Utah remains No. 1; Sixers drop again | NBA power rankings

Despite having its nine-game win streak snapped on Monday by Dallas, the Utah Jazz remain No. 1 in the latest Inquirer NBA power rankings. The Western Conference has the top three teams: Utah, Denver and Phoenix. After a 2-2 week, the Sixers have dropped from third to sixth.

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

1. Utah (38-12) (1)

The Jazz saw their nine-game win streak snapped during Monday’s 111-103 loss at Dallas. Utah shot 12-for-44 from three-point range (27.3%). The Jazz have had three different win streaks this season of nine or more games.

2. Denver (31-18) (6)

The Nuggets have won five in a row but the most recent one, Sunday’s 119-109 victory over Orlando, wasn’t easy. Denver trailed by 18 points at the half. Aaron Gordon scored 24 points against his old team. Gordon is averaging 14.3 points in his first four games with Denver.

3. Phoenix (35-14) (5)

Monday’s 133-130 win at Houston was the Suns’ sixth consecutive victory. Four players had 19 or more points, led by Devin Booker’s 36 points. Chris Paul had 11 assists, his 500th career game of 10 or more assists. During the six-game win streak, Booker has averaged 29.8 points.

4. Brooklyn (35-16) (4)

The Nets had a four-game winning streak snapped with Sunday’s 115-107 loss at Chicago. James Harden suffered a hamstring injury in Wednesday’s 120-108 home win over his former Houston team. Harden missed two games and returned in Monday’s 114-112 home win over the Knicks but only lasted 4 minutes and 22 seconds before suffering the same injury. Kyrie Irving bailed the Nets out with 40 points. Monday was the 23rd straight game that Kevin Durant has missed with a hamstring injury.

5. L.A. Clippers (33-18) (2)

Rajon Rondo made his Clippers debut Sunday, with two points, three assists and two steals in a 104-96 win over the Lakers. That snapped a two-game losing streak to Orlando and Denver at home. Rondo’s leadership is something the Clippers were lacking, and he could be a difference maker, especially with his extensive postseason experience.

6. Sixers (34-16) (3)

The Sixers went 2-2 this week, losing at Denver, winning at Cleveland, beating Minnesota at home and ending with Sunday’s 116-100 home loss to Memphis. Joel Embiid returned against Minnesota after missing the previous 10 games with a left knee bone bruise. He had 24 points and eight rebounds in Saturday’s 122-113 win over Minnesota and then was out against Memphis due to left knee recovery.

7. Milwaukee (32-18) (7)

During Friday’s 127-109 win at Portland, Giannis Antetokounmpo shot 18-for-18 from two-point range (he was 0-for-3 on threes). According to ESPN Stats, he tied Wilt Chamberlain for most two-pointers made without a miss. The Bucks’ immediate future was settled when Jrue Holiday agreed to a four-year extension last week. Milwaukee has won three in a row, on the road against the Lakers, Portland and Sacramento.

» READ MORE: Five teams besides the Nets that the Sixers should fear in the NBA playoffs | David Murphy

8. L.A. Lakers (31-19) (8)

The Lakers are hoping to tread water without the injured LeBron James and Anthony Davis. James has missed the last eight games with a high ankle sprain, and the Lakers are 3-5 in those games. This past week included a home loss to Milwaukee, a win over Sacramento and a loss to the Clippers.

9. Dallas (28-21) (10)

The Mavericks won their fifth game in a row with Monday’s 111-103 home victory over Utah. Luka Doncic scored 31 points as the Mavs ended Utah’s nine-game winning streak. After former Sixer Boban Marjanovic had 15 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday’s 109-87 win at Washington, Mavs coach had the quote of the week, having fun with Marjanovic about his new commercial stardom. “Boban’s got a lot going on,” Carlisle said. “He’s got to fit us into his commercial making schedule.” Marjanovic and Sixers forward Tobias Harris currently have a hit in the commercial for Goldfish snacks.

10. Portland (30-19) (9)

The week included a win at Detroit, loss at home to Milwaukee and a home win over Oklahoma City. Two big road games are coming up, Tuesday at the Clippers and Thursday at Utah. In 11 games since returning from a broken foot, C.J. McCollum is averaging 20.4 points and the Trail Blazers are 8-3.

11. Atlanta (26-24) (13)

Don’t look now, but the Hawks are battling for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. After losing at Phoenix, the Hawks had road wins over San Antonio and New Orleans before ending their week with a home victory over Golden State as Clint Capela had 24 points and 18 rebounds.

12. Miami (26-24) (18)

The up-and-down Heat have won four in a row with victories at New York and Indiana and home against Golden State and Cleveland. Jimmy Butler remains the leader, but he is only shooting 20.6% from three-point range.

13. Charlotte (25-24) (11)

More bad injury news for Gordon Hayward (19.6 ppg.), as it was announced Saturday he would be lost for at least four weeks with a right foot sprain. The Hornets split four road games, winning at Washington and Indiana, and losing against Brooklyn and Boston.

