The Phoenix Suns remain No. 1, but the Sixers are closing fast | NBA power rankings

For the second week in a row, the Phoenix Suns are No. 1 in The Inquirer’s NBA power rankings. The 76ers made a big leap, going from seventh to No. 2 during their five-game win streak.

Records are through Monday. Last week’s rankings are in parentheses.

1. Phoenix, 46-18 (1)

The Suns’ 4-0 week included home wins over the Clippers and Utah, sandwiched around road wins at New York and Oklahoma City. Devin Booker averaged 29.3 points in the four games but shot just 26.3% from three-point range.

2. Sixers, 44-21 (7)

The Sixers won their fifth in a row with Monday’s 106-94 victory at Chicago. Tobias Harris bounced back from a rough game in Sunday’s 113-111 OT win over San Antonio to score 21 points. Seth Curry has shot 23-for-40 (57.5%) from three-point range during the winning streak.

3. Utah, 47-18 (4)

After losing three of four, the Jazz have won consecutive home games over Toronto and San Antonio. Bojan Bogdanovic has been Utah’s leading scorer in four straight games, averaging 26.2 points in that time.

4. Denver, 43-22 (5)

The Nuggets saw their five-game win streak snapped in Monday’s 93-89 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Since Jamal Murray suffered his season-ending torn ACL, the Nuggets are 9-2.

5. Milwaukee, 40-24 (6)

The Bucks went 3-1 last week, with the loss a 143-136 defeat at Houston. Giannis Antetokounmpo played less than a minute before spraining his right ankle. He then missed the next game, a win in Chicago, but returned full-force with 49 points in Sunday’s 117-114 home victory over Brooklyn.

6. Brooklyn, 43-22 (2)

The Nets lost at home to Portland when Kevin Durant didn’t play the second of a back-to-back after a 130-113 win at Indiana. Brooklyn then had a 117-114 loss at Milwaukee on Sunday despite 42 points from Durant. Next three killer games on the road: at Milwaukee, Dallas, and Denver.

7. L.A. Clippers, 43-22 (3)

In his first game back after missing the previous five games because of a sore foot, Kawhi Leonard had 16 points, six assists and five rebounds in 30 minutes during the Clippers’ 110-104 home loss to Denver on Saturday. That was the third consecutive loss for the Clippers, their second three-game losing streak this season.

8. New York, 37-28 (10)

The Knicks have won three in a row and 12-of-13, including Monday’s 118-104 win at Memphis. That clinched the Knicks’ first winning season since going 54-28 in 2012-13. Julius Randle, who had 28 points against Memphis, is averaging 30.3 points in his last six games.

9. L.A. Lakers, 37-28 (9)

After missing 20 games with an ankle injury, LeBron James returned and scored 16 points in just under 30 minutes during Friday’s 110-106 home loss to Sacramento. He added 19 in a home loss to Toronto and then sat out (ankle soreness) during Monday’s 93-89 home win over Denver. Anthony Davis had 25 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots vs. the Nuggets.

10. Dallas, 36-28 (8)

A night after a loss at Sacramento, Luka Doncic scored 39 points in a 133-103 rout at Golden State. Doncic added 31 points, 12 rebounds, 20 assists and just one turnover in Saturday’s 125-124 win over Washington. The Mavericks’ week ended with Sunday’s 111-99 home loss to Sacramento.

11. Miami, 35-30 (14)

The Heat have won three in a row. Bam Adebayo (19.1 ppg., 9.1 rpg.) is playing better than last season when he earned his lone All-Star appearance.

12. Atlanta, 36-30 (11)

The Hawks snapped a thee-game losing streak, which included two consecutive road losses at the Sixers, with Saturday’s 108-97 home win over Chicago. Behind 28 points from Danilo Gallinari, Atlanta then beat visiting Portland, 123-114, Monday.

13. Portland, 36-29 (13)

The Trail Blazers saw their four-game winning streak snapped with Monday’s 123-114 loss in Atlanta. Former Sixer Robert Covington is averaging 8.7 points and shooting 38.6% from three-point range.

14. Boston, 34-31 (12)

Without injured Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker and Robert Williams, the Celtics saw Oklahoma City snap a 14-game losing streak with a 119-115 win last Tuesday at Boston. That was followed by home wins over Charlotte and San Antonio and then a loss to visiting Portland. In the 143-140 OT win over San Antonio, the Celtics overcame a 32-point first-half deficit. Jayson Tatum scored a career-high 60 points. Tatum averaged 29.2 points in 15 April games.

