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NBA Power Rankings: Week 4

 

  1. Golden State Warriors 12-6 SAME

The Warriors seemed to have started imploding after the Kevin Durant and Draymond Green fight that led to Green’s suspension from the team in its game Tuesday night. The Warriors beat the Hawks in the game Green missed but then lost to Houston and Dallas. Golden State plays the Thunder, Blazers and Kings this week.

  1. Toronto Raptors 13-4 SAME

Toronto was ready to take over the top spot in the rankings before going on a three-game losing streak this week. They lost to New Orleans, Detroit and Boston before getting a 29-point win over the Bulls Saturday. The Raptors play Orlando, Atlanta, Washington and Miami this week.

  1. Oklahoma City Thunder 10-5 UP 3

Oklahoma City has been surging as of late, winning 10 of its last 11 games. Dennis Shröder has been a great addition to the team and helped immensely while Russell Westbrook was out with an ankle sprain. Shröder is giving the team 16.7 points and 5.7 assists per game this season. The Thunder play Sacramento, Golden State, Charlotte and Denver this week.

  1. Milwaukee Bucks 11-4 DOWN 1

Milwaukee is trying to put together another winning streak after starting 7-0. The team has only lost to current playoff teams this season, recently the Grizzlies and Clippers in overtime. Coach Budenholzer looks to have changed the culture and the Bucks are playing much better under him than they did under Jason Kidd. Milwaukee plays Denver, Portland, Phoenix and San Antonio this week.

  1. Portland Trail Blazers 11-5 DOWN 1

Portland finishes its six-game road trip with games against New York, Milwaukee and Golden State before playing the Clippers at home this week.

  1. Denver Nuggets 10-6 DOWN 1

Denver has struggled a ton after its hot start, going 1-4 over its last five games. The Nuggets only win during the stretch came against 3-13 Atlanta. Denver needs Nikola Jokic to play at an All-Star caliber level again if it wants to win more games. The Nuggets play the Bucks, Wolves, Magic and Thunder this week.

  1. Boston Celtics 9-7 SAME

Boston’s struggles this season have come because of its offense. The team is 27th in offensive rating, even with the fire-power of Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Jason Tatum. The Celtics have stayed above .500 because they have the top defensive rating in the NBA. Boston plays Charlotte, New York, Atlanta and Dallas this week.

  1. Philadelphia 76ers 11-7 UP 1

Philadelphia lost its first game with Jimmy Butler but has won the last two capped with Butler hitting a game-winning three-pointer in overtime against the Hornets. The Sixers look forward to games this week against Phoenix, New Orleans, Cleveland and Brooklyn.

  1. Memphis Grizzlies 10-5 UP 3

Memphis has three-straight after losing to Utah on Monday. Rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. has looked great for the team thus far, posting averages of over 12 points and almost five rebounds per game. The Grizzlies play the Mavericks, Spurs, Clippers and Knicks this week.

  1. Houston Rockets 8-7 UP 3

Houston is playing great lately, winners of seven of its last nine. James Harden seems to be playing at an MVP level again, and Clint Capela is having a career year for the Rockets. Houston takes on Detroit twice and Cleveland this week.

  1. Indiana Pacers 10-6 DOWN 3

Indiana has continued to play solid this season, winning three of its last four games. The team has only lost to last-seasons playoff teams, which is a great thing for the Pacers. Indiana needs to continue beating everyone they are supposed to if they want a high seed in the playoffs this season. The Pacers play Utah, Charlotte and San Antonio this week.

  1. LA Lakers 9-7 UP 4

LeBron James had willed Los Angeles to a 6-2 record over its last eight games. James capped off the weekend by scoring 51 points against his former team, the Heat, in a 113-97 victory. The Lakers play at Cleveland before a two-game homestand against Utah and Orlando this week.

  1. LA Clippers 10-5 UP 4

The Clippers are winners of four-straight with two coming in overtime against Milwaukee and Golden State. The team has a balanced scoring attack with Tobias Harris, Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams all putting up close to 20 points per game. Los Angeles is set to take on Atlanta, Washington, Memphis and Portland this week

  1. San Antonio Spurs 8-7 DOWN 4

The Spurs dropped three-straight before beating Golden State on Sunday night. The team is looking good with DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge as centerpieces, but will it hold up with the amount of mid-range jumpers the two take? San Antonio plays the Pelicans, Grizzlies, Pacers and Bucks this week.

  1. Utah Jazz 8-8 DOWN 4

Utah lost to the Mavericks by 50 on Wednesday, the second-worst margin in franchise history. Utah followed that by blowing a lead in the last minute against the Sixers Friday, then beat Boston Saturday by 12. The Jazz play the Pacers, Kings, Lakers then Kings again this week.

