2008 NBA Mock Draft

1. Chicago Bulls-Derrick Rose, PG, 6'3", Memphis
2. Miami Heat-Michael Beasley, PF, 6'9", Kansas St.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves-OJ Mayo, SG, 6'4", USC
4. Los Angeles Clippers-Eric Gordon, SG, 6'3", Indiana
5. Memphis Grizzlies-Kevin Love, PF, 6'10", UCLA
6. New York Knicks-Danillo Gallinari, SF, 6'8", Italy
7. Seattle Supersonics-Brook Lopez, C, 7'0", Stanford
8. Milwaukee Bucks-Russell Westbrook, PG, 6'3", UCLA
9. Charlotte Bobcats-Jerryd Bayliss, PG, 6'3", Arizona
10. New Jersey Nets-Joe Alexander, SF, 6'8", West Virginia
11. Indiana Pacers-Darrell Arthur, PF, 6'9", Kansas
12. Sacramento Kings-DJ Augustin, 6'0", PG, Texas
13. Portland Trail Blazers-Brandon Rush, SG, 6'6", Kansas
14. Golden State Warriors-Anthony Randolph, PF, 6'10", LSU
15. Phoenix Suns-Donte Green, SF, 6'10", Syracuse
16. Philadelphia 76ers-Jason Thompson, PF, 6'11", Rider
17. Indiana Pacers-Kosta Koufos, C, 7'0", Ohio St.
18. Washington Wizards-Roy Hibbert, C, 7'2", Georgetown
19. Cleveland Cavaliers-Robin Lopez, C, 7'0", Stanford
20. Charlotte Bobcats-Alexis Ajinca, C, 7'1", France
21. New Jersey Nets-JJ Hickson, PF, 6'9", North Carolina St.
22. Orlando Magic-Marreese Speights, PF, 6'10", Florida
23. Utah Jazz-JaVale McGee, C, 7'0", Nevada
24. Seattle Supersonics-Serge Ibaka, PF, 6'10", Congo
25. Houston Rockets-Chris Douglas-Roberts, 6'6", SG, Memphis
26. San Antonio Spurs-Ryan Anderson, PF, 6'10", California
27. Portland Trail Blazers-Nicolas Batum, SF, 6'8", France
28. Memphis Grizzlies-Ante Tomic, C, 7'2", Croatia
29. Detroit Pistons-Bill Walker, SF, 6'6", Kansas St.
30. Boston Celtics-Courtney Lee, SG, 6'5", Western Kentucky

Throwback Finals

Lakers vs Celtics
30 Titles. 45 Finals appearances. Numerous Hall of Famers. The NBA has many rivalries, but no one questions the biggest rivalry of all, the one so big, they even named a video game after it. Lakers vs Celtics. Oh, you don't think it's a big deal? I guess you didn't see Paul Pierce's reaction after the C's finished off the Pistons in Game 6. I guess you didn't see the tears rolling down Kevin Garnett's face during the post game interview. This team knows how big this is and I'm sure the Lakers do too. Ordinarily, I'd give you a brief synopsis of my prognostication, but this is an entirely different bird. I'm breaking this down position by position.
PG: Rajon Rondo vs Derek Fisher Both help the teams in different ways, mostly as facilitators. Rondo's strengths are penetration and defense, Fisher's are clutch shooting and hustle. Fisher's postseason shooting has been off the radar, as he's shot 55% from 3-point range and will certainly make Rondo pay if he's caught cheating on defense. Generally, Rondo plays very good defense and is a top-notch rebounding guard, but he does have a tendency to overplay, so he better be careful not to pay too much attention to Kobe or Fisher will burn him. Edge: Push
SG: Ray Allen vs Kobe Bryant Kobe has come full circle as a basketball player, capturing his first MVP. The biggest adjustment in his game has been his ability to play within the offense and pick and choose when to take over. Always a spectacular scorer, now with improved shot selection and better teammates, Kobe has only two games in which he's shot under 40% while leading all playoff scorers at a 31.9 ppg clip. After going through an ugly playoff funk, Ray Allen, one of the deadliest 3-point shooters in NBA History, reemerged with a strong series against Detroit, a good omen going into the Finals. He's still shooting only 39% from the field this postseason and just 33% from 3-point range, although most of that can be attributed to the bad series he had against Cleveland. Edge: Lakers
SF: Paul Pierce vs Lamar Odom Pierce is the official go-to guy on the Celtics and he's played his best in series clinchers, including a 41 point performance in Game 7 against Cleveland and a 27 point performance in Game 6 against Detroit. Odom is a matchup headache, as he's too big for SF's and too quick for PF's with excellent passing skills and an assortment of low-post moves. He's also an improved rebounder, as he averaged 10.6 rpg during the regular season and 10.3 in the playoffs. If there is one difference, it's that Pierce is a little more consistent as a scorer and gets to the line more frequently. Edge: Celtics
PF: Kevin Garnett vs Vladimir Radmonovic KG has been everything to the Celtics from the standpoint of defense and leadership. He's at his best when facing up from 15 feet and knocking down jumpers from the left and right baseline. The Celtics will need him to dominate in the low block, however, as he has a clear advantage in size and athleticism against Vladimir Radmonovic. Radmonovic must force KG to respect his shot, as that's the only way to keep him out of the paint, where he's his most dominant defensively. Edge: Celtics
C: Kendrick Perkins vs Pau Gasol Perkins has benefitted from the defensive attention KG draws and is usually a cinch to score when he does get whatever limited touches he's alotted. He'll mainly be asked to do the dirty work, this time checking Pau Gasol, who has a beautiful inside game and excellent passing ability. As the Lakers' #2 option, he's been the perfect fit, as his soft hands are reason for Kobe to trust him in a way he could never trust Kwame Brown. While his shooting was off in the San Antonio series, he made up in a big way in Game 5 with a 19-rebound performance to help put the Lakers in the Finals. Edge: Lakers
Bench The Celtics have mostly gone with an eight-man rotation in the postseason. James Posey is a hard-nosed defender who can spell either Pierce or Allen and play some PF when the Celtics decide to go with a quicker lineup. PJ Brown is a savvy veteran who also plays physical defense and a soft touch from the baseline. Sam Cassell, while notorious for his stop-and-pop game, has struggled to get his shot off this postseason while Eddie House has played very well in his limited action. The Lakers have the deepest team in the NBA, as they can easily go 9 deep and not lose much. Jordan Farmar is an excellent penetrator and defender, Sasha Vujacic is a pesky defender with size to play either guard position, and Luke Walton is an excellent passer. Ronny Turiaf is an animal on the offensive glass and plays much bigger than his 6'8" frame. All four are versatile players, the kind Phil Jackson loves to employ in his Triangle Offense. Edge: Lakers
Coaching Phil Jackson is going for his 10th NBA Title and has long been reputable for knowing how to coach superstar players. Getting Kobe Bryant to buy into his system has been a long struggle, but Phil now has the perfect team to surround his superstar with. Phil is also unafraid to take chances, as he'll use his bench to help his team fight out of a deficit and not call timeouts even when his team is struggling. This strategy has proven effective, as it empowers players of lesser talent to take key shots with the game on the line if given the open look. Doc Rivers has also garnered a reputation for using his bench pretty liberally, although in this postseason, he's gone mostly to his veterans. Always a defensive player first, Rivers has taken that philosophy into his coaching, as the Celtics were the toughest team in the league defensively in the regular season. The Celtics are also an excellent passing team, although they sometimes have a tendency to overpass and haven't always been in synch offensively. Edge: Lakers
Verdict Boston has three very good, hungry star players, but the Lakers have the most feared offensive weapon in the NBA and a great team to surround him with. The key for Boston will be keeping Kobe in check, and they'll likely run Pierce, Allen, Posey, and at times even Tony Allen at him to throw him off his rhythm. As for LA, they'll likely treat KG the same defensively, mixing up their coverage between Gasol, Radmonovic and Turiaf. Paul Pierce is very good, but he'll have to play spectacular to keep up with Kobe, and over a seven game series, he may not be able to match that intensity. The Lakers are a deadly offensive team, but they proved in the San Antonio series that even when their shots aren't falling, they can turn it up a notch on the other end and force teams out of rhythm. The Celtics finally figured out their sudden road woes in the Detroit series, but it'll be tough for them to win a game in Staples, where the Lakers are undefeated in postseason play and haven't lost since late March. Lakers in 6

Playoff record: 12-2

NBA Conference Finals Predictions

Eastern Conference Finals
Boston vs Detroit From December going forward, this was the cinch matchup for the Eastern Conference crown, and now that it has come to fruition, expect nothing less than a war. Looking at this series, it's important to note how the regular season series went. Ordinarily I steer clear of this when it comes to analyzing a matchup, but Boston so completely dominated Detroit in regular season play, I can't help but feel they're the favorite in this series. For them to win, however, they'll have to do it with Ray Allen's jumper completely shot. While Allen struggled throughout the Cleveland series, however, Rajon Rondo, Eddie House and James Posey all stepped it up and Paul Pierce saved his best performances for Games 5 and 7. If he can carry that confidence into the Detroit series, I don't think the Pistons will have an answer.
Key Matchup: Rasheed Wallace vs Kevin Garnett If Detroit has a wild card, it's Rasheed Wallace. While his offensive effectiveness has declined in the last couple years, if he can find a rhythm on offense and play like a beast on defense, he could keep Detroit in this series. It will be tough, however, going against the defensive player of the year in KG. Whoever plays with the most emotional stability wins the matchup and ultimately the series. KG has been known to be a bit high strung, but he's less likely to commit those backbreaking technical fouls by letting officials take him out of his game. Prediction: Celtics in 7

