We've brought back the Championship Tier ranking to our NBC Sports NBA Power Rankings. Here's what each tier means:
Title contenders: This is self-explanatory.
In the Hunt: Teams that could make the Finals, but need a number of things to break their way.
Playoff Teams: Solid playoff teams, this includes some teams currently in the play-in we should expect in the playoffs proper.
Play-In Teams: Teams headed to the Play-In (ones less likely to escape that round).
Tanking Tier: Self-explanatory.
Title Contenders
1. San Antonio Spurs
(56-18, last week No. 2)
Dylan Harper, last June's No. 2 pick, has almost flown under the radar this season nationally. Part of that is all the focus on Victor Wembanyama, and part of that is Harper has had a smaller role with his team than the other players in the top four. That said, don't sleep on him. Harper has been brilliant and might be the best of this group in a few years. It's not just the 11.5 points and 3.9 assists a game that impresses, it's his ability to get to the rim — he is averaging 8.4 drives per game and 41% of his shots are at the rim. He's also been a plus defender, something very rare for a rookie. Harper is going to make First Team All-Rookie, but watch next season for a breakout from him. San Antonio is 18-2 since the All-Star break but remains 2.5 back of Oklahoma City for the No. 1 seed in the West (and the league).
2. Boston Celtics
(50-24, last week No. 4)
Gap year? Jaylen Brown has thoughts for you. Last week, Boston answered any doubters and solidified its spot as the favorite to come out of the East — both in betting odds and the minds of most pundits — by beating Oklahoma City, then on Sunday knocking off a trendy and hot Charlotte team. Boston is 9-1 in games Jayson Tatum has played, and that includes him looking more comfortable and stepping up with 32 points against Charlotte while Brown was out. Boston is not likely to catch Detroit for the No. 1 seed in the East, and it could use a few more wins to hold off New York for the No. 2 seed. Boston is on the road this week in Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
(59-16, last week No. 1)
While Victor Wembanyama is making his case (on the court and with his words), and Luka Doncic is staying in character and using his words to complain about not moving up the rankings, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has established himself as the clear MVP frontrunner with many voters. He is averaging 31.4 points per game and 6.5 assists per game, is ridiculously efficient from everywhere on the court, is a plus defender on the league's top-ranked defense, and is leading a team on pace for 65 wins. That's hard to beat. As are the Thunder, who are 17-2 since the All-Star Break and yet have not created any space between themselves and the Spurs, who are just 2.5 games back for the No. 1 overall seed with seven games to play. The Thunder have the hardest remaining schedule in the league, including a matchup with Detroit on Peacock NBA Monday.
4. Detroit Pistons
(54-20, last week No. 3)
Detroit has sent a message to its playoff skeptics, going 5-1 without Cade Cunningham, including wins over the Lakers (snapping their winning streak) and a statement win Saturday against Minnesota. This run has kept the Pistons on top of the East, a comfortable four games ahead of the No. 2 seed Celtics with eight games to play. The key has been the defense, which ranks third in the league over that six-game stretch and is 5.1 per 100 better than their season-long average (Detroit is second in the league for the season). What's become clear is Cunningham is likely not back until the playoffs (which means he will not qualify for any postseason awards — the 65-game rule sucks and Adam Silver is wrong to back it.
5. Denver Nuggets
(48-28, last week No. 8)
The Nuggets seem to have found their stride at just the right time as we head toward the playoffs. A finally healthy Denver team — Peyton Watson returned last week — has won six in a row, and four of those wins were clutch wins. Not coincidentally, Nikola Jokic had four consecutive triple-doubles (a streak that ended Sunday because he was two assists shy). "He's the ultimate, ultimate player that makes everyone feel like they're part of the game if you're on his team," Nuggets coach David Adelman said after Denver won in Phoenix last week. "That leads to 17 assists (against the Suns), quality passes, huge shots at the end. And really fun to watch him as well… Nikola is, you know, in my opinion, he's the best player in the world."
In The Hunt
6. Los Angeles Lakers
(48-25, last week No. 5)
Luka Doncic has looked like an MVP candidate of late and now has 15 40-point games this season, but he will not be adding to that total on Monday, against everyone's favorite easy mark in the Wizards, because he cannot stop complaining to the officials and picked up his 16th technical of the season. While Doncic deserves the accolades (and the likely First Team All-NBA nod coming his way), it is the fact that the Lakers have the 10th-ranked defense in the league over the past 15 games that has really made Los Angeles a postseason threat. Big tests this week against Cleveland and Oklahoma City.
