Can you believe it? Twenty-two weeks have passed since the 2024-2025 NBA season started, and we’re less than a month away from the postseason. OKC, Cleveland, and Boston have already secured a playoff spot due to their dominance on the court this year, while other NBA teams are trying to put themselves in a position for a top-six position and a higher ranking to finish the season.
If we head over to the Eastern Conference, it generally feels like all the top six teams are safe from falling to the play-in tournament. The same thing cannot be said in the West, though. From the second position to the eighth, there’s only a five-game difference in the standings. Quite a chaotic scene, truly.
After week 22, here are the power rankings for all 30 NBA teams from worst to first.
Who are the top-ranking NBA teams after week 22?
30. Utah Jazz (30)
Walker Kessler did what? Did he attempt eight threes in an actual NBA game? Yes, he did.
It looks like the Jazz have confidently embraced their tanking status to secure a top-three selection in this year’s draft. A 1-9 record in their last ten games should be a clear indicator that they are aiming for Duke’s Cooper Flagg to become their franchise savior.
Plus, they are officially out of the playoff contention in the West.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
Capture the Flagg is the name of the game, right?
29. Washington Wizards (27)
Last week’s two-game win streak was immediately met with a four-game slide in week 22 for the Wizards. As a result, they are now officially out of the playoff contention in the East.
It’s not like they have a chance to get there anyway.
However, since the all-star break, Washington has performed better on the court, and their numbers have been quite impressive, especially in the fourth quarter. Rookie Alex Sarr looks like a keeper, often leading the Wiz in the scoring department in the last couple of weeks.
28. Charlotte Hornets (29)
The Hornets aren’t technically out of the playoff picture yet, but expect them to be officially eliminated at the end of this week. This team toiled mostly at the bottom of the weekly NBA rankings this season due to their inconsistent play and overreliance on LaMelo Ball’s erratic play style.
Boasting an 18-53 record, it would be a miracle if Charlotte finishes with at least 20 wins with over three weeks left to play this season.
27. New Orleans Pelicans (28)
Zion Williamson has said that this is the best he has felt in his career, and that’s a positive sign for the fans of this franchise. With New Orleans officially out of the playoff picture, they should consider sitting out their star to avoid any injury woes in what has become meaningless games for them.
Just look at what happened to Trey Murphy. His injury could have been avoided had the Pelicans opted to play him for limited minutes, or they could just have sat him a few games here and there.
Should also consider sitting out CJ McCollum, too. Aim for the Flagg, Pelicans.
26. Philadelphia 76ers (25)
Losers of four straight games, the only positive thing that has ever come out of Philly this year was their midseason acquisition of Quentin Grimes in exchange for the often-injured Caleb Martin.
Grimes has averaged 21 PPG for the Sixers – a far cry from his 10 PPG average as a member of the Mavericks before the trade.
The Sixers have nothing to play for this year after Maxey, Embiid, and George missed a lot of time due to injuries.
25. Brooklyn Nets (26)
The Nets only went 2-8 in their last ten and are on a three-game slide right now. Rankings or not, this team has faltered despite their good start in the 2024-2025 NBA season.
D’Angelo Russell has been too inconsistent despite having the green light to shoot on a nightly basis. Cam Johnson is neither a viable second or third option for this team. Needless to say, they have a ton of things to address in the offseason.
The first thing they need to do is to tank hard for a top-three pick in the draft.
24. Toronto Raptors (24)
It remains to be seen if the Raptors can still put up a fight to secure themselves a top-ten finish in the East, but losing four straight wouldn’t cut it for their play-in aspirations.
I mean, with Miami slumping hard in the last couple of weeks, it gave Toronto a slim chance for a postseason appearance, as they are just five games behind them in the standings.
Is a miracle still possible here, or are they better off losing games to position themselves for a solid draft pick in June? Better go for the latter, in all honesty.
23. Miami Heat (21)
If it were not for Andrew Wiggins erupting with 42 points against the lowly Hornets to end week 22, Miami would have lost 11 straight games.
Before defeating the Hornets, the Heat had lost ten straight in nearly three weeks. It was an ugly sight, no doubt. Coach Spoelstra tried various lineups to end their misery, and it was painful to watch.
Truly don’t know if the Heat are better off tanking or making the play-in. This roster has no true star and is headed towards mediocrity in the next few years.
22. Portland Trail Blazers (22)
By the looks of it, it seems like the Blazers aren’t capable of making a last run to secure themselves a top-10 finish in their conference.
They have been hit with a cold spell recently, only going 4-6 in their last ten games. If we were ranking which NBA teams have a better chance at the play-in tournament in the West this season, we have to admit that the Suns will likely make it over the Blazers and the Mavs.
Still, the Blazers are only three games behind the 10th-placed Suns. And there are plenty of games left to be played.
21. San Antonio Spurs (23)
The Spurs are making an unlikely and baffling run for a play-in berth this season despite having no real incentive to gain by making it.
Winners of three straight, they are just three games behind the Suns in the West for that final play-in spot. Without Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox until next season, an early exit – should they make the playoffs – is inevitable.
