Power Rankings, Week 18: The home stretch begins

Check out the best moments from the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

The trade deadline and All-Star Weekend are in the rear-view mirror.

The season is 67% complete, teams have an average of 27 games remaining, and the home stretch begins on Thursday.

There’s still much to be determined.

In the Eastern Conference, the first-place Detroit Pistons are the only team in the top 10 that’s more than 2 1/2 games ahead of the team directly behind them. The West is similarly tight, with the Oklahoma City Thunder no longer a lock to finish in first place.

Plus-Minus Players of the Week

Teams of the Week

• Make It Last Forever: Cleveland (2-0) — So far, so good in the James Harden Era.
• Something Just Ain’t Right: Philadelphia (0-2) — The Sixers (playing without Joel Embiid) lost to the Blazers and Knicks by a total of 66 points.

* * *

East vs. West

• The West is 145-142 (.505) against the East in interconference games after going 3-3 last week.

Schedule strength through Week 17

• Toughest: 1. Sacramento, 2. New Orleans, 3. Indiana
• Easiest: 1. Denver, 2. Detroit, 3. Minnesota
• Schedule strength = cumulative opponent record.

* * *

Movement in the Rankings

• High jumps of the week: Cleveland, Indiana, Milwaukee, Utah (+2)
• Free falls of the week: Brooklyn, Phoenix, Washington (-2)

* * *

Week 18 Team to Watch

• New York — The Knicks are 0-2 against the first-place Pistons having lost the two games (both in Detroit) by a combined 69 points. The final meeting of the season is Thursday at Madison Square Garden, and the Knicks will have another test when they host the Rockets two nights later.

* * *

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 114.6 points scored per 100 possessions and 100.3 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

Detroit PistonsLast Week:1

Record: 40-13

OffRtg: 116.6 (10) DefRtg: 108.3 (2) NetRtg: +8.3 (2) Pace: 100.4 (17)

The Pistons went into the All-Star break with a three-game winning streak, the league’s best record, and the best record (17-6) in games played between the 16 teams that are currently over .500.

Three numbers to know

• The Pistons have outscored their opponents by 13.3 points per game in the restricted area. That’s the best differential for any team in the last seven seasons and almost double the differential for any other team this season.

• They’ve averaged 4.6 more shot opportunities than their opponents, the league’s biggest differential. They’ve forced 17.2 turnovers per 100 possessions, the highest opponent rate for any team in the last six seasons, also ranking fourth in offensive rebounding percentage (35.2%).

• Opponents have shot 88-for-206 (42.7%) at the rim when Isaiah Stewart has been there. That would be the best rim protection mark in the 13 seasons of tracking data for a player who’s defended at least 200 shots at the rim.

Coming up: The Pistons’ first game after the break is their only (regular season) visit to Madison Square Garden. They’ve outscored the Knicks by 69 points over the first two meetings, but they’ll be without both Stewart (suspended six more games) and Jalen Duren (one more) for the season-series finale on Thursday.

Week 18: @ NYK, @ CHI

#2

San Antonio SpursLast Week:2

Record: 38-16

OffRtg: 117.0 (7) DefRtg: 110.9 (3) NetRtg: +6.1 (5) Pace: 100.9 (13)

The Spurs have the league’s longest active winning streak (six games) and are just two games in the loss column behind the Thunder, holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Three numbers to know

• The Spurs have been the league’s most improved team in regard to winning percentage and on defense, where they’ve allowed 5.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season. They’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in opponent field goal percentage in the paint, from 57.8% (19th) last season to 54.6% (fourth) this season.

• They’ve been at their best (plus-12.1 points per 100 possessions) in the first quarter but are also one of two teams with a better record when they’ve lost the first quarter (13-3) than when they’ve won the first quarter (24-13).

Coming up: The rodeo is in town, so the Spurs come out of the break with their two games in Austin. They’re 0-2 against the Suns (who they’ll face on Thursday), though they were without De’Aaron Fox in the first meeting and without both Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama in the second.

Week 18: vs. PHX, vs. SAC

#3

Oklahoma City ThunderLast Week:3

Record: 42-14

OffRtg: 117.8 (4) DefRtg: 106.3 (1) NetRtg: +11.5 (1) Pace: 100.7 (15)

With their shorthanded loss to the Bucks on Thursday, the Thunder lost their spot at the top of the combined standings and became the third team to match its loss total from last season (68-14).

Three numbers to know

• The Thunder are the only team that ranks in the top five on both ends of the floor. They’ve outscored their opponents by 11.7 points per game, what would be the fifth best mark in NBA history.

• They lead the league in turnover differential for the third straight season and by a huge margin, having committed 4.5 fewer per game than their opponents. Detroit ranks second at 2.1 fewer turnovers than their opponents. Among 318 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes, Alex Caruso (5.9) and Cason Wallace (5.8) rank fourth and fifth in deflections per 36.

Coming up: The Thunder have the league’s second toughest post-break schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.541), though it begins with their first of two meetings with the Nets, and they’ll have a rest-advantage against Brooklyn on Friday.

