NBA.com Power Rankings:
Nov. 16, 2005
By Jeff Dengate
Nov. 16, 2005 -- Welcome to NBA.com's third Power Rankings of 2005-06. Please note that these rankings are the view of one humble Click and Roll scribe and are not "official" rankings. Have a comment? Let us know.
Last week's Power Rankings struck a nerve with a few fans, namely Pistons' and Lakers'. My inbox was littered with questions like "Why aren't the Pistons No. 1?" and this one from JonnyMac of Halifax, Nova Scotia:
"Why is there five teams with worse records than the Lakers ahead of the Lakers in the power rankings. Also Smush is playing really good and i'm glad the Lakers have him; but he's not the only reason their winning. Kobe is averaging 36.5 points per game."
Simply put, the Lakers are not a better team than the Mavs, Pacers, Suns, Nets or Heat -- regardless what their record said. Kobe could go for 35 every night and the Lakers would still struggle for wins without a little help from his friends. Enter Smush Parker, who chipped in nearly 18 a night and the Lakers went 3-1. During the team's 0-3 skid this week, Smush disappeared to the tune of 20 total points. Kobe's an astounding player and a wonder to watch, but his reunion with Phil Jackson won't be enough to lift this team back to the playoffs. They need somebody else to step up in a big way.
Now, on to the rankings!
High jump of the week: Philadelphia (+22)
Free fall of the week: Utah (-10)
TEAM (LAST WK) REC. BREAKDOWN
1 Detroit (2)
7-0 A strong second half vs. Boston preserved the unbeaten streak, but each passing game proves harder to stave off that first L. A two-game Texas trip awaits to test the NBA's top squad.
2 San Antonio (1)
6-2 The mounting injuries and two losses aren't reason for the Spurs to panic, but they're reason enough for us to reassess that No. 1 business we were mentioning last week.
3 Philadelphia (25)
5-3 The Sixers haven't won this many in a row since Feb. 2003. The second game of a home-and-away set with the Raps tonight should see Philly's streak extend to six.
4 L.A. Clippers (13)
6-2 Two weeks into the season, the best teams in the Western Conference are the Spurs and the Los Angeles … Clippers. True story. The other L.A. team gets a shot at the Clips on Friday.
5 Dallas (3)
5-2 Already well road tested in this young season, the Mavs tested themselves at home Tuesday, coming back from 19 down to knock off the Nuggets.
6 Cleveland (15)
6-2 LeBron and Co. are winning by more than 20 a night at the Q, advancing to 4-0 at home with a win over the Wizards.
7 Washington (9)
5-2 Last year the Wiz rode their big three's scoring to 45 Ws. This year they're doing it with D. Washington is third only to the Pistons and Cavs in scoring differential (+8.28).
8 Miami (8)
5-3 Good news: Shaq hit the stationary bike. Bad news: That's where he'll stay for another two weeks.
9 Milwaukee (4)
4-2 The Bucks dropped every game out West last year and the first this year. That streak should end with stops at Golden State, Sacramento and Utah this week.
10 Indiana (5)
4-2 How many free throws do you suppose Rick Carlisle made the team shoot after Saturday night's loss to the Bucks?
11 Memphis (11)
5-3 The Grizzlies have never started the season with a record above .500 10 games in, but Pau & Co. can do just that by winning at Phoenix or Utah this week.
12 Golden State (12)
5-3 That sore hamstring hobbling Baron Davis will have to wait. The team doesn't have more than one night off until early December.
13 Phoenix (6)
3-3 With Amare out, Shawn Marion continues to dominate. He's registered a double-double in every game through the first six, the first Suns player to do so since Charles Barkley in 1993-94.
14 New Jersey (7)
4-4 They're beating the teams they should, but haven't downed a team currently playing better than .500 ball. A five-game West coast swing will make that mark tough to reach for the Nets themselves.
15 Chicago (24)
3-3 While the Ringling Bros. juggle under the big top at the United Center, coach Scott Skiles is looking like he'll do the same to his starting five in hopes of catching a few extra Ws.
16 Orlando (28)
3-4 The key to the Magic's success during a 3-1 stretch: Dwight Howard. The sop re is averaging 17.5 points and 15 boards over the last four.
17 Denver (16)
3-5 With Camby manning the middle like an All-Star, will somebody, anybody, step up to hit a shot from outside? The Nugs are firing a league low .204 from behind the arc.
18 Boston (23)
3-4 The Cs get a little rest in the second half of the month, playing five of seven at home and hosting Seattle, Toronto, Charlotte and Orlando.
19 Houston (19)
3-4 T-Mac's back … just in time to face San Antonio, Detroit, Indiana and Dallas.
20 Utah (10)
4-5 Are you getting that sense of déjà vu? The injuries are piling up, as are the losses. How bad is it? Robert Whaley and C.J. Miles each logged more than 20 minutes against the Kings.
21 Minnesota (18)
3-4 K.G. hasn't averaged fewer than 10 boards a game since 1998. He's pulling down a mere 9.7 this season and the Wolves are dead last in rebounding and second to last in rebounding +/-.
22 L.A. Lakers (14)
3-4 If Lakers fans were already unhappy their team went 0-for-last-week, this will only be salt in the wound: The Lakers slide to 22 in the rankings.
23 NO/Okla City (17)
2-4 One bright spot for the Hornets is point guard Chris Paul, who is making an early case for Rookie of the Year. Paul leads all rookies in scoring and is second in assists per game.
24 Portland (26)
2-3 For a team where youth would hold them back, the Blazers' "old" men have ably led the team in recent wins (and near upset of the Pistons).
25 New York (27)
2-5 A win's a win when you need to get the first one or two under your hall-of-fame belt … even if it does come against the struggling Kings or a short-handed Jazz squad.
26 Sacramento (21)
3-5 Will the real Kings please stand up? Only two of Sacramento's eight games have been decided by less than 10 points -- for better or worse.
27 Seattle (20)
2-5 It's been a long and painful fall from last year's Northwest Division le.
28 Charlotte (22)
2-6 The Bobcats could use a little consistency from their young team. In its current five-game skid, Charlotte has had five different leading scorers and four high-rebounders.
29 Atlanta (29)
0-7 The race to one win is on. With three of the next four on the road, the winner could be …
30 Toronto (30)
0-7 … Not so fast. Philly, Boston and Miami could send the Raps on a four-game West coast swing still searching for a W.
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