Power Rankings, Week 9: Rockets, Pistons and Knicks move up

Jalen Brunson delivered in the Emirates NBA Cup semifinals as New York keeps rolling.

The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs are the only teams left in the Emirates NBA Cup, but the rest of the league is still feeling the effects of the competition on their schedule. There are still three days left on the 10-day stretch where the league is playing just 36 games, and we won’t get busy again until Thursday.

Monday is also the opening of trade season, with several dozen players (who signed new contracts in the offseason) now eligible to be traded. A year ago, on Dec. 15, the Brooklyn Nets traded Dennis Schröder to the Golden State Warriors, sending Dorian Finney-Smith to the Lakers two weeks later.

If there’s another mid-December move to be made this year, it’s not as obvious. Perhaps teams will wait to see if the big domino falls before the Feb. 5 trade deadline. But maybe the Oklahoma City Thunder also don’t look quite as unbeatable as they did three days ago.

Plus-Minus Players of the Week

Teams of the Week

• Make It Last Forever: San Antonio (3-0) — The Spurs were really good without Victor Wembanyama and took down the champs in his return.
• Something Just Ain’t Right: Sacramento (0-3) — No need to change the batteries in the beam.

* * *

East vs. West

• The West is 55-45 (.550) against the East in interconference games after going 2-1 last week.

Schedule strength through Week 8

• Toughest: 1. Sacramento, 2. Portland, 3. New Orleans
• Easiest: 1. Oklahoma City, 2. Denver, 3. Minnesota
• Schedule strength is based on cumulative opponent record.

* * *

Movement in the Rankings

• High jumps of the week: New Orleans (+4), San Antonio (+3)
• Free falls of the week: L.A. Lakers (-4), Sacramento (-4)

* * *

Week 9 Team to Watch

• Boston — One game separates the third-place Celtics from ninth-place Atlanta, and they’ll play three big games this week. They’ll host the first-place Pistons on Monday (7 p.m. ET, Peacock) and the sixth-place Heat on Friday, before visiting the fifth-place Raptors on Saturday night.

* * *

Previously…

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 114.9 points scored per 100 possessions and 100.8 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.

#1

Oklahoma City ThunderLast Week:1

Record: 24-2

OffRtg: 119.8 (5) DefRtg: 103.4 (1) NetRtg: +16.4 (1) Pace: 101.2 (14)

We don’t have to worry about whether or not the Emirates NBA Cup final should count toward a wins record or a record-long winning streak, because the Thunder didn’t make it that far. Their 16-game winning streak came to an end with a narrow loss to the Spurs in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The loss was the Thunder’s worst offensive game of the season (109 points on 107 possessions), and their struggles on that end were mostly about their 9-for-37 (24%) shooting from 3-point range (including 1-for-5 on clutch 3s). The Thunder are one of only three teams with multiple wins (they’re 2-1) when shooting below 25% from beyond the arc, but overall, teams are 12-30 (.286) when making less than a quarter of their attempts from deep. It remains a make-or-miss league.

• The Thunder remain in the top five on both ends of the floor, but when accounting for the league-average jump in efficiency, they’ve taken a small step backward offensively this season. They’ve improved regarding shooting and free-throw rate, but only the Kings have seen a bigger drop in offensive rebounding percentage. Isaiah Hartenstein returned from a six-game absence on Saturday (it was their first game with all of their top seven players from last year’s playoffs), and their offensive rebounding percentage has been highest with him on the floor.

• Both of the Thunder’s losses have come in games they led by more than 15 points. That matches their loss total (they were 66-2) in games they led by more than 15 points last season (including the playoffs).

Coming up: The Thunder’s schedule has begun to get tougher, with their two Cup games last week the start of a stretch where they’re playing seven of nine against teams that currently have winning records. Their visit to Minnesota on Friday is also the first of four rest-disadvantage games they’ll have over the span of 18 days.

Week 9: vs. LAC, @ MIN

#2

Denver NuggetsLast Week:2

Record: 18-6

OffRtg: 124.4 (1) DefRtg: 114.8 (17) NetRtg: +9.6 (3) Pace: 100.5 (20)

The Nuggets got an easy win in Sacramento on Thursday, with Nikola Jokić shooting 14-for-16 on his way to 36 points. They’ve won four straight games overall and 11 straight on the road.

Three takeaways

• The Nuggets now have the league’s No. 1 offense by a pretty healthy margin as they’ve scored 9.5 more points per 100 possessions than the league average. That would be the best differential in the 30 seasons of play-by-play data. But they’ve played three more games against teams that currently rank in the bottom 10 defensively (10) as they have against teams that currently rank in the top 10 (seven), and their schedule is about to get much tougher in that regard, with 10 of their next 11 games coming against top-10 defenses.

• The Nuggets’ starting lineup – with Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson in place of Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon – has outscored opponents by 20.8 points per 100 possessions, the best mark among 21 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes. Braun and Gordon have (basically) been out for the last 11 games, with Jones and Watson combining to shoot 33-for-74 (45%) from 3-point range over that stretch.

• The Nuggets also have the league’s fifth-ranked bench, up from 22nd last season. They’ve outscored their opponent in Jokić’s minutes off the floor in six of their last eight games.

Coming up: The Nuggets haven’t played the Thunder or Lakers, but they’re 5-1 within the top seven in the West, with the highlight being their three-point win in Houston on Nov. 21. They’ll face the Rockets two more times this week, hoping to end a four-game losing streak at home as they begin a four-game homestand on Monday.

Week 9: vs. HOU, vs. ORL, vs. HOU

#3

Houston RocketsLast Week:4↑

Record: 16-6

OffRtg: 121.4 (4) DefRtg: 111.0 (2) NetRtg: +10.3 (2) Pace: 98.0 (27)

The Rockets struggled to put away the Clippers on Thursday, but they escaped with a two-point win to stay even with the Nuggets in the loss column at the top of Tier 2 in the West.

Three takeaways

• The Rockets continue to have the highest offensive rebounding percentage in the 30 seasons for which we have play-by-play data (41.5%), and their 53.8% on Thursday was the highest single-game mark for any team this season. The go-ahead bucket, a tip-in from Amen Thompson with 17.2 seconds left, came on their fifth shot of the possession. Their offensive rebounding percentage in the clutch is 50.7%.

• Josh Okogie was the fifth starter for the fourth straight game, but bench minutes were critical. The Rockets regained control with a 16-2 run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Reed Sheppard was on the floor instead of Okogie down the stretch, and Aaron Holiday drew an offensive foul on Kawhi Leonard with a two-point lead and less than 15 seconds left. Tari Eason has missed the last 11 games, but the Rockets’ bench still ranks second in the league, behind only that of the Thunder.