Western Conference Finals
Lakers vs Spurs The other conference finals out west should be just as compelling, as these two teams have dominated the past decade, 7 of the last 9 championships between them. There's a good chance one of these teams may hoist a banner at the end of the season. Both teams faced tough semifinal series' so fatigue won't be much of a factor. If anything though, it may affect the Spurs, who are coming off a draining seven game series against the Hornets that took every ounce of energy they had. These are not the youngest guys in the league either, as four of their five starters are in their thirties. It will be imperative that the Spurs get contributions from their bench, and not just Ginobili, as the Lakers have the deepest team in the NBA.
Key Matchup: Bruce Bowen vs Kobe Bryant He's gotten a lot older, but Bowen still has his same old reputation as a physical, borderline dirty defender. Now he draws the toughest assignment in all of basketball in Kobe Bryant. The scary part for Bowen is, the more physically you play Bryant, the more angry it gets him, to the point where by the 5th and 6th games, he's pulling up from 20 and draining jumpers in your face after about six headfakes. You'd rather Kobe the jumpshooter than Kobe the penetrator beat you though, so if Bowen can just contain Kobe until Duncan switches over, SA has a chance. That will be much harder than in years past, however, as he can't take his eyes off Pau and he can't really guard Radmonovic either, as that takes him away from the hoop. Prediction: Lakers in 7

Playoff Record: 10-2

Round 2 NBA Predictions

Eastern Conference
Celtics vs Cavaliers This intriguing second round matchup pits the most explosive offensive player in the Eastern Conference against the NBA's best star trio. The Celts' Big 3 got put to the test in the last round, though, as they got more of a battle than anticipated from the upstart Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks extended a series many thought would be a sweep to seven games by winning all three games in Atlanta. Boston was able to close out the series, winning the decisive seventh game by 34 points while playing with the kind of defensive intensity that was curiously absent in Atlanta. While the Cavs are not as athletic as the Hawks, they have the same type of big-time scorer in LeBron James, except James is a better passer and rebounder than Joe Johnson. The Cavs also have plenty of good perimeter shooters, so it'll be important for the Celtics not to get too lured in by James's drives to the hoop.
Key Matchup: Rajon Rondo vs Delonte West The two PG's should be very familiar with each other by now after practicing against each other last year in Boston. Each is further down in the pecking order of the starting rotation, but each plays a big key in this series. West's job will be to make the defense respect him. He hit some big shots in the Washington series, including the game winner in the Game 4, but faces a much tougher test with the swarming defense of Rondo to deal with. For Rondo, the key will be getting Pierce, Allen and KG their shots and managing the game, something he was far more effective at in the Celtics' home games. Defensively, he just needs to stay at home on West and not be too tempted to play help defense on LeBron. If he can play within himself and not buckle under the pressure he'll face away from Boston, he'll be the key in helping the Celtics get that one key road victory they'll need in this series.
Prediction: Celtics in 6

Pistons vs Magic This is a far cry from last year's first round matchup, one in which the Pistons swept aside the young Magic. With Dwight Howard recording three 20-20 games, the Magic easily disposed of the Raptors in five games and are pumped up for the powerhouse Pistons, who are looking to make their sixth straight Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Detroit had a small scare from Philadelphia in round 1, losing two of the first three games and falling behind by 10 at halftime of Game 4. Obviously, at that point, something clicked and the Pistons transformed into the monster everyone thought they'd be going into the postseason. The Magic should present a good challenge for Detroit, as they have a front line that's about equal to the Pistons. Their inferior backcourt, however, may be their shortcoming if they do hope to pull an upset here.
Key Matchup: Rasheed Wallace vs Rashard Lewis Both are excellent supporting players who compliment the stars very well. Rasheed has long been the enforcer on the Pistons, a defensive whiz in the paint who makes the jobs of Billups and Hamilton easier. He has an excellent post-up game and can even draw the defense out with the three. Rashard shoots threes too, far more frequently and also has the mid-range game to go with it. His presence on the floor has done wonders to free Howard and Turkoglu for easier shots. For Detroit to win, Wallace must dominate inside and must also keep his emotions in check, as he has a tendency to blow up at officials and take himself out of games. Lewis needs to score consistently even if played physically and drag Wallace away from the hoop to give his teammates easy looks inside. Whoever performs their role better will likely experience the most team success.
Prediction: Pistons in 5

Western Conference

Lakers vs Jazz The Jazz have got to be nervous right about now. The Lakers have their strongest team since the 2002 Championship season and are so deep, even losing Andrew Bynum for the year doesn't seem to faze them. They have the most explosve offensive weapon in all of basketball in Kobe Bryant, who finally captured his long-deserved MVP trophy, and if that's not enough, the amazing chemistry of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. The Jazz overcame a very physical series with Houston, getting by on a sensational series from Deron Williams while the Lakers are well-rested, coming off a four-game sweep against the Nuggets. For them to beat the Lakers, however, they'll need more than just Williams, as the front line, in particular Carlos Boozer, will need to step up.
Key Matchup: Lamar Odom vs Andrei Kirilenko Kirilenko is the only player size-wise who can check Odom, and while he did a good job early in the Houston series against Tracy McGrady, his defensive effectiveness lessened as he became less involved in the offense. If Boozer can't get on track, it's important to keep Kirilenko active if the Jazz want to have a chance in the series. His defense becomes that much more valuable when he actually gets a few touches here and there.
Prediction: Lakers in 6

Hornets vs Spurs He's not quite on the level of a Kobe Bryant, but there's no denying the major impact Chris Paul has had on the NBA's most surprising team. The Spurs' would be ill advised trying to guard him the way they did Steve Nash, as Paul is quicker, more athletic and can get his shot off in traffic. Meanwhile, the Hornets also have a bruising guard by the name of Bonzi Wells who always manhandles Ginobili because he's big enough to post him up and three leapers to check the always-unstoppable Tim Duncan.
Key Matchup: Tyson Chandler vs Tim Duncan Duncan's monster series against Phoenix had everything to do with the Suns' weak interior defense, but the Hornets' interior D is anything but weak. Aside from Chandler, who's becoming a force in the paint, they also have a couple pogo-sticks off the bench in Chris Andersen and Hilton Armstrong. They have enough length to force Duncan to change his shots and keep him out of rhythm. They'll also do an excellent job of keeping Tony Parker out of the paint. The more they can limit Parker's penetration and Duncan's post game, the better shot the Hornets have in this series.
Prediction: Hornets in 7

First Round Record: 7-1

NBA Postseason Awards and 1st Round Predictions

MVP: Kobe Bryant, Lakers I felt the last couple years he should have won this award, but with his scoring as high as its ever been and his assists going up thanks to finally having good teammates to pass the ball to, there's little doubt Kobe deserves this award. As tough as the West has been this year, to finish ahead of teams like Utah, San Antonio and Phoenix, who have just as much, if not more talent than this team is a tribute to Kobe's overall brilliance. Now that the playoffs are upon him, he's got every shot to carry this team to the Finals and a shot at possibly a fourth ring.

Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant, Sonics He was the only rookie out of this class to play close to a star level, as Durant is already a natural scorer facing up. His poor shooting can be somewhat attributed to his shot selection, which will improve over time, but also due to the fact that he was often playing out of position. He's probably more of a SF, as he has a very good mid-range game, but he was streaky from the perimeter at the SG spot. Al Horford and Luis Scola had solid years as well and experience a bit more team success, but their scoring numbers aren't close to Durant's and they didn't get quite enough rebounds to make up for it.

Coach of the Year: Byron Scott, Hornets One of the big keys for the Hornets this year was staying healthy, but even so, Scott's team, outside of Chris Paul, still had a lot of question marks and he deserves a lot of credit for getting so much out of Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic, the former a raw talent still trying to reach his potential and the latter a shooting star who had missed parts of the last two years with injuries. He also uses his bench well, letting guys like Jannero Pargo and Julian Wright earn minutes through their strong play and the team chemistry he's had has allowed the Hornets to compete with the West's elite and surprise everybody by clinching the stacked Southwest Division.

Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Garnett, Celtics Doc Rivers's hiring of Tom Thibodeau to manage the defense was a brilliant move, and the alpha dog in his system has been none other than KG. His rebounding and blocked shot numbers are actually surprisingly low for his standards, but a big part of the Celtics' 66 wins has been giving up the fewest points per game in the NBA. Garnett's presence in the paint has allowed Allen, Pierce and Rondo to gamble for steals. He's constantly active, making plays to disrupt ball rotation and force bad shots. The truth is, Garnett has always been a standout player defensively. He's just getting a chance to show it more on a team built for success.

Most Improved Player: Al Jefferson, Timberwolves While he's nowhere close to KG defensively, Jefferson's one of a small handful of players to average over 20 ppg and 10 rpg this past season. Since he's pretty much the T-Wolves only reliable offensive weapon, he's gotten more touches and has developed a rhythm with his smooth post-up game. He did it despite playing out of position at center for much of the year, so it's imperative that McHale find a good big man to take pressure off of him.

Sixth Man of the Year: Manu Ginobili, Spurs Ginobili led all reserves in scoring and has thrived in the role, as his hustle and energy is actually more valuable on the second unit. Don't be fooled though, because you know Popovich will have this fearless clutch shooter out on the floor in crunch time. Whether it's acrobatic shots or fancy passes, Ginobili is a playmaker deluxe and a real pain in the ass to play against.

