The Hornets are among several postseason-bound teams in the East who have yet to lock in a definitive spot.

There are two weeks left and 111 games remaining in the regular season. We’ve known for a while now which teams won’t be participating in the postseason, but that was made official last week.

With the playoffs approaching, certain races are intensifying. The Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have clinched playoff spots, but none of them has clinched an exact seed. With so much left to be determined, the most interesting races may be in the Eastern Conference.

The Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers all have 32 or 33 losses. One of those three teams will be going to the SoFi Play-In Tournament, while (likely) two will secure automatic berths in the first round of the playoffs.

In spots No. 8-10 in the East, the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets all have 35 or 36 losses. One of those three teams will finish eighth and have two chances to make the playoffs. The other two will have the odds against them and maybe one of those teams could climb into the higher tier. None of the three has a particularly easy schedule over these next two weeks.

Note: With their results not mattering much, we continue to recap the season for the bottom 10 teams in the league. This week’s notes for those teams will focus on their defense, with offensive notes having come last week.

Plus-Minus Players of the Week

Teams of the Week

Make It Last Forever: Boston (3-0) — The Celtics beat the champs and then won two games (against good teams) without Jaylen Brown .
Something Just Ain’t Right: Orlando (1-3) — The Magic should not be among the teams with a 50-point loss this season.

* * *

East vs. West

The West is 220-204 (.519) against the East in interconference games after going 17-14 last week.

Schedule strength through Week 23

Toughest: 1. Brooklyn, 2. Sacramento, 3. New Orleans
Easiest: 1. Detroit, 2. New York, 3. Denver
Schedule strength = cumulative opponent record.

* * *

Movement in the Rankings

High jumps of the week: Atlanta (+3), LA Clippers (+3)
Free falls of the week: Orlando (-3), Utah (-3)

* * *

Week 24 Team to Watch

Philadelphia — The Sixers’ stars are all back in the lineup, and they’ve got a chance to climb back into the top six in the Eastern Conference. They’ll visit the Heat on Monday and also have a tough back-to-back at home over the weekend, hosting the Wolves and Pistons.

* * *

Previously…

OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)

The league has averaged 114.6 points scored per 100 possessions and 100.2 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.

NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, contact him via Bluesky.

#1

LogoOklahoma City ThunderLast Week:1

Record: 59-16

OffRtg: 117.3 (7) DefRtg: 106.3 (1) NetRtg: +11.0 (1) Pace: 100.4 (14)

The Thunder’s 12-game winning streak came to an end in Boston on Wednesday, but they completed a sweep of the Knicks over the weekend and still have a little bit of a cushion at the top of the West standings.

Three takeaways

More important than the results was that Jalen Williams returned from a 16-game absence last week. He struggled (2-for-9 shooting) in the loss in Boston, but saw increased minutes with each game and scored 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting (and 7-for-7 from the line) in the win over the Knicks on Sunday. Williams’ most important role is keeping the offense afloat when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor and the Thunder scored 99 points on 85 possessions (116 per 100) in Williams’ 40 minutes on the floor without the MVP last week.

The Thunder aren’t winning the possession game nearly as much as they did last season. They’ve averaged just 1.4 more shot opportunities than their opponents, the league’s 11th-best differential, but down from +4.3 (and second best) last season. Only three teams have seen bigger drops, and it’s partially due to the Thunder seeing the league’s third-biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage. They had just four offensive boards and a season-low two second-chance points in the loss in Boston on Wednesday, falling to 18-11 when they’ve had fewer shot opportunities than their opponent. They’re 41-5 otherwise.

The magic number (combination of OKC wins and San Antonio losses) for the Thunder to clinch the league’s best record is six. The Spurs have four games remaining against teams currently at or below .500, while the Thunder have only one.

Coming up: The Thunder are just 5-7 in the second games of back-to-backs, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they host the Pistons on Monday. That was also the case when they lost in Detroit (without Gilgeous-Alexander and several others) last month.