20. Dallas Mavericks (20)
With Phoenix hitting their stride, the Mavs just got bumped out of the 10th and final play-in spot in the West in week 22. That’s not entirely surprising, considering that they only went 2-8 in their last ten and the injury woes they’ve been through all season.
But there’s a piece of good news that has graced them: Anthony Davis might be available to play at the end of week 23, according to multiple reports.
Is that a good thing or not? Well, their playoff chances aren’t pretty even if they make it because they’ll be without Kyrie Irving, who is out for the season due to an ACL injury.
19. Chicago Bulls (19)
How about them Bulls trashing the Lakers, huh?
In what was one of their biggest win of the season, Chicago blasted a healthy LA team to end week 22 on a positive note.
Rookie Matas Buzelis played the best game of his career so far, erupting for a career-high 31 points against the Lakers in LA. Going 7-3 in their last ten games, Chicago is in the midst of their best basketball stretch this season.
While their ranking this week has stayed the same, a couple of NBA teams will be wary of them in the upcoming play-in tournament.
18. Orlando Magic (17)
The Magic just went 4-6 in their last ten games despite Paolo Banchero’s brilliance on the court. This was a downgrade compared to what they achieved last season.
Injuries played a huge part in it, especially Banchero and Wagner, who were each out for a month with similar torn right oblique muscle injuries.
However, even with both stars healthy, Orlando hasn’t found their magic yet(no pun intended) on the court since the turn of 2025.
17. Sacramento Kings (16)
This is not the right time for the Kings to struggle, especially with the competition getting fiercer, with the postseason starting three weeks from now.
For starters, Domantas Sabonis is out yet again due to an ankle injury. If Sacramento hopes to get out of the play-in and into the playoffs, they need their all-star big guy at the paint.
Secondly, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk have struggled to coexist in the backcourt. Both are looking to score instead of distributing the rock. The Kings have only won three games in their last ten contests.
16. Phoenix Suns (18)
Going 7-3 in their last ten games, this is inarguably Phoenix’s last push to secure themselves a homecourt advantage in the play-in tournament en route to a playoff position this April.
If we listen to all the rumors, this may be the last stand for the trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal in a Suns jersey.
It’s either they’ll make some noise, or this team will blow it up in the summer. There are no in-betweens for this roster. However, it’s safe to say that we’ll be ranking them higher against the Mavs and the Blazers to make some noise in the NBA playoffs.
15. Atlanta Hawks (15)
The Hawks have won three straight and went 7-3 overall in their last ten. While a top-six finish might be out of their reach right now, they should be ecstatic with how their roster construction has panned out after the trade deadline.
Dyson Daniels is leading the league in steals and is looking more and more like Trae Young’s backcourt mate in the future.
Since they are already in the play-in mix(with a high chance of winning a game and moving forward), a playoff berth should be in the cards for them in April.
14. Detroit Pistons (13)
Overall, week 22 was a good one for the Pistons. They should have gone 4-0 but settled for a 3-1 record, with their lone loss against the injury-ravaged Mavericks.
Should they keep up their fine play, there’s little reason to doubt about securing a top-six finish in the East. Realistically, they could still shoot for a homecourt advantage and finish in the top four if they play their cards right.
All we need is some masterful performances from Cade Cunningham for the next couple of weeks.
13. Milwaukee Bucks (11)
In all honesty, do you see the Bucks winning it all this year?
With an almost identical record with the surprising Pistons, Milwaukee shouldn’t be in this position in the first place, especially with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard – two of the NBA’s biggest stars – playing on the same team.
To think that the Bucks were billed as a title contender at the start of the 2024-2025 NBA season on most power rankings across the web and continuing to loiter outside the top ten after 22 weeks of action?
Perhaps Giannis and Dame aren’t a good fit on the court. Or the Doc Rivers signing isn’t panning out. You be the judge.
12. Indiana Pacers (14)
Well…we can finally say that it’s about damn time that the Pacers have hit their stride and started to play well on the court.
Winners of four straight games, Indiana has looked like a legitimate dark horse in the East, especially if Tyrese Haliburton and Ben Mathurin continue their stellar play. Add Siakam to that mix, and they might be on to something here.
The team’s game plan is to finish in the top three in their conference and avoid Boston until the Eastern Conference Finals.
One rematch of that series, please.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves (10)
Going 8-2 in their last ten games, the Wolves are playing catch up to the Clippers and the Warriors for a secured playoff spot in the West with just three weeks left to play in the regular season.
Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert are all healthy, just in time for one final push.
While they failed to match their regular-season success a year ago, this Wolves team has embraced its dark horse mentality heading into the postseason.
A slight dip in their rankings ahead of the NBA playoffs, but not in a bad way.
10. Los Angeles Clippers (12)
What can you say? The Clippers have looked like a contender since Kawhi Leonard got his legs back and started to play like an all-star again. It also doesn’t hurt that James Harden is in the midst of playing his best basketball in a Clipper uniform.
Add Ivica Zubac’s dominance inside the paint, and they are going to be a handful for any team in the playoffs.