Round 1
Eastern Conference

Celtics vs Hawks This should be a good warmup series for the Celtics and a chance to rest plenty of their starters if they can take care of business. The Hawks have a lot of young talent, the problem is they're inexperienced on the big stage. Against a tough defense like Boston, they'll be forced to rely too much on Joe Johnson, who's their only real threat as a scorer.
Key Matchup: Rondo vs Bibby If the Hawks want any shot in this series, Bibby is going to have to win this battle. He has the edge in postseason experience, but as long as Rondo plays within himself and plays the same harrassing defense on Bibby he plays on everyone else, the C's should win handily.
Prediction: Celtics in 4

Pistons vs Sixers The Pistons have as deep a team as the 2004 squad that won the NBA title, as Joe Dumars' draft brilliance has landed the Pistons a good enough bench to give the starters rest in key stretches. That bench will be sorely needed in this series as well, as the Pistons go against a young, athletic Sixers' team playing with a ton of confidence.
Key Matchup: Tayshaun Prince vs Andre Igoudala The big key for Prince won't be to shut Igoudala down, as that's very hard to do, but to force him to shoot a low percentage and work some of his unorthodox offense into the picture. As long as Prince is active on defense and doesn't get shut out of the offense, the Pistons have an easy series. If Iggy goes off though, they're in for a battle.
Prediction: Pistons in 5

Magic vs Raptors These two teams are built in similar fashion. Both have dominant PF's who control the paint for their respective ballclubs and plenty of great shooters to surround them with. The difference is Orlando's a little bit better and Toronto's backcourt isn't consistent enough to exploit the Magic's glaring weakness in their own backcourt.
Key Matchup: Jamario Moon vs Hedo Turkoglu Moon is the X-factor in this series. He'll be asked to guard the Magic's most improved player and help out Bosh on the boards, as he'll have his hands full with man-beast Dwight Howard. If he can take away Turkoglu as a weapon, the Raptors will limit the Magic's scoring options and put more pressure on Howard to deliver inside.
Prediction: Magic in 6

Cavaliers vs Wizards The Wizards have been sent home, courtesy of these same Cavs, in each of the last two years. Still, they come into this series with a lot of swagger with Arenas and Butler finally healed from injuries. Cleveland, meanwhile, has struggled to find an identity since making the blockbuster trade that sent Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden to Chicago. Ben Wallace has been laboring in back pain, Wally Sczezerbiak has cratered under pressure, shooting very poorly, and Daniel Gibson has been slow recovering from an injury that put him out most of the second half. LeBron is capable of a monster series and the Cavs need one from him if they want to get any further than round 1.
Key Matchup: DeShawn Stevenson vs LeBron James If history is any indication, Stevenson would be ill-served to badmouth LeBron James. The last thing you want to do to a competitor like James is piss him off. While he's certainly an able defender, he better stay in front of LeBron as much as possible and hope his shot isn't falling. Otherwise, he'll live in infamy with the Craig Ehlos and Bryon Russells of the world.
Prediction: Cavaliers in 7

Western Conference

Lakers vs Nuggets This should be an entertaining, high-scoring series with three of the top five scorers in the league playing. A high scoring game could be Denver's worst nightmare too, as LA has one gunslinger in Kobe Bryant who can outduel the explosive tandem of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. He also has two teammates in Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol with brilliant post-games, with both players complimenting each other extremely well. As good as Anthony and Iverson are as individuals, they both need the ball to dominate and neither is a good enough outside shooter to stretch the defense.
Key Matchup: Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom vs Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin For Denver to have a shot in this series, they'll have to get it done on the defensive end. If Camby and Martin can rough up and intimidate the Lakers' stars, Denver has a shot in this series, provided they can also get contributions off the bench from Linas Kleiza and JR Smith.
Prediction: Lakers in 6

Hornets vs Mavericks If any series is ripe with upset potential, this is it. Dallas has been on fire since Nowitzki returned from injury and they're adjusting to playing with PG magician Jason Kidd. The Hornets, meanwhile, are a little green on the big stage and have never won a game in Dallas. If they can't defend the homecourt, they maybe going home early this year.
Key Matchup: Jason Kidd vs Chris Paul This is the biggest intrigue surrounding the series. Jason Kidd has been one of the premier PG's in the NBA for the past decade, but now Paul is looking to take the torch from him. Whoever does the best job of getting their teammates involved is coming out victorious in this series.
Prediction: Mavericks in 6

Spurs vs Suns The matchup of the first round, without question. Whoever wins this series makes a good case for the conference finals, maybe even the NBA Finals. The Suns have been hell bent on revenge against the Spurs, but knew the only way to do it was to get a strong half court player. So they took a gamble with chemistry and traded for the biggest, strongest player in the league, the Shaq-daddy himself. While Phoenix has had its ups and downs defensively and has had some trouble adjusting to slowing things down with O'Neal on the floor, if anyone has benefitted from this trade, it's Amare Stoudemire. He's showing more of his game now that he's playing his natural position of PF and taking bigger, slower players off the dribble while showing improving range on his jump shot. For Phoenix to win and overcome their hurdle, however, he'll have to outshine Tim Duncan, which is by no stretch of the imagination easy.
Key Matchup: Amare Stoudemire vs Kurt Thomas Thomas is a rugged defender, but he'll undoubtedly have his hands full with Amare, who's becoming a load in the low block. The biggest key will be playing physically enough to frustaurate Stoudemire the same way he frustaurated Duncan at times last year. He'll get his help with Oberto and at times Duncan checking him, but with Shaq on the team, he'll get more room to make his moves, which could spell doom for the defending champs.
Prediction: Spurs in 7

Rockets vs Jazz This is a rematch of last year's thrilling first round series, one that started so well for Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and the Rockets but ended so badly with the Jazz's talent and depth outlasting the Rockets in a heartbreaking Game 7 loss. They did just enough to clinch home court advantage this year, riding out a 22-game winning streak even with Yao's season-ending foot injury and barely holding off the surging Jazz, even after losing to them on the road in the second-to-last game of the year. Not getting home court advantage could be troublesome for the Jazz, as they'll once again have to steal a game in Houston to win this series. They have a huge opportunity to do so as well, with Rafer Alston out for the first two games.
Key Matchup: Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry vs Carlos Boozer One of the areas the Rockets upgraded from last season is at PF, swiping Scola from the Spurs and getting a second-round steal in Landry to compliment Hayes. Hayes is the smallest of the three big forwards, but he's also the most experienced and the toughest defensively. They'll all have their hands full with Boozer, but if Scola and Landry can provide some bonus offense, they could swing things more in the Rockets' favor. Tragically, though, without Yao in the middle, the Rockets may not be quite the same offensive force, so their defense will have to be strong for seven games against the sharpest-shooting team in the league.
Prediction: Jazz in 6

Week 24 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (66-16) (1) For what its worth, even when Rivers rested the starters, the C's still went 8-1 down the stretch. The key to them advancing in the playoffs though, will be the continued maturity of Rondo and Perkins.
2. Detroit Pistons (59-23) (3) Going into the postseason, the Pistons will get a much-needed boost off the bench from Stuckey, Affalo and Maxiell, three youngsters who have blossomed into excellent talents.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) (6) Clinching the #1 was important only for homecourt advantage, but it'll be tough working Bynum back into the flow with a tough Denver squad on their hands.
4. New Orleans Hornets (56-26) (2) The biggest knock on this team is their inexperience, but nonetheless, if Paul can elevate his game and if they can find a way to get a road game, they may have just enough to squeeze past Dallas.
5. San Antonio Spurs (56-26) (5) If the Utah game is any indication, the defending champs look primed to defend their title in a stacked Western Conference.
6. Houston Rockets (55-27) (7) They deserve all the credit in the world for finishing in the top 5 in the West, but it'll be tough handling Deron Williams in the first two games with Rafer on the sidelines.
7. Phoenix Suns (55-27) (4) They have the swagger with Shaq and they've beaten the Spurs twice since acqiring him, but are the Suns tough enough to take them out this year and redeem themselves from last year's heartwrenching defeat?
8. Utah Jazz (54-28) (8) They're a different team on the road than they are at home, but those 17 road wins do include a few impressive ones, such as Detroit, Boston and NO.
9. Dallas Mavericks (51-31) (10) Overall, it isn't the 67-win explosion from last year, but the Mavs appear to be peaking at just the right time.
10. Denver Nuggets (50-32) (11) They're a dangerous 8 seed just b/c of the talent AI and Carmelo have, but if they can get production out of Smith and Kleiza as well, they could give LA fits.
11. Orlando Magic (52-30) (9) Having Big Dwight's probably enough to get them a round, but beyond that, the Magic's streaky backcourt will be their undoing against the Pistons.
12. Golden State Warriors (48-34) (12) Nellie's well on his way to burning bridges with another superstar when he benched Baron Davis for the entire second half of the Phoenix game, which the Warriors lost, sealing their season.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (45-37) (13) A repeat run to the Finals is very unlikely, as LeBron may have to work even harder this year to get them there.
14. Washington Wizards (43-39) (14) Well, DeShawn wanted LeBron, now he gets a full seven games of him. Lets hope his whole career isn't defined by a buzz-quote.
15. Toronto Raptors (41-41) (16) I might pick the Raptors to upset the Magic, except for the fact that their backcourt is just as streaky.
16. Philadelphia 76ers (40-42) (15) Its too bad that the Sixers, as well as they've played, get the daunting task of facing the playoff-savvy Pistons. Any other matchup and I'd have them penciled in for an upset.
17. Portland Trail Blazers (41-41) (17) They tailed off after the early hot-streak, but the Blazers have to feel optimistic about an 11-game improvement and Oden's eventual return.
18. Atlanta Hawks (37-45) (18) About the only intrigue the Hawks bring to their 1st round matchup is how Joe Johnson fares against his old team.
19. Sacramento Kings (38-44) (20) I have to give Artest credit. No blowups this year and the coach actually wants him back.
20. Indiana Pacers (36-46) (19) They couldn't overcome all the injuries and felonies in the world to get back to the postseason, but at least Dunlevy finally matured into a good player.
21. New Jersey Nets (34-48) (21) Until they get leaders with more heart than Carter and Jefferson, the Nets will continue to fall short of expectations.
22. Chicago Bulls (33-49) (22) Winning the lotto might be about the only way Paxson saves his job.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (32-50) (23) While Paul and Williams have become dominant players after three years, Felton is just barely holding onto his starting job on a mediocre ballclub.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (26-56) (24) The Krystowiak experiment bombed badly, so it's no surprise they dumped him.
25. New York Knicks (23-59) (25) With the season over, day 1 of the Knicks' overpublicized coaching search is underway.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (23-59) (26) Elton already put up close to his prime numbers in just six games and should be back in top form after an offseason of rest.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-60) (28) If they can get Brook Lopez in the draft, along with Jefferson and Gomes, they'll have a pretty good young front line.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (22-60) (27) Once again, huge mistake to fire Iavaroni. You can't make a young team better by constantly shuffling coaches.
29. Seattle Supersonics (20-62) (29) With the season in ruin and the team on their way out, Durant's 42-point performance may have helped him clinch ROY honors.
30. Miami Heat (15-67) (30) You know if Wade and Marion aren't at the Heat games, they're pretty much everywhere on South Beach.

