NBA Western Conference Week Seven Power Rankings: Clippers Take Top Spot, Spurs Near Bottom
Dec 5, 2018, 3:15 PM | Updated: Dec 26, 2018, 3:22 pm
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A wild week in the Western Conference saw the defending Champion Golden State Warriors drop from No. 1 to No. 4 and the Los Angeles Clippers taking the top spot.
Something that probably hasn’t been seen in a long time, the Spurs being in the bottom half of the Conference.
Here is the KSL Sports NBA Western Conference Power Rankings for the seventh week of the season from games played from Wednesday, November 28 to Tuesday, December 4.
1. Los Angeles Clippers (16-7)
Week seven record: 3-1
Wins: vs. Phoenix (in OT), at Sacramento, at New Orleans
Losses: at Dallas
The Clippers continue to impress as they have won 5 of their last 6 games and 10 of their last 12. Tobias Harris led the team in scoring in two of the four games with 28 points against Sacramento and 27 against New Orleans.
Previous ranking: 2
Next up: at Memphis, vs. Miami, at Phoenix, vs. Toronto
2. Denver Nuggets (16-7)
Week seven record: 2-0
Wins: at Portland, at Toronto
A light week for the Nuggets with just two games. They have now won six in a row. Gary Harris had 27 points in their one point win over Portland and Nikola Jokic had an impressive triple-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists in their three-point win over Toronto.
Previous ranking: 3
Next up: at Orlando, at Charlotte, at Atlanta, vs. Memphis
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (15-7)
Week seven record: 3-0
Wins: vs. Cleveland, vs. Atlanta, at Detroit
The Thunder three convincing wins over two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference as well as a road win over Detroit. Russell Westbrook had a triple-double against Cleveland with 23 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists. He had 23 points and 10 assists in the win over Atlanta. Steven Adams scored 21 points in the 27 point win in Detroit.
Previous ranking: 4
Next up: at Brooklyn, at Chicago, vs. Utah
4. Golden State Warriors (16-9)
Week seven record: 1-2
Wins: at Atlanta
Losses: at Toronto (in OT), at Detroit
Kevin Durant had 51 points and 11 rebounds in their overtime loss to Toronto which made it three straight games that Durant scored over 40 points. He added 28 points in their 9-point loss to Detroit before Stephen Curry returned to score 30 points in their 17-point win over Atlanta.
Previous ranking: 1
Next up: at Cleveland, at Milwaukee, vs. Minnesota
5. Los Angeles Lakers (14-9)
Week seven record: 3-0
Wins: vs. Indiana, vs. Dallas, vs. Phoenix
LeBron James had 38 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in their 8-point win over Indiana. He added 28 points in the Lakers win over the Dallas Mavericks and Kyle Kuzma scored 23 points against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers have won three in a row and six of their last eight.
Previous ranking: 7
Next up: vs. San Antonio, at San Antonio, at Memphis, vs. Miami
6. Memphis Grizzlies (13-9)
Week six record: 1-1
Wins: at Brooklyn (in 2OT)
Losses: at Philadelphia
It took two overtimes for the Grizzlies to beat the Nets in Brooklyn. Mike Conley had 37 points and 10 assists in their six point win. He scored 21 points in their 8-point defeat to the Sixers. They have lost four of their last five games.
Previous ranking: 5
Next up: vs. LA Clippers, at New Orleans, vs. LA Lakers, at Denver
7. Portland Trail Blazers (13-11)
Week six record: 1-3
Wins: vs. Orlando
Losses: vs. Denver, at San Antonio, at Dallas
Things are not looking good in Portland after a 0-3 week during week six, Portland has now lost six of their last seven games. Damian Lillard had 41 points in their three point win over Orlando. C.J McCollum had 33 points in their one-point defeat to Denver. Lillard scored 37 points against San Antonio and 33 against Dallas.
Previous ranking: 6
Next up: vs. Phoenix, vs. Minnesota, at Houston
8. Dallas Mavericks (12-10)
Week seven record: 3-1
Wins: at Houston, vs. LA Clippers, vs. Portland
Losses: at LA Lakers
The Mavericks seem like a team that isn’t in much of a rebuild mode. They have won five of their last six and 9 of their last 11 games. Harrison Barnes and Luka Doncic had big games for the Mavericks with each player leading the team in scoring in two games.
Previous ranking: 11
Next up: at New Orleans, vs. Houston, vs. Orlando
9. Sacramento Kings (12-11)
Week seven record: 2-1
Wins: vs. Indiana, at Phoenix
Losses: vs. LA Clippers
The Kings were able to beat the Pacers by one point before a 17 point win over Phoenix. They lost by 12 to the Clippers. Bogdan Bogdanovic had 26 against LA and 20 against Indiana to lead the Kings.
Previous ranking: 9
Next up: at Cleveland, at Indiana, at Chicago
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-12)
Week seven record: 2-1
Wins: vs. San Antonio, vs. Houston
Losses: vs. Boston
The Timberwolves had a decent week with a dominating win over San Antonio led by Robert Covington’s 21 points. They lost to Boston by 9 points despite Derrick Rose’s 26 points. Karl Anthony-Towns helped the team to a 12-point win over Houston with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Previous ranking: 12
Next up: vs. Charlotte, at Portland, at Golden State
11. Houston Rockets (11-12)
Week seven record: 2-2
Wins: at San Antonio, vs. Chicago
Losses: vs. Dallas, at Minnesota
James Harden was fantastic for the Rockets as he dropped a triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 17 assists in the 20-point loss to Dallas. Clint Capela led the team with 27 points and 15 rebounds in their 31-point win in San Antonio. Harden had 30 against Chicago and 29 against Minnesota.
Previous ranking: 10
Next up: at Utah, at Dallas, vs. Portland
12. Utah Jazz (12-13)
Week seven record: 3-1
Wins: at Brooklyn, at Charlotte, vs. San Antonio
Losses: at Miami
A great week for the Jazz with their only loss coming to the Miami Heat by two points. Donovan Mitchell scored 29 against Brooklyn, 30 against Charlotte and 20 against San Antonio.
Previous ranking: 14
Next up: vs. Houston, at San Antonio, at Oklahoma City
13. New Orleans Pelicans (12-13)
Week seven record: 2-2
Wins: vs. Washington, at Charlotte
Losses: at Miami, vs. LA Clippers
No winning or losing streaks this week for New Orleans as they alternated wins and losses. Anthony Davis had 41 points in their loss to Miami and followed that performance with a 36-point, 19-rebound outing in their win against Charlotte.
Previous ranking: 13
Next up: vs. Dallas, vs. Memphis, at Detroit, at Boston
14. San Antonio Spurs (11-13)
Week seven record: 1-3
Wins: vs. Portland
Losses: at Minnesota, vs. Houston, at Utah
The Spurs lost by 39 points at Minnesota while allowing 128 points. They allowed Houston to score 136 points two nights later. Their third loss was to Utah while the Jazz scored 139 points. San Antonio lost their three games by a combined 104 points. The Spurs need to step up their defense if they want to win any games and get into the postseason.
Previous ranking: 8
Next up: at LA Lakers, vs. LA Lakers, vs. Utah, vs. Phoenix
15. Phoenix Suns (4-20)
Week seven record: 0-4
Losses: at LA Clippers, vs. Orlando, at LA Lakers, vs. Sacramento
The Suns lost by a combined total of 81 points in their four games. They have lost six in a row and 9 of their last 10.
Previous ranking: 15
Next up: at Portland, vs. Miami, vs. LA Clippers, at San Antonio