The last time a full NBA season with 82 games came and went without a 60-win team was 2000-01. The Milwaukee Bucks have the best chance to reach that mark this season but will need to go 12-3 in their final 15 games.
That says all you need to know about the tight picture, which has made online gambling a difficult proposition at times. Let’s take a closer look at our weekly version of a power ranking, after which you should check out our NBA picks.
Top Five
1. Bucks
With April just around the corner, the continued physical issues of Giannis Antetokounmpo have to be at least a slight concern for Bucks fans. He’s missed time this season with knee pain, a quad injury and now a hand problem that’s knocked him out for three straight.
The team is probably being overly cautious with their superstar, which makes sense. Having him right for the playoffs means more than the difference between a No. 1 and a No. 2 seed. Milwaukee is 9-6 without Giannis this season and 39-13 when he’s in the lineup.
The lead over the Boston Celtics is 1½ games entering Monday’s action.
- +375 NBA Championship Odds
2. Celtics
Between injuries, slumps, hot streaks, fights, and wacky overtime affairs, this has been a very volatile crew of late. The Celtics are just 12-9 over their last 21 but are coming off back-to-back wins, including a 134-125 victory at Atlanta on Saturday in which they made 20-of-42 3-pointers.
When the Celtics get that perimeter game going, there’s almost no stopping them. They still lead the East with 15.9 triples per game and have two players – Al Horford and Malcolm Brogdon – ranked in the top three in the NBA in terms of 3-point percentage.
If a few players are off and Jayson Tatum is bottled up, it can be more of a slog, as evidenced by the rather mediocre play since late January.
- +350 NBA Championship Odds
The Boston Celtics just blew a 28 point lead at home 😳 pic.twitter.com/ED0khxlaLb
— De🅿️ressed Warriors Fan 🏆 (@GoIdenState) March 4, 2023
3. Nuggets
We practically handed the Nuggets the West crown in a previous ranking, so naturally, they go on a losing streak. It’s at three in a row, matching their longest of the season, and they begin a five-game road trip Tuesday in Toronto.
To make matters worse, the losses were to the Bulls (at home by 23 points), at the lowly Spurs and to the Nets (again at home in a game in which they were outscored by 19 in the third quarter).
Four straight opponents have shot at least 50% against Denver. They have to go back to the drawing board on D and figure this out before Sacramento or Memphis make it interesting out West.
- +700 NBA Championship Odds
4. 76ers
Sunday night was a nice one in Philly. The Sixers rolled past the Washington Wizards by 21 points and were able to give some of their big guns a little rest down the stretch. It was their fifth straight win, and they carry some momentum into a road-heavy portion of the schedule (seven of the next eight).
“When you are not playing the fourth quarter, that usually means something good,” said Joel Embiid, who scored 34 points in 31 minutes. “Everyone contributed for us.”
The win streak has pulled Philadelphia to within three games of the Bucks in the East, 1½ behind Boston. Doc Rivers’ crew just might wind up with the No. 1 seed for the second time in three years.
- +1200 NBA Championship Odds
5. Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have won four of five after losing four of five, so they appear to be back on the upswing. They entered Monday with a three-game lead in the race for the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage in the first round, and they’re in shouting distance if Philly starts to slump.
The Donovan Mitchell–Darius Garland backcourt has to be the best in the league. Those two combined for 51 points in Sunday’s win at Charlotte, right around their average as a unit. With plenty of quality big men, veteran leadership, and standout defensive ball, this is not a team you want to see in the postseason.
- +3300 NBA Championship Odds
Here we go… Kevin Love thread.🥹 #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/fVKdRI5msd
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 9, 2023
Bottom Five
26. Magic
They really missed defensive standout Wendell Carter Jr., who returned Saturday to help guide the team to a big overtime win against Miami. He missed the previous three games and the Magic lost each one while giving up an average of 129.0 points.
With Carter back, this team that had a 22-17 stretch through the middle portion of the season could finish strong. We don’t expect them to be in the bottom five next season.
- +100000 NBA Championship Odds
27. Hornets
Give them some credit for picking up a pair of road wins last week – including one at Madison Square Garden – as they play out a LaMelo Ball-less string. Charlotte is rather firmly positioned with the fourth-worst record in the NBA, giving them a 12.5% chance of getting the first pick (the three worst records have a 14% chance).
- +100000 NBA Championship Odds
28. Spurs
There’s a little bit of fight left in these guys, who have split their last six games, including that victory over Denver on Friday. There are some tough dates on the horizon, including visits to Milwaukee, Boston, Sacramento, Golden State and Phoenix. They’ll make a good run at 60 losses.
- No odds–Already eliminated
29. Rockets
Since Feb. 1, the Rockets are 0-14 against teams not from San Antonio. That says all you need to know about this squad that will be hard-pressed to get to 20 wins.
- No odds–Already eliminated
30. Pistons
The bottom has fallen out in Detroit, which has lost 11 straight – tied for the 7th-longest slide in team history. The Pistons might just shut down leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic, which makes sense, given the situation. He and Cade Cunningham can come back healthy next season, along with all the other young talent (maybe Victor Wembanyama).
- No odds–Already eliminated
