Los Angeles Lakers 2020 NBA Mock Draft Roundup

Leading up to the 2020 NBA Draft, we will update our Los Angeles Lakers Mock Draft Roundup showing picks for the Los Angeles Lakers from several prominent sites and draft analysts.

The following are picks in recent mock drafts for the Lakers:

NBA Draft Room, Updated: 6/17
29. Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky

A compact, score first combo guard who can light it up from downtown. He fell off a bit after a hot start and struggled with consistency and efficiency. Still, he's a lights-out shooter who should benefit from the space in the NBA game.

The Rookie Wire, Updated: 6/16
29. Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky

Tyrese Maxey is an impressive athlete who plays bigger than his 6-foot-3 frame, thanks to his 6-foot-6 wingspan. The offense often ran through him at Kentucky, and he averaged 0.93 points per possession as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets -- which ranked in the 86th percentile among NCAA players. He also has an above-average floater, which he hit at an impressive rate. But his lack of an elite skill specialty could see him fall a bit in the draft. However, considering he is the only known top prospect to have signed with the Klutch Sports Group (the agency that represents Los Angeles superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis), it is difficult to imagine Maxey slipping past the Lakers.

College Basketball Talk, Updated: 6/15
29. Cassius Winston, Michigan State

Winston did not have the season many of us expected him to have as a senior -- understandably, given the death of his brother in November -- but he still put up All-American numbers for a team that won a share of the Big Ten regular season title. He was playing his best basketball down the stretch, and he still have the highest basketball IQ of anyone in this 2020 NBA mock draft. He's an elite passer and shooter that thrives in ball-screens. Yes, the defense and athleticism are concerns, but we said the same thing about numerous point guards that have made careers out of being backup point guards. Winston is the next in that pipeline.

CBS Sports - Parrish, Updated: 6/15
29. Cassius Winston, Michigan State

Cassius Winston is perceived to be limited because he's small and not the best athlete. He'll never measure or test great -- and that'll turn some franchises away. But he's smart, great in pick-and-roll situations and someone who has proven to be a high-level shooter in all four years of college by making 43.0% of the 602 3-pointers he attempted in his four-year college career. Teams picking in this range are often good teams already winning in search of a piece who can maybe help immediately. And Winston is somebody who could probably help an NBA team immediately serving as a backup point guard and knockdown shooter.

Cleveland.com - Goul, Updated: 6/15
29. Cassius Winston, Michigan State

Winston's shooting polish and proven play in the pick-and-roll makes him an attractive addition to a Lakers lineup that will usually see LeBron James handling the basketball.

CBS Sports - Boone, Updated: 6/11
29. Nico Mannion, Arizona

Nico Mannion's ability to generate offense and his innate instincts as a floor general are what make him such an intriguing long-term prospect. His 3-point stroke, lack of athletic pop and defensive inefficiencies are why he may fall. The Lakers could make use of the good and deal with the bad, though, and considering Rajon Rondo's managed to stick in LA for two seasons, Mannion has a shot to survive.

SI.com - Woo, Updated: 6/3
29. Malachi Flynn, San Diego State

The more you watch Flynn, the more you appreciate him, and at this point I'd be a little surprised if he made it out of the Top 40 given the degree of respect he's getting from scouts. He was the primary reason the Aztecs had such a strong season and frequently makes positive decisions on the ball, which coupled with some scoring punch and toughness makes him a relatively high-floor player with a chance to end up as a strong NBA backup. If the Lakers make this pick, they'd be justified looking for immediate depth, and Flynn fits the mold here as far as guards are concerned.

Yahoo Sports - Peek, Updated: 5/21
29. Zeke Nnaji, Arizona

Nnaji grew two inches from his senior year in high school to now. He has a 7-foot-1 wingspan and great hands for a player his size. The first game of the season he scored 20 points in 20 minutes -- the most points scored by a freshman in the Sean Miller era (more than former No. 1 pick DeAndre Ayton, Derrick Williams and Lauri Markkanen).

