FOX SPORTS RANKINGS

[Johnnybravo4]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/powerRankings

We are at No. 23. Seems like our public perception is improving. Can't wait til preseason.

[Diesel]

A bit high for Chicago.

A bit low for Portland.

[Johnnybravo4]

Chi town is going to be overrated all off season till they go 2-8 in the season.

[RAHMOR]

Orlando is ranked next to last. That has got to be a mistake.

[Johnnybravo4]

No it isn't look at their lineup:

Nelson

Reddick

Hedo

Darko

Howard

Who's the goto guy on that team? Who besides Howard is going to defend anyone. Don't believe that winning stuff after the Francis trade..they simply overachieved. They are too young and have a dearth of offensive talent.

[TexasPete]

Orlando is much better than 29th...that is crazy.

[RAHMOR]

Howard is a monster. A superstar in the making. Nelson is no slouch either. Stevenson is a good defender. Their record was no illusion. They won 10 games in a row or something like that. I'm not saying they are going to win the title but they are better than next to last.

[Johnnybravo4]

Stevenson is no longer on the squad.

Even if you look at the run that they went on 9 of the 16 wins came against teams who were under .500. not only that but 2/3 of those 9 wins came against teams that didn't even have 35 wins.

[RAHMOR]

Quote:

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Even if you look at the run that they went on 9 of the 16 wins came against teams who were under .500. not only that but 2/3 of those 9 wins came against teams that didn't even have 35 wins.

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Than that makes them better than at least nine teams or six if it's 2/3, which moves them out of second to last.

[Traceman]

Kobe is great but TODAY, I think DEN, HOU, UT and maybe MEM are better than LAL in the West. They have WAY more confidence in Bynum and Kwame than I do.

[KB21]

Do not discount what losing Shane Battier will do to that team in the short term. Getting Rudy Gay was great for the long term future of that team, but Shane Battier was the glue of that team. I think they lost a lot of leadership and the player in the locker room that kept the entire team calm. He was the unquestioned vocal leader on that team. It wouldn't surprise me if they fall out of the playoffs this year due to the loss of Battier. In fact, I'm expecting it, because I think New Orleans is primed to take Memphis's playoff slot.

Shane was also very big in the Memphis community. He did a lot of stuff for St. Francis Hospital, The United Way, and other charities in Memphis. Losing him upset a lot of Memphians that follow that team. I just hope they don't turn on Rudy Gay simply because he cost them Shane Battier.