Record: 23-11

OffRtg: 119.3 (4) DefRtg: 111.7 (7) NetRtg: +7.6 (3) Pace: 101.5 (6)

The Thunder won the biggest game of the week, getting another huge performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and outscoring the Celtics from 3-point range. But they then dropped the first two games of a stretch where they’re playing 11 of 14 on the road.

Three takeaways

• Gilgeous-Alexander torched the best defensive backcourt in the league on Tuesday, blowing by both Jrue Holiday and Derrick White and shooting 10-for-15 against them, according to tracking data. That forced the Celtics to put Jayson Tatum (1-for-4) on him down the stretch. Boston cut an 18-point deficit down to two, but never had a chance to tie or take the lead and the Thunder’s 127 points on 100 possessions was the most efficient performance for any Celtics opponent this season.

• They trailed just two of their first 32 games by at least 20 points. But the Thunder trailed by 21 in Atlanta on Wednesday, and were down 32 in Brooklyn two nights later, having lost the two first quarters by a combined score of 78-46. Amazingly they had a chance to tie the Atlanta game (and drew up a great play to get Isaiah Joe a corner 3) and cut the 32-point deficit in Brooklyn down to six. Teams are just 17-230 (.069) when trailing by 20-plus points, though that’s the best mark in the 28 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

• The Thunder continue to rank 29th in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage and have been outrebounded in eight of their last nine games. Brooklyn’s 30 second-chance points on Friday were the most they’ve allowed this season.

The last game of the Thunder’s four-game trip (Wednesday) is the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days, which will take them from Miami to L.A.

Week 12: @ WAS, @ MIA, vs. POR, vs. ORL

Record: 28-7

OffRtg: 120.6 (2) DefRtg: 109.9 (2) NetRtg: +10.8 (1) Pace: 99.0 (20)

The Celtics lost their marquee matchup in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, but still have two fewer losses than every other team, and they’re 16-3 since late November.

Three takeaways

• The much bigger difference between the Celtics’ wins (124.1 points scored per 100 possessions) and losses (107.5 scored per 100) has been on offense, but they struggled defensively against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s shooting. Kristaps Porzingis didn’t seem to be helping enough on drives or closing out well enough to the 3-point line on Chet Holmgren pick-and-pops when they switched matchups in the fourth quarter.

• The Pacers’ top-ranked offense has been held to a point per possession or less just twice this season. The Celtics’ defense is responsible for both instances, though that’s mostly about 3-point shooting, with Indiana going 13-for-79 (16.5%) from beyond the arc over those two games. The percentage of Boston opponent 3-point attempts that have been contested is below the league average, though only 19% of those attempts, the league’s lowest opponent rate, have come from the corners.

• The OKC loss was just the ninth time this season that the Celtics lost the first quarter. They proceeded to win the next two first quarters by a combined score of 69-32 and have outscored their opponents by 21.8 points per 100 possessions (ranking first on both ends of the floor) in the first quarter for the season. That’s the best mark for any team in any quarter.

While the Celtics have one of the league’s toughest January schedules regarding opponent strength, they also have a league-high five rest-advantage games this month. The first two of those are against the Wolves and Rockets this week. They’ll be at a disadvantage in Milwaukee on Thursday.

Week 12: @ IND, vs. MIN, @ MIL, vs. HOU

Record: 26-12

OffRtg: 118.7 (7) DefRtg: 112.9 (9) NetRtg: +5.8 (4) Pace: 97.9 (29)

Nikola Jokic has had a ridiculous stretch of shooting over the last 11 days, but a couple of Denver opponents have also shot well recently, and the Nuggets dropped a game they probably should have won on Friday.

Three takeaways

• Jokic has shot an amazing 54-for-66 (82%) over the Nuggets six games since Christmas. He’s taken his offense inside, with 56 (85%) of those shots having come in the paint. That’s up from 69% through the Nuggets’ Christmas win over Golden State. Unfortunately, Jokic ranks just fourth on the team in usage rate (21.6%) over these last six games, having taken just three shots against Detroit on Sunday.

• The Nuggets have had a relatively easy schedule over the last few weeks, and with wins over the Warriors and Pistons last week, they’re 18-0 (the only undefeated team) against the 13 teams that currently have losing records.

• But with their loss to Orlando (in which they blew an 18-point, second-half lead) on Friday, they’re just 8-12 against the other 16 teams that are currently over .500. That’s just the 11th best mark within the group and also worse than the Lakers’ and Warriors’ records against the top 17. The champs have outscored their opponents (by a single point) over those 20 games and the difference between those games and the 18 against bad teams is about even on both ends of the floor.

The Nuggets will have plenty of opportunities to improve on that 8-12 mark this month. After they visit the Jazz on Wednesday, nine of their remaining 10 January games will be against teams that currently have winning records, a stretch that includes two games each against the Pacers and Sixers.

Week 12: @ UTA, vs. NOP, vs. IND

Record: 25-10

OffRtg: 113.8 (19) DefRtg: 108.7 (1) NetRtg: +5.1 (5) Pace: 98.9 (21)

The Wolves remain atop the Western Conference, but they’re 1-3 in 2024, their first rough patch of the season.

Three takeaways

• Losses to the Pelicans and Mavs last week were the eighth and ninth times the Wolves have allowed more than 120 points per 100 possessions, with rebounding being an issue on both nights. The Wolves are 2-7 in those nine games and while they’ve still seen the league’s third-biggest jump in defensive rebounding percentage, they rank 27th in January, having grabbed just 67.5% of available defensive boards over the four games.

• They entered January a league-best 11-1 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, but are 0-2 in the clutch this month. The Wolves went on an 11-0 run to take a six-point lead with less than four minutes left in Dallas on Sunday, but then went scoreless, committing three turnovers, on their next seven possessions. They rank 28th in turnover rate (15.5 per 100 possessions) overall, even though Anthony Edwards has seen a drop from last season. (Kyle Anderson has seen a big jump.)

• The Wolves did get a 27-point win in Houston on Friday, needing just 24 points from Anthony Edwards, in part because they got good minutes from a bench that now includes Jordan McLaughlin in the rotation. They’re 8-6 (1-2 this month) against the other eight Western Conference teams that currently have winning records, set to face the Clippers for the first time this week.

