22 reasons to fear OKC: Historic dominance, SGA’s MVP game, more
Draymond Green doesn’t fear the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“There’s a certain seriousness that it takes to win in this league, and there’s a certain fear you have to instill in teams in order to win,” the Golden State Warriors forward and four-time champion said on his podcast earlier this season. “I just don’t know if they’re instilling that fear in teams.”
Green isn’t alone in that view. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported this past week that “a lot of people around the Western Conference — and I talked to coaches on other teams that will be in the playoff mix — [feel] there is not this great fear of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“They haven’t done it. And until a team does it, there’s going to be a whole bunch of doubt.”
Of course, the same could have been said of the 2024 champion Boston Celtics, as doubters questioned whether Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could win it. In 2023, Nikola Jokic wasn’t deemed good enough to lead the Nuggets to the promised land.
And going back to 2015, Green’s own Warriors teams faced criticism that an offense built around 3-pointers could raise the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Thunder have been every bit as impressive as those championship teams, even before proving doubters wrong with a potential title run.
Opponents might not fear the Thunder. Here are 22 reasons they should.
1. The Thunder have outscored opponents by 12.7 points per game this season, which is on pace to break an NBA record that has stood for over 50 years. The current mark is 12.3 points per game by the 1971-72 Lakers, who famously won 33 games in a row.
2. While that margin of victory is a regular-season record, history suggests that level of dominance should translate to the playoffs. The previous top five teams in point differential — the 1971-72 Lakers, 1970-71 Bucks, 1995-96 Bulls, 2016-17 Warriors, and 2023-24 Celtics — all coasted to titles, with a combined 71-12 record in the postseason. None even faced a Game 7 en route to the championship.
3. The Thunder have played their way into such rarefied air because of three main factors: depth, star power and defense. Let’s start with depth, because general manager Sam Presti has constructed a stacked roster. The Thunder have 11 players who are at least league average, according to estimated plus-minus. That’s the most for any team, ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies’ 10.
4. All that depth and all of Oklahoma City’s blowout wins mean coach Mark Daigneault hasn’t had to pile heavy workloads onto his best players. The only two Thunder players averaging more than 29 minutes per game are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who ranks 33rd among qualified players in minutes per game, and Jalen Williams, who ranks 48th.
This encouraging trend also applies to the NBA-leading Cavaliers, whose minutes leader, Donovan Mitchell, ranks 71st in the league. And as both Oklahoma City and Cleveland have large leads for the No. 1 seeds (11 games for the Thunder in the West, 7.5 for Cleveland in the East), both should be able to keep their top guys fresh for the playoffs.
5. The Thunder’s lead for the West’s No. 1 seed is in fact historically large. With an 11-game lead three-quarters of the way through the season, the Thunder are projected to win the conference by 14 games, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI).
That would tie for the largest gap between the No. 1 and 2 seeds in a conference since the NBA-ABA merger; this past year’s Celtics were the East’s top team by 14 games. Out of 12 previous post-merger teams that won their conference by double digits, 10 won the championship.
6. The difference between Oklahoma City and other teams that have flexed their depth to rack up regular-season wins, such as this year’s Grizzlies, is that the Thunder pair their depth with better top-end talent. Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA with 32.6 points per game, and he’s favored to become the first guard to win MVP since 2018.
7. Some critics — notably Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, along with plenty of rival fans on social media — accuse Gilgeous-Alexander of generating his points by foul baiting. But while Gilgeous-Alexander does lead the league in made free throws — in part because he makes 90% of his attempts — he also ranks second in scoring from field goals alone, just 0.1 points per game behind Milwaukee Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo. And the Thunder as a team are tied for 28th in free throw attempts.
Instead, Gilgeous-Alexander distributes his points fairly evenly from all over the floor: 31% from the midrange, 25% at the rim, 25% from free throws and 20% from 3-point range. His throwback style is part of what makes him so hard to guard.
8. Gilgeous-Alexander’s greatest offensive strength: Like golfer Rory McIlroy, racetrack legend Lightning McQueen and actor Adam, SGA is an elite driver. For the fifth season in a row, Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league in drives per game.
And he is not merely a volume driver; he’s also incredibly efficient when he gets downhill. This season, the Thunder are averaging 1.20 points per possession when Gilgeous-Alexander drives and either shoots, commits a turnover or passes to a shooter. According to Second Spectrum, that mark ranks second among 68 players with at least 400 drives, behind only Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant.
Combine the quantity and quality of his forays to the rim, and it’s clear why Gilgeous-Alexander’s drives directly lead to four more points per game than any other player in the league.
