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The Wizards found a moment to smile, but you can only smile so much when you're 2-12.
It is the nature of the NBA season that at any given moment, some teams are rolling, while others are rife with anxiety.
Today, though, an oddity: It's hard to find any team that's worry free.
Take a quick look at the NBA's top ten according to John Hollinger's Power Rankings:
- 76ers The darlings of the NBA's early season just lost at home to the Nuggets, and still haven't won enough to sell those discounted tickets.
- Heat Dwyane Wade's health is one concern. A recent three-game losing streak is another.
- Bulls Derrick Rose is injured, Jaokim Noah has been out of rhythm, the defense was better last year, and the Grizzlies just walked all over them.
- Hawks The wins have been nice, but Al Horford is out and the home stand is over. Next up: At the Sixers, which is far scarier than it used to be.
- Mavericks The champs just lost to both L.A. teams, Dirk Nowitzki has been ill, and 8-7 is nobody's idea of "defending the crown."
- Nuggets Denver has started a road trip in style, but remember when they topped the league's defensive efficiency rankings? They're 13th now.
- Blazers The story of the season has been high energy levels, almost none of which were evident in a despondent and shabby loss in Atlanta.
- Spurs After one of the worst halves in team history against the Heat, Gregg Popovich said the team should be embarrassed. And they're missing Manu.
- Thunder One little loss to the Wizards can take all the fun out of what had been seven straight wins.
- Lakers They've won six of seven, but that one was a dispiriting loss to the rival Clippers. And they play in Miami tonight.
Henry Abbott | email
TrueHoop, NBA- Senior writer for ESPN.com
- Founder of TrueHoop blog and network
- Began writing about NBA for magazines in 1999
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