NBA Power Rankings: Who Is Hot, Who Is Not?

The Phoenix Suns officially were bumped from playoff contention with a 100-88 loss to the Utah Jazz, who clinched the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They now earn the right to get steamrolled by the hottest team in the league right now.

Now that all 16 teams for the NBA Playoffs are set let's hit this week's power rankings.

1. San Antonio Spurs 48-16: Have won eight straight games. After starting the season 12-9 the Spurs are 36-7.

2. Miami Heat 46-19: Kinda cruised to the finish line - time to see if they can turn it back on.'

3. Chicago Bulls 48-16: The Bulls title hopes hinge on Derrick Rose's health, plain and simple.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder 47-18: I'm a little bit down on the Thunder. Future still ridiculously bright, but I don't think it is there time yet.

5. Memphis Grizzlies 40-25: I almost put them ahead of the Thunder and I think they have a better shot to make it to the Finals than the OKC, but I rewarded consistency across the regular season.

6. Los Angeles Lakers 41-24: Will Kobe Bryant let Andrew Bynum do his thing in the playoffs or does Kobe go solo?

7. Boston Celtics 38-27: Seth Pollack brought this up on the podcast...can they rebound well enough to get deep into the playoffs?

8. Indiana Pacers 42-23: Time for them to flip Danny Granger into something after this season. Paul George, George Hill and Roy Hibbert are your cornerstones.

9. New York Knicks 34-30: Carmelo Anthony has been the best player in the NBA the final month of the season.

10. Los Angeles Clippers 40-25: Clippers lose in the first round in 5 games and hopefully Blake Griffin cries.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

The Phoenix Suns are trying to claw there way to the eighth seed. They currently own the position because of the tiebreaker. I don't think the Suns get in. It was a really bad break for Phoenix that the Denver Nuggets swept the home and home with the Houston Rockets and not the other way around. Houston has two games left against the New Orleans Hornets and one game against the Golden State Warriors. My prediction is the Rockets get it. Onto the Power Rankings...

1. San Antonio Spurs (44-16): San Antonio is currently the number one seed in the Western Conference. Over the past two months they have played the most consistent basketball out of anyone in the NBA.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (44-17): 5-5 in their last 10 games. I'm not overly concerned, but it's something to watch.

3. Miami Heat (43-17): Actually tried against the Knicks and won a game on the road against a team over .500. Interesting to see how many games the rest of the way the Big 3 all play in.

4. Chicago Bulls (46-15): No way around it anymore, Derrick Rose injury status is a serious concern. Even if he is ready when round 1 begins will he be able to hold up to lead the Bulls where they have the talent to go?

5. Indiana Pacers (40-22): Surprisingly the first team outside of the top four to reach the 40 win mark. Are the Pacers peaking at the right time with their current six game winning streak and winning 10 of their last 11?

6. Los Angeles Lakers (39-23): Playing good ball without Kobe Bryant. While sitting out does Bryant see how effective Bynum and Gasol can be and defer in the playoffs? The answer to that question will decide if the Lakers can make a run deep into the playoffs.

7. Memphis Grizzlies (36-25): Will Zach Randolph continue to come off the bench when the playoffs begin or does Lionel Hollins move him back into the starting line up?

8. Boston Celtics (36-26): Hey Boston, how does another Steve Novak and J.R. Smith three-pointer in your face taste?!?!?!? HAHAHAHA

9. Los Angeles Clippers (38-23): I left the Clippers for dead and they don't want to oblige. They have ran off four straight wins including an impressive victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

10. New York Knicks (32-29): If we were just taking into account the Mike Woodson era the Knicks would be even higher with their 15-5 and record. They go above teams with better records because they're more dangerous in the playoffs.

I'm switching it up a little this week because I honestly couldn't pick a number one team for the power rankings. With the playoffs approaching let's take a look at the NBA in different tier groups.

Tier One NBA Championship Contenders

- Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs

I'm keeping things symmetrical, two from East and two from the West.

The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat have proven to be in a different class than rest of the Eastern Conference. This is shown by the Bulls' +7.9 and Heat's +6.7 point differential, the highest two in the league. The next highest in the Eastern Conference is the free falling 76ers who stand at +4.7. Both teams are excellent on the defensive end and efficient on the offensive end.

Each do have flaws. Derrick Rose's health is a huge concern for the Bulls. He has missed 23 games this season. Their half court offense still struggles, relying too much on Rose when he is there.

Fairly or unfairly, the biggest problem with the Heat is the tremendous pressure and expectations surrounding the team. Nothing is acceptable besides winning a NBA Championship. As much as people make it specifically about LeBron, basketball is a team sport; it's about the Heat figuring out how to accomplish their goal as a team.

Only one of the top two teams in the Western Conference really gets talked about -- the Oklahoma City Thunder. The San Antonio Spurs go about their business largely unnoticed, but when you take a peak at the standings are only one game behind OKC for the number one seed, and are actually tied in the loss column.

San Antonio had an 11 game winning streak stopped in February because head coach Gregg Popovich sat Tony Parker and Tim Duncan against the Blazers, while Manu Ginobili was also out with an injury. This past week Pop ended a second 11 game winning streak by sitting the Big 3.

Are the Thunder ready?

Oklahoma City's past two season...

-2009-10 50-32 first round exit

-2010-11 55-27 Western Conference Finals exit

The next logical step is to the NBA Finals, but it should be remembered they are still an extremely young team. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both 23 - Serge Ibaka and James Harden are both 22, that's the four best players on the squad.

