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Power Rankings: Cavs No. 1 seed, but are they the best?

Updated April 14

The Cavaliers will have home-court advantage as far as they go in the NBA playoffs. They don't deserve it.

Sure, LeBron and Co. have dominated the Eastern Conference pretty much from the get-go, thus earning the right to have Games 1 and 2 -- and potentially 5 and 7 -- at home in all series leading up to the Finals.

But why should a team that was swept by the other conference's regular-season champ and didn't play nearly as difficult a schedule get an advantage should it match up with the Lakers in the Finals?

Out West, Kobe Bryant's Lakers tangle with eight other teams that have at least 45 wins on the season. (Getty Images)  
Out West, Kobe Bryant's Lakers tangle with eight other teams that have at least 45 wins on the season. (Getty Images)  
Kobe's club couldn't match the Cavs' record, but its season has been every bit as impressive, if not more so.

Eight of the 11 winningest teams in the league reside in the West, and this is despite the fact these heavyweights beat up on each other all season. For the Lakers to play nearly one-third of their games within this elite group and still come within a whisker of matching the Cavs' record is remarkable.

  Playoff Race

I'm not saying the Lakers should get home court should they face the Cavs in the Finals. The point is: Having regular-season record in an unbalanced schedule dictate such an advantage is worse than awarding it to the winner of the All-Star Game.

Alas, the Cavs have clinched the home-court edge, and thus must be considered at least a co-favorite with the Lakers to win the championship. Here are the odds I'd put on each team:

Lakers (6/5): Nothing will come easy in the West, but key injuries to Manu Ginobili and Tracy McGrady should make the Lakers' march a bit smoother.

Cavaliers (7/5): They should enjoy watching the Celtics and Magic beat up on each other in Round 2 while they coast into the East finals. That freshness could be the difference in a relatively even battle with Boston.

Celtics (9/5): Make no mistake about it: Only three teams have a chance to win it all. The Celtics have coasted this far. The question is: Can they flip the switch now that the time has come?

Field (10/1): That's right, you get all 13 other playoff teams and 10/1 odds. You want it? You'd have to be a sucker to take it. The Mavericks could surprise in the West (until they run into the Lakers) and Orlando is the only other team in the East with a shot (no way it beats both Boston and Cleveland, though). Remember this about the NBA playoffs: You don't often get surprises.

That's why getting the home-court advantage throughout the playoffs was such a big thing for the Cavs.

And why it's not fair.

I'm picking the Lakers to go all the way, so I'm moving them ahead of the Cavaliers in my final regular-season CBSSports.com Power Rankings.