In their first rest-disadvantage game, the Wolves allowed Phoenix to score 133 points on 91 possessions, the fifth most efficient performance for any team this season. Their second rest-disadvantage game is in Boston on Wednesday, the end of a four-game trip.

Week 12: @ ORL, @ BOS, vs. POR, vs. LAC

Record: 22-13

OffRtg: 117.8 (8) DefRtg: 113.0 (10) NetRtg: +4.8 (6) Pace: 98.5 (23)

The Clippers suffered their first real setback in more than a month on Sunday, coming up empty offensively as they lost to the Lakers.

Three takeaways

• The loss to the Lakers was the Clippers’ first defeat with Kawhi Leonard in uniform since Nov. 30. They had won 12 straight with their best player, his longest such streak in almost eight years. Though he shot just 6-for-17, the Clips outscored the Lakers with Leonard on the floor, but bench minutes were not good, with the Lakers turning the game around with a 23-9 run spanning the third and fourth quarters.

• The Clippers two most-used lineups – James Harden, Paul George, Leonard and Ivica Zubac with either Terance Mann or Norman Powell – have outscored their opponents by 19.4 points per 100 possessions in 366 total minutes together. They were a plus-9 in more than 24 total minutes on Sunday.

• The Sunday loss was preceded by two big road wins within the top nine in the West. The Clips outscored the Suns (it was their third most efficient offensive performance of the season) and shut down the Pelicans (New Orleans’ fifth least efficient performance), and they remain one of five teams (three in the West) that rank in the top 10 on both ends of the floor.

With those two wins, the Clips are 8-5 against the other eight West teams that currently have winning records, set to face Phoenix (again) and Minnesota this week. Their game on Sunday is their first meeting of the season with the first-place Wolves.

Week 12: vs. PHX, vs. TOR, @ MEM, @ MIN

Record: 22-15

OffRtg: 116.0 (13) DefRtg: 111.6 (6) NetRtg: +4.4 (8) Pace: 99.6 (16)

The Pelicans had a rough night inside the arc on Friday, losing to the Clippers in what was their worst offensive game in more than four weeks. But they’ve shot an incredible 45.3% from 3-point range as they’ve won five of their last six.

Three takeaways

• The 45.3% over the last six games is the third-best six-game 3-point shooting stretch for any team this season, topped only by two stretches from the Thunder. It’s taken the Pels from 16th (36.4%) to sixth (37.9%) in 3-point percentage for the season. They still rank just 27th in 3-point rate (35.4%) and 25th in 3-point differential, having been outscored by 4.3 points per game from beyond the arc.

• CJ McCollum has led the way, making more 3s (29-for-54, 54%) than any three of his teammates over the six games. His 45.3% for the season is a career-best mark and ranks sixth among 90 players with at least 150 3-point attempts. He’s the only player who’s shot 50% or better on at least 50 pull-up 2-pointers and 40% or better on at least 50 pull-up 3s.

• The 5-1 stretch includes wins over Minnesota (the Wolves’ second home loss of the season) and Sacramento. The Pels have the most wins, the third-best record (10-7) and the best point differential (plus-4.5 per game) in games played between the nine Western Conference teams that currently have winning records. That point differential is helped by wins of 36 and 33 points over the Kings, and the Pels are now 4-0 in the season series, with one more game to play in the final week of the season.

The Pels will play three more games against that over-.500 group in the West on the five-game trip that began with their win in Sacramento on Sunday. They will be at a rest disadvantage (coming from Denver!) for the first of two straight games in Dallas, having split a two-game series with the Mavs in November.

Week 12: @ GSW, @ DEN, @ DAL

Record: 23-12

OffRtg: 119.2 (5) DefRtg: 110.7 (3) NetRtg: +8.5 (2) Pace: 100.1 (12)

The Sixers have lost three out of four for the first time this season, in part because they didn’t have Joel Embiid for two of those three losses. But they also lost (at home) by 36 points with Embiid in uniform against the Knicks on Friday.

Three takeaways

• With Embiid returning from a four-game absence on Tuesday, the Sixers had a 41-12 lead over the Bulls (all five starters made a 3 in the first 6:04) and held their opponent under a point per possession for the seventh time this season. But, other than the first 9 1/2 minutes of that game, the offense hasn’t been great. They’ve scored just 101.8 points per 100 possessions over this 1-3 stretch, easily their worst stretch of offense this season.

• They obviously don’t get to the line without the big man, whose 10.2 made free throws per game would be the fourth most in NBA history. But they’ve also shot just 26.4% from 3-point range over these last four games, missing De’Anthony Melton (second on the team in 3-point makes) for the last three. They’ve shot 38.0% from deep in the games Embiid has played (including 40.8% off his passes) and just 32.5% in the games he’s missed.

• The loss to the Knicks was both the first time the Sixers have scored less than a point per possession and their first loss with Embiid that wasn’t within five points in the last five minutes. They led by 10 late in the first quarter but were outscored by 30 points (53-23) over the next 16-ish minutes.

Overall, the Sixers are 21-6 with Embiid and 2-6 without him, with the difference being about equal on both ends of the floor. He was dealing with knee swelling before the loss to the Jazz on Saturday, so it’s a good time for the team to be playing just two games in eight days.

Week 12: @ ATL, vs. SAC

Record: 25-11

OffRtg: 120.3 (3) DefRtg: 115.8 (19) NetRtg: +4.5 (7) Pace: 102.7 (4)

The Bucks’ win in San Antonio was one of the most entertaining games of the season. But the victory came by just four points over the team with the league’s worst point differential, and it’s the Bucks’ only win in their last four games.

Three takeaways

• The good news is that the Bucks don’t have to play Indiana again, unless they meet in the playoffs as Malik Beasley has predicted. They lost four of the five regular-season meetings, again allowing the Pacers too many easy looks in the paint (where they shot 32-for-46) on Wednesday. That was part of a four-game stretch in which Milwaukee opponents shot 66.8% in the paint, where the league average is 57.3%.

