ESPN: Reverse Slams: Favorite Suns, finally

[scoutmasterdave]

Role reversal: Suns on top

by Marc Stein

There is absolutely, positively no way that the Phoenix Suns can be classified as the best team in the NBA.

Yet there they are, sitting atop my NBA Power Rankings.

The explanation? Almost a month into the season, there simply is no best team. There might be a reason for that, too, if you allow us to borrow the theory advanced by my NBA Fastbreak colleague George Karl.

It's Karl's belief that the first month of the season has become the new training camp in NBA, because on-court practice time in October seems to get snipped on a yearly basis.

November, then, is when teams really learn how to play together in the new millennium, according to Karl. No wonder it's such a struggle every Monday this early to pick out a worthy No. 1.

Even though the ESPN.com NBA Power Rankings committee (of one) knows it can't last, Phoenix gets the top spot this week because the Suns are as hot as Seattle . . . while possessing more season-long potential than the Sonics.

If you'd like to discuss this or anything else in this edition of Reverse Slams, and we know you do, join my weekly chat Tuesday at 11 a.m., when I'll mix in a few rankings questions with the usual league-wide discussion.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&id=1934228

 

[Billythekid]

I think the Suns will sustain this pace. They'll lose some tough games obviously but i see them as one of the best sides in the league this year.

The competition has weakened greatly IMO. Talent is spread and some teams that dominated with depth no longer can cut the mustard. Shaq going East helps, but i look at all the teams in the West and think... WHY can't the Suns beat them. On paper we look pretty strong, abeit lacking a big man, but i like our chances against the majority of teams. With Amare and Nash, this is team is for real. Throw in a dose of Marion, JJ and Q and we are very very good.

 

[myrondizzo]

i think its funny how he puts us at #1 and then says where not the best team. as if he is just stirring the pot. if they arent the best team then why put them at number one?