NBA Power Rankings 2016: Sizing Up the Association Ahead of Season's Final Week
The 2016 NBA playoffs are so close you can practically smell them.
Players are resting left and right. Available postseason berths are dwindling, with just four of 16 still to be doled out. By this time next week, we'll all know exactly who's in, who's out and who's playing whom on the road to the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
In the meantime, there's still plenty to be sorted out.
At the top, only the Western Conference's four best teams are officially locked into their seedings. At the bottom, only the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers have been bad enough to already know how many Ping-Pong balls they'll be working with at this year's draft lottery.
And, of course, there are spots up for grabs in these power rankings. Here's how all 30 teams stack up heading into the last six days of the 2015-16 season based on overall performance, with an extra nod to recent play.
30. Philadelphia 76ers
1 of 30
Last Week: 30
One day, the Philadelphia 76ers are ensuring they won't tie their own NBA record for losses in a season, and general manager Sam Hinkie is chopping it up with ESPN's Zach Lowe. The next, Hinkie's on his way out, his letter of resignation available for all to read.
"Given all the changes to our organization, I no longer have the confidence that I can make good decisions on behalf of investors in the Sixers—you," Hinkie wrote to his bosses. "So I should step down. And I have."
Hinkie's tenure in Philly seemed to be on tenuous turf since December, when ownership brought in hoops sage Jerry Colangelo to serve as the team's chairman of basketball operations. Few could've expected, though, that Hinkie would offer his own head for the front-office guillotine.
Hinkie's decisions and management skills, both suspect, contributed significantly to the Sixers' historic futility. But as Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding noted, there's no escaping the stench of the operation for Josh Harris, the team's co-chief owner:
"The 76ers' managing general partner Josh Harris' feelings about the need to rebuild tactically and ruthlessly to reach a championship destination jibed for years with Hinkie's, but the Sixers owner is hardly a basketball expert.
Bear in mind it was Harris who wholly believed the 2012 trade for bum-kneed Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson was worth Andre Iguodala, Nikola Vucevic, Maurice Harkless and a first-round pick. That disappointment...was enough to drive Harris to go all-in with Hinkie on trying not to try.
"
Now, it's up to Harris and Colangelo to make sure they find the right person to reap the rewards of the regrettable Hinkie era. According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, Bryan Colangelo, a two-time Executive of the Year and Jerry's son, will be the one tasked to lead the turnaround.
Not that there's anything he can do to lift the Sixers out of the league's cellar, even with a blowout win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
29. Los Angeles Lakers
2 of 30
Last Week: 29
It's official: The Los Angeles Lakers have hit their all-time nadir. With back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Purple and Gold not only set a new franchise record for single-season defeats (62), but did so for the third year in a row.
For Lakers head coach Byron Scott, his team's terrible play to finish out the 2015-16 campaign is infuriating for reasons beyond the box score. After his Lakers were blown out by the Clippers on Tuesday, 103-81, Scott said, per ESPN.com's Baxter Holmes:
"It bothers me that [Kobe Bryant's] last five, six, seven, eight games are going to be with the way we're playing as a team. That bothers me, because you're talking about a champion. That bothers me, because he is a champion. And I hate to see him go out this way. Unfortunately this is the way it's going to be.
"
Not that the business side of the Lakers organization is all that much worse for wear. According to ESPN.com's J.A. Adande, they still sport the NBA's largest fanbase and get better local TV ratings than the Clippers.
They're also capitalizing on Bryant's retirement tour. Per, ESPN's Darren Rovell, the team is selling an assortment of special-edition Mamba memorabilia, including a glitzy New Era hat for $38,024.
Bryant isn't likely to complain about any of this. After all, he'll finish his illustrious career as the league's highest-paid player, with $25 million more in the bank.
28. Brooklyn Nets
3 of 30
Last Week: 26
The Brooklyn Nets, losers of six in a row, aren't likely to turn things around over their final four games now that Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young have been shut down for the season.
That doesn't mean general manager Sean Marks is seeking to scrap his frontcourt and start over this summer.
"He has talked to me, and we both definitely want to be here and see things happen here and help the team grow going forward," Lopez told the New York Post's Brian Lewis.
Per Lopez, his early end to the season is a precautionary measure, not the result of another foot injury. In his and Young's stead, Brooklyn has empowered former lottery pick Thomas Robinson, who's responded with five straight double-doubles.
27. New Orleans Pelicans
4 of 30
Last Week: 28
It's one thing to lose to the Philadelphia 76ers, who seemed to clinch the league's worst record before the holidays. It's quite another to get blown out by them, as the New Orleans Pelicans were on Tuesday, 107-93.
That'll happen when a team trots out 39 different starting lineups.
Actually, make that 40 after Alvin Gentry slapped together Toney Douglas, Dante Cunningham, Omer Asik, Alexis Ajinca and recent signee James Ennis during a 104-97 loss to the Boston Celtics.
"It's the NBA. No one feels sorry for you," Gentry said, per Sports Illustrated's Jake Fischer.
The Sixers game aside, Gentry has managed to conjure some decent basketball out of his ragtag roster. Prior to their consecutive road losses along I-95, the Pelicans had won three of four, with an eight-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs' full squad sprinkled in between.
26. Phoenix Suns
5 of 30
Last Week: 27
Devin Booker isn't the only bright spot in what's otherwise been a dark and disastrous season for the Phoenix Suns. Mirza Teletovic has also made the most of the mayhem in Arizona.
The 30-year-old forward torched the Houston Rockets for 26 points—his 10th 20-point game of 2015-16—to help the Suns snap a seven-game skid with a 124-115 win in Space City. Teletovic hit 4-of-9 from three to extend his NBA record for triples in a season by a reserve to 171.
Not bad for a guy who was battling blood clots this time last year. With the way he's played this season, Teletovic should be due for a substantial raise this summer, when he hits free agency amid the NBA's looming salary-cap boom.
25. New York Knicks
6 of 30
Last Week: 25
With the New York Knicks dropping three of four in Kristaps Porzingis' absence and another lottery-bound season nearing its end, all eyes have turned toward the team's coaching situation.
According to ESPN.com's Ian Begley and Marc Stein, Phil Jackson is keen to give Kurt Rambis the keys to the kingdom on a more permanent basis despite the Knicks' 8-17 record since Derek Fisher's ouster.
If the Zen Master conducts an actual coaching search, he could do worse than invite franchise legend and current Charlotte Hornets assistant coach Patrick Ewing. But don't take my word for it.
"You know, this is a great fit for me," Ewing said before the Hornets' 111-97 win over the Knicks on Wednesday, per the New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy. "I have my number up there [in the Garden rafters]. I still live in the area. If I get an opportunity for an interview, I'd be happy."
Either way, Carmelo Anthony, who's under contract for three more seasons with a no-trade clause, would like a word of some sort before Jackson makes the call.
"I think you have to have some type of input, whether it's input or dialogue, whatever word that you want to use," Anthony said, per Begley. "I think you have to have that. I think at this point it needs to be some type of connection, some type of communication. Especially if we want to right this ship, there definitely needs to be some type of communication."
24. Sacramento Kings
7 of 30
Last Week: 24
Playoff-bound teams aren't the only ones that rest healthy players in April. Just ask the Sacramento Kings, who sat DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo during a 105-97 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.
Kings coach George Karl had already announced that Cousins wouldn't play any more road games this season, which means folks in Phoenix and Houston won't get to see Boogie in action.
If Sacramento's stakes are any indication, Rondo could be in for similar treatment. Should the Kings wind up in the top 10 of the lottery, they'll get to keep their 2016 first-round pick. Otherwise, it'll convey to the Chicago Bulls.
23. Milwaukee Bucks
8 of 30
Last Week: 23
If you thought Giannis Antetokounmpo was scary good, just wait til LeBron James gets his hands on him.