• The Rockets shot just 18-for-38 (47%) in the paint on Saturday, but the Bucks still lost in Houston, falling into a 21-point hole before halftime and shooting just 9-for-34 (26%) from 3-point range. Damian Lillard remains one of the best pull-up 3-point shooters in the league, but over the last few seasons, he hasn’t been great on catch-and-shoot 3s. After going 0-for-4 on catch-and-shoot attempts on Saturday, he’s just 36-for-102 (35.3%) for the season, a mark which ranks 111th among 150 players with at least 75 catch-and-shoot attempts.

• Why does the Bucks’ season feel disappointing despite producing the league’s third-best record? It may be the lack of signature wins, as they’ve played only three games against the other nine teams that are at least seven games over .500, having yet to face the Wolves, Nuggets, Thunder, Clippers, Kings or Pelicans. They’re 2-1 in those three games, with both wins having come (over the Sixers and Mavs) before Thanksgiving.

They’ll play two more on the four-game homestand that begins Monday with just their seventh interconference game. They’ll have a rest advantage against the Celtics (who they lost to in November) on Thursday, but will be at a disadvantage against Sacramento three nights later.

Week 12: vs. UTA, vs. BOS, vs. GSW, vs. SAC

Record: 20-15

OffRtg: 122.4 (1) DefRtg: 119.8 (26) NetRtg: +2.6 (10) Pace: 103.6 (1)

The Pacers came up empty from beyond the arc against the Celtics on Saturday, but that loss was preceded by a six-game winning streak that included three victories over the Knicks and Bucks (x 2).

Three takeaways

• The Pacers shot 41.8% from 3-point range over the winning streak, with both Aaron Nesmith (16-for-31) and Myles Turner (12-for-22) making more than half of their attempts. But they were 8-for-42 (19%) from deep on Saturday, with Nesmith and Turner combining to go 0-for-12. They have the league’s second-biggest differential between their record when they’ve shot the league average or better from 3-point range (16-5) and when they haven’t (4-10).

• Two of those four wins with sub-par 3-point shooting came against the Bucks, and Indiana went 4-1 over the season series, with eight different Pacers averaging double-figures.

• Before this season, the Pacers had registered an effective field goal percentage of 72% or better three times in their (NBA) history. This season, they’ve done it five times, which is also more times than the rest of the league has done it this season (four).

At tip-off on Saturday, the Pacers were in fourth place in the East, but the loss dropped them down to seventh as we enter Week 12, set to host the first-place Celtics again on Monday. Their longest road trip of the season (six games over 10 days) will begin four nights later in Atlanta.

Week 12: vs. BOS, vs. WAS, @ ATL, @ DEN

Record: 21-15

OffRtg: 117.7 (9) DefRtg: 114.2 (14) NetRtg: +3.5 (9) Pace: 98.4 (25)

The Knicks are 4-0 with OG Anunoby and got their best win of the season on Friday, beating the Sixers (in Philly and with Joel Embiid) by 36 points.

Three takeaways

• Anunoby’s first game was Jan. 1 and the Knicks have the league’s No. 1 defense this month, having held their four opponents to just 103.1 points per 100 possessions. And the defense has been at its best (95.1 allowed per 100) with Anunoby on the floor.

• The win over the Sixers was the first big game from the Knicks’ bench since the departure of Immanuel Quickley, with Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride combining to shoot 8-for-15 from 3-point range and Josh Hart registering a plus-46 in less than 30 minutes. Over the four games, the Knicks have outscored their opponents by 28.9 points per 100 possessions (allowing just 91.1 per 100) in 109 total minutes with five of their top six guys (the starters plus Hart) on the floor.

• With 72 combined points on 23-for-41 shooting against the Wizards on Saturday, Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle have combined for 60-plus on 50% or better shooting eight times this season, as many times as they did all of last season, which included one playoff game. (The Knicks are 10-6 in those 16 total games.) They were the league’s fourth most-used combination last season (2,025 total minutes together) and are No. 1 this season (1,133), with neither having missed a game. Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein and Donte DiVincenzo have also played in all 36.

Two of the Knicks’ four games with Anunoby have come against teams — Chicago and Washington — that rank in the bottom 10 offensively. They’ll face two more bottom-10 offenses — those of the Blazers and Grizzlies — this week.

Week 12: vs. POR, @ DAL, @ MEM

Record: 22-15

OffRtg: 117.5 (10) DefRtg: 115.5 (17) NetRtg: +2.1 (13) Pace: 101.2 (8)

Kyrie Irving returned from a 12-game absence on Jan. 1, and the Mavs began 2024 with a 37-point loss in Utah. But they’ve since won three straight, getting both their first win without Luka Doncic (Friday against Portland) and their best win of the season (Sunday against Minnesota).

Three takeaways

• Before Sunday, the Mavs were 1-9 against the eight teams that have a better record than they do, having allowed more than 125 points per 100 possessions over the 10 games. The one win came against the Clippers in those first five games after the James Harden trade. But they were able to beat the Wolves on Sunday, answering an 11-0 Minnesota run (that put them down six with less than four minutes left) with a 13-0 run of their own.

• The Wolves came into the game with a league-best 11-2 record in clutch games, but the Mavs now have the second-best clutch mark (12-5). They’ve seen the biggest improvement from last season, when they were 26-29 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, including a brutal 3-11 in the clutch with both Doncic and Irving in uniform. They’re 7-1 in the clutch this season with Irving, who’s shot 7-for-10 on clutch 2-pointers, 5-for-10 on clutch 3s (having hit two big ones on Sunday) and 8-for-8 on clutch free throws.

• Statistically, the last five games have been the Mavs’ best stretch of defense (109.0 points allowed per 100 possessions) this season, though that comes with the context that they just beat the Blazers (who rank 28th offensively) by a total of 65 points over two games. They’ll host the Grizzlies’ 30th-ranked offense on Tuesday.

The Mavs are in sixth place, ahead of the similarly 22-15 Pelicans because they have a better record (6-3) within the Southwest Division. The standings can change between now and Saturday, but their seven-game homestand will conclude with two huge games against the Pels. They split a two-game set in New Orleans in November, with Doncic and Irving combining for 65 points and 16 assists in the win.

