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After the first full week of action following the All-Star break, four of the five elite teams in the league suffered at least one loss. The team that didn't -- the Chicago Bulls -- leads this week's SBNation.com NBA Power Rankings.
Further down the docket, the Boston Celtics rise up, the Philadelphia 76ers continue to flutter downward and the Charlotte Bobcats remain a crime against basketball.
All records are current through Sunday's action.
| Rank | Team | Record | Last Week | SB Nation Blog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chicago Bulls | 31-8 | W: NO, SA, CLE, PHI | Blog-a-Bull |
| The Bulls were the only elite team without a loss (or two) in the post-All-Star ramp-up. The closest call came Sunday against the 76ers, but Derrick Rose was simply too much. Derrick Rose is simply too much. | ||||
| 2. | Oklahoma City Thunder | 29-8 | W: PHI, ORL; L: ATL | Welcome To Loud City |
| The Thunder's loss came to Atlanta as OKC's offense had a rough night thanks largely to turnovers (21), a repeat problem. But you can't blame Russell Westbrook, he only had two! | ||||
| 3. | Miami Heat | 28-9 | W: POR; L: UTA, LAL | Peninsula Is Mightier |
| I'm not sure really sure what was wrong with Dwyane Wade in the fourth quarter against the Lakers on Sunday, but if I've learned anything from children's books, it's that he might have a thorn in his paw or perhaps a pea under one of his many mattresses. | ||||
| 4. | San Antonio Spurs | 25-12 | W: CHA; L: CHI, DEN | Pounding The Rock |
| A Friday matchup with the Clippers -- with Manu Ginobili back on the court -- could tell us a lot about the Spurs' chances in April, May and (gulp) June. Or one of the teams could no-show, a concept foreign to neither club, and it could just be another regular season game. LOCKOUT SEASON! | ||||
| 5. | L.A. Clippers | 22-13 | W: SAC, HOU; L: MIN, PHX | Clips Nation |
| For every dispiriting, ugly loss like the Suns' game -- they scored 78 points ... on the Suns! -- L.A. finishes something like the Houston game on Sunday and makes you believe. I can't find a playoff matchup for the Clippers that wouldn't be awesome to watch. (Donald Sterling is still scum.) | ||||
| 6. | L.A. Lakers | 23-14 | W: MIN, SAC, MIA | Silver Screen And Roll |
| That wasn't a typo in the Chicago entry: The Bulls were the only elite team without a loss this week. The Lakers have eight road games this month. Let's see how they do away from STAPLES Center. | ||||
| 7. | Indiana Pacers | 23-12 | W: GS, NO | Indy Cornrows |
| This is going to be just a brutal two weeks for Indiana, with games against the Bulls, Heat, Magic, Clippers, Sixers and Knicks (twice). The dangerous if flagging Blazers represent the easiest foe on the docket. Yikes. | ||||
| 8. | Memphis Grizzlies | 22-15 | W: DAL, TOR, DET | Straight Outta Vancouver |
| So what odds can I get on Memphis making the Finals right now? | ||||
| 9. | Orlando Magic | 24-14 | W: WAS, MIL; L: OKC | Orlando Pinstriped Post |
| If Orlando wants to make the playoffs despite trading Dwight Howard, holding onto the center until the very last minute might be worth it. The four games leading up to March 15: at Chicago, vs. Indiana, vs. Miami, at San Antonio. | ||||
| 10. | Denver Nuggets | 21-17 | W: POR, HOU, SA | Denver Stiffs |
| The Nuggets had a brutal week on the schedule coming out of All-Star ... and aced it. Kings, Cavs and Hornets this week looks much easier. Let's go streaking. | ||||
| 11. | Dallas Mavericks | 22-16 | W: UTA; L: NJ, MEM, NO | Mavs Moneyball |
| Saturday's win over Utah was certainly much-needed, but the continued confusion about what the heck happened with Lamar Odom remains at front of mind. The amateur psychology going on here is astounding. | ||||
| 12. | Houston Rockets | 21-17 | W: TOR; L: UTA, DEN, LAC | The Dream Shake |
| Unfortunately, Houston met a tough stretch coming out of All-Star ... and didn't get Ws. But overall, the Rockets' schedule to run out the season is favorable. They'll have a chance to cinch up a playoff berth if they can close some games out. | ||||
| 13. | Boston Celtics | 19-17 | W: CLE, MIL, NJ, NY | CelticsBlog |