Mock Draft

1. Miami Dolphins-Jake Long, OT, Michigan
2. St. Louis Rams-Chris Long, DE, Virginia
3. Atlanta Falcons-Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
4. Oakland Raiders-Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5. Kansas City Chiefs-Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St.
6. New York Jets-Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio St.
7. New England Patriots (via San Francisco)-Keith Rivers, OLB, USC
8. Baltimore Ravens-Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
9. Cincinnati Bengals-Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
10. New Orleans Saints-Jerod Mayo, OLB, Tennessee
11. Buffalo Bills-Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
12. Denver Broncos-Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
13. Carolina Panthers-Branden Albert, OG, Virginia
14. Chicago Bears-Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
15. Detroit Lions-Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals-Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
17. Kansas City Chiefs (via Minnesota)-Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
18. Houston Texans-Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.
19. Philadelphia Eagles-Johnathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan St.
21. Washington Redskins-Philip Merling, DE, Clemson
22. Dallas Cowboys (via Cleveland)-Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
23. Pittsburgh Steelers-Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
24. Tennessee Titans-Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
25. Seattle Seahawks-Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars-Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
27. San Diego Chargers-Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
28. Dallas Cowboys-Early Doucet, WR, LSU
29. San Francisco 49ers-Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
30. Green Bay Packers-Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
31. New York Giants-Kenny Phillips, S, Miami

Week 23 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (62-16) (1) The C's just better hope Cassell's back is healed up enough for one more playoff run, but the good news is Rondo has been so good, they may not need to worry about him until the inevitable matchup with Detroit.
2. New Orleans Hornets (55-23) (4) All they have to do is wrap up the conference and Paul's pretty much a lock for MVP.
3. Detroit Pistons (55-23) (2) That was so gracious of the Pistons to basically tank a game for Isiah.
4. Phoenix Suns (53-26) (6) If they have to start the playoffs on the road, they'll be kicking themselves over that one awful quarter against Dallas.
5. San Antonio Spurs (53-25) (3) The fact they've had such anemic offensive outputs in the last week has to be alarming to the Defending Champs.
6. Los Angeles Lakers (53-25) (5) Bynum is sure taking his sweet time, which can't be good news for the Lakers if they have to face Shaq and the Suns in the first round.
7. Houston Rockets (53-25) (8) If they can't get Yao back, at least get Landry back at full strength so TMac can finally get past the first round.
8. Utah Jazz (52-26) (7) With the division title in reach, the Jazz turned it up a couple notches defensively to stifle the Spurs and Hornets and solidify at least a #4 spot.
9. Orlando Magic (49-29) (9) Marcin Gortat will probably get cut on the grounds of playing too physical, even if Howard doesn't miss a game after getting elbowed in the mouth.
10. Dallas Mavericks (49-29) (10) Lets not get too excited, after all, they were expected to play like this all year and they finally put it together in the 4th quarter in Phoenix.
11. Denver Nuggets (47-31) (11) Losses to the Kings and Sonics have set the stage for a showdown with the Warriors that will likely determine who gets the 8th seed.
12. Golden State Warriors (47-31) (12) So get your popcorn ready, there will be an abundance of points in this game.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (43-35) (13) LeBron's back better be ok, its the Cavs only shot at advancing a round in the postseason.
14. Washington Wizards (41-37) (16) A lot of pundits seem to like Washington to pull the upset in round 1, but I'm not convinced unless Gilbert fully embraces the 6th man role.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (40-38) (14) Igoudala has earned every penny of that $50 million dollar deal upcoming this offseason.
16. Toronto Raptors (39-39) (15) You want to stay away from the Pistons in round 1, but unfortunately, that's exactly where the Raptors are headed.
17. Portland Trail Blazers (39-39) (18) If they get a top 3 pick this year, the FBI will be in David Stern's office by tomorrow, and that's a promise.
18. Atlanta Hawks (36-42) (17) I mean, if you're going to be the #8 seed, at least rep it right, otherwise give it up!
19. Indiana Pacers (34-44) (20) JO got back just in time, but they still have some ground to make up.
20. Sacramento Kings (36-42) (19) I'd like to congratuate the Kings for allowing a 140-point game in regulation. The NBA needed it.
21. New Jersey Nets (32-46) (21) Throw a white flag on their season. When you lose to a Magic team with nothing to play for and a playoff seed on lock, you don't deserve to be in the playoffs even if you're "technically" alive.
22. Chicago Bulls (30-48) (22) What a way to finish such a massive disappointment, by dropping a game to the depleted Heat.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (30-49) (23) The Bobcats are naming thier new arena Time Warner Cable. Oh, good, there's another cable owner in New York who's being dragged through the mud right now...
24. Milwaukee Bucks (26-52) (24) They really haven't been significant in twenty years, save that one playoff run in 2002. I'd happily cast my vote for Simmons to run that team (no, not you Bobby, you owe the Bucks money anyways).
25. New York Knicks (23-56) (28) The minute Walsh takes the GM job, you win 4 in a row? Good job Isiah, at least you keep your post about a week longer.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (23-55) (25) Well, in a week, Elgin can start scouting at least, after all, he's a veteran at this by now.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (21-57) (26) 3.1 points and 3.7 rebounds. Yup, I'm sure that was what Wallace was looking for in return for Gasol.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-59) (27) Oh, poor Antoine. Look at it this way, at least you're getting a paycheck.
29. Seattle Supersonics (18-61) (29) So the Sonics are giving giveaways to the fans before moving the team. I have one, how about a pistol that shoots out Sonics merchandise as the fans point it to their heads.
30. Miami Heat (14-64) (30) Now that the tournaments over, what's Pat's next excuse for his leave of absence from the Heat?

Week 22 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (60-15) (1) About the only thing the Celtics have to fear is random mascots firing shirts at them.
2. Detroit Pistons (53-21) (3) Stuckey had his first big breakout game with a 27 point performance against the TWolves.
3. San Antonio Spurs (52-23) (4) One of the biggest keys to the winning streak has been the Spurs' stifling defense, which has held 6 of 8 opponents under 90 during their 8-game winning streak.
4. New Orleans Hornets (52-22) (2) Just one more week and the Hornets will have made the playoffs, completing an incredible four-year rebuilding success.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (51-24) (7) Ira Newble will be a popular interview in a year when people ask him who's better between Kobe and LeBron.
6. Phoenix Suns (50-25) (6) I'm guessing the basket manufacturers in New Jersey aren't the biggest Shaq fans in the world.
7. Utah Jazz (50-26) (8) CJ Miles made things happen with a career-high 29 points when given an opportunity against the Wizards.
8. Houston Rockets (49-25) (5) Reality has set in, as the Rockets have now fallen to 6th in the West since their 22-game winning streak.
9. Orlando Magic (47-28) (9) With the Magic struggling to rebound and Cook getting hurt, the Magic don't want to face a big team like the Raptors in round 1.
10. Dallas Mavericks (47-28) (12) Dirk's comeback was huge in a pivotal showdown with the Warriors, as the Mavs now have some breathing room to work with in this congested race.
11. Denver Nuggets (46-29) (11) After going 3-1 in a four game stretch against the Suns, Mavs and Warriors, the Nuggets can feel better about their playoff chances.
12. Golden State Warriors (45-30) (10) The Warriors' offense suddenly has gone flat in the last two games, and they couldn't have picked a worse time.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (42-33) (14) Big Ben's Big Bad Back is once again giving out on him.
14. Philadelphia 76ers (38-37) (13) The Sixers' ascent to .500 has been nothing short of miraculous and they'll be a tough out in the postseason.
15. Toronto Raptors (38-37) (17) The Raptors can't help but feel a little cheated by the Hawks' scorekeeper.
16. Washington Wizards (38-37) (16) It was almost the perfect storybook ending, but Ramon Sessions' game-winner foiled Arenas's much anticipated return.
17. Atlanta Hawks (35-40) (18) If you watched your team miss the playoffs for the last eight years and they're finally looking like they have a shot, wouldn't you alter the outcome of games as well?
18. Portland Trail Blazers (38-37) (15) With their playoff hopes dashed, the best the Blazers can do is play spoiler.
19. Sacramento Kings (34-40) (19) A lot of people were quick to criticize the Kings for signing him, but Mikki Moore has earned his contract with his performance this year.
20. Indiana Pacers (31-44) (21) Donnie Walsh's curious decision to take over the Knicks' GM job has everything to do with Bird's longstanding vendetta against Zeke.
21. New Jersey Nets (31-44) (20) Increasing the tempo will only work if the Nets exert more effort on the defensive end.
22. Chicago Bulls (29-45) (22) If the other Bull players were as accurate shooting a basketball as Benny the Bull is with the shirt-gun, they wouldn't lose half as many games as they've lost.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (28-47) (23) Anyone else see Morrison's 'do when he was spotted in the stands at the Gonzaga game? He's traded the Jim Morrison 'stache for more of a grunge look.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (26-48) (25) I wonder how Bobby Simmons must feel stealing all that money from the Bucks.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (23-52) (26) Elton's back! Hooray! Now my fantasy team has a real shot at winning it all!
26. Memphis Grizzlies (20-55) (28) Why are the Grizzlies running Iavaroni out? Who expected this team to actually be good?
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-55) (24) Taylor wants to talk about KG tanking it, but how do you explain his team losing to Detroit's backups?
28. New York Knicks (20-55) (26) Isiah's at about that point in his coaching tenure with the Knicks as Denzel was in training day before he got gunned down by the Russian mob.
29. Seattle Supersonics (17-58) (29) Fred Brown is admirable for trying to save the Sonics with a new arena proposal, but he just doesn't carry the clout of a Clay Bennett.
30. Miami Heat (13-62) (30) Why does Shaq have to cause drama to every team that trades him?

