NBA Power Rankings: Loosey Goosey Cavs Back on Top

The Cavaliers are back on top of the Rankings this week, goosenecking their way to 10 wins in their last 11 games. The fact that Cleveland has been able to consistently string together wins despite a fairly inconsistent lineup, it's no wonder that chemistry-wise, the Cavs are the loosest bunch in the league, and are right where they need to be as the postseason approaches.

As for everyone else? Read on to see where your favorites landed this week.

1. Cavaliers (53-15) | Prev.: 3

Share Cleveland has won 10 of its last 11, and the only loss was one that is completely excusable. It came on the road against the similarly red hot Milwaukee Bucks, in a game where LeBron James sat out to rest a tender ankle. If that's not rolling, then I don't know what is. -- BP
2. Lakers (50-18) | Prev.: 4
Beating the Suns, Warriors and Kings by an average of five points doesn't scream success, but three road wins are three road wins, especially given the recent troubles L.A. had in the Southeast. The Andrew Bynum-Pau Gasol combo was simply incredible in the Golden State-Sacramento back-to-back: 45 points on 16-24 shooting with 23 rebounds against the Warriors, 49 points on 21-28 shooting with 24 rebounds against the Kings. Who needs Kobe when your big men play like that? -- Tom Ziller
3. Magic (47-21) | Prev.: 2
After leaving him on ice for much of the season, the Magic have thawed out Brandon Bass, knowing they will need his muscle around the basket at playoff time, leaving Ryan Anderson out of the rotation. The chances of them beating Cleveland, though, will be tied more to getting Rashard Lewis back in the groove. -- Tim Povtak

4. Mavericks (45-22) | Prev.: 1
See, that's why you don't beat a team by 50. Because the Basketball Gods have respect for the natural balance in this world. Maybe next time you and your precious winning streak will respect that balance, Dallas. P.S. Have fun annihilating everything except L.A. in the playoffs. -- Matt Moore

5. Nuggets (46-22) | Prev.: 7
Apparently Carmelo Anthony doesn't want to surrender the scoring crown to LeBron James or Kevin Durant. The Nuggets All-Star is coming off a 45-point performance against a typically pesky Houston team, a game in which Denver lost on the road. That is the key right there. Denver is just 17-17 away from the Pepsi Center, but an astounding 28-4 at home. They sit four games behind L.A. for home-court advantage out west, which may prove to be the difference if they hope to dethrone the champs. -- Jordan Schultz

6. Thunder (41-24) | Prev.: 8
You can't call them a fluke at this point. Coming off an impressive win over the Jazz Sunday, the Thunder sit just three games back of Denver in the division. The dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook lead this uber-talented starting five into the playoffs, a unit that averages out to be a mere 23 years old. -- JS

7. Hawks (43-23) | Prev.: 13
They didn't need Joe Johnson to beat the Nets Tuesday – he was out with a sprained ankle – but they didn't want to mess with sixth-man Jamal Crawford, so they just used two points guards together, giving rookie Jeff Teague his first start. Probably could have started five point guards and still beat the hapless Nets. -- TP

8. Suns (42-26) | Prev.: 6
With 14 games left and sitting at 42 wins, Phoenix has a great chance to hit 50 wins for the fifth time in six seasons. More efforts like the 152-114 win over Minnesota Tuesday will help. As for postseason positioning, one could argue the Suns would benefit most from grabbing the No. 4 seed: Phoenix is the only Western Conference playoff team with a sub-.500 road record. As of March 17, Phoenix is 1-1/2 games behind Utah for No. 4, with Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the hunt too. -- TZ

9. Bucks (36-29) | Prev.: 9
Now 12-1 since the midseason trade for scorer John Salmons, there's no question that the Bucks have firmly entrenched themselves in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Now, the question becomes, can they do any damage once they get there? If they end up facing the Celtics in the first round, as a certain player on Boston's roster famously once noted, "anything is possible." -- BP

10. Jazz (43-24) | Prev.: 5
The Jazz looked unbeatable two weeks ago, but let's be honest, this is not a contender. Deron Williams is fantastic, but without another wing who can create off the bounce and pressure defenders, this will always be just a good team. The long range barrages of Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver won't be enough come playoff time, and unless Carlos Boozer figures out how to play against length, this is another year of one-and-done for Jerry Sloan's club. -- JS

11. Spurs (40-25) | Prev.: 11
From now until the playoffs, they're on the road more than the Grateful Dea... no. More than Phi.... no. Crap. I need a a jam band that's constantly touring, preferably one devoid of any defining characteristics. ... Dave Matthews Band! There we go! Anyway, Spurs are playing better but if they hit the skids, they're going to be staring down the Lakers in round one. Or worse. -- MM
12. Blazers (41-28) | Prev.: 14
The Blazers have been noticeably improved of late. Brandon Roy is a legitimate top 10 player who is playing his best basketball of the season, averaging 27 points on 57 percent shooting over his last four games. With a healthy Marcus Camby and LaMarcus Aldridge anchoring the middle, this team could up-seat anybody out west. -- JS
13. Celtics (42-24) | Prev.: 10
Just about ready to flip that switch. Yep. Any second now. Juuust waiting for the time to be right. Nope, time wasn't right against the Magic. Nope, not against the Cavs either. Any second. Here we go. Flip that switch. Right around the corner. Just bored. Nope, not old and out-talented. Not at all. Juuuuust waiting. Here we go. A-NY TI-IME. -- MM

14. Rockets (34-31) | Prev.: 16
Attention citizens! We have a mad Luis Scola on the loose! If there is any way you can get out of the path of this destructive force of nature, please do so. Also, if you can tell him to cut his damn hippie hair, do that, too. -- MM