| The opponents didn't exactly constitute a murderer's row, but Boston got the job done this week. They will be studying Rajon Rondo's Sunday triple-double in Ancient Civ classes in the future. | ||||
| 14. | Atlanta Hawks | 22-15 | W: MIL, OKC; L: GS | Peachtree Hoops |
| Barring another major injury or some shake-up trades in the ATL, the Hawks aren't going to get caught by the Knicks, and maybe not the Celtics, either. Given the outlook when Al Horford went down, that's some kind of minor miracle. | ||||
| 15. | Philadelphia 76ers | 22-16 | W: DET, GS; L: OKC, CHI | Liberty Ballers |
| It's hard to find too much fault in losing to the Bulls and Thunder, but Philadelphia isn't convincing anyone it can beat teams of that caliber in the playoffs. It shouldn't need to in the first round on account of leading the Atlantic, but fans had higher hopes than "second-round knockout" when Philly got off to that blazing start. | ||||
| 16. | New York Knicks | 18-19 | W: CLE; L: BOS | Posting And Toasting |
| You know, for all of the hubbub of Melo's supposed failure and Lin's supposed salvation, the Knicks are exactly where they were a year ago. | ||||
| 17. | Minnesota Timberwolves | 19-19 | W: POR, LAC; L: LAL, PHX | Canis Hoopus |
| The Wolves remain in the playoff mix, and it's beginning to look as if they'll stick there for the long haul, thanks to Portland's collapse and the Rockets' missteps. Another talent addition could really help their case, though. | ||||
| 18. | Utah Jazz | 17-19 | W: HOU, MIA; L: SAC, DAL | SLC Dunk |
| Beating Miami is always huge, but that win over Houston was an especially important one, as it pulled the Rockets back down toward the No. 8 seed as Utah makes its assault. | ||||
| 19. | Portland Trail Blazers | 18-19 | L: DEN, MIA, MIN | Blazer's Edge |
| Portland's fall from grace has flipped to soap opera mode, with players calling out other unnamed players and Nate McMillan cleaning up his resumé. This is all Rasheed's fault, somehow. | ||||
| 20. | Phoenix Suns | 17-20 | W: MIN, LAC, SAC | Bright Side of the Sun |
| Phoenix couldn't possibly make the playoffs ... right? The fact that I have to add them in future iterations of a West playoff race is more than I expected, so kudos, Phoenix! | ||||
| 21. | Cleveland Cavaliers | 13-22 | L: BOS, NY, CHI, WAS | Fear The Sword |
| Here lay the 2011-12 Cleveland Cavaliers, who were surprisingly OK for two months but are dropping games to the Washington Wizards. | ||||
| 22. | Milwaukee Bucks | 14-23 | W: WAS; L: BOS, ATL, ORL | BrewHoop |
| Boston's resurgence pretty much ends the Bucks' playoff quest for this season. What a drag this team has become since the John Salmons-fueled playoff run. John Salmons ruins everything. Everything. | ||||
| 23. | Toronto Raptors | 12-25 | W: NO, GS; L: HOU, MEM | Raptors HQ |
| The Raptors might become the next League Pass cult favorite, provided that Jonas Valanciunas arrives in style. Linas Kleiza will never let us forget that Linas Kleiza is Linas Kleiza. | ||||
| 24. | Golden State Warriors | 14-20 | W: ATL; L: IND, PHI, TOR | Golden State of Mind |
| The Warriors remain now and forevermore the best bad team in the NBA. | ||||
| 25. | Detroit Pistons | 12-26 | W: CHA; L: PHI, MEM | Detroit Bad Boys |
| Detroit's having one of those seasons that gives the fans high hopes heading into next year. But without a major gamechanger in the draft or serious shake-up trades/free agent acquisitions, this club is far, far away from good. | ||||
| 26. | New Jersey Nets | 12-26 | W: CHA, DAL; L: BOS | Nets Daily |
| The only thing more amazing than Deron Williams' 57 points on Sunday: The Nets only barely beat the Bobcats. | ||||
| 27. | New Orleans Hornets | 9-28 | W: DAL; L: CHI, TOR, IND | At The Hive |
| Chris Kaman is playing as well as he has in a couple years, ironically lifting his "trade value" and making it ... more difficult to trade him! Amazing. | ||||
| 28. | Sacramento Kings | 12-25 | W: UTA; L: LAC, LAL, PHX | Sactown Royalty |
| Every game is a win right now, you guys. Here we stayed! | ||||
| 29. | Washington Wizards | 8-28 | W: CLE; L: MIL, ORL | Bullets Forever |
| The most cruel thing Randy Wittman can do now is make it seem as though he's having a positive impact on this sad club. | ||||
| 30. | Charlotte Bobcats | 4-31 | L: DET, SA, NJ | Rufus On Fire |
| Pray for Cardboard Gerald. | ||||