Record: 50-21

OffRtg: 117.6 (7) DefRtg: 112.9 (10) NetRtg: +4.7 (5) Pace: 97.3 (27)

The Nuggets are now 14-2 since the All-Star break, and they’re back in first place in the Western Conference.

Three takeaways

• The Nuggets haven’t exactly been dominant over the last few weeks. Nine of their last 12 games and seven of their last 10 wins have been within five points in the last five minutes. Their win in Minnesota on Tuesday was a big one regarding the standings, but the Wolves were without all three of their bigs and the Nuggets needed to score 16 points on eight clutch possessions to go home with the win. Their clutch effective field goal percentage for the season (61.5%) would be the third-highest mark in the 28 seasons for which we have clutch data.

• Bench minutes continue to be a problem, with Nikola Jokic’s on-off differential now above 20 points per 100 possessions for the second straight season. The Nuggets were outscored by 34 points in his 29 minutes off the floor over the three games before Saturday, though they got a weekend win in Portland without the two-time MVP (and Jamal Murray), despite being outscored by two points in 32.8 minutes with their three available starters on the floor.

• The Nuggets are now 9-15 without Jokic over the last four seasons (six missed games per year). They’re just 8-7 this season (4-5 vs. teams that currently have winning records) when Jokic has played without Murray, who turned his ankle down the stretch of their win over the Knicks on Thursday.

Both Jokic and Murray are listed as questionable for the Nuggets’ game against the Grizzlies on Monday, though that seems like another good opportunity to get them some rest. After that, they’ll play two more big games within the top six in the West.

Week 23: vs. MEM, vs. PHX, vs. MIN, vs. CLE

Record: 57-14

OffRtg: 122.5 (1) DefRtg: 110.5 (2) NetRtg: +12.0 (1) Pace: 98.3 (18)

There are still three weeks left in the season, but the Celtics are just one win (or a Milwaukee loss) from clinching the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics are 9-0 since their loss in Denver, and they remain undefeated (23-0) at TD Garden against Eastern Conference opponents, having held on to beat the Bucks (after blowing almost all of a 21-point, fourth-quarter lead) on Wednesday.

Three takeaways

• The Celtics have scored more than 120 points per 100 possessions in all nine games of the winning streak. That’s more times than the Grizzlies have scored more than 120 per 100 all season (8). Boston has now scored 7.7 more points per 100 possessions than the league average, which would be the fourth-biggest differential in the 28 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

• Boston is doing this without all of its best players. Whether by choice or not, the Celtics haven’t had all of their top six guys in any of the nine games of the streak, and they’ve had just three of the six in five of their last seven. But the back end of the rotation continues to be terrific, with Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard combining to average 30.2 points per game on an effective field goal percentage of 67.1% over the streak. The Celtics have now outscored their opponents by 15.1 points per 100 possessions in 857 total minutes with Hauser and Pritchard on the floor together.

• With how dominant the Celtics have been all season, all eight of their main rotation guys (the top six plus Hauser and Pritchard) rank in the top 18 in cumulative plus-minus, with Derrick White (plus-619) and Jayson Tatum (plus-607) at the top of the league.

The three games during the streak in which the Celtics have had five of their top six guys are the three that have come against teams — Phoenix (x 2) and Milwaukee — with winning records. They’ll have five more games against that group, with the first coming in New Orleans on Saturday.

Week 23: @ ATL, @ ATL, @ NOP

Record: 46-25

OffRtg: 118.9 (3) DefRtg: 115.3 (16) NetRtg: +3.6 (8) Pace: 101.0 (6)

The Bucks have won four out of their last five games, a stretch that includes wins over the Suns and Thunder. The only loss was by three points in Boston without Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Three takeaways

• Khris Middleton returned from a 16-game absence eight days ago, but Antetokounmpo missed Middleton’s first two games back, and then Middleton sat out the second game of a back-to-back. The Bucks’ game against the Thunder on Sunday was the first time since Feb. 6 that they had their full starting lineup available. And it was the starting lineup that turned a one-point lead into a 17-point cushion with a 16-0 run early in the third quarter.

• The starting group has outscored opponents by 15.8 points per 100 possessions, the third-best mark among 33 lineups that have played 33 games together (just ahead of the Bucks’ lineup with Jae Crowder in Middleton’s place). And as much as it feels like Middleton has missed a lot of time, its 544 total minutes are the most any Milwaukee lineup has played in the last five seasons and 312 more minutes than any Bucks lineup played last season.

• Having split their games against the Celtics and Thunder last week, the Bucks are 7-4 in games played between the top seven teams in the league, with three of the wins having come by more than 20 points and with better numbers on both offense and defense over the 11 games than they have otherwise.

The Bucks’ third-ranked offense has six games remaining against teams that rank in the top seven defensively. The first of those is in New Orleans on Thursday, with the 141 points on 108 possessions the Bucks scored in the first meeting (one of those three wins by more than 20 points) being the third most efficient performance for any team against the Pelicans this season.

Week 23: vs. LAL, @ NOP, @ ATL

Record: 49-21

OffRtg: 118.6 (5) DefRtg: 111.4 (5) NetRtg: +7.3 (2) Pace: 100.8 (7)

The Thunder are still in a great position, but they’ve slipped back to second place in the West, having gotten clobbered in the second half in Milwaukee on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Bucks aren’t a potential playoff opponent (at least not before June), but the loss on Sunday may have been a bit of a playoff preview. The Thunder actually had 71 drives, according to Second Spectrum tracking, tied for their 11th highest total of the season. But their 29 field goal attempts in the paint were a season low, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s usage rate of 24.3% was his third lowest mark of the season. Few teams can protect the rim with size like the Bucks, but there could be one or two (like the Lakers and Wolves) in the Thunder’s path.

• While they got blown out on Sunday, the Thunder still committed five fewer turnovers than the Bucks. They’ve committed fewer turnovers than their opponents in 17 of their last 21 games, with the differential either even or plus-1 in three of the other four. Their differential for the season (minus-3.4 per game) is actually a little worse than it was last season (minus-3.7), but is still the best in the league.

