NBA Power Rankings: Rudy Gobert leads Utah Jazz up the charts
By Phil Watson
41. . 10-34. Previous: . Golden State Warriors. 29. team
Last week: Lost at Memphis 122-102, lost to Dallas 124-97, lost to Denver 134-131 (OT), beat Orlando 109-95
This week: Monday at Portland, Wednesday vs. Utah, Friday vs. Indiana
As bad as it’s been this season for the Golden State Warriors, it had been the worst thus far through Thursday, when they coughed up a big lead before losing in overtime to the Nuggets to stretch their losing streak to a season-long 10 games before ending it with a win over the Magic on Saturday night.
It was the first double-digit losing streak for Golden State since it lost 10 in a row from March 9-24, 2002. The Warriors have had losing strings of 10 and seven games this season, their two longest runs without a victory since a six-game skid from February 5-19, 2013.
D’Angelo Russell returned to the Warriors after missing six games with a bruised shoulder and was big in the win over the Magic with 26 points and 12 assists. For the week, he averaged 23.0 points, 8.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 34.9 minutes a game over the four games, shooting 40.0 percent overall and 38.5 percent on 9.8 3-point attempts per night.
28. team. 142. . 13-28. Previous: . Washington Wizards
Last week: Lost to Utah 127-116, lost at Chicago 115-106, lost at Toronto 140-111
This week: Monday vs. Detroit, Wednesday at Miami, Thursday at Cleveland
The Washington Wizards took on a bit of water as they limped to their halfway point in the season with an 0-3 effort last week. This comes as Washington is finally getting a bit healthier, with Bradley Beal (missed seven of eight games), Thomas Bryant (20 games) and Davis Bertans (nine games) back. The Wizards are still waiting on Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner.
Beal sounded frustrated — again — with Washington’s plight, ripping into the organization after the loss at Chicago on Wednesday.
Bradley Beal was particularly down after tonight’s loss in Chicago.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 16, 2020
On why this loss was hitting him harder than usual: “They all do. I don’t like losing. I’m sorry. Especially winnable games.”
On if it builds up: “Yeah, I would hope it does. I don’t like losing.” pic.twitter.com/SYSY1CkQaf
For his part, Beal averaged 20.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per game after coming back from a sore lower right leg, shooting 46.0 percent overall, but hitting only 5-of-17 (29.4 percent) from 3-point range.
As for Beal’s frustration? So far as we know, no one made him sign his supermax extension under duress. Sign for franchise-player money and you sort of take on franchise-player responsibilities, like winning and losing.