More 2020 team-by-team NBA mock draft roundups:

• Boston Celtics Mock Draft Roundup
• Philadelphia 76ers Mock Draft Roundup
• New York Knicks Mock Draft Roundup
• Golden State Warriors Mock Draft Roundup

Mock Draft Databases:

• 2020 NBA Mock Draft Database
• 2021 NFL Mock Draft Database
• 2020 MLB Mock Draft Database

Also, check out more of our content:

• 2021 NFL Mock Draft
• 2022 NFL Mock Draft
• 2020 NBA Mock Draft
• Fantasy Football Rankings
• Fantasy Football Mock Drafts
• Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule (SOS)

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Collaborative 2015 NBA Mock Draft

With the 2015 NBA Draft fast approaching (Thursday, June 25th in Brooklyn, NY), Brendan Donahue and Kevin Hanson collaborated for this NBA Mock Draft.

[View Kevin's 2015 NBA Mock Draft]

For this collaborative mock, we alternated picks -- Kevin picked for odd-numbered teams and Brendan picked for even-numbered teams. Both of us made the comments for our own picks.

View image | gettyimages.com

Here is our collaborative 2015 NBA mock draft:

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky

Kevin: While there may be some debate whether this pick should be Towns or Duke's Jahlil Okafor, I still believe that Towns makes the most sense. A more well-rounded prospect overall, Towns is clearly much better than Okafor on the defensive end and Minnesota ranked dead last in scoring defense (106.5/G) last year. Towns ranked first in the country in Defensive Rating (78.1) and Win Shares Per 40 Minutes (.311), via Sports Reference.

2. Los Angeles Lakers: Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke

Brendan: I'm not buying the D'Angelo Russell-to-Lakers rumors. I don't see how the Lakers can pass on a big man that also fills a big need. The Lakers have been most successful when they've had a dominant big man, i.e., Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, etc. And while I'm not saying Okafor is in that same ilk, he is clearly the most dominant inside player still in the draft and will be too hard to pass up. Yes, I understand the game is evolving but Okafor is a rare talent offensively and also a great passer that will create his own mismatches and problems for opposing defenses.

3. Philadelphia 76ers: D'Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio State

Kevin: With Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid already on the roster, the decision may have come down to Emmanuel Mudiay or Russell even if they held a top-two pick in this year's draft. That said, the Sixers are reportedly enamored with Latvian seven-footer Kristaps Porzingis and the healing process of Embiid's foot could potentially sideline the seven-footer for another season.

While I think Mudiay has a higher ceiling and could ultimately develop into the better pro, it's close and Russell fits better. With the ability to facilitate for others or create his own offense, Russell averaged 19.3 points, 5.0 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while knocking down 41.1 percent of his three-pointers as a freshman in Columbus.

4. New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia

Brendan: I have a feeling if Adam Silver announces this name as the Knicks selection, it will most likely draw a chorus of boos from Knicks fans. However, Porzingis has drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki and I think well-versed Knicks fans would be very excited that they could land a player that projects to have that kind of impact in this league and give them a lot of hope for the future even though he may not have a huge impact on day one.

5. Orlando Magic: Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Congo

Kevin: If Porzingis were available here, he'd be a slam-dunk, no-brainer selection. With Brendan (i.e., the Knicks) swiping him with the No. 4 pick, there was some serious debate here. I strongly considered Mario Hezonja, a 6-foot-8 wing with great athleticism, range and confidence as well.

Even though there is duplication here with Elfrid Payton, a player that I like a lot, Mudiay is the best player available and at least needs to be seriously considered here by Orlando's front office. Viewed by many as the top high school recruit in the country last year, Mudiay opted to play professionally in China after committing to Larry Brown and SMU. With all of the attributes to develop into an elite point guard in the league, Mudiay has great size (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) and strength for the position as well as speed and quickness. He averaged 18.0 points, 6.3 boards and 5.9 assists in China.

6. Sacramento Kings: Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky

Brendan: I compare Cauley-Stein to Tyson Chandler, which certainly isn't a bad thing, but does suggest that he will be limited offensively at the next level. Heck, he was limited offensively in the SEC so that says something, but he was such a dominant defender and can guard pretty much any position on the floor that he will be able to have an immediate impact at the next level. Since DeMarcus Cousins is already a great offensive player who demands the ball, Cauley-Stein will be a nice complement to him for Sacramento.

