NBA power rankings for start of April

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Mid-March power rankings are in parentheses.

FIRST TIER

1 Chicago (1)

2 Oklahoma City (2)

3 Miami (3)

SECOND TIER

4 San Antonio (4)

5 LA Lakers (6)

6 Orlando (5)

7 Indiana (7)

8 LA Clippers (10)

9 Atlanta (12)

10 Boston (13)

11 Dallas (14)

THIRD TIER

12 Houston (15)

13 Denver (11)

14 Utah (18)

15 Philadelphia (8)

16 Memphis (9)

17 New York (21)

18 Milwaukee (19)

19 Phoenix (17)

20 Portland (20)

21 Minnesota (16)

FOURTH TIER

22 Golden State (22)

23 Sacramento (27)

24 New Jersey (25)

25 Detroit (24)

26 Toronto (26)

27 Cleveland (23)

FIFTH TIER

28 New Orleans (28)

29 Washington (29)

SIXTH TIER

30 Charlotte (30)

BIGGEST RISERS: New York, Sacramento and Utah (4 spots), Atlanta, Boston, Dallas and Houston (3 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: Memphis and Philadelphia (7 spots), Minnesota (5 spots), Cleveland (4 spots)

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

1 NORTHWEST 70

2 SOUTHWEST 71

3T PACIFIC 77

3T SOUTHEAST 77

5 CENTRAL 81

6 ATLANTIC 82

RANKINGS BY CONFERENCE

1 WEST 218

2 EAST 240