More Rankings: 11-20
| NBA Power Rankings |
| 11 |
6 |
 |
Jerry Sloan was heard uttering an expletive on ESPN? Oops. So much for the NBA's plan to censor those open mikes. With his team having lost six of seven heading into a four-game road trip, and Mehmet Okur (shoulder) ailing, Sloan might have a few more choice words in the days ahead. |
| 12 |
14 |
 |
Sunday's loss to the Celtics snapped their four-game win streak and stole some of their momentum heading into a season-long seven-game Western road trip that begins Tuesday at the Clippers. |
| 13 |
12 |
 |
Rick Adelman is finding out what previous Rockets coaches Rudy Tomjanovich and Jeff Van Gundy learned as well: It's not easy force-feeding Yao Ming when opponents go small. Even so, they are hanging in there despite a rugged schedule that doesn't ease anytime soon. |
| 14 |
19 |
 |
Joel Przybilla, Travis Outlaw and Channing Frye all have picked up their play in Aldridge's absence, and their offense has been putting up 100 points (or near it) every night. With Aldridge expected back soon, and their next six games at the Rose Garden, they just might keep Blazermania going for a while. |
| 15 |
13 |
 |
They're still trying to work Larry Hughes and Anderson Varejao back in the lineup after long absences. But with eight losses in their last nine games through Sunday, all to Eastern Conference foes, this rough patch could cost them in terms of playoff seeding down the road. |
| 16 |
15 |
 |
They continue to alternate wins and losses as they get comfortable under new coach Jim O'Brien. But Jermaine O'Neal is playing better of late, and the defense is starting to show signs of improvement. |
| 17 |
16 |
 |
DeShawn Stevenson joined Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler in helping them win six of seven as they continue to thrive without Gilbert Arenas (knee). But the loss of Antonio Daniels (sprained knee, out two to four weeks) could be a killer blow at this point. |
| 18 |
21 |
 |
Will there be any "Kobe" chants at the United Center when the Lakers visit Chicago on Tuesday? At least Kirk Hinrich finally broke out of his slump with a triple-double (15 points, 12 rebounds, 14 assists) in last Friday's win over the Knicks, the Bulls' sixth victory in nine games. |
| 19 |
17 |
 |
Their revolving door with injured point guards continues to spin. After recently returning from a sprained ankle, rookie Acie Law IV missed Saturday's win over the Bobcats with a sore knee. He joins Speedy Claxton and Tyronn Lue on their list of ailing playmakers. |
| 20 |
18 |
 |
The cloud over the Swamp grows as the bad losses keep piling up. In recent weeks they have dropped contests to the Grizzlies, Wizards (sans Arenas), Clippers (at home) and, worst of all, two to the rival Knicks. If this keeps up, they might have no choice but to blow it up. |
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