NBA Power Rankings: Miami Heat Versus Los Angeles Lakers
Arguably the most anticipated NBA season in history kicks off tonight with three blockbuster games on schedule.
Phoenix travels to Portland to take on the Trailblazers.
The Lakers will be given their Championship rings before taking on the Houston Rockets in Los Angeles.
The opening game of the season though is one of the most anticipated all season. A potential Eastern Conference Finals preview, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Shaquille O’Neil host the new ‘Big Three’ of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat.
With the amount of player movement over the past calendar year, the question remains as the season opens.
Which teams rank where?
Which team opens as the No. 1 team to beat in the NBA Universe?
30. Toronto Raptors
1 of 30
My odds on favorite to finish as the worst team in the league.
Andre Bargnani, the team's best player, will not be enough for this team.
I like Jose Calderon but he has been too inconsistent. At times he looks great while at other times it’s like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Very weird.
Amir Johnson may be my favorite player on this squad.
Unfortunately, there is not enough talent for me to believe in this team to rank outside the bottom of the league.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers
2 of 30
Without LeBron James, I see Cleveland as one of the worst teams in the league.
I like J.J. Hickson and Antawn Jamison a lot, but they won’t be enough. I also expect Jamison to finish the season with a different team.
Mo Williams will not be as effective without James on the court. I don’t trust Williams to distribute the rock as well and he will have a much more difficult time creating his own shot.
I’m not a fan of the depth on this team.
It remains to be seen how the team reacts to the devastating loss of James.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves
3 of 30
I would be all over this team if they had Ricky Rubio, who I think is a superstar.
Kevin Love has been very effective for the team, so effective that management felt they could trade away their best player in Al Jefferson.
I really like the move for Michael Beasley, who I still believe is a very talented player. Hopefully he embraces this fresh start and can focus on his game.
I like the young talent of Wayne Ellington, Johnny Flynn, and Wesley Johnson. I don’t expect many wins, but they should be a bit more fun to watch at least.
27. Philadelphia 76ers
4 of 30
I thought Evan Turner was a steal. Evidently, he was not as excited to play in the NBA as I was for him.
Turner has been lackluster in the offseason. Andre Iguodala is battling injury. Elton Brand has been a major disappointment and displayed the inability to stay on the court.
This team is just headed in the wrong direction and needs an overhaul soon even though I’m still a believer in Iguodala and Turner.
26. New Jersey Nets
5 of 30
They have a solid core with Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, Terrence Williams, and Brook Lopez. Lopez is one of the best young centers and Harris is one of the better point guards in the Eastern Conference.
They acquired decent role players in Troy Murphy and Travis Outlaw.
Still, this young team is a long way away from where owner Mikhail Prokhorov envisions.
25. Detroit Pistons
6 of 30
I actually like the makeup of the Pistons with Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, Richard Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince. It is a good mix of youth and experience.
However, I can see Hamilton and Prince playing for different teams at some point this season.
I still think the Charlie Vilanueva signing will bite Joe Dumars, but I can see Austin Daye progressing and entering the starting lineup.
24. Charlotte Bobcats
7 of 30
I rarely bet against Larry Brown but I’m just too unsure of the Bobcats this year.
They are stacked at the forward position with Stephen Jackson, Gerald Wallace, and Tyrus Thomas. However, Wallace can never stay healthy.
I also have concerns about D.J. Augustin until he proves me wrong.
The Eastern Conference is a tossup when it comes to the final playoff spots, but I don’t see Charlotte competing for one.
23. Indiana Pacers
8 of 30
Danny Granger is one of the best players in the league in my opinion.
I really like the addition of Darren Collison, who I think will be extremely effective for the Pacers. They haven’t had a good point guard in a while it seems.
Roy Hibbert will continue to progress and should be an impact player in the post.
The key to the Pacers success weighs on Granger. He needs to stay healthy. If he can, they have a chance to compete for the eighth seed.
22. Golden State Warriors
9 of 30
I like the base of Stephen Curry and David Lee. I also think Monta Ellis can be effective for the team.
Outside of these three I’m not a big fan of the team. Louis Amundson was a big pick up though and I think he will quickly become a fan favorite.
They will certainly be fun to watch but I don’t expect them to win games this season. I could see them with a top seven pick.
21. Washington Wizards
10 of 30
Aside from Gilbert Arenas still being on the roster, I like the moves Washington has made recently.
Clearly, drafting John Wall is a major upgrade for the franchise. He will be every bit as electric in the NBA as he was in college.
I like the addition of Kirk Hinrich. I believe JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche is one of the better young front courts in the league. Wall will do a lot of damage with those two.
They surprisingly have a lot of depth with Josh Howard, Al Thornton, Nick Young, and Yi Jianlian.
This team has a lot of upside but the cancer that is Agent Zero could rear his ugly head again.
20. Sacramento Kings
11 of 30
One of the better up and coming teams in the league, Sacramento got a steal with DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins has a lot to prove as doubters questioned his determination to the game.
