| RANK | TEAM | THE RUNDOWN | LAST |
| 1 | CLIPPERS (8-2) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Chance for 2 more quality wins at OKC, Brooklyn After playing eight of first nine in Staples Center, Clippers show they’re for real, winning a gut-checker in San Antonio. |
5 |
| 2 | KNICKS (8-1) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Postponed opener vs. Nets preceded by a visit to Houston and an old friend Knicks show they’re for real as well with 4-1 road record, beating Spurs in San Antonio, too. |
6 |
| 3 | GRIZZLIES (8-2) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: After a visit from new-look Lakers, homestand gets easy with Nos. 25, 27, 28 in town Griz is really real, winning eight in a row – including one in OKC – before going home and losing to Nuggets. |
3 |
| 4 | HEAT (8-3) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Next toughie is Nov. 29 vs. Spurs. Wade should be healthy by then Went so small in playoffs, LeBron James jumped center in postseason with Chris Bosh out. Now with Bosh back and LBJ at 4-spot, last season’s No. 4 defense down to No. 21. |
2 |
| 5 | THUNDER (8-3) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Westbrook gets Paul, Rondo, Holiday in next three matchups Not that Kendrick Perkins is ever in a good mood, but confrontation with Zach Randolph, following internal bickering, suggest Thunder still wobbly. |
4 |
| 6 | SPURS (8-3) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Six-game trip with no rodeo starts in Boston, ends in Miami Spurs spend week at home, helping Knicks and Clippers show they’re real, lose wings Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Jackson. Gregg Popovich calls his team “an embarrassment.” |
1 |
| 7 | LAKERS (6-5) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Will they be up to D’Antoni’s speed by Friday’s visit to Memphis? Fans still moaning about not hiring Phil Jackson as team starts 3-0 under Mike D’Antoni, going from 96.5 ppg to 109. |
18 |
| 8 | NETS (6-3) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Battle for second-class status with home showdown Friday vs. Clips Nets show they’re real enough, going 5-0 before taking Lakers to wire in a 95-90 loss in Staples. |
15 |
| 9 | SIXERS (7-4) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Rare consecutive home games over weekend before Elton Brand returns Tuesday Team and Drew Bynum’s doctor set back debut for third time after a bowling mishap? At least he didn’t have a Playboy bunny on his shoulders as in 2009 rehab. |
11 |
| 10 | BUCKS (6-3) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Under-radar days over with Heat, Bulls twice, Knicks The rest of you guys, go rebound: Only three Bucks playing 25 minutes a game: Monta Ellis (36), Brandon Jennings (35) and Mike Dunleavy (28). |
10 |
| 11 | CELTICS (6-5) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Would be nice if they beat a good team. Have a chance with SAS, OKC coming to town Not that he’s high maintenance, but Doc Rivers tells players to help Rajon Rondo keep double-figure assist streak going in blowout loss in Detroit. |
9 |
| 12 | WOLVES (5-4) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Four-game trip starts Friday in POR, should be telling stretch Hey, Daddy-O, make that Type O: Woofies go 0-2 without Nikola Pekovic, fourth starter they have lost after Ricky Rubio, Kevin Love, Brandon Roy. |
7 |
| 13 | JAZZ (6-6) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: One of two teams off Wednesday, then virtually off with home-and-home vs. Kings NBA’s best sawed-off big-man tandem of Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap had zero 20-point games in Jazz’s first six contests, six in last six. |
13 |
| 14 | WARRIORS (6-5) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Bogut to miss Brooklyn, at Denver, Minny – and probably more Huh? Seven of 11 have been on road, where they’re 4-3 as No. 7 pick Harrison Barnes warms up, averaging 18 over last five, shooting 49 percent overall. |
23 |
| 15 | BOBCATS (5-4) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Saturday at Washington once was hope-to-win. Now it is must-win Shocker (cont.): Mike Dunlap, 54-year-old St. John’s assistant who got job Jerry Sloan, et al didn’t want, has top percentage in team history, topping Larry Brown’s .456. |
