2014-15 NBA Power Rankings Week 16

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The up-and-down season for the Cleveland Cavaliers has been mostly "up" over the past month.

Starting with a win in the middle of last month over the Lakers, the Cavs ran off 12 consecutive wins before finally losing to the Pacers on Feb. 6th.

With a 15-point win over the Lakers on Sunday, however, perhaps the Cavs will begin another long winning streak. Before the All-Star break, the Cavs will host the Heat on Wednesday and visit the Bulls on Thursday.

Adding some drama to things in Cleveland, LeBron James recently tweeted the following directed at Kevin Love (without explicitly stating so initially but he conceeded so yesterday):

Stop trying to find a way to FIT-OUT and just FIT-IN. Be apart of something special! Just my thoughts
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 8, 2015

If you remember, Love had said back in the preseason (via ESPN):

"I'm comfortable and just not trying to, I guess, fit in so much," Love said after the game. "I had a talk with the guys on the plane ride over (to Brazil) and also at different practices off the floor and they told me to fit out. Just be myself.

"I kind of laughed and smirked at that. Off the court, I never have any problems with that. But on the court, it's just us having so many weapons and being able to fit together out there on the floor ... You always say check your egos at the door but we also need to bring our egos with us because that's what makes us so great. We wouldn't be here without them."

And here's what Love said when asked about LeBron's tweet:

"I feel like I’ve done all the right things. I haven’t got upset or been down," Love said (per Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal). "There’s moments when I hope I would’ve played better but it’s a long, long season. I don’t know really what he’s talking about. I feel like I’ve sacrificed and I think everyone knows that. I’m not trying to downplay what he said, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job of trying to help this team."

LeBron took to Twitter again this morning, however, to make it clear that he doesn't have a "problem" with Love.

I like u guys a lot(Media) but don't try and make a story cause it looks good. If I have a problem with a teammate or anyone I'll say to....
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 9, 2015

Either way, I'm sure it's not the last we'll hear about this.

Meanwhile, the Cavs are once again the "favorite" to win the NBA Championship (via odds from Sportsbook.ag).



Clippers PF Blake Forward out up to six weeks, possibly much less

Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin is scheduled to have elbow surgery for a staph infection on Monday and will miss up to six weeks, but he will be reevaluated after the All-Star break.

At the moment, the Clippers are 33-19 and one-half game ahead of the Spurs for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Even with Griffin in the lineup for three of their four games last week, the Clippers have lost four games in a row.

To make matters worse, the schedule gets tougher for the Clippers.

With seven games remaining in February, the Clippers face six teams with a record above .625: Grizzlies (.745) and Rockets (.686) twice each and Mavs (.660) and Spurs (.627) once along with the Kings.

Here are my NBA Power Rankings heading into Week 16:

1. Atlanta Hawks (Record 42-10, Last Week 1)
2. Golden State Warriors (Record 40-9, Last Week 2)
3. Memphis Grizzlies (Record 38-13, Last Week 3)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (Record 32-21, Last Week 5)
5. San Antonio Spurs (Record 32-19, Last Week 6)
6. Portland Trail Blazers (Record 35-17, Last Week 4)
7. Toronto Raptors (Record 35-17, Last Week 8)
8. Houston Rockets (Record 35-16, Last Week 9)
9. Dallas Mavericks (Record 35-18, Last Week 10)
10. Los Angeles Clippers (Record 33-19, Last Week 7)
11. Chicago Bulls (Record 32-20, Last Week 11)
12. Washington Wizards (Record 32-20, Last Week 13)
13. New Orleans Pelicans (Record 27-24, Last Week 14)
14. Phoenix Suns (Record 29-24, Last Week 12)
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (Record 26-25, Last Week 15)
16. Milwaukee Bucks (Record 28-23, Last Week 17)
17. Charlotte Hornets (Record 22-29, Last Week 16)
18. Detroit Pistons (Record 20-32, Last Week 18)
19. Indiana Pacers (Record 20-32, Last Week 22)
20. Miami Heat (Record 21-29, Last Week 19)
21. Brooklyn Nets (Record 21-29, Last Week 24)
22. Utah Jazz (Record 18-33, Last Week 20)
23. Sacramento Kings (Record 18-32, Last Week 21)
24. Boston Celtics (Record 19-31, Last Week 26)
25. New York Knicks (Record 10-41, Last Week 23)
26. Denver Nuggets (Record 19-32, Last Week 25)
27. Orlando Magic (Record 16-38, Last Week 29)
28. Philadelphia 76ers (Record 12-40, Last Week 27)
29. Los Angeles Lakers (Record 13-38, Last Week 28)
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (Record 11-40, Last Week 30)

[Note: With the six-day NBA All-Star Break hiatus beginning on Friday, our next NBA Power Rankings update will be in two weeks (Feb. 23rd.).] More of our content:

• Fantasy Basketball Rest-of-Season Rankings
• 2015 NBA Mock Draft
• 2015 NFL Mock Draft
• 2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft

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2014-15 NBA Power Rankings: Week 1

In less than 24 hours, the 2014-15 NBA season will get underway with three games including the Mavericks at Spurs.

Beginning with Gregg Popovitch's first full season as Spurs coach, the Spurs have won 50-plus games every season except 1998-99. Only 50 total games were played that season and the Spurs won 37 of them. In fact, that was the first year that the Spurs won the NBA Finals.

Entering the season as defending champions, the Spurs have won five titles during the Popovitch and Tim Duncan era. Duncan exercised his player option for this season, which could be the last of his Hall-of-Fame career.

With a career win share of 191.57, the only players in NBA history with a higher win share are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (273.41), Wilt Chamberlain (247.26), Karl Malone (234.63), Michael Jordan (214.02) and John Stockton (207.70). Mr. Fundamental ranks 19th all-time in scoring, 12th in rebounding and 15th in blocks.

Based on Vegas odds to win it all, the Spurs are a close second (+350) behind the Cavaliers (+280).

As LeBron James returns home to Cleveland, he leads a more talented trio with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love than the one he had in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Considering the Heat made a trip to the NBA Finals in all four of LeBron's seasons in Miami and won two titles, it makes sense to install them as the preseason favorites even if it takes a bit of time for them to build chemistry.