Tier Two If Everything Breaks Right They Could Get To The Finals

- Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies

Kevin Garnett began manning the center position for the Boston Celtics on 2/2/12 against Oklahoma City. It has been a span of 25 games and in those contests the Celts have gone 17-8, including two wins over the Miami Heat. Boston plays elite defense, can create mismatches on offense and is playing their best basketball of the season.

Call me a homer, say I'm unrealistic, it's fine. Part of the breaking right is the New York Knicks just getting to the playoffs, which is no easy task. Since Mike Woodson has taken over they are not playing good, but elite defense. Carmelo Anthony is playing how you would expect Carmelo Anthony to play and Tyson Chandler holds everything together. The question has become what they can get from everyone else?

I talked about the dynamic of the Los Angeles Lakers two weeks ago on the Sunscast with Seth Pollack. Does Andrew Bynum decide to act like a jackass in the playoffs or be engaged with trying to help LA win another ring? My original thought process was Bynum was tired of being in Kobe Bryant's shadow, which I still think plays a part. The New York Post report regarding Howard signing his one year option to stay with Orlando, and avoid being traded to the Lakers, could play a role in Bynum's funny behavior also. Maybe the blossoming center wanted to go to the Magic where he would have been the clear focal point and is angry at Mitch Kupchak for not getting it done. Just something to kick around.

The Memphis Grizzlies have been on my radar for a while now. They put together a diverse roster filled with good passing from unusual places, selfless defenders, creators on the wing, bruising rebounders and an ability to score in a variety of different fashions.

To me Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo are the keys to their playoff chances.

-Mike Conley In Wins: 14.4 PPG, 7.1 AST, .476 FG% and .429 3P%

-Mike Conley In Losses: 10.8 PPG, 6.5 AST, .373 FG% and .281 3P%

-O.J. Mayo In Wins: 13.8 PPG .444 FG%, .42 3P% and .819 FT%

-O.J. Mayo In Losses: 10.5 PPG, .358 FG%, .273 3P% and .667 FT%

Tier Three Second Round Is The Ceiling

- Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks

-

The Indiana Pacers don't have a player who can carry you to the Eastern Conference Finals. Hibbert is a nice piece, Granger is solid, but most likely a #3 on a real contender and Paul George has incredible upside, but isn't there yet.

I don't trust the Atlanta Hawks - short and sweet.

Orlando is a mess; mentally strong teams who are on the same page have success in the playoffs, not a team with factions backing the coach and others backing the superstar.

The Clippers barely made the cutoff to this tier. I don't think Chris Paul can drag them to round two and I doubt he gets them out of round one.

When discussing the Houston Rockets I will say two words over and over again Goran Dragic Goran Dragic Goran Dragic Goran Dragic

Dirk Nowitzki is still on the Dallas Mavericks so they are still capable of getting out of round one even though I wouldn't bet on it.

The best center in the NBA is Dwight Howard. Who do you take second? DeMarcus Cousins, who scored 41 points against the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night, is making a strong argument. The other option, Andrew Bynum, has more maturity issues than Cousins and he is 24 years old. Bynum is your more traditional back to the basket center with three point range (according to him). Cousins has the ability to post up, but he is well rounded with a solid mid range jumper, good vision and better than average handle for a center. He leads the league in charges taken and is a beast on the boards. I'm taking Cousins over Bynum. Now onto the power rankings...

1. Oklahoma City Thunder 40-13: First time a Western Conference team has been a top the rankings this season. Before losing to the Grizzlies on Monday night they had won seven in a row. Rematch with the Miami Heat Wednesday night!!!!!

2. Miami Heat 38-14: After another round of LeBron James blah blah blah blah, he scored 41 points against the Philadelphia 76ers and proved once again he isn't human.

3. Chicago Bulls 42-13: The Bulls have lost two games in a row for the first time all season. Next four games are against the Celtics, home and home with the Knicks and the Heat. Derrick Rose has sat out approximately 1348 straight games; if you come back against the Knicks I'm going to fight you.

4. San Antonio Spurs 37-14: San Antonio has won eight straight games and are quietly only two games behind the Thunder for first place in the Western Conference.

5. Boston Celtics 30-22: Never thought they would make it this high up on the list this season. They have won five straight games and are playing their best basketball of the season.

6. Los Angeles Lakers 34-20: Lakers keep winning, but you have to be concerned this Andrew Bynum stuff is going to blow up in their face.

7. Memphis Grizzlies 30-22: I love this team. By the way Gilbert Arenas scored 10 points in an NBA game this season Tuesday night!!!!!!

8. Los Angeles Clippers 32-21: The Clippers have won six straight games. Battle of LA on Wednesday night!!!!!!! (third time I've gotten so excited writing this I used multiple exclamation points...that's a new record)

9. Indiana Pacers 32-21: Came back from a 17 point second half deficit to beat the Knicks on Tuesday. I didn't break a remote control, table, cell phone or glass. Significant mental progress.

10. Dallas Mavericks 30-24: No one really deserved this tenth spot so I essentially picked it out of a hat.

I don't normally link or discuss other people's power rankings, but this one from Marc Stein caught my eye. HOLY CRAP THE SUNS ARE 9^TH!!!!! That was my reaction when reading. No question the Suns are playing quality basketball, but saying they are one of the top 10 teams in the NBA seems a little much. Onto my rankings...

1. Chicago Bulls 40-11: The first team to clinch a playoff spot. They are 3 ½ games ahead of the Heat for first place in the Eastern Conference. For all the talk about the Bulls defense, their offensive efficiency is tied for third in the NBA.

