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NBA Power Rankings, March Madness edition: Blake Griffin back, Serge Ibaka, Manu Ginobili down

By Mark Carman

Feb 15, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; A view NBA logo during the NBA All Star Jam Session at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; A view NBA logo during the NBA All Star Jam Session at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 6, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Dewayne Dedmon (3) and guard Victor Oladipo (5) and guard Elfrid Payton (4) celebrate during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings at Amway Center. The Magic won 119-114. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic center Dewayne Dedmon (3) and guard Victor Oladipo (5) and guard Elfrid Payton (4) celebrate during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings at Amway Center. The Magic won 119-114. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

25 Orlando Magic

It won’t get any easier for the Magic this week who are trying to end a four-game losing streak. Defense has been a huge problem lately. The Cavs put up 123, Indiana 118. Even the offensively challenged Bucks had 97. It will be another tough week for the Magic with games at Houston and Dallas before a home game with Portland. The Magic are now 6-10 under well liked interim head coach James Borrego. The last time the Magic won on the road was January 12th at Chicago.

Feb 25, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) reacts to a call during the fourth quarter of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 102-90. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) reacts to a call during the fourth quarter of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 102-90. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

24 Sacramento Kings

DeMarcus Cousins may be changing Charles Barkley’s opinion. Back-to-back 39 and 30 point performances might not quite be enough, but perhaps a sign George Karl will help Cousins reach his enormous potential.

Sacramento finally gets to go home after an eight-game road trip that wasn’t pretty. The highlight losses were at Philadelphia and Orlando. Fairly impressive badness, 2-6 overall. The Kings get to play their next five at home.

Mar 10, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Thaddeus Young (30) drives to the net during the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Thaddeus Young (30) drives to the net during the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

23 Brooklyn Nets

The Nets are still hanging around the fringes of the Eastern Conference playoff race, only three games back coming into the week. Pretty odd to hear a team so giddy after beating the 76ers, but that is what the Nets were after ending a five-game slide Saturday with a 94-87 win. Thaddeus Young had his best game in a Nets uniform against his old Philly team, scoring 21. If the Nets are going to somehow make the playoffs they will have to do it without Sergey Karasev, whose season ended when he had surgery to repair a torn medial collateral ligament, a dislocated patella and multiple loose bodies in his right knee. If you haven’t heard of Karasev, you are not alone.

Feb 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) shoots the ball during the second half at Pepsi Center. The Thunder won 124-114. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) shoots the ball during the second half at Pepsi Center. The Thunder won 124-114. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

22 Denver Nuggets

Props to you Melvin Hunt, the interim head coach of the resurgent Denver Nuggets. Four wins in a row for the now 6-2 under Hunt Nuggets. These aren’t just wins, but rather pretty impressive ones. Atlanta and Golden State at home, followed by on OT win at New Orleans. Kenneth Faried must have really disliked Brian Shaw, saying the Nuggets have “fire in their eyes” under Melvin Hunt. Even more impressive, Hunt is playing young players to get an idea for the future rather than running his veterans a bunch of minutes to try and win a job. Wilson Chandler, Randy Foye and Darrell Arthur. Third-year player Will Barton took advantage with the added minutes scoring 25 in 47 minutes at New Orleans. Things are looking up in Denver, not so much for the head coaching future of Brian Shaw.

Mar 4, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) reacts during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) reacts during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

21 Miami Heat

The Heat want to get the ball more to Hassan Whiteside. Erik Spoelstra spent a good portion of Sunday’s practice focusing on how Whiteside only got six shots in a loss to the Raptors on Saturday night. Spoelstra wants more touches for his emerging big man, who at times has been more Wiltside than Whiteside. There was a one-game suspension last week after elbowing Boston Celtic Kelly Olynyk. Miami was able to beat Brooklyn without Whiteside, but know they need the big man rolling to make the playoffs. Miami is .5 back of Charlotte entering the week.

Next: No. 20- No. 16

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