Warriors remain No. 1 in NBA Power Rankings

The Warriors have finally lost, but the circumstances -- the seventh game of a seven-game road trip and coming off a double-OT game the night before -- sure makes it look like a schedule loss more than any sudden vulnerability. That said, the Warriors haven't been as effective defensively and while it's usually not a problem, it's one potential concern if we're nitpicking a 24-1 team.

Key Injuries: SF Harrison Barnes (ankle).

Road losses at Chicago and Toronto are the only blemishes on the Spurs' record in the past 14 games and they are flying under the radar considering how great they have been this season. With lockdown D, San Antonio now has a better point differential than the out-of-this-world Warriors.

Key Injuries: None.

With five straight wins, the Thunder are pushing up as the best team on the second tier, the group chasing the Spurs and Warriors at the top. 

Key Injuries: None.

The Cavs got Iman Shumpert back and have Kyrie Irving nearing a return, much-needed upgrades for the backcourt that will allow the Cavs to cut back on SG J.R. Smith's minutes, because his 37.3% from the field isn't doing the job.

Key Injuries: PG Kyrie Irving (knee).

Five wins in the past six keeps the Clippers in contention, and they're riding the hot hand of SG J.J. Redick, who is shooting 46.7% on threes and generating 1.50 points per shot in those six games.

Key Injuries: None.

Apparently, once the Pacers decided they could play a more offensive game, they lost track defensively and lost four of six, giving up an average of 123.5 points in the four losses.

Key Injuries: None.

Consistency remains elusive for the Bulls, and that may continue until PG Derrick Rose gets his shot sorted out. He's shooting 36.7% from the field and 23.4% on threes, yet has way too many attempts (14.3 per game) from the field, almost as many as team leader Jimmy Butler (15.0 per game).

Key Injuries: SF Mike Dunleavy (back).

Defence drives the Heat, largely because of Hassan Whiteside and Chris Bosh patrolling the paint, but rookie wing Justise Winslow is helping on the perimeter.

Key Injuries: None.

In the past seven games, the Celtics have two losses -- a three-point road loss at San Antonio, and an OT loss against Golden State. As losses go, those are pretty good.

Key Injuries: PG Marcus Smart (knee).

Monday's loss at Indiana snapped a four-game winning streak and, worse, came after the Raptors had raced to a 21-point lead midway through the first quarter.  In the bigger picture, they're just in a tough spot with two starters out of the lineup right now.

Key Injuries: C Jonas Valanciunas (hand), SF DeMarre Carroll (knee).

PG Deron Williams is asserting himself offensively, averaging 19.8 points per game (on 16.0 shots per game) in December, pretty notable bumps from November (14.0 ppg on 11.9 shots).

Key Injuries: None.

The Hawks have dropped three straight, as PG Jeff Teague works through a slump, shooting 34.3% from the field this month. That's while making 40% on threes, so his midrange shots aren't falling.

Key Injuries: None.

Had a four-game winning streak snapped in Saturday's loss to Boston, but these Hornets appear legit, at least on the perimeter, where they are getting strong contributions from Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lin and Jeremy Lamb.

Key Injuries: SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (shoulder), C Al Jefferson (calf).

The Grizzlies are no longer good defensively, which poses something of a problem since they aren't terribly efficient offensively, either. They can be competitive, but if they are going to sustain anything notable, they will need significant improvement when they don't have the ball.

Key Injuries: PF Brandan Wright (knee), SG Tony Allen (knee).

Coming off 34-11-7 in 105-103 loss to the Clippers Monday, PG Reggie Jackson is emerging as a go-to guy for the Pistons. At least the one that can be counted on to shoot free throws.

Key Injuries: PG Brandon Jennings (Achilles), SG Jodie Meeks (foot).

The Rockets offence has been getting dramatically better, but there's been little improvement on the defensive end, so that slows the climb out of their early-season hole. One idea might be to give Dwight Howard more touches. He's shooting 64.3% from the field in December, but only averaging 7.0 field goal attempts per game.

Key Injuries: None.

Canadian PF Andrew Nicholson has worked his way into the rotation and is averaging 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game shooting 57.4% from the field in December. 

Key Injuries: None.

His role will decrease as Tyson Chandler returns to form, but C Alex Len has averaged 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in December, forming an unexpected starting frontcourt alongside journeyman Jon Leuer.

Key Injuries: None.

The Blazers are getting very little from their bigs, but SF Allen Crabbe has stepped up his contribution, putting up 14.4 points per game while shooting 51.8% from the field.

Key Injuries: C Chris Kaman (ankle).

Journeyman SG Gary Neal is having the best season of his career, making 45.3% on threes, and is all the more important while Bradley Beal is out of the Wizards' lineup.

Key Injuries: SG Alan Anderson (ankle), SG Bradley Beal (leg), PF Drew Gooden (calf), PF Nene (calf).

SF Lance Thomas is emerging as a valuable piece off the bench for the Knicks, at least as long as he's making threes (40.9% in December, 35.2% for his career).

Key Injuries: None.

Back-to-back wins gets the Kings to within a game-and-a-half of a playoff spot in the suddenly top-heavy West. There's an opportunity here if the Kings could pull together on D.

Key Injuries: PF Willie Cauley-Stein (finger).

The Bucks can hang their hat on ending the Warriors' winning streak, on a night when 21-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double, but it's up to the Bucks to build on that.

Key Injuries: G Greivis Vasquez (ankle).

Losing rim protector Rudy Gobert has made it much easier for opposing teams to score on the Jazz, and they have one regulation win in the past eight games. 

Key Injuries: PG Dante Exum (knee), C Rudy Gobert (knee).

An OT win over the Lakers is Minnesota's only win in the past seven games. Need better defence if they are going to compete with better teams.

Key Injuries: C Nikola Pekovic (Achilles).

The Nuggets would actually be in line for a more significant move up this week, having won four of their past five, but rookie PG Emmanuel Mudiay's ankle injury tempers that enthusiasm.for now.

Key Injuries: SG Wilson Chandler (hip), C Jusuf Nurkic (knee), PG Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle).

In his past seven games, PF Ryan Anderson is shooting 34.0% (34 of 100) from the field. That percentage, combined with that many shots, is a bad mix.

Key Injuries: SG Tyreke Evans (knee).

He's barely been able to stay in the lineup, but PF Andrea Bargnani has put up 46 points in 57 minutes over the past three games.

Key Injuries: SF Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (ankle).

The big news in Lakerland is that Nick Young finally assisted on a Kobe Bryant basket. Yes, for the first time.

Key Injuries: G Jordan Clarkson (ankle).

There's tanking and there's the Philadelphia process, which is such a long game that the league nudged them to bring revered exec Jerry Colangelo on board to add credibility to the front office. 

Key Injuries: F Carl Landry (wrist),  C Joel Embiid (foot), PF Nerlens Noel (eye).