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

Last week: Beat San Antonio 138-132, beat Charlotte 125-118, lost to Sacramento 113-106

This week: Tuesday at Denver, Wednesday at Phoenix, Friday at Lakers

The Washington Wizards won consecutive games for the first time all season with victories over the Spurs and Hornets, but a loss to Sacramento takes a little momentum away as the Wizards prepare to head west this week.

There are no gimmies for Washington on this road trip, going to Denver, Phoenix and Los Angeles. Tough sledding indeed.

Bradley Beal had earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors the previous week and he continued his red-hot pace, running his string of consecutive 30-point games to five before he was held to 20 by the Kings on Sunday.

For the week, he averaged 27.7 points, 8.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 40.5 minutes per game, shooting 52.5 percent overall and 42.9 percent on 7.0 3-point tries per night.

Last week: Beat Portland 115-104, won at Phoenix 124-121, lost at Utah 128-120, lost at Clippers 134-109

This week: Wednesday vs. Lakers, Friday at Oklahoma City

The New Orleans Pelicans started the week right, running their win streak to a season-long three games with wins over the Trail Blazers and at Phoenix, but ended it on a downturn with a loss at Utah followed by a shellacking from the Clippers Sunday night.

Still, the Pelicans are 5-4 since their dreadful 1-7 start and they’ve gotten Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball back into the rotation after they missed time with injuries. New Orleans should also at least be getting close to a return for No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, who underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee the day before the season opened in October.

Ingram continued to score well after his return on Tuesday against Portland following a four-game absence with a sore right knee. Ingram averaged 26.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 34.7 minutes per game over New Orleans’ four games last week, shooting 44.7 percent overall and 44.0 percent on 6.3 3-point tries per game.

He helped keep the Pelicans hanging around in Utah with 33 points and five assists on 12-of-24 shooting, knocking down 4-of-7 from deep.