Sources say that James will be named the league’s MVP on Sunday, making him only the fifth four-time MVP in NBA history.

Apr 28, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) holds his wrist during game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Miami won 88-77. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

It’s the second consecutive year that James will take home the honor and he joins an exclusive list of four-time MVP’s that include:  Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.

To say that James has earned it would be a huge understatement.

LeBron averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 steals and one block in 76 games during the regular season, his 10th in the league. He shot career-best percentages from the field (.565) and 3-point range (.406) and ranked in the top 10 in scoring, assists, steals and field-goal percentage among those who played in at least 70 games this season.

It won’t be known until Sunday how the voting broke down, but it’s likely that James won the award in a landslide.

Even though many Knicks fans wanted to see Carmelo Anthony capture the award, the choice of James was the correct one as he had another season for the ages.

Anthony, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul were all contenders, but this was LeBron’s award all along.

In a span of 12 months, James has won the 2012 MVP, 2012 Finals MVP, and now another season MVP, his fourth in a five-year span.

James, 28, will be the youngest in NBA history to win his fourth MVP, although Abdul-Jabbar won five by the age of 30. Abdul-Jabbar leads all players with six MVP’s, while Russell is the only other to win the award four times in five years.

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Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 7

Knicks over Celtics in 5

Pacers over Hawks in 4

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 5 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Nets over Bulls in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Nets over Bulls in 7 Heat over Bucks in 4

Knicks over Celtics in 6

Pacers over Hawks in 5

Bulls over Nets in 7 Heat over Bucks in 5

Knicks over Celtics in 4

Pacers over Hawks in 6

Bulls over Nets in 7 Western Conference 1^st Round Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 7

Grizzlies over Clippers in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 6

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 4

Spurs over Lakers in 4

Nuggets over Warriors in 6

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Warriors over Nuggets in 7

Clippers over Grizzlies in 6 Thunder over Rockets in 7

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Warriors over Nuggets in 7

Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Spurs over Lakers in 4

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies in 5 Thunder over Rockets in 5

Lakers over Spurs in 7

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies in 6 Thunder over Rockets in 6

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Warriors in 5

Clippers over Grizzlies over  in 7 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 6 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 5

Knicks over Pacers in 7 Heat over Nets in 4

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 7 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 5

Knicks over Pacers in 5 Heat over Bulls in 6

Knicks over Pacers in 6 Western Conference Semi-Finals Thunder over Grizzlies in 5

Nuggets over Spurs in 6 Clippers over Thunder in 7

Nuggets over Spurs in 6 Thunder over Clippers in 6

Nuggets over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Warriors over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Spurs over Warriors in 6 Clippers over Thunder in 7

Spurs over Nuggets in 4 Thunder over Clippers in 5

Nuggets over Lakers in 4 Thunder over Clippers in 7

Nuggets over Spurs in 7 Eastern Conference Finals Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Heat over Knicks in 6 Heat over Knicks in 6 Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Heat over Knicks in 6 Knicks over Heat in 7 Western Conference Finals Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Nuggets over Clippers in 7 Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Thunder over Warriors in 6 Thunder over Spurs in 5 Clippers over Spurs in 7 Thunder over Nuggets in 5 Thunder over Nuggets in 7 NBA Finals Thunder over Heat in 7 Knicks over Nuggets in 7 Thunder over Heat in 7 Heat over Thunder in 6 Heat over Thunder in 6 Knicks over Clippers in 6 Heat over Thunder in 6 Thunder over Knicks in 6 Finals MVP Russell Westbrook Carmelo Anthony Kevin Durant LeBron James LeBron James Carmelo Anthony LeBron James Kevin Durant

When we look at the Eastern Conference, it’s the Miami Heat and then everyone else, but seven other teams hope to have something to say about that.

Mar 15, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis (11) goes for a layup against Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) at the Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

There aren’t many storylines in the Eastern Conference other than in New York. Can Carmelo Anthony finally lead the New York Knicks out of the first round? Are the Knicks real threats to the Heat?

Those questions and plenty more will answered over the course of the next couple of months.

As the postseason begins gets set to begin this Saturday, here’s a look at everything you need to know about each first round series.

No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Milwaukee Bucks

Season Series: Miami 3-1

How they matchup:

Miami- 65-16

Points per game: 102.9 (fifth in NBA)

Rebounds per game: 38.6 (last)

Assists per game: 23.0 (seventh)

Points allowed per game: 95.0 (fifth)

Field goal percentage: 49.6% (first)

Three-point percentage: 39.6% (second)

Free-throw percentage:  75.4% (16^th)

Milwaukee- 38-44

Points per game: 98.9 (12^th)

Rebounds per game: 44.0 (fifth)

Assists per game:  22.9 (ninth)

Points allowed per game:  100.4 (2oth)

Field goal percentage: 43.5% (28^th)

Three-point percentage: 36.0% (13^th)

Free-throw percentage:  73.6% (22^nd)

What to expect: Members of the Bucks said earlier in the year that they hoped to get the Heat in the first round of the playoffs. Be careful what you wish for. You got it.

This is a total mismatch on paper as LeBron James and the Heat should cruise through this series. The Bucks length could give the Heat a little bit of problems, but in the end Miami will make them pay. They are a great shooting and excellent defensive team and Milwaukee is neither.

With the run that LeBron has been on this year, he is out to make a statement and will start by carving up the Bucks.

Prediction: Miami in four

With that being said, it’s time for my 2013 NBA Season Awards predictions, as I hand out some hardware to the best of the best throughout the year.

Apr. 15, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Houston Rockets guard James Harden against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Rockets 119-112. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout the next couple weeks, the NBA will announce who will win their annual awards, but I will end the suspense now as I look at who should win each category.

Let’s not waste any time and hand out our first award.

Most Improved Player- James Harden, Houston Rockets

There were quite a few candidates for this award as guys like Jrue Holiday and Omer Asik certainly have thrown their name in the hat. However Harden has taken the  step from sixth man to franchise player and has done so in a big way by averaging 25.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.8 rebounds this season, with a 23.13 PER, all while shooting 44% from the field.

The most impressive part of his season has been Harden’s ability to get to the charity-stripe, exactly what a superstar should do. On the season, Harden has gotten to the free-throw line 10.1 times per game, making 8.6 of those.

He has the fifth-highest scoring average in the league and led a Rockets team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2009. The best is yet to come from the bearded one. Harden may have already been a star, but the jump he has made this year wins him the NBA’s Most Improved Player.

Runner’s Up: Holiday, Asik

Shane Battier probably had nightmares last night about guarding Carmelo Anthony. Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony exploded with 50 points, his best performance of the season. It was the third time in his career that Anthony has scored 50 points in a game. He shot a blistering 69% from the field, including seven out of 10 from three-point range.

It was a merciless performance, as Anthony made basket after basket. He had 27 points by halftime. The TNT broadcasters joked that Heat forward Shane Battier, a good defensive player, would have nightmares about trying to guard Anthony. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers watched helplessly, as they sat on the Heat bench with injuries.

The Knicks have taken three out of four games from the Heat this season. They have beaten the Heat with Anthony and without Anthony. They have beaten them using a team effort and now an unstoppable individual performance. The Knicks are built to beat the Heat, and Anthony is doing whatever it takes to make that happen.

The Knicks easily could have taken the game lightly. Instead, they seized the opportunity to show the Heat that they mean business this time. Anthony was determined to reach 50 points last night, but not for individual accolades. Anthony sent a message to the Heat that the Knicks can and will beat them, any chance they get.

Edwin Torres was born in New York City. He has been a Knicks fan since the early 1980s. He has visited Madison Square Garden on many occasions to watch the Knicks and his favorite player, Patrick Ewing. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @realEdwinTorres.

Sources:
SI.com – NBA
NBA – Statistics – Yahoo! Sports

What I’m talking about is Knicks point guard Raymond Felton shooting his mouth off with some comments pointed at Heat point guard Mario Chalmers.

Mar 25, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers (15) celebrates after hitting a three point jump shot during the fourth quarter at Amway Center. Miami defeated Orlando 108-94. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-USA TODAY Sports

If you missed it, Felton said the following to ESPN New York last Thursday when describing Chalmers as a weakness on the Heat roster:

“I’m not saying that’s a weak point [for the Heat] because [Mario] Chalmers has been great for Miami. He’s won a championship there and he’s a solid point guard,” Felton said. “But I think that’s one of the weaknesses of their team. Not saying that Chalmers is a bad player, because he’s not. He’s great. He’s won a championship. A lot of point guards in this league can’t say that. He has that. But if you look at LeBron, Bosh and D-Wade and then you look at Chalmers, you’re like, ‘OK, this is maybe where their weakness is at.”

Now the comments aren’t so bad and maybe have a little bit of truth to them, but you have to consider the source.

Before Felton criticizes any other guard in the NBA, or gives any team that the Knicks could face in the playoffs some bulletin board material, he should first look in the mirror.

Felton played a major role in the Knicks struggles for close to three months.

He has shot the ball poorly, taken poor care of the basketball and has failed miserably to get the Knicks smoothly into their offensive sets. That’s not to mention the fact that he has been torched by every point guard in the NBA defensively.

Only when Felton was moved off the ball and replaced at the lead guard spot by Pablo Prigioni did the Knicks start to take off again.

Felton has a decent stat line, averaging 14.4 points and 5.5 assists per game, but that rates him as a below average point guard in this league. Chalmers on the other hand is a much more efficient point guard who shoots a better percentage from the floor and takes much better care of the basketball. He’s also hit more big shots and won more big games in his career then Felton could even dream of making.

To date, Felton has accomplished nothing in his basketball career compared to Chalmers.

Is Felton a better player than Chalmers?

Yes, but he has to show it consistently, which to this point in his career he has been unable to do.

What Felton needs to do is spend more time figuring out how to help this team win in the playoffs and worry a little less about other teams guard play.

With the way he has defended opposing point guards this season, it’s almost shocking that he would say anything at all, much less say that the Knicks have an advantage over any guard tandem in the league. This is the same Knicks team led by Felton that has allowed an NBA worst 21.2 points and a 45.3 shooting percentage to opposing point guards.

“I know him pretty well,” Chalmers told the Palm Beach Post. “I’m a little shocked about that comment.”

So when Felton starts to perform at a higher level, his opinion may matter more. But with the up-and-down season that he has had, he should learn to keep his mouth shut and not provide potential playoff teams with ammunition.

If he would look in the mirror before talking, he would realize that he has been as big of a weakness to the Knicks as he perceives Chalmers is to the Heat.

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The Knicks are one of only three teams in the NBA to have a winning record against the Heat, and that continued Tuesday night as Anthony would net fifty; matching a career-high.

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) is pressured by Miami Heat small forward Shane Battier (31) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. New York won 102-90. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

New York started the game off on an 8-0 run with Anthony scoring all eight points. But, Miami would go on a 9-0 run of their own, as Mike Miller would match Anthony’s intensity.

The Heat would go into the locker room up 58-50.

The Knicks & Heat exchanged leads into the third quarter, until New York would go on a 7-0 run with five minutes remaining in the third. But, the Heat would battle back and take a two point lead of their own , until Knick sharpshooter Steve Novak would bury a three pointer deep in the corner as time would expire. The Knicks would head into the fourth quarter up two, 74-72.

New York would extend on their lead as Kenyon Martin would slam over Chris Andersen with authority as the Knicks built a six-point lead.

Miami would still show fight, even though playing without superstars LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade, as Chris Bosh converted a three-point play to keep the game close.

But, Anthony was the story on Tuesday, as he continued his brilliant play by hittting another deep three.

Center Tyson Chandler tacked on two free-throws, and J.R. Smith hit a step back three with under two minutes to give the Knicks a lead they never looked back from.

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots over Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem (40) during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

After a first half in which the Knicks struggled to contain Miami’s dribble penetration, the Knicks locked down in the second half and allowed just 32 combined points. Intense trapping and notably crisper rotations stifled Miami’s offense on the perimeter, and the outside looks they created so fluidly in the first half stopped falling. Inside, the Knicks denied the Heat at almost every opportunity, intentionally clobbering anybody within arm’s reach of the basket. On offense, the Knicks relied on a heavy serving of Carmelo Anthony’s own majesty, but Raymond Felton, Kenyon Martin, and J.R. Smith all came up with key contributions in the fourth quarter to build the Knicks lead.

Winners of nine in a row, the Knicks moved a step closer to securing the Atlantic Division and the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Here’s a look at the individual performances with player report cards:

Carmelo Anthony – 40 minutes, 50 points, 18-26 FG, 7-10 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Officially the most venomous offensive output we’ve gotten from Anthony in a Knicks uniform. The career-high-tying performance was the first time ‘Melo has reached 50 since coming to the Knicks, and frankly, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Though the performance would’ve been almost too sweet against a fully-armed Heat team, the Knicks needed every one of ‘Melo’s baskets to repress a Heat lineup that recently beat the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio.

The amazing part of Anthony’s performance is not a single point came within the paint, and he only managed eight free throw attempts despite Miami’s physical defense. After initially torching the Heat off the catch, Anthony was forced to create for himself a bit more, but even still, these attempts off the bounce were almost all in the form of pull-up jumpers over draping defenders. That assist tally is also skewed as Knicks not named Carmelo Anthony often failed to capitalize on the open looks Anthony created for them after evading a double team. One, perhaps momentum-turning assist, though, came at the end of the third quarter, as ‘Melo slashed into the lane off the dribble, pulled in the Heat’s defense, and kicked it out to an open Steve Novak, who drained the corner three to beat the buzzer. Simply excellent stuff all around from Anthony tonight.

Final Grade: A+

J.R. Smith – 30 minutes, 14 points, 5-15 FG, 2-3 3FG, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Smith’s basket-bound ways were oddly halted tonight as he seemed stooped by his inability to break down the Heat off the dribble. The likes of Mike Miller and Ray Allen wouldn’t seem like the combination to defy Smith’s work off the dribble, but they prevented his penetration a good amount, and when Smith did get into the paint, he was blocked by any number of the Heat’s big men. Smith’s jumper wasn’t wholly reliable, either, but his late fourth quarter three put the Knicks up 11 with less than two remaining, and acted as the essential dagger. Not exactly what we’ve gotten used to over the past two weeks, but good enough tonight.

Final Grade: C+

Raymond Felton – 38 minutes, 10 points, 4-9 FG, 9 assists, 1 steal, 4 TOs

Felton struggled mightily in the first half to escape Miami’s traps in the pick-and-roll, and he killed the Knicks with some in-and-out three-pointers off nice ball movement. Furthermore, Felton’s inability to stick with any of Miami’s guards – regardless of age, size, or quickness, killed the Knicks’ perimeter D (though he wasn’t the only offender). In the second half, however, Felton did an admirable job containing Norris Cole on the perimeter, fighting over screens, or scurrying out to shooters on rotations and switches. He also broke down Miami’s pick-and-roll trapping by splitting the defense a number of times, getting to the basket, and setting up teammates. In the fourth quarter, Felton nailed two important step-back jumpers to slowly build the Knicks’ lead, and eventually bury the Heat.

Final Grade: B-

Kenyon Martin – 24 minutes, 9 points, 4-7 FG, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 PFs

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Kenyon Martin (3) drives to the basket as Miami Heat power forward Chris Andersen (11) defends during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Martin was removed from the starting lineup with Tyson Chandler’s return, but still played around the same amount of time as he’d been seeing as the de facto center. Martin played a part in the physical, blanketing defense in the second half, and he also had some nice finishes – a JAM in Chris Andersen’s face and a baby-hook – to buoy the Knicks offense when it wasn’t going through ‘Melo. As the Knicks get a little healthier, it’ll be interesting to see if Martin remains coming off the bench, or moves to the four in the starting lineup alongside Chandler.

Final Grade: B

Iman Shumpert – 23 minutes, 9 points, 3-5 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Shumpert didn’t see a ton of time when the Knicks could’ve used a solid perimeter defender, oddly, and he didn’t really play much of a part in the turn-around in the second half. Shump’s contributions were almost solely on the offensive end, and those were solely from downtown, as he canned his first three looks from beyond the arc. Though he didn’t do much after that a three-pointer early in the third quarter, all three of his makes were important in keeping the Knicks in the game and withstanding a Miami run.

Final Grade: C+

Steve Novak – 13 minutes, 3 points, 1-2 FG

Hacked Chris Andersen under the basket, and nailed the aforementioned buzzer-beating three in the third quarter. That was about it, but they were nice second half contributions. He’s now made a three-pointer in each of the last eight games.

Final Grade: C

Chris Copeland – 7 minutes, 3 points, 1-2 FG, 1 rebound

Copeland had a nice and-one baseline drive in the first half, and that was pretty much it. Copeland figures to lose minutes with Chandler back, Martin coming off the bench, and Camby still looming around the bench.

Final Grade: C

Pablo Prigioni – 13 minutes, 3 points, 1-1 FG, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal

Prigioni also struggled early on with Miami’s aggressive pick-and-roll defense, though he contributed to some nice ball movement that led to shots that just didn’t fall. He had a couple of other nice moments drawing charges/offensive fouls, and regaining possession by stealing the ball from Norris Cole after Pablo turned it over, racing down court, ignoring a numbers advantage, and nailing a decidedly badass pull-up three. He didn’t get off the bench again after he was subbed out early in the third quarter.

Final Grade: B

Tyson Chandler – 24 minutes, 1 point, 0-2 FG, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3 TOs

Chandler’s first game back from a bulging disc in his neck was mostly forgettable. He had little elevation when he jumped, and he stumbled and fumbled his way around the basket on offense. On defense, his effect was mostly mitigated by Chris Bosh’s ability to pull him away from the paint and eliminate Chandler’s defensive directing. One violent, come-from-behind swat on a Bosh layup attempt made up for all prior wrong-doings.

Final Grade: C+

Jason Kidd – 27 minutes, 0-2 FG, 0 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

27 minutes is a lot of playing time for a guy that couldn’t hit his shots and couldn’t really stay in front of Miami’s guards, though, like everyone else, he did better in the second half. Some of Kidd’s minutes might have better gone to Prigioni, but as usual, Kidd always has an effect on the offense or defense that doesn’t show up in the box score, and it probably played a part in the Knicks’ ultimate success.

Final Grade: C-

Follow Scott Davis on Twitter: @WScottDavis

Mar 22, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (right) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (left) during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at American Airlines Arena. Heat won 103-89. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

While the Knicks will have a very good chance to extend their winning streak, win or lose, they won’t get the opportunity to make that statement because the Heat will be playing shorthanded.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra declared LeBron James (hamstring), Dwyane Wade (ankle, knee) and Mario Chalmers (ankle) all out for tonight’s game against the Knicks, all with minor injuries.

He said they would be re-evaluated day to day, but neither player participated in shootaround Tuesday morning.

“We had the busiest month in franchise history,” Spoelstra told The Palm Beach Post. “We want to make sure these guys are healthy.”

Asked if James’ issue is a hamstring “strain,” Spoelstra simply called it tightness, adding that “we’re not worried about it.”

It is bad news that the Knicks won’t get the chance to beat the Heat with LeBron and Wade on the floor for the third time this season, but winning the season series from the Heat will still be a big deal, even without two of the best players in the NBA.

As for the Heat sitting their stars, quite frankly they can due to holding an 11 game lead in the conference over the Indiana Pacers and an 11.5 game lead over the Knicks.

But it’s almost a sad thing as for Knicks fans, beating LeBron is so much more satisfying than beating a Heat team with LeBron in street clothes.

The Knicks have been dealing with their own injuries all season and could welcome All-Star center Tyson Chandler back to the lineup, as Chandler has been upgraded to a game time decision.

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Feb. 27, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) celebrates after winning the game 109-105 against the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

According to ESPN’s Jared Zwerling, Knicks center Tyson Chandler says small bulging disk in his neck felt better and he was eyeing a Tuesday return against the East-leading Miami Heat.

“It became excruciating honestly to where it kind of couldn’t even move,” Chandler told ESPN’s Ian Begley. “But after a while of letting it calm down, then it came to where I could walk around but couldn’t sit for long periods of time or move without spasming up or catching pain,” Chandler said. “This is the best I’ve felt since, so I’ve been optimistic that it’s been getting better.”

Having Chandler, who has missed  the past 10 games, back in the lineup will be big if the Knicks are to continue rolling. If he does return, suddenly the Knicks will have a scary frontline with Chandler and Kenyon Martin. Chandler has averaged 10.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.1 block, while shooting 64.5 percent from the floor. Martin has been pretty good filling in for Chandler, averaging 9.9 points on 69.4 percent shooting during the winning streak, along with averages of six rebounds and around a block and steal.

While playing them together gives the Knicks a pair of pretty efficient offensive big men, it’s defensively where they will make the biggest impact, as they can make teams think twice about taking the ball to the basket.

But while Chandler is confident he can return to the lineup, the Knicks aren’t so confident.

The All-Star center went through a workout on Monday before the Knicks flew  to Miami and the Knicks are still listing him as questionable.

His status against Miami will officially be determined after shootaround on Tuesday morning.

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Here’s a look at how the teams stack up at the end of March.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (17-54): The Bobcats have gone 4-6 in their past 10, bit the only real question is will they win the draft lottery this year? Last Week’s Ranking-30

29. Orlando Magic (18-54):The Magic are doing everything they can to finish with the NBA’s worst record. With Arron Afflalo now out for the year and double-double machine

Mar 19, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) takes a jump shot against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

hurting, they just may do that. Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Detroit Pistons (24-48): The Pistons have gone only 1-11 during the month of March. They can’t wait for the season to end. Last Week’s Ranking-27

27. Cleveland Cavaliers (22-48): It was fun while it lasted, but Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters have joined Anderson Varejao as injured Cavs and they have responded with a six-game losing streak. Last Week’s Ranking-22

26. Toronto Raptors (26-45): Remember what happened to the Raptors contending for a playoff spot? The Raps have gone just 3-12 in their past 15 games. Last Week’s Ranking-21

25. Minnesota Timberwolves (25-45): Tough loss to the Lakers Wednesday night, marking the 22^nd straight defeat to the Lakers, which is just insane. Overall though it hasn’t been a horrible 10-game stretch for the ‘Wolves as they have won 4-of-6. Last Week’s Ranking-28

24. Phoenix Suns (23-50): If the Lakers miss the playoffs, the Suns get two lottery picks this year. That’s the only thing to root for with this team right now. Last Week’s Ranking-25

23. Philadelphia 76ers (28-43): The Sixers have lost 33 of their past 47 games, yet somehow remain within striking distance of a playoff spot. Last Week’s Ranking-26

22. New Orleans Hornets (25-47): Say what you want about the Hornets, but they play hard for head coach Monty Williams and have wins over the Celtics, Grizzlies and Nuggets lately. The future is bright for the Hornets/Pelicans. Last Week’s Ranking-24

21. Sacramento Kings (27-46): Despite not showing much to get excited about this team, the Kings have won 6-of-10 down the stretch. Last Week’s Ranking-23

Mar 25, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (2) celebrates on the court after the Wizards

20. Portland Trail Blazers (33-38): Seven losses in their past nine games means no playoffs for the Blazers, but it is probably more beneficial for them to be in the lottery anyway. Last Week’s Ranking-18

19. Washington Wizards (26-45): Talk about a difference maker, the Wizards were 5-28 when John Wall returned but have won 16 of last 24. Last Week’s Ranking-20

18. Milwaukee Bucks (35-36): The Bucks have been reeling, losers of 6-of-8 before defeating the Lakers on Thursday night. It doesn’t help their cause much when they have an unhappy Brandon Jennings. Jennings could be all but gone from Milwaukee in the offseason. Last Week’s Ranking-16

17. Utah Jazz (36-36): The Jazz have lost 9-of-14 yet somehow sit only a half game out of the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-19

16. Boston Celtics (37-34): Doc Rivers’ squad has played very soft as of late, especially from an effort perspective. Not having Kevin Garnett doesn’t help matters much as the Celtics have gone only 3-7 in their past 10. Last Week’s Ranking-10

With that being said, that won’t stop me from continuing our look at the contenders as the race for number two is a pretty tight one.

Here’s a look at our 2013 NBA MVP Rankings heading into the final couple weeks of the regular season.

10. Paul George: George replaces Carmelo Anthony in the rankings and for good reason. He has been a big part of why the Indiana Pacers have been locked into a battle with the New York Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. His 17.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game aren’t shabby numbers.

9. Stephen Curry: Averaging 22.5 points per game and is coming off scoring games of 29, 30, 24, 35 and 25 all while shooting over 50 percent from the floor.