7. New York Knicks
(48-27, last week No. 6)
The Knicks are playing some of their best basketball (and taking advantage of a soft spot in the schedule), going 11-5 of late, and the Knicks are top-10 in the league in offense and defense over that stretch. Also, don't sleep on a quality NY bench, with Miles McBride's return hopefully not short-lived. Despite that run, the Knicks remain 2.5 games back of the Celtics for the No. 2 seed, although more concerning is New York's lead over Cleveland for the No. 3 seed is down to 1.5 games, one in the loss column — and Cleveland has a much easier schedule the rest of the way. This week, that tougher Knicks schedule includes playing the Rockets in Houston on Tuesday — a game you can watch on NBC and Peacock.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
(46-28, last week No. 7)
Cleveland has the best offense in the NBA over the past 10 games, but it has the 20th-ranked defense in that same stretch. Getting Jarrett Allen back and healthy should help on both ends of the court. The Cavaliers are essentially locked into the No. 4 seed in the East — and that's a good spot for them. It means a tricky but very winnable 4/5 first-round matchup (too early to say against whom), and it lines up a potential second-round matchup against a good but inexperienced Detroit team. You can see a path to the conference finals for a team that expected at least that much entering the season.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves
(45-29, last week No. 9)
Minnesota has gone 4-2 without Anthony Edwards — he is set to return to the lineup Monday — and the Timberwolves' loss to the Pistons on Saturday showed exactly why they need him. Detroit's elite defense shut down Minnesota, but with Edwards back, the Timberwolves will get a shot at redemption next week. Minnesota is the No. 5 seed in the West, two games back of No. 4 Denver and two games but tied with No. 6 Houston — thanks to the most improbable win of the season: Being down 13 in OT to the Rockets and going on a 15-0 run to pick up the victory.
Playoff Teams
10. Houston Rockets
(45-29, last week No. 10)
The ugly overtime loss to the Timberwolves this week was the ultimate example of why Houston does not strike fear in the hearts of opponents going into the postseason. The Rockets have a -6.1 net rating in games within three points in the final three minutes this season. That said, the Rockets are tied with the Timberwolves for the 5/6 seeds in the West and have six of their eight remaining games at home, where they are 25-10. That will be put to the test Monday against the Knicks, a game you can watch on Peacock NBA Monday.
11. Atlanta Hawks
(42-33, last week No. 11)
Atlanta has the toughest remaining schedule of any team in the East — not good for a team that needs wins to hold on to a top-six seed and avoid the play-in. A fully healthy Philadelphia team is just half a game back of Atlanta, and the teams are tied in the loss column. If those wins come, Nickeil Alexander-Walker deserves a lot of credit — he has had a potential Most Improved Player kind of season, averaging 20.5 points per game and is shooting 39.1% from 3. That tough Atlanta schedule includes Boston on Monday and a key game against struggling Orlando on Wednesday.
12. Los Angeles Clippers
(39-36, last week No. 16)
Darius Garland has brought a couple of things to LA that the Clippers needed. One is quick decision making — it works in contrast to the more deliberate (but good luck stopping it) style of Kawhi Leonard. "[Garland] leads the league in quick decisions off of pick-and-rolls," Tyronn Lue said, adding Garland's ball movement is infectious for the team. More than just that, Garland brings a swagger to the team. Does Lue like that in-your-face energy? "At times," he said with a laugh. "I mean, I'd rather be up 25 with four minutes left in the game and then do some of that stuff that he does. But, he enjoys the game. He has fun with the game."
13. Charlotte Hornets
(39-36, last week No. 12)
This team is a roller coaster. There is the high of beating the Knicks this past week (snapping New York's seven-game winning streak) with Brandon Miller rocking the baby to celebrate. Then they turned around over the weekend and lost to Boston and Philadelphia — which is why Charlotte remains the 10 seed in the East. Charlotte is only half a game back of struggling Orlando for the No. 8 seed and a much easier path out of the play-in, but it needs wins. It should get them this week against Brooklyn and Indiana, but the tough games are Phoenix and at Minnesota.
14. Toronto Raptors
(42-32, last week No. 13)
Toronto's impressive 52-point blowout of Orlando keeps it just ahead of Atlanta and Philadelphia for the No. 5 seed in the East, but that win may mask a bigger concern: Since the Raptors beat Oklahoma City on Jan. 25, they have gone 3-11 against teams .500 or better, not a good sign for a team heading to the playoffs. As noted here last week, the Raptors are 1-8 against the top three in the East and face the Pistons and Celtics on the road this week.
15. Phoenix Suns
(41-33, last week No. 17)
Collin Gillespie may not win it, but he deserves a long look for Most Improved Player this year. The former Villanova star's emergence as a solid point guard — starting 54 games, averaging 13.1 points per night and shooting 41.3% from beyond the arc — has freed up Devon Booker to play his more familiar off-ball role and thrive. Dillon Brooks is expected to make his return to the court this week. Phoenix can ease him back in as they are essentially locked in as the No. 7 seed in the West (and hosting the first play-in game). That said, the Suns need some wins to hold off the No. 8 seed Clippers, who are 2.5 games back and have an easier schedule the rest of the way. Six of the Suns' remaining eight games are on the road.
Play-In Teams
16. Philadelphia 76ers
(41-33, last week No. 18)
The 76ers are whole. Finally. Paul George and Joel Embiid both returned to the court last week (Embiid had missed 13 games with a right oblique strain, George 25 due to a suspension), and it was quickly evident how much better this team is with their veteran stars. Embiid had 35 points on 12-of-17 shooting in his return, while George had 28. A better sign was when George, Embiid and Tyrese Maxey combined to score 81 points when the 76ers beat the Hornets Saturday, a key win in a tight middle of the Eastern Conference. That said, the 76ers showed they are more than just their three stars, going 5-4 with all three out recently (a soft schedule helped, but still impressive).
17. Portland Trail Blazers
(38-38, last week No. 19)
Portland will take all the wins it can get to keep its dream of reaching the No. 8 seed in the West alive (that seed comes with a much easier path to the playoffs than being ninth). The Trail Blazers went 3-1 during this home stand, but the game they need to win is Tuesday at the LA Clippers — that is the current No. 8 seed, just 1.5 games up on the Trail Blazers. It's a huge game for seeding purposes that you can watch on Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC as well as Peacock.
18. Miami Heat
(39-36, last week No. 15)
Miami's "new" starting five – Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, and Bam Adebayo – is the five coach Erik Spoelstra said he always wanted to go with, but he hasn't had everyone healthy at the same time. That five some has played just 126 minutes together across 10 games, and has a +1.8 net rating. It hasn't mattered who Spoelstra has put out on the court lately it hasn't been pretty — the Heat are 1-7 in their last eight and have slid into a tie with Charlotte for the No. 10 seed in the East. The Heat are not looking good heading into the play-in.
19. Orlando Magic
(39-35, last week No. 14)
No postseason-bound team is playing worse right now than Orlando, which has gone 1-7 in its last eight, the one win was by four points over the tanking Kings, and they got blown out by 52 by Toronto on Sunday. With Franz Wagner still out, the Magic need a more consistent Paolo Banchero, and when he goes 3-of-14 from the floor, as he did against the Raptors, things fall apart. And the defense we thought would anchor this team this season is now ranked 16th in the league for the season, and is in the bottom five in the league over the last eight games. Key game for the Magic on Wednesday against the Hawks.
20. Golden State Warriors
(36-39, last week No. 22)
Stephen Curry is nearing a return. He is officially day-to-day and is going to go through some 5-on-5 scrimmages after which he will be reevaluated, but could return to the court this week. The Warriors need him (although how hard they should push him for this season is another discussion). Since Curry went out with "runner's knee" — and then suffered a strained adductor during rehab — the Warriors are 9-16 and have slid to 10th in the West. The Warriors are locked into the play-in, but if Curry returns (or even if he doesn't), the goal should be to move up in the standings to an easier path out of the play-in and into the playoffs. The Warriors are 1.5 back of the No. 9 seed Trail Blazers and 3 back of the No. 8 seed Clippers, ground the Warriors stand a better chance of making up if Curry is on the court.
