NYKC Power Rankings: 12/29/08

This is the first edition of our weekly power rankings here at NY Knicks Central.  These rankings are based on a mathematical formula that takes into account certain numbers and stats such as offensive efficiency, defensive efficiency, W-L record, and strength of schedule.  To see an explanation of how the ratings are calculated go here.

Here are some things to note in this week’s edition:

• Yes that is the Cleveland Cavaliers at the top ahead of Boston and LA.  Cleveland deserves the credit for simply blowing the competition out of the water.  They have blown out the bad teams they were supposed to and their efficiency ratings are so good that they project an expected winning percentage of .909.  That’s a 74-8 projected record.  No they won’t do it but that’s how good they have been.  A 25-2 stretch will do that for you.
• One team that needs to be in the discussion of the elite is the Orlando Magic as the numbers indicate.  This team is quietly 24-6 and everyone knows they can score with the shooting of Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis.  Having Dwight Howard to clean up and mistakes in the lane sure helps a lot also.
• After the slow start the Spurs have climbed back to being a legit title contender as they slide in at #5.  Age and depth is still a concern but at least the defense is back to where it should be.  Roger Mason is a good fit there.
• My one sleeper team going forward is Milwaukee.  Scott Skiles has gotten this team to play really good defense as their defensive efficency is alost identical to that of the Spurs.  They can’t win a title without a legit go to scorer but they’ll be in the mix come playoff time.
• One team that should get hot soon is Portland.  Based on their efficiency ratings they are a low-50 win team and they have played a rather tough schedule.  This young club will be on the rise again soon.
• Enough already.  Here are the rankings in their entirety.

 

Rank	Team	Off Eff	Def Eff	Exp Win %	Win %	Win % L10	SOS	NYKC Power Rating
1		110.5	96.1	.909	.867	.900	.472	85.1797
2		107.6	95.3	.881	.875	.800	.485	83.1553
3		109.7	99.9	.824	.833	.800	.489	79.0927
4		106.4	97.0	.821	.800	.900	.439	78.4622
5		105.4	101.2	.662	.667	.800	.466	65.7458
6		106.8	102.7	.656	.655	.700	.496	64.4195
7		105.7	101.4	.665	.645	.600	.518	63.7806
8		105.7	102.3	.632	.667	.700	.515	63.7345
9		111.0	105.9	.685	.613	.500	.518	62.8088
10		104.6	101.3	.629	.645	.700	.496	62.7767
11		104.9	101.7	.625	.600	.700	.491	61.1641
12		104.8	101.6	.625	.563	.500	.476	57.8949
13		108.4	106.6	.569	.571	.500	.540	55.9746
14		104.1	103.4	.528	.607	.600	.459	55.1944
15		103.4	102.4	.540	.552	.600	.451	54.0618
16		100.5	101.5	.459	.452	.500	.522	46.7308
17		106.6	108.9	.413	.500	.400	.453	44.1722
18		102.2	105.3	.379	.433	.400	.550	41.4588
19		98.9	101.9	.379	.414	.400	.492	40.2924
20		102.7	105.9	.376	.400	.400	.542	40.2234
21		102.7	104.9	.413	.333	.300	.557	39.2425
22		100.1	103.1	.381	.355	.400	.508	38.7524
23		101.7	106.3	.325	.333	.500	.481	36.0705
24		103.3	107.8	.331	.379	.300	.508	36.0104
25		96.7	103.2	.255	.276	.500	.499	31.0036
26		103.0	109.8	.258	.281	.200	.517	28.5221
27		101.4	109.1	.230	.179	.200	.532	24.1829
28		99.4	110.3	.152	.226	.200	.533	21.7180
29		98.9	108.4	.180	.172	.100	.510	20.2945
30		96.1	106.9	.147	.097	.100	.499	16.2495

Coast to Coast: 12/26/08

Let’s go coast to coast with the stories and views from around the league:

• Steve Dilbeck of the LA Daily News: “The Lakers came into their showdown with the Celtics an impressive 23-5, and very much needing to beat Boston down. Needing reason to truly believe they are as good they like to think they are, that they are that much better than the team Boston drummed in the NBAFinals last June.  The Celtics came into Staples Center on a roll, having won a franchise- record 19straight games. Still looking focused and determined, and playing with a mature consistency that has eluded the Lakers.  But the Lakers needed this one more, needed to brush aside the perception they were soft, too weak mentally, just too inferior to the mighty Celtics.  Despite the great run the Celtics were on, despite the glare of a nationally-televised Christmas Day game, this game was more important to the Lakers, and ultimately they played like it.  They may not have been dramatically better, but it was the Lakers who answered the challenge, who made plays down the stretch and came away with the 92-83 victory that reeked of playoff intensity.”
• Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: “Which brings us to the Cavs, the surprise team of the NBA after Thursday’s 93-89 victory over Washington. The 25-4 Cavs are right behind the 27-3 Celtics in the race to be the best in the Eastern Conference.  Was it reasonable to expect the Cavs to win 50 games this season? Of course, assuming LeBron James stays healthy. But a 25-4 start with only five players remaining from this time a year ago?  It’s a product of chemistry…make that trust…much like Boston a year ago.”
• Mark Heisler of the LA Times: “Yet to be determined is whether the Lakers have undergone an actual attitude adjustment and will play hard all the time.  On the other hand, when you think of their fans booing them off the court at halftime in their last game here, when they trailed the New York Knicks by 15, followed by losses in Miami and Orlando and a rally from five points behind in the last 3:30 to win in Memphis, Christmas marked some turnaround.  The Lakers defended energetically, if not always well.  They showed that their physical advantages over the Celtics in size and depth matter.”
• From the Detroit News: ”Chris Paul of the Hornets saw his league-record string of 108 games with at least one steal end in the Hornets’ 88-68 loss to the Magic on Thursday. Paul, the NBA steals leader (3.7 average), and most of the starters came out early in the fourth quarter with the Magic up by at least 20. “Half the time when I got a steal I didn’t even know it,” said Paul, who was unaware his streak ended until after the game. “It was going to end at some point so why not Christmas?”“
• Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News: “The NBA went all out to make the late-night portion of its Christmas Day extravaganza a real yuletide experience. The uniforms were green for the Mavericks, red for Portland.  Given the festive atmosphere, you half expected the teams to come out wearing Santa hats.  But by the third quarter, good tidings were officially over.  A flurry of technical fouls and some elbows-first kind of play turned the game into a nasty, rugged affair devoid of any Christmas cheer.  That was just fine with the Mavericks, since they ended up grinding out a 102-94 victory over the Trail Blazers in probably their most commendable victory of the season.”
• Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News: “Irate, Duncan grabbed Stoudemire so that referee Jason Phillips was forced to call a foul, and that gave Duncan time to give the whistle blower his opinion.  Fifty-nine seconds later, Duncan rued the momentary loss of his stoic demeanor. Whistled for bumping O’Neal as the Suns center looked for a cutting teammate, Duncan knew he was one foul shy of disqualification.  Somehow, he managed to avoid a sixth personal while stopping three drives to the basket by Stoudemire in the final 1:53, each time rebounding the miss.  It was a clutch performance Popovich called “absolutely spectacular.”  Duncan’s defense kept things just close enough for the dramatic ending. Spurs guard Roger Mason Jr. launched a 3-point shot from the left corner that beat the buzzer as it left his hand and beat the Suns when it went in the basket.”
• Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic: “Being plucked from a bad franchise and put into a successful one two weeks ago was like a Christmas present for Jason Richardson.  The new Sun wants so badly to help. Too badly.  His decision to help on defense Thursday against San Antonio’s Tony Parker made the NBA’s third-ranked 3-point shooter, Roger Mason, look as alone in the corner as a Christmas tree once the presents are gone. Mason, subbed in for that play, made good on the 3-point shot to beat the buzzer and the Suns, 91-90, at US Airways Center.”

Coast to Coast: 9/22/08

Let’s push the ball up the court as we go from coast to coast with the stories from around the league.

• There are some professional athletes that get it and there are some that don’t get it.  Dwayne Wade gets it.  LeBron James gets it.  So does Chris Paul.  You can tell how smart and bright these guys are by the way that they carry themselves.  However, Josh Howard is one of those that just doesn’t get it.  A moron said something really stupid.  Let’s just move on.  Realgm.com explains the situation in detail including labeling him as the problem child.
• Meanwhile the AP is reporting that Mark Cuban has said on his blog that Howard realizes his comments were wrong and that he apologized.
• We have talked about the Zach Randolph situation plenty but one possible destination floating around for him to land is Golden State.  The 3 years and $48 million left on his deal is a huge roadblock though to any potential trade.  The San Francisco Examiner is reporting that for the Warriors to acquire Zach, they would likely have the unload another bad contract in the deal such as Stephen Jackson or Al Harrington.  Unlike Randolph, Jackson and Harrington only have 2 years left on their deals.  Also Harrington can opt out after this season but he is set to make a whopping $10 million this year regardless.  It just makes it hard to imagine a trade between the two teams.  I don’t think the Warriors would trade one of their bad contracts for an even worse contract that lasts for one extra year.
• The Orange County Register is reporting that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has made the most obvious statement of the day: that the Lakers gave up less to get Pau Gasol than the Grizzlies originally wanted.  Thanks for that hard hitting analysis Mitch.  You fleeced them, I understand that.
• Slow news day in basketball so that is it for today.  I do want to say congratulations to the US Ryder Cup team who played wonderfully all weekend long in their upset over Europe.  Hunter Mahan, Boo Weekley, and J.B. Holmes were all huge for the home team.  Golf fans need to get to know these names soon.