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NBA Preseason Power Rankings
The start of the 2009-10 NBA regular season is literally, just days away - and this look at the league’s top teams heading into the brand new season (despite many of this preseason’s happenings) will give pro basketball gamblers an excellent idea of which teams will be legitimate conference title contenders and which ones will fade into the night when the pressure starts to heat up.
With the countdown towards opening night ticking away very quickly, let me get started.
Los Angeles Lakers, (65-17 SU, 43-39 ATS, 42-39-1 O/U)
The Lakers have got to be the odds-on-favorite right now after reaching the NBA Finals in each of the last two season and coming back with virtually the same cast besides switching forwards with L.A. signing Ron Artest while Trevor Ariza departed to Houston.
Boston Celtics (62-20 SU, 43-39 ATS, 41-40-1 O/U)
Now we’re talking NBA lifers. The C’s are absolutely loaded – and hungry – after adding veteran forward Rasheed Wallace, lengthy shooting guard Marquis Daniels and veteran forward Shelden Williams to an already solid core group that will once again be led by the team’s emotional heart and soul - Kevin Garnett.
Orlando Magic (59-23 SU, 49-32-1 ATS, 36-46 O/U)
The Magic are going to be very, very good once again – and should be better off as far as experience in concerned after reaching the NBA Finals last season. The Magic could very well win the East again after making some fantastic veteran additions, including Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, Vince Carter and Jason Williams.
San Antonio Spurs (54-28 SU, 40-40-2 ATS, 39-41-2 O/U)
Let’s see. The Spurs added Antonio McDyess, DeJuan Blair and Richard Hamilton to their trio of perennial all-stars in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. I think San Antonio has a legitimate title run in them over the next two seasons at the very least.
Cleveland Cavaliers (66-16 SU, 50-32 ATS, 36-45-1 O/U)
I don’t care – and I really can’t believe – that the Cavaliers are the odds-on-favorite to win the Eastern Conference title just because they added an aging Shaquille O’Neal to compliment superstar forward LeBron James. The Cavaliers still aren’t very deep in my estimation and certainly aren’t the best team in the Eastern Conference.
Dallas Mavericks (50-32 SU, 40-42 ATS, 38-44 O/U)
The additions of Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden put the Mavericks right back in the mix to win the Western Conference crown along with L.A. and San Antonio in my estimation.
Portland Trail Blazers (54-28 SU, 45-36 ATS, 38-42-1 O/U)
The Trailblazers look like they’re going to be at least the fourth-best team in the Western Conference and the addition of veteran point guard Andre Miller was an absolute steal that could push them into the top three. Still, this team has too many small forwards.
Utah Jazz (48-34 SU, 39-43 ATS, 42-39-1 O/U)
The Jazz are talented, have one of the best head coaches in the game – and will likely win 50 games – before getting bounced out of the postseason, though they have looked pretty solid this preseason.
Chicago Bulls (41-41 SU, 42-39-1 ATS, 43-37-2 O/U)
The Bulls have some players, no doubt, but they are still very young and lost prime time scorer Ben Gordon who bolted to Detroit for big bucks. However, a small step forward this season is not out of the question.
Denver Nuggets (54-28 SU, 44-37-1 ATS, 42-40 O/U)
After reaching the Western Conference Finals last season, the Nuggets failed to upgrade their roster at all – and will take a slight step backwards this season because of it.
Atlanta Hawks (47-35 SU, 43-38-1 ATS, 38-42-2 O/U)
The Hawks added gunner Jamal Crawford, veteran power forward Joe Smith and lightning-fast rookie point guard Jeff Teague, but still has no leadership whatsoever, despite the fact that shooting guard Joe Johnson is a superstar. I’m thinking this is head coach Mike Woodson’s final chance with this ballclub if they don’t make an extended postseason run.
Philadelphia 76ers (41-41 SU, 36-44-2 ATS, 39-39-4 O/U)
The Sixers will be much better this season with the hiring head coach Eddie Jordan and a return to health for forward Elton Brand, not to mention the continued improvement of forward Thaddeus Young and additions of sniper Jason Kapono, center Primoz Prezec and rookie point guard Jrue Holiday.
Detroit Pistons (39-43 SU, 34-48 ATS, 39-41-2 O/U)
Detroit will be solid at the very least and could be very good depending on how quickly Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon mesh with their new teammates. However, the days of Detroit reaching the Eastern Conference Finals are over.
Washington Wizards (19-63 SU, 31-49-2 ATS, 40-40-2 O/U)
The Wizards have a new head coach in Flip Saunders, but basically the same group of ‘no-defense’ players led by a returning Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antwan Jamison. The additions of guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller and F/C Fabricio Oberto, will help this team immensely.
Phoenix Suns (46-36 SU, 35-44-2 ATS, 47-34 O/U)
Phoenix will score a bunch of points and will be very fun to watch, but I’m thinking they have about 45 wins in them and may not make the playoffs.
