| 09 February 2009
Week 16 Power Rankings
1. Los Angeles Lakers | Record: 41-9 | Previous Rank: 3rd | Last Week: 3-0
Upcoming Schedule: OKC, at UTH
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: The 'Stache is coming to Hollywood! Even if they had lost all of their games this week, the fact that they acquired the 'Stache would have vaulted them to number one. -- Zach Harper
2. Boston Celtics | Record: 42-11 | Previous Rank: 1st | Last Week: 2-2
Upcoming Schedule: at NOH, at DAL
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: The Celtics fell apart against the Spurs down the stretch on Sunday. They lost a winnable game at home against the Lakers and needed last-second heroics to beat the Sixers. Not a terrible week but not good enough to stay #1. -- Brandon Gallawa
3. San Antonio Spurs | Record: 34-15 | Previous Rank: 4th | Last Week: 1-1
Upcoming Schedule: at NJ, at TOR
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: With the current economic climate and the NBA starting to take such a hit financially, I don't expect there to be many trades by next Thursday. However, I fully expect R.C. Buford to find a way to acquire Marcus Camby and Shawn Marion without giving up anything significant in return. It's just what he does. -- Zach Harper
4. Cleveland Cavaliers | Record: 39-10 | Previous Rank: 2nd | Last Week: 2-1
Upcoming Schedule: at IND, PHX
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: LeBron just can't get over on the Lakers this year. They game-plan him perfectly and have him settling for fall-away 20-footers by the middle of the second quarter. Nobody would confuse this Lakers' team for a top-notch defensive club, yet LeBron has been shut down in both games. -- Brandon Gallawa
5. Orlando Magic | Record: 38-12 | Previous Rank: 5th | Last Week: 2-1
Upcoming Schedule: DEN
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: I'd like to thank Jameer Nelson for dislocating his shoulder in order to help my fantasy team. How did he know that I was surviving off of Raymond Felton being my only real point guard all season and that I could use a bunch of assists the rest of the way with Hedo Turkoglu? Thanks, Jam! -- Zach Harper
6. Denver Nuggets | Record: 34-17 | Previous Rank: 6th | Last Week: 3-1
Upcoming Schedule: at MIA, at ORL
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: This may have been the easiest road schedule of the year. They beat the Spurs in Denver, but the Spurs were resting their top guys. They barely won in OKC; they demolished the Wiz, and they were thoroughly embarrassed by the Nets. Their next three are against playoff contenders on the road. They could jump or plummet this week. -- Brandon Gallawa
7. Portland Trailblazers | Record: 31-19 | Previous Rank: 9th | Last Week: 1-2
Upcoming Schedule: OKC, at GS
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: I know the numbers don't necessarily support it but doesn't it seem like every time Travis Outlaw takes a big shot in the final moments of a game, he makes it? I don't think I've seen this guy miss in the final two minutes of a fourth quarter at all this season. -- Zach Harper
8. New Orleans Hornets | Record: 30-19 | Previous Rank: 7th | Last Week: 2-2
Upcoming Schedule: BOS
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: I hear Six Flags' new roller coaster is going to be called the Scott. Dizzying highs, terrifying lows, and creamy middles. Now let's move on from the Hornets before I say something I'll regret and piss off Chris Paul. -- Brandon Gallawa
9. Houston Rockets | Record: 31-21 | Previous Rank: 8th | Last Week: 2-2
Upcoming Schedule: SAC
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: Anytime I want to think of a positive thing with the Rockets, I turn on NBA 2K9 and go nuts with Tracy McGrady. Anytime, Rick Adelman wants to think of a positive thing with the Rockets, he thinks how he's glad he wasn't offered a lifetime coaching contract with this team. -- Zach Harper
10. Utah Jazz | Record: 29-23 | Previous Rank: 10th | Last Week: 2-1
Upcoming Schedule: LAL
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: In the stating the obvious department, Kyle Korver is a good player, but he just can't contribute off the bench like Kirilenko. Also check out Deron Williams' splits for January and February, he's still pretty good -- Brandon Gallawa
11. Dallas Mavericks | Record: 30-20 | Previous Rank: 15th | Last Week: 2-1
Upcoming Schedule: SAC, BOS
