NBA Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands 1 Month Before Playoffs
With just one month left in the 2024-25 NBA campaign, we're starting to get a pretty good idea of where every team might be over the next several weeks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics remain in a contenders' tier of their own. A handful of others likely need a little more luck for deep playoff runs. Even more are now all-in on the 2025 draft.
And as all of the above barrel toward their various objectives, we're here to once again sort everyone based on team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of good, old-fashioned subjectivity.
30. Utah Jazz (15-51)
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -7.2
The Utah Jazz are far from the only team that has been angling for losses and improved lottery odds for the majority of this season, but this week, the NBA decided they were the one that warranted a fine for it.
So, on Wednesday, Lauri Markkanen played in his first game since February 22 and Jordan Clarkson suited up for the first time since February 26.
And, perhaps unsurprisingly, Utah pushed the Memphis Grizzlies to the very end in a single-digit loss.
In spirit, forcing the Jazz to remain competitive makes sense. The league understandably wants to maintain some level of intensity and seriousness in its games through the end of the regular season.
But the reality of the NBA is that teams in small markets, like Utah, don't really have a viable path to real competitiveness outside of multiple bites at the draft apple.
The Jazz were doing what was best for their organization.
Fortunately, for both the team and the league, Utah may not escape the bottom three (and a 14 percent shot at the No. 1 pick) even with Markkanen and Clarkson consistently playing. The Jazz have the West's second-hardest remaining schedule.
29. Charlotte Hornets (16-49)
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -7.4
The Charlotte Hornets are still cruising toward a bottom-three record and 14 percent chance at the draft's top pick, but they put together a pair of wins this week, thanks in large part to Miles Bridges' recent scoring surge.
The high-flying forward has led Charlotte in scoring in five of its last six games. And during this little stretch, he's averaging 32.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
If this version of Bridges (or something close to it) is around, Brandon Miller can get and stay healthy, and the Hornets can add, at least, a rotation player in the draft, they should be more competitive next season.
28. Washington Wizards (14-51)
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -11.7
The Washington Wizards still have, by a long shot, the worst net rating in the NBA, but there's no question they've been more competitive since acquiring veterans Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart.
After a road upset over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, Washington is a respectable 5-4 in its last nine games. And because the Wizards were so bad prior to the trade deadline, a tiny surge here probably won't doom the team's draft lottery odds. They still have the worst record in the league, too.
So, really, this is the best of both worlds for a rebuilding team. Washington should still have a 14 percent chance at the draft's No. 1 pick, but the young players already on the roster are getting a little taste of what it takes to win some games.
27. Philadelphia 76ers (22-43)
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -5.1
This disaster of a season for the Philadelphia 76ers hasn't been without its silver linings.
All the losing means Philly may hang onto its 2025 first-round pick (if it lands outside the top six, it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder). They've given Guerschon Yabusele (10.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 26.5 minutes, with a 38.8 three-point percentage) a chance to prove he belongs back in the NBA. And Quentin Grimes, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, looks like a near-ideal fit alongside Joel Embiid (assuming the big man can get back on the floor next season).
Since being traded to the Sixers, Grimes is putting up 19.3 points, 3.7 assists and 2.5 threes.
26. Brooklyn Nets (22-44)
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -6.5
For a brief moment in early to mid-February, the Brooklyn Nets looked like they might threaten for a play-in spot (and tank their own lottery odds), but they're 2-10 in their last 12 and now have a bottom-five record in the league.
Given the moves they made this past offseason to regain control of their 2025 first-round pick, that's obviously a good thing.
The Nets don't have any top-tier, foundational talents to build around, and this draft could have a few. Even if Brooklyn isn't lucky enough to wind up with Cooper Flagg, players like Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, V.J. Edgecombe and more could still alter the Nets' long-term fortunes.
25. New Orleans Pelicans (18-49)
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -8.2
The New Orleans Pelicans had a 5-2 stretch from mid-February to early March that may have been a little stressful for the pro-tanking crowd, but they're very much back in the race for a bottom-three record now.
After losing to the Orlando Magic on Thursday, they are now 1-5 in their last six. And they're tied with the Charlotte Hornets (who currently have the third-worst record in the league) in the loss column.
This season has been tough for plenty of Pelicans fans, but if it leads to a teammate like Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper for Zion Williamson, it'll feel well worth it.
24. Toronto Raptors (23-43)
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -4.7
The Toronto Raptors have won five of their last six. And though it's slim, there's still a chance this team, which is 20 games under .500, might sneak into the East's play-in.
Toronto is 4.5 back of the Chicago Bulls, who must have at least some motivation to stay in the lottery and just lost Josh Giddey to an ankle injury this week.
