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My .com editor wanted me to get in on the fun that Ric, Fred and the guys have had by giving grades to each of the 29 teams. But I don't believe in giving out grades. Generally, they tend to be juvenile (present company excluded, of course). But I am a team player and want to help out the ol' web site. So I figured that while I don't do grades, I can hand out medals, based on the Olympic mode -- with some twists. So here you go ...
Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics: Tin. C's gamble on reworking their team hasn't worked out. Team got its identity last season from its defense, and it's slipped this season. Everyone focuses on the Vin Baker trade, but Boston also let guys like Erick Strickland, an excellent on-ball defender, go.
|  | | Jason Kidd has been worth his weight in gold for the Nets. |
Miami Heat: Aluminum. With 'Zo out, Riles had no choice to rebuild, but it's been painful. Makeover next season won't be as easy as people think, with Heat saddled by max contracts of Brian Grant and Eddie Jones. Only positive: development of young players like Mike James.
New Jersey: Silver. Team has played well despite getting little from high-profile additions. Kenyon Martin should get props for maturing. Jason Kidd may be the most indispensable player in the league.
New York: IOU. Unfair to grade because team hasn't had Antonio McDyess all season. But, management should have gotten somebody with that injury exception. Fence-mending with Latrell Sprewell stopped a preseason crisis, but bad blood still remains.
Orlando: Tin. Inability to get a legit big to help TMac and Mike Miller a major disappointment. Shouldn't compound problem by dealing Miller and making McGrady even more susceptible to double teams. Trying to keep Grant Hill healthy for playoffs is understandable, but it affects chemistry.
Philadelphia: Bronze. Iverson's energy has dropped noticeably. Defense a shell of what it was two seasons ago. Larry Brown has to decide if Keith Van Horn should play inside or outside.
Washington: Bronze. Sudden change in MJ's role threw team for a loop. Playing the veterans is short-term gain, long-term pain. Larry Hughes has been a revelation, though. Tough decision coming this summer on Jerry Stackhouse.
Central Division
Atlanta: Aluminum. Guarantee to make playoffs approaching "Ford Fairlane" levels on list of all-time bad marketing ideas. Jason Terry having a terrific season in obscurity. Theo Ratliff doesn't look like the guy that played in Philly.
Chicago: Tin. Bill Cartwright trying tough love with Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, with mixed results. Marcus Fizer emerging. Jamal Crawford will be a great combo guard..for somebody else.
|  | | With Dajuan Wagner, right, the Cavs' rebuilding process is going just as planned -- so is their bid for LeBron James. |
Cleveland: Gold. Why gold? The plan to get LeBron is going great. Dajuan Wagner looks like he could be a star. Good to see Ilgauskas able to get through a season; maybe there's hope for Grant Hill. But what if the ping-pong balls don't go their way?
Detroit: Gold. Solid, strong-willed team plays hard every night. Rip Hamilton has blended in seamlessly. May have best bench in east. But will Pistons be able to score in the playoffs?
Indiana: Gold. Isiah Thomas finally has his stamp on this squad. Ron Artest flat-out scares people. Key to postseason success may be bench performance of Austin Croshere and Ron Mercer.
Milwaukee: Tin. Injuries have hampered Ray Allen. Haven't got what they expected from Tim Thomas, or needed from Anthony Mason. Still searching for a servicable big. Found out the hard way about relying on Toni Kukoc.
New Orleans: Bronze. Haven't been as dominant inside as they should. Need Baron Davis more than I thought. But solid home fanbase should help down the stretch.
Toronto: IOU. Injuries, from Vinsanity to Antonio Davis to Alvin Williams, make grading impossible. Critics should lay off Lenny Wilkens. Big question: can franchise count on Vince? If not, time to blow it up and start over.