Here are my Week 1 NBA Power Rankings (2013-14 record in parenthesis):

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-49)
2. San Antonio Spurs (62-20)
3. Chicago Bulls (48-34)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (57-25)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23)
6. Dallas Mavericks (49-33)
7. Golden State Warriors (51-31)
8. Memphis Grizzlies (50-32)
9. Portland Trail Blazers (54-28)
10. Washington Wizards (44-38)
11. Toronto Raptors (48-34)
12. Houston Rockets (48-34)
13. New Orleans Pelicans (34-48)
14. Phoenix Suns (48-34)
15. Charlotte Hornets (43-39)
16. Miami Heat (54-28)
17. Denver Nuggets (36-46)
18. Brooklyn Nets (44-38)
19. Atlanta Hawks (38-44)
20. Detroit Pistons (29-53)
21. Indiana Pacers (56-26)
22. Los Angeles Lakers (27-55)
23. Sacramento Kings (28-54)
24. New York Knicks (37-45)
25. Minnesota Timberwolves (40-42)
26. Utah Jazz (25-57)
27. Boston Celtics (25-57)
28. Milwaukee Bucks (15-67)
29. Orlando Magic (23-59)
30. Philadelphia 76ers (19-63)

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It's official - LeBron James is "coming home" to Cleveland

There was plenty of speculation, but now it's official: LeBron James is a Cleveland Cavalier.

Again.

Here is the essay from LeBron (via SI's Lee Jenkins) announcing his decision:

Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I’m their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.

Remember when I was sitting up there at the Boys & Girls Club in 2010? I was thinking, This is really tough. I could feel it. I was leaving something I had spent a long time creating. If I had to do it all over again, I’d obviously do things differently, but I’d still have left. Miami, for me, has been almost like college for other kids. These past four years helped raise me into who I am. I became a better player and a better man. I learned from a franchise that had been where I wanted to go. I will always think of Miami as my second home. Without the experiences I had there, I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing today.

I went to Miami because of D-Wade and CB. We made sacrifices to keep UD. I loved becoming a big bro to Rio. I believed we could do something magical if we came together. And that’s exactly what we did! The hardest thing to leave is what I built with those guys. I’ve talked to some of them and will talk to others. Nothing will ever change what we accomplished. We are brothers for life. I also want to thank Micky Arison and Pat Riley for giving me an amazing four years.

I’m doing this essay because I want an opportunity to explain myself uninterrupted. I don’t want anyone thinking: He and Erik Spoelstra didn’t get along. … He and Riles didn’t get along. … The Heat couldn’t put the right team together. That’s absolutely not true.

I’m not having a press conference or a party. After this, it’s time to get to work.

When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission. I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn’t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio.

I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there. I just didn’t know when. After the season, free agency wasn’t even a thought. But I have two boys and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown. I looked at other teams, but I wasn’t going to leave Miami for anywhere except Cleveland. The more time passed, the more it felt right. This is what makes me happy.

To make the move I needed the support of my wife and my mom, who can be very tough. The letter from Dan Gilbert, the booing of the Cleveland fans, the jerseys being burned -- seeing all that was hard for them. My emotions were more mixed. It was easy to say, “OK, I don’t want to deal with these people ever again.” But then you think about the other side. What if I were a kid who looked up to an athlete, and that athlete made me want to do better in my own life, and then he left? How would I react? I’ve met with Dan, face-to-face, man-to-man. We’ve talked it out. Everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge?

I’m not promising a championship. I know how hard that is to deliver. We’re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I’m realistic. It will be a long process, much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested. I know that. I’m going into a situation with a young team and a new coach. I will be the old head. But I get a thrill out of bringing a group together and helping them reach a place they didn’t know they could go. I see myself as a mentor now and I’m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can’t wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates.

But this is not about the roster or the organization. I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.

In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.

I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m coming home.

As James leaves Miami, that will lead Chris Bosh to return home, sort of, to the Houston Rockets to form a new Big Three with Dwight Howard and James Harden. (He is from Texas, however, he's from Dallas.)

The best player in the NBA, LeBron joins one of the best young point guards in the league, Kyrie Irving. While Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, could develop into one of the best players in the league, it's possible that he gets sent along with others and/or picks to Minnesota for Kevin Love, who has said that he would re-up with the Cavs. Love's existing contract expires after the 2014-15 season.

Based on odds from Sportsbook.com, Vegas has installed the Cavs (4/1) as the favorites to win the NBA Championship ahead of the Spurs and Thunder (both 6/1).  Miami now has 75/1 odds.  I'm guessing Riley is "pissed."

With the biggest free-agency domino falling, LeBron's official decision to return to Cleveland should now open the floodgates of free-agency deals getting done around the Association.

Updated 2014 NBA Mock Draft (Baillargeon)

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With the 2014 NBA Draft only a couple of days away, our contributors will be updating their 2014 NBA mock drafts and here's Kyle Baillargeon's latest version:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Jabari Parker, SF, Duke

Owner Dan Gilbert was adamant last year that the Cavaliers wouldn't enter the lottery again, and would make the playoffs. But here they are, once more, thanks to an incompetent front office with no ability to evaluate talent. Virtually everyone agrees that Parker is the most NBA-ready talent in the draft, and the Cavs will be too afraid to be patient with the high-upside Wiggins and Embiid.

2. Milwaukee Bucks - Andrew Wiggins, SG, Kansas

Embiid would make some sense, but his injuries will prove very scary, and the Bucks have the virtually untradeable Larry Sanders at center. Wiggins may technically be the same position as the "Greek Freak" Giannis Antetokounmpo, but specific positions aren't as important in today's NBA. Wiggins has tremendous upside, and will be the centerpiece of the "Fear the Deer" renaissance.

3. Philadelphia 76ers - Dante Exum, PG, Australia

The Sixers seem to be desperate for Wiggins, but since he's gone, Exum is the pick here. The most likely scenario would then be for the Sixers to try and move Michael Carter-Williams for another pick. It's kind of nuts to think that the team would consider trading the rookie of the year, but reports indicate they would have had Exum rated higher than MCW if they were in the same draft.

4. Orlando Magic - Joel Embiid, C, Kansas

I don't expect to see Embiid drop too far because of his injuries. History has not been kind to big men with navicular bone fractures, but the talent is too tantalizing to pass up for some. The constant advancement in modern medicine and injury treatment also plays in Embiid's favor. With a second lottery pick, the Magic can afford to swing for the fences here.

