March 2024 NBA Power Rankings: Thunderous in Oklahoma; How there are Two Champions this NBA Season

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(From left to right) Chet Holmgren, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylin Williams and Jalen Williams are the young core that could lead Oklahoma City to a dominant run similar to the one from the 2010s.

The NBA finals are played in June and the victor of the series wins the championship. Champagne is sprayed, confetti falls and the winning team has bragging rights for almost a year with their trophy and accolades. For many viewers, the other 29 teams will be viewed as failures for coming up short. Perhaps the viewers are right; the losing teams come up short with many regrets. Runner-ups in the conference championships don’t have enough to win a few more games. The other 26 are losers separated by a few weeks or months.

Some teams exceed expectations by not just one year, but more than two or three. Last year the Sacramento Kings brought joy out of casual viewers (probably because they snapped their two decades long playoff drought) because it was a different team in California dominating opponents for a division title. One might say this year’s Orlando Magic is similar due to their myriad of misfortune since 2010. Orlando is where they should be after years of rebuilding, but the Oklahoma City Thunder is further ahead in its rebuild than anyone thought. General manager Sam Presti has impressed the league with his decision-making, and basketball fans should (mostly) love the team’s upward direction.

There’s a lot to like with this team. Let’s start with the most basic for those not familiar with the NBA; the Thunder (as of this writing) are tied for first in both the northwest division and the western conference. Point-guard and rising league star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a top choice to win league MVP and rookie (sort of) center Chet Holmgren is a close second for the Rookie of the Year award. The guard duo of Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey are one of the league’s best back court threats despite their postseason inexperience.

Then there’s Jalen Williams. The sophomore leads Oklahoma City in fourth quarter scoring. He can make a three point shot or charge straight to the rim, offsetting defensive stops by opponents. His footwork, passing and vision are improving weekly, leaving many to wonder how high his ceiling is to stardom. Jalen Williams’ 19 points per game, four rebounds, four and a half assists and 54% shooting put him as one of six players in NBA history to accomplish this at the age of 22 or younger.

A team this young and inexperienced in the playoffs won’t win the championship in 2024. The veteran playoff teams are more likely to prove why in the later rounds, but it’s shocking to many how good Oklahoma City is when several saw them as a play-in prediction this year. Presti is a big part of that progress, trading away star veterans and accumulating the needed players and draft picks to build a better roster.

Presti’s roster moves make the Thunder a fascinating case for how to plan ahead for both the draft and the salary cap. Regarding the latter, the franchise isn’t spending money on big name free agents…at least not yet. ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks tweeted that Oklahoma City’s salary cap is predicted to be around $141 million after their season ends. Contract extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams don’t start until the 2026-2027 season. The team’s paying less than $95 million for a 13 man roster.

Several franchises aren’t just trying to get at the Thunder on the court, they are also playing catch-up against a team loaded with extra salary cap space, a young determined roster, and trade pieces that could upend the NBA and the winning process many organizations have used in past years. If there is an asterisk for Oklahoma City, it may be how shooting guard Josh Giddey is handled after the postseason. While Giddey’s statutory rape charges were dropped, the situation puts both him and the franchise in an uncertain place. The league could decide to step in after nothing was handled and strip the Thunder of some draft and cap assets. One does wonder how severe the punishment might be after eight months and no follow up.

That draft situation gets more interesting. In the last five years, Oklahoma City traded for picks of every round. The Thunder have three first round picks for the upcoming 2024 draft. Four of the current starting five players are first round picks who are 25 years old or younger. They also have three first round and two second round picks for 2025 and seven first round picks from 2027-2029 in case Williams, Holmgren and/or Gilgeous-Alexander sign max-contracts.

Unless the league’s front office decides what actions to take, it’s clear that after the champion of 2024 is crowned, the second winner of the 2023-2024 season is Oklahoma City.

General manager Sam Presti has a formula many teams in the league are trying to replicate. He’ll have the basketball world on edge the next few years.

Here are the NBA power rankings for March

#30 Washington Wizards (last ranking: 30)

It was difficult choosing who would have the last place rank on here. At least Detroit is showing progress and has some semblance of a future. Washington doesn’t have a quality coach or a developing franchise star. They do have Kyle Kuzma averaging 21 points a game, but that’s not something to brag about.

#29 Detroit Pistons (last ranking: 29)

Since play resumed, the Pistons are playing the way many expected before the regular season began. They’ve lost by more than ten points in three games, all to serious playoff contenders. While there are roster issues, there is progress before the season ends. That was unfathomable two months ago.

#28 Charlotte Hornets (last ranking: 28)

That four game winning streak did little to calm down serious analysts who noticed front office and upper management changes after the trade deadline. It’s possible the fresh faces decide to clean out the entire roster once the regular season ends. I don’t see anyone (including LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges) staying with the new owner and general manager itching to start over.

#27 San Antonio Spurs (last ranking: 27)

Number one pick and league phenom Victor Wembanyama became the first player in NBA history to record 75+ made three-point shots, 150+ assists and 150+ blocks in a debut season. He accomplished all that before February ended. Wembanyama became the 15th NBA player to post the rare ‘5×5’ statline in a 123-118 loss to the Lakers last month, finishing that game with 27 points, ten rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and five blocks in the 31 minutes he played (since the league started keeping track of steals and blocks in 1973-1974). Last but not least, he is one of two players who has put up multiple triple-doubles in under 30 minutes of a game this season. The only other player who has done that is regular season MVP favorite and reigning finals MVP Nikola Jokic. Teams are starting to double-cover Wembanyama on defense due to his stellar offensive performances. He’ll be scarier when San Antonio adds better complimentary players.

#26 Portland Trailblazers (last ranking: 26)

Portland was one of two winless teams in February (the other being the Wizards). It’s the third time in NBA history two teams have accomplished that feat. Somehow, Chauncey Billups keeps his coaching job until the end of the season. It is obvious management doesn’t care about the regular season and the team doesn’t most nights. One has to wonder if the league will take notice and do something about it.

#25 Memphis Grizzlies (last ranking: 25)

Guard DeJon Jarreau is third on Memphis in assists and leads the team in rebounds and steals. The Grizzlies found a good player to keep developing until everyone returns healthy next season.

#24 Toronto Raptors (last ranking: 24)

Scottie Barnes is the only player in the NBA to lead his team in all stats (points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks). Toronto will miss the playoffs due to blown leads and playing down to their competition, but Barnes will be their biggest star. The Raptors have to keep building around him after the season ends.

#23 Brooklyn Nets (last ranking: 23)

Brooklyn decided the answer to the start of their awful 2024 was firing Jacque Vaughn. Vaughn was keeping the team alive in the play-in race most of the season. Only the Nets could fully implode after acquiring another “super team” roster. There really needs to be a study of what goes on at 15 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn.

#22 Utah Jazz (last ranking: 19)

The drop off continued after the last rankings but there is hope for the franchise moving forward. Utah has played hard since new ownership and management took over. That’s a great starting point because the team knows they can have a few good months and hover around the play-in bubble. The Jazz now have to find star players the next few years who will lead the team into the play-in.

#21 Atlanta Hawks (last ranking: 21)

A hilarious stat popped up near the end of February showing Atlanta finished 750-750 in their last 1,500 games. A team couldn’t achieve this level of mediocrity if they tried. Since that stat came out, the Hawks are 5-6, making them 755-756 in 1,511 games.

#20 Houston Rockets (last ranking: 22)

They probably won’t make the play-in bubble but the Rockets have improved after the last few seasons, mostly due to the coach-player duo of Ime Udoka and Alperen Sengun. Houston’s situation is similar to Oklahoma City where there’s a lot of draft capital and cap space. The only difference would be adding free agents to compete for a starting role. The Rockets will be interesting to watch the last month of the regular season due to where they place in the draft and how management wants to move forward with those assets.

#19 Chicago Bulls (last ranking: 20)

Since the Bulls have nothing interesting going on, it’s important and refreshing to see Lonzo Ball has finally been cleared for advanced rehab activities and is nearing a return to practice. General manager Marc Eversley has an important decision on what to do with Ball after the season ends. His choice will decide the direction of the franchise.

#18 Golden State Warriors (last ranking: 18)

Golden State’s end to the regular season depends on Stephen Curry’s ankle sprain. His ankle’s progressing quicker than expected but the Warriors have to be patient. If he returns for the Monday night game against the Knicks, the last spot for the play-in bubble will be Golden State’s to lose.

#17 Los Angeles Lakers (last ranking: 17)

We need to zoom out of the inconsistent play for a moment and realize no one else has scored 40,000 points in league history until LeBron James did this month. I don’t think we will see that surpassed within the next 40 years.

Back to the part with the inconsistent play. The hilarious part with James is how the Lakers have lost every recent milestone and memorable game since the return from COVID-19. It’s ironic given that when there are GOAT debates, we know who would not lose these highlighted games.

