NBA Power Rankings Week 15: Celtics and Spurs Stay Strong, Lakers and Magic Slip
The NBA power rankings for week 15 of the regular season saw some fluctuation near the bottom and a few small changes near the top.
However, for the most part, a lot of teams remained firmly entrenched in their rankings.
A few surprise teams made big leaps, while others fell down the rankings.
The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their losing streak to 24, and it looks like they'll remain at the very bottom for the remainder of the season.
So, who moved up, and who moved down?
The Bleacher Report NBA Power Rankings are done by averaging individual feature columnists' tallies. This week's contributors were Brian Chappatta (Bulls), Andrew Bailey (NBA/Mavericks), Eric Felkey (NBA/Cavaliers), Bob Evans (NBA/Cavaliers), and Allen Kim (NBA Team Leader).
30. Cleveland Cavaliers
1 of 30
Record: 8-43
Previous Rank: 30
The Cleveland Cavaliers have become the laughing stock of the league. They've lost their last 24 games, breaking the all-time mark for futility.
The team started the week off facing off against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. The Heat had no trouble disposing of the Cavaliers on their way to a 27-point margin of victory.
Cleveland played better in their next three games as they fought hard to avoid reaching the all-time worst losing streak in the history of the NBA. However, they fell short on each occasion and lost their next three games.
1/31 | L | 117-90 | @ Miami Heat |
2/2 | L | 117-112 | vs. Indiana Pacers |
2/4 | L | 112-105 | @ Memphis Grizzlies |
2/5 | L | 111-105 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers |
29. Minnesota Timberwolves
2 of 30
Record: 11-39
Previous Rank: 29
The Minnesota Timberwolves are slumping badly, even by their standards. They've only won a single game out of their last 10.
Minnesota went 0-3 last week facing off against the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets. Each loss came by double-digit margins and they're close to challenging the Cleveland Cavaliers for the worst record in the NBA.
The only bright spot from the previous week was Kevin Love getting selected to the All-Star team as a replacement for Yao Ming.
2/2 | L | 102-84 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies |
2/4 | L | 111-100 | @ Toronto Raptors |
2/5 | L | 113-100 | vs. Denver Nuggets |
28. Washington Wizards
3 of 30
Record: 13-37
Previous Rank: 26
The Washington Wizards had a really tough week. They had arguably the roughest stretch of their schedule with games slated against the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks.
Washington managed to lose all four of their games to extend their losing streak to eight games. Their only victory over the last 11 games surprisingly came against the Boston Celtics.
They have two very good chances to break that streak with Milwaukee coming to town Wednesday, and a trip to Cleveland on Sunday.
1/31 | L | 102-92 | @ Dallas Mavericks |
2/1 | L | 97-89 | @ New Orleans Hornets |
2/4 | L | 110-92 | vs. Orlando Magic |
2/5 | L | 99-92 | vs. Atlanta Hawks |
27. Sacramento Kings
4 of 30
Record: 12-35
Previous Rank: 28
The Sacramento Kings had a short week with only two games, but they were against the top team in their respective conferences.
They fought hard against the Boston Celtics Tuesday night at ARCO Arena, but they ended up losing by five.
Their next game was at home once again, but this time it was the San Antonio Spurs visiting. The Spurs didn't have much trouble disposing of the Kings, winning by 13 points.
Their next four games are tough ones with the Jazz, Mavericks, and Thunder all visiting Sacramento. They then start their long road trip with a game on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.
2/1 | L | 95-90 | vs. Boston Celtics |
2/4 | L | 113-100 | vs. San Antonio Spurs |
26. Toronto Raptors
5 of 30
Record: 14-37
Previous Rank: 27
The Toronto Raptors had a mostly forgettable week.
They lost against the Indiana Pacers on Monday and followed up with another loss to the Atlanta Hawks. That extended their losing streak to 13 games.
Luckily, they were given the gift of playing the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. They took advantage of the match-up and finally broke their losing streak.
1/31 | L | 93-104 | @ Indiana Pacers |
2/2 | L | 87-100 | @ Atlanta Hawks |
2/4 | W | 111-100 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves |
25. New Jersey Nets
6 of 30
Record: 15-37
Previous Rank: 25
Perhaps the New Jersey Nets need to seriously rethink their stance on Carmelo Anthony. While they pulled out a huge upset victory over the Nuggets on Monday, they fell apart the rest of the week.
New Jersey had three winnable games following their win over the Nuggets, but failed to capitalize on the momentum from their huge win. They lost by 14 to the 76ers, 10 to the Pistons and 19 to the Pacers.
The Nets have a tough schedule over the next two weeks, and they'll probably be falling even further by the end of the second week.
