P18 3.E$S 3 Layout 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
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 center’s job the Thunder. in Denver. Cannot blame the Nuggets when Jokic has just exploded for a 3- Houston Rockets (40 - 17) Last week: career-high 40 points that helped them 6 - Patrick Beverley, a natural point guard, beat the Knicks on Friday. has transitioned into the shooting guard position when paired with James Harden 18- Portland Trail Blazers (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- San Antonio Spurs (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 Brandon Jennings (3) chases San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills in the first ing what he can do on offense this year half of the team’s NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday. — AP as well. He entered yesterday averaging 19- Sacramento Kings (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- Milwaukee Bucks (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- Chicago Bulls (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- Memphis Grizzlies (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- Minnesota Timberwolves (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 Taj Gibson 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- Philadelphia 76ers (20 - 34) Last making consecutive baskets to make week: 25 - It is not likely that Joel it 92-86 with 33 seconds remaining. 9- Miami Heat (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- Los Angeles Clippers (33 - 21) Last which ended a four-game losing streak added 21, including a go-ahead 3- week: 13 - Blake Griffin 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 Darren Collison (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. New Orleans Pelicans 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- Atlanta Hawks (31 - 23) Last week: 25- Charlotte Hornets (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.