9. In part because of his ability to slither around and slip past defenders, Gilgeous-Alexander is also an excellent isolation scorer. He leads the league in isolation possessions and scores 1.11 points per iso, which ranks in the 87th percentile among players with at least 100 such plays.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 1-on-1 scoring ability could prove especially important in the playoffs. Across the NBA over the past decade, isolation frequency has consistently increased by about a third in the postseason, according to an analysis of Second Spectrum data. Sometimes, in the most clutch moments against the best defenses, a contender just needs a star who can create a bucket for himself.
Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe get heated over whether the Thunder have what it takes to beat the Lakers in a playoff series.
10. While Gilgeous-Alexander paces the offense — aided primarily by contributions from Williams and the surging Aaron Wiggins — the defense thrives because of a broader team effort. Oklahoma City is allowing just 106.0 points per 100 possessions — 3.1 points below the second-place Orlando Magic.
For context, in the play-by-play era (since 1996-97), the average gap between the best and second-best defenses is just 0.8 points per 100 possessions; the largest gap before this season was 2.6 points. The Thunder are set to smash that record.
11. Here’s another way to express the Thunder’s defensive dominance. The worst offense this season belongs to the Washington Wizards, who are averaging 105.5 points per 100 possessions. Oklahoma City is effectively turning all its opponents into the Wizards.
12. Oklahoma City shuts down its opponents in myriad ways, but the most eye-opening might be how effectively it stymies opponent pick-and-rolls. In the modern NBA, this play is almost every team’s bread and butter — but the Thunder throw that into the trash.
The Thunder allow just 0.90 points per opponent pick. That’s the second-best mark for any team in the 2020s, behind only the 2019-20 Bucks.
13. Oklahoma City forces the toughest shot diet in the league, according to Second Spectrum. To steal a football term, the Thunder also win the possession battle at a ridiculous rate. They lead the league in steals with 10.8 per game (the most for any team in the 21st century), in deflections, loose ball recoveries and charges, where they have 59 (no other team has more than 39).
14. The Thunder aren’t turnover masters on defense alone. They also lead the league by committing the fewest turnovers on offense.
That combination means the Thunder force 5.9 more turnovers per game than they commit, which would obliterate the NBA record of 5.1 by the 1987-88 Nuggets. This season, only one other team is even a third of the way to the Thunder’s turnover margin.
15. What happens when you win the turnover battle by a massive margin? You win the battle for points off turnovers by a massive margin, too.
The Thunder lead the league in translating takeaways to points on both ends: They score the most points off opponent turnovers (22.4 per game) and allow the fewest points off their own turnovers (12.9), giving them an extra 9.5 points per game. No other team has a margin even half that large.
16. With so many lockdown defenders on his roster — Williams, Luguentz Dort, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso on the perimeter; Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein inside — Daigneault has plenty of options through which he can cycle when opponents get hot. The Thunder haven’t allowed a single 40-point scorer all season, and they’ve allowed only six players to reach 30. (Every other team has allowed at least 14 opposing 30-point scorers, and the league average is 24.)
17. All of these numbers are so impressive that it’s almost easy to forget the Thunder boast them despite missing Holmgren, the reigning Rookie of the Year runner-up, for most of the season. Due to a broken pelvis and sprained ankle, Holmgren has played in just 18 of 61 games.
But when he’s available, he makes Oklahoma City’s already great defense even greater. Holmgren has held opponents to 40% shooting near the basket this season, which leads all players who have defended at least 100 shots.
18. When Holmgren is on the court, the Thunder are even more dominant than usual, with a plus-17.4 net rating that ranks second among all NBA rotation players. The only player ahead of Holmgren is Gilgeous-Alexander, at plus-17.5. And the rest of the top five in net rating is more Thunder teammates: Caruso in third place, Isaiah Joe in fourth and Kenrich Williams in fifth.
19. One new advantage for this version of the Thunder is an ability to beat teams with Holmgren on the bench. In the 2023-24 playoffs, OKC outscored opponents by 11.2 points per 100 possessions with Holmgren on the court, per Cleaning the Glass. But without a viable backup big man, the Thunder were outscored by 7.1 points per 100 possessions when Holmgren was off the court. That was the largest on/off gap on the roster and the sixth-largest among all players with at least 300 playoff minutes.
Hartenstein has solved that problem since signing with the Thunder in free agency. When he plays without Holmgren, the Thunder have a plus-12.9 net rating, right in line with their overall mark. Pending good health, Oklahoma City should be able to play every postseason minute with a solid center patrolling the paint.