5. Utah Jazz - Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State

This would be an upset on draft day, but Harris is a great scorer and defender. He would contribute in a meaningful way from day one, and the Jazz don't really need another power forward, which is the top position at this stage of the draft. Any team that wants to jump up and grab a power forward that they really like would be smart to get on the phone with Utah and try to make a deal. The Jazz would definitely listen.

6. Boston Celtics - Aaron Gordon, SF, Arizona

Boston fans hope this pick (along with others) goes to Minnesota for Kevin Love, but if the Celtics make the pick for themselves, it now looks like Aaron Gordon is a near-lock. Danny Ainge has reportedly had his eye on Gordon for a long time. Plenty of players have been brought in for workouts of late, including my initial pick here, Noah Vonleh. But all signs point to Gordon.

7. Los Angeles Lakers - Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky

The Lakers may think that the smart move would be to move this pick for veteran help, but that would be a bad idea. Kobe Bryant won't be playing forever, and the future needs to be taken into consideration. Randle reminds some of Zach Randolph, and while he can be great in the future, he would still be able to help now.

8. Sacramento Kings - Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State

Smart is an immediate upgrade over Isaiah Thomas, and would be a leader from day one. Smart would have been one of the top three picks of the draft last year, so getting him here would be a steal for Sacramento.

9. Charlotte Hornets - Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan

The Hornets are another team that could use an upgrade in the shooting department, and Stauskas is widely considered the best shooter in the draft. Charlotte finally has a good thing going, and this pick is more of a luxury than anything. Stauskas would add to this up-and-coming team, whom we might not see in this high of a draft position again for a while.

10. Philadelphia 76ers - Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana

The jury is still out on if Vonleh will be very good in the NBA. Casual observers saw Vonleh at Indiana this past year and don't understand why he would be picked so high. But supporters agree Vonleh was never featured in Indiana's offense and still managed to average nearly a double-double last year. At 18 years of age, Vonleh already has an NBA body and could still grow. He could be Derrick Favors, or he could be LaMarcus Aldridge. Either way, the Sixers would probably be thrilled to walk out of the draft with Exum and Vonleh on their squad.

[Editor's note: As a Sixers fan, I'd be "thrilled" indeed.]

11. Denver Nuggets - Jusuf Nurkic, C, Bosnia

Nurkic is a big, physical player who can take over in the middle for Denver. The Nuggets could also use some help at the shooting guard position, but it's debatable on whether anyone remaining at that position has as much upside as Nurkic.

12. Orlando Magic - Elfrid Payton, PG, Louisiana-Lafayette

Payton has been impressing everyone in the lead up to the draft, and the Magic could use his leadership and skills. Payton would be one half of a potentially dynamic backcourt with Victor Oladipo, and the possibility of trading Arron Afflalo for yet another pick is strong. Last time, we had Payton at 20, and now it looks like even 12 seems a little low. But if he's still here, he's the pick.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves - Doug McDermott, SF, Creighton

If the Wolves do in fact trade Kevin Love, then they will likely have already picked somewhere in this draft and taken a power forward. In either case, though, McDermott brings great shooting to a team that could use it. McDermott would probably start for Minnesota, and could be a good scorer from the start.

14. Phoenix Suns - James Young, SG/SF, Kentucky

Gerald Green had a decent enough season last year but he's not part of the Suns' future. James Young could use a little more seasoning, but with time he should take over the small forward position in Phoenix. Still only 18 years old, there is a lot of upside with Young.

15. Atlanta Hawks - Zach LaVine, G, UCLA

LaVine may not have been the best player in the Pac 12 last year, but he may very well have been the best prospect. He's still getting bigger and has even drawn comparisons to Russell Westbrook for his style of play and athleticism. He won't be a star out of the gate, but in a few years, we may look back on this as one of the steals of the draft.

-> Continue to picks 16-30

More Mocks:
-> 2014 NBA Mock Draft from Kevin Hanson
-> 2014 NBA Mock Draft from Brendan Donahue
-> our NBA Mock Draft Database

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Consensus NBA Power Rankings, Week 24

The Bobcats finished six games above .500 in the 2009-10 season, but they were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Orlando Magic that year.

More recently, the Bobcats have been the laughing stock of the NBA. In the past two seasons combined, they have compiled a 28-120 record.

By clinching a playoff berth with a win over the Cavs on Friday, the Charlotte Bobcats will make their second postseason appearance in franchise history.

Charlotte is currently just one game above .500 with five games to go. If the season were to end today, the Bobcats would be the 7th seed and face the Pacers in the first round.

That said, the Bobcats have won 16 of 24 games since the All-Star break.

In his first season with the Bobcats, Al Jefferson is averaging a double-double: 21.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, both of which are five-year highs. Since the break, Jefferson is averaging 24.7 points and 10.7 boards per game.

Along with Kevin Love, DeMarcus Cousins, LaMarcus Aldridge and Anthony Davis, Jefferson is one of only five players to average 20/10 this season.

In our updated consensus power rankings, the Bobcats are ranked 16th.

- Check out our 2013-14 NBA Power Rankings for Week 24

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Kevin Love posts 36/14/9 line in loss to Suns

In today's loss to the Suns, Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love was just one assist shy of getting the second triple-double of his career.

Along with nine assists, Love finished the game with 36 points, 14 rebounds and two steals.

Back in February, he had 37/12/10 against the Jazz in his first career triple-double. Before today's game, Love had just one double-double in his previous four games.

For those that play in FanDuel daily basketball leagues, that is the equivalent of 67.3 fantasy points. It was his second game with 60-plus fantasy points over his past 10 games played and he has averaged just shy of 50 fantasy points (49.57) per game during that stretch.

Love and the T'Wolves face the Grizzlies on Monday.

Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 5th

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who doesn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, every player has a salary and your roster cannot exceed the game's salary-cap maximum.

For FanDuel leagues, rosters consist of nine players and the salary cap is $60,000, which averages to roughly $6,667 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Wednesday's games, Timberwolves PF Kevin Love ($11,600) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,500).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Wednesday (March 5th) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks (at POR), $6,700: In his past four games, Teague has scored at least 26 points and 33.6 fantasy points per game. In his most recent game, Teague scored 29 points and added nine assists, six boards, two steals and a block for 52.7 fantasy points. It's unclear if Paul Millsap (knee) will play tonight and if he does, Teague may score fewer points, but he's a solid value as the 13th-highest priced point guard for tonight's games. Only the 76ers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards this season than the Blazers.

PG - George Hill, Indiana Pacers (at CHA), $4,700: Hill returned to the court last night after missing two games and he gets a favorable matchup tonight against the Bobcats. Over the past 15 days, the Bobcats have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.

