The Sixers remain in the Top 10; the Clippers move to the top spot | NBA power rankings

The Los Angeles Clippers have replaced the Los Angeles Lakers in the top spot in the third weekly Inquirer NBA power rankings.

The Brooklyn Nets, with the addition of James Harden and riding a four-game win streak, made the biggest leap into the Top 10. The Nets, 2-0 with Harden, advanced from No. 14 to No. 3 after Monday’s 125-123 win over Milwaukee.

The Sixers, after a 2-2 week, remained No. 7.

All records are through Monday Jan. 18, with last week’s rankings in parentheses.

1. Los Angeles Clippers (10-4) (4)

The Clippers have won four in a row and are starting to hit their stride. In the four games, Paul George is averaging 25.3 points, shooting .533 from three-point range, and has averaged a plus-11.5 rating.

2. Los Angeles Lakers (11-4) (1)

The Lakers saw their five-game win streak snapped with Monday’s 115-113 loss to visiting Golden State. All four Lakers losses have come at home.

3. Brooklyn (9-6) (14)

Harden, in his two games for the Nets, is averaging 33 points, 13 assists, and 9 rebounds.

4. Milwaukee (9-5) (3)

On Friday, the Bucks beat Dallas, 112-109, but Giannis Antetokounmpo hit just 1 of 10 free throws. He was 6-for-8 in Monday’s 125-123 loss to Brooklyn.

5. Boston (8-4) (2)

Kemba Walker made his season debut in Sunday’s 105-75 loss to the New York Knicks, shooting just 1-for-8 from three-point range. The Celtics will visit the Sixers on Wednesday and Friday.

6. Utah (9-4) (5)

The Jazz have won five in a row. Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points off the bench in the most recent victory, Sunday’s 109-105 win over Denver.

7. Sixers (9-5) (7)

The Sixers are 0-3 without Joel Embiid and 9-2 with him.

8. Indiana (8-5) (9)

Caris LeVert, acquired from Brooklyn in a four-team trade, will be out indefinitely after an MRI revealed a small mass on his left kidney during a physical, the Pacers announced.

9. Phoenix (7-5) (6)

This move by Deandre Ayton (12.9 ppg., 11.7 rpg.) is Embiid-like:

10. San Antonio (8-6) (15)

DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and Rudy Gay all scored 20 or more points Monday in a 125-104 win at Portland.

11. Golden State (7-6) (11)

The Warriors, trailing by as many as 19 points, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, 115-113. Former Villanova star Eric Paschall scored 19 points off the bench.

12. Portland (8-6) (13)

CJ McCollum has suffered a sprained left foot. He is off to his best start, averaging 26.7 points.

13. Memphis (7-6) (25)

In his first game after missing eight with a left ankle sprain, Ja Morant was the differences in Saturday’s 106-104 win over the Sixers, with 17 points and six assists. He had 17 points and 10 assists in Monday’s 108-104 win over Phoenix, the fifth victory in a row for the Grizzlies.

14. Denver (6-7) (12)

Despite Nikola Jokic (25.0 ppg, 11.4 rpg. 10.3 apg.), the Nuggets have been among the more disappointing teams.

15. Miami (5-7) (8)

The Heat are 1-3 with Jimmy Butler in health and safety protocols, including two losses last week to the Sixers.

16. Dallas (6-7) (10)

Luka Doncic had 36 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists in Sunday’s 117-101 loss to Chicago. Afterward, Doncic said he played “selfish” a little bit in the second half. He became the fourth NBA player to have at least 35 points, 15 assists and 15 rebounds in a game, joining Oscar Robertson (five times) and Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden (one each).

17. Toronto (5-8) (23)

The Raptors have won three in a row and were especially impressive in Monday’s 116-93 win over Dallas.

18. Oklahoma City (6-6) (17)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (21.6 ppg.) has led the Thunder in scoring in nine of their 12 games, including the last seven.

19 New York (7-8) (24)

Julius Randle is averaging 22.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 6.1 assists for the surprising Knicks, who would be a playoff team if the season ended today.

20. Charlotte (6-8) (16)

The Hornets went from winning four in a row to losing their last three.

21. New Orleans (5-7) (18)

In his last four games, Zion Williamson is averaging 26.8 points, about four more than his season average.

22. Atlanta (6-7) (21)

The Hawks looked like world beaters in last week’s 112-94 win over an undermanned Sixers team, but have been wildly inconsistent.

23 Cleveland (6-7) (26)

Center Andre Drummond, an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, continues to play out of his mind. He had 33 points and 23 rebounds in Friday’s 106-103 win over the Knicks.

24. Chicago (6-8) (27)

The Bulls squandered a 22-point second-half lead in Friday’s 127-125 overtime loss at Oklahoma City, but came back with consecutive wins over Dallas and Houston.

25. Orlando (6-8) (19)

In the six games since former Sixer Markelle Fultz suffered a season-ending ACL injury, the Magic are 0-6.

26. Sacramento (5-9) (22)

It’s never good when you hear quotes like this (which came this weekend) from forward Harrison Barnes: “We are playing soft,” he said after a 138-100 loss to the Clippers.

27. Houston (4-8) (20)

Victor Oladipo had 32 points and nine rebounds in his Rockets debut, Monday’s 125-120 loss at Chicago.

28. Washington (3-8) (28)

The Wizards haven’t played since Jan. 11, and Wednesday’s game vs. Charlotte will be the fifth straight postponed because of health and safety protocols.

29. Minnesota (3-9) (29)

Such sad news that Karl-Anthony Towns, who lost his mother and six other relatives to COVID, tested positive for the virus.

30. Detroit (3-10) (30)

Jerami Grant has been the Pistons’ leading scorer in the last 12 games.