Ed Helicopter Jones
01-05-2006, 08:33 PM
Alrighty. 40% of the season is behind us and the cream of the league is rising to the top. What happened to this beloved NBA of ours? Pop can't even fake any concern at this point. There are about 8 or 9 teams playing decent basketball right now and the rest of the league makes mediocre look pretty darn good. I truly feel that Detroit, overconfidence or injury are the only real obstacles to the Spurs chances of a repeat. Miami could give us a run but I'm expecting a late season implosion for the Heat. I'm used to biting my nails a little more when it comes to my beloved Spurs. This not worrying is making me worry!!
Here are the Chopper's power rankings with a few notes thrown in for fun:
1 San Antonio 25-7 - Pop may have shown his playoff lineup a bit too early by bringing Manu off the bench.
2 Detroit 25-4 - On course for 71 wins. Why do I sense that this team might peak before the season's over? Pace yourself fellas!
3 Miami 19-14 - Will this team gel by the end of the season? Doubtful, but the talent is there to make a run at the title.
4 Phoenix 20-11 - I'm amazed by how well they've played without Amare.
5 Dallas 23-9 - Despite their gaudy record I'm still not sold that they're contenders.
6 Memphis 20-10 - Flying under the radar so far, but a 10-5 road record and 14-5 against the West is impressive.
7 Cleveland 19-10 - Appears this year that Lebron is living up to the hype. Maybe he really is the second coming of MJ.
8 New Jersey 17-12 - Eight game winning streaks are nothing to scoff at. Besides, someone has to win the Atlantic.
9 Utah 16-16 - Probably not truly worthy of the 9 spot, but they're playing great at the moment having won 5 in a row.
10 Milwaukee 17-12 - They've cooled some, but it's clear that they've put together a pretty good young team in Buckville.
11 Philadelphia 16-16 - Imagine how good Philly would be if Iverson could bump his average to 50 pts a night!
12 Minnesota 15-14 - I like how the Wolves are keeping Spreewell playoff ready.
13 Golden State 17-15 - Consistently inconsistent, but that's about all it takes to make the playoffs in today's NBA.
14 LA Clippers 17-12 - Fading here lately only having won 3 of their last ten.
15 Indiana 16-13 - Ron Artest is a moron.
16 LA Lakers 15-16 - I'm hoping the Lakers climb into that 8 playoff seed so they'll face the Spurs in the first round.
17 Denver 16-17 - What's their excuse for losing? Injuries? Or that flopping Manu guy? The Nugs are underachieving.
18 Seattle 14-17 - Bob Hill could teach that John Wooden guy a thing or two about hoops!
19 Washington 12-17 - Who kidnapped the team that punked the Spurs a few weeks ago?
20 Toronto 10-22 - Four game winning streak -- Good! .200 winning percentage at home -- umm. . .not so good!
21 Boston 13-18 - Maybe they can play their way into the lottery for another chance at that Duncan fellow.
22 New Orleans 14-17 - Great Scott! As of today the Hornets are only a game and a half out of the playoff picture.
23 Sacramento 12-18 - The Kings are actually playing a better brand of bad now that SARS is hurt. He IS a disease!
24 Orlando 12-17 - Disneyworld is cool! Those teacups make me dizzy and piss me off, but everything else is great!
25 Charlotte 10-22 - If not for an OT win against Sacramento in December they'd have zero wins against the West.
26 Chicago 12-19 - Didn't Chicago look pretty good last year? Currently on an 8 game losing streak.
27 Houston 11-18 - Three wins at home. THREE! Oh yeah. . . and two Western conference all-star starters.
28 Atlanta 7-22 - They momentarily looked like a basketball team a couple of weeks ago. . .momentarily.
29 Portland 10-22 - Nate is waiting for the right moment to unleash his secret weapon, Spider Smith, on the league.
30 New York 8-21 - Larry Brown is the greatest coach in basketball.
Here are the Chopper's power rankings with a few notes thrown in for fun:
1 San Antonio 25-7 - Pop may have shown his playoff lineup a bit too early by bringing Manu off the bench.
2 Detroit 25-4 - On course for 71 wins. Why do I sense that this team might peak before the season's over? Pace yourself fellas!
3 Miami 19-14 - Will this team gel by the end of the season? Doubtful, but the talent is there to make a run at the title.
4 Phoenix 20-11 - I'm amazed by how well they've played without Amare.
5 Dallas 23-9 - Despite their gaudy record I'm still not sold that they're contenders.
6 Memphis 20-10 - Flying under the radar so far, but a 10-5 road record and 14-5 against the West is impressive.
7 Cleveland 19-10 - Appears this year that Lebron is living up to the hype. Maybe he really is the second coming of MJ.
8 New Jersey 17-12 - Eight game winning streaks are nothing to scoff at. Besides, someone has to win the Atlantic.
9 Utah 16-16 - Probably not truly worthy of the 9 spot, but they're playing great at the moment having won 5 in a row.
10 Milwaukee 17-12 - They've cooled some, but it's clear that they've put together a pretty good young team in Buckville.
11 Philadelphia 16-16 - Imagine how good Philly would be if Iverson could bump his average to 50 pts a night!
12 Minnesota 15-14 - I like how the Wolves are keeping Spreewell playoff ready.
13 Golden State 17-15 - Consistently inconsistent, but that's about all it takes to make the playoffs in today's NBA.
14 LA Clippers 17-12 - Fading here lately only having won 3 of their last ten.
15 Indiana 16-13 - Ron Artest is a moron.
16 LA Lakers 15-16 - I'm hoping the Lakers climb into that 8 playoff seed so they'll face the Spurs in the first round.
17 Denver 16-17 - What's their excuse for losing? Injuries? Or that flopping Manu guy? The Nugs are underachieving.
18 Seattle 14-17 - Bob Hill could teach that John Wooden guy a thing or two about hoops!
19 Washington 12-17 - Who kidnapped the team that punked the Spurs a few weeks ago?
20 Toronto 10-22 - Four game winning streak -- Good! .200 winning percentage at home -- umm. . .not so good!
21 Boston 13-18 - Maybe they can play their way into the lottery for another chance at that Duncan fellow.
22 New Orleans 14-17 - Great Scott! As of today the Hornets are only a game and a half out of the playoff picture.
23 Sacramento 12-18 - The Kings are actually playing a better brand of bad now that SARS is hurt. He IS a disease!
24 Orlando 12-17 - Disneyworld is cool! Those teacups make me dizzy and piss me off, but everything else is great!
25 Charlotte 10-22 - If not for an OT win against Sacramento in December they'd have zero wins against the West.
26 Chicago 12-19 - Didn't Chicago look pretty good last year? Currently on an 8 game losing streak.
27 Houston 11-18 - Three wins at home. THREE! Oh yeah. . . and two Western conference all-star starters.
28 Atlanta 7-22 - They momentarily looked like a basketball team a couple of weeks ago. . .momentarily.
29 Portland 10-22 - Nate is waiting for the right moment to unleash his secret weapon, Spider Smith, on the league.
30 New York 8-21 - Larry Brown is the greatest coach in basketball.