Power Rankings: Lakers, Celtics, Magic in tepid pursuit of Cavs

Updated Jan. 12

Remember that four-team race to the NBA title? All of the sudden, three have some serious catching up to do.

Does that mean it's panic time for the Lakers, Celtics and Magic? Yes and no. Let's examine the current state of each of the Cavaliers' three primary challengers:

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce haven't taken the court together since Dec. 20. (Getty Images)

Chalk up a rare Lakers losing streak to injuries -- a couple that are on the mend, and a third that might or might not be. Kobe Bryant is now wearing a splint on his broken index finger, which wouldn't be such a big deal if he weren't continuing to play with it.

And not particularly well. He missed 23 shots in the easily winnable Portland game, and sandwiched that effort with 10-for-30 and 4-for-21 nights. I repeat: Why is the guy playing basically meaningless games with a broken finger?

The goal clearly is to beat out the Cavaliers for home-court advantage should they meet in the NBA Finals. That's not going to happen. The Lakers would be better served concentrating on winning the West, and that they should be able to do -- home court or not -- if Bryant is healthy come playoff time.

Celtics: As with the Lakers, injuries can be blamed for the Celtics' slide of late. Paul Pierce sat out the club's Western hat trick of losses, and Kevin Garnett clearly was missed in the more recent home-and-home slapping dealt by the Hawks.

The Celtics are handling their banged-up stars entirely differently than Bryant is being treated out West, and rightfully so. They are older than the Lakers and this in-season vacation thing is nothing new to Garnett.

The Hawks were the better team in their dual dismissal of the Celtics, winning once on Boston's terms (a defensive struggle in Atlanta) and once on their own (Monday's high-flying triumph up north). It just went to demonstrate something the Celtics already know -- they won't go far in April and May if they're not all present and accounted for.

The problem with coasting into the playoffs is you might slide right into a matchup with the Cavaliers in the second round. It'll be tough enough for the Celtics to deal with the Magic and Cavs back-to-back, but having to eliminate Cleveland even before reaching the Eastern finals might be asking too much.

Magic: The Magic ended last week on a positive note, but before that ... Yikes. You have to be playing pretty miserably to lose in succession to the Bulls, Pacers, Raptors and Wizards.

Interestingly, the key to a possible Orlando turnaround could be an injury. This one appears actually to be helping the team. Vince Carter shot 8 for 39 in the four losses before deciding to take some time off to deal with a bum shoulder. The team responded with its big win over Atlanta.

Unfortunately, the Magic can't count upon 17-point nights from J.J. Redick all season long, so eventually Carter is going to have to return and be a big-time factor. That's what makes Orlando's chances of eventually challenging the Cavaliers far worse than those of the Lakers and Celtics.

It might only be temporary, but current form dictates a slide down the CBSSports.com NBA Power Rankings for the troubled Celtics and Magic, while the Lakers' hold on No. 2 is only as strong as nine healthy fingers can make it.

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.