Just when it seemed as though the Boston Celtics had relinquished an excellent opportunity to finish atop the Eastern Conference they came storming back to take top spot again. However, the Celtics rise has as much to do with the Cleveland Cavaliers crumbling as anything else. It should be no surprise that the final NBA power rankings of the regular season feature a shakeup for the final two spots with the top three teams in the Western Conference already locked in. Here is a look at the NBA top-five power rankings for this week.
1. Golden State Warriors
Last Week: 1
NBA Championship Odds: -150
The Warriors had their win streak snapped by the Utah Jazz but will enter the postseason on fire following an incredible stretch. Golden State has just one loss since March 14th. The Warriors are also back at full strength with Kevin Durant showing he is back at 100-percent while Stephen Curry will be able to take a couple of days off to rest his knee for the playoffs. Golden State’s top-ranked offense is almost unstoppable. The Warriors have 50 games this season with at least 30 assists, which is two shy of the all-time record set by the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, their defense really showed up when Durant was injured and it will be interesting to see how they adjust in the postseason. A lot can change over the next few weeks. However, right now the NBA championship is Golden State’s to lose.
2. San Antonio Spurs
Last Week: 2
NBA Championship Odds: +650
How many stars have averaged 25.8 points per game with a true shooting success rate of 61 percent while playing dominant defense for a 60-win team and failed to win MVP? Kawhi Leonard is our pick to win the MVP based on the sheer ridiculousness of his overall numbers. Leonard’s offensive numbers are right there with the best in the game. The difference is that he has led his team to more wins than any other team but the Warriors while posting unrivalled defensive statistics. It will be very interesting to see how San Antonio performs in the playoffs with a potential second round matchup against the Houston Rockets before a highly anticipated showdown with Golden State. The Spurs have a tough road but it’s impossible to overlook them in the West.
3. Houston Rockets
Last Week: 3
NBA Championship Odds: +1800
Houston is led by an NBA MVP candidate in James Harden and a Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner in Eric Gordon. Then there are some intriguing complimentary pieces that have thrived in Mike D’Antoni’s system this season. The Rockets have slowed down a bit in the second half but the reality is that they have been locked in to the third seed in the West for a while now so they really don’t have much to play for. Houston is set to meet the Oklahoma City Thunder in round one so we could see our potential MVP showdown with Harden versus Russell Westbrook.
4. Boston Celtics
Last Week: 5
NBA Championship Odds: +1700
It seemed the Celtics had conceded top spot in the East following back-to-back losses to the Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks. Then Boston posted back-to-back wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets while Cleveland inexplicably dropped three in a row to concede the top seed. The Celtics clearly have a lot going for them entering the postseason and now they will have home court advantage. However, Boston will need to win its first two playoff series in order to meet the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Final and that will still be a tough task. The Celtics have the potential to do something special this year and it will be very interesting to see how their matchups play out for them in the first two rounds.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last Week: 5
NBA Championship Odds: +250
The fact that Cleveland blew a chance to finish atop the East is puzzling. However, now that the Cavaliers will finish second it seems as though the majority of experts are questioning whether they need that top seed after all. The Eastern Conference didn’t have a single 54-win team, which leaves Boston with the fourth-best record in the East. Teams led by LeBron James have had the No. 2 seed five times in his career and all five times those teams went on to reach the NBA Finals. The key concern will be how much this group has left in the tank. There are some that felt they ran out of gas this year while others think they simply lacked the urgency to finish atop the standings. Whatever the case, all eyes will be on LeBron and company come playoff time. The defending champions have what it takes to win it all again. Most fans seem to be rooting for another rematch with the Warriors. In order to get that far, the Cavaliers need to turn the clock back and play at the level they did a year ago in the postseason.
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