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NBA Week 2 Power Rankings
NBA Week 2 – and a Half - Power Rankings – The Good, Bad and Bugly (Butt Ugly)
With two (and a half) weeks of NBA action officially in the record books, heading into Friday, it’s time to take a look at my weekly NBA power rankings.
With a full slate of exciting NBA action taking place every night for the next seven months, NBA pro basketball betting enthusiasts can take the information provided in this article and apply it when making what hopefully will be a bunch of bankroll-boosting NBA wagers throughout the week.
With that said and more games on tap for tonight, let me get busy.
Top 5
1. Boston Celtics 8-1 (Even)
While the Celtics lost their first game of the season at home to Phoenix, they are still clearly looking like the most complete team in the league. Just like two years ago when they won the championship, the Celtics are playing some absolutely mind-boggling defense!
2. Phoenix Suns 8-1 (up 2)
The Suns are looking fantastic and bounced back nicely from their blowout road loss at Orlando to beat the Celtics in Boston, followed by three more consecutive wins. I’m thinking the Suns have the look of a serious conference title contender for now.
3. Los Angeles Lakers 6-1 (up 4)
It’s business as usual for L.A. as they ride a five game winning streak into their Thursday night matchup against Phoenix in a contest that should reveal a lot about both teams.
4. Miami Heat 6-1 (up 1)
The Miami Heat are shutting opponents down and this team is one of the surprises of the year so far. If D-Wade can continue getting consistent assistance from his teammates and this team plays defense like they have so far, the Heat could surprise in the postseason.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers 5-3 (up 9)
A home loss to Chicago still has me questioning just how good this Cavs team can be, but Cleveland bounced back to beat the Magic on the road and are still one of the best teams in the uninspiring Eastern Conference.
And the rest...
6. Portland Trail Blazers 6-3 (up 8)
The Blazers are looking good, winning four straight at the time of this writing and free agent point guard Andre Miller is finally in the starting lineup – playing next to the team’s other starting point guard, Steve Blake. Nate McMillan’s lineups make me scratch my head but as long as the team is wining, I say, whatever. By the way, Greg Oden is starting to look pretty darned good.
7. Dallas Mavericks 6-3 (same)
The Mavericks have gone 2-2 over their last four but lost to a mediocre New Orleans squad and a Spurs team playing without Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. The Mavs stay at No. 6 for the time being.
8. Orlando Magic 6-3 (down 5)
The short-handed Magic have gone 2-2 over their last four but got blown out by Oklahoma City on the road and lost to Cleveland at home causing them to drop five spots over the last 10 days.
9. Denver Nuggets 6-3 (down 6)
The Nuggets have gone 3-3 over their last six and 1-3 over their last four, losing at Miami and getting routed at Atlanta in the process. However, when it’s all said and done, the Nuggets will be one of L.A. chief contender’s for the Western Conference crown this season.
10. Atlanta Hawks 6-2 (up 2)
The Hawks are looking pretty good right now, winning four of five with fine wins over Denver and at Portland during the span. Atlanta is giving the ball to rugged center Al Horford now, and I say smart move, very smart.
11. Milwaukee Bucks 4-2 (up 7)
I like Brandon Jennings a lot, he reminds me of a young and very raw Nate Archibald. But I had no idea Jennings would be able to score the ball like he has so far. If the season ended today, Jennings would be a lock to win the Rookie of the Year award.
12. San Antonio Spurs 2-1 (down 4)
San Antonio has been so inconsistent this season that it’s been hard to get a good read on them. However a home win over Dallas with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker tells me the Spurs are going to get better as the season progresses, much better.
13. Houston Rockets 5-3 (same)
Despite a blowout loss at Dallas, Houston is still playing very well, beating an improving Oklahoma City squad handily and taking the Lakers to overtime before narrowly losing. The Rockets are surviving without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady and that’s no small feat (pardon the pun Yao).
14. Detroit Pistons 4-4 (up 7)
Detroit has had a solid 10 days going 3-2 during the span while splitting games with Orlando and beating Philly and Charlotte – and a severely underrated Will Bynum has gone bonkers with highlight reel plays that have me wondering why he’s not start over Rodney Stuckey, duh!
