What’s New

The Chicago Blackhawks are a bad hockey team and we have known that since late October. They only handled the trade deadline half right as they should be going into a full-on rebuild. The results speak for themselves as the games go on.

The latest example came on Monday night when they took on the Buffalo Sabres. The Blackhawks had a great start to the game as they were winning 4-0. Everyone was chipping in and playing well before it all went down the drain later in the game.

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The Chicago Bulls are reeling right now, and are a far cry from the team we saw open the 2021-2022 season.

The problem is very clear. The Bulls are 4-11 over their last 15 games, yet head coach Billy Donovan’s demeanor on the sideline would lead you to believe that they’re 11-4 in that stretch.

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With the 2022 NFL Draft fast approaching, it marks almost one year since the Chicago Bears made the trade for Justin Fields. Sadly, the trade for Fields was one of the best moments in Bears history. A Bears history littered with poor quarterback play leading inept offenses.

Now, you may think that Bears history is a touch extreme but let me share a fact. The Bears and the New York Jets were the only two franchises in the 16-game era to not have a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards in a single season. For reference, the 16-game era lasted 42 years.

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Last season, the Denver Nuggets‘ Nikola Jokic surpassed Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid in the closing weeks of the NBA’s regular season to win the Most Valuable Player award, as injuries to Embiid and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James cleared the path for Jokic to become the first center to win the award since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000.

As the 2021-22 regular season winds down, it appears Jokic has the inside track to repeat.

After Jokic finished just behind Embiid in the previous edition in mid-February, the four-time All-Star claimed 62 of 100 first-place votes in the third and final iteration of ESPN’s MVP straw poll, giving Jokic a clear — though narrow — lead over Embiid and Milwaukee Bucks forward and most recent back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

To gauge where the race stands with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season, ESPN asked 100 media members to participate in an informal poll that mimics the postseason awards voting. To make the balloting as realistic as possible, there were at least two voters from each of the league’s 28 markets, as well as a cross section of national and international reporters. Votes were collected from Thursday to Saturday.

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As with the NBA’s official vote at the end of season, voters were asked to submit a five-player ballot, and results were tabulated using the league’s scoring system: 10 points for each first-place vote, followed by seven points for second place, five points for third, three points for fourth and one point for fifth.

Jokic finished ahead of the pack with those 62 first-place votes and a total of 860 points, followed by Embiid, who had 29 first-place votes and 719 total points, and Antetokounmpo, who had nine first-place votes and 593 total points. They were the only players to be named to all 100 ballots and the only ones to receive a first-place vote.

Jokic, Embiid and Antetokounmpo have so clearly separated themselves from the field that they claimed 291 of the 300 votes for first, second and third place in the poll. (Antetokounmpo had six fourth-place votes, and Jokic had three fifth-place votes.) No other player was named to even half of the ballots.

Following the three unanimous selections was Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, who finished with 103 total points and received one of the two second-place votes recorded for someone besides Jokic, Embiid or Antetokounmpo. (Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker received the other.) Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum placed fifth with 93 points, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic was sixth with 87 points and Booker seventh with 82. Morant, Tatum and Booker were the only players to receive third-place votes outside of the top three finishers.

After leading the first edition of the straw poll this season, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry finished eighth with 34 points, followed by Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (13) and Suns guard Chris Paul (seven).

James, the NBA’s current scoring leader who hadn’t received a single vote in either of the first two polls, got one fourth-place and two fifth-place votes to finish 11th with five points, followed by Chicago Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.

The MVP race could once again come down to a battle between Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Outside of James entering the mix, the focus remains on the top of the ballot, where Jokic has once again gained a slight advantage heading into the season’s final weeks after he and Embiid were in a virtual dead heat six weeks ago.

Essentially, the difference this time is Jokic taking 16 of the first-place votes Embiid carried in the previous poll and getting back on the five ballots he was left off in that round of voting.

There is still more uncertainty remaining in this race than there usually is at this time of the year. Many voters stressed how tough it was for them to choose which way to go, both among the positioning of top-three finishers and fourth and fifth places.

And while the leader in the final version of this straw poll has gone on to win the league’s MVP award the past four years it was conducted, there is reason to believe Jokic still has work to do to officially sew up consecutive awards.

This year’s voting most closely mirrors the 2017 race, the first year that this straw poll was conducted. In that year’s final ballot, then-Houston Rockets guard James Harden held a similarly narrow lead over then-Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook with a few weeks to go, only for Westbrook to capture the MVP by becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 to average a triple-double for a season.

Because of how compact the races are in both conferences, where Jokic and Embiid finish in the standings is likely to play a role.

Wednesday, March 30
Heat at Celtics, 7:30 p.m.
Suns at Warriors, 10 p.m.

Sunday, April 3
Mavs at Bucks, 1 p.m. (ABC)
Nuggets at Lakers, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

All times Eastern

Jokic’s Nuggets sit in sixth place in the Western Conference, two games ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves in seventh and a half game behind the Utah Jazz in fifth. All three voters who placed Jokic in fifth highlighted his team’s position in the standings as a contributing factor.

In the Eastern Conference, Embiid’s 76ers and Antetokounmpo’s Bucks are among the four-team logjam near the top, with both one game behind the No. 1-seeded Miami Heat.

Jokic is averaging 26.3 points, 13.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game, ranking 12th, second and eighth, respectively, and is the only player in the top 12 in all three categories. Embiid is averaging 29.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists, as he pushes to become the first center to lead the NBA in scoring since O’Neal in 2000. Antetokounmpo is averaging 29.7 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists.

All three have excelled while dealing with challenges. Jokic has played all season with the team’s two other max players — Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. — either not playing at all or missing significant time. Embiid had to lead the 76ers through the roller coaster that was the Ben Simmons trade saga, while Antetokounmpo has navigated Milwaukee through a series of injuries to key contributors, most notably center Brook Lopez.

The uncertainty at the top of the ballot also is likely to trickle down the list: The Grizzlies announced Thursday that Morant will miss most of the regular season’s final two weeks with knee soreness.

Tatum and Doncic, meanwhile, have been two of the hottest players on two of the hottest teams in the league over the past couple of months, while Booker has picked up plenty of support for how he has led the Suns with Paul sidelined for more than a month due to a thumb injury before his return late last week. All three could easily surpass Morant in the final stretch.

It all sets up a frenetic finish of the regular season, with plenty to play for — on both team and individual levels.

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The ESPN fantasy and betting cheat sheet is your pregame destination for our best intel and data to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, and fantasy advice is based on ESPN 10-team leagues.

Jump ahead: Game of the night | Picks and props | Analytics edge

What you need to know for tonight’s NBA slate

By Jim McCormick and Kyle Soppe

Boucher’s Bounty: Chris Boucher (37% available) is finally playing heavy minutes and filling box scores for Toronto. Even though he might not be producing a ton of swats in recent games, Boucher has tallied a double-double in three of the last four and has played at least 30 minutes in four straight. Boucher can help fantasy rosters in all formats down the stretch, even against the best defense in the NBA in Boston. After all, much of Boucher’s production comes from crashing the boards, patrolling passing lanes, and lofting 24-footers.

Poku Party: Aleksej Pokusevski (92% available) has played at least 27 minutes in seven straight games, posting awesome defensive rates to go with respectable scoring, rebounding and assist results. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and other Thunder starters sidelined, “Poku” is poised to cruise past 30 fantasy points and help teams in all formats as a streaming candidate against a decimated Trail Blazers roster.

Fire Up Fultz: Markelle Fultz is available in nearly 90% of leagues and while his minutes cap limits his ceiling, he is worth a look with Jalen Suggs set to sit out a sixth consecutive game. Fultz has averaged over 18 shots per 36 minutes in his past five games and that’s a role worth streaming against a Cavs team that has suffered three straight losses.

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Pinch Hit With J-Rich: Josh Richardson has scored at least 15 points in four straight games (all Spur wins), making three triples in each of those contests. He also has a steal in seven straight games and hasn’t missed a free throw in nearly three weeks. You have to swallow some FG% downside, but his role/matchup combination tonight is a rare find on the wire, especially as you attempt to either advance in your head-to-head playoffs or make up ground in a roto setting.

