Week 22 NBA power rankings: Raptors hitting stride, Pacers in trouble
USA TODAY Sports' NBA power rankings for Week 22 (Monday, March 27 through Sunday, April 2) of the 2016-17 season.
► MVP race: Harden pushes past Westbrook for top spot
► ROY race: Saric, Brogdon neck-and-neck
TEAM (RECORD) MOVEMENT
1. Golden State Warriors (63-14) -
Not only have Warriors won 11 straight games, including matchups with the Thunder, Grizzlies, Rockets (twice), Spurs and Wizards, but back-to-back MVP Stephen Curry has played his best basketball of the season during this stretch, averaging 27 points, 7.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 4.8 three-pointers (at 46.5%). Will he keep it up once Kevin Durant returns?
2. San Antonio Spurs (59-17) -
The Spurs — who are 7-2 this season against the Warriors, Cavs and Rockets — are, without question, the second-best team in the NBA as we enter the final stretch of the regular season. They put together an impressive week, with a 29-point rout of the Cavaliers, a 21-point comeback win over the Thunder and a six-point win over Utah, though they let up a 22-point lead to lose to the Warriors.
3. Houston Rockets (52-25) -
As the season winds down and the playoff races heat up, the Rockets are faced with a dilemma. James Harden, who has a wrist injury that's clearly affecting his play, is in a neck-and-neck MVP race with Russell Westbrook. But the Rockets are essentially locked in as the No. 3 seed in the West, five games ahead of the Jazz and 7 ½ behind the Spurs. Harden sat out of Sunday's win over the Suns with the flu — his first missed game of the season. Should he take a couple more games off to ensure he's 100 percent come playoff time?
“(Rest) for what?,” Harden told USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick after Houston's loss to the Warriors on Friday. “It’s messing with my rhythm a little bit, not just tonight but the last week or so. But I’ll be alright. It’s a little (frustrating). I’ll be alright. I’m strong enough."
PHOTOS: James Harden through the years
4. Boston Celtics (50-27) -
The Celtics, who are the No. 1 seed in the East, have a must-watch tilt with the second-seeded Cavaliers on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Celtics are ½ game ahead of the defending champs, and if they win their fourth and final matchup of the season, would avoid giving the Cavs the tiebreaker.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (49-27) -
The Cavaliers have lost five of their last 10 games. They had the NBA's 29th-ranked defense in March. Things got heated between LeBron James and Tristan Thompson during Sunday night's double-overtime win against the Pacers. And yet, with six regular-season games left, the Cavs are still the favorites to come out of the East.
6. Toronto Raptors (47-30) +2
The Raptors, sans Kyle Lowry, have won eight of their last 10 games and are now the third seed in the East. What's more, Lowry (wrist) is expected back soon, which would give him some valuable reps before the postseason. Don't forget: This is a team that, at the trade deadline, added Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker — neither of whom have played with Lowry yet. We don't know what this team is capable of at full strength.
7. Utah Jazz (47-30) -
The Jazz, who are just a ½-game ahead of the Clippers (and don't own the tiebreaker) for the fourth seed in the West, have a tough road ahead, with two games against Portland and games against Golden State and San Antonio (though they both may rest their stars based on their spots in the standings). Homecourt advantage could make all the difference in a first-round series, as Utah's Vivint Smart Home Arena (formerly known as EnergySolutions Arena and the Delta Center) is notorious for being one of the NBA's toughest places to play.
PHOTOS: Week 22 NBA power rankings
8. Los Angeles Clippers (47-31) +1
The Clippers have had an up-and-down season and are still searching for consistency, but they're playing some of their best basketball of the year heading into the playoffs. They've won seven of their last nine games, including games against Cleveland, Utah and Washington. Austin Rivers (hamstring) is likely to miss some, if not all, of the first round. But once he's healthy, do the Clippers have what it takes to compete with the likes of Golden State, San Antonio and Houston come playoff time?
9. Washington Wizards (46-31) -3
The good news: The Wizards clinched the division for the first time since 1979, have homecourt advantage secured and are just one game behind the Raptors for third place in the East. They also have a nonexistent injury report, and — provided they can keep it that way — are a legitimate contender to make it to the conference finals for the first time since that 1978-79 season.
