The NBA regular season is coming to a close, with the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets leading the way in the FOX Sports NBA power rankings. These two teams have been consistent favorites throughout the season and are expected to perform well in the postseason. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who were ranked at the top last week, have slipped due to injuries to key players and a losing streak. The Milwaukee Bucks have also struggled, falling out of the top 10 after losing four straight games. The Celtics have reclaimed the top spot after a successful week, securing home-court advantage for the playoffs.
As the regular season winds down, teams are jockeying for playoff seeding and matchups. The Houston Rockets have been eliminated from playoff contention, while the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks have locked in their spots in the East. A major factor in the postseason will be the return of Joel Embiid for the Philadelphia 76ers, who has been out for two months. The final power rankings will determine which teams are poised to outperform their standings in the playoffs.
The power rankings list is as follows: Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers rounding out the top 10. The remaining teams in the rankings are vying for a chance at the playoffs and are looking to make a push in the final stretch of the season. The return of Embiid has boosted the 76ers’ performance and improved their ranking.
Ric Bucher is an NBA writer for FOX Sports, and he has a daily podcast called “On The Ball with Ric Bucher.” He has previously written for Bleacher Report, ESPN The Magazine, and The Washington Post. Bucher has also authored two books, one about NBA player Brian Grant’s battle with Parkinson’s and another about Yao Ming’s life. Follow Bucher on Twitter @RicBucher for more basketball insights. The NBA season is entering its final stages, and the excitement is building as teams prepare for the playoffs and vie for the championship title.
