(Sporting Alert) — Los Angeles Clippers have frog-leaped the Oklahoma City Thunder to claim the top ranked spot in the NBA Power Rankings Week 8 release.
The Clippers (21-6) extended its winning streak to 13 consecutive games with a 103-77 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night to become only the second team since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976-77 to take a 13-game win streak into a Christmas Day fixture.
They joined the Boston, which has done it twice.
The OKC Thunder (21-5), which saw its winning streak ended at 12 at the hands of the Timberwolves last week, dropped to No. 2 with the Miami Heat (18-6) up two places to No. 3.
San Antonio Spurs (21-8) and the Memphis Grizzles (18-7) completes the top five.
New York Knicks (20-7) dipped three places to sixth, while the Los Angeles Lakers, with Steve Nash back from an injury leg climb from 15th to 11th.
The Lakers have won four straight, including an overtime win over Golden State Saturday night in Nash’s return.
James Harden and the Houston Rockets (14-12) were the biggest movers up at five places to No. 12, but the inconsistent Brooklyn Nets (14-12) dropped sixth places the other way to 17th.
The New Orleans Hornets (5-22), Cleveland Cavaliers (6-23) and Washington Wizards (3-22) hold up the power rankings table.
Week 8: NBA Power Rankings
1. Los Angeles Clippers (21-6)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (21-5)
3. San Antonio Spurs (21-8)
4. Miami Heat (18-6)
5. New York Knicks (20-7)
6. Memphis Grizzlies (18-7)
7. Golden State Warriors (18-10)
8. Atlanta Hawks (16-9)
9. Indiana Pacers (16-12)
10. Chicago Bulls (15-11)
11. Denver Nuggets (15-13)
12. Milwaukee Bucks (14-12)
13. Houston Rockets (14-12)
14. Brooklyn Nets (14-12)
15. Minnesota Timberwolves (13-12)
16. Los Angeles Lakers (13-14)
17. Utah Jazz (15-14)
18. Boston Celtics (13-13)
19. Portland Trail Blazers (13-13)
20. Philadelphia 76ers (13-15)
21. Orlando Magic (12-15)
22. Dallas Mavericks (12-16)
23. Phoenix Suns (11-17)
24. Toronto Raptors (9-19)
25. Sacramento Kings (9-18)
26. Detroit Pistons (9-21)
27. Charlotte Bobcats (7-20)
28. New Orleans Hornets (5-22)
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (6-23)
30. Washington Wizards (3-22)