• Sheppard has an effective field goal percentage of 60.7%, up from 45.2% last season. That’s the biggest jump among 224 players with at least 200 field goal attempts last season and at least 100 this season.

Coming up: The Rockets are probably going home after their game in Denver on Monday, but they’re playing their next six games on the road, a stretch that includes another trip to Denver and concludes with their Christmas Day game against the Lakers.

Week 9: @ DEN, @ NOP, @ DEN, @ SAC

#4

Detroit PistonsLast Week:5↑

Record: 20-5

OffRtg: 117.4 (9) DefRtg: 111.1 (3) NetRtg: +6.3 (5) Pace: 101.5 (11)

The Pistons are the second team with 20 wins and have a two-game lead at the top of the Eastern Conference after blowing out the Hawks on Friday.

Three takeaways

• Eleven days earlier, the Hawks were in Detroit less than 24 hours after playing two overtimes in Philadelphia, and the Pistons beat them by just one. The Pistons’ point differential (plus-6.3 per game, second in the East) is still that of a team that’s just 18-7, but the 27-point win on Friday was, easily, their largest margin of victory this season.

• It was a potent offensive performance (142 points on 106 possessions) against a team that had ranked ninth defensively over Trae Young’s absence, and Cade Cunningham scored just 15 points in less than 23 minutes. The Pistons’ three-game winning streak has been their best stretch of the season (128.1 points scored per 100 possessions) on that end of the floor.

• They doubled up the Hawks (42-20) in the restricted area, taking their season-long, restricted-area differential to a league-best plus-12.5 points per game. They’ve seen a big jump from last season in the percentage of their own shots that have come at the basket, with much of that coming from Jalen Duren’s jump in usage rate.

Coming up: The Pistons lost in Boston less than three weeks ago when Cunningham missed a free throw for the tie with 4.4 seconds left. They’re back at TD Garden on Monday and will then play six straight games against teams with losing records.

Week 9: @ BOS, @ DAL, vs. CHA

#5

New York KnicksLast Week:7↑

Record: 18-7

OffRtg: 122.0 (2) DefRtg: 113.3 (11) NetRtg: +8.6 (4) Pace: 99.1 (26)

The Knicks have won nine of their last 10 games and are heading to the Emirates NBA Cup final, thanks to two efficient offensive performances against two top-10 defenses – those of the Raptors and Magic – last week.

Three takeaways

• The Knicks now rank second offensively, having scored more than 125 points per 100 possessions over the two elimination games. Jalen Brunson totaled 75 points over the two games, shooting 21-for-32 (66%) inside the arc and 8-for-14 from 3-point range. Pull-up 2-pointers are always going to be a large portion of his shot diet and his 51.3% on pull-up 2s this season is the best mark of his career.

• It wasn’t just Brunson scoring inside on Saturday, with the Knicks’ 70 points in the paint against the Magic being their high for the season. They rank fifth in paint differential (plus-4.1 points per game), even though their big jump in 3-point rate has come with the league’s second biggest drop in the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint, from 50% (ninth highest) last season to just 46% (seventh lowest) this season.

• The Knicks have gone 16-4 since Nov. 1, and only four of those 20 games have been within five points in the last five minutes. They’re tied with the Thunder (15-0) and Nuggets (15-0) for the most wins (they’re 15-2) in games that weren’t within five in the last five.

Coming up: Paint points will be harder to come by against the Spurs on Tuesday, but Karl-Anthony Towns (10-for-19 from 3-point range over the Knicks’ five-game winning streak) is obviously the best player to have if the Knicks want to pull Victor Wembanyama away from the basket. If you count the Cup final (which doesn’t count in the standings), the Knicks are three games into a stretch where they’re playing 13 of 15 against teams with winning records.

Week 9: vs. SAS*, @ IND, vs. PHI, vs. MIA

#6

San Antonio SpursLast Week:9↑

Record: 18-7

OffRtg: 118.0 (7) DefRtg: 113.8 (14) NetRtg: +4.2 (8) Pace: 100.9 (16)

The Spurs went 9-3 during Victor Wembanyama’s absence, but they’re in the Emirates NBA Cup final because he was back in uniform on Saturday and helping them put an end to the Thunder’s 16-game winning streak.

Three takeaways

• The win on Saturday was the Spurs’ worst offensive game of the season (111 points on 106 possessions), but it was also the Thunder’s worst (109 on 107). Oklahoma City scored just 40 points on 48 possessions (shooting 4-for-13 in the paint) in Wembanyama’s 21 minutes on the floor. The Spurs have now allowed 110.7 per 100 in the 13 games he’s played and just 104.3 per 100 in his 437 minutes on the floor.

• The Lakers lead the league in free-throw differential, but the Spurs handed them their worst differential (29-17) of the season on Wednesday. San Antonio has seen the league’s third biggest jump in free throw rate from last season, with Wembanyama (from 22.1 to 41.4 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and Stephon Castle (from 34.8 to 52.0 per 100) having seen the third and seventh biggest jumps among 120 players with at least 200 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons.

• Their three games last week were the first three games in which the Spurs had Castle, De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper all in uniform. They haven’t had all three on the floor together, but each player has had their moments. Harper (on the floor instead of Castle) had the game-winning bucket in New Orleans, Castle scored an efficient 30 points (while also guarding Luka Dončić) in L.A., and Fox had the first six points on the critical, 13-0 run to close the first half against the Thunder.

Coming up: The Cup final will come against an even better offense than that of the Thunder, and the Knicks are more of a jump-shooting team than Oklahoma City. But Wembanyama’s presence in the paint should help the Spurs defend the 3-point line better, with the corners being particularly important on Tuesday. The Knicks’ 5 corner 3s per game would be the most for any team in the 47-year history of the 3-point line, and they were 8-for-15 from the corners in their Christmas win over the Spurs (the last game Wembanyama played vs. New York) last year.

Week 9: vs. NYK*, vs. WAS, @ ATL, @ WAS

#7

Los Angeles LakersLast Week:3↓

Record: 18-7

OffRtg: 118.0 (8) DefRtg: 116.5 (20) NetRtg: +1.5 (14) Pace: 100.2 (22)

The Lakers’ defense (or lack thereof) kept them from making another trip to Las Vegas, but they’re holding on to a top-four spot in the West after picking up another clutch win (without Austin Reaves) over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• The Lakers rank 29th defensively (122.4 points allowed per 100 possessions) over the last three weeks, and only two of their nine games in that stretch have come against teams – the Celtics and Spurs – that rank in the top 10 on offense. Their paint defense hasn’t been terrible over that stretch, but they’ve seen a reduction in opponent turnovers and their opponents have shot a league-high 42.8% from 3-point range over those nine games. The Spurs’ 17-for-38 (45%) on Wednesday was their fourth-best 3-point shooting game of the season.

