The NBA is a rollercoaster ride this season as in very few teams are playing consistently. Only a handful have looked pretty good every night and there have been about as many teams that have looked really bad every night. For the most part the majority of teams are up one night and down the next. It is almost as if the basketball Gods are just rolling dice before each game to determine the outcomes. Teams that we all thought would be contenders look like bottom feeders and teams we thought might be okay suddenly look elite. All this makes putting together a Power Ranking all the more difficult, but I am up for the challenge, so let us take a look at the Top 10 teams thus far in the NBA.

1. OKC Thunder (16-3) +1

Sure I could talk about the great season that Kevin Durant is having and why I think he should win the MVP, or I could ramble on about how this team has won nine of their last ten and that in their last nine wins they have won by an average of 11 points, but I would rather talk about the best beard in the NBA. Yes, I am talking about James Harden and his glorious beard. Not only is he the clear front runner for the 6th man award with his nearly 17 points per game off the bench, but I cannot stop thinking about his beard and how he reminds me of the gritty days of 1970′s NBA lore. If the Thunder win it all this season Harden’s Beard will make it into the HOF.

2. Miami Heat (14-5) +3

I understand that the Bulls have the better record and the better stats up to this point, but the Heat have Dwyane Wade back in the fold and I see them going on a tear. Infact the Bulls and Heat face eachother Sunday night in Miami and I am not holding my breath for a Bulls win. I may be one of the biggest Bulls fans around but I can see the writing on the wall. Without Luol Deng in the lineup and with Noah, Rose, Rip, and Taj all dealing with their own injuries I just do not see the Bulls winning this one on the road. Even “if” Deng does decide to play he will not be as effective as he has been all season. My prediction… Heat 101 Bulls 90.

3. Chicago Bulls (17-4) -2

The Bulls have been doing a fine job dealing with all the injuries, but their slip in the Rankings has more to do with the fact that I think the Thunder and Heat are simply better right now. If somehow the Bulls win in Miami then they will prove me wrong and will likely find themselves back in the #1 slot, but I do not think that will be the case. Without Deng the Bulls are still pretty darn good, but Deng does so many things for this team that without him or even with an injured version of him, the Bulls cannot win it all. I am not simply putting down the ground works for an excuse for the Bulls not winning a Title this season, I am stating the facts. Deng is the second best player on the Bulls and their best perimeter defender. Without him the Bulls drop down a tier in this league. Prove me wrong Bulls!

4. Denver Nuggets (14-5) +5

What a story the Denver Nuggets are. Even though the have the same record as the Miami Heat, I do not think they should be mentioned in the same sentence quite yet as Ty Lawson eluded to after Denver’s win over Raptors. Sure the Nuggets are a hard team to gameplan against, because they have a number of scoring options to contain, but the Heat have two players that can get to the basket whenever they darn well please. With that being said I still am a fan of this team and I love the way they are making the whole Melodrama crap from last season look like a joke. With six players averaging over 10 points a game and with the west being so open, I could see the Nuggets finishing top 3 in the west and few would have predicted that one.

5. San Antonio Spurs (12-8) +2

Has the Spurs’ ship sailed? Nope. Even without Manu, this team continues to play solid ball on both ends. Sure they cannot win on the road, but they are bound to get better in that regard. What I like it the caliber of the teams that they are winning against. January wins aginst the Mavs, Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Magic, and Hawks are pretty impressive. They have also had one of the hardest schedules early on this season when compared to the teams ahead of them on this list. If and when Manu returns to the lineup, the Spurs have a chance at making a run in the playoffs.

6. Atlanta Hawks (14-6) n/a

One week the Hawks are in my Top 10 and the next they are not. Right now they are feeding on the weaker teams in the NBA and their record is reflecting this. However, they have already one against the Bulls and Heat this season and look like one of the few teams that could last to a game 6 against either of those two come playoff time. Even without Al Horford this team is rolling and a lot of that has to do with the play of Josh Smith who is averaging 16+ ppg, 9+ rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.85 bpg, while shooting .474 from the field. That is a great line and he is going to have to carry this team as long as Horford is out.

7. Portland Trail Blazers (12-8) n/a

LaMarcus Aldridge is an Allstar right? He darn well should be. He is leading a team that many felt would be average to a possible home court advantage seeding in the Playoffs. Sure having Gerald Wallace, Wesley Mathews, and Raymon Felton does not hurt. Infact, when one takes the time to really look at this roster, it is hard to find that many holes. They have Crawford and Batum coming off the bench and they have the aged but still good Camby and Thomas in the paint causing trouble. They are well rounded on both ends and I really like their chances in the west.

8. Philadelphia 76ers (13-6) -2

I understand that the Sixers are the big story early on this season and I think they are a pretty good team, but I am not sold. Infact, I really want to put the Pacers ahead of them, but I decided to give this team a nod because they do have a nice record and their team statistics are great. However, let us look at all of these wins of theirs shall we? Only 2 of their wins have come agaist teams with a winning record and 3 of their victories have come against the Wizards. Infact, the combined record of all the teams that the 76ers have beaten is 77-170. Sorry, but I am not impressed. Nice record, shallow victories.