2. Oklahoma City 37-12: After the spanking they gave the Heat on Sunday I had no choice, but to move them ahead of LeBron & Co. Thursday they play the Lakers in Los Angeles really looking forward to that one.

3. Miami Heat 35-13: Heat are 4-4 in their last eight games. All four losses were on the road against quality competition. Lulls like this happen during a NBA season.

4. San Antonio Spurs 33-14: Spurs have won four in a row and are 8-2 in their last 10. More importantly they signed Boris Diaw and his Double D man boobs.

5. Los Angeles Lakers 30-19: Since when is it considered a benching when you don't play your best player down 15 with under 6 minutes left & what the hell was Mike Brown doing putting Kobe back in the game with under 2 minutes left Sunday against the Grizzlies?

6. Orlando Magic 32-18: Lost back to back games to the Bulls and Heat, but have rebounded against lower competition with a three game winning streak. Competition picks back up this week against the Knicks, Mavericks and Nuggets.

7. Indiana Pacers 29-19: Pacers have won four of their last give since losing a home and home to the Knicks including a demolition of the Heat Monday night.

8. Memphis Grizzlies 26-21: Lost the first three games of a road trip to Sacramento, Portland and the Clippers. Then on the second night of a back to back beat the Lakers at Staples. The Lakers were previously 20-3 at home. Moving along to something that makes more sense.

9. Utah Jazz 27-23: A quadruple overtime lost Sunday from being in the midst of an eight game winning streak. They have won at LA (Lakers) and beat the Thunder at home. Props to Tyrone Corbin for getting the most out the roster.

10. Atlanta Hawks 30-20: Pains me to put this team here because I really don't think they're any good, but they have won four straight games. Joe Johnson is on a freaking tear.

The Golden State Warriors retired Chris Mullin's jersey at halftime of their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night. A fascinating scene broke out when the crowd started to boo owner Joe Lacob as he began to speak.

Rick Barry and Mullin came to his defense. I know Golden State has struggled for a long time, but I'm not exactly sure what triggered this considering he just recently bought the team. Felt bad for the guy. Onto this week's top ten...

1. Chicago Bulls 38-10: Since Wednesday the Bulls have beaten the Heat, 76ers and Magic all without Derrick Rose. Had no choice, but to put them at #1.

2. Miami Heat 33-11: Honestly didn't think they would leave the #1 position the rest of the season. It is now a true debate over who is the best team in basketball between them and the Bulls.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder 34-11: March has been a mediocre month for the Thunder's standards going just 6-4. Stretches like this happen across an NBA season and I don't see any reason to panic.

4. San Antonio Spurs 29-14: They beat the Magic and Thunder, but lost to the Mavericks. They have three games left against the Lakers which could end up deciding the #2 seed in the West.

5. Los Angeles Lakers 28-17: Los Angeles has been a dominant home team this season going 19-3 at Staples. Adding Ramon Sessions should help solidify the point guard position.

6. Orlando Magic 29-18: Every time I think the Magic are getting ready to take a step forward as a team, they remind you they won't end up living to their potential. Orlando scored 59, that's right 59 points against the Bulls on Monday. If I wanted to see crap like that I would turn on the NCAA Tournament.

7. Memphis Grizzlies 25-18: Zach Randolph has returned from injury, but is being brought along slowly by head coach Lionel Hollins. He came off the bench in both games only playing 24 and 25 minutes. Z-Bo was right back to his effective self scoring 25 with nine boards and 13 and nine.

8. Dallas Mavericks 27-20: It's been a weird up and down season for the defending champs. They are in the midst of a four-game winning steak and demolished the Denver Nuggets Monday night.

9. Philadelphia 76ers 26-20: Jrue Holiday's last two games have been impressive. If he can sustain throughout the rest of the season it would be a big boost to the 76ers offense.

10. Los Angeles Clippers 26-18: Struggled to beat a fading Houston Rockets team and needed OT to beat the Pistons at home. Detroit has really struggled on the road this season even though they have been playing better ball lately.

The Phoenix Suns lost a heartbreaker to the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night. Steve Nash missed two shots late in the fourth quarter, one he would normally knock down and the other was a difficult runner off the wrong foot. The two Gortat free throws were killer and the Dudley three that would have tied the game I thought was going to go in. Suns can't afford to lose that game with the position they are in. Phoenix is only two games in the loss column out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Enough about the Suns and onto this week's edition of the Top 10...

1. Miami Heat 31-9: When the Heat beat the Pacers LeBron hit a clutch three late in the fourth quarter and hit another big three in overtime. Doesn't fit the narrative, pretend like it didn't happen. They take on the Bulls on Wednesday, if Chicago wins I think I will be forced to move them to one.

2. Chicago Bulls 35-9: Bulls beat the Knicks on Monday night; I almost punched a hole through my TV, which has become a nightly occurrence when the Knicks play. Derrick Rose has been struggling from the field, in his last five games he is shooting 37% and 28% from three.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder 32-9: Must watch TV on Friday when they play the San Antonio Spurs. Westbrook, Durant and Harden are insane. Don't think I've stated that in these power rankings yet so I needed to get that in.

4. Memphis Grizzlies 24-16: Yup, the Grizzlies are fourth. 8-2 in there last ten games. It's pretty fascinating that Memphis is this good; none of their advanced statistics scream we're awesome and you should be terrified to play us in the playoffs. The rebounding numbers would be better if they had Zach Randolph.

