NBA Power Rankings: Where We Find A Compelling Storyline For Every Team

As we get set for the playoff push, the inevitable "pro basketball vs. college basketball" debates have commenced. It's hard to say who started it, because honestly, both sides are responding to extreme arguments. Both games have their own interesting character that makes them worth following, and it really is just different tastes for different folks. As long as college fans can admit their players and the quality of play isn't anywhere close to the NBA's, then I'm happy to agree to disagree about which brand is better, or more entertaining. 

But if the NBA has a disadvantage, it's that it can often seem too routine. My colleague Andrew Sharp would call it "repetitive," and frankly, there's a lot of merit to it. NBA fans would say that the NCAA Tournament is routine, because the real appeal is always the hope of watching [INSERT CINDERELLA] upsetting [INSERT POWER SCHOOL], but the truth is the college game is at least a bit more diverse. Why wouldn't it be? You have a shorter regular season, followed by a three-week stretch where literally everything is on the line. There's way more desperation in the air, as evidenced by the fact that the best team in college basketball all season (Kansas) can't win the title because they had a bad game in the worst spot against a Northern Iowa team that hit all the big shots. Coaches will do crazier things to change the game.

The rules of the college game also facilitates an anarchy of sorts that can be entertaining after watching so many NBA games. The shot clock, for example, is 11 seconds longer in college than the NBA, which allows a coach to run through more options than they could in the NBA. The three-point line is way, way closer, which allows an underdog to compete with the big boys. College guards don't handle the ball as well as pro guards, so teams that can press, but aren't good otherwise can match up with a team that's clearly outplaying them (see Michigan State-Maryland). None of these things really bring with them better pure basketball (because most teams use the extra 11 seconds on the shot clock to aimlessly toss the ball around the perimeter), but they do bring different basketball. For those that get tired of watching the same brand over and over again, yeah, it can be a nice diversion. 

(Oh, and for those screaming for major innovation in pro basketball, it's much easier said than done. You try running a college-style offense with 11 fewer seconds per possession, because you'll find you don't have enough time to do what you want. You try running a Syracuse-style 2-3 zone defense all game, because you'll find that NBA players will figure out how to attack it sooner than you want. You try pressing the best ball-handlers in the world, because you'll find they'll break it easily and get easy shot after easy shot. It sounds easy to ask for major, major innovation, but in case you noticed, orthodoxy tends to beat major innovation every time. So you can understand why coaches tend to resist this stuff). 

So really, the NBA's problem is that it's too routine. This is a criticism I understand completely, which is why I spent so much time this weekend watching college hoops. Hell, even I needed a quick break. 

But since the NBA is still the most compelling brand of basketball on the planet (in my opinion), there are still reasons to watch every team. Reasons that aren't routine, like the playoff push or the coronation of the next superstar. This week, I'm going to try to find one thing about every team that's not routine. Some of these are obvious, like the Nets' attempt to win more than nine games. Some of these are less obvious. Either way, they're reasons to watch the NBA, and they can make it all seem less repetitive. Or routine. Whatever word you choose.

30.  New Jersey Nets: 7-63 overall, 0-4 last week

SBN Blog: NetsDaily

Last week: 30.

The obvious storyline with the Nets is what I'm going to call the "Trek For Ten." Clearly, this refers to the Nets' hopes to win more games than the 1972/73 Sixers, who set an NBA record by winning just nine games. We have 12 games to go, and tempers are flaring. Star center Brook Lopez stormed out of practice last week, which is key because he seemed like the one player who wasn't letting the losing mentality affect him. Looking at the Nets' schedule, they have some pretty easy games left, including home games this week against the Kings and Pistons, so there's legitimate intrigue here. It would be far less interesting if they only had hard games left to go. 

DREGS OF THE LEAGUE

29. Minnesota Timberwolves: 14-57 overall, 0-4 last week.

SBN Blog: Canis Hoopus

Last week: 29.

On the surface, the Timberwolves are perhaps the least interesting team in the league. They're tanking, they have no talent, their coach is not getting through to the players and they're in flippin' Minnesota (sorry Wolves fans). But whenever Darko Milicic is involved, things get interesting. He's played well since coming to Minnesota, and is said to be reconsidering his intentions to go to Europe next year, provided some ... uhh ... conditions are met.

