The 140: NBA Power Rankings, Week 10 - Hawks rise to No. 2, Grizzlies drop to 9
Welcome back to The 140. I hope you enjoyed the holidays. It's going to be an amazing 2015 for basketball.
1. Golden State Warriors (27-5)
(Previously: 1)
Still the only team allowing fewer than 100 points per 100 possessions.
2. Atlanta Hawks (26-8)
(Previously: 5)
Atlanta's won 21 of 24, and eight in a row against the West. The Hawks are atop the East for the first time since 1994. Insane.
LeBron James on the Atlanta Hawks: "We call them the San Antonio Spurs of the East." Said Budenholzer's sets are "identical" to Popovich's
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 30, 2014
3. Portland Trail Blazers (27-8)
(Previously: 2)
When Portland's tied after 48 minutes, the game doesn't go to overtime, it goes to #LillardTime.
4. Chicago Bulls (25-10)
(Previously: 6)
Society deserves a healthy Bulls squad in 2015. Please, basketball gods. I don't ask you for much.
5. Dallas Mavericks (26-10)
(Previously: 11)
I don't think we appreciate Dirk Nowitzki as much as we should:
In DAL@WAS earlier this year, Dirk alerted Wiz 1 rim might be a tad off. Why? He was missing too many warmup Js. They checked, he was right
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) December 30, 2014
6. Houston Rockets (23-11)
(Previously: 3)
Josh Smith may be a disease.
7. Los Angeles Clippers (23-12)
(Previously: 12)
8. Toronto Raptors (24-10)
(Previously: 7)
"All-Star Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry" sounds pretty damn good to me. But when do we talk about Toronto's 23rd-ranked defense?
9. Memphis Grizzlies (25-9)
(Previously: 4)
A five-spot drop. The honeymoon's over. But I'm going to pretend that 29-point loss to the Nuggets didn't happen.
10. San Antonio Spurs (21-14)
(Previously: 8)
The last time the Spurs didn't win 50 games in a season: 1997. That streak could end.
11. Washington Wizards (23-11)
(Previously: 9)
Liam Neeson sending Quincy Acy for John Wall is one of the saddest things I have ever seen.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
(17-18)
(Previously: 14)
(Courtesy: @heybelinda)
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (19-16)
(Previously: 10)
J.R. Smith and a loss to the 76ers?
14. Phoenix Suns (20-16)
(Previously: 13)
Fifth-best offense in the league. That'll keep the Suns in the hunt for eighth in the West all year.
15. Milwaukee Bucks (18-17)
(Previously: 16)
The Bucks are a game behind the Cavaliers in the East. This is life.
16. New Orleans Pelicans
(17-17)
(Previously: 15)
The best Anthony Davis Tweet of the past two weeks:
Anthony Davis is 18-for-20 w/ the score within 5 points in the last 5 minutes this season: http://t.co/oFOSs98uz9
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) January 2, 2015
17. Brooklyn Nets (16-18)
(Previously: 18)
The Nets can't score, but they can play defense. That means they're a playoff team in the East.
18. Sacramento Kings (14-20)
(Previously: 17)
This is why everyone hates Rudy Gay (watch DeMarcus Cousins' off-ball "movement"):
19. Indiana Pacers (14-22)
(Previously: 19)
If any team deserves to make the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, it's the 2014-15 Pacers.
20. Miami Heat (15-20)
(Previously: 20)
Dwyane Wade's 24.6 PER ranks eighth in the NBA, somehow.
21. Denver Nuggets (15-20)
(Previously: 23)
Never forget:
22. Boston Celtics (11-21)
(Previously: 24)
I was watching Dallas-Boston on Friday, The Return of Rajon Rondo, and I still can't believe the Celtics have grey jerseys.
23. Utah Jazz (12-23)
(Previously: 26
The Jazz jump three spots because of their coach:
Quin Snyder said, and the players confirmed, that for one full timeout, Quin just said nothing and stared at the players. It worked.
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) December 31, 2014
24. Orlando Magic (13-24)
(Previously: 22)
Nikola Vucevic. #NBABallot
25. Charlotte Hornets (12-24)
(Previously: 25)
Al Jefferson's out four weeks, making it official: a lost season.
26. Detroit Pistons (10-23)
(Previously: 28)
The Pistons won five of their first 28 games. They released Josh Smith and won five in a row. Life is beautiful.
27. Los Angeles Lakers (11-24)
(Previously: 21)
It's the head nod at the end that really makes it:
28. Philadelphia 76ers (5-28)
(Previously: 29)
After starting out 0-17, the 76ers are 5-11 since Dec. 2, which is a better record than the Wolves, Knicks and Kings (!) over that time.
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) January 6, 2015
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-28)
(Previously: 30)
I want to see the Timberwolves and Knicks play a best-of-seven series.
30. New York Knicks (5-32)
(Previously: 27)
If you feel sorry for Carmelo Anthony, you're a better person than I am.