• The Thunder remain in the top five on both ends of the floor … just barely, as they’re basically tied with the Pelicans for fifth in defensive efficiency. And those two teams will meet in New Orleans on Tuesday, with the defense having ruled the day (they combined to score just a point per possession) as the road team has won the first two meetings.

The Thunder actually have one game remaining against each of the teams currently sitting in fifth-eighth place in the West. They’ll host the sixth-place Suns on Friday, holding a 2-0 series lead.

Week 23: @ NOP, vs. HOU, vs. PHX, @ NYK

Record: 49-22

OffRtg: 114.6 (17) DefRtg: 108.3 (1) NetRtg: +6.3 (3) Pace: 97.9 (22)

The Wolves have won five of their last six games, with the only loss being a three-point loss to the Nuggets on Tuesday, when the Wolves were playing with a rest disadvantage and missing all three of their bigs.

Three takeaways

• Both Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid were back in uniform for the Wolves’ weekend wins over the Cavs and Warriors. Those were the first two times this season that they started together (they did it once last season) and the Wolves have now allowed just 96.4 points per 100 possessions in 721 total minutes with both of them on the floor. That’s the best defensive mark among 635 two-man combinations that have played at least 500 minutes together.

• The Wolves rank 16th offensively throughout Karl-Anthony Towns’ nine-game absence, scoring the same number of points per 100 possessions (114.6) as they have for the season as a whole. So they haven’t suffered a drop-off on that end of the floor, though their three most-used lineups over the nine games — their three perimeter starters plus some combination of Kyle Anderson, Reid and Gobert — have scored an anemic 92.8 per 100 in 102 total minutes.

• They’ve been at their best offensively with reserves on the floor. Nickeil-Alexander Walker, Jordan McLaughlin and Monte Morris have combined to shoot 35-for-71 (48%) from 3-point range and register a 57/11 assist/turnover ratio over the nine games.

The Wolves are one of seven teams with only four road games remaining. But two of the four are in Denver, where they were 0-5 last season. The first of those two games is Friday.

ANTHONY EDWARDS MY GOODNESS 😱 pic.twitter.com/HkE2yFm45n

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 19, 2024

Week 23: vs. DET, @ DEN, vs. CHI

Record: 44-27

OffRtg: 117.0 (10) DefRtg: 111.4 (6) NetRtg: +5.6 (4) Pace: 98.9 (16)

After a 3-1 road trip, the Pelicans are 9-2 in March and still in the mix for a top-four seed in the West, though they’ve lost Brandon Ingram to a knee injury for at least two weeks.

Three takeaways

• The Pelicans are 6-2 without Ingram after winning in Miami and Detroit over the weekend. Their lineup with Trey Murphy III in Ingram’s place has still played just 49 total minutes together because Larry Nance Jr. has played more minutes than Jonas Valanciunas over these last two games.

• The Pelicans have been 12.6 points per 100 possessions better in the first halves of games (plus-11.8, second best) than they’ve been in second halves (minus-0.8, 19th), with that being the league’s biggest half-to-half differential by a wide margin. Their loss in Orlando on Thursday (the game in which Ingram was injured) was their 12th loss (tied for sixth most) in a game they led by double-digits. The bigger difference between the first-half Pelicans and the second-half Pelicans has been on defense and they allowed the Magic’s 21st-ranked offense to score 38 points on 25 possessions in the third quarter.

• With that half-to-half differential, the Pelicans haven’t been a comeback team. But the night after the Orlando loss, they were down 12 early in Miami (the reason why Nance started the second half) and then came back to win by 23. It was just their fifth win (they’re 5-22) in games they trailed by double-digits, with only the Pistons (4-53) having fewer. Of course, with how good the Pelicans have been before halftime, only the Celtics have trailed fewer games by at least 10 points.

The Pelicans have the league’s fourth toughest remaining schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage (.550), though the two teams – the Suns and Kings — directly behind them in the standings don’t have it any easier. Six of the Pelicans’ next seven games are against the Thunder, Bucks, Celtics, Suns (x 2) and the team — the Magic — they just lost to on the road.

Week 23: vs. OKC, vs. MIL, vs. BOS

Record: 41-29

OffRtg: 117.7 (6) DefRtg: 116.2 (21) NetRtg: +1.5 (15) Pace: 100.8 (9)

The Mavs have won seven of their last eight games, with the only loss having come without Luka Doncic, by single digits, and in Oklahoma City. They seem to be in a three-team race for the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Western Conference, tied in the loss column with both the sixth-place Suns and seventh-place Kings.

Three takeaways

• The Mavs rank third defensively (107.7 points allowed per 100 possessions) over this 7-1 stretch, though they’re still a couple of good defensive games from climbing out of the bottom 10 on that end of the floor for the season. The eight games have been pretty balanced regarding the strength of the opposing offenses.

• Better defense can lead to more transition opportunities, and the Mavs had two great transition sequences in their win over the Jazz on Thursday, one resulting in a lob for Derrick Jones Jr. and the other finishing with a lob for Kyrie Irving, the guy who’s given their transition game a big boost. The Mavs have seen the league’s second-biggest jump in both pace and transition points per game, and they’ve averaged 16.4 fast break points per 48 minutes with Irving on the floor, compared to just 14.8 per 48 with him off the floor.

• More transition (along with a couple of bouncy bigs) leads to more layups and dunks. And over their last seven games, the Mavs have outscored their opponents by an average of 16.3 points in the restricted area. They’ve still been outscored by 1.7 per game (18th) for the season, but that’s a big improvement from last season (-5.6, 28th).

Having just handled the Jazz last week, the Mavs will now begin a five-game trip in Utah, with two huge games in Sacramento on Tuesday and Friday. No Western Conference offense has scored more efficiently against the Dallas defense than that of the Kings, who scored 127 points per 100 possessions as they won the two meetings in Dallas.

LUKA ➡️ KYRIE ➡️ DERRICK JONES JR. 💥

What a sequence for the Mavericks! pic.twitter.com/rnOPLz6YgX

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 22, 2024

Week 23: @ UTA, @ SAC, @ SAC, @ HOU

Record: 42-29

OffRtg: 117.5 (8) DefRtg: 114.4 (13) NetRtg: +3.1 (10) Pace: 99.3 (15)

The Suns have won three straight games for the first time since early February, taking care of business against the Sixers, Hawks and Spurs. That has them back in the top six in the West, though the schedule is about to get much tougher.

