NBA Power Rankings week 8 – OKC Thunder cling to middle, trade market opens up
. 10-16. Previous: 17th. Portland Trail Blazers. 18. team. 34
Offense: (109.4) 11th
Defense: ( 111.3) 21st
Net: (minus -1.9) 20th
Games Week 8: (1-1) Won vs. Knicks, lost vs. Nuggets
Games Week 9 (4 games): Mon. at Suns | Weds. vs Warriors | Fri. vs Magic | Sat. vs Wolves
Standing in the ‘Buyers’ queue right behind the Minnesota Timberwolves, presumably is the Portland Trail Blazers General Manager, Neil Olshey.
The concern for Olshey has to be the teams they are defeating are primarily lottery teams. Sure they beat the Thunder early but since then OKC figured out their chemistry and the squad had time to mesh. In fact, the only teams Portland has defeated of any substance are the Thunder and the Mavericks and the latter occurred in the first week of the season.
The OKC Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves are all in the chase pack and each of those teams has statement wins this season — except the Blazers.
Week nine serves up four non-seeded teams (although the Magic are playing better) so they’ll likely sport a winning record this week but they can’t be lulled into fools gold.
Like the Wolves the Blazers can’t afford to be paying out contracts to max players and simultaneously not making deep playoff runs. Making their situation even more compelling is they possess the HIGHEST TEAM SALARY in the Association.
It is notable that Carmelo Anthony has fit in so effortlessly. Melo is averaging 16.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals is shooting 42.6 percent on 3-point shots on 4.2 attempts. More interestingly is he hasn’t been an albatross on defense.