Week 24: vs. DET, vs. LAL, vs. UTA

#2

LogoSan Antonio SpursLast Week:2

Record: 56-18

OffRtg: 118.4 (4) DefRtg: 110.1 (3) NetRtg: +8.3 (2) Pace: 100.8 (12)

With the league’s longest active winning streak (eight games), the Spurs are keeping the pressure on the Thunder, who they trail by just two games in the loss column.

Three takeaways

Victor Wembanyama had three steals and seven blocks (in less than 27 minutes) in the Spurs’ win in Memphis on Wednesday, giving him 11 games of at least 10 steals + blocks over his three seasons in the league. The rest of the league has just five such games over those three years, with no other player having more than one.

Wembanyama being healthier this season is one reason why the Spurs have been the league’s most improved defensive team by a wide margin, allowing 6.2 fewer points per 100 possessions than in 2024-25. However, he’s still only played about 200 more minutes (1,725) than he did in 2024-25 (1,527), and the Spurs have been much better defensively in both his minutes on the floor (102.9 vs. 110.0 allowed per 100) versus his minutes off the floor (113.8 vs. 118.2 allowed per 100).

The Spurs are the only team that ranks in the top five in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (54.4%, fourth) and opponent free throw rate (23.0 attempts per 100 shots from the field, first). Their win on Saturday was the first time in more than five years that a team (the Bucks) attempted fewer than 25 shots in the paint (they were 14-for-24) and fewer than 10 free throws (5-for-6).

Coming up: With the Spurs set to finish first or second in the West, a first-round series with the eighth-place Clippers is a distinct possibility. The Spurs have won both of the first two meetings (both in March) by exactly four points, and the final meeting will be in LA on Thursday, the second half of the Spurs’ final back-to-back.

Week 24: vs. CHI, @ GSW, @ LAC, @ DEN

#3

LogoBoston CelticsLast Week:5↑

Record: 50-24

OffRtg: 119.4 (2) DefRtg: 111.5 (4) NetRtg: +7.9 (4) Pace: 95.4 (30)

The league’s longest active playoff streak has officially been extended to 12 years. The Celtics have won seven of their last eight games, ending the Thunder’s 12-game winning streak along the way, and giving themselves a three-game lead (in the loss column) over the Knicks for second place in the East.

Three takeaways

The Celtics’ win over the Thunder was just the eighth time this season that the champs have allowed more than 120 points per 100 possessions. The Celtics rank last (by a healthy margin) in free-throw rate, but Jaylen Brown has the highest rate of his career (34.5 attempts per 100 shots from the field), and he outscored Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the line (12-10) on Wednesday.

Brown has missed the last two games, but the Celtics beat the Hawks and Hornets without him, improving to 8-1 without their first-team All-NBA candidate. Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum totaled 64 and 58 points, respectively, over the two games, and the Celtics have now outscored their opponents by 11.4 points per 100 possessions in Brown’s 1,334 minutes off the floor.

There were worries about their frontline coming into the season, but the Celtics now rank third in total rebounding percentage (their highest standing in the last 17 seasons), having seen the league’s fourth biggest jump from last season (11th). They outscored the Thunder and Hawks by 26 total points (37-11) on second chances and limited the Hornets to just six second-chance points (their second-lowest total of the season) on Sunday.

Coming up: With the wins over the Hawks and Hornets last week, the Celtics are 13-5 (7-2 on the road) against the 5-10 tier in the East (all potential first-round opponents). Five of their remaining eight games are against that group, with visits to Atlanta and Miami coming in the next three days.

Week 24: @ ATL, @ MIA, @ MIL, vs. TOR

#4

LogoDetroit PistonsLast Week:3↓

Record: 54-20

OffRtg: 117.0 (9) DefRtg: 108.7 (2) NetRtg: +8.3 (3) Pace: 100.0 (18)

The Pistons are 5-1 over Cade Cunningham’s absence, maintaining a four-game lead at the top of the Eastern Conference. The only loss came in overtime to Atlanta on Wednesday after they erased a 21-point deficit.

