| NBA Player Power Rankings |
| 1 |
3 |
 |
It's time to give Wade some credit for the season he's having. The Heat, despite a wasted year from Shaquille O'Neal and their continued employment of Antoine Walker and James Posey, are just a game under .500. They've recently had to start rookie Chris Quinn, who would have a hard time making any other team in this league (seriously, look at the backup point guards -- who does he beat out?), and yet Wade keeps them competitive. Wade is averaging 28.8 points, eight assists, five rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.2 blocks, and his 4.1 turnovers a game don't seem that bad once you realize how much he has the ball in his hands. His turnover rate (a percentage that measures turnovers per possessions one takes up) is a very solid 11.3. Jason Kidd shares the same mark. |
2 |
1 |
 |
The Mavericks played just two games in the first eights days of February (two wins, including Nowitki's 38-point, 10-rebound, six-assist, three-steal, zero-turnover showing against Memphis), and Dirk's used the time off to cut his hair. Now, we're not saying he's dropped to second on this list because of his decision to sport the buzz cut, but why is it always either/or with this guy? Either he has long hair or goes with the shorn look that usually befits a third-grader. Just a little compromise between the two, that's all we're asking for.
|
3 |
2 |
 |
Predictably, the Wolves have fallen back to earth a bit since Randy Wittman took over as coach. The team has lost six of nine under Wittman, though KG has been as strong as ever, registering 17 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in just 31 minutes in a win over the Warriors on Wednesday night. Minnesota is still a game out of the playoff bracket in the West, but it does have 18 home games left and should have a fighting chance should Denver continue to showcase its depth issues.
|
| 4 |
5 |
 |
Though most pay attention to Kobe's offensive stats when the Lakers go wrong (like his eight turnovers and inability to get off more than 13 shots in Thursday's loss to Detroit), it's his contributions to Los Angeles' defense that need to perk up a bit. The Lakers' young core has had a fine offensive year, but the defense is way off last year's pace, and nowhere was that more evident than Thursday when Detroit was allowed to set the pace and dish 28 assists on 35 field goals. Kobe routinely grabs All-Defensive honors that seem dubious at best, and it's time for him to start taking on some defensive duties at point guard, as Smush Parker continues to struggle.
|
| 5 |
6 |
 |
All of a sudden this rodeo-forced road trip doesn't seem too nasty for the Spurs. The team enjoyed five days away from game action after falling to the Suns on Feb. 1, and then established a 20-point lead early in the second quarter of its win in Washington on Wednesday. San Antonio plays at at Orlando and Miami before completing the trip with a back-to-back set against New Jersey and Detroit. That last one should be a winner: Both teams have a five-day layoff after Wednesday's game. Meanwhile, Duncan (24.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and four blocks over his last seven contests) is as steady as ever.
|
6 |
7 |
 |
It's probably safe to point out that the Clippers have reached their nadir. They have lost their last three games (to New York, Toronto and Cleveland) by an average of 13.7 points, and the kick-fight between Corey Maggette and coach Mike Dunleavy has started up again. Brand continues to play strong basketball (23.2 points on 60 percent shooting, 11.6 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 2.8 assists over his last five games), but it's going to take a lot more than All-Star numbers to pull this team out of the doldrums. Curiously, GM Elgin Baylor hasn't made a move to shake up this roster. |
| 7 |
8 |
 |
Praise be to Steve Nash, but just how did McGrady miss out on winning the Western Conference's Player of the Month award for January? Nash averaged 18 points and 13 assists, while T-Mac offered 29.9 points, 7.1 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals as the Rockets circled the wagons without Yao Ming and won 10 of 14. Seems to me that Nash was rewarded, once again, for the luxury of having Amaré Stoudemire and Shawn Marion on his roster. |
| 8 |
12 |
 |
Bosh had a monster game, no other way to describe it, against Orlando on Wednesday night. Confounding versatile defenders Dwight Howard and Darko Milicic, he hit for a career-high 41 points on just 25 shots, with eight rebounds and just one turnover. Bosh is showing little hesitation before putting up a shot, which you like to see from a big man, especially now that the ranks of scoring bigs has thinned). He was the East's best player in January, and he's improved in February to the tune of 30.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and four assists for the Raptors, who have taken control in the Atlantic Division.
|
| 9 |
11 |
 |
Don't laugh, but Amaré doesn't quite look 100 percent, at least in comparison to what we saw in the spring of 2005. But appearances aside, his numbers have gone through the roof, as he's improved all other facets of his game beyond the soul-crushing throwdown dunk. Phoenix's leading scorer has averaged 31 points on 62 percent shooting and 13.8 rebounds in 43.3 (!) minutes in February. |
| 10 |
4 |
 |
Nash is on the shelf with an inflamed right shoulder, a scary injury once you figure in the fact that he uses the threat of a well-placed jump shot to keep defenders honest and away from his live dribble. Nash hasn't shot below 40 percent in a game since a 2-of-7 showing against the Cavaliers on Jan. 11, and he'd hit 11-of-19 in the two games leading up to the injury. The Suns are still a playoff-caliber team out West even with Nash sidelined, but it goes nearly without saying that Nash's presence turns this club into something special. |
