NBA Power Rankings Week 20: What history will Milwaukee Bucks make?
By Phil Watson
. 25-34. Previous: . Sacramento Kings. 21. team. 84
Last week: Won at Golden State 112-94, lost at Oklahoma City 112-108, won at Memphis 104-101
This week: Sunday vs. Detroit, Tuesday vs. Washington, Thursday vs. Philadelphia, Saturday at Portland
By going 7-3 over their last 10 games, the Sacramento Kings have climbed back into playoff contention in the Western Conference, including gaining a big win at eighth-place Memphis on Friday night and are now within 3½ games of the Grizzlies and head into this week 12th in the West, percentage points behind Portland.
The win at Memphis closed out a 3-1 road swing for the Kings and gave them two victories over the Grizzlies since the All-Star break. Sacramento has a pair of winnable home games — ostensibly — against Eastern also-rans in the Pistons and Wizards before hosting the 76ers and visiting Portland.
Harry Giles, whose option has been declined for next season, had a very good week while continuing to work with the starting five, averaging 16.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 26.2 minutes per game. Giles shot 58.8 percent overall and put up a season-high 19 points with eight boards in Thursday’s loss at Oklahoma City.
team. 34. . 26-35. Previous: . Portland Trail Blazers. 20
Last week: Beat Detroit 107-104, lost to Boston 118-106, lost at Indiana 106-100, lost at Atlanta 129-117
This week: Monday at Orlando, Wednesday vs. Washington, Friday at Phoenix, Saturday vs. Sacramento
The Portland Trail Blazers are continuing to struggle without All-Star Damian Lillard, going 1-3 since he’s been out with a groin injury that caused him to miss both the Three-Point Shootout and the All-Star Game.
The Blazers had been making a push to move up into the top eight in the Western Conference, but their recent skid — they’ve lost six of their last seven overall — has pushed them into 11th place, just ahead of the Kings by percentage points and 3½ games behind the eighth-place Grizzlies.
CJ McCollum continues to carry the bulk of the load in Lillard’s absence, averaging 33.0 points, 8.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds in 39.5 minutes per game over the four games last week. He shot 46.7 percent overall and 38.6 percent on 11.0 3-point attempts per game. He went for 41 points, a career-high 12 assists and nine rebounds in the win over the Pistons last Sunday.