NBA Power Rankings: Gold rush continues
1. Golden State Warriors (Record: 21-2; last week’s rank: 1): The Warriors are the ninth team in NBA history to start with a 21-2 record or better and play at Memphis and against the Thunder this week.
2. Memphis Grizzlies (Record: 19-4; last week’s rank: 4): The Grizzlies have a brutal schedule this week: Golden State, at San Antonio, Chicago and at Cleveland.
3. Portland Trail Blazers (Record: 18-6; last week’s rank: 3): The Blazers play the Spurs on Monday for the first time since the defending champions ousted them from the playoffs.
4. Houston Rockets (Record: 18-5; last week’s rank: 5). James Harden led Houston to an 8-3 record when Dwight Howard was out with a knee injury and leads the team in scoring, assists and steals per game.
5. San Antonio Spurs (Record: 17-7; last week’s rank: 2): San Antonio faces Portland twice, Memphis, Dallas, the Clippers and Oklahoma City in its next six games.
6. Toronto Raptors (Record: 18-6; last week’s rank: 8): Toronto has been atop the East for a month. Kyle Lowry is the only player in the league averaging 21 points and more than 10 assists in December.
7. Dallas Mavericks (Record: 17-8; last week’s rank: 7) It’s uncertain how long Chandler Parsons will be out with lower back soreness. The Mavs host the Spurs on Saturday.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (Record: 16-7; last week’s rank: 6) The Clippers, who have lost two straight, are 15-2 when scoring 100 points or more and 1-5 when scoring less than 100.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder (Record: 11-13; last week’s rank: 19): Here come the Thunder, winners of six straight. They are 6-1 since Kevin Durant returned from a broken foot.
10. Washington Wizards (Record: 17-6; last week’s rank: 9): The Wizards have won four straight – the longest current winning streak in the Eastern Conference – and seven of their last eight.
11. Atlanta Hawks (Record: 16-7; last week’s rank: 10): The Hawks’ next two games are against two fellow East contenders in Chicago and Cleveland.
12. Chicago Bulls (Record: 15-8; last week’s rank: 12): Add Doug McDermott (knee surgery) to the list of injured rookie lottery picks with Joel Embiid, Aaron Gordon and Julius Randle.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (Record: 13-9; last week’s rank: 11): Since scoring 37 points against New York on Dec. 4, Kyrie Irving has averaged just 14.4 points in his past five games.
14. Phoenix Suns (Record: 12-13; last week’s rank: 15): The Suns have lost five straight and could soon get passed by the Thunder for the eighth spot in the West.
15. Milwaukee Bucks (Record: 12-12; last week’s rank: 15) The Bucks have scored 100 points or more in 12 of their last 14 games. The last time Milwaukee did that was in 1991.
16. New Orleans Pelicans (Record: 11-12; last week’s rank: 16) Jrue Holiday has averaged 22.2 points and 8.4 assists the past four games. More will be needed if Anthony Davis (chest) remains sidelined.
17. Sacramento Kings (Record: 11-13; last week’s rank: 13): Owner Vivek Ranadive fired head coach Michael Malone on Sunday. Malone was hired in June 3, 2013, 15 days before general manager Pete D’Alessandro.
18. Denver Nuggets (Record: 10-14; last week’s rank: 17) The injury-riddled Nuggets have lost six of their last seven games. It won’t get any easier with the Rockets and Clippers up next.
19. Miami Heat (Record: 11-13; last week’s rank: 18): Keep an eye on forward Chris Bosh, who missed his first game of the season in Sunday’s loss to Chicago with a slight calf strain.
20. Brooklyn Nets (Record: 10-12; last week’s rank: 22): Jarrett Jack received his degree from Georgia Tech on Saturday morning in Atlanta and scored 14 points at Charlotte that night.
21. Los Angeles Lakers (Record: 8-16; last week’s rank: 25): Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are on a season-high three-game winning streak and have split their last 14 games.
22. Orlando Magic (Record: 10-16; last week’s rank: 21): Tobias Harris has already hit two game-winning jumpers this season and has scored 20 points or more in three of his past five games.
23. Boston Celtics (Record: 7-14; last week’s rank: 23): Boston, losers of eight of its last 11, has dropped eight games this season in which it was either tied or leading in the fourth quarter.
24. Indiana Pacers (Record: 7-17; last week’s rank: 20): The Pacers have lost eight straight games for the first time under coach Frank Vogel and for the first time since 2009-10 season.
25. Utah Jazz (Record: 6-18; last week’s rank: 24): Only Minnesota has a worse record in the West than Utah, which has lost 11 of 12 and plays its next five on the road.
26. Charlotte Hornets (Record: 6-17; last week’s rank: 26): It’s a bad sign when key off-season acquisition Lance Stephenson is already on the trading block.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (Record: 5-18; last week’s rank: 29): A classy move by the T-Wolves to call a timeout Sunday against the Lakers to celebrate Kobe Bryant passing Michael Jordan for third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
28. Detroit Pistons (Record: 5-19; last week’s rank: 30): The Pistons have won two straight games for the second time this season. The Clippers are up next.
29. New York Knicks (Record: 5-21; last week’s rank: 27): The Knicks have lost 11 of their past 12 games. The only time New York has won two straight games this season was Oct. 30 and Nov. 2.
30. Philadelphia 76ers (Record: 2-21; last week’s rank: 28) The Sixers are 0-12 at home, which is the second-worst home start in NBA history behind the 1993-94 Mavericks, who began 0-19.
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