NBA Power Rankings

By E. Spencer Kyte
Love of Sports Correspondent

We went easy for the inaugural round of NBA Power Rankings here at The Love of Sports for a couple reasons:

1. I can be exceptionally lazy at times.
2. Since it was early in the season, trying to rank all the 4-3 and 3-4 teams would have just come down to which team I like better and that’s not how I like to do things.

So as we head into the second instalment of said rankings, the verbose Top Ten that appeared last week will remain, but it will also be joined by a breakdown of the remaining 20 teams that make up “The Benchwarmers,” because the days of being lazy are done ... at least for this week.

On with the show ...

NBA Power Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (11-2)

The champs are still top of the charts thanks to a Paul Pierce dagger against Atlanta and Kevin Garnett displaying vintage Kevin Garnett fire by slapping Andrew Bogut around. Oh yeah, it doesn’t hurt that they beat the bejesus out of the Pistons Thursday night either.

2. Los Angeles Lakers (10-1)

I told you last week to get used to seeing these two teams holding down the top two spots in these rankings for a long time and I wasn’t kidding. While it doesn’t hurt that much of the competition has been dealing with injuries while the Lakers are a picture of health, the fact remains that this team is getting contributions from top to bottom and Kobe Bryant is still Kobe Bryant.

3. Detroit Pistons (8-4)

While both teams have benefitted from the AI / Billups Deal, Detroit still has the defensive tenacity they’ve been known for over the last bunch of years and a guy who can drop 25 with regularity. Even a loss at the hands of the champs Thursday night doesn’t dampen my belief in Deeeeeeeeetroit Bas-ket-ball!

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-3)

Is there any doubt that LeBron James is the most complete player in the league? Honestly? Everyone raved about his 30/7/7 season last year. So far this season – 29.5/7.8/6.9 with 2 steals per to boot. All hail King James.

5. Phoenix Suns (8-5)

The sight of the Suns getting into a shoving match with the Rockets a few nights back was all the proof I needed that Terry Porter has made a difference with this team. Two years ago, when Robert Horry levelled Steve Nash in the Playoffs, everyone huddled up and jawed, but nothing really happened. Now we’ve got Shaq launching bodies around. Porter has instilled the toughness this team was missing during the 7 Seconds or Less era.

6. Orlando Magic (8-3)

If this were Around the Horn, I’d be selling the Orlando Magic legitimate contenders. The record is nice, they’ve got some real nice pieces, but Dwight Howard is Shaquille O’Neal Version 2.0, right down to the bricks at the free throw line and any team that starts JJ Redick – even if only for one game – can’t be expected to win anything… just like Redick never did at Duke.

7. Denver Nuggets (8-4)

Just as AI has provided Detroit with a much needed element, Chauncey Billups has brought stability and defensive intensity to the Denver Nuggets who have gone 7-1 since the arrival of Mr. Big Shot.

8. Portland Trail Blazers (7-5)

This one is more about what the future holds as it is about present play, although the Blazers smashed the Bulls Wednesday night. Greg Oden is back and has put up back-to-back double-doubles off the bench. Once he gets fully healthy, these youngsters will be lethal. You heard me, lethal.

9. Utah Jazz (8-4)

Remember how excited I was about the Jazz’s play without Deron Williams? Well, they’re still playing without Deron Williams and despite two straight wins they’ve lost Carlos Boozer to a quad strain. That being said, it’s pretty nice being able to just grab AK-47 off the bench…

10. Atlanta Hawks (7-4)

The glass slipper fell off of Cinderella’s foot a couple games. Just when I was ready to give the Hawks a little respect for hanging with The Champs before being ended by The Truth’s aforementioned dagger, they dropped three more after that including two in as many nights to the Nets.

That does it for the Top Ten, so now we turn our attention to “The Benchwarmers.”

11. Toronto Raptors (6-5)

Make up your expletive deleted minds already Raptors! Yes Jose Calderon missed a couple games and a big ol’ spotlight was cast on the Rapotrs glaring weakness at the point was seen in his absence. That being said, Chris Bosh is playing out of his mind right now and his efforts cannot remain in vain half of the time. Everyone around CB4 needs to follow his lead and bring it every night.

12. Houston Rockets (7-5)

Is anyone surprised that Yao is hurt?

13. New York Knicks (6-5)

If nothing else, the Knicks are fun to watch again. How the arrival of Mike D’Antoni has produced a career resurgence from lifetime lazy man Zach Randolph is beyond me, but dude is good for a double-double a night right now and for the first time in years the Knicks are relevant, so you won’t hear me complaining.

14. Miami Heat (6-6)

The Class of 2003 is Top Three in MVP voting right now and as incredible as LeBron is playing right now, I just might have to give the award to Dwyane Wade and his 28/5/8/2/2 averages. The Heat are the Portland Trail Blazers from last year; they might not make the playoffs, but they’re going to be that team no one wants to play all year long.

