Record: 11-0

OffRtg: 122.0 (1) DefRtg: 109.9 (9) NetRtg: +12.1 (2) Pace: 100.5 (9)

They had a couple of scares last week, but the Cavs remain unbeaten and are the 12th team in NBA history to start the season with 11 straight wins.

Three takeaways

• If there’s an unsustainable aspect to this start, it’s certainly the league-best 42.2% from 3-point range. The Cavs were 14-for-22 from deep as they outscored the Warriors (who entered the game with the league’s best point differential) by 41 points in the first half on Friday. They cooled off the following night against Brooklyn but made up for it in the paint, where Evan Mobley scored 18 of his 23 points.

• The Cavs’ starting lineup (with Isaac Okoro as the fifth guy) was outscored by 11 points in less than 10 minutes against Brooklyn, but they’ve now outscored their opponents by 28.3 points per 100 possessions in Caris LeVert’s 210 minutes, with that being the highest on-court mark among 300 players who’ve averaged at least 10 minutes per game. They closed the Brooklyn win with LeVert and Ty Jerome (who had a huge bucket in the final minute) instead of Okoro and Jarrett Allen.

• Darius Garland only had 20 points against the Nets, having dropped 39 and 27 against Milwaukee and Golden State earlier in the week. But he was efficient and now has an effective field goal percentage of 66%, up from 52.4% last season (which wasn’t far off from his marks of the previous two years).

The Cavs were a league-best 9-1 in rest-advantage games last season, but have just two rest advantages in their first 40 games of ’24-25. Both of them — Wednesday in Philadelphia and Sunday vs. the Hornets — are this week.

Week 4: @ CHI, @ PHI, vs. CHI*, vs. CHA

Record: 8-2

OffRtg: 119.2 (4) DefRtg: 107.6 (3) NetRtg: +11.6 (3) Pace: 100.7 (8)

Stephen Curry is back, and the Warriors (though they got clobbered by the Cavs) went 2-1 in their gauntlet of games in Boston, Cleveland and Oklahoma City.

Three takeaways

• The Warriors’ first five games were more about the defense allowing less than a point per possession. The last five games (a 4-1 trip) have been more about the offense scoring 119.7 per 100. Buddy Hield hasn’t cooled off much, Jonathan Kuminga has been terrific since moving to the bench, and Draymond Green is now 14-for-31 (45%) from 3-point range this season.

• The Warriors continue to start Trayce Jackson-Davis at the five, but Kevon Looney has been on the floor down the stretch of all three of their close games. And the two biggest buckets in their win in Boston were Looney put-backs that gave them four-point leads in the final two minutes. Looney didn’t play in Oklahoma City on Sunday (probably because the Thunder didn’t have a center after Chet Holmgren was hurt), but he leads the league in offensive rebounding percentage by a huge margin, having grabbed 19.4% of available offensive boards while he’s been on the floor.

• Last season, the Warriors were outscored by 4.5 points in transition, the league’s third-worst discrepancy, according to Synergy tracking. This season, they’re a plus-11.6 per game in transition, the league’s best differential, having seen dramatic improvement on both ends of the floor. They were a plus-16 in transition (30-14) in their six-point win in Boston.

The Warriors have just two games this week, and they’re their two NBA Cup home games. They scored just 107.5 points per 100 possessions as they lost three of their four games against the Mavs last season.

Week 4: vs. DAL*, vs. MEM*

Record: 8-2

OffRtg: 112.8 (14) DefRtg: 100.3 (1) NetRtg: +12.5 (1) Pace: 102.6 (5)

There have been many injuries around the league, but none is more devastating than the Thunder losing Chet Holmgren for at least two months with a hip fracture suffered early in their loss to Golden State on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Holmgren’s injury hurts more with Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams also out. The Thunder started 6-foot-4 Lu Dort at the five in the second half vs. the Warriors on Sunday, and may be calling on Ousmane Dieng to play center until one of the other bigs gets back. Unsurprisingly, the loss to the Warriors was the Thunder’s worst defensive game of the season (127 points allowed on 99 possessions).

• Is more Alex Caruso a solution? He was guarding Nikola Jokić for a bit on Wednesday when the Thunder picked up their first loss in what was also their first game that was within five points in the last five minutes. Caruso (though not guarding Jokic late) was Caruso on the floor down the stretch and has averaged 7.6 deflections per 36 minutes (second in the league), but he’s played just 19.5 minutes per game, with three other guards/wings continuing to take turns as the team’s fifth starter.

• Jalen Williams has taken 29.6% of his shots from 3-point range, up from 24.3% last season. But there’s been a big difference between his 3s off the catch (13-for-27, 48%) and his 3s off the dribble (5-for-20, 25%).

The Thunder went 1-3 in NBA Cup play last season, and their first Cup game this year — Friday vs. Phoenix — is a matchup of two of the three 8-2 teams in the West. The final four games of their six-game homestand are all against 2024 Western Conference playoff teams.

Week 4: vs. LAC, vs. NOP, vs. PHX*, vs. DAL

Record: 9-2

OffRtg: 119.4 (3) DefRtg: 108.7 (6) NetRtg: +10.7 (4) Pace: 98.9 (19)

The Celtics haven’t been particularly sharp, and they were without Jaylen Brown for four games before his return on Sunday. But a not-particularly-sharp Celtics team is still better than most teams at their best.

Three takeaways

• A year ago, the Celtics won their first 20 home games. Before Wednesday, they had won their previous 16 games that Jaylen Brown had missed and their previous 27 that they led by more than five points in the fourth quarter. But they couldn’t hold onto a seven-point, fourth-quarter lead against the Warriors, allowing Golden State to score 25 points on 12 clutch possessions.

• The defense was better down the stretch of their overtime win over the Nets on Friday (16 points allowed on 18 clutch possessions), though the Celtics had some issues when Al Horford was targeted in the pick-and-roll. We can expect opponents to have “attack Horford” at or near the top of their offensive game plan all season.

