Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings (except last week where the holiday and all-star weekend derailed us).
NBA.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 7 | Diff: +6
With Pau Gasol fitting in perfectly and Kobe Bryant seemingly unaffected by his mangled pinky, I’m not sure this team isn’t the favorite to win the title even without Andrew Bynum. And with Bynum’s rehab coming along, it would be very difficult for anyone to pick against the Lakers right now.
ESPN.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 5 | Diff: +4
If our new BFFs from The Onion thought it was gutsy a few weeks back when we moved the Lakers from No. 4 to No. 3, what will they say when they see our mea culpa promotion of Kobe and Co. from No. 5 to No. 1?
SI.com
This Week: 3 | Last Week: 5 | Diff: +2
Gee, Kobe Bryant’s pinkie sure had a miraculous recovery, didn’t it? The Lakers’ star pumped in 21 points in 26 minutes Sunday as they won at Seattle to make it eight straight. He also had 41 to slay the Suns last Wednesday.
Average Ranking: 1.66 | Last Week: 5.66 | Diff: +4
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 7 | Last Week: 6 | Diff: -1
With games in Charlotte and Minnesota before the break, the Lakers have a real shot at putting together a 7-2 Grammy trip. But we still await word on the knee.
ESPN.com
This Week: 3 | Last Week: 4 | Diff: +1
At 5-1 since the big trade and with Kobe clearly energized by the blockbuster move he’s been waiting for, there’s only one complaint in Lakerland: Pau won’t make his home debut until after the All-Star break.
SI.com
This Week: 5 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -4
Friday’s loss at Atlanta officially ends their Pau Gasol-inspired ceremonial one-week reign atop these rankings. But they still had won five of seven on their epic nine-game road trip to keep the good vibe going.
Average Ranking: 5 | Last Week: 3.66 | Diff: +1.33
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 6 | Last Week: 7 | Diff: +1
All eyes will be on New Jersey on Tuesday as Pau Gasol makes his Laker debut. They could probably use him more defensively than offensively, as they’ve struggled on that end (111.0 rating) since Andrew Bynum went out.
ESPN.com
This Week: 4 | Last Week: 11 | Diff: +7
The steal, er, deal that envious execs and media types can’t stop talking about — Gasol for none of the Lakers’ top 10 players — was summed up best in all of three words by Dallas’ Avery Johnson: ”Merry Christmas, L.A.”
SI.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 13 | Diff: +12
How geeked is Kobe over the Gasol acquisition? He outscored the Wizards all by himself 19-15 in the first quarter en route to an easy victory Sunday. Meanwhile, the Lakers’ new 7-foot star could make his debut Tuesday at New Jersey.
Average Ranking: 3.66 | Last Week: 10.33 | Diff: +6.67
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 7 | Last Week: 3 | Diff: -4
Now 2-4 without Andrew Bynum, the Lakers will finish their pre-break schedule with a nine-game Grammy trip after hosting the Knicks on Tuesday.
ESPN.com
This Week: 11 | Last Week: 7 | Diff: -4
The Lakers leave soon on their own journey: Nine straight roadies. Phil Jackson is trying to keep things light — “It’s just doom from here on out,” he jokes — but no one in L.A. is laughing too loud with Bynum out.
SI.com
This Week: 13 | Last Week: 7 | Diff: -6
The roof isn’t exactly caving in (though a leak at the Staples Center did cause a delay in Sunday’s loss to the Cavs), but they’ve got reason to be concerned. During the past two weeks they have lost to the Suns, Spurs, Mavs and Cavs, and now they must head out on a nine-game road trip.
Average Ranking: 10.33 | Last Week: 5.66 | Diff: -4.67
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 3 | Last Week: 1 | Diff: -2
So in the first game without Bynum, Kobe puts up 44 shots. Good thing he didn’t stop at 43, or the Lakers might have lost. Their schedule this week (vs. DEN, @ SAS, @ DAL, vs. CLE) could affect the Pacific standings more than Thursday’s loss to the Suns. Oh, and this won’t help.
The “this” in there refers to this.
ESPN.com
This Week: 7 | Last Week: 4 | Diff: -3
You’ll recall what injuries did to last season’s Lakers after a similar 26-13 start. So maybe all these injuries (Bynum, Mihm and now Ariza) are just another chance for these Lakers to prove how much they’ve grown.
SI.com
This Week: 7 | Last Week: 5 | Diff: -2
Kwame Brown was booed unmercifully by the home crowd in last Thursday’s loss to the Suns that snapped their seven-game winning streak. Don’t L.A. fans realize that with Andrew Bynum (knee) out for two months and a difficult schedule ahead, the Lakers are going to need a confident Brown?
Average Ranking: 5.66 | Last Week: 3.33 | Diff: -2.33
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 1 | Last Week: 4 | Diff: +3
The Lakers have won six straight and 10 of their last 11, but the one game that tells me that they’re No. 1 right now is Wednesday’s drubbing of the Hornets in New Orleans.
