Categories
NBA

Cappers Picks NBA Power Rankings – March 5th, 2013

Larry’s NBA Power Ratings

How about a little love for the Denver Nuggets?

Burdened with a road-heavy early-season schedule, Denver stumbled out of the blocks before getting things together. Now, in the second half of the season the Nuggets have hit their stride – 4 straight wins and 14 victories in an 18-game span that is noted for bookend victories over Oklahoma City.

The Nuggets are now in the No. 5 playoff spot, with a good chance of catching No. 4 Memphis as the Grizzlies stare at a long stretch of road games this month.

If the Nuggets move up a notch and earn home-court advantage (they’re 25-3 at the Pepsi Center this season) in Round 1, maybe they could crash the Spurs-Thunder-Clippers party, or at the very least make everyone at the top very uncomfortable.

To the rankings:

1. HEAT (43-14) – It’s time. Be honest. The way they’re playing right now, no one can beat them in a 7-game series.
2. SPURS (47-14) – Lots of home games this month provide a nice firewall as they deal with the absence of Tony Parker.
3. THUNDER (43-16) – Should be a fun week for Thunder fans, with games against the Lakers, Knicks, Celtics and Spurs.
4. GRIZZLIES (39-19) – Has any team in the history of the league been this good without even a 16-point-a-game scorer (Randolph is at 15.7)? And before you bring up Rudy Gay, the Grizz have won 9 of their last 10.
5. CLIPPERS (43-19) – I know the money is too big to pass up, but it just doesn’t feel right seeing Chauncey Billups finish up his career as a backup.
6. NUGGETS (38-22) – Nuggets are 13-19 on the road. Danilo Gallinari has it figured out: “On the road,” he says, “the other team scores too many points.” Oh.
7. PACERS (38-22) – Roy Hibbert steps up big time, paying a 35k fine that that teammate Lance Stephenson incurred by joining a fight that Hibbert started.
8. KNICKS (35-21) – Eight road games in the next three weeks for the NYK, who are actually halfway decent (14-12) outside the Garden.
9. HAWKS (33-25) – Three road wins in a row before losing at Phoenix (ugh) and LA Lakers. Tough to get a handle on this team, which can never seem to get over the hump.
10. NETS (34-26) – MarShon Brooks is a scorer ready to break out, but he’s buried on the Brooklyn bench and gets less than 12 minutes a game.
11. BULLS (34-26) – Joakim Noah finally said what others are thinking – that Tom Thibodeau is putting too many miles on his starters’ tires.
12. ROCKETS (33-28) – Also on the candor front: Jeremy Linn and Chandler Parsons are on record as saying that the Rockets don’t exactly go belly button-to-the-wall every game.
13. WARRIORS (33-27) – Seven consecutive home games give the Warriors a chance to bail out the rowboat. If they don’t get it done now, they could fall out of the playoff picture completely.
14. CELTICS (31-27) – Jeff Green is heir apparent when Paul Pierce retires, but Green plays much better without Rajon Rondo. What to do, what to do? [ad-6571516]
15. JAZZ (32-27) – Probably says more about Charlotte than Jazz, but Utah beat Hornets by 30 despite not having Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap available.

16. LAKERS (30-30)
17. BUCKS (29-28)
18. TRAIL BLAZERS (27-31)
19. MAVERICKS (26-33)
20. 76ERS (23-35)
21. RAPTORS (23-37)
22. SUNS (21-39)
23. PISTONS (23-39)
24. HORNETS/PELICANS (21-39)
25. KINGS/SONICS (21-40)
26. TIMBERWOLVES (20-36)
27. WIZARDS (19-39)
28. CAVALIERS (20-39)
29. MAGIC (16-44)
30. BOBCATS (13-46)

By Lawrence Paul

Lawrence Paul is back in the saddle as a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog. He's got an AMAZING knack for predicting when a team will have a letdown! Stick with our resident gambling experts sports betting tips all season long!