Mar 24, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) drives against San Antonio Spurs center Boris Diaw (33) and shooting guard Danny Green (4) during the first half at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports

8. Kobe Bryant: The Lakers would be in the playoffs if they started today, mostly due in part to Kobe carrying the Lakers. He’s averaging 27.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists and is shooting 46.6 percent from the floor. Bryant certainly still belongs on this list.

7. James Harden: If the Rockets make the playoffs, there may be no more valuable player in the league. The most impressive part of Harden’s breakout season isn’t necessarily the 26.3 points per game that he is averaging; it’s the insane rate that Harden is able to get to the free-throw line. On average, harden has gotten to the charity stripe 10.3 times per game and is shooting an impressive 86 percent.

6. Tim Duncan: Duncan has turned back the clock and is having one of those “vintage” Duncan years of the past, averaging a near double-double with 17.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Wonder why the Spurs are so good? Duncan is a huge part of their success.

But since that time things haven’t been the same for either team.

Feb 13, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Former New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing looks on during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks have been banged up and have gone only 22-20 over the course of their past 42 games, leaving serious doubts that the Knicks can beat any team in a seven game series, much less the defending champions.

The Heat on the other hand are in the middle of a historic run, winning 24 games in a row, looking like a team that can’t be beat by anyone in the  NBA in a playoff series.

Add New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing to those impressed by what the Miami Heat are doing these days, as the Hall of Famer told ESPN’s Ian O’Connor that he doesn’t feel the Knicks luck will be  any better this postseason than it has over the past four decades.

“I don’t think anybody’s good enough to beat Miami,” Ewing told ESPNNewYork.com. “Miami’s on a roll; you’ve got three bona fide superstars on that team who are used to playing with each other, who are playing at a very high level. I don’t think anybody right now can challenge Miami in the East. I don’t really think anyone can challenge them in the West, either.”

Ewing, who made his debut as a postgame analyst on the MSG Network, said that he initially felt the Knicks could take down the Heat this season, but no longer feels that way, also telling ESPNNewYork:

“When I looked at that team on paper, the duo of Amar’e and Melo, I liked it a lot as an inside-outside punch,” Ewing said. “Even though they were both similar in a lot of ways where they both need the ball, I thought you could post Amar’e up, you could run pick-and-roll, you could hit him on the dive. And Melo can shoot the long ball, put it on the floor, and you could also post him up.”

“I thought it was good, but then it’s about the pieces you put around them. I like the team. It’s just unfortunate that Amar’e got hurt, and then when you’re playing in New York, everything is put under a microscope.”

The injuries have been a factor, but not the entire factor in what has become a mediocre team the last few months.

There is still time though for this Knicks team to put things together and make a playoff run, but as much as I would like to disagree with Ewing, I have to agree that things aren’t looking very positive for Mike Woodson’s team right now.

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A couple teams are riding monumental win streaks, while the rest of the teams are positioning themselves for the playoffs or the lottery.

With that being said, let’s get right into this week’s rankings.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (14-52): The Bobcats have gone only 7-47 since starting the season 7-5. They are 27^th in the NBA in both points per game and rebound, 28^th in points allowed per game and last in the NBA in assists. Maybe this year they can actually win the draft lottery. Last Week’s Ranking-30

29. Orlando Magic (18-48): Four losses in five games for the Magic, heading into a brutal five game stretch that features games at Milwaukee, Indiana and New York before returning home to host Miami and Oklahoma City. Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-41): The ‘Wolves have lost four out of five to continue their swoon, but did upset the San Antonio Spurs behind Ricky Rubio’s first career triple-double. The good news is that Kevin Love could return by late March or early April. Last Week’s Ranking-28

27. Detroit Pistons (23-45): The Pistons have lost 11-of-12 and Brandon Knight continues to be on the wrong end of highlight reel plays. This time courtesy of DeAndre Jordan’s monster dunk. Last Week’s Ranking-23

26. Philadelphia 76ers (25-40): The Sixers have lost 13-of-16 and looked like a rather young and sloppy team down the stretch against Miami, even All-Star Jrue Holiday. But they earned a tough and surprising win over the Pacers on Saturday. Last Week’s Ranking-27

February 1, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; New Orleans Hornets guard Austin Rivers (25) during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

25. Phoenix Suns (22-45): Four consecutive losses for the Suns and 6-of-7 overall after getting blown out by the Wizards. But one bright spot has been Wesley Johnson. Since moving into the starting lineup five games ago, the Syracuse product has shot shooting 49 percent from the floor and averaged 14.3 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-24

24. New Orleans Hornets (22-44): The Hornets have lost 5-of-6 and lost rookie Austin Rivers to a broken hand, although Rivers was having a terrible freshman campaign. Among the recent losses, the Hornets blew a 25-point lead to the Los Angeles Lakers and saw a 17-point lead evaporate to the Orlando Magic. Last Week’s Ranking-25

23. Sacramento Kings (23-43): The Kings have won 2-of-3, including hammering the Chicago Bulls by 42-points.Overall, they have played some playoff teams very tough as of late. Last Week’s Ranking-26

22. Cleveland Cavaliers (22-44): The Cavs have lost 6-of-8 and lost All-Star Kyrie Irving for likely the rest of the season. If you’re the Cavs, you have to be a bit concerned about the amount of injuries the young star has accumulated the past three years, dating back to his one season at Duke. Last Week’s Ranking-20

21. Toronto Raptors (26-40): Andrea Bargnani is done for the season and the Raptors can’t put together a winning streak, alternating wins and losses throughout their past six games. Last Week’s Ranking-21

20. Washington Wizards (23-42): The Wizards are riding a three-game winning streak, but they may have a few more of those if they could keep rookie Bradley Beal healthy as his 14.2 points per game could help the NBA’s worst offense. Last Week’s Ranking-22

19. Utah Jazz (34-32): It’s been eight losses in the last 11 games for the freefalling Jazz, who now are looking up at the Lakers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. But a win against the Grizzlies on Saturday shows that Utah isn’t ready to concede a playoff spot just yet.  Last Week’s Ranking-16

18. Portland Trail Blazers (31-34): Damian Lillard torched the Knicks on Thursday and became the fastest rookie to reach 1,200 points and 400 assists since Allen Iverson in 1996-97. Lillard has all but locked up Rookie of the Year honors, leading all first-year players in points (19.1) and assists (6.5), and he has upped his scoring to 22.4 points per game since mid-February. The Blazers still are in striking distance for a playoff spot, but it could be better for their future if they miss out, as making the postseason would cost them a first-round pick in this summer’s draft.  Last Week’s Ranking-19

17. Dallas Mavericks (31-34): The Mavs were swept by the Spurs for the first time in 15 years, but five wins in their past six games have Dallas sitting only three games out of a playoff spot. Last Week’s Ranking-18

16. Milwaukee Bucks (32-32): After a recent hot streak, the Bucks have dropped three in a row. While they are firmly in the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee sits only 3.5 games out of the No. 5 seed. Last Week’s Ranking-17

Mar 6, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) warms up before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

15. Atlanta Hawks (36-29): Wins over the Lakers and the Suns have stopped a recent slide, but the Hawks are fading fast and could find themselves the No. 7 or No. 8 seed before it is all said and done. Last Week’s Ranking-15

14. Chicago Bulls (36-29): The Bulls rebounded nicely with a win against the Warriors, but that still doesn’t excuse the fact that they lost to the woeful Kings by 42 points, nor does it excuse the fact that they have dropped 12-of-18 since February 4. Last Week’s Ranking-11

13. Golden State Warriors (37-30): The Warriors have rebounded off a 3-10 stretch by winning four of their last seven games, but Mark Jackson’s team is one that is clearly trending in the wrong direction. However the Warriors have nine of their final 15 games at home so they could still make a late charge. Last Week’s Ranking-10

12. New York Knicks (38-25): The Knicks have lost their past three games on their current west coast trip by an average of 22.5 points per game and have gone only 20-20 since their impressive 8-5 start to the season. The injuries have piled up and the Knicks look nothing like the dominant team they appeared early on, right now they are mediocre at best.  Last Week’s Ranking-8

11. Houston Rockets (36-30): The Rockets have won 3-of-4 and continues to hold on to the No. 7 seed in the west. That’s a bit surprising because they haven’t won more than two in a row since January and their defense sits among the bottom 10 in the league in efficiency. Last Week’s Ranking-12

10. Boston Celtics (36-29): Just look back ant where the Celtics were when Rajon Rondo got hurt and what has happened since. Somehow the Celtics, winners of 7-of-9, sit only two games away from earing home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.  Last Week’s Ranking-13

9. Los Angeles Lakers (35-32): The Lakers have gone 17-7 in their past 24 games and would be in the playoffs if the season started today, but now there are concerns about Kobe Bryant’s ankle. However if Dwight Howard keeps focusing on playing basketball instead of being a crybaby, the Lakers will be fine as Howard looks healthy and has been outstanding as of late.  Last Week’s Ranking-14

8. Brooklyn Nets (38-27): The Nets have won 4-of-5 and trail the Knicks by only one game for the Atlantic Division lead. However Brooklyn’s true test is upcoming when they go on the road for an eight-game trip from March 18-April 3. On the season the Nets are only 16-14 away from the Barclay’s Center. Last Week’s Ranking-9

7. Indiana Pacers (40-26): Recent losses to the Lakers, Heat and Sixers mean the Pacers have gone only 4-5 over their past nine. But despite the recent slide, Indiana is still the second best team in the east right now, although the Knicks and Nets are within two games. Last Week’s Ranking-7

6. Los Angeles Clippers (45-21): The Clippers are still in a solid spot despite dropping 3-of-5. However two of those losses came at the hands of the Grizzlies and Nuggets, who are now both ahead of them in the rankings.  Last Week’s Ranking-4

Mar 13, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) dunks the ball during the first half against the New York Knicks at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

5. Memphis Grizzlies (44-21): The Grizzlies are 15-5 since trading away Rudy Gay and have moved up to the No. 3 seed in the West for a moment. But they saw their six game winning streak snapped with back-to-back losses at the hands of the Nuggets and Jazz. Last Week’s Ranking-5

4. Denver Nuggets (45-22): If it weren’t for the Miami Heat making history, the 11-game win streak of the Nuggets would be drawing much more attention. Denver sits only a half game away from being the No. 3 seed, and home court would be big for them in the postseason as the Nuggets are an amazing 30-3 at the Pepsi Center. Last Week’s Ranking- 6

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (49-17): The race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference is tightening as the Thunder now sit only one game behind the Spurs for top honors. That alone would be big in the Western Conference Finals as the Thunder one 20-1 at home against Western Conference opponents. Last Week’s Ranking-3

2. San Antonio Spurs (51-16): The Spurs reached 50 wins for the 14^th consecutive season. But as good as the Spurs have been, they have won only three of their last five, which includes a 30-point loss to the Blazers and a 24-point waxing at the hand of the Timberwolves. With or without Tony Parker in the lineup, that can’t happen. Last Week’s Ranking-2

1. Miami Heat (50-14): Miami’s 21’st consecutive win means they are one of only four teams in NBA history to win as many as 20 games in a row in the same season. The defending champs are on some kind of roll and hold on to the top spot for at least another week. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climber: Lakers (+5)

Biggest Faller: Knicks, Pistons (-4)

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There’s no doubt who the top team is right now, but as we get ready to watch the final month-plus of the season, there has been a lot of movement as team’s position themselves for the postseason.

With that being said, let’s get right into my Week 18 NBA Power Rankings.

Feb 20, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Target Center. The Timberwolves defeated the 76ers 94-87. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

30. Charlotte Bobcats (13-49): The Bobcats have lost 43 of their last 47 games. That’s beyond bad. What’s even worse than that is the fact that they have lost their past eight games by an average of 24.25 points per game. That’s borderline embarrassing. Last Week’s Ranking-29

29. Orlando Magic (17-46): The Magic have had their own woeful streak, losers of 23-of-26 overall, but did show a lot in a near upset of the Miami Heat this week. Last Week’s Ranking-30

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (21-37): Since January 8, when the Wolves were last over the .500 mark, they’ve gone only 5-26. The one bright spot though has been Ricky Rubio, who have averaged 4.3 steals over the course of the past 10 games.  Last Week’s Ranking-26

27. Philadelphia 76ers (23-38):You have to feel bad for Sixers coach Doug Collins, who is having trouble getting even good efforts from this bunch, much less wins. Philadelphia has won only one of their past 12 and is sinking faster than the Titanic. Last Week’s Ranking-24

26. Sacramento Kings (22-42): The Kings have lost 14 straight on the road to Western Conference opponents, although Marcus Thornton is starting to throw his name in the Sixth Man of the Year race, averaging 22.2 points while shooting 58.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc in his last five games. Last Week’s Ranking-27

25. New Orleans Hornets (21-41): The Hornets have lost seven of nine games since the All-Star break, including a 45-point rout to Oklahoma City and a home loss to the Orlando Magic. However the loss to the Thunder came without Eric Gordon as he is proving to be irreplaceable for the Hornets. When he’s in the lineup they compete. When he’s not, they usually get blown out. Last Week’s Ranking-25

24. Phoenix Suns (21-41): The Suns have won 3-of-5 and have shown something in beating playoff teams in San Antonio and Atlanta as of late. Last Week’s Ranking-28

23. Detroit Pistons (23-41): Since Jose Calderon took over the point guard duties; Brandon Knight has excelled playing off the ball. But it hasn’t helped in terms of wins as the Pistons have dropped four in a row and 7-of-8 overall.  Last Week’s Ranking-20

22. Washington Wizards (19-41): Since John Wall returned, the Wizards are 14-12, although they have lost 4-of-5 as of late. Last Week’s Ranking-21

Mar 1, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Dion Waiters (3) shoots over Los Angeles Clippers small forward Matt Barnes (22) in the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

21. Toronto Raptors (24-39): Rudy Gay has cooled off some and so have the raptors, losers of 6-of-7. A couple weeks ago it looked like Toronto was going to make a run at the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they now trail the Milwaukee Bucks by eight games. Last Week’s Ranking-17

20. Cleveland Cavaliers (21-41): The Cavs have gone 8-7 over the course of their past 15 games and while Kyrie Irving gets all the attention, youngsters Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson are proving to be nice pieces to build with as well. Last Week’s Ranking-22

19. Portland Trail Blazers (29-32): The Blazers are still in the Western Conference playoff race after winning three of their past four. They also have gotten contributions from their bench, which is the worst in the NBA. Newly acquired Eric Maynor and rookie Meyers Leonard have come of the pine lately to provide a spark. Last Week’s Ranking-23

18. Dallas Mavericks (28-33): The Mavs have a ways to go to sneak into the playoffs, but Dallas has won 6-of 10 to stay in the thick of things for the final playoff spot in the West.  Last Week’s Ranking-18

17. Milwaukee Bucks (30-29): Monta Ellis has heated up and the Bucks appear to be back on track, seeing a four-game win streak snapped with a loss to the Clippers.  Last Week’s Ranking-19

16. Utah Jazz (32-30): The Jazz got point guard Mo Williams back after missing 32 games with torn ligaments in his right thumb, but they’ve been without Al Jefferson as of late and have won only one of their past seven games.  Last Week’s Ranking-10

15. Atlanta Hawks (34-27): The Hawks have lost 4-of-5, but still have a chance to get hot and find a way into a top four seed as they sit only 1.5 games behind the Nets for the No. 4 seed in the East and play Brooklyn twice in the upcoming week. Last Week’s Ranking-16

14. Los Angeles Lakers (32-31): The Lakers are finally over the .500 mark, but just keep in mind that they are only 2-13 against the top five teams in the West.  Last Week’s Ranking-14

13. Boston Celtics (34-27): Boston somehow has gone 13-4 since losing Rajon Rondo, including winning five in a row, but I’m still not sold that they can keep this up. Last Week’s Ranking-15

12. Houston Rockets (34-29): Houston added point guard depth with Aaron Brooks, but it also covers them when Jeremy Lin is struggling, which he has a lot as of late. Regardless, the Rockets have won 3-of-4 and have three winnable games upcoming.  Last Week’s Ranking-12

11. Chicago Bulls (35-27): The Bulls broke a two-game losing streak with a win over Utah, but Joakim Noah looks to be the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year and Derrick Rose has been cleared by doctors to play. The Bulls could be a very tough out in the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-13

Mar 4, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) celebrates with point guard Jason Kidd (5) and point guard Raymond Felton (2) in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

10. Golden State Warriors (35-28): The Warriors have lost 5-of-7 and have been slumping, but they play 16 of their final 22 at home where they have a 20-8 record this season. It will be important for them to take care of business as Mark Jackson’s team is one that really needs home court advantage in the first round. Last Week’s Ranking-11

9. Brooklyn Nets (36-26): Deron Williams’ big night Friday from behind the arc made it two wins in a row for the Nets, but you still have to be concerned with their inability to bet good teams as Brooklyn has just a 12-25 record against teams currently over .500. Last Week’s Ranking-9

8. New York Knicks (37-22): The Knicks have a banged up Carmelo Anthony and after hosting Utah on Saturday face a very tough five-game road trip. The Knicks are a team certainly heading in the wrong direction as since their 18-5 start, they’ve gone just a mediocre 19-17 since. That’s not the making of a team that thinks they can contend for a title.   Last Week’s Ranking-8

7. Indiana Pacers (39-23): It’s hard to imagine a team that has gone 8-2 in their past 10 dropping three spots, but that’s how good the teams ahead of the Pacers have been. Despite the drop, the Pacer are for real, losing just six games since January, with three of those coming in overtime. Last Week’s Ranking-4

6. Denver Nuggets (41-22): Denver’s recent stretch of basketball has been great. This is a team that has gone 29-10 since starting the season 12-12, including going an impressive 27-3 at home.  Last Week’s Ranking-7

5. Memphis Grizzlies (41-19): The Grizzlies have won 11-of-12 with their only loss being a tough one in Miami. There haven’t been too many people complaining about the Rudy Gay trade as of late.  Last Week’s Ranking-6

4. Los Angeles Clippers (44-20): The Clippers have won 5-of-7 and are looking more like a team that can contend for a title. But to do that they have to avoid the Oklahoma City Thunder, who swept the Clippers this season, taking all three games.  Last Week’s Ranking-5

Feb 27, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) drives to the basket during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at the AT

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (46-16): Speaking of the Thunder, it’s been business as usual for OKC, winners of 7-of-8. The Thunder now only trail the Spurs by 1.5 games for the top seed in the West.  Last Week’s Ranking-3

2. San Antonio Spurs (48-15): Losses to the Suns and Blazers as of late have knocked the Spurs out of the top spot, but even without Tony Parker-who was having an MVP-type of season- the Spurs have gone 29-7 since late December.  Last Week’s Ranking-1

1. Miami Heat (46-14): There’s not much to say as to why the Heat are back in the top spot. Seventeen wins in a row and counting have done all of the talking for them. LeBron James is poised to win another MVP and it looks like the Heat are on their way to back-to-back titles as the way they are playing right now, it is hard to fathom anyone beating them in a seven-game series.  Last Week’s Ranking-2

Biggest Climber: Blazers (+5)

Biggest Faller: Jazz (-6)

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The Knicks opened the first half playing their best basketball, perhaps, of 2013. They defend with aggression, trapping the Heat’s ball-handlers and blowing up pick-and-rolls with hard hedges; they collapsed on drivers, closed out hard on shooters, and forced the Heat into a bevy of turnovers and sloppy possessions. On offense, led by Carmelo Anthony repeatedly punishing whoever tried to defend him, the Knicks moved the ball crisply, inside and outside, setting up wide open looks from beyond the arc (a good portion of which were canned by a revitalized Jason Kidd), or clear paths to the rim. It was the most exciting, enjoyable half of basketball the Knicks had played in quite some time. They led by 14 at halftime.

And it would last for merely a half. The Heat, as the Knicks should have predicted, flipped the switch in the second half. LeBron James switched onto Carmelo Anthony and locked him up, denying Anthony any clean looks to the basket and effectively disallowing Anthony to thrive at the free throw line as he did in the first half. The Knicks swift ball movement faltered, and suddenly, all of the shots they’d made in the first half stopped falling. On the other end, the Heat pushed the ball to a tempo the Knicks just couldn’t keep up with. LeBron James prodded the Knicks’ defense, parting it on his way to the basket, or scrambling it with skip passes or drive-and-kicks to open shooters and cutters.

In the final two minutes, the game still within a basket, James attacked the basket hard for a lefty layup. After J.R. Smith squandered a possession with an ill-advised three-pointer, Miami got Chris Bosh and open shot at the top of the key, which he sank. Four-point game. On the next Knicks possession, Smith turned the ball over to a lurking James who went full steam ahead, and threw the ball down for a wide-open dunk. Ball-game.

Here’s a look at the individual performances for the Knicks.

Carmelo Anthony – 42 minutes, 32 points, 9-19 FG, 13-14 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 assists

Early on, ‘Melo had that look that he just wouldn’t be stopped. He canned his first four shot attempts, and bullied his way to the basket to live at the free throw line. 24 points on 8 shots in the opening half. However, LeBron James, Anthony’s clealry superior peer, locked Anthony up in the second half. Anthony scored just 8 points on 11 shots in the second half, and stood no chance of stopping James on offense. Not quite the heroic performance it looked to be at the onset.

Final Grade: B

Jason Kidd – 34 minutes, 14 points, 4-5 3FG, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals

Kidd snapped a two-month long drought in dramatic fashion. In the first half, Kidd stepped into and confident sank four three-pointers to ignite the Knicks’ offense and the Garden crowd. Though his offense didn’t sustain in the second half (who expected that it would?), Kidd continually made great plays on both ends, disrupting the Heat’s offense with steals and deflections, while making some great passes and collecting important rebounds. Unfortunately, 34 minutes in Pablo Prigioni’s stead may have very well pooped Kidd out by the end of the game.

Final Grade: A

J.R. Smith – 36 minutes, 13 points, 5-18 FG, 3-14 3FG, 12 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 TOs

His three 3-pointers all felt important. His 11 misses from beyond the arc were devastatingly crucial to the game’s outcome. His decision to ignore Carmelo Anthony, down two, with 1:30 remaining, and take and brick a pull-up 3-pointer was back-breaking. His telegraphed pass – which was picked off by James – on the Knicks’ final Hail-Mary possession was game-sealing. Cool 12 rebounds, though.

Final Grade: C-

Amar’e Stoudemire – 21 minutes, 12 points, 5-7 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 block

Stoudemire began the game in a really rough fashion – turning the ball over, getting stuffed under the hoop, and playing porous defense. However, as the game went on, Stoudemire smoothed himself out, occasionally playing nice help defense, and picking his spots on offense. His brief minutes as feature of the Knicks’ offense earned him back-to-back dunks. Count me in the group that is puzzled by Woodson’s substitution pattern with Stoudemire – every time Stoudemire gets in a groove, he gets yanked.

Final Grade: B-

Tyson Chandler – 34 minutes, 10 points, 4-7 FG, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Smaller matchups – such as Chris Bosh – do not usually bode well for Chandler, but he held his own today. (Part of that is because Bosh kinda sucked for three quarters). Chandler seemed a little rushed on the court, often dropping passes on easy feeds, and sometimes helping a little too generously on defense, though for the most part, Chandler anchored the Knicks wonderfully on the end. The no-call block by James on Chandler’s layup attempt in the final minutes was a momentum-changer.

Final Grade: B

Raymond Felton – 31 minutes, 9 points, 3-8 FG, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 4 TOs

The thing where Felton tries to take over the Knicks’ offense in crucial moments of the game isn’t a good look. Down the stretch, Felton’s decision-making was mostly bad, as he failed to get Anthony in the ball, or evade the Heat’s traps on pick-and-rolls. This led to a little too much one-on-one play as Felton tried to take it to the basket and finish himself. As a whole, Felton spent most of the game taking a backseat to Jason Kidd’s command on offense, while doing a commendable job making Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole non-factors. Felton’s turnover off his foot in the final two minutes hurt pretty bad, too.

Final Grade: C

Iman Shumpert – 21 minutes, 3 points, 1-4 FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Shumpert’s energy to begin the game was a huge spark. He deflected a good number of passes and dribbles, crashed the glass for rebounds, dove for loose balls, and was a blur up and down the court. Though it doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, his effort was an intangible factor that led to the Knicks’ first half dominance. He faded in the second half, though, and hardly saw any court time, even with Smith misfiring pretty woefully.