As a result, the Clippers are inching towards securing a top-six spot in the jampacked Western Conference with a few weeks left to play, winning five of their last six.
9. New York Knicks (9)
While this is a tough stretch for the Knicks, especially with Jalen Brunson out due to an ankle injury, they have shown their mettle as a unit and have learned to play off of each other.
Sure, the losses to the lowly Charlotte and a suddenly hot Spurs team were unacceptable, especially at this stage of the season.
Somehow, it also brought some good stuff because we’ve finally seen Mikal Bridges break out after struggling all season long.
Going 4-6 in their last ten, the Knicks might not have enough power to catch up with the Celtics in the East for the second spot. Still, they need to play well sans Brunson because other teams below them can statistically catch up to them should they limp before the postseason.
8. Golden State Warriors (8)
Thank the basketball gods that Steph Curry’s bad fall wasn’t as bad as it looked.
Still, the unfortunate fall did sideline the aging star for at least a week. Going 8-2 in their last ten games, the Dubs need to rely more on Jimmy Butler to get some buckets. As luck would have it, the Warriors get Jonathan Kuminga back after his lengthy absence.
As for now, we’d be conservative and put this team’s ranking at the eighth spot because of how they’ve played after February’s NBA trade deadline.
If they win some more, they’d be a candidate in the top five.
7. Memphis Grizzlies (7)
The Grizzlies might not have gotten the memo that says, ‘This is NOT the right time to play poorly at this stage of the season.’
Going 5-5 in their last ten games and losers of three straight, an early playoff exit is in the cards for Memphis. Not a single Western Conference team is scared of them, if we’re being honest about it.
They need Ja Morant to be better if they don’t want to fall out of the top six in the West. By the looks of it, they are still in danger of sliding outside a secured playoff spot if they continue to struggle.
6. Los Angeles Lakers (5)
It was painful to watch how the Lakers played without LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves when they went up against the Bucks. But hey, at least Bronny James had a career night, right?
Good for the fans. Bad for Stephen A. Smith’s feud with LeBron.
But their woes did not stop there in week 22.
Boasting a healthy and complete lineup against the visiting Bulls, the Lakers were torched and humbled by Coby White and rookie Matas Buzelis. The defense wasn’t simply there, as the Bulls dropped 146 points in LA – all in regulation.
Are the Lakers true contenders, or are they just simply overhyped? Do they need to move Austin Reaves and play him as the team’s sixth man to provide firepower off the bench? So many questions for now for LA.
5. Houston Rockets (6)
Even though their nine-game winning streak came to an end in week 22, the Rockets should be a tough opponent for any team in the first round of this year’s playoffs.
They are young and hungry. Nobody wants to face a team like that.
Surely enough, even though they have jumped up and down in this year’s rankings, a team like them poses a real threat in the NBA playoffs. With Amen Thompson thriving in a new starting role, expect the Rockets to finish this season on a high note and secure the second seed in the Western Conference standings.
4. Denver Nuggets (4)
Sans Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have found a way to win basketball games, which is surprising.
Aaron Gordon mostly started at the center spot despite being undersized, but the sturdy do-it-all forward has held his own against much bigger opponents, even outplaying them in different instances.
Despite going 5-5 in their last ten games, Denver’s end goal here is to keep their starters fresh in time for the playoffs and not to chase a top-two seed in the packed Western Conference.
Let’s just say that they’ve learned their lesson from last year.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (1)
Sorry, Cleveland. You are not escaping the allegations that your squad is more like the 2014-2015 Atlanta Hawks than a true contender, especially after how you performed in week 22.
People will always compare. That’s nature. But building an insane winning streak only to lose four straight games after? Ranking at the top spot over other NBA teams for most of the season and then showing the weakest spot on their armor with a few games left to play? Unacceptable.
Despite having the best record in the East right now, other teams in their conference aren’t quite scared of the Cavs when pitted in a seven-game series.
Do better, Cavs. Your fanbase clearly needs to see you succeed rather than flop.
2. Boston Celtics (3)
Let’s face it: Boston is still the team to beat this season.
Not the Cavs, and not the Thunder. It’s still Boston’s crown to lose if they don’t perform well in the postseason. As it turns out, everybody is on a rotation to rest some games to keep their legs fresh for a lengthy playoff run.
Jaylen Brown has been out, and Jrue Holiday and Derrick White have sat games. There is no need to overwork those guys. The end goal is to win back-to-back titles.
Their current five-game winning streak doesn’t matter much. They just want the playoffs to start. You can see that they are ready to go to war.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (2)
Due to Cleveland’s multiple blunders in week 22, OKC has regained the top spot in this week’s NBA power rankings here on TPS.
Not that they didn’t earn it, though.
They have been spectacular, winning six straight games and going 9-1 in their last ten. Everybody’s playing at an elite level, and there’s no doubt in our minds that SGA should win MVP.
Weirdly enough, not everybody is afraid of this young Thunder squad. Most teams in the West would jump at the opportunity to face them in a seven-game series right from the get-go. Nobody is tanking or aiming for a higher position to avoid them in the first round. Everyone wants to take their shot against OKC.
Is this season a fluke, or are they real contenders?
