Throughout almost the entire season, the Oklahoma City Thunder has been considered a leading team in the NBA, especially when evaluating their point difference. Even when the Cleveland Cavaliers held a better win-loss record, statistics consistently showed that the Thunder were outscoring their opponents by a greater margin per 100 possessions than any other team.
As of Thursday, the standings now align with these analytics, with Oklahoma City claiming the No. 1 position in this week’s NBA Power Rankings. This shift comes after they surpassed the Cavaliers to achieve the league’s best record at 57-12. Cleveland’s recent rare three-game losing streak contributed to this change, while the Thunder continue to perform strongly, even with key players frequently absent. Mark Daigneault has truly built a smoothly running team.
Speaking of strong teams, the Houston Rockets are rapidly climbing the rankings, currently holding the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference thanks to an impressive eight-game winning streak. Similar to the Thunder in team depth, the Rockets have successfully navigated periods without Fred VanVleet for a month and currently without Amen Thompson, largely due to Tari Eason’s strong performance as a replacement starter.
While both the Thunder and Rockets are succeeding despite missing key players, the New York Knicks eagerly await Jalen Brunson’s return from an ankle injury. His expected absence extends at least through March, and the Knicks have had a mixed record of 3 wins and 3 losses without him, including a significant loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The Knicks’ reliance on Brunson and their starters is well-known, making it crucial to observe their performance in the upcoming weeks.
Biggest Movers
- Rockets: Up 3
- Knicks: Down 2
| Rank | Teams | Change | Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thunder | The Thunder’s depth and discipline mean they perform consistently even when key players are out. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander absent? Isaiah Joe scores 21. No Jalen Williams? Aaron Wiggins steps up with 26 points. Isaiah Hartenstein needs rest? Jaylin Williams delivers a 19-17-11 triple-double. With four straight wins and nine in the last 10, they now have the NBA’s best record, rightfully reclaiming the No. 1 Power Ranking spot. | 1 | 58-12 |
| 2 | Cavaliers | After a series of wins, some losses are expected. This is only Cleveland’s second three-game losing streak this season. A concern is defense, allowing nearly 124 points per 100 possessions during this slump. | 1 | 56-14 |
| 3 | Celtics | Kristaps Porzingis is back after a mysterious illness and looks 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 | For those who doubted them, the Rockets have won eight straight, climbing to the second seed in the West. When their offense clicks, they are tough to beat due to their strong defense. During their streak, they rank fifth in the NBA with 122 points per 100 possessions. | 3 | 46-25 |
| 5 | Grizzlies | From the No. 2 seed on Feb. 27th to fifth, the Grizzlies have slipped due to three losses in four games in a tight Western Conference. They are 15-12 without Ja Morant this season, less impressive than their 20-5 record without him in 2021-22. | 1 | 43-27 |
| 6 | Nuggets | Following a bad loss to the Wizards, the Nuggets rallied to win against Golden State without Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Christian Braun. They struggled more in the next game without Jokić and Murray again, despite Aaron Gordon’s efforts, averaging 32 points and 8.5 rebounds in their absence. | — | 44-26 |
| 7 | Knicks | Losing without a star point guard is one thing, but allowing Sandro Mamukelashvili 34 points in 19 minutes in a loss to the Spurs without Wemby or De’Aaron Fox is concerning. The Knicks have scored 105 or fewer points in three of six games since Jalen Brunson’s injury. | 2 | 43-26 |
| 8 | Lakers | Three straight wins show the Lakers can perform without LeBron James, especially with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves averaging a combined 55 points and 17 assists. They are holding their position in the West’s top half while James is out. | — | 43-26 |
| 9 | Warriors | Golden State followed a bad loss to Denver (without Jokić and Murray) with a win against the Bucks while Steph Curry was out. The Denver loss likely put the No. 3 seed out of reach, but they are in contention for No. 4 as positive vibes continue. | 1 | 41-29 |
| 10 | Timberwolves | Despite recent losses to the Pacers and Pelicans, the Wolves are playing well overall, winning eight of their last 10. The pairing of Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle is effective, with a net rating of plus-19 in 89 minutes over the last six games. | 1 | 41-31 |
| 11 | Clippers | The Clippers are on a hot streak, winning four straight and seven of their last eight, scoring an impressive 123 points per 100 possessions. This season, they have a plus-11 net rating with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden on the court. | 2 | 39-30 |
