NBA Power Rankings: Jazz re-claim top spot, Suns in hot pursuit
The NBA Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's basketball editors.
This week, we take stock of where each team stands with just over a month remaining in the regular season.
1. Utah Jazz (40-13)
Previous rank: 2
The Jazz have been nearly unstoppable in Utah. The club is a league-best 24-2 at home this year, with losses only to the high-flying Suns and an outlier to the Timberwolves.
2. Brooklyn Nets (36-17)
Previous rank: 3
Despite the Big 3 of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving only playing seven games together so far, the Nets continue coasting through the East with a conference-best 36-17 record.
3. Phoenix Suns (37-15)
Previous rank: 4
The Clippers snapped the Suns' seven-game winning streak Thursday, but that timely run helped them create distance from the rest of the West. Phoenix now has its eyes on Utah in first.
4. Philadelphia 76ers (36-17)
Previous rank: 1
Despite Joel Embiid's three-week injury absence, the 76ers went 7-3 without their star and are tied with the Nets atop the East.
5. Denver Nuggets (34-19)
Previous rank: 6
Aaron Gordon's stellar two-way play could be a difference-maker in this year's postseason. Gordon's a threat off the ball as a cutter and can match up defensively against the game's top wing players.
6. Milwaukee Bucks (33-20)
Previous rank: 5
The Bucks remain comfortably positioned next to Philadelphia and Brooklyn as a top-three seed in the East but find themselves in a mini-slide with losses in three of their last four games.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (33-20)
Previous rank: 7
Kyle Kuzma joined LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the sidelines after suffering a calf strain Tuesday vs. Toronto. The Lakers' rash of injuries has the team in danger of falling into the play-in tournament.
8. Los Angeles Clippers (37-18)
Previous rank: 8
DeMarcus Cousins isn't the All-Star of years past, but you can't teach size. The 6-foot-10, 270-pound big man provides the Clippers with some much-needed depth at the five while Serge Ibaka recovers from a back injury.
9. Dallas Mavericks (29-23)
Previous rank: 10
The most glaring weakness in Luka Doncic's game has been his outside stroke. That hasn't been an issue this season, as the Slovenian phenom is shooting 36.7% from deep for the Mavericks.
10. Miami Heat (28-25)
Previous rank: 12
Victor Oladipo won't join the Heat on their current four-game road trip due to a knee injury. The guard's long-term health and play down the stretch will be pivotal if Miami hopes to make another deep playoff run.
11. Portland Trail Blazers (31-22)
Previous rank: 9
Adding Norman Powell bolstered an already potent Blazers offense, but Portland won't go far in the postseason if the club's defense doesn't improve.
12. Boston Celtics (28-26)
Previous rank: 11
No one's seriously counting out the Celtics just yet, but they need to break out of their funk before the playoffs. Boston hasn't been more than two games above .500 since Feb. 5.
13. Memphis Grizzlies (26-25)
Previous rank: 17
Jaren Jackson Jr. still hasn't played this season while recovering from a torn meniscus. Even without its prized big man, Memphis is on track for a play-in berth thanks to a promising core led by Ja Morant.
14. Atlanta Hawks (29-25)
Previous rank: 15
Coincidentally, the Hawks have been on a nice little run during John Collins' ankle injury absence, beginning with the April 1 double-overtime win over the Spurs. Home-court advantage in the first round isn't out of the question.
15. Charlotte Hornets (27-25)
Previous rank: 18
Jalen McDaniels has taken advantage of additional minutes in Gordon Hayward's absence. McDaniels is averaging 16.3 points, five rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and one block in his last three games for a feisty Hornets squad with playoff ambitions.
16. New York Knicks (27-27)
Previous rank: 14
Tom Thibodeau has a hungry Knicks team within striking distance of a top-four seed. Even if the team isn't able to get there, New York should hold onto its play-in tournament spot barring a catastrophic collapse.
17. Golden State Warriors (25-28)
Previous rank: 16
To cap off a second straight disappointing campaign, the Warriors are also losing one of their dynasty architects in president Rick Welts, who had run the team's business side since 2011.
18. Chicago Bulls (22-30)
Previous rank: 19
After making the biggest trade deadline splash by acquiring Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls haven't exactly been piling up wins. Chicago is 3-6 in its nine games since the deal and sits 10th in the East.
19. San Antonio Spurs (25-26)
Previous rank: 13
While DeMar DeRozan has been an elite mid-range scorer for years, his improved playmaking should also be commended. The USC product is averaging a career-high 7.1 assists per game over 44 appearances with the Spurs this season.
20. Indiana Pacers (25-27)
Previous rank: 20
The Pacers' regression has been somewhat unexpected after coming off a 45-win campaign. On top of TJ Warren's season-ending foot injury, Indiana's defensive rating slid from sixth (107.5) last season to 13th (111.4) in 2020-21.
21. New Orleans Pelicans (24-29)
Previous rank: 22
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram form a dynamic one-two offensive punch. But for the Pelicans to succeed going forward, the duo will need to improve defensively. New Orleans' 115 defensive rating is third-worst in the league.
22. Sacramento Kings (22-31)
Previous rank: 21
The Kings are stuck in a rut again after a 7-1 stretch in the second half of March. Recent losses to the worst teams in each conference - the Pistons and Timberwolves - aren't helping Sacramento's play-in hopes, either.
23. Toronto Raptors (21-33)
Previous rank: 23
Aron Baynes and Chris Boucher have struggled to fill the void left by Ibaka and Marc Gasol all season. We'll see if buyout addition Khem Birch can help make a difference in that department.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers (19-34)
Previous rank: 24
The lottery-bound Cavaliers have a nice core in place to build around. Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen are all 22 or younger, while rookie Isaac Okoro is only 20.
25. Washington Wizards (19-33)
Previous rank: 25
Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook continue to register unfathomable numbers, yet consistent wins continue to elude the Wizards. Beal has repeatedly said he loves D.C., but that 2022-23 player option looms - would both sides benefit from a split?
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (20-33)
Previous rank: 26
The Thunder are already looking ahead to next season after waiving Darius Miller on Thursday to reportedly make room for EuroLeague scorer Gabriel Deck. However, the Argentinian from Real Madrid will only join Oklahoma City in 2021-22.
27. Orlando Magic (17-36)
Previous rank: 28
The Magic's young pieces are getting an extended look after the club's fire sale at the trade deadline. Rookies Chuma Okeke and R.J. Hampton are a few of the players capitalizing on the newfound opportunity.
28. Detroit Pistons (16-38)
Previous rank: 29
Hamidou Diallo is playing his way into the Pistons' long-term plans. The 22-year-old has been a highly efficient scorer off the bench while also showing a lot of promise on the defensive end.
29. Houston Rockets (14-39)
Previous rank: 30
Rockets fans, rejoice: There are only 19 games left in your nightmare campaign. On the bright side, Kevin Porter Jr. has looked incredibly promising, and Houston looks likely to draft a potential franchise star.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-40)
Previous rank: 27
Anthony Edwards has been a bright spot amid another rough year for the Timberwolves. Edwards' 24.2 points per game in March was the third-most in a calendar month by a teenager in NBA history (min. 10 games).