5. Los Angeles Lakers 25-16: They don't do lobs, but they do winning. Lakers have reestablished themselves as the best team in LA.

6. Philadelphia 76ers 25-17: After a rough patch they are putting it back together with three straight wins. Next three games are important against the Pacers, Heat and Bulls.

7. Orlando Magic 27-15: Trade deadline is on Thursday. They won't look the same as they do currently, the question is will they be adding to try to keep Dwight Howard or shipping him out?

8. Los Angeles Clippers 23-17: The Clippers are 8-10 since Chauncey Billups went down. As someone who enjoyed making fun of Billups taking terrible transition threes and unnecessary shots in general this makes me feel dumb.

9. Denver Nuggets 23-19: Denver has one goal before the playoffs get started and that is to get Danilo Gallinari going. In the four games since he has returned from injury he hasn't reached double figures and scored zero points in 21 minutes against Memphis on Sunday

10. Boston Celtics 22-19: Only 2 ½ games behind the 76ers in the Pacific Division. Not out of the question they win it (curses and screams because the Knicks suck).

The Phoenix Suns have won three in a row and five of their last six games to put together their best stretch of basketball this season. If they put together another three weeks of basketball like this maybe they can join the top 10!!!!!!! Just in case you're keeping tabs the Suns are now three games behind the 8^th seed in the Western Confernce, but do have three teams to jump to get there. That's enough about the Suns let's talk about teams that are actually over .500....

1. Miami Heat 29-9: Yes the Heat have lost two of their last three games, but honestly I don't really care. LeBron James is the best player in the NBA and the Heat are the best team, the record is just lying to you.

2. Chicago Bulls 32-8: The Chicago Bulls have won seven games in a row including wins over Indiana, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Atlanta. Pretty impressive group. Talked about it earlier in the season for the Bulls to reach their potential Joakim Noah was going to have to play better and he has.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder 30-8: Oklahoma City won their season series against the Dallas Mavericks. Too bad they didn't do it in the playoffs last year, probably would have been a little sweeter.

4. San Antonio Spurs 25-12: Only 4 ½ games behind the Thunder in the Western Conference. Tony Parker has been unbelievable and Gregg Popovich rules. Enough said.

5. Los Angeles Lakers 23-15: Quietly sneaking up in the Western Conference standings. Kobe wore a black mask for less than a half instead of the clear one he had been wearing. Kobe knew what he was doing and he wishes he played better with it.

6. Los Angeles Clippers 22-14: That other team in LA is coming down to earth a little bit going 5-5 in their last 10 games. Did you see Chris Paul miss a free throw that would have tied the game against the Timberwolves on Monday? WHAT A CHOKE ARTIST!!!!! Ohhhh wait, he's not LeBron, he's allowed to miss free throws and no one will say anything. My mistake, continue on.

7. Memphis Grizzlies 22-15: Grizzlies have won four in a row. Zach Randolph could be back sometime this month. Watch out for Memphis.

8. Dallas Mavericks 23-17: Tyson Chandler got his ring before Tuesday's game against the Knicks and it was a really cool moment. Then they beat the Knicks, I got angry and wanted to break crap.

9. Boston Celtics 20-17: As soon as everyone says Boston is dead they win 3 straight games. Orlando lost to Charlotte on Tuesday so they were automatically eliminated from top 10, Philly hasn't won a game in what seems like a month and a half, Pacers are struggling and Atlanta is Atlanta so the Celtics get to be the third Eastern Conference team.

10. Denver Nuggets 22-17: Nuggets have won four straight games. Nene and Gallo returned from injuries to played limited minutes Monday night. Ty Lawson is playing out of his mind.

The Phoenix Suns have made a decision and you have to give them their props for sticking to it. As much as the Steve Nash trade rumors will persist until the NBA Trade Deadline, unless Nash initiates it, the Suns will not trade the face of the franchise and will try to make the playoffs with the current squad.

Good for them.

It's not like the Suns are a terrible team, they just aren't a great one. But look at the recent results and you can see why there is optimism within the NBA Power Rankings about the Suns' near future.

Tom Ziller of SB Nation put the thought out that maybe, just maybe, the Suns could sneak into the playoffs and gives his own kudos to the team for not giving up. He also ranks them at no. 20.

Marc Stein of ESPN has the Suns at no. 19 and pointed out how well the Suns have played recently with wins in five of their last six and even some 100-point games that have become so rare in Phoenix after years of those types of performances coming on the regular.

The Phoenix Suns finally showed signs of life on their home floor winning back to back games against the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards. Despite the two wins they are still 7-8 at home on the season and 14-9 overall. Lot's of work left to be done to get back into the playoff picture, but with only one game left till the All Star break against the Golden State Warriors the first half of the season could end on a positive note. Now onto the Power Rankings...

1. Miami Heat 25-7: The Heat have won six straight games by an average of 16 points. They're like a college team going through the cup cakes in the non conference schedule except three of the six teams are currently slotted to make the NBA playoffs.

2. Chicago Bulls 26-8: Derrick Rose returned to line-up on Monday and reminded us he's pretty good at doing stuff on a basketball court. In his return from a back injury Rose poured in 23 points with six assists and five rebounds. Bulls have won eight of their last 10 games and lead the league in point differential by a gigantic .1 over the Miami Heat.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder 25-7: Now begins a nice run of Western Conference teams. In the Thunder's last two games Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have combined to score 153 out of 225 points. My math skills are pretty weak, but I think that ratio is freaking insane.