| 12 | Pistons | Losing to the Wizards is not ideal when aiming for a top-four seed, but Cade Cunningham’s game-winner against Miami helped. Detroit has a plus-10 net rating over the last 10 games despite a 6-4 record. | 1 | 39-32 |
| 13 | Bucks | Doc Rivers reportedly held a forum for Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo to discuss how to overcome a rut. Milwaukee has lost five of their last seven, with the offense scoring only 107 points per 100 possessions in those losses, compared to their season average of 114. | 1 | 39-30 |
| 14 | Pacers | Indiana is holding onto the No. 4 seed, recently without Tyrese Haliburton, who missed five of the last eight games. Obi Toppin had an outstanding overtime against Minnesota, scoring 4 of 4 from 3-point range for a season-high 34 points. | — | 40-29 |
| 15 | Kings | Two big wins against the Grizzlies and Cavs help the Kings maintain their distance from the Suns for the No. 9 spot. Wednesday’s win over the Cavs was without Domantas Sabonis, who injured his ankle shortly after returning from a hamstring issue. | — | 35-34 |
| 16 | Suns | Two much-needed wins keep 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 with 38% 3-point shooting. | 3 | 34-37 |
| 17 | Mavericks | The Mavericks might prefer to lose games for draft position, but Anthony Davis wants to play. This reflects the team’s current dilemma after reaching the Finals last year. Regardless of Davis’s playing status, wins may be scarce. | 1 | 34-37 |
| 18 | Magic | The Magic secured a significant road win to end Cleveland’s winning streak but remain generally average. Paolo Banchero has been performing well recently, averaging 31 points, eight rebounds, and five assists over his last 10 games with efficient shooting splits, but Orlando is 3-7 in those games. | — | 33-38 |
| 19 | Hawks | Dyson Daniels leads the league in steals with 194, significantly ahead of the next player with 117. This gap is as large as the difference between No. 2 and No. 173! The last player to reach 200 steals in a season was Chris Paul in 2009. | 2 | 33-36 |
| 20 | Trail Blazers | Despite the odds, the Blazers, with three straight wins, are now two games from the final Play-In spot, achievable given the inconsistency of the Mavericks and Suns ahead. Anfernee Simons and Deni Avdija have each averaged over 21 points during this streak. | 1 | 31-39 |
| 21 | Bulls | The Bulls had been 10th in the Eastern Conference every day of 2025 until Monday, when they moved past the Heat to ninth. It’s uncertain if it will last, but hosting the 9/10 game would be some achievement. | 1 | 30-40 |
| 22 | Heat | Falling more than 10 games below .500 is not a good look. Miami has been outscored by 12 points per 100 possessions during their nine-game losing streak. Fortunately, it’s unlikely the Raptors, Nets, or 76ers will overtake them for a Play-In spot. | 2 | 29-41 |
| 23 | Spurs | Positive stories have been rare for the Spurs since Victor Wembanyama’s injury, but Sandro Mamukelashvili had a standout game against the Knicks, scoring 34 points and nine rebounds in just 19 minutes. He shot 13-14 from the field, 7-7 from 3-point range, setting an NBA record for points in under 20 minutes. | — | 30-39 |
| 24 | Raptors | Toronto’s six-wins-in-seven-games run was followed by consecutive losses, including a 40-point loss to the Suns. Darko Rajakovic is giving playing time to players like Orlando Robinson, Colin Castleton, and A.J. Lawson to showcase their abilities. | — | 24-46 |
| 25 | 76ers | The Knicks once valued Quentin Grimes highly in potential trades, and his recent performance shows why. Since March 1st, he has averaged 28.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on 41% 3-point shooting. It remains to be seen how this translates to important games, but the Sixers are welcoming any positive signs. | — | 23-47 |
| 26 | Nets | The Nets didn’t trade Cam Johnson before the deadline but might reconsider offers in the offseason. The sharp-shooting forward is averaging 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists over his last seven games with efficient shooting percentages. | — | 23-47 |
| 27 | Pelicans | Adding to a difficult season, Trey Murphy III is out for the year with a torn labrum. This ends a breakout season for the forward, where he averaged 21 points, five rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 36% 3-point shooting, often as the primary offensive option. | — | 19-52 |
| 28 | Hornets | An era is ending as LaMelo Ball no longer leads the NBA in field goal attempts per game; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has slightly surpassed him. With limited games left, Ball needs to increase his shot attempts to regain the lead. | — | 18-52 |
| 29 | Jazz | After being penalized for tanking, the Jazz have increased playing time for their regular players. It hasn’t drastically changed their results, though they did create some distance from the league-worst Wizards by defeating them. | — | 16-55 |
| 30 | Wizards | Rookie Alex Sarr, the potential No. 2 overall pick, scored a career-high 34 points in a surprising win against Denver (thanks to Jordan Poole) and has averaged 24 points, six rebounds, and two blocks over his last four games. | — | 15-54 |
Jasper Hawthorne