NBA Power Rankings Week 19: LA Clippers get aggressive on buyout market
By Phil Watson
18. . 39-16. Previous: . Boston Celtics. 3. team
Last week: Won at Minnesota 127-117
This week: Sunday at Lakers, Tuesday at Portland, Wednesday at Utah, Saturday vs. Houston
The Boston Celtics opened a four-game trip through the Western Conference with a victory at Minnesota Friday night, giving them 12 wins in their last 14 games and staying on the heels of the Raptors for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Despite that 12-2 stretch, the Celtics have dropped a game in the standings to Toronto, which is 13-1 over the same period.
Gordon Hayward‘s second season back from his horrific ankle injury has quietly gone well since missing time with a broken hand earlier this season. Hayward dropped 29 points with six assists, five rebounds and two steals on 12-of-17 shooting in 37 minutes against Phoenix and is averaging 176 points, 6.7 boards and 4.1 assists in 33.3 minutes a game this season.
2. team. 20. . 42-12. Previous: . Los Angeles Lakers
Last week: Beat Memphis 117-105
This week: Sunday vs. Boston, Tuesday vs. New Orleans, Thursday at Golden State, Saturday at Memphis
The Los Angeles Lakers returned from the All-Star break in style with a 12-point win over the Grizzlies, running their winning streak to four straight games. The Lakers have won six of their last seven overall.
The Lakers also learned when their postponed Jan. 28 game against the Clippers will be played, with the NBA announcing Friday the game will be played April 9.
In conjunction with this, the game between the Bulls and Clippers originally scheduled for April 8 will be played on April 6, the Lakers-Warriors game set for April 9 will now be held April 7 and the Bulls and Lakers will play April 8 rather than April 7.
This will make the Lakers the first team to play three consecutive nights in a non-lockout season since the NBA did away with the back-to-back-to-back sets as part of its regular schedule before the 1980-81 season.
LeBron James returned from the break with a flourish, lighting up the Grizzlies for 32 points in 36 minutes on 10-of-17 shooting. He had seven assists, three rebounds and two blocks and hit 11-of-12 at the foul line.