4. San Antonio Spurs 23-9: The Spurs are the hottest team in the NBA winning 11 straight games. They are currently in the middle of their rodeo trip where instead of staying in San Antonio and working on their mounts, they bound as a team and crush everything in their path.

5. Dallas Mavericks 21-9: The Mavericks have won seven of their last eight games. The seven wins came against Denver, Minnesota, Portland, Clippers, Denver, Philly and Boston. Bow down to Rick Carlisle immediately. The one loss came against the Knicks and Jason Terry said Jeremy Lin is 95% a product of Mike D'Antoni's system. He deserves to be booed more than Kris Humphries.

6. Los Angeles Clippers 19-11: Lob city has lost two straight and are only one game ahead of the Lakers in Pacific Division. I need to be honest for a second. I understand why everyone loves Blake Griffin, he is a highlight waiting to happen at any moment, but he is my least favorite player in the league. I can't stand him; his mannerisms on the court bother me to no end. Rant over moving along.

7. Los Angeles Lakers 19-13: Read this column from Ken Berger about the Lakers disaster of a front office and all of the sudden being #7 is in my power rankings probably doesn't matter as much to Kobe Bryant.

8. Philadelphia 76ers 20-12: The 76ers have lost three straight games and six of their last eight. They haven't scored 100 points since January 23rd against the Wizards, a span of 14 games. Not that big of a deal considering they play at a slow pace, but the fact that their TS% is only 19^th best in the NBA is a little worrisome.

9. Houston Rockets 19-14: Rockets picked up two huge wins over the Jazz and Grizzlies in a Sunday/Monday back to back. They have a favorable schedule coming out of the All Star break and a chance to firmly entrench themselves into the Western Conference playoff picture.

10. Orlando Magic 21-12: Good news for Magic fans you're less than a month away from finding out whether you get Brook Lopez or lose Dwight Howard for nothing. Are you excited?????

Jeremy Lin is the rage of the NBA. The New York Knicks have won five in a row with Lin becoming the biggest story in the league. Saying that the Knicks put themselves in such a hole it still isn't enough to get into the Top for the first time this year, but they're creeping closer.

1. Miami Heat 22-7: LeBron James on Monday night scored 35 points while going 16-21 from the field. Absolutely absurd. Heat have started their six game road trip 3-1. Tonight is a great test against the Indiana Pacers in their third game in three nights.

2. Chicago Bulls 23-7: Injuries are starting to pile up for the Bulls. I know Derrick Rose's back checked out structurally and he is day to day, but I am still concerned. Chicago should be resting him till he is 100% healthy, doesn't matter if it takes three weeks. They have passed Philadelphia for the highest point differential in the NBA.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder 21-6: Went 3-2 on a tough five game road trip. Good news for the Thunder Serge Ibaka is starting to play better. In the first two months of the NBA season he had one double-double. In seven game in February he already has three and has blocked 10 shots in a game twice.

4. Philadelphia 76ers 20-9: In the middle of a stretch of seven of eight games on the road. First two were easy games against Cleveland (without Irving/Varejao) and Charlotte. The Bobcats game was much tougher than it should have been. Next four games at Orlando, vs. Dallas, at Minnesota and at Memphis are much more interesting.

5. San Antonio Spurs 19-9: I love this team. I don't know what kind of staying power they will have in the playoffs, but the mix of veterans and youth make them really intriguing to me. The Spurs have won seven straight including wins against Oklahoma City and Philadelphia. Manu Ginobili is back in case you missed it.

6. Dallas Mavericks 18-11: The Mavericks aren't letting the Spurs run away with the Southwest division. Welcome back Dirk Nowitzki! His last six games Dirk is averaging 25.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG and shooting 52% from the field. They have won four games in a row.

7. Los Angeles Clippers 17-9: Clippers lost Monday night to the Dallas Mavericks, but in the last game of a six game road trip the way they played really impressed me. Kenyon Martin had four blocks and did as good of a job as you could do guarding Dirk Nowitzki. Western Conference playoffs are going to be insane.

8. Indiana Pacers 17-10: Indiana has lost three in a row. After their game tonight against the Heat they get to pad the record for two weeks with a ridiculously easy schedule.

9. Orlando Magic 18-11: Weird team, weird situation, but they have Dwight Howard. With Dwight Howard they are going to be able to win a decent amount games. Don't like having them in the Top 10, but the other options are even worse.

10. Atlanta Hawks 18-10: I'm putting them at 10, but let me be on the record and say I'm done with the Atlanta Hawks. The team is a joke and doesn't deserve to be taken seriously. I watched the game they played against the Heat on Sunday night and it was a disgrace. It's time for them to tear it down.

The Phoenix Suns played four games this week, and did fairly well for themselves. Phoenix had their most impressive win when they beat the Atlanta Hawks, and also beating two mediocre teams in the Sacramento Kings and the Milwaukee Bucks. Their lone loss was to the Houston Rockets, who are a solid team in their own right.

Marc Stein released his latest NBA Power Rankings, and the Suns did get a little credit for their performance from last week. Phoenix moved up from 24th to 21st after winning three of the last four contests.

Although I've learned over the years to tune out The Chuckster's TNT proclamations, it ain't easy to let his Nash rant slide. Unworthy for All-Star selection? Say what? The 38-year-old is averaging 15-and-10 and shooting .563 from the floor. Why does Chuck think Phoenix is anywhere near .500?

