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NBA Power Rankings Week 6: Are the Los Angeles Lakers on top?

By Corey Rausch

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 30: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers disputes a personal foul called against him during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 30, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Lakers defeat the Celtics 96-95. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 30: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers disputes a personal foul called against him during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 30, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Lakers defeat the Celtics 96-95. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Previous: 11th. Indiana Pacers. 11. team. 100. . 11-8

Last Week: Lost to Toronto Raptors 107-102, Beat Toronto Raptors 129-114, Beat Charlotte Hornets 116-106, Lost to Charlotte Hornets 108-105

This Week:  1/31 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 2/2 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 2/3 at Milwaukee Bucks, 2/5 vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Splitting games with the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors is enough for the Indiana Pacers to tread water in the standings but not enough to instill much confidence in anyone looking for a sign of something. Production has been uneven at best since the injuries have started to add up, as is to be expected.

The Pacers have suddenly fallen to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and are being gained on by the young upstart teams like the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks. Malcolm Brogdon saw a dip in efficiency this week which did not help matters for an ailing team.

Beyond that, Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis continue to play like All-Stars and are the reason (outside of the continued Myles Turner block-a-thon) this team is any sort of contender currently.

Doug McDermott has been a flamethrower of late and is having his best year thus far from inside the arc. It was noted last season that playing in Indiana had brought a new level of comfort to his life and so far this season it looks to be paying off. Lightening the offensive load on the aforementioned stars will be required until Caris LeVert and TJ Warren return.