Power Rankings: Blazers break into top 5

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NBA Top 10 Power Rankings

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Houston 99 vs. Boston 103* (National Basketball Association)

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National Basketball Association

Houston 99
Boston 103

Power Rankings: Lakers rise, Celtics fall after first week

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Blazers' Oden sprains foot in first game, will miss 2-4 weeks

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Power Rankings: Celtics begin on top, back and ready for more

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Top 10 Sophmores

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1. Kevin Durant, Thunder I'm not expecting Durant's scoring numbers to jump nearly as much as his overall efficiency and productivity. Yes, he could average close to 25 points per game -- which would be impressive -- but doing so while rebounding better, defending with more purpose and getting more buckets inside the paint will establish Durant as a true future star. Building on this past April's play would be a good start. 2. Al Horford, Hawks As a basketball player, Horford looks like he's 22 going on 30. Showing polish and poise, he shocked nobody when he averaged a double-double against the Celtics in the playoffs. And he still can improve a great deal as a scorer. Late touches in the shot clock could be in store for him this season, and an improved jumper means he can space the floor better for Atlanta's slashers. 3. Luis Scola, Rockets No team showed more heart and grit than Houston did in its six-game series against Utah. And Scola was a big factor in that effort. His numbers never tell the whole story; he truly is one of the game's best "team guys" -- his spirit infects those around him. However, his playing time could be affected if Houston goes small and plays Ron Artest inside. 4. Al Thornton, Clippers With the Clippers' roster changes and injuries, Thornton might give Durant a run for the sophomore scoring title. He progressed nicely last season and has the three tools I love to see in players -- shooting skill, terrific athleticism and a huge motor that he uses every night. However, he does need to drive more and take fewer jump shots. 5. Rodney Stuckey, Pistons This might be too high on the list for a non-starter, but Stuckey performed so well in the playoffs and summer league that he should see major minutes on a team that needs young legs. He can help the Pistons on both sides of the court but needs to add consistency to his perimeter jumper to reach the next level of his development. 6.Thaddeus Young, 76ers Young's athleticism and feel for the game are so much fun to watch; he's truly a natural out on the court. Moving to the small-forward spot full time will force him to be more focused on what made him so good last season -- mixing his inside game alongside his perimeter one. He took 54 percent of his shots near the rim and should aim for a 50-50 balance again this season. 7. Mike Conley, Grizzlies Going into the offseason, Conley knew he had to improve his jumper to be a more balanced offensive player. Indications are that he indeed has gotten better as a shooter, although there is little doubt he will have to prove it over and over again as the season begins. Conley's overall effectiveness should be greatly enhanced this season as a full-time starter. He teams with O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay to form an incredibly active perimeter trio. 8. Carl Landry, Rockets Landry likely would be higher on this list were it not for the glut of talent around him in the Rockets' frontcourt. He's a do-it-all type of scorer, and despite being labeled as "undersized" for his position, he attempted to dunk on 26 percent of his field goal attempts. (Dwight Howard was at 30 percent.) Landry also personifies -- alongside fellow soph Scola -- a unique brand of incredible toughness within 6 feet of the rim on both sides of the ball. 9. Jeff Green, Thunder The Thunder might see improvement only if Green makes a big jump in production. He settled for far too many outside shots last season with too few makes (similar to Durant). But he finished the season strong and occasionally dominated Orlando's summer league in July. The talent is there. He'd be better served by focusing on defense and rebounding, though, where he has the ability and agility to be excellent. 1 0.Julian Wright, Hornets As I stated at the end of last season, no rookie improved more during the season than Wright. He's not someone who is going to put up huge numbers, maybe ever, but his presence is felt nonetheless. And if Wright somehow can provide more production as a scorer/rebounder and on defense, he could be the catalyst (along with James Posey) the Hornets need to push through into the Finals

2008-2009 Hollinger Projections - All Players

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Power Rankings: Best and worst over past six seasons