1/31 | W | 115-99 | vs. Denver Nuggets |
2/2 | L | 106-92 | Vs. Philadelphia 76ers |
2/4 | L | 92-82 | @ Detroit Pistons |
2/6 | L | 105-86 | vs. Indiana Pacers |
24. Detroit Pistons
7 of 30
Record: 19-32
Previous Rank: 23
The Detroit Pistons had a solid, if unspectacular week. They played three teams all well below .500 and they managed to come out on top twice.
Charlotte beat the Pistons at the Palace on Wednesday to extend their losing streak to four, but they bounced back with consecutive victories on a back-to-back over the New Jersey Nets and Milwaukee Bucks.
Detroit faces the Spurs, Heat and Trail Blazers next week. They have their work cut out for them, but they do have an easy one against the Cleveland Cavaliers coming up.
2/2 | L | 97-87 | vs. Charlotte Bobcats |
2/4 | W | 92-82 | vs. New Jersey Nets |
2/5 | W | 89-78 | @ Milwaukee Bucks |
23. Milwaukee Bucks
8 of 30
Record: 19-30
Previous Rank: 21
The Milwaukee Bucks had an abysmal week.
They fought hard against the Los Angeles Clippers, but ultimately fell short.
When they went to the desert to visit the Phoenix Suns, they were badly beaten by 15 points.
Milwaukee followed that with their second close loss of the week, this time to the Golden State Warriors.
Finally, to put a stamp on their poor week, they lost to the Detroit Pistons.
For a team that had playoff hopes in their plans during preseason, they're looking like nothing more than a lottery team at this point. Brandon Jennings's health will play a key role in the team fighting for one of the final playoff spots in the East.
1/31 | L | 105-98 | @ Los Angeles Clippers |
2/2 | L | 92-77 | @ Phoenix Suns |
2/3 | L | 100-94 | @ Golden State Warriors |
2/5 | L | 89-78 | Vs. Detroit Pistons |
22. Charlotte Bobcats
9 of 30
Record: 21-29
Previous Rank: 22
The Charlotte Bobcats have played marginally better since Paul Silas took over for Larry Brown.
Last week went more or less as expected for the team. They lost to the better teams with the Utah Jazz, Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks all coming out on top.
Their only win came against the Detroit Pistons.
The next two weeks are pivotal for Charlotte. They face a number of strong teams, and their record by the end of those two weeks could very well determine if they make the playoffs or not.
1/31 | L | 83-78 | @ Utah Jazz |
2/2 | W | 97-87 | @ Detroit Pistons |
2/4 | L | 109-97 | vs. Miami Heat |
2/5 | L | 101-92 | vs. Dallas Mavericks |
21. Los Angeles Clippers
10 of 30
Record: 19-31
Previous Rank: 20
The Los Angeles Clippers had a week to forget. They had a tough schedule facing off against the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, and Miami Heat.
Los Angeles was blown out by the Bulls and Heat, but played a close one against the Hawks. However, their fourth quarter comeback against Atlanta fell short by one point.
The one thing that Clippers' fans can take away from all of this is Blake Griffin's selection to the All-Star team. Also, they have an outside shot of making the playoffs.
2/2 | L | 106-88 | vs. Chicago Bulls |
2/4 | L | 101-100 | @ Atlanta Hawks |
2/6 | L | 97-79 | @ Miami Heat |
20. Indiana Pacers
11 of 30
Record: 21-27
Previous Rank: 24
Coach Jim O'Brien is fired and the Indiana Pacers start winning again. Coincidence? I think not.
The Pacers won all four of their games last week, and the players appear to be responding well to the coaching change. Granted, they didn't exactly have a lot of strong competition, but a four-game winning streak is impressive nonetheless.
Ironically, the only close game they played in all week was against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Aside from that game, the Pacers didn't have much trouble pulling out wins.
It was a much needed win streak for the Pacers as they were in danger of falling out of playoff contention.
1/31 | W | 104-93 | Vs. Toronto Raptors |
2/2 | W | 117-112 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers |
2/4 | W | 100-87 | Vs. Portland Trail Blazers |
2/6 | W | 105-86 | @ New Jersey Nets |
19. Philadelphia 76ers
12 of 30
Record: 23-27
Previous Rank: 19
The Philadelphia 76ers started the week strong. They manhandled the New Jersey Nets by 14 points on the road.
Coming back home for their next game, they put together a comeback victory over the New York Knicks.
However, in their rematch, the 76ers went to Madison Square Garden where they were destroyed by Amar'e Stoudemire and Landry Fields.
Philadelphia has a rather unenviable schedule coming up with games slated against the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs.