Three takeaways

The Pistons are now 10-3 without Cunningham, having allowed just 104.1 points per 100 possessions over the 13 games. Six of the 10 wins have come against the bottom 10 teams in the league, but the Lakers had all three of their stars last Monday, when the Pistons ended their nine-game winning streak behind a career-high 30 points from Daniss Jenkins. With that win and their win over the Wolves on Saturday, the Pistons continue to have the best record (15-6) in games played between the top 10 teams in the league.

Tobias Harris sent the Atlanta game to overtime with a turnaround jumper out of the post, but missed another one for the win at the end of the extra period. According to tracking data, Harris ranks 11th with 180 total post-ups this season, and the 1.30 points per possession that the Pistons have scored when those post-ups have led directly to a shot, turnover or trip to the line is the best mark among 27 players with at least 75 direct post-ups.

The Pistons have been the league’s best second-quarter team, outscoring their opponents by 14.3 points per 100 possessions in the second period. Wins over the Lakers and Pelicans last week were the 15th and 16th times they’ve won the second quarter by double-digits, and their loss to the Hawks was only the 20th time (fewest in the league) that they trailed at the half.

Coming up: The Pistons have a league-high four rest-advantage games left on their schedule, with the first being their lone (regular-season) game in Oklahoma City on Monday. They’re 7-2 in rest-advantage games thus far, with their win over the Thunder in late February included.

Week 24: @ OKC, vs. TOR, vs. MIN, @ PHI

#5

LogoNew York KnicksLast Week:4↓

Record: 48-27

OffRtg: 118.5 (3) DefRtg: 112.2 (6) NetRtg: +6.3 (5) Pace: 98.1 (25)

After running their winning streak to seven games, the Knicks hit the road and lost games in Charlotte and Oklahoma City, dropping their lead over the fourth-place Cavs to just one game in the loss column.

Three takeaways

The Knicks had climbed into the top five on defense, but they’ve allowed 125.4 points per 100 possessions over their last three games, their worst stretch on that end of the floor since early January. The Pelicans committed just seven turnovers on Tuesday, the Hornets killed the Knicks on the glass on Thursday, and the Thunder attempted 38 free throws on Sunday night. They’ve still allowed 2.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average, making this their third-best defensive season in the last 25 years.

After slow starts in the first two games of the road trip, the Knicks’ starting lineup has now outscored opponents by just 2.3 points per 100 possessions in its 476 minutes. That’s worse than the mark it had last season (plus-3.3 per 100), when the lineup proceeded to struggle (minus-6.2 per 100) in the playoffs.

The Knicks still have a top-five bench. Landry Shamet has missed the last four games, but Miles McBride returned from a 28-game absence on Sunday. Before his injury, the Knicks were at their best (plus-10.3 per 100 possessions) with McBride on the floor.

Coming up: Before their loss in Charlotte on Thursday, the Knicks’ worst rebounding game of the season was against the Rockets. But that was also the game in which they came back from an 18-point, fourth-quarter deficit and won in the final minute. The third game of their four-game trip is in Houston on Tuesday.

Week 24: @ HOU, @ MEM, vs. CHI

#6

LogoLos Angeles LakersLast Week:6

Record: 48-26

OffRtg: 117.2 (8) DefRtg: 115.7 (20) NetRtg: +1.5 (14) Pace: 99.3 (22)

The Lakers’ nine-game winning streak came to an end with a rare clutch loss last Monday, when they came up short down the stretch in Detroit. But they still have a strong hold on the 3 seed in the West, having taken care of business against Indiana and Brooklyn.

Three takeaways

The Lakers have ranked 10th defensively (111.7 points allowed per 100 possessions) as they’ve won 14 of their last 16 games, up from 24th (116.8 per 100) before that. They’ve forced more turnovers, fouled less and rebounded better, but their opponent’s shot quality has actually been higher over these last 16 games than it was prior, according to tracking data. For the season, they rank 27th in opponent shot quality, ahead of only the Jazz, Wizards and Pelicans.