Final Grade: C+

Steve Novak – 12 minutes, 0-3 FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Novak’s releasing the ball too quickly, pulling down his follow-through too quickly, and thinking too much. For the most part, I’d rather Novak shoot over closing defenses, try and draw a foul, or pump fake, take two dribbles in, and pull up. For now, he remains a liability on the court.

Final Grade: D

James White – 8 minutes, 0-1 FG, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 TOs

James White started the game for Jason Kidd. He committed three fouls and a turnover in less than five minutes to open the game. In the second half, he air-balled his first and only shot attempt. This reminded me that I would give Oklahoma City their 2nd round draft pick back for Ronnie Brewer.

With that being said, let’s get right into my post-trade deadline NBA Power Rankings.

Feb 22, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) drives to the basket during the second half against the Chicago Bulls at Time Warner Arena. Mandatory Credit: Curtis Wilson-USA TODAY Sports

30. Orlando Magic (15-41): The Magic have lost 16-of-17 and even though they brought in some young talent in the J.J. Redick deal, there may be no end to their slump in sight. Last Week’s Ranking-29

29. Charlotte Bobcats (13-43): The Bobcats have to be encouraged by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s improved play, but this team is still a mess. But they have won two of their past six, including a win over the Magic, which gets them out of the basement for the first time in a while. Last Week’s Ranking-30

28. Phoenix Suns (18-39): The Suns have lost 7-of-8 and it looks as if Lindsey Hunter is going to start giving more minutes to his younger players. The Sebastian Telfair trade frees up minutes for rookie Kendall Marshall and they added another youngster in a trade for Marcus Morris. Last Week’s Ranking-26

27. Sacramento Kings (19-38): The Kings decision to give up on No. 5 pick Thomas Robinson because they made other financial mistakes will prove to be yet another bad decision by one of the worst run organizations in sports. In addition they are on a current five-game skid. Last Week’s Ranking-27

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-33): The Wolves have won a couple of games as of late, but that makes only two wins in their past nine. At one point Minnesota was 16-15, but have gone only 4-18 since. Last Week’s Ranking-28

25. New Orleans Hornets (20-37): The Hornets have won 5-of-9 and are a team with upside. They have a nice core of Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, Greivis Vasquez and Eric Gordon, but Gordon’s health must continuously be monitored. Last Week’s Ranking-25

24. Philadelphia 76ers (22-32): The Sixers have dropped five in a row and remain one of the worst offensive teams in the league, averaging only 92.2 points per game (29^th). Last Week’s Ranking-19

23. Portland Trail Blazers (26-30): Great move for the Blazers at the deadline getting Eric Maynor. He averaged only 10.6 minutes for the Thunder, but he is a quality backup for Damian Lillard and adds some scoring punch to a Blazers bench that has none. Sunday’s win against the Celtics broke a seven-game losing streak as their playoff hopes are starting to fade.  Last Week’s Ranking-17

22.  Cleveland Cavaliers (18-38): The Cavs have been showing some life as of late, winners of 5-of-9 despite a tough loss to the Heat on Sunday night. Kyrie Irving has been brilliant, but the Cavs go as he goes. Irving is averaging 29.5 points on 53.7 percent shooting in victories but 20.6 points on 43 percent shooting in losses. Last Week’s Ranking-24

Feb 19, 2013; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons point guard Jose Calderon (8) calls out a play during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Grizzlies beat the Pistons 105-91. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

21. Washington Wizards (17-37): Washington is starting to put things together by winning 6-of-8. They also have the sixth-ranked scoring defense (95.7 ppg) in the NBA. Last Week’s Ranking-22

20. Detroit Pistons (22-36): The Pistons have gone 4-4 since Jose Calderon joined the starting lineup. Calderon is averaging 14.6 points, 6.4 assists and 1.8 turnovers as a Piston and Detroit is only six games behind the struggling Milwaukee Bucks for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Last Week’s Ranking-23

19. Milwaukee Bucks (26-28): The Bucks are holding onto the No. 8 seed and pulled off the biggest move of the trade deadline by acquiring Redick. We will see how much he helps a Bucks team that have lost 9-of-11.  Last Week’s Ranking-16

18. Dallas Mavericks (25-30): There is good news as the Mavs have won 6-of-9 and Dirk Nowitzki is starting to look like he is at full strength. There is still an outside shot at the playoffs for Dallas but getting to .500 needs to be the first goal. Last Week’s Ranking-18

17. Toronto Raptors (23-33): The Raptors added Telfair at the deadline to address point guard depth and this is a surging team, winners of 6-of-7, including beating the Knicks (twice), Pacers and Nuggets during that stretch. The Raps currently sit only four games outside the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-21

16. Atlanta Hawks (31-23): Danny Ferry choose to keep Josh Smith at the deadline, which could hurt them in the long-term, but they have turned things around recently by winning 4-of-5. Last Week’s Ranking-15

15. Boston Celtics (29-27): The Celtics had reeled off seven consecutive wins without Rajon Rondo, but have since lost 4-of-6.  The Jordan Crawford acquisition helps the perimeter scoring, but without Rondo I don’t feel the Celtics have enough to make a charge in the east. Last Week’s Ranking-13

14. Los Angeles Lakers (28-29): Even though it now looks like Pau Gasol will miss the rest of the season, the Lakers circus is now surging, winners of 11 of their past 15 games. Look out because the Lakers are now only 2.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and if they get in playing the way they are now, they will be a tough out for anyone. Last Week’s Ranking-20

13. Chicago Bulls (32-24): The Bulls have been reeling as of late, losers of 7-of-11. They didn’t make a move at the deadline, but if Derrick Rose returns, that will be better than any trade they could have made. Last Week’s Ranking-10

12. Houston Rockets (31-27): The Rockets traded both of their power forwards (Morris and Patrick Patterson) at the deadline, but got the upside of Robinson, whose athleticism should fit in tremendously with this young Rockets team for years. While this deal is great long-term for the Rockets, who have won 6-of-10, it could hurt their chances in the short-term of holding of the Lakers for the final playoff spot in the west. Last Week’s Ranking-14

February 9, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Utah Jazz power forward Paul Millsap (24) and center Al Jefferson (25) react after being called for a foul during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings defeated the Jazz 120-109. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

11. Golden State Warriors (33-23): The Warriors had been slumping as of late, losers of six in a row before reeling off three consecutive wins, including an overtime victory against the San Antonio Spurs. They are down to the No. 6 seed currently, but there is still time for Golden State to get hot once again. Last Week’s Ranking-9

10. Utah Jazz (31-25): The Jazz shockingly didn’t move Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap at the deadline, which could have improved the team in other areas. Utah won’t be able to sign both in the offseason, but are going to roll the dice with what they have. They have gone 14-7 in their past 21 games and are an impressive 21-6 at home. Last Week’s Ranking-12

9. Brooklyn Nets (33-24): The Nets have lost back-to-back games after reeling off five consecutive wins. They are a team that needed to make a move for Smith at the deadline as this Nets team doesn’t have enough to be a legit factor come playoff time.  Last Week’s Ranking-11

8. New York Knicks (33-20): The same can be said for the Knicks, who stood pat at the deadline. They are now down to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and their lead in the Atlantic Division, which looked like they had locked up just a short while ago, is down to only two games. Remember that Knicks team that started the season 19-6? They are a distant memory as Mike Woodson’s team has managed to go only 14-14 since. Last Week’s Ranking-5

7. Denver Nuggets (35-22): The Nuggets have cooled off a bit by dropping 4-of-6. Denver is the deepest team in the NBA, but getting up to the No. 4 seed will be huge for them, as they currently trail Memphis by three games, The Nuggets are 23-3 at home on the season and only 12-19 on the road.  If they don’t get home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, it may be hard for this team to advance. Last Week’s Ranking-4

6. Memphis Grizzlies (37-18): No Rudy Gay. No problem for the Grizzlies, who have won seven in a row. Memphis may miss Gay’s scoring ability at times, but they have the NBA’s second-best scoring defense (89.8 PPG), which means they can compete with anyone in the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-8

5. Los Angeles Clippers (40-18): The Clippers were thumped by the San Antonio Spurs, but have still one 5-of-6 overall. They held onto Eric Bledsoe, which means they didn’t improve their frontcourt. The Clippers are still deep, but it remains to be seen if they have enough to win a title. Last Week’s Ranking-7

Feb 24, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 109-105. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

4. Indiana Pacers (35-21): Indiana has Danny Granger back and have won 9-of-11. They have the best scoring defense (89.4 PPG) in the league and despite their offensive woes at times, the Pacers can play with anyone in the postseason. Last Week’s Ranking-6

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (41-15): The Thunder dealt Maynor and added Ronnie Brewer, which will help defensively, as will the addition of Derek Fisher, who was just recently signed. OKC rebounded from a rare three-game skid to win their past two games. Brewer will help as the Thunder have surrendered an average of 113.6 points during their three-game losing streak. While they are still among the best in the NBA, the Thunder now find themselves three games behind the Spurs for the top spot in the west. Last Week’s Ranking-2

2. Miami Heat (40-14): So much for the Heat cruising through the regular season. It’s now 11 straight wins and counting for the defending champs and with the way LeBron James has been playing- and Dwyane Wade recently- Miami looks near unbeatable. Last Week’s Ranking-3

1. San Antonio Spurs (45-13): It’s hard not to make a case for the Spurs as the best team in the league, especially winning 17 of their past 19. In addition to that, they are dominating teams by winning 26-of-30 overall. It’s a shame that Tony Parker doesn’t get more love when it comes to the MVP talks. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climber: Lakers (+6)

Biggest Faller: Blazers (-6)

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With that being said, let’s not waste any time and see exactly who comes from winners and who comes home losers from All-Star Weekend in Houston.

Feb 17, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Western Conference guard Chris Paul (3) of the Los Angeles Clippers holds the game MVP trophy after the 2013 NBA all star game at the Toyota Center. West won 143-138. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Winner- Chris Paul

CP3 won the All-Star Game MVP while leading the Western Conference to victor, so that’s good enough for me. In addition his numbers of 20 points and 15 assists made this all about Los Angeles, except everyone should be talking Clippers and not Lakers. Just an outstanding and unselfish performance from Paul.

Loser-LeBron James

It’s hard to call the best player on the planet a loser, but for the second consecutive All-Star Weekend, that’s exactly what James was. He is the first person you think of after the dunk contest flops, especially after his yearly promises that he will enter the contest. Then he starts the game with some rim shaking dunks that beg the question of why he can’t do the same on Saturday’s. We know his fragile ego couldn’t take losing a dunk contest, but all things considered, he’s the guy that people want to see. To make his weekend worse, he was shut down offensively in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and scored only one fourth quarter point in almost seven minutes of action, going 0-for-4 from the floor with a turnover.

Winner- Kyrie Irving

The second-year point guard had the platform for his coming out party and took advantage of it. Irving excelled in the Rising Stars Challenge, won the three-point shootout and showed on Sunday that he belonged with the NBA’s best. That’s a very productive weekend.

Loser- Brandon Knight

More than anything that the talented Knight has done of the floor in his brief time in the NBA, Knight is now know the most for getting his ankles broke by Irving on Friday night. I give Knight a ton of credit for refusing to back down to Irving and continuing to challenge him, but he will be on the wrong end of a bad highlight for months to come.

Winner- First Time All-Star’s

It’s always good to see guys make the All-Star team for the first time and this year we saw seven first timers, including the New York Knicks Tyson Chandler, who made it for the first time after 12 years in the league. Guys like Chandler, Irving, Paul George, James Harden and others showed that they belong on the big stage.

Loser- Dunk Contest

Feb 16, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) dunks during the 2013 NBA All-Star slam dunk contest at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Something has to be done to fix this. It highlights All-Star Saturday night and it flopped once again. The stars need to participate. That’s something the league needs to fix, but the rules need tweaked also. I didn’t like the East vs. West thing this year, but you simply can’t miss a dunk six times and then be given a 50 for it on chance number seven. We have seen this go on for too long. Jeremy Evans and Terrence Ross were decent in the finals, but the rest of the contest left a lot to be desired.

Winner- Kenneth Faried

Faried dropped 40 Friday night, tying a record and bringing home MVP honors. “The Manimal” also showed why he is one of the top up-and-coming young big men in the NBA today.

Loser- James White

“Flight” was grounded on Saturday night a White found out that All-Star Weekend is a much bigger stage than he was used to. He came into the dunk contest with a lot of hype but severely disappointed. The announcers said it best when they commented that “This isn’t You Tube.”

Winner- Kevin Durant

KD did what KD does and simply drops a game-high 30 points in 31 minutes of action in leading the West to victory. In a game of the best in the world, Durant stepped up and made a statement for the second consecutive year.

Loser- Chris Bosh

Bosh made only 3-of-9 shots on the night, but was embarrassed not once but twice when Western Conference point guards Paul and Tony Parker dribbled between HIS legs. It’s a shame that Bosh got stuck guarding these quick guards on the perimeter in the All-Star Game, where there wasn’t much screening going on, but once he was isolated, he was embarrassed.

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Here’s a look at where each team stands as we get ready to head into the All-Star break.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (11-37): Remember when the Bobcats started 7-5? They have gone only 4-32 since. Last Week’s Ranking-30

Feb 6, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) carries the ball during the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at the Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

29. Orlando Magic (14-35): The Magic have won only two of their past 24 games, including losing an NBA –worst 11 in a row. Last Week’s Ranking-28

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (18-38): The ‘Wolves have lost eight of 10 and it makes you wonder where they would have been without all of the injuries. Last Week’s Ranking-27

27. Sacramento Kings (17-33): The Kings have lost eight of their past 10 and have not defeated a team with a winning record since December 30. Last Week’s Ranking-25

26. Phoenix Suns (17-33): The Suns don’t have a high ceiling this year but they have been improved under Lindsey Hunter, going 4-5 since he took over. Last Week’s Ranking-26

25. New Orleans Hornets (16-33): Anthony Davis is looking like a star in the making, but the wins aren’t coming just yet. Last Week’s Ranking-23

24. Cleveland Cavaliers (15-34): The Cavs have looked much improved as of late, winners of 6-of-10. That is because Kyrie Irving has been one of the best players in the NBA as of late. Last Week’s Ranking-29

23. Detroit Pistons (18-32): The Pistons have won only three of their past 10 and haven’t won a game since trading away Tayshaun Prince. That will change soon as the Pistons have a good point guard in Jose Calderon and some nice young talent around him. Last Week’s Ranking-22

22. Washington Wizards (13-35): The Wizards have gone 8-7 with John Wall in the lineup and have defeated the likes of: the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks. Last Week’s Ranking-24

21. Toronto Raptors (17-32): Rudy Gay has averaged 24.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor since he was acquired by the Raptors. It will take some time to build chemistry, but this Raptors team has talent. Last Week’s Ranking-18

Feb 7, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) with the ball during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

20. Los Angeles Lakers (23-27): Kobe Bryant has been fantastic, but this team is still a circus, especially with Bryant calling out Dwight Howard. However every time you think this team is turning the corner, they go out and get bet down, this time by the Boston Celtics. Last Week’s Ranking-21

19. Philadelphia 76ers (21-27): Jrue Holiday is making a name for himself, but even though the Sixers have split their past 10, the wins aren’t coming frequently enough. Last Week’s Ranking-20

18. Dallas Mavericks (21-28): The Mavs have split their past 10 games and Dirk Nowitzki is looking better, although he is far from looking like the superstar he was pre-injury. Dallas needs that Dirk again to make a run at the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-17

17. Portland Trail Blazers (25-24): The Blazers are hanging in the playoff race, but because of the fact that they don’t have a bench, their starters have to be great every night, something LaMarcus Aldridge certainly is. Last Week’s Ranking-16

16. Milwaukee Bucks (25-23): The Bucks have split their past 10 and are starting to slide back down closer to the .500 mark. Last Week’s Ranking-13

15. Atlanta Hawks (27-21): Despite the loss of Lou Williams, the Hawks are staying above the .500 mark thanks to some improved play from Jeff Teague as of late, who has averaged 19.6 points and 7.6 assists per game over his past five games. Last Week’s Ranking-14

14. Houston Rockets (27-24): The Rockets have rebounded from a horrible stretch to win 6-of-10. But while the young Rockets are the second highest scoring team in the league (105.8), they are 27^th in points allowed (102.9). Last Week’s Ranking-15

13. Boston Celtics (26-23): Somehow it took Rajon Rondo going down for the Celtics too figure things out as they have won their past six and have proven they are still a team to be taken seriously in the Eastern Conference. Last Week’s Ranking-19

12. Utah Jazz (28-22): The Jazz have won 13-of-18 and could be a piece away from being a major player in the Western Conference. They have a loaded frontcourt that they could use as a trade piece. Last Week’s Ranking-11

Feb 4, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) is upset over a referees call during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Chicago 111-101. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

11. Brooklyn Nets (29-20): Brook Lopez and the Nets have been very good, but it is hard to get a good read on them considering only eight of their 29 wins have come against winning teams. Last Week’s Ranking-12

10. Chicago Bulls (29-20): Taj Gibson is filling in for the injured Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer rather nicely and the Bulls just keep on winning without their best players. Last Week’s Ranking-8

9. Golden State Warriors (30-19): The Warriors haven’t lost to a team with a losing record since before Christmas, but they move down a couple of spots after getting smacked by the Rockets and Thunder this week. Last Week’s Ranking-7

8. Memphis Grizzlies (33-18): Losing Rudy Gay hurts in the short-term, but the Grizzlies will be better in the long-term. They aren’t going anywhere. Last Week’s Ranking-9

7. Los Angeles Clippers (35-16): The Clippers have lost 7-of-10, but it is hard to drop them down too far considering Chris Paul hasn’t been in the lineup. Last Week’s Ranking-3

6. Indiana Pacers (31-19): The best defensive team in the NBA has won five in a row and 7-of-10 and if Paul George and David West keep playing like beasts, they will be a factor to come out of the Eastern Conference. Last Week’s Ranking-10

5. New York Knicks (31-16): Amar’e Stoudemire is back and Raymond Felton and Iman Shumpert are healthy so the Knicks are scary good once again. Don’t underestimate the impact that Felton has on this team, but Tyson Chandler’s play at both ends of the floor as of late has been the biggest difference maker. Last Week’s Ranking-6

4. Denver Nuggets (32-18): The Nuggets have won eight straight and 14-of-16 overall.  They are deep and talented and very dangerous. In addition they are third in the NBA in scoring and second in both rebounds and assists. Last Week’s Ranking-5

Feb 6, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) carries the ball during the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. The Spurs defeated the Timberwolves 104-94. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

3. Miami Heat (32-14): The Heat are cruising, winners of 8-of-10 with their only losses coming to the Celtics and Pacers. I have run out of adjectives to describe the play of LeBron James, especially after his 13-of-14 shooting performance against the Charlotte Bobcats when he recorded 31 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Last Week’s Ranking-4

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-12): The Thunder are only 6-4 in their past 10, but I will leave them at No.2 for now because I still feel they are one of the two best teams in the NBA. Last Week’s Ranking-2

1. San Antonio Spurs (39-11): The Spurs have won 11 in a row and are playing so well that it makes you wonder if they will lose again. They stay in the top spot for a second consecutive week. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climber- Celtics (+6)

Biggest Faller- Clippers (-4)

We have a new No.1 team as the Oklahoma City Thunder’s second stint as the top team ends after a two week run.

Where does your favorite team fall?

Let’s not waste any time and find out.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (11-34): The Bobcats have won only three times in January after winning only once in December. Four wins in two months keep them as the worst team in the NBA. Last Week’s Ranking-30

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-33): The Cavs went 2-1 during the week and saw a three-game win streak come to an end against the Golden State Warriors. They may be a really bad team but will find themselves well represented during All-Star Weekend with Kyrie Irving in both the All-Star Game and Rising Stars Challenge and Tyler Zeller, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters playing in the Rising Stars game. Last Week’s Ranking-29

Jan 30, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio (9) dribbles the ball down court in the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

28. Orlando Magic (14-31): The Magic have lost seven in a row and are not a good defensive team. There aren’t many quick fixes for that. Last Week’s Ranking-28

27. Minnesota Timberwolves (17-25): Ricky Rubio is back but Kevin Love is still sidelined and as a result the ‘Wolves have dropped five in a row and 10-of-11. Last Week’s Ranking-27

26. Phoenix Suns (16-30): The Suns have gone 3-2 since Lindsey Hunter took over for Alvin Gentry, including a big win over the Lakers. But this team is not built to go anywhere. Last Week’s Ranking-23

25. Sacramento Kings (17-30): The Kings are a horrible rebounding and defensive team who also has problems sharing the basketball. They rank last in the NBA in points allowed for the second straight season (103.1), 24^th in rebounds (40.5) and 28^th in assists (19.8). In addition they are last in the NBA in rebounding rate (47.9). Last Week’s Ranking-25

24. Washington Wizards (11-33): Despite dropping their last two games, Washington has gone 6-5 since John Wall’s return and the Wall-Bradley Beal backcourt looks really promising going forward. Last Week’s Ranking-24

23. New Orleans Hornets (15-31): The Hornets are a young team playing better, but are coming off a tough week in which they lost 3-of-4. Even though he hasn’t played in every game since his return, the Hornets are 7-6 in games Eric Gordon has played. Last Week’s Ranking-17

22. Detroit Pistons (17-29): Acquiring Jose Calderon makes the Pistons marginally better this season and gives them cap flexibility for the summer. Calderon’s ability to create should see a spike in numbers for Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe. Last Week’s Ranking-20

21. Los Angeles Lakers (20-26): The Lakers went 3-1 during the week, most because Kobe Bryant has turned distributor. But it is still a circus in Los Angeles and this group could be broken up in the next couple of weeks. This team can’t defend and isn’t going anywhere. Last Week’s Ranking-26

20. Philadelphia 76ers (19-26): The Sixers had a nice week, going 2-1, but despite Jrue Holiday heading to the All-Star Game, he can’t carry this team. Last Week’s Ranking-22

Jan 28, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay (22) during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Grizzlies defeated the Sixers 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

19. Boston Celtics (22-23): The Celtics weren’t playing well with Rajon Rondo in the lineup, but they are in trouble without him. They don’t rebound well as a team and aren’t nearly as good defensively as normal Doc Rivers’ coached teams. Last Week’s Ranking-18

18. Toronto Raptors (16-30): The Rudy Gay trade was big for the Raptors and the combination of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Gay is intriguing and should be enough to get the Raptors into the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-21

17. Dallas Mavericks (19-27): The Mavs were looking good for a while but have dropped two in a row, prompting Mark Cuban and Rick Carlisle to criticize officiating. That’s a first. Last Week’s Ranking-15

16. Portland Trail Blazers (23-22): The Blazers starting five is very good and has them over the .500 mark contending for a playoff spot. They have found their rhythm again, winning three of their past four. Last Week’s Ranking-16

15. Houston Rockets (25-23): The Rockets ended an awful slump by winning three in a row before being tripped up by Denver. They are one of the better offensive teams in the league, but still have their issues defensively. Last Week’s Ranking-19

14. Atlanta Hawks (26-19): The Hawks are hanging around in the Eastern Conference playoff race, splitting their past 10 games. But will Josh Smith be traded, breaking up this team with an eye on the future? Last Week’s Ranking-14

13. Milwaukee Bucks (24-20): The Bucks continue to stay in the playoff race, winning five of their past seven, mostly on the play of point guard Brandon Jennings, who should be an All-Star. Last Week’s Ranking-13

12. Brooklyn Nets (27-19): The Nets record suggests they should be higher up in the rankings, but they have been a product of their schedule. Brooklyn hasn’t beaten many good teams this season and were taken apart by Miami this week.  Only seven of the Nets 27 wins have come against teams currently over .500 and they have an overall 7-15 record in such games. They have to beat good teams consistently to be taken seriously. Last Week’s Ranking-9

11. Utah Jazz (25-21): The Jazz are playing well in a tough Western Conference and have won 7-of-10 overall. Given the quality of teams ahead of them in the standings, it may be hard for Utah to move past the No. 7 seed, but they are in a good position to make the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-12

Jan. 25, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Detroit Pistons small forward Tayshaun Prince (right) talks with head coach Lawrence Frank during the first half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

10. Indiana Pacers (27-19): The Pacers keep winning despite being the third worst offensive efficient team in the NBA. It helps when they have a league-best defensive efficiency rating of 96.2. Last Week’s Ranking-10

9. Memphis Grizzlies (29-16): It is always hard when you trade your leading scorer when you are contending, but adding Ed Davis, Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye will keep the Grizzlies in contention, if not make them better. Last Week’s Ranking-8

8. Chicago Bulls (28-17): Without Derrick Rose, the Bulls have managed the third best record in the Eastern Conference, but Rose should be coming back soon and that could make Chicago scary good.  Last Week’s Ranking-11

7. Golden State Warriors (29-17): The Warriors have to worry about Stephen Curry’s ankle again, but got Andrew Bogut back and are in the middle of a three-game win streak. Last Week’s Ranking-6

6. New York Knicks (28-15): Now that Amar’e Stoudemire looks all the way back, the Knicks are loaded from top to bottom. They have hit a soft spot in their schedule which could see them take off once again. There is one concern though. While the Knicks rank third in the league in offensive efficiency, they are only 16^th when it comes to defensive efficiency. Last Week’s Ranking-7

5. Denver Nuggets (29-18): The Nuggets have won five straight and 8-of-10 and look dangerous right now. They are an impressive 19-3 at home and may have the most balanced attack in the NBA. Last Week’s Ranking-5

4. Miami Heat (29-13): The regular season doesn’t really matter much for the defending champs, especially the way LeBron James has been playing. The only concerns for the Heat are their 11-10 road record and the fact that they are 22^nd in the NBA in rebounding rate. Last Week’s Ranking-4

Jan 21, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers center Lavoy Allen (50) during the second quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

3. Los Angeles Clippers (34-13): Chris Paul has missed five straight games with a bruised right knee cap and eight of the Clippers past 10 overall in which they have gone only 6-4. But they broke  four-game losing streak by winning two in a row and still have the league’s third best record. Last Week’s Ranking-3

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (35-11): It has been a small bump in the road for the Thunder as of late as they have split their past six games and as a result they lose grip on the top spot in the rankings. They are still the highest scoring and most efficient offensive team in the league though so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them back in the top spot before long.  Last Week’s Ranking-1

1. San Antonio Spurs (37-11): Tim Duncan has sat out the past four games, but the Spurs have managed to reel off nine consecutive wins and are playing like the best team in basketball. That’s because Tony Parker has been playing like the best point guard in the NBA, seventh in the entire league in PER (23.54). When he’s playing, Duncan ranks fifth in the league in PER (24.9). Having two of the top seven players in terms of PER on the same team makes the Spurs very dangerous. But as always, they have proven they can win no matter who is in the lineup. Last Week’s Ranking-2

Biggest Climber: Lakers (+5)

Biggest Faller: Hornets (-6)

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But there is a chance that the Knicks could still send three to Houston for the game.