#16 Philadelphia 76ers (last ranking: 13)

Philadelphia won their first game of the season Sunday without either Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in what was the lowest scoring contest of the season 79-73. The Sixers need perfect defense to remain in the playoff race and that’s not enough since they might draw Cleveland or Milwaukee in the first round (if they get past the play-in). Tobias Harris, Buddy Hield and P.J. Tucker must step up and compete for leading scorer each game whenever Maxey can’t play.

#15 Miami Heat (last ranking: 9)

Just like the last few months of the 2021-2022 season, injuries are taking a toll on Miami late in the season after a championship finals series loss the previous year. Unless Orlando slumps the last month of the regular season, expect Miami to make a play-in round appearance.

#14 Dallas Mavericks (last ranking: 12)

A post from NBA Memes earlier this week revealed an interesting fact: Kevin Durant led the 2011-2012 Oklahoma City Thunder to an NBA Finals appearance when he was 23, the same age star point guard Luka Doncic is now. We can talk about who else was on that Thunder team but let’s not forget LeBron James made it to his first finals appearance at 22. Yes the Mavericks had Jalen Brunson as a great second scoring option and failed to re-sign him multiple times, but many will question Doncic’s supposed “all-time great” legacy if Dallas doesn’t make a championship finals appearance in either the next few months or next year.

#13 Sacramento Kings (last ranking: 16)

If Sacramento wants to avoid the play-in round, they have to beat every opponent not threatening for the postseason and five of the next ten versus playoff favorites. This is why losses against Detroit, Houston and Chicago the last month and a half were pains. The Kings are in a better position to clinch one of the top six seeds in the west but haven’t capitalized on those chances.

#12 Indiana Pacers (last ranking: 14)

Despite the high octane offense, Bennedict Mathurin’s season ending shoulder injury could force Indiana to make the play-in yet miss out on a middle playoff seed. While he was their fourth leading scorer, having sophomore shooting-guard Andrew Nembhard immediately in the starting role throws off both the offense and defense. Coach Rick Carlisle must get creative the last month of the regular season.

#11 Phoenix Suns (last ranking: 11)

The cluttered standings in the western conference means any team could wind up getting the four to six seeds. I see Phoenix as a play-in team due to both their inconsistent play each month and their remaining schedule. The Suns have a brutal last month of the regular season lined up and it wouldn’t surprise me if one or two teams surpass them in the standings.

#10 Orlando Magic (last ranking: 15)

Sophomore and former number one overall pick Paolo Banchero is one of only four players the last 40 years (since 1983-84) to have career averages of 20+ points, 6+ rebounds and 4+ assists at age 21 or younger. The other three were Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Luka Doncic (via Magic_PR). The young Magic core plays the game right and doesn’t focus on making three-point shots most of the time. In fact, they’re 34-11 when they shoot 35 or less three-pointers, and 5-17 when they shoot more than 35. This will be a fun team to watch the rest of 2024.

#9 New York Knicks (last ranking: 8)

There isn’t a more relieved team by Philadelphia’s fall than New York. The Knicks have been mediocre at best since that fabulous January. They’re fortunate their schedule gets easie

r before April starts. If there’s little improvement the last two weeks of the regular season, they will show viewers how far they’ll go in the playoffs.

#8 New Orleans Pelicans (last ranking: 10)

New Orleans decided franchise star Zion Williamson should play point guard and the results are incredible. Minus a blowout home loss against Cleveland, Williamson averaged seven assists a game in those ten games (most of which he played point guard in) and the Pelicans went 7-3. It’s not just their best basketball of the season, they’re finally showing audiences how high the ceiling can be when everyone’s healthy.

#7 Los Angeles Clippers (last ranking: 2)

Los Angeles’ spotty play since the All-Star break has been a concern but the double digit loss at home to Minnesota on Tuesday puts the Clippers in a dangerous position. Not only did the Timberwolves come back from a 22 point deficit and win by 18, but Los Angeles lost franchise and hometown star Kawhi Leonard to a back injury for what looks like a few weeks. While the west is the tighter conference, the Clippers schedule shouldn’t let them fall too far down the standings. Keep an eye on how Los Angeles handles the end of the month.

#6 Cleveland Cavaliers (last ranking: 5)

Cleveland probably won’t win the central division due to some unnecessary losses at the end of February and the beginning of March (another team in their division is also looking better) but the Cavaliers are still the third seed in the east. Cleveland should remain a favorite to make round two of the postseason no matter who they draw in the first round (barring any injuries).

#5 Milwaukee Bucks (last ranking: 7)

The defense is slowly improving but I’m not sure how Milwaukee will perform in the later playoff rounds with Doc Rivers’ coaching. The Bucks could play their best basketball in April and use those changes to advance to the conference finals. It’s also possible Milwaukee’s defense is their downfall, especially if the offense stalls against a more defensive-minded team like New York or against division rivals Cleveland and Indiana.

#4 Oklahoma City Thunder (last ranking: 6)

It has been an incredible season for the franchise that many will forget Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finally surpassed Kevin Durant with the most 30+ point games in a season with 48 (Durant had 47 in both 2010 and 2014. Right now Gilgeous-Alexander has 49). He has 94 games averaging 30+ points in not even two full seasons. Gilgeous-Alexander is the player many thought Luka Doncic would be while making his teammates better.

#3 Minnesota Timberwolves (last ranking: 4)

My long-running gripe with this team was how they’d perform closer to the postseason with two well-paid big men in Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. Since Towns was sidelined with a left knee meniscus tear, Minnesota is a better team with Anthony Edwards as the star player and Rudy Gobert sticking to defense. The Timberwolves must go with this formula moving forward and find the right complimentary players for Edwards once their season is done.

#2 Boston Celtics (last ranking: 3)

I agree with TNT’s Charles Barkley that if Boston doesn’t win the championship this June, they won’t win it anytime soon. The Celtics’ starting five and their roster depth are too good to just make conference finals and championship finals appearances. There’s so much pressure on Boston to win another title that I’m not sure they can do it if an opponent is more at ease or better coached.

#1 Denver Nuggets (last ranking: 1)

MVP favorite Nikola Jokic became the third player all-time to record a triple-double against every team (joining LeBron James and Russell Westbrook) when he recorded a 21 point, 19 rebound and 15 assist statline against the Wizards on February 22nd. He’s the main reason the Nuggets are tied for first in both the northwest division and the western conference. It’s important to keep in mind if Denver gets the one seed, it will be harder for the rest of the conference to win more than two games in Ball Arena once the postseason begins. That will deflate most of the conference and drain any fun for the team that wins the eighth seed because the Nuggets will not lose four games to an undermanned play-in winner. It’s not good news for veteran teams Golden State, the Los Angeles teams or Phoenix.

MVP candidate Nikola Jokic (with ball) became the first player in NBA history to record a triple double of 15 (points, rebounds and assists), making all of his shots on the court during a 130-110 win against the Wizards February 22nd. He’s the most dangerous player the final month of the regular season.

March 2024 NHL Power Rankings: No Contest in the East

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From left to right: T.J. Oshie, Max Pacioretty and John Carlson celebrating after a goal in Florida February eighth.

A new month begins and one can see which teams will clinch playoff seeds and which ones could make a championship run. NHL Network analyst Brian Laughton said three years ago most teams are usually a few plays to a few players away from being postseason contenders each year. Four out of five times, that’s the correct analysis. Anything can happen on the ice. Viewers have seen so many upsets and what-if scenarios on who even makes the playoffs (we’re looking at you 2022-2023 Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers) that an entire series can change in the blink of an eye.

The remaining one fifth is easy to predict and at times unanimous. The 2021-2022 eastern conference comes to mind. Once the all-star weekend started, everyone knew which eight teams in the conference were going to make the playoffs. There was no pushback from any of the bottom eight teams once the second half began. The 2022 regular season ended with the eighth seeded Capitals finishing ahead of the ninth ranked Islanders by 16 points. Both teams were in no shape to win a first round series, but the points margin was eye opening even to a casual viewer.

The NHL’s 2023-2024 eastern conference is starting to mirror that result. If one looks at the eastern conference standings today, it’s a given the top five teams (all have 76 points or more) will make the playoffs. All five have good coaches, at least three quality goal scorers and solid roster depth. The bottom three trio of Philadelphia, Detroit and Tampa Bay have faced multiple issues this season and despite slumps, trade talks or not enough veteran presence are still in a good position to clinch a playoff spot a week or two after the trade deadline.