• The Celtics somehow trailed 16-2 at the start of both of their games (vs. Brooklyn, at Milwaukee) over the weekend. But they still rank as the league’s second-best first-quarter team (plus-19.7 points per 100 possessions). Jayson Tatum has an effective field-goal percentage of 67.9% in first quarters and just 51% thereafter.

The Celtics open NBA Cup action by hosting the Hawks on Tuesday, eight days after winning in Atlanta by 30. They’ll have their first rest-disadvantage game of the season the following night in Brooklyn, having gone 9-2 (3-2 on the road) in rest-disadvantage games last season.

Week 4: vs. ATL*, @ BKN, vs. TOR

Record: 8-2

OffRtg: 113.0 (13) DefRtg: 111.0 (13) NetRtg: +2.0 (14) Pace: 99.5 (17)

Kevin Durant is out with a calf strain, depriving us from watching him go to work on late-and-critical possessions in (essentially) every Suns game.

Three takeaways

• Eight of the Suns’ 10 games have been within five points in the last five minutes, and Durant is 12-for-19 on clutch shots, with huge buckets coming against the Sixers and Heat last week. He’s just 2-for-7 on clutch 3s, but one of those makes was a completely unbothered pull-up over an earnest contest from Daniel Gafford as the Suns got a big win in Dallas on Friday. The Suns remain undefeated (7-0) in clutch games with Durant in uniform, but their seven-game winning streak ended Sunday when they couldn’t get late stops against the Kings, who scored 26 points on 16 clutch possessions.

• With all the close wins, the Suns are tied for the West’s best record but have the conference’s 10th best point differential (+2.1 per game). Statistically, they’re a worse team than they were last season (plus-3.1 per game, plus-3.1 per 100 possessions).

• The drop-off has mostly been on offense. The Suns have seen the league’s biggest drop in turnover rate (good), but also its biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage (not good). They’ve also become even more of a jump-shooting team, taking only 40% of their shots in the paint, the league’s second-lowest rate and down from 46% last season.

The Suns’ NBA Cup opener in Utah on Tuesday is the start of a four-game trip and their first stretch of five games in seven days. Their second Cup game is their first meeting with the Thunder, who swept the three-game series last season. Devin Booker played in just one of the three games, but the Suns lost that one by 25.

Week 4: @ UTA*, @ SAC, @ OKC*, @ MIN

Record: 7-3

OffRtg: 116.9 (6) DefRtg: 114.2 (18) NetRtg: +2.7 (12) Pace: 101.2 (7)

The Nuggets lost Aaron Gordon for multiple weeks before they got Jamal Murray back from a three-game absence, but they’ve seemingly put their early-season worries behind them, winning five straight (and seven of their last eight) games.

Three takeaways

• The bench had some good nights last week. On Monday, the Nuggets rallied from a double-digit, fourth-quarter deficit for the second time against the Raptors and got their first win in a game in which they were outscored with Nikola Jokić on the floor. (They had two such wins last season.)

• On Wednesday (with Murray still out), Julian Strawther didn’t shoot well, but the lineup with him in Russell Westbrook’s place outscored Oklahoma City by 17 points in 11 minutes. Peyton Watson (starting for Gordon) got the game-sealing block as Denver handed the Thunder their first loss of the season.

• But with Murray back for the last two games, bench minutes were not so good, with Denver getting outscored by 28 points in his 23 minutes on the bench. The solution may be to, somehow, keep Strawther and Westbrook separated. Denver has been outscored by 21.4 points per 100 possessions in their 147 minutes on the floor together, but it’s a plus-5.1 per 100 in 166 total minutes with one on the floor without the other.

The Nuggets have four days off before beginning a stretch where they’re playing nine of 12 on the road. It begins Friday with their NBA Cup opener in New Orleans, where they lost a Cup game last November, one of three games last season where they never held a lead.

Week 4: @ NOP*, @ MEM

Record: 6-4

OffRtg: 115.3 (8) DefRtg: 109.7 (8) NetRtg: +5.6 (6) Pace: 98.8 (20)

The Wolves aren’t quite defending at the same level they did last season, but they’ve allowed less than a point per possession in three of their last four games. Unfortunately, that wasn’t good enough on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• On Thursday, the Wolves had the most efficient offensive game (135 points on 98 possessions) for any team since the Celtics’ blowout of the Knicks on opening night. That included 79 points on 51 possessions (155 per 100) in the second half when they turned a five-point deficit into a 16-point win in the final nine minutes. Overall, Minnesota has seen the league’s eighth-biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions from last season (114.6, 17th).

• Twenty-four hours later, the Wolves outscored the Blazers by 48 points (66-18) from 3-point range, with that being the largest 3-point differential since that same Knicks-Celtics game on opening night. This season, the Wolves are a plus-16.8 per game from beyond the arc. That would be the fourth biggest differential in the 46 seasons of the 3-point line (though second to the Celtics this season).

• Finally, on Sunday, the Wolves became the second team to lose a game (the Bulls were the first) in which it allowed less than a point per possession. After scoring more than 125 per 100 over their three-game winning streak, their offense came up empty against the Heat. They’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in free throw rate from last season and they had just 13 attempts in the one-point loss, unable to make up for a rough night from the perimeter.

The Wolves will play five of their next six games on the road, with both of their road NBA Cup games this week. The second is Friday in Sacramento, where they won by two (on Anthony Edwards’ free throws with 2.4 seconds left) in Week 1.

Week 4: @ POR*, @ POR, @ SAC*, vs. PHX

Record: 7-4

OffRtg: 116.8 (7) DefRtg: 108.4 (5) NetRtg: +8.4 (5) Pace: 103.2 (3)

The Grizzlies are 0-3 against the Nets and Bulls but have won five of their last six games, despite absences from three starters.

Three takeaways

• Regarding health, this season has, so far, been a continuation of last season. Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart have each missed the last six games, while Ja Morant was lost for the weekend (and beyond) with a hip injury. The Grizzlies’ most-used lineup has still played just 34 total minutes.

