NBA Power Rankings: Warriors, Hawks, Grizzlies top 3; Celtics climb

1. Golden State Warriors (50-12, Previous: 2) – Big wins over the Mavericks, Clippers, and Suns. I’ve watched the clip of Stephen Curry’s ball-handling-to-3-pointer play against the Clippers about 100 times and it gets prettier every time.

2. Atlanta Hawks (50-13, Previous: 1) – I don’t care that the Hawks sat a few players – you just don’t lose to the Sixers and expect to stay at the top. That said, the fact they clinched a playoff berth last week is kind of crazy.

3. Memphis Grizzlies (45-18, Previous: 4) – Tough wins over the Rockets and Bulls on the road tell you this team is still a force to be reckoned with. They play just two current playoff teams (Wizards and Bucks) over their next five games, so more wins are on the way.

4. Houston Rockets (43-20, Previous: 5) – Dwight Howard has resumed some on-court activities, though he’s not very close to a return just yet. It’s not like the Rockets are struggling that much without him anyways.

5. Portland Trail Blazers (41-20, Previous: 3) – Ouch. Wes Matthews’ season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon is such a killer as he’s one of the more underrated and tougher guys in the NBA. Now, Aaron Afflalo takes on an even bigger role – and the bench gets weaker.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers (40-25, Previous: 6) – Officially in second place in the Eastern Conference and it’s hard to believe they’ll move from that spot with the way the teams around them are playing. The Hawks are locked in at No. 1 and the Raptors, Bulls, and Wizards are flailing.

7. Los Angeles Clippers (41-23, Previous: 7) – Two losses over the last week to Western Conference foes in the Blazers and the Warriors, and you know the one to the Warriors really stings. Not as much as Draymond Green wanted to sting Dahntay Jones for intentionally bumping him after the game.

8. Dallas Mavericks (41-24, Previous: 8) – They’re 5-5 over their last 10 games, and that about sums up how things are going for them with Rajon Rondo at point guard. Three big games coming up at home against the Cavaliers, Clippers, and Thunder.

9. Oklahoma City Thunder (35-28, Previous: 10) – I don’t understand the people who won’t include Russell Westbrook in the MVP race. His last five games: 40.2 points, 11.2 assists, 12.4 rebounds. He’s had five triple-doubles over his last six games. He’s keeping the Thunder in the playoffs right now.

10. San Antonio Spurs (39-23, Previous: 11) – Here we go. The Spurs have now won five in a row, because of course they have! Crazy stat: Tim Duncan did not hit a field goal in Sunday’s win over the Bulls, the first game in his career that’s happened. He’ll take the win though.

11. Toronto Raptors (38-25, Previous: 9) – Just 1-8 over their last nine games (with the one win being over the Sixers…), this is a team that is seeing red, as in red alert. And it doesn’t get easier with games coming up in San Antonio, back home against Miami and Portland, and then back on the road in Indiana.

12. Chicago Bulls (39-26, Previous: 13) – Gutsy win over the Thunder last week, but three straight losses to playoff teams – the Pacers, Spurs, and Grizzlies. There’s really not much to say about these guys if they can’t get healthy (looking at you, Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler).

13. New Orleans Pelicans (35-29, Previous: 14) – The Pelicans are making a nice little push right now, keeping the heat on the Thunder for that final playoff spot. It would be a bit of a surprise to see them make it in though.

14. Phoenix Suns (33-32, Previous: 12) – If you’re a Suns fan, it might be a good time to switch on over to baseball and check out the Cactus League. Unless you’re into watching your team slide out of playoff contention.

15. Washington Wizards (36-28, Previous: 15) – The Wizards won their first road game since Jan. 27 on Monday, having lost the previous nine. That’s a pretty rough stat for a team that’s going to have to win on the road in the playoffs.

16. Indiana Pacers (28-34, Previous: 17) – Hot team alert! Hot team alert! It took all this time, but the Pacers are now officially a team you don’t really wanna mess with. Five straight wins and 11-2 in their last 13, and with Paul George getting closer to a return this team will be a tough first-round opponent.

17. Milwaukee Bucks (33-30, Previous: 16) – A much needed win on Saturday over the Wizards was forgotten after a loss to the Pelicans on Monday. The Bucks are 2-7 over their last nine games. They’re currently holding the No. 6 seed with a five-game cushion over the ninth-seeded Heat. It’s getting antsy in Milwaukee.

18. Boston Celtics (26-36, Previous: 20) – Huge win for the Celtics over the Heat on Monday, as they continue their post-All-Star-break playoff push. Isaiah Thomas’ lower back injury suffered in the win is hopefully nothing serious.

19. Miami Heat (28-35, Previous: 19) – Hassan Whiteside has had a great season, but I can’t figure out why he laid a cheap shot on Kelly Olynyk?Perhaps he learned that one from Dwyane Wade? Either way, if he gets suspended for a game it could come back to bite them.

20. Utah Jazz (26-36, Previous: 22) – If it wasn’t for a last-second layup by Celtics center Tyler Zeller, the Jazz would be riding a six-game winning streak. They continue to play amazing defense, as in those last six games opponents have not scored more than 88 points.

21. Brooklyn Nets (25-36, Previous: 18) – That win over the Warriors seems like forever ago. Since then, three straight losses – and that has many wondering about the Nets’ playoff chances as the Celtics and Heat are now ahead of them in the non-playoff standings.

22. Charlotte Hornets (28-34, Previous: 24) – After five straight wins, the Hornets scored only 69 points in a home loss to the Wizards on Monday. It’s games like that where you know they can’t wait for Kemba Walker to return, which could be this week after missing 18 games with a torn meniscus.

23. Detroit Pistons (23-39, Previous: 21) – Uh oh. Six straight losses for the Pistons, and they are beginning to fade out of the playoff picture. Just in time for a tough four-game West Coast trip too. This could be the end.

24. Orlando Magic (21-43, Previous: 25) – The Magic aren’t very good right now, but they’re one of those bad teams actually building towards a future. Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton make up a young backcourt that could be a nice 1-2 punch for years to come.

25. Sacramento Kings (21-41, Previous: 23) – The Kings just gave up 130 points to the Hawks on Monday. 130! I mean, the Hawks are good but there’s no excuse for that. It’s shaping up to be an awful road trip (1-4 so far, three games to go).

26. Denver Nuggets (23-41, Previous: 26) – Denver’s 106-78 blowout win over the Knicks says more about the Knicks than it does the Nuggets. This isn’t a good team and it happened pretty quickly.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-48, Previous: 27) – One of the shocking wins over the weekend was the T-Wolves beating the Blazers. Rubio had 13 points, 15 assists, and eight rebounds. The T-Wolves are a few years out but have a fun little thing going.

28. Los Angeles Lakers (16-46, Previous: 28) – Kobe Bryant made his first appearance at the Staples Center since his surgery with the Mavs in town. Coincidence? I think not. Bryant really wants Rondo on the Lakers next season. And Kobe usually gets what Kobe wants.

29. Philadelphia 76ers (14-49, Previous: 29) – Arguably the worst team in the NBA beat arguably the best team in the NBA (Hawks) over the weekend. Atlanta sat three starters in the game, but the 76ers don’t have any starters.

30. New York Knicks (12-50, Previous: 30) – The big 5-0 for the Knicks! Congratulations!