Power Rankings: Bosh nice, but Kobe's pending record has more clout

Updated Jan. 5

Congratulations to Chris Bosh. Scoring 9,428 points for the same NBA franchise these days is a stand-and-applaud feat. Doing it for the only one where curling is king is almost unconscionable.

Here's hoping he pours in another 10 grand or so north of the border, and does it after recruiting a fellow superstar free agent to join him, rather than vice versa.

Kobe Bryant's Lakers have just a bit more history than Chris Bosh's Raptors. (Getty Images)

Consider: Who do you think holds the franchise's all-time record for assists? It's five-year veteran Jose Calderon, so we're not exactly talking Maple Leafs-type history here.

As such, Bosh's nice accomplishment soon will be dwarfed downstream of Niagara Falls by these four feats in the making (listed in order or significance):

1. Kobe Bryant passing Jerry West atop the all-time Lakers scoring list. Needed: 377. Estimated date of occurrence: Jan. 29 at Philadelphia.

How impressive is it to stand atop the Lakers' ladder in points scored? Here's the "starting five" of the franchise's all-time scorers: West, Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor and Magic Johnson. Yikes.

Sidenote: Bryant also could vault from third to first in minutes played for the Lakers by season's end, jumping No. 2 West and No. 1 Abdul-Jabbar.

2. Dirk Nowitzki scoring his 20,000th point. Needed: 93. Estimated date of occurrence: Jan. 13 vs. Lakers.

Despite hitting a rough patch in the schedule, the German star should easily win his race to 20 grand with Tim Duncan, who entered the week 60 points behind despite being two years younger than Nowitzki and having played one fewer NBA season.

Sidenote: Nowitzki will move past Derek Harper and into second place on the Mavericks' list of games played when he takes the court for an 873rd time Tuesday night against the Pistons. That'll leave him less than two months away from breaking Brad Davis' all-time mark of 883.

3. Tim Duncan scoring his 20,000th point. Needed: 153. Estimated date of occurrence: Jan. 20 vs. Utah.

Before season's end, Duncan should pass David Robinson and take over the No. 2 spot on the Spurs' all-time scoring list. But he's going to have to hang on a couple more years if he's going to challenge George Gervin's 23,602.

Sidenote: Duncan should get Robinson in another category before overtaking him in scoring. He's just 178 from Robinson's franchise record minutes played.

4. Dwyane Wade passing Tim Hardaway for the Heat's all-time lead in assists. Needed: 49. Estimated date of occurrence: Jan. 23 vs. Kings.

Already the franchise's scoring leader, the underrated ball distributor soon will become the ninth player to top his team's charts in both points and assists. That list features some heavyweights (Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas, Oscar Robertson), but also a couple of surprises (Alex English, Randy Smith).

Sidenote: If he stays healthy, Wade should hurdle No. 2 Glen Rice and No. 1 Alonzo Mourning on the Heat's all-time list in minutes played by season's end. Wade entered the week 1,623 behind.

Not much record-breaking on the agenda this week, however, as the Cavaliers retain the top spot in the CBSSports.com NBA Power Rankings despite a loss to the Bobcats.

