The league announced that Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol is the winner of the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Apr 22, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) guards Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) in the second half of game one in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the Staples Center. Clippers won 93-91. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Gasol deserves the award after anchoring perhaps the NBA’s best defensive unit.

According to an official release from NBA.com, Gasol tallied 212 total points, receiving 30 of 121 possible first-place votes. LeBron James came in second with 149 points (18 first-place votes) while Serge Ibaka (14 first-place votes) finished third with 122 points. Joakim Noah (107 points, 13 first-place votes) and Grizzlies teammate Tony Allen (102 points, nine first-place votes) rounded out the top five.

The Grizzlies led the NBA in scoring defense, allowing only 89.3 points per game, and it all started with Gasol.

His numbers aren’t eye popping; averaging 7.8 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steal per game. But he ranked fifth on the NBA’s defensive rating list for the 2012-13 season (via Basketball-Reference) and second on the NBA’s defensive win shares list (via Basketball-Reference).

For anchoring the league’s best defensive, it’s a well-deserved honor and potentially one of many possible Defensive Player of the Year awards, as Gasol is a difference maker in the paint.

He replaces the Knicks’ Tyson Chandler, who won the award last season.

Chandler finished 13th in the voting this season with 11 total points.

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The sheer volume of games played by each individual player will lead to more accumulated statistics, which is why now is the time for owners to start filling out their rosters with players whose teams have bulkier schedules for the remainder of the season.  Snagging these guys off waivers could be the key to winning your championship.  While this is especially important in head-to-head leagues, it is also important in rotisserie leagues as well as weekly leagues where rosters need to be set prior to the start of each week.

Below is a list of players that meet the aforementioned criteria.  As usual, all players are under 50 percent owned in ESPN and Yahoo! leagues and their remaining games per week are in parentheses.

Mar 3, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks point guard Devin Harris (34) drives against the Los Angeles Lakers during the game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Juan Barea (Timberwolves):  He’s been getting steady minutes (24.8) over the past 5 games and finding guys on the wire who are capable of providing assists isn’t always the easiest thing to come by.  To go along with his three assists per game in his last five, he’s also averaging 13 points and 1.8 threes.  (6.1% owned in ESPN, 11% owned in Yahoo!; remaining weekly schedule: 4,4,4,4,4,2)

Devin Harris (Hawks):  There were high hopes for both players when Atlanta landed Harris in the trade that sent former second overall draft pick Marvin Williams to Utah.  Although neither player has lived up to expectations, Harris has been picking it up a little as of late and has a favorable schedule down the stretch which could help fantasy owners.  Over the past 10 games he has averaged 11.7 points, which included a stretch where he had double-digit scoring in seven straight games, and his yearly averages of one steal and 1.2 3’s per game as well as his dual eligibility at PG and SG are nice bonuses.  (6.6% ESPN, 21% Yahoo!; remaining weekly schedule: 4,4,4,4,2,2)

Tony Allen (Grizzlies):  Known as a defensive stalwart, you would always be guaranteed a good amount of hustle stats from him on a nightly basis, but since Rudy Gay was sent packing he’s been given a larger role in the OFFENSIVE part of the Memphis’s offense.  In the month of March (five games) he’s averaged 11.4 points, 1.2 steals and 5.6 rebounds.  He won’t get you any three-pointers (he’s only made three on the year), which is disappointing for a shooting guard, but his free throw shooting (93 percent in March) may help alleviate that statistical deficiency.  (25.5% ESPN, 36% Yahoo!; remaining weekly schedule: 4,4,4,4,3,2)

Trevor Ariza (Wizards):  It took a while, but Ariza is finally starting to heat up in the Beltway.  He provides a rare, fantasy-friendly combination of points, rebounds, assists, steals and threes and is mired on a team always looking for guys to score.  Over the past 10 games he’s putting up averages of 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and a pair of three-pointers in 30.8 minutes, numbers that are very reminiscent of his 2009-10 breakout campaign in Houston.  Bradley Beal’s impending return from an ankle sprain may reduce his minutes slightly, but you can expect those averages to stay around the same level.  (31.8% ESPN, 48% Yahoo!; remaining weekly schedule: 4,4,4,4,3,2)

Others to keep an eye on with favorable schedule volume (under 50% owned):

Mario Chalmers (Miami: 4,4,4,3,4,2), Eric Maynor (Portland: 3,5,3,4,3,2), Iman Shumpert (Knicks: 4,4,4,4,4,2), Dorell Wright (76ers: 3,4,4,3,4,2), Avery Bradley (Celtics: 3,4,4,4,3,2), Brandan Wright (Mavericks: 4,4,3,4,3,2)

Teams to avoid: Clippers, Pistons, Kings (they only play 17 games each)

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ESPN’s Marc Stein has reported that Grizzlies are engaged in active trade discussions with the Raptors centering on Rudy Gay.

Jan 28, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay (22) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner (12) during the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

While Stein is reporting that news, he also notes that while the Raptors are Gay’s most active suitor, no initial framework for a deal has been agreed upon. Stein notes that The Raptors have been determined in their pursuit of Gay and also are interested in Grizzlies forward Darrell Arthur.  Toronto is offering up Jose Calderon and third-year forward Ed Davis as two of the main pieces in a potential deal.

