I really want to do a Power Rankings this season but it is a lot of work to write about every team so I thought I would try to keep it simple by only including the top 10 teams. This will be my offseason rankings. I will do another one after the preseason ends and then as much as I can after that. I understand that no matter how I rank these teams that I will upset someone and I am fine with that. This is my opinion and nothing else. Many factors will go into these rankings. I will not assume that the team will be 100% healthy either. If there is a history of injuries it will play into things. So let us take a look.

1. Lakers. It is really hard for me to think that any team should be ahead of the Lakers at this point. For one they are the Champions and for two they are the same team plus they added a very solid piece in Ron Artest. Sure Kobe Bryant is starting to age and is not as explosive as he was a few years back but he is still a top 3 talent in the league. This team is stacked from top to bottom with the only real hole being in the point guard position but in the triangle offense an elite point is not needed.

2. Magic. I did not just put them here because they made it to the Finals last season but rather for the solid moves they made this offseason. Sure they lost a few players and a key one in Turk, but they more them made up for it by snagging Vince Carter, Matt Barnes, and Brandon Bass. This team is now very balanced and now that Jameer Nelson is back this team is very scary. They will have a chip on their shoulder and I am sure Vince Carter came with chip already on his shoulder.

3. Cavaliers. Ok, so they were the best team in the regular season last year and were heavily favored to make it to the finals and then they laid an egg. Maybe their egos did get in the way. Maybe their lack of depth revealed itself in the intense playoffs of the NBA. The bottomline to me is that this is a great team with perhaps the best player in the game and they just added a future hall of fame center in Shaq. Shaq is old as we all know but he has looked good lately and I think he is a nice fit on this team. They still need a consistant second option though if you ask me.




4. Celtics. If this team stays healthy they are the deepest team in the NBA if you ask me, but I can not move them up higher on the list because the chance of an injury is so high on this team. What are the chances that this team will enter the playoffs with a full roster? Rasheed Wallace could be a gamble but I think he will mesh well, but if he starts jacking threes then he could hurt the chemistry on this team. Age is the biggest factor and I really wonder how much gas is left in Kevn Garnett and Ray Allen. Rajon Rondo could become the best player on this team this season. Strange.




5. Spurs. It is clear to me that the top five teams are the top five teams and that things drop a bit after the Spurs. You could rearrange the top 5 and get few arguments. The Lakers however have to be number one, but after that the next four are very close. Again, this is a team that could win it all if they stay healthy. With the addition of Richard Jefferson they get a very good wingman. Tim Duncan is fading much in the way that Kevin Garnett is, but in both cases they are still at the top of the class for thier position. Nobody should be shocked if this team wins 60+ games this season. 




6. Nuggets. Part of me was hoping this team would take out the Lakers last season just for a change of pace, but that did not happen. Chauncey Billups is the heart and soul of this team. He really brought a winning attitude to this ballclub. I am not a big fan of Melo and I do not like J.R. Smith at all. I think Melo made a case however that he is a top 10 player in the NBA with his play last season and while I may not like Melo the man I have to admit he is darn good. My big problem with this team is Nene. He was great last season, but I can smell an injury coming. With him out this team will lack the size to compete with the big dogs.



7. Trail Blazers. This team oozes with talent. A young shooting guard that in my mind is the third best at his position in the league is the cornerstone. Roy will only get better as his young team grows around him. already LaMarcus Aldridge is a top power forward and is getting better every year. I wish my Bulls had a chance of snagging him. Oh wait, we did. (single tear runs down my cheek). I digress. If Greg Oden can defend the paint then this team could go places. I also love the addition of Andre Miller as well. I see no major weaknesses on this team.




8. Mavericks. On paper this is one of the best teams in the NBA, but I am not drinking the cool-aid quite yet. This team always seems to have the talent but lacks chemisrty. Dirk, Kidd, and Marion seems like a winning combo but you just never know in Dallas. Marion should give them the defense in the post that they were missing outside of perhaps Dampier. I also like the Drew Gooden pick up. It heals the wound left by Bass leaving. Gooden should fit in nicely. this is just one of those teams that i will have to see play together as a team before I am sold on them.




9. Hornets. This team struggled last season to live up to all the hype but Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA and he makes the player around him shine. I really think the story for this team this season is the pickup of Emeka Okafor. I think this is a great move for the Hornets and for Okafor. It will be interesting to see how Emeka does on a good team alongside a scoring post player like West. Was he held back all these years by playing on the Bobcats? Maybe. Can CP3 turn him into an Allstar? Maybe.





