NBA Power Rankings
The NBA season has already many a thrillWe are back with our weekly power rankings and while the top four stay the same (OKC and Miami flip-flopped), the movement up and down teams 2-10 in the Eastern Conference necessitates movement in our rankings here. It looks like this will be modus operendus in the East as none of the teams look good enough to create separation and thus, will be constantly moving up and down the standings.The West is more defined, with the top three teams clearly above the rest, then a second tier of four, before you have a mad scramble for the 8th seed. Before we dive into the rankings, let’s take a look at the Christmas Day games, when the NBA will have five games throughout one of its showcase days. The first game on the dockett is New Orleans at Miami, a game that features an under-achieving team vs one of those East teams trying to establish itself as the second best team in the league. Next up we will have Chicago at Oklahoma City, where the Bulls will try and right their slumping ways against one of the league’s top four teams.Following that game is the one everyone is looking forward to, the Finals rematch, Cleveland at Golden State. Then you get one Texas team that is laying waste to the league in the San Antonio Spurs at another Texas team trying to get on track in the Houston Rockets. And finally the night closes out with what should beat down with the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Los Angeles Clippers.
#10 Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are the first new team in the power rankings this week, coming off a big home win vs the Houston Rockets, one of the teams they were battling for this final spot. The Magic have been getting help from up and down the roster, with 11 players playing 20 games and averaging double-digit minutes in those games.
They are a balanced scoring team, with Vucevic leading the way with 16.7 points per game, one of five double-digit scorers on the team. Between Evan Fournier and Victor Oladipo, the Magic need these two to raise their game a little if they want to be a serious threat in the East playoff picture.
The Magic have three home games this week, including two against the bottom feeders of the league in New Orleans and Brooklyn. The big game will be vs the Heat, who will be coming off a game the day before. Win this after the big Rockets win on Wednesday and people will begin looking at the Magic like a true playoff team and not just an up an comer still a year away.