23. Los Angeles Lakers (Previous Week: 24)

NBA Power Rankings: Week 14

Kobe Bryant is going to do whatever it takes to get the Lakers into the playoffs. Earlier in the season he tried the role of distributor. Now he is locked in as the signature Black Mamba. Kobe scored 40 points in a win over the Blazers and 38 in a victory against the Mavs. The question that remains is will the 34-year-old Bryant be able to play at such a high level long enough to get his team in the top eight of the Western Conference? (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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NBA Power Rankin... By John Butler, XFINITY Sports

The Lakers are grinding it out. The Heat are coasting at the top. And a number of teams are surprising us all. Find out where your team stands in this week's Power Rankings. (AP Photos)

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30. Orlando Magi... Orlando made it obvious they are clearing house by trading J.J. Redick. The move to clear cap space in addition to a recent skid has the Magic sitting dead last. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)

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29. Charlotte Bo... The Bobcats are an embarrassment in every way possible. First the team’s 50-old owner beat starting forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in a game of one-on-one. Then Nuggets big man JaVale McGee threw down seven dunks in one game against the lowly Bobcats. This team would be considered a laughing stock except for the fact that everyone expected them to be this bad. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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28. Philadelphia... Sixers coach Doug Collins has to be beyond frustrated with this young group. It’s not a lack of hustle. The Sixers just aren’t good this season - period. After losing six-straight games it is rather obvious. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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27. Phoenix Suns... The Suns were 3-11 in the month of February. I blame the organization’s inability to put a complete team on the floor. Michael Beasley has proven time and time again that he was not worthy of the second pick in the 2008 draft, yet he manages to average 20 minutes per game. Minutes were already scarce for power forward Markieff Morris. That being said, it is beyond me why the Suns traded for his identical twin Marcus Morris, who plays the same position. Poor decision-making in the front office leads to a poor spot in the rankings for the Suns. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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26. Detroit Pist... If there is going to be a resurgence of the ‘big man’ in the NBA, its going to start in Detroit. Greg Monroe averages 15 points and nine rebounds a night. Add that to the contribution of Andre Drummond and the Pistons can cause matchup nightmares. The problem for the team that sits fourth in the Central Division has been keeping the game close. The Pistons have been blown out by 20 points or more five times this season. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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25. Portland Tra... The Blazers have taken an immediate turn for the worse. They lost seven in a row before picking up a win over the Celtics. This group needs to understand that it is only so long fans will consider you an inexperienced team before you’re just a bad squad. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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24. Cleveland Ca... Despite the Cavs numerous starting lineups this season, the play of Kyrie Irving has remained consistent. The NBA All-Star weekend was his coming-out party and the talent that he is showcasing hasn’t left. Since the break, he has lead his team to respectability, including a 35-point outing against the Hornets. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)

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23. Los Angeles ... Kobe Bryant is going to do whatever it takes to get the Lakers into the playoffs. Earlier in the season he tried the role of distributor. Now he is locked in as the signature Black Mamba. Kobe scored 40 points in a win over the Blazers and 38 in a victory against the Mavs. The question that remains is will the 34-year-old Bryant be able to play at such a high level long enough to get his team in the top eight of the Western Conference? (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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22. New Orleans ... The Hornets continue to rack up loses at an alarming rate. Losing four of their last five, fans can only wonder how good this team will be if they obtain another lottery pick next year. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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21. Washington W... The Wizards have a young nucleus that is beginning to click, especially at home where they had won 10 of their last 12 matchups. There is tremendous upside for this team if they continue to build around John Wall. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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20. Sacramento K... The trade deadline came and went and DeMarcus Cousins is still in Sacramento. Who can blame the Kings for not sending the third-year player on his way? He can play with his back to the basket. He can score in the post. In fact, the only thing it seems as though he can’t do is control his temper. Perhaps the Kings could have improved on their 19-39 record by minimizing their guard-heavy roster. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

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19. Dallas Maver... The Mavs are in a heated battle with the Lakers and Blazers to make the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. Although clawing for the eighth seed is sure to take place until the end of the regular season, losing to the Lakers on Sunday night couldn’t have helped the Maverick’s cause. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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18. Minnesota Ti... The Timberwolves' three wins in the month of February were all over teams well below .500. This team hasn’t showed many signs of improvement, despite having point guard Ricky Rubio at their disposal. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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17. Milwaukee Bu... The Bucks continue to fall on hard times. The team recently acquired sharp-shooter J.J. Redick to stifle the constant slide in the standings. While some believe that this was the wrong move for Milwaukee, the offensive penetration of Jennings and Ellis will leave Redick open for clutch jump shots. Until that scenario unfolds however, the Bucks get little respect. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

