Latest NBA Power Rankings - January 8, 2008

This month’s power rankings are in, and the #1 team comes from the Eastern Conference for the first time in seasons. Last month, the Spurs were on top, but with their injuries and the Pistons and Celtics winning streaks, the East no longer looks like the least conference.

1. Boston Celtics – At 29-3 through their first 32 games, you cannot really argue with the fact that the Celtics are playing the best basketball in the NBA right now. Many questioned their early start, where they only played one game outside of the Easter Time Zone during their first 20 or so games. But as soon as they went on their first Western road trip of the season, they won all four games, and it wasn’t even close; including an easy defeat of the high-power-ranked Los Angeles Lakers.

2. Detroit Pistons – Before losing to the Celtics on January 5^th, this team was the #1 team going into this edition of the power rankings. However, they did lose, and so for now, they relinquish that ranking. But it cannot be denied, that the Pistons seem a lot more focused this year than they have in regular seasons past. Whether or not that leads to a more focused playoff season, remains to be answered.

3. San Antonio Spurs – With Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili back in the fold, there is no question that the Spurs will up there level even more. But as it stands to this point, they are still 23-9, with the best record in the Western Conference, and they have only played one game with all three of their stars since November. If that doesn’t speak great team effort and teamwork, than I don’t know what does.

4. Dallas Mavericks – The Mavs are looking better and better as the season progresses. After a slow start that was coupled with many “we’re waiting until the playoff” excuses, this team is finally getting on track, and a lot of that has to do with Dirk Nowitzki, who has taken over by demanding the ball and looking for his shot much more than he did earlier in the season when he was looking to get other players involved.

5. Los Angeles Lakers – I think some of you Lakers fans were smacked back into reality when the Celtics came to LA and shut up a lot of that NBA Finals contender talk coming out of La-La land. Nonetheless, I’m giving them their credit and putting them in the rankings, since they have beaten some good teams over the past month, including going 2-0 against the Phoenix Suns. They aren’t in the running for winning the Western Conference Finals, but a first round victory may be in the cards….it may be.

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