Dunking with Wolves » Power Rankings

It’s the week 22 Dunking with Wolves NBA Power Rankings

James Glenn — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 15:41:43 +0000

April 5, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) celebrates as his team scores during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Heat win 89-79. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

It’s the week 22 Dunking with Wolves NBA Power Rankings. JJ Glenn continues to break down every NBA team throughout the NBA season.
This Week	Last Week	Team	Notes
1	1	Heat	The Heat are the first team in the NBA to 60 wins and even without most of “the super friends” playing over the last week, the Heat have proven they have players that can step up when it is needed. Matchups will be the only thing that could be an issue for the Heat in the post season.
2	3	Oklahoma City	The Thunder are now the top seed in the West. Due to the depth in the West the 1st seed will get you a matchup against the Lakers. That’s a better matchup for the Thunder than the 2nd seed, which would be a matchup with Houston. The Thunder are aiming for a title and anything less will be a failure.
3	2	San Antonio	The Spurs are a different team when Manu Ginobili doesn’t play. It has been very obvious in his absence and their 6-4 record over their last 10 would indicate that. They should have him back for the 1st round. In a battle against the Lakers they won’t need him, against the Rockets they could need him.
4	4	Denver	The Nuggets took a huge blow with the announcement that Danilo Gallinari will miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury. He is a huge loss for a team that was really starting to hit their stride. Without Gallinari the Nuggets will still be able to finish high in the West, and will have their work cut out for them to get out of the 1st round.
5	6	New York Knicks	The Knicks 11-0 is a great sign as they get ready for the post season. This is the type of play they thought they were going to get all season. Melo seems to be feeling it right now, but like many times before, will it last for an entire post season? Probably not, and that is why the Knicks can last longer in the post season being a 2 seed rather than a 3 seed.
6	5	Indiana	The Pacers continue to play at a very high clip, 8-2 over their last 10. The way the Pacers fate is unfolding they will have a 2nd round date with the Miami Heat. If that is the case, that could be the biggest hurdle for the Heat to repeat.
7	7	Memphis	The Grizzlies have cooled off a little bit. They are still 1 game behind the Clippers and at the current rate they have been playing compared to the Clips they should be able to overtake them before the playoffs start. Either way, right now they will be playing the Clippers in the opening round, and either the Spurs of Thunder in the 2nd round.
8	8	L.A. Clippers	The Clippers were built to accomplish so much this season. They had a terrific win streak early in the season. At the time this was the team that according to “experts” could win the West and push the Heat for a title. Well 5-5 over their last 10 and playing uninspired basketball under VDN, the Clips will again live up their history and let their fan base down
9	9	Brooklyn	The Nets broke the bank going into this season, and it has gotten them a 4th seed and a 43-32 record. The Nets have an immense amount of talent, yet it seems as if they were assembled by some guy who is a casual fan playing fantasy basketball and stock piled any recognizable name he could. Great on paper, hasn’t produced on the floor.
10	10	Houston	The Rockets have to be pleasantly surprised with how this season turned out. After some major off season acquisitions, they are back in the playoffs for another 1st round exit. Which raises the question, would you rather miss the playoffs to get a good pick to get better, or continuously go to the playoffs and get bounded in the first round every year?
11	11	Golden State	The Warriors seem to be clicking again. They have gone 7-3 over their last 10, and they are positioned for a first round meeting with Denver, and without Gallinari things look a little better if you’re a “dubs” fan. Since the sale of the team and the placement of the current front office, this is a team that has been doing almost everything right. This will be the first of many good seasons to come for Golden State.
13	14	Atlanta	The Hawks continue to play .500 ball. After the Joe Johnson trade, this was supposed to be the first year in a rebuilding project. Well Danny Ferry has made sure this team gets right back into the playoffs. The major questions will come this offseason and what they decide to do.
12	12	Chicago	The Bulls continue to play above what was expected of them without Derrick Rose. This was to be the year they “phoned it in” and wouldn’t have much expected of them. That’s not the case. Defense has been winning games, but this current roster won’t do anything but get in the playoffs without Rose.
