Thus, the 2023-24 NBA regular season will end in one month.
With the exception of the still-rising Boston Celtics, every team is competing to be in the best position possible, whether it's for playoff seeding or draft purposes.
The Western Conference summit continues to be a close contest. The race will likely be close, with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets all having 47 wins.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors remain close. If the situation remains the same, there could be another thriller in the play-in tournament.
Let's break it all down in the 13th edition of the 2023-24 NBA Power Rankings.
30. Washington Wizards, 11-57
The Wizards recently won their second straight game against Charlotte in Miami, ending a double-digit losing streak, but they still can't climb out of last place. Since then, they have lost four straight, and their future remains uncertain. (Final ranking: 30th))
29. Detroit Pistons, 12-56
Without Washington, Detroit would have been the last to die. A miraculous turnaround will be needed next season, but it must start with head coach Monty Williams taking the lead in further internal growth. (Final ranking: 29th)
28. Charlotte Hornets, 17 wins, 51 losses
Charlotte owns the league's worst net rating and is 2-8 in its last 10 games. At least Brandon Miller showed potential on the Flash. Otherwise, it would have been another wasted year for the Hornets. (Final ranking: 28th)
27. San Antonio Spurs, 15-53
At least the Spurs have Victor Wembaneyama, who is unusual for a rookie. The amount of jumps he made in just one season is incredible, but it's a shame he didn't get as many wins in his debut season. (Final ranking: 27th)
26. Portland Trail Blazers, 19-49
There isn't much new for Portland other than hoping that Scoot Henderson can finish the season on a strong note after returning from injury. (Final ranking: 26th)
25. Toronto Raptors, 23-45
Toronto appears to have made a decision. The Raptors have a protected first-round pick in the top six, which would otherwise be moved to San Antonio. Toronto is 1-9 in their last 10 games, including seven straight losses. That nomination could have major implications for the team's future. (Final ranking: 23rd place)
24. Memphis Grizzlies, 23 wins, 46 losses
Memphis moved up one spot because of Toronto's drop. It's been a grueling injury-filled season for the Grizzlies, so the main goal is just to finish without any more serious injuries. (Final ranking: 25th)
23. Brooklyn Nets, 26-42
The Nets are also benefiting from Toronto's fall, but they have their own issues to worry about. Ben Simmons has been ruled out for the season since the last tournament. Brooklyn has a lot of roster construction to do during the offseason. (Final ranking: 25th)
22. Utah Jazz, 29-39
Utah State has been strong all season, but perhaps this fall was the last time it settled in. The Jazz are 2-8 in their last 10 games, but their first-round pick could be traded to Oklahoma City (although the first-round pick is protected by picks 1-10). We may not be able to have a big winning streak until next season. (Final ranking: 21st)
21. Atlanta Hawks, 30-38
Atlanta remains a mid-major team, and nothing seems to change that. Roster restructuring will be key this offseason, primarily due to a possible trade for Dejounte Murray. However, Atlanta moved up in the standings due to Utah's decline. (Final ranking: 22nd)
20. Chicago Bulls, 34-35
The Bulls still have time to reach new peaks this season. They've won six of their last 10 games, but it's unlikely they can continue to improve this season without Zach LaVine. The deal should have been done by the deadline. (Final ranking: 19th)
19. Houston Rockets, 32-35
Houston still boasts a top-10 defense, but its 9-24 road record has put a big dent in that ceiling. By the way, Memphis has a 15-19 road record with him. This, along with improved offensive play, will be key to moving up the standings next year. It was also key that Alperen Sengun avoided serious injury. (Final ranking: 20th)
18. Golden State Warriors, 35-32
There are plenty of comparable positions from this position to around the top 10. The Warriors' good performance has stalled in recent games, so he has dropped three spots since last time. There's still a chance they can avoid a play-in game, but the margin is extremely slim in Golden State's current position. (Final ranking: 15th)
17. Miami Heat, 37-31
The Heat are currently in a precarious situation, losing five of their last seven games. Their only two wins came in Detroit. As mentioned earlier, margins around the region are tight, so Miami will also take a nosedive. (Final ranking: 13th)
16. Indiana Pacers, 38-31
