Our friends at SBNation.com, otherwise known as the mothership, have released their Week 8 NBA Power Rankings, and there is very little change for the locals.
The New York Knicks (16-12) were No. 5 in the Eastern Conference in the rankings a week ago. They remain No. 5 this week, even with consecutive losses to Boston, Miami and Cleveland.
Here is what SB Nation said about the Knicks:
This time last week, the question was "are the Knicks for real?" After winning eight in a row to lesser teams, the answer arrived when New York dropped three games in a row to Boston, Miami... and Cleveland. While the playoffs will remain on the menu in New York, a showing like this is suggestive of an early exit.
Undeniably, and deservedly, the Knicks still have doubters. A pair of tough games at Madison Square Garden vs. Oklahoma City and Chicago should give NBA watchers an even better read on where the Knicks are right now. I think a ranking of five or six in the Eastern Conference is just about right.
The New Jersey Nets (8-20) are12th in the East, dropping one spot from a week ago.
Here is SB Nation's summation:
While New Jersey is pretty awesome at putting together streaks in the wrong direction, they did at least split the week thanks to wins over Washington and Atlanta. Losing to middle-of-the-pack teams like Toronto and Philly, however, might suggest that the playoffs will remain out of reach for yet another season.
Boston, Miami, Chicago and Orlando hold the top four spots in the East. In the West, San Antonio, Dallas, the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah and Denver are the top five.