Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: +1
Andrew Bynum may make his return in Thursday’s game against the Nuggets. The Lakers won’t have much time to reintegrate him before the playoffs, but he should help solidify the defense that allowed the Clippers to score 29 points in the fourth quarter and make Sunday’s game much too interesting.
ESPN.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: +1
Historical precedents are only so useful, especially after a disturbing near giveaway to the Clips, but it seems relevant to share that this is Phil’s seventh 60-win season … with each of the previous six leading to a title.
SI.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: +1
You get the feeling both the Lakers and Cavs are hoping someone surges ahead in the standings so they can start resting some key players. Last week Lakers coach Phil Jackson, with his team falling behind Cleveland in the race for the No. 1 overall seed, suggested he might start limiting the minutes of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. But back-to-back losses by the Cavaliers has the Lakers right back in the mix for home court advantage. Not that Bryant seems to care. “In my years of experience, if you’re going to be a champion, you should win on the road anywhere,” Bryant said. “The better team is going to advance, no matter where you play.”
USAToday.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: N/A
If Lakers can make up one game on Cavs, they’ll have home court throughout playoffs. Lakers won season series with Cleveland.
Average Ranking: This Week: 1.25 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: +.75
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: N/A
A season-low 76 points in Atlanta puts the Lakers two games behind the Cavs for the best record in the league. Of greater concern is the health of Bryant and the play of their bench, which has shot 16-for-52 (30.8 percent) over the last three games.
ESPN.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -1
You’d typically pardon an L in Atlanta knowing what the Hawks are like at home. In this case, though, L.A. has to take a hit, failing to get to 80 points right after the Hawks fell to the Timmy-less Spurs and KG-less Celts.
SI.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: N/A
Either Phil Jackson doesn’t have any idea when Andrew Bynum will be back or he’s having some fun making reporters think he doesn’t. On Thursday, Jackson told reporters that Bynum “has a considerable amount of time yet before he’s going to be even at practice with us.” But on Saturday, Jackson talked about using the final regular-season games for “getting [Bynum's] rhythm back.”
USAToday.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: N/A
Kobe struggling with sore right ankle.
Average Ranking: This Week: 2 | Last Week: 1.75 | Diff: -.25
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: N/A
If the Cavs finish a game ahead of the Lakers and the two teams meet in the Finals, Game 1 would be in Cleveland thanks to Andre Iguodala’s game-winning three last Tuesday. L.A. began its seven-game trip with a Bench Mob-led comeback in Chicago on Saturday.
ESPN.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
Spotty D. Inconsistent bench. A killer instinct publicly questioned by the coach. And still no Bynum. But you know what? Nothing’s changed: Roughly 29 teams would trade for L.A.’s issues, like we said in October.
SI.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: N/A
Good news, Lakers fans: Regardless of the outcome of this postseason, Phil Jackson will be back next season. When asked recently by local reporters if he envisioned a scenario in which the Lakers win the championship and he rides off into the sunset, Jackson said, “No, I certainly don’t. I still have a year left on the contract.”
USAToday.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -1
Their defense will determine title chances.
Average Ranking: This Week: 1.75 | Last Week: 1.5 | Diff: -.25
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -1
Monday’s (bad) loss in Portland puts the Lakers and Cavs even in the standings. Cleveland plays seven of their next eight games at home and have 11 remaining at the Q, while the Lakers begin a seven-game trip on Saturday and have just seven games remaining at STAPLES. But Andrew Bynum says he’ll “definitely be back this season.”
ESPN.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
They swept Houston and San Antonio back to back and see the West’s top two presumed challengers (Spurs and Jazz) on course to beat each other up in Round 1. I’d say the Lakers are over their Portland debacle.
SI.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: N/A
Already running away with the West, their biggest issue these days is establishing a consistent rotation. Trevor Ariza replaced Luke Walton as the starting small forward last week, and the debate is already raging about whether injured center Andrew Bynum, who has begun running on a treadmill, should reclaim his starting spot when he returns or if Lamar Odom should remain in the first unit.
Average Ranking: This Week: 1.66 | Last Week: 1.33 | Diff: -.33
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: +1
It was a slow week for the Lakers, picking up home wins over the Grizzlies and Timberwolves. The next seven days should be much more interesting, as they visit Portland, Houston and San Antonio, and then host the Mavs on Sunday. Lamar Odom’s scoring is down, but he’s been doing other things on the floor to help his team.
ESPN.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
Will the first team to win 50 also be the first to win 60? Depends on how much damage L.A. can do on its travels, with the Lakers looking at 10 of their next 13 games on the road between now and April 1.
SI.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: N/A
What going on with Lamar Odom? After a terrific February (16.5 ppg, 13.4 rpg) in the wake of Andrew Bynum’s injury, Odom has come crashing back to earth, with more fouls (12) than points (eight) in the last three games. Phil Jackson reportedly approached Odom at halftime of Friday’s victory against Minnesota to see if the power forward was OK. Jackson told reporters after the game that he was concerned about Odom’s tendency for “sessions of doubt or doldrums.”
USAToday.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
Bynum could be back by first week in April if rehab goes well.
