Tag: NBA Power Rankings

NBA Power Rankings: Thunder stay at 29 for March 14 to March 20 week

The Thunder stay at 29th overall in @RookieWire ‘s latest NBA power rankings.

Rookie Wire releases its latest NBA power rankings on Monday and the Oklahoma City Thunder stay in 29th place for the second consecutive week. The Thunder went winless in its four games during this past week’s slate of games with losses to the Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

“The Thunder lost their ninth straight game on Sunday after falling to the Orlando Magic. However, the recent skid has kept OKC alive in the race to secure one of the three-worst records in the NBA and the best odds of winning the draft lottery.”

During the week, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team in scoring and assists at 30.7 points and 5.7 assists. Aleksej Pokusevski led the team on the boards with 8.3 rebounds.

[mm-video type=video id=01fystgf1asgbac2fcjw playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fystgf1asgbac2fcjw/01fystgf1asgbac2fcjw-047888f6c1719f847283ec73a995a15b.jpg]

[listicle id=457913]

Warriors bounce back to No. 3 in latest Rookie Wire NBA power rankings

With a bounce-back win streak, the Warriors moved to No. 3 in the latest NBA power rankings from @RookieWire.

After sliding with a season-high five-game losing streak, the Golden State Warriors dropped down to No. 4 in the Rookie Wire power rankings. However, after a nice bounce-back, the Warriors jumped up in the latest set of power rankings from USA TODAY’s Rookie Wire.

Following a four-game winning streak, the Warriors moved up to No. 3 in Cody Taylor’s new power rankings for Rookie Wire. On the way to the No. 3 ranking, the Warriors secured impressive victories over the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks.

Via Rookie Wire:

The Warriors look to be trending upward again after winning three straight games. They knocked off the Clippers, Nuggets and Bucks during that span as Klay Thompson dropped a season-high 38 points on Saturday over Milwaukee. Golden State will get Draymond Green back on Monday versus the Wizards after missing the last two months of action. James Wiseman is also close to returning, as well. The Warriors look to be getting back to full strength at the right time with the playoffs just around the corner.

The Phoneix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies were the two teams to land in front of the Warriors in the power rankings. To view Rookie Wire’s complete power rankings, click here.

While the Warriors bounced back, so did Klay Thompson. The 32-year-old guard tallied a season-high 38 points to push past the defending champion Bucks in a primetime battle on Saturday night.

Adding to Golden State’s recent boost, Draymond Green returned to the court on Monday for the first time in 31 games. Green tallied six points on 2-of-4 shooting from the field with seven rebounds and six assists in 20 minutes off the bench against the Wizards.

While Green made his return to the court, Steph Curry popped off for a game-high 47 points with seven triples, six boards and six assists in 35 minutes during the Warriors’ fourth consecutive victory.

With Curry, Thompson and Green all healthy for the first time this season, the Warriors will have 13 games down the final stretch of the season to get their core trio ready for the postseason.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

[mm-video type=video id=01fy7p8v41nzk410vybx playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fy7p8v41nzk410vybx/01fy7p8v41nzk410vybx-5f2808486b8072e36c4bfb07fd07c750.jpg]

[listicle id=61189]

Warriors hold No. 2 spot in Rookie Wire’s NBA power rankings at All-Star break

In @RookieWire’s NBA Power Rankings at the All-Star break, the Warriors are sitting at No. 2 on the list behind the Suns.

The Golden State Warriors needed the All-Star break to come when it did. After cracking off nine consecutive victories, the Warriors stumbled with four losses in their last five games before the break, including a rough buzzer-beater loss to the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center.

Despite their recent struggles, the Warriors still hold the second-best record in the NBA at 42-17. While only trailing the Phoenix Suns for the best record in the association, the Warriors landed at No. 2 in Rookie Wire’s NBA power rankings at the All-Star break.

Via Rookie Wire:

Stephen Curry was named the MVP of the All-Star Game on Sunday after scoring 50 points and setting a record of 16 3-pointers. As for the Warriors, they have won 11 out of their last 16 and should get All-Star Draymond Green at some point soon.

To view the full list of power rankings, check out Rookie Wire here. 

Behind the Warriors, the Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat round out the top five in Rookie Wire’s latest list of power rankings.

