1. San Antonio (57-14): How is it possible that a team has played better than .800 basketball for pretty much the entire season has flown so far underneath the radar? The Spurs are five games better than every other team in the NBA. Sure, Tim Duncan is out indefinitely with a sprained ankle, but underestimating any team coached by Gregg Popovich would be a serious mistake.

2. LA Lakers (51-20): Since the All-Star break, the Lakers have reeled off a 13-1 stretch and begged for attention at every turn. After the lone loss, suffered in Miami, Kobe Bryant was so upset that he decided to start firing up shots in front of TV cameras. Lamar Odom has incessantly publicized his upcoming reality show with wife Khloe Kardashian. And Ron Artest performed his new single “Go Loco” alongside such dignitaries as Fat Joe and B-Real of Cypress Hill on “Lopez Tonight.”

3. Boston (50-20): The Celtics are 9-6 since the dreaded Kendrick Perkins trade, and panic has set in from Stockbridge to Boston. They’ve lost their toughness! Rajon Rondo is lonely without his friend! Where’s Shaquille O’Neal?! Relax. You know what the C’s record was in the first 15 games after the 2010 trade deadline? 9-6. And, more importantly, they have a healthy Kevin Garnett.

4. Chicago (51-19): “Hey, the Bulls lead the Eastern Conference, what gives?” Is that what you’re thinking? Well, consider this: The Celtics have won eight more playoff series as a group than Derrick Rose & Co. — not to mention the fact that they’ve defeated Chicago in 2-of-3 meetings and play in a much tougher division.

5. Dallas (49-21): Is Dirk Nowitzki in the MVP conversation? I know he’s got Cedric Maxwell‘s vote. The giant German is threatening to join Ray Allen‘s “holy trinity of shooting” (the 50-40-90 club), as he’s draining shots at a 53.0 clip from the field, 41.8 from 3-point range and 89.0 from the free-throw line. 

6. Oklahoma City (46-24): I’ve been enjoying the claims that the Thunder had taken a step back from last season. Um, they won 50 games last season and are on pace for 54 victories this year. If that’s a step back, I must be even worse at math than I thought. Would you rather face a team with Rose and Carlos Boozer or Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in the playoffs? That’s a tough call.

7. Miami (49-22): The Heat are playing .500 basketball (7-7) over the last month. They’re .500 (18-18) against teams with winning records. They’re 18-20 against the teams that would be in the playoffs right now. And they’re 0-6 against the Bulls and Celtics. But LeBron James totally deserves the MVP, right? Wrong.

8. Orlando (46-26): Does this Magic team scare anybody? Even a little bit? This isn’t your grandfather’s Magic. Or your father’s. Or your babysitter’s. Or even your twin brother’s. None of the “shooters” they’ve surrounded Dwight Howard with is shooting better than 44 percent from the field. The top nine guys in the Celtics rotation — for instance — are all shooting better than 44 percent.

9. Portland (41-30): Should the Blazers take out a full-page ad in the Charlotte Observer to thank the Bobcats for Gerald Wallace now, or should they wait until  season’s end? A Wallace-Andre Miller-Brandon Roy-LaMarcus Aldridge-Marcus Camby lineup is an awful touch matchup for anybody.

10. New Orleans (40-31): How can a Hornets team that’s reeled off separate 11-1 and 10-0 stretches only be nine games over .500? I’m still trying to figure that one out. That’s what you get when you start Marco Belinelli 58 times.

11. Atlanta (40-32): The Hawks were 33-18 at one point this season, right? A 7-14 record since Feb. 5 isn’t going to get it done. If the Celtics get to play the Magic-Hawks winner, it’d be their easiest conference semis matchup of the Big Three era — by far. Plus, you’d get more Zaza Pachulia-Kevin Garnett interactions.

12. Denver (43-29): The Nuggets are 11-4 since the Carmelo Anthony trade. Brace yourselves, Denver, because that’s as good as it’s going to get. Trust me when I tell you that the Nuggets are going to get crushed in the playoffs.

13. Memphis (40-32): Would you rather have Leon Powe on your roster or Troy Murphy? Exactly. Murphy may have length, but Powe has strength. He’s a monster — and a stand-up guy to boot. The Celtics whiffed on that one. After all, Powe could re-injure his knee, miss the rest of the season and still give you what Murphy is.

14. Houston (38-34): The Rockets are 33-22 since Dec. 1, and they’re still two games out of eighth place in the Western Conference. That’s the difference between the West and the East. The Pacers have 32 wins all season and have a three-game lead for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

15. Philadelphia (37-34): Likewise, the 76ers are 34-21 since starting 3-13. Like Doc Rivers has said, Doug Collins deserves Coach of the Year consideration. This exact team went 27-55 and finished 13th in the East last season. Or maybe we should just credit the addition of Tony Battie.

16. Phoenix (36-34): In the race for the NBA’s assist title, Steve Nash is giving Rajon Rondo a run for his money. Nash trails Rondo by the slimmest of margins (11.5 to 11.4) with 12 games to play. The difference? Rondo is dishing to three Hall of Famers, and Nash is passing to none (that’s right, Vince Carter).

