I've had some quarrels with the NBA power rankings on the mothership at SBNation.com. Not this week, though -- they have the Bulls ranked sixth, and again third in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics and Heat. Here's what SBNation.com's NBA editor Tom Ziller wrote about our local hoop team:
↵↵Carlos Boozer was on the tip of a few tongues as an All-Star snub when reserves were announced, but Luol Deng's name has been absent. Deng's been a real defensive force for the team, though, one of the reasons (along with Boozer and, of course, Derrick Rose) the team's near the top of the East. No matter which big men are on the court with him, Deng has performed.↵↵
Either Deng or Boozer -- maybe both, but certainly one -- should have been on the All-Star team instead of Chris Bosh; the Bosh addition is another example of the league kowtowing to anything LeBron James wants. It is, frankly, disgusting. In any case, the Bulls are going to have to step up their game on the road if they want to go more than a first-round victory in the playoffs. They are now losers of two straight for the first time in a month, and they've still got two tough games on the current road trip at Utah and New Orleans. Joakim Noah's return can't come soon enough.
↵↵Oh, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are ranked 30th out of the 30 teams. You could make a reasonable argument that ranking is too high.