NBA: SI Power Rankings - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

grumpyolddude · 11-19-2003, 03:06 PM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/basketball/nba/11/17/power.rankings/index.html

The Western Conference has a suppposedly insurmountable advantage over the Eastern Conference? Not according to Marty Burns at Sports Illustrated. Three of his top five, and four of the top seven in his power ratings are from the Eastern Conference.

True, it is early in the season to draw conclusions and his bottom six are Eastern doormats, but the Kings got embarassed on their eastern road swing, and the Lakers got flat out-played by the Pistons on their first journey east.

There's a lot more parity in the league than Western Conference fans are willing to admit.

Hrothgar · 11-19-2003, 03:33 PM

Can't really draw a conclusion since it's way to early in the season.
A lot of people are banged up and some teams haven't played together enough to gel.

Nimbletoe · 11-19-2003, 04:25 PM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ngs/index.html

Link that works.

Winds of change
Facing tough tests, Lakers and Spurs could fall in rankings
Posted: Monday November 17, 2003 4:39PM; Updated: Monday November 17, 2003 4:39PM

The bad news for the Lakers? They can pretty much kiss goodbye those hopes of matching the Bulls' all-time record of 72 wins. The good news? They're still, for now, the top team in this week's Power Rankings.

L.A. hasn't always looked great, especially defensively, this season. But they've found ways to win, and they have quality victories over the Mavs, Spurs (without Tim Duncan and Tony Parker) and Pistons. San Antonio, meanwhile, lost at Philadelphia on Friday and is still trying to get Duncan's ankle back to 100 percent.

This week will be a big test for both the Lakers and Spurs. L.A. will face a revenge-minded Pistons team at the Palace. San Antonio will be seeking to atone for an earlier loss to the Mavs this season when it travels to Dallas. Next week's Power Rankings could be a different story.

THIS WEEK'S HIGH RISER: Grizzlies (to No. 14 from No. 21)
THIS WEEK'S BIG DROP: Suns (to No. 20 from No. 11)

