Well, the NBA season is already two weeks old, so it’s as good as time any to roll out our first set of Power Rankings.
TOP FIVE:
1. San Antonio (5-1)
After a home loss to the Cavs, they’ve won four straight, including a win against the Suns. They’ll be tested tonight on the road against the Rockets.
2. Cleveland (5-2)
The Cavs look like the class of the East, but their inconsistency is maddening. Wins at San Antonio and at home against Chicago are negated by losses to Charlotte and Atlanta.
3. L.A. Clippers (5-1)
After losing their opener in Phoenix, the Clippers have rattled off five straight with wins against Phoenix, Dallas and NO/OKC. They visit the Jazz tonight.
4. Utah (6-1)
The Jazz have wins over the Rockets, Suns and Pistons. They will be tested tonight when they host the Clippers, but Andrei Kirilenko is going to miss some time due to injury.
5. Houston (5-2)
The Rockets have won four straight and host the Spurs tonight. Yao Ming is playing like an MVP while McGrady is still working his way back. This might be Yao’s team now.
BOTTOM FIVE:
26. Milwaukee (2-5)
It’s going to take a while for the young Bucks to gel. After a promising 2-1 start, Milwaukee has dropped four straight.
27. New York (2-6)
The Knicks have had a tough schedule with losses to the Cavs, Rockets and Spurs (twice). Quentin Richardson and Jamal Crawford have been pleasant surprises, while the Marbury/Francis combo has yet to be fully tested.
28. Boston (1-6)
The Celtics are competitive – in their six losses, they’ve been outscored by just 5.8 points. They are young, so they should improve as the season wears on.
29. Charlotte (1-5)
A nice win over Cleveland is the only bright spot in an otherwise poor start.
30. Memphis (1-5)
Yes, the Grizzlies have a 13-point win over Charlotte on their resume, but it isn’t enough to keep them out of the cellar. Memphis’ leading scorers are Mike Miller, Chucky Atkins and Hakim Warrick. (Ouch.) The good news is that Pau Gasol may be back earlier than expected.
