The Pistons continue to steamroll the league. After sweeping th season series with the San Antonio Spurs, "Goin' to work" is at the top of my inaugural Power Rankings

1. Detroit Pistons--Maybe the Spurs didn't care about a regular season game in early January, but that loss means they were basically dominated by the Pistons twice this season. I think those two wins will pay huge dividends when home-court advantage is doled out in the playoffs.

2. San Antonio Spurs--The return of Manu Ginobili should help the Spurs, until the Finals, at least. I think Tony Parker needs to become more assertive on the offensive end. I know he's a point guard, but he gets in the lane so easily for long stretches of games. That could get him easy buckets and free throws, and it could get his teammates more open looks.

3. Dallas Mavericks-- I know plenty of people who thought this team would fold when they lost Steve Nash two seasons ago, but last season the Mavs turned in another 50-plus win season. So far this year, the Mavs sit at 27-10, one game behind the Spurs for best out West.

4. Memphis Grizzlies-- The Grizzlies quietly have the best defensive team--pointwise--in the league, giving up only 86.7 points a night. They have a star in Pau Gasol, a solid young guy in Mike Miller, and veteran leadership in Eddie Jones. They're playing well, but it'll take a lot for them to get into the upper echelon of great teams in the L.

5. Phoenix Suns-- Two triple-overtime defeats are Phoenix's only setbacks in their last ten games. If they get Amare Stoudemire acclimated quickly when he comes back, they could pose a serious threat to the Spurs out West.

6. Miami Heat-- Pat Riley's squad could finish up a seven-game western road trip 5-2 with a win over the Lakers tonight. I still don't know about the collection of egos he put together down in South Beach, though.

7. Utah Jazz-- If Jerry Sloan isn't the Coach of the Year at this point, I don't know who is. Sloan has his squad at the top of the Midwest Division and at third in the West. Pop quiz: Name three Jazz players other than Andrei Kirilenko.

8. Indiana Pacers-- Playing just .500 ball in their last ten games, but the Pacers may have found a reliable second option since "Psycho" left. Stephen Jackson scored more than 20 points in eight of those contests.

9. Los Angeles Lakers-- The Kobe show rolls on as No. 8 continues to carry this team back to respectability. Five of the Lake Show's last six opponents were teams currently in the top eight of each conference. The Lakers are 5-0 in those games, 3-2 away from Staples Center. Bryant is displaying his all-around game in those contests, too, with averages of 40 ppg, seven boards and five feeds. That 40 points might scream "Ballhog," but the Lakers are actually 0-7 when their second option, Lamar Odom takes more than 15 shots.

10. New Jersey Nets-- The Nets followed up their 10-game win streak with a three-game slide. Those 10 straight wins did vault them to the top of the Atlantic Division and a three-seed in the East.

Best of the Rest

(11) Cleveland Cavaliers (12) Milwaukee Bucks (13) Los Angeles Clippers (14) Minnesota Timberwolves (15) Denver Nuggets (16) Philadelphia 76ers (17) Washington Wizards (18) Golden State Warriors (19) New Orleans Hornets (20) New York Knicks (21) Toronto Raptors (22) Chicago Bulls (23) Sacramento Kings (24) Boston Celtics (25) Seattle Supersonics (26) Houston Rockets (27) Portland Trailblazers (28) Orlando Magic (29) Charlotte Bobcats (30) Atlanta Hawks