SI.com's Marty Burns
Rank LW Team
1 1 Los Angeles Lakers (8-2)
So much for distractions. Sunday's win over the Heat made it three in a row. Kobe Bryant is averaging 21.1 points and 4.5 rebounds as he slowly works himself back into shape.
2 2 San Antonio Spurs (6-5)
Thanks to a mistake by Tony Parker, they played four on five for a few seconds during Saturday's win at the Wizards. That's OK. With Duncan, they could beat a lot of teams that way.
3 3 Indiana Pacers (8-2)
Reggie Miller does it to Spike Lee and the Knicks again, pumping in 31 points in Saturday's victory at the Garden. With a win Friday at New Orleans, they could set a franchise record for most consecutive road triumphs (seven).
4 4 Detroit Pistons (6-4)
Saturday's win at Phoenix enabled them to salvage a 1-3 record on their West Coast road trip. Now Ben Wallace and Co. set their sights on Tuesday's rematch with the Lakers at the Palace.
5 9 New Jersey Nets (5-5)
Two consecutive wins had them feeling better heading into Tuesday's showdown at New Orleans. Also, Alonzo Mourning (10 points in Saturday's win at Atlanta) is starting to make his presence felt.
6 6 Dallas Mavericks (6-4)
Mark Cuban was fuming (at the refs) and Dirk Nowitzki was hurting (eight stitches in his head) after Saturday's OT loss at Memphis. But with Portland and San Antonio up next, there's no time for crying.
7 7 New Orleans Hornets (7-3)
They beat Portland on Saturday to make it three of four against the West this season. But with the Nets, Celtics, Pacers and Pistons up next, it's time to see if they can be Beasts of the East.
8 8 Sacramento Kings (6-4)
They survived Sunday's nail-biter with the Warriors to make it 15 in a row against Golden State. But blown leads, shaky defense and whining about the refs have resurrected some of those same old image problems.
9 10 Houston Rockets (6-3)
After a blazing start, they've come back to earth a bit. But Jeff Van Gundy has them playing well at both ends, and they are still without Eric Piatkowski (ankle), Adrian Griffin (knee) and Mo Taylor (suspension).
10 5 Minnesota Timberwolves (5-5)
On Target: Fred Hoiberg, second in the NBA in 3-point accuracy (64.0 percent). Off Target: Saturday's home loss to the Jazz was their third straight at the Tar-zhay, where they were 33-8 a year ago.
11 12 Seattle SuperSonics (6-2)
They won at Chicago on Saturday to finish 3-1 on their road trip. With seven of their next eight at home, starting with the Heat on Tuesday, Ronald Murray and Co. could remain the NBA's big surprise for a while.
12 16 Philadelphia 76ers (5-5)
With Kenny Thomas (back), Derrick Coleman (knee) and Glenn Robinson (ankle) ailing, they're more banged up than the Liberty Bell. But they still managed to beat the Spurs at home Friday night.
13 17 Portland Trail Blazers (5-4)
They're hoping Maurice Cheeks' contract extension will lead to more stability in the locker room. Good luck. At least Damon Stoudamire and Jeff McInnis (combined 25.0 points, 8.5 assists) are doing the job at point guard.
14 21 Memphis Grizzlies (5-4)
They beat the Lakers, Magic and Mavs last week to run their record to 5-4, the best nine-game start in franchise history. Also among their victims this season: the Rockets and Spurs.
15 14 Boston Celtics (5-4)
Through Sunday, they were holding foes to 38.9 percent shooting, behind only the Spurs and Rockets. Not bad for a team without a true center. But Raef LaFrentz (knee tendinitis) will miss the next five games.
16 19 Utah Jazz (5-5)
At week's end, they ranked fourth in the NBA in both field-goal (.452) and free-throw (.785) percentage. They were also 4-0 at the Delta Center, where they will play 10 of their next 12 games.
17 13 Toronto Raptors (5-5)
Take that, LeBron! Rookie Chris Bosh scored 10 of his 25 points in the extra sessions as they beat the Rockets in 2OT Sunday to extend their franchise-best home win streak to six games.
18 20 Milwaukee Bucks (5-4)
New coach Terry Porter has them hustling and hitting the boards. At week's end, they ranked third in the NBA in total rebound percentage (52.7 percent). Last year they ranked dead last in that category (47.8 percent).
19 15 Golden State Warriors (4-5)
After playing their first seven of eight at home, they now hit the road with Nick Van Exel (sore knee) questionable. Can Erick Dampier (league-leading eight double-doubles) continue to pick up the slack?
20 11 Phoenix Suns (3-6)
Turnovers did them in again in Saturday's loss to the Pistons, their third in a row. With seven of their next eight at America West, starting Tuesday against the Bulls, they need to take care of the ball -- and business.
21 22 Washington Wizards (3-6)
At week's end, they had lost four straight games and Christian Laettner (back spasms). But with the Hawks, Cavs and Nuggets on tap this week, they have a chance to get back on track.
22 18 Denver Nuggets (5-4)
They survived Tracy McGrady's 51 points Friday night to make it two in a row. But their half-court offense has been bad, and big men Nene (groin) and Marcus Camby (strained knee) are hobbling.
23 28 Los Angeles Clippers (4-2)
Despite not having Elton Brand, they have yet to lose on U.S. soil. Then again, they've beaten only the Nuggets, Hawks, Warriors and Magic. Still, Mike Dunleavy Sr. has them playing hard.
24 23 Chicago Bulls (4-7)
Their record doesn't show it, but they're starting to play better. Unfortunately, they now head out on their annual Western road trip, a.k.a. the Bataan Death March, where they are 0-27 over the past four years.
25 26 Atlanta Hawks (3-7)
They won at Seattle and Phoenix last week to show some signs of life. But the big news was the resignation of longtime team president Stan Kasten, the last of the old guard.
26 25 New York Knicks (2-7)
Spike this! Despite a 24-0 run, they still managed to get slain (again) by Reggie and the Pacers on Saturday. Through Sunday, they had lost four straight heading into a brutal stretch of their schedule.
27 27 Cleveland Cavaliers (3-7)
They beat the Sixers on Saturday to make it three wins in their past five games. DeSagana Diop has helped key the mini surge, blocking shots and providing some much-needed D off the bench.
28 29 Miami Heat (2-8)
They beat the Cavs last week to give new coach Stan Van Gundy his first victory, then followed with a win over the Wizards. Meanwhile, Eddie Jones had seven straight 20-point games before Sunday's loss at the Lakers.
29 24 Orlando Magic (1-9)
Not even T-Mac's 51 could get them a victory at Denver. Now Pat Garrity (knee) is back on the shelf. With road games at the Jazz, Suns and Kings ahead, Doc Rivers might not survive the week.

