NBA Power Rankings: Week 17

By Bryan Power - Covers Expert

The top of the NBA Power Rankings could see a shake up, depending on what happens between the Heat and Thunder Thursday. Find out where your favorite teams sits in the NBA Week 17 Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings

Week 16 Rank Last Week Change Team W-L
(ATS)
Power Rating Team Comments
1 1 no change in rankings 35-14
(25-24-0)
-14.5 Miami
With one more game to go before the All-Star Break, Miami is as hot as ever having won six straight with LeBron James going for at least 30 points on better than 60 percent shooting (NBA record) in every win. That "one more game" is at Oklahoma City Thursday night.
2 2 no change in rankings 39-13
(31-19-2)
-14.3 Oklahoma City
Thursday is a big revenge game for the Thunder for a Xmas Day loss in Miami, who is only 12-11 SU on the road. OKC will also be looking to rebound from its 109-94 loss in Utah Tuesday night.
3 3 no change in rankings 41-12
(30-21-2)
-14.0 San Antonio
Despite missing Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Stephen Jackson and being outrebounded 49-26, the Spurs still went into Chicago Monday night and won by double-digits, their 13th win in the last 14 games.
4 4 no change in rankings 37-17
(30-24-0)
-10.5 L.A. Clippers
The gap continues to widen between the Clippers and the top three, although with Chris Paul back, you can expect things to get better. They led Philadelphia by 29 entering the 4th quarter on Monday despite having just beaten the Knicks the day previous.
5 5 no change in rankings 32-17
(25-22-2)
-10.0 New York
The Knicks have largely taken care of business against bad teams - going 10-2 ATS vs. .400 or worse teams entering Wednesday.
6 6 no change in rankings 33-20
(32-21-0)
-9.5 Denver
There was a chance the Nuggets could have inched up even higher, but two straight road losses (by a combined five points) prevented that. Remember one of them came in triple overtime.
7 7 no change in rankings 31-21
(28-24-0)
-9.3 Indiana
After winning 15 straight home games, the Pacers have lost two in a row. They should get back on track Wednesday vs. Charlotte and the better news is that Danny Granger is likely back after the All-Star Break.
8 8 no change in rankings 33-18
(29-21-1)
-8.5 Memphis
All of a sudden, the league's top defensive team for much of the year has discovered an offense. For only the second time since early November, they scored 100 or more points in back to back games, and that's after trading Rudy Gay.
9 9 no change in rankings 30-21
(21-30-0)
-8.4 Chicago
Bad news that Derrick Rose is still "far away" from returning. With Indiana getting Granger back, does this mean the Bulls chances of winning the Central are out the window?
10 10 no change in rankings 29-25
(29-24-1)
-8.3 Houston
Rockets are 8-2 ATS the last 10 games heading into Wednesday's showdown with the Clippers. But how bad is James Harden's injury?
11 14 move up in rankings3 27-24
(21-27-3)
-8.0 Boston
The seven-game win streak was snapped in Charlotte of all places, but remember that the Celtics were without rest and coming off a triple overtime win over Denver.
12 12 no change in rankings 25-28
(21-31-1)
-6.5 L.A. Lakers
Who would have thought, coming into the year, that at the All-Star Break we'd be debating whether or not the Lakers are good enough to get the 8th seed in the West?
13 13 no change in rankings 30-22
(23-26-3)
-6.0 Brooklyn
An impressive win Monday night in Indiana that was preceded by getting outscored 60-29 in the second half Sunday by San Antonio - at home. Getting Josh Smith from Atlanta would be interesting.
14 15 move up in rankings1 28-22
(21-27-2)
-5.8 Atlanta
Speaking of Josh Smith, if the Hawks were to deal him, it would create a fairly large gap between the top 6 in the East and everyone else. As always, Atlanta is a team that will lose in the 1st round of the playoffs. That's with or without Smith.
15 11 move down in rankings4 30-22
(27-24-1)
-5.7 Golden State
