Last week was hit and miss for the Portland Trail Blazers. In terms of hits, they went 3-1 with victories versus the Nuggets, Magic and Kings and sit in fifth-place in the Western Conference standings a month into the season. As for the miss, the Trail Blazers' fell 87-82 to the Kings in Sacramento on Friday, which qualifies as their worst loss of the season thus far, even if they did win the rematch in relatively easy fashion the next night in Portland.
But in a season where only a few teams have managed to play quality basketball on a consistent basis, going 3-1, even with all of those wins coming at home, is enough to make a considerable jump in the weekly Power Rankings. So after getting dinged in last week's rankings, the Trail Blazers have moved into or very near the Top 10 in most of the weekly rankings. And if they've able to secure a few road wins this week, something they haven't done since their second game of the season, they're sure to get another bump.
On to this week's rankings...
• The panel of voters at ESPN.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 11 this week, four spots better than last week...
The folks at ESPN.com have the Trail Blazers behind the Wizards at No. 10 and ahead of the Thunder at No. 12.
• Jon Schuhmann of NBA.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 9 this week, five spots improvement from this time last week...
Schuhmann has the Trail Blazers also has the Trail Blazers behind the Wizards and No. 8 and ahead of the Thunder at No. 10.
• David Aldridge, also of NBA.com, has the Trail Blazers at No. 11 this week, four spots better than last week...
Aldridge has the Trail Blazers behind the Wizards at No. 10 and ahead of the Sixers at No. 12.
• Kenny Ducey at SI.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 11 this week, unchanged from last week...
Ducey has the Trail Blazers behind the Cavaliers at No. 10 and ahead of the Grizzlies at No. 12.
• Chris Barnewell at CBSSports.com has the Trail Blazers at No. 9 this week, a three-spot improvement over last week...
Barnewell has the Trail Blazers behind the Sixers at No. 8 and ahead of the Bucks at No. 10.
• AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today has the Trail Blazers at No. 9 this week, four spots better than last week...
Neuharth-Keusch has the Trail Blazers behind the Cavaliers at No. 8 and ahead of the Wizards at No. 10.
• Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, in rankings posted on November 17, has the Trail Blazers at No. 12 this week, one spot better than last week...
Hughes has the Trail Blazers behind the Timberwolves at No. 11 and ahead of the Bucks at No. 13.