NBA power rankings: Who’s hot? Who’s not? What will happen in final days of playoff race?
* Through games played 4/6
1. Phoenix Suns (63-17)
Last week: 1
The Suns have lost three of their last four, but they’ve built up such a big lead in the Western Conference that it doesn’t matter. They have clinched the No. 1 seed in the West and the best overall record in the NBA, giving them homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. Coach Monty Williams chose to sit Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Jae Crowder in Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers. Williams might give them a couple of more nights off against the Jazz and Kings to make sure they’re healthy, fresh and rested when the playoffs begin.
2. Memphis Grizzlies (55-24)
Last week: 2
Memphis is locked in as the No. 2 seed in the West after winning 11 of its last 13 games. The Grizzlies are five games ahead of the Warriors with three games remaining. Ja Morant has been out with a knee injury since March 18, but he is scheduled to be reevaluated this week. The Grizzlies won seven in a row without Morant before suffering an OT loss to the Jazz on Tuesday. They have to be considered serious contenders given their overall body of work and their 2-1 record against the Suns this season.
3. Miami Heat (52-28)
Last week: 3
Sixth Man of the Year candidate Tyler Herro scored 35 points against the Hornets on Tuesday to help the Heat win its fifth in a row, giving Miami a two-game lead over the Celtics in the East. The Heat can clinch the No. 1 seed with a win over the Hawks or Magic. Miami will also clinch the top seed if the Celtics lose to the Bucks or Grizzlies.
4. Boston Celtics (50-30)
Last week: 7
The Celtics are rolling with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford and Marcus Smart all doing their parts for the hottest team in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics have won three in a row and nine of 11. They have gone 32-9 since Jan. 8 to vault to second in the East with a half-game lead over the Bucks and 76ers. A big showdown with the Bucks awaits on Thursday.
5. Dallas Mavericks (50-30)
Last week: 5
The Mavericks have gone 21-7 since Feb. 4 to claw their way up to fourth in the West, just a half-game behind the Warriors for the No. 3 seed. Dallas has won five of its last six, including wins over the Jazz and Bucks. The Mavericks went 3-1 against the Warriors this season, so they will hold the tiebreaker advantage if the teams finish with identical records.
6. Milwaukee Bucks (49-30)
Last week: 4
The Bucks suffered back-to-back losses to the Clippers and Mavericks before beating the Bulls on Thursday. They are tied with the 76ers for third in the East, just a half-game behind the Celtics for the No. 2 seed. The Bucks will face the red-hot Celtics on Thursday in Milwaukee. They will need a big game from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is one of the leading candidates for MVP.
7. Golden State Warriors (50-29)
Last week: 6
The Warriors had lost four in a row and seven of eight before posting back-to-back wins over the Jazz and Kings. Klay Thompson scored 36 in the win over Utah after being held to 13 points on 5-of-21 shooting in a loss to the Suns. Stephen Curry remains out with a foot injury, but the Warriors are confident he will be able to return for the start of the playoffs. Golden State is third in the West, a half-game ahead of the Mavericks.
8. Philadelphia 76ers (49-30)
Last week: 8
Joel Embiid is making a strong closing argument in the MVP debate. He had 44 points and 17 rebounds in a win over the Cavaliers on Sunday. He had 45 points and 13 rebounds in a win over the Pacers on Tuesday. The 76ers have won three in a row to tie the Bucks for third in the East. They are just a half-game behind the Celtics for the No. 2 seed.
9. Utah Jazz (48-32)
Last week: 10
Utah has won three of its last four after losing five in a row. Rudy Gobert had a 22-point, 21-rebound double-double in an OT win over the Grizzlies on Tuesday. The Jazz can clinch the No. 5 seed in the West with a win over the Suns or Blazers.
10. Denver Nuggets (47-33)
Last week: 9
Nikola Jokic is still a leading MVP candidate, but the Nuggets have cooled off a bit, losing five of their last 10 to fall to sixth in the West. Jokic had 38 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists in a loss to the Timberwolves last week. He had 41 points and 17 rebounds in a 19-point loss to the Spurs on Tuesday.
11. Toronto Raptors (46-33)
Last week: 11
Pascal Siakam scored 31 points and Rookie of the Year candidate Scottie Barnes grabbed 14 rebounds in a big win over the Hawks on Tuesday. The Raptors are fifth in the East, 1 ½ games ahead of the Bulls with three games remaining against the 76ers, Rockets and Knicks.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves (45-35)
Last week: 13
The Timberwolves were a game under .500 at 24-25 following a loss to Phoenix on Jan. 28, but they’ve gone 21-10 since then to climb to seventh in the West. They are two games behind the Nuggets for the No. 6 seed with two games remaining.
