NBA power rankings

Philly number 1. Boston number 30. Discuss.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--nba-power-rankings--sixers-go-from-worst-to-first-073534724.html

I know. There's nothing to discuss about power rankings five days into the season. But it is funny to see Philly at the top when their over/under for the season is 16 1/2. Boston at #30 is just sad. And it won't get much better throughout the year when virtually every other team's frontcourt can physically overpower us. And we can't throw the ball in the ocean. Or pass it.

Philly is really tanking. Ha.

Here are the over/unders from four sources.  One had Philly at 9.  After only three games they're one-third there already.  Averaging the four opinions on Boston and it comes to 26.375.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24117589/win-totals-vs-over/under-odds-for-the-2013-2014-nba-season

Comment on Boston:  Boston Celtics (SB: 27.5, EOB: 25.6): One of us thinks they clear the bar by eight games, the other thinks they're below it by four. I think this team has the wheels come off early, Rondo could miss the entire season, and even if he comes back, it will be too inexperienced and lack so much talent that they'll struggle to win 18 before they go into full tank mode.

No doubt about it, this will be a challenging season.  Here's where the fair-weather fans will disappear.  Of course, none of them joined us at this spot in the first place, so that's OK.  Those of us who are long-term fans will look at this as just another inevitable down phase.  Who knows, maybe we'll see the team build into a long term upswing like the Celtics of the 60's or the present day Spurs.

To put it in perspective, I'm a Buffalo Bills fan; this probably won't be that bad.

Things will balance out as the season goes along. Come June, Philly and Phoenix will be competing for ping pong balls, not titles. That doesn't mean that they don't each have surprising assets, but someone who places Philly at number 1 solely because they won their first three games isn't serving a purpose. I can go to ESPN's NBA standings page and sort the entire league by record, so I don't need someone to do that for me.

Given their play to date, the Celtics can't claim to be much higher than 30th, but that's the nature of the beast. New coach, barely coherent roster with no experience playing together, and their best player at the most important position out for a couple of months with no capable backup. If they had a decent point guard, they would be 1-2. If they had Rondo, they might very well be 2-1.

Things will get better once Rondo gets back, Stevens gets his feet wet, and the team gets a chance to gel. Look on the bright side -- nowhere to go but up.

In their case, you are what your record says.

it's frustrating to see them lose, not because of them ever being blown out, but because every game they were at least in it at some point but didn't have enough to get over the edge.

But I do get a kick out of power rankings, especially ones so early in the year. By their logic, Philly is on course to sweep the NBA finals.

Oh yeah, since Philly is now the best team in the NBA, I suppose they have forgotten about their Chosen One draft prospect  


KJ

Outside

Helium instead of oxygen on the bench. that might give us a lift.

beat