Power Rankings, Week of 11/17

[Spike]

Well! We certainly had the opportunity to make quite a bit of noise, but after being the only team in NBA history to blow a 24+ point lead in back to back games, things were not looking good. Then we took on a very strong Spurs team and showed that blowing the leads were likely more flukey than getting those leads in the first place. Here's what the people who get paid to type these things say about our team:

Sports Illustrated
#9 (-4)
What do you do for an encore after bowing a 24-point lead? Squandering a 26-point lead two nights later! As good as the Kings' start has been, last week's losses show this team is still not quite ready for the limelight. The talent is there, the experience is not.

USA Today
#13 (-6)
Rudy Gay's three-year extension helps continuity. But if they fall off as many expect, Is that a good thing?

NBA.COM
#11 (-3)
A win over the champs is a nice way to rebound from blowing leads of 24 and 26 in Dallas and Memphis. The Kings probably wouldn't be blowing leads if DeMarcus Cousins could avoid foul trouble and stay on the floor.They're a plus 14.5 per 48 minutes with him in the game (much better on both ends) and a minus 20.0 with him on the bench.

CBSSports
#12 (-1)
That Memphis loss could have unraveled them. But to get it together and outwill the defending champs, even with San Antonio on a back-to-back was huge. Their offensive numbers, all the way down to shot selection, say they should be worse. But they're finding ways to win and have an identity. Darren Collison has been incredible.

Yahoo! Sports
#9 (+5)
Rudy Gay was more interested in re-signing now than at the end of last season. Winning, money and love by the Kings helped.

ESPN
#12 (-2)
How do you rebound from two massive blown leads and a profane putdown from Kendrick Perkins? Can't do much better than finally finding a way to beat San Antonio -- despite shooting 0-for-12 on 3-pointers -- and then quickly coming to terms on a favorable contract extension with Rudy Gay.

Hollinger Daily Rankings
#9 (-1)
Rating 104.192



Mean ranking: 10.7
Juuuust outside the top 10.

 

[Bricklayer]

I must make you a Power Rankings Guru banner to lead your threads with.

 

[The Hammer]

I'm going with Hollinger and Yahoo.

I don't know about the rest of you fools.

 

[uolj]

The Hollinger ratings are nice because they just look at what the team has actually accomplished. They're playing like a top 10 team, and that's despite the blown leads and the "loss" to Memphis.

 

[SacKings384]

These are all fair rankings. I think if we pulled that one out against the Grizz you could make the argument for 6-8 range.

 

[Bricklayer]

I'm kinda impressed at the consistency. At first people were all over the place depending on whether they believed it was for real. Now they seem to be settling in and accepting the situation.

 

[The Hammer]

The Hollinger ratings are nice because they just look at what the team has actually accomplished. They're playing like a top 10 team, and that's despite the blown leads and the "loss" to Memphis.

If they get that call right we're top 6. And that's kinda scary. Seriously legit top 6. If we don't blow either of those leads... we're a legit top 5 NBA team. Think about that.

 

[kingsboi]

10 or 11 sounds about right to me for the time being.