Week 12: vs. MEM, vs. NYK, vs. NOP

Record: 20-15

OffRtg: 114.6 (17) DefRtg: 113.4 (13) NetRtg: +1.2 (16) Pace: 98.3 (27)

The Heat remain in a tight race where teams 4-8 in the Eastern Conference are separated by just a half-game, having gone 2-3 on a five-game trip out West over which they had Jimmy Butler for just 23 minutes.

Three takeaways

• Butler has missed three straight and seven of the Heat’s last eight. They still have a winning record (6-5) without him, though the last four games (one of which he played in and injured his foot) have been their worst stretch of offense since early November. They’ve now scored an anemic 105.6 points per 100 possessions (and have been outscored by 7.2 per 100) in 512 total minutes with Bam Adebayo on the floor without Butler this season.

• Over the last four games of their trip, the Heat were outscored by 56 points inside the arc, but they were a plus-36 from 3-point range in their win over the Lakers on Wednesday, with L.A. shooting just 4-for-30 (13%) from beyond the arc. Statistically, that was the Heat’s best defensive game of the season and the first time their opponent scored less than a point per possession.

• For the season, they’ve been outscored by 3.1 points per game from the field, down from minus-0.6 per game last season. But they’re a plus-3.9 (best in the league) at the free throw line, and have even outscored their opponents from the line (plus-2.3 per game) over the 11 games that Butler has missed.

The Heat will now play 13 of their next 18 games at home. They’re 5-5 against the Western Conference after the 2-3 trip, set to face the Rockets and Thunder for the first time on Monday and Wednesday. Then it’s a big game against one of those other East teams in the 4-8 race, with the Heat currently 1-0 (getting the win without Butler) against the Magic.

Week 12: vs. HOU, vs. OKC, vs. ORL, vs. CHA

Record: 21-14

OffRtg: 116.0 (14) DefRtg: 116.1 (21) NetRtg: -0.1 (18) Pace: 100.3 (11)

The Kings have had one of the league’s easiest schedules since Christmas, but they’re just 4-3 (with losses to the Blazers and Hornets) over that stretch, and they no-showed their biggest game since the holiday.

Three takeaways

• The Kings are the biggest victims of the In-Season Tournament because it gave them an extra game against the Pelicans. They’re 7-5 against the other Western Conference teams that currently have winning records, but are now 0-4 against New Orleans (with one more game to go), having trailed by as many as 50 points on Sunday and losing to the Pels by more than 30 for the second time. They’ve allowed more than 118 points per 100 possessions four times against New Orleans and seven times against everybody else.

• They’ve also been a worse-than-average offensive team over the last 2 1/2 weeks, falling to 14th on that end of the floor for the season. They’ve seen the league’s fourth biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions from last season (when they set an NBA record for efficiency) with significant drops in both effective field goal percentage and free throw rate. Harrison Barnes has a free throw rate of 30 attempts per 100 shots from the field, down from 52 per 100 last season.

• The Kings are now 21-14, having been outscored by 0.2 points per game (10th in the West). That (.600) would be the second-best record in NBA history for a team with a negative point differential.

The Kings have 19 games between now and the All-Star break, and 15 of those 19 will be on the road. A five-game trip begins with a back-to-back in Detroit and Charlotte, but will get much tougher after that.

Week 12: @ DET, @ CHA, @ PHI, @ MIL

Record: 19-17

OffRtg: 116.4 (11) DefRtg: 114.9 (16) NetRtg: +1.5 (15) Pace: 98.2 (28)

The Suns were seemingly starting to put it together, winning their first four games after Christmas. But they went 1-2 in the second half of their six-game homestand and are as close to 12th place as they are to seventh.

Three takeaways

• With Kevin Durant returning from a three-game absence, the Suns’ game against the Grizzlies (who were without Ja Morant) on Sunday was just their fifth in which they’ve had all three of their stars. All five games have been at home and the Suns have outscored their opponents by 15.1 points per 100 possessions in the stars’ 88 total minutes together, but they’ve lost three of the five, with two of the losses having come to teams — Brooklyn and Memphis — with losing records.

• The loss to the Grizzlies was one of those 3-point-math games that the Suns will fall victim to. They made three more field goals than Memphis, but were outscored from the field because they attempted 21 fewer 3s than their opponent. Durant has shot much better from 3-point range (47.3%, second in the league) than he has from mid-range (41.7%, his worst mark in his last 12 seasons), but has 82 more mid-range attempts than 3-point attempts.

• With their wire-to-wire loss to the Clippers last week, the Suns are 2-6 against the other eight West teams with winning records, having allowed 122.7 points per 100 possessions over those eight games. That’s the worst record (also four fewer games than any of the other eight have played) within the group.

The Suns are also 0-3 against the 18-19 Lakers, with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker each available for only one of the three games. All three were close and the Suns scored just 25 points on 31 clutch possessions, shooting 0-for-7 on clutch 3s. Their fourth of five meetings is in L.A. on Thursday, three nights after they play the Clippers for the second time in six days.

Week 12: @ LAC, @ LAL, @ POR

Record: 21-15

OffRtg: 113.2 (21) DefRtg: 111.1 (4) NetRtg: +2.1 (12) Pace: 99.8 (14)

The Magic went 1-3 on a trip out West, losing Franz Wagner to an ankle sprain along the way. But the one win was Friday in Denver, making it a much better trip home than it would have been otherwise. And they improved to 2-0 without Wagner by outlasting the Hawks in overtime on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Magic have made 18.3 3-pointers per game over their four games in January, up from 10.0 per game prior to that. It’s helped that they’ve played three overtimes in the last five days, but they’ve also taken 43.4% of their shots from beyond the arc this month, up from 34.6% through Dec. 31. And they’ve shot 46.5% on all those 3s, up from a league-worst 33.2%.

• It was written in this space last Tuesday that the Magic were the only team without a player who had shot the league average or better on at least 75 3-point attempts. Six days later, they have three, with Jalen Suggs, Caleb Houstan and Paolo Banchero having combined to shoot 49-for-91 (54%) from beyond the arc over their four January games. That includes 8-for-20 on clutch 3s, though Banchero missed one for the tie in double-overtime of their loss in Sacramento and Houstan missed one for the win in regulation against the Hawks.

• The other side of the coin is that the Magic, who led the league in restricted-area differential just six days ago, have been outscored by 16 points per game in the restricted area over their four January games, with a margin of 100-44 over the last two games of the road trip.

