We\u2019re coming down to the final stretch of the NBA regular season, and multiple races are tightening up.<\/p>\n
Not only are the discussions for NBA Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year intensifying, teams are closing their seasons with playoff seeding top of mind.<\/p>\n
And the tightest cluster is in the middle of the Eastern Conference, where the race for the automatic playoff bid of the No. 6 seed will go down to the wire. Six different teams \u2014 the Hawks, 76ers, Raptors, Hornets, Magic and Heat \u2014 each have pathways to end up there.<\/p>\n
Here are\u00a0USA TODAY Sports<\/a>\u2019 NBA power rankings after Week 22 of the 2025-26 regular season:<\/p>\n 1 \/ 0<\/p>\n Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings<\/p>\n Note:\u00a0Records and stats through April 5. Parentheses show movement from\u00a0last week\u2019s rankings<\/a>.<\/p>\n NBA Week 23 power rankings: Top 10<\/p>\n 1.\u00a0Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a>, 62-16 (+1)<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0San Antonio Spurs<\/a>, 59-19 (-1)<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0Detroit Pistons<\/a>, 57-21 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 4. Boston Celtics<\/a>, 53-25 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0Denver Nuggets<\/a>, 50-28 (+1)<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0New York Knicks<\/a>, 50-28 (+1)<\/p>\n 7.\u00a0Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>, 49-29 (+1)<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>, 50-28 (-3)<\/p>\n 9.\u00a0Houston Rockets<\/a>, 49-29 (+1)<\/p>\n 10.\u00a0Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a>, 46-32 (\u2014)<\/p>\n The big story here is the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> and their miserable week. Not only did they lose star Luka Don\u010di\u0107 indefinitely to a hamstring injury, but Austin Reaves is also set to miss the remainder of the regular season with an oblique strain. Without those two, the Lakers suddenly become a very middling team and their prospects of a run in the postseason are compromised significantly.<\/p>\n This opens the door for the Denver Nuggets, who are tied with the Lakers with a 50-28 record, to take over the No. 3 seed in the West. Denver has won eight consecutive games, including a thrilling overtime win Sunday, April 5 over the Spurs.<\/p>\n And don\u2019t sleep on the Rockets, who have won six consecutive games and have an outstanding +18.0 net rating over that span.<\/p>\n NBA Week 23 power rankings: Nos. 11-20<\/p>\n 11.\u00a0Atlanta Hawks<\/a>, 45-33 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 12.\u00a0Phoenix Suns<\/a>, 43-35 (+1)<\/p>\n 13.\u00a0Toronto Raptors<\/a>, 43-35 (-1)<\/p>\n 14.\u00a0Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>, 43-35 (+1)<\/p>\n 15.\u00a0Charlotte Hornets<\/a>, 43-36 (+3)<\/p>\n 16.\u00a0Orlando Magic<\/a>, 42-36 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 17.\u00a0Los Angeles Clippers<\/a>, 40-38 (-3)<\/p>\n 18.\u00a0Miami Heat<\/a>, 41-37 (-1)<\/p>\n 19.\u00a0Portland Trail Blazers<\/a>, 40-38 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 20.\u00a0Golden State Warriors<\/a>, 36-42 (\u2014)<\/p>\n The Hawks continue to be the hottest team in the East, but the story in this group is the absolute logjam in the middle of the conference. Just 2 games separate the No. 6 team, the Sixers, and the No. 10 team, the Heat.<\/p>\n All of this is making the race for that six-seed rather compelling down the stretch. The Hornets, winners of four consecutive games and owners of the NBA\u2019s best offensive rating (123.0) since the All-Star break, are in position to potentially sneak into that spot.<\/p>\n Otherwise, most of the teams in that group \u2014 the Raptors (4-6), Magic (4-6) and Heat (3-7) \u2014 have stumbled somewhat in their last 10 games.<\/p>\n NBA Week 23 power rankings: Nos. 21-30<\/p>\n 21.\u00a0Milwaukee Bucks<\/a>, 31-47 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 22.\u00a0Chicago Bulls<\/a>, 29-49 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 23.\u00a0Dallas Mavericks<\/a>, 25-53 (+1)<\/p>\n 24.\u00a0Memphis Grizzlies<\/a>, 25-53 (-1)<\/p>\n 25.\u00a0New Orleans Pelicans<\/a>, 25-54 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 26.\u00a0Sacramento Kings<\/a>, 21-58 (+1)<\/p>\n 27.\u00a0Utah Jazz<\/a>, 21-58 (-1)<\/p>\n 28.\u00a0Brooklyn Nets<\/a>, 19-59 (\u2014)<\/p>\n 29.\u00a0Indiana Pacers<\/a>, 18-60 (+1)<\/p>\n