Oshae Day: The Pacers have ruled seven players out for tonight’s matchup with the Hawks. Oshae Brissett (83% available) has become a bankable offensive option for Indiana recently with at least eight boards in four of his last five games. Indiana is fully leaning into the lottery chase and Brissett should play heavy minutes against an Atlanta team that ranks 24th in rebounding percentage during the last 10 games.

The Other D. Mitchell: Sacramento might just not have De’Aaron Fox or Domantas Sabonis available for the remainder of the season due to respective injuries. We can at least be certain they aren’t playing against the Heat in Miami tonight, which sets up rising rookie Davion Mitchell (75% available) as a potential league-winning waiver addition. Mitchell has regularly cruised past point and assist props in recent starts and should once again orchestrate the Kings’ offense this evening.

Game of the Night

Boston Celtics at Toronto Raptors
7:30 p.m. ET, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON, CA

Line: Raptors (-3.5)
Moneyline: Raptors (-160), Celtics (+140)
Total: 217.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 218.5 points
BPI Win%: Celtics (50.3%)

Key players ruled out: Robert Williams III

Questionable: Gary Trent Jr., Fred VanVleet

Doubtful: Jayson Tatum, Al Horford

Notable: The Celtics have failed to cover the second night of five of their past six back-ti-backs and in all five of those ATS losses, the over has come through.

Fantasy Streamer: Daniel Theis. Jayson Tatum (knee) and Al Horford (personal) are listed doubtful, while Robert Williams has already been ruled out. Theis (62% available) projects as a solid streamer against the Raptors. He has averages 15.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per 40 minutes since rejoining the Celtics after the trade deadline. — Eric Moody

Best bet: Raptors -3.5. The Celtics are one of the hottest teams in the league when healthy, having won nine of their past 10 games, but the Raptors have won eight of their past 10 and are getting healthy as the playoffs approach. Their defensive length and multi-pronged offensive attack should be enough to overcome the depleted Celtics at home. — Andre Snellings

Breaking down the rest of the slate

Denver Nuggets at Charlotte Hornets
7 p.m. ET, Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC

Line: Nuggets (-3.5)
Moneyline: Nuggets (-170), Hornets (+145)
Total: 232.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 231 points
BPI Win%: Nuggets (55.9%)

Key players ruled out: none

Questionable: JaMychal Green

Notable: Saturday’s win went under the total for Denver, snapping a streak of five straight overs cashing in their games.

Fantasy Streamer: Aaron Gordon (48% available). Gordon’s excellent play has continued over the past six games. He has averaged 17.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 29.6 MPG and could see even more minutes with JaMychal Green questionable. — Moody

Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m. ET, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

Line: Cavaliers (-9.5)
Moneyline: Cavaliers (-475), Magic (+360)
Total: 215 points
BPI Projected Total: 214.5 points
BPI Win%: Cavaliers (71.8%)

Key players ruled out: Jalen Suggs

Notable: Overs are 6-1 in Cleveland’s past seven games but the Cavaliers have dropped four straight ATS.

Fantasy Streamer: Markelle Fultz. With Jalen Suggs out, Fultz (90% available) is in line for more minutes against the Cavaliers. The 23-year-old has averaged 20.7 points, 9.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds per 40 minutes. — Moody

Best bet: Darius Garland over 38.5 points + assists + rebounds Rajon Rondo will miss his eighth straight game with an ankle injury. Garland has averaged 24.4 PPG, 10.6 APG, and 4.0 RPG over that span. Point guards have averaged 23.6 PPG, 8.2 APG and 6.7 RPG against the Magic this season and Garland has a good chance of exceeding those averages. — Moody

Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m. ET, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

Line: Hawks (-7)
Moneyline: Hawks (-320), Pacers (+250)
Total: 235 points
BPI Projected Total: 236 points
BPI Win%: Hawks (69.4%)

Key players ruled out: Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson

Questionable: Goga Bitadze, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari

Notable: Seven under tickets have cashed in Atlanta’s past 11 games.

