The Timberwolves enter Week 11 on a 3-game winning streak, helping them climb 4 spots in our latest ranking.
You are what your record says you are, but in the words of Phil Jackson, games can “turn on a trifle.”
Sometimes, a little late-game luck can go a long way in the standings. Sometimes, teams are better or worse than what their record says they are.
Take the Sacramento Kings, who, after a freak collapse against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, were 13-18, having outscored their opponents by 1.2 points per game. That winning percentage (.419) would have been the worst in NBA history (by a healthy margin) for a team with a point differential of at least plus-1.0 per game, and the Kings’ record would likely have improved with time and with a couple of late-game bounces finally going their way.
But Sacramento management didn’t have the patience, firing coach Mike Brown on Friday. He was the only coach to have the Kings in the top 10 on either end of the floor in the last 20 seasons, with the Kings leading the league in offense two seasons ago and returning to the top 10 this season.
Alas, for some, 13-18 is 13-18.
Plus-Minus Players of the Week
Teams of the Week
- Make It Last Forever: Philadelphia (3-0) — 10, nine, eight…
- Something Just Ain’t Right: Sacramento (0-2) — [Deep sigh]
* * *
East vs. West
- The West is 71-57 (.555) against the East in interconference games, though the East was 10-7 last week.
Schedule strength through Week 10
- Toughest: 1. Washington, 2. New Orleans, 3. Toronto
- Easiest: 1. Cleveland, 2. New York, 3. Memphis
- Schedule strength is based on cumulative opponent record.
* * *
Movement in the Rankings
- High jumps of the week: Philadelphia (+5), Miami (+4), Minnesota (+4), New York (+4)
- Free falls of the week: Golden State (-6), Milwaukee (-4)
* * *
Week 11 Team to Watch
- Oklahoma City — The Thunder have the best record (13-4) in games played between the 16 teams currently over .500, and that mark will be put to the test this week, with their five-game homestand concluding with games against the Wolves, Clippers, Knicks and Celtics.
* * *
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 112.5 points scored per 100 possessions and 99.9 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.
NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, contact him via Bluesky.
Last Week:1
Record: 27-4
OffRtg: 121.7 (1) DefRtg: 110.3 (9) NetRtg: +11.4 (2) Pace: 100.7 (8)
The Cavs have won 10 of their last 11 games and now have a five-game lead in the loss column over the Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Three takeaways
- The Cavs are 7-0 against the Western Conference after beginning a four-game trip with a 149-135 win in Denver on Friday. We’ve been waiting for the Cleveland offense to cool off a bit, but the win was the Cavs’ most efficient offensive performance of the season (149 on 106 possessions). It was the second time in their three seasons together (the first time since a double-OT win in Nov. 2022) that Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen all scored 20 points or more.
- The Cavs have now scored 9.2 more points per 100 possessions than the league average (112.5), which would be the biggest differential in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data, topping that of the 2003-04 Mavs (9.0). Their effective field goal percentage of 59.7% would be the best mark in NBA history by a huge margin.
- The Nuggets shot 15-for-31 (48%) from 3-point range, but the Cavs (23-for-48) still outscored them by 24 points from beyond the arc. Cleveland has taken 52% of its shots from 3-point range over its six-game winning streak and remains the only undefeated team (21-0) when outscoring its opponent from deep.
That perfect record vs. the West will be on the line as the Cavs complete their four-game trip this week. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage in L.A. on Tuesday, but will then have the first two days of 2025 off before visiting the Mavs.
Week 11: @ GSW, @ LAL, @ DAL, vs. CHA
Last Week:2
Record: 26-5
OffRtg: 114.9 (7) DefRtg: 102.9 (1) NetRtg: +12.1 (1) Pace: 100.4 (9)
The Thunder have an 11-game winning streak (second longest in the league this season) and began a tough, five-game homestand with a win over the Morant-less Grizzlies on Sunday, putting them six games in the loss column ahead of both Houston and Memphis at the top of the West.
Three takeaways
- Weekend wins over the Hornets and Grizzlies were the 13th and 14th times the Thunder have held their opponent under a point per possession. Only two other teams — the Wolves (9) and Celtics (8) — have done it more than half as many times. Oklahoma City continues to have the best defense in the 29 seasons of play-by-play data, having allowed 9.6 fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average (112.5).
- The Thunder continue to have the highest opponent turnover rate (18.8 per 100 possessions) in the last 26 seasons. But they now also have the league’s lowest turnover rate on offense (11.7 per 100), having committed just three in Indiana on Thursday, when they came back from 15 points down to remain undefeated (now 9-0) against the Eastern Conference.
- The Thunder got a couple of big points in Indiana when Cason Wallace set a screen for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rolled freely into the paint and dropped the ball off to Isaiah Hartenstein. According to Second Spectrum tracking, Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league for the second straight season in having ball screens set for him by guards, with his 503 ball screens from guards being 162 more than any other player has used.
The Thunder are two games into their first stretch of five games in seven days, though their rest-disadvantage win over Memphis on Sunday was also the start of a five-game homestand. With that win, they’re 9-4 against the other eight West teams with winning records, set to face the Wolves (8-5 within the top nine) for the first time on Tuesday.
Week 11: vs. MIN, vs. LAC, vs. NYK, vs. BOS
Last Week:7↑
Record: 22-10
OffRtg: 120.0 (2) DefRtg: 112.2 (13) NetRtg: +7.9 (5) Pace: 97.7 (26)
The Knicks had a couple of close calls last week, but they’ve won seven straight games since losing in the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals, and they’ve gained some separation as a top-three team in the East.
Three takeaways
- Wins over the Spurs and Wizards last week were just the Knicks’ 10th and 11th clutch games of the season, with only two teams having played fewer. They continue to close games with all five starters on the floor, and their starting lineup has now played 136 more minutes (539) than any other lineup in the league. There are only 32 players who’ve played at least 1,000 minutes this season, and the Knicks have five of them. (No other team has more than three.)
- Jalen Brunson scored 16 of the Knicks’ 24 clutch points in Washington on Saturday, and his clutch usage rate of 46.3% would be the highest rate for any player in the last six seasons. Over his three seasons with the Knicks (including playoffs), he’s shot 98-for-186 (53%) on clutch 2-pointers, but just 21-for-70 (30%) on clutch 3s.
The Knicks will close 2024 with a second straight game in Washington. Their first game of 2025 (a visit from the Jazz) will be the end of a stretch where they will have played 14 of 16 games against teams that rank in the bottom 10 offensively. They’ll have a rest advantage when they begin a two-game trip in Oklahoma City on Friday, the first of two meetings with the Thunder in eight days.
Week 11: @ WAS, vs. UTA, @ OKC, @ CHI
Last Week:3↓
Record: 23-9
OffRtg: 119.5 (3) DefRtg: 110.1 (8) NetRtg: +9.4 (3) Pace: 99.0 (21)
The Celtics are in a bit of a slump, having lost four of their last six games, which hasn’t been a particularly tough stretch regarding the opponents.
Three takeaways
- Losses to the Sixers and Pacers last week were just the fifth and sixth times that the Celtics have allowed more than 120 points per 100 possessions. They’ve seen more slippage on defense than on offense this season, though that can be partially attributed to Kristaps Porzingis playing less than half as much (19% of the Celtics’ total minutes) as he did last season (43%).
- After turning his ankle, Porzingis missed the second half of the Christmas loss to Philly and both of the Celtics’ weekend games against the Pacers. Jrue Holiday (shoulder injury) missed all three games and the Celtics have still had all six of their top guys (the starters plus Al Horford) just three times this season. They’ve allowed 105.1 points per 100 possessions in 537 minutes with Holiday and Derrick White on the floor together, but 113.7 per 100 in 788 total minutes with one on the floor without the other.
- The Celtics still rank second in opponent free throw rate, but the losses to the Sixers and Pacers were just the second and third times they’ve been outscored by double-digits from the line. Al Horford shot 1-for-10 from 3-point range on Sunday while also committing five fouls for the first time since the 2023 playoffs.
After hosting the Raptors on Tuesday, the Celtics will have played 29 of their 33 games within the Eastern Conference. They’ll begin 2025 with a tough, four-game trip that includes visits to the third-place Rockets and the three teams — Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Denver — that finished at the top of the West last season.
Week 11: vs. TOR, @ MIN, @ HOU, @ OKC
Last Week:4↓
Record: 22-11
OffRtg: 116.8 (5) DefRtg: 108.4 (5) NetRtg: +8.4 (4) Pace: 105.5 (1)
Ja Morant is out again (though we don’t know for how long), having suffered a right shoulder injury in New Orleans on Friday. That spoiled the first matchup between the first and second-place teams in the Western Conference, and the Grizzlies lost by 24 (their worst loss of the season) in Oklahoma City on Sunday night.
Three takeaways
- With the loss to the Thunder, the Grizzlies have the worst record (3-8) in games played between the nine West teams that are currently over .500, having scored just 109.4 points per 100 possessions over those 11 games. That record breaks down to 2-4 with Morant and 1-4 (105.6 scored per 100) without him.
- The Grizzlies did get three games last week with their new starting lineup together. That lineup — Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey — has somehow outscored opponents by 57 points in its 40 total minutes, having scored 137 points on 80 offensive possessions (147 per 100).
- It’s helped that Bane’s shooting has picked up. After registering an effective field goal percentage of just 51.1% through his first 19 games, he’s at 64.9% over the last six. While his season-long mark (54.5%) is still the worst of his career, Bane is putting up career-high marks in both assist ratio and rebounding percentage.
The Grizzlies played 16 of their first 31 games against the Eastern Conference (going 13-3 in those interconference games), but they’re now two games into a stretch of 12 straight against the West (9-8). Their five-game trip continues on Tuesday with their first meeting against the struggling Suns.
Week 11: @ PHX, @ SAC, @ GSW
Last Week:5↓
Record: 20-12
OffRtg: 116.8 (4) DefRtg: 110.9 (11) NetRtg: +5.9 (7) Pace: 100.3 (10)
Luka Dončić is out at least a month with a calf strain and, with a tough schedule ahead, it will be a challenge for the Mavs to remain in the top six in the West.
Three takeaways
- Even with a loss in Portland over the weekend, the Mavs are 7-2 in games that Kyrie Irving has played without Dončić. The first loss (in Miami) was in overtime and the second (Saturday) was a rest-disadvantage game. Five of the seven wins have come against teams that are currently over .500 and another (Friday in Phoenix) knocked the Suns out of that group.
- They also erased almost all of a 28-point deficit after Dončić was hurt against the Wolves on Christmas, but were unable to complete the comeback. It was a similar story in Portland on Saturday, when the Mavs cut a 21-point deficit down to five, and just couldn’t get the stops they needed. The Mavs have the league’s second-biggest differential between their record in non-clutch games (13-3) and their record in games that were within five in the last five minutes (7-9), and the nine clutch losses are already as many as they had all of last season (23-9).
- Dereck Lively II has also missed the last two games and Naji Marshall will be suspended for three more after his altercation with Jusuf Nurkić on Friday. Lively has been critical on the defensive end of the floor and the loss on Saturday was the second time that Dallas allowed the Blazers’ 26th-ranked offense to score more than 120 points per 100 possessions.
The Mavs have two games left on their four-game trip and their visit to Sacramento on Monday will be the start of a stretch where they’re playing eight of 14 against teams that rank in the top 10 offensively.
Week 11: @ SAC, @ HOU, vs. CLE
Last Week:6↓
Record: 21-11
OffRtg: 112.4 (13) DefRtg: 105.9 (2) NetRtg: +6.5 (6) Pace: 99.6 (16)
The Rockets have dropped the first two games of a five-game homestand, blowing double-digit, second-half leads against the Wolves and Heat.
Three takeaways
- The Rockets still rank as the league’s third-best first-quarter team (plus-15.9 points per 100 possessions) and have seven wire-to-wire victories (three more than every team but the Grizzlies) after picking up two last week. But their weekend losses were the fifth and sixth times that they’ve trailed after the first 12 minutes and they’re 1-5 in those games.
- They still have a winning record (10-8) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, but the Rockets scored just four points on 11 clutch possessions as they lost the two close games over the weekend. They still had a chance to win against Minnesota after blowing a 16-point lead with less than five minutes left on Friday, but Fred VanVleet missed a leaning 3 for the win after Alperen Sengun was doubled in the post. VanVleet (0-for-4), Sengun (0-for-3), Jabari Smith Jr. (0-for-3) and Jalen Green (0-for-1) are a combined 0-for-11 on shots to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime, with Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson both 1-for-1.
- Jalen Green continues to have the occasional big game (like 30 points in New Orleans on Thursday), but has now had an effective field goal percentage below 45% in 18 (56%) of the Rockets’ 32 games. His overall mark of 48.2% ranks 94th among 101 players with at least 300 field goal attempts, with VanVleet (47.1%) one of the seven guys behind him.
The Rockets have a couple of days off before beginning 2025 with the final three games of their five-game homestand. They were 2-10 against the Mavs over the previous three seasons, but got a wire-to-wire win in Dallas in October, with six guys scoring in double-figures. Game 2 of the season series on Wednesday.
Week 11: vs. DAL, vs. BOS, vs. LAL
Last Week:12↑
Record: 17-14
OffRtg: 110.8 (21) DefRtg: 108.7 (6) NetRtg: +2.0 (12) Pace: 98.0 (24)
The Wolves continue with their Jekyll-and-Hyde act. Just when things were looking bleak again, they won three straight games, with huge wins in Dallas and Houston included.
Three takeaways
- The three wins have come by a total of nine points, with the Wolves allowing just 16 points on 19 clutch defensive possessions. Their 20 clutch games are just one behind Golden State’s league-leading total of 21, and they’re an even 10-10 in those games.
- The winning streak has also come with an uptick on offense (115.4 points scored per 100 possessions), and the old Knicks have led the way. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo have combined to average 41.7 points on an effective field goal percentage of 65% over the three games, and Randle is now registering his highest mark (53.9%) in the last six seasons.
- Despite Randle’s improvement, the Wolves’ starting lineup has been outscored by 22 points in his 45 minutes over the winning streak, and it’s now just a plus-1.6 per 100 possessions over its 379 total minutes. But the Wolves have been at their best with Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the floor and the Minnesota bench ranks third in December, up from 14th prior.
The ups and downs can be tied to the Wolves having played a pretty brutal schedule since Thanksgiving, with each of their last 13 games against teams no worse than the 16-16 Spurs. But relief isn’t coming until after they face the Thunder and Celtics this week. Tuesday will bring their first of four meetings with Oklahoma City, against whom they split the season series last year.
Week 11: @ OKC, vs. BOS, @ DET
Last Week:13↑
Record: 16-14
OffRtg: 112.4 (14) DefRtg: 110.4 (10) NetRtg: +2.0 (11) Pace: 97.6 (27)
Pat Riley said Thursday that the Heat aren’t trading Jimmy Butler, who’s been out for 10 days, with the Heat playing ugly and close games in his absence.
Three takeaways
- The Heat and their opponents have combined to score just 107.6 points per 100 possessions over their last seven games, with Miami struggling to find a consistent source of offense beyond that of Tyler Herro. Terry Rozier continues to have his worst shooting season since his second year in the league, Jaime Jaquez Jr. has taken a step backward offensively, and Bam Adebayo has missed his last 13 3-point attempts.
- With ugly offense on both ends of the floor and with the Heat playing at a pretty slow pace, six of their last seven games have been within five points in the last five minutes. The Heat have scored just 42 points on 50 clutch possessions over that stretch, but Herro now leads the league with five buckets to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime, having drained the game-winner in Orlando on Thursday.
- The Heat’s 89 points on 96 possessions in that game were the least efficient performance for a winning team this season, topping their mark of 95 on 99 in Minnesota (when Nikola Jović had the game-winner) in early November. According to Synergy tracking, the Magic scored just 18 points on 31 possessions against Miami’s zone, and the Heat have now played twice as much zone (10.8 possessions per game) as any other team.
The Heat end 2024 with two days off and should get Butler back this week, but they begin 2025 with their second stretch of five games in seven days. The first four of those games are against teams with losing records and the first three are at home, but the most important is against the Pacers on Thursday when the Heat will be at a rest disadvantage.
Week 11: vs. NOP, vs. IND, vs. UTA
Last Week:9↓
Record: 20-14
OffRtg: 109.0 (25) DefRtg: 106.3 (3) NetRtg: +2.6 (10) Pace: 97.3 (29)
The Magic make it difficult for other teams to use injuries as an excuse. They’re just 4-5 since losing Franz Wagner, but that includes a win over the Celtics last Monday in which they trailed by 15 at the half.
Three takeaways
- They also came back from 21 points down (17 down with seven minutes left) to beat Brooklyn on Sunday, having lost Jalen Suggs to a wrist injury in the first half. It wasn’t a great defensive game overall, but they took the lead after holding the Nets to just two points on a stretch of 10 fourth-quarter possessions and became the second team (Chicago was the first) with two wins in games, they trailed by at least 20.
- With that comeback, the Magic have been 17.8 points per 100 possessions better in the second halves of games (plus-11.6, best in the league) than they’ve been before halftime (minus-6.2, seventh worst). That’s the league’s biggest half-to-half differential (in either direction) by a wide margin and is entirely about defense: 113.7 allowed per 100 (19th) in the first half and just 98.8 allowed per 100 (best by a wide margin) in the second half.
- Tristan da Silva had a rough night (0-for-5 shooting, four turnovers) against the Knicks on Friday, but had 18 points or more in the Magic’s other three games last week, draining the dagger corner 3 against Boston with less than 10 seconds left. He was aggressive against Miami on Thursday, looking a lot like Wagner when he attacked the basket.
The Magic are off for the last two days of 2024 and their win over the Nets began a stretch of four straight games against teams with losing records. They’re 16-3 (third best) against that group, including 14-1 since early November.
Week 11: @ DET, @ TOR, vs. UTA
Last Week:14↑
Record: 18-13
OffRtg: 110.5 (23) DefRtg: 107.8 (4) NetRtg: +2.7 (8) Pace: 98.9 (22)
They’re still waiting on Kawhi Leonard, but the Clippers have won four of their last five games, with a signature victory in Memphis last Monday.
Three takeaways
- The Clippers have held their opponent under 103 points per 100 possessions in all four of these recent wins. The Grizzlies are once again near the top of the league in points in the paint, but their 21-for-54 (38.9%) shooting in the paint against the Clips was their worst mark of the season.
- Overall, the Clippers have seen the league’s fifth-biggest jump in opponent field goal percentage in the paint from last season. Opponents have shot 55% at the rim when Ivica Zubac has been there, up from 49.6% (best in the league) in ’23-24.
- They’ve still seen the league’s third-biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions. The Clippers have seen the fourth-biggest jump in opponent turnover rate and the biggest jump in defensive rebounding percentage. While Zubac’s rim protection hasn’t been as good, his rebounding (on defense and overall) has been the best of his career.
If this is the week that Leonard makes his season debut, it won’t be on Monday, when the Clippers begin a three-game trip in New Orleans.
Week 11: @ NOP, @ SAS, @ OKC, vs. ATL
Last Week:8↓
Record: 16-14
OffRtg: 112.3 (15) DefRtg: 111.4 (12) NetRtg: +0.9 (15) Pace: 99.7 (14)
Since winning the Emirates NBA Cup, the Bucks have been without Damian Lillard and/or Giannis Antetokounmpo (both dealing with illnesses) for all five of their games. They managed to win two without either of them, but they’ve since dropped two straight, stalling their pre-Cup momentum.
Three takeaways
- These five post-Cup games have been pretty ugly on both ends of the floor, with the Bucks and their opponents combining to score just 106.3 points per 100 possessions. AJ Green and Taurean Prince combined to shoot 49.3% from 3-point range before the Cup final, but are 10-for-43 (23%) over the five games since.
- The defense has been much better with Bobby Portis (starting in place of Antetokounmpo) off the floor, and he made one of the most confounding blunders of the season on Thursday. With the Bucks down three, Portis got screened by Cam Johnson and stayed to double Ben Simmons (who hasn’t made a shot from outside the paint in almost two years) instead of switching on to Johnson, who promptly put the game away with an open 3-pointer (and a free throw).
- The other end of the floor was also an issue, with the Bucks scoring just 11 points on 20 clutch possessions (with five turnovers and Portis shooting 0-for-3) as they lost close games to the Nets and Bulls. They have the same record in games that were within five in the last five minutes (8-7) as they do otherwise, but rank 27th in clutch offense (exactly one point scored per possession).
The Bucks will have a second straight day off before playing in Indiana on Tuesday. They’ve won nine of their last 11 games (not including the NBA Cup final) with both Lillard and Antetokounmpo, and the latter had a 37-point triple-double in their first meeting (a 12-point win) with the Pacers.
Week 11: @ IND, vs. BKN, vs. POR
Last Week:10↓
Record: 17-13
OffRtg: 116.6 (6) DefRtg: 113.9 (18) NetRtg: +2.7 (9) Pace: 102.0 (5)
The Nuggets went 3-2 on their first stretch of five games in seven days, breaking out offensively against Detroit on Saturday. But they’ve slipped out of the top six in the West.
Three takeaways
- The Nuggets’ loss to Cleveland on Friday was the second time that they’ve allowed more than 140 points per 100 possessions, something they didn’t do at all last season. They’ve now allowed 1.6 more per 100 than they did in 2023-24, with only the Pelicans having seen a bigger jump.
- The defensive drop-off has been almost entirely about how effectively their opponents have shot. The Nuggets have seen the league’s fourth-biggest jump in opponent field goal percentage in the paint and its third-biggest jump in opponent 3-point rate. They’ve allowed 2.8 more 3-pointers per game than they did last season
- With Jamal Murray (1) and Aaron Gordon (2) missing games last week, the Nuggets’ regular starters have played together in just 12 of their 30 games. And Denver is just 5-7 in those games, having lost in Phoenix with all five guys on Christmas. That game got away when Denver scored just three points (with Nikola Jokić on the floor) on its final 10 possessions of the third quarter.
The Nuggets have two single-game road trips on a stretch where they’re playing seven of nine at home. The first of the two is Monday in Utah, after which they’ll play 10 of their next 11 games against teams currently .500 or better.
Week 11: @ UTA, vs. ATL, vs. SAS, @ SAS
Last Week:17↑
Record: 18-15
OffRtg: 112.0 (16) DefRtg: 113.0 (16) NetRtg: -1.0 (16) Pace: 104.5 (2)
The Hawks have followed a three-game losing streak with four straight wins, climbing back into the top five in the Eastern Conference.
Three takeaways
- The winning streak has been the Hawks’ best stretch of offense this season (123.6 points scored per 100 possessions), with two of the games having come against teams — Minnesota and Miami — that rank in the top 10 defensively. Trae Young, De’Andre Hunter and Jalen Johnson have each averaged more than 22 points over the four games, combining for a true shooting percentage of 67.1%.
- Hunter continues to be the most efficient of the three and is now averaging five more points per game (20.6) than he did last season (15.6), even though he’s playing fewer minutes (27.9 vs. 29.5). He’s registering career-high marks in both 3-point percentage (45.2%) and 3-point rate (46% of his shots), but also free throw percentage (87.6%) and free throw rate (38.4 attempts per 100 shots from the field), having gone 10-for-10 from the line in the Hawks’ comeback win in Chicago on Thursday.
- They came back from 21 points down in that one, scoring 50 points in the fourth quarter, including 31 on their final 12 possessions. Most of that damage (32-9 in 6.3 minutes) came with their Hunter-instead-of-Risacher lineup, which has now outscored opponents by 16.5 points per 100 possessions in 97 minutes. It would have eclipsed the 100-minute mark over the weekend, but Dyson Daniels has missed the last two games with an illness.
Playing without Daniels in Toronto on Sunday, the Hawks were able to hold their opponent under a point per possession for the second time. That was the start of their longest road trip of the season (six games over 12 days), with the Western Conference portion beginning in Denver on Wednesday.
Week 11: @ DEN, @ LAL, @ LAC
Last Week:15
Record: 18-13
OffRtg: 112.5 (12) DefRtg: 114.9 (21) NetRtg: -2.4 (20) Pace: 99.1 (20)
The Lakers have won five of their last six games, with the last two coming without one of their two stars. Anthony Davis missed almost all of their Christmas win at Golden State and LeBron James was out against the Kings on Sunday.
Three takeaways
- The first three wins on this stretch were about defense, but the last two have been the first two times since Thanksgiving that the Lakers scored more than 120 points per 100 possessions. They’re now 11-1 when they’ve scored at least 116 per 100.
- James had 31 points and 10 assists in the Christmas win over the Warriors, while Davis returned from his ankle injury to post 36, 15 and eight assists against the Kings. But the Lakers also got big games from each of their other three starters. Max Christie seems to be getting used to his starting role, with the last three games being the three highest-scoring games of his career (17, 16 and 16 points).
- On Sunday, the Lakers acquired Dorian Finney-Smith without giving up a first-round pick. Finney-Smith gives them a much-needed two-way player with size, though thus far, the Lakers have been at their best with the guy they traded (D’Angelo Russell) or the guy Finney-Smith will take minutes from (Rui Hachimura) on the floor.
Finney-Smith could be available and the Lakers will have a rest advantage when they host the Cavs on Tuesday. The Cavs clobbered L.A. (and Bronny James scored his first career points) when the two teams met in Cleveland in October.
Week 11: vs. CLE, vs. POR, vs. ATL, @ HOU
Last Week:18↑
Record: 16-17
OffRtg: 113.0 (10) DefRtg: 115.4 (23) NetRtg: -2.4 (19) Pace: 100.7 (7)
The Pacers played three straight games against the Thunder and Celtics (x 2) and got one win out of the three, withstanding a Boston comeback on Sunday.
Three takeaways
- The loss in Boston (a rest-disadvantage game and by far the Pacers’ worst defensive game of the season) came without Andrew Nembhard, who returned on Sunday with 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the win. The Pacers have won nine of the last 11 games in which Nembhard has played at least 20 minutes.
- Their current starting lineup, with Bennedict Mathurin in place of Aaron Nesmith (who hasn’t played since Nov. 1) has outscored opponents by 14.8 points per 100 possessions, the best mark among the eight league-wide lineups that have played at least 200 minutes. It’s allowed less than a point per possession, keeping opponents off the free-throw line and off the offensive glass.
- Over their two games in Boston, the Pacers were outscored by 57 points (117-60) from 3-point range. But on Sunday, they were a plus-10 from the free throw line (their best differential of the season) and a plus-20 inside the arc. After shooting a historically good 50.5% from mid-range last season, they were at just 36.5% through their first 22 games this year. But they’re at a league-best 67-for-129 (51.9%) over their last 11, with both of their point guards – Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell over 60% on more than 15 attempts.
The Pacers haven’t been over .500 since they were 1-0 and getting back will be tough with games against the Bucks and Heat in the next four days. After that, they’ll play three straight against teams with losing records.
Week 11: vs. MIL, @ MIA, vs. PHX
Last Week:11↓
Record: 16-15
OffRtg: 111.4 (18) DefRtg: 109.8 (7) NetRtg: +1.6 (13) Pace: 100.2 (11)
After losing 12 of their previous 15 games and falling back to .500 for the first time, the Warriors got a desperately needed win over Phoenix on Saturday, coming back from nine points down with six minutes left.
Three takeaways
- The difference between the Warriors that were 12-3 (plus-10.0 points per 100 possessions) and the Warriors that went 3-12 (minus-7.3) was about even on both ends of the floor. It was also about struggles down the stretch, with Golden State getting outscored by 43.3 points per 100 clutch possessions over those five weeks. With the narrow win over the Suns (in which Phoenix scored just five points on 12 clutch possessions), 18 of the Warriors’ last 21 games have been within five points in the last five minutes.
- Dennis Schröder has shot just 18-for-63 (29%) in his six games with the Warriors, who have scored an anemic 94.2 points per 100 possessions in his 165 minutes on the floor. But he had seven of the Warriors’ 14 clutch points on Saturday, draining a second-chance 3-pointer for the lead, stripping the ball off Kevin Durant, and hitting two big free throws in the closing seconds.
- Jonathan Kuminga continues to come off the bench, but scored 34 points in both games of the Warriors’ weekend back-to-back, with 59 of those 68 total points coming in the paint (40) or at the free throw line (19-for-26). Kuminga has still seen a big drop in efficiency from last season, but the Warriors have outscored their opponents by 10.3 points per 100 possessions in his 205 minutes on the floor with both Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
The Warriors have three homestands of at least six games. The first (six games over 11 days) began with their win against the Suns on Saturday and includes rest-advantage games against the Sixers and Grizzlies this week.
Week 11: vs. CLE, vs. PHI, vs. MEM, vs. SAC
Last Week:23↑
Record: 12-17
OffRtg: 108.4 (27) DefRtg: 112.4 (14) NetRtg: -4.0 (23) Pace: 97.3 (28)
The Sixers got their biggest win of the season on Christmas, they’re 9-3 since Thanksgiving, and they remain undefeated (4-0) when Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid have all been available for all four quarters.
Three takeaways
- The Sixers were outscored by 15 points in 26 minutes with Maxey, George and Embiid all on the floor in Boston on Christmas, and they’ve still scored just 103.2 points per 100 possessions in their 134 total minutes together. But bench minutes were terrific last week, with Philly outscoring the Spurs, Celtics and Jazz by 19.9 per 100 in 75 minutes with Guerschon Yabusele on the floor.
- With their three wins last week, the Sixers have won their last five games that have been within five points in the last five minutes. And, even when Embiid and George have been on the floor, Maxey has been the man in the clutch. He’s scored 20 of the team’s 41 clutch points (on 7-for-11 shooting) over that stretch and is one of three players – Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jokić are the others – that have shot better than 50% on at least 25 clutch shots for the season.
- With the narrow wins (and a blowout loss in Cleveland without Embiid), the Sixers have outscored their opponents by only 2.4 points per 100 possessions (12th best) over this 9-3 stretch since Thanksgiving. But that’s a huge improvement over their first 17 games (minus 8.5 per 100), with the bigger improvement having come on offense (112.7 vs. 105.4 scored per 100).
Wins over the Spurs and Jazz last week were the Sixers’ first two victories (after an 0-7 start) against the Western Conference. A couple of more victories out West will keep them climbing in the East, with Philly now just a half-game out of a Play-In spot.
Week 11: @ POR, @ SAC, @ GSW, @ BKN
Last Week:16↓
Record: 16-16
OffRtg: 111.4 (19) DefRtg: 112.7 (15) NetRtg: -1.3 (17) Pace: 99.2 (19)
The Spurs went 1-3 on a four-game trip, with all three losses being heartbreakers.
Three takeaways
- On Monday in Philly, two straight Julian Champagnie turnovers turned a one-point lead into a five-point deficit. And in New York and Minnesota, the Spurs blew a pair of eight-point, fourth-quarter leads. They’ve still been much better after halftime (plus-5.0 points per 100 possessions) than they’ve been before (minus-7.9 per 100) and they still have a better record in clutch games (8-6) than they do otherwise (8-10).
- The Spurs have now been 16.2 points per 100 possessions better with Chris Paul on the floor (plus-5.3) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-10.9). That’s his biggest on-off differential in the last eight seasons since he was tied for the league’s biggest differential (19.4 per 100) in his last season with the Clippers.
- With Paul and Wembanyama often sitting together, the Spurs are trying to figure out what to do with their bench units. Zach Collins got five straight DNPs, first with Charles Bassey getting minutes as the backup five and then with the Spurs playing small-ball (Harrison Barnes or Jeremy Sochan at the five when Wembanyama sat) for a couple of games. Then, in Minnesota on Sunday, both Collins and Bassey got minutes off the bench. Nothing has worked, in part because Stephon Castle has seemingly hit the rookie wall after a strong start to the season.
The Spurs will have a rest advantage when they host the Clippers on Tuesday, with two days off following that. Then they’re back on the road for five of their next six, with the only exception being the second half of a home-and-home back-to-back (their first two meetings of the season) against the Nuggets.
Week 11: vs. LAC, @ DEN, vs. DEN
Last Week:21
Record: 14-18
OffRtg: 112.6 (11) DefRtg: 116.2 (25) NetRtg: -3.6 (22) Pace: 104.5 (3)
Josh Giddey returned from a four-game absence, recorded his second triple-double of the season, and hit a huge corner 3-pointer as the Bulls ended a three-game losing streak with a clutch win over the Antetokounmpo-less Bucks.
Three takeaways
- The win on Saturday was the first time in 17 games (since Nov. 18) that the Bulls had their entire starting lineup available (though they’ve had fewer than four of the five available only twice). The lineup has been outscored by 1.3 points per 100 possessions in its 154 minutes, though the Bulls have a winning record (7-6) when all five have been available and have been worse (minus-5.3 per 100) in 274 total minutes with Ayo Dosunmu (who’s missed the last two games) on the floor with four of the five.
- That 3-pointer for the lead against the Bucks was from the left corner, where Giddey has shot 35-for-86 (41%) over the last two seasons. He’s 82-for-264 (31%) from elsewhere around the arc since the start of last season and overall, his 32.7% from 3-point range this season is down from 33.7% in ’23-24.
- Before Thursday, the Bulls were at their best defensively (112 points allowed per 100 possessions) in the fourth quarter. And then they allowed the Hawks to score 50 points in the fourth, including an amazing 31 on their final 12 possessions to come back from 16 points down with less than six minutes left. The loss spoiled a game in which the Bulls shot 22-for-43 (51%) from 3-point range, and it ended a 111-game winning streak (going back to March of 2021) in games where they held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.
The Bulls are 5-3 (3-1 on the road) in games played between the eight Eastern Conference teams with losing records, set to visit Charlotte and Washington this week. Their previous wins over the Hornets and Wizards account for two of the five times they’ve held their opponent to a point per possession or less.
Week 11: @ CHA, @ WAS, vs. NYK
Last Week:22
Record: 14-18
OffRtg: 111.6 (17) DefRtg: 114.5 (20) NetRtg: -2.9 (21) Pace: 99.3 (18)
The Pistons are the first team to match its win total from last season (14-68), getting there by winning the first three games of a four-game trip out West.
Three takeaways
- When you take the league average into account, the bigger improvement has been on offense. And the four-game trip was the Pistons’ best offensive stretch this season (120.6 points scored per 100 possessions). Cade Cunningham shot below 40%, but still averaged 24.5 points and 10.3 assists over the four games. Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jaden Ivey combined to shoot 39-for-80 (49%) from 3-point range.
- Cunningham leads the league with 4.3 assists on 3-pointers per game, which would be the second-highest average for any player in the last seven seasons. He’s accounted for 47.6 total points per game via his own scoring and assists, fifth in the league and up from 40.0 last season.
- With the 3-1 trip, the Pistons are one of seven teams with a better record on the road (9-10) than they have at home (5-8). Beasley and Hardaway have combined for an effective field goal percentage of just 60.8% on the road and just 51.4% at Little Caesars Arena.
The Pistons will now play eight of their next 10 games at home, with their second stretch of five games in seven days beginning Friday with a visit from the Hornets (to whom they’ve lost twice). They’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they host the Wolves the following night.
Week 11: vs. ORL, vs. CHA, vs. MIN
Last Week:20↓
Record: 13-19
OffRtg: 114.8 (8) DefRtg: 113.5 (17) NetRtg: +1.2 (14) Pace: 99.4 (17)
The Kings had lost five straight and blew a 16-point, fourth-quarter lead to the Pistons on Thursday. But it was still a shock that they fired Mike Brown less than halfway through his third season in Sacramento.
Three takeaways
- At the time that Brown was fired, the Kings were 13-18 with the point differential (plus-1.2 per game, ninth best in the West) of a team that was 17-14. And they ranked in the top 10 on one end of the floor or the other for what would be just the second time in the last 20 seasons.
- The problem, of course, is that, while the Kings were 7-5 in games that weren’t close, they were (and remain) 6-13 in those that were within five points in the last five minutes. DeMar DeRozan and De’Aaron Fox have shot relatively well (combined 42-for-91, 46%) in the clutch, but the Kings rank 27th in clutch defense (118.3 points allowed per 100 possessions) and have often entered clutch time with a deficit.
- There was no clutch time as the Kings lost their first game with Doug Christie running the show. The loss to the Lakers (who were without LeBron James) was Sacramento’s worst defensive game of the season (132 points allowed on 99 possessions).
That loss began a stretch where the Kings are playing six of seven games against teams with winning records, with the only exception being a visit from the improving Sixers on Wednesday.
Week 11: vs. DAL, vs. PHI, vs. MEM, @ GSW
Last Week:24
Record: 12-20
OffRtg: 111.1 (20) DefRtg: 115.7 (24) NetRtg: -4.6 (24) Pace: 96.6 (30)
The Nets have remained relatively competitive, but they traded another important veteran on Sunday, sending Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Lakers for D’Angelo Russell (expiring contract), Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks.
Three takeaways
- Two players have played more than 10 minutes this season, with the Nets having outscored their opponents (per 100 possessions) with them on the floor. Those two players are Finney-Smith and Dennis Schröder, who are both now employed by teams in the Western Conference. Brooklyn has been outscored by 11.9 points per 100 possessions in 324 minutes with Cam Johnson on the floor without Schröder or Finney-Smith.
- Russell will allow the Nets to play pick-and-roll basketball again, something they lost when they traded Schröder, leaving Milton, Ben Simmons and Reece Beekman as their only point guards. Their ability to gain advantages offensively will also be helped by Cam Thomas, who returned from a 13-game absence on Sunday and scored 25 points in less than 25 minutes against the league’s third-ranked defense.
- Alas, the departure of Finney-Smith (a big who could shoot) could mean more minutes of Simmons playing alongside either Nic Claxton or Day’Ron Sharpe, compromising the offensive spacing. That was the case for the final seven minutes in Orlando on Sunday, when the Nets blew a 17-point lead, scoring just four points (shooting 0-for-8 from the field and committing three turnovers) on their final 12 possessions.
The Nets now have 31 picks over the next seven drafts. The best of the 31 should be their own in 2025, though they’re still seventh in the upside-down standings, with none of the six teams ahead of them looking like they’re going to drop very far. Brooklyn is 3-1 against that group thus far, with 13 games remaining, the first of which is Wednesday in Toronto.
Week 11: @ TOR, @ MIL, vs. PHI
Last Week:27↑
Record: 11-20
OffRtg: 108.4 (26) DefRtg: 117.1 (27) NetRtg: -8.7 (27) Pace: 99.9 (13)
The Blazers remain one of three teams that rank in the bottom five on both ends of the floor, but they’re occasionally competitive (no matter the strength of the competition) and have won two straight games.
Three takeaways
- Last season, the Blazers were 7-46 (third worst) against the 18 teams that finished with winning records. With their win over the Mavs on Saturday, they’re 7-11 against the 16 teams currently over .500. There are three teams in that group (the Lakers, Bucks and Magic) who have only four wins against the others.
- The last five games (which include wins over Denver and Dallas) have been the Blazers’ best stretch of offense this season (115.2 points scored per 100 possessions). Five guys have averaged at least 14 points over the five games, with Shaedon Sharpe leading the way with 23 per game on an effective field goal percentage of 62.5%. He’s still at just 30% from 3-point range for the season, but he made five 3-pointers for just the third time in his career in the Blazers’ win over Utah on Thursday.
- The Blazers have still been outscored by 36 points over the 3-2 stretch, with the three wins having come by a total of eight and the two losses both by 20-plus. They still have a worse point differential than three teams — Charlotte, Toronto and Utah — with only seven wins.
The Blazers have played a league-low two inter-conference games, but will now play 11 of their next 17 against the East. That stretch starts with a visit from the Sixers on Monday.
Week 11: vs. PHI, @ LAL, @ MIL
Last Week:25↓
Record: 7-23
OffRtg: 110.6 (22) DefRtg: 119.4 (30) NetRtg: -8.8 (28) Pace: 100.0 (12)
After winning two straight games for the first time, the Jazz have lost three straight.
Three takeaways
- All three losses were within five points in the last five minutes and the last five games have been the Jazz’s best defensive stretch of the season (113.2 points allowed per 100 possessions). Of course, that’s still worse than the league average (112.5 per 100), only one of the five opponents ranks in the top half of the league offensively, and the Jazz still rank last defensively (for the second straight season) by a healthy margin.
- It’s also been a relatively good stretch offensively, with the Jazz shooting 42.4% from 3-point range over the five games. That includes 16-for-33 from Collin Sexton, who’s registering career-high marks for both 3-point percentage (43.6%) and 3-point rate (34.8% of his shots) this season.
- The 3-point shooting could be better if the Jazz could gain more advantages offensively. According to Second Spectrum tracking, only 38% of their 3-point attempts, the league’s lowest rate, have been wide open.
The defensive improvement will be tested as the Jazz play their next two games against teams – Denver and New York – that rank in the top six offensively.
Week 11: vs. DEN, @ NYK, @ MIA, @ ORL
Last Week:30↑
Record: 5-24
OffRtg: 104.7 (30) DefRtg: 117.7 (28) NetRtg: -13.0 (30) Pace: 103.4 (4)
The Wizards got their second win over Charlotte in the span of eight days, but remain two games in the win column behind the Hornets and Raptors at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Three takeaways
- The Wizards played fewer guys than the Knicks in their overtime loss on Saturday. They were without Kyle Kuzma (who’s now missed the last 12 games) and Jordan Poole, and they only went eight deep. Justin Champagnie played almost 45 minutes, scoring a career-high 31 points on an amazing 13-for-15 shooting. Champagnie has already played more minutes and scored more points than he did over the previous two seasons combined and his effective field goal percentage of 66.5% ranks second among non-centers with at least 75 field goal attempts.
- Alex Sarr has scored in double-figures in all eight games he’s played this month. He’s got an effective field goal percentage of 54.5% in December, up from 42.9% through Nov. 30. The win over Charlotte on Thursday was his sixth game with at least three blocks, with the Wizards 3-3 in those games.
- With their loss in Oklahoma City last Monday, the Wizards have dropped 12 straight games on the road, with 11 of those 12 losses having been by double-digits. Their last (and only) road win was (by two points in Atlanta) in October.
Their best chance at another road win will be Friday when the two last-place teams in the East and West begin a home-and-home set in New Orleans. Before that, the Wizards will try to end a seven-game losing streak to the Knicks, who they will host again on Monday night.
Week 11: vs. NYK, vs. CHI, @ NOP, vs. NOP
Last Week:26↓
Record: 7-25
OffRtg: 110.0 (24) DefRtg: 116.5 (26) NetRtg: -6.5 (25) Pace: 101.2 (6)
The Raptors are getting healthier, but they’ve lost 10 straight games, with the last two losses having both come by 29 points.
Three takeaways
- The Raptors have dropped into the bottom five on defense by allowing more than 131 points per 100 possessions over their last three games. With the last two defeats having been of the wire-to-wire variety, they’ve played 130 minutes of basketball without holding a lead.
- Immanuel Quickley remains out, but Bruce Brown made his season debut on Sunday, scoring 12 points in 19 minutes off the bench. Jakob Poeltl also returned from a four-game absence over which the Raptors got clobbered on the glass (rebounding percentage of just 41.8%). The starters’ minutes were not good in the loss to the Hawks, but Toronto has still been at its best (minus 3.4 points per 100 possessions) with Poeltl on the floor.
- Through the Raptors’ first 22 games, Ochai Agbaji was 31-for-57 (54%) on corner 3-pointers, with the 31 makes just one behind Mikal Bridges for the league lead. Since then, Agbaji is just 5-for-23 (22%) from the corners. His overall 3-point percentage (41%) is still the best mark of his career by a wide margin and Agbaji is being asked to defend the opponents’ best scorer most nights.
The Raptors are just four games into a stretch where they’re playing 15 of 17 against teams that currently have winning records. One of the two exceptions is a visit on Tuesday from the Nets, who won the first meeting less than two weeks ago.
Week 11: @ BOS, vs. BKN, vs. ORL
Last Week:28↓
Record: 7-24
OffRtg: 107.7 (28) DefRtg: 114.3 (19) NetRtg: -6.6 (26) Pace: 98.0 (25)
The Hornets have lost 15 of their last 16 games, with a seven-game losing streak that includes two losses to the Wizards.
Three takeaways
- Their loss in Washington on Thursday was the first time that the Hornets had LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams all available for the entire night. Ball has now played as many games as he did all of last season (22), and the Hornets have been much better with him on the floor (minus-2.1 points per 100 possessions) than they were in ’23-24 (minus-8.4), with the bigger difference on defense.
- Both Ball and Miller were unavailable on Saturday, when the Hornets fell to 1-8 without their starting point guard. They’ve scored just 100.2 points per 100 possessions in 427 total minutes with back-up point guard Vasilije Micić on the floor, and Bridges has shot just 14-for-45 (31%), including 2-for-21 from 3-point range, in the three games he’s played without Ball.
- With the last two losses having been pretty ugly on both ends of the floor, the Hornets have climbed back out of the bottom 10 on defense. They rank as the league’s sixth most improved defensive team, having allowed 4.9 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season. They’ve done a better job protecting the paint and preventing corner 3-pointers.
With their second loss in Washington, the Hornets are 0-8 within the league’s worst division (the Southeast). But they’re 5-4 against the league’s best division (the Central), a mark that includes two wins (by a total of three points) against the Pistons. Meeting No. 3 is in Detroit on Friday, the start of a stretch where the Hornets are playing seven of eight on the road.
Week 11: vs. CHI, @ DET, @ CLE
Last Week:29↓
Record: 5-27
OffRtg: 106.6 (29) DefRtg: 118.0 (29) NetRtg: -11.4 (29) Pace: 99.6 (15)
The Pelicans’ losing streak is at nine games and they didn’t hold a lead in either of their two losses last week.
Three takeaways
- The wire-to-wire defeats (at home) to the Rockets and Grizzlies gave the Pels a league-high six losses in which they never held a lead. They’ve shot 2-for-24 from 3-point range over their last three first quarters.
- Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson have now missed the last eight and 23 games, respectively. But Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III have all been available for each of the last 10, and the Pels have been outscored by 8.7 points per 100 possessions in their 175 minutes on the floor together over that stretch.
- Murphy has been shooting better and has averaged 26.2 points on 50/40/90 shooting over the last five games. But Murray continues to struggle and his effective field goal percentage of 41.0% is the worst mark among 176 players with at least 200 field goal attempts. He’s seen big drop-offs from last season in the paint (career-low 43.8% vs. 52.9%) and from the outside (38.2% vs. career-high 52.8%).
The Pels will complete a five-game homestand with a visit from the Clippers on Monday. They’ve lost 14 straight on the road (after winning their road opener) and their visit to Miami two nights later will end a stretch of seven straight games against teams with winning records.
Week 11: vs. LAC, @ MIA, vs. WAS, @ WAS