  1. New Orleans Pelicans 9-7 DOWN 2

New Orleans has won five of six while Anthony Davis has played sensationally. Davis has had two-straight 40-point nights against the Knicks and Nuggets. The Pelicans now have five players putting up over 15 points per game, with Davis leading the bunch at 27.5 points per game. New Orleans plays San Antonio, Philadelphia, New York and Washington this week.

  1. Detroit Pistons 7-6 DOWN 2

Detroit has won three of four behind stellar play from Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. Drummond leads the NBA with five games of 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds while no other player has more than one. The Pistons look forward to games against Cleveland, Houston twice and Phoenix this week.

  1. Minnesota Timberwolves 7-10 UP 4

Minnesota won its first three games after trading Jimmy Butler before losing to the Grizzlies Sunday night. Karl-Anthony Towns has played wonderfully after the trade, posting a 20-20 game for the first time this season. Minnesota rides their hot post-Jimmy play into games against Denver, Brooklyn and Chicago this week.

  1. Charlotte Hornets 7-8 DOWN 1

Kemba Walker dropped a career-high 60 points against Philadelphia on Saturday but was unable to will the Hornets to a win, as they lost in overtime. The Hornets have had a tough stretch, losing to the 76ers twice in overtime by a total of four points in just the last two weeks while also getting blown out by Cleveland. The Hornets look to get back on track against Boston, Indiana, Oklahoma City and Atlanta this week.

  1. Sacramento Kings 8-8 SAME

Sacramento has had a rough November after such a hot start to its season, just 3-5 so far this month. The team’s had inconsistent play from its players not name De’Aaron Fox. The Kings look forward to games against the Thunder, Warriors and Jazz twice.

  1. Brooklyn Nets 7-10 SAME

Brooklyn has lost four of five with its only win coming at Washington during the stretch. Caris LeVert’s injury isn’t as bad as it originally seemed and will likely be back sometime this season. The Nets look to take on Miami, Dallas, Minnesota and Philadelphia this week.

  1. Orlando Magic 9-8 UP 1

The Magic have won five of six and are looking very good lately. Nikola Vucevic has played great in November, posting a stat line of 20.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Orlando takes on the Raptors, Nuggets and Lakers this week.

  1. Dallas Mavericks 7-8 UP 1

Dallas has won four-straight including an amazing 50-point blowout of the Jazz at home. The win over Utah was tied for Dallas’ second largest margin of victory in franchise history. The Mavericks play Memphis, Brooklyn and Boston this week.

  1. Washington Wizards 5-11 UP 3

Washington won three games in a row before losing at home to Brooklyn Friday and Portland Sunday. The Wizards need to figure it out quick or someone is going to get traded. Washington has contests against the Clippers, Raptors and Pelicans this week.

  1. Miami Heat 6-10 DOWN 6

The Heat have lost five of six and let LeBron James score 51 points Sunday. Miami really lost out in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes, as it doesn’t seem like they have a solid go-to scorer right now. Miami plays Brooklyn, Chicago and Toronto this week.

  1. Chicago Bulls 4-13 UP 2

Chicago has struggled lately, losing its previous four games, three of them by more than 19 points. Zach LaVine has been the lone bright-spot for the Bulls this season, putting up over 25 points and 5 rebounds per game thus far. The Bulls play Phoenix, Miami and Minnesota this week.

  1. New York Knicks 4-13 DOWN 2

New York has lost five-straight games and allowed at least 128 points in all but one of the games. Enes Kanter has played well off the bench and Tim Hardaway Jr. has had two 30-point games in a row, but the team is still just bad. The Knicks play Portland, Boston, New Orleans and Memphis this week.

  1. Phoenix Suns 3-12 UP 1

Phoenix beat the Spurs by 20 points on Wednesday, marking just its third victory of the season. The Suns will have a tough season being the only team in the West that doesn’t actively seem to be trying to win games. The Suns go on a road trip this week at Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit.

  1. Atlanta Hawks 3-13 DOWN 3

Atlanta has lost seven straight while number five pick Trae Young has played horribly in his last three games. Young has shot just 7-34 in the Hawks last three games while averaging only 6.3 points and 6 assists per game. The Hawks look to get going again with a homestand this week against the Clippers, Raptors, Celtics and Hornets.

  1. Cleveland Cavaliers 2-12 SAME

Cleveland has been atrocious this season, mainly due to Kevin Love’s toe injury.  The Cavs don’t look good at all and seem like they forgot how to play basketball. Cleveland plays the Pistons, Lakers, 76ers, and Rockets this week.

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