14	13	Boston	The Celtics are officially in the playoffs. They seem to be ready to go in as a 7th seed, which would get them a first round date with the New York Knicks. The Celtics have shown they can play with anyone, but can Doc get this team to do it for a full series?
15	16	L.A. Lakers	The Lakers look to be the 8th seed and will make the playoffs. If that was the headline then Lakers fans should feel good about it, but as the 8th seed the Lakers will get a 1st round date with either OKC or the Spurs. It won’t matter what team it is, the Lakers won’t make it past the 1st round.
16	15	Milwaukee	The Bucks are still averaging -1.5 points less per game. They have gone 3-7 over their last 10 games. This team will make the playoffs only because they seem to be the best worst team in the East. Be honest Bucks fans, would you rather get a good draft pick or get bounced in the 1st round of the playoffs?
17	17	Utah	The Jazz seem like they just don’t want to go to the playoffs. The post season was theirs to lose, and they have lost it. They are only a .5 games behind the Lakers, but they have been playing like they are trying to stay out of the playoffs. They are still trying different lines and it still seems like they don’t have any continuity going on at all down the stretch. Couple that with big questions about what they are going to do this off season, things are really interesting for Jazz fans.
18	18	Dallas	The Mavs have been trying to take a distance runners kick at this season, it just seems like it is too little too late. 3 games out of the 8th spot seems just too much to overcome for the Mavs this late in the season. The Mavs and their 1 year contract crew will have the chance to build another roster going into next season.
19	19	Portland	The Blazers have 4 pretty good starting players. They are missing a 5, They will have all off season to try and land one. They will also need to build some depth, as that was a huge issue with them all season long.
20	21	Toronto	The Raptors made some real interesting moves during this season. Will they be enough for their GM to keep his job? It shouldn’t be, and the sooner they get their new GM in place they can start building this team all over again.
21	20	Minnesota	The Wolves are going to be very interesting over this next off season. Will Kahn be around to try and see this injury plagued roster together for a full season? If he doesn’t what changes will be made and how much would be changed going into next season. If he stays can he get that 1 wing player this team really needs to make some noise next year?
22	23	Philadelphia	The Sixers are playing .500 over their last 10. This team might have been a real contender should they of had a healthy Bynum all season. Instead that move is more than likely going to be the doom of this team for at least a couple of years to come.
23	22	Washington D.C	The Wizards have a nice team and have come a long way since John Wall returned to the line-up. Give this squad another year together and another off season to put a couple more pieces in place and this time next year the Wizards will be a different story.
24	25	Cleveland	The Cavs are built for the future, and they have some holes. They also have a lot of cap space and a lot of draft picks. Another year together, and the Cavs are moving in the right direction.
25	24	Sacramento	The Kings are a team with no home. Literally. They have an ownership group that wants to sell them and with that, they don’t know where they will be playing next season. On the plus side, there are 2 cities that want them, even if the Maloofs don’t.
26	27	New Orleans	The Hornets are young. They are building for the future and have some real nice pieces to do it. If they are to start moving up, they will need to stay healthy and see some real progress from their young stable of players.
27	26	Detroit	The Pistons will have close to 20 million in cap space this offseason. They have 2 real nice players in Drummond and Monroe. The want Jose back bad, and they have Knight and Stuckey. Toss in Singler and Jerebko and there is a whole lot this team is going to need, and 20 million isn’t enough.
28	28	Phoenix	The Suns could possibly be the team that is this low on the power rankings that really doesn’t have any sort of plan to build this team, and if they do it is not clear to anyone who follows the game.
29	29	Orlando	The Magic are in full blown rebuilding mode. It is going to be so much fun to see what they do to try and turn this team back into a contender in the East, and how long it is going to take for it to happen, if it is going to happen.
30	30	Charlotte	There was an interesting question I saw recently, it asked if you’re a Bobcats fan, what do you have to be excited about? The most common answer was Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kemba Walker and cap space. Ask yourself, is that enough to really make you excited?

