NBA Power Rankings Emotional Rollercoaster: Power Shifts and Futility
At the beginning of the season, there were so many prophecies being made about what teams were going to land in the Finals or even in the Conference Finals.
The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers both began the first 10 games of the season with 8-2 records and were proving exactly why they were the teams to beat in each of their conferences. The newly revamped Miami Heat was still struggling to find their identity, and their Florida rivals were looking to take the number two spot in the Eastern Conference with Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis still playing by Dwight Howard’s side.
But, oh how things change.
Worst Team: No. 30 Cleveland Cavaliers
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People wanted to give the Cleveland Cavaliers the benefit of the doubt when LeBron made his controversial exit from Ohio. They ultimately became America’s sweethearts because you wanted Dan Gilbert to be right. You wanted them to be able to make a title run with King James in the home team’s locker room, and with a win opening the season against the Boston Celtics, that dream looked more and more realistic. Miami Heat had just lost to the Celtics in their season opener, and Cleveland everywhere was starting their “Nah nah nah nah” chants in living rooms all over.
After a three game losing streak, the team put together a three game winning streak leaving the 76ers, Wizards and Nets in their dust. Then somewhere, things just went south, beach.
Cleveland Futility
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Before anyone could put the brakes on this colossal failure, the Cavalier were setting a record for futility, and not just in the NBA, but in sports history as a whole.
While teams were feeling for the MVP-less squad, they did not want to be the ones that lost to them, so they got everyone’s A game every night. The 26-game losing streak included a 55-point blowout by the Los Angeles Lakers that pushed Mo Williams to twitter to express his sorrow and disdain.
They finally broke the losing streak against the Los Angeles Clippers, but that less than redeems their roster. They need to shake things up like Jerry West is trying to push the Lakers to do, because no matter how many games they finish the season out with, they need to come to terms with the fact that they will never be able to go toe to toe in a series with either of the giants of the Eastern Conference, lottery pick or not.
Returning Champs: No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers
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The Los Angeles Lakers came into the season with their chests pumped out and their noses in the air, and who could blame them? World championship titles are nothing to shrug your shoulders at and give you bragging rights for months on end, especially when a member of your team carries five around on his hand.
But they ran into a problem this time around. Not that they haven’t experienced everyone’s best before; however, this time, they were unable to counter the attacks. During a four game losing streak at the end of November and lagging into December, there was speculation that they were not as good as they were a few months prior.
Los Angeles' Title In Jeopardy
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They still have a lot to prove. They have gone 38-16, which would not be frowned upon if they had not gone 6-6 against the teams in the top 10 of the league. This dispels the myth that they will be able to win a series against any of them and may just put that three peat in jeopardy.
But then again, this is Kobe Bryant and the Lakers we are talking about. No matter how big the rut, they always find a way to dig themselves out. The question is whether or not any of the teams they have been defeated repeatedly by will give them that comeback chance.
Miami Heat's Early Season Woes
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Miami Heat was on every sports network and in every sportscaster's mouth rejecting the thought of their success after only a summer and a preseason together, and for awhile, they were proving everyone right. They won against teams that were below .500 without much contest but were dropping key games that would changed the minds of all the doubters in America.
Losses to New Orleans, Boston, Utah and Orlando made the world think that maybe this Big Three assembly was not the greatest move and that the almighty Pat Riley had made a mistake.
South Beach Comeback
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After reports were swirling about the possible removal of head coach Erik Spoelstra, the team decided it was time to call a players' only meeting and iron out the kinks called distrust that were brought upon the team, given the tumultuous free agency decisions of two of their newest additions.
After that, the team put up wins like clockwork and was showcasing the sacrifice and the trust necessary to dominate a conference, like the Boston Celtics had to learn how to do when their Big Three was first assembled.
Never give up on raw talent and instinct, because it just may come back to bite you.
Boston Celtics Eastern Supremacy Tested
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The Boston Celtics have faced a little adversity this season as well. Without big man Kendrick Perkins to assist Shaquille O’Neal, the Celtics would have to remodel and redistribute their possessions while still keeping each player involved. Then there was the gasp that every Boston fan hoped would never come again.
Kevin Garnett went up for a dunk and came down favoring one leg. There was no one around him to force the injury, so it looked pretty bad for the defensive heart of the team. It proved to be nothing more fatal than a muscle injury that would keep him out of games for a few weeks, but that’s more than a notion for a team that relies on him aggressively.
Age and Injury Deciding Factor in Boston
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During the nine games that Garnett was inactive, Boston dropped three, not including the game he was taken out of against Detroit due to the injury, which they lost as well. There was cause for panic because there was no specific timetable for how long he would be out, and the Celtics needed his presence badly.
This blow also came at a time when they were reeling from the loss of their star point guard Rajon Rondo, and during one game, against New Orleans Hornets, were without them both. Boston is undoubtedly the best team in the Eastern Conference, but this is only true if they can remain healthy.
Age and injury is playing a huge part in the brick wall between themselves and the Championship.
Orlando Gives Up in Three Way Trade
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The Orlando Magic team looked much differently in the beginning of the season than they do now, and it seemed in the first days of the massive trade that took place that the move was the perfect one. Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus and Rashard Lewis were collectively dealt to the Washington Wizards and the Phoenix Suns, while they, in return, acquired Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas.
They went on a six game winning streak when all the new players hit the floor, and people were starting to believe again.
Magic Cannot Make Moves in Tough Conference
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The truth of the matter is, Orlando cannot compete against Boston and Miami in a series. They cannot. As much as we would love to see Dwight Howard go up against big men Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in the finals, the talent on the team does not mesh well enough to make that happen.
You can sit back and say how intense Dwight Howard can be or how much of a clutch competitor Jason Richardson and J.J. Redick have proven themselves to be, but against the powerhouses of the league, they are not explosive enough to be in the conversation.
With a nice portion of the NBA season left to be played and an All Star break well deserved, there will be plenty of changes created to discuss.
Who knows? Maybe Utah will take their new coach on a rocket to the top of the conference? Ha.
