TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017 SPORTS

KUWAIT TIMES NBA POWER RANKINGS

By Ahmad Jabr

KUWAIT: In addition to its usual coverage of the NBA, Kuwait Times introduces a new feature this year: the NBA Power Rankings. It is a weekly list ranking each team based on its performance during the week. Golden State Warriors remain on top this week also and for the fifth straight week. (For any comments or suggestions, e-mail the writer at: [email protected])

1- Golden State Warriors (46 - 8) Last tinue winning and keep their playoff week: 1 - It was a great week for the hopes alive. Warriors. Kevin Durant had a successful return to Oklahoma City on Saturday, and 16- Dallas Mavericks (22 - 32) Last Draymond Green became the only player week: 17 - The Mavs have won seven of in NBA history to record a triple-double their last ten matches, and are only two with fewer than 10 points scored, finish- games behind Denver for the eighth spot ing with four points, 12 rebounds, 10 in the Western Conference standings as assists, 10 steals and five blocks in of Monday. Coach Rick Carlisle has the Friday’s win over the Grizzlies. answer for how his team managed to turn their season around: “we play better 2- Cleveland Cavaliers (37 - 16) Last when Dirk is healthy and feeling good.” week: 2 - This past week saw LeBron James pass Lenny Wilkens for 13th on the 17- Denver Nuggets (24 - 30) Last all-time assists list, and former No. 2 draft week: 16 - Trading away Jusuf Nurkic pick Derrick Williams making an impres- served as the final chapter in the big-man sive debut with the Cavs, going with 12 logjam story that betted him against points in 22 minutes in Thursday’s loss to Nikola Jokic for the starting ’s job the Thunder. in Denver. Cannot blame the Nuggets when Jokic has just exploded for a 3- (40 - 17) Last week: career-high 40 points that helped them 6 - , a natural point guard, beat the Knicks on Friday. has transitioned into the shooting guard position when paired with 18- (23 - 31) Last in the starting lineup, but slides back to week: 15 - Speaking of which, Portland point guard when playing with the sec- has definitely ‘cashed-in’ with the afore- ond unit. He’s averaged 13.6 points and mentioned trade, landing Nurkic who is shot 48.1 percent from the field in his last still young (22 years) and has shown last five games. year and early this season how solid he can be. Meanwhile, the trade also landed 4- (41 - 13) Last Portland another first-round pick, which week: 2 - Back-to-back NBA Defensive means that they now possess three such Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard is show- picks in this summer’s talent-rich draft. NEW YORK: New York Knicks guard (3) chases San Antonio Spurs guard in the first ing what he can do on offense this year half of the team’s NBA game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday. — AP as well. He entered yesterday averaging 19- (23 - 32) Last 25.8 points per game, which is ninth week: 22 - The Kings beat the Celtics on highest in the NBA this season. Wednesday and snapped their seven- Knicks defeat Spurs, game winning streak, all while playing 5- Boston Celtics (35 - 19) Last week: 4 - without suspended star DeMarcus All-Star Isaiah Thomas is finally getting Cousins. The win seems to have inspired the help he needs: playing against the them as they have since won their follow- Pistons beat Raptors Jazz on Saturday with virtually three ing two games against the Hawks and starters sidelined, the bench scored 50 Pelicans. points - the second highest production NEW YORK: Carmelo Anthony scored from the reserves by any team this sea- 20- (23 - 30) Last 25 points as the New York Knicks sal- son (via ESPN). week: 20 - Jabari Parker was having a vaged the finale of a tumultuous five- career year before tearing his ACL; an game homestand by beating the San 6- Washington Wizards (32 - 21) Last injury that will sideline him for 12 Antonio Spurs 94-90 on Sunday. With week: 5 - The Wizards have won nine of months. He averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 Latrell Sprewell and a number of other their last ten games, with their only loss rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.4 blocks per former Knicks in attendance two days coming in a close 140-135 overtime game this season. after Charles Oakley was banned, the defeat against the Cavs. During that current team pulled out a defensive stretch of games, Washington ranked 21- (26 - 29) Last week: performance from its past, limiting fourth in the league