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ESPN.com users sound off on senior writer Marc Stein's NBA Power Rankings from Nov. 26. Stein's responses to the top 10 responses are also included.

1. C'mon, the Pacers can't win every game. Why drop us three spots after a loss on the second night of a back-to-back? We did rout the Magic by 36, remember?
Adrian Kellams
Indianapolis

STEIN: Yeah, but losing at home to Detroit -- in really the first "big" game of the season -- wasn't your ordinary loss. That's why the Pacers dropped a little. Safe to say, though, that the Thanksgiving win over Dallas was a nice response to send the Pacers back upward.

2. Why not place a 5-10 team in the top 10 of the Power Rankings? Their shooting guard is always good for the clutch shot. The coach has the team headed in the right direction. Although their record has been rough without their starting center, they went on a two-game winning streak after Shaq came back. Yep, the Denver Nuggets deserve their slice of the top 10.
James Joule
Ft. Collins, Colo.

STEIN: Sarcasm, supported by a strong case. A magic combination. The committee just might throw the Nugz up there for a week. Can't argue that they have more three-game win streaks than the Lakers: 1-zip.

3. With the NBA's excitement sinking fast due to lack of scoring, those teams who do not average at least 100 points per game should be removed completely from the Power Rankings. This way teams will feel motivated to shoot the ball better, get up and down the court faster and put more points on the board.
Chris Serafino
Ventura, Calif.

STEIN: Original idea. Plus, you clearly recognize that all teams follow these Power Rankings closely and take them very personally.

4. Sixers at No. 6 is great. But I do recall you, Mr. Stein, saying they weren't going to make the playoffs and to add more insult you placed them 17th in the preseason rankings. What do you have to say for yourself?
Doug Kramer
Trevose, Penn.

STEIN: Not sure when I ever said they weren't going to make the playoffs. What I can say is that ranking them outside the top 16 in the preseason poll was not a prediction about the playoffs. Those are simply the preseason rankings, tantamount to taking a team's temperature before a ball is dribbled. No. 17 was a reflection of what the committee thought of the Sixers' summer. It just didn't seem so hot, given all the questions about how Keith Van Horn would mesh with Allen Iverson ... and AI's turbulent offseason ... and the fact that Aaron McKie and Derrick Coleman headlined a long injury list going into the first practice. The Sixers are certainly getting past all of that and have meshed earlier than we expected. If it continues, count them as part of the East's elite once again.

5. I have a huge problem with Portland being ranked 21st, moving down a space when they are playing decent ball. They have beaten six teams with higher rankings. They got totally jobbed against Sacramento, with two fouls not called in the last few seconds. We would be on a six-game winning streak with no end in sight. I know the off-court troubles shed a huge negative. I know we will work through it and Portland will move up your rankings in multiples of three. So in seven weeks we will be at the top.
David Harder
Portland, Ore.

STEIN: In these rankings, off-court troubles definitely do figure in. We like to dole out our own justice occasionally. Hats off, though, for sticking by these guys. The loyalty of Blazermaniacs continues to amaze. The committee likewise does acknowledge that the Blazers have managed to play better since the controversies erupted and they'll be moving up in spite of themselves next Tuesday, barring another weekend of shame.

6. Based on your less-than-enthusiastic appraisal of the Mavericks, it sounds like you are hesitant to give them the No. 1 ranking. I wonder how many games it will take for the Mavs to convince you and the rest of the public that they are and will be the best team in basketball for a while. Early in the season they were accused of winning simply by playing a lesser caliber of opponent. Now that they're beating your top 10 teams, they're still not getting the credit they deserve. Oh, well. Maybe only time and the NBA Finals will be proof enough.
Robert Case
Dallas

STEIN: It's a weak case, Robert. Received dozens of e-mails from Mavs fans this week for mentioning in the Comment section of the rankings that the streak would probably end. All those stories on the site lately fawning over the streak were conveniently overlooked. There is nothing more tired than the constant cries, from fans of all teams, about getting more "respect" or "credit" for their guys. Especially when the Mavs have been getting plenty of both.

7. As an avid basketball fan and a loyal supporter of the Toronto Raptors, I must say that I'm disgusted by this week's rankings. For the most part, "the committee of one" has been fair to the Raptors this season, but ranking them below the Denver Nuggets is a low blow. I know they've lost five in a row, but they've had tough competition: Indiana and back-to-back games against Philly, teams ranked Nos. 5 and 6 respectively. I know that right now the Raptors aren't worthy of a response from you, but they're definitely worthy of being ranked higher than Denver -- a team many believe to be leading contenders in the LeBron James sweepstakes. I hope Vince Carter comes back with a vengeance and leads the Raptors deep into the playoffs, despite all the doubters. Oh, yeah: If it makes it easier for you to bash me in your response, then "I know more about ball than you and I have mad game."
Matt Solinguin
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

STEIN: No need for bashing, Matt. The week's events backed the committee up after your disgust made its way across the border. Nuggets stun Spurs, Raps lose in Vince's return. Raps will be higher than the Nugz eventually, but not yet. Not now.

8. Not necessarily arguing the Celtics' No. 9 ranking, but we did beat both New Jersey (handily) and the Sixers, who you have ahead of us in East, all with four losses. The 3-point shooting criticism is getting stale, too, because Coach O'Brien is not just "living" with it. He actually wants weapons on the floor to combat the new zone rules. O'Brien is ahead of the game on this one, as he aptly points out the fact that no post player is even in the top 20 in scoring anymore due to collapsing defenses. Let up on the 3-point shooting remarks.
Jeff Simon
Honolulu

STEIN: I probably worded my comment incorrectly, because you're right. Obie definitely does encourage his guys to fling threes, to capitalize on the new rules and the strengths of his personnel. But he's also doing so partly on the premise that the Celtics earn that freedom by playing defense the way he demands, too. Only recently have the Celts defended at last year's level. No coach is going to sanction for 30 triples a night and soft D.

9. You corrected some mistakes (most notably with the Jazz), you give the Eastern Conference the props they deserve and now that Shaq is back the Lakers deserve their current ranking (though they should have been lower in the weeks before). The only complaint I have is Sac at No. 2. I would have liked to see an East team there, but not bad anyways. I give your rankings a B-minus. Probably the highest mark you'll get all season.
Robert Lan
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

STEIN: And for that B-minus, on this Thanksgiving, we are truly grateful. Never expected such lofty approval.

10. Can we get Marc Stein to do the NHL power rankings? He does a much better job than whoever is doing them now.
Frank Tolic
Austin, Texas

STEIN: Thanks, Frank. Got sick of the hockey folks coming over to tell the committee about all the e-mails they get, asking them to take over the NBA rankings.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here