NBA Power Rankings: Featured Columnists Weigh in on Popular NBA Questions
The NBA season is winding down and everyone is making predictions for the playoffs and looking onto next season.
Well, what do your favorite writers think?
This is the first of what I hope becomes more of a regular event because it is always interesting to hear what people think.
I asked the FCs 12 questions relating to the playoffs and to next season. I hope you enjoy!
P.S. I listed the number of votes first and then the percentage, and also some totals might not be the same because some questions were not answered or had two answers given.
Who Is the Best Player in the League?
1 of 12
LeBron James - 23 (57.5%)
Kobe Bryant - 12 (30%)
Derrick Rose - 3 (7.5%)
Kevin Durant - 2 (5%)
This was probably one of the hardest questions to answer, which is why I both asked and listed it first. I was half-expecting to be mobbed by Kobe fans, but shockingly "The King" easily grabbed the victory here.
What shocked me is that not one single person voted for Dwight Howard or Chris Paul. I felt as though both would get at least a spot on the final results, however neither received a single vote or mention.
Derrick Rose also got a tiny taste of stardom and I would expect this number to only grow in the coming years.
Kevin Durant also surprisingly received only two votes, placing him last. Overall, I was fairly surprised by the results and by how one-sided the voting was.
Do You Agree with the All-Star Voting Process?
2 of 12
Yes - 10 (25%)
No - 28 (70%)
Who Cares? - 2 (5%)
This was the question that I expected to have the biggest range. Many writers brought up the Yao Ming All-Star "scandal" and also the Allen Iverson issue.
However, many writers also pointed out that nothing is at stake and the entire purpose is to entertain the fans.
Those are, without a doubt, very valid points, but that does not in any way mean that the best players in the game should be denied of their position.
Some players deserve the recognition that comes along with being an All-Star.
I use the term "All-Star" very loosely, due to the fact that the whole game is a popularity contest to figure out which players have the largest active following.
Is that a bad thing? It depends on the perception of the individual and you might be one of the ones that believes that it should be for entertainment.
Either way, I just don't understand how watching Yao Ming is in any way entertaining.
Who Is the Best Point Guard in the League?
3 of 12
Derrick Rose - 26 (63.4%)
Derron Williams - 6 (14.6%)
Chris Paul - 5 (12.1%)
Rajon Rondo - 4 (9.7%)
Talk about a blowout. I think every single person who read the title knew who was going to win. Honestly, I thought Williams would be a threat to Rose, but it was not even close.
After I began plotting the results, I almost felt bad for the other guards. Rose simply ran away and never looked back at the rest of the field.
Chris Paul would have no doubt found himself at No. 1 about two years ago, but he has dropped below his rival Williams as well as the young stud from the Bulls.
I am probably not going to ask this question again unless Jimmer becomes a Steve Nash-Gary Payton mix; good luck with that.
Is Kevin Love the Best Power Forward in the League?
4 of 12
Yes - 11 (28.9%)
No - 27 (71%)
Before you begin laughing, there is a reason for why I asked this question. Statistically speaking, Kevin Love is the best player in the league—that is a stone-cold fact.
When I asked this question, I wanted to know how much weight the writers around Bleacher Report put into statistics. That was the reason for this question.
Obviously the range on this question was huge, but there were still 11 writers who felt as though he was the best power forward in the league.
I would not be surprised if by this time next year, he does not become a definite No. 1. In my opinion, Kevin Love could be the best Power Forward in the league in two seasons and one of the top overall players.
All he needs to do is lure other good players into Minnesota (yeah, right) and as soon as the Wolves become relevant, people will truly appreciate Kevin Love.
Which Team Is Best Prepared for the Future?
5 of 12
Oklahoma City Thunder - 20 (46.5%)
Chicago Bulls - 7 (16.2%)
Miami Heat - 4 (9.3%)
Los Angeles Clippers - 3 (6.9%)
New York Knicks - 3 (6.9%)
Denver Nuggets - 2 (4.6%)
Philadelphia 76ers - 2 (4.6%)
Portland Trailblazers - 1 (2.3%)
Utah Jazz - 1 (2.3%)
Wow.
That was my reaction to the result of this seemingly simple question. However, little did I know that I was about to receive votes for almost one-third of the teams in the league.
So many writers had their own opinions that I was worried I would have to list every team on this list. Nonetheless, most had good arguments (the Utah answer still confuses me).
They stated the abundance of young talent, the coaching staff and the management. All valid points and the arguments made sense, but OKC did run away with this one.
This shows that there are truly a lot of sports fans who don't "go with the flow" and have their own unique opinions.
That being said, the Jazz? Really?
