NBA Rankings and MVP Rankings - 4 Apr

Golden State is still easily the top team in the league, with a 10.5 game lead in the tough Western Conference, a +10.7 point differential, and an 11-game winning streak right now. On top of that, they have lost at home only twice all season, which would tie them for the second-best home record in league history, which would be a major advantage in the playoffs, when they will most likely have home court advantage throughout. Here are this week's full rankings:

				Rec		Proj
TW	LW	Team	Rating	W	L	W	L	PO Seed
1	1	Golden State	-9.76381	62	13	68	14	W1
2	3	San Antonio	-6.75378	50	26	54	28	W6
3	2	Cleveland	-5.49976	49	27	54	28	E2
4	4	LA Clippers	-5.37987	50	26	55	27	W2
5	7	Portland	-2.95407	49	26	53	29	W4
6	5	Atlanta	-1.86365	56	19	61	21	E1
7	8	Houston	-1.67384	52	24	55	27	W3
8	6	Oklahoma City	-1.50923	42	34	46	36	W8
9	9	Utah	-1.49969	34	41	38	44
10	10	Chicago	-0.7873	47	29	51	31	E3
11	13	New Orleans	-0.55056	41	34	44	38
12	11	Memphis	-0.03058	52	24	55	27	W5
13	12	Dallas	0.490106	46	30	49	33	W7
14	14	Toronto	0.878229	45	31	48	34	E4
15	15	Indiana	1.306473	32	44	35	47
16	18	Boston	2.216668	34	42	36	46
17	21	Washington	2.463892	43	33	45	37	E5
18	19	Milwaukee	2.470829	38	38	42	40	E6
19	16	Detroit	2.527821	29	47	32	50
20	17	Phoenix	2.939696	38	38	40	42
21	22	Charlotte	3.412319	31	44	34	48
22	20	Miami	3.601907	34	41	37	45	E8
23	24	Brooklyn	3.838004	36	39	39	43	E7
24	25	Sacramento	5.281005	26	49	29	53
25	23	Denver	5.336079	28	48	30	52
26	26	LA Lakers	6.753655	21	54	24	58
27	28	Orlando	7.498016	23	53	25	57
28	29	Philadelphia	8.117554	18	58	20	62
29	27	Minnesota	9.446933	15	61	16	66
30	30	New York	12.99148	14	62	15	67

Portland clinched their division this week after winning 5 of their last 6 games, guaranteeing them a top 4 seed in the playoffs despite the fact that they have the #6 record in the conference. The Trail Blazers have 2 players who would be in the MVP race if they were just a little closer to the top of the standings, with LaMarcus Aldridge having a great season despite a torn ligament in his thumb.

San Antonio has won 6 in a row, and despite sitting at the #6 seed right now, they are only 2 games away from grabbing the #2 seed in the West, and we all know that the Spurs have a history of coming alive at the right time. They moved up to #2 in my rankings this week, their highest level of the season, so you can't count out the defending champs, especially since defending a title is about the only thing Tim Duncan has not accomplished in his amazing career.

Playoff Picks

First Round

(1) Warriors over (8) Thunder
(2) Clippers over (7) Mavericks
(3) Rockets over (6) Spurs
(4) Trail Blazers over (5) Grizzlies
(1) Hawks over (8) Heat
(2) Cavaliers over (7) Nets
(3) Bulls over (6) Bucks
(5) Wizards over (4) Raptors

Second Round

(1) Warriors over (4) Trail Blazers
(2) Clippers over (3) Rockets
(1) Hawks over (5) Wizards
(2) Cavaliers over (3) Bulls

Conference Finals

(1) Warriors over (2) Clippers
(1) Hawks over (2) Cavaliers

NBA Finals

(1) Warriors over (1) Hawks

MVP Rankings

This MVP race is one of the most hotly contested in years, with more than 2 legitimate candidates for the first time since LeBron left Cleveland. Here are my current top 10 MVP candidates:

1. James Harden - HOU - 27.5 P, 5.7 R, 7.0 A, 1.9 S, .442 FG, .865 FT, .376 3P

Harden has continued his ascension into superstardom this season, going from 6th Man of the Year in 2012 to All-NBA Third Team in 2013 to First Team last year to potential MVP this season. He is leading the league in scoring thanks to a career-high 51 against Sacramento on Wednesday, and is also #5 in the league in steals, while getting his team up to #2 in the West. Since all but one MVP in the last 20 years has been on a team that finished in the top 2 of its conference, his MVP chances may rest on maintaining the Rockets' current standing.

