NBA power rankings, rating the entire league from top to bottom. Our NBA power rankings are based mostly on how good teams really are, with recent performances taken into partial consideration. Since it's now the playoffs, we're basing this on how good teams are right now, looking towards the future (with the same roster) not the past.

NBA Power Rankings updated May 12, 2008. Records are final 2007-08 regular season wins-losses.

1) San Antonio Spurs (56-26) - Lately looking like the championship-level Spurs as they solve the problem of handing Chris Paul, David West and the Hornets

2) New Orleans Hornets (56-26) - When Chris Paul and David West get contained, which doesn't happen regularly, other Hornets, especially Peja Stojakovic, need to step up and fill the void.

3) LA Lakers (57-25) - Hopefully we get the best Kobe Bryant possible in the remaining playoffs, one who isn't limited by a bad back. He's expected to play Game 5. Also, the Lakers bench needs Jordan Farmar to play like he did in the regular season.

4) Utah Jazz (54-28) - The Jazz have the ability to reach the conference finals, or even the NBA finals, but they just as easily may drop two more to the Lakers and get sent home. We are definitely not writing them off by listing them below the other still-alive West squads.

5) Boston Celtics (66-16) - A weird team in the playoffs, looking like they should at home, and getting exposed as being slightly overrated on the road. Has Ray Allen suddenly gotten old?

6) Houston Rockets (55-27) - Always almost good enough to get past the first round, but then fall slightly short. It's safe to assume that if they had Yao Ming we might be watching them in Round 2 right now, right? Possibly, but we can't say it's a sure thing.

7) Phoenix Suns (55-27) - The Suns may have gone out in the first round, but it's unfair to say that without remembering they lost to the world champion Spurs. It's not like they got upset by the Hawks or something.

8) Detroit Pistons (59-23) - Steady and solid as always, the Pistons won a big game without Chauncey Billups, and have the experience edge and a better bench than the Magic.

9) Dallas Mavericks (51-31) - Like the Suns, the Mavericks are a very good team that is better than a first round exit would suggest. But Dallas has imperfect chemistry and have a talented roster that needs some tweaks. They'll probably have Jason Kidd, Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki next season, but need to find better complimentary players.

10) Orlando Magic (52-30) - Playing Dwight Howard with a small-ball supporting cast is pretty effective, but if you live by the perimeter jumper you often die by it. Rashard Lewis needs to fire every single open three-pointer he ever gets, always. And make them, of course.

11) Denver Nuggets (50-32) - Know how the Mavs and Suns are very good but clearly just not ready to win a championship? The Nuggets are a lesser version of that. They need to learn defense. Or get players who can.

12) Cleveland Cavaliers (45-37) - LeBron James is getting clamped down by the Celtics defense, but credit Zydrunas Ilgauskas for playing well. The Cavs go for the 2-2 series tie tonight.

13) Golden State Warriors (48-34) - In the East they'd have made the second round of the playoffs, but in the West they're a lottery team. But even if they qualified for the post-season, they aren't real championship contenders. On the one hand, Don Nelson has made the most of his roster. But will they improve in the future?

14) Washington Wizards (43-39) - We're surprised that we're saying this, but the Wizards seem just as good without Gilbert Arenas as with him. Now, we're definitely Arenas fans, but credit Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison for being better leaders than many thought they were. Anyway, keep those three players together and add better role players alongside them.

15) Portland Trail Blazers (41-41) - If Greg Oden isn't too set back by his surgery and next season looks even about 85% of what people think he will, he, alongside LaMarcus Aldridge (who still needs to learn to rebound) and Brandon Roy will be sweet to watch. It's pretty wild how they won 900 games in a row yet fell back down to Earth so hard they busted a hole in the ground. The future is bright, though.

16) Toronto Raptors (41-41) - Chris Bosh continues to grow as a star, but Jose Calderon was the only Raptor to really step up this season. Andrea Bargnani needs to work hard this summer and expand his game. And some additional talent is needed to raise the Raptors to a higher level.

17) Philadelphia 76ers (40-42) - Fantastic teamwork led to surprising success. Credit Maurice Cheeks for getting these guys all on the same page. The Sixers can't sit still, though. They need to keep building the roster. They remind us of the Trail Blazers when Portland was on their winning streak -- not in style of play, but in the fact that both teams overachieved due to good chemistry, not incredible talent.

