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Power rankings: Suns rising in the West after scorching Celtics
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Former Warrior Jason Richardson celebrates with Steve Nash during the Suns' win over the Celtics.
Our revised rankings for the teams out West. What originally started as a way to chart the Warriors' chances of making the top eight and returning to the playoffs has turned into a march toward the basement. Two weeks into the season, are the Warriors the worst team in the West? Let's take a look:
1. Lakers (6-1): Have won five straight despite enough injuries that former Warrior D.J. Mbenga started on Sunday, posting 10 points and 12 rebounds against the Hornets. Maybe if the Warriors still had Mbenga all would be fixed. Kobe leads the league at 33.6 points per game.
2. Suns (6-1): Started the season outside the top eight because they were supposedly old, slow and needing to rebuild. Well, they just scored 110 to hand the Celtics their first loss of the season and followed that up with another road win over the Wizards. Lone loss was to Orlando on the second night of back-to-backs.
3. Nuggets (5-2): After 5-0 start, loss back-to-back to Miami and Atlanta, the latter being a 25-point loss. Time to regroup. Maybe a few more losses will increase their reported interest in the Warriors' Stephen Jackson.
4. Blazers (4-3): Greg Oden averaging 8.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks for a team that has three narrow losses and a nice win over the Spurs. Their next five are on the road.
5. Mavericks (4-2): Josh Howard rejoins a team that is allowing only 94.3 points per game (they've figured out how to play defense in the post-Nellie era). Have a West-best +7.3 point differential.
6. Rockets (4-2): Trevor Ariza is averaging 20 points and 4 assists in nearly 39 minutes per game as a starter and nearly led the Rockets over his former team, the Lakers.
7. Spurs (2-3): A preseason title contender whose only distinguishing achievement so far is Manu Ginobili knocking a bat out of the air. They're winless on the road, resting their starters more than any team in the league and now Tony Parker is banged up. Certainly, we haven't seen their best yet.
8. Thunder (3-3): How do you explain three straight losses followed by a 28-point win over the defending Eastern Conference champion Magic? Youth.
9. Clippers (3-4): Won three straight over some bad teams after 0-4 start. Treading water waiting for Blake Griffin to get better.
10. Jazz (2-4): Followed a home win over the Spurs with a home loss to the Kings. Go figure.
11. Hornets (2-5): Allowing 105 points per game and three of last four losses have been by double digits.
12. Kings (3-4): Win over Warriors gave them first back-to-back wins since last November. Tyreke Evans will be in the rookie of the year discussion.
13. Timberwolves (1-6): Have lost six straight since winning season opener, but loss to Celtics was by only two points. Kevin Love ahead of schedule in rehab from broken hand and may rejoin the team in the next couple weeks.
14. Warriors (1-4): Only the winless Nets have a worst point differential (-11.2) than the Warriors, who could hit double digits in losses before Thanksgiving.
15. Grizzlies (1-6): Lost five straight, including the Warriors' lone victory, and Allen Iverson has left the team and is considering retirement. Could battle the Warriors all year for title of most dysfunctional.
ALSO: Jackson's comments offer comic relief, last week's rankings
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