Although the Warriors struggled to capitalize before the break, the rotation could be getting the reinforcements down the stretch with the potential return of Draymond Green and James Wiseman. The Warriors have yet to play a game with Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson available together.

The Warriors will come back from the break on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT with a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers in the Pacific Northwest.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook! 

[mm-video type=video id=01fwkx5jdzxp9469y8a7 playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fwkx5jdzxp9469y8a7/01fwkx5jdzxp9469y8a7-32e3d84769fb93637d878e850c732270.jpg]

[listicle id=60684]

Warriors fall to No. 4 in latest NBA power rankings from Rookie Wire

In the latest edition of NBA power rankings from Rookie Wire, the Warriors dropped another spot on the list.

After a rough road swing, the Golden State Warriors returned to the Bay Area for a much-needed seven-game homestand. Through four games, the Warriors have posted a 3-1 record, with their only loss coming to the Indiana Pacers in overtime.

While the Warriors are still struggling to find the bottom of the net on offense, they were able to squeeze a tight win out on Sunday over the Utah Jazz behind a gritty defensive performance.

Following their win over the Jazz on Sunday, the Warriors landed at No. 4 on the latest edition of power rankings from Rookie Wire. Since last week, the Warriors slipped one spot from No. 3 on the power rankings.

Via Rookie Wire:

After hitting a bit of a rough patch, the Warriors look to be back on track after winning three out of their last four at home. Stephen Curry is in the midst of a little shooting slump, converting on just 29.9% from 3-point range in January, but hit a game-winner over the Rockets on Friday. They finish up a seven-game homestand with Dallas, Minnesota and Brooklyn this week.

The Miami Heat were the latest team to jump the Warriors in Rookie Wire’s power rankings. Along with the Heat, the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies ranked in front of the Warriors on Rookie Wire’s list.

To view the full list of power rankings, check out Rookie Wire here.

The Warriors will have the chance to move up in the power rankings with a pair of tough matchups during the week ahead. Golden State will meet both the Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets before the end of the week, two teams in Rookie Wire’s top 10.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

[listicle id=50178]

Warriors slip to No. 3 in latest NBA power rankings from Rookie Wire

After a 1-3 road swing, the Golden State Warriors slipped to No. 3 in the latest NBA power rankings from Rookie Wire.

After a red-hot start to the season, the Golden State Warriors have officially hit a bumpy patch of their 2021-22 campaign.

While the Warriors still hold one of the top records in the Western Conference, the team has posted a 5-6 record since taking out the Phoenix Suns on Christmas Day in the desert.

Following a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves that ended their recent road swing with a 1-3 record, the Warriors took a step down in the latest edition of power rankings from Rookie Wire.

After holding the No. 1 overall spot, the Warriors were listed at No. 3 behind the Suns and Memphis Grizzlies in the latest Rookie Wire power rankings from Cody Taylor.

Via Rookie Wire:

The Warriors’ reign atop our power rankings ended after dropping five of their last seven games. While the team has hit a bit of a rough patch, they are certainly happy to see Klay Thompson back on the court. He is averaging 13.8 points, three rebounds and 1.8 assists on 35.7% shooting from 3-point range since returning.

Click here for the complete list of power rankings from Rookie Wire.

In a positive step, the Warriors opened a seven-game homestand on Tuesday with a victory over the Detroit Pistons. While the Splash Brothers combined for 39 points, rookie Jonathan Kuminga recorded his first-career double-double performance with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a blowout win over the Pistons.

Kuminga will continue to see an increase in playing time while the Warriors deal with the absence of Draymond Green. Golden State’s defensive captain is slated to miss at least the next two weeks with a calf and lower back injury.

The Warriors will host two more favorable matchups against the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets before welcoming the Utah Jazz to San Francisco’s Chase Center before the end of the week.

The post originally appeared on Warriors Wire. Follow Warriors Wire on Facebook and Twitter.

[mm-video type=video id=01fstn8tf05cdwpd5s71 playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fstn8tf05cdwpd5s71/01fstn8tf05cdwpd5s71-30df638a8f97cf48bf2417c020169f76.jpg]

[listicle id=49752]

NBA Power Rankings: Warriors continue to hold top spot in latest Rookie Wire ranking

In the latest edition of Rookie Wire’s NBA power rankings, the Golden State Warriors held down the No. 1 spot with a league-best 15-2 record.

