NBA Rankings: Which Teams Are Bigger Climbers Post-All-Star Break?

The NBA All-Star break has passed, so it's time to decide which NBA teams will climb the standings the most during the second half of the 2012 NBA season.

Now that the halfway point of the season has passed, the stretch run into the NBA playoffs is before each and every team. Many teams are fighting for their playoff lives with each game, while others are fighting for positioning in the bracket.

The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are just three of many teams that have the potential to make big jumps and radically improve their standing by the time late April gets here.

Here are the teams with the best chance to surge during these next few months.

5. San Antonio Spurs

It may be hard to believe that a team that is just 3.5 games out of first place in the Western Conference could surge much higher in the second half of the season.

My two-word reply to that potential doubt: Manu Ginobili.

Ginobili has been the motor for the San Antonio Spurs for the better part of a decade, and this season the team has gotten its fantastic record with him playing in just nine games all year long. Just think how much better it'll be when he comes back.

Plus, Tony Parker is having arguably the best season of his career, averaging 19 points and eight assists per game. He's leading one of the most efficient teams in the NBA (11 players with double-digit player efficiency ratings).

This team has played incredibly so far this season, but its second half could be even better.

4. Los Angeles Lakers

The beat on the Los Angeles Lakers this season has been that they've been pretty mediocre. The truth is that they are at fourth right now in a deep Western Conference, which is better than mediocre.

However, the Lakers have little hope to improve past their current standing as they stand right now. It is possible, though, especially when they have a scorer like Kobe Bryant and twin towers like Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

Expect them to push the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the Western Conference.

Double those expectations if the Lakers acquire a better option than Derek Fisher at the point or a scorer like Michael Beasley coming off the bench.

3. Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies share a few similarities with the team they bounced out the playoffs last postseason in the first round, the San Antonio Spurs.

Those similarities include having a star who has missed nearly the entire season so far and 11 players that have double-digit player efficiency ratings.

Zach Randolph, Memphis' power forward who sparked the playoff run last season, has played in just four games all season long. His return is likely to have a similar spark.

Unlike San Antonio, the Grizzlies have an extremely youthful core. Only two of their top six scorers are over the age of 27. That youth allows them to play more minutes in the playoff stretch.

Their youth, balance and the reemergence of Randolph from injury make the Grizzlies a great candidate for a second-half surge.

2. Boston Celtics

When it comes down to crunch time, one should always bet on experience and defense when trying to decide who can separate themselves from the pack.

The Boston Celtics haven't had a good year. Their age is showing, and recent trade rumors may be a sign that the end of an era is upon the team.

However, if this team does decide to make a smaller move—one that is based on this season and not rebuilding for the future—it has a great chance to make a surge in the Eastern Conference standings.

I believe the Celtics will keep this basic group together and make one final run at winning it all. That doesn't mean they won't do anything in the way of a trade—just that the basic group will stay together.

I share the opinion of former Celtic Hall of Famer Bob Cousy, who recently stated that the Celtics shouldn't trade Rondo unless "he's a serial killer on the side."

If Boston does keep Rondo, this team will have a shot. He's establishing himself as the most well-rounded point guard in the game and makes the aging Boston core much better.

Look for Boston to lock down even more on defense and to depend on Rondo more than ever. Those are the ingredients for a big run.

1. New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are the team with the best chance to go on a big run in the second half of the season.

The reason is simple: This team is finally learning how to play together in head coach Mike D'Antoni's system.

Jeremy Lin has blended nicely with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. Iman Shumpert and Tyson Chandler are providing solid, hard-nosed defense. J.R. Smith, Steve Novak and Landry Fields are showing themselves to be solid secondary contributors.

This team has seven guys that are averaging more than 10 points per game and 12 players on their roster that have player efficiency ratings over 10.

Right now, the Knicks look like the third-best team in the East, and that's exactly where I think they'll end up when all is said and done. That's a big jump, considering that they are eighth right now, but they have the personnel to make it happen.