Throughout much of the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been considered the league`s best team, especially when looking at net rating. Even when the Cleveland Cavaliers had a better win-loss record, analytics consistently showed the Thunder with the highest point differential per 100 possessions.
Now, the standings reflect the data. As of Thursday, the Thunder have claimed the No. 1 position in this week`s NBA Power Rankings, surpassing the Cavaliers with a league-leading record of 57-12. This shift is due to Cleveland`s unusual three-game losing streak, while the resilient Thunder continue to win despite frequent player absences. Coach Mark Daigneault has built a truly efficient and well-functioning team.
Speaking of strong teams, the Houston Rockets are rapidly climbing the rankings, propelled by an eight-game winning streak that has placed them at No. 2 in the Western Conference. Similar to the Thunder in their depth, the Rockets have successfully navigated periods without Fred VanVleet and currently Amen Thompson, largely thanks to Tari Eason`s strong performance as a replacement starter.
While the Thunder and Rockets are succeeding without key players, the New York Knicks eagerly await Jalen Brunson`s return from an ankle injury. Expected to be sidelined for at least the rest of March, the Knicks are 3-3 in his absence, including a disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The Knicks` dependence on Brunson and their starters is well-known, making the next few weeks crucial to observe their performance.
As the playoffs approach, here are this week`s NBA Power Rankings.
Biggest Movers
- Rockets: Up 3
- Knicks: Down 2
| Rank | Teams | Change | Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thunder | The Thunder`s depth and discipline are remarkable; they consistently win even when key players are out. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rests, Isaiah Joe scores 21. Jalen Williams is absent, Aaron Wiggins steps up with 26 points. Isaiah Hartenstein needs a break, Jaylin Williams delivers a 19-17-11 triple-double. Oklahoma City has won four straight, nine of ten, and now boasts the NBA`s best record, rightfully reclaiming the top spot in the Power Rankings. | Up 1 | 58-12 |
| 2 | Cavaliers | After a series of winning streaks, a few losses are inevitable. This marks only the Cavs` second three-game losing streak this season. A key concern is their defense, allowing nearly 124 points per 100 possessions during this slump. | Down 1 | 56-14 |
| 3 | Celtics | Kristaps Porzingis has returned after missing time due to an illness. He appears fully recovered, averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and two blocks on 62% shooting in two games since his return. | — | 51-19 |
| 4 | Rockets | Those who underestimated the Rockets were wrong. They`ve now won eight consecutive games, climbing to the second seed in the West. When Houston`s offense is clicking, they are incredibly tough to beat because of their consistent defensive intensity. During their eight-game streak, they rank fifth in the NBA with 122 points per 100 possessions. | Up 3 | 46-25 |
| 5 | Grizzlies | Holding the No. 2 seed on Feb. 27th, the Grizzlies have dropped to fifth after losing three of their last four games, amidst a tight Western Conference race behind the Thunder. Memphis is 15-12 without Ja Morant this season, a significant drop from their 20-5 record without him in 2021-22. | Down 1 | 43-28 |
| 6 | Nuggets | One of the Nuggets` worst losses of the year (to the Wizards, again) was followed by a strong win at Golden State without Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Christian Braun. They struggled more on Wednesday with Jokić and Murray still out, despite Aaron Gordon`s efforts, averaging 32 points and 8.5 rebounds in those two games. | — | 44-27 |
| 7 | Knicks | Losing a couple of games without your star point guard is one thing, but allowing Sandro Mamukelashvili to score 34 points in 19 minutes in a blowout loss to the Spurs, even without Wemby or De`Aaron Fox, is concerning. The Knicks have scored 105 points or fewer in three of the six games since Jalen Brunson`s ankle injury. | Down 2 | 43-26 |
| 8 | Lakers | Three consecutive wins demonstrate that the Lakers can succeed without LeBron James, especially when Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves combine for 55 points and 17 assists per game. The Lakers are maintaining their position in the top half of the West while James is sidelined, which is their primary goal. | — | 43-26 |
| 9 | Warriors | Golden State followed a season-worst loss to the Nuggets (without Jokić and Murray) with a resilient win over the Bucks while Steph Curry watched from the bench. The Denver loss likely puts the No. 3 seed out of reach, but they remain in contention for No. 4 as positive momentum continues in the Bay Area. | Up 1 | 41-29 |
| 10 | Timberwolves | Despite recent losses to the Pacers and Pelicans, the Timberwolves are still playing well overall, winning eight of their last ten. The pairing of Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle has been effective recently, with a net rating of plus-19 in 89 minutes over the last six games. | Down 1 | 41-31 |
| 11 | Clippers | The hot Clippers have won four straight and seven of their last eight, averaging an impressive 123 points per 100 possessions during that stretch. For the season, the Clippers have a plus-11 net rating with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden on the court. | Up 2 | 40-30 |
| 12 | Pistons | Losing to the Wizards is not ideal when chasing a top-four seed (or ever, really), but Cade Cunningham`s game-winner against Miami on Wednesday helped get them back on track. Detroit has a plus-10 net rating over the last 10 games despite a 6-4 record. | Down 1 | 39-32 |
