Post by CJ - Houston Rockets on Jul 30, 2012 21:34:56 GMT -5
1. Miami Heat - It may come as a suprise to many that I put them at the top spot, but they have a great leader in Iguodala. Overall they may have the strongest defense in the league in Jordan, Millsap, AI, Allen, and Collison. I see this team as being compared the Indiana Pacers in real life with their depth, and with the rest of the league much more equal I see them as the top contender right now.
2. Los Angeles Clippers - Everyone knows the Clippers are one the top teams this year. They have a young, gritty team that will play every team hard. Kevin Love is easily a 20-10 guy. Jrue Holiday is a very underrated point guard. This team has a solid 7-8 man rotation, and they all have alot of athleticism.
3. New Orleans Hornets - This is another team that not many may have expected to be up at the top. They have a young PG and Center tandem that could become the greatest within a few short seasons. Behind them they have veteran leadership and a strong defensive bench. Matt Barnes, Kenyon Martin, Shawn Marion, and Rip Hamilton all can impact that game especially on the defensive end.
4. San Antonio Spurs - Kevin Durant is a star. It is very likely he will lead the league in scoring, but he has a ton of veteran stars around him in Duncan and West. Overall this team is built strong downlow, with threats all along the wings. Expect this team to be a serious championship contender especially when they get hot.
5. Toronto Raptors - This team is stacked with experience and veterans. Wade is obviously a superstar and now he has a big man with a huge scoring ability with Zach Randolph. Caron Butler is also a very underrated wingman who could drop 20+ on any given night. The only weakness within this team may be there young big man in Valanciunas but he will have a much easier time developing with such great veterans around him.
6. Los Angeles Lakers - Kobe Bryant, The Black Mamba will be the leader of this team. Any team with Kobe on it still will be a serious contender. He has along side him some young wingmen, and a great young center in Roy Hibbert. At 7'2" he will easily become a terror downlow with blocks and rebounds. Im just not sure if they have enough depth to challenge a team such as the Clippers or Spurs in the west.
7. Orlando Magics - Dwight Howard will be there go to man downlow. Dwight Howard is obviously one of the greatest to play the game already, and will just be building upon his legacy. He now has some pieces around him including some younger weapons. MKG is a star in the making, and we all know how strong Odom can be if healthy and in shape. A big question mark will be Brandon Roy coming back from his injury and of course there Asian Sensation Jeremy Lin at the point.
8. New York Knicks - Everyone was in awe as the Knicks GM selected Blake Griffin with the 2nd overall pick, but this team actually has not turned out to bad. They have a lot of young talent. This team wont beat you with their defense, but they will score a ton of points with Crawford, George, Griffin, and Conley on the floor. They also have young scorers that will come of the bench and impact that game in Hayward and Budinger.
9. Detroit Pistons - They will be lead by one of the leagues best Duos in Bosh and Rondo. Behind that they really dont have much else to rely on though. Rashard Lewis hasnt been the same since he Sonics and Magics days. Stuckey can go off any given not but is an extremely inconsistent player. But Jermaine ONeal and Perkins should provide a presence down low to intimidate some teams from the paint. Overall I see them going as far as Rondo and Bosh can carry them.
10. Denver Nuggets - The Nuggets have a lot of good talent on the team although I really dont see a true star. Manu Ginobili is getting up there in age but he still can score at will. Josh Smith has become a much more refined offensive threat but he still struggles at times which leaves this team at a crossroad. Defensively this could be a top notch team, with Battier, Jones, Bass, and Smith, but I see their struggles coming at the offense end, and you have to be able to score with the best to win.
11. Chicago Bulls - The Bulls may have the most solid 4 in the league. Deng, Jefferson, Boozer, and Lawson can all impact each game in a huge way. But in saying that each one has weaknesses, and the depth on this team is very lack luster. They also do not have a star. If they suffer any injuries along the way to those four this team could fall out of playoff contention easily, but as long as they stay healthy I could see them being a touch 2nd round out in the playoffs.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves - The TWolves will be lead by their star player Carmelo Anthony. Anthony can be a bit selfish at times but when his pullup jumper is on he is pretty much an unstoppable force. Behind him Kyle Lowry has become a solid point guard in the NBA. Downlow they have 2 players who struggle with injuries in Kaman and Landry but if they stay healthy that is a solid Frontcourt. Overall I see them going as far as Carmelo can carry them, and as we all know that usually means a first round exit.
