MVN: Most Valuable Network

5th best?!  The Bucks?!

I've been making the argument for a while now that the Bucks are projecting much stronger than their record shows because of the strength of their schedule and because of the imbalance in their home/road splits.

But I'm not prepared to make them the 5th best team in the NBA!  ESPN's normally staid John Hollinger is... and he's not one of these "flavor of the week" power rankings... he bases his picks (I think) on evidentiary findings.

5th best?  That even looks fuzzy when I look at it through Green and Red Kareem goggles.

I think possibly the key variable that's pushing the Bucks up to fifth in his poll is "Recent Performance".  If you followed my "Win Trajectory" predictions, which are somewhat similar to Hollinger's "expected wins", you will know that the Bucks' trajectory recently rocketed from around 35 wins to around 44 wins.

The strong numbers the Bucks are compiling there must somehow be overwhelming his formula.  That's all I can figure.

I just don't think the Bucks are the 5th strongest team in the Association.  I want them to be, but I want to maintain realism along the way up. I want to keep my feet somewhat on terra firma.