However, they do get to finish the week off against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
2/2 | W | 106-92 | @ New Jersey Nets |
2/4 | W | 100-98 | vs. New York Knicks |
2/6 | L | 117-103 | @ New York Knicks |
18. Golden State Warriors
13 of 30
Record: 22-27
Previous Rank: 18
The Golden State Warriors had a light schedule last week, only playing two games.
In the midst of a home stand, the Warriors haven't played all that well throughout, but they are currently on a three-game win streak.
They played a tight game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday and pulled out a win with a big fourth quarter.
Two days later, they were pitted against the Chicago Bulls. Monta Ellis' scoring heroics gave the Warriors their second win for the week.
2/3 | W | 100-94 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks |
2/5 | W | 101-90 | Vs. Chicago Bulls |
17. Phoenix Suns
14 of 30
Record: 23-25
Previous Rank: 16
It was a rather uneventful week for the Phoenix Suns. Playing in only two games, the week went as expected.
Facing off against the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Wednesday, the Suns had no trouble disposing of them in a 15 point win.
Playing the Thunder two days later, Phoenix played great. The Suns kept it close in the first half and pulled away in the third quarter. However, Oklahoma City battled back in the fourth to ultimately claim the win.
Phoenix is still two and a half games out of the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. There's a chance that they will make it into the playoffs, but they won't stand much of a chance against the powerhouse teams of the West.
2/2 | W | 92-77 | Vs. Milwaukee Bucks |
2/4 | L | 111-107 | Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder |
16. Houston Rockets
15 of 30
Record: 24-28
Previous Rank: 17
The Houston Rockets had an exciting week.
They nearly upset the Lakers at the Staples Center, but ultimately fell short in overtime.
Houston followed that up with a nail-biting victory over the Utah Jazz.
Finally, they completed the week by going to overtime against the Grizzlies, but walking away the victors this time around.
2/1 | L | 114-106 | @ Los Angeles Lakers |
2/2 | W | 97-96 | @ Utah Jazz |
2/5 | W | 95-93 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies |
15. Memphis Grizzlies
16 of 30
Record: 27-25
Previous Rank: 15
The Memphis Grizzlies are neck and neck with the Portland Trail Blazers for the No. 8 seed in the West. They did themselves a big favor by winning three games last week.
They surprised the Orlando Magic on Monday. Their 32-point third quarter surged them ahead to seal the win.
They followed up their big win against Orlando with consecutive victories against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, they ended the week on a sour note. They held a lead entering the fourth quarter of their game against the Houston Rockets, but ended up losing in overtime.
1/31 | W | 100-97 | vs. Orlando Magic |
2/2 | W | 102-84 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves |
2/4 | W | 112-105 | Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers |
2/5 | L | 95-93 | @ Houston Rockets |
14. Portland Trail Blazers
17 of 30
Record: 27-24
Previous Rank: 14
The Portland Trail Blazers started the week and month of February strong with a surprising upset victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
However, they faltered in the following games with a 19-point rout by the Denver Nuggets and a 13-point loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Their only reprieve was getting the Cleveland Cavaliers to finish the week. A game Portland just barely managed to win.
2/1 | W | 99-86 | vs. San Antonio Spurs |
2/2 | L | 109-90 | @ Denver Nuggets |
2/4 | L | 100-87 | @ Indiana Pacers |
2/5 | W | 111-105 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers |
13. New York Knicks
18 of 30
Record: 26-24
Previous Rank: 12
It wasn't a pretty week for the New York Knicks, but they managed to avoid getting swept.
The Dallas Mavericks came to town on Wednesday and beat down on New York by 16 points.
Two days later, the Knicks visited Philly and lost a game they easily could have won by two points.
However, the team got their revenge yesterday against the Philadelphia 76ers when they came to town. Amar'e went berserk, hitting 17 of 21 shots on his way to 41 points.
New York will get a big test this week with the Los Angeles Lakers visiting.
2/2 | L | 113-97 | vs. Dallas Mavericks |
2/4 | L | 100-98 | @ Philadelphia 76ers |
2/6 | W | 117-103 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers |
12. Denver Nuggets
19 of 30
Record: 30-21
Previous Rank: 11
It was a bad week for the Denver Nuggets and it's starting to look worse with trade rumors surrounding Carmelo Anthony heating back up.
The very team—and one of the worst in the NBA—that finally spurned all trade talks regarding Anthony demolished them by 16 points.
While the Nuggets managed to bounce back with a big win over the Portland Trail Blazers, a loss to the Utah Jazz certainly didn't do them any favors. The Jazz are half a game behind the Nuggets in the Northwest division and very close to overtaking them in the Western Conference.
