NBA Power Rankings: The Miami Heat are looking good

NBA Power Rankings: The Heat are looking good

MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 26: Wayne Ellington #2 of the Miami Heat reacts to a play during the game against the Orlando Magic on December 26, 2017 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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The Miami Heat rode a seven game win streak (still going) all the way to the four seed in the Eastern Conference, and the Minnesota Timberwolves went undefeated over a five-game homestand. The Celtics and 76ers played in London, and the Rockets are figuring out how to win without James Harden.

It was a fun week in the NBA, with Boston and Philadelphia crossing the Atlantic Ocean to play a game in front of the fans in London. The Warriors had to cope with injuries to Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, while the rest of the NBA slogs through the doldrums of January basketball.

It was a week with big injury news as well, with Dion Waiters deciding to get surgery on his ankle that will keep him out for the remainder of the season while Zach LaVine returned from his ACL injury to debut for the Chicago Bulls.

The worst team in the NBA has an injury to a major rotation player they’ve had to figure out, but it wasn’t like they were winning often with him in the lineup anways.

Orlando Magic. 30. team. 38. . . Previous: 29th

The Magic were thumped by the Mavericks on Tuesday, 114-99, in a game where they collapsed in the fourth quarter after getting the score to 100-96 with about four minutes to go. Mario Hezonja had 14 points in a start, while Aaron Gordon had 19 points, coming off the bench as part of a punishment for violating team rules. Gordon certainly blew off some steam on one play in the third quarter, battling for an offensive rebound, tipping it up a couple times before grabbing it and throwing the ball through the hoop on a vicious one-handed dunk.

The Magic weren’t able to overcome the Bucks defense, which wore them out over the course of 48 minutes, in a 110-103 loss. Evan Fournier had 21 points, but Aaron Gordon was the only player to hit the 30-minute mark in a game where the outcome was decided after 36 minutes instead of the usual 48. The Magic lost their last game of the week to the Wizards, 125-119, despite shooting over 60 percent from the floor in the first three quarters of the game. They couldn’t buy a bucket in the fourth quarter, and have dropped 16 of their last 17 games. This is what the worst team in the league looks like — even when things look like they’re going good, they don’t work out. Let the Aaron Gordon trade rumors begin.

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