NBA Eastern Conference Week Seven Power Rankings: Bucks Stay On Raptors Heels

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Toronto Raptors continue to dominate the Eastern Conference while holding the best record in the NBA.

All of the movement in the Power Rankings were in the bottom half of the conference, Orlando moved up from No. 7 to No. 8. 

Rankings are based on results Week seven of the NBA season from Wednesday, November 28 to Tuesday, December 4.

1. Toronto Raptors (20-5)

Week seven record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Golden State (in OT), at Cleveland

Losses: vs. Denver

Toronto’s loss to Denver snapped an 8-game winning streak. Kawhi Leonard scored 37 points against the Warriors and 34 against Cleveland. The Raptors look like a legit contender in the Eastern Conference and maybe the entire league.

Previous Ranking: 1

Next up: vs. Philadelphia, at Brooklyn, vs. Milwaukee, at LA Clippers

2. Milwaukee Bucks (15-7)

Week seven record: 1-1

Wins: vs. Chicago

Losses: at New York (in OT)

Even though in was in overtime, the loss to the Knicks wasn’t a good one for the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists in their three-point win over the Bulls. He added 33 points, 19 rebounds and 7 assists in the loss to New York.

Previous Ranking: 2

Next up: vs. Detroit, vs. Golden State, at Toronto, vs. Cleveland

3. Philadelphia 76ers (17-8)

Week seven record: 3-0

Wins: vs. New York, vs. Washington, vs. Memphis

It wasn’t pretty but the Sixers finished the week unbeaten with a two point win in Brooklyn with Jimmy Butler’s 34-point performance. Joel Embiid had 26 points and 14 rebounds against New York and 16 points and 15 rebounds against Washington.

Previous Ranking: 3

Next up: at Toronto, at Detroit, vs. Detroit

4. Detroit Pistons (13-8)

Week seven record: 2-1

Wins: vs. Chicago, vs. Golden State

Losses: vs. Oklahoma City

Blake Griffin had 20 points while Andre Drummond grabbed 20 rebounds in the 19-point win over Chicago. Griffin led the team with 26 points while Drummond snatched another 19 rebounds in their 9-point win over Golden State. But they lost by 27 points to the Thunder at home.

Previous ranking: 4

Next up: at Milwaukee, vs. Philadelphia, vs. New Orleans, at Philadelphia

5. Indiana Pacers (14-10)

Week seven record: 1-2

Wins: vs. Chicago

Losses: at LA Lakers, at Sacramento

Darren Collison scored 23 points in the Pacers win of the week. Domantas Sabonis had 20 points and 15 rebounds in Los Angeles.

Previous ranking: 5

Next up: at Orlando, vs. Sacramento, vs. Washington

6. Boston Celtics (13-10)

Week seven record: 2-0

Wins: vs. Cleveland, at Minnesota

A light week for the Celtics as they won by 39 points against Cleveland and 9 points against Minnesota. Kyrie Irving scored 29 points against his old team and Gordon Hayward led Boston with 30 points off the bench in their win over Minnesota.

Previous Ranking: 6

Next up: vs. New York, at Chicago, vs. New Orleans

7. Orlando Magic (12-12)

Week seven record: 2-1

Wins: at Phoenix, at Miami

Losses: at Portland

The Magic ended a six-game road trip with a 3-3 record including two straight wins to cap the trip. Nikola Vucevic had 20 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists against Portland as well as 25 points and 15 rebounds against Phoenix. Aaron Gordon had 20 points and 13 rebounds against Miami.

Previous ranking: 8

Next up: vs. Denver, vs. Indiana, at Dallas

8. Charlotte Hornets (11-12)

Week seven record: 1-2

Wins: vs. Atlanta

Losses: vs. Utah, vs. New Orleans

Jeremy Lamb had 22 points against Atlanta and 24 against Utah. Frank Kaminsky led the Hornets with 19 points in their loss to New Orleans. The Hornets have lost four of their last six games

Previous ranking: 7

Next up: at Minnesota, vs. Denver, at New York

9. Washington Wizards (10-14)

Week seven record: 2-2

Wins: vs. Brooklyn, at New York

Losses: at New Orleans, at Philadelphia

The Wizards lost back to back games to Philadelphia and New Orleans by 46 combined points but was able to beat Brooklyn by 14 and squeaked by New York with a three-point win.

Previous ranking: 9

Next up: at Atlanta, at Cleveland, at Indiana

10. Miami Heat (9-14)

Week seven record: 2-1

Wins: vs. New Orleans, vs. Utah

Losses: vs. Orlando

Miami won two games by seven combined points and lost to Orlando by 14 points. They are still without starting point guard Goran Dragic. Josh Richardson had 20 against the Pelicans, Hassan Whiteside scored 23 points and pulled down 20 rebounds against Utah and Justise Winslow led the team with 14 points against Orlando.

Previous ranking: 11

Next up: at Phoenix, at LA Clippers, at LA Lakers

11. New York Knicks (8-17)

Week seven record: 1-2

Wins: vs. Milwaukee (in OT)

Losses: at Philadelphia, vs. Washington

Despite the 1-2 record for the week, it wasn’t a bad week for the Knicks. They beat a good Milwaukee team in overtime and lost to the Wizards by three. The only real negative is the 26-point loss to the Sixers.

Previous ranking: 12

Next up: at Boston, vs. Brooklyn, vs. Charlotte

12. Brooklyn Nets (8-17)

Week seven record: 0-4

Losses: vs. Utah, vs. Memphis, at Washington, vs. Cleveland

The Nets have lost seven in a row and 11 of their last 13. They are officially back to earth after a decent start to the season.

Previous ranking: 10

Next up: vs. Oklahoma City, vs. Toronto, at New York

13. Atlanta Hawks (5-19)

Week seven record: 0-3

Losses: at Charlotte, at Oklahoma City, vs. Golden State

The Hawks have lost 13 of their last 15 games. Trae Young led the team with 18 points against Charlotte and John Collins led the team with 19 and 24 points in the other two losses of the week.

Previous ranking: 13

Next up: vs. Washington, vs. Denver

14. Cleveland Cavaliers (5-18)

Week seven record: 1-3

Wins: at Brooklyn

Losses: at Oklahoma City, at Boston, vs. Toronto

Another bad week for the Cavaliers, their only victory was by two points against Brooklyn. They lost by a combined 61 points in their three losses.

Previous ranking: 15

Next up: vs. Golden State, vs. Sacramento, vs. Washington, at Milwaukee

15. Chicago Bulls (5-20)

Week seven record: 0-4

Losses: at Milwaukee, at Detroit, at Houston, at Indiana

The Bulls made a coaching change on December 3, firing Fred Hoiberg as head coach and promoted Jim Boylen to head coach. Winning five games through 25 is the big reason for the change.

Previous ranking: 14

Next up: vs. Oklahoma City, vs. Boston, vs. Sacramento