Week 18: vs. BKN, vs. CLE

#4

New York KnicksLast Week:4

Record: 35-20

OffRtg: 118.9 (3) DefRtg: 112.8 (11) NetRtg: +6.1 (4) Pace: 98.7 (23)

The Knicks had a confounding loss to the Pacers last week but went into the break with a 49-point win over the Sixers. They’re in a tight race with the Celtics and Cavs for the 2-4 seeds in the East, and they’re currently 4-1 against Boston and Cleveland.

Three numbers to know

• The Knicks have the league’s biggest home-road differentials in regard to winning percentage (21-7 vs. 13-13) and point differential per 100 possessions (plus-10.1 vs. plus-1.6). The latter has been more about defense than offense.

• They’ve seen the league’s biggest jump in 3-point rate, from 38.2% of their shots (28th) last season to 43.8% (ninth) this season. But they rank last in the percentage of their 3-point attempts (41%) that have been wide open, according to tracking data.

• Jalen Brunson leads the league in time of possession for the third straight season, but his 7.8 minutes per game of possession is his lowest rate in his four seasons with the Knicks. His average seconds per touch (5.18) and dribbles per touch (4.82) are also down from last season (6.06 and 6.04).

Coming up: The Knicks are 0-2 vs. the Pistons, having scored just 89.9 points per 100 possessions over the two losses, which both came by more than 30 points. The third and final (regular season) meeting is Thursday in New York.

Week 18: vs. DET, vs. HOU, @ CHI

#5

Denver NuggetsLast Week:5

Record: 35-20

OffRtg: 121.0 (1) DefRtg: 116.9 (24) NetRtg: +4.1 (9) Pace: 98.4 (25)

The Nuggets remain banged up, going into the break without Aaron Gordon, Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson. They’re just 2-4 in February but are holding onto third place in the West.

Three numbers to know

• The Nuggets are the only team that ranks in the top 10 on one end of the floor and in the bottom 10 on the other end. They’ve combined with their opponents to score 118.9 points per 100 possessions, the league’s highest combined mark by a wide margin.

• They’re the only team that ranks in the top 10 in field goal percentage in the paint (59.2%, seventh), mid-range field goal percentage (44.5%, fifth) and 3-point percentage (39.5%, first). They lead the league with seven players who’ve shot 38% or better on at least 100 3-point attempts.

• The Nuggets have been 15.8 points per 100 possessions better with Nikola Jokić on the floor (plus-11.7 per 100) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-4.1). That has him leading the league in on-off differential (among players who’ve played at least 750 minutes) for what would be the fifth straight season, though that 15.8 per 100 is his smallest differential in those five years.

Coming up: The Nuggets have the league’s toughest remaining schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.551). After they play a road back-to-back against the Clippers and Blazers, 11 of their next 12 games will come against teams currently over .500.

Week 18: @ LAC, @ POR, @ GSW

#6

Boston CelticsLast Week:6

Record: 35-19

OffRtg: 120.2 (2) DefRtg: 112.6 (9) NetRtg: +7.5 (3) Pace: 95.7 (30)

The Celtics won six of their last seven games before the All-Star break, though the one loss came by 22 points to the Knicks, who they lead by a half game for second place in the East.

Three numbers to know

• The Celtics are 35-19 with the point differential of a team that’s 40-14. They have the league’s biggest differential between their record in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes (23-5) and their record in games that were within five in the last five (12-14).

• They’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in 3-point rate, from 53.6% (the highest rate in NBA history) last season to 46.5% (fifth in the league) this season. They still rank last in the percentage of their shots (40%) that have come in the paint, and they still have the league’s biggest differential between their record when they’ve shot the league average (35.9%) or better from 3-point range (24-2, .923) and their record when they’ve shot worse (11-17, .393).

• They have the league’s second-ranked offense, even though Derrick White (from 58.0% to 48.3%) and Payton Pritchard (from 62.0% to 55.4%) have seen the biggest and third biggest drops in effective field goal percentage among 76 players with at least 500 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons.

Coming up: The Celtics come out of the break with a four-game trip where they’re playing four of the top eight teams in the Western Conference. They’re just 2-4 (1-1) against the West’s top eight thus far.

Week 18: @ GSW, @ LAL

#7

Cleveland CavaliersLast Week:9↑

Record: 34-21

OffRtg: 117.5 (5) DefRtg: 113.3 (12) NetRtg: +4.2 (8) Pace: 101.8 (8)

The Cavs are undefeated (3-0) with James Harden, won 10 of their last 11 games before the All-Star break, and have had the league’s best record (17-6) since Christmas. They’ve gone from eighth to fourth in the East over the last seven weeks and have put themselves in position to climb as high as second.

Three numbers to know

• They’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in 3-point percentage, from 38.3% (second) last season to 35.8% (15th) this season. Among 192 players with at least 100 3-point attempts in each of the last two seasons, De’Andre Hunter (traded), Lonzo Ball (traded), Keon Ellis (acquired for Hunter) and Evan Mobley have seen the second, 10th, 13th and 14th biggest drops in 3-point percentage.