Tyreke Evans is already one of the better guards in the league. A mismatch nightmare for most point guards, I expect big things from Evans in his sophomore season.
Expect Cousins and Evans to be a big pair in the West for years to come.
The team isn’t there yet, but I like the direction they’re headed in.
19. Phoenix Suns
12 of 30
The Suns put up a great fight last postseason but I don’t see this team competing like that again.
Hedo Turkoglu is an upgrade but if he is forced to play power forward, he will not thrive for the Suns. Nash should be able to find Turkoglu open behind the three point arc. Turkoglu likes to have the ball in his hand, though, so it will be interesting to see how the Suns work it.
We could see the torch pass from Steve Nash to Goran Dragic this season. Nash is getting older and it would be nice to see him shipped off to a contender somehow. Dragic is one of the best back up point guards in the league and would be a nice transition for the Suns heading into next season.
As long as Steve Nash is there and healthy, it wouldn’t shock me to see the Suns in the playoffs.
I’m just not anticipating it.
18. Denver Nuggets
13 of 30
It remains to be seen if Carmel Anthony will actually finish the season in Denver.
This team is clearly on its way down though. Chauncey Billups, still one of the better guards in the league, is getting older.
Kenyon Martin and Nene Hilario are never a sure bet to stay healthy. I do like the signing of Al Harrington though, who will be able to stretch the floor.
Team has a good mix with Ty Lawson and Chris Andersen off the bench. There is still plenty of talent for this team to compete in the playoffs.
The one issue that will haunt this team is the Carmelo Anthony black cloud hovering over Denver.
17. Los Angeles Clippers
14 of 30
With Blake Griffin opening the season healthy, I think this is the year the Clippers finally make another run at the playoffs.
The integral part of the Clippers’ success remains the health and desire of Baron Davis. When healthy he’s one of the better point guards in the league despite getting older. He would be able to open the game Eric Gordon, who is a blossoming guard in his own right.
Chris Kaman is one of the most consistent centers in the league. Expect him to continue to put up All Star caliber numbers.
16. Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 30
This young team has a great make up to compete in the present and future.
Rudy Gay is one of the brighter young players in the league. The team’s success is dependent on his continuing progression. If his rebounding and court vision improves, he will vaunt himself into one of the better players in the entire league.
Marc Gasol is currently battling injury but he is one of the better bigs in the league and has more of a mean streak than his brother Pau.
O.J. Mayo is also one of the best young superstars in the league. His sharpshooting and scoring ability is quickly becoming top notch.
As long as Zach Randolph keeps his head on straight and his double-double ways continue, this team has a lot of upside.
This young team will fight for a playoff spot all season.
15. New Orleans Hornets
16 of 30
Anytime a team has a magician like Chris Paul on the court—they will be competitive.
New Orleans quietly made some good moves in the offseason. They got younger and more athletic in the process.
Trevor Ariza, Jerryd Bayless, Marcus Thornton, and Marco Belinelli should present plenty of mismatches throughout the season at their respective positions.
Paul has two capable big men to work with in Emeka Okafor and David West.
The one concern with New Orleans’ ‘Big Three’ of Paul, Okafor, and West is their health. If they can stay healthy and keep Chris Paul, they will fight for a playoff seed. If not, it will be a repeat of last season.
14. Milwaukee Bucks
17 of 30
Brandon Jennings is a superstar in the making and should thrive in his sophomore season.
Andrew Bogut’s return from his freakish injury will be extremely important for Jennings’ development. They thrived together last season but when Bogut went down, teams threw everything at Jennings to disrupt him.
Acquiring Chris Douglas-Roberts, Corey Maggette and resigning John Salmons were big moves for the Bucks. It seems they always suffer a big injury (usually to either Bogut or Michael Redd) so they clearly needed to build depth.
I expect them to be in the playoffs in April.
13. Houston Rockets
18 of 30
Rick Adelman always gets the most out of his teams. This year, he has himself an upcoming squad that will push for a playoff spot.
The Rockets have a nice mix of veterans and youth and a deep team this season.
Aaron Brooks is one of the brighter young point guards in the NBA.
Luis Scola and Shane Battier remain two of the more underrated players in the league. Kyle Lowry is a good spark off the bench.
Kevin Martin is one of the best pure shooters in the league. Martin and Brooks make up one of the better outside shooting backcourts in the entire league.
If the Rockets can get any type of production out of Yao Ming—it will be a big plus for this squad.
12. New York Knicks
19 of 30
The Knicks failed to land two megastars, but they made a lot of good, under the radar moves after they signed Amar’e Stoudemire.
Raymond Felton is an above average point guard and should have a career season in Mike D’Antoni’s system.
Danilo Gallinari is one of the best pure shooters in the league. With Stoudemire in the paint, Gallinari should be left wide open behind the arc often.
The key to the team’s success could be the development of the raw Russian Timofey Mozgov. If he can help keep the double teams off Stoudemire, this team should walk into the playoffs.
11. Atlanta Hawks
20 of 30
The Hawks have been flying under the radar. Resigning Joe Johnson was a must.
