NBA Development League: NBA D-League Power Rankings: February 19, 2009

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NBA D-League Power Rankings: February 19, 2009

The Colorado 14ers continue to chase Austin in the Southwest Division.
Chris Covatta/NBAE/Getty Images

by Matthew Brennan, D-League.com

The NBA D-League season returns to action after the All-Star break and Austin Toros take the number one spot by a slim margin over the Colorado 14ers. The Toros lead the 14ers by a half-game in the Southwest Division and hold the league's best record at 21-8.

The Central Division still has the Iowa Energy leading by two and games over the Dakota Wizards. The Sioux Falls Skyforce are a game behind Dakota, the defending division champions. The Energy have led the way for nearly the entire season but both Dakota teams can mount a challenge down the home stretch.

The Idaho Stampede continue to lead the West Division but their lead has slipped to a half-game after losing four straight. The Utah Flash have been one of the hottest teams in the league and could be sitting in first place by the team next week's Power Rankings are released.

TEAM (LAST WK) REC. BREAKDOWN

1 Austin (3) 21-8 The Toros enter the second half of the season as the league's best team and are riding the production of forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who is averaging 25.3 points and 12.5 rebounds since joining the team. Point guard Nate Brown has also been a solid pickup, averaging 6.3 assists in his first eight games as a Toro. Austin should battle Colorado for the Southwest Division all season and will host the 14ers on Sunday. They currently hold a 3-2 advantage over the 14ers in the season series with two meetings left to go.

2 Colorado (1) 20-8 The 14ers, the league's highest scoring team, put up a season-high 141 points in a demolition of Iowa on Tuesday night. The team has lost the services of point guard Eddie Gill to a GATORADE Call-Up, but fellow veteran Billy Thomas responded with a 30-point outing on Tuesday, including six three-pointers. The 14ers, a half-game behind Austin for both the Southwest Division lead and the league's best record, will visit the Toros on Sunday before a week off.

3 Iowa (2) 18-9 The Energy lost center Courtney Sims again after he was called up by the Suns, but are still one of the most talented teams in the league and are not lacking for offense. Iowa has been playing very fast-paced lately, as an average total of 236.0 points have been scored in their last four games. The Energy, who have already visited Colorado this week, continue a brutal road trip with visits to Idaho and Utah on Thursday and Saturday.

4 Idaho (4) 19-12 The Stampede will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak when they face Iowa in their first game after the All-Star Break. Despite the recent struggles, they still lead the West Division by a half-game. Center Dwayne Jones has posted double-figure rebounds in six of his last seven games, including a 31-point, 16-rebound outing on February 7.

5 Utah (5) 17-11 The Flash entered the All-Star break having won seven of their last nine games and are now within closing distance of the West Division lead. They will have plenty of chances to make up further ground with three games against Idaho in the next few weeks. First up is a trip to Anaheim on Friday before they return to Utah to host Iowa on Saturday evening.

6 Dakota (6) 16-12 The Wizards, two games behind Iowa in the Central Division, will start the second half of the season with four straight games on the road. The Wizards, 7-7 away from Bismarck, regained the services of Hamed Haddadi, who was re-assigned by Memphis. He will join the team starting with two games in Fort Wayne this weekend. The Wizards are 2-1 against the Mad Ants this season.

7 Sioux Falls (8) 17-14 The Skyforce won their first game after the All-Star break to extend their current winning streak to three games. Prior to this the Skyforce had not won more than one game in a row since ending a four-game winning streak back on December 20. Next up are three games against Central Division opponents as Sioux Falls tries to make up a three-game deficit to division-leading Iowa.

8 Albuquerque (9) 14-12 The Thunderbirds, off since February 7, return to action on Friday when they visit Tulsa to kick off four straight road games. The Thunderbirds will look for their fourth straight win as they try to climb the standings in the Southwest Division. Albuquerque's win in their only meeting with Tulsa so far this season was their sole victory in a 1-8 start to the season.

9 Bakersfield (7) 17-14 The Jam, who have only won three of their last ten games, will regain the services of Trey Johnson after he spent a ten-day contract with the Cavaliers. Bakersfield has also recently picked up former NBA players Justin Reed and Herbert Hill. Scott Roth's club returns to action after the All-Star break with home dates against Austin and Rio Grande Valley while they try to maintain pace in the West Division.

10 Erie (10) 16-16 The BayHawks ended the first half of the season on a five-game winning streak, and return to action on Saturday when they host Sioux Falls before heading to Iowa. Erie is 1-3 against Sioux Falls this season and trails the Skyforce by one and a half game for third place in the Central Division.

11 Anaheim (14) 12-19 The Arsenal received their first NBA-assigned player when the Hawks sent forward Othello Hunter west. Hunter scored 12 points and added 11 rebounds in his debut as the Arsenal won in overtime on Tuesday. Anaheim has won three of their last four and will host Utah and Los Angeles this weekend.

12 Reno (12) 11-18 The Bighorns will return to action with a tough homestand when they face Idaho twice this weekend. The Bighorns, who are 7-4 at home, will play eight of their next nine games in Reno. Patrick Ewing Jr. will look to continue his stellar play after averaging 24.5 points and 13.0 rebounds over his last two games.

13 Fort Wayne (13) 11-19 The Mad Ants started the second half with two losses, and have dropped eight of their last ten games to start to lose touch with the rest of the Central Division. Guard Carl Elliott is averaging 27.3 points in four games against Sioux Falls, who traded him to the Mad Ants in early January.

14 Rio Grande Valley (11) 10-19 The Vipers picked up an All-Star caliber player this week in Jawad Williams, who scored 43 points in his Vipers' debut on Wednesday. Unfortunately it was not enough as the Vipers lost in overtime to Anaheim, their fourth loss in a row. They will head to California this weekend and try to put a stop to their losing streak.

15 Los Angeles (15) 8-22 The D-Fenders, who have been a tough out for some of the league's better teams this season, lost a tough one at the buzzer against Austin on Tuesday. This weekend they will host Rio Grande Valley before heading down the freeway to take on Anaheim on Saturday. Joe Crawford got off to a hot start after the All-Star break with 32 points in Tuesday's game. He is fifth in the D-League with 21.7 points per game.

16 Tulsa (16) 7-22 The 66ers will open the second half of the season when they host Albuquerque for two games over the weekend. The 66ers play eight of their next ten games at home, where they are 3-10 this season.

	TEAM (LAST WK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
1	Austin (3)	21-8	The Toros enter the second half of the season as the league's best team and are riding the production of forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who is averaging 25.3 points and 12.5 rebounds since joining the team. Point guard Nate Brown has also been a solid pickup, averaging 6.3 assists in his first eight games as a Toro. Austin should battle Colorado for the Southwest Division all season and will host the 14ers on Sunday. They currently hold a 3-2 advantage over the 14ers in the season series with two meetings left to go.
2	Colorado (1)	20-8	The 14ers, the league's highest scoring team, put up a season-high 141 points in a demolition of Iowa on Tuesday night. The team has lost the services of point guard Eddie Gill to a GATORADE Call-Up, but fellow veteran Billy Thomas responded with a 30-point outing on Tuesday, including six three-pointers. The 14ers, a half-game behind Austin for both the Southwest Division lead and the league's best record, will visit the Toros on Sunday before a week off.
3	Iowa (2)	18-9	The Energy lost center Courtney Sims again after he was called up by the Suns, but are still one of the most talented teams in the league and are not lacking for offense. Iowa has been playing very fast-paced lately, as an average total of 236.0 points have been scored in their last four games. The Energy, who have already visited Colorado this week, continue a brutal road trip with visits to Idaho and Utah on Thursday and Saturday.
4	Idaho (4)	19-12	The Stampede will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak when they face Iowa in their first game after the All-Star Break. Despite the recent struggles, they still lead the West Division by a half-game. Center Dwayne Jones has posted double-figure rebounds in six of his last seven games, including a 31-point, 16-rebound outing on February 7.
5	Utah (5)	17-11	The Flash entered the All-Star break having won seven of their last nine games and are now within closing distance of the West Division lead. They will have plenty of chances to make up further ground with three games against Idaho in the next few weeks. First up is a trip to Anaheim on Friday before they return to Utah to host Iowa on Saturday evening.
6	Dakota (6)	16-12	The Wizards, two games behind Iowa in the Central Division, will start the second half of the season with four straight games on the road. The Wizards, 7-7 away from Bismarck, regained the services of Hamed Haddadi, who was re-assigned by Memphis. He will join the team starting with two games in Fort Wayne this weekend. The Wizards are 2-1 against the Mad Ants this season.
7	Sioux Falls (8)	17-14	The Skyforce won their first game after the All-Star break to extend their current winning streak to three games. Prior to this the Skyforce had not won more than one game in a row since ending a four-game winning streak back on December 20. Next up are three games against Central Division opponents as Sioux Falls tries to make up a three-game deficit to division-leading Iowa.
8	Albuquerque (9)	14-12	The Thunderbirds, off since February 7, return to action on Friday when they visit Tulsa to kick off four straight road games. The Thunderbirds will look for their fourth straight win as they try to climb the standings in the Southwest Division. Albuquerque's win in their only meeting with Tulsa so far this season was their sole victory in a 1-8 start to the season.
9	Bakersfield (7)	17-14	The Jam, who have only won three of their last ten games, will regain the services of Trey Johnson after he spent a ten-day contract with the Cavaliers. Bakersfield has also recently picked up former NBA players Justin Reed and Herbert Hill. Scott Roth's club returns to action after the All-Star break with home dates against Austin and Rio Grande Valley while they try to maintain pace in the West Division.
10	Erie (10)	16-16	The BayHawks ended the first half of the season on a five-game winning streak, and return to action on Saturday when they host Sioux Falls before heading to Iowa. Erie is 1-3 against Sioux Falls this season and trails the Skyforce by one and a half game for third place in the Central Division.
11	Anaheim (14)	12-19	The Arsenal received their first NBA-assigned player when the Hawks sent forward Othello Hunter west. Hunter scored 12 points and added 11 rebounds in his debut as the Arsenal won in overtime on Tuesday. Anaheim has won three of their last four and will host Utah and Los Angeles this weekend.
12	Reno (12)	11-18	The Bighorns will return to action with a tough homestand when they face Idaho twice this weekend. The Bighorns, who are 7-4 at home, will play eight of their next nine games in Reno. Patrick Ewing Jr. will look to continue his stellar play after averaging 24.5 points and 13.0 rebounds over his last two games.
13	Fort Wayne (13)	11-19	The Mad Ants started the second half with two losses, and have dropped eight of their last ten games to start to lose touch with the rest of the Central Division. Guard Carl Elliott is averaging 27.3 points in four games against Sioux Falls, who traded him to the Mad Ants in early January.
14	Rio Grande Valley (11)	10-19	The Vipers picked up an All-Star caliber player this week in Jawad Williams, who scored 43 points in his Vipers' debut on Wednesday. Unfortunately it was not enough as the Vipers lost in overtime to Anaheim, their fourth loss in a row. They will head to California this weekend and try to put a stop to their losing streak.
15	Los Angeles (15)	8-22	The D-Fenders, who have been a tough out for some of the league's better teams this season, lost a tough one at the buzzer against Austin on Tuesday. This weekend they will host Rio Grande Valley before heading down the freeway to take on Anaheim on Saturday. Joe Crawford got off to a hot start after the All-Star break with 32 points in Tuesday's game. He is fifth in the D-League with 21.7 points per game.
16	Tulsa (16)	7-22	The 66ers will open the second half of the season when they host Albuquerque for two games over the weekend. The 66ers play eight of their next ten games at home, where they are 3-10 this season.