Power Rankings 2.0

We are in the final stretch of this shortened NBA season with most teams set to play only 13-15 more games. The playoff race is starting to heat up with many teams playing inspired basketball and others showing that they really don't deserve to play basketball in May. I gave my power rankings earlier in the season and I wanted to see if my opinions have changed at all. There are certainly some differences:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Russell Westbrook

The Thunder have been my favorites to win it all throughout the entire season. They have played incredible. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have proven that youth and maturity is very possible. They have both been consistent and leaders for the team. Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins, and Nick Collison have showed that they are one of the best front lines in the league. I see them representing the western conference in the Finals this year.


2. Chicago Bulls

Joakim Noah

The only way I consider this team the second best team in the league is if they have the injury-riddled Derrick Rose in the lineup. He's the MVP! His presence is pretty important! To add to that, he's the PG, which is arguably the most important position on the floor. Without Derrick Rose, the Bulls have proven to me that they will not make it out of the eastern conference in the playoffs this year. They're still very good without him, but not good enough to make it past the likes of Miami or Boston. Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Carlos Boozer really need to step up to give this team what it needs.



3. Boston Celtics

Kevin Garnett

Again, call me biased but this is one hell of a basketball team. They have been on a tear, having won their last five games and only five losses since the all-star break (second best in the league). Rajon Rondo is playing at another level at PG. He has dished out ten or more assists in his last thirteen games and just yesterday dominated the Miami Heat with his fifth triple-double of the season (leading the NBA). Paul Pierce earned player of the week in the eastern conference this week after a 36 point performance against Charlotte. Since Kevin Garnett has been permanently moved to the center position, he has played better than he has in years. He is rebounding, shooting, and defending the rim very well. Ray Allen has missed six straight games with a sore ankle, which has given second year guard Avery Bradley the chance to prove that he is one of the best defender the league has seen in years. Greg Stiemsma has also been incredible for a rookie. He blocks nearly two shots per game and has been very reliable on the offensive and defensive ends. This team has had a rough year. Jermaine O'Neal, Chris Wilcox, and Jeff Green all had to have surgeries that ended their seasons and the entire team has been filled with injuries. That is, except for one "old" guy that no one ever seems to give credit to anymore. Yeah, Kevin Garnett. He has missed one game all season. I think he is OK. I think the Celtics would give Miami or Chicago a very interesting and competitive seven game series come playoff time.


4. San Antonio Spurs

Tony Parker

This is a team that gets hardly any media attention. They are "boring" to watch, but still somehow win boatloads of games despite their veteran status. Their offense has been incredible all season and has given opposing defenses a very hard time. With Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker leading the way, the younger Spurs such as Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, Kawhi Leonard, and DeJuan Blair have had the chance to learn from some of the best players in the league. A western conference finals matchup between San Antonio and OKC sure would be fun to watch.


5. Los Angeles Lakers

Pau Gasol

I very nearly put Miami here, but I didn't because I feel that the Lakers' big men separate them from Miami. Miami lacks big men and are not very good at rebounding. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are an amazing dynamic duo. They compliment each other very well and work well under the hoop. They also have the one guy, Kobe Bryant. He's pretty good. Another big separator from Miami is the aquisition of Ramon Sessions. He has played very well since coming to LA and has filled the PG spot much better than Derek Fisher did. Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, Ron Artest, Troy Murphy, and Josh McRoberts have also given significant time to the success of the Lakers.


6. Miami Heat

LeBron James

I was only going to do my top five power rankings, but I have to throw Miami in here, too. They are a very good team at home having won their last 15 straight. On the road, they seem to struggle. Wade, LeBron, and Bosh have played great all season, but they need more than that. They need a good point guard and they just can't acquire one with all the money they pay their "Big 3". They have great depth on the wings, but they really need a good point guard and better frontline to go with Chris Bosh. Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem aren't going to get it done. Having said that, I can see Miami quite possibly being in the Finals this year. They're strangely inconsistent, but when they play good, they play great.

OKC vs. MIA....Potential Finals Matchup?

Last night on ESPN was a game that I had marked on my calendar for quite some time. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat would be going against each other in a potential NBA Finals matchup. OKC has been on a tear all season and have barely been contested atop the western conference. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been playing unbelievable all season and role players like James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison, and Thabo Sefalosha have given the Thunder a solid chance at a first franchise championship.

The Miami Heat have also played great throughout a majority of the season. They've went back-and-forth with the Chicago Bulls atop the eastern conference all season and have proven everyone that they are a potential threat for this year's championship. LeBron is playing a typical MVP season and both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were all-stars, as well. The recent acquisition of Ronny Turiaf will only help the role players of Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, Norris Cole, and Mario Chalmers. 

To say the least, OKC completely outplayed Miami. The Thunder had five players with over ten points, including 28 points from Kevin Durant. Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka proved that they could easily maintain the big men of Miami. Check out the highlights below:

The Thunder Are Booming!

For many years now, I've tried to come up with an appropriate comparison to Kevin Durant, for a comparable player with a 7-footer's length and the skill on an elite shooting guard. And for years, I've failed in doing so. There is no one captures what Durant brings to the floor every game. After seeing what Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka and the Thunder did in their overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets Sunday night, I'm giving up that fight. Durant is in a category of his own.

Whats happening in Oklahoma City is a pretty incredible sight. Of the three players I mentioned above, none of them are above the age of 23. On Sunday night against the Nuggets, Durant scored a career-high 51 points, Russell Westbrook scored 40, and Serge Ibaka recorded a triple-double with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 blocks. These are some pretty amazing statistics and paint an obvious picture for why the Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the best teams in the league. Oh, and did I mention they have players like Kendrick Perkins, James Harden, and Nick Collison? Yeah, this team is young, dangerous, and going to be successful for quite some time.

A Time of Few Centers

Dwight Howard

As the NBA has developed over the years, the center position has become somewhat of a lost art. Sure, there are centers in the league, but I mean true centers. These days, the NBA seems to be controlled by the guard and forward positions. When I think true center, only a couple of names come to my mind in today’s game: Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. There are also emerging centers, such as Roy Hibbert, JaVale McGee, and Tyson Chandler, but Howard and Bynum dominate in their positions. I watched them play against each other on January 20 and it immediately brought to mind the great battles between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain during the 1960’s. The spotlight today is typically on players with high scoring potential, such as LeBron vs. Kobe. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this shift necessarily, but to me, the center position is what makes basketball my favorite sport.