Dime Magazine's Power Rankings

[Manu20]

Heat will need to work on chemistry
DIME Magazine / Dime Magazine
Posted: 25 minutes ago

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/4826798

1. Spurs: The best team in the League continues a flawless off-season. They signed Nick Van Exel as a backup to Tony Parker and as announced Thursday, San Antonio has won the Michael Finley free agent race. What can you say? How about "dynasty"?

2. Suns: Like the Heat, this is a team that has also significantly changed from last season. While they'll still run the floor, they added some lumber in the paint with Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant — both solid additions. Losing Joe Johnson hurts, as does not landing Michael Finley. But they'll still give the Spurs a serious run.

3. Pacers: We love the Pacers. Love them. Tough and scrappy, the Pacers fear no one. With a full lineup that boasts Sarunas Jasikevicius and an NBA-ready Danny Granger, barring some unforeseen catastrophe, they'll rep the East in the Finals.

4. Pistons: If it ain't broke don't fix it. Somebody should've told the Miami …

5. Heat: People will freak when they see that we have the Heat this low. They roll out strong with Flash and Shaq, but we're concerned about the team's chemistry with the all the new additions. Adding Michael Finley would help tremendously…

6. Maveriks: They're a team in transition, but still good enough to best the majority of the League. But as Dirk continues to improve, his longtime sidekicks are dropping like flies.

7. Cavaliers: The only Eastern Conference team to get after it more than the Bucks this summer has been the Cavs. They re-signed Z, and added Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall — both signings designed to fill specific needs. Did we mention that they also have a cat named LeBron? Ridiculous.

8. Rockets: We like the Derek Anderson signing, if only for the competition it will create in camp. And, as always, the question headed into camp: Has Yao Ming improved his strength and conditioning in the off-season?

9. Nuggets: George Karl and Kiki went hard after Michael Finley, but to no avail. It looked like Spree was going to sign last week, which would help. But even if they do nab Spree, they're still a dead-eye sharpshooter away from being real contenders.

10. Grizzlies: The Bobby Jackson/Damon Stoudamire pickups were solid. The Logo wins again.

[TDMVPDPOY]

CAVALIERS are fuckn rank to high, i put rockets n nuggets n probaly grizzlies above them.

[TOP-CHERRY]

1. Spurs: The best team in the League continues a flawless off-season. They signed Nick Van Exel as a backup to Tony Parker and as announced Thursday, San Antonio has won the Michael Finley free agent race. What can you say? How about "dynasty"?
Yeah, dynasty's okay.

:)

[ObiwanGinobili]

Heat will need to work on chemistry
If it ain't broke don't fix it. Somebody should've told the Miami …
5. Heat: People will freak when they see that we have the Heat this low. They roll out strong with Flash and Shaq, but we're concerned about the team's chemistry with the all the new additions. Adding Michael Finley would help tremendously…
[


Ha Ha ! no Finfin for Miami... wonder where they are gonna get the "temendous" help they need now??

[MaNuMaNiAc]

2. Suns: Like the Heat, this is a team that has also significantly changed from last season. While they'll still run the floor, they added some lumber in the paint with Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant — both solid additions. Losing Joe Johnson hurts, as does not landing Michael Finley. But they'll still give the Spurs a serious run.
Since when have the Suns given us a serious run??? Last time I checked we obliterated them 4-1 las playoffs. What's up with the "still" part?

[Trainwreck2100]

Since when have the Suns given us a serious run??? Last time I checked we obliterated them 4-1 las playoffs. What's up with the "still" part?


But we had to "run" alot to score all those points that we did.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

But we had to "run" alot to score all those points that we did.
http://spurstalk.com/forums/images/smilies/smilol.gif

[JMarkJohns]

Maybe they're refurring to 02-03 :rolleyes

Injuries will be the key for both teams. The Suns need Nash to stay healthy and Grant to be healthy come playoff time. This happens, then, we'll see.

Suns can still run, still shoot, still score, but now have the defense, depth and rebounding it takes to win in the playoffs.

Spurs are better, but they'd best be healthy. With Manu, Finley and Duncan, that's never a given.

[ShoogarBear]

This is the first I've seen the Griz ranked that high. Most would put the Kings ahead of them.

[Instigator]

everbody's opinion seems crazy. but at least they're not stupid enough to put the spurs below first.

[wildbill2u]

Maybe they're refurring to 02-03 :rolleyes

Injuries will be the key for both teams. The Suns need Nash to stay healthy and Grant to be healthy come playoff time. This happens, then, we'll see.

Suns can still run, still shoot, still score, but now have the defense, depth and rebounding it takes to win in the playoffs.