The Magic are in fourth place, but just a half-game ahead of the eighth-place Heat, one of five Eastern Conference teams that are either 21-15 or 20-15. They’ll begin a four-game trip in Miami on Friday, having been outscored by 18 points from 3-point range in a nine-point loss to the Heat 19 days ago.

Week 12: vs. MIN, @ MIA, @ OKC

Record: 21-15

OffRtg: 114.4 (18) DefRtg: 112.5 (8) NetRtg: +1.9 (14) Pace: 98.5 (24)

The Cavs are playing six straight games against teams that are currently at least five games under .500. They lost the first game in that stretch, but have won three straight, though things got a little hairy against the Spurs on Sunday afternoon.

Three takeaways

• They won their two games against Washington last week by a total of 63 points, holding the Wizards to just 50% shooting in the paint and destroying them on the glass. Though Evan Mobley has missed the last 15 games, the Cavs have seen the league’s fifth-biggest jump in total rebounding percentage, ranking 11th (50.8%) after ranking 20th (49.6%) last season.

• Jarrett Allen has seen small jumps in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage and has recorded seven straight double-doubles, averaging 21 points, 15.7 rebounds and five assists over that stretch. His assist ratio (19.0 per 100 possessions used) is a career-high mark by a wide margin.

• Over the month that Mobley has been out (with Darius Garland also out for the last 11 of those 15 games), the Cavs have the league’s seventh-ranked bench, up from 26th before that. Tristan Thompson has averaged 15.3 minutes (playing in all 15 games) over that stretch, with the Cavs outscoring their opponents by 11.3 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.

Among the five East teams currently seeded 4-8 and separated by just a half-game, the Cavs have the easiest schedule between now and the All-Star break. But it’s a road-heavy stretch, especially when you consider that they’re going all the way to Paris to play a “home” game against the Nets on Thursday.

Week 12: vs. BKN (Paris)

Record: 18-16

OffRtg: 113.5 (20) DefRtg: 111.1 (5) NetRtg: +2.4 (11) Pace: 98.4 (26)

The Rockets’ seven-game homestand didn’t start well, and before Saturday, they were 2-4 on the stand with the only wins coming against Detroit and Brooklyn. But they finished it off with a victory over the Bucks in which they held the league’s third-ranked offense to its fourth least efficient game of the season.

Three takeaways

• The Rockets actually scored less efficiently in going 3-1 over the last four games of the homestand than they did in losing the first three. But after allowing almost 128 points per 100 possessions over the first three games, they allowed just 109 per 100 over the last four.

• The biggest difference has been their opponents’ shooting from outside the paint. The Rockets continue to lead the league in opponent 3-point percentage (32.8%) after ranking 27th (37.4%) last season. According to Second Spectrum tracking, 14% of their opponents’ 3-point attempts have been tightly or very tightly contested, up from just 8% last season.

• Summer League MVP Cam Whitmore got his first consistent rotation minutes over the last three games of the homestand, scoring 34 points (on 12-for-23 shooting) in only 44 minutes over the three games. That included 5-for-10 from 3-point range and a couple of incredible dunks in the Rockets’ loss to Minnesota on Friday. Houston ranks eighth in the percentage of their minutes that have come from rookies or second-year players (23%), one of five teams in the top 10 that have winning records.

The Rockets now begin their longest road trip of the season, six games over 10 days. After losing their first eight road games of the season, they’ve won three of their last five, and this could be a season-defining trip, even though all the opponents are in the other conference.

CAM WHITMORE TAKES FLIGHT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ybTqXmHovE

— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 6, 2024

Week 12: @ MIA, @ CHI, @ DET, @ BOS

Record: 17-20

OffRtg: 112.6 (22) DefRtg: 116.9 (23) NetRtg: -4.3 (24) Pace: 100.5 (10)

The Jazz continue to make some noise. They’ve won 10 of their last 14 games and are now just a game behind the Lakers for the final Play-In spot in the Western Conference.

Three takeaways

• The spark for the Jazz’s turnaround seemed to be the zone defense that they started playing in Game 24. But the bigger difference between the last 14 games and the first 23 has not been on offense. They beat the Pistons in overtime on Wednesday despite allowing Detroit to score 148 points on 113 possessions (131 per 100).

• Bigger improvement has come with their shooting in the paint: 54.9% through their first 21 games and 60.1% over their last 16. The Jazz have outscored their opponents in the paint in 14 of those last 16 games, having done so just six times in their first 21.

• The Jazz rank 29th in turnover differential at plus-3.4 per game. They committed fewer than the Pistons (who rank last) on Wednesday, but committed 18 more turnovers than the Sixers (24-6) three nights later. That’s tied for the biggest differential in any game this season and was just the sixth time in the last 10 seasons that a winning team had at least 18 more turnovers than its opponent.

They got clobbered by the Celtics last week, but the Jazz won in Philly (the Sixers were without Joel Embiid) and are now 7-5 against the Eastern Conference, set to conclude their three-game trip in Milwaukee on Monday. They begin a six-game homestand two nights later, but the last five games of the homestand are their second stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 12: @ MIL, vs. DEN, vs. TOR, vs. LAL

Record: 16-21

OffRtg: 111.6 (24) DefRtg: 114.3 (15) NetRtg: -2.7 (23) Pace: 96.6 (30)

The Bulls got Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic back from 17 and five-game absences, respectfully, on Friday. Both came off the bench and they sparked the two game-deciding runs — a 7-0 run to end the first half and a 22-6 run to start the fourth quarter — as Chicago got its first win of 2024.

Three takeaways

• The win was one of the Bulls’ slowest-paced games of the season and they scored just 104 points total. But their 25 fast-break points were a season high, and LaVine led the way with nine of the 25. The Bulls had been outscored by 51 fast-break points over their previous four games.

• For the season, Chicago still ranks 29th in the percentage of its possessions (14.2%) that have been in transition. It ranks last in pace (96.6 possessions per 48 minutes), having seen the league’s third-biggest drop from last season (99.2, 18th). Part of that is longer opponent possessions, because the Bulls have seen the second biggest drop in defensive rebounding percentage.

• The four games before the returns of LaVine and Vucevic were the Bulls’ worst four-game stretch of offense (104.1 points scored per 100 possessions) since before Thanksgiving. The Bulls rank 28th in field goal percentage in the paint (54.5%) and shot just 44-for-91 (48%) in the paint as they lost in Philly and New York last week.

The Bulls have yet to win two straight games with LaVine in uniform, but they’ll have a good opportunity with a second straight game against the Hornets on Monday. That’s the second game in a stretch where they’re playing 10 of 13 against teams that currently have losing records.

Week 12: @ CHA, vs. HOU, vs. GSW, @ SAS

Record: 18-19

OffRtg: 111.7 (23) DefRtg: 113.1 (12) NetRtg: -1.3 (20) Pace: 100.9 (9)

There were a lot of teams with mixed results last week, and the Lakers were among them. Just when everything seemed to be going downhill, they salvaged their week with their second straight win over the Clippers.

Three takeaways

• The last five games have been the Lakers’ worst five-game stretch of offense (105.0 points scored per 100 possessions) this season. Turnovers have been an issue, but it’s mostly (and not surprisingly) about perimeter shooting. Their 4-for-30 (13%) performance from beyond the arc against Miami on Wednesday was the third worst 3-point shooting game for any team this season. Anthony Davis remains one of their most efficient scorers, but he’s gone cold again from the perimeter (1-for-10 from 3 over his last six games) after a two-week hot streak.

• The Lakers managed to hold the Clippers to just 103 points on 100 possessions, the Clips’ least efficient offensive performance since their first two games with James Harden. The other LA shot better than the league average (14-for-37, 38%) from 3-point range, but had its worst 2-point shooting game of the season, going 22-for-54 (41%) inside the arc. For the season, the Lakers rank sixth in opponent 2-point percentage (52.3%), but 22nd in opponent 3-point percentage (38.1%).

• This team does need to make shots, but it seemingly came out of the In-Season Tournament knowing that it could win games with size and defense. It just hasn’t been able to execute that formula often enough. The Lakers rank just 19th defensively (117.6 points allowed per 100 possessions as they’ve gone 4-10 since the end of the tournament.

The Lakers are just three games into a stretch where they’re playing 11 of 12 in L.A., and Thursday brings their fourth of five meetings with the Suns. They won the first three by a total of 11 points.

LEBRON JAMES WITH AUTHORITY 👑 pic.twitter.com/0gjBY8cy6A

— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 8, 2024

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

Record: 15-21

OffRtg: 115.1 (16) DefRtg: 115.6 (18) NetRtg: -0.5 (19) Pace: 99.4 (17)

The Raptors-Knicks trade remains a win-win transaction, as the two teams are a combined 7-1 since the deal. The Raptors have the one loss, but it went down to the wire (after they trailed by as many as 23 points) in Sacramento on Friday.

Three takeaways

• The Raptors have scored 123.6 points per 100 possessions over their four games with Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. That’s the league’s third-best mark in January and their best four-game stretch of offense this season.

• Pascal Siakam has the highest true shooting percentage (73%) among 55 players with at least 50 field goal attempts this month, but his 23.5 points per game over the four games is actually down a little from his average of 24.8 in December. Five other Raptors (including a nearly as efficient Barrett) have averaged at least 12.3 points over the four games.

• Three of the four January games have been within five points in the last five minutes and Quickley’s clutch usage rate over those three games (41.4%) is nearly double that of any other Raptor. He’s shot just 2-for-10 on clutch shots with his new team, missing two 3s for the tie in the closing seconds of their loss in Sacramento. The Raps have scored just 23 points on 27 clutch possessions, but just needed a couple of stops after seeing a 20-point lead cut to five in Memphis two nights earlier.

The Raptors’ six-game trip continues with a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back in L.A., and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage against the Clippers. They’re 1-4 in rest-disadvantage games thus far, with losses to the Jazz and Pistons included.

Week 12: @ LAL, @ LAC, @ UTA

Record: 13-23

OffRtg: 107.4 (30) DefRtg: 113.0 (11) NetRtg: -5.6 (25) Pace: 99.8 (13)

Ja Morant has missed two of the Grizzlies’ 11 games since the end of his suspension. But they got an impressive victory in Phoenix without him on Sunday and have won three of their last four overall.

Three takeaways

• Somebody wrote on Friday that the Grizzlies were still struggling offensively (especially with perimeter shooting) with Morant back in uniform. They then proceeded to make 23 3-pointers (tied for the second most in franchise history) as they began a three-game trip with a 14-point win over the Lakers. Marcus Smart (0-for-13 over the previous three games) was 8-for-14 from beyond the arc.

• They shot just 35% on 3s in Phoenix on Sunday, but that was 17 makes on 49 attempts and they outscored the Suns (8-for-28) by 27 points from beyond the arc and came back from a 13-point deficit late in the third quarter. It was the seventh time the Grizz have taken at least half of their shots from 3-point range, something they did just six times over the last two seasons combined. Overall, they’ve taken 44.1% of their shots from 3-point range, the league’s fifth-highest rate and up from 37.2% (16th) last season, with only the Hawks having seen a bigger jump.

• With that win in Phoenix, the Grizz are 7-22 in games they trailed after the third quarter, with the seven wins leading the league. For the season, they’ve been outscored by 10.3 points per 100 possessions in quarters 1-3, but are a plus-8.9 (second best) in the fourth.

Their win in Phoenix on Sunday was the first of four straight games against teams that currently have winning records. The Grizzlies’ first loss with Morant was against the Clippers, who will be in Memphis on Friday.

Week 12: @ DAL, vs. LAC, vs. NYK

Record: 17-19

OffRtg: 116.3 (12) DefRtg: 116.2 (22) NetRtg: +0.1 (17) Pace: 99.8 (15)

Draymond Green’s suspension has been lifted and he could make his return this week. Does that mean the Warriors will be something better than a low-level Play-In team?

Three takeaways

• The Warriors are 10-11 without Green. They also have a losing record (7-8) with him in uniform. The defense has been better (112.8 points allowed per 100 possessions) in the games he’s played, though he hasn’t played since Dec. 12 and offenses have become more efficient as the season has gone on. After allowing more than 130 possessions once in their first 31 games, the Warriors have done so three times in their last five.

