2018-19 NBA Power Rankings: 76ers, Blazers creep up in Week 15

In Week 15 of NBA Power Rankings for the 2018-19 season, the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers are slowly creeping up on the elite teams in their conferences.

As the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline creeps closer, more teams than usual will be attempting to gear their rosters up for a playoff push. Whether they’ll be able to do so when only about five teams in the entire league are truly out of the hunt remains to be seen.

For now, the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz are streaking, looking more like the Western Conference powerhouses they were expected to be. The Denver Nuggets remain incredibly tough, and the Oklahoma City Thunder hold the 3-seed out West despite a recent rough patch.

In the East, the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks continue to jostle atop the standings, while the Indiana Pacers slowly chug along right behind them. It’s the two teams behind the elite cluster, however, that catch our attention this week.

Quietly, the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers are creeping up on the competition. The jury’s still out on whether they can make real noise in the postseason, but for the time being, they’re getting closer and closer to joining the group at the top of the totem pole.

Here’s a look at the lay of the land in Week 15 NBA Power Rankings.