First ESPN Power Rankings Put Nets at #11

[NJNetz]

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Marc Stein offers little hope to Nets' fans in his first power rankings of the 2006-07. Stein, who had the Nets at #5 at the end of last season, drops the Nets to #11, dissing the off-season this way: "A year ago, Rod Thorn said J-Kidd's Nets were deeper than ever. No one's even pretending to say so now about a small, thin crew at risk for exiting the East elite." Stein puts the Nets behind the Hornets and ahead of the Lakers.</div>
Source

He put the Hornets ahead of us?

 

[Legacy]

We are much better than the Rockets and Hornets.

 

[giftedvisionz]

That list is crap. We should be above the Hornets at least. Timberwolves are too high at 20, and the Bobcats are too low at 28. And how the hell are the Jazz placed at 15?

 

[og15]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Carter:</div><div class="quote_post">We are much better than the Rockets and Hornets.</div>
Rockets 04-05: Healthy Tmac and Yao: 51-31, in a West that had 3 60 win teams in Phoenix, San Antonio and Dallas. They have a better Yao who looks like a 20+ PPG, 10+ RPG guy now, Tmac fairly healthy, and they added Bonzi Wells and Shane Battier, and Rafer last season. For some reason I don't agree that NJ at it's best is a better team than them at their best.

I don't agree with the Hornets one, but I'm assuming it's a pick based on Paul's potential. I won't say it's absurd though, compared to the team who did fairly well last season, they've improved. Their bench is iffy though because you can't count on Bobby Jackson's health. Still a lineup of:

PG - Chris Paul
SG - Desmond Mason
SF - Peja Stojakovic
PF - David West
C - Tyson Chandler

is fairly good, and you'd have to factor in improvements to Paul, David West, and even Desmond and Chandler. Desmond looks to be going back to the one that could actually hit a jumpshot since he's possibly straightened that situation out, and Chandler is coming into the season in shape this year, and should have his numbers go up from last season. Still, I don't think they're better, New Jersey won 49 games (or 50?) last season, and have also gotten better. Krstic has improved, the bench while still iffy because of the young guys is A LOT better, and Collins is healthy.

 

[deception]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting giftedvisionz:</div><div class="quote_post"> And how the hell are the Jazz placed at 15?</div>

hero worship. coach sloan hasn't done anything significant since malone and stockton. i do believe that his do it my way or the highway strategy has estranged young, promising players from the jazz.

 

[og15]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting deception:</div><div class="quote_post">hero worship. coach sloan hasn't done anything significant since malone and stockton. i do believe that his do it my way or the highway strategy has estranged young, promising players from the jazz.</div>
Actually I think the Jazz <u>if Healthy</u>, which has been a huge if the last ferw seasons are possibly better than the Nuggets and Hornets. The Jazz won 41 games last season with Kirilenko playing 69 games, Boozer playing 33 games, and even Giricek playing only 37 games. So if this season they can get Kirilenko for another 70 games, Boozer for ~75 games, Okur again for 82, an improved Deron Williams for 82 games, Matt Harpring, Giricek for 70-80 games, Derek Fisher a much better backup PG than Milt Palacio, and Ronnie Brewer and CJ Miles possibly giving solid production, they can be nice.

We're looking at:

PG - Deron Williams | Derek Fisher
SG - Gordan Giricek | Ronnie Brewer | CJ Miles
SF - Andrei Kirilenko | Matt Harpring
PF - Carlos Boozer | Kirilenko/Harpring
C - Mehmet Okur | Jarron Collins

They have players we can call good at every position except for SG where they're just decent, but still servicable

 

[deception]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">Actually I think the Jazz <u>if Healthy</u>, which has been a huge if the last ferw seasons are possibly better than the Nuggets and Hornets. The Jazz won 41 games last season with Kirilenko playing 69 games, Boozer playing 33 games, and even Giricek playing only 37 games. So if this season they can get Kirilenko for another 70 games, Boozer for ~75 games, Okur again for 82, an improved Deron Williams for 82 games, Matt Harpring, Giricek for 70-80 games, Derek Fisher a much better backup PG than Milt Palacio, and Ronnie Brewer and CJ Miles possibly giving solid production, they can be nice.