Sacramento Kings at Miami Heat
7:30 p.m. ET, FTX Arena, Miami, FL

Line: Heat (-13)
Moneyline: Heat (-1000), Kings (+650)
Total: 219 points
BPI Projected Total: 224 points
BPI Win%: Heat (82.5%)

Key players ruled out: De’Aaron Fox

Questionable: P.J. Tucker, Gabe Vincent, Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin

Notable: The Kings have covered three straight and seen four of their past five go over Vegas’ total.

Fantasy Streamer: Davion Mitchell. Mitchell (82% available) is set to start his fifth straight game with De’Aaron Fox out. He has averaged 21.2 PPG, 6.2 APG, 3.0 RPG, and 1.0 SPG in 39 MPG. — Moody

Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks
7:30 p.m. ET, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Line: Bulls (-5)
Moneyline: Bulls (-200), Knicks (+170)
Total: 223.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 219 points
BPI Win%: Knicks (62.9%)

Key players ruled out: Quentin Grimes

Notable: The Bulls have seen four of their past five and nine of their past 11 go under the total.

Best bet: DeMar DeRozan over 32.5 points + assists + rebounds. The Bulls are looking to win as many games as possible to secure their playoff position. DeRozan hs averaged 25.3 PPG, 4.3 APG, and 5.7 RPG over the past 14 games. He’s also had plenty of success against the Knicks with 24 PPG, 5.3 APG and 6.0 RPG. — Moody

San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets
8 p.m. ET Toyota Center, Houston, TX

Line: Spurs (-6.5)
Moneyline: Spurs (-270), Rockets (+220)
Total: 237 points
BPI Projected Total: 224.5 points
BPI Win%: Spurs (56.6%)

Key players ruled out: Romeo Langford

Questionable: Lonnie Walker IV

Notable: After failing to cover eight of 10 games, the Spurs have managed to cover the number in each of their past three.

Best bet: Dejounte Murray over 40.5 points + assists + rebounds. Murray can post a triple-double against the Rockets. He has averaged 24.3 PPG, 8.9 APG, and 8.5 RPG in the month of March. The Rockets rank 30th in the league in terms of points allowed per 100 possessions and have been dominated by point guards this season. — Moody

Best bet: Under 237 points. Both the Spurs and Rockets have combined with their opponents to score fewer than 237 points in their last four games and seven of their last nine overall. Plus, anytime the BPI projected total is double digits below the line, it at least draws the eye and makes me consider. —Snellings

Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies
8 p.m. ET, FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN

Line: Grizzlies (-10.5)
Moneyline: Grizzlies (-650), Warriors (+450)
Total: 223 points
BPI Projected Total: 226 points
BPI Win%: Grizzlies (76%)

Key players ruled out: Stephen Curry, Ja Morant

Questionable: Brandon Clarke, Jaren Jackson Jr.

Doubtful: Otto Porter Jr., Draymond Green, Klay Thompson

Notable: The Grizzlies have covered each of their past four games and only once over that stretch has an over ticket cashed.

Fantasy streamer: Jonathan Kuminga.As the Warriors prepare for the playoffs, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Otto Porter Jr. are listed as doubtful. Kuminga (92% available) could be in line for a large chunk of minutes due to those absences. He has averaged 12 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 1.2 APG as a starter this season. — Moody

Oklahoma City Thunder at Portland Trail Blazers
10 p.m. ET, Moda Center, Portland, OR

Line: Thunder (-2.5)
Moneyline: Thunder (-145), Trail Blazers (+125)
Total: 221.5 points
BPI Projected Total: 224 points

BPI Win%: Thunder (57.9%)

Key players ruled out: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Hart, Anfernee Simons, Trendon Watford

Notable: Think this total is high? Back the Thunder. The Blazers have failed to cover each of their past eight games that have gone under the total.

