NBA Power Rankings: Can Carmelo Anthony Propel the Knicks into the Top 10?
NBA power rankings are out, and now that the trade deadline is behind us, it's time to see how everyone stands heading into the stretch run of the season.
Are the Knicks serious contenders for the Finals or is a team like Oklahoma City a squad that could surprise a lot of people come playoff time? We cover every team in the association as we rank them from worst to first.
If you have any thoughts, make sure to leave them in the comments.
Nos. 30-21: The Bottom of the Barrel
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No. 30: Minnesota Timberwolves — Kevin Love deserves much better than this.
No. 29: Cleveland Cavaliers — Wins over the Lakers and Knicks will get you out of the last spot
No. 28: Washington Wizards — John Wall is calling out his teammates. He should get used to having no talent around him.
No. 27: Sacramento Kings — Could we be calling this team the Anaheim Kings in the future?
No. 26: New Jersey Nets — Deron Williams will make this team better, but for now, the Nets are mired in a five-game losing streak.
No. 25: Toronto Raptors — Toronto's deadline move proves the Raptors have no idea what they're doing in the front office.
No. 24: Los Angeles Clippers — Eric Gordon can't get back quick enough. Ditching Baron Davis should help as well.
No. 23: Detroit Pistons — It's good to see everyone's getting along in Detroit.
No. 22: Milwaukee Bucks — The Bucks played New York tough, but tough isn't always enough in the NBA.
No. 21: Charlotte Bobcats — Gerald Wallace is gone, so expect this ranking to go down.
No. 20: Utah Jazz
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Let's see, Utah lost Jerry Sloan and then traded Deron Williams.
Well, it's lights out in Utah. The Jazz are 3-7 in their last 10 games and are going to be much, much worse after moving their best player to New Jersey. Sure, Devin Harris and Derrick Favors aren't terrible, but they're not the type of player Williams was.
Dark days are ahead in Utah.
No. 19: Indiana Pacers
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Things have been much better since Indiana changed coaches.
However, that doesn't mean I'm sold on the Pacers. Sure, this team might be able to sneak into the playoffs, but are still mediocre. Danny Granger isn't playing as well as he was a couple of years ago, but he's still very potent on offense.
Indiana could be a fun team to watch down the stretch.
No. 18: Golden State Warriors
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Golden State is a team in a very weird position.
Sure, the Warriors can fill it up with guys like Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, but David Lee isn't an elite power forward, and this team doesn't have a dominant big man that can really open up the outside shot on a consistent basis.
Well, that and the fact that this team can't play defense either.
No. 17: Houston Rockets
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Houston tried its hardest to make some moves and finally got them done.
Hasheem Thabeet is heading to Houston as the Rockets moved Shane Battier to the Grizzlies at the deadline. Thabeet has struggled mightily during his career in the league, and he's certainly going to be a major project.
Getting the first-round pick with him is a bigger deal.
No. 16: Phoenix Suns
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The door is wide open for the Phoenix Suns.
With Memphis struggling with an injury to Rudy Gay and Utah trading away Deron Williams, the Suns now have a chance to make the playoffs. Phoenix certainly has plenty of talent, especially at the wing, and with Steve Nash running the show, anything is possible.
This isn't like the old Suns teams, but it's still a fun group to watch.
No. 15: New York Knicks
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It hasn't been as smooth as people had hoped for the new-look Knicks.
A loss to Cleveland has stunned people after New York traded for Carmelo Anthony to pair him with Amar'e Stoudemire. It's not going to be easy to work two superstars in. We saw that with the Miami Heat earlier this year; it will take time.
With how much this team is scoring with limited time together, the Eastern Conference should be scared.
No. 14: Memphis Grizzlies
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Memphis is playing well right now, but I don't see it lasting much longer.
Rudy Gay is the heart and soul of that team, and with him out, I don't see enough scoring on the court to make the Grizzlies competitive in the Western Conference. Trading for Shane Battier was a great move, but it's not enough.
Don't give up on Memphis, but I wouldn't expect big things in the short-term.
No. 13: Philadelphia 76ers
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No one saw the Philadelphia 76ers playing this well.
Doug Collins has this team believing, and the front office believes so much in this group that it held on to Andre Iguodala instead of shopping him around the league. Believe whatever you want about that philosophy, but it's a big statement from the team.