</div>

big IFS- deron williams is a second year point guard and hasn't proved he can play consistently as a starter; your sg spot is unstable with rookies and a chucker; kirilenko and boozer are two of the most injury prone players in the league and they are the two best players on the jazz as well; and okur is okur, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[M Two One]

First decent article I've read from ESPN in years. No joke. I just about agreed with every number spot Stein placed on his sheet.

 

[Pakman]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Carter:</div><div class="quote_post">We are much better than the Rockets and Hornets.</div>
Nets are better than Rockets?
What are you smoking.. dude?

 

[XSV]

What have the Rockets proven? Until they step on the court, they're still that lottery team from last year.

 

[Next Level Game]

Rockets have the potential to be better, but also the same potential to stay where they are. Bonzi Wells is a good pick up, but I'm unsure of where he fits. They have a lot of players that need the ball to be effective, Alston, Tracy, Bonzi. Shane Battier is a great role player. Yao is all right at off ball movement, but he needs the ball the most, atleast in my opinion...Luther Head was a great catch and shoot player for the Illini, not so much for the Rockets. Hopefully Jeff learns to use him better cause I think he shine in the league.

Either way, I am not seeing them to be initially ranked higher. They have two new starters, an unstable superstar (even more so than Vince it seems), and still point gaurd trouble. I still think Rafer would be an excellent back up, not a great starter. I am eager to see how they do, but there's too many questions for me to just say hey they're better than us. Maybe they are on paper only.

 

[Iggy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Carter:</div><div class="quote_post">We are much better than the Rockets and Hornets.</div>

Rockets with a healthy Yao and Mcgrady are top 10 in the league in my books. Also with the additions of Battier and Bonzi they're gonna be a tough team to beat.


On a sidenote, everyone seems to be pissed with the ESPN rankings. None of the forums on JBB are happy about it except for obviously the Heat lol.

 

[Next Level Game]

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">
Rockets with a healthy Yao and Mcgrady are top 10 in the league in my books</div>

So are the Nets?

 

[Karma]

Rockets are a much more powerful team then the Nets are. Given that they were so good with just Yao & Tmac and some lesser-known role players in year 1, it shows that if they are healthy and surrounded by better role players (which they are, now that Bonzi Wells, Alston and Battier are on thier team), they have a much greater shot at contending for the title.

Don't forget that this is Tracy Mcgrady we're talking about and don't forget that Yao is IMPROVED and is much more consistent and comfortable now then he was 2 years ago.

The Nets' story is always the same every year...they win in the regular season with the triple threats but lose in the playoffs. All they've added this year is a rookie point guard and another point guard that just came back from a serious injury? How is that going to get them over the hump? Nenad is always improving but you need more then 3 superstars and an improving player to make some noise in the playoffs. Their bench needs to be MUCH stronger.

Not to mention that Carter and Kidd aren't getting any younger. I expect the Nets to do well, but given the firepower that the Rockets have with thier players, even the combo of just Yao & T-Mac (if they stay healthy) seems more powerful than the Nets trio of Carter, Kidd and Jefferson.
Achieving a 50 win season in a loaded West in a year where 3 teams had 60 wins (2004-2005) is not an easy feat.

 

[XSV]

First of all, they made it to the second round last year and cruched the Heat in Miami in game 1. Then came the Cliff scandal, and they lost their 6th man and the locker-room was probably very demoralized. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the neither TMac, Yao, Battier, Alston, or Bonzi (I believe) have made it past the first round in their career. Wow, that's their whole starting line-up. Also, band-aid and Yao are both coming off injured seasons. Yes, it is TMac we're talking about, and there is no way his back holds up the whole season.

The Nets had a 50 win season last year, despite having the worst bench in the league. Even if our bench plays mediocre, we're bound to be even better.

 

[Skiptomylue11]

I think the Rockets are better than the Nets, just because they have a 7'6 center down low. Yao just demands double teams, which creates open looks for teammates, if they don't double, Yao can bang down low to get a high percentage shot.

If the Rockets didn't have Yao, so the lineup was:

PG: Alston
SG: Wells
SF: TMac
PF: Battier
C: Dekembe

PG: Kidd
SG: Carter
SF: Jefferson
PF: Collins
C: Krystic

I would consider those lineups fairly even.

 

[Legacy]

How could the Rockets be better than the Nets? The big 3 with Krstic beats Mcgrady, Yao, and Battier.

