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NBA Power Rankings [20 - 16]
Topic Started: Aug 11 2013, 02:18 AM (142 Views)
Donny
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I'm only doing to 16 right now because they are getting much more in depth, and it's too big of an article to post 10 teams. I'll probably post 10 teams from 15-6.

20 - Los Angeles Lakers
Projected Starting 5:
C: Chris Kaman
PF: Pau Gasol
SF: Nick Young
SG: Kobe Bryant
PG: Steve Nash
When you look at the starting 5, you see a team that can and probably will compete for a playoff spot in the west. When you see the bench, everything turns south. Wesley Johnson and Jodie Meeks head the bench players, both of which are coming off of mediocre seasons. The most interesting player on this team this season is Nick Young. Nick Young's known for his great sharpshooting, but can he take it back to where he was a few years ago and be a real impact to a team fighting for a playoff spot. Having Kobe and Pau on your team never hurts, as well. Chris Kaman looks to try to return back to being a 15 and 10 guy every night, with Steve Nash coming off of an injury plagued season to be the facilitator that he used to be, possibly? If this starting 5 stays healthy all season, you'll likely see them in the playoffs come next offseason.

19 - Cleveland Cavaliers
Projected Starting 5:
C: Andrew Bynum
PF: Tristan Thompson
SF: Alonzo Gee
SG: Dion Waiters
PG: Kyrie Irving
The team with likely the most depth in the league, the Cavaliers have their whole future looking up. Drafting Anthony Bennett #1 overall in the draft, signing Andrew Bynum and Jarrett Jack.. this team's a dark horse to compete for a playoff spot in the terribly weak Eastern Conference. Getting back to the depth, a healthy Anderson Varejao means an assurance that this team can compete whether Bynum stays healthy or not. Bennett's going to be the supersub of sorts at the forward position for the Cavaliers, as the management tries to shift him into being an all time 3, instead of the 4. Tristan Thompson and Alonzo Gee look to be the favorites to be the starters at the beginning of the season for the Cavs, as the only 2 positions that seem to be up for grabs. This team's got one of the strongest Guard combos in the league, with Dion Waiters, coming off of an amazing 15 PPG season in under 30 MPG. Kyrie Irving looks to come out of the gates firing as he did last season, and the depth at the 1 and 2 just makes this team look better. CJ Miles is a valuable asset at SG and Jarrett Jack at backup PG is a great signing for a Cavaliers team who looks to eventually be powerful enough to win themselves a ring.

18 - Dallas Mavericks
Projected Starting 5:
C: Samuel Dalembert
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
SF: Shawn Marion
SG: Monta Ellis
PG: Jose Calderon
Mark Cuban did what Mark Cuban's always done... completely revamped a roster to make a team playoff worthy. Dalembert is a great rebounder at the 5 who can score 10 a night... Dirk is Dirk, no way to explain it other than pure supremacy as a bigman shooting from mid-outside range. Shawn Marion's still a great defender in the league. Then, we get to Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon. Calderon's one of those guys you want to succeed, no matter if he's on your rival or on a team that you love. Monta Ellis is getting a new start in Dallas, can he make the most of it? He'll have alot of pressure off of his back to be the best shooter on the squad, a role reserved for Dirk. Add in Devin Harris, DeJuan Blair, Vince Carter, and eventually Shane Larkin into the mix and this team could make the playoffs and maybe go far.

17 - New Orleans Pelicans
Projected Starting 5:
C: Anthony Davis
PF: Ryan Anderson
SF: Tyreke Evans
SG: Eric Gordon
PG: Jrue Holiday
The Pelicans first season should be a very, very interesting one. Jrue Holiday looks to make the turn into being an elite PG, and the management in New Orleans has given him every oppurtunity, providing him with sharpshooting Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson as well as Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans. What surprises me most about this team is how far they've came from last season. Last season, the team ran with Robin Lopez, Greivis Vasquez, and Al-Farouq Aminu in their starting 5. Lopez and Vasquez are no longer on the team, and Aminu looks to be a valuable piece off the bench, along with highly touted youngster Austin Rivers. One year after finishing 14th in the Western Conference, things seem to be looking up for the city of New Orleans basketball.

16 - Minnesota Timberwolves
Projected Starting 5:
C: Nikola Pekovic
PF: Kevin Love
SF: Chase Budinger
SG: Kevin Martin
PG: Ricky Rubio
It hurts me having to put this team at 16, as I feel they really deserve to be higher... the fact is that this team won't last a full season. Someone's going to get hurt and then the team's hopes will probably go down the toilet. The Wolves have went out and through some good free agency moves and drafts got themselves a true contender. Ricky Rubio's going to be a top 10 PG in the league in the next few years, if this team stays together. Kevin Love's one of the only bigmen in the league to be able to shoot 3s, score inside, and get massive amounts of rebounds per game. Pekovic is a vastly underrated scoring center who rebounds extremely well for his size. Add in another underrated SF who defends better than given credit for in Budinger and an oversized sharpshooting SG in Kevin Martin, this team WILL make the playoffs, if they stay healthy. The bench is just too strong, lead by JJ Barea, Alexy Shved, and 1st round draft selection Shabazz Muhammad, this team's going to be exciting for years and years to come and eventually, with some free agency help, become a powerhouse and win 50 games per season. For now, they're probably a bottom barrel playoff team in the West, a year after finishing with just 31 wins, 12th in the conference. This team's got all sorts of amazing potential and upside, will they pan out is the real question everyone's asking.

15 - 11 tomorrow night.
Edited by Donny, Aug 11 2013, 02:20 AM.
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Bay
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Cavs GM

Nice, I agree with this. TBH, people have been overrating the Cavs.
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Charle$
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Stock Rising

Hoping the Twolves can stay healthy for a whole year :/ that would be great. Haha

Jrue Holiday avg like 3.7 TO a game last year.. He has to bring that down.
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Rog
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:-?

Grade: 1.5k
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Dr. Wolf
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Wolves won't last the full season eh?

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Dash
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Tanking

I don't like the Cavs much either but that can change with Bynum.
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