• Fortunately, the Grizzlies have played the league’s easiest schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage. Before Friday, they had been almost 23 points per 100 possessions better with Morant on the floor (plus-13.9) than they’d been with him off the floor (minus-9.0). But they got to play the Wizards and Blazers without him over the weekend, and they won the two games by 69 total points.

• With Morant playing just nine games last season, Jaren Jackson Jr. saw a big jump in usage rate and a big drop in efficiency from the season prior. This season, he’s registering a career-best effective field goal percentage of 62.3%, even though he’s been assisted on just 56% of his buckets, the lowest mark in his seven seasons.

The Grizzlies’ three-game trip gets progressively tougher with each game and concludes with their NBA Cup opener at Golden State on Friday. A stretch where they’re playing seven of eight at home begins with a two-game series against the Nuggets, with the first game on Sunday.

Week 4: @ LAL, @ GSW*, vs. DEN

Record: 6-4

OffRtg: 115.2 (9) DefRtg: 110.6 (11) NetRtg: +4.6 (7) Pace: 100.0 (12)

The Kings had a hiccup against the Clippers last week, but have still won six of their last eight games, picking up a quality victory in Phoenix on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Against Toronto on Wednesday, Domantas Sabonis recorded just the second perfect triple-double (with no missed shots and no turnovers) in (at least) the last 42 years, with the previous coming from Nikola Jokić in 2018. Sabonis has seen a drop in usage rate but is still averaging a career-high 20.5 points per game because of a big jump in efficiency. His true shooting percentage of 72.3% would be the highest mark in NBA history for a player averaging at least 16 points per game.

• Of course, it wouldn’t be good if Sabonis remained the Kings’ best 3-point shooter. De’Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk have all shot below 30% on 3-pointers and the Kings have been outscored by 12.6 points per game from beyond the arc. Only the Blazers have a worse discrepancy.

• The Kings’ loss to the Clippers on Friday counted as a clutch loss, because they got to within four with less than three minutes left, only to have Norman Powell drain a 3-pointer on the next possession to end a 7-0 run. They have a losing record (3-4) in games that have been within five in the last five, but they scored 43 points on 28 clutch possessions in their wins in Miami and Phoenix last week. Fox, Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan have combined to shoot 30-for-50 (60%) in the clutch this season.

The Kings’ overtime win in Phoenix on Sunday started their first stretch of five games in seven days, with their first rest-disadvantage games of the season coming on Monday in San Antonio and Saturday against the Jazz. They were 5-7 (2-3 at home, 3-4 on the road) in rest-disadvantage games last season.

Week 4: @ SAS, vs. PHX, vs. MIN*, vs. UTA

Record: 5-5

OffRtg: 113.7 (11) DefRtg: 117.2 (25) NetRtg: -3.5 (21) Pace: 99.7 (15)

The Pacers have been a little shorthanded, and they laid an egg in Charlotte on Friday. But their offense has been otherwise sharp as they’ve won three of four (beating the Mavs and Knicks along the way) to climb back to .500, which is good for third place in the East.

Three takeaways

• The Pacers scored an anemic 83 points on 94 possessions in the loss to the Hornets but scored 127.2 per 100 over their three wins last week. Bennedict Mathurin has been starting in place of Aaron Nesmith (ankle injury) and has averaged 24 points on an effective field goal percentage of 67.6% over the four games total.

• Mathurin is shooting (an unsustainable) 19-for-38 (50%) from 3-point range this season. But he’s also seen improvement inside, shooting 37-for-58 (64%) in the paint, up from 49% through his first two seasons. He has also always been able to get to the line, with his free throw rate of 54 attempts per 100 shots from the field ranking third (behind only Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson) among 99 players with at least 100 field goal attempts.

• There were eight seconds of clutch time on Sunday (before a Myles Turner 3-pointer put Indiana up seven with 4:52 left), so the Pacers remain one of two teams — the Sixers are the other — without a win that wasn’t within five points in the last five minutes.

It’s been a somewhat disappointing start, but the Pacers might be finding their stride and have a good chance to reach the NBA Cup elimination rounds for the second straight year because the rest of East Group B is the Pistons, Heat, Bucks and Raptors. Their toughest game of the four could be Friday against Miami.

Week 4: @ ORL. vs. MIA*, vs. MIA

Record: 5-5

OffRtg: 114.2 (10) DefRtg: 110.3 (10) NetRtg: +3.9 (10) Pace: 99.9 (14)

The Mavs went just 2-3 on their longest homestand of the season, then beginning a three-game trip with a loss in Denver.

Three takeaways

• The Mavs’ two weekend losses were by a total of three points to the Suns and Nuggets, and all four losses in this 2-4 stretch have been within five points in the last five minutes, while the two wins have each been by 20-plus. That’s how Dallas is 5-5 with top-10 marks on both ends of the floor.

• But defense could be a concern, with the Mavs having allowed 124.6 points per 100 possessions over their three losses last week. The three offenses – those of Indiana, Phoenix and Denver – all have the potential to rank in the top five by season’s end, but none of the three have started the year on fire.

• The Mavs have been shorthanded on the frontline, with P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II having missed the last three and four games, respectively. Maxi Kleber was available (for the first time since Week 1) on Sunday, but didn’t play, with Daniel Gafford logging a season-high 34 minutes against Nikola Jokic (who scored 37 points and grabbed eight offensive rebounds). Dallas has now registered a rebounding percentage below 50% in eight of its 10 games.

With their longest homestand of the season in the books, the Mavs’ loss in Denver on Sunday began a stretch where they’re playing 11 of 15 on the road. That stretch continues with their NBA Cup opener at Golden State, with the Mavs having lost both of their Cup road games last season.

Week 4: @ GSW*, @ UTA, vs. SAS, @ OKC

Record: 6-4

OffRtg: 113.4 (12) DefRtg: 109.0 (7) NetRtg: +4.4 (8) Pace: 97.8 (26)

The Rockets are staying afloat in the deep Western Conference, winning with the same defense that made them the league’s most-improved team a year ago.

