As March nears its end, the 2024-25 regular season enters its final stages with just two weeks left. Outside of the two first seeds, plenty of drama remains to be figured out for the rest of the playoff picture. It's that time of the year when wins and losses get magnified.
To show how serious it can get, the Memphis Grizzlies shocked the NBA world when they fired Taylor Jenkins with the playoffs around the corner. The surprising move is pretty unprecedented this late in the season for a playoff squad.
The Milwaukee Bucks also received a potential season-altering blow. Damian Lillard will be out for an unknown amount of time with blood clots on his calf. With the playoffs around the corner, his possible absence could prematurely end their season.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled to defend with LeBron James and Luka Doncic. That could spell doom for their playoff aspirations. Their best route for a possible title is to outscore opponents with video-game-esque numbers.
Throughout the 2024-25 season, Thunder Wire will conduct weekly NBA power rankings. Here is the latest edition for the Mar. 24-30 week:
30. Utah Jazz (16-59)
Previous Ranking: 30
The Jazz have lost five in a row. They pulled out all the stops to gain the NBA's worst record. If games are too close, Utah has sat its starters in the second half. They desperately need a blue-chip prospect and you can bet they've paid close attention to March Madness.
29. Washington Wizards (16-58)
Previous Ranking: 29
As the season is nearly over, Alex Sarr has played his best stretch of basketball. He won't win Rookie of the Year but the Wizards must be excited about his future. Especially once they add a top prospect. They don't have the worst record anymore but as long as they have top-three lottery odds, it's all good.
28. Charlotte Hornets (18-56)
