NBA Power Rankings: Kawhi Carrying Clippers, Warriors Floundering and Bam Drops 83
Sheesh, what a week it was in the NBA.
With just a month left in the regular season, Bam Adebayo treated us to an 83-point performance, Kawhi Leonard pushed the Los Angeles Clippers over .500 after starting the season 6-21 and the Golden State Warriors started to look like a stealth tanker. And oh yeah, Jayson Tatum is back for the Boston Celtics and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke Wilt Chamberlain's record for consecutive 20-point games.
There's plenty more to discuss after those stories, too.
We'll do that and more, while also sorting the entire league by the criteria that's served us for years: team and individual numbers, recent performance, championship chances and plenty of good old-fashioned subjectivity.
30. Indiana Pacers (15-51)
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Previous Rank: 29
Net Rating: -8.5
The Indiana Pacers went 0-4 this week. And considering Adam Silver's indignation over the rotational choices of the Pacers and Utah Jazz a few weeks, it's hard to imagine the league isn't looking closely at Indiana's latest loss.
In Ivica Zubac's debut for the organization, he and Andrew Nembhard didn't play a single minute in the second half.
Losing is what's best for this team right now. And Indiana could soon release an injury update that justifies Thursday's substitutions, but you can almost guarantee Silver's interest was piqued by this one.
29. Washington Wizards (16-49)
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Previous Rank: 28
Net Rating: -10.9
Trae Young still hasn't played more than 21 minutes in a game for the Washington Wizards, but he's up to three appearances for his new team. And despite the Wizards losing all three of those contests, Young had a plus-minus of at least zero in two of them.
And it's already clear his vision and passing are going to provide very real benefits to this young core.
It's really the perfect storm for a rebuilding team that should absolutely be leaning into losing. The Wizards are getting little sources of hope for next season without jeopardizing their 2026 lottery odds.
28. Sacramento Kings (16-51)
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Previous Rank: 30
Net Rating: -9.9
Believe it or not, the Sacramento Kings won more games than they lost this week. And there may still be enough time left in the season for that to hurt their lottery odds.
Sacramento still has a bottom-three record (and thus, a 14 percent shot to land the No. 1 pick), but the Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz are charging hard for one of those spots.
Whether they hang on or not, there's some growing reason for optimism for the core that's already in place. Over his last seven games, rookie center Maxime Raynaud has averaged 16.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 32.1 minutes.
27. Brooklyn Nets (17-49)
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Previous Rank: 27
Net Rating: -8.8
The Brooklyn Nets had a couple surprising wins this week (including, somehow, one over the Detroit Pistons), but they're still 2-12 in their last 14 and very much in the mix for a bottom-three record.
In Thursday's loss, they started three of their rookies and didn't play Michael Porter Jr. (due to a reported ankle sprain), and it feels like those kind of lineups are going to be mighty common down the stretch.
The Nets, unlike some of the others near the bottom of the standings right now, still don't have the franchise cornerstone-level talent they need to build around. And the 2026 draft may provide multiple options to remedy that.
26. Utah Jazz (20-46)
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Previous Rank: 26
Net Rating: -7.4
Since the NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 for (in its own words) compromising the integrity of the league, they've gone 2-9.
And in that stretch, Lauri Markkanen has played in one game, while Keyonte George has averaged 26.2 minutes across six appearances.
In spite of the league's attempts to scare them off the prudent strategy, Utah is still prioritizing the longterm health of its organization and chasing improved lottery odds. Perhaps, for the first time during this rebuild, the basketball gods will reward their patience and move them up in the draft.
25. Memphis Grizzlies (23-42)
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Previous Rank: 24
Net Rating: -2.6
They're not getting as much attention in the race as the Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers, Washington Wizards and others, but the Memphis Grizzlies are tanking about as aggressively as anyone right now.
Beyond trading Desmond Bane before the season and Jaren Jackson Jr. during it, Ja Morant now hasn't played a game since mid-January. In Thursday's loss, the Grizzlies started Olivier-Maxence Prosper, GG Jackson, Jaylen Wells, Javon Small and Rayan Rupert.
And the apparent angling for losses is working. Memphis is 5-19 since mid-January and is within shouting distance of one of the five worst records in the league (and thus, a 10-plus percent shot at the No. 1 pick).
24. Dallas Mavericks (22-44)
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Previous Rank: 25
Net Rating: -4.5
Maybe Khris Middleton never really wanted to leave the Dallas Mavericks, but teams that may have wanted him after a buyout may feel vindicated by his recent play.
After scoring 35 points in Thursday's win over the Memphis Grizzlies, Middleton is averaging 16.6 and shooting 57.9 percent from three over his last five games.
And while this sort of veteran competence may not be great for lottery odds, having Middleton's leadership and experience could go a long way toward preparing Cooper Flagg for next season.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (27-38)
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Previous Rank: 21
Net Rating: -4.7
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been back for most of the last couple weeks now, and things aren't getting much better for the (likely) lottery-bound Milwaukee Bucks.
After losing to the Miami Heat on Thursday, Milwaukee is now 1-4 in the five games Giannis has played since returning from injury.
And if the Bucks can't even make the play-in tournament, it sure feels like the Antetokounmpo trade rumor mill is going to start churning again.
On the bright side, whoever runs the team's X account has a good sense of humor about the current slide.
22. Chicago Bulls (27-38)
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Previous Rank: 22
Net Rating: -4.4
The Chicago Bulls are still sort of reeling from the 1-14 stretch they went through in January and February, but they recently beat a pair of injury-riddled Western Conference teams on the road (the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors).
And while big numbers from this portion of the season always come with the "remember, it's March!" caveat, Josh Giddey is once again showing flashes of high-end upside as a playmaker.
After going for 27 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds in Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Giddey is averaging 19.4 points, 12.2 assists and 11.2 boards since the calendar flipped to, well, March.
21. New Orleans Pelicans (22-45)
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Previous Rank: 23
Net Rating: -4.3
The New Orleans Pelicans stacking up some wins at the end of the season isn't the problem it would be for most teams with their winning percentage. Their lottery odds don't matter. That pick is headed to the Atlanta Hawks.
So, this team being 7-3 in its last 10 can just be good, old-fashioned encouraging. Yes, it may come with the typical "games in March and April are always weird" caveats, but this roster at least has a foundation with some potential.
Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones fit together in a "multiple like-sized guys who can do stuff with the ball and switch on defense" sort of way. And giving them a high-end point guard could make them competitive as soon as next season.
That guy may already be on the roster, too. Dejounte Murray has only appeared in seven games, but he's up to 17.6 points and 5.4 assists in just 26.5 minutes per game.
20. Golden State Warriors (32-33)
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Previous Rank: 19
Net Rating: 1.0
It sure feels like the Golden State Warriors are calling it a wrap on the 2025-26 season (without actually, publicly calling it a wrap, of course).
The Warriors went 0-3 this week and crept below .500. On Thursday, we learned that Stephen Curry, who hasn't played since January, will be out at least another 10 days with a knee injury.
And though the bottom of the West is too far gone for Golden State to miss the play-in, without Jimmy Butler and with Curry potentially ailing, the Warriors losing a high-stakes game or two and winding up in the lottery could be where we're headed with this team.
19. Portland Trail Blazers (31-35)
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Previous Rank: 20
Net Rating: -2.7
Eleventh through 15th place in the West is likely bad enough that it doesn't matter, but the 10th-place Portland Trail Blazers are 8-13 since mid-January.
They'll likely make the play-in, but the chances of them winning two road games and sneaking into the playoffs are slim.
And that's probably the preferred outcome. The Blazers keep their pick if it's in the lottery.
Looking toward that and getting some solid games out of Scoot Henderson are real sources of hope. The sample size is tiny, but this week, Scoot averaged 16.3 points in 21.7 minutes and shot 47.4 percent from three.
18. Philadelphia 76ers (35-31)
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Previous Rank: 12
Net Rating: -0.6
We kept the Philadelphia 76ers in or around the top half of the power rankings for as long as we could, but losses and injuries are both piling up at pretty concerning rates.
Philadelphia went 1-3 this week and is 6-10 in its last 16 games. Tyrese Maxey's injury timeline recently extended from days to weeks. And Joel Embiid just missed his seventh straight game with an oblique injury.
At this point, it's starting to feel like the Sixers might even slide into the bottom half of the play-in and open up the possibility of landing in a lottery that will only give them their pick if it ends up in the top four (otherwise, it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder).
17. Toronto Raptors (36-29)
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Previous Rank: 14
Net Rating: 1.5
It may be time to start worrying a bit about the Toronto Raptors' playoff hopes.
They're 2-6 in their last eight and 7-10 since they beat the Oklahoma City Thunder toward the end of January.
In that longer stretch, Toronto is 23rd in the league in three-point percentage. And in the postseason, when teams start scheming to force them into those shots, the offense could dry up quickly.
16. Atlanta Hawks (35-31)
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Previous Rank: 18
Net Rating: 0.7
The Atlanta Hawks recently moving CJ McCollum into the starting five and sending former first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher to the bench signified their seriousness about the moment they're currently in.
The start of their current eight-game win streak coincides exactly with that swap taking place. And now, it's starting to look like Risacher may be growing into his new role.
In Thursday's win, he had 19 off the bench. And in his last four games, he's 9-of-17 from deep.
15. Phoenix Suns (39-27)
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Previous Rank: 17
Net Rating: 1.4
The Phoenix Suns got a hefty downgrade last week, but they immediately responded by going 4-0 since the power rankings were last published.
The hot streak may be easy to pick at. Three of the wins came against sub-.500 teams. But there's at least one encouraging sign beyond the wins themselves.
Devin Booker is back from injury, and he's starting to look like a star again. Over his last five games, Booker is averaging 31.8 points and 5.6 assists, while shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from deep.
And as long as he's playing at this level, Phoenix has a puncher's chance against plenty of teams.
14. Orlando Magic (37-28)
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Previous Rank: 15
Net Rating: 1.4
The Orlando Magic needed overtime to beat the Washington Wizards on Thursday, but they've now won six straight and are 12-4 in their last 16.
That they're doing this without Franz Wagner is encouraging. And though Paolo Banchero playing more like an All-Star in recent weeks is probably the biggest factor in the surge, others in the cast deserve some credit too.
Tristan da Silva has 49 in last two outings. Desmond Bane, who's shooting 38.9 percent from deep, has been a steady source of outside shooting (and offense, generally). And Jalen Suggs led the team in scoring in the latest win with 28 points.
If this team could just keep everyone upright for a few weeks in a row, it may still prove dangerous.
13. Miami Heat (38-29)
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Previous Rank: 13
Net Rating: 3.6
In one of the most spectacular and unexpected moments in NBA history, Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in a single game this week, giving him the second highest total ever recorded.
In the two games on either side of that performance, Adebayo combined for 45 points.
Lost in the genuine madness that was the reaction to Bam's 83 is the fact that the Heat, as a team, are starting find a real rhythm for the first time all season.
After beating the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, their current win streak is up to seven games. They're 10-2 in their last 12 and have wins over the Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons in that stretch.
The individual history is cool, but even Bam would likely tell you the winning is even better.
12. Los Angeles Clippers (33-32)
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Previous Rank: 16
Net Rating: 0.8
This months-long turnaround from the Los Angeles Clippers has officially reached unprecedented territory.
That's right, a team that started 6-21 is now over .500 and a virtual lock to make the play-in tournament.
The Clippers are 27-11 since December 20. And in that stretch, Kawhi Leonard is averaging 30.0 points (on 20.0 field-goal attempts), 6.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 32.4 minutes, while shooting 39.1 percent from deep.
We probably shouldn't get tricked into thinking this is a contender again, but L.A. has officially entered "what a terrible team to draw in the first round" territory for the West's higher seeds.
11. Houston Rockets (40-25)
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Previous Rank: 9
Net Rating: 4.3
The Houston Rockets' net rating dropped by almost a full point this week, thanks to blowout losses at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets.
And though they're still tied for third place in the West, going 3-4 in their last seven has shrunk the cushion between themselves and the play-in tournament down to two games.
If they don't find an offensive identity that goes beyond second-chance points and "please bail us out, Kevin Durant" before the playoffs, they could be in a world of hurt.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (40-26)
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Previous Rank: 7
Net Rating: 3.1
The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of this season's more "Jekyll and Hyde" like teams.
Coming off a five-game winning streak that included road victories over the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets, they just went 0-3 this week. And they dropped those contests by an average of 22 points.
Minnesota still feels like, at the very least, a fringe contender. In the playoffs, Anthony Edwards' alpha-level scoring and a defense anchored by Rudy Gobert could be good enough for a third straight conference finals appearance.
But a little more consistency ahead of the postseason would go a long way toward building confidence in that possibility.
9. Los Angeles Lakers (41-25)
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Previous Rank: 11
Net Rating: 0.8
At some point, maybe before a pivotal game in a playoff series, the Los Angeles Lakers and head coach J.J. Redick, may have to make a real tough decision about LeBron James and his role on the team.
For the second straight season, the Lakers' point differential is better when he's off the floor. They just won three straight games that he missed this week. And for the year, L.A. is plus-11.9 points when Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves play without him.
LeBron was a plus in Thursday's win, but it came against the sub-.500 Chicago Bulls. And there's now a pretty big pile of evidence to suggest that Luka, Reaves and LeBron together is just a "too many cooks" situation.
Converting LeBron to a sixth man role might not be popular (with him or his fans), but he's still plenty good enough to dominate opposing second units. And if the Lakers don't want to sacrifice a year of Dončić's prime, they need to be willing to lean into their best lineups in the playoffs.
Those won't always include LeBron.
8. Charlotte Hornets (34-33)
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Previous Rank: 10
Net Rating: 3.5
Losses to the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns tempered the Charlotte Hornets hype a tad, but they ended the week with back-to-back road wins over sub-.500 teams and are now 18-5 since mid-January.
In this stretch, they're second in both offensive and net rating. And perhaps most impressive, they're sixth in defense.
With LaMelo Ball piloting the attack and Charlotte having tons of athletic and highly switchable wings and guards on the roster, they're starting to look like a real threat to advance past the first round.
7. Denver Nuggets (41-26)
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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: 4.2
Among the teams that entered the season seen as legitimate contenders, the Denver Nuggets might be the most frustratingly inconsistent.
Injuries have certainly played a role, but the Nuggets are exactly 20-20 in their last 40 games. This week, they got crushed at home by the New York Knicks but nearly beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in OKC. They destroyed the Houston Rockets and trailed in most of a victory over the Victor Wembanyama-less San Antonio Spurs.
The ups and downs have been extreme, but the Spurs game was also a reminder of how good Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray can be when locked in. The "no Wemby" caveat is worth repeating, but the star duo combined for 70 points and 19 assists in the come-from-behind win.
And though their chemistry hasn't led to the clutch dominance Denver has enjoyed in the past, it still feels like a potential X-factor for the playoffs.
6. New York Knicks (42-25)
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Previous Rank: 6
Net Rating: 6.3
The New York Knicks are fifth in net rating and in the top eight in both offense and defense, but something still just doesn't quite seem to be clicking in the team's biggest games.
They crushed the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, but since February 6, they're 0-6 against the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. And they threw in a loss to the tanking Indiana Pacers in that stretch, too.
On the bright side, New York has one of the easiest remaining schedules in the Eastern Conference and should be able to get into a pretty good rhythm ahead of the playoffs.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (40-26)
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Previous Rank: 5
Net Rating: 4.0
After losing to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers are now 4-5 in their last nine.
And though it might be easy to explain this little stretch away by saying four of the losses were to above-.500 teams and three of them were against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, those are the organizations Cleveland may have to beat to win a title.
The Cavs still have a top-10 net rating when facing top-10 teams, but notching some of these wins on the eve of the playoffs could do a lot for their confidence.
4. Detroit Pistons (47-18)
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Previous Rank: 3
Net Rating: 7.8
The Detroit Pistons' grip on the Eastern Conference doesn't feel quite as firm as it did a couple weeks ago.
They ended this week with back-to-back wins, but they had a four-game losing streak (that included a game against the Brooklyn Nets) before that.
And that little hiccup provided an illustration of the weakness that might sink Detroit in later playoff rounds. There just may not be enough shot creation beyond Cade Cunningham or enough shooting in general.
The Pistons are in the bottom half of the league in points per halfcourt play and in the bottom 10 in three-point percentage.
3. Boston Celtics (43-23)
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Previous Rank: 4
Net Rating: 7.8
We don't need to spend as much time on the typical technicalities of the power rankings with this one. The Boston Celtics went 2-2 this week. They're still in second place in the East. Whatever.
The real story for this team (and one of the biggest ones for any team this entire season) was the return of Jayson Tatum.
And though some of his possessions have looked a bit stiffer than the pre-Achilles tear Tatum we've come to know over his nearly a decade in the spotlight, it's obvious that he'll be a thoroughly helpful player by the postseason. That makes Boston perhaps the most interesting potential Oklahoma City Thunder challenger in the league.
Sure, Boston lost to OKC on Thursday, but Tatum missed that game, and the Celtics kept it close without him. If, by the time we reach a Finals matchup between these two times, Tatum is back to being able to play 30-35 minutes consistently, Boston is capable of winning that seven-game series.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (52-15)
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Previous Rank: 2
Net Rating: 10.7
Bam Adebayo wasn't the only NBA player who made history this week.
In Thursday's win over the Boston Celtics, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander steadily made his way to 35 points, giving him a whopping 127 straight games with at least 20.
That's now the longest such streak in league history.
And perhaps more importantly (at least to Shai himself), OKC is now 7-0 since he returned to the lineup from an abdominal strain.
If it weren't for the Thunder's regular-season record against the San Antonio Spurs, it'd be awfully hard to keep from moving OKC back into the top spot.
1. San Antonio Spurs (48-18)
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Previous Rank: 1
Net Rating: 7.0
The San Antonio Spurs ended their week with a loss to the Denver Nuggets, but they were closer to desperation mode than San Antonio, and the Spurs were without Victor Wembanyama.
Prior to that loss, they'd won 16 out of 17 games. And while Wembanyama (who's day-to-day with an ankle injury) deserves the bulk of the credit for that run, Stephon Castle's play has to be mentioned too.
He had a 30-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double against the Nuggets. When his slashing and defense are paired with Wembanyama, San Antonio looks like a legitimate juggernaut. It's plus-15.5 points per 100 possessions when both are on the floor.
