My power rankings

[Plainview1981]

My power rankings:

1. Lakers

2.Magic

3.Celtics

4.Nuggets

5.Hawks

6.Cavaliers

7.Mavericks

8.Suns

9.Trail Blazers

10.Jazz

11.Rockets

12.Spurs

13.Thunder

14.Heat

15.Hornets

16.Bobcats

17.Bucks

18.Kings

19.Pistons

20.Grizzlies

21.Knicks

22.Raptors

23.Wizards

24.Clippers

25.Pacers

26.Warriors

27.76ers

28.Bulls

29.Timberwolves

30.Nets

ESPN fans power rankings:

1 Cleveland

2 Lakers (1,430) 60,161

3 Celtics (233) 55,943

4 Magic (156) 55,244

5 Nuggets (72) 48,019

6 Hawks (9) 42,727

7 Suns (12) 41,310

8 Mavericks (4) 35,664

9 Heat (4) 29,359

10 Trail Blazers (5) 27,740

11 Spurs (9) 27,546

12 Jazz (14) 27,391

13 Rockets (7) 26,156

14 Thunder (7) 23,183

15 Clippers (0) 21,351

16 Bucks (4) 18,524

17 Hornets (2) 17,523

18 Pacers (6) 16,617

19 Kings (6) 16,423

20 Raptors (6) 16,272

21 Bulls (6) 15,601

22 Bobcats (4) 15,180

23 Knicks (12) 14,352

24 Pistons (9) 14,311

25 Grizzlies (4) 12,920

26 Wizards (1) 11,487

27 Warriors (2) 11,258

28 76ers (8) 9,222

29 Nets (13) 8,770

30 Timberwolves (4) 7,643

I can't believe there are people that think Cleveland is the best team in the league.

Right now, that puts my playoff seedings like this:

East:

1.Orlando Magic

2.Boston Celtics

3.Atlanta Hawks

4.Cleveland Cavs

5.MIami Heat

6.Charlotte Bobcats

7.Mil. Bucks

8.Detroit Pistons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9.New York Knicks

10.Toronto Raptors

11.Washington Wizards

12.Indy Pacers

13.76ers

14.Chicago Bulls

15. Nets

I think Washington and Chicago will start playing better before the year is out though.

West:

1.Lakers

2.Denver Nuggets

3.Dallas Mavericks

4.Phx Suns

5.Portland Trailblazers

6.Utah Jazz

7.Houston Rockets

8.San Antonio Spurs

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. Oklahoma City Thunder

10.New Orleans Hornets

11.Sacramento Kings

12.Memphis Grizzlies

13.LA Clippers

14.Golden State Warriors

15.Minnesota Timberwolves

The Thunder might slip into 8th seed at the end. The Rockets could slip out because they have to play so hard for every win that it might take it's toll before the season is done.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Hotlanta1981

[Atlantaholic]

My power rankings:

1. Lakers

2.Magic

3.Celtics

4.Nuggets

5.Hawks

6.Cavaliers

7.Mavericks

8.Suns

9.Trail Blazers

10.Jazz

11.Rockets

12.Spurs

13.Thunder

14.Heat

15.Hornets

16.Bobcats

17.Bucks

18.Kings

19.Pistons

20.Grizzlies

21.Knicks

22.Raptors

23.Wizards

24.Clippers

25.Pacers

26.Warriors

27.76ers

28.Bulls

29.Timberwolves

30.Nets

ESPN fans power rankings:

1 Cleveland

2 Lakers (1,430) 60,161

3 Celtics (233) 55,943

4 Magic (156) 55,244

5 Nuggets (72) 48,019

6 Hawks (9) 42,727

7 Suns (12) 41,310

8 Mavericks (4) 35,664

9 Heat (4) 29,359

10 Trail Blazers (5) 27,740

11 Spurs (9) 27,546

12 Jazz (14) 27,391

13 Rockets (7) 26,156

14 Thunder (7) 23,183

15 Clippers (0) 21,351

16 Bucks (4) 18,524

17 Hornets (2) 17,523

18 Pacers (6) 16,617

19 Kings (6) 16,423

20 Raptors (6) 16,272

21 Bulls (6) 15,601

22 Bobcats (4) 15,180

23 Knicks (12) 14,352

24 Pistons (9) 14,311

25 Grizzlies (4) 12,920

26 Wizards (1) 11,487

27 Warriors (2) 11,258

28 76ers (8) 9,222

29 Nets (13) 8,770

30 Timberwolves (4) 7,643

I can't believe there are people that think Cleveland is the best team in the league.

