RK LAST WK
1 (1) HEAT 27-7
The Miami Heat were on a tear going into the all-star break, winning eight straight by 12 or more points in each game. Wade has played well as of late, but Lebron was clearly the MVP of the first half of the season.
2 (2) THUNDERS 27-7
I expect Lebron to win the MVP Award this year, but Kevin Durant will definitely be his biggest challenger, just like he was during the all-star game. Durant's 36-point performance looked effortless on 14 of 25 shooting. His teammate Russell Westbrook is now being called "little big man," because of how he attacks the rim with reckless abandonment. Westbrook is perhaps the most ferocious dunker under 6"4'and when you add that to Durant's silky smooth shooting, it's easy to see why most people expects the Thunder to represent the West in the NBA Finals.
3 (3) BULLS 27-8
Even with Derrick Rose and Luol Deng missing ten and seven games respectively, the Bulls are only .5 games behind the Heat for the best record in the league. I'm really curious to see how Rose' back will hold up in the second half of the season, but for now, he's riding on "cloud 9" thanks to his 13-year $185 million deal with Addidas.
4 (4) SPURS 24-10
Matchup is everything in basketball and the Spurs is the one team that can beat both the Thunder and the Heat. Fortunately for those teams, they may not have to face the Spurs. In my opinion, the Spurs are the most dangerous team in the Western Conference and once Ginobili gets back, they could be a handful for anyone.
5 (11) PACERS 21-12
The Pacers are riding on 4-game winning steak and are looking to continue their winning ways after the all-star break. After coming so close to winning the Slam Dunk Contest, I expect Paul George to have a huge second half of the season. I also expect the Pacers to re-visit their failed trade with the Hornets for Chris Kaman before the deadline.
6 (5) CLIPPERS 20-11
I expect the Clippers to finish with one of the top four seeds in the Western Conference and I expect CP3 to be the driving force behind it all. CP3 averaged 19.2ppg and 8.6apg in the first half of the season, those numbers will definitely increase in the second half, which is why I expect Paul to join Lebron and Durant in the MVP race.
7 (6) MAGIC 22-13
If this was his last all-star game in an Orlando uniform, Dwight Howard sure did not give the fans anything to remember. Maybe he was exhausted from hosting the all-star in Orlando, but Howard played very lackadaisical. With only 2 weeks left before the deadline, you can expect trade rumors to be very rampant out of Orlando. Is he going, is he staying? Those two questions will rule the day. Personally, it would shocked me if Howard was in an Orlando Magic uniform on March 16th.
8 (7) DALLAS 21-13
The Mavericks have the fourth best defense in the league, holding their opponents to only 90.8ppg. Defensively, they are better across the board than last season, which is very surprising even after losing Tyson Chandler. Despite having adjusted to losing Chandler - their defensive anchor from last season - I think the playoff is when he will truly be missed.
9 (10) ROCKETS 20-14
I'm expecting the Rockets to trade Kevin Martin by the deadline and I would be very surprised if he's still in Houston after the deadline. I think the Rockets really want to add a scoring big man, so I expect the team to be very active over the next few weeks.
10 (9) LAKERS 20-14
Despite the rumors that surfaced over the all-star break, the Lakers will not trade Bynum and Gasol to Orlando for Dwight, Jameer Nelson and Hedo. Now if the Magic were to throw in Ryan Anderson instead of Hedo, the Lakers might pull the trigger, because they would have every position covered with the only hole at small forward, a position currently played by Ron Artest.
11 (8) MEMPHIS 19-15
The Grizzlies are currently the seventh seed in the Western Conference and if they can hold on for a few more weeks, Z-Bo could be returning to help ensure his team a playoff berth. The good news is seven of their next ten games are against opponents with sub .500 record.
12 (14) HAWKS 20-14
Joe Johnson did not play in the all-star game due to left knee tendinitis and rather than have his teammate Josh Smith replace him, the league opted for the Celtic's Rondo. If Josh Smith is not traded, I expect for him to use his all-star snubbing as a motivation in the second half of the season.
13 (13) KNICKS 17-18
Lin-sanity got a rude awaken against the Heat. For the first time in his 10-game rise to fame, he was matched up against a real stifling defense. Lin shot 1-of-11 for only 8 points to go with his 8 Turnovers. I think that game was a blessing in disguise, because it made people realize that even though Lin may have a promising future, the Knicks will only go as far as Carmelo and Amare will take them.
14 (15) TRAIL BLAZERS 18-16
Jamal Crawford was inserted into the starting lineup and hopefully that will make a difference, at least that's what coach Nate McMillan is hoping. The Blazers are barely holding on the the eighth seed and if they don't make the playoff, McMillan will more than likely lose his job.
15 (12) 76ERS 20-14
The Sixers went through a rough patch leading into the all-star break, losing five straight, with four of those games being on the road. Overall, I think the team's 20-14 record is exactly where I expected they would be. Unless this team adds a post scorer, they stand no chance against the Bulls and definitely not the Heat.
16 (16) TIMBERWOLVES 17-17
Fresh of winning the the 3-point competition during the all-star break, Kevin Love believes his team has good chance of making the playoffs, or "P" as he called it and I agree with him. Currently, the Wolves are only a 1/2 game behind the Blazers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
17 (18) NUGGETS 18-17
The Nuggets were already without Nene and Gallinari before losing Ty Lawson for the last two games leading into the all-star break. The good news is Lawson (knee) is listed as day-to-day. The injury bug has really plagued the Nuggets as of late and the recent play of Nuggets' center Timofey Mozgov hasn't help the Nuggets cause either. After a very promising start to the season, Mozgov play has been miserable as of late.
18 (17) CELTICS 15-17
Only in the Eastern Conference can a team with a 5-game losing streak still have a playoff seed and that is exactly the case of the Celtics. I doubt if Celtics' general manager Danny Ainge will make a move before the deadline, because at the very worst, he believes the Celtics will at least make the playoffs. Once there, anything can happen. After this season, the Celtics will have around $30 million coming off the books, that is when I expect Ainge to start his rebuilding process.
19 (24) WARRIORS 13-17
The Warriors are 4-9 this season in games decided by 3-points with 30 seconds remaining. If you are a Warrior fan, the future looks very bright, but I think unless the Warriors add Chris Kaman - the only available center with low-post scoring potential - they may fall short of making the playoff. To make this happen, the Warriors will have to trade Klay Thompson, Kwame Brown and a protected draft pick. Currently, the team is 3 games behind the struggling Trail Blazers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
20 (22) CAVALIERS 13-18
The Cavs are only 1.5 games behind the struggling Celtics for the last playoff spot in the East, but I really don't see them overtaking the Celtics for that spot. Kyrie Irving was definitely the ROY during the first half of the season and I expect him to continue his excellent play in the second half.
21 (19) JAZZ 15-17
There's not too much to be excited about these days in Utah, but Jeremy Evans sure changed that during the slam dunk contest. Evans first dunk was embarrassingly simply, but he ended up winning the contest because he dunked two ball almost simultaneously after flying over his teammate, who had passed him both balls while sitting in a chair.
22 (20) SUNS 14-20
Word out of Orlando is that the Magic plan on making one last push to appease Howard in an attempt to keep him, by trading for the Suns Steve Nash. A part of me want to see Nash play for a contender, but I really don't think Orlando is the answer for him, because I don't expect Dwight to return to the Magic next season.
23 (21) BUCKS 13-20
Word out of Milwaukee is that starting center Andrew Bogut ankle will not required surgery, but he is still expected to be out for 8-to-12 weeks, which means he will not be returning this season. It wouldn't surprise me the see the Bucks make a trade before the deadline and Brandon Jennings could be the guy, because he is their best trade chip.
24 (27) KINGS 11-22
For the first time in over a year, it appears that the Kings might be staying in Sacramento. Mayor Johnson and the Maloofs brothers worked feverishly over the weekend to get a new arena deal done and are expected to reconvene today. Signs are looking promising though nothing is imminent as of yet.
25 (23) PISTONS 11-24
After winning 7 of their previous 9 games, the Pistons stumble into the all-star breaking with two straight losses. The Pistons should have a better second half, but it's obvious this team is not going to make the playoffs.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (27) RAPTORS 10-23
Trade rumors are rampant and are expected to go into high gear over the next two weeks, but I can tell you one thing, the Raptors are not going to gift Jose Calderon to the Magic or anyone for that matter. They are relegated to the fact that they are not going to make the playoffs this year and will probably end up with a high draft pick, so there is absolutely no reason for them to trade Calderon.
27 (29) NETS 10-25
Brooklyn is Dwight Howard's preferred destination and the Nets Billy King is probably the most active general manager right now. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Nets involve two other team, in order to trade for Dwight Howard. If I were a betting man, my money would be on Howard going to New Jersey.
28 (25) HORNETS 8-25
Over the last two weeks, the Hornets are looking much better than the team we saw for most of the season and with Gordon out, Kaman has become their first option on offense. Ironically, just a few weeks ago Kaman was kept off the team while management tried trading him. Despite the recent turn of events, I expect Kaman to be traded by the deadline, or have his contract bought out shortly after.
29 (28) WIZARDS 7-26
After starting their road trip with two straight impressive wins, the Wizards went on to lose their next four games, including three straight on the road. I know the Wizards are not that good, but a 7-26 first half record was very disappointing to say the least.
30 (30) BOBCATS 4-28
Bobcats president Rod Higgins declared that the team will not make any panic moves before the trade deadline and why should he? The Bobcats are not going to make the playoffs, so in my opinion, it's better if they just play out the season and hope they get lucky and draft and franchise changer like Kentucky's Anthony Davis.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
NBA WIZARD 2011-2012 POWER RANKING: WEEK 9
RK LAST WK
1 (1) HEAT 25-7
I'm sure D-Wade heard all the chatter about how good the Heat were in his absence, so he's letting his play on the basketball court do the talking. Over the team's last ten games, Wade is averaging 24.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.4apg and shooting a monstrous .566 percent from the field. The Heat team has a 9-1 record during this stretch.
2 (3) THUNDER 24-7
KDTrey5, scored a career high 51 points - which was also a high this season in the NBA - to help his team defeat the slumping Denver Nuggets 124-118 in OT at home. The Nuggets were without Nene and Gallinari, but the Thunder still needed 51 from Durant and 40 from Westbrook to win, so that really concerns me. I stand behind the fact that I believe this team will come up short, because they have only two guys, maybe three if you add in James Harden, that can score and they are all perimeter players. The next 20-games will really determine how good this team is, because 15 of those opponents have plus .500 records.
