NBA Power Rankings Part III

Now that football season is now over and we don’t have to hear any more about the Pat’s quest for 19-0 and perfection… I say welcome to basketball season.

It’s been a busy week in early February with two teams in the ultra competitive Western Conference pulling off blockbuster deals.

Both trades involve Laker big men… past and present… and should spice things up a bit come playoff time.

Of course I’ll address the Lakers’ deal first. How Mitch Kupchak pulled this one out of his you know what I’ll never know. He was able to trade one of the all time greatest busts for a legit All-Star… shipping Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton and a couple draft picks for Pao Gasol. Laker fans love this deal and teams around the league are scared shitless.

Now, unlike many NBA experts, I’m not ready to proclaim the Lakers as the favorites yet… they still haven’t advanced past the first rounds since Shaq left town… but our roster is looking better by the minute. Come playoff time, not many teams will be able to boast two seven footers and a 6’11 guy in their starting front court, not to mention the game’s best player in the backcourt. The trade for Gasol will keep the team afloat while Bynum continues to recovery from a knee injury and adds depth to the roster when Andrew returns.

A starting five of Bynum, Gasol, Odom, Kobe, and D-Fish is looking pretty promising right now. Our already talented bench gets even deeper with the likes of Farmar, Walton, Vlad-Rad, Ronny, Sasha, and Ariza when he gets healthy. When we get back to full strength, I don’t think any team in the league can match are starters or our depth. As good as its looks right now, there are still plenty of questions to be answered before we even begin thinking about making a serious run at the title in June.

First, will Bynum return to form in March? You never know how young players react to injury, especially when the injury occurs in the middle of their development.

Second, is 20 games enough to get everyone on the same page? This is why we pay Mr. Jackson $10 million a season. To put it all together. Plus having a big who can pass, shoot, go inside or out, and actually catch the ball won’t hurt.

The last question is what moves will other teams make? In acquiring Gasol the Lakers basically laid down the gauntlet. Just as much as the deal improved the team, it was also a statement. We are back and ready and willing to do the damn thing. Bring it.

The Phoenix Suns were the first to respond by dealing for an aging, falling apart, but always ready to stab the Lakers in the heart Shaquille O’neal. I agree with most people that Shaq is pretty much finished; he can’t score, run the floor, stay in shape, rebound, defend, or fit in with the Sun’s run and gun offense. But there is something inside me telling me that with another chance to get back at the Lakers, Shaq will all of a sudden drop 25 pounds and be ready to roll in the playoffs. I hope I’m wrong, but he’s done it before. That’s the thing about Shaq, he’s too lazy, unprofessional, and child-like to be in shape and try hard all the time, but when he finds a reason to get motivated, look out. Most people think he’s too old and worn down to turn it on now that he’s playing for a contender. But believe me, there’s a reason Phil Jackson declined to comment on Shaq’s conditioning. There is not very much that motivates Shaq, but anything Lakers certainly has in the past and we’ll find out soon enough it still does.

About a week or so away from the all star break, here’s a look at how the league stacks up.

30. Heat (9-38) Unloading Shaq and his monster contract and getting Marion in return is huge for the Heat. Out of it this year, but a good start towards rebuilding.

29. Timberwolves (10-37) Garnett deal not looking that bad after what Memphis got for Gasol.

28. Grizzlies (13-25) Hard to believe a deal involving Kwame Brown was the best one on the table.

27. Sonics (13-33) Durand and Co. can still be proud of recent wins against the undermanned Spurs and Cavs.

26. Clippers (15-31) Knew it would be a long year without Mr. Brand. Welcome back to the lottery Clips.

25. Knicks (14-35) Not as dysfunctional as earlier in the season. I still say trade everyone except for Nate Robinson and David Lee.

24. Sixers (19-30) Will likely take another step in rebuilding by dealing Andre Miller before the dealine.

23. Bobcats (18-31) Has too much talent to have this poor of record in a weak Eastern Conference.

22. Bucks (19-31) One of the bigger underachievers this year. At least they drew 200 million viewers in the second battle of Yi and Yao.

