NBA Power Rankings Week 14: Spurs and Cavs Lead the Rise

We’ve passed the midway point of the season and the trade deadline is now 17 days away, with the All-Star break coming a week after that. We’re in the middle of a tough stretch of the season, as evidenced by how some of the best teams have been playing of late. Really, are any of the 16 teams with winning records playing close to their best? Maybe Cleveland? Detroit has won five of its last six games, but has been turning the ball over more than ever. Minnesota was playing really well, but has lost two straight games. It’s a stretch that some teams just need to survive. If a team can somehow find its groove over the next few weeks, it could make some serious hay in the standings. The Clippers aren’t one of those teams with winning records, but they seem to be taking advantage and could be .500 before the break. Plus-Minus Players of the Week Right Way: De’Anthony Melton (GSW) was a plus-61 in three games last week. Wrong Way: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ATL) was a minus-76 in three games last week. Teams of the Week Make It Last Forever: LA Clippers (3-0) — It doesn’t seem like this train is going to stop any time soon. Something Just Ain’t Right: New York (0-3) — The Emirates NBA Cup champs have lost eight of their last 10. * * * East vs. West The West is 115-91 (.558) against the East in interconference games after going 19-8 last week. Schedule strength through Week 13 Toughest: 1. Sacramento, 2. Utah, 3. Portland Easiest: 1. Denver, 2. Detroit, 3. Chicago Schedule strength = cumulative opponent record. * * * Movement in the Rankings High jumps of the week: Cleveland (+3), Miami (+3) Free fall of the week: Atlanta (-4) * * * Week 14 Team to Watch Houston — The Rockets have been treading water for a while, but they’ll face three big tests this week, hosting the Spurs on Tuesday and then taking a two-game trip through Philadelphia and Detroit. * * * Previously… Last week: Thunder back at top amid changed Top 5 The archive: NBA.com Power Rankings OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank) DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank) NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank) Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank) The league has averaged 114.8 points scored per 100 possessions and 100.5 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season. NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, contact him via Bluesky. Last Week:1 Record: 35-8 OffRtg: 118.1 (5) DefRtg: 105.4 (1) NetRtg: +12.7 (1) Pace: 101.3 (12) The Thunder got some revenge on the Spurs on Tuesday, turning a tie game into a blowout with a 38-14, second-half run. They ran their winning streak to five by clobbering the Rockets two nights later, but came up short down the stretch in Miami over the weekend. Three takeaways The Thunder defense had seen some slippage, but they allowed just 105.4 points per 100 possessions over their five-game winning streak, with the Spurs and Rockets combining to shoot just 42-for-101 (41.6%) in the paint. The Heat shot just 20-for-52 (38.5%) in the paint on Saturday, but… Miami had 34 more shot opportunities than the Thunder, the biggest differential in any game in the last 17 seasons. Isaiah Hartenstein has missed the last 11 games and the Thunder rank 29th in rebounding percentage over that stretch and are in the bottom four in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage during that stretch. The Thunder led the Heat by as many as 12 points on Saturday and now have as many losses in games they led by double-digits (31-5) as they did all of last season (66-5). That 31-5 mark is still the second best in the league, and the Thunder are still 8-3 in games they’ve trailed by double-digits. A winning record when trailing by at least 10 points may be the surest sign that a team is championship-caliber (not that there was much doubt otherwise). Coming up: The Thunder now have twice as many losses against the Eastern Conference (two) as they did all of last season (one). The only one last season was in Cleveland, where they’ll play Game 3 of their four-game trip on Monday. Week 14: @ CLE, @ MIL, vs. IND, vs. TOR # 2 Detroit Pistons Last Week:2 Record: 30-10 OffRtg: 116.1 (11) DefRtg: 108.5 (2) NetRtg: +7.6 (3) Pace: 101.0 (14) The Pistons had a four-day break at just the right time and got three starters back from multi-game absences last week. They’re 4-1 on their longest homestand of the season, with one (huge) game to go. Three takeaways The Pistons’ offense didn’t recover with the returns of Cade Cunningham, Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren; They scored just 109 points per 100 possessions over their two wins last week, and they’ve totaled 61 turnovers over their last three games. But they were playing the Suns without Devin Booker and the Pacers without their six leading scorers, and the league’s second-ranked defense didn’t let up. Detroit opponents have shot just 49.3% in the paint in January. According to tracking data, 57% of the Pistons’ 3-point attempts, the league’s sixth-highest rate, have been wide open. That’s up from just 43% (28th) last season, with that being the league’s biggest jump by a huge margin. But they rank just 27th in wide-open 3-point percentage (35.4%), with Cade Cunningham (22.6%) and Ron Holland (25.9%) both in the bottom 10 among 214 players with at least 50 wide-open attempts. Tobias Harris (31.8%) is also in the bottom 30. But the Pistons have now outscored their opponents by 13.3 points per game in the restricted area, the league’s biggest differential by a wide margin. Coming up: The Pistons are 2-1 against the second-place Celtics, having overcome double-digit deficits in both wins (and with Cunningham averaging 33 points over the three games). They lead Boston by five games in the loss column and will complete the season series in Detroit on Monday. Week 14: vs. BOS, @ NOP, vs. HOU, vs. SAC Last Week:4↑ Record: 29-13 OffRtg: 116.7 (10) DefRtg: 111.6 (3) NetRtg: +5.0 (5) Pace: 100.7 (15) The Spurs suffered their first loss to the Thunder last week, but they remain comfortably in the top three in the West after surviving a wild game against fourth-place the Wolves on Saturday. Three takeaways The Spurs’ loss in Oklahoma City on Tuesday was the end of their worst five-game stretch of offense (103.4 points scored per 100 possessions) this season, with their trio of guards – De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper – combining to shoot just 34% over the five games. San Antonio ranks 26th offensively (111.0 scored per 100) since Christmas. But the offense returned as they returned home to beat the Bucks and Wolves. The three guards scored more efficiently, Castle had 19 assists and just two turnovers over the two games, and Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points against Minnesota. Though he’s first in defensive rebounding percentage, he’s just 61st in offensive rebounding percentage (6.9%) among 289 players who’ve averaged at least 15 minutes per game. But he sealed the win by rebounding Julian Champagnie’s missed free throw in a crowd of Wolves with four seconds left. With that win, the Spurs are 21-1 when they’ve scored at least 116 points per 100 possessions and 6-3 within the top five in the West, set to visit the fifth-place Rockets (1-0) twice in the next 10 days. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage for the first of those two visits (Tuesday). Coming up: The Spurs are 9-1 against the eight teams that have lost at least 60% of their games, with the one loss having come (at home) to the Jazz. They’ll face Utah twice this week and also complete their season series with the Pelicans. Week 14: vs. UTA, @ HOU, @ UTA, vs. NOP # 4 Minnesota Timberwolves Last Week:3↓ Record: 27-16 OffRtg: 117.5 (6) DefRtg: 112.7 (9) NetRtg: +4.8 (7) Pace: 101.2 (13) The Wolves are 5-4 without Anthony Edwards, having split games in Milwaukee and Houston without him last week. But they’re 2-5 when he’s scored 40 points or more, having lost their game in San Antonio on Saturday, when he dropped a career-high 55. Three takeaways The loss to the Spurs came without Rudy Gobert, and the Wolves have now allowed 11.2 more points per 100 possessions with the four-time Defensive Player of the Year off the floor than they have with him on the floor. Naz Reid was also lost to a sore shoulder in the first quarter, so the Wolves closed the game with rookie Joan Beringer at the five. Beringer shot 11-for-13 over the two games without Gobert last week, when the Wolves outscored their opponents by 31.3 points per 100 possessions in his 59 minutes. He assisted Donte DiVincenzo on a go-ahead 3 with a little more than a minute left on Saturday, but got blocked by Victor Wembanyama on the next possession. With weekend losses in Houston and San Antonio, the Wolves have the worst record (4-10) in games played between the top eight teams in the West, though six of those 10 losses have been decided by five points or fewer. They’ve allowed 124 points on 101 clutch defensive possessions (122.8 per 100) over their 11 clutch games within the top eight. With their win in Milwaukee last week, the Wolves have scored more than 125 points per 100 possessions 10 times, and eight of those 10 games have come on the road. Overall, they’ve scored 5.1 more points per 100 possessions on the road (120.0 per 100, third) than they have at home (114.9 per 100, 16th), the league’s biggest road-home differential on either end of the floor. Coming up: The Wolves will finish their four-game trip with a rest-advantage game in Utah on Tuesday. Then they’ll play eight of their final 12 games before the All-Star break at home. Week 14: @ UTA, vs. CHI, vs. GSW # 5 Phoenix Suns Last Week:5 Record: 25-17 OffRtg: 114.5 (15) DefRtg: 112.0 (4) NetRtg: +2.4 (11) Pace: 99.6 (20) The Suns are 1-2 on the first of two six-game road trips, with all three games having come against East teams with winning records and all three having been within five points in the last five minutes. Three takeaways The Suns were without Devin Booker in Detroit on Thursday, when they blew a 16-point lead and lost by three, scoring just 15 points on 25 fourth-quarter possessions. Their offense hasn’t been great (115.8 points scored per 100 possessions) with Booker on the floor, but they’re now 1-3 without him, having scored just 101.3 per 100 over those four games. Of course, all four have been on the road and against teams — Houston, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Detroit — that rank in the top nine defensively. Booker returned on Saturday, when the Suns beat the Knicks, who were playing without Jalen Brunson. Mitchell Robinson was there, but the Suns outscored New York (21-17) on second chances. While Phoenix is one of nine teams that have scored fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season, it’s seen the league’s biggest jump in offensive rebounding percentage, from 26.4% (26th) last season to 33.6% (sixth) this season. The Suns’ starting lineup didn’t have its best night at Madison Square Garden, but bench minutes were huge as they erased two separate, 10-point deficits. Grayson Allen continues to close games, and the Suns have outscored opponents by 13.4 points per 100 possessions in 486 minutes with both Jordan Goodwin and Oso Ighodaro on the floor, and they have the league’s fifth-ranked bench overall. Coming up: The second half of the Suns’ six-game trip is easier than the first half, and they’ll have a rest advantage in Brooklyn on Monday. They’re 4-0 (one of four undefeated teams) in rest-advantage games and 15-4 (with eight straight wins) against the 14 teams that are currently at or below .500. Week 14: @ BKN, @ PHI, @ ATL, vs. MIA # 6 Denver Nuggets Last Week:7↑ Record: 29-14 OffRtg: 121.7 (1) DefRtg: 116.8 (23) NetRtg: +4.9 (6) Pace: 99.1 (22) The Nuggets are an impressive 7-4 without Nikola Jokić, even though Jamal Murray (three), Aaron Gordon (four) and Christian Braun (eight) have all missed multiple games during that stretch. Three takeaways The Nuggets have been outscored by 30 points over these 11 games without Jokić. All seven of the wins have been by single digits, while three of the four losses have been by double-digits. And there may be a little luck with their opponents scoring just 60 points on 67 clutch possessions (shooting 7-for-29 from 3-point range) over the seven games (six wins and a loss) that have been within five points in the last five minutes. Not surprisingly, Jokić is missed inside. Denver ranks last in rebounding percentage during his absence and has been outscored by an amazing 16.3 points per game in the restricted area over its last eight games. The Nuggets ranked 10th in the percentage of their shots that came in the paint (49.4%) over their first 32 games, but rank 28th (40.8%) over these last 11. While the Nuggets have done better than most expected thus far and have given themselves a cushion in the standings, this still feels like a tenuous situation. The Hornets clobbered them on Sunday (when both teams were playing the second game of a back-to-back), and the schedule remains tough regarding rest over the next 2 1/2 weeks. Coming up: The Nuggets are two games into their first stretch of five in seven days, and there’s another one coming next week. Their visit from the Lakers on Tuesday will be the first head-to-head meeting and the Nuggets’ first game within the top eight in the West since their Christmas win over Minnesota. Week 14: vs. LAL, @ WAS, @ MIL, @ MEM # 7 Boston Celtics Last Week:8↑ Record: 26-15 OffRtg: 121.6 (2) DefRtg: 114.0 (14) NetRtg: +7.6 (2) Pace: 96.4 (30) The Celtics lost in Indiana without Jaylen Brown last Monday, but their star and their offense returned for wins in Miami and Atlanta, which have them two games ahead of the Knicks for second place in the East. Three takeaways The Celtics have played eight different guys alongside their four full-time starters. Sam Hauser has been the fifth starter for the last 2 1/2 weeks, and the group with Hauser has now scored 126.7 points per 100 possessions in its 119 minutes. Hauser scored 30 points (tied for the second most in his career) in Atlanta on