Power Rankings

[Darth_Pelican]

LOL HEAT

Power Rankings: Southwest's best soar to top



By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
Monday, Nov. 22



The New Orleans Hornets can no longer be denied.


Best record in the league at 11-1. Accounted for the San Antonio Spurs' only loss. Avenged the loss to the Mavericks that knocked the Hornets from the ranks of the unbeatens at home two nights later ... one of eight wins already against playoff teams from last season.


Add up everything on the Hornets' résumé -- including the recent slippage from elite teams like Boston and Miami -- and they have to be the new No. 1 in ESPN.com's weekly NBA Power Rankings. Skepticism persists about New Orleans' ability to sustain its amazing start, but the clincher this week is that San Antonio's only loss in its past 12 games came at home to the Hornets on Oct. 30.


In other notable moves: Boston dropped from No. 1 to No. 4, after losing Sunday in Toronto. Miami fell from No. 7 to No. 10, largely because of the long-term foot injury suffered by key rotation contributor Udonis Haslem. Chicago and Oklahoma City moved into the top 10 at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.


Click here to rank the teams yourself, or click here to comment on this week's fully-nonautomated pulse taking of the league's 30 teams.


2010-11 Power Rankings: Week 4 RK (LW)TEAMRECCOMMENT

1 (2)Hornets 11-1 Skepticism about Jack truly impacting CP's contentment level is understood after we were all told that upon Jack's arrival in Canada that he was super close with Bosh. But he also makes the league's hottest team better.

2 (4)Spurs 11-1 Focus on the Spurs being in the midst of the eighth double-digit win streak of the Popovich Era? Or that Duncan has five single-digit scoring games already ... which didn't happen last season until March?

3 (3)Lakers 12-2 The schedule has indeed been cakey. The defense, by Laker standards, has been spotty. The champs, though, are back to crushing people, as evidenced by the league's only current double-digit average scoring margin.

4 (1)Celtics 9-4 You saw the worst of the Celts in their past two games. They didn't have Rondo in Toronto, true, but they also played with a lack of focus and respect, first against Durant-less OKC and then in the Canadian matinee.

5 (10)Magic 9-3 Looks like both of the Magic's main rivals are going to be sweating health all season. Would love to tell you the Magic have the focus/togetherness to take advantage of such helpful cir stances, but I'm still dubious.

6 (6)Mavericks 8-4 Good luck trying to explain why the Mavs, for the second straight season, are so much more ruthless on the road than at home. You called that like you predicted Dallas -- Dallas! -- would be winning games with D.

7 (12)Bulls 7-4 When Boozer comes back to join the long and rangy Noah and Gibson -- and especially if D-Rose starts getting to the line more than 5.5 times per game like he deserves-- these guys can challenge in the East. This season.

8 (14)Thunder 9-4 Durant shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 30 percent on 3-pointers? OKC riding the Westbrook Express to back-to-back wins in Boston and Milwaukee sans Durant and with its most stifling D of the season? Huh?

9 (5)Jazz 9-5 Now that some of the shock and awe from Resurrection Week has worn off, do we dare suggest continuously falling way behind A) isn't an advisable nightly strategy and B) hints at holes in D-Will's supporting cast?

10 (7)Heat 8-5 Not expecting much sympathy out there for the Miami Hurt, but the committee (of one) can plainly say we're not enjoying this. Can't expect anything from them while Miller and Haslem are out and Wade is hobbled.

11 (11)Trail Blazers 8-6 One of the many sad facts in a city with too many to count: The battered Blazers pulled out two nice Ws last week amid the latest heaps of pain ... but never get the props Houston always did for its success when Yao-less.

12 (9)Nuggets 7-6 You tell us, Nuggets Nation. Dismayed by what you're seeing passion-wise from Melo and Co. with the franchise in limbo? Or reasonably satisfied at a game over .500 given injuries to K-Mart and Big Bird?

13 (8)Suns 6-7 Losing Lopez made a tiny team painfully smaller. Losing Nash next made watching lil' Phoenix painful, as evidenced by the Saturday night surrender of 123 points to a Charlotte team that never scores like that.

14 (15)Hawks 8-5 Obviously wouldn't have known this without our friends from Elias, but All-Lefty Team fixture J-Smoove is on course to become the fifth player ever to average 16 points, 9 boards, 4 assists and 3 blocks.

15 (17)Grizzlies 5-9 Will not overreact to a home win over the Wade-less Heat because we already (foolishly) did that after their one-point W at Dallas. Gay is earning that money, but that's as far as it goes for Grizz proclamations here.

16 (13)Bucks 5-8 I want to believe, as an unabashed Bogut and Jennings fan, that the Bucks' offense is going to fix itself as Bogut's elbow gets stronger and Maggette and Salmons shake their recent ankle woes. Really, really want to.

17 (21)Bobcats 5-8 We always get on MJ when he's not visible, but it's hard to quibble with Saturday night's absence. First home game that His Airness wasn't sitting courtside ... and S-Jax uncorks the first triple-double in team history.

18 (24)Raptors 5-9 Bosh's, uh, character-building November continues. Toronto is suddenly a sparkling 1-0 against mighty Boston since his departure. The Raps, with Bosh, had lost their previous six home dates with the Celts dating to 2007.

19 (18)Warriors 7-6 You keep reading and hearing about how soft the early schedule has been, as if the Dubs are going to apologize. After the Cohan Era -- one playoff trip in the past 17 seasons -- 5-1 at home feels unapologetically spectacular.

20 (19)Pacers 5-6 We continue with the premise that the Pacers used up too much mojo with those 144 points against Denver ... because the only time they've cracked 100 points in the five games since came against the defenseless Clippers.

21 (23)Knicks 6-8 The committee was holed up in Gotham when a two-game winning streak inflated Knicks expectations. Can only imagine how unrealistic some folks will be now after three straight road wins over some West lottery teams.

22 (20)Pistons 5-8 It's one of the untold surprises of the season: Detroit is firmly in the heart of the best-of-the-worst battle for seeds No. 6 through No. 8 in the East, despite that 0-5 start and the player-coach tensions that won't go away.

23 (16)Rockets 3-9 Still no Yao. No Aaron Brooks. No wins in seven tries when the Rockets allow 100 points. And virtually no defense to speak of in the two games since what ranks as an undeniable quality win at home over Chicago.

24 (22)Cavaliers 5-7 The Cavs took a .500 record into back-to-back games on the road against the top two teams on our list. So, yes, there are roughly 10 to 20 people in Cleveland who feel borderline good about NBA basketball these days.

25 (29)Kings 4-8 Enraged as I am to see my man Casspi punished for some collectively woeful D to date, there's not much I can say when the Kings hold the Nets and Hornets to 81 and 75 points in the first two games post-lineup change.

26 (25)Nets 4-9 Progress report? Five straight losses in games decided by five points or fewer, one public plea already from the new coach for more toughness and accountability and zero double-doubles for a presumed All-Star in Lopez.

27 (26)76ers 3-10 Iguodala's future is still the story with this team ... even after that New Orleans trade with Toronto that cost the Hornets an asset (Peja's contract) believed to be earmarked for an Iguodala offer. Just tellin' the truth.

28 (27)Timberwolves 4-10 The D-League geek in me can't resist voicing unreserved support -- while acknowledging that nobody in basketball does this yet -- for the baseball-
style thought of sending J-Flynn to Sioux Falls on a rehab assignment.

29 (30)Wizards 4-8 The boot on his left foot isn't the only early obstacle to J-Wall's Rookie of the Year bid. Griffin's dunks and numbers are so irresistibly addictive that he can probably bank on half of the ROY votes, even if the Clips go 1-81.

30 (28)Clippers 1-13 The committee's old friend Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com summed it up on Twitter better than we could: "Worse than the record itself is the fact the last five Ls came against the Knicks, Pacers, Wolves, Nets and Pistons."

[DJB]

NBA.com puts us in the top spot:

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/powerra...s=iref:nbahpt1


Spurs take the top spot with 10 straight

By John Schuhmann
Posted Nov 22 2010 11:02AM
When it comes to ranking the NBA teams from 1-30, there is always a drop-off or two. Often, there's one right at the top, with two or three teams establishing themselves as the elite of the league. Late in the season, there was usually a drop-off after the No. 16 or 17 teams, with the separation between playoff teams and non-playoff teams becoming more pronounced.
This week, it's apparent that no team wants to be No. 14.
The Portland Trail Blazers were No. 14 last week and deserved a bump up for their Roy-less wins over the Grizzlies and Nuggets. Seemingly unable to beat any good teams, the Atlanta Hawks fell from No. 9 to No. 13 this week, but they're still 8-5 and don't deserve to be any lower than that.
But who's next? Last week's No. 13, the Phoenix Suns, have lost three straight by an average of 20.3 points. Last week's No. 15, the Milwaukee Bucks, have also dropped three straight. Next were the Warriors, who have lost four of their last five. Then came the Grizzlies, who dropped five straight before Saturday's win over the Heat, followed by the Rockets, another team that's lost three in a row.
Maybe these teams were just in the wrong spots last week. Or maybe, there's just a big drop-off after the top 13 teams in the league. So the Indiana Pacers, who went 1-2 last week, are No. 14 -- sort of by default. They are the 12th best team statistically (point differential per 100 possessions), but their numbers are still skewed by their 85-point second half against the Nuggets 13 days ago.
With games against the Heat, Thunder and Lakers this week, it's hard to imagine the Pacers can hang on to that spot. That drop-off could be there for a while.
• Last week: Hornets emerge on top after eventful week
• This time last year: West is Best Again, but Not No. 1 - The Suns were the best team in the Western Conference, Roddy Beaubois was turning heads in Dallas, Darren Collison was making a splash in Chris Paul's absence, the Nets and Clippers were a combined 0-25 against other teams, and the Heat had the same record (8-5) as they do now.
Hero Team of the Week: Oklahoma City (4-0) - The Thunder began the week by ending Utah's five-game win streak and finished it with two impressive Durant-less wins.
Zero Team of the Week: L.A. Clippers (0-4) - Their losing streak reached nine games as they fell to four teams with losing records by an average of 13 points.
High jumps of the week: New York (+7), Charlotte (+6), Indiana (+5), Toronto (+5)
Free falls of the week: Milwaukee (-5), Atlanta (-4), Utah (-4)
East vs. West: The West is 45-31 (.592) against the East in inter-conference games this season and was 14-14 last week.
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
Off: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Def: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league averages 95.7 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes and 103.9 points scored per 100 possessions.
NBA.com's Power Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Monday during the season. If you've got an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail. You can also follow him on twitter.
1 San Antonio (11-1)
Pace: 98.0 (7), Off: 109.0 (3), Def: 99.3 (6)
Yes, it is a little scary that the Spurs have been playing so well without having integrated Tiago Splitter. After two straight DNPs, the 25-year-old rookie from Brazil set career highs with 18 points and five rebounds in Saturday's easy win over the Cavs. His team will need him Monday against Dwight Howard. Previous: 3

