NBA Power Rankings

Hoops fans gather round the computer. It's time for the second edition of my NBA Power Rankings:

1. Boston Celtics (Last Week's Rank: 1)/Record: 8-1

Despite a lackluster home performance against the Suns, Boston remains dominant. I don't think this team will live up to 'Sheed's 72-win prediction, but there is no doubt that the Celtics are the best team in the league right now.


2. Los Angeles Lakers (LWR: 5)/Record: 7-1

Yup, that's a big jump for the defending champs. Much to my dismay, the Lakers have picked up their energy in recent weeks, and the fact that they are playing so well without Pau Gasol is scary. Last night's blowout victory over the hot Suns was particularly impressive.


3. Phoenix Suns (LWR: 4)/Record: 8-2

Last night's clunker against the Lakers notwithstanding, the Suns are off to a stellar, thoroughly unexpected start. Steve Nash is completely rejuvenated, and the Suns have a chance to be a top five team in the West this season. Last week's road win over the then-undefeated Boston Celtics showed that the Suns, pardon the overused cliche, have still not set.


4. Cleveland Cavaliers (LWR: 10)/Record: 6-3

That is a huge jump for the Cavs, who are finally starting to flex their championship-caliber muscles. No team made a louder statement this week, as the Cavs convincingly completed the Florida sweep on the road at Orlando and Miami. King James continues to play at a superhuman level, but as evidenced by the strong contributions of Mo Williams and J.J. Hickson in yesterday's win over the Heat, he is finally starting to get some help.


5. Atlanta Hawks (LWR: 6)/Record: 6-2

Last week's 25-point dismantling over the Nuggets served as a statement to the rest of the league: Stop dismissing the Hawks. Everyone agrees that the Hawks are not quite at the level of the Big 3 in the East, but this is a fantastic basketball team with some of the best athletes the league has to offer. The addition of Jamal Crawford off the bench has made the Hawks one of the deepest teams in the NBA. Continue to dismiss them if you like, but Atlanta is for real.


6. Denver Nuggets (LWR: 2)/Record: 6-3

That's a four-point drop in the power rankings for George Karl's Nuggets, who looked sloppy in losses to the Heat, Hawks, and Bucks. After a 5-0 start, the Nuggets are 1-3. Still, Carmelo Anthony continues to establish himself as a serious MVP candidate, and the return of J.R. Smith should help the Nuggets right the ship. They have a chance to make a statement tonight at home against the Lakers in the national television spotlight.


7. Dallas Mavericks (LWR: 8)/Record: 5-3

While this team remains somewhat of a mystery, Tuesday's home blowout over the Rockets showed that they are starting to hit their stride. Their recent success is due to Dirk Nowitzki. I've been hard on Dirk in the past, but he is a man on a mission this season.


8. Miami Heat (LWR: 7)/Record: 6-2

Sorry Heat fans, but I am just not sold on this team. Dwayne Wade is, for my money, the second best player in the world, but he can't lead the Heat to the promise land all by his lonesome. Miami's win over the Nuggets was indeed impressive, but watching the Heat lose to the Cavs last night it became evident that this Miami team is a ways away from competing with the elite teams in the East. Still, they are 6-2, so they retain a top ten slot in my power rankings.


9. Orlando Magic (LWR: 3)/Record: 6-3

Okay, maybe I'm being a little harsh. In fact, I'm definitely being too harsh. Are there eight teams in the NBA better than the Magic? Of course not. When all is said and done, Stan Van Gundy's team will be in the championship hunt. But I just want to prove a point. The Magic are coming off a completely lethargic week. Even in their 83-71 win at Charlotte, a game that marked the return of Vince Carter, the Magic played uninspired basketball. This is one of the league's best teams, but here in TJB's Sports Universe, lethargy is not tolerated.