Saturday and has taken 88.7% of his shots from 3-point range, the highest rate of his career and the second highest rate among 229 players with at least 200 field goal attempts. The Celtics haven’t been forcing many turnovers, but they’ve won the rebounding battle in nine of their last 10 games. They rank in the top four in turnover rate, offensive rebounding percentage and defensive rebounding percentage in January, and they’re sixth in shot-opportunity differential (plus-2.8 per game) for the season. With Payton Pritchard missing a game for the first time on Saturday, Anfernee Simons is the only Celtic who’s played in all 41. He scored a season-high 39 points in Miami on Thursday, with 23 of those coming in the final 13 1/2 minutes, when the Celtics turned a 15-point deficit into a five-point win. Simons has an effective field goal percentage of 64.8% in January, up from 53.0% prior. Coming up: All three games between the second-place Celtics and the first-place Pistons have been within five points in the last five minutes, with Detroit winning two of the three. The three games account for three of the Celtics’ seven worst rebounding games of the season, so securing the glass will be critical as they complete the season series in Detroit on Monday. Week 14: @ DET, vs. IND, @ BKN, @ CHI # 8 Houston Rockets Last Week:9↑ Record: 25-15 OffRtg: 119.1 (4) DefRtg: 112.6 (8) NetRtg: +6.5 (4) Pace: 96.8 (28) The Rockets haven’t quite emerged from their January slump, but they’ve won two straight games, edging the Wolves (without Anthony Edwards) and taking care of business against the Pelicans. Three takeaways The Rockets trailed the Thunder by just two points after the third quarter on Thursday, but they got doubled up (34-16) in the fourth and are now 1-5 against the top three teams in the West (Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Denver). They’ve scored just 110.7 points per 100 possessions over those six games, even though they’ve shot well (40.9%) from 3-point range. They’ve committed a ton of turnovers (19 per 100 possessions) and the loss on Thursday was their worst paint shooting game (22-for-59, 37%) of the season. Though they’re just 9-9 (ninth in the West) over the last five weeks, the Rockets are still 14-3 (second best in the league) at home, with that loss to the Thunder being their only home defeat since Nov. 21. They’ve still played the league’s most road-heavy schedule, with only 17 of their 40 games having come at the Toyota Center. Against the Pelicans on Sunday, Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams started together for the first time since Nov. 21 (Game 14). Adams recorded his fourth double-double of the season, but suffered a sprained left ankle early in the fourth quarter. The Rockets have been at their best (plus-11.8 points per 100 possessions) with Adams on the floor. Coming up: The Rockets will face the Spurs twice in the next two weeks, and they’ll have a rest advantage on Tuesday. They’ll be at a disadvantage three nights later in Detroit, with Durant having averaged 37.7 points in seven games at Little Caesars Arena, the highest average for any active player in any arena (minimum five games). Week 14: vs. SAS, @ PHI, @ DET Last Week:6↓ Record: 25-17 OffRtg: 119.5 (3) DefRtg: 116.1 (19) NetRtg: +3.4 (8) Pace: 99.0 (24) The Knicks have been without Jalen Brunson (ankle sprain) for the last 2 1/2 games and they’ve lost eight of their last 10 to put themselves in danger of losing a top-four spot in the East. Three takeaways The Knicks have scored 113.4 points per 100 possessions (14th) over these last 10 games, down from 121.4 (third) prior. That includes just 107 scored per 100 in 232 minutes with Brunson off the floor over the last 10, with reserve guards Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson having combined for an effective field goal percentage of just 49.3% over that stretch. The Knicks’ loss in Sacramento on Wednesday (when Brunson was injured in the first quarter) was their worst 3-point shooting game of the season (8-for-41, 19.5). They’ve still seen the league’s biggest jump in 3-point rate from last season, but they had a winning record in games when they shot worse than the league average (35.9%) from deep before their losses to the Kings and Suns last week. OG Anunoby has shot 2-for-17 from beyond the arc during the Knicks’ current three-game losing streak. Before that loss in Sacramento, the Knicks were the only unbeaten team (9-0) against the eight teams that have lost at least 60% of their games. They’ll play two more against that group this week, having won their last 12 meetings with the Nets. Coming up: Both Brunson and Josh Hart are listed as questionable for the Knicks’ game against the Mavs on Monday. The big game of the week is Saturday in Philadelphia, with the Knicks looking for their first win against the Sixers. Philly has scored 123.6 points per 100 possessions as it’s won the first two meetings. Week 14: vs. DAL, vs. BKN, @ PHI # 10 Cleveland Cavaliers Last Week:13↑ Record: 24-19 OffRtg: 116.9 (7) DefRtg: 114.3 (15) NetRtg: +2.7 (10) Pace: 102.2 (6) The Cavs suffered another confounding loss last Monday, allowing the Jazz to score 69 points on 49 second-half possessions. But they responded with two critical wins in Philadelphia to climb to fifth place in the East. Three takeaways The first win in Philly might have been the Cavs’ best game of the season from start to finish. The second one wasn’t nearly as clean and required two different fourth-quarter comebacks. “I’ll take this one over Wednesday,” Donovan Mitchell said after the second game, “because there was adversity … We continued to stay in it. That’s the mentality that you want to see. This was a character win … this right here helps you build.” The Cavs are one of three teams – the Bulls and Magic are the others – with at least 10 wins in games they trailed by double-digits. The Friday win came without Darius Garland, who suffered another foot injury two nights earlier. The Sixers also put a ton of attention on Mitchell, who scored just 13 points. So Jaylon Tyson stepped up, scoring a career-high 39 points on an amazing 13-for-17 shooting, also finding Evan Mobley for the game-winning dunk with 4.8 seconds left. The second-year wing now ranks second in 3-point percentage at 47.5%. Tyson’s huge game allowed the Cavs to outscore the Sixers by four points in a little more than nine minutes with both Mitchell and Mobley on the bench on Friday. Even with Garland out, they were subbing the two All-NBA guys in and out at the same time, trying to maximize their minutes on the floor together. The Cavs have outscored opponents by 8.4 points per 100 possessions in 458 total minutes with Mitchell and Mobley on the floor without Garland or Jarrett Allen. Coming up: Time will tell how important the two wins in Philly were, and the Cavs will have another critical two-game set (home and home) with the Magic starting Sunday, when they’ll be at a rest disadvantage in Orlando. Week 14: vs. OKC, @ CHA, vs. SAC, @ ORL # 11 Miami Heat Last Week:14↑ Record: 22-20 OffRtg: 113.7 (19) DefRtg: 112.5 (7) NetRtg: +1.2 (12) Pace: 104.7 (1) The Heat went 2-2 on, probably, their toughest four-game stretch of the season, beating the Suns and splitting two games with the Thunder to remain above .500. Three takeaways Bam Adebayo had shot 49-for-132 (37%) over his previous 11 games before last week, but he had two huge performances (29 and 30 points) in the Heat’s wins over Phoenix and Oklahoma City. He hit three straight jumpers (two 3-pointers and a long 2) to turn a six-point deficit into a two-point lead with less than two minutes left against the Suns, and he drained a career-high six 3-pointers against the Thunder. Adebayo has seen huge jumps in the percentage of his shots that have come from outside the paint in each of the last three season. His effective field goal percentage on those shots (49.3%) isn’t as high as it was last season (49.9%), but it’s still the second-best mark of his career. The win over Oklahoma City was the Heat’s first (in four games) without Davion Mitchell. Mitchell hasn’t been quite as efficient a scorer as he was last season, but the Heat have still been at their best (plus-5.4 points per 100 possessions) with him on the floor. The Heat have been playing a little more pick-and-roll lately, averaging 27.1 ball-screens per 100 possessions over their last 14 games — still last in the league by a huge margin — which is up from 15.1 per 100 prior to that. They went to Norman Powell/Adebayo pick-and-rolls on their final two possessions against the Thunder on Saturday, with the first (though Powell rejected the screen) generating Andrew Wiggins’ 3-pointer for the lead with 31 seconds left. Coming up: The Heat now embark on what is both their longest road trip of the season and their second stretch of five games in seven days. They’re already tied for the most interconference games played, now 10-8 (8-2 at home, 2-6 on the road) against the West. Week 14: @ GSW, @ SAC, @ POR, @ UTA, @ PHX Last Week:10↓ Record: 25-16 OffRtg: 116.7 (9) DefRtg: 117.4 (26) NetRtg: -0.7 (17) Pace: 99.5 (21) The Lakers concluded their first stretch of five games in seven days with a much-needed win over the Raptors on Sunday. That kept them in the top six in the West after they had lost five of their previous six games, a stretch that included losses to the Bucks, Kings and Hornets. Three takeaways Luka Dončić and LeBron James combined for 68 points on Thursday, and the Lakers still lost to the Hornets by 18, their first defeat in a game they led by double-digits. They allowed an incredible 128.4 points per 100 possessions over the first four games of the five-in-seven stretch. On Monday, the Kings had the second best 3-point shooting game (17-for-26) for any team this season. Lakers opponents have shot 60.5% in the paint, the league’s fourth highest opponent mark and up from 57.1% (14th lowest) last season. Only the Kings have seen a bigger jump in opponent field goal percentage in the paint. The Blazers have shot better than 70% in the paint four times, and two of those games (including 26-for-37 shooting on Saturday) have come against L.A. The Raptors shot just 24-for-45 (53%) in the paint on Sunday, when the Lakers held their opponent under a point per possession for the first time in more than two months. The 41-year-old James played in all five games of the five-in-seven stretch, averaging 25.2 points on 51% shooting over the week. Coming up: The Lakers get just a one-day break in the wake of the five-in-seven stretch, and they’ll now play eight straight road games (the longest stretch in the league this season), though the second game of that stretch is back in L.A. to face the Clippers on Thursday. They’re 1-2 at the Intuit Dome after their loss there last month. Week 14: @ DEN, @ LAC, @ DAL # 13 Philadelphia 76ers Last Week:12↓ Record: 22-18 OffRtg: 114.7 (14) DefRtg: 113.5 (11) NetRtg: +1.2 (14) Pace: 100.0 (19) The Sixers went 2-3 in a stretch of five straight games within the No. 4-8 tier in the East, getting leapfrogged by the Cavs after their two losses to Cleveland late last week. Three takeaways The Sixers scored just 110.6 points per 100 possessions over the five games, their worst stretch of offense since early December. Sixers not named Tyrese Maxey or VJ Edgecombe shot 27-for-105 (26%) from 3-point range over the five games. They’ve still seen the league’s eighth biggest jump in efficiency from last season, but they’re now just a tick below the league average (114.8 per 100) for the year. Opponents aren’t afraid to attack Joel Embiid at the rim, and the Cavs threw down two vicious dunks on his head on Friday. His rim protection mark (opponents have shot 57.6% at the basket when he’s been there) ranks just 26th among 111 players who’ve defended at least 100 shots at the rim, but it’s still better than his mark from last season (61.2%) or his Kia MVP season (also 61.2%). The Sixers are now one of two teams (the Hawks are the other) with a winning record (12-7) on the road and a losing record (10-11) at home. Thirteen of their 21 home games have come against the other 15 teams currently over .500 and the Sixers now have the second-worst record (9-13) in games played within the top 16. Coming up: The Sixers still have four games left on their six-game homestand, with three more winning teams coming to Xfinity Mobile Arena this week. Maxey has averaged 33 points on an effective field goal percentage of 67% as they’ve gone 2-0 against the Knicks, who will be in town on Saturday. Week 14: vs. IND, vs. PHX, vs. HOU, vs. NYK # 14 Toronto Raptors Last Week:11↓ Record: 25-19 OffRtg: 113.5 (22) DefRtg: 112.3 (5) NetRtg: +1.2 (13) Pace: 99.1 (23) The Raptors are still in the top four in the East, but they’ve lost four of their last six games and are just two games ahead of the eighth-place Heat. Three takeaways The Raptors’ 3-point shooting remains a major issue. They’re last in 3-point percentage at 33.6%, and that includes just 28.4% since Christmas. The only Raptor who’s shot the league average (35.9%) or better on at least 100 attempts from beyond the arc is Ja’Kobe Walter. He’s not far above that mark (36.7%) and he’s missed the last 4 1/2 games with a hip pointer. The Raptors are still tied for the league’s third best clutch record (15-7), but they were 0-for-7 on clutch 3-pointers against the Clippers on Friday, when they blew two double-digit leads, got outscored 8-0 in the final 3:30 of regulation, and lost in overtime. The Raptors are 22-12 (third best) in games played within the Eastern Conference, but they’re 3-7 (0-3 on the road) against the West after their weekend losses to the two L.A. teams. RJ Barrett has missed the last five games and the Raptors are now 9-12 without him. Ochai Agbaji has started 10 of those 21 games and is now 12-for-58 (21%) from 3-point range this season. That includes two of the team’s seven clutch misses on Friday. Coming up: The Raptors’ rest-advantage loss in L.A. on Sunday was the start of a five-game trip that includes two more rest-advantage games. The next one is Tuesday against the Warriors, who the Raptors beat in overtime a few weeks ago after trailing by seven points with less than