Stein's Power Rankings

[Korny Earl]

They are undeniably aging. They are routinely (and unfairly) dismissed as boring. They are the frequently forgotten San Antonio Spurs, who also happen to be the only proven championship commodity in the most compe ive Western Conference of all time.

So with the Spurs reclaiming first place in the West over the weekend, it's the right time to move them back to the top of ESPN.com's weekly NBA Power Rankings.

The Los Angeles Lakers responded to a rare blip at Portland by recording an impressive home defeat of Dallas on Sunday. Houston somehow managed to hang onto its top-five status for another week in spite of the crushing loss of Yao Ming for the rest of the season. The Spurs, though, still stand out with a nine-game winning streak of their own and a healing Tony Parker, earning them a return to No. 1 for the first time since Week 6 and their 17-3 start.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerranking


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[oboymeetsogirl]

Yep, the Lakers were impressive in their spanking of Dallas, but more telling is the way they did it: with Kobe taking virtually every dribble, making every pass, and taking every shot down the stretch. They won, but they had to do it the same ol' way that has not gotten them very far in recent years: by becoming a one-man team.

We all know what happens to one-man teams (re Lebron in last year's finals, and Jordan in his first four, five runs in the playoffs): it's hard to beat fully loaded, experienced, complete teams like the Spurs.

Bravo to ESPN.com's Power Ranking committee for their flattering words, but I still don't put much stock in it because they change from week to week based upon regular season performance. They're like girls (or guys) who drop pants at the next cute face. Anyone with half a brain knows that regular season performance is not exactly indicative of playoff performance. How many NBA champs over the years have entered the playoffs with only the third, fourth or fifth best regular season records?

The best teams are the ones who gel into the best units at the end of the season. Pop and the Spurs organization are masters of that, like the fabled teams of olde (the Russell-Cousy Celtics, Showtime Lakers, etc.). These are teams that look good on the court, not on paper; and right now, this year, it's obviously the Pistons, to some extent the Celtics, and our own, battled tested and proven Spurs!

[batboy]

OMG that tool put the Pacers ahead of the Bucks!!!

wheeeeeeee power rankings thread ftw, commence posting furiously en masse to let OP know how little you care

[Solid D]

The Spurs haven't beaten Boston yet, nor Detroit. Spurs had all their players against Detroit....were playing at the AT&T Center and still lost by 10.

[FromWayDowntown]

Power rankings!

[peskypesky]

Yep, the Lakers were impressive in their spanking of Dallas, but more telling is the way they did it: with Kobe taking virtually every dribble, making every pass, and taking every shot down the stretch. They won, but they had to do it the same ol' way that has not gotten them very far in recent years: by becoming a one-man team.

We all know what happens to one-man teams (re Lebron in last year's finals, and Jordan in his first four, five runs in the playoffs): it's hard to beat fully loaded, experienced, complete teams like the Spurs.
!

Good analysis.

[mikejones99]

spurs did not have all their players against Detroit, they are just old, slow, and boring. Thank you Jesus

[Allanon]

Yep, the Lakers were impressive in their spanking of Dallas, but more telling is the way they did it: with Kobe taking virtually every dribble, making every pass, and taking every shot down the stretch. They won, but they had to do it the same ol' way that has not gotten them very far in recent years: by becoming a one-man team.

We all know what happens to one-man teams (re Lebron in last year's finals, and Jordan in his first four, five runs in the playoffs): it's hard to beat fully loaded, experienced, complete teams like the Spurs.

Laker MO is Kobe a facilitator for 2-3 quarters then he takes over in the 4th. It's been like that all year now. Kobe was hot...and he was not getting double-teamed. On the first double-team possession in the 4th, Kobe drove and tried to get it to Pau. Same if manu is Hot, you gotta keep riding Manu to finish off the game (much like what happened on the Rodeo trip). It's not a 1 man team but you have to play your Hot Hand.

Spurs rounded out February playing very well, gotta give them props and deserved #1 Power Ranking. This upcoming stretch will be the true test and if the Spurs survive it playing .700 or better, they have a fine chance of a repeat.

[MajorMike]

The Spurs haven't beaten Boston yet, nor Detroit. Spurs had all their players against Detroit....were playing at the AT&T Center and still lost by 10.

How much did we lose by in getting swept by the Cavs last reg season?

