NBA Playoff Power Rankings

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Power poll: Picking the Spurs to repeat

By Stan McNeal - SportingNews Apr 18, 10:06 am EDT





Congratulations, Doc. You, too, K.G., Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and the rest of the Celtics. You are the Power Poll’s regular season champion. Great job. Check is in the mail.
Now what does finishing No. 1 in the regular season earn the Celtics in the Poll’s playoff rankings. How about No. 2?
Let’s explain. Without question, this is the deepest playoff field the Poll can remember, and the Poll has been following the NBA since BN (before Nike). No fewer than seven teams have a legitimate shot of taking home the big trophy. The space between No. 1 and No. 2 is so tight it’s more like No. 1 and No. 1.1.
Another thing: These rankings are not based on the regular season. They’re not based on who’s played best the past week. They’re not based on who has the best player, the most tattoos or resides in the city with the best restaurants. These rankings are based on a team’s chances of winning it all. That’s what the season is down to now, right? Finally.


Onto the rankings.

1. Spurs. Was their sluggish finish due to resting regulars (Tim Duncan played less than 30 minutes a game in April) or are the defending champs overrated? Poll obviously believes the former since Spurs are our pick to repeat.
2. Celtics. With home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and the easiest road to the Finals, why aren’t the Celtics No. 1? Simple. Poll can’t pick against Duncan, Gregg Popovich or the experience that comes with winning the championship.
3. Pistons. Four months ago, the Poll liked them to beat the Celtics. Two months ago the Poll started doubting. One month ago, the Poll changed its mind. The Celtics kept getting better, and the Pistons sort of leveled out. At least that’s the Poll’s take. We should find out in the Eastern Conference finals.
4. Suns. Mike D’Antoni insisted the Suns were good enough to win the title last year. So why did they make the Shaq trade? Because D’Antoni knows this year’s West champ will have to be better than last year’s. After two months with Shaq, the Suns might be.
5. Lakers. Not even Kobe is good enough to get through the West without Andrew Bynum near full strength.
6. Jazz. If they could play all their games at home, they would be No. 1. But they don’t have home-court advantage for even the first round.
7. Mavericks. One scout tells the Poll these guys are playing as well as anyone going into the playoffs. That’s not good news for the Hornets.
8. Hornets. This season’s experience will make them stronger next season. But this season’s experience would have lasted longer if they had matched up against the Nuggets in the first round.
9. Cavaliers. Sorry, LeBron. Poll does not believe you can carry the Cavs past the Celtics and the Pistons.
10. Magic. Dwight Howard has taken the step from star to superstar. To win the Finals, he’ll need to take another step. Maybe next year.
11. Rockets. At some point, the Rockets have to wear down without Yao. The Poll says that will be sooner than later. Of course, the Poll has been saying that for weeks.
12. Wizards. Gilbert, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison form a formidable trio. But so do Duncan, Ginobili and Parker. And Garnett, Pierce and Allen … and Nash, Amare and Shaq … and Kobe, Lamar and Pau and … you get the idea.
13. Nuggets. Allen Iverson has led a much lesser team to the Finals. Of course, he was leading that team through the East.
14. Raptors. The most disappointing season of any playoff team.
15. Sixers. Finishing on a four-game losing streak doesn’t inspire confidence in their chances to upset Pistons.
16. Hawks. OK, so you can make the playoffs with a 37-45 record. Doing anything in them, well, that’s just not going to happen.
Stan McNeal is
 

For G-Baby
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Are you going to paste all the other power rankings and predictions that DON'T have the Spurs at #1?

No.

This reminds me of some gimmick drug on an informercial that has one random doctor who approves of it...nevermind the 1000s of others who say it doesn't work.
 

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Meanwhile, who is your #1 team?

I don't think anyone could put another team ahead of the Celtics at #1, simply because they have a joke of a path to the Finals compared to any of the teams out West, in addition to being a very good team.

I think matchups will dictate who comes out of the Western Conference, but I'd put the Lakers at the top, followed closely by, in no particular order, SA, Utah, and Phoenix. Those four are pretty interchangeable, though, and I wouldn't be even mildly surprised if any of those four went to the 'ship. But yeah, I'd have the Celtics #1, followed by those four.

Unfortunately, the Western Conference champ will probably enter the Finals on the heels of two (if not three) consecutive grueling series, and will most likely have to face a rested Boston team that might not lose more than a game or two in the Eastern Conference playoffs, thus negating one potentially big weakness of theirs (age).

That's just how I see it, though.
 

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that poll is a joke having det and suns ahead of lakers. also den 13th and philly 15th is a joke.
 

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what a joke
 

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7. Mavericks. One scout tells the Poll these guys are playing as well as anyone going into the playoffs. That’s not good news for the Hornets.



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