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1 San Antonio Spurs 59 23 .720 1 10 3.17 High: Wk 18, 2007-08 (most recent of 36) | Low: Wk 7, 2002-03 (most recent of 2) | Rankings archive Surely this outcome doesn't surprise you. The Spurs wound up halting the Lakers' three-peat run and winning the championship in the first season that the committee (of one) presided over these rankings and won two more titles after that. Then they've got a string of nine consecutive 50-win seasons going and generally rank as the franchise, from top to bottom, every other team wishes it could emulate. Who else could occupy this perch? 2 Dallas Mavericks 58 24 .707 1 15 4.23 High: Wk 12, 2006-07 (most recent of 30) | Low: Wk 22, 2007-08 | Rankings archive Snicker all you want about the Mavs' playoff exploits since the 6:30 mark of the fourth quarter in Game 3 of the 2006 NBA Finals. None of that considerable misery can change the fact that these rankings are a regular-season enterprise, which has made it impossible not to notice that Dallas has posted an average record of 58-24 over the past six seasons … and thus impossible not to rank these tortured souls accordingly. 3 Detroit Pistons 56 26 .683 1 13 5.15 High: Wk 16, 2007-08 (most recent of 25) | Low: Wk 2, 2006-07 | Rankings archive Hard to imagine that anyone would claim that Detroit hasn't fully deserved its regular spot in our top five. Frustrated as Pistons fans might be to come away from six consecutive trips to the East finals with only one championship, there's been only one source of positive consistency emanating from the Leastern Conference since Michael Jordan's retirement … and this team is it. 4 Phoenix Suns 51 31 .622 1 27 8.59 High: Wk 4, 2007-08 (most recent of 15) | Low: Wk 16, 2003-04 (most recent of 2) | Rankings archive Yet another illustration of Steve Nash's impact in his second stint as a Sun has been playing out right here in our domain. Even though Nash has been back on Planet Orange for just four of the past six seasons -- and even though the two seasons before his return were mostly forgettable -- Phoenix has nonetheless crashed the top five comfortably.

Summer Forecast: Who will win the NBA title?

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Is it L.A.'s turn again? Yes, it is, according to about half of our panel of 25 ESPN writers, editors and contributors. Just as they have been throughout most of NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers are a force again -- and now the preseason favorites to win NBA title No. 15. Of course, that means 13 members of our panel predicted the Lakers will not win the 2008-09 NBA championship, and the top challenger in our voting will surprise some: the up-and-coming New Orleans Hornets, not the Boston Celtics. And, don't forget, the Lakers were also favored going into the Finals in June, and we all saw how the Celtics fed on the skepticism about their chances. But the difficulty of repeating, especially with an older lineup, is reflected in the voting results below: Only 16 percent of our panel sees the C's going back-to-back. To register your opinion, click here. For the full results, including the surging expectations for the Hornets and the dark-horse candidacies of the Rockets and Cavaliers, see below:

