1. San Antonio Spurs (11-1): Ten wins in a row will help you get the top spot. Manu Ginobli and Tim Duncan are playing efficient offensive basketball. The veterans are healthy and don't have to log huge minutes. Tony Parker is playing at an All-NBA level, and Richard Jefferson, while struggling a bit as of late, is still providing scoring punch. This is a deep, well-coached team, which probably knows they need to start hot because they may need to rest guys during the grind that is an NBA season.
2. New Orleans Hornets (11-1): A three-game winning streak after your first loss of the season is a good way to say, "We're for real." The Hornets are winning by sharing the ball, playing defense, and letting Chris Paul play maestro. Paul is at the height of his powers and showing that he is as good a player as there is in the league.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (11-2): After losing two in a row, the champs are back to stopping teams by double digits and have run off four straight wins. In that four-game streak, LA wins by an average of 17 points per game. It's a good sign that they are beating the bad teams on their schedule because this team has a history of complacency against inferior competition. Starting December 1st, the Lakers play nine out of ten games on the road.
4. Orlando Magic (9-3): Dwight Howard and a solid but unspectacular supporting cast will be good enough most nights. I just worry that they can't beat the elite teams.
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (9-4): They're winning close games without Kevin Durant, which shows how tough this team is and how good Russell Westbrook is. Beating Boston on the road without Durant was really impressive. Four straight wins has this team near the top of the West.
6. Boston Celtics (9-4): How much does Rajon Rondo mean? Without him, Boston lost to the Raptors.
7. Dallas Mavericks (8-4): This team is going to win its share of games with Dirk Nowitzki and that talented surrounding cast. Just like Howard and the Magic though, I wonder if Nowitzki has enough super friends.
8. Utah Jazz (9-5): If Paul Milsap can continue to average 20 points a game, this team will be near the top of the West all year.
9. Chicago Bulls (7-4): A nice win at Dallas earns Chicago a spot on the list. They could move higher once Carlos Boozer gets back, and so far Joakim Noah has proved me wrong. He's averaging 15 points and 13 rebounds a game.
10. Miami Heat (8-5): Even with five losses, the Heat have the third best point differential in the league. When they win, they win big. They've also blown some big leads. They just need to get over their nerves and play fast paced basketball. They aren't a half court team; they are a running team that can exploit matchups in transition. A tough week is coming up with road trips to Orlando and Dallas.
--from Adam
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