Lakers News: Los Angeles Plummets Down Latest ESPN Power Rankings

Is the Worldwide Leader out on the Lake Show?

Your 14-20 Los Angeles Lakers have been absolutely miserable without their best overall player, two-way behemoth Anthony Davis. The team has 2-4 since AD's latest injury, a stress injury in his right foot that could keep him shelved for months (or, perhaps, merely weeks -- he is set to be reexamined next week).

A variety of mostly market-based ESPN scribes (Golden State Warriors writer Kendra Andrews, Midwest team writer Jamal Collier, Brooklyn Nets beat reporter Nick Friedell, New Orleans Pelicans beat reporter Andrew Lopez, Southwest scribe Tim MacMahon, Lakers beat reporter Dave McMenamin, Clippers beat reporter Ohm Youngmisuk, and Tim Bontemps) put together today's latest power rankings list, and the Lakers have continued their ignominious slide down it. Naturally, McMenamin is credited with the Lakers writeup.

L.A. is currently slotted in at 24th on the list (13th among Western Conference clubs), sandwiched between its latest conquest, the 13-22 Orlando Magic, and an oft-rumored L.A. trade target, the 14-19 Chicago Bulls.

Last week, the Lakers were merely ranked in 21st place by the ESPN cognoscenti. The dip is no doubt at least in part the result of the team dropping four straight contests prior to its commanding 129-110 win over the Magic yesterday.

The New Orleans Pelicans, who as you'll recall possess the right to swap draft picks with the Lakers next year, have vaulted up two positions to sixth place. So they may wind up having one of the best teams this year, and could get an opportunity to act exciting young lottery-level talent next year to boot! Yikes.