20. Hartenstein fixes another issue that plagued the Thunder this past season, when a rotation full of perimeter players and the tall-but-slight Holmgren was frequently helpless on the boards. In the conference semifinals, the Thunder scored in 29 more “first-chance” opportunities than the Mavericks did — but Dallas compensated with 29 more points off offensive rebounds.
But Hartenstein is a burly 7-footer and an excellent rebounder. The Thunder rank in the 62nd percentile for defensive rebounding with him in the game, per Cleaning the Glass — not near the top of the league but sufficiently competent. Another weakness, solved.
21. Hartenstein’s presence provides yet more lineup flexibility, and Daigneault has said he plans to use the rest of the regular season to experiment with double-big lineups featuring both Hartenstein and Holmgren. Those groups have looked somewhat awkward in the early going but fared well nonetheless, with a plus-8.8 net rating in a limited sample, per Cleaning the Glass, despite lousy luck on 3-pointers.
A two-bigs look might not end up as the team’s primary lineup in the playoffs, but it should prove useful as a wrinkle against certain opponents, such as the supersized Mavericks or in a potential Finals clash against Cleveland.
22. Now we’ve come full circle: The Thunder have so many options because of the incredible depth surrounding Gilgeous-Alexander — which should only grow in the seasons to come because the Thunder have both one of the NBA’s youngest cores and the largest stash of draft picks in the league.
Depending on pick protections, Oklahoma City could end up with a league-high 33 draft picks over the next seven years. (Heck, just this upcoming June, the Thunder could realistically win the championship and land three top-20 picks!)
But those picks are important for the future. For now, as the 2024-25 season winds down, the Thunder have plenty to accomplish in the meantime — a host of NBA records to chase and a playoff bracket full of opposing teams to frighten.
We are in the final full month of the NBA’s regular season — and that means the playoff picture will get clearer by the day ahead of the campaign’s final date on April 13.
It’s also been nearly one month since the Feb. 6 trade deadline that sent shock waves across the league. Since then, Luka Doncic has found his groove with the Los Angeles Lakers while the Dallas Mavericks are facing a tough road ahead because of injuries to Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. Predictably, the Lakers have shot up the Western Conference standings while the Mavs are likely fighting for just a play-in spot.
In the Eastern Conference postseason race, the Detroit Pistons are revving up toward their first playoff appearance since 2019. How far up the standings could they move? Keep an eye on the middle of the East pack with the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers pushing for the No. 4 spot.
Let’s dive into this week’s updated Power Rankings for all 30 NBA teams.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk and Chris Herring) think teams belong this season.
Previous rankings: Preseason | Oct. 30 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 13 | Nov. 20 | Nov. 27 | Dec. 4 | Dec. 11 | Dec. 18 | Dec. 25 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 8 | Jan. 15 | Jan. 22 | Jan. 29 | Feb. 5 | Feb. 12 | Feb. 26
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA | WAS
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2024-25 record: 51-10
Previous ranking: 1
Next games: vs. MIA (Mar. 5), @ CHA (Mar. 7), @ MIL (Mar. 9), vs. BKN (Mar. 11)
The Cavaliers have taken Phil Jackson’s 40-20 rule to another level this season. The 11-time championship-winning coach used to say that if a team wins 40 games before it loses 20, that’s an indicator of it being a legitimate title threat. Well, Cleveland’s 11-game win streak, including a road victory over the Celtics on Friday, has brought the record to 51-10. How’s that for legit? — Dave McMenamin
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
2024-25 record: 50-11
Previous ranking: 2
Next games: @ LAL (Mar. 6), @ LAC (Mar. 7), @ SAC (Mar. 10)
Oklahoma City still has the NBA’s stingiest defense by a wide margin — it allows 106 points per 100 possessions, which is 3.1 points better than the second-ranked Magic — but there has been significant slippage on that end of the floor recently. The Thunder have allowed 117.1 points per 100 possessions since the All-Star break, which ranks 22nd in the league during that time. Oklahoma City has still gone 6-1 in that span, when the Thunder have had the league’s most efficient offense (127.4). — Tim MacMahon
3. Boston Celtics
2024-25 record: 43-18
Previous ranking: 3
Next games: vs. POR (Mar. 5), vs. PHI (Mar. 6), vs. LAL (Mar. 8), vs. UTA (Mar. 10)