3 (2) BULLS 25-8
The Bulls posted a 3-2 record over their last five outings and they did it without Rose who has been out nursing a bad back. For the season the Bulls have a 7-3 record without Rose in the lineup, which indicates to me that they are a much improved team from last season. The bad news is, back injuries usually slows down a player's explosiveness, which is Rose's greatest asset.
4 (5) SPURS 22-9
Before the season, I predicted that the Spurs would be one of the top teams in the Western Conference and thanks to their current 10-game winning steak, the Spurs now have the fourth best record in the league. Tony Parker has been the key reason for the Spurs success. During the steak Parker is averaging 23.7ppg and 8.3apg, which also helped him get selected to the all-star team.
5 (4) CLIPPERS 19-10
Since losing Billups for the season, the Clippers have gone on to post a 4-3 record. Adding Kenyon Martin should help, but losing out on J.R. Smith to the Knicks is though pill to swallow. The Clippers were hoping that Smith would fill the scoring void left by Billups, unfortunately it appears they will have to collectively come together. Chris Paul must play like an MVP and Mo Williams will have to play like he did in Cleveland in order for the Clippers to be serious contenders this season.
6 (11) MAGIC 20-12
ESPN's Chris Broussard came up with 3 trade scenarios recently involving Dwight Howard, but I will only discuss two of them. The first involving the Lakers, trading both Bynum and Gasol and ending up with Dwight, Jameer Nelson and Hedo. I will not make that trade. Bynum for Dwight straight up yes, but nothing more. The second involving Wade and Bosh for Dwight and Hedo was more plausible, but I still wouldn't make that trade. I would trade Dwight for Wade straight up tomorrow, but I believe Bosh' perimeter shooting from the power forward position will be a perfect balance to Dwight's inside game. Obviously I am speaking from the perspective of the Lakers and the Heat. However, if I were Orlando's G.M. Otis Smith, and Miami was willing to give up Bosh and Wade, for Hedo, Jameer and Dwight, I would make that trade instantly!
7 (7) MAVERICKS 20-12
The Dallas Mavericks are a great team - the defending NBA Champions - but the more I watch this team, the less confident they make me. I've been a strong advocate for them all season long and I predicted they would make a push once Dirk and Odom started to play well, however, I'm starting to think Odom might never return back to the form that won him the 6-Man-Of-The-Year Award last season with the Lakers. In order for the Mavs to be a contending team, they must increase the team's scoring average from 94.6 points to around 98 or more per game. For that to happen, Odom will have to increase his scoring average from 7.6 to 12 or more points. I will have to say, Odom holds the key to their Mavs success.
8 (18) GRIZZLIES 18-14
Call it luck, call it whatever you want, but the Grizzlies benefited from some fortuitous tip-ins over their last two outings. After blowing a 23-point lead in the second half, the Nuggets Dante Cunningham tipped in a missed shot by Rudy Gay with one second left. Fast forward to Saturday against the Warriors, Gay once again missed the go ahead basket, but was once again bailed with another tip-in by Tony Allen. That said, the Grizzlies are currently seeded sixth in the Western Conference thanks to their 4-game winning streak.
9 (9) LAKERS 18-13
After a 102-90 loss to the Suns, Kobe Bryant came out and said that the team should either trade Pau Gasol, or let it be known that he's not going to be traded so that Pau can focus more and give the team 100 percent effort. He went on to say, he doesn't want the team to trade Pau, but that management needed to make things clear. Many pundits argued that Kobe was speaking out on Pau's behalf, but I don't think so. I think Kobe statement was a reverse-psychology. I think he was actually endorsing and motivating management to make a trade, because even he realizes that this current Lakers team cannot compete for a championship.
10 (10) ROCKETS 18-14
The Rockets are 2-3 over their last five games and there seems to be some friction between Kevin Martin and head coach Kevin McHale. McHale is known as a big man's coach, because he himself stands at 6"10' and was known to dominate the paint during his playing days with the Celtics. The friction was taken to another level because McHale limited Martin to 19 minutes, with Martin ending up shooting 0-3 from the field for 0-points in the Rockets 93-83 loss to the Grizzlies. Martin contention was that if he was benched and the team was winning that would be one thing, but the team lost. Well, Martin redeemed himself in the Rockets next game by scoring 32 points in a 96-95 win over OKC. I'm keeping my eyes on this, because I strongly believe Martin is the player most likely to be traded by the Rockets before the March 15, deadline.
11 (12) PACERS 19-12
One thing that has gone unnoticed and that is the absence of George Hill, who was splitting point guard minutes with Darren Collison to give the Pacers a formidable tandem at the point guard position. The Pacers are 14-5 with Hill in the lineup this season, but only have a 5-7 record without him. The good news is, Hill's status has been upgraded to day-to-day and he's expected to join the team on Tuesday, which will hopefully help them extend their current 2-game winning steak.
12 (6) 76ERS 20-12
After Miami and Chicago, I'll put the Sixers in that next group with the Hawks, Pacers, Magic, Celtics and know Knicks; all of whom I consider to be best-of-the-rest. Now if you're a Sixers fann and feel your team is as good as the Bulls or Heat, then you are clearly mistaken. Their 3 straight losses doesn't bother me because of those games were on the road and an 82-75 loss at home to the defending champions Dallas Mavericks isn't all that bad. However, the Sixers next 17 games will determine how good they really are. Ten of those games are on the road and 6 of their 7 home games will be against teams with plus .500 records, so from that prospective, their current 3-game skid is a though pill to swallow if you're a Sixers fan.
13 (14) KNICKS 16-16
Well, I don't need to say much about this team, because unless you've been under a rock, by now everyone has heard about Jeremy Lin, the Asian-American sensation. This guy has completely revitalized the Knicks and with the addition of J.R. Smith and the return of Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks future couldn't look any brighter. The only concern out of New York is whether Melo can fit in and I think he'll do just fine.
14 (8) HAWKS 19-12
Here's a stat for you, the Hawks were 7-3 before losing center Al Horford for the season in a game against the Indiana Pacers, since then the team has a 12-8 record, which is not that bad. However, the team has only won 3 of their last 9 games. Josh Smith was probably the biggest all-star snub this year, which means his stocks are at an all-time high, so it wouldn't surprise me to see the Hawks trade him before the deadline. One scenario would be trading Smith to the Lakers for Gasol straight up. The other would be sending Smith and Marvin Williams to the Magic for Dwight Howard who is from Atlanta.
15 (17) TRAIL BLAZERS 17-15
The Blazers inconsistency can be attributed wholeheartedly to their inconsistent guard play. The Camby-Aldridge-Batum-Wallace front-court are playing extremely well, so much so that coach Nate McMillan has decided to move Batum into the starting lineup ahead of Matthews Wesley. The Matthews-Crawford-Felton back-court are making only 13.2 of the 34.1 shots they attempt for .387 percent. They are even worse from 3s making only 3.7 of the 12.2 3-pointers they attempt. Those number are just atrocious to say the least.
16 (21) TIMBERWOLVES 16-16
We all know what Kevin Love can do, obviously his 25.7ppg and 14.2rpg for the season tells the story and we know Ricky Rubio is a rookie sensation, but it's center Nikola Pekovic who has emerged recently. For the season, Pekovic is averaging a very respectable 12.6ppg and 7.0rpg, but over the Wolves last 3 games, all wins, Pekovic averaged 22.7ppg and 10.7ppg. If he continues to play this way, the Wolves could make the playoff this season, but deep down, I don't think he will.
17 (13) CELTICS 15-15
After winning 9 of 10 and looking like the team had turned the corner, the Celtics reverted back to looking old and very inconsistent over their last 6 games. The team has only won 1 of their last 6 games, with back-to-back losses coming against the lowly Detroit Pistons, which prompted the Celtics players to have a players only meeting, or at least put word out that they will have a heart-to-heart players only meeting.
18 (15) NUGGETS 17-15
It's easy to say that the Nuggets are losing because Gallinari and Nene are out, but Gallinari has only been out for the last 5 games and Nene the last three, however, the Nuggets have a 3-10 record over their last 13 games, which is a major cause for concern. I think the real issue with the Nuggets is the team's defense. Their opponent are averaging 100.8 points per game against them, which is the second highest in the league. Only the Charlotte Bobcats have a worse defense.
19 (16) JAZZ 15-15
The Jazz have won only 3 of their last 11 games and are currently a game outside of the playoffs. I said before the season started and I'll say it again, unless Devin Harris turns back the clock and start playing like he did in New Jersey, the Jazz will not make the playoffs this season.
20 (20) SUNS 13-19
Steve Nash flat out said he will not ask to be traded. The guy is just an outstanding character guy, which explains why he's an all-star. Marcin Gortat, the Suns leading scorer, is one player that will certainly be devastated if Nash ever gets traded. Gortat is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds and blocks with 15.6ppg, 10.4rpg and 1.6bpg, while shooting .554 percent from the field. The Lakers Andrew Bynum is the only center in the West playing better than Gortat.
21 (19) BUCKS 13-18
Brandon Jennings recently came out and said he will consider taken his talents to big market teams. Well as karma would have it, not only are the Bucks not a playoff team, but Jennings numbers have gone South since his announcement. Over the Bucks last 5 games, Jennings averaged 13.6ppg, 4.2apg and shot a horrid .30 percent from the field. The team has a 1-4 record during that stretch. Adding insult to injury, Stephen Jackson has been very unhappy with playing time and recently said he doesn't see a future with the team. It wouldn't surprise me to see Bucks trade Brandon Jennings and Stephen Jackson, the only problem is, their stocks are really low right now.
22 (23) CAVS 12-17
After missing three straight games because of a concussion injury, Kyrie Irving is back with the team. Since returning, the Cavs are 2-1, but with the Knicks surging, I'll put the Cavs chance of making the playoffs at less than 10 percent.
23 (26) PISTONS 11-22
After starting the season 4-20, the Pistons have gone on to win 7 of their last 9 games including back-to-back wins over the Celtics. The reality though is that two of those wins came against the Nets, one against the Hornets and one against the Kings, so I'm not going to put too much into this yet. I will say however, the Pistons are playing with a lot more energy.
24 (22) WARRIORS 11-17
The Warriors had a though week, losing by 2-points to Portland and a point to Memphis on a lucky put-back by Tony Allen. Four of the Warriors last five defeats has come by less than 3 points or in over-time. If you go back and review most the Warriors losses, one thing has always stood out and that is the team's lack of rebounding. The Warriors are ranked 28th in the league in rebounding with 39.6 per game and that is the key reason for the team's 11-7 record.