The Boston Celtics also appear interested in acquiring Gay, but it is doubtful that happens as they would likely have to deal Paul Pierce.

A potential Gay deal to Toronto would have some impact on the Knicks as it would bring just another talented player into the Atlantic Division, as the Knicks would have to see an improved Raptors team four times a season.

It makes sense for Toronto as they can sure up the small forward spot and can dangle Calderon’s expiring contract as bait, even though Calderon has been fantastic. Stein also notes that the Raptors are also looking to ship Kyle Lowry out as well.

Currently the Raptors are only five games out of a playoff spot, so as the deadline approaches, they will be looking to actively improve their team.

Memphis isn’t in a hurry to trade Gay, so it is doubtful a deal happens.

The Grizzlies are right in the thick of things in a tough Western Conference playoff race. After last week’s trade of Marreese Speights and others, the Grizzlies are under the tax line, so they won’t have to break up their current group of Gay, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley for financial reasons.

However, there is concern that the Grizzlies won’t be able to improve the roster a great deal in the future so if they do decide to trade Gay, you can bet they will be demanding a couple of first-round picks in any deal.

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The latest one has the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers on the verge of completing the first trade of the season.

Jan 19, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Wayne Ellington (3) with the ball during the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The deal breaks down like this:  Memphis will send Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington, Josh Selby and a protected first-round draft pick in 2015 to Cleveland in exchange for Jon Leuer, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.

Cleveland has the cap room to assume Ellington’s expiring $2 million contract, as well as Speights $4.2 million expiring contract. Selby and the pick are likely just sweeteners for the Cavs taking on the additional money for this season.

As for Memphis, this looks like mostly a money deal as the Grizzlies will move further below the tax line, which is big as the deal saves them about $6 million. Although now the Grizzlies will be below the roster minimum so they will have to add a player or two.

In addition to Leuer, the Grizzlies will get a couple of trade exceptions worth the amount of Speights’ and Ellington’s salaries- $4,200,000 and $2,083,042 respectively.

The Grizzlies have been rumored in a ton of deals during the past month that mostly centered around Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph, but it looks like Memphis will keep their two stars for now.

They were able to save money by dealing Speights, who had a reduced role this season after playing well last year when Randolph was injured.

All three guys should get more of an opportunity in Cleveland this season, but the trade doesn’t hurt the Cavs long-term plans as both Speights and Ellington will come off their books next season.

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Let’s not waste any time and get right into this week’s power rankings.

Nov 18, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers defeated the Cavaliers 86-79. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

30. Washington Wizards (0-9): Jordan Crawford leads the woeful Wizards in scoring with 12.2 points per game. Enough said. Last Week’s Ranking-29

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-8): Six straight losses and now Kyrie Irving is out four weeks. It’s going to be another long year in Cleveland. Last Week’s Ranking-25

28. Sacramento Kings (2-8): The Kings have lost five straight, can’t shoot the basketball, and have as many suspensions as wins (two each). Last Week’s Ranking-24

27. Detroit Pistons (2-9): After an 0-8 start, they have won 2-of 3, including wins against the Sixers and Celtics. Last Week’s Ranking-30

26. Orlando Magic (3-7): Do you think the Magic are happy they didn’t deal Dwight Howard for Andrew Bynum? A string of five straight losses was halted with against the Pistons, but things could have turned out worse. Last Week’s Ranking-27

25. Toronto Raptors (3-7): DeMar DeRozan and Jose Calderon are playing his best basketball of their career, but this team needs Kyle Lowry healthy and Andrea Bargnani playing at a higher level. Last Week’s Ranking-28

24. Houston Rockets (4-7): Despite James Harden and Omer Asik off to good starts with their new team, the Rockets have won only two of their past nine games. Last Week’s Ranking-17

23. Phoenix Suns (4-7): The Suns had a brutal schedule over the course of the past week with games against Denver, Chicago, Miami and the Lakers. Give them credit for getting one win. Last Week’s Ranking-23

22. New Orleans Hornets (3-5): Anthony Davis has been everything he was advertised and more. But New Orleans has lost three straight and aren’t playing good team defense, allowing 109 points per game in the losing streak. Last Week’s Ranking-16

21. Indiana Pacers (5-7): The Pacers lead the NBA in defensive efficiency, but their offense is brutal. Danny Granger is out for three months and even though he had a good game Monday night, Roy Hibbert hasn’t been himself after signing his big contract, I just don’t know where the points will come from on a consistent basis. Last Week’s Ranking-20

November 16, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks small forward Josh Smith (5) drives in against Sacramento Kings small forward John Salmons (5) during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

20. Atlanta Hawks (5-4): Josh Smith isn’t quite playing like the J-Smoove we have seen over the past couple of seasons. Too many missed jumpers and free-throws so far. Al Horford and Lou Williams have been pretty good though. Last Week’s Ranking-15

19. Charlotte Bobcats (5-4): The Cats are competing and have two excellent building blocks in Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who are both off to great starts. Don’t look now, but Charlotte has won four of its last five, including a nice win Monday against the Bucks. Last Week’s Ranking-26