Interestingly, Phoenix won all three of their road contests and lost their only home game. Strange week, but it's been good enough to rise them a little up. The Suns do have a tough stretch this week to hold it though, as they play three games in three nights and have a home-and-away with the hated Lakers.

To talk about the Suns, head on over to Bright Side of the Sun.

The feel good story of this NBA season Jeremy Lin has propelled the New York Knicks to consecutive victories. On Wednesday, the Knicks take on the Washington Wizards which will pit Lin against the #1 pick from the 2011 NBA Draft John Wall. It won't be the first time the two have played against each other.

Despite winning two in a row the Knicks are no where near this week's Top 10. Time to see who did make it.

1. Miami Heat 18-6: Since losing three in a row in mid January the Heat have won 10 of their last 12 games. Within those wins they have beaten the 76ers twice and the Chicago Bulls. The Heat are the number one team in the NBA currently in offensive efficiency.

2. Chicago Bulls 21-6: Monday night Derrick Rose had to sit the entire second half because of back stiffness as the Bulls crushed the New Jersey Nets. As they have done all year the Bulls have fought through injuries and found ways to win. The Bulls are 4-2 on their current nine game road trip.

3. Los Angeles Clippers 15-7: The Los Angeles Clippers have won five of their last six games. What makes it even more impressive is that four of the five wins came against potential playoff teams. It is being reported that Chauncey Billups might be lost for the season with a torn Achilles. Mo Williams and Randy Foye will be relied upon to pick up the slack. J.R. Smith, who is currently playing in China is also reportedly on their radar.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder 19-5: On Monday night the Thunder had one of the more impressive wins of the early season victories beating the Portland Trailblazers in OT at the Rose Garden. The Blazers were 11-1 at home before the loss.

5. Indiana Pacers 16-7: The Pacers record becomes a bit more impressive when you realize they have played eight games at home and 15 on the road. Indiana's record on the road is 10-5. Tough five game stretch upcoming for the Pacers. A Tuesday/Wednesday back to back vs. Utah and @ Atlanta. Friday/Saturday they are @ Memphis and host Denver. On Tuesday the Miami Heat invade Conseco Fieldhouse (I think it might be called something else now, but if a stadium changes its name more than twice during my lifetime I don't acknowledge it).

6. San Antonio Spurs 17-9: The San Antonio Spurs have won five straight games including two on the road. The two away from home were both against the Memphis Grizzlies. After struggling early in the season on the road the Spurs are 4-3 in their last seven.

7. Denver Nuggets 15-10: The Nuggets have lost three straight games and are extremely banged up. Monday night Danilo Gallinari suffered a chip fracture to his left foot. I don't know what that means, but it doesn't sound good. Denver needs to get healthy quick with eight of the 11 games they have left in February coming against teams with an above .500 record.

8. Boston Celtics 13-10: Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett aren't letting the Celtics head towards their rebuilding phase quietly. The two veterans have picked up their play and led Boston to four wins in a row and eight of their last 10.

9. Atlanta Hawks 16-9: It seems like the loss of Al Horford is starting to catch up to the Hawks. They have lost three in a row all at home. The loss Monday to the Phoenix Suns was unacceptable.

10. Portland Trailblazers 14-11: There is a large group of Western Conference teams fighting it out for the final spot in the playoff rankings. I went with Portland because despite losing to the Thunder at home on Monday they have proven to be an elite team when they play at the Rose Garden. If they can become mediocre on the road things will get much better.

In case you decided to take the night off from anything to do with sports Monday you missed this...

Now the question is how far did Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers move up the Power Rankings?

1. Miami Heat 16-5: The Heat have won five straight games including an impressive victory Sunday over the Chicago Bulls. Let's just ignore the fact LeBron James and Derrick Rose had a who can brick more free throws contest in the closing moments.

2. Chicago Bulls 18-5: The Bulls are trying to keep up with the Heat despite missing Luol Deng. They are in the middle of a massive nine game road trip. Wednesday is an interesting game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Derrick Rose has scored 30 more points in three straight games.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder 16-4: Before their loss Monday night to the Clippers they had won four straight games and 12 of their previous 13. A couple red flags about the Thunder currently - they are ranked 12^th in defensive efficiency and 22^nd in defensive rebound rate (thanks to Mike Prada from SB Nation for pointing that out). Both of those need to improve.

4. Los Angeles Clippers 12-6: I previously had been hesitant to put the Clippers too high in the rankings, but when you sweep a back to back with the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder that is a real statement. In the two games they shot an incredible 49% from three point range (27-55). Mo Williams is excelling in his role as sixth man, Chris Paul is doing what Chris Paul does and the "other team in LA" is putting it together.

5. Philadelphia 76ers 15-6: They still lead the NBA point differential. The Sixers have won three in a row since a loss to the New Jersey Nets, but against two inferior teams and a faltering Orlando Magic squad. As mentioned above a nut check game for Philly on Wednesday against the Bulls.

6. Denver Nuggets 14-6: The Nuggets had won six straight before falling to the Los Angeles Clippers. They get a chance for revenge Thursday night in Los Angeles.

7. Dallas Mavericks 14-8: Last year's NBA Champions are quietly picking up steam winning three in a row despite a rash of injuries. Jason Kidd is now out, but Dirk Nowitzki and Vince Carter just returned. They have won the last two games against the Spurs and Suns with Dirk scoring just 10 points. Lamar Odom still hasn't put it together and yet the Mavericks are in first place.

8. Atlanta Hawks 15-6: Kirk Hinrich's return has added some depth to the Hawks bench. With a win Tuesday over the Raptors Atlanta will have pulled off a 4-1 road trip.

