The Lakers three-game losing streak — although it has its reasons — dropped the team a couple of spots in this week's rankings, so the hottest teams in the East and West moved up. Milwaukee locked itself into this top spot with a comfortable win last Thursday over the Lakers — and Giannis Antetokounmpo locked himself in as the early MVP leader with his performance that game. Milwaukee has a Christmas Day showdown with Philadelphia — a team built with beating the Bucks in mind — but then the schedule softens up with 10-straight against below .500 teams.