Record: 42-9

OffRtg: 117.2 (6) DefRtg: 104.3 (1) NetRtg: +12.9 (1) Pace: 100.5 (7)

Chet Holmgren is back and the Thunder continue to run away with the top seed in the Western Conference.

Three takeaways

• Holmgren returned on Friday, started alongside Isaiah Hartenstein and played more than 19 of his 22 minutes alongside either Hartenstein or Jaylin Williams (in part because Lu Dort was out). Holmgren blocked four shots and the Thunder held the Raptors under a point per possession (38 on 40) in those two-big configurations.

• Holmgren didn’t play in the second game of the Thunder’s weekend back-to-back, but the Thunder still beat the second-place Grizzlies handily, expanding their lead at the top of the West to eight games in the loss column. With Dort still out, Alex Caruso got his first start and played a season-high 27 minutes. Though he’s come off the bench in 30 of his 31 games, the teammate he’s played alongside most is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Thunder have outscored their opponents by an amazing 27.2 points per 100 possessions in their 351 minutes together.

• Gilgeous-Alexander’s free throw rate (40.8 attempts per 100 shots from the field) is his lowest in the last three seasons, but he’s 38-for-42 from the line over the last three games. He scored 50 (for the third time in a seven-game stretch) in a win over Phoenix on Wednesday, which was also the 14th time that the Thunder had at least 10 fewer turnovers than their opponent. That’s just one shy of the most such games for any team in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

Two of the previous 13 games in which they had at least 10 fewer turnovers than their opponent came against the Pelicans and Wolves, who they will face this week.

Week 17: vs. NOP, vs. MIA, @ MIN

Record: 37-16

OffRtg: 119.0 (3) DefRtg: 110.0 (5) NetRtg: +9.0 (3) Pace: 97.8 (25)

The Celtics lost at home to Dallas on Thursday, but won their two much more important games of the week, beating the Cavs and Knicks on the road.

Three takeaways

• The two big wins were different. The Cleveland game was kind of ugly, with the two teams combining for just 10 points in the first six minutes. The New York game was another offensive blitz led by Jayson Tatum (40 points) and Payton Pritchard (25 on 9-for-13 shooting). The Celtics remain the only team in the top five on both ends of the floor.

• Whether he’s the third big in the rotation or the first, Luke Kornet continues to make an impact. He was on the floor for much of the Celtics’ huge comeback in Philadelphia eight days ago. He provided more big minutes off the bench in Cleveland on Tuesday, when the Celtics were outscored by 15 points in the starting lineup’s 15.3 minutes. And in New York (with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis out), Kornet was in the starting lineup, tallying 14 points (on 7-for-7 shooting), 12 rebounds and three blocks. The Celtics have been at their best this season (plus 14.8 points per 100 possessions) with Kornet on the floor.

• The Celtics somehow lost a game (to the Mavs) in which they outscored their opponent by 26 points in the restricted area and by three from beyond the arc. They are fifth in the league in the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come from the restricted area or 3-point range but can be beaten when their opponent shoots well in between. The loss on Thursday was the seventh time their opponent has shot better than 55% on non-restricted-area 2-point shots, with the Celtics 3-4 in those games.

The Celtics have won their last four meetings with the Spurs, with the last three wins coming by an average of 32 points. Their first meeting of the season is their last game before the All-Star break, Wednesday in Boston.

Week 17: @ MIA, vs. SAS

Record: 42-10

OffRtg: 121.7 (1) DefRtg: 111.7 (8) NetRtg: +10.0 (2) Pace: 100.5 (8)

The Cavs are the only one of the top seven teams in the league that made a significant move at the deadline, acquiring De’Andre Hunter from Atlanta for Caris LeVert, Georges Niang and picks.

Three takeaways

• The Cavs are a league-best 31-1 when they’ve won the first quarter, but they got off to a rough start against the Celtics last week, scoring just 15 points on 26 first-quarter possessions. Their historically efficient offense is No. 1 in both field goal percentage in the paint (60.9%) and 3-point percentage (39.5%), with the loss on Tuesday just the second time they made less than half of their shots (19-for-41) in the paint and just the fourth time they shot below 30% from beyond the arc.

• Like LeVert (who shot 0-for-13 in his last two games with the Cavs), Hunter has cooled off, shooting less than 40% over the last 5 1/2 weeks. He’s still registering career highs for both effective field goal percentage (56%) and free throw rate (35.8 attempts per 100 shots from the field). The latter would be the second highest among the 10 Cavs with at least 100 field goal attempts, trailing only that of Jarrett Allen (42.9 per 100).

The last time the Cavs won after losing the first quarter was in Minnesota on Jan. 18, when they got big minutes from their bench. Hunter will make his Cavs debut when they complete the season series with the Wolves on Monday.

Week 17: vs. MIN, @ TOR

Record: 34-19

OffRtg: 118.9 (4) DefRtg: 113.7 (17) NetRtg: +5.3 (6) Pace: 100.9 (5)

The Nuggets have been shorthanded, but they’ve won six straight games, climbing into third place in the West.

Three takeaways

• The Nuggets’ fourth-ranked offense has done a lot of the work (127.5 points scored per 100 possessions) over the winning streak. Nikola Jokić has led the way, but Michael Porter Jr. has been on a heater, averaging 35 points on 64% shooting (including 17-for-29 from 3-point range) over his last three games. With Porter (hamstring) missing their game in Phoenix on Saturday, Jamal Murray made a season-high six 3-pointers on nine attempts.

