NBA Rankings: Three for Thought – 9 through 7
Here are my rankings so far:
30 – Phoenix Suns, 29 – Orlando Magic, 28 – Charlotte Bobcats, 27 – Utah Jazz, 26 – Milwaukee Bucks, 25 – Toronto Raptors, 24 – Boston Celtics, 23 – Philadelphia 76ers, 22 – Sacramento Kings, 21 – LA Lakers, 20 – Atlanta Hawks, 19 – Portland Trailblazers, 18 – New Orleans, 17 – Cleveland Cavaliers, 16 – Dallas Mavericks, 15 – Washington Wizards, 14 – Minnesota Timberwolves, 13 – Detroit Pistons, 12 – Denver Nuggets, 11 – Memphis Grizzlies
10 – New York Knicks
The Top 10 of my list is now underway. Every single team on this list has a chance of winning it all, it’s obvious that a certain three-peat hopeful will be first in most bookies eyes leading into the season but nobody can predict what injuries, trades, buzzer-beaters or off nights that’s going to take place, that’s what makes the league so great!
So on to the next three with just six days till the season begins…
9 – San Antonio Spurs – 2012/13: 58-24 – 2013/14: 50-32
The Spurs are getting the old band back together. 12 months ago most of us wrote San Antonio off, citing the aging Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli. They proved everybody wrong. The Spurs were literally seconds away from being the defending Champions right now if it weren’t for Ray Allen.
Ginobli took a pay-cut to stay with the team and the head office seemingly chose the more proven Splitter over the breakout Gary Neal who’s gone to Milwaukee.
A small market team is constantly under restrictions; the team flirt with the luxury tax threshold nearly every season but manage to steer clear.
But surely there is a limit to production of a core of players who continue to age. Comparisons can be struck with the Celtics, everybody thought the 2008 champions were done and went back to the Finals two years later. Sadly however we know how that Boston core ended, disbanding too late can be hurtful especially without the depth of youth ready to takeover.
Only Splitter is contracted for the start of the 2015/16 season but undoubtedly the team will extend on Kawhi, renew Parker and in the mean time look to develop a new look roster and no doubt gracefully accommodating the end of Tim Duncan’s illustrious career.
So what of this season then?
Pop will always coach a team with this much quality into contention but the time window for a veteran team is small, this may be their last season to try and get something done.
Parker had a great year was but was clearly hurt in the later games of the Finals but is still only 31, in the prime of his career and ready to run the back-court once again and with the added wing option of Marco Bellinelli and the reputation gained by Danny Green from his playoff performances gives the teams extra attacking options this season.
Purely down to the improvements made by the teams around them though they’ll struggle to amass 58 wins like last season but should still enjoy another successful year.
8 – Golden State Warriors – 2012/13: 47-35 – 2013/14: 51-31
The regular season isn’t where the Warriors are aiming to improve this season, sure they’ll be aiming to move into the top four but Mark Jackson and the head office have added players with an eye on winning it all.
Steph Curry will no doubt be coming into the season with the same goal, his amazing offensive display and ability to shoot the 3 will cause a lot of coaching nightmares this season as they have the personnel to score against you on every end of the floor.
David Lee at forward and finally healthy is key as the expiring Andrew Bogut is almost guaranteed to miss 20 games due to whatever part of his body is working that month. Bogut has great grit and determination and made some key plays for the team against the nuggets in the playoffs, Golden State will just be aiming to make sure he’s healthy come May.
The signing of Iguodala hasn’t only given the team one of the greatest defenders on the perimeter in the game today but it’s also shown the shift in power in the West. Denver had the money to keep Iggy but he chose to go to Golden State seemingly because he believes they have more of a chance of making a run.
Barnes and Thompson are both fantastic jump and outside shooters compounding the team’s elite status.
Teams will show Golden State a lot of respect this season, it’s likely more than one of their guys on the roster will be suiting up for the All-Star weekend and could even contend for the number one spot in the West, a lot of things would have to go their way however.
7 – Brooklyn Nets – 2012/13: 49-33 – 2013/14: 52-30
The Nets are even more similar to the Celtics of old, they play for championships. If a team with this much quality wanted to they could easily challenge for the top spot of the East but with so many guys in their last years, they’ll be aiming to limit guys like Pierce and KG to as few minutes as possible whilst making sure they get the job done each night.
The Atlantic Division has taken a massive turn and the Nets are arguably now the strongest team and despite the constant attempts to manufacture and over-inflate their rivalry with the Nets, New York and Brooklyn genuinely are out to put each other down this season.
The Pierce, KG and Jason Terry has injected some vital experience into the team, not to mention to clutch shooting ability from the back and in the front of the court.
Brook Lopez has shown he is one of the top three Centre’s in the league but was often having to get it done on his own last season. Now with Garnett at his shoulder and Andrei Kirilenko (suspiciously) signed up the team along with Joe Johnson at the Power Forward, this could possibly be the deepest and strongest set of big men in the league.
It goes without saying that the team is smashing the luxury tax to pieces so rookie coach Jason Kidd is under a lot of pressure immediately in his new career path to deliver. Fortunately for him the on-court coaching is taken care of, Deron Williams, if his head is in the right place, will pull the strings of this veteran team and has plenty of options each and every possession.
The Nets are nearly $30 million over the tax threshold, which means they will pay roughly $85 million in tax unless they shed players between now and June 30, which isn’t likely given their desire to contend.
Reggie Evan’s and Andrey Blatche continue to give you some hard fought minutes however limited they may be this season but this is a roster capable of winning a championship.
Putting them seventh overall on this list is counter to the points just made but to knock on the door of the big guns you have to prove you’re big time. Brooklyn will be looking to do just that this season.