ESPN's Power Rankings Jan. 3, 2011

[mando6599]

http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings...n/2011/week/10

Man, I'd really love it to win 70 games this year, no matter how hard it may be. However, I'd love it even more to stay healthy and continue our great team chemistry we have right now. Go Spurs Go!

[Spurs Brazil]

Go Spurs Go! Think they can get close to 70+ wins?


Mike Wilbon
(1:26 PM)


I can't imagine Gregg Popovich, a coach with big picture perspective on just about everything, would push his team to win 70 when that would almost certainly jeopardize a run in the playoffs. Even though the Spurs now have young players-on-the-rise, like Gary Neal, they still depend on Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, who have more miles on them than a 1999 mini-van. Right now, the Spurs look like the favorites in the Western Conference...I think winning a fifth NBA Championship would satisfy Pop more than wearing out his veteran players going for 70...

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/36295

[dynamodr3w]

how bout win 70 plus an NBA championship? I'll take both.

[mando6599]

how bout win 70 plus an NBA championship? I'll take both.

here, here!

[greyforest]

winning 70 games and not winning the championship is just plain stupid. the goal is the playoffs with pop, make no mistake.

[nkdlunch]

no matter what team or circunstance the 70+ games question is just a stupid one

[boutons_deux]

I'm sure it sorely chagrined BSPN to put the Spurs #1. The Spurs lose one game, and they'll drop 5 places

[TwelveGs210]

Thats the thing..this team is deep enough, and playing well enough that we could possibly push 60+ wins, with giving Manu, Timmy, and the rest of the over 30 guys reasonable rest. Anderson is going to come back soon, which should add another pair of fresh young legs, and another shooter to the rotation, a rotation that has yet to hit it's stride yet, considering we usually play our best basketball during the rodeo road trip. Tiago is only gonna get more comfortable, and Hill seems to be getting better by the game, Neal has been putting big games together more often recently. Let us build leads with our vets out there, and then let our youth movement carry the team as much as possible.

They look good so far.

[jimo2305]

here's to hoping we'll still be healthy..

the dallas mavs are already facin' reality as we speak

plus i like how we jumped from #3 to #1.. but on hollinger's rankings we're #2 to miami heat with an even worse overall rating than last week.. but that's all im gonna pull there.. i don't wanna deal with any more delusional fans getting all butthurt again when i mention hollinger's name :

[Rummpd]

62-65 wins and the top seed in the West enough for me - has already frozen over and the sky is surely falling as ESPN actually put the Spurs number 1!

[yavozerb]

If they can win 70 games and keep there minutes in check so be it. To think the spurs 29-4 and have not had to rely heavily on TD is pretty crazy. Take a look at mpg for the elite teams key players.

Td=29 mpg
Manu= 31 mpg
TP= 33 mpg
RJ= 32 mpg

Boston

Pierce= 36 mpg
Allen= 37 mpg
Garnett= 32 mpg
Rondo = 38 mpg

Miami

Wade= 36 mpg
Lebron= 37 mpg
Bosh= 35 mpg

LAL

Kobe= 33 mpg
Gasol= 38 mpg
Odom= 35 mpg

[Spurminator]

Some perspective... In order to win 70 games, the Spurs would have to go 41-8 the rest of the way. A 41-8 record is a win % of 83.6%, which has been achieved by four teams in NBA history over a full season.

So even after this great start, the Spurs will have to be as dominant as the 1967 Sixers, 1972 Lakers or 1996/97 Bulls in order to reach 70 wins.


EDIT: Realized some rather faulty logic here... They actually only have to be as dominant as other teams who won 83.6% over 49 games, and there are probably a few more of those than 4. Still, don't get your hopes up.

[Bartleby]

HCA is all that matters as far as wins are concerned.

[Blackjack]

If they can win 70 games and keep there minutes in check so be it.

[angelbelow]

I would love it if we can win 70, esp if we can keep our guys in check like we have so far this season.

[8FOR!3]

It would be great to win 70 because it seems like this team is capable of it and deserves a legacy achievement like that. But it wouldn't bother me if we didn't. I just want the #1 seed and a healthy team going into the playoffs. Anything else is butter on the bread..

