NBA Power Rankings: Kobe's Back, and So Are the Lakers

After a five game absence in which his Lakers went 4-1, Kobe Bryant returned to the team for a memorable performance against the Grizzlies. Bryant scored his team's last nine points, and hit a long three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left to give his team to victory; the shot was his (somewhat ridiculous, league-leading) fifth game-winner this season.

The quality of the Lakers recent play -- with and without Kobe -- has them back on top of this week's rankings. As for everyone else? Read on to see where your favorites landed this week.

1. Lakers (43-14) | Prev.: 3
"Kobe for the win" is getting old ... for everyone other than Lakers fans. Bryant did it again to beat Memphis Tuesday, keeping his team within a game of the league's best record. As we get closer and closer to the stretch run, and with the Lakers' top Western seed virtually guaranteed (barring a malaria outbreak at Staples), it will be interesting to see whether Phil Jackson focuses on resting the troops in advance of the postseason march or battling Cleveland for prospective NBA Finals home court advantage. L.A.'s last two Finals appearances were finished in six and five games respectively, but it's worth noting that the team with HCA won the series in each case. -- Tom Ziller
2. Mavericks (36-21) | Prev.: 10
Brendan Haywood seems like pretty natural fit, and timely too, considering Dampier's absence. Butler is starting to mesh. While the results haven't been overwhelming, if you're watching this team closely you know that they're clicking right now, and have another two months to hit their stride. Looking more and more like a lock for homecourt in the first round at least. -- Matt Moore
3. Magic (38-19) | Prev.: 5
From a sitting position after practice Tuesday, Vince Carter made an 87-foot shot, which could help the Magic win a championship if contenders were required to win a game of H.O.R.S.E. That shot kind of accentuated Carter's reluctance to drive to the basket anymore. -- Tim Povtak
4. Nuggets (37-19) | Prev.: 4
As has been the case for Denver all season, they haven't had problems beating the league's elite teams. In two of their last three outings, they've posted impressive wins over the Cavaliers and the Celtics. But perhaps the perceived lack of respect comes from games like the one in between: a 10-point loss to the lowly Washington Wizards. -- BP

5. Cavaliers (44-14) | Prev.: 1
Cleveland was 0-3 immediately following the deal that sent Zydrunas Ilgauskas away in exchange for Antawn Jamison. But Jamison has looked better playing with the starting unit since the second half of the game against the magic, and the team got back in the win column on Tuesday. Besides, everyone expects Z to be bought out by the Wizards and return to the Cavs in time for the playoffs, so the Jamison addition will likely be one that cost the team zero from a legitimate personnel standpoint. -- BP

6. Celtics (36-19) | Prev.: 9
For a team that was considering trading Ray Allen, I bet Boston is glad that they didn't. Allen has led the Celtics in scoring in each of the last four games, and with Paul Pierce sidelined indefinitely with a thumb injury, the club that leads the league in defense is going to have to get their offense from somewhere. -- BP

7. Suns (35-23) | Prev.: 7
For so long it looked like Amar'e Stoudemire would be traded and the Suns would again miss the playoffs despite a winning record. Now? No chance on either front, it seems. Phoenix sits in fifth position in the West, some 4-1/2 games ahead of the Hornets in ninth and 5-1/2 games ahead of 10th-place Houston. San Antonio and Portland sit in greater danger right now, especially when you factor injury concerns after a Nash-less Phoenix beat Oklahoma City Tuesday. -- TZ

8. Thunder (33-22) | Prev.: 6
Kevin Durant's streak of consecutive games where he's scored at least 25 points reached 29 on Wednesday, but it wasn't enough to get the Thunder their 10th straight win. OKC has impressed, though, and barring a serious slide, the team is poised to make a run into the playoffs -- which is something almost no one predicted before the season began. -- BP

9. Jazz (36-20) | Prev.: 2
Deron Williams went on record as not being happy with the deadline-deal that sent role-player Ronnie Brewer out of town in exchange for little more than luxury tax savings. It's a tricky situation for the team, because they don't want to needlessly pay for players they feel they can get by without. But they also don't want to be perceived as cutting costs at the expense of winning, especially by their star player who can become a free agent in 2012 if he so desires. -- BP

