NBA Power Rankings: Where Do All 30 Teams Stand Right Now? (2026)

March 23, 2026

RotoBaller's NBA power rankings for all 30 teams in late March. Where does each NBA team stand in our latest power rankings for the 2025-26 season?

Welcome to March Madness! No, I'm not talking about the craziness in the NCAA we all enjoy. Rather, that's what's happening in the Eastern Conference play-in.

Just three games separate seeds five through 10 in the East, with a giant list of possibilities still out there. Thank the Southeast Conference for creating this insane amount of competitiveness this late in the season.

But that's just one fragment of our rankings. Who's making their way up in the West? Can anyone take the top spot from the Thunder? Read on to find out.

No. 30 - Washington Wizards

Everyone's competitive in the Southeast division this season. Well, everyone but one team. The Wizards have lost 15 straight games and own the league's worst net rating at -11.2 coming into Sunday's action.

That is fine with them for now, though, as the focus is clearly on next season. Trae Young's going to be the main focus, so his health going forward is going to be a priority for Washington. With him currently battling back issues, don't expect the 27-year-old to be playing much as the season winds down.

No. 29 - Sacramento Kings

Don't look now, but the Kings are rolling! Well, as much as Sacramento can this season. They recently went on a stretch where they won four out of five games, something they've only done twice this season.

But that's hardly the story for a franchise that took a massive downfall in a critical season. DeMar DeRozan is the only one of their big three still playing games. It may be the last time the Kings see him play games in purple with a major rebuild on deck.

No. 28 - Indiana Pacers

The only team losing more than the Wizards these days is the Pacers. They've now lost 16 straight games and haven't won since before the All-Star break.

That's certainly going to lock them into a great position for the draft, a goal they've been aiming for ever since injuries ravaged their chances at pulling off a season similar to what the Celtics are doing. With maybe two winnable games remaining on their schedule, it's fair to wonder if Indiana fans have seen their last win for the season already.

No. 27 - Brooklyn Nets

As we continue our drive through Tank City, the Nets are continuing their aim for a top-4 spot in the lottery, and it looks like they're going to get there. It's been a race to the bottom ever since their December run made it seem like they may be able to upset teams from time to time.

The question down the stretch, and well into the offseason, will be if they want to build their team around Michael Porter Jr. or if they'll try to move him and accumulate more draft capital. The sharpshooter's checkered injury past may play a large role in conversations as the Nets navigate their way through what feels like a continuous rebuild.

No. 26 - Utah Jazz

Utah finds itself outside of the top four in the lottery, reducing its chances of landing the top overall pick. The past two lotteries have shown you don't need to be the worst to land the top pick, but you have to wonder when it will lean back towards the norm.

The Jazz may be alright without the top pick, though, if they can just stay healthy throughout a full season. Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George have shown potential star power when healthy, but the Jazz need their full ensemble to be active.

With a 3-12 record since the All-Star break, it's clear they're just going to prioritize health and the development of younger guys as the season winds down.

No. 25 - Dallas Mavericks

At times, it feels like you can see a bit of competitiveness in this Mavericks team. After all, the offense can put up numbers if you sleep on them. But the defense is routinely porous, allowing opponents to score 120+ points regularly.

The goal now is simply to protect Cooper Flagg's health while trying to get him the Rookie of the Year award. With 20.1 PPG and 6.7 RPG, he's got a very solid case as he chases his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel for this year's award.

No. 24 - New Orleans Pelicans

There's no tanking here with the Pelicans not owning any picks in the upcoming draft. That may be a reason that you're starting to see New Orleans play a little better with their starting five finally starting to get healthy. With a 10-6 record since the All-Star break, they don't exactly look like an 11-seed right now.

The defense is a big reason the Pelicans are winning as of late, posting a 110.6 defensive rating in their last six games. That should help build confidence going into next season, but they're going to have to get very creative in the offseason to find other ways to improve this oft-injured roster.

No. 23 - Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis has found its way into the top 10 for draft positioning and is hoping it can have the same fate as Atlanta and Dallas have had the past two years by being able to snag the top overall spot without having the best odds.

That would be the best-case scenario for Memphis, as it'd make it a whole lot easier to move on from Ja Morant and build around a much younger roster. It's clearly the goal as Memphis has just a 2-10 record in March, plummeting (or propelling?) the Grizzlies to the bottom of the standings in the West.

