Golden State lost two games this week, the first time that has happened in a month, but that doesn't mean they're not the best team in the league. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games, tops in the league, so there isn't any other team hot enough to claim that they deserve to knock the Warriors from the top. Here are this week's full rankings:
|
|
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Rec
|
Proj
|
|
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TW
|
LW
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Team
|
Rating
|
W
|
L
|
W
|
L
|
PO Seed
|
|
1
|
1
|
Golden State
|
-9.59789
|
45
|
11
|
66
|
16
|
W1
|
|
2
|
2
|
LA Clippers
|
-5.98544
|
38
|
21
|
55
|
27
|
W2
|
|
3
|
3
|
Atlanta
|
-5.28314
|
46
|
12
|
63
|
19
|
E1
|
|
4
|
4
|
Cleveland
|
-4.35281
|
37
|
23
|
52
|
30
|
E2
|
|
5
|
6
|
Oklahoma City
|
-4.223
|
32
|
27
|
47
|
35
|
W8
|
|
6
|
7
|
Dallas
|
-3.0156
|
39
|
21
|
52
|
30
|
W5
|
|
7
|
13
|
Houston
|
-2.84312
|
40
|
18
|
54
|
28
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W4
|
|
8
|
5
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Memphis
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-2.69121
|
41
|
16
|
55
|
27
|
W3
|
|
9
|
9
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Portland
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-2.66026
|
38
|
19
|
52
|
30
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W6
|
|
10
|
12
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Chicago
|
-1.97518
|
38
|
21
|
52
|
30
|
E3
|
|
11
|
11
|
San Antonio
|
-1.82734
|
35
|
23
|
49
|
33
|
W7
|
|
12
|
10
|
Milwaukee
|
-1.35986
|
32
|
26
|
46
|
36
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E5
|
|
13
|
14
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Utah
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-0.99682
|
22
|
35
|
37
|
45
|
|
|
14
|
8
|
Toronto
|
-0.90007
|
37
|
21
|
51
|
31
|
E4
|
|
15
|
15
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Phoenix
|
-0.0024
|
31
|
28
|
42
|
40
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|
|
16
|
19
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New Orleans
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0.355561
|
31
|
27
|
43
|
39
|
|
|
17
|
18
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Indiana
|
0.572256
|
23
|
35
|
36
|
46
|
E7
|
|
18
|
17
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Detroit
|
1.037068
|
23
|
35
|
34
|
48
|
|
|
19
|
21
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Boston
|
1.900259
|
23
|
33
|
34
|
48
|
|
|
20
|
16
|
Washington
|
2.253947
|
33
|
26
|
43
|
39
|
E6
|
|
21
|
20
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Charlotte
|
2.743927
|
22
|
34
|
33
|
49
|
|
|
22
|
22
|
Miami
|
3.039351
|
25
|
32
|
36
|
46
|
E8
|
|
23
|
24
|
Brooklyn
|
3.793428
|
24
|
32
|
34
|
48
|
|
|
24
|
26
|
Orlando
|
5.22299
|
19
|
41
|
27
|
55
|
|
|
25
|
27
|
LA Lakers
|
5.317049
|
17
|
40
|
26
|
56
|
|
|
26
|
25
|
Sacramento
|
5.552667
|
20
|
36
|
29
|
53
|
|
|
27
|
28
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Minnesota
|
6.430831
|
12
|
45
|
19
|
63
|
|
|
28
|
23
|
Denver
|
7.283027
|
20
|
38
|
26
|
56
|
|
|
29
|
29
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New York
|
8.888296
|
11
|
46
|
17
|
65
|
|
|
30
|
30
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Philadelphia
|
8.89851
|
13
|
45
|
19
|
63
|
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Last week, after beating Atlanta, I said that Toronto looked like they were back to early-season form, and they moved back into the top 10 as a result of that game. This week, they fell apart while facing 4 of the top 9 teams in the West, getting blown out by 20+ against both Golden State and Houston. As impressive as the wins in their 4-game streak were last week, they were erased by the 4 losses this week.
The Washington Wizards have had a horrible month. They were sitting at 31-15 one month ago, but have lost 11 of their last 13 games, including embarrassing losses at Minnesota and Philadelphia this week, the first two of those 11 losses to come against teams with no playoff hopes. While they are still in no danger of missing the playoffs, they have no hope of winning a playoff series without figuring out how to turn things around.