• The Nuggets have been without Russell Westbrook for their five February games, but haven’t needed him to outscore their opponents by 72 points (128-56) on fast breaks over that stretch. Christian Braun (9.0) and Porter (8.3) rank first and third in fast break points per game this month, with Braun (5.3) now in a close race with Giannis Antetokounmpo (5.4) for the season-long league lead.

• According to Synergy tracking, the Nuggets have seen the league’s third-biggest jump in transition points per game from last season (19.4, 23rd) to this season (26.2, fourth). That’s helped them be one of only eight teams that have scored more points per 100 possessions than they did last season when they ranked fifth offensively.

The competition hasn’t been great over these last six games, but the league’s No. 2 offense in the last three weeks will now face the league’s top-ranked defense over that span, with the Nuggets hosting the Blazers for a two-game set to close their pre-break schedule.

Week 17: vs. POR, vs. POR

Record: 34-18

OffRtg: 119.6 (2) DefRtg: 113.7 (16) NetRtg: +5.9 (5) Pace: 98.0 (24)

The Knicks have had some quality wins in the last few weeks, but they continue to struggled against the best of the best, getting clobbered by the Celtics at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

Three takeaways

• The Knicks are 0-5 against the Celtics, Cavs and Thunder, having allowed 126.7 points per 100 possessions over the five games. Their two worst defensive games of the season — the first on opening night, the second on Saturday — have come with Boston shooting 48-for-100 from 3-point range.

• The Knicks rank last in opponent 3-point percentage (38%). The percentage of their opponents’ 3-point attempts that have been wide-open (48%) is actually below average, but their opponents have shot relatively well (41.5%) on those wide-open 3-pointers.

• It certainly didn’t help that the Knicks were without OG Anunoby on Saturday. The last four games (starting with the one in which he was injured) have been the team’s worst four-game stretch of defense this season (125.5 points allowed per 100 possessions), they’re now 6-4 when they’ve been without (at least) one of their five starters, and it was a little surprising that they didn’t add any wing depth at the deadline.

After the two losses to the Celtics, the Knicks’ worst defensive game of the season came in Indiana in November. They’re 1-1 against the team that eliminated them from last year’s playoffs, and their visit to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday will be the final meeting of the regular season.

Week 17: @ IND, vs. ATL

Record: 35-17

OffRtg: 118.1 (5) DefRtg: 110.8 (7) NetRtg: +7.3 (4) Pace: 104.5 (1)

The Grizzlies, who are having the best season (statistically) in franchise history, took a purposeful step backward at the deadline. It was one thing to dump the contract of Marcus Smart (who played only 39 games for them), but they also sent Jake LaRavia (a solid contributor and much-improved player this season) to Sacramento.

Three takeaways

• The Grizzlies had won 10 of their last 11 games before Saturday, and then they ran into the Thunder. Memphis is now 6-10 (third worst) in games played between the eight Western Conference teams with winning records and has trailed both games against the first-place Thunder by at least 28 points.

• The Grizzlies rank second in total rebounding percentage, but in their last two losses (at New York, vs. Oklahoma City), they’ve been destroyed in the possession game. They had 17 fewer shooting opportunities than the Knicks and 16 fewer than the Thunder. Overall, they rank 12th in shooting opportunity differential at +0.7 per game.

• Maybe LaRavia was expendable because GG Jackson (three years young and two inches taller) has been available for the last 10 games after missing the first 42. The defense has been bad (125.3 points per 100 possessions) in Jackson’s 179 minutes on the floor, but the 20-year-old scored a season-high 27 points off the bench in the Grizzlies’ win over the Spurs last Monday.

The second-place Grizzlies are now closer in losses to the seventh-place Clippers than they are to the first-place Thunder. They lost the first meeting with the Clips (an ugly nail-biter) and will be at a rest disadvantage when they visit Intuit Dome on Wednesday.

Week 17: @ PHX, @ LAC

Record: 31-19

OffRtg: 114.4 (9) DefRtg: 113.8 (18) NetRtg: +0.6 (13) Pace: 98.3 (22)

Luka Dončić has yet to make his Lakers debut, but his new team has been doing just fine without him. The Lakers have won 11 of their last 13 games, climbing from seventh (and past Dončić’s former team) to fifth in the Western Conference.

Three takeaways

• The Lakers rank third defensively over the 11-2 stretch, having allowed 108.3 points per 100 possessions over the 13 games. The context is that 10 of the 13 have come against teams that rank in the bottom 13 offensively and the numbers are a little skewed by two games against the 30th-ranked Wizards in which the Lakers allowed just 90.2 per 100.

• Still, it’s a big improvement from where the Lakers were defensively (24th, 115.7 allowed per 100) through their first 37 games. They’ve seen huge drops in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint and the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint.

• With the Mark Williams trade falling apart, the Lakers are left with Jaxson Hayes as their one real lob threat to complement Dončić. The good news is that, with guys like Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt likely to play many minutes at the five, they could be better with their switching defense. They currently rank second in the percentage of ball screens (36%) that they’ve switched but are 25th in points allowed per possession when switching, per Second Spectrum tracking.

The Lakers are one of three undefeated teams (9-0) against the bottom six teams in the league (those with fewer than 20 wins), though their two wins over the Jazz have come by a total of just seven points. They’ll complete the season series (and their pre-break schedule) with a home-and-home set this week, with Dončić (and LeBron James) listed as questionable for the game in L.A. on Monday.

Week 17: vs. UTA, @ UTA

Record: 33-20

OffRtg: 113.8 (14) DefRtg: 109.3 (4) NetRtg: +4.5 (7) Pace: 98.7 (20)

The Rockets stood pat at the deadline, which landed amid a six-game losing streak that included an absolutely brutal finish in Brooklyn on Tuesday.

