TSN.ca NBA Power Rankings

There are slip-ups every now and then, like a recent loss at Washington, but the Thunder continue to reign at the top of the Western Conference and the Power Rankings.
Key Injuries: PF Serge Ibaka (chest).

Four wins in the last five, including a 26-point road win at Memphis, with Chris Paul on the sidelines. Good enough to stay put even in Paul's absence.
Key Injuries: SF Grant Hill (knee), SG Chauncey Billups (foot), PG Chris Paul (knee).

Four losses in the last six games, while PF Chris Bosh goes through an odd stretch during which he's averaged an appalling 4.8 rebounds per game.
Key Injuries: SF Shane Battier (hamstring).

So Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins trashes advanced stats (even after Memphis hires NBA stathead John Hollinger) and the Grizz go out and lose back-to-back games by more than 20 points to Dallas and the Clippers. Okay, there's no correlation, but too bad that coach isn't on board with the idea of using stats to help evaluate talent.
Key Injuries: None.

Always find it fascinating when a team starts a player that is clearly not a starter, like the Warriors going with Festus Ezeli, in Andrew Bogut's absence. In January, Ezeli has started all five games, averaging 2.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 fouls in 17.0 minutes per game.
Key Injuries: C Andrew Bogut (ankle), SG Brandon Rush (knee).

PF Amar'e Stoudemire may be a good soldier coming off the bench, but he's averaging 3.0 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per game. That's Bosh-like.
Key Injuries: PF Rasheed Wallace (foot), PG Ray Felton (finger).

Split their last six and lost Manu Ginobili for a couple weeks with a leg injury, leaving a scoring void that needs to be filled.
Key Injuries: SG Manu Ginobili (thigh).

In his last 20 games, SG James Harden has averaged 29.0 points per game, appearing that he's even better than it appeared when he first arrived ni Houston.
Key Injuries: None.

Six losses in the last seven games as the Hawks struggle to score, at least in part because PF Josh Smith is shooting 23.3% from beyond the arc this month.
Key Injuries: SG Anthony Morrow (hip).

They've lost their last two, against Golden State and Oklahoma City, but the Blazers are 14-7 since their 6-10 start and, now healthy, are making some noise in the Western Conference.
Key Injuries: None.

Six straight wins during this roller coaster season, but one reason for their improvement is a bigger contribution from rookie PF Jared Sullinger, who has averaged 9.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in those six wins.
Key Injuries: None.

Winners of five straight, the Nuggets are taking advantage of enviable depth, turning to Andre Miller when PG Ty Lawson is hurt and splitting their centre duties between Kosta Koufos and JaVale McGee.
Key Injuries: None.

Somehow the Pacers are 5-2 this month despite shooting 39.1% from the field. Getting to the line a lot (19.7 FTA per game) helps.
Key Injuries: SF Danny Granger (knee).

Who woke PF Carlos Boozer? He's averaged 22.3 ppg and 10.6 rpg in January and if he could maintain 20-10 for the whole month, it would be the first time since February, 2010.
Key Injuries: PG Derrick Rose (knee).

The initial plan may not have been to keep P.J. Carlesimo behind the bench, but with the Nets winning eight of the last nine, there's no incentive to change.
Key Injuries: None.

Head coach Scott Skiles was let go, and Jim Boylan took over and three wins in the last four games helps solidify Milwaukee's current playoff position.
Key Injuries: None.

Snapped a six-game losing streak with a home win over Cleveland as C Dwight Howard returned to the lineup, but the Lakers are going to need Howard -- and not the shell of Howard -- to dominate defensively if they are going to climb towards a playoff spot.
Key Injuries: PG Steve Blake (abdomen), PF Pau Gasol (concussion), PF Jordan Hill (hip).

6-2 this month thanks to sizzling shooting, 46.2% from the field, including 40.7% on three-pointers.
Key Injuries: PG Mo Williams (thumb).

Since opening the season 12-9, the Sixers have gone 4-13 as a team without their best big man can hardly afford the erratic offence they get from swingmen Evan Turner and Jason Richardson.
Key Injuries: C Andrew Bynum (knee).

Losing PF Kevin Love long-term should halt any playoff dreams for the T-Wolves, but it's interesting to note that they have turned to Dante Cunningham to start at power forward instead of Derrick Williams; not exactly a ringing endorsement for Williams.
Key Injuries: SG Brandon Roy (knee), G SG Chase Budinger (knee), PF Kevin Love (hand).

The Mavericks are starting to find the mark offensively, scoring 103.6 points per game in January. They're still only 4-4 in that time, though, so time to D-up in Big D.
Key Injuries: None.

7-3 in their last 10, the Pistons still have Jason Maxiell starting at power forward, but that's really a rotation of bodies in that spot beside emerging star Greg Monroe.
Key Injuries: None.

After an entirely respectable 12-13 start, and some Ewing Theory consideration, the Magic have lost 11 of 12, falling to a more expected spot in the standings (and rankings).
Key Injuries: PF Al Harrington (knee), PG Glen Davis (shoulder), SF Hedo Turkoglu (hand), PF Gustavo Ayon (thigh).

Don't look now, but the Hornets are 6-4 in their last 10. As expected, they're a different club with PF Anthony Davis and SG Eric Gordon in the lineup.
Key Injuries: None.

The Raptors have lost three of five, but have won 10 of their last 14 to climb back to respectability. They're still 5.5 games out of a playoff spot, but it's not impossible to make up that ground if they play well the rest of the way.
Key Injuries: PF Andrea Bargnani (elbow), C Jonas Valanciunas (finger).

Splitting their last 14 games, the Kings are a more competive -- if still mediocre -- team. Just good enough for Sac-town to miss them when they leave for Seattle, it seems.
Key Injuries: None.

2-12 in their last 14 games, the Suns are among the handful of teams that find out how difficult life can be in the NBA without a go-to scorer at crunch time.
Key Injuries: PF Channing Frye (heart), SF Jared Dudley (wrist).

They're young, so it's not surprising that they still lose, but seeing the Cavs roll out a starting lineup that includes PG Kyrie Irving, SG Dion Waiters, PF Tristan Thompson and C Tyler Zeller -- all in their first or second season -- is intriguing nonetheless.
Key Injuries: C Anderson Varejao (ankle).

Winners of three straight and with John Wall returning to action? That's good enough to escape the basement. Way to go Wiz!
Key Injuries: PF Trevor Booker (ankle), SG Jordan Crawford (ankle).

2-23 in their last 25 games, the Bobcats can start scouting big men, because that is going to be their only salvation.
Key Injuries: C Byron Mullens (ankle).