And if that wasn't enough to convince you that the Raptors are still alive, 14 of their final 16 games are against sub-.500 teams.
23. Dallas Mavericks (33-34)
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: 0.0
We've known this from pretty much the moment ESPN's Shams Charania reported the Luka Dončić trade, but this Dallas Mavericks campaign is undoubtedly among the most tragic in NBA history.
After trading away their once-in-a-generation playmaker, Anthony Davis went down in his first game with the team (and hasn't played since) and Kyrie Irving was lost for this season (and possibly beyond) with a torn ACL.
And now, even the occasional bright spot serves as a painful reminder to fans of what this front office has wrought.
After losing to the Victor Wembanyama-less San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, the Mavericks have the third-worst net rating in the league since the trade. And they're now 2-8 in their last 10.
Prior to the deal, this team seemed like one of the only legitimate threats to the Oklahoma City Thunder's path to the NBA Finals.
22. San Antonio Spurs (27-37)
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -2.4
There was some justified optimism about the San Antonio Spurs' chance of making the play-in tournament after they acquired De'Aaron Fox, but that was quickly dashed when Victor Wembanyama went down for the season with deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder.
Since then, it's felt like the organization is just in a holding pattern, with lottery odds potentially being the most interesting storyline the rest of the way (right now, they have a 3.0 percent shot to land the top pick and pair Cooper Flagg with Wemby).
And on Thursday, the team got even more news that will help in that pursuit:
With Wemby and Fox both out the rest of the way, you can expect plenty of losing.
21. Chicago Bulls (28-38)
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -3.5
For most of January and February, the Chicago Bulls appeared determined to wiggle their way out of the play-in tournament, but the Eastern Conference was just too bad to let them.
And now, they're suddenly slamming the door on everyone outside the top 10.
After beating the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, Chicago has now won four straight, and combo guard Coby White has been a dynamic scorer during the streak.
Over these four games, the 25-year-old is averaging 31.3 points, 3.3 threes and 3.0 assists.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (28-39)
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: -3.7
The Portland Trail Blazers have come back to earth a bit after a 15-6 stretch that spanned from mid-January to early March.
Portland is currently on a five-game losing streak and now almost certainly out of the mix for a play-in spot.
This season has offered plenty of reasons for long-term hope, though, including some of the performances of Scoot Henderson, who had 30 points off the bench in an overtime loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
The 2023 No. 3 overall pick has looked more controlled in his sixth man role this season. His outside shot is steadying.
And since January 14 (28 games), Henderson is averaging 15.3 points, 5.2 assists and 2.2 threes in 28.0 minutes, while shooting 41.9 percent from three.
19. Miami Heat (29-36)
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: -0.9
Back on January 27, the Miami Heat beat the Orlando Magic in overtime to move to a game over .500.
Since then, they've traded Jimmy Butler and gone 6-14. And after dropping home games to the Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers, their current losing streak stands at five games.
The East is bad enough that Miami almost certainly can't miss the play-in tournament, but it doesn't look like it will be bringing much momentum to that party.
18. Phoenix Suns (30-36)
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: -2.1
The wheels aren't off for the Phoenix Suns, but they're sure getting close.
They showed some fight over the last couple weeks with a come-from-behind win over the Los Angeles Clippers and a near-come-from-behind win against the Denver Nuggets, but they're still 5-14 since the start of February.
And if it weren't for the (largely self-imposed) implosion of the Dallas Mavericks, it might be safe to rule Phoenix—the most expensive team in the league—out of the play-in mix.
17. Orlando Magic (31-36)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -1.5
The Orlando Magic were in dire need of a solid week, and they finally delivered one.
Leading up to last week's edition of our power rankings, Orlando was coming off a five-game losing streak, but it went 2-1 between then and now with road wins over the Milwaukee Bucks and a New Orleans Pelicans team that has been more competent since Zion Williamson returned from injury.
And perhaps more encouraging than that, Paolo Banchero (who's struggled mightily in terms of both efficiency and impact) has strung together a series of strong performances of late.
Over his last 13 games, the 22-year-old is averaging 28.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists, while shooting 37.9 percent from deep.
16. Atlanta Hawks (32-34)
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: -2.0
It took him a bit to get going, but 2024's No. 1 overall pick is starting to look like a viable option for an All-Rookie team.
Since January 30 (19 games), Zaccharie Risacher is averaging 13.9 points and 2.2 threes in 25.8 minutes, while shooting 46.6 percent from deep.
And with his size and mobility, he's an intriguing perimeter defender who fits the Atlanta Hawks' roster well.
They still feel like one of the league's more disappointing teams, but Jalen Johnson's injury has something to do with that, and surrounding Trae Young with multiple rangy defenders like Risacher, Johnson and Dyson Daniels makes sense.
