NBA Rankings Feb. 10

With big matchups this week between the Lakers and Cavs, Lakers and Celtics and Celtics and Spurs, we are starting to get an idea of who are the best teams in the league. So I decided to look at the whole league and see where I think the teams fall.

1 Lakers

Is there any more they can prove? Winning at Boston in a playoff atmosphere, and following that up by being the first team this year to beat the Cavs at the Q. Impressive stuff, especially coming on the heels of losing Bynum. It remains to be seen if Lamar Odom will show up in big games consistently like he did vs Cleveland.

2 Cavs

Really expected more from King James in the hyped up showdown vs the Lakers. I guess they had to lose at home sometime. Right?

3 Celtics

Last time they lost to the Lakers, they followed it up with a 2-7 run that had everybody giving up on them. Since their latest loss to L.A. they’re 1-1, and staring a tough road trip in the face. Just sayin.

4 Spurs

How can a team that has four championships in the last 10 years be this consistently overlooked? Look, I am on board too that it is hard to see them matching up with The “Big 3” in the League, but after winning at Boston, it’s just further proof that Pop and Duncan are the most underappreciated duo in the NBA.

5 Magic

It’s a real shame to see Nelson go down with the season he and the Magic are having. It will be interesting to see how the Dwight Howard and three point shooting combo works without their quarterback.

6 Nuggets

I love this team. They have tons of scoring, depth, and athletes. And with Billups running the show, their mistakes are down and their scorers are getting the ball when and where they need it.

7 Hornets

Just to show how good CP3 is, if he was out for the season, the Hornets would probably be 28 on this list. Luckily for them, Paul is expected back in the lineup soon.

8 Blazers

This team is quietly putting up a solid and consistent season. They have depth and a lot of players that are reliable and fun to watch. Have to love the direction this team is heading.

9 Rockets

I would imagine no team except maybe Utah is looking forward more to the All-Star break than these guys. If they could ever consistently have Artest, T-Mac and Yao on the floor, they would be scary - - but that might not ever happen.

10 Mavs

Right when things were starting to come together for the Mavs, they lose Jet Terry. That is a big blow for Dallas, because he had been playing extremely well.

11 Sixers

The addition of Elton Brand was supposed to put these guys into the next level of Eastern Conference contenders. They have actually been better without him, and now will have to play the rest of the season without him.

12 Pistons

The Pistons are pretty tough to figure out. Most of the time it seems like they aren’t really interested in winning or continuing this season. I know the Iverson/Billups swap was for the future, but Joe D better have a good plan, because as of now, the deal looks pretty one-sided.

13 Hawks

The injury bug is flying all around the Hawks. They lost Horford for a while, then Josh Smith, then Joe Johnson got hit with the flu, and now Mike Bibby has missed with an injured foot. None of the injuries are major however, and you’ve got to like this team when they are at full strength.

14 Suns

I really like Steve Kerr. I liked him as a player, and I liked him as an announcer. But he has done an awful job with this team (Marion, D’Antoni). And now they are in the dreadful position of being old and wanting to rebuild.

15 Jazz

If they could play every game at home they’d be in great shape. Unfortunately they have to play half their games on other people’s home courts where they are 9-17. Having AK 47 and Boozer on the court wouldn’t hurt either.

16 Heat

D-Wade has put this team on his back and been simply amazing.

17 Bulls

The Bulls have finally started to show signs of life lately. With Redd and Bogut out, and the Nets being so untrustworthy, the Bulls are my pick to snag the 8 spot in the east. Which would mean no lottery-miracle for them next year.

18 Bucks

Ramon Sessions? Injuries to their superstars have certainly derailed Milwaukee’s season, but they have to be encouraged by Sessions’ emergence.

19 Knicks

After a week of being a collective punching bag for the two best players in the NBA and the defending champs, the Knicks are back to the real world of no defense and jacking up threes. Side note: Nate Robinson is the Cortland Finnegan of the NBA – he’s talking trash after every single play.

20 Timberwolves

Ouch. The Wolves were looking respectable since McHale went to the bench, but the loss of Jefferson should mean a lot of losses ahead for the young Wolves.

21 Warriors

This is the portion of the rankings where you could just jumble the teams in a hat and draw them out for the order. Because they are all awful in their own ways. The Warriors, although terrible, are fun to watch and can beat anyone when playing in that crazy atmosphere at Golden State.

22 Nets

The Nets are right in the thick of that intense battle for the 8^th spot in the East. We’ll see if they can keep their focus as the Amare rumors heat up.

23 Thunder

Can we just give it up for the Thunder? After their colossally bad start, OKC has been solid lately. Russell Westbrook is looking like he could sneak into the Rookie of the Year race, and Kevin Durant looks like he’s a few years away from being one of the stars of this league.

24 Bobcats

This team is not very good at all. But they have won some games they shouldn’t have, because Larry Brown is good. After all his success and experience, you have to wonder how he feels about grinding along with a team going nowhere.

25 Pacers

I’m glad Danny Granger is being recognized as an all-star in February. But as a Pacers fan who has watched nearly every game this season, I wish everyone could understand what he has done night-in and night-out on an awful team.

26 Raptors

I know they have dealt with injuries, but is there a more disappointing team than Toronto? There is no reason a team with this much talent should have the 2^nd worst record in the East.

27 Clippers

Big contracts, veteran players, and a 12-40 record. What a franchise.

28 Grizzlies

The Grizz are bad; real bad. But they can take some consolation that OJ Mayo will be the star of this year’s rookie class. He’s legit.

29 Wizards

At least the Nats start spring training soon…..ugh.

30 Kings

http://www.nba.com/kings/tickets/Divac_Timeless.html

DIVAC Timeless. I hope in honor of the living legend, the Kings’ players will flop and try to draw a foul every time there is contact, and throw behind the back passes at completely unnecessary times.