1. San Antonio Spurs (40-7): According to my rudimentary math skills this is a team on pace for 69.7 wins, or just about 70. I've speculated that they can't keep up this level of play all year, but we are over half way through the year and they haven't showed any signs of slowing down.
2. Boston Celtics (36-11): Kendrick Perkins is back surprisingly soon from a horrific injury and playing very well. This team has so many good role players to compliment the big four, yet Perkins is one of the most vital. He is a boulder defensively, and when he shoots (rarely), it goes in. The Celtics and Lakers have dominated the NBA over the past four years, but it has always seemed that Boston is the slightly better team. Evidence this last game: Down the stretch it's Kobe shooting wild shots and going 1-on-5 while the Celtics move the ball, find the open man, and take good shots. The Lakers have a very high ceiling when they are on their game, but the Celtics have a more consistent formula.
3. Chicago Bulls (33-14): Joakim Noah just got his cast off, the Bulls have won 5 straight, and Derrick Rose is playing despite two stomach ulcers! This team is the current two seed out east, which means if things hold, the Heat would have to play as the lower seed against this uber-talented Bulls team in the East Semis. By that time Noah will be back. The Heat have struggled dealing with good opposing centers, not to mention good opposing point guards.
4. New Orleans Hornets (31-17): Shhh! Has anyone noticed the Hornets have won nine of ten and are the best defensive team in the league?
5. Miami Heat (33-14): They've been banged up, but you can judge them as a whole right now. They had everybody back against the Thunder on Sunday and survived a raucous environment to get the win.
6. Los Angeles Lakers (33-15): They haven't played many elite teams this year, and when they have, they've mostly lost those games. The Spurs, Heat, Celtics, Mavs twice, Nuggets, Jazz, and Bulls have all beaten the Lake Show. This Sunday against the Celtics they really only had one good stretch of 8-10 minutes when they shared the ball and looked great. Other than that they wasted possessions, forgot to rotate on defense, etc. This is not the same team as last year, but they have the ability to round into form.
7. Dallas Mavericks (31-15): I dropped this team from the rankings for a while because they lost Caron Butler (in my mind taking them out of true contender status), didn't have Dirk Nowitzki, and were playing awful. They've since gotten Nowitzki back and won four straight. But is this really a team capable of winning a couple series in the playoffs? I think not.
8. Orlando Magic (30-17): The new faces have settled and this team now simply has to produce. Does anyone else still get the feeling that, while they may be more talented now, they are still short on mental toughness and leadership?
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (30-17): The Thunder did lose to the Heat Sunday, but Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are just a ridiculous young combination. If this duo stays together for the next 5-7 years, I see at least one championship.
Adam: -I am going to start reserving the "tenth spot" in my power poll for a team that is rising, had a really nice week, or has something noteworthy going on despite not being high in the standings.
+1. Sacramento Kings: Sacramento's beaten the Blazers and Lakers on the road and the Hornets at home all in the last week. That's three tremendous wins for a team that easily could be mailing it in at this point. One big reason for their recent success: Demarcus Cousins is averaging 19 and 8 over his last five games. A lot people want to ride this guy for perceived attitude issues, lack of work ethic, or not living up to his enormous potential. Give the kid a minute fellas; he's 20 years old.
--from Adam
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