Fox Sports Power Rankings (Mavs #5)

[VivaNajera]

Fox Rankings
Sean Deveney's 2004-05 Power Poll
Sean Deveney / The Sporting News
Posted: 14 hours ago


1. Pistons. Rasheed Wallace returns with the same core of players and a bigger, deeper bench.


2. Spurs. Were short on long-range clutch shooting last season and are counting on Brent Barry to fix that.



3. Timberwolves. Latrell Sprewell, Sam Cassell and K.G. are the Big Three, but the first two are getting old fast.



4. Pacers. Stephen Jackson brings athleticism and shooting, but he can't carry this team past Detroit.



5. Mavericks. High expectations can be met only if Erick Dampier repeats last season's stellar performance.



6. Rockets. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady -- either a dynasty in the making or a disaster waiting to happen.



7. Heat. Shaq is here. But where are the reinforcements?



8. Kings. Chemistry? What chemistry? Maybe some bad blood in the locker room will inspire these guys.



9. Lakers. Center and point guard will be problems, but the Lakers have depth. Oh, and they have Kobe Bryant.



10. Jazz. Looks like the post-Stockton-Malone rebuilding plan took all of one year to complete.



11. Nuggets. Kenyon Martin will firm up the inside defense, but Carmelo Anthony will have to share the ball.



12. Grizzlies. Repeating last season's 50 wins will be difficult without a true center on the roster.



13. Suns. Steve Nash will be the perfect guide for the team's athletic youngsters, but defense will be the key.



14. 76ers. They will revolve around Allen Iverson, meaning a healthy, happy Iverson is a necessity.



15. Celtics. Boston is hoping its young players will pan out; in the meantime, it has Paul Pierce and Gary Payton.



16. Trail Blazers. They still are searching for the right outside complement to cornerstone Zach Randolph.



17. Nets. If Jason Kidd shows some professional pride, he could lead a nearly depleted roster to the postseason.



18. Warriors. They are more talented than most think -- new coach Mike Montgomery is the question mark.



19. Bucks. T.J. Ford's injury is one to watch, but the front office has been nimble at finding cost-friendly players.



20. Cavaliers. With Carlos Boozer gone, the Cavs are struggling to put a worthy roster around LeBron James.



21. Knicks. The pieces don't seem to mesh, despite all the well-known names and enormous contracts.



22. Hornets. New coach Byron Scott faces a fractured team and the league's toughest division. Good luck.



23. Wizards. Success hinges on developing center Brendan Haywood and power forward Kwame Brown.



24. SuperSonics. Even with Danny Fortson, the team lacks tough big guys who can rebound.



25. Magic. The rebuilding project will get off to a slow start while Dwight Howard learns the ropes.



26. Raptors. Vince Carter is dragging his team down with his injuries, tentativeness and a bad attitude.



27. Hawks. If streaky shooters Antoine Walker and Al Harrington get a hot hand, this team is no gimme.



28. Bulls. It's Year 4 of the Eddy Curry-Tyson Chandler plan, and the Bulls seem to have gotten nowhere.



29. Clippers. No depth, marginal size and very little interest in defensive effort. Typical Clippers basketball.



30. Bobcats. This team definitely can break the double-digit win barrier.



Sean Deveney is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at sdeveney@sportingnews.com.


FOXSportsFox Rankings

[jayC]

SI has the mavs at 6 in the west.

[EricaLubarsky]

Directv.....if they matter

1. San Antonio Spurs

The Skinny: How did this team lose four straight to the Lakers? That's not going to happen this season, not with the talent of this team. Guard Brent Barry comes over from Seattle and is one of the league's top 3-point threats. The rest of the team remains intact with guys like Tony Parker, Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry, Malik Rose and, of course, two-time MVP Tim Duncan.
What Are Their Chances: This team goes into every season with a championship in mind, and there's no reason to think that can't happen this time around. Coach Gregg Popovich will have this team firing on all cylinders.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Skinny: Basketball fans in Minnesota can finally talk about something other than early playoff exits. And with a player like MVP Kevin Garnett still running the show with a strong supporting cast, they could be talking championship. The Timberwolves didn't do anything major to improve themselves for this season, but Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell, both 34, seem to be getting better with age.
What Are Their Chances: Let's not overlook the skill of coach Flip Saunders. Quietly, he's become one of the top coaches in the league. And with this cast of characters, his team could be good enough again to post one of the league's best records.

3. Houston Rockets

The Skinny: Tracy McGrady got what he wanted, a roster spot in Houston to play for Jeff Van Gundy. The league's top scorer, who came to the Lone Star State from Orlando with Juwan Howard and Tyronn Lue, has an opportunity to raise his game to yet another level if he can figure out how to play with center Yao Ming. Together, they could become the next incarnation of Kobe and Shaq. If that happens, the Rockets will be a force out West.
What Are Their Chances: It's odd that a superstar like McGrady has only played in 18 postseason games and has never carried his team past the first round. The Rockets haven't made it past the first round since 1997, but that should change this season.

4. Dallas Mavericks

The Skinny: Gone are Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison and Antoine Walker. New arrivals include Erick Dampier, Jerry Stackhouse and Jason Terry, a new collection of players that might be a better fit for this franchise. Dirk Nowitzki is still around and is still one of the league's best players. It will be interesting to see how he and Dampier play off each other in the frontcourt.
What Are Their Chances: As always, the Mavericks look like a force on paper. But will it mean anything come playoff time? Owner Mark Cuban said, "This is the first year that I'm really excited." Considering his antics in the stands, that seems hard to believe, but maybe this could finally be the year for Dallas.