Darko Milicic had a rather startling answer after practice this morning when Phil Miller asked him whether he'd return to the Timberwolves next season if the team guaranteed him a starting job and 30 to 35 minutes a game.

He said yes.

To be fair to Darko, the reporter kind of led him into that answer, but let me be clear. Darko, you are not getting 30-35 minutes a game next year. Then again, with the Wolves' odd vendetta against Kevin Love, maybe it's possible? I don't know. Either way, watching Darko save his career and potentially sabotage it at the same time with his silliness is compelling. 

Compelling enough for YouTube users to create single-game highlight mixes for him? Surprisingly ... yes.

 

 

28.  Washington Wizards: 21-47 overall, 0-3 last week.

SBN Blog: Bullets Forever

Last week: 27.

Right underneath our noses, Shaun Livingston is rescuing his career. He may never be anything more than a backup point guard down the road, but considering how long a journey he took to get back to that point, it's a major accomplishment. Watching him in action is a feel-good story better than most you'll get in March Madness.

It's easy to root for Livingston, a thoughtful, well-spoken guy who hasn't let his devastating injuries beat down his spirit. It's easier to root for him when he's dunking on Pau Gasol.

 

27.  Golden State Warriors: 19-51 overall, 1-3 last week.

SBN Blog: Golden State of Mind

Last week: 28.

Unless you love D-League players, it's hard to get too excited about Golden State's on-court product. But there's a major change happening upstairs, as it appears that longtime cheapskate owner Chris Cohan is finally going to sell the team. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is rumored to want in, which would obviously be huge, since Ellison has deep pockets and is seemingly willing to spend that money to improve the on-court product. It's been a long time coming for Warrior fans, who are easily the most loyal in basketball. They have a huge market and a lot of possibilities, and finally, it appears they might be able to see all that take shape on the court. 

Seriously, don't underestimate the effect a new owner has on a fanbase, particularly a beaten-down one like the Warriors.

26.  Detroit Pistons: 23-47 overall, 0-3 last week.

SBN Blog: Detroit Bad Boys.

Last week: 23.

We know the Pistons have too many small guards. Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum, Rip Hamilton, Ben Gordon ... you get the idea. But there's a legitimately interesting question over who should get point guard minutes. Stuckey has returned from his unfortunate seizure, but Bynum is arguably as good as him at this stage. The problem is that the organization has invested so much in Stuckey as a future piece of the franchise, whereas Bynum is a free agent and is currently a minimum-salary player. If you ever want to study the interesting dynamics between the front office and the coaching staff, study this situation. Maybe John Kuester likes Stuckey too, but you can't deny that Stuckey gets more minutes in large part because he's the one with a future with the team.

25.  Philadelphia 76ers: 24-47 overall, 1-3 last week.

SBN Blog: Liberty Ballers

Last week: 25.

Speaking of management vs. coaching battles, the 76ers are Exhibit B of the delicate balance the two sides must strike. Sixers brass basically issued a vote of extreme no confidence to Eddie Jordan 11 days ago, essentially saying the only chance he maybe could save his job would be to tank and play young guys. Jordan, of course, will want some autonomy, as long as he's the coach of the team, so he'll play along sometimes and resist other times. This, of course, means the player rotations will be erratic. Or, as Liberty Ballers writes, Jordan will "spin the Price is RIght wheel" with his rotations. 

But can you really blame Jordan? How do you maintain some semblance of autonomy while also protecting yourself from getting fired? It's a delicate balance that he has to play, and it's compelling as hell.

24.  Sacramento Kings: 24-47 overall, 1-3 last week

SBN Blog: Sactown Royalty

Last week: 22.

It hasn't been the greatest year in the world for Sacramento's young bigs. At different points in the season, Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson have struggled. This is problematic because, along with Tyreke Evans, they're the future of the Kings. However, things have gotten better since Carl Landry came into the fold. Ironically, Landry, previously a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, is starting and pushing Thompson into a sixth-man role, in which he's succeeding. Why? As Sactown Royalty's Tom Ziller writes:

Watching the Milwaukee game (in which Thompson had just 9/3 in 28 minutes), it seemed as though having fewer offensive options on the court improved the flow of the game in which Thompson participated. Playing withTyreke Evans, Beno Udrih and Spencer Hawes, it almost looked as if Thompson had to shoot every time he received the ball in scoring range -- otherwise, he'd only get three FGAs a game. Off the bench, playing withFrancisco Garcia and Ime Udoka and usually Sean May but sometimes Andres Nocioni ... there are shots, there are plays available for Thompson. And this isn't always necessarily a good thing -- he remains the least refined offensively of the rotation bigs. But it seems like it calms Thompson down, like he values the basketball and each possession more when he knows he'll get another chance, that he doesn't have to take the baseline jumper or pull a spin move out of thin air.    

