Record: 30-5

OffRtg: 114.8 (8) DefRtg: 102.7 (1) NetRtg: +12.1 (1) Pace: 100.3 (11)

Because the Emirates NBA Cup Championship doesn’t count as a regular-season game, the Thunder’s winning streak is now at 15 games, tying the Cavs’ 15-0 start for the longest streak in the league in the last two seasons. More than half of those wins (eight) have come against teams that currently have winning records.

Three takeaways

• On Tuesday, the Thunder trailed Minnesota by 12. Two nights later, they were down 16 to the Clippers. On Friday, they trailed New York by 14. On Sunday afternoon, they were down 12 to Boston. Those four teams are a combined 77-16 (.828) when leading by double-digits against teams that aren’t the Thunder. But Oklahoma City won all four games, outscoring the opponents by an amazing 40.9 points per 100 possessions (allowing just 85.6 per 100) after halftime.

• With those four wins, the Thunder are 9-4 when trailing by double-digits, which would be the best such mark in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data, topping that of the 2015-16 Warriors (12-8).

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander keeps showing that he can outshine other stars in big games (see his big block on Jayson Tatum in the fourth quarter on Sunday), averaging 33.1 points on a true shooting percentage of 66.4% over the winning streak. The Thunder have been 17.1 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (plus-16.9) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-0.2), with that being the third biggest differential among players who’ve played at least 500 minutes.

With the weekend wins over the Knicks and Celtics, the Thunder are 11-0 against the Eastern Conference. The Cavs (winners of 10 straight overall) are 10-0 against the West. So something has got to give when the two best teams in the league meet in Cleveland on Wednesday.

Week 12: @ CLE, @ NYK, @ WAS

Record: 31-4

OffRtg: 121.3 (1) DefRtg: 109.8 (7) NetRtg: +11.5 (2) Pace: 100.9 (6)

The Cavs have their second double-digit winning streak of the season (10 games), having swept a four-game trip out West and returning home to take care of business against the Hornets.

Three takeaways

• Three of the Cavs’ four top players have averaged between 20.4 and 22.2 points over the winning streak, while the fourth (Jarrett Allen) has shot better than 72%. The Cavs continue to win with offensive balance and have recorded assists on 69.9% of their buckets during the winning streak. That’s the league’s sixth-highest rate over that stretch and up from 62.5% prior.

• Max Strus has shot just 35% over his seven games back, but he had 15 points (shooting 4-for-8 from 3-point range) off the bench in the Cavs win over the Lakers, and Cleveland has continued to score efficiently in bench minutes (122.8 points per 100 possessions in Strus’ 159). For the season, the Cavs have outscored their opponents by 13.4 points per 100 possessions in 879 total minutes with just one of their starting guards and just one of their starting bigs on the floor.

• The Cavs still aren’t as deep as they could be (Isaac Okoro has been out since Strus debuted), but all four of the top players have averaged fewer than 30 minutes per game over the winning streak. Only three of the 10 wins have been within five points in the last five minutes and one of those (their win in L.A. on Tuesday) was only within five in the last five for a single possession.

The Cavs have just one homestand longer than three games this season. It’s a four-game stand that began with their win over the Hornets on Sunday and continues with a visit from the Thunder on Wednesday night. As things stand, it’s a matchup of the second-best offense (the Cavs have scored 8.8 more points per 100 possessions than the league average) vs. the best defense in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

Week 12: vs. OKC, vs. TOR, vs. IND

Record: 26-10

OffRtg: 119.7 (2) DefRtg: 109.3 (6) NetRtg: +10.4 (3) Pace: 98.2 (23)

The Celtics won the first two games of their tough, four-game trip through the West, getting Kristaps Porzingis back for their impressive, 23-point win in Houston on Friday. But they were just another one of the Thunder’s victims on Sunday afternoon.

Three takeaways

• The Celtics’ 27 points on 47 second-half possessions (0.57 per) on Sunday was the second least efficient half for any team this season. And it certainly wasn’t just about the 21 misses from beyond the arc, as Boston also shot just 3-for-12 in the paint and turned the ball over 10 times. The loss leaves the Knicks as the only team that hasn’t been held under a point per possession this season.

• The Celtics’ paint defense, which had seen a big drop-off from last season, is getting better. Their opponents have shot just 44.1% in the paint over the last four games, down from 55.9% before that. Houston’s 15-for-37 (40.5%) in the paint on Friday was its worst mark of the season.

• The loss in Oklahoma City was only the Celtics’ third defeat that wasn’t within five points in the last five minutes (it was within six in the last five). They’re still in the top six on both ends of the floor, with the point differential of a team that’s 29-7.

The only team the Celtics didn’t beat last season was the Nuggets, who they’ll face for the first time on Tuesday, the end of their four-game trip.

Week 12: @ DEN, vs. SAC, vs. NOP

Record: 24-12

OffRtg: 119.6 (3) DefRtg: 112.4 (14) NetRtg: +7.2 (5) Pace: 98.2 (25)

The Knicks’ nine-game winning streak came to an end with a second-half collapse in Oklahoma City on Friday. They’re not the only team to suffer that fate at the Paycom Center last week, but had another collapse in Chicago just 24 hours later.

Three takeaways

• The Knicks’ rise from the bottom 10 to 13th (through Thursday) in defensive efficiency was certainly aided by the schedule, a stretch where they played 14 of 20 games against teams that currently rank in the bottom 10 offensively. They allowed 124.3 points per 100 possessions over the two weekend losses (against the league’s eighth and 14th-ranked offenses), including 139 on 98 (142 per 100) after halftime.

• Josh Hart had 16 rebounds and 10 assists in Chicago on Saturday, playing more than 40 minutes for the fourth straight time. But he shot 0-for-5, scoring in single-digits for the second time in his 35 games, with both of those instances having come in losses to the Bulls. He still ranks third in effective field goal percentage (63.3%) among 152 players with at least 250 field goal attempts, a pretty incredible recovery from a career-low mark of 49.3% last season.

