NBA Power Rankings

[DC4]

We see the danger lurking. The team ranked No. 1 at lunchtime Monday has a tough game Monday night against an outstanding road team from Orlando. Boston, then, is a prime target to be victimized by the famed Power Rankings jinx.

But that can't factor into the decision-making here at Stein Line HQ. As of Monday morning, no team was more deserving of the top spot in our weekly rankings than the defending champs, who have narrowly held off the steamrolling Lakers for the fourth consecutive week.

Portland (No. 9 to No. 4) and New Jersey (No. 16 to No. 9) have made hugely impressive jumps this week in our fully unautomated pulse-check of the league, but I have a feeling you'll want to focus on the ongoing battle at the top. So how did the Celts stay there? Dominant as the Lakers were in November, they have played the fewest road games in the league (one of them at Staples Center against the Clippers) and just three back-to-backs (one of which required no travel because it included that game against the Clips). As a result, Boston's dominant start impresses us just that little bit more.

1 (1) Celtics 16-2 This second straight 16-2 start by the Celts, so readily deemed inferior to the Lakers' start by so many readers, has been topped only twice in the past 10 seasons: Dallas in '02-03 (17-1) and the Lakers in '01-02 (16-1).
2 (2) Lakers 14-1 If it's any consolation -- and we realize that it's probably not -- allow us to confirm that the only other two Phil Jackson teams to start so well (Bulls at 17-1 in 1996-97, Lakers at 16-1 in 2001-02) went on to win it all.
3 (3) Cavaliers 14-3 2010 talk ain't going away no matter what Charles Barkley says, but don't forget to spare a good word for what the Cavs are doing now. Example: Cleveland just swept four games in five nights ... by a combined 80 points.
4 (9) Trail Blazers 12-6 When they lost Oden and looked so shaky on the opening-night stage against the Lakers, how many of you had these kids closing November with a road win in Detroit and one of the last two unbeaten home records?
5 (4) Nuggets 12-6 We had some Samson crack ready about Melo's recent haircut causing his slow start, but that's on hold until it's confirmed his elbow injury (revealed Sunday in Denver's first real scare of the 11-3 Billups era) isn't serious.
6 (7) Magic 13-4 Not proud to be nitpicking a team on a 13-2 run, but it's hard to ignore that Orlando has just two wins against .500 teams (Toronto and Dallas), 11 against sub-.500 teams and a bit of an injury crisis (Bogans, Pietrus, Nelson).
7 (5) Rockets 11-7 After a month of injuries, inconsistency and some impressive wins, too, veteran Rockets-watcher Fran Blinebury of the Houston Chronicle wrote: "If the Rockets were a NASCAR race, they'd be the Daytona 499.'' Ouch.
8 (11) Spurs 9-7 So let me get this straight: San Antonio is a mere 2-5 when Parker is healthy, 1-1 when Parker, Ginobili and Duncan all play ... and 6-2 when Timmy is on his own because neither Parker nor Ginobili is available? Huh?
9 (16) Nets 9-7 Six road wins already, tied for second most among teams in the East. Six 30-plus scoring games for Devin Harris already, after none in his first four seasons. Six plus six? It adds up here to November's biggest Cinderella.
10 (12) Hornets 9-6 In this November of surprises, where do you rank the Hornets' struggles to keep themselves in the top 10? Says CP3, referring to just about everyone in teal but himself: "We are nowhere near where we need to be."
11 (13) Hawks 10-6 The Hawks just played 12 straight games without Josh Smith -- eight of them on the road -- and wound up going 6-6. That won't make headlines like their 6-0 start, but I'm guessing they're reasonably happy with that.
12 ( 6 ) Suns 11-7 Hints of player unrest continue to make headlines ... and that was before the Suns' really bad weekend. How bad? D-Wade hung 43 on them, Devin Harris went for 47 and the Suns are suddenly sub-.500 at home.
13 (8) Pistons 10-6 Keeping score? Detroit is now 6-6 with Iverson in the lineup, Iverson has skipped one practice and scored in single digits three times ... and the team has suffered three home losses by 10-plus points in those 12 games.
14 (15) Mavericks 8-8 When they're not trying to avoid Devin Harris' box scores from Jersey, Mavs sympathizers are giving thanks that they still have Jason Terry, who's been the league's best sixth man so far ... as well as the Mavs' best player.
15 (10) Jazz 11-7 D-Will, Boozer and Okur have combined to miss 24 games already. So the Jazz can't be too down about where they sit, jarring as it must be to check the standings and see two teams higher in the Northwest Division.
16 (18) Bulls 8-9 Derrick Rose & Co. wound up going a solid 3-4 on their dreaded annual Circus Trip. That's only the second time since MJ's retirement that the Bulls won more than once on the long excursion they take every November.
17 (19) Raptors 8-8 Question worth asking even if the Raps couldn't avenge the memory of Kobe's 81-point eruption Sunday night: Is the better-every-day Bosh confused? Maybe he thinks this is his contract year instead of next season.
18 (21) Heat 8-9 How well is the D-Wade renaissance going? As someone on this Web site pointed out: "You realize he's averaging a 29-5-8 with 49 percent shooting on a mediocre team with a rookie point guard and no bench, right?''
19 (20) Knicks 8-8 Unintended consequence of those two trades we thought were all about clearing cap space for the Summer of Twenty-Ten: Looks like they also sped up the timetable on resolving the tiresome Marbury saga. Rejoice.
20 (22) Pacers 6-10 Can't say it better than J. Foster did: "We're doing a lot of things 10 times better than we did last year, but we're not winning games we're supposed to win. There's been a lot of tough losses, and it's getting old real quick."
21 (17) Bucks 7-12 If you're drawing up a list of teams that will be thankful to say farewell to November, Milwaukee has to be way up there after playing a league-high 12 road games and absorbing injuries to Redd, Bogut and Villanueva.
22 (14) 76ers 7-10 Although Iverson left in December 2006 and Billy King followed in December 2007, this December is too soon to be danger time for Cheeks, who just got an extension. But Philly is getting less and less for all the money spent.
23 (27) Bobcats 5-11 Remember last season when the Bobs played 26 of their first 41 games at home and couldn't build on a 6-4 start? The schedule breakdown is almost identical this season, except Larry Brown's team is in an even bigger hole.
24 (23) Timberwolves 4-11 The voices calling for the Wolves to try to rehire Flip Saunders before someone else grabs him might be onto something. Flip knows how to work with Glen Taylor and McHale, who don't appear to be going anywhere.
25 (24) Warriors 5-12 It worked a couple of years ago: Nellie proclaimed the Dubs' playoff hopes to be dead, after which they surged right into the postseason. But you probably needn't expect a repeat if Nellie is so publicly pessimistic already.
26 (28) Clippers 3-13 The Clips couldn't exactly celebrate after escaping against Miami with a one-point win, not even after two one-point losses in the previous four games. With Kaman, Gordon and Camby all hobbling, how could they?
27 (25) Kings 5-14 As much as it pains me to say this about the team that inked You Know Who, thus doubling Cal State Fullerton's NBA representation, I can't deny that the Kings can be tough on the eyes when Kev Martin can't play.
28 (26) Grizzlies 4-13 For all of Mayo's early magic, that 2-2 start is a distant memory. The same goes for that fruitless offer sheet Josh Smith signed in the summer, with Smith picking Memphis' visit Wednesday to make his return from injury.
29 (29) Wizards 2-12 The emotional jolt they got from the coaching change didn't last long, did it? Orlando and Atlanta had injuries of their own and still came away with wins in D.C. after the Wiz routed the Warriors in Tapscott's debut.
30 (30) Thunder 2-16 Step 1 for Scotty Brooks is making these kids competitive. After two one-possession losses, two straight games cracking the 100-point barrier offensively and actually winning a game ... sounds like an OK first step

