NBA-best Utah Jazz remain on top; Sixers stay among top 10 teams | NBA power rankings
The surging Jazz have won eight in a row and 19 of their last 20 games, including Monday's contest against the Sixers.
After Monday’s 134-123 win over the 76ers, Utah has remained No. 1 for the second straight week in The Inquirer’s NBA power rankings.
The Sixers, who were third last week, dropped to eighth after a 1-3 week.
Records are through Monday. Last week’s rankings in parentheses.
1. Utah (23-5) (1)
During their current eight-game win streak, the Jazz have victories over two teams with current winning records, Milwaukee and the Sixers.
2. LA Lakers (21-7) (2)
The Lakers say an MRI showed that Anthony Davis had no rupture of the right Achilles tendon, but he will miss time. LA saw its seven-game win streak snapped with Sunday’s 122-105 loss at Denver.
3. LA Clippers (21-8) (4)
Philadelphia’s Marcus Morris had season highs with 23 points on Sunday in a win over Cleveland and 32 points in Monday’s win over Miami. During the Clippers’ current four-game win streak, he’s averaging 21.3 ppg.
4. Milwaukee (16-11) (5)
The Bucks are 1-3 since Jrue Holiday was placed on the health and safety protocol list. During this span, the Bucks won at Denver, before losing at Phoenix, Utah and Oklahoma City.
5. Brooklyn (17-12) (6)
After starting out the week with a loss at Detroit, Brooklyn won three in a row over Indiana and at Golden State and Sacramento. Kyrie Irving averaged 32.6 points in the three wins.
6. Phoenix (17-9) (7)
Devin Booker during the Suns’ six-game win streak: 28.3 ppg., 5.7 apg., 4.8 rpg., 43.8% three-point. All six wins over Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, Milwaukee, the Sixers and Orlando, have come at home.
7. Portland (16-10) (11)
During the four-game win streak over Orlando, the Sixers, Cleveland and Dallas, Damian Lillard averaged an even 30 points a game, the total he had against the Sixers.
8. Sixers (18-10) (3)
For the second time this year, the Sixers have a three-game losing streak after losses to Portland, Phoenix and Utah. The silver lining: those three teams are a combined 56-24.
9. San Antonio (16-11) (8)
DeMar DeRozan is shooting .333 from three-point range, the second-best percentage of his career. The Spurs have won five of six, losing only to Golden State, a team they also beat in this span.
10. Denver (15-11) (10)
Nikola Jokic has not missed a game. He is averaging 26.5 ppg., 11.5 rpg., 8.7 apg. While the Nuggets have been inconsistent, they have consecutive home wins over Cleveland, Oklahoma City and the Lakers and now hit the road to face Boston, Washington and Atlanta.
11. Golden State (15-13) (14)
Stephen Curry scored 36 points in Monday’s 128-98 win over Cleveland. It was the ninth time this year he has scored 35 or more points. The Warriors went 3-1 last week, winning at San Antonio, beating Orlando, losing to Brooklyn and routing Cleveland on Monday.
12. Boston (13-13) (9)
The Celtics have lost consecutive games to Detroit and Washington and they desperately need to add more offensive depth before the March 25 trade deadline.
13. Indiana (14-14) (13)
Pacers are just 3-7 in their last 10 games. The Pacers, have won two of their last three with wins at Detroit at Atlanta before Monday’s overtime home loss to Chicago.
14. Toronto (12-15) (16)
If the Raptors are able to acquire Andre Drummond, as the rumors suggest, they could become a factor in the Eastern Conference. They had won five of six, before taking a step backward in losses at home against Boston and at Minnesota.
15. Memphis (11-11) (19)
Ja Morant: 18.4 ppg., 8.0 apg., 3.0 turnovers per game, 26.1% three-point. The Grizzlies had lost five of six before winning at Sacramento on Sunday.
16. Dallas (13-15) (20)
Luka Doncic in his last three games: 39.3 ppg., 10.3 apg., 8.3 rpg., 52.2% three-point. Before Sunday’s 121-118 home loss to Portland, Dallas had won four in a row, all at home against Golden State, Minnesota, Atlanta and New Orleans.
17. New York (14-15) (26)
Mitchell Robinson suffered a fractured right hand in Friday’s loss to Washington and his absence will hurt the Knicks in their playoff drive. With wins over Washington, Atlanta and Houston, the Knicks take a three-game win streak into Wednesday’s game at Orlando.
18. Charlotte (13-15) (17)
Terry Rozier in his last three games: 36.0 ppg., 53.6% three-point. The Hornets only won the middle game vs. Minnesota, while also losing at Memphis and home against San Antonio.
19. Miami (11-16) (21)
The Heat are 8-7 when Jimmy Butler plays. After winning four in a row and gaining momentum, the Heat lost their last two at Utah and at the LA Clippers, in a game with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George sidelined by injuries.
20. Sacramento (12-15) (12)
Last week’s 119-110 loss to the Sixers kicked off the beginning of a four-game losing streak. The Kings’ problem continues to be the defense. They are last in the NBA in defensive rating (117.8).
21. Oklahoma City (11-15) (22)
What a tough-luck week for the Thunder, who lost consecutive overtime games to the host Lakers and then dropped a 97-95 decision at Denver before Sunday’s 114-109 home win over Milwaukee. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 22.6 ppg., 6.5 apg., 3.0 turnovers per game., while shooting 38.2% from three-point range.
22. Atlanta (11-16) (15)
Considered a potential playoff team before the season, the Hawks have lost four in a row and seven of eight.
23. New Orleans (11-15) (23)
The Pelicans are 28th in defensive rating (115) and have allowed 131.6 ppg., during their current three-game losing streak, road games at Chicago, Dallas and Detroit.
24. Chicago (11-15) (25)
Zach LaVine is averaging 28.1 ppg., while shooting 51.9% from the field, including 43.0% from three-point range. The Bulls are just 4-9 at home and 7-6 on the road.
25. Houston (11-16) (18)
John Wall scored 29 points, but shot just 1 of 7 from three-point range in Monday’s 131-119 loss to his former Washington Wizards team. The Rockets hold a six-game losing streak when they visit the Sixers on Wednesday.
26. Cleveland (10-19) (24)
The Cavs are 1-10 since starting the season 9-9. They have lost eight in a row, including six by 10 or more points.
27. Orlando (10-18) (27)
Since losing Markelle Fultz to a season-ending torn ACL, the Magic are 4-16. One of those wins came Friday at Sacramento, stopping a three-game losing streak.
28. Washington (8-17) (28)
The Wizards have won two in a row for the second time this season with home wins over Boston and Houston. Bradley Beal averaged 36 points in the two wins.
29. Detroit (8-19) (29)
In Friday’s 108-102 win at Boston, former Villanova star Saddiq Bey had 30 points, 12 rebounds and hit all seven three-pointers, off the bench. He named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The Pistons followed that up with Sunday’s 123-112 win over New Orleans for their first multi-game win streak this season.
30. Minnesota (7-20) (30)
Karl-Anthony Towns is the all-time franchise leader with 522 three-point field goals. He recently surpassed Andrew Wiggins who had 520. Minnesota ended a four-game losing streak with Sunday’s 116-112 victory at Toronto.