NBA Power Rankings: Suns finish strong, Heat top East, Mavs to host in first round

We are heading to the NBA Playoffs with 20 teams still in the mix for the 2022 title. Phoenix and Miami are tops in their respective conferences, while each of the four Play-In teams in the East and West will battle for their spot in the first round.

Here are our final Power Rankings of the regular season:

1) Phoenix Suns, 64-18, (1 last week)

2-2 last week. The most important thing for the Suns towards the end of the season was working Chris Paul back to 100% while reincorporating him back in the starting five before the playoffs. They are firing on all cylinders going into the playoffs and don’t be surprised if they make second straight run to the finals.

2) Memphis Grizzlies, 56-26 (2 last week)

1-3 last week. The Grizzlies didn’t have much to prove with the second seed in the West wrapped up coming into the final week of the season. Ja Morant came back for just one game since injuring his knee three weeks ago. His one and only game back was against the Pelicans, and was the only game the Grizzlies won last week.

3) Miami Heat, 53-29 (3 last week)

2-1 last week. They had to work for it, but the Miami Heat shook off a mini late-season crisis to wrap up the regular season on top of the East. Eric Spoelstra thrives in the playoffs, and has a team that has proven they can hold off the top teams in the conference.

4) Golden State Warriors, 53-29 (6 last week)

3-0 last week. The good news is Steph Curry will be around for Golden State’s first round playoff matchup. The bad news is that he won’t have a bit of time to gel with Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, who have only played together in one complete game together since the Warriors Game 6 against the Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals.

5) Boston Celtics, 51-31 (4 last week)

2-1 last week. The C’s ended the season as the hottest team in the East, thanks to some fantastic play from Jayson Tatum. The team that had to fight through the Play-In Tournament last year will now wait for their opponent to make through this years knock out tournament. They end the season tied for the second best record in the conference, but getting the three seed means they will avoid the possibility of having to play the Nets in the first round.

6) Dallas Mavericks, 52-30 (8 last week)

3-0 last week. The Mavericks secured home court in the first round after finishing the season on a four game winning streak, but at what cost? Their super star, and focal point on the offensive end Luka Doncic limped off the court against the Spurs with what’s being called a calf strain. The Mavs are confident Doncic will comeback for the first round against the Utah Jazz, but only time will tell.

7) Milwaukee Bucks, 51-31 (5 last week)

Last year’s champions finished the season in a three way tie for second place and get the two seed in the East. They sat basically everyone against the Cavs in the final game of the regular season, but will have a healthy roster Giannis at 100% and Brook Lopez getting closer to full fitness after missing most of the year with a back injury.

8) Philadelphia 76ers, 51-31 (7 last week)

3-1 last week. The Sixers ended the regular season in good fashion, winning three of their last four to join the three way tie for second in the East. The tie break leaves them with the fourth seed, but they won’t mind too much. This is a team built to win even without home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

9) Utah Jazz, 49-33 (10 last week)

3-1 last week. The Jazz are a week removed from looking like they were going to be stuck in the Play-In Tournament, but Quinn Snyder’s side righted the ship in the final stretch of the regular season and finish with the fifth seed.

10) Toronto Raptors, 48-34 (11 last week)

3-1 last week. The Raptors made major moves in the final parts of the regular season, going 8-2 in their final tend to distance themselves from the pack hovering around the Play-In spots. For their efforts, they get the Sixers in the first round. The way the Raptors are playing, don’t be surprised if that series goes seven games.

11) Denver Nuggets, 48-34 (9 last week)

1-2 last week. The Nuggets are on to the first round of the playoffs, and they have the reigning NBA MVP to thank for that. He has put this team on his back from the very start of the season and carried them to the six seed in the West. The load will get even heavier for the Serbian center as the Nuggets found out that they will be without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. for the entirety of the playoffs.

12) Brooklyn Nets, 44-38 (20 last week)

4-0 last week. A perfect ending to the season may have me overestimating the Nets, but I really do think this is one of the most dangerous teams in the post season. Of course, they will have to get through the Play-In Tournament, but if they do, they are capable of knocking off the top seeded Heat or Bucks in the first round of the tournament.

13) Chicago Bulls, 46-36 (12 last week)

1-3 last week. What a fall from grace it has been for the Bulls. The boys from the Windy City were at the top of the Eastern Conference just a couple months ago, but slumped all the way to the middle of the standings and were lucky to avoid the Play-In.