18) Atlanta Hawks (37-45) - You aren't supposed to make the playoffs with 37 wins, but the Hawks did, and then scared the heck out of the Celtics, taking the first round series to seven games.

19) Sacramento Kings (38-44) - A pretty successful season considering all the doom and gloom that got sent their way. Their future direction revolves around Kevin Martin's scoring and Ron Artest's varied talents. Beno Udrih was a nice surprise. Kings management probably isn't sure what moves to make.

20) Indiana Pacers (36-46) - Danny Granger is emerging nicely, and Mike Dunleavy had a career season. But it's probably time to part ways with Jamaal Tinsley and Jermaine O'Neal. Tinsley is an underrated point guard when healthy, and O'Neal is a lower-tier All-Star when he isn't recovering from an injury. The Pacers can go in many directions.

21) New Jersey Nets (34-48) - A team with Jason Kidd (and then Devin Harris in his place), Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson should have been able to make the playoffs in the East even with no one of note playing up front. Nenad Krstic's injury woes ruined his effectiveness this season, and he'd probably have helped them squeeze in past the Hawks. But even so, that's far from even hoping to compete for a championship. The mix just doesn't seem effective. And we're not sure why Lawrence Frank gets a free pass for letting his players stand around starring at each other.

22) Chicago Bulls (33-49) - The same core roster that did well two years ago was awful last season. And now the team faces difficult decisions concerning new contracts for Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, as well as finding a coach who can make the most of a talented team that lacks a legit consistent low-post scorer. It'll be interesting watching what changes occur.

23) Charlotte Bobcats (32-50) - The Bobcats are going from inexperienced coach Sam Vincent to a man with decades of success in Larry Brown. And no, don't hold the Knicks experience against Brown. That was one of the only times in his career his team did worse than expected. Brown must figure out if Raymond Felton is a keeper or not, how to mix Gerald Wallace with Jason Richardson, whether Emeka Okafor should play his true power forward position or be an undersized center, etc. It'll be fun to see the decisions Brown makes.

24) LA Clippers (23-59) - They didn't have Elton Brand or Shaun Livingston last season, but would they have been a lot better even with those guys? Probably not. Brand would have lifted them into the 30+ wins category, but Livingston, even before he got hurt, didn't appear ready to star just yet. Brand should be fine next season but Livingston is no lock to ever fully recover. Chris Kaman showed clear improvement, and not just because he had more of a role.

25) Milwaukee Bucks (26-56) - Everyone on the Bucks who isn't named Andrew Bogut was disappointing pretty much the whole season. Maurice Williams didn't improve as he had the previous season, Michael Redd's game sank a level, and the Bucks forwards did nothing to write home about. On paper their backcourt and center spot are fine, but their forward rotation needs improvement.

26) New York Knicks (23-59) - As has been reviewed repeatedly for several seasons now, the Knicks have many players who are talented at one or two things but have flaws in the rest of their games. And Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph both need the ball in their hand to be effective and don't create or compliment other players. Also, Stephon Marbury doesn't make teammates better, and Jamal Crawford can score on anyone but has a lousy shot selection. Flaws everywhere. New coach Mike D'Antoni has his hands full. The team wants to trade some of the aforementioned players.

27) Miami Heat (15-67) - On paper, Dwyane Wade (when healthy) and Shawn Marion alone should be able to match last season's ridiculously awful 15 win total. Udonis Haslem can play next to them, but everyone else on the Heat needs to improve or be replaced. The team needs a new point guard (Derrick Rose is a target), a legit center, and improvement at almost every bench position. Pat Riley is right in spending all his time changing the roster, instead of also coaching it.

28) Minnesota Timberwolves (22-60) - Build around Al Jefferson. And there you have it.

29) Memphis Grizzlies (22-60) - Rudy Gay and Mike Miller should be complimentary semi-stars alongside players that can be built around. But on their own, they can't carry a team.

30) Seattle Sonics (20-62) - Kevin Durant increased his understanding of how to play in the NBA as the season went on. Will they be the Oklahoma City Sonics next season?

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