NBA Power Rankings: LeBron’s Los Angeles Lakers edge Milwaukee Bucks for top spot
With the Sacramento Kings still hobbled by injuries, and Luka Doncic coming to town Wednesday night to remind them of what they could have had, we focus instead on the top of the heap in The Bee’s power rankings. The Bucks and the Lakers have both won nine of their last 10 games, but watch out for the surprising Utah Jazz, who are storming up the leaderboard with 10 straight wins.
1. Los Angeles Lakers (33-7)
Led by LeBron James, who is averaging 25.5 points, 10.7 assists and 7.8 rebounds in his 17th season, the Lakers have won nine in a row.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (36-6)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is putting up 29.8 PPG, 12.8 RPG and 5.5 APG for the Bucks, who lead the league in net rating (+11.7).
3. Utah Jazz (28-12)
Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic and Rudy Gobert have Utah rolling with a 10-game winning streak.
4. Los Angeles Clippers (28-13)
The Clippers are scary-good with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the floor together. Can they avoid injury over the second half of the season?
5. Houston Rockets (26-13)
James Harden is having a season for the ages in a high-powered offense, but the Rockets are way down the list of contenders in defensive rating (108.6).
6. Boston Celtics (27-11)
Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward have the Celtics on a collision course with the Bucks in the East.
7. Denver Nuggets (27-12)
The Nuggets have slipped a little defensively as of late, but they are figuring things out on offense now that Nikola Jokic is returning to form.
8. Dallas Mavericks (25-15)
Luka Doncic, the boy who could have been a King, is averaging 29.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists in his second season for the Mavs.
9. Miami Heat (27-12)
Jimmy Butler is averaging 20.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists, but he’s shooting just 26.4 percent from 3-point range.
10. Toronto Raptors (25-14)
The Raptors have shown impressive depth through numerous injuries, and now Pascal Siakam is back from a groin injury.
11. Indiana Pacers (25-15)
Victor Oladipo is expected to return in two weeks.
12. Philadelphia 76ers (25-16)
The 76ers are 18-2 at home, but they’re 7-14 on the road.
13. Oklahoma City Thunder (23-17)
How’s that rebuild going? OKC Is 8-2 in its last 10 games and seventh in the West.
14. Memphis Grizzlies (19-22)
The Grizz have won eight of 11 with victories over the Thunder, Clippers, Spurs and Rockets during that stretch.
15. Orlando Magic (19-21)
Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic helped Orlando escape with a 114-112 win over the Kings.
16. Brooklyn Nets (18-21)
Kyrie Irving had 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting against the Hawks on Sunday in his first game since Nov. 14.
17. San Antonio Spurs (17-21)
The Spurs have won three of their last four with wins over the Bucks, Celtics and Raptors.
18. Portland Trail Blazers (17-24)
Can Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Carmelo Anthony help the Blazers make a run at the No. 8 seed in the West?
19. Phoenix Suns (16-24)
Devin Booker has been on fire. Former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton has been coming off the bench.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (15-24)
The T-Wolves are 4-5 since beating the Kings to end an 11-game losing streak.
21. New Orleans Pelicans (15-26)
The Pelicans are 7-3 in their last 10 and Zion Williamson is nearing a return from knee surgery.
22. Sacramento Kings (15-25)
Decimated by injuries, the Kings have lost seven of 10 to fall 10 games under .500, but De’Aaron Fox is doing all he can to turn their season around.
23. Washington Wizards (13-26)
Bradley Beal is averaging 27.7 points per game, but he’s shooting a career-low 30.6 percent from 3-point range.
24. Detroit Pistons (14-27)
Blake Griffin is done for the year. Andre Drummond and Derrick Rose could be traded. Look out below!
25. Chicago Bulls (14-27)
Otto Porter Jr. could return around the All-Star break, but Wendell Carter Jr. will be out at least a month with a severely sprained ankle.
26. Charlotte Hornets (15-28)
The Hornets have lost five in a row and 11 of 13.
27. Cleveland Cavaliers (12-29)
The Cavs went on the road to stun the Nuggets over the weekend and then got smoked in a 29-point loss to the Lakers and a 25-point loss to the Clippers.
28. New York Knicks (11-30)
Teams are interested in trading for Marcus Morris Sr., but the Knicks reportedly want a “star-type player” in return.
29. Atlanta Hawks (9-32)
Trae Young is averaging 28.9 points and 8.4 assists, but he’s also committing 4.8 turnovers per game.
30. Golden State Warriors (9-33)
Imagine the Warriors if they get a top draft pick to go with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and possibly Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is expected to be their top free-agent target.
This story was originally published January 15, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