15. New Orleans Hornets (5-5)

You can’t fault my Pre-Season MVP for his team’s lack of success. CP3 is having a terrific start to the season averaging 20 & 10 with three picks per, but he’s not getting any help from the rest of the Hornets. Until David West, Peja and Tyson Chandler start stepping up their game, the Hornets will remain in the middle of the pack.

16. Golden State Warriors (5-6)

Who in the hell does Anthony Morrow think he is? Dropping 37 in his first career start and following it up with 25 the very next game. One more thing: Andris Biedrins is an All-Star this year, no doubt about it. Dude is playing out of this world.

17. Indiana Pacers (5-5)

Speaking of guys who will make their All-Star debut this season, I’d like you to meet Danny Granger. The former Lobo does everything for the Pacers and does it balls to the wall every minute of the game, as evident by his tooth-breaking face dive for a loose ball earlier in the year. I`d argue that ten teams would rather have Granger than the guy (or guys in the cases of Toronto and Charlotte) they drafted ahead of him in 2005. Fran Vazquez? Yaroslav Korolev? Ike Diogu? Joey Graham?

18. San Antonio Spurs (5-6)

They’re treading water with both Manu and Mr. Longoria on the injured list and getting the usual Spur-like contributions from unsung guys like Roger Mason and George Hill. Riddle me this: once the aforementioned foreign backcourt recuperates and the Spurs do their usual second half thing, would you like to face them in the playoffs? Uh… no.

19. Philadelphia 76ers (5-6)

Many people’s “Sleeper Pick” in the East need to have themselves a team meeting and get a few things straight. The fact that Thaddeus Young leads this team in scoring does a perfect job of explaining what is wrong in Philly right now.

20. Dallas Mavericks (5-7)

In the span of one off season, Jason Kidd got really old. Last year, he threatened to average a triple double, ending the season a couple rebounds a game away from Oscarville. This season, Kidd isn’t even averaging a single double. D’you know who would look good at the point in Dallas right now? Devin Harris.

21. New Jersey Nets (4-6)

How’s that for a transition uh?  The Nets – my Nets – aren’t playoff contenders this season and they’ll willingly sell Vince Carter to whoever will give them 43 cents on the dollar. But Harris is a future All-Star and Brook Lopez might one day make more than just the Lindsay Hunter All-Stars…

22. Chicago Bulls (5-7)

So far, I really like my prediction of Derrick Rose for Rookie of the Year. He’s only going to get better as the year goes on and that bodes well for the Bulls. Now if they could just do something about Drew Gooden ... the man frightens little children!

23. Milwaukee Bucks (5-8)

Just a couple seasons ago the Bucks looked like up and comers in the Eastern Conference. Now, they’re right back where they’ve been for the better part of the last ten years, a couple notches above the basement but nowhere near good enough to contend for a title. Maybe Bill Simmons should get a chance to be the Bucks GM…

24. Sacramento Kings (5-8)

Imagine how bad things would be in Sacto if John Salmon’s hadn’t kyboshed the contract he signed with Toronto and gone to the Kings?

25. Memphis Grizzlies (4-7)

If I’m Rudy Gay, I demand a trade. Honestly. The guy deserves better than to become second banana to a rookie who loves his own shot more than anything in the world. Sure they’re both averaging 20 a game, but that has more to do with Mayo’s hit and miss stroke than it does his spreading the ball around.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-8)

Through 10 games, eight players have started at least two games for the Timberwolves. You can’t develop chemistry and continuity when you’re constantly juggling your lineup. Pick a rotation and roll with it.

27. Charlotte Bobcats (3-7)

Remember my comments about Danny Granger? Over the time that Granger has spent developing into an All-Star in Indiana, Sean May has played 63 games. I think that says it all.

28. Los Angeles Clippers (2-8)

Excluding their win over the team formerly from Seattle, the Clippers are 1-8. One and eight. How is that possible? How are they still this bad? I could have sworn they fired Elgin Baylor. Baron Davis came to town, right? Camby? The Caveman? Al Thornton? How are they this bad?

29. Washington (1-8)

If there was ever a case for a team that needs to just start their five best players ever night regardless of their position, it’s Washington. Here’s what it would look like if I was running things in DC: Caron Butler at PG, Nick Young at SG, Jamison at SF, JaVale McGee at PF and Blatche in the middle. Leave DeShawn Stevenson and his 37% shooting on the bench, get some energy minutes from Etan Thomas, spell Butler with Antonio Daniels and see what happens. You’re 1-8, why not roll the dice?

30. The Basketball Team Formerly Known as the Seattle Sonics (1-11)

I believe in karma and feel sorry for the players of this team as this season is going to be one big karmic kick in the junk to owner Clay Bennett for pulling a Midnight Run on Seattle. That being said, I’m positive that North Carolina could beat these guys, probably even without Tyler Hansborough. They might end up with the worst record in NBA history. It’s 9-73 by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers for those of you wondering. They’re on pace right now…

(For more of Kyte’s work, go to http://spencerkyte.blogspot.com)