NBA High Five

1. UNUSUAL RANKINGS

While I wouldn't usually include a 'power rankings' section as this is covered on ESPN by Marc Stein. But i felt the need to write my own power rankings as I believev they more accurately represent who will against whom based on their position n the rankings and their overall srength as a team. Marc Stein's rankings seem to simply reflect their position in the overall standings. In other words if you click on 'standings' and then 'league' the end result will pretty much be his power rankings. My rankings here reflect current form and overall team power where a team above other teams should beat them 2 times out of 3.

Boston - Struggling in spurts to put points on the board, but have the best 8 man rotation and the '85 Bears on defense.

LA Lakers - Have looked sloppy and oout of sorts on defense at times but have pout the wins on the board while integrating Artest. Bench play is a concern.

Orlando - An equally solid start and all this without Rashard, Vinsanity and now Anderson.

Cleveland - Despite their recent loss against Chicago there is no need to panic. Coach Mike Brown has still to figure out how to best utilise his talent.

Denver - Two straight road losses to the Heat and Hawks have soured their start.

Phoenix - Continue to suprise. Bench play much improved this year giving them defensive toughness.

Dallas - Look shaky without Dirk on the floor. Marion is hit or miss but this team is right up there.

Miami - The Flash is enjoying having a toughened up Michael Beasley as his running mate.

Atlanta - Jamal Crawford, an underrated acquisition this summer, has helped the Hawks to a road win in Portland and a solid win against Denver at home.

Houston - This team just flat out competes. They lack a closer. Ariza is trying, and is performing, but still has a bit to learn if he wants to elevate his game.

Portland - Some tough losses but looked tough against the Spurs on Friday.

Chicago - Have beaten The Spurs and the Cavaliers and look even better than last year's playoff team. Noah and Hinrich are tough underrated players. Deng is back and rookie Taj Gibson has been sensational. All this with Derick Rose on one foot.

San Antonio - Alarm bells ringing in the Alamo City. Look lacking on defense, and with Manu and Jefferson (their two primary slashing options) struggling, the Spurs need to turn things around quickly in a favourable home-stand schedule.

Washington - No Antawn Jamison, but this already appears to be turning into the Gilbert Arenas show. If I were the Wizards I'd put him on the block.

Toronto - Impressive wins against Cleveland and New Orleans. This team has 9 new players and are dangerous. Bagnani, Bosh and Turkoglu a nice triple threat on offense.

New Orleans - Look very thin on both ends of the floor. CP3 is doing his best to carry this franchise but needs help on the wings.

Utah - A depleted bench, but no excuse for Utah who have lost more games at home then they have won, most recently to the Sacramento Kings who are without their leading scorer.

Phildelphia - Luis Williams is proving an adequate starter, but the team lacks outside shooting. Brand is yet to return to his LA Clippers form.

LA Clippers - After a shaky start are putting it together. Chris Kaman could back up Andrew Bynum in the All-star game if he continues his impressive start. Blake Griffin still 6 weeks away.

Oklohoma City - Have shown they can compete with the best, but now need to show they can beat them.

Charlotte - Raja Bell is back. His defense and outside shooting were sorely missed.

Detroit - The Pistons are in transitition. Ben Gordon has had a nice start.

Memphis - If they can avoid the Iverson distractions and play ball this team will rise up the rankings. Gasol, Mayo, Gay - a nice young nucleus. Pity Gay's contract was not extended.

Milwaukee - The only positive for the season is the play of rookie Brandon Jennings. This team is just way too thin.

Indiana - Hanborough had 13 points in his first game. A poor start to the season thus fear.

Minnesota - Have scared the Celtics and the Suns. Gomes, Jefferson and Flynn are a good nucleus for new head coach Kurt Rhambis

Sacramento - Kevin Martin is down, but a win against the Jazz on the road was huge. A good chance for rookie Tyreke Evans to show his wears.

Golden State - Too many raw players and no continuity with a disgruntled Captain Jack riding the pine.

New York - Waiting, and praying, for  LeBron next season.