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Spurs · Trends	1
	Can you win an NBA title with an offense-first team? That's what Popovich is trying to do this season. And he may have a better shot than the Seven-Seconds-or-Less Suns. It would not be celebrated as such, but it would be an incredible accomplishment.
	2	Bulls · Trends	2
	The most consistent team in the league for two years running. Tom Thibodeau is the Dr. Doom of the NBA.
	3	Heat · Trends	3
	To live up to expectations, the Heat have to make such a huge jump, they need rocket fuel to get it done.
	4	Thunder · Trends	5
	The Thunder have had nothing but upside and positive feelings the past two years as they climbed into contention. They're facing their first bout of serious adversity. How they handle it determines whether this team has championship mettle.
	5	Pacers · Trends	9
	You know how hippos are made out to be sweet and silly, like big cows, but are actually extremely dangerous and can kill you with stunning brutality? The Pacers are the NBA's hippos.
	6	Lakers · Trends	6
	The Lakers winning the Pacific again would be like the Kansas Jayhawks winning their conference. They have a closet where they just toss the trophies on top of the pile. Looks like Scrooge McDuck's gold.
	7	Clippers · Trends	7
	Uh, anyone else notice that despite all the questions (defense, coaching, shooters, coaching, cohesiveness, coaching), the Clippers are really pretty good?
	8	Celtics · Trends	4
	One more ride, old-timers. One more ride.
	9	Hawks · Trends	11
	Boston and Atlanta began their playoff runs with their cores pitted against one another. It's possible they'll end them as well.
	10	Knicks · Trends	12
	The grind-it-out style of the playoffs means having Carmelo Anthony's super-ISO offense is a whole different thing.
	11	Grizzlies · Trends	8
	The Grizzlies are on the worst-looking five-game winning streak ever.
	12	Nuggets · Trends	10
	Oh, look, Denver, you found your offense under the porch! Good job! Maybe that'll teach you not to be so cavalier with it.
	13	Jazz · Trends	16
	The Jazz hope the first round's title will be "Hidden Tiger, Crouching Millsap."
	14	Mavericks · Trends	17
	I've decided the Mavericks' 2012 season is "Cabin in the Woods." It looks like your standard horror show, but there's so much more going on.
	15	Suns · Trends	13
	If this were Steve Nash's last legitimate playoff run ... #slowclap
	16	76ers · Trends	19
	"Mr. and Mrs. Sixers fans? Hi. Yes, I'm Dr. Easy Schedule. Your team is stable. It's resting comfortably. It was touch-and-go for a while, but we managed to repair the playoff eligibility. It's going to make it. ... You don't look happy?"
	17	Rockets · Trends	15
	Oh, look. The late lottery. There's a new area for the Rockets to explore. #stare
	18	Magic · Trends	14
	The Orlando Magic: The walking, talking reason for the league to enact a "you can trade your playoff spot for a lottery pick" rule.
	19	Bucks · Trends	18
	A pivotal offseason for the Bucks is set to begin. It's extremely unlikely, but imagine if this team lands a top-three pick.
	20	Timberwolves · Trends	22
	To the tune of "Total Eclipse of the Heart:" "Ru-bi-o, every now and then I get a little bit lonely and your leg still isn't healed. Ru-bi-o, every now and then I get a little bit tired of Beasley getting killed on defense ..."
	21	Trail Blazers · Trends	21
	The Blazers were 12-9 on Feb. 1. This completes today's lesson in "How quickly things can go to hell in a handcart."
	22	Kings · Trends	23
	The Kings can look back and point to legitimate growth. But the next steps are even more important. The leap from "promising young talent" to "team that doesn't make you want to gouge your eye out with a lobster fork" is a difficult process.
	23	Hornets · Trends	20
	Monty Williams and Dell Demps need to go bowling, get drunk and forget this year ever happened. Unfortunately, it's New Orleans, so finding alcohol could be a problem.
	24	Pistons · Trends	24
	Well, a young, inexperienced team like that is going to have ... what's that? Tayshaun Prince is how old? Oh, never mind, they're just bad.
	25	Raptors · Trends	25
	Dwane Casey can look back and say he changed the culture. The talent comes next, then the winning. The future is bright in Toronto.
	26	Nets · Trends	26
	I'm sure New Jersey is all choked up over losing the Nets. At least they're used to that when it comes to the Nets -- losing, that is.
	27	Cavaliers · Trends	27
	It had to get worse before it gets better. They've got their next franchise guy. Now they just have to build around him. And do it better this time.
	28	Warriors · Trends	28
	This had better have been worth it.
	29	Wizards · Trends	29
	The Wizards managed to move from pathetic joke to just pathetic by the end of the year. Progress in our time!
	30	Bobcats · Trends	30
	Now let us never speak of this again.