NBA power rankings: Jazz, Bulls, Grizzlies chase Suns, Warriors; Lakers up; Clippers down
* Through games played 1/6
1. Phoenix Suns (30-8)
Last week: 2
The Suns have taken a few losses lately, but they return to the top spot in this week’s rankings after winning three in a row against the Hornets, Pelicans and Clippers. Devin Booker had some big games recently with 38 points in a win over the Thunder and 33 points in a win over the Pelicans. Booker was held to 11 points on 5-of-22 shooting in a 106-89 victory over the Clippers on Thursday, but Chris Paul posted a triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
2. Golden State Warriors (29-9)
Last week: 1
The Warriors produced mixed results over the past week. They had wins over the Jazz and Heat but suffered losses to the Nuggets, Mavericks and Pelicans. What’s more perplexing is the way Stephen Curry is shooting the ball lately. Curry went 8 of 41 (.195) from the field and 2 of 19 (.105) from 3-point range vs. the Heat and Mavericks. He was held out against the Pelicans on Thursday with a left quad contusion.
3. Utah Jazz (28-10)
Last week: 3
Utah is still one game behind Golden State and 1 ½ games behind Phoenix in the Western Conference, but this team is playing as well as anyone right now. The Jazz leads the league with a point differential of +9.8 after winning eight of its last 10 games. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert have been superb and Bojan Bogdanovic got in on the act Wednesday, scoring 36 points in a win over the Nuggets.
4. Chicago Bulls (25-10)
Last week: 5
The Bulls are the hottest team in the league after winning eight in a row and 12 of their last 14. DeMar DeRozan, Zach Levine and Nikola Vucevic are leading the way. LaVine had 35 points in a win over the Wizards on Saturday. DeRozan had 29 in Monday’s win over the Magic. The Bulls will face the Wizards, Mavericks and Pistons before next week’s showdowns with the Nets and Warriors.
5. Memphis Grizzlies (26-14)
Last week: 8
The Grizzlies are on a roll after winning seven in a row with victories over the Suns, Lakers and Nets. Ja Morant has come up big in big moments for Memphis. He had 33 points in the win over the Suns, 41 against the Lakers and 36 against the Nets. The Grizzlies have several more tough games in January against the Clippers, Lakers, Warriors, Mavericks (2), Bulls, Bucks, Nuggets and Jazz.
6. Brooklyn Nets (24-12)
Last week: 4
The Nets had lost three in a row before Kevin Durant came to the rescue, putting up 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Wednesday’s 129-121 road win over the Pacers. Kyrie Irving made his season debut in that game, finishing with 22 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals in 32 minutes. Irving still can’t play home games because he isn’t vaccinated, so he won’t be available when the Nets play the Bucks on Friday.
7. Miami Heat (24-15)
Last week: 7
Miami has been really good despite the absences of Bam Adebayo, Victor Oladipo, Markieff Morris, KZ Okpala, Duncan Robinson, P.J. Tucker and others. That’s a testament to coach Erik Spoelstra, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and even undrafted players such as Omer Yurtseven and Max Strus. Yurtseven has five double-doubles in the last six games with 140 rebounds over the last 10 games. Strus averaged 23.0 points over the last six games.
8. Philadelphia 76ers (21-16)
Last week: 9
Joel Embiid has been a dominant force for the 76ers, who have won five in a row and six of their last seven. Embiid is averaging 33.0 points over the past eight games. He had 41 in a win over the Celtics, 36 in a win over the Wizards and 34 in a win over the Nets. Tyrese Maxey, the second-year point +guard who is averaging 16.8 points and 4.5 assists, has missed the past two games due to NBA health and safety protocols.
9. Milwaukee Bucks (25-15)
Last week: 6
The Bucks drop three spots this week after suffering back-to-back losses to the Pistons and Raptors. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the loss to Detroit after posting a triple-double in a win over the Pelicans, but the two-time MVP was held out against the Raptors due to right calf soreness.
10. Dallas Mavericks (20-18)
Last week: 18
The Mavericks retired Dirk Nowitzki’s number Wednesday night and marked the occasion with a 99-82 victory over the Warriors. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis have helped the Mavs win four in a row. Porzingis had 24 points in a win over the Kings while Doncic was out due to health and safety protocols. Doncic returned Jan. 2 and scored 26 in the win over the Warriors.
11. Los Angeles Lakers (20-19)
Last week: 16
The streaky Lakers jump five spots this week after winning three in a row and four of their last five despite the loss of Anthony Davis, who is out with a sprained MCL. LeBron James had 43 points and 14 rebounds in a win over the Blazers on New Year’s Eve. He scored 31 points and dominated down the stretch in a 122-114 victory over the Kings on Tuesday. The Lakers will play the Hawks on Friday and the Grizzlies on Sunday.
12. Cleveland Cavaliers (21-17)
Last week: 10
Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Kevin Love have been good, but the Cavaliers have lost four of their last five games after losing Ricky Rubio to a torn ACL. Love had 35 points and 11 rebounds in a New Year’s Eve loss to the Hawks. Garland had 27 points and 10 assists in Tuesday’s loss to the Grizzlies. Rajon Rondo is expected to make his Cavs debut Friday against the Blazers.
