NBA: Los Angeles Lakers slip while red-hot Toronto Raptors rise in power rankings
1. Milwaukee Bucks (46-7)
Last week’s ranking: 1
Life is good for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, 25, the reigning MVP who welcomed his first child into the world earlier this week.
2. Toronto Raptors (40-14)
Last week’s ranking: 3
The Raptors have won 15 in a row to move ahead of the Lakers in this week’s rankings.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (40-12)
Last week’s ranking: 2
The Lakers are 6-4 in their last 10 games with recent losses to the Celtics, 76ers, Trail Blazers and Rockets.
4. Boston Celtics (37-16)
Last week’s ranking: 5
The Celtics keep won seven in a row with victories over the Heat, 76ers and Thunder before falling to the Rockets.
5. Denver Nuggets (38-16)
Last week’s ranking: 7
The Nuggets jump two spots after winning four in a row and six of their last seven, including two victories over the Jazz, one over the Bucks and one over the Blazers.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (37-17)
Last week’s ranking: 4
The Clippers aren’t quite right at the moment. They lost to the 76ers on Tuesday, but still more perplexing was their 142-115 loss to a Timberwolves team that had lost 13 in a row.
7. Utah Jazz (35-18)
Last week’s ranking: 9
The suddenly streaky Jazz has strung together consecutive wins over the Blazers, Rockets and Mavericks after losing five in a row.
8. Miami Heat (35-18)
Last week’s ranking: 6
Jae Crowder is making a big impression in Miami, averaging 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in his first two games for the Heat.
9. Houston Rockets (34-20)
Last week’s ranking: 8
The Rockets think they can win without a center.
10. Philadelphia 76ers (34-21)
Last week’s ranking: 12
Coach Brett Brown made a bold move in Tuesday’s win over the Clippers, moving Al Horford to the bench seven months after the 76ers signed him to a four-year, $109 million free-agent deal.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder (32-22)
Last week’s ranking: 11
The Thunder suffered back-to-back losses to the Celtics and Spurs after winning four in a row.
12. Dallas Mavericks (32-22)
Last week’s ranking: 10
The Mavericks have lost three of their last four, but they were hoping to get Luka Doncic back for Wednesday’s game against the Kings.
13. Memphis Grizzlies (27-26)
Last week’s ranking: 14
The surging Grizzlies have won seven of nine and 14 of their last 18 to move a game above .500.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (25-29)
Last week’s ranking: 15
The Blazers are smarting from a 21-point loss to the Pelicans, but they’ve played well in recent weeks behind Damian Lillard, who is averaging over 34 points per game since late December.
15. Indiana Pacers (31-23)
Last week’s ranking: 13
The Pacers have lost six in a row. Victor Oladipo is shooting 30 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3-point range in five games since his return.
16. Brooklyn Nets (24-28)
Last week’s ranking: 17
The Nets are holding at seventh in the Eastern Conference after winning five of seven.
17. New Orleans Pelicans (22-31)
Last week’s ranking: 18
The Pelicans have won three in a row and six of eight. Zion Williamson had a career-high 31 points in a 138-117 win over the Blazers.
18. Sacramento Kings (21-32)
Last week’s ranking: 19
The Kings had won six of eight before losing to the Bucks. In nine games since moving into a backup role, Buddy Hield has made 47 of 92 (.511) from 3-point range, including 9 of 10 against the Spurs.
19. San Antonio Spurs (22-31)
Last week’s ranking: 16
The Spurs have not fared well on their annual Rodeo Road Trip, but they snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over the Thunder.
20. Orlando Magic (23-31)
Last week’s ranking: 21
The Magic snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over the Hornets.
21. Washington Wizards (19-33)
Last week’s ranking: 23
Bradley Beal has cooled off considerably over the past three games, making only 7 of 25 from 3-point range, but the Wizards still managed to beat the Mavericks and Bulls.
22. Atlanta Hawks (15-40)
Last week’s ranking: 27
Trae Young scored 48 in a double-overtime win over the Knicks.
23. New York Knicks (17-37)
Last week’s ranking: 25
The Knicks had won four in a row before suffering a double-overtime loss to the Hawks on Sunday.
24. Charlotte Hornets (17-36)
Last week’s ranking: 26
The Hornets beat the Pistons to snap a five-game losing streak.
25. Phoenix Suns (21-33)
Last week’s ranking: 20
That win over the Rockets was impressive, but the Suns have lost six of seven, including a loss to the Pistons.
26. Chicago Bulls (19-36)
Last week’s ranking: 22
The Bulls are going to continue to struggle without Lauri Markkanen. They’ve lost six in a row.
27. Detroit Pistons (19-37)
Last week’s ranking: 24
What will the Pistons look like now that Andre Drummond is gone? They’ve lost three in a row, including back-to-back losses to the Knicks and Hornets.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-36)
The new-look Timberwolves scored 142 in a stunning win over the Clippers and 126 in a loss to the Raptors.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-40)
Poor Cavs. The Clippers smashed them by 41 points, taking out their frustrations after that embarrassing loss to the Timberwolves.
30. Golden State Warriors (12-42)
Stephen Curry says he planning to return from a broken hand in early March.
This story was originally published February 12, 2020 at 9:12 AM.