18. Portland Trail Blazers (5-5): The Blazers have some nice pieces with Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum just to name a few and have put together a nice three game win streak. Last Week’s Ranking-22

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-4): Their promising start to the season could be derailed by injuries already as Chase Budinger, J.J. Barea and Brandon Roy have joined Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio as Wolves that are out of the lineup. Last Week’s Ranking-10

16. Dallas Mavericks (6-6): O.J. Mayo is playing his best basketball of his career, which helps lessen the blow that Dirk Nowitzki’s rehab isn’t going as well as Dallas may have hoped. Considering the Mavs have lost 5-of-7, they need every bit of Mayo as they can get right now. Last Week’s Ranking-11

November 15, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) dunks the ball during the second half against the Miami Heat at the Pepsi Center. The Heat won 98-93. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

15. Golden State Warriors (6-5): A few other rookies are getting all of the attention, but don’t overlook Harrison Barnes, who is getting better by the game. Despite losing Brandon Rush for the year and still seeing Andrew Bogut banged up, the Warriors won three of four during the week, including an overtime victory against Dallas on Monday in which Steph Curry was tremendous. Last Week’s Ranking-21

14. Denver Nuggets (5-6): Kenneth Faried is a beast, but Ty Lawson, JaVale McGee and Danilo Gallinari have all been disappointments on the NBA’s most disappointing team early on. Monday’s win against the Grizzlies was big and could possibly get George Karl’s team on a roll. This is the best offensive rebounding team in the NBA which is a strength. It has to be considering how poor Denver has shot the ball so far. Last Week’s Ranking-7

13. Philadelphia 76ers (6-4): Bowling? Really? Do you think the Sixers would rather have Andre Iguodala back right now? Last Week’s Ranking-9

12. Chicago Bulls (5-5): After a very nice start, the Bulls are not playing Tom Thibodeau basketball, allowing four consecutive opponents to score over 100 points. Last Week’s Ranking-8

11. Utah Jazz (6-6): Al Jefferson is starting to come alive and the Jefferson-Paul Millsap-Derrick Favors frontcourt is something to be feared. Last Week’s Ranking 18

10. Boston Celtics (6-5): Rajon Rondo is on some kind of pace when it comes to dishing the ball, but is there anything else going on in Beantown right now to get excited about? Last Week’s Ranking-13

9. Brooklyn Nets (6-2): The Nets have been on a five-game tear, but those wins have come against Boston without Rajon Rondo, Orlando (twice), Cleveland and Sacramento. Brook Lopez is improving and the Nets are playing well, but we have to see them beat some better teams before we say they are for real.  Last Week’s Ranking-12

8. Los Angeles Lakers (5-5): The Lakers have rebounded to get to .500, but none of those wins have come against good teams. But Mike D’Antoni is ready to take over and Steve Nash should be back in a week or so. Then we will see this team likely start rolling. Last Week’s Ranking-19

7. Milwaukee Bucks (6-3): Milwaukee is off to their best start in over 10 years and are riding a three-game win streak. Two of those wins came against a couple decent teams in Philadelphia and Indiana. The Brandon Jennings-Monta Ellis backcourt has been great, winning despite a not-so-stellar frontcourt.  Last Week’s Ranking-14

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (8-3): Kevin Durant’s first career triple-double is a sign that the Thunder are moving the ball better as a team. They won three of four games during the week but lost to the only good team they played in Memphis. Last Week’s Ranking-6

5. San Antonio Spurs (8-3): After their rare collapse against the Knicks, the Spurs bounced back nicely against Denver, but ended up falling Monday night to the Clippers. Manu Ginobili is starting to play well, which they need with Kawhi Leonard out of the lineup for a couple of weeks. Last Week’s Ranking-3

Nov 19, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) brings the ball up court against during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

4. Miami Heat (8-3): They lost to Memphis but won 3-of-4 during the week, rebounding from that to beat Denver and Phoenix. Their size is an issue against some of the bigger Western Conference teams, but it’s the same talented Miami team with LeBron James and Chris Bosh off to fantastic starts. Last Week’s Ranking-4

3. Los Angeles Clippers (8-2): The Clippers are No. 4 in offensive efficiency and No. 2 in defensive efficiency. Jamal Crawford was somehow snubbed off the All-Star ballot, but he has proven to be the missing piece in Vinny Del Negro’s offense. They have beaten the Grizzlies, the Spurs (twice), the Lakers, Heat and Bulls. Chris Paul is playing at a MVP-level again and there are very few better in the league at closing out games.  Last Week’s Ranking-5

2. New York Knicks (7-1): New York is doing it with defense, good shooting and efficiency. They are taking care of the basketball and making teams pay at both ends of the floor. They are the first team in history to win their first six games and get outrebounded in each one. However it is hard to find anything else negative about a 7-1 start.  Last Week’s Ranking-1

1. Memphis Grizzlies (8-2): This is the best start Memphis has got off to, even though they gave away one to Denver on Monday, snapping their eight game win streak and 15 game home win streak (dating back to last season). Even when they’ve made the playoffs the past three years, it hasn’t been because they have gotten off to hot starts, which is something new to this franchise. They already have wins over the Knicks, Thunder and Heat and if anyone thinks Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and company aren’t for real, think again. Last Week’s Ranking-2

Biggest Climber- Lakers (+11)

Biggest Fallers- Nuggets, Timberwolves, Rockets (-7)

As we enter the third week of the regular season, there has been a lot of movement from where things stood on opening night.

