The demise of the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers has been greatly
exaggerated. The Champs have won eight in a row – including a 99-83
pounding of the San Antonio Spurs. It was a game in which the Lakers held a 30-plus point
lead.
The defending Champs are the top team in my NBA Power Rankings for this week – here
are the rest.
2. Chicago Bulls – The Bulls are winners of four straight and looking to
wrestle the top spot in the East from the Celtics.
3. Boston Celtics – If the C’s lose the top spot, expect the skeptics to
really surface regarding the Perkins trade.
4. San Antonio Spurs – Trying to understand what happened to this team
between Friday and Sunday of last week.
5. Dallas Mavericks – The Mavs have won 8 of 10, that hiccup in New Orleans
won’t hurt them too much.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder – The Thunder’s week included road wins in Atlanta
and Philly although they let one get away against the Grizzlies.
7. Orlando Magic – Stan van Gundy should be expecting a hefty fine from
David Stern for speaking ill of his “minions”.
8. Denver Nuggets – The Nuggets are playing good ball and have rewarded
George Karl with an extension.
9. Miami Heat – I won’t drop the Heat too far down, they’ve been through
enough this week.
10. Portland Trailblazers – Winners of four straight the Blazers have the
fifth seed well in their sights.
11. New York Knicks – Huge victories over the Hawks and Grizzlies – good
thing the Cleveland Cavaliers are out of the playoff race.
12. Memphis Grizzlies – The Grizzlies have to be wary of a Suns team that
is looking to overtake them for the eighth and final spot.
13. Philadelphia 76’ers – The Sixers gutted out tough wins over the
Timberwolves and Warriors and nearly knocked off the Thunder last night.
14. New Orleans Hornets – Victories over the Grizzlies and Mavs have given
the Monty Williams crew some life.
15. Atlanta Hawks – The Hawks are going to give up that 5th seed without a
fight – for real!
16. Phoenix Suns – A small part of me is pulling for the Suns to make it
in.
17. Houston Rockets – Hard to believe that the Rockets are only three games
out of the eighth seed.
18. Utah Jazz – They may turn it around sooner than we think.
19. Golden State Warriors – Montae Ellis is superhuman, the best performance
by a visiting player I’ve seen in person this season.
20. Los Angeles Clippers – The Clippers took out the Nuggets, Hornets and
Celtics this week and are on a four-game winning streak.
21. Indiana Pacers
22. Charlotte Bobcats
23. Milwaukee Bucks
24. Detroit Pistons
25. New Jersey Nets
26. Minnesota Timberwolves
27.Toronto Raptors
28. Sacramento Kings
29. Washington Wizards
30. Cleveland Cavaliers
Glad to see the team with the best record in the NBA is ranked 4th. Not to mention they play in a much tougher Western conference than the Bulls and Celtics.
Not doubting the Spurs, they had a poor showing against the Lakers, yeah they thumped the Heat but what happened on Sunday left us all scratching our heads. The good news is Tony Parker is back and I’m sure they’ll be playing in the WC Finals at worst.