Sports Media: Too Much Negativity

I woke up a full two hours before work today and decided I'd return to watching a longtime favorite of mine, SportsCenter. The show was going well, as they were covering the blow-by-blow on the harrowing NBA playoff races and opening day in baseball. By 5:30 though, I saw a clip of what drives me (and I'm sure a number of people) crazy about the sports media. I hear yet another clip on Jose Canseco ratting out yet another baseball superstar, this time Alex Rodriguez. I was never a huge ARod fan, but I've always respected his ability. I sat listening to the report shaking my head and mumbling to myself "Who's next, Hank Aaron?" Not that you can blame Canseco, after all, what's in it for him is a large amount of income if it gets his next book off the shelf. Nothing like free publicity, I always say, plus it gets him in the media spotlight just as he was getting blackballed from the sport of baseball.
If that's not enough, what's the very next story to pop up on the screen??? Oh, why Spygate of course. I think we're losing our rationale when we compare a coach stealing football signals to one of the worst events in American history. You'll never convince me that in any way compares to government officials stealing confidential security information that may have compromised the safety of our nation. Sadly enough, there are people out there who base their happiness and well being on the outcome of a football game, but that's the rationale of todays society. I don't ask much out of my sports media, but is it worth reporting negative stories at the gain of a few dollars? There are so many athletes out there doing things the right way, why not run a story on them every once in a while? It might improve the perception of sports in the eyes of the casual observer, who may find a reason to watch again.
That's all I have here, it's off to the real world now.

Week 21 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (56-15) (1) KG took the young Amare to school in a showdown between two of the league's top PF's.
2. New Orleans Hornets (49-21) (3) By throwing out more assists than FEMA, CP3 has become a hero on the bayou, reviving basketball in the city of New Orleans.
3. Detroit Pistons (50-21) (2) They're an OT win over Phoenix away from an 0-4 week and now must replace Rip in the lineup.
4. San Antonio Spurs (49-23) (9) Once again, we spoke too soon. You can never count out the defending champs, as their five game winning streak has proven.
5. Houston Rockets (49-23) (6) OK, maybe they're not winning 22 straight anymore, but surviving one of the season's toughest stretches and staying in the top 3 has to do wonders for their confidence.
6. Phoenix Suns (47-24) (4) The Boston game, they flat out lost, but Phoenix can't be happy about the officials jobbing them in the Detroit game.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (49-23) (5) Kobe's losing some MVP luster with all the recent, untimely ejections, the latest of which costing his team a gimme win against the Bobcats.
8. Utah Jazz (47-25) (7) Unless their defense plays at the same level as their offense, this team is looking more one-and-done than ever.
9. Orlando Magic (46-27) (8) So Shaq wants to run the Magic with Grant Hill as his GM? Who's the coach, Penny? Should we be looking out for a Ricky Davis contract sometime in the near future?
10. Golden State Warriors (43-27) (11) They can't be this abysmal under the boards and expect to win in the playoffs.
11. Denver Nuggets (43-28) (12) I'm kinda rooting for them to get in. At least the first round would be entertaining.
12. Dallas Mavericks (46-27) (10) Time to throw up the white flag? They weren't beating good teams with Dirk, now they're supposed to do the same without him?
13. Philadelphia 76ers (37-35) (14) The talent was always there, now they're playing at a faster pace. And don't underestimate the value of a Reggie Evans, he maybe a nut-grabber, but even Tim Duncan's ankles shake when he goes up against this rugged defender.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (40-32) (13) It's just not adding up. Unless the Cavs can get LeBron a real supporting cast, I look forward to buying his Knicks jersey in a couple years.
15. Portland Trail Blazers (38-34) (16) Knowing he's about a year away from being completely insignificant, Przybilla had another totally random 20+ rebounding game.
16. Washington Wizards (37-34) (15) If they finish in the top 5 in the East, Eddie Jordan deserves serious Coach of the Year consideration.
17. Toronto Raptors (36-35) (17) Lucky for them, the floor keeps descending in the East basement, so getting through a Bosh-less stretch in 7th has to count for something, right...
18. Atlanta Hawks (31-40) (20) And the Hawks are holding up the rear. Good to see Mini-me back though, he was all but left for dead in Sac-town.
19. Sacramento Kings (32-39) (18) CWebb retired in some unrelated Kings' news. No word on whether he plans to call an untimely timeout during his retirement ceremony.
20. New Jersey Nets (31-41) (19) Josh Boone with two 20-point games in a week?? This has to be a misprint, right?
21. Indiana Pacers (29-43) (22) Suddenly, Dunlevy is playing the best basketball of his career when the Pacers suddenly look like they have a slim shot at the 8th seed.
22. Chicago Bulls (28-43) (21) It's safe to call Boylan nothing more than a substitute teacher when two of the hardest working players on the team, Duhon and Nocioni, scoff at his decision-making.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (26-45) (23) At least in the course of this miserable season, you can still spot those two blips in Charlotte's record, wins in LA and Boston.
24. Minnesota Timberwolves (18-52) (24) Maybe Taylor will next accuse Corey Brewer of "tanking" since he's hurt in the last two weeks of the season.
25. Milwaukee Bucks (24-46) (25) Two losses to the Heat in the past week? That's beyond inexcusable.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (21-50) (26) Smush is back in LA with a starting job, he's just stuck on the wrong team.
27. New York Knicks (20-51) (27) Believe it or not, they're techically not eliminated in the East yet.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (18-53) (28) With the season all but lost, it's good to see Warrick and Gay pick up all those garbage points to help my fantasy team.
29. Seattle Supersonics (17-55) (29) David Stern just poked a stick in a dead corpse by officially announcing the new deal on KeyArena was insufficient.
30. Miami Heat (13-58) (30) They should bring Steve Smith and Rony Seikaly out of retirement just to sell tickets.

Week 20 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (54-13) (1) If they find a way to sweep the Texas Triangle without Ray Allen, they're building a lot of credibility as a championship favorite.
2. Detroit Pistons (49-19) (4) Think Georgia's SEC magic has something to do with Jarvis Hayes's monster game against NO?
3. New Orleans Hornets (46-21) (5) MoPete's freezing up, so it's imperative they get something out of Bonzi down the stretch.
4. Phoenix Suns (46-22) (10) We knew it would be a struggle to adjust to Shaq, but I have to give the team credit, as they've now added a new dimension and suddenly look like a Finals favorite.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (46-21) (3) With Pau out and Bynum slowly recovering, the Lakers will need a few 60-point games from Kobe to stay in the West hunt for the next couple weeks.
6. Houston Rockets (46-22) (2) The 22-game winning streak went down with a thud, but a second straight anemic offensive showing against NO can't be encouraging with GS and Phoenix still up.
7. Utah Jazz (45-24) (7) Kirilenko's health is very important so the Jazz better make sure he's healthy for the postseason, when his defensive presence will be sorely needed.
8. Orlando Magic (45-25) (9) How long can Hedo keep this up?? 39 against the Wizards?? Unreal.
9. San Antonio Spurs (44-23) (6) The latest four-game losing streak again makes you wonder if this team is aging and has lost its killer instinct.
10. Dallas Mavericks (44-24) (11) They still have yet to win a game against a +.500 team since the Kidd trade.
11. Golden State Warriors (42-25) (8) Jackson-Ellis-Davis is like a more thugged out version of Run TMC.
12. Denver Nuggets (40-28) (12) Those inhuman point totals the Nugs put up don't mean a thing if they can't stop anyone when it matters.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (39-30) (13) Stevenson talking trash about LeBron? Someone's about to look like John Starks against MJ if the Cavs and Wizards meet up again in the postseason.
14. Philadelphia 76ers (34-34) (17) Before anyone knocks Billy King about mismanaging a few contracts, they should look at how well his draft picks have performed this year.
15. Washington Wizards (34-33) (16) If Agent Zero can make a comeback and play at 50% of his ability, this team will be a tough out in round 1.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (35-33) (14) +.500 is still a great accomplishment when you consider where the Blazers were two years ago. Pritchard clearly knows what he's doing.
17. Toronto Raptors (35-33) (15) Bosh couldn't have found a better time to come back, as the Raptors are reeling and barely hanging onto the 5th spot.
18. Sacramento Kings (31-36) (19) Kevin Martin must be used to anaymity right now, as he was an unheralded scorer on a bad team in college and remains so in the pros.
19. New Jersey Nets (29-39) (20) Now that Harris is free of Avery Johnson's overcoaching, we're beginning to see the actual talent he does have and how royally the Mavericks screwed up on this trade.
20. Atlanta Hawks (29-39) (21) They're slowly gathering momentum, but losing in New Jersey is not helping their playoff chances.
21. Chicago Bulls (27-40) (18) Green Jerseys the day after St. Patty's day? I'll give the Bulls' marketing team some credit.
22. Indiana Pacers (27-41) (22) Dunlevy's strong play has been one of the few bright spots in another disappointing Pacers' season.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (24-44) (23) The sad reality is none of the Bobcats' draft picks are really working out and trading Brendan Wright will kill them in the long run.
24. Minnesota Timberwolves (17-50) (27) Taylor's critical comments about Garnett tanking before he left make him look like a backstabber on top of being a frugal owner.
25. Milwaukee Bucks (23-44) (24) When you overpay Bobby Simmons and Mo Williams, you're not going to keep a job in the NBA for very long.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (21-46) (25) So when is Elton going to come back? Speaking of injured players, I really feel bad for Shaun Livingston, all that talent and such a fragile body.
27. New York Knicks (19-48) (26) Can't the Knicks just put Isiah out of his misery? Hasn't he been dragged under the bus long enough?
28. Memphis Grizzlies (16-51) (29) If they tank and get lucky enough, maybe they can keep Derrick Rose in-state.
29. Seattle Supersonics (16-52) (28) 168 points in a game? Yup, I think it's safe to say they've quit on the season.
30. Miami Heat (12-55) (30) On the other end of the spectrum, the anemic Heat offense was comically bad against the Raptors with a 54-point outing. It should be noted that Kobe once scored 1/3 more points in a game against that team by himself.