10. Portland Trail Blazers (LWR: 15)/Record: 6-3

Big jump for the Blazers, who have won five of their last six. Right now, everything is going right for Nate McMillan's bunch. Heck, even Greg Oden is playing well, and that is surely a sign of the apocalypse. Okay I'm sorry, I should be focusing on the superb play of the Blazers, but I just couldn't resist taking a Greg Oden cheap shot.


11. Houston Rockets (LWR: 9)/Record: 5-3

They were blown out by the Mavs, perhaps an indication that reality is starting to set in for the depleted Rockets. But Houston is still giving great effort every night, and their game on Sunday against the Lakers will serve as a telling test. Who would have thought that a Rockets team without Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, and Ron Artest would get off to a 5-3 start?


12. San Antonio Spurs (LWR: 12)/Record: 4-3

I still believe that this is a championship-level team, and Wednesday's convincing win over the Mavericks will hopefully get these Spurs going. But I'm still not satisfied with the energy of the Spurs. San Antonio is far better than 4-3. Perhaps Manu Ginobli is still suffering the side effects from swiping that bat on Halloween night. In all seriousness, I am still waiting for Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and company to hit their stride.


13. Milwaukee Bucks (LWR: 22)/Record: 4-2

That's a nine-point leap in the rankings for the Bucks, who continue to be buoyed by the stellar play of rookie sensation Brandon Jennings. Can Jennings and Michael Redd lead the Bucks to the playoffs? One week ago, I would have said hell no, but a playoff birth in the Eastern Conference is now a fathomable possisbility for Scott Skiles' team.


14. Toronto Raptors (LWR: 17)/Record: 4-4

In wins against the Hornets and Bulls, the Raptors showed signs of progress. Andrea Bargnani is finally starting to live up to the hype, and Jay Triano's team is starting to play inspired basketball. Still, a tough week lies ahead for the Raptors, as they have road games against the Suns, Nuggets, and Jazz.


15. Philadelphia 76ers (LWR: 13)/Record: 4-4

The Sixers have talent, but they aren't looking too golden. Their only two wins in the last week have come against the winless Nets, and rumor has it that the Sixers are looking to trade Samuel Dalembert. The Dalembert talks are likely to cause a major distraction, and I expect the Sixers to fade from relevance in the coming weeks.


16. Sacramento Kings (LWR: 28)/Record: 4-4

A 12-spot leap in the rankings for Sacramento? Absolutely. Last week at this time Paul Westphal's Kings were 1-4, looking very much like the cellar-dwelling bunch we all expected them to be. Three wins later, the Kings are playing fantastic basketball. The fact that they are thriving in the absence of their best player (Kevin Martin) is especially surprising, a testament to the leadership that rookie point guard Tyreke Evans is bringing to the table.


17. Chicago Bulls (LWR: 11)/Record: 4-4

The Bulls' 6-spot drop in the rankings is simply a result of the strong streaks of the competition rather than any sort of collapse on the part of Chicago. Still, Vinny Del Negro's team is reeling from the aftermath of Tuesday's heartbreaking loss to the Nuggets. Brad Miller's incredible shot with four-tenths of a second seemed to be a game-winning buzzer-beater, a shot that would have given the Bulls a nice jolt of momentum. But after further review, it was ruled no good, as the ball was still at the tip of Miller's fingers when the buzzer sounded. The Bulls should be fine, but right now the nasty taste of that loss lingers.


18. Oklahoma City Thunder (LWR: 14)/Record: 4-4

Man, is this team fun to watch. The excitement that the Thunder bring to the table has not and probably will not translate into winning consistency this season, but as I said last week, the young nucleus of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green will eventually bring winning basketball to Oklahoma City. It's just a matter of time.


19. Detroit Pistons (LWR: 23)/Record: 4-4

Without the injured Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, John Kuester's Pistons have won three of their last five games. Ben Gordon is a reliable contributor off the bench, and it was a nice week for Detroit. But it's only a matter of time before this team's lack of chemistry comes back to haunt them. I would be shocked if the Pistons fare well on their upcoming road trip, a trip that includes stops in Los Angeles, Portland, Utah, and Phoenix.


