NBA power rankings: Sixers slowly recalibrating after tough stretch

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NBA power rankings — Nuggets, Lakers, Mavericks

18. Denver Nuggets (11-11)

The Nuggets struggled with Nikola Jokic on the sidelines, and his recent return hasn’t righted the ship entirely. Denver will ultimately be fine as long as Jokic is on the floor, but the injuries have stacked up considerably, with Jamal Murray nowhere near returning and Michael Porter Jr. done for the reason. Now, COVID has stripped away the guard rotation. It’s a tricky spot for the Nuggets.

17. Los Angeles Lakers (12-12)

Yeah… it’s not great, Bob. The Lakers are extremely rough around the edges, with LeBron James’ health scares, Anthony Davis’ struggles, and Russell Westbrook’s curious fit making it difficult to overcome the complete absence of quality depth. LA has made it as hard as possible on its star trio.

16. Dallas Mavericks (11-11)

Luka Doncic has performed well below his standards offensively. Some will attribute that to the Olympics, some will attribute it to Jason Kidd, and some will call it a simple slump. Doncic will return to form at some point, but the roster around him leaves a lot to be desired, and yes, Jason Kidd is not exactly coaching circles around his contemporaries.