TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 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. The Cavs dropped out of the top five following a shaky performance this past week, mak- ing way for a new Eastern Conference contender to join the list of elites. (For any comments or sug- gestions, e-mail the writer at: [email protected])

1- Golden State Warriors (59 - 14) could determine Paul George’s future Last week: 1 - The Warriors enter with the franchise next year. today ranking first in offensive rating, tied for first in defensive rating and 16- Chicago Bulls (35 - 39) Last week: also first in net rating. Needless to 20 - The Bulls are making a surprise say, they are already in total postsea- late surge towards the postseason after son mode. many people have ruled them out as a playoff contender following Dwyane 2- San Antonio Spurs (56 - 16) Last Wade’s injury. week: 2 - LaMarcus Aldridge has been surging since returning back from a 17- Memphis Grizzlies (40 - 33) Last minor heart arrhythmia, averaging 21.4 week: 15 - The Grizzlies dropped to points in his last five games. The Spurs seventh place in the West’s standings meanwhile have been exhibition the after losing three consecutive games best defense in the league since the following a four-game winning streak. beginning of 2017. This is far from the consistent perform- ance the team had shown in the past 3- Houston Rockets (51 - 22) Last few years. week: 3 - James Harden won the MVP LOS ANGELES: Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield, center, and forward Anthony Tolliver, left, celebrate after candidate showdown on Sunday 18- Atlanta Hawks (37 - 36) Last center Willie Cauley-Stein, rear second left, scored the go-ahead basket with 1.8 seconds left in an NBA against Russell Westbrook, helping the week: 16 - The Hawks are struggling game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Sunday, in Los Angeles. The Kings won 98-97. —AP Rockers beat the Thunder for their heavily playing without injured for- fourth straight win and seventh in their ward Paul Millsap. They lost their last last eight games. seven games, including a humbling BASKETBALL defeat to last-place Nets on Sunday. 4- Boston Celtics (48 - 26) Last week: 5 - The Celtics have moved within half 19- Dallas Mavericks (31 - 41) Last a game for first place in the East’s week: 17 - Not only are Dallas’ playoff Kings rally from 18 down standings behind strong performance hopes fading, but they currently face that saw them win seven of their last the risk of having a losing season for eight games. They have a chance to the first time in 16 years. The last sub- in fourth to stun Clippers dethrone the Cavs when they visit .500 season was 1999-00, and Mark them on April 5. Cuban became owner of the team in LOS ANGELES: Willie Cauley-Stein HORNETS 120, SUNS 106 Rajon Rondo each scored 18 points January 2000. scored on a putback with 1.8 seconds Kemba Walker had 31 points and for Chicago, with the latter adding 5- Washington Wizards (45 - 28) Last remaining, allowing the Sacramento nine assists to lead Charlotte. The nine rebounds and nine assists. week: 6 - John Wall’s 37 points helped 20- New Orleans Pelicans (31 - 42) Kings to stun the Los Angeles Clippers Hornets pounced on the Suns quick- Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Wizards beat the Cavs on Saturday, Last week: 21 - The Pelicans virtually 98-97 at Staples Center on Sunday. ly, racing to leads of 17-1, 22-3 and Milwaukee with 22 points. but it is his remarkable defense that is need a miracle to make it to the post- Darren Collison scored 19 points to 30-7 before eventually leading 38-18 drawing much of the attention towards season this year, but here is an off topic lead the Kings, who trailed by as many after one quarter. The Hornets went PELICANS 115, NUGGETS 90 him. He has held the Thunder’s Russell note: since they traded for DeMarcus as 18 points in the fourth quarter. on to lead by as many as 25 in what Anthony Davis scored 31 points Westbrook to his lowest per- Cousins, they are 5-8 with him in the Kings rookie guard Buddy Hield, who was their second wire-to-wire victory and grabbed 15 rebounds in only 28 centage this season (20 percent). lineup, and 3-0 without him. hit two clutch three-pointers in the of the season. Charlotte has won minutes to lead New Orleans to a vic- rally, and forward Anthony Tolliver four of its last five and continues to tory over Denver. Jrue Holiday and 6- Cleveland Cavaliers (47 - 25) Last 21- Charlotte Hornets (33 - 40) Last each had 15 points. DeAndre Jordan hang around in the Eastern Jordan Crawford each scored 13 week: 4 - The Cavs have allowed their week: 23 - Winners of four of their last collected 20 points and 11 rebounds Conference playoff race with nine points, and the bench contributed 49 opponents to score an average of five games, the Hornets still have a for the Clippers, while Chris Paul had games remaining. as the Pelicans earned their sixth win 117.2 points in their last five games, of chance to make it to the playoffs, but 17 points and nine assists. The loss in eight games. New Orleans is now which they have lost three, including a in order to do so, they have to over- prevented the Clippers from pulling NETS 107, HAWKS 92 four games behind the Nuggets for tough defeat to the Wizards. They come a tough schedule ahead that into a tie with the idle Utah Jazz for Veterans Jeremy Lin and Brook the eighth spot in the Western remain half a game ahead of Boston in includes games against the Bucks, the fourth seed in the Western Lopez combined for 42 points to help Conference. The Pelicans won without the East’s standings, and the two teams Raptors, Thunder, Wizards, Heat and Conference. Brooklyn outlast short-handed and DeMarcus Cousins, who sat out due to face each other on April 5. Celtics. struggling Atlanta, handing it a sev- an ankle injury. Cousins got hurt CELTICS 112, HEAT 108 enth straight loss. Lopez had 23 Friday during New Orleans’ 117-107 7- Toronto Raptors (44 - 29) Last 22- Detroit Pistons (34 - 39) Last Boston held off a late Miami points and seven rounds and Lin loss to the Houston Rockets and was week: 9 - The addition of Serge Ibaka week: 19 - The Pistons find themselves charge and moved into a virtual tie scored 19 points, his most since get- still sore at the Sunday morning and PJ Tucker has improved the in no man’s land. After holding the for first place in the Eastern ting a season-high 24 on March 14. shootaround. Raptors’ defense significantly. The team eighth spot in the East for a while, they Conference with a victory over the Lin added eight assists, two steals and currently ranks eighth in the league in dropped to tenth place after managing Heat. The win moved Boston to just four rebounds for the Nets. Brooklyn WARRIORS 106, GRIZZLIES 94 defensive efficiency, and second since only one win in their last seven games. four percentage points behind the has won three of its last four, Stephen Curry contributed two the All-Star break. Combine that with idle Cleveland Cavaliers for the top improved to 8-8 in March and broke a three-pointers to a 14-5 fourth-quar- DeMar DeRozan’s consistent scoring 23- Orlando Magic (27 - 46) Last seed in the conference. The teams five-game losing streak in Atlanta. ter run that enabled Golden State to (he scored 40 in back-to-back games week: 27 - Elfrid Payton is the meet April 5 in Boston. Isaiah Thomas, pull away from Memphis en route to last week for the first time in his career) youngest player to record four triple- the league’s leading fourth-quarter ROCKETS 137, THUNDER 125 a victory. Curry finished with 21 and Toronto enters today on a five- doubles in a month since LeBron James scorer, tallied eight points in the final Lou Williams paced a quartet of 20- points and Klay Thompson a game- game winning streak and have had four in November 2007 at the age 4:58 after the Celtics, who rallied from point scorers for the Rockets in their high 31 for the Warriors, who extend- punched their ticket to the playoffs for win. Williams finished with 31 points ed the league’s longest active win- of 22 (per the Elias Sports Bureau). a 15-point first-half deficit, blew a on 11-of-15 shooting, hitting 7 of 8 3- ning streak to seven games while the fourth consecutive year. nine-point fourth-quarter lead and pointers to help carry the Rockets to squaring the season series 2-2 with 24- Philadelphia 76ers (27 - 46) Last trailed by two with 4:13 remaining. 8- Utah Jazz (44 - 29) Last week: 7 - their third win in four meetings with the Grizzlies. Mike Conley had 29 week: 24 - With his 32 points in Despite winning only one of their last the Thunder this season. Aid came in points and a team-high six assists for Friday’s win over the Bulls, the 76ers’ PACERS 107, 76ERS 94 five games, the Jazz clinched a playoffs’ the form of guards James Harden (22 Memphis, which lost ground in its Paul George scored 21 points to spot for the first time since 2012. Their Dario Saric joined teammate Joel points, 12 assists) and Eric Gordon (24 pursuit of the fifth and sixth playoff lead seven Pacers in double figures as underwhelming performance as of late Embiid as the second pair of rookies in points on 4-of-9 3-point shooting), spots in the West. has led center Rudy Gobert to call out franchise history to have 30-point Indiana beat Philadelphia at Bankers and forward Trevor Ariza, who made some of his teammates for ‘lack of games in the same season (per the Life Fieldhouse. Myles Turner con- 9-of-11 shots while also chipping in TRAIL BLAZERS 97, LAKERS 81 competitiveness.’ Elias Sports Bureau). tributed 17 points and a team-high 16 24 points. Houston shot a robust 63.3 Damian Lillard led the way with 22 rebounds. Also in double figures for percent from the floor. Oklahoma points, and Portland cruised past Los 9- Oklahoma City Thunder (41 - 31) 25- (16 - 57) Last the Pacers were Jeff Teague (16 City’s Russell Westbrook recorded his Angeles at Staples Center. Allen Last week: 8 - Russell Westbrook week: 25 - One positive thing that can points) and Al Jefferson (14). C.J. Miles, league-leading 36th triple-double. He Crabbe added 18 points and CJ recorded his 36th triple-double of the be taken from the Nets’ miserable sea- Monta Ellis and Aaron Brooks each finished with 39 points, 11 rebounds McCollum contributed 13 as the Trail season in Sunday’s loss to the Rockets. son is that at least the players learned scored 10 points. Jefferson suffered a and 13 assists. Blazers beat the Lakers for the 12th He needs to make five in Oklahoma how to play together as a team. Bench leg injury with 9:43 left in the fourth consecutive time. Portland has won City’s next 10 games in order to tie scoring has been significant in helping quarter. He was taken to the locker BULLS 109, BUCKS 94 seven in a row over Los Angeles at Oscar Robertson’s single-season Brooklyn win three of their last four room in a wheelchair. Indiana Nikola Mirotic hit six three-pointers Staples. The win allowed the Trail record. games. snapped a two-game losing streak and scored 28 points on 11-of-14 Blazers to tie the Denver Nuggets for and moved into a three-way tie with shooting for the Bulls. Jimmy Butler eighth place in the Western 10- Los Angeles Clippers (44 - 31) 26- Minnesota Timberwolves (28 - Atlanta and Milwaukee for the No. 5 scored 20 points while adding 14 of Conference race. D’Angelo Russell led Last week: 10 - One day after beating 44) Last week: 22 - The Wolves have spot in Eastern Conference. the Bulls’ 33 assists. Robin Lopez and the Lakers with 22 points. —Reuters the Jazz and clinching a playoff berth allowed their opponents to score an for the sixth straight season, the average of 117.5 points during their Clippers lost the Kings on Sunday after current six-game losing streak. blowing an 18-point lead with five Defensive-guru likely Maye hits late jumper to lift minutes remaining in the game. needs to work more with the team on that department during the offseason. 11- Milwaukee Bucks (37 36) Last North Carolina to Final Four week: 12 - Milwaukee has wrapped a 27- Sacramento Kings (28 - 45) Last 4-2 West Coast road trip that included week: 28 - The Kings need to focus in MEMPHIS: Roy Williams went all “I probably should have called forth in my head,” Fox said. “It’s going wins against the Clippers and Blazers, the offseason on the development of “Gone With the Wind” when a player time out,” Kentucky coach John to be difficult to get over.” Never firmly putting them in a tie with Skal Labissiere, in hopes of unlocking asked about his North Carolina Tar Calipari said. “It entered my mind, before had the NCAA Tournament Atlanta for fifth place in the East’s the great potential of pairing him with Heels making the last shot Sunday to but they got that son of a B in so pitted powerhouse programs that standings. center Willie Cauley-Stein next year. edge Kentucky to the Final Four. quick, I couldn’t get to anybody to have so dominated March. This And the coincidence that the Tar do it. I needed to stop that right South final featured Kentucky with 12- Portland Trail Blazers (35 - 38) Heels have been on the other end of there.” Theo Pinson drove enough the most tournament wins all-time Last week: 14 - The Blazers have won 28- (27 - 46) Last similar shots recently, like in the 2016 toward the basket to pick off Maye’s with 124 and North Carolina just six of their last seven games, and took week: 26 - The Knicks shift their atten- national championship and a wild defender, then passed back to Maye. behind with 120 (now 121). advantage