NBA Power Rankings: Milwaukee Bucks at front of blowout line in Week 7
By Phil Watson
Last week: Lost to Boston 113-104 Sunday, lost at Milwaukee 132-88 Monday, lost to Denver 129-92 Thursday, lost to Indiana 104-103 Saturday
This week: Tuesday at Portland, Wednesday at Golden State, Friday at Sacramento
On Friday, after losses at Milwaukee and to the Nuggets at home by a combined 81 points, the New York Knicks fired coach David Fizdale, naming former Westchester Knicks coach Mike Miller — an assistant under Fizdale — as interim head coach. In Miller’s debut, Julius Randle had a chance to tie it up, but missed a free throw with 0.1 second remaining as New York’s losing streak hit nine.
Second-year big man Mitchell Robinson scored 17 points with seven rebounds and two steals in the loss to the Nuggets and in four games averaged 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals in 24.5 minutes per game, shooting 66.7 percent. After fouling out in 20 minutes against Boston, Robinson had only one foul combined in the losses to Denver and Indiana.
Last week: Won at Minnesota 115-107 Sunday, lost to Indiana 117-104 Monday, lost at Chicago 106-99 Wednesday, lost at Utah 126-112
This week: Monday at Golden State, Wednesday at Phoenix, Friday vs. Milwaukee, Saturday vs. Washington
With prize rookies Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke sidelined with injuries, the Memphis Grizzlies started last week with a good win at Minnesota before descending to three straight losses. The Grizzlies have lost nine of their last 10 games since a three-game winning streak from Nov. 11-15.
Jonas Valanciunas did what he could to keep Memphis in the game at Chicago, finishing with 32 points, 13 rebounds and three steals. Jaren Jackson Jr. had a very uneven week — 31 points against the Pacers and 26 at Utah, with just 27 in the other two games combined. He put up 21.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 27.9 minutes per game, shooting 44.8 percent overall and 32.1 percent on 7.0 3-point attempts per game.