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Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

The MVP race isn't the only thing heating up around the NBA these days. The exploits of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Goran Dragic (among others)—all without their trusty sidekicks—have done plenty to shake up these here power rankings since last week.

If there's any upside to superstars like Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul suffering through debilitating injuries, it's the opportunity to see their franchise-cornerstone counterparts step up their efforts in the interim.

Then again, with the NBA announcing the starters for this year's All-Star Game in New Orleans and USA Basketball sending out invitations for its upcoming international competitions this week, the absences of the Association's most recognizable faces from the ongoing action are more glaring than ever.

But before we all turn into a bunch of Gloomy Guses and Glorias while thinking about who's not playing, let's have a gander at how things around the NBA have shifted on account of those who are.