This is why it’s important to watch how every team plays once the calendar year begins. The remaining five teams on the outside (Columbus, Ottawa and Montreal are pretty much eliminated from contention) will have a hard time getting one of the top eight spots. The Capitals, Devils, Penguins and Islanders are the closest teams that could upset one of the three under 76 points. Washington’s defense is surprisingly better than previous years and captain Alex Ovechkin is heating up at the best time. However they also lost T.J. Oshie and still don’t have Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals have the third worst scoring offense in the league and not enough depth to average three goals a game against quality contenders. They have a brutal schedule this month with almost every game against a top team close to clinching a playoff spot or a western conference team trying to stay relevant and jump past other rivals in the postseason standings.

New Jersey is on the opposite end. Forward Jack Hughes is back and the offense looks great but the defense is one of the league’s worst. Many believe the Devils will trade for a star netminder by the March eighth deadline. If the plan is to get a goalie such as John Gibson, Juuse Saros, Elvis Merzlikins or Anton Forsberg, then New Jersey has to give up at least one important player on offense. The Devils aren’t the only team wanting to get into the playoffs that would like goalie help and there’s also no guarantee any of the four names would fix the nagging defensive issues many teams have exploited all season.

Pittsburgh could be the most threatening of the four on paper. They’ve played only 57 games and can add more offensive-minded pieces with tradable players such as Erik Karlsson, Brian Rust and Rickard Rakell. The Penguins will have to contend with a heavy March schedule that features eleven games against playoff hopefuls (including two against Edmonton). Their “easier” games against Ottawa and Columbus will also be hard. There’s no guarantee they’ll find a trade partner who will exchange offensive talent without wanting more in return, and Pittsburgh isn’t in a position to trade away draft picks or any of their core three players.

The Islanders might be the worst of the four. They’re historically bad on the penalty-kill, have only two twenty goal scorers and are in the bottom half of the league in both total offense and defense. Like Washington and Pittsburgh, New York has a rough schedule the last four weeks of the regular season. They didn’t even score their first empty net goal of the season until Leap Day.

Keep in mind that if any of these four wind up getting the eighth or seventh seed, it means one or two of the Tampa Bay-Detroit-Philadelphia trio has to implode their nine point lead. This presents other problems. Despite Pittsburgh having the extra games to play compared to Washington, could the general managers of both franchises decide to give up more assets at the trade deadline instead of coming up short of a playoff spot and a few extra weeks of play?

Many teams believe the trade deadline is the last chance to make necessary changes and want to head into April as postseason favorites. Florida had that mindset last year and wound up representing the conference in the Stanley Cup finals. However the Panthers had more than just luck heading into that championship appearance. Unless any of the Lightning, Red Wings or Flyers trio believes they can’t go any further, we should assume the only serious issues in the east will be seeding for the top eight teams.

The Devils have won some important games since 2024 began but are too inconsistent to make the postseason. They might be sellers at the trade deadline and not buyers.

Here are the power rankings for March.

#32 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 32)

Former players Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane scoring the game tying and winning goals on former Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios’ jersey retirement night is another stain on the franchise. Chicago didn’t retain the necessary players after winning their third championship this century and the front office blunders continue to show in meaningful games. One has to wonder how much of the rebuild around franchise star Connor Bedard gets botched after this season.

#31 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 31)

Until he got hurt, Tomas Hertl was considered the big name San Jose could move by the trade deadline. A team last in goals for and against won’t have many attractive assets available to postseason contending teams unless it’s solidifying depth or fleecing a franchise trying to clinch a lower playoff spot. The Sharks might be stuck with this whole roster another two months.

#30 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 30)

The past month was a net positive for the Ducks despite having four wins to show for it. However three of the four came against the Sabres, Senators and Devils. Those eastern conference teams needed the two points for a better position in the wildcard race. Anaheim also has better trade options than San Jose while their younger core players get better.

#29 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 29)

The firing of the league’s longest tenured general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has ripple effects. February hadn’t ended and Emil Bemstrom was traded to Pittsburgh on the 22nd. This means Columbus will have multiple purges next week and the following months.

#28 Arizona Coyotes (last ranking: 25)

What a tailspin. Analysts went from watching Arizona’s potential to wondering if they’ll deal a lot of the core roster. What a disastrous February for the Coyotes and at the worst possible time.

#27 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 27)

It was brought up by Jamison Coyle and Bruce Boudreau on the NHL Network this past week that Martin St. Louis could be relieved as head coach at the end of the season if Montreal doesn’t feel there’s enough progress with the current young core. That’s an impulsive move. Anyone watching the NHL knows the Canadiens are re-building a roster that doesn’t have a top tier goalie or a dangerous goal scorer. St. Louis would be a coveted coaching name should he be fired.

On a positive, it’s good to see someone showed the power rankings to Juraj Slafkovsky. He had the best month of his young, professional career.

#26 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 28)

Ottawa’s progress depends on how well they improve on total defense. Their struggle this week (starting at Washington) was due to a return of the run-and-gun offensive style of play they were used to under former coach D.J. Smith. That cost them needed points. It’s too late for the Senators to make a playoff run but new management should have a good idea of who’s worth keeping and who should be traded by the March eighth deadline.

#25 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 24)

Buffalo is capable of beating quality playoff teams but not two or three times a week the next month and a half. The Sabres don’t have a 20+ goal scorer on the team and have already played 60 games. There couldn’t be more pressure on general manager Kevyn Adams to determine how closer the team is in their rebuild and a new coach after this month.

#24 New York Islanders (last ranking: 20)

After one month of Patrick Roy’s return to coaching New York has:

  • Retained a historically bad penalty kill at 71%.
  • Been shutout against a mediocre Blues team that scored three goals in 32 seconds February 22nd.
  • The fourth worst win percentage when leading after the second period at .720 (ahead of only Chicago, San Jose and Columbus).

You know who wouldn’t have the Islanders playing some of the worst defense in franchise (and at times league) history? Barry Trotz. Someone has to pick general manager Lou Lamoriello’s brain into why firing him was a bright idea.

#23 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 18)

What a breakout year for Jared McCann. He leads the team in goals and points while being third in assists and second on power-play points. He’s on the first line with Matty Beniers, so it’s important Seattle keeps him around not just for Beniers to keep growing into his star role, but for depth if both end up in a scoring slump.

#22 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 22)

Just as I predicted, Alex Ovechkin is back to where we thought he’d be on offense once other players either returned from personal matters, injuries or stepping into their needed roles. Yes Pittsburgh has more games to play and could sneak up on the current eighth seed, but if any of the eight teams had to pick which one on the outside they don’t want to see get hot this month, I assure you at least six teams would pick the Capitals. Washington would threaten many postseason dreams if they somehow get a top eight spot in the east.

#21 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 21)

After their Sunday thrashing against Tampa Bay, TNT’s Paul Bissonnette dropped an interesting stat: the Devils give up the first goal in 72% of their games. That means not only is New Jersey playing rush offense hockey most of the time, they’re not improving on defense due to how they’re not used to playing from behind. The studio panel mostly agreed with me that coach Lindy Ruff and upper management should be more concerned about developing the defense the rest of this season instead of making a playoff push.

#20 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 23)

Who knew trading away players like Elias Lindholm would result in the best month of the season? Outside of one winless week, Calgary won all their games and dominated against Boston, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Los Angeles. The Flames have nothing to lose and for the first time this season, that makes them a threat to veteran teams trying to play their best.

#19 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 19)

St. Louis is ahead of Calgary due to how much more talent they have but that could evaporate next week. Their defense gave up four goals or more in all but one of their losses in February. The Blues more than likely end the season with fire sale cap shedding from general manager Doug Armstrong.

#18 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 19)

To follow up on last month’s commentary with Pittsburgh, more rumors are saying defenseman Erik Karlsson could be traded back to Ottawa. This is a great idea for both teams. Karlsson would balance out and add needed veteran leadership back to the Senators now that Daniel Alfredsson is an assistant coach, but more importantly the Penguins need high scoring offensive players who can open up the power-play. Vladimir Tarasenko is a possibility since he’s won a championship within the last five years and was rumored to be on the trading bloc. Be on the lookout for how this develops.

#17 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 26)

That’s more like it. Minnesota is finally playing like the team we expected to see this year. In their last eleven games, they averaged four goals on offense, had a 30% power play and a 79% penalty kill. If the defense allows fewer than three goals a game this month, they’ll definitely make the playoffs and give fits to whoever becomes the one or two seed.

#16 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 15)

Anything was an improvement over January. Interim coach Jim Hiller is off to a solid start after taking over. There are still serious concerns about how this team plays and how bad some of the February losses are, but there’s stability and veteran players aren’t disgruntled. Los Angeles needs all the wins it can get on and off the ice.

#15 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 16)

General manager Barry Trotz is the man of the hour in Nashville and no one would want to be in his position right now. After giving up nine goals to division rival Dallas, the Predators have surged for a seven game winning streak. Yet the Juuse Saros trade (and contract extension) talks, what direction this team wants to go in and how much roster talent will be retained brings uncertainty. Serious hockey analysts are aware that whatever happens, the team is in good hands with Trotz’s decisions.