Clippers reach terms with free-agent guard Williams

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The Los Angeles Clippers made arrangements Thursday to bring in yet another new player by reaching terms with free-agent point guard Jason Williams. Williams Williams' agent, Bob Myers, told ESPN.com that the 32-year-old -- who spent the past three seasons with the Miami Heat and who started at point guard for Miami's title-winning team in 2006 -- has signed with the Clippers. Financial terms were not immediately available, but NBA front-office sources said Williams is receiving a one-year contract. "We are excited to add Jason to our squad," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said in a statement. "He brings added veteran leadership and playoff experience to our backcourt." In 679 regular-season games, Williams has averaged 11.4 points, 6.3 assists and 2.4 rebounds while playing for three different teams. He has appeared in 53 playoff games, averaging 9.8 points, 3.7 assists and 2.2 rebounds. Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor called Williams "a terrific ball handler with great passing ability and court vision." Williams ranked eighth in the league last season with a 3.37 assists-per-turnover ratio, and 12th with a 0.91 steals-per-turnover ratio. He was drafted by Sacramento in 1998 following his junior year at the University of Florida and was named to the 1999 NBA All-Rookie Team after he averaged 12.8 points and 6.0 assists. He has averaged scoring in double figures and at least five assists a game in eight of his 10 years in the league. Williams moved to Memphis before the 2001-02 season and over the following four years became the Grizzlies' career leader in assists and 3-point attempts. He joined the Heat before the 2005-06 season. Williams will thus become the 10th new player acquired by the Clippers in the wake of a disastrous 23-59 season, which was followed by Elton Brand's free-agent defection to the Philadelphia 76ers. Los Angeles native Baron Davis headlines the group of newcomers, which also includes center Marcus Camby, Williams' former Miami teammate Ricky Davis, first-round draft pick Eric Gordon, veteran forward Brian Skinner and sharpshooter Steve Novak, whom L.A. landed Wednesday in a trade with the Houston Rockets. Williams is the third point guard to join the Clippers this summer, along with Davis and Jason Hart, who was acquired from the Utah Jazz in a July 23 trade for Brevin Knight. The addition of Williams -- who recently attracted serious interest from Israeli giant Maccabi Tel-Aviv before Maccabi signed Orlando Magic free agent Carlos Arroyo -- all but ensures that the Clippers will not re-sign point guard Shaun Livingston. L.A. renounced its free-agent rights to the injury-plagued Livingston on July 9 to help create the requisite salary-cap space to officially sign Davis to his five-year, $65 million contract, but the Clippers did have the option of trying to re-sign him.

Yao, Nowitzki selected as flag-bearers for Games opening ceremony

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Schedule highlights: Season opens with champs versus King James

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The NBA's 2008-09 schedule is out ... and you know what that means. An equally anticipated document has to go with it: ESPN.com's first rundown of must-see games for the coming season to immediately input into your electronic calendar of choice. Oct. 28: Opening Night An earlier-than-usual launch to the season starts with a tasty TNT doubleheader, leading off with the new champs from Boston hosting LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers on ring night and capped by Greg Oden's long-awaited NBA debut in Blazers at Lakers. Oct. 29: Opening Night (continued) Elton Brand makes his 76ers debut in the same game that Jermaine O'Neal makes his official Raptors debut: Toronto at Philadelphia. Furtherm ore:Michael Beasley makes his pro debut at Madison Square Garden (along with Dwyane Wade's official return from injury) in Heat at Knicks, Ron Artest makes