<font size=""5"">NBA Power Rankings </font> Rank LW Team 1 Detroit Pistons (16-3) You don't need Ben Wallace's funky red goggles to see these guys are on a mission. They're off to the franchise's best start since 1996-97, and can set the record with a victory Friday over the Bulls. 2 San Antonio Spurs (18-4) They survived at Minnesota on Thursday night to improve on their own best start in franchise history. But how the heck did they lose that game last week in Atlanta? 3 Dallas Mavericks (16-6) Mark Cuban is getting into the luxury commode business, but he doesn't have to worry about his team going into a swirl. They beat the Suns on Wednesday to make it six wins in their last seven games. 4 Miami Heat (13-10) Shaq's back, and they're starting to look like a serious contender again. Wednesday's win at Milwaukee was their third straight overall, and made Pat Riley a perfect 2-0 since taking over for Stan Van Gundy. 5 Los Angeles Clippers (14-8) Three straight losses had taken some of the shine off their hot start. Maybe Shaun Livingston (lower back) can help reignite their spark starting with Friday's visit from the Rockets. 6 Houston Rockets (9-12) The NBA's hottest team, they won at Seattle on Thursday to make it five in a row and 4-0 on their current road trip. Meanwhile, Yao Ming leads all vote-getters in All-Star balloting after first returns. 7 Minnesota Timberwolves (12-9) Quietly moving up, but they need a closer. They lost a heartbreaker to the Spurs on Thursday, their third straight in the final minute and their seventh this season by five points or less. 8 Cleveland Cavaliers (12-9) LeBron James is finding less (shots) can be more. He had 30 or more points in six straight games, but they went 1-5. So James (26 points) willingly spread the load more in Thursday's win over the Nuggets. 9 8 Indiana Pacers (12-8) They looked like they could have used Artest in Wednesday's dismal loss at Boston. Or maybe they just need Tinsley (thigh, groin), who's expected to return Friday vs. the Jazz after missing several games of late. 10 18 Los Angeles Lakers (12-10) Luke Walton, Devean George and Kwame Brown are back, and they might be starting to figure out the triangle offense. They won at Memphis on Wednesday to finish 5-1 on their road trip, and make it seven of nine overall. So even though LeBrons Cavs have gone 3-7 in their last ten games, while Kobe's Lakers have gone 7-3....the Cavs are still 2 spots ahead of the Lakers in the power rankings. This to me shows 1) The media sweats LeBrons sack even more than I thought and 2) I'm never paying attention to SI power rankings ever again. OH- and that's not even mentioning Miami jumping up 7 spots after a TWO game winstreak...and the Clippers...they've lost 3 straight but somehow there still holding it down at #5....
That's why you never take "power rankings" seriously. The writers try to be un-bias but it's impossible.
The Cavs shouldn't be ahead of the Lakers, I'll give you that. But the Clippers have been playing well and I'd still rank them ahead of the Lakers. They lost to 3 very good teams in close games, but without one of their star players (Maggette). They were thisclose to beating the Spurs.