17. New York (35-36): That “Nightmar’e” headline on the cover of New York Newsday was priceless. When the guy who was supposed to vault your team into contention says something along the lines of, “You just wait until next year; we’ll show you!” it’s not a good thing. Knicks fans must be psyched right now.

18. Indiana (32-40): Who saw this Tyler Hansbrough surge coming? Maybe the same people who thought Roy Hibbert would have a career year (i.e., nobody). The guy’s averaging 19.1 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Pacers in March. Maybe they won’t get swept in the first round.

19. Utah (36-36): On Dec. 1, the Jazz were 15-5. They’d beaten the Heat, Magic, Thunder and Lakers. They had a great coach (Jerry Sloan), a great point guard (Deron Williams) and posed a serious threat out West. Now? Al Jefferson is the face of their franchise. Well, at least Utah fans fans can look forward to the AAA Salt Lake Bees season.

20. New Jersey (23-47): Meanwhile, in Jersey, Williams helped the Nets reel off a five-game winning streak – followed by a four-game losing streak. At least Kris Humphries has been banging more broads … I mean boards than anybody in the league. He’s recorded a game-high mark in each of his last 12 outings.

21. Golden State (30-42): Remember when Warriors owner Joe Lacob said he wanted to model his new team after the Celtics? Perhaps he meant some rec league team called the Celtics that’s terrible at defense. That must be it.

22. Milwaukee (28-42): Both members of the Bucks’ starting backcourt are shooting below 40 percent. That pretty much sums up their season.

23. LA Clippers (28-44): Is it just me, or has all the hype surrounding Blake Griffin subsided since he jumped over a car, won the dunk contest and proved to be the most awkward Subway spokesman of all time (no small feat, by the way)?

24. Charlotte (28-42): I’m pretty sure the Bobcats were competing for a playoff spot before they traded Wallace. Am I right, or did I just dream that? How do you think Charlotte fans are enjoying the Joel Przybilla era? Sorry, I forgot that there’s no such thing as Charlotte fans.

25. Detroit (25-46): The good news? Greg Monroe is averaging 14.1 points and 9.0 boards in March. The bad news? It hasn’t made a lick of difference for the Pistons. What’s the opposite of Coach of the Year? John Kuester should get that.

26. Toronto (20-51): The Raptors lost 13 games in a row at one point, and there are four teams worse than them. That’s a sad statement about the bottom of the NBA barrel. Maybe contraction isn’t such a bad idea after all.

27. Sacramento (18-52): Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson said the rumored Kings move to Anaheim “feels like a slow death.” … Wait a second, hold up. KJ is the mayor of Sacramento? How’d that one slip by me?

28. Minnesota (17-54): I still can’t believe Kevin Love didn’t make the All-Star Game this year. He’s only averaging 20.3 points and 15.4 rebounds this season. Maybe he’ll get the nod if he starts averaging 30 and 20. That seems fair.

29. Washington (17-53): So, John Wall faces two more years of the Wizards paying Rashard Lewis and Andray Blatche a combined $30 million per season. That means we’ll get to enjoy watching him on nationally televised games somewhere around 2015. Can’t wait.

30. Cleveland (13-57): At the very least, Cavaliers fans get to look forward to the 2011 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, Dr. John and Darlene Love. Oh, wait, nevermind …

18 Comments for “NBA Power Rankings, 3/24”

1. JR Says:
   March 24th, 2011 at 10:49 pm

   LMAO at the Bulls in the 4-spot.

   Chicago’s won 42 of 53 and has easily the best point differential over that period. And one of Boston’s head-to-head wins against the Bulls was at home in overtime and without Boozer playing.

   Incidentally, the Bulls have played the easiest schedule in the league. Know who’s played the second-easiest? Boston.

2. bartholemeuw Says:
   March 25th, 2011 at 2:04 am

   you guys are mentally retarded.

3. Mark Says:
   March 25th, 2011 at 8:46 am

   I’m a longtime C’s fan and putting them ahead of Chicago right now is an absolute joke.

4. Ben Rohrbach Says:
   March 25th, 2011 at 9:23 am

   Ok, JR. And in the Celtics’ lone loss to the Bulls they didn’t have Kevin Garnett. I’m not sure how pointing out that they’ve had an easier schedule than the Celtics helps their cause, either. They’re ranked 3-4, not 3-7. I think the Bulls are very, very good, but I also think they’re the second-best team in the East.

5. Ric Says:
   March 25th, 2011 at 10:43 am

   Bulls 4th? Rose and company have technically never been in a playoff series, that is with these players around and Tibbs… so that is an irrelevant fact. Then again this is a Boston website, so I guess you can be as bias as you want. Must hurt putting Lakers ahead.

6. JR Says:
   March 25th, 2011 at 12:13 pm

   “I’m not sure how pointing out that they’ve had an easier schedule than the Celtics helps their cause, either.”