Rattling off three consecutive wins to close a road swing, the Golden State Warriors improved their league-best record to 14-2 before returning home to San Francisco’s Chase Center. 

During the road trip, the Warriors recorded a blowout victory over Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, 117-99. Steph Curry led the way for the Warriors, tallying a game-high 37 points. Golden State’s MVP candidate followed his 37 point night with a 40 point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Curry notched nine triples in each contest. 

In Golden State’s first game back at Chase Center after the road trip, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins combined for 65 points against the Toronto Raptors on the way to another win, 119-104. 

Sitting with a comfortable hold of the top record in the association, the Warriors earned Rookie Wire’s No. 1 spot in the latest edition of their NBA power rankings.

Via Rookie Wire:

Golden State continues to reign supreme in our power rankings, holding onto the top spot for the third straight week. They absolutely embarrassed the Nets in the second half on Tuesday as the team continues to dominate teams in the third quarter, posting a plus-7.4 point differential in the period. The non-Stephen Curry players have seemingly all stepped up with the likes of Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Damion Lee among those performing well. With contributions like that, the Warriors are going to be tough to beat.

For the full list of power rankings, check out Rookie Wire here.

The week of Thanksgiving, the Warriors will host the Philadelphia 76ers (12) and Portland Trail Blazers (18) before going on the road for two games against the Los Angeles Clippers (8) and Phoenix Suns (2). Playing three teams in Rookie Wire’s top 12 should be another solid test for the reigning No. 1 team in the power rankings.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. against the Sixers on Wednesday at San Francisco’s Chase Center.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook! 

[lawrence-related id=46208,46200,46177]

[listicle id=46203]

Lakers go up in Rookie Wire’s latest NBA power rankings

The Los Angeles Lakers received a boost from USA Today’s Rookie Wire in its latest NBA power rankings.

The 2021-22 NBA season is a few weeks in, and the Los Angeles Lakers are currently holding a 4-3 record.

Injuries to Trevor Ariza, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn have forced lineups and rotations to change, while minor setbacks to LeBron James have also transpired lately.

With what the Lakers have to work with, they’ve been pretty solid all things considered during the early stages of the season, minus one major blunder against the Oklahoma City Thunder that prevented the team from having a 5-2 record.

But recent wins have seen the Lakers go up in a new set of NBA power rankings done by Cody Taylor of USA TODAY’s Rookie Wire:

11. Los Angeles Lakers (4-3)

Last Rank: 12

Outside of an embarrassing loss to the Thunder, in which they blew a 26-point lead, the Lakers look to be rounding into form after winning four of five. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way, the Lakers are also getting strong contributions from Carmelo Anthony, who has seemingly turned back the clock.

As Taylor mentioned, Anthony has been on fire through seven games, minus a two-game stretch where he shot 1-of-12 from deep. He’s shooting 52.2% from deep on the year and is averaging 16.7 points. For the minimum, that is absolutely fantastic value because his weaknesses are well known.

Now, the Lakers must continue to capitalize against smaller opponents and build a strong record.

[listicle id=50604]

[mm-video type=video id=01fjb05fxpypkdcz3vxm playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fjb05fxpypkdcz3vxm/01fjb05fxpypkdcz3vxm-40a49f363b27068779ae0462c6f7b778.jpg]

ESPN ranks Joel Embiid, Sixers at No. 6 in early NBA Power Rankings

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are ranked 6th in ESPN’s early Power Rankings.

No matter what happens over the next month or so before training camp, the Philadelphia 76ers figure to be in the race for Eastern Conference supremacy in the 2021-22 season. Led by superstar Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons — for the moment — they will be a contender.

ESPN shares that belief. It has the Sixers ranked sixth in their latest edition of the early NBA power rankings:

There is only one thing anyone is talking about when it comes to the 76ers: What’s going to happen with Ben Simmons? Philly President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has shown throughout his career that he isn’t going to trade a player for less than what he thinks he is worth, and he isn’t going to make a trade for the sake of making one. So as long as a certain All-NBA point guard in Portland remains off the market, the expectation here is that Simmons will remain in Philadelphia — which could make for plenty of awkwardness when training camp opens next month.

