January 2009 NBA Power Rankings
The Top Ten and Bottom Five NBA Teams
It's a new year and the NBA season is nearly half over! While some teams have established themselves as potential title contenders, others try to find their way through tough times. Still, there are lots of games left to be played and teams have plenty of time to make a push in the standings. Here's the most recent power rankings for Suite101.com.
- LA Lakers - Kobe Bryant has come alive, leading his Lakers to the best record in the NBA and defeating the Boston Celtics 92-83 in late December. They've also won six straight.
- Boston Celtics - Still a powerhouse, but dropping some games lately. They've won just six of their last ten, which isn't typical for them.
- Cleveland Cavaliers - They've been tough all season and are making a case for LeBron James to sign an extension.
- Orlando Magic - Dwight Howard is officially the best center in the NBA.
- San Antonio Spurs - They've quietly climbed their way back into relevance after losing several key players to injury earlier in the season.
- New Orleans Hornets - They're still finding themselves this season. They don't have the energy they had last season. Yet, Chris Paul is good enough to carry them for now.
- Atlanta Hawks - Mike Bibby gives them a whole new dimension and Joe Johnson has capitalized the most.
- Detroit Pistons - They've won seven straight and are starting to figure out how to play with Allen Iverson. Though, Rodney Stuckey is fast emerging as their best guard.
- Denver Nuggets - Chauncey Billups was a better fit for Denver than Iverson ever was, but Denver hasn't proven that they can hang with the other top teams of the league on a consistent basis.
- Phoenix Suns - Shaquille O'Neal is showing he still has some juice left in the tank and has helped carry the squad with Steve Nash out with injury.
The Bottom Feeders
30. Oklahoma City Thunder - OKC fans don't really have the right to boo this team like they do. After all, they're only bad, because the owners dumped salary in order to move them their in the first place. Still, OKC is on pace to have one of the worst season in the history of the NBA. The most games ever lost by an NBA team in an 82-game season is 73. The Thunder are on pace to lose 72-73.
29. Washington Wizards - Injuries continue to plague this team and now sources are saying that Gilbert Arenas might miss the whole season. Apparently they're not better without him as some Arenas skeptics suggested.
28. LA Clippers - Injuries have been their biggest problem. They should be better than this, but Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman and Zach Randolph have all missed games. A recent rumor suggests Marcus Camby could become past of a three-way deal that would send him back to the New York Knicks.
27. Sacramento Kings - The Kings are bad, but they do have a lot of talented prospects. With as much as they're struggling, one wonders how long it will be before certain veterans, like Brad Miller, are seriously shopped in trade bait.
26. Minnesota Timberwolves - Al Jefferson continues to be the bright spot for the Wolves, but Randy Foye has looked solid in the past few games. Kevin Love has been good on the boards, but doesn't seem to fit well alongside Jefferson.
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