Power Rankings: Week 21

I’m back, The Ref is back baby, and it feels so good. I apologize for leaving you all and being away in foreign countries soiling my royal oats. The Basher attempted to fill the void, but those shoes were too big. A valiant try, but leave it to the experienced one. The NBA is getting into the final two and a half weeks and I cannot say enough about the teams that are getting hot when needed: Milwaukee, Portland, Atlanta, and Orlando. They are showing true grit and toughness when the pressure is mounting. I can’t say this for other teams like Toronto, Dallas, and Oklahoma City. These teams will make the playoffs but need to gain some momentum to propel themselves into a successful post season, specifically Dallas.

Alright, let’s see how the teams are ranking up through The Ref’s eyes:

Biggest Gain: New York (+8)
Biggest Loss: Washington (-5)

1.LA Lakers (52-18) The Lakers are showing they can handle this tough finale on the road with a six game win streak. We all did get carried away with the Dallas challenge, but hey, that’s our job.
2.Cleveland (56-15) Cleveland rests LeBron, and keep winning. The Cavs are setting up for their championship run, but may I ask you, doesn’t this look like the same team that went into the playoffs last year?
3.Orlando (49-21) I wonder if the Magic are peaking at the right time. They are definitively building momentum, but like the game of basketball itself, they are hot and dry runs. How hot can they stay heading into the postseason.
4.Dallas (46-23) What makes Dallas so deadly is their ability to win on the road. The Mavs are the third best in the league behind Boston and Cleveland in that category. However, Dirk the Jirk needs to play like he did in the first two months of the season.
5.Denver (47-23) The Nuggets need to show me something, or better yet, themselves. They are a .500 record away from home and have Boston, Toronto, Lakers, and Dallas coming in the week.
6.Phoenix (44-26) I apologize Amare, I didn’t think you had it in you, but you are playing with strength, power, stability, and most of all, purpose. Your play has put this team into a solid position to advance. What a great series that would be: Nash vs. D. Williams.
7.Utah (45-25) While Deron Williams chills in the crowd after a hustle steal and break away lay up, the Jazz are firing and I can’t believe this, have a great chance to get John Wall or Evan Turner in the process.
8.Boston (45-24) I don’t know what to write about this team anymore: They lose to New Jersey at home and then beat Dallas away. Which team is going to show in the playoffs: The 2008 champions or the let’s flip a coin and see what happens.
9.Oklahoma City (42-26) Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook better take it easy. They burned themselves out of late and their play has suffered. If you need any clues check out their last few performances.
10.Atlanta (45-24) Honestly, Atlanta wants to be the 4th seed. They give the Bucks a plethora of problems and would rather see Cleveland than Orlando in the second round. They are also safe at the 4th spot.
11.Milwaukee (38-30) The Hottest team of basketball is continually proving that this is no fluke. Bogut is healthy, but let’s give some of the unsung heroes some DAP: Carlos Delfino, Luke Ridnour, and Ersan Ilyasova has helped this team add great scoring depth.
12.Portland (42-29) It’s amazing how good this team is when B-Roy is healthy. Winners of 8 out of their last 10 and picking up speed on San Antonio and Oklahoma City. They can still make some noise. They’re deeper than you think.
13.San Antonio (41-27) Manu, Manu, Manu. I thought the man was done, washed up; didn’t think he could get to the hole like he used to, but like the Spurs, he likes to conceal his true talent.
14.Memphis (37-33) The Grizzlies play has improved and are looking like the team that went on a 8 game winning streak at the mid way point, but it’s enough to make it too the playoffs. Solid season though for the young club.
15.Houston (36-32) Houston has bounced back from their recent losing debacles with claiming 7 out of their last 10. And here we thought Kevin Martin was a black hole.
16.Charlotte (35-34) Nice win against the Thunder the other night without Gerald Wallace. Proving to a lot of people how important Stephen Jackson, Tyrus Thomas, and Coach Larry Brown can be without their fierce less leader in the lineup.
17.Miami (36-34) The Heat have an opportunity to try and catch Milwaukee in the next two weeks: New Jersey, Chicago, Milwaukee, Toronto, Detroit, Indiana, and Minnesota are coming up and have a chance to win all of them. D-Wade, do your thing.
18.Toronto (34-34) The Raptors are really disappointing me. They gave up when Chris Bosh went down with an injury, but now, still can’t find a groove. They were looking so good at one point too.
19.Chicago (32-37) Say all you want about Chicago whether you hate them or not, but there isn’t much a team can do when Deng, Noah, and Rose go down with injury. Also, Vinny Del Negro still collects a paycheck.
20.New Orleans (33-38) With Chris Paul never coming back, the Hornets have dropped off the planet. Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton did what they could, but it was inevitable. Paul is the best point guard in the league and the Hornets desperately needed his leadership.
21.New York (25-45) The Knicks are doing what they can to give the Jazz the worst amount of odds to get either Wall or Turner. Please keep winning.
22.Sacramento (24-46) The Kings are playing without Evans this week. How will the team perform and will this affect Evans ROY award chances?
23.Indiana (24-46) Danny Granger’s 32 point performance against Oklahoma last night was nice, but the way he shut down Kevin Durant was almost shocking.
24.LA Clippers (26-44) The Clippers have lost 9 out of their last 10. Sounds about right.
25.Philadelphia (24-46) G keeps hoping they’ll lose. I do too, but for a completely different reason.
26.Golden State (19-50) Stephen Curry’s play has been electric all second half. Could you imagine if Donnie Boy would have played him from the start?
27.Detroit (23-47) The Pistons have a lot of questions to answer in the next couple of months. Like what are they going to do with all of the wasted money they have on the bench?
28.Washington (21-47) The Wizards had a nice run with the Replacements, but then reality set in. They aren’t winning and have looked atrocious at times.
29.Minnesota (14-56) That posterizing dunk over Robin Lopez was nice. Losing by 38 to the same team Lopez is on, isn’t.
30.New Jersey (7-62) Can New Jersey just win 2 games in a row. I really am bored that they have been here almost all year. Minnesota is on a 12 game losing streak. Take of advantage of something, please.

This is The Ref signaling I’m out until next time and remember: We miss calls, you miss lay ups.