Cross-Sport Power Rankings: May 15-21, 2012

[Tbiggums47]

Cross-Sport Power Rankings: May 15-21, 2012

Rank (LW)PlayerComment1
(NR)Kevin Durant
Thunder
Durant is making a habit of hitting postseason game winners. He had a big one in the first round against Dallas and two against the Lakers, putting the Thunder into the conference finals for the second straight year. Hopefully you haven't missed any of his basketball brilliance because you were too busy playing Doodle Jump.2
(NR)Mario Gutierrez
Jockey
Gutierrez and I'll Have Another did just that at Pimlico, taking the Preakness in thrilling fashion over favorite Bodemeister. This is the 12th time since 1979 that a horse has won the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Now we'll have to see whether Gutierrez and I'll Have Another can do what Big Brown, Charismatic, Alysheba and others couldn't.3
(NR)Tim Duncan
Spurs
Don't sleep on San Antonio. These aren't your father's (or older brother's) boring Spurs. Duncan & Co. have one of the best offenses in the league. Duncan averaged 21 points per game in the sweep of the Clippers, his best scoring output in one series since 2008. The Spurs have won 18 straight games, and with eight more, they'll add a fifth ring.4
(NR)Didier Drogba
Chelsea
Drogba may be leaving Chelsea, but he's going out on a high note. The striker scored a late equalizing goal in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, then connected on the final penalty kick to give Chelsea its long-awaited le.5
(3)LeBron James
Heat
King James picked up a new nickname on Sunday: Video Game James. His 40-point, 19-rebound, 9-assist line had many in the league comparing it to an "NBA 2K12" performance. In reality, James was the first person to do that since Elgin Baylor in 1961. Unfortunately, the comparison doesn't help James in one department: Baylor never won an NBA le.6
(4)Henrik Lundqvist
Rangers
It's been 18 years since the Rangers lifted the Stanley Cup (which doesn't even compare to their previous 54-year drought), but if Lundqvist keeps playing the way he has, they might not wait much longer. He posted his second shutout of the conference finals in Game 3 against New Jersey, giving him three for the postseason.7
(NR)Justin Verlander
Tigers
When you've thrown two no-hitters and won MVP and the Cy Young in the same season, a simple one-hit, 12-strikeout performance won't move the needle as much as it should. Still, Verlander came just two outs away from a third no-hitter, lowering his ERA to 2.14 in the process. He's must-see TV every time he hits the mound.8
(NR)Jonathan Quick
Kings
Sunday's loss proved Quick is still human, which had been in question after the way he'd started the conference finals against Phoenix. The Kings netminder shut out the Coyotes in Game 2, then allowed just one goal in Game 3. Even after letting up two goals in Game 4, his postseason goals-against average sits at a microscopic 1.46.9
(8)Jimmie Johnson
NASCAR
It might just have been an exhibition, and a weirdly formatted one at that, but JJ's fans have to be thrilled with Johnson taking the checkered flag for the second consecutive week. The Hendrick star took full advantage of the modified All-Star format and proved in the end that he had the best car of the night.10
(NR)Rafael Nadal
Tennis
Tennis's best clay-court player bounced back from his shocking loss in Madrid to beat three of the top seven players in the world en route to a le in Rome in his last French Open tuneup. Nadal didn't drop a set in Rome, dispatching rival Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-3 in the final.
Honorable mentions: Josh Hamilton (Rangers), Shane Doan (Coyotes), Maria Sharapova (tennis), Stephen Strasburg (Nationals), Jason Dufner (golf)

• Recommend11
• Tweet5
• Comments14
• Email
• Print

[sananspursfan21]

Hes above 'king' james!