Three takeaways

• The Suns have had all three of their stars for the last seven games, going 5-2 and ranking third offensively (122.7 points scored per 100 possessions) over that stretch. And that’s with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal averaging just 21 and 16.7 points per game, respectively. They’ve been getting great contributions from their non-star shooters, with Grayson Allen (55% from 3-point range over his last 10 games) still on fire.

• Since the trade deadline, the Suns have been at their best (plus-9.1 points per 100 possessions) with Royce O’Neale on the floor. O’Neale was on fire (12-20 from deep over four games) before going 0-for-4 for 3-point range in their win in San Antonio on Saturday.

• However, the Suns’ starting lineup was outscored by 24 points in 53 total minutes over their three games before the win in San Antonio. They’ve played 33 minutes with Kevin Durant at the five over these last two weeks with all three stars available, scoring an amazing 99 points on just 67 offensive possessions (1.48 per) over those 33 minutes.

The Suns will play a second game in San Antonio on Monday, and then they’ll face the real gauntlet. Their final 10 games are all against teams that are currently at least 12 games over .500, with six of those 10 against the top four teams in the West. They’re 2-5 against the top four thus far, having allowed 122.8 points per 100 possessions over those seven games. They’ve had all three stars for only one of the seven, but that was a 27-point loss in L.A. in January.

Week 23: @ SAS, @ DEN, @ OKC

Record: 44-26

OffRtg: 118.9 (4) DefRtg: 115.0 (14) NetRtg: +3.8 (7) Pace: 97.8 (23)

The Clippers still haven’t been able to put it together since the All-Star break, going 8-9 (11th in the West) since then and are barely holding on to fourth place.

Three takeaways

• A couple of games in Portland gave the Clippers’ offense (123.6 points scored per 100 possessions over the two games) a boost. They didn’t shoot many 3s, but they shot them well, with Paul George going 8-for-15. This would be the sixth straight season that LA (currently fourth) ranks in the top six in 3-point percentage.

• The Clippers could still use a shot in the arm, and Russell Westbrook (who’s missed the last 12 games) could be back in uniform on Monday to give them an energy boost and a few more transition opportunities per night. The Clippers have averaged 102.4 possessions per 48 minutes with Westbrook on the floor and just 96.4 per 48 with him off the floor.

• Of course, the Clippers have been much better in James Harden’s minutes off the floor throughout Westbrook’s absence (plus-1.7 points per 100 possessions) than they were prior (minus-7.2 per 100). It’s in Harden’s minutes on the floor (from plus-8.6 per 100 previously to minus-2.9 over the last 12 games) where they’ve seen a big drop-off. Before his absence, Westbrook was on the floor for only 31% (570/1,830) of Harden’s minutes.

Five of the teams in the West’s top eight have pretty tough schedules going forward, with the Clippers one of those five, set to play nine of their 12 remaining games against teams currently at or above .500. Their easiest week of the three remaining is this one, though they’ll begin a four-game trip in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Week 23: vs. IND, @ PHI, @ ORL, @ CHA

Record: 42-28

OffRtg: 116.4 (13) DefRtg: 112.0 (7) NetRtg: +4.3 (6) Pace: 96.1 (30)

The Knicks had OG Anunoby back in the lineup for only three games, but they were able to go 2-1 with him back on the shelf last week, and they still have a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference.

Three takeaways

• Precious Achiuwa and Isaiah Hartenstein started all 14 games that the latter was available during Anunoby’s initial, 18-game absence. But they played just four minutes together over the Knicks’ three games last week, with Miles McBride (instead of Achiuwa) replacing Anunoby in the starting lineup. The new lineup was outscored by nine points in its 16.2 minutes in Denver, but had great minutes against the Warriors and Nets, outscoring opponents by 16.7 points per 100 possessions in 57 total minutes last week.

• Of course, four of the five starters are 6-foot-1, 6-foot-2, 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-4, and the Knicks’ loss in Denver was their worst rebounding game of the season (they grabbed just 41.7% of available boards). But over the week, the starting lineup allowed just 105.5 per 100 and out-rebounded the opponents (51.0%). New York is the only team that ranks in the top five in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

• McBride averaged 46.2 minutes over the three games. He scored a career-high 29 points (shooting 6-for-9 from 3-point range) at Golden State and had another 26 as he played all 48 against Brooklyn on Saturday. He was the second player in the league to play all 48 minutes of regulation this season, joining teammate Josh Hart, who did it five days earlier.

The Knicks are one of two undefeated teams (they’re 20-0) against the bottom eight teams in the league (Denver is the other). Three of their four remaining games against that group are this week, and they’ll have a rest advantage against the Pistons on Monday.

Week 23: vs. DET, @ TOR, @ SAS

Record: 39-32

OffRtg: 112.9 (23) DefRtg: 112.1 (8) NetRtg: +0.8 (18) Pace: 96.9 (29)

The Heat’s offense had some wild swings as they went 2-2 last week, scoring less than a point per possession in losses to the Sixers and Pelicans, but scoring 125.3 per 100 in two wins against the Cavs’ fourth-ranked defense.

Three takeaways

• Terry Rozier made just one of his first eight clutch 3-point attempts with the Heat but made two huge ones in Cleveland on Wednesday. He tied the game with a four-point play with 1:24 left and then gave the Heat the lead for good with another step-back 3 two possessions later. For his career, he’s 76-for-192 (39.6%) on clutch 3-pointers (including playoffs), the fourth-best mark among 126 players with at least 150 attempts over the 28 years for which we have clutch data.

• The Heat have the league’s third-highest opponent 3-point rate, with their opponents taking 43% of their shots from beyond the arc. But after that second Rozier 3 gave them a three-point lead with 14.5 seconds left, they didn’t let the Cavs get off a shot to tie, forcing Georges Niang inside the arc for a layup with 3.7 seconds left and Cleveland out of timeouts.

• Patty Mills is the new Kevin Love. He couldn’t get much playing time for the Hawks this season (same with Brooklyn for most of last season), but he’s been in the Heat’s rotation for the last nine games and in the starting lineup for the last three. Mills has shot just 8-for-40 (20%) from 3-point range with his new team, but the Heat have outscored their opponents by 15 points per 100 possessions in his 149 minutes on the floor.

The Heat have the easiest remaining schedule among the three Eastern Conference teams — Indiana, Miami and Philadelphia — who have 32 losses and are fighting for one guaranteed playoff spot. Five of their 11 remaining games are against teams with losing records, though they lost to the Wizards 16 days ago and will be in Washington on Sunday.

Week 23: vs. GSW, vs. POR, @ WAS

Record: 43-28

OffRtg: 114.5 (18) DefRtg: 111.3 (4) NetRtg: +3.2 (9) Pace: 97.7 (25)

At the All-Star break, the Cavs were in second place, eight games in the loss column ahead of the seventh-place Magic. They’ve only dropped to third since then, but lead the fifth-place Magic by just a game in the loss column, very much in danger of dropping out of the top four in the East.

Three takeaways

• The Cavs got a big win in Indiana last Monday, getting a critical 15 points (4-for-5 from 3-point range) off the bench from a player (Marcus Morris) they had signed earlier in the day. But they’ve since dropped three straight, with the nadir being a 37-point loss in Miami on Sunday.

• The Cavs are 14-5 when they’ve had Donovan Mitchell and not Darius Garland, but they’re now just 7-10 when they’ve had Garland and not Mitchell, who’s missed the last four (and 11 of the last 13) games. Garland had the team’s best on-off differential last season, but this year it’s Mitchell, with the Cavs having been 11.1 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (plus-8.7) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-2.4).

• Rebounding remains an issue and the Cavs have consistently lost the turnover battle. With that, they’ve had 40 fewer shooting opportunities than their opponents over their last five games and now rank in the bottom 10 in shooting opportunity differential (minus-1.0 per game) for the season.

Here’s the good news: With three weeks left in the season, two teams have yet to play each other … and it’s the Cavs and the Hornets. The first two of three meetings are a home-and-home set this week, and the Cavs’ schedule will get tougher after that, with a five-game trip beginning in Denver on Sunday.

Week 23: vs. CHA, @ CHA, vs. PHI, @ DEN

Record: 41-29

OffRtg: 116.6 (12) DefRtg: 115.1 (15) NetRtg: +1.5 (14) Pace: 100.0 (12)

The Kings went 2-1 on a trip East, ending a pair of five-game streaks. They suffered a pretty inexplicable loss (though they were at a rest disadvantage) to the Wizards, who had lost five straight. But they bounced back to beat the Magic, who had won five straight.

Three takeaways

• Their win in Toronto on Wednesday was the sixth time the Kings have held their opponent under a point per possession, something they did just five times last season. They’re still a bit worse than the league average defensively for the season, but they now rank 15th on that end of the floor, having allowed just 103.6 points per 100 possessions (second-best) over their last eight games.

• Overall, the Kings have seen the league’s eighth-biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions from last season (116.0, 24th). According to Second Spectrum tracking, they rank fifth in opponent shot quality (eighth last season), but are last in the impact of the shooter on the shot (29th last season). They essentially have a good defensive shot chart, but not-so-good results, ranking in the bottom 10 in opponent-effective field goal percentage for the 14th straight season.

• Last Monday, Kevin Huerter suffered a left shoulder injury that could have him out for the rest of the season. Keon Ellis has been starting in Huerter’s place and scored a career-high 19 points in the win in Orlando, also closing the game instead of Malik Monk (who shot 0-for-11). The Kings are now 8-1 (5-0 against teams that currently have winning records) in games that Ellis has started and they’ve outscored their opponents by 13.3 points per 100 possessions in 258 total minutes with him and De’Aaron Fox on the floor together.

The Kings have two games left on their only stretch of five games in seven nights, with the end of that stretch being the first of two big games against the Mavs, with whom they’re tied for seventh place. Teams are 13-19 (7-7 at home) in the fifth game in seven nights this season, though the Kings won’t be at a rest disadvantage on Tuesday, because the Mavs are also playing (in Utah) the night before.

Week 23: vs. PHI, vs. DAL, vs. DAL, vs. UTA

Record: 42-29

OffRtg: 113.0 (21) DefRtg: 110.9 (3) NetRtg: +2.2 (12) Pace: 97.5 (26)

The Magic went 3-1 on the first half of their eight-game homestand, getting a quality win over the Pelicans on Thursday, but suffering (another) tough loss to the Kings two nights later.

Three takeaways

• The loss to Sacramento on Saturday ended a five-game winning streak overall, a seven-game winning streak in clutch games and a 10-game winning streak with Jalen Suggs in the lineup. Gary Harris (foot strain) missed the game, so the Magic are still undefeated (10-0) since the All-Star break when their regular post-break lineup has played together, with the lineup allowing just 100.6 points per 100 possessions in its 170 total minutes over those 10 games.

• Of course, the Magic have been at their best (overall and since the break) with Jonathan Isaac on the floor. He cracked the 22-minute mark for the fourth time (first time since the break) Saturday, tying his career high with 25 points on 10-for-13 shooting, with the Magic (in a two-point loss) outscoring the Kings by 26 points with him on the floor. He’s a defensive force first and foremost, but Isaac is also an incredible 17-for-26 (65%) from 3-point range over his last 11 games.

• The Magic have slipped back into fifth place, trailing the third-place Cavs by one game and the fifth-place Knicks by a half-game. They have the division-winner tiebreaker over Cleveland and the head-to-head tiebreaker over New York and have the toughest remaining schedule (regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage) among the three teams.

Their loss to the Kings on Saturday was Game 4 of their eight-game homestand and also the second game of seven straight against the Western Conference. The Magic will host the Warriors and Clippers this week, having lost to both on the road.

Week 23: vs. GSW, vs. LAC, vs. MEM

Record: 39-32

OffRtg: 115.5 (15) DefRtg: 115.5 (17) NetRtg: +0.0 (19) Pace: 101.1 (4)

Nine days after a loss to the Warriors dropped them into 10th place, the Lakers are 2 1/2 games ahead of Golden State, having finished their home-heavy stretch with three straight wins.