Jan 27, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson gestures during the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler won’t be joined by another player, but there is still a chance that Mike Woodson could coach the Eastern Conference team.

Currently the Knicks (27-15) are 1.5 games back of the Miami Heat (28-13) for the East’s best record and if the Knicks overtake them by February 3.

The Knicks have three winnable games by then against the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings, with all three coming at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks are 15-6 on the season.

Miami has things a bit rougher in that span as they play the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, with all three games coming on the road, where the Heat are only 10-10 on the season.

It’s doubtful that Woodson ends up coaching in the All-Star Game, but the opportunity could be there if the Knicks take care of business on the court.

If they win their next three and Miami loses 2-of-3, the Knicks will get that third All-Star that they deserve.

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We are at the halfway point of the NBA season, so that means there likely won’t be a whole lot of movement from just a couple of weeks ago.

January 11, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors power forward David Lee (10) looks on during the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

With that being said, here’s a look at my latest NBA MVP Ladder.

Honorable Mentions: Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, James Harden, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook

5. David Lee, Golden State Warriors: Lee has to get some love for the success of the Warriors so far. Lee has 25 double-doubles on the season and ranks seventh in rebounding (10.8 RPG) and 11th in scoring (19.6 PPG). He is a big reason why the Warriors have the seventh best record in the NBA. Previous Ranking- Not Ranked

4. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks:  Anthony still has an MVP resume, ranking second in the NBA in scoring at 29.2 PPG, while ranking fourth in the league in PER (25.29). However while that is no doubt impressive, his MVP candidacy has taken a hit as of late as the Knicks have gone only 7-9 in their past 16 games. Previous Ranking-4

3. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers: Paul slips a spot after missing three games last week, but his MVP resume is still impressive, ranking third in the NBA in PER (26.11), while averaging 16.6 points per game while also ranking second overall in assists with 9.7 per night. He also leads the NBA in steals with 2.6, while leading the Clippers to the best record in the NBA. Previous Ranking-2

2. LeBron James, Miami Heat: LeBron leads the league in PER (30.3) and is fourth in the league in scoring (26.3 PPG), 10th in assists (7.0 APG) and is also pulling down 8.1 rebounds per game. As much as James is having an MVP-type season again, the Heat aren’t as good (at this point) as they were a season ago and must become a better road team. Previous Ranking-3

1.  Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder: Durant’s January, in which he has averaged a whopping 32.3 points per game, has just helped his MVP case. He’s the NBA’s leading scorer, averaging 29.5 points per game and is playing on a team that is an NBA-best 33-9. He’s second in the NBA in PER (29.15) and is also averaging 7.5 rebounds and a career-best 4.2 assists per game. His case gets even stronger due to the fact that he is shooting 51.6 percent from the floor, 40.4 percent from three and 90.9 from the free-throw line. Just like last season, the MVP could end up being a two-horse race between LeBron and Durant when it is all said and done. Previous Ranking-1

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But as with any fan voting for any All-Star Game, they didn’t get it entirely right.

With the NBA All-Star Game, most of the selections are no-brainers, but there were a few slip ups along the way.

Jan 16, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New Orleans Hornets guard Austin Rivers (25) chases after Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) on a fast break during the second quarter at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Here is a look at grading the fans performance in voting for the 2013 All-Star starters. As a  reminder, the NBA took out the center position, so the fans were voting for two backcourt and three frontcourt players.

Eastern Conference

BC- Rajon Rondo: This is a spot that traditionally goes to Derrick Rose, but Rondo was the right selection. His closest competition comes from Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving, who leads all point guards in PER, but has also missed time due to injury and plays on a 10-31 team, so he can’t be an All-Star. In addition Deron Williams is having a bad year and Brandon Jennings shouldn’t be starting, so Rondo was really the only choice. Grade: A-

BC- Dwyane Wade: Wade’s numbers have slipped over the course of the past five years, but the 20.1 points, 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds he is averaging are still very good numbers. In addition 23.0 PER ranks in the top 10 in the league. But Wade pretty much gets this spot by default as well. The fans could have voted one of the other point guards, but they aren’t more deserving than Wade, neither are shooting guards Joe Johnson and J.R. Smith. Grade: A

FC- LeBron James: James is as close to a no-brainer as it gets: Grade: A+

FC- Carmelo Anthony: Despite a weird couple of weeks that has seen injuries, a suspension and his owner eavesdropping on him, ‘Melo’s MVP-type season makes him a no-brainer as well. Grade: A+

FC- Kevin Garnett: Garnett’s averaging 14.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 29.5 minutes and has a PER of only 18.7, which is far less than Chris Bosh who he edged out in the voting. Bosh has similar numbers and has a 21.5 PER. However this spot should have gone to either Tyson Chandler, who is averaging 12.4 points and 10.9 rebounds and shooting 67.2 percent, with a PER similar to Bosh, or Chicago’s Joakim Noah who is averaging 12.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.3 steals. The fans got this one wrong. Grade: D

January 12, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson (14) guards Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) during the game at the Staples Center. Magic won 104-101. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Western Conference

BC- Chris Paul: It is a good thing that Jeremy Lin didn’t overtake Paul in the voting, which would have been a travesty. Unlike in the Eastern Conference, there were alternatives here which include San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, but Paul is an MVP candidate on the team with the best record in the NBA. Grade: A

BC- Kobe Bryant: Kobe leads the NBA in scoring and is averaging 29.9 points, hitting a career-high 47.8 percent from the field and tacking on 4.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.5 steals. In addition he ranks sixth in the NBA in PER. Fans could have gonne with two point guards here, but Bryant’s numbers speak for themselves. Grade: B+

FC- Kevin Durant: Just like in the case of LeBron, Durant is a clear no-brainer. Grade: A+

FC- Blake Griffin: There is some competitiion here, which includes: David Lee, LaMarcus Aldridge, Zach Randolph and Tim Duncan, but I have no problem with the Griffin selection. He’s a big reason why the Clippers have the best record in the NBA and his PER trails only Durant and Duncan among Western Conference frontcourt players. I have no problem going with the guy the fans want to see here. Grade: B

FC- Dwight Howard: Now the Howard selection is nothing short of ridiculous. How can a 17-22 team be rewarded with a pair of starters? In addition, Howard has not  been great this season, despite  averaging 17.8 points, a league-leading 12.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. This spot should have gone to Duncan, possibly Lee. Duncan ranks No. 6 in PER among players logging at least 30 minutes per game, trailing only James, Durant, Paul, Anthony and Bryant. His team sits atop the Southwest Division at 30-11 and boasts the  third best in the West. He’s averaging 17.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 2.7 assists while shooting 50.1 percent. Those numbers compare very well with Howard’s, and are better nearly across the board on a per-minute basis. The fans botched this one. Grade: F

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The NBA has changed a lot since then and most say it has become softer. Superstars don’t hate each other; instead they film commercials and take pictures of Instagram together. Kevin Durant and LeBron James train together and are friends off the court. Team USA wasn’t like the Dream Team; no intense competition in practices. It seemed like it was just 12 best friends who happen to be the best basketball players in the world playing on the same team dominating everyone in their path. Some people just won’t hate each other, but there will always be friction with the best teams and cities with decades of rivalry.

I believe when the regular season is done and we head into playoff time, the four teams that will be the most dangerous will be: The Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Chicago Bulls. These four franchises hate each other. They are the four most popular cities on the East Coast and all have superstars in their prime hungry for a title. All these teams’ windows to win are open right now. A fifth team to consider is the Brooklyn Nets, who obviously are in the early stages of a long, long rivalry with the Knicks. The Nets have also butted heads with the Celtics, so a playoff matchup between Brooklyn and Boston would be interesting but without a doubt a Nets-Knicks playoff battle would be one for the ages.

The Nets came into this season thinking they would run the Knicks out of town. After beating them in their first ever matchup, the Knicks knocked them off their pedestal with two straight wins. It’s no secret the Nets came into Brooklyn going after the Knicks fan base. They want bragging rights and want to earn their place in New York. The Nets have been one of the hottest teams in the league and are right behind the Knicks. These teams are three games into their rivalry history but it’s safe to say these two squads aren’t going out to eat on their off days together.

The last week and a half we have seen the Knicks cause -on and off the court- controversy with long-time rivals the Bulls and Celtics. We all know what happened with Carmelo and Kevin Garnett on and off the court. Boston and New York haven’t liked each other since this country was born and nothing will change that. Nothing pisses New Yorker’s off more than Paul Pierce and his 16-year-old boy beard hitting a dagger shot. The man is a Knicks killer. One rivalry that is back is the Celtics and Knicks. It might have never left but the stakes are definitely bigger now.

These aren’t Michael’s Bulls anymore. These aren’t Ewing’s Knicks anymore. The torch has been passed to Anthony and the entire Bulls team because they have been playing great without their MVP Derrick Rose. Anyway, with Nate Robinson and Steve Novak adding a little flavor in their press conferences and on the court, it will be fun to watch the Bulls and Knicks battle it out. On the court, All-Star Luol Deng seems to be Carmelo’s kryptonite and is one of the few players who get him out of his zone. Tyson Chandler and Joakim Noah have had words for each other not meant for all ages. Iman Shumpert has said he respects Derrick Rose but straight out doesn’t like him. The Bulls and Knicks aren’t sending each other Christmas cards every year. They don’t like each other, just as it should be.

The Miami Heat will always be the bad guy. However ESPN and everyone wants to twist it. Two years ago these guys were the most hated team in sports, did we forget that? LeBron might have polished his image from his “Decision” but Knicks fans will always hate him. Yeah of course we wouldn’t be saying this if he came to New York, but he didn’t and now we have the right to hate him with all our heart. Dwyane Wade has always been a Knicks killer meanwhile Chandler and Jason Kidd have been Heat killers. Alonzo Mourning isn’t suiting up for the Heat anytime soon but the Miami Heat will always been on the most hated list for the Knicks.

I might have missed Magic vs. Bird. Jordan vs. Ewing. Alonzo vs. LJ. Do I wish I were 20 years old during the 90s? Of course! But I am looking forward to what this year and the future brings for the Knicks’ current rivalries. I’m looking forward to when Carmelo and Kevin Garnett see each other in the paint. When everyone in the building knows Paul Pierce is getting the ball. I want to see Carmelo topple LeBron and the Heat. I want to see Novak hit a three and point to  “Young Nathan.” I want to see a Knicks and Nets playoff go seven games and end in the Garden.

This might not be the 90s but we have all the intensity we need.

It’s time to take a look at the leading contenders for the NNBA’s highest honor in my weekly MVP ladder.

First let’s look at those who just missed the cut.

January 4, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) reacts after scoring a three point basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable Mentions: David Lee, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Zach Randolph, Stephen Curry

Now for the Top 5.

5. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe is having another fantastic season, leading the NBA in scoring at 30.5 points per game. He is also pulling down 5.2 rebounds and dishing out 4.7 assists per night. Even more impressive is the fact that Kobe is shooting a career-high 48.3 percent from the floor. He only clocks in at No. 5 though because his Lakers are only 15-17 on the season.

4. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

Anthony certainly has been MVP-like all season long- when he has been healthy. Despite being second in the NBA in scoring at 28.9 points per game and pulling down 6.3 rebounds per game, Anthony drops a couple of spots mostly based on the fact that he has missed six games on the season due to injury and in turn the Knicks are 5-5 during their past 10 games. However the Knicks are 22-10 on the season and a legitimate contender based on the play of Anthony. He will be in contention for the MVP all season if he keeps this up.

3. LeBron James, Miami Heat

The reigning MVP is at it again. LeBron has been scorching hot as of late, but only clocks in at No. 3 thanks to Miami losing two road games this week to the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and a home loss to the Chicago Bulls. However James is averaging career highs in field-goal percentage (54.5) and three-point percentage (40.4), and he ranks fourth in the league in scoring with 26.6 points per game. James leads the league with a PER of 30.25. With the Heat in contention for a second consecutive championship, LBJ will be in contention for a second straight MVP.

2. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

Jan 4, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; OKlahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) handles the ball against Philadelphia 76ers guard Dorell Wright (4) during the second half at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

It was hard not to put CP3 at the top spot, especially after leading the Clippers to a 17-game win streak, but he sits at No. 2 for now. His numbers aren’t the greatest but that is due in part to only playing 32.9 minutes per game as of late. But they certainly aren’t bad numbers as Paul has averaged 16.7 points, 9.3 assists and a league-high 2.7 steals. His 25.9 PER is outstanding and according to 82games.com, he has held opposing point guards to a PER of only 11. No player has had the impact on his team that CP3 has.

1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

Durant gets the top spot after averaging 28.3 PPG (third in NBA). But here are the three most impressive things about his potential claim to the MVP. First, Durant has a 7.1 win shares according to Basketball-Reference. No player in the NBA can top that. Next, are the outstanding shooting percentages. He is shooting 51.3 percent from the field, 42.5 percent from three-point range and 90.5 percent from the free-throw line, all career highs. No other player in the NBA can boast a line of 50-40-90. Finally there is the fact that he has led the Thunder to a league-best 25-7 on the season. Add up Durant’s resume right now and there is nothing about it that doesn’t scream out MVP.

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With that being said, I am back with my first power rankings of the new year.

Where does your favorite team rank?

Let’s not waste any time and get right into my weekly NBA Power Rankings.

Dec. 29, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Tristan Thompson (13) drives to the net as Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Joe Johnson (7) defends during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

30. Charlotte Bobcats (8-23): Between last season and this season, the Bobcats were sitting on seven wins for 41 straight games without getting to No. 8, but they finally got there with a win over the Bulls. But one win doesn’t erase 18 consecutive losses, nor is it enough to get Charlotte out of the basement. Last Week’s Ranking-30

29. Washington Wizards (4-26): The Wizards broke an eight-game losing streak with a win over the Magic, but since have lost three in a row. Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-26): The Cavs are hard to watch and have dropped 9-of-11. On a good note, Tristan Thompson has been playing well with double-doubles in five of his last six games. Last Week’s Ranking-26

27. New Orleans Hornets (7-25): The Hornets put an end to an 11-game skid with wins against the Magic and Bobcats, but have since dropped games to Atlanta and Houston. The return of Eric Gordon should help some. Last Week’s Ranking-28

26. Orlando Magic (12-20): The Magic have come back down to earth, losing seven straight after winning 4-of-5 in the middle of December. Last Week’s Ranking-21

25. Phoenix Suns (12-21): Their win vs. Philadelphia put an end to a six-game skid. They have scored over 100 points only three times since the beginning of December and don’t have a single player averaging 15 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-24

January 2, 2013; Cleveland, OH USA: Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) brings the ball up court against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-USA TODAY Sports

24. Dallas Mavericks (13-20): The Mavs are reeling and have won only two of their past 10. The biggest problem is that they are 28^th in the NBA in points allowed, giving up an average of 103.3 per game. Last Week’s Ranking-22

23. Sacramento Kings (12-20): The Kings have split their past 10 games and are playing better basketball of late, despite the DeMarcus Cousins soap opera. They beat Golden State, Portland, New York and Boston during that stretch. Last Week’s Ranking-27

22. Detroit Pistons (12-22): The Pistons have won three straight in a season filled with streaks. Wins against the Heat and Bucks look impressive. Detroit is a good rebounding team and a decent defensive team. Now they need to get consistent production on the offensive end. Last Week’s Ranking-25

21. Boston Celtics (14-17): I keep waiting for the Celtics to turn it on, but it may not happen. On their recent west coast trip they lost games by 29 to the Clippers, 18 to the Warriors and 22 to the Kings.  Overall they have lost four in a row, which also includes a double-digit loss to the Grizzlies. Last Week’s Ranking-15

20. Utah Jazz (16-17): The Jazz have been disappointing so far and have lost seven of 10. They can’t win on the road, posting a 6-13 mark, compared to going 10-4 on the season at home. Last Week’s Raking-18

19. Philadelphia 76ers (15-18): The Sixers have also dropped seven of their past 10 and sit a season-low three games under the .500 mark. The defense has been pretty good, but they are another team who has problems scoring the ball, eclipsing the 100 point mark only four times in the past 17 games. Last Week’s Ranking-20

January 2, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Raptors guard Jose Calderon (8) dribbles the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

18. Los Angeles Lakers (15-16): Kobe Bryant is calling his team old and they are. But unless they figure out how to play defense and get some production from their bench, which is doubtful, the Lakers will never be nothing more than a mediocre team. Last Week’s Ranking-14

17. Toronto Raptors (12-20): The Raptors make a huge jump this week, because they are as hot as any team in the NBA. They have won three in a row and 8-of-9 overall. A softer schedule has helped, but Jose Calderon’s play has been the difference as the Raptors are 10-6 when he starts and only 2-14 when he doesn’t. Last Week’s Ranking-23

16. Brooklyn Nets (17-15): The Nets struggles really started when Brook Lopez got injured. In the four games since P.J. Carlesimo took over for Avery Johnson, the Nets have won three, including a win over the Thunder. In that span, Lopez has averaged 24.3 points and 8.0 rebounds. Last Week’s Ranking-19

15. Portland Trail Blazers (16-15): The Blazers have won seven of 10 and J.J. Hickson has been a big part of that. He is averaging 12.3 points and 10.8 rebounds on the season and LaMarcus Aldridge is playing at an All-Star level once again, giving the Blazers a formidable frontcourt. Last Week’s Ranking-16

14. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-15): The Wolves are still hanging in there, but Kevin Love’s recent finger injury could be a cause of concern. Last Week’s Ranking-17

13. Chicago Bulls (17-13): You just can’t excuse losing to the Bobcats-at home nonetheless. Overall they have lost 3-of-5 with the wins coming against Washington and Orlando. Last Week’s Ranking-12

12. Milwaukee Bucks (16-14): They lost to the Cavs and Pistons, but managed to beat Brooklyn and Miami. The Bucks need to find more consistency, but are an impressive 9-4 against the current top eight teams in the Eastern Conference. Last Week’s Ranking-13

Jan 2 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) goes up for a shot under the basket against Washington Wizards center Kevin Seraphin (13) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Washington 89-81. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

11. Denver Nuggets (18-16):  Fifteen of the Nuggets first 18 games in 2013 are at home, where they are 10-2 on the season. We will know a lot more about George Karl’s team by the end of the month as they could be poised to make a serious run. Last Week’s Ranking-11

10. Indiana Pacers (19-13): The Pacers are a great defensive team, but their inconsistencies offensively will continue to hold this team back until they figure it out. Roy Hibbert has been a big part of the offensive woes, finally getting his field goal percentage up to 40 percent on the season. But he responded with a 0 point, 1 rebound effort in Saturday’s loss to the Hawks. Hibbert must be better for the Pacers to be a legitimate threat. Last Week’s Ranking-10

9. Atlanta Hawks (20-10): The Hawks won’t go away partially because they can win on the road, putting together the best road mark in the Eastern Conference at 9-5. Last Week’s Ranking-9

8. Houston Rockets (18-14): The Rockets keep on winning, having won 7-of-10. A lot of that has to do with James Harden, who has averaged 29.3 points during the past 10 games. Houston is the top scoring team (105.8 PPG) in the NBA and rank seventh in both assists (22.8 APG) and rebounds (43.6 RPG). Not bad for the youngest team in the league. Last Week’s Ranking-7

7. Memphis Grizzlies (20-9): The Grizzlies are only 8-7 since the beginning of December. My only concern with them is that they play their starters more minutes than any team in the NBA, almost 35 per night. It could affect their legs in the long run. Last Week’s Ranking-8

6. New York Knicks (22-10): The Kicks big win against the Spurs aside, they still have won only four of their past nine games. Injuries played a big role in that as now Raymond Felton is down for 4-6 weeks, but the return of Amar’e Stoudemire could help. If the Knicks get back to playing defense the way they did against the Spurs, then they are as dangerous as anyone in the NBA.  Last Week’s Ranking-5

5. Miami Heat (22-8):  You have to worry about the defending champs on the defensive end of the floor as they have given up the 19^th most points in the NBA (98.6). That defense did not look good in back-to-back losses at Detroit and Milwaukee. In addition, the Heat are only 7-6 away from home on the season. Last Week’s Ranking-2

January 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors power forward David Lee (10) shoots the ball against Los Angeles Clippers power forward Lamar Odom (7) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 115-94. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

4. San Antonio Spurs (26-9): The Spurs have been swept by the Knicks this season, but stay ahead of New York as they had won seven in a row before Thursday night’s beatdown. They have won 7-of-10 overall and are third in the NBA in scoring (105.2 PPG) and first in assists (25.3 APG). Last Week’s Ranking-4

3. Golden State Warriors (22-10): Mark Jackson’s Warriors could be in it for the long haul. They are doing it with an improved defense and have won 17 of their past 22 games, reaching the 20 win mark before January 1 for the first time since the 1980-81 season. Last Week’s Ranking-6

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (24-7): The Thunder just keep on winning, large in part to having the NBA’s most efficient offense, scoring 110.1 points per 100 possessions. Serge Ibaka is playing the best basketball of his career and the Thunder keep rolling. Last Week’s Ranking-3

1. Los Angeles Clippers (25-8): Sure the Clippers have lost back-to-back games, but after reeling off 17 wins in a row it is hard not to keep them in the top spot. During that streak they won by an average of 15.2 points per game. That’s impressive enough. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climber- Raptors (+6)

Biggest Faller- Celtics (-6)

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Who will finish the calendar year as the top ranked team?

Let’s not waste any time and find out.

