The Pacific Division Power Rankings

Kobe Bryant/AP Images

Braedan gives us the mid-season power rankings.


By Braedan Ritter


Lakers: The Lakers are currently in second in the Pacific division, but I don’t see that mattering too much when playoff time comes. They still have the best player in the division, in Kobe Bryant, and the best big men duo, in Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Those three guys will always give the Lakers a chance in a seven game series. There are two issues working against the Lakers though. First, Kobe and Bynum have injury problems, so they have to be wary of playing them too much in this cramped regular season. Secondly, the Lakers don’t have a point guard. No offense to Derek Fisher, but his days of being a competent guard are over. And it only gets worse as the Pacific Division has some of the best point guards in the league. 

Bottom line: The Lakers will go as far as Kobe’s rejuvenated knees will take them.

Clippers: The Clippers are one of the best highlight teams in the league, but that only gets you so far. They may have been first in these rankings, but they recently lost Chauncey Billups for the entire season. They then missed out on J.R. Smith. The Clippers really needed a shooting guard, and no one shoots more than Smith (he makes sure of that). Luckily, the Clips have the best point guard in the game and two great big men. Blake Griffin can light it up on the offensive end, while DeAndre Jordan will shut down the lane on defense. Chris Paul can control the game through passing, scoring and sometimes even defense. Not many other players can say that. He is also on the short list of guys you want with the ball in their hands when a game is on the line. 


Bottom line: Their loss to the Spurs this weekend showed they are still a young team learning to play together. And also the Vinny Del Negro is still their coach. 

Kings: DeMarcus Cousins has put up some Shaq-like numbers. If his game and his crazy can coexist, and maybe if he can even turn the crazy down a little, he can be a great player. He has definitely improved after Paul Westphal got fired. Tyreke Evans will be a great point guard for years to come and Marcus Thornton can fill up the basket. But as this is the youngest team in the league, they have some growing up to do. 

Bottom line: Their ownership is so messed up; it is actually affecting the team. Well done Maloofs, well done. 

Golden State: Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry and David Lee are good foundations, but they aren’t quite there yet. They spent way too much money on Kwame Brown, but Ellis and Curry are one of the scariest back-courts in the league, having the ability to score 30 each on any given night.

Bottom line: Until their defenses catches up to their offense, they won’t be going far.  

Phoenix: There isn’t much to say about the Suns. They aren’t a good team. So I’ll take this time to make a plea to everyone. Free Steve Nash! Please. This guy deserves to be on a contender in his last year or so as a pro, not rot on a crappy team. But Nash is too loyal to say anything about his situation. He isn’t going to go all Carmelo Anthony and ruin a team, which is something to be honored.