Best NBA Bets Today – Thursday, March 6, 2025
FTN Staff
Welcome back to FTN Fantasy’s NBA Power Rankings!
This week’s rankings feature major shakeups, and unfortunately, injuries are the biggest story. Many of our biggest fallers are dealing with key players sidelined, including the Knicks (Jalen Brunson), Lakers (LeBron James), Grizzlies (Jaren Jackson Jr.), Mavericks (Kyrie Irving) and Rockets (Amen Thompson).
For two teams, the Mavericks and 76ers, injuries have completely derailed their seasons. Dallas is in a brutal spot, rolling out just nine healthy bodies Sunday and potentially only seven Monday. Kyrie Irving is now out for the year, and Anthony Davis may be joining him on the sidelines. February might have been one of the most disastrous months any team has endured in recent memory.
Unlike Dallas, which at least showed promise early in the year, Philadelphia’s season was over before it even started. Joel Embiid hasn’t been fully healthy all year, and now he’s officially ruled out for the season. With the Sixers needing to finish in the bottom six to keep their first-round pick, don’t be surprised if Tyrese Maxey and Paul George are shut down soon as well.
How Our NBA Power Rankings Work
Every Monday, we provide an up-to-the-minute snapshot of the league using our exclusive power rankings, powered by the FTN NBA Betting Model. These rankings adjust for recent results, injuries, and key news, offering a dynamic, data-driven view of the NBA’s shifting landscape. We also track which teams are trending up and which are sliding down.
But this isn’t just about rankings – it’s about giving you the edge. Whether you’re betting on the NBA or simply keeping tabs on your favorite team’s performance, our rankings provide key insights to help you make smarter decisions. Curious to see how we evaluate a specific matchup? Our NBA Betting Model is constantly updated with the latest data, and we highlight the best value picks in our NBA Bet Tracker.
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Key Takeaways
Injuries Will Shake Up Playoff Seeding
With about a month left in the season, injuries are shaping the playoff race in both conferences.
In the Eastern Conference, Jalen Brunson’s ankle injury has made the No. 3 seed wide open. The Knicks hold a four-game lead over the Bucks, but the Pacers and Pistons are lurking just five games back. If two of these teams get hot and the Knicks struggle without Brunson, they could fall out of the top four and lose home-court advantage altogether.
The Western Conference is even tighter. The Lakers fought their way to the No. 2 seed, but with Denver tied, the Grizzlies one game back, and four more teams within six games, LeBron James’ groin injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. The good news for the Lakers? Many of the teams chasing them are also battling injuries. But with LeBron sidelined, we now rank the Lakers 14th, meaning they’ll have to fight to hold onto home-court advantage.
Look Out for the Timberwolves
Don’t look now, but the Timberwolves are surging. A five-game win streak has propelled them to seventh in the West, but they’re just five games out of second place.
More importantly, they’re the healthiest they’ve been all season. Key depth pieces like Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. have stepped up, making them one of the deepest rosters in the league. With Anthony Edwards leading the way, the Wolves are positioned to be a nightmare matchup in the playoffs, no matter who they face.
Can Anybody in the West Compete with the Thunder?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been in a league of their own all season. Sitting at just 11 losses, they’ve dominated from start to finish. Currently riding a nine-game win streak, OKC is so deep that they rested most of their rotation and still won by 18, thanks to 30 points from Aaron Wiggins Their combination of depth, top-end talent, and elite chemistry is unmatched.
Even though their win over the Nuggets was closer than the final score suggests, it was yet another statement game from OKC. They remain No. 1 in our power ratings this week, and the gap is growing.
Jimmy Butler Has Just One Loss as a Warrior
Since Jimmy Butler joined the Warriors, they’re 11-2, 11-1 when he plays. Many doubted the trade, questioning Butler and Stephen Curry’s age or calling Butler a “distraction.” But the results speak for themselves: Butler is still elite, and pairing him with the greatest shooter ever has transformed Golden State.
The Warriors, once a play-in team, have surged to sixth in the West. We rank them 6th overall, but once the playoffs start, no one will want to face a Steph-Jimmy duo.
Check out some more interesting NBA Information on ftnfantasy.com.
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