Spurs are better, but they'd best be healthy. With Manu, Finley and Duncan, that's never a given.

Name me a team that doesn't have an asterisk by their predicted finish that says? *assuming no major injuries to superstars and key players.

It's part of the game. To some extent it was a surprise that the Spurs won last season with Tim hobbling into games against a great Detroit team.

[Dre_7]

WHAT?!?!?!?!??!?!??!?!!?!?!?!

You mean the Pacers arent number 1?!?!?!?!?

Wow! This is a biased article!!!! Why would you even post it? We only want totally unbiased opinions here.

Jeez!!

[THE X-FACTOR]

I would rank them:
1. Spurs
2. Pistons
3. Pacers
4. Heat - could drop to 7/8
5. Suns - Amare Stoudemire will be a monster, Raja Bell and Kurt Thomas will make them better defensively
6. Rockets - Stromile Swift will be an upgrade over Scott Padgett
7. Kings
8. Cavaliers
9. Mavericks
10. Nuggets

[mrpach]

I would rank them:
1. Spurs
2. Pistons
3. Pacers
4. Heat - could drop to 7/8
5. Suns - Amare Stoudemire will be a monster, Raja Bell and Kurt Thomas will make them better defensively
6. Rockets - Stromile Swift will be an upgrade over Scott Padgett
7. Kings
8. Cavaliers
9. Mavericks
10. Nuggets

Sounds pretty accurate..damn the west is falling :depressed
Except spurs of course

[THE X-FACTOR]

Normally a team lives and dies by how good their PG and main big man PF or C are in the playoffs, for those people who put the Heat and Pacers ahead of the Pistons check this out:

Playoffs:

Jamaal Tinsley: 9 games 27.4 mpg .360 FG% .111 3PT% .571 FT% 3.3 RPG 5.7 APG 8.7 PPG never been to the finals

Tony Parker: 23 games 37.3 mpg .454 FG% .188 3PT% .632 FT% 2.9 RPG 4.3 APG 17.2 PPG 3 rings

Chauncey Billups: 25 games 39.4 mpg .428 FG% .349 3PT% .893 FT% 4.3 RPG 6.5 APG 18.7 PPG 1 ring finals MVP

I was comparing Tinsley, Parker, and Billups' playoff numbers, I didn't know Chauncey was better in also every category, figured I also throw in Jason Williams little playoff experience

Jason Williams: 4 games 28.5 mpg .528 FG% .476 3PT% .000 FT% 2.3 RPG 5.3 APG 17.0 PPG

[AI-square]

Normally a team lives and dies by how good their PG and main big man PF or C are in the playoffs, for those people who put the Heat and Pacers ahead of the Pistons check this out:

Playoffs:

Jamaal Tinsley: 9 games 27.4 mpg .360 FG% .111 3PT% .571 FT% 3.3 RPG 5.7 APG 8.7 PPG never been to the finals

Tony Parker: 23 games 37.3 mpg .454 FG% .188 3PT% .632 FT% 2.9 RPG 4.3 APG 17.2 PPG 3 rings

Chauncey Billups: 25 games 39.4 mpg .428 FG% .349 3PT% .893 FT% 4.3 RPG 6.5 APG 18.7 PPG 1 ring finals MVP

I was comparing Tinsley, Parker, and Billups' playoff numbers, I didn't know Chauncey was better in also every category, figured I also throw in Jason Williams little playoff experience

Jason Williams: 4 games 28.5 mpg .528 FG% .476 3PT% .000 FT% 2.3 RPG 5.3 APG 17.0 PPG

Thanks for the work man, but I do not believe Parker has 3 rings.

[Manu20]

I do not believe Parker has 3 rings.
Yeah, he has 2 rings but it will be 3 after next June.

[FreshPrince22]

I still don't get how they have the Suns, who were pretty much swept by you guys (then lost Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson) above the Pistons who were an horry shot or a few minutes/fouls away from being back-to-back champs.
________
Laguna Bay II Condo Pattaya (http://pattayaluxurycondos.com)

[thispego]

lol, they were alittle farther than that from repeating

[Sense]

I still don't get how they have the Suns, who were pretty much swept by you guys (then lost Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson) above the Pistons who were an horry shot or a few minutes/fouls away from being back-to-back champs.


Don't talk about it like that's all it was.

The Pistons got dominated the last game during the final minutes and that's what got them the loss.

[Dex]

I don't know anout you but I want double digit banners.

That's what I'm talkin about.

Spurs need to be the Celtics of the New Millenium. :elephant

[NashtoAmare]

Since when have the Suns given us a serious run??? Last time I checked we obliterated them 4-1 las playoffs. What's up with the "still" part?