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16. New York Kni... The Knicks have struggled. They lost four straight before beating up on the Sixers. The problem isn’t scoring. We know that Carmelo Anthony can do enough of that for the entire team. It’s the lack of defensive urgency that has hurt this team. Collectively, the Knicks talk a good game about a commitment to playing defense, but the number of defensive stops per game for the Knicks says otherwise. Although unlikely, the Knicks hope that recently-acquired Kenyon Martin will boost the team’s defensive efforts. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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15. Toronto Rapt... The Raptors got off to a quick start when they acquired Rudy Gay. As expected, the instant success would not last forever. Although the team’s win over the Knicks should be recognized, a loss to the Wizards let this franchise know it takes time to form a well-run system. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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14. Golden State... If you are a basketball fan you have to enjoy watching the Warriors. They run the floor and score points in bunches. More importantly they play with a high level of confidence. They didn’t back down to the veteran Spurs on Friday night, handing them a 107-101 defeat. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

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13. Atlanta Hawk... Al Horford had a career night with 23 points and 22 rebounds in a win against the Detroit Pistons. The more that Horford plays like a leader on this team, the more success the Hawks will achieve. Time may be running out on the Hawks nucleus that have been together since Horford was drafted in 2007. It’s up to the current roster how they will be remembered. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

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12. Houston Rock... James Harden is having a stellar season. He is just what the Rockets needed. He is the only player on their starting roster that can create his own shot and he accepts the challenge on a nightly basis. Putting up 45 points in a win against his former team, the Thunder, Harden has helped the Rockets advance in this week’s rankings. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

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11. Boston Celti... No one is discriminating against the Celtics because they are old. Boston gets a hard time because it plays like an againg team as well. An overtime win against the Jazz on Monday proved that the Celtics are better off running a half-court offense. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

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10. Denver Nugge... Of all the teams involved in the Dwight Howard trade, the Nuggets are playing the best basketball. Unlike previous George Karl coached teams, this roster plays defense at a very high level. A win over the Lakers keeps the Nuggets in the Top 10. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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9. Chicago Bulls... While speculation of Derrick Rose’s possible return this season continues, the best thing that the Bulls could do is shut him down for the season even if he is healthy enough to compete. With or without Rose this Bulls roster isn’t a serious contender for the NBA championship. Allowing guys like Joaquim Noah and Carlos Boozer to lead this team down the stretch will do wonders for their confidence next season. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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8. Brooklyn Nets... Brooklyn split its four games since the All-Star break. Although three wins in the course of a week is not breaking news, it is good to see the Nets show consistency. This team has experienced the most transition in the NBA season. They are playing in a new arena, in a new city with a recently acquired star in Joe Johnson. We know that the Nets can string together a few wins. It’s the buzzer-beaters by guys like Johnson that keeps them in the Top 10 of this week’s rankings. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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7. Los Angeles C... The Clippers loss to the Spurs last Thursday should cause concern amongst Clips fans. If the season continues on the same path, a trip to the finals will run through San Antonio. It will be vital for the Clippers to continue to play the loose style of basketball that has allowed them to remain near the top of the NBA power rankings. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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6. Utah Jazz (Pr... The Jazz picked up a statement win against the Thunder on Tuesday night. A big win equals a positive shift in this week’s rankings. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

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5. Oklahoma City... The Thunder received a glimpse of what they traded away when James Harden torched his former team for 46 points. How did the Thunder respond? By signing veteran point guard Derek Fisher. The move seems a bit obscure, especially since the Thunder have lost three of their last five games to teams with younger, quicker point guards. As good as the Thunder look, they aren’t quite as good as the team that won the Western Conference championship last season. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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4. Indiana Pacer... The Pacers 125-91 victory over the Knicks was impressive. Not only did the Pacers embarrass one of the premier teams in the Eastern Conference, they also took the Knicks spot as the second seed. The Pacers also showed their toughness on Tuesday night as a skirmish broke out against the Warriors. Wins plus toughness is always a good combination. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

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3. Memphis Grizz... The Grizzlies pulled off seven straight wins before their loss in Miami. No longer are they a team just happy to be mentioned in the conversation. Memphis has made a statement. The Grizzlies made the most significant improvement in the rankings this week because their run comes on the cusp of trading the team’s leading scorer, Rudy Gay. There aren’t many teams that can trade their leading scorer and not miss a beat. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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2. Miami Heat (P... As great as LeBron James is playing, we forget that Dwyane Wade is having one of his best seasons. He’s played every Heat game thus far this season while averaging 21 points. Not bad for a guy who was considered “washed up.” (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

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1. San Antonio S... While everyone is excited about the Heat winning 40 games, they fail to realize that the Spurs have already left the gym victorious on 45 occasions. Let’s not forget the play of Tony Parker either. His 21 ppg and 7 assists a night has Parker’s name mentioned in talks for MVP. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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