30. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last week’s ranking: 29): It didn’t seem possible for things to get worse in Cleveland; but when Mo Williams is your best player and he goes down with an injury, things apparently can. The only conceivable way morale in Cleveland could drop any lower is if they don’t have a top three pick in the draft.
29. Sacramento Kings (30): Improved play from rookie DeMarcus Cousins (21.6 PPG and 10.6 RPG over his last three games) has been the only recent bright spot for these young Kings, who sport a league-worst 7-24 record.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP2dvmEUvJ8
28. New Jersey Nets (25) They’re losers of five in a row, but that’s not surprising considering four of those L’s have come against New Orleans, Orlando, Oklahoma City and Chicago. On the bright side, they seemed to have found a gem in former-Laker Sasha Vujacic, who put up 22 points in New Jersey’s 15 point loss to Minnesota on Saturday.
27. Washington Wizards (27): John Wall is finally back and a return to the small forward position has allowed Rashard Lewis to return to his true form; but this team is too immature and too young to make a splash right now.
26. Minnesota Timberwolves (28): The Timberwolves better enjoy the services of Love and Beasley now, because when they become free agents, you best believe that the T’Wolves will be worse off then they are now – which is almost impossible to believe considering their dismal 9-25 record.
Next: 25-21
25. Toronto Raptors (24): Can it still be considered an upset if the Mavs were playing without Dirk Nowitzki when the Raps knocked off Big D last Tuesday? Yes, but only when one of the worst teams in the league is missing nearly half of its roster.
24. Detroit Pistons (23): The Pistons continue to lack any true identity, and at this point, every player on their roster could be traded. They have great role players, but no true centerpiece to build around.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (26): Could new Head Coach Paul Silas rekindle the fire that this team had last season? A 2-1 record seems to point in that direction, especially since the loss came by only one point.
22. Los Angeles Clippers (21): The talent is undoubtedly there (Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon, Al Farouq-Aminu and DeAndre Jordan), however, the experience is not – and that has been highly visible in the Clips inability to hold onto fourth quarter leads and close out games.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSdIoDDus0I
21. Golden State Warriors (22): They’ve won four of their last six, and Dorrell Wright is finding tremendous success on offense in the Warriors up-tempo style of play, averaging 24.6 PPG on 60 percent shooting over his last five games.
Next: 20-16
20. Philadelphia 76ers (14): A grueling eight-game road trip (which concludes tonight in New Orleans) could have really destroyed this team’s chances and morale; but they have been able to eek out a few wins, keeping them in the playoff hunt. When they are finally at full health, watch out.
19. Indiana Pacers (17): They are struggling to win games and a rough month of December for Hibbert is slowly diminishing his chances of winning Most Improved.
18. Phoenix Suns (18): The Suns can’t seem to buy a win, which is evident in their three losses to the Clippers, Sixers and Kings since Christmas Day. The Suns have a lot to look forward to this week, as they see Kobe on Wednesday and Amaré on Friday.
17. Milwaukee Bucks (19): They’ve faced the league’s toughest schedule so far this season, but apparently it only takes winning 41.9 percent of your games to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
16. Memphis Grizzlies (20): A 19-point road win over the defending champs on Sunday night was probably the best way to get over losing on a buzzer beater from half court for the Grizzlies, who just can’t seem to use their immense talent to pick up wins.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWcO37AmvPY
Next: 15-11
15. Houston Rockets (13): Since starting the season off 0-5 they’ve been able to hover around the .500 mark, but with 10 of their next 12 games against teams with winning records, it will be quite difficult for Houston to maintain their steady level of play.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (16): Brandon Roy might be shelved for the season, but this Blazers team seems to always find a way to persevere through injuries. If LaMarcus Aldridge continues to play at an all-star level (19.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.35 BPG and 1.06 SPG) Portland still has a shot at the playoffs. However, if they falter and miss the playoffs, don’t be surprised to see Head Coach Nate McMillan get the boot.
13. New Orleans Hornets (12): If you didn’t see Trevor Ariza’s smash on Washington’s JaVale McGee, then your missing out on what will probably be the highlight of the Hornets’ season, who continue to struggle after starting out 11-1.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9QoipKoNkk
12. New York Knicks (10): An unfavorable schedule has showed New York that they still have a ways to go before they are among the East’s elite, but with a 4.5 game lead over next place Indiana, Stoudemire and the Knicks don’t have much to worry about – as long as they don’t fall flat in a tough upcoming four-game road trip.
11. Atlanta Hawks (11): Blake Griffin ate up their interior (31 points and 15 rebounds) but a 37-point fourth quarter propelled the Hawks to a solid come-from-behind win.
Next: 10-6
10. Denver Nuggets (15): Carmelo’s back, Billups is playing great basketball and the Nuggets have won three in a row – despite losing key reserve Al Harrington to a dislocated thumb, it seems everything is starting to go right for the Nuggets. Could continuing their solid play keep Melo in Denver, or does he already have his bags packed?
9. Utah Jazz (7): Deron Williams and the Jazz remain the comeback kids of the NBA, picking up their 11th win of the season on Wednesday night, where they erased a double-digit margin against the Clippers.
8. Oklahoma City Thunder (8): They are 23-12, but they have a glaring hole down low. While Serge Ibaka is solid, he can’t shoulder the load himself – this team needs a true anchor in the middle, and I’m pretty sure Nenad Kristic and Nick Collison aren’t capable of providing that on a regular basis.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (5): They appeared to be back on track after winning two in a row, but an embarrassing 19-point loss at home to the Memphis Grizzlies shows that this team is as complacent as ever. A collective mentality that the Lakers “will be fine” signals that this team is in dire need of a reality check.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u92tLc8eHg
6. Orlando Magic (9): The additions of Arenas, Turkoglu and Richardson have given the Magic quite a boost on the offensive end, as they are averaging over 104 PPG with their revamped roster.
Next: 5-1
5. Chicago Bulls (6): While they are in the midst of a seven-game stretch where they only play teams below .500, the Bulls are quietly emerging as a dark horse to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals behind the MVP-quality of budding superstar Derrick Rose.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLHag31gL-0&feature=related
4. Dallas Mavericks (2): : Missing Dirk has unquestionably affected the Mavs, who have lost three of their last four; however, potentially losing Caron Butler for the season might end any chance this team has of landing a top seed or Carmelo Anthony.
3. Miami Heat (3): Although they are in the midst of a soft section in their schedule, the Heat are doing what champions do: playing amazing defense and knocking off inferior opponents with ease. Consecutive 40-plus point outings from Dwyane Wade is simply icing on the cake.
2. Boston Celtics (4): Rondo’s back, but now KG’s out. Do not worry Celtics fans, Glen Davis and Jermaine O’Neal are both very suitable temporary replacements. With their true MVP back on the court, they shouldn’t have a problem winning games, as five of their next seven contests are slated against sub – .500 teams.
1. San Antonio Spurs (1): Despite a tough three-game stretch (Lakers, Mavericks, Thunder), the Spurs are continuing to play excellent basketball. A 27-point blowout of Kevin Durant and the Thunder in San Antonio’s first game of 2011 is only a sign of things to come for this determined Spurs team.