A few quality wins have propelled the Philadelphia 76ers back into our No. 1 spot.
Joel Embiid and the 76ers have won four straight, with the past three coming against playoff teams in the LA Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks. The Utah Jazz, meanwhile, have dropped two of their past four games, including a 12-point overtime loss to a Los Angeles Lakers squad that continues to play without injured stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Eastern Conference is boasting plenty of streaking teams right now: The Boston Celtics, once in danger of a date in the play-in, have won six straight to tie the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 4 seed.
Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
The Trail Blazers amassed a less-than-ideal 1-3 record last week. In those three defeats, two of the margins crossed the double-digit threshold. Portland’s subpar week, especially against above-500 teams, led to a slide in the latest round of power rankings.
In ESPN’s rankings, the Blazers slipped from No. 9 to
No. 10. Contributor Royce Young pointed to the fatigue that Damian Lillard is displaying on the floor.
After carrying the team for two months, the burden might be catching up to Damian Lillard. In six April games, Lillard is averaging just 20.1 points on 38.3% shooting — and the Blazers are 2-4, with wins over Detroit and OKC. They are finally healthy, and deadline addition Norman Powell is playing well. All signs pointed to them hitting a stride, but they go as Lillard goes, and until he finds his second wind, neither will the Blazers.
Let the battle for the Eastern Conference begin in the NBA.
With Kevin Durant back after missing nearly two months with a hamstring injury, the star-studded Brooklyn Nets are getting whole again -- just in time for an epic matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night (7 ET on ESPN).
In the West, the battle for the No. 1 seed is heating up, despite the recent struggles of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. Don't look now, but Devin Booker, Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns have won 11 of their past 13 games, including last week's overtime decision over the NBA-best Utah Jazz. The LA Clippers are keeping pace, as well, with five straight wins heading into a three-game road trip.
Powell-Infused Trail Blazers Remain in Top 10 blazersedge.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from blazersedge.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Meyers LeonardDavid Zalubowski/Associated Press
The Thunder said Leonard "will not be reporting to Oklahoma City and will not be an active member of the organization."
The 29-year-old center is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in February.
Leonard was banned from Heat team activities for one week and fined $50,000 after using an anti-Semitic slur during a Call of Duty stream on March 8. While playing the game, he called another player a "f--king k--e b---h."
Leonard apologized and said he was ignorant about the slur's "history and how offensive it is to the Jewish community," noting his ignorance was "absolutely not an excuse and I was just wrong."
From Jordan to LeBron, our experts pick every NBA franchise's greatest dunker
play
These iconic NBA dunkers know how to throw down (1:54)
Revisit some of the NBA's most iconic dunks from its most iconic dunkers, including Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins. (1:54)
A dunk is worth just two points, but the best dunkers in the world always find ways to make it feel like more.
From signature in-game slams to unforgettable posterizations to you-had-to-be-there dunk contest moments, players from generations past and present have left an indelible mark on the game with their ability to finish at the rim.
But which player holds the crown for each franchise? With the slam dunk contest set for halftime of Sunday's All-Star Game this season, we asked our group of NBA insiders to vote on the most iconic dunker for each franchise. Let the debate begin.
Joel Embiid makes strong MVP case; James Harden dominant in his return to Houston
play
Embiid drains game-tying 3-pointer (0:25)
Joel Embiid rushes behind the 3-point line and knocks down the shot to tie the game at 118-118 as the Jazz and the 76ers head to overtime. (0:25)
Wednesday night's NBA slate of games included numerous intriguing matchups, from the top team in the East facing the top team in the West, the drama of James Harden's return to Houston, All-Stars going up against each other with the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine facing the New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson, and two of the league's top scorers squaring off in Stephen Curry meeting Damian Lillard.
From Jordan to LeBron, our experts pick every NBA franchise's greatest dunker
play
These iconic NBA dunkers know how to throw down (1:54)
Revisit some of the NBA's most iconic dunks from its most iconic dunkers, including Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins. (1:54)
A dunk is worth just two points, but the best dunkers in the world always find ways to make it feel like more.
From signature in-game slams to unforgettable posterizations to you-had-to-be-there dunk contest moments, players from generations past and present have left an indelible mark on the game with their ability to finish at the rim.
But which player holds the crown for each franchise? With the slam dunk contest set for halftime of Sunday's All-Star Game this season, we asked our group of NBA insiders to vote on the most iconic dunker for each franchise. Let the debate begin.