in offensive rating, 18 - With both Dwayne Wade and Jimmy the Spurs to 36 percent shooting. That third in defensive rating and second in Butler injured, the Bulls lost to the came just two nights after the Knicks net rating. Timberwolves by 28 points on Sunday, yielded 131 points in a dismal defen- and finished their road trip with a 2-4 sive performance against Denver, 7- (33 - 23) Last record. It goes without saying that they which came after losses to Cleveland week: 8 - Forty-year-old Vince Carter had need their All-Star players back as soon and both Los Angeles teams to start four blocks (including an emphatic swat as possible. the homestand. Kawhi Leonard had of a lay-in attempt by LaMarcus Aldridge) 36 points for the Spurs (41-13), who and played key defense that helped 22- (21 - 34) had their two-game win streak Memphis beat the Spurs last Monday. Last week: 23 - Sunday’s win over snapped and failed in their first Chicago completed a season sweep for attempt to secure what would have 8- Utah Jazz (34 - 21) Last week: 7 - coach Tom Thibodeau against his former been an NBA-record 20th consecutive George Hill missed Thursday’s game team. And although he insisted that it winning season. The Knicks didn’t let against the Mavs, which resulted in a loss was ‘just another game,’ everyone else, the Spurs reach 70 points until fewer for Utah that snapped a four-game win- including Chicago’s think oth- than 8 minutes remained. Then ning streak. The Jazz are 22-8 when Hill erwise. Anthony provided offense when they plays and 12-13 when he does not this needed it clinging to a two-point lead, season. 23- (20 - 34) Last making consecutive baskets to make week: 25 - It is not likely that Joel it 92-86 with 33 seconds remaining. 9- (24 - 31) Last week: 10 - Embiid’s minor injury could prevent the Anthony’s relationship with Phil Before their loss that snapped their 13- Sixers from trading Jahlil Okafor if pre- Jackson and resulting trade rumors game winning streak on Saturday, the sented with a good offer before the Feb were a constant throughout the Heat became one of two NBA teams in 23 deadline. Meanwhile, the team now homestand, though the fallout from history to have a double-digit win streaks has five go-ahead field goals in the final Oakley’s arrest after an altercation without having an All-Star. Meanwhile, 10 seconds of regulation or overtime, the with security guards last Wednesday Hassan Whiteside scored 90 points, most in the NBA (via ESPN Stats and Info). became the bigger story. grabbed 67 rebounds and made 40-56 shots from the field over his last four 24- New York Knicks (23 - 33) Last week: PISTONS 102, RAPTORS 101 games prior to Saturday. 24 - The Knicks needed that morale- Tobias Harris had 24 points off the boosting win over the Spurs on Sunday, bench and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 10- (33 - 21) Last which ended a four-game losing streak added 21, including a go-ahead 3- week: 13 - is returning to and came following the drama that saw pointer with 13.2 seconds left, as form, and the Clippers have responded former Knick Charles Oakley being Detroit overcame a 16-point fourth - with wins in their last two games against banned from the Madison Square Garden quarter deficit to beat Toronto. Andre CALIFORNIA: Sacramento Kings guard (7) drives around the Knicks and Hornets following a three- after confronting team owner James Drummond had 10 points and 18 game losing streak. Dolan. defender Dante Cunningham (33) during the second rebounds for his 36th double-double half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday. The Kings of the season. DeMar DeRozan scored won 105-99. — AP 11- (31 - 23) Last week: 25- (24 - 30) Last 26 points for Toronto and Jonas 11 - The Hawks led by as much as 22 week: 21 - The Hornets have lost nine of Valanciunas had 17 points and nine and Minnesota shot 54 percent to the Sacramento Kings, who beat the points at one stage during their match their last ten games entered yesterday, rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to help coach Tom Thibodeau sweep the New Orleans Pelicans for their third against the Kings on Friday, but eventual- and their only win came last Tuesday keep the Raptors from losing for the season series against his former team. straight victory. The Kings assumed ly allowed Sacramento to come from against the lowly Nets. After hosting 10th time in their last 14 games. Gorgui Dieng added 10 points and 13 the lead late in the third quarter and behind and the victory. They do not Philadelphia last night, they embark on a Caldwell-Pope made it a two-point rebounds. Doug McDermott scored never relinquished it in winning for have problems starting games strong, season-high seven game road trip. game with a pull-up jumper with 47.9 16 points and made four 3-pointers the fourth time in five games. The but often struggle to hold off teams as seconds remaining, and put the for the Bulls. They were missing Jimmy Kings have won three straight the match progresses. 