13. Charlotte Hornets (20-19)
Last week: 13
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 32 points in a 140-111 win over the Pistons on Wednesday. The Hornets recently took back-to-back losses to the Suns and Wizards, but they’ve won four of six going into a back-to-back set against the Bucks. LaMelo Ball, the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021, is averaging 19.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists.
14. Denver Nuggets (18-18)
Last week: 11
The Nuggets are coming off back-to-back losses to the Mavericks and Jazz despite some big games from Nikola Jokic. The reigning MVP had 27 points and 16 rebounds in the loss to Dallas. He had 26 points, 21 rebounds and 11 assists against Utah.
15. New York Knicks (19-20)
Last week: 15
RJ Barrett hit a 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds remaining to give the Knicks a 108-105 victory over the Celtics on Thursday. The Knicks have won five of seven to move within a game of .500 going into Saturday’s rematch with the Celtics.
16. Los Angeles Clippers (19-20)
Last week: 12
There were reports Thursday that Kawhi Leonard could return this season with his ACL rehab running ahead of schedule, but what will happen to the Clippers in the meantime? They have really struggled with Paul George out due to a torn ligament in his right elbow, losing five of their last seven.
17. Toronto Raptors (18-17)
Last week: 21
The Raptors endured their share of struggles while going 9-13 to start the season, but they have won four in a row and nine of their last 13. Pascal Siakam poured in 33 points in a 117-111 victory over the Bucks on Wednesday.
18. Washington Wizards (19-19)
Last week: 17
Kyle Kuzma had 36 points and 14 rebounds in a 124-121 win over the Hornets on Monday, but the Wizards have lost two of three and four of their last six. They will visit the Bulls on Friday.
19. Atlanta Hawks (17-20)
Last week: 19
The Hawks have won two of their last three after losing five of six. They beat the Kings 108-102 on Wednesday despite the absence of Trae Young, who sat out with lower back soreness after putting up 56 points and 14 assists in Monday’s loss to the Blazers.
20. Boston Celtics (18-21)
Last week: 17
Jaylen Brown scored a career-high 50 points in a win over the Magic, but the Celtics have lost five of seven to fall to 11th in the Eastern Conference. The latest setback came in a 108-105 loss to the Celtics on Thursday.
21. Minnesota Timberwolves (18-20)
Last week: 20
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves to back-to-back wins over the Clippers and Thunder. They have a chance to extend their winning streak with games against the Thunder on Friday, Rockets on Sunday and Pelicans on Tuesday.
22. San Antonio Spurs (15-22)
Last week: 22
Dejounte Murray had 22 points and 12 assists to help the Spurs snap a four-game losing streak with a 99-97 victory over the Celtics on Wednesday. They will visit the 76ers, Nets and Knicks to wrap up a seven-game road trip.
23. Sacramento Kings (16-24)
Last week: 23
The struggle for consistency continues in Sacramento, where the Kings have lost three of their last four. They are coming off back-to-back losses to the Lakers and Hawks despite two 30-point games from De’Aaron Fox.
24. Indiana Pacers (14-25)
Last week: 24
The Pacers have lost six in a row and seven of their last eight despite some big games from Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis. Next eight games: vs. Jazz, at Celtics, vs. Celtics, vs. Suns, at Clippers, at Lakers, at Warriors, at Suns.
25. Portland Trail Blazers (14-23)
Last week: 25
Anfernee Simons scored 43 points in a win over the Hawks, but the Blazers have lost five of six. Damian Lillard has missed the past two games and is expected to miss at least three more with an abdominal injury.
26. New Orleans Pelicans (14-25)
Last week: 26
Brandon Ingram went 8 of 36 from the field against the Jazz and Suns after missing two games with Achilles soreness, but he had 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in Thursday’s 101-96 win over the Warriors. Meanwhile, the Pelicans announced Zion Williamson (foot) will continue his injury rehabilitation away from the team.
27. Oklahoma City Thunder (13-24)
Last week: 27
Rookie Josh Giddey recorded his first triple-double in a loss to the Mavericks on Sunday, finishing with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 14 assists. The Thunder has lost four of its last five going into Friday’s game against the Timberwolves.
28. Houston Rockets (11-28)
Last week: 28
Christian Wood returned from a one-game team suspension to post 22 points and 11 rebounds in a 114-111 victory over the Wizards on Wednesday, helping the Rockets snap an eight-game losing streak.
29. Detroit Pistons (7-30)
Last week: 30
Hamidou Diallo had 34 points and 17 rebounds in a win over the Spurs and Saddiq Bey scored 34 points in a win over the Bucks. Then the Pistons gave up 140 points in a 29-point loss to the Hornets.
30. Orlando Magic (7-32)
Last week: 29
Franz Wagner was named Rookie of the Month for December, but Orlando has lost seven in a row going into Saturday’s showdown with the Pistons in a head-to-head matchup between the two worst teams in the league.