Tanking Teams
21. New Orleans Pelicans
(25-51, last week No. 20)
Technically the Pelicans are not a tanking team — they aren't actively trying to lose games to help their draft position — but they also have been eliminated from the postseason. That makes them the most dangerous spoiler on the board. Except they have lost five in a row, they aren't spoiling anything. This week they can try to spoil things a little for Portland and Orlando.
22. Chicago Bulls
(29-45, last week No. 21)
The Bulls have been eliminated from playoff contention, but it's messier than that. Chicago is going to finish below .500 for the eighth time in the last nine years, and they have now not made the playoffs proper since 2022 (they have made the play-in the three years before this but did not advance). At least the Bulls are now focused on building around a younger core led by 23-year-old Josh Giddey and 21-year-old Matas Buzelis — Giddey is tied for the second most triple-doubles in the league this season at 14 (Nikola Jokic is the leader).
23. Dallas Mavericks
(24-50, last week No. 24)
Dallas is heading into this draft with much better odds than a year ago, when the basketball gods smiled on them and blessed them with Cooper Flagg. With the sixth-worst record in the league (as of this writing), Dallas has a 37.2% chance of landing a top-four pick to get another star next to Flagg. They will have a better than 50% chance of drafting seventh or eighth, but in this draft that could land them a player with All-Star potential such as Louisville's Mikel Brown or Illinois Keaton Wagler.
24. Memphis Grizzlies
(25-49, last week No. 25)
If you're trying to put a positive spin on this season in Memphis — outside of them tanking to a 26% chance of a top-four pick — it has been the play of Cedric Coward. The 6'5"guard started his college career at Division III Willamette University (beautiful campus and city, BTW), then moved on and eventually to Washington State, where he was the No. 11 pick. This season, he's averaged 13.5 points and 6.1 rebounds a game, and he is going to make an All-Rookie Team — and he seriously deserves first-team consideration.
25. Milwaukee Bucks
(29-45, last week No. 23)
Milwaukee is officially eliminated from the postseason after losing four straight and 6-of-7. Of course, that sparked another round of speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future, both short- and long-term. He remains out injured following a left knee hyperextension that led to a bone bruise. The Bucks front office is using that to get him to shut it down after a season — he played just 36 games due to an assortment of injuries. However, he has told them he wants to play when healthy. As for his long-term future in Milwaukee, nothing has changed, he is extension eligible this offseason and whether he is willing to sign that deal will determine what happens and the timeline.
26. Indiana Pacers
(18-58, last week No. 30)
Break up the Pacers! Well, maybe we're not there yet, but Indiana played spoiler to Miami and Orlando last week, picking up a couple of wins. Pascal Siakam has had the kind of season that deserves All-NBA consideration — 23.8 points and 6.7 rebounds a game, shooting 35.8% from 3 and playing solid defense — but it's going to be tough to overcome playing on one of the league's worst teams when it comes time for voters to make their choice.
27. Washington Wizards
(17-57, last week No. 29)
Washington beat Utah last week (moving them up in these rankings, if not the league standings). This season has been about finding out what the Wizards have in their young players, which is why Tre Johnson's shooting slump after the All-Star break is of concern. In 17 starts, he's averaging 11.1 points per game on 38.3% shooting overall. From 3, he's shooting 30.6% since the break on five attempts per game. Hopefully, this is just the rookie wall, and he bounces back, starting at Summer League.
28. Utah Jazz
(21-54, last week No. 26)
Utah is last in the league in defensive rating, and if you're wondering whether that's because of poor half-court defense or poor transition defense, the answer is yes. The Jazz are 30th in the league in points per possession given up in transition, and they give up the most transition opportunities to opponents. But they also are 27th in half-court defense. Jazz fans just keep looking ahead to next season, where things will be different.
29. Brooklyn Nets
(18-57, last week No. 28)
Brooklyn snapped its 11-game losing streak (and avoided being on the bottom of these rankings) with a win against Sacramento on Sunday. Brooklyn is home for its next six games, and there is a winnable one next weekend against the Wizards.
30. Sacramento Kings
(19-57, last week No. 27)
With Russell Westbrook joining the extensive injury list in Sacramento this past week, the team signed DaQuan Jeffries to a 10-day hardship contract to just be able to field enough players. Sacramento currently has the fourth-worst record in the league — meaning a 12.5% chance of the No. 1 pick and a 48.1% chance at the top four, but they can marginally improve those odds over the final weeks of the season.
Pistons
Thunder