The Sixers will have many questions to answer when the season begins in October, but there is no denying they have a lot of talent with Embiid, Simmons and the supporting cast. At this point, it is more about making sure they can get over the hump.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=49463]

[lawrence-related id=49505,49469,49459]

Sixers come in ranked 8th in B/R Power Rankings after offseason moves

The Philadelphia 76ers come in ranked 8th in the latest edition of the Power Rankings.

It has been nine days since free agency began on Aug. 2. Now that the dust has settled, some fresh power rankings are coming out before training camp begins on Sep. 28.

The Philadelphia 76ers did not make many big moves, but they made moves around the margins to get the right role players around their star duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. They brought back Furkan Korkmaz and Danny Green on team-friendly deals and brought in Andre Drummond and Georges Niang on smaller deals.

The Sixers are still taking trade calls on Simmons, so they are not exactly done making moves, but they have made enough to include them in some power rankings.

Bleacher Report has the Sixers ranked 8th in its latest edition:

It feels wrong to judge the Sixers at this point, knowing there’s a Ben Simmons trade likely looming at some point this offseason.

Joel Embiid’s durability can be questioned, but he’s worked himself into an MVP candidate who could also win Defensive Player of the Year. Tobias Harris is still under contract for the next three years, and Danny Green returns on a team-friendly, two-year, $20 million deal.

Getting Andre Drummond on the veteran’s minimum is an incredible value for his rebounding alone, and there’s plenty of upside from other members of the bench (Matisse Thybulle, Tyrese Maxey, Shake Milton).

Even if the Sixers bring back Simmons, they are still going to have a strong case to win a championship. This team was the No. 1 seed in the 2020-21 season so it just has to get over the hump to chase its championship goal.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=48920]

[lawrence-related id=49136,49121,49117]

Warriors land outside the top five in ESPN’s ‘way too early’ 2021 NBA power rankings

With Steph Curry and Klay Thompson back in the mix, the Warriors landed just outside the top five in ESPN’s “way too early” 2021 power rankings.

When you finish with the worst record in the league, early preseason power rankings usually spell bad news. However, the Golden State Warriors are in a unique situation.

After the Los Angeles Lakers winning the 2020 NBA title on Sunday, ESPN released their first wave of “way too early” power rankings for the 2021 season. The power rankings were comprised by “a group of more than 40 reporters, insiders and editors” from ESPN.

The defending champion Lakers topped the list with their Los Angeles counterpart at No. 2. Following the Clippers, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks placed at No. 3 before a pair of rising Western Conference teams rounded out the top five.

After a sizzling run in the Orlando Bubble, the Denver Nuggets came in at No. 4 with Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks at No. 5.

The fifth team to represent the Western Conference in ESPN’s power rankings came from the Bay Area. According to Nick Freidell of ESPN, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green could try to prove Golden State’s run isn’t over in 2021.

Via ESPN:

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green want to prove this group’s run isn’t over yet. They’ll be motivated to show the rest of the league they can still play at the highest level. The reality, however, is that this is a completely different Warriors group than before. How will Andrew Wiggins fit in? How does the talent and leadership void left by Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston get filled? What will they do with the No. 2 overall pick? The Warriors still have top-level talent, but they need to fill a lot of gaps before title talk resumes.

View ESPN’s complete power rankings here.

Although they finished with a league-worst 15-50 record in 2019-20, Golden State’s core of Curry, Thompson and Green each missed significant time. With the trio of All-Stars expected to return in 2021, the Warriors will seek to reopen their championship window as soon as next season.

Alongside their impending No. 2 overall draft pick, Andrew Wiggins and Eric Paschall will play essential roles around Curry, Thompson and Green in 2021. Outside of the players mentioned above, the Warriors have several question marks when it comes to filling out the roster. On top of their draft picks, the Warriors will have the mid-level exception and a $17.2 million trade exception to play with over the offseason.

If Bob Myers and Steve Kerr can recruit a high-impact player to come to the Bay Area in the free agency period or the trade market, the Warriors could find themselves higher in the next batch of NBA power rankings.

[lawrence-related id=31765,31756,31753,31718]

[vertical-gallery id=30708]