• As indicated by Hart’s minutes, the Knicks’ rotation remains short — so much so that Precious Achiuwa and Karl-Anthony Towns have been playing together (including almost 18 minutes together on Saturday) on the frontline. Those double-big minutes have been pretty good, with the Knicks outscoring their opponents by 11.6 points per 100 possessions (and dominating the glass) in Achiuwa and Towns’ 112 total minutes on the floor together.

The Knicks will play 12 of their next 14 games at home, they’ll have a rest advantage when they host the Magic on Monday, and they’ll get another shot at the Thunder on Friday night.

Week 12: vs. ORL, vs. TOR, vs. OKC, vs. MIL

Record: 23-12

OffRtg: 112.5 (12) DefRtg: 106.7 (3) NetRtg: +5.8 (6) Pace: 99.0 (20)

The Rockets went 2-3 on a homestand interrupted by a two-game suspension for Amen Thompson and an injury to Jabari Smith Jr.

Three takeaways

• The Rockets’ regular starting lineup has outscored opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions (allowing just 103.8 per 100) in its 416 minutes. But Houston has thus far been outscored by 3.3 per 100 (allowing 114.5 per 100) in 117 minutes with the other four starters on the floor without Smith.

• The starting lineup with Thompson in Smith’s place was outscored by the Lakers by 15 points in less than 20 minutes on Sunday, but bench minutes were terrific, even though none of the four reserves – Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate and Cam Whitmore – have had consistent roles this season. Super-sub Tari Eason has now missed the last nine games with a leg injury and the Rockets’ bench still ranks sixth.

• With their wins over the Mavs and Lakers last week, the Rockets are tied with the Thunder for the best record (11-5) in games played between the nine Western Conference teams currently over .500.

They’ll have more opportunities for quality wins this month because the Rockets have the league’s toughest January schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage (entering the month). They’re also playing 13 of their next 17 games on the road, which includes three games (two in Memphis) against the Grizzlies.

Week 12: @ WAS, @ MEM, @ ATL

Record: 23-13

OffRtg: 116.6 (5) DefRtg: 109.3 (5) NetRtg: +7.3 (5) Pace: 105.4 (1)

The Grizzlies have lost three of their four games since losing Ja Morant to a shoulder injury, in part because Morant hasn’t been the only guy out.

Three takeaways

• The Grizzlies still have a winning record (9-7) without Morant, having outscored their opponents by 5.9 points per 100 possessions over those 16 games. But with this four-game stretch since his shoulder injury, they’re 2-6 without him within the top 12 in the Western Conference, having scored just 109.2 per 100 over those eight games. Desmond Bane has been handling the ball more during this current absence and has 17 turnovers to go along with 25 assists over the last three.

• The offense was OK in Sacramento on Friday, when the Grizzlies scored 133 points on 109 possessions, but had their worst defensive performance of the season. Jaylen Wells scored a career-high 30 points, shooting 8-for-9 from 3-point range. He’s on pace to be the first second-round pick in the last 13 seasons to start at least 50 games as a rookie for a winning team, but Wells may still prefer the college schedule. With that 8-for-9 performance after a two-day break, he’s 26-for-44 (59%) from 3-point range with at least two days of rest, but just 43-for-136 (32%) with zero or one day of rest.

• Ten of the Grizzlies’ 16 games without Morant have been on the road. They’re 4-2 without him at home and, overall, have been 9.7 points per 100 possessions better at FedExForum (plus-12.2, third best) than they’ve been on the road (plus-2.5, eighth). That’s the league’s second-biggest home-road differential and it’s the bigger difference has been on the defensive end of the floor.

With one of their two five-game road trips in the books, the Grizzlies are home for big games against the Mavs and Rockets before heading back on the road. They’re currently just 2-7 (2-2 at home) in games played between the seven Western Conference teams that are more than one game over .500.

Week 12: vs. DAL, vs. HOU, @ MIN

Record: 20-14

OffRtg: 117.0 (4) DefRtg: 113.5 (19) NetRtg: +3.5 (8) Pace: 102.0 (5)

The Nuggets have won four of their last five games, splitting a thrilling home-and-home set against the Spurs over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• Aaron Gordon has missed the last six games with a calf strain, so the Nuggets have had Gordon, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokić together for just 13 of their 34 games. Russell Westbrook continues to start (and close) and now has 84 assists to Jokić. That’s the third most from any player to a single teammate, with his 4.8 assists to Jokic per 36 minutes on the floor together being the highest rate (by a healthy margin) among the 29 combinations where one player has at least 50 assists to the other.

• The lineup with Westbrook in Gordon’s place has scored 136 points per 100 possessions, the highest mark among 43 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes. But Peyton Watson was on the floor down the stretch instead of Christian Braun on Saturday, tasked with guarding Victor Wembanyama. He missed two open 3s in the clutch but was a plus-21 in 34 minutes, and the Nuggets have scored more efficiently with Watson on the floor this season (113 points per 100 possessions) than they did last season (109 per 100).

• With their win in San Antonio on Saturday, the Nuggets are 4-0 in overtime, having scored 59 points on 42 overtime offensive possessions (1.40 per). Jokić has 26 of those 59, having shot 11-for-15 over the four extra periods. He leads the league with 76 total points in the clutch and is the only player who’s shot better than 50% on at least 30 clutch shots.

The two games against the Spurs began a stretch in which the Nuggets are playing nine of 10 against teams currently over .500. Their 8-9 record within that group includes a 1-2 mark against the Clippers — who they’ll host (with a rest disadvantage) on Wednesday.

Week 12: vs. BOS, vs. LAC, vs. BKN, @ DAL

Record: 20-15

OffRtg: 110.0 (23) DefRtg: 108.3 (4) NetRtg: +1.6 (11) Pace: 99.2 (19)

Kawhi Leonard made his season debut on Saturday and the new Clippers looked terrific in an easy, rest-advantage win over the Hawks.