The bad news: They've lost three straight, three of their five remaining games are on the road and if the playoff started today, they'd be looking at a first-round date with the red-hot Bucks.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder (43-33) -
What a week it was for Russell Westbrook and the Thunder, who erased a 13-point deficit in the final few minutes against Dallas on Monday night, followed by a 21-point comeback win over the Magic on Wednesday — an effort highlighted by Westbrook's historic 57-point, 13-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. Two days later, they let up a 21-point lead of their own in a loss to the Spurs, and on Sunday, fell to the Hornets despite Westbrook's sixth-straight triple-double. Now, they sit comfortably in sixth place in the West, 1 ½ games ahead of the Grizzlies and three games behind the Clippers.
PHOTOS: Russell Westbrook through the years
11. Milwaukee Bucks (40-37) +1
The Bucks (11-4) have the third-best record in the NBA over the last 15 games and now have a one-game lead on Atlanta for fifth place in the East. This roster may have very little postseason experience, but their talent — headlined by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton — is undeniable.
12. Memphis Grizzlies (42-35) -1
The Grizzlies clinched their seventh-straight postseason berth with a win over the Mavericks on Friday night. If the playoffs started today, they'd face the Spurs — who they lead 2-1 in the season series and face for the fourth and final time on Tuesday — in the first round. Instead of fighting with the Thunder for the sixth seed, the Grizzlies are more focused on heading into the postseason healthy.
“We’re at the end now,” Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said after Sunday's loss to the lowly lakers, per The Commercial Appeal. “Wherever we end up, it’s going to be a great team anyway. Right now it’s the last five games, so can we get better? Can we get some guys feeling healthier? We’ve got some guys really nicked up. That’s all it’s about right now ..."
13. Portland Trail Blazers (38-38) +2
Behind stellar play from Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic (who's out for at least two weeks with a leg injury), the Blazers — who have won eight of their last 10 — have a firm grip on the No. 8 seed in the West.
"We feel like we're the team right now that we should have been all along, the way we're playing. And all that matters is getting that playoff spot," point guard Damian Lillard told reporters after Saturday night's win over Phoenix. "I guess it's good to be .500, but nobody comes into the season saying, 'Let's play .500 basketball.' We wish we were in a better position."
14. Chicago Bulls (38-39) +4
If any team could botch a remaining schedule of New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn (twice) and Orlando, it's these Bulls, who have been one of the NBA's most dysfunctional groups all season. But if they don't, Chicago — who has won four straight and now sits in seventh place in the East — will be headed to the postseason for the ninth time in 11 seasons.
15. Miami Heat (37-40) -1
A couple of weeks ago, with the 11-30 start nothing but a distant memory, the Heat looked poised to sneak into the East's eighth spot after completing one of the biggest in-season turnarounds in NBA history. But now, after losing four of six, that No. 8 spot isn't exactly Miami's for the taking. They own the tiebreaker with Indiana, but have to close out the season with games against Charlotte, Toronto, Washington (twice) and Cleveland.
16. Atlanta Hawks (39-38) +1
Paul Millsap returned from an eight-game absence (knee) on Sunday, but the Hawks still lost to the Nets (for the second time in five games). Only two games separate Atlanta from the ninth-place Pacers, who they play on the final night of the season. Until then, they must face Boston, Cleveland (twice) and Charlotte.
17. Indiana Pacers (37-40) -4
If there's a time to not lose four straight games and six out of seven, it's late March/early April. After Sunday night's heartbreaking double-overtime loss to the Cavs (Paul George: 43 points, nine rebounds, nine assists), the Pacers are in serious danger of missing the playoffs for just the second time in seven seasons.
18. Denver Nuggets (36-40) -2
Despite holding onto the eighth seed for the majority of 2017, the Nuggets are now on the outside looking in and must face Oklahoma City (twice) and Houston in three of their final six games. Even if they catch Portland, the Trail Blazers own the tiebreaker.
19. Charlotte Hornets (36-41) -
After Sunday's 113-101 win over the Thunder, the Hornets are still alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race, just one game behind the eighth-place Heat, who they own the tiebreaker against.
