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

By Corey Rausch

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)
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 Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
NBA, 76ers (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /

23. Toronto Raptors

Last Week: Beat Los Angeles Lakers 121-114, Lost to LA Clippers 105-100, Lost/OT to Washington Wizards 131-129, Lost to Memphis Grizzlies 109-99

This Week: 5/11 vs. LA Clippers, 5/13 at Chicago Bulls, 5/14 at Dallas Mavericks, 5/16 vs. Indiana Pacers

Mercifully, the never-ending road trip is finally almost over for the Toronto Raptors. This season has been one of the weirdest that any team will ever experience and the Raptors have absolutely suffered the consequences of staying in another country for the entire season. However, all is not lost.

The Raptors have shown something this season that portends well for a team that will have a much more normal experience next season. Pascal Siakam has bounced back of late, averaging 31.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game this week. He was an All-Star in the past and perhaps a return to normalcy will give him a chance to get back to that. OG Anunoby is a premier defender and has made even more progress this season.

There is always the chance this roster takes a drastic turn heading into next season. Gary Trent Jr. and (more notably) Kyle Lowry will be free agents this summer. The latter has been the face of the Toronto Raptors for nearly a decade. Where the team goes from here is unknown but with little else to play for at this point the Raptor faithful should enjoy this last week from afar in case it is the last week in Lowry’s Raptors tenure.