Derryberry NBA corner

Derryberry’s NBA power poll
Predictions for each Division (*) denotes a playoff team
Atlantic
Boston Celtics *
Toronto Raptors *
New Jersey Nets *
New York Knicks
Philly Sixers
Atlantic
Cleveland Cavaliers *
Detroit Pistons*
Chicago Bulls *
Milwaukee Bucks
Indiana Pacers
Southeast
Miami Heat *
Orlando Magic*
Washington Wizards
Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Bobcats

North West
Utah Jazz *
Denver Nuggets *
Seattle Super Sonics
Portland Trailblazers
Minnesota Timber Wolves
SouthWest
San Antonio Spurs *
Dallas Mavericks *
Houston Rockets *
Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Hornets
Pacifc
Phoenix Suns *
Golden State*
LA Lakers *
Sacramento Kings
LA Clippers

Playoffs
East
(1 Boston vs 8 New Jersey) (4 Detroit vs 5 Bulls)
(2 Cleveland vs 7 Raptors) (3 Miami vs 6 Orlando)
West
(1 San Antonio vs 8 LA Lakers) (4 Mavericks vs 5 Houston)
(2 Phoenix vs 7 Golden St) (3 Utah vs 6 Nuggets)
East
(1 Boston vs 5 Bulls) ( 2 Cleveland vs 3 Miami)
West
( 1 San Antonio vs 4 Mavericks) (2 Phoenix vs 6 Nuggets)
Conference Finals
(1 Boston vs 2 Cleveland) (1 San Antonio vs 2 Phoenix)
Finals
(Phoenix vs Cleveland)
Champ Phoenix

Bottom to Top with the rankings

When’s next’s year lottery for the draft Division
30) Minnesota Timber Wolves; Trade away a hall of fame Power Forward for a bunch of guys who couldn’t get it done in the East and your Number option is Ricky Buckets Davis. It’s going to be cold in Sota this winter.
29) Portland Trailblazers; What’s the reward when the guy you tabbed as the first overall pick goes down with a season ending knee surgery, the chance at next years first overall pick. I like the young core of guys and at least they seem to be taking their franchise in the right direction.
28) LA Clippers: Welcome back to the bottom of the league, we kept the spot warm for you. No Elton Brand, No Shawn Livingston, and unhappy Sam Cassell (well eventually he’ll ask to be brought out) They do have a young Hulk Hogan playing for them which counts for something
27) Indiana Pacers: Can you name one Pacer besides O’Neil and Jamaal turnover Tinsley. Didn’t think so… and yes O’Neil wants out. Time to start over Larry Bird.
26) Philadelphia Sixers: Sam Dalembert and Two Words Reggie Evans is you’re starting center and forward even in the east you’re in trouble. They do have Andre Igudola and Miller meaning they’ll be in some game. Plus Iowa’s own Kyle Korver.

We nice to look at but were too young and dumb to be worth a second date division
25) Seattle Super Sonics :The Sonics are the one of the too young teams, but I like what they did, their brass said we suck, so let’s trade Ray-Ray, let Lewis walk and get young. Durant’s looking like he’s a keeper.
24) New Orleans Hornets: This would be one of the we’re dumb team. They spent 60 million on Peja. I love Chris Paul but this team should be running, and gunning with a point guard like that but some how they feel old and slow. Tyson Chandler is a beast.
23) Charlotte Bobcats: This would be another we’re too young team. Like Felton, like Gerald Wallace, like Okafor if he stays on the court, Morrison should make a good 6th man someday. You could do worse than J-Rich but I just don’t see them making the leap
22) Atlanta Hawks : This is a double whammy of young and dumb. Don’t get me wrong I love Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Josh Childress, and they drafted smart with Hortford and Law but it’s the Hawks they’ll do something dumb. Here’s hoping their on the rise
21 New York Knicks: The King of the NBA for Dumbest Franchise. We have a selfish pass first point guard, a gunner for a two guard, a center and forward that can score but can’t defend and the center doesn’t rebound. A 5’9” back-up pg more likely to start a fight than do something on the court. And Balkman should be the starting SF because he’s useful everywhere. Let’s not forget Allen Houston’s comeback attempt. At least David Lee is there to grab 15 rebounds in is 5 minutes of play. Plus the coach just cost the Knicks 11 million in a sexual harassment case. The Knick we’re dumbtastic

