NBA Power Rankings, 12/16/07

1. Boston Celtics- 19-2. What else is there to say?
2. San Antonio Spurs- The fact that they were able to beat Dallas and Utah without Tim Duncan says something about this squad. Still, although Duncan is back, but Tony Parker is now injured.
3. Detroit Pistons- For some reason, Detroit always flies under the radar. I really don't see how with that starting lineup, which is second best in the league only to Boston. They are the only team in the East capable of beating the Celtics in a playoff series.
4. Dallas Mavericks- It appears that they have come out of their mini slump, and Josh Howard and Devin Harris are having phenomenal seasons. Also, there is more depth here than ever. How about Brandon Bass?
5. Phoenix Suns- You still get the feeling that they won't be able to make it over that hump come playoff time. Still, the acquisition of Grant Hill has worked wonders for this squad, as he is averaging just under 16 PPG.
6. New Orleans Hornets- Chris Paul and David West is a poor man's version of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. If they stay healthy, New Orleans is going to be a factor in the West come April.
7. Orlando Magic- They seem to be coming back down to earth lately, but you can't overlook the unbelievable season Dwight Howard is having. He is a top three MVP candidate right now without a doubt.
8. Golden State Warriors- That 0-6 start is nothing but a distant memory now, as the Warriors have gone on a roll. Baron Davis and Monta Ellis may very well be the NBA's deadliest backcourt, and I now see why they let Jason Richardson go so easily (have you seen Kelenna Azubuike?).
9. Utah Jazz- Utah has been struggling, but the talent on this team should win them a top four seed without a problem. Ronnie Brewer has been a very pleasant surprise for Jerry Sloan this season, but Mehmet Okur needs to step his game up.
10. Denver Nuggets- Allen Iverson has been dropping double-doubles left and right, but it hasn't resulted in many Denver wins lately. Outside of Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets are getting no offensive production from anyone else.
11. Washington Wizards- No Gilbert Arenas, no problem. Caron Butler has developed into a premier player in this game, and guys like Andray Blatche and Nick Young are coming along very nicely. When Arenas returns, this team will be extremely dangerous.
12. Toronto Raptors- Seven players are averaging double-figures in scoring this year, demonstrating the balance this team has. Add the surprise that has been Jamario Moon into the mix, and Sam Mitchell has got to be very happy with the way things have gone so far.
13. Los Angeles Lakers- Andrew Bynum is showing why he was touted so highly coming out of high school through the first 22 games, but outside of he, Kobe Bryant, and maybe Jordan Farmar, not many others are living up to expectations (Lamar Odom has to score more than 13.5 PPG).
14. Portland Trail Blazers- Travis Outlaw has sparked the Blazers to six consecutive wins, and LaMarcus Aldridge is learning the game very fast. Martell Webster has cooled off a bit, but he can still go off in a minute's notice, and Jarrett Jack appears to have shook off his early struggles.
15. Indiana Pacers- Danny Granger is slowly turning into the star many expected him to be when the Pacers drafted him, and Mike Dunleavy has having a very solid year. Also, Shawne Williams is developing quickly. The only problem here is actually the play of Jermaine O'Neal, who is clearly not 100% healthy.
16. Houston Rockets- The Rockets are the fourth best team in the division, no questions asked. They have no depth off the bench, and only two players (Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming) are averaging double-figures. Steve Francis has been a bust of a pick-up.
17. Atlanta Hawks- Atlanta is going to have a nice team in a couple of years that may even contend in the East. Al Horford is making a case for Rookie of the Year, and Josh Smith is on his way to being a top 15-20 player in the game. Also, Marvin Williams has shed his "bust" label.
18. Milwaukee Bucks- There is talent here, but it just hasn't meshed. Andrew Bogut has been a big-time disappointment as far as I'm concerned, and Charlie Villanueva needs to get more playing time. Why Yi Jianlian is starting over him is beyond me.
19. Philadelphia 76ers- Philly has been playing very good basketball recently, and it all starts with Andre Iguodala. This kid has really turned into a nice player. Still, I'd like to see Thaddeus Young and Rodney Carney on the floor more. There is an ample amount of young talent here.
20. Chicago Bulls- It looks like they are finally turning it around, winners in six of their last nine. That still doesn't make up for Kirk Hinrich's miserable start. I really think he lost his confidence in the playoffs last year. And does anyone else think trading Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas on draft day 2006 was a bad idea?
21. Cleveland Cavaliers- They are terrible, and it's not just because of injuries. There is no chemistry here at all, and while LeBron James is getting help in the scoring department, it is not translating into wins. A move needs to be made. Getting Shannon Brown some more playing time might help, as well.
22. Los Angeles Clippers- Well, they have fared much better than I thought they would without Elton Brand. Chris Kaman has really stepped his game up and is actually putting up MVP-caliber numbers (18.6 PPG, 13.8 RPG). Where did this come from?
23. New Jersey Nets- Depth is what is really killing this team. Outside of the Big Three, New Jersey doesn't have any consistent scorers. Bostjan Nachbar and Antoine Wright are producing, but it hasn't been enough. It also looks like Nenad Krstic came back from that ACL tear too soon.
24. Sacramento Kings- Life without Kevin Martin hasn't been all that bad, but you can bet that Reggie Theus is frantically counting the days until his leading scorer returns. Beno Udrih has been a great addition (14.8 PPG), and this is a guy who was dealt from the Spurs to Minnesota for a second-round pick and then waived.
25. Memphis Grizzlies- Rudy Gay continues to prove why he should have been the number one pick of the 2006 Draft. He is averaging 19 PPG and has had several outings where he looked unstoppable this season, and Juan Carlos Navarro is showing he can play in the NBA without a problem.
26. Charlotte Bobcats- I don't get why this team has been performing so badly this year. There is plenty of talent here, from Emeka Okafor to Gerald Wallace to J-Rich. Oh, I forgot to include Raymond Felton in there. Maybe a coaching change is in order.
27. New York Knicks- Much like Charlotte, I don't get this team. They have one of the most talent-laden rosters in the league but cannot seem to win ball-games. The only consistent players have been Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, and David Lee's production has drastically dropped since last season.
28. Seattle Supersonics- Kevin Durant is scoring, but he is not shooting the ball well (only 39.4% from the floor). And what has happened to Luke Ridnour? Many considered him a poor man's Steve Nash last year, and now he is struggling to remain in P.J. Carlesimo's rotation.
29. Miami Heat- Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The Heat are simply awful, and I don't think they will be able to recover this time around. Shaquille O'Neal isn't even a shell of his former self, and Dwyane Wade doesn't look right out there. Good luck to Pat Riley.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves- Yeah, they're 3-19, but that will look very different a couple of years down the road. Al Jefferson and Craig Smith are forming a formidable duo up front, and Rashad McCants is starting to blossom. However, this whole knee injury with Randy Foye is scary.