PG - Will Bynum, Detroit Pistons (vs. CHI), $4,600: While I'd like to see Bynum get more minutes, he's been productive with the time he's getting. In 18 minutes against the Knicks on Monday, Bynum scored 16 points and added three rebounds, three assists and three steals for 27.1 fantasy points. In his past three games, he has averaged 15.33 points, 5.67 assists and 1.67 steals per game despite the modest playing time.

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SG - Vince Carter, Dallas Mavericks (at DEN), $5,800: Over his past five games, Carter has scored more than 30 fantasy points four times. During that run, he has averaged 18.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. The Nuggets have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season.

SG - Kevin Martin, Minnesota Timberwolves (vs. NYK), $5,800: After a multi-game absence due to his thumb injury, Martin is averaging 24.0 points per game since returning. While he's primarily a one-category (points) producer, Martin has 25.4 and 36.8 fantasy points in his two games back. In addition, the Knicks have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to shooting guards this year.

SG - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (vs. SAC), $4,300: While the rookie from Greece has been a little inconsistent with his fantasy production, he has scored 26-plus fantasy points in four of his past seven games. During that seven-game span, Antetokounmpo has averaged 23.83 fantasy points per game. The Kings have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing SGs this season.

(As great as Paul George has been playing, it's hard to keep him out of my lineups tonight. At a reasonable price for a stud player ($8,900), George has scored at least 37 fantasy points in eight consecutive games and he has 41.4-plus in five of those games including 49.4 last night. With the Bobcats allowing LeBron to score 61 on Monday, George should be in for a big night.)

SF - Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers (vs. ATL), $6,900: While his price has crept up slightly, he's still pricely barely above the average cost of a starter ($6,667). Batum has appeared in many of these FanDuel posts as a multi-category stat stuffer. In his past five games, Batum has scored a minimum of 30.7 fantasy points in each game and has averaged 38.52 per game. Over that stretch, Batum has averaged 16.6 points, 10.6 boards, 4.8 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals. The Hawks have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season.

SF - Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets (vs. DAL), $5,200: After missing a game against the Nets, Chandler has been solid in his two games back including a double-double (25 points, 10 rebounds) on Monday. The Mavs are in the bottom third in the league at limiting fantasy points to opposing small forwards.

SF - Maurice Harkless, Orlando Magic (vs. HOU), $4,400: Harkless has been inconsistent this season overall, but he has been consistently productive in his past four games. Since Feb. 25th, Harkless has played more than 30 minutes per game and averaged 14.75 points, 4.5 boards, 1.25 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. He has scored between 22.1 and 29.7 fantasy points in each of those four games and gets a solid matchup against the Rockets (19th at defending small forwards this season).

PF - Andray Blatche, Brooklyn Nets (vs. MEM), $5,100: It's unclear whether or not Kevin Garnett (back spasms) will play tonight, but Blatche has been productive for three consecutive games with 29.3, 45.6 and 26.5 fantasy points, respectively. The matchup against the Grizzlies isn't great so I like Blatche assuming KG is out. Otherwise, I'd definitely look for a different option to pair with Kevin Love, who is a must-start in daily formats.

PF - Brandon Bass, Boston Celtics (vs. GS), $4,600: Bass has scored at least 23 fantasy points in three consecutive games and in five of his past six games. The minutes for the Celtics' bigs can be a bit uncertain when Bass, Jared Sullinger, Kris Humphries and Kelly Olynyk are all available, but Bass has played 30-plus minutes in five of his past six games (and the exception was 27 minutes).

PF - Trevor Booker, Washington Wizards (vs. UTA), $3,500: The matchup against the Jazz isn't great as Utah has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing power forwards, but the value of Booker's production should exceed his contest-minimum cost as injuries have opened the door for him. In his last two outings, which includes a tough matchup against the Grizzlies, Booker has averaged 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

C - Robin Lopez, Portland Trail Blazers (vs. ATL), $6,100: There are a lot of talented centers going tonight with Joakim Noah, DeMarcus Cousins, Al Jefferson, Dwight Howard and Andre Drummond among those playing. If you're looking for a slightly cheaper option, Lopez has been hot lately with at least 40 fantasy points in three of his past six games. During that six-game run, which included a Feb. 23rd dud (six points, five rebounds), Lopez is averaging 13.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball: FanDuel Values for March 3rd

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who doesn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, every player has a salary and your roster cannot exceed the game's salary-cap maximum.

For FanDuel leagues, rosters consist of nine players and the salary cap is $60,000, which averages to roughly $6,667 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Monday's games, Timberwolves PF Kevin Love ($11,600) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,500).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Monday (March 3rd) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Jordan Farmar, Los Angeles Lakers (at POR), $5,300: Despite backing up point guard Kendall Marshall ($6,300), Farmar played more minutes and scored more fantasy points than Marshall on Friday. In 29 minutes, Farmar scored a career-high 30 points while adding seven assists and a steal. On Monday, the Lakers will play the Blazers, who have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing point guards over the past 15 days.

PG - Will Bynum, Detroit Pistons (vs. NYK), $4,600: Bynum has scored 25-plus fantasy points in three of his four games. The Knicks have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards over the past 15 days.

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SG - Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans (at SAC), $5,400: Against the Clippers on Saturday, Evans scored 22 points and added nine rebounds, five assists and a steal in 40 minutes. Assuming Evans continues to get big minutes, he could really stick it to his former team on Monday. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing shooting guards over the past 15 days than the Kings (51.60 FPA).

SG - Kent Bazemore, Los Angeles Lakers (at POR), $4,400: In five games since being acquired by the Lakers, Bazemore has played at least 27 minutes in every game and scored 26-plus fantasy points in three of those five outings. Against the Kings on Friday, Bazemore scored 12 points and added six boards, two blocks and two steals. Portland ranks 25th in scoring defense (102.9 PPG allowed).

SG - Marcus Thornton, Brooklyn Nets (vs. CHI), $3,500: Against the Bucks on Saturday, Thornton did not do much except score. In 24 minutes, Thornton scored 25 points and added two rebounds. Nada más. While he doesn't have a favorable matchup against the league's second-best scoring defense, Thornton should score enough to exceed his contest-minimum salary.

