Brooklyn Nets drop in Power Rankings despite sweep of Magic

John Schuhmann and Marc Stein are out with their Monday power rankings and despite the Nets' sweep of the Magic, the first win a historic one. Schuhmann has the Nets at No. 14 (still in the playoffs) while Stein dropped them to No. 18 (lottery team). Both want to know what's happened to Joe Johnson.

Writes Schuhmann...

Insert joke about playing 82 games against the Orlando Magic here. Consider the opponent, but the Nets did look better defensively over the weekend. And though they're playing too slow, things should start to click offensively when Joe Johnson's shots start to fall. They're at No. 12 on that end even though one of their stars (and the guy who has taken the most shots) is shooting 36 percent.

Writes Stein...

A home-and-home against the overmatched Magic was a needed tonic for the Nets to distract them from (A) that 22-point blown lead at home to Minnesota, (B) Gerald Wallace's latest ankle twist, and worst of all (C) Joe Johnson's tepid start (13.8 ppg on .362 shooting) to life in Brooklyn.