Power Rankings, Week 18: The home stretch begins
The season is 67% complete, teams have an average of 27 games remaining, and the home stretch begins on Thursday.
John Schuhmann
February 17, 2026 3:57 PM
Check out the best moments from the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
The trade deadline and All-Star Weekend are in the rear-view mirror.
The season is 67% complete, teams have an average of 27 games remaining, and the home stretch begins on Thursday.
There’s still much to be determined.
In the Eastern Conference, the first-place Detroit Pistons are the only team in the top 10 that’s more than 2 1/2 games ahead of the team directly behind them. The West is similarly tight, with the Oklahoma City Thunder no longer a lock to finish in first place.
Plus-Minus Players of the Week
- Right Way:Jerami Grant (POR) was a plus-54 in three games last week.
- Wrong Way:VJ Edgecombe (PHI) was a minus-58 in two games last week.
Teams of the Week
- Make It Last Forever: Cleveland (2-0) — So far, so good in the James Harden Era.
- Something Just Ain’t Right: Philadelphia (0-2) — The Sixers (playing without Joel Embiid) lost to the Blazers and Knicks by a total of 66 points.
East vs. West
- The West is 145-142 (.505) against the East in interconference games after going 3-3 last week.
Schedule strength through Week 17
- Toughest: 1. Sacramento, 2. New Orleans, 3. Indiana
- Easiest: 1. Denver, 2. Detroit, 3. Minnesota
- Schedule strength = cumulative opponent record.
Movement in the Rankings
- High jumps of the week: Cleveland, Indiana, Milwaukee, Utah (+2)
- Free falls of the week: Brooklyn, Phoenix, Washington (-2)
Week 18 Team to Watch
- New York — The Knicks are 0-2 against the first-place Pistons having lost the two games (both in Detroit) by a combined 69 points. The final meeting of the season is Thursday at Madison Square Garden, and the Knicks will have another test when they host the Rockets two nights later.
Previously...
- Last week:Knicks, Celtics and Cavs on the move
- The archive:NBA.com Power Rankings