7. Denver Nuggets: Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia

Kevin: Hezonja has excellent size (6-8) and athleticism to attack the basket but he also possesses outstanding range as well. And it's clear that Hezonja does not lack confidence. And this selection would certainly have the approval of Nuggets big man Jusuf Nurkic.

8. Detroit Pistons: Justise Winslow, SF, Duke

Brendan: Once thought to be a contender for the 1st overall pick after a great showing in the NCAA tournament, Winslow has slipped a bit based on his measurements at the combine. Winslow has a high ceiling, but he's still a good enough defender and talented enough to make an impact as a rookie.

9. Charlotte Hornets: Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

Kevin: The Hornets made only 31.8-percent of their three-point attempts and that ranked dead last in the NBA last season. Booker is the best shooter in this year's draft class so he obviously fits a team need. The youngest prospect in this year's draft class (turns 19 on October 30th), Booker also had an impressive showing at the NBA Combine with the fastest times in lane agility (10.2 seconds) and shuttle run (2.75 seconds).

10. Miami Heat: Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona

Brendan: With an NBA body, Johnson is an outstanding defender and rebounder that averaged 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game at Arizona this season. He needs to improve as a shooter, but he made more 37-percent of his three's last season.

11. Indiana Pacers: Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State

Kevin: Few players have generated as much draft buzz and seen his draft stock rise as Payne has over the past couple of months and he may creep into the top-10 picks. Either way, it's unlikely that he falls out of the lottery. As a sophomore at Murray State, Payne averaged 20.2 points, 5.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game. The Pacers have a number of guards that are about to hit free agency -- Rodney Stuckey, Donald Sloan and C.J. Watson.

12. Utah Jazz: Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas

Brendan: Oubre's stock is all over the place. With undeniable talent and superior defensive skills, Oubre was wildly inconsistent last season, but he has a high ceiling.

13. Phoenix Suns: Myles Turner, PF, Texas

Kevin: Turner has plenty of upside to warrant a selection higher than this even though he was inconsistent in his lone season in Austin. An athletic seven-footer that can rebound and block shots (2.6 per game), Turner also has the ability to stretch the floor and knock down shots from behind the three-point line.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder: Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin

Brendan: With the acquisition of Enes Kanter and the assumption that Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka are all healthy next year, the Thunder are in position to go best player available that can help them win right away. The versatile Kaminsky led the Badgers in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocks while shooting 41.6-percent from three-point range.

15. Atlanta Hawks (via Brooklyn Nets): Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky

Kevin: Power forward Paul Millsap is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The fourth Wildcat selected in the top half of my mock, Lyles may have been overshadowed some on such a star-studded team as he mostly played out of position (small forward). That said, Lyles has the ability to score inside as well as consistently knock down mid-range jumpers.

- Picks 16-30 in our collaborative 2015 NBA Mock Draft

- Check out Hanson's 2015 NBA Mock Draft and/or 2016 NFL Mock Draft For more mock drafts, check out our 2015 NBA Mock Draft Database.

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Pau Gasol (vertigo) is doubtful for Tuesday vs. NYK

After spending last night at the hospital, Lakers PF/C Pau Gasol is listed as "doubtful" for Tuesday's game against the Knicks although he will be re-examined tomorrow morning.

In addition, Gasol had a case of vertigo as the MRI came back clean:

After spending the night in the hospital, Pau Gasol has been diagnosed as having had vertigo. MRI on his head this morning came back normal.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 24, 2014

If Gasol does not play, as expected, the Lakers will start Chris Kaman at center.

Gasol currently leads the Lakers in both scoring (17.5 PPG), rebounding (9.8 RPG) and blocks (1.53 BPG).

In 18 minutes per game this season, Kaman is averaging 9.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.06 blocks per game.  That said, Kaman has not played since Feb. 28th.

Kevin Durant posts triple-double in loss to Lakers

Before today, there were 28 triple-doubles this season in the NBA and Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant was one of six players to have multiple triple-doubles this season.

