NBA Rankings - 2 Mar

The same teams are in playoff position as two weeks ago, but there has been a change near the top, with the Thunder and Celtics dropping from the top 5 after multi-game losing streaks since the break. Two Western Conference teams replaced them, each with only one loss since returning from vacation, and both could be dangerous in the playoffs. Here are my full current rankings and playoff picks:

				Rec		Proj
TW	LW	Team	Rating	W	L	W	L	MOV	SOS	PO Seed
1	1	Milwaukee	-7.9	48	14	64	18	1	26	E1
2	2	Golden State	-5.39	43	19	57	25	2	15	W1
3	3	Toronto	-4.6	46	17	60	22	3	20	E2
4	6	Utah	-4.03	35	26	50	32	8	2	W5
5	7	Denver	-3.84	42	19	54	28	6	22	W2
6	9	Portland	-3.72	38	24	51	31	9	6	W3
7	5	Oklahoma City	-3.68	38	23	50	32	7	25	W4
8	4	Boston	-3.49	38	25	50	32	4	27	E5
9	8	Indiana	-3.08	41	22	52	30	5	30	E4
10	10	Philadelphia	-2.54	40	22	52	30	10	24	E3
11	11	Houston	-2.03	37	25	49	33	11	9	W6
12	12	San Antonio	-0.55	34	29	45	37	13	7	W8
13	13	New Orleans	-0.44	28	36	38	44	12	11
14	14	LA Clippers	-0.35	35	29	45	37	14	3	W7
15	15	Minnesota	0.11	29	33	38	44	15	14
16	17	Orlando	0.498	29	34	39	43	16	16	E7
17	16	Dallas	0.767	27	34	37	45	20	5
18	18	Sacramento	0.921	31	31	41	41	22	4
19	21	Detroit	1.252	29	31	40	42	18	18	E6
20	23	Charlotte	1.528	29	33	37	45	17	28
21	19	Miami	1.766	27	34	36	46	21	23
22	22	LA Lakers	1.82	30	32	38	44	23	12
23	20	Brooklyn	1.905	32	32	39	43	19	29	E8
24	25	Washington	3.209	25	37	34	48	24	19
25	24	Memphis	3.454	24	39	31	51	25	8
26	27	Chicago	6.617	18	45	24	58	27	13
27	26	Atlanta	7.049	21	42	26	56	26	21
28	28	New York	7.925	13	49	18	64	28	10
29	29	Phoenix	8.942	12	51	17	65	30	1
30	30	Cleveland	9.635	15	47	19	63	29	17

Playoff Picks

First Round

(1) Bucks over (8) Nets
(2) Raptors over (7) Magic
(3) 76ers over (6) Pistons
(5) Celtics over (4) Pacers
(1) Warriors over (8) Spurs
(2) Nuggets over (7) Clippers
(6) Rockets over (3) Trail Blazers
(5) Jazz over (4) Thunder

Second Round

(1) Bucks over (5) Celtics
(2) Raptors over (3) 76ers
(5) Jazz over (1) Warriors
(2) Nuggets over (6) Rockets

Conference Finals

(1) Bucks over (2) Raptors
(5) Jazz over (2) Nuggets

NBA Finals

(1) Bucks over (5) Jazz

Basketball Predictions - 2 Mar

Upset picks are in italics.
Eliminator Pick is in bold.

NBA

Detroit at Cleveland - Pistons by 6
Orlando at Indiana - Pacers by 6
Brooklyn at Miami - Heat by 2
Golden State at Philadelphia - Warriors by 0.5
Memphis at Dallas - Mavericks by 5
Oklahoma City at San Antonio - Thunder by 1
New Orleans at Denver - Nuggets by 6
LA Lakers at Phoenix - Lakers by 5
Milwaukee at Utah - Bucks by 1.5

