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FPM Columns
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NBA: Who's Hot/Who's Not
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 | HOT - 4/3 to 4/9
Toronto G Mike James continues to have a huge year. This week he averaged 31.8 PPG , 5.3 RPG, 6.8 APG and 3.8 three pointers and shot 57% from the field.
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|  | NOT - 4/3 to 4/9
Wizards F Antwan Jamison didn't have his usual kind of week. He averaged only 15.7 PPG and 4.7 RPG, and 0.8 steals while shooting 34.2% from the field.
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NBA Articles
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NBA Power Rankings
By Eric W.
Published: September 18, 2005, 9:51 pm
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NBA Team Power Rankings
1. San Antonio Spurs (59-23) - They won the championship last year, what's
to stop the same team with a few improvements this year? The 2005 NBA Champions have added Michael Finley to their allready spectacular roster. Meanwhile, the main threats in the Western Conference haven't had any major changes. The Spurs, led by the trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker should be in for another championship season.
2. Miami Heat (59-23) - The Miami Heat have made some great moves in the
offseason. Including a record-breaking trade that included players such as Antoine
Walker, Jason Williams, James Posey, Eddie Jones, and Rasual Butler. The Heat
received a great player in Walker, and solid players in Williams and Posey. With these additions the Heat should easily make the Conference Championships, and face San Antonio for the Championship.
3. Detroit Pistons (54-2 - With Larry Brown gone, is this team still the same? Flip Saunders is their new coach, and we'll have to see if he gets the same results. The Pistons should once again be a top team in the league, and they should also make it to the Conference Championships.
4. Phoenix Suns (62-20) - The team with the #1 record in the NBA, will get the #4 spot in power rankings. During the off-season the Suns focused a little more on
defense, and a little less on offense. They lost some major parts of their offense, but
kept the main three in Stoudemire, Nash, and Marion. They were able to outscore their opponents in the regular season, but they couldn't outscore one of the best defense in the Spurs, this year we'll have to see how their defense turns out.
5. Houston Rockets (51-33) - The Rockets were busy getting to learn to play
with each other last year. This year, Yao and T-Mac will have learned each others playing styles. Adding Anderson and Swift should only help them in the long run. The Rockets will have heavy competition, but they will be up there with SA and PHX.
6. Indiana Pacers (44-3 - Everything went wrong for the Pacers last year. The loss of Ron Artest for the whole season, Steven Jackson for 20+ games, Jermiane
O'Neal, etc. Now they don't have Miller, but they do have a healthy Tinsley. This team
should be similar to the Pacers of two years ago. If they can pull it together, and play like they used to, I wouldn't be surprised if they beat Detroit.
7. Denver Nuggets (49-33) - The 2nd half of last year, was the Nugget's. George Karl turned their team totally around, and they made a great run. They have the same
team as last year, and if they can play like they did in the 2nd half of last year, for the
whole year, this year, they will be one of the best teams in the NBA.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (42-40) - This may seem like a high placing for the Cavs, but they have the talent to do this well. With LeBron James only in his 3rd year, he is still improving rapidly. They also made the off-season moves to get Larry Hughes and Damon Jones. Both of these guys are going to make this team five times better. With a now healthy Ilgauskas, he has the oppurtunity to be a dominate center in the NBA. All of these things add up to a great team.
9. Sacramento Kings (50-32) - With the loss of Chris Webber, they aren't going to be the same team. Though, they did replace Webber with Shareef, he should exceed at power forward, as last year he was forced to play small forward. With Bibby, Peja, Miller, and Shareef leading the team, they should definetely be a very good top 10 team.
10. Dallas Mavericks (58-24) - With only Dirk left out of that trio a few years back, he is not going to be able to carry the team by himself. He is one of the best players in the NBA, but he doesn't have the best back-up after losing Finley to the Spurs.
The Mavericks just aren't going to be able to keep up with the top teams in the league.
11. New Jersey Nets (42-40) - The Nets have three great players in Carter, Kidd, and Jefferson. None of them ever played totally healthy together though. Carter came in late in the season, Kidd was injured in the beginning, and Jefferson was injured nearly the whole season. These three could prove deadly when put together, and with their younger players only getting better, the Nets could do even better then where I have put them.
12. Seattle Supersonics (52-30) - They saved Ray Allen, meaning they saved their team. Meanwhile, they lost Daniels, James, and McMillan. They also could lose Radmonovich and Evans. This team is definetely a good one, but their not one of the top teams anymore.
