NBA power rankings

Michael Lee evaluates the best teams in the National Basketball Association.

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1. Oklahoma City, last week 2

With a 36-point effort against Phoenix, followed by 32-game against Denver, Russell Westbrook became the fourth player this season to score at least 30 points and make at least 58 percent of his shots in back-to-back games.

Sue Ogrocki / AP

2. Los Angeles Clippers, last week 2

Chris Paul’s right knee bruise is helping Jamal Crawford’s bid to make first all-star appearance. Crawford led the Clippers in scoring in the first three games Paul missed. They are 12-1 when Crawford leads the team in scoring

Jeff Gross / Getty Images

3. San Antonio, last week 3

An opportunistic Miami attorney is suing the Spurs for resting four starters in a game but San Antonio is more concerned with having to withstand the loss of Manu Ginobili for the next weeks with strained left hamstring.

Stacy Revere / Getty Images

4. Miami, last week 5

LeBron James interrupted Miami’s championship funk – highlighted by a fourth-quarter benching of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Utah – by reaching 20,000 career points and 5,000 career assists in win over Golden State.

Marc Serota / Getty Images

5. New York, last week 6

The Knicks are getting closer to full strength with defensive specialist Iman Shumpert back after tearing his ACL during the playoffs but they’ve sputtered without Raymond Felton, who plans to return from broken hand next week.

Elsa / Getty Images

6. Memphis, last week 4

Rudy Gay lost his grandmother but the trade rumors surrounding the Grizzlies’ leading scorer may have disrupted what was working in Memphis. Team tied a franchise record with three consecutive losses by at least 20 points.

Danny Johnston / AP

7. Golden State, last week 7

Stephen Curry has dealt with two surgeries and multiple sprains on the same right ankle that now has him out indefinitely, causing some consternation for the Warriors’ turnaround season and threatening his all-star hopes.

Jeff Gross / Getty Images

8. Indiana, last week 8

The Pacers haven’t needed incentive to be the league’s stingiest defensive team but former Georgetown star Roy Hibbert provided some by paying reserves $100 apiece for keeping Charlotte from scoring 80 points in a recent win.

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

9. Chicago, last week unranked

The Bulls are giving Derrick Rose more reasons to take his time rehabbing from his torn ACL, with Carlos Boozer returning to Utah form and Luol Deng still playing at an all-star level and hitting a game-winner in Toronto.

Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images

10.

Was Avery Johnson really the problem? P.J. Carlesimo led the Nets to eight wins in his first nine games. Deron Williams has been reborn but said he shouldn’t be an all-star. Center Brook Lopez, however, is playing like one.

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

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