2 New Orleans (11-1)
Pace: 93.3 (24), Off: 104.8 (13), Def: 96.6 (2)
The Hornets' defense took a step back in their home-and-home with the Mavs, but then held the Cavs and Kings to 37 percent shooting over the weekend. Sunday's trip to Sacramento began a stretch of six games in nine days, with five of the six on the road and the lone home game against the No. 1 Spurs on Sunday. Previous: 1

3 L.A. Lakers (12-2)
Pace: 98.7 (5), Off: 113.6 (1), Def: 102.9 (11)
Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest are shooting 43 percent between them, but the Lakers' offense just isn't slowing down. They scored 110 or more points in 17 games last season and have already done it 10 times this year. Further, their 112.5 points per contest is the highest mark of any team since 1992-93. Previous: 4

4 Orlando (9-3)
Pace: 93.6 (21), Off: 105.1 (12), Def: 95.9 (1)
The Magic have won four straight since their disastrous losses to the Jazz and Raptors, allowing their four opponents to score just 92.3 points per 100 possessions. They sit atop the Eastern Conference with a big week ahead. They visit the Spurs on Monday and get a rematch with the Heat on Wednesday. Previous: 8

5 Boston (9-4)
Pace: 92.8 (26), Off: 106.4 (7), Def: 99.3 (5)
Do you blame Sunday's loss in Toronto on Rajon Rondo's absence? Starting in Rondo's place, Nate Robinson shot 8-for-14 and was a plus-18. But what was left of the bench came up empty. At 9-4, the Celtics are exactly where they were a year ago. At that point, they won 11 straight and 14 of 15. Previous: 2

6 Miami (8-5)
Pace: 93.7 (20), Off: 110.0 (2), Def: 98.1 (4)
The torn ligament in Udonis Haslem's left foot makes a thin frontline even thinner for at least the next couple of months. Whether or not LeBron James plays power forward, he's going to have to rebound a lot more. The Heat got beat 16-5 on the boards after Haslem left Saturday's loss in Memphis. Previous: 7

7 Dallas (8-4)
Pace: 91.9 (29), Off: 105.4 (10), Def: 99.7 (7)
Dirk Nowitzki is a machine. He's never missed more than six games in a season, is remarkably consistent, and at 32, he's having his most efficient season since he was named MVP four seasons ago. The Mavs play 10 of their next 14 games at home, but have tough visits to OKC and San Antonio this week. Previous: 6

8 Oklahoma City (9-4)
Pace: 95.5 (15), Off: 105.6 (9), Def: 105.5 (18)
Two different teams have contributed to this four-game winning streak. The Thunder with Kevin Durant was unstoppable offensively, scoring 231 points against the Jazz and Rockets. The Thunder without Kevin Durant has been suffocating defensively, allowing the Celtics and Bucks to score just 165. Previous: 11

9 Utah (9-5)
Pace: 94.9 (17), Off: 103.4 (17), Def: 103.5 (12)
After losing two home games, the Jazz really needed that 38-point fourth quarter in Portland on Saturday. Don't think they miss Carlos Boozer? They were outrebounded by 43 in four games last week and rank 28th in rebounding after ranking no worse than fifth in the four seasons he played at least 50 games. Previous: 5

10 Chicago (7-4)
Pace: 96.6 (11), Off: 104.4 (14), Def: 100.5 (8)
When you play three games in Texas and get outscored by 48 in the third quarter, you should feel pretty happy about coming away with two wins. The one loss was the Bulls' worst offensive game of their last five, and the one in which Derrick Rose took 27 shots and dished out a season-low four assists.

[TimmehC]

Hornets deserve it more so far, IMO. We'll see what happens later in the year.

[Drachen]

I have to agree that the Hornets should have the top spot. Same record as us and our only loss was to them. Plus I like the new Heat nickname. LOL. That team is the gift that keeps on giving. I do hope, however, that they get healthy. The fewer excuses the better.

[lefty]

Sons...