Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell led Utah to an 18-1 record since early January.
Utah Jazz was very healthy. As of February 5, his nine best players have lost a total of eight games, four by Joe Ingles and two by Donovan Mitchell and Derrick Favors. That had achieved their 18-5 record at that point, but compared to other teams, they were lucky about health.
So they lost Mike Conley, the guy who, at the time, led the league in the on-off differential, with Jazz having been 23.6 points for 100 possessions better with him on the floor (+17.7) than with him from floor (-5.9). And a hamstring problem has taken Conley out of each of the last four games.
But Jazz just kept moving forward, beating four good teams to follow its current winning streak for seven games, tied for the season’s second longest winning streak so far. The longest, of course, was the sequence of 11 Jazz games that preceded it.
So, yes, Jazz finally ranks first in the Power Rankings. And they have three more difficult games on the agenda this week, hosting the Sixers on Monday and then taking on the Clippers twice in LA. Getting to number 1 is one thing. Staying there is another.
Most-under-players of the week
Teams of the week
- Make it last forever: Portland (4-0) – Blazers continue to turn lemons into lemonade.
- Something is just not right: Houston (0-4) – All four defeats went to teams with lost records, and three out of four went for 22 points or more.
East x West
Schedule strength through week 8
- Harder: 1. Detroit, 2. Denver, 3. Oklahoma City
- Easier: 1. Orlando, 2. Philadelphia, 3. Toronto
- The strength of the schedule is based on the opponent’s cumulative record and adjusted for home vs. visitor and rest days before the game.
Classification movement
- High heels of the week: Dallas (+6), Miami (+5), Detroit (+4), Phoenix (+4)
- Free falls of the week: Houston (-9), Sacramento (-5), Cleveland (-4)
Week 9 team to watch
- Toronto – The Raptors were gaining hay with a 5-1 stretch, but took a step back with defeats to the Celtics (who have been fighting alone) and Wolves (eternal fight). So this looks like a great week and brings some old rivals and an opportunity to recover one of those games they lost last week. The Raps will have a series of two games in Milwaukee on Tuesday and Thursday. Then they will visit Minnesota on Friday and return to Tampa for a game against the Sixers on Sunday.
Previous power ratings
- This time last year: The Lakers return to second place with the regular season entering a long run – The Sixers eliminated Al Horford, Spencer Dinwiddie beat a winner step back in Indiana, and the Nets also ended the Raptors’ streak of 15 straight wins. The last game before the All-Star break was one of the best of the season, with Jayson Tatum scoring 39 points to help the Celtics beat the Clippers in overtime. Buddy Hield won the 3-point contest, Derrick Jones Jr. sharp Aaron Gordon at the Dunk Contest, and Kawhi Leonard was the MVP for an exciting All-Star game, Elam-Ending.
Statistics key
Rhythm: Possession for 48 minutes (League Ranking)
OffRtg: Points scored for 100 possessions (League Ranking)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Ranking)
NetRtg: Points differential per 100 possessions (League Ranking)
The league averages 100.1 possessions (per team) every 48 minutes and 111.1 points scored per 100 possessions this season.
NBA.com Power Rankings, published every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have any problems with the ratings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an email or contact him via Twitter.