• According to tracking data, only the Hornets and Clippers have had worse luck than the Lakers in regard to how much their opponents have overperformed from 3-point range in relation to the quality of the shots.

• The Lakers were also outscored by 12 points at the free-throw line (their worst differential of the season) on Wednesday. They still rank first in free-throw differential (plus-4.9 points per game) for what would be the fourth straight season, having outscored the Suns by 12 points at the line (despite Reaves’ absence) on Sunday. LeBron James won the game by going 2-for-3 at the stripe after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 3.9 seconds left. That kept the Lakers undefeated (9-0) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, and they’re now 18-7 with the point differential of a team that’s 14-11.

Coming up: The Lakers’ win in Phoenix on Sunday was the end of a stretch of six straight games against teams with winning records. They’re 11-2 against teams currently below .500, set to visit the Jazz and Clippers this week. They’re 7-2 against the Clippers over the last three seasons after losing 11 straight before that.

Week 9: @ UTA, @ LAC

#8

Boston CelticsLast Week:6↓

Record: 15-10

OffRtg: 121.4 (3) DefRtg: 115.0 (18) NetRtg: +6.3 (6) Pace: 96.2 (30)

A three-day break cooled off the Celtics’ offense and their five-game winning streak came to an end in Milwaukee on Thursday. They’re still in third place in the East, with some big games coming up this week.

Three takeaways

• The Celtics had scored an amazing 131.5 points per 100 possessions over their previous eight games and had 71 on 53 (with an 11-point lead) early in the third quarter on Thursday. But they then scored just 30 points on their final 43 trips down the floor and suffered their first double-digit loss in more than a month.

• They remain the only team that hasn’t lost a game (they’re 11-0) when shooting the league average (36%) or better from 3-point range. But the Celtics were just 14-for-49 (29%) from beyond the arc on Thursday, falling to 4-10 when they’ve shot below 36% from deep. That (11-0 vs. 4-10) is the league’s biggest such differential by a wide margin.

• The Celtics have seen the league’s biggest drop in 3-point rate from last season, but still rank last, by a wide margin, in the percentage of their shots (38%) that have come in the paint. They rank second (behind the Kings) in the percentage (14%) that have come from mid-range, with Jaylen Brown (71-for-143, 49.7%) having already made more mid-range shots than he did all of last season (64-for-160, 40%).

Coming up: The Celtics are 8-5 in games played between the nine Eastern Conference teams with winning records, with three games within the top nine this week. They will have a rest advantage for their first meeting with the Heat on Friday, but will be at a disadvantage the following night in Toronto.

Week 9: vs. DET, vs. MIA, @ TOR

#9

Phoenix SunsLast Week:8↓

Record: 14-12

OffRtg: 114.2 (16) DefRtg: 114.2 (16) NetRtg: -0.0 (17) Pace: 100.0 (23)

The Suns got clobbered by the Thunder in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, and they’ve lost five of their last seven games overall.

Three takeaways

• Devin Booker missed three games before returning on Sunday, and this 2-5 stretch has been tough, with all seven games coming against teams ahead of the Suns in the Western Conference standings. They’re 5-7 within the top seven in the West, with none of the other six teams having played more than eight games within the group.

• Defense has sparked the Suns’ improvement. They’ve (unsurprisingly) taken a step backward on offense, despite a huge jump in offensive rebounding percentage. They’ve shot much less effectively than they did last season, are one of only four teams that have seen a drop in free-throw rate, and they’ve had the league’s third-biggest jump in turnover rate.

• The Suns are the only team that’s beaten the Wolves since Thanksgiving, having held on for a three-point win in Minnesota last Monday. Phoenix has seen the league’s biggest drop in opponent transition points per game from last season, and the Wolves had just 11 (their second-lowest total of the season) in the loss.

Coming up: The Suns have scored just 105.7 points per 100 possessions over eight games against teams that currently rank in the top 10 defensively. They’ll play a pair of games against the Warriors’ fourth-ranked defense this week, having scored just 107 on 100 in a loss in San Francisco last month.

Week 9: vs. GSW, @ GSW

#10

Minnesota TimberwolvesLast Week:10

Record: 17-9

OffRtg: 118.0 (6) DefRtg: 113.2 (10) NetRtg: +4.8 (7) Pace: 100.5 (18)

The Wolves saw their five-game winning streak come to an end with another clutch loss to the Suns on Monday, and they’ve played the last two games without Anthony Edwards. But they won them both and remain comfortably in the top six in the West.

Three takeaways

• After losing their first two games without Edwards this season, the Wolves have won their last four. They’ve scored 122.1 points per 100 possessions over the four wins, which have all come against teams – Charlotte, Brooklyn, Golden State and Sacramento – currently with losing records. Julius Randle led the way, but the scoring was pretty balanced in the two wins this weekend. This would be the second straight season where the Wolves have been a little better with Edwards off the floor (plus-6.1 per 100 possessions) than they’ve been with him on the floor (plus-4.1).

• According to tracking data, Randle has isolated 12.7 times per 100 possessions. That’s the league’s 15th-highest rate (Edwards is 11th) and up from 12 per 100 last season. The Wolves have scored 1.34 points per possession when a Randle iso has led directly to a shot, turnover, or trip to the line, the best mark among 47 players with at least 75 direct isolations this season.

• Even with Edwards missing the last two games, the Wolves’ starting lineup has played 64 more minutes than any other lineup in the league, with only the Lakers, Rockets and Knicks getting fewer minutes per game from reserves. The regular starters have outscored opponents by 12.7 points per 100 possessions, the eighth-best mark among 21 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes.

Coming up: The Wolves’ win over Sacramento on Sunday was the start of their longest homestand of the season (five games over 10 days). They’re 4-0 in rest-advantage games this season and their next one will be Friday against the Thunder. The Wolves’ first game against the champs (Nov. 26 in Oklahoma City) was a one-possession game with less than a minute to go, but they couldn’t finish.

Week 9: vs. MEM, vs. OKC, vs. MIL

#11

Orlando MagicLast Week:11

Record: 15-11

OffRtg: 115.7 (11) DefRtg: 112.1 (6) NetRtg: +3.6 (9) Pace: 101.5 (12)

The Magic earned a trip to Las Vegas with a comeback victory over the Heat on Tuesday, their third win (tied for the league lead) after trailing by at least 15 points. But they couldn’t keep up with the Knicks’ offense in the NBA Cup semifinals.

