NBA 2018-19: Western Conference Power Rankings Week 10
Another week goes by and yet there aren't too many conclusions that can be drawn regarding the Western Conference as it continues to be up and down. The Dallas Mavericks were one of the hottest teams in the West a few weeks back and now see themselves down at 11th, while the Houston Rockets are now the team on the rise having won 6 of 7 on the back of James Harden going nuclear.
Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns of all teams surprisingly won 4 in a row before losing in a triple OT thriller to the Wizards. The top 5 teams in the power rankings, however, remain the same, with some juggling as far as their position, but there are teams hot in their pursuit, waiting for any slip-ups and there have been a few, but not enough for one of them to fall out. Here are the top 5 teams in the West:
#5 Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers bump down 2 spots on the Power Rankings after a disappointing week, with losses to two sub .500 teams in the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets. LeBron stunk it up in the loss to the Wizards with just 13 Points in what was his worst game as a Laker which ensured a surprising loss considering just how undermanned the Wizards were with injuries and trades.
He bounced back the very next game, with 36 Points against the Nets, but the Nets held on thanks to former Laker D'Angelo Russell. A win over the Pelicans stopped the rot, but this was a very odd stretch after the positive signs over the past couple of weeks.
All the Anthony Davis to Los Angeles talk might have served as a distraction, but the Lakers cannot afford to stink it up as they have recently, considering the games coming up with the Grizzlies, Clippers and the Golden State Warriors at the Oracle on Christmas Day.