21. Bulls (19-29) Still haven’t recovered from Kobe trade rumors. Hard to believe they’re only a game and half out of the playoffs.

20. Pacers (20-30) Granger looking like one of the better up and coming talents.

19. Nets (20-29) Kidd wants out, but the real problem is the ridiculous contract they gave Vince Carter.

18.Hawks (21-24) Young teams finally improving. Looks like they are playoff bound, even with a below .500 record.

17.Kings (22-25) Hometown Kings getting healthy and getting better. Still won’t be good enough for the post season, so look for a flurry of deadline deals.

16. Wizards (24-24) Recent slide has them back to .500 mark. How will team adjust to return of Arenas and his 25 shots a game?

15. Raptors (26-21) Solid team, but not mean enough to get anywhere in the playoffs.

14. Trailblazers (28-20) Coming back down to Earth, but definitely still in the mix in the Western Conference.

13. Cavs (27-20) Probably should be higher because Lebron is that good. But they play in East so record should be better.

12. Rockets (28-20) Yao and T-Mac still trying to live up to the hype in Houston.

11. Magic (32-19) Never thought I’d say it, but Turgolou and Howard a solid 1-2 punch.

10. Warriors (29-19) Doubt C-Webb will take them to the next level, but the Baron of Davis is getting it done as always.

9. Nuggets (29-19) High octane offense but Camby the only guy on the team that even tries to play defense.

8. Jazz (32-18) Right when people started wondering about them, they rip off 10 straight W’s.

7. Lakers (31-17) At full strength could be higher, but can’t have bad losses like the one to the Hawks if they want a decent seed in the West.

6. Mavs (33-15) After the Lakers and Suns improve, you know Cuban will make something happen, Jason Kidd maybe?

5. Hornets (33-15) Chris Paul is a freak and as long as he is on their roster they’ve got a chance.

4. Suns (34-15) Banking on Shaq at this stage of his career may not be the smartest decision.

3. Pistons (35-13) Getting it done as usual. I expect to see them in the conference finals again.

2. Spurs (31-16) Record not as sexy as some others and health is an issue, but champs coasting through regular season knowing what lies ahead.

1. Celtics (37-9) Gets top ranking because of record, but injury to KG something for Bostonians to be worried about.

Snoooooooooooooooooop!

I must apologize for the absence. I know its been a hot minute since I've posted anything new but is it just me or is the new Snoop Dogg song, Sensual Seduction, the best song ever! And does anyone agree with me that video is even more amazing?! Keep up the good work Snoop and don't let your pointless reality show that's a complete ripoff of Run's House slow you down!




This has nothing to do with music, but click here to check out one of the most creepy/disturbing videos ever made!

The Lake Show

Looky looky, guess who's the number 1 seed in the Western Conference if the NBA season ended today? That's right, your Los Angeles Lakers. And if your name isn't Ronny Turiaf, you need to get a little bit more excited about that.

It's a skeptical jubilance though, as Andrew Bynum will be out for 8 weeks due to a leg injury. I'm not sure whether to be happy that the Lakers are capable of this, or wary because the Lakers seem on the verge of a Dodgers-esque collapse after losing an emerging superstar to injury. Who knows if the Lakers can regain the mojo that they had with Bynum in the line-up. All I can say is that we are a hell of a lot better off than any Laker fan thought we would be at this point in the season.

