We are in the home stretch of the NBA regular-season, with the postseason set to begin on April 14th with the Play-In Tournament. There has been plenty of action since our last power rankings, and we have a lot of movement outside of the top three spots on our list. Let's run down our power rankings for this week.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder, 49-15 (No change)

Since our last power rankings, OKC is undefeated, going 4-0 against the Nuggets, Mavericks, Bulls, and Knicks. The Mavs and Bulls sucks, but the Nuggets and Knicks are two teams that have a legitimate shot to win the NBA championship. More importantly, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is back in the lineup and playing like an MVP candidate. Though he has only made three starts since February 26th, he’s averaging the third-most points per game in the league during that stretch (30.7).

2. San Antonio Spurs, 45-17 (No change)

The Spurs remain our second-ranked team because they once again beat the Detroit Pistons, who were the only other team that could occupy this spot. They're 9-1 in their last ten outings, with their only loss coming on the road against the New York Knicks. They have been riding their stellar defense to victories. San Antonio has the third-best defensive rating in the league since the NBA All-Star Break (105.8). They're also third in offensive rating during that stretch (118.8). The Spurs look like one of the most balanced teams in the league.

3. Detroit Pistons, 45-16 (No change)

They're in the midst of a two-game skid, but both of those losses came against championship-caliber teams (the Spurs and the Cavaliers). Regardless, the Pistons are 7-3 in their last ten matchups and are tied for the second-best winning percentage in the NBA since January 1st (.714). During this period, Detroit has allowed the fewest points in the league (2,970), while ranking third in points per game allowed (106.1). Cade Cunningham has been getting a lot of credit for the team's success, but we also have to acknowledge Jalen Duren, who is 19th in points per game since All-Star Weekend (22.9).

4. Boston Celtics, 41-21 (↑1)

The Boston Celtics are back. Now that Jayson Tatum is expected to make his regular-season debut tonight, the Cs will be at full strength and once again look like a threat to win the East. Even without Tatum, Boston has had the best defense in the NBA since January 1st, holding opponents to just 103.3 points per game. They're 7-3 in their last ten contests and have the second-highest winning percentage in the league since the beginning of February. Once their best player is fully integrated into the lineup, this team will be a force to be reckoned with.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves, 40-23 (↑4)

Don't look now, but the T-wolves are one of our biggest risers in this week's power rankings. They are tied for the second-longest winning streak in the NBA at five games. Since the All-Star Break, Anthony Edwards has averaged the most points per game in the NBA (31.0). No team has been better offensively than Minnesota since the start of 2026, putting up a league-leading 119.3 points per game. They're also the second-most efficient group in the NBA during this period with a field goal percentage of 49.5%.

6. New York Knicks, 40-23 (↑1)

After falling three spots the last time around, the Knickerbockers moved up to the sixth spot on our list. They're 3-1 since our last power rankings, and one of those victories came against the Spurs, who are the second-best team in the NBA. Their sole loss came by just three points against the Thunder, who are clearly the best team in the league. They have been playing stellar defense since the break, holding opponents to 103.1 points per game, which is the third-best mark in the NBA.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers, 39-24 (↓1)

Though they have only played three games since our last power rankings, they defeated the Detroit Pistons at home, 113-109. Cleveland has been a solid defensive team, ranking 11th in points per game allowed since January 1st, 2026 (112.1). However, offense has been their bread and butter when you realize they are averaging the third-most points per game in the league during this period (118.5).

8. Denver Nuggets, 39-24 (↓4)

The Nuggets experienced a pretty big drop-off after coming in as the fourth-ranked team in our last power rankings. They're 2-2 since then, with losses to the Timberwolves and Thunder, who are both ranked higher on our list than Denver. When you can't play up to your competition, that hurts your rankings. The good news is that, since the NBA All-Star game, they have the second-best offense in the league (121 points per game). The problem is that they have been giving up 117.6 points per game since the beginning of February, which is the worst mark amongst teams that would qualify for the playoffs if the season ended today.

9. Houston Rockets, 38-23 (↓1)

The Rockets drop one spot in the rankings after a somewhat unimpressive week. They went 2-2, with losses to the Heat and the Warriors. Though they defeated the Magic, it took a season-high 40 points from Kevin Durant to do so. Also, they have seen their defensive performance take a little bit of a hit since the last time we did our rankings. Previously, they were allowing 102.8 points per game after the All-Star Break. Now, that number has increased to 108.4 points per game.

10. Orlando Magic, 33-28 (↑2)

They're 2-2 since our last rankings, but those losses came against two of the league's best teams (the Pistons and Rockets). Orlando's problem is that they can beat bottom-feeders and middle-of-the-road teams, but they struggle against the league's upper echelon. Still, the combination of Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane has been electric recently, considering they rank 13th and 14th in the league in points per game since the All-Star Break (25.5 and 24.4).

11. Phoenix Suns, 35-27 (↑3)

They leapfrogged the Lakers because they beat them head-to-head, but that loss to the Bulls really stings. Regardless, the Suns are eight games above .500. Unfortunately, they could be in for a rude awakening if they don't turn things around on offense. They're averaging the fewest points per game in the NBA since February 1st (103.6).

12. Los Angeles Lakers, 37-25 (↓1)

The Lakers might be 3-1 since our last power rankings, but none of those wins have been impressive. Their only noteworthy victory came against the Warriors, who played that game without Kristaps Porzingis and Stephen Curry. Meanwhile, LA fell to the Nuggets last night, 120-113. The Lakers have been an average team since the beginning of February. They are 15th in offense (113.6 points per game) and 14th in defense (111.7 points per game) during that stretch.

13. Toronto Raptors, 35-27 (↓3)

They have gone 1-4 in their five most recent games, with their only victory coming against the lowly Wizards. What's most troubling is that all four of those losses came against championship contenders. On top of that, the Raptors have lost those matchups by an average of nine points per game, so it seems like they have just run out of steam against the best teams in the league. If they want to increase their ranking, they need to play better in their division, where they're just 4-10.

14. Miami Heat, 34-29 (↑1)

In Miami's last ten games, they have a 7-3 record. They're 6-2 in their last eight outings and actually had a nice ten-point win over the Houston Rockets, who are currently slated to be the fourth-seed in the Western Conference. The Heat continue to play like an offensive juggernaut ever since regular-season play resumed, averaging a league-leading 123.3 points per game since the break. Factor in their defense, which is 15th in points per game allowed over this stretch (111.7), and Miami appears to be a team on the rise.

15. Charlotte Hornets, 32-31 (↑4)

It's time to start taking the Hornets seriously. They’re finally above .500 and have the third-highest winning percentage in the NBA since February 1st. During that stretch, they’re second in defense, allowing 103.5 points per game. Charlotte has the longest active winning streak in the NBA right now (six games) and just defeated the Celtics in Boston by 29 points. If they can keep this up, they'll not only make the playoffs but maybe even win their first series since 2002.

16. Philadelphia 76ers, 34-28 (↓3)

A win against the Heat was nice, but their back-to-back crushing losses against the Celtics and Spurs hurt their rankings. After losing to the Celtics by 16, they got their doors blown off by the Spurs in a 40-point shellacking. They need Joel Embiid back in the lineup. They're 21-12 with him but 13-16 when he's not on the court. Thankfully, he could make his return from injury tomorrow against the Hawks.

17. Golden State Warriors, 32-30 (↓1)

With Stephen Curry still on the mend and Kristaps Porzingis having yet to make his regular-season debut for the Warriors, it's amazing that Golden State has not completely fallen apart. They're 3-3 in their last six games and actually have head-to-head victories over the Nuggets and Rockets, who are championship contenders. They need to continue to tread water until Porzingis and Curry can return to the court. Once they do, then they can actually start competing with the league's heavy hitters.

18. Atlanta Hawks, 32-31 (↑2)

The Hawks haven't played any good teams recently, but they're still on a five-game winning streak and have a 6-4 record in their last ten contests. Atlanta is actually tied for the third-best winning percentage in the NBA since the break (.857). During that stretch, the Hawks are third in offense (120.0 points per game) and seventh in defense (106.7 points per game). They would still be a Play-In team if the regular season ended today, but they're only 2.5 games back from the sixth seed in the East.

19. Los Angeles Clippers, 30-31 (↓2)

They might be in the middle of a three-game winning streak, but those victories came against the Pacers, Warriors, and Pelicans, who have a combined winning percentage of .356. To put that into perspective, that's like winning three games in a row against the Memphis Grizzlies, who have a .377 winning percentage. Also, Kawhi Leonard is averaging a full point less when compared to the last time we did these rankings (28.3 points per game since February 1st).