No. 22 - Chicago Bulls

February looks to be long behind the Bulls. A month where they didn't win a single game made moving on from Nikola Vucevic and Coby White all the easier for fans, even if the games were unbearable to watch.

Chicago now finds itself inside the top ten for draft positioning with a clear need to find an additional star to pair alongside Josh Giddey. The Australian is averaging 16.8 PPG and 11.8 APG in March, showing he can do it all on offense. The Bulls will build around his talent, but the fanbase may be hesitant to trust them given their past history.

Josh Giddey's 17TH assist makes this a 7-point game 👀

The Bulls were once down 29

📺Stream the finish: https://t.co/KJ4wUg50wU pic.twitter.com/a9GaPycx60

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) March 20, 2026

No. 21 - Milwaukee Bucks

It's been a disastrous season for Milwaukee. They needed to make a solid run behind Giannis Antetokounmpo in order to prove to him that Milwaukee is the place he'll want to finish his career. But injuries and an overall lack of talent have pushed the Bucks to the 11-seed with no real hopes at the play-in.

That's going to drive the offseason conversations about Giannis' potential landing spots, and there won't be much that will stop those talks from making noise nationally. The Bucks will either need to find a way to bolster their lineup behind The Greek Freak or use it as an opportunity to land a massive haul for a rebuild that feels inevitable.

No. 20 - Golden State Warriors

We've reached dire times in Golden State as they've now dropped all the way to the 10th spot in the West and don't have home court advantage in the play-in. They need Stephen Curry active and fast, as Golden State is just 6-15 since he started missing time with a knee injury.

No Warrior is averaging more than 16 PPG since Curry's been out. They have spread the wealth, which is a norm for the Golden State offense, but there's no one dominant threat. Without Curry, they're simply not good.

The future Hall-of-Famer is set to miss at least the next two games. If it takes longer than that, then Warriors fans will need to get used to the idea of opening up the play-in on the road in Portland or LA.

No. 19 - Portland Trail Blazers

Speaking of those Blazers, they're on a bit of a hot streak right now. Coming into Sunday's matchup in Denver, they'd won six of their last nine games and have a real chance to escape the 9-seed with a bit of luck.

Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant have driven a bit of that success, both shooting over 40% from three over the Blazers' last 10 games. Donovan Clingan (12.5 RPG) and Robert Williams III (10.0 RPG) have been very solid cleaning the glass in this span as well, taking away additional chances from their opponents.

Jerami Grant Clutch pic.twitter.com/O9YFfA8YeA

— 💫 (@NewMediaSports_) March 21, 2026

Portland won't exactly be playing with house money once the play-in comes around, but they won't be facing the same type of pressure that teams like the Clippers and Warriors will have. That can make them a dangerous team to play in a one-and-done type scenario.

No. 18 - Philadelphia 76ers

Now we get to where the fun's at: The Eastern Conference play-in bracket. Maybe it's not fun for Philadelphia right now, but the teams in this range all are in for a bit of a rollercoaster run here.

For the Sixers, it's as simple as them not being healthy. Joel Embiid is working his way back from an oblique injury, but doesn't have a clear return date yet. Tyrese Maxey has a tendon injury in his pinky and will be re-evaluated at some point next week.

Yet Philadelphia has won four of its last five games, overcoming the adversity. It's working for now, but they need to be fully healthy to survive what's become a true gauntlet in the Eastern Conference play-in bracket.

No. 17 - Los Angeles Clippers

It's safe to say that Darius Garland is really starting to find his way as a Clipper. On Saturday, the 26-year-old put up 41 points and 11 assists in an overtime win over Dallas that snapped a four-game losing streak.

The first Clipper EVER with 40+ PTS, 10+ AST, and 7+ 3PM in a game 🔥

🎯 Electric Performance presented by @Kia pic.twitter.com/dr6i2SyufU

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 22, 2026

LA also avoided another scare by seeing Kawhi Leonard return to the lineup so quickly after suffering a left ankle sprain. Leonard and Garland need to be the key drivers for LA as it looks to make the playoffs through the play-in.

They're right there with Portland, though, and will be in a battle for the 8-seed all the way until season's end. That's a huge swing between getting two chances to win or immediately being thrown into a one-and-done scenario. The Clippers have to continue fighting.

No. 16 - Orlando Magic

The high of a seven-game winning streak is all of a sudden gone as Orlando has lost four straight games and finds itself in the 8-seed in the East. Making things worse for this four-game losing streak, each came against current playoff or play-in contenders.

