which is definitely a luxury to have.
11 (12) GRIZZLIES 35-29
The Grizzlies are determined to make the playoffs and have been able to hold on to the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference even without Rudy Gay, their leading scorer who has been out for eight games (Grizzlies 5-3 record during that stretch). It’s going to be a dog fight between this team and the Suns for that last playoff spot in the West.
12 (8) HAWKS 37-26
The Hawks are still adjusting to playing without point guard Mike Bibby who they traded to the Wizards for Kirk Hinrich. In the long run though, I think the Hawks will come out ahead because Hinrich is almost as good a shooter as Bibby but a far better defender. His defense was on display when he held Derrick Rose to 5 for 21 shooting to help the Hawks beat the Bulls 83-80 in Atlanta.
13 (14) HORNETS 37-28
The entire city of New Orleans was holding their breath after Chris Paul suffered a concussion when he collided with the Cavaliers Ramon Sessions in Cleveland on Sunday. Fortunately, the good news out of New Orleans is that CP3 is listed day-to-day. Obviously, the Hornets are a lottery team without him in the lineup.
14 (14) KNICKS 32-29
The Knicks Chauncey Billups has been out for three games because of a bruise thigh, but the Knicks have not missed a beat. In the team’s three games without Billups, the Knicks only loss came against the Cavaliers. Surprisingly though, the Knicks are 0-3 against the Cavaliers this season.
15 (13) 76ERS 32-30
The more I watch the Sixers the more I like what I see. Head coach Doug Collins has his team clicking on all cylinders especially on the defensive end. I expect this to continue and this team is definitely my sleeper team and I predict they could do some damage in the playoff.
16 (16) SUNS 32-29
The Suns are 6-4 over their last 10 games and are doing everything to make the playoff race interesting in the bottom of the Western Conference. I must point out that 3 of their wins were by 2 points or less, which could be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it, because all three of those wins could have been losses, just ask the Heat.
17 (18) ROCKETS 32-32
The Rockets management must have been high on Kyle Lowry, which was one of the main reason the team decided to trade their starting point guard Aaron Brook and so far, Lowry has not disappointed. Over the Rockets last five games, Lowry averaged 18.2ppg and 6.5apg in 35.6 minutes per game to lead the team to a 4-1 record.
18 (17) JAZZ 33-30
I guess in an effort to create stability, the Jazz management signed new head coach Tyrone Corbin to a multi-year contract. Over the last month the team lost Jerry Sloan, their coach of 23 years who abruptly resigned and then traded Deron Williams, their all-star point guard, so it was only fitting that the struggling Jazz signed Corbin.
19 (19) PACERS 27-35
The excitement of their new head coach may be wearing out or maybe this team wasn’t really that good to begin with. Over their last 6 games, the Pacers have a 1-5 record with most of their losses coming against teams with .500 or better record. Luckily for them, the Bobcats were not able to gain any ground in the standings.
20 (20) WARRIORS 27-35
After starting the month of February with a 6-2 record, the Warriors have fallen into another funk recently. Over their last six games, the team has gone 1-5. In their defense, two of those losses came against the Celtics, the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
21 (21) BOBCATS 26-36
The Bobcats only win since trading Gerald Wallace came against the Sacramento Kings, which doesn’t really count for much considering the Kings have a 15-45 record. Since then, the Bobcats have gone on to lose 4 straight and are lucky to be only one game behind the Pacers for the eighth and final playoffs spot in the East.
22 (24) CLIPPERS 23-40
The Clippers were elated to have their leading scorer Ben Gordon back. The team posted a 4-14 record without Gordon in the lineup. Unfortunately, their excitement was short- lived because Gordon reinjured his wrist after only two games back.
23(22) BUCKS 23-38
The Bucks may not be completely out of the playoff race as I reported a few weeks ago. They are currently only 3.5 games out of the eighth spot even though they are 16 games below the .500 mark. Only in the Eastern Conference is such as thing possible.
24 (23) PISTONS 23-41
Detroit head coach John Kuester has a new player in his dog house and his name is Tracy McGrady. For almost a month, Rip Hamilton was in Kuester’s dog house, now the coach has turn his dislike to Tracy McGrady. I expect Kuester to keep his job through the end of the season, but he will be relieved of his duties by season’s end, I am sure of it.
25 (25) NETS 19-43
The Nets enjoyed their mini vacation in London by posting back-to-back wins over the Raptors including a 137-136 triple overtime thriller in the second game. I am not going to proclaim that the Nets are back, but I will say Brook Lopez has benefited greatly since the arrival of all-star point guard Deron Williams. Over his last 5 games, Lopez averaged 24.2ppg and 8.2rpg.
26 (26) RAPTORS 17-46
The Raptors were on the shorter end of the stick with back-to-back losses to the Nets in London. The one thing I took from that game is that Andre Bargnani lives and dies by the jump shot. He has absolutely no interest in attacking the rim. You could see that his teammates were not excited about his lack of aggressiveness down the stretch and in overtime.
27 (27) WIZARDS 16-46
In exactly two years Nick Young and John Wall will form the best backcourt in the entire NBA. Nick is already an excellent shooter while Wall is as quick as they come. As they improve and develop together, the Wizards could become a scary team very quickly.
28 (29) KINGS 15-45
The only way the Kings stay in Sacramento is if negotiations between the Maloofs and Anaheim fails, at least that’s according to Sacramento’s mayor and former NBA all-star Kevin Johnson. Well, that is all hopeful thinking because the Kings are Anaheim-bound.
29 (28) TIMBERWOLVES 15-49
Kevin Love posted his 50th straight double-double, tying hall-of-famer Moses Malone for the most consecutive double-double since the NBA/ABA merger. The funny thing is I don’t see his streak ending anytime soon. I think he is on his way to breaking the all time record in NBA history, which stands at 58 games.
30 (30) CAVALIERS 12-50
The Cavaliers are 3-0 against the New York Knicks and 9-50 against the rest of the league. It may be early but Baron Davis seems to be fitting in well and putting behind the notion that he would have a problem coexisting with his former head coach and Cavs current coach Byron Scott. Then again how could they not get along on a team with a 12-50 record?
Monday, March 7, 2011
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