30 Words for 30 Teams: Rockets sit pretty atop NBA Power Rankings

Welcome to theScore's biweekly NBA power rankings, where you'll find roughly 30 words on all 30 teams every other Tuesday throughout the season.

1. Houston Rockets

Houston has reeled off 10 straight victories, and are a perfect 11-0 on the season when Chris Paul is in the lineup. They're untouchable right now.

2. Golden State Warriors

Golden State is just the 11th team to ever embark on a six-game road trip and return home unscathed. Stephen Curry can rest easy as he nurses his injured ankle.

LeBron James and the Cavaliers have won 14 of 15 games and are looking like the best team in the East again. The Cavs have amped up the defensive pressure, ranking fifth in defensive rating during that stretch.

4. San Antonio Spurs

The league's third-ranked defense with the fourth-best record is about to have a two-time Defensive Player of the Year return to the lineup. That's downright frightening.

5. Boston Celtics

The Celtics have cooled down a bit after their 16-game winning streak, going 7-4 since, including a loss to the dreadful Bulls Monday night.

6. Toronto Raptors

The new-look Raptors offense is working! The Raps are sixth in the NBA in assists per game after being ranked in the bottom two for the past two seasons. DeMar DeRozan is averaging a career-high 5.2 assists.

7. Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are looking like geniuses. Victor Oladipo has become a star, averaging 24.5 points while hitting 44.4 percent from three - well above his 34.6 percent mark from his previous four years in the league.

8. Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 32.4 points and 11.4 rebounds in December. Eric Bledsoe has changed the defense - the team is 10.4 points better per 100 possessions when he's on the floor.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves

Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins are fourth and sixth, respectively, in minutes played, while Karl-Anthony Towns is in the top 20. That hasn't hurt Minnesota ... yet.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

10. Washington Wizards

Bradley Beal has kept the Wizards afloat without John Wall, posting 51- and 34-point performances in consecutive games last week. The Wizards are 5-5 without Wall this season.

11. New Orleans Pelicans

Rajon Rondo looks like the Rondo of old. New Orleans needs options outside of its star bigs to remain above .500, so Rondo (12 points and 11.5 assists on 56.6 percent shooting in last seven games) is coming on strong at the right time.

12. Denver Nuggets

Denver, surprisingly enough, is averaging 110 points per 100 possessions (eighth) over the last five games with Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic sidelined. Their guard play keeps them competitive, but they're not stopping anybody.

13. Miami Heat

The Heat are 9-1 against teams currently below .500 and play only one team above .500 in the 10 remaining games of December. They are ranked 24th in offensive rating (102.2) and 27th in turnover percentage (16.1).

14. Utah Jazz

Only Houston and Golden State have a better plus-minus than the Jazz (+ 8.9) since Nov. 20. Rookie Donovan Mitchell (17.3 points in 29.7 minutes) appears to be the steal of the draft.

15. New York Knicks

The Knicks have won just three of their last nine and losing Tim Hardaway Jr. won't help. With their next four games against teams below .500, it could potentially ease the pain.

16. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have lost six straight games - four of which were by five points or less. Their offensive rating during that span is a league-worst 96.8 while posting a true shooting percentage of 49.9.

17. Portland Trail Blazers

Dropping five in a row isn't exactly ideal, but keep in mind that Portland's opposition has had a combined record of 86-46. Their schedule is favorable before the start of the new year.

18. Oklahoma City Thunder

Just when we thought we had the Thunder all figured out, they follow up three quality victories by falling to Brooklyn and Charlotte, barely surviving Memphis. They're underachieving, and patience is wearing thin.

19. Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers have lost four straight games. The good news? They are first in rebounds and third in assists thanks to Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The bad? They turn the ball over a league-worst 17.5 times per game.

20. Los Angeles Clippers

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

The Clippers just got Danilo Gallinari back from a glute injury, but now he's out again from a new injury in the same area. This franchise just has the worst luck in the health department.

21. Los Angeles Lakers

Lonzo Ball has converted 40 percent or better from the field in four of his last five outings. That doesn't look great on paper, but considering he's done that just nine times all season, you'll take it.

22. Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets can't survive when Kemba Walker sits. They're 24.6 points per 100 possessions worse when he's on the bench, posting a horrific 90.6 offensive rating during that time.

23. Orlando Magic

Shout out to Nikola Vucevic, who became the first center since 1994 to post a 30-point triple-double. Vucevic has been a bright spot in an otherwise below-average year, as the Magic offense is 16.4 points worse when he sits.

24. Brooklyn Nets

Credit the Nets for taking fliers on unwanted players. The Nets now have the second and third overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft. Jahlil Okafor should have an opportunity to shine under coach Kenny Atkinson.

25. Sacramento Kings

Sacramento owns the highest-scoring bench unit by far (49.6) thanks in large part to the starters scoring 10.8 fewer points than the 29th-ranked lineup. The wrong players have the wrong roles.

26. Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks fans are certainly loyal, continuing to turn out in droves (fifth in average attendance) for a squad that knows how to put up a fight, but has little to show for it.

27. Phoenix Suns

Phoenix can't fall any further than 30th in defensive efficiency, so not having Devin Booker - who has little impact on that end of the floor anyway - won't change matters.

28. Chicago Bulls

What do the Bulls think they're doing? They have won three straight since the return of Nikola Mirotic, including a blowout of the Celtics Monday night. Somebody tell the front office this isn't how you properly tank.

29. Memphis Grizzlies

They're blowing double-digit leads, have won just a single game in the last month, and Marc Gasol has smoke coming out of his ears. Oh, it's ugly.

30. Atlanta Hawks

Despite being the worst team in the NBA, the Hawks aren't necessarily the worst at anything. They're just not good at anything. Regardless of their record, the Hawks are once again near the bottom in attendance.