Three takeaways

• Leonard played a little less than 20 minutes and had some trouble finishing at the rim. But his legs looked pretty good as he made his first three 3-point attempts, and the Clippers allowed the Hawks to score just 41 points on 46 possessions with him on the floor.

• Terance Mann also returned from an 11-game absence on Saturday, when Leonard replaced Derrick Jones Jr. in the starting lineup and the Clippers went 10 deep with their rotation. Their bench has been improved from last season, but ranks 28th over their last seven games, with the Clippers getting outscored by 15.9 points per 100 possessions with Norman Powell off the floor over that stretch.

• The win over Atlanta came after the Clippers were held under a point per possession in both San Antonio and Oklahoma City, with Powell shooting 5-for-23 over the two games. They’ve now scored less than a point per possession eight times this season, having done so just three times last season.

After that single home game against the Hawks, the Clippers are back on the road for a pair of big games within the top 10 in the West. They’ll have another rest advantage in Denver on Wednesday and again against the Hornets over the weekend.

Week 12: @ MIN, @ DEN, vs. CHA

Record: 20-15

OffRtg: 115.8 (6) DefRtg: 111.4 (11) NetRtg: +4.4 (7) Pace: 100.5 (9)

Counting the game (on Christmas) in which he was injured, the Mavs are 1-5 since Luka Dončić suffered a calf strain, sliding from fourth to sixth in the Western Conference.

Three takeaways

• The Mavs have also been without Kyrie Irving (back issue) for two of the last three games, and they’re now 0-3 without either backcourt star. Their first two games without either were their two worst offensive games of the season, though the other end of the floor was a much bigger issue against Cleveland on Friday. The Mavs had as many double-digit losses last week (three) as they had previously.

• When Dončić and/or Irving are out, Spencer Dinwiddie plays more. But the 31-year-old has shot just 22-for-64 (34%) over these last six games, now registering an effective field goal percentage of 46.6%, his lowest mark in the eight seasons where he’s attempted at least 200 shots. The Mavs have been outscored by 3.5 points per 100 possessions (scoring just 107.5 points per 100) in 295 minutes with Dinwiddie and Irving on the floor without Dončić.

• The Mavs have still seen the league’s second-biggest jump in the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint from last season, but obviously have a tougher time scoring in the paint without Dončić. They’ve been outscored in the paint (by an average of 10.3 points) in each of these last six games.

Despite losses to the Rockets and Cavs last week, the Mavs still have a winning record (9-8) in games played between the 15 teams currently above .500. They play four of their next five games against that group, with a huge two-game series against the Nuggets starting Sunday. Irving will miss his second straight game when they play in Memphis on Monday night.

Week 12: @ MEM, vs. LAL, vs. POR, vs. DEN

Record: 20-15

OffRtg: 113.1 (11) DefRtg: 114.9 (21) NetRtg: -1.8 (18) Pace: 98.9 (21)

The Lakers still have a negative point differential and are still a top-six team in the West, having gone 3-1 on their post-Christmas homestand before seeing a big comeback come up short in Houston on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Dorian Finney-Smith shot just 2-for-10 in his first two games with the Lakers but was better (8-for-14) over the weekend, and L.A. has outscored its opponents by 12.8 points per 100 possessions in his 94 minutes on the floor. If you subtract the game vs. Portland that Anthony Davis missed, Finney-Smith played most of his minutes at the four alongside Davis. There were also a few intriguing minutes with Rui Hachimura on the floor and a big backcourt of LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

• Reaves continues to see an increasing role as a ball-handler. According to Second Spectrum tracking, he’s averaged 7.1 minutes of possession (most on the team by a healthy margin) over the Lakers’ last six games, up from 4.6 minutes (second behind James) before that.

• And over those seven games, Reaves has been essential to the offense. L.A. has scored 128.5 points per 100 possessions in his 234 minutes on the floor, but just 82.9 per 100 in his 54 minutes on the bench.

The Lakers will have a rest advantage for their game in Dallas on Tuesday, followed by their longest homestand yet. It’s five games over nine days, with two big games against the Spurs included. The Lakers scored 123.8 points per 100 possessions (their third-best mark vs. any opponent) as they won the first two meetings (both in November) in San Antonio.

Week 12: @ DAL, vs. CHA, vs. SAS

Record: 17-17

OffRtg: 111.0 (21) DefRtg: 109.9 (8) NetRtg: +1.1 (13) Pace: 97.7 (26)

The Wolves were competitive against the Thunder (on the road) and Celtics last week. But, they’ve lost three straight games (again) after dropping a rest-advantage game in Detroit on Saturday (despite getting a career-high 53 points from Anthony Edwards).

Three takeaways

• Edwards was 10-for-15 from 3-point range and 11-for-12 at the line on Saturday. His free throw rate (20.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field) is still the lowest mark of his career (and down from 32.5 per 100 last season), but he’s now at 42.1% on 9.9 attempts per game from beyond the arc, up from 35.7% on 6.7 attempts last season.

• The Wolves went on a 6-1 run after Thanksgiving by holding their opponents to just 92.8 points per 100 possessions over that seven-game stretch. But they rank 28th defensively (118.7 allowed per 100) over their 3-6 stretch since then. The difference has been nearly as much about their opponents’ shooting in the paint (50% vs. 60%) as it’s been about 3-point shooting (29% vs. 38%).

• Despite Edwards’ 53, the Wolves totaled just 105 points on 99 possessions on Saturday. They’ve now seen the league’s second-biggest drop in winning percentage from last season and, when you take the league average into account, are one of just three teams that have been at least 1.5 points per 100 possessions worse on both ends of the floor than they were in 2023-24.

The team that’s seen the biggest drops on both ends of the floor is, of course, the Pelicans, who the Wolves will face for the first time on Tuesday. That’s the back half of their first back-to-back since before Thanksgiving.

Week 12: vs. LAC, @ NOP, @ ORL, vs. MEM

Record: 18-18

OffRtg: 113.6 (9) DefRtg: 115.2 (22) NetRtg: -1.6 (17) Pace: 100.7 (7)

The Pacers blew a 19-point, second-half lead to the Bucks last week, but their offense is coming around, and they’re 8-3 since mid-December.

Three takeaways

• The Pacers have still seen the league’s fourth biggest drop (-6.9) in points scored per 100 possessions from last season. But they’ve scored more than 124 per 100 in three of their last four games, with their win in Miami on Thursday being their most efficient performance of the season (128 on 96). Their starting lineup continues to give them leads and has scored 128.7 points per 100 possessions in its 75 minutes over this four-game stretch.

• That second-half collapse against Milwaukee came with the Pacers scoring just 16 points on 23 possessions of zone defense from the Bucks, per Synergy tracking. Only Orlando has faced more possessions of zone per game than Indiana, which had better success against it (11 on nine) in Miami and ranks eighth in zone efficiency (0.94 points per possession) among the 13 teams that have faced at least 75 possessions of zone, according to Synergy.

• Efficiency is about more than shooting. The Pacers had 18 turnovers in their loss to the Bucks on Tuesday, committing two straight when they were still down just five with less than two minutes left. But they’ve committed fewer than 10 in each of their last three wins and Tyrese Haliburton has a 23/0 assist/turnover ratio over their two games in 2025.

The Pacers have lost their last four games where they had an opportunity to get above .500. Their next chance is Monday in Brooklyn, where they lost last month with one of their worst offensive performances of the season (90 points on 97 possessions).

Week 12: @ BKN, vs. CHI, vs. GSW, @ CLE

Record: 21-16

OffRtg: 108.5 (26) DefRtg: 106.4 (2) NetRtg: +2.1 (10) Pace: 97.1 (29)

The Magic saw another starter (Jalen Suggs) go down with an injury last week and are 5-7 over Franz Wagner’s absence, but they’re still holding on to a top-four spot in the East.

Three takeaways

• Though Suggs missed the second half on Friday, the Magic found some offense in Toronto, just the third time this season that they’ve shot 40% or better from 3-point range. Their season-long mark (31.0%) is still the worst mark for any team in the last 12 seasons. Fourty-eight players have shot worse than 33% on at least 75 3-point attempts. The Magic have seven of the 48, with no other team having more than three.

• Winning ugly is not easy and as good as the Magic are defensively, they still need to score to win. With their losses to the Pistons and Jazz last week, they’re 5-15 (1-9 in the last five weeks) when they’ve scored less efficiently than the league average (112.5 points per 100 possessions).

• No Magic player has played in every game this season, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has played in 36 of 37. Over the 12 games without Wagner, Orlando has been 16.2 points per 100 possessions better with Caldwell-Pope on the floor (plus-2.0) than it’s been with him off the floor (minus-14.2).

The Magic have scored less than a point per possession as they’ve lost their first three meetings with the Knicks. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage in New York on Monday and again against the Bucks four nights later.

Week 12: @ NYK, vs. MIN, vs. MIL, vs. PHI

Record: 17-16

OffRtg: 112.5 (13) DefRtg: 111.8 (12) NetRtg: +0.7 (15) Pace: 97.7 (27)

Jimmy Butler lost his joy and the Heat lost to the Jazz … by 36 points … at home.

Three takeaways

• Butler returned for two games and registered a usage rate of just 13.2% (ninth on the team) as the Heat split games against the Pelicans and Pacers. He didn’t play in the fourth quarter either night and then said that he doesn’t think he can rediscover his on-court “joy” in Miami. So the Heat suspended him for seven games (through their six-game trip that begins Monday) and said they’d listen to trade offers.

• Butler’s teammates’ response was their worst loss of the season, a game in which they trailed the Jazz by 43 points. They’re now 5-6 without Butler and have been outscored by 2.2 points per 100 possessions in his 678 total minutes off the floor.

• Rookie Kel’el Ware is getting some regular playing time and has almost as many points in three January games (47) as he had in 15 appearances through December (54). But Bam Adebayo was 0-for-6 from the floor on Saturday and has missed his last 17 3-point attempts. More concerning is that he has career-low marks in both 2-point percentage (49.9%) and free throw rate (32.5 attempts per 100 shots from the field).

The Heat now embark on their second six-game trip of the season, the start of a stretch where they’re playing 17 of 23 games on the road. They’ll have a rest advantage in Sacramento on Monday but will be at a disadvantage the following night in San Francisco.

Week 12: @ SAC, @ GSW, @ UTA, @ POR

Record: 18-17

OffRtg: 111.5 (17) DefRtg: 111.9 (13) NetRtg: -0.5 (16) Pace: 99.2 (18)

The Spurs are three games into a stretch where they’re playing nine of 10 against teams currently over .500, and they’ve handled themselves well thus far, going 2-1 with the loss coming in overtime to the Nuggets on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• Victor Wembanyama doesn’t yet have a go-to action for which the Spurs can get him a good shot on a big possession, and the clutch offense was pretty balanced (five guys attempting at least three clutch shots) as the Spurs played two nail-biters against Denver over the weekend. They scored just 23 points on 25 clutch possessions over the two games and have now lost four of their last five that were within five points in the last five minutes.

• The Spurs rank second defensively over their last 10 games, creeping toward a top-10 mark for the season. The context is that six of those 10 games came against teams that currently rank in the bottom 10 offensively, but they were solid defensively against the Nuggets’ fourth-ranked offense over the weekend, holding Nikola Jokić under 50% shooting.

• The Spurs have seen big improvement from last season regarding both opponent effective field goal percentage (both inside and out) and in opponent free throw rate. Over the first 50 seasons in which blocks had been tracked, the highest ratio of blocks/foul (for a player with at least 100 blocks) was Manute Bol’s ratio of 1.60 in 1986-87. Victor Wembanyama had a ratio of 1.66 as a rookie and is at 1.76 blocks per foul (116/66) this season, despite some foul trouble over the weekend.

The only below-.500 opponent in this stretch where the Spurs are playing nine of 10 against teams that have winning records is the Bulls, who the Spurs will visit on Monday, the start of a four-game trip. Their loss to Chicago in early December came without Wembanyama and was one of the Spurs’ worst defensive games of the season.

Week 12: @ CHI, @ MIL, @ LAL

Record: 17-16

OffRtg: 111.8 (15) DefRtg: 111.0 (10) NetRtg: +0.9 (14) Pace: 100.0 (13)

The Bucks got healthy last week (getting Giannis Antetokounmpo back from a four-game absence) and have the league’s easiest January schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage. But they began the month with losses (at home) to the Nets and Blazers.

Three takeaways

• Each of the Bucks’ last seven games have come against teams that currently rank in the bottom 10 defensively, but they’ve scored just 108.0 points per 100 possessions (seventh-worst) over that stretch. They were without Antetokounmpo and/or Damian Lillard for the first four of those games, but the offense hasn’t picked up with the stars’ return. Lillard has shot just 32% over his four games back, Taurean Prince has gone cold from beyond the arc, and the Bucks aren’t getting to the line, ranking 29th in free throw rate over the last 16 days.

• The Bucks’ three games last week were the first three times that Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Khris Middleton have all been in the starting lineup, but the Bucks have scored a pretty anemic 101.9 points per 100 possessions in their 96 total minutes together.

• They haven’t been losing by a lot. The Bucks’ last five games have all been within five points in the last five minutes, but they’ve scored just 32 points on 44 clutch possessions (0.73 per) over that stretch. Antetokounmpo has shot just 2-for-8 on clutch shots in his three games back, missing a contested layup for the lead with six seconds left against Brooklyn. Middleton has committed five clutch turnovers over the five-game stretch, and a Lillard-Bobby Portis miscommunication hurt them when they were down one in the closing seconds against Portland.

The Bucks will get another game against a bottom-10 defense, visiting the Raptors (26th) on Monday. Then they’ll play three straight against teams with winning records, currently just 3-8 within that group.

Week 12: @ TOR, vs. SAS, @ ORL, @ NYK

Record: 18-17

OffRtg: 111.6 (16) DefRtg: 110.3 (9) NetRtg: +1.4 (12) Pace: 100.3 (10)

The Warriors are treading water, currently 3-2 on their six-game homestand, having survived another game (and improving to 5-2) without Stephen Curry.

Three takeaways

• They’ll now have to survive some games without Jonathan Kuminga, who sprained his ankle in the Warriors’ win over Memphis on Saturday. Kuminga has been remarkably inconsistent and has still seen a big drop in efficiency from last season, but he was the Warriors’ leading scorer (22.7 points per game) on 54% shooting over the last seven games he played.

• Moses Moody has also been on a hot streak, shooting 12-for-18 from 3-point range over the last four games. Dennis Schröder has made a few shots, Curry was 8-for-8 from beyond the arc against Philly, and Lindy Waters III was on a heater on Saturday. The Warriors’ first game of 2025 (a blowout win over the Sixers) was their most efficient offensive performance of the season, and their second game of the new year (the Curry-less victory over Memphis) wasn’t far behind.

• With all that, the Warriors’ offense has still seen the league’s sixth-biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions (-5.3) from last season. But they’ve played a relatively tough schedule and they’ll have a bunch of games against bottom-10 defenses between now and the All-Star break.

The Warriors have one game left on their first six-game homestand, but three left on their first stretch of five games in seven days, with a Central Division back-to-back on Thursday and Friday. They will have rest advantages against the Heat before they hit the road.

Week 12: vs. MIA, @ DET, @ IND

Record: 18-18

OffRtg: 111.2 (19) DefRtg: 113.8 (20) NetRtg: -2.6 (21) Pace: 104.7 (2)

The Hawks have lost the first three games of the West portion of their road trip, falling to 5-11 against the opposite conference.

Three takeaways

• They were also without Jalen Johnson (dealing with a shoulder issue) in two of three, and the Hawks have now been 15.6 points per 100 possessions better with Johnson on the floor (plus-2.6) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-13.0). That’s the fourth-biggest on-off differential among players who’ve played at least 500 minutes.

• Their loss to the Clippers on Saturday was the third time that the Hawks have taken more than half of their shots from 3-point range. They’ve outscored their opponents from beyond the arc in five of their last seven games, as many times as they did in their first 29.

The Hawks are back at .500 for the fifth time this season, but the trip gets easier from here, with games against the Jazz and Suns (their first meetings with both teams) this week.

Week 12: @ UTA, @ PHX, vs. HOU

Record: 17-19

OffRtg: 115.4 (7) DefRtg: 112.8 (16) NetRtg: +2.6 (9) Pace: 99.7 (15)

After losing their first game under Doug Christie, the Kings have won four straight for the first time this season.

Three takeaways

• The Kings certainly benefited from opponents’ absences in the first three games of the winning streak. Dallas was without Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid, and Memphis was without Ja Morant. But, playing without De’Aaron Fox, they clobbered Golden State with Stephen Curry back in the lineup on Sunday, improving to 6-13 against the 10 teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings.

• With the context of all those absences, the winning streak has, statistically, been the Kings’ best four-game stretch of defense (107.3 points allowed per 100 possessions) since Games 3-6 of the season. They ranked third in both opponent turnover rate and defensive rebounding percentage last week. With that, they’ve climbed into the top five in shooting opportunity differential (plus-2.5 per game), though they’re not where they were last season (plus-3.2 per game, second).