14. Memphis (24-23) (15)

After a 111-107 home loss to Utah, Memphis beat Minnesota at home on Friday and then scored a 116-100 win over the Sixers on Sunday in Philadelphia. Seven players scored in double figures against the Sixers, led by Dillon Brooks’ 17 points. The Grizzlies swept the two-game season series from the Sixers, although Joel Embiid didn’t play in either.

15. Boston (25-25) (16)

In Friday’s 120-102 home win over Houston, center Robert Williams scored 20 points, shooting 9-for-9 and added nine rebounds and eight assists. The Celtics followed that with Sunday’s 116-86 win over Charlotte. After shooting 0-for-10 in his Boston debut during a 115-109 home loss to New Orleans, Evan Fournier has averaged 15.3 points in his past three games while shooting 61.1% from three-point range. He was acquired from Orlando at the March 25 trade deadline.

16. New York (25-26) (14)

The Knicks have lost four of five following Monday’s 114-112 defeat at Brooklyn. Julius Randle had a triple-double against the Nets: 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists.

17. San Antonio (24-24) (12)

The slumping Spurs finished their homestand with a 2-7 record following Monday’s 125-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. San Antonio has lost three in a row, which began with a 134-129 double-overtime loss to Atlanta and a 139-133 overtime loss to Indiana.

» READ MORE: Teen ‘Diddy’ protege works himself to exhaustion: Behind the Sixers’ groundbreaking ‘Buy Black’ program | Marcus Hayes

18. Golden State (23-27) (17)

On Friday, Golden State lost 130-77 at Toronto in a game the Warriors trailed by as many as 61. The Warriors didn’t play with Steph Curry and Draymond Green due to injuries. Golden State has lost three in a row and seven of eight. At least Curry remains entertaining as seen below.

19. New Orleans (22-27) (19)

The Pelicans have been going through some key injuries, including Zion Williamson, who has missed the last three games with a strained right thumb. After home losses to Atlanta and Orlando, the Pelicans ended the week with a 122-115 win over Houston as Lonzo Ball had 27 points.

20. Indiana (22-26) (21)

The Pacers ended a three-game losing streak with Sunday’s 139-133 overtime win at San Antonio behind 26 points from Caris LeVert. The former Brooklyn Net is averaging 15.9 points in his 12 games with Indiana.

21. Chicago (20-28) (22)

The Bulls ended a six-game losing streak with Sunday’s 115-107 home win over an injury-plagued Brooklyn Nets team. All-Star guard Zach LaVine had 25 points, just below his season average (27.4 ppg.).

22. Toronto (20-30) (24)

After losing 13 of 14, the Raptors have won two in a row with Friday’s 130-77 home rout of Golden State and Monday’s 103-101 home win over Washington, as Gary Trent Jr. hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. Kyle Lowry missed his third straight game with a foot infection. The Raptors, despite all their struggles, are a game out of the 10th and final spot for a play-in berth.

23. Sacramento (22-29) (20)

The Kings lost their fourth in a row with Monday’s 116-106 loss at Minnesota, despite 31 points from De’Aaron Fox. In the last nine games, Fox has averaged 29 points.

24. Oklahoma City (20-30) (23)

A small silver lining in Friday’s 140-103 loss at Phoenix was that Theo Maledon (33 points) and Aleksej Pokuševski (20) were the first pair of teammates in NBA history under the age of 20 to score 20+ in the same game, according to the Thunder. OKC lost its third in a row during Monday’s 132-108 loss to Detroit.

25. Orlando (17-33) (27)

The Magic split four road games, winning at the Clippers and New Orleans, then losing at Utah and Denver. In five games since being acquired from the Chicago Bulls, Wendell Carter Jr. is averaging 15 points and 9.4 rebounds.

26. Cleveland (18-32) (26)

The Cavs ended a five-game losing streak with Monday’s 125-101 win at San Antonio as Darius Garland scored a career-high 37 points.

27. Washington (17-32) (25)

Monday’s 103-101 loss to Toronto, in which the Wizards squandered a 19-point lead, was their fourth consecutive defeat. Russell Westbrook had a triple-double: 23 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Westbrook leads the NBA with 19 triple-doubles.

28. Detroit (15-35) (28)

The Pistons have won three of their last five following Monday’s 132-108 win at Oklahoma City. In this game, Detroit had nine players score nine or more points, led by Jerami Grant’s 21 points.

29. Minnesota (13-38) (29)

The Wolves went 2-2 this past week — beating the Knicks at home, losing at Memphis and at the Sixers, and winning 116-106 at home on Monday against Sacramento. Karl-Anthony Towns had a season-high 39 points in Saturday’s 122-113 road loss to the Sixers. Here is one of Towns’ finer moments, dunking over Joel Embiid.

30. Houston (13-37) (30)

The Rockets, who earlier this season had a 20-game losing streak, have now lost five in a row after Monday’s 133-130 home loss to Phoenix. During the five-game losing streak, Houston has allowed an average of 122.6 points per game.