Big move up NBA Power Rankings in Week 4 for Houston Rockets

Last week: Lost at Chicago 120-102, beat Dallas 106-103, lost to Charlotte 103-102

This week: Monday vs. Cleveland, Wednesday at Philadelphia, Saturday vs. San Antonio, Sunday vs. Brooklyn

The New York Knicks did everything right on Saturday against the Charlotte Hornets except close out the game. New York led by as much as 15 points in the third quarter before the Hornets chipped away at the lead, getting it back to a one-point deficit at the end of the period and then scoring five points in the final 33.2 seconds to get the one-point win.

The Knicks were up 102-100, but Julius Randle missed a floater with 12.3 seconds left and after a timeout, Devonte’ Graham delivered the dagger with 2.8 seconds remaining, drilling a long 3-pointer.

On the positive flip, New York finished a season sweep of the Dallas Mavericks (and former Knick All-Star Kristaps Porzingis), the first time they’ve swept the Mavs since the 1999-2000 season.

Rookie RJ Barrett had a decidedly up-and-down week, topping 20 points twice in defeats and scoring in single digits in their win over Dallas. Barrett had 21 points, nine assists, six rebounds and two steals against Chicago on Tuesday, but was just 3-for-6 from the line and he’s only making 48.6 percent of his foul shots on the season on 5.7 attempts per game. Ooof.

Last week: Beat Portland 107-99, lost at Lakers 99-97, beat Boston 100-99

This week: Tuesday vs. Phoenix, Friday at Brooklyn, Sunday at Washington

Don’t look now, but the Sacramento Kings have won five of their last seven games following their 0-5 start, and the two losses are by a total of six points at Toronto and at the Lakers.

Nemanja Bjelica continued his solid play this week, averaging 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29.7 minutes per game, shooting 54.8 percent overall and going 7-for-15 (46.7 percent) from 3-point range. He posted his first two double-doubles of the season in Sacramento’s wins over Portland and Boston.

The Kings put together a 2-1 week with Marvin Bagley III still out with a fractured thumb and also minus De’Aaron Fox, who sprained an ankle at practice on Monday and will miss at least three to four weeks.

For the season, Bjelica has been mostly solid, averaging 10.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 25.0 minutes per game, while shooting 53.8 percent overall and 50.0 percent on 4.0 3-point tries a night.

Last week: Lost at Boston 140-133, won at Minnesota 137-116, lost at Orlando 125-121

This week: Wednesday vs. San Antonio, Friday vs. Charlotte, Sunday vs. Sacramento

The Washington Wizards made a serious run at a second straight road win Sunday night, coming back from 18 down early in the fourth quarter to get as close as one with 1:01 to go, but after the Magic made a pair of free throws, Bradley Beal had his pass stolen by Markelle Fultz with 36 seconds left. Fultz’s dunk  plus an and-one essentially sealed the loss for Washington.

But to be clear, Beal did very little wrong last week, even if the Wizards only won once in three outings. The veteran averaged 40.7 points, 8.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 38.5 minutes per game last week, shooting 58.7 percent overall and splashing 10-of-21 (47.6 percent) from the 3-point arc.

Beal had back-to-back 44-point games (two off his season-high of 46) at Boston and Minnesota, adding 10 assists in the win over the Timberwolves.

The outburst last week leaves Beal averaging 30.1 points per game on the season, along with 6.9 assists, 4.7 boards and 1.2 steals in 36.5 minutes per game. Moritz Wagner continues to be a walking bucket as well, averaging 12.7 points in just 18.7 minutes per game this season.

Last week: Lost to Memphis 119-117, beat Detroit 109-106, won at New York 103-102

This week: Monday at Toronto, Wednesday at Brooklyn, Friday at Washington, Saturday vs. Chicago

If nothing else, the Charlotte Hornets became very well-acquainted with razor-thin finishes. Ja Morant lifted the Grizzlies past the Hornets with 0.7 seconds left on Wednesday, but Charlotte came back with a Malik Monk buzzer-beater to top Detroit on Friday and then had Devonte’ Graham play the hero in Saturday night’s win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Monk had a very good week, averaging 17.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 25.8 minutes per game off the bench, shooting 55.3 percent overall and knocking down 5-of-12 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range.

This is an important season for Monk. While Charlotte did pick up his fourth-year option last month, the former lottery pick has had two underwhelming seasons, but seems to be turning a corner this year. He’s making 49.5 percent of his shots through 13 games, dramatically improved over the 37.6 percent he shot over his first two years in the NBA.

The difference is at the rim and around the paint. Last season, Monk took 29.3 percent of his shots from 10 feet and in, making 64.3 percent in the restricted area, but just 25.0 percent from three to 10 feet. Thus far this season, he’s getting 46.7 percent of his looks inside of 10 feet, converting 70.0 percent at the rim and 65.0 percent from that three- to 10-foot range.