NBA Power Rankings Week 7: The revenge of the Los Angeles Lakers

Last Week: Beat Indiana Pacers 119-110, Beat Charlotte Hornets 118-111, Lost Portland Trail Blazers 121-105, Beat Brooklyn Nets 124-108

This Week:  2/9 at Sacramento Kings, 2/11 at Portland Trail Blazers, 2/13 at Phoenix Suns

If you can get past the extremely embarrassing loss to the Portland Trail Blazers without Damian Lillard, the Philadelphia 76ers had a great week. Joel Embiid was named the Eastern Conference  Player of the Month (s) for December and January and looks on pace for the award already in the month of February.

Embiid has eclipsed 30 points in seven of his last eight games and the one he did not he had 28 points. The loss against the Blazers came with Ben Simmons being a last-minute scratch and Embiid put on a heroic performance in the game, dropping 37 points on Portland’s head.

Simmons was solid when he was in the lineup and is playing the role of third banana perfectly. It may not be the ideal role for him going forward, but the level of execution we have seen from Tobias Harris means that Simmons can thrive with a lesser role on offense.

Taking wins against the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers and Charlotte Hornets make for a good week. Much was made about the struggles of the starters last season. So far this year, the normal starting lineup (Simmons, Embiid, Harris, Seth Curry and Danny Green) is undefeated in 13 games.