The Kings' ability to work out their young big man rotation is as instrumental to their future success as anything Tyreke Evans does, so this situation bears watching. 

Speaking of Evans, this was a nasty fall (fast forward to the 45 second mark).

 

 

23.  Los Angeles Clippers: 26-44 overall, 1-1 last week.

SBN Blog: Clips Nation.

Last week: 26.

I pass. The Clippers have nothing interesting going on. Sorry. I guess Baron Davis' beard is interesting, but otherwise, I got nothing.

 

 

 

22.  Indiana Pacers: 24-46 overall, 3-1 last week

SBN Blog: Indy Cornrows

Last week: 24.

A.J. Price is finally getting a little bit of playing time, and the Pacers are winning. Shocked? You shouldn't be. Price has shown a lot of promise, and there's nothing promising about T.J. Ford. So what happens now that Ford is set to return? Does he play? Does he stay benched? Does he pout when he's benched? Coaches are fond of saying this is a veterans' league, but will Jim O'Brien adhere to this when Price is playing so much better than Ford?

The funny thing about this is that while playing Price is a nod to the future, the Pacers would probably improve their draft position by playing Ford. Will there be some Level Five tanking going on in Indy? 

21.  New York Knicks: 25-45 overall, 1-2 last week.

SBN Blog: Posting and Toasting

Last week: 23.

Remember when Mike D'Antoni was the golden child coach of the NBA? Two terrible years in New York is all we needed to realize that he also gets really defensive and is out of line sometimes. Here's what he said about Jordan Hill, the Knick rookie that was drafted really high and disappointed before finding himself after being traded to the Rockets. 

"Where does that come from?" D'Antoni said. "Seriously. It's something that cracks me up. I don't play rookies? I don't like to play bad rookies."

Right or not, that's not an appropriate thing to say. Forget the effect on Jordan Hill, because honestly, who cares? Hill's in a different situation and he's doing what he can; it doesn't pay for him to look back. The real problem is that D'Antoni's throwing Donnie Walsh under the bus here. Walsh was the one who opted for Hill in the draft, and D'Antoni's inadvertently criticizing Walsh's job performance. Whether D'Antoni's right or wrong, it's not a good idea to bash your boss.

Anyway, D'Antoni has only a few more games left before the real payoff of signing on as the Knicks' coach comes. How does he handle it? Will he be patient, or will he have more outbursts like this?

MEDIOCRE CLUBS

20.  Chicago Bulls: 33-37 overall, 2-3 last week.

SBN Blog: Blog A Bull

Last week: 20.

The Bulls are in a weird spot, in that they're pushing for the playoffs, but doing so with tons of injured players and a salary-cap situation that mirrors a tanking team. That probably explains why Joakim Noah is back in the lineup and playing limited minutes, even though he's clearly still not himself because of a foot injury. If the Bulls weren't so intent on making the playoffs, Noah could recover normally and not risk any long-term foot damage, but because the Bulls are making a "playoff run," Noah has to play hurt. It'll be interesting to see whether the risk pays off. Do the Bulls make the playoffs? Does Noah's foot hold up? If not, why did they bring him back in the first place?

19.  New Orleans Hornets: 34-38 overall, 1-3 last week.

SBN Blog: At the Hive

Last week: 18.  

The Hornets have decided to bring Chris Paul back from injury, even though they have nothing to gain in terms of making the playoffs. This obviously will affect the playing time of dynamic rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton, but in New Orleans' defense, the only way they'll know how to get the three players to play well together is to, you know, actually try it. 

Everything's all smiles after one game, but the true test will come once Paul wants his 40 minutes a game back. Then, it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out. For now, things are still all good though.

 

 

 

18.  Toronto Raptors: 35-34, 3-1 last week.

SBN Blog: Raptors HQ

Last week: 19.