The Lakers have averaged 36.2 free throw attempts over their last five games, with their three games last week coming against teams – Detroit, Indiana and Brooklyn – that rank in the bottom five in opponent free throw rate. The win over the Nets was the second time this season that the Lakers have outscored their opponent by at least 20 points from the line, and their own rate (32 attempts per 100 shots from the field) would be the highest for any team in the last seven seasons.

With their wins over the Pacers and Nets last week, the Lakers are a league-best 24-2 (with 11 straight wins) against the bottom 10 teams in the league, having scored 122.5 points per 100 possessions over those 26 games. They have three games remaining against that group.

Coming up: Luka Dončić will serve a one-game suspension (for accumulating 16 technical fouls) when the Lakers host the Wizards on Monday. They’re 6-6 without their MVP candidate, who missed one of their two losses to the Thunder. They’ll face the champs two more times in the span of six days, with the first of the two remaining meetings in Oklahoma City on Thursday night.

Week 24: vs. WAS, vs. CLE, @ OKC, @ DAL

#7

LogoDenver NuggetsLast Week:7

Record: 48-28

OffRtg: 120.7 (1) DefRtg: 116.0 (21) NetRtg: +4.7 (6) Pace: 99.4 (20)

After treading water for more than two months, the Nuggets have suddenly won six straight games, strengthening their grip on a top-four spot in the Western Conference.

Three takeaways

The Nuggets remain in the bottom 10 defensively, and the winning streak has mostly been fueled by the league’s No. 1 offense, which has scored 128 points per 100 possessions over the six games. It’s hard to believe that the defense will be able to get consistent stops when needed, but the Nuggets still haven’t gotten a full complement of Aaron Gordon. He’s played in just nine of a possible 13 games since returning from a 17-game absence and averaged only 26.7 minutes over that stretch.

The Nuggets have never been a team that forced a lot of turnovers, but they rank last in opponent turnover rate by a healthy margin this season. Their opponents committed just seven total turnovers in their wins over the Suns and Mavs early last week.

Jonas Valančiūnas was DNP’d for five straight games before playing five minutes in the Nuggets’ win over the Warriors on Sunday. And with the Nuggets mostly playing small when Nikola Jokić sat over that six-game stretch, they’ve been better with Jokić off the floor (plus-11.1 points per 100 possessions) than they’ve been with him on the floor (plus-9.7 per 100). Games against the Raptors and Suns in the last 10 days were just the second and third times this season that the Nuggets won despite being outscored with Jokić on the floor.

Coming up: The Nuggets are one of four teams with only six games remaining, and half of them are against the Spurs (x 2) and Thunder. Denver has scored 131.4 points per 100 possessions (the best mark for any team against the Spurs) as it has split the first two meetings, but Victor Wembanyama didn’t play in either one.

Week 24: @ UTA, vs. SAS

#8

LogoCleveland CavaliersLast Week:9↑

Record: 46-28

OffRtg: 118.2 (6) DefRtg: 113.9 (15) NetRtg: +4.2 (9) Pace: 100.6 (13)

The Cavs haven’t been playing their best lately, but they’ve won five of their last six games. The only loss in that stretch was a rest-disadvantage game against the Heat on Wednesday and they avenged that with a 21-point win two nights later (when Jarrett Allen returned from a 10-game absence).

Three takeaways

Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson lamented his team’s lack of defense after its win over the Magic on Tuesday, which was, statistically, the Cavs’ worst defensive game of the season (131 points allowed on 96 possessions). The defensive numbers weren’t much better in the two ensuing games, but the Cavs rank first offensively (124.6 points per 100) over the last three weeks. Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley have all averaged between 20 and 24 points over that stretch, with Harden shooting 45% from 3-point range and Mobley shooting 72% inside the arc over those 10 games.

The Cavs still have a better-than-average defense for the season, but they’ve allowed just 0.7 fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average. That would be their worst mark in the last five seasons. They have been better defensively in their 37 games with both Mobley and Allen (112.5 allowed per 100) than they have in 37 games with only one of the two (115.3 allowed per 100).

