NBA Power Rankings: Hot or Cold Edition

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Jan 9, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) gestures on the court against the Washington Wizards in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 102-86. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Chicago Bulls

Previous: No. 3

Record: 26-13

Last Week: 1-3

Verdict: Ice Cold

The good news is that it’s a small sample size. The bad news is that the Chicago Bulls have experienced a mini-collapse that goes beyond wins and losses.

Since the New Year, the Bulls have essentially been Pau Gasol or bust.

Gasol is averaging 24.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.9 blocks per game in January. Jimmy Butler, meanwhile, has fallen apart and Joakim Noah doesn’t appear to have made a full recovery from offseason surgery.

The result: Chicago has lost three of its past four games.

In the Bulls’ lone win, a 95-87 escape of the Milwaukee Bucks, it was all Gasol. He posted 46 points and 18 rebounds on 17-of-30 shooting, while the rest of the Bulls had 49 points on a mark of 18-of-58 from the field.

That’s 31.0 percent shooting.

Gasol’s return to elite status is nice, but for Chicago to win it all, it needs its entire team to show up. Recently, that hasn’t been happening.

Next: Rising Quickly