Dec 19, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New Orleans Hornets forward Anthony Davis (23) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers center Ryan Hollins (15) at the Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Hornets 93-77. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

30. Charlotte Bobcats (7-21): Sixteen straight losses and counting for the woeful Bobcats. Last Week’s Ranking-30

29. Washington Wizards (3-23): The Wizards have lost eight in a row and their leading scorer Jordan Crawford is shooting under 40 percent on the season. That should tell you all you need to know about the hapless Wizards. Last Week’s Ranking-28

28. New Orleans Hornets (6-22): New Orleans has won only one of their past 12 and has the second worst offense in the NBA, averaging only 91.2 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-29

27. Sacramento Kings (9-19): They have some talent but DeMarcus Cousins and company have once again turned this team into a sideshow comedy act. Last Week’s Ranking-25

26. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-23): The Cavs are only 3-6 since Kyrie Irving’s return and have lost by double-digits in four of those. Last Week’s Ranking-27

25. Detroit Pistons (9-22): Andre Drummond is coming into his own, posting double-double in two of Detroit’s past three games. Other than that the Pistons are going nowhere fast so I would look for young guys like Drummond to start getting more minutes. Last Week’s Ranking-26

24. Phoenix Suns (11-18): After a tough loss to the Knicks, the Suns are back on a three-game skid and no one on this team is averaging more than 14.1 points per game (Goran Dragic). Last Week’s Ranking-18

23. Toronto Raptors (9-20): The Raptors are just hard to watch and there isn’t much to get excited about this team right now, but they have split their last 10 games. Last Week’s Ranking-24

22. Dallas Mavericks (12-17): Dirk Nowitzki is back but the Mavs have won only three of their past 10. The Mavs will be better with Dirk, but how much better? Last Week’s Ranking-19

Dec 21, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday (11) shoots a layup during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Hawks 99-80. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

21. Orlando Magic (12-16): It has been hard to get a read on this Magic team all season. They have beaten some good teams, but lost to Toronto and New Orleans this week. Last Week’s Ranking-17

20. Philadelphia 76ers (14-15): The Sixers lost all four games without Jrue Holiday in the lineup, but while they have won 2-of-3 with him back, this team still has its share of problems. Last Week’s Ranking-23

19. Brooklyn Nets (14-14): Deron Williams has been awful and got his second coach killed in his career. Had Williams looked in the mirror and played better, Avery Johnson may still have a job. It has been Williams who is a big reason why the Nets have lost 11-of-14. A new coach won’t change that around unless he plays better. Last Week’s Ranking-20

18. Utah Jazz (15-15): The Jazz have split their past 10 and now it seems like they are a team destined to spend the season around the .500 mark. They will stay there unless they start shooting the ball better, which has been their weakness in their losses. Last Week’s Ranking-10

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (13-13): Minnesota has lost 4-of-5, but those losses came to the Knicks, Heat and Rockets. They were in each of those games and also managed to put an end to the Thunder’s win streak. This team just needs to get healthy. Last Week’s Ranking-13

16. Portland Trail Blazers (14-13): LaMarcus Aldridge has picked things up and the Blazers have been red hot because of it, winning 8-of-11 games in the month of December. Last Week’s Ranking-22

December 22, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12), shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24), and small forward Metta World Peace (15) walk back onto the court during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at ORACLE Arena. The Lakers defeated the Warriors 118-115 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

15. Boston Celtics (14-14): It is kind of late in the season for this Celtics team to be still sitting at .500, but they are a team that does nothing particularly well. I keep waiting for them to get hot, but maybe they never will. Last Week’s Ranking-16

14. Los Angeles Lakers (14-15): Kobe Bryant has scored 29 or more points in 13 straight games and leads the NBA in scoring. With Steve Nash and Pau Gasol back, the Lakers had won five in a row before getting thumped by Denver. Don’t look now but the Lakers are starting to roll. Last Week’s Ranking-21

13. Milwaukee Bucks (15-12): The Bucks have won 7-of-10 and are starting to make people pay attention to them. Last Week’s Ranking-14

12. Chicago Bulls (15-12): The Bulls just went through a rough stretch of their schedule and came away 5-4 through it. Even without Derrick Rose, the Bulls could hang in there and steal home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Last Week’s Ranking-9

11. Denver Nuggets (16-14): The Nuggets have won 6-of-10 and looked very impressive in beating the Lakers. They are starting to come into their own and would be even better if they could tighten up the defense. They are 26^th in the NBA in points allowed, surrendering 101.2 per contest. They simply can’t outscore teams every night. Last Week’s Ranking-12

10. Indiana Pacers (16-12): On one hand, the Pacers play the best defense in the league, allowing only 89.9 points per game. On the other hand, they haven’t beaten any good teams all season. Last Week’s Ranking-11

9. Atlanta Hawks (17-9): The Hawks have won only five of their past nine, but Josh Smith, Al Horford and Lou Williams have all been playing great and the hawks show no signs of slowing down. Last Week’s Ranking-8

Dec 26, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin (7) reacts to a call against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Rockets won 87-84. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

8. Memphis Grizzlies (18-8): The Grizzlies take a huge drop after going only 6-6 in the month of December. Last Week’s Ranking-5

7. Houston Rockets (16-12): The Rockets have won their last five and 7-of-8 overall. In addition, they are the highest scoring team at 105.3 points per game. A lot of that has to do with their backcourt of James Harden and the much-improved Jeremy Lin, who has been shooting 55 percent from the floor during the Rockets streak. Last Week’s Ranking-15

6. Golden State Warriors (19-10): The Warriors have gone 10-4 in December and have a ton of weapons to keep it going. But the next three weeks their schedule is brutal so we will find out more about Mark Jackson’s team soon. Last Week’s Ranking-7

5. New York Knicks (21-8): The Knicks have split their past six games and have a banged up Carmelo Anthony. They also have point guard Raymond Felton on the shelf for 4-6 weeks, so their depth will be tested. Last Week’s Ranking-3

4. San Antonio Spurs (22-8): They get it done at both ends of the floor, ranking as the fourth-best offensive team and fifth-best defensive team in terms of efficiency. After losing 4-of-5, the Spurs have reeled off three wins in a row. Last Week’s Ranking-6

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (22-6): They saw their 12-game win streak come to an end by losing two in a row and they needed overtime to beat the Mavs, but Russell Westbrook outscored the Mavericks by himself in the extra period and got the Thunder back on track. Last Week’s Ranking- 1

2. Miami Heat (20-6): Remember when the Heat didn’t seem interested in the regular season? They still may not be, but they have won 8-of-9 and are in late season form. Last Week’s Ranking-4

1. Los Angeles Clippers (23-6): The Clippers are the NBA’s best road team (9-3) and have the league’s best point differential (+10.3 per game). In addition they may be the NBA’s deepest as they have been getting production from everyone. Their 15 consecutive wins is the 10^th longest win streak of all time. Last Week’s Ranking-2

Biggest Climber: Houston (+8)

Biggest Faller: Utah (-8)

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There has been a lot of movement this week, but the top teams look pretty similar to the way they did one week ago.

Dec. 19, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker (15) reacts in the first half against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Where does your favorite team land?

Let’s waste no time and find out as here are my Week 8 NBA Power Rankings.

30. Charlotte Bobcats (7-18): Michael Jordan’s squad is back where they spent all of last season- in the basement. The ‘cats have lost 13 in a  row and it is not going to get any better. Charlotte finishes the year with the Golden State, Denver, Miami, Brooklyn and Chicago. If they don’t beat New Orleans on December 29, there is a good chance the Bobcats won’t win again in 2012. Last Week’s Ranking-28

29. New Orleans Hornets (5-20): The Hornets got Anthony Davis back but it hasn’t helped them win games. They have won only one out of their past 10 and have lost nine in a row. They are also only 2-18 over their past 20. That name change can’t happen quickly enough. Last Week’s Ranking-27

28. Washington Wizards (3-20): This is the second straight week the Wizards have moved up a spot, but it isn’t because anything they have done, but the Bobcats and Hornets have been that much worse. On a good note, Bradley Beal is starting to improve, but that’s about it in D.C. Last Week’s Ranking-29

27. Cleveland Cavaliers (5-22): The Cavs lone win during their past 11 games came against the Lakers. Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao are sensational, but there is little else to get excited about right now. That could change if rookies Tyler Zeller and Dion Waiters keep progressing slowly. Last Week’s Ranking- 26

26. Detroit Pistons (7-21): The Pistons have lost six in a row and have won only once in their past nine- to a Cavs team without Kyrie Irving. Last Week’s Ranking-24

25.  Sacramento Kings (8-17): They did beat the Warriors and have gone 4-6 in their past 10, but when they lose they often get drilled. Keep an eye on Jimmer Fredette, whose play has picked up as of late. Last Week’s Ranking- 23

Dec 14 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young (21) dunks during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

24. Toronto Raptors (8-19): Last week they were in the basement and looked like the worst team in the NBA but have since won 4-of-5 even though Kyle Lowry has been injured. In his place Jose Calderon has been brilliant at times. Last Week’s Ranking-30

23. Philadelphia 76ers (12-14): Huge drop for the Sixers as they have won only two of their past 10. They are getting decent contributions from the likes of Nick Young, Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner, but this team needs Andrew Bynum and Jrue Holiday healthy and at least in the case of Bynum, that may never happen. Last Week’s Ranking-14

22. Portland Trail Blazers (11-12): They have split their last 10 and have gone 3-2 in their past five. The problem in Portland is depth, which prevents them from turning in consistent efforts on a nightly basis. They have a very good starting five, but very little behind it. Last Week’s Ranking- 21

21. Los Angeles Lakers (12-14): The Lakers have won 3-of-5 and are showing some signs of turning things around, but they  have lost to Orlando and Cleveland in the past 10 games and beat Charlotte by only one after trailing by double digits in the second half. We will know more about Mike D’Antoni’s team once Steve Nash returns, but right now it’s hard to take them seriously. Last Week’s Ranking-22

20. Brooklyn Nets (13-12): It’s been an ugly couple of weeks for the Nets, who learned on Wednesday that New York still belongs to the Knicks. Overall the Nets have won only two of their past 10 and those were against Detroit and Toronto. Deron Williams is struggling and if he doesn’t figure things out soon, the Nets will continue to struggle. Last Week’s  Ranking-12

19. Dallas Mavericks (12-13): The Mavs got good news in the fact that Dirk Nowitzki could be back soon and they have hung around the .500 mark without him. O.J. Mayo has been great and if Dirk can play like he is capable of,  then the Mavs could go on a little run. Last Week’s Ranking-16

18. Phoenix Suns (11-15): Last week I said the Suns had too much talent to lose the way they have been losing and they responded by winning 4-of-5.  They are tough to beat at home, posting a 9-5  record, too bad they have only won twice on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-25

Dec 19, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce (right) drives to the hoop against Cleveland Cavaliers small forward Alonzo Gee (33) and power forward Tristan Thompson (13) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

17. Orlando Magic (12-13): The Magic have won 4-of-5 and have gone 7-3 during their past 10 games. They are doing it with solid team defense as Orlando has allowed the sixth fewest points in the league (94.2). Last Week’s Ranking-20

16. Boston Celtics (13-12): Paul Pierce’s huge 40-point night on Wednesday hopefully is a sign of things to come for this Celtics team, who through 25 games have been nothing short of mediocre. Last Week’s Ranking-11

15. Houston Rockets (13-12): The Rockets backcourt of James Harden and Jeremy Lin are sharing the ball more now and it shows in the results. The youngest team in the NBA has won 4-of-5 and have swept the Knicks on the season. Now they just have to figure out how to do it more consistently. Last Week’s Ranking-18

14. Milwaukee Bucks (13-11): The Bucks have only two players (Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis)averaging over 11 points this season and have only three in double-figures. In addition they have allowed more points than they have scored, but their defense is pretty good, especially the interior defense where Larry Sanders deserves some early Defensive Player of the Year recognition. If they find some more offense they could be dangerous. Last Week’s Ranking-13

13. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-11): They got Ricky Rubio back to pair with Kevin Love so now we will see if this Minnesota tem is for real. They have won 6-of-9, but also have lost two in a row. Despite all of the injuries, the ‘Wolves have stayed above .500 in a very tough Western Conference. Last Week’s Ranking- 15

12. Denver Nuggets (14-12): The up-and-down roller coaster ride of a season for the Nuggets continues, as this week Denver is red hot. Denver has won 4-of-5 to get back over .500 and if Andre Iguodala ever figures thins out, this team will be scary. Also as I mentioned a week ago, they have played only 8-of-26 games at home. They are 7-1 at the Pepsi Center this year, so once the schedule evens out, the Nuggets should take off. Last Week’s Ranking-19

Dec 15, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George (24) drives during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace. Pacers won 88-77. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

11. Indiana Pacers (14-12): The Pacers have been on a tear, winning four of their past five and 11-of-15 overall. They finally found some offense to go along with David West, as Paul George has averaged 20.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.4 steals per game in the month of December. Throw in George Hill’s impressive play and you can see why Indiana has been winning. If Roy Hibbert ever decides to contribute, this Pacers team could be a contender again in the Eastern Conference. Last Week’s Ranking- 17

10. Utah Jazz (14-13): Utah remains a hard team to figure out, but they stay in the Top 10 this week. They have gone 5-3  in their past eight, and are 9-2 at home, but have to put together more consistent wins. If they don’t, this could be their last week in the Top 10. Having said that, I still like their talent. Last Week’s Ranking- 9

9. Chicago Bulls (14-10): The Bulls are putting themselves in good shape in the Eastern Conference. Even without Derrick Rose, Chicago has won 8-of-11. A lot of credit has to go to Joakim Noah, who is playing great basketball, averaging 13.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Last Week’s Ranking- 10

8. Atlanta Hawks (15-8): The Hawks have cooled off some, but remain one of the better teams in the east. That is thanks to great team defense and guys like Al Horford, Josh Smith and Lou Williams playing great basketball. Also note that all but two of the Hawks losses have come to teams ranked ahead of them. Other than losses to the Cavs and Rockets this season, they have beaten every team they are supposed to beat. Last Week’s Ranking- 8

7. Golden State Warriors (17-9): Despite allowing 131 points in a loss to the Kings, the surprising Warriors have been getting it done on the defensive end. Almost everyone on the team not named David Lee has improved defensively, but Lee is carving out an All-Star season at the offensive end of the floor, averaging 19.8 points and 11.2 rebounds.  Last Week’s Ranking-6

6. San Antonio Spurs (19-8): The Spurs have lost 4-of-5, including a statement game to the Thunder on Monday. Having said that it was a tough and long road trip and Tony Parker and Time Duncan have been outstanding. You just don’t see a Gregg Popovich team lose 4-of-5 very often. Last Week’s Ranking-2

5. Memphis Grizzlies (17-6): Memphis has cooled off a bit, going only 6-4 during their past 10, but as long as they have  healthy Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph to go along with the likes of Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, then this team will pretty much be around this spot all season. Memphis has great depth and are still very dangerous in the Western Conference. Last Week’s Ranking-5

Dec. 17, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) reacts after being called for a flagrant foul on Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin (not pictured) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

4. Miami Heat (16-6): Are the Heat just coasting through the regular season with their eyes on the playoffs? It’s likely. The only troublesome thing with this team is they lack focus and intensity on the defensive end at times, something that is likely contributed to simply looking forward to the postseason already.  Last Week’s Ranking-7

3. New York Knicks (19-6): The Knicks just keep getting it done and are a team that will be in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Since their loss in late November to the Brooklyn Nets, the nicks have lost only twice since- to the Bulls and Rockets, both without the services of Carmelo Anthony. With Amar’e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert coming back soon, this Knicks team will be scary good. Last Week’s Ranking-3

2. Los Angeles Clippers (19-6): The Clippers are on quite the roll, winners of 11 in a row after an odd four-game skid in late November. Before that they had won six in a row, so this is a team on a serious roll. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are dominating and this is one of the deeper teams in the NBA. Paul has been so good at running the Clippers’ offense, he hasn’t needed to score, having  not scored over 20 points in the last 10 games. That speaks volumes for how well this team is playing. Last Week’s Ranking-4

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (21-4): Back-to-back weeks in the top spot for the Thunder, who are riding a 12-game winning streak. They have won 15 of their past 16 and quite honestly I have run out of good things to say about Scott Brooks’ team. They are simply that good right now. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climbers- Denver and Phoenix (+7)

Biggest Faller- Philadelphia (-9)

Dec 5, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) catches a wild pass during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Knicks win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Carmelo Anthony told reporters on Thursday that he may not be able to play against the Heat and is officially listed as a game-time decision.

Anthony suffered a laceration on his left middle finger in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats diving into the bench are for a loose ball. The cut required five stitches and may keep ‘Melo in street clothes for a big statement game against LeBron James and company.

The injury is to Anthony’s non-shooting hand and his finger would have to be heavily bandaged to play.

“Right now, it’s numb, so I don’t know,” he told ESPN’s Jared Zwerling.

The Knicks played the last 2:10 on Wednesday without Anthony, who was being treated in the locker room. He reportedly was unaware that J.R. Smith had won the game by hitting a jumper at the buzzer until his jubilant teammates entered the locker room.

If Anthony can’t go tonight, the two teams meet two more times during the regular season, one in each team’s arena.

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Who has moved up and who is sinking like the Titanic? Can the Memphis Grizzlies hold onto the No. 1 spot for the third week in a row?

Let’s not waste any time and answer all of those questions in my latest NBA Power Rankings.

Nov 28, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan (10) brings the ball up court during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Fed Ex Forum. Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Toronto Raptors 103-82. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

30. Washington Wizards (2-13): A surprising win against the defending champs, but the Wizards are still the worst team in the league. The good news is that after 12 straight losses to start the season, Washington has won two of three. Last Week’s Ranking- 30.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-14): Losers of 10 of 12, the Cavs aren’t very good, which is a shame given the way Anderson Varejao is playing. Kyrie Irving also isn’t close to returning, so they will continue to struggle.  Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Toronto Raptors (4-14): The Raptors have dropped seven of their past eight games and are 1-10 on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-28

27. Sacramento Kings (4-12): They have lost three straight and have the worst record in the Western Conference. Tyreke Evans was on a roll offensively, so his knee injury doesn’t help matters out.  Last Week’s Ranking-25

26. New Orleans Hornets (5-11): They are changing their name to the Pelicans. I’m sure that will turn everything around. Last Week’s Ranking-27

25. Phoenix Suns (7-12): The Suns lost five of six on their recent six game road trip, including four in a row. Lucky for them they return home for eight of their next 10. Last Week’s Ranking-22

24. Charlotte Bobcats (7-9): The Bobcats have lost four in a row, including a tough overtime loss against the Blazers where they blew an 18 point second half lead. Last Week’s Ranking-17

23. Portland Trail Blazers (8-10): They stopped a four game skid by winning two in a row-both in overtime- but they were the first to lose to the hapless Wizards. Last Week’s Ranking-23

22. Los Angeles Lakers (8-10): No point guard and now Pau Gasol is also injured, this Lakers team has issues, none bigger than Dwight Howard’s inability to make free-throws. Howard alone cost the Lakers two straight wins, where the Hack-a-Howard strategy worked for both the Magic and Rockets. Maybe he should have spent less time crying and complaining last year and more time working on making free-throws. The 46.8 percent Howard is shooting from the charity stripe is pathetic.  Last Week’s Ranking-16

21. Orlando Magic (7-10): Wins against the Warriors and Lakers on the road were impressive. You have to hand it to Jacque Vaughn. His team may not be a playoff team, but they compete every night. Last Week’s Ranking-24

Nov 30, 2012; Memphis, TN, USA; Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe (10) drives against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. Memphis defeated Detroit 90-78. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

20. Dallas Mavericks (8-9): Nice move by Dallas by adding Derrick Fisher.  They’ve won only four of their past 12 and a veteran point guard could help. Last Week’s Ranking-21

19. Detroit Pistons (6-13): The Pistons 0-8 start is a memory as they have gone 6-5 since. However they are 1-10 on the road which could be a huge problem all season.  Last Week’s Ranking-26

18. Milwaukee Bucks (8-8): The Bucks are the most inconsistent team in the league. They beat the Celtics one night and lose to the Hornets without Anthony Davis by 21.  Last Week’s Ranking-14

17.  Chicago Bulls (8-8): The Bulls are getting it done the same way they always do, with rebounding and defense, but they’ve had problems putting together consistent wins. They suffered a tough division loss against the Pacers but have upcoming winnable road games against Detroit and Cleveland before hosting the Clippers and Knicks. After that we will know more about Tom Thibodeau’s team. Last Week’s Ranking-18

16. Utah Jazz (9-10): If only the Jazz could play all their games at home. They blew a lead and lost their first home game of the season to the Clippers on Monday but overall are 6-1 at home compared to 3-9 on the road. Three consecutive losses overall don’t help matters much either. Last Week’s Ranking-10

15. Minnesota Timberwolves (8-8): Since returning, Kevin Love has averaged 19.4 points and 14.6 rebounds in his seven games, but the ‘Wolves have only gone 3-4 in that span. Last Week’s Ranking-20

14. Houston Rockets (9-8): The Rockets have won five of six and have wins over the Bulls, Knicks, Lakers and Jazz in that span. The youngest team in the NBA is playing very well right now. Last Week’s Ranking-19

13.  Indiana Pacers (9-9): Everyone in a Pacers uniform not named David West has been very inconsistent all season, but they lead the Central Division despite scoring only 90.3 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-15

Nov 25, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday (11) celebrates making a basket during the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers defeated the Suns 104-101. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

12. Denver Nuggets (9-9): The Nuggets blew fourth quarter leads in three straight losses before beating the Raptors on Monday. The up-and-down Nuggets now have five straight on the road where they are only 4-8 on the season. Last Week’s Ranking-11

11. Philadelphia 76ers (10-8): Jrue Holiday has been great and the Sixers sit over .500 thanks to beating up on some bad teams. They are allowing only 89.3 points per game, but are scoring only 88.6 Last Week’s Ranking-13

10. Boston Celtics (9-8): The Celtics went 1-1 while Rajon Rondo was suspended. They can’t afford many more blowups like that from their best player. Last Week’s Ranking-8

9. Atlanta Hawks (9-5): They have won four of five, but we will find out more when they face Memphis and Denver this week.  Last Week’s Ranking-7

8. Golden State Warriors (10-7): The Warriors won five of six, then came out and lost to the Magic at home. It may be a while still before we figure Mark Jackson’s team out. Last Week’s Ranking-12

7. Los Angeles Clippers (11-6): They snapped an odd four-game skid by rebounding to win three in a row. It’s safe to say Chris Paul and company are back on track. Last Week’s Ranking-9

November 26, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) dribbles the ball against the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

6. Brooklyn Nets (11-6): The Nets saw their five-game win streak snapped with losses to Miami and Oklahoma City, showing that they still have a ways to go to hang with the NBA’s elite. Last Week’s Ranking-5

5. San Antonio Spurs (14-4): Probably would have the top spot had they not rested their starters and beaten the Heat. But they have gone 2-2 against the teams that are ranked ahead of them. Last Week’s Ranking-2

4. Miami Heat (12-4): It’s safe to say the Heat overlooked the Wizards and had their eyes on the Knicks, but you can’t lose to the Wizards regardless, especially when LeBron James has a triple-double. Last Week’s Ranking-3

3. New York Knicks (12-4): They’ve rebounded to win three in a row after losing to Brooklyn. The Knicks are perfect at home, with all four losses coming on the road. Carmelo Anthony is playing at an MVP level and will need to keep it up as the Knicks take on the Heat on Thursday. They have received scares though with injuries to Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton. Last Week’s Ranking-6

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (15-4): The Thunder have won six in a row and nine of 10. It’s safe to say they are clicking on all cylinders and have figured out how to win without James Harden. Last Week’s Ranking-4

1. Memphis Grizzlies (13-3): Zach Randolph had a performance for the ages with a 38 point, 22 rebound performance in a win over the Suns. Despite the loss against the Spurs, the Grizzlies hold onto the top spot for the third week in a row. One item of concern though is that Memphis is only 5-3 against the Western Conference.  Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climb-Detroit Pistons (+7)

Biggest Drop-Charlotte Bobcats (-7)

Who has moved up and who is sinking like the Titanic? Can the Memphis Grizzlies hold on to the No. 1 spot for the second week in a row?

Nov 27, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao (17) grabs a rebound in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

Let’s not waste any time and answer all of those question in my latest NBA Power Rankings.