Best bet: Tre Mann over 18.5 points. Mann has thrived as the primary offensive weapon for the injury-depleted Thunder as of late. He has averaged 21.8 PPG (46.5 FG%, 90.0 FT%, 43.5 3P%), 5.4 RPG, 4.0 3PG and 1.8 APG over his past five games. Facing a Trail Blazers squad Monday that is in the same position as the Thunder, Mann has an opportunity to put up big numbers. — Snellings

Analytics Edge

BPI highest projected totals

1. Atlanta Hawks (120.9 points)
2. Memphis Grizzlies (117.1 points)
3. Denver Nuggets (116.2 points)

BPI lowest projected totals

1. Sacramento Kings (102.5 points)
2. Orlando Magic (104 points)
3. Chicago Bulls (107.6 points)

BPI top probability to win (straight up)

1. Miami Heat (82.5%)
2. Memphis Grizzlies (76%)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (71.8%)

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As the Brooklyn Nets continue to fight for playoff seeding, Kyrie Irving is now able to play in home games. New York City Mayor Eric Adams lifted the mandate for unvaccinated players and performers on Thursday, clearing the way for Irving to play in home games at Barclays Center. He made his Barclays debut Sunday night with 16 points and 11 assists against the Charlotte Hornets but wasn’t able to get a win as the Nets fell 119-110. Though the Nets are pleased with the news, they have just seven games remaining to climb the standings ahead of the playoffs.

In the East, the Boston Celtics continued their late-season surge by claiming the top spot, as the Miami Heat continued to falter. The Heat and Celtics share the East’s best record, while the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers are just a half-game back. As Joel Embiid continues his push for MVP, reigning Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has the defending champions on the right track.

And while the race in the East will come down to the wire, Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have run away with the Western Conference — now nine games ahead of the No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies. Ja Morant and the Grizzlies continue to open up their lead over the Golden State Warriors, who’ve won just one game since Stephen Curry was sidelined by a foot injury and as Draymond Green struggles to find his rhythm off a two-month absence.

And LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers now trail the New Orleans Pelicans by a half-game for home-court advantage in a potential play-in matchup after blowing a 23-point lead against the Pels on Sunday.

Our experts break down the playoff races in the final update of March.

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

1. Phoenix Suns
2021-22 record: 61-14
Previous ranking: 1

With Thursday’s win over the Nuggets, the Suns clinched the best record in the NBA for the season. Just four seasons ago, the Suns had the worst record in the league at 21-61 in 2017-18. According to Elias Sports Bureau research, it’s the third-quickest turnaround for a franchise to go from worst record to best record in NBA history. Only the Baltimore Bullets (worst in 66-67 and best in 68-69) and the Philadelphia Warriors (worst in 52-53 and best in 55-56) did it quicker, albeit with far fewer teams in the league. — Lopez

2. Memphis Grizzlies
2021-22 record: 52-23
Previous ranking: 3

The Grizzlies expect Ja Morant, who will miss at least two weeks due to soreness in his right knee, to return before the playoffs. Meanwhile, Memphis continues to dominate its competition while the Grizzlies’ superstar sits. After Saturday’s blowout over the Bucks, the Grizzlies are 17-2 and have outscored opponents by 18.5 points per game this season when Morant doesn’t play. Desmond Bane‘s development as an offensive creator has been a big factor. He has averaged 24.3 points and 5.5 assists during Memphis’ current four-game win streak. — MacMahon

3. Boston Celtics
2021-22 record: 47-28
Previous ranking: 5

Boston continues to absolutely overwhelm opposing teams. After Sunday’s blowout win over Minnesota, the Celtics are now 24-4 in their past 28 games, and are outsourcing teams by roughly 16 points per game. That has allowed the Celtics to go from 10th place in the East two months ago to tied for the conference’s best record heading into the final two weeks of the regular season, though Robert Williams’ knee sprain Sunday is a cause for concern. — Bontemps

4. Philadelphia 76ers
2021-22 record: 46-28
Previous ranking: 6

Philadelphia saw a three-game winning streak come to a halt in Phoenix at the hands of the league-leading Suns, but there’s no shame in that. It does, however, set up a massive game with Milwaukee on Tuesday back in Philadelphia, as the two teams continue to battle — along with Boston and Miami — for positioning atop the East. — Bontemps

