As the NBA regular season winds down, teams compete for playoff seeding. Although changes in the Eastern and Western Conference standings are still possible, the Boston Celtics remain the league’s dominant team.
The struggle for second place in the East is speeding up, while the West remains a close race. Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves are now dominating the Western Conference, it is unclear if they will be able to hold their positions until the regular season is over.
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Take a look at the Power Rankings after one week of games since the All-Star Break.
The Boston Celtics, holding the league’s top record and an eight-game winning streak, are now the NBA’s hottest team. Their balanced offense, with five different players topping the scoring charts during the streak, shows a rising strength and completeness that might threaten the whole Eastern Conference.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, who had previously led the Western Conference for much of the season, may face a struggle as its young core adjusts to the return of play following the All-Star break. Despite losing to Milwaukee on their comeback, they rebounded against Brooklyn. Their next home stretch before a big road trip will be crucial for establishing their playoff place.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are another team developing momentum. Their victory over the Clippers stretched their winning run to five games by using the help of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylen Williams, and record-breaking rookie Chet Holmgren. Their dimension, talent, and adaptability make them strong competitors.
While the Timberwolves and Thunder may face challenges due to their youth, the Clippers may face the opposite situation. Their primary players, recognized for their talent and injury history, are becoming older.
Staying healthy is critical to their championship hopes, but their recent inability to win consecutive games raises doubts about how well they’re prepared to handle the season’s expectations.
The Denver Nuggets, who were struggling before the break, have won three straight games, led by Nikola Jokic’s triple-double performances. The Milwaukee Bucks also showed indications of progress after a difficult start, winning convincingly against Minnesota and Philadelphia.
At the same time, Bradley Beal’s injury has put the Phoenix Suns in a somewhat difficult situation. While Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are dangerous forces, the team will require a healthy team to contend in the Western Conference.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, despite placing second in the Eastern Conference, have not convinced everyone. They’ve dropped two games and barely gotten by against a weak opponent since the break. While they are the top team in the East, concerns remain about their place among the league’s finest.
The Dallas Mavericks, despite snapping their seven-game winning run recently, are showing optimism as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving acclimate to playing together. Their better connection and performances might catapult them into the playoffs.
The Knicks began the post-All-Star break well, snapping a losing run before falling to the top-ranked Celtics, demonstrating that they still have work to do.
The Western Conference is highly competitive, with the Kings now in fifth place and battling to catch the top four teams. Their victories over the Spurs and Clippers are uplifting, but De’Aaron Fox must return to his peak performance for them to truly contend.
The Pelicans have failed to meet expectations after the break, falling to average teams in the East. The team’s reliance on Zion Williamson, who has a limited track record of full-season games, raises questions about their playoff chances.
The Lakers, who were without LeBron James due to injury, fell to the Warriors and Suns in important games in a close Western Conference where tiebreakers matter. They must win these types of games to prevent themselves from entering the Play-In tournament again.
The Pacers, headed by Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, remain an underappreciated success story. When the playoffs begin, they will seek to build a name for themselves on the national level.
The Philadelphia 76ers are stumbling, having won only four of their past 15 games. While their high ranking reflects optimism about Joel Embiid’s comeback, his absence might result in a major drop if he misses the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are expected to recover from their early-season struggles. Coach Spoelstra feels that his team has playoff potential but wants to avoid the Play-In tournament.
Despite a recent setback, the Golden State Warriors have won eight of their past ten games. Their young talent and Klay Thompson’s bench position look interesting, but they are not yet title candidates.
Despite an earlier defeat following an impressive road trip, the Orlando Magic are still in the playoffs. Their quality implies they must strive for home-court advantage in the first round, which is possible since they are only 2.5 games behind the fourth-place Knicks.
Finally, the Utah Jazz ended their losing run with a victory over the Spurs. They are capable of surprising teams, particularly under Collin Sexton’s leadership.
Several teams made headlines as the NBA returned from the All-Star break. Despite losing their opener to the league-leading Celtics, the Chicago Bulls rebounded with a critical victory over the Pelicans, thanks to outstanding performances from DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic.
However, the Atlanta Hawks will face an uphill battle after losing Trae Young to surgery for the next four weeks. Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic are going to take his place in his absence.
The Houston Rockets, previously considered strong candidates for the Play-In tournament, have lost momentum and slipped behind in the postseason race. Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies, hampered by injuries, are focused on developing young players like Gregory Jackson II and Vince Williams as their playoff prospects fade.
Lastly, the Toronto Raptors, who had a slow start without Fred Van Vleet, have shown flashes of vibrancy with Immanuel Quickley’s contributions and victories against the Hawks and Nets. For them to stay in playoff contention, they must continue to win against their immediate rivals.
The Brooklyn Nets are suffering, having lost four consecutive games, including against the league’s best teams, Boston and Minnesota. To remain in postseason contention, they must avoid more losing streaks. They are presently four games behind the tenth-place Atlanta Hawks.
On the bright side, the Charlotte Hornets’ defense has proven to be effective. They’ve won four straight and limited opponents to less than 110 points in six of their six previous games.
Meanwhile, despite recent games against weaker opponents such as Detroit and Charlotte, the Portland Trail Blazers appear unpredictable. They failed to take advantage of winnable games against these bottom feeders.
While the San Antonio Spurs are on an 11-game losing run, rookie Victor Wembanyama remains an asset. He had a stunning effort against the Los Angeles Lakers, demonstrating his potential and transforming the Spurs into a must-see team despite their struggles.
A major difference between both winning and losing teams is their ability to finish games. Despite a late deadlock against the Orlando Magic, the Detroit Pistons fell short as Paolo Banchero’s clutch performance clinched the Magic’s victory, leaving the Pistons with only eight victories on the season.
The NBA regular season is coming to a close, and the remaining games are about to get even more intense. It’s still anyone’s guess which teams will make it to the playoffs.
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The Boston Celtics are now the dominant team, with the best record in the league. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder are also serious challengers in the West.
The Memphis Grizzlies, which are focused on nurturing young players, and the Detroit Pistons, who have only eight victories, are no longer contenders for the playoffs.
The Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks are all in contention for playoff spots.
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