NBA Power Rankings

By E. Spencer Kyte
Love of Sports Correspondent

So now that we’ve had these bad boys up on three different times over the first three weeks of the season, let’s make some things official.

Every Thursday, come rain or shine, you’re going to be able to find my take on the Association here on The Love of Sports.

One thing that will change constantly is the comments and points you find for each of the teams throughout the league. Some weeks will contain brilliant analysis and commentary by yours truly and other weeks will contain the strange and the ridiculous – like this week.

Instead of breaking down why the Celtics continue to reign supreme at the top of the charts or why “The Team Formerly Known as the Seattle Sonics” remains in the cellar, I’m going to break down my all-time favourite player from each team.

Think of it as a way for you to get to know a little more about me. Feel free to send your suggestions.

Boston Celtics (14-2)
“The Truth” Paul Pierce
All the guy has done is play his ass off every night since being drafted, except for those few games at the end of the 2006-2007 season when he sat out with an “injury” in an effort to secure Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. The fact that Pierce went 10th overall in the 1998 NBA Draft still amazes me, namely because the Sixers thought more highly of Larry Hughes.

Los Angeles Lakers (12-1)
Earvin “Magic” Johnson
Magic was brilliant. He did things you couldn’t believe on a nightly basis, was an outstanding ambassador of the game and was the consummate team guy, making everyone around a better player, even Kurt Rambis.

Cleveland Cavaliers (12-3)
Mark Price
Remember how Jordan and the Bulls couldn’t get passed Isiah and the Pistons? Well, Price and the Cavs couldn’t get passed Jordan and the Bulls. Price was one of the best shooters in the game during his twelve seasons and seeing a six-foot white guy succeed gave me hope. Then I maxed out at 5’10”.

Denver Nuggets (10-5)
Kiki Vandeweghe
When a guy can be widely known as a poor defender and bad rebounder, have one move and still average three ticks shy of 20 over 13 seasons in the show, he gets my love.

Phoenix Suns (11-5)
Steve Nash
This one is easy and not just because Nash and I are both Canadian. I like point guards and Steve Nash is one of the best. Seeing some of the things he comes up with on the court makes me scratch my head. I just hope he gets a chance to get a ring.

Utah Jazz (10-6)
Deron Williams
This one is sort of hard because I pretty much ignored everyone associated with the team during the Karl Malone years because of the utter hatred I possess for Karl Malone. That leaves only the last few years for me to find someone. D-Will has a nice game. We’ll go with him.

Houston Rockets (10-6)
Sam Cassell
I’m talking early career Sam I Am, not like the experiment that went wrong in Boston Sam I Am. He looked like an alien, talked non-stop and was a valuable contributor to championship calibre teams from his first day in the league.

Orlando Magic (11-4)
Bo Outlaw
Do you know what I like more than point guards? Blue-collar dudes who have no real business being in the NBA, especially when they wear glasses like Bo did. Reggie Evans owes Bo Outlaw his career earnings because without Bo, there would never have been a Reggie.

Detroit Pistons (9-5)
Fennis Dembo
I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out. You know when teams get to that elite level and therefore never end up drafting anyone of real significance? That was Fennis Dembo and it meant that the Pistons (whom I grew up loving) were perennial contenders.

Atlanta Hawks (9-5)
Josh Smith
Homeboy does everything – literally everything – on the court and will only keep getting better.

Portland Trail Blazers (10-6)
Sam Bowie
Why? Because it meant that Michael Jordan didn’t get hidden away in the Pacific Northwest where no one would ever hear of him.

San Antonio Spurs (8-6)
Sean Elliot
He would have been the face of the franchise, except he came into the league at exactly the same time as David Robinson, becoming The Admiral’s first mate. The comeback only solidified things for me.

New Orleans Hornets (8-5)
Larry Johnson
LJ was bad. You couldn’t move him off the block, he had a bunch of moves down there, and if you left him open, he’d knock down the jimmy every time. Too bad his bad back limited what could have been an even more impressive career.

Dallas Mavericks (7-7)
Jason Kidd
Easily my favourite player of all-time, I have a Jason Kidd jersey or two hanging in my closet. Like I said before, I love point guards and Kidd has been the best all-around point guard of my generation.

Miami Heat (7-8)
Dwyane Wade
Sick. Just sick.

Toronto Raptors (7-7)
Chris Bosh
I’ve watched the Raptors since their inception and no player comes close to being as good as Chris Bosh. Vince was incredible, but he threw this team under the bus ... and Bosh has been there to pick them back up.

Philadelphia 76ers (7-8)
Julius Erving
There can be no one else except Dr. J. No other answers are acceptable.

Chicago Bulls (7-9)
Michael Jordan
Same rules as Dr. J apply to M.J. And anyone who says, “you know, Mike was nice but I always liked Scottie Pippen more” is a liar, flat out.

New York Knicks (7-8)
John Starks
While most people remember his NBA Finals brick-fest in infamy, I remember to the day when I came to love John Starks. When you’re not afraid to keep firing despite having one of the worst nights in the history of bad nights, you got my respect.

Note: the Knicks will continue to fall in these rankings as they are pretty much tanking it for the next two years in hopes of bringing LeBron to MSG.

New Jersey Nets (6-7)
Kenyon Martin
Not the Kenyon Martin that currently resides in Denver, but the fierce Kenyon Martin who played with a fire and energy that validated his being selected first overall. The dude assaulted backboards and was the perfect compliment to Jason Kidd’s brilliance at the point.

Milwaukee Bucks (7-10)
Ricky Pierce
Best sixth man ever.

Golden State Warriors (5-10)
Run TMC: Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin
Long before Phoenix had the “7 Seconds or Less” approach, Don Nelson unleashed Run TMC and it was awesome. Hardaway was lightning quick, and both Mullin and Rock could knock down shots from anywhere.

Indiana Pacers (6-8)
Mark Jackson
Jack didn’t have the quicks you expect from an NBA point guard. But what he lacked in speed, he made up for in guile and smarts and that little tear drop floater in the lane he perfected over the years.

Charlotte Bobcats (4-10)
Raymond Felton
Only because he went to North Carolina and led the Tar Heels to an NCAA national title. This should have really been my one and only push.

Memphis Grizzlies (4-11)
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Talk about a guy who never gets the love that he deserves. ‘Reef was outstanding during those early years in Vancouver and would have been even better if the Grizz could have surrounded him with some better talent.

Sacramento Kings (5-11)
Vlade Divac
Divac doesn’t ever get enough respect for his skills. He was one of the best passing big men of all-time, could face you up and take you off the dribble and wasn’t ever worried about his numbers. That little no-look, backdoor bounce pass was always a personal favourite.

Minnesota Timberwolves (3-10)
Kevin Garnett
K.G. falls under the Dr. J/Michael Jordan rule.

Washington Wizards (2-10)
Gheorghe Muresan
Have you seen My Giant? Enough said!

Los Angeles Clippers (2-13)
Loy Vaught
You probably don’t remember him, but Vaught was a solid forward during the mid ‘90s, averaging a double-double for some poor Clippers squads.

The Team Formerly Known as the Seattle Sonics (1-15)
Gary Payton
While I’m happy “The Glove” eventually got his ring, my one wish is that he would have gotten it in Seattle. Bouncing around those last few years made you forget just how damn outstanding Payton was tucked away in Seattle.