2012 NBA power rankings: Rockets dip to No. 18 despite strong week

Following a pair of key victories over Chicago and New York, the Houston Rockets still managed to drop down one spot to No. 18 overall in the latest batch of SB Nation's NBA power rankings.

The Rockets followed a narrow four-point victory over Chicago on Wednesday with a thorough destruction of Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks two nights later at the Toyota Center, but were not rewarded in the rankings despite their current two-game win streak. Still viewed as an inconsistent team by many around the league for their inability to play at a high level in consecutive games, the Rockets have slowly dropped in the rankings after snatching the No. 15 spot in Week 3.

Now 6-7 on the year, Houston currently sits in fourth place in the Southwest Division after roughly 15% of the season. The Rockets also checked in as the third highest-ranked team from the division in the power rankings ahead of Dallas (No. 19) and New Orleans (No. 26), and will have a chance to keep their win streak going strong this Tuesday against a poor Toronto Raptors team.