NBA Power Rankings: Kobe-less Lakers Bounce Back

Gil Alcaraz IV
10 Min Read


20. New Orleans Hornets (25): The Hornets finally have an owner other than the NBA’s own dictator and are on a three-game winning streak after toppling the red-hot Grizzlies. It’s obviously too late, but at least they’re making the most of what little basketball they have left.

19. Philadelphia 76ers (18): With the way that the 76ers have been playing, you’d think that they don’t want to make the playoffs. They’ve won only two of their seven games in April and are feeling the pressure from the Bucks’ postseason push.

18. Utah Jazz (16): The playoffs are still within reach for the Jazz, but a 2-2 week isn’t going to help them close the gap between them and the eighth seed in the West. This week’s games against the Blazers and Magic will be crucial if they hope to hit the postseason.

17. Orlando Magic (13): What are the Magic without Dwight Howard? The big man has been shelved by a back injury that has put his postseason presence in jeopardy. Orlando’s stock just dropped drastically.

16. Houston Rockets (11): All of the sudden, the Rockets are within one game of going on an early vacation. After a tough loss to the Nuggets, they’re going to have to play perfect basketball from here on out.

Next Page: NBA Power Rankings: 15-11

An L.A. native, Gil Alcaraz IV has bled purple and gold since birth. After two years of covering the Lakers as a freelance writer for Yahoo! Sports, he has brought his talents to Lakers Nation. For more from Gil, make sure to follow him on Twitter.
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