NBA top-10 power rankings: Celtics hold steady while Pels, Kings rise

3. Minnesota Timberwolves | Previous: 2

Key player: Rudy Gobert

Gobert is the defensive anchor (2.1 blocks per game) on a team that is shutting teams down in the regular season (first in defensive rating). But how will his skillset translate to the postseason? We watched Gobert nearly get played off the court during his time in Utah, and maybe that wasn't entirely his fault. But questions linger, and if Gobert can be the DPOY-caliber rim protector for Minnesota that he usually is, the Wolves can win it all. 

4. Denver Nuggets | Previous: 3

Key player: Christian Braun

Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. will always deliver strong play, but who fills the Bruce Brown role? Now with the Pacers, he's a player who Denver almost certainly would not have won last season's Finals without. By default, it might have to be Braun who fills the connector role. Can he actually do it? 

5. Milwaukee Bucks | Previous: 5

Key player: Damian Lillard
We may not have appreciated just how much better Dame would make the Bucks offense... and how much worse he'd make their defense. He has done both of those things, and they will both be magnified come April and May. Can a team defensive effort hide Lillard's deficiencies on that end of the court? Potentially, but the rest of the Bucks haven't been fully inspiring on D, either. The Bucks will be fascinating to watch in the postseason.

6. Los Angeles Clippers | Previous: 7

Key player: Norman Powell

Powell is having one of the best shooting seasons of his career (46% from deep), and he's the exact type of player who can swing a playoff series. If Powell shoots over 40% from the field in a series, he's a hero. If he shoots closer to 30%, he could be the scapegoat. Powell is on the floor to shoot, and he's certainly going to do that. Note: James Harden is the obvious second choice here. If he continues his weird self-sabotaging, LAC might be doomed no matter what anyone else does.

7. Philadelphia 76ers | Previous: 4

Key player: Joel Embiid

No overthinking here. Philadelphia has the players to make an Eastern Conference Finals run. Embiid (34.6 PPG), last season's MVP, must be the player who gets the team there. Simple as that.

8. New Orleans Pelicans | Previous: NR

Key player: Zion Williamson

Williamson plays basketball like he has no idea how good he is until he actually does something wildly impressive, then has an epiphany that he's capable of doing incredible things every time he touches the ball. Is it greedy to ask for more from a player who's averaging 22 points on 58.4% shooting from the floor? Maybe. But for New Orleans to have a shot at a playoff run — something it's proving to possibly be capable of — Williamson must remember exactly what he's capable of as soon as the ball tips off.

9. Indiana Pacers | Previous: NR

Key player: Bennedict Mathurin

A Tyrese Haliburton injury felt like the end for Indiana, but the Pacers are playing with some fire without their star, and Mathurin finding his groove is an important part of that. If the second-year wing continues to raise his scoring (14.6 PPG) as the season progresses, Indiana will be a tough out even as defenses clamp down league-wide. 

10. Sacramento Kings | Previous: NR

Key player: Keegan Murray

Earlier this season, Murray scored 47 points in a game. He has also scored fewer than 10 points 10 times in a game. Like the Kings as a whole, Murray has two versions — the aggressive sharpshooter and a passive, almost lethargic version. Of course, he doesn't need to score 47 points every game to help Sacramento in the playoffs, but Murray getting passive in the postseason would make a deep run much harder to envision for the Kings.