2012 NBA Power Rankings: Top 10 NBA Title Contenders in December With 25 percent of the NBA season in the books, the teams with a legitimate chance of making the playoffs are starting to emerge. Some of the top teams were expected to be winning plenty of games before the season began, but others are overachieving or flat out surprising at this point in the year. Granted, there is still more than enough time for struggling teams to right the ship and for teams off to fast starts to collapse. However, the teams cracking the top 10 in this installment of NBA power rankings definitely have a leg up on the competition as far as the postseason is concerned.
2012 NBA Power Rankings: Top 10 NBA Title Contenders in December
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (19-4): After a 9-4 start, it is clear that the Thunder have adjusted to life without James Harden. Oklahoma City has reeled off 10 straight wins and now has the best record in the NBA. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook lead the NBA’s highest-scoring offense while Serge Ibaka heads the second-best field goal percentage defense. With Kevin Martin settling nicely into the role of bench scorer, the Thunder are loaded for a return trip to the NBA Finals.
2. New York Knicks (18-5): New York has won nine of its last 10 games to surge to the best record in the Eastern Conference. Along the way, Carmelo Anthony and company have blasted the defending champion Miami Heat twice by a combined 40 points. The Knicks are loaded with perimeter firepower, hitting a league-high 12.0 per game and ranking fourth in points per game. Tyson Chandler remains a defensive force in the middle, but the strength of this team is its offense. The biggest question left for New York is whether or not the chemistry will be disrupted when Amar’e Stoudemire returns.
3. Los Angeles Clippers (17-6): Balance and depth have the Clippers on a nine-game winning streak and sitting atop the Pacific Division. Chris Paul heads the sixth-best scoring attack, and an improved DeAndre Jordan is the force in the middle of the league’s fifth-stingiest defense. More importantly, Jamal Crawford’s scoring punch off the bench for the second unit has solved the Clippers’ biggest weakness from a year ago.
4. Miami Heat (15-6): A couple of bad losses to the Knicks and surprising losses to the Wizards and Warriors have the sky falling down in Miami, but the Heat still have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. LeBron James is still doing it all for the league’s fifth-best scoring offense, and no team in the league has a better field goal percentage than Miami. Meanwhile, the addition of Ray Allen has helped Miami post the league’s third-best 3-point percentage. A lack of defensive focus is the biggest difference between this year’s team and last year’s title-winning group, but something tells me that will change when the games start to matter more.
5. San Antonio Spurs (19-6): The ageless wonders that are the San Antonio Spurs have weathered a loaded early portion of the schedule that featured 15 of their 25 games away from home. The Spurs are 11-4 in those road games and sitting atop the Southwest Division with an NBA-high 19 wins and the second-best scoring offense. On the flip side, Tim Duncan is starting to slow down just a bit after a hot start. Not to mention the fact that we have seen this before from San Antonio. The Spurs have posted the best record in the Western Conference in each of the past two seasons but haven’t delivered in the playoffs.
6. Memphis Grizzlies (15-6): Memphis has slowed a bit after a 7-1 start, but it’s hard not to like the Grizzlies’ chances for long-term success. With the frontcourt duo of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol punishing teams inside, Memphis is able to control the pace of the games. As a result, the Grizzlies have the third-best scoring defense and sixth-best field goal percentage defense in the NBA this season. Granted, they don’t have a lot of perimeter firepower, but when guards Rudy Gay and Mike Conley Jr. play well, Memphis can compete with anyone.
7. Golden State Warriors (16-8): There is no doubt that the surprise of the young season has been the Warriors. Even without center Andrew Bogut, Golden State is fifth in the NBA in field goal percentage defense and third in rebounding. Meanwhile, the young, speedy backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson has given the Warriors plenty of perimeter scoring, and power forward David Lee has been a double-double machine. The quick start by rookie forward Harrison Barnes along with an improved bench has helped the cause, as well. Golden State is 8-2 in its last 10 games, including a win over the Heat in Miami. If Bogut ever gets healthy, the Warriors’ fast start could turn into something really special.
8. Chicago Bulls (13-9): As expected, offense has been an issue for Chicago while Derrick Rose is sidelined with a knee injury. Without the former MVP, the Bulls just don’t have a player that can create their own shot or create easy opportunities for others. That being said, Chicago’s defense hasn’t missed a beat. Thanks in part to the strong interior play of Joakim Noah and the tough perimeter defense of Luol Deng, the Bulls rank second in the NBA in both scoring defense and field goal percentage defense. They are also 7-3 in their last 10 games and are staying right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. If Rose returns healthy, Chicago is going to be dangerous.
9. Atlanta Hawks (14-7): After trading Joe Johnson, the Hawks were supposed to take a step back and possibly look to sell off other parts, including Josh Smith. Instead, Atlanta appears to be the same team it has been for the past several years. The Hawks currently have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference with Smith and Al Horford leading the way. Unless management decides to continue with the roster overhaul, it appears Atlanta will be heading to the postseason once again. However, the Hawks aren’t any more likely to make noise in the playoffs this year than in years past with their current roster.
10. Brooklyn Nets (13-10): There is definitely a feeling out process going on in Brooklyn as they roster assembled in the offseason tries to develop some chemistry. Not surprisingly, the Nets have already had a five-game winning streak and a five-game losing streak this year and split a pair of entertaining games with the New York Knicks. At the end of the day, any roster with Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez should be good enough to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. However, the growing pains that have plagued teams like Miami, New York and Los Angeles in recent years are probably going to prevent Brooklyn from becoming a true title contender this season.
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