Reply With Quote
True but who does? We had it last week and it was no fun.
apologies if this has been posted already....but let's be honest, going 2-2 do the spurs still deserve the #1 spot for the week
http://proxy.espn.go.com/nba/powerranking?season=2006&week=21
True but who does? We had it last week and it was no fun.
yeah i mean right now the league is in the phase of "no oen is really playing well right now" but 2-2 i think should drop the spurs to #2 spot. if anything i dont want the #1 ranking on power rankings b/c it always works out to be a curse!
you actually take Power Rankings seriously??
here's the marc stein chat for those who can't view it (insider)
ESPN Web
Chat with Marc Stein
Welcome to The Show! On Monday, ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein will drop by to talk as the NBA regular season winds down.
Send your questions now and join Marc in The Show, Monday at noon ET!
Stein Archive: Chats | Columns
Buzzmaster: (11:55 AM ET ) Marc will be here at the top of the hour to answer your questions!
Marc Stein: (12:00 PM ET ) o, chatters. Let's go . . .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jono (Winnipeg, Canada): With Stoudemire's return and the Thomas signing, the Suns all of a sudden have a bench (Barbosa, Jones, Thomas, Grant, House). What does that mean for Phoenix?
Marc Stein: (12:04 PM ET ) It's still too early to say exactly what it means because Amare has a lot to get done in the last three weeks of the regular season. But I can tell you what it means for all of us: The playoffs are going to be a lot better than anyone thought. All of a sudden, we've got plenty of uncertainty, which is how I like it. Detroit and San Antonio are not the Finals locks so many of us thought back in November and December.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patrick (Cleveland, OH): From what I hear, Larry Hughes should be returning in a week or so. At the risk of jinxing the Cavs, how effective will he be for the playoffs?
Marc Stein: (12:08 PM ET ) Amare and Jermaine are back, so Hughes might as well come back, too. The team has been somewhat skeptical about Hughes' chances of a return but he can only help LeBron in the playoffs with his ballhandling and experience. But LeBron, to his credit, has powered the Cavs to a five-game win streak that has all but wrapped up the No. 4. seed. In his last seven games, I think he's averaging about 35, 9 and 7. Pretty spectacular.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Bauer (Los Angeles CTU): Do you think LeBron will leave for a big market when his contract is up?
Marc Stein: (12:09 PM ET ) No. He's staying in Cleveland. He'll be signing an extension this summer unless something crazy happens.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony (Chicago): Do you think Ben Gordon will finally agree that he is a 6th man now? He just gets to worn down when he starts.
Marc Stein: (12:10 PM ET ) No. Gordon is not going to like it. He might not complain publicly -- kudos to him for that -- but everything I've heard suggests he really wants to start. That said, I agree with Skiles' contention that he's more productive as a sixth man.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve: Nashville, TN: What's your take on Kwame Brown's recent play? he seems to really be taking advantage of the consistent minutes he's getting. Is he teasing us or is he finally going to fulfill some of his potential??
Marc Stein: (12:13 PM ET ) My take is that it's been four games. But it's a good snapshot to justify why the Lakers gambled on him. Friends in LA tell me that the Lakers are regularly trashed on talk radio for gambling on Kwame, but it's a three-year deal at not-so-outrageous money. Even if Kwame flames out for good, I would have made the same gamble. In the Lakers' position, you have to swing for the fences.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Fedail (Diamond Bar, CA): Judging by strength of schedule, who gets the last spot in the East? Bulls or Sixers?
Marc Stein: (12:14 PM ET ) Sixers. But it has nothing to do with strength of schedule. Iverson is the difference. Chicago hasn't been able to put any kind of run together and Philly has AI back. That will decide it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim (Boston): Did Detroit peak too early in the season?
Marc Stein: (12:18 PM ET ) No. Don't see it. They've lost once in their last 17 home games. They just did a nice number on D-Wade. I remain convinced they'll come out of the East and haven't encountered anyone in my travels who's prepared to bet otherwise.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan V (Long Beach, CA): Why doesn't Mike Dunleavy get any consideration for coach of the year? No one expected or even put the Clippers in the playoffs this year before the season began, and not only are they going to be in the playoffs this year they have a chance at 50 wins. Are they the most underrated team?
Marc Stein: (12:20 PM ET ) Who says Dunleavy isn't getting COY consideration? If memory serves, he was on my list of finalists in my last Trimester Report. He's right up there with Saunders, Avery, D'Antoni, Fratello. If I'm leaving anyone out off the top of my head, I'm sure someone out there will let me know.
Marc Stein: (12:21 PM ET ) And I have to give Chris Sheridan some props. I think he picked the Clips to win the Pacific Division going into the season. They won't, but they came a lot closer than most of us ever dreamed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe (West Lafayette, IN): Who wins 6th man? Stack again?
Marc Stein: (12:23 PM ET ) Mike Miller is making a serious push. Especially with Memphis maintaining its top 10 status. I should add Fratello to the COY list because, even though I was in the minority who picked the Grizz to be a playoff team, I certainly didn't see them as top-10 material coming into the season. And they've been there all season.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andy (Chicago, IL): How important is Devin Harris to the Mavs playoff hopes? Should he be shut down to get the rest he needs or should they hurry him back to try to get the best record in the West?
