NBA power rankings for mid-January

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Preseason power rankings are in parentheses.

FIRST TIER

1 Oklahoma City (2)

2 Chicago (4)

SECOND TIER

3 Miami (1)

4 Orlando (8)

5 LA Lakers (5)

6 LA Clippers (6)

7 Dallas (3)

8 Atlanta (10)

9 Indiana (15)

10 Philadelphia (23)

11 San Antonio (13)

12 Denver (14)

13 Utah (18)

14 Portland (11)

THIRD TIER

15 New York (12)

16 Cleveland (28)

17 Memphis (7)

18 Houston (17)

FOURTH TIER

19 Minnesota (19)

20 Boston (9)

21 Phoenix (22)

22 Toronto (21)

23 Sacramento (30)

24 Milwaukee (27)

25 New Jersey (25)

26 New Orleans (20)

27 Charlotte (24)

28 Golden State (16)

29 Detroit (29)

FIFTH TIER

30 Washington (26)

BIGGEST RISERS: Philadelphia (13 spots), Cleveland (12 spots), Sacramento (7 spots), Indiana (6 spots), Utah (5 spots), Orlando (4 spots), Milwaukee (3 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: Golden State (12 spots), Boston (11 spots), Memphis (10 spots), New Orleans (6 spots), Dallas and Washington (4 spots), Charlotte, New York and Portland (3 spots)

RANKINGS BY DIVISION – 1 POINT PER RANKING SPOT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEAM, LOWEST SCORE IS BEST

1 NORTHWEST 59

2 SOUTHEAST 72

3 SOUTHWEST 79

4 CENTRAL 80

5 PACIFIC 83

6 ATLANTIC 92

RANKINGS BY CONFERENCE

1 WEST 221

2 EAST 244