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NBA Power Rankings With Just 2 Weeks Left in the Season
We're officially in the stretch run of the NBA's 2024-25 campaign. There's less than a month to go, and the bona fide contenders have separated from the pack (the Cleveland Cavaliers' recent losing streak aside).
That doesn't mean there isn't plenty of movement around the rest of the league, though. Several tankers, playoff contenders, playoff pretenders and fringe contenders are still jockeying for position.
And as they do, we're here to sort through all 30 teams with our usual criteria: team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and a healthy dose of good, old-fashioned subjectivity.
30. Utah Jazz (16-58)
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -8.1
Good luck (to the other tankers) knocking the Utah Jazz out of the bottom spot in the rankings between now and the end of this season.
Utah is 1-14 in its last 15 games. Lately, it's been starting all three of this past summer's draft picks: Isaiah Collier, Kyle Filipowski and Cody Williams.
And while Collier and Filipowski have provided reasons for optimism, those certainly aren't translating into wins.
29. Charlotte Hornets (18-54)
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -8.1
The Charlotte Hornets were an unsurprising 0-3 this week, but they continue to show signs of life for the future.
The recently untraded Mark Williams has averaged 15.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 blocks in just 28.3 minutes per game over his last 12 appearances.
LaMelo Ball, third in the NBA in assist percentage, remains one of the league's premier shot creators.
And when their two-man game is presumably flanked by a healthy Brandon Miller and whoever they land in the draft (potentially Cooper Flagg), stopping them will be no picnic.
28. Washington Wizards (16-57)
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -12.0
The Washington Wizards have been a bit more competitive since the trade deadline, but they didn't look it on Thursday, when they surrendered a whopping 162 points to the Indiana Pacers.
Few teams in the NBA have looked as hopeless on defense as Washington did that night, but it still got another encouraging performance from rookie Alex Sarr. He lost his minutes against Indiana by 27 points, but he scored 22 of his own, grabbed seven boards, blocked a shot and picked up a steal.
After a slow start to his first campaign, Sarr is now averaging 18.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.2 threes and 1.7 blocks, while shooting 37.7 percent from three, over his last 13 games.
27. Philadelphia 76ers (23-50)
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -5.7
The losing continues apace for the Philadelphia 76ers, who've lost six straight and nine of their last 10, but there remains at least one bright spot.
Quentin Grimes had a team-high 22 points in Philly's latest loss. He's now at 22.1 points, 4.3 assists and 3.0 threes, with a 39.0 three-point percentage since he joined the Sixers.
And while this stretch is likely making Grimes' upcoming free agency far more expensive, Philadelphia will have the option to match any offer sheet he signs.
As a third or fourth option in lineups with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, he could continue to put up big numbers against opponents' weaker perimeter defenders.
26. Brooklyn Nets (23-50)
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -6.7
Back in mid-February, the draft lottery gave the Brooklyn Nets an 8.2 percent chance to secure the No. 1 pick in 2025.
Now, after losing five straight and 15 of their last 17, that chance has skyrocketed to... 9.7 percent.
That slight improvement is a testament to the tank jobs of all those other teams presumably chasing Cooper Flagg. And even if all the losing hasn't led to a dramatically better chance to move up, Brooklyn is still on the right track.
Every extra ping-pong ball they cram into that lottery could be the one that changes their organizational fortunes.
25. New Orleans Pelicans (20-53)
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -8.6
Few teams have been as rocked by injuries as the New Orleans Pelicans, but they've been a bit healthier since the trade deadline, which is also when they acquired Kelly Olynyk.
Heading into next season, and assuming their stars will be a bit more available, he could be the key to a quick return to postseason contention.
With his passing and outside shooting ability, The 33-year-old is a near-ideal complement to the rim-pressuring Zion Williamson. The attention Olynyk commands outside the three-point line clearly helps open up the floor.
And even if we might not truly see the benefits until next season (Olynyk is under contract for 2025-26), the duo is offering a preview right now.
Since the trade, Olynyk is averaging 10.8 points and 4.0 assists in 26.0 minutes, while shooting 40.0 percent from three. And when he's on the floor, New Orleans' net rating surges by a whopping 18.1 points.
24. Toronto Raptors (26-47)
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -4.6
In a lot of ways, it's felt like a lost season for the Toronto Raptors.
Brandon Ingram has yet to appear in a game since he was acquired. Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley have all missed a fair bit of time. But even when those three are available and on the floor, the Raptors typically get obliterated.
There's at least one new shred of hope, even if you have to take those with some healthy skepticism in March.
