Power Rankings, Week of 1/25

[Spike]

Well, hot damn!​

NBA.com
#12 (+5)
DeMarcus Cousins has been putting up big numbers (he scored a career-high 48 points against the Pacers on Saturday), but defense has been the story as the Kings have won five straight games to put themselves in position to end their nine-year playoff drought. Over the course of the winning streak, they've allowed just 95.2 points per 100 possessions, their best five-game defensive stretch since Feb. 2007!

Sports Illustrated
#16 (+3)
If the Kings win against Charlotte on Monday, it would be the team’s first six-game streak since January 2005. DeMarcus Cousins’s ridiculous 32.6, 14.8, 3.4, 1.2 and 1.2 averages in this run have a whole lot to do with it. Enjoy the idea of the playoff Kings as long as it lasts.

ESPN
#14 (+6!)
Said so last week and can only say it louder on this Rankings Monday: DeMarcus Cousins' January is leaving West coaches with nothing to think about when it comes to Boogie's All-Star spot. He's averaging 32.5 PPG and 13.7 RPG on 50 percent shooting and 47.2 percent shooting on 3s. He's getting to the line for 10.6 FTAs per game. And his Kings, best of all, are 8-3 this month.

NBC Sports
#16 (+3)
They have won five in a row, and in those five games DeMarcus Cousins has been a beast: 32.6 points per game shooting 50.5 percent (and 71.4 percent from three), plus is pulling down 14.8 rebounds a contest. The man is a lock to be an All-Star. They remain the eight seed in the West and it may not be easy to shake them from that spot.

CBS Sports
#18 (NC)
The Kings are a hilarious, talented, fun, interesting, compelling, twisted, unstable, trainwreck of a team that could very easily make the playoffs and there's no way to understand it, just follow the White Rabbit.

Mean Ranking: 15.2
Them's a playoff number!

 

[Blob]

Wow!

Over the course of the winning streak, they've allowed just 95.2 points per 100 possessions, their best five-game defensive stretch since Feb. 2007!

 

[lwc]

I get the impression that CBS Sports is covering their tails and hoping the Kings don't improve.

 

[Bosnian Diehard]

CBS has us ranked 18th even after a 5-game winning streak, including three wins vs. Playoff teams?

 

[SacKings123]

CBS has us ranked 18th even after a 5-game winning streak, including three wins vs. Playoff teams?

let that fuel the kings fire

 

[Bricklayer]

I get the impression that CBS Sports is covering their tails and hoping the Kings don't improve.

Ironically for most of the season Moore has been one of the few guys to give us any credit at all.

 

[lwc]

Ironically for most of the season Moore has been one of the few guys to give us any credit at all.

He might have decided that 8-9 is the ceiling.

 

[Padrino]

NBA.com​

#12 (+5)
DeMarcus Cousins has been putting up big numbers (he scored a career-high 48 points against the Pacers on Saturday), but defense has been the story as the Kings have won five straight games to put themselves in position to end their nine-year playoff drought. Over the course of the winning streak, they've allowed just 95.2 points per 100 possessions, their best five-game defensive stretch since Feb. 2007!

that just... well, it brings a tear to my eye. i'm most impressed with willie cauley-stein's part in this stretch of defensive excellence. i had a feeling WCS would be a contributor on the defensive end right at the start, but i didn't think his on/off impact would be felt quite so dramatically. he's already transformed the entire complexion of the kings' defensive effort and efficiency...

 

[funkykingston]

that just... well, it brings a tear to my eye. i'm most impressed with willie cauley-stein's part in this stretch of defensive excellence. i had a feeling WCS would be a contributor on the defensive end right at the start, but i didn't think his on/off impact would be felt quite so dramatically. he's already transformed the entire complexion of the kings' defensive effort and efficiency...

What's really surprising is that the only guy on the Kings with a higher on/off defensive rating than WCS is Omri Casspi.

I like Omri's hustle and energy on that end but he's not an elite defender. And the second unit (which I'm guessing he plays more minutes with) is probably weaker defensively as a whole. So I can't figure that stat out.

 

[Bricklayer]

What's really surprising is that the only guy on the Kings with a higher on/off defensive rating than WCS is Omri Casspi.

I like Omri's hustle and energy on that end but he's not an elite defender. And the second unit (which I'm guessing he plays more minutes with) is probably weaker defensively as a whole. So I can't figure that stat out.

That's been going on all year, and there appears no reasonable explanation for it. The onyl 3 Kings in the Top 100 in DRPM all seaons long have been:

Boogie
<big gap>
Omri
<big gap>
WCS

I understand Cuz. he was #4 in the entire league last season. I understand Willie, he wears his defensive credentials on his sleeve. The Omri thing though has had me scratching my head all season.

 

[kingsboi]

while this 5 game win streak has lifted a lot of fans' spirits...I don't want to fall for this just yet, it's the definition of being a Kings fan, you get some good and then they are bound to have a let down game or two...let's see what happens on the road

 

[Amit149]

What's really surprising is that the only guy on the Kings with a higher on/off defensive rating than WCS is Omri Casspi.

I like Omri's hustle and energy on that end but he's not an elite defender. And the second unit (which I'm guessing he plays more minutes with) is probably weaker defensively as a whole. So I can't figure that stat out.

Really weird,
I'll point out this stat again- league leaders in DRPM among SF's:

1. Kawhi
2. LBJ
3. Casspi

Than come guys like Jae Crowder, Paul George and Thabo Sefolosha, I can't figure it out...

On a side note I voted 3-1 on the poll and was about to go 4-0, I never been this optimistic about the Kings and it's starting to scare me.

 

[VF21]

CBS Sports
#18 (NC)
The Kings are a hilarious, talented, fun, interesting, compelling, twisted, unstable, trainwreck of a team that could very easily make the playoffs and there's no way to understand it, just follow the White Rabbit.

I actually like this comment a lot - partially because it mirrors what a lot of us have been saying. I don't care a bit about power rankings, so the fact he hasn't moved us up doesn't bother me.

Face it, folks. The Kings are the best all-around show in town for entertainment right now.

...and the last time we started to feel that way was when this guy came to town:

 

[Telemachus]

while this 5 game win streak has lifted a lot of fans' spirits...I don't want to fall for this just yet, it's the definition of being a Kings fan, you get some good and then they are bound to have a let down game or two...let's see what happens on the road

The Kings have won 3 in a row, and 4 of their last 5 on the road. The 1 loss was at Dallas.