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"&lt;p&gt;\t\t\tNBA Power Rankings\t\t\t\t\t\t\t11Last Week: 12\t\t\tSan Antonio Spurs (36-24)&lt;strong&gt;Tony Parker&lt;/strong&gt;'s hand injury is expected to sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season. Which means &lt;strong&gt;George Hill&lt;/strong&gt; needs to step up. Hill has been an effective scorer (16.0 points in 26 starts) but his passing needs work. The second-year player is averaging 2.5 assists (in 28.1 minutes) for the season, tied for 51st among NBA guards.\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t12Last Week: 11\t\t\tPortland Trail Blazers (37-28)How far Portland goes this season will have a lot to do with the play of &lt;strong&gt;Nicolas Batum&lt;/strong&gt;. The wiry small forward scored a combined 52 points in back-to-back wins over Minnesota and Memphis but disappeared in a win over Indiana (five points) and a loss to Denver (four), shooting 4-of-15 from the field in the latter two performances. \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t13Last Week: 13\t\t\tMilwaukee Bucks (33-29)The &lt;strong&gt;John Salmons&lt;/strong&gt; trade has worked out pretty well, hasn't it? The Bucks are 9-1 since acquiring Salmons, who has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in six of the 10 games (he is averaging 19.2 points with Milwaukee). Known for his shooting, Salmons has gone to the free-throw line a team-high 55 times during this stretch, knocking down 48 of his attempts. \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t14Last Week: 15\t\t\tMemphis Grizzlies (32-31)Owner &lt;strong&gt;Michael Heisley&lt;/strong&gt; told the &lt;em&gt;Commercial Appeal&lt;/em&gt; that the team won't be moving, even if he sells it. Maybe it should. Memphis is 0-6 at home since the All-Star break and has dropped eight straight at home overall. The good news? It has won six straight on the road since the break. \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t15Last Week: 20\t\t\tMiami Heat (32-31)Point guards continue to plague Miami. &lt;strong&gt;Carlos Arroyo&lt;/strong&gt; was solid (17 points, five assists) in an OT victory against the Lakers in his first game replacing the suspended &lt;strong&gt;Rafer Alston&lt;/strong&gt; in the starting lineup. But he followed it up with a two-point, three-assist, 41-minute effort against the Hawks. \"It's not your traditional point guard position,\" coach &lt;strong&gt;Erik Spoelstra&lt;/strong&gt; told Heat reporters. \"A lot of the ball-handling duties are given to &lt;strong&gt;Dwyane&lt;/strong&gt; [&lt;strong&gt;Wade&lt;/strong&gt;]. And, at times, we're very efficient and effective when Dwyane's at the top making plays for a lot of the guys.\" \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t16Last Week: 18\t\t\tHouston Rockets (31-31)It's a must-win week. After blowing chances for victories against bottom-feeders Sacramento and Detroit last week -- and falling 4&amp;frac12; games out of the final playoff spot -- the Rockets need to build some momentum against the Wizards and Nets this week. Why? Because five of their next six games after that are against playoff contenders. \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t17Last Week: 17\t\t\tToronto Raptors (32-29)&lt;strong&gt;Chris Bosh&lt;/strong&gt; is back, but the Raptors have lost five of six and begin a four-game West Coast trip Tuesday against the Lakers. Toronto gave up 114 points in a home loss to the 76ers on Saturday, and it is allowing an East-high 105.4 points while ranking last in the league in defensive efficiency (112.3 points per 100 possessions).\t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t18Last Week: 19\t\t\tCharlotte Bobcats (30-31)After &lt;strong&gt;Gerald Wallace&lt;/strong&gt; called out the Bobcats for a lack of teamwork, Charlotte responded with back-to-back home victories over the Lakers and Warriors. Backup point guard &lt;strong&gt;D.J. Augustin&lt;/strong&gt; had 12 points and five assists against L.A. and 19 points against Golden State. \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t19Last Week: 14\t\t\tChicago Bulls (30-31)No &lt;strong&gt;Joakim Noah&lt;/strong&gt;, who is out for the next three weeks with a foot injury. An inconsistent &lt;strong&gt;Luol Deng&lt;/strong&gt;. A four-game losing streak and the next six games against playoff contenders, including three division leaders. It's official: The &lt;strong&gt;Vinny Del Negro&lt;/strong&gt; Watch is back. \t\t\t\t&amp;#160;\t\t\t\t\t20Last Week: 16\t\t\tNew Orleans Hornets (31-32)&lt;strong&gt;James Posey&lt;/strong&gt; is playing his way right out of the rotation. Posey hasn't scored in double figures since Feb. 8 and he has cracked 50 percent shooting once since Jan. 20. He is hitting 35.8 percent for the season, including 31.9 percent from three-point range. \"When you are a player that has demonstrated the ability to make that shot, then the only way you can improve your percentages is continue to take those shots,\" coach &lt;strong&gt;Jeff Bower&lt;/strong&gt; told the &lt;em&gt;Times-Picayune&lt;/em&gt;. \"That's the only way he can break out of it.\" \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1 - 10\t\t\t11 - 20\t\t\t21 - 30\t\t\t&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/more-sports/2013/12/13/rankings2-8>