NBA Power Rankings: Los Angeles Lakers and Veteran Teams That Will Improve
Believe it or not, we're nearly a third of the way through the 2011-12 NBA season. The Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder have looked like the teams to beat in the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively.
But let's not go restricting the chase for the Larry O'Brien Trophy to two or three teams just yet. There's still plenty of basketball to be played, basketball in which these three experienced (read: old) teams, though seemingly out of the title picture right now, will play a significant part before all is said and done.
Los Angeles Lakers
The rapid rise of the Clippers—among other things—has left the Lakers to play second fiddle in Los Angeles for the first time...well, ever.
Well, that and the fact that Kobe Bryant is old and banged-up, Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown are gone, the team as a whole is slow and thin at guard and they can't seem to score in this new world order wherein Phil Jackson's Triangle is nothing more than an afterthought.
As underwhelming as a 12-9 start (and a 2-7 road record) may be, there's plenty of reason to believe that things will turn around in LaLa Land in due time. For one, "thanks" to the compressed schedule, the Lakers have hardly had enough practice time to learn Mike Brown's system. Hence, the Lakers are bound to improve as the season goes along and the players adjust to their new roles.
Don't expect GM Mitch Kupchak to stand pat, either. He's already talked to the Cleveland Cavaliers about acquiring point guard Ramon Sessions and has reportedly considered signing free agent Gilbert Arenas.
Of course, the backcourt wouldn't be an issue if commissioner David Stern hadn't vetoed the original Chris Paul trade.
And don't forget about the possibility of Dwight Howard sporting Purple and Gold before the trade deadline in March.
In any case, the Lakers still have plenty of room to grow and with so much talent and championship experience still in town, they figure to do so in the coming months.
Boston Celtics
The Lakers' biggest rivals aren't faring so well this season, either, though they've shown some spark as of late.
The Celtics' window of opportunity appeared to be slamming shut faster than anyone expected just a week or two ago. Then Doc Rivers rallied his troops to a four-game winning streak, the last three of which came against the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers.
A loss to the Cavs on Sunday has since stemmed the positive tide in Beantown somewhat, though with Kyrie Irving playing so well as a rookie, Cleveland is actually a respectable ball club.
As old and decrepit as Kevin Garnett has looked at times and as difficult as it's been to have Rajon Rondo in and out of the lineup, the C's have remained more than competitive, thanks in large part to the resurgent play of Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.
The Heat and the Chicago Bulls are still head and shoulders above the rest of the Eastern Conference, but the rest remains up for grabs. As such, don't be surprised if Boston's Big Four bides its time before charging back into relevance for one final playoff push.
San Antonio Spurs
Another team that fits perfectly into the formula of a veteran team with injuries and a championship pedigree—the San Antonio Spurs.
At 12-9, the Spurs have more than held their own without Manu Ginobili, who's expected to miss at least another month with a broken bone in his left hand. As always, long-time coach Gregg Popovich has gotten the most out of his roster, with the likes of rookie Kawhi Leonard, second-years Tiago Splitter and James Anderson and third-year guard Danny Green providing surprisingly steady contributions to the cause.
And let's not forget about Tim Duncan, who at 35 years old is still a top-notch big man and Tony Parker, who remains one of the quickest, most effective point guards in the NBA.
With Pop's superior managerial skills and a surprisingly deep roster, expect San Antonio to sneak its way through the season, allowing the young guns like the Thunder, the Clippers and the Nuggets to soak up the spotlight before barging back into the conversation.
Josh Martin's NBA Power Rankings |
1. Miami Heat |
2. Oklahoma City Thunder |
3. Chicago Bulls |
4. Indiana Pacers |
5. Philadelphia 76ers |
6. Los Angeles Clippers |
7. Denver Nuggets |
8. Atlanta Hawks |
9. Los Angeles Lakers |
10. Dallas Mavericks |
11. Houston Rockets |
12. Portland Trailblazers |
13. Orlando Magic |
14. San Antonio Spurs |
15. Utah Jazz |
16. Boston Celtics |
17. Memphis Grizzlies |
18. Minnesota Timberwolves |
19. Cleveland Cavaliers |
20. Milwaukee Bucks |
21. Phoenix Suns |
22. New York Knicks |
23. New Jersey Nets |
24. Golden State Warriors |
25. Toronto Raptors |
26. Sacramento Kings |
27. Detroit Pistons |
28. New Orleans Hornets |
29. Washington Wizards |
30. Charlotte Bobcats |