Three takeaways

• The Magic rank as the league’s second-most-improved offensive team, having scored 6.7 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season. But they still need to defend to win, and they’re 1-6 when allowing more than 115 points per 100 possessions. They allowed the Knicks to score a season-high 70 points in the paint and another 23 at the free-throw line on Saturday.

• The Magic got good news on Franz Wagner last week, but the forward is still going to miss multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain. While Tristan da Silva started during Paolo Banchero’s absence, Anthony Black has replaced Wagner, and the Magic have now outscored their opponents by 30.8 points per 100 possessions in 92 minutes with Black, Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane on the floor together.

• Bench minutes were a problem on Saturday, with the deciding 17-3 Knicks run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Suggs also had to leave the game with a sore left hip, so for the second straight Monday, we await news on an injury to one of Orlando’s best players. Suggs has been somewhat limited (25.6 minutes per game, no back-to-backs) in the first place, but the Magic have been 10.3 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (plus-9.6) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-0.7).

Coming up: The Magic will play nine of their next 12 games on the road, with a four-game trip beginning in Denver on Thursday. They’ve already played four games against the league’s second-ranked offense (that of the Knicks) and now they’ll face No. 1.

Week 9: @ DEN, @ UTA

#12

Miami HeatLast Week:12

Record: 14-11

OffRtg: 115.0 (13) DefRtg: 111.9 (5) NetRtg: +3.0 (10) Pace: 105.3 (1)

The Heat ran out to a 15-0 lead in the NBA Cup quarterfinals in Orlando on Tuesday, but after scoring 18 points on their first seven possessions, they scored just 90 on their last 96 trips down the floor, falling to 0-3 against the Magic. It was their first loss (they’re 9-1) after leading by at least 15 points, having had nine such losses (tied for third most in the 30 years in play-by-play data) last season.

Three takeaways

• The Heat are 3-3 with Tyler Herro in uniform, though their preferred starting lineup has been good (and not just because of that hot start on Tuesday) in its 71 minutes. The Heat bench ranks 28th in December after ranking sixth through Nov. 30. They’ve been outscored by almost 28 points per 100 possessions (with anemic offensive numbers) in Kel’el Ware’s 106 minutes on the floor this month.

• The Heat have now scored just 106.4 points per 100 possessions over their four-game losing streak. Three of the four games were on the road against teams (Dallas and Orlando) that currently rank in the top seven defensively (the fourth was a rest-disadvantage game against the Kings). They were also outperforming their shot quality by a fairly large margin through their first 21 games, which means they may have been due for some regression.

• Overall, the Heat have been 2.6 points per 100 possessions better than they were last season. When you take the league-average increase into account, that breaks down to 1.3 points per 100 possessions better on both ends of the floor.

Coming up: The Cup loss in Orlando marked the start of a stretch where the Heat are playing nine of 11 games against teams that currently have winning records. It includes two important home games against the similarly reeling Raptors, with whom they’re tied in the loss column.

Week 9: vs. TOR, @ BKN, @ BOS, @ NYK

#13

Toronto RaptorsLast Week:13

Record: 15-11

OffRtg: 115.1 (12) DefRtg: 113.2 (9) NetRtg: +1.9 (12) Pace: 100.2 (21)

Despite a big game (including 6-for-8 from mid-range) from Brandon Ingram, the Raptors weren’t very competitive against the Knicks in the NBA quarterfinals on Tuesday. They’ve now lost six of their last seven games, sliding from second to fifth place in the East.

Three takeaways

• Prior to Thanksgiving, the Raptors were 9-1 when they won the first quarter. Since then, they’re 0-3, having had some serious second-quarter issues. Over their four-game losing streak, they’ve lost the second quarter by a total of 52 points (148-96). Their opponents have scored those 148 points despite shooting just 10-for-30 (33%) from 3-point range over those 48 minutes.

• Over their first 17 games, the Raptors made eight more 3-pointers than their opponents. Over their last nine games, they’ve made 38 fewer 3-pointers than their opponents, and a deficit of 12.7 points per game is tough to overcome, even if Ingram’s mid-range shooting feels automatic at times. They’ve seen a small drop in 3-point rate and shot just 31.7% from beyond the arc over these last nine games.

• Given Barrett’s injury, their having played a league-high 26 games (through Tuesday) and this 1-6 stretch, the Raptors are surely happy to have had five days off and a trip to Miami as their consolation for losing in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. They remain the league’s fourth most improved team in regard to winning percentage and its third most improved in regard to point differential per 100 possessions.

Coming up: The Raptors have played nine of their last 11 games at home, and they’ll now play five of their next six on the road. They’re 1-4 in the second games of back-to-backs (with anemic offense over those five games) and they’ll have another one (vs. Boston, at Brooklyn) this weekend.

Week 9: @ MIA, @ MIL, vs. BOS, @ BKN

#14

Atlanta HawksLast Week:14

Record: 15-12

OffRtg: 114.5 (14) DefRtg: 114.0 (15) NetRtg: +0.5 (16) Pace: 102.2 (6)

The Hawks got clobbered in Detroit on Friday, but picked up a second important win over the Sixers two days later. They’re in ninth place, but have as many wins as the third-place Celtics.

Three takeaways

• Trae Young might return this month, but he’s now missed the last 22 games. Kristaps Porziņģis has missed seven of the last eight and will reportedly be out at least another two weeks. The Hawks’ lineup with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu in their places has now played 179 minutes, third most in the league. It’s outscored opponents by 4.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark which ranks 15th among the 21 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes.

• It’s a little surprising that the lineup ranks higher offensively (11th) than it does defensively (12th) among those 21 lineups. The Hawks haven’t quite leaned into a defensive identity in Young’s absence.

• A long break cooled Jalen Johnson off a bit. But while he shot just 12-for-36 over the Hawks’ two games last week, he’s recorded four straight triple-doubles, and Dyson Daniels (season-high 27 points on 13-for-19 shooting) picked up the offensive slack against Philly. Despite Young’s absence, Daniels has seen a drop in usage rate this season and a drop in efficiency. His true shooting percentage of 51.8% is the eighth-worst mark among 132 players with at least 200 field goal attempts.

Coming up: The Hawks still have a losing record (5-6) at home after the win over the Sixers on Sunday. After they visit the Hornets on Thursday, they’ll begin their longest homestand to date (five games over nine days).