Week 19 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (51-12) (1) A big key to the Celts' latest 10-game winning streak has been the strong play of Kendrick Perkins, who's been a beast on the boards.
2. Houston Rockets (44-20) (5) The incredible 20-game winning streak almost came to a halt, but these Rockets will win low-scoring games if they have to, thanks to their incredible effort on the defensive end.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (45-19) (3) Bynum's slow recovery has to be troubling for a team that's still very reliant on Kobe's offense.
4. Detroit Pistons (46-18) (4) If the Pistons truly now have a second unit, it will make a difference if they make another deep run in the postseason.
5. New Orleans Hornets (43-20) (6) A 4-1 stretch for the Hornets since falling out of first was punctuated by a 25-point drubbing of the Spurs.
6. San Antonio Spurs (44-20) (2) Since the 10-game winning streak, the Spurs' offense has had a pair of anemic showings against Phoenix and NO in surrendering first place to the surging Rockets.
7. Utah Jazz (43-23) (7) The road woes are getting alarming as the Jazz lost to the Bulls and had to fight back in the 4th quarter to beat the woeful Bucks.
8. Golden State Warriors (40-23) (11) Monta Ellis has quietly had a huge year in Baron and Stevie Jax's shadow, with
9. Orlando Magic (42-24) (8) Porn 'stache Van Gundy deserves serious Coach of the Year consideration for leading a team with no real backcourt to such a strong season.
10. Phoenix Suns (42-22) (10) You saw a glimpse of what the Suns could be against the Spurs, but Shaq needs to bring it every night and the Suns have to shoot a lot better from the outside to compliment their big man.
11. Dallas Mavericks (42-23) (9) They continue to thrash the Eastern bottom feeders, but the Mavs have yet to get that elusive statement win against a top eight team in the West since the Kidd trade.
12. Denver Nuggets (38-26) (12) It's great to see K-Mart play with so much confidence. Soon he'll be grabbing his jersey and flashing the crowd like he did in New Jersey.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (37-28) (13) When 24-11-10 is considered an off-night, that's when you know you're an elite player.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (34-31) (16) Oden returning to practice has to give the Blazers a lot of confidence going into next year.
15. Toronto Raptors (34-30) (14) As much depth as the Raptors have, they need Bosh in order to be taken seriously in the postseason.
16. Washington Wizards (31-32) (17) Butler picked the perfect time to come back, as the Wizards lost virtually no ground in his absence despite the initial slump.
17. Philadelphia 76ers (31-34) (15) Winning in Detroit has to do wonders for the Sixers' confidence should those two meet up in the playoffs.
18. Chicago Bulls (26-38) (20) Now is not a good time for lackluster efforts like the one against Boston with the Bulls' season still salvageable (That is, if you consider making the East playoffs with a record 10+ games under .500 salvageable.)
19. Sacramento Kings (28-35) (19) Spencer Hawes has played well lately, hoping to continue the Kings' legacy of agile white big men.
20. New Jersey Nets (26-37) (18) They have to be relieved that they don't have to play anyone from the Southwest Division anymore after getting blanked on their road trip.
21. Atlanta Hawks (26-38) (21) As badly as the Hawks have played, they can still win twice in a night when they play the Heat.
22. Indiana Pacers (25-39) (22) As much heat as Isiah takes for all the bad trades and signings the Knicks have made, who would have thought the Pacers are actually in a worse position salary cap-wise? Yet Bird continues to avoid blame for this.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (24-40) (24) Oh good, an Earl Boykins sighting. I was hoping he was still in the league.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (23-42) (23) Replacing Mo Williams with Royal Ivey is like replacing a Honda Civic with a Pinto. It's that lack of depth that's the reason the Bucks are still floundering in mediocrity.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (21-42) (25) Al Thornton has to be the only one mad that Elton's coming back. Oh, Maggette too, less shooting for him.
26. New York Knicks (19-46) (26) The Heat seem to be about the only team the Knicks can beat these days, and they still almost gift-wrapped that game.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-49) (29) In just two days out in Cali, the Wolves doubled their road win total against the Kings and Clippers.
28. Seattle Supersonics (16-49) (27) It has to be depressing for the 20 fans that still care about the Sonics to watch Green and Durant play so well, knowing in a couple years, they're going to be putting people on their feet in Oklahoma City.
29. Memphis Grizzlies (15-49) (28) One of the few pluses has been the play of the Grizzlies' youngsters, particularly Conley, Warrick and Gay.
30. Miami Heat (11-52) (30) Riley picked a good time to go watch the NCAA Tournament, as these last 19 games will be unwatchable without Wade and Wright.

Week 18 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (47-12) (2) Won the crucial showdown with Detroit to maintain a 4-game lead for home court advantage in the Eastern Conference.
2. San Antonio Spurs (42-17) (4) Never count out the defending champion as the Spurs have hit full stride at just the right time with their latest 10-game winning streak.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (43-18) (1) When his team needed him the most, Kobe once again stepped up huge with 52 in an overtime win over the Mavericks.
4. Detroit Pistons (44-17) (3) Signing Ratliff could prove to be a shrewd move for the Pistons if he has anything left in the tank.
5. Houston Rockets (40-20) (5) The more people doubt them, the stronger this team bonds, as the Rockets have now won 16 straight with TMac leading the charge and the role players stepping up.
6. New Orleans Hornets (41-19) (6) Welcome back Birdman! Your sub-par Slam Dunk performance still ranks in the bottom 5 all-time.
7. Utah Jazz (40-22) (8) At home, they're unbeatable with a 27-3 record, but for the Jazz to make a repeat run in the playoffs, they'll have to do better than a sub-.500 road record.
8. Orlando Magic (40-23) (10) Between the injuries and the turbulent backcourt play, it's amazing the Magic have performed at such a high level this year.
9. Dallas Mavericks (39-22) (7) The more I look at Dirk's hard foul on Kirilenko, the more I question it even being called a flagrant, much less warranting a suspension.
10. Phoenix Suns (40-21) (9) The defense isn't picking up much and with San Antonio and Utah in its next two games, the Suns need at least one win just to stay in the hunt for a top 4 spot.
11. Golden State Warriors (37-23) (11) While JRich got the last laugh, the Warriors can't be too happy with Brendan Wright's pedestrian 6-5 game against the Bobcats.
12. Denver Nuggets (36-24) (12) If Denver misses the playoffs, it maybe seriously time to adjust the format to only include the 16 teams with the best records.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (35-26) (14) LeBron's Garden performance was truly memorable, everything from the 38-foot jump-shot to the near triple double he recorded to go with his 50 to him calling 50 and then pulling it off by hitting three straight threes.
14. Toronto Raptors (33-27) (13) Bosh better rest up that knee, as his presence is critical to the Raptors having any shot at advancing in the postseason.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (28-33) (15) Now 'Dre Miller's starting to step his game up, as he held his own against three of the premier PG's in the NBA last week.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (31-30) (16) With the playoffs almost certainly out of reach, the Blazers' next aim should be at maintaining a .500 record.
17. Washington Wizards (29-31) (17) They'd be in the 7th slot if they didn't somehow find a way to beat the Hornets twice in the last week.
18. New Jersey Nets (26-35) (18) If they couldn't win in Memphis, I'd be very surprised to see the Nets get one win on their five-game road trip against the Southwest Division, the toughest division in basketball.
19. Sacramento Kings (27-34) (19) If KJ becomes mayor of Sacramento, he'd instantly be the best PG living in Sacramento at the present moment.
20. Chicago Bulls (24-36) (20) If Luol Deng hadn't stopped, LeBron might have jumped over him, he was so high off the ground.
21. Atlanta Hawks (24-35) (21) They might be a playoff team if ownership had just let Billy Knight replace Mike Woodson with a real coach.
22. Indiana Pacers (24-37) (23) Who says the Pacers' time in the police blotter is over? We haven't even reached the offseason and it seems like half the team is an ex-con.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (23-38) (22) Welcome back Charlie! To think, he scored 32 in just three quarters, maybe he could have hit 40 with an extra 12 minutes.
24. Charlotte Bobcats (22-39) (26) Is there such thing as a concussion-prone NBA player? If there is, GWall comes closest to filling that definition.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (20-39) (24) I would hope Al Thornton's performing at a high level by now. He only needed six years of college.
26. New York Knicks (18-43) (25) LeBron's 50-point game might have meant more if Dolan hadn't turned the Knicks into the NBA's biggest joke.
27. Seattle Supersonics (16-45) (27) It's only a matter of time before David Stern allows one of the most illogical moves in NBA history by allowing the Sonics to skip town for Oklahoma City.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (15-46) (28) This is the team that really belongs in Oklahoma City, they just don't have a greedy enough owner.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-48) (29) McHale's just torturing Antoine Walker for becoming fat and useless in Miami by not buying out his contract and making him freeze up in Minnesota.
30. Miami Heat (11-47) (30) I will know there's something to this "rigged lottery" theory if the Heat wind up with the #1 pick and land Michael Beasley.