13. Chicago Bulls (45-35)
Last week: 12
The Bulls have lost three in a row to the Heat, Bucks and Celtics despite getting a 33-point game from Zach LaVine and a 40-point game from DeMar DeRozan. With only two games remaining, they are sixth in the East, 1 ½ games behind the Raptors for the No. 5 seed.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (43-37)
Last week: 14
The Cavaliers have clinched a play-in berth, but they are clinging to seventh spot after losing four of five and seven of their last nine. They will go into Brooklyn on Friday with a tenuous one-game lead over the Nets.
15. Brooklyn Nets (42-38)
Last week: 15
Kevin Durant had 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over the Knicks on Wednesday after Kyrie Irving scored 42 in a win over the Rockets. Brooklyn can overtake Cleveland for No. 7 in the East with a win over the Cavaliers on Friday.
16. Atlanta Hawks (42-38)
Last week: 17
The Hawks have won six of their last seven to clinch a spot in the play-in tournament. They are tied with the Nets for eighth in the East. Trae Young scored 30 in a win over Brooklyn on Saturday.
17. Los Angeles Clippers (40-40)
Last week: 18
Paul George returned last week after missing four months with an elbow injury and now Norman Powell is back after missing two months with a broken foot. The Clippers have won four of five with victories over the Jazz, Bucks, Pelicans and Suns.
18. Charlotte Hornets (40-39)
Last week: 16
The Hornets have clinched a play-in bid, but they haven’t done anything to help their positioning, losing three of their last four despite some big games from Most Improved Player candidate Miles Bridges.
19. New Orleans Pelicans (35-44)
Last week: 20
The Pelicans have been good since trading for CJ McCollum, winning eight of their last 12 to clinch a spot in the play-in tournament. They are ninth in the West, one game ahead of the Spurs.
20. San Antonio Spurs (34-45)
Last week: 22
The Spurs have clinched a spot in the play-in tournament after winning three in a row and eight of their last 10. They are 10th in the West, one game behind the Pelicans with three games remaining.
21. New York Knicks (35-45)
Last week: 19
The Knicks made a fun run to reach the playoffs last season for the first time since 2013, but they couldn’t even reach the play-in this season.
22. Washington Wizards (35-45)
Last week: 21
Kristaps Porzingis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have helped the Wizards win five of their last eight, but they have fallen too far to have any chance of reaching the play-in tournament.
23. Los Angeles Lakers (31-48)
Last week: 23
The Lakers have been eliminated from playoff contention after losing seven in a row, a colossal failure for LeBron James, Anthony Davis and a franchise that had championship aspirations after assembling a team with six likely future Hall of Famers.
24. Sacramento Kings (29-51)
Last week: 24
Rookie Davion Mitchell averaged 18.6 points and 8.9 assists while starting in place of De’Aaron Fox over the past nine games, but the Kings were eliminated from playoff contention for an NBA-record 16th consecutive season.
25. Portland Trail Blazers (27-52)
Last week: 25
Damian Lillard still wants to win a championship and an MVP award in Portland, but that won’t happen this year. The Blazers have lost eight in a row 18 of their last 20 with Lillard out due to an abdominal injury.
26. Indiana Pacers (25-55)
Last week: 26
New additions Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield have had some big games, but the Pacers have lost eight in a row to get within a half-game of the Thunder for the No. 4 spot in the NBA draft lottery.
27. Oklahoma City Thunder (24-56)
Last week: 27
Jaylen Hoard and Olivier Sarr, undrafted players who have combined to play 58 NBA games, led the Thunder to back-to-back wins over the Suns and Blazers.
28. Detroit Pistons (23-57)
Last week: 28
Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes and Saddiq Bey helped the Pistons win three in a row before falling to the Mavericks on Wednesday. Cunningham should be a finalist for Rookie of the Year.
29. Orlando Magic (21-59)
Last week: 30
Mo Bamba had 21 points and 12 rebounds to help Orlando snap a six-game losing streak with a win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday.
30. Houston Rockets (20-60)
Last week: 29
The Rockets have lost five in a row despite four consecutive 30-point games from rookie Jalen Green and a 36-point performance from Kevin Porter Jr. vs. the Nets on Tuesday.
This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
