Hoops Wire released its latest NBA power rankings through games played on March 3, and the San Antonio Spurs remain in the top spot despite seeing an 11-game winning streak snapped earlier in the week.
Top 10
1. San Antonio Spurs (44-17)
A 40-point rout of Philadelphia immediately followed the end of their long streak, a quick reminder of their Western Conference dominance.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (48-15)
Winners of six of seven, the Thunder even edged Denver in overtime while closing without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, underscoring their championship pedigree.
3. Detroit Pistons (45-15)
Detroit escaped what could have been two losses to Cleveland and continues to benefit from timely breaks.
4. Boston Celtics (41-20)
Twelve victories in the past 14 games have Boston surging, and Jayson Tatum is expected back shortly.
5. New York Knicks (40-22)
New York halted San Antonio’s streak with a 25-point win and owns the NBA’s best defensive rating since mid-January after taking 15 of its last 19.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (39-24)
Cleveland is 8-1 when James Harden plays, even with the veteran guard dealing with a fractured thumb.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (39-23)
Anthony Edwards has heated up again, helping Minnesota claim seven of eight; the club has appeared in the past two West finals.
8. Denver Nuggets (38-24)
Denver has managed only one win over a team above .500 during the past seven weeks, a concerning skid for the defending champs.
9. Houston Rockets (38-22)
A 5-2 mark since the All-Star break looks solid, though the lone top contender encountered was New York—an eventual loss.
10. Charlotte Hornets (31-31)
Charlotte has captured 15 of 18 and owns 11 wins by 20-plus points, impressive for a group still labeled a play-in hopeful.
Middle of the Pack
11. Los Angeles Lakers (37-24)
A closing 24-7 burst to topple New Orleans bolstered the league’s best clutch record.
12. Toronto Raptors (35-26)
Toronto keeps handling sub-.500 foes but has now lost 11 straight to New York, the NBA’s longest current slide versus one opponent.
13. Phoenix Suns (35-26)
Phoenix is 3-2 since losing Dillon Brooks and remains within reach of the West’s top six.
14. Orlando Magic (32-28)
A top-10 defense is offset by a bottom-10 offense, leaving Orlando stuck near the conference middle.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (33-28)
Six setbacks in nine contests highlight how rough things turn without Joel Embiid, evidenced by three 40-point home defeats.
16. Miami Heat (33-29)
Bam Adebayo’s Defensive Player of the Year push anchors a unit ranked in the league’s top five; Miami has taken five of seven.
17. Atlanta Hawks (31-31)
Jonathan Kuminga’s strong start and a top-10 net rating since February keep Atlanta squarely in the play-in mix.
18. Golden State Warriors (31-30)
With Stephen Curry’s return timetable still loose, Golden State appears settled firmly in play-in territory.
19. Los Angeles Clippers (29-31)
A win over Golden State and a solid debut from Darius Garland move L.A. closer to the No. 8 seed, which would require only one play-in victory.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (29-33)
Scoot Henderson has returned, yet Portland followed with two lopsided defeats and sits on track for the No. 10 play-in berth.
Play-In Fringe and Lottery Outlook
21. Milwaukee Bucks (26-34)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is back even as Milwaukee lurks outside the play-in zone, leaving the club’s direction unclear.
22. New Orleans Pelicans (19-44)
Swept in Los Angeles after a 6-2 stretch, the Pelicans finish their trip in Sacramento and Phoenix.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (23-37)
Wins are coming chiefly against fellow lottery dwellers; the Grizzlies own a 6.7% chance at the top pick.
24. Chicago Bulls (25-37)
An 11-game skid finally ended before another loss pushed Chicago closer to draft positioning.
25. Dallas Mavericks (21-40)
Fourteen defeats in 16 outings have Dallas trending toward another high lottery slot a year after snagging Cooper Flagg.
26. Utah Jazz (18-43)
Utah has dropped six in a row and 14 of 17, placing it fifth in current lottery odds.
27. Washington Wizards (16-45)
Trae Young is slated to debut Thursday as Washington hovers just outside the top three draft slots.
28. Brooklyn Nets (15-46)
Tied for the league’s second-worst record, Brooklyn faces a comparatively soft schedule that could complicate tanking unless the losses continue.
29. Indiana Pacers (15-46)
Sharing Brooklyn’s mark but owning a tougher slate, Indiana may not need extra effort to stay in the loss column.
30. Sacramento Kings (14-49)
The Kings possess the NBA’s poorest record and best lottery odds; a couple of recent wins have not altered that outlook.
The next set of rankings will track how teams navigate the season’s final stretch and looming playoff races.
Source: Hoops Wire