Three takeaways

• The losing streak was the Rockets’ worst stretch of defense this season (121 points allowed per 100 possessions). Their opponents shot relatively well, but the Rockets also struggled to force turnovers and secure the defensive glass.

• The rebounding issue goes back to the absence of Jabari Smith Jr. for the last 20 games. Amen Thompson has shined as Smith’s replacement in the starting lineup, but the Rockets have grabbed just 67.7% of available defensive rebounds with Smith off the floor, compared to 74.4% with him on the floor. They’ve ranked 28th in defensive rebounding percentage over his absence, down from 11th prior.

• It should be noted that the losing streak came near the end of a stretch where the Rockets played 10 games in 16 days in nine different arenas. They returned home and got an ugly win over Toronto on Sunday, the end of their second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. They had one of their best defensive rebounding games of the season but were helped in that regard by the absence of Jakob Poeltl for the Raptors.

The win was also the start of a stretch where the Rockets are playing 13 of 17 games at home. They may be the team most in need of the All-Star break, but they should have at least one hungry opponent in town this week.

Week 17: vs. PHX, vs. GSW

Record: 30-23

OffRtg: 114.0 (13) DefRtg: 110.2 (6) NetRtg: +3.8 (8) Pace: 97.6 (26)

After an ugly start to their five-game homestand, the Wolves won the last three games, climbing into the top six in the West.

Three takeaways

• Anthony Edwards does not miss many games (eight total over the last three seasons) and his first absence this season (nine days ago) resulted in a loss to the Wizards. But the Wolves beat the red-hot Blazers without their All-Star on Saturday, holding their opponent under a point per possession for the 12th time this season. That’s tied for second most in the league, though not quite on pace to match their total from last season (20 games).

• Naz Reid has started the last five games in place of the injured Julius Randle, and the Wolves have been at their best (plus 17.2 points per 100 possessions) with Reid on the floor over that stretch. They’ve now allowed just 102.9 per 100 in 698 total minutes with Reid and Rudy Gobert on the floor together.

• The Wolves rank 27th in the percentage of their minutes (4%) coming from rookies or second-year players, but most of those minutes have come in the last 3 1/2 weeks. Rob Dillingham has been in the rotation for the last 13 games, Jaylen Clark has been getting some burn with guys out, and Terrence Shannon Jr. also saw some playing time last week. Clark and Shannon were a combined 6-for-10 from 3-point range in the Wolves’ win over the Rockets on Thursday.

The Wolves are currently 12-11 (fifth best) in games played between the 14 teams currently over .500, set to face the first-place teams in each conference this week. They’re 0-1 against both Cleveland and Oklahoma City, with both games being within five points in the last five minutes.

Week 17: @ CLE, vs. MIL, vs. OKC

Record: 29-22

OffRtg: 114.3 (10) DefRtg: 114.0 (19) NetRtg: +0.3 (14) Pace: 100.7 (6)

The Pacers have cooled off a bit, going 2-2 on a trip out West, though they remain in fourth place in the East.

Three takeaways

• The trip was the Pacers’ worst four-game stretch of offense (108.2 points scored per 100 possessions) since early December. It wasn’t a good trip for anybody but All-Star Pascal Siakam, who averaged 23.5 points on 53% shooting over the four games. The rest of the roster had an effective field goal percentage of just 48.4% and with their loss in Portland on Tuesday, the Pacers are 2-11 when Tyrese Haliburton has registered an effective field goal percentage of 40% or worse.

• The offense was especially anemic early in games, and the Pacers were outscored by 59 points (145-86) over the four first quarters on the trip. They managed to come back from 15 points down in Utah and from 22 points down against the Clippers, but still have the league’s biggest differential between their record when they’ve won the first quarter (22-5, .815) and when they’ve lost the first quarter (7-16, .304).

• Myles Turner played only 36 minutes on the trip, suffering a neck injury after coming back from an ankle sprain. Thomas Bryant has filled in and the Pacers have allowed less than a point per possession in 196 total minutes with Bryant on the floor alongside Siakam.

The home team has won both meetings between the Pacers and the third-place Knicks, with the much bigger difference between the two games coming on the Pacers’ end of the floor. They’ll complete the three-game season series in Indiana on Tuesday.

Week 17: vs. NYK, @ WAS

Record: 28-25

OffRtg: 115.4 (7) DefRtg: 113.4 (14) NetRtg: +2.0 (10) Pace: 99.9 (15)

Anthony Davis’ Mavs debut was terrific, but it was costly, with Davis (after tallying 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in 31 minutes) suffering an injury that will reportedly keep him out for the next few weeks.

Three takeaways

• The Mavs held on to beat the Rockets after Davis’ injury and with P.J. Washington (who started at the three) also missing the second half after suffering an ankle injury. Their success with Davis on the floor was more about the offense (80 points scored on 60 possessions) than the defense, with Davis (37% from outside the paint with the Lakers) going 2-for-4 from mid-range and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc.

• That’s not to say that the Mavs didn’t do some good things defensively. With Dallas blocking a franchise-record 18 shots, the Rockets shot just 23-for-59 (39%) in the paint, their worst mark this season. The Mavs rank second in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (54%) for the season.

• The other guy the Mavs got from L.A. has played pretty well, too. Max Christie has averaged 17.7 points on an effective field goal percentage of 64.5% over his first three games with Dallas, also being assigned to guard some talented guys on the other end of the floor.

The Mavs’ weekend win over the Rockets was the start of a four-game homestand to close their pre-break schedule. They’ll play a couple of big games against Sacramento and Golden State this week, currently just a game in the loss column ahead of the 11th-place Warriors.