Luckily, the Nuggets finished the week off with a win over the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves.
1/31 | L | 115-99 | @ New Jersey Nets |
2/2 | W | 109-90 | Vs. Portland Trail Blazers |
2/4 | L | 113-106 | Vs. Utah Jazz |
2/5 | W | 113-100 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves |
11. Utah Jazz
20 of 30
Record: 30-22
Previous Rank: 13
The Utah Jazz had trouble finding any consistency last week. Part of that was due to Deron Williams missing the first two games of the week.
The Jazz were able to take care of the Charlotte Bobcats at home, but lost to the Houston Rockets days later by a single point.
Facing off in a huge game against their division rival, the Denver Nuggets, they played great and won by seven.
However, on the second night of a back-to-back, they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder by 16 points.
They'll have an opportunity to bounce back with a relatively light schedule coming up. Their only true test will come when the Chicago Bulls come to town.
1/31 | W | 83-78 | vs. Charlotte Bobcats |
2/2 | L | 97-96 | vs. Houston Rockets |
2/4 | W | 113-106 | @ Denver Nuggets |
2/5 | L | 121-105 | vs. Oklahoma City Thunder |
10. Atlanta Hawks
21 of 30
Record: 33-18
Previous Rank: 10
The Atlanta Hawks are having a great season, but it appears as if they're being slept on. They have amassed an impressive 33-18 record, and they're fighting their way through a crowded and top-heavy Eastern Conference.
Atlanta didn't have much competition last week, facing off against two of the worst teams—Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards—in the league.
Their only challenge came against the Clippers where they edged them out by a single point. The two battled back and forth in the first half, but a third quarter barrage by the Hawks gave them a lead. The Clippers charged back in the fourth and nearly won, but Al Horford drained two free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining to seal the win.
Atlanta has a short, but relatively easy schedule this week with games slated against the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Bobcats. They should be able to extend their win streak to five.
2/2 | W | 100-87 | Vs. Toronto Raptors |
2/4 | W | 101-100 | Vs. Los Angeles Clippers |
2/5 | W | 99-92 | @ Washington Wizards |
9. New Orleans Hornets
22 of 30
Record: 32-20
Previous Rank: 9
The New Orleans Hornets had a fairly tough schedule, with two of their three games slated against Western Conference powerhouse teams.
However, they started off with an easy one against the Washington Wizards. While they didn't have much trouble beating the Wizards, they failed to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Hornets have two easy games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Jersey Nets, so they should be able to break their two game skid.
2/1 | W | 97-89 | vs. Washington Wizards |
2/2 | L | 104-93 | @ Oklahoma City Thunder |
2/5 | L | 101-95 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
8. Orlando Magic
23 of 30
Record: 32-20
Previous Rank: 6
The Orlando Magic split their four-game week. They managed to pull out wins against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Washington Wizards, but they failed to beat two powerhouse teams from the East.
Orlando actually made a valiant run at the end of their game against the Miami Heat, but fell short of finishing them off.
Facing off against the Boston Celtics yesterday, the Magic lost in convincing fashion. After leading by five at the end of the first, the Celtics chipped into their lead and ended the first half with a four-point lead. Boston would maintain that lead until the final whistle.
Orlando has lost to the three teams in the Eastern Conference that they're trailing behind in the last two weeks. They need to get their act together if they hope to make some noise in the postseason.
1/31 | W | 100-97 | @ Memphis Grizzlies |
2/3 | L | 104-100 | vs. Miami Heat |
2/4 | W | 110-92 | @ Washington Wizards |
2/6 | L | 91-80 | @ Boston Celtics |
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
24 of 30
Record: 33-17
Previous Rank: 8
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a strong week.
In a rematch from the previous week, the Thunder beat the New Orleans Hornets by 11 points. That gave the Thunder some extra cushion ahead of the fifth-seeded Hornets as they look to maintain their No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
They followed that up with a close win over Phoenix and a drubbing of the Utah Jazz.
Oklahoma City has five relatively easy games coming up, and they have an opportunity to climb into the upper echelon of the West if they can win them all.
2/2 | W | 104-93 | vs. New Orleans Hornets |
2/4 | W | 111-107 | @ Phoenix Suns |
2/5 | W | 121-105 | @ Utah Jazz |
6. Los Angeles Lakers
25 of 30
Record: 34-16
Previous Rank: 4
The Los Angeles Lakers once again showed that they are a vulnerable team.
At home against the Houston Rockets Tuesday night, the Lakers just barely edged them out in overtime.
