NBA Power Rankings: Rudy Gobert leads Utah Jazz up the charts
By Phil Watson
team. 64. . 16-27. Previous: . Detroit Pistons. 19
Last week: Lost to New Orleans 117-110 (OT), won at Boston 116-103, won at Atlanta 136-103
This week: Monday at Washington, Wednesday vs. Sacramento, Friday vs. Memphis, Saturday vs. Brooklyn
Double-digit road wins at Boston and Atlanta helped the Detroit Pistons to a 2-1 week. Their lone loss was a tough one in overtime after they erased a 16-point deficit late, outscoring the Pelicans 25-13 in the fourth quarter to force the extra session. It’s the first time in nearly two years (March 19-20, 2018), the Pistons have won consecutive road games by at least 10 points.
Derrick Rose had a terrific week, averaging 24.0 points, 7.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per game over the three games, shooting 62.3 percent overall while hitting only 1-of-8 from 3-point range. Rose had 27 points and nine assists in Saturday night’s blowout of Atlanta, hitting 12-of-17 from the floor.
69. . 16-27. Previous: . New Orleans Pelicans. 18. team
Last week: Won at Detroit 117-110 (OT), beat Utah 138-132 (OT), lost to Clippers 133-130
This week: Monday at Memphis, Wednesday vs. San Antonio, Friday vs. Denver
The New Orleans Pelicans had the down-to-the-wire thing down last week, winning a pair of overtime games before taking a tough loss at the hands of the Clippers on Saturday afternoon. Even with that defeat, the Pelicans are still 10-5 since their losing streak reached a franchise-record 13 games back on Dec. 17.
New Orleans has climbed from 14th to 12th in the Western Conference with their last 15-game stretch, but still trail eighth-place Memphis by 4½ games with three teams — Phoenix, Portland and San Antonio — between it and the Grizzlies.
With Brandon Ingram sidelined for the overtime win at Detroit, the focus this week goes to one of the rookies on the roster for the Pelicans. Springy big man Jaxson Hayes put together an impressive week, averaging 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in just 15.6 minutes per game, shooting 8-of-9 from the floor and getting to the free throw line 22 times in three games.