25 (29) HORNETS 7-23
The Hornets entered last week with a 4-23 record and ended up winning three straight. They had a win over Utah followed by back-to-back road wins including a very impressive 89-85 win over the red-hot Knicks in New York. Obviously it's a little too late in terms of making the playoffs, but the Hornets looked very good last week.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (24) KINGS 10-21
The Kings were on a nice little run, winning 4 of 6 before embarking on their current road trip. The team lost all four road games last week, with the trip continuing to Miami and Washington, so their losing streak could be up to six by the time they return to Sacramento.
27 (25) RAPTORS 9-23
The Raptors have lost 7 of their last 8 games, capped by a 98-91 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats, the team with the worst record in the NBA. Andrea Bargnani, the team's leading scorer at 23.5ppg, has missed 19 games this season including the team's last 13 and he's not expected back until after all-star break, so you can expect the Raptors woes to continue.
28 (28) WIZARDS 7-24
The Wizard John Wall said he was disappointed that he didn't make the all-star team this year, in his second season. As a fan, I am very disappointed as well, but I'm glad to hear him say this. I expect Wall to average over 20ppg and 8apg in the second half of the season.
29 (27) NETS 9-24
The Nets have a 1-9 record over their last 10 games, so you can only imagine how excited the team was to get Brook Lopez back on Sunday. Lopez had been out the entire season because of a foot surgery so it was his first game of the season. The Nets excitement has nothing to do with whether Lopez can lead them to the playoffs, because he's not going to do that. The team is excited that Lopez returned just in time, three weeks to be exact, before the trade deadline. Their hope is Lopez is 100 percent healthy and is still capable of averaging 20ppg. If he can, they will obviously revisit the trade with Orlando for Dwight Howard.
30 (30) BOBCATS 4-27
The Bobcats are the NBA's worst team, so good news out of Charlotte are pretty scarce and comes around once every so often. The Bobcats finally ended their 16-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors 98-91 in Charlotte on February 17, one month after beating the Warriors 112-100. For the season, the Bobcats have one road win and it came against the Knicks very early in the season.
1 (1) HEAT 25-7
I'm sure D-Wade heard all the chatter about how good the Heat were in his absence, so he's letting his play on the basketball court do the talking. Over the team's last ten games, Wade is averaging 24.4ppg, 4.4rpg, 3.4apg and shooting a monstrous .566 percent from the field. The Heat team has a 9-1 record during this stretch.
2 (3) THUNDER 24-7
KDTrey5, scored a career high 51 points - which was also a high this season in the NBA - to help his team defeat the slumping Denver Nuggets 124-118 in OT at home. The Nuggets were without Nene and Gallinari, but the Thunder still needed 51 from Durant and 40 from Westbrook to win, so that really concerns me. I stand behind the fact that I believe this team will come up short, because they have only two guys, maybe three if you add in James Harden, that can score and they are all perimeter players. The next 20-games will really determine how good this team is, because 15 of those opponents have plus .500 records.
3 (2) BULLS 25-8
The Bulls posted a 3-2 record over their last five outings and they did it without Rose who has been out nursing a bad back. For the season the Bulls have a 7-3 record without Rose in the lineup, which indicates to me that they are a much improved team from last season. The bad news is, back injuries usually slows down a player's explosiveness, which is Rose's greatest asset.
4 (5) SPURS 22-9
Before the season, I predicted that the Spurs would be one of the top teams in the Western Conference and thanks to their current 10-game winning steak, the Spurs now have the fourth best record in the league. Tony Parker has been the key reason for the Spurs success. During the steak Parker is averaging 23.7ppg and 8.3apg, which also helped him get selected to the all-star team.
5 (4) CLIPPERS 19-10
Since losing Billups for the season, the Clippers have gone on to post a 4-3 record. Adding Kenyon Martin should help, but losing out on J.R. Smith to the Knicks is though pill to swallow. The Clippers were hoping that Smith would fill the scoring void left by Billups, unfortunately it appears they will have to collectively come together. Chris Paul must play like an MVP and Mo Williams will have to play like he did in Cleveland in order for the Clippers to be serious contenders this season.
6 (11) MAGIC 20-12
ESPN's Chris Broussard came up with 3 trade scenarios recently involving Dwight Howard, but I will only discuss two of them. The first involving the Lakers, trading both Bynum and Gasol and ending up with Dwight, Jameer Nelson and Hedo. I will not make that trade. Bynum for Dwight straight up yes, but nothing more. The second involving Wade and Bosh for Dwight and Hedo was more plausible, but I still wouldn't make that trade. I would trade Dwight for Wade straight up tomorrow, but I believe Bosh' perimeter shooting from the power forward position will be a perfect balance to Dwight's inside game. Obviously I am speaking from the perspective of the Lakers and the Heat. However, if I were Orlando's G.M. Otis Smith, and Miami was willing to give up Bosh and Wade, for Hedo, Jameer and Dwight, I would make that trade instantly!
7 (7) MAVERICKS 20-12
The Dallas Mavericks are a great team - the defending NBA Champions - but the more I watch this team, the less confident they make me. I've been a strong advocate for them all season long and I predicted they would make a push once Dirk and Odom started to play well, however, I'm starting to think Odom might never return back to the form that won him the 6-Man-Of-The-Year Award last season with the Lakers. In order for the Mavs to be a contending team, they must increase the team's scoring average from 94.6 points to around 98 or more per game. For that to happen, Odom will have to increase his scoring average from 7.6 to 12 or more points. I will have to say, Odom holds the key to their Mavs success.
8 (18) GRIZZLIES 18-14
Call it luck, call it whatever you want, but the Grizzlies benefited from some fortuitous tip-ins over their last two outings. After blowing a 23-point lead in the second half, the Nuggets Dante Cunningham tipped in a missed shot by Rudy Gay with one second left. Fast forward to Saturday against the Warriors, Gay once again missed the go ahead basket, but was once again bailed with another tip-in by Tony Allen. That said, the Grizzlies are currently seeded sixth in the Western Conference thanks to their 4-game winning streak.
9 (9) LAKERS 18-13
After a 102-90 loss to the Suns, Kobe Bryant came out and said that the team should either trade Pau Gasol, or let it be known that he's not going to be traded so that Pau can focus more and give the team 100 percent effort. He went on to say, he doesn't want the team to trade Pau, but that management needed to make things clear. Many pundits argued that Kobe was speaking out on Pau's behalf, but I don't think so. I think Kobe statement was a reverse-psychology. I think he was actually endorsing and motivating management to make a trade, because even he realizes that this current Lakers team cannot compete for a championship.
10 (10) ROCKETS 18-14
The Rockets are 2-3 over their last five games and there seems to be some friction between Kevin Martin and head coach Kevin McHale. McHale is known as a big man's coach, because he himself stands at 6"10' and was known to dominate the paint during his playing days with the Celtics. The friction was taken to another level because McHale limited Martin to 19 minutes, with Martin ending up shooting 0-3 from the field for 0-points in the Rockets 93-83 loss to the Grizzlies. Martin contention was that if he was benched and the team was winning that would be one thing, but the team lost. Well, Martin redeemed himself in the Rockets next game by scoring 32 points in a 96-95 win over OKC. I'm keeping my eyes on this, because I strongly believe Martin is the player most likely to be traded by the Rockets before the March 15, deadline.
11 (12) PACERS 19-12
One thing that has gone unnoticed and that is the absence of George Hill, who was splitting point guard minutes with Darren Collison to give the Pacers a formidable tandem at the point guard position. The Pacers are 14-5 with Hill in the lineup this season, but only have a 5-7 record without him. The good news is, Hill's status has been upgraded to day-to-day and he's expected to join the team on Tuesday, which will hopefully help them extend their current 2-game winning steak.
12 (6) 76ERS 20-12
After Miami and Chicago, I'll put the Sixers in that next group with the Hawks, Pacers, Magic, Celtics and know Knicks; all of whom I consider to be best-of-the-rest. Now if you're a Sixers fann and feel your team is as good as the Bulls or Heat, then you are clearly mistaken. Their 3 straight losses doesn't bother me because of those games were on the road and an 82-75 loss at home to the defending champions Dallas Mavericks isn't all that bad. However, the Sixers next 17 games will determine how good they really are. Ten of those games are on the road and 6 of their 7 home games will be against teams with plus .500 records, so from that prospective, their current 3-game skid is a though pill to swallow if you're a Sixers fan.
13 (14) KNICKS 16-16
Well, I don't need to say much about this team, because unless you've been under a rock, by now everyone has heard about Jeremy Lin, the Asian-American sensation. This guy has completely revitalized the Knicks and with the addition of J.R. Smith and the return of Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks future couldn't look any brighter. The only concern out of New York is whether Melo can fit in and I think he'll do just fine.
14 (8) HAWKS 19-12
Here's a stat for you, the Hawks were 7-3 before losing center Al Horford for the season in a game against the Indiana Pacers, since then the team has a 12-8 record, which is not that bad. However, the team has only won 3 of their last 9 games. Josh Smith was probably the biggest all-star snub this year, which means his stocks are at an all-time high, so it wouldn't surprise me to see the Hawks trade him before the deadline. One scenario would be trading Smith to the Lakers for Gasol straight up. The other would be sending Smith and Marvin Williams to the Magic for Dwight Howard who is from Atlanta.
15 (17) TRAIL BLAZERS 17-15
The Blazers inconsistency can be attributed wholeheartedly to their inconsistent guard play. The Camby-Aldridge-Batum-Wallace front-court are playing extremely well, so much so that coach Nate McMillan has decided to move Batum into the starting lineup ahead of Matthews Wesley. The Matthews-Crawford-Felton back-court are making only 13.2 of the 34.1 shots they attempt for .387 percent. They are even worse from 3s making only 3.7 of the 12.2 3-pointers they attempt. Those number are just atrocious to say the least.
16 (21) TIMBERWOLVES 16-16
We all know what Kevin Love can do, obviously his 25.7ppg and 14.2rpg for the season tells the story and we know Ricky Rubio is a rookie sensation, but it's center Nikola Pekovic who has emerged recently. For the season, Pekovic is averaging a very respectable 12.6ppg and 7.0rpg, but over the Wolves last 3 games, all wins, Pekovic averaged 22.7ppg and 10.7ppg. If he continues to play this way, the Wolves could make the playoff this season, but deep down, I don't think he will.
17 (13) CELTICS 15-15
After winning 9 of 10 and looking like the team had turned the corner, the Celtics reverted back to looking old and very inconsistent over their last 6 games. The team has only won 1 of their last 6 games, with back-to-back losses coming against the lowly Detroit Pistons, which prompted the Celtics players to have a players only meeting, or at least put word out that they will have a heart-to-heart players only meeting.