Facing off against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, the Lakers had their hopes of a three-game sweep crushed in the closing seconds. In a closely contested match-up, the game was ultimately decided with less than a second remaining on the clock. A put back by Antonio McDyess sealed the win for the Spurs.
The Lakers managed to bounce back on Saturday against the New Orleans Hornets with a close win. It was a good start to their seven game road trip, but they have a rematch against the Boston Celtics looming on the schedule.
2/1 2/3 | W L | 114-106 88-89 | vs. Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs |
2/5 | W | 101-95 | @ New Orleans Hornets |
5. Chicago Bulls
26 of 30
Record: 34-15
Previous Rank: 5
In an abbreviated week, the Chicago Bulls split their two games.
They started their five-game road trip with a blowout win over the Los Angeles Clippers. While Blake Griffin valiantly battled against Derrick Rose, the Clippers were no match as they lost by 28 points.
Chicago followed up their huge win over the Clippers with a loss to the Golden State Warriors. The two teams battled back and forth for three quarters, but the Warriors outplayed them in the fourth to walk away with an 11 point victory.
Regardless of their recent loss, the Bulls have won eight out of their last 10 games. With Joakim Noah set to return after the All-Star break, the Bulls are going to be a dangerous team to contend with.
2/2 | W | 106-88 | @ Los Angeles Clippers |
2/5 | L | 101-90 | @ Golden State Warriors |
4. Dallas Mavericks
27 of 30
Record: 34-15
Previous Rank: 7
After going through a rough patch in the middle of January, the Dallas Mavericks have been hot. They had a clean sweep last week to extend their winning streak to eight games.
The Mavericks didn't have much trouble over their last four games. The Wizards, Knicks and Bobcats didn't put up much of a fight.
However, they managed to just barely pull out a huge win against the Boston Celtics on a late three by Jason Kidd.
Dallas has a fairly easy schedule coming up, and they could easily extend their streak to 12 by the end of the week.
1/31 | W | 102-92 | vs. Washington Wizards |
2/2 | W | 113-97 | @ New York Knicks |
2/4 | W | 101-97 | @ Boston Celtics |
2/5 | W | 101-92 | @ Charlotte |
3. Miami Heat
28 of 30
Record: 37-14
Previous Rank: 3
After going through a brief rough patch in mid—January, the Miami Heat are back to their winning ways.
Aside from a loss to the New York Knicks, the Heat have won seven out of their last eight games. They didn't have a whole lot of resistance last week, extending their win streak to six.
Miami's only challenge came from the Orlando Magic. After holding a comfortable lead, the Heat faltered down the stretch and nearly lost the game. They barely managed to hold on for the win.
The Heat have a huge game coming up against the Boston Celtics this Sunday. While they lost their first two games against the Celtics this season, the Heat are clearly a different team now. The outcome of this game will go a long way in answering many questions surrounding the team.
1/31 | W | 117-90 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers |
2/3 | W | 104-100 | @ Orlando Magic |
2/4 | W | 109-97 | @ Charlotte Bobcats |
2/6 | W | 97-79 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers |
2. Boston Celtics
29 of 30
Record: 38-12
Previous Rank: 2
The Boston Celtics have maintained their lead atop the Eastern Conference all season long and it doesn't look like they'll be giving it up anytime soon.
Boston started the week off with a close win over the lowly Sacramento Kings, but followed that up with a crushing loss to the Dallas Mavericks days later.
On Super Bowl Sunday, they had a statement win over the Orlando Magic.
However, Boston sustained a major loss on Sunday. A freak injury took out Marquis Daniels to add onto their already mounting injury concerns.
As long as their core is healthy for the playoffs, they should be in good shape for the postseason. But one major injury can derail everything.
2/1 | W | 95-90 | @ Sacramento Kings |
2/4 | L | 101-97 | vs. Dallas Mavericks |
2/6 | W | 91-80 | vs. Orlando Magic |
1. San Antonio Spurs
30 of 30
Record: 42-8
Previous Rank: 1
The San Antonio Spurs started their long road trip on Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers. While they were upset, the Spurs managed to bounce back to finish the week strong.
They battled against the Los Angeles Lakers for four quarters on Tuesday. When all seemed lost, a last second put back by Antonio McDyess gave the team an improbable victory.
San Antonio finished the week out strong with an easy win over Sacramento.
They are the first and only team in the NBA to reach 40 wins thus far, and they have done it at a blistering pace. With three teams under .500 slated for this week, the Spurs should have no trouble extending their win streak to six.
2/1 | L | 99-86 | @ Portland Trail Blazers |
2/3 | W | 89-88 | @ Los Angeles Lakers |
2/4 | W | 113-100 | @ Sacramento Kings |