Three takeaways

• While the league as a whole has been less efficient since the All-Star break, the Lakers games have gone in the opposite direction. Their wins over the Hawks and Pacers last week were two of their six most efficient offensive performances of the season, and they’re the only team that ranks in the top five offensively and in the bottom five defensively since the break.

• Though both weekend wins were close, they did get the Lakers’ season-long point differential above zero (plus-4) for the first time since December. They’re now 39-32 with the point differential of a team that’s 36-35.

• Cam Reddish had played in only five of the Lakers’ previous 25 games and the Lakers haven’t been very good (minus-6.6 points per 100 possessions) in 230 total minutes with him on the floor alongside Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. But Reddish was on the floor (instead of Rui Hachimura) down the stretch of both of their close wins over the weekend. The Lakers are now 21-9 (second best) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes), with both James and Davis shooting better than 50% on clutch shots.

Having played 11 of their last 12 games in L.A., the Lakers will play eight of their final 11 on the road, where they’re just 12-20. But five of those eight road games will come against the bottom nine teams in the league, against whom they’re 14-4 (5-2 on the road). A six-game trip will begin in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Week 23: @ MIL, @ MEM, @ IND, @ BKN

Record: 40-32

OffRtg: 120.0 (2) DefRtg: 117.9 (25) NetRtg: +2.0 (13) Pace: 102.5 (2)

The Pacers are back! Just when you thought they’d lost their high-scoring, run-and-fun mojo, they went and played a 150-145 game in L.A. on Sunday night. Of course, the 150 score wasn’t theirs, but they remain in sixth place in the East, a half game ahead of both the Heat and Sixers.

Three takeaways

• It seemed like the Pacers were getting a little defensive. They had allowed fewer than 110 points per 100 possessions in five of their previous seven games, and they held both the Pistons and Warriors under 50% shooting in the paint in the first two games of their five-game trip. And then they allowed 70 points in the paint (plus another 38 at the free throw line) to the Lakers, dropping to 1-10 since Jan. 1 when they’ve allowed more than 60.

• Not only did the Lakers attempt 27 more free throws (43-16) than the Pacers on Sunday, the Pacers also shot just 7-for-16 (56%) from the line. They were already last in free throw differential (-4.0 points per game before Sunday) and Sunday’s differential (29 points) was the largest in any game in the last four seasons.

• Pascal Siakam is having a pretty good road trip, averaging 28.7 points on 61% shooting over the three games. And his minutes alongside Tyrese Haliburton have been better, with the Pacers outscoring their opponents by 11.9 points per 100 possessions in 123 minutes with the duo on the floor over the last five games, up from minus-2.0 per 100 in 511 minutes prior to that.

The Pacers are the only team with just 10 games remaining. They have five at home, five on the road, five against teams with winning records, and five against teams with losing records. Their five-game trip will conclude in Chicago, with the road team having won all three meetings between them and the Bulls thus far.

Week 23: @ LAC, @ CHI, vs. LAL

Record: 39-32

OffRtg: 116.2 (14) DefRtg: 113.7 (12) NetRtg: +2.4 (11) Pace: 98.3 (19)

The Sixers are aren’t the team they used to be, but they’re not running on empty either. They’re thus far 2-2 on a stretch of seven straight games against teams with winning records.

Three takeaways

• The two wins were very different. The score was 98-91 as the Sixers beat the Heat last Monday, the start of a three-game stretch in which they scored just 99.0 points per 100 possessions. But they broke out offensively on Sunday afternoon, scoring 121 points on just 91 possessions in a wire-to-wire road win over the Clippers. They’re now 26-1 when they’ve scored more than 120 per 100.

• Not surprisingly, the Sixers’ free-throw rate has been much, much lower in their 37 games without Joel Embiid (21.9 attempts per 100 shots from the field) than its been in their 34 games with him (32.9 per 100). But the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint has been the same (52%). They went from shooting 40.4% in the paint (their second worst mark of the season) against the Lakers on Friday to shooting 59.1% in the paint against the Clippers less than 48 hours later.

• The one thing the Sixers’ offense has done well consistently is take care of the ball. They continue to have the league’s lowest turnover rate (11.9 per 100 possessions) and they’ve now gone 12 straight games (their longest streak of the season) without committing more turnover than their opponent.

The Sixers’ four-game, Pacific-Division trip wraps in Sacramento on Monday, but they’re only home for one game (playing the Clippers again) before heading back out on the road.

Week 23: @ SAC, vs. LAC, @ CLE, @ TOR

Record: 35-35

OffRtg: 113.7 (20) DefRtg: 112.3 (9) NetRtg: +1.4 (16) Pace: 99.7 (14)

The Rockets continue to roll, and they’ve hit .500 (for the first time since they were 19-19) with an eight-game winning streak, their longest in more than four seasons.

Three takeaways

• Seven of the wins in the Rockets’ 10-1 March have come against teams with losing records, but you can only play the teams they put on your schedule. They’ve won those seven games by an average of 15.4 points and Houston has still played a relatively tough schedule overall, with 44 of their 70 games (tied for sixth most) against teams currently above .500.

• The last time the Rockets won eight straight games was Nov. 18, 2019. Twelve days after that (Nov. 30) was the last time they scored more efficiently than they did (147 points on 100 possessions) against the Jazz on Saturday, when Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet combined to score more than half (75) of those points, shooting, 17-for-26 from 3-point range. Houston now ranks second offensively (121.5 points scored per 100 possessions) in March, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and Nikola Jokic being the only players who’ve averaged at least 25 points with a higher true shooting percentage than Green (27.8, 63.9%) this month.

• The Rockets also have as many road wins in March (5-0) as they had through February (5-24). The latest of those came in Washington on Tuesday, when Amen Thompson scored a career-high 25 points, with all 10 of his field goals coming in the paint. The Rockets’ new starting lineup (with Thompson in Alperen Sengun’s place) hasn’t been good defensively but has scored almost 140 points per 100 possessions in its 69 minutes over Sengun’s six-game absence.