| 13 | Bucks | Doc Rivers reportedly held an `open forum` for Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo to discuss how to overcome their recent struggles, which have seen Milwaukee lose five of their last seven games. In those five losses, the offense has averaged only 107 points per 100 possessions, compared to their season average of 114. | Down 1 | 39-30 |
| 14 | Pacers | Indiana continues to hold onto the No. 4 seed, even without Tyrese Haliburton, who has missed five of their last eight games. Obi Toppin had an incredible overtime performance in a crucial win against Minnesota, scoring 4-4 from 3-point range in the period, finishing with a season-high 34 points. | — | 40-29 |
| 15 | Kings | Two significant wins for the Kings, defeating the Grizzlies and Cavs in consecutive games, maintaining their lead over the Suns for the No. 9 spot. Wednesday`s win against the Cavs was achieved without Domantas Sabonis, who injured his ankle in only his second game back from a hamstring issue. | — | 35-34 |
| 16 | Suns | Two much-needed wins have kept the Suns in the final Play-In spot in the West. Devin Booker has averaged 26.5 points, 7.5 assists, and five rebounds over his last eight games, shooting 38% from three-point range. | Up 3 | 34-37 |
| 17 | Mavericks | The Mavericks might want to tank, understandably, but Anthony Davis wants to play, also understandably. This is the dilemma for a team whose fortunes have declined significantly since reaching the Finals a year ago. Regardless of Davis`s playing status for the remainder of the season, wins may be scarce. | Down 1 | 34-37 |
| 18 | Magic | The Magic secured a valuable road win, ending Cleveland`s winning streak, but overall remain in a mediocre position. Paolo Banchero has been on a hot streak recently, averaging 31 points, eight rebounds, and five assists over his last 10 games with 51/40/82 shooting splits. However, Orlando has gone 3-7 in those games. | — | 33-38 |
| 19 | Hawks | Dyson Daniels (aka the Great Barrier Thief) now has 194 steals this season, significantly more than the next highest player with 117. The gap is comparable to the difference between No. 2 and No. 173 in steals! This is not an exaggeration. The last player to record at least 200 steals in a season was Chris Paul in 2009. | Down 2 | 33-36 |
| 20 | Trail Blazers | So, there`s still a chance! With three straight wins, the Blazers are now only two games away from the final Play-In spot, achievable given the inconsistency of the Mavericks and Suns ahead of them. Anfernee Simons and Deni Avdija have each averaged over 21 points during this winning streak. | Up 1 | 32-39 |
| 21 | Bulls | The Bulls had held the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference every day of 2025… until Monday, when they surpassed the Heat to reach the uncharted territory of ninth place. It`s uncertain if it will last, but it would mean hosting the 9/10 Play-In game, which is at least a minor achievement, right? | Up 1 | 30-40 |
| 22 | Heat | Falling more than 10 games below .500 makes their record look aesthetically unappealing. Their on-court performance has also been poor, with Miami being outscored by 12 points per 100 possessions during their nine-game losing streak. Fortunately, it would require a miraculous winning streak from the Raptors, Nets, or 76ers for the Heat to fall out of the Play-In. Don`t expect that to happen. | Down 2 | 29-41 |
| 23 | Spurs | Positive stories have been rare for the Spurs since Victor Wembanyama`s injury, but Sandro Mamukelashvili is stepping up. Mamu dominated the Knicks on Wednesday, scoring 34 points and grabbing nine rebounds in just 19 minutes! He shot 13-14 from the field, 7-7 from three-point range, setting an NBA record for most points scored in under 20 minutes. Take a bow. | — | 30-39 |
| 24 | Raptors | Toronto`s six-wins-in-seven-games run was followed by consecutive losses, most recently a 40-point defeat to the Suns. Darko Rajakovic has been distributing playing time, giving opportunities to players like Orlando Robinson, Colin Castleton, and A.J. Lawson to showcase their abilities. | — | 24-46 |
| 25 | 76ers | Once, the New York Knicks were hesitant to trade Quentin Grimes in potential blockbuster deals, and now it`s clear why. Since March 1st, the fourth-year wing has averaged 28.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, shooting 41% from three-point range. It remains to be seen how this translates to meaningful games, but the Sixers are in no position to dismiss positive developments. | — | 23-47 |
| 26 | Nets | The Nets didn`t trade Cam Johnson before the deadline, but they might revisit offers in the offseason. The sharp-shooting forward is averaging 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists over his last seven games with highly efficient 50/41/81 shooting splits. | — | 23-47 |
| 27 | Pelicans | Just when it seemed the season couldn`t worsen, Trey Murphy III is out for the year with a torn labrum. This concludes a breakout season for the fourth-year forward, where he averaged 21 points, five rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 36% three-point shooting, often as the primary offensive option. | — | 19-52 |
| 28 | Hornets | The end of an era. As of Thursday morning, LaMelo Ball no longer leads the NBA in field goal attempts per game, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has surpassed him by a small margin. With limited games remaining, Ball needs to increase his shot attempts to regain the lead. | — | 18-52 |
| 29 | Jazz | The Jazz were penalized for tanking and have since increased playing time for their regular players. It hasn`t made a significant difference, though they did create some distance between themselves and the league-worst Wizards by defeating them in their “Capture the Flagg Showdown” on Wednesday. | — | 16-55 |
| 30 | Wizards | Consider No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr. He scored a career-high 34 points in Saturday`s surprising win in Denver (thanks to Jordan Poole) and has averaged 24 points, six rebounds, and two blocks over his last four games. | — | 15-54 |