2. Stephen Curry - GSW - 23.8 P, 4.3 R, 7.8 A, 2.1 S, .482 FG, .919 FT, .436 3P

Curry is the best player on the best team in the league, which means he has to be in the MVP conversation. He doesn't score quote as much as Harden, but he shoots much better in all areas, and is #3 in the league in steals, 2 spots ahead of Harden. and has boosted his career free throw percentage above 90% and into third place all time, behind only Steve Nash and Mark Price.

3. LeBron James - CLE - 25.6 P, 5.9 R, 7.3 A, 1.6 S, .490 FG, .718 FT, .354 3P

You can't have an MVP race without LeBron, who has led his Cavaliers to the #2 spot in the East and has finished in the top 5 of the MVP voting 9 straight season, with this year shaping up to be #10. Much like Michael Jordan in the 90's, he won't win the MVP every year, even if it is deserved, because voters love to give it to anybody else if there is a legitimate contender, although this year is an exception, because there are two better candidates than the King.

4. Russell Westbrook - OKC - 27.5 P, 7.2 R, 8.6 A, 2.1 S, .419 FG, .840 FT

Westbrook is ahead of James Harden in each of his averages, and has had an amazing second half of the season, with triple-doubles on a weekly basis, but the Thunder are fighting to just make the playoffs this year, which should disqualify him from wining the award, despite his all-around greatness. Next year, watch out for him to pull a James Harden and lead his team to the higher reaches of the West.

5. Klay Thompson - GSW - 21.7 P, 3.2 R, 3.0 A, 1.1 S, .462 FG, .882 FT, .431 3P

Klay Thompson is Scottie Pippen to Steph Curry's Michael Jordan, a necessary piece of a great team who should get more recognition, but a player who will not get many MVP votes due to not being the best player on his team. Russell Westbrook was in this position for the past several years, but I still had him in my top 5 several times over the years, but now that he is the best player on his team, Klay is the new Boy Wonder.

6. Pau Gasol - CHI - 18.6 P, 11.8 R, 2.7 A, 1.9 B, .497 FG, .807 FT

Pau is here because of the way he has kept the Bulls afloat in the absence of Jimmy Butler, who was a legitimate MVP candidate before his injury, but you can't ignore the career renaissance he's had after the move to Chicago.

7. LaMarcus Aldridge - POR - 23.4 P, 10.3 R, 1.8 A, 1.0 B, .467 FG, .846 FT, .351 3P

Aldridge has been great considering the fact that he has been playing with an injury that will require surgery for over two months, and he has led the Trail Blazers to the division title and a playoff berth, and he has suddenly learned how to hit the occasional 3-pointer this year.

8. Damian Lillard - POR - 21.0 P, 4.7 R, 6.3 A, 1.3 S, .433 FG, .863 FT, .344 3P

Just as essential to Portland's run this season is their point guard, who despite being snubbed on All-Star weekend is still one of the best players in the league and should receive a few votes for MVP, even with no chance of winning the award.

9. Kyrie Irving - CLE - 21.9 P, 3.1 R, 5.2 A, 1.5 S, .467 FG, .864 FT, .407 3P

Irving may be the best sidekick LeBron has had in nearly 3 years, since Dwyane Wade was actually healthy and active in Miami for the first couple years of the Big 3. Along with Harden, he is one of 2 players to reach 50 points more than once this season.

10. Chris Paul - LAC - 19.2 P, 4.6 R, 10.2 A, 1.9 S, .485 FG, .896 FT, .390 3P

Paul and the Clippers are one of the top teams in the West and still have a great chance at the #2 seed, with Paul leading the league in assists again and is #7 in steals, and hasn't missed a free throw in the last 5 games.

Predictions

Upset picks are in italics.

NBA

Philadelphia at Charlotte - Hornets by 7
Brooklyn at Atlanta - Hawks by 8
Miami at Detroit - Pistons by 3
Boston at Toronto - Raptors by 4
Washington at Memphis - Grizzlies by 5
Golden State at Dallas - Warriors by 8
Orlando at Milwaukee - Bucks by 7
LA Clippers at Denver - Clippers by 8
Utah at Phoenix - Jazz by 2
New Orleans at Portland - Trail Blazers by 5

NCAA

(7) Michigan State vs. (1) Duke - Blue Devils by 7
(1) Wisconsin vs. (1) Kentucky - Wildcats by 3

Prediction Results

NBA: 7-3 (.700) 769-356 overall (.684)
Upsets: 0-2 (.000) 74-90 overall (.451)