Three takeaways

• The Rockets ranked 10th defensively last season and have seen the league’s 10th-biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions. They couldn’t stop the Thunder on Friday, but otherwise allowed just 101.7 per 100 possessions as they went 3-1 last week. Houston ranks third in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (53.2%), having held the Knicks to just 19-for-50 in the paint on Monday.

• The Rockets’ starters have played the fourth most minutes of any lineup in the league (150), but Amen Thompson and Tari Eason have sometimes been on the floor as seven of the Rockets’ 10 games have been within five points in the last five minutes. Thompson (who was guarding Jalen Brunson down the stretch) might have had the biggest play in their win over the Knicks when he rolled to the rim, faked a kick-out pass and put the Rockets up five with a dunk. Eason then made the biggest play on Sunday, saving a loose ball and finding Dillon Brooks under the basket with a little less than two minutes left.

• The team has outscored its opponents by 12 points per 100 possessions in 171 total minutes with both Eason and Thompson on the floor together. (It was plus 20.3 in just 72 minutes last season.)

The Rockets’ win in Detroit on Sunday was the start of a stretch of six straight games against teams that rank in the bottom 12 offensively, and they return to Houston for a three-game homestand that includes two big games against the Clippers. Their visit to Chicago on Sunday is the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 4: vs. WAS, vs. LAC, vs. LAC*, @ CHI

Record: 6-4

OffRtg: 117.0 (5) DefRtg: 117.5 (26) NetRtg: -0.5 (15) Pace: 99.6 (16)

The Lakers went 1-4 on their first road trip of the season but improved to 5-0 at home with wins over the Sixers and Raptors over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• It was a pretty good week for LeBron James. After scoring a season-high 39 points in Memphis, he recorded triple-doubles in the two home wins. Within his 16 assists against Toronto on Sunday were some truly special dimes, and his assist/turnover ratio of 3.18 would be the highest of his career by a pretty wide margin.

• The 39-point performance came with Anthony Davis missing a game for the first time this season, while the triple-doubles coincided with Cam Reddish replacing D’Angelo Russell in the Lakers’ starting lineup. The new lineup wasn’t bad over the weekend, but the Lakers were at their best with reserves (including Russell) on the floor.

• The Lakers remain in the bottom five defensively, having allowed more than 121 points per 100 possessions over the five-game trip. But they should be able to move up (playing four straight games against bottom-10 offenses) in the next few weeks.

The Lakers begin the defense of their reigning NBA Cup title with the first of two visits to San Antonio in the next 17 days. They split a two-game series in San Antonio last season, winning the game that Davis played in and getting clobbered in the one he missed.

Week 4: vs. MEM, @ SAS*, @ NOP

Record: 6-4

OffRtg: 110.5 (20) DefRtg: 107.7 (4) NetRtg: +2.8 (11) Pace: 97.4 (28)

The Clippers might be pretty good. They’ve won four straight games, including one in which they came back from 26 points.

Three takeaways

• Defense can make up for a lack of top-line talent, and while two-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard remains a spectator, the Clippers have a top-five defense. They have some dogs on the perimeter, but rebounding is also a big part of the defense, and the Clippers have seen the league’s biggest jump in defensive rebounding percentage. They won in Sacramento on Friday, improving to 3-0 on the road by (in part) holding the Kings to just seven second-chance points.

• James Harden has shot just 15-for-48 (31%) (and has 17 turnovers) over the last three games, but Norman Powell continues to score efficiently, shooting an incredible 19-for-31 (61%) from 3-point range over the winning streak. Powell has shot better than 50% on both pull-up 2-pointers (13-for-25) and pull-up 3s (21-for-40).

• The Clippers’ starting lineup was outscored by 14 points in 16 minutes against the Spurs on Monday when the league’s fifth-ranked bench fueled a comeback from 26 points down. Since the start of the 2021-22 season, the Clips have five wins in games they’ve trailed by at least 25 points, while no other team has more than two.

The Clippers are one of only two teams (the Cavs are obviously the other) without a road loss but will face a tough road test on Monday when they visit the Thunder. They’ll have a rest advantage, but also had one (at home) against OKC nine days ago, when they had their worst offensive performance (92 points on 100 possessions) of the season.

Week 4: @ OKC, @ HOU, @ HOU*, vs. UTA

Record: 4-5

OffRtg: 119.5 (2) DefRtg: 115.5 (21) NetRtg: +4.0 (9) Pace: 96.1 (30)

Only three Eastern Conference teams are .500 or better, and the Knicks aren’t one of them, having lost three of their last four games.

Three takeaways

• That the Knicks are 4-5 with the league’s second-ranked offense tells you where their issues begin. Their starting lineup has allowed 122 points per 100 possessions, the worst mark among 10 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes. Some of that is 3-point shooting (42.2%) which should drop with time, but opponents have also shot 63% inside the arc with the starters on the floor.

• The Knicks are also 4-5 with a positive point differential, having lost four of their five games that were within five points in the last five minutes. They’ve grabbed less than 30% of available rebounds with the score within five in the last five and their inability to grab a board (without fouling) hurt them down the stretch in Atlanta on Wednesday.

• They didn’t have to worry about clutch time on Friday when they beat the Bucks by 22 (when Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart combined for 16 assists and zero turnovers). Brunson’s scoring efficiency is down a little from his first two seasons in New York, but his assist/turnover ratio of 3.69 is the best mark of his career by a wide margin. Hart, meanwhile, is averaging a career-high 5.1 assists per game, having dished out 28 over the last four.

The Knicks and Sixers are two of the three teams (Miami is the other) that have yet to play a back-to-back. They’ll both begin their first back-to-back of the season when they open Emirates Cup play in Philadelphia on Tuesday, also the start of the Knicks’ first stretch of five games in seven days. The last four games of that stretch are at home and against the Bulls, Nets (x 2) and Wizards.

