NBA

Week 5 NBA power rankings: Spurs quietly creeping up

AJ Neuharth-Keusch
USA TODAY Sports
Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on November 30, 2016.

USA TODAY Sports' NBA power rankings for Week 5 of the 2016-17 season (through Saturday, Dec. 3).

► Week 5 MVP race: Russell Westbrook rewriting record books

► Why the Cavs' three-game losing streak matters

► Week 5 Rookie of the Year: Joel Embiid leading one-man race

TEAM (RECORD) MOVEMENT

1. Golden State Warriors (17-3) -

Their 12-game winning streak came to an end in a double-overtime thriller Thursday night against the Rockets, but with the NBA's top record and net rating (plus-12.8), the Warriors' No. 1 spot is well deserved.

2. San Antonio Spurs (16-4) +2

The Spurs have won 11 of their last 12 games, with their lone loss coming on Tuesday to the Magic.

3. Los Angeles Clippers (16-5) -1

The Clippers recovered from a three-game skid with convincing back-to-back wins over the Cavaliers (Thursday) and Pelicans (Friday) by a total of 37 points.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (13-5) -1

LeBron James said his Cavs — who lost three straight games to the Bucks, Clippers and Bulls — need to "get out of the honeymoon stage." They still sit atop the East standings, but Toronto is in hot pursuit.

5. Toronto Raptors (14-6) -

The Raptors boast the NBA's longest winning streak (six games) and own the NBA's third-best net rating (plus-10.2) behind the Warriors and Clippers.

6. Houston Rockets (13-7) +3

Led by superstar guard James Harden, the Rockets have won seven of their last nine games and hold the fourth-place spot in the West.

7. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-8) +3

Thanks to the continued heroics of MVP frontrunner Russell Westbrook, the Thunder bounced back from a three-game losing streak with four straight wins against the Nuggets and Pistons (last week) and the Knicks and Wizards (this week) to move to 12-8.

8. Boston Celtics (12-8) +5

The Celtics got out to an unexpectedly slow start, but have won six of their last eight since Al Horford and Jae Crowder returned from injuries. A tough test awaits, though, as seven of their next 10 games are on the road.

9. Utah Jazz (12-9) +1

The Jazz won three of their four games this week (Minnesota, Houston and Denver) and rank fourth in the NBA with a net rating of plus-6.6. If they can fend off the injury bug — particularly point guard George Hill and power forward Derrick Favors — they could be fighting for one of the West's top four seeds come April.

10. Chicago Bulls (11-8) -5

The Bulls went 1-2 this week, with losses to the Lakers (Wednesday) and Mavericks (Saturday) and a win over the defending champion Cavaliers on Friday.

Gallery: Week 5 power rankings

11. Memphis Grizzlies (13-8) -3

With Mike Conley — who was leading the Grizzlies in scoring (19.2 points per game), assists (5.7) and three-point shooting (2.5 makes at 46.7%) — expected to miss the next six weeks, the Grizzlies have an undoubtedly rough road ahead.

12. Charlotte Hornets (11-9) -

The Hornets went 2-2 this week, with losses to the Pistons (Tuesday) and Timberwolves (Saturday) and wins against the Grizzlies (Monday) and Mavericks (Thursday).

13. Milwaukee Bucks (10-8) +6

Riding a four-game winning streak headlined by Tuesday's 17-point rout of the Cavaliers, the Bucks are Week 5's biggest riser.

14. Detroit Pistons (11-10) +1

Star point guard Reggie Jackson — who missed the Pistons' first 21 games of the season with a left knee injury — is back, and you can expect Detroit to take a significant step forward once he gets into the swing of things.

15. New York Knicks (10-9) -

The Knicks won back-to-back games against the Timberwolves this week, the first of which came on a Carmelo Anthony game-winning jumper on Wednesday night.

16. Portland Trail Blazers (11-10) -2

Despite having one of the league's most high-powered offenses (107.7 offensive rating), the Blazers own the NBA's worst defensive rating (109.6). They're underachieving. Big time.

17. Atlanta Hawks (10-11) -10

Wait ... what's going on in A Town? After jumping out to a 9-2 start, the Hawks have lost nine of their last 10 games, including Saturday's 44-point rout at the hands of the Raptors.

18. Los Angeles Lakers (10-12) -

The Lakers are counting the days until D'Angelo Russell (knee injection) and Nick Young (strained calf) return to the lineup.

19. Indiana Pacers (9-10) -2

Until star forward Paul George (ankle) returns to full health, the Pacers will have trouble getting past .500.

20. New Orleans Pelicans (7-13) +1

With point guard Jrue Holiday back in the lineup, and with Anthony Davis playing the best basketball of his career, the Pelicans have quickly dug themselves out of the deep hole they found themselves in after a 2-10 start.

21. Miami Heat (7-13) +1

The Heat went 2-2 this week — with wins over Denver and Utah — behind center Hassan Whiteside's 21.8-point, 14.8-rebound, 2.8-block averages.

22. Sacramento Kings (7-12) +2

The Kings went 1-2 this week, with an overtime loss to Washington (Monday) and a five-point loss to Boston (Friday).

23. Denver Nuggets (7-13) -

The Nuggets followed up Sunday's win over Phoenix with three straight losses to Miami, Houston and Utah.

24. Washington Wizards (6-12) +1

After their overtime win against the Kings, the Wizards weren't able to push past Oklahoma City in overtime on Wednesday and fell victim to a Kawhi Leonard game-winning jumper in Friday's two-point loss to San Antonio.

25. Orlando Magic (8-12) +1

Tuesday's 95-83 victory over the Spurs is something the Magic — who had lost their previous four games — desperately needed.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-14) -6

Out to a surprisingly slow start, the T'Wolves — who many projected to take another step forward this season after bringing in coach Tom Thibodeau — haven't even begun to tap into their potential.

27. Phoenix Suns (6-14) -

In three games this week (two losses), the Suns let up an average of 121.6 points per night. The future is bright, but the present? Not so much.

28. Brooklyn Nets (5-14) -

It's yet another lost season for the Nets, who have lost nine of their last 10 games. Looking at the glass half full, this week's lone win came against our No. 3-ranked Clippers in double overtime.

29. Dallas Mavericks (4-15) +1

Other than Saturday's convincing 107-82 win over the Bulls, the Mavericks have been one of the NBA's biggest disappointments.

30. Philadelphia 76ers (4-16) -1

After snapping their 44-game October/November losing streak and winning four of seven games, the Sixers have lost six straight.

List of voters: USA TODAY Sports' Jeff ZillgittSam AmickKevin SpainAJ Neuharth-Keusch and Michael Singer; Arizona Republic's Paul Coro; The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery; Detroit Free Press' Vince Ellis; Indianapolis Star's Nate Taylor; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Charles Gardner; The (Bergen) Record's Steve Popper; HoopsHype.com's Jorge Sierra and Raul Barrigon; USA TODAY Sports Weekly's Howard Megdal.