15. Sacramento Kings 4-4 (up 11)
You go Paul Westphal! Who says old guys can’t coach today’s young guns? Sacramento has won three straight thanks to rookie point guard Tyreke Evans – while losing all-star shooting guard Kevin Martin to boot!
16. Indiana Pacers 3-3 (up 12)
The Pacers have won three straight as superstar forward Danny Granger is getting help now from second-year players Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert and rookie Tyler Hansbrough.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder 4-4 (down 7)
I’m tired of telling people that the Thunder have been building toward future success, but maybe now some folks will believe me. Oklahoma City laid a 102-74 smackdown on Orlando while going 2-1 in their last three and no, that’s not a ‘typo’ people.
18. Toronto Raptors 4-4 (up 2)
The Raptors have gone 4-2 over their last six games and I’ve noticed that Andrea Bargnani is turning out to be the special player everyone thought he could be when he was taken with the No.1 overall pick in the 2006 draft.
19. Philadelphia 76ers 4-4 (down 8)
Philly has gone just 2-2 over its last four, but I clearly see a big-time future for Marreese Speights and Thaddeus Young. However, Philly is now paying Elton Brand over $15 million per season to sit out the fourth quarter thanks to new head coach Eddie Jordan.
20. Chicago Bulls 4-4 (down 1)
The Bulls have lost two straight and shot a pathetic 0-15 over the last nine minutes of their 99-89 loss at Toronto and clearly miss one of the league’s best scorers in ‘sniper-supreme’ Ben Gordon.
21. Los Angeles Clippers 3-6 (up 3)
L.A. has dropped two straight without explosive shooting guard Eric Gordon – and I’m wondering what has happened to Baron Davis – again!
22. Utah Jazz 3-5 (down 7)
There is no excuse for the inconsistent play we’ve seen from the veteran-laden Jazz to start this regular season – except that these guys must not like each other very much. It’s a shame too, because Deron Williams is blossoming into arguably the best point guard in the league.
23. New Orleans Hornets 3-6 (up 1)
I’ll just write the same thing I did in Week 1 for the Hornets. Chris Paul is going to have a bad back by mid-season from carrying his band of underachieving teammates.
24. Charlotte Bobcats 3-5 (down 7)
Larry Brown’s ballclub could contend for a playoff berth in the weak Eastern Conference…. not! The Bobcats have lost three straight at the time of this writing.
25. Washington Wizards 2-6 (down 16)
Washington 2-1 start has turned into a five-game losing streak fueled by selfish play and a matador-like lack defense that screams “drive to the lane, I won’t guard you.”
26. Golden State Warriors 2-5 (up 4)
The Warriors have gone 1-3 over their last four but managed to move up four spots because of the woeful Grizzlies, Knicks and Nets. I feel really, really bad for Stephen Curry.
27. Memphis Grizzlies 1-8 (down 4)
O.J. Mayo is clearly a special player but now he and Rudy Gay have problems – because Gay won’t play any defense. Memphis has lost seven straight games. At least they don’t have to listen to Allen Iverson’s moaning about playing time anymore. Welcome to Memphis Lionel Hollins. Whoopee!
28. New York Knicks 1-8 (down 3)
If LeBron James opts to go to New York following this season, he’s got rocks in his head! Why go from a so-so situation to a pathetic one in New York? It’s that simple to me, but I’ve got a feeling James is heading to the Big Apple anyway from hearing him talk about how much he loves playing in ‘The Garden.’
29. Minnesota Timberwolves 1-8 (down 2)
Minnesota has lost eight straight after winning their season opener and I say good! The idiots drafted point guards with the No. 5 and 6 picks in the draft – and added another fantastic point guard in Ramon Sessions. Where’s former GM Kevin McHale when you need him?
30. New Jersey Nets 0-8 (down 1)
The Nets have a very nice core of young talent led by all-star caliber second-year center Brook Lopez and second-year swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts, but this young team has no clue of how to play together right now.