The biggest benefit of having both bigs (same with having both Harden and Mitchell) is that you can have at least one on the floor for all 48 minutes. But it’s also nice to have all four of those guys playing together, and the Cavs have now outscored their opponents by 39 points in 48 minutes with all four on the floor. They’re 3-1 when all four have been available, with the one loss having come in Oklahoma City.

Coming up: After the Wizards visit the Lakers on Monday, the Cavs will be the only Eastern Conference team with games left in the Mountain or Pacific time zones. They begin a three-game, four-day trip in Utah on Monday and will visit the Lakers the following night, having handed L.A. its worst loss of the season (129-99) in late January.

Week 24: @ UTA, @ LAL, @ GSW, vs. IND

#9

LogoMinnesota TimberwolvesLast Week:10↑

Record: 45-29

OffRtg: 115.5 (12) DefRtg: 112.2 (8) NetRtg: +3.3 (10) Pace: 101.4 (10)

The Wolves are 4-2 during Anthony Edwards’ absence, with the biggest overtime comeback in (at least) the last 30 years being the difference between fifth and sixth place in the Western Conference right now.

Three takeaways

Before Wednesday, no team in the 30 years of play-by-play data had ever come back from a double-digit deficit in overtime to win. But the Wolves managed to come back from 13 points down in the extra period against Houston, ending the game on a 15-0 run without Edwards, Jaden McDaniels (injured late in the fourth quarter), Rudy Gobert (fouled out) or Naz Reid (ejected). They have the league’s fifth-best record (14-23) in games they trailed by double-digits and are now 17-13 (ninth best) in those that were within five points in the last five minutes after going 20-26 in the clutch last season.

The Wolves’ 87 points on 99 possessions in their 22-point loss to the Pistons on Saturday was their second-worst offensive performance of the season. They’ve seen the league’s second biggest drop in efficiency from before the All-Star break (117.0 scored per 100, eighth) to after (110.8 per 100, 24th), with a big jump in turnover rate being one factor.

Coming up: The Wolves will play six of their next seven games on the road, with their visit to Detroit on Thursday being the start of their only stretch of five games in seven days. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage the following night in Philadelphia.

Week 24: @ DAL, @ DET, @ PHI, vs. CHA

#10

LogoHouston RocketsLast Week:8↓

Record: 45-29

OffRtg: 116.6 (11) DefRtg: 112.2 (7) NetRtg: +4.4 (8) Pace: 96.9 (29)

The Rockets probably should have gone 4-0 on their road trip last week, but they went 2-2, coming up short down the stretch in Chicago and Minnesota.

Three takeaways

The Rockets have suffered some brutal collapses this season, but what happened in Minnesota on Wednesday was historic. No team in the 30 years for which we have play-by-play data had ever lost a game it led by double-digits in overtime. The Rockets did just that, starting the extra period with a 13-0 run, but then going scoreless on their final six possessions as the Wolves ran off 15 straight points to end the game. That came two nights after the Rockets allowed the Bulls to score 22 points on 12 clutch possessions, ending a streak of nine straight wins against the bottom 10 teams in the league.

The Rockets haven’t been as good defensively as they were last season, especially in forcing turnovers and defensive rebounding. But all four opponents on last week’s road trip shot 50% or worse in the paint, and the Rockets rank sixth in opponent field goal percentage in the paint for the season. Alperen Sengun had a ridiculous block to send that Minnesota game to overtime and had 11 blocks total over the road trip.

Sengun’s offense has also been more consistent of late, and he’s averaged 22.4 points on a true shooting percentage of 62.4% in his 13 games in March, up from 20.2 on just 55.2% prior.

Coming up: Though they won in Memphis and New Orleans over the weekend, the Rockets still have the second biggest differential between their home record (25-10) and road record (20-19). They have the league’s most home-heavy remaining schedule, with six of their final eight games at the Toyota Center. They scored just seven points on 11 clutch possessions as they lost a close game in New York just after the All-Star break, and they’ll host the Knicks on Tuesday.