Against the Lakers today, Durant posted his third triple-double of the season by scoring 27 points and adding 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

In addition to Durant, Serge Ibaka (21 points and 15 rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (20 points), but it wasn't enough as they lost to the Lakers by four points, 114-110.

Westbrook (eight) and Durant (five) combined to commit 13 turnovers in today's loss and Lakers shooting guard Jodie Meeks scored a career-high 42 points today.

The Thunder will face ex-teammate James Harden, Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Jodie Meeks scores career-high 42 points in upset over Thunder

In an upset over the Thunder, Lakers guard Jodie Meeks led all players with 42 points, which also sets a career high.

To demonstrate Meeks' shooting efficiency today, he scored 22 more points than teammate Pau Gasol (20 points) despite having only one more field-goal attempt than Gasol, who was eight of 17 from the field.

Meeks was 11-for-18 from the field including six three-pointers (on 11 attempts) and a perfect 14-for-14 at the free-throw line.

Not only was it a career high for Meeks, but it was only the second time in his career that he scored more than 30 points in a game.  His previous career high was 31 points set back in 2012 when he was with the Sixers.

In addition to his 42 points, Meeks added four steals and two rebounds.

2013-14 NBA Power Rankings, Week 7

After missing eight months due to his ruptured Achilles, Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant had nine points and eight rebounds in his season debut.

Things did not go as planned for Kobe as the team loss to the Raptors and Kobe was only two of nine from the field with eight turnovers.

"There's a bunch of things I messed up on," he said. "I can't wait to watch the film and start criticizing every little thing,' Bryant said, per Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.

The best quote of the night from Bryant: "I think the last time I had eight months off I was still in the womb."

The Lakers are now 10-10 and would miss the playoffs as the 10th seed in the Western Conference playoffs if the season were to end now. They are the 11th-ranked team in consensus NBA power rankings heading into the seventh week of the season.

- See full power rankings here

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Dwight Howard aggravates shoulder injury

In last night's loss to the Suns, Lakers center Dwight Howard left the game in the fourth quarter after aggravating his torn labrum in his right shoulder.

“I'll try [to withstand] as much as I can, but I don't want to cause more damage to my shoulder,” said Howard, per Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.

Whether or not he will need to rest it for a week or two, Howard said "we'll see."

Howard led the Lakers in scoring last night with 24 points and added four rebounds, five steals and four blocked shots.

Last night's game was the first of a seven-game road trip for the Lakers and they face the Timberwolves next on Friday night and then the Pistons on Sunday.

Lakers center Dwight Howard calls himself a GTD for Sunday vs. Nuggets

When the Lakers face the Nuggets on Sunday night, they may be without center Dwight Howard.

Or they may not.

According to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times, Howard has a sprained rotator cuff and described himself as a "game-time decision" for tomorrow.

That said, coach Mike D'Antoni said the chances of Howard playing are "good."

Howard is averaging 17.4 points per game, an eight-year low, and 12.0 rebounds per game, a nine-year low.  In addition, he's averaging 2.6 blocks per game.

Lakers PG Steve Nash out for at least a week

Lakers point guard Steve Nash sat out of Friday night's loss, the team's third straight to start the season, and he's going to miss (at least) a few more games.

According to NBA.com's John Schuhmann, the Lakers announced that Nash will miss at least a week with a "small non-displaced fracture in the head of his fibula."

Through two games, Nash has shot 4-of-12 from the field to score only nine points with eight assists in 50 minutes played.

With Nash out, Steve Blake played 39 minutes and eight points, two assists and one rebound last night.  He should continue to get plenty of minutes while Nash is out.

NBA Finals Preseason Predictions for the 2012-13 Season

Earlier in the week, Kyle Baillargeon made his preseason predictions with final regular-season records for all 30 NBA teams.

[His team-by-team predictions here: Eastern Conference - Western Conference]

Of course, "winning" the regular season doesn't mean much unless you parlay that home-court advantage into a title.

