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

With the NBA All-Star spectacle out of the way, the season is set to resume the normal course of business and for the league's best that means maintaining their favorable playoff positioning. For teams like Cleveland and Los Angeles that task appears to be simple barring some unseen calamity, because they have consistently created distance between themselves and the other contenders. The race for seeds two through four in both conferences is less settled and in most cases only a game or two separates the teams, so steady performances from here out are critical. Due to the All-Star weekend most teams were the beneficiaries of a short week, but in those few games there were some pivotal match-ups included. Cleveland defeated the Orlando Magic at home and solidified their vice grip in the East while the Lakers continued their strong play in the absence of Kobe Bryant, throttling San Antonio and Utah to increase their lead in the West. There was little movement in this week's edition of NBA Stock Report, the only change being Denver and Orlando switching places due to percentage points. All of the teams' placements are based on the current NBA standings, but there are sure to be some changes as the season begins it's final stretch run. The order of the teams is not up for debate but the future course of each team is, so I welcome any insights and opinions as to which direction each team is heading. The second half of the season promises to be an exciting sprint to the finish, so buckle up and enjoy the ride.Begin Slideshow

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