NBA Power Rankings Week 15: Concerns for Milwaukee Bucks, other contenders

Last week: Lost to New York 106-86, lost to Washington 124-112, lost to Chicago 118-106

This week: Monday at Detroit, Tuesday vs. New Orleans, Thursday vs. Toronto, Saturday vs. Golden State

The Cleveland Cavaliers ran their losing streak to six games, dropping all three contests last week … at home … by double digits. It’s the second time this season a team has lost at least three games in a row by 10 points or more at home. The Detroit Pistons dropped five straight home games in that manner from Dec. 12-23 (although the Dec. 12 games was in Mexico City).

Larry Nance Jr. is quickly rounding back into form after missing two weeks with a sore knee. He scored in double figures in all three games last week and has four such games in six games since he returned. Before his injury, Nance had scored in single figures for 14 straight games. His averages for the week were 16.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 26.7 minutes.

Nance shot 64.7 percent overall and was 4-for-10 from 3-point range.

Last week: Won at Cleveland 106-86, lost to Lakers 100-92, lost to Toronto 118-112

This week: Sunday vs. Brooklyn, Tuesday at Charlotte, Wednesday vs. Memphis, Saturday at Indiana

While the New York Knicks only won one of their three games last week, it was a pretty solid week for the guys in blue-and-orange — a blowout win on the road and two competitive efforts at home against teams from the NBA’s upper echelon. The win at Cleveland was their first on the road since winning at Washington on Dec. 28. Now to solve that four-game skid at home.

Julius Randle posted his 18th double-double of the season in the loss to the Raptors and for the week averaged 18.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 32.1 minutes per game. He shot 41.7 percent overall while going a dismal 1-for-10 from 3-point range. On the positive side, he got 10 offensive boards in three games and was 14-for-17 at the foul line.