It’s the week 19 Dunking with Wolves NBA Power Rankings

James Glenn — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:10:43 +0000

Feb 23, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) acknowledges being called for a foul during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Heat defeated the Sixers 114-90. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

It’s the week 19 Dunking with Wolves NBA Power Rankings. JJ Glenn continues to break down every NBA team throughout the NBA season.
This Week	Last Week	Team	Notes
1	1	Heat	The Heat have won 21 straight. There really is nothing else to say. There is no team playing at this level on such a consistent basis. The only concerns this team could face preventing them from repeating would be expending to much in the regular season to keep the streak going, and injury.
2	2	San Antonio	The Spurs have gone 6-4 over their last 10. They miss Tony Parker, but they can continue to win enough without him to ensure they hold onto a top 2 seed in the West.
3	3	Oklahoma City	The Thunder are a game out of the top spot in the West. They are 8-2 in their last 10 & They still have the best Ediff in the NBA at 10.1.
4	7	Denver	Denver has shaken off a road heavy and tough schedule to climb back up to a threat in the West. They are athletic, long and have won 11 straight games. The biggest issue for the Nuggets will be their 15-19 road record. They have the biggest home court advantage of any team in the NBA, but in a playoff series they will need to win on the road.
5	4	Memphis	Memphis is 8th in Oeff. Since the Gay trade, this team continues to get it done on the offensive end. Their strength still lis with their inside game. They have a good point guard, and the rest of the team is fitting in place. This team will be a tough foe come playoff time.
6	6	Indiana	The Pacers are solidifying themselves as #2 in the East. They are #1 in DRtg and struggle with offensive consistency. As the stretch run of the season on, the Pacers will need to show more consistency on the offensive end if they are going to de-thrown the Heat.
7	5	L.A. Clippers	The Clippers only have a .5 game lead for the 4th seed and home court advantage in the 1st round of the playoffs. I’ve been saying it all year, the deep bench doesn’t impress me come playoff time. The starting 5 hasn’t been proving they can get it done come crunch time, and the 6-4 record over their last 10 would prove that.
8	9	Brooklyn	The Nets have been consistently playing .500 basketball, which for now is allowing them to keep control of the 4th spot in the East. But the 3 teams are within 2.5 games. If the Nets don’t improve on the 5-5 record they could see themselves traveling in the first round of the playoffs.
9	10	Boston	The Celtics have proven to be a solid team without Rondo (Ewing Theory), but lack of size up front, mainly a shot blocking presence inside, continues to be an issue. They are 10-0 at home over their last 10 & host Charlotte and Miami in their next 2. The C’s have some ground to make up if they want to take advantage of their home court in the 1st round.
10	8	New York Knicks	The Knicks age is catching up with them. The legs that were there to start the season seem to be fading fast. Melo is banged up now, and STAT is back on the shelf. As they continue to live off the jump shot, they have gone .500 over their last 10.
11	13	Houston	The Rockets can score in a hurry. The problem with the Rockets isn’t their offensive production. It is the turnovers and defense. While they have proven in games they can take care of the ball and lock down at defense, they don’t show it for 48 minutes. The inconsistency in both those areas will be their downfall in the playoffs.
12	11	Chicago	The Bulls are still waiting to see if they will be able to get Derrick Rose back for a playoff push. If they do, this team will be a dangerous come playoff time. If they don’t have him back, they will be a 1st round out. The Bulls future success is with Derrick Rose.
13	12	Golden State	The Warriors schedule was suppose to be getting easier in the 2nd half of the season. That hasn’t proven to be the case as they continue to lose ground in the play-off race. They are now a .5 game ahead of Houston for the 6th seed in the West and are playing at a 4-6 rate over their last 10 isn’t helping.
