NBA Power Rankings: Bucks hold down top spot, but Nuggets and Grizzlies are climbing

The Bucks hold the top spot in the penultimate NBC Sports NBA Power Rankings of the season, but the Nuggets have found their footing and moved up to third.

 1. Bucks (54-21, Last week No. 1). The Bucks have found their groove over the final month of the season (10-4 in March) and part of that is Khris Middleton being back in the starting lineup. Over his last 10 games he has looked like his All-Star self averaging 19.3 points and 6.6 assists a game, plus playing solid defense. The Bucks are three games up on the Celtics in the loss column for the best record in the NBA and can close out that regular season crown with wins against Boston on Thursday (the second night of a back-to-back for the Bucks) and Philadelphia on Sunday. Once they lock up the top spot expect Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the core to get nights off until the playoffs start.

 2. Celtics (52-24, LW 3). Forget catching the Bucks for the top seed (Boston would need Milwaukee to help out and fall apart for that to happen), the focus is on the 76ers, who are just one game back in the race for the 2/3 seeds. (It looks like Miami is headed for the No.7 seed, would Boston consider falling to third and giving up home court in the second round to dodge Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in the first round and take on the Nets instead? Just throwing it out there.) With Robert Williams back, although still coming off the bench in limited minutes, the Celtics have looked better, at least until the loss to the Wizards Tuesday. Big tests with the Bucks on Thursday and the 76ers next Tuesday.

 3. Nuggets (51-24, LW 5). Forget that slump from a couple of weeks ago, the Nuggets have bounced back with four straight wins including over the Bucks and 76ers