NBA Power Rankings Week 5: Bulls #1, Heat Fall, Sixers Continue To Rise
Here are this weeks Power Rankings: Enjoy!
(+/-) 1. Chicago Bulls (14-3): They got spanked in Memphis, but they backed it up with 2 dominating performances against the Suns and Cavaliers. Derrick Rose is scoring more points now and has increased his scoring average by 2. Rip Hamilton’s 12 points per game is 4th on the team behind Boozer, Deng, and Rose. It’s looking like Hamilton is finding his role quite nicely, and the Bulls are benefiting from it.
(+/-) 2. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-3): They’ve signed Westbrook to a 5 year $80M extension. Looks like all that jabber about Durant and Westbrook not getting along isn’t too much of a concern for the front office.
(+5) 3. Orlando Magic (11-4): The teams that are on Dwight Howard’s list of possible destinations are teams that he is presently beating in an Orlando Magic uniform.I don’t see why he wants out right now.
(+2) 4. Philadelphia 76ers (11-4): They absolutely spanked the Hawks last night, and now they play they Heat tonight. Doug Collins has his young athletic squad playing basketball the right way. They defend well, and their total point differentiation is #1 in the NBA at +13.6. Look out, Philly is dangerous. Also, have you noticed that the talks about Andre Iguodala getting dealt have really subsided?
(+2) 5. Indiana Pacers (10-4): I like them for the same reasons I like the Sixers: they are young, athletic, and talented. Don’t look now, but there is a soon-to-be changing of the guard in the East, and the Pacers are one of those teams that will soon be in the mix for an Eastern Conference title.
(+4) 6. Atlanta Hawks (11-5): They have beaten Miami and Chicago this year, and are looking like a team that will give them problems. It’s too bad Horford is out.
(+4) 7. Denver Nuggets (11-5): They are on a nice 3 game winning streak. They scorched the Heat before being beaten by the Jazz. I don’t expect the Nuggets to go very far, but for the time being I gotta say I’m impressed.
(-5) 8. Miami Heat (10-4): They really don’t have the aura of invincibility around them like they’d like. They had a bad road trip against the Warriors, Clippers, and Nuggets. Plus they nearly lost to the Bobcats and Timberwolves (on the road). They may be a tough team to beat in South Beach as the Lakers found out, but on the road, they are sure beatable.
(-4) 9. San Antonio Spurs (10-6): Don’t expect them to have as impressive of a regular season this year, but expect them to be more dangerous in the playoffs. They do have a nice blend of youth and veterans. They’ll be interesting to see in a couple of months, when they have those young guns more in the groove.
(+3) 10. Utah Jazz (9-5): They are looking good at home so far. They had a tough loss in SLC against the Mavs, but overall they are looking like a team that should be really good if they get their road record up. Another advantage Utah has, especially in this condensed season, is their deep bench. They have a whole bunch of guys who can come off the bench and contribute. Millsap and Jefferson are the anchors of that team, but the bench provides the spark.
(-7) 11. Los Angeles Lakers (10-7): They are still trying to adjust to Mike Brown, and so you gotta give them some time. But having a couple of games where they couldn’t score in the 80′s is concerning. They gotta get Bynum and Gasol more involved.
(+6) 12. Memphis Grizzlies (8-6): They’ve won 5 games in a row and are really playing good team basketball. They crushed the Bulls, and played the Thunder to within 5 points before they went on their 5 game streak. They really know how to step up their game when a player goes down. I’m scared to see what this team does when/if they get to full strength.
(-3) 13. Portland Trailblazers (9-6): They looked great at the start of the season, and I still like them to be competitive, but losses to Houston and Phoenix are a bit concerning. Plus, the Spurs spanked them. It looks like they may not be as good as I initially thought, but they still are very deep.
(-1) 14. Los Angeles Clippers (8-5): The loss of Chris Paul for these past few games is hurting them, and I really won’t know where to put them until they have him for an extended period of time playing healthy. But I expect them to be good, and make some noise in the playoffs.
(-1) 15. Dallas Mavericks (9-7): BIg win for them in Utah. They got a quality road win against a tough home team. They need to start getting more of those type of results.
(+7) 16. Houston Rockets (8-7): The return of Courtney Lee should give this Rockets team a “boost”.
(+2) 17. Minnesota Timberwolves (7-8): Big win for these guys in LA last night. Kevin Love hit the game winning 3 pointer, and Rubio hit a clutch 3 late as well. But what was impressive was their ability to keep fighting in that game. They are allowing an average of 15 fewer points per game this season, and that’s a big reason they are much more successful. They are playing much better defense.
(-1) 18. Cleveland Cavaliers (6-9): Kyrie Irving is coming into his own and he is looking like the right guy to pick #1 overall.
(+1) 19. Phoenix Suns (6-9): Rumors of Nash being traded are going to be heard all season.
(+1) 20. Milwaukee Bucks (5-9): Did you see that steal that Brandon Jennings got in Madison Square Garden? That was hilarious!!!
(-5) 21. New York Knicks (6-9): They really have a lot of issues, and the problem is that everybody in NYC expects those problems to dissappear or be masked by their talented roster. Note: If Baron Davis is supposed to be the guy that saves your season, you really aren’t going anywhere.
(-6) 22. Boston Celtics (5-9): Danny Ainge suggested they blow up the team. I think you know that isn’t a good sign.
(+2) 23. Sacramento Kings (6-10): Maybe firing Westphal is working. Eh, maybe. I do like Keith Smart.
(+/-) 24. Golden State Warriors (5-10): They really aren’t as good as they were hyping themselves to be. That win against the Heat seems to be more of an abiration than a sign of things to come.
(+1) 25. New Jersey Nets (4-11): Deron Williams is on the market, and once again, this team looks very stupid.
(-4) 26. Toronto Raptors (4-12): They have lost 7 in a row. Things are starting to unravel north of the border.
(+2) 27. Charlotte Bobcats (3-12): So much for those hard fought losses. They’ve really seemed to have let the air out of the balloon.
(+/-) 28. Detroit Pistons (3-13): Brandon Knight is playing great, and they really seem to have their future PG.
(-2) 29. New Orleans Hornets (3-12): They seeem deflated without CP3. They miss him.
(+/-) 30. Washington Wizards (2-13): How in hell’s name did they beat the Thunder? Would somebody please explain that to me?!?!
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