This is as low as the Warriors have been in the ranking in a long time. It's not without justification as they have lost five in a row - SU and ATS - the latest coming in what should have been a big revenge game vs. Houston.
16 16 no change in rankings 29-24
(25-27-1)
-5.5 Utah
Somehow, they were able to beat Oklahoma City by 15 despite allowing the Thunder to shoot 56% - for the game.
17 18 move up in rankings1 22-29
(29-22-0)
-5.3 Dallas
After going on a 13-3 ATS entering Wednesday's game with Sacramento, you have to wonder if they'll start giving some back after the All-Star break.
18 17 move down in rankings1 25-25
(24-26-0)
-5.3 Milwaukee
Mired in its longest ATS losing streak (seven games) in over 15 seasons entering Wednesday, the Bucks are happy that the All-Star break is here.
19 19 no change in rankings 22-28
(23-27-0)
-5.1 Philadelphia
Where exactly is Andrew Bynum? And could he even help overcome the Sixers road woes? They've lost 13 of 15 away from home, including five straight by an average of greater than 15 pts per game.
20 22 move up in rankings2 20-32
(27-24-1)
-4.0 Toronto
I actually kind of like this team, especially after they won for me against both Indiana and Denver. Rudy Gay has been a great addition, hitting two game winning shots in his first six games as a Raptor.
21 23 move up in rankings2 15-35
(31-17-2)
-3.5 Washington
The Wizards, now 14-3 ATS since the return of John Wall, are also a remarkable 14-0 ATS this season when playing with revenge for a home defeat. Remember when this team was last in the power rankings for much of the 1st half?
22 24 move up in rankings2 18-34
(29-23-0)
-3.0 New Orleans
Have won three of their last four games by a double digit margin. Beware though that the Hornets are 2-16 ATS at home following a non-conference game.
23 20 move down in rankings3 25-27
(22-28-2)
-2.5 Portland
Despite the best efforts of Rookie of the Year shoo-in Damian Lillard, the Blazers are heading in the wrong direction with four straight losses heading into Wednesday's game in New Orleans.
24 21 move down in rankings3 20-33
(25-28-0)
-2.0 Detroit
As good as beating San Antonio was on Friday, the Pistons looked terrible losing by 21 at home to the Hornets on Monday.
25 26 move up in rankings1 16-36
(24-27-1)
-1.8 Cleveland
As long as Kyrie Irving is around, the Cavs can be competitive. But a 100-92 loss to Minnesota - at home - was a painful reminder just how far this team has to go.
26 28 move up in rankings2 19-34
(22-29-2)
-1.5 Sacramento
As much as the Kings stink on the road (5-22 SU), they just beat Houston and Utah at home and have covered four straight. Yet they still own the worst point differential in the Western Conference.
27 27 no change in rankings 19-30
(21-26-2)
-1.4 Minnesota
The team shot an out of this world 78% in the fourth quarter vs. Cleveland, it's first road win in over a month.
28 25 move down in rankings3 17-36
(21-29-3)
-1.3 Phoenix
I said before the year that this was the worst team in the West and lo and behold, the Suns have finally proven me right! They go into the Break on a four-game losing streak, averaging just 83.5 points per game.
29 29 no change in rankings 15-36
(22-28-1)
-1.0 Orlando
Have lost 23 of 26 games entering Wednesday's home date with the Hawks where they have a shot at back to back wins for the 1st time since mid-December.
30 30 no change in rankings 12-39
(19-31-1)
0.0 Charlotte
The last time the Bobcats won a game on no rest was November 24 against Washington.
Return to the Current Week's rankings

Power Ratings compute offensive and defensive statistics into one number for each team, while accounting for factors like recent performances and strength of schedule. Power Ratings can be used as a baseline for relative spread index to compare current or future match-ups between two teams. The relative spread does not account for non-statistical factors like home-field advantage, recent injuries, game time decisions, rivalries, publicity, and weather.