• They’ve been 8.8 points per 100 possessions better in the second halves of games (plus-8.7, second best) than they’ve been in first halves (minus-0.1, 16th). That’s been the league’s biggest halftime improvement and only the Lakers (20-1) have fewer losses than the Cavs (23-3) when leading at halftime.

• Donovan Mitchell has registered his highest usage rate (31.6%) in his four seasons with the Cavs, and his true shooting percentage (61.9%) is the highest of his career. His 52.3% from mid-range is the best mark of his career and ranks third among 37 players with at least 100 mid-range attempts.

Coming up: The Cavs’ first five post-break games are their third (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. The one game that’s not part of a back-to-back is their visit to Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Week 18: vs. BKN, @ CHA, @ OKC

#8

Houston RocketsLast Week:7↓

Record: 33-20

OffRtg: 117.0 (6) DefRtg: 112.0 (5) NetRtg: +5.0 (6) Pace: 96.6 (28)

The Rockets rank 28th offensively over the last six weeks, but they’re still in the top four in the West with the easiest post-break schedule among teams in the top eight.

Three numbers to know

• The Rockets have retained 39.9% of available offensive rebounds, the highest rate for any team in the 30 seasons of play-by-play data. If you took away every team’s second-chance points, they would rank 22nd offensively (98.3 points scored per 100 possessions). But with second-chance points included, they rank sixth.

• They’re one of two teams – the Clippers are the other – that rank in the bottom two in both ball movement (299 passes per 24 minutes of possession, 29th) and player movement (9.7 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession, 30th).

• The Rockets rank sixth in 3-point percentage (37.0%), with Tari Eason (46.0%) fourth among individuals. But Houston is 30th in the percentage of its shots (34.0%) that have come from 3-point range and has been outscored by 2.1 points per game from beyond the arc.

Coming up: The Rockets lost at home to the Hornets less than two weeks ago and they’ll begin their post-break schedule in Charlotte on Thursday. They’re playing five of their next seven games against the Eastern Conference.

Week 18: @ CHA, @ NYK

#9

Minnesota TimberwolvesLast Week:10↑

Record: 34-22

OffRtg: 117.0 (8) DefRtg: 112.4 (7) NetRtg: +4.6 (7) Pace: 101.7 (9)

After a couple of bad losses, the Wolves went into the break with a pair of comfortable wins and they’re just 1.5 games behind the third-place Nuggets.

Three numbers to know

• This would be the 13th time in the last 16 seasons where the Wolves had fewer actual wins than “expected” wins, based on their point differential. They’re one of four teams that rank in the top eight on both ends of the floor and have the point differential (fourth best in the West) of a team that’s 37-19. But they’re just 12-12 (1-5 since mid-January) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, even though Anthony Edwards has been the league’s best clutch shooter.

• They’ve allowed 8.8 fewer points per 100 possessions at home (108.3, third) than they have on the road (116.9, 22nd). That’s the league’s biggest home-road differential on either end of the floor.

• Among 192 players with at least 100 3-point attempts in each of the last two seasons, Jaden McDaniels (from 33.0% to 45.4%) and Ayo Dosunmu (from 32.8% to 44.7%) have seen the two biggest jumps in 3-point percentage.

Coming up: The Wolves have the league’s third toughest post-break schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.522), though three of their first four games are against teams that currently have losing records. They were 14-1 against that group in mid-December but have since gone 8-8.

Week 18: vs. DAL, vs. PHI

#10

Phoenix SunsLast Week:8↓

Record: 32-23

OffRtg: 114.5 (14) DefRtg: 112.7 (10) NetRtg: +1.8 (13) Pace: 99.0 (22)

The Suns lost three of their last four games before the All-Star break, but they were just getting Devin Booker back from an extended absence and still have a shot at climbing into the top six in the Western Conference.

Three numbers to know

• The Suns have allowed 5.0 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season (117.7 per 100, 27th). That’s the league’s second biggest drop. They’ve seen the league’s biggest jumps in average pick-up distance (according to tracking data) and opponent turnover rate, from 12.3 per 100 possessions (28th) last season to 16.9 (second) this season.

• They have the fourth best record (28-5, .848) in games they led by double-digits. But they’re also just 7-21 (.250, 20th) in games they trailed by double-digits. That’s the league’s biggest such differential.

• Dillon Brooks has a usage rate of 28.2%, up from 17.6% last season. That’s the biggest jump among 334 players who’ve played at least 250 minutes in each of the last two seasons.

Coming up: The Suns are one of five teams with a league-high seven back-to-backs left on their schedule, and the first is Saturday and Sunday, when they’ll host the Magic and Blazers. That’s the start of a stretch where they’re playing seven of eight games at home.

Week 18: @ SAS, vs. ORL, vs. POR

#11

Los Angeles LakersLast Week:11

Record: 33-21

OffRtg: 116.3 (11) DefRtg: 116.6 (23) NetRtg: -0.3 (16) Pace: 99.7 (19)

The Lakers are holding onto one of the top six spots in the West, having closed their pre-break schedule with a 3-2 homestand where the losses came to the Thunder and Spurs.