Marc Stein: (12:27 PM ET ) Absolutely, positively massive. He has shown an ability to get in the paint against the Spurs and give San Antonio's defense something else to focus on besides Nowitzki. That's why sitting him for the rest of the regular season, if necessary, makes sense for Dallas. The Mavs are deep enough to get by without him in the short term, but they HAVE to have Harris' penetration as scoring option to stay with the Spurs in a seven-game series.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew (VA): If the Wizards can win a few road games to end the season can they possibly do some damage in the playoffs? And if they somehow miss the playoffs or do poorly in round one is Jordan in any danger?
Marc Stein: (12:31 PM ET ) Everything I've heard suggests that Jordan was never in serious jeopardy, even when the Wiz were six games under .500. I expect him to be back with the Wiz next season even if they lose in the first round. Back-to-back playoff appearances ain't exactly commonplace in the nation's capital. As for doing "damage" in the playoffs, Washington is just like Indiana . . . hoping for the No. 5 seed to set up a first-round matchup with the inexperienced Cavs. Can't see the Wiz winning more than one round no matter what.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rob(ny): with their recent streak at 8 will the nets finally get some respect from espn
Marc Stein: (12:33 PM ET ) Only if you can read the Power Rankings. And the story Greg Anthony wrote on Nenad Krstic last night.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ben (New York): I've heard so much about how D'Antoni is so good at playing to the strengths of his players, and how he's in the running for Coach of the Year again. If he's that good, why didn't he have a job in the NBA already? How much of his success can be attributed to Nash putting all the pieces together?
Marc Stein: (12:37 PM ET ) He was in Europe forever, so he was off the NBA radar for a long time. Then his coaching "break" in Denver was really no break at all because his boss, Dan Issel, wanted to coach that team. But D'Antoni was super tight with Bryan Colangelo, who knew how good he was and finally got him to Phoenix. You're right about Nash, though. D'Antoni himself would be the first to tell you that having Nash, playing at a better-than-ever level, can make a coach look pretty smart.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul (Trenton, NJ): Please Marc, be GM for a day and tell me what you would do with Philly this off-season? Trade Iverson and rebuild? Trade Dalembert in the hopes of getting another impact guy alongside Iverson & Webber? Be patient? Something else?
Marc Stein: (12:43 PM ET ) It would take more than a day. I think I've mentioned this before, but even teams that might have bee desperate for a ticket-seller like Iverson in the recent past -- Atlanta and Orlando, to name two -- wouldn't give up their young talent to trade for Iverson now. I'm sure Minnesota would love to put AI next to KG, but the Wolves don't have the trade assets to interest Philly. It would take me more than a day to come up with a list of teams that would actually consider bidding for Iverson. And Dalembert wouldn't be much easier to move after the season he's had. I'm afraid Philly is going to have to ride with Iverson and Webber and keep trying to sort out the cast around them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jody (Denver): Is Carmelo A. the biggest All-star snub in history? He's absolutely the hardest crunch-time defend in the league, and when he has an off night, he has 22 points.
Marc Stein: (12:48 PM ET ) Uh, no. Two of my favorite Harpers -- Ron and Derek -- never made it to the All-Star Game. 'Melo will play in 10 All-Star Games before he's done. But I can't deny that he's been fabulous since the latest snub. I don't think that No. 6 seed in the West is such a prize any more.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Urooj (Toronto): Are you guys at ESPN ready to admit that you were way off about Charlie Villanueva?
Marc Stein: (12:53 PM ET ) No. First of all, not everyone here trashed the pick, so I can't let you lump us all together. Secondly, do you know how many points Villanueva averaged in the 10 games before his 48-point explosion? I do: 7.1 ppg. So let's not turn one game, great as it was, into more than it is. You could make the case that Villanueva erupting for 48 is a bigger surprise than Kobe getting to 81.
Marc Stein: (12:53 PM ET ) Thanks for all the questions, everyone. Have to head to the airport to go see the Clips. We'll do this again next week, back to our usual Tuesday slot.
i wouldnt go as far as to say seriously, but they are fun to read, its not like they are a crystal ball or anything, i was just surprised seeing SA at #1 after a dismal week. by the way, is your user name after the cronenberg film "naked lunch"?
yup. Cronenberg is the man but the book is way better and Burroughs should get all the credit for naked lunch.
yeah he's a fantastic director, i think videodrone might be my favorite film of his.
don't go to sleep right after seeing videodrome. I had some in disturbing nightmares
off topic, but was spider any good? i liked the book at lot but am always wary about adaptations...
spider was awesome. Not typical cronenberg, it doesn't even have his signature special effects. It's a mix between Eraserhead and Memento. The cinematography is 10/10
Because the guy predicted Spurs to win it all this year...
He might have $$$ in Vegas already...
well i'm glad he didn't plug any effects in, they shouldn't have been necessary. book was spooky as . i'll check it out then.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
