NBA Power Rankings Week 20: Philadelphia 76ers streaking

NBA Power Rankings Week 20: Philadelphia 76ers streak in the penultimate week

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 02: Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers react in front of Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz at the Wells Fargo Center on December 2, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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NBA, 76ers (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

2. Milwaukee Bucks

Last Week: Beat Brooklyn Nets 117-114, Beat Brooklyn Nets 124-118, Beat Washington Wizards 135-134, Beat Houston Rockets 141- 133

This Week: 5/10 at San Antonio Spurs, 5/11 vs. Orlando Magic, 5/13 at Indiana Pacers, 5/15 vs. Miami Heat, 5/16 at Chicago Bulls

As the season is nearing its end, the Milwaukee Bucks are cresting at the right time, specifically as the Brooklyn Nets are starting to falter. The Bucks have won five games in a row and the Nets had dropped four in a row before beating the Denver Nuggets, moving Milwaukee to within half a game of the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Even better, the Bucks owning the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series.

This week the Bucks just have o take care of business over a rather easy slate of games. The Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic are playing for nothing at this point and that is not going to change as the week progresses. The San Antonio Spurs are hoping to make the play-in but are likely to fall back into it rather than secure it themselves. The Indiana Pacers are doing the same thing in the Eastern Conference. With only the Miami Heat game appearing to be a real challenge for the Bucks, securing the second seed in the Conference is quite doable.

For the Bucks to finish the regular season in this position would be quite a win for the team. After spending much of the regular season experimenting with roster choices and rotations the Bucks are ready to finally make a run to the Conference Finals and beyond. Anything less than that will be considered a failure.