26- Los Angeles Lakers (19 - 37) Last Pistons in front 102-101 with his 3- Butler, Dwyane Wade, Nikola Mirotic games only one other time this sea- week: 29 - The Lakers scored an NBA sea- pointer. and Paul Zipser with injuries. The Bulls son. Darren Collison had 20 points 12- Oklahoma City Thunder (31 - 24) son-high 47 points in the first quarter in turned the ball over 18 times, were and eight assists for the Kings. Last week: 12 - Russell Westbrook had a their win over the Bucks on Friday. In TIMBERWOLVES 117, BULLS 89 outrebounded 46-35 and were had 32 points and 10 game-high 47 points and grabbed 11 comparison, the Pistons scored 41 points Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points outscored 56-38 in the paint. rebounds for the Pelicans, but was rebounds in Saturday’s showdown in the first half against the Spurs the and Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 to limited to 11 points following a against the Warriors, but also conceded same night. help Minnesota beat severely short- KINGS 105, PELICANS 99 huge first half. New Orleans has 11 turnovers that resulted in 15 points for handed Chicago. had 17 DeMarcus Cousins had 28 points, dropped eight of 10 games and is 7- Golden State; who eventually won the 27- New Orleans Pelicans (21 - 34) Last points, 11 assists and six rebounds 14 rebounds and seven assists for 19 on the road. — AP game by 16 points. week: 26 - The Pelicans want to trade for Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor, but seem 13- (29 - 25) Last week: 9 reluctant to part ways with or NBA results/standings - The Pacers conceded three straight a first-round pick, especially that they had games after a seven-game winning streak. traded away a first-round pick to acquire Sacramento 105, New Orleans 99; Detroit 102, Toronto 101; Minnesota 117, Chicago 89; NY Knicks 94, San Antonio 90. Before that they had lost three straight Holiday from Philadelphia back in 2013. games as well, which virtually renders that Eastern Conference Western Conference successful stretch of games useless. 28- (17 - 38) Last week: 28 Atlantic Division Northwest Division - Devin Booker became the youngest play- W L PCT GB Utah 34 21 .618 - 14- (32 - 23) Last er with 20+ points in 16 straight games Boston 35 19 .648 - Oklahoma City 31 24 .564 3 week: 14 - Sunday’s loss to the Pistons - before the age of 21, passing LeBron Toronto 32 23 .582 3.5 Denver 24 30 .444 9.5 which was the Raptors’ 10th in their last James’ previous record of 15 games. NY Knicks 23 33 .411 13 Portland 23 31 .426 10.5 14 games - showed a trend that Toronto Philadelphia 20 34 .370 15 Minnesota 21 34 .382 13 has demonstrated all season long: bad 29- (20 - 36) Last week: Brooklyn 9 45 .167 26 Pacific Division defense combined with lack of offensive 27 - We are close to the All-Star break and Central Division Golden State 46 8 .852 - plays that capitalize on the team’s versa- the Magic has a worse record than the Cleveland 37 16 .698 - LA Clippers 33 21 .611 13 tile options on that end of the floor. 76ers, something that would have been Indiana 29 25 .537 8.5 Sacramento 23 32 .418 23.5 crazy to think about at the beginning of Chicago 26 29 .473 12 15- Detroit Pistons (26 - 29) Last week: the season. Detroit 26 29 .473 12 LA Lakers 19 37 .339 28 19 - Since his rookie season in 2012-13, Milwaukee 23 30 .434 14 Phoenix 17 38 .309 29.5 has 216 double-dou- 30- (9 - 45) Last week: Southeast Division Southwest Division bles, most in the NBA over that span. 30 - The Brooklyn Nets have lost 13 Washington 32 21 .604 - San Antonio 41 13 .759 - Meanwhile, the Pistons - who won three straight home games, a streak that began Atlanta 31 23 .574 1.5 Houston 40 17 .702 2.5 of their five games - entered Monday in on January 2. This is the longest home Charlotte 24 30 .444 8.5 Memphis 33 23 .589 9 the eighth place in the Eastern losing streak to begin a calendar year in Miami 24 31 .436 9 Dallas 22 32 .407 19 Conference standings, and hope to con- NBA history (via the Elias Sports Bureau). Orlando 20 36 .357 13.5 New Orleans 21 34 .382 20.5