Golden State Warriors have charged back to the top of the NBA’s power rankings in this Week 23.
They leap-frogged the Milwaukee Bucks in what will be only the fourth week in three months that they have topped the Power list.
Earlier they started Week 1 at No 1, but since then they’ve only been up there in weeks 4 and 16.
However, during this time Golden State has never lost its status as the national pro-basketball favorite. Yes, this, despite the fact that the 2017 and 2018 US champions have not, however, been the nation’s best team. At least not in so far as records and stats are concerned.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Week 22’s front-runner, have the strongest claim to that distinction. They continue to hold the best record and its best point differential by some distance.
Golden State also still futures favorites
These factors, however, haven’t been enough. Like FanDuel, most New Jersey sportsbooks continued to run with the Warriors as their futures favorites this week.
The New Jersey sportsbook market leaders had Golden State at -210 with Toronto Raptors in second place at +950. The Bucks were down in 3rd place at +1000.
Reflecting the general trend, 888Sport, another of New Jersey’s 13 sportsbooks, had the three favorites in the same order. Only their odds differed. They had the Warriors at -225, Toronto at +900 and Milwaukie at +950.
With 4-2, the Warriors have a no more than OK record in March. They also had a loss to the lowest-placed team in the Western Conference.
Nuggets, Rockets, and Thunder are no pushovers
However, they’ve really upped their ante in their last three games, all against strong opponents, and two on the road. The Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder are certainly no pushovers. The Nuggets are No 3 and the Rockets No 4 on this week’s NBA Power list.
The Warriors’ message? Don’t underestimate us. We still know how to win when we really need to.
Against the Warriors 4-2, the Bucks have a March record of 5-4. A foot Injury, however, may have cost the Bucks some Brownie points with the bookies.
It is going to put kingpin shooting guard Malcolm Brogdon on the sidelines for six to eight weeks. For a team that has been driven by its Brogdon-Bledso-Middleton-Antetokounmpo-Lopez combo, that’s a long time.
They’ve played in more games together (56) than any other NBA five-man squad this season
NBA’s Power Rankings/ NJ betting odds for Week 23
THE TOP 10
Won-lost Record: 47-21; Offensive Rating: 114.9 (1); Defensive Rating: 109.0 (14); Net Rating: +5.9 (2); Betting odds -210 (1)
Won-lost Record: 52-18; Offensive Rating: 113.5. (3); Defensive Rating: 104.7(1) Net Rating: +8.8 (1); Betting odds +1000 (3)
Won-lost Record: 44-26; Offensive Rating: 114.1 (2); Defensive Rating: 111.1 (21) Net Rating: +3.0 (1); Betting odds +1100 (4)
Won-lost Record: 46-22; Offensive Rating: 113.0 (4); Defensive Rating: 108.01 (11) Net Rating: +5.0 (4); Betting odds +2600 (4)
Won-lost Record: 49-21; Offensive Rating: 112.0 (7); Defensive Rating: 107.3 (9) Net Rating: +4.7 (5); Betting odds +900 (2)
Won-lost Record: 45-25; Offensive Rating: 111.2 (10); Defensive Rating: 108.0 (10) Net Rating: +3.2 (10); Betting odds +1300 (5)
Won-lost Record: 42-27; Offensive Rating: 112.8 (5); Defensive Rating: 109.3 (16) Net Rating: +3.5 (9); Betting odds +8000 (10)
Won-lost Record: 41-29; Offensive Rating: 112.1 (6); Defensive Rating: 110.7 (20) Net Rating: +1.4(12); Betting odds +8000 (10)
Won-lost Record: 41-30; Offensive Rating: 111.2 (11); Defensive Rating: 110.0(19) Net Rating: +1.2 (13); Betting odds +15000 (12)
10 UTAH JAZZ
Won-lost Record: 40-29; Offensive Rating: 108.9 (17); Defensive Rating: 105.4 (30 (21) Net Rating: +3.5 (8); Betting odds +6500 (9).
