NBA Power Rankings: Most intriguing games left for all 30 teams
The calendar has flipped to March, which implies 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 turned the primary crew to clinch a postseason berth with a win on Sunday. Their lead over the San Antonio Spurs is simply three games, nonetheless, because the standings within the always-competitive Western Conference are tighter than ever. With 4 games presently separating the play-in teams and the No. 3 seed, and with loads of high-profile games on the calendar, the standings are sure to alter.
In the East, the Detroit Pistons have held on to their place because the convention’s prime crew, however Jayson Tatum’s potential return for the Boston Celtics might change the playoff outlook.
With the tip of the season on the horizon, our NBA insiders took a have a look at an important games in every crew’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) suppose teams 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 crew:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | (*30*) | 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 night time, 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 current Lu Dort and Nikola Jokic dustup, the Nuggets matchup carries some further juice. — Anthony Slater
2025-26 report: 45-15
Previous rating: 3
Next 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, might be vital on a number of fronts.
With 5 games earlier than it towards the woeful Nets, Wizards and Grizzlies, the Pistons might really 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 sport towards the Lakers might be his sixty fifth sport, thus clearing the way in which for him to be in true consideration for Most Valuable Player and All-NBA teams. The Pistons already crossed the 44-win threshold. Could 60 wins be in sight? — Vincent Goodwill
The Nuggets’ go to to Oklahoma City on March 9 would have been circled on the schedule no matter circumstances. The highlight on that sport intensified after the fracas within the fourth quarter of Denver’s OT loss in OKC on Friday night time, when Nikola Jokic had a fiery “necessary reaction” to Luguentz Dort’s flagrant foul. It’s an actual rivalry between two current title teams who battled for seven games in final season’s playoffs. — MacMahon
2025-26 report: 44-17
Previous rating: 2
Next 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 games in 10 days towards a gauntlet that features the Pistons, Rockets, Celtics and Nuggets. But a visit out West to begin April towards 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 crew’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 mentioned his crew must “understand the delicacy of every possession and every detail.” — Michael C. Wright
2025-26 report: 41-20
Previous rating: 4
Next games: vs. CHA (March 4), vs. DAL (March 6), @ CLE (March 8), @ SAS (March 10)
What issues most to Boston between now and the tip of the season is getting ahead Jayson Tatum again on the court docket — if it occurs — and seeing how rapidly Tatum can ramp up in addition to what the Celtics appear to be with him within the fold forward of the playoffs. If Tatum is again someday this month, it might give the Celtics an opportunity to get the four-time All-NBA ahead accustomed to sport velocity and assist the crew work out the best way to use him earlier than the postseason arrives. — Tim Bontemps
2025-26 report: 40-22
Previous rating: 5
Next 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, must be again and making an attempt to get himself prepared for the playoffs. MSG additionally was the scene of his final sport, throughout final 12 months’s Eastern Conference semifinal sequence.
But even with out the dramatics, the Knicks and Celtics might 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 games now, and within the teams’ earlier assembly the Knicks handed the Celtics a 111-89 rout in Beantown Feb. 8. — Goodwill
2025-26 report: 39-23
Previous rating: 9
Next games: vs. TOR (March 5), vs. ORL (March 7), @ LAL (March 10), @ LAC (March 11)
The subsequent two weeks will likely be vital for Minnesota, which has an opportunity to get into the highest 4 within the Western Conference. This upcoming stretch of six out of seven games towards teams with profitable data will put an inconsistent Timberwolves crew to the take a look at.
Get via that stretch with a profitable report, particularly a 5-2 mark or higher, and maybe Minnesota will be capable of give itself home-court benefit within the first spherical because it seems to make its third straight Western Conference finals journey. — Bontemps
The Cavs are in certainly one of 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
2025-26 report: 38-22
Previous rating: 8
Next games: @GS (March 5), vs. POR (March 6), @ SAS (March 8), vs. TOR (March 10)
Houston’s maintain on the No. 3 seed will likely be examined beginning March 10 towards 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 crew is concentrating on a March 5 return. Reed Sheppard has stuffed in as a starter in Smith’s absence and has made strides that would show useful within the playoffs as Houston continues to attempt to facilitate offense and not using a true level guard. — Michael C. Wright
2025-26 report: 37-24
Previous rating: 10
Next games: @ DEN (March 5), vs. IND (March 6), vs. NYK (March 8), vs. MIN (March 10)
The final six games on the Lakers’ schedule previous to their house finale towards the Utah Jazz determine to be a problem.
It begins with a house sport towards 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 sport in Dallas, which is the one “easy” night time of the stretch. Next is a house sport vs. OKC, then a road-home back-to-back towards Golden State and Phoenix. That stretch might make or break the Lakers’ seeding. — McMenamin
Toronto’s most vital purpose over the subsequent six weeks is retaining a top-six seed, as ESPN’s Basketball Power Index offers the Raptors a couple of 1-in-3 likelihood of falling to the play-in match. Wins at house towards Orlando (on March 29) and Miami (in a two-game sequence on April 7 and April 9) would go a great distance towards making certain Toronto will get an automated bid to the primary spherical of the playoffs. — Kram
2025-26 report: 33-28
Previous rating: 14
Next games: vs. UTAH (March 4), @ ATL (March 7), @ CLE (March 9), vs. MEM (March 10)
At the tip of March, the Sixers have a set of games towards the Bulls at house 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, after all, relying on Joel Embiid‘s well being, With him, Philadelphia will suppose it may well beat anybody over seven games. Without him? It’ll be a brief playoff run, at greatest. — Bontemps
2025-26 report: 35-26
Previous rating: 12
Next 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 towards Milwaukee (with Giannis Antetokounmpo) and Indiana, then heads as much as Toronto, then all the way down to Boston (which might have Jayson Tatum again by then) earlier than ending towards two Western Conference contenders: Minnesota and San Antonio.
It’s a brutal stretch for a Suns crew that’s already coping with accidents to Devin Booker (proper hip) and Dillon Brooks (fractured left hand). — McMenamin
2025-26 report: 31-31
Previous rating: 17
Next games: @ BOS (March 4), vs. MIA (March 6), @ PHX (March 8), @ POR (March 10)
Charlotte nonetheless performs Miami (twice) and Orlando, and wins towards these divisional opponents might propel the Hornets into the advantageous 7-8 play-in sport as an alternative of the single-elimination 9-10 contest.
But even when it has much less import for the standings, an excellent tastier morsel awaits on the Hornets’ schedule: a house date towards the Pistons on April 10, within the teams’ first assembly since their prolonged brawl final month. For leisure’s sake, hopefully each teams are nonetheless taking part in their starters within the 81st sport of the season. — Zach Kram
2025-26 report: 33-29
Previous rating: 15
Next 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 games to be eligible for postseason honors. Powell is averaging a career-high 22.5 PPG.
Still, the Heat have received two straight house games with out Powell and play seven of their subsequent 10 games at house over a vital stretch. — Marks
2025-26 report: 32-28
Previous rating: 13
Next games: vs. DAL (March 5), @ MIN (March 7), @ MIL (March 8), vs. CLE (March 11)
The sight of Anthony Black sitting out a sport with an damage is a rarity. Since the 2023-24 season, Black has missed solely 5 games, together with the Sunday loss to Detroit. Because of his sturdiness, Black is barely seven games in need of turning into eligible for the Most Improved Player award. In his first three seasons, Black’s factors per sport have elevated from 4.6 to 9.4 to presently 15.7, so the Magic will need to capitalize in any sport with him down the stretch. — Marks
If we primarily based awards off the previous three games, Jonathan Kuminga could be in rivalry for Sixth Man of the Year honors. In his three games off the bench, Kuminga is averaging 21.3 factors per sport whereas capturing 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 games at house. — Marks
2025-26 report: 29-31
Previous rating: 19
Next 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, in response to NBA.com. That mentioned, they nonetheless might be sweating a play-in spot all the way down to the very finish with a house sport towards Oklahoma City, highway sport towards Portland and residential sport towards Golden State to shut out the season. — McMenamin
2025-26 report: 31-30
Previous rating: 16
Next 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 games behind the Lakers for the sixth seed with none actual likelihood of climbing upward, however they’re additionally seven games forward of the Eleventh-seeded and apparently tanking Grizzlies. So, the Warriors are primarily trapped within the play-in bracket, with out a lot urgency to hurry Steph Curry again from a difficult knee damage. There are 21 games left, however the nightly outcomes do not feel all that substantial. You can already pencil the Warriors in for a play-in spot — almost definitely a date with the Trail Blazers within the 9-against-10 sport. — Slater
2025-26 report: 29-33
Previous rating: 18
Next games: @ MEM (March 4), @ HOU (March 6), vs. IND (March 8), vs. CHA (March 10)
Five of Portland’s subsequent 9 games are towards lottery teams 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 go each the struggling Warriors and the surging Clippers and maybe get on the upper aspect of the play-in bracket. That would at the very least give them a extra life like likelihood at sneaking into the playoffs. — Slater
2025-26 report: 26-34
Previous rating: 21
Next games: vs. ATL (March 4), vs. UTAH (March 7), vs. ORL (March 8), vs. PHX (March 10)
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the court docket this week for the primary time in additional than 5 weeks, and the Bucks nonetheless have aspirations of creating the postseason. However, after certainly one of their greatest stretches of the season, profitable eight of 11 in February, the Bucks have dropped three in a row and nonetheless sit 3.5 games behind the No. 10 and last play-in seed within the East.