22 |
| 16 | NUGGETS (5-6) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: All six remaining games this month are vs. West teams Manimal? Dennis Rodman Jr.? Race is on to nickname Ken Faried, mini-power forward who measured at 6-6, 225 at 2011 draft camp and averaging 14-11. |
14 |
| 17 | BULLS (5-5) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Circus trip ends Saturday in Milwaukee. First game back home is Monday – vs. Milwaukee What will be left when (if?) Derrick Rose returns with Luol Deng at 40 minutes a game and Joakim Noah, whose career high is 33, at 39? |
12 |
| 18 | MAVERICKS (6-6) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Visits from Knicks, Lakers probably won’t help 3-2 home mark Good luck: Chris Kaman, who has missed 152 games the last five seasons, averaging 15-8 in 28 minutes in first nine with Mavs. |
17 |
| 19 | HAWKS (5-4) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Six of next seven at home, two each vs. Cats, Wiz Not bad for holding operation (cont.): With Joe Johnson gone and free-agent-to-be Josh Smith ticketed to ride, just won three of four, with six of next seven at home. |
16 |
| 20 | PACERS (5-7) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Spurs at home Friday before four-game West swing with stop in LA Disgrace to Hoosier basketball: State once known for barn-burning offense sees its NBA team drop to No. 28 in scoring. |
20 |
| 21 | BLAZERS (5-5) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Seven-game trek starts Sunday in Brooklyn, should reveal a lot In summer league, Damian Lillard looked he might cut season or two off their turnaround. Now at 19 a game, 44 percent from floor, 39 percent on threes, make that two or three. |
24 |
| 22 | ROCKETS (4-7) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Three-game homestand lets Asik, Lin catch up with old friends Jeremy Lin back doing what he did: 13th in assists, seventh in steals … except for shooting. Guy who made 47 percent in last season’s breakout is at 34 percent (No. 319). |
21 |
| 23 | HORNETS (3-6) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Zigzag four-game trip will test team with four rookies Oops. Just went 0-4. Top pick Anthony Davis hurt again. Other rookie starter Austin Rivers shooting 31 percent with Eric Gordon out ‘til mid-December. |
8 |
| 24 | SUNS (4-7) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Six-game trip starts Sunday in Philly; 3-3 is possible With No. 27 defense, just went two weeks in which they lost every game they didn’t score 106 – and one in which they did. |
19 |
| 25 | RAPTORS (3-8) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Only home game in next 5 is Sunday matinee vs. Spurs ESPN Hollinger stats project rookie Jonas Valanciunas at 15-10 per 40 minutes. Unfortunately, he’s fouling everything that moves, playing only 20. |
25 |
| 26 | MAGIC (3-7) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Pistons – a team they know they can beat – start five-game homestand No. 11 in defense under rookie coach Jacque Vaughn is keeping them in games, even if No. 29 offense doesn’t win too many. |
30 |
| 27 | PISTONS (2-9) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Somehow 2-0 vs. Atlantic. Host TOR Friday, visit NYK Sunday Been down so long, this looks like up to them: Didn’t drop to 0-9 at Philadelphia, after all. Pistons get first win – then come home and lose to Orlando. |
28 |
| 28 | CAVALIERS (2-8) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Three-game trip starts Friday. Without Irving, who wants to see ’em? Better check his peripheral vision, too: Kyrie Irving scores 26 with zero assists, then breaks finger, out for a month. |
26 |
| 29 | KINGS (2-8) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Can they beat banged-up Wolves at home Tuesday? Help, they need somebody, not just anybody: Last season’s surprise, Isaiah Thomas, benched with James Johnson as vets John Salmons, Aaron Brooks start team’s fifth loss in row (four at home). |
27 |
| 30 | WIZARDS (0-9) |
THE WEEK AHEAD: Don’t get a shot at the Kings until Jan. 16 Not that they’re desperate, but Jan Vesely, scoreless for three games, goes into lineup – as starters shoot 10-37 in home loss to Pacers. |
29 |
Pages: 1 2