Power Rankings, Week 5: Pistons, Warriors take step forward in Top 10

Stephen Curry and the Warriors are surging after a 2-game sweep in San Antonio.

After four weeks and with 16% of the season complete, five teams have won less than 25% of their games and seven rank in the bottom 10 on both ends of the floor.

Both of those would be the highest number of teams in the 22 years for which the league has had 30 teams total, though the latter number (seven teams in the bottom 10 on both ends) would be tied with the 2007-08 season.

Some of these teams are built for this, some are poorly constructed, one (Indiana) has been completely decimated by injuries and one (the Clippers) is hopefully just struggling out of the gate. But all these teams have provided the other 23 with opportunities to pick up wins and pad their stats.

While the Eastern Conference is still weaker than the West, there are eight East teams with winning records and another three that can get there by winning their next game. Those top 11 teams in the East are a combined 22-1 against the bottom four.

It’s still early and some of these bottom dwellers will improve as the season goes on, perhaps challenging for a SoFi Play-In Tournament spot or playing spoiler in the months to come. This current disparity between the top and the bottom of the league, though, is pretty remarkable.

Plus-Minus Players of the Week

Teams of the Week

• Make It Last Forever: Toronto (3-0) — The Raptors are 5-4 against other teams that currently have winning records, including 2-0 in Cleveland.
• Something Just Ain’t Right: Washington (0-3) — The Wizards lost the battle for 13th place by 23 points on Sunday.

* * *

East vs. West

• The West is 33-26 (.559) against the East in interconference games, though the East was 10-9 last week.

Schedule strength through Week 4

• Toughest: 1. Sacramento, 2. Chicago, 3. Memphis
• Easiest: 1. Oklahoma City, 2. Phoenix, 3. Denver
• Schedule strength = cumulative opponent record in games played thus far.

* * *

Movement in the Rankings

• High jumps of the week: Atlanta (+5), Toronto (+4)
• Free falls of the week: Chicago (-6), Portland (-6)

* * *

Week 5 Team to Watch

• Houston — The Rockets have won nine of their last 10 games and will face two big tests this week. They’ll visit the Cavs on Wednesday and host the Nuggets in a huge Emirates NBA Cup game on Friday.

* * *

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 114.7 points scored per 100 possessions and 101.3 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.

* Emirates NBA Cup game

NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, contact him via Bluesky.

#1

Oklahoma City ThunderLast Week:1

Record: 13-1

OffRtg: 118.2 (5) DefRtg: 102.8 (1) NetRtg: +15.4 (1) Pace: 100.1 (25)

The Thunder still aren’t whole, but they continue to roll, with the five wins on their current streak having come by an average of 22.2 points. Their season-long point differential (plus-15.4 per game) is the third best in NBA history for a team’s first 14 games, trailing only those of the 1996-97 Bulls (plus-16.4) and 1969-70 Knicks (plus-16.3).

Three takeaways

• A back-to-back against the Warriors and Lakers last week was, seemingly, a good test for the champs. But they clobbered them both, allowing just 94.6 points per 100 possessions (without Lu Dort) and leading both games by more than 35 points. The Thunder have led 10 of their 14 games (including their lone loss) by at least 20, with there currently being four teams that haven’t led any games by 20 or more.

• Last season, the Thunder allowed 2.5 fewer points per 100 possessions than any other team, the second widest margin between the top two defenses in 29 seasons of play-by-play data. And through Sunday, they’ve been the league’s fifth most improved defensive team, having allowed 3.8 fewer per 100 than they did last season. With it just being 14 games, the Thunder’s defense has affected where their opponents rank offensively, but it should be noted that 12 of the 14 games have come against teams that currently rank in the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency (nine of those against bottom-10 offenses).

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played in all 14 games and has been more efficient than ever, with both his scoring and his playmaking. Thanks to improvement in the paint, his true shooting percentage is a career-best 65.2%. And his assist/turnover ratio of 4.04 would be the best mark in his eight seasons by a wide margin. He’s got 33 assists and just five turnovers (6.60) over his last four games.

Coming up: The Thunder’s next three games come against teams that rank in the bottom eight on both ends of the floor, and they’ve already beaten the Pelicans and Kings by more than 30 points. They’ll get a chance to avenge their only loss when they host the Blazers on Sunday, the first of two meetings in the span of eight days.

Week 5: @ NOP, vs. SAC, @ UTA*, vs. POR

#2

Denver NuggetsLast Week:2

Record: 10-2

OffRtg: 122.4 (2) DefRtg: 109.4 (2) NetRtg: +13.0 (2) Pace: 100.8 (18)

The Nuggets are keeping pace with the Thunder, who they’re not scheduled to meet until February. They’ve won seven straight games and continue to rank near the top of the league on both ends of the floor.

Three takeaways

• The Nuggets lost Christian Braun (out at least six weeks) and Cam Johnson to injuries on Wednesday, but Nikola Jokić didn’t need much help that night, scoring 55 points on an amazing 18-for-23 shooting. There have been 548 50-point games in NBA history (including playoffs), and four of the 13 highest marks for effective field goal percentage in that group of performances belong to Aaron Gordon (highest – opening night at Golden State), Jamal Murray (third and 12th highest) and Jokić (13th highest).

• Tim Hardaway Jr. and Peyton Watson replaced Braun and Johnson in the starting lineup and the new group outscored the Wolves by 15 points in 16 1/2 minutes on Saturday. But the Nuggets also took back control of the game with an 8-0, fourth-quarter run with Jokić off the floor. They’ve outscored their opponents by 10.1 points per 100 possessions in 76 minutes with the three-time MVP on the bench over the last five games.

• The Nuggets held the Wolves’ fourth-ranked offense to just 112 points on 102 possessions, but Denver continues to benefit from their opponents’ shooting poorly (league-low 31.5%) from 3-point range. The percentage of their opponents’ 3-point attempts that have been wide open (54%) is up from last season (51%), but the opponents have shot just 32% on those wide-open 3s.

Coming up: If the Nuggets can win their Emirates NBA Cup game in Houston on Friday, we’ll have a decent shot of getting a Denver-OKC game before February. All five teams in the stacked West Group C are 1-1, but Denver (+23) and Houston (+13) have the best point differentials.

Week 5: vs. CHI, @ NOP, @ HOU*, vs. SAC

#3

Houston RocketsLast Week:3

Record: 9-3

OffRtg: 123.1 (1) DefRtg: 111.9 (8) NetRtg: +11.5 (3) Pace: 98.6 (27)

The Rockets are 9-1 since their 0-2 start, and they were able to grind out a comeback win over Orlando when their top-ranked offense wasn’t clicking on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Kevin Durant came to Houston to help the Rockets close games, and he hit two of the biggest shots in their overtime win over the Magic on Sunday, when the Rockets scored 30 points on 20 clutch offensive possessions. But Durant has a clutch usage rate of just 19.4%, third on the team behind Alperen Sengun (who sent the game to OT with a tough jump hook over Wendell Carter Jr.) and Amen Thompson.

• Durant logged more than 45 minutes on Sunday, when the Rockets played just eight guys, because Tari Eason (who’s 21-for-32 on wide-open 3s) was out with an oblique strain. Josh Okogie has started the last 10 games, but Reed Sheppard and Steven Adams were on the floor more in clutch time. Desmond Bane blew by Sheppard on a big play in the final minute of regulation and Okogie was on the floor for the biggest defensive possessions after that. The Okogie lineup has outscored opponents by 14.5 points per 100 possessions in its 128 total minutes, the second-best mark among the eight lineups that have played at least 100 minutes this season.

• The top three teams in the Western Conference are the only three teams that haven’t lost a game that wasn’t within five points in the last five minutes. The Rockets are 3-3 in the clutch after Sunday and 6-0 otherwise.

Coming up: The Rockets have a couple of days off before playing a pair of marquee matchups, their first meetings with both the Cavs and the Nuggets. The road team won all three of its meetings against Denver last season.

Week 5: @ CLE, vs. DEN*

#4

New York KnicksLast Week:4

Record: 8-4

OffRtg: 121.6 (3) DefRtg: 114.3 (16) NetRtg: +7.3 (4) Pace: 100.6 (20)

The Knicks went 6-1 on their seven-game homestand, recovering from their first loss at Madison Square Garden by beating the Heat without Jalen Brunson on Friday.

Three takeaways

• The Knicks’ loss to Orlando on Wednesday was a rest-disadvantage game and the only time this season that the Knicks lost the possession battle. They committed one fewer turnover than the Magic, but it was their worst rebounding game on both ends of the floor.

• They still lead the league in shooting-opportunity differential by a wide margin, having averaged 8.5 more than their opponents, including an amazing 17.6 more shooting opportunities per 48 minutes than their opponents with Mitchell Robinson on the floor. They rank in the top 12 in each of the four possessions-related factors of efficiency (turnover rate and rebounding percentage) on either end of the floor, with no other team in the top 17 in all four.

• Miles McBride started in place of Brunson on Friday, when Landry Shamet scored a career-high 36 points off the bench and the Knicks handed the Heat their worst defensive game of the season by a wide margin. New York has now scored a super-efficient 125.7 points per 100 possessions in McBride’s 125 minutes on the floor without Brunson.

Coming up: Having completed their longest homestand of the season, the Knicks now head out on a five-game trip, still looking for their first road win. They went 4-0 in Florida last season, but lost in Miami (their worst offensive game thus far) in Week 1.

Week 5: @ MIA, @ DAL, @ ORL

#5

Detroit PistonsLast Week:8↑

Record: 11-2

OffRtg: 115.7 (15) DefRtg: 109.5 (3) NetRtg: +6.1 (5) Pace: 101.5 (13)

The Pistons have been shorthanded, missing at least five rotation players in each of their last three games (including Cade Cunningham for the last two games). But they’ve run their winning streak to nine games with impressive wins over the Bulls and Sixers.

Three takeaways

• Before Wednesday, the Pistons had scored just 100.7 points per 100 possessions with Cunningham off the floor. But they had two better-than-average offensive games without their star against the Bulls and Sixers. Daniss Jenkins hit the game-tying 3-pointer (even though he didn’t look ready for Cunningham’s pass when it was thrown) against Washington last Monday and then totaled 37 points and 20 assists over two games as the starter in Cunningham’s place.

• Paul Reed is the team’s third center, but the Pistons have been at their best (plus-12.4 points per 100 possessions) with him on the floor. He had 28 points on 11-for-13 shooting in the win over Chicago, totaled six steals and four blocks over his two starts last week, and has averaged 8.2 deflections per 36 minutes, most among 302 players who’ve played at least 100 total minutes this season.

• With their comebacks against the Wizards and Sixers last week, the Pistons are now 7-2 in games they trailed by double-digits, having been 10.9 points per 100 possessions better after halftime (plus-11.6) than they’ve been in first halves (plus-0.7). They had just eight wins (they were 8-33) after trailing by double-digits last season.

Coming up: The Pistons are five games into a stretch of 14 straight within the Eastern Conference, and this week will bring their first meetings with the Pacers, Hawks and Bucks. They will be at a rest disadvantage in Atlanta on Tuesday, but will then have three days off before visiting the Bucks, to whom they’ve lost 13 straight.

Week 5: vs. IND, @ ATL, @ MIL

#6

Cleveland CavaliersLast Week:5↓

Record: 9-5

OffRtg: 116.7 (11) DefRtg: 112.5 (9) NetRtg: +4.2 (10) Pace: 103.1 (5)

In just his third game of the season, Darius Garland reinjured the same toe that he had surgery on in the summer. He’s not expected to be out long and the Cavs remain in the top four in the East, but they still haven’t found their stride.

Three takeaways

• The bigger drop-off from last season has been on offense, but the bigger difference between the Cavs’ wins (107.4 points allowed per 100 possessions) and losses (122 allowed per 100) has been on defense. Their overtime game in Miami last Monday wasn’t their worst defensive game of the season, but it was lost when Sam Merrill failed to switch Davion Mitchell’s back-screen, providing Andrew Wiggins a clear path to the game-winning dunk. Three nights later (and at a rest disadvantage), the Cavs allowed Toronto to score 126 on just 97 possessions.

• The Cavs’ 65 3-point attempts in the overtime loss in Miami were the third-highest single-game total for any team in the 47 years of the 3-point line. The Cavs ranked fourth in 3-point rate (45.7% of their shots) last season and have still seen the league’s fourth biggest jump, ranking second at 49.4%. Donovan Mitchell has taken more than half of his shots (51.9%) from beyond the arc for what would be the first time in his career, but has also registered the highest free-throw rate of his nine seasons (37 attempts per 100 shots from the field).

• With Garland having played in just three games, Mitchell is averaging 33.9 minutes per game. That’s not a huge number, but it is 2.5 more mpg than he averaged last season (31.4). The Cavs have been 18.1 points per 100 possessions better with Mitchell on the floor (plus-11.5 per 100) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-6.6 per 100).

Coming up: The Cavs have four games remaining on their longest homestand of the season (six games over 11 days) and will host the Bucks for the second time on Monday. They had 11 more shooting opportunities than Milwaukee when they won the first meeting by five.

Week 5: vs. MIL, vs. HOU, vs. IND*, vs. LAC

#7

Los Angeles LakersLast Week:6↓

Record: 10-4

OffRtg: 115.4 (16) DefRtg: 113.7 (14) NetRtg: +1.7 (16) Pace: 100.7 (19)

The Lakers got clobbered in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, when they had a rest advantage against the champs. But they did the clobbering over the weekend, winning first halves in New Orleans and Milwaukee by a combined score of 130-86.

Three takeaways

• The Lakers haven’t had much consistency offensively, but they held both weekend opponents under a point per possession, with the Pelicans and Bucks combining to shoot just 41-for-84 (49%) in the paint. The Lakers still rank in the bottom half of the league in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (20th) and opponent effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (18th).

• Luka Dončić had a quiet night in Oklahoma City, but with his 41 against the Bucks, he’s scored more than 40 points in four of his 10 games. He had just four games of 40-plus last season and is leading the league in usage rate (35.9%) for what would be (somewhat surprisingly) the first time in his career.

• While every other team has outscored their opponent from 3-point range in at least three games, the Lakers have done it just once (Nov. 2 vs. Miami). But they lead the league in both field goal percentage in the paint (63.2%) and mid-range field goal percentage (52.4%). Rui Hachimura (18-for-28, 64%) and Dončić (21-for-39, 54%) rank first (tied) and fifth in mid-range field goal percentage among 38 players with at least 25 attempts.

Coming up: Having played nine of their last 12 games on the road, the Lakers have an opportunity for a refresh (and some practices), playing just two games (both against the Jazz) over the next eight days.

Week 5: vs. UTA, @ UTA

#8

Golden State WarriorsLast Week:11↑

Record: 9-6

OffRtg: 113.6 (22) DefRtg: 111.7 (7) NetRtg: +1.9 (15) Pace: 101.2 (14)

The Warriors got blown out in Oklahoma City in Stephen Curry’s return from a three-game absence on Tuesday, but they may have rediscovered their mojo with a two-game sweep in San Antonio and a comfortable win in New Orleans.

Three takeaways

• Curry scored 95 points over the two games in San Antonio. Not only was he 14-for-33 (42%) from 3-point range, 6-for-8 from mid-range and 23-for-24 from the free throw line, but he was also 9-for-10 in the paint against the team (led by the 7-foot-4 guy) that ranks third in paint defense. Curry’s ability to finish inside remains underrated, and his 62.3% in the paint this season (at the age of 37!) would be the best mark of his career if you discount the season in which he only played five games.

• The Warriors still rank in the bottom 10 offensively — despite Curry’s brilliance and despite ranking third in shot quality — according to tracking data. They’ve seen the league’s third-biggest jump in turnover rate and its third-biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage from last season.

• After starting the first 12 games (and seemingly playing well through the first nine), Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench on Wednesday, when his night was over before halftime. He’s missed the last 2 1/2 games with a knee issue and the Warriors have now been 11.4 points per 100 possessions better with him off the floor (plus-6.8) than they’ve been with him on the floor (minus-4.6). The new starting lineup (with Moses Moody and Will Richard) has played just 28 total minutes over the Warriors’ three-game winning streak, but has outscored opponents by 16 points in those minutes.

Coming up: The Warriors’ six-game trip comes to a close with a back-to-back in Florida, after which they will have played 12 of their 17 games on the road. They’ll begin a five-game homestand with a visit from the Blazers, to whom they lost (with a rest disadvantage in Portland) in Week 1.

Week 5: @ ORL, @ MIA, vs. POR*

#9

San Antonio SpursLast Week:7↓

Record: 9-4

OffRtg: 117.1 (10) DefRtg: 111.3 (5) NetRtg: +5.8 (6) Pace: 100.3 (23)

The Spurs doubled their loss total last week, getting torched by Stephen Curry as they got swept in a two-game series with the Warriors. But they remain in the top five in the West, picking up a win without Victor Wembanyama on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• With Wembanyama (calf tightness) out for the first time this season, De’Aaron Fox picked up the slack, scoring 28 points and dishing out 11 assists in the Spurs’ win over the Kings on Sunday. Fox missed three big jumpers (including a step-back for the win) down the stretch of the Spurs’ loss to the Warriors two nights earlier, but he’s shot 28-for-43 (65%) in the paint and 12-for-13 at the line. Before Sunday, he had played 123 (90%) of his 136 minutes alongside Wembanyama.

• Fox’s offense was even more necessary on Sunday, because Stephon Castle was lost to a hip injury in the first half. Castle is just 12-for-50 (24%) from 3-point range and 59-for-85 (69%) from the free throw line, but he’s playing at a high level in every other regard. In the Spurs’ win in Chicago last Monday, he had some great reads in the pick-and-roll and some wicked moves in transition.

• Before the two-game series with Golden State, the Spurs had outscored their opponents by 14 points (allowing just 50 on 56 defensive possessions) in 27 minutes with Wembanyama and Luke Kornet on the floor together. But the double-big lineups struggled against the Warriors, getting outscored by nine points (scoring just 35 on 38 offensive possessions) as the Spurs lost the two-game series by just six points total.

Coming up: The Spurs will complete their five-game homestand with their first meetings with the Grizzlies and Hawks. A trip to Phoenix (the site of their worst defensive game of the season) is the start of a stretch where they’re playing seven of eight on the road.

Week 5: vs. MEM, vs. ATL, @ PHX

#10

Milwaukee BucksLast Week:9↓

Record: 8-6

OffRtg: 116.3 (14) DefRtg: 116.5 (22) NetRtg: -0.2 (19) Pace: 101.2 (15)

The Bucks had a close call against the Hornets on Friday, but remain undefeated all-time (12-0) in Emirates NBA Cup games played outside of Las Vegas. Overall, they’ve alternated wins and losses for their last 10 games.

Three takeaways

• Kyle Kuzma was on the floor down the stretch of the Bucks’ two-point win in Dallas on Monday, got his first start of the season when Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the Bucks’ loss in Charlotte two nights later, and remained in the starting lineup (with Gary Trent Jr. going to the bench) upon Antetokounmpo’s return for the Bucks’ weekend back-to-back. Kuzma’s 29 points against the Hornets on Friday were his high in 51 career games with Milwaukee, and the Bucks’ effective field goal percentage of 76.5% in the Cup win was the 13th highest single-game mark in NBA history.

• Kuzma shot 0-for-6 the following night, when the Bucks lost big to the Lakers, finishing 2-3 on their first stretch of five games in seven days. They’ve still outscored their opponents by 29.2 points per 100 possessions in 76 minutes with Kuzma, Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner on the floor together.

• Though they lost by 24 on Saturday, the Bucks outscored the Lakers from 3-point range and have now outscored their opponents from beyond the arc in a league-high 12 games. They rank second in 3-point percentage (41.1%) and are also one of three teams that rank in the top 10 in both opponent 3-point percentage (seventh) and (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come from 3-point range (eighth)

Coming up: The Bucks have won 29 of their last 30 (including 13 straight) games against the first-place Pistons, who they’ll host on Saturday. That’s the first of three meetings over a stretch of 15 days.

Week 5: @ CLE, vs. PHI, vs. DET

#11

Minnesota TimberwolvesLast Week:10↓

Record: 8-5

OffRtg: 119.1 (4) DefRtg: 114.7 (17) NetRtg: +4.4 (9) Pace: 101.2 (16)

The Wolves have been taking care of business against the bottom of the league, but fell to 0-2 against the Nuggets with a loss at home on Saturday, getting beaten from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line.

Three takeaways

• With their wins over the Jazz and Kings last week, the Wolves are one of three undefeated teams (they’re 8-0) against the 14 teams that are currently at or below .500. And with their loss to Denver, they’re one of four winless teams (they’re 0-5) against the 16 teams that currently have winning records. They’re the only team in both groups.

• In an 11-point loss on Saturday, the Wolves were outscored by 11 points at the free-throw line. They ranked 10th in opponent free-throw rate last season, but ranked no higher than 20th in the five seasons before that and are back down at 24th this season, with their opponents having averaged 31 free throw attempts per 100 shots from the field. That rate has been an amazing 45 per 100 in Rudy Gobert’s 214 minutes off the floor.

• Both losses to Denver were rest-disadvantage games for the Wolves. The loss on Saturday was tied with less than 10 minutes left, but then quickly got away and became the Wolves’ eighth straight game that wasn’t within five points in the last five minutes. So they haven’t had much opportunity to exorcise their clutch demons, having gone 20-26 in games that were within five in the last five last season. No team played more clutch games in 2024-25, but only the Nuggets have played fewer this year.

Coming up: The Minnesota defense has seen the league’s sixth biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions, despite the Wolves having played six of their 13 games against teams that currently rank in the bottom 10 offensively. They’ll close their four-game homestand with visits from the league’s 29th and 28th-ranked offenses (those of the Mavs and Wizards) before beginning a three-game trip with an intriguing Emirates NBA Cup game in Phoenix.

Week 5: vs. DAL, vs. WAS, @ PHX*

#12

Toronto RaptorsLast Week:16↑

Record: 8-5

OffRtg: 118.2 (6) DefRtg: 113.4 (13) NetRtg: +4.8 (7) Pace: 102.0 (12)

The Raptors have won seven of their last eight games and are 2-0 in Cleveland after winning a rest-advantage game there (with their best offensive performance of the season) on Thursday.

Three takeaways

• The Raptors have had some slow starts, trailing by at least nine points in the first quarter of all three of their games last week, including two against the Nets and Pacers. Overall, their starting lineup has been outscored by 1.3 points per 100 possessions (second worst among the eight lineups that have played at least 100 minutes), having allowed 121 points on 92 first-quarter possessions (132 per 100).

• But they have the league’s second-ranked bench, with players like Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jamal Shead providing good minutes. The Raptors have been outscored in 282 total minutes with both Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes on the floor, but are plus-15 per 100 in 289 minutes with one on the floor without the other. The defense has allowed just 96.7 per 100 in Barnes’ 140 minutes without Ingram.

• Immanuel Quickley had three straight games of scoring more than 20 points, shooting 20-for-30 over the Raptors’ wins in Brooklyn and Cleveland. He continues to take more than half of his shots from 3-point range, but is also shooting a career-best 60% in the paint.

Coming up: The Raptors have a great opportunity to build on this 8-5 start, with five of their next seven games coming against the bottom four teams in the East (the Hornets, Wizards, Nets and Pacers). Their one loss in this 7-1 stretch was in Philadelphia, and they’ll be back there on Wednesday.

Week 5: vs. CHA, @ PHI, vs. WAS*, vs. BKN

#13

Miami HeatLast Week:12↓

Record: 7-6

OffRtg: 116.7 (12) DefRtg: 114.2 (15) NetRtg: +2.5 (14) Pace: 106.3 (1)

The Heat are 1-2 on a stretch of seven straight games against teams that are currently at or above .500, having split two games with the Cavs and lost in New York on Friday night.

Three takeaways

• Bam Adebayo has now missed the last five games and, unsurprisingly, the Heat’s defense has suffered. Miami ranked fifth defensively a week ago, but allowed 126.3 points per 100 possessions over the three games against Cleveland and New York. The opponents didn’t shoot remarkably better last week, but they committed just 31 total turnovers (9.6 per 100 possessions) over the three games and retained almost 40% of their misses.

• Losing the possession game is nothing new for the Heat, who’ve averaged 6.2 fewer shooting opportunities (field goal attempts or trips to the line) than their opponents. That’s the league’s second-worst discrepancy, with the Heat having had fewer opportunities than their opponents in 11 of their 13 (including each of their last nine) games.

• They overcame a huge discrepancy in their first of two games against the Cavs, an overtime victory in which Nikola Jović fed Andrew Wiggins on the game-winning lob. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 11 of the Heat’s 25 clutch points, with huge isolation buckets for the tie in regulation and for a three-point lead late in overtime. Jaquez has averaged 12.3 isolations per 100 possessions, 13th most in the league and up from 4.6 per 100 over his first two seasons.

Coming up: The Heat’s schedule remains tough for the next couple of weeks, with a second straight meeting against the Knicks on Monday. The 272 points that the two teams combined to score on Friday night were 17 more than they had scored in any other game in the history of the rivalry (177 total games).

Week 5: vs. NYK, vs. GSW, @ CHI*, @ PHI

#14

Atlanta HawksLast Week:19↑

Record: 9-5

OffRtg: 114.9 (18) DefRtg: 111.6 (6) NetRtg: +3.3 (12) Pace: 102.3 (11)

The Hawks have suddenly won five straight to climb into the top four in the East. They capped a 4-0 trip out West with a ridiculous 22-point comeback in the fourth quarter in Phoenix on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Hawks had lost their previous 135 games (a streak dating back to April of 2017) that they trailed by at least 20 points in the fourth quarter. But they somehow outscored the Suns, 38-15, over the final 8 1/2 minutes on Sunday. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (continuing to start in place of Trae Young) actually outscored Phoenix (16-15) by himself over that closing stretch and had the go-ahead bucket on a drive with a little less than a minute to go.

• Alexander-Walker’s usage rate (24.7%) has taken a huge jump from his 2 1/2 seasons in Minnesota (no higher than 16.7%), but his scoring efficiency is down just a tick from the last two years. He missed the first two games of the winning streak, but Atlanta has outscored its opponents by 81 points (40.8 per 100 possessions) in his 87 minutes over the last three.

• Fast-break points over the five-game winning streak: 117-44 in favor of the Hawks.

Coming up: The Hawks will face the first-place Pistons twice in the next 15 days, with the first of those meetings coming on Tuesday, when the Hawks will have a rest advantage. Atlanta is 0-3 against the seven other East teams with winning records through Sunday.

Week 5: vs. DET, @ SAS, @ NOP, vs. CHA

#15

Philadelphia 76ersLast Week:15

Record: 7-5

OffRtg: 118.0 (7) DefRtg: 115.2 (18) NetRtg: +2.7 (13) Pace: 100.3 (24)

Joel Embiid is on the shelf and the Sixers have lost four of their last six games, blowing a double-digit, second-half lead to the shorthanded Pistons on Friday.

Three takeaways

• After scoring a season-high 29 points (in less than 26 minutes) in the Sixers’ win over Toronto nine days ago, Embiid has missed the last three games, dealing with knee soreness. He wasn’t making much of a defensive impact this season, but Philly has scored just 107.5 points per 100 possessions over these last three games, down from 121.3 per 100 through their first nine.

• The Sixers’ shooting has also returned to Earth. They continue to rank last in shot quality, with Tyrese Maxey ranking 195th among 204 players who’ve attempted at least 75 shots. He can certainly make some difficult ones, but Maxey has an effective field goal percentage of just 43.9% over the last three games, down from 57% through the first nine.

• The Sixers won another close game against the Celtics on Tuesday, when Justin Edwards went off from 3-point range and Kelly Oubre Jr. had the game-winning tip-in with less than 10 seconds left. Ten of their 12 games have been within five points in the last five minutes, and they’ve allowed just 61 points on 73 clutch defensive possessions (84 per 100). The Sixers rank fourth in opponent free-throw rate overall (25.6 attempts per 100 shots from the field), with their opponents having a rate of just 14.5 per 100 (10/69) when the score has been within five in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or OT.

Coming up: The Sixers are the only team that hasn’t played a game against the opposite conference, but they’ll host the Clippers on Monday, with some big games within the East’s top eight coming after that.

Week 5: vs. LAC, vs. TOR, @ MIL, vs. MIA

#16

Phoenix SunsLast Week:17↑

Record: 8-6

OffRtg: 117.3 (9) DefRtg: 113.2 (12) NetRtg: +4.1 (11) Pace: 100.4 (21)

After taking advantage of a soft stretch of schedule to win five straight games, the Suns were looking legit with a 22-point, fourth-quarter lead against the similarly streaking Hawks on Sunday. But that lead quickly disappeared and the Suns’ streak came to a resounding end.

Three takeaways

• The Suns’ schedule has been relatively soft overall, as Phoenix and Oklahoma City are tied with the most games (10) against the 14 teams currently at or below .500. But there’s value in taking care of business against the bottom half of the league. At this point last season, the Suns had just one win by double-digits (they finished with 10). They’ve got six double-digit wins this season, having handled the Pelicans and Pacers pretty easily last week.

• The Suns rank higher on offense, but the much bigger improvement from last season (especially when you take the league average into account) has been on defense, where they’ve seen the league’s third biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions. But they have been tested much on that end of the floor, with 11 of their 14 games having come against teams that rank in the bottom 10 offensively.

• The Suns are pressuring the ball much more than they did last season, having seen the league’s second-biggest jump in average pick-up distance, per tracking data. That has helped them see the biggest jump in opponent turnover rate, from just 12.3 per 100 possessions (28th) last season to 16.3 per 100 (seventh) this season. They’ve still committed more turnovers than their opponent in seven of their 14 games.

Coming up: The Suns will visit the 6-7 Blazers on Tuesday and then play eight of their next nine games against teams with winning records (seven of the nine against top-10 offenses). Going back to a first-round sweep in the 2024 playoffs, they’ve lost eight straight games to the Wolves, who will be in Phoenix for an Emirates NBA Cup game on Friday.

Week 5: @ POR, vs. MIN*, vs. SAS

#17

Orlando MagicLast Week:20↑

Record: 7-7

OffRtg: 114.1 (20) DefRtg: 112.9 (10) NetRtg: +1.2 (17) Pace: 100.4 (22)

The Magic handed the Knicks their first loss at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, but they lost Paolo Banchero to a groin injury in the second quarter. They climbed over .500 with a three-game winning streak, but then blew a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead in Houston on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Before their overtime loss in Houston, the Magic needed an 11-0, closing run to beat the Nets on Friday. But they’ve been pretty good (plus-9.1 points per 100 possessions) in 117 minutes with Desmond Bane and Franz Wagner on the floor without Banchero. Tristan da Silva started the two games in Banchero’s place and totaled 35 points (shooting 7-for-15 from 3-point range), 15 rebounds, three steals and two blocks over the two.

• Wendell Carter Jr. did a terrific job of (after switching ball-screens) containing Jalen Brunson and staying down on his pump fakes in the Magic’s win in New York. Carter has switched a lower percentage of ball-screens than he did last season, but also helped keep Karl-Anthony Towns in check on Wednesday, when the Knicks scored just 107 points on 101 possessions, their worst offensive performance since Week 1.

• That was also a terrific offensive game for the Magic, and they’ve seen the league’s sixth biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions from last season. But that end of the floor remains an issue at times. They’re one of only three teams – the Pacers and Wizards are the others – that the Nets have held under 115 points per 100 possessions, and the Houston game started to slip away when they went scoreless on six straight trips in the fourth quarter.

Coming up: The Magic’s home-heavy stretch of schedule (seven at nine at the Kia Center) comes to a close with a three-game homestand this week. They got a big win in New York on Wednesday and will face the Knicks two more times in the next three weeks.

Week 5: vs. GSW, vs. LAC, vs. NYK, @ BOS

#18

Boston CelticsLast Week:18

Record: 7-7

OffRtg: 117.9 (8) DefRtg: 113.2 (11) NetRtg: +4.7 (8) Pace: 96.5 (30)

The Celtics are back at .500, having returned from a 1-2 trip to beat the Grizzlies and Clippers with two of their best offensive performances of the season.

Three takeaways

• Before Sunday, the Celtics were one of five teams that ranked in the top 10 on both ends of the floor. But, while the other four teams were no worse than 8-4, they were 6-7, with four of the six wins having come by 20 points or more. They were 2-5 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, having allowed 68 points on 52 clutch defensive possessions (131 per 100). The clutch defense wasn’t any better on Sunday, because James Harden caught fire in the final 30 seconds, but Harden’s final 3-point attempt (at the buzzer and for the tie) was short and the Celtics escaped with their third clutch win.

• Having allowed 118 points on just 94 defensive possessions overall on Sunday, the Celtics dropped out of the top spot on defense. But Payton Pritchard and Derrick White may have each found their shot. They were shooting a combined 26.9% from 3-point range before Wednesday, but were 20-for-37 (54.1%) from beyond the arc in the wins over Memphis and LA. White is still just 26-for-65 (40%) in the paint, the third-worst mark among 140 players with at least 50 field goal attempts in the paint.

• Sam Hauser started the Celtics’ first two games, Hugo Gonzalez started Game 3, and Josh Minott started the next nine. Now it’s Jordan Walsh’s turn, and the third-year wing was tasked with guarding Tyrese Maxey, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Harden last week. Overall, the Celtics have outscored their opponents by 21.4 points per 100 possessions in 202 total minutes with their four full-time starters on the floor, but have been outscored by 2.7 per 100 (which is much worse defensive numbers) in 470 minutes with at least one of the four on the bench.

Coming up: A home-and-home set with the Nets allows the Celtics to climb above .500 for the first time this season. The schedule will get tougher after that, with the Celtics’ third meeting with the Magic coming on Sunday.

Week 5: @ BKN, vs. BKN*, vs. ORL

#19

Chicago BullsLast Week:13↓

Record: 6-6

OffRtg: 114.8 (19) DefRtg: 115.6 (19) NetRtg: -0.8 (20) Pace: 103.5 (4)

The Bulls have gone from 6-1 to 6-6, with four of their five consecutive losses having been within five points in the last five minutes. The good news is that Coby White made his season debut on Sunday, scoring 27 points (going 14-for-14 from the free throw line) and dishing out eight assists in a little more than 30 minutes off the bench.

Three takeaways

• White blew past his minutes restriction on Sunday and the ball was in his hands down the stretch of the Bulls’ double-overtime loss in Utah. He tied the game in the final seconds of both overtimes (with a drive and then two free throws), but the Bulls couldn’t get the final stop they needed to extend the game even more. The Bulls have allowed 67 points on 51 clutch defensive possessions (131 per 100) over the losing streak.

• It’s hard to imagine that White will play in Denver on Monday, but he could be in the starting lineup soon, because the Bulls have been getting off to some slow starts. They’ve trailed by at least eight points in the first quarter in seven of their last eight games, including each of the last four. Over those last four games, they’ve scored just 100.9 points per 100 possessions in the first quarter and 141.3 per 100 in the second.

• Nikola Vučević was bound to cool off, and he has an effective field goal percentage of just 42.3% over the last four games, down from 66.2% before that. Both his 3-point rate (34.4% of his shots) and his 3-point percentage (43.4%) are still the highest marks of his career.

Coming up: The Bulls’ double-overtime loss in Utah on Sunday was the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days. They’re one of three teams with a league-low six rest-disadvantage games this season, with the first of their six coming Monday night in Denver.

Week 5: @ DEN, @ POR, vs. MIA*, vs. WAS

#20

Portland Trail BlazersLast Week:14↓

Record: 6-7

OffRtg: 116.3 (13) DefRtg: 116.3 (21) NetRtg: +0.0 (18) Pace: 103.9 (2)

The Blazers hit the road and slid down the standings, going 1-4 on a five-game trip through the South that took them fifth to ninth place in the West.

Three takeaways

• The road trip was the Blazers’ best stretch of offense this season, even though they shot just 32.4% from 3-point range over the five games. Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe both averaged more than 28 points on better than 51% shooting from the field, and the Blazers retained 36% of available offensive rebounds. Donovan Clingan totaled 23 offensive boards on the trip and ranks third in offensive rebounding percentage (15.2%) among 225 players who’ve averaged at least 20 minutes per game.

• For the season, the Blazers have seen the league’s fifth biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions (+5.3) from last season. Per tracking data, they lead the league in shot quality, having ranked 25th last year. A league-high 79% of their shots have come from the restricted area or 3-point range.

Coming up: The Blazers are one of four teams with three stretches of five games in seven days this season. The first begins with a visit from the Suns on Tuesday, and who would have thought that Phoenix-Portland would be a big, early-season game in the Western Conference?

Week 5: vs. PHX, vs. CHI, @ GSW*, @ OKC

#21

LA ClippersLast Week:21

Record: 4-9

OffRtg: 113.9 (21) DefRtg: 118.7 (25) NetRtg: -4.8 (23) Pace: 96.8 (29)

Injuries have made a disappointing start to the Clippers’ season even worse. Bradley Beal is done for the season with a fractured hip, Derrick Jones Jr. went down with a knee injury in Boston on Sunday afternoon, and Kawhi Leonard has now missed the last seven games.

Three takeaways

• The Clippers did put an end to their six-game losing streak on Friday, escaping with a double-overtime victory in Dallas after blowing a 13-point, fourth-quarter lead. James Harden recorded his 82nd career triple-double and scored 12 of his team’s 25 clutch points. The 36-year-old is averaging 36.1 minutes and registering his highest true shooting percentage (64.5%) in the last 14 seasons (since he played for the Thunder). He almost erased a big, fourth-quarter deficit by himself in Boston on Sunday, but came up short on his game-tying, 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

• In a three-point loss, the Clippers had 16 fewer shooting opportunities than the Celtics, with Boston committing just six turnovers and grabbing 20 offensive boards. The Clippers rank 28th in shooting opportunity differential for the season (last in turnover rate on offense) and have had fewer opportunities than their opponent in six of their last seven games.

• Despite the injuries, Chris Paul has been DNP’d in five straight games, with young wings Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders (both on two-way contracts) joining the rotation. Miller scored a career-high 22 points against Denver on Wednesday, while Sanders had 11 points and four offensive rebounds in less than 23 minutes in Boston.

Coming up: The Clippers are 0-3 against the Eastern Conference, with four games left on the East portion of their seven-game trip. They’ve won 14 straight games against the Hornets, who they’ll visit on Saturday afternoon.

Week 5: @ PHI, @ ORL, @ CHA, @ CLE

#22

Dallas MavericksLast Week:23↑

Record: 4-10

OffRtg: 105.8 (29) DefRtg: 110.9 (4) NetRtg: -5.1 (24) Pace: 103.0 (8)

The Mavs listened to their fans and fired Nico Harrison a little more than nine months after he traded Luka Dončić to the Lakers. The vibes are better and so was the basketball over the weekend, with the Mavs splitting a pair of overtime games against the Clippers and Blazers.

Three takeaways

• Cooper Flagg had his best game of the season in the Mavs’ two-point loss to the Bucks on Monday, with his 26 points featuring an impressive spin move and tough finish over Giannis Antetokounmpo that tied the game with less than 30 seconds left. Flagg has shot 57.4% in the paint, but has an effective field goal percentage of just 36.9% on shots from outside the paint. That’s the fifth-biggest differential among 97 players with at least 50 field goal attempts both in and outside the paint. Brandon Williams (58.2% vs. 25.0%) has the second biggest differential among 145 players with at least 35 attempts both inside and out, and the Mavs have the second biggest differential as a team.

• The Mavs lead the league with 11 games that were within five points in the last five minutes. They made as many clutch 3-pointers in their overtime win over Portland on Sunday (2-for-3) as they had made over their 10 previous clutch games combined (2-for-23), but they took all seven of their shots in the paint as they scored 20 points on 12 possessions in the extra period.

• The Mavs got Dereck Lively II back from a nine-game absence over the weekend, but Anthony Davis (who’s missed the last nine) will be out for at least another four games. That means through more than 20% of the season, they will have had Davis on the floor with one of their two centers for a total of just 29 minutes.

Coming up: The Mavs’ schedule remains home-heavy for another week, but their win over the Blazers on Sunday was the start of their only stretch of five games in seven days. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage in Minnesota on Monday night.

Week 5: @ MIN, vs. NYK, vs. NOP*, vs. MEM

#23

Charlotte HornetsLast Week:24↑

Record: 4-9

OffRtg: 115.1 (17) DefRtg: 118.3 (24) NetRtg: -3.2 (21) Pace: 101.0 (17)

The Hornets’ first win over a good team came with the huge caveat that the Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo in Charlotte on Wednesday. But with the two-time Kia MVP back in the lineup two nights later, the Hornets took the Bucks to overtime in Milwaukee before coming up short in the extra period.

Three takeaways

• LaMelo Ball returned from a five-game absence for the game in Milwaukee on Friday, and the Hornets scored 78 points on 59 possessions (132 per 100) in his 27 minutes on the floor. But he was unavailable for overtime and Charlotte was outscored by 24 points in Ball’s 26 total minutes on the bench. Defense was ultimately the bigger issue, with the Bucks registering an effective field goal percentage of 76.5%, the 13th highest single-game mark in NBA history. This came four nights after the Hornets couldn’t guard the Lakers’ “Spain” pick-and-roll, giving up multiple uncontested drives on the three-man action.

• Kon Knueppel scored a career-high 32 points on Friday, when he drained two huge 3s in the last two minutes of regulation. He’s now averaging 17.2 points (most among rookies) and is one of nine players who’ve shot better than 40% on at least seven 3-point attempts per game.

• Knueppel’s assist numbers (2.8 per game, eighth among rookies) are relatively modest, but he’s a smart and willing passer, quickly making the extra pass or throwing a hit-ahead when needed. He was one assist shy of a triple-double in the Hornets’ loss to the Lakers last Monday and might already deserve to have the ball in his hands a little more.

Coming up: The Hornets’ visit to Toronto on Monday will be the end of a stretch of six straight games against teams that currently have winning records. They’ll then face the Pacers for the first time and have an opportunity to end a 14-game losing streak to the Clippers.

Week 5: @ TOR, @ IND, vs. LAC, @ ATL

#24

Memphis GrizzliesLast Week:22↓

Record: 4-10

OffRtg: 108.4 (26) DefRtg: 116.3 (20) NetRtg: -7.8 (25) Pace: 103.1 (6)

Ja Morant is banged up and the Grizzlies have lost eight of their last nine games. They’ve seen the league’s third-biggest drop in winning percentage and its second-biggest drop in point differential per 100 possessions from last season.

Three takeaways

• Morant missed the Grizzlies’ loss in Boston on Wednesday and then played just six minutes in Cleveland over the weekend, dealing with calf soreness. The two games were the Grizzlies’ two worst offensive games of the season, as they scored less than a point per possession in both, shooting poorly in the paint (46.3%) and from 3-point range (25.3%).

• Zach Edey made his season debut on Saturday, when rookie Cedric Coward also got his first start, with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jock Landale being moved to the bench. Vince Williams Jr. replaced Morant at point guard (because Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome remain out) and the Grizzlies suddenly had what could be a terrific defensive lineup. The loss in Cleveland was, statistically, their best defensive game (108 points allowed on 105 possessions) since Week 1.

• Last season, the Grizzlies allowed just 105.6 points per 100 possessions (and outscored their opponents by 12.7 per 100) in 845 minutes with Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr. on the floor together, but allowed 113.6 per 100 in 1,933 total minutes with one on the floor without the other.

Coming up: The Grizzlies are one of three teams with a league-low seven rest-advantage games this season, with their first two coming on Thursday (vs. the Kings) and Saturday (at Dallas). Their one win in this 1-8 stretch was over the Mavs 10 days ago.

Week 5: @ SAS, vs. SAC, @ DAL

#25

Utah JazzLast Week:26↑

Record: 5-8

OffRtg: 113.5 (23) DefRtg: 118.1 (23) NetRtg: -4.6 (22) Pace: 102.3 (10)

The Jazz went 2-2 on a four-game homestand that was capped by Keyonte George’s game-winning 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in the second overtime vs. the Bulls on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• With comeback victories over Indiana and Chicago last week, the Jazz have as many wins (they’re 3-7) in games they trailed by double-digits as they did all of last season (3-60). They have the league’s eighth-ranked second-half offense, having scored 118.6 points per 100 possessions over the third and fourth quarters.

• Ace Bailey was moved into the starting lineup last week and probably had his best game of the season in the Jazz’s win over the Pacers on Tuesday. He scored 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting in what was the second most efficient offensive performance (152 points on 103 possessions) for any team this season. But the new lineup was outscored by 26 points in its 41 minutes (allowing 122 points on just 92 defensive possessions) last week and Bailey somehow fouled out in less than 11 minutes on Sunday.

• Isaiah Collier and George committed two brutal turnovers in the final 20 seconds of the first overtime on Sunday, when all they had to do was hold onto the ball and wait to get fouled. But over the 58 total minutes, Jazz had a season-low nine turnovers, and they’ve seen the league’s third biggest drop in turnover rate from last season. (They’ve gone from 30th to 24th, but it’s progress.)

Coming up: The Jazz lost their four 2024-25 games against the Thunder by a total of 93 points, the biggest cumulative head-to-head differential in the league last season. Their first ‘25-26 meeting with the champs is an NBA Cup game on Friday.

Week 5: @ LAL, vs. OKC*, vs. LAL

#26

Sacramento KingsLast Week:25↓

Record: 3-11

OffRtg: 109.8 (25) DefRtg: 120.4 (27) NetRtg: -10.6 (26) Pace: 103.1 (6)

The Kings’ schedule has remained tough, and they’ve lost six straight games, all of them by at least 13 points. That matches their longest losing streak of last season, when they made a coaching change after the first five of those losses.

Three takeaways

• The Kings keep shuffling their starting lineup. Precious Achiuwa replaced Russell Westbrook, who then replaced Dennis Schröder, who had a three-game stretch where he shot 1-for-19. On Sunday, Keon Ellis replaced Achiuwa. Nothing has worked, with the Kings having been outscored by 21.7 points per 100 possessions in 232 total minutes with their three full-time starters – Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis – on the floor together.

• Defense has been an issue in Sacramento for much of the last two decades, but the Kings had the league’s seventh-ranked offense last season. They’ve seen the league’s fourth biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions (-6.1), with the Pacers being the only team that’s seen a bigger drop in field goal percentage in the paint. Sabonis’ 55.6% shooting in the paint is his worst mark since his rookie year and down from 64.3% last season.

• The Kings have now played 12 games (they’re 2-10) against the 16 teams that currently have winning records, two more than any other team has played. That includes two games each against the Thunder, Nuggets and Wolves, and they’ll face all three of those teams again in the next eight days.

Coming up: The Kings have three games remaining on their five-game trip. Their visit to Memphis on Thursday will be their first game against a team that’s currently below .500 since their win over Utah on Oct. 24, but they’ll be at a rest disadvantage, having played in Oklahoma City the night before.

Week 5: @ OKC, @ MEM, @ DEN

#27

Brooklyn NetsLast Week:28↑

Record: 2-11

OffRtg: 112.6 (24) DefRtg: 124.0 (30) NetRtg: -11.4 (27) Pace: 98.2 (28)

The Nets are clearly the best team in the East’s bottom three, having beat both the Pacers and Wizards (on the road) in the last 12 days.

Three takeaways

• Michael Porter Jr. was the star (34 points, nine rebound and seven assists) in Washington on Sunday, but one common denominator in the Nets’ two wins has been some hot shooting from Tyrese Martin. He’s come off the bench and had his two highest-scoring games of the season against the Pacers and Wizards, adding four assists, a steal and two blocks in Washington on Sunday. The third-year wing has shot 7-for-13 from 3-point range in the two wins and 10-for-44 (23%) from deep otherwise.

• The Nets’ 30th-ranked defense might be getting a little better, with their weekend games in Orlando and Washington being just the second and third times this season that they’ve allowed fewer than 120 points per 100 possessions. The Magic and Wizards combined for 31 turnovers and just 10 offensive rebounds.

• With their defense being so bad and with their point guard being so young, the Nets are getting next to nothing in transition. Their 8.8 fast break points per 100 possessions are the fewest in the league by a wide margin and would be the fewest for any team in the last eight seasons.

Coming up: The Nets aren’t scheduled to play the Pacers or Wizards again until January. They’ve lost 18 of their last 19 games against the Celtics, with their first two meetings of the season coming on Tuesday and Friday.

Week 5: vs. BOS, @ BOS*, @ TOR

#28

New Orleans PelicansLast Week:27↓

Record: 2-11

OffRtg: 107.6 (27) DefRtg: 120.7 (28) NetRtg: -13.1 (28) Pace: 99.9 (26)

The Pelicans fired coach Willie Green on Saturday morning, but the result of their first game under interim coach James Borrego (an 18-point loss to the Warriors) wasn’t much different than that of the last game under Green (a 14-point loss to the Lakers).

Three takeaways

• The Pelicans were 49-33 (with the league’s sixth-ranked defense) just two seasons ago. Most of that team’s rotation was traded away and the wheels came off with a bunch of injuries last season, but a return to competitiveness in Green’s fifth season on the bench certainly wasn’t out of the question. Instead, they’re one of three teams – the Pacers and Wizards are the others – that rank in the bottom five on both ends of the floor.

• One change on Sunday was rookie Derik Queen replacing Kevon Looney in the starting lineup. Looney didn’t play and Queen had six assists (including one serious dime) against the Warriors. He scored a career-high 26 points on 12-for-18 shooting in a loss to the Blazers on Wednesday and the Pelicans’ offense has been at its best (111.3 points scored per 100 possessions) with the rookie on the floor.

• Zion Williamson was listed as questionable for the Pelicans’ loss to the Warriors on Sunday, so he could be close to a return. He’s missed the last seven games and has played just 38 minutes alongside Queen. The Pels have outscored their opponents by 15 points in those 38 minutes, but are 0-5 with Williamson in uniform, having allowed 123.4 points per 100 possessions over those five games.

Coming up: The Pels are just two games into a stretch where they’re playing eight of nine at home, but their loss to Golden State on Sunday was the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage against the Thunder on Monday night and again against the Hawks over the weekend.

Week 5: vs. OKC, vs. DEN, @ DAL*, vs. ATL

#29

Indiana PacersLast Week:29

Record: 1-12

OffRtg: 104.3 (30) DefRtg: 118.9 (26) NetRtg: -14.6 (29) Pace: 102.3 (9)

T.J. McConnell made his season debut last week, but the Pacers lost Aaron Nesmith to a knee injury two nights later. They have lost seven straight games, the last five by an average of 25 points.

Three takeaways

• The Pacers have scored 11.1 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season, which would be the biggest season-to-season drop-off on offense in the last 27 years, since the Bulls in 1998-99 (the season after the Last Dance). They’ve seen the league’s biggest drops in both field goal percentage in the paint and 3-point percentage.

• Jarace Walker (from 57.6% to 35.4%), Ben Sheppard (from 53.7% to 38.3%) and Nesmith (from 61.7% to 47.3%) have seen the biggest, fourth biggest and fifth biggest drops in effective field goal percentage among 184 players with at least 200 field goal attempts last season and at least 75 this season. Walker (21-for-66, 32%), Nesmith (20-for-51, 39%) and RayJ Dennis (9-for-28, 32%) are three of the five players who’ve shot under 40% on at least 25 shots in the paint. Sheppard is 8-for-39 (21%) on wide-open 3-pointers.

• The Pacers’ loss to Toronto on Saturday was just the third time this season that they’ve lost the possession game. They continue to take care of the ball, ranking third in turnover rate (13.4 per 100 possessions) and having committed just five in McConnell’s 43 minutes on the floor.

Coming up: The Pacers have already played six games against teams that rank in the top 10 defensively, and they’ll play three more in the next eight days. That includes two against the third-ranked Pistons, who they’ll visit on Monday.

Week 5: @ DET, vs. CHA, @ CLE*

#30

Washington WizardsLast Week:30

Record: 1-12

OffRtg: 107.3 (28) DefRtg: 123.4 (29) NetRtg: -16.1 (30) Pace: 103.5 (3)

The Wizards almost won in Detroit last Monday (they were up five with less than five seconds left in regulation), but also got beaten by 23 points at home by the Nets over the weekend. Their losing streak is at 11 games, with eight of the 11 losses having come by 17 points or more.

Three takeaways

• The Wizards allowed the Nets to score 129 points on just 99 possessions on Sunday, and they’re now in danger of replacing Brooklyn as the worst defensive team in the league. They’ve actually been a little better than average (57.5%) regarding opponent field goal percentage in the paint (57.2%), and they’ve finally started to force some turnovers: 13.5 per 100 possessions over their last four games, up from a record-low 11.3 per 100 before that. But the Rockets and Nets combined to shoot 34-for-76 (45%) from 3-point range over their last two games and the Wizards also committed a ton of fouls on Sunday. Alex Sarr fouled out in just 23 minutes.

• The ball was in the hands of Kyshawn George for much of clutch time in the Wizards’ overtime loss in Detroit on Monday, and he’s now averaging 4.1 minutes of possession (13.2% of his minutes on the floor), just a tick behind CJ McCollum for the team lead and up from just 1.9 minutes (7.2%) last season. His assist/turnover ratio is down a bit from last season, but his scoring efficiency is way up, and he’s one of only six players who’ve shot 55% or better on at least 75 2-point attempts and 42% or better on at least 50 3-point attempts.

• While Sarr has shown clear improvement from his rookie season, Bub Carrington has seemingly taken a step backward. He’s 17-for-39 (44%) from 3-point range, but has somehow shot just 7-for-30 (23%) in the paint.

Coming up: The Wizards were home for just one game, and they’re now heading back out for a pretty tough, three-game trip, after which they will have played 10 of their 16 games on the road.

Week 5: @ MIN, @ TOR*, @ CHI