Power Rankings

End of season power rankings. Which teams finished the season well and set themselves up nicely for next season?

Eastern Conference

#1 Boston Celtics

Nobody has knocked off a full strength Celtics yet.

If Kevin Garnett was healthy last spring, this team would have beaten the Orlando Magic and likely the Cavs too.

Good signs coming out of Boston from Danny Ainge on his intent to fill the bench with more proven talent next season.

#2 Cleveland Cavaliers

Not much to say here. I’d be surprised if they make major changes this summer, because those changes would likely come at the expense of their 2010 opportunities.

#3 Orlando Magic

There are three elite teams in the Eastern Conference, three title contenders, Orlando are the third.

I ranked Orlando behind the Cavs because while I think they own the Cavaliers in head-to-head matchups, I think the Cavs do better against Boston and the rest of the conference.

#4 Milwaukee Bucks

A very good defensive team and an elite rebounding squad. Those two traits will allow the Bucks to compete against anyone.

They’re going to be an incredibly tough out for somebody in the playoffs next season.

The Bucks will not finish with the fourth best record, their offense isn’t good enough, however, their team is built for the playoffs and will put in a better showing on that stage.

#5 Chicago Bulls

I think these Bulls are a 50 win team once they get a full season with Brad Miller and John Salmons, and better health from Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich.

These guys got a wonderful 8 man rotation, with the best 4-8 guys in the league.

#6 Washington Wizards

An offensive juggernaut. A poor defensive team, a mediocre rebounding team.

The return of Gilbert Arenas will spur the Wizards onto a high 40’s low 50’s type of season.

They are not a legitimate threat in the playoffs due to their defense and bench.

#7 Atlanta Hawks

A repeat of last season’s squad … unfortunately for them though, the rest of the East is going to improve.

The Hawks badly need some internal development, but several of their younger players showed minimal signs of improvement last season so I’m doubtful about their odds of progressing this year.

#8 Philadelphia 76ers

I would have more confidence in Philadelphia if I trusted their coach. Eddie Jordan makes me nervous.

Their lack of commitment to a Dalembert-Brand combination makes me nervous. Their indecisiveness about whether Iggy can play the two makes me nervous. Their indecisiveness about which forward position to play Thaddeus Young makes me nervous. The idea of players like Willie Green and Jason Kapono playing important roles for the club next season makes me nervous.

In other words, Phily have a lot of issues to settle before I know what to make of them.

#9 Miami Heat

The goal is 2010 free agency. At that time, Miami will be able to build a perennial contender. Until then, they’ll be hard pressed to improve.

Their best chances at improvement will be internal development from Beasley, Chalmers and Cook. All eyes should be on Beasley because he was poor as rookie, but he’s clearly talented and he could take a big step next season. I’ll wait to see that though before putting Miami further forward.

#10 Detroit Pistons

What will they do in free agency?

The Pistons have a lot of available money, and a good trio of perimeter players to build around. They should be a good squad next season but the question is … how good?

#11 Charlotte Bobcats

A team full of role players, a low level star (Wallace), and defensive anchor (Okafor).

These guys will work hard, be a pain in the ass to play against, and grind out results. They should be a 35-43 win team next season.

#12 Toronto Raptors

I’m waiting to see exactly what Colangelo does this summer. The Raptors should be a team that gets close to a final playoff spots, perhaps winning a final playoff spot.

Colangelo will go for the short term fix here and build a decent team in the process. Long term problems are around that corner though.

#13 Indiana Pacers

Indiana will finish lower than this in the standings than their overall talent suggest they should, but that’s down to the injury to Mike Dunleavy which will likely derail their season once again.

If Dunleavy was healthy though, I do think this team could be a decent side, hovering somewhere between 34-42 wins.

I’m concerned about Hibbert and Rush, I need to see more from them next season, especially Hibbert.

#14 New Jersey Nets

They’ve got three good players — Vince Carter, Brook Lopez and Devin Harris in that order.

Some of their youngsters need to step up. I’d love it to be Yi, but that looks unlikely. Ryan Anderson is what he is. Sean Williams doesn’t look like he’ll ever figure it out. Josh Boone is what he is. That leaves Chris Douglas-Roberts? And their lottery pick?

The Nets have a lot of dead weight that they need to move on in order to move forward.

#15 New York Knicks

What happens to David Lee? If Lee leaves, this team takes a large step backwards in the short term.

NY shouldn’t be worried about next season, the 2010/11 season is where they’ll earn their bacon.

Western Conference

#1 Los Angeles Lakers

The defending champ and the clear frontrunner in the West

#2 Houston Rockets

It’s all about Tracy McGrady. He transforms Houston from a very good side into an elite one.

The Rockets desperately need his creativity, scoring ability, and playmaking ability on the perimeter. Their offense will continue to be too predictable and too dysfunctional to win a title without those qualities.

