NBA Power Rankings Week 19: LA Clippers get aggressive on buyout market
By Phil Watson
. 33-23. Previous: . Indiana Pacers. 13. team. 100
Last week: Won at New York 106-98
This week: Sunday at Toronto, Tuesday vs. Charlotte, Thursday vs. Portland, Saturday at Cleveland
The Indiana Pacers will try to salvage a season split with the defending champion Raptors on Sunday after returning from the All-Star break with a win at New York, hanging on after squandering almost all of a 22-point lead. It was the second straight win for the Pacers after a season-long six-game losing streak.
T.J. Warren played well in the win at Madison Square Garden with 27 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in 37 minutes, hitting 10-of-21 from the floor and 2-of-5 from 3-point range.
Warren came to the Pacers from Phoenix on draft night with a reputation for being a fragile player, never playing more than 66 games in a season over five years with the Suns, but aside from a three-game absence earlier this month as part of the NBA’s concussion protocol, Warren has been available, averaging 18.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 32.3 minutes per game.
team. 149. . 34-22. Previous: . Oklahoma City Thunder. 12
Last week: Beat Denver 113-101
This week: Sunday vs. San Antonio, Tuesday at Chicago, Thursday vs. Sacramento, Friday at Milwaukee
The Oklahoma City Thunder responded to just their second back-to-back losses since opening the season 5-10, beating the Nuggets at home Friday night for their second consecutive win. The Thunder are 29-12 since their slow start and evened their season series with Denver at a game apiece with the Friday night victory.
OKC is sixth in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the Mavericks in what was supposed to be the start of a rebuild for the Thunder. But second-year guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been terrific and veterans Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari are providing the punch.
Steven Adams returned from the break with his third consecutive double-double, going for 19 points, 17 rebounds, four steals and two blocks in 32 minutes on 7-of-14 shooting, hitting a surprising 5-of-6 at the line. Adams is 15-for-18 at the line over his last eight games to improve his percentage on the season to 59.7.