1
|
Thunder
|
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 30 points in 13 of his last 16 games, with his lowest total being 25. You take it for granted sometimes because he’s so smooth and consistent, but this is truly remarkable stuff from one of the best scoring guards we’ve ever seen. He’ll soon become the third guard in NBA history to average at least 32 points on 50% shooting or better — the other two are Michael Jordan and George Gervin.
|
—
|
64-12
|
2
|
Cavaliers
|
Cleveland passed the 60-win threshold this week and will earn the No. 1 seed in the East barring unprecedented disaster. Not bad for a team many critics said needed to trade at least one of its core pieces last offseason. Donovan Mitchell is starting to get into playoff mode after a small slump, averaging 28.5 points, eight rebounds and seven assists over the last four games on 49/36/92 splits.
|
—
|
61-15
|
3
|
Celtics
|
Deep down, Joe Mazzulla is probably a bit pleased with the butt-kicking his team received at the hands of the Heat on Wednesday. Boston had been absolutely rolling, and the last thing you want from a team at this stage of the season is to think it has everything figured out. That being said, the Celtics are 14-2 since March 1 and appear primed to fervently defend their title.
|
—
|
56-20
|
4
|
Rockets
|
Give the Rockets all the credit in the world for going from 41 to 50 wins (and counting) while earning the inside track to the No. 2 seed in the West. They’re 13-2 over their last 15 games, with the league’s second-best net rating over that stretch.
|
—
|
50-27
|
5
|
Knicks
|
The Knicks have done a decent job stemming the tide, going 8-6 since Jalen Brunson’s ankle injury. The offense has plummeted, but the defense has gotten stingier to help make up some of the difference. OG Anunoby has been terrific, averaging 23 points and five rebounds on 39% 3-point shooting since Brunson went down.
|
2
|
48-28
|
6
|
Nuggets
|
Sitting all their starters in a back-to-back after an overtime loss the night before despite being in a heated playoff race should tell you how concerned Denver is with seeding right now. And why should they be? Nikola Jokic is fresh off his latest statistical mind-bender, putting up 61 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against the Wolves. With the big man healthy, you can’t blame the Nuggets for having utmost confidence against any opponent.
|
1
|
47-30
|
7
|
Lakers
|
The Lakers bounced back from a loss in one of the most insane finishes of the season against the Bulls to pick up huge wins against the Grizzlies and Rockets, which helped create some distance in the standings. Somewhat surprisingly, the Lakers’ offense is ranked 19th in the NBA since Luka Dončić’s first game with the team, as they’ve gone 15-10 over that stretch.
|
1
|
46-29
|
8
|
Clippers
|
No matter what seed they end up with (assuming they get out of the Play-In if they end up there), the Clippers are going to be a terrifying first-round opponent. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are firing on all cylinders, and they have the league’s fifth-best defensive rating while going 12-5 since March 1.
|
1
|
44-32
|
9
|
Timberwolves
|
The Wolves have found their offense, scoring 123 points or more in four of their last five games. Julius Randle has averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists during that stretch as he continues to thrive in a playmaking role. Minnesota has an outside shot at moving into the West’s top four.
|
3
|
44-32
|
10
|
Pacers
|
The Pacers have won eight of their last 10, and one of the losses came on a LeBron James last-second tip-in, while the other was to the NBA-best Thunder. They’re getting hot at the right time, going 21-11 since Jan. 25 with a plus-five net rating as they’ve likely locked up the No. 4 seed in the East.
|
—
|
45-31
|
11
|
Warriors
|
Three straight wins, including a massive one in Memphis, pushed the Warriors into the No. 5 spot in the West for the first time since mid-December. Staying there will be tough, however, with upcoming matchups against the Lakers, Nuggets and Rockets. In case you somehow missed it, Steph Curry went bananas with a 52-point, 12-3-pointer, 10-rebound, eight-assist, five-steal performance in the win over Memphis — he’s been around long enough to understand the stakes.
|
—
|
44-31
|
12
|
Grizzlies
|
“It could always be worse — you could be homeless.” Jaren Jackson Jr.’s words amid seven losses in eight games could be used as a mantra if things continue to go downhill for Memphis this season. The Grizzlies are now 8-14 since the All-Star break with the league’s 20th-ranked defense during that span, and they’ve dropped out of the top-five in the Western Conference after being in second a little more than a month ago.
|
6
|
44-32
|
13
|
Pistons
|
Between rants from J.B. Bickerstaff and physical play that occasionally leads to multiple suspensions, the Pistons are certainly developing an identity. The No. 4 seed may be out of reach at this point, but they’re playing with house money after one of the best turnarounds in professional sports history.
|
—
|
42-34
|
14
|
Bucks
|
The Bucks are now 3-4 since Damian Lillard went down with a calf injury in late March, and interestingly enough the offense hasn’t been the problem. Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, Gary Trent Jr., Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. have all averaged double figures since Lillard went down, in addition to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 32 points per game.
|
—
|
41-34
|
15
|
Mavericks
|
After his game-winner against the Hawks on Wednesday, the Mavericks are now 5-1 with Anthony Davis in the lineup — a promising sign as they attempt to finish the season on a high note. He had 34 points in the win, his highest total thus far as a Maverick, and he’s averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in his six games.