Milwaukee wants to begin making up floor quickly, and it will have a pair of possibilities towards one of many teams instantly in entrance of it. The Bucks welcome the Hawks to Milwaukee on Wednesday night time earlier than a highway journey to Atlanta on March 14. If the Bucks aren’t nearer to the Hawks by then, their playoff desires will look even cloudier. — Collier
2025-26 report: 23-37
Previous rating: 22
Next games: vs. POR (March 4),vs. LAC (March 7), @ BKN (March 9), @ PHI (March 10)
Lottery positioning is vital 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 prone to come out of it with at the very least two losses. — Wight
A winless February has taken the Bulls out of yet 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 towards the Mavericks on April 12, a crew that benefited from leaping up within the lottery final season, a severe tank-off as each teams attempt to make sure they will get as many ping-pong balls as potential. — Collier
2025-26 report: 21-40
Previous rating: 24
Next 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 of return for Friday’s highway sport in Boston. That’s a homecoming of types for Flagg, who grew up in Maine. Flagg, the No. 1 choose, averaged 32.0 factors, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 blocks in his final six games earlier than his damage proper earlier than the All-Star break. During his trip, his school roommate at Duke, Kon Knueppel, has overtaken him because the Rookie of the Year favourite, in response to DraftKings odds. Flagg’s ending kick might begin in his native New England. — MacMahon
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 as a consequence of a proper ankle damage. Williamson had performed a career-high 35 consecutive games earlier than his newest damage setback.
With no hope for a postseason berth and with out its first-round draft choose, New Orleans can attempt to end sturdy to set the tone for a pivotal offseason. Starting March 24 towards the Knicks, the Pelicans play seven of their final 10 games on the highway in a stretch that features games with future playoff teams (the Pistons, Raptors, Rockets, Celtics and Timberwolves). — Wright
2025-26 report: 18-43
Previous rating: 25
Next 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 games the league workplace would possibly watch with nice curiosity. The teams are in very comparable 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 last basis items of a rebuild. — MacMahon
The Wizards have 16 wins, fourth fewest within the league. Among the three teams under them within the standings, they’ve already completed their season sequence towards the Kings and Pacers, however one sport stays towards the 15-win Nets. If Washington drops that April 5 contest, it will transfer one step nearer to prime lottery place and most 14% odds of the No. 1 choose. — Kram
2025-26 report: 15-46
Previous rating: 29
Next games: @ LAC (March 4), @ LAL (March 6), @ POR (March 8), @ SAC (March 10)
The worst report within the league might be on the road in Sacramento on March 10, because the 15-win Pacers go to the 14-win Kings. The two teams 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 teams, thanks partly to an enormous sport from the since-departed Bennedict Mathurin. — Kram
2025-26 report: 15-46
Previous rating: 28
Next 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) towards the equally woeful Kings might decide lottery positioning for June’s loaded incoming draft class.
The Kings are three 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, they usually hope to acquire a prime collegian on the finish of it, so these games might be the ugliest “tank-offs” but. — Goodwill
Flattened lottery odds have lessened the advantage of ending with the NBA’s worst report, however there’s nonetheless incentive. The league’s worst crew will get a assured top-five choose. 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
