| NBA Power Rankings Week Of 04/15/2008 |
| Rk |
Team |
Last Wk |
Rise/Fall |
High/Low |
Comment |
| 1 |
 Celtics |
1 |
- |
1/4 |
(65-16) They haven't lost four of seven at any point all season. If that keeps up in the playoffs, you're looking at the 2008 champs.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 2 |
 Lakers |
4 |
(+2) |
1/15 |
(56-25) They've taken advantage of their closing stretch of home games to leap into the Western lead. And with Tuesday's home win against the Kings, the Lakers have clinched the top seed in the West.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 3 |
 Pistons |
3 |
- |
1/9 |
(57-23) Their starters are getting plenty of rest going into the playoffs, but will they be sharp? This team has lost its edge at the same time the last two years and it's a legitimate concern again.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 4 |
 Jazz |
6 |
(+2) |
4/16 |
(54-27) No playoff team has a bigger home-road record discrepancy, but the Jazz have beaten plenty of good teams on the road all season. Inexplicably, it's teams like the Timberwolves, Knicks and Heat that they've had trouble with.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 5 |
 Spurs |
5 |
- |
1/9 |
(55-26) Age and injuries seem to have caught up to the Spurs, and yet they're almost exactly where they were last year when they won the championship as the No. 3 seed in the West.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 6 |
 Hornets |
2 |
(-4) |
1/19 |
(55-25) Losing to the Jazz and Lakers last week wasn't so bad. A loss to the Kings was nearly devastating. Thankfully for New Orleans, a win over the Clippers on Tuesday sealed the No. 2 seed.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 7 |
 Suns |
8 |
(+1) |
1/9 |
(54-27) Shaq's made it to the playoffs in one piece -- and the Suns are looking like a cohesive unit. This is my pick to win the West.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 8 |
 Rockets |
9 |
(+1) |
1/19 |
(54-27) On paper, they don't match up well with any of the other Western playoff teams. But that's how it's been ever since Yao went down and they haven't gone away. If they keep playing tough defense and McGrady gets hot, they could win at least one series.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 9 |
 Mavericks |
7 |
(-2) |
1/12 |
(50-31) If they slip to the No. 8 seed, wouldn't it be fun to see them get a chance to do unto the No. 1 seed what the Warriors did unto them last year?
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 10 |
 Nuggets |
12 |
(+2) |
7/13 |
(49-32) One reason the Nuggets are more likely to win a playoff series this year than last? J.R. Smith is no longer playing like a knucklehead -- at least not as often.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 11 |
 Magic |
11 |
- |
2/16 |
(50-30) They've lost six of their last 11, which may be due to a lack of incentive. But with their dispassionate play, they haven't given any indication that they're ready to upset the Pistons or Celtics in the playoffs.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 12 |
 Wizards |
13 |
(+1) |
11/27 |
(43-38) The Wiz have some injury and chemistry issues, but they have more than enough talent to knock out the Cavs in the first round.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 13 |
 Warriors |
10 |
(-3) |
8/28 |
(48-33) They're officially out of the playoffs. And with nine of the team's 14 players eligible to become free agents, it may be hard to keep this team together, much less improve it.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 14 |
 Cavaliers |
15 |
(+1) |
8/20 |
(45-36) If LeBron's healthy, you can't write off the Cavs, but they sure don't look ready for a playoff run.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 15 |
 76ers |
14 |
(-1) |
14/27 |
(40-41) They've lost momentum and now have what they didn't want -- a first-round date with Detroit.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 16 |
 Kings |
17 |
(+1) |
15/30 |
(38-43) They've gone 11-8 down the stretch, including wins over the Lakers, Warriors, Rockets, Nuggets and Hornets. Beating the Lakers again tonight would cement their role as spoiler.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 17 |
 Raptors |
18 |
(+1) |
10/18 |
(41-40) Should be an interesting series with the Magic. Both teams have one big man surrounded by a bunch of shooters.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 18 |
 Hawks |
16 |
(-2) |
8/21 |
(37-43) The Hawks pose some problems for the Celtics with their athleticism. Still, if any series is going to be a sweep, it'll probably be this one.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 19 |
 Trail Blazers |
19 |
- |
7/22 |
(40-40) Home wins over the Lakers and Mavs last week showed this team wasn't all out of pleasant surprises.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 20 |
 Pacers |
20 |
- |
11/28 |
(35-46) Fans in Indiana appreciate good basketball -- and won't watch lousy basketball. So it's no wonder the Pacers were last in the NBA in attendance this season.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 21 |
 Bobcats |
22 |
(+1) |
13/27 |
(31-49) Jason Richardson has taken almost 500 more shots than anyone else on the team. That might not be what the Bobcats' brass had in mind, but they should have known what they were getting.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 22 |
 Nets |
21 |
(-1) |
12/23 |
(33-47) "I believe this team is a very good team," Vince Carter said a few days ago. "We've yet to scratch the surface." Umm, it's getting a little late in the season for quotes like that, no?
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 23 |
 Bulls |
23 |
- |
8/30 |
(32-49) They gave up 135 to the Bucks?
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 24 |
 Bucks |
24 |
- |
9/25 |
(26-55) They gave up 151 to the Bulls?!
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 25 |
 Grizzlies |
25 |
- |
23/30 |
(22-58) Rudy Gay put up big numbers this season at the age of 21. If he keeps progressing, this franchise just might have a future.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 26 |
 Timberwolves |
26 |
- |
24/30 |
(21-59) Randy Foye's making a strong case to be Minny's point guard of the future, though he's still more of a scorer than a distributor.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 27 |
 Clippers |
27 |
- |
13/27 |
(23-57) With Shaun Livingston's status in doubt, the Clips' main priority has to be getting a point guard, either through the draft or free agency. Derrick Rose could invigorate the franchise, but that would take some lottery luck -- which the Clippers never have.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 28 |
 Knicks |
28 |
- |
18/29 |
(23-58) BOOOOOOO!!!!
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 29 |
 SuperSonics |
29 |
- |
23/29 |
(19-62) Losing Seattle as a market -- in exchange for Oklahoma City -- won't be a proud part of David Stern's legacy as commish.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
| 30 |
 Heat |
30 |
- |
17/30 |
(14-67) Everyone remembers Miami winning the NBA title two years ago. But it's easy to forget that the Heat won their division last year and were considered a contender in the East going into this season. Just in case you didn't appreciate what a truly extraordinary debacle this whole thing has been.
Team: Home | Stats | Fantasy |
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