ESPN Power Rankings: The Climb Continues (22)

[Lascar78]

RANK (LAST WK) TEAM REC. COMMENT
1 (1) Pistons 22-3 You can look it up: Only one team in NBA history has ever crafted a better 25-game start than Detroit. You guessed it: Bulls, at 23-2, in their 72-win season.
2 (2) Mavericks 20-7 Embarassed as they were by Kobe's 62-pointer, Mavs are 10-1 this month if you throw out that nightmare . . . and Kobe's killer rainbow triple in Dallas on Dec. 12.
3 (3) Spurs 21-7 A loss at Detroit, with Manu missing, isn't the most alarming development, but Spurs' sense of urgency seems to be missing, too. And that shouldn't depend on Manu.
4 (7) Bucks 15-9 This is what you call livin' right: Bucks are 11-2 against the East, 13-1 when they score 100 points or more and 9-0 in games decided by five points or less.
5 (6) Grizzlies 16-9 Make that two impressive team stats: Grizz are off to a 10-4 start against fellow West foes to go with a defense that's still holding the opposition under 86 ppg.
6 (11) Cavaliers 16-9 The new commercials are good, but real life ain't bad for LeBron. Cavs have started winning again (5-0 after a 1-5 start this month) and LBJ turns 21 by week's end.
7 (8) Pacers 15-9 Artest, at his best, will certainly be missed. But it's not all bleak defensively for Pacers, who are one of only three teams holding opponents under 90 ppg.
8 (5) Heat 16-12 After all the Christmas Day hoopla, Heat are 5-2 and averaging 102.1 ppg under Riley. But bigger tests come this week against Bucks (home) and Pistons (road).
9 (13) Lakers 15-12 Whatever happens in the last two games of '05, Lakers will gladly take a 10-win December, given November's woes (5-8) and with only six home games this month.
10 (4) Clippers 16-10 OK. After five straight road defeats, plus the news that Maggette is out at least four more weeks, it appears that the honeymoon period is indeed history.
11 (9) Suns 15-10 Tantalizing as it is to hear Amare is recovering nicely, Suns would settle first for getting Barbosa healthy. They're 2-4 since the little Brazilian reinjured his knee and also lost the game (Clips) in which he went down.
12 (12) Timberwolves 13-11 At 1-5 since a five-game win streak to open the month, Wolves might come to rue their inability to seize upon Denver's struggles and gain some divisional ground.
13 (22) Nets 14-12 He's not going to score 51 every time, but Vince -- averaging 35.4 ppg in this 5-0 spurt -- has to keep playing this way for Nets to offset their size and bench issues.
14 (10) Warriors 14-13 After closing a five-game trip with four double-digit losses, allowing 108.8 ppg in the process, it's safe to say any momentum from the dream start is a memory.
15 (17) 76ers 14-13 After a 6-1 uptick, Team Up And Down has to be a bit worried. Sixers don't come home until Jan. 9 and lost the first of seven straight roadies at ATL despite AI's 53.
16 (15) Hornets 11-15 The crowds have been big and loud, and here's another reason it'll be tough to leave their new digs in OKC: Hornets have already beaten three division leaders at home (Spurs, Clips, Wolves) as well as a virtual leader (Philly).
17 (18) Nuggets 13-14 Yes: Nuggets still want Artest and continue to look for consistency that extends beyond Camby and 'Melo. No: Nuggets don't appear close to either one yet.
18 (14) Bulls 12-14 Bulls had a players-only practice, so we'll let a player comment on Chicago's inconsistency. Says Duhon: "Night in and night out, we don't know what team is going to show up - the horrible team, the mediocre team or the good team."
19 (26) Wizards 11-14 Wiz have made a habit of winning the games you least expect. Add their victories in Denver and Phoenix to the list, after Wiz slipped five games under .500.
20 (25) Celtics 11-14 We've been on Celts plenty for taking so long to win two in a row, but here's the flip side: Boston is one of only five teams this season not to lose three in a row . . . and the other four are all top-tenners: Pistons, Mavs, Spurs and Indy.
21 (16) Rockets 10-15 After winning six one-point games last season, Rockets knew their luck might change. But not this drastically. With Yao out now, T-Mac forced to play hurt and a few more injuries, they've zoomed past unlucky all the way to tortured.
22 (23) Hawks 7-18 Big rematch with Raps, after losing Round 1, comes Wednesday in Toronto. And if Hawks can win two out of three this week, they secure a winning December.
23 (19) Jazz 11-16 You hear Kirilenko is ailing anew and you see Boozer miss another CLE trip and you inevitably wonder if this felt more like Groundhog Day than Christmas in the SLC.
24 (24) SuperSonics 11-14 Conflicts with the city over the future of KeyArena and how long they'll stay are not Supes' only problems in Seattle. They've also played 15 of 25 games at home . . . but have dropped five of the past six there.
25 (21) Kings 10-16 Here's a holiday shout-out to the Arco faithful, who keep filling every seat in the house even though Kings keep losing home games (7-8) and, of greater concern, have started losing starters (Peja and Bonzi).
26 (20) Magic 9-15 Rumbles and grumbles that the venerable Mr. Hill is shooting too much? A pass-first, team-first guy like Grant? I don't believe what I'm hearing.
27 (27) Trail Blazers 8-18 Blazers almost scored 100 twice, then they almost won at Detroit. So maybe Portland was due for a breakthrough, even without the injured D-Miles, when it won at Minny.
28 (30) Raptors 6-21 You can't forget the 1-15 start or ignore the 1-11 record against the West. But it's time to recognize that Raps, like Hawks, are a rather respectable 5-6 this month.
29 (28) Bobcats 8-19 Bobcats did manage to win their first game without the injured Okafor, at Chicago, but don't get carried away. They clearly still need Mek to rush back.
30 (29) Knicks 7-18 That seven-game skid wasn't the longest run of misery in Larry's coaching career -- he lost 13 in a row once -- but it leaves us little choice: Knicks hit bottom.

Excellent stuff

I think the cavs and bucks are too high, the heat too low, just to name a few. We are about where we belong

[Lascar78]

sorry about the bold from the kings on, too late to edit

[jpierrek]

thanks for the post; some day we will be at the top; if BK stops drafting only SFs'.lol