NBA Power Rankings – Week 24
Milwaukee keeps the top spot in the rankings after securing a 60-win season and the top record in the league with a 3-1 week. The Bucks beat Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Atlanta while losing to Brooklyn last week. Golden State and Houston both had stellar four-win weeks with no losses.
The week’s biggest movers were Philadelphia (down three), Boston (up three), Los Angeles Clippers (down three), Orlando (up three), Charlotte (up four), Miami (down four) and Sacramento (down three).
Philadelphia finished 1-3, the Clippers 0-3, Miami 0-4 and Sacramento 1-3 last week for the teams that dropped the most. Boston went 3-0, Orlando 3-1 and Charlotte 3-1. The Magic also clinched a playoff spot with the three-win week.
Houston broke its own NBA record for 3-pointers made in a game with 27 of them against Phoenix. The Rockets record of 26 was set last season and they tied it this season as well. The Rockets have now made 1260 3-pointers on the season, a league record and their third straight season leading the league in made 3-pointers. Houston has attempted over 500 more deep-range shots than any other team this year.
Utah doesn’t have the record of other teams in the league, but it ranks high because of their astounding point differential on the season. Utah is behind only Golden State, Toronto and Milwaukee with a +5.3 point differential on the season, ahead of the likes of Houston, Denver, Boston and Philadelphia. Utah looks poised to make another solid postseason run.
Philadelphia seems to have imploded in the last week losing to Dallas, Orlando and Atlanta by a combined 43 points. The Sixers need to do something this week to turn it around before the playoffs start or they could be in for a tough first-round matchup against the Nets or Magic.
Speaking of the Nets and Magic, both teams ended several year playoff droughts by squeaking in at the end of this season. Detroit, Charlotte and Miami are the teams fighting for the final Eastern playoff spot with the Pistons a game ahead of the Hornets and Heat. Miami had a tough week, losing all four of its game and pretty much putting them out of the playoffs. Sadly, we might not see Dwyane Wade in the postseason in his final year.
This week’s biggest games are Charlotte at Cleveland, Memphis at Detroit and Philadelphia at Miami on Tuesday and Orlando at Charlotte and Miami at Brooklyn on Wednesday. A fun possible first-round matchup between Houston and Oklahoma City on Tuesday will be on TNT.
Power Rankings
- Milwaukee Bucks 60-21
- Golden State Warriors 56-24
- Houston Rockets 53-28
- Toronto Raptors 57-24
- Utah Jazz 49-31
- Portland Trail Blazers 51-29
- Denver Nuggets 53-27
- Philadelphia 76ers 50-30
- Boston Celtics 48-33
- San Antonio Spurs 47-34
- Oklahoma City Thunder 47-33
- Los Angeles Clippers 47-34
- Indiana Pacers 47-34
- Brooklyn Nets 41-40
- Orlando Magic 41-40
- Charlotte Hornets 38-42
- Detroit Pistons 39-41
- Miami Heat 38-42
- Sacramento Kings 39-42
- Minnesota Timberwolves 36-44
- Los Angeles Lakers 37-44
- New Orleans Pelicans 33-48
- Atlanta Hawks 29-52
- Memphis Grizzlies 32-48
- Dallas Mavericks 32-48
- Washington Wizards 32-49
- Chicago Bulls 22-58
- Cleveland Cavaliers 19-62
- Phoenix Suns 19-62
- New York Knicks 16-64