Indiana was on a downward trend in the last edition, and that continues this time. The Pacers continue to fluctuate between wins and losses, and Tyrese Haliburton will need to rediscover his early-season magic to have a legitimate chance this season. (Final ranking: 14th)
15. Los Angeles Lakers, 37-32
You never know what version of the Lakers you're going to get. The Lakers defeated Milwaukee and Minnesota in back-to-back games, then lost to Golden State and Sacramento. This will ultimately be good or bad, and it will probably be their downfall (along with coaching concerns). For now, their recent play is worth moving up one spot. (Final ranking: 16th)
14. Philadelphia 76ers, 38-30
The 76ers are in a difficult situation. They have lost five of their last eight games and are currently on a four-game road trip against four Western Conference playoff contenders. They need to survive while Joel Embiid is out. (Final ranking: 11th)
13. Sacramento Kings, 39-28
The Kings have a unique problem of regularly putting up quality battles against elite teams, yet completely stumbling against the teams they should be beating. Maybe that's a good thing come playoff time, but they need to secure a good seed first. (Final ranking: 18th)
12. Phoenix Suns, 39-29
Phoenix hasn't completely exploded, but there have been fluctuations in wins and losses, and the team has fallen back from the top 10. (Final ranking: 9th place)
11. Dallas Mavericks, 39-29
The Mavericks have won five of their last six games against strong opponents, with Kyrie Irving's buzzer-beating left-handed hook shot over Nikola Jokic being the top prize. (Final ranking: 12th)
10. Orlando Magic, 40 wins, 28 losses
Orlando has won 8 out of 10 games and is the biggest rising star in this tournament, but there must be some background to that. Those wins were against Brooklyn (x2), Toronto (x2), Detroit, Washington, Charlotte, and Utah. The two losses were against New York and Indiana. But while teams on the rise like Orlando should take care of business, the teams below them haven't always done so. (Final ranking: 17th)
9. Los Angeles Clippers, 42 wins, 25 losses
Compared to other teams above the Clippers, things were a little tough for LA. They lost 4 out of 5 matches and were on a downward trend in the last edition as well. LA will need to get back on track by next month. (Final ranking: 6th place)
8. New Orleans Pelicans, 41-26
New Orleans has won six of its last seven games, but it's still not enough to stay ahead. Staying healthy during this time is really important, especially with Zion Williamson at the helm. (Final ranking: 8th place)
7. New York Knicks, 41-27
The Knicks have started to slow down in the last few games as injuries started to pile up, but they have won four of five games since then and are still not fully healthy. There could be more to come from Jalen Brunson and others. (Final ranking: 10th)
6. Cleveland Cavaliers, 43-25
Cleveland's run from late January to mid-February has been exhausting, and the team has had some ups and downs in recent weeks. Donovan Mitchell isn't fully back yet, so that has to be taken into account when thinking about whether he can reach his previous level again. (Final ranking: 6th place)
5. Milwaukee Bucks, 44-24
Milwaukee will likely have to settle for the No. 2 seed in the East, which is 3-3 in its last six games. However, the Bucks' next game is in Boston. Talk about a big test that could be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals. (Final ranking: 5th place)
4. Minnesota Timberwolves, 47-21
The top three teams in the Western world are nearly identical in terms of records, so it's all still up for grabs through next month's games. However, that resiliency will definitely be tested as Minnesota will have to do so without Karl-Anthony Towns. Fortunately, Anthony Edwards doesn't seem fazed by anything. (Final ranking: 3rd place)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder, 47-20
Oklahoma City regained its spot by winning six of its last eight games. The team's young players will be tested during the playoffs, but none of that has slowed them down just yet. (Final ranking: 4th place)
2. Denver Nuggets, 47-21
Denver is the best team in the top three in the West and is in great shape. The Nuggets have won 11 of their last 13 games, including a thrilling game at home against Boston. Who's next? Away to Minnesota. (Final ranking: 2nd place)
1. Boston Celtics, 54-14
The Celtics remain in first place for the ninth time. The starting five are perfectly balanced at each position, and they are currently on a league-high six-game winning streak. As long as they stay on course, this will be their premier shot at Banner No. 18. (Final ranking: 1st place)