 

[phunDamentalz]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting M Two One:</div><div class="quote_post">First decent article I've read from ESPN in years. No joke. I just about agreed with every number spot Stein placed on his sheet.</div>Marc Stein is the best in the biz at breaking teams down. He does his homework and it shows.

 

[Legacy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pakman:</div><div class="quote_post">Nets are better than Rockets?
What are you smoking.. dude?</div>

How could you think the Rockets are better? The big three is better than TMac, Yao, and Battier.

 

[Chutney]

You can't determine how good a team is by rating the top 3 players on the team. In fact, that's been the Nets' biggest weakness the last few years: their "Big 3" is better than anybody elses, but who else is there? The Rockets best player (McGrady) is better than the Nets' best player (Carter or Kidd). The presence of Yao alone, makes the Rockets' frontcourt better. And, with either Battier or Bonzi coming off the bench along with Luther Head/Rafer Alston/Bobby Sura, the Rockets' have better depth. And, for people saying that the Rockets have yet to prove anything that warrant such a high ranking: they're are just two seasons removed from a 50-win season in the West. And that was before Yao's improvement and all of the additions that they've added over the past couple offseasons (Battier, Bonzi, Rafer, Luther Head, etc.). While, the Nets have made playoff noise consistently, its always been in a very shallow Eastern Conference.

 

[phunDamentalz]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post">You can't determine how good a team is by rating the top 3 players on the team. In fact, that's been the Nets' biggest weakness the last few years: their "Big 3" is better than anybody elses, but who else is there? The Rockets best player (McGrady) is better than the Nets' best player (Carter or Kidd). The presence of Yao alone, makes the Rockets' frontcourt better. And, with either Battier or Bonzi coming off the bench along with Luther Head/Rafer Alston/Bobby Sura, the Rockets' have better depth. And, for people saying that the Rockets have yet to prove anything that warrant such a high ranking: they're are just two seasons removed from a 50-win season in the West. And that was before Yao's improvement and all of the additions that they've added over the past couple offseasons (Battier, Bonzi, Rafer, Luther Head, etc.). While, the Nets have made playoff noise consistently, its always been in a very shallow Eastern Conference.</div>
first man to start talking some sense. it is comparing apples to oranges. FOr me it all comes down to cohesiveness - the Nets are way more cohesive right now than the Rockets, so when the talent is matched almost evenly, cohesiveness wins. That is the case almost all the time - the first time I've seen it not happen was when Miami beat Dallas in the finals.

 

[Krstic]

second man to start talking some sense- havent we all learned from reporters that they never ever never favor the nets and we always get worked up over this

 

[XSV]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Chutney:</div><div class="quote_post">You can't determine how good a team is by rating the top 3 players on the team. In fact, that's been the Nets' biggest weakness the last few years: their "Big 3" is better than anybody elses, but who else is there? The Rockets best player (McGrady) is better than the Nets' best player (Carter or Kidd). The presence of Yao alone, makes the Rockets' frontcourt better. And, with either Battier or Bonzi coming off the bench along with Luther Head/Rafer Alston/Bobby Sura, the Rockets' have better depth. And, for people saying that the Rockets have yet to prove anything that warrant such a high ranking: they're are just two seasons removed from a 50-win season in the West. And that was before Yao's improvement and all of the additions that they've added over the past couple offseasons (Battier, Bonzi, Rafer, Luther Head, etc.). While, the Nets have made playoff noise consistently, its always been in a very shallow Eastern Conference.</div>

Krstic has proven himself to be a top 10 center in the league and he's still improving, and Collins adds defense and hustle to a star-studded starting line-up. Our bench looks pretty good this year, and can only do better than our crap bench last year. We had the worst bench in the league last year and still won 50 games.

Also, the Nets have now had three years to gel, while the Rockets played around with too many starting line-ups last year, and will take awhile to get used to eachothers playing styles. You're also assuming that band-aid's back is going to hold-up an entire season, which I don't see happening. Until he can prove that he can actually play at least 75% of the season at a high level, I don't consider him better than VC or Kidd.

 

[thedude9990]

Kidd>Alston
Carter>Wells
Jefferson< TMac
Collins<Battier
Krsctc<Yao

bench i give the edge to housten too