10. Raptors (31-24) | Prev.: 11
Toronto is 10-2 in its last 12 games, and after a rough start to the season, finds itself just four games behind the Hawks for the number four spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They're doing it with offense, and are currently tied with Denver for second in the league in the efficiency category, putting up 109.1 points per 100 possessions. -- BP

11. Hawks (35-20) | Prev.: 8
This is the team that really should make a run at Zydrunas Ilgauskas when he gets his buyout from Washington. They are a better-center away from being able to seriously challenge Orlando and Cleveland in the East. And Z really could stick it to the Cavs for using him as a pawn to get Antawn Jamison. -- TP

12. Blazers (33-26) | Prev.: 13
Portland's injury woes just won't die. After attempting to plug the gaping hole in their front line by acquiring Marcus Camby at the trade deadline, Camby went down with an ankle injury. It's not expected to keep him out long, but for a team desperately trying to hold on to their position in one of the West's eight playoff slots, it's definitely going to be a setback. -- BP

13. Bucks (27-28) | Prev.: 21
Why, Milwaukee? What are you doing here? Oh, I see. You're surging! A record of 9-3 in your last 12 games has you tied with Charlotte for the eighth playoff spot in the East, with the next closest team five and a half games back. The John Salmons acquisition has been a positive one so far, as you're a perfect 3-0 since he's joined the team. -- BP

14. Bulls (29-27) | Prev.: 12
Taj Gibson is averaging over 14 points and 10 rebounds in his last three games, a marked improvement in his overall production since Tyrus Thomas was traded at the deadline. Newcomers Hakim Warrick and Flip Murray have provided some instant scoring off the bench, and the Bulls appeared to have improved themselves with their mid-season trades ... despite the team's loss to the Wizards, which snapped Chicago's four-game winning streak. -- BP

15. Spurs (31-23) | Prev.: 14
The once mightiest team in the league lost to the Pistons in overtime, and it was not a fluke. They failed to make any moves at the deadline despite uninspiring play, long expensive contracts, and general malaise. The question is quickly not becoming where they'll be in the playoffs, but if. -- MM

16. Hornets (30-27) | Prev.: 16
Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton are essentially locking up the fact that the Hornets out-drafted everyone in 2009, despite not getting a top pick in the slightest. Collison is bouncing along near-triple-doubles, and Thornton has become instant offense, or as the fans call him, "Buckets." It's unlikely that a roster with this many older, inefficient players can make a serious playoff run, but at this point they have to be considered at least in a tie for who ends up with the 7th and 8th spots. -- MM

17. Heat (29-29) | Prev.: 20
The absence of Dwyane Wade, out with a strained left calf, really exposed his supporting cast the other night when they lost at home to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves. It only emphasized the need for the Heat to hit the jackpot this summer with another star free agent, or Wade will be one unhappy camper. -- TP

18. Rockets (28-27) | Prev.: 17
The acquisition of Kevin Martin has not gotten off to a raucous start. The Rockets are running out of fuel (sorry), and you can tell they're having a hard time maintaining commitment on the defensive end. With Trevor Ariza out a few games, you have to wonder if they're going to fall into a hole they'll be unable to climb out of before April arrives. -- MM

19. Grizzlies (28-28) | Prev.: 18
There's bad news and there's good news. The bad news is that the Grizzlies have now lost 9 of their last 12, are watching the playoffs disappear beyond the horizon, and they're one bench acquisition that was supposed to make a difference, Ronnie Brewer, went down with a hamstring tear and is out for multiple weeks. The good news is that the Grizzlies are still competitive, and that's still more than anyone expected at the start of this season. If only that #2 overall pick had garnered anything useful. -- MM

20. Bobcats (27-28) | Prev.: 19
Back from his first All-Star Game, Gerald Wallace played like an All-Star this week against the Clippers (32 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists), but nobody else did. Maybe Larry Brown can do what Scott Skiles and Vinny Del Negro could not do in Chicago, which is get some real production out of Tyrus Thomas. -- TP

