Golden State More

1. Golden State Warriors (Record: 22-3; last week’s rank: 1): A Warriors player suggested that Marreese Speights, who is averaging 12.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, should get NBA Sixth Man of the Year consideration.









Portland More

2. Portland Trail Blazers (Record: 22-6; last week’s rank: 3): Point guard Damian Lillard offered a reminder of how talented he is with his career-high 43-point performance Friday at San Antonio.









Memphis More

3. Memphis Grizzlies (Record: 21-6; last week’s rank: 2): Keep an eye on injured forward Zach Randolph (knee), who is expected to miss his second straight game tonight against Utah.









Toronto More

4. Toronto Raptors (Record: 22-6; last week’s rank: 6): The top team in the East has won six straight, but each win came against an East team with a losing record. Next up: at Chicago.









Houston More

5. Houston Rockets (Record: 19-7; last week’s rank: 4) Dwight Howard has averaged 21.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks since returning from a knee injury, but he now has an ailing shoulder.









Dallas More

6. Dallas Mavericks (Record: 20-8; last week’s rank: 7) One Western Conference assistant coach said the loss of Brandan Wright in the Rajon Rondo trade would be detrimental to Dallas.









Los Angeles More

7. Los Angeles Clippers (Record: 19-8; last week’s rank: 8) Remember when the Warriors-Clippers game got testy last year on Christmas? Well, they meet this Christmas in Los Angeles.









Atlanta More

8. Atlanta Hawks (Record: 19-7; last week’s rank: 11): The Hawks are limiting foes to 89.6 points per game and 41.8 percent shooting during their 12-1 run.









Washington More

9. Washington Wizards (Record: 19-7; last week’s rank: 10): Wonder what former Celtics great Paul Pierce, who plays his old team Saturday, thinks about the direction Boston is going after the Rajon Rondo trade.









San Antonio More

10. San Antonio Spurs (Record: 17-11; last week’s rank: 5): It is very possible injury-plagued San Antonio, losers of four straight, could end up without a top-four West playoff seed.









Chicago More

11. Chicago Bulls (Record: 17-9; last week’s rank: 12): Former Laker Pau Gasol faces his old team on Christmas, but we’ll see if ex-teammate Kobe Bryant (fatigue) will be playing.









Cleveland More

12. Cleveland Cavaliers (Record: 16-10; last week’s rank: 13): The Heat will play a video honoring LeBron James when he returns to face Miami on Christmas, a source told Yahoo Sports.









New Orleans More

13. New Orleans Pelicans (Record: 14-13; last week’s rank: 16) The NBA and its partner networks made a big mistake by not having MVP candidate Anthony Davis play on Christmas.









Phoenix More

14. Phoenix Suns (Record: 15-14; last week’s rank: 14): After being up and down early, the Suns have won three straight games and are competing for a playoff spot.









Oklahoma City More

15. Oklahoma City Thunder (Record: 13-15; last week’s rank: 9): Kevin Durant has missed two straight games after spraining his right ankle last week, but he says the injury is minor.









Milwaukee More

16. Milwaukee Bucks (Record: 14-14; last week’s rank: 15) Can the Bucks make it to the postseason without rookie Jabari Parker, who is out for the season because of a knee injury? In the East, it’s definitely possible.









Sacramento More

17. Sacramento Kings (Record: 12-15; last week’s rank: 17): The Kings have been getting a lot of calls from playoff teams about guard Ben McLemore, but they aren’t interested in trading him.









Denver More

18. Denver Nuggets (Record: 12-15; last week’s rank: 18) Danilo Gallinari’s injury woes make for an interesting debate on whether New York or Denver got the best of the Carmelo Anthony trade.

Story continues