Is Heat’s streak enough for No. 1?
by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports
The defending champions have won 11 consecutive games.
Too bad.
The San Antonio Spurs maintained their lead in USA TODAY Sports’ weekly NBA power rankings, edging the Miami Heat in a close vote for the top spot. The Spurs have the best record in the NBA, the Heat the longest winning streak.
Voters Sam Amick, Adi Joseph, Kevin Spain and Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports, Lang Greene of Hoopsworld.com and Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press came to a split decision: The Spurs can keep their crown, for now.
The top five remained unchanged. Here’s that group (points on a 30-29-28-etc. scale):
Don’t fret, though, Heat fans. LeBron James remains atop our MVP race, and his grip on first is iron-tight.
What’s unique this week is every voter had the same top three in the same order. Here’s the top five (points on a 7-5-3-2-1 scale):
Shooting guards Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and James Harden of the Houston Rockets each had three points.
The rookie of the year race has been one-sided for most of the season. And it remained so this week, even as the heavy favorite’s team slipped. Here’s the top three (points on a 5-3-1 scale):
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Alexey Shved, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Dion Waiters and Detroit Pistons’ Andre Drummond each received one third-place vote.
So how did we do? Let us know in the comments.
… [For more on NBA power rankings: Is Heat's streak enough for No. 1?, click here.]
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