The final buzzer has sounded on the 2025-26 NBA regular season, and the playoff puzzle is nearly complete. After a Sunday packed with action, the bracket is mostly set, with only the drama of the play-in tournament left to finalize the final few contenders.

Topping the charts are the Oklahoma City Thunder, who clinched the league's best record with time to spare. With their core finally healthy and building chemistry over the last few weeks, they enter the postseason as the clear-cut title favorites, a formidable force ready for the playoff grind.

In a crucial final-game twist, the Denver Nuggets secured a surprise victory over the San Antonio Spurs, a team that has been a dominant force all season. This win not only shook up the standings but potentially sets the stage for a heavyweight second-round series between these two Western Conference giants.

As we turn the page to the playoffs, let's look at the final regular-season power rankings for April 6-12, starting at the bottom of the ladder.

The Washington Wizards "won" the race for the NBA's worst record, sealing their fate with a 10-game losing streak to end the year. The silver lining? Rookie Will Riley has shown flashes of brilliance, dropping 23 points in a recent loss and taking advantage of increased opportunity as the team rested its veterans.

In the battle for lottery positioning, the Indiana Pacers may have hurt their odds with a costly win over the Brooklyn Nets. While both teams were jockeying for the second-worst record, Obi Toppin's 26-point performance pushed Indiana down a spot. For now, the bottom three teams share identical lottery odds, though the league's ongoing war on tanking could change that system soon.

Speaking of tanking, the Brooklyn Nets' season is mercifully over after a painfully deliberate final stretch. In a full embrace of the rebuild, the team slowly shut down its top players—rookies included—to secure their position in the draft lottery, hoping the future payoff justifies the present pain.