13. Charlotte Bobcats - They have a star in the making in Monta Ellis. He is quick, athletic, and a scorer. This team is built on scoring and we wont see much defense from them overall. Ellis, Smith, and Beasley all have the talent to put up huge scoring numbers on any given night. They also have Horford downlow who is always solid who will play alongside Brand, who has struggled with injuries and is starting to get up their in years. This team will have to outscore teams to beat them, and they can do that on any given night but come playoff time I see this team being an easy first round out.
14. Golden State Warriors - CP3 is their star. He will have to carry the team many times in order for them to be successful. He also lead some very lackluster teams in New Orleans to the playoffs but come playoff time I see this team struggling. They will fight for a playoff position. Kevin Garnett is still a viable weapon. Prince and Turkoglu are past their primes but they can still do damage offensively and defensively respectfully. Brook Lopez is also a solid big man, but there are more injury problems that come along with him.
15. Atlanta Hawks - Hawks have another strong four. Stoudemire, Parker, Thaddeus Young, and Allen all can score. This team has one of the stronger starting lineups in the league with experience and saavy, but behind that lineup they have little to nothing. Afflalo can play strong D, Barea has sparks, and Zeller is an unproven rookie. Overall I see this team fighting for a playoff spot, but if they do make the playoffs watch out because they could easily make it to the 2nd round or Conference Finals.
16. Utah Jazz - The Jazz are a team with a good mix of young and old. Dirk, Carter, Kirlenko, Kidd, and Maggette all are tested veterans. They are all past their prime but most of them know how to win and can get it done. Curry and Waiters look like the future of this team though. Im not sure if Curry is a good enough point guard yet to lead anyone deep into the playoffs but in time he could become a star. Overall I see this team fighting for a 7th or 8th seed.
17. Indiana Pacers - Overall the Pacers are a team that is just average. They have a young guard in Eric Gordon who can create his own offense but is not a tested leader yet. Bogut has not had much success winning since he has entered the NBA although he can score and rebound well. Humphries is an underrated garbage man, and Kevin Martin can score at will when he gets hot. Overall I see this team also fighting for a playoff spot but falling well short if any injuries occur to their two stars in Gordon or Bogut.
18. Washington Wizards - Lebron James will carry this team as far as he can. This team can be very dangerous in the playoffs and I would be very scared to play them. They have offensive threats in Lebron, Mayo, and Williams. Mayo and Williams have been inconsistent since entering the league though, and Lebron cant be relied upon to just take over and win every game on every night. Noah is a nightmare for any team on the boards because he is big and a hard worker. Overall I do see this team sneaking into the playoffs just because of ther star power they have, but their lack of bench will hurt them down the road.
19. Boston Celtics - The Celtics have a superstar in Deron Williams. Williams can take over on any given night whether its by scoring or getting his team involved. I just feel like Okafor and Lee at the bigmen give them an average front court nothing better. They have experience with Billups, Terry, and Pietrus but there defense is lackluster at best, and offensively they could struggle if the shots arent falling. This team could easily be in the lottery next season so start scouting.
20. Portland TrailBlazers - Watch out for this team in a few seasons. Right now they will struggle because they are very young and unproven. Lamarcus Aldrige has become a star in this league and can average 20 and 8 easily. Behind that they have nothing but youth. Brooks is young but im not sure if his potential is very high. Lillard, Williams, Klay Thompson, and Anthony Davis all have huge upsides. Anthony Davis could even impact the league this year. I see Anthony Davis as one of the front runners for rookie of the year, and overall this team will be looking at another lottery pick but give them a few season and they could be championship contenders if they can hold their pieces together.
21. Houston Rockets - The Rockets are another very young and uproven team. They may be among the youngest in the league. Westbrook looks like he is finally going to get his chance to shine as a star. Im not sure if he is ready to lead a team to the playoffs quite yet, but given a few years of progress, and maybe another piece added to the puzzle this team could also be a serious contender. Watch out for Westbrook, Lamb, and Drummond down the road as they could end up being a serious Triple Threat down the road.
22. Milwaukee Bucks - Milwaukee had a very good draft. Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol are both young and will become NBA Superstars down the road. They just dont have a true leader or identity yet. They may struggle to score at times because Gay's jumper is inconsistent and Gasol and Scola both can struggle against bigger, athletic defenders. Overall I see this team in the lottery again next year because they have very little depth and have little offensive firepower.