With that said, Kyle makes his predictions for the conference and NBA Finals below:

Eastern Conference Finals: Boston over Miami in six games

The Heat can expect to be back in the finals for many years to come, and will likely win at least a few more, so long as LeBron is still there.  But the retooled Boston Celtics will put that dynasty on hold for the 2012-2013 season.  This Celtics team is on a mission to win.  More importantly though, this is the most complete Celtics team since the 07-08 squad.  The Heat still have Lebron, Wade, and Bosh, and they did add Ray Allen, but once again, depth is a question mark.  The Celtics' deep rotation will keep coming at the Heat, and eventually wear them down and take it in six games.

Western Conference Finals: LA Lakers over San Antonio in five games

The Spurs will have run out of gas by the time they face Dwight Howard and the Lakers.  This year should be the final stand for San Antonio, but the Lakers will not be stopped in the West.  Steve Nash's playmaking will prove to be too much, and Kobe Bryant is still Kobe Bryant.  But the key to this Lakers team will be Howard.  Assuming his back does not hinder him in any way, he and Pau Gasol should dominate the front court.  The Lakers will win this going away. 

NBA Finals: LA Lakers over Boston in seven games

This pains me to admit, but the Celtics likely won't be able to stop the Lakers.  Though Boston still has Kevin Garnett, and they did add a glut of seven-footers, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard are just too much for any front court.  Steve Nash may not be able to keep up with Rondo at this stage, and that may be Boston's best hope of winning the Finals.  Either way, expect a classic seven-game series in June 2013.

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Our FanDuel daily NBA leagues: October 30 (12 teams) - October 31 (12 teams)

Western Conference Preseason Predictions for the 2012-13 NBA Season

Earlier today, Kyle Baillargeon made his preseason predictions for the Eastern Conference.  Now it's time to take a team-by-team look at the Western Conference.

Here is how Kyle sees the Western Conference playing out:

1. Los Angeles Lakers - 61-21

The triangle offense is just a distant memory with Steve Nash at the helm, and this team should expect to score in spades.  When Dwight Howard comes back, assuming he is his normal self, watch out.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder - 60-22

The Thunder will be at or near the top for years to come, with only the retooled Lakers poised to stand in their way.  The Thunder should take last year's loss in the NBA Finals as a learning experience and expect to come into this season with something to prove.  It's also amazing to consider that KD35 just turned 24.

3. San Antonio Spurs - 59-23

Tempted to give the Spurs a lower record, simply because they know it's all about the playoffs and not the regular season.  But that's just silly.  This team will continue to be good until they prove otherwise.  

4. Los Angeles Clippers - 54-28

Chemistry is a concern for the bench, where Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford are not necessarily known for being quiet role players. CP3 combined with the talented and athletic front court should make for a four seed in the tight west.

5. Denver Nuggets - 53-29

This should be an exciting team to watch.  Denver will be running all year, and Iguodola gives them a defensive anchor.  With the right matchups, this team could surprise many and go deep into the playoffs.

6. Memphis Grizzlies - 51-31

Memphis opened some eyes two seasons ago in the playoffs, and they showed last season that they're no fluke.  We've seen in this league, however, that you need a star to be one of the elite teams.  Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay are all very good, but it's tough to imagine them in the championship with this squad as constituted.

7. Dallas Mavericks - 50-32

At this stage, Darren Collison is likely preferable to Jason Kidd, so that's an upgrade.  Though it isn't the same as Deron Williams, whom they tried hard to get. Assuming there aren't any chemistry issues with all the new faces, don't put it past Dallas to make another run.

8. Utah Jazz - 46-36

The Jazz proved you can still be a solid team after trading away your best player.  They just aren't ready yet to move up in this tough conference.  Thankfully, they're very young and in a few years we could be talking about them as championship contenders.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves - 45-37

If Rubio comes back quickly, this team could end up higher than this.  Minnesota has the best power forward in the league in Kevin Love, and they're somehow a very fun and potentially dangerous team.  Brandon Roy is a wild card, and if he can play anything like we've seen in the past, he's a fantastic addition.

10. Phoenix Suns - 41-41

The Suns are finally in the post-Steve Nash era, and things don't look quite so bad.  They won't contend this year or next, but patience and a little bit of luck in the lottery could help them out sooner rather than later.  Losing Channing Frye hurts, with no idea of when he'll return.  Kendall Marshall was a great pickup in the draft this year and should be a solid building block for the future.