Week 24: vs. NYK, vs. MIL, vs. UTA, @ GSW

#11

LogoAtlanta HawksLast Week:14↑

Record: 42-33

OffRtg: 114.8 (14) DefRtg: 113.2 (11) NetRtg: +1.7 (13) Pace: 102.5 (4)

The Hawks split games in Detroit and Boston last week, blowing big leads in both, but edging the Pistons in overtime on Wednesday. They’re holding onto a top-six spot in the East, but have a tough remaining schedule, including four more games against the top four in the conference.

Three takeaways

The Hawks are 4-7 against the East’s top four teams, though they’re the only team in the league with wins in New York, Boston and Detroit. Their overtime win in Detroit on Wednesday was one of the Pistons’ worst defensive rebounding games of the season, and a Dyson Daniels offensive board led to one of CJ McCollum’s three huge buckets down the stretch of regulation.

The Hawks are one of two teams with multiple games of at least 25 made 3-pointers, having gone 25-for-54 (46%) from beyond the arc in their win over Memphis last Monday. They’ve outscored their opponents by 75 points from beyond the arc over their last four games and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is 61-for-135 (45.2%) from 3-point range since the All-Star break. That’s third best among 60 players with at least 100 post-break 3-point attempts.

The Hawks have now been 11.8 points per 100 possessions better since the All-Star break (plus-10.5, third) than they were before the break (minus-1.3, 19th) — the biggest post-break improvement for any team in (at least) the last 27 seasons. The improvement has been larger on defense, in part because 11 of their 19 post-break games have come against teams that rank in the bottom 10 offensively.

Coming up: The Hawks are one of two teams (the Sixers are the other) with just one game remaining (fewest in the league) against the 12 teams with losing records, and it’s in Brooklyn on Friday. The two games preceding that one will be the Hawks’ final two rest-advantage games of the season, and the Hawks can complete a sweep of the Magic (who they lead by 2 1/2 games) in Orlando on Wednesday night.

Week 24: vs. BOS, @ ORL, @ BKN

#12

LogoPhoenix SunsLast Week:12

Record: 41-33

OffRtg: 114.3 (18) DefRtg: 112.9 (10) NetRtg: +1.4 (16) Pace: 98.1 (24)

The Suns remain firmly in seventh place in the West, having lost a nail-biter to the Nuggets and blown out the Jazz last week. But they still have some work to do to hold off the Clippers and keep home-court advantage in the No. 7-8 SoFi Play-In Tournament game.

Three takeaways

After playing in only seven of the Suns’ 55 games before the All-Star break, Jalen Green has played in all 19 since the break. Additionally, his offense has been a little more consistent (averaging 24 points on an effective field goal percentage of 63%) over the last four. He’s still registering career-low marks in 3-point percentage (32%), free throw rate (17.3 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and true shooting percentage (51.5%).

Devin Booker has played in the last 14 games, and, over that stretch, the Suns have been much better offensively in 290 minutes with only one of the two on the floor (125.3 points scored per 100 possessions) than they’ve been in 309 minutes with Booker and Green on the floor together (113.2 scored per 100).

The Suns lead the eighth-place Clippers by three games in the loss column, but the Clippers have five games remaining against teams at or below .500, while the Suns only have three. They went 2-2 head-to-head (both teams went 1-1 at home), so the tie-breaker will come down to division record, with Phoenix (thanks to the Emirates NBA Cup) ultimately set to play one more division game than LA. They currently have the same number of division losses, so the Suns will win the tie-breaker if they beat the Lakers next week.

Coming up: The Suns will play six of their final eight games on the road, with a four-game trip beginning in Memphis on Monday. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage the following night in Orlando, currently 3-7 (0-4 on the road) in rest-disadvantage games this season.

Week 24: @ MEM, @ ORL, @ CHA, @ CHI

#13

LogoCharlotte HornetsLast Week:11↓

Record: 39-36

OffRtg: 118.2 (5) DefRtg: 113.8 (14) NetRtg: +4.4 (7) Pace: 97.8 (26)

The Hornets are still tied for the league’s second-best record (23-8) since late January. But they’re also still stuck in 10th place in the East, having lost both ends of a weekend back-to-back at home.