• Before Green could make his return, Chris Paul broke his hand, putting him on the shelf for 4-6 weeks. The 38-year-old wasn’t shooting much, but had been shooting well, registering an effective field goal percentage of 74.5% (on 47 shots) over his last six games, up from just 45.7% prior to that.

• So Steve Kerr is still searching for answers. He started Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis (alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson) against Toronto on Sunday, but the Warriors were down 24-12 before the first sub. So he went with a new group – Brandin Podziemski, Dario Saric and Kevon Looney – to start the second half. While Green hasn’t played since Dec. 12, he’s still part of the team’s most-used lineup, last season’s starting group that’s been outscored by 9.8 points per 100 possessions in 133 total minutes together.

The Warriors have a couple of days off before their seven-game homestand comes to an end with a visit from the Pelicans on Wednesday. Their first meeting with New Orleans was a 28-point win in October.

Week 12: vs. NOP, @ CHI, @ MIL

Record: 16-21

OffRtg: 115.6 (15) DefRtg: 117.2 (24) NetRtg: -1.6 (21) Pace: 98.9 (22)

The Nets got their best win of the season on Friday, holding on to beat the Thunder after seeing almost all of a 32-point lead disappear. But they followed that up with a loss to the Blazers and have now lost 11 of their last 14 games.

Three takeaways

• The win over Oklahoma City came with a breakout offensively, as the Nets had scored just 106.1 points per 100 possessions (their worst stretch of offense this season) over the five-game losing streak that preceded it. It wasn’t their best shooting game (they shot more effectively against Portland two days later), but they turned 20 offensive rebounds into 30 second-chance points. They’ve been both the league’s most improved offensive rebounding team and its most improved defensive rebounding team from last season.

• One reason for that is Day’Ron Sharpe (second in rebounding percentage among individuals) playing more minutes than he did all of last season. The backup center has shown improvement on both sides of the ball and is, perhaps, giving the Nets a reason not to overpay Nic Claxton this summer. Brooklyn has been 13.5 points per 100 possessions better with Sharpe on the floor (plus-7.7) than it’s been with him off the floor (minus-5.8), but he suffered a knee injury late in the fourth quarter of the Portland loss and is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday.

• The loss to the Blazers came with a breakout from Mikal Bridges, who sent the game to overtime with a(nother) clutch jumper and scored 42 points on 15-for-26 from the field, having registered an effective field goal percentage of just 42.5% over the previous 14 games.

Sharpe wasn’t on the plane as the Nets flew to Paris, set to face the Cavs on Thursday. They lost the first meeting (in Brooklyn) in Week 1, blowing a six-point lead with a little more than a minute to go and falling victim to some Donovan Mitchell heroics.

DENNIS SMITH JR. THROWS IT DOWN 😳 pic.twitter.com/VpLILDVsg6

— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 7, 2024

Week 12: vs. CLE (Paris)

Record: 14-21

OffRtg: 118.7 (6) DefRtg: 120.3 (28) NetRtg: -1.6 (22) Pace: 102.3 (5)

Twenty-four hours after beating the Celtics, the Thunder lost in Atlanta, seemingly a signature win for the Hawks, even if they had a rest advantage. But they followed it up with a 0-2 road trip and remain outside the Play-In club in the Eastern Conference.

Three takeaways

• Two-point shots outside the restricted area are the least efficient shots on the floor. But the Hawks rank fourth in field goal percentage (45.9%) on non-restricted-area 2s and were 17-for-27 (63%) on them against the Thunder on Wednesday, having shot 5-for-28 (18%) on them in their November loss in Oklahoma City.

• Scoring just 106.1 points per 100 possessions over the two weekend losses, the Hawks have slipped out of the top five in offensive efficiency, where they had been since Week 5. They’re still very much in the bottom five defensively.

• The Hawks got off to a great start against the Thunder, it was Oklahoma City’s second wire-to-wire defeat of the season, and Jalen Johnson had one of the best games of his career (28 points on 11-for-18 shooting, four steals). But they were down 15 late in the first quarter in Indiana, and in a 14-point hole (that they climbed out of) early in Orlando. Their current starting lineup (with Johnson and Saddiq Bey at the forward spots) has been outscored by 16.4 points per 100 possessions in its 134 total minutes.

Having played 15 of their last 21 games on the road, the Hawks will now play 12 of their next 15 at home. They’ll face the Pacers for the third time on Friday, having allowed an amazing 142.8 points per 100 possessions over the first two meetings. They (nearly) kept pace in the November game but got blown out on Friday, shooting just 10-for-42 (24%) from 3-point range against the league’s 26th-ranked defense.

Week 12: vs. PHI, vs. IND, vs. WAS

Record: 10-25

OffRtg: 108.5 (28) DefRtg: 116.0 (20) NetRtg: -7.4 (26) Pace: 99.2 (18)

The Blazers lost the first three games of their seven-game trip by a total of 86 points, but they got an overtime win in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon behind a big game (38 points and 11 assists) from Anfernee Simons and some big shots from Malcolm Brogdon.

Three takeaways

• As they lost two games in Dallas by a total of 65 points last week, the Blazers were outscored by 41 (79-38) in transition, according to Synergy tracking. Portland ranks 29th in both transition points per game (17.3) and opponent transition points per game (25.3), with its discrepancy (minus 8.1) being the biggest in the league.

• The Blazers were outscored by 15 transition points (24-9) in Brooklyn on Sunday, but made a season-high 20 3-pointers (on just 38 attempts), with six different Blazers making at least two and Brogdon hitting the two biggest ones in overtime. He was 1-for-9 on clutch 3s before that.

• Portland is now 5-14 on the road, 0-12 against the Western Conference and 5-2 against the East, with the last three of those wins having come against teams — the Pacers, Cavs and Nets — the East’s top 10. (The Blazers are 0-3 at home against the East.)

They’ll be at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday before ending their trip with a tough back-to-back against the Thunder and Wolves.

