Stupid Power Rankings (Bubble Week 6)

Features, Power Rankings, Previews/Recaps, WNBA Leave a comment

People LOVE Power Rankings in sports. It’s pretty stupid. So, of course, I have MY Stupid Power Rankings. I take 10 things from the NBA and WNBA (or not) in the past week (well, today’s an exception) and rank them accordingly. You don’t like them? Make your own rankings!

So we didn’t have any rankings last week. This was due to the fact that both basketball leagues stopped play and demanded justice for the wrongfully shot Jacob Blake. It didn’t feel appropriate to have any rankings then.

So to make up for it, we’ll rank 10 things from the time play resumed (which was August 28th) until Sunday, September 6th. It’s tough to put in 10 things with suddenly so many things happening that’s basketball-related.

1) OG Game-Winner

This was incredible all around.

Boston Celtics were ready to go up, 3-0, against the defending champion Toronto Raptors. There is literally half a second left. Kyle Lowry is doing the inbounds pass and he has to see over the outstretched arms of 7’6″ Tacko Fall. There is NO WAY anything could get done.

But yet Lowry made the perfect pass to a suddenly-open OG Anunoby. And OG got the shot off just in time. And it went in. The fate of the Raptors instantly changed with this shot (aren’t they familiar with that?). Now they’re actually tied with the Celtics in this series with Game 5 hanging in the balance.

Bonus round: Kyle Lowry’s happiness makes me happy.

2) Jewell Loyd Storms In For The Win

The Los Angeles Sparks led the Seattle Storm, 89-87, with 0.8 seconds left. Yet another quick trigger shot was needed in this situation.

This time, Jewell Loyd caught the ball in the corner and she was draped all over by Brittney Sykes. Didn’t matter. Loyd got the shot off and the side pocket 3 went in.

We’ve had amazing finishes in basketball games this week.

3) Courtney Vandersloot Dished Out 18 Assists

Courtney Vandersloot broke the WNBA single game record for most assists with 18 (the legendary Ticha Penicheiro had 16 in 1998 and 2002). What’s even more perfect is that the record-breaker went to her wife, Allie Quigley, only one of the greatest shooters of all-time in the WNBA. And for good measure, Quigley also gave Vandersloot her 18th assist.

4) Frantic Game 7 Finishes

Both endings didn’t result in a game-winning shot but it was exciting, nonetheless. Nuggets/Jazz had a heart-stopping ending. Donovan Mitchell got the ball poked out by Gary Harris with seconds waning away as the Nuggets led by two. Denver got excited and wanted to put the game away outright but Torrey Craig blew the lay-up. Utah got one final shot but Mike Conley‘s three rimmed out.

As for Rockets/Thunder, the Thunder had one last possession to either tie or win. But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s inbounds pass got broken up and Houston advanced to the second round.


5) Arike Ogunbowale Hitting More Clutch Buckets

ANOTHER clutch play. Dallas Wings needed a three with 8.6 seconds left and they had to go through the length of a court. It helps to have Arike Ogunbowale, who is quite used to these situations. She made the three and she would go on to help win the game for Dallas in OT and score a career-best 39 points.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen Gosling/Getty Images.)

6) Diana Taurasi Got on a Roll

After scoring 34 points on Kobe Bryant’s birthday, Diana would continue scorching the nets, averaging 24 points in the next four games with the Mercury. By the way, they won all those games. She slowed down with a 9-point game on Saturday but the Merc won that going away, too. Still, it was so fun to see the GOAT do her thing.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Mark J. Terrill/AP.)

7) Lu Dort Scored 30 Points in a Game 7!

That was something. Everyone that has watched these playoffs (and the Thunder all season) know that Dort is not a shooter. It worked all series as the Rockets kept leaving him alone. But in Game 7, he sank 6 three-pointers, making Houston pay for most of the game.

In another shocker, Lu Dort’s attempt at a clutch three got blocked by James Harden, who was offensively-challenged the whole game. It’s like they got Freaky Friday’d in Game 7. Still, Dort is not to blame for the Thunder’s loss. He did his job and more.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Elise Amendola/AP.)

8) Steve Nash is Brooklyn’s New Coach

Steve Nash is not done surprising the league. The two-time MVP has become the coach of the Brooklyn Nets in a shocking hire. Like other players before him that went to the coaching ranks, Steve Nash has no prior coaching experience. But he was also an all-world point guard, who is pretty much a coach on the floor. I think Nash will be okay.

This got talking heads on television talking about lack of black coaches in the NBA. But it’s not Brooklyn’s fault and Nash’s fault if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving (two prominent black players) say they wanted Nash as coach. Sure, we lack black NBA coaches but Brooklyn’s situation is not to blame here.

9) Giannis Fouling Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler won Game 2 with free throws at the buzzer, yet another wacky ending. My problem here, though, was that a foul was called when Giannis Antetokounmpo put his hand on Jimmy after the shot was released. I guess, technically it’s a foul but I wouldn’t have called it simply because I don’t think his hand affected the shot at all. But I suppose you don’t want to put the game in the ref’s hands. What a terrible way to lose a game.

10) Who Voted For Zion?

Ja Morant won Rookie of the Year. Rightfully so.

I just want to know who voted for Zion Williamson. It’s raging because we all know Williamson only played 19 games before the pandemic hit and that is not close to a body of work for the guy. That should be an automatic DQ from the award.

Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.

TNLP on FaceBook.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *