NBA Power Rankings: NBA Teams Ready to Make Strong Push to Playoffs
As the NBA playoffs near, several teams are making their final pushes for inclusion in the 2012 postseason. Several others have had the postseason locked up for some time now and are doing their best to not only get healthy, but to play their best basketball as the regular season comes to an end.
How does the recent play of several playoff hopefuls affect my latest power rankings?
Let’s take a look, as there’s still one last push to be made over the next two weeks with eyes on the NBA playoffs.
1. Chicago Bulls (46-14)
The reigning MVP Derrick Rose is starting to get his groove back after sitting out the better part of the last month with a groin injury.
The only concern for Chicago should be Luol Deng’s wrist, but they’ve won three consecutive games and are pretty much a lock to finish the season as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (44-16)
The Thunder are the best team in the West, but since beating the Los Angeles Lakers at the beginning of April, the Thunder are only 4-4 in their past eight games.
Kevin Durant and company only hold a slim one-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs and have a couple tough tests this week, having to face the Lakers and Clippers on the road.
3. San Antonio Spurs (42-16)
San Antonio has rebounded after being beaten up by the Lakers at home and have won two straight and eight of 10 overall.
They aren’t far off the tails of Oklahoma City, but with three sets of back-to-backs remaining before the season is over, Gregg Popovich may elect to rest his veterans to keep their legs as fresh as possible for the playoffs.
4. Miami Heat (42-17)
The Heat won a big game on the road against the Knicks on Sunday, but this Miami team doesn’t look invincible as the postseason nears. They certainly aren’t playing their best basketball of the season, only with a 15-10 record since the All-Star break.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (39-22)
No Kobe Bryant, no problem for the Lakers.
With Kobe in street clothes, the Lakers have won four out of five games and have maintained their slim 1.5-game lead over the Clippers in the Pacific Division.
The most encouraging part of everything is that Bryant’s got a chance to watch what happens when Andrew Bynum becomes the focal point of the offense. With Bryant on the sidelines, Bynum has averaged 22.0 PPG and 16.6 RPG, making the Lakers look dominant in the process.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (37-23)
The Clippers have never won a division title, but they’ve kept pace with the Lakers as of late, with both teams winning eight of their past 10 games.
7. Indiana Pacers (38-22)
The Pacers have already won more games this shortened season then they have in any of the past five 82-game seasons.
They’re riding a four-game win streak and a couple more victories should lock up the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
8. Memphis Grizzlies (35-25)
The Grizzlies suffered a rough loss in New Orleans over the weekend but have still won seven of 10 overall. No one wants to see this team in the first round of the playoffs, but Marc Gasol’s hyperextended knee could be a cause for concern.
9. Boston Celtics (36-25)
Speaking of rough losses, the Celtics dropped one to Toronto over the weekend as well, which is something you don’t want to see from a team that some consider championship contenders.
Rajon Rondo has been outstanding, racking up 22 double-digit assists games in a row, but Kevin Garnett’s move to the 5 has turned this team into what it is right now. Garnett has posted six of his seven 20 and 10 games since the All-Star break.
10. New York Knicks (31-29)
It was a tough loss to Miami, but the Knicks have still been excellent under interim head coach Mike Woodson. They’ve withstood injuries and if Carmelo Anthony keeps playing the way he has in April, averaging 31.7 points per game, the Knicks will be a very tough out.
11. Denver Nuggets (33-27)
Denver’s getting healthy and playing good basketball, leaping up to the No. 7 seed in the west. The Nuggets have won six of nine, but their final six-game stretch is tough. It may take four wins for them to get in.
12. Phoenix Suns (31-29)
The Suns are only a game out a playoff spot and have been playing well, in the middle of a 19-10 stretch, despite not having the most talented roster in the NBA.
13. Dallas Mavericks (34-27)
Not a good sign for the Mavs after Sunday’s loss dropped them to 0-4 against the Lakers and 0-8 on the road against .600-or-better teams. You have to win against good teams on the road to make a playoff run.
Another bit of bad news for the Mavericks is that if the season ended today: They would be matched up against the Lakers in the first round.
14. Atlanta Hawks (35-25)
The Hawks are an impressive 10 games over .500, even after losing to Toronto at home. That loss, though, keeps them matched up against No. 3 seed Indiana and keeps them away from Boston, which is a worse matchup for Atlanta.
15. Houston Rockets (33-28)
Houston’s hit the skids, dropping three in a row, which leaves the Rockets only a game ahead of the Suns for the No. 8 seed.
Despite Kyle Lowry’s return, losing to the two teams chasing them in Utah and Phoenix doesn’t help matters out much.
16. Utah Jazz (31-30)
Utah is just 5-8 since the quadruple-overtime loss to the Hawks, but has five winnable games left on their schedule, so the Jazz are still a factor in the Western Conference playoff race.
17. Philadelphia 76ers (31-28)
If Philadelphia keeps reeling, winners of only four of their past 10 games, they could slip all the way to the No. 8 seed, which might be the worst thing for them since they’ve lost 15 of their past 16 games to the Heat.
18. Milwaukee Bucks (29-31)
The Bucks are only 9-27 against teams over the .500 mark, but somehow remain in the playoff race. Good for them that they are in the east.
19. Orlando Magic (35-25)
With Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu out of the lineup, it’s still possible for the Magic to drop down to the No. 7 or No. 8 seed in the east.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (28-38)
Hip surgery for LaMarcus Aldridge is just icing on the cake for Blazers fans, which started the season with Brandon Roy’s retirement and saw Greg Oden miss the entire season as well.
21. Toronto Raptors (22-39)
Solid wins against Boston and Atlanta bump the Raptors up a few spots.
22. Minnesota Timberwolves (25-36)
The Wolves have dropped 25 straight games during the month of April, dating back to 2009.
23. New Jersey Nets (22-39)
The Nets have actually put together a decent stretch in which they’ve won six of 10.
24. New Orleans Hornets (18-42)
I say it all the time, but New Orleans competes for 48 minutes, which is something not every team can claim. Solid wins over Memphis and Utah this week bump the Hornets up a few spots.
25. Golden State Warriors (22-37)
Bad news is that the Warriors have lost 10 games by three points or less and that likely has cost them the postseason this year.
The good news is though that if Golden State keeps tanking it, they could end up with a top-seven pick, allowing them to keep their pick this season (Utah owns it, but it’s top-seven protected), which would be huge.
26. Detroit Pistons (22-38)
There isn’t much to get excited about the rest of the season in Detroit. They can’t wait for the draft lottery.
27. Sacramento Kings (20-41)
The Kings have lost eight of 10 and their new arena. It’s been a rough go for Kings fans.
28. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-39)
Since the All-Star break, the Cavs are a woeful 7-19.
29. Washington Wizards (14-46)
Depending on how you feel about John Wall, he’s the only thing the Wizards have worth watching as they are in another 3-7 stretch.
30. Charlotte Bobcats (7-52)
It’s apparent the Bobcats won’t get to double digits in wins, as the losing streak is now at 16 games and counting.