20. New Orleans Pelicans (33-44) +1
The Pelicans will have to wait until 2017-18 for DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis to have a shot at the postseason, but over the last couple of weeks, Boogie and The Brow have given fans something to look forward to. Since March 14, the duo is averaging a combined 53.8 points, 25.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists on 50% shooting, and the Pelicans have gone 7-4.
21. Detroit Pistons (35-42) +1
The Pistons didn't need a win against Milwaukee on Friday night, technically speaking. But make no mistake: The Pistons needed a win. They lost — a 108-105 overtime thriller, no less — for their sixth loss in seven games. Now, with Toronto, Houston, Memphis and Washington as four of their five remaining opponents, and two games between them and eighth place with both the Pacers and Hornets standing in the way, the Pistons' postseason hopes are hanging by a thread.
22. Dallas Mavericks (32-44) -2
For just the fourth time in the Dirk Nowitzki era, the Mavericks are going to miss the playoffs. The other three times? The 1998-99 season (Nowitzki was a rookie), 1999-00 and 2012-13 (Nowitzki missed 29 games with a knee injury).
PHOTOS: Dirk Nowitzki through the years
23. Minnesota Timberwolves (30-45) +1
The Timberwolves' season is going to end at Game No. 82 for the 13th-straight year — the second-longest postseason drought in NBA history behind the Clippers (1976-91).
24. Sacramento Kings (30-47) -1
The silver lining behind all of this losing, other than the fact that they'll likely be able to hold on to their top-10 protected pick (which would otherwise go to Chicago) is the uptick playing time for the youngsters. In Saturday night's win over the Timberwolves, rookies Skal Labissiere, Buddy Hield and Georgios Papagiannis all saw at least 20 minutes of playing time, while second-year big man Willie Cauley-Stein saw 27.
25. New York Knicks (29-48) +2
Just this week: Derrick Rose was ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering yet another knee injury; the Knicks were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the fourth straight year; Carmelo Anthony said he doesn't know what his role with the team is and the he sees "the writing on the wall"; and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen lambasted his former coach, Knicks president Phil Jackson, for the team's continued dysfunction. Just another week of Knicks basketball.
26. Philadelphia 76ers (28-49) -1
With Robert Covington and Jahlil Okafor the latest players to be shut down for the season, the NBA awarded the injury-riddled Sixers a roster hardship exception to sign former Kentucky forward Alex Poythress — the 21st player to see game action for Philadelphia this season.
27. Orlando Magic (27-50) -1
Of the few bright spots of Orlando's otherwise dull season, the growth of Elfrid Payton is something Magic fans can hang their hats on. Since coach Frank Vogel opted to take a small-ball approach after the All-Star break, Payton has thrived, averaging 13 points (on 50.5% shooting), 8.3 assists, 7.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and has recorded five triple-doubles.
28. Los Angeles Lakers (22-55) +1
Of all teams faced with the league's annual tanking dilemma, the Lakers have the most to lose by winning. The Lakers' 2017 first-round pick will go to Philadelphia unless it falls in the top three, meaning it's in their best interest, from a rebuilding standpoint, to lose. After beating the Grizzlies on Sunday, their odds of landing a top-three pick dropped from 55.8% to 46.9%.
29. Brooklyn Nets (18-59) +1
It doesn't mean much, but in March, the Nets weren't the worst NBA team in New York. In fact, their 7-10 mark was 18th in the NBA, tied with the Cavaliers. Baby steps.
30. Phoenix Suns (22-56) -2
Rookie point guard Tyler Ulis had a career-high 34 points to go along with nine rebounds and nine assists in Sunday's loss to the Rockets. It was Phoenix's 12th straight loss, giving them the worst record in the Western Conference.
List of voters: USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt, Sam Amick, Kevin Spain, AJ Neuharth-Keusch and Michael Singer; The Arizona Republic's Doug Haller; The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery; Detroit Free Press' Vince Ellis; Indianapolis Star's Nate Taylor; The (Bergen) Record's Steve Popper; HoopsHype.com's Jorge Sierra and Raul Barrigon; USA TODAY Sports Weekly's Howard Megdal; For The Win's Adi Joseph.