The Suns have a whole new team...i'm not saying they can stop the Spurs but with all these new people on the Suns i'm willing to bet there gonna give it a try.

[leemajors]

the finals were neck and neck till the last buzzer, don't act like we blew them out. only reason i would put the pistons at 3rd or 4th is the uncertainty of the brown/saunders change.

[Sense]

The Suns have a whole new team...i'm not saying they can stop the Spurs but with all these new people on the Suns i'm willing to bet there gonna give it a try.


The Suns and the Heat are 2 totally different teams.



The Pistons deserve to be 2nd.

[Sense]

the finals were neck and neck till the last buzzer, don't act like we blew them out. only reason i would put the pistons at 3rd or 4th is the uncertainty of the brown/saunders change.


The finals were neck n neck, but not till the last minute.


We were getting what we wanted in the end, dunks,blocks..energy.

[boutons]

"the finals were neck and neck till the last buzzer"

nope, tied after 3 in Game7, the Spurs O and D blew out and shut down the Pistons in the "NBA 12 Minute Championship".

[FreshPrince22]

It was a very close series (though full of blow outs both ways), Spurs won, and that's cool. But to think the Pistons are worse than the Suns is crazy. The Suns needed a total Duncan meltdown at the free throw line to win ONE game. Where as the Pistons had one Sheed meltdown defensively to lose the series in 7. And don't act like you weren't worried when the Pistons were up 9 in the 3rd quarter of game 7. Then LB had a brain meltdown and took Sheed and Dice out of the game, and put Tayshaun on Duncan :pctoss But that's beside the point.

I still don't know how effective the Suns offense will be without 4 guys spotting up behind the arc. That opend it up for Nash and Amare to do their thing.
________
How To Roll A Joint (http://howtorollajoint.net/)

[exstatic]

Suns can still run, still shoot, still score, but now have the defense, depth and rebounding it takes to win in the playoffs.
run...check; shoot, uh no, they lost 400 made 3 pointers; score...we'll see without those treys raining down; defense...talk is cheap, I'm not sure you can go from intentionally allowing penetration to fuel your running game to a defensive team just like that; depth...not sure, and not sure it would matter, as D'entures doesn't use his bench much anyway; rebounding...we'll see, outside of Marion it isn't top flight.


Spurs are better, but they'd best be healthy. With Manu, Finley and Duncan, that's never a given.

Tim's the critical factor here, and he's NOT coming off the Olympics this summer. Neither is Manu. Finley is off the bench, and fewer minutes is likely to mean fewer injuries.

Face it: the Suns lost their best chance to win it all with their most potent lineup, and the Spurs staggering with injuries and exhaustion last year.

[JMarkJohns]

run...check; shoot, uh no, they lost 400 made 3 pointers; score...we'll see without those treys raining down...

The Suns system made Johnson and Richardson. Stop pretending it was the other way around.

Excluding last season:

Joe Johnson: 34% career from range, 30% in 03-04.
Quentin Richardson: 3.7 3-pointers attempted per game for career.

Last season with Nash and Amare:

Johnson: 48% from range.
Richardson: 7.98 3-pointers attempted per game.

Funny how things changed, right? Wrong...

With Houston in 04-05 Jackson shot 37%. With Phoenix, 46%.

This clearly shows that within the Suns system, 3-point shooters were made. So, when the Suns replace Johnson and Richardson with Bell and Jones, two 40% shooters, I'm not sure why it entales such drama from the media. Richardson wasn't the chucker until he got to Phoenix. Johnson wasn't the 3-point shooter until he was paired with Nash and Amare.

Jackson may be the best case, going from Houston to Phoenix and increasing his 3-point% by 9 points.

The Suns have four players on the roster that shoot 40% or better from range. Then they have Barbosa, career 37% and Marion, career 35%.

I'm still not seeing the need to panic.



...defense...talk is cheap, I'm not sure you can go from intentionally allowing penetration to fuel your running game to a defensive team just like that; rebounding...we'll see, outside of Marion it isn't top flight.

I'll give you defense. I'm curious to see how things work as well, but here's what's known. The Suns last year were a top-12 defensive FG% team. That's not too bad.

They've rid out Richardson, obviously their worst defender, being that he's the laziest defender and replaced him with Bell. Perhaps bell isn't the lock-down defender some make him out to be, but you cannot argue this isn't an improvement defensively.

They lost Johnson, which hurts, but have replaced him with a platoon of Jackson, Jones and Marion... all equal if not better.

The loss of Hunter hurts, but he played 12 minutes a game, so let's not overstate his impact.

