by USA TODAY Sports, USA TODAY

Carmelo Anthony is renewed. The New York Knicks forward is averaging 27.3 points and 7.3 rebounds a game and playing the best defense of his career.

The result: The Knicks are the last unbeaten team in the NBA at 4-0. But that’s not good enough for USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings voters.

In our first in-season power rankings, Anthony trails LeBron James of the Miami Heat, whom the Knicks beat to open the season, in MVP votes while New York comes in second in our team rankings to the San Antonio Spurs.

A look at the top five teams, with voting conducted before Monday night’s games:

1. Spurs (6-1)

2. Knicks (4-0)

3. Heat (5-2)

4. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-2)

5. Memphis Grizzlies (5-2)

Maybe it’s that voters weren’t ready to assume the Knicks are for real, as they have played the fewest games of any NBA team thanks in part to superstorm Sandy. Or maybe San Antonio’s efficiency is more impressive.

The MVP votes:

1. James (21.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists a game) received 31 points on a 7-5-3-2-1 scale and three of five first-place votes.

2. Anthony (27.3 points, 7.3 rebounds) received 20 points and the other two first-place votes.

3. Thunder forward Kevin Durant (22.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists) received 17 points.

4. Spurs forward Tim Duncan (18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.4 blocks) received 12 points.

5. Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (17.1 points, 10.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds) received 10 points.

Guards Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers each had one fifth-place vote.

The rookie of the year balloting was a two-horse race:

1. New Orleans Hornets forward Anthony Davis (17.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.7 blocks) received 21 points on a 5-3-1 scale and three first-place votes.

2. Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (18.8 points, 7.0 assists) received 17 points and the other two first-place votes.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters (15.4 points) received four points.

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal had two third-place votes, and Charlotte Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist got the last.

The voting panel: USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt, Kevin Spain and Adi Joseph and Hoopsworld’s Steve Kyler … [For more on NBA power rankings: Is Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James MVP frontrunner?, click here.]