SF - Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers (vs. LAL), $6,900: Only slightly more expensive than the average salary of contest starters, Batum has scored 30-plus fantasy points in four consecutive games. During that four-game stretch, he has averaged 16.5 points, 9.5 boards, 4.75 assists, 1.25 blocks and 1.0 steals. Not only has he been extremely productive recently, but no team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing small forwards than the Lakers over the past 15 days.

SF - Mike Dunleavy, Chicago Bulls (at BKN), $5,200: Once again, Dunleavy had another solid outing as the Bulls blew out the Knicks on Sunday. Dunleavy has averaged 30.85 fantasy points with a minimum of 24.9 over his past four games.

SF - Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks (vs. UTA), $4,800: Middleton has scored 30.9 and 28.3 fantasy points in his previous two outings and the good times should continue to roll for Middleton with Caron Butler in Oklahoma City.

PF - Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz (at MIL), $6,600: Since returning from injury, Favors had his most productive outing on Sunday with 17 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and a steal. Favors has a more favorable matchup on Monday as the Bucks have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season.

PF - Andray Blatche, Brooklyn Nets (vs. CHI), $5,100: Against the Bucks on Saturday, Blatche went off for 45.6 fantasy points. Playing 30 minutes, Blatche posted a double-double (19 points, 13 boards) and added two assists, a block and three steals. Although he played only 18 minutes in his previous game, Blatche missed a double-double by one point and one rebound and added four steals to score 29.3 fantasy points. In most of my FanDuel leagues, I'll start Love and Favors at PF but Blatche is worth consideration with more than 1.56 fantasy points per minute played over his past two games.

C - Alexis Ajinca, New Orleans Pelicans (at SAC), $4,200: For the second time in four games, Ajinca posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds against the Clips on Saturday. In three of those four games, Ajinca scored more than 29 fantasy points.

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Daily Fantasy Basketball (March 1st): FanDuel Bargains

If you play daily fantasy sports (and who doesn't these days?!), you know that one of the keys to success is uncovering undervalued players to allow you to load up on studs elsewhere.

In case you've never played daily fantasy basketball, every player has a salary and your roster cannot exceed the game's salary-cap maximum.

For FanDuel leagues, rosters consist of nine players and the salary cap is $60,000, which averages to roughly $6,667 per player. To give you an idea of the range for Saturday's games, Timberwolves PF Kevin Love ($11,500) has the contest's highest salary while many are tied for the lowest at the game-minimum salary ($3,500).

There are a number of benefits compared to traditional full-season re-draft leagues, such as:

• you don't have to worry about being saddled by players sidelined by injury;
• having a late pick doesn't rule out owning studs like Kevin Durant or LeBron James;
• you get the instant gratification of winning your league(s) that night.

And you know that enthusiasm you have after drafting your fantasy team(s)? Well, you get to experience that feeling on a nightly basis with daily fantasy basketball.

OK, with the preliminary stuff out of the way, here are some value plays to consider for Saturday (March 1st) FanDuel leagues:

PG - Aaron Brooks, Denver Nuggets (at POR), $4,700: There are several top-notch fantasy point guards going tonight like Chris Paul, John Wall, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, etc. With Wall facing the Sixers, the league's friendliest of teams in terms of fantasy points to lead guards, he will be in many of my lineups despite the high salary ($9,100). With Ty Lawson (ribs) still out, Brooks gets the second-most favorable matchup for point guards at a much cheaper cost. In fact, no team has allowed more fantasy points to PGs over the past 15 days.

PG - C.J. Watson, Indiana Pacers (at BOS), $3,500: With George Hill (shoulder) out tonight, Watson will get the start against the Celtics. Per 36 minutes, Watson is averaging 12.1 points, 3.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals and should be a solid option at the game-minimum salary tonight.

SG - Eric Gordon, New Orleans Pelicans (at LAC), $5,000: With solid performances in back-to-back games, Gordon has averaged 36 minutes, 20 points, three assists and 1.5 steals in those two games. Tonight, he will face his former team, which should give him some extra motivation.

SG - Evan Fournier, Denver Nuggets (at POR), $4,400: With Wilson Chandler out tonight, Fournier will get another start. In 44 minutes on Thursday, Fournier had a disappointing outing: eight points, three boards, five assists and four turnovers. That said, he has two 40-point (in fantasy terms) performances in his past six outings and has a decent amount of upside at a relatively low price.

SF - Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers (vs. DEN), $6,600: Priced at a little below the average salary of the starting lineup, Batum has been productive in his past three outings, which includes a matchup against the Nuggets. He has scored a minimum of 30.7 fantasy points in those three games, but he is averaging 37.97 points during that span. During that three-game stretch, Batum has averaged stat-stuffing line of 19.0 points, 7.33 rebounds, 4.33 assists, 1.67 blocks and 1.0 steals.

SF - Jordan Hamilton, Houston Rockets (vs. DET), $3,700: Hamilton has averaged exactly 24 minutes in his two games with the Rockets and he has scored at least 24 fantasy points in both outings. On the season, the Pistons have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.

PF - Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers (vs. WAS), $8,600: While he's far from "cheap" in absolute terms at $8,600, Young has been one of the most productive players recently. Since the All-Star break, Young is averaging 43.25 fantasy points per game and only six players have more during that span. In those four games, Young has averaged 23.0 points, 7.5 boards, 4.0 assists and 3.75 steals per game.

Power forward is a stacked position and it's possible you go stud-stud in those two roster spots with someone like Love, Blake Griffin, Young, etc. Love has more than 60 fantasy points in three of his past four games. The "off" game was 41 points. Meanwhile, Griffin has scored more than 45 fantasy points in eight of his past 10 games and the Pelicans, his matchup tonight, have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season. In many of my leagues, I have a Love-Griffin combo in my starting lineup.

C - Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic (vs. MIA), $7,300: Over his past eight games, Vucevic has scored more than 30 fantasy points seven times. During that eight-game stretch, Vucevic has averaged 17.0 points, 11.25 rebounds, 1.25 blocks and 1.25 steals.

C - Marcin Gortat, Washington Wizards (at PHI), $7,200: With a 31/12 line on Thursday, Gortat extended his streak of games with a double-double and 30-plus fantasy points to six games. The Polish Hammer has averaged 18.83 points, 11.33 rebounds and 1.17 blocks per game during that stretch and he faces the league's worst defense tonight.

C - Timofey Mozgov, Denver Nuggets (at POR), $4,400: While I'd prefer to go with Gortat or Vucevic, Mozgov rounds out my (unintended) trio of Eastern European centers as solid bargains. Over his past two games, he's averaged a respectable 23.9 fantasy points per game.

