Milwaukee Bucks Still Best Team In NBA

Mar 20, 2019, 5:07 PM | Updated: Apr 1, 2019, 5:22 pm

(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The top five spots in the KSL Sports NBA Power Rankings have remained the same, which means the Milwaukee Bucks are still on top.

The Philadelphia 76ers are rolling and moved up two spots from No. 8 to No. 6.

The struggling Oklahoma City Thunder have dropped five spots from No. 7 to No. 12.

Here is the Week 22 NBA Power Rankings from games played on Wednesday, March 13 to Tuesday, March 19.

1. Milwaukee Bucks (53-18)

Week 22 Record: 2-1

Wins: at Miami, vs. LA Lakers

Losses: vs. Philadelphia

Recap: The Bucks are hoping to get back to their regular self soon. They have lost four games in March. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still playing at an MVP level, including a 52-point performance against the Sixers, he also had 33 points in Miami.

Previous Ranking: 1

Next Up: at Miami, vs. Philadelphia, vs. LA Lakers

2. Toronto Raptors (50-21)

Week 22 Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. LA Lakers, vs. New York

Losses: at Detroit

Recap: Kawhi Leonard led the team in scoring in two of their three games. He had 25 against the Lakers and 33 against Detroit. Jeremy Lin dropped 20 points in their win over the Knicks.

Previous Ranking: 2

Next Up: at Oklahoma City, vs. Oklahoma City, vs. Charlotte, vs. Chicago

3. Golden State Warriors (48-22)

Week 22 Record: 3-1

Wins: at Houston, at Oklahoma City, at Minnesota

Losses: at San Antonio

Recap: The Warriors have won five of their last eight but are not looking very consistent. Maybe they are waiting for the playoffs to start.

Previous Ranking: 3

Next Up: vs. Indiana, vs. Dallas, vs. Detroit

4. Denver Nuggets (47-22)

Week 22 Record: 3-0

Wins: vs. Dallas, vs. Indiana, at Boston

Recap: It was a great week for the Nuggets as they continue to fight for the top spot in the western conference. Paul Millsap scored 33 points against Dallas, while Nikola Jokic dropped 26 points against Indiana and 21 against Boston.

Previous Ranking: 4

Next Up: at Washington, at New York, at Indiana, vs. Detroit

5. Houston Rockets (45-26)

Week 22 Record: 3-1

Wins: vs. Phoenix, vs. Minnesota, at Atlanta

Losses: vs. Golden State

Recap: A two-point loss to the defending champions is the difference between the Rockets having a 13-game winning streak rather than a three game winning streak.

Previous Ranking: 5

Next Up: at Memphis, vs. San Antonio, at New Orleans, at Milwaukee

6. Philadelphia 76ers (46-25)

Week 22 Record: 3-0

Wins: vs. Sacramento, at Milwaukee, at Charlotte

Recap: Joel Embiid dropped 40 points and 15 rebounds in their win over the Bucks. The Sixers have won five straight games.

Previous Ranking: 8

Next Up: vs. Boston, at Atlanta, at Orlando

7. Portland Trail Blazers (43-27)

Week 22 Record: 2-1

Wins: at New Orleans, vs. Indiana

Losses: at San Antonio

Recap: The Blazers are winners in five of their last eight games. C.J. McCollum will be out for a week or two with a knee injury, so Damian Lillard will have to step up even more now.

Previous Ranking: 6

Next Up: vs. Dallas, vs. Detroit, vs. Brooklyn

8. Indiana Pacers (44-28)

Week 22 Record: 1-3

Wins: vs. Oklahoma City

Losses: at Denver, at Portland, at LA Clippers

Recap: The Pacers have lost eight of their last 12 games. Domantas Sabonis, Thaddeus Young, Myles Turner and Tyreke Evans each led the team in scoring during the week.

Previous Ranking: 9

Next Up: at Golden State, vs. Denver

9. Boston Celtics (43-28)

Week 22 Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Sacramento, vs. Atlanta

Losses: vs. Denver

Recap: The Celtics look like they are going to finish in the middle of the pack in the eastern conference. They seem to have spurts of good basketball and some that are not so good.

Previous Ranking: 10

Next Up: at Philadelphia, at Charlotte, vs. San Antonio, at Cleveland

10. San Antonio Spurs (42-29)

Week 22 Record: 3-0

Wins: vs. New York, vs. Portland, vs. Golden State

Recap: The Spurs are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, winning

Previous Ranking: 13

Next Up: vs. New York, vs. Portland, vs. Golden State

11. LA Clippers (42-30)

Week 22 Record: 3-0

Wins: vs. Chicago, vs. Brooklyn, vs. Indiana

Recap: The Clippers have impressed this season. They have won three straight and 8 of their last 9 games. Looking like a playoff team.

Previous Ranking: 12

Next Up: at Cleveland, at New York, at Minnesota

12. Utah Jazz (41-29)

Week 22 Record: 4-0

Wins: at Phoenix, vs. Minnesota, vs. Brooklyn, at Washington

Recap: The Jazz are heating up at the right time. They have won 9 of their last 12 games. Donovan Mitchell led Utah in scoring in all four games.

Previous Ranking: 13

Next Up: at New York, at Atlanta, at Chicago, vs. Phoenix

13. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-29)

Week 22 Record: 1-3

Wins: vs. Brooklyn

Losses: at Indiana, vs. Golden State, vs. Miami

Recap: The Thunder are in the midst of a three-game losing streak. They keep flipping the switch on and playing well for a chunk of games, but then they go into a slump. Oklahoma City will need to have that switch on when the playoffs roll around.