Week 4: @ PHI*, vs. CHI, vs. BKN*, vs. BKN

Record: 4-5

OffRtg: 111.1 (18) DefRtg: 112.4 (15) NetRtg: -1.3 (17) Pace: 97.9 (25)

After losing their first three games against the Western Conference, the Heat got an impressive win (without Jimmy Butler) in Minnesota on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The win came via a great inbounds play for a Nikola Jović and-one layup in what was the first game that Jović didn’t start. The Heat’s regular lineup has been outscored by 20.8 points per 100 possessions, one reason why both Haywood Highsmith and rookie Pelle Larsson had played more minutes than Jović through the Heat’s first four November games. Highsmith and Kevin Love (making his season debut) started in place of Butler (ankle) and Jović on Sunday when Jaime Jaquez Jr. also returned from a three-game absence.

• When Tyler Herro hit Jović for the big bucket on Sunday, three players on the floor celebrated toward the bench (because of the play design) instead of with the guy who just scored. Ultimately, the play was just a single back-screen that should have been switched, but the initial formation clearly had the Wolves confused.

• The Heat also played a lot of zone on Sunday, having also played a lot in Denver two nights earlier. Their 9.9 possessions of zone per game leads the league but is still down from 12 last season and 18.8 the season prior, according to Synergy tracking.

The second half of the Heat’s six-game trip is against the Eastern Conference, with their first two NBA Cup games in Detroit and Indiana. They beat the Pistons in Week 2 despite the starting lineup getting outscored by nine points in its 11 minutes.

Week 4: @ DET*, @ IND*, @ IND

Record: 5-6

OffRtg: 109.0 (25) DefRtg: 106.8 (2) NetRtg: +2.2 (13) Pace: 99.3 (18)

After losing their first four games without Paolo Banchero (the last four games of an 0-5 trip), the Magic have won two straight, handling their business against the Pelicans and Wizards.

Three takeaways

• Games 3 and 4 of the Magic’s 0-5 trip — losses in Dallas and Oklahoma City — were two of the five worst offensive games for any team this season. They made 17 3-pointers on Sunday, but have still shot just 26.3% from beyond the arc over these six games without Banchero. Orlando’s bigs — Jonathan Isaac, Mo Wagner, Goga Bitadze and Wendell Carter Jr. — shot a combined 5-for-35 on 3-pointers.

• Carter has also missed five of the last six games, but the absence of the starting frontline hasn’t hurt the Magic inside, as they’ve outscored their last four opponents by 102 points (25.5 per game) in the restricted area. Franz Wagner was one of six players with at least 20 restricted-area buckets last week, with the other five all being full or part-time centers.

• The Magic are 4-0 at home and 1-6 on the road, having been 26.5 points per 100 possessions better at the Kia Center (plus-19.3) than they’ve been elsewhere (minus-7.2). That’s the league’s biggest home-road differential by a wide margin.

The rest of the Magic’s five-game homestand includes their two NBA Cup home games, and all three games are against teams currently in the bottom half of the league defensively. Both of their games with the Pacers have been within five points in the last five minutes.

Week 4: vs. CHA*, vs. IND, vs. PHI*

Record: 4-6

OffRtg: 112.7 (16) DefRtg: 113.4 (17) NetRtg: -0.8 (16) Pace: 96.8 (29)

The Nets remain competitive, holding fourth-quarter leads in Boston and Cleveland over the weekend before coming up short down the stretch both nights.

Three takeaways

• After coming off the bench in his first six games, Nic Claxton has started the last three, and the Nets’ lineup with him at the five has outscored opponents by 13.2 points per 100 possessions, the third best mark among the 19 lineups that have played at least 75 total minutes. It has the best defensive mark (104.6 allowed per 100) in that group, having held two of the league’s top three offenses to just 92 points on 90 possessions (102 per 100) over the weekend.

• Of course, the Celtics and Cavs are also terrific defensively, and when those games got tight, the Nets scored just 23 points on 27 clutch possessions, shooting 8-for-26 from the field. Their defensive numbers haven’t been much better in the clutch and four of their six losses have been by five points or fewer, with three of those at the hands of the Nuggets, Celtics and Cavs.

• Cam Thomas ranks sixth in usage rate and leads the Nets at 25.2 points per game, but Dennis Schröder might be more important to the offense. He ranks second (behind only Trae Young) in time of possession and has an effective field goal percentage of 60.2% on pull-up jumpers, the fifth best mark among 34 players with at least 50 pull-up attempts. The Nets have been outscored by 41 points (23.5 per 100 possessions) in Thomas’ 97 minutes on the floor without Schröder.

The Nets get a little schedule reprieve with their visit to New Orleans on Monday, but then play their next three games against Boston and New York. They’ve lost five straight to the Celtics and are 0-6 against the Knicks (having won the previous nine meetings) since trading Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

Week 4: @ NOP, vs. BOS, @ NYK*, @ NYK

Record: 4-6

OffRtg: 109.0 (24) DefRtg: 114.5 (19) NetRtg: -5.4 (23) Pace: 105.2 (1)

The Bulls got Zach LaVine back from a three-game absence and put an end to a four-game losing streak on Saturday, coming back from 18 points down (familiar territory) to win in Atlanta.

Three takeaways

• The Bulls have been outscored by 22 points per 100 possessions (the league’s second-worst mark) in the first quarter and have trailed in nine of their 10 games by at least 15 points. Chicago, Denver and Phoenix (three each) account for nine of the league’s 17 wins when trailing by at least 15.

• The Bulls won the first quarter for the first time on Thursday and led the Wolves by five early in the fourth, but somehow lost by 16. Overall, the Wolves’ 135 points on 98 possessions (the slowest-paced game the Bulls have played) was the most efficient offensive game for any team since the Celtics on opening night. Having allowed Utah to get its first win while scoring 135 on 103 earlier in the week, the Bulls are one of three teams to have allowed more than 130 points per 100 possessions more than once.

• The win in Atlanta on Saturday came with a rest advantage and with the Bulls playing 11 guys, eight of which scored in double-figures. They continue to rank in the top five in both ball and player movement.

The Bulls were one of five winless teams in the NBA Cup last season, and they’ll begin Cup play in Cleveland (where they’ve lost four straight) on Friday.

