(Last week’s record in parenthesis; last week’s ranking in brackets)
1) Houston Rockets (4-0) [1]: Their win on Saturday against the Pelicans set a single-season franchise record (59) — which they added to on Sunday in beating the Hawks.
2) Toronto Raptors (2-2) [2]: Just their seventh home loss of the season Sunday.
3) Golden State Warriors (1-2) [3]: Three weeks of relatively meaningless basketball to follow.
4) Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0) [7]: Ignore the Cavs’ chances to run right back to The Finals at your peril. Cleveland is averaging a cool 124.3 points per game since Kevin Love’s return last Monday.
5) Boston Celtics (3-0) [5]: Must confess, I thought a “tension wire” was some kind of tissue in the body, like the iliotibial band, until someone explained that it is a piece of actual wire.
6) Portland Trail Blazers (1-2) [4]: They’re closing in on their first 50-win season in four years, and what would be their third under Terry Stotts.
7) Oklahoma City Thunder (1-2) [6]: March Carmelo: 13 ppg, 17 total free throws in 11 games, 37.7 percent (52-138) from the floor.
8) New Orleans Pelicans (3-1) [9]: Three wins in three days is mighty impressive, no matter the caliber of the opponents.
9) San Antonio Spurs (3-1) [10]: I don’t even know you anymore, Spurs.
10) Utah Jazz (2-2) [8]: You hate to admit that Man Bun Ricky Rubio is superior to locks-a-flowin’ Ricky Rubio. But, there it is.
11) Philadelphia 76ers (4-0) [13]: With their win over Minnesota Saturday, the 76ers are guaranteed the franchise’s first winning season since 2004-05.
12) Indiana Pacers (3-1) [12]: The Pacers’ closing schedule, which looked daunting a couple of weeks ago — two games with the Warriors — is suddenly much less so, giving Indy a chance at capturing home court in the first round.
13) Washington Wizards (0-3) [11]: John Wall, white courtesy phone. John Wall, please answer white courtesy phone for an urgent message.
14) Milwaukee Bucks (2-2) [14]: Look at me, ma! I’m on “60 Minutes!” No, it’s after the Stormy Daniels thing. After.
ICYMI: @60Minutes tells Giannis Antetokounmpo's story from poverty in Athens to NBA star https://t.co/a8BHiWkxy2 via @journalsentinel
— Matt Velazquez (@Matt_Velazquez) March 26, 2018
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/giannis-antetokounmpo-the-milwaukee-bucks-greek-freak/
15) Minnesota Timberwolves (2-1) [15]: Nineteen straight games allowing 100 or more points (average 113.9 allowed per during that stretch).
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Longtime NBA reporter, columnist and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer David Aldridge is an analyst for TNT. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here andfollow him on Twitter.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.