9. Indiana Pacers 14-6: The Pacers were able to pull of a 2-1 road trip against the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics (one loss), and Orlando Magic. The win over the Bulls was their best in the first 20 games.

10. Three Way tie for tenth between the Houston Rockets (12-9), San Antonio Spurs (13-9), and Utah Jazz (12-7). Nothing jumps out about these three teams right now...all about equal nothing special.

The Phoenix Suns are in that place called ‘no man's land' without a clear exit. They aren't a bad basketball team, they just aren't a good one either. They'll have plenty of ups and plenty of downs, only their plenty of downs will be the downfall of a team that's lost its identity. And man, what an identity it was.

So for now, they sit at no. 20 in SBNation's NBA Power Rankings and at no. 19, four spots up from no. 23, in ESPN's Power Rankings.

SBNation let everyone know that they realize what we all realize - that the Suns are good but just not good enough. And with such a deep Western Conference, it is hard enough to play .500 ball, let alone sneak into the playoffs playing that same caliber of ball.

ESPN pointed out just how different this team is from years past. The Suns won a road game in Boston by scoring only 79 points? The team's leading scorers - Steve Nash and Marcin Gortat - don't even average 15 points per game? Just doesn't seem right to call this team the Suns. But we don't have a choice.

When Dirk Nowitzki, one of the ultimate professionals in the NBA has to sit out four games for being a pile of non-conditioned poop, you know something is wrong with this lockout shortened NBA season. Even with that, last year's NBA champions are starting to play better basketball. Will they crack the Top 10 of the NBA Power Rankings? Lets find out...

1. Chicago Bulls 16-3: C.J Watson held down the fort while Derrick Rose was out with a toe injury. Rose is now back and Rip Hamilton is starting to hit his groove.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder 14-3: The Thunder keep cruising along. If it wasn't for a bad loss to the Washington Wizards they would be number one.

3. Philadelphia 76ers 12-5: While the rest of the Atlantic Division struggles the 76ers continue to win games. That being said with the competition picking up the 76ers are 2-2 in their last four games with losses to the Nuggets and Heat. Between those two losses they did have a quality in against the Atlanta Hawks to help keep them towards the top.

4. Miami Heat 11-5: Despite the record the Heat have the third highest point differential in the NBA. They had three straight quality wins over the Spurs, Lakers and 76ers before a bad loss to the Bucks.

5. Denver Nuggets 12-5: The Nuggets won their much hyped match-up with the Knicks. Danilo Gallinari outplayed the man he was traded for, Carmelo Anthony.

6. Atlanta Hawks 13-5: No Al Horford, no problem. The Hawks are now 7-1 without their All-Star big man. Nice test for them Wednesday when they travel to San Antonio where the Spurs have been playing fantastic basketball.

7. Indiana Pacers 11-4: After starting their three game road trip with a bad loss to the Sacramento Kings the Pacers bounced back with two hard fought wins over the Warriors and Lakers. Good sign to see a team that hasn't played together much be able to pull out wins with plays down the stretch of games.

8. Orlando Magic 11-5: The Magic would have been significantly higher, but then they scored 56 points and only 20 in the second half against the Boston Celtics Monday night. The entire team should be suspended for at least a week.

9. Los Angeles Clippers 9-5: Staying afloat without Chris Paul. Bounced back from a difficult loss at the buzzer to the Timberwolves with the Raptors.

10. TIE between Memphis Grizzlies (10-6) and Houston Rockets (10-7): These Southwest division teams are tied for the longest current win streak with seven games. Look no further than their two point guards Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry who are both playing terrific basketball.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

A new team at number one in this week edition of the Top 10 NBA Power Rankings. A weird group of teams, left out are the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trailblazers, Dallas Mavericks, and Memphis Grizzlies. Let's take a look at the rankings...

1. Oklahoma City Thunder 12-2: The Thunder have won seven straight games. Russell Westbrook is starting to snap out of his season-long funk. With their next five games @ Washington, @ New Jersey, vs. Detroit, vs. New Orleans, and @ Golden State there is a strong possibility OKC is going to be 17-2.

2. Philadelphia 76ers 10-3: The 76ers still have the highest point differential in the NBA by far. They also still have the highest defensive efficiency rating. The only game Philly has lost in its last 10 games was to the Knicks and it was their third game in as many days. We will learn more about the Sixers in their next three games when they host Denver, Atlanta, and travel to Miami.

3. Chicago Bulls 12-3: The Bulls have the second highest point differential in the NBA. Derrick Rose has missed two of their last four games and they have gone 1-1. For the Bulls to reach their full potential Joakim Noah needs to play at a higher level.

4. Orlando Magic 9-3: The Magic have the highest offensive efficiency rating in the NBA. The Magic are going back to what made them successful when they advanced to the NBA Finals putting Dwight Howard on the court with four shooters.

5. Indiana Pacers 9-3: The most impressive part about the Indiana Pacers record is their best player Danny Granger has struggled for the majority of the season. It speaks volumes about Indy's depth for them to be having so much success.

6. Los Angeles Clippers 7-3: They beat the Los Angeles Lakers which I didn't think they would even though the Lakers were playing the second night of a back to back. The Clips have won three straight games.

7. Atlanta Hawks 10-4: The Hawks are 3-0 since they lost Al Horford. Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, and Josh Smith have all picked up their play and are carrying the team.

