2012 NBA power rankings: Hawks remain No. 8

Despite winning four games in a row, the Atlanta Hawks find themselves right where they were last week in ESPN's latest power rankings, as the No. 8 team in the league.

Since suffering back-to-back losses to the Thunder and 76ers, the Hawks have rattled off wins against the Bulls, Pistons, Cavaliers and Pacers. The four-game winning streak, however, isn't enough to budge the Hawks in Marc Stein's final rankings of the 2012 calendar year.

Only two other teams in the Eastern Conference are ranked higher than the Hawks. The Miami Heat are the No. 4 team in the league per Stein, while the New York Knicks are the No. 7 team. Both Miami and New York fell one spot from last week.

Each of the top three spots are occupied by Western Conference teams. The Los Angeles Clippers, riding a 17-game winning streak, are No. 1, while the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are ranked second and third, respectively.