Previous Ranking: 7

Next Up: vs. Toronto, at Toronto, at Memphis

14. Brooklyn Nets (37-36)

Week 22 Record: 1-3

Wins: at Sacramento

Losses: at Oklahoma City, at Utah, at LA Clippers

Recap: The Nets went from a three game winning streak to losing three straight. They are still in good position for a playoff spot, but need to start another winning streak.

Previous Ranking: 14

Next Up: at LA Lakers, at Portland

15. Detroit Pistons (36-34)

Week 22 Record: 2-2

Wins: vs. LA Lakers, vs. Toronto

Losses: at Miami, at Cleveland

Recap: The Pistons had a rough start to the week with a 34-point loss to the Heat. But they picked up two key wins over the Lakers and the Raptors. They have won seven of their last 10 games.

Previous Ranking: 15

Next Up: at Phoenix, at Portland, at Golden State, at Denver

16. Miami Heat (34-36)

Week 22 Record: 3-1

Wins: vs. Detroit, vs. Charlotte, at Oklahoma City

Losses: vs. Milwaukee

Recap: The Heat needed a week like this to keep their playoff hopes alive. They have won seven of their last nine games. They are neck-and-neck with Orlando for the eighth seed in the eastern conference.

Previous Ranking: 20

Next Up: at San Antonio, at Milwaukee, at Washington, vs. Orlando

17. Orlando Magic (33-38)

Week 22 Record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Cleveland, vs. Atlanta

Losses: at Washington

Recap: The Magic have won three of their last five. They continue to ride the line between the playoffs and missing the postseason.

Previous Ranking: 21

Next Up: vs. New Orleans, vs. Memphis, vs. Philadelphia, at Miami

18. Sacramento Kings (34-36)

Week 22 Record: 1-3

Wins: vs. Chicago

Losses: at Boston, at Philadelphia, vs. Brooklyn

Recap: The Kings at one point, were looking like a playoff team. That’s starting to slip away after losing four of their last five games.

Previous Ranking: 16

Next Up: vs. Dallas, vs. Phoenix, at LA Lakers, at Dallas

19. Minnesota Timberwolves (32-39)

Week 22 Record: 0-3

Losses: at Utah, at Houston, vs. Golden State

Recap: The Timberwolves look like they won’t be making the playoffs this season. They have lost 8 of their last 11 games.

Previous Ranking: 17

Next Up: at Charlotte, at Memphis, vs. LA Clippers

20. Charlotte Hornets (31-39)

Week 22 Record: 1-2

Wins: at Washington

Losses: at Miami, vs. Philadelphia

Recap: Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 28 points in their lone win, he wasn’t the leading scorer in their two losses.

Previous Ranking: 19

Next Up: vs. Minnesota, vs. Boston, at Toronto, vs. San Antonio

21. LA Lakers (31-40)

Week 22 Record: 0-4

Losses: at Toronto, at Detroit, at New York, at Milwaukee

Recap: The Lakers are coming off of a five game road trip on the east coast, they won just one game and are on a four game losing streak and have lost 9 of their last 10.

Previous Ranking: 18

Next Up: vs. Brooklyn, vs. Sacramento, vs. Washington

22. New Orleans Pelicans (31-42)

Week 22 Record: 1-2

Wins: at Dallas (in OT)

Losses: vs. Portland, vs. Phoenix (in OT)

Recap: Julius Randle exploded for 45 points against the Trail Blazers. Elfrid Payton recorded four straight triple-doubles.

Previous Ranking: 22

Next Up: at Orlando, vs. Houston, vs. Atlanta

23. Washington Wizards (30-41)

Week 22 Record: 2-2

Wins: vs. Orlando, vs. Memphis

Losses: vs. Charlotte, vs. Utah

Recap: Bradley Beal scored 40 points in back-to-back games against the Hornets and Grizzlies. They are 5-5 during the month of March.

Previous Ranking: 23

Next Up: at Chicago, vs. Denver, vs. Miami, at LA Lakers

24. Memphis Grizzlies (28-42)

Week 22 Record: 0-2

Losses: at Atlanta, at Washington

Recap: Mike Conley scored 28 points against the Wizards, while C.J. Miles recorded 33 points in their loss to the Hawks.

Previous Ranking: 24

Next Up: vs. Houston, at Orlando, vs. Minnesota, vs. Oklahoma City

25. Dallas Mavericks (28-42)

Week 22 Record: 1-2

Wins: vs. Cleveland

Losses: at Denver, vs. New Orleans

Recap: The Mavericks have lost 13 of their last 15 games. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 22 points in their 5-point win over the Cavaliers.

Previous Ranking: 25

Next Up: at Portland, at Sacramento, at Golden State, vs. Sacramento

26. Atlanta Hawks (24-48)

Week 22 Record: 1-3

Wins: vs. Memphis

Losses: at Boston, at Orlando, vs. Houston

Recap: The Hawks were on a two-game winning streak before losing their next three. Trae Young scored 20 points or more in the three losses.

Previous Ranking: 26

Next Up: vs. Utah, vs. Philadelphia, at New Orleans

27. Chicago Bulls (20-52)

Week 22 Record: 1-2

Wins: at Phoenix

Losses: at LA Clippers, at Sacramento

Recap: Robin Lopez snapped the Bulls five game losing streak with a 24-point performance against the Suns.

Previous Ranking: 27

Next Up: vs. Washington, vs. Utah, at Toronto

28. Cleveland Cavaliers (18-53)

Week 22 Record: 1-2

Wins: vs. Detroit

Losses: at Orlando, at Dallas

Recap: The Cavs have seen instant growth from Collin Sexton. He led the team in scoring in six straight games, scoring 23 points or more in all contests.

Previous Ranking: 28

Next Up: vs. Milwaukee, vs. LA Clippers, at Milwaukee, vs. Boston