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Kevin Love: One assist shy of triple-double

Just a few days ago, Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love recorded his first-ever triple-double.

Against the Suns tonight, Love came very close to getting his second in three games as he finished with 33 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists while also adding two blocks.

Love has now scored 30-plus points in six consecutive games and has 30 or more points in eight of nine games this month.

In those nine games this month, Love is averaging 34.0 points, 14.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

The Timberwolves don't play again until Saturday against the Kings, but he has become a must-start in daily fantasy basketball regardless of how high his salary becomes.

Kevin Love gets first career triple-double

On Saturday night, Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love did something he had never done in his career.

Known for his double-doubles, Love recorded his first-ever triple-double against the Jazz with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

At the All-Star break, we made some bold predictions for the second half and my "bold" prediction was that Love would average 30 points and 15 rebounds per game after the break.  (As I noted when making the prediction, no player has averaged 30/15 for a full season in the past 40 years.)

In two games since the break, he is averaging 39.5 points and 14.0 rebounds per game.

Love has scored 30-plus points in eight of his past 10 games and he has a streak of nine consecutive games with a double-double.

On the season, Love is averaging 26.37 points, 13.25 rebounds and 4.06 assists per game.  If he maintains those averages, it would be a career high in both points and assists.

Consensus NBA Power Rankings, All-Star Break

With NBA All-Star Game upon us, we are now at the unofficial midway point of the 2013-14 NBA season.

In reality, we hit the midway point of the season about a month ago as all teams have played anywhere from 51 to 55 regular-season games so far.

Considering the break in action in the regular season, it seems to be a good time to request a bold "second-half" prediction from each of our rankers.

Without further ado, here are some bold second-half predictions:

John Trifone

My bold prediction will be that the Golden State Warriors will make the Western Conference Finals. Currently, the Warriors sit in the No. 8 spot, and the Grizzlies are just 1.5 games behind them. It's certainly plausible that the Warriors could miss the playoffs altogether.

The West, in general, is so deep, that picking any one individual team to navigate it seems like a bit of a bold prediction. The Rockets, for example, have propelled themselves up to the No. 3 seed, but as strong of a team as they have, I wouldn't be surprised if they made a first-round exit. It seems to me that just about anyone in the West could be one-and-done or make a run.

In fact, aside from Phoenix and Dallas, I wouldn't be surprised in the least at any of the other six teams advancing to the NBA Finals. As tough of a road as it will be, I think that the Warriors have the talent to make the Conference Finals and give the Thunder a real run, if that is indeed who they meet there. Who knows? If Kevin Durant cools down a bit, the Warriors may even win the series.

Kevin Hanson

My bold prediction is that T'Wolves forward Kevin Love will average 30 points and 15 rebounds per game for the remainder of the season. While that may not seem outrageously bold for Mr. Double-Double, the last time a player averaged 30/15 for a full season was Bob McAdoo for the Buffalo Braves 40 years ago (1973-74).

While I'm not predicting that he boosts his full-season averages to those numbers, the fact that nobody has done it in 40 years illustrates how difficult it would be to maintain that pace over a significant stretch of the season.

In his first 50 games this season, Love had seven 30/15 games. Looking at each of those stats on an individual basis, Love had 30-plus points in 16 of 50 games and 15-plus rebounds in 18 of 50 opportunities.

Sean Beazley

Here are a couple of bold predictions:

• The Knicks get the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference (not so bold), but they will beat the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs.
• The Heat sweep their way through the Eastern Conference playoffs, only to get swept in the NBA Finals by Oklahoma City.

Dan Yanotchko

This year, the MVP award will go to Kevin Durant rather than LeBron James, as Durant has been leading the Thunder to the league's best record even though the Thunder are missing All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook.

Durant has won the NBA scoring title three years in a row, and he is also on pace to win it for 2014 as well. At the All-Star Break, Durant has the following splits 31.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 5.5 APG and is shooting 41% from 3-point range. LeBron's splits are, 26.5 points per game, 7.0 boards per game, 6.6 assists per game.

Yes, King James has taken home the MVP award four of the last five years, but the way Durant is playing in absence of a star, will earn him his first MVP award.

- See our 2013-14 NBA Power Rankings at the All-Star Break here

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Zach Randolph has 23 points and 20 rebounds vs. Pelicans

Entering today's game against the Pelicans, Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph was tied for seventh in the NBA with Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge in double-doubles (24).

Coincidentally, Aldridge was the only player with multiple 20-20 games this season, but Randolph became the eighth player to have one such game this season.

Against the Pelicans, Randolph finished with 23 points, a season-high 20 rebounds and three assists.

As noted by ESPN's Stats & Info, Randolph ranks fifth among active players in most 20-20 games (11) behind Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Kevin Love.

On the season, Randolph is averaging 17.51 points and 10.89 rebounds per game.

2013-14 NBA Power Rankings, Week 4

With roughly three weeks of the NBA season complete, there is one player that ia averaging at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and two three-pointers per game.

Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love is averaging 26.8 points per game, 13.6 rebounds and 2.3 three's per game this season.

Love ranks third in scoring behind OKC's Kevin Durant (28.7 PPG) and Miami's LeBron James (27.3 PPG) and second in rebounding behind only Houston's Dwight Howard (14.2 RPG).

In addition, Love is averaging 4.5 assists per game, which ties him for 37th in the league, although only five of the players ahead of him aren't guards.  Plus, four of the five forwards are small forwards with Josh McRoberts (4.7 APG) being the only exception.

With teammate Ricky Rubio (9.6 APG) trailing only Clippers point guard Chris Paul (12.8 APG), Love's high assist total is more impressive.  In other words, it's not as though the team lacks a capable distributor of the basketball at the point yet he's still getting his teammates plenty involved while ranking third in the league in scoring.

Although they are currently seventh in the Western Conference, their .636 winning percentage ranks eighth in the NBA and the T'Wolves are 10th in our latest power rankings.

Provided the duo of Love and Rubio can stay healthy, the T'Wolves should have their best season in roughly a decade.  Their last winning season was in the Kevin Garnett era: 2004-05 (44-38, .537).

See our full Week 4 NBA Consensus Power Rankings.

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Kevin Love has re-fractured third metacarpal in right hand

Timberwolves forward Kevin Love missed another game tonight and he might miss many more.