9. Indiana Pacers (12-6) -1

A nice victory over the Bulls in Chicago was followed by a loss to the Celtics. This team plays so hard from start to finish that you would think that Scott Skiles was their Head Coach. The Pacers’ players really seem to have bought into this defense thing as they are leading the league in opponents field goal percentage and rank second in rebounds per game. They are a hustle and effort team and they are playing with confidence. This makes them a very dangerous team on any given night, but they still lack the overall talent to knock out an elite team in a seven game series.

10. Dallas Mavericks (12-8) even

Quietly the Mavs are rounding into form. They are still far from looking like a contender but they are slowly and methodically climbing the standings. They have some nice tests coming up in their schedule starting with a Sunday game against the Spurs. In the next couple of weeks they will also be tested against the Thunder, Pacers, Nuggets, and Trail Blazers. If they can gather some wins against some of those teams then they will start moving up in my rankings.

Honorable Mentions

L.A. Clippers. Not sure what to think of this team. Only one win on the road and they are being outrebounded by their opponents. They just need a bit more time and they will start to really shine.

Houston Rockets. Winners of 8 of their last 10, the Rockets are hot. Sure those victories were against mostly crap teams, but they did beat the Spurs and Trail Blazers during this run.

L.A. Lakers. No L.A. team in my Top 10 this week. The Lakers are very hit or miss all season long with no end in sight. Maybe if Artest was not so bored???

Orlando Magic. Am I the only one waiting for this team to implode? Dwight Howard is now calling out his “teammates” hours after saying he would consider moving to the Celtics. Not sure if his “teammates” are going to listen or not.

Memphis Grizzlies. This team has no real strengths and no real weaknesses. They simply seem to be a bit above average and nothing more.

Little Trey Starks is quickly becoming a YouTube legend.  Actually he already is and you just haven’t seen it yet.

Well lucky for you he was at it again Friday Night. Sure it is just Junior College but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t impressive, considering Starks is only listed at 5’11″.

Enjoy your newest poster Mr. Starks, and hopefully those grades improve and we can see this on national TV and not on YouTube.

Shame on you. Shame on all of you. Last season, you the public RIPPED the Guru, Gus Elvin for his lackluster showing. You Armchair Krzyzewski’s flapped your gums like you were the second-coming of John Wooden. Frankly, Elvin is an understanding person and luckily for you he didn’t feel the need to lash out and defend his nickname. Like the silent killer he is on Twitter, waiting in the weeds to lay a factual beating on others, he calmly sat back, did his CBB offseason stuff and previewed college hoops for 2011-2012 waiting for the Guru vs. Gamblers to kick off. The “Parlay King” as he’s added to his name, was scorching hot not long ago and it’s the reason K.M and I held reservations about what he would do this season. If Week 1 is any sign, we’ll need to pick it up just to keep him in sight. The Guru dropped a hammer with a 4-1-1 opening week, putting K.M and I behind the 8-ball on our Roll the Dices as well.

So now is week 2, and K.M and I will look to close the early gap the Guru has built up. If you’re still not familiar, it’s a pretty simple concept. Like the Sexy Six of College Football season, we take 6 games each week (most often top 25 matchups) and play them against the spread. While we all have our own personal records to track, we throw in some special categories as well that we’ll track throughout the season. If you get a situation where all 3 of us are on the same side of the spread, we call it a Bet The House. Ironically you would have lost your house if you followed those last year. If K.M and I are on the same side of the number against the Guru, we call that a Roll The Dice. Finally, if you get a situation where either K.M or I stand alone on the spread, we call that a Crapshoot. As the season rolls along you’ll get a feel for which, if any, of those categories are the ones to roll with.

With that said, here’s where we stand heading into week 2:

Gus “The Guru” Elvin: 5-1 SU, 4-1-1 ATS
K.M: 3-3 SU, 1-4-1 ATS
Bryan: 4-2 SU, 2-3-1 ATS
Bet The Houses: 1-1
Roll The Dices: 0-1-1
K.M Crapshoots: 0-1
Bryan Crapshoots: 0-0
*One INC due to me (Bryan) being an idiot and forfeiting a pick

Saturday

#16 Mississippi St. at #14 Florida (-9.5)

