1. Los Angeles Lakers – The defending champions are ranked number one this season for this NBA fan until they fall flat on their face and don’t make the playoffs or are eliminated in the postseason. They have the best winning percentage up until this point, the best player, quality depth and my favorite head coach.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers – Got off to a rocky start but has since put it together and seem to be firing on all cylinders, going 14-2 since losing back-to-back games at the beginning of Dec. Wins include the Suns, Blazers, Hawks (twice) and the number-one-ranked Lakers. Oh yea, did I mention Lebron is still getting near a triple-double average even with much added quality depth?
3. Boston Celtics – This team could easily jump to the top spot but its age is showing. The good news is the team’s role and bench players have stepped up like starters when called upon. The C’s slowed down as of late but when healthy this team is probably the most dangerous in the league, especially because it boasts the best PPG-to-opponents’ PPG ratio.
4. Orlando Magic – In my opinion, the deepest team in the league. When healthy, the Magic can out-run and gun any team in the league. Along with the Defensive Player of the Year holding down the paint, it’s not easy to score points on a team ranked seventh in the league in points given up.
5. Dallas Mavericks – Whodathunkit? The Mavericks is playing great basketball in the tough West. But it should be noted that there is a significant drop off between teams rated in the top four and the rest of the league right now. Dallas has a great starting lineup and strong contributors off the bench, but every year since they made the finals, it seems as if the team becomes less and less of a real contender, even with added quality players like Shawn Marion. Right now the Mavericks top the “best of the rest category.”
6. Atlanta Hawks – Another team that should beat the teams “below them” and give the contenders a run for their money. This team is moving in the opposite direction of the Mavs, where every year it is expected to be better and accomplish more. Top five in the league in point differential and is capable of both blowing out and locking down teams on a nightly basis.
7. San Antonio Spurs – Coming out of the offseason, this was supposed to be the team that challenged the Lakers for the Western Conference crown. But much like the Cavs, it started off relatively slow, trying to find team chemistry with new addition Richard Jefferson. While San Antonio has seemed to get it together winning 11 out of 14, it has to improve its away record of 6-7 because teams don’t win titles unless they can win on the road. Probably still my favorite to unseat the favorites out West.
8. Denver Nuggets – Starting the season as one of the best teams, the Nuggets recently has become very streaky. First winning streaks of four games at a time but then losing six of the last eight games culminating into an abysmal 8-10 road record, and this team knows if you can’t be successful on the road, you’re not advancing to the NBA Finals. Carmelo Anthony is having one of his most productive seasons in the NBA so far, but the problem is his team as a whole gives up more than 101 PPG, a stat none of the teams ranked above can claim.
9. Phoenix Suns – The most exciting team in the NBA is back! Upsetting title contenders and doing it in style. To go along with the wins against Boston, LAL, Orlando and San Antonio, however, are losses to Memphis, Golden State and New York. The return of the run and gun allows for average-to-mediocre players to have breakout seasons such as Jared Dudley and Channing Frye, so while averaging the most points in the league, the Suns still give up the second most. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I give you the NBA’s version of the gift and a curse.
10. Portland Trail Blazers – The team I like the most, but I wouldn’t call a favorite of mine has had more injuries than most NFL teams. All the while finding a way to win games and come in the top 10 of my power ranking. While these guys don’t score the most points in the league, the Blazers do a great job of stifling other teams’ offense to a tone of 93 PPG, which places them third in the league in points allowed. Brandon Roy has a challenge ahead of him if he wants to lead this banged-up team deeper into the playoffs.
11. Houston Rockets – Quick! Name the starting 5 of the Houston Rockets. 1, 2, 3…GO! Let me give you a hint. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady isn’t included, so now that you’re totally lost, let me tell you about the best team in the league nobody talks about. You must be thinking Houston leads the league in points given up and is worst in the league in points scored. Wrong on both counts. This scrappy young team finds way to outlast teams to the tune of seventh best record out West. Oh yea, to answer your question, it’s Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, Shane Battier, Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Anyone else hear the Kevin Durant MVP chants? Maybe it’s a bit early, but if he leads this team to the playoffs out West, I’m jumping on the bandwagon, especially if he is leading the league in scoring by then, something he is close to doing at 28 PPG (fifth in the NBA). The Thunder has the eighth best record out West and has won six out of the last seven.
13. Miami Heat – With my favorite MVP candidate from last year, Dwayne Wade, leading this team, there’s no way the Heat fall out of the playoff picture in the East. Having the smallest positive-points differential in the league puts this team right above .500 this year. But with most of its January schedule being against non-playoff teams, Miami should maintain its somewhat-winning ways.
14. Utah Jazz – The award for top non-playoff Western Conference team that would easily make it in the East goes to Jerry Sloan’s Jazz. But to be honest, by the time this article is finalized the Jazz could very well be in the last spot, so a team that has great starters at just about every position just needs to find a way to string together more wins in a row, because the team’s current schedule reads nothing but W followed by L over and over again.
15. New Orleans Hornets – After firing head coach Byron Russell for a bad start to a season that held high expectations, the Hornets found a way to turn it around with a now healthy Chris Paul, and have won more games than lossed in the month of Dec. The remedy? Home cooking. The Hornets boast the best home record of all non-playoff teams at 13-3.
16. Memphis Grizzlies – The Grizzlies started the month of Nov. with seven consecutive losses, six of which were on the road. The team has since found its niche and have won 15 of its last 23 games when the road trip ended. With two very productive big men, Raul Gasol and Zach Randolph, doing work down low, the Memphis is on pace to do something it hasn’t in years: finish the season with more wins than losses.