11. Golden State Warriors - 39-43

This team is too much of an injury risk to put any higher.  If Curry and Bogut are healthy though, they could very well contend for the eighth seed.  Klay Thompson is ready to take another step and will hopefully avoid a sophomore slump.

12. New Orleans Hornets - 35-47

It's probably too much to expect this many wins out of such a young squad, but the talent is there.  Anthony Davis is a stud and Eric Gordon is ready to put a frustrating season behind him.  The rebuild could be quick for the Hornets.

13. Portland Trail Blazers - 34-48

The Blazers don't quite have an identity, but Aldridge is still young and a solid piece to build around.  Batum made headlines with his actions at the Olympic games, and he is hoping to make headlines with his play this season.

14. Sacramento Kings - 30-52

Jimmer Fredette was a big miss, and Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins are both talented but not of the right mindset to be leaders.  This team is a mess and the chemistry, or lack thereof, will certainly hurt them.

15. Houston Rockets - 28-54

The Rockets shot high in trying to get Dwight Howard, but all they did was shoot themselves in the foot, at least for this season.  It's well known that Daryl Morey believes you need to either be elite, or in the basement, and not somewhere in the middle.  The Rockets will most certainly be contending for the 1st overall pick this year.

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Jeremy Lin has career-high 38 points, outscores Kobe

Coming into tonight's game against the Lakers, Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin scored 20-plus points in three straight games and had his first career double-double.

When Kobe Bryant was asked about Lin yesterday, he said, "I don’t even know what he’s done. Like, I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I’ll take a look at [the tape] tonight though."

Not only did Lin, who was undrafted out of Harvard, outscore Bryant, 38-34, but Lin has now scored more in a game than any other Knick this season.

Although he may sleep on his brother's couch, he's turning into a superstar.

"We think he needs a better haircut," [Lakers forward Metta]World Peace said (via ESPN). "I don't like that style. You're in New York, fashion's capital. Change your haircut. You're a star now. Wear some shades. Put down the nerdy Harvard book glasses, put on some black shades with some leather pants. Change your style. ... He should wear leather pants. He's the type of guy that should wear leather pants and some nice shoes and change his fashion. You're Jeremy Lin, for God's sake."

In his past four games, Lin has 114 points, 32 assists, 15 rebounds and seven steals.

Andrew Bynum has 20-20 in loss to Sixers

After 12 straight games with less than 20 points, Lakers center Andrew Bynum scored 20-plus points in his fifth consecutive game.

During that span, Bynum has made 41 of 65 field goal attempts (63.1 percent).

Not only did he score 20 points in tonight's loss to the Sixers, who were without Elton Brand, but Bynum added a season-high 20 rebounds.

Before tonight, a player has finished with 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds only 10 times (and Orlando's Dwight Howard had five of them).

NBA Consensus Power Rankings, Week 6

For the first time this year, we have a tie at the top of our NBA Consensus Power Rankings.

Although the Miami Heat had one of our four first-place votes (and three third-place votes), the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder are tied for first. However, all three teams are within one game of each other in the NBA standings and are in a different tier from the rest of the NBA.

At the other end, the Bobcats are a consensus choice for last in our power rankings, but the Pistons, Hornets and Wizards are all bad, really bad, as well.

Fortunately for the teams at the bottom, the potential rookie class is stronger in 2012 than last year's rookie crop.

[In our NBA mock drafts, which we released over the weekend, both Brendan Donahue (see his mock) and I (see my mock) had Kentucky power forward Anthony Davis going first overall.]

Here are some more stats about this week's NBA Consensus Power Rankings:

- Biggest jump from last week: Los Angeles Clippers (+4.75)
- Biggest drop from last week: Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets (-2.75)
- Team with widest difference between high and low ranker: Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets (5)

[See our full NBA Consensus Power Rankings.]

Each week, we respond to one roundtable question and here's this week's question: Who is the NBA MVP so far this season?