• Trey Lyles has also been on fire, shooting 12-for-20 from 3-point range during the win streak. He’s the backup center, but the Kings have also outscored their opponents by 14.5 points per 100 possessions in his 206 minutes alongside Domantas Sabonis.

The Kings have an East-heavy January schedule, now set to play their next four games against the opposite conference. They’ll host the Heat (with a rest disadvantage) on Monday, have three days off, and then head out on a three-game trip.

Week 12: vs. MIA, @ BOS, @ CHI

Record: 14-19

OffRtg: 109.2 (25) DefRtg: 112.4 (15) NetRtg: -3.3 (23) Pace: 97.6 (28)

The Sixers went 4-2 on their first of two six-game road trips, but remain two games in the win column outside of the SoFi Play-In Tournament group in the Eastern Conference.

Three takeaways

• The Sixers are no longer undefeated in games that Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid have all been available for all four quarters, having suffered a wire-to-wire, 34-point loss at Golden State on Thursday. That was their worst defensive performance of the season (139 points allowed on 99 possessions), but it was followed by, statistically, their best defensive performance (94 allowed on 106 possessions in Brooklyn). That made them 6-1 when all three stars were available all night.

• The offensive numbers when all three guys have been on the floor haven’t been great, but the Sixers have scored 115.9 points per 100 possessions over those seven games, with two of them (including their Christmas win in Boston) being two of the three times they’ve scored more than 120 per 100. Their win in Portland last Monday was the Sixers’ best offensive game of the season (125 on 97).

• Embiid scored a season-high 37 points in that one, going 12-for-13 at the free-throw line. After registering a free throw rate of 44 attempts per 100 shots from the field through his first nine games, he’s at 65 per 100 over the last four. His 92% at the line is the best mark among 71 players with at least 100 attempts and the Sixers have outscored their opponents at the line in eight of his 10 games.

The Sixers will now play five of their next six games at home. The lone road game in that stretch (at Orlando on Sunday) feels like a pretty big one and will be the start of a stretch where they’re playing 11 of 14 against teams currently over .500.

Week 12: vs. PHX, vs. WAS, vs. NOP, @ ORL

Record: 17-18

OffRtg: 111.3 (18) DefRtg: 113.2 (17) NetRtg: -1.9 (19) Pace: 99.3 (17)

The Pistons have won six of their last seven games to climb within a game of .500, but they lost Jaden Ivey to a broken fibula.

Three takeaways

• Ivey was having his best stretch of the season when he suffered his injury, averaging 19.2 points on 60% shooting over his last five games. Overall, his improvement has been mostly from beyond the arc. He’s seen the league’s 10th biggest jump in 3-point percentage (from 33.6% to 40.9%) among 152 players with at least 100 3-point attempts in each of the last two seasons.

• The much bigger difference between the Pistons’ wins and their losses has been on defense, and they were able to get a pair of ugly wins (over Orlando and Charlotte) last week. Overall, they’ve seen the league’s fifth-biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions (-4.8) from last season.

• Turnovers were a big issue last season (when they ranked 29th in turnover differential) and through their first 27 games this season (2.7 per game more than their opponents). But the Pistons have committed fewer turnovers than their opponents in seven of their last eight games, having done so just seven times through their first 27.

The Pistons haven’t been above .500 since they were 2-1 (and about to begin a 27-game losing streak) at the start of last season, but they have a great opportunity to get there with games against Portland and Brooklyn early this week.

Week 12: vs. POR, @ BKN, vs. GSW, vs. TOR

Record: 16-19

OffRtg: 112.5 (14) DefRtg: 115.6 (24) NetRtg: -3.1 (22) Pace: 104.6 (3)

The Bulls are one of those teams that can lose to the Wizards by 18 points … and then beat the Knicks comfortably.

Three takeaways

• The difference between those two games was on offense, where the Bulls scored just a point per possession in Washington, but had 139 on 106 (tied for their most efficient performance of the season) against New York. Both Zach LaVine and Coby White had 33 points and LaVine now has an effective field goal percentage of 61.1%, the best mark of his career and 11th best among 152 players with at least 250 field goal attempts. Nikola Vučević (62.8%) is one of the 10 guys ahead of him.

• In general, the difference between wins (108.1 points allowed per 100 possessions) and losses (121.9 allowed per 100) has been more about the other end of the floor. Even with the win on Saturday and even though they rank second in 3-point rate, the Bulls have a losing record (10-11) when they’ve shot the league average (35.9%) or better from beyond the arc.

• The Bulls are Team Drive and Kick. They rank seventh in drives per game (50.6%) and lead the league (by a healthy margin) in the percentage of drives (46.5%) on which they’ve passed. White, Josh Giddey and Ayo Dosunmu are three of the 13 players who’ve driven at least 200 times and passed on more than 50% of their drives.

The Bulls have only one homestand of more than three games. It’s a five-game stand where each game is against teams currently at or below .500, and it begins with a visit from the Wizards on Friday.

Week 12: vs. SAS, @ IND, vs. WAS, vs. SAC

Record: 15-18

OffRtg: 113.2 (10) DefRtg: 115.4 (23) NetRtg: -2.3 (20) Pace: 98.4 (22)

Devin Booker returned from a five-game absence last week, but the Suns’ slide has continued. They’ve lost seven of their last eight games and are 6-16 (only four teams have been worse) since mid-November.

Three takeaways

• Defense has been the larger issue this season, but the Suns also rank just 24th offensively (108.7 points scored per 100 possessions) over this 1-7 stretch. Booker returned from his absence and shot just 4-for-20 against Memphis on Tuesday when the Suns also committed more than twice as many turnovers (17-8) as the Grizzlies. Grayson Allen also missed five straight games (before returning on Saturday) and has an effective field goal percentage of 54.7%, down from a career-best 64.9% last season.

