Boston Celtics (7-1) Last Week: 1

The C's made it through eight games in 12 days with just one slip-up. Rasheed Wallace's versatility and Shelden Williams' emergence are going to help along the way.

L.A. Lakers (6-1) Last Week: 3

No Bynum, no Gasol, no problem. D.J. Mbenga got his sixth career start in L.A.'s win over New Orleans and collected a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double.

Orlando Magic (5-2) Last Week: 2

Yeah, the loss at Oklahoma City was ugly, but Orlando isn't anywhere close to full strength right now. Injuries, illnesses and a big suspension have left the Magic undermanned.

Phoenix Suns (6-1) Last Week: 10

The win in Boston let us know that the Suns are a playoff team, and with a win in Philly tonight they'll close out their East Coast road trip at 4-1.

Dallas Mavericks (4-2) Last Week: 7

Now that Josh Howard is back, the Mavs should make a charge in the West. It won't be easy, however, with five games in seven nights including four on the road.

Miami Heat (5-1) Last Week: 9

Home wins over Chicago and Denver look pretty good right now. Miami let one get away against Phoenix, however.

Atlanta Hawks (5-2) Last Week: 8

We knew Atlanta was going to be tough at Philips, but the win at Portland showed us just how motivated Mike Woodson's team is on the road.

Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3) Last Week: 6

With the LeBron love-fest in The Big Apple behind them, the Cavs now look ahead to Eastern Conference showdowns in Orlando and Miami.

Chicago Bulls (4-2) Last Week: 13

Chicago boasts wins over San Antonio and Cleveland on the young season which sets up an intriguing tilt with Denver on Tuesday.

Denver Nuggets (5-2) Last Week: 4

After jumping out of the gate, the Nuggets slipped up in Miami and Atlanta. The good news is Kenyon Martin's bruised left fibula injury will cause him to miss less time than initially feared.

Houston Rockets (4-2) Last Week: 15

With or without T-Mac, the Rockets are going to compete at both ends of the floor all season long. Trevor Ariza has been a huge addition.

Portland Blazers (4-3) Last Week: 11

The Blazers need to prove themselves on the road this season. Six of their next seven will be played away from the Rose Garden.

San Antonio Spurs (2-3) Last Week: 5

Tony Parker's ankle injury could keep him out for a week, and the news does not come at a good time for the Spurs who have dropped all three of their road contests.

Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3) Last Week: 16

OKC nearly got one against the Lakers on Tuesday before upsetting the shorthanded Magic on Sunday. Hats off to Scott Brooks for making this team competitive quickly.

Toronto Raptors (3-3) Last Week: 18

This team has been an enigma so far this season, and November's difficult schedule could make or break the Raptors.

Detroit Pistons (3-4) Last Week: 21

Already without Rip Hamilton for at least another week, the Pistons could lose Tayshaun Prince for the season if he opts for back surgery.

Philadelphia 76ers (3-3) Last Week: 19

Through six games Elton Brand is posting career lows in points, rebounds and minutes. He's also been outplayed by Marreese Speights who makes about $13 million less than he does.

Milwaukee Bucks (3-2) Last Week: 20

Don't look now, but the Bucks have allowed just 85.2 points per game. Three of the league's top-12 scoring teams — Denver, Golden State and Dallas — come calling this week.

Utah Jazz (2-4) Last Week: 14

It's almost as if Utah's bench disappeared overnight. A four-game East Coast road trip is next on the docket, and Utah needs to find some energy if it hopes to remain relevant in the West.

L.A. Clippers (3-4) Last Week: 25

Winners of three straight, the Clips welcome New Orleans, Oklahoma City and Toronto this week with a chance to get to .500 and beyond.

New Orleans Hornets (2-5) Last Week: 17

The Hornets are completely out of synch offensively, and Byron Scott's seat is getting hot in The Big Easy.

Indiana Pacers (2-3) Last Week: 22

Welcome to the party, Tyler Hansbrough. The rook put in 13 points and five rebounds in his NBA debut over the weekend.

Washington Wizards (2-5) Last Week: 12

The win in Dallas to open the season appears to have been fool's gold. Washington has dropped five of six since.

Charlotte Bobcats (3-3) Last Week: 24

Gerald Wallace is leading the league in rebounding, and Charlotte is playing competitive basketball after stumbling out of the blocks.

Sacramento Kings (3-4) Last Week: 30

Not a bad weekend for Sactown. Led by Tyreke Evans' 32 points, the Kings pulled off a shocker in Utah on Saturday and followed it up with a win on Sunday vs. Golden State.

Golden State Warriors (1-4) Last Week: 26

Get the feeling this team has mailed it in? If so, you're not alone. There's a lot of talent on offense, but the defensive intensity is nowhere to be found.

Memphis Grizzlies (1-6) Last Week: 23

The AI experiment looks to have backfired after just three games, and it's remarkable to think that his role as a starter or reserve wasn't discussed prior to his signing.

New York Knicks (1-6) Last Week: 28

LeBron says he wants to win, but the Knicks don't look like a team with much promise. Their explosive offense hasn't even hit the 100-point mark in a week.

Minnesota Timberwolves (1-6) Last Week: 27

The Wolves nearly pulled the upset against Boston this week, but that's been the lone bright spot in their six-game funk.

New Jersey Nets (0-7) Last Week: 29

The bottom team in our rankings managed to hang with the top team for three quarters, but suffered yet another loss in the end.