Just 15 teams remain on the quest for the 2021 NBA Championship and our NBA Power Rankings puts each team in their place.
The lack of depth in the East is on show as each opening round series is either 4-0, 3-0 or 3-1. The West on the other hand is showing that it is as strong as ever with three of the four series currently tied 2-2 and the other sitting at 2-1.
Here’s where the remaining 15 NBA teams stand after the first nine days of the Playoffs for the 2020-21 NBA season:
1. Philadelphia 76ers
NBA Championship Odds: +700
First Round Series: 3-0 (Wizards)
Postseason Seed: 1st – East
Previous Ranking: 1
The Philadelphia 76ers remain on top of our NBA Power Rankings following a 2-0 week. They currently lead the Wizards 3-0 and have an opportunity to advance this evening, if they can win. Joel Embiid has been dominant so far in the series, putting up nearly 30 points per game on 67.4% shooting from the field while averaging just 28 minutes.
Given they are likely to move ahead to the next round, if not tonight then on Wednesday, we can begin to look at their road ahead… Which includes avoiding the Nets and Bucks, for now. On the Sixers’ side of the bracket, the Hawks are currently up 3-1 over the Knicks. Philadelphia won the season series 2-1 over Atlanta, including back to back wins towards the end of the regular season that were by an average of 33 points.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
NBA Championship Odds: +550
First Round Series: 4-0 (Heat)
Postseason Seed: 3rd – East
Previous Ranking: 6
As the only team to have already advanced to the second round of the playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks rise up the rankings! The Heat were simply no match for Milwaukee on either end of the floor, with the Bucks winning last week’s three games by an average of 26.67 points per game. The trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are the perfect mix of both offense and defense, and seem to have great chemistry out on the floor together.
The Milwaukee Bucks move onto the next round #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/JWLKHdReE3
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 29, 2021
The one worry is that Donte Divincenzo, who started all 70 regular season + playoff games he played in this year, went down with a season ending foot tendon injury. The sweep has given them extra time to help prepare for their next series and figure out how they will replace him, but his length and athleticism will be missed on both ends, especially against a very good Brooklyn team, whom they are about to come up against.
3. Brooklyn Nets
NBA Championship Odds: +200
First Round Series: 3-1 (Celtics)
Postseason Seed: 2nd – East
Previous Ranking: 2
While they had a minor slip up in game three, the Brooklyn Nets’ offense is everything we were promised and more. Across three games last week, Brooklyn’s big three averaged 87 points per game, including a massive 104 between them in Sunday’s 141-126 win. Kevin Durant has led the way with his effortless scoring, averaging 35.67 points on 62.5% shooting from the floor last week.
Their defense is obviously still questionable at times, evidenced by allowing Jayson Tatum to go off for 50 and 40 points in consecutive games, but with their offense flowing the way it is, defense doesn’t really matter. At least not in this series, but Milwaukee is waiting for them and that is a much tougher test than what Boston is offering.
4. Utah Jazz
NBA Championship Odds: +460
First Round Series: 2-1 (Grizzlies)
Postseason Seed: 1st – West
Previous Ranking: 5
A two game week resulted in two wins for the Utah Jazz and allowed them to take back control of their series against Memphis. After missing game one with his ankle injury, Donovan Mitchell returned to the lineup for game two and has put up 25 and 29 points in his two games. They have been inconsistent at times throughout both games last week, but winning by 12 and 10 points, with the latter on the road, is tough to do in the playoffs and should be applauded.
Utah will want to win tonight and head back home for game five with a 3-1 lead, hoping to put this series on ice. The quicker they do that, the sooner they can prepare for the winner of the Clippers/Mavericks series, which heads back to LA tied 2-2. The Jazz got the better of both teams during the regular season, winning each season series 2-1, so shouldn’t be fussed by which team they host in the next round.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
NBA Championship Odds: +700
First Round Series: 2-2 (Mavericks)
Postseason Seed: 4th – West
Previous Ranking: 9
After looking down and out after the opening game of the series, the Los Angeles Clippers have come back to life with a 2-1 week, tying the series at 2-2. A game two loss saw the Clippers head to Dallas with most calling the series over already but behind Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, they responded in a big way.