After Friday’s loss to the Cavaliers, Boston’s chances of catching Cleveland for the top spot in the Eastern Conference are extremely slim. The top priority for Boston over the next several weeks will be to try to make it to the postseason healthy. Jrue Holiday (finger) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) sat out the loss against the Celtics and the win over Denver. — Tim Bontemps
4. Los Angeles Lakers
2024-25 record: 39-21
Previous ranking: 7
Next games: vs. NYK (Mar. 6), @ BOS (Mar. 8), @ BKN (Mar. 10)
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The Lakers have won nine straight games against teams with a .500 record or better. But the schedule remains unrelenting. After handling the Pelicans on Tuesday (highlighted by LeBron James surpassing the 50,000-point mark), four of the Lakers’ next five opponents boast winning records. Lakers coach JJ Redick said he is stressing to his team to look at the schedule as a positive rather than a negative, with a chance to develop a “hardened mentality around competition.” — Dave McMenamin
5. New York Knicks
2024-25 record: 40-21
Previous ranking: 6
Next games: @ LAL (Mar. 6), @ LAC (Mar. 7), @ SAC (Mar. 10)
If the Knicks are going to find a way to compete with teams such as Boston, Cleveland and Oklahoma City — three contenders they’ve gone 0-7 against — they must play better defense. That’s where the return of center Mitchell Robinson, who rejoined the lineup Friday after rehabbing his surgically repaired ankle all season, could be vital. In particular, it will be fascinating to watch how he looks alongside fellow big Karl-Anthony Towns, who has struggled when New York uses drop coverage against high-powered offenses. — Chris Herring
6. Denver Nuggets
2024-25 record: 39-22
Previous ranking: 4
Next games: vs. SAC (Mar. 5), vs. PHX (Mar. 7), @ OKC (Mar. 9), @ OKC (Mar. 10)
The Nuggets are in a difficult stretch of the schedule that certainly will let them know where they stand among some of the league’s best teams. They went 2-2 on the road against four East playoff-bound teams — Indiana, Milwaukee, Detroit and Boston. And their next six games are against Sacramento, Phoenix, back-to-back games at Oklahoma City and at home against Minnesota and the Lakers. Nikola Jokic was seen limping a bit in the loss at Boston but still finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists in 39 minutes. — Ohm Youngmisuk
7. Memphis Grizzlies
2024-25 record: 38-23
Previous ranking: 5
Next games: vs. OKC (Mar. 5), @ DAL (Mar. 7), @ NO (Mar. 9), vs. PHX (Mar. 10)
Having lost seven of its past 10 games, Memphis enters Wednesday’s matchup against Oklahoma City down yet another player as Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered an ankle injury Tuesday that leaves him week-to-week. Star guard Ja Morant (shoulder) remains day-to-day, and he has admitted to struggling to find a rhythm. He has already missed 24 games for a Memphis team using an entirely new and unconventional offense, so he’s running out of time to find his bearings. Road clashes Friday and Sunday against the banged-up Mavericks and Pelicans should help Memphis get back on track. — Michael C. Wright
8. Houston Rockets
2024-25 record: 37-25
Previous ranking: 8
Next games: @ NO (Mar. 6), vs. NO (Mar. 8), vs. ORL (Mar. 10)
Alperen Şengün provided one of the few bright spots Tuesday with his 20th career 25-5-5 night in a Houston loss at Indiana. It appeared the Rockets were finally whole again Saturday when point guard Fred Van Vleet (ankle) returned to the lineup against Sacramento after missing nearly a month. But he ended up tweaking the injury early in that loss, leaving him sidelined for the next two games. Houston is sliding fast, having gone 5-11 since Jan. 30, which ties the rebuilding Spurs for the third-worst record by any team in the West over that span. Scoring has been an issue. — Wright
9. Milwaukee Bucks
2024-25 record: 35-25
Previous ranking: 10
Next games: vs. DAL (Mar. 5), vs. ORL (Mar. 8), vs. CLE (Mar. 9), @ IND (Mar. 11)
The Bucks are already benefiting from the addition of Kyle Kuzma due to his ability to play extended minutes for a team short on depth. Kuzma, 29, adds youth to a veteran Bucks team while averaging 34.2 minutes with Milwaukee, the most he has played since the 2022-23 season. Bucks coach Doc Rivers has called on him at times to lead the bench unit without either Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor, and his versatility has been useful since the team is missing suspended forward Bobby Portis. — Jamal Collier
10. Detroit Pistons
2024-25 record: 35-27
Previous ranking: 13
Next games: @ LAC (Mar. 5), @ GS (Mar. 8), @ POR (Mar. 9), vs. WAS (Mar. 11)
