NBA Power Rankings: Sixers nearing the end as lottery race heats up
NBA Power Rankings: Sixers nearing the end as lottery race heats up
The 2024-25 season is nearing the end of March as April is right around the corner. The league is entering into the final third of the season as teams begin to gear up to make a run at the playoffs, or for some, the play-in tournament.
In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been a machine, and the Boston Celtics have been terrific, while the Philadelphia 76ers have been struggling all season as injuries have robbed them from what was expected to be a championship contender. The New York Knicks have been terrific, but injuries are beginning to hit, while the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks are lurking.
Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been at the top while teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Golden State Warriors will be teams to worry about as well.
Now is the time for the 18th edition of the NBA Power Rankings:
30. Washington Wizards (16-56)
Previous ranking: 30
The Wizards have a nice foundation to build on for the future. Alex Sarr is a Rookie of the Year candidate--although he probably won't win it because of Stephon Castle--and guys like AJ Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, and others are intriguing. Washington has a nice squad to build on which will be bolstered by another lottery pick in June.
29. Utah Jazz (16-57)
Previous ranking: 29
Nobody has tanked harder than the Jazz. This team has put on a tanking masterclass all season as they have strategically rested players--and got fined for it--and have had Walker Kessler start taking 3s in games. Utah is putting itself in a nice position for the lottery and bring in another impactful young player.
28. Charlotte Hornets (18-54)
Previous ranking: 28
The Hornets have to do something to help LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller get this franchise back to the playoffs. They currently have the league's longest playoff-less streak as they have not made it since 2016. Grabbing one of the top players such as Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, or Dylan Harper would be a big help to this group.
Previous ranking: 27
The Pelicans can bounce back easily in the 2025-26 season with a clean bill of health. This team has a lot of talent led by Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones so one has to believe adding a lottery talent to this roster will do New Orleans a lot of good in the future.
26. Philadelphia 76ers (23-50)
Previous ranking: 26
Much like the Pelicans, as long as the Sixers get a clean bill of health in 2025-26, they should bounce back and be back in championship contention. A trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey is one talented Big 3. With that being said, this roster could use an infusion of youth so they have to find a way to keep their top 6 protected pick. Quentin Grimes has been terrific as a Sixer.
Previous ranking: 25
The Nets are going to be in the mix for a top 5 pick come June which would be a big help to a group that needs a guy to build around. Brooklyn has some solid players on the roster, but it needs a guy who can be the center of the rebuild. Cooper Flagg perhaps? Maybe Dylan Harper? The Nets can only dream.
24. Toronto Raptors (26-47)
Previous ranking: 24
The Raptors are in the midst of a tough season, but one has to believe they're in good shape even if they don't get a top pick in June's draft. Led by a quartet of Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Brandon Ingram, Toronto could be a sneaky playoff team in 2026. Coach Darko Rajakovic has done a great job getting the most out of this roster.
Previous ranking: 23
The Heat are destined for another trip to the play-in. They led Toronto by 5.5 games with only 10 to play so it's unlikely they fall out of the No. 10 seed in the East. With that being said, Miami has to figure out the future. They have been a disaster as of late, but did pick up a win over Jimmy Butler and the Warriors, and Pat Riley and Co. will have to figure out how to get this team back into contention.
22. San Antonio Spurs (31-40)
Previous ranking: 21
The Spurs are struggling through a tough end of the season. The injuries to De'Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama derailed any type of success San Antonio was trying to build, but a positive development has been the play of Devin Vassell who has been fantastic as of late. The Spurs should be looking to develop a solid supporting cast for the future at this point.
21. Portland Trail Blazers (32-41)
Previous ranking: 20
The Blazers are only three games back of the Suns for the final play-in spot in the West. While Portland is likely going to come up short in that race, coach Chauncey Billups can take solace in the fact that this group is building something. They're not a terrible defensive team and Anfernee Simons continues to take steps forward as a player in this league.
Previous ranking: 22
Have the Bulls stumbled into something? The trio of Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Kevin Huerter has been fantastic on the perimeter while Nikola Vucevic continues to chug along at the center spot. Chicago has surged into the No. 9 spot in the East and are nipping at the heels of the Magic for No. 8 in the East. Maybe the Bulls can work with this.
19. Dallas Mavericks (35-38)
Previous ranking: 19
The Mavericks got Anthony Davis back from injury which is a big help, but Dallas is going to have to hold off the Suns for the final play-in spot in the West. The Suns currently hold the tiebreaker with nine games to go. That will be one interesting race to keep an eye on as the Mavs look to get into the play-in and hope for the best from there.
18. Phoenix Suns (35-38)
Previous ranking: 17
Let's get this out of the way: Kevin Durant is phenomenal. Amazing. Fantastic. Whatever adjective you want to describe him works. However, it might not be enough to help this Suns team get to where they want to go. It has been a tough season all year in Phoenix and the greatness of Durant and Devin Booker might not be enough to lift the Suns into the postseason.
Previous ranking: 19
The Magic may be finding their stride again. They had an impressive win on the road in Cleveland before returning home and knocking off the Lakers and then taking care of business against a bad Hornets team. Orlando needs to stack wins and recover from what was a terrible stretch. If the Magic can get the No. 7 seed and host a play-in game, it would be a big help.
Previous ranking: 16
The Hawks have been up-and-down all season. This is a talented roster who relies a lot on Trae Young to create while guys like Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and Georges Niang all play their roles on this team. Atlanta will be feisty in the playoffs if it gets there because Young can change any singular game if he gets going on the offenisve end.
15. Sacramento Kings (35-37)
Previous ranking: 15
The Kings might be in danger of falling out of the play-in. They have lost four in a row and face some tough teams coming up in the form of the Blazers, Magic, and Pacers. Sacramento has to be able to get some help for Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan to get into the postseason for only the second time since 2006.
14. Milwaukee Bucks (40-32)
Previous ranking: 13
The Bucks may be in trouble. Damian Lillard is now dealing with a blood clot while Giannis Antetokounmpo is dealing with a nagging injury. Milwaukee won't fall into the play-in tournament, but coach Doc Rivers has to get the most out of guys like Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., and others to be sure it earns a top 4 seed. The Bucks are now two games back of the Pacers for the No. 4 seed.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves (41-32)
Previous ranking: 12
The Wolves have surged a bit as they are now only half a game back of the Clippers for a guaranteed playoff spot in the West. The race for spots 2 through 8 in the Western Conference will be a shootout as it is completely jumbled up. Minnesota has a strong chance of getting out of the play-in and hoping to earn a top 6 spot in the West.
Previous ranking: 14
The Pistons continue to be the best story in the league, hands down. With one more win, Detroit would clinch its first winning record since the 2015-16 season and would triple its win total from the previous season which has never been done in NBA history. He probably won't win it, but JB Bickerstaff has to be in conversations for Coach of the Year. He's been phenomenal.
11. Golden State Warriors (41-31)
Previous ranking: 9
The Warriors are going to be a scary bunch for anybody to face in the playoffs come April and May. The legend of "playoff Jimmy" will take place in The Bay while Golden State will be able to rely on Steph Curry to do the heavy lifting. With the game on the line, Butler has proven time and time again that he can get the job done. The Warriors have to be considered contenders out West.
Previous ranking: 11
The Clippers feel like a team that as long as James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are healthy--a really big "if" for Leonard--then they can challenge anybody in the playoffs. This is a well-balanced roster with a terrific head coach in Ty Lue leading the way and a lot of reliable players. LA can be a tough out in the postseason.
9. Indiana Pacers (42-30)
Previous ranking: 10
The Pacers are ranked No. 9 in offense and No. 15 in defense as it continues to steamroll toward home-court advantage in Round 1 of the playoffs. Indiana is No. 4 in the East and only three games back of the Knicks for the No. 3 seed. The Pacers play at a different speed so they will be a tough opponent to game plan for. Especially, if Tyrese Haliburton has it going on his 3-point shot.
Previous ranking: 8
The chances for the Grizzlies hinge on the health of Ja Morant. He has had an up-and-down season amid injuries and inconsistent play, but if Morant is back to the superstar level he was once at, then Memphis is going to have a shot in the playoffs. This team is supremely talented and coach Taylor Jenkins gets the most out of the supporting cast.
7. New York Knicks (45-27)
Previous ranking: 7
The Knicks need Jalen Brunson back. While Karl-Anthony Towns deserves a lot of credit for holding down the fort on offense, New York needs its leader back on the floor. Without Brunson, the Knicks won't have much of a shot in the playoffs and a are a popular pick to be upset in Round 1. Especially, if they face a Bucks team with their two stars healthy.
Previous ranking: 5
The Lakers have been inconsistent as of late, but they had a terrific performance on the road in Indiana where they were able to come up with an impressive win on a LeBron James tip in. This is a sneaky contender in the West no matter the seed just because of the greatness of both James and Luka Doncic coming into play. A lack of size might hurt them in some matchups, though.
5. Denver Nuggets (46-28)
Previous ranking: 6
The Nuggets are just chugging along in the West. They had a little slide with Nikola Jokic sidelined, but Jokic returned in a win over the Bucks on Wednesday and was able to lead Denver to a much-needed win. The Nuggets are 2.5 games back of the Rockets for the No. 2 seed with eight games left.
Previous ranking: 4
One has to wonder how the Rockets will handle the postseason once they get there. Led by a young duo in Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, Houston will be a tough out for anybody in the playoffs. Throw in veterans like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks who have been through some playoff wards and the Rockets will have a chance to make some noise.
Previous ranking: 3
The Celtics have won seven in a row and have re-established themselves as the favorites in the East. As long as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are out there, then the Celtics will be in a great spot. Once the playoffs roll around, Boston will rely on its star power, shooting, and experience to get the job done.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (58-14)
Previous ranking: 2
The Cavs have won two in a row following a 4-game losing skid. Cleveland is in that weird spot of seeing the playoffs over the horizon, but still needing work to do in order to clinch the No. 1 seed in the East. They have yet to do so as they lead the Cs by 4.5 games with 10 games still to go for the Cavs.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (60-12)
Previous ranking: 1
Who's going to stop the Thunder in the playoffs? Seriously. Who? Oklahoma City is the best defensive team in the league and is ranked No. 3 in offense. One can make the case that their youth and inexperience could hold them back, but this team has playoff battles under their belt. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren all have playoff experience to lean on. This team is the favorite in the West.
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But in my mind, I think we could compete and do really well, but you never know until you're out there," Bird once candidly stated how he would have performed in today's game. Truth be told, it's always hard to come up with an objective analysis, especially regarding the past and current NBA eras. However, what will always remain undeniable is that Bird's greatness is timeless. Related: "God, if you let me get through this, I won't play no more" - Larry Bird describes the moment that made him retire for good This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