18 (15) NUGGETS 17-15
It's easy to say that the Nuggets are losing because Gallinari and Nene are out, but Gallinari has only been out for the last 5 games and Nene the last three, however, the Nuggets have a 3-10 record over their last 13 games, which is a major cause for concern. I think the real issue with the Nuggets is the team's defense. Their opponent are averaging 100.8 points per game against them, which is the second highest in the league. Only the Charlotte Bobcats have a worse defense.
19 (16) JAZZ 15-15
The Jazz have won only 3 of their last 11 games and are currently a game outside of the playoffs. I said before the season started and I'll say it again, unless Devin Harris turns back the clock and start playing like he did in New Jersey, the Jazz will not make the playoffs this season.
20 (20) SUNS 13-19
Steve Nash flat out said he will not ask to be traded. The guy is just an outstanding character guy, which explains why he's an all-star. Marcin Gortat, the Suns leading scorer, is one player that will certainly be devastated if Nash ever gets traded. Gortat is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds and blocks with 15.6ppg, 10.4rpg and 1.6bpg, while shooting .554 percent from the field. The Lakers Andrew Bynum is the only center in the West playing better than Gortat.
21 (19) BUCKS 13-18
Brandon Jennings recently came out and said he will consider taken his talents to big market teams. Well as karma would have it, not only are the Bucks not a playoff team, but Jennings numbers have gone South since his announcement. Over the Bucks last 5 games, Jennings averaged 13.6ppg, 4.2apg and shot a horrid .30 percent from the field. The team has a 1-4 record during that stretch. Adding insult to injury, Stephen Jackson has been very unhappy with playing time and recently said he doesn't see a future with the team. It wouldn't surprise me to see Bucks trade Brandon Jennings and Stephen Jackson, the only problem is, their stocks are really low right now.
22 (23) CAVS 12-17
After missing three straight games because of a concussion injury, Kyrie Irving is back with the team. Since returning, the Cavs are 2-1, but with the Knicks surging, I'll put the Cavs chance of making the playoffs at less than 10 percent.
23 (26) PISTONS 11-22
After starting the season 4-20, the Pistons have gone on to win 7 of their last 9 games including back-to-back wins over the Celtics. The reality though is that two of those wins came against the Nets, one against the Hornets and one against the Kings, so I'm not going to put too much into this yet. I will say however, the Pistons are playing with a lot more energy.
24 (22) WARRIORS 11-17
The Warriors had a though week, losing by 2-points to Portland and a point to Memphis on a lucky put-back by Tony Allen. Four of the Warriors last five defeats has come by less than 3 points or in over-time. If you go back and review most the Warriors losses, one thing has always stood out and that is the team's lack of rebounding. The Warriors are ranked 28th in the league in rebounding with 39.6 per game and that is the key reason for the team's 11-7 record.
25 (29) HORNETS 7-23
The Hornets entered last week with a 4-23 record and ended up winning three straight. They had a win over Utah followed by back-to-back road wins including a very impressive 89-85 win over the red-hot Knicks in New York. Obviously it's a little too late in terms of making the playoffs, but the Hornets looked very good last week.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (24) KINGS 10-21
The Kings were on a nice little run, winning 4 of 6 before embarking on their current road trip. The team lost all four road games last week, with the trip continuing to Miami and Washington, so their losing streak could be up to six by the time they return to Sacramento.
27 (25) RAPTORS 9-23
The Raptors have lost 7 of their last 8 games, capped by a 98-91 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats, the team with the worst record in the NBA. Andrea Bargnani, the team's leading scorer at 23.5ppg, has missed 19 games this season including the team's last 13 and he's not expected back until after all-star break, so you can expect the Raptors woes to continue.
28 (28) WIZARDS 7-24
The Wizard John Wall said he was disappointed that he didn't make the all-star team this year, in his second season. As a fan, I am very disappointed as well, but I'm glad to hear him say this. I expect Wall to average over 20ppg and 8apg in the second half of the season.
29 (27) NETS 9-24
The Nets have a 1-9 record over their last 10 games, so you can only imagine how excited the team was to get Brook Lopez back on Sunday. Lopez had been out the entire season because of a foot surgery so it was his first game of the season. The Nets excitement has nothing to do with whether Lopez can lead them to the playoffs, because he's not going to do that. The team is excited that Lopez returned just in time, three weeks to be exact, before the trade deadline. Their hope is Lopez is 100 percent healthy and is still capable of averaging 20ppg. If he can, they will obviously revisit the trade with Orlando for Dwight Howard.
30 (30) BOBCATS 4-27
The Bobcats are the NBA's worst team, so good news out of Charlotte are pretty scarce and comes around once every so often. The Bobcats finally ended their 16-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors 98-91 in Charlotte on February 17, one month after beating the Warriors 112-100. For the season, the Bobcats have one road win and it came against the Knicks very early in the season.
Monday, February 13, 2012
NBA WIZARD 2011-2012 POWER RANKING: WEEK 8
RK LAST WK
1 (2) HEAT 21-7
Since returning back to the lineup, Wade has once again become the focal point of the offense. Both Lebron and Bosh have seen a drop in numbers, especially on the offensive end since Wade's return. Lebron started the season off on a tear, but his scoring average has dropped down from over 30ppg down to 27.9ppg and it's all because he continues to take a back seat to Wade and I just don't get it! Lebron has always averaged more than Wade and his field goal percentage has always been higher than Wade as well, so the argument that claims Wade is a better scorer simply doesn't add up. As a fan of the game, it is very bothersome to see Lebron take such a back seat. To me, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! I truly believe if Kobe, Jordan or even Wade for that matter had Lebron's body and physical gifts, they would have each averaged over 40ppg.
2 (1) BULLS 23-7
Luol Deng returned to the Bulls lineup just in time to be selected by the coaches as a first time all-star. I didn't expect Deng to make the team, because he had missed 7 of the Bulls 28 games, but I guess the coaches decided that the Bulls - the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference - deserved to have two all-stars. Despite having the best record in the Eastern Conference and posting a 5-2 record without Rose this season, the Bulls have to be concern about Rose's lingering back spasms.
3 (3) THUNDER 21-6
The Oklahoma City Thunder may have the best record in the league, but I still consider them to be the third best team in the league behind the Heat and Bulls. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are putting up huge numbers, especially Westbrook as of late, but I think the Thunder lack of a post scorer is the one thing that's stopping them from being the best team in the league. Another thing that would concern me if I were a Thunder fan, is that fact that they lead the NBA in turnovers with 17 a game.
4 (5) CLIPPERS 17-8
Losing Chauncey Billups (torn Achilles) for the entire season was a major blow. Obviously the team cannot replace Billups leadership, but the Clippers are hoping to replace his scoring by landing shooting guard J.R. Smith, once his contract with his current team in China ends this Wednesday. In the main time, I expect CP3 to step up his offensive production, which will help him make a strong case for winning the MVP Award.
5 (7) SPURS 19-9
San Antonio has been on a tear as of late and are currently sporting a 7-game winning streak. The winning steak clearly helped Tony Parker's all-star selection. Over the Spurs last 5 games, Parker played very well and led the Spurs in points and assists with 26ppg and 7.2apg. I expect the Spurs to make a run for the best record in the West now that Manu Ginobili is back in the lineup.
6 (4) 76ERS 19-9
I predicted either Lou Williams or Andre Iguodala was going to make the all-star team, but I felt Lou had the edge because his overall numbers were better. Iguodala got the nod, because he is far more exciting. On the court the Sixers had a 2-2 week, with one of those defeats being a heartbreaking 78-77 loss to the Clippers in Philadelphia.
7 (16) MAVERICKS 17-11
Like Tony Parker, Dirk really step up his game recently, which is why he made the all-star team. Many don't believe Dirk deserves to be an all-star, because he is only averaging 18.3ppg for the season. However, over the Mavericks last 5 games, Dirk definitely put up all-star like numbers by averaging 26.4ppg on .549 field goal percentage.
8 (9) HAWKS 18-10
I know Josh Smith is upset after being snub from the all-star team, because I'm sure he felt he deserved to make the team over his own teammate Joe Johnson, who was eventually chosen by the coaches, but calling out the commissioner, wasn't the way to go. After news of being snubbed, Smith came out and went for 23 and 19 boards and helped his team to an 89-87 win over the Magic, but followed that up with a 8-point performance in a 20-point blowout loss at home to the Heat. It's that kind of inconsistency that caused the coaches to overlook Smith and it's that kind of inconsistency that will ultimately lead to the Hawks First or Second Round Playoff exit.
9 (14) LAKERS 16-12
It's fair to say that, Kobe Bryant is the most cold-blooded player in the league, especially with the game on the line. Against the Raptors with the game on the line, Kobe hit two huge jumpers, a 3-pointer and the game-winner with 4 seconds left. Since coming into the league, Kobe has made 16 of the 29 game-winning shots he's attempted. The Lakers are in search of a back-court teammate to pair Bryant up with and it's looking more like that player will be Gilbert Arenas. What's the worse thing that could happen? The Arenas experiment doesn't work out, but what if it does? I expect the Lakers to offer Arenas the $1.4 million veteran's minimum, which will be prorated to around $700K.
10 (17) ROCKETS 16-12
The Rockets are currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, but I think they can secure a playoff berth by making one move and that will be to add Chris Kaman. I know the Hornets supposedly took Kaman off the trading block, but I think they will consider a trade for the right mixture of youth and draft picks.
11 (8) MAGIC 17-11
After that crazy 4-game losing streak, the Magic seem to have turn things around a little. The team has a 5-2 record since, with both losses coming in overtime against the Clippers and the Hawks. The owner of the team recently came out and confirmed what everyone already knew which was, that he does not want to trade Dwight Howard.
12 (6) PACERS 17-10
The Pacers are going through a though stretch right now, losing four of their last five games. Before you get nervous, it's worth pointing out that the Pacers last five opponents have all been teams with plus .500 records, so let's just say the schedule got the best of them. The good news is after the Pacers play Miami on Tuesday, their next seven opponents will all have sub .500 records. On another note, as I predicted a week ago, Pacers center Roy Hibbert was selected as a first time all-star while his teammate Danny Granger got snubbed.
13 (11) CELTICS 15-12
There's a very crazy rumor being circulated regarding a Rondo-for-Gasol trade, and like I said, a very crazy rumor. Considering the bitter rivalry between the Lakers and Celtic - the two teams have met in 12 NBA Finals - Celtic's general manager Danny Ainge, would have to be completely crazy to trade Rondo for Gasol. Not to take anything away from Gasol, because he is a good player, but just to put things in perspective, Rondo is a top five point guard. In the Celtics last game - a 95-91 win over Chicago - Rondo posted a triple-double with 32-15-10 as in points, assist and rebounds. The Lakers will gladly make that trade.
