NBA Power Rankings: Suns, Grizzlies, Warriors | Week 20

The All-Star game is in the rear view and we kick it into overdrive for the final stretch of the regular season. Some teams have been red hot since even before the break, like the Suns and the Mavericks while other teams seem to be in a free fall with no end in sight like the Lakers. So here are our latest NBA Power Rankings for Week 20 of the regular season as of Tuesday March 2, 2022.

1) Phoenix Suns 49-12 (last week, 1)

The Suns didn’t have the restart they were hoping for after the week long respite. They dropped back to back games against the Pelicans and the Jazz coming out of the break, but those losses must be taken with a grain of salt as Chris Paul continues to nurse his injured thumb back to health.

2) Memphis Grizzlies 43-20 (last week, 3)

If this was a player power ranking, then I’d have Ja Morant at the top spot. What he has done since the All-Star Break has been sensational. He was already dropping jaws with his dazzling dunks and around the rim acrobatics, but what has really impressed is how the Grizzlies feed off their super star.

3) Golden State Warriors 43-19 (last week, 2)

The Warriors let a big fourth quarter lead slip through their hands at the Chase Center on Sunday. That was a painful loss for Steph Curry and company, but they did drop that matchup to the streaking Dallas Mavericks. What hurts even more is going on the road and not just losing, but giving up 129 points to the T’Wolves.

4) Philadelphia 76ers 37-23 (last week, 6)

I’m way too tempted to put them higher on the list, but I am a guy who realizes the honeymoon comes to an end and reality will set it at some point or another. Joel Embiid and James Harden look like a match made in heaven after in their first few games together. Let’s see how long the honeymoon lasts.

5) Miami Heat 41-21 (last week, 5)

No better way to measure how your team is playing than to go toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the league. Miami took down Chicago to rattle off their third win on the trot. To be the best you have to beat the best, and Miami will get a chance to prove that with their next three games coming up. They have the Bucks, the Nets and the Sixers in the next week.

6) Chicago Bulls 39-23 (last week, 4)

Losing two of three out of the break won’t sound the alarm bells in the Windy City just yet, especially when you consider both of those losses came to two teams who have a couple of the best records in the league (Memphis and Miami). They continue to play an exciting brand of basketball, but the East seems to have strengthened after the break. The question is, can Chicago keep up?

7) Dallas Mavericks 37-25 (last week, 8)

Recent history cannot be ignored. The Mavs are 21-7 since early December, and Luka Doncic is back to his playing weight, and back to playing like an MVP. They still sit fifth in the West after going 4-1 on their last road trip, and don’t be surprised to see them jump into the top four after a lengthy upcoming home spell.

8) Utah Jazz 38-22 (last week, 9)

Their schedule coming out of the break was no joke, but the Jazz showed they aren’t joking around either. They beat the Mavs at home and then went to Phoenix to and took down the Suns, albeit with out Chris Paul. They have won eight of their last nine, and should make it nine of ten when they play Houston tonight.

9) Milwaukee Bucks 37-25 (last week, 7)

The Bucks had a bad five game stretch going into and coming out of the break. No other way to put it. They lost four of their last five, but got a much needed victory over the Hornets on Tuesday. They can chalk their slump up to the absence of Brooks Lopez. They struggle without their big man down low, but more concerning is the their defensive deficiencies. Watch out Bucks nation, it only gets tougher with the Heat, Bulls and Suns.

10) Cleveland Cavaliers 36-25 (last week, 11)

If the Cavs can stay healthy they will have a good chance to creep into the top four and get that oh-so-important home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Their group of young studs have impressed to this point in the season, now lets see how they finish of their slate before the playoffs.

11) Denver Nuggets 36-25 (last week, 12)

What the Nuggets are doing with two of their studs sidelined for lengthy spells has been impressive. There is light at the end of the tunnel for Utah with Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray expected back before the post season. The Jazz just need to hold on and ride their reigning MVP up the standings over the last 21 games of the season.

12) Boston Celtics 37-27 (last week, 13)

The Celtics have a team to make a deeper run in the playoffs than they did last year, but they have to stop running over self imposed speed bumps. Their loss to the Pistons at home before the break and the loss to the Pacers on Sunday with allow that doubt to creep on as to wether they are for real or just pretenders.

13) Brooklyn Nets 32-31 (last week, 10)

First things first. The Nets need to get health. Getting Kevin Durant back on the court seems like a question of hours rather than days. KD should be getting back in rhythm around the same time as Ben Simmons is ready to made his Brooklyn debut. There are many things to keep an eye for Nets nation, but maybe the most important is how the NY state laws are tweaked when it comes to vaccination policies in stadiums and indoor events as Kyrie remains exiled under the Nets home roof.