I still think that Kwame needs to go, and I hate that Bynum's injury has put off any chance of getting rid of him or Odom (I almost broke my brand new TV when Lamar was taking crucial 4th quarter and overtime shots against the Sonics, and of course bricking every GD one of them!). But what the Lakers need now is another big man, and the rumors are flying that the Lakers have contacted Chris Webber, who I can suspend some mild hatred for and let him play for the Lakers, because at least he knows how to run a pick and pop, can rebound, and can actually hit a 19-21 footer. Vlad's injury seems to be hurting the Lakers a bit more than I thought, and I even found myself looking for Phil to put in Sasha during a game before remembering that he was hurt as well. Farmar is still playing tremendously but that second unit now looks a little more lost than it did earlier in the season. With Javaris Crittenton getting more PT, the second unit is now Farmar, Crittenton, Trevor Ariza, Ronny Turiaf, and either Lamar or Kwame. Where is the offense coming from in that unit. Usually only Farmar, with Crittenton making some one on one plays but not really running the offense, and Ariza making some slashes here and there. More depth at this time is definitely the priority.

Now for Kobe. I understand that Kobe will take over a bit more, and that's fine with me. But what I don't want to start happening, is for the other players to regress back to the last previous years, and just stand around waiting for Kobe to make a play. During the Sonics game, Kobe had no choice but to take over, as no one seemed to want to run the offense and create anything for anyone else. The need to play the same way that they were playing while Bynum was there, and just shift Kobe into the post role and give him a few more plays. But all the Kobe haters (like Steve Hartman) need to see what Kobe does for the Lakers, even when he is forced to take over the offense and shoot more: He hits the big shot. That's what he does. So as much as people can criticize him for being selfish or whatever they want to criticize him for, they need to realize that he wins games for us.

So get on board with this team, and start praying that Bynum's injury only really lasts for 4 weeks, and we maybe add another piece along the way.

#1 With a Bullet

After a long Christmas break, we're back for more. Congratulations to Clayton Fisher for winning the first Go Blue Radio contest, going 24-8 in his bowl predictions. Stay tuned for other contests to come, and hey, you might actually win something next time Clayton!

Just a few thoughts on the 2007/08 NCAA Bowl Season:

- What a way for Michigan's Lloyd Carr to go out. The seniors played great, and finally got that bowl victory they've been needing. It just seemed like one of those games where Michigan would lead the entire way, outplay a team, should have a huge lead, and then lose at the end. But the defense held tough and brought out Tim Tebow's true colors. (Speaking of Michigan, with Arrington and Manningham going to the NFL and Mallett heading elsewhere, Hot Rod better figure himself out quick, or the Wolverines are going to have a down year next year with either a backup/freshman starting QB and not too many/young playmakers.)

- So Illinois and Hawaii lose big, and most people are going crazy saying that USC and Georgia deserve some of the national championship. Really? So you beat a crappy Hawaii team that everyone in the world knew you were going to beat, and a 3 loss Illinois team that Michigan handed it to and Iowa(?!) held to 6 points can't keep up with you, and you both think you deserve the title? That's what the regular season is for my friends. Don't lose to the likes of Stanford or South Carolina, and maybe you'll be in that championship game. It's called the championship game for a reason, because the winner of the game wins the title.

- Fox sucks.


Now on to what's really been killing me lately:

Lamar Odom.

The Lakers have an unbelievable 16-5 record over their last 21 games, and are playing out of their minds. Their are shooting well, and only played 1 bad game over that stretch, against Boston. The second unit has beaten every other second unit in the league, with Jordan Farmar, Trevor Ariza, and Ronny Turiaf anchoring that line. Farmar has become a legitimate 3 point threat, and Ariza's defense has been stifling. Fisher has been a scoring machine (and finally stopped turning the ball over) and Kobe has been his usual self, while at the same time allowing the role players to fill their roles. Bynum has emerged as a star, with a plethora of low post moves, great defense and shot blocking, and a veritable rebound machine. The lob pass is back in full force as Bynum throws down at least two oops a game. Even Vlad Rad and Sasha have played well.

The only one holding them back in my opinion has been Lamar. I know I know, he fills up the stats. But about the only thing I ever notice him doing well is rebounding. He falls off in games, especially defensively, shoots random shots, commits weird fouls, and I am genuinely scared when he has the ball on offense. Remember over the past few years how you felt when Sasha had the ball on offense and was driving to the hoop? You were frustrated/scared/unsure of what was going to happen next, and the usual outcome was Sasha committing an offensive foul or throwing the ball out of bounds. Lamar makes me feel that way now, and almost every shot he takes makes me scream "Nooooooo". Even worse, every time the Lakers are in a grove, shooting well, making a run, Lamar kills it with a bad shot.

