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Utah Tops NBA Power Rankings

Jazz continues to get solid all-around play

© Mark Barnes

Dec 9, 2006

So far, everything has gone the way of the Utah Jazz, and Utah again heads Suite101's NBA Power Rankings.

  1. Utah Jazz – With Dallas' win streak ending, and Utah putting together another solid week, the Jazz climbed back into the top spot in our NBA Power Rankings poll. With a 10-1 home record and an NBA MVP candidate in Carlos Boozer, the Utah Jazz are a threat to go very far in the playoffs this season.
  2. Phoenix Suns -- The NBA rankings are all about who's hot, and the Suns are sizzling, if you can excuse the overly-used pun. Coming off one of the best wins in franchise history, in which reigning NBA MVP Steve Nash scored 42 points, Phoenix has won nine straight games and moved into second place in the NBA's Pacific Division.
  3. San Antonio Spurs – A 4-0 week has the Spurs at 15-5, tied with the Utah Jazz for the best record in the NBA. The Spurs have almost been an afterthought in our NBA Power Rankings, and all they've done is go 7-3 at home and 8-2 on the road.
  4. Orlando Magic -- At 14-7, the Magic is similar to the Spurs, in that Orlando is very consistent at home and away -- all they do is win. Dwight Howard is becoming as steady as Tim Duncan, and Jameer Nelson rarely makes mistakes. Throw in veteran leadership from Grant Hill, and Orlando looks very deserving of its number 4 spot in the NBA rankings.
  5. Dallas Mavericks – Dirk Nowitzki had a minor injury, the Mavericks finally lost after winning for two weeks straight, and four other teams got very hot. What does all of this mean? Dallas drops four spots in the NBA Power Rankings but is still one of the most dangerous NBA teams.
  6. Detroit Pistons – The Pistons ended the week with a thrilling victory at Orlando, giving Detroit an 8-2 mark in its last 10 games. The Pistons are getting outstanding play from the fine backcourt of Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton, and Detroit once again looks like the defensive force it once was.
  7. Los Angeles Lakers -- Another good week brings a two-spot jump in the NBA Power Rankings for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant, who is taking less than 18 shots per game, is having arguably his best all-around season and proving that NBA basketball is the ultimate team game.
  8. Houston Rockets – Yao Ming's Rockets are 7-3 in their last 10 games and nipping at San Antonio's heels in the NBA's Southwest Division. Yao and the Rockets have been steady all season and have remained a force in our NBA Power Rankings.
  9. Denver Nuggets – The Nuggets are getting great play from three core players -- NBA MVP candidate Carmelo Anthony, veteran point guard Andre Miller and veteran center Marcus Camby. Three excellent players in key positions and a record of 11-6 give the Denver Nuggets a solid 9 spot in our NBA Power Rankings.
  10. Cleveland Cavaliers – Coach Mike Brown's club continues to tumble in the NBA rankings, even with the consistently-spectacular play of LeBron James. The Cavaliers are just 3-5 on the road, and they struggle against bad NBA teams. The Cavaliers, however, are 11-7 and second in the NBA's Central Division, so they remain a top 10 NBA Power Rankings team.

The copyright of the article Utah Tops NBA Power Rankings in NBA is owned by Mark Barnes. Permission to republish Utah Tops NBA Power Rankings in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.





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