NBA Power Rankings: Clippers Sailing

Commissioner Adam Silver’s first NBA All-Star Weekend is nigh, and thanks to him, the same can be said for Anthony Davis. As we take a look back at Week 15 of the Association, it is Davis who has been named the All-Star replacement for the injured Kobe Bryant, and it is Commissioner Silver that should be commended for what amounts to an excellent choice.

Another excellent choice would be the Indiana Pacers and their opting to roll the dice on Andrew Bynum. After coming to terms with the enigmatic seven-footer, the Pacers remain our top dogs in the Eastern Conference, but now, obviously have another player who, if healthy, can help them on what we expect to be a deep playoff run.

But as of this moment, for three weeks running, it is the Oklahoma City Thunder who are not only running, but crashing and rolling, as well. The winningest team in the league at this point still trail those Pacers by mere percentage points, but Kevin Durant’s near triple-double in Sunday’s showdown with Carmelo Anthony’s New York Knicks has done nothing more than put more room between Durant and his peers as the Most Valuable Player conversation continues in earnest.

With All-Star Weekend comes a ramping up in trade discussions, and as we wrote on Friday, there are five names that, we feel, must be moved by February 20.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers firing their general manager and the Detroit Pistons opting to make a change on the bench, there is literally no telling what may or may not occur in the Central Division over the next two weeks.

But what we do know, is we will be watching, waiting and reporting feverishly.

Have a question or comment on Moke’s Weekly Power Rankings? Feel free to ask him a question in his Weekly NBA Chat, held each Friday afternoon.