20. Portland Trail Blazers, 30-33 (↑1)

They went 2-2 in their last four games and did what was expected of them. They beat the two teams that are clearly worse than they are (the Grizzlies and Bulls), but lost to the two squads that are better than they are (the Hawks and the Hornets). The Trail Blazers have gone a respectable 7-5 in their last 12 games. The problem for them has been scoring since they are averaging the fourth-fewest points per game since the All-Star Break (107.6).

21. Milwaukee Bucks, 26-35 (↓3)

They have lost four games in a row since our previous rankings, and one of those losses came against the Chicago Bulls (yuck). Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo back in the lineup, the Bucks haven't come close to sniffing a victory. In the two games since Giannis returned to the court, Milwaukee has lost by 22.5 points on average. Granted, Giannis is still working his way back to being fully healthy, but it feels like nothing is going to come along and help the Bucks turn around their season.

22. New Orleans Pelicans, 20-44 (↑1)

Amazingly, the Pels are tied for the ninth-best winning percentage in the NBA since February 5th (.636). They've gone 6-4 in their last ten games and are 5-2 in their previous seven outings with wins against the 76ers and Warriors, who both have something to play for, considering they're trying to make a playoff push. Since the NBA All-Star Weekend, New Orleans has the league's fourth-best offense (119 points per game). Too bad they're tied for 23rd in defense during that stretch, too (119 points per game allowed).

23. Memphis Grizzlies, 23-38 (↑1)

They're 2-2 in their last four matchups, and played competitively in those losses, falling to the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves by 15 combined points. The sad part is that there is a world where they could actually make the Play-In Tournament, but I just don't see it happening. After all, they're six games back from the tenth seed in the West, and that feels like an impossible hill to climb for a group that is 23rd in winning percentage since the start of February (.357)

24. Chicago Bulls, 26-37 (↑2)

Chicago snapped its 11-game losing streak and is 2-1 since then with wins over the Bucks and the Suns. The offense is absolutely dreadful, averaging a measly 106.8 points per game since the All-Star Game, which is the third-worst mark in the NBA. But their defense hasn't been too bad. They're 17th in points per game allowed during that stretch (113.6). Still, the Bulls are one of the worst teams in the league.

25. Dallas Mavericks, 21-41 (↓3)

Since our last rankings, they have somehow managed to lose five games in a row despite having matchups against bottom feeders like the Kings and the Grizzlies. The Mavs are 2-11 since the beginning of February, which is tied with the Pacers for the fourth-lowest winning percentage during that period (.154). Since regular-season play resumed, Dallas is 23rd in offense (110.6 points per game) and defense (119 points per game allowed). They’re basically unwatchable outside of rookie phenom Cooper Flagg.

26. Utah Jazz, 19-44 (↓1)

Utah went 1-4 in its last five games and only beat the Wizards during that stretch, so they come in one spot ahead of Washington on our list. But make no mistake about it, the Jazz suck. They have only won one game since All-Star Weekend. If it weren't for that win over the Wizards and teams like the Pacers, Nets, and Kings, the Jazz would clearly be the worst team in the league. Poor Utah. The team doesn't even know how to tank correctly.

27. Washington Wizards, 16-46 (No change)

They're in the middle of a seven-game losing streak and are 2-8 in their last ten contests. They don't move at all in our power rankings because their last two victories came against the Indiana Pacers, so they are still ahead of them on our list. As has often been the case with Washington, defense has been its downfall, allowing the third-most points per game since the break (122.4).

28. Indiana Pacers, 15-47 (No change)

Considering the last team the Pacers beat was the Nets, they don't move at all in our power rankings. They have lost seven straight games and are winless since All-Star Weekend. During that stretch, they have the worst defense in the NBA, allowing opponents to score 128.6 points per game on average.

29. Sacramento Kings, 14-50 (↑1)

The Kings are not the worst team in our power rankings! I think that is cause for celebration. They're 2-4 in their last six games and beat the Mavericks and the Grizzlies. They aren't an abomination offensively, considering they're 21st in points per game since the All-Star Break (112 points per game). The good news is that even with their two wins, the Kings still have a good shot to get the number-one overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

30. Brooklyn Nets, 15-47 (↓1)

Congratulations to the Brooklyn Nets, who have overtaken the Sacramento Kings as the worst team in the NBA in our power rankings! They are winless in their last ten games and are 0-9 since the All-Star Break. During that period, they have the league's second-worst offense (102.1 points per game) and fourth-worst defense (120.6 points per game allowed). Meanwhile, casual NBA fans can’t name a single player on this team. They are truly unwatchable.