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: Jose Juan Barea is still prominently involved with this team. This team is easily one of the top 12 teams in the league right now. So it's clearly not a very deep league this season. -- Zach Harper
12. Phoenix Suns | Record: 28-22 | Previous Rank: 13th | Last Week: 2-2
Upcoming Schedule: at CLE
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: I hope Steve Kerr trades everyone on the roster. It just smacks of a first-time fantasy basketball player who doesn't like his team, so he wants to blow it up for the sake of making moves. -- Brandon Gallawa
13. Atlanta Hawks | Record: 29-21 | Previous Rank: 11th | Last Week: 2-1
Upcoming Schedule: WSH, at DET
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: Acie Law IV is a huge fan of the Basketball Jones. So even if he started a game in which he led his Hawks to a 24-point defeat at the hands of the Clippers, I still hold him in high regard. -- Zach Harper
14. Detroit Pistons | Record: 27-22 | Previous Rank: 14th | Last Week: 2-1
Upcoming Schedule: at CHI, ATL
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: The only way I could be more down on the Pistons this season would be if they traded Rodney Stuckey for my ex-girlfriend and showed family members telling embarrassing stories about me during their telecasts. Yet by default here they are at 14. -- Brandon Gallawa
15. Miami Heat | Record: 27-23 | Previous Rank: 12th | Last Week: 1-2
Upcoming Schedule: DEN, at CHI
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: If I had told you that a team with big men named Jamaal Magloire and Joel Anthony was four games over .500 after 50 games, would you have asked me if I was talking about the NBA or would you have asked me why a recreation league would have a 50-game season? -- Zach Harper
16. Philadelphia 76ers | Record: 26-24 | Previous Rank: 16th | Last Week: 3-1
Upcoming Schedule: MEM
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: The Sixers are Allison Krause and Robert Plant hot right now. They were some Ray Allen heroics away from beating three tough teams last week. They are 16-10 under Tony DiLeo. They will not miss Brand as much as most would believe. -- Brandon Gallawa
17. New Jersey Nets | Record: 24-28 | Previous Rank: 20th | Last Week: 3-1
Upcoming Schedule: SA
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: If you stop Devin Harris then you stop the New Jersey Nets. If you stop Bobby Simmons then you're officially playing at a sixth grade basketball level. -- Zach Harper
18. Chicago Bulls | Record: 22-29 | Previous Rank: 19th | Last Week: 1-2
Upcoming Schedule: DET, MIA
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: Derrick Rose can only carry this roster so far. The Bulls would have gone 0-3 last week if Chris Paul was healthy, and that is in spite of Rose's 18.3, 7.3 and 5 on 52% shooting. The kid needs help. Help that VDN, Luol Deng and the rest of their cast of characters can't give him. -- Brandon Gallawa
19. Milwaukee Bucks | Record: 25-29 | Previous Rank: 17th | Last Week: 1-2
Upcoming Schedule: IND
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: Did everybody know that Joe Wolf is an assistant coach for the Bucks? Is anybody as excited about this outside of the Wolf family as I am? -- Zach Harper
20. New York Knicks | Record: 21-29 | Previous Rank: 18th | Last Week: 0-3
Upcoming Schedule: at GS, at LAC
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: I know that the Knicks have lost 4 in a row, but those four losses came against four top ten teams with transcendent performances by top players on each team. This isn't a good team by any stretch of the imagination, but they're fun and competitive which is more than any coach before D'Antoni got from this roster. -- Brandon Gallawa
21. Charlotte Bobcats | Record: 20-31 | Previous Rank: 23rd | Last Week: 1-2
Upcoming Schedule: WSH
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: Bill Simmons' Ewing Theory is officially on notice with the Bobs after trading away Adam Morrison. By the way, I was drunk when I came up with that sentence. -- Zach Harper
22. Indiana Pacers | Record: 20-32 | Previous Rank: 22nd | Last Week: 1-3
Upcoming Schedule: CLE, at MIL
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: My man-crush on Danny Granger has grown to Brad Pitt-like proportions. I'm going to start talking about him like Bill Simmons talks about Kevin Durant. What is Granger's ceiling, 40 points, 7 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and 4 threes made on 60% from the field, 45% from deep and 95% from the line? -- Brandon Gallawa
