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NBA Power Rankings Week 21: Bucks surge, Lakers plummet

By Jack Simone

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena on February 08, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena on February 08, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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NBA Power Rankings Week 21: Bucks surge, Lakers plummet
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 31: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket against Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics during the second half of a game at TD Garden on December 31, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts, NBA Power Rankings Week 21: Bucks surge, Lakers plummet. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images) /

The NBA playoffs are almost here, and the standings are as close as ever in both conferences. Out East, there are a ton of teams fighting for homecourt advantage, while in the West, there are a ton of teams scrapping it out for the play-in.

The Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers are battling it out for the second, third, and fourth seeds in the East, and they’re all within three games of one another.

NBA Power Rankings Week 21: Bucks surge, Lakers plummet

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs separated by only 3.5 games, as they are competing for the final two play-in spots in the West.

That’s all without even mentioning the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors battling for the two-seed, the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, and Dallas Mavericks fighting for seeding, and the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, and Atlanta Hawks fighting for play-in positioning in the East.

The point is, everywhere you look in the standings right now, things are close. And in the past week alone, there have been some serious shifts in the power rankings.

Some teams are hot, some teams are cold, and some teams are the Trail Blazers. Sorry, Portland fans, but the Blazers have gotten blown out by an average of 31.4 points over their last five games. It’s been rough.

But regardless, where does every team in the league stand in the power rankings this week? Who’s taken the biggest jump, and who’s suffered the biggest fall?

*All stats as of noon on March 11, 2022*