The 2012-'13 NBA regular season is more than half over, and for anyone who closely follows the league, there are two things that probably stick out the most during the All-Star Weekend in Houston. LeBron James is head and shoulders above, far and away the best player on the planet at the moment. With less than a week until the deadline, trade talks are abuzz...and the biggest rumors seem to be hanging over the heads of high-profile guys such as Josh Smith, Carlos Boozer and Kevin Garnett.
What the All-Star Weekend also brings to the forefront is the fact that the 2013 NBA Playoffs are just around the corner. With that in mind, here are my current NBA Power Rankings heading in to the second half of the season. Keep in mind, these rankings DO NOT reflect who I want to win the NBA Championship or who I think will win it. They simply reflect who I think it is playing the best-- and worst-- in the league right now, with everyone else somewhere in between.
1. San Antonio Spurs, 42-12
San Antonio has the best record in the league by six games, and not only that, they've already endured most of their annual "Rodeo Road Trip", having only three games left (Clippers, Warriors, Suns). On top of having the best record in the league, the Spurs are 20-10 on the road. As if that wasn't enough to prove to most people that they're the best team in the league, Gregg Popovich hasn't been shy about giving his veteran guys some rest. Most recently he sat Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Stephen Jackson against the Chicago Bulls and his team still came out on top 103-89.
2. Miami Heat, 36-14
I know a lot of people have criticized Miami for their 13-11 road record, and while it's true that it isn't exactly stellar, the way LeBron James is playing at the moment, that's about the only thing that matters on South Beach. Also, despite having arguably the worst display of basketball skills in the history of the All-Star game, Chris Bosh has been huge for the Heat in their last few games, going for 32 and 11 on Tuesday, followed by 20 and 12 against the Thunder on Thursday.
3. Los Angeles Clippers, 39-17
All the talks surrounding LA lately is whether or not sure-fire Hall of Famer, Kevin Garnett is going to be a Clipper by the end of the weekend or not. On top of that, it's been rumored that LA and Utah may be talking about an Eric Bledsoe for Paul Millsap deal. Whether or not anything happens remains to be seen. Despite losing more game than they've been used to this season while their MVP candidate point guard, Chris Paul, sat out with a knee injury for the better part of a month, the Clippers are still my pick to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals this season.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder, 39-14
While my opinion on the James Harden trade hasn't changed, the Thunder still find themselves sitting in a position that most teams would bend over backwards to be. They have one of the three best players in the game on their team in Kevin Durant, and he's no stranger to pressure situations. If OKC keeps playing the way they are, they can expect to find themselves in the Western Conference Finals.
5. Memphis Grizzlies, 33-18
The Grizzlies are the only team to have made not one, but two salary-cap cutting moves. They sent Rudy Gay to Toronto in a three-team trade that brought them Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye and Ed Davis. They also sent Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby to Cleveland solely to shed $6M in cap space. Memphis has the best front court in the NBA with power forward Zach Randolph and center Marc Gasol, and are sure to make some noise in the playoffs.
6. Denver Nuggets, 33-21
Denver has been very hot as of late, and were super close to jumping ahead of the Grizzlies in these rankings. Everyone knows about the home court advantage the Nuggets have as a result of the thin air in Denver, but I don't think people realize just how big of an advantage that is. As a result, the Nuggets are 22-3 at home this season.
7. Indiana Pacers, 32-21
The Pacers are undoubtedly the best team in the NBA who no one is talking about, as is usually the case with most teams in the Midwest. The Pacers have amassed a 32-21 record despite not having their best player, Danny Granger, on the floor for a single game this season. Granger should be returning within the next week or two, and at this point, it seems to only be a matter of time until the Pacers surpass the New York Knicks for the second-seed in the East.
8. Boston Celtics, 28-24
I'm sure that most people who are reading this column and noticing that I have the Celtics this high are thinking I am crazy, especially based on the fact that their all-star point guard, Rajon Rondo tore his ACL and is going to miss the rest of the season. A lot of people seemed to have closed the book on their season and forgot about their existence. If you were one of the guys who did that, you probably have no idea that Rondo is, inexplicably, the latest and arguably most unexpected Ewing Theory candidate. With Rondo, Boston had the 25th ranked offense, and since he went down, they are 8-1 without him and seem to have righted the ship (despite losing Leandro Barbosa and rookie Jared Sullinger for the year as well). There are talks that the Celtics have been in talks about dealing sure-fire Hall of Famer, Kevin Garnett, to the Clippers. KG is on record of saying he "bleeds green" and is not going to waive his no-trade clause to go anywhere, so until that changes, just dismiss any rumor year involving the Big Ticket being moved.
9. Brooklyn Nets, 31-22
Whenever anyone talks about the Nets these days, all the talk seems to be about is whether or not they are going to acquire Dwight Howard in a deal revolving around center Brook Lopez. As soon as most people began to believe that that is not going to happen, the talks immediately switched to whether or not the Nets are going to be able to acquire Josh Smith from Atlanta. While some people still believe this has a chance of happening, I'd love someone who follows the league as closely as I do to explain to me just how this is going to happen given the fact that Brooklyn has virtually nothing to give up for him that makes sense for the two teams (who both have playoff hopes).