14) Minnesota Timberwolves, 46-36 (13 last week)

1-2 last week. The T’Wolves made a valiant charge up the Western Conference standings after the All-Star Break, but couldn’t keep the hot streak going in the final stretch of the regular season. They end the season losing six of their last ten and will have to get through the Play-In Tournament to qualify for the playoffs. The way we have been seeing Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards have been playing gives them a good shot of winning at least one of a potential two games in the Play-In.

15) Atlanta Hawks, 43-39 (14 last week)

2-2. How about the Hawks? They come into the Play-In Tournament rolling having won eight of their last ten games. They are still going to have to win a two games to get into the Play-In, but with Trae Young averaging over 32 points in his last seven games, it’ll be hard to bet against them.

16) Los Angeles Clippers, 42-40 (16 last week)

Paul George came back for five of the final seven games for the Clippers which will no doubt give them a big boost heading into the Play-In. The return of their star has catapulted the Clippers to win six of their last seven, with their only loss coming in overtime to the Bulls to close a March to forget. Charlotte Hornets, 43-39 (17 last week)

17) Charlotte Hornets, 43-39 (17 last week)

3-1 last week. Charlotte was in no danger of missing the Play-In, but they gave it their best shot at the 7 or 8 spot in the East, unfortunately for them the rest of the Play-In teams continued to win so they will have to get through the streaking Hawks, and then the loser of the Nets vs. Cavs game.

18) Cleveland Cavaliers, 44-38 (15 last week)

1-2 last week. The Cavs are hobbling into the Play-In and look like big underdogs going into the their match up with the Nets. They have won just three of their last ten games, but did enough to finish eighth so they will have two chances to get to the first round.

19) New Orleans Pelicans, 36-46 (19 last week)

2-2 last week. The Pelicans had things locked up coming into the week, which allowed the to take the last couple games lightly. They’ll have to get through the Spurs first and then worry about the winner of the T’Wolves Clippers game.

20) San Antonio Spurs, 34-48 (18 last week)

1-3 last week. The Spurs probably don’t deserve to even have a chance to make the playoffs after winning just 34 games all year, but it must be said, they deserve it more than the Lakers. So here they are at the 10 spot in the West and Gregg Popovich has a chance to bring his team to the playoffs for the first time since in three years.

21) New York Knicks, 37-45 (21 last week)

2-1 last week. The Knicks finished the season with seven wins in their last ten games. They did if for the most part without Julius Randle who sat out for the final five games.

22) Washington Wizards, 35-47 (22 last week)

1-3 last week. The Wizards were left in no mans land for the last few weeks. They had no shot at the Play-In and used the final weeks to get geared up for next year. Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma will be the protagonists in the season to come. Kuzma spent the last bit of the year on the sideline which allowed the Latvian to take control of the team.

23) Los Angeles Lakers, 33-49 (21 last week)

2-2 last week. The disastrous season finally comes to an end for the Lakers, who are probably glad the misery has come to a close. They weren’t going to compete in the playoffs so there may be some on the Lakers who are happy the offseason has come early.

24) Sacramento Kings, 30-52 (23 last week)

1-2 last week. Sacramento’s season comes to a close with not much excitement. Domantas Sabonis sat the last nine games of the season perhaps saving his body for next season in Sac Town.

25) Detroit Pistions, 23-59 (27 last week)

0-3 last week. Detroit had a few promising flashes towards the end of the season, but the Pistons were always going to have a tough time coming into this season with a young team. Cade Cunningham will only improve on his 17.4 points, five rebounds and five assists.

26) Oklahoma City Thunder, 24-58 (28 last week)

1-3 last week. There was little to be excited about in OKC after Josh Giddey went down with a season ending injury after right after the All-Star Break.

27) Indiana Pacers, 25-57 (26 last week)

0-3 last week. There wasn’t much pride on display in the Pacers final month. They won just three games since mid March, and ended their season on a ten game losing streak.

28) Portland Trail Blazers, 27-55 (25 last week)

0-4 last week. Really a poor performance for the Portland Trail Blazers who looked like they gave up once it was announced that Damian Lillard was not returning for the remainder of the year. The Blazers ended the year on an 11 game losing streak.

29) Orlando Magic, 22-60 (3-1 last week)

Quite a nice stretch for the Magic to end the season, but there weren’t enough of those good runs throughout the year to make sure they were in the hunt for the post season.

30) Houston Rockets, 20-62 (29 last week)

0-3 last week. A season to forget comes to an end with in Houston. They end the year with the worst record in the NBA, and will be hoping for the top pick in the Draft as compensation for their rough campaign.