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NBA All-Star break power rankings with Finals predictions from Shaq, Barkley and Kenny Smith – USA TODAY
INDIANAPOLIS – Shaquille O’Neal, the Los Angeles Lakers great and Basketball Hall of Famer, was asked who is going win the Western Conference.
He faked vomited, barely unable to say the team’s name.
Then, he was asked who would win the NBA Finals, and he faked hurled again.
He finally brought himself to say it: he thinks the Los Angeles Clippers will beat the Boston Celtics in the Finals.
O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith of TNT’s Inside the NBA spoke to a small group of reporters Thursday in Indianapolis ahead of All-Star Game Weekend in the Hoosier State.
Charles Barkley likes the Celtics to win it all. “Right now, the Celtics are the team to beat, and I have no (expletive) idea after that. Not going to lie to you,” Barkley said. “The (Milwaukee) Bucks have really disappointed me. In the West, I like the Clippers and the (Denver) Nuggets. … I were a betting man – and I am – if you give the me the Celtics, Nuggets and Clippers, I’ll take my chances, but if I lost, I wouldn’t be shocked.”
Kenny Smith has the Celtics playing the New York Knicks with in the East Finals with Boston emerging, and he’s picking the Clippers to play Oklahoma City in the West finals with Boston winning.
“Those two teams are the only teams where their best two players if they don’t play well, they still win,” Smith said.
Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA post-trade deadline, All-Star break power rankings:
Already the best team in the NBA with the best starting five, the Celtics added depth in Xavier Tillman from Memphis at the trade deadline.
Two All-Stars (Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns) plus the West All-Star coach (Chris Finch) and one of the best records in the league make good times for the Timberwolves.
The Cavs are the hottest team in the league (18-2 since Jan. 2) and making a push with Donovan Mitchell – for the present and with hopes of retaining him beyond next season.
The Thunder improved by acquiring former All-Star Gordon Hayward at the trade deadline. The Thunder are built for today and tomorrow.
With Ty Lue’s coaching plus Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and depth, the Clippers will be a tough out in the playoffs – if anyone can oust them.
No reason to do anything at the trade deadline with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the starting five.
A Rolling Stones truism: You can’t always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you need. The Bucks are hoping Patrick Beverley gives them what they need defensively.
The Knicks worked the trade market and are better off for their moves that landed OG Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks.
Since Jan. 11, the Suns have been one of the best teams – 14-4 with No. 4 offense, No. 7 defense and No. 4 net rating.
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are averaging at least 22 points and shooting at least 50% in New Orleans’ past 10 games.
Active at the trade deadline, the Mavericks bolstered their frontcourt with Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington and won xx of xx before the All-Star break.
Of the Kings’ nine losses since Jan. 11, five have been by 10 points or fewer, including three consecutive losses by a combined eight points.
The Pacers have slipped in the standings and a loss this week to Charlotte prompted All-Star Tyrese Haliburton to say, “At some point as a group, we’ve got to grow up.”
The injuries, especially Joel Embiid’s knee injury, have put the brakes on the 76ers’ season.
The Magic won six of eight games before the All-Star break with victories against Minnesota and New York.
The Warriors found success just before the All-Star break – 8-2 in their past 10 games – but can they keep it up and secure a play-in game spot, or better yet for the Warriors, move into the fifth or sixth spot?
It seems everyone is waiting for the Playoff Heat to arrive – and maybe they do. But it’s not a guarantee.
Silent at the trade deadline, the Lakers head into the All-Star break with a little momentum – winners of eight of their past 11 and signed Spencer Dindwiddie in the buyout market for offensive help and depth.
The Bulls have climbed into playoff contention with a 16-13 record in the past two months.
That 13-3 stretch from late December to mid-January has faded into 4-9 in the past month.
Inconsistency has plagued the Hawks – impressive victories combined with problematic losses.
After a 15-12 start, growing pains have slowed the young and promising Rockets.
A tough schedule before the All-Star break resulted in five losses in six games, including two consecutive losses to Boston.
With Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby gone in trades, it will be interesting to watch Toronto’s front office build around Scottie Barnes.
Trading Xavier Tillman and Steven Adams at the trade deadline puts pressure on the front office to deliver in the offseason in preparation for Ja Morant’s return next season.
The Blazers kept the veterans but will eventually have to make decisions on whether it’s worth it to keep Jerami Grant, Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle.
They might have the worst record, but the Pistons are not the worst team in the NBA.
Not the moves many expected the Wizards to make at the trade deadline, but they still procured a first-round as the front office navigates a roster rebuild.
Change is happening. Michael Jordan sold a majority a stake in the team earlier this season, and Mitch Kupchak stepped down as president of basketball operations and moved into an advisory role. More changes are coming.
The Spurs’ road back to the playoffs with Victor Wembanyama is not a high-speed highway this season.