The Rockets now trail the 10th-place Warriors by just one game. They’ve lost the head-to-head tiebreaker, but have one more meeting (next Thursday in Houston) left on the schedule. Before they get to that, the Rockets will have a few other tough matchups, including games against the Thunder and Mavs this week.

Week 23: vs. POR, @ OKC, @ UTA, vs. DAL

Record: 36-34

OffRtg: 116.9 (11) DefRtg: 115.6 (18) NetRtg: +1.3 (17) Pace: 100.3 (11)

Forget the challenge of making the playoffs out of the No. 10 seed. The Warriors might not make the Play-In, having lost six of their last nine games and standing just a game ahead of the 11th-place Rockets.

Three takeaways

• The Warriors have been healthy for five straight games, a stretch that began with a big win over the Lakers that pushed them into ninth place. But they’ve dropped three of four since then, winning only against the Grizzlies. It’s not a surprise because they’re Team No. 18, but they have the worst record in games played between the 18 teams currently over .500, 15-29 within the group after losses to the Knicks, Pacers and Wolves last week.

• Their starting lineup — Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green — has now eclipsed the 200-minute mark and has outscored opponents by 12.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark which ranks seventh among the 33 lineups that have played at least 200 minutes. But it’s been outscored by 4.6 per 100 (with weak offensive numbers) in 62 minutes over these last five games.

• The defense has been good as long as Green has been on the floor. Over this five-game stretch in which they’ve been healthy, the Warriors have, amazingly, allowed 32.2 fewer points per 100 possessions in 154 minutes with him on the floor (107.3) than they have in 86 minutes with him on the bench (139.5).

If the Warriors are going to right the ship, they’ll have to do it away from home. Their loss in Minnesota on Sunday began a stretch where they’re playing nine of 11 on the road, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they play in Orlando on Wednesday.

Week 23: @ MIA, @ ORL, @ CHA, @ SAS

Record: 34-37

OffRtg: 113.8 (19) DefRtg: 115.7 (19) NetRtg: -2.0 (21) Pace: 96.9 (28)

The Bulls have been unable to get back to .500, but they still lead the Hawks by 2 1/2 games for home-court advantage in the 9-10 Play-In game.

Three takeaways

• The Bulls have the East’s fourth-best record (16-14) against the Western Conference, with one interconference game remaining (because they played one of the two extra ones). Of course, the two times in the last 16 days that they had a chance to get back to .500 were road losses to the Clippers and Rockets, one where they blew a 14-point lead and one in which they were outscored by 14 points in the first quarter.

• The Rockets scored 42 points on just 28 possessions in that first quarter on Thursday, and that wasn’t the Bulls’ worst defensive game of the week. Two of their three worst defensive games of the season have come (at home) in the last 11 days and they’ve seen the league’s third-biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions from before the All-Star break (115, 16th) to after the break (118.4, 27th).

• The Bulls made three more 3-pointers than the Blazers (11-8) in their win last Monday, but have been outscored by at least 12 points from beyond the arc in each of their other six games over the last two weeks and now rank last in 3-point differential (minus-8.7 points per game) by a healthy margin.

This struggling Bulls’ defense has just two games remaining against teams that rank in the top 10 offensively. The first of those is a visit from the second-ranked Pacers, with the Bulls having won two of the first three meetings.

Week 23: vs. WAS, vs. IND, @ BKN, @ MIN

Record: 31-39

OffRtg: 117.2 (9) DefRtg: 118.6 (26) NetRtg: -1.4 (20) Pace: 101.1 (5)

After a 1-4 road trip, the Hawks returned home and took care of business with a 43-point win over the Hornets on Saturday. They remain pretty locked in 10th place in the East with a pretty tough schedule going forward.

Three takeaways

• Trae Young has now missed the last 14 games, Onyeka Okongwu has missed 14 of the last 16, Saddiq Bey is out for the season and the Hawks have now been without Jalen Johnson (who turned his ankle last Monday) for five of their 11 games this month. They’ve still outscored their opponents by 9.7 points per 100 possessions in 326 total minutes with their two healthy starters (Dejounte Murray and Clint Capela) on the floor throughout Young’s absence.

• With Capela ranking third in offensive rebounding percentage and with Murray taking care of the ball pretty well, the Hawks continue to win the possession battle. They rank third in shooting-opportunity differential (plus-3.3 per game) with an average differential of 7.4 more shooting opportunities than their opponents over their last eight games.

• The Hawks’ 3-point rate has been only slightly lower in their 19 games without Young (40%) than it has been in their 51 games with him (40.7%). They’ve also shot well from deep (38%) over this 14-game absence. But they were outscored by 48 points from beyond the arc in their losses to the Lakers and Suns (two teams near the bottom of the league in 3-point differential) last week. Atlanta is one of four teams that rank in the bottom 10 in both opponent 3-point percentage (38.4%, 28th) and opponent 3-point rate (40.3%, ninth highest).

The Celtics will be staying in Atlanta for two games (Monday and Thursday) this week, though the Hawks will play a game in between. Eight of their 12 remaining games are against teams with winning records, with the Hawks 4-3 against that group throughout Young’s absence.

JALEN JOHNSON POSTER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/nOPQAxfzqd

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 19, 2024

Week 23: vs. BOS, vs. POR, vs. BOS, vs. MIL

Record: 29-42

OffRtg: 115.1 (16) DefRtg: 119.5 (29) NetRtg: -4.3 (23) Pace: 100.6 (10)

The Jazz have lost five straight games and now have the league’s worst record (3-16) since the trade deadline.

Three numbers on the Jazz’s offense

• The Jazz had a top-10 offense last season, ranking in the top five through February. They haven’t suffered a huge drop-off this season (they’ve scored 0.1 fewer points per 100 possessions), but with the league average having seen a jump, they’re in the middle of the pack (though still better than average).

• They rank second in offensive rebounding percentage (32.7%), in the top five for the fourth straight season. They lead the league with 16.6 second-chance points per game.

• They’ve scored 119.6 points per 100 possessions in 1,013 minutes with both Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen on the floor, the best on-court offensive mark among two-man combinations that have played at least 750 minutes for a team that’s not in playoff or Play-In position. They’ve scored 115.3 per 100 in 1,573 minutes with one of the two on the floor without the other and just 109.1 per 100 in 847 minutes with neither Sexton nor Markkanen in the game.