10. Wizards. There is a ton of buzz surrounding this team lately and it all has to do with Gilbert Arenas. Remember him? You know, that buzzer beating, highlight making, scoring machine. Talk is he is back and healthy. Butler really looked great down the stretch last season and Jamison is Jamison. However this team only won 19 games last season so I had to swallow really hard before I put them in the top 10 ahead of the Jazz, Hawks, Heat, 76ers, and Suns. Infact, You can replace the Wizards with any of those five teams if you like. If Arenas is his one self then this team can win 50 games, if not maybe only 30.




Well, I hope you enjoyed the read. Like I stated before, I will write up the Top 10 as often as I can. Numbers 11-30 I will leave for others. Getting into the Top 10 is all that really matters. I means your team is a contender and winning a championship is what it is all about. Please leave you replies and your Top ten list as well.

     While trying to work on another Blog about my thoughts on the top 10 teams going into the season I quickly started thinking about how some teams going into this season are so hard to figure out. On one hand these teams could be quite good if not great but at the same time I would not be shocked if they laid an egg this season. So I thought it would be fun to list my top 5 unpredictable teams going into the new season and get your feedback. Every season seems to have those teams that make you scatch your head and I thought it might be an interesting topic. So let us take a look.

1. Wizards. To me this is a team that can go so many ways. If healthy this team could not only make the playoffs after having a season in which they won only 19 games, but could potentially knock off a contender in the playoffs like the Celtics, Magic, or Cavaliers. If Gilbert Arenas is back like all reports are saying then the Wizards could pick up right where they left off a few seasons ago. The additions of Mike Miller and Randy Foye give this team depth and if Caron Butler plays anything like he was to close out the season then the Wizards will have a great big 3 with Butler, Arenas, and Jamison. On the other hand Arenas or Butler could reinjure themselves and this team could be a bottom feeder again. Worst-case: 25 wins. Best-case: 55 wins.

2. Raptors. Well they managed to only win 33 games last season but finished pretty strong. Overall they underachieved on a grand scale. I thought with Bosh, Marion, and Calderon that they were going to be a top 5 team in the east last season but I was way wrong and so were many others. Now Marion is gone but they have replaced him with the sharp shooting and versatile Hedo Turkoglu. In many ways Turk is the anti-Marion. Turk is not a good defender and relies strongly on his offensive game. This might be an issue as Chris Bosh is not an outstanding defender and the Raptors really have nobody to defend the post very well. With all of that said however this team have a lot of talent. Andrea Bargnani is starting to come into his own and this team should be able to put up some points. Worst-case: 30 wins. Best-case: 50 wins.

3. Bulls. This is my own team and I am not sure what to expect. I have seen a lot of different opinions on the Bulls on these boards so far this summer and the only thing I can gather is that nobody knows what they will do this season. The Bulls lost Ben Gordon who some think was the Bulls best player and that the Bulls will have trouble to score and will miss the playoffs. Other stand by the notion of addition by subtraction and that BG hurt the Bulls flow on offense and the growth of Derrick Rose. I lean towards the later. Maybe it is because I am a Bulls fan. I think John Salmons at the shooting guard spot with Hinrich as the third guard just makes the Bulls bigger and better on defense. If Luol Deng is healthy and can return to his 18 and 8 ways then things could be good in Chicago. Worst-case: 32 wins. Best-case: 48 wins

4. Grizzlies. This team can only get better right? I do not know. I think O.J. Mayo is a great player in the making and Marc Gasol is a stud. Rudy Gay is a solid go to guy and if Zach Randolph pans out then this team could steal a few games. Will they make it to the playoffs in the west? No chance. Could they be a .500 team? Maybe. The real issue is that this team is so young but they added a 20 and 10 player to score in the paint and draw doubles. They have shooters to create an inside out game.The X-factor has to be Hasheem Thabeet. I do not think much of him but I could be wrong. If he can grab rebounds and block shots then this team might have a bright future. Worst-case: 26 wins. Best-case: 41 wins



5. 76ers. What a kick to the crotch it was to Philadelphia when Elton Brand went out with an injury. Many had the 76ers as the 3rd best team in the east going into last season. On paper they were great. They were young and up and coming. Elton Brand was that final part that would make the 76ers a contender for the first time since Larry Brown was coach. Well it is time to take 2 on this team except this time they do not have the savvy Andre Miller running the offense so that could be an issue. This team does have some depth and Thaddeus Young is looking like the real deal. Now if only Iggy could reach that next level that we all thought he would. Worst-case: 37 Wins. Best-case: 50 wins



Honorable Mentions: Warriors, Pistons, Mavericks, and Hornets.