It's difficult, because his stats are not bad. But it's the little things that kill me with Lamar. So he tackles Ray Allen, draws a one game suspension, and how do the Lakers do without him? Only beat Philly by 31 points, shooting 66.2% from the field. I know the only option is a trade, but I wouldn't want to package anyone on the Lakers (minus Kwame, Mihm, Karl, Sasha, or Vlad) with him that people would actually take. Plus who would we get for him? I don't know. All I know is I'm tired of watching Lamar Odom continuously kill runs or take late-in-the-shotclock/game shots that should only be taken by Kobe.

Go Blue Radio College Bowl Pool

Only a few more days to get into the action! Go to ESPN College Bowl Mania and sign up. It's all too easy, pick the games, rate them in order of confidence, with your higher confidence games receiving the highest number of points. Submit your picks, and the join the Go Blue Radio group! The Go Blue Radio group is affectionately titled "Go Blue Radio", and the password is, "goblueradio". Simple stuff. Sign up, invite friends, and annoy everyone you love by watching 32 straight bowl games.

And if you're not excited to see Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators beat the Wolverines by about 40 points, then you should look youself in the mirror my friend.

Finally, here's a picture that pretty much sums up the title game:

Hot Rod

The University of Michigan ended their mid-life coaching crisis by buying a Hot Rod. West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez was introduced Monday as Michigan's new head football coach, their alleged third choice. Seeing as how it seems as though Michigan scrambled to find a coach after being turned down twice, most people seem to think that this is a great move, maybe even better than those other two choices. I am reserving judgement for a few reasons. First, I definitely did not know his name before a few weeks ago, that's never a good sign. Secondly, he's not Les Miles. Third, the move leaves me with a "hey, maybe this will work" feeling rather than a "holy shit, we are going to be unstoppable now" feeling. Now, I'm not saying that this move won't work, I'm just saying I can't pinpoint how I feel about this move.

That being said, here's a few reasons why this move may in fact be the move Michigan has been needing:

- He's young enough to be a long term solution for Michigan, not just a stop-over guy or an old standby.

- He took West Virginia from basically an also ran program to a National Championship contender, and a lock BCS team.

- He basically pioneered the spread offense, something that I think will put Michigan ahead of every Big Ten team. He will bring an exciting, and not to mention effective in the college game, system to the Big House. Not to mention the fact that he can teach the defense the best ways to actually stop it. (Maybe tackling someone might work, just a thought)

- The fact that he wanted to come to Michigan, encourages me, even if it's just a little bit. It maybe have been West Virginia's bad management, unwillingness to accommodate Rodriguez's contractual issues, or their general ineptitude as an athletic department, but whatever led Rodriguez to seek greener pastures is fine by me. At least I know that Michigan has the wherewithal to know how to create and update their facilities, how to handle their coaching staffs, and how to run as a successful athletic department.

- Finally, Not only did he want to come to Michigan, but he and his staff that he brought are so excited, they have begun planning and recruiting already. Terrelle Pryor, the No. 1 high school football recruit in America according to Rivals.com, has added Michigan to the list of schools he might choose to attend because of Rodriguez. Pryor is a 6-6, 235-pound dual-threat quarterback with 4.4 speed out of Jeannette, Pa. Pryor, who listed Florida, Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon and West Virginia as his favorites to attend as of Sunday, told Superprep.com to “add Michigan to my list” following a conversation with Rodriguez. Now, if he lands this kid, not only will he convince me, but he will convince every single Wolverine fan. Not only would he get the #1 recruit, but he would basically be pulling this kid away from Ohio St. and Penn St. out of nowhere, all in one fail swoop. Here's some highlights from Pryor to get you excited:

The Ultimate Mooch

So Jessica Alba announced this week that she's been knocked up. She's a craptastic actress and her entire career is based on the fact that she's ridiculously hot and has a bangin' body, so why NOT ruin it by getting pregnant? Honestly, how do these things happen?! I mean, seriously, do people in Hollywood not understand how birth control works?! An inordinate amount of those idiots seem to end up producing bastard babies that come back to haunt us after 20 years with their 'Look at me! I have no skills! Weeeeeeee!' attitudes and their shitty fragrance lines.



