NBA Power Rankings: Milwaukee Bucks reclaim top spot after Week 5

Last week: Lost to Boston 99-85, lost at Sacramento 120-116, lost to New Orleans 124-121, won at Minnesota 100-98, lost at Denver 116-104

This week: Wednesday vs. Washington, Friday vs. Dallas

The Phoenix Suns will get a chance to regroup this week, playing just twice after a hectic 1-4 showing last week that dropped the Suns back to the .500 mark on the season.

That is still light years better than they’ve been for the last four seasons, losing at least 58 games each year and bottoming out at 19-63 last season, the worst season in franchise history outside of a 16-66 record in their expansion campaign of 1968-69.

Injuries are starting to pile up a bit. Ricky Rubio has played just 16 minutes over the last five games, sitting out four of them, with back problems and Aron Baynes has missed the last four games with a hip injury. With Deandre Ayton still serving his suspension, things have gotten thin up front in a hurry for Phoenix.

Devin Booker failed to make a 3-pointer in the win over the Timberwolves — just the second time this season that has been the case — but had 35 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists to power the win. For the busy week, Booker averaged 23.2 points, 6.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 36.4 minutes a game, shooting 47.7 percent overall, but only 28.6 percent on 5.6 deep tries a night.

Last week: Beat Portland 132-108, lost at Denver 105-95, lost at Clippers 122-119, lost to Dallas 137-123

This week: Wednesday vs. Miami, Saturday vs. Atlanta

The Houston Rockets are nothing if not streaky. After winning eight straight games, the Rockets have now lost their last three. They have also won three in a row earlier this year, immediately followed by two consecutive losses.

Speaking of streaks, James Harden was a little boxed in this week, averaging only 18.8 shots per game, but he was still productive because he extended his streak of consecutive games attempting at least 10 free throws to 18 — every game this season and his last regular-season appearance in 2018-19.

That is now tied for the fifth-longest such streak in NBA history and is the longest streak of its kind since 1964. Harden has a ways to go to challenge Wilt Chamberlain‘s 53-game run, but Oscar Robertson‘s 21 in a row — second all-time — is clearly within reach.

Harden averaged 33.0 points, 8.8 assists, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 38.5 minutes per game last week, shooting 52.0 percent overall and 36.4 percent on 11.0 3-point attempts per game. That pulled his scoring average down from 39.5 points per game last week to 37.9, still leading the NBA by more than seven points over Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks (30.6).