Week 4: vs. CLE, @ NYK, @ CLE*, vs. HOU

Record: 4-7

OffRtg: 111.7 (17) DefRtg: 117.6 (27) NetRtg: -5.9 (24) Pace: 103.7 (2)

The Hawks got a nice win over the Knicks on Wednesday but followed that up with losses to the Pistons and Bulls.

Three takeaways

• The win over New York came with a huge game (33 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks) from Zaccharie Risacher, who had a huge bucket down the stretch when the Knicks doubled Trae Young. The Hawks’ lineup with Risacher in De’Andre Hunter’s place surpassed the 100-minute mark on Saturday and has allowed just 108.0 points per 100 possessions, the second-best mark among the 10 lineups that have played at least 100.

• Losses to the Celtics and Bulls last week were just the 14th and 15th times in his career that Trae Young has played at least 20 minutes (444 games total, including Play-In and playoffs) and had zero free throw attempts. League-wide free throw rate (FTA/FGA) remains up and the Hawks have seen the fifth biggest jump as a team, but Young’s (38 attempts per 100 shots from the field) is down slightly from last season (40 per 100).

• The Hawks have now played six of their l1 games against the other six Eastern Conference teams that didn’t make the playoffs last season, and they’re 2-4 (with four straight losses) in those games. They were just 11-11 within the bottom seven last season.

That 2-4 mark includes two losses to the Wizards, who the Hawks will host on Friday. Then they’ll embark on their first multi-game road trip of the season (four games over six days).

Week 4: @ BOS*, vs. WAS*, @ POR

Record: 4-6

OffRtg: 108.0 (26) DefRtg: 110.7 (12) NetRtg: -2.7 (19) Pace: 98.2 (22)

Before they got Devin Vassell back, the Spurs lost Jeremy Sochan to a broken thumb. They’ve also lost three of their last four games, including one they led by 26 points.

Three takeaways

• The Spurs’ 26-point lead in LA on Monday was the largest for a losing team this season and the third largest for the Spurs in a game they lost in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data. They allowed the Clippers to score 99 points on 67 possessions (148 per 100) over the final 36 minutes, even though Victor Wembanyama had seven of his nine blocks over that stretch.

• He had seven more blocks in the Spurs’ loss to the Jazz on Saturday, and would now be the first player to average at least four blocks per game since Dikembe Mutombo in 1995-96. When Wembanyama’s been off the floor, San Antonio opponents have shot 61.4% in the paint. When he’s been on the floor, that number is just 49.2%, including just 25-for-70 (35.7%) at the rim when he’s been there to protect it.

• Vassell made his season debut on Saturday, scoring 21 points (on 8-for-13 shooting) in less than 22 minutes off the bench. With Sochan out of the lineup and Stephon Castle (or Vassell) in, the Spurs will have better spacing around Wembanyama, which should allow him to operate more near the basket. He’s still taken at least half of his shots from outside the paint in every game this season, with that rate a season-high 80% (12/15) on Saturday.

The Spurs were 0-4 in the NBA Cup last season, and their first Cup game this year will be against the team that was 7-0. Their game against the Lakers on Friday is also the end of a five-game homestand.

Week 4: vs. SAC, vs. WAS, vs. LAL*, @ DAL

Record: 4-6

OffRtg: 110.1 (21) DefRtg: 112.8 (16) NetRtg: -2.8 (20) Pace: 98.6 (21)

The Hornets had their first winning streak of the season, beating the Pistons and Pacers at home before losing in overtime in Philadelphia on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Brandon Miller had an eventful week, tipping in the game-winner against Detroit, catching fire (with 17 third-quarter points) against Indiana, and missing a 3 for the win in Philadelphia. The game-winner was a rare foray inside for the second-year wing, who has taken just 28% of his shots in the paint. He’s shot 84% from the free throw line in his career (15-for-16 this season), so more drives and more free throws would be helpful.

• But the game-winner was representative of the Hornets’ improvement on the offensive glass. They’ve retained 33.8% of available offensive rebounds this season, the league’s fourth-highest rate and up from 24.3% (27th) last season. Mark Williams remains out and Nick Richards has missed the last five games, but Taj Gibson and Moussa Diabaté combined for as many offensive boards (8) as the Sixers (who have Andre Drummond) had on Sunday.

• With Miles Bridges (bone bruise in his right knee) out the last two games, 19-year-old Tidjane Salaün has been in the starting lineup alongside the 39-year-old Gibson. The Hornets scored just 41 points on 50 offensive possessions with the frontline duo on the floor together over the weekend, and Charles Lee has leaned heavily on his bench. Over these last three games, Charlotte has outscored opponents by 45 points (26.2 per 100 possessions) in Cody Martin’s 87 minutes.

It’s not a bad time to be playing the Magic, and the Hornets will face them twice in the next 15 days. The first meeting is their NBA Cup opener in Orlando on Tuesday, after which Charlotte will have three full days off.

Week 4: @ ORL*, vs. MIL, @ CLE

Record: 4-7

OffRtg: 109.3 (22) DefRtg: 111.7 (14) NetRtg: -2.4 (18) Pace: 98.1 (23)

The Pistons have shown signs of progress and certainly aren’t where they were a year ago (eight games into a 28-game losing streak), but offense remains a struggle.

Three takeaways

• Has Cade Cunningham arrived? The fourth-year guard recorded three straight triple-doubles last week, also making two huge plays down the stretch of the Pistons’ win over the Hawks on Friday. He followed up his deft, lefty go-ahead bucket with the game-saving block on Onyeka Okongwu at the buzzer after the Pistons had blown a 24-point lead.

• The Pistons rank sixth in defensive rebounding percentage overall but haven’t had their best rebounder (Jalen Duren) for the last 2 1/2 games, and they got burned by some offensive boards down the stretch of their losses to the Hornets and Rockets. Malik Beasley whiffed on his last-second box-out in Charlotte on Wednesday, allowing Brandon Miller to slide by him for the game-winning tip-in. And they allowed seven clutch second-chance points in their two-point loss to Houston on Sunday afternoon.