You can credit ESPN and their Big Brotheresque coverage of Lebron James for that.

[Plainview1981]

You can credit ESPN and their Big Brotheresque coverage of Lebron James for that.

The general public LOVES to be spoon fed these days.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

There's no telling how many kids 16 and under are voting on the ESPN poll. Maybe 20 - 25%? The kids love Lebron.

Also, you could easily switch Altanta and Denver. People talk about our "bad losses", but Denver has losses @ Charlotte, @ Detroit, @ the Clippers, and a horrible home loss vs Minnesota. If we were to use Hawk fan logic, the Minnesota loss is more damaging, than their Laker win was encouraging.

They're still a real good team though.

[Plainview1981]

There's no telling how many kids 16 and under are voting on the ESPN poll. Maybe 20 - 25%? The kids love Lebron.

Also, you could easily switch Altanta and Denver. People talk about our "bad losses", but Denver has losses @ Charlotte, @ Detroit, @ the Clippers, and a horrible home loss vs Minnesota. If we were to use Hawk fan logic, the Minnesota loss is more damaging, than their Laker win was encouraging.

They're still a real good team though.

I think it's hype. Lebron is not all that exciting. I'd rather watch Wade or Kobe play.

[macdaddy]

Getting to that #3 spot would be huge for us.

[vext]

I think that is pretty spot on Hotlanta. I would love for the playoffs to match up like that. In theory, we "should" beat the Bobcats in the first round. I think we match up really well against the Celtics in the second round and could potentially make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. At that point, it's a toss up. We will either have Orlando or Cleveland. I think both teams are a tough match-up for us, but you never know.

[capstone21]

My power rankings:

1. Lakers

2.Magic

3.Celtics

4.Nuggets

5.Hawks

I was actually expecting you to have the Hawks at 30

[RedDawg#8]

Its worth noting that according to both the actual standings as they are now, and your power rankings, the Southeast division would have 4 of their 5 teams (4/8 overall) in the playoffs. The Wizards arent that far off either.

Thats really saying something about the talent in the southeast, I dont think 1 division alone has fielded half of their conferences playoff bracket since they expanded and re-did them as they are now.

[mrhonline]

I like yours, Hotlanta.

I would go:

1. Orlando

2. Denver (I really like this team...and was tempted to put them at #1)

3. LAL

4. Boston

5. Cleveland

6. Atlanta

[Plainview1981]

Its worth noting that according to both the actual standings as they are now, and your power rankings, the Southeast division would have 4 of their 5 teams (4/8 overall) in the playoffs. The Wizards arent that far off either.

Thats really saying something about the talent in the southeast, I dont think 1 division alone has fielded half of their conferences playoff bracket since they expanded and re-did them as they are now.

I wasn't staring at the standings when I made my list. I have a general idea about what each team has record wise, but a it's mostly my opinion. The east isn't really strong, but the Bobcats I think enough defense and with the addition of Stephen Jackson they might can pull out a playoff spot. Anybody below Miami and above NJ can make a playoff run though. I think the west goes deeper than the east this year.

[Plainview1981]

I like yours, Hotlanta.

I would go:

1. Orlando

2. Denver (I really like this team...and was tempted to put them at #1)

3. LAL

4. Boston

5. Cleveland

6. Atlanta

Denver has no shot to beat LA if LA is healthy. Kobe, Gasol and Bynum are all at all star levels and Ron Artest is no far off.... Then you also got Lamar Odom.