15. Sacramento Kings (33-32)
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: 1.2
The Sacramento Kings have dropped three straight and four of their last five, but all of those losses were to above-.500 teams.
And right now, it's not like there are a bunch of teams in the bottom half of the rankings clamoring to break into the top 15.
The Kings may not be able to hold onto this spot much longer, though. The rough stretch of the schedule isn't over. Five of their next seven opponents are the Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder.
14. Detroit Pistons (37-30)
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: 1.9
The Detroit Pistons suffered a disappointing loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday, but it's probably impossible to sour on this season, at this point.
This team won 14 games last season. Its average record over the five campaigns prior to this one was 19-63. Right now, the Pistons are on pace for 45 victories and are likely to get an All-NBA nod for Cade Cunningham.
He's far from the only reason for the turnaround, though. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff deserves plenty of credit. Tobias Harris' veteran leadership has steadied the team. Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. have given Cunningham real catch-and-shoot threats to pass to. And Jalen Duren is averaging a double-double.
13. Los Angeles Clippers (36-30)
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 2.4
After a rough February and early March, things are looking up for the Los Angeles Clippers.
They've won four of their last five. Kawhi Leonard hit a game-winning lefty runner this week. And the recently acquired Bogdan Bogdanović is finally starting to look like his old self.
After dropping 30 in Wednesday's win over the Miami Heat, Bogdanović is averaging 15.2 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 threes, while shooting 46.2 percent from deep, over his last six games.
12. Indiana Pacers (36-28)
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Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 0.7
The Indiana Pacers finished off a three-game losing streak this week, but they didn't have Tyrese Haliburton for any of those contests.
And as soon as he came back, the Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks, thanks in large part to his 14 points, 10 assists and game-winning four-point play.
The result was a good reminder of how solid this team has been since its 10-15 start.
Since then, Haliburton is averaging 19.1 points and 9.3 assists, while shooting 43.2 percent from deep. And in the same span, Indiana is 26-9 when he's in the lineup.
11. Denver Nuggets (42-24)
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 4.5
The Denver Nuggets may be this season's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" team.
On one night, like Monday in Oklahoma City, they can look like a bona fide title contender with the best player in the world. On others, like the two that sandwiched that win over the Thunder, they can look completely disinterested in playing basketball.
On Sunday, OKC crushed the Nuggets by 24. And on Wednesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves bullied Denver to a 115-95 loss.
Of course, Aaron Gordon dealing with nagging injuries throughout this season hasn't helped, but everyone—including Nikola Jokić—has to be more engaged defensively for this team to have a prayer in the playoffs.
After their 2-2 week, the Nuggets are officially in the bottom 10 in points allowed per 100 possessions this season.
10. Milwaukee Bucks (37-28)
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 2.2
The Milwaukee Bucks started this week with three straight losses to the Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers, but they got on track with a 20-point win over the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
And while this team is obviously only going to go as far as Giannis Antetokounmpo can take them, Thursday's win demonstrated one of its keys to success this season.
Against L.A., Lillard registered his 13th double-digit assist game of 2024-25. And the Bucks are 9-4 in those contests.
9. Houston Rockets (41-25)
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 4.2
Over the last month and change, the Houston Rockets seemed to figure out how to win without veteran point guard Fred VanVleet.
They lost the first four games of his extended absence that started in early February, but they went 8-4 in the last 12 he missed.
And now that Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün and company have a little more confidence in being able to carry the team, FVV returned to the rotation for Wednesday's win over the Phoenix Suns.
Plugging VanVleet's shooting and steady defense back into the young, dynamic core should help Houston close strong.
8. Memphis Grizzlies (42-24)
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 5.7
The Memphis Grizzlies' slide in last week's power rankings was a reflection of the injury to Jaren Jackson Jr. and a four-game losing streak, but they responded with four straight wins ahead of this edition.
Of course, those wins came against the imploding Dallas Mavericks and three other sub-.500 teams, but there are still some encouraging signs from a team that's struggled with JJJ off the floor this season.
And their names are Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.
This season, both have looked slightly less explosive offensively than they have been in the past, but they're on fire during this little streak.
Over these four games, Morant is averaging 30.0 points and 8.3 assists, while Bane is putting up 21.0 points, 6.5 assists and 2.0 threes.
There won't be quite as many shots available to them upon Jackson's return, but knowing they're still capable of reaching these heights should inspire a little more confidence in Memphis' playoff prospects.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (38-29)
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 3.9
Over the last couple weeks, the Minnesota Timberwolves have quietly gotten healthy, put together a six-game winning streak and trounced the Denver Nuggets (in Denver).