By adding Thomas and Grant, the Suns have two players who can muscle up the post player, allowing Amare and Marion to block shots in help defense.

As for rebounding.

You're kidding, right?

Kurt Thomas is a top-5 defensive rebounder in the League. He'll be good for 8/9 rebounds with the Suns and he give them the box-out rebounder they lacked.

Brian Grant isn't going to play much more than 15 minutes per game, but he's a poor version of Thomas, boxing-out and battling for position. He'll be good for 4/5 rebounds if healthy.

Amare almost averaged 11 rebounds per game in the playoffs. He really started to turn the corner and did so against very good competition. Vs. the Spurs his rebounding was near 12 per game.

Marion is always good for 9/10.

That's close to 32/35 likely rebounds from the four frontcourt players.

That's really good. Especially when put in this perspective. Last year's frontcourt, about 24.

[NashtoAmare]

Wow. Really good post. I agree with everything. Your right in saying this "The Suns system made Johnson and Richardson. Stop pretending it was the other way around."


Go Suns!

[SoupIsGood]

Normally a team lives and dies by how good their PG and main big man PF or C are in the playoffs, for those people who put the Heat and Pacers ahead of the Pistons check this out:

Playoffs:

Jamaal Tinsley: 9 games 27.4 mpg .360 FG% .111 3PT% .571 FT% 3.3 RPG 5.7 APG 8.7 PPG never been to the finals

Tony Parker: 23 games 37.3 mpg .454 FG% .188 3PT% .632 FT% 2.9 RPG 4.3 APG 17.2 PPG 3 rings

Chauncey Billups: 25 games 39.4 mpg .428 FG% .349 3PT% .893 FT% 4.3 RPG 6.5 APG 18.7 PPG 1 ring finals MVP

I was comparing Tinsley, Parker, and Billups' playoff numbers, I didn't know Chauncey was better in also every category, figured I also throw in Jason Williams little playoff experience

Jason Williams: 4 games 28.5 mpg .528 FG% .476 3PT% .000 FT% 2.3 RPG 5.3 APG 17.0 PPG


True, but I think it's fair to say a healthy Tinsley would have done much better than that. That's what I'm hoping for next year anyway.

[THE X-FACTOR]

True, but I think it's fair to say a healthy Tinsley would have done much better than that. That's what I'm hoping for next year anyway.

Healthy Tinsley vs healthy Billups over their careers.

Jamaal Tinsley 30.0 MPG .399 FG% .317 3PT% .722 FT% 3.5 RPG 7.2 APG 9.7 PPG

Chauncey Billups 30.4 MPG .409 FG% .380 3PT% .878 FT% 2.9 RPG 4.6 APG 13.6 PPG

okay Tinsley is a slightly rebounder and gives out a couple more assists per game but Chauncey is the better scorer and is more multifaceted. I rest my point.

[SoupIsGood]

Healthy Tinsley vs healthy Billups over their careers.

Jamaal Tinsley 30.0 MPG .399 FG% .317 3PT% .722 FT% 3.5 RPG 7.2 APG 9.7 PPG

Chauncey Billups 30.4 MPG .409 FG% .380 3PT% .878 FT% 2.9 RPG 4.6 APG 13.6 PPG

okay Tinsley is a slightly rebounder and gives out a couple more assists per game but Chauncey is the better scorer and is more multifaceted. I rest my point.


The stats look pretty even to me.

[ABDENOUR POWER]

I would rank them:
1. Spurs
2. Pistons
3. Pacers
4. Heat - could drop to 7/8
5. Suns - Amare Stoudemire will be a monster, Raja Bell and Kurt Thomas will make them better defensively
6. Rockets - Stromile Swift will be an upgrade over Scott Padgett
7. Kings
8. Cavaliers
9. Mavericks
10. Nuggets

That looks much better.

[THE X-FACTOR]

The stats look pretty even to me.

They are, bad thing for Pacers and JT fans is that the playoffs is where great players are judged, Billups dominates Tins in the post season. I don't care that much about regular season stats, I like to see them make it to the finals.

[SoupIsGood]

They are, bad thing for Pacers and JT fans is that the playoffs is where great players are judged, Billups dominates Tins in the post season. I don't care that much about regular season stats, I like to see them make it to the finals.

Billups has clearly been better than Tins the past two years, but I'm not sure I'd say he dominates him. Chancey doesn't keep Jamaal in front of him very well. (I know, Jamaal hardly keeps anyone in front of him.)

I just want to see a Billups Tinlsey matchup where both guys were healthy, I think it'd be pretty fun. I'm hoping for it next year.