New Jersey - No Devin Harris, this team will have a lot going for it next year. Brooke Lopez is one of the best young centres in the league. They'll have a high draft pick and plenty of money to throw at 2 top free agents.

2. Joakim Noah

The post Jordan-era has taken longer to rebound from than initially expected, but finally there is reason to smile in Chicago.

The top draftees for the Bulls since the post Jordan era have been - Elton Brand, Kirk Hinrich, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas and Derick Rose. While approximately half of their "post Jordan-era draftees' have been busts (Brand signed with the Clippers and helped them come within a game of the Western Conference Finals in 2006), the Bulls franchise can finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

While 2008 draftee Derrick Rose looks to be the 'franchise guy' and will undoubtedly be the cornerstone of the franchise for the next ten years, it is Joakim Noah, taken 9th overall in the 2007 draft who can also be equally attributed to the new Bulls identity.

On Saturday night against the Bobcats he squared off against former Chicago draftee Tyson Chandler. While Chandler posted his best numbers of the season (13 points, 7 rebounds) it was Noah who had everyone talking. Not only pulling down 16 rebounds and swatting 4 shots, he scored a career high 21 points on 10-12 from the field, and more importanty, earned the Bulls the W. However, statistics are not Noah's greatest asset to the Chicago Bulls. It is his hustle and activity that are really his forte. (How do you statistically measure hustle? - Offensive rebounds, steals and blocks only tell part of the story)

For a third year pro he is showing some great signs for the Bulls on both ends of the floor. He's their backbone defensively and on the board and now is showing early signs of an inside game. But Noah understands his role on the team at the moment.

'I know I'm not going to score 21 points every night," Noah said. "I think that I want to see consistently is my rebounding and my defensive effort. I feel like offensively, I'm just going to try to clean up the glass."

So far this season, he has been more than effective in this role.

3. Tyreke Evans busts out 

The Sacramento Kings are pretty high on Tyreke Evans. Lately, Evans has proved why, picking up the scoring slack left by Kevin Martin who is out another 6-7 weeks with a wrist injury. Evans, taken 4th in the 2009 draft, has led all scorers in two consecutive wins for the Kings.

vs Golden St. 23 pts (8/15), 1/1 3pt, 6/7 FT, 6 rebs,  +23 rating
@ Utah Jazz 32 pts (7-15), 2/3 3pt, 16/19 FT, 3 rebs, 7 asts +11 rating

Taken ahead of the likes of Ricky Rubio, Ty Lawson, Tyler Hansborough, Jonny Flynn, Stephen Curry and Brandon Jennings, Tyreke has picked up the scoring load and has impressed just like the afformentioned names in a draft where Blake Griffin was, supposedly, the only draftee of any real worth.

What is impressive about Evans game is his ability to attack the basket and draw contact, one of my most valued attributes in any player. Against a Utah Jazz team, coached by Jerry Sloan and played at Salt Lake City where you'd expect the whistles to favour the Jazz, Evans attempted 19 free throws. Not bad at all considering he would have been defended by either Ronnie Brewer (a solid defensive player) and Deron Williams.

Looking at the statistics of both Martin and Evans, they appear to both be a similar kind of player. They can get to the line equally well and can shoot the long ball. The task for Sacramento is to how to handle their two very similar assets. Although Tyreke is probably a better combo guard than Martin, suggesting that the two could play on the floor at the same time this may not be the best direction for the team. Obviously they want to keep their young talent, but I'd like to see the Kings role the dice in the next few years and acquire something more complimentary to either Martin or Evans. Both players would have a more than decent trade value.

4. Shake your Ron-Ron

It must be so easy to play with Kobe Bryant, the mature version anyway. Ron is having the tmie of his life getting better acquainted with his running mates as each passing minute gets logged. Not only has he become the Lakers best 'defnesive lockdown' guy, but he is now finding his way on offense.

Over the past five games Artest has averaged 14.2 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, his best performance coming on Friday against Memphis where he posted 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three treys on 7-of-14 shooting.

