You know the drill, each week I team up with @mia_Heat_Index with the fanalyst rankings. I play the unbiased fanalyst and MHI plays the part of the fanatic. Miami Heat Index covers the Eastern Conference and you can see my replies HERE.
1. OKC Thunder: They have had signs of slowing down, but they still lead the West; throw Derek Fisher in the mix and he adds leadership the Thunder have not seen yet.
MHI: You know where Derek Fisher’s leadership will take his Thunder teammates? To the bench with foul trouble from trying to defend the rim against the PGs that blew by Fisher. Durant and Westbrook keep the Thunder on top of the West, not Fisher.
2. San Antonio Spurs: Stephen Jackson thrown in the mix makes the Spurs more dangerous and they will keep on nipping on the heels of the Thunder squad.
MHI: Stephen Jackson makes the Spurs worse, not better. Throw in Boris Diaw’s fat ass and the Spurs bench just added two players that weren’t better than the young reserves the Spurs already had. It’s all about Parker and Ginobili’s health for the Black & Silver.
3. Los Angeles Lakers: Ramon Sessions pulled a 20/11 game Friday night, but they still have work to do. However, they are moving in the right direction.
MHI: Kobe’s gone soft! WTF happened to the Mamba? He allowed another guard to control the ball enough to get 20 & 11? Why hasn’t he destroyed this team from the inside-out already? Have you been feeding him white girls to keep him happy?
4. Memphis Grizzles: Zach Randolph is back and Memphis is taking the west by storm. He is another piece in their dynamic puzzle, to where, teams are fearing facing the defensive powerhouse in round 1.
MHI: Uh, which teams are fearing this Grizzlies squad that’s gone 1-4 in its last 5 games? The “not-going-to-make-the-playoffs” Nuggets? The Clippers will get their shit together and take homecourt-advantage from the Grizzlies by the time the playoffs start.
5. Dallas Mavericks: They were coming out of their slump until the Spurs throttled them Friday night. Are they just another playoff pretender?
MHI: Yeah, they’re a playoff pretender and pretend title defender. The HEAT will repo their shit after they win the 2012 NBA Finals.
6. Los Angeles Clippers: They have been CRAPTASTIC since the All-Star break, but only earn this spot by default.
MHI: You cheered when Jason Smith committed that flagrant foul on Blake Griffin, didn’t you? Your Clippers hatred knows no bounds…
7. Utah Jazz: Alec Burks is what happened and they are suddenly RED HOT!
MHI: Who? Their advantage comes from their big men: Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. The guards are just happy to be there.
8. Denver Nuggets: They added JaVale and Wilson to the mix, but Gallo fractured a thumb, and seemingly lost their way. They will be out of the rankings next week if they do not find their identity.
MHI: Get these bums out the rankings THIS WEEK! The Nuggets have the worst schedule-adjusted efficiency-differential in the West over the last 5 games. This spot belongs to Boston Celtics West aka the Phoenix Suns.