14	17	L.A. Lakers	The Lakers are officially in the playoffs as of right now. The health of Kobe is a huge question mark for the future. This team needs him for their success, but if he isn’t 100% they can’t risk putting him out on the floor. They are walking a fine line, which for this season Lakers team sounds about right.
15	15	Atlanta	The Hawks continue to win games. They are 6th in the East. They are getting it done through their offense, which is 9th in DRtg. The Offense continues to be the sticking point and with Josh Smith on the floor, that would sound about right.
16	16	Milwaukee	The Bucks have lost 3 straight and gone 6-4 over their last 10. They still have the highest – point diff of any team in the playoffs. They are 26th in Deff and 11th in Oeff and 20th in Ediff. The Defense will need to get better if the Bucks want to do more than just make the playoffs.
17	14	Utah	The Jazz continue to drop games, and it is dropping them out of the playoffs. 2-8 over their last 10 have them 1 game behind the Lakers for the 8th seed in the West. This team is going the wrong way at the wrong time. Couple their recent struggles on the court with the tough player choices they have this offseason and things aren’t the brightest for the Jazz right now.
18	19	Dallas	The Mavs are 3 games out of the West playoff race, and have been playing above .500 basketball. The Mavs will need to step up their defense if they are going to make a push for the playoffs. They are currently 16th in DRtg.
19	18	Portland	The Blazers are 4 games under .500 on the season and have gone .500 over their last 10 games. The Blazers are 3.5 games out of the 8th spot in the West. The playoffs seem like a long shot for this season.
20	20	Minnesota	The Wolves season hasn’t been anywhere close to what they were hoping for when this team was assembled. Even though there should be some healthy bodies back soon, the lack of playing time together still leaves a lot of question marks about what the team should do this off season.
21	21	Toronto	The Raptors are improved over what they were before Rudy Gay got traded. On the offensive end, they are fun and entertaining. On the defensive end, they give up to many points. The Raptors seem to be on the right track but there is still some work to do.
22	24	Washington D.C	The Wizards are continuing to play .500 ball since the return of John Wall. That is a good sign going into next season. This team should have some confidence going into next year, and they still have an off season to put even more together.
23	22	Philadelphia	The Sixers have too many questions about their future. Bynum could walk and they get nothing in return. That’s a tough loss considering what they gave up to get him. Now they need to establish what they want this team to be and start building.
24	23	Cleveland	The Cavs have a bright future, Irving health issues could be a concern, but with nothing to play for this season, there is no reason to try and bring him back yet this year. This team is built for the future not the now.
25	27	Sacramento	The Kings are still in limbo, and will be until April 19th. They need a lot, starting at the top. They need new ownership, front office, new personnel and a better roster. Wherever this team is going to end up there is a lot of work to be done.
26	25	Phoenix	The Suns are a team that has many people questioning what they’re doing. What is the direction of this team? They have the 20th oldest roster in the NBA. This team needs an overhaul and that overhaul needs to start in the front office.
27	26	Detroit	The Pistons are 1-9 over their last 10. Detroit misses Andre Drummond, and their record reflects that. There are some nice pieces in place, but there are a lot of holes that need to be filled.
28	28	New Orleans	The Hornets are young, they have been injured. Starting with Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis, then Austin Rivers. They have some talent, they just need to it be healthy at the same time, and then they just need time together.
29	29	Orlando	The Magic have lost 2 straight and are 3-7 over their last 10. They are just not that good; there really is no other way to put it. They knew after the Dwightmare that they would be in a rebuilding project, and they are indeed in a rebuilding project.
30	30	Charlotte	Have you really ever stopped and looked at the ‘Cats roster? If you do you will understand why they are in the spot they are. They will need more from GM Rich Cho is they are to turn this ship around.