John (follow on Twitter): There are a few solid candidates for MVP through this point in the season. It's mostly the usual suspects, with some of the favorites being Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, or even Kevin Love. However, in my opinion, the MVP through this point of the season is LeBron James. Although Miami is pretty stacked, Dwyane Wade has had a nagging injury that has kept him out for much of the season. Still, LeBron has the Heat just a game out of the No. 1 seed in the East behind on the Bulls. In their one meeting this season, the Heat were able to eek out the win behind a 35-point effort from LeBron. In addition to being the best player on what I feel is the best team in the league, Lebron's statistics are incredible. He's averaging over 29 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. He's not far off from averaging a triple-double, which is pretty amazing. There's still plenty of season left, but I have a feeling LeBron will continue playing at a high level and lock up the MVP at the end of the season. The bigger question is going to be if he can shrug off last season's Finals and lead the Heat to a title.

Sean (follow on Twitter): My No. 1 team has the league's MVP on it, and that is the Bulls Derrick Rose. In terms of value, Rose is the No. 1 player in the league. The Bulls would not be where they are without Rose.

Dan (follow on Twitter): So far the MVP of the season has to go to the old warhorse in Kobe Bryant. Byrant is maintaining an unbelievable pace right now, as he is averaging 38 minutes per game, and also leading the league with 29.4 points per game. Kobe is doing all of this after losing Lamar Odom, Phil Jackson, and playing with a pulled ligament in his wrist. It has been impressive to watch Kobe develop his game, and the return of the mamba as he is fueled by all the slights this year.

Kevin (follow on Twitter): In the history of the NBA, only three players have averaged at least 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists: Oscar Robertson (four times during the '60's), Michael Jordan (1988-89 season) and LeBron James (so far this year). Plus, he's tied for 10th in the NBA in steals per game (1.7). With the Heat also one of the top three teams in the NBA, there is absolutely no doubt that LeBron is the clear frontrunner for the award so far this year.

To see where all 30 teams fall in our power rankings going through Week 6, click here.

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Chris Paul has a strained hamstring

Clippers point guard Chris Paul had 33 points, six assists and three steals in last night's eight-point win over the other team from Los Angeles last night.

That said, CP3 left last night's game with a strained hamstring.

"I don't know what happened; I thought it was a cramp," Paul said, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. "I've never had this before. I'll just have to wait to see tomorrow what exactly is going on."

Through nine games, Paul is averaging 18.0 points, 8.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game, which are all below his career averages. However, he is shooting 52.0 percent from the field and averaging 2.8 steals per game, which would be or tie a career high.

The Clippers are off today, but play three straight starting on Monday against the Nets, Jazz and Mavericks.

NBA Consensus Power Rankings, Week 2

One week into the regular season, it's time for the first edition of our NBA Consensus Power Rankings, which will have a similar format to our NFL version.

The same four of us (John Trifone, Dan Yanotchko, Sean Beazley and I) will rank all 30 NBA franchises from 1 to 30 to get to our consensus (average) ranking of the 30 NBA teams.

Since the NBA is a star-driven league, one of the most popular topics of conversation in the NBA offseason was what would happen with then-Hornets point guard Chris Paul and to Magic center Dwight Howard.

Initially CP3 was heading to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers, then Cavs owner Dan Gilbert got out his crayons to complain to the league and the league vetoed the deal. Ultimately, however, Paul ended up in L.A. But instead of landing with the Lakers, CP3 was traded to the Clippers.

With our power rankings, as you may know from our NFL version, we have one weekly roundtable topic and our first question involves the two L.A. franchises.

Which L.A. team will win more regular-season games this year: Lakers or Clippers?

John (follow John on Twitter): There has been an awful lot of hype surrounding the Clippers this season and the acquisition of Chris Paul. However, as of now, they are still the second best team in Los Angeles. The Lakers did lose Lamar Odom, and are certainly an aging group, but they still have a solid core of good players. I still think it's fairly likely that the Lakers will make a big move like getting Dwight Howard, but even if they don't, Andrew Bynum is an animal when healthy. And although the Lakers may not have enough to truly contend for a title, they still have enough to get farther than the Clippers, who still have to gel together and probably add a few more pieces themselves before they are a serious contender.