20. Indiana Pacers (LWR: 24)/Record: 3-3

I must give credit where credit is due. I have been a frequent critic of Dahntay Jones, a player whom I believe has always been overrated as a defensive stopper. With this being said, however, Jones has been a surprising offensive contributor for the Pacers thus far. Add that to the continued brilliance of Danny Granger, and the Pacers have rebounded nicley after a rocky beginning.


21. Utah Jazz (LWR: 16)/Record: 3-5

The road incompetence of the Jazz continues. Even in a 95-93 win the Jazz looked bad at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks, nearly blowing a twenty-point lead en route to what would have been another embarassing collapse away from home for Jerry Sloan's team. But the performance against the Knicks wasn't nearly as bad as the home loss to the Kings, a game in which the Jazz looked utterly defenseless. If I'm Deron Williams right now, I am not a happy camper.


22. New Orleans Hornets (LWR: 18)/Record: 3-6

As I wrote yesterday, this team's struggles will not be cured by the unfair firing of Byron Scott. The Hornets have major problems that are not likely to be resolved this season. Thus, right now, Chris Paul is in the same boat as Deron Williams. It's unfortunate that the league's two best point guards, and two of the league's best players period, are currently in floundering situations.


23. Los Angeles Clipers (LWR: 26)/Record: 3-6

The Blake Griffin injury has cast a pall over the Clippers 2009 NBA campaign, but there is one positive: the stunning productivity of Chris Kaman. I plead guilty to being a Chris Kaman critic, but their is no denying Kaman's brilliant start to the season. Now if the rest of the Clippers could follow Kaman's lead, maybe they would have something. Maybe.


24. Charlotte Bobcats (LWR: 20)/Record: 3-5

The Bobcats have perhaps one of the worst offenses in NBA history. Four times this year they have scored less than eighty points. Right now, Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown has to be wondering how the hell he landed this job.


25. Washington Wizards (LWR: 21)/Record: 2-6

I thought the Wizards were going to be a very good team this year. I thought the return of Gilbert Arenas was going to make the Wizards a top five team in the East. It is still very early, but these Wizards have made all of my predictions look entirely foolish. I know Antawn Jamison is injured, but my goodness, this team looks a lot like the 19-win team from a year ago. Get it together, Washington!


26. Golden State Warriors (LWR: 19)/Record: 2-5

I am a diehard Warriors fan who lives and dies with every dribble, so you can imagine my dismay at the disturbing amount of dysfunction surrouding this team. As if the Stephen Jackson trade rumors weren't enough of a distraction, Monta Ellis and Don Nelson got into a verbal spat yesterday after practice. More fun in Warriorland.


27. Minnesota Timberwolves (LWR: 25)/Record: 1-8

The one bright spot in the Warriors week? Their 41-point shellacking of the T'Wolves. Kurt Rambis' T'Wolves are high on talent, but woefully short on savvy and experience. Expect this team to go through immense growing pains this season.


28. New York Knicks (LWR: 27)/Record: 1-8

Wow. That's all I have to say. I know the idea of playing in New York is incredibly tempting, but you're telling me that LeBron is going to want to play on a team like this? I really do hope the Knicks start playing better. But right now, there is no denying it: This team is god-awful.


29. Memphis Grizzlies (LWR: 29)/Record: 1-8

The Grizzlies are just the latest team to be scarred by the selfish antics of Allen Iverson. In my opinion, Lionel Hollins' team would be better off if A.I. does not return. It's time to let Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo continue to learn the ropes.


30. New Jersey Nets (LWR: 30)/Record: 0-8

Actually, the Nets are playing with inspired effort, as evidenced by their admirable effort against the Celtics last week. But 0-8 is 0-8. Until they win a game, the Nets will reside in last place in these power rankings.