23. Minnesota Timberwolves | Record: 17-33 | Previous Rank: 21st | Last Week: 1-3
Upcoming Schedule: TOR
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: From Canis Hoopus, "What I am saying is that sometimes it just feels like this franchise is cursed and that even when they get it right--even when their young players begin to develop and show promise--something goes wrong, and that this, unfortunately, is what leads to the boobery." Yep, that about sums up the last 10 years of the Wolves perfectly. -- Zach Harper
24. Oklahoma City Thunder | Record: 13-38 | Previous Rank: 26th | Last Week: 2-1
Upcoming Schedule: at LAL, at POR
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: The Thunder's wins against Portland and Sacramento are only their third 2-game winning streak this season. They've yet to win three in a row, and I wouldn't bet on them reaching that milestone this week with their next game against the Lakers. -- Brandon Gallawa
25. Golden State Warriors | Record: 17-35 | Previous Rank: 24th | Last Week: 2-1
Upcoming Schedule: NY, POR
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: Monta Ellis since returning from a moped accident (I never get tired of saying that): 12.0 points, 2.4 assists, 2.7 turnovers, 37.4% from the field. It's safe to say that year one of the big, new contract is definitely not a good value. -- Zach Harper
26. Toronto Raptors | Record: 19-34 | Previous Rank: 25th | Last Week: 0-4
Upcoming Schedule: at MIN, SA
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: The Raptors have already started out 0-5 this month. It would appear based on their schedule that they'll get to win number 20 for the season this month but don't expect them to crack 21 until March. -- Brandon Gallawa
27. Memphis Grizzlies | Record: 15-36 | Previous Rank: 27th | Last Week: 3-1
Upcoming Schedule: at PHI
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: I know economic times are tough. I know the Grizzlies are down around the bottom of attendance in the league so not a lot of money is rolling into Michael Heisley's pockets. But there has to be a better alternative than subjecting those paying customers to watching Quinton Ross and Greg Buckner on the court at the same time. -- Zach Harper
28. Washington Wizards | Record: 11-40 | Previous Rank: 28th | Last Week: 1-2
Upcoming Schedule: at ATL, at CHA
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: At least the Wizards have injuries as an excuse for their horrid season. You can't say the same for any of the other Foul 4. -- Brandon Gallawa
29. Los Angeles Clippers | Record: 12-40 | Previous Rank: 30th | Last Week: 2-2
Upcoming Schedule: NY
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: The Clippers are living proof that you don't have to spend money just because you have it. It would have been a nice example to have before I spent all of that money on remodeling my house to look like the set of That's So Raven. -- Zach Harper
30. Sacramento Kings | Record: 11-41 | Previous Rank: 29th | Last Week: 0-2
Upcoming Schedule: at DAL, at HOU
Potentially Inflammatory Comments: The Kings are now statistically and aesthetically the worst team in the league. Some people didn't believe in them, and they had every right not to. Way to go, guys! -- Brandon Gallawa
Every Tuesday during the regular season, Talkhoops.net will update the power rankings based on team production, record, record from the previous week, injuries to the team, and overall talent on the team. If your team has dropped siginificantly from week to week then you probably are rooting for a pretty bad team. If your team is shooting up the power rankings towards the top spot, then you are probably either rooting for a pretty good team or jumping on the bandwagon of one.
The rankings are based solely on the opinions of Zach Harper and Brandon Gallawa. If you happen to disagree, you can email Zach and Brandon and let them know how dumb they are by sending an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If you think that Zach and Brandon are geniuses with their rankings and want to stroke their egos, email them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Remember to check back for updated rankings every Tuesday morning when the regular season begins.
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