As the Raptors make their uninspired "playoff push," Andrea Bargnani is not playing well. As it turns out, maybe it's because ... uhh ... he doesn't care? It's tough to conclude anything else from this piece.

The fifth month of the fourth season, and still no conclusion. Except that Andrea Bargnani is lazy.

That comes from someone extremely close to him. The part about being inconsistent and passive, about one moment lending encouragement to the Raptors' postseason hopes and the next becoming a face of the fade -- and, yes, the part about wearing the status as No. 1 pick like an anvil necklace -- that's from everyone else.

Later, Bargnani himself admits that he gets lazy on the glass sometimes. More than Chris Bosh, this is the storyline to watch with the Raptors. Bosh could stay or go, but the Raptors are essentially stuck with Bargnani, who they signed to a five-year, 50 million dollar contract extension this summer. Even if they could find a trade partner (which they won't be able to at this point), they'd have to wait until next December 15 to deal him. They've waited on him for so long, and he hasn't been able to be consistent. When does their patience run out?

Considering Bosh's impending free agency, this is the last thing the Raptors need. 

17.  Charlotte Bobcats: 35-34 overall, 1-3 last week.

SBN Blog: Rufus on Fire

Last week: 14.  

This one's a bit out of left field, but Charlotte's going to have some issues this summer at the point guard position. Raymond Felton has played well, but he's a free agent, and he has a special situation on his hands. Last summer, the Bobcats gave him the qualifying offer, which is basically a last resort for both sides once they can't agree on a contract extension. Since the new collective bargaining agreement came into place in 2000, five players, the latest being Ben Gordon, have signed the qualifying offer. None of them have returned to their teams the following summer. 

The problem for Charlotte is that their Felton replacement, D.J. Augustin, has been pitifully bad this year. So bad that I can't see them willingly turning over the position to him. Does Augustin have a good playoffs, or does he continue to stink? If it's the second one, what happens this summer?

16.  Houston Rockets: 36-33 overall, 3-2 last week

SBN Blog: The Dream Shake

Last week: 15.

With Kevin Martin going back to his quietly efficient self, we can now wonder where he sits in the Rockets' pecking order next year. Clearly, he's a part of their future, but how will he play off Yao Ming? In theory, the answer should be yes, but Martin had trouble playing with another star in Sacramento. Will Yao be a better blend for his skills? We won't know the answer this year, but we can have our theories.

15.  Memphis Grizzlies: 38-33 overall, 3-1 last week

SBN Blog: Straight Outta Vancouver

Last week: 17.

This headline by Straight Outta Vancouver (Thabeet Finally Breaks 10 Points) cracked me up, but in all seriousness, Hasheem Thabeet is getting his chance to show he could actually be, well, something. Marc Gasol is hurt, which forces Thabeet to play more minutes. So far, he's performing, well, alright. It'll be interesting to track whether his D-League experience helped him.

It's certainly helping the Grizzlies, who have won seven of their last ten games and are making one last-ditch attempt to make the playoffs. We can stop snickering at the D-League now, because it works.

 

 

14.  Miami Heat: 37-34 overall, 2-2 last week.

SBN Blog: Peninsula is Mightier

Last week: 14.

The Heat are playing really well right now, and they proved on Thursday night that they're at least going to be a tough out in the playoffs. However, once they do get eliminated, the focus immediately shifts to the summer, when Dwyane Wade will be a free agent and the wooing of him and other max-level free agents begins. In that light, can we at least ask whether Erik Spolestra is the right coach to attract these guys?

Personally, I see no reason why he isn't. His teams are always prepared, and while Michael Beasley's lack of development is troubling, that's probably more Beasley's own fault than anyone. But Spolestra also isn't a big name, and big-time players want to play for big-time coaches. You can't help but worry if you're Miami that the Knicks can dangle the Mike D'Antoni carrot at big-name free agents, whereas all Miami has to offer is Spolestra. The only way Spolestra could change that perception is with a well-coached first-round series, so there's a lot on the line for him. That'll be worth watching down the stretch.

GOOD, BUT NOT GREAT

13.  Portland Trail Blazers: 42-29 overall, 1-1 last week.

SBN Blog: Blazers Edge

Last week: 11.

The most compelling storyline that no outsider is noticing right now is what's going on in Portland's front office. Kevin Pritchard, the golden boy GM who laid this incredible foundation in Portland, is looking more and more like a goner. I'd say more, but Blazers Edge has it all covered. I thought this line from Jason Quick of the Oregonian summed it up perfectly.

