2012 NBA power rankings: Mavericks slip, Spurs and Knicks top this week's rankings

Last week, the Dallas Mavericks made it through their schedule at 2-2, but a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats had many power rankings drop the Mavs down a few spots.

Dallas, prior to losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 90-82, on Monday night, started last week by defeating the Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors. The back-to-back on the road over the weekend, however, didn't fare so well, as the Mavericks fell to the still-unbeaten New York Knicks on Friday and then to the Charlotte Bobcats in overtime on Saturday night.

In SB Nation's weekly power rankings, written by Seth Rosenthal, the Mavericks are at No. 14, while their division rival San Antonio Spurs sit atop the rankings with the Knicks close behind at number two. The Memphis Grizzlies, coming off an undefeated week of their own, jumped up to the third overall spot.

ESPN's Marc Stein dropped Dallas two spots from 11th to 13th in his rankings this week, as the Spurs and Knicks also led his list in that order. The Denver Nuggets were the week's biggest jumpers, moving up 14 spots from No. 22 to eighth overall.

Over at CBSSports.com, Matt Moore pegged the Mavericks at 16th overall, down four places from No. 12 a week ago. Additionally, he has New York above San Antonio for the league's top spot, the Grizzlies up to third from fifth, and the Miami Heat down a place to fourth.

Bucking the other trends of the week, Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk.com moved Dallas up a spot from 13th to 12th in his rankings, and also had the Knicks above the Spurs as the league's number one team to this point. Memphis bounded up to third from seventh overall, with the Heat falling a spot behind them.