NBA AND NFL POWER RANKINGS: LATEST NEWS AND PREDICTIONS
Ready to dive into a new week full of all the latest updates, excitement, and forecasts? We’ll discuss some hot topics surrounding the most interesting NBA games and will keep you posted on what’s trending in the NFL. The latest info on injuries, big scoring nights, plus which teams are hot or not can all be found right here.
NBA Standings & News to Focus On
- Mavs ruin Jokic’s big night with win over Nuggets, Luka injures ankle
- Hawks lose De’Andre Hunter for two months due to wrist surgery
- Bulls destroy Lakers thanks to DeRozan’s 38 points, Ball and Caruso get revenge over LA
- Cavs rookie Mobley sprains elbow, will get MRI
- Cunningham shines with 25/8/8, Pistons still lose to Kings
- Suns win nine straight games, Wolves miss game-ending three-pointer
It was an up and down night in Dallas. The good news is that the Mavs got the victory against a tough Denver squad, but the bad news is that Luka Doncic hobbled off the court with a left ankle injury. This happened with 44 seconds left in the game. Denver’s Austin Rivers fell hard onto the left leg of Doncic after attempting a contested layup. Luka hobbled off the court in considerable pain and the Mavs will evaluate the injury level in the coming days.
The injury is a cause for concern, but Dallas fans should nevertheless be buoyant over the solid performance of Porzingis, who contributed 29 points from 11-20 shooting, also adding 11 rebounds and three assists in the win. Despite 35 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks from current MVP Nicola Jokic, the Mavs’ balanced scoring and a 32-18 4th quarter was enough to put the Nuggets away 111-101.
The LeBron-less Lakers continue to struggle after being dealt a crushing home loss to the so-hot-right-now Chicago Bulls, 121-103. Although LA had decent support from third-year guard Talen Horton-Tucker with 28 points and six boards, it was ultimately too much DeMar DeRozan in the end. DeRozan was unstoppable and poured in 38 points on 15-23 shooting and 6-6 free throws. We’ve no doubt that former Lakers, Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball, found it hard to hide the smirks on their faces after the win.
In an odd moment from the week’s NBA games, Lakers big man Anthony Davis received only his second career ejection. While trying to put his shoe back on after landing on the court from a failed lob attempt, Davis was irate at the referees when they allowed the Bulls to inbound the ball while he was clearly not ready. AD was called for his second technical foul due to excessive complaining (i.e. whining) and promptly tossed out of the game.
Currently second in the West NBA standings, the Suns continue to sizzle their opponents after they increased their win streak to nine games with a close victory over the T-Wolves. The Suns got it done by committee, it seems, with Ayton, Booker, and Chris Paul all scoring in the 20s.
Although ending 99-96, it could have easily been a different story for Minnesota if D’Angelo Russell’s three-point attempt had sunk with six seconds left. The Wolves even grabbed the rebound but fumbled the ball in the remaining seconds. Russell wasn’t exactly cooking on the night, going 1 of 10 from three-point range, but that wide-open look is as good a chance as any.
Two Exciting NBA Games Coming Up
Lakers @ Celtics on Friday 19th November
The classic LA vs. Boston rivalry has lessened more and more since the 80s days of Bird and Magic, but it’s hard not to get excited when you see those teams on the matchup. Both teams are out to prove a point and in desperate need of a convincing win, however, both are missing major stars. The Lakers are likely without LeBron again and the Celtics are still missing Jaylen Brown. At 8-7 in the standings, LA must show it doesn’t need one player to complete the team.
Boston at 7-7 better get their act together if they want to be a threat in the East and climb the NBA standings. “Dennis Schroder is a decisive factor” are words that are never said out loud, but we still think the Celtics can use their starting point guard’s revenge game against his former team as a catalyst for a close, hard-fought win.
Grizzlies @ Timberwolves on Saturday 20th November
Can the 4-9 Timberwolves put together the start of a winning run against the Grizzlies on Saturday? We certainly think so. KAT, Anthony Edwards, and Russell are all healthy and playing as well as possible, but they’ll have their work cut out for them when Ja Morant and Memphis roll into town.
If the Wolves can prevent Morant from getting to the rim and instead let him shoot from outside, they may have a solid chance. Minnesota is still pretty sloppy with the ball and turning it over way too much (KAT is averaging 3.5 turnovers per game and Edwards 3.7) but playing at home should help them bounce back to form. In the end, this is an NBA game that’s all about Towns vs. Morant.
NFL Power Rankings & News
- Rams coach McVay called latest loss to 49ers “a humbling night”
- Washington’s Chase Young out for season due to ACL injury
- Steelers safety Fitzpatrick tests positive for COVID-19
- Giants running back Barkley returning to practice, should play soon
There’s no need to press the panic alarm just yet, but LA Rams coach Sean McVay seems to have his finger hovering near the button at any rate. After losing to the 49ers for the fifth straight time and suffering their second consecutive defeat, McVay told the media not to judge the team by the last few weeks. “It was a humbling night for us as a team,” said McVay after the 31-10 loss. “And a great opportunity for us to be able to take a deep breath, step away, look at the things we need to correct.”
There are sky-high hopes for the Rams to climb the NFL Power Rankings after major acquisitions in the form of QB Matthew Stafford, outside linebacker Von Miller, and most recently three-time Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in a blockbuster signing. Beckham’s debut against the 49ers was nothing to sing about, with just two receptions for 18 yards and no success in getting to the end zone for the 10th straight time. Still, not the worst debut ever.
The 3-6 Washington Football Team will go on without defensive end Chase Young for the remainder of the season, coach Ron Rivera has confirmed. The current Defensive Rookie of the Year has 1.5 sacks to end the season. Young suffered the torn ACL injury in Washington’s recent victory against Tampa Bay after rushing QB Tom Brady on a third-and-2. Young’s presence is sure to be missed and his promising career was off to a great start, but perhaps this news will help galvanize Washington for further victories in the NFL week 11 and beyond.
Giants fans can rejoice with the news that running back Saquon Barkley has had his first practice session since injuring his ankle a month ago against the Cowboys in a loss. It’s expected that the 3-6 Giants will be with Barkley for the upcoming game against Tampa Bay. A noted leader on and off the pitch, the Giants are in desperate need of a performance boost – something that Barkley can certainly bring in spades. Injuries are a concern for the talented RB, who has missed 18 of NY’s last 23 games due to knee and ankle issues. Barkley performs well when healthy, however, with 54 carries for 195 yards as well as two touchdowns for the season.
Two Exciting NFL Week 11 Games Coming Up
Cowboys @ Chiefs on Sunday 21st November
Both Dallas and Kansas City are bound to be feeling on top of the world after their week 10 offensive eruptions against Atlanta and Las Vegas, respectively. Prescott and Mahomes are looking better than ever and have that superstar feeling about them once again, so it may well depend on which team’s QB is in the zone that day. The 6-4 Chiefs usually play well at home, especially on defense, so we feel that this high scoring game will be in slight favor of Kansas City to stop the rolling 7-2 Cowboys.
Colts @ Bills on Sunday 21st November
The Colts have a major advantage in one of the NFL’s best running backs in Jonathan Taylor, but watch out for a smothering Bills defense to stop him before building up a head of steam. The 6-3 Bills are hovering around sixth in our NFL Power Rankings, as QB Josh Allen is bound to find a lot of holes in the Colts defense and perhaps have one of his best games of the season. The Bills’ top defense and Allen’s skills should be enough to easily defeat the Colts.
Author: Joe Garland
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