NBA Power Rankings midseason reset: Milwaukee Bucks who we thought they’d be

Last week: Won at Oklahoma City 112-111, lost at Houston 116-105, beat Clippers 141-133 (2OT)

This week: Friday at Minnesota

The Boston Celtics have been better than expected this season, remaining in the top three after opening at No. 9 in the preseason NBA Power Rankings.

The Celtics have 28 games to go and have the 12th-hardest remaining schedule at .512 according to Tankathon.

Home (13): Feb. 29 Houston, March 3 Brooklyn, March 6 Utah, March 8 Oklahoma City, March 13 Washington, March 18 New York, March 27 Portland, March 29 Minnesota, April 1 Miami, April 3 Orlando, April 5 Milwaukee, April 8 Indiana, April 15 Chicago
Away (15): Feb. 21 at Minnesota, Feb. 23 at Lakers, Feb. 25 at Portland, Feb. 26 at Utah, March 4 at Cleveland, March 10 at Indiana, March 12 at Milwaukee, March 15 at Chicago, March 20 at Toronto, March 21 at Brooklyn, March 23 at Washington, March 25 at Memphis, April 10 at Orlando, April 11 at Miami, April 13 at Detroit

Boston is third in the East, three games ahead of the Heat and 1½ games in back of the Raptors, while the fifth-place 76ers lurk at 4½ games behind.

Game of the first half: In a  140-105 pasting of the Pelicans at TD Garden, Jayson Tatum went off for a career-high 41 points in 30 minutes, knocking down 16-of-22 shots overall and hitting 6-of-9 from deep. He also had six rebounds, four assists and three steals in the blowout.

Last week: Beat Phoenix 125-100, won at Denver 120-116 (OT)

This week: Friday vs. Memphis

It wasn’t hard to discern the Los Angeles Lakers would be better after adding Anthony Davis to pair with LeBron James. But the Lakers have been better than expected. We had L.A. at No. 7 in the preseason NBA Power Rankings, but instead the Lakers have roared out to the best record in the West thus far.

With 28 games left and a 29th possible (their Jan. 28 home game against the Clippers was postponed after the death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant), their remaining strength of schedule of .487 is only 22nd-hardest in the NBA, so it is entirely possible Los Angeles could hang onto the top spot in the Western Conference.

Home (15 or 16): Feb. 21 Memphis, Feb. 23 Boston, Feb. 25 New Orleans, March 3 Philadelphia, March 6 Milwaukee, March 10 Brooklyn, March 12 Houston, March 15 Denver, March 18 Utah, April 1 Indiana, April 5 Oklahoma City, April 7 Chicago, April 9 Golden State, April 12 Minnesota, April 14 Sacramento, TBD Clippers
Away (13): Feb. 27 at Golden State, Feb. 29 at Memphis, March 1 at New Orleans, March 8 at Clippers, March 16 at Utah, March 21 at Charlotte, March 22 at Detroit, March 24 at Toronto, March 26 at Cleveland, March 28 at Washington, March 30 at Minnesota, April 4 at Sacramento, April 15 at Phoenix

The Lakers hold a four-game lead over Denver for first place in the West and are five games up on the Clippers.

Game of the first half: Anthony Davis showed some value to the Laker faithful in a 142-125 thumping of the Timberwolves at Staples Center on Dec. 8. Davis went for 50 points on 20-of-29 shooting, hitting 10-of-10 at the foul line while missing both of his 3-point attempts. He also had seven rebounds, six assists and four steals in the rout.