5. Milwaukee Bucks
2021-22 record: 46-28
Previous ranking: 4

The defending champions are starting to put things together down the stretch. Milwaukee has won 10 of its past 13 games as veterans Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton and George Hill have gotten healthy and rejoined the rotation. Milwaukee has a major road trip this week, with games against the 76ers and Nets, before returning home to face a couple of Western Conference playoff teams in the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks. — Collier

6. Miami Heat
2021-22 record: 47-28
Previous ranking: 2

Miami has lost four in a row, and the frustration spilled over in a very public argument between Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra during Wednesday’s loss to a Warriors team that was without Stephen Curry (foot), Draymond Green (rest) and Klay Thompson (rest) for the night. The Heat have a tough three-game road trip coming up this week with stops in Boston, Chicago and Toronto while they try to get things settled going into the postseason. — Friedell

7. Golden State Warriors
2021-22 record: 48-27
Previous ranking: 7

Golden State has lost five of six, and hasn’t been able to get back on track since losing Stephen Curry to a foot injury. Draymond Green hasn’t played well since coming back from a disc injury, and the Warriors’ defense that had been so solid throughout the first half of the season has been getting torched lately. They’ve given up 244 combined points in back-to-back losses to the Hawks and Wizards. At the moment, the issues are deeper than just getting Curry back on the floor. — Friedell

8. Dallas Mavericks
2021-22 record: 46-29
Previous ranking: 8

The Mavs’ goal for the remainder of the regular season is to hold on to home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Dallas has surged to fourth in the West standings — breaking a tie by beating Utah on Sunday night — by posting the league’s fourth-best record (29-11) in 2022. After a slow start, free-agency addition Reggie Bullock has been a big factor in the Mavs’ success as a 3-and-D role player, posting the best net rating (plus-8.0 points per 100 possessions) of any Dallas rotation player since Jan. 1. — MacMahon

9. Utah Jazz
2021-22 record: 45-30
Previous ranking: 9

A rough road trip took a turn for the worse Sunday night in Dallas, where the Jazz lost their fourth straight game to fall to fifth in the West standings. All-Star center Rudy Gobert was a late scratch due to pain he suddenly felt in his lower left leg, but he’s optimistic he won’t have to miss any more time. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell returned to the game after getting his right ankle stepped on by Dallas center Dwight Powell. “Right now, it’s sore, I’m not going to lie to you,” Mitchell said after the loss. “We’ll see how it feels tomorrow and move forward from there.” — MacMahon

10. Toronto Raptors
2021-22 record: 42-32
Previous ranking: 15

Even though Toronto continues to deal with guys shuttling in and out of the lineup because of injuries, the Raptors have managed to move into the top six in the East entering the final two weeks with wins in eight of their past 10 games. This week will begin and end with big games in Toronto, as the streaking Celtics arrive Monday and franchise legend Kyle Lowry makes his return to Toronto on Sunday. — Bontemps

11. Denver Nuggets
2021-22 record: 44-31
Previous ranking: 10

As good as the Nuggets played last month and in early March, Michael Malone’s team is in a dogfight with Minnesota for the sixth spot and avoiding the play-in. After a couple of games in which Nikola Jokic actually looked vulnerable on the boards by being held under double-digit rebounds, the Nuggets star put up MVP numbers in wins over the Clippers and Thunder. They’ll need more MVP Jokic if they are to hold off the Wolves. — Youngmisuk

12. Minnesota Timberwolves
2021-22 record: 43-33
Previous ranking: 12

The Wolves dropped three of four games during a tough week against playoff contenders — Dallas, Phoenix and Boston — which will push Minnesota 1 1/2 games back of the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. They have their work cut out for them if they want to close that gap and avoid the play-in tournament, but they have the second-best net rating in the league since the All-Star break. — Collier

13. Chicago Bulls
2021-22 record: 43-31
Previous ranking: 11

A victory over the Cavs last weekend helped stabilize the Bulls’ free fall in the standings. Chicago will begin the week at No. 5 in the East, two games ahead of the play-in tournament, while starting the week with a favorable back-to-back at New York and Washington. The Bulls have struggled defensively (they rank 24th in efficiency) this month, but perhaps more surprising has been their disappearing offense (27th in efficiency), which had been fifth in the NBA entering March. — Collier

