NBA Power Rankings Week 8: The Phoenix Suns are rising

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 31: Mike Conley #10 of the Utah Jazz drives into Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns during a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 31, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

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team. 73. . 14-11. Previous: 7th. Denver Nuggets. 8

Last Week: Lost to Milwaukee Bucks 125-112, Beat Cleveland Cavaliers 133-95, Beat Oklahoma City Thunder

This Week: 2/14 vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 2/16 at Boston Celtics, 2.17 at Washington Wizards, 2/19 at Charlotte Hornets

After dropping three games in a row (including to the Milwaukee Bucks this week), the Denver Nuggets beat up on two lower-tier teams. It seems that the ship has been righted after some internal strife between Michael Porter Jr. and his teammates.

Reportedly, talking it out with Nikola Jokic as gone a long way. At least for the rest of the week, the team began to click a little more. Jokic is still a top MVP candidate but he cannot compete with the top of the Western Conference alone. Six Nuggets averaged double figures in scoring this week. This is the sort of balanced attack that helped propel the Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals last year.

Even the rookies are starting to come along. Zeke Nnaji is getting increasingly more minutes and has his moment. RJ Hampton looks to be the next Nuggets steal and the posterization of the Cleveland Cavaliers is the first of many to come.

Denver is far from fully back to where they want to be. This season will likely be a work in progress, specifically to get Jamal Murray back to looking like the player he was for a few weeks in the bubble last year. This week could end up being what fans look back on as the turning point.