Week 17 NBA Rankings

1. Los Angeles Lakers (40-17) (4) Make that 10-1 and counting since the Gasol trade and the offense has put up over 110 points in 5 straight games during that stretch.
2. Boston Celtics (44-12) (1) Maybe PJ and Sam are just the veterans Boston needs to give them that edge in the postseason.
3. Detroit Pistons (42-16) (2) Lost in all the hoopla about LA, Boston and Phoenix, people forget these guys are pretty good, and they proved it by spanking the Suns by 30.
4. San Antonio Spurs (38-17) (6) Just when you think they're washed up, the Spurs go on another hot streak, winning ten of their last eleven with Ginobili leading the charge.
5. Houston Rockets (37-20) (8) Foreshadowing the 13-game surge are the looming questions of what impact Yao's foot surgery will have on the Rockets down the stretch.
6. New Orleans Hornets (38-18) (3) The Hornets rolled the dice with the Wells trade, but so far, the result has been snake eyes.
7. Dallas Mavericks (38-19) (10) Not convinced. Lets see them do against San Antonio what they did against those bottom feeders.
8. Utah Jazz (37-21) (7) You just can't get a read on this team. How does the same team that lost to the Clippers and Wolves in the last week find a way to beat the Pistons?
9. Phoenix Suns (39-19) (5) The Shaq buzz is over and now we begin to see the lingering problems the Suns are having with depth and slow-footed halfcourt defense.
10. Orlando Magic (37-23) (11) Amazingly, Lewis has yet to have a 30-point outburst this year, but his impact has been felt in the way Turkoglu's been getting freed up for shots.
11. Golden State Warriors (34-22) (12) You see how valuable Stephen Jackson is to this team when you consider they went 0-6 without him to start the year and their most recent listless home loss to the Hawks.
12. Denver Nuggets (34-23) (9) I liked this team a lot better when Bzdelik was the coach. At least they played defense.
13. Toronto Raptors (32-24) (14) This team is so ridiculously deep at forward, Kapono doesn't even get any burn, and as you saw in the 3-point shootout, he is deadly from range.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (32-26) (13) Wallace and Varejao together can't replace Gooden's scoring, and we're only talking 10 ppg.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (26-32) (18) They're gaining confidence the longer they stay in the playoff crawl...errr...race in the Eastern Conference.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (30-28) (15) Is it just me or does Oden look like one of those 40-year-old dads trying to stay hip with the mohawk?
17. Washington Wizards (27-30) (19) 23 points in one half? With Arenas and Butler, didn't that used to be Washington's point total in half a quarter?
18. New Jersey Nets (25-32) (17) If you're playing Fantasy, I'd invest in Harris right now. I get a feeling his value is about to SHOOT UP!
19. Sacramento Kings (26-31) (16) It's past the trading deadline and Artest is still there. Hopefully the Kings remember to take cover in case Hurricane Ron has another outburst.
20. Chicago Bulls (23-34) (20) So who's contract is worse? Larry Hughes or Ben Wallace? Shouldn't Paxson and Ferry be investigated for money laundering?
21. Atlanta Hawks (23-32) (21) On paper, this looks like a playoff team next year, possibly this year too if the Hawks can get consistent production from their front line.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (22-35) (23) Lately the Bucks have been playing the spoiler role as their shooters have found their touch again.
23. Indiana Pacers (22-36) (22) Wow, another criminal investigation involving a Pacer. And we thought Bird traded away all the problems when he dealt Artest and Jackson. How wrong we were.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (19-36) (24) And the most talked-about contract buyout has finally happened as Cassell is no longer a Clipper.
25. New York Knicks (18-39) (26) Lee and Robinson are like roses growing out of a gigantic pile of garbage.
26. Charlotte Bobcats (19-38) (25) Jordan should just stick to Nike, this is the second team he's completely run into the ground.
27. Seattle Supersonics (15-42) (27) The most exciting part of a bad team's season is about to begin. We get to find out how the Sonics survive the last 25 games with expiring contracts. Let the tanking begin!
28. Memphis Grizzlies (14-43) (28) Its a matter of time before Lowry finds a new address and a wonder he wasn't part of Memphis's garage sale.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-44) (29) Big Al is no joke, he's one of only six players to average a double-double in points in rebounds.
30. Miami Heat (10-44) (30) At long last, the losing streak is over! On a sider, why is Riley playing scrubs like Quinn and Barron and not playing Ricky Davis?

Week 16 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (41-11) (1) Boston tries playing at a fast pace and it costs them against two of the highest scoring teams in the NBA.
2. Detroit Pistons (39-15) (2) The Pistons get off to a rather inauspicious start as they get blown out at home by the Magic and fall behind by 21, failing to come back against the Bucks.
3. New Orleans Hornets (37-15) (3) On the same court with Jason Kidd, Paul puts on yet another masterful performance, nearly recording a triple double in points, assists and steals.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (37-17) (5) In the big showdown in Phoenix, Kobe got the better of Shaq and the Lakers clearly looked like the team more in synch in a game that could shift divisional leaders in the Pacific Division.
5. Phoenix Suns (37-17) (4) Well, the big fella played and at times looked dominant, but he must get in shape to keep up with Nash, Stoudamire and company.
6. San Antonio Spurs (35-17) (6) Getting Kurt Thomas is exactly what the Spurs needed, as they now have an enforcer who will battle the tougher PF's in the West to keep the pressure off Duncan.
7. Utah Jazz (35-19) (8) Keep an eye on Carlos Boozer, who's now day-to-day with a sore lower back.
8. Houston Rockets (33-20) (10) Even after winning nine straight games, the Rockets oddly sent their best reserve in Bonzi Wells to the divison rival Hornets in exchange for Bobby Jackson.
9. Denver Nuggets (33-20) (9) Winning at home against Boston was big, but a potential trade for Artest could be even bigger.
10. Dallas Mavericks (35-19) (7) Three words to sum up the deal: Kidd got worked! That's all for today.
11. Orlando Magic (34-22) (12) I want to thank Dwight Howard for putting on the best Slam Dunk Contest performance ever for a big man and raising the bar for creativity to new heights.
12. Golden State Warriors (33-21) (11) The league better be put on alert: Baron didn't make the Western Conference squad.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (30-24) (13) Cleveland got a shooter, an instant-offense reserve, a defender, and an ex-3X defensive player of the year and all they had to give up was Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden.
14. Toronto Raptors (29-23) (14) Jamario Moon would have made the finals if they still did the six-man format in the Dunk Contest. His dunks were outrageous!
15. Portland Trail Blazers (28-25) (15) It was good to see Roy represent in the All-Star game, but his team has cooled off considerably and should now focus on next year while waiting for Oden to arrive.
16. Sacramento Kings (25-28) (16) The Kings were patient and got a decent return for Mike Bibby. Rebuilding teams can always use cap space.
17. New Jersey Nets (24-30) (18) As an added bonus to getting Devin Harris, the Nets got a 25-point game out of Marcus Williams in his second start after the Kidd trade.
18. Philadelphia 76ers (24-31) (20) Great day for Philly when they sign Cheeks to an extension and then proceed to thump the Knicks by 40.
19. Washington Wizards (25-28) (17) Washington better not fall too far with New Jersey and Philly right on their tails in the playoff race.
20. Chicago Bulls (21-31) (22) With Hughes and Gooden in the mix, the Bulls can now focus on rebuilding for next year.
21. Atlanta Hawks (21-30) (19) I thought the Bibby trade was supposed to make the Hawks better, now here they go losing six in a row, including dropping one to Mike's ex-team.
22. Indiana Pacers (21-33) (21) Well, the trading deadline has come and gone, so stay tuned for the offseason when the Pacers really do deal Jermaine.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (20-34) (23) Good for Charlie V for working his butt off after losing his job to Yi and again earning the starting role at PF.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (18-33) (24) The only suspense left in the Clippers' season is how many weeks it takes Brand to come back.
25. Charlotte Bobcats (19-35) (25) Wow, even in today's game with the no-contact rules, the Bobcats prove that you can still score below 70 points if you shoot bad enough.
26. New York Knicks (16-38) (26) The funny thing is, the 40-point loss to Philly wasn't even the Knicks' worst loss this season.
27. Seattle Supersonics (14-38) (28) All Seattle got for Wally and West was Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall??? Wow, between that and the "talent" they got for Kurt Thomas, you know a move is in the works.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (14-40) (27) Hakim Warrick is finally getting his chance to shine and doing quite well, scoring over 20 in four of his last five games since getting the starting job at PF in the wake of the Gasol trade.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (11-41) (29) That birthday cake dunk was the cheesiest thing I've ever seen!
30. Miami Heat (9-42) (30) It still boggles the mind that this is the same team two years removed from an NBA title.