Week 17: vs. SAC, vs. GSW, vs. MIA

Record: 29-23

OffRtg: 111.4 (21) DefRtg: 108.3 (2) NetRtg: +3.0 (9) Pace: 98.9 (18)

The Clippers have reshuffled their back-up backcourt, sending out Terance Mann, Bones Hyland and Kevin Porter Jr. in trades that brought back Bogdan Bogdanović and MarJon Beauchamp.

Three takeaways

• The Clippers had a glut of perimeter defenders and remain in the bottom 10 offensively. So swapping Mann for Bogdanović makes sense in theory, though the latter has seen big drops in both usage rate and efficiency from last season when he finished fifth (just behind Norman Powell) in Sixth Man of the Year voting. Bogdanović’s 30.1% from 3-point range ranks 211th among 226 players with at least 100 attempts from beyond the arc. Porter (24.5%) ranks last, while Mann just doesn’t shoot that often.

• The trades came during a three-game losing streak in which the Clippers scored just 108.2 points per 100 possessions against teams that rank 26th, 18th and 19th defensively. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard both shot below 40% over the three games, with Leonard also having more turnovers (10) than free throw attempts (eight). His free throw rate of 14.1 attempts per 100 shots from the field would be the lowest of his career by a healthy margin.

• The Clippers broke out of their offensive slump and put an end to their losing streak against Utah’s 30th-ranked (and shorthanded) defense on Saturday. Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac led the way with 26 points each, and either would be a fine candidate to replace Anthony Davis as a Western Conference All-Star this week.

Bogdanović wasn’t available over the weekend, but the Clippers will have had three days off before completing their pre-break schedule with a home-road back-to-back. They’re 1-0 (having won a thriller in Memphis before Christmas) against the second-place Grizzlies, who they’ll host on Wednesday.

Week 17: vs. MEM, @ UTA

Record: 28-23

OffRtg: 114.1 (12) DefRtg: 112.6 (11) NetRtg: +1.5 (11) Pace: 100.2 (9)

The Khris Middleton Era in Milwaukee is over, with the Bucks trading the three-time All-Star to Washington for Kyle Kuzma and to save a lot of money. They also traded their last two first round draft picks.

Three takeaways

• In 758 minutes with Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard on the floor together last season, the Bucks outscored their opponents by 17.5 points per 100 possessions, the third-best on-court mark among 336 three-man combinations that played at least 500 minutes. But the trio played just 197 minutes together this season.

• Kuzma arrived in Milwaukee having the worst offensive season of his eight-year career. His true shooting percentage of 48.6% ranks last among 73 players with a usage rate of 22% or higher. He shot just 9-for-26 (35%) over his first two games with the Bucks, who blew a 21-point lead in their loss in Atlanta on Friday. That ended a 96-game winning streak in games (including postseason) that they led by 20 points or more.

• The Bucks did get a win over the Sixers on Sunday, improving to 3-3 in games in which they’ve had Damian Lillard without Antetokounmpo (who’s out through the All-Star break). They’ve scored more efficiently in those six games (116.4 points per 100 possessions) than they have otherwise, with the win on Sunday (in which Lillard scored a season-high 43 points) being their most efficient offensive performance of the season (135 on 104).

The Bucks have played the fewest interconference games of any team and are currently 5-7 against the West. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they host the Warriors on Monday, finishing their pre-break schedule with a visit to Minnesota two nights later.

Week 17: vs. GSW, @ MIN

Record: 23-30

OffRtg: 110.0 (25) DefRtg: 114.8 (22) NetRtg: -4.8 (24) Pace: 98.9 (19)

The Blazers went 6-1 on the first of two seven-game homestands before hitting the road and losing in Minnesota on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• Maybe the Blazers are the 2016-17 Miami Heat, who were 11-30 in their first 41 games and 30-11 in their last 41 (only to lose a tiebreaker for the final playoff spot in the East). After Game 41, Portland was 13-28 and in the bottom four on both ends of the floor. Since then, they’re 10-2, with the league’s 13th-ranked offense and its No. 1 defense by a healthy margin.

• Only three of the 12 games have come against teams that rank in the top 10 offensively, but the Blazers handed Indiana’s 10th-ranked offense its worst performance in almost three months (89 points on 97 possessions) on Tuesday. And that was the second game of a back-to-back for the Blazers, who forced overtime against Phoenix the night before.

• The Blazers still rank third in the percentage of their minutes coming from rookies or second-year players, but they’re playing to win. They used only eight guys in that overtime win, adding second-year forward Kris Murray to the rotation the following night.

The Blazers’ defense will be tested by the Nuggets’ fourth-ranked offense in the final two games before the break. The Blazers won the first meeting (in which both teams scored efficiently) on Anfernee Simons’ buzzer-beating drive against Russell Westbrook.

Week 17: @ DEN, @ DEN

Record: 26-26

OffRtg: 114.1 (11) DefRtg: 115.7 (25) NetRtg: -1.6 (18) Pace: 98.5 (21)

The Suns used one of those three first-round picks they got from Utah three weeks ago, but only to send Jusuf Nurkić to Charlotte. So they’re riding with the same group that has them in 10th place in the West.

Three takeaways

• The Suns got a rare win without Kevin Durant on Friday. They’re now 2-11 without their All-Star, with both wins having come against the Jazz and with a miracle (two Grayson Allen 3s in the final two seconds of regulation) needed to get this latest one. Allen and Royce O’Neale (who sent their Monday game in Portland to OT) are a combined 12-for-23 on clutch 3-pointers, while Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are a combined 9-for-44.