Playoff Picks
First Round
(1) Hawks over (8) Heat
(2) Cavaliers over (7) Pacers
(3) Bulls over (6) Wizards
(5) Bucks over (4) Raptors
(1) Warriors over (8) Thunder
(2) Clippers over (7) Spurs
(6) Trail Blazers over (3) Grizzlies
(5) Mavericks over (4) Rockets
Second Round
(1) Hawks over (5) Bucks
(3) Bulls over (2) Cavaliers
(1) Warriors over (5) Mavericks
(2) Clippers over (6) Trail Blazers
Conference Finals
(1) Hawks over (3) Bulls
(1) Warriors over (2) Clippers
NBA Finals
(1) Warriors over (1) Hawks
Predictions
Upset picks are in italics.
NBA
Detroit at Washington - Wizards by 1
Atlanta at Miami - Hawks by 6
Toronto at New York - Raptors by 8
Memphis at Minnesota - Grizzlies by 7
Brooklyn at Dallas - Mavericks by 9
San Antonio at Phoenix - Suns by 1
Milwaukee at Utah - Jazz by 2
College Basketball
Navy at Loyola (MD) - Greyhounds by 4
Kennesaw State at Lipscomb - Bisons by 10
East Carolina at UCF - Knights by 2
Army at Lafayette - Leopards by 8
Bucknell at American - Eagles by 7
Lehigh at Colgate - Raiders by 6
NC State at Boston College - Wolfpack by 4
Georgia Tech at Clemson - Tigers by 5
(17) Louisville at Florida State - Cardinals by 6
Georgetown at St. John's - Red Storm by 1
Michigan at (14) Maryland - Terrapins by 11
Missouri at Georgia - Bulldogs by 17
Rhode Island at La Salle - Explorers by 2
Omaha at IUPUI - Jaguars by 5
Western Carolina at The Citadel - Bulldogs by 1
Samford at VMI - Keydets by 6
Presbyterian at Winthrop - Eagles by 17
Maine at New Hampshire - Wildcats by 21
TCU at (16) Oklahoma - Sooners by 13
Indiana State at Bradley - Braves by 2
Illinois State at Evansville - Aces by 2
(10) Northern Iowa at (11) Wichita State - Shockers by 8
Cincinnati at Tulane - Bearcats by 5
(15) North Carolina at Miami (FL) - Tar Heels by 3
(23) Butler at DePaul - Bulldogs by 8
(6) Villanova at Xavier - Wildcats by 1
Florida Gulf Coast at Jacksonville - Eagles by 8
Campbell at Longwood - Lancers by 2
Dayton at (22) VCU - Rams by 9
Utah State at Air Force - Falcons by 1
Wagner at Mount St. Mary's - Mountaineers by 10
Vermont at Albany - Great Danes by 4
UMBC at Binghamton - Bearcats by 6
Ole Miss at LSU - Tigers by 5
Oakland at Green Bay - Phoenix by 11
Wright State at UIC - Flames by 2
Delaware at Towson - Tigers by 9
Drexel at William & Mary - Tribe by 18
Sarah Lawrence at NJIT - Highlanders by 31
Southern Utah at North Dakota - No Nicknames by 7
UNC Asheville at Liberty - Bulldogs by 3
Utah Valley at Chicago State - Cougars by 2
Middle Tennessee at UAB - Blazers by 6
Bowling Green at Miami (OH) - Falcons by 1
LIU Brooklyn at Sacred Heart - Pioneers by 7
UL Monroe at Appalachian State - Warhawks by 4
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech - Cowboys by 5
(20) West Virginia at (19) Baylor - Bears by 7
(12) Iowa State at Kansas State - Cyclones by 4
Drake at Southern Illinois - Salukis by 8
Missouri State at Loyola (IL) - Ramblers by 10
Holy Cross at Boston U - Terriers by 7
San Diego at Portland - Pilots by 5
Virginia Tech at (2) Virginia - Cavaliers by 26
Creighton at Seton Hall - Pirates by 8
Wofford at Furman - Terriers by 8
East Tennessee State at Mercer - Bears by 6
Gardner-Webb at Radford - Highlanders by 8
Duquesne at St. Bonaventure - Bonnies by 11
St. Francis (NY) at Bryant - Bulldogs by 1
St. Francis (PA) at Robert Morris - Colonials by 6
Nicholls State at McNeese State - Cowboys by 12
Alabama at Vanderbilt - Commodores by 8
(18) Arkansas at (1) Kentucky - Wildcats by 19
Hofstra at James Madison - Pride by 3
Coppin State at Morgan State - Bears by 6
Maryland-Eastern Shore at Delaware State - Hornets by 1
Bethune-Cookman at NC Central - Eagles by 23
Fordham at Massachusetts - Minutemen by 11
Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan - Broncos by 4
High Point at Charleston Southern - Buccaneers by 4
Central Connecticut at Fairleigh Dickinson - Knights by 11