New Orleans Hornets (49-33 SU, 35-45-2 ATS, 34-46-2 O/U)
The Hornets have looked totally awful this preseason and it’s easy to see that Chris Paul doesn’t have nearly enough help to compete with the West’s big boys.
Indiana Pacers (36-46 SU, 44-36-2 ATS, 45-34-3 O/U)
Forward Danny Granger is a flat-out superstar and the Pacers could very well surprise with a well-balanced roster of veterans and young players like Brandon Rush, Tyler Hansbrough, Troy Murphy and Jeff Foster.
Los Angeles Clippers (19-63 SU, 32-50 ATS, 46-34-2 O/U)
The Clippers could very well make the playoffs with gifted rookie Blake Griffin joining explosive shooting guard Eric Gordon and forward Al Thornton. However, if point guard Baron Davis is not motivated, the Clips will struggle.
Houston Rockets (53-29 SU, 40-41-1 ATS, 40-42 O/U)
While point guard Aaron Brooks is lightning-quick and nearing all-star status, the Rockets are going to be in big trouble without center Yao Ming – it’s that simple.
Golden State Warriors (29-53 SU, 38-40-3 ATS, 43-38 O/U)
The Warriors are going to score a bunch of points as usual and not be very good at all in doing so. I feel bad for gifted rookie Stephen Curry.
New York Knicks (32-50 SU, 47-34-1 ATS, 37-45 O/U)
The Knicks have looked very good this preseason but then again, these games don’t count. The Knicks will likely be the Golden State Warriors of the Eastern Conference if you know what I mean.
Miami Heat (43-39 SU, 40-40-2 ATS, 45-36-1 O/U)
There’s Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley and a nice young point guard in Mario Chalmers but not very much else unless you’re counting a one-dimensional Quentin Richardson, limited power forward Udonis Haslem and aging center Jermaine O’Neal.
Oklahoma City Thunder (23-59 SU, 46-34-1 ATS, 40-41 O/U)
The Thunder are clearly on the right track for future success – with the key word being future. A starting five featuring Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, James Harden and Nenad Kristic looks very, very good on paper, but this team still has some tough lessons to learn.
Charlotte Bobcats (35-47 SU, 46-36 ATS, 37-43-2 O/U)
The Bobcats may be looking at a postseason berth this season under venerable head coach Larry Brown. The additions of center Tyson Chandler, Ronald ‘Flip’ Murray and rookie shooting guard Gerald Henderson should pay immediate dividends.
New Jersey Nets (34-48 SU, 43-38-1 ATS, 42-40 O/U)
The Nets have several fine young players in center Brook Lopez, shooting guards Courtney Lee and Chris Douglas-Roberts and rookie swingman Terrence Williams while point guard Devin Harris blossomed into an all-star point last season and small forward Yi Jianlian is talented. Still, this team is far too young to contend for anything this season.
Toronto Raptors (33-49 SU, 33-47-2 ATS, 47-35 O/U)
If I’m Chris Bosh, I’m thinking about my next destination following this season. The additions of Marco Belinelli, DeMar DeRozan, Rasho Nesterovic, Jarrett Jack and Hedo Turkoglu likely won’t be much of an upgrade over the losses of Anthony Parker, Shawn Marion and Jason Kapono as the Raptors struggle to reach 40 wins.
Milwaukee Bucks (34-48 SU, 41-39-2 ATS, 44-37-1 O/U)
The Milwaukee Bucks lost Richard Jefferson, Ramon Sessions, Kurt Thomas and Charlie Villanueva and added Carlos Delfino, Hakim Warrick and rookie point guard Brandon Jennings – and will likely be among the worst teams in the league this season because of those cost-cutting moves.
Sacramento Kings (17-65 SU, 38-44 ATS, 41-41 O/U)
The Kings drafted a player in rookie point guard Tyreke Evans that will challenge for the league’s Rookie of the Year award and have a gifted shooting guard in veteran Kevin Martin. However, this team is very thing on the bench behind each of those players as well as fellow starters Andres Nocioni, Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes. Reaching 25 wins will be very tough for the Kings this coming season.
Memphis Grizzlies (24-58 SU, 38-43-1 ATS, 39-43 O/U)
The Grizzlies drafted project center Hasheem Thabeet and added perennial head cases, Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph, so this team will be interesting to watch if nothing else. However, Memphis’ new additions will likely take the ball out of the hands of gifted second-year shooting guard O.J. Mayo and that’s not a good thing.
Minnesota Timberwolves (24-58 SU, 37-43-2 ATS, 38-42-2 O/U)
Instead of drafting two players at different positions with the fifth and sixth picks in this year’s draft, that could have helped them, not only this season but for years to come, the T-Wolves foolishly drafted two point guard only to see one of them (Ricky Rubio) stiff the team by staying in Europe. Now the T-Wolves will struggle immensely as Al Jefferson tries to return from a torn ACL , though I did like the addition of outstanding point guard Ramon Sessions.
