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Firstly, I would like to apologize to the readers of Slam Dunk Central for the lack of the past four weeks of Slam Dunk Central’s NBA Power Rankings.

An illness, in addition to family and other real-life issues derailed me; as a result, the lack of content. But I am back and raring to go!

This week’s NBA Power Rankings will consist of the games that were played between November 22-December 20. As always, the rankings will feature the team’s name, win-loss record prior to December 21 and their power ranking from the previous week (past 4 weeks in this instance).

Without further adieu, here is this week’s edition of Slam Dunk Central’s NBA Power Rankings:

1. San Antonio Spurs (23-3) (3) No surprise here, really. Here we have a team that doesn’t have, other than Tim Duncan, a true superstar on the roster. Then you have Gregg Popovich, a coach who despite the team’s win-loss record, is doing something right. Barring an unexpected tragedy or collapse, Popovich is already the NBA Coach of the Year.
2. Boston Celtics (22-4) (5) Put together a roster of 13 players who are as diverse as they come, and you have the 2010-11 Boston Celtics. Their younger players, interestingly enough, are the ones getting injured while the older players remain healthy. Whoever their leprechaun is has to be related to leprechauns from the Celtics’ past. If not for San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers would get NBA Coach of the Year.
3. Dallas Mavericks (21-5) (10) I knew that the Mavericks were good, but 21-5 good? This squad’s not much different than last year’s version, yet they’ve played some inspired ball, and with little-to-no interference from team owner Mark Cuban. Perhaps the unsung hero of this team (with apologies to Dirk Nowitzki) is center Tyson Chandler. And thing is, they’re only going to get better.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (21-7) (2) It is curious as to the sudden “slump” of the Lakers. The team is performing as expected yet went 9-3 since just before Thanksgiving. But to be fair, a lot of teams would love to be 9-3 during any stretch of their rgular season. You can take this to the bank: When Andrew Bynum gets his full health back, Los Angeles will be their normal selves. I feel sorry for Lamar Odom because he has to return to the sixth man role, even after playing some great basketball while Bynum was sidelined. But them’s the breaks.
5. Miami Heat (21-8) You just knew that the Heat would solve what was ailing them. They went 13-3 in the past month, so it isn’t by accident that they lead the Southeast Division. Yet, you get this feeling that even with their Big Three, the lack of a true center may be what haunts them during this season’s playoffs.
6. Utah Jazz (19-9) (7) An amazing team in terms of not having a real center in their starting 5 (Al Jefferson is really a 4). That issue aside, Deron Williams, Jefferson and Paul Millsap are the reasons Utah resides at the top of the Northwest Division (although OKC is nipping at their heels). They beat Cleveland Monday (who doesn’t beat the Cavs these days?) and face Minnesota Wednesday.
7. Oklahoma City Thunder (19-9) (6) One thing can be said for the Thunder: They’re consistent. Consistently good. And they do it without a true center manning the paint. But when you have Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green, I guess it doesn’t matter much. And their bench is getting better by the game.
8. Atlanta Hawks (17-12) (8) One could easily compare the Hawks to their rival Orlando Magic. The Magic are just getting accustomed to the recent trade that sent them Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu, Earl Clark and a high draft pick in 2011. Atlanta, on the other hand, didn’t make any blockbuster trades. They’ve pretty much been the same squad for the past 2-3 years. So familiarity is the key here. The Hawks should benefit, as a result.
9. Orlando Magic (16-10) (4) I am not of the opinion that the recent trades with Phoenix and Washington (read Atlanta) are going to help this club all that much. Jason Richardson, Gilbert Arenas and Jameer Nelson fighting for minutes. Hedo Turkoglu taking minutes from Rashard Lewis. The trade doesn’t make much sense to me, but let’s reserve judgement for about a month-to-6 weeks and see what develops.
10. New Orleans Hornets (16-11) (1) This was to be expected. They had that hot streak early on, but cooled off markedly, going 5-10 ever since. It doesn’t necessarily mean they have regressed insomuch as the team has gotten their reality check. Indiana edged them Monday, so they now face New Jersey and Atlanta for the remainder of this week.
11. Denver Nuggets (15-10) (13) The way things are looking right now, we may have a deal involving Carmelo Anthony and the New Jersey Nets. And depending on what the final result of that rumor is, Denver may or may not be major players in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, they went 8-4 for the last month, which isn’t bad. But the Anthony trade rumors will dictate the Nuggets’ power rankings once said transaction takes place.
12. Chicago Bulls (16-9) (12) Typically, 16-9 is a pretty good record to have; however, they’re in the notoriously weak Central Division, so it could be a bit tarnished. But you cannot argue with the end results for the past month. Unfortunately for them, they’ve lost Joakim Noah for a spell with a right thumb injury. Will that affect them immensely? We’ll find out, won’t we?
13. New York Knicks (16-12) (17) The good news is that the Knicks had a rise in the standings. The bad news is that they’re mired in a three-game slump. But that can happen when you use an 8-man rotation for an extended period of time. Is the confidence in his non-starting players flagging? Do they miss David Lee? (They probably do, although they’ll never admit it publicly) They have a light schedule for the remainder of December, so Mike D’Antoni will have time to rest some players amd regroup.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (14-14) (11) They must have miracle workers in Portland as evidenced by the injury report and the win-loss record, as a result. Usually when you’re missing Brandon Roy and a host of others due to injury, one would expect a drop-off. Yes, the trail blazers have lost three straight as of this writing, but they are hanging onto the #8 seed in the Western Conference – a miracle in and of itself.
