NBA Power Rankings: Wolves Are Back, Warriors Are Rising, and Cleveland Just Won’t Lose
It’s that time again—NBA Power Rankings, the final-month edition. The intensity is cranked up to playoff-level stakes, teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack, and the Wolves are back in the mix after a two-week exile from this list.
Minnesota has reeled off five straight wins, finally taking advantage of their weak March schedule, but they still find themselves in the middle of a dogfight to avoid the play-in. Meanwhile, Golden State is getting terrifyingly hot at the exact wrong time for Wolves fans, Cleveland continues its thanos-level dominance, and Oklahoma City just refuses to lose (unless it’s to Minnesota).
So, where does everyone stand? Let’s get to the rankings.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (54-10) | Last Week: 1
Cleveland is on a 14-game heater and handed the Knicks, Grizzlies, and Celtics Ls for their trouble along the way. If you’re still doubting them as a legit title favorite, that’s on you. They own the league’s best record, and it might be time to start thinking about a Cavs-Thunder Finals as a real possibility.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (53-11) | Last Week: 2
OKC hasn’t lost to anyone not named “Minnesota” since January 30th. That’s insane. They just dismantled Denver and are showing zero signs of slowing down. Their seven-game win streak doesn’t do them justice—they’re running teams out of the gym.
But let’s be real—they don’t want to see the Wolves in the playoffs.
3. Boston Celtics (46-18) | Last Week: 3
Boston responded to a brutal loss to Cleveland by knocking off Denver and the Lakers. They’re a lock for the East’s No. 2 seed, but this is starting to feel like a one-track road to a Boston-Cleveland Eastern Conference Finals showdown.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (40-22) | Last Week: 4
The Celtics gave them a reality check this week, but I’m not dropping them too far after an eight-game win streak.
The real concern? LeBron is out with an injury, and if that lingers, they could slide a bit in the standings. But the NBA would never let the Lakers fall past the four-seed.
5. Denver Nuggets (41-23) | Last Week: 6
Denver just took a brutal loss to the Thunder but Nikola Jokic has still been dominant as of late, including his ridiculous 30-20-20 triple-double. I still don’t know if I fully trust this Nuggets team, but you can never count out the best player in the world come playoff time.
6. Golden State Warriors (36-28) | Last Week: 12
This is the nightmare scenario for the Wolves.
The Warriors have won nine of their last ten and don’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon. The Jimmy Butler trade has completely flipped the script, and suddenly, they’re surging right at the worst possible time for Minnesota’s play-in avoidance plan.
7. Houston Rockets (39-25) | Last Week: 7
The Rockets hold steady after back-to-back wins over New Orleans, but they lost to the Thunder, Pacers, and Kings before that. Still, this team is dangerous—especially if they avoid the play-in.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (37-29) | Last Week: Not Ranked
The Wolves are back after a two-week absence, riding a five-game winning streak and finally stringing together some consistent basketball.
After getting beat up by the post-All-Star break schedule, they’ve handled their business against easier teams and need to keep this momentum rolling. The road to the sixth seed is still alive—but Golden State is making it a nightmare.
9. New York Knicks (40-23) | Last Week: 5
Three straight tough losses (Warriors, Lakers, Clippers) drop them out of the top five. The Knicks are still in a good spot overall, but they’re looking a lot less scary heading into the playoffs than they did a month ago.
10. Memphis Grizzlies (40-24) | Last Week: 11
The Grizzlies stopped the bleeding with wins over New Orleans and Dallas, but they had just lost four straight before that. With a brutal schedule coming up, they might be in real danger of falling out of the top six.
11. Milwaukee Bucks (36-27) | Last Week: 8
The Bucks lost to Cleveland, but at this point, who hasn’t? They’ve still won eight of their last eleven, so I’m keeping them in the mix. They’re the classic “good but not great” team this year.
12. Detroit Pistons (36-29) | Last Week: 10
Detroit finally cooled off after their extended winning streak, going 3-3 in their last six. They’re still a fun team on the rise, but they’re not ready for prime time yet.
Falling Off: Indiana Pacers (35-27) | Last Week: 9
Final Thoughts: The Wolves Are Back, But Now Comes the Real Test
Minnesota has done exactly what they needed to do—stack wins against the weak part of their schedule. But now the real test begins.
They still sit in the No. 7 seed, tied with Golden State.
The Clippers and Kings are still lurking behind them.
A tougher matchups against Denver and Indiana lurk on the horizon.
This is the moment.
The good news? They’re playing their best basketball of the season.
The bad news? Golden State is also playing its best basketball of the season.
It’s going to be a sprint to the finish, and every game matters. The Wolves have the talent, the schedule advantage, and the momentum—now they just need to close the deal.
This isn’t just about making the playoffs.
This is about proving that last year’s Western Conference Finals run wasn’t a fluke.
Let’s see if they’re up to the challenge.