Plenty of late-season breakouts have proved to be fool's gold over the years, but Toronto seven-footer Orlando Robinson had 23 points and 12 rebounds in Wednesday's win over the Brooklyn Nets. It was his fourth double-double in his last eight appearances.
And though he's not currently under contract for next season, the soon-to-be-25-year-old big man has certainly improved his odds to sign that next NBA deal with his recent play.
23. San Antonio Spurs (31-41)
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -2.1
The San Antonio Spurs ended their week with back-to-back road losses, but those came against the stout Detroit Pistons and East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
Prior to those two games, San Antonio had won three straight and five of seven. And Stephon Castle is one of the primary reasons it has remained somewhat competitive without Victor Wembanyama.
After scoring 22 points in Thursday's loss, the Rookie of the Year front-runner now has 21 games with at least 20. No other rookie has more than nine such performances.
22. Portland Trail Blazers (32-42)
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: -3.3
Deni Avdija and the Portland Trail Blazers have been one of the brighter stories of the NBA season. Despite their sub-.500 record, they crushed their preseason over-under and saw flashes of star upside from the 24-year-old.
After ending this week with three straight losses, though, their outside chance of making the play-in tournament is now almost non-existent.
But there are far worse things than adding a lottery pick to a young core that already includes Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan.
21. Dallas Mavericks (36-38)
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -0.4
After the still unfathomable Luka Dončić trade and the wave of injuries that followed it, there was a pretty compelling argument for the Dallas Mavericks to shut down Anthony Davis for the season and chase ping-pong balls in the lottery.
However, AD made a somewhat surprising return this week, and the Mavericks won both games he played post-adductor injury. He was 5-of-19 from the field in the second victory, but simply having him on the floor did seem to rally the rest of the troops.
And now, even if plenty of fans are likely pining for a good first-round pick and a rebuild, Dallas remains very much in the mix for 10th place in the West and a puncher's chance at the playoffs.
20. Miami Heat (32-41)
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -1.0
The Miami Heat may have finally shaken their way out of a post-Jimmy Butler trade malaise that included a 10-game losing streak.
Getting a game against the tanking Charlotte Hornets certainly helped. Miami crushed them on Sunday. Then, they won an emotionally charged matchup with Butler and the Golden State Warriors by 26 on Tuesday and closed out the week with a victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Suddenly, ninth place is back in play for the Heat. Collapses for the Atlanta Hawks or Orlando Magic might even nudge Miami back into the top half of the play-in.
And while this team certainly doesn't feel like the potential spoiler it was when Butler was on the roster, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro still make up a talented enough duo to make the East's top seeds sweat.
19. Chicago Bulls (33-40)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -2.4
Suddenly one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls gave us the best ending to a game this season on Thursday. Actually, Josh Giddey and company gave us one of the best, craziest closes to any basketball game you'll ever see.
Down 115-110 with just 10 seconds to play, the Bulls somehow scored nine points from that point to the final buzzer and won on a spectacular shot from Giddey.
Chicago has now won four straight (including two over the Lakers and one over the Denver Nuggets). It's 9-2 in its last 11. And Giddey, specifically, has played like an absolute superstar of late.
Over his last 12 games, the 22-year-old is averaging 22.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 1.7 steals, while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from deep.
18. Phoenix Suns (35-38)
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: -1.4
The Phoenix Suns took a 30-point beating from the Jayson Tatum-less Boston Celtics on Wednesday, but they had won four straight leading into that game.
And of the three teams jockeying for the final play-in spot (Phoenix, the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks), the Suns suddenly feel like the safest bet.
Since the start of the four-game streak, Kevin Durant is averaging 30.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.6 threes, while shooting 60.0 percent from deep.
17. Orlando Magic (35-39)
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: -1.2
Even considering all the injuries they've had to survive this season, the Orlando Magic should be better than four games under .500.
Thursday's home loss to the Dallas Mavericks, in which they could only muster 92 points, was another head-scratcher.
Generally speaking, though, the arrow has mostly pointed up for Orlando over the last couple weeks.
They're 6-4 in their last 10. And while season-long numbers still paint a grim picture of Paolo Banchero's scoring versatility, he's been much better of late.
Over his last 20 games, the 22-year-old is averaging 29.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists, while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from three.
16. Atlanta Hawks (35-38)
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: -1.8
Fresh off a 7-2 stretch that pretty much locked the Atlanta Hawks into the East's play-in tournament, they ended this week with back-to-back road losses that leave their status among that group in the air.
