2015 NBA Playoffs Power Rankings

Last month I did my NCAA Tournament Power Rankings.  I might as well do the same thing for the NBA Playoffs.  This is my order of how I'm rooting for the teams.  There is no connection between my rankings and what I think is actually going to happen.  Before we get started, watch the Tesh brothers if you need to get ready for basketball.  Now here we go, in reverse order:

16.  Lakers

16.  Knicks

16.  Heat

16.  76ers

That was fun.  Now let's get started for real:

16.  Cavaliers

I don't hate them the way I hate the Lakers or Knicks or Heat.  I'm going to root against LeBron James, but it won't kill me if they win.  Also, they're playing the Celtics in the first round, so I have to root against them.

15.  Nets

I don't like the Nets, but if they hadn't traded Kevin Garnett, they'd probably be number 3 on this list.

14.  Raptors

They play in Canada.

13.  Warriors

I like Stephen Curry.  I like Steve Kerr (How hard does he laugh every time he thinks about how he could have taken the Knicks job?).  But they're San Francisco's team.

12.  Pelicans

If Anthony Davis didn't go to Kentucky, they'd be higher.

11.  Bucks

10.  Trail Blazers

9.  Grizzles

I have no thoughts about these teams.  I don't like them.  I don't dislike them.

8.  Rockets

I like the state of Texas, but I like the other Texas teams more.

7.  Bulls

6.  Hawks

The Hawks and the Bulls might be the only chance for an Eastern Conference team to beat the Cavaliers.  I'll always fondly remember Tom Thibodeau's contributions to the Celtics in 2007-2008.  And I just want to watch Kyle Korver shoot threes.

5.  Clippers

Doc Rivers abandoned the Celtics, but they got a draft pick and Brad Stevens as a result.  And he abandoned them after winning a championship in 2008.  So I can't be mad at him.  Also, the Clippers play in Los Angeles and they're not the Lakers.

4.  Mavericks

I will always remember what Dirk Nowitzki did for the nation in 2011.  Also, Rajon Rondo helped the Celtics win a championship in 2008 and he outplayed LeBron James in 2010.  Amazingly, the Celtics are now much better off without him.

3.  Spurs

It would be great to see Tim Duncan win a sixth championship.  He's the best player since Michael Jordan, but that would solidify it.  Also, I love Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard.

2.  Washington Professional Basketball Team

I love Paul Pierce.

1.  Celtics

Originally, I wanted the Celtics to get a good draft pick again, but Brad Stevens is too good.  I read an article a month or so ago about whether the Celtics had a Brad Stevens problem.  No, the rest of the league has a Brad Stevens problem once he gets some good players.  It's amazing what he has done with this team.  They're terrible.  It's a team of role players.  And the only player that's in the correct role is Isaiah Thomas (and maybe Jae Crowder).  Thomas fits as a scorer off the bench.  But their starters are not good.  Maybe a good team could have one of those guys as the fifth best starter.  If they win two games, I'll be pretty happy.  But as the great philosopher Shaquille O'Neal once said, "If you go 72-11 and don’t win (the championship), it doesn't mean anything.  Actually it does.  It means you've cheated and played an extra regular season game."  So let's see what the Celtics can do against the favorite to win the East.  I am really really excited to see what Brad Stevens could do with some good players.  If Danny Ainge can get him some good players, championship number 18 is coming soon.