NBA Power Rankings: Most intriguing video games left for all 30 groups

The calendar has flipped to March, which suggests the NBA playoffs begin subsequent month! But earlier than we get there, there are many issues to be determined over the subsequent six weeks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder grew to become the primary workforce to clinch a postseason berth with a win on Sunday. Their lead over the San Antonio Spurs is simply three video games, nevertheless, because the standings within the always-competitive Western Conference are tighter than ever. With 4 video games presently separating the play-in groups and the No. 3 seed, and with loads of high-profile video games on the calendar, the standings are certain to alter.

In the East, the Detroit Pistons have held on to their place because the convention’s high workforce, however Jayson Tatum’s potential return for the Boston Celtics might change the playoff outlook.

With the top of the season on the horizon, our NBA insiders took a have a look at an important video games in every workforce’s remaining schedule on this week’s Power Rankings.

Note: Team rankings are primarily based on the place members of our panel (ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Dave McMenamin, Jamal Collier, Michael C. Wright, Bobby Marks, Tim Bontemps, Tim MacMahon, Vincent Goodwill and Zach Kram) assume groups belong.

Previous rankings: Preseason | Oct. 29 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 12 | Nov. 19 | Nov. 26 | Dec. 3 | Dec. 10 | Dec. 17 | Dec. 24 | Dec. 31 | Jan. 7 | Jan. 14 | Jan. 21 | Jan. 28 | Feb. 4 | Feb. 11 | Feb. 24

Jump to a workforce:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS

The defending champs are about to step right into a high-profile four-game homestand with the Spurs, who’re solely two again within the loss column and are nipping at their heels for the highest seed within the West. The Warriors are in Oklahoma City on ABC this Saturday evening, giving the Thunder an appetizer earlier than they face the Nuggets, Celtics and Timberwolves on Monday, Thursday and Sunday, all on nationwide tv.

Considering the latest Lu Dort and Nikola Jokic dustup, the Nuggets matchup carries some further juice. — Anthony Slater

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• 2025-26 document: 45-15

• Previous rating: 3

• Next video games: @ SAS (March 5), vs. BKN (March 7), @ MIA (March 8), @ BKN (March 10)

The final full week of March, throughout which the Pistons play the Lakers, Hawks, Pelicans and Timberwolves, may very well be essential on a number of fronts.

With 5 video games earlier than it in opposition to the woeful Nets, Wizards and Grizzlies, the Pistons might actually solidify home-court benefit all through the Eastern Conference playoffs earlier than the six-game April schedule. And individually for Cade Cunningham, that March 23 recreation in opposition to the Lakers may very well be his sixty fifth recreation, thus clearing the way in which for him to be in true consideration for Most Valuable Player and All-NBA groups. The Pistons already crossed the 44-win threshold. Could 60 wins be in sight? — Vincent Goodwill

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The Nuggets’ go to to Oklahoma City on March 9 would have been circled on the schedule no matter circumstances. The highlight on that recreation intensified after the fracas within the fourth quarter of Denver’s OT loss in OKC on Friday evening, when Nikola Jokic had a fiery “necessary reaction” to Luguentz Dort’s flagrant foul. It’s an actual rivalry between two latest title groups who battled for seven video games in final season’s playoffs. — MacMahon

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• 2025-26 document: 44-17

• Previous rating: 2

• Next video games: vs. DET (March 5), vs. LAC (March 6), vs. HOU (March 8), vs. BOS (March 10)

San Antonio’s longest homestand of the season suggestions Thursday with six video games in 10 days in opposition to a gauntlet that features the Pistons, Rockets, Celtics and Nuggets. But a visit out West to begin April in opposition to the Warriors, Clippers and Nuggets might decide postseason seeding. The Spurs aren’t overreacting to the cruel lesson they acquired Sunday of simply how rapidly even the smallest errors can change a workforce’s fortune.

Their 11-game profitable streak ended after they surrendered a 19-0 run to the Knicks within the second quarter of a 25-point loss. Coach Mitch Johnson stated his workforce must “understand the delicacy of every possession and every detail.” — Michael C. Wright

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• 2025-26 document: 41-20

• Previous rating: 4

• Next video games: vs. CHA (March 4), vs. DAL (March 6), @ CLE (March 8), @ SAS (March 10)

What issues most to Boston between now and the top of the season is getting ahead Jayson Tatum again on the courtroom — if it occurs — and seeing how rapidly Tatum can ramp up in addition to what the Celtics seem like with him within the fold forward of the playoffs. If Tatum is again someday this month, it could give the Celtics an opportunity to get the four-time All-NBA ahead accustomed to recreation velocity and assist the workforce work out tips on how to use him earlier than the postseason arrives. — Tim Bontemps

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• 2025-26 document: 40-22

• Previous rating: 5

• Next video games: vs. OKC (March 4), @ DEN (March 6), @ LAL (March 8), @ LAC (March 9)

Circle April 9 in your schedule, the beginning of a three-games-in-four-nights stretch to complete the season. The opponent is the Celtics, and it is at Madison Square Garden.

Jayson Tatum, by all indications, ought to be again and making an attempt to get himself prepared for the playoffs. MSG additionally was the scene of his final recreation, throughout final yr’s Eastern Conference semifinal collection.

But even with out the dramatics, the Knicks and Celtics may very well be locked right into a battle for the second seed and home-court benefit in a possible rematch within the second spherical. They’re separated by two video games now, and within the groups’ earlier assembly the Knicks handed the Celtics a 111-89 rout in Beantown Feb. 8. — Goodwill

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• 2025-26 document: 39-23

• Previous rating: 9

• Next video games: vs. TOR (March 5), vs. ORL (March 7), @ LAL (March 10), @ LAC (March 11)

The subsequent two weeks might be essential for Minnesota, which has an opportunity to get into the highest 4 within the Western Conference. This upcoming stretch of six out of seven video games in opposition to groups with profitable information will put an inconsistent Timberwolves workforce to the take a look at.

Get via that stretch with a profitable document, particularly a 5-2 mark or higher, and maybe Minnesota will be capable to give itself home-court benefit within the first spherical because it seems to be to make its third straight Western Conference finals journey. — Bontemps

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The Cavs are in one in all their most vital stretches of the season, after a pair of conferences with the top-seeded Pistons this previous week and a matchup with Boston forward this Sunday. The Cavs, who’ve handled well being problems with late, have some cushion on a top-four seed within the convention.

If Cleveland can knock off Boston this weekend, the Cavs might have an opportunity to leap up within the standings. — Collier

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• 2025-26 document: 38-22

• Previous rating: 8

• Next video games: @GS (March 5), vs. POR (March 6), @ SAS (March 8), vs. TOR (March 10)

Houston’s maintain on the No. 3 seed might be examined beginning March 10 in opposition to Toronto, adopted by a highway matchup at Denver and two extra nationally televised clashes with the Lakers at Toyota Center.

Jabari Smith Jr. stays out with a sprained proper ankle, however the workforce is concentrating on a March 5 return. Reed Sheppard has stuffed in as a starter in Smith’s absence and has made strides that might show helpful within the playoffs as Houston continues to attempt to facilitate offense with out a true level guard. — Michael C. Wright

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• 2025-26 document: 37-24

• Previous rating: 10

• Next video games: @ DEN (March 5), vs. IND (March 6), vs. NYK (March 8), vs. MIN (March 10)

The final six video games on the Lakers’ schedule previous to their dwelling finale in opposition to the Utah Jazz determine to be a problem.

