NBA Power Rankings: Lakers, Celtics trending down; top teams in both conferences remain unchanged

Not a lot has changed in the NBA over the last few weeks when it comes to the power rankings. The Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz remain the class of the Western Conference, while the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks look to be the top contenders in the East. The Nets made a big statement on Christmas Day with a depleted roster, while the Bucks showed they can overcome anything with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the helm.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies continue to surprise, despite some severe personnel losses of late. Both teams should be in the postseason comfortably. The Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls have had a bumpy month with COVID-19 and injuries, but both teams are starting to get their key players back and should be dangerous when the games matter more.

The biggest disappointment continues to be the Los Angeles Lakers, who dropped a winnable game at home on Christmas Day. Anthony Davis being sidelined certainly hasn’t helped matters, but LeBron James and Russell Westbrook aren’t meshing well with the rest of the roster. The rotations continue to be off and don’t account for skillset. The Lakers haven’t fallen out of the playoff race, but it’s starting to look like an underwhelming season already. The Boston Celtics, who blew a big lead to the Bucks on Christmas Day, are experiencing similar dysfunction within the organization.

Let’s take a look at Chinmay Vaidya’s power rankings for Week 11 of the NBA season.