Sean (visit Sean's website): In my preseason selections, I have the Clippers not the Lakers representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, however, I do think the Lakers will end the regular season with more wins. I had the Lakers with the #2 seed and the Clippers with the #3 seed. I love CP3 and Blake Griffin, but they aren't Kobe Bryant. I think the difference in wins is going to be small, and its going to be those games where Kobe can close and CP3/Blake can't that make up those few games. It is also going to take the Clippers time to gel together as well. Come playoff time I think they are going to be scary if they are healthy.

Dan (follow Dan on Twitter): This year will be the year that the little brother finally fights back. The Clippers have landed the second best point guard in the league, and posess a much better core than the Lakers. The Lakers are aging with Kobe's injuries, and Andrew Bynum sure to go down soon, and Pau Gasol looking disinterested, and losing the 6th man in Lamar Odom. I forsee this finally being the year of the clippers, and will enjoy watching Blake Griffin play with Chris Paul.

Kevin (follow Kevin on Twitter): With no NFL franchise, Los Angeles has been an NBA (and Lakers) city. For a long time, the Clippers have long been the laughing stock of the league. Not only is the gap narrowing, but the future of the Clippers is as bright as that of the showtime Lakers. While I would agree with Sean that the Lakers will likely get more regular-season wins as the Clips learn to learn together, I think the Clippers are a more dangerous team in the playoffs and the team that non-L.A. teams don't want to face in May and June.

To see where the Lakers and Clippers (and other 28 teams) fall in our power rankings, click here.

Related: Our NFL Consensus Power Rankings

Mavs sweep Lakers with 36-point blowout

Ugly. Embarrassing. Classless.

All words that could be used to describe what happened in Game 4 of the Mavs-Lakers series.

Not only did the Mavericks sweep the Lakers with today's 36-point blowout win, but both Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum were ejected in the fourth quarter for cheap shots.

Per Elias (via ESPN Stats & Info), today's victory was the largest margin of victory in Game 4 of an NBA playoff series sweep.

Within one minute of play, Odom shoved Dirk Nowitzki and Bynum closedlined J.J. Barea with elbow to the chest on a lay-up attempt.

Before this series, teams that had lost the first three games of an NBA playoff series were 0-for-98. Now, they are 0-for-99.

However, this was the first time in Phil Jackson's coaching career that he was swept in a playoff series.

In fact, Jackson's titles (11) exceed the number of times he has even lost a playoff series (10). Jackson finishes with a record of 229-104 (.688) record in the post-season, which are records for wins and winning percentage.

Speaking of records, the Mavs tied an NBA record with 20 three-pointers made and Jason Terry accounted for nine of them, which also ties the NBA record.

Three players in this game scored 20-plus points and all of them came off the Mavs' bench: Terry (32), Barea (22) and Peja Stojakovic (21).

Many expect changes to be on the horizon for the Lakers.

One of the guys that could be gone is Pau Gasol, who averaged only 12.5 points on 42.2-percent shooting and 9.3 rebounds per game this season. In the regular season, Gasol averaged 18.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and shot 52.9 percent from the field.

And, of course, expect rumors involving Dwight Howard trade to the Lakers to continue to heat up over the next couple of months before the official start of the free-agency period.

Chris Paul has first triple-double of year, Hornets even series

During the regular season, Hornets point guard Chris Paul had no triple-doubles.

CP3 picked a great time to have his first of the season.

In last night's 93-88 win over the Lakers to even the series, Paul finished with 27 points, 15 assists and a career-high 13 rebounds.

"Regardless of what happens in this series, it was good to see the city with a smile on their face," said Paul. "It was fun, man. I'm just so thankful to get to say this is my way of life."

Paul is the first player to have 25-plus points, 15-plus assists and 10-plus rebounds in a playoff game since Oscar Robertson did so in 1964.

Andrew Bynum says knee 'felt fine' after Friday's practice

Lakers center Andrew Bynum participated in Friday's practice without much pain in his hyper-extended right knee, per Mark Medina of the LA Times.

Bynum, who hyperextended his knee on Tuesday, will be ready to go for Game 1 versus the Hornets on Sunday.

"It felt fine," said Bynum (via Medina). "It was all right. I'll be all right. It's nothing that's not normal at this point."

Since the All-Star break, Bynum has averaged 11.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.