Guru: In a game between 2 of the top 4 teams in the SEC the Bulldogs of Mississippi State hit the road to take on the Florida Gators and their heralded backcourt. While Florida has 4 tremendous guards in Bradley Beal, Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton and Mike Rosario, the best guard on the floor Saturday may be wearing maroon.  That guard is Dee Bost the senior point guard for the Bulldogs who has the ability to beat you off the dribble, from the perimeter or as a passer. On the inside the Bulldogs are a 2 headed monster with UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie and former McDonald’s All-American Renardo Sidney. Moultrie has exploded onto the scene this season after 2 solid seasons at UTEP as he leads the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding with averages of 17 points and 11 rebounds. Florida on the other hand is a guard oriented team that has 5 guards who would start for 75% of the teams in college basketball. These talented guards are led by veterans Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton who combine to average 31 points and 8 assists. Boynton has emerged as the go to guy for the Gators this season as he is averaging a career high 18.3 points per game while shooting career bests from both the field (50%) and 3-point range (45%). In the paint the Gators have budding star Patric Young (11.2ppg, 6.9 rpg, 64%-FG%) but lack much size/production outside of the talented but underutilized Young. In this game the key for me will be the offensive efficiency of Florida as the Gators rank 7^th in the nation in scoring (82.2ppg), 23^rd in field goal percentage (48.2%), 8^th in 3-point percentage (40.7%) and average just 11 turnovers per contest. At home in Gainesville I like the Gators behind Kenny Boynton and Bradley Beal to hold serve in a closely contested SEC matchup. Arnett Moultrie against Patric Young will be a matchup to keep an eye on as Moultrie is a long and skinny 6-10, while Young is an athletic and physical 6-9. Gators at home in a close one as the guards for Florida outplay and outpace a strong Mississippi State team in the 2^nd half.  Florida is the pick at home in a very tight game as their guards are quicker and more explosive than the perimeter players of MSU.

Prediction: Florida 76 Mississippi St. 70

K.M: ON NO KMVENNE STARTED 1-4-1. HE SUCKS. Listen up, TSHQ. I hear you all calling me out. You’re saying no way can K.M. Venne make money for the FOURTH consecutive season betting at TSHQ, 5th if you count my NBA plays on CBS last year. Well, you all are idiots. You can tell the same lie a thousand times, but it never gets any more true. So close your eyes once more and once more believe that they all still believe in you. Those are lyrics to Redneck by Lamb of God. I’m listening to that right now. Why am I rambling? I haven’t seen MSU yet this year. I’m going to lay the points with Florida because I think they are a pretty good team. And I’m going to win by the time this season is over. So suck it on ALL counts you heathens. I rule.

Prediction: Florida 84 Mississippi State 70

Bryan: I’ve seen my Wildcats play both of these teams this year and though I came away from the two games saying Florida looked more talented, Mississippi St. gave us more trouble. Florida just hasn’t done anything all season that makes me impressed. Even their win over Florida State wasn’t a FSU team who is playing its ass off now. Otherwise they have a bunch of careless wins. The Bulldogs have a few good wins and also have managed some very respectable losses including a nail-biter to Baylor. Florida at home should be good enough to snag the W, but I’m not getting behind them to win by double-digits.

Prediction: Florida 70 Mississippi St. 66

K.M. crapshoots on Mississippi State

Update: Florida wins 69-57, K.M: 1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS, 1-0 Crapshoots, Bryan: 1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS, Guru: 1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS

#23 St. Mary’s at BYU (-4)

Guru: In a matchup between the 1^st and 3^rd place teams in the WCC, conference front runners Saint Mary’s travels to the Marriott Center to take on conference newcomer BYU. The Gaels enter the game at 20-2 on the season and on a 10 game winning streak while BYU has won 7 of 8 since losing to the Gaels on the road in Moraga. This game to me comes down to the age old question of talent versus home court advantage. The Gaels are the more talented team in this fixture as they possess one of the best point guards in the country in Mathew Dellavedova (15.8ppg, 6.5apg) and one of the best bigs in the WCC in Rob Jones(14.5ppg, 10.7rpg). BYU on the other hand is also a talented team with Matt Carlino, Brandon Davies and Noah Hartsock and also have the advantage of playing at the Marriott Center in Provo where they are 126-18 over the past 12 ½ seasons. Picking against the Cougars in Provo is like playing with fire, it’s not a good idea but my gut is telling me to roll the dice here. This game will be a shootout as I expect both teams to go over the 80 point plateau but on the road I am going with the explosive Gaels to pull off the upset. Saint Mary’s is for real and a win over BYU in Provo should silence the remaining doubters and end all bubble talk before it starts. I am going with the Gaels on the road in the upset as I like Saint Mary’s experience and offensive firepower to outweigh the home court advantage of the Marriott Center. SMC ranks in the top 50 in the nation in almost every offensive category and with shooters like Dellavedova, Stephen Holt and Clint Steindl the Gaels average almost 8 made 3-pointers per game. SMC is the pick on the road as I look for Stephen Holt and Brad Waldow to be x-factors for the Gaels.

Prediction: St. Mary’s 86 BYU 80

K.M: BYU is in the WC now? I forgot that. Interesting*. I’m laying the wood with the home team. BYU still has a great home court, right? I thought so.

*not interesting at all

Prediction: BYU 77, St. Mary’s 65

Bryan: Yea I haven’t see one second of either of these teams play. There’s not possibly anything I could even pretend to say to justify my pick here. I’ll take the points with the better team and hope BYU’s homecourt isn’t truly that daunting.

Prediction: St. Mary’s 76 BYU 72

K.M. Venne rolls the dice with Mormons. That statement is funny to K.M. Venne and K.M. Venne only.

Monday

#2 Missouri at Texas

Guru:

K.M:

Bryan:

Tuesday

#11 Michigan St. at Illinois

Guru:

K.M:

Bryan:

Wednesday

#19 Uconn at #10 Georgetown

Guru:

K.M:

Bryan:

Thursday

Arizona at California

Guru

K.M:

Bryan: