NBA Power Rankings: Week 7
Power Rankings
- Golden State Warriors 18-9 UP 1
The Warriors reclaim their spot atop the rankings after the return of Steph Curry sparking a three-game winning streak. Curry had 42 points in his second game back from injury. The Warriors finished their Eastern Conference road trip 3-2 and play Minnesota, Toronto and Sacramento this week.
2. Toronto Raptors 21-7 DOWN 1
Toronto dropped three games this week but did manage to beat the 76ers. The Raptors still lay claim to the league’s best record but need to play better if they want to keep it that way. Toronto starts a four-game road trip this week against the Clippers, Warriors, Blazers and Nuggets.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 16-8 SAME
Paul George hit his first career game-winner against Brooklyn that netted him 47 points on the night. George is having a phenomenal year and is a huge reason why the Thunder have the best defense in the NBA. Oklahoma City takes on Utah, New Orleans, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers this week.
4. Philadelphia 76ers 18-9 UP 2
Philadelphia is 9-3 since the Jimmy Butler trade. Butler has looked great in a Sixers jersey and is shooting a career high 40 percent from 3-point range this season, 42 percent since he has been in Philadelphia. Markelle Fultz is still away from the team and was diagnosed with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome and doesn’t know when he will be back with the team. The Sixers play Detroit, Indiana, Brooklyn and Cleveland this week.
5. Denver Nuggets 17-9 UP 4
Denver finished its road trip 3-2 while dropping the final two games to Charlotte and Atlanta. The team is now riddled with injuries as Paul Millsap, Gary Harris, Isaiah Thomas, Will Barton and Jamal Murray currently hurt. The Nuggets take on Memphis, Oklahoma City and Toronto this week.
6. Los Angeles Lakers 16-10 DOWN 1
The Lakers have won five of six and are looking great lately. They’ve been playing well against high quality opponents, opposite of what they were doing at the beginning of the season. Lonzo Ball has been in trade rumors with John Wall, but the team shot those down quickly. The Lakers play Miami, Houston, Charlotte and Washington this week
7. Los Angeles Clippers 16-9 DOWN 3
The Clippers continue to be the most surprising team in the NBA. Tobias Harris won the league’s first Western Conference Player of the Month award of the season after leading Los Angeles to one of the top records in the NBA. The Clippers take on Phoenix, Toronto, San Antonio and Oklahoma City this week.
8. Milwaukee Bucks 17-8 DOWN 1
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a win over league-leading Toronto with 19 points and 19 rebounds this week. The Bucks also traded for Cavaliers guard George Hill, giving up Matthew Dellavedova, John Henson and a pair of 2021 draft picks. Milwaukee takes on Cleveland twice and Indiana this week.
9. Memphis Grizzlies 15-10 DOWN 1
Joakim Noah played his first game as a Grizzly this week after signing a 1-year veteran’s minimum deal with the team. Memphis has continued to go with the grit-n-grind style and it is still working for them. The Grizzlies play Denver, Portland, Miami and Houston this week.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves 13-13 UP 2
Minnesota has won six of its past eight games. Andrew Wiggins has had a rough start to the year, not even eclipsing 23 points in any game this season, while he averaged over 23 points per game last season. The Wolves take on Golden State, Sacramento and Phoenix all on the road this week.
11. Boston Celtics 15-10 UP 4
Boston has won five in a row and is looking much better as of late. The Celtics moved Jaylen Brown to the bench and he proceeded to score 23 points in a 56-point blowout win over Chicago. Boston takes on New Orleans, Washington, Atlanta and Detroit this week.
12. Indiana Pacers 16-10 UP 4
Indiana has won three-straight after struggling initially following Victor Oladipo’s injury. Bogdan Bogdanovic has stepped up the scoring recently with Oladipo’s absence. The Pacers take on Washington, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and New York this week.
13. Utah Jazz 13-14 UP 1
Utah thumped the Spurs and Rockets at home this week then lost to the Spurs on the road. Donovan Mitchell went scoreless in the first-half Sunday against the Spurs before busting out 27 second-half points in a losing effort. Utah plays Oklahoma City, Miami and Orlando this week.
14. Detroit Pistons 13-11 DOWN 1
Detroit has dropped four-straight, all to very good teams. Blake Griffin has scored over 30 points in each of his past three games. Detroit takes on Philadelphia, Charlotte and Boston this week.
15. Portland Trail Blazers 15-11 DOWN 4
Portland snapped a three-game skid with a win over Phoenix on Thursday follow by a win over Minnesota on Saturday. Damian Lillard is playing at an All-NBA level again this season. The Blazers take on Houston, Memphis and Toronto this week.
16. Dallas Mavericks 13-11 UP 6
Luka Doncic is a phenomenal player. The Kings must be kicking themselves for not picking him second in the draft. Doncic leads rookies in points and has been a clutch player for the Mavs this season. Dallas plays Orlando, Atlanta, Phoenix and Sacramento this week.
17. New Orleans Pelicans 14-14 SAME
The Pelicans can’t seem to put a win streak together as of late, going 3-3 over their last six. The team had a scare with Anthony Davis leaving a game with an apparent injury, but he would end up fine. New Orleans plays Boston, Oklahoma City and Miami this week.
18. San Antonio Spurs 13-14 UP 1
San Antonio lost to the Jazz and Lakers on the road then ended the week by beating both teams at home. DeMar DeRozan has looked like a completely different player in the Spurs new system. San Antonio takes on the Suns, Clippers and Bulls this week.
19. Charlotte Hornets 12-13 UP 1
Charlotte ended its three-game skid by beating Denver at home Friday. The Hornets defeated New York Sunday behind Kemba Walker’s 25 points. Charlotte plays Detroit, New York, and the Los Angeles Lakers this week.
20. Orlando Magic 12-14 DOWN 2
Orlando has been better than expected this season, partly due to the emergence of Nikola Vucevic as a high-volume scorer. Vucevic is averaging a career high 21 points per game, six points better than his career average of 15. The Magic take on Dallas, Chicago and Utah this week.
21. Sacramento Kings 13-12 SAME
Sacramento has slowed down a bit after its hot start to the season. De’Aaron Fox has been lights out for the team, increasing his stats in every category from last year. The Kings take on Chicago, Minnesota, Golden State and Dallas this week.
22. Houston Rockets 11-14 DOWN 12
Houston has dropped three-straight. The Rockets are in turmoil and don’t look like they will be getting out of it anytime soon. Houston needs to change something, or they are at risk of missing the playoffs. The Rockets take on the Blazers, Lakers and Grizzlies this week.
23. Washington Wizards 11-15 UP 2
Washington continues to be surrounded by trade rumors of John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr. The Wizards recently won three games in a row but somehow lost by 15 to the Cavaliers on Saturday. Washington takes on Indiana, Boston, Brooklyn and the Los Angeles Lakers this week.
24. Miami Heat 11-14 DOWN 1
Miami has won four of five with Dwyane Wade scoring 25 against the Clippers on Saturday. The Heat have reportedly been looking to trade Hassan Whiteside but can’t find a trade suitor yet. Miami plays the Lakers, Jazz, Grizzlies and Pelicans this week.
25. New York Knicks 8-19 DOWN 1
Kevin Knox had a breakout game in the Knicks loss to Charlotte on Sunday with 26 points and 15 rebounds. Frank Ntilikina added a career-high 18 points in the game. New York takes a road trip this week with games at Cleveland, Charlotte and Indiana.
26. Brooklyn Nets 10-18 SAME
Brooklyn snapped its eight-game losing streak by beating Toronto in overtime on Friday and then beat New York on the road on Sunday. The Nets are continuing to play hard but still don’t have enough talent to win many games. Brooklyn takes on Philadelphia, Washington and Atlanta this week.
27. Chicago Bulls 6-21 SAME
Chicago players called for a meeting after losing by a franchise-worst 56 points to Boston on Saturday. The team reportedly had a very real conversation with interim coach Jim Boylen about the team’s direction. The Bulls play Sacramento, Orlando and San Antonio this week.
28. Cleveland Cavaliers 6-20 UP 1
Cleveland flipped Kyle Korver and George Hill for younger players and draft assets in the past week. Alec Burks made a game-winning dunk in his first game with the team and fans gave a standing ovation to Matthew Dellavedova when he joined the team on Saturday. The Cavs play Milwaukee twice, New York and Philadelphia this week.
29. Atlanta Hawks 6-20 UP 1
John Collins has led the Hawks in scoring in their previous four games, only one of which was a win. Trae Young continues to be a phenomenal rookie, leading all rookies in assists and has almost double the amount that second-place Luka Doncic does.
30. Phoenix Suns 4-22 DOWN 2
Phoenix is in shambles currently. The team has lost eight games in a row and decided not to start Deandre Ayton for some reason against Portland. The Suns take on the Clippers, Spurs, Mavericks and Timberwolves this week.