Utah Jazz Take Over the Top Spot in the NBA Power Rankings

After nine weeks of play in the NBA, we have some interesting stories and we also see new teams at the top of the power rankings.

While these rankings only show what we think should happen going forward, the teams at the top can change quite often. For the first time this year, the Utah Jazz find themselves in this coveted position.

What Brought the Jazz to the Top

Not only have the Utah Jazz played a great season so far with a record of 22-5 coming into this week, but the Los Angeles Lakers have also suffered an injury to Anthony Davis. This injury will have Davis out of the lineup for at least a couple of weeks. The Jazz found their way to wins over the Pacers, Celtics, Bucks, and Heat in an eight-day stretch, which solidified their position at the top.

The Lakers Fall to Second in the NBA Power Rankings

With the recent injury to Anthony Davis and a 21-7 record, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in the second position on this list for the first time this year. The strength of this team may allow them to sit Davis for several weeks to give him plenty of time for rest while he works to return to the lineup.

The Clippers Move Up Amid Injuries

Paul George has been out of the Los Angeles Clippers lineup for the past five games and Kawhi Leonard missed the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier in the week. Even with these issues, the Clippers have a 20-8 record right now and have leaned on the amazing play of Lou Williams. This has moved the Clippers up one spot to the third position in the NBA Power Rankings.

The Phoenix Suns Make a Strong Jump

The Suns have been up and down this year but have recently found a good rhythm and won nine of their last ten games. This has brought them to a strong 17-9 record and bumped them up four spots to the fourth position in this list. Look for the Suns to continue to improve behind the leadership of Chris Paul and Devin Booker as they make a strong push for the playoffs.

The Philadelphia 76ers Drop Two Spots in the NBA Power Rankings

Last week the 76ers were in the third position and now they have fallen to fifth. Notice, they are the first East team on this list, which gives you an idea of just how strong the West is once again. The 76ers bring an 18-9 record through nine weeks and will need to find more consistency going forward if they want to go deep in the playoffs.

The Brooklyn Nets Come in at Sixth

After adding James Harden to the mix, the Brooklyn Nets are beginning to find their stride and figure out how they can make a playoff push. Currently, the Nets are on a pace to be one of the highest-scoring offensive teams in history, but they happen to also have one of the worst defenses in the league. Their record sits at 16-12, which could improve a lot over the next few weeks.

The Denver Nuggets Remain in the Seventh Spot in the NBA Power Rankings

The Nuggets were seventh last week and they are in this spot for week nine as well. Currently, this team has a record of 15-11 and could be poised for a serious playoff push with the strength of the scoring from Jamal Murry which should improve throughout the season.

The Milwaukee Bucks Have Fallen

The eighth position in the NBA Power Rankings belongs to the Milwaukee Bucks. This is a disappointing position for this team that was in the fifth spot just last week. They still have the best home record but offer an overall 16-11 record, which means they don’t seem to do too well when they head out on the road. They have been without some players in recent games, which could have been a factor in the results of their recent woes.

Remaining Teams in the NBA Power Rankings

The rest of this list rounds out to give you:

•9 Portland Trailblazers

•10 San Antonio Spurs

•11 Golden State Warriors

•12 Dallas Mavericks

•13 Boston Celtics

•14 Indiana Pacers

•15 Memphis Grizzlies

•16 Charlotte Hornets

•17 Miami Heat

•18 Sacramento Kings

•19 Toronto Raptors

•20 New York Knicks

•21 Atlanta Hawks

•22 New Orleans Pelicans

•23 Oklahoma City Thunder

•24 Houston Rockets

•25 Detroit Pistons

•26 Chicago Bulls

•27 Orlando Magic

•28 Washington Wizards

•29 Minnesota Timberwolves

•30 Cleveland Cavaliers