Week 9: @ CHA, vs. SAS, vs. CHI

#15

Philadelphia 76ersLast Week:15

Record: 14-11

OffRtg: 114.4 (15) DefRtg: 113.3 (12) NetRtg: +1.0 (15) Pace: 100.5 (19)

Joel Embiid has played in three straight games for the first time this season, playing more than 30 minutes all three nights. But the Sixers were without Tyrese Maxey (for the first time) in their two games over the weekend and lost an important matchup with the Hawks on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Over these last three games, Embiid has taken 34 (53%) of his 64 shots in the paint, up from just 33% of his shots over his eight games prior. As he scored a season-high 39 points in a win over the Pacers on Friday, he was 8-for-10 in the paint and 13-for-18 at the free throw line, with a big, and-one put-back to put the Sixers up six with less than three minutes left. But he wasn’t quite as effective against the Hawks on Sunday.

• Paul George has played in four straight games for the first time and scored a season-high 35 points in the loss to Atlanta. The Sixers have allowed just 101.7 points per 100 possessions in 80 minutes with George and Embiid on the floor together. That’s obviously a small sample size (80 minutes), but overall, the Sixers rank as the league’s most improved defensive team, having allowed 4.0 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season.

• Maxey, George and Embiid have still played in just two games together. The Sixers’ two most-used lineups still include Kelly Oubre Jr, who hasn’t played in a month. Their most-used group has played just 39 minutes, the fewest of any team’s most-used lineup.

Coming up: After another four-day break, the Sixers will have a rest advantage (and maybe all three of Maxey, George and Embiid) when they visit the Knicks on Friday. They’ll be at a disadvantage against Dallas the following night, but that’s the start of a stretch where they’re playing five of six games against teams with losing records.

Week 9: @ NYK, vs. DAL

#16

Cleveland CavaliersLast Week:17↑

Record: 15-12

OffRtg: 115.8 (10) DefRtg: 113.2 (8) NetRtg: +2.7 (11) Pace: 101.7 (9)

The Cavs got one of the league’s easiest pair of NBA Cup fill-in games, but they trailed both the Wizards and Hornets by 17 points last week. They erased both deficits and won in Washington, but somehow went scoreless in overtime against Charlotte.

Three takeaways

• Jarrett Allen returned from a six-game absence on Sunday, but Evan Mobley was lost to a calf strain two nights earlier. That means the Cavs’ core four players have still played just 57 minutes (over four games) together, and Darius Garland was hobbling down the stretch of the loss to the Hornets. Max Strus still hasn’t played, and Larry Nance Jr. has missed the last seven games. Thomas Bryant has been available as a backup big, but (with Allen’s minutes limited) the Cavs chose to play small (four guards and Dean Wade) down the stretch on Sunday.

• Garland shot 0-for-11 from 3-point range on Friday, when De’Andre Hunter also missed multiple 3-point attempts by multiple feet. Garland was better on Sunday, but Allen shot just 3-for-8 in his return to the lineup. Among 224 players with at least 200 field goal attempts last season and at least 100 this season, Allen (from 70.6% to 56.3%), Garland (from 56.2% to 42.8%) and Lonzo Ball (from 50.4% to 39.8%) have seen the third, fourth and seventh biggest drops, respectively, in effective field goal percentage.

• The Cavs are still 9-2 (third best in the East) in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes, but with the scoreless overtime on Sunday, they’re 6-10 in the clutch. That’s just two fewer clutch losses than they had all of last season (26-12).

Coming up: The Cavs have a league-high five home-and-home sets this season, with the first coming against the Bulls on Wednesday and Friday. They’ve won 12 of their last 13 games against Chicago.

Week 9: @ CHI, vs. CHI

#17

Golden State WarriorsLast Week:16↓

Record: 13-14

OffRtg: 113.4 (20) DefRtg: 111.8 (4) NetRtg: +1.6 (13) Pace: 100.7 (17)

Stephen Curry returned from a five-game absence on Friday and totaled 87 points over the Warriors’ two weekend games. But they lost them both to drop back below .500.

Three takeaways

• Before Sunday, the Warriors were 7-0 all-time when one of their players (Curry or Klay Thompson) made at least 12 3-pointers. Now, they’re 7-1, having wasted Curry’s 48-point performance (12-for-19 from deep) in Portland. Of course, Curry made some mistakes himself down the stretch, missing a layup for the lead in the final minute and then turning the ball over when his team still had a chance to tie.

• The Warriors still have a top-five defense, but they allowed the Wolves (who were without Anthony Edwards) and the Blazers (who have a below-average offense) to score more than 125 points per 100 possessions over the two games. Draymond Green missed the Minnesota game, but was back on Sunday, when the player he was guarding (Jerami Grant) scored 35 points in less than 35 minutes.

• The Warriors are just 8-8 in games in which they’ve had Curry, Green and Jimmy Butler in the lineup, though they’ve outscored their opponents by 12 points per 100 possessions in their 254 minutes on the floor together. The search for the right combinations off the bench continues, with Jonathan Kuminga (who’s not trade-eligible until Jan. 15) having been DNP’d in three straight games.

Coming up: The Warriors are 5-5 against the seven teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings, a mark that includes a comfortable win over the Suns in early November. They’ll play a home-and-home set with Phoenix this week.

Week 9: @ PHX, vs. PHX

#18

Memphis GrizzliesLast Week:18

Record: 11-14

OffRtg: 111.8 (25) DefRtg: 113.8 (13) NetRtg: -2.0 (18) Pace: 101.5 (10)

Ja Morant returned from a 10-game absence on Friday, but had a turnover and two misses on possessions for the tie or the lead in the final two minutes of the Grizzlies’ loss to the Jazz. It was their first loss to one of the 12 teams that currently have a worse record than they do.

Three takeaways

• Now that he’s back, the question is whether Morant can find his shot. Not only is his 3-point percentage (12-for-65, 18%) ugly, but his shooting in the paint is also at a career-low 45% after he made just five of his 15 shots in the paint on Friday.

• His return should help the Grizzlies’ early offense. According to Synergy tracking, they’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in transition points per game, from 32.8 (first) last season to just 22.9 (17th) this season. But their 37 transition points on Friday were their most in the last 13 games.

• While Morant is back, Zach Edey has a stress reaction in the ankle that he had surgery on in the Summer and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The Grizzlies have been an amazing 26.2 points per 100 possessions better with Edey on the floor (plus-18.3) than they have with him off the floor (minus-7.9). That’s, by far, the biggest on-off differential among players who’ve played at least 200 minutes, and it’s mostly about defense (94.5 vs. 118.5 allowed per 100).