15. Houston Rockets (12-15) (27) No Yao Ming. No Aaron Brooks starting right now. Yet the Rockets still find ways to win, as evidenced by their recent three-game win streak. Kevin Martin is his usual scoring self, but it’s the rest of the roster thta has allowed Houston to make a meteoric rise in the power rankings. I don’t think we’ve heard the last from this team.
16. Indiana Pacers (12-14) (16) Their month was pretty non-descript as evidenced by their 7-8 record. Yet they’re the #7 seed in the Eastern Conference, so apparently their doing something right. Now only if Roy Hibbert can get his shooting touch back. Other than their win over New Orleans on Monday night, the Pacers’ schedule is relatively light as they only have the Memphis Grizzlies to face on Sunday night.
17. Phoenix Suns (13-13) (15) With their recent trade with Orlando, one has to wonder who got the better end of their deal. The Suns got Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus while shipping off Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark to the Magic. They’ll find out on Thursday when they host the Miami Heat Thursday. In about a month’s time, we’ll certainly find out.
18. Memphis Grizzlies (12-16) (20) The Grizz are certainly glad to have Rudy Gay back after a one-game league suspension. And not a moment too soon as they, after a loss to *gasp* New Jersey, travel to Indianapolis to face the Pacres on Sunday.
19. Milwaukee Bucks (10-15) (19) They didn’t have the best one-month stretch of games, but their crowning achievement was the beatdown of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. But that bit of glory was tarnished as Brandon Jennings is lost to the team for awhile with as broken foot. Which means that Andrew Bogut and Co. is going to have to shoulder a bigger share of the load while Jennings recuperates.
20. Philadelphia 76ers (11-16) (28) While it is true that their record stinks, keep in mind that they were 3-10 about a month ago, so there’s actually some improvement. Head coach Doug Collins has a dilemma as they face a brutal schedule and will have to face the temptation of playing eight-man rotations, which often proves to wear down teams, over time. After their embarrassing loss to Chicago on Tuesday, things don’t get any better for Philly as they travel to Boston then Denver.
21. Toronto Raptors (10-18) (23) The Craptors Raptors have to be a bit dizzy with all the injuries that all of a sudden have bitten them. But their schedule’s lighter, so there is that ray of light at the end of the tunnel. They went 5-9 during the past month, so at least they’re consistent. The wrong kind. With other teams as bad as the Raptors out there, they get a bump northward. I suspect that won’t last too long.
22. Golden State Warriors (9-17) (14) With apologies to team coach Keith Smart and NFL former head coach Dennis Green, the Warriors “are what we though they were.” Injury-ridden, the team has to again rely on the talents of Monta Ellis. Which is good if other players are stepping up. The problem is that they haven’t.  In their case, baby steps may be the key to their improvement.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (9-17) (22) It seems these days that no matter what coach Larry Brown does in terms of cobbling together a starting five, the result nearly always remains the same: a loss. And as if the offensively-challenge squad from Charlotte already has enough issues to deal with, Gerald Wallace is hurt. I wonder of Michael Jordan is getting a case of buyers remorse right about now?
24. Detroit Pistons (9-19) (21) Rip Hamilton, according to rumors, has more or less given up on his team. That may be due to a lack of playing time in being behind Ben gordon on the depth charts. Nevertheless, I don’t see any NBA team wanting Hamilton’s hefty contract. Such is the life of the Dysfunctional 13, also known as the Detroit Pistons.
25. New Jersey Nets (8-20) (25) Even with the Nets at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and the Slam Dunk Central’s NBA Power Rankings, things aren’t dull as there’s this big rumor floating around, having Denver’s Carmelo Anthony traded to New Jersey. If that happens, then the Nets just may become relevant. But the trade has to happen first.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (7-21) (30) Hell has frozen over because the Clippers are on a current three-game winning streak; but to be fair, the Clips’ victims were Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota. But hey, for this team, it’s huge. I suspect that the reality check is going to slap them as early as Wednesday when they host Houston and Phoenix.
27. Cleveland Cavaliers (8-19) (18) Blaming LeBron James’ departure for the Miami Heat as the reason for the Cavaliers’ sudden drop is about as relevant for blaming former President George W. Bush for the nations’s bad economy. Coach Byron Scott knew what he was getting into, so this state of affairs has nothing to do with LBJ any longer. This is clearly a team in rebuild mode, so what you see in this squad was to be expected.
28. Washington Wizards (6-19) (24) The good news is that Gilbert Arenas took his tired act to Orlando. The bad news is that it won’t change things much in D.C. Fortunately for them, they have John Wall as their leader, so at least they can go into the 2011-12 campaign feeling better about themselves. Seems weird knowing Rashard Lewis is now a Wizard.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-22) (29) ”Our guys just didn’t find the effort it takes to get the job done.” Those words came from Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis. Funny thing is that that’s been the case quite often this season. It also proves that no matter how talented your team may be, if you give less than 100 percent, a loss is usually the end result.
30. Sacramento Kings (5-20) (26) It wasn’t that long go when hope reigned supreme in the California state capital. They drafted DeMarcus Cousins, giving the Kings a reason for their future. But with all rebuilding teams, they have to take baby steps to get to that next level. Nevertheless, Sacramento will need to start winning some games fast, otherwise Paul Westphal may be the first coaching casualty this season.