#14 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 11)

Another general manager to keep an eye on at the trade deadline is Julien BriseBois. The Lightning’s defensive struggles were exposed every week in February, peaking in an embarrassing 6-2 loss in Philadelphia that shocked many in the hockey world. BriseBois has to find at least one quality defenseman who can take the pressure off Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak. Without a pivotal trade, Tampa Bay’s path to the playoffs gets harder.

#13 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 17)

I believe Philadelphia isn’t just ahead of their roster rebuild, but they’re in a position where they could seriously threaten to, or eliminate whoever is the one or two seed in the east should they stay at their current points pace. The question then becomes how much do both coach John Tortorella and general manager Daniel Briere improve both the roster and the power-play while retaining the deadliest penalty kill in the league? The Flyers have added a good number of players the last year and a half who fit the organization’s attitude almost perfectly, so this will be interesting to watch.

#12 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 12)

One of the best things I did when creating these power rankings was how to evaluate a team’s overall, season performance. This is not a power rankings constantly swayed by in-the-now mindsets and hot takes due to flashy stats.

Many analysts had Edmonton as the best team in the league due to their winning streak. As many read last month, it was more important to see what team showed up once the streak snapped. The Oilers are 6-5 since their loss to Vegas and captain Connor McDavid scored his first goal after an eleven game drought. We’ll have a better idea of which Edmonton team we’ll get for the playoffs throughout the month.

#11 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 6)

The championship luster has worn off for the reigning champions. After ending Edmonton’s historical winning streak, Vegas went 3-6 the rest of February. Two of those wins were against Arizona and San Jose. Not having captain Mark Stone is part of it but the defense is mediocre at best. It’s possible the Golden Knights become an active trade partner at the deadline.

#10 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 13)

If one was in a coma for the last 20 years and woke up this month and didn’t see the numbers nor names on the jerseys of the active players, they would think the Russian Five were still on ice. During Detroit’s impressive six game winning streak they outscored opponents 28-10. The goalies averaged a .947 save percentage, while the power-play is at 31% and the penalty kill at 80%. The scariest part of the Red Wings improvement is how general manager Steve Yzerman will probably be active at the trade deadline.

#9 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 10)

The Leafs had a great February highlighted by a seven game winning streak. All they have to show for it is a four point lead over Detroit for the third playoff spot in the atlantic. Toronto still deserves credit for playing well in close games and getting better defense and goaltending presence.

#8 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 7)

We’re in the serious part of the power rankings now and Dallas has to be kicking themselves again after another month of mediocre play. Instead of a sizable first place lead in the central division, they’re only two points ahead of Colorado, who spanked them 5-1 on Tuesday. The Stars have to play more seriously and consistently against quality playoff teams. The trade for Flames defenseman Chris Tanev could help determine how much of a division lead they retain.

#7 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 8)

While the franchise should feel good Jacob Slavin is tied for first in franchise history with most points by a defenseman, it’s gone under the radar how the Hurricanes have the league’s second lowest team save percentage at .890 (ahead of only Ottawa’s .885). This is worrying when they also allow the second fewest shots per game with 25.5. Carolina’s a really good team but when they aren’t scoring three goals a game, defensive errors show. The Hurricanes could benefit with a trade or two at the deadline for an extra goaltender wanting to prove themselves.

#6 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 2)

Most analysts are enamored with Nathan MacKinnon’s point streak and for good reasons. What should be the main conversation is Colorado’s 5-7 February record. They desperately miss their scoring depth and captain. The Avalanche need help by the trade deadline if they want to make a deep playoff run. There’s no reason for panic yet. The Avalanche are two points out of first place in the central and Valeri Nichushkin is close to returning.

#5 New York Rangers (last ranking: 9)

Igor Shesterkin is 100% back and that’s not good for the east. He’s undefeated in his last seven starts giving up 1.72 goals a game with a .953 save percentage. He also recorded a shutout on national t.v. and allowed one goal or fewer in five of those seven starts. Shesterkin’s a big reason the Rangers won every game he started in February and why New York has one of the league’s best records.

#4 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 5)

A good number of hockey fans (especially Rangers fans) will be perplexed with Boston’s ranking especially with the analysis that will be provided. Keep in mind New York had a great month, but anything can happen in March with how they’ll play a lot more games. Fatigue could set in early, so it’s better to be consistent as I have been with other teams the past few months.

Boston has to figure some things out. They got bullied by more physical teams touting larger defensemen. It’s one thing to split games with Vancouver, but getting shutout at home to Washington and losing both games to Seattle and Calgary have to be addressed. It also doesn’t help that the Bruins have the sixth worst win percentage when leading after the second period (.758). General manager Don Sweeney might want to acquire an extra defenseman or two at the trade deadline.

#3 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 3)

I won’t address the surprising financial issues because that’s beyond any of us. For now, the on-ice play is what matters most.

Connor Hellebuyck tied Martin Brodeur for fifth in most consecutive games with three goals or fewer with 31. After the streak snapped he’s mostly continued like nothing happened. It would be stunning if Hellebuyck doesn’t win the Vezina this season.

#2 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 1)

Again, a good number of readers might be surprised by this ranking when Vancouver went under .500 for February. It also didn’t help that strong rumors of Elias Pettersson being traded at the deadline due to an impasse over contract negotiations flared up again. Despite the subpar play, the Canucks are ten points ahead of the next challenger in the pacific and they haven’t slipped out of first in the west despite the slump. While coach Rick Tocchet has to make sure the defense fixes their mistakes, Vancouver will keep the one spot in the west until Winnipeg, Dallas or Colorado go on another major winning streak.

#1 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 4)

Florida being the top team shouldn’t surprise anyone. From an eleven road game winning streak (tied for NHL second best all-time), to Matthew Tkachuk being the NHL point leader most of the calendar year, to throttling almost every opponent faced in February, there’s no doubt the Panthers are the hottest and scariest team to start March. Sam Reinhart wasn’t a goal-scoring threat and the team still averaged three goals in each of their wins while losing two games with a combined score of 3-1. Good luck to whoever draws this team in the first round.

Florida’s 9-2 beatdown of Tampa Bay is one of many reasons they’re the best team to start March.

Washington State Senate honors former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll

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Seattle SeahawksPete CarrollNFLAnn RiversWashington State Senate

It no secret to anyone in our great country that we are divided politically. It is all the more evident as we enter into another presidential election year. But it is encouraging to see brief moments in the political arena where those on either side of the aisle can come together in unity.

Sports are often a vessel for such unity. Sure, there are rivalries between teams and opposing fan bases. But for those in the same fanbase? Harmony.

Such is the case for the 12th Man. Seattle and the Puget Sound area is more liberal, whereas the rest of the state is more conservative. Yet those who are red or blue put those differences aside on Sundays to become neon green.

It is currently towards the end of the legislative session in Washington, but the State Senate did take time earlier in February to honor former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. Senator Ann Rivers from La Center (R-LD18) introduced a resolution in the Senate to thank Carroll for his 14 years. While Senator Rivers was the prime sponsor, twenty other senators co-sponsored the resolution. Both Democrats and Republicans, from all over the state.

A copy of the resolution can be seen here.

Fortunately, this was not a divisive political issue in the State Senate, as the resolution passed.

2023-2024 NBA First Half Analysis, Questions, Power Rankings and Much More

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What an interesting first half of the season. Most teams are close in the standings with good chances of making the NBA playoffs. The reigning champion Denver Nuggets feel pushback in their division and conference. The MVP race has a half dozen candidates while coaching remains inconsistent. The second half is set up for a fun, intense finish.

Here are some important topics and questions after the first half of the season.

It was a mistake for most of last year’s playoff contenders to not tank for Victor Wembanyama.

Victor Wembanyama (1, black) has the best coaches helping him through his first NBA season. He’ll easily win rookie of the year.

Remember last year’s season when almost every NBA team was fighting for a playoff spot before the All-Star break? The teams who had no shot at getting into the playoffs missed out on tanking for a one-of-a-kind talent in Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio has won a dozen games and will not see the postseason, but teams are finding it hard to guard and attack the rookie on both sides of the ball. His dunk over 6’10 Marvin Bagley III showcases his intimidating height and talent over the average player. Someone this big, athletic and threatening make teams such as Washington, New Orleans and Detroit regret not tanking for the draft sooner (funny how all three are also the league’s worst teams right now).

Last season there was conversation on reducing the number of games. The league’s done the opposite and added more with an in-season tournament. Will this add to the concerns more players will suffer more long-term injuries?

No one is having more injuries than Memphis. They had eleven players out on January 29th’s game against Sacramento and lost by double digits because of limited available talent.