Texas at (8) Kansas - Jayhawks by 8
Montana at Eastern Washington - Eagles by 8
South Dakota State at South Dakota - Jackrabbits by 4
Chattanooga at UNC Greensboro - Mocs by 3
SE Louisiana at Central Arkansas - Lions by 9
Georgia State at Troy - Panthers by 9
Old Dominion at North Texas - Monarchs by 6
Arkansas State at Texas State - Bobcats by 10
Loyola Marymount at Pepperdine - Waves by 13
Princeton at Brown - Bears by 1
Dartmouth at Cornell - Big Red by 7
San Jose State at Nevada - Wolf Pack by 16
Iowa at Penn State - Hawkeyes by 2
Tennessee State at Belmont - Bruins by 18
Jacksonville State at Morehead State - Eagles by 16
Mississippi State at South Carolina - Gamecocks by 13
Tennessee at Florida - Gators by 12
Florida A&M at North Carolina A&T - Aggies by 15
Savannah State at South Carolina State - Bulldogs by 9
Texas Southern at Alabama State - Hornets by 3
Alcorn State at Southern - Jaguars by 17
Mississippi Valley State at Jackson State - Tigers by 16
Western Illinois at IPFW - Mastodons by 15
Ball State at Toledo - Rockets by 15
Buffalo at Kent State - Bulls by 2
Syracuse at (4) Duke - Blue Devils by 17
Stetson at North Florida - Ospreys by 22
USC Upstate at Northern Kentucky - Spartans by 1
Grand Canyon at UMKC - Kangaroos by 6
George Washington at Davidson - Wildcats by 9
Harvard at Columbia - Lions by 2
Pennsylvania at Yale - Bulldogs by 19
Florida Atlantic at Marshall - Thundering Herd by 7
UTSA at Louisiana Tech - Bulldogs by 15
Northwestern at Illinois - Fighting Illini by 12
Incarnate Word at Lamar - Lamar Cardinals by 1
CS Fullerton at Long Beach State - 49ers by 14
Murray State at UT Martin - Skyhawks by 1
Austin Peay at SE Missouri State - Redhawks by 12
Tennessee Tech at Eastern Kentucky - Colonels by 14
Stony Brook at Hartford - Seawolves by 2
Milwaukee at Youngstown State - Penguins by 4
UNC Wilmington at Elon - Phoenix by 1
Hampton at Howard - Bison by 8
George Mason at Saint Louis - Billikens by 3
Richmond at Saint Joseph's - Spiders by 3
Prairie View at Alabama A&M - Panthers by 1
Abilene Christian at New Orleans - Privateers by 8
Tulsa at Memphis - Tigers by 7
Denver at Oral Roberts - Golden Eagles by 7
Saint Mary's at Santa Clara - Gaels by 6
Central Michigan at Northern Illinois - Chippewas by 4
New Mexico State at UT Pan American - Aggies by 13
Charlotte at Rice - 49ers by 4
FIU at Western Kentucky - Hilltoppers by 13
UTEP at Southern Miss - Miners by 11
Wyoming at UNLV - Rebels by 9
Boise State at (24) San Diego State - Aztecs by 6
SF Austin at Houston Baptist - Lumberjacks by 10
Sam Houston at Texas A&M-CC - Bearkats by 7
Northeastern at Charleston - Huskies by 3
Georgia Southern at UL Lafayette - Ragin Cajuns by 5
Arkansas-Little Rock at UT Arlington - Mavericks by 10
Auburn at Texas A&M - Aggies by 15
Grambling State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Golden Lions by 20
Northern Arizona at Northern Colorado - Bears by 2
(7) Arizona at (13) Utah - Utes by 5
Idaho State at Weber State - Wildcats by 10
BYU at (3) Gonzaga - Bulldogs by 13
Pacific at San Francisco - Dons by 12
New Mexico at Fresno State - Bulldogs by 1
UC Davis at Cal Poly - Mustangs by 3
Montana State at Idaho - Vandals by 13
Sacramento State at Portland State - Vikings by 3
CS Bakersfield at Seattle - Redhawks by 4
Washington at USC - Trojans by 1
UC Riverside at CS Northridge - Matadors by 2
UC Irvine at UC Santa Barbara - Gauchos by 4
Projected correct: 107/150
Prediction Results
NBA: 9-5 (.643) 581-276 overall (.678)
Upsets: 1-0 (1.000) 55-73 overall (.430)
College Basketball: 7-3 (.700) 3805-1322 overall (.742)
Upsets: 1-0 (1.000) 329-341 overall (.491)
Pick of the Day: 100-3
Pick of the Day
New Hampshire
The Wildcats are one of the few teams still in the running in the America East Conference, and this afternoon they host Maine, which is in last place with only 3 wins all year.