• The win over the Jazz was the Suns’ only victory in their five February games, marking their worst stretch of defense this season (125.1 points allowed per 100 possessions). They’ve been shooting more 3-pointers, but have been outscored by an average of 23.6 points in the paint over the five games.

The Suns still have a winning record (17-15) within the Western Conference, though they’re 0-3 against the top two teams, set to host the second-place Grizzlies on Tuesday. They’ll be at a rest advantage the following night in Houston for the first of three meetings with the fourth-place Rockets.

Week 17: vs. MEM, @ HOU

Record: 26-26

OffRtg: 112.1 (18) DefRtg: 112.1 (10) NetRtg: +0.0 (15) Pace: 99.6 (16)

The Warriors are still in 11th place in the West and still haven’t won more than two games in a row since Nov. 15. But they now have Jimmy Butler.

Three takeaways

• This would be the third straight season in which the Warriors ranked in the bottom three in free throw rate. But Butler has a rate of 60.7 attempts per 100 shots from the field over the last three seasons, the second highest rate (lower than only that of Rudy Gobert) among 213 players with at least 1,000 field goal attempts over that stretch. He was 11-for-13 from the line (and 7-for-12 from the field) in his debut in Chicago on Saturday.

• That debut wasn’t looking good when the Warriors were down 24 early in the third quarter. But they somehow outscored the Bulls by 49 points (67-18) over the next 16 minutes. For the season, the Warriors have been outscored by 96 points in the other three quarters, but are a plus-90 in the third.

• With Butler and Draymond Green being not-so prolific shooters from the perimeter, it may be that the Warriors stick with rookie Quinten Post (converted to a standard contract on Friday) as their starting center. Post has started the last six games, but the team has scored less than a point per possession in his 104 total minutes on the floor over that stretch.

The second half of the Warriors’ six-game trip is tougher than the first half. They’ll play a Texas back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday, currently trailing the eighth-place Mavs by just a game in the loss column.

Week 17: @ MIL, @ DAL, @ HOU

Record: 25-25

OffRtg: 111.6 (19) DefRtg: 111.9 (9) NetRtg: -0.3 (16) Pace: 97.5 (27)

Considering how bad the Jimmy Butler situation was, the Heat got a solid return — Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell and the Warriors’ first-round pick (protected 1-10) — for the disgruntled star. But they had a couple of not-so-solid results on the floor last week.

Three takeaways

• On Tuesday in Chicago, the Heat had a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter, only to be outscored by 21 (37-16) over the final 10:04. On Friday in Brooklyn, they led by eight early in the fourth and were then outscored by 24 (31-7) over the final 11 minutes. Over their last four fourth quarters, the Heat have shot just 4-for-36 (11%) from 3-point range, with Tyler Herro 0-for-10.

• The good news from Brooklyn was that the loss was the first time in their last nine games that the Heat didn’t commit more turnovers than their opponent. They rank in the bottom three in both turnover rate (28th) and opponent turnover rate (30th) over the last three weeks.

• Anderson has averaged 3.3 deflections per 36 minutes, a rate which would rank third among Heat players who’ve played at least 500 minutes, so he could help them force more turnovers. Wiggins doesn’t get to the line nearly as much as Butler, but his 5.0 free throw attempts per 36 would be first among their current rotation guys by a healthy margin.

Those losses in Chicago in Brooklyn hurt extra because the Heat finish their pre-break schedule with three tough games. They also haven’t beaten a team that’s currently over .500 since Dec. 29. Both Wiggins and Anderson should make their Heat debuts against the Celtics on Monday.

Week 17: vs. BOS, @ OKC, @ DAL

Record: 27-26

OffRtg: 112.6 (15) DefRtg: 113.1 (12) NetRtg: -0.4 (17) Pace: 99.6 (17)

The Pistons went 4-2 on their longest homestand of the season, winning the last two games to climb back above .500 and into sixth place in the East.

Three takeaways

• The Pistons went 1-3 when Cade Cunningham missed four straight games in late November, but they got a win over the Sixers without their All-Star on Friday, taking their biggest lead of the season (34 points) early in the third quarter. It was their best offensive game (125 points on 100 possessions) since Christmas, and Malik Beasley led the way with a career-high 36 points, with 12 of those coming from the corners.

• Beasley is still a ways from leading the league lead in corner 3-pointers for a second straight season, but he’s one of two players — Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the other — who’ve shot better than 50% on at least 75 attempts from the corners. Of course, Cunningham will represent the Pistons (and the worst 3-point shooter in the field) in the Starry 3-Point Contest on Saturday.

• Cunningham returned on Sunday and recorded his eighth triple-double of the season in the Pistons’ win over Charlotte. Despite the victory over Philly, the Pistons have scored just 105.5 points per 100 possessions with Cunningham off the floor, so Dennis Schröder (who made his Pistons debut on Sunday) can certainly help this team in its quest to end its five-year playoff drought.

Part of the formula for making the playoffs is beating the teams that don’t. The Pistons are currently 11-4 (with six straight wins) against the bottom six teams in the East. They’re set to complete their pre-break schedule with two games in Chicago.

Week 17: @ CHI, @ CHI

Record: 26-28

OffRtg: 107.2 (29) DefRtg: 109.0 (3) NetRtg: -1.8 (19) Pace: 96.6 (29)

The Magic remain below .500, but have won two out of three games for the first time in more than a month.

Three takeaways

• If they can have a decent offensive game, the Magic can win. With their victories over the Kings and Spurs last week, they’re 21-1 (with 18 straight wins) when they’ve scored at least 113 points per 100 possessions. Every other team has at least three losses when scoring at least 113 per 100.

