Advertisement

NBA Power Rankings: LeBron James and the Cavs make their move

Atlanta
Atlanta

1. Atlanta Hawks (Record: 37-8; last week: 1): Atlanta has won 16 straight games overall and 11 in a row over the West. The Hawks are 7 games in front in the East.


Golden State
Golden State

2. Golden State Warriors (Record: 36-6; last week: 2): As the West's All-Star coach, Steve Kerr will have the option of making Klay Thompson the replacement starter for Kobe Bryant – provided Thompson is officially named to the All-Star team later this week.


Memphis
Memphis

3. Memphis Grizzlies (Record: 31-12; last week: 3): Mike Conley is more than deserving to be an All-Star, but he could get squeezed out with so many West guards playing well.


Houston
Houston

4. Houston Rockets (Record: 31-14; last week: 5): Josh Smith returns to Detroit on Saturday to play the Pistons for the first time since they waived him last month.


Los Angeles
Los Angeles

5. Los Angeles Clippers (Record: 30-14; last week: 7): The Clippers still have interest in free agent guard Nate Robinson, but are exploring other deals first, a source said.


Portland
Portland

6. Portland Trail Blazers (Record: 32-13; last week: 3): Robin Lopez could return later this week after being out since Dec. 15 with a broken right hand, a source told Yahoo.


San Antonio
San Antonio

7. San Antonio Spurs (Record: 29-17; last week: 8): The last time the Spurs did not have an All-Star was in 1997, the season before Tim Duncan's rookie year.


Dallas
Dallas

8. Dallas Mavericks (Record: 30-15; last week: 6): Dirk Nowitzki, a 12-time All-Star, and Monta Ellis, who has never been an All-Star, are on the bubble for the West team.


Washington
Washington

9. Washington Wizards (Record: 30-15; last week: 9): The Wizards are 24-1 overall and 8-0 on the road when holding opponents to fewer than 100 points.


Cleveland
Cleveland

10. Cleveland Cavaliers (Record: 25-20; last week: 18): The Cavs have finally hit their stride, winning six straight games, a stretch that has seen them hold their past four opponents to less than 45 percent shooting.


Toronto
Toronto

11. Toronto Raptors (Record: 29-15; last week: 12): DeMar DeRozan has averaged 13.5 points while shooting 18.2 percent from 3-point range in six games since returning from his groin injury.


Chicago
Chicago

12. Chicago Bulls (Record: 29-17; last week: 10): Pau Gasol was voted in as starter for the East All-Star team. Jimmy Butler is a lock to make it as a reserve. Has Derrick Rose done enough to join them?


Phoenix
Phoenix

13. Phoenix Suns (Record: 26-20; last week: 11): With Super Bowl week in full swing, expect a lot of NFL faces at the Suns' home games against Washington and Chicago this week.


New Orleans
New Orleans

14. New Orleans Pelicans (Record: 23-21; last week: 15): The Pelicans have the talent to truly compete for a playoff spot in the tough West.


Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City

15. Oklahoma City Thunder (Record: 22-22; last week: 13): The West coaches snubbed Russell Westbrook for an All-Star reserve spot last year. Will they do it again?


Milwaukee
Milwaukee

16. Milwaukee Bucks (Record: 22-22; last week: 16): Brandon Knight is certainly deserving of All-Star consideration after leading the Bucks to respectability.


Miami
Miami

17. Miami Heat (Record: 20-24; last week: 19): If Heat center Hassan Whiteside continues playing this way it will be hard not to give him the NBA's Most Improved Player award.


Detroit
Detroit

18. Detroit Pistons (Record: 17-28; last week: 14): Guard Brandon Jennings was averaging 20.9 points and 7.2 assists in January before suffering a season-ending torn Achilles tendon.


Charlotte
Charlotte

19. Charlotte Hornets (Record: 19-26; last week: 22): It would seem risky for the Nets to trade for Hornets guard Lance Stephenson and bring him back to his hometown of Brooklyn.


Denver
Denver

20. Denver Nuggets (Record: 18-26; last week: 17): Making the All-Star team is the least of Ty Lawson's concerns after he was arrested last week on suspicion of DUI.


Brooklyn
Brooklyn

21. Brooklyn Nets (Record: 18-26; last week: 21): Though the Nets are exploring trades for Brook Lopez, his preference would be to stay in Brooklyn, a source said.


Utah
Utah

22. Utah Jazz (Record: 16-28; last week: 23): Rudy Gobert has had a breakthrough month so far, averaging 9.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in 29.2 minutes per game.


Boston
Boston

23. Boston Celtics (Record: 15-27; last week: 26): The Celtics are expected to go back-to-back years without an East All-Star for the first time since 2000-01.


Sacramento
Sacramento

24. Sacramento Kings (Record: 16-27; last week: 20): DeMarcus Cousins is averaging 24.2 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. The Kings' record is the only thing hurting his All-Star bid.


Indiana
Indiana

25. Indiana Pacers (Record: 16-30; last week: 24): The Pacers recently snapped a seven-game losing streak with a win over Orlando.


Orlando
Orlando

26. Orlando Magic (Record: 15-32; last week: 28): Like Cousins, Nikola Vucevic's losing record is his biggest All-Star deterrent. He is averaging 19.4 points and 11.3 rebounds.


Los Angeles
Los Angeles

27. Los Angeles Lakers (Record: 12-33; last week: 25): While Kobe Bryant's season is likely over because of a shoulder injury, it's hard to envision the future Hall of Famer retiring this way.


New York
New York

28. New York Knicks (Record: 8-37; last week: 30): Knicks president Phil Jackson watched Duke center Jahlil Okafor – who is regarded as the top draft prospect – play against St. John's on Sunday.


Philadelphia
Philadelphia

29. Philadelphia 76ers (Record: 8-36; last week: 27) The Sixers have returned to their old selves with five straight losses and are in jeopardy of having the NBA's worst record again.


Minnesota
Minnesota

30. Minnesota Timberwolves (Record: 7-36; last week: 29) Ricky Rubio was expected to return from a severe ankle injury this month, but two specialists recently warned that coming back too soon could cause a stress fracture in his leg.

More NBA coverage: