Power Rankings, Week 19: Celtics move back into Top 5

Cade Cunningham and the Pistons face the Spurs this week in a crucial matchup of contenders.

The home stretch is underway, we’re now 70% through the regular season, and the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs continue to roll.

The Pistons have won 17 of their last 21 games, beating the New York Knicks (easily) for the third time last week, despite the absences of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. The Spurs have won eight straight, with the last seven by double digits.

So it’s a great day for the two top teams in the Power Rankings to meet for the first time this season. Stewart remains suspended, but both teams are healthy, and both will be rested when they meet in Detroit on Monday (7 p.m. ET, Peacock).

Winner (probably) gets the top spot in next week’s Rankings.

Plus-Minus Players of the Week

Teams of the Week

• Make It Last Forever: Boston (2-0) — Take your time, Jayson Tatum.
• Something Just Ain’t Right: Sacramento (0-2) — Is it time to ask if the Kings will win another game?

* * *

East vs. West

• The West is 151-150 (.502) against the East in interconference games, though the East was 8-6 last week.

Schedule strength through Week 18

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

* * *

Movement in the Rankings

• High jump of the week: Washington (+2)
• Free fall of the week: Indiana (-2)

* * *

Week 19 Team to Watch

• Denver — The Nuggets have lost their last seven games against other teams with winning records, and they’ll have more tests this week. They’ll host the Celtics and Wolves, with a visit to Oklahoma City in between.

* * *

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 114.4 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

San Antonio SpursLast Week:2↑

Record: 40-16

OffRtg: 117.3 (6) DefRtg: 110.7 (3) NetRtg: +6.6 (4) Pace: 101.0 (13)

The Spurs remain undefeated (8-0) in February, having won their two games in Austin handily. All eight wins have been by nine points or more, with the last four coming by an average of 21.3.

Three takeaways

• The first two games of this eight-game winning streak were somewhat ugly, but the Spurs have scored a remarkably efficient 127.2 points per 100 possessions over the last six. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper still aren’t making a lot of 3s, but they’ve combined to shoot 63-for-91 (69%) inside the arc over these last six games.

• The Spurs have won their last six games against teams that are currently over .500 and have the second-best record (19-11) within that group overall. They’re four games into a stretch where they’re playing eight of 10 against winning teams, and the team with the league’s best record (and the best record against other winning teams) is up next.

• The game in Detroit on Monday will probably be won or lost inside. While the Pistons have outscored their opponents in the paint in 32 of their last 33 games, the Spurs have outscored their opponents by an average of 18.3 points in the paint over their eight-game winning streak. Victor Wembanyama has been playing bigger (offensively) of late, taking 57% of his shots in the paint over the last 10 games, up from just 33% over his previous eight.

Coming up: The Spurs have the league’s best record (14-3) in interconference games and now embark on their longest road trip of the season (five games over nine days), which includes visits to four of the top six teams in the East. Wembanyama has played just one career game (fewest against any opponent) against the first-place Pistons, who the Spurs will face twice in the next 11 days.

Week 19: @ DET, @ TOR, @ BKN, @ NYK

#2

Detroit PistonsLast Week:1↓

Record: 42-13

OffRtg: 116.8 (9) DefRtg: 108.3 (2) NetRtg: +8.5 (2) Pace: 100.5 (16)

The Pistons haven’t missed Isaiah Stewart as he’s served the first three games of his seven-game suspension, and they were also without Jalen Duren as they completed their season sweep of the Knicks with another double-digit win.

Three takeaways

• The Pistons have allowed just 102.5 points per 100 possessions over their five-game winning streak, even though Stewart has missed three of the five games, Duren has missed two of the three, and three of the five came against teams – the Knicks (x 2) and Hornets – that rank in the top seven offensively. The Thunder still lead the league defensively by a healthy margin, but the Pistons have allowed fewer points per 100 possessions against the league’s top 10 offenses (107.8) than Oklahoma City has (111.1).

• Paul Reed remains the league’s best third-string center. He had some foul trouble, but still tallied 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks as the starter in New York on Thursday. The Pistons were outscored in Reed’s 19 minutes off the bench (with Duren back in the lineup) in Chicago, but they still have great numbers (plus-11.3 points per 100 possessions) over his 534 total minutes this season.

• The Pistons were outscored from 3-point range in Chicago on Saturday, but they were a plus-30 in the paint, where the Bulls shot just 19-for-39 (49%). The Pistons have outscored their opponents in the paint in 32 of their last 33 games.

Coming up: It’s a great week to watch some hoops in Detroit, as the East-leading Pistons host the top two teams in the West, as well as the surging Cavs (three top-10 offenses). They’ve yet to face either the Spurs or the Thunder and will have a rest advantage against Oklahoma City on Wednesday, when the champs will likely be without both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

Week 19: vs. SAS, vs. OKC, vs. CLE, @ ORL

#3

Oklahoma City ThunderLast Week:3

Record: 44-14

OffRtg: 117.7 (4) DefRtg: 106.1 (1) NetRtg: +11.6 (1) Pace: 100.7 (15)

The Thunder are playing without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, but have come out of the break with two wins. They ended the Cavs’ seven-game winning streak on Sunday afternoon and remain two games in the loss column ahead of the Spurs at the top of the West.

Three takeaways

• Unsurprisingly, the Thunder offense has struggled without their two star ball-handlers. They scored just 103.5 points per 100 possessions over their first four games, with neither Gilgeous-Alexander nor Williams, with turnovers (16.7 per 100 possessions) being a big issue. They’ve also shot just 46.6% in the paint over their last three games (including Sunday).

• But the offense came alive on Sunday, scoring 28 points on its first 16 possessions to take a 23-point lead against Cleveland. That lead eventually disappeared and the paint shooting was below 50% for a third straight game, but the Thunder only trailed briefly and finished 21-for-41 from beyond the arc. It was the third time this season that they made more than half of their 3-point attempts and they’re now 27-5 when they’ve shot the league average (35.9%) or better from deep.

• Isaiah Hartenstein has missed 26 games, but he’s already played 173 more minutes alongside Chet Holmgren (489) than he did last season (316). The bigs have started the last seven of the last nine games together and the Thunder have outscored their opponents by 20.4 points per 100 possessions in those 489 minutes with both on the floor. The bigger difference between those minutes and the minutes with only one of the two on the floor (plus-10.5 per 100) has been on offense.

Coming up: The Thunder are just 3-6 in the second games of back-to-backs, and their first post-All-Star back-to-back concludes with their first game against the Pistons, Wednesday in Detroit. They’ll be in Toronto the night before, starting a stretch where they’re playing five of six on the road.

Week 19: @ TOR, @ DET, vs. DEN, @ DAL

#4

New York KnicksLast Week:4

Record: 37-21

OffRtg: 118.5 (3) DefRtg: 112.7 (11) NetRtg: +5.7 (5) Pace: 98.6 (24)

The Knicks got handled by the Pistons for a third time, with their double-digit loss on Thursday coming at home and with Detroit missing both Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. But they recovered and made a huge, fourth-quarter comeback against the Rockets over the weekend and survived an ugly game in Chicago to remain in third place in the East.

Three takeaways

• Only the Kings and Nets have allowed the Pistons to score more efficiently this season than the Knicks, who allowed 127.2 points per 100 possessions over the three-game season series. Some of that was hot 3-point shooting (45.5%), with Javonte Green somehow shooting 7-for-11 from beyond the arc over the three games. But Detroit also shot relatively well (58.6%) in the paint and the Knicks just couldn’t stop Cade Cunningham on Thursday, when he scored 42 points, targeting lesser defenders, but also going one-on-one with OG Anunoby.

• Karl-Anthony Towns probably didn’t take advantage of the absences of Duren and Stewart as much as he could have, but he’s scored more than 20 points in five straight games, totaling 53 over the back-to-back wins over the Rockets and Bulls. He played all but five seconds of the fourth quarter on Saturday, when the Knicks came back from 18 points down with less than 11 minutes left to beat Houston. And he turned a one-point deficit into a five-point lead with a personal, 6-0 run in the closing minutes in Chicago. Towns has now committed 17 more offensive fouls than any other player in the league, but he’s also registering the highest free-throw rate of his career (42.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field) by a healthy margin.

• This is the third straight year in which the Knicks are near the bottom of the league in total clutch games, but they’ve won five of their last six that were within five points in the last five minutes. They rank fourth in clutch offense, with Jalen Brunson’s clutch usage rate (37.6%) not quite as high as his league-high mark last season (42.4%). He did have the go-ahead bucket (an awkward-looking pull-up) against the Rockets, now 2-for-7 on shots to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime.

Coming up: The Knicks’ win in Chicago on Sunday was the start of a stretch where they’re playing nine of 11 games on the road. They’ll play another pair of marquee matchups this week, visiting the Cavs and hosting the Spurs.

Week 19: @ CLE, @ MIL, vs. SAS

#5

Boston CelticsLast Week:6↑

Record: 37-19

OffRtg: 120.1 (2) DefRtg: 112.2 (7) NetRtg: +7.9 (3) Pace: 95.8 (30)

We don’t know if or when Jayson Tatum might return, but the Celtics continue to do just fine without him. They won the first two games of their four-game trip through the top eight in the West, handling the Warriors and Lakers easily.

Three takeaways

• The Celtics have the fifth-best record (17-12) in games played between the 16 teams currently over .500. They’re 4-1 within that group in February, allowing just 105.9 points per 100 possessions over those five games. Overall, they’ve climbed from 11th to seventh defensively since the start of the month.

• The Lakers were fully healthy against the Celtics on Sunday, but they scored less than a point per possession for just the fourth time, with their 21-for-46 (46%) in the paint being their worst paint-shooting game of the season. Boston now ranks second in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (53.6%) and first in the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint (44%).

• Payton Pritchard has come off the bench for the last seven games, but has averaged 34.0 minutes and 24.9 points per 36 over that stretch, up from 32.6 minutes and 18.5 per 36 as a starter. He had 30 points on 10-for-14 shooting (6-for-9 from 3-point range) against the Lakers on Sunday and is now 107-for-193 (55.4%) on pull-up 2-pointers, second to only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander among 30 players who’ve attempted at least 150.

Coming up: The last two games of the Celtics’ four-game trip are also the first two games of their third (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage in Denver on Wednesday, having lost the first meeting with a 14-0, Nuggets run in the fourth quarter.

Week 19: @ PHX, @ DEN, vs. BKN, vs. PHI

#6

Denver NuggetsLast Week:5↓

Record: 36-22

OffRtg: 120.9 (1) DefRtg: 116.3 (22) NetRtg: +4.7 (7) Pace: 98.9 (22)

The Nuggets won by 54 points (playing at a rest disadvantage) in Portland on Friday, but that win was sandwiched by losses to the Clippers and Warriors (in which they blew fourth-quarter leads). They’re still in third place in the West, but they’re just 3-6 in February.

Three takeaways

• With the 54-point win skewing the numbers, the Nuggets have a positive point differential this month. But their defense continues to be sub-par, and they’ve allowed 118.9 points per 100 possessions over their eight February games outside of Portland. The Warriors’ 128 points on 106 possessions on Sunday (when they attempted 52 3-pointers) were their second-most-efficient performance in their 18 games without Stephen Curry.

• Five of the Nuggets’ six February losses have also been within five points in the last five minutes, and they continue to rank 29th in clutch defense, having allowed 91 points on 68 clutch defensive possessions (1.34 per) this month. With the loss at Golden State (in which the Warriors went on a 15-0 run with a little more than seven minutes left), the Nuggets have a losing record (14-15) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes.

• The Nuggets lost to the Warriors despite a ridiculous line (35 points, 20 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals and two blocks) from Nikola Jokić. The three-time Kia MVP continues to lead the league in both rebounds per game (12.5) and assists per game (10.5), something no player in NBA history has ever done … in the same season or separate ones.

Coming up: The Nuggets are just 1-7 against the six teams ahead of (or tied with) them in the combined standings, with the one win coming (without Jokić) in Boston in early January. They’ll have a rest advantage against the Celtics on Wednesday and should be healthier in their second meeting with the Thunder than they were when they lost the first.

Week 19: vs. BOS, @ OKC, vs. MIN

#7

Cleveland CavaliersLast Week:7

Record: 36-22

OffRtg: 117.6 (5) DefRtg: 113.2 (12) NetRtg: +4.4 (8) Pace: 101.5 (11)

The Cavs won their first five games with James Harden, but their seven-game winning streak came to an end in Oklahoma City on Sunday, and some more big games are ahead.

Three takeaways

• Even before Harden’s arrival, the Cavs were looking more like the team that led the league in offensive efficiency last season. They’ve had the league’s No. 1 offense (122.9 points scored per 100 possessions) over the last month, with Jarrett Allen scoring more (and more efficiently) inside and Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson combining to shoot 60-for-115 (52%) from 3-point range over those 13 games.

• The defense hasn’t been great, in part because Evan Mobley missed the last seven games before the All-Star break and has played just 44 total minutes over the three games since. The Cavs will give up some 3s, and the Hornets and Thunder combined to make 41 shots from beyond the arc against them over the weekend. Cleveland is one of four teams that have allowed 20 made 3s in eight games or more and is 2-6 in those games.

• The Cavs have 11 wins over teams that currently have winning records over their 19-6 stretch since late December, but they’re still just 1-8 within the top five in the East. They’ve scored just 110.2 points per 100 possessions over those nine games and the one win (at Detroit) came in October. They’ll play four games against the Knicks, Pistons (x 2) and Celtics in the next two weeks, currently trailing New York by a half game.

Coming up: The Cavs will also play some softer competition this week, but their visit to Milwaukee on Wednesday is the end of their third (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. With their win in Charlotte on Friday, they’re 6-3 (4-1 on the road) in the second games of back-to-backs.

Week 19: vs. NYK, @ MIL, @ DET, @ BKN

#8

Houston RocketsLast Week:8

Record: 34-21

OffRtg: 116.8 (8) DefRtg: 112.0 (6) NetRtg: +4.9 (6) Pace: 96.5 (29)

The Rockets were on their way to an impressive, two-game road trip through Charlotte and New York, but then blew an 18-point, fourth-quarter lead at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, turning the ball over nine times in the last 10 1/2 minutes.

Three takeaways

• Both games went down to the wire, and while the Rockets did enough to beat the Hornets, they came up empty against the Knicks, scoring just seven points (with six turnovers) on 11 clutch offensive possessions. They rank 20th in clutch effective field goal percentage (47.1%) and 29th in clutch turnover rate (16.3 per 100 possessions), with three of the 12 players who have committed at least 10 clutch turnovers this season.

• Overall, the Rockets have scored more efficiently than the league average (114.4 points per 100 possessions) in just five of their last 24 games, having done so in 25 of their first 31. They rank just 25th offensively since Jan. 1, and have been especially anemic (102.6 scored per 100) with Kevin Durant off the floor over that stretch. They were outscored by 17 points in his 9:40 on the bench in their two-point loss in New York on Saturday.

Coming up: The Rockets haven’t been great (19-11) against the 14 teams that currently have losing records, but they’re 8-2 against that group since mid-January, with the only two losses coming to the teams – the Hornets and Clippers – that have been playing much better over the last several weeks. They’ll return home to face the Jazz and Kings before heading back East for a three-game trip.

Week 19: vs. UTA, vs. SAC, @ ORL, @ MIA

#9

Minnesota TimberwolvesLast Week:9

Record: 35-23

OffRtg: 116.7 (10) DefRtg: 112.6 (9) NetRtg: +4.1 (9) Pace: 101.7 (9)

The Wolves continue to have a hard time sustaining any level of success, and a three-game winning streak came to an end on Sunday, when they had a rest advantage and got blown out (at home) by the Embiid-less Sixers.

Three takeaways

• They allowed just 103.4 points per 100 possessions over their three-game winning streak, but they were without Rudy Gobert on Sunday, with the four-time Defensive Player of the Year serving a one-game suspension for an accumulation of flagrant-foul points. The Sixers scored 135 points on 102 possessions (132.4 per 100) in their 27-point win after scoring just 102.7 per 100 over the four-game losing streak that preceded it.

• Gobert’s on-off differential has come down in the last couple of months, but the Wolves have still allowed 8.5 more points per 100 possessions with him off the floor (116.5) than they have with him on the floor (108.0). That’s a huge differential for a starter and Gobert’s biggest such differential in his four seasons in Minnesota.

• It didn’t help the defense that the Wolves committed 14 live-ball turnovers on Sunday, their second highest total of the season. They’ve actually seen a drop in turnover rate from last season, even with the sure-handed Mike Conley (who made his return on Sunday) seeing a reduced role. Despite his four turnovers against the Sixers, Donte DiVincenzo has registered the highest assist/turnover ratio of his career (2.76) by a healthy margin.

Coming up: The Wolves are 0-3 vs. Denver, with Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards (who missed the first meeting) having combined to shoot just 9-for-43 (21%) from 3-point range over the three games. The fourth and final (regular season) meeting is in Denver on Sunday, the end of a three-game trip for the Wolves.

Week 19: @ POR, @ LAC, @ DEN

#10

Phoenix SunsLast Week:10

Record: 33-25

OffRtg: 113.4 (18) DefRtg: 112.5 (8) NetRtg: +0.9 (14) Pace: 98.7 (23)

The Suns are still in seventh place in the West, but a pair of untimely injuries may derail their surprise season. Devin Booker’s hip strain (suffered Thursday) could be short-term, but Dillon Brooks could be out for an extended period after breaking his left hand on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• Booker played less than nine minutes on Thursday, Brooks played just seven minutes on Saturday, and the Suns’ loss in Portland on Sunday night was their first game in which neither was available. The Suns haven’t been super potent offensively (115.5 points scored per 100 possessions) with both on the floor, but these three post-break games have been, easily, their worst stretch of offense this season (94.0 per 100).

• Amazingly, they still beat the Magic on Saturday, with Jalen Green draining the game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in double-overtime after missing nine of his first 10 attempts from beyond the arc. Green played in just seven of the Suns’ 55 games before the All-Star break, but has started all three games since, including both games of their weekend back-to-back.

• Green has taken just 131 total shots this season, but he’s registering career-low marks for both free throw rate (14.5 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and the percentage of his shots (31%) that have come in the paint. Before the win over the Magic, the Suns had a seven-game stretch where they were outscored by 10.6 points per game from the free-throw line, and they’ve been outscored by 60 points in the paint over their last five.

Coming up: The Suns are two games into a stretch where they’re playing seven of eight at home, and the schedule gets much easier in March, but Booker and Brooks will remain out as they host the Celtics and Lakers this week. They’re currently two games behind L.A. and have won two of the first three meetings.

Week 19: vs. BOS, vs. LAL

#11

Los Angeles LakersLast Week:11

Record: 34-22

OffRtg: 116.0 (11) DefRtg: 116.7 (24) NetRtg: -0.7 (18) Pace: 99.6 (20)

The Lakers continue to follow the script, beating the Clippers by three points and losing to the Celtics by 22, now 4-3 on a stretch of eight straight home games.

Three takeaways

• The Lakers’ two games last week were just the 11th and 12th times that Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James have all been available. They’re 8-4 in those games, even though they’ve been outscored by 9.7 points per 100 possessions in their 192 minutes on the floor together. The defense should be the larger concern with that trio, but offensive numbers (107.7 scored per 100) have been worse.

• The Lakers still lead the league in free throw rate (31.9 attempts per 100 shots from the field), but no longer lead it in free throw differential, having been outscored from the line in each of their last five games. Their loss to the Celtics on Sunday came with both their lowest free throw rate in the last month and their worst field goal percentage in the paint (21-for-46, 46%) all season.

• The Clippers had won their last eight clutch games prior to Friday, when they ran into what has been the league’s best clutch team. At 16-3, the Lakers are now tied for the second best clutch record in the 30 seasons of play-by-play data, though the 19 clutch games is still two fewer than any other team has played this season. When the Lakers lose, they lose big, and they’re now 11-14 (10th best) in games played between the 16 teams with winning records, with 10 of those 14 losses (and only two of the 11 wins) having come by more than 15 points.

Coming up: The Lakers’ schedule remains home-heavy for another three weeks, but their visit to Golden State on Saturday is the start of their second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. First they’ll visit the Suns (who they lead by two games), having allowed 124.5 points per 100 possessions over the first three meetings.

Week 19: vs. ORL, @ PHX, @ GSW, vs. SAC

#12

Toronto RaptorsLast Week:12

Record: 34-23

OffRtg: 113.8 (16) DefRtg: 111.7 (5) NetRtg: +2.1 (11) Pace: 99.3 (21)

The Raptors remain very much in the hunt for a top-four seed in the East, having taken care of business in Chicago and Milwaukee in their first two games out of the break, despite missing Scottie Barnes (personal reasons) against the Bucks on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Raptors are back in the top five on defense, having held their opponent under a point per possession for the 10th and 11th times last week. The Thunder (15) are the only other team with more than eight games of allowing less than a point per possession.

• Toronto is also in the top five in opponent 3-point percentage (34.4%) for the second straight season. Maybe the Raptors are a little fortunate in that regard, but according to tracking data, the percentage of their opponents’ 3-point attempts that have been wide open (50%) is lower than the league-average rate (52%). The Bulls and Bucks were a combined 21-for-72 (29%) from deep against them last week, but the Raptors also forced 42 turnovers over the two games. Toronto ranks fourth in opponent turnover rate (16.0 per 100 possessions), having seen the league’s fourth biggest jump from last season.

• The Raptors are just 4-13 (only six teams have been worse) against the 10 teams that have better overall records than they do. Three of those four wins were against Cleveland and the other came in Oklahoma City last month, when Immanuel Quickley made two straight 3s with less than two minutes left.

Coming up: The Raptors have 10 games remaining against those top 10 teams, with four of the 10 coming in the next 11 days. The Thunder and Spurs will make their lone trips to Toronto for a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back this week and the Raptors will be at a rest disadvantage against San Antonio.

Week 19: vs. OKC, vs. SAS, @ WAS

#13

Philadelphia 76ersLast Week:13

Record: 31-26

OffRtg: 114.8 (13) DefRtg: 114.4 (15) NetRtg: +0.3 (16) Pace: 99.9 (19)

Joel Embiid has missed the last five games and the Sixers lost the first four before picking up a critical, rest-disadvantage win in Minnesota on Sunday. That has them hanging onto sixth place in the East, a half-game ahead of both Orlando and Miami.

Three takeaways

• The Sixers without Embiid and Paul George (who’s 10 games through his 25-game suspension) are a lot like last season’s Sixers. Even with the win in Minnesota on Sunday (their fourth-best offensive game of the season), they’re 6-12 when Tyrese Maxey has played without George or Embiid, having scored just 110.8 points per 100 possessions over those 18 games.

• The Sixers rank last in field goal percentage in the paint (54.9%), and they shot just 37-for-83 (44.6%) in the paint over their losses to the Hawks and Pelicans last week. VJ Edgecombe is one of two players (LaMelo Ball is the other) who have shot below 50% on at least 300 attempts in the paint this season.

• Edgecombe was just 1-for-7 in the paint in Minnesota on Sunday (even though Rudy Gobert didn’t play), but he made six of his seven attempts from 3-point range as the Sixers broke out offensively and outscored the Wolves by 33 points from beyond the arc. They’re now 8-3 (6-1 on the road) in the second games of back-to-backs, having scored 120.0 points per 100 possessions over those 11 games. Edgecombe (30-for-64, 46.9%), Kelly Oubre Jr. (21-for-50, 42.0%) and Quentin Grimes (24-for-58, 41.4%) are three of the 24 players who’ve shot better than 40% on at least 50 3-point attempts in the second games of back-to-backs.

Coming up: The Sixers are 2-1 against the Celtics, having held the league’s second-ranked offense to just 111.7 points per 100 possessions (Boston’s fourth-worst mark vs. any opponent) over the three games. The fourth and final meeting is Sunday in Boston.

Week 19: @ IND, vs. MIA, @ BOS

#14

LA ClippersLast Week:14

Record: 27-30

OffRtg: 115.3 (12) DefRtg: 115.7 (20) NetRtg: -0.4 (17) Pace: 96.7 (28)

The Clippers’ last four games have all been determined by three points or less, and, appropriately, they’ve split the four. They could be above .500 right now if a pair of last-second 3-pointers (from Nicolas Batum against the Lakers and Bennedict Mathurin against the Magic) went down.

Three takeaways

• Kawhi Leonard is averaging 30.1 points (on a true shooting percentage of 63.0%), 6.7 rebounds, four assists and 2.1 steals over his 27 games since the Clippers turned their season around. And with James Harden now in Cleveland, Leonard is handling the ball more. He’s averaged a team-high 5.0 minutes of possession (16% of his time on the floor) in February, up from 4.3 minutes (13%) prior.

• Though Brook Lopez (who shoots mostly 3s) has replaced Ivica Zubac (who doesn’t shoot outside of the paint) in the starting lineup, the Clippers have taken just 32.4% of their shots (the league’s second-lowest rate) from 3-point range over their 10 games since James Harden last played, down from 43.3% (11th highest) prior. The Lakers rank 27th in 3-point differential, but they were a plus-27 from beyond the arc in their three-point win over the Clippers on Friday.

• With their split against the Nuggets and Lakers last week, the Clippers are 9-12 (8-3 since Dec. 20) against the top eight teams in the West. They’re three games behind the eighth-place Warriors and have 10 games left against the top eight, set to host the Wolves on Thursday.

Coming up: The Clippers have a pair of multi-day breaks this week, but they also have two remaining stretches of five games in seven days. The first begins with a visit from the Pelicans on Sunday.

Week 19: vs. MIN, vs. NOP

#15

Charlotte HornetsLast Week:15

Record: 27-31

OffRtg: 117.1 (7) DefRtg: 115.1 (17) NetRtg: +2.0 (12) Pace: 98.3 (26)

The Hornets suffered a pair of tough, clutch losses to the Rockets and Cavs after the break, sliding back to 10th place in the East. But they began an easier stretch of schedule with a comfortable win in Washington on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Hornets are 18-15 (sixth best in the East) in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes. But they’re now 9-16 in the clutch, having allowed Houston and Cleveland to score 17 points on 10 clutch possessions over those two losses last week. They continue to have the fifth-best point differential in NBA history (plus-1.9 per game) for a team with a losing record.

• The Hornets have scored 122.7 points per 100 possessions with LaMelo Ball on the floor, the best on-court mark on offense for any player who’s averaged at least 10 minutes per game and isn’t on the Nuggets. But they’ve scored just 109.4 per 100 with him off the floor, and bench minutes were a problem in the losses to Houston and Cleveland. Ball shot just 9-for-31 over the two games, but the Hornets still outscored the opponents by 17 points in his 58 minutes. Unfortunately, they were outscored by 26 in his 38 minutes on the bench, with the two losses coming by a total of nine points.

• The bench minutes didn’t matter as much in Washington on Sunday, when Ball found his shot (10-for-15 from 3-point range) and scored 37 points in less than 28 minutes. He remains wildly inconsistent and his true shooting percentage (53.6%) is basically tied with his mark from last season for the worst mark in his six years in the league. He remains a jump-shooter, with only 37% of his shots having come in the paint, and his free-throw rate (career-low 15.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field) ranks 90th among 102 players with at least 500 field goal attempts.

Coming up: The Hornets’ win in Washington on Sunday was the start of five straight games against teams with losing records, but they’re 0-2 against the Pacers, having allowed the league’s 30th-ranked offense to score 121.7 points per 100 possessions (the Pacers’ best mark vs. any opponent) over the two games. They’ll close out a three-game trip in Indiana on Thursday night.

Week 19: @ CHI, @ IND, vs. POR

#16

Golden State WarriorsLast Week:16

Record: 30-27

OffRtg: 114.4 (14) DefRtg: 112.6 (10) NetRtg: +1.7 (13) Pace: 100.8 (14)

Stephen Curry has been out for the last seven games and will miss at least three more. The Warriors were sliding toward .500, but came up with a stunning, fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Nuggets on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• With their loss to Boston (in which they trailed by as many as 34 points) on Thursday, the Warriors were 3-9 with neither Curry nor Jimmy Butler in the lineup, having scored just 102.0 points per 100 possessions over those 12 games. But they had seven guys in double figures and 42 assists on 48 buckets (the fourth highest assist rate for any team this season) as they scored 128 points on 106 possessions against Denver on Sunday.

• The Warriors have ranked in the top six in both ball and player movement in each of their previous 11 seasons that Steve Kerr has been their coach, and they’re third and eighth this season.

• They continue to lead the league in 3-point rate and have taken an amazing 57% of their shots from beyond the arc over the last nine games. The Warriors were outscored by 14 points in the paint and by another 14 at the free-throw line by the Nuggets on Sunday, but were plus-39 (shooting 21-for-52) from beyond the arc. That has them on pace to tie the record (held by last season’s Celtics) for the most games (66) in which a team outscored its opponent from 3-point range.

Coming up: The Warriors are 11-6 (2-5 on the road) against the seven teams behind them in the Western Conference standings, set to play a back-to-back in New Orleans and Memphis on Tuesday and Wednesday. Their schedule will get tougher after that.

Week 19: @ NOP, @ MEM, vs. LAL

#17

Orlando MagicLast Week:17

Record: 30-26

OffRtg: 113.7 (17) DefRtg: 113.4 (13) NetRtg: +0.3 (15) Pace: 100.3 (17)

After opening their four-game trip out West by outscoring the Kings by 36 points (51-15) over the last 17 minutes on Thursday, the Magic played a couple of thrillers in which their fate came down to an opponent’s 3-point attempt that was in the air as the buzzer sounded. Jalen Green made his 3 for the win on Saturday, but Bennedict Mathurin missed his the following night, and the Magic split the two games.

Three takeaways

• Even with their 37-point win in Sacramento, the Magic are just 12-16 (10th best in the East) in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes. With their weekend split, they’re 18-10 (fifth best overall) in the clutch, even though they rank in the bottom 10 in clutch offense.

• The Magic would not have been your first (or 20th) bet to set a new league-wide season-high for 3-pointers in a game this season, but they did just that in Sacramento on Thursday, going 27-for-50 (54%) from beyond the arc in a blowout win over the Kings. They’re still one of five teams that rank in the bottom 10 in both 3-point percentage (24th) and 3-point rate (24th).

• Desmond Bane totaled 70 points over the two weekend games, even though he fouled out early in the first overtime on Saturday. He’s averaging 25.0 on an effective field goal percentage of 73.6% over his last 11 games, up from 18.9 on 50.8% before that.

Coming up: The Magic have split their first two games (both in Detroit) with the first-place Pistons, a potential playoff opponent. They’ll have two more meetings in the regular season, with the first coming in Orlando on Sunday.

Week 19: @ LAL, vs. HOU, vs. DET

#18

Miami HeatLast Week:18

Record: 31-27

OffRtg: 114.1 (15) DefRtg: 111.3 (4) NetRtg: +2.8 (10) Pace: 104.9 (1)

Tyler Herro is back, and the Heat offense has come out of the break strong. With comfortable wins over the Hawks and Grizzlies, they’re still eighth in the East with a chance to move up a spot or two.

Three takeaways

• Herro came off the bench, but (after missing the last 15 games before the break) he played in both games of the Heat’s Friday-Saturday back-to-back. He scored a team-high 24 points (on 9-for-14 shooting) in Atlanta, though the Heat scored more efficiently with him off the floor over the two games than they did with him on the floor.

• Overall, the Heat scored 125.7 per 100 over the two games without shooting lights out (26-for-71, 37%) from 3-point range. They scored more than 70 points in the paint for the seventh and eighth times this season, with five guys totaling at least 18 paint points over the two games. For the season, the Heat rank fourth in the percentage of their shots (53%) that have come in the paint, though their field goal percentage in the paint (55.3%) ranks 28th.

• With the two wins last week, the Heat are 21-7 (seventh best in the league) against the 14 teams currently below .500, having allowed just 106.9 points per 100 possessions over those 28 games.

Coming up: That record includes a win (in their only meeting) against the Bucks, and the Heat will complete a stretch of six straight games against the currently-below-.500 group when they play in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Then they’ll visit Philly, currently just a half game behind the sixth-place Sixers. The Heat won the first meeting back in November, but are just 1-10 within the top eight in the East since Thanksgiving.

Week 19: @ MIL, @ PHI, vs. HOU

#19

Atlanta HawksLast Week:20↑

Record: 28-31

OffRtg: 113.3 (20) DefRtg: 114.7 (16) NetRtg: -1.4 (19) Pace: 102.9 (3)

With an opportunity to make things interesting regarding the No. 8 seed in the East, the Hawks got clobbered by the Heat on Friday. But they stayed ahead of the 10th-place Hornets by winning their other two games last week.

Three takeaways

• CJ McCollum has been closing most games in place of Zaccharie Risacher, and the Hawks made that change (McCollum in, Risacher out) to the starting lineup on Sunday. The Hawks have had five different players log at least 50 minutes alongside the other four starters, and the McCollum lineup has been the best among the five, with Atlanta outscoring opponents by 23.5 points per 100 possessions in its 102 minutes total.

• Risacher, who came off the bench for the first time since his second game as a rookie, hasn’t seen much improvement in his second season. He’s shot better in the paint (57.8%) than he did as a rookie (55.6%), but has still seen a drop in overall scoring efficiency. He’s not much of a rebounder for his size and his 1.9 assists per 36 minutes rank 285th among 329 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes.

• The Hawks haven’t been particularly good at home (11-16) or against the other 13 teams that currently have losing records (13-11). And they were down 11 to the Nets at home with seven minutes left on Sunday. But they finished the game on a 24-2 run to improve to 5-5 at State Farm Arena against the currently-below-.500 group..

Coming up: With that win, the Hawks are two games into a stretch where they’re playing 10 of 11 at home and just one game into a stretch where they’re playing eight of nine against teams that currently have losing records. They’ve split their first two games with the Wizards, who will be in Atlanta for two games this week.

Week 19: vs. WAS, vs. WAS, vs. POR

#20

Portland Trail BlazersLast Week:19↓

Record: 28-30

OffRtg: 112.9 (23) DefRtg: 115.5 (18) NetRtg: -2.6 (21) Pace: 102.1 (7)

The Blazers got absolutely clobbered by the Nuggets on Friday, but they’ve won five of their last seven games and are back within two games of .500 after winning ugly against the shorthanded Suns on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• You have to wonder how much Deni Avdija is going to be able to play over the last seven weeks of the season. He played less than a minute in Phoenix on Sunday, leaving early (again) with continued back issues, and he’s played more than 20 minutes in just six of the Blazers’ last 18 games. The Blazers were much better with Avdija on the floor prior, but have been outscored by 18 points per 100 possessions in his limited (193) minutes over this 18-game stretch and have won seven of the 12 games in which he’s played fewer than 20.

• Their win in Phoenix ended a streak of 11 straight games where the Blazers committed more turnovers than their opponent. They actually had 21 on Sunday, but the Suns (playing without Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks) committed 23 and scored just 77 points on 94 possessions. Mattisse Thybulle played his first two games since October last week and totaled four steals in less than 25 minutes against the Nuggets and Suns. He was the league leader in deflections per 36 minutes (5.3) in 2023-24, but has played in just 21 of a possible 140 games over the last two seasons.

• With their split against Denver and Phoenix last week, the Blazers are 11-12 against the eight teams ahead of them in the Western Conference. Eight of those 12 losses have come by 13 points or more, and they include a 24-point loss in Minnesota before the All-Star break. The Wolves will be in Portland on Tuesday, before the Blazers’ schedule starts to get much easier in regard to the opponents.

Coming up: The Blazers are 50-19 all-time against the Hornets/Bobcats, their best record against any opponent. They’ll face Charlotte twice in the next two weeks, with the first meeting being the second game of a five-game trip that begins Thursday in Chicago.

Week 19: vs. MIN, @ CHI, @ CHA, @ ATL

#21

Milwaukee BucksLast Week:21

Record: 24-31

OffRtg: 113.2 (21) DefRtg: 116.5 (23) NetRtg: -3.3 (23) Pace: 98.4 (25)

The Bucks have won some games without Giannis Antetokounmpo, going 6-1 over a stretch that extended through their first game after the All-Star break. But they came back down to earth with a 28-point loss to Toronto on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Antetokounmpo’s on-off differential has been much bigger on offense, but the Bucks ranked fourth offensively (122.8 points scored per 100 possessions) over the 6-1 stretch, with their 139 points on 103 possessions in New Orleans on Friday being their most efficient performance of the season.

• Cam Thomas had a quiet night (four points on 1-for-5 shooting) in his Bucks debut two weeks ago, but he’s averaged 36.4 points per 36 minutes on 56% shooting over his four games since. The Bucks have scored 121.9 points per 100 possessions (and allowed 120.5 per 100) in his 100 total minutes on the floor.

• But the Bucks came up empty offensively against the Raptors on Sunday, the sixth time they’ve scored less than a point per possession. Four of those six games have come without Antetokounmpo, and the Bucks are now 9-16 without their All-Star.

Coming up: The Bucks are one game into a stretch where they’re playing nine of 10 at home, but their visit from Miami on Tuesday is the start of their second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. They trail the eighth-place Heat by 5 1/2 games (only four in the loss column), having lost the first meeting (without Antetokounmpo) by three points.

Week 19: vs. MIA, vs. CLE, vs. NYK, @ CHI

#22

Chicago BullsLast Week:22

Record: 24-34

OffRtg: 112.8 (24) DefRtg: 117.2 (25) NetRtg: -4.4 (24) Pace: 102.4 (5)

The Bulls’ losing streak almost ended on Sunday, when they erased a 13-point deficit and led the Knicks by one with less than three minutes left. But they went scoreless on their next four possessions and the streak hit nine games.

Two takeaways

• The losing streak began on Feb. 1, and the Bulls rank 29th on both ends of the floor this month, with the bigger drop-off having come on offense. The roster obviously underwent a major overhaul, with Matas Buzelis and Patrick Williams being the only Bulls who’ve played in all nine games. Josh Giddey was also out for the six-game, pre-break portion of the streak and has shot just 13-for-33 (39%) over the three games since the break.

• Jaden Ivey seemed like the guy with the biggest opportunity on this post-deadline, mishmash of a roster, but he’s dealing with knee pain and is out at least two weeks. So we’re back to Giddey and Buzelis being the foundation for whatever comes next. Consistency remains an issue for Buzelis, but the flashes are there (he had six blocks against the Pistons on Saturday) and he’s seen increases from his rookie year in efficiency and per-36 numbers.

Coming up: The 12th-place Bulls are 4-5 (with three straight losses) against the three teams – Atlanta, Charlotte and Milwaukee – directly ahead of them in the Eastern Conference, set to host the Hornets and Bucks this week.

Week 19: vs. CHA, vs. POR, vs. MIL

#23

New Orleans PelicansLast Week:24↑

Record: 16-42

OffRtg: 112.5 (25) DefRtg: 118.1 (27) NetRtg: -5.6 (25) Pace: 101.2 (12)

The Pelicans are still competing and, playing with a rest disadvantage, they got a comeback win over the Sixers on Saturday. At one point, they were 1-25 against the 16 teams that are currently over .500. But they’ve since won three of their last six against that group.

Two takeaways

• The victory on Saturday was also the Pelicans’ first win (they were previously 0-5) without Trey Murphy III, who has missed their first two games out of the All-Star break. They somehow got even bigger with their lineup, starting DeAndre Jordan (who hadn’t played since October) alongside Derik Queen, Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey and Herb Jones. Jordan played more than 31 minutes and finished with 15 rebounds and four blocks, as the Pels held their opponent below 50% shooting in the paint for just the fourth time this season.

• The Pelicans do have some guards, and Jordan Poole played in both games last week (scoring 23 points off the bench on Saturday) after being DNP’d in the last nine games before the break. Dejounte Murray was also listed as doubtful for the win over the Sixers, and he could be making his season debut this week, having torn his Achilles on Jan. 31 of last year. The Pels outscored their opponents by 8.5 points per 100 possessions with Murray and Zion Williamson on the floor together last season, but that was for a total of just 108 minutes.

Coming up: After hosting the Warriors on Tuesday, the Pels will begin their longest road trip of the season (six games) with two games in Utah. The last five games of the trip are their second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 19: vs. GSW, @ UTA, @ UTA, @ LAC

#24

Dallas MavericksLast Week:23↓

Record: 20-36

OffRtg: 110.3 (26) DefRtg: 113.6 (14) NetRtg: -3.3 (22) Pace: 102.6 (4)

The Mavs have been without Cooper Flagg for the last three games and they’ve extinguished all hope of a Kyrie Irving return this season. But they ended their 10-game losing streak with a win in Indiana on Sunday.

Two takeaways

• The Mavs still rank as the league’s sixth-most improved defensive team, having allowed 1.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season. But they’ve slid from sixth to 14th on that end of the floor since the start of the 10-game losing streak. The win in Indiana on Sunday was an offensive breakthrough, just the seventh time that they’ve scored more than 125 points per 100 possessions.

• The Mavs had scored just 102.5 points per 100 possessions in Khris Middleton’s 73 minutes on the floor before Sunday. But they got a vintage Middleton performance in Indiana, as he shot 5-for-5 from mid-range on his way to a team-high 25 points (adding seven assists) in the win. Kevin Durant (53.3%), Nikola Jokić (50.3%) and Middleton (50.1%) are the only players who’ve shot better than 50% on at least 500 mid-range attempts over the last five seasons.

Coming up: With their win in Indiana on Sunday, the Mavs are 9-8 (with four straight wins) in games played between the bottom eight teams in the league, set to play three more games within that group this week.

Week 19: @ BKN, vs. SAC, vs. MEM, vs. OKC

#25

Memphis GrizzliesLast Week:25

Record: 21-34

OffRtg: 113.1 (22) DefRtg: 115.5 (19) NetRtg: -2.4 (20) Pace: 101.6 (10)

Still missing several of the top players remaining on their roster, the Grizzlies came out of the All-Star break with some makeshift lineups. But they managed to beat the Jazz before becoming the fourth team to match its loss total from last season (48-34), falling in Miami on Saturday.

Two takeaways

• The Grizzlies had a better-than-average defense (114.3 points allowed per 100 possessions) through their first 46 games, but they rank 29th on that end of the floor (121.7 allowed per 100) over their last nine. Much of that drop-off (which somewhat coincides with Jaren Jackson Jr.’s departure) has been about paint defense, and Saturday was the second time that they allowed the Heat to score at least 70 points in the paint.

• Jaylen Wells is the one starter who’s playing right now, and he had one of his best offensive games of the season in Miami on Saturday, scoring 25 points (in just 27 minutes) on 10-for-13 shooting. Wells has seen a jump in usage rate from last season, but his efficiency has seen a drop, as he’s shot worse in the paint, from 3-point range and from the free-throw line than he did as a rookie. He’s shot a solid 45-for-90 (50%) on pull-up 2-pointers, but that’s obviously not a high volume.

Coming up: The Grizzlies are still less than halfway through a stretch where they’re playing 10 of 15 games against teams with losing records. They’re now 9-3 against the four teams behind them in the Western Conference standings, set to face the Kings (3-0) and Mavs (2-0) this week.

