#1 – Boston Celtics
After only three games played on the season, the Celtics already showed us why they are the strongest team of the league. At this point of the season, premiere week, when everybody is healthy and when even Rasheed Wallace seems motivated, Boston showed its true colors. A huge win against the Cavaliers on the road, two blowouts against the Bobcats and the Bulls, that’s how they started their season.
#2 – Orlando Magic
Two easy wins for the Magic early on the season. Neither the 76ers nor the Nets have enough firepower to compete against the defending Eastern Conference Champions. Their first real test was this Sunday against the Raptors in Toronto.
#3 – Los Angeles Lakers
After a great win on ring night against a very decent Clippers team, the Lakers missed Pau Gasol a lot Friday against the Mavericks who outplayed LA on the boards, reason why they beat them. On a game where even Shawn Marion showed up to play, it became clear how much the Lakers miss Gasol. Phil Jackson needs Odom Kardashian to come out off the bench otherwise he has no bench and Bynum is not a reliable offensive weapon when Kobe is well guarded.
#4 – San Antonio Spurs
After three games played this week, we still haven’t seen the Spurs yet. On opening night, they ran over a weird Hornets team, then on the very next night they were surprised, probably out breathed, by an awesome rotation of the Bulls and then last night they smashed the Kings.
#5 – Denver Nuggets
Two huge wins for the Nuggets: at home against the Jazz who showed up to play on their first road game of the season, then on the road against a very deep Blazers team. Carmelo Anthony is taking to the next level again this season, averaged about 33 points on those two games.
#6 – Dallas Mavericks
After a disappoint loss to a much improved Wizards at home on opening night, the Mavericks bounced back with two huge wins at Staple Center against the Lakers and the Clippers. Although LA miss Gasol a lot, it was interesting to see how the small Mavericks will look like in clutch time against good teams and it looked good even without Josh Howard. It’s still very early to say but maybe I was wrong about Shawn Marion.
#7 – Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is the only team besides the Clippers to play four games until this Sunday. On opening night, they showed why they are not ready to face the Celtics, then on the road lost to a talented Raptors team and then two wins against the Timberwolves and the Bobcats. When tested the Cavaliers did not respond well. They are not that close to the championship than everybody thinks.
#8 – Atlanta Hawks
Two wins at home against the Pacers and the Wizards less two. Untested yet. First big game is today on Staples against the defending champions.
#9 – Phoenix Suns
Steve Nash and the run and gun are back. Phoenix scored a lot on their first two games against two bad defensive teams. After his 20 assists performance last night, Nash made us remember that his team is still there and that they are the easiest one to blow up our expectations.
#10 – Portland Trail Blazers
After a win on opening night against the reformulated Rockets, the Blazers were unable to stop Carmelo Anthony and Trevor Ariza. Now they have a 1-2 record to start the season.
#11 – Oklahoma City Thunder
Expected to be the surprise team of the year, except for the fact that everybody knows they are coming, Kevin Durant and his Thunder already stunned somebody. After an expected win on game one against the Kings, they beat the Pistons in Detroit.
#12 – Houston Rockets
The team that almost nobody believes, the Houston Rockets starts the season 2-1. They lost on opening night to the Blazers in Portland where is always tough to play but then beat the Warriors on the road where is also tough to win and behind Trevor Ariza’s 31 point performance, they beat the Blazers last night. Watch out for Houston. Without any star and with that “nobody believes us” thing going on, they are my sleeper pick to make the playoffs.
#13 – Washington Wizards
Expected to be the comeback team of the year, the Wizards started the season with a surprising win on the road against the Mavericks, a loss to the Hawks in Atlanta and homecoming win against the Nets. They miss the presence of Antwan Jamison inside and Caron Butler’s injury can be a problem however Gilbert Arenas looks great.
#14 – Philadelphia 76ers
A loss to a great team on their first game and two wins against very bad teams. The fact that they had to go to overtime against a very bad Knicks can be concern. Elton Brand still doesn’t fit well and the new uniforms suck.
#15 – Miami Heat
Behind Dwayne Wade, as always, the Heat starts the season 2-0. Against the Knicks at home shouldn’t count because everybody is going to beat NY but on the road against a very decent and very solid Pacers team, Miami showed basketball enough to compete for the playoffs.
#16 – Utah Jazz
With 24 seconds into the season, Utah already faced the first injury problem. Maybe it will be another long season for the Jazz. A loss to Carmelo on the road and then a win against the Rockets at home, that’s how they started their season.
#17 – Chicago Bulls
Great win against the Spurs at home but bad loss against the Celtics on the road. The Bulls showed that with this team, Del Negro is able use a lot of rotations and variations.
#18 – Toronto Raptors
Huge win against the Cavaliers on game one to prove that they can fight against the powerhouses, however a team this deep can’t lose to the Grizzlies, no matter how talented I think the Grizzlies are and I don’t care if it’s on the road.
#19 – Milwaukee Bucks
On the first two games, we were already able to see who the Bucks will be this season: tough at home and easy on the road. The clock from the feud between Scott Skilles and Brandon Jennings is ticking.
#20 – New Orleans Hornets
They were blown out by the Spurs and then suffered a lot to beat the Kings. It can’t be a good sign.
#21 – Memphis Grizzlies
Thankfully without Allen Iverson, the Grizzlies picked up a loss against the Pistons and a win against the Raptors. Zach Randolph does look good early on but what happens a time from now when he thinks he already proved everybody wrong, quit and you still have to overpay him?
#22 – Detroit Pistons
I still believe this team will get better down the road and make the playoffs but from now they look awful. Detroit has way too many outside shooters but no rebounders and that’s a problem.
#23 – Charlotte Bobcats
The Bobcats can’t score.
#24 – Minnesota Timberwolves
It’s a work in progress with the Timberwolves. Kurt Rambis is still trying to put his face on the team, meanwhile they beat the Nets on game 1 which I thought was an upset, even at home, because New Jersey is more talented and then they were ran over by LeBron James.
#25 – Indiana Pacers
Awful start for the Pacers, losses to the Hawks and the Heat could coast them the playoff spot down the road. They are not taking advantage to the fact that Granger and Dunleavy are still there, they’ll get hurt soon and everything will be more difficult.
#26 – Los Angeles Clippers
Bad start for the Clippers whom we expected to be the other comeback team of the season. They had such a tough schedule to begin the season (Lakers, Jazz, Suns and Mavericks) that we shouldn’t lose faith on them yet.
#27 – New Jersey Nets
After the disappointing loss on game 1 in Minnesota, the Nets were decent and fought a lot against the Magic and the Wizards who are superior teams.
#28 – Golden State Warriors
This is just the calm before the storm. Right now they are just losing; wait to see them imploding too.
#29 – New York Knicks
They suck.
P.S: Galinaro is kind of good.
#30 – Sacramento Kings
I can’t see them beating somebody. It’s impossible to go 0-82 but they have a shot.
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