[Solid D]

spurs did not have all their players against Detroit, they are just old, slow, and boring. Thank you Jesus

Against Detroit, Brent Barry was the only rotation player that DNP...and the Spurs have been playing without Brent for a long time (he's only been there for 29 games).

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

The Spurs haven't beaten Boston yet, nor Detroit. Spurs had all their players against Detroit....were playing at the AT&T Center and still lost by 10.

...and whoever comes out of the dogfight that will be the Western playoffs will be tired and beaten up by the time they face Detroit/Boston/Cleveland.

Given that, I wouldn't be surprised to see an Eastern team win the Finals this year. If someone from the West triumphs, it will be one of the truly great victories in NBA history, especially if it is also a repeat...

Go

Spurs

Go!

[DazedAndConfused]

Don't act like Ginobli hasn't bailed you out the same way countless times this year.

Avery Johnson could not stop Kobe, there was no reason to pass the ball to anyone else. Kobe was getting good looks every single time and was getting to the foul line nearly every play. Pop would have done the exact same thing.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Don't act like Ginobli hasn't bailed you out the same way countless times this year.

Avery Johnson could not stop Kobe, there was no reason to pass the ball to anyone else. Kobe was getting good looks every single time and was getting to the foul line nearly every play. Pop would have done the exact same thing.

Which relates to this thread how?

Don't act like Kobe hasn't bailed you out the same way countless times this year.

Avery Johnson could not stop Ginobili, there was no reason to pass the ball to anyone else. Ginobili was getting good looks every single time and was getting to the foul line nearly every play. Phil would have done the exact same thing.

Fixed.

[BIG z]

why is Tim Duncan not a MVP canditate?

[bdictjames]

Its crazy. If I was to make the rankings I'd rank Houston above San Antonio. You dont treat a 15-game win streak with a win over Nuggets a #5 spot.

[Spuradicator]

why is Tim Duncan not a MVP canditate?

Because he doesn't play for L.A. or Boston or is BSPN's poster boy Lebron.

[wildbill2u]

Don't act like Ginobli hasn't bailed you out the same way countless times this year.

Avery Johnson could not stop Kobe, there was no reason to pass the ball to anyone else. Kobe was getting good looks every single time and was getting to the foul line nearly every play. Pop would have done the exact same thing.

I wouldn't use the Mavs as a template for defensive teams. Kobe is almost unstoppable for anyone, but watch poor Josh Howard on him was pitiful.

We have a couple of players who won't stop Kobe, but will make it damn difficult for him to take over a game.

You guys have a fine team now. I expect we'll meet in the playoffs.

[mikejones99]

As you have heard lately, Brent Barry is a good person to have on your team. KT can still play too. Red Rocket can even start for most teams.

[batboy]

Its crazy. If I was to make the rankings I'd rank Houston above San Antonio. You dont treat a 15-game win streak with a win over Nuggets a #5 spot.

Nuggets ROFL

Because beating the Denver Nuggets >>>>>>> losing Yao.

[pistons4lyf3]

why is Tim Duncan not a MVP canditate?

Because he spends time winning nba les not going out and finding ways to make money for the nba so they can make you look better then you are on the court with their lovely zebra's.

[Brutalis]

Stein like the rest of the kind rank based on who's 'now' like the media's popularity contest. I love my team and all but I try to be real and say look, we haven't taken the beasts in the east down in one attempt each means we are 3rd at best.

Just have to play the common sense factor imho and SA has always lost in the regular season to good teams over the years, doesn't mean jack other than we have the taste of defeat if we play them come playoff time.

[bdictjames]

Nuggets ROFL

Because beating the Denver Nuggets >>>>>>> losing Yao.

A 15-game win streak is a 15-game win streak.

Its sad to see some Spurs fans underappreciate what Houston has done because of the interstate rivalry.

[1Parker1]

The Spurs haven't beaten Boston yet, nor Detroit. Spurs had all their players against Detroit....were playing at the AT&T Center and still lost by 10.

Our very own, Mr. Glass Half Empty

[Solid D]

I drank from the glass that was half full....and now it is half empty.

[CaptainLate]

We have a couple of players who won't stop Kobe, but will make it damn difficult for him to take over a game.

Egg-xactly. Kobe may get 52, but it will take him 35+ shots to get it ...not 27. And every other Flaker will be standing around watching the one-man show go down with great stats but another loss to the Spurs.