Not really sure what we are doing but whatever it is their not there yet division
20) Sacramento Kings: Some one please give these guys the memo blow up and start over the cow bell stopped ringing. Ron please do something crazy so you we’ll get traded.
19) Milwaukee Bucks: Let’s draft a guy that doesn’t want to play for us, We got stuck picking an Australian first in the draft and we decided to pay a guy franchise money when all he can really do his score. The Milwaukee Bucks slogan this year should be we’ve got a lot of nice pieces but to seven different puzzles
18) Memphis Grizzlies: To be honest No clue, best player that can’t get them out of the first round in the west, drafted a 19 year pg which will take 2-3 years to develop, and Mike Miller, who’s good, but shouldn’t be counted on to be a major contributor maybe the 4th or 5th guy. Don’t get where they headed.
17) Washington Wizrads: Can’t help but think they missed their window, I mean Miami struggled all last year, Orlando not really there yet, and the Wizards get the injury bug at the wrong time. Down right depressing. Arenas is a derryberry fav but I think he’s bolting Washington. I’ve read he’s feuding with the coach. Doesn’t sound good for the Wiz or agent zero, I’m thinking a step backwards
16) New Jersey Nets: Let’s see Kidd still awesome but aging, fake super star Vince still missing jumpers in the clutch, every contender in the east is getting better, and they add no one, makes no since. Trade Jefferson or Carter for Jermaine O’neal, just a thought

The need one more player Division
15) Toronto Raptors: Cianlango can put a team together and they should be better than last year but the record won’t show it because their division got better but they need Barani to become really good because Bosh needs another star to carry the load, Plus their from Canada.
14) Orlando Magic: Are they better with Rashard Lewis, YES. Was that deal too much Money. YESSSSSS. Are they still missing a piece or two? Yes. But you can bet Dwight gotten better, as well as Nelson and Reddick. A possible move up the East Ladder, only slightly.
13) LA Lakers: IF they Trade Kobe they go into the Dumb Division right away but they need one more player to be better than 8th or 7th in the west. And yes this Kobe thing is crazy and no I still don’t like the guy but it would be nice to see a weird trade to spice things up before the season.
12) Miami Heat: Health that’s the question on whether their an also ran or a contender. If Healthy this ranking is too low, if unhealthy ranking to high. Wade and Shaq with a little help can still be a player in the East but again one guy short.
11) Chicago Bulls: We should have traded for Kevin Garnett so we could win the title this year team. Not enough low post scorers to take them seriously. How does Paxton not offer Deng, Noah, Ty Thomas and picks for Garnett. Some one tell Paxton you can make the final table by checking the whole way but eventually you have to man up and take a chance.
We are going to act like contenders but when the playoffs begin we’ll lose Division
10) Golden State: Am I still in love with their first round up-set of Dallas, AM I dumb thinking Baron can stay healthy, Jackson can not go crazy, and they some how find that mojo to make it back to back playoffs for Golden St. Probably but I can dream can’t I
9) Houston Rockets: Until McGrady and Yao make it out of the first round they stay in the we lose in the playoffs division.
8) Detroit Pistons: Getting older, needed new life after having heart ripped out by Lebron, and that didn’t happen. Are they still capable of winning it all, maybe but is any one scared to play them anymore no which means they’ll go down.
7) Denver Nuggets: A full year of Iverson, and Melo has got me excited and tingle all over, but they don’t have the mettle to hang with west elite
6) Dallas Mavericks: We won’t know a thing until the playoffs, unless they trade for Kobe, or self destruct before the playoffs.
So you’re telling us there’s a chance Division
5) Utah Jazz , Boozer stabbed Cleveland in the back, but this team can play. Possible problem AK-47 being a distraction.
4) Boston Celtics: KG, Ray-Ray, and Pierce means who are front running in the weak east. But do they have enough to go with the big three to win it all?
3) Cleveland Cavs: Lebron and everyone else, but they won the east, they get east top spot of the east teams until proven other wise, and yes they have questions as well like do they have enough to go around Lebron to win it all?
2) Pheonix Suns: We’ll never know if they were better than the Spurs last year because of the league handing the series to the Spurs, and if it wasn’t for Marion’s I want to be traded bit and Amare’s knees I would have them ranked 1
1) San Antonio Spurs: best player(check) no offseason turmoil (check) team in tact( check). See every other team has a glaring problem they don’t and that’s a problem for everyone else in the NBA.