NBA Stock Report: The Top Eight Teams And Where They Stand

The margin of error has grown increasingly slim for the eight NBA teams seeking to capture a first round playoff series at home. The Dallas Mavericks managed to win 13 games in a row, yet after a blow-out loss to the New York Knicks, the Mavericks fell behind Denver in the Western Conference standings. The Boston Celtics are trying their hardest to play themselves out of a first round playoff series at home, and after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, the Celtics fell to fourth in the East. The theme in this week's edition of the NBA Stock Report is change, although that change only affects the teams in the 3-8 positions. Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Orlando managed to hold onto their respective spots, while the rest of the list was a picture of constant flux. Outside of the top three, only the Utah Jazz were able to maintain their position from last week, and most of the teams throughout the list are separated by a margin of one game. The next few weeks promises to be filled with drama and intensity as the final playoff picture begins to come into focus, and the top eight seeds in each conference become settled. All positions are based on current NBA standings which are subject to change, and although the rankings are firm, the future direction of each team is far from settled. Feel free to comment with your opinions on whether teams will be able to maintain their current positions, or if the possibility exists for movement up or down the list. Please enjoy.Begin Slideshow

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