Here we go:

1. Lakers. The team to beat and without doubt the best in the NBA right now. Best record plus being the hottest team in the league is proof enough.
2. Cavaliers. Just when you think this team is not as good as the Celtics LeBron James does something insane that gives me a Michael Jordan flasback. Lack of depth? Who cares? Who is going to stop LBJ?
3. Spurs. Overtime loss to the Knicks was a hard one for any fan to watch who does not live in New York. I still think this team has a real shot at an upset when the WCFs roll around.
4. Celtics. How will this team adjust without Kevin Garnett? I think they just lost themselves the number one seed for sure. Will KG come back in full health? Scary for Celtic fans I bet.
5. Magic. Rafer Alston was a great move for the Magic with Jameer Nelson out for the season. Magic fans must be breathing a sigh of relief right now. There is yet a flicker of hope off in the distance.
6. Nuggets. Loss to the Bulls was ugly for sure. But Billups has been great for this team. They need to be a bit more consistant and play with passion every game.
7. Portland. With Michael Ruffin on board they could make it to the Finals. Sorry, that was a joke. This team is young and balanced. Most of all they keep winning games.
8. Jazz. Look out here they come. They are just 3 1/2 games out of the 4th seed and playing quite well. Have won 3 in a row. I smell a darkhorse.
9. Rockets. This team iwins three games without Tracy McGrady. Didn't this happen before? Tracy McGrady is a cursed player. There I said it.
10. Mavericks. Another darkhorse team. Dirk is playing his best ball this season and this team has nice depth. I hope they can do without Jason Terry.
11. Hornets. I really liked the double reverse trade for Tyson Chandler. I wonder if they knew how bad his toe was? This will hurt them in future trades. What seed does this team get in the playoffs? 8th vs Lakers? Ouch!
12. Hawks. Young and balanced. They are the fourth best team in the east but are this low in the rankings. Says a lot about the east.
13. Suns. This team was reborn the day they fired Terry Porter. How far will they get without Amar'e Stoudemire? That is the real question.
14. Heat. Not to sure that JO was the right move or not. He is injury prone so you have to wonder if he will be there come playoff time. Good thing they have that other guy Dwyane Wade to carry them.
15. Bulls. This team is one of the hottest teams in the east right now. Beating the Nuggets with only 7 players says a lot about this teams passion. They are playing gritty, backs against the wall basketball. Hello playoffs.
16. Pistons. Rasheed Wallace will jack up 5 failed 3 point attempts before I finish writing this sentence. Someone needs to buy Coach Curry a chemistry set. Sad when AI is not the problem.
17. Bucks. This team has one thing going for it. Scott Skiles. He and he alone will will this team into the playoffs. I am not sure that will be enough at the end of the day.
18. 76ers. This team will most likely make the playoffs but lets hope Miller gets back soon to run this team before they rack up to many losses.
19. Knicks. Starting to rack up a lot of points on other teams. Larry Hughes should be a nice addition to Mike D'Antoni's run and gun offense. Knicks could slip into the playoffs yet.
20. Pacers. This is were the teams really start to slip off for me. Granger can not do it by himself. This team needs to make some smart draft selections this summer and let the rebuilding continue.
21. Nets. They could not get rid of Vince Carter. Souldn't they have done that like 3 years ago anyways? Brook Lopez is a solid piece to the puzzle for the future.
22. Warriors. Despite what some Warriors fans think Monta Ellis has not been playing that well and without Andris Biedrins in the paint this team will continue to struggle.
23. Raptors. Record or no record, a team with Jose Calderon, Chris Bosh, and Shawn Marion can not be this bad, can they?
24. Bobcats. Is this team ever going to be a .500 team after an Allstar break? They have rebuilding down to a fine art in Charlotte.
25. Timberwolves. No Al Jefferson equals a lot of tears in pillows. Timberwolves fans need only think about the draft to find comfort.
26. Grizzlies. At least this team has a bright future to think about. To bad the owners do not like to spend money.
27. Wizards. Two wins in a row is nice to see. Other then that this team has been shockingly bad this season.
28. Clippers. Baron Davis needs not to be traded for Tracy McGrady, we need to get these two guys on the same team. That would be interesting.
29. Thunder. Maybe the best young talent in the NBA reside here in Kevin Durant. What a joy to watch he is. Let's hope they can build something around him.
30. Kings. What else can be said. Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni could help things out. I will miss Andres Nocioni though.