"I've got you my pretty...hahahahahahahahaha!"

At least in the case of Jessica Alba I think I know what happened. I'm no Nancy Drew but I'm pretty sure that Cash Warren must have poked some holes in his condoms or replaced her birth control pills with aspirin or PROMISED to pull out. Kevin Federline wrote the book on how to mooch off of a rich bitch for the rest of your life and you can bet your ass Cash has read every word. Hats off to you sir. This is how the game of life is won.

The Mitchell Report

The day every baseball fan had been waiting for came and went, stopping only to leave a bitter taste in most people's mouth, and leaving everyone with more questions needing to be asked. But in reviewing the report, and considering the reaction by the media and some players, it's clear that most people involved in Major League Baseball are unwilling to clean up and legitimize a sport that is supposed to be America's favorite. It also shows that the players, through the Players Association, have entirely too many rights. In what other sport do the players hold more rights than in baseball? None. NFL players can get signed and dropped at a moments notice. But for some reason, Darren Dreifort can collect $55 million while rotting on the injured reserve, laughing all the way to the bank. If the players were entirely concerned about ridding baseball of steroids, then adopt IOC/more effective testing methods.

In the real world, most people have to get drug tested before they're hired by their employer. If you fail, you don't get the job. It's that easy. If you're found to be doing drugs while being employed, you get fired. Why should it be different for baseball? Oh no, but let's not give these baseball players any punishments. If you and a fellow co-worker are vying for the same promotion, and you know that the other guy has been lying about his performance, or cheating in some way, and then he gets the promotion, are you telling me that you're not going to be mad? Not going to do anything about it?

And let's not be naive here. If a host of players are sending checks to the same guy, a known performance enhancing drug dealer, we can assume that they know what they are getting into and are now involved in a paper trail. We can also assume that the drugs are intended for consumption. So you bought all of those steroids and just didn't take any? Really? Get real.

Don't even get me started on this due process nonsense either. If I show up to work drunk and get fired, where's the due process? It doesn't exist there, and shouldn't exist anywhere outside of a court of law. These guys aren't getting arrested, they're just possibly getting suspended or kicked out of baseball, their job. Baseball players don't need due process or any of this legal bullcrap, that the Players Association or these "legal analysts" on ESPN are spewing. Stop trying to defend these players! They should be rooting them out of the game, figuring out the most effective drug testing, and moving on.

As for the credibility, these guys that gave up most of the names are in some legal trouble already, and are in some serious trouble if they lie, so where's there incentive to lie? What would compel these guys to name some right names, as evidence by the guys who admitted drug use, and then lie about others? That doesn't make any sense.

Something else not to be naive about. Yes this is a lengthy list of players, but it basically only deals with one drug dealer, one strength coach, and one drug lab already being investigation by the government. So if you think that steroids and HGH stops with these guys, you are severely delusional. So you're telling me there's no where to get steroids in Chicago? In the Midwest? In the South? Just like life, some criminals get caught, and some don't. Imagine if every clubhouse attendant had given up names, or if players other than Jose Canseco and a few others had told about their use, and their teammates use. But no, there's this unwritten code: "Don't squeal." The players have to be macho, have to look out for each other. I understand that, they don't want to give up friends. OK, fine. But there's gotta be a few guys out there whose dreamed stopped in AAA, because they were man enough not to take performance enhancing drugs.