30. Washington Wizards (0-12): The guys on TNT started calling the Wizards the Washington Generals. That is incorrect. The Generals would beat the Wizards by 20. Last Week’s Ranking- 30.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-12): The Cavs have lost 10 of 11 and their coach Byron Scott said everyone on the team except Anderson Varejao stunk after a recent loss. Pretty accurate assessment. Last Week’s Ranking-29

28. Toronto Raptors (3-12): The Raptors have lost five in a row and get seven of their next eight on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-25

27. New Orleans Hornets (4-9): This team could be surprisingly good with Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis in the lineup but Gordon has missed the entire season an Davis has played in only six of 12 games. Without them the Hornets don’t have a chance. Last Week’s Ranking-22

26. Detroit Pistons (4-11): The Pistons have won three of five and Greg Monroe is putting together a good season. How long though until Lawrence Frank turns the team over to the youngsters? Andre Drummond is averaging only 16 minutes per game. Last Week’s Ranking-27

25. Sacramento Kings (4-10): Tyreke Evans has been on a tear, averaging 21 points during the last five games, in which the Kings have wins over the Jazz and Lakers. Last Week’s Ranking-28

November 26, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) is defended by Detroit Pistons point guard Brandon Knight (7) in the fourth quarter at The Palace. Detroit won 108-101. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

24. Orlando Magic (5-8): The Magic face a tough stretch of games against San Antonio, Brooklyn and the big one in Los Angeles vs. Dwight Howard and the Lakers. While they are likely rejoicing in the fact they didn’t trade for Andrew Bynum, is there any chance they aren’t kicking themselves for not taking Brook Lopez? That lottery pick that Brooklyn traded to Portland also turned out to be Damian Lillard. Last Week’s Ranking-26

23. Portland Trail Blazers (6-8): Portland has lost three of four, but their trio of Lillard, Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge are having good seasons, even though Aldridge is only shooting 44 percent from the floor. Last Week’s Ranking-18

22. Phoenix Suns (7-8): The Suns have won three of four and have winnable games against Detroit and Toronto upcoming. That’s a good way to build momentum. Phoenix is seventh in the NBA in scoring at 99.9 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-23

21. Dallas Mavericks (7-8): That 4-1 start to the season is a thing of the past as the Mavs have lost seven of 10 since. They badly miss Dirk Nowitzki as after O.J. Mayo’s 20.8 points per game, no one else is averaging more than 14.2 (Chris Kaman). The news doesn’t get any better as 10 of their next 14 are on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-16

20. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-7): The ‘Wolves lost five in a row before Kevin Love’s monster game helped break that skid Tuesday against Sacramento. More performances like that and Minnesota should get back on track. Last Week’s Ranking-17

19. Houston Rockets (7-7): The Rockets drilled the Knicks and have won three straight. James Harden has been big, but the youngest team in the NBA is getting contributions from everyone, most notably guys like Patrick Patterson and Chandler Parsons have turned in huge performances this week. Last Week’s Ranking-24

18.  Chicago Bulls (6-7): The Bulls have lost four of five and blew a 27-point lead Monday against the Bucks. The struggles shouldn’t come as a surprise.  The Bulls still have talent but you just can’t replace an MVP like Derrick Rose. Last Week’s Ranking-12

November 27, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol (16) and shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) during a stoppage in play against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

17. Charlotte Bobcats (7-6): The Bobcats have already matched last season’s win total, but showed how far they really have to come still in Monday’s 45-point loss to the Thunder. Last Week’s Ranking-19

16. Los Angeles Lakers (7-8): So let me get this straight. Kobe Bryant scores 40 points and the rest of the Lakers’ team scores 37? In Mike D’Antoni’s offense? No point guard hurts badly as does the lack of depth, as the Lakers get very little production from their second unit. They look lost at the defensive end and have lost three of four. Last Week’s Ranking-8

15.  Indiana Pacers (7-8): A big win over the Lakers makes it three of four for the Pacers, but two of the wins came against Washington and New Orleans. They have to find offense somewhere. Roy Hibbert has been a disappointment, averaging only 9.5 points per game while shooting 38.8 percent from the floor. Shooting is a problem for the Pacers as they are shooting only 41 percent as a team. Last Week’s Ranking-21

14. Milwaukee Bucks (7-5): The Bucks ended a three-game skid with a big comeback win against Chicago, but every time you show faith in this team they make you pay for it. They are still a talented team though and should be a handful for the Knicks on Wednesday.  Last Week’s Ranking-7

November 24, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes (40) dunks the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the Timberwolves 96-85. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

13. Philadelphia 76ers (9-6): Trading for Bynum looks like a mistake. Giving Jrue Holiday an extension was not. The Sixers are winning with defense, allowing only 93.7 points per game, but they are 26th in the league in scoring and not having Bynum should catch up with them. Last Week’s Ranking-13

12. Golden State Warriors (8-6): They have played eight of their first 14 on the road and are getting Andrew Bogut back soon. Rookie Harrison Barnes, along with having the dunk of the year, is starting to come along nicely. Last Week’s Ranking-15

11. Denver Nuggets (8-7): The Nuggets could be the streakiest team in the NBA. The followed up three straight losses with four straight wins before losing to Utah on Monday. They will need to get hot again with eight of their next 10 on the road. Last Week’s Ranking-14

10. Utah Jazz (8-7): The Jazz are 6-0 at home and only 2-7 on the road with a three game road trip coming up against the Hornets, Thunder and Rockets. They are talented, young and deep and have won four of their past five games. Last Week’s Ranking-11

9. Los Angeles Clippers (8-6): It’s funny how things can change in a week. Just a week ago you could make the case that the Clippers were the best team in the league, but that is no longer the case after four straight losses. No excuse for losing to the Hornets without Anthony Davis in the lineup. Last Week’s Ranking-3

8. Boston Celtics (8-6): Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are still playing at a high level and what Rajon Rondo has been doing is amazing. However this team is allowing over 100 points per game which is concerning. Last Week’s Ranking-10

7. Atlanta Hawks (8-4): Atlanta has won five straight victories and wins in six of their past seven. The defensive-minded Hawks are allowing only 92.1 points per game while scoring 95.2 and are the No. 1 team in terms of defensive efficiency. They’ve had a pretty soft schedule, but do have wins over both the Thunder and Clippers. Last Week’s Ranking-20

Nov. 26, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) drives to the basket as New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) defends during the second half at the Barclays Center. Nets won in overtime 96-89. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

6. New York Knicks (9-4): After and NBA-best 8-1 start, the Knicks have dropped three of their last four. Not having Jason Kidd against the Nets hurt and not having Amar’e Stoudemire is starting to show up as the Knicks could use his scoring and rebounding. Last Week’s Ranking-2

5. Brooklyn Nets (9-4): The Nets made a statement by beating the Knicks. They haven’t had a meaningful win all season, but have won three in a row two of which have been against the Clippers and Knicks. Lopez is off to a great start, averaging 19.2 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-9

4. Oklahoma City Thunder (11-4): The Thunder have won eight of 10 and prepare for Harden’s first trip into town wearing a Houston Rockets jersey. Serge Ibaka has been a surprise on the offensive end, chipping in 14.5 points per game. Last Week’s Ranking-6

3. Miami Heat (10-3): The Heat have won four in a row and are 6-0 at home, which is good news for them considering the fact that they play only two road games between now and Christmas. Last Week’s Ranking-4

2. San Antonio Spurs (12-3): The Spurs are the first team to reach 12 wins and even without Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Jackson they should keep on winning. What’s impressive is how good they are on the road, winning 27 of their last 31 away from home. Last Week’s Ranking-5

1. Memphis Grizzlies (10-2): After seeing the winning streak ended with a home loss to the Nuggets, the Griz rebounded nicely with a win against the Lakers. They didn’t look great against the Cavs, but have Detroit and Toronto coming up before a showdown with the Spurs. With Rudy Gay (among others) playing at an All-Star level, the Grizzlies will keep on winning. Last Week’s Ranking-1

Biggest Climb-Atlanta Hawks (+13)

Biggest Drop-Los Angeles Lakers (-8)

Nov 05, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots a jump shot during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Buckets Over Broadway’s Matt Shetler and Thunderous Intentions’ Andrew Kennedy return to take a look at the only remaining undefeated team in the New York Knicks.

They also dive into the start of the season for Kennedy’s OKC Thunder.

In addition they look at the disappointing start to the season for the Los Angeles Lakers, who can stop the Miami Heat offense and much more.

After looking a some surprise performances to start the season, the duo hand out their Player of the Week awards.

Who gets the honors for Week 1?

You have to listen to find out.

You can listen to the show simply by clicking the player at the bottom of the page.

Tune into the FanSided NBA Podcast every week and make sure you check out all of the great programming on FanSided Radio.

How will all of the movement during the offseason effect the rankings? Are the defending champs still the team to beat?

Let’s answer those questions right now.

30. Orlando Magic- It could be embarrassing in the first year after Dwight Howard.

29. Charlotte Bobcats- Adding a couple vets and rookie Michael-Kidd Gilchrist will make the ‘Cats twice as good as last season. Unfortunately that would amount to only 14 wins.

October 23, 2012; Cleveland, OH USA: Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving (2) brings the ball up court during a preseason game against the Indiana Pacers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric P. Mull-USPRESSWIRE

28. Detroit Pistons- They finished the 2012 season strong and with Greg Monroe, Brandon Knight and Andre Drummond, there’s hope for the future; but that future might not be this season.

27. Cleveland Cavaliers- Speaking of young talent, the Cavs have a superstar in Kyrie Irving and a boatload of young and talented players, but they aren’t ready to contend yet and are still in search of a second scoring option.

26. Houston Rockets- Once again they missed out on landing the big man they needed and overpaid for Jeremy Lin and Omar Asik. The James Harden trade helps some, more for the future, but Kevin McHale’s team is young and has a long ways to come.

25. Toronto Raptors- I like what the Raptors have done as far as adding talent, but they are still the worst team in the NBA’s toughest division. It won’t be long though before the Raptors are challenging for a playoff spot.

24. Washington Wizards- The Wiz will be without John Wall to start the season, but when he returns they have a nice starting five. The Wall-Bradley Beal backcourt could become great one day and the additions of Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor makes this team better defensively, but they aren’t deep and it will cost them.

23. Phoenix Suns- The Suns had trouble winning with Steve Nash the past couple years, without him things should get worse. But they added some talented players in Goran Dragic, Michael Beasley and Luis Scola so they could turn into a bit of a surprise.

22. Sacramento Kings- DeMarcus Cousins is ready to become a star and the Kings have a ton of young talent. They have to start learning how to win together though.

21. Portland Trail Blazers- LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard are likely to be league’s next dynamic duo but the Blazers are likely a year away.

20. New Orleans Hornets- Anthony Davis will become a double-double machine for years and Monty Williams’ team has some very nice pieces in place. If Eric Gordon can stay healthy, the Hornets could surprise, but that’s a big if.

19. Milwaukee Bucks- Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis will keep the Bucks in games, but can their young frontcourt help get them to the playoffs?

18. Atlanta Hawks- Gone is Joe Johnson’s horrible contract as new general manager Danny Ferry has this team set up nicely for the future. They have a bunch of shooters and will lean on Al Horford and Josh Smith to try to keep them in the playoffs.

Apr 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love (42) looks on during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE

17. Golden State Warriors- I like the Warriors to be a surprise team if Stephen Curry’s ankle holds up. They are balanced with shooting and decent interior play. Now it’s time to make the playoffs.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves- Once Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio get healthy, the ‘Wolves are in a similar situation as the Warriors. It’s time to make the playoffs.

15. Utah Jazz- Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap can beat you on any given night. The Jazz are solid in all areas, and could be a sleeper this season.

14. Dallas Mavericks- Dirk Nowitzki is starting out the season injured, but the Mavs had added some youth and decent pieces around him. They won’t be title contenders but should be better than the 2012 team that suffered from championship hangover.

13. Chicago Bulls- Derrick Rose won’t be on the court for a while. Their depth needs to keep them afloat until he returns.

12. Denver Nuggets- If Danilo Gallinari, Ty Lawson and Andre Iguodala have banner years; the Nuggets have the talent to be a threat in the Western Conference.

11. Brooklyn Nets- The Nets rebuilt in a big way. They brought back everyone and added some key parts throughout the roster. I’m not ready to make them instant contenders though, but they certainly have the talent to do so.

10. New York Knicks- Will Carmelo Anthony ever win in the NBA? It doesn’t help that Amar’e Stoudemire is out six weeks to start the season. I actually bumped the Knicks up a couple spots to start the season because they are a better team with ‘Melo at the 4.

9. Philadelphia 76ers- They are talented and added Andrew Bynum, but do they have a leader now that Iguodala is gone? It’s not Bynum.

8. Memphis Grizzlies- The Griz suffered a disappointing first round playoff exit last season, but this team will be back and can do some big things. If there’s any team that can knock off the big boys in the league, Memphis is your best bet.

Oct 26, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) talks with forward Tim Duncan (21) during the first half against the Washington Wizards at the AT

7. Indiana Pacers- The Pacers are physical, deep and excel at teamwork. They think they’re better than the Miami Heat and that is half the battle.

6. San Antonio Spurs- One more run for Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. I think everyone learned their lesson last season not to write these guys off just yet.

5. Los Angeles Clippers- I like what the Clippers did in the offseason: bring back Chauncey Billups and adding the likes of Grant Hill, Lamar Odom, Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford to the nucleus they already have make the Clippers very deep. A playoff run last season gives these guys some confidence as well.

4. Boston Celtics- They lost Ray Allen but got better by adding Jason Terry Courtney Lee and a returning Jeff Green. The question is if rookies Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo can give this team the size they need. Rajon Rondo could have an MVP-type of season and remember that this team was one game away from reaching the NBA Finals a season ago.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder- The Thunder got penalized by drafting too well and had to deal James Harden but got back a quality player in Kevin Martin and a young guy in Jeremy Lamb who I think will have a great career.  Even without Harden, the Thunder are championship contenders.

2. Los Angeles Lakers- No team bulked up in the offseason like the Lakers, adding the likes of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. They may have the best starting five in the league but I’m not overly excited about their depth.

1. Miami Heat- The defending champs addressed their shooting weaknesses by adding Allen and Rashard Lewis. They aren’t the players they were three years ago but they are better than Mike Miler. If LeBron James is close to as good as he was a season ago, the Heat have a great chance to repeat.

1. Miami Heat –

2. Philadelphia 76ers – Doug Collins will have the 76ers playing great basketball and winning ball games this year. With the addition of Andrew Bynum no one should sleep on Philadelphia.

3. Boston Celtics – The Celtics have to be up for out of respect for Doc Rivers. We learned last year to never count his team out and with Rajon Rondo as a veteran and Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce still hungry for another ring. Don’t sleep on a Rivers’ team.

4. New York Knicks – This is finally Carmelo Anthony’s team and he is in the prime of his career. They added pieces he loves and he needs to have a championship run. If everything clicks for New York early in the season, the Knicks can be a top team in the East.

5. Indiana Pacers – The Pacers are one of the legit deep teams in the East. A lot of familiar faces will be back for Indiana as their young talent is coming up together. The Pacers are for real this year.

6. Chicago Bulls – They still have Tom Thibodeau as their coach who will not let this team fall off until Derrick Rose comes back. The Bulls won’t be an elite team without their leader but no way they skid too far until Rose comes back.

7. Brooklyn Nets – Deron Williams came back to the Nets to make a splash in Brooklyn. With Joe Johnson in the same backcourt as him, the Nets won’t be the laughing stock of the league anymore. A breath of fresh air is exactly what the Nets needed as they start a new life in Brooklyn.

8. Atlanta Hawks – Losing Johnson will sure hurt this team but Atlanta is still looking to compete in the East. They still have a great duo down low in Josh Smith and Al Horford. The Hawks didn’t completely sell all their pieces and will win games this year.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving showed signs of superstardom in his rookie year but to be a true superstar in this league you have to win. There is a lot of raw young talent on this team and it will be Byron Scott’s job to bring it all together.

10. Milwaukee Bucks – How Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis will play together will be an interesting story all year long. Scott Skiles will need to get these two scorers to coexist and have the big trade pay off.

11. Detroit Pistons – Detroit is rebuilding and decided to go the big man route with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Brandon Knight will learn how to play point guard in this league with his first 82 game season. There’s a lot of talent in Detroit to like.

12. Toronto Raptors – The Raptors are in the toughest division in the league so it will be hard to compete. Big things are expected out of rookies Terrence Ross and last year’s No. 1 pick Jonas Valanciunas. DeMar DeRozan needs to pick up his game if the Raptors ever want to be relevant.

13. Washington Wizards – Washington’s starting five is filled with high draft picks with John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Emeka Okafor. Nene is a great piece along with Trevor Ariza. The Wizards are loaded with young talent but that seems to be the problem year in and year out.

14. Charlotte Bobcats – It can only go up for the Bobcats sake. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will need to make an immediate impact to give this franchise hope in themselves.

15. Orlando Magic – The Magic got played by Dwight Howard and got the worst deal they could have gotten for him. Aaron Affialo isn’t going to carry your team. With Glen Davis as probably your best player, things aren’t looking good.

1. Miami Heat
2. Philadelphia 76ers
3. Indiana Pacers
4. New York Knicks
5. Boston Celtics
6. Chicago Bulls
7. Brooklyn Nets
8. Cleveland Cavaliers

1^st Round

1. Miami Heat vs. 8. Cleveland Cavaliers

Oct 17, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) talks with guard Dion Waiters (3) during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

I’m not sure this will happen as the Cavs have a lot to do to become a playoff team but this will be one of most hyped up first round matchups in recent history. LeBron going back to Cleveland for a playoff matchup would be a great storyline. Kyrie Irving has the talent to lead his team to the playoffs but will it be enough to pull the historic upset over the former King of Cleveland? Would be amazing to see but I can’t see it happening.

Heat over Cavaliers 4-1

2. Philadelphia 76es vs. 7. Brooklyn Nets

This Atlantic Division matchup would create a new rivalry in the NBA. Most New York fans hate Philadelphia with the Eagles, Phillies, and Flyers in town and this would just add more fuel to the fire. I see Philadelphia having a huge year but the Nets have Deron Williams. This would be a great series but I see the Nets pulling the upset in 7.

Nets over 76ers 4-3

3. Indiana Pacers vs. 6. Chicago Bulls

We have another divisional matchup in the first round with Central foes in the Pacers and Bulls. At this point in the season the Bulls will have Derrick Rose back hopefully at full health and no opponent wants to deal with that. I love the Pacers this year but if Derrick Rose is playing all out, I have to give it to the Bulls in a great seven-game series.

Bulls over Pacers 4-3

4. New York Knicks vs. 5. Boston Celtics

Our last divisional first round matchup gives us Boston against New York, a rematch from two years ago. It would be pretty interesting with two New York teams going up against Boston and Philadelphia. The Celtics should never be counted out in the playoffs but I think Carmelo Anthony will be on a mission to prove he is the man in New York. To be the man in New York you have to win in the playoffs, and Melo will do that for the first time in the Big Apple since Clinton was in office.

Knicks over Celtics 4-2

Eastern Conference Semis

Oct 18, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

1. Miami Heat vs. 4. New York Knicks

The Knicks get a shot of revenge and history when they square up against LeBron and the Heat in the second round. The stakes will be higher compared to last year, as Carmelo and the Knicks would be playing with confidence. My heart really wants to pick the Knicks here but the Heat are too good. I hope I’m wrong but it’s hard to predict the Heat losing four games to the Knicks in the playoffs.

Heat over Knicks 4-2

6. Chicago Bulls vs. 7. Brooklyn Nets

If you love elite point guards, this is the perfect playoff matchup for you. Derrick Rose against Deron Williams is a fantastic matchup with both players being two of the league’s best. I think the Bulls have all the momentum and talent on their side here. The Bulls have been here before and know how a close playoff series feels like. No one on the Nets roster has really felt the pressure of a big playoff stage and I think Rose and the Bulls take care of the Nets.

Bulls over Nets 4-1

Eastern Conference Finals

1. Miami Heat vs. 6. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls get their shot to finally make it back to the Finals for the first time since Michael Jordan when they once again go up against LeBron and the Heat. The Bulls getting over the hump with all that Rose has been through would be a Hollywood type story. I would love to see it happen but once again picking against the Heat is hard to do. This series goes seven but the Heat are the better team.

Heat over Bulls 4-3

2013 Eastern Conference Champions – Miami Heat 

The Southeast Division is arguably the worst division in basketball right now. Yes, the division contains the defending NBA champion Miami Heat, but other than the Heat, this division might not include another playoff team this upcoming season. In years past, the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks have been middle of the pack playoff teams, but with the departures of key players like Dwight Howard and Joe Johnson, those teams might be on the outside looking in now. The Washington Wizards on the other hand, have retooled big time and are looking for John Wall to take the next step and become an All-Star. And the other team in this division, the Bobcats, are just hoping to gain a little respect. With that being said, here are my Southeast Division predictions.

First Place- Miami Heat

Starters:

PG- Mario Chalmers

SG- Dwyane Wade

SF- LeBron James

PF- Udonis Haslem

C- Chris Bosh

The defending champion and two-time defending Easter Conference champions feature a starting lineup with three of the top 20 players in the NBA today and the hands down best basketball player in the world right now- LeBron James.  Nobody had a better 2012 than LeBron did. He took home a regular season MVP, his illustrious first ring along with a Finals MVP, and a gold medal in London. Now with all the pressure off his shoulders, we might see an even better James. Dwyane Wade was banged up all of last season but has recovered since successful offseason surgery, and Chris Bosh is all healed up as well. With the Big Three at full strength and Chalmers and Haslem doing the little things, Miami once again has one of the best starting lineups in the league.

Key Reserves: Ray Allen, Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Rashard Lewis, Joel Anthony, Norris Cole.

The rich got richer this offseason. With the additions of sharpshooters Allen and Lewis, the Heat are an even better team than they were last year. With the ability of LeBron and Wade to drive and kick going to the basket, Allen and Lewis will be getting some very good looks from behind the arc.

Team MVP: LeBron James- No need to explain this.

The Heat will cruise to the division title and ultimately the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. And I don’t see any team stopping them from reaching a 3^rd consecutive NBA Finals either. This team is too good and with their recent additions, how could anyone pick against them

Second Place- Atlanta Hawks

Starters:

PG- Jeff Teague

SG- Lou Williams

SF- Anthony Morrow

PF- Josh Smith

C- Al Horford

The Hawks kind of fall into second place by default this year. I don’t think Washington will make a big enough step to get past Atlanta, although the Hawks will hurt from losing Johnson and Marvin Williams. I think the Atlanta can get back into the playoffs by grabbing a low seed, probably the No.  7 or 8 seed. Lou Williams will provide a spark in the starting lineup, moving from his sixth man role with the 76ers last season and having Horford healthy all year will definitely help them stay afloat. Another thing in their favor is playing in the same division as the Magic and Bobcats, the two weakest teams in the Eastern Conference.

Key Reserves: Devin Harris, Kyle Korver, Zaza Pachulia, DeShawn Stevenson, John Jenkins, Johan Petro.

The Hawks bench consists of many ex-Nets (Harris, Stevenson, Petro) and sharpshooters in Kyle Korver and rookie John Jenkins. The always-reliable Zaza Pachulia rounds out a unit that will provide some spark and see some big shots hit from guys like Korver and Harris. Look for Korver to see a lot of time at the small forward position when the Hawks go to their “big” lineup and put Anthony Morrow at the shooting guard spot.

Team MVP: Al Horford- Horford missed almost the whole season last year and the Hawks were never able to recover without him. With Horford, a top ten center, back at 100 percent, look for Atlanta to be right back in the mix to earn another playoff berth. His rebounding and scoring is key to Atlanta’s success, and with Johnson now out of the picture, look for the offense to flow through Horford this season.

Atlanta is a good enough team to make the playoffs, but nowhere near the 4-6 seed range they have been over the past few seasons. The Eastern Conference is too good now and the Hawks lost too much to be considered a viable threat.

Third Place: Washington Wizards

Starters:

PG- John Wall

SG- Bradley Beal

SF- Trevor Ariza

PF- Nene

C- Emeka Okafor

On paper, this team looks very dangerous. On the court, things could go south very quickly. Wall will miss at least the first month on the season due to injury and who knows how Beal will develop in his first go around through the league. Okafor is solid and so is Nene, but both often struggle to stay healthy. If this team can play up to it’s potential and avoid injury, I think they can shock the NBA and make it to the postseason. But if turmoil strikes, expect the Wizards to be in the same situation as they have been in the last couple of years.

Key Reserves: Jordan Crawford, Jan Vesley, Chris Singleton, Martell Webster, Trevor Booker.

There are few players I’m as excited to see play this year other than Vesley (Jonas Valanciunas being the other).  Vesley is supposedly a big time overseas talent and could be exactly the spark the Wizards need off the bench. As for the rest of the bench, Crawford can score at will, but his shot selection is questionable and he can bump heads with Wall as we saw last year.  Singleton is a big time defender but he is basically a poor man’s, less athletic Ariza. I don’t like the frontcourt help off the bench and I think Washington is in major trouble if one of their oft-injured starters up front goes down.