23. Brooklyn Nets - The Nets have a squad built for the future. They picked up quite a few great pieces that can build around Derrick Rose. Rose is a superstar and is pretty much already unguardable. He can drive, pass, and shoot. They may struggle this year as the rookies adjust to the speed of the NBA game, but as time progresses if they can hold their piece together they should be a powerhouse down the road. Perry Jones has a very high ceiling for potential, along with Robinson, Beal, and Rivers. I see this team in the lottery again next year but watch out because in a few season they will be serious championship contenders.
24. Memphis Grizzlies - This team has a few pieces offensively. Pau Gasol was a star with he Grizzlies once before and Joe Johnson although he is getting older can still score with his incredible mid range game. Batum is a great, young talent who can really learn under someone like Johnson because on the offensive side he needs to work on his game. Teague is a young point guard who is looking to prove himself. I feel like they dont have a true leader, and that they are just an average team all around. I think they can build through the draft, but if this team could pull off a trade or pick up a free agent they could go from middle of the pack to a championship contender.
25. Oklahoma City Thunder - This team will struggle this year. James Harden can score but do you really want him to be the leader of your team right now in his career? Gortat is an average big man but without a true Point Guard like he has in Phoenix I wonder how well he will do. Hill is getting old along with MWP who is really only a defensive weapon now. Tyreke is still young and has yet to prove himself as a winner in the league. Overall I see this team as just average everywhere which leads me to believe they will be in the lottery. They need to build a decent amount still, but I could see them being playoff contenders as soon as next year if they pick up a piece or two.
26. Dallas Mavericks - The Mavericks have Two Star and behind that little to nothing. Granger and Nash can both compete on the offensive end and can easily put up points. Nash is getting a bit older now though so he has slowed down a bit from his MVP Caliber days. Behind that they have some offensive weapons in Richardson, Williams, and Bargnani. The problem I see is they literally have no defense. I see this team struggling on that end of the floor and if they hope to win they will have to outscore teams. I see them ending up in the lottery with a decent pick, but if they could build some depth they could easily be a contender.
27. Phoenix Suns - The Suns have some weapons but overall this team will struggle. Tyson Chandler is great defensively but other than lobs he will struggle on offense. John Wall will be a top point guard in the future but for now he is still unproven and has alot of work to do. After those two they really have nothing else to fall back on. This team could end up growing into something decent but they have alot of work to do and I see them ending up with a Top 5 pick in the upcoming draft.
28. Cleveland Cavaliers - Cavaliers have a very young unproven team. Gerald Wallace is your star offensively you know you are in for a tough year. He can give you 15 at best, but he is more of a defensive minded player. Rubio, Faried, Barnes, and Burks can all be weapons down the road but right now they have to learn the NBA game. Sessions is just an average point guard, and Nick Young is strictly a scorer. This team has some work to do, but as their players progress I could see them becoming contenders, but for this season I would predict a top 5 pick win the draft.
29. Sacramento Kings - Kings have no offensive threat. Bynum is a great Center but still isnt a polished scorer. Ibaka is great defensively but still has to work on his offensive game quite a bit. After that they have little to nothing in support. Shumpert, Thomas, and Gee all have potential but as of right now they still have to adjust to the NBA. Lee and Brooks can help out a bit offensively but they arent true scorers, so overall I see this team struggling alot on offense and they are very young. Down the road I see them as a contender but this season I could see them ending up with a top 3 pick in the upcoming draft.
30. Philadelphia 76ers - The 76ers have alot of work to do. Right now Paul Piece is their star and he is an aging, out of his prime wingman who needs some pieces around him. Jennings could be a stud down the road but for now he still is an unproven point guard with alot to work on. McGee has little to no basketball awareness but has alot of athleticism. Hickson and Ross both have high ceilings but right now are just overall slashers and inconsistent. I see this team struggling on both sides of the ball. Good luck each night trying to find a true scorer, because Pierce nor Jennings will give you more than 17 a game. I see this team ending up with the #1 Pick next year because of all the struggles they will have. Hopefully they can start rebuilding a put together a playoff contender within the next few seasons.
Steeze™ Power Rankings [Will Be Updated Each Week]