Three numbers to know

• The Lakers are tied (with the 44-28, 1953-54 Knicks) for what would be the best record in NBA history for a team with a negative point differential. They’ve been outscored by a single point over their 54 games but are 15-3 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. That would be the third best clutch record in the 30 seasons for which we have play-by-play data, though those 18 clutch games are the fewest in the league.

• They lead the league in free throw differential for what would be the fourth straight season, having outscored their opponents by 3.7 points per game at the line. They also have the league’s biggest differential in their field goal percentage in the paint (63.3%, first) and their effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (50.9%, 16th).

• The Lakers have been outscored by 5.2 points per 100 possessions in 680 minutes with both Luka Dončić and LeBron James on the floor. But somehow they are still 19-11 when they’ve both been available. They’ve outscored opponents by 5.3 per 100 (with much better offensive numbers) in 1,332 total minutes with only one of Dončić or James on the floor.

Coming up: The Lakers’ schedule remains home-heavy for the next month. They come out of the break with a rest-advantage game against the Clippers. But they’re one of three teams – the Pistons and Thunder are the others – with a league-high 18 remaining games against teams that have winning records. They’re 11-13 (6-7 at home) within that group thus far.

Week 18: vs. LAC, vs. BOS

#12

Toronto RaptorsLast Week:13↑

Record: 32-23

OffRtg: 113.8 (16) DefRtg: 112.2 (6) NetRtg: +1.5 (14) Pace: 99.3 (21)

The Raptors got Jakob Poeltl back from a 24-game absence on Wednesday, but they got clobbered by the Pistons, falling to 0-7 against the top three teams in the East. They remain in fifth place, but have some work to do to secure a spot in the top six.

Three numbers to know

• The Raptors are one of three teams – the Sixers and Spurs are the others – that (when you take the league-average efficiency increase into account) have been at least two points per 100 possessions better than they were last season on both ends of the floor. They’ve seen the league’s third biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions and the sixth biggest drop in points allowed per 100.

• They lead the league in both the percentage of their 3-point attempts that have been off the catch (84%) and the percentage that have been wide open (64%), according to tracking data. But they’re one of six teams that rank in the bottom 10 in both 3-point percentage (34.4%, 25th) and the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range (37.5%, 25th).

• The Raptors have outscored their opponents by 9.3 points per game in transition, the league’s biggest transition differential by a healthy margin. They rank in the top three in both the percentage of their own possessions that have been in transition (22.6%, third) and the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ possessions that have been in transition (15.6%, first).

Coming up: The Raptors are one of six teams with a better record on the road (16-10) than they have at home (16-13), and they’ll play 15 of their 27 remaining games on the road. Their post-break schedule begins with games in Chicago and Milwaukee, with the Raptors currently 16-5 (7-3 on the road) against the seven East teams with losing records.

Week 18: @ CHI, @ MIL

#13

Philadelphia 76ersLast Week:12↓

Record: 30-24

OffRtg: 114.8 (11) DefRtg: 114.5 (15) NetRtg: +0.3 (15) Pace: 99.6 (20)

The Sixers lost three of their last four games before the break, getting clobbered (without Joel Embiid) by the Knicks on Wednesday. But they remain in the top six in the East and have a relatively easy remaining schedule.

Three numbers to know

• The Sixers have been the league’s second most improved team in regard to winning percentage and have already won six more games than they did last season. They’ve seen the league’s fourth biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions (+3.8) and its fourth biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions (-2.8).

• The Sixers are the only team that ranks in the bottom five in shot quality on both offense (30th) and defense (26th), according to tracking data. But they’re one of four teams in the top 10 in three of the four factors related to the possession game, ranking seventh in turnover rate, ninth in offensive rebounding percentage and seventh in opponent turnover rate.

• They’ve outscored their opponents by 6.0 points per 100 possessions over the first, second and fourth quarters, but have been outscored by 18.0 per 100 in the third. That would be the worst mark for any team in any quarter in the last 10 seasons.

Coming up: The Sixers have lost two wild games to Atlanta this season, and they’ll open their post-break schedule with a visit from the Hawks on Thursday. They’ll then hit the road for a back-to-back, with their rest-disadvantage game in Minnesota on Sunday night being the first of 12 remaining games (tied for most in the league) against teams that currently rank in the top 10 offensively.

Week 18: vs. ATL, @ NOP, @ MIN

#14

LA ClippersLast Week:14

Record: 26-28

OffRtg: 115.3 (12) DefRtg: 115.6 (20) NetRtg: -0.4 (17) Pace: 96.6 (29)

The Clippers have remained competitive in the wake of the trades that sent James Harden and Ivica Zubac East. They went 3-1 on their four-game trip leading into the All-Star break, beating the Wolves and splitting two games in Houston.

Three numbers to know

• The Clippers have seen the league’s biggest drop-off on defense, having allowed 6.2 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season (109.4 per 100, third). They’ve seen the third largest drop in opponent turnover rate and its second largest drop in defensive rebounding percentage.

• They’re 21-4 (with 16 straight wins) when their opponent has shot worse than the league average (35.9%) from 3-point range and 5-24 when their opponent has shot league average or better from beyond the arc. That’s the league’s biggest such differential by a healthy margin.