14. Brooklyn Nets
2021-22 record: 39-36
Previous ranking: 13

Brooklyn finally has Kyrie Irving back for games in NYC, but it has lost two of three after a disappointing showing against the Hornets on Sunday night when Irving and Kevin Durant combined to go 15-of-46 from the field. Aside from getting Irving back full-time, the good news for the Nets is that they have an easy schedule down the stretch. They remain confident they’ll be able to get things in order prior to the play-in tournament starting April 12. — Friedell

15. Charlotte Hornets
2021-22 record: 39-36
Previous ranking: 16

After a huge win over the Nets with Kyrie Irving on the floor in Brooklyn on Sunday night, Charlotte is into eighth place in the East by virtue of holding the tiebreaker over the Nets. There is a massive difference between being in eighth, which means having two chances to get a win and make the playoffs, and ninth, which means having to win two games to make it. Now, with seven games to go, Charlotte has the inside track on claiming that eighth spot. — Bontemps

16. Cleveland Cavaliers
2021-22 record: 41-33
Previous ranking: 14

The Cavs went 0-3 last week, including losses to Toronto and Chicago, the two teams directly ahead of them in the standings. Currently at No. 7 and a game behind the Raptors, the Cavs have eight games left to try to avoid the play-in tournament. Only three of those games are against teams with a better record than Cleveland. — McMenamin

17. Atlanta Hawks
2021-22 record: 37-37
Previous ranking: 18

Trae Young really likes playing in Madison Square Garden. Broadway playoff bows aside, Young has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games at the Garden dating back to last year’s playoff series. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, that’s tied for the second-longest streak by a visitor at MSG since it opened in 1968 (including playoffs). Young is tied with Michael Jordan — who did it two separate times — Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Dominique Wilkins and Bob McAdoo. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has done it more at five times. — Lopez

18. LA Clippers
2021-22 record: 36-39
Previous ranking: 17

The Clippers welcomed back Doc Rivers with their fifth straight loss on Friday. Entrenched in the eighth seed, the Clippers are playing their worst basketball of the season, but Paul George (torn UCL in his right elbow) is progressing toward a return. And Norman Powell (fractured bone in his foot) also shot with the team on the court. At this point, the Clippers just need to get healthy and prepare for the play-in tournament. — Youngmisuk

19. New Orleans Pelicans
2021-22 record: 32-43
Previous ranking: 19

Things got off to a rough start for New Orleans in what was a big weekend for the Pelicans in terms of the Western Conference play-in race as they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. Things looked like they were getting worse Sunday when they fell behind by 23 points to the Lakers. But the Pelicans stormed back for a 116-108 win, tying their largest comeback of the season and tying the second-largest comeback in franchise history. Ingram returned from a 10-game absence to pour in 26 points and gain half a game on the Lakers for the No. 9 seed and moving 1 1/2 games up on the Spurs. — Lopez

20. New York Knicks
2021-22 record: 33-42
Previous ranking: 22

New York has quietly won six of its past 10, including three in a row, to build some nice momentum down the stretch. It ultimately isn’t going to mean anything, given New York is five games out of the play-in tournament with seven games to go, but it will at least give Knicks fans some hope of better days ahead, especially because of the prominent presence of the team’s young talent in this stretch. — Bontemps

21. Los Angeles Lakers
2021-22 record: 31-43
Previous ranking: 20

“Time’s running out on us,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Sunday after his team couldn’t protect a 23-point first-half lead and lost in New Orleans, falling to the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference standings. The Lakers are now just a game up on the No. 11 Spurs — and San Antonio has the tiebreaker — so L.A. has to maintain that one-game cushion over the final eight games or fall out of the postseason picture completely. — McMenamin

22. Washington Wizards
2021-22 record: 32-42
Previous ranking: 21

With Kyle Kuzma out because of a knee injury, the Wizards are just playing out the remainder of the season and getting more reps with Kristaps Porzingis. They won’t catch Atlanta for the 10th spot and the play-in, but they’ve won two straight with Porzingis going for 30 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Detroit. With eight games left in the season, Porzingis has a chance to finish the season strong and go into the offseason with some momentum for his new team. — Youngmisuk

