KUWAIT TIMES NBA POWER RANKINGS

KUWAIT: In addition to its usual coverage of the NBA, Kuwait Times introduces a new feature this year: the NBA Power Rankings. It is a weekly list ranking each team based on its performance during the week. The Warriors reclaimed the top spot after a stro

1- Golden State Warriors (55 - 14) Last week: 3 - The Warriors are back on top after winning their last three games following a three-game losing streak. Also good news is that injured forward Kevin Durant was cleared to travel with the team on its upcoming road trip.

2- San Antonio Spurs (53 - 16) Last week: 1 - San Antonio got LaMarcus Aldridge back from a minor heart arrhythmia, but much of the chatter surrounding the Spurs at this point in the season is the performance of Kawhi Leonard. The back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year has shown that he can be an elite scorer too: he enters tonight’s game averaging 26.3 points per game this season.

3- Houston Rockets (48 - 22) Last week: 2 - James Harden continues to register numbers to back up his MVP bid: he is the first player in NBA history to record a 40-point triple-double on back-to-back nights after he did so on Friday and Saturday.

4- Cleveland Cavaliers (46 - 23) Last week: 5 - In Sunday’s win over the Lakers, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combined for 101 points, the most they have ever scored in a game for the Cavs. The trio sat out for rest in Saturday’s loss to the Clippers, setting the team’s all-time record when its ‘Big 3’ do not play at 0 - 4.

5- Boston Celtics (44 - 26) Last week: 7 - Sunday’s loss to the 76ers is somewhat understandable given the fact that Isaiah Thomas did not play, but it also sends a warning message to coach Brad Stevens as his team approaches the playoffs, which is that the team might struggle heavily if the opposition manages to contain his star player.

6- Washington Wizards (42 - 27) Last week: 4 - The Wizards won only one of their last four games, and it needed a career-high 20 assists from John Wall to fend off the struggling Bulls in that game. Further losses could cost them the third place in the East’s standings that allows them to avoid a potential second round matchup with the Cavs.

7- Utah Jazz (43 - 27) Last week: 6 - Rudy Gobert’s impressive play has made him the likely top candidate for this year’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He has shown an uncanny ability throughout the season to guard the perimeter and the post with parallel efficiency that is unmatched for a player in his position and physical attributes.

8- Oklahoma City Thunder (40 - 29) Last week: 13 - Russell Westbrook recorded his 34th triple-double of the season in Thursday’s win over the Raptors. He needs seven more to tie Oscar Robertson’s single-season record, and must average 7.3 rebounds per game and 8.2 assists per game over the final 13 games to average a triple-double for the season.

9- Toronto Raptors (41 - 29) Last week: 12 - Serge Ibaka provided the offensive surge that helped supplement DeMar DeRozan’s scoring in the absence of Kyle Lowry, as the Raptors won its last two games following a disappointing loss to the Thunder last Thursday.

10- Los Angeles Clippers (41 - 29) Last week: 8 - Despite his team cruising easily past the Cavs on Saturday, coach Doc Rivers was not a fan of Cleveland’s decision to sit out its ‘Big 3’ for rest, calling the league to adjust the schedule and prevent back-to-back days before or after nationally televised games.

11- Miami Heat (34 - 36) Last week: 10 - Before losing to the Blazers on Sunday, the Heat were an NBA-best 23-5 since Jan 17. That performance had helped them climb to the seventh spot in the East’s standings before Sunday’s loss dropped them back to ninth place.

12- Milwaukee Bucks (34 - 35) Last week: 11 - Greg Monroe failed to live up to high expectations when Milwaukee signed him in 2015 as their starting center, but ever since he transitioned into the bench this season, he has been a key reason behind the Bucks having one of the best reserve squads among playoff contenders.

13- Denver Nuggets (33 - 36) Last week: 15 - Nikola Jokic’s triple-double in Thursday’s win over the Clippers was his fifth of the season, which is the highest by a Denver player since Lafayette Lever had five in 1989-90 (according to ESPN Stats and Information).