Team MVP: John Wall- The Wizards will go as far as Wall can take them. This is his third season in the league and it’s getting down to nitty-gritty time. Can Wall become a top-ten point guard or is he all flash? His love for the game has been questioned and so has his leadership, both big time red flags for any organization. The front office has surrounded him with enough talent this year than Wall should be able to get the Wizards near a playoff berth.

Washington is good and the potential for this team is scary. With that being said, I don’t trust Wall and I don’t trust the health of this team. Too many injuries and not enough leadership will once again lead the Wizards to an under .500 record with no playoff berth.

Fourth Place- Charlotte Bobcats

Starters:

PG- Kemba Walker

SG- Gerald Henderson

SF- Michael Kidd-Gilchrest

PF- Bismack Biyombo

C- Byron Mullens

The Bobcats are coming off one of the worst seasons in NBA history and are currently the joke of the league. That can all change this season when the Bobcats younger players finally come together and produce some wins. Walker is the leader of this team and should have a productive sophomore season. Look for rookie Kidd-Gilchrest to be a big time playmaker and big man Mullens to build on a good 2012 season. Much of Charlotte’s success will depend on how second-year power forward Biyombo plays. Last year was just a small sample size of what he can bring to this team. I expect him to be much improved and for this team to crawl out of the Southeast basement.

Key Reserves: Ramon Sessions, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, Brendan Haywood, Reggie Williams.

The Bobcats quietly built a nice little bench over the offseason, with the prized possessions obviously being the backcourt duo of Sessions and Gordon. Both of these players are proven NBA players and could easily be starters. In Gordon’s case, he has thrived throughout his career coming off the pine, which answers the question of why Gerald Henderson is starting over him.

Team MVP: Ben Gordon- Gordon is coming from a bad situation in Detroit. He was signed to a big contract that he never lived up too and left on bad terms with the Pistons organization. As he arrives in Charlotte, this might be his last chance to save his career. The Bobcats are going to need help scoring the ball and that is exactly what Gordon will provide for them. If this team wants to avoid a last place finish, then Gordon will have to regain his old form.

The Bobcats can’t get much worse than last season, so obviously I think they will improve. I love Jordan’s pick of MKG, and I believe in Kemba Walker enough to put Charlotte ahead of Orlando in the standings. I think that if the young players develop enough and if Jordan can bring in a veteran, Charlotte can be dangerous in the future.

Fifth Place- Orlando Magic

Starters:

PG: Jameer Nelson

SG: Arron Afflalo

SF: Hedo Turkoglu

PF: Glen Davis

C: Nikola Vucevic

The Magic had a terrible offseason, losing all-world center Dwight Howard and getting basically nothing in return. They also fired their coach, Stan Van Gundy, and were unable to get rid of Hedo Turkoglu’s ridiculous contract. The backcourt will be solid with Nelson and Afflalo but the frontcourt is arguably the worst in the NBA. Hedo, Big Baby and Nikola Vucevic don’t exactly strike fear in opponents’ eyes. Look for Orlando to get outrebounded almost every game and have trouble winning games down the stretch without a star to go to.

Key Reserves: Al Harrington, JJ Redick, Andrew Nicholson, Gustavo Ayon, Moe Harkless, Josh McRoberts, Quentin Richardson, Kyle O’Quinn.

Not exactly household names jumping off the page, other than Harrington and Redick. The youngsters will surely have growing pains early but I certainly expect ex-Johnny Harkless to eventually mold into a nice scorer off the bench.  Ayon might be a name to remember moving forward and we know Harrington has the ability to hit big shots.

Team MVP: Arron Afflalo- Afflalo was the key return for Orlando in the Howard deal, but this is a bad spot for him. He is expected to fill some big shoes and it is virtually impossible for him to do so. Fans will unfairly expect him to be a star on this team while in retrospect; he is just a role player. If Orlando wants to stay out of the basement and not finish behind Charlotte, Afflalo will need to step up his game.

Orlando lost a top-five player in Howard and didn’t get much in return. Without him and the loss of Ryan Anderson, I don’t see Orlando making it out of last place. This team doesn’t have enough talent right now to compete and their bench is too unproven. Their frontcourt is a joke and if one of their starting guards gets injured, things will turn ugly in a hurry.

With all the wheeling and dealing and the season set to start the day before Halloween (Heat vs. Celtics), now seems like the perfect time to assess the Eastern Conference and how the New York Knicks look to figure in the playoff picture.

2012-13 Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions (listed in order of finish):

1. Miami Heat

No matter how much other teams improve, unless you are completely dismantled like the 1997 Florida Marlins, my opinion is that if you are the reigning champs you’re the team to beat.

That being said, not only did the Heat win the title, but they DID improve on an already stellar squad.  With the Big Three of LeBron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh already on board, they added seasoned vets Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to the mix.

Allen will provide a nice lift in scoring and deadly shooting to go along with his leadership skills.  Lewis has been sort of an enigma the past few years, clearly not living up to what was in fact the largest salaried contract in the NBA.

My feeling is that this will change as he will learn he is no longer the star player and will try to contribute in any way to help the team get another ring.  Also having long time Miami vet Udonis Haslem as well as a seemingly healthy Mike Miller and a much improved Mario Chalmers should almost guarantee this team another spot in the NBA Finals, but who knows, this is why we play the game, folks.

 2. Boston Celtics

June 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers talks to Paul Pierce (34) and Rajon Rondo (9) against the Miami Heat during the third quarter in game seven of the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

What can I say about Boston?  For the first half of the season they looked every bit their age.  They had no depth and their aging stars seemed have lost all their ferocity.  It looked like an era was finally coming to an end…until after All-Star Break when they caught fire and became only the fourth team in NBA history to win their division after having a sub-.500 record before the break.

While Allen has departed to the sunny shores of South Beach, the Celts still have first ballot Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and arguably the best, or one of the best, point guards in the league in triple-double machine Rajon Rondo.

KG seemed possessed in the second half of the year and carried that all the way through the playoffs.  One of the more lacking aspects of the Celtics was their bench depth so they went out and signed super sixth man Jason Terry and acquired Courtney Lee from Houston.  Terry is so determined to shine in Celtic green that he tattooed their logo on his arm.

Chris Wilcox is back this year after he had somewhat of a breakout campaign and after dangling Brandon Bass around, they decided to keep him, which was smart because he proved very valuable with a 12.5/6.2 season.  He also had a very good stretch of games in the playoffs.

Rookie guard and defensive specialist Avery Bradley had a surprisingly good season and Jeff Green is back after missing the entire year due to heart issues.  Take into account some risky, yet possibly high reward draft choices in big men Fab Melo and Jared Sullinger and you’ve got yourself a very, very good team.

3.  Indiana Pacers

One of the more upstart teams of the 2012 season was the Indiana Pacers.  Seemingly loaded with untapped potential, they barely made the playoffs the prior year.  This past season, under the guidance of Coach Frank Vogel, they put everything together.  The Pacers were one of the deeper teams in the NBA and have since added point guard D.J. Augustin (now free from the burdens of playing in Charlotte) and former dunk champ Gerald Green to the mix.

Moving George Hill into the starting point guard role seemed to really get their offense going towards the end of last season thus making Darren Collison expendable, who was subsequently shipped off to Dallas.  In return the Pacers got young C Ian Mahinmi to back up budding superstar Roy Hibbert.

With the high scoring Danny Granger, the insanely athletic Paul George, do-it-all Tyler Hansbrough and wily vet David West, Indiana looks like a team who can make a championship run.  Although the Pacers are a quality team, this ranking is highly predicated on the injury to the Bulls’ Derrick Rose.

4. Chicago Bulls

Apr 28, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (1) brings the ball down the court during the first quarter in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

Coming into last season the Bulls were on many people’s lists as the team to beat.  They had incumbent MVP Derrick Rose and a slew of other stars returning to improve on their 4-1 Conference Finals loss to the Heat.  Unfortunately for them, the injury bug hit Rose…and it hit him hard.  With numerous ailments including injuries to his groin, back and ultimately a torn ACL in the playoffs, he ended up playing only 39 regular season games.

This team is very good without him, but with him they can be arguably the best in the league.  But to the chagrin of Chicagoans everywhere, D-Rose is not due back on the court until at least March, so they will have to make due without him.  Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah are no NBA saps and they will try to keep the Bulls’ record afloat until their star player comes back.

General Manager Gar Forman brought in former Bull Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson and drafted Kentucky’s Marquis Teague to help man the point in Rose’s absence.  While they HAD to let Omer Asik go with what Houston is now paying him, Taj Gibson should now flourish in an expanded role.  Nazr Mohammed adds some front court depth and Italian sharp shooter Marco Belinelli should fill the same role Kyle Korver had here, but with more scoring ability.

Coach Tom Thibodeau is a defensive mastermind and that should keep the team in the hunt until Rose arrives.  They could be a scary team come playoff time when they are working on all cylinders.

5. New York Knicks

The major news for the Knicks in the offseason was the decision to not match the $25 million offer the Houston Rockets’ made to sensation Jeremy Lin.  While many look at this as a failure on their part to keep a great player and media/marketing sensation in the Big Apple, in the end it may be viewed as a smart move.

Looking at the decision in financial terms it makes sense.  In my opinion that is a lot of money to commit to someone who pretty much has 25 games under his belt as an NBA starter.  As aforementioned, the Knicks no longer have Jeremy Lin…yup no more Lin, so they brought back former guard Ray Felton and future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd to man the point.  While that duo may not light up the scoreboard like the Harvard alum, they will play more sound basketball and commit fewer turnovers, which was a major flaw in Lin’s game last season.

Depth has been an issue for New York for a while and bringing a guy like Kidd off the bench along with big man Marcus Camby will help out a lot.  They will also add a lot of veteran leadership to the team.  The Knicks also acquired the versatile G/F hybrid Ronnie Brewer, who has since had knee surgery but expects to be back for opening night.

Hope has emerged on the defensive front with Tyson Chandler winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award and the re-signing of defense first coach Mike Woodson.  J.R. Smith is back to provide a bench spark and rookie standout Iman Shumpert is set to return from offseason knee surgery around January.

Of course the main concern in New York is whether Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire can EVER co-exist.  It’s been a rough going for the pair since Melo was acquired in 2011.  If these two superstars can finally figure things out the Knicks should be a team to be reckoned with.  If this can’t be accomplished I think I flip-flop their seed with the Nets.

6. Brooklyn Nets

After an entire offseason of “Dwight Howard Drama” the New Jers…err…Brooklyn Nets finally removed themselves from that debacle, re-signed their own big men, Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries, and plan on beginning their first season in the new Barclays Center with a bang.

While they didn’t trade for Superman, they DID make another big move, landing perennial All-Star Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks.  Johnson should fit in nicely on this team and should thrive with Deron Williams dishing him the rock.  Gerald Wallace, who was acquired late last season, is also back and is a proven star in the league.  By not trading for D12 they were able to keep one of the brighter young stars in the game in MarShon Brooks and added some more talent through the draft with former Kansas star Tyshawn Taylor.

The signing of Bosnian sensation Mirza Teletovic could prove to be a boon and adding rebounding machine Reggie Evans will surely give them some tenacity on the glass.  I like the signing of C.J. Watson as one of the more underrated moves of the offseason.  He should bring some experience and scoring punch to the backup point guard role.

The health of Lopez should be a concern all season long, but if he can stay on the court I expect the Nets to make the playoffs in their first season in The Borough.

7. Philadelphia 76ers

May 26, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Evan Turner (12) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Philly basketball is finally back.  They had a very good season and beat the highly favored Bulls in the first round of the playoffs.  Basketball minds everywhere are so impressed that there are rumors of Coach Doug Collins being the next coach for Team USA.  Capitalizing on their success from last season, the Sixers involved themselves in the Dwight Howard proceedings and in doing so were able to land stud center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers.

One of the knocks on Philly last season was their depth in the front court.  Spencer Hawes proved to be a valuable asset when he was healthy, but bringing in a still young Bynum makes them a huge threat.  While the rest of their “big men” are more like tweeners (Thaddeus Young and former-Warrior Dorrell Wright), they have upgraded tremendously from last season.

In getting Bynum they had to send All-Star Andre Iguodala to Denver, but I still think they made out very well.  In that huge trade the Sixers also got Jason Richardson from Orlando.  He seemed like a very unhappy person in the Sunshine State and the move up north may help turnaround what has become a downward spiral in his career.

PG Jrue Holiday had a breakout season last year and the addition of former no. 1 pick Kwame Brown (really Wizards??) and Nick Young will help bolster the bench. Former No. 2 overall pick Evan Turner now has his time to shine in the City of Brotherly Love. The versatile Turner improved a ton over his rookie season and will fill the void left by Iguodala and if he continues to make improvements, he could become a star at both ends of the floor.

8. Milwaukee Bucks

With apologies to the Atlanta Hawks and the much-improved Washington Wizards, the Bucks are my final pick to round out my projected Eastern Conference standings.  Milwaukee made one of the biggest mid-season splashes last year shipping former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut to Golden State.  In return they got multi-talented guard Monta Ellis and blossoming center Epke Udoh.

While Ellis’ scoring came down with the Bucks, he contributed elsewhere.  I think an offseason of meshing with Brandon Jennings will remedy that.  While Udoh is still somewhat of a project, he and newly acquired centers Samuel Dalembert and Joel Przybilla represent something Milwaukee has been lacking in many years which is depth in the form of true centers.

Drew Gooden had a tremendous season last year and Turkish import Ersan Ilyasova proved to be a star while averaging a double-double in the second half of the year.  Ilyasova was one of the best offensive rebounders last season and he also can provide a 3-point touch.  The Bucks have a solid bench led by Mike Dunleavy, Beno Udrih and rookie Doron Lamb.  The bottom half of the East has lots of potential, but I see the Bucks eking out the last spot.

Point Guard: Raymond Felton/Jason Kidd/Pablo Prigioni VS. Mario Chalmers/Norris Cole

Two different types of point guards here on both teams. Felton and Kidd are more game managers and like the half court game. They don’t play much defense but do have the respect of their teammates, which is key at the point guard position. The Heat have two young guns in Chalmers and Cole. Chalmers was one of the more important players in the NBA Finals and played like a great point guard. Rio hits the three and is gradually earning the respect and trust of his superstar teammates and also isn’t afraid to play some defense. Norris Cole flashed brilliance in some games but couldn’t cement a spot in the rotation. He can only get better with his teammates. I think the Heat’s young ballers have the advantage over the Knicks point guards.

Advantage – Heat

Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade/Ray Allen/Mike Miller VS. J.R. Smith/Ronnie Brewer/Iman Shumpert

What you are going to read right now isn’t going to surprise you. The Heat might have from top to bottom the best shooting guard depth in the league. Wade is still elite and is up there with Kobe Bryant as the NBA’s best 2-guards.

Ray Allen isn’t going to be asked to do much in Miami, just sit back like a fat cat behind the three and wait for the kick out and shoot lights out. Mike Miller’s health is a big concern but if he plays and is effective, it only adds to the three-point threats that the Heat have. With J.R. Smith being the only healthy guard the Knicks have with Brewer and Shumpert both out for opening day, the Knicks weakness might be the Heat’s strength. No brainer here.

Advantage – Heat

Small Forward – Carmelo Anthony/Steve Novak/James White/Chris Copeland VS. LeBron James/Rashard Lewis/James Jones

The premier position battle with these two teams is Carmelo vs. LeBron. Maybe before last season you can make a debate for Carmelo since he is one of the best scorers in the league, but LeBron proved last year he is on another level, by silencing the critics and showed the world there is not much he can’t do.

I think his fourth quarter play is still up in the air and that is where Carmelo shines, but this one isn’t close anymore. Rashard Lewis, like Allen, is just going to be asked to sit in the corner and shoot. James Jones is pretty good at that too. Steve Novak is nice off the bench and his three-point shooting should be taken seriously, but the Heat are better here. LeBron will do that for you.

Advantage – Heat

Power Forward: Amar’e Stoudemire/Kurt Thomas VS. Shane Battier/Udonis Haslem

I guess on paper these are the Heat’s power forwards. I thought Chris Bosh would be listed as one but I guess he is the team’s center. If this is the matchup, the Knicks have it here. Shane Battier isn’t a true PF and really is only effective on offense when he gets his shot going. He is a great perimeter defender but I don’t think he can hold his own in the paint vs. a scoring big man.

Amar’e should be the Amar’e of old which is what the Knicks need. Haslem is a leader but not making on jaws drop. Kurt Thomas gives STAT a nice break off the bench and brings leadership to the Knicks. Just hope no fire extinguisher cases come in the way agian.

Advantage – Knicks

Center: Tyson Chandler/Marcus Camby VS. Chris Bosh/Joel Anthony/Dexter Pittman

Really good matchup here in Tyson against Bosh. Tyson is a proven fierce defender while Bosh proved last year he is no cupcake. The Heat are a different team with him on the floor and need him to win. Head-to-head, I think Tyson takes him here. I’ll give Marcus Camby the advantage over Anthony as well. Tyson can handle Bosh and I think he can easily get in his head with a little trash talk.

Advantage – Knicks

Coaching: Mike Woodson VS. Eric Spoelsta

A lot of things have been said about Heat coach Eric Spoelstra but now there is one thing you must say about him- NBA Finals champion. At times he seems like he doesn’t know how to handle his super team then he looks like he calls all the shots. Mike Woodson showed last year he knows how to get his player’s respect and he turned a sinking ship around last year with the Knicks. He turned a team that played defense like a bunch of cones on the court to a team that started to play a little hard-nosed defense. Woodson hasn’t been in the same coaching situations as Spoelstra, but I’d take Woodson as my leader over Spoelstra.

Advantage – Knicks

If these two teams butt heads again in the playoffs how will it play out? Hopefully for the Knicks they earn a higher seed than last year and avoid Miami early. An Eastern Conference Finals matchup would be a dream come true for the NBA, but it wouldn’t be for the Knicks. The Knicks need another team to knock off the champs in hopes of making it to the finals. I just don’t think this team as it stands is not built the right way to beat the Miami Heat. I hope I am dead wrong, but Miami will beat them again.

Heat win series 4-2

Yes, teams like the San Antonio Spurs, or Boston Celtics, or Dallas Mavericks in 2011 have relied on their veteran players to carry them home, but Woodson almost seemed to dismiss the importance of youth. For instance, the reigning champions, the Miami Heat, were carried by their Big 3 who, except for Dwyane Wade (30), are below 30-years old. Their Finals opponents, the Oklahoma City Thunder, hardly have rotation players sniffing 30 years of age.

In his Knicks Fix last week, Alan Hahn outlined the average ages of NBA championship teams since 2007, all of which were under 30-years old. With the additions of players like Marcus Camby, Jason Kidd, Kurt Thomas, and Pablo Prigioni, the average of the Knicks’ roster is 31-years old. That’s not to say that they are too old to contend, but their depth is reliant upon some players with a lot of miles on their legs.

The Knicks’ starting lineup is not particularly old – Raymond Felton is 28, J.R. Smith is 26, Carmelo Anthony, 27, Amar’e Stoudemire, 29, and Tyson Chandler, 29 – but their bench depth will rely on the health of some pretty old players. If a member of the Knicks’ starting lineup were to get hurt (especially at point guard or upfront), the Knicks could find themselves in a tight spot playing heavy minutes to some older veterans.

Furthermore, in an NBA that is evolving more and more into a position-less and a more open game, the Knicks’ veteran signings have made them slower and far less versatile with very players on their roster able to play outside of their given roles. Whereas the Miami Heat may very well run out a lineup this year featuring entirely wing players – Wade, LeBron James, Ray Allen, Chris Bosh, and Rashard Lewis – the Knicks may not have the versatility to match-up with such a lineup.

(And of course, it is fair to compare the Knicks with the Heat seeing as how these Knicks were built to take down those Miami foes).

So, have the Knicks gotten too old this offseason? We certainly can’t say definitively until the season gets underway, but they have taken an old-school approach to the game that may turn out to be out-of-date with the new-school NBA.

According to sources at ESPN, Camby is unwilling to play for the veteran minimum of $1.4 million, meaning that both the Knicks and the Heat will have to complete a sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets in order to acquire the veteran center. Rockets officials are believed to be much more interested in a package the Knicks could put together via trade (using pieces along the lines of Toney Douglas, Josh Harrelson and Jerome Jordan) versus what the Heat could offer, giving the Knicks the slight edge of the competition.

The Knicks only have the mini Mid Level Exception to use in the free agent market, and both Kidd and Camby will command salaries that match that figure. They can acquire both, as stated above, if one player signs for the MLE, while the other is acquired via sign-and-trade.

As Kidd did earlier this week, Camby would fill a huge hole on the Knicks bench. With the injuries that have haunted Tyson Chandler throughout the majority of his career, it is important not only for the Knicks to sign a reliable back-up center, but someone that could slide into the starting line-up without losing much in terms of production. In 59 games last season, Camby averaged 4.9 points and 9.0 rebounds, splitting time between the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets.

This would be a second tour of duty in New York for Camby, so you know he can handle the market and atmosphere. He was a huge part of the surprise strike-shortened Eastern Conference Championship team after he was brought in from the Toronto Raptors.

Camby would do everything the Knicks desperately need from their back-up big. They don’t need someone who has to command the ball on offense. Instead, they need someone who can guard any other team’s big with success and ahs the ability to be a force on the offensive and defensive boards. Camby has a lot of miles on his legs, but the Knicks will likely only look to him to play somewhere in the range of 20 minutes a night, depending on Chandler’s health and foul trouble.

With the additions of Jason Kidd and, potentially, Marcus Camby, the Knicks bench becomes much deeper than in years past. Add in the likely re-signings of J.R. Smith and Steve Novak, plus the eventual return of Iman Shumpert, and the Knicks will be able to run 9-10 deep with ease.

Camby and Kidd aren’t the young names that will excite fans and put more people into the Garden. But, they’re exactly what the Knicks need.

And that, above everything else, is most important for the Knicks this off-season.

Apr 22, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Randy Foye (4) shoots over Atlanta Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich (6) during the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

The sign-and-trade – which would likely involve a combination Dan Gadzuric, and perhaps Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan, or Toney Douglas – would be huge for the Knicks. Not only would it not cost them much in terms of valuable, pivotal players, but the ability to keep the mini-MLE would be a huge advantage in trying to attract another free agent. But who?

It’s been said the Knicks will undoubtedly match the Houston Rockets’ offer to Jeremy Lin, and they plan to re-sign Steve Novak and J.R. Smith (though it’s been quiet on those fronts), but there are several positional holes left on the roster.

On one hand, if the sign-and-trade for Kidd goes through, the Knicks may be bare upfront. Harrellson and Jordan are supposed to be on the Knicks’ Summer League roster, and could play minutes off the bench if they appear ready. However, without them, the Knicks’ really would only have Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire as rotation bigs. Jared Jeffries could be re-signed (and has expressed interest), but there hasn’t been any evidence that the Knicks are working towards that.

Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports claims the Knicks and Miami Heat are currently front-runners to land Marcus Camby. The Heat could offer Camby a role as starting center, but they currently have their eyes mainly set on Ray Allen. While Camby wouldn’t start for the Knicks, he and Tyson Chandler would tighten the Knicks’ center rotation and form a formidable defensive duo that would keep the Knicks from falling into any defensive lapses while one of them sits.

Shooting guard is also a weakness of the Knicks’. Iman Shumpert would surely be the starting two-guard, but may not return until December or January while he recovers from a torn ACL. As mentioned, J.R. Smith is still a free agent. Landry Fields is likely Toronto-bound, and while the Knicks recently acquired James White, a wing player from the Euroleague, they may look for a guard in free agency who’s more ready to contribute.

The Knicks have been linked to Randy Foye as a possible addition. Foye can play both guard positions, and would be a good fit next to either Lin or Kidd, off the bench or starting. For his career Foye boasts a career average of 36% from beyond the arc, and the Knicks are well aware of his scoring prowess after he knocked down four three-pointers en route to a 28-point performance when the Los Angeles Clippers visited MSG in April. Likewise, though Foye has never averaged over three assists per game in a season, he’s capable of running an offense when thrust into the position. In the 2010-11 season, he averaged four assists per game as the Clippers’ starting point guard, and his per-36 numbers for his career all hover around five assists per game.

However, this is all assuming the Knicks keep their mini-MLE by trading for Kidd. If they are forced to sign him, the Knicks could try a similar sign-and-trade for Camby with Houston (a team looking to cut costs) or the Clippers for Foye. If they look to add pieces through the veteran’s minimum, perhaps former-Knick Ronny Turiaf could be an option upfront. A number of cheap options could be had at the shooting guard position.