14 (21) KNICKS 13-15
I have a saying "success is the crossroad where preparation and opportunity meets." The opportunity for Jeremy Lin came when Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni decided to play him for one game, before cutting him. Lin's opportunity was also enhanced by the fact that the Knicks two star players, Amare and Carmelo were both out of the lineup. Thanks to being prepared, Lin took full advantage of this opportunity. Over the Knicks last 5 games (all wins), Lin averaged 26.8ppg, 8.0apg and shot a very impressive .515 percent from the field. The media has dubbed this story "Lin-cinity," and it has truly been the most exciting and unexpected story in the league over the last week.
15 (16) NUGGETS 16-12
The Nuggets finally ended their 5-game skid by beating the Pacers 113-109 in Indiana. The team's recent skid clearly attributed to Ty Lawson not being selected to the all-star team. The Nuggets are also 1-2 since losing their leading scorer Gallinari, whose expected to be out for a month with an ankle injury. After being one of the top four teams in the West for most of the season, the Nuggets have slid to the seventh seed and are only a game ahead of the Portland Trail Blazer, the ninth seeded team in the West.
16 (13) JAZZ 14-13
The Jazz are currently hanging on to the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference, but I expect them to eventually lose that spot to the Grizzlies and Blazers. I know I've been riding him all season, but Devin Harris has to step up, in order for the Jazz to make the playoffs and I don't see it happening which is why I predicted they wouldn't make the playoffs. Harris 9.1ppg is just not going to cut it.s
17 (12) TRAIL BLAZERS 15-13
The Blazers are struggling and have been this way all season long. On paper, they seem to have it all. Guards, perimeter defenders, inside scoring and rim protectors, but somehow that has not equated into wins this season. I definitely expect them to make the playoffs, but if the season ended today, they would be out.
18 (18) GRIZZLIES 14-14
This is the year of the bigs and Marc Gasol like the Pacers Al Hibbert, was the beneficiary with an all-star selection. At 14-14, the Grizzlies are doing their best to stay in the playoff race and are only a game behind the Jazz for the final playoffs spot in the West. Without Z-Bo though, I see the Blazers not the Grizzlies making the playoffs.
19 (19) BUCKS 12-15
Brandon Jennings declared recently that he's keeping his options open to bigger market teams, so what do I read from that? Absolutely nothing, because bviously he is not a max player. With Bogut out for a while and the Knicks surging, the Bucks chance of making the playoffs just became slimmer. I don't see any team offering Jennings - a shoot first point guard with a low shooting percentage - anything over a $12 million average per season. I think what Jennings needs to focus on right, is getting his team to the playoffs and winning a few games in the playoffs.
20 (22) SUNS 12-15
I've been singing Nash praises all season, but I didn't expect him to make the all star team because I felt CP3, Westbrook and Tony Parker were one too many point guards. That said, it didn't bother me one bit to see Nash make the team. I understand Steve Nash all-star selection is been classified as a "lifetime achievement" selection by many critics, but I totally disagree. Nash has one of the highest PER of any guard in the league at 23.70 not to mention he leads the league in assist with 10.3 per game. The guy is an ageless wonder and at 38 years old, is still a top 6 point guard in the league.
21 (15) TIMBERWOLVES 13-15
The Wolves are definitely a much improved team from last season and before their current 3-game losing skid, I'm sure a few fans were secretly thinking maybe this team had a chance of making the playoffs. Well, that's not going to happen, at least not this season. The Wolves will be a playoff team when Derrick Williams arrive, meaning when he's clearly the team starting small forward.
22 (24) WARRIORS 10-14
The Warriors followed a heartbreaking overtime loss in Sacramento, a close loss to the Thunder - the team with the league's best record - with two straight wins over Denver and Houston. I think the Warriors may be on to something. I'm not just saying this because of their 2-game winning streak, I'm say this because the Warriors could have easily won their last four games. The team is only 3 games behind Jazz, so making the playoffs isn't out of reach, but I think adding a big man is necessary for the team to have a fighting chance.
23 (20) CAVALIERS 10-16
The Cavs Kyrie Irving missed the team's last three games because of a concussion injury. Not to worry, Irving is expected back soon and in reality, the Cavs were not expected to make the playoffs this season anyway. In Irving's absence, Jamison has turned back the clock. Over the last three games Jamison averaged 27ppg and 9rpg on .582 shooting.
24 (23) KINGS 10-17
The Kings have been playing well as of late, winning 4 of their last 6 games including a very impressive 106-101 win over OKC, the team with the NBA's best record. Over the Kings last five games, DeMarcus Cousins has been very impressive averaging 20.8ppg, 13.6rpg on .43 percent shooting. The one good thing I've noticed is that Cousins seems to be far more content under new head coach Keith Smart and the Kings team as a whole are becoming much more comfortable with Smart.
25 (26) RAPTORS 9-20
Jose Calderon's 30-point on 13-of-18 shooting was almost enough to pull off an upset over the Lakers, but Kobe's game-winning fade away with 4 seconds spoiled his effort. The team's leading scorer Bargnani remains out (calf) and the Raptors are in no rush to bring him back, especially since it's clear they won't make the playoffs this season.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (27) PISTONS 8-21
If the Pistons keep playing like this, they could find themselves off my bottom feeders list in no time. They were sporting a 4-game winning streak, before losing to the Wizards and center Greg Monroe was very instrumental in that. Over the Pistons last five games, Monroe averaged 21.4ppg and 11.2rpg on .587 shooting from the field and .905 from the line. This guy is easily a top five center in the league and this is only his second year.
27 (25) NETS 8-21
The Nets have been on a slump recently and other than Williams all-star selection, the team has nothing really to be excited about. Well, rookie MarShon Brooks - the team second leading scorer at 14ppg - returned to the lineup after missing 9 of his previous 10 games because of a lingering toe injury, but it will take him some time to get back in game shape, so I expect the Nets to continue to struggle.
28 (28) WIZARDS 6-22
Wizards star point guard John Wall season has been very inconsistent to say the least. The up-again-down-again Wall, has been on one of those up surges recently. Over the last five games, Wall led the team to a 2-3 record by averaging 19.6ppg and 9.0 apg on .493 shooting. Like I've always said, the Wizards will go pretty much the way Wall goes, it's as simple as that.
29 (29) HORNETS 4-23
After starting the season with two straight wins, the Hornets have gone on to win only two games in their last 25 outings. The only thing that can be said for the Hornets and it's really not even worth mentioning, is that they are not the worst team in basketball. That distinction belong solely to the Charlotte Bobcats
30 (30) BOBCATS 3-24
The Bobcats are clearly the worst team in the NBA. All you have to do is look at two stats and you'll understand exactly why this team is by far the worst team. First of all, they can't score, they are ranked dead last in the league at 86.3 points per game. They compound that by being the worst defensive team in the league, allowing their opponents to score 100.9 points per game.
1 (2) HEAT 21-7
Since returning back to the lineup, Wade has once again become the focal point of the offense. Both Lebron and Bosh have seen a drop in numbers, especially on the offensive end since Wade's return. Lebron started the season off on a tear, but his scoring average has dropped down from over 30ppg down to 27.9ppg and it's all because he continues to take a back seat to Wade and I just don't get it! Lebron has always averaged more than Wade and his field goal percentage has always been higher than Wade as well, so the argument that claims Wade is a better scorer simply doesn't add up. As a fan of the game, it is very bothersome to see Lebron take such a back seat. To me, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! I truly believe if Kobe, Jordan or even Wade for that matter had Lebron's body and physical gifts, they would have each averaged over 40ppg.
2 (1) BULLS 23-7
Luol Deng returned to the Bulls lineup just in time to be selected by the coaches as a first time all-star. I didn't expect Deng to make the team, because he had missed 7 of the Bulls 28 games, but I guess the coaches decided that the Bulls - the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference - deserved to have two all-stars. Despite having the best record in the Eastern Conference and posting a 5-2 record without Rose this season, the Bulls have to be concern about Rose's lingering back spasms.
3 (3) THUNDER 21-6
The Oklahoma City Thunder may have the best record in the league, but I still consider them to be the third best team in the league behind the Heat and Bulls. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are putting up huge numbers, especially Westbrook as of late, but I think the Thunder lack of a post scorer is the one thing that's stopping them from being the best team in the league. Another thing that would concern me if I were a Thunder fan, is that fact that they lead the NBA in turnovers with 17 a game.
4 (5) CLIPPERS 17-8
Losing Chauncey Billups (torn Achilles) for the entire season was a major blow. Obviously the team cannot replace Billups leadership, but the Clippers are hoping to replace his scoring by landing shooting guard J.R. Smith, once his contract with his current team in China ends this Wednesday. In the main time, I expect CP3 to step up his offensive production, which will help him make a strong case for winning the MVP Award.
5 (7) SPURS 19-9
San Antonio has been on a tear as of late and are currently sporting a 7-game winning streak. The winning steak clearly helped Tony Parker's all-star selection. Over the Spurs last 5 games, Parker played very well and led the Spurs in points and assists with 26ppg and 7.2apg. I expect the Spurs to make a run for the best record in the West now that Manu Ginobili is back in the lineup.
6 (4) 76ERS 19-9
I predicted either Lou Williams or Andre Iguodala was going to make the all-star team, but I felt Lou had the edge because his overall numbers were better. Iguodala got the nod, because he is far more exciting. On the court the Sixers had a 2-2 week, with one of those defeats being a heartbreaking 78-77 loss to the Clippers in Philadelphia.
7 (16) MAVERICKS 17-11
Like Tony Parker, Dirk really step up his game recently, which is why he made the all-star team. Many don't believe Dirk deserves to be an all-star, because he is only averaging 18.3ppg for the season. However, over the Mavericks last 5 games, Dirk definitely put up all-star like numbers by averaging 26.4ppg on .549 field goal percentage.
8 (9) HAWKS 18-10
I know Josh Smith is upset after being snub from the all-star team, because I'm sure he felt he deserved to make the team over his own teammate Joe Johnson, who was eventually chosen by the coaches, but calling out the commissioner, wasn't the way to go. After news of being snubbed, Smith came out and went for 23 and 19 boards and helped his team to an 89-87 win over the Magic, but followed that up with a 8-point performance in a 20-point blowout loss at home to the Heat. It's that kind of inconsistency that caused the coaches to overlook Smith and it's that kind of inconsistency that will ultimately lead to the Hawks First or Second Round Playoff exit.
9 (14) LAKERS 16-12
It's fair to say that, Kobe Bryant is the most cold-blooded player in the league, especially with the game on the line. Against the Raptors with the game on the line, Kobe hit two huge jumpers, a 3-pointer and the game-winner with 4 seconds left. Since coming into the league, Kobe has made 16 of the 29 game-winning shots he's attempted. The Lakers are in search of a back-court teammate to pair Bryant up with and it's looking more like that player will be Gilbert Arenas. What's the worse thing that could happen? The Arenas experiment doesn't work out, but what if it does? I expect the Lakers to offer Arenas the $1.4 million veteran's minimum, which will be prorated to around $700K.
10 (17) ROCKETS 16-12
The Rockets are currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference, but I think they can secure a playoff berth by making one move and that will be to add Chris Kaman. I know the Hornets supposedly took Kaman off the trading block, but I think they will consider a trade for the right mixture of youth and draft picks.
11 (8) MAGIC 17-11
After that crazy 4-game losing streak, the Magic seem to have turn things around a little. The team has a 5-2 record since, with both losses coming in overtime against the Clippers and the Hawks. The owner of the team recently came out and confirmed what everyone already knew which was, that he does not want to trade Dwight Howard.
12 (6) PACERS 17-10
The Pacers are going through a though stretch right now, losing four of their last five games. Before you get nervous, it's worth pointing out that the Pacers last five opponents have all been teams with plus .500 records, so let's just say the schedule got the best of them. The good news is after the Pacers play Miami on Tuesday, their next seven opponents will all have sub .500 records. On another note, as I predicted a week ago, Pacers center Roy Hibbert was selected as a first time all-star while his teammate Danny Granger got snubbed.
13 (11) CELTICS 15-12
There's a very crazy rumor being circulated regarding a Rondo-for-Gasol trade, and like I said, a very crazy rumor. Considering the bitter rivalry between the Lakers and Celtic - the two teams have met in 12 NBA Finals - Celtic's general manager Danny Ainge, would have to be completely crazy to trade Rondo for Gasol. Not to take anything away from Gasol, because he is a good player, but just to put things in perspective, Rondo is a top five point guard. In the Celtics last game - a 95-91 win over Chicago - Rondo posted a triple-double with 32-15-10 as in points, assist and rebounds. The Lakers will gladly make that trade.
14 (21) KNICKS 13-15
I have a saying "success is the crossroad where preparation and opportunity meets." The opportunity for Jeremy Lin came when Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni decided to play him for one game, before cutting him. Lin's opportunity was also enhanced by the fact that the Knicks two star players, Amare and Carmelo were both out of the lineup. Thanks to being prepared, Lin took full advantage of this opportunity. Over the Knicks last 5 games (all wins), Lin averaged 26.8ppg, 8.0apg and shot a very impressive .515 percent from the field. The media has dubbed this story "Lin-cinity," and it has truly been the most exciting and unexpected story in the league over the last week.
15 (16) NUGGETS 16-12
The Nuggets finally ended their 5-game skid by beating the Pacers 113-109 in Indiana. The team's recent skid clearly attributed to Ty Lawson not being selected to the all-star team. The Nuggets are also 1-2 since losing their leading scorer Gallinari, whose expected to be out for a month with an ankle injury. After being one of the top four teams in the West for most of the season, the Nuggets have slid to the seventh seed and are only a game ahead of the Portland Trail Blazer, the ninth seeded team in the West.
16 (13) JAZZ 14-13
The Jazz are currently hanging on to the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference, but I expect them to eventually lose that spot to the Grizzlies and Blazers. I know I've been riding him all season, but Devin Harris has to step up, in order for the Jazz to make the playoffs and I don't see it happening which is why I predicted they wouldn't make the playoffs. Harris 9.1ppg is just not going to cut it.s
17 (12) TRAIL BLAZERS 15-13
The Blazers are struggling and have been this way all season long. On paper, they seem to have it all. Guards, perimeter defenders, inside scoring and rim protectors, but somehow that has not equated into wins this season. I definitely expect them to make the playoffs, but if the season ended today, they would be out.
18 (18) GRIZZLIES 14-14
This is the year of the bigs and Marc Gasol like the Pacers Al Hibbert, was the beneficiary with an all-star selection. At 14-14, the Grizzlies are doing their best to stay in the playoff race and are only a game behind the Jazz for the final playoffs spot in the West. Without Z-Bo though, I see the Blazers not the Grizzlies making the playoffs.
19 (19) BUCKS 12-15
Brandon Jennings declared recently that he's keeping his options open to bigger market teams, so what do I read from that? Absolutely nothing, because bviously he is not a max player. With Bogut out for a while and the Knicks surging, the Bucks chance of making the playoffs just became slimmer. I don't see any team offering Jennings - a shoot first point guard with a low shooting percentage - anything over a $12 million average per season. I think what Jennings needs to focus on right, is getting his team to the playoffs and winning a few games in the playoffs.
20 (22) SUNS 12-15
I've been singing Nash praises all season, but I didn't expect him to make the all star team because I felt CP3, Westbrook and Tony Parker were one too many point guards. That said, it didn't bother me one bit to see Nash make the team. I understand Steve Nash all-star selection is been classified as a "lifetime achievement" selection by many critics, but I totally disagree. Nash has one of the highest PER of any guard in the league at 23.70 not to mention he leads the league in assist with 10.3 per game. The guy is an ageless wonder and at 38 years old, is still a top 6 point guard in the league.
21 (15) TIMBERWOLVES 13-15
The Wolves are definitely a much improved team from last season and before their current 3-game losing skid, I'm sure a few fans were secretly thinking maybe this team had a chance of making the playoffs. Well, that's not going to happen, at least not this season. The Wolves will be a playoff team when Derrick Williams arrive, meaning when he's clearly the team starting small forward.
22 (24) WARRIORS 10-14
The Warriors followed a heartbreaking overtime loss in Sacramento, a close loss to the Thunder - the team with the league's best record - with two straight wins over Denver and Houston. I think the Warriors may be on to something. I'm not just saying this because of their 2-game winning streak, I'm say this because the Warriors could have easily won their last four games. The team is only 3 games behind Jazz, so making the playoffs isn't out of reach, but I think adding a big man is necessary for the team to have a fighting chance.
23 (20) CAVALIERS 10-16
The Cavs Kyrie Irving missed the team's last three games because of a concussion injury. Not to worry, Irving is expected back soon and in reality, the Cavs were not expected to make the playoffs this season anyway. In Irving's absence, Jamison has turned back the clock. Over the last three games Jamison averaged 27ppg and 9rpg on .582 shooting.
24 (23) KINGS 10-17
The Kings have been playing well as of late, winning 4 of their last 6 games including a very impressive 106-101 win over OKC, the team with the NBA's best record. Over the Kings last five games, DeMarcus Cousins has been very impressive averaging 20.8ppg, 13.6rpg on .43 percent shooting. The one good thing I've noticed is that Cousins seems to be far more content under new head coach Keith Smart and the Kings team as a whole are becoming much more comfortable with Smart.
25 (26) RAPTORS 9-20
Jose Calderon's 30-point on 13-of-18 shooting was almost enough to pull off an upset over the Lakers, but Kobe's game-winning fade away with 4 seconds spoiled his effort. The team's leading scorer Bargnani remains out (calf) and the Raptors are in no rush to bring him back, especially since it's clear they won't make the playoffs this season.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (27) PISTONS 8-21
If the Pistons keep playing like this, they could find themselves off my bottom feeders list in no time. They were sporting a 4-game winning streak, before losing to the Wizards and center Greg Monroe was very instrumental in that. Over the Pistons last five games, Monroe averaged 21.4ppg and 11.2rpg on .587 shooting from the field and .905 from the line. This guy is easily a top five center in the league and this is only his second year.
27 (25) NETS 8-21
The Nets have been on a slump recently and other than Williams all-star selection, the team has nothing really to be excited about. Well, rookie MarShon Brooks - the team second leading scorer at 14ppg - returned to the lineup after missing 9 of his previous 10 games because of a lingering toe injury, but it will take him some time to get back in game shape, so I expect the Nets to continue to struggle.
28 (28) WIZARDS 6-22
Wizards star point guard John Wall season has been very inconsistent to say the least. The up-again-down-again Wall, has been on one of those up surges recently. Over the last five games, Wall led the team to a 2-3 record by averaging 19.6ppg and 9.0 apg on .493 shooting. Like I've always said, the Wizards will go pretty much the way Wall goes, it's as simple as that.
29 (29) HORNETS 4-23
After starting the season with two straight wins, the Hornets have gone on to win only two games in their last 25 outings. The only thing that can be said for the Hornets and it's really not even worth mentioning, is that they are not the worst team in basketball. That distinction belong solely to the Charlotte Bobcats
30 (30) BOBCATS 3-24
The Bobcats are clearly the worst team in the NBA. All you have to do is look at two stats and you'll understand exactly why this team is by far the worst team. First of all, they can't score, they are ranked dead last in the league at 86.3 points per game. They compound that by being the worst defensive team in the league, allowing their opponents to score 100.9 points per game.
Monday, February 6, 2012
NBA WIZARD 2011-2012 POWER RANKING: WEEK 7
RK LAST WK
1 (2) BULLS 20-6
The Bulls had a decent 3-1 week, but an even better news was the return of Deng to the lineup. Rip Hamilton missed the Bulls last four games due to a groin injury, but he's expected to be back this week at which time the Bulls will be at full strength.
2 (3) HEAT 18-6
Two losses to the Bucks - a team with a 10-13 record - brought into question the team's focus, especially after blowing an 18-point lead to the Bucks. Lebron's 24 points tied his career high for most points in a quarter. Unfortunately, the Heat needed Lebron to score at least 50 points to beat the Bucks, but he he only scored 16 points in the next three quarter to finish with 40 for the game.
3 (1) THUNDER 18-5
Kevin Durant was absolute brilliant against the Grizzlies. He scored 7 points in the final minutes of the game, including an impressive fade-away 3-pointer, which led to a 101-94 win over the Griz. The Durant-Westbrook-Harden trio is the reason many predicted that the Thunder will come out of the West, but their lack of a solid post offensive threat, is why I see them ultimately not winning the championship.
4 (5) 76ERS 17-7
Every team has a certain team they have problems matching up with and for the Sixers that team is the Miami Heat. Two of their last three losses came against the Heat, one by 21 and the other by 20 points. With that said, the Sixers still have the league's stingiest defense, which allows their opponents only 86.5 points per game. The Sixers 17-7 record is fourth best in the league, so it wouldn't surprise me to see Lou Williams - the Sixers leading scorer - be selected as a first-time all-star.