14) Minnesota Timberwolves 34-29 (last week, 16)

The T’Wolves have had one of the busiest schedules coming out of the All-Star break, but have hit the ground running winning three of their last four including a big win over the Warriors on Tuesday night. Anthony Edwards has hit a rough patch in the season, but will have a chance to get back on track with a very light schedule over the next week and a half.

15) Toronto Raptors 34-27 (last week, 14)

Back to back wins over the Nets has stopped the Raptors slide down the Eastern Conference standings. Those two wins could be very important looking down the road if the Nets and Raptors are fighting to stay out of Play-In spots at the end of the regular season.

16) Atlanta Hawks 29-32 (last week, 19)

The Hawks continue to linger around that final spot in for the Play-In Tournament. This is nowhere near the team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but they still have Trae Young who is in the Top 5 in scoring. This team may be underachieving, but if they reach the playoffs they have the experience to be dangerous.

17) Los Angeles Clippers 33-31 (last week, 17)

The Clippers are two games above .500 and they have done if for the majority of the season without their two biggest stars. They have won three straight after the All-Star Game, and Ivica Zubac and Reggie Jackson continue to keep the Clips above water.

18) Charlotte Hornets 30-33 (last week, 18)

The Hornets did not need a visit to the reigning champions house in the midst of a bad spell, but that’s what they got on Monday night and it didn’t turn out well. Charlotte was crushed by 24 in Milwaukee to drop their 11th game in their last 13.

19) Washington Wizards 28-33 (last week, 20)

There is a renaissance going on in the nation’s capital, and Kyle Kuzma is the Leonardo Di Vinci. He has been unbelievable over the last three games averaging over 30 points a game, but that doesn’t mean it’s boding well for the Wizards. They have lost two of those three games and sit on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.

20) New Orleans Pelicans 25-36 (last week, 22)

It looks like CJ McCollum is going to make an immediate impact in the Big Easy. The Pelicans went on the road and beat the Lakers and the Suns, and they look more likely to make survive the regular season than the Lakers do. McCollum averaged 28 points in those two games and it looks like there is a new sheriff in the Bayou.

21) Los Angeles Lakers 27-34 (last week, 17)

The Lakers went from being one of the preseason favorites for the title after constructing a mega team in the offseason. But now they look like they’ll be lucky to make the post season. They were booed off the court against the Pelicans on Sunday and went down by 20 to the Mavs on Tuesday. They gave a respectable comeback against Dallas, but fell short, losing their 11th in their last 13 games.

22) Portland Trail Blazers 25-36 (last week, 21)

The injury problems continue to pile up for the Trail Blazers who have already been without Damian Lillard, and will now be without Jusuf Nurkic for about a month. Portland look like they are drifting farther from post season play, and if they can’t stay healthy then they will have no shot.

23) San Antonio Spurs 24-38 (last week, 1)

San Antonio will have their work cut out of them to get in to the post season. They are just a game and a half back of the Pelicans, but will have to start rattling off some wins soon to keep pace. You wouldn’t bet against Greg Popovic who is a game away from tying Don Nelson for most wins all time.

24) New York Knicks 25-36 (last week, 23)

After three straight losses since the break the Knicks now must face head to the City of Brotherly Love for a the second game of a back-to-back against the resurgent 76ers. It doesn’t help the Knicks cause that Quinten Grimes has a patella tendon injury he picked up against the Heat over the weekend.

25) Indiana Pacers 21-42 (last week, 25)

The Pacers had a big let down in Orlando on Tuesday after beating the Celtics over the weekend. They have a pretty light schedule over the next week and that will give a good indication of how the trade deadline transaction is panning out in Indiana.

26) Sacramento Kings 23-40 (last week, 26)

The Kings have not faired well since the trade deadline, and neither has their acquisition Donte DiVincenzo. He is averaging under 8 ppg since arriving to Sacremento, and the team has gone 1-4 in that span.

27) Oklahoma City Thunder 19-42 (last week, 28)

The Thunder came out of the break and were thrusted into a four game road trip. They lost the first three and will travel to Denver to play a Nuggets team trying to keep pace with the rest of the Western Conference.

28) Detroit Pistons 15-47 (last week, 27)

Cade Cunningham continues to be one of the only reasons to get out of bed in the morning for Pistons fans. They are in a race with the Magic, and the Rockets for worst record in the league.

29) Orlando Magic 15-27 (last week, 30)

The Magic may be tied for  the worst record in the league but at least they have the prospect of getting better after with Markelle Fultz finally fully recovered from his torn ACL. Fultz scored 10 points and dished 6 assists in the Magic’s win over the Pacers on Monday night.

30) Houston Rockets 15-46 (last week, 29)

At 15 wins the Rockets look like they are headed for another Draft Lottery at the end of the season. Unlink the Magic there isn’t much on the horizon in terms of any inspiration that might be able to turn things around in Houston.