On a personal, I was somewhat saddened by the reports about Paul LoDuca and Eric Gagne. Both were my favorite Dodgers at the time they were here, and both seemed to be the classiest of guys. I remember some of my favorite times in high school were at Dodger games with friends, watching Gagne strut out to "Welcome to the Jungle", and see him mow down hitters in the 9th inning. But that's tainted now. I won't be able to look back at those days with the same enthusiasm, because I know it was a sham. Looking back, it seems all too obvious. A 9 year minor leaguer finally making the big leagues and splashing onto the scene by hitting over .300 and knocking over 25 homers. A terrible starting pitcher suddenly becoming an unhittable closer and winning the NL Cy Young while setting a new saves streak record. Just like Rick Ankiel this year, those feel good stories are now cheating stories, and the records and awards are being questioned.

Finally, maybe it says something about the day that we live in, or maybe it's just an encapsulation of what Major League Baseball is, but think about this: The greatest hitter and pitcher of our time are both cheaters.

Now Jose Canseco is going on radio and TV saying that he was surprised that Alex Rodriguez wasn't named in the report, and that his new book will shed more light on his insinuations. All I can say now is, I won't be surprised.

College Football Bowl Season

Get excited people, College Football Bowl Season is upon us. 32 bowls over (almost) 21 straight days has me giddier than Danny Ainge after saving his career by swindling Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett for pennies on the dollar. Here's a few links to get you a bit excited:

First, check out ESPN's new Playoff Simulator you can make the rankings or use pre-existing rankings, and it predicts a winner. It's pretty fun, includes upsets, and generally doesn't have the same winner because the matchups change. Give it a whirl and see what you can come up with.

Second link is for our first Go Blue Radio contest. Go to ESPN's College Bowl Mania, sign up a team, and join the "Go Blue Radio" private group, with the password "goblueradio". Pride is on the line for this one, so pick the games, decide how confident you are for each pick, and rank them in that order. The winner will be announced after the championship game. Good Luck, invite friends, and GO BLUE!

Now for my picks, although I will keep the confidence points for the College Bowl Mania contest.

NBA Power Rankings.... Part II

I apologize for the long wait... but it took me a while to actually subscribe to the Internet at my new apartment after I was intercepting it for so long. But now I am back in (thanks to Comcast and $35.oo a month) and ready to talk hoops.


We are just about a quarter of the way through the NBA and there a fair share of surprises... the Orlando Magic... disappointments... the Miami Heat... and those who are tearing it up, just like we expected... the new-look Celtics and of course the hated Spurs.


As for the team wearing the Purple & Gold... a quick start got everyone in Lakerland excited, and a few poor games got everyone off the wagon. The thing about the NBA is.... it's a long season and you can never get too up or too down.


In terms of the team itself, the play of some of the younger guys has been encouraging. Jordan Farmar and Andrew Bynum are vastly improved and make the years beyond Kobe not look so bleak. A year of experience and off season conditioning can work wonders for players and it certainly has for these two.


Guys like Vlad-Rad, Ronny Turiaf, and Sasha are all much improved as well. The Radman is actually healthy and making shots. He still isn't quite worth what we are paying him, but if he continues to play like he did last night against the Nugs he certainly will be.


Kobe is still Kobe and that is expected, no matter what the situation or circumstances. Walton and Lamar's play have both been up and down. One minute they look great and the next Odom is clanking threes. I would like for Odom to take more shots close to the basket... but with Bynum down low there is only so much room. Regardless, him and Luke need to be consistent if we are to have any chance.


As for the oft injured "K-Lame" Brown, he still sucks offensively, but he is an important part of the team. It's no coincidence the team lost three straight after his injury. And Phil would agree, Kwame brings a big body and will bang down low. Who cares if he can't catch the ball. In addition, if he can play I won't be throwing up as much as I am now, watching Chris Mihm.


As for the biggest off-season acquisition, Derek Fisher, his steadying influence cannot be appreciated enough. Our former starting PG (Smush) was recently charged with assaulting a parking attendant over ten bucks... enough said. D-Fish brings toughness, intensity, shooting, defense, and knowledge of the game. God I love him.