It begins with a house recreation in opposition to Cleveland, which beat Los Angeles by 30 in January, adopted by a visit to Oklahoma City, the place the Lakers misplaced by 29 in November. Then comes a highway recreation in Dallas, which is the one “easy” evening of the stretch. Next is a house recreation vs. OKC, then a road-home back-to-back in opposition to Golden State and Phoenix. That stretch might make or break the Lakers’ seeding. — McMenamin

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Toronto’s most vital objective over the subsequent six weeks is retaining a top-six seed, as ESPN’s Basketball Power Index provides the Raptors a couple of 1-in-3 probability of falling to the play-in match. Wins at dwelling in opposition to Orlando (on March 29) and Miami (in a two-game collection on April 7 and April 9) would go a great distance towards guaranteeing Toronto will get an computerized bid to the primary spherical of the playoffs. — Kram

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• 2025-26 document: 33-28

• Previous rating: 14

• Next video games: vs. UTAH (March 4), @ ATL (March 7), @ CLE (March 9), vs. MEM (March 10)

At the top of March, the Sixers have a set of video games in opposition to the Bulls at dwelling adopted by the Hornets, Heat and Wizards on the highway. If they will go 3-1 or 4-0, they’re going to have given themselves an opportunity to safe a top-six spot within the Eastern Conference. That is, in fact, relying on Joel Embiid’s well being, With him, Philadelphia will assume it might beat anybody over seven video games. Without him? It’ll be a brief playoff run, at finest. — Bontemps

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• 2025-26 document: 35-26

• Previous rating: 12

• Next video games: vs. CHI (March 5), vs. NO (March 6), vs. CHA (March 8), @ MIL (March 10)

Phoenix has a six-game highway journey spanning March 10-19 that begins within the Midwest in opposition to Milwaukee (with Giannis Antetokounmpo) and Indiana, then heads as much as Toronto, then right down to Boston (which might have Jayson Tatum again by then) earlier than ending in opposition to two Western Conference contenders: Minnesota and San Antonio.

It’s a brutal stretch for a Suns workforce that’s already coping with accidents to Devin Booker (proper hip) and Dillon Brooks (fractured left hand). — McMenamin

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• 2025-26 document: 31-31

• Previous rating: 17

• Next video games: @ BOS (March 4), vs. MIA (March 6), @ PHX (March 8), @ POR (March 10)

Charlotte nonetheless performs Miami (twice) and Orlando, and wins in opposition to these divisional opponents might propel the Hornets into the advantageous 7-8 play-in recreation as a substitute of the single-elimination 9-10 contest.

But even when it has much less import for the standings, a fair tastier morsel awaits on the Hornets’ schedule: a house date in opposition to the Pistons on April 10, within the groups’ first assembly since their prolonged brawl final month. For leisure’s sake, hopefully each groups are nonetheless enjoying their starters within the 81st recreation of the season. — Zach Kram

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• 2025-26 document: 33-29

• Previous rating: 15

• Next video games: vs. BKN (March 5), @ CHA (March 6), vs. DET (March 8), vs. WAS (March 10)

If the Heat are going to rise within the standings, they may have to take action with out Norman Powell at full energy. Powell performed solely 10 minutes of their loss to Philadelphia and is week-to-week with a proper groin pressure. He might want to play in 17 of the remaining 23 video games to be eligible for postseason honors. Powell is averaging a career-high 22.5 PPG.

Still, the Heat have received two straight dwelling video games with out Powell and play seven of their subsequent 10 video games at dwelling over an important stretch. — Marks

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• 2025-26 document: 32-28

• Previous rating: 13

• Next video games: vs. DAL (March 5), @ MIN (March 7), @ MIL (March 8), vs. CLE (March 11)

The sight of Anthony Black sitting out a recreation with an harm is a rarity. Since the 2023-24 season, Black has missed solely 5 video games, together with the Sunday loss to Detroit. Because of his sturdiness, Black is simply seven video games wanting turning into eligible for the Most Improved Player award. In his first three seasons, Black’s factors per recreation have elevated from 4.6 to 9.4 to presently 15.7, so the Magic will wish to capitalize in any recreation with him down the stretch. — Marks

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If we primarily based awards off the previous three video games, Jonathan Kuminga could be in rivalry for Sixth Man of the Year honors. In his three video games off the bench, Kuminga is averaging 21.3 factors per recreation whereas taking pictures 67.4% from the ground and 55.5% from 3. The Hawks have now received 4 in a row and are .500 for the primary time since Dec. 21. They additionally play 5 of their subsequent six video games at dwelling. — Marks