Oct 26, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons power forward Andre Drummond (1) saves the ball from going out of bounds during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at The Palace. Detroit won 104-88. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

With that being said, let’s jump right into our bi-weekly NBA Power Rankings.

30. Detroit Pistons (0-7)- How long will it be until Lawrence Frank joins Mike Brown on the unemployment line? The Pistons aren’t just losing, they are getting crushed, being outscored by an average of 11.4 points per game. Previous Ranking: 28

29. Washington Wizards (0-5)-  Washington has defended pretty well, but they have major issues scoring the ball, averaging only 88 points per game without point guard John Wall in the lineup. Previous Ranking: 24

28. Toronto Raptors (1-5)- Toronto has shown that they aren’t nearly as good a team without Kyle Lowry in the lineup, allowing 108.5 points per game since he’s been sidelined. Previous Ranking: 25

27. Orlando Magic (2-4)- The Magic won a couple of games early and there will be nights on which they compete, but the facts are that this team lost too much talent and didn’t replace it with enough NBA-ready players. The result is the lowest scoring team in the league at 87.8 PPG.  Previous Ranking: 30

26. Charlotte Bobcats (2-3)- The Bobcats have been competitive a couple of nights, but have still allowed 107.9 points per game on the season.  They won’t get better until they learn how to defend. Previous Ranking: 29

25. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-5)- They did upset the Clippers, but teams are scoring at will on the young Cavs. They have some talent offensively  that could win them some games, but their effort on defense will hold this team back. Previous Ranking: 27

24. Sacramento Kings (2-5)- They’ve been competitive even in their losses, which makes their 2-4 start disappointing. DeMarcus Cousins is now suspended for a pair of games which means the Kings could once again find themselves in a big hole to dig themselves out of. Previous Ranking: 22

Nov 8, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) brings the ball up court against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Rose Garden. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-US PRESSWIRE

23. Phoenix Suns (3-4)- Phoenix has three wins, but they have come against Cleveland, Detroit and Charlotte. On most other night’s they haven’t been too competitive, including blowout losses to Orlando, Utah and Miami. Previous Ranking: 23

22. Portland Trail Blazers (2-4)- Rookie Damian Lillard has exceeded all expectations already and the Blazers have a starting five that should be able to compete with most teams in the NBA, but their second unit is hands down the worst in the league. Previous Ranking: 21

21. Golden State Warriors (3-4) - After getting out of the gates rather nicely, the Warriors have dropped two straight to the Lakers and Nuggets. Now we will see how Mark Jackson’s team responds. They may have the best shooting backcourt in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but when the Warriors are going well, it’s the inside game. Sixth man Carl Landry has been a very nice addition. Previous Ranking: 17

20. Indiana Pacers (3-4) - The fact that Danny Granger is out for three months doesn’t help Frank Vogel’s team much. This team can still defend well, but points won’t come in bunches. Previous Ranking: 7

19. Los Angeles Lakers (3-4) - Lakers’ fans can say they are better than their record suggests, but the facts are that they aren’t right now. Until they start playing like their talent suggests, you have to take them for what their numbers say they are and that’s not a very good basketball team. With a new coach in Mike D’Antoni it might not be long before they get things turned around. Previous Ranking: 2

18. Utah Jazz (3-4) - With Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson and the rest of the Utah frontcourt, the Jazz can bang with the best of them. The rest of their cast, which includes the likes of Mo Williams, Gordon Heyward, Randy Foye and Marvin Williams will determine if the Jazz are just an average team or if they can take that next step. Previous Ranking: 15

17. Houston Rockets (3-3)- The Rockets backcourt of Jeremy Lin and James Harden can become one of the better ones in the league, but do they have the supporting cast to make the playoffs in a very tough Western Conference? Previous Ranking: 26

16. New Orleans Hornets (3-2)- The Hornets are playing well as a team defensively, allowing only 88.6 points per game. The problem is that they are only scoring 88.2 and managed to score only 62 in a loss to the Sixers.  But they rebounded nicely and put up 107 in a  win over Charlotte. Previous Ranking: 20

Nov 7, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings (3) walks off the court after the Memphia Grizzlies beat the Buck 108-90 at the Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

15. Atlanta Hawks (2-3)- The Hawks have lost two straight, but those defeats came at the hands of the Heat and Clippers. This Hawks team has two legitimate stars in Al Horford and Josh Smith and more depth than it has had in a very long time, led by Lou Williams. In addition, this team can shoot the ball as they have shooters everywhere. Previous Ranking: 18

14. Milwaukee Bucks (3-2)- The Bucks came out of the gates hot and have proven they can function well offensively. They have split with the Celtics and much of their hot start can be attributed to Brandon Jennings, who may take the next step and put himself among the elite point guards in the league. Previous Ranking: 19

