Power Rankings: The Big East

We're about 12 percent through the season and still experiencing serious fluctuation in the rankings, as well as in the offensive and defensive ratings. Obviously, there have been some isolated surprises so far, but there's also an interesting trend going on.

To add another informative factoid to this feature, we checked on how the two conferences were doing against each other. And the result was eye-opening to say the least. There have been 46 games between the East and West so far, and the East has won 31 of them. That's a winning percentage of .674.

Of course, the East's dominance is aided by the fact that no team has played more games against the other conference than the Oklahoma City Thunder, and OKC is 0-7 against the East. Still, take them out and the East is still 24-15 against the West. In fact, the only East team that currently has a losing record against the West is New Jersey (0-2).

Last season, the West was 258-192 (.573) against the East, and they've still got plenty of time to turn it around this year. Stay tuned.

• Last Week: The Big Three -- Lakers, Celtics and ...

T.I. Team of the Week: Cleveland (3-0)
Tracey Lee Team of the Week: Oklahoma City (0-4)

High jumps of the week: Denver (+6), Houston (+5), Cleveland (+4), Detroit (+4)
Free falls of the week: Atlanta (-8), Utah (-8), Indiana (-3), New Orleans (-3)

East vs. West: East leads 31-15 in inter-conference games.

Off: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Def: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league averages through Sunday are 90.4 possessions (per team) per game and 106.3 points scored per 100 possessions.

As always, the stats don't determine the rankings, but they help us evaluate each team and provide a picture of where they stand on both sides of the ball.

NBA.com's Power Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Monday during the season. If you've got an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail.

	TEAM (LAST WEEK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
1	Cleveland (5)	8-2	Off: 114.3 (1), Def: 105.8 (13) The Cavs are the hottest team in the league having won seven straight. It wasn't too hard to fathom that they would be improved offensively with the addition of Mo Williams, but No. 1 in the NBA? If they tighten up the defense, this is a serious title contender.
2	L.A. Lakers (1)	7-1	Off: 110.6 (6), Def: 95.2 (1) So the Lakers aren't perfect (Friday's loss to the Pistons was both their worst offensive and worst defensive game so far), but they'll have the opportunity to stay close to it with this stretch where they play seven of eight games at home with only one back-to-back.
3	Boston (2)	9-2	Off: 102.8 (26), Def: 97.9 (2) After Friday's loss to the Nuggets, Doc Rivers called the Celtics "the most miserable 8-2 team I've ever seen." Beating the Bucks in OT the next night probably didn't raise their spirits. Not turning the ball over so much might.
4	Houston (9)	6-4	Off: 104.5 (21), Def: 101.6 (4) There have been highs and lows for the Rockets so far this season. Blowing a 14-point, fourth quarter lead in San Antonio on Friday was certainly a low, but they recovered well with a comfortable, defense-fueled win over the Hornets the next night.
5	Phoenix (7)	8-3	Off: 110.9 (5), Def: 106.4 (15) Suspensions, ejections and flagrant fouls? The new Suns have an edge, and they also have Shaquille O'Neal playing at his highest efficiency since his first season in Miami. Thursday's matchup with the Lakers (in Phoenix, TNT, 10:30 p.m. ET) is a must-watch.