Week 15 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (40-9) (1) The combination of Scalabrine, Powe and Big Baby is doing more than it's fair share to ease the loss of KG.
2. Detroit Pistons (38-13) (2) They just keep quietly rolling along, winning nine in a row to stay well within striking distance of that top spot in the East.
3. New Orleans Hornets (35-15) (5) Everyone in the media's buzzing about the Lakers, Suns and Mavs and their big trades, but New Orleans remains in the thick of things after winning their second straight in Phoenix.
4. Phoenix Suns (36-15) (3) Shaq says all the right things, but is he really ready to take a backseat to Nash and Amare? Time will tell.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (34-17) (4) Frankly, I haven't seen Kobe this happy since 2002, and to think, Bynum isn't even back yet.
6. San Antonio Spurs (33-17) (8) I keep getting that feeling that they're just saving their energy for the second half, much like last year.
7. Dallas Mavericks (34-17) (7) Now Dallas is trying to keep up in the West! But did they give up too much for Kidd? Never a good idea to trade a PG who's more than 10 years younger and has a chance to be a top-tier guard by 28.
8. Utah Jazz (33-19) (6) And I hope every aspiring star learned a good lesson from Deron Williams. If you get snubbed and play out of your mind as a result, good things will happen as Williams gets on the team as an injury replacement.
9. Denver Nuggets (32-19) (10) And look who's right on Utah's heels again after four straight road wins and winning six of their last seven.
10. Houston Rockets (31-20) (12) 11 wins in their last 12 games, yet the Rockets still can't quite get over the hump and into that 8th seed.
11. Golden State Warriors (31-20) (11) What is the NBA coming to when Mickeal Pietrus starts making trade demands?
12. Orlando Magic (32-21) (9) Then again, it could be worse if you're a Magic fan and stuck with JJ Redick's griping. At least Pietrus has shown some level of talent in the NBA.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-22) (13) LeBron can't do everything, that much is apparent, but they need Gooden and Varejao healthy for the stretch run, as they got dominated without them against Houston and Denver.
14. Toronto Raptors (27-23) (15) Great minds do think alike! I say Jamario's gonna jump over the moon two weeks ago and now he says he's got a dunk that will defy gravity! Stay Tuned...
15. Portland Trail Blazers (28-23) (14) The same early road magic that helped propel the Blazers on their 15-game winning streak seems to have deserted them lately.
16. Sacramento Kings (23-27) (16) All these Western Conference Bigwig teams are making moves, but the Kings' best move is to stand pat, let this group of young talent develop, and eventually hop into the playoff picture when all the good teams fall.
17. Washington Wizards (24-27) (17) Yet another Eastern Conference team with a big losing streak that's somehow still seeded. Just getting Butler and Arenas back may be enough for this team to trudge into the playoffs around the .500 mark.
18. New Jersey Nets (23-29) (20) Getting Harris, Stackhouse and a few expiring contracts is a great long-term move for New Jersey. Now all they gotta do is trade Vince and Jefferson and they'll have even more cap room.
19. Atlanta Hawks (21-27) (18) What if the Suns are playing on the same day as the "overtime redo" game the Hawks play against the Heat? Can Shaq be in two places at once?
20. Philadelphia 76ers (22-30) (21) So with the Nets rebuilding and no other team making any real move for the final spot, could this young Sixers team actually make the playoffs and thus be a year ahead of schedule?
21. Indiana Pacers (21-31) (24) One of the few bright spots has been the strong-but-largely-unnoticed play of Danny Granger. Good thing this fantasy owner notices.
22. Chicago Bulls (21-32) (19) The funny thing is, the Bulls were in a similar position two years ago when they caught fire down the stretch and snuck into the playoffs as a 7th seed.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (19-33) (22) Look at it this way, Milwaukee, you still have two months before the Brewers' season starts and you still have good beer and cheese.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (17-32) (25) I wonder if Cassell was going Tonya Harding on Rondo, who he may have to back up in a couple weeks once the Clippers put him on waivers.
25. Charlotte Bobcats (18-34) (23) As the injuries and losses pile up, the 'Cats can look forward to another year in lottery-land.
26. New York Knicks (15-36) (26) You know it's getting bad when this team is joyously celebrating a one-point road win in Milwaukee.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (14-37) (27) I'll give Rudy Gay this: at least he has the foresight to get suggestions through YouTube instead of stealing other players' dunks, as Slam Dunk competitors have done in the past.
28. Seattle Supersonics (13-37) (29) Oklahoma City Supersonics? Keep them in Seattle, let the Utah Jazz hold their reign as the team with the most puzzling nickname in the NBA.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-40) (29) How does McHale defend trading Garnett without TWolves fans throwing him through a plate-glass window?
30. Miami Heat (9-41) (30) This team is either really bad, snakebitten, or both, but the losing never seems to stop. And how does Riley not get any draft picks for Shaq?

Week 14 NBA Rankings

1. Boston Celtics (36-9) (3) Garnett's MVP argument may have picked up steam, as the Celtics aren't nearly the same defensively without him.
2. Detroit Pistons (34-13) (4) Detroit got a statement home win on Super Bowl Sunday by dominating the Mavs with Sheed doing a bulk of the damage.
3. Phoenix Suns (34-14) (2) Is it just me, or did Steve Kerr just hit the panic button? #1 Shaq isn't nearly the same player he was even three years ago and #2 last I checked, Phoenix is a running team and Shaq is aging, out of shape and has a bad hip. Hopefully for the Suns' sake he flunks his physical.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (31-16) (7) The Lakers' offense just got a lot more potent with Gasol arriving. Kobe must be thrilled that he can get away with a 6-point game and his team still wins comfortably.
5. New Orleans Hornets (32-15) (1) BAM! Just like that, the 9-game winning streak comes to a halt as the Hornets' defense surrenders over 110 points in 3 straight games.
6. Utah Jazz (31-18) (6) Easy Deron! Easy! Lets just say Paul got thoroughlly owned, being outscored 29-6 and out-assisted 11-6. As for Williams, you'll get that All-Star berth next year! Coaches can't sleep on you forever!
7. Dallas Mavericks (32-15) (5) Dirk's gotta play tougher if this team wants to erase the bitterness of last year's meltdown. Sheed just flat out dominated him!
8. San Antonio Spurs (30-16) (9) As long as the D keeps locking folks down, they can ease their way through this offensive funk and start their usual 2nd half surge.
9. Orlando Magic (31-19) (8) Benching Nelson may have to do for now, as he's got to start living up to his contract sooner or later.
10. Denver Nuggets (29-18) (14) Beating Portland was big, but Denver now must win against Utah to stay in a divisional race that figures to come down to the last week of the season.
11. Golden State Warriors (29-19) (10) Will we ever know what Webber paid CJ Watson to get his #4 back?
12. Houston Rockets (28-20) (12) If Yao and Yi had met up a month earlier and McGrady had the same 33-point game, he'd probably be a starter on the All-Star team right now.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (27-20) (11) LeBron does in the Celtics again, giving his team loads of confidence should these two meet up again with higher stakes.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (27-20) (13) As hard as they try, there's only so much you can do when Iverson or LeBron wants the ball in the closing seconds.
15. Toronto Raptors (26-21) (16) TJ will have to work to get his starting job back with Calderon owning folks while he was recovering.
16. Sacramento Kings (22-24) (17) Theus deserves a lot of credit for keeping this team afloat while its three stars missed time with injuries/suspensions.
17. Washington Wizards (24-23) (15) Lets hold all that "they're better without Arenas" talk, because the Wiz won't beat anyone if they play sloppy on defense.
18. Atlanta Hawks (20-24) (18) They're still in the playoff race and inexplicably still haven't traded Josh Childress for a good PG.
19. Chicago Bulls (19-28) (20) Noah is making the most out of his starts with Smith out, doing wonders for his confidence.
20. New Jersey Nets (20-28) (22) Well, the Nets made a huge deal this week. They got Stromile Swift for Jason Collins. Yippee!
21. Philadelphia 76ers (19-30) (24) Young and Carney continue to shine when given the chance and the Sixers' future looks bright with them stepping their games up.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (19-30) (23) Yi blew the one chance he had to give the Bucks' season meaning by not showing up against Yao.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (18-31) (19) The bottom line is it's very hard to win when your bench can't produce any offense.
24. Indiana Pacers (19-30) (21) Could O'Neal really be that hurt or is he just trying to tank the Pacers' season?
25. Los Angeles Clippers (15-30) (26) Maybe the Clippers should ask their fans to play while they continue to miss half the roster with injuries.
26. New York Knicks (14-34) (25) The minute I pick up Nate Robinson, he goes 0-for-9! I am a jinx on some of these waiver-wire guys!
27. Memphis Grizzlies (13-35) (27) They maybe terrible now, but in three years, the Grizz may reap the benefits from trading Gasol.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-37) (30) So will the fans boo or cheer KG when he comes back to the Twin Cities in his soopafly blazer?
29. Seattle Supersonics (12-36) (28) Durant with another game winner! He just keeps getting better and better folks!
30. Miami Heat (9-37) (29) At least with Marion, a healthy Wade has an open-floor running mate. Now they just need ten more players who can actually do something.