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• 2025-26 document: 29-31

• Previous rating: 19

• Next video games: vs. IND (March 4), @ SAS (March 6), @ MEM (March 7), vs. NYK (March 9)

Coming into this week, the Clippers had the fourth-easiest remaining schedule, with a cumulative opponent profitable share of simply .459, based on NBA.com. That stated, they nonetheless may very well be sweating a play-in spot right down to the very finish with a house recreation in opposition to Oklahoma City, highway recreation in opposition to Portland and residential recreation in opposition to Golden State to shut out the season. — McMenamin

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• 2025-26 document: 31-30

• Previous rating: 16

• Next video games: @ HOU (March 5), @ OKC (March 7), @ UTAH (March 9), vs. CHI (March 10)

The Warriors are in an uncommon spot. They are 5.5 video games behind the Lakers for the sixth seed with none actual probability of climbing upward, however they’re additionally seven video games forward of the Eleventh-seeded and apparently tanking Grizzlies. So, the Warriors are basically trapped within the play-in bracket, with out a lot urgency to hurry Steph Curry again from a tough knee harm. There are 21 video games left, however the nightly outcomes do not feel all that substantial. You can already pencil the Warriors in for a play-in spot — most certainly a date with the Trail Blazers within the 9-against-10 recreation. — Slater

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• 2025-26 document: 29-33

• Previous rating: 18

• Next video games: @ MEM (March 4), @ HOU (March 6), vs. IND (March 8), vs. CHA (March 10)

Five of Portland’s subsequent 9 video games are in opposition to lottery groups with out incentives to win. They face the Grizzlies, Nets, Jazz and Pacers (twice). If the Blazers can inch again towards the .500 mark, they might threaten to cross each the struggling Warriors and the surging Clippers and maybe get on the upper aspect of the play-in bracket. That would no less than give them a extra reasonable probability at sneaking into the playoffs. — Slater

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• 2025-26 document: 26-34

• Previous rating: 21

• Next video games: vs. ATL (March 4), vs. UTAH (March 7), vs. ORL (March 8), vs. PHX (March 10)

Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the courtroom this week for the primary time in additional than 5 weeks, and the Bucks nonetheless have aspirations of constructing the postseason. However, after one in all their finest stretches of the season, profitable eight of 11 in February, the Bucks have dropped three in a row and nonetheless sit 3.5 video games behind the No. 10 and ultimate play-in seed within the East.

Milwaukee wants to begin making up floor quickly, and it will have a pair of probabilities in opposition to one of many groups instantly in entrance of it. The Bucks welcome the Hawks to Milwaukee on Wednesday evening earlier than a highway journey to Atlanta on March 14. If the Bucks aren’t nearer to the Hawks by then, their playoff goals will look even cloudier. — Collier

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• 2025-26 document: 23-37

• Previous rating: 22

• Next video games: vs. POR (March 4),vs. LAC (March 7), @ BKN (March 9), @ PHI (March 10)

Lottery positioning is essential for the Grizzlies, who received two in a row on the highway at Dallas and Indiana however introduced Sunday that Zach Edey will bear one other surgical procedure on his left ankle, this time to deal with discomfort and bone stress. Edey hasn’t performed since Dec. 7.

Meanwhile, Brandon Clarke will miss extra time recovering from a strained proper calf, and Santi Aldama has missed 14 of the previous 15 contests. Star guard Ja Morant (left elbow) stays out, too. A 3-game journey to shut the season options matchups at Denver, Utah and Houston with Memphis more likely to come out of it with no less than two losses. — Wight

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A winless February has taken the Bulls out of one more East play-in race and flipped Chicago’s consideration towards lottery odds. The 25-win Bulls are No. 12 within the East with a big hole earlier than they fall any extra spots within the standings. That might make the season finale in opposition to the Mavericks on April 12, a workforce that benefited from leaping up within the lottery final season, a severe tank-off as each groups attempt to make sure they will get as many ping-pong balls as potential. — Collier

