Le Basketbawl

There are many NBA sites that rely on “Weekly Power Rankings.” The reason that I decline from doing them, is in my opinion a week is not an accurate barometer in the Association. Since I was a child following the NBA in the 1960’s I have always divided a season into quarters, believing it is a better measuring system than a week, which is usually three games.

We did our first installment on December 17, and now that we are reaching the 42 game mark right about now, with some a few games behind, and other teams a few games ahead. We have seen quite a bit of movement with some teams moving up in the rankings, while others have seen their fortunes, and their season start to crumble. There is a new edition to our top category, so without further ado let’s take a look at the second quarter of the 2008-2009 NBA season the rankings are based on games played through January 27:

PLATINUM

Cleveland Cavaliers:  If LeBron James does not win the NBA MVP Award this season, the voters should be drug tested. LBJ along with his right hand man point guard Mo Williams, has the “Wine And Gold” playing championship caliber basketball without Zydrunas Ilguaskas and Delonte West playing. Do you think Kobe would have the Lakers playing that well without Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum?

Boston Celtics: The Celtics have been a team of streaks this entire campaign. They lost to the Denver Nuggets on November 14, for their second loss of the season, and then pulled off a 19 game winning streak. Christmas Day they fell to the Lakers, and proceeded to lose 7 of their next nine. After bottoming out against the Cavaliers on January 9, they have gone through a resurgence with their current streak. There was a lot of talk during the fallow period for Boston, that the team had gotten old over night, and they were not in the class of Orlando, Cleveland, or the Lakers. One would think that this current surge they have gone through will quiet that talk.

Los Angeles Lakers: Lakers lost at the Staples Center Tuesday to the Charlotte Bobcats. It was only the fifth time this season that the B-Cats had won on the road. So exactly what does this mean for the team from the “City Of Angels“? Considering they are playing in Minnesota Friday night, and in Memphis Saturday, the Tuesday loss was just most likely a slight dip in the road. However ponder this for just a minute; they are by far the best team in the Western Conference, but would they fare as well in the East? Boris Diaw ran roughshod over the Lakers, what if they had to face Cleveland, Orlando, and Boston five teams a season, would they fare as well?

Orlando Magic: The new guys in this neighborhood this quarter. Dwight Howard so dominates other centers in the Association, that the Magic have the luxury of going with essentially two small forwards in Turkoglu, and Lewis in their starting lineup. But the X-Factor in the second quarter of this season has been the maturation and development of point guard Jameer Nelson.

 GOLD

San Antonio Spurs: No this is not the team that won it all in 2007. They are older especially Duncan and Bruce Bowen, and Brent Barry now plays for the Rockets. But they survived being without Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, and have come on strong in the last month. Roger Mason, and Matt Bonner have started to become key players for this squad. 

Denver Nuggets: With LBJ almost a lock to be named the NBA MVP, he probably won’t get much consideration. However a strong case could be made for Chauncey Billups to get the award, the way that he has rejuvenated the Nuggets. Even without Melo playing the Nuggets right now are a force.  J.R. Smith should be named as the NBA Sixth Man.

New Orleans Hornets: I am starting to run out of superlatives to describe Chris Paul. CP-3 had his fifth triple-double of the season against the Sixers Monday, without David West or Tyson Chandler playing as they were both out with injuries. That’s 5 triple-doubles in 41 games, and you wonder why I believe he is the best pure point guard in the NBA?  Tyson Chandler before getting hurt was starting to resemble the player he was last season, David West is an All-Star, and Peja Stojakovic is always a threat especially from downtown.

 SILVER

Portland Trail Blazers: Brandon Roy will be an All-Star in the Association for years to come. LaMarcus Aldridge and Steve Blake are both very good players, and they have some talented young players in Batum and Fernandez. The big question is will Oden fulfill his potential? If he does, Portland will be in the mix for quite a while.

Houston Rockets: Can they stay healthy? Yao, McGrady, and “Tru-Warrior“  are a potent trio, but not if they are on the bench with injuries. Having the “Ancient Warrior” Dikembe Mutombo back with them will pay off, even if all Deke does is sit on the bench and wave a towel. 

Atlanta Hawks: Dependent on where they end up record wise, the Hawks could cause some damage in the Post Season. Joe Johnson took a lot of grief when he signed a free agent deal with the Hawks. He gets the last laugh as the team from “Hotlanta” has built a contender around him.

Phoenix Suns: The trade with the Bobcats may have done Charlotte more good than Phoenix. Will Steve Kerr make another move before the deadline? Maybe the most pleasant surprise for the Suns recently has been the improved play of Shaq.

BRONZE

Dallas Mavericks: I truly believe that the Olympics took a toll on Jason Kidd, if not we may be seeing the quickest decline in the history of the Association. Dallas was smart to get rid of the millstone that DeSeganna Diop’s contract. Howard, Nowitzki, and Terry can not do it alone here. 

