Power Ranking the Mavs: Rondo shakes up the standings in Week 9

1) Monta Ellis

Last week: 3 (up 2 spots)

This is Monta’s team now. That much was clear against the Spurs. If one player is going to will this team to a win, that player is going to be Monta. (Sorry Dirk.) What else is there to say really? Dude have it all.

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2) Tyson Chandler

Last week: 1 (down 1 spot)

At this point, I feel there are great arguments for both Monta and Tyson as the Mavs’ best player this season. I think Tyson is the best all-around player, but Monta gets the edge here because his heroics are just so powerful. Tyson is more solid at more aspects of the game, but Monta’s offense is just transcendent. Tyson remains the glue that holds this team together though.

3) Chandler Parsons

Last week: 4 (up 1 spot)

Parsons has really been great lately. His runner/floater is my new favorite thing. With the addition of Rondo, Parsons becomes even more important because he is one of the few reliable 3-point shooters left on this team. He had 32 points against Detroit and busted out his first double-double of the season against the Spurs, with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

4) Dirk Nowitzki

Last week: 2 (down 2 spots)

Dirk was just terrible against the Spurs. He finished with 13 points somehow, but it was just awful to watch. He was better earlier this week against Detroit, with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double, but it sort of felt like Dirk made Rondo’s debut way harder than it had to be. Hopefully it was just an off night for the big German, but he is currently posting his lowest three-point percentage since his rookie year.

5) Devin Harris

Last week: 6 (up 1 spot)

Devin Harris is currently the Mavs’ best three-point shooter. I know, isn’t that insane? Harris worked on his shot this offseason, and it has paid off.  Devin doesn’t dominate games statistically, but he is vital to the Mavs offense. With Rondo and Monta playing big minutes dominating the ball, the Mavs need off-ball shooting threats. Looks like it will be Harris and Parsons for the foreseeable future.

6) Rajon Rondo

Last week: N/A

Rondo was good but not great in his debut. Which was really impressive. He already appears to have a grasp on the offense after one practice, and he clearly has no intention of getting in Monta’s way. You’d like to see better scoring, but the assists, rebounds, and (most importantly) defense were all solid.

7) J.J. Barea

Last week: 6 (down 1 spot)

Barea clearly is going to play a lot fewer minutes now that Rondo is on the team. Against the Spurs, this did him no favors. He took only 2 shots, missed both, and had no assists. He looked better against the Pistons (the little guy had 4 rebounds!), but it’ll be interesting to see how he handles a diminished role going forward.

8) Al-Farouq Aminu

Last week: 11 (up 3 spots)

With the Mavs offense needing shooters and floor spacers, I get why Carlisle is reluctant to play Aminu. But even with Rondo on the roster, the Mavs are still going to need rebounding, defense, and energy. Which Farouq brings in spades. Really hope he earns some of his coach’s trust soon.

9) Richard Jefferson

Last week: 10 (up 1 spot)

Jefferson is the first wing player off the bench now. And he continues to underwhelm. I get that he is a three-point threat in theory, but he isn’t nearly as good from range as last season, and he is basically worthless in most other aspects of the game.

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10) Greg Smith

Last week: 13 (up 2 spots)

With Brandan Wright gone, Greg Smith is now the primary big off the bench, at least for now. He still hasn’t done enough for Carlisle to give him much leeway though, and he played only 10 minutes. Keep an eye on him the next couple of weeks. If he doesn’t start producing, he will likely be relegated to the bench for the rest of the season in favor of Jermaine O’Neal or some other free agent big.

11) Charlie Villenueva

Last week: 12 (up 1 spot)

Charlie also got a little burn in place of Brandan Wright. There’s a chance he could hit some threes, but he’s kind of like a big man version of Richard Jefferson. He MIGHT hit some threes, but it isn’t worth having him on the floor because he is a complete liability otherwise.

12) Ricky Ledo

Last week: N/A

Ricky Ledo played in the first quarter of a Mavs game against a Western Conference playoff team!!!! This was Ledo’s first appearance for Dallas this season, but he only played 2 minutes. Aminu should have had those minutes, but Ledo didn’t look terrible.

13) Dwight Powell

Last week: N/A

The other acquisition from Boston was the only active player who did not play against the Spurs. Which I thought was odd, considering the Brandan Wright-sized hole behind Dirk & Tyson on the depth chart. It remains to be seen whether the Mavs actually have any plans to keep the rookie PF/C on the roster.

14) Raymond Felton

Last week: 14 (no change)

The question is no longer when Raymond Felton will play for the Mavs, but if.