ESPN.com
This Week: 4 | Last Week: 4 | Diff: 0
Things must have been going too well. L.A. is 16-3 since Dec. 2, almost matching Portland’s 17-2 run, but the sight of Bynum going down is scary stuff, even for a team possessing the Lakers’ enviable depth.
SI.com
This Week: 5 | Last Week: 5 | Diff: 0
They beat Memphis on Sunday to run their win streak to a season-high six and notch their 16th victory in their last 19 games. But the status of center Andrew Bynum, who sprained his left knee, is a big concern as they get set for a rugged upcoming portion of the schedule (beginning Thursday, they’ll face the Suns, Nuggets, Spurs and Mavs in a four-game stretch).
Average Ranking: 3.33 | Last Week: 4.33 | Diff: +1
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings. (except last week when we went on hiatus for the holiday… my bad)
NBA.com
This Week: 4 | Last Week: 6 | Diff: +2
Andrew Bynum just keeps getting better. He averaged 20.0 and 14.5 in the two wins this week and his numbers are 16.1 points, 10.7 boards, 2.46 blocks and .677 from the field in his last 13 games. That’s better than Jermaine O’Neal’s numbers, by the way.
ESPN.com
This Week: 4 | Last Week: 5 | Diff: +1
We’ve resisted putting the Lakers (or Hornets) above the Suns, Mavs and Spurs. But with the West powers ailing or inconsistent and L.A. at 14-5 since a 7-6 start, plus 2-0 vs. Phoenix, you can make the case for a week.
SI.com
This Week: 5 | Last Week: 4 | Diff: -1
Triumph of the triangle: Kobe Bryant isn’t their only scoring option anymore. They had five scorers in double figures in Sunday’s 112-96 win over the Pacers, their 12th victory in 15 games. As a team, they rank third in the NBA in both scoring (107.2) and field goal percentage (47.4).
Average Ranking: 4.33 | Last Week: 5 | Diff: +.66
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 6 | Last Week: 6 | Diff: 0
After an impressive road trip, it’s big-game week at STAPLES Center. The Suns, Jazz and Celtics all visit the Lakers over the next seven days.
ESPN.com
This Week: 6 | Last Week: 8 | Diff: +2
L.A. needs a 6-1 spurt to match last season’s 23-11 start. But even if the Lakers can’t follow up this 8-2 surge by winning six of seven, scouts are almost unanimous in calling this the best post-Shaq team L.A. has had.
SI.com
This Week: 7 | Last Week: 7 | Diff: 0
Kobe Bryant became the youngest player to score 20,000 points in Sunday’s win at New York, beating out Wilt Chamberlain for the distinction. Better yet, it was Kobe & Co.’s eighth victory in 10 games as they continue to put last summer’s soap opera behind them.
Average Ranking: 6.33 | Last Week: 7 | Diff: +.66
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
The Lakers take a baby step up the rankings with a lot of the talk surrounding man-child center Andrew Bynum.
NBA.com
This Week: 6 | Last Week: 7 | Diff: +1
In his first two seasons in the league, Andrew Bynum had 10 double-doubles. He’s got 11 in 22 games so far this season, and he ranks fourth in the league in field goal percentage at .596. The kid is growing up quickly.
ESPN.com
This Week: 8 | Last Week: 8 | Diff: 0
Encouraged as the Lakers were to hear Kobe proclaim that he’s ”happy,” chances are that’s not the last word on the subject. Not with the Lakers about to walk into media sieges in Chicago and New York.
SI.com
This Week: 7 | Last Week: 9 | Diff: +2
Andrew Bynum has become the center Kobe Bryant never had. Well, OK, so maybe Bynum isn’t Shaq just yet. But the 20-year-old has averaged 14.3 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks over his last four games to help provide Kobe with a little of that help he craved.
Average Ranking: 7 | Last Week: 8 | Diff: +1
Every Monday the Lakers.com BasketBlog checks the net to bring you the latest NBA power rankings.
NBA.com
This Week: 7 | Last Week: 14 | Diff: +7
Quality wins over the Nuggets and Warriors this week have the Lakers matching their highest ranking of the season so far. Next up is the No. 1 Spurs on Thursday.
ESPN.com
This Week: 8 | Last Week: 13 | Diff: +5
The Lakers are probably not going to win 50 games, Phil Jackson says. Don’t think they can afford to be too far away, though, because last season’s 42 wins probably won’t be enough for a playoff berth this season.
SI.com
This Week: 9 | Last Week: 15 | Diff: +6
They’re breathing a sigh of relief that Kobe Bryant didn’t injure his shoulder more seriously in that fall in Denver. Meanwhile, Andrew Bynum tied a career high with 20 points in Sunday’s win over the Warriors, their third straight victory, as the young center continues to blossom.
Average Ranking: 8 | Last Week: 14 | Diff: +6