21. Sixers (22-34) | Prev.: 15
The loss of Allen Iverson for personal reasons -- he's left the team to deal with an illness involving his young daughter -- hasn't slowed the Sixers. The team is 5-1 in the six games without Iverson. -- BP

22. Pistons (21-35) | Prev.: 23
After a five-game losing streak, the Pistons are 6-4 over their last 10 games. Not amazing, but for a team that has struggled to find some measure of consistency all year, it's definitely nice. Rip Hamilton seems to be back to 100 percent health-wise, as he's averaged 30.5 points per game over his last four. -- BP

23. Clippers (23-33) | Prev.: 22
The Marcus Camby trade was supposed to signal the commencement of the tanking schedule for the Clips. Instead, the acquisition of Steve Blake to go with an injury to Baron Davis (quel surprise) helped get L.A. two straight wins. Davis is famously erractic, while Blake is steady-as-she-goes ... and a far, far better shooter. It's working out so far, though the return of Davis and the basic algebra of L.A.'s inferior talent base 1-to-15 will matter more than the shake-up in the long run. In other words, 35 wins would be a Kim Hughes masterpiece. -- TZ

24. Wizards (20-34) | Prev.: 25
Amazingly, the Wizards haven't been as terrible as they should be, since dealing Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and Antawn Jamison out of town for mostly spare parts. Maybe the veterans didn't have the energy to play through what's been a disappointing season, or maybe the young guys that are now seeing time are better than we thought. But either way, Washington has been much more watchable in its last three games than it has been for the majority of the season. -- BP

25. Pacers (19-37) | Prev.: 24
The Pacers are just bad, and there's really not much hope of improvement anytime soon. The one reason to watch them was Danny Granger, but he's left the team to deal with a personal situation, and the timetable for his return is unknown. -- BP

26. Knicks (19-32) | Prev.: 22
New York has lost eight straight, and any excitement brought on by the addition of Tracy McGrady seems to have been short-lived. After a stellar debut, McGrady hobbled through his next game, before playing through some soreness in his knee while putting up just six points in 27 minutes during a loss to the Celtics. If there's a bright side, at least Nate Robinson didn't torch New York in his debut with Boston -- he managed just four points in 16 minutes off the bench. -- BP

27. Warriors (16-40) | Prev.: 28
It's all about three things for Golden State right now: Don Nelson chasing the record for wins by a coach, Stephen Curry chasing Tyreke Evans in Rookie of the Year balloting, and Andris Biedrins trying to avoid the worst free throw shooting season in NBA history. Golden State needs to go 8-18 the rest of the way for Nelson to cross the threshold -- the team's won eight of it last 27 games, so it'll be close indeed. As for Curry or Biedrins? That's up to fate, y'all. -- TZ

28. Kings (18-39) | Prev.: 27
Things have gone to pot in Sacramento, and Brad Miller hasn't even been traded back! The Kevin Martin trade precipitated sniping from Paul Westphal and Martin in equal doses. Westphal's own wildly erratic rotations has begun stoking locker room flames, with the latest result an inactive listing for Spencer Hawes when the young buck agreed with vet Sean May's assessment that everyone is confused about when they'll play, and why they get jerked around the line-up. Westphal complicated matters by acting a touch childish in mocking Hawes publicly. Didn't he pay attention to Eric Musselman and Reggie Theus and Kenny Natt lose the locker room? Apparently not. -- TZ

29. Timberwolves (14-44) | Prev.: 29
After dropping six straight, picked up a road win in Miami over the Heat. The fact that Dwyane Wade sat this one out with an injury doesn't matter; when you've won just 11 times on the season, you'll take a win any way it comes. -- BP

30. Nets (5-52) | Prev.: 30
Still historically bad, even when the team gets off to a good start. After taking a 16-point lead to end the first quarter against Memphis, the Nets fell apart late and ended up losing the game by 10. But hey, they did beat the Bobcats last week, and miraculously, it was the second time they've been able to victimize Charlotte this season. -- BP