play0:47Is SGA the runaway favorite for NBA MVP?Monica McNutt and Brian Windhorst agree Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the pole position to repeat as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
play2:40Stephen A.: The Knicks need to stand up, periodStephen A. Smith sends his message to the Knicks after their loss to the Lakers.
play2:33Why Stephen A. has concerns over the RocketsStephen A. Smith says last night’s big loss to the Nuggets makes him look differently at the Rockets’ chances this season.
Stephen A. comes out in praise of Lakers after 6th straight win (1:42)Stephen A. Smith takes stock of the Lakers after defeating the Rockets for their sixth straight win. (1:42)
Is SGA the runaway favorite for NBA MVP?Monica McNutt and Brian Windhorst agree Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the pole position to repeat as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
Monica McNutt and Brian Windhorst agree Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in the pole position to repeat as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
Stephen A.: The Knicks need to stand up, periodStephen A. Smith sends his message to the Knicks after their loss to the Lakers.
Why Stephen A. has concerns over the RocketsStephen A. Smith says last night’s big loss to the Nuggets makes him look differently at the Rockets’ chances this season.
Stephen A. Smith says last night’s big loss to the Nuggets makes him look differently at the Rockets’ chances this season.
NBA InsidersMultiple AuthorsMar 18, 2026, 08:45 AM ET
There’s less than a month left in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, and teams are already claiming spots in the postseason as well as bowing their way out of any chance of extending their season into June.
The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are the only two teams to at least clinch a spot in the postseason, as both are having dominant runs through a competitive Western Conference. And while those Finals contenders largely secured their spots behind the play of superstars — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama are both vying for MVP this season — winning in the NBA often comes down to players on the margins.
In addition to the updated 1-30 rankings, our NBA insiders are spotlighting one unheralded player on every team — from young difference-makers on playoff contenders to veterans providing a late-season spark on teams headed for the lottery.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Dave McMenamin, Jamal Collier, Michael C. Wright, Bobby Marks, Tim Bontemps, Tim MacMahon, Vincent Goodwill and Zach Kram) think teams belong.
Isaiah Stewart’s value cannot be overstated, and when he’s not on the floor, it’s felt. The Pistons survived his seven-game suspension, but now a bothersome left calf has been deemed a strain, and he’ll be out at least a week. As the league’s best rim protector, the Pistons want to be very careful with him heading to the playoffs. Last postseason, he was limited to just 19 minutes in a critical Game 1 against the Knicks. — Vincent Goodwill
After hardly playing last year after being taken late in the first round, the 25-year-old Baylor Scheierman has become a consistent rotation player under coach Joe Mazzulla this season, shooting 38% from 3-point range and providing consistent energy off the bench on the wings. — Tim Bontemps
As the lone Laker to play in every game this season, Jake LaRavia has been a mighty important piece for coach JJ Redick. While his recent struggles from deep have gotten their share of attention (he’s 1-for-14 from 3 in March), he remains one of L.A.’s most versatile defenders and can do a bit of everything on the court, averaging 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. — Dave McMenamin
Tim Hardaway Jr. has been one of the best values in the league on a veterans minimum deal. The 34-year-old guard has provided the Nuggets a much-needed dose of offense off the bench, averaging 13.9 points in 27.2 minutes per game entering Tuesday night. He is tied for 13th in the league with 188 made 3-pointers and is shooting 41.0% from long range. — Tim MacMahon
The 25-year-old guard Bones Hyland has revived his career in Minnesota playing for Wolves president Tim Connelly, who drafted him in the first round in Denver. Hyland, who is shooting 38.5% from 3-point range and providing an offensive boost off the bench, will be needed in the coming games with Anthony Edwards sidelined with right knee inflammation. — Bontemps
Give Orlando’s front office credit for its recent draft history. Not only did it select Anthony Black outside of the top five, but it also selected forward Tristan da Silva. Since the All-Star break, da Silva has started 12 of 15 games, averaging 12.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG and shooting 50% from the field. For the season, the lineup of Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, da Silva, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter is a plus-15.9 points per 100 possessions. — Bobby Marks
Jordan Goodwin signed a two-way contract with the Lakers last February, had it converted to a standard contract in March, was waived in July and was quickly scooped up by Phoenix, where he has become a vital role player on both ends of the court. The sturdy 6-foot-3 combo guard is averaging 8.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals off the bench for a surprise Suns team that entered Tuesday 10 games over .500. — McMenamin
In his first season in Toronto, Sandro Mamukelashvili has quietly been one of the NBA’s most productive backup bigs. Averaging 10.8 PPG on 63% true shooting, the 6-9 Mamukelashvili has played in 65 of 67 games for a team in desperate need of size. With the more heralded Jakob Poeltl and Collin Murray-Boyles both missing long stretches due to injury, Mamukelashvili’s availability has been a boon to Toronto. — Zach Kram
Stephen A. Smith sends his message to the Knicks after their loss to the Lakers.
