NBA Power Rankings, Week 25: Thunder and Celtics Lead Playoff Chasers

The NBA regular season is in its final week, and the playoff picture is nearly set. With one week to go before the postseason begins, the Thunder and Celtics lead the way in the West and East. A handful of teams are still fighting for seeding, while key players like Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could determine the final brackets.

The Thunder remain the top seed in the West after beating the Nuggets in a potential playoff preview. Oklahoma City has won five straight games and owns the league’s best defensive rating at 106.0 points per 100 possessions. The Spurs are just three games back and still in the race for the No. 2 seed.

Boston is holding steady at No. 2 in the East with a 53-25 record. The Celtics have won 10 of their last 12 games and are getting strong play from Jayson Tatum, who has averaged 25.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in his past four games. Their defense ranks in the top two in opponent field goal percentage in the paint.

Detroit has locked up the East's top seed and is 3-1 in the past week. The Pistons have beaten several playoff-caliber teams without Cade Cunningham and have a +11.6 net rating on the season. They’ll look to close strong as they prepare for the postseason.

The Nuggets are third in the West and have clinched a playoff berth. Denver’s defense continues to dominate, and Nikola Jokić is playing like an MVP candidate. The team will face the Thunder and Spurs this week, which could impact the bracket.

The Lakers are in fifth place but have a tough path ahead. They’ll need to avoid falling too far behind the Rockets and Wolves in the standings. L.A. has a 50-28 record and a head-to-head tiebreaker over Denver.

The Knicks and Cavs are locked in a tight battle for third in the East. New York has a 35-35 record and needs three results to go its way to hold off Cleveland. The Cavs are just a win away from clinching a top-four seed.

The Hawks are in fifth and have the tiebreaker over the Sixers. Atlanta is 34-34 and has won three of its last four games. They’ll play the Cavs twice this week in a key matchup.

The Suns and Rockets are still fighting for the final guaranteed playoff spots. Phoenix is 49-29, while Houston is 48-30. The Rockets need two results to go their way to keep the Wolves at bay.

The Warriors are in the Play-In and need to win four straight games to avoid being 10th in the West. Golden State is 46-32 and has struggled in recent weeks, with key players like Ace Bailey performing poorly.

The Thunder will play the Lakers twice this week and could clinch the top seed with a strong finish. Meanwhile, the Spurs are focused on Victor Wembanyama’s minutes to remain eligible for awards consideration.

The final week of the regular season is set for dramatic changes. The Thunder host the Lakers on Tuesday and close the season against the Suns on Sunday. The Celtics face the Knicks on Thursday in a key matchup for the East’s second seed.