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NBA Power Rankings: Golden State still on top, LeBron James is ready for playoffs

By Mark Carman

Mar 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) high-fives forward Blake Griffin (32) after scoring the the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center. Left is Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes (22). The Clippers won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) high-fives forward Blake Griffin (32) after scoring the the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center. Left is Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes (22). The Clippers won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 24, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after making a basket against the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after making a basket against the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta has clinched home court throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. Mike Budenholzer rested all five starter in their lone loss this week to Charlotte. Jeff Teague missed a couple of games with a sprained ankle, but is expected back to start the week. Atlanta is 6-6 in their last 12 games. Part of the problem is the starting line-up has not played together much lately and not at all in six of the last eight games. Hard to believe that Atlanta won 19-games in a row back in December/January.

4. Houston Rockets

Dwight Howard is back playing on both a minutes and back-to-back games limit. So far, Howard has grabbed 10-rebounds in 19-minutes versus Washington and scored 18-points in 20-minutes versus Minnesota. Patrick Beverley is out for the year with season-ending wrist surgery. In addition to his harassing defense, Beverley was averaging 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 30.8 minutes. Houston is tied in the loss column with Memphis. The two seed provides a considerably easier first round match-up with most likely Dallas rather than perhaps defending champion San Antonio or the Los Angeles Clippers. The remaining schedule is tough with road games at Dallas and Oklahoma City and a home-and-home with San Antonio.

3. San Antonio Spurs

Since losing to the Knicks on March 17, the Spurs have won six of seven. Tony Parker had one bad game this week and not coincidentally it was the one game the Spurs lost at Dallas. Monta Ellis also had 38. The Spurs bounced back from the loss by beating OKC by 39, Dallas by 18 and then Memphis by 14. In the Memphis win, Kawhi Leonard scored the first 15 points of the fourth quarter. Overall, the offense has been flowing. The Spurs are 11-3 in March, and have averaged just over 111 points per game.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Both Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert had to leave the Cavs last game with with back and ankle aches respectively. Neither is expected to miss any time. Light, but interesting week with only two home games and a three day break. Miami is in Thursday, Chicago Sunday as the Cavs look to build on a 16-game home winning streak. Since starting the season 19-20, the Cavs are 29-7. They can pretty much wrap up the two seed with a win over Chicago which would give David Blatt the option to rest players in the final five games, not that seeding matters to LeBron.

1. Golden State Warriors

In their current nine-game winning streak, Golden State has only had one game that was within 10 points and that was against the Lakers where they clearly didn’t care. They have officially clinched the top seed in the Western Conference, set a franchise record with their 60th victory, and are just the 13th team in NBA history to reach 60 wins in their first 73 games. Nine of those teams went on to win the championship. The lone cautionary tale was the 2006-07 Mavericks who lost in the first round. Until they have playoff success, experts will doubt the Warriors. The way they have been winning games should remove most of that doubt heading into the playoffs.

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