Bennedict Mathurin arrived in L.A. at the trade deadline from Indiana and provided instant offense off the bench, averaging career highs with 19.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals. Most impressively, the Clippers have gone 9-7 in the games he’s played, staying firmly in the play-in picture in an increasingly difficult Western Conference. — McMenamin
Grant Williams not only brings a rare veteran presence to an extremely young roster, but the 27-year-old forward has been a solid two-way player since returning from a torn ACL on Jan. 10. He is averaging a career-high 13.6 points per 36 minutes on 60% true shooting, and he has cemented himself as a backup forward for one of the regular season’s best stories. — Kram
With Joel Embiid playing just 33 games this season due to a mix of injuries and load management, Adem Bona has developed into a serviceable rotation center for Philadelphia in his second NBA season, shooting 58.2% from the field with 1.2 blocks per game in what primarily has been a depth role behind either Embiid or Andre Drummond. — Bontemps
Coach Billy Donovan has unapologetically praised Tre Jones during another meandering season for the Bulls, highlighting his production, intangibles, leadership, and unselfishness. Jones is averaging 12.9 points (on 55% shooting) and 5.5 assists in 27 minutes. As the Bulls try to find some way to salvage another empty campaign, they believe the 26-year-old guard, who signed a three-year, $24 million contract last summer, can help create a culture in Chicago. — Collier
Svi Mykhailiuk, a 28-year-old playing for his eighth NBA team, has provided optimism for the Jazz that he can be a solid role player next season when Utah intends to be competitive. Mykhailiuk has averaged 9.1 points in 23.4 minutes per game with a usage rate of only 14.4%. He’s shooting 40.3% from 3-point range, spacing the floor and serving as a connector who moves the ball when he doesn’t have a good look. — MacMahon
It feels like the entire roster has been in the evaluation stage the whole season, and as of late, rookie Ben Saraf is getting extended looks. In the past four games Saraf has averaged 12 points, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 26.5 minutes. His 15 points in the Nets’ 114-95 loss to Portland were a season high, eclipsing his previous high of 12 from two nights before. Seemingly every rookie has gotten a chance to play longer minutes, and now the not-yet-20-year-old is getting his. — Goodwill
Other than Trae Young, who has played only five games with his new team, the Wizards’ leader in points per 36 minutes is a surprise. It’s not Alex Sarr, or Kyshawn George, or any of the team’s other high draft picks or veterans they’ve traded. It’s backup center Tristan Vukcevic, a former second-rounder, who’s averaging a robust 22.9 points per 36 on solid efficiency. With increased playing time since the trade deadline, Vukcevic has scored in double figures in 10 of 13 games. — Kram
Jarace Walker is finally rounding into form for the Pacers. Over his 23 games entering Tuesday night, the No. 8 pick from the 2023 draft was averaging 15.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while making 37% of his 3s. The Pacers continue to lose almost every game they play, but Walker is proving he deserves a spot in their rotation next year, when they’re at full strength and ready to win again. — Kram
Bigger names were traded at the deadline, but Sam Presti acquiring Jared McCain from Philadelphia for Houston’s 2026 first-rounder (plus three second-rounders) might be as impactful as any move in the current title chase. While other contenders didn’t do much, the Thunder injected a second-year guard with a growing track record as a microwave scorer into their bench. It remains to be seen how McCain will fit into a full playoff rotation in OKC, but he’s made 43.8% of his 3s and averaged 11.4 bench points in his 17 games since crossing conferences, aiding the injury-riddled Thunder in a recent nine-game winning streak. — Anthony Slater
Rookie guard Dylan Harper has been instrumental in the Spurs achieving their first 50-win season since 2016-17, which snapped a drought of eight consecutive seasons. Before that, San Antonio earned at least 50 victories every season from 1999-2000 and 2016-17. The second pick of the 2025 NBA draft, Harper plays the role of sixth man in arguably the most formidable backcourt unit in the league. Harper has been out the past two games with a bruised right calf. But he contributed heavily to the Spurs winning 18 of their past 20 entering Tuesday night. — Michael C. Wright