If anything has become clear to me over the past week it's this: Anyone under Kevin Pritchard in this organization loves him and swears by him. Anyone over him appears uncomfortable with him or threatened by him.

In other words, Pritchard has done everything he should have done to get the Blazers back to a position where everyone in the league envies them ... and his bosses don't like how he's done it. I don't want to go overboard here, because we're talking about a general manager, but this is really no different from a superstar player wearing out his teammates with his ego. Most of the time, the good teams work through these issues and learn to coexist in the name of success. For some reason, that's not happening in Portland. And that's terrible.

Because if Kevin Pritchard gets fired, 85 percent of the general managers in the league should fear for their jobs. If Pritchard isn't snapped up very, very quickly, something is horribly wrong with the egos of those in charge.

12.  Oklahoma City Thunder: 42-27 overall, 1-3 last week

SBN Blog: Welcome To Loud City

Last week: 7.

The Thunder has struggled recently, but one guy who has emerged is Serge Ibaka. He's providing highlight plays and great defense off the bench ... and did I mention he's only 20 (aka three years younger than Wesley Johnson)? He's getting crunch time minutes now, and he's making the most of them. Just ask Tim Duncan, who was poised to put the Thunder away last night until Ibaka got in his way.

 

 

But of course, all good things bring some long-term questions. In Ibaka's case, where does he fit in to the Thunder's long-term plans? The Thunder has a carefully constructed plan to build around Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, but to make it work, they have to be delicate with how big those contract extensions are. Green's up for an extension this summer, but Ibaka plays his position and potentially plays it better. There's a lot of logic to picking Ibaka on a rookie deal over a potentially overpaid Green. However, Green's also buddies with Durant, and everyone on the team loves him. What happens to OKC's precious chemistry if Green goes? Lots of questions, few answers.

All I know is Ibaka is awesome and worth following.

11.  San Antonio Spurs: 42-27 overall, 3-2 last week

SBN Blog: Pounding the Rock.

Last week: 13. 

Speaking of Tim Duncan, just how much does he have left? Statistically, he's playing great, but he's also receiving less attention from other teams. There was one play at the end of the game where Ibaka completely locked him up one on one, which never used to happen with him. Considering that Tony Parker is out, the Spurs need Duncan to turn back the clock if they want to make a playoff run. Can it happen? These next few weeks will tell us.

10.  Milwaukee Bucks: 39-30 overall, 3-1 last week.

SBN Blog: Brew Hoop

Last week: 9.

The Bucks keep winning, taking a thriller over Atlanta last night in a possible playoff preview. They're armed, and their dangerous. 

However, it's worth asking whether Milwaukee can do this in the playoffs, when other teams aren't taking the night off. This is typical with Scott Skiles teams. They often dominate this stretch of the year because he won't let his team let up when others are taking it a little easier in preparation for the playoffs. However, when the playoffs roll around, Skiles' teams can't get to that extra gear. Is this year's Milwaukee team different? Obviously, we won't know until the playoffs, but it's still a trend to follow as April rolls around.

9.  Atlanta Hawks: 45-25 overall, 3-2 last week.

SBN Blog: Peachtree Hoops.

Last week: 10.

The Hawks tend to go as Joe Johnson goes, which is both a blessing and a curse. The rest of the team tends to stay very limited in their role, playing it as well as possible, but never stepping out of it. But one guy who could step out of his role and do more is Al Horford. Just ask Tim Duncan.

 

 

In all seriousness, as currently constructed, the Hawks have a limited ceiling. But what if guys like Horford, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams can be more than role players? Then, they're in business during the playoffs. We only have a few more weeks to see if those three can make that leap.

8.  Dallas Mavericks: 46-24 overall, 1-2 last week.

SBN Blog: Mavs Moneyball.

Last week: 5.

Will Rodrigue Beaubois get any more meaningful minutes this season? I personally hope so, since the Mavericks are sliding a bit since their 13-game winning streak. But it hasn't happened these last three games, even though Beaubois was playing really well earlier in March. I guess Rick Carlisle tends to be hard on rookies. 

 

 

 

7.  Phoenix Suns: 45-26 overall, 4-0 last week

SBN Blog: Bright Side of the Sun.

