NBA Power Rankings: Rudy Gobert leads Utah Jazz up the charts

Last week: Beat Golden State 122-102, beat Houston 121-110, beat Cleveland 113-109

This week: Monday vs. New Orleans, Wednesday at Boston, Friday at Detroit

Another perfect week for the suddenly unbeatable Memphis Grizzlies, who ran their winning streak to seven games after topping the Warriors, Rockets and Cavaliers at FedEx Forum. That has enabled the Grizzlies to open up a two-game lead over the rest of the Western Conference pack for possession of eighth place.

To call that unexpected would be a massive understatement. While Memphis is skittering around still below the .500 mark, you have to think first-year head coach Taylor Jenkins is at least going to be considered as a Coach of the Year candidate, right? That is, unless the voters do what they seem to always do lately — find the best record in the league, look up the coach’s name and vote.

Big man Jonas Valanciunas had another of those uniquely Jonas weeks, putting up 31 points and 19 rebounds in just 29 minutes against the Warriors, shooting 13-for-17, before scoring eight points on 4-of-11 shooting (but with 18 rebounds) in the win over the Cavaliers. In the middle, a 19-point, six-board effort against the Rockets while shooting 8-of-14.

Consistency is still not Valanciunas’ game, but it shook out to averages of 19.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.3 blocks in 29.7 minutes a game last week, shooting 59.5 percent overall and hitting 1-of-6 from deep.

Last week: Lost to Oklahoma City 117-104, lost to Indiana 104-99, lost at Indiana 116-114, lost to Toronto 122-112

This week: Monday vs. Denver, Wednesday at Chicago, Friday vs. Houston, Saturday vs. Oklahoma City

The good news for the Minnesota Timberwolves last week was getting Karl-Anthony Towns back Friday night after he had missed 15 games with a sprained left knee. The bad news is that didn’t do anything to stop the Timberwolves from sliding to an 0-4 week that included three more losses at home. Minnesota is tied for the third-worst homecourt record in the NBA at 6-14.

Rookie Jarrett Culver had a strong week for the Wolves, averaging 17.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 32.3 minutes per game, shooting 49.1 percent overall and 6-for-19 from 3-point range. He scored a career-high 26 points in Saturday night’s loss to the Raptors.

Minnesota last week also traded Jeff Teague and Treveon Graham to Atlanta, getting back Allen Crabbe, whose debut with the TImberwolves has been delayed due to illness.