10. Chicago Bulls, 30-22
While it's looking more and more likely that Derrick Rose isn't going to play this season (a decision that I think would be 1,000 percent the right move), there is still a small chance that he will return at some point. IF he's able to come back, will he be at the level we're accustomed to seeing? Also, it has been widely speculated that Carlos Boozer may be on the move. Depending on what the return is, if this were to happen, I think it would make Chicago a better team, as I am not the biggest fan of Boozer's work.
11. Golden State Warriors, 30-22
Aside from Memphis and Denver at five and six, the toughest decision I had when ranking these teams was in what order to put my nine, 10 and 11 ranked teams. Truthfully, it ll depends on what happens and/or doesn't happen this week before the trade deadline. As it stands now, Golden State finds themselves as the bronze medalist among those three teams for two reasons. They started the season strong, and recently have started fading off somewhat and hasn't looked as impressive. On top of that, they have had some injuries to players that seem to find themselves hurt every season. Assuming the injury bug doesn't bite them again, I fully expect the Warriors to make the playoffs, and the NBA fan in me hopes they find themselves matched up against the Clippers. That is quietly turning in to one of the better rivalries in the league.
12. Houston Rockets, 29-26
It's no secret that Houston's GM Daryl Morey is always looking to make moves when he feels it can help his team, as evident by the acquisition of James Harden, so don't be surprised to hear the Rockets come up in talks this week. As the team is currently constructed, I wouldn't be surprised to see them squeak in to the playoffs, but that is far from a given at this point.
13. New York Knicks, 32-18
Again, it may be shocking to some people that I have Boston at eight and New York at 13. A lot of people would probably expect to see these teams in opposite slots. However, NY just has not looked very impressive after their 18-5 start. In fact, since then, the Knicks are only one game above .500 with a record of 14-13. It's very possible that they are going to turn this around, and despite their recent rough stretch, as it stands now, they still hold the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
14. Atlanta Hawks, 29-22
Josh Smith is a name that has came up more than a couple of times already in this article, and his name has been linked to several teams in trade talks, including the Nets, Lakers, Celtics and Bucks. It's my belief that Smith will be traded before Thursday's deadline, and when that happens, I expect Atlanta to go in to free-fall mode. Having said that, the Hawks have done a great job of staying afloat after losing Louis Williams for the year and are having a better season than most people give them credit for.
15. Los Angeles Lakers, 25-29
The Lakers have been the most talked about subpar .500 team in the history of sports for the first half of the season. I don't expect that to change anytime soon, especially with the tragic news that team owner Jerry Buss passed away Monday morning. It was my belief throughout the entire season that LA was going to end up making the playoffs, and I still believe that. However, with Buss passing, I can't help but think that is going to make this team play that much harder and make some noise in the playoffs. No one wants to see Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol on the same team if the Lakers are able to claim one of the top eight seeds in the West. That being said, LA has massively underachieved expectations this season, and even though they have been playing better as of late, it's hard to justify having them any higher than this at the moment.
16. Utah Jazz, 30-24
It is a total mystery to me how the Jazz have found themselves six games over .500 at the All-Star break. Yes, they have Al Jefferson averaging very close to a double-double and guard Gordon Hayward doing his thing on the wing, but if Utah wants to find themselves in the playoffs this season, they are going to have to do everything they can to get Los Angeles to pull the trigger on the Eric Bledsoe for Paul Millsap trade that has been talked about.
17. Milwaukee Bucks, 26-25
If you asked the average NBA fan what Milwaukee's record is, I'd be willing to bet that the majority of them would guess something under .500. Other than the occasional Brandon Jennings highlight, you typically do not hear much about them. Unfortunately for that franchise, that is going to be something extremely hard to change.
18. Portland Trail Blazers, 25-28
The Blazers seemed to have found lightning in a bottle with their first-round pick, and Rookie of the Year front-runner (so far ahead of the field that he's already ran away with the award and hid it), Damian Lillard. Along with Utah, Houston, Utah and LA, they are going to be fighting for the last two playoff spots in the West. It's my opinion that LA and Houston are going to land them, but we will have to wait and see how it plays out.
19. Toronto Raptors, 21-32
The Raptors have been playing much better since acquiring swing man Rudy Gay from Memphis. I had a lot of confidence in Toronto before the season started. So much so that I may or may not have placed a legal wager on the over on Toronto's pre-season over/under win total. Thanks to adding Gay, I like my chances of winning that bet that I may or may not have made.
20. Dallas Mavericks, 23-29
At this point, even the most optimistic Mavericks fan (also known as Marc Cuban) has to realize that Dallas' window to win is closing at an alarming pace. After missing on Deron Williams (which was a blessing in disguise) this past summer, Dallas has to land current Lakers center Dwight Howard if they are going to make one last run before blowing their team up as it's currently constructed.