After the Pistons pushed their winning streak to eight games with perhaps their most impressive performance of the season, a 20-point blowout of the defending champion Celtics, they suffered their first loss since the trade deadline at home Friday against Denver. Detroit shook off that outcome to blow out a pair of lottery-bound teams, staying in the middle of a three-way competition for the No. 4 seed in the East and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. — Kevin Pelton
11. Indiana Pacers
2024-25 record: 35-25
Previous ranking: 9
Next games: @ ATL (Mar. 6), @ ATL (Mar. 8), @ CHI (Mar. 8), vs. MIL (Mar. 11)
After a slow start, Tyrese Haliburton has regained last season’s All-Star form. He’s averaging 23.2 points and 12.0 assists on 60% shooting (54.5% from 3) in seven games since the All-Star break, and he’s dished out at least 10 assists (and his second 15 dish game of the season in Tuesday’s win over the Rockets) in six straight games. Indiana is in position to fight for home-court advantage in the first round — the Pacers are tied with the Bucks for the No. 4 seed. — Collier
12. Golden State Warriors
2024-25 record: 34-28
Previous ranking: 14
Next games: @ BKN (Mar. 6), vs. DET (Mar. 8), vs. POR (Mar. 10)
There is no doubt that Jimmy Butler III has made an immediate impact on Golden State, which is 9-1 with him in the lineup. Warriors coach Steve Kerr has said the Warriors need to do a better job of moving the ball and finding Butler, with Draymond Green adding that they are encouraging their new star to be aggressive and look for his offense when possible. After not taking more than nine shots in any of his four prior games before Tuesday’s win over the Knicks, Butler was aggressive in attacking the Knicks’ defense, scoring 19 points, earning nine free throw attempts and calming the Warriors down with his poise on both ends at Madison Square Garden. “He kind of just bludgeons people in the lane,” Kerr said. “His footwork is incredible. … He can score, he can find shots behind the play and it’s part of why he keeps things calm out there for us.” — Youngmisuk
13. LA Clippers
2024-25 record: 32-29
Previous ranking: 12
Next games: vs. DET (Mar. 5), vs. NYK (Mar. 7), vs. SAC (Mar. 9), @ NO (Mar. 11)
The Clippers have lost six of their past seven, including Tuesday’s 119-117 heartbreaker at Phoenix where they gave up a 23-point lead. And things don’t get much easier. The Clippers next face a crucial three-game homestand against the much-improved Pistons, Knicks and Kings. The Clippers have exceeded all expectations for much of the season but find themselves in a fight for the sixth spot while trying to stay healthy. Norman Powell was dealing with a right knee issue and now has a right hamstring strain. Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) and Derrick Jones Jr. (right groin strain) were out against Phoenix as well. — Ohm Youngmisuk
14. Minnesota Timberwolves
2024-25 record: 34-29
Previous ranking: 11
Next games: @ CHA (Mar. 5), @ MIA (Mar. 7), vs. SA (Mar. 9)
The Wolves could benefit from star Anthony Edwards starting to slow down on collecting technical fouls. He’s been T’d up four times since the All-Star break for a league-leading 16 technical fouls, which triggered a one-game suspension Friday, a 117-116 loss to the lowly Jazz. It’ll be crucial for Minnesota that Edwards remains on the floor as the Wolves try to get out of the play-in zone and at least challenge for the No. 6 spot. — Collier
15. Sacramento Kings
2024-25 record: 32-28
Previous ranking: 16
Next games: @ DEN (Mar. 5), vs. SA (Mar. 7), @ LAC (Mar. 9), vs. NYK (Mar. 10)
Despite losing Domantas Sabonis to a hamstring strain Saturday in Houston, the Kings ran their winning streak to four games with wins over the Rockets and Mavericks. Every game counts for Sacramento, locked in a four-team battle for one guaranteed playoff spot and play-in positioning. Although the Kings are unlikely to clinch the No. 6 spot, where they enter the play-in matters. Historically, all eight teams starting seventh have advanced, while it’s been closer to a 50-50 proposition for the teams in eighth and ninth. — Pelton
16. Dallas Mavericks
2024-25 record: 32-30
Previous ranking: 15
Next games: @ MIL (Mar. 5), vs. MEM (Mar. 7), vs. PHX (Mar. 9), @ SA (Mar. 10)
The Mavs had been optimistic that Anthony Davis (left adductor strain) and Dereck Lively II (stress fracture in right ankle) will be able to return in time to play several games together toward the end of the regular season. Does that still make sense in the aftermath of All-Star guard Kyrie Irving’s season-ending knee injury that dealt a crushing blow to Dallas’ hopes of making a playoff run? The injury-ravaged Mavs sit in 10th place in the Western Conference standings and 13th in the draft lottery odds. — MacMahon
17. Miami Heat
2024-25 record: 29-31
Previous ranking: 19
Next games: @ CLE (Mar. 5), vs. MIN (Mar. 7), vs. CHI (Mar. 8), vs. CHA (Mar. 10)