• Kawhi Leonard has averaged 2.06 steals + blocks per personal foul, the highest rate (by a wide margin) among 323 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes. His 34 more steals (86) than fouls (52) is by far the biggest such differential among that same group. (Only four others have more steals than fouls.)

Coming up: The Clippers have the league’s third easiest remaining schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.473), but it starts with four straight games against teams with winning records. They’re 10-6 against that group since Dec. 20, a stretch that includes two wins over the Lakers, who they’ll visit (with a rest disadvantage) on Friday.

Week 18: vs. DEN, @ LAL, vs. ORL

#15

Charlotte HornetsLast Week:15

Record: 26-29

OffRtg: 116.8 (9) DefRtg: 114.8 (16) NetRtg: +2.0 (11) Pace: 98.5 (24)

The Hornets’ nine-game winning streak came to an end in Detroit last Monday, but they went into the break with a win over the Hawks that has them in ninth place in the East.

Three numbers to know

• The Hornets have been the league’s most improved team statistically, 11.1 points per 100 possessions better than they were last season. They’ve been the most improved team on offense by a huge margin, scoring 10.1 per 100 more than they did in 2024-25. No other team has seen a jump of more than 4.7 points scored per 100 possessions.

• They’ve outscored their opponents by 1.9 points per game, the point differential of a team that should be 31-24. It would be the fifth best point differential for a team with a losing record in NBA history. At one point, they were 4-13 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. (They’ve won five of their last six since.)

• The Hornets are the only team that ranks in the top five in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

Coming up: The Hornets’ winning streak included an impressive win in Houston in which they won the rebounding battle against the only team that has a higher rebounding percentage than they do. The rematch is Thursday in Charlotte.

Week 18: vs. HOU, vs. CLE, @ WAS

#16

Golden State WarriorsLast Week:16

Record: 29-26

OffRtg: 114.3 (15) DefRtg: 112.5 (8) NetRtg: +1.8 (12) Pace: 100.7 (14)

The Warriors were able to stay afloat with Stephen Curry missing the last five games before the All-Star break, winning two of those five games. They’re three games behind the seventh-place Suns and three games in the loss column ahead of the ninth-place Blazers.

Three numbers to know

• The Warriors lead the league in 3-point rate (50.8% of their shots) and 3-point differential, having outscored their opponents by 11.3 points per game from beyond the arc.

• Stephen Curry leads the league in gravity score (how much a player pulls defenders toward them above expected). He ranks fifth in on-ball gravity but is first in off-ball gravity by a huge margin.

• The Warriors have outscored their opponents by 16.8 points per 100 possessions in De’Anthony Melton’s 609 minutes on the floor. That’s the best on-court mark among 228 players who’ve averaged at least 20 minutes in 25 games or more.

Coming up: The Warriors are one of two teams with a league-high 12 games remaining against teams that currently rank in the top 10 offensively, and they’ll come out of the break with home games against the league’s top two offenses.

Week 18: vs. BOS, vs. DEN

#17

Orlando MagicLast Week:18↑

Record: 28-25

OffRtg: 113.6 (19) DefRtg: 114.0 (14) NetRtg: -0.4 (18) Pace: 100.6 (16)

The Magic got Franz Wagner back last week, but after winning three straight games, they went into the break with a loss to the Bucks and remain in seventh place in the East.

Three numbers to know

• The Magic have seen the league’s second biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions (+4.7) and are in position to (barely) rank outside the bottom 10 in offensive efficiency for the first time in the last 14 seasons. They’ve seen the league’s second biggest jump in the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint and its second biggest jump in 3-point percentage.

• On the other end of the floor, the Magic have seen the league’s second biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions (+4.9). They’ve seen its biggest drop in opponent turnover rate, from 16.8 (second) last season to 15.2 (ninth) this season.

• They’re tied for the league lead with 14 wins (they’re 14-20) in games they trailed by double-digits and lead the league with six wins (they’re 6-17) in games they trailed by 15 points or more.

Coming up: The Magic still have 14 games remaining against the Western Conference and they’ll begin their post-break schedule with a four-game trip through the Pacific Division. They’re one of two teams with a league-high six rest-disadvantage games remaining, and the first will be their visit to the Clippers on Sunday.

Week 18: @ SAC, @ PHX, @ LAC

#18

Miami HeatLast Week:17↓

Record: 29-27

OffRtg: 113.7 (17) DefRtg: 111.6 (4) NetRtg: +2.1 (10) Pace: 104.9 (1)

The Heat continue to have a hard time stringing multiple wins together, somehow losing to the Jazz (at home) last Monday when Utah rested its best players for the final 15 minutes.

Three numbers to know

• The Heat have averaged 7.8 more possessions per 48 minutes than they did last season (97.1, 27th). That would be the third biggest season-to-season pace jump for any team in the last 25 years. They’ve also seen the league’s biggest jumps from last season in both ball movement and player movement.

• They rank in the top 10 defensively for what would be the sixth straight season and the 23rd time in the last 30. They’re the only team that ranks in the top 10 in each of the four factors on defense.

• They have the league’s biggest differential between their record when they’ve won the first quarter (24-11, 686) and their record when they’ve lost the first quarter (4-16, .200).