21. Washington Wizards, 15-36
For the Wizards, this has been the tale of two teams: the team before John Wall returned from injury and the team after John Wall returned from an injury. Washington started the year on a 12-game losing streak en route to a 4-28 start overall. Since Wall has returned, they have won 11 of their last 18 games and rank first in defensive efficiency. If Washington is able to land a rookie who can make a positive impact sooner rather than later in this summer's draft, the Wizards may not be the laughing stock of the league that they have become over the last few seasons.
22. Cleveland Cavaliers, 16-37
After Anderson Varejao went down with what will most likely end up being yet ANOTHER season-ending injury, things were not looking great for Cleveland until the Cavs added Marreese Speights and Wayne Ellington from Memphis, they have turned what was one of the worst benches in the league in to one of the best. On top of that, Kyrie Irving has evolved in to one of the best point guards in the league. As a result, the Cavs have been playing better as of late, though still only 8-9 over their last 17 games. It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I am a die-hard Cavs fan. Needless to say, as anyone who follows the NBA could tell you, the last two and a half seasons have not been the best of times to be a Cavs fan. However, with the emergence of Kyrie as a legitimate Superstar, and the fact that Cleveland is arguably the front-runner to sign long-time fan favorite, and current villian, LeBron James in the summer of 2014.
23. Philadelphia 76ers, 22-29
This summer the 76ers traded for center Andrew Bynum, and in hindsight, that may have not been the best move. Bynum has played as many games for Philly as I have this season, and the outlook of him ever playing a game in the City of Brotherly Love is becoming more and more dim as each day passes as Bynum is a free agent after this season.
24. Minnesota Timberwolves, 19-31
Coming in to this season, Minnesota had high hopes of making the playoffs. Injuries have completely ruined any chance of that happening and have turned the Timberwolves in to one of the bottom teams in the league. Ricky Rubio started the season on the injured list after a tearing his ACL last season and Superstar Kevin Love started the season on the injury list with a broken hand. He returned to the lineup, only to break his hand again and find himself sidelined again. He's hopeful he can return in late March, but even if he is able to, this season is a lost cause.
25. Detroit Pistons, 21-33
The Pistons received bad news just before the All-Star break when it was discovered that rookie center Andre Drummond may miss up to six weeks with a bruised back. On top of that, the team lost long-time forward Tayshaun Prince as well as Austin Daye in a trade. Things are looking bleak for the Pistons, but luckily for them, the NHL was able to reach a deal to end the lockout earlier in the year. Take it from someone who used to live in Michigan--no one will even notice how bad the Pistons are going to be the second half of the season.
26. New Orleans Pelicans, 19-34
After returning from an injury he suffered while playing on the U.S. Olympic team, the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Anthony Davis is picking up in New Orleans just where he left off at the University of Kentucky. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, their 10th overall pick, Austin Rivers looks more like someone who does not belong in the NBA than he does the complimentary guard who was supposed to help Davis and Ryan Anderson get New Orleans out of the category of worst teams in the league.
27. Sacremento Kings, 19-35
As someone who has watched more Kings games this season than I like to admit, take my advice on this one: watch as many Kings games as you can. There are nights when Jimmer Fredette looks like he might not miss a shot the entire game. There are nights when Tyreke Evans wants to shoot the ball every single time the Kings have the ball. There are nights when rookie Thomas Robinson looks like he's going to be one of the best post players in the league. There are nights when it's entirely possible that DeMarcus Cousins may get ejected before he's even able to work up a sweat. While the outcome of the game is almost always a foregone conclusion, the entertainment value is second-to-none. Unfortunately for the city of Sacremento, it's entirely possible that the Kings may find themselves playing in Seattle sooner rather than later.
28. Phoenix Suns, 17-36
Earlier in the season, the Suns fired coach Alvin Gentry and promoted former NBA player and assistant coach Lindsey Hunter to replace him. By all accounts, the players seem to love the move. The hire may pay dividends down the road, but the Suns roster is a total mess, and the team is not going to improve until their roster is addressed.
29. Orlando Magic, 15-37
As if going 1-9 in their last 10 games wasn't bad enough in Magic country, there are talks that three-point specialist J.J. Redick may be moved before Thursday's deadline. Needless to say, the outlook for Orlando is not good. If they're lucky, they'll win the lottery and land the number one overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, but it's going to take a lot more than that to rebuild this franchise.
30. Charlotte Bobcats, 12-40
I'm not even sure where to begin when it comes to the Bobcats. I could start with the fact that Tim Grover, Michael Jordan's personal trainer, said yesterday that Jordan (who owns the Bobcats) would be the team's best player if he were to come back and play for them. Based on the fact that Jordan beat rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in a game of one-on-one, there may be some merit to that claim. Despite starting the season off 7-5, Charlotte has only won five games since and suffered an 18-game losing streak in the process. It's hard to envision a scenario in which the Bobcats are able to pull themselves out of the NBA's basement under the current regime.
So there you have it, that is how I rank every team one through 30. If you're anything like me, you look forward to not only games starting back up tonight but also seeing what moves are and are not made before Thursday's trading deadline.