15. Golden State, 33-32 (17)

The Warriors have won two in a row, including Monday’s 123-108 decision at New Orleans. Steph Curry had 41 points and is averaging 34 points in his last six games.

16. Memphis, 32-32 (15)

Memphis has lost two in a row and four of five with Monday’s 118-104 home loss to New York. That continued the Grizzlies’ struggles at home, where they are 14-18.

17. San Antonio, 31-33 (16)

The Spurs have lost four in a row including two in OT. They squandered a 32-point lead in a 143-140 OT loss in Boston on Friday and then, with four starters missing, fought back from an early 17-point deficit before losing, 113-111, in OT to the Sixers on Sunday. The next night, they lost, 110-99, at Utah.

18. Charlotte, 31-33 (18)

The Hornets went 10-9 when LaMelo Ball missed 19 games because of a wrist injury. In his first two games back, he averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds but hit just 1-of-7 three-pointers.

19. Washington, 30-35 (20)

The Wizards have won three of four including Monday’s 154-141 offensive shootout against Indiana. Russell Westbrook had his 32nd triple-double, 14 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high-tying 24 assists.

20. Indiana, 30-34 (19)

The Pacers didn’t come to play defense in Monday’s 154-141 loss at Washington. It was Indiana’s third loss in its last four games. Domantas Sabonis returned after missing the previous six games because of injury and just missed a triple-double with 32 points, 19 rebounds and nine assists.

21. New Orleans, 29-36 (21)

The Pelicans’ postseason chances were dealt a blow with Monday’s 123-108 home loss to Golden State. New Orleans fell to three games out of the final play-in berth with seven games left. In Saturday’s 140-136 OT win at Minnesota, Zion Williamson had 37 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, and Lonzo Ball added 33 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. According to Elias Sports Bureau, they became just the fifth set of teammates in NBA history to each have at least 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a game.

22. Toronto, 27-38 (22)

The Raptors ended a three-game losing streak with Sunday’s 121-114 win at the Los Angeles Lakers as Pascal Siakam had 39 points and 13 rebounds, and Kyle Lowry added 37 points and 11 assists.

23. Sacramento, 27-37 (24)

What a week of extremes. A 49-point loss to Utah (154-105) was the biggest home defeat in franchise history, and that was followed by road wins at the Lakers and Dallas.

24. Chicago, 26-39 (23)

Chicago has lost four in a row with Monday’s 106-94 loss to the Sixers. The Bulls have played the last 11 games without All-Star Zach LaVine (health and safety protocols) and are 4-7 in those games. Nikola Vucevic has missed the last two games (right adductor tightness).

25. Minnesota, 20-45 (26)

A season-best four-game win streak, which included consecutive victories against Utah, was snapped by Sunday’s 140-136 OT home defeat to New Orleans. Karl-Anthony Towns (24.8 ppg., 10.9 rpg.) is having another big statistical year.

26. Orlando, 21-44 (28)

The Magic have won two in a row and three of four, including Monday’s 119-112 victory over Detroit. Former Westtown School star Mo Bamba had 22 points and 15 rebounds, both career highs.

27. Detroit, 19-46 (25)

The Pistons have lost three in a row and six of seven with Monday’s 119-112 home loss to Orlando. Pistons rookie Saddiq Bey, from Villanova, had 26, points two shy of his season high.

28. Cleveland, 21-43 (27)

The Cavaliers have lost six in a row and nine of 10. Kevin Love is averaging 11.5 points, his lowest total since averaging 11.1 points as a rookie in 2008-09 with Minnesota.

29. Houston, 16-49 (29)

The Rockets, who will host the Sixers on Wednesday, are 3-17 in their last 20 games. A highlight last week was a 143-136 home win over Milwaukee in which Kevin Porter Jr. had 50 points and 11 assists.

30. Oklahoma City, 21-44 (30)

The Thunder ended a franchise-record-tying 14-game losing streak with Tuesday’s 119-115 win at Boston behind 24 points from Lu Dort. The momentum didn’t last long. Saturday, they lost by 57 at home to Indiana (152-95), the biggest home defeat in NBA history.