Power Rankings
CurrentTeamPrevious
1Cavaliers · Trends1
Second blowout of Celtics sends message: Maybe Magic are Cavs' biggest fear in East. ... Thumbs up: Injury should have Shaquille O'Neal well rested for playoffs.
2Lakers · Trends2
Club is rock-solid at four positions, but point guard remains Achilles' heel. ... Consecutive road wins bode well for team with monster trip tipping off next week.
3Nuggets · Trends4
Carmelo Anthony pours in 45 against Rockets, gains in wide-open scoring race. ... Denver wins three of four on road even as coach George Karl returns home to deal with cancer treatment.
4Magic · Trends3
As goes Vince Carter, so goes Magic: Club's hot streak coincides with veteran's sharp shooting form. ... Intriguing home-and-home looming with similarly hot Spurs.
5Jazz · Trends6
Loss at Oklahoma City meaningful: These two are currently 4-5 playoff pairing. ... This is getting old: Mehmet Okur plays 41 minutes, then sits out game with sore back.
6Thunder · Trends10
Russell Westbrook averages 10 assists in wins over Hornets, Nets, Jazz; now has 19 double-figure assist games. ... Win over Jazz clinches season series, possible playoff tie-breaker.
7Mavericks · Trends5
Harsh reality: Win 13 in a row and drop two spots? Yes, when streak-ending loss is 34-pointer to Knicks. ... Jason Terry models facemask for return from orbital surgery.
8Hawks · Trends8
Painful thought: Hawks concerned as Joe Johnson sits with Achilles' tendon issues. ... Team runs off to biggest halftime lead in eight years en route to rout of Pistons.
9Suns · Trends9
Steve Nash plays 1,000th game, but bad back warns him end of road is near. ... Work to do: Disappointing No. 1 pick Earl Clark gets demoted to NBA Development League.
10Spurs · Trends11
Club takes advantage of soft schedule, but seven of next eight foes are big-timers. ... Getting tired or taking it easy? No double-doubles for Tim Duncan in March.
11Trail Blazers · Trends12
Doing it himself: Brandon Roy explodes for 41 in first win ever at Golden State. ... Eight not enough: 6-1 March start has Portland looking up, not down, in playoff race.
12Celtics · Trends7
Nothing new: Boston loses three of four -- sixth time that's happened this season. ... KO'd: All players receive Manny Pacquiao-signed glove before getting flattened by Grizzlies.
13Bucks · Trends13
Wins over Celtics, Jazz stamp Milwaukee as not only playoff contender, but playoff threat. ... Welcome addition: Jerry Stackhouse has second 20-point game in 15 days in victory over Pacers.
14Bobcats · Trends14
No news is good news: Charlotte happy Gerald Wallace's ankle injury is nothing more than sprain. ... Oh yes they will: Club decides to add Larry Hughes after all.
15Heat · Trends15
Rivalry renewed: Miami topples Bulls in rough battle with playoff implications. ... Circle this one: TNT gets Heat-Bulls rematch in Chicago on March 25.
16Rockets · Trends18
Ming who? Board-sweeping Luis Scola goes for 44 points in win over Nets. ... Aaron Brooks nets winner in stay-alive victory over Nuggets.
17Grizzlies · Trends17
Here's a rarity: Road warriors beat Celtics for first time since 2006. ... After home loss to Nuggets, Memphis plays four of next six on road; that's a good thing.
18Hornets · Trends20
Down lottery road: 1-6 March start has Hornets skidding out of playoff chase. ... Thank goodness for Clippers: Club has beaten L.A.'s other team 13 straight.
19Raptors · Trends16
West Coast trip a disaster; four-game slide includes losses to Kings, Warriors. ... Won't be easy at home, either: Next four to visit are Hawks, Thunder, Jazz, Nuggets.
20Bulls · Trends19
Adding injury to injury: Derrick Rose runs into Dwight Howard, injures wrist. ... Defense killing club: Nine consecutive foes score 100-plus for first time in 20 years.
21Knicks · Trends26
Shocker of the year: Club ends Mavericks' 13-game win streak in impression fashion. ... LeBron James' nemesis can play, too: Bill Walker scores 21, 23 in consecutive games.
22Kings · Trends22
Near double-triple: Tyreke Evans logs triple-double vs. Raptors, misses by one rebound vs. Timberwolves. ... Carl Landry looking like long-term complement to Evans.
23Pacers · Trends27
Frustration of losing season takes toll on Danny Granger -- he scuffles with Suns' Channing Frye, gets suspended. ... Club's only win this month vs. 76ers.
2476ers · Trends21
Nobody's sliding faster: Club's five-game losing streak by average of 10.8 points. ... A glimmer of hope: Jrue Holiday making run at All-Rookie team.
25Warriors · Trends28
Win over Raptors moves Don Nelson within five of Lenny Wilkens' all-time mark. ... Monta Ellis' potential game-tying 3 hits rim three times in narrow loss to Lakers.
26Pistons · Trends23
Happy ending to scary moment: Tayshaun Prince walks off under own power after major collision with teammate. ... Will Bynum logs 20 assists in win over Wizards.
27Clippers · Trends24
Eight-game losing streak demonstrates next GM has huge mess to clean up. ... Only good news: Healthy Baron Davis goes for 18 points, 17 assists in loss to Hornets.
28Wizards · Trends25
Gilbert Arenas lets mouth do talking: He admits suspension was warranted after gun incident. ... Starting fresh: Point guard announces he will wear No. 6 upon return.
29Timberwolves · Trends29
Stock on the rise: Al Jefferson averaging 22.0 points, 10.5 rebounds in last five games. ... 0-for-March slump has club headed for second seat at lottery.
30Nets · Trends30
Competitive losses demonstrate that Nets aren't playing league's worst ball anymore. ... Chance to improve on meager win total: Five of next seven foes are beatable.
 
 

 
 
 
 
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