NBA Power Rankings: Lakers, Celtics Keep It Lonely at the Top

NBA Power Rankings: Ours is much more of an emotional look than most. Recent events matter, and long-term projections are (mostly) ignored. After all, no one wants to simply read the Vegas odds for winning the title each week, right?

I try to keep these things interesting by taking a little bit of a different approach to them than most, but the Lakers and Celtics just won't let me mess with the top two spots. After last week's edition saw LeBron and the Cavs ever-so-briefly claim the top spot, L.A. and Boston get back to one-two after beating the tar out of everyone they faced.

There are still 28 other teams though, right? And there's where things begin to get interesting. How far did the Spurs climb? How much did the Pistons drop after that crushing home loss to Minnesota? (Yes, that really happened.) A place for every team, and every team in its place. After the jump, naturally.

• 1. Lakers (12-1) | Prev.: 2
  Despite internal concerns over defense, L.A. leads the league in defensive efficiency, and is capable of turning a two-point halftime lead into a 27-point blowout whenever they want. 19-1 is looking more like a probability than a possibility at this point.
• 2. Celtics (13-2) | Prev.: 3
  Winners of five straight, including a thrashing of the suddenly average Pistons. Oh, and the last three were by about 17 points per game. December 25th can't come fast enough.
• 3. Cavaliers(11-3) | Prev.: 1
  They've only lost one of their last 10, and that was on the road in Detroit (before the Pistons lost their confidence due to getting whopped by the Celtics). Dominated a bad Knicks team to the point where the fans got screwed out of an entire quarter of LeBron. Oh well, there's always 2010.
  
• 4. Rockets (10-5) | Prev.: 6
  Lost to Dallas without Yao Ming, but have won three straight on the road since, including against Dwight Howard and the Magic.
• 5. Magic (10-4) | Prev.: 4
  Still a top tier team in the East, but seeing "Superman" get dominated by Yao Ming wasn't exactly uplifting.
• 6. Nuggets (9-5) | Prev.: 8
  Sure they got absolutely crushed by the Lakers, but that's beside the point. Still looking a lot better overall with Chauncey than they did with AI. Just ask the Pistons about that.
• 7. Suns (10-5) | Prev.: 7
  The team struggles when they rest Shaq, but when they're at full strength (which they are now with Leandro Barbosa back), expect them to only get better as the season rolls on.
• 8. Blazers (9-6) | Prev.: 11
  Winners of three of their last four, there's something to like about this team. It isn't Greg Oden or their recent play on the road, but I'm telling you, there's something.
• 9. Hornets (8-5) | Prev.: 14
  Hey, remember these guys? I predicted a rise in the rankings, and since I compile them, it's easy to be right. Three straight wins over two of the worst teams in the league (OKC twice) has them three games over .500. Big one for some street cred on the schedule tonight in Denver.
• 10. Pistons (8-5) | Prev.: 5
  After a nice win over the Cavs, got crushed in Boston the next night (thanks, schedule makers!). Then lost by 26 at home to freaking Minnesota. That's the type of loss that costs coaches their jobs, you hear me Michael Curry?
• 11. Hawks (8-5) | Prev.: 13
  Put up a record of 2-2 since our last rankings, but seemed to have steadied a bit since losing Josh Smith. Just trying to hang in there until his return, which the team did this week.
• 12. Spurs (8-6) | Prev.: 20
  Won six of their last seven, are just getting Manu Ginobili back, and someone named George Hill led the team in scoring recently. Something tells me when Tony Parker returns, these guys will be in the mix come playoff time as always.
• 13. Jazz (10-6) | Prev.: 9
  Deron Williams returned to the starting lineup last night, and the team managed to win plenty with him on the sidelines. Home heavy schedule slants the record a bit, but these guys are going to be tough to play anywhere with their All-Star point guard back for good.
• 14. Mavericks (7-7) | Prev.: 24
  Don't look now, but after a slow start, these guys have won five straight. A trip to Laker-land on Friday will likely end that streak, but Jason Kidd is fitting in nicely with Dirk and company as of late.
• 15. Nets (7-7) | Prev.: 21
  Devin Harris and Vince Carter have been incredible, and the team has won five of their last seven, only losing to Cleveland and the Lakers.
• 16. Raptors (7-7) | Prev.: 12
  2-2 since our last rankings, including a frustration filled home loss to the Celtics. Back on track last night though, thanks to39 and 11 from Chris Bosh.
• 17. Bulls (7-9) | Prev.: 16
  They get this spot over the next two teams, solely on the play of Derrick Rose and their gritty road win in Utah.
• 18. Pacers (6-8) | Prev.: 19
  When they lose, it's not by much, and occasionally they'll surprise you. Like they did by winning on the road in Houston last night.
• 19. Heat (7-8) | Prev.: 15
  Sure they lost to the Blazers by 38 last night. But without Shawn Marion, I dare you to click on that box score and explain to me how it could have gone down any other way. As Mark Jackson would say, they're better than that. (Usually.)
• 20. Sixers (7-8) | Prev.: 17
  2-3 over their last five, and the wins were against the Clippers and Golden State. Sorry, not impressed.
• 21. Knicks (7-8) | Prev.: 10
  I should drop them to last for trading away their two best players, but I suppose it's all about 2010 for NYC right now.
• 22. Kings (5-12) | Prev.: 23
  Ultra-competitive lately, forcing the Lakers to bring their starters back late in the fourth, and losing by one in Portland and by two in overtime to the Nets. John Salmons has been carrying the scoring load, which will only make them tougher once Kevin Martin returns from injury.
• 23. Bucks (7-10) | Prev.: 18
  Michael Redd is still out, but the Richard Jefferson show plays on, and plays on competitively as the Bucks hung around before losing at Atlanta and Orlando.
• 24. Warriors (5-10) | Prev.: 22
  Losers of four straight, but actually played the Celtics tough for a while after the embarrassing loss in Washington.
• 25. Bobcats (4-10) | Prev.: 25
  Last three losses by seven points or less, and had a nice home win over the Sixers.
• 26. Grizzlies (4-11) | Prev.: 26
  OJ Mayo's a blast, but not much else right now going on here. Sound familiar? It's just as true this week as it was last week.
• 27. Wizards (2-10) | Prev.: 29
  Moved up a couple of spots because they actually looked like they cared again while thrashing the Warriors in their first game under their new head coach.
• 28. Clippers (2-13) | Prev.: 28
  Alright, now we're getting somewhere. Trading for Zach Randolph should help the team get some more W's, and rookie Eric Gordon is starting and playing extremely well. A small climb out of the cellar is in the near future.
• 29. Timberwolves (3-10) | Prev.: 27
  Eh, probably no good reason to drop the T'Wolves, especially after beating the Pistons and Sixers. But hey, it's the bottom five, and honestly the Clippers and Wizards took a (really small) step forward, while Minny basically was playing just as competitively last week.
• 30. Thunder (1-15) | Prev.: 30
  1-15, yikes. At least they showed some signs of life at home against Phoenix in their first game for Scott Brooks, so that counts for something, right?