Leonard’s 36 points on 13/17 shooting in game three allowed the Clippers to outscore the Mavs, winning 128-118, before they leant on their defense to pick up the massive 106-81 win last night. Given the Clippers have regained home court advantage and are playing much better basketball right now, they are favorites to win the series once again, but can they actually seal the deal?
6. Phoenix Suns
NBA Championship Odds: +3000
First Round Series: 2-2 (Lakers)
Postseason Seed: 2nd – West
Previous Ranking: 3
A 1-2 week might not look so good, but the Phoenix Suns return home with a 2-2 series and seem to be back in full control. A game four win in LA was massive on multiple fronts; finding some form offensively again, Chris Paul playing unrestricted from his shoulder injury and the downfall of Anthony Davis.
While no one would wish injury on an opponent, let alone anybody for that matter, Davis’ grade 1 groin strain is obviously beneficial for the Suns. In the two games that AD hasn’t dominated, Phoenix has won, and if he isn’t able to go for game five then the Suns are in the driver’s seat for this series.
7. Atlanta Hawks
NBA Championship Odds: +4500
First Round Series: 3-1 (Knicks)
Postseason Seed: 5th – East
Previous Ranking: 10
This was completely unexpected by the Atlanta Hawks, but behind Trae Young they look like a genuine playoff team. Starting the week with a nine point loss in New York, evening the series at 1-1, wasn’t the way they wanted to start, but based on Young’s trash talk in The Garden, they were right where they wanted to be.
In two games in Atlanta, Young averaged 24 points and 11.5 assists, leading the Hawks to 11 and 17 point wins. With Atlanta taking the 3-1 lead back to New York while playing incredible defense that has made the Knicks look just plain awful on offense, this series is as good as done.
8. Portland Trail Blazers
NBA Championship Odds: +3600
First Round Series: 2-2 (Nuggets)
Postseason Seed: 6th – West
Previous Ranking: 4
In the most inconsistent series of the opening round, the Portland Trail Blazers head back to Denver tied at 2-2, but remain ahead of the Nuggets in our NBA Power Rankings due to their depth and consistency. This week saw the Blazers go 1-2, losing by 19 and 5 in games two and three respectively, before dominating game four on their home floor to win by 20.
The game four win was massive for Portland as Damian Lillard managed just 10 points on 1/10 shooting from the floor, with Norman Powell and CJ McCollum combining for 50 to pick up the slack. When comparing the two sides, Portland looks like they want to win each game more than Denver does, but they still need to win two of the last three games and Denver has home court advantage.
The Blazers blow out the Nuggets to tie up the series, 2-2 💪 pic.twitter.com/uVSMRKNQ4y
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 29, 2021
9. Denver Nuggets
NBA Championship Odds: +3600
First Round Series: 2-2 (Trail Blazers)
Postseason Seed: 3rd – West
Previous Ranking: 13
While the Denver Nuggets played better basketball last week, going 2-1 to tie the series at 2-2, there are still some worrying signs. If it wasn’t for a 16 point fourth quarter from Austin Rivers in game three, a five point win, Denver could very well be down 1-3 to the Blazers.
In game four, a 20 point loss, Nikola Jokic shot just 7/18 for 16 points, his lowest point tally since the beginning of April. If he is unable to hit his shots then the Nuggets have no chance, and that is a lot of pressure for a single player to have, even if they are the soon-to-be MVP of the season.
10. Los Angeles Lakers
NBA Championship Odds: +500
First Round Series: 2-2 (Suns)
Postseason Seed: 7th – West
Previous Ranking: 14
A 2-1 week has seen the Los Angeles Lakers regain some confidence after a poor display in game one. In their two wins, Anthony Davis was near unstoppable, finishing with a 34 point double double in both games. In their two losses, Davis has combined for 19 points and been a complete non-factor, highlighting his importance to the side.
The worry now for the Lakers is that Davis has been diagnosed with a grade 1 groin strain and there is talk around the LA camp that he won’t be able to play in a massive game five. With LeBron James not looking like his usual self, the Lakers need Davis if they are to survive in this series, but can he deliver for them?