his Rockets debut in Memphis at Houston, and Oklahoma City makes its debut as a full-time NBA city with a visit from the Milwaukee Bucks. And ... ESPN dishes its own doubleheader doozy: Phoenix at San Antonio to renew year after year of recent playoff pleasantries, followed by Lakers at Clippers in a fitting bow for the Clips' new Angeleno point guard: Baron Davis. Oct. 30: Houston at Dallas (TNT) The Mavericks are one of two teams (along with Charlotte) that must wait until Thursday for their opening game, giving Mavs fans more time to fret that the Rockets' acquisition of Ron Artest reduces Dallas to the third-best team in Texas. Oct. 31: San Antonio at Portland (ESPN) The best of the Halloween fare, at least in NBA terms, is unquestionably Oden matching up with Tim Duncan. Nov. 1: Washington at Detroit (NBA TV) The league is still sorting out its full 96-game NBA TV schedule, but Wizards-Pistons has been confirmed as the opener of NBA TV's maiden doubleheader, which concludes with a Portland-at-Phoenix nightcap. [+] EnlargeJesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images If Yao can stay healthy, this could be a preview of the 2009 Finals. Nov. 4: Boston at Houston You don't have to wait long for a look at the NBA's reigning threesome of doom (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) throwing down against the new trio on the block (McGrady, Yao and Artest). P.S. How much playing time will the twins get in Phoenix at New Jersey ... also known as Robin Lopez at Brook Lopez? Nov. 5: Charlotte at New York Larry Brown returns to Madison Square Garden with his (latest) new team. We'll spare you the dates on Larry's returns to Denver, New Jersey, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Indiana, Philly and Detroit. Nov. 6: Houston at Portland (TNT) Yao Ming and Oden go toe-to-toe for the first time. Health permitting, of course. Nov. 9: Houston at L.A. Lakers The denizens of Lakerland who so badly wanted to see Artest in purple and gold will get their first dose of torture early. In L.A.'s first Sunday home game of the season, actually. Nov. 10: Portland at Orlando Oden will have lined up against Shaquille O'Neal (Nov. 1), Yao and Dwight Howard in a span of 10 days by the time he gets through this one. Health permitting, of course. Nov. 12: Atlanta at Boston Are the Hawks and Celtics rivals now because of what happened in the first round of the playoffs? Better question: Shouldn't Olympiacos be required to swing through Atlanta as part of the usual October spree of exhibition games against top European clubs? Nov. 13: Dallas at Chicago (TNT) Mavs owner Mark Cuban could know by this point whether he has won the race to buy the Cubs, which would make this somewhat of a home game for him and certainly spice up his relationship with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, since Reinsdorf owns the White Sox. Nov. 14: Detroit at L.A. Lakers (ESPN) What sort of reception awaits Kwame Brown at Staples Center? Just a hunch: If history is any guide, Kwame needn't expect (or want) any mention of a cake. On the undercard: Kareem Rush's Philadelphia 76ers visit brother Brandon Rush's Indiana Pacers. Nov. 18: Cleveland at New Jersey LeBron and Jay-Z! In the same building! Exactly one week before LeBron goes to MSG to hang with Spike Lee and the Knicks! Cavs fans will want to avoid online consumption of the New York tabloids for a good few days before Thanksgiving. Nov. 20: L.A. Lakers at Phoenix (TNT) Kobe, tell me how many times do you think you and Shaq will be asked about recent rapping exploits? Detroit at Boston, incidentally, isn't exactly a bland appetizer for TNT. Nov. 21: Boston at Minnesota A hamstring strain prevented KG from playing in his first visit to 'Sota as an ex-Wolf last February. Hard to see him missing two in row, though. In Philadelphia, meanwhile, Baron and Elton will be in the same building for the first time since they did not end up on the same team as so many of us expected. And over in Oklahoma City, New Orleans is in town to play the OKC TBAs for the first time, which makes