5 (8) CLIPPERS 14-7
The Clippers have the second best record in the Western Conference and were rewarded by fans who voted for both CP3 and Blake Griffin to start in the all-star game. The only disappointment is that Griffin has declared that he will not be defending his slam-dunk title. The other tandem to "lob city" center DeAndre Jordan is expected to replace Griffin in the Dunk contest.
6 (7) PACERS 16-7
Unfortunately either Hibbert or Granger will get snubbed from the all-star team, because I seriously doubt both players will make it despite Granger's claim that the Pacers deserves two players because of their record. The Pacers have been the biggest surprise in the league early on, but that didn't stop them from trying to improve their team. They almost added Chris Kaman, but the Hornets decided to take Kaman off the trading block.
7 (15) SPURS 16-9
A week ago the Spurs were outside the playoffs with the ninth seed in the West, but a 4-0 week highlighted by a 107-96 win over the Thunder, propelled the Spurs all the up to the third seed in the West. Tony Parker was absolutely phenomenal during the Spurs last 3 games, averaging 28ppg. I think everyone should hold off on Thunder's coronation, because the Spurs is the one team that matches up very well with the Thunder.
8 (14) MAGIC 15-9
After losing four straight and looking like they were completely falling apart, the Magic turned things around a little, by winning their last three games. The Magic have been all smiles lately, especially Dwight Howard, which is more of a show because everyone expects the Magic to trade Howard after the all-star break.
9 (4) HAWKS 16-8
Like the Pacers, I expect the Hawks to also be disappointed by an all-star snubbing. Either Joe Johnson or Josh Smith will not make the team and if they continue their current 2-game losing streak, both players might be in danger of not being selected.
10 (6) NUGGETS 15-9
It looked like the Nuggets Ty Lawson was on track to make the all-star team and he still might end up making it, but their last 5 games may have put a wrinkle in that plan. The Nuggets have a 1-4 record over their last 5 games and during that stretch they've allowed their five opponents to average a whopping 106.2 points per game.
11 (16) CELTICS 13-10
The Celtics have completed turned their season around after starting with a 5-9 record, they have gone on to win 8 of their last 9 games, including four straight. Now the Rondo is back, the team is finally at full strength and the rest of the league better take notice, because this is not the same team that started the season. For a team that once had four all-stars, the Celtics will be lucky to have two this year. I actually only expect the Cs to have one all-star and it probably will be Paul Pierce.
12 (12) TRAIL BLAZERS 14-10
With the Blazers alternating wins and losses over their last six games, there hasn't been much to cheer about recently in Portland. The Blazers LaMarcus Aldridge will almost certainly make the all-star team, but it was Nicolas Batum who stole the headlines in the team's 117-97 win over the Nuggets, when he set a Blazers record by making nine 3-pointers in the game.
13 (11) JAZZ 13-9
The Jazz ended their 2-game slide by defeating the Lakers 96-87 in Utah. Paul Millsap has one of the league's highest PER (Player Efficiency Ratings)at 25.19, which is why it wouldn't surprise me if he made his first all-star appearance.
14 (13) LAKERS 14-10
The Lakers, like the Clippers will have two all-star starters, with Bynum making the team for the first time. That would have been a great thing in terms of a Bynum-for-Dwight trade, but the word out of Orlando is that Dwight Howard wants no part of the Lakers, thanks to Kobe. Apparently Kobe's pitch to Dwight was for him to join the team as the third option behind Kobe and Pau and that obviously turned off Dwight. Maybe it's just rumors and if it is, Dwight Howard could just end up being a Laker.
15 (20) TIMBERWOLVES 12-12
The Timberwolves improved to .500 with a 100-91 win over the Rockets and the team is only 1.5 games behind the Mavericks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Kevin Love is definitely poised to make his second straight all-star appearance and the Timberwolves future looks very bright with Rubio emerging as the team's second star.
16 (9) MAVERICKS 14-11
Dirk may be rounding into shape, but his 27ppg over the last two games could not prevent the team's 3-game losing streak. The Mavs have been battling injuries all season and with Jason Kidd in and out of the lineup because of a calf injury, the team has struggled finding consistent point guard play which is one reason for their inconsistent play.
17 (10) ROCKETS 13-11
The Rockets had been on a rise recently before running into their nemesis, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yes, the Rockets lost two straight games to the wolves, but they are still only a 1/2 game behind the Mavs for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
18 (17) GRIZZLIES 12-12
The Grizzlies have been on a though stretch recently, winning only 2 of their last 8 games. I expect only one Grizzlies player to be selected to the all star team and I doubt it will be Rudy Gay. I'm expecting Marc Gasol to make his first all-star appearance, but I'm sure he will gladly give up an all-star selection for a playoff berth.
19 (18) BUCKS 10-13
Brandon Jennings hit three straight 3-pointers during a critical stretch in the fourth to help his team beat the Heat 105-97, which was the Bucks second straight win over the Heat this season. Before the season began, I predicted that Jennings would have to have an all-star season, in order for the Bucks to make the playoffs and so far, his 19.9ppg average on .433 percent shooting has him on the cusp of making his first all-star appearance.
20 (19) CAVALIERS 9-13
Kyrie Irving is already an amazing player and he's only a rookie. His 18.1ppg average on .50 percent shooting is impressive yes, but Irving has the infamous "clutch" gene. He hit the game winner against the Celtics a week ago and followed that up with two big-time driving layups in the final seconds to give Cleveland a 91-88 victory over the Mavericks in Cav's last game. It's going to be a dog fight between Irving and Jennings, if the league decides to add a third point guard to the all-star team behind Rose and Williams.
21 (22) KNICKS 9-15
At 9-15, the Knicks are only 1.5 games behind the Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot. I guess that's why the team is still very optimistic in anticipation of Baron Davis arrival. Will the 34-year-old Davis and his bad back be enough lead the Knicks to the playoffs, or will the Knicks have to rely on sporadic solo performances like the 25-point career high by Jeremy Lin, to be successful? I still believe Davis could be the answer. All he has to do is average around 12ppg, 8apg and get better shots for Anthony and mainly Amare.
22 (21) SUNS 9-14
Finally, there's word out of Phoenix that management will oblige to Steve Nash's request, if he ask to be traded. I was really happy to hear that! The only problem is, because Steve is such an outstanding character, I doubt he will actually go up to management and request a trade. I hope management can take it one step further and actually ask Nash for a list of teams he would like to be traded to. That would be the gentleman thing to do.
23 (26) KINGS 8-15
The Kings are sporting a 2-game winning streak for the second time this season thanks to an impressive 95-92 win over the Blazers and a 114-106 OT win over the Warriors. Sadly, rookie Jimmer Fredette was not a part of the Kings last two wins. He was benched for both games by head coach Keith Smart, because Fredette has only been a one-dimensional player. All he does is provides scoring off the bench and with a .365 field goal percentage, I guess Smart is trying to send a message to Fredette.
24 (23) WARRIORS 8-13
If you are 4 games out of the playoffs, you have to beat teams like the Sacramento Kings, no matter where you play them, if you seriously expect to make the playoffs. I would have package rookie Klay Thompson, the injured Kwame Brown and a protected draft pick to the Hornets for Chris Kaman, when he was on the trading block. Matter of fact, I would probably propose that trade now, because I think New Orleans would make that trade. A move like that will give the Warriors a good shot of making the playoffs, because Kaman would allow Lee to play his natural position - the power forward spot - which would ultimately help the Warriors small back court of Ellis and Curry. The Warriors will finally have some reliable size up front, and even Jerry West - special consultant to the Warriors - was recently quoted saying that the Warriors needed size.
25 (24) NETS 8-17
This team is three games out of the playoffs in an Eastern Conference where anything can happen. It appears that Dwight Howard will either re-sign with the Magic or welcome a trade to the Nets. Forget about the list of teams Howard would go to, I think the Nets are clearly his preferred destination, so it will sure help if the Nets are still in playoff contention by the time the trade is ultimately made.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (25) RAPTORS 8-17
The Raptors Bargnani missed six straight before rejoining the team a few weeks ago for two games, but got injured again and has since missed the team's last six games, during which stretch the Raptors are 2-4. If Bargnani had been healthy for most of the Raptors games this season, not only would they have a better record, but he would probably have been a first time all-star.
27 (28) PISTONS 6-20
The Detroit Pistons are sizzling hot right now, no I'm just kidding, but they are sporting a 2-game winning streak with wins over Bucks and the Hornets. Second year center Greg Monroe is quietly having a really nice season for the Pistons. He's averaging 16.3ppg, 9.9rpg on .518 shooting from the field and .817 percent from the free-throw line. I would like to see Monroe block more than the 0.5 shots a game that he averages, but if he was on a winning team with those numbers, he would definitely have been in the all-star discussion.
28 (27) WIZARDS 4-20
The Wizards are piling up losses as John Wall has reverted back to being inconsistent. I mean seriously, Wall's 1-12 shooting for only 2 points in a 109-103 loss to the Magic in Orlando was the difference. The Wizards might have won the game if Wall had play even average, matter of fact, the Wizards would have a better record if Wall was more consistent this season.
29 (29) HORNETS 4-20
We shall see if conspiracy theorist are right, when they claim that the NBA draft in fixed, because the Hornets will certainly end the season with one of the worse records in the league, which should increase the chances of landing the top pick. Don't cry of river if you are a Hornets fan, because your fortunes could be turned really quickly. The Hornets are well situated under the cap and they probably could end up with the first pick.
30 (30) BOBCATS 3-21
The Bobcats continues to be the worst team in the league and that isn't going to change anytime soon. I expect the Cats to be in a 3-horse race along with the Hornets and Wizards for the league's worst record and best odds of drafting Kentucky's Anthony Davis, the consensus number one pick of this summer's draft.
1 (2) BULLS 20-6
The Bulls had a decent 3-1 week, but an even better news was the return of Deng to the lineup. Rip Hamilton missed the Bulls last four games due to a groin injury, but he's expected to be back this week at which time the Bulls will be at full strength.
2 (3) HEAT 18-6
Two losses to the Bucks - a team with a 10-13 record - brought into question the team's focus, especially after blowing an 18-point lead to the Bucks. Lebron's 24 points tied his career high for most points in a quarter. Unfortunately, the Heat needed Lebron to score at least 50 points to beat the Bucks, but he he only scored 16 points in the next three quarter to finish with 40 for the game.
