Phoenix regains No. 1 spot; the Sixers drop four spots | NBA power rankings

In a week in which every team in the top 15 lost at least once, the Phoenix Suns have replaced the Utah Jazz as the No. 1 team in The Inquirer’s NBA power rankings. The Sixers, who were third last week, dropped to No. 7.

Records are through Monday. Last week’s rankings are in parentheses.

1. Phoenix, 43-18 (2)

The Suns ended 3-2 on their five-game road trip after beating the New York Knicks, 118-110, on Monday behind 33 points from Devin Booker. On Sunday, the Suns lost, 128-119, at Brooklyn. During the road trip, the Suns beat Milwaukee, 128-127, in OT and then defeated the Sixers, 116-113, before losing at Boston and Brooklyn. On Monday, the Suns snapped the Knicks’ nine-game winning streak.

2. Brooklyn, 41-20 (6)

Maybe Blake Griffin has something left. He had 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench in a 134-129 win at New Orleans. The Nets then lost in Tampa to Toronto before finishing with home wins over Boston and Phoenix. After missing three games with a left thigh contusion, Kevin Durant returned to score 33 in just more than 28 minutes during Sunday’s 128-119 win over Phoenix.

3. L.A. Clippers, 43-20 (4)

The Clippers had a four-game win streak snapped with Monday’s 120-103 loss at New Orleans. Kawhi Leonard missed his fourth straight game with a foot injury. In a statistical oddity, the Clippers lost despite hitting all 17 of their free throws.

4. Utah, 44-17 (1)

Hard to believe that the Jazz lost two in a row to Minnesota, 101-96 at home on Saturday and 105-104 on the road Monday. Donovan Mitchell missed his fifth straight game with a sprained ankle Monday, and the Jazz are 2-3 in those contests.

» READ MORE: The Sixers are suddenly staring at a worst-case scenario. To avoid it, they must play, and win. | David Murphy

5. Denver, 40-21 (5)

The Nuggets have won two in a row and six of seven with Monday’s 120-96 home win over Memphis behind 31 points from Michael Porter Jr. Since losing Jamal Murray to a season-ending ACL injury, the Nuggets are 6-1.

6. Milwaukee, 37-23 (8)

After beating an injury-depleted Sixers team twice in three days, the Bucks lost at Atlanta on Sunday, 111-104. Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 28.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists to lead the Bucks in all three categories.

7. Sixers, 40-21 (3)

After losing a season-high four in a row (with Ben Simmons missing all four games because of illness), the Sixers snapped their streak with Monday’s 121-90 home win against Oklahoma City, which dropped its 14th consecutive game.

8. Dallas, 33-27 (13)

After a three-game win streak that included two home victories over the Lakers, the Mavericks lost Monday at Sacramento, 113-106. Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. each shot 8-for-20 in the loss.

9. L.A. Lakers, 36-25 (7)

After losing at home to Utah and then consecutive games in Dallas, the Lakers won, 114-103, Monday in Orlando. It was the third game back for Anthony Davis after he missed 30 with a calf strain. He had 18 points and eight rebounds.

10. New York, 34-28 (14)

The Knicks saw their nine-game win streak snapped during Monday’s 118-110 home loss to Phoenix. During the win streak, Julius Randle averaged 30.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 6.2 assists.

11. Atlanta, 34-28 (11)

After a win at home Sunday, 111-104 over Milwaukee in which former Sixer Lou Williams scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter, Atlanta lost at Detroit on Monday. 100-86. Trae Young missed his third straight game with a left ankle sprain. This season, the Hawks are 5-3 when Young is sidelined. Atlanta will visit the Sixers for two games in three days beginning Wednesday.

12. Boston, 32-29 (9)

After winning six in a row, the Celtics have lost three of four, including their last two games, by 109-104 at Brooklyn on Friday and 125-104 at Charlotte on Sunday. Two-time All-Star Jayson Tatum is averaging 25.7 points.

13. Portland, 32-28 (10)

The Trail Blazers have lost five in a row, but all were relatively close. The five losses were by an average of 3.8 points. The streak began with a 109-101 loss at Charlotte and was followed by home defeats to the Clippers, Denver and two against Memphis.

14. Miami, 32-30 (12)

After losing at Atlanta on Friday, the Heat split two home games against Chicago, winning by 106-101 on Saturday and losing 110-102 on Monday despite 33 points from Jimmy Butler. The Bulls denied coach Erik Spoelstra (599-421) a chance at his 600th career win.