Love, who broke the third metacarpal in his right hand, missed about a month and made his season debut on November 21st.

Unfortunately for Love, the team and his fantasy owners, he has re-fractured the third metacarpal in his right hand.  Love will visit a hand specialist in NYC later this week and the team will provide more information at that time.

In 18 games played, Love was averaging 18.3 points and 14.0 rebounds per game.

He had been struggling with his shot and was shooting only 35.2 percent from the field and 70.4 percent from the line.  Both are career lows.

Kevin Love out 6-8 weeks with broken hand

Timberwolves forward Kevin Love will miss the next six to eight weeks with a broken hand.

According to reports, Love broke his hand while working out at his condo complex before today's practice began.

Coincidentally, Love broke his hand almost three years ago today, as Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune tweets, and missed 18 games of the season.

A little perspective: Love broke one metacarpal in his left hand during 2009 preseason game and missed first 18 games, returning Dec. 4
— Jerry Zgoda(@JerryZgoda) October 17, 2012

Love ranked second in the NBA in rebounding (13.3 per game) and fourth in scoring (26.0 per game).

With Love out up to eight weeks, it will give Derrick Williams, the second-overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, an opportunity for more minutes.

Western Conference Preseason Predictions for the 2012-13 NBA Season

Earlier today, Kyle Baillargeon made his preseason predictions for the Eastern Conference.  Now it's time to take a team-by-team look at the Western Conference.

Here is how Kyle sees the Western Conference playing out:

1. Los Angeles Lakers - 61-21

The triangle offense is just a distant memory with Steve Nash at the helm, and this team should expect to score in spades.  When Dwight Howard comes back, assuming he is his normal self, watch out.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder - 60-22

The Thunder will be at or near the top for years to come, with only the retooled Lakers poised to stand in their way.  The Thunder should take last year's loss in the NBA Finals as a learning experience and expect to come into this season with something to prove.  It's also amazing to consider that KD35 just turned 24.

3. San Antonio Spurs - 59-23

Tempted to give the Spurs a lower record, simply because they know it's all about the playoffs and not the regular season.  But that's just silly.  This team will continue to be good until they prove otherwise.  

4. Los Angeles Clippers - 54-28

Chemistry is a concern for the bench, where Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford are not necessarily known for being quiet role players. CP3 combined with the talented and athletic front court should make for a four seed in the tight west.

5. Denver Nuggets - 53-29

This should be an exciting team to watch.  Denver will be running all year, and Iguodola gives them a defensive anchor.  With the right matchups, this team could surprise many and go deep into the playoffs.

6. Memphis Grizzlies - 51-31

Memphis opened some eyes two seasons ago in the playoffs, and they showed last season that they're no fluke.  We've seen in this league, however, that you need a star to be one of the elite teams.  Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay are all very good, but it's tough to imagine them in the championship with this squad as constituted.

7. Dallas Mavericks - 50-32

At this stage, Darren Collison is likely preferable to Jason Kidd, so that's an upgrade.  Though it isn't the same as Deron Williams, whom they tried hard to get. Assuming there aren't any chemistry issues with all the new faces, don't put it past Dallas to make another run.

8. Utah Jazz - 46-36

The Jazz proved you can still be a solid team after trading away your best player.  They just aren't ready yet to move up in this tough conference.  Thankfully, they're very young and in a few years we could be talking about them as championship contenders.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves - 45-37

If Rubio comes back quickly, this team could end up higher than this.  Minnesota has the best power forward in the league in Kevin Love, and they're somehow a very fun and potentially dangerous team.  Brandon Roy is a wild card, and if he can play anything like we've seen in the past, he's a fantastic addition.

10. Phoenix Suns - 41-41

The Suns are finally in the post-Steve Nash era, and things don't look quite so bad.  They won't contend this year or next, but patience and a little bit of luck in the lottery could help them out sooner rather than later.  Losing Channing Frye hurts, with no idea of when he'll return.  Kendall Marshall was a great pickup in the draft this year and should be a solid building block for the future.

11. Golden State Warriors - 39-43

This team is too much of an injury risk to put any higher.  If Curry and Bogut are healthy though, they could very well contend for the eighth seed.  Klay Thompson is ready to take another step and will hopefully avoid a sophomore slump.

12. New Orleans Hornets - 35-47

It's probably too much to expect this many wins out of such a young squad, but the talent is there.  Anthony Davis is a stud and Eric Gordon is ready to put a frustrating season behind him.  The rebuild could be quick for the Hornets.

13. Portland Trail Blazers - 34-48

The Blazers don't quite have an identity, but Aldridge is still young and a solid piece to build around.  Batum made headlines with his actions at the Olympic games, and he is hoping to make headlines with his play this season.

14. Sacramento Kings - 30-52

Jimmer Fredette was a big miss, and Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins are both talented but not of the right mindset to be leaders.  This team is a mess and the chemistry, or lack thereof, will certainly hurt them.

15. Houston Rockets - 28-54

The Rockets shot high in trying to get Dwight Howard, but all they did was shoot themselves in the foot, at least for this season.  It's well known that Daryl Morey believes you need to either be elite, or in the basement, and not somewhere in the middle.  The Rockets will most certainly be contending for the 1st overall pick this year.

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Report: Ricky Rubio out for year with torn ACL

Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio left last night's game with a knee injury. The results from today's MRI are not good.

Per Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Rubio will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL.

Even after last night's loss to the Lakers, the 'Wolves are above .500 (21-20) and there was plenty of reason for optimism with the young duo of Rubio and Kevin Love.

The Timberwolves haven't finished with a .500 record since 2004-05 and haven't won more than 30 percent of their games in any of the past four seasons. In fact, they have already won more games this year than they did in all of last season (17) or the previous season (15).

Rubio ranks fifth in the NBA in assists (8.2 per game) and third in steals (2.2 per game).

With Rubio out, the fantasy value of Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea increases. Ridnour is owned in only 47 percent of Yahoo! leagues and Barea is owned in 11 percent of leagues.

NBA Consensus Power Rankings, Week 10

As it currently stands, the Minnesota Timberwolves are 19-19 and in third place in the Northwest Division behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets.

If the season were to end now, the T'Wolves would just miss the playoffs as they are currently the 9th seed in the Western Conference.

Point guard Ricky Rubio is having a great "rookie" season with 8.3 assists per game, tied for fifth in the NBA, and 2.3 steals per game, which ranks second in the league.

