NBA Power Rankings: Playoff Edition

Detailed view chairs with a playoff logo before a game between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Detailed view chairs with a playoff logo before a game between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Detailed view chairs with a playoff logo before a game between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Detailed view chairs with a playoff logo before a game between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards in game one of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

The NBA regular season can drag and even the most ardent fan would acknowledge that. Each team plays 82 games and, well, it is virtually impossible to bring top-tier performance to the table that many times in a game with the athletic demands of basketball, especially with the caveat that squads play on back-to-back days on a number of occasions.

What isn’t up for debate, though, is that NBA playoff basketball is tremendous.

We have reached the “second season” when it comes to the 2015-2016 campaign, and only 16 teams remain in the battle for the NBA title. At the outset of each week during the season, we brought you a look at how all 30 NBA teams ranked, and today, we will take that concept and apply to the playoff franchises.

It must be stated that this is not a ranking of win-loss record, simply because you can glance at the standings for that. It is also not a series-by-series breakdown. What these rankings represent is a snapshot of how each team is performing in the present, to the point where the number 16 team is not the 8th seed in either conference.

With that descriptor out of the way, let’s get to the list, starting with an injury-plagued unit that peaked far too early this season.

Next: No. 16