NBA Power Rankings Week 21: Milwaukee Bucks won’t match Warriors
By Phil Watson
156. . 18-45. Previous: . Cleveland Cavaliers. 27. team
Last week: Lost to Utah 126-113, lost to Boston 112-106, beat Denver 104-102
This week: Sunday vs. San Antonio, Tuesday at Chicago, Friday at Charlotte, Saturday at Atlanta
The Cleveland Cavaliers stopped a four-game losing skid by holding off the Nuggets Saturday, surviving a potential game-tying jumper by Jamal Murray as time expired. That gives the Cavaliers a chance to build some momentum if they can beat the Spurs Sunday before heading out on a season-long six-game road trip.
Cleveland will play three road games this week, including a back-to-back Friday and Saturday at Charlotte and Atlanta after opening the trip Tuesday at Chicago. The road will wind through Houston, Orlando and Indiana before the Cavs play their next home game on March 24.
Collin Sexton continues to figure things out as his second season progresses, averaging 32.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.0 steals in 41.5 minutes per game last week. Sexton shot 59.1 percent overall and hit 42.1 percent on 6.3 deep balls per game.
He had a career-high 32 points with five boards, three dimes and three steals in Monday’s loss to the Jazz before resetting his career-best with a 41-point outburst in the loss to the Celtics on Wednesday.
142. . 23-39. Previous: . Washington Wizards. 26. team
Last week: Won at Golden State 124-110, lost at Sacramento 133-126, lost at Portland 125-104, beat Atlanta 118-112
This week: Sunday vs. Miami, Tuesday vs. New York, Friday at Boston
The Washington Wizards are ninth in the Eastern Conference with less than six weeks to play.
That’s a bit of a stunner considering former All-NBA point guard John Wall has not played a minute this season (and likely will not), center Thomas Bryant signed a new deal and missed 26 games with a foot injury and first-round pick Rui Hachimura was out for 23 games after an inadvertent kick to the groin.
But at 4½ games in back of the eighth-place Orlando Magic with 20 games to play, time is running out for the Wizards to make a shocking playoff appearance. Not that Bradley Beal hasn’t been trying to get them there just on pure production alone.
Last week, Beal averaged 33.3 points, 6.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals in 37.5 minutes per game while shooting 44.9 percent overall and hitting 55.6 percent on 9.0 triple tries a game, going 7-of-9 in a win at Golden State and 7-of-10 in a victory over the Hawks. He went for 34 points, eight assists and five steals in Washington’s first road win over the Warriors since January 2014.