NBA Power Rankings Lakers climb to 11th, Nuggets rise to third

RANK	TEAM	THE RUNDOWN	LAST
1	HEAT (65-16)	Legitimate fave to win it all with Bron never better, he and Wade fitting even better, team going from 5.9 threes a game and 35.6 percent last season to 8.7 and 39.5 percent this season. But invincible? I don’t buy that.	1
2	THUNDER(60-21)	Made worst trade ever, dumping Harden – No. 4 behind KD, Bron, Curry in ESPN fantasy ratings – and could still win? They’re that good unless they deal someone else from deepest group of uber-athletes ever assembled (KD, Westbrook, Ibaka, Sefolosha, Reggie Jackson).	2
3	NUGGETS (56-25)	There’s one nice thing about not having a No. 1 option; by definition, none of them is indispensable, either. Instead of curling up in a ball when Gallo went out, Nuggets went 7-1 and got Lawson back.	7
4	SPURS (58-23)	Team picked by one (1) of 45 ESPN guys almost won West with Pop resting Timmy, Manu, Tony from November on. Trying to get Big Three to finish healthy. Unfortunately, with Manu out and depending on how Tony is, he missed by one or two.	3
5	CLIPPERS (55-26)	Six-game winning streak sends them into Sacramento tonight needing one win for No. 4 seed if they beat or tie Grizzlies. Or even No. 3 if they tie Grizzlies and Nuggets. But not if it’s two-way tie with Nugg — aw, forget it.	6
6	GRIZZLIES (55-26)	Presumptive Coach of Year Lionel Hollins holds team together as new management trades Gay, breaks franchise record for wins. Now likely to play Clippers – again – with all five of them dropping into lane on Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol.	4
7	KNICKS (53-28)	Moving Melo to 4-spot changed everything, making them like D’Antoni team that can spread the floor and rain threes on you, and a Woodson team with defense anchored by Tyson Chandler. Imagine if they get a couple of real wings.	5
8	NETS (48-33)	Fabulous, unlikely debut as D-Will turns back into D-Will, averaging 23.5 points and shooting 49 percent since March 1, and P.J. pulls them together in 32-17 finish. Unfortunately, Knicks rennaissance eclipses them — again – and they’re in Miami’s bracket.	9
9	PACERS (49-31)	Pacers aren’t an old team that has to be nursed along like Spurs or Celtics. Losing four of five while allowing 104 a game as Paul George shot 38 percent means they just wasted April.	8
10	WARRIORS (46-35)	You want to know what a bad first-round matchup is? That’s one in which you — Nuggets at the moment – face Steph Curry, all-time-best-shooter-in-grooming, averaging 26 points and 7.6 assists while shooting 48 percent, 46 percent on threes, 89 percent at line since break.	10
11	LAKERS (44-37)	That’s the last time you’ll hear any Laker ask, “What else can go wrong now?”	14
12	ROCKETS (45-36)	Rockets were looking at 25 wins before GM Morey signed Asik, gave Lin poison-pill offer Knicks didn’t match and pulled heist of new century – or at least was smart enough to take Harden if OKC wanted to donate him.	11
13	BULLS (44-37)	Don’t even ask. A testament to Tom Thibodeau, with Bulls winning about 10 more games than people would have expected without Derrick Rose.	13
14	HAWKS (44-37)	Larry Drew does NBA’s most unsung coaching job, starting Korver in 59 games, Harris in 33, Stevenson in 30, Pachulia in 15, Tolliver in 11, Petro in 7, Ivan Johnson in 4.	12
15	JAZZ 43-38)	Better not stay depressed too long if this doesn’t work out with frugal ownership, tiny market and Jefferson, Millsap and Mo Williams about to be free agents.	15
16	CELTICS (41-39)	Knicks better bring along a stake to pound in their heart: While being written off annually the last three springs, the broken-down old Celtics have won six of eight playoff series vs. East teams.	16
17	MAVERICKS (40-41)	It’s not Larry O’Brien Trophy acceptance ceremony, but Mavs who vowed at 17-25 not to shave ‘til they were .500 got to hack off three months of growth, even if they then fell back under.	17
18	BUCKS (37-44)	Or as the Bucks are known in Miami, “BYE.” You’ve heard of teams you don’t want to meet in the first round? Here’s one you would die to draw, loser of 12 of 15 with Jennings hurt and slumping.	18
19	BLAZERS (33-48)	Win total is no surprise. Fact that they have one of best young starting lineups is, with former Clippers GM Neil Olshey stealing Damian Lillard – headed for Kyrie-Rose-Westbrook greatness – with No. 6 pick.	19
20	SIXERS (33-48)	Out with the old: New owner Josh Harris, who was joined at hip with Collins, performs surgery to detach him, buying out last year. Despite GM DiLeo’s assertion they will try to sign Bynum, Drew’s gone too. And maybe DiLeo.	20
21	WIZARDS (29-52)	Get ready, world: Backcourt of Future appears, if only in glimpses, as Beal shines early, Wall explodes late, averaging 25-5-7 and shooting 47 percent in April.	21
22	RAPTORS (33-48)	Beaucoup athletes (Gay, DeRozan, Ross) and bigs (Valanciunas, Amir, Bargnani) and real point guard (Lowry). Unfortunately, they’re a lot more impressive warming up than they are playing.	23
23	HORNETS (27-54)	Picture a rebuilding program with a Band-Aid on it. AD limited to 64 games and 29 minutes per, averaging 14-8. Real question physically and mentally is Eric Gordon, who said his heart was in Phoenix, returned for just 40 games and shot 41 percent.	22
24	WOLVES (30-51)	Rubio serves notice he’s real deal — think young Jason Kidd, but better. If Love returns, plays and zips it up, they will make playoff run. Question: With Adelman’s wife ill, will he return?	24
25	PISTONS (29-52)	Is 6-10, 270-pound Andrew Drummond the can’t-miss prospect stat guys insist he is, or a dizzy youth who had so many GMs rolling their eyes before draft he dropped to Pistons at No. 9?	25
26	KINGS (28-53)	This was entertainment, not: Imagine spending a whole season waiting to see if league rescinds DeMarcus’ latest flagrant/technical, et al, as billionaires fight to see where he will be getting T’d up next fall.	26
27	CAVALIERS (24-57)	They’ve come a long way, baby: With Kyrie, the next great player, plus Waiters, Thompson and Varejao, should make run at playoffs in 2013-14. Despite injuries, owner Dan Gilbert, who sees himself in race with LeBron, may cash in Byron Scott’s chips.	27
28	SUNS (25-56)	Continuing years-long clinic in mismanagement, owner Sarver extends agent-turned-bumbling-president Babby, who hired overmatched GM Blanks, who passed over local fave Majerle and replaced tried-and-true Gentry with never-coached-day-in-his-life-and-looked-it Hunter.	28
29	MAGIC (20-61)	In the good news, they didn’t have to put up with Dwight’s BS, which, as Lakers learned, was substantial. In the bad news, what figured to happen, happened.	29
30	BOBCATS (20-61)	Maybe MJ should consider coming out of retirement again, or getting involved 24/7 as the serious guys are, or selling.	30

Mark Heisler is a regular contributor to SheridanHoops, LakersNation and the Old Gray Lady. His power rankings appear every Wednesday during the regular season. Follow him on Twitter.