NBA Power Rankings: Week 9

By Bryan Power - Covers Expert

Christmas may not come early, but the Week 9 NBA Power Rankings do. With the Xmas Day games headlining this week's schedule, our top two teams face off in the finals rematch. Check out where your favorite team ranks.

NBA Power Rankings

Current Rank Last Week Change Team W-L
(ATS) 		Power Rating Team Comments
1 2 move up in rankings1 18-6
(13-11-0) 		-15.0 Miami
So after a one-week drop, the Heat are back in the top spot. They can justify the move up with a win Christmas Day in a NBA Finals rematch.
2 1 move down in rankings1 21-5
(16-9-1) 		-14.8 Oklahoma City
And on the same note, the Thunder can get back the top spot by beating the Heat. They have a big scheduling edge, having not played since Thursday (when 12-game win streak was snapped).
3 3 no change in rankings 21-6
(17-10-0) 		-13.5 L.A. Clippers
Bring a franchise record 13-game win streak into Christmas Day. They play Denver at home where they've covered 10 of 15 games.
4 4 no change in rankings 21-8
(17-11-1) 		-13.0 San Antonio
Unlike the other top teams in our rankings, the Spurs get to stay home for the holidays. Probably a good thing as they've lost four of seven games.
5 6 move up in rankings1 18-7
(15-9-1) 		-11.5 Memphis
The Grizzlies just have no luck in Houston where they've now lost 13 straight times and are 5-30 straight up all-time. Also home for Christmas.
6 5 move down in rankings1 20-7
(15-12-0) 		-10.8 New York
Suddenly have two losses at Madison Square Garden. Allowed 104 PPG on six-game home stand. Are they coming back down to Earth?
7 10 move up in rankings3 16-9
(10-14-1) 		-8.5 Atlanta
Again, note the gap between the Hawks and the top six. It's the biggest gap between any two spots in our entire rankings.
8 11 move up in rankings3 15-11
(10-16-0) 		-8.4 Chicago
I'll forgive Saturday's loss at Atlanta as the Bulls were without rest. Have a chance at redemption when they host high-scoring Houston on Christmas night.
9 9 no change in rankings 15-13
(17-11-0) 		-8.0 Denver
Wait until they start playing more games at home where they are 8-1 beating foes by a double-digit margin. Unfortunately, they're at the Clippers Xmas night.
10 8 move down in rankings2 18-10
(16-11-1) 		-7.3 Golden State
Are the Warriors for real? They actually have a losing record vs. conference opponents (7-8). They are 11-2 straight up vs. the Eastern Conference.
11 7 move down in rankings4 14-12
(12-12-2) 		-7.0 Brooklyn
Yikes. The Nets are only 3-8 SU in the month of December and all three wins were by six points or less. One was in overtime against Detroit.
12 12 no change in rankings 13-13
(9-15-2) 		-6.8 Boston
The Celtics open the Christmas Day card with a double-revenge spot against the Nets. Of greater concern is a 1-4 SU stretch with the lone win coming against Cleveland.
13 17 move up in rankings4 13-14
(11-15-1) 		-6.8 L.A. Lakers
OK Lakers. You've won four in a row. But now it's a revenge spot vs. the Knicks on Christmas. Note: this team is just 1-6 ATS as a dog.
14 13 move down in rankings1 13-12
(15-10-0) 		-6.5 Minnesota
Though Sunday's loss in New York was the fourth straight road loss to an Eastern Conference foe, the T-Wolves have won five in a row at home overall.
15 14 move down in rankings1 14-12
(13-12-1) 		-6.3 Houston
Tip your hat to the highest-scoring team in the league for hanging 121 on a Grizzlies team that allows just 90 points per game.
16 15 move down in rankings1 15-14
(13-15-1) 		-6.3 Utah
With Sunday's win at Orlando, the Jazz are 3-3 SU L6 road games. Respectable considering they opened 1-6 on the road.
17 20 move up in rankings3 16-12
(16-12-0) 		-6.1 Indiana
You probably didn't know that the Pacers are No. 1 in the league in scoring defense. The only team in the league allowing less than 90 PPG.
18 19 move up in rankings1 14-12
(13-13-0) 		-6.0 Milwaukee
Followed up a road win at Boston with a home loss to sorry Cleveland. I'd agree that it's time to trade ball-hoggish Monta Ellis.
19 18 move down in rankings1 13-15
(13-15-0) 		-5.8 Philadelphia
This team is really starting to stink. Have dropped six of seven and their next home is on January 8. They'll play their next seven games out West.
20 21 move up in rankings1 13-13
(10-15-1) 		-5.0 Portland
Were riding high on a season-best five-game win streak. Then they lost outright at Sacramento Sunday. That loss dropped them to 0-3 ATS as road chalk.
21 16 move down in rankings5 12-16
(13-15-0) 		-4.8 Dallas
The good news is that Dirk made a surprise return Sunday. The bad news is that they were blown out by 38 in San Antonio. It was their sixth loss in seven games and third straight by double digits.
22 22 no change in rankings 12-15
(14-12-1) 		-4.0 Orlando
Have dropped back to back games after season-high four-game win streak. The good news is that New Orleans and Washington are up next.
23 25 move up in rankings2 9-19
(14-14-0) 		-3.1 Toronto
Winners of five straight, this is the hottest team in the Eastern Conference. Yet they're still only 9-19 SU and in last place in a very tough division.
24 24 no change in rankings 9-21
(13-17-0) 		-3.0 Detroit
There's no better cure for a six-game losing streak than a home-and-home with the Wizards. Just ask the Pistons.
25 23 move down in rankings2 11-17
(11-16-1) 		-2.8 Phoenix
Had covered six straight prior to getting smoked by the Clippers Sunday night. Have only two road wins and those were against Charlotte and Cleveland.
26 26 no change in rankings 9-18
(11-15-1) 		-2.5 Sacramento
DeMarcus Cousins has been excused from the team for an indefinite period of time. Maybe he's not as dumb as we all think.
27 27 no change in rankings 6-23
(12-17-0) 		-2.3 Cleveland
Have a great shot at winning back-to-back games for the first time all season. They play at Washington (whom they've already beaten once) Wednesday.
28 28 no change in rankings 5-22
(14-13-0) 		-1.0 New Orleans
When you are 5-22 straight up and have lost 11 in a row, and you're not the worst team in the league, that says something. That something is that Charlotte and Washington are abysmal.
29 29 no change in rankings 7-20
(10-17-0) 		1.0 Charlotte
Seriously, you can't make these spreads high enough. Have now lost 15 in a row, the last three all coming by 15 points or greater.
30 30 no change in rankings 3-22
(12-11-2) 		1.5 Washington
If you are lower than Charlotte, you should just be disbanded. Do you realize the bottom three teams have lost a combined 33 straight games?

Power Ratings compute offensive and defensive statistics into one number for each team, while accounting for factors like recent performances and strength of schedule. Power Ratings can be used as a baseline for relative spread index to compare current or future match-ups between two teams. The relative spread does not account for non-statistical factors like home-field advantage, recent injuries, game time decisions, rivalries, publicity, and weather.