2014 NBA Power Rankings: Week 11

2014 NBA Power Rankings: Week 11 : The NBA season is approaching its halfway points, and with the All-Star Game not too far off, two themes have dominated the season thus far. First, the Western Conference is stacked and has at least a dozen playoff contenders while the Eastern Conference is clearly a two-horse race between the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat. Second, some of the league’s biggest names continue to suffer injuries, and the pecking order is constantly changing as a result. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the latest victims of the injury big as point guard Russell Westbrook went down with a knee problem. The Thunder are just 5-4 since he has been sidelined, and as a result, they have fallen out of the power rankings. On that note, here is a closer look at the teams that did make the cut for heading into Week 11 of the 2014 NBA season.

1.      Indiana Pacers (29-7)

Paul George’s offensive numbers have slipped a bit, and the Pacers now rank just 20th in scoring. On the plus side, Indiana remains absolutely stifling on defense, and George and company are still allowing the fewest points in the NBA by a wide margin. More importantly, the Pacers are 8-2 in their last 10 games and their 29-7 record is the best in the NBA. At the end of the day, Indiana’s size and muscle inside gives them a brand of physicality that few teams can match. The Pacers are the frontrunners to land the top seed in a two-team Eastern Conference, putting them in great shape to make a run to the NBA Finals.

2.      San Antonio Spurs (29-8)

While they have been a little banged up lately, it hasn’t stopped the Spurs from piling up victories. San Antonio has reeled off five straight wins and is 8-2 in its last 10. More importantly, the Spurs still own the best record in the Western Conference. They are also one of the most balanced teams in the NBA, ranking sixth in points per game and second in field goal percentage while allowing the third-fewest points per game on defense. Throw in an NBA-best 14-3 record on the road, and the veteran Spurs are once again looking like a championship-caliber squad.

3.      Golden State Warriors (25-14)

The Warriors are flying up the power rankings, and while they are still tied for sixth in the Western Conference, an 11-1 stretch is proof that Golden State reaches another level when defensive stopper Andre Iguodala is healthy. Granted, the Warriors make headlines because of their explosive offense led by sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but they also own a top-10 scoring defense. Golden State’s ability to get stops on the defensive end of the court is a big reason why this year’s team is even better than the one that pushed the San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals last year. Make no mistake about it. The Warriors are a title threat.

4.      Miami Heat (27-10)

Dropping back-to-back games to the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets is pretty unforgivable, even for a team that is dealing with a bunch of injuries. That being said, the Heat are still one of the two-best teams in the Eastern Conference, and they will be back in the NBA Finals for a fourth straight year if they can beat the Indiana Pacers come playoff time. By the way, LeBron James is still dominating on both ends for a team that leads the NBA in field goal percentage by a wide margin and ranks seventh in points per game. Miami is also allowing the ninth-fewest points per game, and history says that this team will turn up the defensive intensity when the games really count. There is no reason to hit the panic button.

5.      Portland Trail Blazers (28-9)

Although they have slowed down a bit after a scorching start, it’s becoming clear that the Trail Blazers aren’t going away. Portland has a go-to scorer inside in LaMarcus Aldridge and on the perimeter in Damian Lillard. Meanwhile, role players like Robin Lopez, Nick Batum and Wesley Matthews give the roster plenty of depth and balance. Portland currently has the second-best record in the Western Conference and leads the NBA in scoring, ranks second in rebounds and is averaging the third-most assists. The lone knock for the Trail Blazers is a porous defense that is allowing the fifth-most points in the league.

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