After his Cleveland Cavaliers creamed Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks, 109-80, James said, per Cleveland.com's Chris Haynes:
"If I had the chance, the opportunity to work with him, of course I would. You'd have to work with him. He's one of the best players in the world. One summer working out with LeBron, you can learn a lot. It would help you moving forward. If I had the chance, of course I'll grab the opportunity to try to work with him.
"
"It's not up to me. It's up to LeBron," the Greek Freak retorted, per Haynes. "I think LeBron has 150 times more things to do than me over the summer. If he has time, I'll definitely have the time."
The Bucks would be wise to encourage that hookup. Head coach Jason Kidd has already anointed Antetokounmpo his floor general. Who better to teach the 21-year-old the ins and outs of being a point forward than James, who's among the best to ever play that part.
22. Denver Nuggets
9 of 30
Last Week: 20
Danilo Gallinari's season is over, but Emmanuel Mudiay's seasoning could just be getting started. According to the Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey, the Denver Nuggets are weighing whether to send Mudiay to Las Vegas for the NBA's annual summer league.
"My gut is to have Emmanuel play summer league," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, per Dempsey. "I think he needs to continue to work on his game, work with our coaches, and use summer league as another chance to get better in a very controlled, safe environment. But that’s something that [Nuggets GM] Tim [Connelly] and I will talk about as the season winds down."
Mudiay said he doesn't mind either way, though he's not waiting to make strides. Over his last five games, which included four Nuggets losses, he's averaged 15.7 points on 40.6 percent shooting (35.7 percent from three)—well above his season marks of 12.4 points on 35.5 percent shooting (31 percent from three).
21. Orlando Magic
10 of 30
Last Week: 21
The Orlando Magic are building momentum heading into what could be a monumental offseason. They've won four of their last six games, with losses to the Bucks and Detroit Pistons coming by a combined seven points.
With all of their young talent, the Magic could be an attractive landing spot for free agents hoping to supercharge an improving situation while dodging state taxes.
Among the potential targets: Dwight Howard, who figures to opt out of his contract with the Rockets this summer. Shaquille O'Neal, for one, would support Howard's return to the Magic Kingdom.
"I think it would be good for the city," O'Neal said, per ESPN.com's Calvin Watkins. "First of all, after the first time he left, letting a big young guy get away, it shouldn't happen a second time. All the puzzle [pieces] have to fit."
Bringing Howard back into the fold could be part of a bigger picture for the Magic. As ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon reported in March, Chandler Parsons, who recruited Howard to Houston in 2013, could be bound for his hometown in central Florida after exercising his own opt-out in July.
And who, pray tell, will be in Howard's ear? You guessed it—Parsons. As he told MacMahon of Howard, "When the time comes this summer, we'll definitely be spending some time together and talking."
20. Minnesota Timberwolves
11 of 30
Last Week: 22
The Minnesota Timberwolves get major props for sweeping a daunting Northern California double.
Granted, the first leg of that—a 124-117 win over the Golden State Warriors in Oakland—was far more impressive on its face than the subsequent 105-97 victory against a Kings squad that rested Cousins and Rondo. But holding Sacramento to 42.4 percent shooting on its home floor is a good look for a Minnesota squad that's struggled to stop pretty much everyone in 2015-16.
In any case, those are both big wins for a young team that needs all the confidence-builders it can get to close out a 12th straight season without playoff basketball. Throw in another top-five pick and, perhaps, a long-term replacement for head coach Sam Mitchell, and the T-Wolves could really have something special before long, with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins leading the way.
19. Chicago Bulls
12 of 30
Last Week: 19
Too little, too late for the Chicago Bulls.
Two nights after laying down against the depleted Memphis Grizzlies, Fred Hoiberg's squad saw its slim postseason prospects nearly reduced to dust with a 106-98 loss to the Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler (25 points, six assists), Derrick Rose (17 points on 7-of-16 shooting) and Pau Gasol (21 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks) were the only Bulls to score in double figures against the Heat's stifling defense.