• Of course, the Magic would have two if Paolo Banchero didn’t drain a tough turnaround with 25 seconds left to beat the Spurs on Saturday. The Magic have been much better in clutch games (13-9) than they’ve been otherwise (13-19), having allowed just 92.1 points per 100 clutch possessions, the league’s best mark by a healthy margin.

• While Banchero has struggled with his shot since returning from injury, Franz Wagner has averaged more points over the nine games since his return (26.8) than he did prior (24.4), while scoring nearly as efficiently (true shooting percentage of 55.5% vs. 57.3%). He was 5-for-6 from 3-point range in the win in Sacramento (more 3s than he had over a 10-game stretch late last season) and scored a game-high 33 points against the Spurs.

The Magic are 12-3 against the seven teams behind them in the Eastern Conference standings, though they’ve yet to face the Hawks, who they lead by just a half-game for eighth place. The first of four meetings is Monday in Orlando.

Week 17: vs. ATL, vs. CHA

Record: 26-26

OffRtg: 115.0 (8) DefRtg: 114.0 (20) NetRtg: +1.0 (12) Pace: 100.1 (10)

The Kings lost their first two games with Zach LaVine and were in a 20-point hole early against the Pelicans on Saturday. But they came all the way back to light the beam and get back to .500.

Three takeaways

• The biggest swing on Saturday was a 36-10 Kings run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Malik Monk and DeMar DeRozan combined for 21 of those 36 points, but reserve Keon Ellis was the only guy on the floor for the entirety of the run, helping the Kings win the possession game with two steals and two offensive rebounds over those eight minutes. The Kings (12-21) are now tied with the Nuggets (12-19) for the most wins after trailing by double-digits.

• The Kings’ new starting lineup (with Monk at point guard) had good starts to each half in Portland on Thursday, but has still been outscored by 15 points in its 49 total minutes, with the opponents shooting 15-for-33 (45%) from 3-point range.

• LaVine should eventually help the Kings’ own 3-point shooting, but he’s just 4-for-20 from beyond the arc with his new team thus far. That’s, by far, his worst three-game stretch of the season.

The Kings will play the Pelicans two more times this week, but will first make an important stop in Dallas, currently trailing the eighth-place Mavs by a game and a half.

Week 17: @ DAL, @ NOP, @ NOP

Record: 22-28

OffRtg: 112.3 (16) DefRtg: 114.0 (21) NetRtg: -1.8 (20) Pace: 99.9 (14)

The Spurs are 1-2 on their six-game, rodeo road trip, falling to six games below .500 for the first time.

Three takeaways

• All three games on the trip have been decided by a single point. The Spurs were 8-3 in clutch games through mid-December, but have lost 10 of their last 12 that were within five points in the last five minutes, scoring just 84 points on 104 clutch possessions (0.81 per) over that stretch.

• The late-game offense ran through De’Aaron Fox last week, and he put the Spurs up one in Charlotte with a step-back jumper with 7.9 seconds left. But they then yielded a wide-open, weak-side corner 3 to Miles Bridges and lost when Fox’s game-winning 3 came a little too late. The Spurs are one of four teams that rank in the top 10 in both the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come from 3-point range and the (lowest) percentage of their opponents 3-point attempts that have come from the corners. But they also allowed some open looks from the corners early in their win in Atlanta on Wednesday.

• The Spurs have the ability to have either Fox or Chris Paul running the offense for the entire game, but they played 38 minutes over their four games last week with neither on the floor. They were outscored by 14 points, scoring just 102.4 per 100 possessions, in those 38 minutes.

The Spurs are now 6-10 against the Eastern Conference, even tough they’ve been outscored by just 1.8 points per 100 possessions over those 16 games. They’ll finish their trip with games against the worst team in the league and the defending champs.

Week 17: @ WAS, @ BOS

Record: 25-28

OffRtg: 110.9 (23) DefRtg: 113.3 (13) NetRtg: -2.5 (21) Pace: 104.2 (2)

The Hawks sold high on De’Andre Hunter, seemingly set to build around young wings/forwards Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher. It will be fascinating to see what the next steps are.

Three takeaways

• The Hawks put an end to an eight-game losing streak last week and have won three of their last four, with the only loss (against San Antonio on Wednesday) coming by a single point. They played four straight clutch games, with Trae Young scoring 27 of their 40 clutch points over that stretch. The Hawks got a comfortable win in Washington on Saturday, but are still just 9-16 in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes.

• Overall, Young has averaged 31.8 points on an effective field goal percentage of 55.4% over the Hawks’ five February games. With that, they have a top-10 offense this month, though they remain in the bottom 10 on that end of the floor for the season.

• Going forward (and once Johnson is healthy) the Hawks should be able to amass some pretty good defensive lineups with Terance Mann, Daniels, Risacher and Johnson. They’ve been about average defensively (113.3 points allowed per 100 possessions) in 336 total minutes with the latter three on the floor together.

The Hawks trail the eighth-place Magic by just half a game, with the first of four head-to-head meetings set for Monday in Orlando. They’ll have a rest advantage two nights later in New York.

Week 17: @ ORL, @ NYK

Record: 20-32

OffRtg: 111.5 (20) DefRtg: 115.4 (24) NetRtg: -3.9 (22) Pace: 97.4 (28)

The stars are back, but the Sixers still aren’t winning.