Midwest Division
Dallas: Gold. Nasty Nash, FinDog and Dirk Diggler are the best trio in the game. But they're logging killer minutes that could catch up to them in the postseason. Commitment to defense means nothing until the playoffs. That's when Shawn Bradley, Raef LaFrentz and Popeye Jones have to show up.
|  | | Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks have scored their way to a league-best 33-8 record. |
Denver: Silver. They've done exactly what they needed to do: be horrible enough to get in the Lottery, but play hard enough to keep fans interested. Juwan Howard a total professional. To change loser perception, Kiki Vandeweghe will need a free agent signing like Sacramento did with Vlade Divac.
Houston: Silver. Yao Ming is all that. Steve Francis adapting his game to help the big man. Eddie Griffin needs to be more consistent on defense. Nobody wants to play them in the first round.
Memphis: Silver. Give Hubie Brown credit for trying to reach out to the younger generation. Work with Jason Williams has been outstanding. Gordan Giricek has big-time potential. Expect the Logo to start cleaning house before the trade deadline.
Minnesota: Bronze. Not having Wally Szczerbiak in the lineup has hurt, but they still should be more consistent than they've been. KG can't do any more than he's doing. Still need long-term replacement for Terrell Brandon.
San Antonio: Bronze. Somebody has to help Duncan by hitting a jumper. Losing Speedy Claxton really hurt. Still can shut you down defensively. Can they really count on Stephen Jackson?
Utah: Silver. May be Jerry Sloan's best coaching job yet. Melded newcomers like Calbert Cheaney into longstanding Jazz team concept. Who knew Matt Harpring could score 20 a night besides the Harpring family? StocktontoMalone still going strong.
Pacific Division
Golden State: Silver Alloy. Eric Musselman has found a rotation that works, with Troy Murphy, Earl Boykins and Antawn Jamison leading the way. But stepped-on toes of Mike Dunleavy, Jr., Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas may need massaging down the road. Getting hard to beat at home; a good sign. One solid big away from really turning the corner.
|  | | Alvin Gentry finds himself in a lose-lose situation with the Clippers. |
Los Angeles Clippers: Tin. What a disappointment. Players have to take some of the blame for not realizing their vast potential and playing for themselves, not the team. But D.T. Sterling created this atmosphere by not getting any of his free agents to be re-signed last summer. Alvin Gentry will almost surely pay for this mess with his job, but that's not going to solve anything.
Los Angeles Lakers: Bronze. Horrible, Shaq-less start has set the tone for bickering defending champs. Sure, Kobe has taken a lot of shots and occasionally broken off plays, but tell me, how else would this team have won as many games as it's managed without his intensity at both ends-and, yes, leadership? Never seen Phil call so many timeouts. And, still, who wants to play these guys in the first round?
Phoenix Suns: Gold. Terrific coaching from Frank Johnson, Mike D'Antoni, Marc Iavaroni and Tim Grgurich. Amare Stoudamire has been a revelation to be sure, but great role production from Scott Williams, Penny Hardaway and rookie Casey Jacobsen have helped, too. Starchild having his best season since the early days in Minnesota.
Portland Trail Blazers: Silver. Amazing that this team continues to win despite all of the on-court and off-court problems-which is Bob Whitsitt's point, I guess. Mo Cheeks earns big kudos for shortening his rotation and sticking with it, no matter the griping from those who don't play. Scottie Pippen is still one of the league's premier stabilizing forces on the floor.
Sacramento Kings: Gold. A team that has found that which every team seeks-true harmony. Chris Webber doing a remarkable job of keeping legal issues from affecting his play; he's the MVP at the midpoint of the season. A great mix of shooters, penetrators and finishers on offense, with on-ball toughness and closeout ability on D. The Kings have to win it all this season; there are no more excuses.
Seattle SuperSonics: Bronze. Strong start offset by inability to find an defensive answer in the low post (26th in defensive rebounding; 28th in blocked shots). Nate McMillan has tried everyone. Gary Payton having another superlative season, which will almost certainly be his last there. Rashard Lewis having a disappointing campaign after holding out all summer for the loot.
David Aldridge, who covers the NBA for ESPN, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.
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