Miami is staring at a third straight appearance in the play-in games as the team remains mired in a seemingly endless list of injuries popping up on a game-by-game basis, causing coach Erik Spoelstra to repeatedly change his lineups and rotations. One bright spot is the consistent play of Bam Adebayo, who set a franchise record for double-doubles with his 19 points and 15 rebounds performance in Monday’s win over the Wizards. — Bontemps
18. Orlando Magic
2024-25 record: 29-34
Previous ranking: 17
Next games: vs. CHI (Mar. 6), @ MIL (Mar. 8), @ HOU (Mar. 10)
The Magic’s hopes of salvaging a disappointing second half took a hit with Friday’s news that starting point guard Jalen Suggs would undergo season-ending surgery to remove a bone fragment in his left knee. Five games above .500 with Suggs in the lineup despite early injuries to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Orlando has gone 9-19 without him, including Tuesday’s loss to the Raptors on a buzzer-beating 3. With Detroit pulling away from the East field, the Magic are looking at needing to advance through the play-in tournament, which would mean a challenging first-round matchup against either Boston or Cleveland. — Pelton
19. Atlanta Hawks
2024-25 record: 28-34
Previous ranking: 20
Next games: vs. IND (Mar. 6), vs. IND (Mar. 8), vs. PHI (Mar. 10)
Wing Caris LeVert and forward Georges Niang, who came over in the De’Andre Hunter trade deadline deal with Cleveland, have both shown scoring flashes off the bench since joining the Hawks. LeVert had a dramatic, game-winning lay-in against Memphis earlier this week, while Niang has averaged what would be a career-best 14 points in Atlanta thus far. But the club has played poorly when they share the court, getting outscored by 7.6 points per 100 possessions in 196 minutes of play — a span in which the Hawks have surrendered a sky-high 120.1 points per 100 plays. — Herring
20. Phoenix Suns
2024-25 record: 29-33
Previous ranking: 18
Next games: @ DEN (Mar. 7), @ DAL (Mar. 9), @ MEM (Mar. 10)
A furious fourth-quarter rally in Tuesday’s win over the Clippers gave the Suns relief after having dropped eight out of their previous 10 games. Nonetheless, Phoenix is three games out of 10th place and the final play-in spot. The Mavericks are the team ahead of them, however, but their unfortunate rash of injuries could open the door for Phoenix to at least get a shot at the postseason and avoid a complete disaster for a season that started with title hopes. — McMenamin
21. Portland Trail Blazers
2024-25 record: 28-34
Previous ranking: 22
Next games: @ BOS (Mar. 5), @ OKC (Mar. 7), vs. DET (Mar. 9), @ GS (Mar. 10)
The Blazers did their part during the East Coast portion of a seven-game road trip, taking care of business against the lottery-bound Nets, 76ers and Wizards to ensure an above-.500 record in this stretch. Portland almost stole a game in Cleveland with Donovan Mitchell sitting out, losing in overtime, and will try to upset Boston or Oklahoma City to turn a good trip into a great one. Either way, with Kyrie Irving’s ACL injury dealing the 10th-placed Mavs another setback, it cracked the door open for the Blazers to push for a play-in spot this season. — Pelton
22. San Antonio Spurs
2024-25 record: 26-34
Previous ranking: 21
Next games: @ SAC (Mar. 7), @ MIN (Mar. 9), vs. DAL (Mar. 10)
Rookie of the Year candidate Stephon Castle bounced back from a couple of rough showings near the end of the Rodeo Road trip to score 20 points or more in three consecutive games, before another uneven performance Tuesday in a win over Brooklyn. Despite Victor Wembanyama being out the rest of season and long odds to make the play-in tournament, the Spurs — after a recent meeting with Gregg Popovich — continue to show energy, especially on the defensive end. On Tuesday, San Antonio also became the first team in NBA history to dish at least 20 assists in 200 consecutive games. — Wright
23. Chicago Bulls
2024-25 record: 24-38
Previous ranking: 23
Next games: @ ORL (Mar. 6), @ MIA (Mar. 8), vs. IND (Mar. 10)
Josh Giddey has stepped up for the Bulls since the All-Star break, leaving his best impression on the court before he heads into the summer as a restricted free agent. Giddey is averaging 22.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists on 51% shooting since the break, shouldering more of the team’s offense after Zach LaVine was traded and Nikola Vucevic sidelined with an injury. — Collier
24. Philadelphia 76ers
2024-25 record: 21-40
Previous ranking: 25
Next games: @ BOS (Mar. 6), vs. UTA (Mar. 9), @ ATL (Mar. 10)
