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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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

20. . 15-6. Previous: 1st. Los Angeles Lakers. 2. team

Last Week: Beat Cleveland Cavaliers 115-108, Lost to Philadelphia 76ers 107-106, Lost to Detroit Pistons 107-92, Beat Boston Celtics 96-95

This Week: 2/1 at Atlanta Hawks, 2/4 vs. Denver Nuggets, 2/6 vs. Detroit Pistons

The defending champions oddly showed the first signs of being human so far this season. They lost back to back games, the first time they have lost consecutive games this season. The Los Angeles Lakers were down much of the game against Philadelphia before bringing it all the way back, taking the lead in the waning second only to have it snatched away by Tobias Harris. Losing to the Detroit Pistons the following night without Anthony Davis in blowout fashion is kicking them while they are down.

The win against the Boston Celtics comes with its own issues. The Lakers failed to break 100 points for the second straight game, another first for the young season. The issue, however, is the rest of the roster, not the two leading men. Beyond Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the only other players to average double figures in scoring over the week were Dennis Schroder (12.0 points) and Kyle Kuzma (10.0 points) and the 3-point shooting that had been the hallmark of the improved offense this season went cold.

It should be noted that it took an 11 game winning streak, consecutive losses (one of which was to one of the worst teams in the league) AND cold shooting to bump the Lakers off the top spot in the rankings. They are still the favorites to win the title. But at this exact moment in time, they are not the best team in the league.