NBA Power Rankings Week 17: Brooklyn Nets make a charge up the middle
By Phil Watson
Last week: Won at Washington 125-117, lost at Brooklyn 129-88, lost to Lakers 125-120
This week: Monday vs. Miami, Wednesday at Phoenix
With their loss to the Lakers on Saturday night, the Golden State Warriors‘ run of seven consecutive winning seasons has officially come to an end; with their 41st loss of the season, Golden State can finish no better than .500 (and, well, a 29-game winning streak to end the campaign seems … unlikely).
That run of seven winning seasons in a row matches the franchise record, originally set from 1971-72 through 1977-78, a run that included the Warriors’ first NBA title after moving from Philadelphia to the Bay Area when they swept the then-Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals in 1975.
After shipping out five players at the trade deadline, the Warriors re-signed Marquese Chriss to a regular contract and he celebrated with a 26-point, nine-rebound night against the Lakers on 12-of-15 shooting. For the week, Chriss averaged 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 27.1 minutes per game, shooting 66.7 percent overall and hitting 2-of-6 from deep.