Coming up: The Heat are 10-3 against the seven teams behind them in the Eastern Conference standings, though that includes a loss to the Hawks earlier this month. They’ll begin their post-break schedule with a rest-advantage game in Atlanta on Friday.

Week 18: @ ATL, vs. MEM

#19

Portland Trail BlazersLast Week:20↑

Record: 27-29

OffRtg: 113.5 (21) DefRtg: 115.5 (18) NetRtg: -2.0 (20) Pace: 102.1 (6)

After a six-game losing streak, the Blazers won four of their last five games before the break. They appear safely within the Play-In group in the West and probably have the opportunity to climb into the top eight.

Three numbers to know

• The Blazers rank second in shot quality, having seen the biggest jump from last season (when they ranked 25th), according to tracking data. But they’re 22nd in effective field goal percentage (53.2%).

• According to tracking data, the Blazers lead the league in average pick up distance (52.1 feet from the basket) on defense. But they still rank 28th in turnover differential (2.1 per game more than their opponents) because they’ve committed a league-high 16.9 turnovers per 100 possessions.

Coming up: The Blazers have the league’s easiest remaining schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.452), with only nine of their 26 games coming against teams that currently have winning records. Three of those nine are their first three games out of the break, but they’ll have rest advantages against the Nuggets on Friday and in Phoenix two nights later.

Week 18: vs. DEN, @ PHX

#20

Atlanta HawksLast Week:19↓

Record: 26-30

OffRtg: 113.6 (20) DefRtg: 114.9 (17) NetRtg: -1.3 (19) Pace: 102.9 (3)

The Hawks lost their last three games before the All-Star break, with two of those losses coming to the ninth-place Hornets, who they now trail by a half game.

Three numbers to know

• This would be the first time in the last six seasons that the Hawks have had a worse-than-average offense. They’ve actually seen a jump in effective field goal percentage from last season, but they have the league’s second biggest drop in free throw rate and its biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage.

• They would be the sixth team in NBA history with a winning record (16-15) on the road and a losing record (10-15) at home. Four of the previous five have come in the last five seasons (2020-21 through last season).

• fJalen Johnson (from 34.2 to 42.5) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (from 21.9 to 29.7) have seen the eighth and ninth biggest jumps in points + rebounds + assists per 36 minutes among 263 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes in each of the last two seasons. Johnson’s 98 assists to Alexander-Walker are the second most from any player to a single teammate.

Coming up: The Hawks have the league’s most home-heavy remaining schedule, though it starts in Philadelphia on Thursday. They’ll then play 10 of their next 11 games at State Farm Arena, a stretch that includes two games each against the Nets, Wizards and Bucks.

Week 18: @ PHI, vs. MIA, vs. BKN

#21

Milwaukee BucksLast Week:23↑

Record: 23-30

OffRtg: 113.1 (24) DefRtg: 116.4 (22) NetRtg: -3.3 (23) Pace: 98.4 (26)

The Bucks won five of their last six games before the All-Star break, winning in Orlando and Oklahoma City last week. They’re now 8-15 without Giannis Antetokounmpo and 1.5 games out of a Play-In spot in the East.

Three numbers to know

• The Bucks have averaged 4.2 fewer shot opportunities than their opponents, the league’s biggest discrepancy. They rank last in the percentage of their points that have come on fast breaks (11.1%, 28th) or second chances (10.4%, 30th).

• They rank second in 3-point percentage (39.2%) after ranking first (38.7%) last season. Bobby Portis (51.2%) and AJ Green (50.9%) are two of the three players who’ve shot better than 50% on at least 75 attempts from the corners.

• They’ve gotten just 26 total minutes from rookies or second-year players, all of them from rookie Mark Sears, who is no longer on the roster. Every other team has gotten at least 970 minutes from first or second-year guys.

Coming up: After a visit to New Orleans on Friday, the Bucks will play nine of their next 10 games at home. Their 8-15 record without Antetokounmpo includes a 5-5 mark at Fiserv Forum.

Week 18: @ NOP, vs. TOR

#22

Chicago BullsLast Week:21↓

Record: 24-31

OffRtg: 113.5 (22) DefRtg: 117.6 (25) NetRtg: -4.1 (24) Pace: 102.3 (5)

The Bulls climbed above .500 (23-22) and then lost nine of their last 10 games before the All-Star break, breaking up their team along the way.

Three numbers to know

• The Bulls lead the league in ball movement (393 passes per 24 minutes of possession) and they rank third in player movement (11.6 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession). They rank second in the percentage of their 3-point attempts (83%) that have come off the catch and third in the percentage (62%) that have been wide open.

• They’ve taken just 4.7% of their shots from mid-range (between the paint and the 3-point line), what would be the lowest rate for any team in the 30 seasons of shot-location data. They’re the only team this season that ranks in the top 10 in the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint (51.0%, seventh) and the percentage that have come from 3-point range (44.2%, eighth).

• They rank 29th in opponent turnover rate (12.3 per 100 possessions) for the second straight season. They’re last in deflections per game (14.1).

