Milwaukee Bucks remain atop NBA Power Rankings by taking care of business
By Phil Watson
Previous: . San Antonio Spurs. 17. team. 29. . 14-20
Last week: Beat Golden State 117-113 (OT), lost to Oklahoma City 109-103, lost at Milwaukee 127-118
This week: Monday vs. Milwaukee, Wednesday at Boston, Friday at Memphis
The San Antonio Spurs went 1-2 last week, losing consecutive games for the first time in more than a month in the process, with the back of a home-and-home against the Bucks looming on Monday. Since losing at home to the Lakers and Timberwolves on Nov. 25 and 27, San Antonio went 8-5 before losing to the Thunder and at Milwaukee last week.
The overtime win for the Spurs over the Warriors on New Year’s Eve was their fifth of the season, third in the league behind the six played by both Miami and Minnesota, and San Antonio is 4-1 in those overtime contests. Only the Heat have more overtime wins (6) than the Spurs. The Timberwolves also have four OT victories.
DeMar DeRozan nearly played the hero against Golden State, hitting a 17-foot pull-up jumper with 17.1 seconds left to give San Antonio the lead, but Glenn Robinson III tied it with a long 2-pointer. For the week, he averaged 26.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 36.2 minutes per game while hitting 56.1 percent of his shots overall, going 1-for-3 from deep.
14-21. Previous: . Phoenix Suns. 16. team. 66.
Last week: Won at Portland 122-116, lost at Lakers 117-107, beat New York 120-112
This week: Sunday vs. Memphis, Tuesday vs. Sacramento, Friday vs. Orlando
With their win at Portland on Monday, the Phoenix Suns won consecutive games for the first time since Oct. 30-Nov. 4 and after beating the Knicks on Friday night, the Suns have taken three of their last four. Phoenix is still 7-17 since their stunning 7-4 start to the season, but having Deandre Ayton back for more than one game has helped.
But the real boost last week came from Kelly Oubre Jr. The sixth-year wing signed a two-year, $30 million deal in July to remain in the Valley of the Sun and is rewarding Phoenix with some big time performances.
In three games last week, Oubre averaged 28.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.0 assists in 38.6 minutes per game, shooting 60.8 percent overall and a simply ridiculous 68.2 percent on 7.3 3-point attempts per game (we’ll not mention the 7-for-12 effort at the foul line). He’s had at least 20 points in his last four games.