Posted on 3/14/2008 1:04:59 AM

NBA Power Poll - Week 20 Part 2

By Mike Rose

(CURRENT) (TEAM) (W/L OVERALL & W/L FOR WEEK) (ATS RECORD) (LAST WEEKS RANK)

16) Toronto Raptors (34-30/1-3) (34-29-1 ATS) (LW: 14) Back to back 1-3 SU marks has Toronto 2-7 SU and ATS their L/9 overall games. Paging Mr. Bosh…Mr. Bosh, we need your services on the court please!!! Their schedule doesn’t get much easier either with road games left to go this week against the Nuggets, Kings, and Jazz before returning home to take on a woeful Miami Heat squad.

17) Portland Trailblazers (34-31/3-1) (34-31 ATS) (LW: 18) The Blazers couldn’t have asked for a better time to face Minnesota, NY, and Milwaukee than last week as those three allowed them to pick up their first winning week in months. They did drop a tough one at Cleveland, but Head Coach Nate McMillan would gladly take 3-1 marks every week for the rest of the season. That said, the Blazers are still a year or two away from seriously competing in the West, but that doesn’t mean they won’t stop trying. They could make up some ground with 4 of their next 5 coming against the Kings, Timberwolves, and Clippers, but there’s just too much ground to make up.

18) Chicago Bulls (26-38/1-2) (29-35 ATS) (LW: 17) It’s mesmerizing to think this club is only a game back of the 8th seed in the East, but the “Baby Bulls” have recently turned their level of play up a couple notches and look to be making a serious push towards the post-season. Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden have fit in nicely, and there’s no reason to think they won’t grab one of the seeds if they continue to play like they did against Utah in their 108-96 home win and cover in the UC. They’ll look to keep it going this week against three teams currently in the playoffs (Philly, NO, and NJ).

19) Atlanta Hawks (26-38/1-3) (28-35-1 ATS) (LW: 19) The Hawks put forth another losing week both SU and ATS (0-4 ATS!!!), and the arrival of Mike Bibby certainly hasn’t changed the Hawks losing ways. That said, they’re still just one game out of grabbing the #8 seed in the East, and they’ve got what looks to be an easier schedule this week with a home game against the Clippers followed by road games at NY, NJ, and Washington (toughest of the three). Times running out on HC mike Woodson’s club, so look for them to make a push this week.

20) Sacramento Kings (28-35/1-1) (32-30-1 ATS) (LW: 20) The Kings continue to plummet in the standings and it looks as if it won’t be long until they’re eliminated from post-season play altogether. They lost at home to the freaking Timberwolves for crying out loud!!! You don’t go into Arco and win if you’re the Wolves….do you? Just to show how wacky the NBA really is, they go into the Staples Center a day later and beat the Lakers to snap their 6-game home winning streak. Mia Culpa!!!

21) New Jersey Nets (27-38/1-3) (24-39-2 ATS) (LW: 21) So the Nets go 2-6 SU and ATS the L/2 weeks yet find themselves the proud owner of the #8 seed in the East. That just speaks volumes at just how bad the Eastern Conference really is. They lost on the road to the entire Southwest Division before returning home and beating Lebron and the Cavs for the third time this season. What gives? The Nets don’t look to be a playoff caliber squad this time around, and it should only be a matter of time before they’re forced to relinquish the 8th seed.

22) Charlotte Bobcats (24-40/2-1) (28-35-1 ATS) (LW: 22) Before Wednesday night’s 118-93 beatdown in Dallas, the Bobcats were the proud owners of a five game winning streak. Now that it’s been broken, look for them to get back to their losing ways this week with four more road games at Houston, Cleveland, Memphis, and Indiana. Have fun Bobcats!!!

23) Indiana Pacers (25-39/1-1) (29-35 ATS) (LW: 24) Indy split its games once again this week, but made the few backers it has left upset by failing to cover either ATS. The Pacers have been a tough team to read all season long, and it looks as if that will continue throughout the rest of the season. Still, a post-season bid is in the cards playing in the mediocre Eastern Conference.

24) Minnesota Timberwolves (14-49/2-1) (30-33 ATS) (LW: 25) The Timberwolves snapped their 5-game losing streak earlier this past week in Arco where they surprisingly upended the Kings by a 111-103 final count as 6.5-point underdogs. They followed that effort with another outright win at the Clippers, and then returned home to battle the Blazers but fell seven points short of their third victory in a row. Minny must continue to give its youngsters solid minutes and keep building towards the future.

25) Milwaukee Bucks (23-42/0-4) (29-35 ATS) (LW: 23) After looking like the Bucks once again had a pulse a couple weeks ago, they followed up last weeks 1-3 SU & 2-2 ATS mark with an 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS mark this week. Milwaukee has been a major disappointment in the Central Division from Day 1, and they’ll just continue to play out the string in hopes of cashing in big in the lottery.

26) NY Knicks (19-46/1-3) (30-34-1 ATS) (LW: 27) The inside-outside combo of Patrick Ewing and John Starks were just too much for the Celtics to overcome as they pounded the highly favored Celtics into submission last Wednesday night. Whoooops, looks like I slipped into that time machine on “Lost” again. It’s 2008 and the Knicks are a disgrace!!!

27) Seattle Supersonics (16-49/0-4) (32-32-1 ATS) (LW: 26) Posted last week: They’re at Philly, Indiana, Toronto, and Boston this week and should consider themselves very lucky if they match last week’s 1-3 SU mark. Well, the Sonics weren’t able to muster one win and went 0’fer even though they split ATS. Their best shot to snap their losing streak comes at home against Minny, but then look for them to get rolled up by both Phoenix and Denver later in the week.

28) LA Clippers (21-42/1-3) (26-37 ATS) (LW: 28) Not only are the Clippers bad and considered to be a fade on a nightly basis, but they’re freaking awful to watch. We’re all looking forward to the end of the season as much as they are…

29) Miami Heat (11-52/0-4) (23-39-1 ATS) (LW: 29) Not sure why it wasn’t done earlier, but D-Wade’s been shut down for the rest of the season. His teammates will do their best throughout the rest of their schedule not to become the worst team in the history of the NBA. Even though they failed to win any of their games SU this past week, they did go 3-1 ATS, which shows they haven’t given up yet.

30) Memphis Grizzles (15-49/0-3) (25-38-1 ATS) (LW: 30) Add three more losses to the Grizzlies resume this past week as well as three more losses versus the Vegas number. It’s 100% clear that this club has given up, so continue riding the money train and fade these guys every chance you get.

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