If there are such things as NBA dog days, you'll likely find them in January. Between the bitter cold gripping most of the map, the halfway point of an 82-game slate and the fast approach of the All-Star Game, there's a palpable sense of slowdown around the Association.
Just ask the Cleveland Cavaliers, who sleepwalked their way through a six-game road trip. Or the Houston Rockets, whose white-hot jets have cooled over the past week or so.
Or, on the other end of the spectrum, check in with the Los Angeles Lakers, who've looked about as tired and downtrodden as Cinderella would if she had to drag a giant pumpkin back to her stepmother's house with one slipper on.
It seems like everyone—save for the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Joel Embiid—could use a breather right about now. Trouble is, the midseason showcase in New Orleans is still a month away.
But we here at Power Rankings Central aren't taking any breaks—not yet, anyway. Instead, we're coming at you with a fresh set, with teams ordered according to recent performance and players available going forward.
And if you missed last week's e ...
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Article written by Josh Martin
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