Kevin Garnett still looks like he's lacking some of his explosiveness, but the Celtics are rolling. They overtake the Lakers and sit atop The Daily Hurt's weekly power rankings.

Note: The Daily Hurt will be hiking the Inca Trail next week, so with much to be done before I go, this week's power rankings will be broken down in seven words or less.

Normal service will resume in the first week of 2010.

1. BOSTON CELTICS - 10 straight Ws—say no more.
2. LOS ANGELES LAKERS - Saturday's loss drops them below Boston.
3. DALLAS MAVERICKS - Two one-point victories show improved toughness.
4. ATLANTA HAWKS - Rolling along nicely.
5. DENVER NUGGETS - Complacency is Denver's problem.
6. ORLANDO MAGIC - First back-to-back losses of the season this week.
7. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS - No player defends LeBron better than Shane Battier.
8. UTAH JAZZ - Went 3-1 in a tough week. As Tiger Woods would say, "huge."
9. HOUSTON ROCKETS - Luis Scola deserves an all-star selection this year.
10. SAN ANTONIO SPURS - Need to sort out their road problems.
11. PHOENIX SUNS - 2-5 so far in December.
12. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER - Were 2-20 this time last year.
13. MILWAUKEE BUCKS - Have a tough schedule to close out 2009.
14. DETROIT PISTONS - Rodney Stuckey = 25 points, six assists, 54 percent over his last five, all wins. 
15. NEW YORK KNICKS - Welcome back Jonathan Bender .
16. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS - 1-3 without head coach Nate McMillan.
17. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES - Mike Conley is coming around, and so are the Grizz.
18. MIAMI HEAT - Wade needs help—also as Tiger would say, "quickly."
19. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS - Ugly loss at home to the Knicks.
20. INDIANA PACERS - 3-1 without Granger this season.
21. SACRAMENTO KINGS - Good at Arco, junk everywhere else.
22. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS - Blew it against the Mavs.
23. LA CLIPPERS - What is a "Clipper" anyway?
24. TORONTO RAPTORS - Why would Chris Bosh want to stay?
25. WASHINGTON WIZARDS - Agent 0-for-4 from the free-throw line in the clutch this week.
26. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS - Normal chaos has resumed. 
27. CHICAGO BULLS - Bulls? WTF?
28. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES - Better than Philly and Jersey, which doesn't say much.
29. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS - It's like Iverson never left.
30. NEW JERSEY NETS - At least New Jersey beat the Bulls.

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