Coming up: The Grizzlies still have seven games left on a stretch where they’re playing 13 of 17 against teams currently below .500. They’re 2-0 against the Clippers (who they’ll visit on Monday), having held them to just 104.6 points per 100 possessions over the two games (both with Edey).

Week 9: @ LAC, @ MIN, vs. WAS

#19

Dallas MavericksLast Week:19

Record: 10-16

OffRtg: 108.8 (28) DefRtg: 112.2 (7) NetRtg: -3.4 (20) Pace: 102.0 (7)

After a 5-15 start, the Mavs are 5-1 over the last 16 days, with the only loss having come in Oklahoma City.

Three takeaways

• After scoring just 105.9 points per 100 possessions (last in the league) through their first 20 games, the Mavs have scored 119.0 (eighth) over the last six. The turnaround almost coincides with Ryan Nembhard’s move into the starting lineup (Game 20), but the offense has been much better with Brandon Williams on the floor. Williams was also on the floor (instead of Nembhard) down the stretch of the Mavs’ win over Brooklyn on Friday, giving them the lead for good with a second-chance 3-pointer with 2:48 left.

• The Mavs have climbed out of the basement in overall efficiency, but they still have the league’s worst first-quarter offense (103.4 points scored per 100 possessions). They’ve won the first quarter just once in their last eight games, but are now 7-8 (with four straight wins) when they’ve lost the first quarter and only 2-7 when they’ve led after the first 12 minutes.

• The Mavs announced on Wednesday that Dereck Lively II will have surgery on his right foot and miss the rest of the season. He’ll still be just 22 years old at the start of next season, and this should be a long-term project built around Cooper Flagg, who turns 19 on Sunday. But through his first three NBA seasons, Lively will have played in only 98 regular-season games.

Coming up: The Mavs are 3-4 against the other seven Western Conference teams with losing records and will face the 12th-place Jazz for the first time on Monday. It’s the first of two trips to Utah in the next four weeks as their schedule remains road-heavy through the first 10 days of January.

Week 9: @ UTA, vs. DET, @ PHI

#20

Portland Trail BlazersLast Week:20

Record: 10-16

OffRtg: 113.8 (18) DefRtg: 117.2 (22) NetRtg: -3.3 (19) Pace: 103.5 (3)

The Blazers went 1-4 on their extended road trip, allowing the Pelicans to score 143 points and end a seven-game losing streak on Thursday. But they returned home and got a clutch win over the Warriors on Sunday night.

Three takeaways

• The Warriors outscored the Blazers by 12 points from 3-point range on Sunday, but it was the first game in the 47-year history of the 3-point line where both teams shot better than 50% on more than 35 attempts from beyond the arc. Portland has seen the league’s second-biggest jump in 3-point rate, from 41.8% of its shots (17th highest) last season to 45.6% (fifth highest) this season. Among 224 players with at least 100 field goal attempts last season and 200 this season, Donovan Clingan (from 14.7% to 34.5%) and Toumani Camara (from 50.3% to 65.3%) have seen the second and sixth biggest jumps.

• Shaedon Sharpe was back in the starting lineup (after six games off the bench) for the Blazers’ two games last week, and he scored 35 points in one 12-for-18 shooting in the win over Golden State. Sharpe ranks 12th in usage rate at 30.4%, a big jump from last season (25.0%). But he could still be more efficient and among the 47 players with a usage rate of 25% or higher, only Dillon Brooks has a lower assist/turnover ratio than the fourth-year wing (0.84).

• The Blazers have still played the league’s most road-heavy schedule, with only 10 of their 26 games having come at the Moda Center. But the win over the Warriors began a stretch where they’re playing six of seven (and 20 of 29) at home.

Coming up: With their loss in New Orleans last week, the Blazers are 2-2 within the bottom five in the Western Conference, set to play their first two games (a home-and-home set) against the Kings on Thursday and Saturday. The home team has won the last seven meetings between Portland and Sacramento.

Week 9: vs. SAC, @ SAC

#21

Milwaukee BucksLast Week:21

Record: 11-16

OffRtg: 113.4 (21) DefRtg: 117.0 (21) NetRtg: -3.6 (22) Pace: 99.7 (24)

Giannis Antetokounmpo remains on the shelf, but the Bucks had one of the most surprising wins of Week 8, ending the Celtics’ five-game winning streak on Thursday. Three nights later, they lost by 45 points in Brooklyn.

Three takeaways

• Before the game in Brooklyn, the bigger difference between the Bucks’ games with Antetokounmpo and their games without him was on offense. And the loss in Brooklyn was the worst offensive performance (82 points on 100 possessions) for any team this season. Kevin Porter Jr. (2-for-13 and six turnovers) might have been due for an off night, having shot 58% in the paint, 56% from 3-point range and 96% from the free throw line over his seven games before Sunday.

• With or without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have been getting killed in the possession game. They’ve had fewer shooting opportunities than their opponents in 18 of their 27 games, including each of their last six. They’ve averaged 4.7 fewer per game, with only the Wizards having a worse discrepancy.

• A 45-point loss will do some damage to your numbers, and the Bucks are now one of seven teams that rank in the bottom 10 on both ends of the floor. They’re one of three teams – the Celtics and Warriors are the others – that haven’t ranked in the bottom 10 on either end of the floor in any of the last nine seasons.

Coming up: The Bucks have lost their seven road games and, after hosting the Raptors on Thursday, they’ll play 11 of their next 14 games on the road.

Week 9: vs. TOR, @ MIN

#22

Charlotte HornetsLast Week:22

Record: 8-18

OffRtg: 113.8 (17) DefRtg: 117.3 (23) NetRtg: -3.5 (21) Pace: 99.7 (25)

The Hornets unusually split their two fill-in games, losing at home to the Bulls and then beating the Cavs on the road.

Three takeaways

• The Hornets rank as the league’s most improved offensive team, having scored 7.2 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season. Much of that is better finishing in the paint (56.4% vs. 52% last season). Ryan Kalkbrenner’s 81.3% in the paint is the best mark (by a wide margin) among 126 players with at least 100 attempts, while Kon Knueppel’s 59.8% is also above the league average (57.5%).

• The bigger difference between their wins and losses has been on defense. The Hornets held the Cavs to just 25-for-52 (48%) in the paint on Sunday and are now 8-1 when they’ve allowed fewer than 111 points per 100 possessions. They’re 0-17 when they’ve allowed more.

• Knueppel totaled 62 points on 23-for-40 (58%) shooting over the Hornets’ two games last week. He now has a true shooting percentage of 62.4%, which would be the best mark in NBA history for a rookie who averaged at least 18 points.

