Power Ranking just after the start of the 2011-2012 Season

I wrote this power ranking before I created this blog. I just wanted to put this out there so that I can hold myself accountable for the things I say whether they were true or not.

 

 

East:

1. Heat – POWER HOUSE will blaze through season
2. Chicago – Gained Rip, but lost Bogans and Thomas’ D. Can Rose finally share the ball like a real PG and can the Bulls finally stop making the excuse that no one else on the team can score?
3. Boston – Core intact. still one of the toughest teams, but will continue to regret decision to trade Perk, esp. given Green’s situation
4. New York – So much fire power PLUS defense w/ addition of Chandler, Shumpert, and Woodson, but needs Davis to come back healthy badly for real PG play
5. Orlando – Uncertainty looms large, reminiscent of Denver last season
6. Atlanta – They are what they are, a bunch of talented players playing out of position with no depth. When will they end the Marvin Williams experiment and acquire a real center?
7. Milwaukee – If Bogut healthy, w/ addition of Jackson, may be one of the best defensive teams in the league. Also may be the worst shooting team in the history of the NBA
8. New Jersey – Lopez gone, Okur in. Will AK also join? It’s as if the Jazz split in half. The core of old Jazz, Avery, and the 2nd best PG in the league? Count me in.

9. Philadelphia – Can Elton Brand continue to produce? Can they continue to trot Hawes as starting Center and be successful?
10. Indiana – Can Hibbert gel with West? Is West ok after microfracture surgery? Can Paul George grow with Granger on the same team?
11. Washington – Wall will rise, but the rest of team won’t. too immature
12. Detroit – When will they let Dumars go? Resigned Prince…
13. Cleveland – Kyrie will impress, but too many nobodies
14. Toronto – No identity, no direction
15. Charlotte – When Maggette is your most reliable player, you are in trouble

 

WEST: 

1. LA Clippers – CP took NO to playoffs without much help. With help, the league and everyone will truly realize how far apart he is from other PGs. Griffin will be All Star Starter. Caron will resurrect his reputation. Reggie Evans was big signing. Who needs Del African when they already have 2 coaches on the floor?
2. OKC – With Perkins fully back and healthy, this team looks to take the next step in becoming one of the most well rounded team on both ends of the court
3. Dallas – Big loss with Tyson hurts less with acquisition of Odom. Their biggest loss is Barea, the one guy on this team that could break down defenses. Without another dangerous creator, is this team good enough offensively? 
4. LA Lakers – So many questions, but talent alone is good enough for this spot. Can Kobe/Bynum stay clear of injuries? Do they address lack of creator outside of Kobe?
5. Spurs – No changes, window slowly coming to a close
6. Portland – We will miss the most fundamentally sound SG of the past decade. Solid team, but not serious contenders without Roy
7. Memphis – Rudy Gay is back. Team came together without him. Can they infuse him back into the new philosophy?
8. Golden State – Everyone healthy(curry’s ankle still a concern), many pieces added. Small back court still an issue, but depth no longer an issue. Will Lacob finally make the big move and trade Ellis?

9. Denver – Losing 3 players to china hurts. Tough gritty team and hard to count out Karl, but not the same team. Have to wonder if team truly believes Lawson can break out, given they’ve brought back Andre Miller
10. Houston – Mchale’s first full season will be interesting, but lost key defensive stopper Hayes. Can Lowry build on his new found late season dominance without Adelman’s directions?
11. Phoenix – It’s time to trade Nash and start over. Team stuck in mediocrity, but Nash to Gortat will still be a fun watch
12. Sacramento – Can they really run with Evans as PG? Experiment already failed number of times. Has Cousins grown out of immaturity? Will there be chemistry with so many 2 guards? 
13. Minnesota – Intriguing amount of talent with Adelman for guidance. Not enough time for young players to grasp Adelman’s intricate playbooks, but perhaps one season away from becoming something special. This will be Love’s true breakout season, and Rubio looks to prove hype is real
14. Utah – Bleak future with loss of Sloan and identity. Every team Jefferson goes to is a loser, even the Jazz. 
15. New Orleans – Future looks bright. Current situation looks to be a mess 

