bigbendbruisebrother
04-12-2005, 10:49 AM
So much for Steve Kerr being biased against the Spurs. Here's his latest High Five, Low Five:
Kerr's high 5, low 5
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
April 12, 2005
Each week during the regular season, I will rank the five best teams – and the five worst teams – in the NBA.
To view my rankings from the previous week, click here.
Team records are through April 11.
THE HIGH FIVE
1. San Antonio Spurs (57-20) – When you win back-to-back double-overtime games on the road without Tim Duncan, you're pretty good. When you beat a red-hot Golden State team in Oakland without Duncan and Manu Ginobili, you're really good. With Duncan returning sometime in the next week, the Spurs regain the top spot.
2. Phoenix Suns (58-19) – Two straight losses kept the Suns from putting a stranglehold on the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Still, Phoenix's 58 wins is 29 more than last season. What a turnaround for Mike D'Antoni's team.
3. Miami Heat (56-21) – Shaquille O'Neal missed his third straight game Sunday with a stomach virus, but it was wise for the Heat to hold him out. Miami doesn't play again until Thursday against the Sixers, meaning that Shaq will have had a nice 12-day respite between games. He'll be well-rested heading into the playoffs.
4. Denver Nuggets (46-31) – George Karl for Coach of the Year? The Nuggets have won 22 of their last 24 games and are rolling into the playoffs. Under Karl, Carmelo Anthony looks like a different player, taking better shots and moving without the ball. With Marcus Camby patrolling the paint, this looks like a team to be reckoned with in the postseason.
5. Dallas Mavericks (53-24) – The Mavericks' defense has improved dramatically under Avery Johnson. They are more suited to defend on the perimeter this season, with long-armed athletes like Josh Howard, Marquis Daniels and Jerry Stackhouse providing pressure on the ball. Their 36-point pounding of the Spurs last week sent a message to the league that they're going to be tough in the playoffs.
THE LOW FIVE
26. New York Knicks (30-46) – The Knicks made a brief push for the playoffs a few weeks ago, headed west and have lost nine of 10 since. They will go limping into the offseason with a high-priced, underachieving roster.
27. Portland Trail Blazers (25-51) – Tick, tock, tick, tock. Two more weeks left.
28. Atlanta Hawks (12-65) – The Hawks got off the schneid – whatever that means – by beating Minnesota to break their 14-game losing streak.
29. New Orleans Hornets (18-58) – The Hornets must be thrilled to see Baron Davis playing so well for Golden State.
30. Charlotte Bobcats (16-61) – Before Monday's overtime win over Atlanta, the Bobcats were reeling from eight straight losses, but Emeka Okafor has had an excellent rookie year. Combine his return with tons of salary-cap space and a high draft pick, and it's not hard to see this team making great strides next season.
Kerr's high 5, low 5
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
April 12, 2005
Each week during the regular season, I will rank the five best teams – and the five worst teams – in the NBA.
To view my rankings from the previous week, click here.
Team records are through April 11.
THE HIGH FIVE
1. San Antonio Spurs (57-20) – When you win back-to-back double-overtime games on the road without Tim Duncan, you're pretty good. When you beat a red-hot Golden State team in Oakland without Duncan and Manu Ginobili, you're really good. With Duncan returning sometime in the next week, the Spurs regain the top spot.
2. Phoenix Suns (58-19) – Two straight losses kept the Suns from putting a stranglehold on the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Still, Phoenix's 58 wins is 29 more than last season. What a turnaround for Mike D'Antoni's team.
3. Miami Heat (56-21) – Shaquille O'Neal missed his third straight game Sunday with a stomach virus, but it was wise for the Heat to hold him out. Miami doesn't play again until Thursday against the Sixers, meaning that Shaq will have had a nice 12-day respite between games. He'll be well-rested heading into the playoffs.
4. Denver Nuggets (46-31) – George Karl for Coach of the Year? The Nuggets have won 22 of their last 24 games and are rolling into the playoffs. Under Karl, Carmelo Anthony looks like a different player, taking better shots and moving without the ball. With Marcus Camby patrolling the paint, this looks like a team to be reckoned with in the postseason.
5. Dallas Mavericks (53-24) – The Mavericks' defense has improved dramatically under Avery Johnson. They are more suited to defend on the perimeter this season, with long-armed athletes like Josh Howard, Marquis Daniels and Jerry Stackhouse providing pressure on the ball. Their 36-point pounding of the Spurs last week sent a message to the league that they're going to be tough in the playoffs.
THE LOW FIVE
26. New York Knicks (30-46) – The Knicks made a brief push for the playoffs a few weeks ago, headed west and have lost nine of 10 since. They will go limping into the offseason with a high-priced, underachieving roster.
27. Portland Trail Blazers (25-51) – Tick, tock, tick, tock. Two more weeks left.
28. Atlanta Hawks (12-65) – The Hawks got off the schneid – whatever that means – by beating Minnesota to break their 14-game losing streak.
29. New Orleans Hornets (18-58) – The Hornets must be thrilled to see Baron Davis playing so well for Golden State.
30. Charlotte Bobcats (16-61) – Before Monday's overtime win over Atlanta, the Bobcats were reeling from eight straight losses, but Emeka Okafor has had an excellent rookie year. Combine his return with tons of salary-cap space and a high draft pick, and it's not hard to see this team making great strides next season.