Week 12: @ NYK, @ OKC, @ MIN, vs. PHX

Record: 8-25

OffRtg: 110.0 (26) DefRtg: 120.8 (29) NetRtg: -10.8 (28) Pace: 99.2 (19)

When the Hornets went into their rest-disadvantage game in Sacramento on Tuesday, they had an 11-game losing streak, they were 0-9 against the Western Conference, they were 0-4 in the second games of back-to-backs and they were 0-12 when they scored less than 110 points per 100 possessions. All of those losing streaks came to an end as they closed the game on a 10-0 run.

Three takeaways

• The Hornets have trailed at the end of the third quarter in six of their eight wins. Those six wins when trailing after three are tied for second most in the league. For the season, they’ve scored just 105.6 points per 100 possessions through the first three quarters of games, but have the league’s third-ranked fourth-quarter offense (123.1 points scored per 100 possessions).

• Terry Rozier has the third-highest clutch usage rate (40.9%) among 166 players who’ve played at least 25 clutch minutes, and he scored nine straight Charlotte points down the stretch on Tuesday. Then his gravity (on a flare screen) allowed P.J. Washington to get open for the go-ahead dunk with less than a minute to go.

• The win in Sacramento was, statistically, the Hornets’ best defensive game of the season (104 points allowed on 102 possessions). Three nights later, they scored less than a point per possession for the seventh time this season, losing in Chicago for the second time. They remain the only team without a non-clutch win, now 0-15 in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes.

The Hornets will play the Bulls and Kings again this week, then face the Spurs for the first of two meetings in eight days. Already without LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward and Mark Williams, they lost Washington to an ankle injury in the first quarter on Friday.

Week 12: vs. CHI, vs. SAC, @ SAS, @ MIA

Record: 6-29

OffRtg: 111.3 (25) DefRtg: 121.6 (30) NetRtg: -10.3 (27) Pace: 103.6 (2)

The Wizards have one of the league’s easiest January schedules regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage, but they haven’t reached the easy part yet, and the results have been ugly thus far.

Three takeaways

• The Wizards began 2024 with two games in Cleveland that they lost by a combined 63 points. They’ve generally been a good shooting team in the paint (59.8%, fifth best), but were just 51-for-102 (50%) in the paint over the two games against the Cavs.

• Jordan Poole has averaged just 7.6 points over the last five games. He hasn’t shot well (effective field goal percentage of just 39%), but also has a usage rate of just 16.8% over that stretch, down from 27.1% prior.

• It was written in this space last week that the Wizards had outscored their opponents by 3.4 points per 100 possessions in Delon Wright’s 189 minutes. Well, they’ve been outscored by an amazing 47 points (with Wright shooting 4-for-15) in his 51 minutes over their three January games, taking that season-long, on-court mark from plus-3.4 to minus-7.0 per 100.

The Wizards’ January schedule will get easier after they play the Thunder and Pacers this week. They’ll have a rest advantage in Atlanta on Saturday, the start of a stretch where they’re playing six of nine against teams that currently have losing records. They’re 5-10 within the currently below .500 group thus far.

Week 12: vs. OKC, @ IND, @ ATL

Record: 5-30

OffRtg: 107.6 (29) DefRtg: 118.8 (25) NetRtg: -11.2 (30) Pace: 102.8 (3)

The Spurs have been very competitive against two good teams (the Bucks and Cavs) over the last four days. But they’ve been unable to close the deal and have another five-game losing streak.

Three takeaways

• At one point, the Spurs were 3-1 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. They’re now 3-14, having lost 13 straight close games. Victor Wembanyama has shot 9-for-13 on clutch 2-pointers, but the team has shot just 5-for-27 (19%) on clutch 3s and has the league’s second-highest clutch turnover rate (17.9 per 100 possessions).

• Wembanyama put on a show against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Friday, and the rookie has scored 20 points or more in five straight games for the first time. He has a free throw rate of 43 attempts per 100 shots from the field over that stretch (shooting 29-for-33 from the line), up from 26 per 100 before that.

• The Spurs had one of the league’s four worst (overall) records last season, but they were 19-9 in games they led by double-digits. This season, they’re an amazing 3-11 after losing an early, 14-point lead in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon.

The Spurs are two games into a stretch of 10 straight against the Eastern Conference, and their first chances to play the Hornets, Pistons or Wizards are this week. They’ll have a rest advantage in Detroit on Wednesday, but will have a home back-to-back later in the week, with Wembanyama having missed the second game of each of their last two back-to-backs.

WEMBY GOES BEHIND-THE-BACK ON THE COAST-TO-COAST SLAM 🔥 pic.twitter.com/blstNHmgdD

— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 5, 2024

Week 12: @ DET, vs. CHA, vs. CHI

Record: 3-33

OffRtg: 109.4 (27) DefRtg: 120.2 (27) NetRtg: -10.9 (29) Pace: 101.3 (7)

The Pistons had late leads at Utah and Golden State, but went 0-4 on their trip out West and remain winless (0-13) against the opposite conference.

Three takeaways

• Isaiah Stewart has missed the last six games, allowing the Pistons to start four perimeter players around Jalen Duren. They’ve actually outscored their opponents by two points in 153 total minutes with Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Bojan Bogdanovic and Duren on the floor together, though that breaks down to a plus-16 in just 19 minutes with Stewart as the fifth guy and a minus-14 in 134 minutes with somebody else as the fifth guy. (A minus-14 in 134 minutes is still pretty good for the Pistons.)

• Cunningham, of course, is the main man, and he totaled 61 points on 25-for-43 (58%) shooting over the Pistons’ two competitive losses to the Jazz and Warriors. But he suffered a left knee injury in the second quarter of their loss in Denver on Sunday. Stay tuned …

• Kevin Knox was the fifth guy in the starting lineup when the Pistons ended their losing streak nine days ago. He’s moved back to the bench for the last three games, but is still getting more playing time than Ausar Thompson, who’s averaged just 13.8 minutes (11th on the team) since Christmas. The Pistons have played relatively well in his 97 total minutes over that stretch.

Having played nine of their last 12 games on the road, the Pistons will now play 11 of their next 13 at home, though they’ll be at a rest disadvantage on Wednesday, when we finally get the San Antonio-Detroit matchup we’ve been waiting for. Both teams are winless (0-24 combined) against the opposite conference, so something has got to give.

Week 12: vs. SAC, vs. SAS, vs. HOU