| 1. Dallas Mavericks (23-7) | (↑ 3)
Dirk gets all the credit because he's the lone All-Star but the other ten guys who average double figure minutes deserve some (H4L style) love as well. |
 | 2. San Antonio Spurs (22-8) | (↑ 1)
Don't look now but Tim Duncan's rebounding average has dipped to a mere 9.9 thanks to a solid 8.5 boards a night in December. |
 | 3. Phoenix Suns (21-8) | (↓ 2)
Steve Nash apparently doesn't like the cuts the new-soon-to-be-old ball leaves on his fingers so when leather returns, it's going to be scary for everybody who has Phoenix on their schedule. |
 | 4. Utah Jazz (22-9) | (↑ 1)
You know something isn't right in the world of basketball when Jerry Stackhouse is getting more All-Star votes than Deron Williams. |
 | 5. Chicago Bulls (19-12) | (↑ 2)
If he keeps this up, Ben Gordon is going to be the best sixth man of all time when he hangs up the kicks. Luol Deng...Luol Deng...Luol Deng... |
 | 6. Detroit Pistons (18-10) | (↑ 2)
This Pistons squad is every bit as good as the installment we saw the previous three seasons although you can't help but wonder where they'd be if there were plus one 'fro. |
 x | 7. LA Lakers (16-7) | (↓ 4)
Get out your diaries and put a big red circle around Feb 3, 2007. It's a while away but it's all but guaranteed to be a Kobe/Gil showdown thanks to Zero feeling no love from the man he hung 60 on. |
 | 8. Washington Wizards (11-11) | (↑ 4)
Dick Vitale says it best: "There's a fire in the house! Better call up the fire chief, man, these nets are burning down!" That would be Gil's (and partly 'Tawn and Caron's) fault, baby! |
 | 9. Houston Rockets (18-12) | (↓ 3)
There's only one new year's resolution for both Tracy and Yao: "Stay healthy." If and when that happens, this is one outfit capable of big things. |
 | 10. Cleveland Cavaliers (17-12) | (↑ 1)
The Chicago fans were gracious enough to give LeBron a birthday present but it was one he wishes he could refund. Still, happy birthday 'Bron. |
 | 11. Denver Nuggets (16-11) | (↓ 1)
George Karl must have been good this year because Santa gave him the biggest and most expensive present of his life, pre-loved or not.
|
 | 12. Milwaukee Bucks (16-15) | (↑ 10)
The Bucks are turning it on and Central has once again become the league's best division. |
 | 13. Indiana Pacers (17-15) | (-)
Is there a more consistent team than Indiana in the league? If they're not somewhere between 0.500 and 0.550 at season's end, I for one would be shocked.
|
 | 14. Orlando Magic (18-14) | (↓ 3)
Mr Howard's new year resolution is to add a post move or two and continue getting bigger. And you thought he was scary now. |
 | 15. Golden State Warriors (16-16) | (↓ 1)
Jason Richardson is out for a while so it only means one thing: Monta Ellis time. |
 | 16. Sacramento Kings (13-15) | (↓ 1)
Too bad the NBA isn't a modelling contest because there's no skinnier trio than Douby, Martin and Garcia. Ron Artest should lend them some meat. |
 | 17. Minnesota Timberwolves (13-15) | (↑ 1)
Hello Randy Foye! He's finally shooting well and doing something apart from riding the pine and stinking it up. Let's hope he keeps it up in 2007. |
 | 18. Portland Trailblazers (13-18) | (↑ 2)
Somebody put Brandon Roy down on the MVP candidates list. He could put up 4 points and an assist every night and the Blazers would still be a much better team as long as he's on the court. |
 | 19. Toronto Raptors (13-18) | (↑ 7)
Say it isn't so but the Raptors are quite a good team without their franchise big man (the non-Italian speaking one). A single game could mean the differenc between a high lottery pick and a top four seed come April. |
 | 20. New York Knicks (13-19) | (↑ 7)
If you didn't know it already, David Lee is the league's best rebounder and by far the Knicks' best player. You wouldn't believe it but the Knicks are a mere 0.5 games from a return to the playoffs. |
 | 21. LA Clippers (13-16) | (↓ 4)
You could put KG, Dwyane, Bron, TD, Dwight, Steve Nash or whoever else on this team and they'd still probably go from championship team to perennial ping pong ball watchers only because of the fact they are the LA Clippers. |
 | 22. Miami Heat (13-17) | (↓ 1)
Let's just say that the longer Dwyane stays out, the further and futher the playoffs will look when he does return. |
 | 23. New Jersey Nets (13-18) | (↑ 3)
Jason Kidd as the leading rebounder isn't exactly a glowing remark on the big men's report card. Josh Boone, time to hit the boards like a first rounder with zero offense should. |
 | 24. Boston Celtics (10-18) | (↓ 5)
Sebastian Telfair was supposed to take his game to a whole 'nother level but that hasn't happened and the Celtics are looking in on the playoff race from the outside yet again. |
 | 25. New Orleans Hornets (12-18) | (↓ 9)
Without Chris Paul, the Hornets now officially have the league's least talented starting lineup and while his injury report says four weeks but for Chris Paul, you could safely cut that number in half. |
 | 26. Seattle Supersonics (13-19) | (↓ 3)
Simply put, the Sonics have had much brighter days. Perhaps they could draft another center (but a good one this time) to solve their problems for sure. |
 | 27. Charlotte Bobcats (9-21) | (↑ 1)
Well, you gotta give Ammo some respect. He may have gone one for fifteen one night but he bounced back with a thirty point outing the next. |
 | 28. Philadelphia 76ers (8-21) | (↑ 2)
The 76ers might not want to win too many games, otherwise their first rounder might have two many digits on it. Welcome to the AI (Andre Iguodala) era. |
 | 29. Atlanta Hawks (9-19) | (↓ 5)
Billy King must have remembered that the pick they owe Phoenix is top-3 protected this upcoming draft and finishing last is the only way they're guaranteed to keep that pick. |
 | 30. Memphis Grizzlies (7-24) | (↓ 1)
MEMPHIS101: If A/Prof Mike Fratello taught us one thing this year, it was that if you can't win at all, you should just give your young studs some playing time if you want to keep your job.
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