You can take it to the bank. The Nets are the 23rd best team in the NBA. So writes John Schuhmann of NBA.com; Marc Stein of ESPN, Britt Robson of Sports Illustrated and Tom Ziller of SB Nation.. Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops thinks one spot higher at #22 and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports says one lower at #24.
There are a couple of themes running through the rankings: 1) the Nets get hurt a lot; and 2) the end of the New Jersey era is near. As John Schuhmann writes, "we couldn't have really considered Gerald Wallace a member of the 2011-12 Nets until he suffered some kind of injury". Stein quotes Deron Williams on how much he faces double teams and how it hurts his shooting.
Robson offers some praise for Kris Humphries, who leads the Nets in minutes and is now averaging 14 and 11. "Amid the carnage of injuries and disappointments in New Jersey, Humphries has been a constant positive while playing under a one-year, $8 million deal. He leads the team in minutes while grinding in the paint."
- Power Rankings: Parity prevails in April - John Schuhmann - NBA.com
- Power Rankings: Miami Heat fall out of top 5 - Marc Stein - ESPN
- San Antonio Spurs maintain top spot in NBA Power Rankings - Britt Robson - Sports Illustrated
- NBA Power Rankings: Spurs And Bulls Lead, But Heat And Thunder Might Be More Daunting - Tom Ziller - SB Nation
- Chris Sheridan's Weekly NBA Power Rankings - Chris Sheridan - Sheridan Hoops
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NBA Power Rankings: Rose or no Rose, Bulls back on top - Kurt Helin - NBC Sports
Marc Stein - #23
The comments from D-Will over the weekend that didn't get as much play as what he said about John Wall (see Wiz space below): "I never thought I would shoot 40 percent in my career, but I'm taking tough shots over double-teams, and that's really the only shots I get." Have to say that he has a point.
John Schuhmann - #23
He's been around for only a month, but it can already be said that the Nets just aren't the same without Gerald Wallace, who has missed the last three games with a strained hamstring. Of course, we couldn't have really considered Wallace a member of the 2011-12 Nets until he suffered some kind of injury.
Britt Robson - #23
One of the more interesting names on the free-agent market this summer will be power forward Kris Humphries, who proved his breakout season of a year ago was no fluke by averaging a double-double again (career highs of 13.9 points and 11 rebounds with four games left). Amid the carnage of injuries and disappointments in New Jersey, Humphries has been a constant positive while playing under a one-year, $8 million deal. He leads the team in minutes while grinding in the paint, ranking among the top five in rebounding for the second straight year and improving his recognition of defensive rotations. The 27-year-old could be an attractive option for teams like the Sixers, Suns and Bobcats.
Tom Ziller - #23
The Nets have two more games in New Jersey. Given that the opponents are the Knicks and Sixers, Nets fans will almost assuredly be outnumbered. Sounds about right. (It's kinda criminal how the Ratner and Prokhorov management teams treated Newark and north Jersey. We'll see if the league ever gives Newark another shot with a committed club that isn't just biding time.)
Kurt Helin - #24
Of course Gerald Wallace is out injured, he’s a Net now.
Chris Sheridan - #22
They beat Philly once in two meetings last week, and they have three chances to play spoiler this week vs Miami (fat chance), New York and Milwaukee. Have one more after that vs. Philly to end Jersey era.