 

[DC4]

Miami at 18, I'd take that, Our Play has been improving lately.

 

[PiStoL31PeTe]

Glad to see Celts at the top and Wade is pulling the load for Miami hopefully he can keep it going and stay healthy

 

[DC4]

Do you Honestly believe Portland is that good?

 

[PiStoL31PeTe]

i dont see Portland as a number 4 ranking. No way

 

[Mexi]

fcuk Mark Stein
he's the only one who has Boston as number 1

 

[Pugz]

I really think we should be lower..

 

[555666]

I think Portland is really good... May not win it all, but they're really good. I like watching them play... Roy is doing his thing, then Rudy comes off the bench when Roy needs rest and he holds it down til Roy comes back. They have an all-around good team. Lacking experience, but still a good team.

 

[DC4]

Yea Like I said Rudy Fernandez is a thing to watch ( In a few years when he really emerges, I called it )., Other than Rudy I don't like anybody else on the Portland squad, Don't get me wrong they are talented and all, I just don't like em..They won't be at NO.4 for a long time.

 

[555666]

Because they blew out your Heat? :lol: j/k

I have to watch the Blazers after seeing that buzzer-beater three-pointer Brandon Roy against the Rockets. I love seeing clutch plays like that..

 

[Yankees2772]

Blazers aren't 4th best, but they are a top team... So well rounded... I love 'em.

 

[.GR]

Yea Like I said Rudy Fernandez is a thing to watch ( In a few years when he really emerges, I called it )., Other than Rudy I don't like anybody else on the Portland squad, Don't get me wrong they are talented and all, I just don't like em..They won't be at NO.4 for a long time.

Just cuz you dont like em doesnt mean thet wont keep winning.

 

[555666]

Just cuz you dont like em doesnt mean thet wont keep winning.

Exactly.

I'd love to see them make some noise in the playoffs.... As long as they don't knock the Lakers out of it. Doubt it'd happen anyway, they're still young.

 

[Pugz]

Blazers aren't 4th best, but they are a top team... So well rounded... I love 'em.