"Obviously it's not the way that we wanted," Butler said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "I think everybody thinks about it each and every day. It probably keeps everybody up late, I know it does for me. But we can't change it now. It is what it is."
With one more loss of its own or win by the Indiana Pacers, Chicago will book its first trip to the lottery since 2008. On the bright side, the last time the Bulls missed the playoffs, they landed the No. 1 pick that turned into Rose.
18. Washington Wizards
13 of 30
Last Week: 16
The Washington Wizards aren't dead…yet. They kept their dimming postseason hopes alight with a 121-103 win over the Nets in John Wall's absence.
According to the Washington Post's Jorge Castillo, Wall, who's nursing a sore right knee, will be with the team in Detroit on Friday, though he's listed as "questionable" to play.
Worse could be said of Washington's playoff odds if Wall can't give it a go. A loss to the Pistons, the East's No. 8 seed, would officially eliminate the Wizards from postseason contention and, perhaps, portend some major changes in D.C. this summer.
17. Houston Rockets
14 of 30
Last Week: 15
Just when it looked like the Houston Rockets might crack the playoffs after all, they went and dropped a pair of important games to put their backs against the wall again.
James Harden's 41-point, nine-assist virtuoso performance helped Houston upend the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and climb back into the West's postseason picture. But his 26 points against the Dallas Mavericks and 30 opposite the Suns weren't enough to save the Rockets from consecutive defeats.
That leaves Houston with three contests to close a game-and-a-half gap between them and the eighth-place Utah Jazz, with whom they split their four-game season series.
The Rockets still have a puncher's chance of sneaking into the final spot. They'll close the campaign against the Lakers, Timberwolves and Kings—all of whom should be beatable.
Then again, the same was true of Phoenix, and Houston's Swiss cheese defense was helpless as the Suns torched the Rockets for 124 points.
16. Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 30
Last Week: 18
The Memphis Grizzlies may have no hope of advancing through the Western Conference playoffs without Mike Conley Jr., but that doesn't mean they won't try. They secured their sixth straight postseason appearance—extending a franchise record—after annihilating the listless Bulls on Tuesday, 108-92.
"They just played like they wanted to get into the playoffs," Derrick Rose said afterward, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).
That was particularly true of Memphis' elder statesmen. Zach Randolph dominated Chicago's front line to the tune of 27 points and 10 rebounds. Vince Carter chipped in 17 points. Matt Barnes and Jordan Farmar combined for 31.
If all those fogies can keep partying like it's 2009, the Grizzlies might do more with the West's fifth seed than merely hang onto it.
15. Dallas Mavericks
16 of 30
Last Week: 17
The Dallas Mavericks have hardly looked like themselves of late. In their last five outings, their pace has slowed to 91.06 possessions per game, per NBA.com, down from their season average of 96.58. That crawl has taken its toll on Dirk Nowitzki, who's averaged 12 points on an unsightly 27.4 percent shooting (16.7 percent from three) over that same span.
"One of the reasons Dirk is having a hard time getting open looks is because we are playing a different style right now," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).
Yet here Dallas is on a five-game winning streak, with a playoff spot all but locked up despite (if not due to) a switch in style. With Deron Williams down, the Mavs have transformed on the fly into a grinding, defensive-minded squad. According to NBA.com, they've surrendered a stingy 93.3 points per 100 possessions, an improvement of more than 11 points over their season-long defensive rating.
It helps, too, that J.J. Barea, Williams' replacement at the point, has poured in 24.2 points and seven assists per game while draining half of his threes through Dallas' hot streak.
"I like to play fast, too, but slowing it down is working us," Barea said after pacing the Mavs in points (27) and assists (eight) during an 88-86 win over the Rockets, per the Associated Press. "We've got to stay that way."
14. Indiana Pacers
17 of 30
Last Week: 14
Myles Turner's return to the bench has worked out well for the Indiana Pacers. They've won three in a row to narrow their magic number to one.
