ESPN's Power rankings:

[Jimcs50]

2005 Power Rankings: Week 10
Rank (Last Wk) Team Rec. Comment
1 (3) Suns 30-4 What could be sweeter than a return to the top spot? For D'Antoni, it would be coaching the West All-Stars . . . in Denver . . . where he was wrongly dumped by Issel after just one season.
2 (2) Spurs 28-7 Duncan has failed to score 20 points in eight of 11 games . . . and Spurs couldn't care less. They're getting offense elsewhere and continue to save TD's gas for the playoffs.
3 (4) SuperSonics 24-8 More credit where it's overdue: Seattle is now 2-0 against Miami and San Antonio. Makes it easy for Supes to get over that first (two-game) losing streak of the season.
4 (1) Heat 27-9 What a difference one Monday makes. Actually, the difference this Monday with Miami is two losses to Seattle, after 14 wins in a row, and a 7-7 record against the West.
5 (7) Mavericks 22-10 On this five-game homestand, after some serious AAC struggles lately, Dallas is 4-0 and averaging almost 120 points. Imagine if Mavs didn't have PG shortcomings.
6 (6) Pistons 18-14 Pistons are still looking for pick-me-ups, and here's one -- Detroit was 16-13 entering the new year in 1990 . . . and went on to win the le. So don't give up on them just yet.
7 (10) Cavaliers 20-12 That mask is really slowing LeBron down, huh? Meanwhile, in other fashion news, those retro unis with the horizontal pattern somehow look slimming on Tractor Traylor, don't they?
8 (14) Wizards 19-13 A trio of interviews on NBA Nation. A spanking of Seattle on TNT. Call it the best Wiz week in years. Who needs MJ?
9 (13) Grizzlies 18-17 Czar isn't getting the fanfare Hubie got, but we're guessing a New Yorker or two has noticed Fratello's impact in Memphis compared to that of the coach who beat him out in NY.
10 (5) Kings 21-11 As if the Bobby Jax news wasn't depressing enough, losses to Raps and Hornets really put the Kings of Thin in a funk.
11 (8) Timberwolves 17-15 The notion that Flip is in trouble? Laughable. But the 4-8 slump and teamwide indifference (KG and Wally aside)? No joke.
12 (16) Magic 18-14 Good luck trying to get a read on these guys. Promoted to No. 5, beaten by four straight stragglers and then victorious in a rout over Seattle. Thanks yet again, Magic.
13 (9) Pacers 16-16 Have you seen this portion of the schedule? Yet another reason for Pacer People to think the league is anti-Indy: Spurs, Mavs, Suns and Grizz on the road, then Suns at home.
14 (11) Lakers 17-14 Blame it on the rain? Some of you would undoubtedly rather blame the rain on Kobe. But not us, citing Friday's resolution.
15 (12) Rockets 17-17 Anyone else feel like Rudy might have been a better coaching fit for the T-Mac-Yao tag team than JVG? Anyone else notice Rudy is 2-0 vs. Rockets and 15-14 otherwise?
16 (21) Clippers 16-16 Surprising as their start was, Clips' stubborness might be the bigger surprise. They didn't fold when things started going bad, as some of you nasty cynics undoubtedly expected.
17 (15) Knicks 17-17 The committee's MSG spies offered a clear warning: Don't be surprised if Wilkens goes this week. If Isiah had a clear-cut interim option, it probably would have happened already.
18 (22) 76ers 15-17 As long as AI ain't hurt seriously, these are good times in Philly. Only three other teams in the past 10 seasons have posted a winning record on an eight-game trip like Sixers did at 5-3.
19 (23) Bulls 13-18 Committee has been shamed into more applause for Bulls. Reason being: Chicago, since its 2-13 start, is second-best in the East (at 11-5) behind Miami (14-2 in the same span).
20 (18) Celtics 15-19 Ouch. Hate to do this to our man Doc Rivers, but he's the first Celtics coach to see his Cs surrender 100 points in 11 consecutive games since (yikes) M.L. Carr in 1997.



Who cares about the rest?

[Rummpd]

Due to Spurs bad loss they have to drop to 3, oh well it will perhaps motivate them and it doesn't really matter.

B.S. ranking here:

8 (14) Wizards 19-13 A trio of interviews on NBA Nation. A spanking of Seattle on TNT. Call it the best Wiz week in years. Who needs MJ?
9 (13) Grizzlies 18-17 Czar isn't getting the fanfare Hubie got, but we're guessing a New Yorker or two has noticed Fratello's impact in Memphis compared to that of the coach who beat him out in NY.
10 (5) Kings 21-11 As if the Bobby Jax news wasn't depressing enough, losses to Raps and Hornets really put the Kings of Thin in a funk.

Kings may have hit bad stretch but they are playing out West and have better record and are in fact just better than both of those teams benefiting by a weak East this year.

MadDoc

[GoSpurs21]

actually that wizards team is for real. they have 3 20pt scorers on the team. check the stats 3 players averaging 20pts for the season. they have some size and are learning how to play team defense. this team can cause some damage in the playoffs

if you get a chance to watch them, do it. they had a chance to fold down the stretch against sonics but they looked mentally tough a played good defense to win instead.

[Rummpd]

I don't disagree they are pretty good and they beat Kings at home but they have not had good road record. Still think Kings are a better team all in all.


Amazing how MJ left and all got better there in DC and more power to them!

[Phenomanul]

I don't disagree they are pretty good and they beat Kings at home but they have not had good road record. Still think Kings are a better team all in all.


Amazing how MJ left and all got better there in DC and more power to them!

Add MJ now... to that talent.... and you would have a contender.

MJ simply didn't have very much supporting talent while there.

[ShoogarBear]

MJ was a still exciting player, but an uncoachable cancer as a Wizard.

He would have forced one of the Wiz' current big three to the bench, since he would have insisted on being a starter. Good riddance to him.