Yet interestingly enough, if you look at Rubio's game log, he has shot exactly 1-for-8 in three of his past four games. Over his past five games, he is only 8-for-38 (20.6 percent) from the field.

Plus he had double-digit assists on March 3rd for the first time since February 7th although he had three games with nine assists and three games with eight assists in between double-digit performances.

In that 12-assist game on Saturday, Rubio set the franchise record with 10 assists in the first quarter.

Minnesota is still in the bottom half of our NBA Consensus Power Rankings (No. 18), but with Kevin Love (23 years old) and Ricky Rubio (21 years old), the future is only going to get brighter for the T'Wolves.

Here are some more stats about this week's NBA Consensus Power Rankings:

- Biggest jump from last week: Memphis Grizzlies (+5.25)
- Biggest drop from last week: Portland Trail Blazers and New York Knicks (-2.50)
- Team with widest difference between high and low ranker: Indiana Pacers (8)

[See our full NBA Consensus Power Rankings.]

Each week, we respond to one roundtable question and here's this week's question: Will the Timberwolves finish above .500 for the first time since the 2004-2005 season?

John (follow on Twitter): Below .500

After a big win on the road at Portland on Saturday, the Timberwolves reached a .500 record at 19-19. Looking ahead, it's going to be awfully close for them. They have their share of winnable games, but are definitely going to need to play well on the road, as they did last night. If this question was asking if Minnesota will finish at or above .500, I would say that they will. But in order to finish above .500, they would need to finish the season going 15-13 or better. As I said, I think it will be close, and I'll be rooting for them, but if I had to guess I'll say they come up a bit short. Maybe next year!

Sean (follow on Twitter): Below .500

I think Minnesota finishes under .500 this year. If they were in the Eastern Conference I would give them a better chance, but the Western Conference is too tough. The great news for Timberwolves fans is that Kevin Love is staying put, and he is one of the league's ten best players. I think we will see another Garnett/Nash combo with Love/Rubio, and the Timberwolves will be dangerous in years to come. They just don't have the pieces on this team now surrounding them unfortunately.

Kevin (follow on Twitter): Above .500

Not only have the T'Wolves not finished above .500 since the 2004-05 season, but they have won less than 30 percent of their games for the past four seasons in a row. Even though the T'Wolves have played only 38 games so far this season, they have already exceeded their win totals from last year (17) and the year before (15). Whether or not they finish above .500, they have finally given their fans a product worth supporting. Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio are a talented young combination and they are a deep team -- only three players are averaging more than 25 minutes per game. While I think they will be close to .500 either way, I'm going to say they go slightly over.

Dan (follow on Twitter): Above .500

The Timberwolves have finally found at least a medium of respectability this year. After many head-shaking moves by GM Khan, such as giving Darko too much money, and drafting two point guards back-to-back a few years ago, the Wolves are on the right track. Ricky Rubio has been as good as advertised, and Kevin Love is drawing Moses Malone-like comparisons for his ability to rip double-doubles. With their youth, Minnesota is poised to finish above .500.

To see where all 30 teams fall in our power rankings going through Week 10, click here.

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NBA Notes, 1/28/12

Here are some notes and stats from the NBA games last night:

- The Bobcats lost to the Sixers last night for their seventh straight loss, the league's longest current losing streak, and now Charlotte has the NBA's worst record: 3-17.

- Nets PF Kris Humphries had his second straight double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Cavs. Humphries is averaging 13.4 PPG and 10.8 RPG this season.

- Anthony Morrow scored in double-digits for his fourth straight game with 22 points last night. It was his fourth game this season with 20-plus points, but the first since January 11th.

- Bouncing back from a 1-for-7 night, Cleveland's Kyrie Irving scored 32 points on 12-of-20 shooting last night. The league's No. 1 pick is leading the team in scoring (17.6 PPG).

- Atlanta's Josh Smith was two assists shy of a triple-double last night: 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. He added three blocks as well.

- Detroit rookie Brandon Knight, who has now played 40-plus minutes in back-to-back games, had a solid line: 20 points, eight assists, five rebounds and no turnovers. He also made four three-pointers.

- Greg Monroe had his second straight 20-10 night with 22 points and 11 rebounds last night. He added four assists and two steals.

- Jason Maxiell had season highs off the bench in points (19) and rebounds (eight).

- Minnesota point guard Ricky Rubio had his third double-double in the past four games with 18 points and 10 assists last night. That said, he no steals for the first time since January 8th, which ends a 10-game streak with two-plus steals.

- Kevin Love had another double-double (18 points, 16 rebounds), but it was only the third time this season that he did not make a three. He took only one three-point attempt; he had three-plus attempts in all other games this season.

- The Orlando Magic scored only 67 points last night in their 26-point loss to the Hornets. Aside from Dwight Howard (28 points), no other Orlando player scored in double digits.

- Houston's Jordan Hill, the eighth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, had a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in 18 minutes off the bench. It was his third double-double of the season.

- Milwaukee's Drew Gooden had 23 points, 15 rebounds and six assists last night. He had 24 points on January 3rd, but it was a season high in rebounds and assists.

- Brandon Jennings scored 25 points. It was his sixth straight game with 20-plus points, but he had only three assists, which is his low during that six-game span.

- Chicago's Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds last night. It was only his sixth double-double of the season.

- New York's Bill Walker scored 21 points, all via his seven three-pointers, off the bench last night.

- In the six games Dwyane Wade missed from Jan. 17th to 25th, Miami's Chris Bosh scored 23-plus points in five of six games and he had three 30-point games. With D-Wade back last night, Bosh had only 13 points on 4-of-18 shooting.

- Mavs guard Rodrigue Beaubois had season highs last night in points (22), rebounds (six), assists (seven) and blocked shots (four).

- After missing a couple of games, Denver's Rudy Fernandez returned to score a season-high 23 points off the bench and he knocked down a season-high five three-pointers. He also had three steals.

- The Suns scored only 71 points last night and Grant Hill led the team in scoring (12 points).

- Marcus Camby had 20 rebounds and no points last night. In his past three games, Camby has seven points and 58 rebounds.

- Four Thunder players scored at least 19 points: Kevin Durant (37), Russell Westbrook (28), Serge Ibaka (20) and James Harden (19). No other player scored more than six points (Nick Collison).

- For a second time this season, Golden State's Dorrell Wright knocked down six three's. Wright is averaging only 10.3 points this season after averaging 16.4 PPG last year.