Granted, the Pacers haven't exactly pummeled elite competition with their prized rookie on the pine. Since head coach Frank Vogel made the switch, Indy has taken care of Philly, edged out the Porzingis-less Knicks and knocked around the Cavaliers on LeBron James' night off.
Even so, the move makes sense for the Pacers. For one, it allows them to protect their tiring 20-year-old from playing in the most pressure-packed moments, when experience trumps all else for a postseason contender.
More importantly, it apportions Indy's athleticism and rim protection more evenly. Otherwise, Turner's talents would overlap with Ian Mahinmi's, as they did while the two were starting together.
13. Utah Jazz
18 of 30
Last Week: 11
On the court, the Utah Jazz are rounding into fine form at the perfect time. They've won 10 of 14 since mid-March, with a win over the Cavaliers and close losses to the Warriors and Spurs.
On Friday, the Jazz will welcome Alec Burks back to their stack of playmaking wings, per the Deseret News' Mike Sorensen. Burks needed more than three months to recover from a broken left fibula.
Not all the news is so rosy in Salt Lake City, though. Jerry Sloan, the team's legendary former coach who stands as the NBA's third-winningest ever, recently revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.
"Jerry Sloan is and always will be a beloved member of the Utah Jazz family, and we know he will approach this fight with the same grit and determination he displayed as a Hall of Fame coach and All-Star player in the NBA for 40-plus years," the team wrote in an official statement.
12. Detroit Pistons
19 of 30
Last Week: 12
The Detroit Pistons have already locked down their first winning record since 2008. Now comes the hard part: nabbing the playoff spot to go with it.
Stan Van Gundy's squad, which has won eight of its last 11, can take care of that part Friday. A win over the Wizards would eliminate Washington while guaranteeing Detroit's first bit of playoff basketball in seven years.
"It's something that I've always wanted, that type of challenge, to feel that grit and passion," Tobias Harris, who never came close to the postseason in four previous pro campaigns, told the Detroit News' Rod Beard.
And if the Pacers falter from here on out, Harris and the Pistons could dodge a playoff introduction against the Cavaliers.
11. Portland Trail Blazers
20 of 30
Last Week: 13
A 120-115 loss might not have meant much to the Thunder, who rested Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka the night after clinching the West's No. 3 seed. But for the Portland Trail Blazers—who turned over five of their top six players this past summer and were nine games under .500 in January—the win and the secured playoff spot that came with it were everything.
"Because there was so much doubt," Damian Lillard said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "It wasn't just people saying they're not going to be a playoff team. People said we wouldn't win 20 games."
At 43-37, the Blazers have more than doubled that predicted total while setting themselves up for a potential rematch with a more complete OKC squad.
If Lillard and C.J. McCollum can get the kind of help in the postseason that they received from Al-Farouq Aminu (27 points, six rebounds, five assists), Maurice Harkless (14 points, five rebounds, four steals) and Allen Crabbe (16 points) against the Thunder on Wednesday, Portland might have some serious Cinderella potential.
10. Charlotte Hornets
21 of 30
Last Week: 8
The Charlotte Hornets can count Kemba Walker's determination and development into a star among the many reasons they've locked up a playoff spot this season. The Bronx native showed the world how far he and the Hornets have come with a 34-point bonanza at Madison Square Garden to beat the Knicks on Wednesday.
Walker told The Vertical's Michael Lee:
"I’m tired of not being in the playoffs. I’m tired of having to watch the first round at home, not being a part of it. It’s a fun time for basketball. You know you get some national notoriety, of course. You want to be seen. You want to have fun. You want to play at the highest level. I don’t want to be there one year and then next year not make it. I want to be there every year.
"
The next step for Charlotte is to actually win a postseason series. That'll be tough for the Hornets this spring if they have to proceed without Nicolas Batum, who's missed the team's last two games while nursing a knee strain he suffered in a recent loss to the Cavaliers.
9. Miami Heat
22 of 30
Last Week: 9
The race for a top-four seed in the East continues, and the Miami Heat are still in hot pursuit.
