Boston Celtics surge up 2 spots in NBA Power Rankings
By Phil Watson
27. team. 27. . 9-24. Previous: . New York Knicks
Last week: Lost to Washington 121-115, won at Brooklyn 94-82, won at Washington 107-100
This week: Wednesday vs. Portland, Friday at Phoenix
In 22 games under former coach David Fizdale, the New York Knicks won four games. In half that total — 11 games — under interim coach Mike Miller, the Knicks have won five. That includes a 4-3 mark on the road after consecutive wins at Brooklyn and Washington. New York had been 1-10 on the road under Fizdale, but the Knicks are 1-3 at Madison Square Garden under Miller.
The change appears to have been good for Julius Randle, who went off last week. He averaged 32.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 36.9 minutes per game, shooting 52.9 percent overall and hitting a sizzling 47.8 percent from 3-point land on 7.7 attempts per game. In the loss to the Wizards on Monday, Randle went for a season-high 35 points.
26. team. 170. . 13-21. Previous: . Charlotte Hornets
Last week: Lost at Boston 119-93, lost to Oklahoma City 104-102 (OT)
This week: Sunday at Memphis, Tuesday vs. Boston, Thursday at Cleveland, Saturday at Dallas
The Charlotte Hornets lost both of their games last week, extending their losing streak to four, but they did manage to go down in two dramatically different ways. They got body-slammed Sunday at Boston before coming back from a 16-point deficit only to lose at home in overtime to the Thunder on Friday when PJ Washington misfired on his first free throw with 1.9 seconds left.
Devonte’ Graham put up some numbers in the two games, with 38 points, 23 assists and 13 rebounds, but was 12-for-38 (31.6 percent) overall and 9-of-26 (34.6 percent) from 3-point range. That is part of a longer overall cold stretch for the second-year breakout star; Graham has shot just 26.8 percent overall and 30.5 percent on 11.7 deep tries a game in his last seven games.