Report: Artest replies to Yao, seeks 'commitment' from Rockets

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Rockets Add Ron Artest in Trade with Kings: Where are the Rockets ranked now in the Western Conference?

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'Chemistry really good' as U.S. team arrives in China, LeBron says

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MACAU, China -- The U.S. men's basketball team is striving to be confident heading into the Beijing Games while avoiding the complacency that has sabotaged it in recent Olympics. That was the message from coach Mike Krzyzewski after he and the star-studded team arrived Monday in this southern Chinese casino enclave for its final preparations for the Beijing Games. [+] EnlargeAP Photo/Kin Cheung The U.S. Olympic basketball team runs its first practice Monday after arriving in Macau, China. The team is "trying to be very confident, but that doesn't mean overconfident," Krzyzewski said. "We don't have nothing to be complacent about," he said. "We haven't accomplished anything yet. We're in the midst of trying to accomplish." One of the Americans' most confident stars, the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, joined the team's first practice in Macau on Monday. His right ankle was taped as a precaution after he sat out the Americans' first tuneup against Canada on Friday with a sprain. "Every time we step onto the court, we know we have the talent and we know we have the strength to go out and be the best team on the court," said James, who was quoted in the recent issue of Time magazine as saying he guarantees gold for the team at Beijing. "The chemistry right now is really good," he said. James said he will play in upcoming exhibition games in Macau and Shanghai. Despite its NBA star power, the U.S. has underachieved in international competition during the past eight years. It finished sixth in the 2002 world championships and won bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and at the 2006 world championships. Krzyzew skipredicted the Beijing basketball tournament will be the best ever because "world basketball has gotten to another level." "Many of the teams we face ... some will have a starting five of five NBA players," he said. "World basketball is terrific and it'll be a tough challenge for us." In its opening game at the Olympics on Aug. 10, the U.S. will face host China, which has a lineup that includes Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, who was recently traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the New Jersey Nets. [+] EnlargeAP Photo/Kin Cheung Dwyane Wade and LeBron James get their first taste of the media Monday before practice. Asked about other contenders for the Olympic title, the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade noted defending Olympic champions Argentina and reigning world champion Spain, but said, "I'm not going to say anyone else [other than the U.S.] is a favorite to win." The current squad is largely similar to the U.S. team for the 2006 world championships -- but has added Kobe Bryant and veteran Jason Kidd. U.S. team managing director Jerry Colangelo said the Americans are aware that an ad hoc team of NBA stars doesn't cut any more and noted the current squad was assembled in 2006. "The core players have been together for the last three years. In the past, all-star teams were selected," Colangelo said. "That was good enough, but that's not the case any more." Team spokesman Craig Miller said Wade, who is recovering from left knee surgery, and the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard, recovering from a stress fracture to his sternum, are both healthy. Wade scored 20 points in the U.S.' 120-65 rout of Canada. In Macau, the U.S. will play Turkey on Thursday and Lithuania on Friday before moving on to Shanghai, where they will play Russia on Aug. 3 and Australia on Aug. 5