Three takeaways

• Weekend games in Detroit and Milwaukee were the first times in more than a month that the Sixers had Joel Embiid and Paul George in the lineup together, and the opponents were each missing their best player (Cade Cunningham and Giannis Antetokounmpo). But the Sixers lost both games, allowing the Bucks and Pistons to score 127.5 points per 100 possessions. In general, the defense has been much better with Embiid on the floor, but the Sixers have now allowed more than 120 per 100 in four of the last five games he’s played.

• George, meanwhile, totaled just 35 points in his three games back from a five-game absence. He didn’t shoot poorly over the two weekend games, but he registered a usage rate of just 15.9%, fifth on the team and lower than that of Quentin Grimes (16.5%), who was playing his first two games with the Sixers. George’s season-long usage rate of 24.3% would be his lowest in the last 12 years.

• Embiid did record his first triple-double of the season in the Sixers’ win over Dallas Tuesday, getting the game-winning bucket when the Mavs were left without a center in the closing minutes. But the Sixers were much better with him off the floor than they were with him on the floor last week. Usually (and even when he’s not at his best) it’s the opposite.

The Sixers are 7-1 against the four teams behind them in the Eastern Conference standings, set to finish their pre-break schedule with a back-to-back against the Raptors (0-1) and Nets (2-0).

Week 17: vs. TOR, @ BKN

Record: 16-37

OffRtg: 110.1 (24) DefRtg: 115.8 (26) NetRtg: -5.7 (26) Pace: 100.0 (13)

Another deadline, another intriguing move by the Raptors, who acquired Brandon Ingram for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk and the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick. Ingram is still just 27 years old, but (assuming he extends his current contract or re-signs in the summer) he seemingly puts more emphasis on wins and losses next season.

Three takeaways

• Ingram hasn’t played since Dec. 7, recovering from a bad ankle sprain. He certainly isn’t the snuggest fit on a team that ranks in the top 10 in both ball and player movement, and he’s also averaged almost as many mid-range attempts per 48 minutes (8.1) as the Raptors have as a team (8.3). But the acquisition was a talent play and a way to make use of Bruce Brown’s expiring contract. It will be fascinating to see how much Ingram gets paid to stay in Toronto.

• Before we wonder how many games Ingram might play for the Raptors this season, we’re reminded that Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes have still played just six games together, with Barrett having missed the last four in concussion protocol. Jakob Poeltl has also missed the last three games with a hip pointer.

• After an 8-2 stretch, the Raptors have lost all four games (all against good teams) during Barrett’s absence. They’re much more of an interior team than a perimeter team, but with their loss in Oklahoma City on Friday, they’re somehow 1-2 in games in which they made at least 10 more 3-pointers than their opponent. The rest of the league is 62-2.

After their 31-point loss to the Grizzlies last week, the Raptors are just 2-7 in the second game of back-to-backs. They’ll finish their pre-break schedule with a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back, hosting the rested Cavs in the second game.

Week 17: @ PHI, vs. CLE

Record: 22-31

OffRtg: 112.2 (17) DefRtg: 116.0 (27) NetRtg: -3.9 (23) Pace: 103.6 (3)

The Bulls are still hanging onto the last SoFi Play-In Tournament spot in the East, though they’ve won just four of their last 15 games.

Three takeaways

• Despite ranking sixth in defensive rebounding percentage, the Bulls have now averaged 4.9 fewer shooting opportunities than their opponents, the league’s worst discrepancy. They’ve had fewer opportunities than their opponents in 16 of their last 17 games.

• Rookie Matas Buzelis will be in the dunk contest this weekend and may be in the Bulls’ starting lineup going forward. He got his first two career starts last week and has shot 65% (including 13-for-26 from 3-point range) over the last eight games, scoring in double-figures in each of the last six. His 2.2 blocks per 36 minutes rank second among rookies who have played at least 500 minutes.

The Bulls will finish their pre-break schedule with two games against the Pistons, having lost in Detroit (despite outscoring the Pistons by 27 points from 3-point range) eight days ago.

Week 17: vs. DET, vs. DET

Record: 18-34

OffRtg: 108.8 (27) DefRtg: 115.2 (23) NetRtg: -6.4 (27) Pace: 96.3 (30)

The Nets did their trade work in December, so they were quiet at the deadline, only saying goodbye to Ben Simmons with a buyout.

Three takeaways

• The Nets lost to the Wizards by 17 on Wednesday, but that’s their only loss in their last five games. They continue to show improvement defensively, climbing out of the bottom five on that end of the floor by allowing just 105.2 points per 100 possessions over the 4-1 stretch. The Heat’s 86 points on 94 possessions on Friday (including just seven on their final 23) was their worst offensive performance of the season.

• The defensive improvement started before the winning did, and the Nets now rank third defensively over the last three weeks. They’re in the top six in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (thanks in part to 13 blocks on Friday), opponent free throw rate and opponent turnover rate over that stretch.

• Beyond availability (he played in 90 of a possible 251 games), defense was certainly the most disappointing thing about Simmons’ three seasons with the Nets, who’ve been in the bottom half of the league in points allowed per 100 possessions in each of the last five seasons. He was never able to make a big defensive impact, in part because he fouled a lot more (4.0 per 36 minutes) than he did over his four seasons with the Sixers (3.0 per 36).

This 4-1 stretch began with a win in Charlotte in which the Hornets scored just 83 points on 90 possessions. The two teams will meet again in Brooklyn on Monday.

Week 17: vs. CHA, vs. PHI

Record: 12-39

OffRtg: 111.2 (28) DefRtg: 118.4 (30) NetRtg: -7.2 (28) Pace: 100.0 (12)

The Jazz were the league’s best facilitator at the trade deadline, but kept their veterans, even though they won’t be using them to their full capability (or availability) over the next two months.

