NBA power rankings for start of March

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Mid-February power rankings are in parentheses.

FIRST TIER

1 Oklahoma City (1)

2 Miami (2)

3 Chicago (3)

4 San Antonio (4)

SECOND TIER

5 Orlando (9)

6 Houston (12)

7 Dallas (8)

8 LA Clippers (6)

9 LA Lakers (11)

10 Indiana (10)

11 Atlanta (7)

12 Philadelphia (5)

13 Memphis (18)

14 New York (16)

15 Minnesota (20)

16 Portland (15)

17 Denver (14)

18 Boston (13)

19 Phoenix (22)

20 Golden State (21)

21 Utah (17)

22 Milwaukee (19)

23 Cleveland (23)

24 Sacramento (24)

25 Detroit (25)

26 New Jersey (27)

27 Toronto (26)

28 New Orleans (29)

29 Washington (28)

THIRD TIER

30 Charlotte (30)

BIGGEST RISERS: Houston (6 spots), Memphis and Minnesota (5 spots), Orlando (4 spots), Phoenix (3 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: Philadelphia (7 spots), Boston (5 spots), Atlanta and Utah (4 spots), Denver and Milwaukee (3 spots)

RANKINGS BY DIVISION – 1 POINT PER RANKING SPOT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEAM, LOWEST SCORE IS BEST

1 SOUTHWEST 58

2 NORTHWEST 70

3 SOUTHEAST 77

4 PACIFIC 80

5 CENTRAL 83

6 ATLANTIC 97

RANKINGS BY CONFERENCE

1 WEST 208

2 EAST 257