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• 2025-26 document: 21-40

• Previous rating: 24

• Next video games: @ ORL (March 5), @ BOS (March 6), @ TOR (March 8), @ ATL (March 10)

The hope is that Cooper Flagg (left midfoot sprain) will be capable to return for Friday’s highway recreation in Boston. That’s a homecoming of kinds for Flagg, who grew up in Maine. Flagg, the No. 1 decide, averaged 32.0 factors, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 blocks in his final six video games earlier than his harm proper earlier than the All-Star break. During his day trip, his school roommate at Duke, Kon Knueppel, has overtaken him because the Rookie of the Year favourite, based on DraftKings odds. Flagg’s ending kick might begin in his native New England. — MacMahon

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New Orleans captured 4 consecutive victories for its second-longest win streak of the season earlier than a loss to the Clippers on Sunday with Zion Williamson sitting out resulting from a proper ankle harm. Williamson had performed a career-high 35 consecutive video games earlier than his newest harm setback.

With no hope for a postseason berth and with out its first-round draft decide, New Orleans can attempt to end sturdy to set the tone for a pivotal offseason. Starting March 24 in opposition to the Knicks, the Pelicans play seven of their final 10 video games on the highway in a stretch that features video games with future playoff groups (the Pistons, Raptors, Rockets, Celtics and Timberwolves). — Wright

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• 2025-26 document: 18-43

• Previous rating: 25

• Next video games: @ PHI (March 4), @ WAS (March 5), @ MIL (March 7), vs. GS (March 9)

The Jazz play the Wizards on Thursday and once more March 25, two video games the league workplace may watch with nice curiosity. The groups are in very related conditions, as each made midseason trades for stars who’re sidelined and personal top-eight-protected picks that they hope will find yourself as one of many ultimate basis items of a rebuild. — MacMahon

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The Wizards have 16 wins, fourth fewest within the league. Among the three groups beneath them within the standings, they’ve already completed their season collection in opposition to the Kings and Pacers, however one recreation stays in opposition to the 15-win Nets. If Washington drops that April 5 contest, it’s going to transfer one step nearer to prime lottery place and most 14% odds of the No. 1 decide. — Kram

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• 2025-26 document: 15-46

• Previous rating: 29

• Next video games: @ LAC (March 4), @ LAL (March 6), @ POR (March 8), @ SAC (March 10)

The worst document within the league may very well be on the road in Sacramento on March 10, because the 15-win Pacers go to the 14-win Kings. The two groups have a wealthy historical past, with trades involving Tyrese Haliburton, Domantas Sabonis, Ron Artest, Peja Stojakovic and Brad Miller, and now they might add to that legacy by battling for pole place within the lottery.

The Pacers received the primary assembly between the 2 groups, thanks partly to an enormous recreation from the since-departed Bennedict Mathurin. — Kram

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• 2025-26 document: 15-46

• Previous rating: 28

• Next video games: @ MIA (March 5), @ DET (March 7), vs. MEM (March 9), vs. DET (March 10)

Consecutive Sunday matchups on March 22 (at Sacramento) and 29 (at Brooklyn) in opposition to the equally woeful Kings might decide lottery positioning for June’s loaded incoming draft class.

The Kings are three video games forward within the loss column, which might presently give them the additional bump, even with the flattened lottery odds. It’s clear this has been a developmental season for the Nets, and so they hope to acquire a high collegian on the finish of it, so these video games may very well be the ugliest “tank-offs” but. — Goodwill

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Flattened lottery odds have lessened the advantage of ending with the NBA’s worst document, however there’s nonetheless incentive. The league’s worst workforce will get a assured top-five decide. The Kings presently have an NBA-low 14 wins, however the Nets and Pacers have 15 wins, presenting some vital upcoming matchups within the tankathon.

The Kings face the Pacers in Sacramento on March 10 and nonetheless have each remaining matchups with the Nets — March 22 in Sacramento and March 29 in Brooklyn. — Slater