Average Ranking: This Week: 1.25 | Last Week: 1.5 | Diff: +.25
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -1
It’s got to be tough to lose a game when your two All-Stars combine to score 79 points, but that’s what happened to the Lakers on Sunday in Phoenix. That makes two straight losses for L.A., putting them even with the Cavs in the loss column. And after a pair of easy home games this week, they play 10 of 13 games on the road.
ESPN.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
Let the debate begin. Do the Lakers deserve a one-week pardon after leaking 118 points to a Suns team without Nash or Stoudemire … after winning 11 of 12 without Bynum? We say yes. Barely.
SI.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -1
With road losses to Denver and Phoenix, the Lakers have dropped back-to-back games for the first time since mid-January. Meanwhile, reports out of L.A. say Andrew Bynum is on schedule to return before the end of the regular season. The 7-footer has yet to start running but is able to ride a stationary bike as he recovers from a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
USAToday.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
Lakers might be better offensively without Bynum, but miss his defensive presence.
Average Ranking: This Week: 1.5 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -.5
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
If you count the game he got hurt (and only played five minutes), the Lakers are 10-1 without Andrew Bynum. But their defense has fallen off a bit (as it did last year when he went down), from 106.4 in their first 45 games to 109.0 in their last 11. That’s why they’ve struggled to beat the Warriors, Hornets and T-Wolves.
ESPN.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
How deep is the league’s deepest team? The Lakers dumped Radmanovic and Mihm to save a little money and are still 9-1 in February … all without the injured Bynum. A four-point stumble at Utah is the lone blemish.
SI.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
If you don’t believe them when they say they can win a championship without Bynum, at least consider what others around the league are saying. “I think they are better without Bynum,” an Eastern Conference head coach said. “Look at the way the league is trending. The really good teams are the ones that play fast. This Lakers team plays really fast.” Bynum’s replacement in the starting lineup, Lamar Odom, continues to play well, having pulled down at least 14 rebounds in seven games this month.
USAToday.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
Who needed to make a trade? Lakers 4-0 this week.
Average Ranking: This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 3 | Diff: +2
What a week for the Lakers. They completed season sweeps against their two most likely opponents in June (if they get there themselves) and finished their road trip 6-0. And getting a big game from Lamar Odom in Cleveland could have long-term benefits. Oh yeah, that Bryant guy scored a lot of points in New York on Monday.
ESPN.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 4 | Diff: +3
If the last seven days say anything, it’s that this team is better than last season’s Lakers — even if Bynum can’t come back — because of Pau and Ariza … and if the Odom we saw in Boston and Cleveland sticks around.
SI.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
So much for the idea that the loss of Bynum would sink their title hopes. With Lamar Odom playing very unlike Lamar Odom (i.e. consistently productive), the Lakers swept through the East, delivering messages to the Celtics and Cavaliers to end their 6-0 trip. In the first four games without Bynum, Odom averaged 16.8 points and 10.8 rebounds and shot 52.9 percent.
USAToday.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: +1
Kobe, of course.
Average Ranking: This Week: 1 | Last Week: 2.5 | Diff: +1.5
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 3 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: -1
The Lakers (and the rest of the league) await the MRI results on Andrew Bynum’s right knee. Missing their center for an extended period of time would hurt their defense (again), and it’s already inconsistent. After giving up 117 points in that loss to the Bobcats on Tuesday, they beat the Grizzlies despite allowing Memphis to shoot 51 percent.
ESPN.com
This Week: 4 | Last Week: 2 | Diff: -1
Those of you in Lakerland in such a rush to see Odom shipped out see now why your Lakers won’t let him go until the summer. Who has the length and triangle knowledge to plug in for the fallen Bynum better than LO?
SI.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: N/A
Bynum is expected to miss 8-12 weeks with a medial collateral ligament in his right knee (he injured his left knee last season). His absence means Lamar Odom will return to the starting lineup at power forward with Pau Gasol sliding to center. That was the starting combination when the Lakers went to the NBA Finals last season.
USAToday.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -1
Lakers hoping Bynum’s knee injury isn’t serious.
Average Ranking: This Week: 2.5 | Last Week: 1.5 | Diff: -1.75
Every Monday, the Lakers Basketblog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 5 | Diff: +3
Jordan Farmar’s (productive) return was a pleasant surprise on what turned out to be a pretty good Sunday for the Lakers. The win over the Spurs was Andrew Bynum’s third straight double-double, a run that began with 42 and 15 against the Clippers on Wednesday. The 42 points was 14 more than Bynum’s previous career high.
ESPN.com
This Week: 2 | Last Week: 3 | Diff: +1
So do you think the Lakers — fresh off toasting the Spurs and fully healthy for the first time in weeks — are secretly freaked because they’ve played more home games and fewer roadies than anyone else? Us, neither
SI.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 4 | Diff: +3
Their NBA-low total of 17 road games is about to increase in a hurry. After Tuesday’s game against Charlotte in Los Angeles, the Lakers play their next six games on the road. That trip ends with visits to Boston and Cleveland.
USAToday.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 3 | Diff: +2
Lakers bounce back with 4-0 week; Bynum averages 23.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.3 blocks.
Average Ranking: This Week: 1.5 | Last Week: 3.75 | Diff: +2.25