Philadelphia finally has clarity on the status of Joel Embiid, whose season ended Friday because of the ongoing issues with his left knee. In the team’s two games since the announcement, Quentin Grimes exploded for 44 points in Saturday’s win over Golden State and followed that with 30 points in Tuesday’s loss at Minnesota, which should only solidify the pending restricted free agent’s starting spot over the final few weeks of the regular season. — Bontemps
25. Brooklyn Nets
2024-25 record: 21-40
Previous ranking: 24
Next games: vs. GS (Mar. 6), @ CHA (Mar. 8), vs. LAL (Mar. 10), @ CLE (Mar. 11)
Day’Ron Sharpe, the backup big in Brooklyn, has shown solid improvement since the All-Star break. The third-year player has increased his scoring and rebounding averages and his field goal percentage while doubling his assists and blocks per game during the season. The Nets have been almost 23 points better per 100 possessions offensively with him on the court in the season’s second half. — Herring
26. Toronto Raptors
2024-25 record: 20-42
Previous ranking: 26
Next games: vs. UTA (Mar. 7), vs. WAS (Mar. 8), vs. WAS (Mar. 10)
Toronto may not have much to play for standings-wise over the closing weeks of the season, but what the Raptors do have going for them is Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes have finally been able to get extended court time together. Both have dealt with injuries since Quickley arrived in Toronto last season, but in 20 games playing together this season, their combined scoring average is a team-high 58.5 points. That will help the Raptors assess how they want to put players around their two young tentpole performers moving forward. — Bontemps
27. New Orleans Pelicans
2024-25 record: 17-44
Previous ranking: 29
Next games: vs. HOU (Mar. 6), @ HOU (Mar. 8), vs. MEM (Mar. 9), vs. LAC (Mar. 11)
Zion Williamson continues to impress despite Tuesday’s road loss to the Lakers that concluded a four-game trip out West. Williamson dropped 37 points and a team-high 6 assists, racking up 15 points in his first 10 minutes. In fact, Williamson rolled up 20 points in the paint in the first half alone, giving him his 104th career game with 20-plus paint points, which is already a franchise record. Keep in mind, Williamson piled up those numbers against what’s been in recent weeks the best defense in the NBA. Postseason hopes are long gone. But two tests against Houston await, followed by a clash with Memphis. — Wright
28. Utah Jazz
2024-25 record: 15-46
Previous ranking: 28
Next games: @ WAS (Mar. 5), @ TOR (Mar. 7), @ PHI (Mar. 9), @ BOS (Mar. 10)
The Jazz are prioritizing player development, and coach Will Hardy is serious about holding the young players on Utah’s roster to high standards. “The frustrating part is that there’s so much opportunity on our team right now, and all of these young players are getting an opportunity to show us who they are, what they are, and that opportunity needs to be met with the desperation that it deserves,” Hardy told reporters after he was dismayed by the Jazz’s defensive effort in a 128-121 loss to the Pelicans. — MacMahon
29. Charlotte Hornets
2024-25 record: 14-46
Previous ranking: 27
Next games: vs. MIN (Mar. 5), vs. CLE (Mar. 7), vs. BKN (Mar. 8), @ MIA (Mar. 10)
It was one month ago that Mark Williams thought he was a Laker — until he was then a Hornet again after Los Angeles raised concerns about his physical. After all the awkwardness surrounding the rescinded deal following the trade deadline, the 23-year-old center played two of his best games of the season this past week, logging 26 points and 16 rebounds against the Mavericks before posting another double-double (24 points, 12 rebounds) in a loss to Washington. — Herring
30. Washington Wizards
2024-25 record: 11-49
Previous ranking: 30
Next games: vs. UTA (Mar. 5), @ TOR (Mar. 8), @ TOR (Mar. 10), @ DET (Mar. 11)
The Wizards have won just 11 games this season but four have come at Charlotte’s expense after sweeping the season series against the Hornets on Saturday. Of their 11 wins, Washington has also beaten Atlanta and Brooklyn two times each. It has won two of its past four overall as it plays Utah before embarking on a seven-game road trip. — Youngmisuk
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| Team | Point Diff. | Playoff Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Thunder | 12.66 | — |
| 1972 Lakers | 12.28 | 12-3 |
| 1971 Bucks | 12.26 | 12-2 |
| 1996 Bulls | 12.24 | 15-3 |
| 2017 Warriors | 11.63 | 16-1 |
| 2025 Cavaliers | 11.47 | — |
| 2024 Celtics | 11.34 | 16-3 |
| Team | TO Margin |
|---|---|
| Thunder | +5.9 |
| 76ers | +3.1 |
| Magic | +1.8 |
| Cavaliers | +1.6 |
| Pacers | +1.5 |
| Warriors | +1.5 |
| Team | Margin |
|---|---|
| Thunder | +9.5 |
| Knicks | +4.4 |
| Cavaliers | +3.8 |
| Warriors | +3.2 |
| 76ers | +2.5 |
Thunder’s playoff X-factor is becoming crystal clear
At 50-11 and with an 11-win edge over the second-seeded Lakers, the OKC Thunder are coasting to their second-straight playoff berth.