grumpyolddude · 11-19-2003, 10:03 PM

Thanks for the leg-up, nibletoe!

Nimbletoe · 11-19-2003, 10:52 PM

No prob.

foolio7714 · 11-20-2003, 06:54 AM

The Nets above Dallas is insane.

Nimbletoe · 11-20-2003, 08:19 AM

As is the pacers above the pistons.

dragon2fire · 11-20-2003, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nimbletoe
As is the pacers above the pistons.

the pacers are above the pistons because they beat the pistions

not to meation they are a better team

grumpyolddude · 11-20-2003, 04:12 PM

There are a lot of teams with a lot to prove. The Orlando management has already caved in to panic and shortly, so will Chicago's.

It should be fun watching the Pacers and Pistons slug it out. They could both finish with 50+ wins, and their head-to head games will be real wars.

Any WC teams heading into Detroit or Indy better bring a medic.

dragon2fire · 11-20-2003, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by grumpyolddude
There are a lot of teams with a lot to prove. The Orlando management has already caved in to panic and shortly, so will Chicago's.

It should be fun watching the Pacers and Pistons slug it out. They could both finish with 50+ wins, and their head-to head games will be real wars.

Any WC teams heading into Detroit or Indy better bring a medic.

your dam right

11-19-2003, 03:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
grumpyolddude Deliberately unfocused Location: Amazon.com and CDBaby	NBA: SI Power Rankings http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/basketball/nba/11/17/power.rankings/index.html The Western Conference has a suppposedly insurmountable advantage over the Eastern Conference? Not according to Marty Burns at Sports Illustrated. Three of his top five, and four of the top seven in his power ratings are from the Eastern Conference. True, it is early in the season to draw conclusions and his bottom six are Eastern doormats, but the Kings got embarassed on their eastern road swing, and the Lakers got flat out-played by the Pistons on their first journey east. There's a lot more parity in the league than Western Conference fans are willing to admit. __________________ "Regret can be a harder pill to swallow than failure .With failure you at least know you gave it a chance..." David Howard

11-19-2003, 03:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
Hrothgar He's My Girl Location: The Champagne Douche	Can't really draw a conclusion since it's way to early in the season. A lot of people are banged up and some teams haven't played together enough to gel. __________________ The fortunes of war favored Hrothgar.

