Western Conference Power Rankings: April 2025 Edition

April is here!

Two weeks left in the NBA regular season means we have our last Power Ranks of the 2024-25 SZN.

LET’S GET IT.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (63-12) - prev. #1

March: (15-1) No. 1 offense / No. 2 defense

Soo the Thunder are on pace for the 6th best record in NBA history, riding a current 10-game winning streak and winning of 17 of the last 18.

And uhhhh… right now they have the 2nd best net rating for a team in a single season behind only the 1995-96 Bulls: 13.4 Bulls | 13.2 OKC.

GULP.

2. Los Angeles Lakers (46-29) - prev. #2

March: (9-8) No. 17 offense & No. 17 defense

The Lakers weathered the storm of LeBron missing 7 games, going 3-4. But they’ve also had to adjust with him being back in the lineup.

There was LeBron’s buzzer-beating tip-in win vs. the Pacers and then the late-game collapse in Chicago the very next night. They picked apart Houston last night to continue steadying the ship.

LeBron and Luka in a 7-game series is as enticing as it gets. Can they hold up without having any frontcourt depth?

3. Denver Nuggets (47-28) - prev. #3

March: (8-7) No. 10 offense / No. 24 defense

Jokic missed five straight games and the Nuggets went 2-3, losing to the Lakers, Blazers and Bulls. There was also that Saturday night (with Joker) where they lost to the Wizards at home. But the Nuggets were the only team to beat the Thunder in March, a huge win in OKC.

Are we talking enough about how important Aaron Gordon is to this team? The Nuggets have lost 4 of the last 6 games he’s missed. 30-15 with him and 17-13 without. He’s still shooting 45% from 3.

A healthy Nuggets team poses a threat to the entire Western Conference.

4. Golden State Warriors (43-31) - prev. #6

March: (11-4) No. 15 offense / No. 4 defense

Other than a small hiccup against the Hawks and Heat with Steph out, the Dubs have kept the same trajectory since adding Jimmy to the mix.

The defense is an added strength and the vibes are flowing. But a looming 1st Round matchup vs. the Joker is something they will want to avoid.

5. Houston Rockets (49-27) - prev. #5

March: (12-5) No. 7 offense & No. 11 defense

The Rockets put their 5-7 February in the rear view, getting back to their winning ways.

Since March 6, the Rox are 12-2 with the No. 6 offense and No. 5 defense over that time.

But losing to the Lakers down the stretch on Monday night (albeit on the second night of a back-to-back) is how the story usually unfolds for teams that haven’t received any of their playoff scars yet.

6. Los Angeles Clippers (43-32) - prev. #7

March: (11-5) No. 5 offense / No. 9 defense

After a lackluster 4-7 February, the Clips turned it all around in March, their best offensive stretch of the season.

They didn’t beat the Cavs on Sunday without Kawhi, but they did a couple of weeks ago when Zubac racked up a 28-20 game and Kawhi scored 33. He’s been looking back to that Kawhi robot of old.

With a strong defensive foundation and offensive ceiling that Kawhi, Harden and Norm Powell pose, we like the Clippers as a potential Western Conference dark horse.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves (43-32) - prev. #8

March: (11-3) No. 3 offense / No. 5 defense

Amidst an easier schedule, March was Minnesota’s month.

The T-Wolves found themselves, rocking a top-5 offense and top-5 defense, making their 3s and playing together for the first time in a long while.

It’s encouraging, too, that Ant has able to have lighter usage games that have still resulted in wins.

8. Memphis Grizzlies (44-31) - prev. #4

March: (6-10) No. 16 offense / No. 18 defense

You know that firing the coach was a surprise when one of the players thought it was Centel’s music. (Never change, GG Jackson.)

But seriously, this was shocking as Taylor Jenkins had instilled a winning culture from the moment he showed up to Memphis. There was a recent rough patch, sure, but canning him with 9 games left in the season is crazy.

But at the end of the day, we didn’t believe in this Grizz team in the playoffs before and sure as hell don’t now.

9. Sacramento Kings (36-39) - prev. #9

March: (6-11) No. 18 offense / No. 23 defense

The Kings have been free falling, losing 10 of the last 13 games and 6 of the last 7.

There were those solid back-to-back wins vs. the Grizz and Cavs but it’s been rough outside of that. Even worse, we find this version of the Kings so much less fun than the previous one.

They get two cupcakes in the Wizards and Hornets before it’s nothing but playoff teams for a week straight.

10. Dallas Mavericks (37-39) - prev. #10

March: (5-11) No. 19 offense / No. 26 defense

Just when the Mavs had won 4 out of 5, they lose to the Brooklyn Nets. At home. In Gafford’s first game back.

Kyrie down and out with the ACL is still such a bummer. Props to the Mavs for continuing to fight. AD deserves flowers for even lacing them up. The Mavs actually started 4-0 with him.

It’s going to be a battle to hold onto a play-in spot with the Kings and Suns breathing down their necks.

11. Phoenix Suns (35-40) - prev. #12

March: (7-8) No. 11 offense / No. 27 defense

In the 25th hour, the Suns were showing signs of life.

But then a 4-game winning streak quickly turned into a 3-game losing streak and KD will miss a very important week with an ankle.

KD was on a mission taking on an even bigger scoring load while Book continued with his de facto point guard big assist games. Now it’s back to the cookouts with Book of old.

12. Portland Trail Blazers (32-43) - prev. #11

March: (5-10) No. 20 offense / No. 16 defense

The Blazers cooled down considerably compared to their red-hot February, but Deni Avdija’s March numbers have been nuts: 23/10/5 and shooting 45 percent from 3.

Cling Kong has been coming around the mountain as well, notching 3 double-doubles in the month after just 3 the entire rest of the season.

ALSO, despite the fact that the Detroit Pistons are the Young Surprise Team of the season, the Blazers officially qualify as well with 10+ wins over their preseason over/under total.

13. San Antonio Spurs (31-43) - prev. #13

March: (7-10) No. 6 offense / No. 30 defense

Not talked about enough is the fact that Wemby and Fox both went out for the season and then the Spurs rocked the No. 6 offense in the league in March?? It’s true. Now if only the defense wasn’t dead last.

Vassell and Castle lead the way most nights, but there was a particular Wednesday night in March where it was Sandro Mamukelashvili who scored a career-high 34 points in 19 minutes (!!) to fuel a whooping of the Knicks. Ya never know what you’ll get in late-season NBA games, especially nowadays.

14. New Orleans Pelicans (21-54) - prev. #14

March: (4-11) No. 25 offense / No. 28 defense

The icing on the cake for a season from the depths of hell: Trey Murphy suffered a torn labrum and partial rotator cuff tear. And Zion is officially done now, too.

Let’s just focus on some Who He!? characters. We have Keion Brooks Jr. and Antonio Reeves starting games and Karlo Matkovic leading the team in scoring in a win over the Sixers. (Yep, they still beat Philly.) And shoutout Mo Bamba and Elfrid Payton getting some run!

15. Utah Jazz (16-60) - prev. #15

March: (1-16) No. 30 offense / No. 25 defense

History was made last night in Charlotte with Isaiah Collier breaking John Stockton’s 40-year-old Utah rookie assist record. Collier continues to be an assist machine.

And yet, the Jazz have still not won a road game since *checks notes* January 5th. Ya know, a full three months ago.

We always talk about this here, but Danny Ainge has seriously never slept better in his freakin’ life.

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