13. Philadelphia 76ers (43-39) - The Sixers now have 4 extremely capable players in Iverson, Webber, Dalembert, and Iguodala. Iverson is going to be Iverson as always; Chris Webber should do much better as he learns to fit in with the Sixers, Dalembert will hopefully play up to expectations, and Iguodala was a top rookie last year. If each of the key parts plays well, they will be on track for another playoff berth.
14. Washington Wizards (45-37) - With the loss of Larry Hughes, this team isn't going to be the same. They still have Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas, though. Those two will have to carry the team if they want to get anything done. They have also added Antonio Daniels, Chucky Atkins, and Caron Butler to their roster, to fill in Larry Hughes' shoes.
15. Golden State Warriors (34-4 - With the addition of Baron Davis, this team was improved greatly. Baron Davis and Jason Richardson should they work together well, be a good duo in the NBA. They also have Troy Murphy who proved himself a good player last year. This team played like a playoff team after they received Davis, they just need to play like they did the entire year.
16. Chicago Bulls (47-35) - This team, most made of rookies, is going to have a better year. Just imagine if all of their rookies make the jump that LeBron and Dwyane made their rookie year. This is the youngest team in the league, and they will only improve as time goes on.
17. Minnessota Timberwolves (44-3 - The Wolves were expected to go all the way last year, but nothing of that sort happened. With Cassell and Sprewell replaced by Jaric and McCants, this team is trying to re-build around KG. If Jaric and McCants can play well, hopefully Minnessota will make the playoffs this year.
18. Boston Celtics (45-37) The loss of Antoine Walker is huge for the Celtics. With only Paul Pierce left as the star, he is going to have to carry the team by himself.
Though they do have Ricky Davis, Jefferson, and Allen to help guide the team. The Celtics need all of these guys to play above their normal level for Boston to succeed.
19. Milwaukee Bucks (30-52) Having the 1st pick of the NBA Draft sure did help this team out. Re-signing Michael Redd was the move that will keep this team together. Also, adding Simmons and getting Ford back should help this team even more.
20. New York Knicks (33-49) - Adding Larry Brown should hopefully prove the best move of the off-season if the Knicks do better then last year. If Larry Brown can get this squad into the playoffs, it is exactly what basketball needs. Marbury's now playing shooting guard, and adding Quentin Richardson should help them with their three pointers.
21. Los Angeles Clippers (37-45) - Losing Bobby Simmons is going to hurt the Clippers, but gaining Cassell and Mobley will certainly help them. If Cassell can play healthy, and Mobley can play like he usually does, they will help the Clippers and their playoff hopes. The Clippers will once again be the better team in LA.
22. Orlando Magic (36-46) - With Dwight Howard now in his sophmore year of the NBA, there should be some huge upgrades there. Grant Hill was a huge comeback player last year, and hopefully he'll do the same this year. Francis now will constantly be playing the two-guard position, as Jameer will play the point, and he should improve as well.
23. Los Angeles Lakers (34-4 - Phil Jackson, now back with the team, though without Shaq, should help the team improve. If Lamar plays like he did with the Heat, and Kobe is Kobe, the Lakers will be in good hands.
24. Memphis Grizzlies (45-37) - The Grizzlies lost many players such as: Swift, Wells, Williams, and Posey. Losing this many players, each who contributed to the team, is going to make this team a heck of a lot worse. They will need some very good players to come in for them to play half as good as last year.
25. Utah Jazz (26-56) - With Kirilenko now healthy, he alone should improve the teams record by at least 10 games. He missed most of the season last year, along with Boozer being injured. Having these two down-low, both healthy, should help the team out a lot.
26. Toronto Raptors (33-49) - Chris Bosh is also in his sophmore year. Bosh is one of the more promising players, and his development will be interesting to watch. The rest of his team is going to be average, at best.
27. Portland Trailblazers (27-55) - The Blazers will have a good season in the near future, just not this season. They have lots of young talent, but not much talent as for now. Losing Shareef is going to hurt the most.
28. Atlanta Hawks (13-69) - The Hawks have two new players in Marvin Williams and Joe Johnson, but even they can't do much to improve the Hawks abismal record. Marvin Williams is going to be an extremely exciting player to watch, as that will be the only reaosn a non-Hawks fan watches them.
29. Charlotte Bobcats (18-64) - Last year the Hawks did better then many expected. Okafur played above expectation, averaging a double-double. Other players stepped up, and they should continue to step up this year.
30. New Orleans Hornets (18-64) - What to say about the New Orleans Hornets... This team lost everything when they lost Baron Davis. They will most likely have the worst record in the NBA, nothing more needs to be said.
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