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Nate's Non-Official Official Power Rankings
Post Season [S13]
Welcome to the third installment of the re-introduction of Nate's Power Rankings. These power rankings generate an accumulated average that stems from the combination of points differential, rebounding differential, efficient field goal differential, turnover differential and net rating. Each of these statistics listed previously are given a certain weight in the final formula that outputs the given score. Each edition of this series will offer the power rankings, change from the previous edition and a brief write-up of the rankings below. These rankings literally mean nothing outside of the formula I somewhat developed over my years of not only playing FBB, but commissioning my own leagues. Below, you will find the ranking system used to determine the quality of each team.Post Season [S13]
Power Rankings
The New York Knicks jumped the New Jersey Nets into the second spot. A big reason for this was the acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal from the Seattle Supersonics prior to the All-Star Break. The separation between the Celtics and the now second place Knicks is much larger than the lead the Celtics had over the Nets in the previous edition. The Knicks jumped from 16th in rebounding differential to 14th. They moved into a tie for first in the league in efficient field goal differential but did fall to second in net rating. They also did move to second in points differential. The Knicks score nearly as well as the Celtics due and nearly as effective. It's the rebounding and turnovers (Knicks rank 10th in the league) that set these two teams apart.
The Orlando Magic made the biggest positive swing in the rankings, climbing five slots from eight to third in just under half-of-a-season. Very impressive. This is a team we thought would be one of the best in the league with two of the best players in the league in Carmelo Anthony and Baron Davis. The first half of the season did not really reflect what this team can do. This Magic team is third in the league in points and rebounding differential. They're sixth in turnover differential and tenth in effective field goal differential. Their 12th place finish in net rating is what holds this team back a bit. I still wouldn't pull all my chips away from the Magic. Star power still goes a long way, especially in the back court.
After three straight Eastern teams, we get our first Western Conference team. The Houston Rockets come in a spot earlier than in the last edition of these power rankings, climbing from fifth to fourth. The Rockets are top ten in every category we take into consideration and are top five in points differential (fifth) and efficient field goal differential (fourth.) The West is depleted enough, with just two other Western Conference teams coming in in the top ten, the Rockets should be favored to come out of the West, especially with the likes of Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard leading the charge.
If the Rockets are to have competition on paper it is the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers clock in at fifth, moving up a spot from the mid-season edition. The Clippers are a team built similarly to the Rockets, they just don't do the things as well as the Rockets. They are top seven in four of the five categories we take into consideration and are 12th in rebounding differential. They are also top five in net rating (fifth) and turnover differential (fourth.) The west should come down to the Rockets and Clippers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers come in at sixth. They're a team a bit different than any of those we've talked about thus far. They are seventh in the league in points differential but are 16th in rebounding differential. What really propels this team is their third place finish in net rating, fifth in turnover differential and sixth in efficient field goal differential. This is a well constructed team but is one that will struggle to compete with the likes of the Celtics, Knicks and Magic with their inability to rebound, especially with how those other teams score the ball, even if the Cavaliers do do it efficiently.
The New Jersey Nets recorded the biggest swing in these rankings, but in a negative way. Just as the Magic made a five position jump up the boards, the Nets have made a five position fall. It's the turnovers (14th) and the ultimate fall in the net ratings (15th) that really sunk this team. They're a team that are still fourth in points and efficient field goal differential and second in rebounding differential. They just can't take care of the ball. Just as the Cavaliers will find it hard to compete with their difficulties rebounding, the Nets will struggle to compete with turning the ball over as much as they do.
The Atlanta Hawks are another very talented ball club, but again, they have a very big glaring hole in their game. They come in at 22nd in rebounding differential. They simply cannot compete for a title being that low in the category. Beyond that, they are excellent. They take care of the ball as their second in the league in turnover differential and are the league's best in net rating. They're ninth in the league in points differential and seventh in efficient field goal differential.
The Minnesota Timberwolves come in at ninth, as the third Western Conference team to fall into the top ten. The Timberwolves are actually a pretty well rounded squad. They're top ten in four of the five categories taken into consideration and are 14th in net rating. Their best category is fifth in rebounding differential.
The Charlotte Hornets round out the top ten, led by their first place finish in turnover differential and fourth place in net rating. Beyond that, this team doesn't have much to write home about, with a 12th place finish in points differential, 20th in rebounding differential and 16th in efficient field goal differential.
Other teams of note are the Golden State Warriors with a third place finish in efficient field goal differential, the Utah Jazz with a sixth and ninth place finish in rebounding and efficient field goal differential respectively, the Philadelphia 76ers with a eighth and sixth place finish in rebounding and turnover differential, the Chicago Bulls with a ninth place finish in rebounding differential, the Washington Bullets with a fourth place finish in rebounding differential, the Seattle Supersonics with a ninth place finish in net rating, the Sacramento Kings with a sixth place finish in rebounding differential and the Milwaukee Bucks with an eighth place finish in net rating.
