POWER RANKINGS Current Team Previous 1 Detroit Pistons 3 The defending champs have a chance to be even better with a full season of Rasheed Wallace and the addition of Antonio McDyess. 2 San Antonio Spurs 1 Nobody gains more from the movement of O'Neal than the Spurs, not to mention the addition of multi-skilled Brent Barry. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves 2 Going six games into the 2004 conference finals with MVP Kevin Garnett was ground-breaking. Can they take the next step? 4 Sacramento Kings 6 Letting Vlade Divac go in favor of Greg Ostertag could hurt, but if they finally stay healthy, they could win the West. 5 Indiana Pacers 4 By dealing Al Harrington for Stephen Jackson, they helped the backcourt and hurt the frontcourt. It will be interesting. 6 Houston Rockets 11 Tracy McGrady joins forces with Yao Ming, but they still need a point guard and some help at power forward. 7 Miami Heat 12 Adding O'Neal changes the face of the entire league, but nowhere more than where he landed. They need more. Is Karl Malone coming? 8 Denver Nuggets 9 Adding Kenyon Martin to Marcus Camby, Nene and Carmelo Anthony has them loaded up front. Does 'Melo slide back to guard? 9 Memphis Grizzlies 7 Last year's surprise with 50 victories, they added free-agent forward Brian Cardinal. Without anything else, can they do 50 again? 10 Dallas Mavericks 8 Losing Steve Nash to free agency while retaining other high-priced players hurts. More deals have to come. 11 Los Angeles Lakers 5 Now we'll see how far Kobe Bryant can carry this team without his Big Bro', Shaq. Lamar Odom really is the key. 12 Utah Jazz 13 Adding Okur, Boozer, Snyder and Humphries make the Jazz the big offseason winner so far. Sloan deserved this big play. 13 Portland Trail Blazers 14 They still need to make a move with Shareef Abdur-Rahim, but adding Nick Van Exel gives them quality depth. 14 Philadelphia 76ers 23 Hiring Jim O'Brien as coach and moving Allen Iverson to point guard makes them infinitely more interesting. 15 Milwaukee Bucks 15 They need young T.J. Ford healthy and with blossoming Michael Redd, coach Terry Porter has them on the right track. 16 New York Knicks 16 Team president Isiah Thomas has been trying to acquire athletes to no avail, with Jamal Crawford the present focus. 17 New Orleans Hornets 18 OK, Byron Scott is the coach, but it still doesn't resolve what's up with Jamal Mashburn. In fact, what is up? 18 New Jersey Nets 10 Having unloaded Kenyon Martin for draft picks and getting shut down trying to get Abdur-Rahim, do they trade Jason Kidd? 19 Boston Celtics 20 Danny Ainge keeps adding athletic players, and they surprised a lot of people keeping Mark Blount. They should be better. 20 Phoenix Suns 22 Lots of exceptional young talent, they need a good start to avoid a repeat of last season's disastrous loss of confidence. 21 Cleveland Cavaliers 19 The stunning loss of Boozer has been masked briefly with Eric Snow and Drew Gooden. They're still a playoff contender. 22 Seattle SuperSonics 21 They lost a lot of glue in the backcourt with Barry's exit, and they still lack a significant inside presence. 23 Toronto Raptors 25 They overpaid Rafer Alston, but they needed a point guard. More important is the constant upheaval that has Vince Carter wanting out. 24 Washington Wizards 27 They are loaded with young talent, and Antawn Jamison was a great move. Can they make the playoffs? 25 Golden State Warriors 17 Chris Mullin stunned the basketball world hiring Stanford's Mike Montgomery. Are they doomed to the lottery for the 11th year running? 26 Los Angeles Clippers 26 Yes, they made a valiant attempt to sign Bryant, but does that really matter? They need to keep Quentin Richardson. 27 Orlando Magic 29 John Weisbrod has rebuilt this team for Johnny Davis with teen prodigy Dwight Howard and Steve Francis. Will it work? 28 Chicago Bulls 28 The whole world is waiting for John Paxson to begin the dismantling again. Crawford's exit will start the process. 29 Atlanta Hawks 24 The Hawks are this year's example of the "cap room fallacy." They have plenty of cap space and no players. What's the point? 30 Charlotte Bobcats 30 Bernie Bickerstaff got off to a great start by drafting Emeka Okafor; now he has to put players around him to win occasionally. http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/7532980
I think that the Rockets are a bit too high in the ranking. I think that the Rockets two biggest holes PG and backup center are too big of a need to give them any benefit of a doubt. I think that the Nuggets and Lakers have a realistic chance of being better than the Rockets. So that puts the Rockets in the 6th seed in the west, by my estimates. Of course if the Rockets can get a PG and a backup center, the Rockets could be on the door knocking to join the club of the Spurs, Wolves, and Kings.
i hate when i have to give phoenix credit for something, but they're an arseload better than 20. same thing for utah being at 12. entirely possible for one of the two to be ahead in the standings (of the rox) when the dust settles.
I can see us being 6th best team in the league, maybe 5th depending on the quality of the backup C and PG we acquire.
I can't believe that guy has Orlando soo low. Even Philly is ranked soo freakin high. This guy is smoking weed. I love AI, but Mobley and Francis use to rip him a new A hole
How the hell can 76er be 14? They are rebuilding. Why Magic is so low? SF, Cat and Cato will bring Magic back to playoff. Lakers should be ahead of Dallas or may be Memphis. KH
the magic did have the worst record in the league last year so it's not surprising where he puts them. however i'll go as far as to say they'll be a lock for the playoffs in the east. i think cat and steve will vastly improve that team the same that mcgrady will do here.
Hmmm...the guy that couldn't beat out Cato...nah ...the guy who is the two time defending starting PF for the worst team in the NBA (in different conferences no less)...nah or...the 6'5 old tub of lard with no more hops and even less game. Now why is it that you think you guys don't need a power forward? You guys have more holes than Krispy Kreme...but you have Yao and T Mac
For Rockets fans, the best thing about the Grizzlies is that they don't have Yao and T-Mac. For Memphis fans, the best thing about the Grizzlies is that they are the 2000-2010 version of the Suns.
Still, I think backup C and PG are more pressing needs than a PF right now. I don't think there's anything we can do about our PF position right now anyway. You know, the Lakers had Brian Shaw, AC Green, Devean George... All these guys weren't solid starters, but when you have two players that both need a double team, role players start to look better. I won't say we don't need a damn good F at some point, but it's not as bad as our need for a backup C and a PG, nor is it as bad as Memphis' need for a star player.