Last week: 12.

You know who is kicking butt right now? Amare Stoudemire. And I mean kicking butt. I'd say more, but this Bright Side of the Sun post covers all the angles. I could also just post this video.

 

 

Is this a contract year push, or is this a sign that Amare is truly an elite player? The playoffs might answer that question.

CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS

6.  Boston Celtics: 45-25 overall, 3-1 last week.

SBN Blog: Celtics Blog.

Last week: 10.

For all of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen's problems, Paul Pierce has played pretty uninspired ball all season too. However, he recently told Fanhouse's Chris Tomasson that he was playing hurt and is now healthy. Was this an example of Pierce excusing his poor play all season, or was this a legitimate reason for his struggles? Pierce's play down the stretch will answer that question, and Boston's title hopes might be on the line.

5.  Utah Jazz: 46-25 overall, 3-1 last week.

SBN Blog: SLC Dunk

Last week: 6.

Is this the year Jerry Sloan finally wins Coach of the Year? I'll admit I didn't think much about Sloan until I read this old passage from Jazz beat reporter Ross Siler, who makes a really interesting case for Sloan.

The case for Sloan is pretty compelling: He helped create an environment in which Boozer could return to the Jazz. Not only didn't Boozer serve as a distraction, he's enjoyed one of the most productive seasons of his career. Sloan also wasn't afraid to start an undrafted rookie in Wesley Matthews and trust Matthews with a series of tough defensive matchups night after night. Sloan made the switch in returning Kirilenko to the starting lineup. He's not too proud to admit the Jazz should have done it sooner than this season. He also helped create a better defensive culture by introducing daily accountability rankings. (This is one of the things that almost never gets mentioned.) Sloan helped keep the Jazz moving forward even as they were sitting out of playoff position in early January. Last but not least, Sloan never batted an eye when the Jazz made not one, but two trades that weakened his roster this season in the name of salary and luxury-tax savings. The Jazz are 8-3 since the Ronnie Brewer trade and 26-10 since the Maynor deal. If I were voting today, I'd probably go with Sloan over Brooks.

That was back on March 10. Now, the Jazz are 12-7 since the Brewer trade and 30-13 since the Maynor deal, and that's without Mehmet Okur and Kirilenko for stretches. If the Jazz keep playing well despite all this, Sloan could rally and steal the award from someone else. We all know media members love the sentimental pick, and Sloan is definitely the sentimental pick.

4.  Denver Nuggets: 47-23 overall, 2-1 last week.

SBN Blog: Denver Stiffs.

Last week: 4.

The Nuggets continue to hang in there as best as they can without Kenyon Martin, but how long can they do that? They let down in a home loss to Milwaukee, and you wonder whether that would have happened with Martin on the court. Johan Petro is filling in as best as he can, but he's Johan Petro. You can't trot him out to guard the best power forwards in the West during the playoffs.

Martin's loss could ultimately affect Denver's seed and put them in an unfavorable matchup. 

3.  Orlando Magic: 50-21 overall, 3-0 last week.

SBN Blog: Orlando Pinstriped Post.

Last week: 3.

We think of Dwight Howard as this fun-loving, laid-back dude, but he's also leading the league with 15 technical fouls this season. If he gets one more, he has to sit out a game. Stan Van Gundy is predictably defending his center, but Howard's temper could be costly during the playoffs, like it almost was last year.

 

 

2.  Los Angeles Lakers: 52-18 overall, 3-0 last week.

SBN Blog: Silver Screen and Roll

Last week: 2.

So Andrew Bynum is injured again, and the Lakers don't seem to miss him much. If this sounds like an annual right of passage, it's because it probably is. However, this time, Bynum should return 100% healthy for the playoffs. When he does, how does Phil Jackson manage his minutes? Do the Lakers even need him? These are legitimate questions that need answering down the stretch.

1.  Cleveland Cavaliers: 56-15 overall, 4-0 last week.

SBN Blog: Fear the Sword

Last week: 1.

The story of Leon Powe has already been covered by Tom Ziller at Fanhouse, so I won't add much. It really is a great story, especially if he plays well in a potential series against the Celtics, who cast him aside to overpay a washed-up Rasheed Wallace five times as much money. It almost makes me want to root for the Cavaliers, which makes it a story you all should follow down the stretch this season.