3 (1) THUNDER 18-5
Kevin Durant was absolute brilliant against the Grizzlies. He scored 7 points in the final minutes of the game, including an impressive fade-away 3-pointer, which led to a 101-94 win over the Griz. The Durant-Westbrook-Harden trio is the reason many predicted that the Thunder will come out of the West, but their lack of a solid post offensive threat, is why I see them ultimately not winning the championship.
4 (5) 76ERS 17-7
Every team has a certain team they have problems matching up with and for the Sixers that team is the Miami Heat. Two of their last three losses came against the Heat, one by 21 and the other by 20 points. With that said, the Sixers still have the league's stingiest defense, which allows their opponents only 86.5 points per game. The Sixers 17-7 record is fourth best in the league, so it wouldn't surprise me to see Lou Williams - the Sixers leading scorer - be selected as a first-time all-star.
5 (8) CLIPPERS 14-7
The Clippers have the second best record in the Western Conference and were rewarded by fans who voted for both CP3 and Blake Griffin to start in the all-star game. The only disappointment is that Griffin has declared that he will not be defending his slam-dunk title. The other tandem to "lob city" center DeAndre Jordan is expected to replace Griffin in the Dunk contest.
6 (7) PACERS 16-7
Unfortunately either Hibbert or Granger will get snubbed from the all-star team, because I seriously doubt both players will make it despite Granger's claim that the Pacers deserves two players because of their record. The Pacers have been the biggest surprise in the league early on, but that didn't stop them from trying to improve their team. They almost added Chris Kaman, but the Hornets decided to take Kaman off the trading block.
7 (15) SPURS 16-9
A week ago the Spurs were outside the playoffs with the ninth seed in the West, but a 4-0 week highlighted by a 107-96 win over the Thunder, propelled the Spurs all the up to the third seed in the West. Tony Parker was absolutely phenomenal during the Spurs last 3 games, averaging 28ppg. I think everyone should hold off on Thunder's coronation, because the Spurs is the one team that matches up very well with the Thunder.
8 (14) MAGIC 15-9
After losing four straight and looking like they were completely falling apart, the Magic turned things around a little, by winning their last three games. The Magic have been all smiles lately, especially Dwight Howard, which is more of a show because everyone expects the Magic to trade Howard after the all-star break.
9 (4) HAWKS 16-8
Like the Pacers, I expect the Hawks to also be disappointed by an all-star snubbing. Either Joe Johnson or Josh Smith will not make the team and if they continue their current 2-game losing streak, both players might be in danger of not being selected.
10 (6) NUGGETS 15-9
It looked like the Nuggets Ty Lawson was on track to make the all-star team and he still might end up making it, but their last 5 games may have put a wrinkle in that plan. The Nuggets have a 1-4 record over their last 5 games and during that stretch they've allowed their five opponents to average a whopping 106.2 points per game.
11 (16) CELTICS 13-10
The Celtics have completed turned their season around after starting with a 5-9 record, they have gone on to win 8 of their last 9 games, including four straight. Now the Rondo is back, the team is finally at full strength and the rest of the league better take notice, because this is not the same team that started the season. For a team that once had four all-stars, the Celtics will be lucky to have two this year. I actually only expect the Cs to have one all-star and it probably will be Paul Pierce.
12 (12) TRAIL BLAZERS 14-10
With the Blazers alternating wins and losses over their last six games, there hasn't been much to cheer about recently in Portland. The Blazers LaMarcus Aldridge will almost certainly make the all-star team, but it was Nicolas Batum who stole the headlines in the team's 117-97 win over the Nuggets, when he set a Blazers record by making nine 3-pointers in the game.
13 (11) JAZZ 13-9
The Jazz ended their 2-game slide by defeating the Lakers 96-87 in Utah. Paul Millsap has one of the league's highest PER (Player Efficiency Ratings)at 25.19, which is why it wouldn't surprise me if he made his first all-star appearance.
14 (13) LAKERS 14-10
The Lakers, like the Clippers will have two all-star starters, with Bynum making the team for the first time. That would have been a great thing in terms of a Bynum-for-Dwight trade, but the word out of Orlando is that Dwight Howard wants no part of the Lakers, thanks to Kobe. Apparently Kobe's pitch to Dwight was for him to join the team as the third option behind Kobe and Pau and that obviously turned off Dwight. Maybe it's just rumors and if it is, Dwight Howard could just end up being a Laker.
15 (20) TIMBERWOLVES 12-12
The Timberwolves improved to .500 with a 100-91 win over the Rockets and the team is only 1.5 games behind the Mavericks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Kevin Love is definitely poised to make his second straight all-star appearance and the Timberwolves future looks very bright with Rubio emerging as the team's second star.
16 (9) MAVERICKS 14-11
Dirk may be rounding into shape, but his 27ppg over the last two games could not prevent the team's 3-game losing streak. The Mavs have been battling injuries all season and with Jason Kidd in and out of the lineup because of a calf injury, the team has struggled finding consistent point guard play which is one reason for their inconsistent play.
17 (10) ROCKETS 13-11
The Rockets had been on a rise recently before running into their nemesis, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yes, the Rockets lost two straight games to the wolves, but they are still only a 1/2 game behind the Mavs for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
18 (17) GRIZZLIES 12-12
The Grizzlies have been on a though stretch recently, winning only 2 of their last 8 games. I expect only one Grizzlies player to be selected to the all star team and I doubt it will be Rudy Gay. I'm expecting Marc Gasol to make his first all-star appearance, but I'm sure he will gladly give up an all-star selection for a playoff berth.
19 (18) BUCKS 10-13
Brandon Jennings hit three straight 3-pointers during a critical stretch in the fourth to help his team beat the Heat 105-97, which was the Bucks second straight win over the Heat this season. Before the season began, I predicted that Jennings would have to have an all-star season, in order for the Bucks to make the playoffs and so far, his 19.9ppg average on .433 percent shooting has him on the cusp of making his first all-star appearance.
20 (19) CAVALIERS 9-13
Kyrie Irving is already an amazing player and he's only a rookie. His 18.1ppg average on .50 percent shooting is impressive yes, but Irving has the infamous "clutch" gene. He hit the game winner against the Celtics a week ago and followed that up with two big-time driving layups in the final seconds to give Cleveland a 91-88 victory over the Mavericks in Cav's last game. It's going to be a dog fight between Irving and Jennings, if the league decides to add a third point guard to the all-star team behind Rose and Williams.
21 (22) KNICKS 9-15
At 9-15, the Knicks are only 1.5 games behind the Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot. I guess that's why the team is still very optimistic in anticipation of Baron Davis arrival. Will the 34-year-old Davis and his bad back be enough lead the Knicks to the playoffs, or will the Knicks have to rely on sporadic solo performances like the 25-point career high by Jeremy Lin, to be successful? I still believe Davis could be the answer. All he has to do is average around 12ppg, 8apg and get better shots for Anthony and mainly Amare.
22 (21) SUNS 9-14
Finally, there's word out of Phoenix that management will oblige to Steve Nash's request, if he ask to be traded. I was really happy to hear that! The only problem is, because Steve is such an outstanding character, I doubt he will actually go up to management and request a trade. I hope management can take it one step further and actually ask Nash for a list of teams he would like to be traded to. That would be the gentleman thing to do.
23 (26) KINGS 8-15
The Kings are sporting a 2-game winning streak for the second time this season thanks to an impressive 95-92 win over the Blazers and a 114-106 OT win over the Warriors. Sadly, rookie Jimmer Fredette was not a part of the Kings last two wins. He was benched for both games by head coach Keith Smart, because Fredette has only been a one-dimensional player. All he does is provides scoring off the bench and with a .365 field goal percentage, I guess Smart is trying to send a message to Fredette.
24 (23) WARRIORS 8-13
If you are 4 games out of the playoffs, you have to beat teams like the Sacramento Kings, no matter where you play them, if you seriously expect to make the playoffs. I would have package rookie Klay Thompson, the injured Kwame Brown and a protected draft pick to the Hornets for Chris Kaman, when he was on the trading block. Matter of fact, I would probably propose that trade now, because I think New Orleans would make that trade. A move like that will give the Warriors a good shot of making the playoffs, because Kaman would allow Lee to play his natural position - the power forward spot - which would ultimately help the Warriors small back court of Ellis and Curry. The Warriors will finally have some reliable size up front, and even Jerry West - special consultant to the Warriors - was recently quoted saying that the Warriors needed size.
25 (24) NETS 8-17
This team is three games out of the playoffs in an Eastern Conference where anything can happen. It appears that Dwight Howard will either re-sign with the Magic or welcome a trade to the Nets. Forget about the list of teams Howard would go to, I think the Nets are clearly his preferred destination, so it will sure help if the Nets are still in playoff contention by the time the trade is ultimately made.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (25) RAPTORS 8-17
The Raptors Bargnani missed six straight before rejoining the team a few weeks ago for two games, but got injured again and has since missed the team's last six games, during which stretch the Raptors are 2-4. If Bargnani had been healthy for most of the Raptors games this season, not only would they have a better record, but he would probably have been a first time all-star.
27 (28) PISTONS 6-20
The Detroit Pistons are sizzling hot right now, no I'm just kidding, but they are sporting a 2-game winning streak with wins over Bucks and the Hornets. Second year center Greg Monroe is quietly having a really nice season for the Pistons. He's averaging 16.3ppg, 9.9rpg on .518 shooting from the field and .817 percent from the free-throw line. I would like to see Monroe block more than the 0.5 shots a game that he averages, but if he was on a winning team with those numbers, he would definitely have been in the all-star discussion.
28 (27) WIZARDS 4-20
The Wizards are piling up losses as John Wall has reverted back to being inconsistent. I mean seriously, Wall's 1-12 shooting for only 2 points in a 109-103 loss to the Magic in Orlando was the difference. The Wizards might have won the game if Wall had play even average, matter of fact, the Wizards would have a better record if Wall was more consistent this season.
29 (29) HORNETS 4-20
We shall see if conspiracy theorist are right, when they claim that the NBA draft in fixed, because the Hornets will certainly end the season with one of the worse records in the league, which should increase the chances of landing the top pick. Don't cry of river if you are a Hornets fan, because your fortunes could be turned really quickly. The Hornets are well situated under the cap and they probably could end up with the first pick.
30 (30) BOBCATS 3-21
The Bobcats continues to be the worst team in the league and that isn't going to change anytime soon. I expect the Cats to be in a 3-horse race along with the Hornets and Wizards for the league's worst record and best odds of drafting Kentucky's Anthony Davis, the consensus number one pick of this summer's draft.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)