We’ve reached the final edition of the NBA Power Rankings, and quite frankly not much has changed. With just a handful of games left in the regular season, familiar names appear on this list of the top-10 NBA teams. The west once again dominates the power rankings, and rightfully so considering how much better that conference has been than the east this season. Without further ado, here are the top 10 teams in the NBA in 2015, one last time.
1. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have been the NBA’s best team for just about the entire season. There was a brief stretch where the Hawks overtook them for the league’s best record, but Golden State responded and has been on an absolute roll lately. They’ve won 10 straight games, and have clinched the best record in the west. Led by Stephen Curry, the Warriors have the league’s best offense and the most assists. Golden State could have the coach of the year, the league MVP, and the NBA DPOY in Draymond Green all in the same year. Quite frankly, they would all be entirely deserved for the leaders of the league’s best team.
2. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks had one of the best months in NBA history in January, going 17-0 and having all five starters named “player of the month.” However, over the last couple of weeks the intensity has waned for Atlanta, as they locked up the top seed in the east and have started preparing for the playoffs. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has taken the Gregg Popovich approach of resting his players, and as a result the wins haven’t been there as frequently. Make no mistake, this team is still the frontrunner in the eastern conference, and with the added rest to their best players they should be primed for playoff competition.
3. Houston Rockets
Don’t look now, but the Houston Rockets have ascended the western conference standings to the second seed. MVP candidate James Harden has led the charge, and now Houston gets back Dwight Howard at just the right time. They’ve won eight of their last ten, and have beaten some of the West’s best on their way. Harden is coming off one of the best games of his career where he torched the Sacramento Kings from start to finish. There is no doubt this is a dangerous team in the playoffs, but the loss of Patrick Beverley will hurt in the playoffs. He was one of the best team defenders, and now the Rockets lack point guard depth. Regardless, Harden is hungry for a title, and is playing like a true MVP late in the year.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are playing by the theory of “get hot at the right time.” They’ve won eight of ten as well, and their offense looks simply unstoppable. LeBron James is up to his MVP self, and Kyrie Irving is figuring out how to play point guard with James and Kevin Love. If they all stay healthy, this is a team that can contend for a championship. The midseason additions of Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert, and J.R. Smith re-energized the team, and now they look like a legitimate threat. The rest of the east (read: the Atlanta Hawks) better be on watch for this team coming up hot on their trail.
5. San Antonio Spurs
In the western conference, all you really have to do is make the playoffs and you have a legitimate chance to win. The San Antonio Spurs might be the most dangerous six seed in NBA history, if the standings remain the same way going into the playoffs. With a healthy Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio once again looks like the best defensive team in the NBA. As their offense comes together, they’re beginning to look like the team that won the NBA title last season. With one of the best coaches in NBA history at the helm, this team is a true title contender yet again.
6. Los Angeles Clippers
One of the best players in the NBA who has received little attention for his play this season has been Chris Paul. Paul has played in every game this season and has been the consistent force on a team that is now hitting its stride. With Blake Griffin back and Paul leading the way, the Clippers are ascending the conference standings as well. Yes, Paul had his ankles broken by Stephen Curry, but he responded with a huge 41-point, 17-assist game to steal a game in Portland. They’re now poised to overtake the Trail Blazers, and could be in for a fun 4 versus 5 matchup with the Spurs or Trail Blazers.
7. Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis has hit a rough patch in its season, but is still hanging on to the third seed in the west. Houston recently overtook them for the two seed, but Memphis has still had a tremendous year. Marc Gasol has had a standout season, and the addition of Jeff Green has made them a complete, dynamic team on offense and defense. Their “Grit ‘N Grind” style makes them unique and difficult to play against in a seven game series. They will be dangerous in the playoffs as well, despite their recent struggles.
8. Portland Trail Blazers
Portland was humming along until one of their best players, Wesley Matthews was lost for the season to a torn Achilles tendon. This was a huge blow to a core player, great shooter, and excellent defender, and quite frankly the Trail Blazers haven’t been the same since. They recently blew a 17-point lead against the Clippers at home, and now find themselves battling to stay in the top half of the conference. They still have Damian Lillard and a banged-up but still sensational LaMarcus Aldridge, but they certainly have to find themselves again before the season ends. Otherwise, they might be headed for a quick exit in the postseason.
9. Toronto Raptors
Back in the east, the Toronto Raptors hold the third seed and recently clinched the Atlantic division for the second straight season. The main concern for Toronto is the health of point guard Kyle Lowry. When he is healthy, he is one of the toughest point guards in the league. However, he has been injured and off his game lately. The team MVP is DeMar DeRozan, who put the Raptors on his back and is willing this team to the playoffs. If Lowry can get healthy in the next couple of weeks, Toronto can do what it couldn’t last year and make a deep run in the playoffs.
10. Dallas Mavericks
Rounding out the top ten is the Dallas Mavericks, who are clinging to the seventh spot in the west. The Rajon Rondo experiment simply hasn’t worked, but he is still a competent point guard who is still figuring out how to play with this team. There have been reports of a spat with Monta Ellis and Mavericks’ ownership, but he was just in a slump and was frustrated, it seems. With Dirk and Monta leading the way, Dallas is a well-deserved playoff team in a deep western conference. They’re going to need some people to get hot as the playoffs approach, but they have a coach in Rick Carlisle who knows how to cause problems in a seven game series. They’re an interesting case to watch over the next few weeks.