The advantage of finishing seventh or eighth, when you get two chances to punch your ticket to the playoffs, is huge. And after losing to the Miami Heat on Thursday, Atlanta is just three clear of Miami and two clear of Chicago in the loss column.
The Hawks need to get back on track to stay in the right half of the play-in, and that could depend a lot on rookie Zaccharie Risacher. He had five points in Thursday's loss, and Atlanta is 5-1 when he scores at least 20.
15. Sacramento Kings (36-37)
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: 0.6
Consider the Sacramento Kings holding onto the 15th spot as more of a comment on the teams behind them than an endorsement of the Kings.
Even after a blowout win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, Sacramento is 3-8 in its last 11.
There's enough talent here for this team to compete with just about anyone on any given night, but there's too much ball dominance between DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis and not near enough defense to consider this team a real playoff threat.
14. Milwaukee Bucks (40-32)
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 2.1
Bad news emerged from Milwaukee this week, when we learned star point guard Damian Lillard will be out indefinitely due to deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.
There is optimism the nine-time All-Star may play again this season. And being in the East means the Bucks have probably already done enough to avoid the play-in tournament. But without Lillard at full strength, meaningful title contention feels like a long shot.
13. Detroit Pistons (41-32)
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: 2.7
A calf injury kept Cade Cunningham out of the Detroit Pistons' last two games, but they still won both.
Of course, playing the sub-.500 New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs helped, but the back-to-back victories still highlight the fact that this team is now much more than just its best player.
Detroit still has a positive point differential when Cunningham is off the floor, and it has six players (other than Cade) with 500-plus minutes and an average or better box plus/minus. Last season, the 2021 No. 1 overall pick was the only player on the roster who fit that criteria.
12. Memphis Grizzlies (44-29)
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 5.1
The Memphis Grizzlies are 2-5 in their last seven, and it's hard to blame the downturn on the absence of Ja Morant (who missed the last six games).
Over the course of the whole season, Memphis still has a point differential around that of a 51-win team when the two-time All-Star is off the floor.
The biggest problem, whether Morant is available or not, is a defense that's ranked 20th in the league since the trade deadline.
And if the Grizzlies' guards and wings can't figure out how to offer a little more resistance before opponents get to Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis is in danger of going home after the first round of the playoffs.
11. Denver Nuggets (46-28)
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 3.7
After a five-game absence due to an ankle injury, Nikola Jokic returned to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday and put up his 30th triple-double of the season.
The gaudy line came in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, but they were without both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. And Denver still gave up 117 points.
The Nuggets going 2-3, with unexpected wins over the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, during Jokic's absence was encouraging, but their 24th-ranked defense is not.
The San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans are the only teams in the NBA surrendering more points per 100 possessions.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (41-32)
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 4.2
The Minnesota Timberwolves had some momentum, rolling into mid-March with an eight-game winning streak, but they've dropped three of their last four, with the only win coming against the way-below-.500 New Orleans Pelicans.
And while Julius Randle has perhaps been a bit better fit alongside Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards than many anticipated, this recent stretch has resurfaced some of the concerns expressed in the immediate aftermath of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.
Minnesota's net rating is an uninspiring (though not terrible) plus-2.7 when Randle is on the floor with Edwards, Gobert, Jaden McDaniels and Mike Conley, mostly because of a below-average offense.
The lack of respect opposing defenses show the three-point shooting of Randle, McDaniels and, of course, Gobert crowds the rest of the floor.
And the answer may simply be trusting Randle to create a bit more. The T-Wolves are 5-2 when he gets at least seven assists
9. Indiana Pacers (43-30)
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Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: 1.9
On Wednesday, the Indiana Pacers lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Lakers that ended with a LeBron James tip-in at the buzzer.
So, they responded by dropping 162 points (tied for the ninth-most ever in a non-overtime game) in a win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday.
And even with that Lakers loss mixed in, Indiana is 8-2 in its last 10 and looking like it may have enough firepower for another Cinderella run in the playoffs.
The engine, of course, is Tyrese Haliburton, who's averaged 21.7 points and 12.1 assists, while shooting 54.3 percent from the field and 46.3 percent from three over his last 13 games.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (41-31)
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 3.7
Kawhi Leonard continued his steady rebuild of our expectations of the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Against the New York Knicks and at Madison Square Garden, the six-time All-Star played 41 minutes and went for 28 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
In March, he's averaging 25.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.2 threes and 1.6 steals, while shooting 39.3 percent from deep.
Perhaps most importantly, Leonard is averaging 36.9 minutes this month. And he's moving like a near-peak version of himself.
