The rating game

In any debate that involves popular culture — be it music, film, television, literature, politics or sports — the terms “overrated” and “underrated” are often thrown around. U2 is overrated. Adam Sandler is overrated. Rainn Wilson is underrated. Battlestar Galactica is underrated. Anybody running for kagawad is overrated. The point is, there will always be contrasting opinions whenever a certain person or certain piece of art is deserving of the attention or merits it receives (or doesn’t receive). Basketball is no different. And with the NBA season officially underway, there are several teams that are getting too much hype, some getting too little hype, and those who are just about getting as much hype as they deserve.

The Overrated (or the “Click 5” division)

Houston Rockets. Most experts (and I do not claim to be one) are lauding the new additions to this Rockets team. They acquired Steve Francis (who’s pretty much washed-up), Mike James (who only comes to play during contract years), Rick Adelman (who had the most talented team in the league not that long ago and failed to reach the finals) and Luis Scola (Euro MVP). The team looks nice on paper, and Adelman’s high-post offense will make better use of this roster, more than Jeff Van Gundy’s did.

The problem here is that Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady have zero playoff wins between them, and Francis and co. really don’t help out much in that department. The team has talent, but pegging them for 60 wins and a top seed (as ESPN’s John Hollinger did) seems like a stretch given their inexperience and that they play in the same division as the Spurs, Mavs and the upstart New Orleans Hornets.

Boston Celtics. We all know about Big Three 2.0 and that, in the East, the Celtics are probably the team hungriest for a title. That being said, this team realistically needs at least a year under their belts before they go all the way, given that their point guard is young and their head coach is horrible. The Celtics have what it takes to get to the finals, that’s for certain, but they don’t have enough to win it all, which a lot of people are expecting.

The Properly Rated (or the “White Stripes” division)

Phoenix Suns. The Suns have kept their core group of players together, while adding veteran Grant Hill and losing their best low-post defender Kurt Thomas. The consensus is that the Suns will once again run away with their division and contend for a title.

There are two reasons why the Suns are rightfully favored. One, they still have the best point guard in the league, Steve Nash, running with arguably the best front court in Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire. Two, these guys should be angry and extremely motivated. After that debacle in last year’s playoffs when Stoudemire and Boris Diaw got suspended because they left the bench after Robert Horry body-checked Nash on the announce table, the Suns feel that they were robbed of a title. This year, they have a clean slate and a healthy roster and are out to prove, once and for all, that an up-tempo, high-scoring team can win a championship.

Chicago Bulls. Each year, the once-Baby Bulls get a year older. Each year, they take one step closer to the finals. After a breakout season from Luol Deng and shocking the defending champion Miami Heat in the playoffs, the Bulls have announced that they have arrived.

The Bulls are expected to contend for the East crown. Though they might fall short, it wouldn’t surprise anyone either way. The Bulls are better than they were last year with the young trio Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Deng getting another year of seasoning. They’ll be contenders and may even emerge from the East. But like last year, low-post scoring will be the issue. Don’t let the slow start fool you. Chicago plays its best ball late in the year.

The Underrated (or the “Hold Steady” division)

Memphis Grizzlies. You can pretty much call last year a fluke for the Grizzles. After missing Pau Gasol for the first half of the season and tanking games to get Greg Oden for the second half, the Grizzlies record does not reflect who this team really is. Just the year before, this team made the playoffs (though they were swept), and that core is still mostly in town.

This season, they’ve added Darko Milicic (poised to break out, but it’s been that way since he was drafted), Stromile Swift (who was decent in his first run with the Griz) and prized draft pick Mike Conley. Add that to the already solid stable of Gasol, Mike Miller, Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick, and you’ve got a pretty deep squad led my an international superstar (who, granted, is underperforming and seems to be unhappy).

Milwaukee Bucks. It’s not so much that this team is good; it’s more that this team is now healthy. Last year, Bobby Simmons missed the entire season and Charlie Villanueva was on-and-off with several nagging injuries.

With a complete, healthy roster that made a surprise run for the playoffs two years ago, the Bucks should once again be a decent team. Since this team doesn’t get much attention, everyone seems to dismiss them as another potential cellar-dweller. With the addition of Yi Jianlian from China, as well as improvements from Villanueva and former number one pick Andrew Bogut, this team could once again sneak up on people and finish with a decent record. In the East, a .500 record may get you in the playoffs.

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For questions, comments or corrections, please e-mail me at emailcarlramirez@yahoo.com.