Marc Stein is a moron. On what basis is he ranking the Warriors and Hornets above us? Also, he has us ranked number 9 last week, but this week we're ranked number 12. How ridiculous is that? Nothing like judging teams on their preseason. Based on his logic, the Mavs and the Spurs had terrible preseason so they should be ranked low. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerranking?season=2007&week=0 2006-07 Power Rankings: Preseason RANK (LAST WK) TEAM REC. COMMENT 1 (1) Heat 52-30 Like we said, this is where defending champs always start. Not that my Heat really care. They could go 41-41 and what, really, could the committee say to hurt them? 2 (2) Mavericks 60-22 Not since Detroit in 1989 has the losing team in the NBA Finals recovered from the disappointment to win it all the following June. But I'm guessing Mavs don't know that. 3 (3) Spurs 63-19 I'm sure they'll be as good as ever, but I can't subscribe to the ''Spurs always win in odd years'' theory. I know about '99, '03 and '05, but how do you explain 2001? 4 (4) Suns 54-28 Amare's limitations are not the problem, people. The bigger problem is still the West: Suns probably have to beat Mavs and Spurs just to get to the Finals. 5 (5) Pistons 64-18 As if they didn't have enough to do already, after last spring's unraveling, now those Big Ben-less Pistons have to lift Motown out of its World Series gloom. 6 (6) Bulls 41-41 No team in the East is deeper and no team in the league is better defensively. Which is another way of saying that the first 50-win season since MJ's retirement beckons. 7 (8) Clippers 47-35 Now the team needs to take a cue from Kaman's new contract figure and win at least 50 games. Clips have never been able to say this, but nothing less is acceptable. 8 (7) Cavaliers 50-32 Experience might make them a better playoff bet than Chicago, but Bulls' superior defense and depth tells me Cavs are looking at the tougher regular season. 9 (10) Hornets 38-44 I'm telling you right now. Even with Amare and Dajuan Wagner in play, Peja would be the league's Comeback Player of the Year if the award existed. You'll see. 10 (13) Warriors 38-44 I'm not budging from my Nellie Playoff Guarantee . . . but Warriors, just to be safe, better capitalize on an early gift that has them playing 13 of 17 at home to start. 11 (11) Nets 49-33 Vinsanity is playing for a new contract, yes, but the best thing going here right now is their division. Lucky for Nets, they couldn't lose the Titanic if they tried. 12 (9) Rockets 34-48 Can they stay healthy? Can they live up to the runaway, elite-team expectations even if they do? Two legit questions facing Rockets after a bumpy preseason. 13 (14) Nuggets 44-38 It's a weak division, true, but Nuggets won't run unopposed in the NW. Their margin of error is slim if Utah is really as dangerous as some scouts keep telling me. 14 (15) Jazz 41-41 Someone needs to investigate this further: Is Jazz doomed to injuries now because Stock and Malone so consistently avoided them? This season should tell us. 15 (18) Wizards 42-40 There's plenty of time to assess Washington's place in the East pecking order. First things first: Isn't Captain Quirk a better nickname for Arenas than Agent Zero? 16 (19) Magic 36-46 Can't believe it's been a decade since Shaq bolted. But the natives are finally giddy again with Dwight and Darko filling that crater-sized void Shaq left behind. 17 (16) Pacers 41-41 Artest is a (painful) memory, but the same question marks linger: Can Pacers forge the chemistry and find the locker-room leadership they still lack? 18 (17) Bucks 40-42 I'm not sure they can match last season's 17-11 start -- pretty sure they wont, actually -- but getting Bogut back so early means it's already a good start. 19 (12) Lakers 45-37 With Kobe's camp participation limited, Phil participating even less and Kwame lost to injury, Lakers are well on their way to filling their Hollywood drama requirement. 20 (20) Timberwolves 33-49 Who do you believe? The unnamed GM who picked Wolves to win it all in a league survey? Or ESPN's 10 experts, none of whom has Minny in the playoffs? 21 (24) Raptors 27-55 It's safe to say Raps won't match their exhibition record by starting 7-1, not with nine new players, but they won't repeat last season's 0-9 nightmare, either. 22 (21) Kings 44-38 Muss himself said earlier this month that a good start was crucial. After the new coach's travails and Bibby's thumb injury, is a good start even possible? 23 (23) Grizzlies 49-33 Why such despair over one injury? Because even if Pau is back ahead of schedule in December, it's not like he'll instantly have his timing and sharpness. 24 (22) Celtics 33-49 Dedicating the season to Red was the only appropriate response. Now we'll see if these Celts, with five rotation players 21 or younger, can handle that responsibility. 25 (25) Knicks 23-59 Isiah's recent rant against our own Greg Anthony suggests that pressure is getting to him now -- before a game has even been played -- more than it ever did as a player. 26 (29) 76ers 38-44 Pains me to point this out, since I'm a bigger Iverson sympathizer with each passing year, but if KG can miss the playoffs twice in a row, AI's team certainly can. 27 (26) SuperSonics 35-47 Swift doesn't make it to Opening Night and Wally Walker departs way too late, after years of damaging decisions. It's never been tougher to be a Sonics fan. 28 (27) Hawks 26-56 Really didn't want to start the season dredging up the whole Chris Paul saga, but it's hard to ignore it when Marvin Williams isn't even available to try closing the gap. 29 (28) Bobcats 26-56 Since mid-September, MJ has seen more of the British Isles (Ryder Cup and a Brand Jordan tour stop in London) than Bobcats. That would bother me. 30 (30) Trail Blazers 21-61 Will Blazers win enough games to make Brandon Roy a viable Rookie of the Year candidate? Hard to see how, putting a crimp in that catchy Roy For ROY campaign
Not sure what's more idiotic: 1) Using the preseason to shake up the power rankings 2) Calling our preseason "bumpy."
He's probably referring to Yao's foot problems and Bonzi's absence when calling it "bumpy". He's ranking Golden State way too high, just based on the coaching change. They still have pretty much the same players ... all of a sudden they're going to go from a below average team to a very good team? Ridiculous.
even in those 2 losses, rox were up by double digits before the starters called it a night and the bench still managed to keep it close..
Hey Finalsbound You look like a happy couple. Are you both Rox fans? Good to see love on this board. Less hate and more love. That's what I say.
I don't know why I even bother with preseason Rankings anymore. Using preseason games as a measuring stick? Guh.
its 2 days before the season opens, they are begging for story lines. Anything to write, plus i think its better to be a dark horse team in the media. people will overlook us and thats when you're the most dangerous, i dont need ESPN telling me i'm Fat. i mean telling me my team is good, i know it already.
Marc Stein is a goof FAT head. I don't care if that sounds childish............its true.........and he is a dumb goof FAT head at that. Bumpy preseason...WTF?
Marc Stein is a goofY FAT head. I don't care if that sounds childish............its true.........and he is a dumb goofY FAT head at that. Bumpy preseason...WTF? There...I feel better.
well to be fair, no one besides alston and novak performed consistantly in all of the preseason games.