14- Portland Trail Blazers (32 - 37) Last week: 16 - The Blazers continue to pose the most serious threat to Denver’s hopes of finishing the regular season in the eighth and last playoff-qualifying spot in the West’s standings. They won four of their last five games, including three straight.

15- Memphis Grizzlies (40 - 30) Last week: 19 - With his season-high 24 points in Monday’s win over the Bucks, Vince Carter joined Kareem AbdulJabbar, John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Robert Parish and Karl Malone as the only players in league history to have a 20-point game over the age of 40.

16- Atlanta Hawks (37 - 32) Last week: 9- Leading scorer Paul Millsap’s knee injury is the latest blow to the Playoff hopes of the Hawks who entered last night’s match against the Hornets on a three-game losing streak.

17- Dallas Mavericks (30 39) Last week: 14 - A week after becoming only one of six players in league history to score over 30,000 points in his career, Dirk Nowitzki passed Peja Stojakovic for 14th on the all-time three pointers made list.

18- Indiana Pacers (35 - 34) Last week: 18 - With their loss to the Raptors Sunday, the Pacers have alternated wins and losses for 13 straight games; a franchise record. That game also showcased their interior defense and rebounding struggles as they failed to contain Toronto’s bigs or keep them off the glass.

19- Detroit Pistons (34 - 36) Last week: 17 - The Pistons play five of their next seven games this month on the road, where they have a record of 11 22. Their performance during that stretch will likely determine whether they make it to the postseason or not.

20- Chicago Bulls (33 - 37) Last week: 21 - Speaking of waning playoff hopes, the Bulls’ bid to make it past the regular season was dealt with a heavy blow after it was announced that Dwyane Wade will miss the team’s remaining games due to injury.

21- New Orleans Pelicans (29 - 41) Last week: 23 - Here is an interesting fact about DeMarcus Cousins: his 19 technical fouls this season are the highest by any player in the league since Rasheed Wallace had 21 in 2006-07. Moreover, he has reportedly lost over $1 million in fines and suspension pay throughout his career so far.

22- Minnesota Timberwolves (28 - 41) Last week: 20 - Karl-Anthony Towns had 39 points and Ricky Rubio dished a career-high 19 assists to help their team beat the Wizards last Monday. The Wolves have lost three games since then, putting their playoff hopes in real doubt.

23- Charlotte Hornets (30 - 39) Last week: 22 - What started as a promising season for the Hornets has turned into yet another disappointing campaign in Charlotte. Defense has been a key factor to determining their record, as they rank 18th in the league in defensive efficiency after the All-Star break after ranking in the top ten before that.

24- Philadelphia 76ers (26 - 43) Last week: 25 - The 76ers have won three of their last four games, with their only loss being a two-point defeat to the Warriors. Their late-season push is unlikely to result in a place in the playoffs, however.

25- Brooklyn Nets (13 - 56) Last week: 28 - Brooklyn registered two wins in five days against their cross-river rivals New York, a rare bright spot in the season for a Nets team that is heading towards an uncertain future.

26- New York Knicks (27 - 42) Last week: 26 - You know your defense must be really bad when you lose to the Nets twice in one week, and allow them to score at least 120 points in each of those losses.

27- Orlando Magic (25 - 45) Last week: 27 - Rumors have been going around last week that the Magic could extend and offer to Clippers’ current president and coach Doc Rivers should they decide to part ways with General Manager Rob Hennigan this summer.

28- Sacramento Kings (27 - 43) Last week: 30 - DeMarcus Cousins’ departure continues to provide more opportunities for Sacramento’s young bigs: Rookie Skal Labissiere scored a careerhigh 32 points in the Kings’ win over the Suns on Wednesday.

29- Phoenix Suns (22 - 48) Last week: 24 - The Suns decided to shut down starting point guard Eric Bledsoe for the remaining games of the season in order to help him heal his sore knee, while at the same time give more opportunity to younger players, particularly rookie Tyler Ulis.

30- Los Angeles Lakers (20 - 50) Last week: 29 - The Lakers, who have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, lost nine of their last 10 games, during which span they allowed their opponents to score an average of 114.3 points.