NBA Power Rankings Week 8: The Phoenix Suns are rising

Last Week: Beat Indiana Pacers 103-95, Beat Boston Celtics 122-108, Beat Milwaukee Bucks 129-115, Beat Miami Heat 112-94

This Week: 2/15 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 2/17 at LA Clippers, 2/19 at LA Clippers

How many more ways can it be expressed that the Utah Jazz are in the conversation for the best team and not just on a torrid regular-season run? This week, they were able to take convincing wins against the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. The only game they dropped in the last 19 was against the Denver Nugget, who shot 64.3 percent from distance. That is what it seems to take to get a win against the Jazz this season.

The fact that they are continuing to roll with Mike Conley out of the lineup is also telling. Conley had been arguably the best player for the Jazz before his injury and seemed poised to finally make his first All-Star game. In his stead, five Jazz players averaged double figures in scoring this week.

Donovan Mitchell was special this week, averaging 28.8 points, 7.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game. He is taking over with Conley out and reminded everyone paying attention that he is indeed good enough. Defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert was similarly great, posting a line of 19.3 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game. The pair for the Jazz is leading Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic to new heights. At this point, it is impossible to have them anywhere but at the top of the rankings.