NBA Power Rankings: Counting Down…

For teams that know they are heading to the playoffs, the month of March is perhaps the longest of the entire season. With about 20 games remaining until the commencement of the postseason, teams that are looking forward to the playoffs routinely overlook and take some of their lesser-caliber opponents for granted. That would explain how it is that the Atlanta Hawks have lost two of their last three games to the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets.

That is certainly unbecoming of the NBA’s top team.

As we crawl toward the postseason, however, we witnessed the return of one of the game’s young stars in Kemba Walker. Kevin Durant is less than two weeks from returning and Derrick Rose has already begun light shooting on the court.

So yes, there is a lot to look forward to.

Still, the biggest thing we are looking for will have taken place by the time next week’s Power Rankings are published. The Hawks will visit the Golden State Warriors next Wednesday, and it is quite possible that the two could be battling for the right to have home court advantage in the NBA Finals should the two eventually square off there.

We are sure quite a few teams would have something to say about that, though, and that includes the Oklahoma City Thunder, who just so happen to be getting back the reigning Most Valuable Player.