Three takeaways

The Hornets capped a five-game winning streak by ending the Knicks’ seven-game streak on Thursday. Their streak was their best five-game stretch of offense (130.5 points scored per 100 possessions) this season, and two of those games came against teams (Miami and New York) that rank in the top 10 defensively. Coby White averaged 21.4 points (with 50/40/90 shooting splits) in less than 21 minutes off the bench over the five games and the Hornets have now scored 122.1 points per 100 possessions in his 299 total minutes on the floor since arriving at the trade deadline.

The Hornets have been the best defensive rebounding team in the league and outscored the Sixers by 14 points (21-7) on second chances on Saturday. But the most damaging play in what was a huge loss (regarding Play-In positioning) was Grant Williams not securing the rebound on a missed free throw from Joel Embiid with a little more than a minute left and the Hornets up one. Paul George drained a corner 3 on the ensuing inbound and the Hornets fell to 10-18 (fourth worst) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes.

The Hornets have taken at least half of their shots from 3-point range in each of their last six games (and 18 of their last 22). They were shooting a good ball until going 29-for-98 (29.6%) from beyond the arc over the weekend back-to-back. They’ve won their last 14 games when they’ve shot better than 36.5% from deep and lost their last seven when they’ve shot 36.5% or worse.

Coming up: The Hornets are one of three teams with a league-high five games against teams that rank in the top 10 defensively. The first of those is Thursday against the Suns, who beat the Hornets in Phoenix earlier this month.

Week 24: @ BKN, vs. PHX, vs. IND, @ MIN

#14

LogoLA ClippersLast Week:17↑

Record: 39-36

OffRtg: 116.6 (10) DefRtg: 115.1 (19) NetRtg: +1.5 (15) Pace: 97.2 (28)

The Clippers needed Jay Huff to miss two free throws in the final second in Indiana on Friday, but they’ve won five straight games to climb to three games over .500 for the first time this season to strengthen their hold on No. 8 in the West.

Three takeaways

The Clippers are now 10-2 with both Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard in uniform, and they’ve scored an incredibly efficient 129.4 points per 100 possessions in 220 total minutes with both on the floor. The context is that seven of those 12 games have come against teams that rank in the bottom 10 defensively and two more came against teams – Dallas and Golden State – that rank in the bottom 10 since the All-Star break.

But the Clippers also scored 119 points on just 95 possessions against the Raptors’ top-five defense on Wednesday. Bennedict Mathurin returned from a four-game absence and scored 23 points in 27 minutes off the bench, and he’s attempted 40 free throws (with 32 field goal attempts) in his three games back. Mathurin ranks sixth in free-throw rate (49.9 attempts per 100 shots from the field) among 159 players with at least 500 field goal attempts, and that rate has been much higher with the Clippers (62.4 per 100) than it was with Indiana (40.8 per 100).

Brook Lopez has blocked at least two shots in every game of this five-game winning streak, also shooting 13-for-25 (52%) from 3-point range over that stretch. He had a rough start to the season (and was out of the rotation at one point), but opponents have now shot just 52.6% at the rim when Lopez has been there to protect it. That’s the fourth-best mark among 77 players who’ve defended at least 200 shots at the rim this season.

Coming up: The Clippers lead the ninth-place Blazers by two games in the loss column, and they have two head-to-head meetings coming in the last two weeks of the season. The Clippers won the first two (both played in 2025), and they’ll be at home when they try to secure the head-to-head tie-breaker on Tuesday.

Week 24: vs. POR, vs. SAS, @ SAC

#15

LogoToronto RaptorsLast Week:13↓

Record: 42-32

OffRtg: 114.5 (16) DefRtg: 112.1 (5) NetRtg: +2.4 (11) Pace: 99.3 (21)

After a 2-3 road trip, the Raptors got a pair of comfortable wins at home, climbing back into fifth place and clinching a winning record for the first time in the last four seasons.

