11-08-2010, 01:56 PM
2010-11 Power Rankings: Week 2
RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT
1 (1) Lakers 7-0 Favorable schedule or not, this has been some opening statement from the defending champs ... Pau especially. So much for starting slowly, Kobe's supposed advancing age, saving their legs for the playoffs Celtics-style, etc.
2 (3) Celtics 6-1 It's not just the Lakers making us know-it-alls look silly for suggesting that various title contenders would ease into the season. The Celts are back in the top two after a 4-0 week awash in more glorious Rondo dimeage.
3 (2) Heat 5-2 Getting tweets galore from giddy Bosh bashers saying we should've seen his struggles coming. That we overrated him. Say what? No one pegged Bosh to lead the Heat in scoring, but who didn't expect him to rebound?
4 (11) Hornets 6-0 The Hornets have never started 6-0 before. Ever. So you can safely assume that, yes, Chris Paul is pretty healthy and happy right now, despite our claim (as laid out above) that No. 4 is as high Team CP3 can go for now.
5 (5) Magic 4-1 Still thinking, fairly or unfairly, about the beatdown that the Magic absorbed in Miami. Perhaps Monday night's reunion with the Atlanta team they abused in the playoffs this past spring will get my mind out of the gutter.
6 (10) Spurs 4-1 The Spurs have very quietly injected their roster with some quality youth: George Hill, Blair, Splitter, maybe even sleeper Gary Neal. Which is one big reason we keep saying they might be L.A.'s biggest worry out West.
7 (8) Nuggets 4-2 We say this not because George Karl is such a loyal rankings reader but because it's true: His Nuggets haven't received nearly enough credit for how hard/well they've played in the face of Melo drama and injuries.
8 (4) Trail Blazers 5-3 Latest entry for your next You'll Never Guess What Happened To Portland This Time discussion: The Blazers were assigned to play five games in the second week of the season ... and had to visit the Lakers in game No. 5.
9 (6) Hawks 6-1 Tell us, America: Disappointed in the Hawks for losing at home to Phoenix in the first game they've played against a team projected as playoff-worthy? Or does a 4-0 road record mean more than who they've played?
10 (9) Mavericks 3-2 The Rangers couldn't quite close. The Cowboys are suddenly America's Laughingstock. The town is there to be taken ... and the Mavs are averaging 14.0 points and 8.5 turnovers in their past two fourth quarters at home.
http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings
RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT
1 (1) Lakers 7-0 Favorable schedule or not, this has been some opening statement from the defending champs ... Pau especially. So much for starting slowly, Kobe's supposed advancing age, saving their legs for the playoffs Celtics-style, etc.
2 (3) Celtics 6-1 It's not just the Lakers making us know-it-alls look silly for suggesting that various title contenders would ease into the season. The Celts are back in the top two after a 4-0 week awash in more glorious Rondo dimeage.
3 (2) Heat 5-2 Getting tweets galore from giddy Bosh bashers saying we should've seen his struggles coming. That we overrated him. Say what? No one pegged Bosh to lead the Heat in scoring, but who didn't expect him to rebound?
4 (11) Hornets 6-0 The Hornets have never started 6-0 before. Ever. So you can safely assume that, yes, Chris Paul is pretty healthy and happy right now, despite our claim (as laid out above) that No. 4 is as high Team CP3 can go for now.
5 (5) Magic 4-1 Still thinking, fairly or unfairly, about the beatdown that the Magic absorbed in Miami. Perhaps Monday night's reunion with the Atlanta team they abused in the playoffs this past spring will get my mind out of the gutter.
6 (10) Spurs 4-1 The Spurs have very quietly injected their roster with some quality youth: George Hill, Blair, Splitter, maybe even sleeper Gary Neal. Which is one big reason we keep saying they might be L.A.'s biggest worry out West.
7 (8) Nuggets 4-2 We say this not because George Karl is such a loyal rankings reader but because it's true: His Nuggets haven't received nearly enough credit for how hard/well they've played in the face of Melo drama and injuries.
8 (4) Trail Blazers 5-3 Latest entry for your next You'll Never Guess What Happened To Portland This Time discussion: The Blazers were assigned to play five games in the second week of the season ... and had to visit the Lakers in game No. 5.
9 (6) Hawks 6-1 Tell us, America: Disappointed in the Hawks for losing at home to Phoenix in the first game they've played against a team projected as playoff-worthy? Or does a 4-0 road record mean more than who they've played?
10 (9) Mavericks 3-2 The Rangers couldn't quite close. The Cowboys are suddenly America's Laughingstock. The town is there to be taken ... and the Mavs are averaging 14.0 points and 8.5 turnovers in their past two fourth quarters at home.
http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings
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