|
1
|
38-39
|
16
|
Kings
|
When you’re vying for postseason positioning, losing to the Wizards is less than ideal. But here we are, and the Kings remain in danger of falling out of the Play-In altogether. They’ve been dreadful offensively since a 128-point outburst against the Blazers, averaging just 104 points per 100 possessions during their three-game losing streak.
|
1
|
36-40
|
17
|
Magic
|
Franz Wagner is now shooting 26% from 3-point range since coming back from injury in late January, and the question is whether this is the anomaly — or whether the 36% he shot over his first two NBA seasons was the mirage. No matter the case, it hasn’t seemed to affect his impact on the offense, as the Magic have averaged 111 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor this season, compared to a bleak 103 with him on the bench.
|
1
|
37-40
|
18
|
Hawks
|
Since joining the starting lineup permanently at the end of January, Onyeka Okongwu has averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds, a steal and a block per game on 58% shooting. He’s even made 36% of his 3-pointers over that span, up from 33% last season. The blossoming core of him, Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher is one of the most exciting in the league.
|
1
|
36-40
|
19
|
Suns
|
Has Kevin Durant played his last game with the Phoenix Suns? Four straight losses have put the Suns in danger of missing the postseason altogether, which means that if KD’s ankle sprain keeps him out for another week and a half, the next time he could suit up would be next season. All the intel suggests that there’s a significant chance that Durant will be wearing a different uniform in 2025-26, so we’ll have to wait and see.
|
4
|
35-41
|
20
|
Heat
|
Never underestimate the power of momentum. The Heat were on a five-game winning streak against horrible and/or banged-up opponents, but they showed it was no fluke on Wednesday by going into Boston and thumping the Celtics by 21 points. Just what the rest of the league wants — a red-hot Miami team heading into the postseason.
|
2
|
35-41
|
21
|
Bulls
|
Not many would have guessed that the Chicago Bulls would have the Eastern Conference Player of the Month at this juncture of the season, so congrats to Coby White, who averaged 28 points, five rebounds and four assists on 50/38/88 splits in March. Josh Giddey was no slouch either, putting up 20 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists per game as the Bulls went 9-6 during the month.
|
1
|
34-42
|
22
|
Trail Blazers
|
The Blazers technically still have a chance at the Play-In, but it would take an absolute miracle at this point. They’ve gained some serious momentum heading into next season, as they’ve gone 24-23 since Christmas with the league’s 12th-best defense over that stretch. Deni Avdija also appears to be preparing for a breakout 2025-26 campaign, averaging 26 points, 11 rebounds and 5.5 assists on 53/48/81 shooting splits over his last 11 games. He’s set to make under $12 million in the final year of his contract in 2027-28 — what a trade.
|
1
|
33-43
|
23
|
Spurs
|
Stephon Castle is bolstering his Rookie of the Year case, averaging 18 points, six rebounds and six assists over his last 10 games. Pretty impressive that he’s putting up those numbers while playing fewer than 30 minutes per game.
|
—
|
32-44
|
24
|
Raptors
|
They’ve only played 15 games together, but the Raptors have an atrocious minus-14.6 net rating with Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett on the floor together this season. Is Brandon Ingram enough to fix that? We’ll see, but it certainly seems problematic, particularly their meager 102 offensive rating.
|
—
|
28-48
|
25
|
Nets
|
With two wins this week, the Nets may have locked themselves into the league’s sixth-worst record. As Cleveland owner Rachel Phelps once said, “That’s bad, but not bad enough.” Part of the blame goes to G League call-up Drew Timme, who’s averaged 13 points and six rebounds on 61% shooting in three games with the big club.
|
1
|
25-51
|
26
|
76ers
|
Pop the champagne — it appears the 76ers will finish with the fifth-worst record in the NBA, greatly increasing their chances of keeping their top-six protected lottery pick. Philadelphia has done everything in its power to lose, going 3-19 since the All-Star break. The upside is that players like Quentin Grimes, Justin Edwards, Adem Bona and Jeff Dowtin Jr. have gotten reps that could be helpful when (in theory) the Sixers are ready to contend again next season when everyone’s back and healthy.
|
1
|
23-53
|
27
|
Pelicans
|
The Pelicans formally shut down CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson this week, putting an ugly bow on a thoroughly disappointing season. They’re not going to finish with a bottom-three record, but they’ll still have a decent shot at landing a difference-maker at the top of the lottery.
|
—
|
21-55
|
28
|
Hornets
|
Charlotte picked up a much-needed loss to the Pelicans on Sunday, all but locking them into a bottom-three record and a share of the best chance at the No. 1 pick. Rookie Tidjane Salaun has averaged eight points and seven rebounds over his last six games.
|
—
|
19-57
|
29
|
Wizards
|
The Wizards are going to finish with a bottom-three record, so wins like Wednesday’s over the Kings can be celebrated in earnest. Fun fact: Washington is 1-34 when scoring 105 points or fewer.
|
1
|
17-59
|
30
|
Jazz
|
Over their last seven games, the Jazz have been outscored by an average of 25.3 points. Needless to say, those were all losses. They’re now officially the worst team in the league record-wise, and it was only a matter of time given what we’ve been watching on the court.
|
1
|
16-61
|