11-19-2003, 04:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
Nimbletoe Junkie Location: Michigan	http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ngs/index.html Link that works. Winds of change Facing tough tests, Lakers and Spurs could fall in rankings Posted: Monday November 17, 2003 4:39PM; Updated: Monday November 17, 2003 4:39PM The bad news for the Lakers? They can pretty much kiss goodbye those hopes of matching the Bulls' all-time record of 72 wins. The good news? They're still, for now, the top team in this week's Power Rankings. L.A. hasn't always looked great, especially defensively, this season. But they've found ways to win, and they have quality victories over the Mavs, Spurs (without Tim Duncan and Tony Parker) and Pistons. San Antonio, meanwhile, lost at Philadelphia on Friday and is still trying to get Duncan's ankle back to 100 percent. This week will be a big test for both the Lakers and Spurs. L.A. will face a revenge-minded Pistons team at the Palace. San Antonio will be seeking to atone for an earlier loss to the Mavs this season when it travels to Dallas. Next week's Power Rankings could be a different story. THIS WEEK'S HIGH RISER: Grizzlies (to No. 14 from No. 21) THIS WEEK'S BIG DROP: Suns (to No. 20 from No. 11) SI.com's Marty Burns Rank LW Team 1 1 Los Angeles Lakers (8-2) So much for distractions. Sunday's win over the Heat made it three in a row. Kobe Bryant is averaging 21.1 points and 4.5 rebounds as he slowly works himself back into shape. 2 2 San Antonio Spurs (6-5) Thanks to a mistake by Tony Parker, they played four on five for a few seconds during Saturday's win at the Wizards. That's OK. With Duncan, they could beat a lot of teams that way. 3 3 Indiana Pacers (8-2) Reggie Miller does it to Spike Lee and the Knicks again, pumping in 31 points in Saturday's victory at the Garden. With a win Friday at New Orleans, they could set a franchise record for most consecutive road triumphs (seven). 4 4 Detroit Pistons (6-4) Saturday's win at Phoenix enabled them to salvage a 1-3 record on their West Coast road trip. Now Ben Wallace and Co. set their sights on Tuesday's rematch with the Lakers at the Palace. 5 9 New Jersey Nets (5-5) Two consecutive wins had them feeling better heading into Tuesday's showdown at New Orleans. Also, Alonzo Mourning (10 points in Saturday's win at Atlanta) is starting to make his presence felt. 6 6 Dallas Mavericks (6-4) Mark Cuban was fuming (at the refs) and Dirk Nowitzki was hurting (eight stitches in his head) after Saturday's OT loss at Memphis. But with Portland and San Antonio up next, there's no time for crying. 7 7 New Orleans Hornets (7-3) They beat Portland on Saturday to make it three of four against the West this season. But with the Nets, Celtics, Pacers and Pistons up next, it's time to see if they can be Beasts of the East. 8 8 Sacramento Kings (6-4) They survived Sunday's nail-biter with the Warriors to make it 15 in a row against Golden State. But blown leads, shaky defense and whining about the refs have resurrected some of those same old image problems. 9 10 Houston Rockets (6-3) After a blazing start, they've come back to earth a bit. But Jeff Van Gundy has them playing well at both ends, and they are still without Eric Piatkowski (ankle), Adrian Griffin (knee) and Mo Taylor (suspension). 10 5 Minnesota Timberwolves (5-5) On Target: Fred Hoiberg, second in the NBA in 3-point accuracy (64.0 percent). Off Target: Saturday's home loss to the Jazz was their third straight at the Tar-zhay, where they were 33-8 a year ago. 11 12 Seattle SuperSonics (6-2) They won at Chicago on Saturday to finish 3-1 on their road trip. With seven of their next eight at home, starting with the Heat on Tuesday, Ronald Murray and Co. could remain the NBA's big surprise for a while. 12 16 Philadelphia 76ers (5-5) With Kenny Thomas (back), Derrick Coleman (knee) and Glenn Robinson (ankle) ailing, they're more banged up than the Liberty Bell. But they still managed to beat the Spurs at home Friday night. 13 17 Portland Trail Blazers (5-4) They're hoping Maurice Cheeks' contract extension will lead to more stability in the locker room. Good luck. At least Damon Stoudamire and Jeff McInnis (combined 25.0 points, 8.5 assists) are doing the job at point guard. 14 21 Memphis Grizzlies (5-4) They beat the Lakers, Magic and Mavs last week to run their record to 5-4, the best nine-game start in franchise history. Also among their victims this season: the Rockets and Spurs. 