That raises questions about just how effective Orlando can be in the playoffs. They desperately need Franz Wagner back, but a nagging ankle injury has kept him out of action for over a month.

Caught up in the middle of the chaos that is the Eastern Conference play-in, the Magic can't let things slip much longer, or else they'll find themselves in the nine or 10 seed in a one-and-done scenario that would fall well short of their preseason expectations.

No. 15 - Miami Heat

Just like Orlando, the Heat find themselves in a four-game losing streak after putting up a seven-game winning streak. That's gotten them just a game ahead of the Hornets in the 10-seed, and in danger of getting to that one-and-done scenario they really want to avoid.

They can at least rest on the fact that if they stay as a 9-seed or worse, they have enough experience on the roster to be able to approach it with the right mental state. But their upcoming schedule isn't exactly the easiest. They're about to become very battle-tested as we race to the finish of the regular season.

No. 14 - Charlotte Hornets

Here are those Hornets creeping all the way up to 14 in our rankings. At the beginning of the season, I continually stated that the Hornets had a chance to surprise some people if they simply stayed healthy. They've been healthy for quite some time now and have a +10.5 net rating since January 1st, the best in the league.

That makes them an incredibly dangerous team to play. Currently the 10-seed, they're just two games behind Atlanta in the 6-seed. Charlotte has a chance to jump that high, but it's a tough task to have to pass four teams to get there.

Regardless, they're absolutely humming behind LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and the current Rookie of the Year favorite Knueppel. With performances this solid after rather mild preseason expectations, they are going to be a very dangerous team to play once the playoffs and play-in start.

No. 13 - Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks saw their 12-game winning streak snapped on Friday night with a loss to the Rockets, but immediately got one back on Saturday with a win over the Warriors. Atlanta finds itself in the 6-seed after their run, but, as mentioned with the other Eastern play-in teams, it's a really close race that will see pretty much everyone shifting over the next few weeks.

The schedule may have helped Atlanta with its 12-game winning streak, and its run of games to the end of the season isn't exactly easy. If they want to stay in the 6-seed, they are going to have to earn it.

No. 12 - Phoenix Suns

The Suns don't have as many worries as the other play-in teams in both conferences, at least in terms of seeding. They're fairly locked into the 7-seed, and it doesn't seem like there will be much to change that. But that doesn't mean there aren't worries.

Coming into Sunday's action against Toronto, they had lost five straight games, four of those against playoff contenders. The rest of their schedule doesn't get much easier either.

Devin Booker and Jalen Green are driving Phoenix's offense, but that doesn't do much when the Suns are scoring 105 or fewer, as they have in their last few games. The Suns have time to get things fixed, but there's going to be panic in the air until they do.

No. 11 - Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are sitting in the 5-seed in the East right now, but that doesn't mean they're out of the play-in danger. They're just a game ahead of the Hawks and Sixers, giving them no real room to breathe. It'd be fortunate for them if more of the playoff teams followed Miami and Orlando's lead by losing four straight, but that just won't happen.

Prior to Sunday's action against the Suns, they'd won three of their last four games, so things aren't exactly going badly for the Raptors. But they can't slip up and fall into the roulette wheel that is the Eastern play-in bracket.

No. 10 - Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota was dealt a blow this week when Anthony Edwards picked up a knee injury, forcing him out for up to two weeks. Luckily for the Timberwolves, they're in a solid enough spot in the standings not to be at risk of slipping into the Western Conference play-in bracket.

His absence likely will affect their ability to rise any higher in the West, though, as their upcoming schedule isn't exactly easy. As it stands today, that'd have them facing off against the Lakers in the first round, a matchup that's sure to be an incredible watch.

No. 9 - Denver Nuggets

It's a good thing the Suns and Timberwolves haven't been lighting it up because the Nuggets would be on their way to the play-in if they were. Denver has not seemed to be able to get things going, at least to the level that we expect from them.

At the very least, they're getting healthy. Aaron Gordon has made an impact when available, and Peyton Watson finally returned to action on Sunday. That's good news for the Nuggets. A nice run to finish the regular season would set them up nicely for the playoffs, as they desperately need to build some confidence and erase the doubt these last few weeks have created.