It’s understandable a sports league led by at least 31 men wants to make as much money while making competition better, but an added in-season tournament is a horrible move. Then a rule was passed last offseason that states players must be on the floor for 20 minutes in at least 65 games to be eligible for regular season honors such as MVP and All-NBA honors.

Last year’s league MVP Joel Embiid is probably out for the rest of the season after ignoring a nagging leg injury because of national pressure he play in as many games possible. While it’s a blow to Philadelphia, nothing compares to what the Grizzlies have gone through the first half of the season. Memphis entered October with franchise star Ja Morant on suspension. He returned in late autumn and gave the team a spark, but he suffered a tear in his right shoulder on a Saturday practice. Desmond Bane, former Grizzly Steven Adams and at least eight other players on the roster have missed time due to injuries. It peaked when 13 players were ruled out for a game at Boston this month against the Celtics. Memphis had no chance and lost by 40.

If the league wants to expand play and add more games and tournaments, then they have to let teams increase roster space and expect more injuries to star players to dent their ratings at some point during the year. It doesn’t seem most of the approved rules were well thought out.

Just as was written in the NHL first half analysis article, there are at least a half dozen candidates for MVP in this year’s NBA season. Who has the best chance to win the award (unless injuries plague the nominees)?

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2, blue) is a frontrunner to win MVP this season. The Thunder are second in the western conference due to his play and leadership.

You could go even further and say almost ten players could be in the MVP race due to how close most teams are in the standings. Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton are fringe candidates, but they could gather more interest if Minnesota and Indiana continue stunning audiences. They’re also on the outside due to spectacular play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic.

While the latter three names will probably remain the favorites, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell stand out in unique ways that will keep this a closer race. Some of the candidates will be considered due to the changes in MVP voting this year. We’ll find out which names will be favored more by Easter.

Here’s the second ever NBA power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These show where all 30 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#30 Washington Wizards (last ranking: 29)

If there’s any team that could’ve tanked more for Victor Wembanyama last year, it should have been Washington. The defense would be better and the offense would be in the top ten with his rebounding. He also could’ve been their second player averaging over 20 points a game. The Wizards will regret that decision for the next two decades.

#29 Detroit Pistons (last ranking: 30)

The Pistons are slowly getting better since January. They’ve collected five wins the last month of play and had their first winning streak last week. The trade deadline helped them get some future assets but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

#28 Charlotte Hornets (last ranking: 28)

You know a team’s bad midway through a season when the only major news doesn’t involve players, but management and executive hirings. While new owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin were going to make changes after grading current management, the early changes signal how bad it’s been top to bottom.

#27 San Antonio Spurs (last ranking: 27)

Can you imagine if San Antonio didn’t trade Dejounte Murray to Atlanta in 2022? Another key player would probably have Wembanyama in a better position to score more and not defend as hard every night despite his smooth transition into the league. The Spurs should have kept another player averaging 20 points a game and someone to maybe consider trading for better players in the future. Instead the franchise will have to eliminate most of the roster for nothing once the regular season ends.

#26 Portland Trail Blazers (last ranking: 26)

I have no idea how Chauncey Billups wasn’t fired after that choke to Detroit at home on the eighth. The Blazers shouldn’t have lost after a 49 point performance from Jerami Grant. Portland’s lost every game this month after winning in Milwaukee. Talk about a sharp decline.

#25 Memphis Grizzlies (last ranking: 25)

As of this publishing, Memphis has lost nine of their last eleven. It’s a disappointing season for the Grizzlies but the only positive is finding quality depth players for next season for when star players need the rest after solid performances.

#24 Toronto Raptors (last ranking: 24)

The Raptors are five games out of a play-in spot and it’s because they’ve lost to inferior opponents or blown double digit leads. Losses to Memphis, Detroit, Charlotte, Oklahoma City and division rivals Boston and New York are the differences in having an extra week of play. This will be a good theme to keep up with the following months to see how Toronto makes a push for the postseason.

#23 Brooklyn Nets (last ranking: 21)

Brooklyn’s won one more game than the Pistons since 2024 began. Curious on how that’s slipped serious basketball conversations.

#22 Houston Rockets (last ranking: 19)

Despite Steven Adams done for the season with a PCL injury, one should like Houston trading for him. The roster is young and needs more veteran leadership, even if those veterans can’t play. We’ll see how it pays off next season.

#21 Atlanta Hawks (last ranking: 23)

It’s fitting the Hawks flips with the Nets after last power rankings. Since that publishing they’ve had winning streaks of three, four and two. They’ve beaten the playoff hopeful Magic, Heat, Lakers, Suns, Warriors and 76ers. They also lost close games to the Mavericks and Clippers. Atlanta could get hotter after the All-Star break.

#20 Chicago Bulls (last ranking: 20)

The mediocre Bulls did nothing at the trade deadline and just…sit at ninth in the east.

#19 Utah Jazz (last ranking: 17)

After winning eight of nine games to start 2024 the Jazz are 4-10 in their last 14. The All-Star break couldn’t have come at a better time. If Utah doesn’t finish February strong, there could be a steeper drop off.

#18 Golden State Warriors (last ranking: 22)

The most baffling part of Klay Thompson’s slump is how he’s still the team’s second leading scorer with 17 points a game. If Golden State moves forward with having Thompson coming off the bench, that’s fine. It’s more important Jonathan Kuminga continues his growth as a reliable scorer. Kuminga’s a reason for the Warriors resurgence.

#17 Los Angeles Lakers (last ranking: 18)

The Lakers played nervous during the trade deadline. Since the deadline passed Los Angeles is playing arguably their best basketball of the season, losing only to the reigning champion Nuggets this month. The next power rankings in March could reveal how dangerous this team is in the west.

#16 Sacramento Kings (last ranking: 9)

One has to wonder if the Kings peaked too soon last year. That dominant division-winning season put a target on their back and it seems to be taking a toll. Sacramento in the bottom half of the league in rebounds despite starting Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes at center and both forward positions. It’s also possible they need the rest despite the number of players in their prime ages. Coach Mike Brown’s great at getting the best out of his players, so we won’t find out their trajectory until next month.

#15 Orlando Magic (last ranking: 15)

No matter what happens, it’s been a memorable season for the Magic. While they did retire Shaquille O’Neal’s jersey (the first number retired in franchise history), there’s been a lot more progress on the court. They’re tied for first in the southeast with Miami. A Florida rivalry is brewing and it’s possible Orlando wins the division due to their young core having more energy and positive inexperience. If the Magic win the division and clinch the fifth or sixth seed, it would be very interesting to see how a team like Milwaukee or the Knicks fare against a team with nothing to lose.

#14 Indiana Pacers (last ranking: 12)

How is coach Rick Carlisle doing this? Indiana’s tied for first in points per game (124) and field goal percentage (51%) while being the second worst rebounding team in the league. It’s unsustainable for the second half of the season but the Pacers are defying expectations on every level.

#13 Philadelphia 76ers (last ranking: 3)

What a blow to the 76ers championship aspirations. I’m not a doctor but Embiid’s lateral meniscus injury probably ends his season and with it Philadelphia’s hopes for a deep playoff run another year. If there’s any positive, it’s finding out how good Nick Nurse will be coaching a deflated team that knows they’re outmatched almost every game.

#12 Dallas Mavericks (last ranking: 14)

The Sixers tumble means a lot of teams will rise and stay clustered in the top 15 that normally wouldn’t have a chance.

That said, Dallas has played better since February began. They’ve lost only one of their last seven. Backup center Daniel Gafford is becoming a reliable option on both offense and defense. The team hopes this ascent continues after the All-Star break.

#11 Phoenix Suns (last ranking: 16)

Another injury to Bradley Beal slows down an important hot streak for Phoenix. They’ve won almost a dozen games since the debut power rankings, but they’ve followed up some impressive victories with head-scratching losses. One does wonder how that pattern would be addressed if Monty Williams was still the coach.

#10 New Orleans Pelicans (last ranking: 10)

I’m going to have New Orleans in these power rankings what I’m doing with Toronto in the NHL ones; securing their spot as the benchmark team to see which teams can be separated from the good to great ones. The Pelicans have only lost to teams many see having deep playoff runs since the start of January. New Orleans also hasn’t been injury plagued, solidifying this choice.

#9 Miami Heat (last ranking: 8)

It’s a bummer Terry Rozier was injured shortly after Charlotte traded him to Miami. Star forward Jimmy Butler also getting hurt would make any other team crater and decide to let up before the All-Star break. This is Erik Spoelstra’s team though, so naturally the Heat have won their last six of eight.

#8 New York Knicks (last ranking: 11)

There’s some overreactions about New York’s shabby start to February. Usually a Tom Thibodeau coached team that lost only two games in January doesn’t play the following month without some fatigue. Once the second half of the season starts, the Knicks should pick up where they left off.

