2016 NBA Power Rankings: Stacking Up All 30 Teams Before the Home Stretch
As we begin the final full month of the 2015-16 NBA season, the instability atop the power rankings proves there's a lot left to be decided in a short amount of time.
This week brings the biggest shake-up in months, as eight of the top 10 spots have shifted since we last ranked on Feb. 26. It's hard to know how permanent the struggles facing the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers will be, but they've certainly forced us to recalibrate the league's in-the-moment power structure.
Some of the steadier, less celebrated squads have quietly risen to take their spots.
As a reminder, overall performance is a factor in these rankings, but recent efforts weigh most heavily. The goal is to organize all 30 teams into an order that reflects how well each is playing right now. So a hot streak at the beginning of February will be a consideration, but it won't matter more than a losing skid from last week.
March is upon us, and things are getting serious.
30. Philadelphia 76ers
1 of 30
Last Week: 29
We fought it off for a few weeks, messing around with the Los Angeles Lakers and then ceding No. 30 to the flaming wreckage that is the Phoenix Suns for more than a month. But with just a few more weeks left in the season, here we are again.
Hello, Sixers. We've missed you.
This just feels right, though dropping Philly back to 30th is about more than comfort and sentiment. It's about a team on a 10-game losing streak, its third slide of at least that length this season. And it's about Jahlil Okafor's bruised shin robbing an already punchless lineup of one of its only reliable scoring threats.
It doesn't take much to escape the last spot in our rankings. A single win usually does the trick.
It's just hard to see much success in Philadelphia's future.
29. Phoenix Suns
2 of 30
Last Week: 30
The Phoenix Suns beat the Memphis Grizzlies by a final of 111-106 Saturday behind 22 points and 16 rebounds from Alex Len—a win good enough to vault them out of the cellar. And Len, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2013 draft, is now essentially the team's No. 1 option.
On most nights, that's going to be a struggle.
But he showed against Memphis there's hope that this lost season's stretch run could provide some much-needed experience for the small contingent of healthy youth on the Suns roster.
"He’s getting better every single year," Suns forward P.J. Tucker told Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. "He’s continuing to get better. His confidence is skyrocketing and we’re putting that confidence in him. I think he hasn’t even scratched the surface."
Because we're talking about the Suns, Len's late-season ascent is complicated. He's starting alongside Tyson Chandler in a cramped, outdated, two-big first unit. If the Suns really want to give Len a chance to thrive in his new role, spacing the floor and seeing if he can operate in a modern attack would be the better way to go.
28. Los Angeles Lakers
3 of 30
Last Week: 28
We've done some occasional swooning over D'Angelo Russell this season, but head coach Byron Scott's penchant for being condescending and benching young players has always made it hard to get excited for long.
We're done with that now and can officially get a little giddy about the Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard.
The lefty led the Lakers to a 107-101 home win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, tossing in eight threes on the way to a career-high 39 points. The explosion was as much about shooting touch as confidence, as Russell said in explaining his "ice in my veins" boast, per Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com: "To be honest, I was running out of celebrations, and I thought of one and that was the first thing that came to my mind."
For the moment, Russell is on a streak of four straight games with at least 22 points. It's safe to get fired up over a guy who might wind up being a star after all.
Scott could still scuttle this whole thing. We can't put that past him.
27. New York Knicks
4 of 30
Last Week: 26
The New York Knicks started off the week with a solid win against the Orlando Magic but then promptly coughed up two dispiriting home losses, averaging 83 points against the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers.
Their drop is tied to the bigger picture. New York has won twice since the beginning of February, and the tone of Carmelo Anthony's recent comments suggests the team is teetering on the brink of a full mail-in mindset from here on.
"I don't want to lose the competing at this point," he Anthony told Ian Begley of ESPN.com. "If guys don't want to compete, they shouldn't play. Whoever that may be. I don't want to lose that competitive edge as a team because that could easily happen at times like this. We don't want to lose that."
But hey, on the bright side, Kurt Rambis is running Melo into the ground. Anthony averaged a season-high 37.6 minutes per game in February.
Wait, sorry, that's the total opposite of a bright side.
26. Brooklyn Nets
5 of 30
Last Week: 27
Look out, y'all! The Nets went 2-2 last week and actually outscored the opposition with a net rating of plus-0.5 points per 100 possessions. That's worth a bump up the rankings, don't you think?
Perhaps more impressively, they did it on the road, beating the Suns (blah) and Utah Jazz (pretty good) before falling in a back-to-back against the two L.A. teams Feb. 29 and March 1.
Brook Lopez has been predictably steady, scoring in double figures during 17 straight games. He averaged 22.3 points and 7.3 rebounds on 55.8 percent shooting for the month of February. And with Joe Johnson officially off the books and enjoying life with the Heat, Lopez is now Brooklyn's only big contract.
The inhumanely long nine-game road trip continues through March 11, so we should expect a stumble sooner than later. But we might as well give the Nets a little praise while they're on a mild upswing.
25. Minnesota Timberwolves
6 of 30
Last Week: 25
The Minnesota Timberwolves are in a tough spot, or at least head coach Sam Mitchell makes it seem that way.
After watching the Washington Wizards leverage bench talent that included Bradley Beal and a host of other useful vets in a 104-98 win Wednesday, he lamented the lack of reserve punch on his roster, per Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "They've got guys sitting on their bench who have played in playoff games, who have 600, 700 games under their belt."
It's true the Wolves lean on their youth (though Mitchell's critics would argue he still gives vets like Tayshaun Prince too much time), but with the recent buyouts of Andre Miller and Kevin Martin, that's just how things are going to go. And it's how they should go.
Minnesota has nothing to play for, and developing young players is the only thing that matters from here on out. If Mitchell is worried about veterans who can help his team win at this stage, it's a good thing management removed some of his options.
24. Milwaukee Bucks
7 of 30Last Week: 24
Who cares if the Milwaukee Bucks went 1-3 last week? And why does it matter if that lone win came against a Houston Rockets club that can't decide whether it wants to be the league's most disappointing team or just one of the top three?
Milwaukee is embracing the "Giannis Antetokounmpo at point guard" movement, and it is glorious.
Though the team's overall scoring output hasn't been great, Antetokounmpo amassed 21 assists against 10 turnovers in three games this past week. In the process, we've seen him run the pick-and-roll effectively, push the ball in transition after rebounds and generally flash tantalizing highlights nightly.
This may never work, but why rule it out?
At the very least, we should concede head coach Jason Kidd has an idea of who may or may not be cut out to run a team. And even if the results stay mixed, we get to watch a 6'11", rubberized racehorse sprint and stretch and "Eurostep" all over the court with the ball in his hands. The sheer fun of that cancels out the shabby record of the past week, so the Bucks stay put at No. 24.
23. Sacramento Kings
8 of 30
Last Week: 22
It wouldn't have been a great sign if the highlight of the week was DeMarcus Cousins not punching Steven Adams, so Thursday's surprising win in Dallas was a big one.
One notable development: Tom Thibodeau is set to spend a few days with the Kings as a defensive consultant, per Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee: "I think he’s intrigued by our offense and we’re probably intrigued by his defense," Karl told Jones. "Spent about three or four hours with him last night and three or four hours with him (Wednesday)."
Yeah...I'm not sure Thibs is all that eager to watch Rajon Rondo run around hunting assists while everybody else stands still. But it's clear Sacramento needs help on D.
Nobody allowed more than the Kings' 116.8 points per 100 possessions heading into Thursday night's games, and they rank 27th in the league on that end overall. The Kings were 1-3 last week.
Here's hoping Thibs helps.
22. Denver Nuggets
9 of 30
Last Week: 23
An overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks, a single-digit defeat against the Grizzlies and a 10-point win over the Lakers are enough to move the Denver Nuggets up a tad. But we shouldn't expect the climb to continue after news of Danilo Gallinari's ankle injury.
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported that Gallo tore two ligaments in his right ankle during that loss to Dallas and that the Nuggets' main scoring threat will miss up to one month.
Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post is asking the right questions: "If, say, the Nuggets have just a handful of games remaining and Gallinari is ready to play, do they play him? Or would it be more prudent to shut him down completely?"
The Nuggets get to swap picks with the Knicks in this year's draft, so this isn't really about tanking. Instead, shutting Gallo down is about treating a historically injury-riddled player carefully. And it makes particular sense in this case because the Nuggets saw a healthy Gallinari play darn well this season. He's still a real asset, so preserving him is critical.
Possible silver lining: Nikola Jokic gets to do even more on offense now. Everybody should be in favor of that.
21. Chicago Bulls
10 of 30
Last Week: 15
The only thing worse than hitting rock bottom is not even knowing where the bottom is.
After allowing at least 100 points for the 15th straight game (highlighted by the Heat scoring 129 Tuesday), the Bulls are in that pitiable latter category: They don't know how far they'll plummet and have even less of an idea about how to arrest the fall.
"Broken record," Pau Gasol said as he tried to explain a 102-89 defeat against the Magic on Wednesday, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.com.
Not only have the Bulls failed to stop anyone, but they've also struggled to score. That's no surprise with Jimmy Butler out and Derrick Rose missing time with hamstring soreness, but it's troubling nonetheless.
During an 0-4 week, they managed a league-worst 93.4 points per 100 possessions. That's tough to get away with under any circumstances. But when you're letting opponents make layups at will, it means certain disaster.
A fresh start built around Butler and the team's younger role players has never felt more sensible...or necessary.
20. New Orleans Pelicans
11 of 30
Last Week: 19
The memory of that 123-119 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder last Thursday lingers. And though it came in the last rankings period, it still helps the New Orleans Pelicans avoid a big tumble. In fact, that surprising victory is the only thing saving the Pels after losses to the lowly Wolves and unreliable Rockets this past week.
New Orleans started Norris Cole and Kendrick Perkins in that game against Houston on Wednesday, so there's a built-in excuse for failure.
Unfortunately, the injuries that have hampered the Pelicans all season and resulted in macabre lineups like that show no sign of relenting. Case in point: Dante Cunningham had it going against the Rockets, scoring 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting. But then, predictably, he had to leave with a knee injury.
The word "cursed" comes to mind all too readily when thinking about this Pelicans season.
19. Orlando Magic
12 of 30
Last Week: 21
Normally, the Orlando Magic's 2-2 record last week would be enough to warrant a bigger rise. But with those victories coming against 30th-ranked Philadelphia and a Bulls team reaching terminal velocity in its descent, a slight bump feels more appropriate.
Aaron Gordon continues to thrive in his expanded role without Tobias Harris around. He hung 22 points and seven boards on the Sixers and then put up 13 points, 15 rebounds and three assists in Wednesday's win over Chicago. If the only thing Orlando accomplishes the rest of the way is Gordon's development, the stretch run will have been worth something.
And there's still a half-decent chance the Magic, who are 5-5 in their last 10, actually crash the playoff party. Through games played March 2, they were only three-and-a-half games behind the No. 8 Detroit Pistons.
Stranger things have happened.
18. Houston Rockets
13 of 30
Last Week: 20
Only the Rockets could make signing Michael Beasley seem like a potential chemistry upgrade.
Houston bought out Ty Lawson on Tuesday, per Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com, ending the greatest failed experiment of the 2015-16 season. Though he appeared to be a major bargain when the Rockets snagged him over the summer, Lawson never fit, and it's possible his exit will stabilize the rotation and locker room—even if he wasn't a key figure in either of them for most of the year.
Beasley arrives from China with the Chinese Basketball Association MVP in tow and could legitimately help Houston score. The problem with the Rockets is defense, though; they rank 24th in points allowed per possession.
If a two-spot climb after a 1-2 week and a lot of criticism seems inequitable, just know the Rockets moved up mainly because so many other teams were bad enough to slip below them. That, coupled with the slight chance of improvement adds up to an unlikely rise.
Rest assured, the punishment will be harsh if (when) this goes bad.
17. Indiana Pacers
14 of 30
Last Week: 14
"Watching the Pacers, you'll laugh," Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star explained after Indiana eked out a 104-99 win against the Bucks on Wednesday. "You'll cry," she continued. "You'll wonder about the apparent lack of a killer instinct."
One thing you won't wonder about is the chance of a four-game losing streak. Six times this year, the Pacers have lost three in a row. But they've never dropped that fourth. The Milwaukee win was one such skid-snapping result, and it's clear that although inconsistency defines the Pacers, they at least draw the line somewhere.
A 1-3 week with losses to the Hornets, Blazers and Cavaliers has Indiana's lead on the Pistons for the No. 7 spot in the East at just a single game. But the congested middle tier in that conference means Indy is also within striking distance of the Heat, who sit all the way up at No. 4.
To get there, the Pacers will have to do more than avoid four-game slides. They'll have to actually win a few in a row—which hasn't really been their thing.
16. Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 30
Last Week: 18
How long is this going to go on?
The Memphis Grizzlies were supposed to be cooked after losing Marc Gasol for the season, yet they've climbed all the way to 12 games over .500 with a 6-2 stretch since the big man went down with a broken foot. At some point, this soft-schedule-fueled ride will end.
We haven't gotten there yet, though, and Mike Conley looks capable of keeping the Grizzlies competitive enough to reach the postseason. He totally controlled their 104-98 win over the Kings on Wednesday, scoring 24 points and assuring the result with a tough runner in the final minute. As long as he's in charge, Memphis has a shot.
Alternate theory: All the semi-scary wild cards the Grizzlies have accumulated are actually terrifying opponents into submission. Memphis started P.J. Hairston, Matt Barnes, Zach Randolph and Chris Andersen against Denver last Monday, and Lance Stephenson came off the bench.
This warrants further study.
15. Detroit Pistons
16 of 30
Last Week: 16
Everybody loses to the San Antonio Spurs, so we won't bury the Detroit Pistons for that 97-81 rollover job they pulled Wednesday. Instead, we'll focus on the two previous wins against the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors, both of which came by double digits.
Kyle Lowry sat out Sunday, so there's a mitigating circumstance. But Detroit won those two games after finishing last week with two straight victories. That modest four-game streak deserves recognition.
So, too, does Tobias Harris' steady play since coming over from the Magic at the deadline. He's averaging 16.9 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the floor with a 45.5 percent accuracy rate from deep. If he stays anywhere close to that level of efficiency, we should expect the Pistons to at least retain their No. 8 playoff spot.
14. Washington Wizards
17 of 30
Last Week: 17
An undefeated week is an undefeated week. So even if the Wizards fattened up on the Sixers twice and the Wolves, they have to move up. Even the fact that their Feb. 28 win over the Cavaliers came as LeBron James rested can't stop the climb.
As you might expect, John Wall has been the main component of Washington's success. He averaged 23.8 points, 10.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds on 48.6 percent shooting in four games last week.
But bringing Bradley Beal off the bench to limit his minutes and protect him from recurring stress fractures in his legs has worked out nicely. He hit the Wolves for 26 points in just 29 minutes Wednesday.
There's a fool's-gold vibe about this team we have to discuss. Losing to the broken-down Bulls back on Feb. 24 was a red flag. And that Monday win over the Sixers was far closer than it needed to be. But there's plenty of time to send the Wizards spiraling down the rankings when they suffer the inevitable bad week.
For now, let them enjoy this.
13. Utah Jazz
18 of 30
Last Week: 8
This is a long way to fall for the Utah Jazz, but point production has to match potential at some.
All year, we've been generous with this team, citing defensive flashes and plenty of big games from Gordon Hayward as evidence a surge was coming. And in fact, we got a nice little run at the beginning of February.
But it's time to check reality after an 0-3 week.
Utah is 2-7 since beating the Dallas Mavericks in overtime Feb. 9, and if not for another OT win against the Rockets on Feb. 23, we'd be talking about a six-game slide. The results haven't even been all that close lately, and Utah's net rating of minus-9.6 points per 100 possessions last week reveals a team often struggling to compete.
The only positive at the moment is the possibility of Alec Burks' return. He had surgery to repair a broken fibula eight weeks ago and came out of the operation with a recovery timeline of eight to 10 weeks. His slashing ability has never been more sorely missed, and his return could help focus Utah's increasingly blurry playoff prospects.
12. Charlotte Hornets
19 of 30
Last Week: 12
Begging your pardon if wins over the Suns and Sixers don't count for much, even when coming by a combined total of 54 points. That 76-point output in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 28 stands out as the more telling result.
Still, the Charlotte Hornets have continued to quietly right the ship after hitting some rough water in January. A 7-3 February brought the return of postseason expectations. And Al Jefferson's reintegration into the lineup, though tricky at times, has yielded mostly positive results.
If Kemba Walker keeps leading the scoring charge (he put up 26 and 30 points against the Suns and Sixers, respectively), Charlotte will likely hang around the 10-15 range in the rankings for the rest of the season. We've seen enough to know the chances of climbing higher aren't great, but there's much to be said for a high floor.
The Hornets are steady, so it makes sense for them to stand pat this week at No. 12.
11. Dallas Mavericks
20 of 30
Last Week: 13
Dallas scored at least 120 points in three straight games between Feb. 26 and March 1, so it's clear David Lee is the key to a championship-level offense.
Except not exactly.
Lee has been awesome at distributing on short rolls and scoring with efficiency. But the defensive generosity of Denver, Minnesota and Orlando (Dallas' three opponents during its scoring binge) had more to do with those gaudy point totals than anything else.
Still, Dallas is doing some interesting things offensively, and most have worked. Wesley Matthews is posting up more, for one thing. And he digs it, per Tim Cato of MavsMoneyball.com.
"It gets me going," Matthews said. "One, I can score down there. Two, I'm not one of those guys that thirsty trying to get a basket. Three times I passed it out without even looking just because I'm drawing attention and I think we scored on all the possessions."
The Mavs have opened up their spacing, moved the ball like crazy and played better than almost anyone of late. We'll forgive the Thursday loss to the Kings. Sacramento hadn't won in Dallas in its last 22 tries, so the result was overdue.
10. Atlanta Hawks
21 of 30
Last Week: 11
How about that defense?
Atlanta has climbed all the way up to No. 2 in the league in points allowed per possession after a suffocating stretch this past month. Nobody was stingier in February, per NBA.com, and the Warriors needed overtime to put up 109 against the Hawks on Tuesday.
The Hawks have needed that kind of stopping power because their scoring has slipped. They averaged 103 points per 100 possessions last month, ranking 22nd and leading to a somewhat disappointing 6-5 mark. The decision to give Dennis Schroder an increasing share of Jeff Teague's minutes at point guard (Teague never saw the floor down the stretch against the Dubs) is a move made with offense in mind.
The Hawks are healthy, defending like crazy and on pace to contend for a top-four spot in the East. This isn't a 60-win dreamscape like last year, but Atlanta is looking pretty good.
9. Miami Heat
22 of 30
Last Week: 10
The Heat haven't fallen apart without Chris Bosh for one reason: Hassan Whiteside is holding them together.
Though there are still times when his reluctance to leave the lane hampers Miami's defense, and though his inability to pass can make scheming against him easier, Whiteside has been wildly productive since relinquishing his starting role Feb. 3. His February numbers of 15.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 4.1 blocks on 62 percent shooting certainly suggest he's worthy of starting.
And the only thing more impressive than his statistics is the way he's accepted the new role.
Per Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald: "It seemed unlikely that he, on the verge of a major free-agent payday, would welcome a move to the bench. Maybe he’d check out. Instead, he has changed the game every time he checks in."
Whiteside scored 26 points and grabbed 14 boards in Miami's ridiculous 129-point outburst against the Bulls on March 1. If his performance this month is anywhere close to as impactful as it was last month, the Heat will be formidable—with or without Bosh.
8. Portland Trail Blazers
23 of 30
Last Week: 7
It's hard to remember the last time the Blazers moved down in the rankings, but a 116-93 slip against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday has to be factored in. Portland is in the midst of a brutal road trip through the East, so a little fumbling was to be expected.
The schedule toughens up in a big way during March, as the Trail Blazers will get the Warriors, Thunder and Spurs in a one-week span from March 11-17. That's a test we shouldn't expect this team to pass, but smashing expectations has been Portland's niche this year.
Damian Lillard is still scorching, coming off a 29.8 points-per-game average in February. Even better, Meyers Leonard exhibited signs of life last week, scoring 17 and hitting four treys to help beat the Indiana Pacers on Feb. 28 and then contributing 11 points and 14 boards in only 25 minutes against the Knicks on March 1. Though his mild resurgence might drive up his price as a restricted free agent, the Blazers will accept that drawback if it means they get a useful big man for their playoff push.
7. Boston Celtics
24 of 30
Last Week: 9
Winners of 12 straight at home and four in a row overall, the Boston Celtics climb two spots this week. Even more exciting for their ceiling: They've already adopted the requisite "nobody believes in us" mantra that tends to arise only on teams of legitimate quality.
"Teams, players, the NBA. They still don't respect us. And we know that," Isaiah Thomas said, per Jay King of MassLive.com. Jared Sullinger echoed Thomas' sentiments after Wednesday's big win over Portland.
Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe knows what's going on here, tweeting: "Not sure if the whole 'the NBA still doesn't respect the Celtics' is being stoked by media or is just a team motivator, but I don't buy it."
Questions of mantra authenticity aside, Boston is absolutely rolling. Better defense, Jae Crowder's late-game guts and consistent scoring from Thomas have everyone respecting this team—no matter what the players believe.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
25 of 30
Last Week: 5
It feels viscerally wrong to have a team as talented as the Oklahoma City Thunder outside the top five—especially considering it took a Stephen Curry miracle performance and a seemingly impossible Los Angeles Clippers comeback to get us here.
But OKC has also lost to the Pelicans, Cavaliers and Pacers since Feb. 19, and it's now simply too difficult to justify ranking ahead of the league's elite. Take the whole month of February, and you have a Thunder team with a 6-5 record and the league's 10th-best net rating. Based on that recent criteria, ranking them sixth might actually be generous.
There are real issues here—late-game execution, a middling defense and suspect reserve play—and Kevin Durant knows it.
"We're fooling ourselves if we want to be a great team the way that we're playing," KD told Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman after the team collapsed in the fourth quarter against the Clippers on Wednesday.
We can't overreact. OKC's latest stumbles were conspicuous—against contenders on national television. It's easy to lose perspective when that happens.
In the big picture, the Thunder will be there with a deep playoff run. They're too talented not to be. At the moment, it's just difficult to argue they're playing at a top-five level.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
26 of 30
Last Week: 3
The Cavs ought to feel lucky the Thunder are around to take all the "what's wrong with this supposed contender?" heat this week. Because if not for OKC's highly visible failings, we'd be talking about a Cleveland club that was a late-game surge against Indiana away from losing three straight.
LeBron James' 33 points salvaged that Feb. 29 win, but it was only a four-point margin and could easily have gone the other way if the Pacers' typical offensive gum-ups hadn't given the Cavs a window.
"If we don't play as hard as we can, even with all the talent we have, I don't know, I wouldn't say we're not as good as we think we are, but we're not as good as we can and should be," Kevin Love said, per NBA.com's David Aldridge. "You can see it out there. It's obvious."
Add that to James lamenting the team's lack of an enforcer, which feels very much like an excuse, and you have the kind of questions and uncertainty that don't typically attend title threats.
As was the case with the Thunder, we can't go overboard. As was also the case with the Thunder, recent losses and signs of trouble make it impossible not to drop the Cavs a couple of spots.
4. Los Angeles Clippers
27 of 30
Last Week: 6
It feels dangerous, even irresponsible, to root for the Clippers. We've seen them stumble in the postseason for years, and it's not easy to trust the bench, Chris Paul's legs and the easy reintroduction of Blake Griffin (whenever that eventually happens).
But it'd be unfair to deny L.A. credit for what it's done lately.
Beating the Thunder with an incredible comeback Wednesday was one thing, but running up a 23-7 mark without Griffin (through March 3) indicates something bigger is going on here. The Clips have found something with Paul operating an offense that includes just one big man, and the team's defense has climbed all the way to seventh in the league.
Every indicator of legitimate contender quality is there for the Clips.
They have the statistical profile and the stars. That could all fade away eventually, and history even suggests it will. But at this moment, the Clippers are on a three-game winning streak and look shockingly more stable than the two teams (Oklahoma City and Cleveland) they've been stuck behind all year.
3. Toronto Raptors
28 of 30
Last Week: 4
Seth Partnow argued for the Raptors as a contender in a piece for the Washington Post, and it's hard to contend with his reasoning.
"The Raptors have proven their mettle against the best teams in the league. Toronto is currently 19-10 against teams with a winning record. Only San Antonio and Golden State have been better. The Raptors have taken two of three against the Cavs, defeated the Spurs in their only meeting thus far and have played the Warriors competitively on both occasions.
"
Head-to-head meetings aren't everything, but Toronto also boasts the league's fifth-best offense and a defense just outside the top 10. Toss in Kyle Lowry performing at levels that would normally warrant MVP consideration, and you have all the markings of a viable championship threat.
We haven't seen the Raptors succeed in the playoffs, and if you had to bet on them outlasting any of the consensus top-four title-chasers (Golden State, San Antonio, Cleveland and OKC), you wouldn't feel great about it.
Fortunately, that's not what we're after here. All Toronto's No. 3 ranking says is that it's the third-best team in the league at the moment. With the best record in the East since Jan. 1 and great play on both sides of the floor, there's not much question about that.
2. San Antonio Spurs
29 of 30
Last Week: 2
The Spurs haven't lost since Feb. 18 (to the Clippers, by the way, which helps validate L.A.'s high ranking), haven't lost at home all season and clinched their 19th consecutive playoff trip with a win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
The extent to which we take this team for granted now borders on criminal, but it's not hard to understand. San Antonio isn't a highlight factory, and its historically high net rating doesn't quite have the same broad appeal as the Warriors' pursuit of 73 wins. It's almost as if we've decided there's only one all-time great team we're interested in celebrating this season.
So we mostly ignore the other one.
Manu Ginobili is nearing a return, and Andre Miller just signed on after a buyout to make the Spurs even older and craftier.
Nothing new to see here—just the Spurs cruising toward a 68-win season while nobody pays attention.
1. Golden State Warriors
30 of 30
Last Week: 1
You could absolutely cut and paste the hyperbolic gush-fest over Stephen Curry in this space last week and move on. He and the Dubs are still that good.
But that's the problem with analyzing Curry and the Warriors: When you think it's safe to use up your most over-the-top, borderline ridiculous praise because they can't possibly do anything more incredible, you're wrong.
After lauding Curry as the rightful occupant of the No. 1 spot last time around (forget this whole ranking teams thing; Curry makes convention useless), he went out and beat the Thunder by himself. Forty-six points, a league-record-tying 12 made triples and a 37-foot game-winner that dumped gas on the league he'd already set aflame—and all on an ankle sprained badly enough to keep him out of Golden State's subsequent game against the Hawks.
They won that game, too, of course, because Draymond Green hit an absurd off-balance three in the waning moments. Par for the course in a charmed season to end all charmed seasons.
The Warriors are like the Spurs in a lot of ways, but they're different in one critical sense: We get tired of saying the same things about an always-awesome Spurs team, but we genuinely don't have the vocabulary to describe Golden State.
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Stats courtesy of NBA.com. Accurate through games played March 3.