• The Suns are also losing the 3-point math again. After taking 46.4% of their shots from 3-point range (sixth highest) through their first 25 games, they’ve taken just 38.2% of their shots from deep (third lowest) over this 1-7 stretch, getting outscored by an average of 8.6 points per game from beyond the arc.

• If this were college basketball and only games within the Western Conference counted in the Western Conference standings, the Suns would be 13-10 and tied for fifth place. But they’re just 2-8 against the East (having allowed 122.8 points per 100 possessions over those 10 games) after their loss in Indiana on Saturday, the start of a stretch where they’re playing 11 of 12 against the opposite conference.

This week also brings the Suns’ second stretch of five games in seven days, though the second games of the two back-to-backs are both against a team – the Hornets – that’s lost 10 straight. Phoenix is 1-5 (with five straight losses) in the second game of back-to-backs thus far.

Week 12: @ PHI, @ CHA, vs. ATL, vs. UTA, vs. CHA

Record: 13-22

OffRtg: 110.7 (22) DefRtg: 116.1 (25) NetRtg: -5.4 (24) Pace: 97.0 (30)

The Nets managed to get a second win (though they almost blew a 21-point, fourth-quarter lead) in Milwaukee between blowout losses to Toronto and Philadelphia.

Three takeaways

• D’Angelo Russell made his (second) Nets debut on Wednesday and has started the last two games. The Nets’ offense was better than average (113.7 points scored per 100 possessions) in his 68 minutes on the floor, but he suffered a shin contusion on Saturday, missing the second half of the loss to Philly.

• The Nets were already without Cam Johnson (who’ll miss at least another two games), Cam Thomas (still dealing with the hamstring issue that had him out five weeks) and Ben Simmons, so there’s been plenty of playing time available for guys far down the cap sheet. They currently rank ninth in the percentage of their minutes (22%) that have come from rookies or second-year players, but that rate should climb in the next three months.

• None of the young or modestly-paid players have been particularly efficient on the offensive end of the floor (where Brooklyn ranks 29th since Thanksgiving), but Noah Clowney (No. 21 pick in 2023) has been a little bit of a bright spot, shooting 39% from 3-point range. He’s taken 71% of his shots from beyond the arc, double the rate he had as a rookie.

With the losses to Toronto and Philly last week, the Nets are 4-6 in games played between the nine East teams currently at or below .500, a mark that includes a win over Indiana and a loss to Detroit. They’ll host the Pacers and Pistons this week before heading out on their longest road trip of the season (six games over 10 days).

Week 12: vs. IND, vs. DET, @ DEN, @ UTA

Record: 12-22

OffRtg: 108.3 (27) DefRtg: 117.0 (27) NetRtg: -8.7 (28) Pace: 99.7 (14)

The Blazers continue to get wins over good teams, picking up a clutch victory in Milwaukee on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The Blazers’ 22 losses have been by an average of 18 points, while their 12 wins have been by an average of just 7.8. They’ve won four of their last five games that have been within five points in the last five minutes, scoring 45 points on 37 clutch possessions over that stretch. Anfernee Simons had the game-winning and-one on Saturday and is now an impressive 11-for-19 on shots to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime over the last three seasons.

• Brook Lopez remains one of the league’s best rim protectors, but Shaedon Sharpe (who also had two big buckets down the stretch) had two impressive buckets against Lopez in drop coverage in the third quarter on Saturday. Sharpe has shot 59.6% in the paint, a big jump from last season (46.9%), but not quite as good as he shot in the paint as a rookie (60.9%).

• The Blazers remain one of three teams in the bottom five on both ends of the floor, but they’re also one of only six teams that have scored more points per 100 possessions than they did last season (107.6, 29th).

The Blazers’ five-game trip concludes this week and will be followed by a five-game homestand that starts with a visit from the Heat on Saturday.

Week 12: @ DET, @ NOP, @ DAL, vs. MIA

Record: 9-25

OffRtg: 111.2 (20) DefRtg: 118.3 (30) NetRtg: -7.2 (26) Pace: 100.1 (12)

The Jazz have won two straight games for the second time, with both streaks being consecutive road wins against the Eastern Conference.

Three takeaways

• The Jazz still rank last defensively, but with their weekend wins in Miami and Orlando, they’ve allowed less than a point per possession more times this season (four) than they did all of last season (three). The Heat and Magic are both going through some struggles, but it’s not nothing that the Jazz didn’t allow either to break out of their slump.

• Before Saturday, Brice Sensabaugh’s career high was 22 points. And then the 21-year-old scored 61 over the two weekend wins, shooting 12-for-17 from 3-point range. Only four of those 12 3-pointers were assisted, Sensabaugh is now 19-for-38 (50%) on pull-up 3s for the season, and he also had 12 points in the paint on Saturday. So he’s been creating some of his own offense.

• John Collins had 29 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the win in Miami, but was one of three vets — Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen were the others — that didn’t play the following night in Orlando. That was the Jazz’s first win (in seven games) without Collins, though they’re now 3-3 without Markkanen.

The Jazz are now 6-4 vs. the Eastern Conference, with all five of those wins having come on the road. They have five games left on a stretch where they’re playing 11 of 14 against the East, already holding wins over two of the teams — Miami and Brooklyn — that they’ll host this week.

Week 12: vs. ATL, vs. MIA, @ PHX, vs. BKN

Record: 8-27

OffRtg: 109.6 (24) DefRtg: 116.9 (26) NetRtg: -7.3 (27) Pace: 100.6 (8)

Immanuel Quickley returned from a 22-game absence on Wednesday when the Raptors put an end to an 11-game losing streak with their fourth double-digit win of the season.

Three takeaways

• The Raptors closed 2024 with the least efficient offensive performance for any team in the last three seasons, 71 points on 97 possessions (with just 13-for-38 shooting in the paint) in Boston on Tuesday. There have been five games this season where a team has shot worse than 35% in the paint, and the Raptors (2) and Suns (2) have accounted for two of the five.