» READ MORE: The Sixers’ Danny Green is a coach on the floor who provides much more | Off the Dribble

15. Memphis, 31-29 (15)

The Grizzlies ended a seven-game road trip with Monday’s 120-96 loss at Denver. Memphis went 4-3 on the road trip, with two of the losses at Denver. Ja Morant led the Grizzlies in scoring in each of the final five games on the trip, averaging 29.2 points.

16. San Antonio, 31-29 (16)

The Spurs won their third in a row and ended Washington’s eight-game win streak with Monday’s 146-143 overtime road triumph over the Wizards. DeMar DeRozan scored 37 points, one shy of his season high.

17. Golden State, 31-30 (17)

Steph Curry’s streak of scoring 30 or more points ended at a career-best 11 in Wednesday’s 118-114 loss at Washington when he scored 18, shooting 2-for-14 from three-point range. In the 11 games, he averaged 40 points and 7.1 three-pointers and shot 49.7% from beyond the arc. After that loss, Golden State had home wins over Denver and Sacramento, with Curry scoring 32 and 37 points, respectively.

18. Charlotte, 30-30 (18)

After road losses to New York and Chicago, the Hornets ended the week with home wins against Cleveland and Boston. Miles Bridges is averaging 20.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in his last 10 games.

19. Indiana, 29-31 (21)

The Pacers have won three in a row, home against Oklahoma City and Detroit and Sunday at Orlando. Malcolm Brogdon led the Pacers in scoring all three games and averaged 26.3 points in those wins.

20. Washington, 27-34 (22)

The Wizards saw their eight-game win streak end during Monday’s 146-143 overtime home loss to San Antonio. Bradley Beal had 46 points in the setback, and during the win streak, he averaged 32.1 points.

21. New Orleans, 27-34 (20)

Despite Monday’s 120-103 home win over the Clippers, the Pelicans have their work cut out. They remain four games out of the final play-in spot with 11 to play. Against the Clippers, all five starters scored in double figures, led by Zion Williamson’s 23 points. It was the 10th straight game he has scored 20 or more points.

22. Toronto, 26-35 (19)

The Raptors have won five of six including Monday’s 112-96 home win over Cleveland. Toronto is a game out of the final play-in spot. Pascal Siakam is averaging 25.7 points in his last nine games.

23. Chicago, 26-35 (23)

The Bulls got to within a game of the final play-in spot with Monday’s 110-102 win at Miami. Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points. He has faced Miami five times, three with Orlando and two with the Bulls, and is 2-3 against the Heat.

24. Sacramento, 25-36 (24)

The Kings split two home games against Minnesota, lost at Golden State, and ended the week with a 113-106 home win over Dallas. De’Aaron Fox has missed the last two games while in the health and safety protocol. Rookie Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points and 10 assists in the win over Dallas.

25. Detroit, 19-43 (25)

The Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak with Monday’s 100-86 home win over Atlanta. Guard Frank Jackson scored 18 points off the bench and he has averaged 13.1 points in his last seven games.

26. Minnesota, 18-44 (28)

The Wolves beat the Jazz in two straight games this past week, 101-96 at Utah on Saturday and 105-104 on home Monday. Minnesota finished 3-0 this season against Utah.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ path to Eastern Conference title won’t come down to having the easiest remaining schedule

27. Cleveland, 21-40 (26)

The Cavaliers have dropped six of seven including Monday’s 112-96 road loss to the Toronto Raptors in Tampa. Cleveland had just nine available players. Darius Garland scored 13 points, ending a streak of six consecutive games scoring 20 or more points.

28. Orlando, 18-43 (27)

The Magic lost their sixth straight game during Monday’s 114-103 home defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers. In Sunday’s 131-112 home loss to Indiana, rookie Devin Cannady, the finals MVP in the G League playoffs, suffered a dislocated ankle, and he had surgery Monday.

29. Houston, 15-46 (29)

The Rockets have lost four in a row and nine of 10. Amid all the losing, John Wall has enjoyed a solid season, averaging 20.6 points and 6.9 assists.

30. Oklahoma City, 20-41 (30)

Monday’s loss to the Sixers was the Thunder’s 14th consecutive defeat, tying a franchise record. Former St. Joseph’s star Charlie Brown Jr., just signed to a 10-day contact, made his Thunder debut against the Sixers and scored five points.