NBA Western Conference Week Four Power Rankings: Warriors Stay On Top Despite Argument With Two Stars
Nov 14, 2018, 3:11 PM | Updated: Nov 23, 2018, 3:26 pm
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Golden State Warriors are currently holding the top spot but things could get ugly in the locker room following an argument between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant.
No team in the Western Conference shifted more than two positions in the Power Rankings.
Here is the KSL Sports NBA Western Conference Power Rankings for the fourth week of the season from games played from November 7-13.
1. Golden State Warriors (12-3)
Week four record: 2-2
Wins: vs. Brooklyn, vs. Atlanta
Losses: vs. Milwaukee, at LA Clippers (in OT)
The 2-2 record during week four doesn’t reflect how bad things could get in Golden State. During regulation against the Clippers, Draymond Green decided to grab the rebound and shoot a bad shot to try and win the game but missed and didn’t give the ball to Kevin Durant. It turned into an argument on the bench between the two superstars. Stephen Curry has been out for all but one game during the week as he is dealing with a groin injury.
Previous ranking: 1
Next up: at Houston, at Dallas, at San Antonio
Dubs come back to force OT but lose a heartbreaker. pic.twitter.com/ajlly8HFbR
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 13, 2018
2. Portland Trail Blazers (10-3)
Week four record: 2-0
Wins: vs. LA Clippers, vs. Boston
Portland is quickly climbing the standings as they are on the Golden State Warriors’ heels. In the two wins over the Clippers and Celtics, Damian Lillard scored 25 and 19 points respectively. Jusuf Nurkic had 17 rebounds against the Celtics. The Blazers have won four in a row.
Previous ranking: 3
Next up: at LA Lakers, at Minnesota, at Washington, at New York
10-3#RipCity pic.twitter.com/zCxFvWOkEw
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 12, 2018
3. Denver Nuggets (9-5)
Week four record: 0-4
Losses: at Memphis, vs. Brooklyn, vs. Milwaukee, vs. Houston
A 9-1 start has turned into a four game losing streak and a 9-5 record for the Denver Nuggets. They lost by two points in Memphis and at home against Brooklyn. Nikola Jokic is still playing really well as he scored 37 points and 21 rebounds against the Nets and 20 points versus the Bucks.
Previous ranking: 2
Next up: vs. Atlanta, at New Orleans, at Milwaukee
4. Los Angeles Clippers (8-5)
Week four record: 2-1
Wins: vs. Milwaukee, vs. Golden State (in OT)
Losses: at Portland
The Clippers had a wild three games during the fourth week of the season as they started out with an 11-point loss in Portland. The next two games both went into overtime against two really good teams in the Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors. They won by seven combined points. During that stretch, the Clippers had three different leading scorers with Danilo Gallinari scoring 20 against Portland, Montrezl Harrell with 26 versus Milwaukee and Lou Williams had 25 points over the Warriors.
Previous ranking: 5
Next up: vs. San Antonio, at Brooklyn, at Atlanta, at Washington
C L I P P E R S W I N pic.twitter.com/ZjJhsbtuRz
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 13, 2018
5. San Antonio Spurs (7-5)
Week four record: 1-2
Wins: vs. Houston
Losses: at Miami, at Sacramento
A tough week for the Spurs as they lost their two games by 12 points combined and beat the Rockets by seven points. Despite a six-point performance to start the week against the Miami Heat, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 and 14 points against the Rockets and Kings respectively. DeMar DeRozan averaged 18 points and 9 rebounds during those three games.
Previous ranking: 4
Next up: at Phoenix, at LA Clippers, vs. Golden State, at New Orleans
6. Oklahoma City Thunder (8-5)
Week four record: 3-1
Wins: at Cleveland, vs. Houston, vs. Phoenix
Losses: at Dallas
A disappointing 15-point loss on the road against the Dallas Mavericks prevented the Thunder from having a perfect week and a nine game winning streak. This run was all without star Russell Westbrook. Paul George carried the load as he averaged 22.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5 assists in those four games. Dennis Schroder scored 28 points in their nine-point win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Previous ranking: 7
Next up: vs. New York, at Phoenix, at Sacramento
7. Memphis Grizzlies (7-5)
Week four record: 2-1
Wins: vs. Denver, vs. Philadelphia (in OT)
Losses: vs. Utah
Another team that is shocking the NBA world as they are looking like a playoff team early in the season. They beat the Denver Nuggets by two points and knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime before losing to the Utah Jazz. Mike Conley had 32 points against the 76ers and 24 points in the loss to the Jazz.