[DJ Mbenga]

i think pop will go for it. no matter what injuries cant be avoided. if they dont go for it they still will face injuries. you cant be healthy all year,(unless you are last yrs thunder, but even then everyone on that team was 21)

[duncan228]

Top ten, hit the link for the rest.

NBA Power Rankings: Who said the Spurs were over the hill?
Kurt Helin
ProBasketballTalk

Our weekly NBA Power Rankings, where that Spurs/Celtics game Wednesday is looking like the game of the week.

1. Spurs (29-4). They beat a suddenly reeling Mavericks team as well as the Lakers this week. By the way, Tim Duncan has put up an average of 16 points and 10 rebounds a game in the Spurs last 10, plus anchored their defense. Every team could use an over the hill guy playing like that.

2. Heat (26-9). Five wins in a row and they are playing the best ball in the East right now. Why? Because their big three have got it going and are starting to play like we expected, and carrying that supporting cast along.

3. Celtics (25-7). They had lost two in a row due to injuries before Rajon Rondo returned to the lineup Sunday. What does that mean? That the Celtics are not easily cruising to the Eastern Conference’s top seed. But Boston knows it’s about being healthy starting in late April that really matters.

4. Magic (21-12). Five wins in a row because the offense is a little better. And so is the defense — didn’t see that coming. We still question the trades and taking on all that extra salary long term, but in the short term we’re starting to believe.

5. Mavericks (25-8). Three losses in a row with Dirk Nowitzki out and while he may be back soon now Caron Butler may be done for the rest of the season. That could mean a lot more Shawn Marion, which raises depth questions.

6. Lakers (23-11). You see flashes of better play from the Lakers then they get blown out at home by Memphis (and the Grizzlies were on the second night of a back-to-back). Go ahead and say they are bored right now, but because of that they are not developing good habits they will need later. Their offense was best in the NBA but has fallen to fourth.

7. Bulls (22-10). Chicago is 8-2 in their last 10 and it’s because they’ve held opponents to 41 percent shooting in that stretch. Without Noah for some of it (they are 6-2 without him).

8. Thunder (23-12). The Thunder are being held back by being an average defensive team (17th in the league in defensive efficiency). That will cost them in the playoffs, too, if they can’t right that ship.

9. Jazz (23-11). Mehmet Okur was back, and then his back (and back pain) took him out again. The Jazz are a Jekyll and Hyde team from game-to-game and even quarter-to-quarter.

10. Hornets (20-14). They play at the fourth slowest pace in the league — if you had Chris Paul on your roster wouldn’t you run more?

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...over-the-hill/

[will_spurs]

70+ wins means nothing, but equalling the 72 wins record would be a great achievement, and for me as great as a championship. It would certainly cement the Spurs reputation and you could be sure in 10, 20, 50 years peope would still be talking about it. A lot more than a 5th championship.

[Man In Black]

72 wins and not winning the le is akin to the Patriots winning every game but the Super Bowl that 1 year. It'd be a complete letdown.

My view on 70 wins is that, if they can do it, playing the way they're playing now but with less minutes once the team is COMPLETELY healthy, then that's fine.
But these games are played to put you in the best position to win a le, whether it's 58 games, 64 games or 73 games. You want to be playing your best at the end of the season and feel healthy going in.

[frodo]

Utah Jazz will be the last team i'd want to take for the first round tbqh. triggas play tough as stone and d-will is such a beast and hits bigshots. if the mavs get jazz in the 1st round they would definitely lose the series despite HCA. 1st round and exit

[BanditHiro]

if we start to get close, you will see teams trying to spoil the out of it and play harder...so i don't think we will get to 70 wins but it looks like we might get HCA throughout

[Cessation]

Lock up homecourt, and start your scrub players, while resting your stars for the playoffs, is what pop will do. Pop only cares about having the most advantage to get that ring.

[NRHector]

72 wins and not winning the le is akin to the patriots winning every game but the super bowl that 1 year. It'd be a complete letdown.

My view on 70 wins is that, if they can do it, playing the way they're playing now but with less minutes once the team is completely healthy, then that's fine.
But these games are played to put you in the best position to win a le, whether it's 58 games, 64 games or 73 games. You want to be playing your best at the end of the season and feel healthy going in.

+1

[alchemist]

If they're close (60 games) I would love for Pop to push the envelope and get 70 wins.