11. Dallas Mavericks
NBA Championship Odds: +6500
First Round Series: 2-2 (Clippers)
Postseason Seed: 5th – West
Previous Ranking: 7
After looking like causing the biggest upset of the opening round, the Dallas Mavericks have come crashing down to earth. Winning the opening two games in LA ultimately meant nothing as the Mavs dropped both games at home, and the way they lost them was concerning.
A 10 point loss in game three, despite 44 points, nine rebounds and nine assists from Luka Doncic, was the start of the trouble but Doncic’s injury report after the game was the start of the downhill spiral. A shoulder/neck injury that has referred pain down his arm meant that Doncic was in doubt for game four and while he played, he probably could have missed. Dallas lost by 25 on their home floor and returns to LA in a much worse position than when they left it.
12. Memphis Grizzlies
NBA Championship Odds: +25000
First Round Series: 1-2 (Jazz)
Postseason Seed: 8th – West
Previous Ranking: 12
An 0-2 week is quite bleak for the Memphis Grizzlies, but they have remained competitive throughout both contests against the league-leading Jazz. A 12 point loss in game two cast a shadow over Ja Morant’s spectacular night, where he finished with a career high 47 points. This was the most points by a Memphis player in postseason history whilst also being the most playoff points scored by a player aged 21 or younger.
That was followed up by a 28 point night in a 10 point home loss in game three, allowing Morant to become just the fourth player in NBA history to score 100+ points in his first three playoff appearances. He will be the first player to tell you that individual accolades aren’t important when the team isn’t winning. He is definitely correct as the Grizzlies look like they will be eliminated in the opening round, and sooner rather than later as well, but their future is bright with Morant leading the way.
Ja Morant joins Kareem, Wilt & George Mikan as the only players in NBA history with 100+ PTS in their first 3 playoff games!
GM1: 26 PTS, 4 AST, 52% FG
GM2: 47 PTS, 7 AST, 58% FG
GM3: 28 PTS, 7 AST, 44% FGpic.twitter.com/bTq8gUVsaP— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 30, 2021
13. New York Knicks
NBA Championship Odds: +25000
First Round Series: 1-3 (Hawks)
Postseason Seed: 4th – East
Previous Ranking: 8
The New York Knicks were a bad offensive team during the regular season but what they are dishing up in the playoffs is just plain awful. After averaging 95 across the two games in Atlanta, the Knicks now average just 99 points for the entire series and return home facing a 3-1 deficit with no clear answers on how to turn it around.
Julius Randle has been the biggest disappointment on the roster. After earning himself Most Improved Player honours for his spectacular regular season, Randle has looked like a shell of himself through the first four games. He has scored a total of 67 points for an average of 16.75 per game, shooting 20/73 from the field, just 27.4%.
14. Boston Celtics
NBA Championship Odds: +25000
First Round Series: 1-3 (Nets)
Postseason Seed: 7th – East
Previous Ranking: 16
‘What if’ will be thrown around a couple of times by Boston Celtics’ supporters but in the end this is of their own doing. Yes, Jaylen Brown would have made a massive difference against the Nets but this roster hasn’t been built strong enough to compete for championships, and ultimately a first round exit is all that it deserves. You have to feel for Jayson Tatum, who has been hounded by defenders all series long but still continues to put his best foot forward and give everything for Boston.
His 50 piece that inspired the Celtics to steal game three was incredible and will be memorable for years to come, but his lack of support should be what is remembered. In the two games in Boston, Tatum averaged 45 points but no other teammate averaged over 20 points and Kemba Walker, who is supposed to be his second scoring option, scored just six points in game three before sitting out game four…
15. Washington Wizards
NBA Championship Odds: +25000
First Round Series: 0-3 (76ers)
Postseason Seed: 8th – East
Previous Ranking: 15
The Washington Wizards’ second half of the season was incredible and deserved all the praise in the world but, realistically, were never going to make any impact in the playoffs. They are completely outmatched by Philadelphia and will likely be swept tonight, or go down in five on Wednesday.
Bradley Beal’s hamstring is still bothering him and Russell Westbrook continues to be Russell Westbrook, with this offseason looming as both franchise defining and career defining for those two stars.
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
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