NBA Power Rankings: Week 3
1. Utah Jazz (9-1): They are on a roll right now. Deron Williams is playing great, Mehmet Okur is dominating the inside with Boozer, and the rookies are stepping up. The only concern is Andre Kirilenko is hurt, but if they keep winning, it may not be that much of a let down.
2. San Antonio Spurs (7-2): They are playing well, and with an early season win @ Dallas, you know they're feeling good.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-3): With Lebron playing like a true phenom, the Cavs seem to have a good shot at taking the East with a deflated Pistons team, and a Heat team that could suffer from post-championship syndrome (PCS).
4. Los Angeles Clippers (6-2): They're ready for another post season run, only this time knowing what to expect.
5. Dallas Mavericks (5-4): After that abysmal 0-4 start, they've won 5 in a row, and seem to be ready to be playing some basketball. Dirk and co. look to be once again an elite team of the NBA.
6. New Orleans Hornets (7-3): Maybe with an improved Chris Paul, New Orleans can be a mini threat in the west.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (6-3): They're winning, but with Kobe as their Czar, I'm not sure much noise will come out of the Laker-Section of L.A. this year. L.A. will turn into a Clipper town. You watch, it will.
8. Golden State Warriors (7-3): Also winners of 5 straight, the Warriors seem to be playing pretty well. My only concern is that Baron Davis and Jason Richardson won't be complimented well with that crappy Golden State low post.
9. New Jersey Nets (5-4): You think that Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson are enough? They would be if they can get a better interior.
10. Detroit Pistons (5-5): People are saying that this Detroit team isn't the same with out Ben Wallace, and I gotta tell you, I can see that difference as well.
11. Orlando Magic (7-3): Dwight Howard is really coming into his own this year, is he not?
12. Miami Heat (4-5): They'll be higher in the rankings later this year, but for the time being, I want to say that It's gonna be interesting to see how the Heat do this year, having to deal with the possibility of a scary Cleveland team in the neighborhood. Dywane Wade is playing just like the All-Star he's always been. The key problem is Shaq. What can he do to help them by sitting on the bench wearing a suite? Maybe the new balls have gotten to his head.
13. Sacramento Kings (5-3): The emergence of Kevin Martin this year adds another dimension to this already potent and loaded Kings team.
14. Houston Rockets (6-4): Yao Ming and T-Mac should be enough for a Rocket playoff berth this year.
15. Denver Nuggets (4-4): Without Kenyon Martin the Nuggets just won't be the same.
16. Indiana Pacers (5-5): They get rid of Ron Artest because he's a thug, and then Stephen Jackson restores order in Indy by getting arrested. Early season distractions lead to late season collapses. Not good for the Pacers.
17. Washington Wizards (4-5): Beating Cleveland is a great moral booster for these guys. With Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler playing well the Wizards will be a team to look out for later in the year.
18. Phoenix Suns (3-6): If Amare Stoudemire continues to get better from his injury, look out for Phoenix. They'll be in the mix the whole year.
19. Philadelphia 76ers (4-5): Allen Iverson needs more help than Chris Webber if they are to be any good at all this season.
20. Boston Celtics (4-6): They're not gonna do much this year. Paul Pierce needs a better supporting cast around him.
21. Portland Trail Blazers (5-6): With the Jazz on auto pilot the division, and an eight seed seems like a long ways off for these "Jail Blazers".
22. Atlanta Hawks (4-4): They may not appear to be any good, but Joe Johnson is playing as well as anybody in the league.
23. Chicago Bulls (3-6): That 3 game skid sucks, but I expect a better Chicago team this year that will make some serious noise overall. But right now, they're playing pretty bad. Good thing It's a long season, eh?
24. New York Knicks (4-7): Looks like they'll crack the 20 win barrier.
25. Milwaukee Bucks (3-7): Michael Redd's 57 point game was pretty amazing. His scoring average is over 30 points a game.
26. Seattle Sonics (4-7): I don't see the Ray Allen/Rashard Lewis combo leading them to the playoffs.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-6): Either Kevin Garnett gets help or you let him get a better team, not doing anything to help KG is selfish.
