NBA Panic Meter Power Rankings: Which teams should be most concerned about the first round — and the future?

The first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs have been so wild that they demand some power rankings in one form or another. We cannot sit idly by while the top-seeded Detroit Pistons are in danger of losing in the opening round or Nikola Jokić’s Denver Nuggets face elimination. We have to sort them, putting some order into the chaos.

So, we decided on Panic Meter Power Rankings, sorting the 16 teams from least to most concerned about their first-round series, about the future — about everything.

The NBA’s defending champions hold a 3-0 series lead against the eighth seeds. It would be shocking if they were to lose a game in the first round. That said, they are not without concern, as Jalen Williams is week-to-week with a left hamstring strain. Not that they need him against Phoenix. But hamstring strains are no joke. They tend to linger, especially for someone who has experienced lingering injuries all season.

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The Celtics took both games in Philadelphia, including Game 4 by 32 points — their second 32-point win of the series — and carry a 3-1 lead back to Boston on Tuesday. It looks like it’s shaping up to be OKC/Boston. The most likely outcome, it appears, and BetMGM agrees, is that the last two champs meet in the NBA Finals. That hasn’t happened since 2018.

The Spurs hold a 3-1 lead, and the only one they lost was the one in which Victor Wembanyama smacked his chin against the hardwood, suffering a concussion. He’s back now, as good as ever, finishing a +28 in 34 minutes of a decisive Game 4 win. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are incredible. They are the best young nucleus in the game, and that includes the Thunder. They just have to keep Wemby healthy.

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The Lakers should hope Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves return soon, because if Kevin Durant beats them back, the Rockets could get on a roll that Los Angeles does not want to be a part of. And, yes, I am implying that they could become the first team ever to lose a series when leading 3-0. These Rockets have it in them, if they can just catch fire, but the return of Dončić or Reaves should pour water on them.

What do the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-panic-meter-power-rankings-which-teams-should-be-most-concerned-about-the-first-round–and-the-future-153921281.html

Author : Ben Rohrbach

Publish date : 2026-04-27 15:39:00

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