#7 Milwaukee Bucks (last ranking: 5)

I’m going to play this smart and keep the Bucks in the top ten but not top five until they show genuine improvement. Milwaukee is 3-7 in their last ten to start the Doc Rivers era. There are major flaws with this team including blowing double digit leads. Add the loss to a Grizzlies team with ten players injured and the Bucks have too many issues no one will be ignoring nor forgetting any time soon.

#6 Oklahoma City Thunder (last ranking: 6)

For anyone hoping the Thunder hit a wall in the second half of the season, you’re in for a rude awakening. Oklahoma City will probably win four of their five remaining February games, and while their March schedule does pose a challenge, they don’t have the pressure to win almost every game like Phoenix, Dallas or the Lakers will. People should think ahead to who would be in the best position to play the Thunder before Easter. No matter how their regular season ends, it’s tough to discourage an opponent who knows they’re going nowhere but up after the playoffs.

#5 Cleveland Cavaliers (last ranking: 13)

Philadelphia falling or not the Cavaliers deserve to be a top five ranked team. Cleveland also had a two loss January and lost by two to the 76ers Monday. They’ve blown out playoff hopefuls in both conferences, and the discussions of Donovan Mitchell being an MVP candidate will continue after the All-Star break.

#4 Minnesota Timberwolves (last ranking: 4)

If you want to know why the Timberwolves aren’t higher, consider this: they ended January with a loss to San Antonio, followed up by wins against Oklahoma City and Dallas. They began February with losses to Orlando and Chicago, then won against Milwaukee and the Clippers. It adds to the speculation of how predictable this team could be in the playoffs.

#3 Boston Celtics (last ranking: 1)

I’ll also be consistent in analyzing Boston sports teams and say just because they have the league’s best record, doesn’t mean they’re the league’s best team. The Celtics deserve credit for being the first team to 40 wins, but the’re 17-6 in their last 23 games after starting 26-6 the first 32 of the season. Their wins are also determined by how good they are from three-point range (via ESPN). All of their 2024 losses contain valid criticism to wonder how far this team can go in the playoffs.

#2 Los Angeles Clippers (last ranking: 7)

I expect many people won’t be happy with Los Angeles being this high. This is again consistency that’s been given to other teams such as New York and Cleveland. It’s not just the Clippers are winning, they look good. Right now, Los Angeles isn’t the type of team that would lose to non-contenders. If they do lose a game it’s usually close. The Clippers also have a benefit the longer this season goes: Minnesota and Oklahoma City will struggle some games due to inexperience while Kawhi Leonard raises his play. That means Paul George and James Harden will have more open looks. Last but not least, Los Angeles isn’t facing an injury crisis right now. That could get them far in the western conference.

#1 Denver Nuggets (last ranking: 2)

It makes sense to have the current champions here due to how Boston and Los Angeles have showed some weaknesses. Yes, Denver has lost more games than either since 2024 started, but if Denver plays both at full health in a seven game series, do you see the Clippers or Celtics taking four games? I don’t think so either.

Jamal Murray (27, blue) is the Denver’s second leading scorer and rebounder at the All-Star break.

NFL Super Bowl LVIII Prediction

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The Super Bowl features the best team in each conference. Kansas City and San Francisco mirror each other in their running games, solid quarterback play and total defense. Both offensive and defensive lines play better each week and the secondaries know when to shut down receivers. It’s time to reveal which team has the best chance of winning the Vince Lombardi trophy and why.

#3 Kansas City Chiefs v. #1 San Francisco 49ers

This game mirrors the last Super Bowl between Kansas City and San Francisco four years ago. Both head coaches Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan have great offensive gameplans and coordinators who will give opposing defenses headaches. However, there are differences since their last championship meeting. The Chiefs finished as the third seed in the AFC, Brock Purdy is the starting quarterback for the 49ers, Kansas City has a less talented receiving core and San Francisco has more depth on the defensive line.

The winner of this game and the champion of the 2023-2024 season will be determined by two things: Kansas City’s offensive line versus San Francisco’s defensive line, and coaching. The passrush depth of San Francisco’s Javon Kinlaw, Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Arik Armstead and Randy Gregory will be hard to defend against if defensive coordinator Steve Wilks decides to switch and alternate coverage schemes each possession. The Chiefs offensive line of Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith are a solid set who have negated multiple passrush threats throughout the regular and postseason. Left guard Joe Thuney is a longshot to both practice the rest of the week and play Sunday according to coach Reid. That means Nick Allegretti could start his third straight playoff game on the eleventh. He’s performed well throughout the 2023-2024 season, giving up zero sacks and committing zero penalties.

The winning teams are determined by coaches who adapt and make the necessary changes each quarter. This year’s Super Bowl coaching difference comes down to Andy Reid calling his best plays in the second half, notably in the fourth quarter versus Kyle Shanahan’s. Unfortunately for Shanahan, his terrible second half play-calling in previous Super Bowls with San Francisco and Atlanta gives Kansas City the edge to win the championship. Reid went through the same conversations before Super Bowl 54. He’s mastered what necessary changes to make and when his offenses should either run or throw the ball better in the second half (especially in one possession games). Kyle Shanahan has gone through the same scenarios and failed each time. Until he makes the needed changes, Kansas City is the favorite to bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

Super Bowl 58 winning prediction: Chiefs win Super Bowl 31-28 and take home their fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy

Conference finals predictions record: 1-1

2023 overall playoffs record: 8-4

2023-2024 NHL First Half Analysis, Questions, Power Rankings and Much More

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What a fun first half of the season. The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks are tied for the league’s best record. Sam Reinhart, Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury have dazzled and broken franchise or league records. Then there’s the case for who will win league MVP. The tone is set for the second half of the regular season. Here are the top takes, questions and answers as All-Star weekend closes.

Who is the most deserving of the Hart trophy this season?

David Pastrnak has the third most points behind Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon half-way into the regular season.

There are a lot of names you could pick to win the Hart trophy (the NHL’s regular season MVP award). Usually the winner is either the league leader in total points or the deciding factor for a team getting into the postseason. This year it ranges from top goal scorer to best player. Auston Matthews’ 40 goals in 47 games is incredible. Nathan MacKinnon’s home point streak of 25 to start a season ties him for second all-time with the great Bobby Orr. MacKinnon’s play has opened up better scoring opportunities for depth players such as Logan O’Connor and Ross Colton. This is all without team captain Gabriel Landeskog and twenty goal scorer Valeri Nichushkin. There’s Nikita Kucherov, back in top form leading the NHL in points with 85. Kucherov’s a reason Tampa Bay’s the fifth seed in the east after 50 games. Boston’s David Pastrnak leads Boston in points, goals and assists. Dating back to the start of last season, Pastrnak has scored the most goals in the league with 94. Connor McDavid is a distant second with 84. The Bruins are also tied for the league’s best record with 71 points. Last but not least, don’t forget Connor McDavid has led Edmonton to the second best winning streak in NHL history with 16 straight victories. Voters want to see how the Oilers captain helps the team extend this streak.

It’s possible this becomes the most contested Hart race since the 2001-2002 season. McDavid’s won the trophy a few times and Matthews will probably win the Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy at his scoring pace. That means the vote could be narrowed to Pastrnak, MacKinnon and Kucherov. What MacKinnon’s doing right now with no team captain and personal issues sidelining the third leading goal scorer on the team could give him the edge over the latter two.

Will any other coaches get fired before February ends?

Todd McLellan’s the latest to get the pink slip after Los Angeles won three of 15 games in January.

Los Angeles’ Todd McLellan was fired this past Friday after the Kings went 3-12 last month. The organization only extended his contract through the 2024-2025 season before the regular season began. Los Angeles is a playoff contender that needs a different coach who can elevate the team back to a playoff mindset.

There are a few others who could go before the postseason begins. Greg Cronin of Anaheim hasn’t done well with the young, talented core general manager Pat Verbeek’s drafted. The regression of Trevor Zegras and having only one 20+ goal scorer on the roster doesn’t reflect well on Cronin. He was hired in the 2023 offseason so it’s possible he gets another year, but the room for error is thin. Another name to consider is Don Granato in Buffalo. The Sabres’ playoff drought will extend another year unless the powerplay and defense quickly improves. Luke Richardson in Chicago and David Quinn in San Jose are other names to keep an eye on.

This is an annual question but what’s the biggest surprise of the year, or in this case, since last power rankings?

Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins celebrating after a hard-fought win in Edmonton. The duo has picked up the scoring responsibilities when both McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been shutout.

Luckily for Minnesota, their play has improved since the first power rankings was published. They’re still near the bottom in the west but there’s hope they sneak into the postseason. Edmonton’s turnaround after an awful two month start is eye-opening. I don’t think anyone had the Oilers winning 16 straight games even if captain Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl had zeroes in the stat sheets some nights. The team defense is central to the streak and Kris Knoblauch should be commended for the 180 degree turnaround.

