2008 NBA Playoffs Rankings based on Strength of Wins / Losses

(against the other 2008 playoff teams)
	By Guichard Cadet

NBA Rankings which takes into account the quality of a team's wins & losses -- The SOS (strength of schedule) analysis.


The Playoff Teams Against Other Playoff Teams:

Utah: All the pieces fit, especially at home. Tough first round series, then they face the Lakers.

Detroit: Look for them in the championship games -- it's the only way Flip Saunders keeps his job.

New Orleans: Youth will not be served. Look for them to bow out early.

San Antonio: No Country for Old Men? Age and injuries have caught up to the supporting cast, even though the regular season record didn't show it. West Conference Finals losers.

Denver: Tough team to figure. Very good regular season record, but too many ups & downs, considering they have AI, Melo & Camby (reigning Defensive Player of the Year). First round battle losers.

L.A. Lakers: When Odom is a team's 3rd option, consider it well-balanced. Kobe gets his first MVP award & 4th Championship ring.

Boston: They shored up their bench toward the middle and end of season. I still worry about those losses out West, and to Washington during the season.

Houston: Nice mid-season run, but tough first round series. It's a toss-up, but I go against the Rockets.

Washington: So much offensive weapon, but they will have match-up problems with Detroit when the game gets slowed down. Eastern Conference Finals loser.

Orlando: Lucky to have drawn Toronto and not Philly. They take too many 3-pointers.

Phoenix: I would not be surprised to see them beat the Spurs in the first round, but I'm going with Duncan. If they get by the Spurs...I might redo my picks.

Philadelphia: Battle-tested in the second half of the season, but the Pistons are "generals" in this "war" called the playoffs.

Cleveland: Not sold on their offensive scheme. LeBron accounts for too much of their production. I cannot see them matching the Wizards' firepower.

Dallas: Lucky to go against New Orleans in the first round, but that's as far as they advance without a post-up game.

Atlanta: I cannot think of any team, except Toronto that they could beat in these playoffs. Will be lucky to no get swept.

Toronto: Bosh's late-season injury exposed them as a team with a very fragile psyche & scheme. Drawing Orlando helps them not get embarrassed by a sweep.

	East	West
1st Round	Boston (5)	Lakers (6)
	Detroit (5)	Dallas (6)
	Orlando (6)	Utah (7)
	Washington (6)	San Antonio (6)
2nd Round	Detroit (5)	Lakers (5)
	Washington (7)	San Antonio (6)
Conference	Detroit (6)	Lakers (7)
Championship	Lakers (6)

Rank	Teams	Total Strength
1	Utah	49.22
2	Detroit	48.68
3	New Orleans	48.29
4	San Antonio	46.65
5	Denver	45.69
6	L.A. Lakers	45.63
7	Boston	44.93
8	Houston	44.14
9	Washington	43.92
10	Orlando	43.55
11	Phoenix	42.72
12	Philadelphia	42.56
13	Cleveland	41.74
14	Dallas	41.03
15	Atlanta	39.04
16	Toronto	38.41

041808 NBA Rankings based on Strength of Wins / Losses

(for SEASON ENDING 04/16/08)	By Guichard Cadet

NBA Rankings which takes into account the quality of a team's wins & losses -- The SOS (strength of schedule) analysis.

The Non-Playoff Teams:

Golden State: Best team not to make the playoffs. A test of wills between Coach (Don Nelson) and Star (Baron) cost them at the end.

Portland: An early season winning streak propelled them, but Roy's injury issues continue to plague them.

Sacramento: They're in limbo until they either add a low post scorer to Artest & Miller, or move those two players.

Indiana: O'Brien almost pulled off a minor miracle, by making the playoffs with O'Neal and Tinsley injured most of the year.

New Jersey: They simply have to draft better, and spend money in the right places.

Charlotte: I still don't get why they paid to keep Gerald Wallace that much, considering his injury history.

Chicago: Their bubble busted this year, after 3 seasons of overachieving. Now they're searching for a coach. Clue: get a post player too.

Minnesota: I still don't get how they traded KG, instead of simply adding Ray Allen to their roster, as I suggested pre-draft.

Milwaukee: Unjust firing of Terry Porter will haunt them for another 2 seasons.

L.A. Clippers: Can't really blame missing the playoffs on Brand's near season-long injury, especially since they failed to make it last season.

Memphis: Not really sure of their aim. They've been reportedly selling the team for 2 seasons. Smart to trade Gasol, but questional value received.

New York: Season ended in early December, yet they still have not officially fired Isiah, or made a trade. Donnie Walsh has a major job ahead, one that involves moving 2 major pieces.

Seattle: Terrible off-season trades to clear salary for a move. Now new owners are being sued by the former. Imagine if this was taking place in New York.

Miami: Riley cut the fat when he traded Walker and Posey, but then realized the "Diesel" was not motivated and Wade could not carry the burden. Look for Riley to dump coaching duties on someone else.

Rank	Previous Week	Teams	Total Strength
1	1	Boston	94.45
2	3	Detroit	90.35
3	2	New Orleans	90.02
4	4	L.A. Lakers	89.27
5	6	Utah	88.56
6	5	San Antonio	88.53
7	7	Houston	87.93
8	8	Phoenix	86.48
9	10	Denver	86.37
10	9	Golden State	84.83
11	11	Orlando	84.77
12	12	Dallas	83.90
13	14	Cleveland	82.78
14	15	Washington	82.12
15	13	Philadelphia	81.73
16	18	Portland	81.07
17	17	Sacramento	80.97
18	16	Atlanta	80.27
19	19	Toronto	79.45
20	20	Indiana	78.32
21	21	New Jersey	77.75
22	22	Charlotte	77.51
23	23	Chicago	76.68
24	27	Minnesota	73.09
25	24	Milwaukee	72.50
26	25	L.A. Clippers	71.68
27	26	Memphis	71.21
28	28	New York	70.82
29	30	Seattle	66.65
30	29	Miami	66.54

040608 NBA Rankings based on Strength of Wins / Losses

(for week ending 04/06/08)
	By Guichard Cadet

NBA Rankings which takes into account the quality of a team's wins & losses -- The SOS (strength of schedule) analysis.

Playoff Prediction: Orlando & Toronto both heading for first round knockouts.

Did the Sonics just play spoiler to Denver's playoff hopes?

Detroit is steady and solid, as usual!

Rank	Previous Week	Teams	Total Strength
1	1	Boston	86.89
2	4	New Orleans	84.15
3	2	Detroit	83.06
4	5	L.A. Lakers	82.54
5	3	San Antonio	82.53
6	6	Utah	82.14
7	7	Houston	81.96
8	10	Phoenix	79.79
9	8	Golden State	79.78
10	9	Denver	79.75
11	11	Orlando	78.26
12	14	Dallas	78.06
13	13	Philadelphia	77.15
14	12	Cleveland	76.98
15	16	Washington	76.14
16	17	Atlanta	75.99
17	19	Sacramento	75.56
18	15	Portland	74.96
19	18	Toronto	73.77
20	22	Indiana	72.71
21	20	New Jersey	72.71
22	21	Charlotte	71.94
23	23	Chicago	70.06
24	25	Milwaukee	68.10
25	24	L.A. Clippers	67.72
26	27	Memphis	66.84
27	26	Minnesota	66.65
28	28	New York	65.64
29	29	Miami	61.49
30	30	Seattle	60.91