Anyways... I didn't like to see Mo Evans get traded, but Cook had to go. Trevor Ariza has some potential and is extremely athletic. If he can just somewhat figure out the offense he will certainly help. Last night's win in Denver was huge, and showed that the team is headed in the right direction. When we get Kwame back and Turiaf recovers from a concussion... I think we can be a force in the West. And speaking of the West, it's as tough as ever but the East is quickly gaining ground. Here is where everyone stands as of December 6th.

LOTTERY BOUND

30. Timberwolves (2-14) Team with league's worst record finding out how difficult life is without the Big Ticket.

29. Sonics (4-15) No one said Durant's job would be easy. Looking to book to Oklahoma before they get kicked out.

28. Sixers (5-13) Never a good sign when your GM gets fired in season.

27. Clippers (6-11) Losers of 7 straight missing Brand more than ever.

26. Knicks (6-11) Losing Isiah... and half the roster would be a good idea.

25. Bobcats (6-11) Still trying to build, but heading in the wrong direction

24. Grizzlies (6-12) Team has too much talent to be this bad.

23. Trailblazers (6-12) Young team has talent but missing the man in the middle.

BETTER TURN IT AROUND SOON... AND I MEAN SOON

22. Heat (4-13) Get the benefit of the doubt because Wade was hurt. Shaq a year older and slower... but still a force.

21. Hawks (7-10) Young talent improving, but still a couple of veteran players away from competing.

20. Bulls (5-11) Kobe rumors had them distracted. Got off to a slow start last year too, should come around.

19. Kings (7-10) Kevin Martin out for six weeks isn't helping the cause.

18. Nets (9-10) Kidd refusing to play to force a trade. See link below to find out how to solve this problem.

17. Bucks (8-9) Yi ain't no Yao. Disappointing start but in the East they're in contention.


PLAYOFFS?? - WELL, IT IS THE EASTERN CONFERENCE


16. Cavs (9-11) Lebron playing out of his mind before getting hurt. Need him back ASAP.

15. Pacers (9-10) Watching them makes me glad Lakers hung on to Bynum.

14. Wizards (9-9) Miss Arenas, but Caron Butler filling in nicely and making Lakers pay for that boneheaded trade.

13. Raptors (10-9) Team doesn't play much D and can't survive too long without Chris Bosh.



LOOKING FRISKY

12. Rockets (10-9) Will it be another year of high expectations and disappointment? Looks like it could be. Time for people to realize T-Mac has never won in the playoff and never will.

11. Nuggets (11-8) Crazy talent, but team plays absolutely no defense. Gets league's award for most tatoos per player.

10. Lakers (11-8) Some big wins and terrible losses. Team still getting better and improving.

9. Hornets (12-7) Chris Paul one of the best PG's in a conference loaded with them.

8. Warriors (10-8) Looked like last year's playoff run was a fluke... until they got Stephen Jackson back and ran off 7 straight.


CONTENDERS


7. Mavs (12-7) Struggled early last season and finished just fine. I think Dirk is still having nightmares of Baron Davis and Co.

6. Pistons (13-5) Starting five as good as any. There window to repeat as champs may have passed.

5. Jazz (13-6) I still hate the Jazz, but Deron Williams makes it hard to do so.

4. Magic (16-4) Dwight Howard is an absolute man child. My early season pick for MVP.

3. Suns (15-4) No surprise here, but can they beat the Spurs come playoff time?

2. Celtics (15-2) Beast of the East looks as good as advertised. Expect to see them in the Finals.

1. Spurs (16-3) Reigning champs picking up right where they left off. No surprise there.

So there you have it. NBA Power Rankings The Sequel.
A couple of random thoughts... I can't wait for next Friday... I will get to see my first ever Laker road game... this one in Golden State... should be a good one.
And check out this link... the solution to Jason Kidd's problems and a way for the Lakers to compete right now for a title.

Peace.