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NBA Power Rankings: Ours is much more of an emotional look than most. Recent events matter, and long-term projections are (mostly) ignored. After all, no one wants to simply read the Vegas odds for winning the title each week, right?
We actually have a shakeup at the top this week, thanks to some last minute heroics in Indiana. The Lakers are no longer in the top spot, and I have a surprise for you at number one; it's not who you think it is (and likely not who you think it should be).
In other Rankings news, the Nuggets and Blazers continue to impress, while the Rockets and Suns have started to slip. Plenty of up and down movement for most of the league's 30 teams, go ahead and find your favorite, after the jump.
- 1. Pacers (7-10) | Prev.: 19
Hey, I told you these rankings were emotional. Gritty comeback win over the Lakers last night, and the only team in the league to beat both the Lakers and Celtics. Oh come on, one week at the top spot won't hurt anyone. Except maybe ... - 2. Celtics (17-2) | Prev.: 2
Winners of nine straight, and yes, the rightful number one this week. Hey, look what we have here! A chance to avenge one of their two losses tonight against the top-ranked Pacers. - 3. Cavaliers(14-3) | Prev.: 3
On a five-game winning streak, and Lebron's just doing his thing. Fairly weak schedule could allow for a lot more wins through the end of 2008. - 4. Lakers (14-2) | Prev.: 1
Does one loss deserve this much of a drop? Probably not, but the slow starts and the "flipping the switch" thing hasn't been as impressive as what Boston and Cleveland have been doing lately. - 5. Nuggets (13-6) | Prev.: 6
They're 10-3 since Chauncey Billups came to town, and the losses were to Cleveland, the Lakers, and New Orleans. Completely understandable. - 6. Blazers (13-6) | Prev.: 8
Five straight victories, including quality ones against New Orleans and at Detroit. Oden, shmoden. - 7. Magic (13-5) | Prev.: 5
Getting blown out by Boston isn't necessarily a crime. But they really haven't beaten anyone of consequence, and haven't been exactly dominating those supposedly substandard teams. - 8. Jazz (12-7) | Prev.: 13
Deron Williams and company getting used to playing together again. Schedule gets a bit tougher this week with Toronto and Phoenix on the calendar. - 9. Rockets (11-7) | Prev.: 4
Enjoy the top 10 while it lasts, Rox fans. With T-Mac out for the next three weeks I see further plummeting in your future. - 10. Suns (11-7) | Prev.: 7
A couple of rough home losses to the Heat and Nets (along with allowing Dwyane Wade to go for 43 and Devin Harris to drop 47) were humbling. Good news: the team heads out on the road this week. Bad news: back-to-backs at New Orleans and Dallas. - 11. Pistons (11-6) | Prev.: 10
Any chance Michael Curry has the juice (or the, um, "courage") to start Rodney Stuckey and bring A.I. off the bench? - 12. Nets (9-8) | Prev.: 15
Road wins in Utah and Phoenix were impressive, despite the let-down homecoming performance versus the Wizards. - 13. Hawks (10-6) | Prev.: 11
Win, lose, win, lose. Beating the bad teams, losing to the good. Which is just fine until Josh Smith comes back. - 14. Hornets (9-6) | Prev.: 14
The team has had four days off after getting blown out in Portland. Something tells me things may not end well for the Suns tonight. - 15. Mavericks (9-8) | Prev.: 14
They're 7-1 in their last eight games, with their only loss coming in Los Angeles to the Lakers. I'd say they're playing pretty well. - 16. Spurs (9-8) | Prev.: 12
Lost two straight, but it wasn't exactly against the bottom of the barrel. That was Houston and Detroit, and things don't get any easier when the team heads to Denver on Thursday. - 17. Heat (9-9) | Prev.: 19
Showed what they're capable of with an impressive victory in Phoenix. Lost to the Clippers the next night. Dwyane Wade has been spectacular, and I like coach Spoelstra's intensity and command of the team. Playoffs are not out of the question. - 18. Raptors (8-9) | Prev.: 16
Last two losses were blowouts in L.A. and Denver. Doesn't get any easier, considering the next two are aginst Utah and Portland. - 19. Sixers (8-10) | Prev.: 20
Got a nice overtime win over the Bulls to snap a four-game slide. The losing should resurface tonight however, as the Lakers come to town after a last-second loss. Have fun with that. - 20. Knicks (8-9) | Prev.: 21
Somehow managing to stay competitive with very little talent on the roster, relatively speaking. Is a D'Antoni team really that tough to play against? - 21. Bulls (8-10) | Prev.: 17
Derrick Rose is hitting his stride, and the team should have no trouble playing .500 ball or better for a while given their upcoming schedule. - 22. Bucks (7-12) | Prev.: 23
Michael Redd returned after a 14-game absence, but it wasn't enough to prevent the team from losing their fourth straight. Let's see if they can stabilize a bit now that he's returned. - 23. Bobcats (6-11) | Prev.: 25
More competitive lately, winning a couple and losing close ones to Toronto and Boston. - 24. Timberwolves (4-12) | Prev.: 29
I still can't get over that Pistons win, to be honest with you. - 25. Kings (4-11) | Prev.: 26
Losers of 10 of their last 11 is the bottom line, but mostly competitive if you take out the back-to-backs against Dallas and Utah. - 26. Wizards (3-12) | Prev.: 27
Came into New Jersey and smacked a previously hot Nets team by 20. So there's that. - 27. Clippers (3-14) | Prev.: 28
Zach Randolph is paying immediate dividends, and if the team (or their coach) could actually figure out how to close out games, they might someday become dangerous. - 28. Grizzlies (4-13) | Prev.: 26
You lost to the Thunder. At home. - 29. Thunder (2-16) | Prev.: 30
Their second win of the season (and their new coach moving Kevin Durant to the forward spot) gets 'em out of the cellar. - 30. Warriors (5-13) | Prev.: 24
I'm sorry, but this team is a complete abomination. The no defense and no conscience offense is mildly amusing, but it's mostly just really bad basketball. See also: the Knicks game.
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