The Warriors have soared to the 5th place in the league! The latest NBA power rankings were released, with the Lakers rising to the 6th, the dark - horse Rockets at the 7th, and the top three still leading by a large margin.
1 - 3: The Thunder, the Cavaliers, and the Celtics. From a win - loss perspective, all three teams have secured 50 wins, leading the rest of the league by a significant gap and maintaining this momentum throughout the season. The Celtics, as the defending champions, aim to win the championship again this season. As for the young Thunder and Cavaliers, reaching at least the conference finals would be a reasonable goal for both teams.
Fourth: The Nuggets. Ranked third in the Western Conference, the Nuggets follow closely behind the top three teams in the power rankings. This is entirely due to Nikola Jokic, a super - core who has won the MVP three times in four years. This season, Jokic is still one of the two most likely candidates for the MVP. Under his leadership, the Nuggets have achieved top - level offensive efficiency. However, the Nuggets can truly return to the championship - contention status only when they improve their defense. Of course, Jokic once led the Nuggets to a championship. With Murray, Porter Jr., and Gordon regaining their form, and Westbrook and Braun performing well, no one will underestimate this Nuggets team after the playoffs start.
Fifth: The Warriors. The bold move of the Warriors at the trade deadline is helping Golden State return to the championship - contention race. Since Jimmy Butler joined, the Warriors have an impressive record of 15 wins and 2 losses in the 17 games he has played. This has pushed the Warriors' ranking in the power rankings far ahead of their win - loss ranking. Currently, the Warriors are only 6th in the Western Conference and cannot afford to be complacent, as the Timberwolves and the Clippers are closely chasing them. Considering the playoff experience and achievements of Curry, Green, and Butler, as long as the Warriors secure a top - six finish and these three players stay healthy, they will be a legitimate championship - contending team and deserve the 5th place.
Sixth: The Lakers. The situation of the Lakers is similar to that of the Warriors. They have unexpectedly hit the jackpot in both the present and the future. When they traded Anthony Davis for 25 - year - old Luka Doncic, the Lakers' main goal was to secure the team's future. Then LeBron James voluntarily ceded power, and with the return of Vanderbilt, the Lakers' defensive performance improved rapidly, and so did their win - loss record. LeBron's injury disrupted the Lakers' winning streak, but it also gave Doncic the opportunity and space to find his form. His overall performance is getting better. When the Lakers are fully healthy in the playoffs, no one will want to face this new - old combination team with an unimaginable ceiling early.
Seventh: The Rockets. The Rockets have a better win - loss record than the Warriors and the Lakers but rank lower in the power rankings. The reason is simple: this Rockets team is too young to compete with more experienced teams like the Lakers and the Warriors. Especially in the playoffs, the Rockets may pay the price for their lack of experience. Nevertheless, few teams will want to face the Rockets in the first round. Led by Udoka, the Rockets are young, tough, and fierce. They will surely bring intense physical confrontation and energy consumption to their opponents, no matter which team they play against.
The rest of the rankings are as follows: 8 - 10: The Grizzlies, the Timberwolves, and the Knicks; 11 - 15: The Bucks, the Pacers, the Pistons, the Clippers, and the Kings. The Clippers are worth noting. Struggling with injury problems, they are still vying for a top - six finish, which has led to an underestimated ranking in the power rankings. In fact, the Clippers are returning to the championship - contention race. Harden has been on a hot streak, Leonard is gradually getting back to full strength, Powell is healthy again, Zubac has been performing outstandingly, and new signings Ben Simmons and Bogdan Bogdanovic have integrated well into the team. This Clippers team seems to be planning something big in the playoffs.
16 - 20: The Suns, the Magic, the Hawks, the Bulls, and the Blazers; 21 - 25: The Raptors, the Spurs, the Heat, the Sixers, and the Nets; 26 - 30: The Mavericks, the Pelicans, the Hornets, the Wizards, and the Jazz.