[Gray Mule]

:thumbsdownsmileyanim:

Oh, No! Please, Hotlanta. Not that!!

With those standings, Atlanta would meet the Bobcats in round # 1.

The Bobcats have the Hawks number. Atlanta MIGHT win one game.

Any one but the Bobcats.

If we must meet them, we are doomed!!

:temperature:

[mrhonline]

Denver has no shot to beat LA if LA is healthy. Kobe, Gasol and Bynum are all at all star levels and Ron Artest is no far off.... Then you also got Lamar Odom.

You're probably right, but I just got this feeling they aren't scared of anyone...

[Guest]

Its worth noting that according to both the actual standings as they are now, and your power rankings, the Southeast division would have 4 of their 5 teams (4/8 overall) in the playoffs. The Wizards arent that far off either.

Thats really saying something about the talent in the southeast, I dont think 1 division alone has fielded half of their conferences playoff bracket since they expanded and re-did them as they are now.

The Southwest division (Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, San Antonio) has done this the past two seasons.

[dlpin]

The Southwest division (Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, San Antonio) has done this the past two seasons.

And before that in 05-06 4 teams from the pacific division, 04-05 4 from the southwest again. In other words, only once that didn't happen, in 06-07.

[RedDawg#8]

Oh, well nevermind. I thought we were doing something unique lol. Either way, the rest of the Easts "elite" have much easier roads to the playoffs than us and Orlando as no only do we face each other numerous times, we still face our division more than anybody else. I think top to bottom we have the 2 best teams in the East, but it may not show record wise in the end as we will have beat up on each other throughout the year in the southeast.

[RedDawg#8]

Just did the research.

ATL, BOS, CLE, and ORL each play one another 4 times

each plays the West teams twice of course.=30 games

each plays 6 teams in our conference 4 times= 24 games

each plays 4 teams 3 times= 12 games

each plays teams in own division 4 times (2 home 2 away)= 16 games

Division records (without Bos, Cle, Atl, or Orl)

SE division record: 27-35, .435

Atlantic record: 25-69, .265

Central record: 35-49, .416

of the 4 non- division teams that each only plays 3 times:

ATL: Ind, Mil, NJ, Phi = 24-63, .275

ORL: Chi, Mil, NJ, NY = 28-60, .318

BOS: Cha, Ind, Mia, Det = 37-47, .440

CLE: Mia, NY, Phi, Was = 31-56, .356

of the other non-division teams that each will play 4 times (excluding atl, bos, cle, and orl):

ATL: Chi, Det, NY, Tor = 36-55, .395

ORL: Det, Ind, Phi, Tor = 32-58, .355

BOS: Chi, Mil, Was = 25-37, .403

CLE: Cha, Chi, NJ, = 20-46, .303

Total record and winning percentage of conference schedule (projected according to number of meetings):

ATL: 324-549 = .371

ORL: 320-552 = .366

BOS: 311-565,= .355

CLE: 313-548 = .363

Analysis:

Our divison even after taking away the Hawks and Magic records still has a higher winning percentage than the others without Bos or Cle. While Boston has a slightly stronger non-division schedule, they play less games against the stronger teams, we play less game against weaker teams, meaning we dont have the oppurtunity to pick up as many "cheap wins" as they do. What all this means is that Atlanta has the toughest remaining schedule, the Celtics have the weakest. This does not include games in which "the big 4" play one another since they all will see each other 4 times. This also doesnt include the west teams since each see's them twice, therefore the west record would be the same for all 4 teams in the end

Edited December 13, 2009 by RedDawg#8

[Buzzard]

1. Lakers

2.Magic

3.Celtics

4.Nuggets

5.Hawks

6.Cavaliers

Good post and this is how I see it also at this point in the season as well. I also think a lot of fans are discounting Boston simply because we won a game on their home court. The Cavs do not look like they have good chemistry with Shaq clogging the lane; which is the same problem they had in Phoenix with him.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Buzzard

[crimedog]

The Lakers look like they'll have a free ride to the finals right now. That being said, its early in the season and their schedule is absurd - 4 away games so far.