1. Lakers. Great road trip only solidifies their dominance. Sole loss to the Jazz should not faze them what so ever. They are the team to beat.
2. Spurs. Win over the Celtics move them up in my book. This is a scary team that is now playing their best ball of the season. It seems this way every year. Spurs always make a push come midseason.
3. Celtics. Losses to the Lakers and Spurs hurts their chances to be called the top dog. Even with that being said they are still playing fairly good and should rebound. They are the best in the east for now.
4. Nuggets. Call me crazy but this team is quitely pushing itself up the standings and beating solid teams on the way. Chauncy Billups is proving to be a top point guard. Piston fans must be missing him.
5. Cavaliers. A loss to the Lakers is understandable but a loss to the Pacers is just sad. The question of depth once again the topic of conversation amongst Cavalier fans.
6. Magic. Still sitting pretty in the east. A loss to the Nuggets is bound to happen. Will the loss of Jameer Nelson keep the Magic from going deep in the playoffs?
7. Trail Blazers. This young team may be to young to win rings this year, but Laker fans have to be a bit afraid of the future. The Blazers are looking more and more like the team of the future.
8. Hawks. The Hawks are for the east what the Blazers are for the west. A young team that could be in the finals for years to come. Young and athletic, this team has a bit off everything needed to win.
9. Hornets. Something tells me this team will finish the season strong. A healthy Chris Paul is a must or this team is not going anywhere and they will continue to slip in the standings.
10. Jazz. Creeping back to life this is not a team anyone wants to face in the first round. When Boozer returns this team will make a push. I could see them landing the 6th seed.
11. Rockets. With Tracy McGrady out again with knee problems the Rockets can say goodbye to the season. What looked like a promissing season has turned into what most expected. Injury plagued.
12. Mavericks. A Darkhorse? I was starting to think so but they play so hot and cold it is hard to figure them out. On a bright note Dirk is having his best season ever.
13. Heat. Is Jermaine O'Neal the answer? Maybe not but they finally got rid of Shawn Marion and I like the pickup of the young and athletic Moon.
14. 76ers. Elton Brand who? To bad they owe Brand so much money because it looks like they do not need him at all. In the end though how far will this team get in the playoffs?
15. Suns. What is going on in sun city? This is a team that is about to dismantle and start over. Not even Steve Nash can make this team look good. Say goodbye to Shaq or Amar'e or both.
16. Bucks. Even with all the injuries this team still keeps winning. I do think that this team will still slow down and slip in the standings and maybe out of the playoff picture.
17. Pistons. Slip sliding away. 3 losses in a row only magnifies their issues. Rasheed Wallace needs to be traded. I would trade Iverson if I were them and build around Rip, Stuckey, and Prince.
18. Bulls. This team is either winning or losing close games. There is a lot of turmoil behind the scenes with talk of Paxson stepping down after the Allstar game and trade talks with the Suns could hurt this team.
19. Nets. Brook Lopez has been outstanding thus far this season. He looks like he may be what most thought Grag Oden was. A future Allstar Center. He will be key for this team down the stretch.
20. Pacers. Big win over the Cavaliers was a great game for Pacer fans and Danny Granger is becoming a top 10 player overnight. No only if they can build a team around him.
21. Bobcats. This team has 6 players averaging more then 10 points a game. You would think that is a good thing but they have no go to guy down the stretch.
22. Warriors. They have won 3 in a row. To bad there is no hope of making the playoffs in the stacked western conference.
23. Knicks. Another Hot and Cold team that has little chance of making the playoffs. They have to hope for other teams ahead of them to really fall apart. 2010 can not come soon enough.
24. Raptors. With Shawn Marion teamed up with Jose Calderon and Chris Bosh you would think this would be a great team. we will just have to see.
25. Grizzlies. They move up just because others have moved down and not because they have gotten any better. O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol are a solid young pair and can be built around.
26. Thunder. Kevin Durant is the next big thing but I am sure you already know that. By next season he will be a top 10 player. To bad he is on the Thunder. When is his contract up?
27. Clippers. This team has a lot of solid players. They have to start winning some games right? No, they most likely be looking for yet another high draft pick.
28. Timberwolves. Can this team even land one more win without Al Jefferson? I would be shocked if they win more then 3 games by seasons end.
29. Wizards. Two players averaging more then 20 points is nice but when your top assist maker is your small forward and he only averages 4.4 assists then you are in trouble.
30. Kings. Kings of crap that is. Kevin Martin needs to demand a trade if this team is in the same boat next season. On another note I think they should trade Brad Miller to my Bulls for Larry Hughes.