The details of Jason Kidd’s deal and Ray Allen’s decision will both be pivotal factors in the Knicks’ free agency crusade.

Lebron led them to the promise land! They had a little help along the way of course: Derrick Rose tore his ACL, Iman Shumpert tore his ACL, Amar’e slashed his hand, Ray Allen was injured, The Spurs choked against The Thunder, and The Thunder choked against them. Who knows what would have happened if none of those convenient mishaps didn’t occur.

If you ask me The Heat were the third best team in the league last season. The Bulls were number 1 when Rose was fully healthy, and The Spurs were number 2. OKC was only fourth due to their lack of experience, which ultimately led to their demise. A little luck is needed once in a while right?

Don’t get me wrong, The Heat are immensely talented. Lebron alone will keep a team in the playoffs probably until he retires, and if you add Wade and Bosh into the mix you get a deep playoff run year after year. They most likely can make the Finals again sometime in the next few years, but it won’t be as easy as this time around. Next year they will have to face the healthy and improved Bulls, Clippers, Thunder, and maybe our own New York Knicks.

The Knicks are set to have a big year if they play their cards right. The arbitrator ruled in favor of players retaining their bird rights after being waived, so Lin and Novak will be returning to the team next season barring a successful appeal by the league. That means that the Knicks can add quality talent if they choose wisely and make a good investment. Newly minted head coach Mike Woodson impressed last season, and he sent home some of the players with missions on how to improve. Amar’e should come back with new low-post moves, Tyson should be more of an offensive weapon, and ‘Melo should be a better passer.

Who knows if any of those things will actually be successful, but if they create a perfect storm this could turn out very well. I don’t want to sound overly optimistic, but the Knicks v.s. Heat episode II may have very different results than the first one.

That does not mean we are better than The Heat, or even at their level. What it means is that we can be competitive against some of the best teams in the league. That’s what so great about the NBA playoffs, anything can happen as long as you stay in the game.

The Heat have their work cut out for them if they want to win another championship. Dwyane Wade is 30 and injury prone. As great as he is, he might not have 3 or 4 more years of excellence in his body. Bosh was not consistently efficient this season, and if he cannot reproduce his playoff success regularly he doesn’t make a huge impact. They have a decent supporting cast, but Chalmers is due for a contract upgrade sooner or later, Battier is not getting younger, and the rest of the lebron-ettes can be easily replaced and exchanged.

The Knicks may not be the only thing stopping The Heat, but if one thing is for sure, it is that The Heat need a lot of help from the NBA gods if they plan on winning not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7 championships.

Jun 21 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) dribbles into the near court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter of game five in the 2012 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

“It’s about Damn Time” were the words that came out of LeBron’s mouth Thursday night after winning his first NBA championship. In the past two years, LeBron has gone under the most scrutiny by media and sports fans probably in the history of the NBA.

Since the infamous broadcast “The Decision” and the outrageous Big 3 Party where he displayed his cockiness of how many rings the Miami Heat would win (not 1,not 2, not 3…) all types of hate toward LeBron have been present.  Ranging from the burning of his Cavalier’s jersey to the thousands upon thousands of jokes of LeBron not having a title yet, Lebron was the face of “I hate…”

The pressure to excel under the great magnitude of criticism from the entire world without question affected his gameplay in the last year’s playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks.  In the 2-4 series loss, LeBron went for 17.8 points a game (including an 8 point game), 60% FT, 8.7 Points in paint, and 7.2 rebounds.  He often disappeared in the fourth quarter in the corner, not wanting to be part of the game at all.

When this year’s playoffs came around, nothing with the media changed – he was still the most hated figure in sports. Even when LeBron would put up huge numbers such as 30 + games with 8 rebounds and 7 assists, he would be blamed for the loss.  Not only did he have a ridiculous playoffs averaging 30.3 points 9.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists, LeBron tried to improve his image off the court. He apologized for “The Decision” saying it was wrong to carry out his decision in this fashion.  Before game 5 of the finals, he even admitted that the way he acted last year was “very immature” as he tried to “prove people wrong.”  No more was the fake crying he did with Wade on the golf cart trying to imitate Dirk Nowitzki’s flu. No more was that chip on his shoulder that he needed to prove something. Instead of paying attention to all the media, he “just went back to the basics,” as he said after he winning the championship.  “I never had to prove anything to anyone.”  “I played with a lot of hate, and that’s not the way I play the game of basketball.  I play with love, and a lot of passion, and that’s what I got back to this year.”

And that’s exactly what LeBron did.  In the 4-1 series win he went for 28.6 points, 83% free throw, 17.5 points in paint and 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists.  The stat that stands out the most is the points in the paint compared to last year.  Instead of jacking up threes, he used his superhuman physique and smart play to drive to the basket and completely dominate, carving up every defender.

Jun 21, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James celebrates with the MVP trophy after winning the 2012 NBA championship at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 121-106. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

His demeanor was completely different from last year finals in that he was never complaining with calls like he usually does where he takes out his mouth guard and furiously walks away to avoid the refs, and after scoring he kept his head up and went straight back to defense.  But most of all you saw his leadership.  You saw Thursday night when Mario Chalmers was about to complain about a call, and he just calmed him down, telling him it’s not worth it.  He did not disappear in the 4^th quarter like he did last year and stepped up and made huge shots such as in game 3 when he knocked that ridiculous bank shot from the left side, or in game 4 when he was suffering with a bad cramp and knocked down that 3 right in front of Thabo Sefolosha’s face.

Many people view his Championship as redemption to all the critics. But that’s not what he wants or what die-hard basketball fans want. They want this to be a step to move on from all the silly comics and stat comparisons, and that media jargon. They want the NBA media to return to the actual game of basketball and focus on his style of play, and just how damn good he is.  That what I get most out of when he said “it’s about damn time.” Not only is it time that he is a Champion but also it’s about time we can finally move on and appreciate LeBron James work ethic, energy, domination, and skills as a team player.  Sports Memes for a while has had some very amusing pictures of LeBron on Facebook and they finally come to a close with this one: Click Here. 

The now-famous words LeBron James used when asked how it feels to finally be the champion. Words commonly used when someone isn’t so much excited about winning or achieving something extraordinary, but when the pressure is finally off your shoulders and the overwhelming feeling of relief washes over.

The only moment I can compare LeBron’s words to is the moment when the game was no longer in doubt in 1994 when the San Francisco 49ers were well on the way to crushing the San Diego Chargers, and teammates jokingly ripped the proverbial monkey off of Steve Young’s back. But, even then, Young seemed overly jovial and excited. LeBron, in contrast, was relieved.

All of last year, after “The Decision” and the backlash it generated, James seemed confused and baffled that people hated him. He went from generally loved and adored by an entire country to despised in the matter of a half-hour ESPN special. In the 24-hour news cycle and the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately environment we live in, it doesn’t take long to become hated. LeBron found out the hard way, and he didn’t know how to react.

Look, he had to go through the School of Hard Knocks. Even when James wasn’t winning and seizing the big moments on the court, he was still filling up the stat sheet like few before him. However, he needed the adversity in order to truly become great.

Its corny and cliche, but everything happens for a reason, and sports are no different. Does James eventually win a ring if he didn’t go through the 2010-11 hate cycle and fail in the Finals to the Dallas Mavericks? Maybe, maybe not.

Has LeBron avenged himself? That’s up for him to decide. Will the country like him any more today than they did yesterday? Not until he brings home another gold medal in London.

Does it all matter to LeBron? Not anymore. And that’s why the world should be fearful of what he can accomplish. He isn’t doing it for us anymore.

He’s doing it in spite of us.

Jun 21, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James celebrates with the MVP trophy after winning the 2012 NBA championship at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 121-106. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

For some, not even a ring can repair that image of the nine-year veteran. In fact, it is quite possible that LeBron winning that first ring could make him even more hated than he was before.

I didn’t think that was possible, but James winning a title will result in some very irate NBA fans.

While some people are diehard NBA fans, some people watch the game just to root against LeBron. Seeing him celebrate with the Larry O’Brien Trophy will send some fans over the edge.

The guy can’t win for losing. People wanted him to win a title, and now that he has, he will be hated even more for doing so.

The funny part is that if you would ask all the people who have a passionate hate for LeBron, I bet half of them completely forgot or have no idea why they actually hate him.

Do they hate him because he left Cleveland? Because of how ridiculous The Decision was? Because he had to join other superstars to win a title? Or is it something complete different like the idiotic and cocky way he predicted multiple championships?

It could be because of the fact that he, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have painted themselves as victims the past two years, but I don’t know for sure because I lost count a long time ago of the many reasons that people hate James.

While I don’t agree with it, these same people have had fun criticizing James for his failures even though he’s been the best player in the game. I don’t agree with it but I understand why people hate him.

Maybe it was him saying: (via RealGM.com after 2011 Finals)

At the end of the day, all of the people that were rooting for me to fail, tomorrow they’ll have to wake up and have the same life that [they had] before they woke up today. They got the same personal problems they had today and I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things I want to do.

No, the hate will only increase from here, especially where people are reminded that even though it has been nine years, LBJ would have won his first ring quicker than Michael Jordan did. And once you’re someone’s target for hate, usually you will always be. A championship isn’t going to change that.

It’s only been two years since LeBron started to become the villain. Even though he’s said and done all the right things this season it’s still too fresh in people’s mind, and they unfortunately won’t let it go.

I can hear the complaints already.

“He’s only won one ring.”

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Jun 21, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) celebrates winning the 2012 NBA championship at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 121-106. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the rest of the NBA had no answer for LBJ during this entire postseason, and the excellence that NBA fans saw from King James was something we haven’t seen since the days when Michael Jordan was busy three-peating in Chicago.

The likes of Dirk Nowitzki, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant have put together dominant Finals performances since 1998 when Jordan won the last of his six championships, but no one since then has put together the dominant playoff run that LeBron just did to capture his first title.

Just look at what LBJ accomplished the entire postseason.

He not only got to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy for the first time but did so by averaging 30.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.9 steals, all while shooting 50 percent from the floor.

In addition, he closed out the Thunder with a 26 point, 13 assist, 11 rebound triple-double.

Dominance is the appropriate word, and we haven’t seen that type of play since Jordan.

MJ averaged over 30.7 points per game in 12 of his 13 postseason appearances. The game was much different then, but during his title years he was unstoppable.

You knew Jordan would get the ball and there was nothing you could do about it. That’s the quality James had this year.

Kobe had a couple of nice playoff runs in 2001, when he averaged 29.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists, and in 2009, when he averaged 30.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists resulting a pair of championships.

But even with the heroics of Bryant, the run LeBron just had was better, considering the pressure he was under.

James has a long way to go before he equals the likes of MJ, or even Kobe, when it comes to postseason success, but for one small stretch for the Miami Heat, what LeBron just accomplished was something that was definitely reminiscent of the days of Jordan.

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The most scrutinized athlete in the last five years, the punch line of all jokes, and the center of all NBA debates can finally be called champion. But did he capture back the respect of the fans and the general public?

LeBron busted onto to the basketball world when he was a 16-year-old man-child from Akron, Ohio. Two years later he would be drafted by his hometown neighbor Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland can be considered a death valley of sports, not winning a championship in any sport in 46 years.

You all know the story, after seven years in Cleveland where he lead the lowly Cavs to a Conference Finals and a Finals appearance, he bolted for the Miami Heat when he had the chance to join buddies Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The new Big Three would be hated and ridiculed off the bat. With LeBron holding the infamous “Decision” on live television, the whole world got to see him leave his team for what then was Wade’s team. He could have done like every other free agent signing in the history of sports and announce through his agent or a press release, but no, the whole world had to stop and hold their breath to watch him announce where he will be playing basketball.

I know people crucify him for leaving Cleveland, but that is their opinion. Do I blame him for leaving them? No, not at all. Players leave the teams that draft them in quest to win championships all the time. The only difference is that they usually aren’t the best player in the world and impact their sport every single second.

To put it in perspective, Albert Pujols was the best baseball player on the planet and left his hometown team the year AFTER he won another championship for them. He did not got an ounce of criticism compared to what LeBron received. LeBron just demands that magnitude of attention.

But why does he demand that attention? Why does the whole world pick apart his every move like a hungry vulture that just saw dinner laying on the road? You want to

Jun 21, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) celebrates winning the 2012 NBA championship at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 121-106. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-US PRESSWIRE

know why? Because LeBron made it that way.

He was an 18-year-old kid coming out of high school and was nicknamed “The King.” I mean that is awesome getting that kind of hype at such a young age, but that is where it all started. He should have said that’s great, but I’m no king yet, I haven’t proved anything. They never called Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson or any other of the greats “King,” but here comes an 18-year old who gets a cover on Sports Illustrated before he ever steps on an NBA court.

Fast forward seven years later, still ringless and putting the team on his back for all these years, LeBron can play wherever he wants. New York, Chicago, and LA all called, but he went to Miami. The night after he signs with now who overnight turned into the most hated team in the NBA, he is throwing a party. A huge celebration of uh…. wait…. signing a multi-million dollar contract!

They had fireworks as the confetti came from the sky with the banner around the stadium saying, “Yes, We did it!” You got him and Wade saying they were the best trio in BASKETBALL HISTORY and saying they were going to win not 1, not 2, not 3, not 7

Just the cockiness and ignorance in that showing alone made me loet respect for LeBron.

Fast-forward a year when he loses to the Dallas Mavericks in his second NBA Finals appearance, again showed the true colors of Lebron James. When Dirk was sick and playing like an absolute warrior, LeBron had the ignorance to make fun of him being sick. Good one King, that one worked out well right? Dirk was laughing too when he won a ring on your home court then partied in your own city.

Oh, did everyone forget also when he lost and said: “All the people who are rooting for me to fail, at the end of the day, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today, they got the same personal problems they had, today. You know, and I’m gonna continue to live the way I want to live, and continue to do the things I wannna do with me and my family …they gotta get back to the real world at some point.”

That just reeks of cockiness and basically telling everyone go back to your $15 a day job while I count my money in Miami. But he is so humble now that he won a championship. He is now one of the greatest players ever. He is now the poster of the NBA.

Everyone lives in the NOW. No one remembers what anyone says in the past. People need to sit down and relax before crowning him the best player ever; he still needs to be respected.

Jun 19, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) gives a thumbs up as he checks back into the game after an injury during the fourth quarter in game four in the 2012 NBA Finals against the at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

All joking aside, is the world ready for LeBron to win a title?

For James, it will be his first title in a journey that has taken “The King” nine seasons.

However, he’s not only one win away from a ring. He’s dominated and proven that he’s a clutch player.

What are NBA fans to do now? Who will NBA fans have to criticize or direct their anger towards next season?

It can’t be LeBron.

He’s one win away from silencing his critics and proving the doubters wrong. LBJ has been everyone’s whipping boy for so long—it will have to stop after the next Miami Heat victory.

But I don’t think the world is ready to give King James his due.

Without James to target, basketball may not be the same for the casual NBA fan ever again.

As the casual knows it, basketball will change forever.

So what happens next? Does the anger and criticism shift to a superstar that hasn’t won a title?

Who becomes the next whipping boy for NBA fans?

Carmelo Anthony is a possibility, but the smart money is on Dwight Howard.

The way Howard handled his trade demands in Orlando for the last year has angered the majority of the fans around the league, and his popularity has taken a major hit, similar to the way in which James’ did when he left Cleveland.

No one knows what will happen when LeBron gets his ring.

What’s certain is that NBA fans will lose their whipping boy, and the world isn’t ready for that.

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As they took gratitude in seeing the Thunder rally to  beat the Heat in Game 1, don’t be surprised if they have their notepads and pencils out taking notes on  what make  these title contenders tick. With that in mind, here are five things the New York Knicks can learn from the Heat and the Thunder to be title contenders next season.  

Lesson 1: Showing Mental Toughness Against Adversity

Jun 12, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after scoring against the Miami Heat during the third quarter of game one in the 2012 NBA Finals at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Not letting someone break you. Being able to comeback from any obstacle or challenge no matter the odds. This is mental toughness in its purest form. And thus far in the playoffs both the Thunder and the Heat have shown great doses of this special ingredient.

In their second round against the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat lost Chris Bosh to an abdominal strain in Game 1. This proved to be huge loss because now the Heat were in desperate need of size and scoring. The Pacers took advantage of this and jumped to a 2-1 lead. Now down 2-1 and the Pacers with all the momentum in the world, the Heat responded by having their two stars, Dwyane Wade and Lebron James go on a scoring binge of epic proportions. Behind them the Heat were able to overcome losing Bosh to win three straight against the Pacers and close them out on their own floor.

While the Thunder have shown great mental toughness in every round. How many times have we seen the Thunder get out to slow start and come back to win it the second half? lt’s honestly starting to be the norm for this young and hungry Thunder team because they make the most of their regrouping opportunities. At halftime Scott Brooks beats in the X’s and O’s of how they can get back into the game and the Thunder go out and execute. They know that if they stay to their gameplan their unbreakable–the epitome of mental toughness– and by that point  no lead is safe.

The Knicks should take note of this mentality. It’s something that all title winners have because they know the war that is the NBA title run. They know that if it easy everyone would be doing it. And that is why the Knicks need to implement this theme in the locker room more by They need to holding  everyone accountable and playing like every possession is their last.

Lesson 2: Let Your Defense be Your Offense

Although  both the Heat and Thunder are great offensive teams–averaging over a 100 points during the regular season–they let their defense set up their offense.

They use defensive stops to fuel their offense. Steals and deflections become easy transition buckets for these teams and the Knicks should do the same because at the end of the day, defense wins championships.

Quite frankly, the  Knicks are halfway there on this lesson because their second unit. Between Iman Shumpert, Jr. Smith, and Steve Novak they provide positive energy for this Knicks team. But I would like to see more of this from the  Knicks’ starting lineup. If the Knicks’ starting lineup can match this spark their second unit provides they will see successful results. And if their offense suffers, who cares. Because you can always coast on offense  but if you let up on defense you’re done.

Lesson 3: Have  Game-Changing X-Factors

Mar. 16, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16), guard Iman Shumpert (21), shooting guard J.R. Smith (8), guard Landry Fields (2), and forward Josh Harrellson (55) stand on the court during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 115-100. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Between the Heat and Thunder they have a plethora of players that can come in and change the complexion of a game and series.

For the Thunder it’s the  defensive specialists Thabo Sefolosha, Kendrick Perkins, and Serge Ibaka. They use their hustle, energy, and grit to propel their  team.  Don’t believe  me?  Lets look back at what these guys did to the San Antonio Spurs–arguably the best team in the past decade.

When Sefolosha started guarding Tony Parker he was able to slow down Parker’s penetration and narrow his passing lanes because of his length and size. While Ibaka with his large frame and great lateral quickness did an exceptional job guarding Manu Ginobili off of pick and rolls. And Perkins did all the little things that don’t show up on a box score: set sturdy screens, alter shots, and intimidate the mess out of players.

As for  the Heat,  floor spacing is key for them and it starts and ends with Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller, and Shane Battier taking and making perimeter shots. If the three’s are falling for the Heat they become incredibly hard to cover. While the floor is stretched, Wade and Lebron are able to wreak havoc by ducking their heads and driving to the basketball where they’re adept finishers. Along with this if Udonis Haslem is ferocious rebounder and hitting his mid-range jumper the Heat become very versatile in how they can make you pay for helping on Lebron and Wade drives.

The Knicks X-factors are Smith,  Shumpert, and Novak–no surprise there. They are all game-changers with their activity and shooting. But the Knicks need others to step up provide sparks because Shumpert has proven to be injury prone in his rookie season, Smith can be a big headache, and Novak despite his positive locker presence and automatic shooting is a liability on defense.

Lesson 4: Make The Extra Pass

Ball movement is a basic fundamental of basketball but it’s one that has tremendous impact on today’s game.  With so many teams implementing  traps and helping on defense, making the extra pass will find the open teammate for a high percentage shot. Not only is this efficient basket it also “team” basketball. The Heat and Thunder are great passing teams and are both willing to move the ball to get a quality shot.

I’m not saying the Knicks don’t have this but it’s something that they should practice daily because that’s what all the best teams do: practice fundamentals religiously.  If you watched the NBA’s Final Four you saw spectacular ball movement win games and poor ball movement lose games.

Lesson 5: Learn From Your Mistakes

May 22, 2011; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) posts up against Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng (left) in the first quarter during game three of the 2011 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Plain and simple.

Both teams have gotten to the Finals by learning from their past mistakes.

The Thunder lost to both the Lakers and Mavericks in past playoffs but this year they beat both in a sweeping fashion in the first two rounds of the playoffs. That is because they owned up to their weaknesses and made them strengths. Kevin Durant learned from Dirk Nowitzki on how to close games and now he’s out dueling the best of closers thus far in the playoffs. So much that he has left both Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant in awe by his potential. With the former saying that, “he’s way ahead of my curve” and the latter commenting on his potential, “a 6-11 me.”

Last year, critics ripped into Lebron about needing improve his post game, so he enlisted the help of arguably the best post player to play the game: Hakeem Olajuwon. Because of it Lebron is scoring more efficiently.  According to Olajuwon, Lebron’s historic 45 point effort in Game 6 against the Celtics showed what he learned, “The way they were executed it was a joy to watch because I know that we worked on that, and to see him using it at a most crucial time. He is in a comfort zone, and he is doing it how he is supposed to do it.”

Both Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire  could do what Lebron and Durant has done here. While I’ll say that Anthony is  arguably the best one-on-one scorer in the league but you’re never too good to expand your game.  Anthony could start by improving motivation for defense which is lacking more often than not. As for Stoudemire he could do like Lebron and expand his post game so he can assimilate better  into the half court offense the Knicks will most likely be running next season.

This year’s NBA Conference finals have been entertaining and fun to watch. In the west you had the young, draft-built team in the Thunder, fueled by superstar Kevin Durant, going against the veteran, championship proven Spurs.

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (left) with small forward Carmelo Anthony (right) after Stoudemire fouls out of the game during the second half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Miami Heat of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

In the East you have the hated, heavy favorite Miami Heat going against the hard-working future Hall-of-Famer’s in the Boston Celtics.

All these teams have big superstar names leading their teams: Durant, Russell Westbrook, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo.

The Knicks also have some stars of their own in Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Amar’e Stoudemire. We all know them and the rest of the Knicks team couldn’t beat Miami in the first round, losing in five games. But could the Knicks have beaten this current Miami team who has not played with Bosh, failed to deliver in the clutch, and are playing different than their two previous playoff series? Let’s take a look.

I think the current Heat struggles are being very overshadowed by how well the Celtics are playing. Their chemistry and smoothness in offensive sets takes years to execute. Having a fantastic floor general in Rondo who puts the ball right where only you can get it doesn’t hurt either. Also having hungry veterans in the ‘Big Three’, who everyone counted out from the beginning of the season by saying they were too old, throws gasoline on their fire.

The Heat are still the Heat though. LeBron James is the best regular season player and Dwyane Wade is a former Finals MVP. These two ran circles aroun the Knicks and I don’t think the outcome would have been much different if it was Knicks vs. Heat in the Conference Finals. Obviously a lot of momentum and confidence would have swung New York’s way, but after seeing four losses that weren’t close games, especially in Miami, I don’t see the Knicks coming close in a series vs. the Heat.

A Knicks vs. Celtics series would be much more interesting. On paper, the Knicks can match up with the C’s. Carmelo vs. Pierce would be fun to watch with both players having the same style of scoring. A healthy Shumpert vs. Rondo would be awesome TV. I think one of the reasons Iman was drafted was for this exact reason, to put on ball pressure on Rondo. Tyson on Garnett would be a phenomenal matchup; both big men who take pride in their defense are two tough dudes and leaders.

I still think the Knicks would just fall short against the Celtics just like they would against this Heat team. The Celtics have IT. I can’t explain on paper what IT is, but if you watch them play you know what I’m talking about.

They get it. They know where each other are going to be five steps before they move. They aren’t afraid to get on each other when times get tough. They have a top tier coach in Doc Rivers. A solid bench. Four leaders on the court. And above all, they have the hunger and motivation to win. The chip on their shoulder is enough to beat the Knicks, who I feel like would play to not too lose, and the Celtics would play to win.

The New York Knicks have a way to go if they want to compete in the East. Just put on game tape of the Celtics, Spurs, or Thunder. They have IT. The Knicks are looking for it.