   Their schedules are basically identical in terms of difficulty. That was in response to the notion that the Bulls have had it easier due to the division they’re in.

7. Newt Says:
   March 25th, 2011 at 12:55 pm

   The notion that the Nuggets are going to get crushed is insane. Have you seen the Nuggets play since the trade? Have you seen who they have beaten. They’ve beaten the Spurs, Hawks, Boston, Phoenix, and Utah. They’ve lost 2 games on miracle 3′s on the road to Portland and Orlando and gave Miami all they wanted. But hey, whether they’re seeded 4th or 5th they’re playing the Thunder in the playoffs, and K-Mart regularly shuts down Durant in division matchups. Put bodies on Durant and he struggles.

8. Kia Says:
   March 25th, 2011 at 1:16 pm

   Kiddo you’re absolutely crazy putting teams like Hornets, Hawks and probably even Blazers ahead of the Nuggets.

   As for the Nuggets getting destroyed in the play-offs… Kevin Durant doesn’t respond well to defense. Chandler and Martin can defend him just fine.

   Westbrook and others will play well probably but with Kevin Durant under-performing in the play-offs again saying that the Nuggets will get “crushed”… What are you on?

9. tito Says:
   March 25th, 2011 at 1:24 pm

   Dumb article….Kobe has more championships than the big three combined and throw in Rondo. The point is? If you are bored, I suggest instead of writing this trash, why not just pick your nose…

10. puh_leez_ho Says:
    March 25th, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    “Trust me when I tell you that the Nuggets are going to get crushed in the playoffs.” G.T.F.O.o H. why would being 11-4 since the trade beating NO and ATL at home, blowing out lesser teams by an average of 18 points, and losing on last second 3 ptrs in portland and orlando give us any indication they are going to get crushed in the playoffs? hey, but I’m glad there are so many guys like you out there because you keep the point spreads on nugs games down in vegas, makin’ me money!

11. boris Says:
    March 25th, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    I think you got to go LA, Chi one two right now. It’s the way they are playing and beating teams right now that’s impressing me. After that I agree that SA, Bos and Dallas are the next three. Chi is getting better and better – because they got Noah and Boozer back together healthy now and because they are gelling with more chemistry as the year goes on. I like some of your other pics. Except I’d slide OKC down two and boost MIA and ORL one spot each.

12. C-Green-4-evah Says:
    March 26th, 2011 at 12:20 am

    I’m another longtime C’s fan. After watching them lose at home yet again, you sure you want to stick with that story???

13. Chris Says:
    March 26th, 2011 at 1:24 pm

    Boston is in a much tougher division? lmfao. The ONLY tough division in the East is the Southeast, don’t kid yourself. Toronto is only marginally better than Cleveland, Detroit is better than New Jersey, New York just lost to Milwaukee at home. The only argument for the Atlantic being tougher is the fact that Philly is miles above Indiana in talent right now. Both their divisions suck, both their records are inflated, but Chicago is the only one that doesn’t seem to be relying on match-ups against bad teams to keep their heads above water. Boston is choking, this post-trade deadline is ENTIRELY different than last year’s because Boston is actually worse now than they were pre-ASB, and anyone who thinks Boston takes the East this year is deluded.

14. Dave Says:
    March 26th, 2011 at 1:27 pm

    Why is Dallas consistently ranked so high? Does no one realize how bad they have been playing since January? Dallas is the quintessential league bully. They have feasted on the remains of soulless bottom-feeders, meanwhile not beating a West playoff team since JANUARY 19TH (they beat the Lakers on 01/19). This team is not nearly as good as their record appears, and they are being carried by Dirk. This weakness will be exposed in the playoffs, and unless they get to play New Orleans, they will be a out in the first round.

15. krsyt_84 Says:
    March 26th, 2011 at 1:35 pm

    “Trust me when I tell you that the Nuggets are going to get crushed in the playoffs.”

    Wow do you really believe this? Denver is one of the most dangerous teams in the league right now. Did you know they are 4-2 this month against teams over .500 and only ONE of those games was at home? Did you know all of their losses since the ASB have been by 6 or fewer points? Denver is playing like a top 5 team right now and could easily play Cinderella to the WCF. Anyone who writes them off as overachieving right now doesn’t understand how and why Detroit went all the way in 2004. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF!

16. Jake Says:
    March 26th, 2011 at 5:24 pm

    WOW this is a joke. The spurs all old as hell and without Tim Duncan in the middle for a little bit. Boston gave up thier chances on winning the east when they gave up Perkins. Chicago and Lakers are the two top teams in the the league right now and is the most likely match up for the NBA finals. Boston is overrated. Just dont forget the series that the bulls and celtics had two years ago and the bulls nearly won the series with a horrible 8th seed team. You got to be crazy thinking an old boston team can go 7 games with a young bulls team with the MVP point guard leading the way and the best bench helping out. BTW give the heat one more year and theyll be the best team years to come for the next 5 years.

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