NBA power rankings for start of January

By Rick Morris

NOTES: Rankings from start of season are in parentheses.

TOP TIER

1 Golden State (1-1)

2 Boston (2-4)

3 Houston (3-3)

4 Cleveland (5-2)

5 San Antonio (6-5)

6 Toronto (9-7)

SECOND TIER

7 Minnesota (7-14)

THIRD TIER

8 Detroit (4-6)

9 Washington (8-12)

10 Oklahoma City (18-19)

11 Miami (20-18)

12 Denver (10-9)

13 Portland (13-8)

14 Milwaukee (16-11)

15 New Orleans (12-15)

16 New York (17-17)

17 Philadelphia (15-10)

18 Indiana (22-16)

19 LA Clippers (24-23)

20 Utah (19-13)

FOURTH TIER

21 Chicago (27-30)

22 Phoenix (25-24)

23 Dallas (29-29)

24 Charlotte (23-22)

25 Brooklyn (26-25)

26 Sacramento (28-26)

27 Memphis (14-27)

28 Orlando (11-20)

29 LA Lakers (21-21)

FIFTH TIER

30 Atlanta (30-28)

BIGGEST RISERS: Chicago and Oklahoma City (9 spots), Miami and Minnesota (7 spots), Dallas (6 spots), LA Clippers (4 spots), Washington (3 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: LA Lakers and Orlando (8 spots), Philadelphia and Utah (7 spots), Portland (5 spots), Denver and Milwaukee (3 spots)

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

1 WEST 232

2 EAST 253