Yet, despite their clear regular season dominance, many still refuse to see this ball club as a legitimate powerhouse, with ESPN’s Tim MacMahon recently revealing that “there is not this great fear of the Oklahoma City Thunder” among “a lot of people around the Western Conference.”
Even with their league-leading net rating of 12.5 and historic outpacing of opponents by 12.7 points per game, this team clearly has limitations that, though few in quantity, could serve as debilitators down the stretch.
Easily their most glaring weakness is their offensive efficiency and productivity without superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor, as they go from boasting an elite 122.1 offensive rating with him in tow to a putrid 107.7 rating when he is taken out of the picture.
Now, while guys like Jalen Williams and the recently returned Chet Holmgren are seen as players who must step up on this side of the ball, particularly in the scoring department, to boost the Thunder’s non-SGA offensive play, considering the many hats they are tasked with wearing within coach Mark Daigneault’s scheme already, giving them a trusty tertiary weapon may be vital for stability purposes.
Fortunately, it appears Aaron Wiggins has slowly but surely established himself as such a commodity over the past few months of action.
Throughout his four-year tenure in the Sooner State, Wiggins has established himself as a quality contributor within the rotation. With his floor spacing abilities, crafty ball-handling skills, and switchability on defense, the 26-year-old has become a fixture in coach Daigneault’s game plan.
However, since the calendar page flipped to January, the wing has managed to reach new levels in his game and, as a result, has unquestionably become one of Oklahoma City’s most reliable rotational weapons.
Through 29 games played in 2025, he’s posting impressive averages of 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on a highly efficient 53.7 percent shooting from the floor and 41.3 percent shooting from distance while predominantly coming off the bench.
On top of this, throughout this stretch, he ranks fourth on the team in offensive rating at a whopping 124.9, and, with him out of the lineup, Oklahoma City falls to 116.9 (the second-lowest mark behind only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander).
Time and time again, the Thunder have benefited from his ability to step onto the floor and immediately generate offense.
A recent example of his impact came during OKC’s too-close-for-comfort matchup against the cellar dweller Brooklyn Nets on February 26, where he set the tone early and often amid a rather stagnant offensive performance for both SGA and the team, ultimately finishing with 24 points.
A sparkplug player like Aaron Wiggins, who is capable of shifting a game’s momentum with his offensive abilities, has been and will continue to be an absolute luxury for the Thunder, especially when they enter into the postseason.
Playing through a career year, it’s quite clear that the wing was worth every penny of his newly inked $45 million deal.
© 2025 Minute Media – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
Aaron Wiggins shaping up to be integral offensive spark plug for Thunder
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Kendrick Perkins: No One in the West Can Beat the Oklahoma City Thunder
Everyone is talking about the Los Angeles Lakers, and for very good reason. They have won six in a row and—surprise, surprise—it turns out pairing Luka Doncic and LeBron James together has an extremely high upside. All the hot play has elevated them to second in the Western Conference, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder.
This may have slightly distracted from the fact that the Thunder are 50–11 and have looked like worldbeaters all season. But Kendrick Perkins has kept his eye on the ball and remains confident that the Thunder will be representing the West.
“The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to the NBA Finals,” he said. “There’s not a team in the Western Conference that can beat them in a seven-game series.”
“The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to the NBA Finals. There’s not a team in the Western Conference that can beat them in a seven-game series.”
—@KendrickPerkins 👀 pic.twitter.com/uvIZdpokfg
Saying this definitively as the Lakers are improving exponentially is actually short of bold. Even though Oklahoma City is clearly one of the top two teams in the NBA right now.
For what it’s worth, Perkins also made the argument that James is still on top of the league.
“Are we sure that Nikola Jokic is the best player in the league?” Perkins asked. “Are we sure about that? Because I would have to argue right now today that LeBron James is the best player in the NBA.”
dslgkfrgk pic.twitter.com/SFH4Ythfa0
So, as always, a lot going on over at First Take. The great news for Perkins is that he can just steer into the LeBron take of the Thunder one ends up aging poorly. That’s how you play the game.
Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to ’24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.
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ABG-SI LLC.
– SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
