| RANK | TEAM | THE RUNDOWN | LAST |
| 1 | THUNDER (20-4) |
Besides young team’s talent is its extraordinary focus. Have now won 19 of 21, last 11 in row, including Monday’s 14-point win over SA in OKC, putting post-Harden-trade frustrations that showed on the floor behind them. | 1 |
| 2 | GRIZZLIES (16-6) |
Beginning of end? Griz hire ESPN stat maven Hollinger, whose Dec. 18 Player Efficiency Rating has JaVale McGee No. 7, Greg Smith 17, Nene 19, Noah 65, Conley 70, Batum 86, Paul George 93, Klay Thompson 218… | 3 |
| 3 | HEAT (16-6) |
Heat no longer hated by all, but only 5-3 this month. Muses Miami Herald’s Dan LeBatard: “If the fans and media care less, then so, too, does the team.” Charley Rosen is unimpressed. | 6 |
| 4 | CLIPPERS (18-6) |
Started 8-2 with Crawford out of his mind, averaging 20, shooting 50%. Lost four in row when teams ganged up on him. Have since won 10 in row—by 15 per—with Jamal averaging 14, shooting 38%. | 5 |
| 5 | SPURS (19-8) |
In good news, no more controversies about resting their top players. In bad news, Spurs just lost four of five with first-stringers in, doubling season loss total. | 2 |
| 6 | KNICKS (18-6) |
Knicks, who acted as if they barely remembered Lin before first meeting in Houston, get handed their big heads as he stages 22-point Linsanity retro in MSG, ending their home unbeaten streak. | 4 |
| 7 | HAWKS (15-7) |
Apart from owing JJ $22 mill per through 2015-16, standing around watching him play Iso-Joe probably wasn’t good for them. Hawks now so balanced, J-Smoove is their leading scorer at 16.6, No. 34 in league. | 8 |
| 8 | WARRIORS (17-8) |
Not your father’s Warriors: Just won six on the road, where they’re 10-5 overall, including wins over Clippers, Hawks and Heat, then came home and beat Hornets w/o usual double-double from MVP candidate David Lee. | 7 |
| 9 | BULLS (14-10) |
Just think what they’d do with Rose & Rip in backcourt instead of Hinrich & Belinelli: Bulls win six of nine, which would be seven if they hadn’t blown 27-point lead over Bucks. | 11 |
| 10 | NUGGETS (14-12) |
Better than record indicates (cont.): Road win/home loss differential now plus-6, No. 3 in West, after playing 18 of first 25 on road, then come home to dump Spurs. | 14 |
| 11 | JAZZ (14-12) |
Played 15 on road, which is a lot, and won five, which is a lot for them. If you wonder what holds them back, it’s No. 20 defense, 0.1 ppg ahead of No. 21 Lakers whose matador clinics appear nightly on SportsCenter. | 10 |
| 12 | BUCKS (13-10) |
Just won five of six with coach Scott Skiles so exhilarated, he starts the same lineup in last four games (Jennings, Ellis, Daniels, Sanders, Mbah a Moute). | 18 |
| 13 | PACERS (13-12) |
If you wonder what a team with No. 29 offense at 91 a game is doing here, Pacers hold opponents to 41% from floor. Closest team to them? No. 2 Memphis at 43.6%. | 17 |
| 14 | WOLVES (12-11) |
Where’s the Love? With Rubio back, Kevin pricks their bubble anew, ripping management that offered him one-year-less-than-max extension (that he signed.). Is he trying to prompt trade to Lakes for Pau? | 16 |
| 15 | NETS (13-11) |
So much for dream backcourt: D-Will, shooting 39%, says he isn’t the same without Sloan’s flex offense. JJ, who’s not in Atlanta playing Iso-Joe any more, averaging 17, shooting 43%. | 12 |
| 16 | ROCKETS (12-12) |
Harden was a coup for GM Morey. Jury out on Lin but he’s warming up (37% from floor in November, 47% this month). Asik, effective as he is ungainly, is another coup, averaging 12-11. | 19 |
| 17 | CELTICS (12-12) |
Avery Bradley, who finished last season as starter before getting hurt, to start practicing. If they’re more in need of Havlicek, DJ or Ray Allen, at least it’s something. | 13 |
| 18 | LAKERS (12-14) |
Just went 3-0 (even if one was vs. Wiz and they had to come from down 18 vs. Bobcats in another)! Gasol back! Nash due back this weekend! What could go wrong now?! | 21 |
| 19 | MAVERICKS (12-13) |
Der cavalry on way: With Dirk expected to practice next week and team still close to .500, Mavs still have shot at something few expected – making playoffs. | 15 |
| 20 | SIXERS (12-13) |
Now hoping Bynum is ready in January, depending on his bowling schedule. Their schedule is bad enough, with nine of next 10 on the road and MIP candidate Holiday hurt. | 9 |
| 21 | BLAZERS (11-12) |
Feeling appears to be mutual: Aldridge doesn’t look enchanted at being on rebuilding team. Local press, noting his fondness to shoot from outside, calls him “LaMarsha.” | 20 |
| 22 | MAGIC (11-13) |
Why someone may hire SA/OKC janitor next: 30-year-old GM Rob Hennigan, former Spur/Thunder exec, hired former Spur Jacque Vaughn, whose team, which was expected to win 10 or 20 this season, just went 6-2 over road-heavy stretch. | 22 |
| 23 | SUNS (10-15) |
Don’t leave home, period: Suns are pigeons on road (2-10) but still a night’s work in Valley of Suns, where they just went 3-0 vs. Grizz, Jazz, Kings. | 25 |
| 24 | PISTONS (7-20) |
Never mind: You know that stuff I said about Pistons having to play 12 of first 18 on road? Turned out not to matter when they lost four of next five home games. | 24 |
| 25 | CAVALIERS (5-21) |
Imagine if he was ever healthy: Kyrie gets 41 in loss to Knicks in MSG, wearing mask to protect broken cheekbone. In other news, Cavs just lost 19th of 22. | 23 |
| 26 | RAPTORS (7-19) |
Sometimes you add by subtraction: With Lowry out again, taking Bargnani with him this time, Raptors, who’d lost 12 of 13, win three in a row! | 30 |
| 27 | BOBCATS (7-17) |
Well, Mike Dunlap was Coach of the Month (November) anyway: Bobcats, who were 7-5 on Thanksgiving, have lost 12 in row with more likely on four-game West Coast trip. | 27 |
| 28 | HORNETS (5-19) |
AD comes back cautiously, averaging 12-7 in 27 minutes off bench in first four before rejoining starting lineup. Meanwhile, team circles drain with losing streak up to nine. | 28 |
| 29 | KINGS (7-17) |
With team mum on plans to stay, Sacramento Bee suggests fans buy tickets online, car pool and tailgate to show they still support team without putting more $ in Maloofs’ pockets. | 26 |
| 30 | WIZARDS (3-19) |
Washington Post reports financially pressed Wiz passed up chance to trade Beal, Singleton for Harden, who’d have given them backcourt-of-the-future with Wall. | 29 |
PREVIOUS RANKINGS: Most Improved | MVP | Rookies | Power
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Taking the safe route when it comes too the clippers eh? Wow, I really thought you guys were better than that.
I’d like to know how Cleveland is just ahead of Toronto when every player on Cleveland’s roster was available to play, they played at Cleveland, and Toronto still wiped them like the proverbial poop on the bottom of the shoe that Byron Scott is.
So how exactly did the Grizz move up to no. 2? When the Clips have a better record and have already beaten them this season?