NBA Bloggers Power Rankings Week 8: Where (gulp) The Knicks Are on Fire, And The Lakers Win Again

1

Los Angeles Lakers (6) (22 - 4)

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SBN Blog: Silver Screen and Roll

Peninsula is Mightier, "I'd be shocked if they get knocked off the #1 spot at all this season...they're THAT good."

2

Boston Celtics (21 - 5)

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SBN Blog: CelticsBlog

CelticsBlog, "Boston's loss to Philadelphia on Friday ruined a perfectly good 11-game win streak and they miss out on the top spot because of it.

3

Orlando Magic (21 - 7)

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SBN Blog: Orlando Pinstriped Post

CelticsBlog, "At 20-7 the Magic will be looking over their shoulder all season at the now mature and arguably poised Atlanta Hawks. However, Orlando is the only team in the league with double digit wins at home and on the road. That balance could keep them at the top of the Southeast division. "

4

Dallas Mavericks (20 - 8)

↑2

SBN Blog: Mavs Moneyball

Clips Nation, "Even without Dirk the Mavs beat the Cavs.  Dallas is the good team that no one is talking about."

5

Cleveland Cavaliers (21 - 8)

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SBN Blog: Fear The Sword

Clips Nation, "I love what Jamario Moon gives them, Anthony Parker is hitting 50% from three - so why aren't they better than last year?  Maybe one of their off-season acquisitions isn't really working out.  I wonder…"

6

Denver Nuggets (19 - 9)

↑1

SBN Blog: Denver Stiffs

The Dream Shake, "Almost impossible to beat at home these days."

7

Phoenix Suns (18 - 10)

↑1

SBN Blog: Bright Side Of The Sun

Clips Nation, "Don't be fooled by their 4-6 record in their last 10 - losses @CLE, @LAL, @DAL, @DEN and @POR are not unusual - those are 5 of the toughest places to win in the entire league.  One place tougher?  @PHO, where the Suns are still undefeated."

8

Atlanta Hawks (19 - 7)

↓4

SBN Blog: Peachtree Hoops

CelticsBlog, "They're young, yet mature. They're fast, yet poised. They have a lethal nucleus, a coach who seems to finally have control over everyone (including Josh Smith) and a star ready for the spotlight in Joe Johnson.

9

Portland Trail Blazers (17 - 12)

↑3

SBN Blog: Blazersedge

SLC Dunk, "And I thought the Jazz had the injury bug last season.  That was just a case of the sniffles in comparison to what Portland has gone through.  Oh, and Brandon Roy is having an MRI."

10

San Antonio Spurs (15 - 10)

↓1

SBN Blog: Pounding The Rock

The Dream Shake, "In case you've forgotten, the Spurs have consistently started rough in past years.  They can't truly be evaluated until March or April."

11

Houston Rockets (16 - 11)

↑2

SBN Blog: The Dream Shake

The Dream Shake, "The Rockets are winning all the games that they weren't expected to win.  They're 6-1 on the back end of back-to-backs, and have the second-best road record in the West."

12

Utah Jazz (16 - 12)

↓2

SBN Blog: SLC Dunk

Clips Nation, "With a 5-8 road record, there are still issues for the Jazz."  [Ed. Note:  Issues at 5-8 on the road?  I'm ecstatic compared to previous years.  .500, here we come!]

13

Miami Heat (13 - 12)

↑2

SBN Blog: Peninsula is Mightier

Clips Nation, "What's wrong with South Beach?  The Heat are the only team in the league with a better road record than home record.  I thought those visiting players were supposed to be tired from clubbing all night."

14

Oklahoma City Thunder (13 - 13)

↓3

SBN Blog: Welcome to Loud City

SLC Dunk, "Rough week and a half for the Thunder.  They're 1 for their last six having just gone through a gauntlet of @LAL, @HOU, DET, DAL, @DEN, and CLE."

15

Milwaukee Bucks (12 - 14)

↑2

SBN Blog: Brew Hoop

Clips Nation, "Reverting to the mean.  The NBA is a lot tougher when the opposition starts game planning, eh Brandon?  Jennings is shooting around 35% in his last 14 games."

16

New Orleans Hornets (12 - 14)

↑3

SBN Blog: At The Hive

Clips Nation, "After making 22 of his first 34 threes this season, Chris Paul is 2 for is last 15.  It's only fair - if he's deadly from beyond the arc, he's whole new level of unguardable.  Still, the Hornets have a better record this seaosn without him than with him, which remains one of the great mysteries of the young season."

17

Sacramento Kings (13 - 14)

↑1

SBN Blog: Sactown Royalty

The Dream Shake, "My second-favorite team.  Seriously, they are oodles of fun to watch.  And yes, that's how comfortable I am with this team... I said "oodles", in my support of them."

18

Memphis Grizzlies (12 - 15)

↑2

SBN Blog: Straight Outta Vancouver

Clips Nation, "6-3 in their last 9, including wins over Dallas, Cleveland and Denver.  These guys are dangerous."

19

Toronto Raptors (13 - 17)

↑2

SBN Blog: Raptors HQ

20

Detroit Pistons (11 - 16)

↓6

SBN Blog: Motown String Music

Clips Nation, "Jonas Jerebko is the greatest Swedish basketball player in history.  Seriously.  I'm not kidding."

21

Los Angeles Clippers (12 - 15)

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SBN Blog: Clips Nation

Clips Nation, "Winners of three of their last four, it would have been four straight had they not blown a 20 point lead in New York.  But the schedule gets tougher now."

22

Charlotte Bobcats (10 - 16)

↓6

SBN Blog: Rufus on Fire

Blog a Bull, "Even if predictable, Larry Brown not playing rookie Gerald Henderson still sucks."

23

New York Knicks (10 - 17)

↓1

SBN Blog: Posting and Toasting

SLC Dunk, "Please stop winning.  The Jazz need a good pick.  Thank you."

24

Chicago Bulls (10 - 16)

↑2

SBN Blog: Blog a Bull

Blog a Bull, "A couple wins kept the Bulls out of 'fire their coach just to stop the bleeding' mode. Didn't mean their coach got better." [Ed. Note: This was in before the 35-point choke job]

25

Washington Wizards (8 - 17)

↓1

SBN Blog: Bullets Forever

SLC Dunk, "Time to start the office pool for when the first day of the fire sale begins."

26

Indiana Pacers (9 - 17)

↓1

SBN Blog: Indy Cornrows

SLC Dunk, "If you're in the east, you're never out of it. Pacers are trying to stay afloat while Granger is out, but they're facing a rough schedule until he returns."

27

Philadelphia 76ers (7 - 20)

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SBN Blog: Liberty Ballers

Blog a Bull, "The dangers of having max cap space (Elton Brand), teams should take heed in 2010."

28

Golden State Warriors (7 - 19)

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SBN Blog: Golden State Of Mind

Blog a Bull, "Why trade Anthony Randolph? He'll be in the league longer than Don Nelson."

29

Minnesota Timberwolves (5 - 23)

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SBN Blog: Canis Hoopus

Clips Nation, "They've been much better since Love's been back - but that's not saying much.  The bar was pretty low.  I'm not convinced Jonny Flynn knows what a triangle looks like."

30

New Jersey Nets (2 - 26)

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SBN Blog: Your Blog Here

Blog a Bull, "I always start these at the bottom, much easier to pick the worst team than the best."