Previous ranking: 8
Next up: at Milwaukee, vs. Sacramento, at Minnesota, vs. Dallas
8. Sacramento Kings (8-6)
Week four record: 2-2
Wins: vs. Minnesota, vs. San Antonio
Losses: vs. Toronto, vs. LA Lakers
The Kings are still impressing the NBA with their great start when most expected them to be at the bottom of the West. They lost by 9 points to the Raptors and 15 to the Lakers but their wins were by 11 points over the Timberwolves and 15 points against San Antonio. Willie Cauley-Stein is in line for Most Improved Player as he had another good week with an 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds average in those three games.
Previous ranking: 6
Next up: at Memphis, at Houston, vs. Oklahoma City
9. Utah Jazz (7-6)
Week four record: 3-0
Wins: vs. Dallas, vs. Boston, at Memphis
The Jazz bounced back from a disappointing week three to pick up a 15-point win over Dallas with a 23 point performance from Donovan Mitchell. Joe Ingles tied his career-high 27 points on the Boston Celtics in Gordon Hayward’s first game back in Salt Lake City. Rudy Gobert averaged 16.3 points, 13.6 rebounds and 3 blocks in those three wins. The Jazz will embark on a five-game road trip.
Previous ranking: 9
Next up: at Dallas, at Philadelphia, at Boston, at Indiana
10. New Orleans Pelicans (7-6)
Week four record: 3-0
Wins: vs. Chicago, vs. Phoenix, at Toronto
The Pelicans snapped a six game losing streak by winning their next three games all during week four. Anthony Davis averaged 27.6 points, 16 rebounds, 6.3 steals and 2.6 blocks in those three games. They won by 45 combined points.
Previous ranking: 10
Next up: at Minnesota, vs. New York, vs. Denver, vs. San Antonio
11. Los Angeles Lakers (7-6)
Week four record: 3-0
Wins: vs. Minnesota, at Sacramento, vs. Atlanta
Things are starting to click for the Lakers as they hold a winning record for the first time in years. LeBron James was sensational as he put up 24 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists in the win over Minnesota. He added 25 points and 7 rebounds in the win over Sacramento and 26 points on the Atlanta Hawks.
Previous ranking: 12
Next up: vs. Portland, at Orlando, at Miami
12. Houston Rockets (6-7)
Week four record: 2-2
Wins: vs. Indiana, at Denver
Losses: at Oklahoma City, at San Antonio
The two losses to start the fourth week stopped the Rockets from a seven game winning streak. James Harden was outstanding as usual as he averaged 26.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7 assists in the four games of week four.
Previous ranking: 11
Next up: vs. Golden State, vs. Sacramento
13. Dallas Mavericks (5-8)
Week four record: 2-1
Wins: vs. Oklahoma City, at Chicago
Losses: at Utah
The Mavericks had a very good week with their only loss coming to the Utah Jazz on the road. Luka Doncic has officially emerged as a go-to player for Dallas. He finished the fourth week of the season averaging 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
Previous ranking: 14
Next up: vs. Utah, vs. Golden State, at Memphis
14. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-9)
Week four record: 1-2
Wins: vs. Brooklyn
Losses: at LA Lakers, at Sacramento
Derrick Rose had another great game as he is giving fans flashbacks of the 2011 MVP version of himself with a 31 point performance in a four-point loss to the Lakers. Karl Anthony-Towns exploded with a 39-point, 19-rebounds performance in their 11-point loss to the Sacramento Kings. That was Jimmy Butler’s last game before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. Towns dropped 25 points and 21 rebounds in the first game without Butler.
Previous ranking: 13
Next up: vs. New Orleans, vs. Portland, vs. Memphis
15. Phoenix Suns (2-11)
Week four record: 0-3
Losses: vs. Boston (in OT), at New Orleans, at Oklahoma City
A close overtime loss to the Boston Celtics saw the Suns losing 9 of their last 11 games. Devin Booker scored 38 points in that loss. T.J. Warren was the leader on the road as he scored 25 against the Pelicans and 21 against the Thunder. First overall draft pick Deandre Ayton had a great week as he averaged 16 points and 9.6 rebounds including two double-doubles.
Previous ranking: 15
Next up: vs. San Antonio, vs. Oklahoma City, at Philadelphia