More Rankings: 11-20
| NBA Player Power Rankings |
| 11 |
12 |
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At the start of this season, it was obvious that Stoudemire looked 100 times better than he appeared last March, when an aborted attempt at a comeback had Suns fans wondering if they'd ever see the Amaré who dominated the 2005 playoffs. Still, though he was scoring well and running the floor, his rebounding touch was a little off -- 4.2 rebounds in 19 minutes a game over his first six contests, a lousy mark when you factor in Phoenix's quick pace. But there Amaré was on Thursday, seemingly keeping the sturdy Spurs to one shot every time down court, finishing with a career-high 23 boards. After that slow start, Stoudemire is averaging 9.2 boards in 30.9 minutes. |
| 12 |
17 |
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Bosh was named January's Eastern Conference Player of the Month(or, The Seventh-Best NBA Player in January) by averaging 25.4 points (on 55 percent shooting), 9.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks for the Atlantic-leading Raptors. Since Jan. 19, Bosh has turned the ball over one time for every 25.7 minutes he plays, an astounding number when you factor in the amount of times he touches the ball and his pet scoring plays -- a lefty drive (facing scores of floor-bound "defenders" trying to take charges), a long jumper (no turnover threat there) or working on either low block (going up, again, against potential floppers). |
| 13 |
14 |
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New Jersey ended a frustrating (three losses in a row by a combined three points) Western road trip on a sound note, taking down the Jazz and Nuggets, before falling at home to the Pistons in its first game back at the Meadowlands. All sorts of teams struggle in a first game back home off a long road trip, but this 24-point whupping against Detroit reminded of the lethargic Nets we saw during the season's first two months. Kidd averaged 19.2 points (on 53 percent shooting), 8.6 rebounds, 7.8 assists and just 2.8 turnovers on the road trip, but managed just two assists in 28 minutes against the Pistons. |
| 14 |
15 |
 |
It's nice to know that, anytime you leave the confines of home, you'll get to boast a 6-7 gazelle who is impervious to the catcalls of the opposing crowd. Marion shoots better from the floor (55 percent to 49 at home), three-point line (37 percent to 29) and free throw line on the road. The difference in free throw percentage -- 83.3 to 83.1 -- may be nominal, but merely holding serve on the road in the face of those devastating little whirly tubes is an achievement in itself. Marion missed 11 of 16 shots in Phoenix on Thursday, but he added three steals, two blocks and 12 rebounds as the Suns outrebounded the Spurs by 10 in a 16-point victory. |
| 15 |
13 |
 |
Denver might have issues establishing itself among the West's elite even if AI and Carmelo Anthony develop a sound working relationship. Though Anthony has struggled a little since returning from a 15-game suspension (see below), Iverson has continued to play well and try to set up a supporting cast that can't seem to hit a jump shot to save its life. Steve Blake has predictably fallen back to earth (shooting 34 percent over his last eight games, with averages of just 5.8 points and 5.4 assists in 34 minutes), while the rest of the role players alternate off nights. |
| 16 |
16 |
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Indiana has won four of five, and O'Neal has enjoyed a nice midseason resurgence while prepping to play in the All-Star Game. O'Neal has averaged 24 points, 8.7 boards, nearly four assists and three blocks over the last three games. What's more, he made 28-of-35 free throws during that stretch -- important when you consider he's averaging only 6.6 free throw attempts on the season and Indiana's team full of jump shooters is going to need all the help it can get getting to the line. |
| 17 |
- |
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'Melo's placement here has more to do with his seasonlong play, though he hasn't exactly been on the court all season long. After beating the defensively challenged Grizzlies and SuperSonics in Anthony's first two games back, the Nuggets have lost four straight. Despite what the pundits may say, the defense is not the problem. During the losing streak, a team with two 30-point threats (though Iverson sat in the loss to Portland) is averaging only 101.3 points despite its breakneck pace. Anthony is part of the reason why, averaging 29.5 points on 23.3 shots. |
| 18 |
7 |
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When a chucking, "volume shooter" like the pre-2004 Iverson or the pre-retirement Antoine Walker (What? He's still around?) takes 40 shots to score 42 points, you'd have to consider it a pointless exercise. After all, your best players, your Dirk Nowitzkis and Dwyane Wades, usually average around 1.4 or 1.5 points per shot attempt, so Randolph's 1.05 mark in a three-point win over Memphis doesn't impress, even taking into account his 12 rebounds. And yet, Randolph is hanging in there. He didn't make the All-Star team that few had him pegged for, but he continues to earn that paycheck. Part of it, at least: I don't see many Zach Randolph jerseys floating around. Despite some lame pronouncements, we like the improved (though not altogether there) Randolph. |
| 19 |
20 |
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Having answered a half-dozen emails about this over the last two weeks, let me just place my usual rebuttal in the Rankings themselves. Prorate Ginobili's and Caron Butler's numbers to 40 minutes a game (about what Butler, at 40.8 a night, plays), and Manu beats him on scoring (23.7 to 20.6), assists (4.7 to 3.8) and steals (2.4 to 2) while losing the rebounding battle (6.2 to 7.8) and tying in turnover rate (a measure that registers the percent of miscues per possessions used). Ginobili is also the help guy for the NBA's third-best defense, while Butler's Wizards are 28th in overall defensive efficiency. Butler has had a fine year and deserves that All-Star bid in the East, but I'm not going to punish Ginobili just because Gregg Popovich sees fit to hand Michael Finley 21 minutes a night.
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| 20 |
19 |
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It's been a rough two weeks for Howard, and his contribution to Orlando's solid team defense is the only thing keeping him in the Rankings. Howard has averaged a Dale Davis-like 12.3 points and 8.5 rebounds over his last six games, his overall efficiency is way down (four turnovers a game in that span) and he continues to clang from the line (he's hit more than two-thirds of his free throws just once in 2007). |
On the cusp: Chauncey Billups, Pau Gasol, Caron Butler
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