The Heat put seven players in double figures during their 106-98 win over the Bulls on Thursday.
"At this time of year, you have to use certain situations to try to prepare us because we've never been there together as a team," Dwyane Wade said after scoring a team-high 21 points, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "This was one of those situations."
The victory was Miami's third in its last four outings and kept the Heat even with the Celtics in the standings, a half-game behind the third-place Atlanta Hawks in the East.
Nailing down a plank of home-court advantage will be no easy feat: Miami will play three of its final four games outside of South Beach.
But with two tilts against the Magic and a season finale in Boston on tap, the Heat could sneak into the No. 3 seed and, perhaps, put off a grudge match against LeBron James and the Cavaliers until the conference finals.
8. Boston Celtics
23 of 30
Last Week: 10
The Boston Celtics bounced back from consecutive losses to the Trail Blazers and Clippers about as well as any team could: with three straight victories, including a 109-106 result to snap the Warriors' NBA-record 54-game home winning streak.
Isaiah Thomas (22 points, six assists) went toe-to-toe with Stephen Curry (29 points, six assists) and, in the process, earned high praise from at least one former Celtic.
"That man should be an MVP candidate," former Boston big man and current Pelican Kendrick Perkins told the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett. "You can quote me on that. He should be in the conversation for the MVP. I mean, what else can you say?"
That's not just hyperbole from Perk. According to Basketball Insiders' Tommy Beer, Thomas' ongoing streak of 17 games leading his team in scoring is the longest in the NBA this season.
Thanks to Thomas' top-notch scoring, the C's are poised to snag a top-four seed in the East.
7. Toronto Raptors
24 of 30
Last Week: 5
The Toronto Raptors lost their latest battle with the Hawks, 95-87. But in that defeat, they may have found the key to winning the war for the East.
DeMarre Carroll made his long-awaited return from knee surgery in Atlanta. After 41 games on the shelf, the Raptors' biggest offseason addition chipped in five points in 14 minutes.
Those modest contributions could look much bigger once Toronto gets rolling in the postseason. With potential matchups against the Pacers and Cavaliers awaiting the Raptors later this spring, they'll need Carroll's high-octane perimeter defense and positional versatility to stifle the likes of Paul George and LeBron James and tilt the odds in their favor, however slightly.
6. Atlanta Hawks
25 of 30
Last Week: 7
For all the ups and downs they've endured this season, the Atlanta Hawks are hitting their stride at the perfect time. They've won 11 of 14 since mid-March to sidle up to the No. 3 seed in the East.
"I am at the point now where I finally feel good about this team," All-Star big man Al Horford said during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
Their latest cap feather? A 95-87 victory over the Raptors, whom the Hawks could see in the second round of the playoffs.
"I thought today was probably the best 48-minute game we've played against them," Kyle Korver said afterward, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "They are a difficult team to guard. Their guards are very tough and physical."
The win could be a big confidence-booster for Atlanta down the line. The Hawks had dropped their previous three meetings with the Raptors by 8.7 points apiece.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
26 of 30
Last Week: 7
The Los Angeles Clippers have been crushing it, with or without Blake Griffin. They've won seven of their last eight, including each of Griffin's first three games back from a broken hand and torn quad.
Even so, the Clippers can do no better than finish fourth. That leaves them in the Warriors' line of fire in the playoffs, assuming they escape a first-round series against either the Grizzlies or Blazers.
As Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding noted, Griffin will be hard-pressed to play like his superstar self while nursing an unstable leg:
"He's not going to be his full force by any measure. That reality should have become clear in how he had to lie on the floor instead of sit on the bench Sunday, wrapping a heating pad over his left quad and knee.
Because of limits on how much work the leg can take, according to team sources, Griffin hasn't had and will not be allowed to get the kind of reps he needs to recapture the refined shooting touch that made his game truly elite.
"
And if Griffin can't dominate like he has in postseasons past, that puts more pressure to perform on Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Redick—all of whom carried the Clippers in Griffin's absence and could soon be gassed as a result.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
27 of 30
Last Week: 4
THIS JUST IN: LeBron James is key to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
They dropped to 1-4 without him this season while he watched the Pacers smack them around on Wednesday, 123-109. Prior to that, the Cavs had won four in a row following a six-point defeat to the Rockets during which—you guessed it!—James rested in street clothes.
"We still have momentum," Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said after the loss in Indy, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "We have the best player in the world on our team."
So long as that's true, the Cavaliers will be the team to beat in the East, even if Kevin Love succumbs to back spasms, as he did briefly against the Pacers.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
28 of 30
Last Week: 3
First, the bad news: The Oklahoma City Thunder still lead the league in losses when up after three quarters. They logged their 13th such defeat with a 118-110 loss to the Rockets on Sunday.
The good news is they've locked up the West's No. 3 seed anyway, thanks to a 124-102 win over the Nuggets.
And, as the Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry noted, OKC's fourth-quarter problems might not be as bad as they seem:
"Notice that six of the Thunder's 13 losses in these instances came when OKC's lead was just one or two points after three quarters. By comparison, Philadelphia, which ranks second with 11 losses when leading after three quarters, has had only one game in which it was ahead by one or two points after three.
It's worth noting, too, that the Thunder also was without Kevin Durant, the team's best closer, in two of those contests -- Boston on Nov. 15 and at Memphis the following night. OKC's lead going into the fourth quarters of those games was just two points and one point, respectively.
"
That being said, there's no ignoring the issues that've contributed to the Thunder's crunch-time woes, as Mayberry went on to explain:
"Excessive fouling and untimely turnovers stand as two of the biggest factors in OKC's fourth-quarter failures. The Thunder has committed twice as many turnovers as its opponents (61-30) in the 13 games it has lost when leading after three quarters. It's resulted in more than twice as many points for the opposition (89-39).
"
OKC had better hope it can flip a clutch switch come playoff time, lest it salt away the possibility of another deep run—and a chance to keep Durant.
2. San Antonio Spurs
29 of 30
Last Week: 2
There's never any shame in falling short of 70 wins, especially for the San Antonio Spurs. Their 112-101 loss to the Warriors on Thursday left them at 65-13 with four games to go.
The bigger concern for San Antonio is the impact the defeat will have on its seeding. The Spurs are now guaranteed to finish in second place out West—good enough to secure home-court advantage through the first two rounds, but not so much to hold serve against Golden State should these two teams meet again in the conference finals.
If San Antonio's blowout losses in Oakland this season are any indication, the Spurs could be at a severe disadvantage should the West's representation in the 2016 NBA Finals come down to a Game 7.
In the meantime, San Antonio will look to reclaim a mental edge against Golden State and move one step closer to the first undefeated home schedule in NBA history when the Warriors come to town Sunday.
1. Golden State Warriors
30 of 30
Last Week: 1
Now that the No. 1 seed is locked up, the Golden State Warriors can continue their pursuit of history in (relative) peace.
With their 112-101 victory over San Antonio on Thursday, the Dubs became the second NBA team ever to win 70 games and made sure they'd be the only one to do so. Had the Spurs won out, they too could've hit that mark.
That gap could be huge if Golden State and San Antonio come to blows again in the conference finals. So far, each team has beaten the other on its home floor during the regular season, with Golden State dominating twice in Oakland. Come Sunday, the Warriors will see if they can win in the Alamo City, where the Spurs are still undefeated in 2015-16.
Golden State should have plenty of record-related motivation to give it their all at the AT&T Center. For one, a victory for the Warriors would end the Spurs' 48-game home winning streak and make sure Golden State's 54-game streak, snapped last week by the Celtics, remains the longest in league history for a while.
And if the Warriors take care of business against the Grizzlies on Saturday and Spurs the day after, they'll return to the Bay on Wednesday to meet Memphis for a shot at immortality with win No. 73.
Josh Martin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@JoshMartinNBA), Instagram and Facebook.