	TEAM (LAST WEEK)	REC.	BREAKDOWN
6	Detroit (10)	7-3	Off: 111.1 (4), Def: 108.2 (21) Allen Iverson led the way in Friday's big win in L.A., but he shot 4-for-17 in Sunday's loss in Phoenix. The Pistons are now 3-3 since AI joined them, with a 105.5 offensive rating in the six games. The jury is still out, but a Wednesday-Thursday back-to-back with the Cavs (in Cleveland) and Celtics (at home) will be another measuring stick.
7	Orlando (8)	7-3	Off: 108.1 (12), Def: 101.9 (5) The Magic have won seven of eight, including Dwight Howard's triple-double game in Oklahoma City on Wednesday and a comeback in Dallas on Friday. Who knew that Mickael Pietrus was brought in to make clutch shots? He hit two huge threes in the fourth quarter against the Mavs.
8	Denver (14)	6-4	Off: 103.5 (25), Def: 102.0 (6) The Nuggets are 5-1 with Chauncey Billups, including Friday's big win in Boston, with the only loss coming in Cleveland the night before. Denver's defense has shown serious improvement, allowing a rating of just 99.4 in the six games. The Lakers will test that D in L.A. this Friday.
9	New Orleans (6)	5-4	Off: 109.4 (8), Def: 106.9 (16) The Hornets' offense is about as inconsistent as you can get. In their five wins, their offensive rating is 116.4. In their four losses, it's 100.2. The wings seem to be the main culprits. Morris Peterson and Peja Stojakovic are shooting a combined 31 percent in the losses.
10	Portland (12)	6-4	Off: 111.5 (3), Def: 113.4 (30) After losing three of their first four, the Blazers have won four of five thanks to late-game heroics from Brandon Roy and some improvement on the defensive end (they've still got a ways to go). They conclude their five-game road trip Tuesday night at Golden State. Greg Oden has looked solid in his three games back.
11	Atlanta (3)	6-3	Off: 112.1 (2), Def: 107.7 (17) The Hawks miss Josh Smith. In the three games he was healthy, their defensive rating was an impressive 95.5. Since then, it's a dismal 113.5 (just ask Devin Harris). Their rebounding has also suffered, but their offense has improved. They've got three very winnable games this week before a big one in Cleveland on Saturday.
12	Utah (4)	6-4	Off: 108.5 (11), Def: 104.8 (9) It's probably too early to say that Utah's road woes are back, especially since they were so shorthanded, but a 1-4 trip with losses in Washington and Charlotte doesn't look good after they struggled away from home last season.
13	Toronto (11)	5-4	Off: 107.5 (13), Def: 107.7 (18) Looking to end a two-game slide, Sam Mitchell gave Andrea Bargnani his first start on Sunday, creating a huge frontline with Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal, and it worked. Bargnani came out aggressive, O'Neal grabbed 18 boards, Bosh was their best player (as usual) and the Raps beat the Heat.
14	New York (13)	6-4	Off: 108.7 (10), Def: 108.5 (22) The Knicks have six wins, but other than handing the Jazz their first loss of the season, none have been against quality opponents. They travel to Boston on Tuesday, revisiting the site of last November's 45-point shellacking.
15	Chicago (15)	5-5	Off: 104.7 (20), Def: 103.3 (8) The bad news: The Bulls are 0-3 away from the United Center and now finish November with a seven-game road trip. The good news: The Bulls are 3-0 against the Western Conference and play six of those seven against the West. The other good news is Derrick Rose, who has 14 assists and just one turnover in the last two games, even though the Bulls and Pacers played at a blistering pace on Saturday.
16	Milwaukee (19)	5-6	Off: 103.7 (24), Def: 104.9 (10) Taking the champs to OT on Saturday without Michael Redd and Charlie Villanueva is a moral victory that could (along with Wednesday's win over the Spurs) help the Bucks as they play six of their next seven on the road. Redd could return this week to help out the offense.
17	Philadelphia (18)	5-5	Off: 105.4 (18), Def: 101.5 (3) Wednesday's win in Toronto may have been the one to get the Sixers on track, though better perimeter shooting is still needed. They picked up their defense in weekend wins over the Pacers and Thunder, with Thaddeus Young going 1-for-6 from downtown and 20-for-27 from inside the arc.
18	Dallas (16)	3-7	Off: 105.8 (17), Def: 108.1 (20) The Mavs' losing streak was about to reach six games in New York Sunday night when they put together a 15-0 run spanning the fourth quarter and overtime to steal a win. Dallas is definitely running more this season, but not as much as it could if its defense was better.
19	San Antonio (21)	4-5	Off: 106.9 (16), Def: 109.9 (24) Shockingly, the Spurs' defense has improved (a 98.0 rating over the last four games) and the wins have come, despite a patchwork lineup with Roger Mason and George Hill getting major minutes.
20	Indiana (17)	4-5	Off: 104.4 (23), Def: 102.3 (7) Jim O'Brien on Mike Dunleavy's recovery from knee tendinitis: "It used to be day-to-day, now it's week-to-week." Not surprisingly, the Pacers' offense has suffered without Dunleavy, but they've stayed afloat by improving on the defensive end.
21	New Jersey (23)	4-5	Off: 109.0 (9), Def: 113.2 (29) In Devin Harris' last three games, the Nets have beaten the Pistons once and the Hawks twice, with Harris averaging 33.7 points (his career high before the stretch was 27) on .553 shooting. If only Harris hadn't missed three games in between, where the Nets lost to the Pacers twice and the Heat once.
22	Miami (20)	5-5	Off: 110.5 (7), Def: 105.8 (12) Looking at their per-possession numbers, the Heat should be better than 5-5, but their five wins have come by an average of 18 points. Only Monday's comeback win over New Jersey, where Dwyane Wade went wild in the fourth quarter, was close.
23	Sacramento (22)	4-7	Off: 107.4 (14), Def: 112.6 (27) Twice this weekend, a Quincy Douby shot at the buzzer could have won the game for the Kings, and twice, the Kings lost. Kevin Martin can't come back soon enough.
24	Golden State (25)	4-6	Off: 106.9 (15), Def: 107.8 (19) You may not have known what team Anthony Morrow played for before Saturday's 37-point barrage against the Clippers, but if there's one team an undrafted rookie could score 37 for in his fourth NBA game, it's Don Nelson's Warriors.
25	Charlotte (26)	3-6	Off: 104.4 (22), Def: 109.3 (23) Even the Bobcats have a winning record against the West, with wins over the shorthanded Hornets and Jazz. They get the Mavs on Tuesday before having to play six straight against the East. Jason Richardson is out with a knee injury, but Adam Morrison seems to be finding his stroke.
26	Memphis (24)	3-7	Off: 99.5 (28), Def: 105.6 (11) The Grizzlies have lost four straight, though O.J. Mayo continues to put on a show. He's averaging 26.5 points during the streak, including 31 and 33 in back-to-back games last Sunday and Monday.
27	Washington (27)	1-6	Off: 102.4 (27), Def: 113.2 (28) A big night from rookie JaVale McGee (13 points, 11 boards, three blocks) helped the Wizards get their first (and only) win of the season on Wednesday, over the 6-1 (at the time) Jazz, no less. Of course, there was a 20-point loss in Miami two nights later to bring the Wiz back down to earth.
28	Minnesota (30)	1-8	Off: 104.8 (19), Def: 110.2 (25) The Wolves had three tough losses this week. They were right there in the fourth quarter of each, but lost at Golden State in overtime, to the Blazers by five and at Denver by six. Seven of their eight losses have come by six points or less. That's how you move up from No. 30 without winning.
29	L.A. Clippers (28)	1-8	Off: 97.4 (29), Def: 112.4 (26) When there's a disconnect between the team's coach (who likes a structured offense) and its best player (who isn't the play-running type), you have problems. The battle for futility takes place in Oklahoma City Wednesday. Fortunately, there are nine other games to watch that night, because this one will be ugly.
30	Oklahoma City (29)	1-9	Off: 94.9 (30), Def: 105.8 (14) What happens when you take Kevin Durant away from the league's worst offense? You trail by 19 at halftime, like the Thunder did against the Magic on Wednesday. Fortunately, Durant only missed one game with a sprained ankle, but that's about all the good news the Thunder have had lately.