two minutes left in regulation. Week 14: @ GSW, @ SAC, @ POR, @ OKC Last Week:17↑ Record: 24-19 OffRtg: 115.4 (13) DefRtg: 112.4 (6) NetRtg: +3.0 (9) Pace: 100.3 (18) The Warriors are 5-1 on their eight-game homestand and, while they’re still in eighth place in the West, they’re five games over .500 for the first time. Three takeaways The Warriors rank fourth offensively since Christmas, and they’ve scored 126.7 points per 100 possessions over the homestand. They made at least 20 3-pointers in each of their three games last week. De’Anthony Melton has been the team’s third-leading scorer (17.2 points per game) over the homestand, and the Warriors have now scored 125 points per 100 possessions in his 373 minutes on the floor this season. Though they continue to lead the league in 3-point rate, Melton has taken just 49.6% of his shots from beyond the arc, his lowest rate in the last six seasons. He’s had 10 points in the paint in three of the last four games. The Warriors benefitted from the absences of Deni Avdija and Jalen Brunson in their wins over the Blazers and Knicks last week, but they were without Jimmy Butler as they beat the Hornets by 20 on Saturday. They were previously 1-4 without Butler and have still been outscored by 2.7 points per 100 possessions in his 913 minutes off the floor. Coming up: The Warriors’ eight-game homestand concludes with visits from the Heat and Raptors, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage against Toronto on Tuesday. They’ve already played a league-high eight rest-disadvantage games and have won five of the eight. Week 14: vs. MIA, vs. TOR, @ DAL, @ MIN # 16 LA Clippers Last Week:18↑ Record: 18-23 OffRtg: 115.7 (12) DefRtg: 116.6 (21) NetRtg: -0.9 (18) Pace: 96.5 (29) The Clippers have won 12 of their last 14 games, but are still outside of SoFi Play-In Tournament positioning in the Western Conference, thanks to a head-to-head tie-breaker with the Grizzlies. Three takeaways The Clippers’ overtime win in Toronto on Friday was just the third game during this 12-2 stretch that was within five points in the last five minutes. They were previously 2-10 in clutch games, but are now 5-10, having allowed just 21 points on 29 clutch defensive possessions over those three close wins. Kobe Sanders, Kris Dunn and James Harden all made big defensive plays as they closed regulation on an 8-0 run on Friday. Jordan Miller has been coming off the bench, but he’s second on the team in total minutes over the Clippers’ current five-game winning streak. The Clippers have outscored their opponents by 16.2 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor over the five games, and he hit a huge 3-pointer in overtime on Friday. The Clippers’ bench ranks fourth over the 12-2 stretch, up from 27th through their first 27 games. The Clippers still rank 29th in pace (only the Celtics have played slower), but they’ve been running a little bit more. Wins over the Hornets and Wizards last week were just the sixth and seventh times (the first since Dec. 1) that they’ve registered at least 20 fast break points. They rank fifth in transition efficiency (1.18 points per possession), but last in the percentage of their possessions (14.7%) that have been in transition, according to Synergy tracking. Coming up: The Clippers’ schedule remains road-heavy until the All-Star break, and Kawhi Leonard is out for (at least) the last two games of their current trip. But four of their next five games are against other teams with losing records and they have the second-best record (11-6, with six straight wins) in games played between the 14 teams that are currently at or below .500. Week 14: @ WAS, @ CHI, vs, LAL, vs. BKN # 17 Orlando Magic Last Week:15↓ Record: 23-19 OffRtg: 114.4 (16) DefRtg: 113.6 (12) NetRtg: +0.8 (15) Pace: 100.7 (16) The Magic split their two games with the Grizzlies in Europe, but in the wrong order for them to continue their remarkable streak of alternating wins and losses. Three takeaways It was the right order for the Wagner brothers to enjoy their homecoming. Franz Wagner returned from a 16-game absence in Berlin on Thursday and had 18 points and nine rebounds (in less than 27 minutes) as the Magic destroyed Memphis on the glass. The Grizzlies are a top-10 rebounding team, but that was their worst rebounding game of the season. The Magic were outscored by 33 points (79-46) over the two first quarters in Europe, their two worst first quarters of the season. But they came back from 20 points down in the Berlin game and now lead the league in wins after trailing by double-digits (11-15) and after trailing by 15 points or more (5-12). They had just four wins after trailing by 15 or more all of last season (4-28). (There was no comeback in London, the Magic’s first wire-to-wire defeat of the season.) The Magic now have four of their five preferred starters in the lineup, but Jalen Suggs has missed 14 of the last 16 games. As great as Anthony Black has been (the dunk was spectacular), the Magic have been outscored by 8.1 points per 100 possessions in 247 minutes with the other four starters – Desmond Bane, Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. – on the floor without Suggs. Coming up: Back in the states, the Magic don’t have to play until Thursday, and they’ll have rest advantages against both the Hornets and Cavs this week. The Cleveland game is the first of six straight against teams with winning records. Week 14: vs. CHA, vs. CLE Last Week:20↑ Record: 22-22 OffRtg: 113.5 (20) DefRtg: 115.4 (17) NetRtg: -1.8 (21) Pace: 101.9 (8) The Blazers have won three straight games and are at .500 for the first time since they were 6-6 in mid-November, and they still haven’t been as healthy as they could be in the coming days. Three takeaways The Blazers are a league-best 8-2 in 2026, ranking in the top eight on both ends of the floor this month. Half of those wins have come against teams – San Antonio, Houston (x 2) and the Lakers – with winning records. L.A. was without Luka Dončić on Saturday, but the Blazers were without Deni Avdija for that game and the two that preceded it. Offense has been a real struggle (101.4 points scored per 100 possessions) with Avdija off the floor, but Caleb Love had 22 points and seven assists off the bench against L.A., his 14th straight game in double-figures. Jerami Grant returned from a 14-game absence on Thursday, but he and Jrue Holiday both missed the Blazers’ win in Sacramento on Sunday night, when Avdija returned from his three-game absence. So while the Blazers have outscored their opponents by 13.3 points per 100 possessions in 133 minutes with Avdija, Grant and Holiday all on the floor, they still haven’t all been available since Nov. 14 (Game 12). Matisse Thybulle hasn’t played since October and Scoot Henderson still hasn’t begun his third season. The Blazers are 18-14 (sixth best) in games played within the Western Conference, but are still just 4-8 against the East, even after beating the Hawks on Thursday. Coming up: They have a three-day break before beginning a stretch of six straight games against the East. That 4-8 mark against the opposite conference includes close losses on the road to both of the teams – the Heat and Raptors – that will be at the Moda Center this week. Week 14: vs. MIA, vs. TOR # 19 Memphis Grizzlies Last Week:19 Record: 18-23 OffRtg: 112.8 (24) DefRtg: 113.9 (13) NetRtg: -1.1 (19) Pace: 101.5 (11) Ja Morant is still on the Grizzlies, and he returned from a six-game absence to lead them to an easy win over the Magic in London on Sunday. That has them hanging onto the last Play-In spot in the West. Three takeaways Morant was just 3-for-8 in the paint on Sunday, but he made his lone mid-range shot, was 3-for-4 from 3-point range and registered his highest free-throw rate (nine attempts with 13 shots from the field) in a game in which he played more than six minutes. His season-long free-throw rate (35.5 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and free-throw percentage (career-high 89%) have been the lone bright spots in his offensive numbers vs. his career standards. The Grizzlies are still just 7-12 when Morant has played, and they’ve been outscored by eight points per 100 possessions in 132 minutes with him on the floor alongside their other three full-time starters (Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells and Jaren Jackson Jr.). They’ve scored just 108.4 points per 100 possessions in those minutes and, overall, have seen the league’s third biggest drop in offensive efficiency from last season. The Grizzlies have won the first quarter by double-digits in each of their last four games, scoring an amazing 148 points on 98 offensive possessions (151 per 100) over those 48 minutes. But they blew a 20-point lead in Berlin on Thursday and are the only team with multiple losses (they’re 7-3) in games they led by 20 or more. Coming up: The Grizzlies are back in the states and play six of their next eight games at home. Their visit from the Nuggets on Sunday is the start of their only stretch of five games in seven days. Week 14: vs. ATL, vs. NOP, vs. DEN # 20 Atlanta Hawks Last Week:16↓ Record: 20-24 OffRtg: 113.5 (21) DefRtg: 115.0 (16) NetRtg: -1.4 (20) Pace: 103.2 (2) After winning their first game with CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, the Hawks have dropped three straight and are suddenly in danger of falling out of the SoFi Play-In Tournament group in the Eastern Conference. Three takeaways McCollum leads the team in usage rate (31.1%) by a wide margin over his four games with the Hawks, but he and Kispert have combined for an effective field goal percentage of just 43.8% over the four. The three-game losing streak has been one of the Hawks’ worst stretches of offense (104.2 points scored per 100 possessions) this season. The Hawks have seen the league’s second biggest drop in rebounding percentage from last season (50.3%, 13th) to this season (47.9%, 27th), and they’ve grabbed just 44.2% of available boards over the losing streak. But they’ve been the league’s third best team in regard to converting offensive rebounds into points and have outscored their opponents on second chances in nine of their last 10 games. The Hawks are the only team that hasn’t played a clutch game in 2026. Each of their last 11 games have been determined by double-digits, with eight of those determined by 16 points or more. They have the league’s biggest differential between their record when they’ve won the first quarter (16-6) and their record when they’ve lost the first quarter (4-15). Coming up: The Hawks are tied in the loss column with the 11th-place Bucks, so their meeting in Atlanta on Monday (their first of the season) will be critical in the East’s Play-In jockeying. Atlanta is just 4-5 in games played between the seven East teams with losing records. Week 14: vs. MIL, @ MEM, vs. PHX # 21 Charlotte Hornets Last Week:22↑ Record: 16-27 OffRtg: 116.9 (8) DefRtg: 116.7 (22) NetRtg: +0.2 (16) Pace: 99.0 (26) The Hornets went 3-2 on a five-game trip out West, getting comfortable wins over the Lakers and Nuggets last week. Three takeaways The Hornets ranked 20th offensively just four weeks ago, but they’re now eighth, with the five-game trip having been their best stretch of the season (128.9 points scored per 100 possessions) on that end of the floor. The leading scorer on the trip (Brandon Miller) averaged just 21.6 points over the five games, but a slew of other Hornets contributed. The Hornets haven’t been much of a comeback team, just 6-24 (23rd) in games they trailed by double digits. But their win in L.A. on Thursday (when they fell into a 19-7 hole) was the Lakers’ first loss in a game they led by double-digits. Charlotte went on a 24-9 run in the second quarter and now ranks as the league’s sixth-best second-quarter team (plus-8.6 points per 100 possessions). The three wins on the road trip came by a total of 96 points, and the Hornets’ point differential for the season is even (5,006). They’re 4-12 (only Brooklyn has been worse) in clutch games and their 16-27 overall record would easily be the worst record for a team with an even or positive point differential in NBA history. Coming up: The Hornets are 4-10 against the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference, with two of the four wins having come against the Cavs (at home) and Magic (on the road). They’ll face both of those teams in a Wednesday-Thursday back-to-back this week. Week 14: vs. CLE, @ ORL, vs. WAS # 22 Milwaukee Bucks Last Week:21↓ Record: 17-24 OffRtg: 113.1 (23) DefRtg: 116.3 (20) NetRtg: -3.2 (24) Pace: 99.0 (25) The Bucks have lost three straight games, dropping them to 5-5 since Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return from an eight-game absence and keeping them in the bottom five in the East. Their 17-24 record is their worst mark through 41 games in the last 10 seasons. Three takeaways The last two games didn’t provide much hope for the Bucks regarding competing with the best teams in the league. They trailed the Wolves (who were without Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert) and the Spurs by as many as 41 and 39 points, respectively, and are 6-17 (4-10 with Antetokounmpo) against the 16 teams that currently have winning records. The Bucks have scored just 105.4 points per 100 possessions over the three-game losing streak, with Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins combining to shoot 17-for-68 (25%) from the field. Overall, they’ve seen the league’s sixth biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions from last season (115.1, 10th), and this would be the first time in the last 10 years that they’ve had a worse-than-average offense. They’ve actually scored more efficiently with Antetokounmpo on the floor (122.8 points per 100 possessions) than they did with him on the floor last season (118.9 per 100). But the minutes with him off the floor continue to be disastrous. Coming up: The Bucks trail the Hawks by a game and a half for the final Play-In spot in the East, and the first of three head-to-head meetings is Monday in Atlanta. They’ll have rest advantages against the Nuggets and Mavs later in the week, currently 4-10 against the Western Conference. Week 