NCAA

Binghamton at Maine - Black Bears by 7.5
(6) Michigan State at Indiana - Spartans by 6.5
(13) LSU at Alabama - Crimson Tide by 0.5
(15) Kansas at Oklahoma State - Jayhawks by 4.5
NC State at (18) Florida State - Seminoles by 8
Syracuse at Wake Forest - Orange by 5.5
Army at Bucknell - Bison by 12
Navy at Boston U - Terriers by 10
Colgate at Lafayette - Raiders by 4.5
American at Holy Cross - Crusaders by 3.5
Penn State at (19) Wisconsin - Badgers by 11
Citadel at VMI - Keydets by 2.5
Northern Kentucky at Green Bay - Norse by 1
Ole Miss at Arkansas - Razorbacks by 2
New Hampshire at UMBC - Retrievers by 17
Fordham at Davidson - Wildcats by 16
Fairleigh Dickinson at Central Connecticut - Blue Devils by 0.5
Little Rock at Georgia State - Panthers by 11.5
Pittsburgh at (2) Virginia - Cavaliers by 23
(4) Kentucky at (7) Tennessee - Volunteers by 4.5
Ohio State at (14) Purdue - Boilermakers by 11
(24) Wofford at Samford - Terriers by 6
UMass at Duquesne - Dukes by 9
Elon at Towson - Tigers by 9
Butler at Villanova - Wildcats by 10.5
Iowa State at Texas - Longhorns by 2.5
West Virginia at Oklahoma - Sooners by 13.5
Ohio at Akron - Zips by 12.5
Northern Iowa at Indiana State - Sycamores by 2
Illinois State at Southern Illinois - Salukis by 10
Evansville at Valparaiso - Crusaders by 6.5
Furman at Chattanooga - Paladins by 7.5
Coastal Carolina at UL Monroe - Warhawks by 6
Radford at Campbell - Camels by 2
Longwood at Gardner-Webb - Bulldogs by 12
UT Arlington at Troy - Trojans by 0.5
Omaha at Denver - Mavericks by 4
New Mexico State at Chicago State - Aggies by 19.5
George Mason at Saint Louis - Billikens by 6.5
Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois - Huskies by 7
St. Francis (PA) at Sacred Heart - Pioneers by 5.5
South Carolina at Missouri - Tigers by 4.5
Miami at (3) Duke - Blue Devils by 21
UCF at (8) Houston - Cougars by 9.5
(11) Texas Tech at TCU - Red Raiders by 1
Mississippi State at Auburn - Tigers by 6.5
Loyola Marymount at San Francisco - Dons by 11.5
Hofstra at Delaware - Pride by 5
UNC Wilmington at Charleston - Cougars by 14
Northeastern at Drexel - Huskies by 3.5
William & Mary at James Madison - Dukes by 2
Mt. St. Mary's at St. Francis (BKN) - Terriers by 11
Robert Morris at Wagner - Seahawks by 4
Northern Arizona at Montana State - Bobcats by 9.5
St. Bonaventure at George Washington - Bonnies by 4
VCU at Richmond - Rams by 7
Western Carolina at East Tennessee State - Buccaneers by 19.5
Hampton at USC Upstate - Pirates by 4
Charleston Southern at Presbyterian - Blue Hose by 5.5
UIC at Detroit Mercy - Titans by 4
IUPUI at Oakland - Grizzlies by 5.5
South Carolina State at Bethune-Cookman - Wildcats by 11
Drake at Missouri State - Bears by 3.5
Morgan State at Delaware State - Bears by 1
Florida A&M at North Carolina A&T - Aggies by 7
Tennessee Tech at Eastern Illinois - Panthers by 8.5
Tennessee State at UT Martin - Skyhawks by 5.5
New Orleans at Nicholls - Colonels by 2
High Point at UNC Asheville - Panthers by 6
UNC Greensboro at Mercer - Spartans by 1
Bryant at LIU Brooklyn - Blackbirds by 12
North Dakota at South Dakota - Coyotes by 6.5
Ball State at Western Michigan - Cardinals by 3.5
Toledo at Central Michigan - Chippewas by 1
Rutgers at (22) Iowa - Hawkeyes by 11
Albany at Hartford - Hawks by 12
La Salle at Saint Joseph's - Hawks by 6.5
North Dakota State at Fort Wayne - Mastodons by 7.5
Northwestern State at SE Louisiana - Lions by 12
Arkansas State at Georgia Southern - Eagles by 16.5
Abilene Christian at Central Arkansas - Wildcats by 4.5
Portland State at Eastern Washington - Eagles by 5.5
Western Illinois at South Dakota State - Jackrabbits by 18.5
Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State - Delta Devils by 0.5
Stephen F Austin at Lamar - Cardinals by 13.5
(5) North Carolina at Clemson - Tar Heels by 3.5
Bradley at Loyola-Chicago - Ramblers by 9
Cleveland State at Youngstown State - Penguins by 8
Texas Southern at Alabama State - Tigers by 0.5
Air Force at Wyoming - Falcons by 1
Jacksonville State at SIU Edwardsville - Gamecocks by 9.5
Howard at Savannah State - Tigers by 0.5
Cornell at Brown - Bears by 10.5
Utah at Colorado - Buffaloes by 7.5
Vanderbilt at Texas A&M - Aggies by 8.5
Seton Hall at Georgetown - Hoyas by 4
Coppin State at Norfolk State - Spartans by 14.5
Alcorn State at Southern - Jaguars by 5.5
Prairie View A&M at Alabama A&M - Panthers by 4.5
Columbia at Yale - Bulldogs by 15
Princeton at Harvard - Crimson by 8.5
Penn at Dartmouth - Big Green by 2
Lehigh at Loyola (MD) - Mountain Hawks by 2.5
Wright State at Milwaukee - Raiders by 5
Morehead State at Eastern Kentucky - Colonels by 6.5
Washington State at California - Bears by 1
Stony Brook at Vermont - Catamounts by 10.5
UT Rio Grande Valley at UMKC - Kangaroos by 3
Baylor at (16) Kansas State - Wildcats by 7.5
Memphis at (23) Cincinnati - Bearcats by 10
Texas State at South Alabama - Bobcats by 3
UC Irvine at UC Riverside - Anteaters by 7.5
Pacific at Pepperdine - Waves by 9
Belmont at SE Missouri State - Bruins by 12.5
Austin Peay at Murray State - Racers by 10
McNeese at Houston Baptist - Huskies by 10.5
Texas A&M-CC at Incarnate Word - Islanders by 3
(12) Nevada at Utah State - Aggies by 2
Grambling at Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Lions by 1.5
Georgia at Florida - Gators by 13.5
San Diego at BYU - Cougars by 6.5
Idaho State at Northern Colorado - Bears by 15
Southern Utah at Montana - Grizzlies by 13.5
CSU Bakersfield at Grand Canyon - Antelopes by 14
(1) Gonzaga at Saint Mary's - Bulldogs by 7.5
Utah Valley at Cal Baptist - Wolverines by 1.5
Sacramento State at Idaho - Hornets by 5
Arizona at Oregon - Ducks by 6.5
CSU Fullerton at UC Davis - Aggies by 1.5
Santa Clara at Portland - Broncos by 3
Cal Poly at Long Beach State - 49ers by 13.5
Colorado State at New Mexico - Lobos by 4.5
San Jose State at San Diego State - Aztecs by 22
Boise State at UNLV - Rebels by 4
CSU Northridge at Hawaii - Warriors by 9.5