The Sixers could be a dangerous team in the first round of the playoffs.
No. 12: New Orleans Hornets
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I'm starting to worry about the New Orleans Hornets.
Chris Paul isn't playing at the same level as he was earlier this year and the Hornets are wildly inconsistent. New Orleans has had big wins this year and big stretches, but right now, the Hornets are 3-7 over their last 10.
This team is starting to look like a first-round playoff exit.
No. 11: Atlanta Hawks
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I'm sorry Atlanta fans, Kirk Hinrich is not the answer at point guard.
If you think he is, you're going to be pretty disappointed. Atlanta didn't really get better at the deadline, and this is a team that's destined to be a blip on the radar in the playoff picture before being bounced by a real contender.
It's sad but true.
No. 10: Denver Nuggets
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I think it's time to watch out for the latest Ewing Theory candidate.
Carmelo Anthony is gone, and the Denver Nuggets have shown great poise and character since then and even beat the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. This team isn't full of scrubs, so don't write the Nuggets off just yet.
This could be a team to watch for in the Western Conference.
No. 9: Portland Trail Blazers
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Portland got a huge steal at the trade deadline.
Adding a guy like Gerald Wallace to a lineup that already had some potent weapons is a scary thought. Just think about a front line of Wallace, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby. That's a group that can do some serious damage in the postseason.
If Brandon Roy can give Portland anything, it's a plus at this point.
No. 8: Orlando Magic
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Orlando looks nothing like a contender right now.
Dwight Howard is doing all the heavy lifting in the middle, and the rest of his teammates aren't helping him out. The big man finally called them out after a loss to the Sacramento Kings, and maybe, that will change things for the Magic.
If it doesn't, it could be a long rest of the season in Orlando.
No. 7: Oklahoma City Thunder
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Oklahoma City is the clear winner at the trade deadline.
Picking up a guy like Kendrick Perkins is a huge win for the Thunder at the deadline. Oklahoma City really needs some interior toughness and rebounding. Perkins will give the Thunder that, and now, you have to watch out for Kevin Durant and company in the playoffs.
Things just got very interesting in the Western Conference.
No. 6: Los Angeles Lakers
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I'm not sure how to read this Lakers team.
A part of me thinks this team is slowing down, and we've seen the best basketball from this group. Another piece is telling me it's just an effort issue, and Los Angeles will be back in the playoffs.
We'll see come playoff time, but losing games to Cleveland is a terrible sign. The Lakers have looked better since the All-Star Break. Let's see if this team can find its championship focus.
No. 5: Miami Heat
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Chris Bosh proved on Thursday night why he has so many critics.
Bosh totally no-showed against the Chicago Bulls and couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat. Not only that, but he also had a blatant flop at one point that would make the most brazen soccer player blush. Miami lost the game, and he was a big reason.
Miami needs to start beating good teams and fast.
No. 4: Boston Celtics
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I'm not sure what Boston was thinking at the deadline.
The Celtics' biggest strength was their interior depth, and a lot went elsewhere at the trade deadline. Not only that, but Kendrick Perkins was also the heart and soul of that Boston team, and it will be interesting to see how they recover from his departure.
I would not want to be Jeff Green right now.
No. 3: Chicago Bulls
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The Chicago Bulls have put the league on notice.
With wins over San Antonio and Miami, the Bulls have shown they can beat anyone. With Joakim Noah back and the team finally healthy, Chicago has a team that will be very dangerous come playoff time and is poised to make a deep run.
Chicago could have used a shooting guard, and we'll see if that comes back to haunt the Bulls.
No. 2: Dallas Mavericks
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The Dallas Mavericks didn't make a move at the deadline, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.
Dallas pushed hard for Tayshaun Prince in Detroit but was unable to land the small forward. The Mavericks are 9-1 in their last 10 games, so it's not like a change was mandatory, but it would have been nice to address the situation on the wing.
Now, the Mavericks will have to hope Butler can return and return healthy.
No. 1: San Antonio Spurs
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In all of the madness at the trade deadline, people have forgotten about the San Antonio Spurs.
Tim Duncan and company still have the best record in basketball and are 5.5 games ahead of anyone else in the NBA. The Spurs are a veteran team that has plenty of depth for a playoff run deep into the heart of the summer.
Don't sleep on the Spurs, they're the best team in basketball.