Coming up: The Hornets are now 3-8 against the nine East teams that have winning records, and they’ll face the first-place Pistons for the first time on Saturday.

Week 9: vs. ATL, @ DET

#23

Utah JazzLast Week:23

Record: 9-15

OffRtg: 113.3 (22) DefRtg: 120.7 (29) NetRtg: -7.4 (26) Pace: 102.9 (4)

The Jazz went into their four-day break with two losses by a total of 64 points, but came out of it with a road win in Memphis, featuring a career-high 39 points from Keyonte George.

Three takeaways

• George went scoreless in a loss to Houston just 15 days ago, but he’s also scored at least 27 points in eight of his last 12 games. He’s one of many players who’ve seen a big jump in free-throw rate from last season (31 attempts per 100 shots from the field) to this season (43 per 100), and his 91.1% at the line is the best mark among 41 players with at least 100 total attempts. Lauri Markkanen is second at 89.8%.

• George now has 58 assists to Markkanen, tied for second most from any player to a single teammate and seven more than he had to Markkanen all of last season (51). That’s a rate of one assist per every 10 minutes on the floor together, down from one every 15 minutes last year.

• The Jazz allowed an amazing 136.3 points per 100 possessions in Kevin Love’s 225 minutes on the floor, but the 37-year-old had his best offensive game of the season on Friday, scoring 20 points (on 8-for-13 shooting) in a little more than 20 minutes off the bench. He logged his first clutch time of the year and followed a key deflection with a 3-pointer that put them up seven with less than four minutes left.

Coming up: With the win over the Grizzlies, the Jazz are 6-3 against the other 12 teams that are at least two games below .500. They’ll face the Mavs for the first time on Monday and then play six of their next seven games against teams with winning records.

Week 9: vs. DAL, vs. LAL, vs. ORL

#24

LA ClippersLast Week:24

Record: 6-19

OffRtg: 113.6 (19) DefRtg: 118.7 (26) NetRtg: -5.1 (23) Pace: 97.5 (29)

The Clippers played a tight game in Houston on Thursday, but came up short when nobody came to help Nicolas Batum inbound the ball with the team down three in the closing seconds.

Three takeaways

• With the loss in Houston, the Clippers are 2-10 (worst in the league) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. They’ve lost their last seven clutch games, allowing 82 points on 57 clutch defensive possessions (1.44 per) over that stretch.

• The Clippers’ starting lineup (with Kris Dunn and John Collins) has been outscored by 3.7 points per 100 possessions, the third-worst mark among 21 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes together. It had a positive outing (plus-3 in 18.4 minutes) on Thursday, but the game turned when the Rockets went on a 16-2 run spanning the third and fourth quarters.

• Ivica Zubac tied his season-high with 33 points in the loss, shooting 13-for-14. His 59.9% shooting and his free-throw rate of just 24.7 attempts per 100 shots from the field would still be his worst marks in the last seven seasons. James Harden’s 58 assists to Zubac are tied for the second most from a player to a single teammate, though their rate of 3.2 assists per 36 minutes on the floor together is down a little from last season (3.4 per 36), when Harden’s 209 assists to Zubac led the league.

Coming up: The Clippers will face the teams with the two best clutch records – the Lakers and Thunder – this week. They’ve lost four straight to the Lakers, with their Nov. 25 loss having been the Clippers’ worst defensive game (135 points allowed on 97 possessions) this season.

Week 9: vs. MEM, @ OKC, vs. LAL

#25

Brooklyn NetsLast Week:25

Record: 7-18

OffRtg: 112.8 (23) DefRtg: 118.1 (25) NetRtg: -5.3 (24) Pace: 97.9 (28)

The Nets have won four of their last six games, and their 45-point win over the Bucks on Sunday tied the largest margin of victory in franchise history.

Three takeaways

• The 4-2 stretch has certainly been aided by the schedule, which was pretty brutal for the first six weeks of the season. Only three of the Nets’ first 18 games were against the other 13 teams that are currently below .500, but the last seven have all been against that group. With their split against the Mavs and Bucks last week, they’re 6-4 (tied for second best) in games played between the 14 teams currently below .500.

• They’ve allowed 109.1 points per 100 possessions in those 10 games and 124.2 per 100 otherwise. Only the Thunder have allowed fewer per 100 in December. The weaker opponents have obviously shot worse than the stronger ones, but the Nets have also been forcing more turnovers, fouling less and rebounding much better over these last six games.

• The Nets have now outscored their opponents by 5.9 points per 100 possessions in 350 total minutes with their starting frontline of Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton on the floor together. Day’Ron Sharpe has provided some good minutes off the bench, with some crazy, per-36 numbers (20.1 points, 12.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, three steals and 1.9 blocks) this month.

Coming up: That soft stretch of schedule is now over. The Nets will play seven of their next nine games against winning teams, though they will have their first rest-advantage game (they’re the only team that hasn’t played one) when they host the Raptors on Sunday.

Week 9: vs. MIA, vs. TOR

#26

New Orleans PelicansLast Week:30↑

Record: 5-22

OffRtg: 111.5 (26) DefRtg: 119.7 (28) NetRtg: -8.2 (28) Pace: 101.3 (13)

The Pelicans are relatively healthy, and they have more wins in the last four days (2-0) than they had in the previous 35 (1-16).

Three takeaways

• In successive games last week, the Pelicans got Herb Jones back from an eight-game absence, Jordan Poole back from an 18-game absence, and Zion Williamson back from a six-game absence. Their win in Chicago on Sunday marked the first time since Nov. 2 that they had everybody (except Dejounte Murray) available. And Derik Queen wasn’t getting much playing time back in those first several games of the season.

• Williamson came off the bench for the first time in his career on Sunday, with Saddiq Bey remaining in the Pelicans’ starting lineup. That lineup had some success earlier in the week, but got off to a rough start in Chicago. It was a hybrid lineup – Bryce McGowens, Karlo Matković and three starters – that turned the game around for good early in the fourth quarter against the Bulls. Queen is going to get the bulk of the center minutes, but the defense has been decent with Matković or Yves Missi on the floor.

• The Pelicans have been outscored from 3-point range in 14 of their last 15 games and by an average of 18.6 points per game over that stretch. Their 84 points in the paint against the Spurs last Monday were tied for the third most for a losing team in the 30 years of shot-location data. But they had another 88 points in the paint against the Blazers on Thursday and dominated the Bulls inside the arc and at the free-throw line over the weekend.

Coming up: The Pelicans still have seven games left on a stretch where they’re playing 18 of 24 at home. Three of their five wins have come against the Eastern Conference and they’ll host the 14th-place Pacers on Saturday.

