Week 5 Exclusive Power Rankings
1. Detroit Pistons – The Pistons showed former coach Larry Brown how to play the right way in person.
2. San Antonio Spurs – Tim Duncan has now totally shot my week 2 theory that he’s lost a step. I apologize.
3. Memphis Grizzlies – Basketball purists have to love the way the Grizz are playing. Stingiest defense in the NBA.
4. Dallas Mavericks – Jerry Stackhouse will have to earn minutes in this rotation. Several players are stepping it up in Howard and Stack’s absence.
5. LA Clippers – Did you think the Clippers would be this good? Liar, no you didn’t.
6. Indiana Pacers – This team relies too much on talent and not enough on effort. That’s why lowly teams they underestimate can sometimes get by them.
7. Golden State Warriors – This team has all the offensive and defensive weapons needed to get to the playoffs. Easily the best Warriors team since it was Hardaway to Mullin.
8. Phoenix Suns – Suns are getting a huge lift from their center…..forward….shooting guard…..um…. player Boris Diaw. Leandro Barbosa should also be back from an ankle injury in the next week. This Suns team should win 55 games.
9. Miami Heat – Alonzo has been the best center in the east so far this season. Lots of double doubles and 4 rejections in less than 30 minutes per game.
10. Cleveland Cavaliers – If the Cavs want to make a run at the Pistons in the Central, they need to win games they are supposed to and bring more effort every night.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves – KG and crew are winning on smart play and effort. Addition by subtraction is what has occurred in Minny since losing Spree and Cassell to free agency.
12. Denver Nuggets - This team must drive Nuggets fans nuts. So good, yet very inconsistent. Not your typical George Karl team.
13. Milwaukee Bucks – The Bucks have played sub .500 ball since that great start. They need to let TJ Ford push the ball more.
14. Chicago Bulls - The bad news for the Bulls? They’ve only played on other team from the ultra tough Central Division so far.
15. Washington Wizards – The Wizards need to speed up their games. Teams that manage to slow the game down usually beat the Wizards.
16. Philadelphia 76ers – I can’t think of a single team in the Atlantic that belongs in the top 15. Sixers have the best shot of the bunch of actually taking a winning record to the playoffs. Philly needs more production from their shooting guard and small forward positions.
17. New Orleans Hornets – I had them pegged dead last when I made my preseason rankings. As it turns out, Chris Paul is an NBA ready baller. There is only upside to this young hornets team that is set at the skill positions for at least a few years to come.
18. Seattle Supersonics – Considering they’re giving up 5 more points per game than they’re scoring, 8-9 isn’t a bad record. If they can keep up last week’s play they should take the 6th seed in the playoffs.
19. LA Lakers – Kobe’s shot selection has been as poor as an unemployed college student. Lakers are lotto bound without Jackson pulling the reigns on Kobe. So yes, the Lakers are lotto bound.
20. New Jersey Nets - Amazing that this team with arguably the most talented guards can’t pull it together. What hurts them is a lack of a front court. Little shot blocking makes teams more likely to attack the paint without fear.
21. Orlando Magic – Magic desperately miss Francis and Hill. Teams simply deny Howard the ball or double team him. This team, like most, will do better once the stars come back from injury.
22. Boston Celtics – Another Atlantic team with great guards and no real big men.
23. Sacramento Kings – Wow, Kings have lost games by an average of .4 of a point. How do you come that close and end up so far under .500? A lack of mental toughness when the game is on the line.
24. New York Knicks – Did Larry Brown finally find a team even he can’t fix?
25. Charlotte Bobcats – Still play teams tough, but can’t seem to close games out. They need a killer instinct.
26. Utah Jazz – Worst offensive team Sloan has ever foisted on the NBA. Boozer’s return alone won’t fix this team.
27. Houston Rockets - Biggest disappointment by far this season. How do you have all that shooting and still lose? Yao Ming needs to step up and show why he’s gotten all the hype so far.
28. Portland Trailblazers – Ruben Patterson is back!!! And you ask why the excitement? Because it’s only a matter of time before the next Blazer swears at the coach, it’s a Portland thing.
29. Toronto Raptors – Be patient Raptor fans, in a few years the Raps will be getting knocked out of the first round of the playoffs with regularity.
30. Atlanta Hawks - The need a point guard. Hawks probable next move? They’ll most likely use their lotto pick up another small forward
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