Coming up: The Bulls come out of the break with their longest homestand of the season (seven games over 13 days), with four of the seven games coming against teams with winning records. They’re currently 7-2 at home against the top eight teams in the East, set to host the Raptors, Pistons and Knicks this week.

Week 18: vs. TOR, vs. DET, vs. NYK

#23

Dallas MavericksLast Week:22↓

Record: 19-35

OffRtg: 110.2 (27) DefRtg: 113.5 (13) NetRtg: -3.3 (22) Pace: 102.5 (4)

The Mavs went into the All-Star break with a nine-game losing streak, with eight of the nine games coming against teams with winning records and the other coming against the red-hot Hornets.

Three numbers to know

• The Mavs and their opponents have combined to score just 111.8 points per 100 possessions, the league’s lowest combined mark. They’ve seen the league’s fourth biggest drop in points scored per 100 from last season, but also its fifth biggest drop in points allowed per 100.

• They lead the league with 34 games that were within five points in the last five minutes. They’re 13-21 (fifth worst) in those games, ranking 26th in clutch offense (102.0 points scored per 100 possessions).

• Cooper Flagg would be just the eighth rookie in NBA history to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and four assists per game. The last three to do it were Larry Bird (1979-80), Michael Jordan (1984-85) and Luka Dončić (2018-19).

Coming up: The Mavs have scored just 94.4 points per 100 possessions (their worst mark vs. any opponent) as they’ve lost their first two meetings with the Wolves. They come out of the break with a three-game trip that begins in Minnesota on Friday.

Week 18: @ MIN, @ IND

#24

New Orleans PelicansLast Week:24

Record: 15-41

OffRtg: 112.4 (25) DefRtg: 118.0 (27) NetRtg: -5.6 (25) Pace: 101.1 (12)

The Pelicans had a relatively good three-game stretch (especially offensively) before losing to the Heat in their last game before the break. They’re still in 14th place in the West, but will have the opportunity to move up with three games remaining against the 13th-place Jazz.

Three numbers to know

• The Pelicans have been the league’s seventh most improved team, 3.8 points per 100 possessions better than they were last season. But they’re still one of seven teams that rank in the bottom 10 on both ends of the floor and also have the second worst record (10-21) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes.

• They lead the league in the percentage of their shots (57%) that have come in the paint. But they rank 29th in field goal percentage in the paint (55.0%) and also rank last in 3-point differential, having been outscored by 10.2 points per game from beyond the arc.

• The Pelicans have been outscored by 11 points per 100 possessions in 561 minutes with Zion Williamson and Derik Queen on the floor together, but they have outscored their opponents by 0.1 per 100 in 626 minutes with Williamson on the floor without Queen.

Coming up: The Pelicans lost close games in Philadelphia and Milwaukee (scoring just 18 points on 25 clutch possessions) in the last few weeks, and they’ll open their post-break schedule with a Friday-Saturday back-to-back against the Bucks and Sixers.

Week 18: vs. MIL, vs. PHI

#25

Memphis GrizzliesLast Week:25

Record: 20-33

OffRtg: 113.3 (23) DefRtg: 115.6 (19) NetRtg: -2.3 (21) Pace: 101.3 (11)

The Grizzlies have been playing short-handed and they’ve lost 10 of their last 12 games, almost ensuring that they’ll finish outside the Play-In group in the Western Conference.

Three numbers to know

• The Grizzlies have the league’s biggest differential between their record vs. the 14 teams currently below .500 (15-9, .625) and their record vs. the 16 teams currently above .500 (5-24, .172).

• They lead the league with 17 losses and are one of two teams with a losing record (13-17) in games they led by double-digits. No other team has more than 13 losses after leading by at least 10 points.

• Cam Spencer is one of two players – Kon Knueppel is the other – who’ve shot 40% or better on at least 100 3-point attempts and 90% or better on at least 100 free throw attempts.

Coming up: The Grizzlies have five games remaining within the bottom five in the West, and three of them are in their first five games out of the break. They have the best record (8-3) in games played between those five teams thus far.

Week 18: vs. UTA, @ MIA

#26

Utah JazzLast Week:28↑

Record: 18-38

OffRtg: 113.6 (18) DefRtg: 121.0 (30) NetRtg: -7.4 (28) Pace: 102.9 (2)

The Jazz picked up a couple of wins last week despite their best players sitting out fourth quarters, but they also announced that Jaren Jackson Jr. is done for the season after playing just 49 total minutes alongside Lauri Markkanen.

Three numbers to know

• The Jazz are in position to be the first team in the 49 years since turnovers have been counted to rank last defensively in three straight seasons. They rank 29th in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (61.1%) and have also allowed 15.5 3-pointers per game, the most any team has allowed in the 47 seasons of the 3-point line.

• They’ve seen the league’s biggest jump in assist/turnover ratio, from 1.48 (30th) last season to 1.90 (12th) this season.

• Among 223 players with at least 200 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons, Cody Williams (from 39.1% to 51.8%), Svi Mykhailiuk (from 50.7% to 60.6%) and Isaiah Collier (from 45.9% to 54.0%) have seen the biggest, fourth biggest and eighth biggest jumps in effective field goal percentage.

