Lakers Big Week Impacts Power Rankings
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An interesting week. Start things off with a big win over the Cavaliers. Follow it up by Bynum scoring a career high 42 points against the Clippers. Step it up by winning another game the next night against the Wizards. Blowing out the Spurs on Sunday really puts a nice statement on the season for now as the Western Conference race seems to pretty much be over.
The Celtics have found their groove again as they’ve won 8 straight games, dominantly at that. The Magic have lost a bit of their momentum but continue to challenge their opponents on a nightly basis. Cleveland is also not to be taken lightly, even after losing to the Lakers, they continue to play strong with an incomplete lineup. This season is about half way over and it’s fun to just think of where this is headed.
Either way, here are the rankings:
2008-09 Power Rankings: Week 13 RANK (LAST WK) TEAM REC. COMMENT 
1 (4) Celtics 37-9 It’s not just the way they smoked Phoenix, smothered Orlando and then disassembled Dallas in a span of seven days. The champs are back up here for how firmly they’ve hit back at this season’s first dose of adversity. 
2 (3) Lakers 35-8 So do you think the Lakers — fresh off toasting the Spurs and fully healthy for the first time in weeks — are secretly freaked because they’ve played more home games and fewer roadies than anyone else? Us, neither. 
3 (2) Cavaliers 34-8 As clutch as they’ve looked on the road since MLK Day — with wins at Portland, Golden State and Utah — those who believe these Cavs have the depth to survive the Delonte and Big Z injuries appear to have a case. 
4 (1) Magic 33-10 There is a small downside to starting out 33-8, sweeping the Spurs and Lakers, winning 17 of your first 22 road games and going 18-4 against the West. All that magic is a lot to live up to in the next 41 games. 
5 (5) Spurs 29-14 How stunning was that loss at Staples? Stunning for only one reason: Minnesota — yes, that ‘Sota — has the league’s best record in 2009 at 9-2, with the Lakers moving into second at 10-3 and the Spurs now 9-3. TEAM (LAST WEEK) REC. BREAKDOWN 1 
Boston (3)37-9 Pace: 89.4 (17), Off: 112.2 (4), Def: 101.2 (1)
If the victories over the Raptors and Nets didn’t convince you that the Celtics have recovered from their mid-season slump, maybe the four wins this week did the trick. I’m just trying to figure out how they combined for 31 threes on Wednesday and Sunday, but didn’t hit one on Thursday. And if you’re a non-partisan observer, is there anything more fun to watch than Eddie House get hot?2 
L.A. Lakers (5)35-8 Pace: 93.1 (5), Off: 115.5 (1), Def: 106.1 (4)
Jordan Farmar’s (productive) return was a pleasant surprise on what turned out to be a pretty good Sunday for the Lakers. The win over the Spurs was Andrew Bynum’s third straight double-double, a run that began with 42 and 15 against the Clippers on Wednesday. The 42 points was 14 more than Bynum’s previous career high.3 
Cleveland (2)34-8 Pace: 88.2 (25), Off: 114.1 (2), Def: 102.0 (2)
The Cavs lost to the Lakers, but went 3-1 on their West Coast trip, picking up good wins in Portland and Utah. And they’re back atop the Eastern Conference standings, despite their various injuries. Another road test presents itself this week when they visit Orlando on Thursday.4 
Orlando (1)33-10 Pace: 90.9 (11), Off: 111.5 (8), Def: 103.0 (3)
The Magic’s reign at the top of the Power Rankings did not last long, and they’ve lost consecutive games for the first time since the first two games of the season. Their defense didn’t hold up against the Celtics and the Heat, and Jameer Nelson shot 10-for-27 in the two games.5 
San Antonio (4)29-14 Pace: 86.8 (26), Off: 109.7 (13), Def: 106.4 (6)
The Spurs escaped with wins over the Bobcats and Nets this week before falling to the Lakers on Sunday. Defensive consistency is an issue that they’ll need to deal with as they face the Jazz, Suns and Hornets before embarking on the rodeo trip. They’ve got a 109.2 rating over the last eight games.RankTeam Prev.Comment 
1
Los Angeles Lakers (35-8) 3Lakers bounce back with 4-0 week; Bynum averages 23.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.3 blocks. 2
Cleveland Cavaliers (34-8) 1Cavs allowing 6.7 fewer points per game (96.7 to 90.0) and holding opponents to .033 lower FG% over last year, best improvements in NBA. 3
Boston Celtics (37-9) 4Celtics have now won eight in a row. 4
Orlando Magic (33-10) 2Dwight Howard first player in NBA All-Star history to surpass 3 million votes. 5
San Antonio Spurs (29-14) 5Even talented Spurs no match for full-strength Lakers in L.A. 1 
Last Week: 4Los Angeles Lakers (35-8)Their NBA-low total of 17 road games is about to increase in a hurry. After Tuesday’s game against Charlotte in Los Angeles, the Lakers play their next six games on the road. That trip ends with visits to Boston and Cleveland.
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Last Week: 2Cleveland Cavaliers (34-8)All the big shots LeBron James has made in his career, it’s amazing that his jumper to knock off Golden State was his first buzzer-beater. That helped the Cavs to a 3-1 West Coast trip, with the only loss to the Lakers. Meanwhile, the Cavs can scratch Michael Redd (season-ending knee injury) off the list of potential acquisitions; the Bucks’ sharpshooter was believed to be on Cleveland’s radar leading up to the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
3 
Last Week: 3Boston Celtics (37-9)Coach Doc Rivers acknowledged Sunday what many already believed: Rajon Rondo is the key to the Celtics’ success. In Boston’s victories, Rondo is averaging 11.9 points (on 54.6 percent shooting), 8.2 assists and 2.5 turnovers. In its losses, his numbers dip to 7.0 points (on 32.4 percent shooting), 7.3 assists and 3.1 turnovers. Said Paul Pierce: “When he’s on, we’re unbeatable.”
4 
Last Week: 1Orlando Magic (33-10)Say this for the Magic: They take losses well. Standing in front of his locker after a loss to Boston last Thursday, Dwight Howard burst into song about Jameer Nelson. “Jameer, I love it when you take those threes,” Howard crooned. “They make me so happy.” The Magic have another chance at an Eastern power when Cleveland comes to town Thursday.
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Last Week: 5San Antonio Spurs (29-14)Who would have thought midway through the season that Phoenix would be holding opponents to a lower shooting percentage than San Antonio? The Spurs are an un-Spurs-like 16th in field-goal defense (45.5 percent). “We’re not going to outscore anybody,” Popovich said. “We have to outdefend people.”
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February 4th, 2009 at 9:11 am
cool