of Denver’s latest defeat to tion to the offseason amid uncertainty December game against the The sophomore from Huntersville, This was just the fourth time take over the eighth and final postsea- surrounding most members of the ros- Wildcats. North Carolina, knocked it down for these blue bloods have met in a son-qualifying position in the West’s ter given coach Jeff Hornacek’s recent “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a ...,” the win with his feet on the 3-point regional final. The result was much standings. reiteration that he will fully commit to Williams said with a smile, quoting line. “I just kind of stepped back, and the same as the others, with North the triangle offense next season. Clark Gable’s famed line as Rhett he gave me the ball and I just shot it, Carolina now 3-1 against Kentucky 13- Miami Heat (35 - 38) Last week: Butler. “I didn’t care what he was and luckily it went in,” Maye said. “It as the Tar Heels avenged a 103-100 talking about.” hit a was a great feeling.” Maye finished loss on Dec. 17 in Las Vegas. 11 - The Heat, who lost three of their 29- Los Angeles Lakers (21 - 52) Last jumper with 0.3 seconds left and with a career-high 17 points off the Kentucky led for less than 4 min- last four games, hopes to have injured week: 30 - The Lakers unveiled a top-seeded North Carolina held off bench for North Carolina. Justin utes in a game North Carolina had a guard Dion Waiters back before the bronze statue for Shaquille O’Neal out- Kentucky 75-73 to earn the Tar Heels’ Jackson scored 19 points, and Joel big edge on the boards (44-34) and end of the regular season as they look side the Stables Center on Friday. ‘Shaq’ to keep a hold on the eighth spot in second straight trip to the Final Four, Berry II added 11 on a sprained left inside, where the Tar Heels has earned himself the moniker of the winning a showdown of college bas- ankle. The Wildcats had one last outscored the Wildcats 34-26. the East’s standings amid a strong franchise’s most dominant big man, push from Chicago. ketball’s elite in the South Regional. chance, but Derek Willis’ inbounds Officials didn’t help the flow of which is saying a lot for a franchise The national semifinal will be the pass went out of bounds on the far this game calling fouls left and right, where legendary centers including 14- Denver Nuggets (35 - 38) Last 20th for North Carolina, where the end. Kentucky (32-6) will miss out on though Kentucky took the brunt Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt week: 13 - The Nuggets logged Tar Heels (31-7) will play Midwest the Final Four for the second straight with its star trio of freshmen all pick- Chamberlain have also seen great suc- impressive wins against the Cavs and champ Oregon on Saturday in year. Willis and sophomore Isaac ing up two fouls each in the half. Fox Pacers last week, before a loss to the cess with. Glendale, Arizona. North Carolina Humphries left the court with towels played only 8 minutes of the first Pelicans on Sunday cost them the took control with 12 straight points over their heads, and Fox was the half after picking up his second foul eighth spot in the West’s standings less 30- Phoenix Suns (22 - 52) Last week: over the final 5 minutes, a run simi- last to leave. with 12:23 left. Adebayo easily was than a month before the playoffs. 29 - I was going to write about Phoenix lar to what it used a week ago to The Wildcats had hoped their tal- the most frustrated as he missed all starting the youngest lineup in NBA beat Arkansas. The Tar Heels fin- ented freshmen would carry them. five shots in the half with Kennedy 15- (37 - 36) Last history on Thursday, before Devin ished this game with a 16-9 run. Bam Adebayo and Fox each had 13 Meeks swatting away one of his week: 18 - The Pacers enter today in Booker went off on a 70-point barrage Kentucky’s freshmen De’Aaron Fox points, and Monk, the Southeastern dunk attempts. seventh place in the East’s standings, on Friday, becoming the sixth NBA hit a 3 and Malik Monk quickly Conference player of the year, fin- North Carolina led by as much as and their success this season com- player ever to score that much and the added two more, one with 7.2 sec- ished with 12. Fox and Adebayo 9 a couple times before both teams bined with offseason roster moves youngest ever to do so. onds left and defenders in his face wept side by side in the locker room. went into shooting slumps. The Tar to tie the game at 73. “That shot is just playing back and Heels led 38-33 at halftime. —AP