17. Toronto Raptors – With a few new additions to the rotation, the Raptors found themselves trying to figure out the chemistry needed to be one of the top teams. Luckily, the Eastern Conference gives you the opportunity to fail and still be postseason contenders. Winning six of the last seven, the Raptors may have finally become ready to earn a playoff birth.
18. Los Angeles Clippers – This L.A. team has been one with lots of talent but not enough direction. So far this season, the ‘other team’ is playing well enough to be in the postseason in the East, but as usual, isn’t good enough to be top 10 in its own conference. The good news is that Blake Griffin will make his pro debut in little more than a month, so if the Clippers can keep it together and stay healthy, this team could surprise.
19. Chicago Bulls – Everyone say it with me, DISSS-AAA-PPOINTMENT! So a team that at one point in the season lost 15 of 21 is the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference? Just about everyone has called for the head of coach Vinny Del Negro, but there has been no change as of yet. This team’s offense without Ben Gordon has essentially been, “Derrick Rose: choose option A or B.” Option A: pass to an open player who will then go on to miss their shot, or Option B: dribble until you convince yourself that no one else is making a shot, so I might as well drive the lane.
20. Charlotte Bobcats – Followed behind the Bulls with the worst record for a team seeded in the playoffs, I present your Charlotte Bobcats! The team that probably leads the league in most close losses needs to find a way to execute, or one of the handful of terrible teams below will unseat Charlotte for the chance to be destroyed by one of the big three out East come playoff time.
21. Sacramento Kings – “This is just what I think, but mark my works, Kings grab a spot, surprise the NBA.” That quote comes from one of our dear NBAwire.com members via the message board. But after stringing together a couple four game winning streaks, Sacramento has come back down to Earth because it has followed those streaks with four consecutive losses. I wouldn’t count this team out just yet, though. Injuries have plagued the Kings this season but I still don’t think it’s probable. On the bright side, Tyreke Evans may be this year’s Rookie of the Year.
22. Milwaukee Bucks – Another team to jump out the gun really hot with injuries, has cooled off as of late. On a positive note, because every team not a fifth seed or higher enjoys failing in bunches, the Bucks can still find a way to become a playoff team. With a couple more 55 point games by Rookie of the Year favorite Brandon Jennings, fans of Milwaukee may have something to hang their hats on for once in a long time.
23. New York Knicks – The Knickerbockers went from the most consistent losers to inconsistent winners, which could be considered progress, couldn’t it? At times, New York seems like a team that you’re excited to see if a top notch free agent will sign to this off-season. Other times, you don’t think anyone will want to. Coming out of a winning Dec., this team might actually make a push for the playoffs, something that will make all fans proud.
24. Detroit Pistons – For the good folks of Detroit, it seems like it’s been a long time since Detroit was winning championships and upsetting dynasties. If there’s one team that still hasn’t found its chemistry from adding two “big” free agents in the off-season, it’s this year’s Pistons. The only bright side this season has been two, three and five-game winning streaks, but they’ve been mixed in between two, seven and nine-game losing streaks. With the amount of money spent on new additions, this team needs to see an immediate turnaround because the city of Detroit may not be satisfied with a lottery pick.
25. Washington Wizards – Washington is much like many other teams in the league with loads of talent but too much on one side of the ball, whether it be offense or defense. Unfortunately, the Wizards seem to lack both. For a team filled with highly-priced contracts, Washington is top 10 in worst point differential and has yet to put together more than two wins in a row. Oh yeah, did I mention Gilbert Arenas could be on his way out, due to an ignorance-related gun charge? This team could be on its way to being divvied up to the highest bidder.
26. Indiana Pacers – After starting the season 5-3, there hasn’t been much to celebrate in Indiana this season. Not to mention Danny Granger has been injury prone all year long. Since Indiana’s win/loss record was on the right side of .500, the team has lost 20 of its last 26. Without making much of a splash in free agency the last few seasons and most of its rookies not panning out, it could be another long season ranked below the top 25.
27. Philadelphia 76ers – Coming off of last season’s near upset of the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic in the postseason, this year’s 76ers team has probably witnessed the biggest fall from grace of any team in the NBA. The return of The Answer has only provided more questions for this franchise and solidified any uncertainties. Philly has suffered a few setbacks in injuries to promising talents Louis Williams and Mareese Speights. The good news is we get to see the infamous “Practice press conference” over and over.
28. Golden State Warriors – The Warriors enter this season with modest expectations after seeing some of its potential become key contributors to last season’s team. Unfortunately, Golden State hasn’t been able to maintain a steady lineup and is giving up 112 PPG, way too much even for a team that scores as much as the Warriors. Essentially, this team is the losing version of the Phoenix Suns. The difference is the Warriors don’t have any leadership, and the front office seems content with being exciting instead of winners.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves – This team came into the season with injuries to key players and incapable of bringing in one of its top draft picks (Ricky Rubio) in to even play. With that said, Minnesota didn’t have high expectations for this season and seems like a team on a mission for another lottery pick. The T-Wolves began the season losing all but one game in the month of Nov. and still haven’t won more than two games in a row all season. Maybe the Wolves will grab the top pick next year and draft point guard John Wall from Kentucky to add to its already full collection of point guards.
30. New Jersey Nets – An injury to the Nets’ best player to begin the season set the tone for this to to start the season with a worst-in-NBA-history 0-18 record. Since then, the Nets fired head coach Lawrence Frank and had Devin Harris return to the lineup, only to earn three victories in Dec. As for putting a productive team on the court, the Nets as an organization seem to have given up on that, looking instead to advertise the teams playing in New Jersey that night as well as promote minority owner Jay-Z’s other business ventures by marketing his musical tour that will visit the arena. The Nets’ executives must see this as the only way to turn a profit, as this team is has the worst scoring and point differential in the league.
Enjoy the rest of the season!
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