28. Charlotte Bobcats (2-7): They may suck, but you gotta like Adam Morrision's early season success.
29. Toronto Raptors (2-7): They suck.
30. Memphis Grizzlies (1-8): Rudy Gay may look good, but they clearly need Pau Gasol back.
2. San Antonio Spurs (7-2): They are playing well, and with an early season win @ Dallas, you know they're feeling good.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-3): With Lebron playing like a true phenom, the Cavs seem to have a good shot at taking the East with a deflated Pistons team, and a Heat team that could suffer from post-championship syndrome (PCS).
4. Los Angeles Clippers (6-2): They're ready for another post season run, only this time knowing what to expect.
5. Dallas Mavericks (5-4): After that abysmal 0-4 start, they've won 5 in a row, and seem to be ready to be playing some basketball. Dirk and co. look to be once again an elite team of the NBA.
6. New Orleans Hornets (7-3): Maybe with an improved Chris Paul, New Orleans can be a mini threat in the west.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (6-3): They're winning, but with Kobe as their Czar, I'm not sure much noise will come out of the Laker-Section of L.A. this year. L.A. will turn into a Clipper town. You watch, it will.
8. Golden State Warriors (7-3): Also winners of 5 straight, the Warriors seem to be playing pretty well. My only concern is that Baron Davis and Jason Richardson won't be complimented well with that crappy Golden State low post.
9. New Jersey Nets (5-4): You think that Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson are enough? They would be if they can get a better interior.
10. Detroit Pistons (5-5): People are saying that this Detroit team isn't the same with out Ben Wallace, and I gotta tell you, I can see that difference as well.
11. Orlando Magic (7-3): Dwight Howard is really coming into his own this year, is he not?
12. Miami Heat (4-5): They'll be higher in the rankings later this year, but for the time being, I want to say that It's gonna be interesting to see how the Heat do this year, having to deal with the possibility of a scary Cleveland team in the neighborhood. Dywane Wade is playing just like the All-Star he's always been. The key problem is Shaq. What can he do to help them by sitting on the bench wearing a suite? Maybe the new balls have gotten to his head.
13. Sacramento Kings (5-3): The emergence of Kevin Martin this year adds another dimension to this already potent and loaded Kings team.
14. Houston Rockets (6-4): Yao Ming and T-Mac should be enough for a Rocket playoff berth this year.
15. Denver Nuggets (4-4): Without Kenyon Martin the Nuggets just won't be the same.
16. Indiana Pacers (5-5): They get rid of Ron Artest because he's a thug, and then Stephen Jackson restores order in Indy by getting arrested. Early season distractions lead to late season collapses. Not good for the Pacers.
17. Washington Wizards (4-5): Beating Cleveland is a great moral booster for these guys. With Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler playing well the Wizards will be a team to look out for later in the year.
18. Phoenix Suns (3-6): If Amare Stoudemire continues to get better from his injury, look out for Phoenix. They'll be in the mix the whole year.
19. Philadelphia 76ers (4-5): Allen Iverson needs more help than Chris Webber if they are to be any good at all this season.
20. Boston Celtics (4-6): They're not gonna do much this year. Paul Pierce needs a better supporting cast around him.
21. Portland Trail Blazers (5-6): With the Jazz on auto pilot the division, and an eight seed seems like a long ways off for these "Jail Blazers".
22. Atlanta Hawks (4-4): They may not appear to be any good, but Joe Johnson is playing as well as anybody in the league.
23. Chicago Bulls (3-6): That 3 game skid sucks, but I expect a better Chicago team this year that will make some serious noise overall. But right now, they're playing pretty bad. Good thing It's a long season, eh?
24. New York Knicks (4-7): Looks like they'll crack the 20 win barrier.
25. Milwaukee Bucks (3-7): Michael Redd's 57 point game was pretty amazing. His scoring average is over 30 points a game.
26. Seattle Sonics (4-7): I don't see the Ray Allen/Rashard Lewis combo leading them to the playoffs.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-6): Either Kevin Garnett gets help or you let him get a better team, not doing anything to help KG is selfish.
28. Charlotte Bobcats (2-7): They may suck, but you gotta like Adam Morrision's early season success.
29. Toronto Raptors (2-7): They suck.
30. Memphis Grizzlies (1-8): Rudy Gay may look good, but they clearly need Pau Gasol back.
posted by Ben Parker at 10:47 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home