15 14 Boston Celtics (5-4) Through Sunday, they were holding foes to 38.9 percent shooting, behind only the Spurs and Rockets. Not bad for a team without a true center. But Raef LaFrentz (knee tendinitis) will miss the next five games. 16 19 Utah Jazz (5-5) At week's end, they ranked fourth in the NBA in both field-goal (.452) and free-throw (.785) percentage. They were also 4-0 at the Delta Center, where they will play 10 of their next 12 games. 17 13 Toronto Raptors (5-5) Take that, LeBron! Rookie Chris Bosh scored 10 of his 25 points in the extra sessions as they beat the Rockets in 2OT Sunday to extend their franchise-best home win streak to six games. 18 20 Milwaukee Bucks (5-4) New coach Terry Porter has them hustling and hitting the boards. At week's end, they ranked third in the NBA in total rebound percentage (52.7 percent). Last year they ranked dead last in that category (47.8 percent). 19 15 Golden State Warriors (4-5) After playing their first seven of eight at home, they now hit the road with Nick Van Exel (sore knee) questionable. Can Erick Dampier (league-leading eight double-doubles) continue to pick up the slack? 20 11 Phoenix Suns (3-6) Turnovers did them in again in Saturday's loss to the Pistons, their third in a row. With seven of their next eight at America West, starting Tuesday against the Bulls, they need to take care of the ball -- and business. 21 22 Washington Wizards (3-6) At week's end, they had lost four straight games and Christian Laettner (back spasms). But with the Hawks, Cavs and Nuggets on tap this week, they have a chance to get back on track. 22 18 Denver Nuggets (5-4) They survived Tracy McGrady's 51 points Friday night to make it two in a row. But their half-court offense has been bad, and big men Nene (groin) and Marcus Camby (strained knee) are hobbling. 23 28 Los Angeles Clippers (4-2) Despite not having Elton Brand, they have yet to lose on U.S. soil. Then again, they've beaten only the Nuggets, Hawks, Warriors and Magic. Still, Mike Dunleavy Sr. has them playing hard. 24 23 Chicago Bulls (4-7) Their record doesn't show it, but they're starting to play better. Unfortunately, they now head out on their annual Western road trip, a.k.a. the Bataan Death March, where they are 0-27 over the past four years. 25 26 Atlanta Hawks (3-7) They won at Seattle and Phoenix last week to show some signs of life. But the big news was the resignation of longtime team president Stan Kasten, the last of the old guard. 26 25 New York Knicks (2-7) Spike this! Despite a 24-0 run, they still managed to get slain (again) by Reggie and the Pacers on Saturday. Through Sunday, they had lost four straight heading into a brutal stretch of their schedule. 27 27 Cleveland Cavaliers (3-7) They beat the Sixers on Saturday to make it three wins in their past five games. DeSagana Diop has helped key the mini surge, blocking shots and providing some much-needed D off the bench. 28 29 Miami Heat (2-8) They beat the Cavs last week to give new coach Stan Van Gundy his first victory, then followed with a win over the Wizards. Meanwhile, Eddie Jones had seven straight 20-point games before Sunday's loss at the Lakers. 29 24 Orlando Magic (1-9) Not even T-Mac's 51 could get them a victory at Denver. Now Pat Garrity (knee) is back on the shelf. With road games at the Jazz, Suns and Kings ahead, Doc Rivers might not survive the week. __________________ Go Pistons!

11-19-2003, 10:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
grumpyolddude Deliberately unfocused Location: Amazon.com and CDBaby	Thanks for the leg-up, nibletoe! __________________ "Regret can be a harder pill to swallow than failure .With failure you at least know you gave it a chance..." David Howard

11-19-2003, 10:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
Nimbletoe Junkie Location: Michigan	No prob. __________________ Go Pistons!

11-20-2003, 06:54 AM	#6 (permalink)
foolio7714 Crazy	The Nets above Dallas is insane.

11-20-2003, 08:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
Nimbletoe Junkie Location: Michigan	As is the pacers above the pistons. __________________ Go Pistons!

11-20-2003, 04:12 PM	#9 (permalink)
grumpyolddude Deliberately unfocused Location: Amazon.com and CDBaby	There are a lot of teams with a lot to prove. The Orlando management has already caved in to panic and shortly, so will Chicago's. It should be fun watching the Pacers and Pistons slug it out. They could both finish with 50+ wins, and their head-to head games will be real wars. Any WC teams heading into Detroit or Indy better bring a medic. __________________ "Regret can be a harder pill to swallow than failure .With failure you at least know you gave it a chance..." David Howard