13. Boston Celtics (3-3)- The 2012-13 season is just like any other Celtics season- a slow starting one. The Celtics as a team really haven’t been impressive although Rajon Rondo has been playing out of his mind. Previous Ranking: 4

12. Brooklyn Nets (3-2)- This could be a little generous for Brooklyn,  who look more like the New Jersey Nets on some nights, but they are getting better defensively (90.4 PPG), which should lead to a lot more wins. Previous Ranking: 11

11. Dallas Mavericks (4-3)- The Mavs have lost back-to-back contest, but have been competitive early on even without the services of Dirk Nowitzki. Behind O.J. Mayo’s 21.9 points per game, the Mavs are the second highest scoring team in the NBA (104.7). That’s the good news. The bad news is that they are allowing over 100 points per game so they need every bit of that offense. Previous Ranking: 14

10. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2)- No Kevin Love. No Ricky Rubio. No problem for the Timberwolves, who have got off to a great start without their stars. They are winning with defense, allowing less than 90 points per game, but must find some additional scoring to keep it up. Previous Ranking: 16

Nov 10, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng (9) drives to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at the United Center. The Bulls beat the Timberwolves 87-80. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

9. Philadelphia 76ers (4-2)- Six games into the season and there is absolutely no doubt that the Sixers are the ugliest team to watch in the NBA. But despite losing back-to-back games against the Knicks, the Sixers are 4-0 against the league, even without Andrew Bynum in the lineup. Previous Ranking: 9

8. Chicago Bulls (4-2)- Luol Deng and Joakim Noah have stepped up as leaders and the Bulls are still getting it done on the defensive end. The only question here is whether or not Deng can handle being a closer in Derrick Rose’s absence. Previous Ranking: 13

7. Denver Nuggets (4-3)- They got off to a slow start but since then have proven that they could be the best  rebounding team in the league, especially on the offensive glass. That rebounding has got the Nuggets on a four-game tear. Previous Ranking: 12

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-2)- The Thunder are a top seven team in both scoring offense and scoring defense and game-by-game they are getting more comfortable learning to play without Harden. Kevin martin averaging 18 points per game is making that easier to deal with. Previous Ranking: 3

5. Los Angeles Clippers (5-2)- Watching this Clippers team defeat the likes of the Spurs, Lakers and Grizzlies, it makes you wonder how they lost to the Cavaliers and Warriors. Chris Paul has this team playing at a great pace and Jamal Crawford has provided the perimeter scoring they didn’t have a season ago. Previous Ranking: 5

4. Miami Heat (5-2)- LeBron James is playing like LeBron is expected to and the Heat offense has been rolling, averaging an NBA-best 107.7 PPG until they got slowed down by the Grizzlies on Sunday. With the talent on this team, there’s no reason to think they will slow down too often this season. Previous Ranking: 1

Nov 5, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) reacts to a call during the first half against the indiana Pacers at the AT

3. Memphis Grizzlies (5-1)- The Grizzlies have won five straight and are doing so by an average of 12.6 points per game and looked especially impressive in taking apart the Heat by 18. Having Zach Randolph (15.8 PPG, 15.0 RPG)healthy for an entire season makes a ton of difference for the Grizzlies and their core of Randolph, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley look great together. Previous Ranking: 8

2. San Antonio Spurs (6-1)- Manu Ginobili is averaging only 8.8 points per game, but Gregg Popovich’s Spurs keep getting it done. It’s the same unselfish style as San Antonio leads the NBA in assists and Tim Duncan is off to a “vintage” start to the season, averaging 18.9 points  and 9.7 rebounds. Previous Ranking: 6

1. New York Knicks (4-0)- The only undefeated team remaining in the league gets the top spot. They’ve defeated the Heat by 20, the 76ers by margins of 16 and 22 points and the Mavericks by 10. New York has scored 104.7 points per game (third in NBA), exceeding the 100-point mark in every game and have allowed a league-best 87.5 points per game. They get better as the game goes as well as no team has scored more than 40 points in the second half against them yet. Mike Woodson’s team is deep and talented and the Knicks are for real, even if it is only four games into the season. Previous Ranking: 10

Anthony and Stoudemire will both need to have big games tonight against Memphis(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Last night your New York Knicks put out a great effort and got a huge win against the streaking Philadelphia 76ers.

The Knicks got out to an early lead and despite a late game push by the Sixers, they held on for the victory.

We outlined the importance of the Knicks star players in our game preview yesterday, and the Knicks rode those stars all the way to victory. Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony combined for 47 points and 19 rebounds, with Tyson Chandler also pitching in 13 rebounds a block.