• The Pistons are one of the 10 teams that have scored more points per 100 possessions than they did last season (109.0, 27th), but have had some ugly offensive nights in the last couple of weeks, and turnovers continue to be an issue. Only the Jazz have committed more per 100 possessions.

The Pistons are one of seven teams with three stretches of five games in seven days this season. Their first begins Tuesday with their NBA Cup opener, a visit from the Heat. Cunningham and Jaden Ivey combined for nine of the team’s 17 turnovers in their loss in Miami in Week 2.

Week 4: vs. MIA*, @ MIL, @ TOR*, @ WAS

Record: 2-8

OffRtg: 110.6 (19) DefRtg: 115.7 (22) NetRtg: -5.1 (22) Pace: 100.0 (13)

Over the last nine days, the Bucks have had fourth-quarter leads in three games against the two teams — the Cavs and Celtics — dominating the Eastern Conference. But they haven’t been able to finish the job and are still waiting for their breakthrough, with their only two wins having come against Philadelphia and Utah.

Three takeaways

• The Bucks’ original starting lineup didn’t have bad numbers overall (plus-5.5 points per 100 possessions in 108 minutes), but Gary Trent Jr. has shot just 9-for-39 (23%) from 3-point range, also coming up short regarding the disruptive defense that he’s provided in the past. Trent has missed the last two games with back spasms, but he was first replaced by Andre Jackson. And with Jackson starting on Thursday, and the Bucks ran out to a 21-11 lead against the Jazz. Nine Bucks have played at least 50 minutes alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, with the best on-court numbers among those eight Antetokounmpo combos (plus-7.2 points per 100 possessions in 86 total minutes) belonging to Jackson.

• AJ Green has also been getting some run off the bench and has shot 18-for-27 (67%) from 3-point range over the last four games. All 38 of his shots this season have come from beyond the arc.

• Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, has taken just 3% of his shots from 3-point range, with this being the fifth straight season in which he’s seen a drop in 3-point rate. He’s also passing the ball less, averaging just 5.4 assists per 36 minutes, his lowest rate in the last seven seasons. He’s passed on just 23.9% of his drives, down from 37.5% last season.

The Bucks still have two games left on their first stretch of five games in seven days, but their loss to the Celtics on Sunday began a stretch where they’re playing seven of eight at home.

Week 4: vs. TOR*, vs. DET, @ CHA

Record: 2-7

OffRtg: 107.4 (27) DefRtg: 114.7 (20) NetRtg: -7.3 (26) Pace: 97.5 (27)

Paul George made his Sixers debut last week, but Joel Embiid got suspended before he could return, and Tyrese Maxey suffered a hamstring injury on Wednesday. It’s still not clear when we’ll see all three on the floor together.

Three takeaways

• George is clearly dealing with some rust, shooting just 39% (including 4-for-25 from 3-point range) over his four games while committing six turnovers in his debut. The Sixers scored just 100.4 points per 100 possessions in his 113 minutes on the floor, and they were outscored by 14 points (scoring 78 points on 80 possessions) in the 38 minutes that George and Maxey played together over two games.

• The Sixers signed Andre Drummond to, hopefully, make their non-Embiid minutes (and games) not so bad, but they’ve been outscored by 19.8 points per 100 possessions in Drummond’s 235 minutes on the floor. That’s the fourth worst on-court mark (worst among non-Jazz players) among 256 players who’ve averaged at least 15 minutes in five games or more. Guerschon Yabusele closed both of their close games last week at the five and it will be fascinating to see who’s the back-up on Tuesday.

• Where Embiid catches the ball and how much he’s operating in the paint (something affected by his energy level) will be critical to watch in his debut. The Sixers were a plus-14 in the restricted area in their overtime win over the Hornets on Sunday, but have still been outscored by 6.9 restricted-area points per game, the league’s sixth-worst discrepancy.

The Sixers’ NBA Cup game against the Knicks on Tuesday is the first night of a back-to-back, so we probably won’t see Embiid against the Cavs the following night. The Sixers have won their last seven games in Orlando, where they’ll begin a three-game trip on Friday.

Week 4: vs. NYK*, vs. CLE, @ ORL*

Record: 2-9

OffRtg: 112.7 (15) DefRtg: 120.0 (30) NetRtg: -7.3 (25) Pace: 100.4 (10)

The Raptors have dropped into last place in the Eastern Conference, having lost the first four games of their five-game trip.

Three takeaways

• The Raptors have twice had double-digit leads with less than seven minutes left against the Nuggets, and they lost both games. RJ Barrett had a chance for redemption (after air-balling a 3-pointer one possession earlier) at the buzzer on Monday, but his step-back 3 for the win spun in and out. The Raptors are 3-for-14 (21%) on clutch 3s for the season, with Barrett 1-for-7.

• With Scottie Barnes having missed the last seven games and Immanuel Quickley missing eight before returning over the weekend, Barrett is registering a career-high usage rate of 29.9%. This is the first time since his rookie year that he’s been assisted on less than half of his buckets, and his true shooting percentage (52.2%) is way down from his 32 games with the Raptors last season (61.5%).

• The Raptors rank last in opponent free throw rate by a wide margin, with their opponents having attempted 38 free throws per 100 shots from the field. Over their six November games, they’ve attempted 83 fewer free throws than their opponents. And for the season, the difference at the line has been greater than or equal to the overall point differential in six of their nine losses.

Winless on their current trip and 0-6 away from Scotiabank Arena overall, the Raptors are the only team without a road win. They’ll try again when they open NBA Cup play in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Dating back to Game 5 of the 2019 conference finals, they’ve won seven of their last 10 games at Fiserv Forum.

Week 4: @ MIL*, vs. DET*, @ BOS

Record: 3-8

OffRtg: 105.4 (29) DefRtg: 116.1 (23) NetRtg: -10.8 (28) Pace: 100.3 (11)

The Blazers had shown some signs of progress, but the wheels may be coming off three games into their second stretch of five games in seven days. They lost their two weekend games by a total of 70 points.

