Larry’s NBA Power Ratings
Thinking (way) ahead here.
Let’s say the Clippers are for real and let’s say they go deep into the playoffs.
Let’s say that they actually win the championship.
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!
Thinking (way) ahead here.
Let’s say the Clippers are for real and let’s say they go deep into the playoffs.
Let’s say that they actually win the championship.
For the Dallas Mavericks, it’s time to start grinding.
It’s been two months since Dirk Nowitzki underwent knee surgery, and while he is expected back shortly after Christmas, the team knows that his return to the lineup means only that his training camp will start.
San Francisco’s victory in New England last Sunday night had every Broncos fan smiling, because if Denver can take care of business by beating Cleveland and Kansas City (both at home) over the next two weeks, the Broncs will get a bye in the field round of the playoffs.
Something’s happening; what it is ain’t exactly clear.
The lyrics from the old song by the 1960s folk group Buffalo Springfield applie now to the Los Angeles Clippers, who have won 11 straight games and demanded a place at the table with the powers (Oklahoma City, San Antonio) of the Western Conference.
So little has gone right for the Jacksonville Jaguars over the last few years that it seems almost unfair that they will have to face New England the week AFTER the Patriots were taken down on prime time by the 49ers.
The Oakland Raiders and Carolina Panthers both will be feeling pretty good about themselves as they continue to play out the string and meet this Sunday in Charlotte.
There will be conflicting priorities on the Vikings bench this Sunday when they seek to keep their playoff chances alive at Houston.
Like two octogenerians on a park bench trying to one-up each other with stories about their health problems, the Rams and Bucs will battle on Sunday in Florida, with the only thing riding on the outcome the possibility of the winning team actually finishing .500 (or in St. Louis’s case, possibly a hair above) this season.
Is the NBA on the level?
There are elite teams, of course, but is the playing field level for everyone? Or does the league give a huge edge to superstars, as ref-gone-bad Tim Donaghy alleges?
Timing has always been a problem in Minnesota.
When the Timberwolves had Kevin Garnett in his prime years, the team just couldn’t figure out a way to assemble enough complementary pieces to make a legitimate move to elite status in the Western Conference.
It’s doubtful that casual NBA fans know that Mike Woodson is the coach of the New York Knicks.
Is it possible that the Boston Celtics will not make the playoffs?
Miles (59 games) remain on an endless 82-game NBA season, but at this point the Celtics appear to have few answers in a season that has produced a large number of bumps in the road.
In the commodities market also known as NFL futures, Week 15 brought strong breezes of change.
Any doubts about Colin Kaepernick were eased when the kid led the 49ers into Foxboro and gave San Francisco its biggest win of the year.
Say what you want about the NBA, but you can’t say that the pecking order changes all that much.
The Thunder keep moving the chains.
2008-09 – Last place
2009-10 – Western Conference quarterfinals
2010-11 – Conference finals
2111-12 – NBA Finals
Only a convenient turn in the schedule that took the Lakers to the nation’s capital on Friday night has enabled Mike D’Antoni’s beleaguered team from carrying a 5-game anchor of a losing streak to Philadelphia tonight.