The Jazz are still far from locked in for the ninth-highest Lottery odds, but the closest team to them in the reverse standings (Atlanta) is 2 1/2 games ahead and still looking to win games. They’re not exactly playing like a spoiler team, but they’ll have a lot of opportunities to play spoiler in the final three weeks, with 10 of their final 11 games against teams currently at or above .500.

Week 23: vs. DAL, vs. SAS, vs. HOU, @ SAC

Record: 24-47

OffRtg: 106.9 (30) DefRtg: 113.4 (11) NetRtg: -6.5 (25) Pace: 98.6 (17)

The Grizzlies were officially eliminated with their loss at Golden State on Wednesday, but they put an end to a four-game losing streak two nights later, with the game-winner coming on (probably) their most common action of the last few months, Jaren Jackson Jr. taking his man into the lane and putting up a lefty floater.

Three numbers on the Grizzlies’ offense

• The Grizzlies were one of four teams that had seen a jump in points scored per 100 possessions in each of the previous five seasons. Now they’ve seen the sixth biggest season-to-season drop (-7.8 per 100) in the last 20 years, and they’re in position to finish last offensively for the first time since their first season in Memphis (2001-02). The drop-off is mostly health-related, with the Grizzlies not only getting just nine games from Ja Morant, but also losing Steven Adams (who they eventually traded) before the season started. But they still scored just 110.2 points per 100 possessions (well below the league average) in 182 total minutes with Morant, Desmond Bane and Jackson on the floor together.

• They’re the only team that ranks in the bottom 10 in field goal percentage in the paint, mid-range field goal percentage and 3-point percentage, and they rank 29th in all three.

• Without Morant’s drives, Adams’ offensive rebounds and Brandon Clarke’s finishing inside (those three guys were first, fifth and fourth on the team in points in the paint per game last season), the Grizzlies have been much more of a perimeter-based offensive team. They’ve seen the league’s second biggest jump in 3-point rate, with 43.9% of their shots (second highest) coming from beyond the arc, up from 37.2% (16th) last season.

With Bane back and with the 29th-ranked Hornets having been worse offensively since the All-Star break, the Grizzlies have a chance to climb out of the basement on that end of the floor. The toughest defense they’ll face the rest of the way is that of the Magic, who they’ll visit on Saturday.

Jaren Jackson Jr. responds with the CLUTCH floater 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/JrYfWSx87B

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 23, 2024

Week 23: @ DEN, vs. LAL, @ ORL

Record: 26-45

OffRtg: 113.0 (22) DefRtg: 115.8 (20) NetRtg: -2.7 (22) Pace: 97.7 (24)

The Nets’ six-game losing streak is their longest of the season and has come with them scoring a pretty anemic 105.5 points per 100 possessions.

Three numbers on the Nets’ offense

• Overall, the Nets have seen the league’s sixth-biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions (1.6). But they ranked sixth offensively before the trade deadline last season (when they traded two of the top 15 scorers of the last 15 years) and 23rd after it. This season, they’re 22nd, so the needle hasn’t moved much.

• They are different in one way, having seen the league’s biggest jump in offensive rebounding percentage, from 23.4% (29th) last season to 29.0% (11th) this season. Day’Ron Sharpe ranks second in individual offensive rebounding percentage (16.4%) among 281 players who’ve averaged at least 15 minutes per game. Among guys still on the roster who’ve played at least 100 total minutes, the Nets have been at their best offensively (114.4 points scored per 100 possessions) with Sharpe on the floor.

• They’ve been a little less efficient offensively (and much worse overall) in 1,211 minutes with Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas on the floor together (110.3 points scored per 100 possessions) than they’ve been in 1,790 minutes with one on the floor without the other (112.6 scored per 100). The team’s two leading scorers have 77 total assists to each other, a rate of 1.4 per game.

The Nets have lost to the Grizzlies, Pistons, Hornets and Spurs this month, but are still 14-11 (third-best) in games played between the 11 teams that currently have losing records. They have five games remaining within the group, with three of the five in the next five days.

Week 23: @ TOR, @ WAS, vs. CHI, vs. LAL

Record: 23-48

OffRtg: 112.4 (24) DefRtg: 117.3 (24) NetRtg: -4.9 (24) Pace: 99.9 (13)

The Raptors are down to one available starter (Gary Trent Jr.) and they’ve lost 10 straight games, scoring an anemic 99.0 points per 100 possessions over the last six.

Three numbers on the Raptors’ offense

• The Raptors are set to finish in the bottom 10 offensively for the first time in the last 12 seasons. They’ve seen the league’s fourth-biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions from last season (114.6, 13th). Their two big midseason trades have been a factor — they ranked 18th offensively through OG Anunoby’s last game with the team (Dec. 29).

• For the second straight season, the Raptors lead the league in the percentage of their points that have come on fast breaks (16.9%). That’s the highest rate for any team in the last five seasons.

• They’ve seen the league’s biggest jump in assist rate, recording assists on 68.2% of their field goals (second highest), up from 57.1% (26th) last season. They’ve also seen the third-biggest jump in ball movement (passes per 24 minutes of possession).

The Raptors’ best chance to end this losing streak is Monday against Brooklyn. After that, they’ll play five straight games against teams with winning records.

Week 23: vs. BKN, vs. NYK, vs. PHI

Record: 15-56

OffRtg: 109.4 (27) DefRtg: 116.8 (22) NetRtg: -7.4 (26) Pace: 101.9 (3)

Victor Wembanyama continues to play well, and the Spurs continue to get clobbered when he’s not on the floor. They’re 1-6 on their eight-game homestand and are almost assuredly going to finish with the worst record in franchise history (the mark is 20-62 from 1996-97).

Three numbers on the Spurs’ offense

• The Spurs are one of two teams — the Hornets are the other — that rank in the bottom 10 in each of the four factors on offense: effective field goal percentage, free-throw rate, turnover ratio and offensive rebounding percentage.