Week 19: vs. SAC, vs. GSW, @ DAL, @ IND

#26

Utah JazzLast Week:26

Record: 18-39

OffRtg: 113.4 (19) DefRtg: 120.8 (30) NetRtg: -7.4 (27) Pace: 103.1 (2)

The Jazz managed to lose a game – Friday in Memphis – against a team that had Jahmai Mashack and Lawson Lovering in the starting lineup. They’re still sixth in the upside-down standings, but are just 3-12 since late December against the other 13 teams that are currently below .500.

Two takeaways

• The Jazz still rank last defensively (for what would be the third straight season), but they’ve allowed just 110.4 points per 100 possessions (10th) over their eight games in February. That stretch coincides with Keyonte George having played just 13 minutes over those eight games and the Jazz have now allowed 10.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with George off the floor (113.9 per 100) than they have with him on the floor (124.2 per 100).

• Lauri Markkanen missed the loss in Memphis with an illness. The Jazz are now 1-15 without him this season and 3-32 without him since last March.

Coming up: The Jazz have seven games remaining against the bottom eight teams in the league, including all three of this season’s meetings with the Pelicans. They’ll play two games in Utah on Thursday and Saturday.

Week 19: @ HOU, vs. NOP, vs. NOP

#27

Washington WizardsLast Week:29↑

Record: 16-40

OffRtg: 109.6 (28) DefRtg: 120.0 (28) NetRtg: -10.4 (29) Pace: 102.1 (6)

The Wizards swept a back-to-back with the Pacers last week, climbing out of the basement in the Eastern Conference and to 29th in point differential.

Two takeaways

• The Wizards have allowed 128.5 points per 100 possessions over their last four losses, but the Pacers’ 30th-ranked offense scored just 105.8 per 100 over the Thursday-Friday back-to-back. The second win was the Wizards’ first (they were previously 0-9) in the second game of a back-to-back, and they’re now 2-36 without rest over the last three seasons.

• With Anthony Davis not playing and Alex Sarr (hamstring strain) missing the last four games, the Wizards have had to put together a makeshift frontline. Tristan Vukcevic (hand injury) also missed their loss to the Hornets on Sunday, when the Wizards were clobbered on the glass. For the season, they’ve grabbed just 66.7% of available defensive rebounds, the lowest rate for any team in the last 14 seasons.

Coming up: The Wizards have split their first two meetings with the Hawks, with their Nov. 25 win being their second best offensive game of the season. They’ll finish the season series with two games in Atlanta this week, and Washington’s schedule will get tougher after that.

Week 19: @ ATL, @ ATL, vs. TOR

#28

Brooklyn NetsLast Week:28

Record: 15-41

OffRtg: 109.6 (27) DefRtg: 117.4 (26) NetRtg: -7.8 (28) Pace: 97.0 (27)

The Nets had a rough start to their post-break schedule, scoring an amazingly anemic 85.9 points per 100 possessions as they lost in Cleveland and Oklahoma City. They were better in Atlanta on Sunday, holding an 11-point lead with eight minutes left … but then scored two points on their final 16 possessions as the Hawks finished the game on a 24-2 run.

Two takeaways

• With their losses in Cleveland and Oklahoma City last week, the Nets are 5-27 (with 11 straight losses) against the 16 teams that currently have winning records. They’ve scored an anemic 90.8 points per 100 possessions as the last five of those losses have come by an average of 27.2 points.

Coming up: The Nets will host the Mavs (to whom they’ve already lost twice) on Tuesday and then play six straight games against that currently-over-.500 group.

Week 19: vs. DAL, vs. SAS, @ BOS, vs. CLE

#29

Indiana PacersLast Week:27↓

Record: 15-43

OffRtg: 108.7 (30) DefRtg: 116.1 (21) NetRtg: -7.3 (26) Pace: 102.0 (8)

The Pacers went into the All-Star break with two straight wins, and they came out of the break with three games against teams – Washington (x 2) and Dallas – in the bottom eight of the league. But they lost all three, falling back into last place in the Eastern Conference.

Two takeaways

• The Pacers still do a decent job of taking care of the ball, given how much it moves in their offense. But they’ve seen the league’s fourth biggest jump in turnover rate from last season, and they committed 44 total turnovers in their two losses in Washington last week. They were without Pascal Siakam (personal reasons) in both games, and have a much lower turnover rate with him on the floor (12.8 per 100 possessions) than they do with him off (15.7 per 100).

• Jarace Walker has been handling the ball more of late and was responsible for 10 of those 44 turnovers in Washington. But he’s now scored in double figures in each of his last 13 games, averaging 21 points per 36 minutes over that stretch. He has an effective field goal percentage of 56.9% since Christmas, up from a brutal 41.3% prior.

Coming up: The Pacers’ post-break schedule gets a little tougher this week, and they’re 0-2 against the Sixers, having scored just 105 points per 100 possessions over the two games. The third meeting is on Tuesday and the second game of a four-game homestand for Indiana.

Week 19: vs. PHI, vs. CHA, vs. MEM

#30

Sacramento KingsLast Week:30

Record: 12-46

OffRtg: 109.4 (29) DefRtg: 120.1 (29) NetRtg: -10.7 (30) Pace: 100.2 (18)

Keegan Murray returned from a 20-game absence last week, but De’Andre Hunter and Domantas Sabonis have joined Zach LaVine on the list of Kings that are out for the season. Meanwhile, their losing streak has hit 16 games, with the last four losses coming by an average of 27 points.

Two takeaways

• The Kings scored just 15 points (with six field goals and eight turnovers) over the final 17 minutes of their loss to the Magic on Thursday, the 12th (and third straight) time this season that they’d scored less than a point per possession. No other team has scored less than a point per possession more than nine times.

• LaVine and Sabonis are out for the season, but 36-year-old DeMar DeRozan has played in all 58 of the Kings’ games. His usage rate (21.7%) is his lowest since his rookie year, but DeRozan has remained solid (46.2%) from mid-range and continues to get to the line. His free throw rate of 42.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field ranks 16th among 102 players with at least 500 field goal attempts, and he was 10-for-10 from the stripe against the Spurs on Saturday.

Coming up: The Kings’ loss in Austin was the start of a five-game trip, but there could be winnable games in Memphis and Dallas this week. They’re 2-7 within the bottom five in the West, with one of the two wins (Dec. 27 in Sacramento) having come against the Mavs.

Week 19: @ MEM, @ HOU, @ DAL, @ LAL