There’s a good case for Winnipeg also being the top team in the western conference since December and Vancouver being a great pick for conference finals host, but anything could happen the final three months. Edmonton shouldn’t slow down anytime soon with who’s on the roster.

Interim Kris Knoblauch’s made the right changes to make Edmonton a contender again.

Here’s the second ever NHL power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These show where all 32 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#32 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 31)

Chicago’s been shut out four of their last six games. It’s understandable most of the roster is on injured reserve but what an awful stat the team has to look at before play resumes.

#31 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 32)

I don’t think Quinn will get fired for two reasons: everyone knew San Jose would be terrible in another rebuilding year. That awful streak at the beginning of the season is still heavy on everyone’s minds. The other reason is how well the team has played since Christmas. They’ve won four of their last six games, building more confidence.

#30 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 29)

January 21st’s home loss to the Rangers summarized their season. Mason McTavish scored a goal, giving Anaheim a 3-1 lead. When the refs pulled it back due to the puck being played offsides, New York then scored all four unanswered goals the final period. The Ducks lost 5-2. Nothing is going right for this team.

#29 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 28)

If you take out the shutout win in St. Louis, Columbus gave up an average four goals a game in January. That’s a fraction into why they have the second worst scoring defense this season. It doesn’t matter who the team’s leading scorers are if the defense can’t keep the puck out of the net.

#28 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 30)

Imagine how good this team would have been if D.J. Smith was fired after 2022 instead of coaching on an extended contract this season. Not only are the Senators playing better defense just over three weeks into the new year, they’ve beaten at least three playoff caliber teams. Ottawa could be a litmus test for who’s worthy of making the postseason by the start of March.

#27 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 24)

I know he’s only been in the league less than two seasons but at what point is there draft remorse over picking Juraj Slafkovsky first overall? Seattle’s handled Shane Wright’s ease into the league well even though they’re the youngest franchise. Montreal knew they’d be at the bottom for at least a few years. He could’ve developed more in the AHL instead of just playing most of last season. The Canadiens could use a more polished Slafkovsky with the injuries and roster holes this year.

#26 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 27)

This team showed miniscule improvement from the last power rankings and somehow are seven points behind the last wildcard spot in the west. All Minnesota needs is one good month and they can be a headache before the postseason starts. There’s no reason the Wild should continue struggling with 33 games left.

#25 Arizona Coyotes (last ranking: 22)

The contenders are starting to play more serious, so it’s not a surprise Arizona’s fading into the background. There are a lot of positives for the Coyotes young core moving forward but there’s a lot of needed growth and roster depth to address.

#24 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 26)

If Granato is fired, it has to be after the season ends. The Sabres still play hard for him and given the state of the metropolitan division, they could make another run for the postseason. I don’t think he’ll be fired due to the team’s overall progress, but one has to wonder when owner Terry Pegula decides to move on.

#23 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 23)

Calgary’s 2024 includes:

  • a high chance Dillon Dube never plays on the roster again due to the sexual assault case in London, Ontario.
  • Had winning streaks of two and four with losing streaks of two and four.
  • Traded Elias Lindholm to rival Vancouver.
  • finished the first half of the season with the fourth worst power-play in the league.

That was only January.

#22 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 16)

The Capitals are one of three teams tied with 51 points in the east and on the outside of the playoff race. Washington is the worst of the three. While the defense is their strength, the Capitals are alarmingly a top three worst scoring offense in the league. Recall what I said in the last power rankings; how much longer will it take until certain names return?

#21 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 17)

I knew this team wouldn’t replicate last season’s success but wow they’ve taken hit after hit. Michael McLeod and Cal Foote probably won’t play another game for the franchise (they’re in the same sexual assault case as Dillon Dube) and Jack Hughes’ upper body injury has limited the offense. Instead of worrying about trading for Ducks goalie John Gibson, New Jersey has to continue coaching up the younger defensive players and make some smaller trades for offensive scoring depth.

#20 New York Islanders (last ranking: 14)

Unlike many, I’m not enthusiastic about Patrick Roy being the interim coach. In fact, I find it sinister not only is he the current coach, but this move was decided by Lou Lamoriello after Marc-Andre Fleury became the second winningest goalie in NHL history, surpassing Roy after shutting out the Islanders on MLK Jr. Day. For anyone who doesn’t know, Roy resigned from Colorado for not getting his own way against franchise great and general manager Joe Sakic. The resignation led to the franchise’s 48 point season with then-rookie coach Jared Bednar unable to implement anything with Roy’s former assistants. If Lamoriello believes this will make New York better, he’s in for a rude awakening.

#19 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 18)

There’s been chatter defenseman Erik Karlsson could get traded due to differences in his style of play versus the Penguins’ three franchise stars. Pittsburgh is a top three team in defense but bottom five in offense and they badly need scoring depth. A trade makes sense.

#18 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 21)

In Seattle’s last four losses, one was against San Jose and two were 2-0 leads against playoff hopefuls. Those losses will contribute to where the Kraken land before playoffs start.

#17 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 14)

The sexual assault case in London, Ontario hits Philadelphia hardest. Goalie Carter Hart might not play another game with the franchise. That could upend the Flyers season unless there’s a trade for someone like John Gibson or Mackenzie Blackwood. Without Hart, Philadelphia isn’t going to the playoffs. They’re already the eighth seed not even three weeks after he went back north.

#16 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 13)

It’s easy for sports pundits to say a playoff caliber team up 3-0 against Ottawa should 100% win the game. Nashville squeaked out wins in January they shouldn’t have, so there’s nothing to complain about. What will be interesting is what new general manager Barry Trotz decides to do with this roster by the trade deadline and what changes are made depending on the Predators making the playoffs.

#15 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 11)

Looking back, McLellan’s fate was sealed when franchise star Drew Doughty came back to practice and then ripped three teammates online. Management saw the defensive stats and made the right move. There’s no way the number one penalty killing unit should miss the playoffs.

#14 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 25)

The Blues dealt Vancouver two of their three losses in January, lost to Boston in overtime and pummeled the Rangers. They’re in prime position to stay in one of the lower wildcard spots the second half of the season. I don’t know if Drew Bannister should keep the coaching job at the end of the season but I can concede the short-term changes are helping the team.

#13 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 20)

Detroit claims the best stat of the first half of the season: whenever Red Wings games are televised, they’re the most watched team in the U.S. Audiences want to see Detroit at the top of the league again. Viewers watched the Wings win 20 points in January, the most the franchise has won for that month in over a decade. We’re getting closer to seeing them be a serious playoff threat.

#12 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 19)

That’s better. I did say this team would be in a higher spot once the defense and goaltending showed true improvement. Well, they’ve won 16 straight, one short of the league’s all-time record. While I’m curious how they’ll bounce back after a loss, the Oilers haven’t given up more than three goals in a game since their December 22nd road win against the Rangers. Kris Knoblauch’s made the defense a priority and it’s why Edmonton could have a deep postseason run.

#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 15)

Andrei Vasilevskiy is almost back to his Vezina form. What’s helped him is Tampa’s power-play jumping to the league’s best at 30%. When the power-play starts cooling off (they all do, it’s inevitable), we’ll see how good this team is on defense.

#10 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 10)

January is a microcosm of what this team is: they’ll beat the bad teams and get some wins against some good teams, but they’ll also lose to the great ones and a few younger and hungrier teams. Yes, the Leafs are a good team, but they’re absolutely not better than the other nine on this list. That’s fine, as long as they don’t play them in the postseason.

#9 New York Rangers (last ranking: 7)

The initial power rankings list I wrote up a week before typing on here had the Rangers at number one. Thankfully that was a rough draft. New York’s been gradually slipping and one has to wonder if the Peter Laviolette all-offense-and-no-defense style of coaching is starting to take over sooner than expected. They need to take advantage of the softer February schedule as soon as the All-Star break ends.

#8 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 9)

New York’s slippage is Carolina’s gain. Even if the Hurricanes didn’t win all their January games, they’re mostly back to their dangerous selves. Those first two games after the All-Star break will show audiences how good this team is.

#7 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 8)

After Los Angeles, Dallas is the one team out west that would want to re-do January. Losses to Montreal, Nashville and Philadelphia countered resounding wins against Minnesota, Los Angeles and New Jersey. They also struggled with Detroit, Anaheim and Washington. Coach Peter DeBoer better renew the focus this month.

#6 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 4)

Much like Dallas, Vegas didn’t do themselves any favors looking dangerous one game and looking garbage the next. Part of the Golden Knights’ issue has been goaltending, so that can get sorted out after a one week break. This is when coach Bruce Cassidy has to drive home they’re the better team with 32 games left.