If he can stay healthy (knock on all the wood around you), L.A. could be the likeliest spoiler among the playoffs' lower seeds.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (44-29)
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 0.7
The Los Angeles Lakers are 1-4 in their last five, with the lone win coming on a buzzer-beating tip-in from LeBron James and the most recent loss being one of the most stunning collapses we've ever seen.
We already examined the Chicago Bulls' seemingly impossible nine points in 10.1 seconds from their perspective, but L.A.'s recent struggles to cover the three-point line are worth mentioning, too.
Since the trade deadline, the Lakers are in the bottom five for percentage of opponents' shots that come from three.
And while a lot of that could be chalked up to stout interior defense, having a 40-year-old LeBron James, a sometimes disconnected Luka Dončić and an oft-targeted Austin Reaves chasing shooters on the perimeter probably isn't helping.
It still feels like there's enough firepower on the other end to make L.A. a tough out in the playoffs, but its title chances feel a little less serious than they did a couple weeks ago.
6. New York Knicks (45-27)
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 4.0
The New York Knicks dropped a home game to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, and they're now 5-7 in their last 12.
Of course, Jalen Brunson (who recently started doing on-court work as part of his rehab) has missed the 10 most recent games of that stretch, and just having him as close to full healthy as possible ahead of the playoffs should probably be the team's top priority.
When he and Karl-Anthony Towns are both on the floor, New York is plus-6.5 points per 100 possessions.
5. Golden State Warriors (41-31)
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 2.0
The Golden State Warriors' week ended with a 26-point shellacking from Jimmy Butler's former team, the Miami Heat.
And with no real breathing room between themselves and a trip to the play-in tournament, that loss and this current 2-3 stretch couldn't have come at a worse time.
Of course, the downturn has plenty to do with the absence of Stephen Curry. He missed the last two losses with a pelvis injury (and is still questionable for Friday's game). And the team's net rating is still comfortably positive when Butler and Curry share the floor.
If they do wind up having to play a win-or-go-home game or two, they can certainly sneak into the playoffs, but it looked like they wouldn't have to worry about that a couple weeks ago.
4. Houston Rockets (48-26)
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 4.7
A couple weeks ago, it felt like the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets were all in the mix for the West's second seed.
Now, it seems like the Rockets might be the one team of those four that actually wants it (this week's loss to the Nikola Jokić-less Denver Nuggets notwithstanding).
Houston is 11-1 in its last 12 games, thanks in large part to a balanced attack that includes seven players averaging double figures and four averaging at least four assists during this stretch.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (59-14)
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 10.1
Cleveland Cavaliers fans probably won't be happy with this slight step back, especially after they closed out this week with three straight wins.
But those came against three sub-.500 teams, including the cellar-dwelling Utah Jazz. And Cleveland had lost four straight prior to that little winning streak.
Yes, the Cavs still a statistical juggernaut (they have one of the 15 best marks of all time in simple rating system, a combination of point differential and strength of schedule), but they just happen to be putting up those numbers in a season with two other legitimate juggernauts, one of which is the reigning champion.
And as we edge toward the playoffs, one of the more subjective criteria listed in the intro to these rankings—championship chances—carries a bit more weight. And the next team has almost pulled into a tie with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the shortest title odds.
2. Boston Celtics (54-19)
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 9.4
The Boston Celtics haven't looked quite as much like a juggernaut as they did for most of last season, but their nationally televised drubbing of the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday highlighted how deep they still are.
In a game Jayson Tatum missed, the Celtics beat the Suns, 132-102. Boston is now plus-7.5 points per 100 possessions when he is off the floor.
And while that may cause some temptation to question the 27-year-old's value, the evidence doesn't really support the concern. Every single Celtic with at least 300 minutes this season has a positive net rating. And perhaps even more interesting, the number remains above zero when any individual player is off the floor.
So, even though Boston already has more losses than it did in 2023-24, the under-the-hood indicators for this title defense remain strong.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (61-12)
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 12.9
The end of this 2024-25 campaign has felt like an extended MVP coronation for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his Oklahoma City Thunder.
With 70 wins still mathematically possible, OKC went 4-0 this week. And SGA just keeps adding exclamation points to his MVP resume.
In Thursday's win, he had 37 points on 15-of-25 shooting. His 46 games with at least 30 points leads the league and is 12 clear of second-place Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Stat of the Week
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Stathead's Shot Tracker runs all the way back to the beginning of the 1996-97 season.
And after Josh Giddey's heroics for the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, that stretch of NBA history now includes a total of seven game-winners in the final 10 seconds and from beyond the half court.
One more make (Corey Brewer in 2010) sent a game to overtime that was eventually lost.
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