The 76ers were playing on the third night of a back-to-back-to-back and looked sluggish early on. However, by the time they seemed to get things going, it was too late and the Knicks thwarted their late game rally. (more…)

Hottest Seats:

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Could O.J. Mayo end up as a Knick? (Source: 3shadesofblue.com)

Rumors surfaced over the last few days that Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard, O.J. Mayo, could possibly be traded to the Knicks.  Josh Sage shares his thoughts: (more…)

Kobe bites his shirt! Does that mean he's worried the Lakers won't be on top this year? Nah, probably he just forgot to eat dinner. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

With the season beginning tonight, it’s time to rank how strong all the teams are at this point.  This isn’t who will be strongest at the end of the season or who will have the best regular season.  This measures how strong each team is right NOW.  If a team engaged in a seven game series today with any of the teams listed below them, I’m saying they’d win.  So yeah, injuries count big time.  And chemistry.  And like, how good they are.  It’s basically a highly complex formula that you mere mortals wouldn’t understand.  Either that or it’s all based on pure opinion.

1. Los Angeles Lakers — Even with the recovering Kobe shooting 28% this pre-season they’d still beat everyone.  Hell, he only shot 24% in Game 7 of Finals.

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Could Phil Jackson, the Zen Master himself, get fired this season? Of course not, you idiot, but where do the rest of the coaches in the league stand? (Source: Yarbarker.com)

I seem to be in a major ranking/grading/evaluating the whole NBA-mode, so today we’re gonna check out which coaches might not make it through the season.  Every year it seems like about six coaches are fired in the middle of the 82 game grind.  And a few more who made it through the grist then are shown the exit during the summer.  But we just finished one summer, so we ain’t talking about the next one yet.  Just this upcoming season.  Who’s Bulletproof?  Who’s on the Hot Seat?  And where does everyone else stand and why?  Well, you’re lucky ‘cuz we’s about’s ta answer these questions fer ya.

Bulletproof (again, for this upcoming season only):

Doc Rivers – Celtics

George Karl – Nuggets:  He might quit if it’s too grueling, but ya can’t fire a guy coming back from cancer.  Ya just can’t.  If you disagree, grow a heart, dude.

Phil Jackson – Lakers

Gregg Popovich – Spurs

Jerry Sloan – Jazz

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Many view Kevin Durant as the Second Coming. We see him and the Thunder more likely coming Third through Sixth. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

On Wednesday we discussed what the Eastern Conference Playoff picture looks like, and today we go west, young man.  We’d already previously examined how much teams improved/regressed during the off-season, but now we’re talking about how they stack up against each other.  Meaning, we gave Orlando a zero for their summer and the Wizards a +2, but now we’re here to tell you that yes, of course Orlando is still gonna be far better.  For those who haven’t seen those posts on off-season grades, click the following links to see what we had to say about the Northwest, Atlantic, Central, Southeast, Pacific and Southwest Divisions.  Also, we’re only gonna be talking about the regular season here.  So even though we don’t think the Celts will be a top two team record-wise, it doesn’t mean we think they’re incapable of making it through the gauntlet again.  Lastly, some teams will be put in clusters ‘cuz they’ll likely end up with similar records and what does a victory or two here and there matter amongst friends?

#1 – Lakers

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If the acquisition of Trevor Ariza convinces CP3 to remain a Hornet for life, that'll end up being one amaze-alicious trade. (source: Yardbarker.com)

In this penultimate chapter of our off-season grades we’ll examine the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Hornets and San Antonio Spurs.  For the first four parts, check out our reviews for the Atlantic, Central, Southeast and Pacific Divisions.  Tomorrow will be the Northwest Division. Once again, for the newcomers, here are the rules:

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Evaluating players before the draft is not easy, but at least you know who you are talking about. Predicting who is going to get picked when is harder. Everyone has their own ranking system, but the big question is whether a team is going to pick the best player available or pick the player who best addresses the team’s needs.

The other question is, what on earth was that GM thinking? The most recent “what was he thinking” award goes to the Minnesota Timberwolves, for using the 5th and 6th draft picks on point guards (Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio), followed by having one of them (Rubio) make noises that he would never play for the Wolves, and creating a situation where the other, Flynn, felt unsure of the team’s commitment to him, and for good reason.

So for me to say who will make which pick is guesswork, because every year there are inexplicable decisions made, and there are players drafted in the top 20 whose name you hear when he is selected, but then never again. Comparing mock drafts, I have seen players’ names move twenty spots or more.

Mostly, I’m seeing mocks that describe players, not why they will be picked or what the team is thinking. I already wrote about the players likely to be drafted in the first round, so instead, lets’ discuss what the team should do, not what they will do, because many teams have a weird tendency to pick the same type of player over and over regardless of the results. (Lakers trying to find a point guard, Bulls drafting post players, Houston drafting 3’s, Warriors drafting skilled bigs, etc.) Redundancy makes sense for some teams, but for others it’s stupid. I’ll take those case by case.
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Damn straight, Phil Jackson should be walking with his head down after some of his coaching choices! Right? ...Right? Um, maybe not. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

Is there anyone in the NBA who gets criticized more than coaches?  It doesn’t matter who you are, how successful you are (or have been), or what players you have at your disposal — we can always find problems with you.  Earlier this year, Greg Popovitch was criticized for being unable to make his big off-season acquisition, Richard Jefferson, productive.  The other night, Phil Jackson, winner of more NBA titles than God himself, left himself open for target practice by choosing to draw up a play for Pau Gasol to attempt the game-tying three-point shot (Pau missed, which could cause the Lakers to lose home court advantage if they play the Magic in the Finals).