Barry signs with Houston, is third family member to play for Rockets

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HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets signed free agent Brent Barry to a two-year contract on Thursday, making him the third member of the family to join the franchise. Barry The 6-foot-7 Barry played 31 games with San Antonio last season and shot 43 percent (48-for-112) from 3-point range. A 13-year veteran, Barry will play for his sixth NBA team after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics and the Spurs. Barry's father, Rick, spent two seasons with the Rockets (1978-80) and his older brother, Jon, played for the team from 2004-06. Barry, 36, was a member of San Antonio's championship teams, in the 2004-05 and 2006-07 seasons. Among active players, Barry ranks eighth in career 3-point field goal percentage (.407) and sixth in career 3-pointers made (1,346). Barry won the NBA slam dunk contest in 1996. He was the league's most accurate 3-point shooter in 2000-01, making 48 percent (109-of-229).

What other free-agent surprises can we expect this summer?

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So much for our nice, orderly summer. What was supposed to be a humdrum offseason has been thrown into disarray in just 48 hours by the unexpected free agencies of Baron Davis, Elton Brand and the Sonics (or the Claymations or the $75Mers or whatever they're calling themselves now); already, two of the three have changed cities. In doing so, the rest of the free-agent chase is suddenly upside-down. Most notably, no longer does Philadelphia own the most cap room. With Davis gone to the Clippers (and Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba spared the annoyance of rubbing elbows with the commoners in Oakland), the Warriors now have $6 million more in their war chest than Philly. They don't seem afraid to use it, either. That, in turn, means teams with restricted free agents no longer can rest quite so comfortably with the assurance that they'll be able to match any offer -- not if Golden State wants to drive up the prices on the likes of Emeka Okafor, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala and Josh Smith. As a result of those events and a few others like them, we have way more to discuss than we thought we would at this point in the summer. So let's break it down. Here's one man's quick look at the top questions from free agency so far and what some of the answers might be: What does Golden State do now? Well, the team has started with the right plan. The Warriors have swung for the fences with the other star free agents out there, offering their pile of cap space to Gilbert Arenas and Brand; Arenas seems nearly certain to say no, but Brand will at least ponder an offer worth $20 million more than the Clippers are bringing to the table. If Brand takes the Warriors' offer, it will be an ironic reversal of the loss of Davis to L.A. earlier this week. On the other hand, the Brand-Davis dual free agency seemed so unusually well choreographed that it's hard to imagine Brand landing in Golden State. So let's suppose that one falls short, too. In that case, the Warriors have a few options. First, they can make a run at restricted free agents, with Josh Smith likely the first choice, given Atlanta's bumbling ownership. They'd overpay him, but to nab a restricted free agent, a team almost has to. Second, Golden State can go after the other top unrestricted free agent, Corey Maggette. He doesn't fit a need necessarily, but he can really score, and Don Nelson always has found uses for players like that. And Maggette probably would use only about half of the Warriors' available cap room, leaving enough space to make a run at another quality player through either free agency or trade. The latter might be the more promising alternative. The Warriors are far enough under the cap that they could, for instance, just trade a second-round pick to New Jersey for Vince Carter (not that I've heard this, mind you … I'm just saying). A number of other trades are available, too -- it would just depend on which other team's unwanted contract they wished to take on and how cheaply they could get it. As for the specific void at point guard left by Davis' departure, the Warriors have one other option if nothing else works out -- a seemingly too-sensible-not-to-happe nswap of Al Harrington to Chicago for Kirk Hinrich. ----------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- ------------- Howgood are the Clippers now? Assuming Brand stays, they're decent … and that's about it. I'm not sure they're even a playoff team in the West. Seemingly everyone is talking about the 2005-06 Clippers who won 47 games and comparing this bunch to that group, but what about the gang from 2006-07? That team had Brand, Maggette, Chris Kaman, Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley healthy all year, and it went 40-42. Replace Maggette with Al Thornton, and replace Sam Cassell with Davis, and you basically have the 2008-09 Clippers … except with Mobley halfway to the glue factory and no depth whatsoever. So we're really supposed to buy that they'll rocket into the West's upper crust? I wonder whether everyone is overlooking the personality angle, too. On paper, few pairings seem more flammable than Mike Dunleavy and Baron Davis. Dunleavy is a control guy at the offensive end who likes to call set post-up plays over and over, while Davis has bristled under every coach who didn't give him free rein to launch contested 3s off the dribble with 21 on the shot clock. Don't get me wrong, Davis is a fantastic player. But I wonder how it's going to work when Dunleavy calls 4-down six plays in a row and whether Davis' disdain for structure ultimately will cause him to underachieve the same way he did for Tim Floyd, Byron Scott and Mike Montgomery. While I'm on a roll, one other thing -- let's not overreact to Donald Sterling spending money on talent. Signing both Davis and Brand takes the Clippers to the salary cap … and that's it. Granted, that's a pleasant departure from the days in t

Sources: Diop commits to Mavericks, Green agrees to deal

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Free-agent center DeSagana Diop on Tuesday gave a verbal commitment to sign a new contract to return to the Dallas Mavericks, according to NBA front-office sources. Sources told ESPN.com that Diop, traded by the Mavericks to New Jersey in February as part of the Jason Kidd deal, will receive the Mavericks' full mid-level exception in a five-year deal starting at nearly $6 million. Diop cannot officially sign and the Mavericks cannot officially comment until July 9, which is the first day NBA teams can announce signings and trades after a league-wide moratorium on roster moves is lifted. Dallas also has agreed to a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Gerald Green, a 22-year-old former slam dunk champion who had been unemployed since March. He passed a physical Wednesday and paperwork to make the deal official is being finalized. Since he wasn't on a team when last season ended, he can be signed at any time. In other free agent news, Eddie Jones has exercised his $2 million option to return next season, when he'll be 37, and the Mavs are trying to keep their other free agents: Devean George, Antoine Wright and J.J. Barea. Diop was a key member of the Dallas team that toppled its in-state rivals from San Antonio and reached the 2006 NBA Finals. It was the franchise's first trip beyond the Western Conference finals. Dallas will be Green's fourth team in as many seasons. He was drafted 18th overall by Boston in 2005 and won the dunk contest in 2007. He went to Minnesota in the Kevin Garnett trade, then was sent to Houston a few days after finishing second in the '08 dunk contest. The Rockets used him in one game, then released him. "Sure, it's been humbling," agent Colin Bryant told The Associated Press. "If you're out of the league, you have a lot of time to think about it. That's where his hunger and focus come from. It's a brand new Gerald Green. The rest of the league will soon find that out."

Who made the best NBA draft day aquisitions?

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What team will be most improved after the NBA draft