15. Grizzlies (36-32) | Prev.: 15
The collapse against Denver wasn't so much a ditty, as a long, drawn-out opera in nine parts. And in the end instead of the fat lady singing, J.R. Smith nailed another three and then made a graphic motion. They would have repeated the same collapse against the Bulls, but the Bulls started the game with just one of their starters available due to injury and suspension. The Grizz almost blew a 20 point lead to a team that started Acie Law. The fourth. IV. My playoff hopes are not on solid ground. -- MM

16. Bobcats (34-32) | Prev.: 17
Dubbed "Team Erratic,'' by the Charlotte Observer, the 'Cats did it again this week. They win in Orlando, then lose in Indiana. It was a lot like last month when they lost to the Nets, then beat the Cavs a couple days later. This is a team that could cause a few headaches at playoff time against the No. 2 or 3 seed. -- TP

17. Heat (35-33) | Prev.: 12
The Heat certainly didn't look like they had much interest in the playoffs Tuesday night when they were home against San Antonio and scored 14 points in the first period. It's becoming more obvious now that unless Dwyane Wade can convince another star to join him there this summer, he's not sticking around. -- TP

18. Hornets (33-35) | Prev.: 19
Just one of those years, New Orleans. Better luck next year. Or next decade when your ancient decrepit wings' contracts finally expire. -- MM

19. Raptors (32-33) | Prev.: 18
I'm sure if the Raptors make the playoffs, they won't be the worst defense to ever play in the playoffs. I mean, there were some really high scoring teams in the 70's and 80's. They're probably just the second or third worst defense to make the playoffs. So that's something to hang their hat on. In unrelated news, Chris Bosh is a free agent this summer. But I'm sure you knew that already. -- MM

20. Knicks (24-43) | Prev.: 21
New York's not terrible, and they don't have to be terrible for the next five years. That's progress. The Walsh way. -- MM

21. Kings (23-45) | Prev.: 25
If you're looking for a great sign of progress for Kings, look no further than ARCO Arena. After going just 11-30 at home last season, the Kings are now 17-17 in Sacramento in 2009-10. Re-establishing home court advantage has been a major goal for Paul Westphal. Winning more frequently on the road -- where these Kings are just 6-28 -- is the next step. (And how about Tyreke Evans? He's averaging 21-10-8 over his last four games.) -- TZ

22. Pacers (22-45) | Prev.: 23
When Danny Granger and Troy Murphy combine for 42 points, 21 rebounds, and seven assists -- as they did in Tuesday night's game against the Bobcats -- I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Pacers are going to be in that ballgame. Especially against a Charlotte team that was playing without Gerald Wallace, and has a reputation for playing up (or in this case, down) to its level of competition. -- BP

23. Pistons (23-45) | Prev.: 22
Playing at home against the Cavs on Tuesday, and coming off of a road game the night before in Boston where they lost by 26, no one expected much from the Pistons. But Detroit battled for most of the night, and even took a one-point lead into the fourth before Cleveland finished them off with a 9-0 run over the game's final two minutes. -- BP

24. Sixers (23-44) | Prev.: 24
They lost to a Heat team that sat Dwyane Wade and who were without Michael Beasley and Jermaine O'Neal. They didn't even make it competitive. Don't try and tell me the Nets are the worst team in the league. -- MM

25. Bulls (31-35) | Prev.: 20
Chicago has been in a tail spin after a recent rash of injuries, and has lost eight in a row. The team now finds itself a game and a half behind the Raptors for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. There's still technically time to get back in the playoff picture, especially when the Raptors (who are absolutely terrible defensively) are the ones you're chasing. But either way, this isn't how things were supposed to end in Chicago this season -- BP

26. Clippers (25-43) | Prev.: 27
The freefall continues in L.A., with eight straight defeats for the post-Dunleavy Clippers. Given the way L.A. has played, it's actually conceivable that the team could lose out this season, with home games against the Kings, Warriors (twice) and Knicks the Clippers best chances for wins. Think that sounds bold? Consider that over the 8-game skid the Clippers have lost by an average of 18.5 points. -- TZ

27. Wizards (21-45) | Prev.: 26
It's more fun watching Gilbert Arenas try to rebuild his reputation with articles like the one in Esquire Magazine, where he talked about jumping into the hot tub with Javaris Crittenton to settle their differences. And he didn't bring the gun that time. On the court, it's Alonzo Gee, the D-League call up who dominates the talk now. -- TP

28. Warriors (18-48) | Prev.: 28
Saturday's home victory got Don Nelson one win closer to his coveted record, but close losses to Portland and the Lakers don't help here (as much as they might for the team's spirit). For those counting, that leaves six wins to go for Nelson. Stephen Curry continues to impress, shredding the Lakers backcourt on Monday for 29 points on 11-19 shooting with nine assists. -- TZ

29. Timberwolves (14-54) | Prev.: 29
Minnesota continues to plummet, having lost 16 of 17 without any sign of life. But don't worry Wolves fans, John Wall or Evan Turner are inching closer with every loss. The one positive is that Al Jefferson is fully back. The big man is averaging 22 points and 10.5 rebounds over his last five games, and looking every bit the front-court monster he was a season ago. -- JS

30. Nets (7-60) | Prev.: 30
I implore you, I bet you, I politely request that if you get a chance, watch the Nets. They're really not that bad. Bad? Yes. Terrible? Absolutely? Certainly. But not historically bad. They have talent and they have effort. They just don't have any of the other 9,000 things it takes to win 10 NBA games. -- MM