• They’re one of four teams that rank in the top six in both ball movement (349 passes per 24 minutes of possession, sixth) and player movement (12.3 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession, second). They’ve recorded assists on 70.8% of their field goals, which would be the highest rate for any team in the last 20 seasons.

• They ranked 29th offensively (107.1 points scored per 100 possessions) before Tre Jones was moved into the starting lineup (Jan. 4), but rank 22nd (111.4 scored per 100) since then. Overall, they’ve scored 6.9 more points per 100 possessions with Jones on the floor (111.3) than they have with him off the floor (104.4).

The Spurs need five wins in their final 11 games to avoid finishing with the worst record in franchise history. Eight of those 11 are against teams with winning records, with the Spurs currently 7-38 against that group.

WHAT A SEQUENCE FROM WEMBY 👽 pic.twitter.com/O1jqY2Zhnu

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 23, 2024

Week 23: vs. PHX, @ UTA, vs. NYK, vs. GSW

Record: 19-52

OffRtg: 108.9 (28) DefRtg: 116.9 (23) NetRtg: -8.0 (27) Pace: 97.9 (21)

The Blazers have lost six straight games, though they were competitive against the Nuggets on Saturday, when they were the first team in the last 12 seasons to start five rookies.

Three numbers on the Blazers’ offense

• If they stay where they are (or drop), this will be the first time in the last 18 seasons that the Blazers finish in the bottom three offensively. Only the Grizzlies (-7.8) have seen a bigger drop in points scored per 100 possessions from last season than Portland (-5.1).

• They’ve shot just 51.5% in the paint, the worst mark for any team in the last three seasons. Scoot Henderson (42.9%), Shaedon Sharpe (46.9%) and Jerami Grant (47.5%) have the third-, eighth- and 10th-worst marks, respectively, among 278 players with at least 100 attempts in the paint.

• They rank fourth in offensive rebounding percentage (31.7%), having seen the league’s second-biggest jump from last season (26.4%, 24th). Deandre Ayton ranks third in offensive rebounding percentage (9.8%) among 88 players who’ve averaged at least 30 minutes per game.

The Blazers are the only team with multiple road trips of at least seven games this season, and the second of the two begins Monday in Houston. Their last win came against the Hawks, who they’ll visit two nights later.

Week 23: @ HOU, @ ATL, @ MIA

Record: 13-58

OffRtg: 110.3 (25) DefRtg: 119.6 (30) NetRtg: -9.3 (29) Pace: 103.1 (1)

The Wizards have won two straight games for the third time, climbing back into 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Three numbers on the Wizards’ offense

• This will be the third straight season that the Wizards rank in the bottom 10 offensively. They’ve seen the league’s third biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions from last season (113.7, 22nd), with significant drops in effective field goal percentage, free throw rate and offensive rebounding percentage.

• Before Bilal Coulibaly suffered a fractured wrist nine days ago, the Wizards were starting him with Tyus Jones, Deni Avdija and Kyle Kuzma on the perimeter. They scored just 104.3 points per 100 possessions in 266 total minutes with that quartet on the floor.

• The Wizards have averaged 103.1 possessions per 48 minutes, the fastest pace for any team since the Wizards averaged 104.7 per 48 three years ago (their Russell Westbrook season). Their 13.8 seconds per offensive possession is the league’s lowest average, according to Second Spectrum tracking.

The Wizards have opportunities to pick up some more wins this week, visiting Chicago on Monday and then beginning a six-game homestand with games against the Nets and Pistons. With their win over the Raptors on Saturday, they’re 4-2 since late January against other teams with fewer than 30 wins.

Week 23: @ CHI, vs. BKN, vs. DET, vs. MIA

Record: 17-53

OffRtg: 108.0 (29) DefRtg: 118.8 (28) NetRtg: -10.8 (30) Pace: 98.1 (20)

The Hornets were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their 43-point loss in Atlanta on Saturday, extending the league’s longest active playoff drought to eight seasons. That has it tied (with droughts from the Hawks and Wizards) for the longest Eastern Conference drought in NBA history.

Three numbers on the Hornets’ offense

• It was just two seasons ago that the Hornets ranked eighth offensively, but they’ve ranked 30th and 29th over the last two seasons. Though the league average has jumped a bit, they’ve scored fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season (108.5), having seen the league’s third biggest drop in free throw rate.

• Their free-throw rate (21 attempts per 100 shots from the field) would be the lowest for any team in the last three seasons. They’re the only team that ranks in the bottom five in three of the four factors on offense, with effective field goal percentage (28th) and offensive rebounding percentage (26th) being the other two.

• LaMelo Ball missing 94 games (and counting) over the two seasons has been a factor in the demise of the Charlotte offense, though the Hornets have scored just 111.8 points per 100 possessions (well below the league average) in Ball’s 711 minutes on the floor this season.

With the teams with the three worst records having the highest Lottery odds, the Hornets have the fourth worst record, having two more wins than the Spurs and two fewer than the Blazers. They’re one of three teams with an eight-game homestand this season, and theirs begins Wednesday with a visit from the Cavs.

Week 23: @ CLE, vs. CLE, vs. GSW, vs. LAC

Record: 12-59

OffRtg: 110.0 (26) DefRtg: 118.7 (27) NetRtg: -8.7 (28) Pace: 100.8 (8)

The Pistons have scored just 101.4 points per 100 possessions over a six-game losing streak, with the nadir being a 10-point first quarter against New Orleans on Sunday.

Three numbers on the Pistons’ offense

• If they can’t climb a spot over the next three weeks, this will be the Pistons’ fourth straight season in the bottom five in offensive efficiency, with that being tied for the third longest bottom-five-offense streak in the 28 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

• They don’t rank in any of the other three factors on offense, but the Pistons rank last in turnover rate, having committed 15.3 per 100 possessions. Both Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey have had lower individual rates than they did in their rookie seasons, though.

• They’re the only team that ranks in the bottom five in both 3-point percentage (35.1%, 27th) and the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range (35.9%, 28th).

The Pistons have a league-high nine road games left on their schedule but have the league’s easiest remaining schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage (.434). Two of their four remaining games against teams with winning records are in New York and Minnesota on Monday and Wednesday.

Week 23: @ NYK, @ MIN, @ WAS