Which Trade Will Be the Best Long-Term?
6 of 12
Carmelo Anthony Trade (Knicks Perspective) - 24 (61.5%)
Deron Williams trade (Nets perspective) - 8 (20.5%)
Kendrick Perkins trade (OKC perspective) - 4 (10.2%)
Carmelo Anthony trade (Nuggets perspective) - 1 (2.5%)
Deron Williams trade (Jazz perspective) - 1 (2.5%)
Anthony Randolph trade (Wolves perspective) - 1 (2.5%)
This one also had a very interesting spread of votes. The dominant vote-getter proved to be the favorite coming in and the Melo-to-the-Knicks deal was the clear winner.
That is not to say that Deron Williams failed to deliver, and I, along with other writers, share the same thoughts on this deal.
If the Nets sign Williams back, then this deal will be the clear long-term winner among all of them. If they fail, the deal will be a huge failure and set them up for a disappointing Brooklyn season.
The other trades are all pretty basic with Anthony Randolph coming in as the big shocker, and I put him on the level of Utah from an earlier slide.
Whre Does Kobe Bryant Rank on the All-Time Players List If the Lakers Win?
7 of 12
Top 5 - 25 (65.7%)
Top 10 - 8 (21%)
10-15 - 2 (5.2%)
20 or higher - 3 (7.8%)
Yes, even this article has a debate about where Kobe ranks all-time.
Well, based on the results, if the Lakers win, he will find himself in the top five players of all-time. This will be a testament to a career of hard work and of overcoming adversity.
Only time will tell where Kobe's legacy will take him, but the Black Mamba has long held the hearts of many fans and will only climb the list of the greats.
I am, of course, speaking from the perspective of the results.
Which Team Will Win the East?
8 of 12
Boston Celtics - 20 (51.2%)
Chicago Bulls - 14 (35.8%)
Miami Heat - 4 (10.2%)
New York Knicks - 1 (2.5%)
Pretty basic here.
It looks as though the Celtics are the predicted favorites to make it back to the Finals representing the East.
The Bulls are breathing right down their necks and this will no doubt be a very exciting playoff matchup if it ever occurs.
The Heat are ranked a distant third and seem to be out of the race...or are they? Something tells me they will make a comeback in the slideshow on a similar topic.
Which Team Will Win the West?
9 of 12
Los Angeles Lakers - 24 (58.5%)
San Antonio Spurs - 9 (21.9%)
Dallas Mavericks - 4 (9.7%)
Oklahoma City Thunder - 4 (9.7%)
Again, this is pretty basic.
The defending champs are yet again predicted to make the NBA Finals and defend their crown.
This actually really surprised me. I am not saying I was surprised to see the Lakers at No. 1, but I was surprised to see them No. 1 by such a large margin.
It seems as though the Spurs are just not getting their respect, and neither are the Mavericks.
However, that was the point of this article, to see everyone's opinion.
Which Team Will Win the NBA Championship?
10 of 12
Los Angeles Lakers - 16 (39%)
Boston Celtics - 8 (19.5%)
Chicago Bulls - 6 (14.6%)
San Antonio Spurs - 6 (14.6%)
Miami Heat - 4 (9.7%)
Dallas Mavericks - 1 (2.4%)
It looks as thought we have ourselves yet another NBA three-peat!
This will definitely be historic if it happens, and the Lakers could solidify themselves as the best franchise in NBA history.
The playoffs are almost here! I just can't wait any longer!
The Celtics also received some respect and so did the Bulls. Again, the playoffs are almost here...come sooner!
Do the Heat Have a Chance of Winning It All? (Yes or No)
11 of 12
Yes - 30 (76.9%)
No - 9 (23%)
To all the Heat fans out there, it looks like you have a chance.
While not many writers voted for the Heat to win the East or the championship for that matter, it seems as though many see them as having a chance.
If the Heat figure out their game plan and get a clear sense of who the captain is, then this team could function and win.
A point guard is not necessary to win and neither is a great offensive center. History can tell us both of those facts.
All the Heat need to do is get a clear game plan and the trophy could be theirs for years to come.
Will the CBA Talks Come to a Conclusion Before the Season Begins?
12 of 12
Yes - 17 (44.7%)
No - 21 (55.2%)
Are we going to have an NBA season? I sure hope so and I am not the only one.
Every single person reading this is wishing for the season to be in full swing and I am right there with all of you.
Watching the NBA is more than a passion for me, it's almost a hobby and I would not want to resort to watching tennis, golf or world championship horseshoes instead.
David Stern....please give us a season!
Thank you all for reading, but most of all, I want to sincerely thank all the FCs who took their time to answer my questions!
I hope we can do this again!