14: @ ATL, vs. OKC, vs. DEN, vs. DAL # 23 Chicago Bulls Last Week:23 Record: 20-22 OffRtg: 114.0 (18) DefRtg: 117.0 (25) NetRtg: -3.0 (23) Pace: 102.4 (4) The Bulls are still comfortably in SoFi Play-In Tournament position in the East, having alternated wins and losses for their last six games (including a split of a home-and-home set with the Nets). Three takeaways Two weeks ago, the Bulls were 9-8 against the 16 teams currently above .500. They’ve since lost three straight games to that group, but they had a lead with three minutes left in Houston last Monday before seeing the Rockets go on a 14-4 run. The Bulls played three straight clutch games last week and allowed 37 points on 25 clutch defensive possessions over that stretch, but they beat the Jazz, with an incredible play by Isaac Okoro (save), Tre Jones (dime) and Nikola Vučević (layup). Jones scored a career-high 34 points (on 11-for-12 shooting) in the loss to Houston, but he was out of the starting lineup on Sunday, and could be back on the bench for good. Josh Giddey was listed as doubtful for the Bulls’ weekend win over Brooklyn, so he could be making a return this week. The Bulls are 5-7 without their point guard, and they’ve been outscored by 6.1 points per 100 possessions in 339 minutes with Vučević and Matas Buzelis on the floor without him. But they’re a plus-8.9 per 100 in 95 total minutes with a jumbo frontline of Buzelis, Vučević and Jalen Smith, with great numbers on offense and on the glass. That’s the way they started two of their four games last week. Coming up: The Bulls are 3-1 in rest-advantage games and will have two more (vs. the Clippers and Celtics) this week. Their visit to Minnesota on Thursday is the start of a stretch where they’re playing 12 of 15 games against teams with winning records. Week 14: vs. LAC, @ MIN, vs. BOS # 24 Dallas Mavericks Last Week:25↑ Record: 17-26 OffRtg: 110.4 (27) DefRtg: 113.1 (10) NetRtg: -2.6 (22) Pace: 102.2 (5) The Mavs continue to play shorthanded, losing Cooper Flagg and Daniel Gafford to ankle injuries last week. But they went 3-1 on a four-game homestand, beating the Nets with a rest advantage and sweeping a two-game set (without Flagg) against the Jazz. Three takeaways The Mavs scored 124.4 points per 100 possessions during the homestand, their best four-game stretch of offense this season. They saw a jump in 3-point rate in the two games without Flagg, totaling 37 3-pointers over the two games. Additionally, their 12 corner 3-pointers on Thursday were the most for any team this season. Klay Thompson shot 20-for-40 from beyond the arc over the homestand and seems to like playing against Utah, as he’s had at least 23 points in each of the Mavs’ last three games against the Jazz. Thompson’s season-long 3-point percentage (37.6%) would still be the worst mark of his career, but he’s shot 42.0% from beyond the arc (sixth among 34 players with at least 150 attempts) since Thanksgiving after shooting 32.1% prior. The Mavs are now the only team without a lineup that’s played at least 75 minutes together. Thompson is actually one of three Mavs who have played in at least 40 games, with Naji Marshall the only one who has played in all 43. Coming up: Thompson has shot 22-for-48 (46%) from 3-point range in his five games against the Warriors over the last two seasons. He’ll face his former team again on Thursday as the Mavs continue a stretch where they’re playing 10 of 13 at home. Week 14: @ NYK, vs. GSW, vs. LAL, @ MIL # 25 Utah Jazz Last Week:24↓ Record: 14-28 OffRtg: 114.3 (17) DefRtg: 122.3 (30) NetRtg: -8.0 (27) Pace: 102.9 (3) The Jazz got a surprise win in Cleveland last Monday, but Lauri Markkanen has missed the last three games with an illness, and they’re now 0-9 without him. Three takeaways Markkanen’s on-off differential has actually been bigger on defense than on offense. The Jazz have allowed an amazing 130.6 points per 100 possessions over the nine games that he’s missed, and the three last week (their worst, three-game stretch of defense this season) came against teams – the Bulls and Mavs (x 2) – that rank in the bottom half of the league offensively. In addition to Markkanen being out, Jusuf Nurkić also DNP’d in all three of those games. The Jazz played a nine-man rotation in which Kyle Anderson was the only player over 22. Cody Williams has started the last six games and now has an effective field goal percentage of 49.3%. That’s well below the league average (54.4%), but a huge improvement from his rookie season (39.1%). That improvement is tied to his finishing in the paint (43.4% vs. 59%). Brice Sensabaugh has been the offensive star, though. He scored a career-high 43 points (with some ridiculous shot-making) in Chicago, with his 21 in the first quarter being the most first-quarter points for a bench player in the 30 seasons of play-by-play data. He followed that up with 52 total over the two games in Dallas. Sensabaugh has seen a big drop in 3-point percentage (32.8%) from last season (42.2%), but like Williams, he’s seen a big jump in his field goal percentage in the paint, from 53.2% to 62.8%. Coming up: The Jazz are 3-13 against the eight Western Conference teams that have winning records, with one of the wins having come in San Antonio (behind an efficient 29 points from Markkanen) less than a month ago. They’ll complete their five-game trip back at the Frost Bank Center on Monday, and then begin their longest homestand of the season (six games over 11 days) with a visit from the Wolves. Week 14: @ SAS, vs. MIN, vs. SAS, vs. MIA Last Week:27↑ Record: 10-35 OffRtg: 112.2 (25) DefRtg: 119.2 (28) NetRtg: -7.1 (26) Pace: 101.5 (10) The Pelicans split two games within the bottom five of the league last week, coming back from an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit against the Nets on Wednesday, but failing to get stops two nights later in Indiana. Three takeaways The Pelicans have a top-10 offense (118.6 points scored per 100 possessions) over the last 10 days, and Trey Murphy III has averaged 29.1 points (ninth in the league) on 51/40/85 shooting splits in January. He’s the only player in the league with at least 60 dunks (he’s got 68) and 60 3-pointers (129). But with the loss in Indiana on Friday, the Pelicans are somehow just 3-8 when they’ve scored at least 120 points per 100 possessions. The Pacers themselves are the only other team with a losing record (3-5) when scoring at least 120 per 100. The Pelicans are actually an improved defensive team from last season when you take the league-wide increase in efficiency into account, but still rank 28th on that end of the floor. Saddiq Bey had the two biggest buckets in the win over Brooklyn, but it was also notable that the Pelicans closed the game with Yves Missi on the floor instead of Derik Queen. The rookie continues to start, but since Christmas, the Pels have been outscored by 18.6 per 100 possessions with Queen on the floor. Over that same time, they’ve outscored opponents by 4.7 per 100 with Missi on the floor, with the bigger difference on defense. Coming up: The Pelicans have a couple of days off and host the Pistons on