Coming up: The Jazz have six games remaining within the bottom five in the West, and three of them will come in their first four games out of the All-Star break. They’ve split their first two meetings with the Grizzlies and will begin their post-break schedule in Memphis on Friday.

Week 18: @ MEM

#27

Indiana PacersLast Week:29↑

Record: 15-40

OffRtg: 108.8 (30) DefRtg: 116.1 (21) NetRtg: -7.3 (27) Pace: 101.6 (10)

The Pacers went into the break by sweeping a back-to-back in New York and Brooklyn, with the latter win coming without Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam.

Three numbers to know

• The Pacers have seen the league’s biggest drop-offs in both winning percentage and offensive efficiency, having scored 6.6 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season (115.4 per 100, ninth).

• They’re still one of three teams – the Bulls and Heat are the others – that rank in the top five in both ball movement (376 passes per 24 minutes of possession, fourth) and player movement (11.5 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possessions, fourth).

• They have the league’s lowest opponent 3-point rate, with only 37.3% of their opponents’ shots having come from beyond the arc. They also have the league’s lowest opponent assist rate, with their opponents having recorded assists on just 59.5% of their field goals.

Coming up: The Pacers have four games remaining against the other four teams that have won 15 games or fewer. All four are on the road and the first two are in Washington on Thursday and Friday. They’ve split their first two games against the Wizards with both being determined by 19 points or more.

Week 18: @ WAS, @ WAS, vs. DAL

#28

Brooklyn NetsLast Week:26↓

Record: 15-38

OffRtg: 110.6 (26) DefRtg: 117.7 (26) NetRtg: -7.1 (26) Pace: 96.9 (27)

The Nets went 2-1 in games within the bottom five in the East to close out the break.

Three numbers to know

• The Nets rank last in point differential on both fast breaks (-5.3 points per game) and in the paint (-9.9 points per game). They’re the only team that ranks in the bottom five in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (59.6%, fifth highest) and the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint (52%, highest).

• They’re 5-18 (.217) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, which would be the worst clutch record for any team in the last 10 seasons. They rank 27th in clutch offense (100.7 points scored per 100 possessions) and last in clutch defense (126.0 allowed per 100).

• They lead the league (for the second straight season and by a wide margin) with 35.6 handoffs per 100 possessions, according to tracking data. The 0.96 points per possession they’ve scored when a handoff leads directly to a shot, turnover or trip to the line ranks 22nd.

Coming up: The Nets have lost 11 of their last 12 road games and will play seven of their first 10 post-break games outside of Brooklyn, starting with a tough back-to-back in Cleveland and Oklahoma City.

Week 18: @ CLE, @ OKC, @ ATL

#29

Washington WizardsLast Week:27↓

Record: 14-39

OffRtg: 109.4 (29) DefRtg: 120.4 (29) NetRtg: -11.0 (30) Pace: 102.0 (7)

With the Pacers winning two games last week, the Wizards are back in last place in the Eastern Conference and still in position to be the third team in NBA history with two straight seasons where they got outscored by at least 10 points per game.

Three numbers to know

• For the second straight season, the Wizards are the only team that ranks in the bottom 10 in each of the four factors on defense.

• They lead the league in the percentage of their minutes (52%) that have come from rookies (18%, sixth most) or second-year players (34%, most).

• Kyshawn George has averaged 30.3 points + rebounds + assists per 36 minutes, up from 20.9 last season. That’s the second biggest jump among 263 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes in each of the last two seasons.

Coming up: The Wizards come out of the break with five straight games against other teams currently below .500, their longest such stretch of the season. That includes two straight games against the 14th-place Pacers this week.

Week 18: vs. IND, vs. IND, vs. CHA

#30

Sacramento KingsLast Week:30

Record: 12-44

OffRtg: 109.6 (28) DefRtg: 119.8 (28) NetRtg: -10.2 (29) Pace: 100.0 (18)

The Kings went into the break with a 14-game losing streak and now have two fewer wins than every other team. Zach LaVine is out for the season, so rookie Nique Clifford should be in the spotlight over the final eight weeks.

Three numbers to know

• The Kings have been 10.8 points per 100 possessions worse than they were last season (plus-0.6, 15th). That’s been the league’s biggest drop-off by a healthy margin. They’ve seen the second biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions and the third biggest jump in points allowed per 100.

• DeMar DeRozan leads the league in total mid-range attempts for the fifth straight season. The Kings have taken 17.2% of their shots from mid-range (between the paint and the 3-point line), which would be the highest rate for any team in the last three seasons. But their 40.8% shooting from mid-range ranks just 18th.

• Rookie Dylan Cardwell ranks fourth in offensive rebounding percentage (13.7%) among 228 players who’ve averaged at least 20 minutes per game. The Kings have outscored their opponents by 2.8 points per 100 possessions in his 409 minutes on the floor alongside Clifford.

Coming up: The Kings have the league’s second easiest remaining schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.468), though it doesn’t really soften up for a couple of weeks. Five of their first seven games out of the break will be against teams with winning records.

Week 18: vs. ORL, @ SAS