The core remained intact with Johnson, Al Horford, Mike Bibby, Jamal Crawford, and Josh Smith.
This team simply has too much talent and chemistry to fail. There should be a sense of urgency in Atlanta that should light a fire under this group.
10. Chicago Bulls
21 of 30
Chicago acquired Carlos Boozer in the offseason to give the Bulls its best low post player in some time.
He’ll open the season hurt.
Already one of the better point guards in the league, expect Derrick Rose to continue his rapid improvement into one of the premiere guards in the league.
Joakim Noah has been highly effective for the Bulls since his rookie season. The depth is there for Chicago with Kyle Korver, Kurt Thomas, and Taj Gibson.
Derrick Rose will lead this team into the second round of the playoffs.
9. Utah Jazz
22 of 30
Deron Williams proved once again last postseason that he is easily one of the top two or three point guards in this league.
Williams is a mismatch nightmare for most guards in this league. His combination of power, quickness, and court vision is deadly at the position.
Al Jefferson hasn’t played with a player the caliber of Williams since he was in Boston with Paul Pierce. Williams is going to make the game much easier for Jefferson.
The two should be one of the top forces in the league.
Jerry Sloan is long overdue for Coach of the Year, hopefully he finally wins.
8. Portland Trailblazers
23 of 30
Portland should bounce back from a rough season now that superstar Brandon Roy is healthy.
The problem in Portland remains the health of their big men. They seem to be cursed. Marcus Camby may not be healthy to start the season and Greg Oden has yet to show that he can stay healthy at all.
If they can get the same play from Camby this year as he did last year, he will open things up for LaMarcus Aldridge, who can drop back and hit the mid range shot.
The disgruntled Rudy Fernandez will be required to provide a spark for the Blazers of the bench. He thrives in the role and will be a big factor in Portland’s success.
I have high hopes for this team.
7. Dallas Mavericks
24 of 30
As long as Dallas has Marc Cuban as its owner, they will stay competitive. It’s in his nature.
Still with Dirk Nowitzki, one of the most versatile players in the history of the league, Dallas has put together arguably the best team of the Nowitski era.
Dallas opens the season with a veteran group of Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Brendan Haywood, Tyson Chandler, and Caron Butler.
Caron Butler provides a major upgrade at the small forward position after Josh Howard failed to materialize. Haywood and Butler will enjoy having had the offseason to practice with the team after coming over mid season last year.
Dallas has amazing depth at each position. Their rotation will keep their veterans fresh and competing for the top seed the entire season.
6. San Antonio Spurs
25 of 30
The Spurs head in to the season a bit underrated as far as I’m concerned.
Gregg Popovich, arguably the best coach in the league, has a great mix of youth and experience. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili are not done yet.
I expect Tiago Splitter, DeJuan Blair, Antonio McDyess, and George Hill to play big roles for the Spurs throughout the season.
They are flying under the radar—just where the Spurs like to be.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
26 of 30
The best young team in the league, the Thunder are my pick to battle the Lakers for the West.
The team looked great against the Lakers in the 2009-2010 playoffs but weren’t quite there yet.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook looked amazing in the off season. Jeff Green is progressing very nicely as well.
The team could use more depth and another big, but as long as the young legs stay healthy, I expect them to be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
4. Orlando Magic
27 of 30
The Magic remain a major threat in the East. Dwight Howard is more determined than ever. He seems to be taking a more serious approach to the season. Howard with a mean streak behind him could spell trouble for the rest of the league.
The core is still there with Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, and Vince Carter. Marcin Gortat is good off the bench but I think they’ll miss the intensity of Matt Barnes who was a solid role player.
Still, I expect Orlando to make it to the second round of the playoffs.
3. Boston Celtics
28 of 30
The Celtics continue to gain depth each year.
Still with the ‘Big Three’ of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, the Celtics open the season one of the deepest teams in the league.
They will enter the season for the first time with Jermaine O’Neal, Shaquille O’Neil, Delonte West, Nate Robinson, and Glen Davis all in the rotation to keep everyone fresh for June.
Kendrick Perkins will return from knee injury in 2011. They also enter with one of the best point guards in the league in Rajon Rondo.
The Celtics have Championship aspirations and will feed off the new ‘Big Three’ in Miami.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
29 of 30
It seems every year the Lakers just keep getting better.
Kobe Bryant, the key to the Lakers championship hopes, will be more determined than ever now that James, Wade, and Bosh have teamed up in Miami. I don’t expect his injuries to be an issue.
The depth on this team is fantastic. The addition of Steve Black and Matt Barnes to the bench will pay dividends immediately. Their two draft picks, Derrick Caracters and Devin Ebanks, should have been drafted higher.
I fully expect the Lakers to compete for the Western Conference Championship in May.
1. Miami Heat
30 of 30
My prediction to win it all and come close to setting the season win record. Pat Riley built himself a championship caliber squad surrounding three of the top players in the league.
LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade will all be on top of their game this season.
We saw what James could do in Cleveland as the nice guy.
Now we get to see what he can do when he’s mad.
