Pistons Move to #1 in Power Rankings

12 February 2008 278 views One Comment

The Detroit Pistons are the best team in the NBA … at least according to NBA.com’s latest Power Rankings.The Pistons’ eight-game winning streak was apparently enough to pass the Celtics, who are now No. 2 on the list. The Jazz, Hornets and Suns round out the top 5.

Detroit has the third-rated offense and defense according to the site’s ratings, which evaluates points-per-100-possessions.

The number in parentheses indicates the teams’ spot in the previous week’s rankings:

1	Detroit (2)	37-13	Off: 113.0 (3), Def: 103.8 (3) — The Pistons have quietly won eight straight, sharp on both ends of the court. If they take care of business in Atlanta and against the Pacers, they should be going into the break as the best team in basketball, and the only one with three All-Stars.
2	Boston (1)	39-9	Off: 111.3 (10), Def: 99.5 (1) — With Sunday’s win over the Spurs, the Celtics are now 16-0 against the West. They’ve got a five-game trip with stops in Denver, Golden State, Phoenix and Portland right after the break.
3	Utah (7)	33-19	Off: 113.2 (2), Def: 107.0 (11) — The Kings ended Utah’s 10-game winning streak on Friday, but the Jazz kept their 12-game streak at home alive with Saturday’s win over the Bulls. At 22-3 at EnergySolutions Arena, the Jazz are tied with Dallas for the best home record in the league.
4	New Orleans (3)	34-15	Off: 111.9 (8), Def: 105.7 (6) — Wednesday’s double-OT win over the Suns was an absolute classic and the Hornets’ 13th straight win in overtime (an NBA record). Fascinating stat though: The Hornets are last in the league in free throw attempts per possession (0.22). One would think that a team that doesn’t get to the line often would struggle in close games.
5	Phoenix (4)	36-15	Off: 114.2 (1), Def: 108.2 (15) — Shaq is practicing and could play Wednesday or Thursday. And it’s a small sample size, but in the four games the Suns have played without Shawn Marion this season, their defensive rating is 113.7. That’s pretty bad.