#5 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 6)

The NHL Network found an amazing statline on the 27th: Boston’s defensemen core had 97 points before the All-Star break (it’s now 100 with Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo each adding one). The Bruins are tied for the best record in the league while their defensemen are in the bottom half of the league in points.

#4 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 5)

Florida was up and down to start 2024 but Sam Reinhart will get a big contract once the season is over. Nobody thought he’d have 37 goals after 49 games. Even if the Panthers enter a difficult part of the schedule, they can count on Reinhart to be in the score column.

#3 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 1)

Hilariously, that sensational point and winning streak Winnipeg put together after the last power rankings was published ended when John Tortorella’s Flyers outplayed them in a home shutout loss. The Jets also lost two close games to Toronto and got thrashed in TD Garden against Boston (most opponents have dealt with that the last two years). Those aren’t shameful results. On the contrary, it ensures Winnipeg will play more determined this month.

#2 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 3)

The most dangerous part of coach Jared Bednar’s Avalanche (outside that awful first year) has been how the team plays their best hockey the second half of the regular season, especially in March. Both Winnipeg and Dallas had chances to stay ahead of Colorado before the end of January. Now they’re going to find out why giving their mountain rivals any room to work around is a bad idea.

#1 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 2)

Vancouver did what playoff teams should do and that is dominate their schedule versus the easier teams most of January. February will show audiences how high the playoff ceiling can go. They’ll be facing most of the Cup favorites in both conferences. Trading for Elias Lindholm shows they’re ready to take the next few steps and have more than a deep playoff run.

Quinn Hughes has the third most points on the Canucks with 62. A good number of analysts also see Hughes as a Hart trophy candidate this season.

Ben Johnson tells Seahawks, Commanders he’s staying with Lions

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And now at the 11th hour a mean, hard-breaking curveball has been thrown into mix of the Seahawks’ search for their next head caoch.

According to a report by Tom Pelissero at NFL network, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has informed both the Seahawks and the Commanders that he’s staying in Detroit.

#Lions OC Ben Johnson informed the #Seahawks and #Commanders that he’s staying in Detroit, per sources.

Johnson is still only 37 and will be a hot head coaching candidate again next year. But first, he wants to take another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Detroit. pic.twitter.com/lPg2Po33sx

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 30, 2024

Johnson did the same thing last year, bowing out of the head coach race in order to stick with the Lions as OC. Nevertheless, this time around it comes as a shock as Johnson was the hottest head coach candidate still on the market. The most-recent reporting suggested that the Commanders were going all out to get him, but the Seahawks were still in the running.

Speaking of Seattle, today the team is interviewing Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, whose chances of landing the head coach job just went up.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Ranking all 32 NFL teams by cap space going into 2024

2024 NFC Conference Championship Playoff Pick

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Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the NFC are the north winning Detroit Lions and the west division and conference leading San Francisco 49ers. Both teams have potent offenses, underrated quarterbacks, hard-hitting defenses, and intelligent coaches. Time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.

#3 Detroit Lions v. #1 San Francisco 49ers

The last time the Lions played San Francisco, it was the first game Dan Campbell coached for the franchise. A lot has changed especially at quarterback for the 49ers.

Unlike the AFC matchup, both teams are dealing with injuries to important players. Detroit’s tight-end Sam LaPorta, center Frank Ragnow and middle linebacker Alex Anzalone are playing with some form of muscle injury or bone fracture. San Francisco’s most important player Deebo Samuel doesn’t have a hairline fracture in his shoulder, but he’s struggling with full movement.

Injuries aside, the winner of this conference championship must be more physical and own the time of possession each half. Detroit has to rely on their runningback tandem of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs to keep San Francisco’s front seven off-balance. Quarterback Jared Goff is winless in his last five games against the 49ers, but the Lions receiving core and offensive line are better than when these teams faced off week one in 2021.

San Francisco’s offense doesn’t have to rely as much on Samuel against the Aaron Glenn-led Lions defense. The 49ers offensive line is equipped to neutralize Detroit’s pass-rush. The Lions linebackers and whole secondary struggled to tackle receivers A.J. Brown and Mike Evans the last two games. Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, Jauan Jennings and George Kittle will be hard to tackle one-on-one. It’ll be a long day for Detroit’s defense.

Prediction: 49ers win the NFC championship 38-24 and advance to Super Bowl LVIII

NFC divisional round playoff picks record: 2-0

2024 NFC playoff picks record: 4-1

2024 AFC Conference Championship Playoff Pick

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Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the AFC are the west winning Kansas City Chiefs and the north division winning and conference leading Baltimore Ravens. Both teams have fast offenses, star quarterbacks, elite defenses, and bright-minded veteran head coaches. Time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.

#3 Kansas City Chiefs v. #1 Baltimore Ravens

Kansas City’s Travis Kelce (87) will have the focus of Baltimore’s secondary. The Chiefs need the receiving core to have their best game of the season Sunday.

The last time quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes II and Lamar Jackson faced off was week two 2021. A lot has happened for both teams since that Monday night game. Baltimore has the better and more talented offense while the Chiefs have struggled most of the season to score more than 21 points a game.

The biggest matchup will be Mahomes’ play-calling at the line of scrimmage versus Ravens captain and middle linebacker Roquan Smith. Smith is easily Baltimore’s best at the position since All-Pro Hall of Famer Ray Lewis retired after the 2012-2013 season. Roquan Smith captains the best scoring defense (16.5 points per game) that also had the most sacks in the league (58). His team-leading 158 tackles sets the tone. Mahomes must deceive Smith early and often to get an edge over him and the Ravens defense. It’ll be harder for the Chiefs to replicate last week’s offensive success against a defense at full health.

Buffalo’s receivers gave Kansas City’s secondary a lot of problems last Sunday. While Stefon Diggs is the focus of most defenses, the Bills found ways to move the ball on defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s secondary without Gabe Davis. Odell Beckham Jr., Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor are too much for each member of the Chiefs secondary to cover one-on-one. The linebackers and front four will also have to deal with tight-ends Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely added in the passing game. Last but not least, there’s the endless possibility of Lamar Jackson extending plays past three seconds with his legs.

If anyone doubts how close this could be, keep in mind Ravens star tight-end Mark Andrews will return (via USA Today and PFF; Andrews not playing versus Houston was a late Friday decision) Sunday. Kansas City played against a Buffalo defense that didn’t have their leading tacklers and star linebackers, squeaking out a three point win. Baltimore will be ready against the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Prediction: Ravens win the AFC championship 31-21 and advance to Super Bowl LVIII

AFC divisional round playoff picks record: 1-1

2024 AFC playoff picks record: 3-2

2024 NFC Divisional Round Playoff Picks

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The NFC wildcard weekend had everything audiences wanted. History was made with Detroit’s first playoff win since the fall of the Soviet Union. Green Bay defied predictions and crushed the Cowboys, ending their winning streak of 15 games at home. The remaining four (the San Francisco 49ers had a week off) teams have a great shot at getting to both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. Even with an inexperienced Packers team remaining, no team is an easy out. It’s time to analyze which two teams have the best chance at making the next round.

#7 Green Bay Packers v. #1 San Francisco 49ers

Jordan Love (10) and Aaron Jones (33) are becoming a problem for any serious title contender in the NFC.

Green Bay shocked many by thumping the Cowboys last Sunday. Coach Matt LaFleur made sure the offense dominated time of possession when the game was close and drew up the right trick plays. San Francisco is not Dallas, and that more pressure on LaFleur to find specific weaknesses against the NFL’s most complete defense.

The 49ers offense also has a better offensive line and better playmakers than the Cowboys. Many will find out why Green Bay defensive coordinator Joe Barry is constantly ridiculed with his play-calling when receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk take control. The Packers have been a pleasant surprise this season after their first half stumble, but their season ends Saturday night in Santa Clara.

Prediction: 49ers win 31-13

#4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers v. #3 Detroit Lions

Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) could play more loose and free Sunday after getting Detroit their first playoff win in over 30 years. That could make Detroit’s offense more dangerous.

Another regular season re-match, Detroit could play more loose after getting their first postseason win since the early 1990s. They’re gifted with another home playoff game after Green Bay defeated Dallas last Sunday. That means Ford Field will be one of the loudest buildings in U.S. sports this weekend.

The Buccaneers demolished Philadelphia on Monday night. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has improved this year and Tampa’s defense tackles well and plays mean. It’s the matchup Lions head coach Dan Campbell wanted as he’s instilled a physical, dominant mindset in the Motor City .

Detroit’s offensive line and receivers will determine how well the team does in the divisional round. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta were decisive in the week six win in Tampa Bay. If the Lions want to make the championship round, their secondary has to disguise coverages and the offense must dominate time of possession.

Prediction: Lions win 28-14

NFC wildcard weekend predictions record: 2-1