The more things change, the more they remain the same.
After a two-week hiatus, a familiar name returns to his perch atop the OSPR. While the Big Three play their season-long game of hopscotch, the middle of the pack continues its unimpressive work. Isn’t about time for a new name to emerge out of nowhere to take us all by surprise?
Meanwhile, for the first time this season, our list features no San Antonio Spur. And for the second time this season, three Grizzlies make the cut. You’ll also notice a new entry into the ‘Just missed’ category.
Notes: Statistics are through games of Jan. 28. Rankings are based on entire regular season with heavy emphasis on recent play.
Any player who turns 33 during the regular season can be added to the Old School Power Rankings
1. Pau Gasol (35), Chicago Bulls
Last week’s rank: 2
Last week’s stats: 4 games, 20.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 4.5 apg
Season stats: 16.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 3.2 apg
Four games, four double-doubles to go along with 56.3 shooting from the field. It goes without saying that it was a solid week for Gasol, who takes his familiar spot at the top of our list. But it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise since Gasol has produced for the last two weeks — if you throw out his Jan. 20 stinker against the Cavs. Now about that All-Star snub …
2. Dwyane Wade (34), Miami Heat
Last week’s rank: 3
Last week’s stats: 3 games, 25.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.7 apg
Season stats: 18.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.6 apg
Look at that scoring from last week. It’s 2010 all over again for Mr. Wade, who has gone over 20 points in three straight games for the first time since Nov. 1-5. Equally impressive was that he shot 50.8 from the field. The only bad we can find in Wade’s showing last week was the 2-for-6 from the free-throw line in last Friday’s loss to the Raptors.
3. Dirk Nowitzki (37), Dallas Mavericks
Last week’s rank: 1
Last week’s stats: 3 games, 15.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.7 apg
Season stats: 17.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 apg
After showing decent work on the boards two weeks ago (7.7), Nowitzki failed to put on the hard hat — hauling in a total of 11 rebounds for the week. What’s more amazing is that the 7-footer failed to grab one offensive board. You’d think one or two would find him by accident. In fact, the last time Nowitzki grabbed an offensive rebound was Jan. 15.
4. Zach Randolph (34), Memphis Grizzlies
Last week’s rank: 4
Last week’s stats: 3 games, 11.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.7 apg
Season stats: 13.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.34 apg
This is the part of the list where no one did enough to make a move. Had anyone made some noise, Randolph would’ve slipped a couple spots. It was one solid game for Z-Bo sandwiched by two subpar efforts. For the week, Randolph managed to shoot just 42.4 from the field, which is way below his season average (48.0) and January average (48.1).
5. Jamal Crawford (35), Los Angeles Clippers
Last week’s rank: 5
Last week’s stats: 4 games, 11.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.3 apg
Season stats: 12.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.0 apg
He didn’t lose any ground on our list, but it was still a week to forget for Crawford, who shot just 37.5 from the field and 27.3 (3-for-11) from long range. Wait a minute. Weren’t we just talking about how Crawford seemed to be finding his shot? After hitting two or more 3s in four of five games, Crawford has gone four straight with fewer than two.
6. Matt Barnes (35), Memphis Grizzlies
Last week’s rank: 6
Last week’s stats: 3 games, 9.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg
Season stats: 9.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.7 apg
Barnes scored in double digits in two of three games, but it didn’t come easy as he shot just 41.7 from the field. He did, however, have his long-range stroke working, connecting on 7-for-17 (41.2) 3-pointers. Barnes’ scoring output lately is following a frustrating pattern: double-digit game followed by single-digit game.
7. Joe Johnson (34), Brooklyn Nets
Last week’s rank: 8
Last week’s stats: 3 games, 12.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 6.0 apg
Season stats: 11.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.8 apg
Johnson stumbled out of the gates, going for just eight points in last Friday’s loss to Utah. But he followed that up with two double-digit scoring efforts, though Sunday’s 13-point performance didn’t win any style points (5-for-14). Everything considered, it was a decent shooting week for Johnson, who shot 46.4 from the field and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.
8. Tony Allen (33), Memphis Grizzlies
Last week’s rank: NA
Last week’s stats: 2 games, 11.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 0.5 apg
Season stats: 6.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.0 apg
The gritty defender gets himself back on the list behind two productive games. In Monday’s win over Orlando, Allen chipped in nine points to go along with 12 rebounds and four steals. Three nights later, Allen produced 13 points and seven rebounds.
9. Tyson Chandler (33), Phoenix Suns
Last week’s rank: Just missed
Last week’s stats: 3 games, 8.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, 3.0 apg
Season stats: 5.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.0 apg
Yes, he’s here on the strength of one game. But what a game it was: a franchise-record 27 rebounds to go along with 13 points, five assists and two blocks. He could have put up donuts the other two games (and he wasn’t far off from doing that) and he probably would’ve still made the list.
10. Nene (33), Washington Wizards
Last week’s rank: 10
Last week’s stats: 3 games, 11.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.7 apg
Season stats: 8.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.6 apg
Nene, who averaged 26.7 minutes last week, has played four straight games of 20-plus minutes for the first time this season. After missing a big chunk of the season, the big man is starting to become a factor with three double-digit scoring games in the last four. He’s also shot 50 percent or better from the field in four of the last six.
Just missed the cut: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Amar’e Stoudemire
Will turn 33 this season: Kevin Martin (Feb. 1), Devin Harris (Feb. 17)
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.
