Milwaukee Bucks remain atop NBA Power Rankings by taking care of business
By Phil Watson
84. . 13-23. Previous: . Sacramento Kings. 23. team
Last week: Lost at Denver 120-115, lost to Clippers 105-87, beat Memphis 128-123, lost to New Orleans 117-115
This week: Monday vs. Golden State, Tuesday at Phoenix, Friday vs. Milwaukee
The Sacramento Kings broke their eight-game losing skid by beating the Grizzlies on Thursday, then lost to the Pelicans on Saturday when Lonzo Ball found a cutting J.J. Redick for a layup with 1.1 seconds remaining. That came after the Kings had climbed back from a 14-point deficit with 4:04 remaining. Yeah. serious gut punch.
Sacramento has now lost nine of its last 11 games, yet still finds itself just two games out of eighth place in the woeful middle of the Western Conference, a group that just as top heavy as the East. Just like the Eastern Conference, six West teams sport winning percentages of .600 or better. There are eight with losing records. And there’s Oklahoma City in between them.
The Kings are a disappointment this season for a number of reasons — notably injuries — but where in the name of all that’s holy would this team be if not for Richaun Holmes? The erstwhile backup big man averaged 17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game last week, shooting 63.8 percent from the floor.
12-24. Previous: . New Orleans Pelicans. 22. team. 69.
Last week: Beat Houston 127-112, lost at Lakers 123-113, won at Sacramento 117-115
This week: Monday vs. Utah, Wednesday vs. Chicago, Friday at New York, Saturday at Boston
The New Orleans Pelicans are stabilizing a bit, having won five of their last six games after going 2-1 last week. The loss to the Lakers ended New Orleans’ season-best four-game winning streak, but they turned it around on the back end of the road back-to-back by clipping Sacramento on J.J. Redick’s layup with 1.1 seconds to go.
The biggest news in the Big Easy was likely off the court, with No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson fully participating in practice last week, but he did not play in either of the two games in California. Shams Charania of Stadium/The Athletic reported Tuesday that Williamson and the team are hopeful the rookie will make his delayed debut some time this month.
Lonzo Ball got off to a tough, injury-plagued start for the Pelicans after being acquired in the Anthony Davis deal, but he put together perhaps his best week as a pro. Ball scored 20 points or more in three consecutive games, the first time he’s done that, and averaged 24.7 points, 8.3 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals on a shooting line of … wait for it … .527/.419/.750. Not bad.