Three takeaways

• Matisse Thybulle remains out, but both Shaedon Sharpe and Robert Williams III made their season debuts last week. Sharpe (1-for-13 from 3-point range in his three games) replaced Deni Avdija in the starting lineup on Sunday, while Williams played 11 minutes alongside Donovan Clingan over the weekend. The Blazers allowed Minnesota and Memphis to score 41 points on 27 defensive possessions (1.52 per) in those 11 minutes.

• The Blazers entered this season having lost nine of their last 10 games to the Pelicans, but they’re 2-1 vs. New Orleans this season (with the final meeting in January), having scored more than 128 points per 100 possessions in both of the wins and no more than 114 per 100 in any of their other nine games.

• Delano Banton was the hero last Monday, not playing at all in the first three quarters and then scoring 20 points (on 8-for-9 shooting) as the Blazers won the fourth by 21. He proceeded to shoot 9-for-33 over the next three games, though the Blazers have still outscored their opponents by almost 14 points per 100 possessions in his 95 minutes this season.

Sharpe had a game-saving block as the Blazers won their first NBA Cup game (in overtime vs. Memphis) last year (then losing their next three by double-digits). They’ll begin Cup play on Tuesday with the first of two straight games against the Wolves.

Week 4: vs. MIN*, vs. MIN, vs. ATL

Record: 3-7

OffRtg: 109.3 (23) DefRtg: 119.9 (29) NetRtg: -10.6 (27) Pace: 98.1 (24)

The injuries continue to pile up for the Pelicans, who lost Jordan Hawkins (lower back strain) and Zion Williamson (hamstring strain) this week, already missing four other guys in their top six.

Three takeaways

• Not coincidentally, the Pelicans have lost seven of their last eight games. But while the missing star power is the story, it’s on defense where they’re struggling. They’ve allowed 124.8 points per 100 possessions (3.6 more than any other team) over the 1-7 stretch. They now rank last in opponent effective field goal percentage and 29th in defensive rebounding percentage.

• The Pelicans have been outscored by at least 10 points in the restricted area in nine of their 10 games total, with a season-worst differential of -46 (outscored 64-18) in Orlando on Friday.

• Brandon Boston Jr. is one bright spot as he’s averaged 17.6 points on an effective field goal percentage of 60.5% over the Pelicans’ five November games. That includes 26 (one shy of his career high) on Friday when he was handling the ball quite a bit and improved to 10-for-17 (59%) from mid-range for the season.

The Pelicans could get (at least) one guy back this week as Trey Murphy III is listed as probable for their game against the Nets on Monday. After that, the schedule gets pretty rough for the next six games.

Week 4: vs. BKN, @ OKC, vs. DEN*, vs. LAL

Record: 2-7

OffRtg: 103.1 (30) DefRtg: 116.7 (24) NetRtg: -13.6 (30) Pace: 101.9 (6)

After an 0-6 start, the Jazz got off the schneid in Chicago (they just needed to play the Eastern Conference to get their first win), picking up another victory in San Antonio on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The win in Chicago came without Lauri Markkanen and with John Collins scoring 28 points (including a monster dunk over Coby White) off the bench, where he’s remained even with Utah’s two starting forwards (Markkanen and Taylor Hendricks) unavailable. Collins is averaging fewer minutes this season, but has career-high marks in both usage rate (26.3%) and assist ratio (14 per 100 possessions used).

• The Jazz have been the league’s worst jump-shooting team, ranking last in mid-range field goal percentage (26.3%) and 26th in 3-point percentage (31.6%). But they’ve outscored their opponents by 5.7 points per game (the league’s third-best differential) at the free throw line (where Collins is 25-for-26). They were outscored by 27 from outside the paint in San Antonio, but were a plus-20 in the paint and a plus-8 at the line.

• The Jazz have started two rookies in four of their last five games, with Cody Williams in the lineup since Hendricks’ injury, Kyle Filipowski replacing Markkanen for his three-game absence, and Isaiah Collier (two days after making his NBA debut) replacing Keyonte George (foot soreness) on Saturday. They rank third in the percentage of their minutes that have come from rookies or second-year players (36%) after ranking fifth (39%) last season.

The Jazz are in West Group B with the Lakers, Thunder, Suns and Spurs for the NBA Cup. They’ll open Cup action against Phoenix on Tuesday, Game 1 of a two-game homestand that’s sandwiched by two four-game trips.

Week 4: vs. PHX*, vs. DAL, @ SAC, @ LAC

Record: 2-6

OffRtg: 106.9 (28) DefRtg: 119.3 (28) NetRtg: -12.4 (29) Pace: 103.2 (4)

Thank goodness for the Hawks, because without their two wins vs. Atlanta, the Wizards would have nothing but double-digit losses.

Three takeaways

• Kyle Kuzma has missed the last five games. The first was the team’s best offensive game of the season (133 points on 106 possessions), with seven Wizards scoring in double-figures. But over their four-game losing streak, the Wizards have scored just 100.7 points per 100 possessions, shooting below 25% from 3-point range. That includes 1-for-16 from Corey Kispert, their best shooter.

• Alex Sarr had a “welcome to the league” moment on Monday. On the Warriors’ very first possession, Sarr switched on to Stephen Curry and then abandoned the greatest shooter ever after he got rid of the ball. That was, of course, a mistake. Sarr does have decent rim protection numbers, with opponents having shot 34-for-59 (57.6%) at the rim when he’s been there.

• Jonas Valančiūnas got his second start of the season on Friday, though the Wizards went back to Kyshawn George in the lineup (and Sarr at the five) for the second half and then again on Sunday. They’ve allowed 126.4 points per 100 possessions with Valančiūnas on the floor, with that being the second-worst on-court defensive mark among 300 players who’ve averaged at least 10 minutes per game.

Last season’s Wizards were the first team in 39 years to go winless (0-13) in the second game of back-to-backs. Their first chance for a win without rest this season is Monday in Houston, where the Wizards have won just one of their last seven games.

Week 4: @ HOU, @ SAS, @ ATL*, vs. DET