2011-12 NBA Awards for the first 3 weeks

Time sure is flying by fast in this shortened season. Believe it or not, more than 15% of the season has already been played by all teams. That’s still a bit early to be giving out any awards, but I am itching to talk about who has been the best up to this point so here it is.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:

Kobe Bryant

After watching Kobe somewhat limp through last season where he clearly wasn’t himself, people wondered if it was time to expect Kobe to go into decline. No one expected him to turn the clock back by 5 years. Through 13 games, Kobe leads the league in scoring with an average of 31.2 PPG and has scored 40 or more in 3 consecutive games, all wins. More importantly, he’s doing it with a wrist injury that would force just about anyone else to miss a few months. He has been a true warrior and leader of his team that currently has a 9-4 record, and is the number one MVP candidate thus far.

Honorable mentions: Lebron James, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:

Ricky Rubio

2 seasons after being drafted, the sensational rookie has finally arrived in the States. Rubio has needed no time to adjust to the style and pace of the NBA. In fact, the NBA is still trying to figure out how to stop this phenom from passing the ball in any fashion he chooses. Rubio is currently tied for 8th in assists per game, tied for 12th in steals per game, and leads all rookies with 4 double doubles. His precise decision making, distinct court vision, poise and leadership makes it hard to believe that this is his first season in the NBA. For all the talk about his inability to shoot, his field goal percentage sits at 46% with 42% three point shooting. It wasn’t the easiest of decisions to give Rubio the award given what Irving has recently done, but no one has had a bigger impact on the entire team than Rubio thus far.

Honorable mentions: Kyrie Irving, Marshon Brooks, Iman Shumpert

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Dwight Howard

No one is taking this award from Dwight Howard any time soon. Howard leads the league in rebounds per game at 15.2, tied for 4th in blocks per game with 2.2, and leads all centers with 1.6 steals per game. He sets every tone there is to make for the Magic as a one man defensive wrecking machine and no one changes/alters shots more than Howard, even if it doesn’t always show up in the stat sheets.

Honorable mentions: Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, Andre Iguodala

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR:

James Harden

It’s not even close. Harden comes off the bench averaging 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game and instantly changes the complexion of the game. His game compares very favorably to that of Manu Ginobili, another former sixth man.

Honorable mentions: Al Harrington, Louis Williams, Jason Terry

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Gregg Popovich

This one is trickier because there are so many deserving candidates. I wanted to pick a certain coach that lost 3 key players to China, but Popovich gets the nod because conventional wisdom would tell you that your team would struggle gravely when you lose your best player, yet the Spurs have won 5 of their last 7 without Ginobili. Popovich finds a way to get it done whether it’s relying a bit heavier on an aging Duncan, or trusting in some guys named Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard to get the job done.

Honorable mentions: George Karl, Tom Thibodeau, Scott Brooks

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR:

Neil Olshey

No one has made a bigger splash than Neil Olshey with the Clippers. He’s acquired one of the best point guards in the league in Chris Paul, signed Caron Butler, won the bid for Chauncey Billups, retained defensive big man DeAndre Jordan after he signed an offer sheet with the Warriors, and signed rebounding machine Reggie Evans. He has essentially turned the Clippers into a brand new team, one that is a legitimate threat to be a contender and one that is likely enough for Blake Griffin to want to re-sign.

Honorable mentions: Dell Demps, Larry Bird, Josh Kroenke

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER:

Kyle Lowry

Plethora of options to choose for this award, but Lowry takes the cake thus far. Many wondered if Lowry could sustain the level of play he displayed late last season with point guard friendly Adelman gone as coach. Lowry has more than answered the questions by averaging a robust 16 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 threes and 2 steals per game. Those are insane statistical figures, and his playing time has only increased by a minute and a half from last season. He is top 3 in assists and steals, and by far the best rebounding guard in the league which is remarkable given his small stature (listed at 6’0). If he keeps this up, not only will he be the MIP, he will be in the discussion for top 5 point guard in the league as well.

Honorable mentions: Ty Lawson, Andrew Bynum, Greg Monroe