NBA Power Rankings: Bulls, Thunder Win As Heat Slide

1- Chicago Bulls (31-8) Bulls just keep plugging along and winning games. The Bulls remind me of the band Bright Eyes and Derrick Rose is Conor Oberst.

2- Oklahoma City Thunder (29-8) Westbrook and Durant are playing well and meshing together right now. The loss to the Hawks is a little disappointing. I really thought they would pull that victory out. Now if Westbrook would just stop taking all those shots away from Durant (kidding…).

3- Miami Heat (28-9) The Heat has lost two games in a row. Now I need to finish stocking my bomb shelter with bottled water and canned fruit since the world is coming to an end.

4- San Antonio Spurs (25-12) Since February 1^st the San Antonio Ninjas have lost two games in which they were actually trying. Sorry Blazers fans, you do not get credit for that win vs. the Spurs when they rested their entire team.

5- Los Angeles Clippers (22-13) A yo-yo week for Lob City but they were able to beat a good Rockets team on the road. If this team is a serious contender in the West they cannot lose games to teams like the Suns.

6- Orlando Magic (24-14) If this is what an apathetic and distracted Dwight Howard plays like I can only assume the inverse is a combination of Shaq in his prime combined with Neo from the Matrix.

7- Memphis Grizzlies (22-15) The wheels look to have fully come off the Grizz-Express a few months ago. Slowly they have been able to keep things on the track. Zach Randolph is inching closer to returning to the team. Once that happens the big questions will be how long it will take for him and Rudy Gay to assimilate to each other’s game.

8- Philadelphia 76ers (22-16) The Sixers limped into the All-Star break and things have not been any better for the boys from Paddy’s Pub. Good news is that they are still leading their division so there is that.

9- Indiana Pacers (23-12) Four game losing streak…no problem. They made up for it by rolling off a six game winning streak and now they get to play the Bulls. This game is a chance for the Pacers to put the rest of the East on notice.

10- Los Angeles Lakers (23-14) Handled the Kevin Love-less and beat the Heat by double digits. Well-played Masked Mamba. Well played.

Player of the Week:

Deron Williams PG New Jersey Nets

Over his last five games he has dropped 28.4 pts, 4.4 reb, 8.2 ast, 40% from 3, and 91% from the free throw line. His team was also able to beat the Knicks (their Super Bowl) the Mavericks (his future team) and he put up 57 points for a 3 point win over the horrible Bobcats.

Best Game of the Week:

Pacers at Bulls (Monday 7:00 pm CST on WGN):

Pacers put their six game win streak on the line vs. the team that bounced them from the playoffs last season.

Worst Game of the Week:

Hornets at Kings (Wednesday 9pm CST):

I do feel bad for Hornets fans that they weren't able to enjoy seeing Eric Gordon play for longer. 2012 NBA season: Where Injuries Happen!