| NBA Power Rankings Week Of 02/24/2009 |
| Rk | Team | Last Wk | Rise/Fall | High/Low | Comment |
| 1 |  Lakers | 1 | - | 1/4 | (46-10) Last Week: Beat the Hawks (96-83), Warriors (129-121), Hornets (115-111) and Timberwolves (111-108).
It was far from a dominant week for the Lakers, who were fortunate to beat the Hornets and had to surge late against the Warriors and Wolves. Still, the ability to win close games (24-7 in games decided by 10 or fewer) is an admirable trait. And weeks like this, when they go 4-0 without playing their best, may earn the Lakers home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 2 |  Celtics | 2 | - | 1/4 | (46-12) Last Week: Beat the Hornets (89-77), Mavericks (99-92), Suns (128-108) and Nuggets (114-76). Lost to the Jazz (90-85).
Kevin Garnett's injury might not be so costly thanks to Rajon Rondo, who totally outplayed Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups in back-to-back wins Sunday and Monday. Ray Allen also drained 10 treys in those games on his way to 56 points.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 3 |  Cavaliers | 3 | - | 1/8 | (43-11) Last Week: Beat the Raptors (93-76), Bucks (111-103) and Pistons (99-78).
Delonte West's return means the Cavs finally have their starting five healthy -- and just in time. Over the next two weeks, they play at Houston, San Antonio, Atlanta, Miami and Boston. After that, the schedule is relatively easy the rest of the way.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 4 |  Magic | 6 | (+2) | 1/12 | (41-14) Last Week: Beat the Bobcats twice (92-80 and 92-80) and Heat (122-99).
The Rafer Alston trade was the most significant of the largely dullsville deadline deals. He's not as good as Jameer Nelson, but he fills a gaping void and makes Orlando a viable contender again.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 5 |  Jazz | 10 | (+5) | 5/15 | (34-23) Last Week: Beat the Grizzlies (117-99), Celtics (90-85), Hornets (102-88) and Hawks (108-89).
Forget the overall record and current playoff seed (No. 8). With five straight wins, including home victories over the Lakers and Celtics, no one's hotter than Utah. And with Carlos Boozer returning after a three-month absence Monday, the Jazz are looking like a serious contender in the West.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 6 |  Spurs | 5 | (-1) | 4/25 | (37-17) Last Week: Beat the Pistons (83-79) and Wizards (98-67). Lost to the Knicks (112-107).
Manu Ginobili's ankle injury (out 2-3 weeks) comes at a treacherous time -- eight of San Antonio's next 11 opponents have winning records. But what really matters is whether he's healthy for the playoffs.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 7 |  Trail Blazers | 7 | - | 4/13 | (35-20) Last Week: Beat the Grizzlies (94-90), Hawks (108-98) and Clippers (116-87).
With Steve Blake back at the point, Portland's offense runs more smoothly, but the Blazers may miss Greg Oden's defense during a three-game road trip that includes stops in Houston and San Antonio.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 8 |  Rockets | 9 | (+1) | 4/12 | (35-21) Last Week: Beat the Nets (114-88), Mavericks (93-86) and Bobcats (99-78).
Are they better off without T-Mac? It sounds nuts, but the Rockets seemed mentally fatigued by his constantly questionable status. Without him, they can finally focus and possibly find the team chemistry that's eluded them all season.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 9 |  Nuggets | 4 | (-5) | 4/17 | (37-20) Last Week: Beat the Sixers (101-89). Lost to the Bulls (116-99), Bucks (120-117) and Celtics (114-76).
Denver fans better hope this is just a post-All Star break funk, because the Nuggets have looked awful lately, especially on defense. A real contender doesn't lose by 38 at home to anyone.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 10 |  Mavericks | 8 | (-2) | 7/24 | (33-22) Last Week: Beat the Nets (113-98) and Kings (116-95). Lost to the Rockets (93-86).
I didn't think the Mavs' bench would have any scoring punch without Jason Terry (19.9 ppg), but Brandon Bass, J.J. Barea and Antoine Wright have all helped pick up the slack. Wright has five straight double-digit scoring efforts.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 11 |  Hornets | 12 | (+1) | 2/12 | (33-22) Last Week: Beat the Thunder (100-98), Magic (117-85) and Kings (112-105). Lost to the Lakers (115-111) and Jazz (102-88)
They had the Lakers beat -- ahead by three, with Chris Paul leading a 3-on-1 fast break in the final seconds. Then Paul charges into Derek Fisher, Fisher hits a 3, the Lakers win in overtime and the Hornets get smoked the next night in Utah. Maybe it's just not New Orleans' year.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 12 |  Suns | 15 | (+3) | 4/15 | (31-24) Last Week: Beat the Clippers twice (140-100 and 142-119) and Thunder (140-118). Lost to the Celtics (128-108).
It's not often a team scores 140 points in three straight games and still has a bad week. Amare Stoudemire's eye surgery snuffed out their hopes for a late-season surge and the Celtics exposed them as pretenders once again.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 13 |  Heat | 13 | - | 11/22 | (29-26) Last Week: Beat the Sixers (97-91). Lost to the Timberwolves (111-104) and Magic (122-99).
Jermaine O'Neal is supposed to give Miami the low-post offense and interior defense it needs to reach the next level. Isn't that what Toronto thought, too?
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 14 |  Hawks | 14 | - | 4/17 | (32-24) Last Week: Beat the Kings (105-100). Lost to the Lakers (96-83), Blazers (108-98) and Jazz (108-89).