We, the fans and media, aren’t necessarily wrong in complaining about these points, but I think sometimes we not only expect too much, we also don’t always see (or know) the full picture.  For instance, maybe Phil was trying to make a point to Kobe about how the Black Mamba needed to give his body rest or it would cost the team (the previous possession Kobe missed two free throws that would’ve given the Lakers the lead).  If Kobe/Fisher/Artest/whoever hit a three for the tie, then maybe Kobe remains convinced that he can play through his injuries.  Sure, you can say this was a costly way to make a point (& I have no idea if Phil was trying to make this point), but if Kobe’s sitting out these two last games enables him to be healthy enough to lead the Lakers back to a championship, it’d be hard to argue with the results.

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As usually happens whenever the Knicks play a team with a big upcoming free agent, that player gets salt and peppered with questions about joining us.  Last night we went up against the Memphis Grizzlies, so it was Rudy Gay’s turn in the spotlight.  He doesn’t sound like someone who wants to stay in Memphis, while owner Michael Heisley is already blaming fans for not being able to pay him.  From a Newsday article:

Forbes magazine recently listed Memphis as the second-most miserable city in the U.S. So you can understand why pending restricted free agent Rudy Gay had to pause when asked if he wants to re-sign with the Grizzlies.

“I wouldn’t mind it,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind staying here.”

That kind of apathy should be alarming for a franchise that seems to finally have put together a good team.

You might think, well, Gay’s quote could also be deemed hopeful rather than apathetic.  Not when combined with this follow up:

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Joe Johnson – Atlanta Hawks

As we discussed after the recent Knicks/Hawks game, JJ has a nice relationship with Coach Mike D’Antoni from their time together in Phoenix, plus the Knicks have somehow managed to look competitive this year in the three games he played against us.  When JJ was on those D’Antoni Suns teams, although he was huge for them, at the time he was considered to be at best their fourth most important player (after Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudamire & Shawn Marion).  Joe rightly felt he could be more, a centerpiece, and he wanted to be paid accordingly.  Having achieved all that with the Hawks, he now has reached the point most vets get to: the main thing he wants now is the chance to play for a championship.  He is even one of the few stars who has literally put his money where his mouth is and has stated he’d be willing to take a bunch less money to be on such a team.

Now don’t misunderstand: he knows he has a very good thing going with the Hawks and that they are a really, really good team.  He’s not gonna just leave them to play on a mid-level Knick team.  So ignore this quote in the NY Daily News:

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We were up by 5 points with about two minutes to go in regulation, and it looked like we’d have a nice win.  But then we let ‘em score 6 unanswered points, with the last five happening in a mere 18 seconds.  Yikes.  Al Harrington hit only one of two free-throws to tie it up.  Then Harrington got a layup and a foul, meaning a chance to give us a  nice three-point game with 32 seconds left.  But again Harrington missed the gimme.  And in less than 7 seconds we let ‘em score and tie it up.  And while Harrington could’ve iced the game if he’d hit those two free-throws, if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have even been there in the first place.

Big Al shot a nice 12-of-21 from the field for 37 points.  He hit 5-of-8 three-pointers.  Yet somehow from the closer range of the free-throw line, and with no defenders, he shot about the same, 66%, missing 4 freebies.  The overtime was also odd, ‘cuz all game long it was just an offensive fest.  Washington rang up from 26-30 points in each quarter (we ranged from 24-31).  Yet in the five minute overtime, they managed only 4 points.  And we had only 6.  And we only got those last two points with seconds left, thanks to David Lee.  Of note, TMac, who had another solid game with 23 points, did not play at the end of regulation or during overtime (I’m unsure if this was due to his knee hurting or a lack of conditioning).

TMac's been great about driving to the hole rather than settling for the jumper... when he's able to make it on the court

Last thought about that game.  As some of you know, I used to write a Clippers blog (even though I’m a New Yorker, I currently live in Los Angeles and have pathetically adopted the Clips as my secondary team).  As a result, it was bizarre noticing this version of the Wizards had five, count ‘em, five former Clippers.  The day of the game they signed former Clip prodigy (before a devastating accident), Shaun Livingston (who sadly had a costly turnover for the Wiz late in the game), plus newly acquired Al Thornton, James Singleton, Quinton Ross and Earl Boykins.  I mean knowing how bad the Clips are/have always been, how dumb do you have to be to acquire five of ‘em?  And not even just any five, but five who pretty much always came off the bench.  So you’re not just choosing players from a bad team, you’re choosing players who couldn’t get much playing time even when they were on an awful team?  Moving on…

Saturday’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, we remained competitive for most of the game, even taking a lead into the fourth quarter.  Once again, Al Harrington was unstoppable.  31 points on 18 shots.  Again he was on fire from three-world, hitting better than 50% at 6-of-11.  And again, oddly, he was worse with free throws, making only 3-of-6.  McGrady had his first terd of a game, 0 points and 2 assists in only 15 minutes before having to sit out the whole second half due to knee pain (yikes!).  The thing that really killed the Knicks though was the rebounding disparity.  The Grizz used their superior length to outrebound us by 20 rebounds.  Pathetically, we allowed former Knick Zach Randolph to get a career high in rebounds with 25.  Our team, combined, managed to get just 32 boards.  Yup, one man almost outboarded our whole frickin’ team.