Week 9: vs. HOU, vs. IND

#27

Chicago BullsLast Week:28↑

Record: 10-15

OffRtg: 112.1 (24) DefRtg: 117.4 (24) NetRtg: -5.3 (25) Pace: 103.5 (2)

The Bulls have played nine of their last 10 games against teams that are (currently) at least 10 games below .500, and they’ve somehow gone 2-8 in that stretch.

Three takeaways

• The Bulls did end their seven-game losing streak with a win in Charlotte on Friday, coming back from a 13-point, third-quarter deficit. It was the Bulls’ best offensive game (129 points on 102 possessions) since October, even though they made just 10 3-pointers. They allow the most restricted-area points per game by a wide margin, but had 70 themselves in the win.

• Zach Collins was playing in just his third game of the season, but he had 16 points, eight rebounds and a block in less than 20 minutes. He was on the floor instead of Nikola Vučević down the stretch. He grabbed a pretty remarkable offensive rebound over the top of Brandon Miller with exactly one minute left, then fed Tre Jones for a layup that put the Bulls up five. The Spurs were pretty terrible with Collins on the floor over his last season and a half in San Antonio, but since he arrived in February, the Bulls have been 8.4 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (plus-5.0) than they’ve been with him off (minus-3.5).

• The schedule finally gets tougher, with 10 of the Bulls’ next 13 games against teams that currently have winning records. They’re 6-6 against that group, but five of those six wins came in the first 14 days of the season.

Coming up: One of the six losses to good teams came in Cleveland, where the Bulls have lost seven straight games. They’ll play a home-and-home set with the Cavs, and then finish their pre-Christmas schedule with two games in Atlanta.

Week 9: vs. CLE, @ CLE, @ ATL

#28

Washington WizardsLast Week:29↑

Record: 4-20

OffRtg: 109.2 (27) DefRtg: 123.0 (30) NetRtg: -13.8 (30) Pace: 102.3 (5)

The Wizards got their first victory (they were previously 1-3) within the bottom four in the East on Sunday, winning easily in Indiana behind a big game (23 points and 14 rebounds) from Marvin Bagley III.

Three takeaways

• Alex Sarr has now missed the last six games, and the previous five were the worst stretch of defense (129.2 points allowed per 100 possessions) for what has been the worst defense in the league this season. But the Wizards faced the league’s worst offense on Sunday and held the Pacers under a point per possession, with Indiana shooting just 10-for-39 (26%) from 3-point range.

• The Wizards rank last in opponent turnover rate, having forced just 11.4 per 100 possessions over their six games this month. The win on Sunday was just the fourth time all season that they won the possession battle, and they’re 3-1 in those games.

• Bub Carrington has started the last three games in place of Bilal Coulibaly, and he scored a season-high 27 points in the Wizards’ loss to the Cavs on Friday. The shooting hasn’t been good either way, but over his two seasons, Carrington has shot more effectively and had a much higher assist/turnover ratio in 65 games as a starter (50.9%, 3.13) than he has in 41 games as a reserve (45.0%, 1.55).

Coming up: The Wizards are just 10-55 (.154) against the Western Conference over the last three seasons, including 1-4 this year. They’ll play 16 of their next 24 games against the West, with their two meetings with the Spurs coming in the span of four days.

Week 9: @ SAS, @ MEM, vs. SAS

#29

Indiana PacersLast Week:27↓

Record: 6-20

OffRtg: 108.2 (30) DefRtg: 116.1 (19) NetRtg: -7.9 (27) Pace: 101.0 (15)

The Pacers won four of their first six games after Thanksgiving, but went 0-2 over the weekend, losing to the Wizards (at home) by 19 points on Sunday afternoon.

Three takeaways

• Rookie two-way wing Ethan Thompson has started the last three games, and he had three huge offensive rebounds down the stretch of the Pacers’ win over the Kings last Monday. But the Pacers’ latest lineup was outscored by 20 points in its 23 minutes over the two weekend losses, shooting just 12-for-41 (29%).

• The Pacers did have a lead with less than five minutes left in Philadelphia, but scored just three points on their last seven possessions as the Sixers closed the game on a 12-3 run. They then scored less than a point per possession against the Wizards’ 30th-ranked defense.

• The Pacers rank in the top seven in turnover rate (13.6 per 100 possessions) for the third straight season, and they had just 15 total over the two games this weekend. But as things stand, they would be the only team in the last four seasons with an effective field goal percentage below 50%. The two losses gave the Pacers more games with a mark below 50% (12) than they had all of last season (11).

Coming up: Aaron Nesmith has now missed the last 14 games, and by the time the Pacers host the Knicks on Thursday, it will have been 4 1/2 weeks since he was projected to miss four. Nesmith, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam have played just seven minutes together this season.

Week 9: vs. NYK, @ NOP

#30

Sacramento KingsLast Week:26↓

Record: 6-20

OffRtg: 108.5 (29) DefRtg: 119.6 (27) NetRtg: -11.1 (29) Pace: 101.8 (8)

The Kings have lost seven of their last eight games, remain in the bottom five on both ends of the floor, and are closing in on ranking last offensively. But there’s some schedule relief coming eventually.

Three takeaways

• The Kings’ game in Indiana last Monday was a matchup of the two teams that have seen the biggest drops in points scored per 100 possessions. The Kings are now at the top (or bottom) of that list, having scored 7.4 fewer than they did in 2024-25. It’s hard to believe that this team had the league’s seventh-ranked offense (115.9 scored per 100) last season. It’s seen the league’s fifth biggest drop in effective field goal percentage (with both Domantas Sabonis and Keon Ellis having seen huge drops) and its biggest drop (by a healthy margin) in offensive rebounding percentage.

• The Kings have scored less than 110 points per 100 possessions in 12 of their last 15 games. They’ve been without Sabonis for the last 12, but the offensive numbers have still been better with him off the floor (109.3 scored per 100) than with him on (106.1 scored per 100).

• The Kings have still played the league’s toughest schedule (cumulative opponent winning percentage of .610) by a healthy margin. Eighteen of their 26 games have come against teams currently over .500, 14 have come against teams currently in the top 10 offensively, and 10 have come against teams currently in the top 10 on defense. They’ve already played all 11 of their games against the Thunder, Nuggets and Wolves.

Coming up: They’ve still got three more games against the Rockets, and one of those is Sunday. But that’s preceded by their first two games against the Blazers, with the second being the start of a stretch where the Kings are playing 14 of 18 at home.

Week 9: @ POR, vs. POR, vs. HOU