They can't blame injuries anymore. Fact is, they're just not playing like they were early in the season, fearless and full of energy.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 15 |  76ers | 11 | (-4) | 10/21 | (27-28) Last Week: Lost to the Pacers (100-91), Nuggets (101-89), Heat (97-91) and Nets (98-96).
All the momentum they took into the All-Star break evaporated in a hurry. Now Philly's just another mediocre East team on the wrong side of .500.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 16 |  Bulls | 18 | (+2) | 15/24 | (25-31) Last Week: Beat the Bucks (113-104) and Nuggets (116-99). Lost to the Pacers (98-91).
The addition of Brad Miller, John Salmons and Tim Thomas upgrades Chicago's overall size and talent. But it remains to be seen whether they'll fit into a team that is at its best when it runs and plays with high energy. This will be another challenge for Vinny Del Negro.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 17 |  Bucks | 20 | (+3) | 16/22 | (28-31) Last Week: Beat the Pistons (92-86) and Nuggets (120-117). Lost to the Bulls (113-104) and Cavaliers (111-103).
I keep waiting for Milwaukee to succumb to its injuries and start dropping in the East standings. But the way the Bucks are playing, especially Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions, they may be able to snag one of the last two playoff spots.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 18 |  Knicks | 24 | (+6) | 14/28 | (24-32) Last Week: Beat the Spurs (112-107), Raptors (127-97) and Pacers (123-119). Lost to the Raptors (111-100).
Nate Robinson is making a serious push for Sixth Man of the Year, not to mention a fat contract when the season's over.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 19 |  Nets | 17 | (-2) | 13/27 | (25-32) Last Week: Beat the Sixers (98-96). Lost to the Rockets (114-88), Mavericks (113-98) and Wizards (107-96).
Devin Harris' half-court heave to beat the Sixers might be the spark that reignites New Jersey's season. Or maybe it was just a lucky shot.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 20 |  Pistons | 16 | (-4) | 5/20 | (27-27) Last Week: Lost to the Bucks (92-86), Spurs (83-79) and Cavaliers (99-78).
The East's best franchise over the past decade is in utter disarray. With six straight losses and a tough road trip this week, who knows when the freefall will stop?
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 21 |  Pacers | 22 | (+1) | 16/24 | (24-35) Last Week: Beat the Sixers (100-91), Timberwolves (112-105) and Bulls (98-91). Lost to the Bobcats (103-94) and Knicks (123-119).
For a guy who rebounds like an animal and shoots 44 percent from deep, Troy Murphy is one of the most underrated players in the league, possibly because he always looks half-asleep.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 22 |  Bobcats | 19 | (-3) | 18/26 | (22-34) Last Week: Beat the Pacers (103-94). Lost to the Magic twice (107-102 and 92-80) and Rockets (99-78).
DeSagana Diop hasn't provided the interior help Charlotte so badly needs, meaning the 'Cats are hopelessly undersized on the floor and hopelessly supersized on the bench (Diop, Nazr Mohammed, Sean May).
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 23 |  Warriors | 21 | (-2) | 21/27 | (20-37) Last Week: Beat the Thunder (133-120). Lost to the Lakers (129-121) and Clippers (118-105).
If Monta Ellis is the future of this franchise -- and he's getting paid like it -- then there's reason to worry in the Bay Area. Even before he was shut down for the next few weeks because of his gimpy ankle, he didn't look nearly as explosive as he was before his injury.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 24 |  Raptors | 23 | (-1) | 7/27 | (22-36) Last Week: Beat the Knicks (111-100). Lost to the Cavaliers (93-76) and Knicks (127-97).
Shawn Marion should be more productive than Jermaine O'Neal, but Raptors fans are kidding themselves if they think a playoff push is gonna happen.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 25 |  Timberwolves | 28 | (+3) | 17/29 | (18-37) Last Week: Beat the Heat (111-104). Lost to the Wizards (111-103), Pacers (112-105) and Lakers (111-108).
Winning in Miami. Nearly beating the Lakers. Not bad without Al Jefferson.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 26 |  Thunder | 25 | (-1) | 24/30 | (13-43) Last Week: Lost to the Hornets (100-98), Suns (140-118) and Warriors (133-120).
Kevin Durant is 20, skinny and an absolute scoring machine -- 30 points or more in eight of his last nine games and 12 of his last 16. Thinking about his future is a nice distraction for OKC fans, because their team, at present, still stinks. The Thunder will regret not signing off on the Tyson Chandler trade.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 27 |  Wizards | 29 | (+2) | 18/29 | (13-43) Last Week: Beat the Timberwolves (111-103) and Nets (107-96). Lost to the Spurs (98-67).
The home loss to the Spurs was as ugly as it gets, but the Wizards will take any 2-1 week they can get.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 28 |  Clippers | 27 | (-1) | 20/30 | (14-43) Last Week: Beat the Warriors (118-105). Lost to the Suns twice (140-100 and 142-119) and Blazers (116-87).
Just when you think the Clips have mailed it in, as they did in both Suns matchups last week, they come back and win a game. Then they mail it in for two more weeks.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 29 |  Grizzlies | 26 | (-3) | 21/30 | (15-40) Last Week: Lost to the Jazz (117-99), Blazers (94-90) and Kings (115-106).
If you still think the NBA is fantastic, you weren't at Friday's Kings-Grizz game.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 30 |  Kings | 30 | - | 22/30 | (12-46) Last Week: Beat the Grizzlies (115-106). Lost to the Hawks (105-100), Mavericks (116-95) and Hornets (112-105).
After trading away Brad Miller and John Salmons, the Kings should be pretty much unwatchable the rest of the season.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
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