1. 76ers(10-1)- The 76ers have established themselves as the team to beat with their victories over both the Spurs and the Mavericks. Led by Matt Ryan and Brendan Donovan, this team dominates on both offense and defense. However, what makes this team great is their lack of glaring weaknesses. In order to beat this team, you’ll need to play a near-perfect game.
2. Spurs(8-3)- The Spurs have been consistently one of the top teams in the league all year long. Their depth is really what makes this team great. Aside from their stellar backcourt (Matt Lavanchy and Peter Bruen) and their talented frontcourt (Tyler Creighton and Mike Kavolius), the Spurs have capable bench players in Charles Weinacht and Jack Stedman. Because of this the Spurs can consistently put a strong lineup on the court every shift, making them a difficult team to face every shift.
3. Mavericks(7-3-1)- What makes this team so good is the Hanley brothers. Cam and Craig provide one of the strongest one-twos in the league. They are virtually unguardable by themselves, and when they are put together they are virtually unstoppable. Also, don’t forget about Jimmy Smith, arguably one of the best knockdown shooters in the league. With one of the most potent offenses in the league, the Mavericks are a tough team to beat.
4. Rockets(8-3)- The Rockets, currently riding a four game win streak, have consistently been one of the best teams in the league. Their top players Tom Demarais and Chris Hoyt, better known as the Batman and Robin of the WYBA, are the rocks of this team. The Rockets depend on them for their offensive production and defensive prowess. Strong bench play from Matt Cotter and Robbie Alessandro give this team so additional depth.
5. Lakers(7-4)- The Lakers are the hottest team in the league at this point, winning 7 of the last 8 games. Headed by Mike Rando, Andrew Vandini, and Mike Baryski, the Lakers are a talented team on both sides of the court. They consistently score over 60 points and allow less than 55 in most games. The Lakers play the 76ers and the Spurs next weekend, so we’ll see how good these guys really are.
6. Celtics(7-3-1)- The Celtics have been marred by injury and inconsistency this season. In one game against the Spurs, the C’s lost key players, Dan King and Carl Tempesta, to injury in a game they lost. Since then, the Celtics have been without King, and it has hurt them badly. Bill Rockwood and Drew Stanton have since tried to hold down the fort in King’s absence. Since King’s injury in Week 4, they have only won 3 of 7 and currently sit in 5th place in the standings. Hopefully when King returns, the C’s can turn it around and find some success in the playoffs.
7. Wizards(5-6)- These guys are very inconsistent. The Wizards have not won back-to-back games since Week 1, and the only notable victory came against the Mavericks last week. Their top players, Kyle Donnelly and Colton Mitchell, carry this team; however, they cannot do it on their own. If the Wizards can play better team basketball, they can be more successful.
8. Knicks(4-7)- The Knicks’ season started off badly, dropping their first four games; however, they turned it around for a couple games and were able to reel off three straight wins. As of late though, the Knicks have reverted back to their old ways. They have dropped their last three of four games and currently are looking towards their games against the Celtics and 76ers this weekend. Hopefully with leadership by Tim Sullivan and Mike LaVita, the Knicks can find some consistency.
9. Magic(3-7-1)- The Magic rely heavily on their star player, Jake Mich. Mich along with point guard Chris “Feasty” Conley carry most of the burden for the Magic, and in recent weeks, it has not worked out in their favor. These guys have not won a back-to-back game yet this season, and as evidence by their 27-point loss to the Nets last Sunday, it does not look like they will. The Magic are facing off against the Spurs and Sonics this weekend, so we will just have to wait and see if the they can right the ship come playoff time.
10. Sonics(2-9)- With two wins in their last four games, the Sonics seem to be turning it around. Although they cannot compete with the top tier teams—they lost to the Celtics by 35 points—they are starting to challenge the rest of the league. Their most glaring weakness, though, is their lack of rebounding. With weak rebounding ability, the Sonics give up a lot of second and third chance points that really hurt their game. This forces the Sonics to play a faster-paced game in order to make up for the extra points, which they really aren’t suited for. Hopefully leadership from Brad Webber and Giorgio Sarkis can lead this team to more victories in the near future.
11. Nets(2-9)- The Nets are certainly no pushover anymore. With the return of Nolan Murray from a wrist injury last week, the Nets can now score more effectively and efficiently than in past weeks. Since Nolan’s injury in the first game of the season, Ryan Hibbard (the lone senior of the team), along with Colin Murray and Matthew Brownsword, have been trying to rally the troops in the absence of Nolan. Now that he is back the Nets will be able to compete with other teams, offensively at least. They still struggle on defense, which hopefully big man David Driscoll can help with. We’ll see it Murray’s return can turn things around for the Nets as playoffs get closer.
12. Nuggets(1-9-1)- The Nuggets seem to be trending in the wrong direction: they are getting worse and worse each game. They have not won a game since Week 2 against the Nets. Aidan Lancaster, their strongest player, is a talented scorer and defender, but he cannot do it alone. Charlie Love and Craig Nevin are two other notable players who can hopefully help Lancaster in bringing the Nuggets back from the depths of the league.
