Power Rankings can be really stupid. So stupid that The No-Look Pass just had to have “Stupid Power Rankings.”
This feature is usually on every Monday. Disagree with the rankings? Well, we already prefaced that these are stupid. Just have fun with these as I rank these however I feel where they stupidly belong.
1) LeBron James Is… Um… Cool
I probably have never ever said this but for the last week, LeBron James is cool.
He had two spectacular dunks over the last week: this little windmill lefty slam against Minnesota and the reverse pump slam against Philly. Then he brings back the raise the roof celebration, which has been the most natural of all his celebrations (I always felt that his celebrations were so contrived) throughout his career (plus it’s old-school and I appreciate old-school).
Plus he got hit in the face with a ball and laughed about it. To ME, this is the most likable LeBron James has ever been.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
2) Stephen Curry’s No-Look Lob
I am very partial to the no-look pass (for obvious reasons). Yet here is Stephen Curry throwing lobs without looking. You’re so unfair, Steph.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Craig Mitchelldyer/AP.)
3) Damian Lillard Catches Fire
Catching fire in basketball is making five three-pointers in less than two minutes in a hotly contested game. Probably one of the more incredible scoring streaks we have seen in the last few years.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
4) Deron Williams Game-Winner
Deron Williams said that he questioned whether he wanted to keep playing ball when he was playing for the Nets. Well, he sure was having fun after making this game-winner against the Kings. Probably the best NBA moment he’s had since he left Utah.
And he left Utah in 2011.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Casey Keirnan.)
5) Boris Diaw Painting At Spurs Practice
Just when you couldn’t like Boris Diaw even more, here he is practicing while a PAINTING OF HIS WAS ON DISPLAY. That is AMAZING.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Mark J. Terrill/AP.)
6) Clippers Continue To Streak
The Clippers have won nine straight, the latter eight without Blake Griffin. I mean, this seems great and all but they’ve hardly gained any ground on the Warriors (winners of six straight) and the Spurs (winners of seven straight).
Plus you can also question the strength of the streak. In the last week, they beat Portland without C.J. McCollum (more on this later!), struggled a bit to beat the injured and slumping Charlotte Hornets, and had to hold on in OT against an Anthony Davis-less Pelicans team. Yes, all without Griffin. But still a bit of a worry.
(PHOTO CREDIT: WGN.)
7) Powerball
I get it. People immediately think that Powerball can solve ALL YOUR PROBLEMS when you become a billionaire (or close to it).
I’ll even admit that I’ll probably buy a ticket or five for a chance at this. But seriously, would you know what to do if you DO win? I sure as hell would DISAPPEAR if I end up winning this thing. And you just can’t lavish yourself with 45 houses and 200 cars immediately. If you DO win, please be careful. And don’t tell us if you did win.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Dykes/AP.)
8) Blazers’ Clerical Error
There are just some routine things you forget because we take ’em for granted. You forget your driver’s license at home. Or your cell phone. Or your house key. Or you forget to do a menial task like watering the plants.
In this case, Coach Terry Stotts forgot to put C.J. McCollum on the active list. It happens but, boy, is it embarrassing. And if Doc Rivers had any say on it, then I agree with him. You want to have every competitive advantage possible. Don’t say you wouldn’t. Otherwise, you’re probably one of those people that don’t mind letting a friend come along with you and your crush before you end up becoming a third wheel.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Jim Mone/AP.)
9) Blair Walsh Misses Game-Winning FG
Plain and simple, this sucks. No matter what you’ve done in the game before, it’s what have you done for me lately in sports. Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal that would’ve essentially given the Minnesota Vikings the win over the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL Wild Card Round of the Playoffs. Walsh was also the only one that scored all 9 points for the Vikings (Seattle won, 10-9). But no one is going to remember that.
Not only does he have to live with that moment but all these people on social media are telling him very unkind things because he missed a kick. After all of this, it’s still a game. And if you put money in this game, well, that’s on you.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images.)
10) The Reality Of The Nets
The Nets made some moves. Lionel Hollins was axed as coach and now-former general manager Billy King was reassigned within the organization.
But it goes beyond that. They don’t really have control of their first-round pick until 2019 (Boston has theirs in 2016 and 2018 and the right to swap first-round picks in 2017, which all came from that big Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett deal). So they can’t rebuild through the draft. They are 10-27 and their only real good player is Brook Lopez (Joe Johnson has had a huge decline this season). How would that entice any free agents?
I suppose, “HEY, NEW YORK!” would work. But beyond that, what?
R.I.P. David Bowie.
Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.
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