NBA power rankings 2024-25: Cavaliers remain on top, Timberwolves and Rockets climbing fast

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As the basketball world turns its eyes toward the NCAA Tournament and the top prospects headed to the teams at the bottom of this rankings, the NBA keeps on rolling (but dials back the number of marquee matchups for a week or two).

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1. Oklahoma City Thunder (53-12, Last Week No. 2). Oklahoma City has played in just 21 clutch games this season (within five points in the final five minutes), the fewest in the league. While that’s a sign of just how good this team has been — they are blowing teams out — in the playoffs the Thunder will need to win close games. Will that lack of experience in the moment come back to bite them? On the positive side, they beat the Celtics in a clutch game last week. However, they are 7-6 in really tight games (within three points in the final three minutes) and are 0-4 in one-possession games this season.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers (56-12, LW 1). Cleveland has dropped two straight and it’s given coach Kenny Atkinson something to target as he readies his roster for what will come when the playoffs tip-off next month: “That kind of defensive performance, you’re not surviving in a playoff atmosphere, he said after Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers. That game was the first of a five-game road trip.

3. Boston Celtics (50-19, LW 3). Last Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City sparks the question: Could the Thunder beat the Celtics if they meet in the Finals? Yes, the Thunder could, it’s a rough matchup for Boston. This wasn’t a one-time thing, the Thunder swept the season series. OKC is one of the few teams with the size, versatility, and — as it showed last week — physicality to match or exceed Boston. Sure, the Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis, but the Thunder were without Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso. This would be a fantastic Finals.

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4. Denver Nuggets (44-25, LW 5). When the Lakers beat the Nuggets back on Feb. 22, they held Nikola Jokic to 12 points on 2-of-7 shooting, leading some to wonder if the Lakers had figured something out with their fronting of the three-time MVP…

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Source link : https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/nba-power-rankings-2024-25-cavaliers-remain-on-top-timberwolves-and-rockets-climbing-fast

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Publish date : 2025-03-19 19:49:00

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