Week 8 Power Rankings: Clippers soaring

STAFF REPORT


By Tony Andracki & Mark Strotman

Each Monday throughout the regular season, Mark Strotman and Tony Andracki will rank all 30 NBA teams. Below are Week 7 Power Rankings. Think we're way off? Agree with our picks? Hit us up on Twitter at @BullsTalkCSN with comments or criticisms.

Past rankings: Preseason | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7

#	Tony		Mark	Comments
1				Tony: Hey, they finally lost!  Mark: Best team in the NBA, and they are coached by Vinny del Negro.
2				Tony: Hey, they still haven't lost since November!  Mark: Win streak is over, but OKC-Miami will be lots of fun tomorrow.
3				Tony: Parker and Co. spoiled #TheReturn: Dirk Edition.  Mark: LeBron went 250 minutes without committing a foul? Wow.
4				Tony: Need to get LeBron some help. Mark: Kawhi Leonard making a big impact after his return from injury.
5				Tony: Can't handle Bulls, Rockets.  Mark: Nasty week, but Carmelo is still playing out of his mind.
6				Tony: What happens if 31-year-old Randolph gets hurt?  Mark: Recent struggles, but still just 1 game behind the Spurs for the division.
7				Tony: Not much star power, but very solid all-around squad.  Mark: Marc Jackson continues to successfully coach easily the biggest surprise in the NBA.
8				Tony: Curry should be getting some MVP votes. He's been phenomenal.  Mark: Good for them to get a big win over Chicago last week.
9				Tony: Not quite consistent enough yet, but rounding into form.  Mark: If they replicate this success until Rose returns, Bulls will fight for East supremacy.
10				Tony: Just won't let Bulls run away with the division.  Mark: Interested to see how Omer Asik responds to Joakim Noah's comments.
11				Tony: At least they have the Knicks' number, ya know?  Mark: Deepest team in league finding stride, beating Memphis and San Antonio last 2 weeks.
12				Tony: If McGee can stay under control, he's a solid, efficient role player.  Mark: Nash coming back, but will it make a difference for West's No. 11 seed?
13				Tony: So now Humphries is getting benched? Too much drama in Brooklyn.  Mark: Same as Bulls, patiently waiting until their superstar (Granger) returns.
14				Tony: Ellis can just take over games sometimes.  Mark: Jennings trade talks heating up, and they will be until the deadline.
15				Tony: Kevin Love just needs to stay on the court.  Mark: Rubio beginning to ramp up minutes can only mean good things for Minnesota.
16				Tony: On outside of playoff race if season ended today.  Mark: Struggled against fierce competition, as expected by most.
17				Tony: Can still be exploited inside by most teams.  Mark: Bynum thinks he can still contribute this season; I'll say he doesn't.
18				Tony: J.J. Hickson is actually playing pretty well.  Mark: What did Avery Johnson do to Deron Williams' field goal percentage?
19				Tony: Fading fast, and even with Holiday back and playing at high level again.   Mark: Pierce is on fire lately, but his teammates aren't matching the effort.
20				Tony: On a four-game win streak, but they've had to fight and claw for every victory.  Mark: Wes Matthews needs to get healthy, as the playoffs are a possibility in diluted West.
21				Tony: To say Dirk's return could've gone better is an understatement.  Mark: So what will Dwight Howard say if the Magic make the playoffs and he doesn't?
22				Tony: Still just kinda hangin' around.  Mark: Fading fast, need some shakeups.
23				Tony: I just don't get Alvin Gentry's rotation. At all.  Mark: 12-16 Mavs must love having Dirk back.
24				Tony: They're on a five-game win streak and they're still only 9-19? Ouch.  Mark: Two straight wins after losing six in a row, eight of nine.
25				Tony: Andre Drummond looking like a solid future piece.  Mark: 5 straight wins, but Houston the only opponent of note.
26				Tony: The DeMarcus Cousins situation has just become laughable.  Mark: Cavs probably need to deal Varejao and continue rebuilding.
27				Tony: Ridiculous that a six-win team is 27th.  Mark: With Evans, Cousins out, Kings score 105 points. Go figure.
28				Tony: It's like a race with Nawlins for worst record in NBA. They may never win again.  Mark: Would love to see Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers and Eric Gordon together soon.
29				Tony: Seriously? 11 straight losses? At least Davis has grown another half-inch in NO.  Mark: 15 losses in a row. It's last year all over again.
30				Tony: Amazing that a seven-game losing streak is far from worst in league.  Mark: Bradley Beal and Jordan Crawford will work well when John Wall returns.