Even more valuable is that he is proving is worth as a versatile forward who can do enough of the dirty work to make up for the losses of both Bynum and Gasol under the cup.

The Lakers were in dyer need of some "toughness" if they hoped to repeat in a season where the elite only got better.
Where he rates in terms of off-season acquistions is open for debate.

Orlando acquired Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson and Vince Carter. Cleveland acquired "The Diesel", Anthony Parker and Jamerio Moon. San Antonio acquired Antonio McDyess and Richard Jefferson, while Boston acquired Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels and Sheldon Williams

Boston have arguably made the best additions seemingly to have the strongest 9 man rotation in basketball (when Glen Davis returns), while Orlando have added a flat outscorer and rebounding depth, but what can't be measured is the Los Angeles Lakers newly acquired "Kevin Garnett factor".

How well Artest can help change the identity and attitude of his team will determine the length of their playoff run. While Artest is playing nice guy now, and just trying to fit in with Kobe and the rest of his ring wearing mates, Ron will unseemingly need to provide more of an imprint on this team than he could ever know. Ron needs to get some of that fire back, and rub it over the rest of the Laker roster if they hope to even make it out of the Western Conference.

5. Ben Wallace rejuvinated back in Mo-town.

Ben Wallace must be clicking his big size 16 sneakers together with a mantra of 'There's no place like home....There's no place like home'.

Big Ben would be the first to admit that his time spent in Cleveland and Chicago were less than impressive statistically. He signed for big money in the summer of 2005 and was the first of Detroit 04 title team to jump ship, apparantly due to disgruntlemunt with head coach Flip Saunders.

In Chicago Wallace could never re-capture the form that saw him be the backbone of the Pistons defense, an undeniable presence on defense and on the boards. Traded to Chicago as part of the Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes deal Wallace failed to impress alongside King James in Cleveland. He only saw limited minutes and was behind Anderson Varejo in the rotation.

After being sent to Phoenix for Shaq and being released he has returned to the Palace of Auburn Hills and now looks like the Walace of old. Initially signed to merely mentor the young big's of the Pistons, Wallace has seen major minutes and is producing in a big way.

"I knew Ben was going to be an asset this season because he'd be able to teach our bigs," Pistons coach John Kuester said. "I never imagined he could have this kind of impact on the court. This is the old Ben Wallace again, and he's making Kwame Brown, Jason Maxiell and Chris Wilcox better just by showing them what it is possible to do."

Against the Sixers he creamed the likes of Dalembert, Brand and Speights collecting 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Sure a one off game here or there could be expected but in 4 of his last 5 games Wallace has collected 9 or more rebounds.and asides from the game against Orlando, where he saw limited minutes, Wallace has averaged a whopping 5.5 offensive rebounds.

It's great to see Ben Wallace being an influential factor on the court once more. It always seemed as though his play dropped off prematurely, and despite dodgy knees and a reduced vertical leap is contributing in a big way for the undermanned Pistons and is once again adding to his legacy.

TOP PERFORMERS (Weekend)

Kevin Durant (Okl vs Orl) - 28 pts (11-17), 4 rebs, 5 asts, 3 stls, +35 rating
Deron Williams (Uta vs Sa) - 29 pts (11-20), 3/5 3ptrs, 3 rebs, 15 asts, +/- 0 rating
Kobe Bryant (LaL vs Mem) - 41 pts (19-30), 4 rebs, +16 rating
Chris Paul (NoH vs Tor) - 21 pts (8-13), 7 rebs, 18 asts, 2 stls,  -10 rating
Josh Smith (Atl vs Den) - 22 pts (8-10), 9 rebs, 7 asts, 6 blks, +25 rating

The Mayne Mayne is...

LeBron James (vs NYK) - 33 pts (12-17), 2/4 3ptrs, 8 rebs, 9 asts, 3 stls +8 rating.

How good it is to be in Madison Square Garden where the only real question coming into the game for the troubled Cavaliers was how big a performance King James would put on for his possible future home. LeBron did not disappoint.