Miami Heat: One of the rumors floating through the Association  grapevine, is the Heat trading Shawn Marion to Sacramento for Brad Miller. If Riley can make that deal,  he should as soon as possible, Miller could be a key pickup for a team that lost their two veterans (Shaq and Zo) last season. With Miller in the pivot, Miami’s chances get a lot better.

Detroit Pistons: Okay how did Joe Dumars turn into the post MJ era Jerry Krause over night? What ever he and Michael Curry are trying to accomplish, other than end up in the lottery it’s not translating to the hardwood. Their starting lineup for the rest of the season should be; Rasheed Wallace, Jason Maxiell, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton, and Rodney Stuckey, with Iverson as sixth man. Want to win guys? That’s your lineup. 

Utah Jazz: Mehmet Okur may be playing his best basketball in his NBA career, while power forward Paul Millsap may be the best bargain in the Association as he is getting less than 800 thousand dollars for this season. This team though will only be able to realistically contend if they can get a healthy Carlos Boozer back in time. 

TIN

Philadelphia 76ers: No they are not the team that many observers thought would contend as an elite team in the Eastern Conference at the start of the season, but they are actually showing they are not playing half as badly in their second quarter of the campaign as they were through December. Brand is starting to get regular playing time, Iguodala, and Miller are two steady players. Thaddeus Young has played well as of late, and guard Lou Williams will try to do what ever it takes to get a win; he leaves nothing left on the floor.

Milwaukee Bucks: Scott Skiles was doing a nice job with the Bucks, but with Michael Redd injured for the rest of this season, this could be the high point for Milwaukee until the season ends in April.

New Jersey Nets: I have always had great respect for New Jersey Nets President of Basketball Operations Rod Thorn, but I can not for the life of me figure out what he and Lawrence Frank this year have concocted with the Nets? If Coach Frank can get the New Jersey Nets to a .500 record, I say he should be given strong consideration for NBA Coach Of The Year.

New York  Knicks: If you are a regular reader of mine, then you are well aware of how critical I have been of the New York Knickerbockers, brain-trust Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni. That being said this team in most likelihood will claim the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Al Harrington, Wilson Chandler, and David Lee among others are having career years.

Charlotte Bobcats: Hate him or love him, you have to admit that Larry Brown may be the best “teaching coach” in the Association. It probably is not in the cards for this team to make the step to the playoffs this season, but there is now light at the end of the tunnel. The acquisition of Diaw, and Raja Bell  for Jason Richardson, has reenergized this team. On the other hand, I still have no clue why the picked up DeSeganna Diop.

Chicago Bulls: Bulls General Manager John Paxson should be on the phone on a daily basis with the agent for Ben Gordon, until Paxson has been assured that Gordon will sign a long term extension. Derrick Rose and Gordon have become a very productive and exciting tandem in the back court. If Drew Gooden can get back to form this team could be surprising down the stretch.

ALUMINUM FOIL

Toronto Raptors: Okay can anyone explain to me why Sam Mitchell was fired instead of General Manager Bryan Colangelo? It was not Sam Mitchell who traded T.J. Ford for Jermaine O’Neal was it? O’Neal to say the least has been underwhelming since joining the Raptors. Bosh, Bargnani, and Calderon, alone are not going to get you into the playoffs.

Indiana Pacers: The other half of the trade with the Raptors, and even though the Pacers as of this writing trail Toronto in the standings, they ended up with the better end of the deal. T.J. Ford is one of the toughest players in the NBA, and he will infuse that toughness into the Pacers. 

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin McHale has done a nice job so far on the bench with the T-Wolves. The Boston trade is starting to pay some dividends, as Al Jefferson has been showing what he is capable of all season, and it looks like Sebastian Telfair may have finally found himself a home.

Golden State Warriors: What can Monta Ellis do the rest of this season is the biggest question on this team’s agenda right now. The Warriors can score, and are a scrappy bunch, but can they get better than that with the current cast?

CARDBOARD

Memphis Grizzlies: Chris Wallace has regained a lot of respect in this corner, with the way he has started to build the Grizzlies. Now Chris, take your cellphone and hide it until after the NBA trade deadline has come and gone. You will thank me for that advice later on. 

Los Angeles Clippers: Mike Dunleavy engineered a palace coup just before the season as he talked owner Donald Sterling into jettisoning Elgin Baylor. Problem now Mike, is at the end of this season, you will have no one else to blame but yourself. 

Oklahoma City Thunder: We now know that the Thunder will not have the worst record in the history of the Association. Scott Brooks while an improvement over P.J. still has not shown that he is more than an interim coach.

Sacramento Kings: This team has too much talent to be this bad, with Kevin Martin, John Salmons, and Jason Thompson among others. Kings should take a chance on Marion in the trade mentioned above with the Miami Heat, and see if Marion can take the place of Ron Artest.

Washington Wizards: Ernie Grunfeld is another NBA General Manager who may find himself unemployed at the end of the season. Grunfeld rolled the dice that ”Agent Zero“ would be fully recovered from his knee problems this season. Instead Arenas name is not even mentioned in conversations concerning the Association at this point, and his return date is still a mystery.