Now, the other five games in the streak were all against sub-.500 teams, but the win over Denver was a good reminder of this team's ceiling.
With their size and athleticism, the Timberwolves can bully just about anyone (including the league leader in points in the paint).
And after surviving a bit of a learning curve with his new, sometimes spacially challenged team, Julius Randle appears to have found his role and rhythm recently.
In his six games since returning from injury, the 30-year-old is thriving as a playmaker and averaging 18.8 points and 6.5 assists.
6. Los Angeles Lakers (40-24)
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 1.4
Just when it looked like the Los Angeles Lakers were ready to join the legitimate title contenders' tier, LeBron James went down with a groin injury that could keep him out for multiple weeks.
L.A. lost the game in which LeBron was hurt and followed that up by dropping its next two against the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks.
On the bright side, no one else seems to be desperate to finish second, either, so the Lakers are still in the mix for that spot. And this absence for LeBron could ultimately give Luka Dončić the space he needs to rediscover his pre-trade mojo.
In Thursday's loss, the five-time All-Star went off for 45 points. The Lakers will need him to play with the confidence necessary for a night like that if they want to make a deep playoff run in his first year with the team.
5. New York Knicks (42-23)
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 4.3
The New York Knicks lost their first game of the week without Jalen Brunson (who's sidelined with an ankle injury), but they bounced back with road wins over the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers.
And the balanced scoring the team had during those two games may be worth chasing even when Brunson is back. On Wednesday, Mikal Bridges went for 33 points (just his third 30-point game of the season). And in both games, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns both eclipsed 20.
Brunson obviously needs (and has earned) tons of shots and touches, but the real danger of the Knicks is how many dangerous options they have beyond him.
4. Golden State Warriors (38-28)
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 2.6
The Golden State Warriors are on fire.
They're 13-1 in games Jimmy Butler has played. They're top five in both offense and defense in that stretch. They're within striking distance of a top-four seed in the West.
And Stephen Curry just created the NBA's 4,000-three club.
Suddenly, Curry and the Warriors feel like the West's biggest threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder's chance to make the Finals.
3. Boston Celtics (47-19)
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 8.7
The Boston Celtics dropped their last game of the week to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they had won five straight before that, in a stretch that included victories over the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers.
And while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have understandably gotten most of the praise and attention for this campaign, this recent stretch gives us an opportunity to spotlight soon-to-be-39-year Al Horford.
In his last 10 appearances, the five-time All-Star is averaging 11.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.3 threes, while shooting 41.8 percent from deep.
Having the veteran for a season in which Kristaps Porziņģis has appeared in just 32 games is a big part of the team being on pace for a 58-24 record. When Horford is on the floor, Boston has a point differential around that of a 65-win club.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (55-10)
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 10.9
The Cleveland Cavaliers are rolling. Again.
On Tuesday, they beat the Brooklyn Nets to extend their winning streak to 15 games. It's their second 15-gamer of the season. And, as if that's not enough, they also have a separate 12-game winning streak this season.
Plus, it's not like you can chalk these runs up to Cleveland being in the East. This season, it has beaten the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets, and it has the league's best net rating when facing teams with top-10 net ratings.
This team is deep, well-balanced and a very real title contender.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (54-12)
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 12.3
The Oklahoma City Thunder dropped the second game of a back-to-back against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company beat Nikola Jokić in an MVP candidate showdown the night before.
And then, OKC closed out its week with a road victory over the Boston Celtics, giving the Thunder eight wins in the nine games since they gave up a 25-point lead to the Minnesota Timberwolves late last month.
This team didn't really need to prove anything else this regular season, but they did so anyway, topping two Finals contenders since the last edition of the power rankings.
Stat of the Week
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A couple years ago, the single-game accomplishment we regularly tracked in this space was 40-point outings.
In that campaign (2022-23), the league's players produced a whopping 203 games with at least 40. The previous record (at that time) was 142, set in the 1961-62 season in which Wilt Chamberlain averaged 50.4 points.
The 2024-25 season isn't going to threaten that record, but it might become the new standard-bearer for triple-doubles.
The current high for a season is 142 (set in 2020-21). And right now, we're at 116, with about a fifth of 2024-25 to go.
Nikola Jokić's league-high 29 obviously has a lot to do with the volume of triple-doubles, but it also helps that 17 different players have at least two and 36 have at least one.
Of course, the increase in pace has something to do with the uptick in production, but the players themselves deserve plenty of credit for either expanding their skill sets to the point teams trust them with more heliocentric basketball or simply becoming reliable enough shooters to boost the assist totals of their teammates.
Put more simply, all these triple-doubles are just another indication that we're pretty spoiled in terms of the level of talent in the NBA right now.
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