Three takeaways

• The Jazz were 0-33 (the only winless team) in games they trailed by double-digits before Wednesday, when they came back from 11 points down against the Warriors with just three minutes left. They scored 18 points on just eight possessions, with a Walker Kessler block leading to a pretty audacious Keyonte George 3-pointer for the lead with 25 seconds left.

• They played another close game two nights later in Phoenix, losing because they somehow allowed Grayson Allen to make two 3-pointers in the last two seconds of regulation. The Jazz have allowed 130.4 points per 100 possessions with the score within five points in the last five minutes, which would be the worst defensive mark in the 29 seasons for which we have clutch data.

• Collin Sexton sprained his ankle last week and the starting frontline got the night off on Saturday, but Isaiah Collier has now started the last nine games at point guard, and he had three straight games of double-digit assists last week. What would seemingly be Jazz’s current, when-everybody’s-healthy starting lineup — Collier, Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, John Collins and Walker Kessler — has played just 23 total minutes together.

The Jazz’s loss to the Clippers on Saturday was the first of six straight games against the top seven in the Western Conference, with another game against the Clips (Thursday) included. The Jazz are the only team without a win (they’re 0-13) against the top seven in the West.

Week 17: @ LAL, vs. LAL, vs. LAC

Record: 13-37

OffRtg: 108.4 (28) DefRtg: 113.6 (15) NetRtg: -5.2 (25) Pace: 98.2 (23)

It was a weird week for the Hornets, who gave up a promising, 23-year-old center, but then got him back.

Three takeaways

• It was surprising that the Hornets, a team of the future, were willing to trade Mark Williams, an athletic seven-footer who had averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds over his last 10 games. But that Williams couldn’t pass his physical with the Lakers goes to one reason why the Hornets were willing to deal him. At the time of the trade, he had played in just 85 (40%) of a possible 212 games over his 2 1/2 seasons in Charlotte. With LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller (out for the season) also dealing with injuries, the Hornets’ core trio will have played just 254 minutes together over two years. For context, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges have played 1,294 minutes together this season.

• The big positive from the one-for-two trade being rescinded is that it left an open roster spot for plus-minus superstar Moussa Diabaté, who got a standard contract on Saturday. Of course, Diabaté (who left the Hornets’ loss in Detroit early after getting hit in the face on Sunday) might now have to compete for minutes with Jusuf Nurkić, who might not be on the roster had the Williams trade never happened.

• Ball returned from a five-game absence on Friday and assisted on Miles Bridges’ game-winner as the Hornets ended a six-game losing streak with a victory over the Spurs. The Hornets still have just three wins (the fewest in the league) in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes.

The Hornets are 0-2 against the Nets, having lost at home by 21 less than two weeks ago. The third of four meetings is on Monday in Brooklyn.

Week 17: @ BKN, @ ORL

Record: 12-40

OffRtg: 109.7 (26) DefRtg: 118.3 (28) NetRtg: -8.6 (29) Pace: 100.0 (11)

The Pelicans have lost eight straight games, but they were able to get a first-round pick for Brandon Ingram at the deadline.

Three takeaways

• Ingram and Zion Williamson were in New Orleans together for six seasons. In only two of those six seasons — 2020-21 and last season — did they play in more than 22 games together. The Pelicans reached the playoffs just twice (both times as the 8 seed) over those six years, winning two total playoff games.

• Overall, the Pelicans outscored their opponents by 4.0 points per 100 possessions (good, but not great) in the duo’s 3,104 total regular season minutes together.

• Ingram’s departure probably ensures that Trey Murphy III won’t ever come off the bench again. Murphy tied his career-high with 41 points in Denver on Monday and has an effective field goal percentage of 60.4% since Dec. 2 after getting off to a slow start (46.5%) in his first eight games back from his preseason hamstring injury. Even with that slow start included, his true shooting percentage of 62.2% ranks ninth among the 43 players who’ve averaged at least 20 points per game.

The Pelicans have won just one of their last 22 games against the 14 teams that currently have winning records, and they’ll complete their four-game trip in Oklahoma City on Monday.

Week 17: @ OKC, vs. SAC, vs. SAC

Record: 9-43

OffRtg: 105.2 (30) DefRtg: 118.4 (29) NetRtg: -13.2 (30) Pace: 102.4 (4)

The Wizards added to their pick trove at the deadline, dealing Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valančiūnas, while also taking Marcus Smart off the Grizzlies’ payroll.

Three takeaways

• The Wizards also got rookie AJ Johnson from the Bucks, so they now have four players selected in the first round of last year’s Draft. Alex Sarr (ankle sprain) has missed the last seven games, but rookies have already accounted for 31% of their minutes, the league’s highest rate by a huge margin.

• The Wizards no longer rank last on both ends of the floor, having (barely) climbed out of the basement on defense. They allowed just 108.5 points per 100 possessions (their best three-game stretch of defense this season) over their 3-0 road trip before returning home and losing games to the Cavs and Hawks. They’ll have two head-to-head matchups with the 30th-ranked Jazz in March.

• Jordan Poole scored a career-high 45 points against Cleveland, adding 21 the following night against Atlanta. He shot just 5-for-25 from 3-point range but was 15-for-20 in the paint. That takes his season-long field goal percentage in the paint over 50%, though it remains his worst mark in the paint since his rookie season.

It will be interesting to see how much Smart (who’s played just once since Christmas) and Khris Middleton play for the Wizards over the next two months. They’re both out for their game against the Spurs on Monday.

Week 17: vs. SAS, vs. IND