Comedian Tracy Morgan (from TV's "30 Rock"), watching the Knicks get whupped on the boards, ain't laughing

Last thoughts:

-D’Antoni has started regularly playing new acquisition Bill Walker, ‘cuz he’s been impressed with his athleticism.  Walker does have potential, so it’s nice to see him get some run so we can determine if he can be a piece down the road.

-Sergio Rodriguez didn’t have that non-stop energy in Saturday’s game.  Maybe he was tired from the back-t0-back, or just from being on a team where he often didn’t play at all to now getting big minutes and needing to initiate everything.

"Oh my God, your jaw is so strong & square! I must touch it!"

-As much crap as we’ve given Chris Duhon here over the last few months, we oughta comment that the dude has been pure class since not only losing his starting gig, but also losing all minutes whatsoever.  He’s gone beyond being a professional about it.  Always the first guy jumping up and cheering, and he seemed as thrilled as anyone when the Knicks pulled out the Wiz game.  He even issued a statement acknowledging that he sucked and that he was given MORE than enough of a chance to right things but he couldn’t, so he thinks it’s a good move to go another direction.  And I used to think a classy guy meant someone who didn’t eat with their fingers.

-Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, despite being the only key players who’ll definitely be here next year, remain marginalized in the offense, usually getting at best the fourth or fifth shot attempts.  And mostly getting those off of broken-down plays rather than having plays run specifically for them.  This is a very, very bad trend.

Chandler rarely gets the ball 'cuz he takes low percentage shots like this. Oh wait, he drove past his man for an easy dunk. ...Hmmm, then I dunno why he don't get the rock more.

–To Be Filed Under “And You Thought Jordan Hill Was A Bad Draft Pick”

When Brandon Jennings, the #10 pick in this last year’s draft, started showing he’s fo’ real, everyone bitched about the Knicks not snagging him with their #8 pick.  ‘Course that means 9 other teams passed on him too, so it’s not like NYC was the only one who misjudged him.  And with #1 pick Blake Griffin injured and unable to play a single minute this season, really the only two higher picks who’ve been clearly better are Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry.  Others like James Harden and Jonny Flynn have been solid, and word is that Minnesota Timberwolves’ pick Ricky Rubio has been phenomenal  …playing over in Europe.  Everyone thought the draft would only produce one stud (Griffin) and the other players would be mediocre.  Instead, they’ve done wildly better than anyone would’ve guessed.  Which only makes it sting more for the Memphis Grizzlies who just sent their #2 pick, Hasheem Thabeet, to the D-League.  While his name is pretty darn fun to say (or even to sing, particularly when you replace the chorus of the Go-Go Girls’ “We Got The Beat” with his name), he will be the highest draft pick EVER sent to the D-League.  The dude is so bad that the Grizz decided to replace him at backup center with Iranian, Hamed Haddadi, who thinks he’s playing something called “net ball.”

–The Last Straw

Newly acquired Dallas Maverick, Caron Butler, has been banned by the NBA league office.  Banned from chewing on straws during games.  Really?  We’ve become so overly concerned about appearances that we’re cracking down on straw chewing?  And for those of you who think “straw chewing” is a euphemism or slang for something, no, it’s literally what it sounds like: Caron likes to sit on the bench and chew on McDonald’s straws.  Since Butler used to play for the Wizards, the Washington Post once did a hard-hitting news piece on this insidious habit:

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With a few of them likely to sit out this summer so they don’t injure themselves before they get a new contract (in other words the guys the Knicks would chase after: LeBron, Wade, Bosh, plus A’mare Stoudamire who made the pool too), it does provide some openings.  Not to mention that say a banged up Kobe might need to take the summer off to get his body healthy again.  Of course, included in those free agents-to-be are none other than David Lee, so he himself might have to bow out.  Oh, and another thing in Lee’s favor is that once again the Knicks’ coach Mike D’Antoni will be one of the assistant coaches on the USA team.  It’s always nice having someone on the inside to help plead your case.

Anyway, the remaining invitees include the Denver Nuggets’ Chauncey Billups, LA Lakers’ Lamar Odom, plus a who’s-who of all the young and upcoming players in the NBA according to ESPN: the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant (pretty much a lock to make the final roster since he almost made it last time and he’s only gotten better), Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose,

Minnesota‘s Al Jefferson and Kevin Love; Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo of Memphis; Philadelphia‘s Andre Iguodala; Boston‘s Kendrick Perkins; Indiana‘s Danny Granger; New York‘s David Lee; New Jersey center Brook Lopez; Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook; Portland‘s LaMarcus Aldridge; Charlotte‘s Gerald Wallace; and Clippers guard Eric Gordon.

The Americans will choose a group from the roster to take part in their minicamp in Las Vegas in July. They are expected to play an exhibition game in New York before heading to Turkey for the world championships, which they haven’t won since 1994.