2015-16 NBA Power Rankings Through Week 19

30. Philadelphia 76ers (8-55) Last Week: 30

The 76ers have lost 12 games in a row and are the clear favorites to finish with the worst record in the NBA.

29. Los Angeles Lakers (13-51) Last Week: 29

Aside from Friday night's game against the Hawks, the Lakers were quite impressive in Week 19. They took down both the Nets and Warriors and played competitively against the Nuggets. Perhaps things are getting better for the Lakers.

28. Phoenix Suns (17-46) Last Week: 28

The Suns played four road games in Week 19 and got blown out by the Hornets and Heat to begin the week. Shockingly, Earl Watson's team responded with wins over the Magic and Grizzlies to finish the week 2-2.

27. Brooklyn Nets (18-45) Last Week: 27

The Nets took down the Nuggets in overtime on Friday, but they couldn't find a way to win their other three games. They've gotten more competitive since Tony Brown has taken over, but I'm sure there will be wholesale changes at the end of the season.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-43) Last Week: 26

The Timberwolves went 1-2 during Week 19, but during their lone victory they still allowed 118 points to the Nets. The team will be fine offensively going forward, but they could desperately use a defensive head coach.

25. New Orleans Pelicans (23-38) Last Week: 24

The Pelicans are the biggest disappointment of any team in 2015-16. Following a playoff appearance last season, I fully expected this team to make it two in a row. Due to injuries and poor play, they've instead become one of the worst teams in the league.

24. Denver Nuggets (25-38) Last Week: 25

The Nuggets played four home games during Week 19 and had a chance to win all of them. Unfortunately, they showed why they're so low on this list by only closing out two wins.

23. Sacramento Kings (25-36) Last Week: 21

The Kings were at one point holding down the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, but they've been on a free fall since. DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo have gelled well together, but the rest of the roster has been too inconsistent.

22. New York Knicks (26-38) Last Week: 22

The Knicks started off the season on fire, but they've really fallen off in the second half. It's become the Carmelo Anthony show with no consistent contributions from the rest of the roster. Phil Jackson has a massive task ahead of him to fix this team.

21. Milwaukee Bucks (26-37) Last Week: 23

Everyone gave Jason Kidd a hard time a few weeks back when he sent Michael Carter-Williams and Greg Monroe to the bench. To his credit, the team has played much better since and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker have flourished.

20. Orlando Magic (27-34) Last Week: 20

Week 19 was disastrous for the Magic as they got blown out on the road by the Mavericks, won at home against the Bulls and got blown out at home by the Suns. The loss to the Suns was especially disconcerting as the Magic got dominated in every phase of the game.

19. Utah Jazz (29-33) Last Week: 17

Prior to a win over the Pelicans on Saturday, the Jazz had lost five in a row. This team just struggles to put up points at times and it will likely be the reason they miss the playoffs.

18. Houston Rockets (31-32) Last Week: 16

The Rockets have the ability to beat any team in the league as evidenced by their win over the Toronto Raptors on the road Sunday. Unfortunately, they also have the ability to lose to any team as they showed against the Bucks on Monday.

17. Washington Wizards (30-32) Last Week: 19

After winning four games in a row, the Wizards took it on the chin Friday night against the Cavaliers and suffered an excruciating loss to the Pacers on Sunday. Now they'll head on a three-game West Coast swing against the Blazers, Jazz and Nuggets and need to go 2-1 in order to stay on the heels of the Bulls for the final playoff spot.

16. Detroit Pistons (32-31) Last Week: 18

The Pistons have won five of their last seven games and, aside from a loss to the Knicks on Saturday, they've looked like a much improved team since adding Tobias Harris at the trade deadline.

15. Chicago Bulls (31-30) Last Week: 15

The Bulls had lost four games in a row and looked to be in the midst of a slide that could take them out of playoff contention. Thankfully, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic returned on Saturday and the Bulls took care of the Rockets.

14. Indiana Pacers (33-30) Last Week: 10

The Pacers are a team that's hard to trust. One night they can come out and look like one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and the next they could lay an egg. Hopefully adding Ty Lawson will help.

13. Portland Trail Blazers (33-31) Last Week: 12

One has to marvel at the job Terry Stotts has done with the Blazers this season. After losing four of his five starters from a year ago, he has his team sitting in the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum continue to lead this team to places no expert expected prior to the season.

12. Dallas Mavericks (33-30) Last Week: 13

After winning four out of five games, the Mavericks finished the week with losses to the Kings at home and Nuggets on the road. Rick Carlisle has done a commendable job with this team all season, but it seems the steam may be running out of the Mavericks.

11. Charlotte Hornets (33-28) Last Week: 14

The Hornets have been playing well lately as they've won three in a row, four out of five and five out of seven. They'll also have four home games during Week 20 which could help propel them to the top-half of the Eastern Conference if they can sweep all four.

10. Atlanta Hawks (35-28) Last Week: 11

The Hawks had three West Coast road games in Week 19 and nearly escaped with wins in all three. After losing to the Warriors in overtime to begin the week, Mike Budenholzer's team responded with wins over the Lakers and Clippers to finish it off. The Hawks could be ready to make a serious run in the Eastern Conference.

9. Memphis Grizzlies (37-25) Last Week: 8

The Grizzlies have won five of their last seven games, but both losses have come to the Suns who only have 17 wins on the entire season. I can't explain why they can't take down the Suns, but sitting at 12 games above .500 is extremely impressive after losing Marc Gasol.

8. Miami Heat (37-26) Last Week: 9

The Heat have transformed themselves into serious Eastern Conference contenders without Chris Bosh. Erik Spoelstra's decision to play a faster pace and bring Hassan Whiteside off the bench has really improved the Heat offensively.

7. Boston Celtics (38-26) Last Week: 7

I was extremely disappointed with Danny Ainge when he didn't make any moves at the trade deadline, but it seems to have been the right call, as the Celtics are playing as well as any team in the NBA.

6. Toronto Raptors (41-20) Last Week: 6

The Raptors have set themselves apart as the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, but they're still susceptible to inexcusable losses like yesterday's to the Rockets. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are a great backcourt tandem, but I worry that not having a consistent third option will catch up to the Raptors.

5. Los Angeles Clippers (40-21) Last Week: 5

Saturday's game against the Hawks is exactly why the Clippers won't win a title without Blake Griffin. The Hawks outrebounded the Clippers 53-41 as Paul Millsap and Al Horford combined for 30 of those rebounds. There's just no depth in the frontcourt behind DeAndre Jordan.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder (43-20) Last Week: 4

The Thunder are beginning to show serious chinks in the armor, as they've lost four of their last six games and are only one game ahead of the Clippers in the loss column for the No. 3 seed in the West. The main issues have been on the defensive side of the ball, and it will be Billy Donovan's job to fix them.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (44-17) Last Week: 3

After losing three of their last four games entering Week 19, the Cavaliers responded with three wins in a row. Despite all of the grumblings being reported in Cleveland, it would take a massive upset to keep them from representing the East in the NBA Finals.

2. San Antonio Spurs (53-9) Last Week: 3

I haven't been as high on the Spurs as most experts this season, because I think it'll be tough for them to take down the Thunder, Clippers or Warriors in the West, but you can't ignore how well they're playing now. They've won eight in a row, with six being on the road, and Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge have been carrying the team on their backs.

1. Golden State Warriors (55-6) Last Week: 1

Although it was extremely shocking to watch the Warriors fall to the Lakers by 17 points on Sunday afternoon, they still have the best record in NBA history through 61 games. In order to take down the Bulls' record of 72 wins in a season, the Warriors can only lose three times over their last 21 games.