Results

NBA: 4-3 (.571) 609-325 overall (.652)
Upsets: 63-69 overall (.477)
NCAA: 10-6 (.625) 4040-1300 overall (.757)
Upsets: 0-1 (.000) 266-303 overall (.467)
Eliminator: 106-8 (.930)

NCAA Bracket Prediction - 1 Mar

It is officially March, and just a few days until the first conference tournaments start, so I am starting off the month with another bracket update. Alabama returns to the bracket after their win at South Carolina, while Butler dropped out after losing at home to Providence. Here is my full current bracket, with projected conference champs in bold, new teams in italics, rising teams in green, and falling teams in red:

	SOUTH			EAST
1	Virginia		1	Duke
16	Prairie View/Norfolk State		16	St. Francis (PA)/Quinnipiac
8	Florida		8	Iowa
9	Washington		9	Texas
5	Iowa State		5	Mississippi State
12	Saint Mary’s/Alabama		12	New Mexico State
4	Wisconsin		4	Marquette
13	Lipscomb		13	Vermont
6	Villanova		6	Florida State
11	Minnesota		11	Utah State
3	Houston		3	Kansas
14	Texas State		14	Old Dominion
7	Kansas State		7	Louisville
10	Syracuse		10	Ole Miss
2	Tennessee		2	Michigan
15	Montana		15	Radford
	MIDWEST			WEST
1	Michigan State		1	Gonzaga
16	Bucknell		16	Sam Houston State
8	NC State		8	Baylor
9	Oklahoma		9	Ohio State
5	Nevada		5	Auburn
12	Belmont		12	St. John’s/Nebraska
4	LSU		4	Virginia Tech
13	UC Irvine		13	Yale
6	Maryland		6	Buffalo
11	Clemson		11	TCU
3	Texas Tech		3	Purdue
14	South Dakota State		14	Hofstra
7	Cincinnati		7	Wofford
10	VCU		10	UCF
2	North Carolina		2	Kentucky
15	Wright State		15	Loyola-Chicago

Last Four Byes

Clemson
TCU
Minnesota
Utah State

Last Four In

Saint Mary's
St. John's
Alabama
Nebraska

First Four Out

Creighton
Indiana
Penn State
Butler

Next Four Out

Seton Hall
Temple
Arizona State
Toledo

Teams by Conference

Big 10 - 9
ACC - 9
Big 12 - 8
SEC - 8
Big East - 3
American - 3
Mountain West - 2
West Coast - 2