23. San Antonio Spurs
2021-22 record: 30-44
Previous ranking: 23

Dejounte Murray recorded his 13th triple double of the season in a key victory over the Pelicans on Saturday to keep San Antonio in the thick of the Western Conference play-in race. Murray had 15 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds and three steals in the 107-103 win over the Pelicans. It was Murray’s eighth triple-double this season with at least three steals. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, only Nikola Jokic has done that more than once this season. — Lopez

24. Sacramento Kings
2021-22 record: 27-48
Previous ranking: 26

Davion Mitchell continued his offensive rhythm in De’Aaron Fox‘s absence. The No. 9 overall pick has scored 20-plus points in three straight games, and it’s translating to success. Sacramento won its past two games on the road in Orlando and Indiana, with Mitchell averaging 23.5 points on 52.6% shooting and eight assists in those victories. — McMenamin

25. Portland Trail Blazers
2021-22 record: 27-47
Previous ranking: 24

Portland interrupted its tanking by beating Detroit for only its second win since the All-Star break. The Blazers otherwise were back to tanking as they lost consecutive games to Houston. Damian Lillard was shut down for the season last week, while Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkic and Josh Hart have been held out of games. Only eight more games left before Portland can finally kiss this season goodbye. — Youngmisuk

26. Indiana Pacers
2021-22 record: 25-50
Previous ranking: 25

On Saturday, the injury-depleted Pacers had only nine players available — not including Malcolm Brogdon, who appears to be done this season and is listed as out for rest Monday for the fifth straight game — in Toronto, a game that was interrupted for 70 minutes in the second quarter because of a fire in a speaker hanging over the stands. Indiana has lost three in a row, and five of seven, as it stumbles toward the finish line. — Collier

27. Detroit Pistons
2021-22 record: 20-55
Previous ranking: 27

Marvin Bagley III has performed especially well when called upon to start for the injured Jerami Grant. Bagley racked up a season-high 27 points and seven rebounds in a loss to the Knicks on Sunday, one game after scoring 25 points after Grant left Friday’s game because of an injury. The former No. 2 overall pick has played nicely down the stretch in Detroit. — Collier

28. Oklahoma City Thunder
2021-22 record: 21-53
Previous ranking: 28

Josh Giddey, the No. 6 pick in last year’s draft, has been ruled out for the rest of the season because of the hip injury that has sidelined him since late February. He earned Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors four times during one of the most impressive all-around seasons for a teenager in NBA history. Giddey became the youngest player to record a triple-double, matched Luka Doncic for the most triple-doubles by a teen with four and is the only teenager to average at least six rebounds and six assists in a season. — MacMahon

29. Orlando Magic
2021-22 record: 20-55
Previous ranking: 29

Orlando picked up a nice win over the Warriors on Tuesday night as Wendell Carter Jr. racked up another 19 points and eight rebounds. The Magic have some nice, young players in place who have shown growth throughout the season. Rookie Franz Wagner is one of those bright spots, averaging 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3 assists per game over his past five contests. — Friedell

30. Houston Rockets
2021-22 record: 20-55
Previous ranking: 30

In Saturday’s win over the Trail Blazers, Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun became the fourth pair of rookie teammates in Rockets history to each score at least 25 points in a game, and they’re the first since Cuttino Mobley and Michael Dickerson in 1999, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. They have been bright spots for the rebuilding Rockets since the All-Star break, as Green has averaged 19.1 points with a 57.7 true shooting percentage and Sengun has averaged 11.1 points and 6.6 rebounds off the bench. — MacMahon

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The Chicago Cubs are a team with mixed expectations. There is an extra playoff berth in both the National League and American League this year which makes things interesting. However, there are probably seven teams in the NL that are better on paper than the Cubs.

Making it to the postseason as a third-place team is possible but they would have to prove a lot of people wrong. There are some players on the Cubs that have to individually prove some people wrong because of some circumstances that they are in.

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