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2016-17 NBA Power Rankings: Heat, Nuggets, Bucks Make Playoff Push In Week 21

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 12, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (11) reacts after Miami scores a basket against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Miami 102-98. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (11) reacts after Miami scores a basket against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Miami 102-98. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA Power Rankings
Mar 12, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (11) reacts after Miami scores a basket against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Miami 102-98. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

In Week 21 of NBA Power Rankings, the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks are all making strong pushes to secure playoff spots.

With just under a month of regular season action left in the 2016-17 NBA campaign, everything we thought we knew about the league’s landscape has been flipped upside down.

The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are locks for the NBA Finals? There’s a new No. 1 in the West, and the defending champs have now lost six of their last nine games.

The Miami Heat are a non-playoff team with an 11-30 record in mid-January? They’re now 0.5 games out of a playoff spot. The Milwaukee Bucks are down and out following Jabari Parker‘s injury? They’ve passed the Chicago Bulls for the East’s 8-seed.

The Denver Nuggets are still a year away because of their losing record? They’re suddenly in the driver’s seat for the West’s final playoff spot.

With the NBA’s heavyweights looking vulnerable, teams like the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards surging, and teams honing in on late-season playoff pushes, it’s time to take a look at where everyone stands in our Week 21 NBA Power Rankings.