• Then they began 2025 with their most efficient performance of the season, 130 points on 98 possessions against Brooklyn. Scottie Barnes led the way with 33 points and has an effective field goal percentage of 56.5% over the last six games, up from just 49.6% before that. He’s still shooting just 29.3% from 3-point range (167th among 177 players with at least 100 attempts), but his 61.9% in the paint is the best mark of his career by a healthy margin.

• Quickley has shot just 11-for-33 over his two games after almost two months off, but has 26 assists (to seven different teammates) and just four turnovers. He now has 11 games of double-digit assists in 43 total games with the Raptors, having had four in 266 games (including playoffs) with the Knicks.

Quickley, Barnes and RJ Barrett (out the last three games) have yet to play together this season, but that should happen this week as the Raptors continue a stretch where they’re playing 12 of 15 games against teams that currently have winning records. Barrett is listed as questionable for their game against the Bucks on Monday.

Week 12: vs. MIL, @ NYK, @ CLE, @ DET

Record: 7-29

OffRtg: 107.8 (28) DefRtg: 117.8 (29) NetRtg: -10.0 (29) Pace: 99.5 (16)

After losing 11 straight games (10 of them against teams currently at or below .500), the Pelicans swept their home-and-home set with the Wizards.

Three takeaways

• The offense was improving at the end of the losing streak and the last five games (116.7 points scored per 100 possessions) have been the Pelicans’ best stretch on that end of the floor this season. CJ McCollum has averaged 32.4 points on an effective field goal percentage of 68.5% over that stretch, with his 50 on Friday tying his career high. He’s shot just 39.0% from mid-range this season, but his 57.5% in the paint is the best mark of his career.

• Though Trey Murphy III shot just 5-for-19 in the first win over the Wizards, he’s been terrific otherwise, averaging 24.7 points over the last nine games. But he turned his left ankle (again) in the third quarter on Sunday.

• The win on Sunday was also the first time the Pelicans have held their opponent under a point per possession, leaving the Wizards themselves as the only team that hasn’t done so this season. The defense has been at its best (112.4 points allowed per 100 possessions — a tick better than the league average) with Herb Jones on the floor, and the Pelicans (who are 7-29) have been outscored by just six total points in Jones’ 598 total minutes.

The Pelicans are 1-2 vs. Portland, allowing 128.6 points per 100 possessions in the two losses. The final meeting is Wednesday, when the Pelicans will be at a rest disadvantage, having hosted the Wolves 24 hours earlier.

Week 12: vs. MIN, vs. POR, @ PHI, @ BOS

Record: 6-27

OffRtg: 105.3 (30) DefRtg: 117.5 (28) NetRtg: -12.2 (30) Pace: 103.3 (4)

The Wizards’ first game of 2025 was their most comfortable win of the season, an 18-point victory over the Bulls. But they lost both games of the home-and-home set between the last-place teams in each conference.

Three takeaways

• The win over Chicago was the Wizards’ best 3-point shooting game (17-for-36, 47%) since October, and Jordan Poole (6-for-13) led the way. He’s accounted for 42.4% of the Wizards’ 3-pointers when he’s been on the floor, up from 30.7% last season and a rate that ranks second among 308 players who’ve played at least 300 minutes.

• Poole missed Sunday’s loss with a hip contusion and, over the two-game set against the Pelicans (one of four teams with a worse 3-point differential than Washington), the Wizards were outscored by 48 points from beyond the arc. They’re now 1-22 (only the 0-13 Hornets have been worse) when getting outscored from 3-point range.

• Kyle Kuzma returned from a 12-game absence last week, shooting 24-for-34 (71%) inside the arc over his four games back, and scoring a season-high 28 points in the Poole-less loss to New Orleans on Sunday. He’s still played just 35 total minutes alongside veterans Malcolm Brogdon and Jonas Valančiūnas.

The Wizards’ first stretch of five games in seven days begins with a visit from the Rockets on Tuesday. Washington will be at a rest disadvantage in Philadelphia the following night when it will try to end a 22-game losing streak in the second game of back-to-backs. That includes an 0-4 mark this season, having lost those four games by an average of 24 points.

Week 12: vs. HOU, @ PHI, @ CHI, vs. OKC

Record: 7-27

OffRtg: 106.8 (29) DefRtg: 113.5 (18) NetRtg: -6.7 (25) Pace: 98.2 (24)

The Hornets have their starting guards back, but they also have a 10-game losing streak.

Three takeaways

• The Hornets allowed just 102.6 points per 100 possessions over a three-game stretch without LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, their best stretch of defense since early November. But they scored just 94.9 per 100 (with starting point guard Vasilije Micić shooting 8-for-34) over those three games, losing in the clutch to the Bulls and Pistons last week. Overall, the Hornets have scored 10.8 more points per 100 possessions with Ball on the floor (111.6) than they have with him off the floor (100.8), and that first number is below the league average.

• Ball and Miller returned on Sunday when they combined for 48 points in Cleveland and were on the floor with Mark Williams for just the third time this season. He was a plus-12 (finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and three blocks) against Chicago last Monday, but Charlotte remains winless (0-12) with Williams in uniform, so he hasn’t been part of a victory in almost 13 months (since Dec. 8, 2023).

• The Hornets currently rank fifth in the percentage of their minutes (29%) that have come from rookies or second-year players. K.J. Simpson (the 42nd pick in last year’s Draft) has recently replaced Isaiah Wong as the two-way guard getting rotation minutes and had a fun sequence last Monday where he had two buckets (and a steal) in three seconds.

Having played 30 of their first 34 games within the Eastern Conference, the Hornets will now play 10 of their next 11 against the West. They’ll have a rest advantage against the Suns on Tuesday but will begin a five-game trip in L.A. two nights later.

Week 12: vs. PHX, @ LAL, @ LAC, @ PHX