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Pardon the Hemingway-esque headline, but as much as the intro to these Power Rankings usually dotes on the New Jersey Nets (or New York-area basketball/sports in general), it would be almost impossible for us to not open this week with the hottest story in the sport – one that involves a current Net’s former brother-in-law.

That man would be Lamar Odom, who was, after a tough year both personally and professionally, sent home by the Dallas Mavericks earlier this week.

Reports are flying that Odom and Mavs owner Mark Cuban got into a verbal altercation last Saturday, with that tete-a-tete being the final straw that broke the camel’s back in regards to Odom’s employment, and then further questions on whether Odom simply quit on himself and/or his new team.

Whatever the answer is, it’s an ugly mark for a franchise that hoisted the O’Brien Trophy just 10 months ago, and an even uglier one for a former beloved star who will not play for the remainder of this season, likely won’t return to Dallas to finish out his contract in 2012-13, and according to some reports may never suit up for an NBA team again period.

And you thought Dwight Howard was a drama magnet this season?

On to the rankings, which due to the move reflect a nine-day period ending Tuesday.

RANK

TEAM

NOTE

PREVIOUS

1

The only thing that can seemingly stop the Spurs is themselves, and their second 11-game win streak of the season vaults them into the top spot.

3

2

Record-wise, they’re the best in the West and were the first team to clinch a Division Title. A Spurs-Thunder Western Conference Final not only seems imminent, but could also be one of the best series in recent history.

2

3

The Derrick Rose yo-yo was back in the barn again against the Knicks on Tuesday. Still, their next win (or Indiana’s next loss) makes them the second team to wrap up a division.

1

4

They’re in the playoffs, so there’s that, but they’re easily the weakest of the league’s Big 4 right now.

4

5

They stay put at 5, but the Lakers will need Kobe at full health if they want to hold off the Clippers. A brutal final two weeks awaits with six of their final eight against teams in the Western hunt.

5

6

Six weeks ago, Boston looked done and the Sixers looked like runaway division winners. Now, it’s the old dogs who have run to the front of the pack once again, and in fine fashion judging by their 24-point thrashing of Philly last weekend.

6

7

Two meetings with the Thunder aside, the Clips have a much easier remaining schedule than their STAPLES Center co-tenants. That could be the difference, Kobe or no Kobe for the Lakers.

7

8

They’re getting hot again, just in time to give themselves a first round date with the equally scorching Celtics instead of the puzzling Pacers. It’s like a treadmill in Atlanta – they always get to the same place (read: the playoffs) but never go anywhere.

9

9

Coach of the Year is likely a four-way race between Tom Thibodeau, Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, and Scott Brooks…but absolutely no one should be surprised if Memphis’ Lionel Hollins finishes in the Top 5.

11

10

Kyle Lowry is back, and the Rockets just might have enough to hold on to a playoff spot. In related news, New Jersey’s front office shrieks with glee.

16

11

Beating Houston and OKC to bookend a four-game win streak? Excellent. Getting pounded by Boston the next night? Not so much. Still, they move up on the heels of that earlier good fortune.

13

12

If there’s a silver lining in the whole Odom debacle, it’s the fact that he wasn’t even really a factor anyway. Now, Dallas has two weeks to pull together a rotation knowing he’s gone and go from there.

8

13

With two weeks and change to go, four games separates fourth from tenth in the West. The Nuggets need a big finish to prevent what could be construed as an epic collapse given their early-season dominance.

15

14

They simply play better when at least one of Carmelo, Amar’e, or Chandler is out of the lineup. It’s almost uncanny at this point.

12

15

Dwight Howard’s bad back is going to end up sinking the Magic. His wounded pride is going to make even more of a mess, though.

10

16

Time to load up the iPod with Tom Petty, because the Sixers are free fallin’ right now. Paper champions weeks ago, they enter the final 15 in seventh place in the East, just two games ahead of ninth-place Milwaukee.

14

17

Even if they finish eighth in the West by a 93rd tiebreaker, Steve Nash deserves any and every MVP vote he gets.

17

18

At this point, making the playoffs and getting waxed by the Spurs or Thunder almost seems a crueler fate for this bunch than having even the smallest chance at Anthony Davis. Not that they’d need him with Jefferson and Millsap, but still.

18

19

The Bucks play both the Sixers and Knicks in the final nine games, and have a handful of bottom-feeders as well. If they’re going to reach the playoffs, then it’s in their hands.

20

20

They’re still alive, but five of the final eight are on the road. Still, that’s a remarkable achievement for a team that pretty much quit before the All-Star break.

19

21

They’re playing very well of late. That might be enough to save Avery Johnson’s job and convince one or both of Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace to give it a full go in Brooklyn this winter.

22

22

Yes, they lost by 39 to Denver on Monday and moved up. Why?

23

23

Because Minnesota has lost six in a row and is sinking like a stone without Ricky Rubio. Poor Kevin Love.

21

24

Imagine if this team got Anthony Davis. All they’d need is John Calipari and it’d be Kentucky North, actually.

26

25

Say what you will about the team or their record, but Dwane Casey won’t let them get complacent. That’s the kind of thing a team will recall a year or two later when they’re fighting for a playoff berth and every win counts.

25

26

Right now, even Kyrie Irving is probably wishing that the NBA would just give him the Rookie of the Year trophy and the Cavs will sit him the rest of the season for caution’s sake.

27

27

They’ve won two in a row as of Wednesday! Sure, they beat Charlotte and a Howard-less Magic, but hey, in a season like this, anything that gets the Wiz out of the bottom three for even a week is a landmark.

28

28

The Kings’ penciled starting five has lost more man-games to injury so far this season than all but one other starting five in the NBA. The only thing they lose almost as often is the ball.

24

29

Just as soon as the Hornets finally got Eric Gordon back, they lost Jarrett Jack for the remainder of the season. It’s almost over guys, just hang in there.

28

30

If the Bobcats don’t win again and finish 7-59, their .106 winning percentage would be the worst in NBA history. In a sick kind of way, you’d almost feel bad if they didn’t get that record and make this epic atrocity of a season truly historic.

30