The Rockets are not a true contender without one of two things happening; (1) Tracy McGrady returning to form and fitness, or, (2) Replacing McGrady with someone with a comparable skill set.

If Tracy can return to form and fitness, the Rockets are arguably the best team in the conference.

#3 Portland Trailblazers

This selection is all about youth, potential, and possible internal development.

The Blazers are a very good team who could become an elite team if some of their youngsters step forward next season. Greg Oden being the player to watch.

Pritchard could engineer the Blazers into an elite team without the youth developing, while holding onto his best youth, but that does not look like happening.

#4 San Antonio Spurs

Not a legitimate contender and highly unlikely to become one.

The Spurs core is a strong as ever, but their supporting cast is weak and that will be their undoing.

I don’t think they have the assets, or the management, required to make they need. The Spurs are likely another season away from putting another elite team on the floor.

#5 New Orleans Hornets

Injuries ruined their season. They’re still a comparable to squad to the one that took the Spurs to 7 games in the second round a year ago.

They’re still not a contender because of their lack of offensive versatility, and their holes on the bench. But they are a very good squad.

#6 Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets just finished what will likely prove to be their best season of the Chauncey Billups era … before they usher in a frightening rebuilding phase around Carmelo Anthony.

I struggle to see the Nuggets making important additions this offseason. Chris Andersen is due for a pay rise and that will likely rob the Nuggets of their remaining financial flexibility. I expect Kleiza to walk this summer.

The Nuggets could conceivably become an elite team, but those hopes rest solely on JR Smith. He needs to go from elite 6th man to certifiable All-Star caliber player. That’s their best, and their only, hope for becoming an elite team.

#7 Utah Jazz

This squad is going nowhere. They have massive issues to deal with this summer, with several major players hitting free agency and huge luxury tax issues complicating every decision.

All their energy will be spent on standing still, and while they do that, they’ll fail to make the necessary changes they need in order to become a legitimate contender.

#8 Phoenix Suns

Who knows what these guys will do? There’s rumours flying left and right about their best players … they could be just about anything next season.

But for now, based on the talent on their roster, I think they belong in the playoffs.

#9 Dallas Mavericks

The last high end team in the conference.

The Mavs have massive holes on their roster, but gutsy decisions from their front office could vault them up the standings.

Rick Carlisle’s ability to bleed his squad dry of all available talent, makes the Mavs a good bet to be one of the eight playoff squads in the West next year despite their lesser talent.

#10 Golden State Warriors

I’m confused about where to rank the next four teams, truly they could be in several different orders and I wouldn’t give a damn. They’re very close together.

I left the Warriors at the top of the pile because they have the most proven talent.

#11 Los Angeles Clippers

Four things derailed the Clippers last season: (1) Baron Davis’ terrible form (2) Injuries to their big men (3) Lack of development from Thornton (4) Weak bench, especially on the perimeter.

Now, two or three of those things seem very fixable so I’m inclined to give the Clippers the benefit of the doubt for now.

Add Blake Griffin to that team, make a good trade, and you could have a decent-to-solid squad on your hands next season.

#12 Minnesota Timberwolves

The decision to let Kevin McHale go was a disappointment. I’m worried about who they’ll choose to be his replacement, so that’s a concern for the time being.

I like the Al Jefferson and Kevin Love duo, and think their variety of solid role players behind them combine to give the Wolves a decent squad when healthy.

Their management looks like they’ll be making many changes, so this squad could look very different by the time the season starts.

#13 Oklahoma City Thunder

This team will continue to make gradual progress … unless Sam Presti goes out on a limb and brings home a major addition. Until he does that, they’ll fail to separate themselves from the pack just above them.

#14 Memphis Grizzlies

Okay, we’re into the basement of the Western Conference now. The worst of the worst.

Memphis are a very poor team and have little hope of turning it around this offseason.

#15 Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are a very poor team and have very little hope of turning it around this offseason. A repeat of last season’s endevours is very much on the cards.

Notes

Western Conference Landscape

• One elite team – Lakers
• Two teams who may make the jump to elite — Rockets and Blazers
• Six very good teams all capable of winning 47-50+ games – Spurs, Hornets, Jazz, Nuggets, Mavs, Suns
• No good teams
• Four poor to decent teams who have no hope of making the playoffs as currently constituted – Thunder, Wolves, Warriors, Clippers
• Two very poor squads who’ll finish with the worst records in the league – Grizzlies and Kings

Eastern Conference Landscape

• Three elite teams – Celtics, Cavs and Magic
• No very good teams
• Five good teams – Bucks, Bulls, Wizards, Hawks and possibly the Sixers
• Three decent to solid teams - Heat, Raptors, Bobcats
• One wild card who will be somewhere between good-to-very good-to elite next season – Pistons
• One team who could be decent to solid but injuries have already derailed them into the basement – Pacers
• Two/three poor teams – Nets, Knicks … plus the Pacers who are victims of circumstance. The Knicks could easily become a very poor team if a few things don’t go their way this summer.