NBA playoffs: Second-round power rankings

USA TODAY Sports' power rankings for the second round of the 2017 NBA playoffs.

Note: Power rankings are based on each team's status as of May 1. For conference finals predictions, go here.

1. Golden State Warriors

What did we find out from Golden State after their first-round sweep of the Blazers? Nothing we didn’t already know. Kevin Durant missed Games 2 and 3 with a calf strain. Steve Kerr is out indefinitely following a flare-up of symptoms stemming from a 2015 back surgery. And yet, they still won each game by an average of 18 points. The scariest part? Stephen Curry — y'know, the back-to-back MVP — played the type of basketball we've grown accustomed to over the past few years.

2. Houston Rockets

The high-octane Rockets — who set regular-season records for three-pointers made and attempted — shot just 28.4% from beyond the arc in the first round. Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson shot a combined 6-for-40 from distance, while MVP candidate James Harden made just 12 of his 50 attempts. But Houston was still able to advance in five games. How? They upped their defense and had some unexpected players make big-time contributions. The Rockets posted a 104.3 defensive rating — a significant increase from the regular season (106.4) — and watched veterans Nene (13.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 84.8% shooting) and Lou Williams (18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 47.8% shooting) make their presence felt off the bench.

3. San Antonio Spurs

Of all the things we learned from the Spurs-Grizzlies first-round series, we can’t ignore the resurgence of Tony Parker. The savvy 34-year-old point guard averaged 16.3 points on 53.3% shooting from the field and 53.3% shooting from beyond the arc in six games. He hit big shots, got to the basket and, perhaps most importantly, gave the Spurs a much-needed third scoring option behind Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Speaking of Leonard, the MVP candidate posted 31.2-point, 6-rebound, 3.8-assist averages in the first round and hit 54.8% of his shots from the field, 48.3% of his threes and 96.7% of his free throws.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

Having played just four games in almost three weeks, rest shouldn’t be a factor for the Cavaliers, whose first-round sweep restored the Eastern Conference pecking order and made them the favorites once again to get to the Finals. As if they weren't already. That being said, their surprising lack of focus when building double-digit leads gives them an obvious area to address.

The scary part of the Cavs’ first-round sweep is that neither Kyrie Irving (41% shooting from the field) nor Kevin Love (15.5 points per game) played particularly well. But they’ve still got that LeBron James guy.

5. Washington Wizards

If there was an award for first-round MVP, it would’ve either gone to John Wall or Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard. While we won’t make that determination, the fact is that Wall was nearly unstoppable against Atlanta. He gives the Wizards an electrifying transition option and an elite guard as sensational as Russell Westbrook. That the Wizards have surrounded him with a co-star in Bradley Beal and valuable pieces like Otto Porter Jr., Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat makes them an extremely dangerous (and hungry) outfit.

6. Boston Celtics

It would probably be best if the Celtics’ first two games of their postseason were stricken from the record. Their leader, Isaiah Thomas, played through an emotional haze, but their subsequent winning streak to reach the second round allayed some of the early concerns. The Celtics still aren’t a great rebounding team, and they’ll never completely be able to hide Thomas on defense. But they have great perimeter defenders (most notably Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart) and Al Horford has quietly become a frontcourt offensive conductor, averaging over six assists per game in their first round victory over Chicago.

7. Utah Jazz

Here they are, the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2010. The Jazz were the only team to pull off a first-round upset (albeit only as a No. 5 seed over a No. 4 seed), ending the Clippers' season in Game 7 on Sunday. They overcame an injury to star center Rudy Gobert, saw the 35-year-old Joe Johnson come up big in late-game situations and got just what they needed — if not more — from George Hill and Gordon Hayward. Their consolation prize? A second-round date with the red-hot, well-rested Warriors.

8. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors rebounded after a shaky start to their first-round series against the Bucks and sport a three-game winning streak coming into their series against the Cavs. But in order to make it an extended stay in the second round, the Raptors need better three-point shooting from their backcourt stars. Kyle Lowry, in particular, struggled from the offensive end in the first round (14.3 ppg), and the Raptors won’t be able to keep pace without more significant contributions. The Raptors do have two new, significant wrinkles in their offense in deadline acquisition Serge Ibaka and second-year guard Norman Powell. How big of a dent can either make vs. the defending champs?

Voters: USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick, Jeff Zillgitt, Michael Singer and AJ Neuharth-Keusch.

PHOTOS: Best of the second round