Wednesday. Then they’re back on the road (where they’re 3-17) for seven of their next eight. Week 14: vs. DET, @ MEM, @ SAS # 27 Brooklyn Nets Last Week:26↓ Record: 12-28 OffRtg: 111.9 (26) DefRtg: 116.9 (24) NetRtg: -5.0 (25) Pace: 97.1 (27) The Nets ended their five-game losing streak on Friday, edging the Bulls after blowing a 20-point, fourth-quarter lead. But, playing without Michael Porter Jr., they got clobbered in the second game of the home-and-home set. Three takeaways The Nets have had some first-quarter issues lately. They’ve lost the opening period by at least nine points in four of their last six games, and they haven’t been much of a comeback team either. They’re 2-17 (worst in the league) after losing the first quarter and 1-25 (only the Wizards have been worse) in games they trailed by double-digits. They lead the lead with six wire-to-wire losses, one more than they had all of last season. Rookie point guard Nolan Traore had trouble getting the ball across halfcourt at times in the preseason. But after some time in the NBA G League, he has returned and been making some high-level passes with some zip to them. He’s shot just 33% and the Brooklyn offense has been anemic (104.5 points scored per 100 possessions) with him on the floor. Still, you can now see what the Nets saw when they used the 19th pick in last year’s Draft on him. With their loss in Dallas last Monday, the Nets remain one of two winless teams (they and the Wizards are both 0-7) in the second games of back-to-backs. Porter has played in only three of those seven games and, Nets not named Porter have shot 29% from 3-point range over the seven. With their loss in Chicago on Sunday (the front end of a back-to-back), they’re 0-8 without Porter overall. Coming up: The back end of that back-to-back is against the Suns on Monday, with the Nets just 3-11 against the Western Conference. They’re one of three teams that have yet to play in the Mountain or Pacific time zones, and they’ll begin a five-game trip at the Intuit Dome on Sunday. Week 14: vs. PHX, @ NYK, vs. BOS, @ LAC # 28 Sacramento Kings Last Week:30↑ Record: 12-31 OffRtg: 109.4 (29) DefRtg: 119.0 (27) NetRtg: -9.6 (29) Pace: 100.4 (17) Domantas Sabonis returned from a 27-game absence on Friday and helped the Kings run their winning streak to four games. But that streak ended with a loss to the Blazers on Sunday. Three takeaways The winning streak was the Kings’ best stretch of offense this season (124.0 points scored per 100 possessions), and came with a stretch of efficiency from Russell Westbrook. The 37-year-old has actually shot 44-for-81 (54%), including 19-for-39 (49%) from 3-point range, over his last six games, and his season-long true shooting percentage (53.8%) would be his best mark in the last nine seasons. Both his 3-point rate (44% of his shots) and his 3-point percentage (36.1%) are the highest marks of his career. Over the first 82 days of the season, the Kings had one double-digit victory. Over the last eight days, they’ve had four. Wednesday was just the third time the Knicks have trailed by at least 25 points. The first three wins in the streak came against the Rockets, Lakers and Knicks. With that (and partly because they’ve played the league’s toughest schedule), eight of the Kings’ 12 wins have come against teams that are currently over .500. They still have the worst record (4-12) in games played between the 14 teams currently at or below .500. Coming up: The Kings will now play seven straight games against teams with winning records. They have two games left on their longest homestand of the season, and they’ll then begin their longest road trip of the season (six games over 10 days) with a visit to Cleveland on Friday. Week 14: vs. MIA, vs. TOR, @ CLE, @ DET # 29 Indiana Pacers Last Week:29 Record: 10-33 OffRtg: 108.0 (30) DefRtg: 116.0 (18) NetRtg: -8.0 (28) Pace: 101.6 (9) The Pacers won four out of five games, with wins over the Heat and Celtics included. Then they rested everybody in a rest-disadvantage game in Detroit on Saturday and had the worst offensive game (by a wide margin) for any team this season, scoring just 78 points on 111 possessions. Three takeaways The Celtics were without Jaylen Brown last Monday, but the Pacers probably had little sympathy. They handed the Celtics their worst 3-point differential of the season (48-27) and Pascal Siakam got the game-winning bucket inside. Andrew Nembhard leads the team in clutch usage rate (33.7%), but Siakam is tied for the league lead with five buckets (on seven attempts) to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime. The Pacers are the second team to have surpassed their loss total from last season (50-32). As things stand, they’d be the 13th team in the last 30 years to see a season-to-season drop-off of at least 10 points per 100 possessions, from plus-2.1 per 100 (13th) last season to minus-8.0 per 100 (28th) this season. The Pacers have still won three of the last four games that they’ve had Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Siakam available, but they’ve scored an anemic 94.6 points per 100 possessions in 60 minutes with all three on the floor over that stretch. For the season, they’ve been outscored by 4.1 per 100 in 225 minutes with the three returning starters on the floor. Coming up: The Pacers’ loss in Detroit on Saturday was the start of their longest road trip of the season (five games over 10 days), and they’ll return to Oklahoma City for the first time since Game 7 of The Finals on Friday. Week 14: @ PHI, @ BOS, @ OKC # 30 Washington Wizards Last Week:28↓ Record: 10-31 OffRtg: 109.6 (28) DefRtg: 120.9 (29) NetRtg: -11.2 (30) Pace: 102.1 (7) Trae Young isn’t going to play for the Wizards until (at least) after the All-Star break, and they’ve lost six straight games, now tied with the Pacers and Pelicans for the fewest wins in the league. Three takeaways The Wizards have scored fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average in eight straight games. As things stand, this would be the second straight season where they were the only team in the bottom 10 in each of the four factors on offense. They’re not far from climbing out of the bottom 10 in both turnover rate and offensive rebounding percentage. They’ve committed just 11 turnovers per 100 possessions over their last three games, with Kyshawn George having a 14/1 assist/turnover ratio over that stretch. After winning the possession battle in only three of their first 23 games, the Wizards have won it in nine of their last 18. The losing streak includes games against the Pelicans and Kings. The Wizards have the worst record (3-7) in games played between the eight teams that have won less than 40% of their games, having been worse offensively in those 10 games (106.8 points scored per 100 possessions) than they’ve been otherwise. Coming up: That 3-7 record within the bottom eight includes two losses to the Hornets by a total of 43 points. The third of four meetings will be Saturday in Charlotte, the lone road game in a stretch where the Wizards are playing seven of eight at home. Week 14: vs. LAC, vs. DEN, @ CHA