No. 8 - Houston Rockets

Though Houston's been very stellar throughout the season, it's been quite an up-and-down ride throughout. That has to make this weekend's back-to-back sweep over the Hawks and Heat all the sweeter. Especially when you consider how hot Atlanta had been coming into that game!

Reed Sheppard stepped up big in the win over Miami as one of three Rockets who put up 20+ points. The experience he's getting as a starter should help a ton in the postseason when Houston's main guys are covered up or simply not scoring. Houston's in the 4-seed and has some work to do if they want to overtake the Lakers at number three.

Reed Sheppard…. This is just unbelievable shooting. pic.twitter.com/2EIKoi7w7f

— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) March 22, 2026

No. 7 - Los Angeles Lakers

Here are those Lakers, all of a sudden one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They've now won 12 of their last 13 games after Luke Kennard hit a last-second game-winner against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

LUKE KENNARD GAME-WINNER IN ORLANDO 😱

BRON, LUKA & THE CREW LOVING IT. 9-STRAIGHT WINS FOR THE LAKERS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QXDzgWzUg9

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 22, 2026

Los Angeles struggled much of the season with a negative net rating, which generally points towards negative regression. But as they've gotten healthier, they've gotten into a groove, driven by a high-powered offense that's now getting Luka Doncic some MVP love.

Will he overtake the lead from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? Probably not. But they're showing they can be a very serious threat in the West with so many players that can take over individually on any given night.

No. 6 - Cleveland Cavaliers

Sitting comfortably in the 4-seed in the East, Cleveland is quietly getting ready for the playoffs. Their trade deadline splash, James Harden has been making a solid impact for the Cavs with Cleveland posting a 13-4 record when Harden's active.

His presence is also having a solid impact on Evan Mobley, who's averaging 21.2 PPG since February 27th. Add in Max Strus returning to the lineup over the last four games, and Cleveland is finally starting to look like a healthy version of itself. They're going to be a handful in the playoffs.

No. 5 - New York Knicks

A competitive New York team is never really all that quiet, but New York is following the Cleveland model and just simply doing its job. They'd won five straight games coming into Sunday's action, keeping a solid grip on the 3-seed in the East.

Over the last 10 games, the Knicks have seen Karl-Anthony Towns finally getting things going, putting up 22.3 PPG and 12.8 RPG in that span. If the Knicks want to represent the East this season, they'll need their big man at his absolute best. If he's in this form, then the Knicks will be a very tough out for anyone they face.

No. 4 - Boston Celtics

Boston's been on a solid run this season, all of which has been fortified with Jayson Tatum's return from injury. But they're about to go through a bit of a gauntlet that's really going to test them.

On deck, they have matchups with OKC, Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, and New York. This will be a great primer for them as they head into the playoffs. They're sitting in second right now but could easily drop if they slip up in their upcoming gauntlet, especially if one of those losses comes to the Knicks.

No. 3 - Detroit Pistons

Detroit stays as our top seed in the East, but lost their superstar Cade Cunningham for multiple weeks with a collapsed lung he suffered against the Wizards earlier in the week. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks, but that's not going to help Detroit in their upcoming schedule.

Similar to Boston, they have a tough stretch of games coming up with the Lakers, Hawks, Timberwolves, and Thunder all on deck. With a four-game lead over the Celtics, they shouldn't lose the top overall seed in the East, but it's going to be much tougher to handle without Cunningham running point.

No. 2- San Antonio Spurs

It's like they just don't lose. You look at San Antonio's schedule, and you'll only find two losses since February. One of those came without Victor Wembanyama active, but that usually doesn't matter for the Spurs. They're dominant from top to bottom and one of the deeper teams in the league.

At three games back, there's a slight chance that San Antonio could overtake Oklahoma City for the top seed overall, but it's going to take a lot of luck and work to get there. Besides, if there's one team in the league that knows it can hang with OKC no matter what, it's the Spurs.

No. 1 - Oklahoma City Thunder

Our top team, yet again, is the Oklahoma City Thunder. They haven't lost at all in March, and they have more reinforcements on the way with Jalen Williams expected to return to the lineup on Monday against Philadelphia.

Williams has only played in 26 of OKC's 71 games this season. Given the fact that the Thunder have been playing as well as they have without his impact for so long just continues to showcase their depth. That depth, alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, makes them the easy favorite to win another championship.

The Thunder are our top team again and may have no one in their path to another championship, especially if they can find a way to avoid San Antonio in the playoffs.

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