Power Rankings: Zeke should be up the creek after this

Updated Jan. 23

Isiah Thomas, you need to go.

Your actions on Monday night are unforgivable. Somehow, you thought it would be a good idea to let your Knicks play through Miami's franchise-record 27-0 run. Jason Kapono and Udonis Haslem hit practically every shot they took while the Knicks just stood around and watched.

The Heat went on to win 101-83 without Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal.

Did Isiah Thomas quit on his Knicks Monday night? (AP)

"This is the first time that I have been with this group that we didn't show up," Thomas said. "By the time we showed up, the game was over.

"There is no strategy for being down 29-3. As professionals and as men, you have to step out on that floor and compete against the other player. There is no strategy for lying down and taking it."

You got one right. There's no excuse for allowing a team to get carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey by not calling a single timeout when it became clear one was needed. You let the Knicks down, just like they let you down.

Look, there's no doubt you were a fabulous basketball player, among the best floor generals of your generation. You were tough, arrogant, brilliant and dominant. Anyone who saw you play respects you.

As a coach, though, you're a failure. Sadly, the exact traits that made you so valuable as a superstar fail you in the role you occupy now. It doesn't build character to take a 27-0 beating. It builds catastrophe.

Bob Knight coached you at Indiana? You didn't pick up anything from him? As hot-headed as he is, Knight would never have allowed his team to be embarrassed the way you did. You left your team out there to die, and it should be no surprise that they died. It's what you set them up to do.

The New York Knicks are a joke. Thanks to bad management, they were awful before you got there. Your bravado made everyone, including owner James Dolan, believe you had the remedy.

You don't. You have no idea. You're clueless to the point where it hurts to watch. A 27-0 run without a timeout? Are you even trying?

Sadly, the fact is you are. But you just don't get it. Stop being so pompous that you believe your team will rise to each challenge you set forth. Your job is to help the team grow. A 27-0 run, without a timeout, doesn't accomplish a thing.

Except prove how foolish you truly are.

The week's Power Rankings:

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Celtics · Trends	1
	The 6-0 start, before a loss to Phoenix, was the same as 2007-08, when Boston went on to win it all. ... Rajon Rondo leads the league in steals as Celtics hold seven of first eight to 90 points or fewer.
	2	Lakers · Trends	3
	Who needs help? Kobe Bryant pours in 41 with just one assist in win over Grizzlies. ... D.J. Mbenga is averaging 12.5 rebounds in games when Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum both sit.
	3	Suns · Trends	12
	Key to win at Boston: Jason Richardson outscores Ray Allen 34-16. ... Room for improvement: Amare Stoudemire is among league's worst in assist-to-turnover ratio (8-24).
	4	Magic · Trends	2
	This is Vin-sanity: Journeyman Matt Barnes averages 15.5 points, 10.0 rebounds in wins over Suns, Pistons. ... A 28-point drubbing at Oklahoma City? C'mon.
	5	Heat · Trends	8
	Sign of improvement: Club beats Nuggets for first time since 2004. ... High-scoring Dwyane Wade doing one thing wrong: 18.2 percent on 3s, including 0-for-3 in lone loss.
	6	Nuggets · Trends	4
	Pressure on J.R. Smith to perform after suspension; Nuggets head list of rumored Stephen Jackson suitors. ... Why defensive-minded Jackson? Nuggets can't stop Josh Smith in loss to Hawks.
	7	Bulls · Trends	15
	Bulls bump, deny LeBron en route to possible game winner? Unheard of. ... NBA's early most improved? That's easy. It's Joakim Noah.
	8	Cavaliers · Trends	6
	LeBron goes for 33 at Garden. His last visit as Cavalier? ... One explanation for 4-3 start: Mr. No Contract for 2010 is third in league in turnovers.
	9	Hawks · Trends	7
	What a week: Jamal Crawford goes for 27, 26, 25 in wins over Blazers, Kings, Nuggets. ... Club learns valuable travel lesson: Avoid layover in Charlotte whenever possible.
	10	Mavericks · Trends	9
	Only loss since opener: Overtime at New Orleans. ... J.J. Barea (12 points vs. Lakers, 12 assists vs. Raptors) is helping Jason Kidd keep minutes reasonable.
	11	Rockets · Trends	11
	Nothing shameful about either loss (at Portland, overtime vs. Lakers). ... Who needs Yao? Carl Landry and Luis Scola are averaging a combined 27.8 points and 16.0 rebounds.
	12	Trail Blazers · Trends	10
	Already two home losses, but slate has been tough (Rockets, Nuggets, Hawks, Spurs). ... That didn't take long: Andre Miller promoted to start in three-guard look.
	13	Spurs · Trends	5
	Tony Parker and Tim Duncan already are nursing injuries; that cannot be good. ... Spurs start George Hill, Keith Bogans, Richard Jefferson, Michael Finley and Theo Ratliff -- and still beat Raptors.
	14	Raptors · Trends	18
	Chris Bosh doubly perfect: 9 for 9 in win over Hornets; 6 for 6 this season on 3s. ... No shame in 1-2 trip to New Orleans, Dallas, San Antonio.
	15	Thunder · Trends	19
	Russell Westbrook already is one of game's best distributors (double-digit assists in half of six games). ... Can franchise get transferred to East? Early wins vs. Pistons, Magic.
	16	76ers · Trends	13
	Nobody more predictable: Wins over Bucks, Knicks, Nets; losses to Magic, Celtics, Pistons, Suns. ... In French, Dalembert means "black hole" -- four assists, 18 turnovers.
	17	Jazz · Trends	16
	This never used to happen to Jazz: Home loss to Kings. ... Good news in 3-4 start: Andrei Kirilenko is back on his game -- 15.0 points, 52 percent shooting in November.
	18	Hornets · Trends	17
	New Orleans is Saints territory; Hornets are battling through seven of first 11 games on the road. ... David West adjusting to life alongside Emeka Okafor; rebound numbers way down.
	19	Bucks · Trends	28
	Moving up and chance for more: Four of next six vs. Warriors, Nets, Bobcats, Grizzlies. ... Old school: No team is better at drawing charges; Andrew Bogut has seven in five games.
	20	Clippers · Trends	24
	NBA notices three-game Clippers win streak: Chris Kaman honored as Western Conference Player of the Week. ... Baron Davis' first victory in Oakland as ex-Warrior was a doozy: 118-90.
	21	Bobcats · Trends	20
	You figure him out: Gerald Wallace goes for 24 points, 20 rebounds vs. Nets; 3-for-14, four turnovers next game vs. Hawks. ... Early test looms: Magic (twice), Pistons, Blazers, 76ers are next five opponents.
	22	Pistons · Trends	21
	Road map to NBA lottery: Early losses to Thunder, Bucks, Raptors. ... Remember Chauncey? Rodney Stuckey is shooting 36.5 percent, 27.3 on 3s.
	23	Wizards · Trends	14
	Gilbert Arenas: 21 or more shots four times, seven or fewer assists six straight. ... 102-90 has ugly ring to it: Same score in losses to Cavs, Suns.
	24	Pacers · Trends	22
	Danny Granger tweets: "Feels like somebody beat my heel with a hammer!!!" That's not encouraging. ... Can't win this way: All-Star is shooting 38.7 percent.
	25	Kings · Trends	29
	Worst kind of break: 30-a-night scorer Kevin Martin fractures wrist. ... Another first for Israeli Omri Casspi: 12-point, 10-rebound double-double vs. Warriors.
	26	Knicks · Trends	26
	Bad combination: Club leads league in 3-point attempts, but is 26th in accuracy rate. ... Chris Duhon averaging 6.3 assists, but needs to pass more; he's missed 15 of last 17 shots.
	27	Warriors · Trends	23
	Ultimate inconsistency: Losses to Clippers, Kings by total of 41; then 41-point win over Timberwolves. ... Don Nelson going small again -- by necessity; Andris Biedrins and Ronny Turiaf are both injured.
	28	Grizzlies · Trends	25
	Three is enough: Allen Iverson leaves club to tend to family matter, return is questionable. ... Improbable hat trick: Losses to Kings, Warriors, Clippers in same week.
	29	Timberwolves · Trends	27
	Defenseless club allows 35, 36 assists in consecutive games. ... Here's another problem: Al Jefferson shooting 42.5 percent after 49.7 last season.
	30	Nets · Trends	30
	Where's first win coming? No softies this week: 76ers, Magic, Heat. ... Losing Devin Harris to groin injury maybe not bad thing: He was shooting 32.3 percent.