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Another week of basketball action has passed with some huge matchups and a lot of movement in our NBA Power Rankings. Finally, the LA Lakers have been knocked off their perch in the No.1 spot after back-to-back losses while the Philadelphia 76ers continue to rise after settling into their position at the top of the East.
The Utah Jazz's impressive winning-streak was ended by their nemeses from last season - Denver Nuggets - as the current league climate continues to fluctuate with the ongoing external circumstances.
NBA Power Rankings 2020-21: Top ten risers and fallers entering Week 8 of league action
Two sides have entered our NBA Power Rankings as we enter the 8th week of league action while the conference's top sides continue to dominate.
#10 San Antonio Spurs
2020-21 record: 11-9
Upcoming fixtures: Memphis (home), Minnesota (home), Houston (away)
Previous Top-10 ranking: N/A
The San Antonio Spurs just about sneak into our NBA Power Rankings after overcoming the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets this week. However, they followed it up by losing disappointingly to the in-form Grizzlies.
Although not the most consistent, the Spurs will remain difficult to beat and are more than capable of pulling off shock results as they have already this season.
Dejounte Murray has shone at point guard while DeMar DeRozan is leading his side on offense. San Antonio will continue to rely on the help of their bench with Patty Mills, who is one of the best Sixth men in the league, averaging 14.3 points a game.
#9 Phoenix Suns
2020-21 record: 10-8
Upcoming fixtures: Dallas (away), New Orleans (away), Detroit (home), Boston (home)
Previous Top-10 ranking: N/A
Having to cope without Devin Booker is not what the Phoenix Suns' season needed, however, it has brought out the best in their extended roster. Sunday's win over Dallas proved just that, with a vintage display from Chris Paul alongside DeAndre Ayton's monster 18 points and 17 rebounds.
The Suns have also improved defensively this week, holding their three opponents to an average of 100 points each, earning them a place inside our NBA Power Rankings.
#8 Boston Celtics
2020-21 record: 10-8
Upcoming fixtures: Golden State (away), Sacramento (away), LA Clippers (away), Phoenix (away)
Previous Top-10 ranking: 6th (↓2)
Falling again in our NBA Power Rankings are the Boston Celtics. To make matters worse, they will have to play the next 2-3 weeks without defensive leader Marcus Smart, who had to leave Boston's late loss to the Lakers on Saturday.
The Celtics will be thankful the injury is short-term, though have shown they have what it takes to perform without key stars this season.
Jaylen Brown will need to continue his scoring prowess as the Celtics begin a 4-game road trip. The guard is averaging 27 points and 5 rebounds and is one of the main reasons the Celtics are surviving in our NBA Power Rankings.
#7 Milwaukee Bucks
2020-21 record: 11-8
Upcoming fixtures: Portland (home), Indiana (home), Cleveland (away), Cleveland (away)
Previous Top-10 ranking: 5th (↓2)
As one of the season's biggest disappointments so far, the Milwaukee Bucks are nowhere near perfect and have a long way to go if they are to reach the NBA Finals. It took 54 games last year until the Bucks had lost 8 matches yet they fell twice on the road this week to New Orleans and Charlotte. As a result, they find themselves on an 11-8 record and 3rd in the East.
Milwaukee are still scoring at an elite rate and rank third in the league for offensive rating. However, for a side that boasted the best defense last season, they have struggled to contain even the weaker NBA sides.
#6 Denver Nuggets
2020-21 record: 12-8
Upcoming fixtures: Detroit (home), LA Lakers (away), Sacramento (away)
Previous Top-10 ranking: 8th (↑2)
After a rocky start to the season, the Denver Nuggets look to have returned to their best, going 7-3 in their last ten matchups. This was topped by a standout display against the Jazz on Sunday, ending their opponents 11-game win streak.
Nikola Jokic is putting up staggering numbers this season, with a double-double in every matchup, including 47 points and 12 rebounds against Utah. The Serbian center is the Nuggets defining player and often overpowers his opponents as arguably the top big man in the league. Keeping their MVP candidate fit is vital if the Nuggets are to gain home-court advantage.
#5 Brooklyn Nets
2020-21 record: 13-9
Upcoming fixtures: LA Clippers (home), Toronto (home), Philadelphia (away)
Previous Top-10 ranking: 9th (↑4)
Though the Nets may eventually pay for their lack of defense, they are more often than not blowing their opponents out of the water on the other end. Harden, Durant and Irving combined for 89 points on the road in Atlanta, in which Brooklyn gave up 128 points yet still came away with a win.
Winning 7 of their last ten has lifted the Nets up to second in the East and back up into the Top 5 in our NBA Power Rankings. They are now firmly in position to take the top spot as many predicted they would when Harden came to town.
#4 Utah Jazz
2020-21 record: 15-5
Upcoming fixtures: Detroit (home), Atlanta (away), Charlotte (away), Indiana (away)
Previous Top-10 ranking: 3rd (↓1)
Sunday's loss in Denver was underwhelming by the Utah Jazz's recent high standards. After going on an 11-game winning run, the Jazz remain 2nd in the West and 5th for both offensive and defensive efficiency.
The Jazz have scoring talent across the board though and could prove to be a thorn in LA's best throughout the season. Bojan Bogdanovic, after starting slowly from surgery recovery has re-discovered his scoring form, recording 29 points in the loss against the Nuggets.
#3 LA Lakers
2020-21 record: 15-6
Upcoming fixtures: Atlanta (away), Denver (home), Detroit (home)
Previous Top-10 ranking: 1st (↓2)
Slipping from our NBA Power Rankings' top-spot for the first time this season are the LA Lakers. The defending champions lost on the road in Philadelphia and Detroit this week, showing how unpredictable this season will be.
The loss in Philly, which could prove a precursor of a future NBA Finals matchup, went back and forth until Tobias Harris' dagger with 2.4 seconds remaining.
Against the Boston Celtics, the Lakers had to put in another gutsy performance to come away with a one-point win. They made hard work of it, with starters Marc Gasol and Kentavious-Caldwell Pope scoring 1 point between them in 38 minutes of floor time.
#2 Philadelphia 76ers
2020-21 record: 15-6
Upcoming fixtures: Charlotte (away), Portland (home), Brooklyn (home)
Previous Top-10 ranking: 4th (↑2)
Rapidly rising up our NBA Power Rankings, the Philadelphia 76ers currently sit top of the East and have easily been the most consistent and solid team in the conference.
Without Joel Embiid, the Sixers were still able to overcome Indiana after they completed a stunning victory over the Lakers midweek. Doc Rivers looks to have got the best out of his squad, in particular Embiid and Harris, the latter of whom hit Philly's game-winning shot against LA.
#1 LA Clippers
2020-21 record: 16-5
Upcoming fixtures: Brooklyn (away), Cleveland (away), Boston (home), Sacramento (home)
Previous Top-10 ranking: 2nd (↑1)
Overtaking their LA rivals, as well as jumping the Utah Jazz in the West, the Clippers are looking like their clinical best. Batum and Ibaka have settled straight into Ty Lue's system while Reggie Jackson has stepped up on offense in the absence of Patrick Beverley.
It is proving difficult to stop the Clippers this season, as the only side to record 9 wins in their last ten alongside Utah. The Clippers have the joint-best offense in the league and show no signs of letting up. Fans will be thankful that Paul George and Kawhi Leonard came out of COVID-19 protocols with minimal side effects.
