Despite back-to-back weekend losses, the Philadelphia 76ers are still in a good position in the Eastern Conference standings.
However, that dropped them slightly in the NBA’s latest power rankings.
Every week, the folks at NBA.com publish an updated power ranking for all thirty teams in the league.
After suffering losses to the New York Knicks and Utah Jazz, they dropped one spot from No. 6 to No. 7. Notable teams ahead of them include the LA Clippers, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and OKC Thunder.
Looking at the standings, the Sixers have a significant lead in third place. However, there are a wide range of teams in hot pursuit.
Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are all tied for fourth at 21-15. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks hold onto second place, but are just one game ahead of the Sixers.
A true sign that you are a contender in the NBA is if you are in the top ten in offense and defense.
The Sixers are currently achieving this goal. They currently have the fifth-best offense in the league, along with the third-best defense.
Their net rating of 8.5 is good for No. 2 in the NBA, behind only the Boston Celtics.
Right now, the Sixers are enjoying a nice break in the schedule.
They had three days off before facing the Atlanta Hawks on a short road trip.
They then host three competitive Western Conference teams: the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets.
This should be a good test for the Sixers as they approach the halfway point of the regular season.