8. Miami Heat 8-4: After a scorching start to the season the Heat have come back down to earth with three straight losses. The LeBron James down the stretch issue has resurfaced despite him playing far and away the best basketball in the NBA. They are going to be without Dwayne Wade, possibly for a while because of an ankle sprain.

9. Los Angeles Lakers 10-5: The Lakers might have been a little higher, but their win over the Dallas Mavericks Monday night was one of the most brutal basketball games I have ever sat through. Downgraded and punished.

10. Utah Jazz 8-4: The Utah Jazz got the final spot over the San Antonio Spurs because the Spurs still haven't won a game on the road. The Jazz had an impressive victory @ Denver.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

The Phoenix Suns had a miserable week. They looked good in two home wins and then performed admirably in Los Angeles in a road loss to the Lakers. Then the wheels fell off. The shots stopped falling (again). The defense fell off the table. The aging stars missed time and showed their wear and tear. Four-straight losses later and the NBA Power Rankings have not (appropriately) been kind.

Tom Ziller at SB Nation dropped the Suns from 11th last week to 17th this week which was probably still generous considering Phoenix, at 4-8, shares nearly the same record as Boston Celtics who Ziller ranked 24th.

NBA Power Rankings: Bulls Take Over, Celtics Slide Into Abyss - SBNation.com
The problems with Phoenix are the same as they've always been: they aren't good on the glass, and they don't draw any fouls. The shots haven't been falling as readily, so that kills the whole offense, no matter how Steve Nash plays.

The Suns fell from 12th in the league in defensive efficiency (100.6 points per 48 minutes) last week to 23rd in the league this week. The offense stayed about the same.

103 points per game on average over those four games with the difference coming at the three-point line. Over their first eight games the Suns allowed just 31 percent shooting from three while over the last four games that number jumped to 36 percent.

The recent trend could be an anomaly, but then again the early season number could be a result of teams shooting poorly in the first few weeks. We'll see.

Bright Side Of The Sun has a look at the week that was:

Phoenix Suns Week in Review: Slipping Into Darkness -
Losing to the Lakers and Spurs on the road is excusable. Losing to the Cavs and Nets at home? Not so much. And it isn't as if we can point to one or two issues that are the cause of the problems; there are plenty to choose from.

Shooting, defense, rebounding, lack of a go-to scorer late in games and age have taken turns as the fatal flaws with the team.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

The Phoenix Suns are mired in the middle of nowhere. They aren't good but they aren't bad either. But they're closer to the latter. Make sense?

Sure it does.

So as they sit at 4-4 on the season, ESPN's Marc Stein has them ranked no. 19 in his NBA Power Rankings that dropped yesterday. He pointed out that since scoring below 90 (again) in Dallas, that the Suns responded by routing a really good Portland team and scoring 109 on Milwaukee. Steve Nash is back to shooting a ridiculous percentage and dropping the occasional point guard masterpiece (like 17 assists against Milwaukee) so there are things to cheer.

A trip to Los Angeles and then two home games agaisnt Cleveland and New Jersey should put the Suns above .500 if they take care of business like they should. But then a five-game road trip to San Antonio, Chicago, New York, Boston and Dallas is likely to bring that record back down.

May the struggling to stay .500 commence.

In this week's edition of the NBA Power Rankings the Miami Heat take the top spot despite some injuries woes. The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers still can't crack the top ten and there is a huge surprise at number 2. Let's take a look...

1. Miami Heat 8-1: LeBron James has been the best player in the NBA and the Heat continue to cruise along even with Dwayne Wade sidelined with a foot injury. The Heat are 3-0 without Wade and even beat the Hawks in triple OT without him and James.

2. Philadelphia 76ers 6-2: This is based on how teams are currently playing. Do I think the 76ers are going to end up as the second best team in the NBA this season? No, but right now they have the highest point differential, best offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency. The 76ers are also in the midst of a five game winning streak, which is the longest in the league.

3. Chicago Bulls 8-2: Bulls have the third highest point differential in the NBA. In a good sign for Chicago, Carlos Boozer is starting to pick up his play. If he could get back to the level he produced in Utah it would really help the Bulls offensively.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder 8-2: I like that the Thunder are 3-1 on the road early in the season. Teams who are going to be number one seeds in their conference need to win on the road. They are winning without Russell Westbrook playing good basketball. Losing Eric Maynor for the season was a hit and rookie point guard Reggie Jackson is going to need to step up.

5. Portland Trailblazers 6-2: I really like this Portland team and I am interested to see how this season plays out for them. I never thought LaMarcus Aldridge would become as good as he currently is.

6. Atlanta Hawks 7-3: The Hawks have impressive wins over the Heat and Bulls plus they would have beat the Bulls a second time if they could have made free throws down the stretch. After a slow start Josh Smith is playing terrific basketball.

7. San Antonio Spurs 6-3: The Spurs are 6-0 at home and 0-3 on the road. They are just trying to keep things together until Manu Ginobili returns. I like this Spurs team more than last year's team because of the depth they have on the bench.

8. Los Angeles Clippers 4-2: The Clippers have only played six games, the least of any team in the NBA. The offensive is tremendous, but they are still trying to figure things out defensively.

9. Indiana Pacers 6-3: The Pacers fell to the 76ers by 10 Monday night, but they were without Danny Granger. The only quality win they have is against the Celtics.

10. Orlando Magic 6-3: Orlando's best win is against the Houston Rockets and they were blown out by the best two teams they faced - the Bulls and Thunder. Dwight Howard is playing tremendously as he waits to get traded.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.