Three takeaways

The Raptors’ 52-point win over the Magic on Sunday was the second-largest in franchise history and featured a 31-0 run spanning the first and second quarters. That was the largest unanswered scoring run in any game in the 30 seasons for which we have play-by-play data, and 17 of the 31 points came from reserves Sandro Mamukelashvili and A.J. Lawson. The Raptors’ bench ranks 10th this season, up from 26th last season, with only the Hornets and Spurs having seen bigger improvements.

Immanuel Quickley has missed the last four games, so Scottie Barnes has taken over ball distribution duties, averaging 12.3 assists over that stretch. The Raptors have seen drops in both ball and player movement from last season (adding Brandon Ingram will do that), but still rank ninth in the former, lead the league in the percentage of their 3-point attempts (84%) that have been off the catch, and have recorded assists on at least 70% of their field goals in each of their last six games.

Ingram missed the game against the Magic on Sunday, when the Raptors improved to 3-1 without him. They’ve now outscored their opponents by 10.3 points per 100 possessions in Barnes’ 826 minutes on the floor without Ingram.

Coming up: The Raptors are 1-8 (0-2 on the road) against the top three teams in the East, with games in Detroit, Boston and New York left on their schedule. The one win was against the Pistons 15 days ago, and the Raptors will have a rest advantage at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday.

Week 24: @ DET, vs. SAC, @ MEM, @ BOS

#16

LogoPhiladelphia 76ersLast Week:18↑

Record: 41-33

OffRtg: 114.5 (15) DefRtg: 114.8 (17) NetRtg: -0.3 (19) Pace: 100.3 (15)

The Sixers are whole again. Paul George (25-game suspension) and Joel Embiid (13-game absence) returned on Wednesday, and Tyrese Maxey (10-game absence) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (eight-game absence) were back three nights later. Maxey, George and Embiid combined for 81 points in a huge comeback win in Charlotte on Saturday. The Sixers are just a game behind the fifth-place Raptors in the East entering Week 24.

Three takeaways

Both George and Embiid scored more than a point per minute in their returns against Chicago on Thursday, a 157-137 win that was both the Sixers’ fastest-paced game and their second-best offensive game (157 points on 113 possessions) of the season. George totaled eight steals and two blocks over his two games back, also hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer from the left corner with a little more than a minute left in Charlotte. He’s 15-for-26 (58%) on left-corner 3s for the season.

Maxey continues to lead the league in minutes per game (38.3), having logged exactly 43 in his return on Saturday. The Sixers are still just 10-8 (they started 0-4) when Maxey, George and Embiid have all been available, but that’s better than last season (7-8). They’ve also outscored their opponents by 7.1 points per 100 possessions in 388 minutes with all three on the floor.

The win in Charlotte ended a seven-game losing streak against other teams currently over .500, but some weaker opponents allowed the Sixers to survive the nine-game stretch (they went 5-4), where they didn’t have any of the three stars. They continue to have the league’s biggest differential between their record vs. the 12 teams currently at or below .500 (25-5, third best) and their record vs. the 18 teams currently above .500 (16-28, worst among the 18).

Coming up: That latter mark includes a 7-9 record in games played within the 5-10 tier in the East, but the head-to-head tie-breaker with the ninth-place Heat (who the Sixers lead by 2 1/2 games) will be determined in Miami on Monday, when the Sixers will be playing with a rest advantage. They were without Embiid in the first meeting, but he hit the dagger 3-pointer as they beat the Heat in February.

Week 24: @ MIA, @ WAS, vs. MIN, vs. DET

#17

LogoMiami HeatLast Week:16↓

Record: 39-36

OffRtg: 114.9 (13) DefRtg: 112.8 (9) NetRtg: +2.1 (12) Pace: 104.5 (1)

Things are looking bleak for the Heat, who have lost seven of their last eight games and remain in ninth place in the East. After allowing 149 points in Cleveland on Friday, they went to Indiana and scored 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Three takeaways

The Heat still rank in the top 10 defensively, but they haven’t been able to slow down the league’s best offenses of late. Six of their last seven games have come against teams that rank in the top 11 offensively, and only the Kings, Bucks and Pacers have allowed more points per 100 possessions than Miami (127 points allowed per 100 possessions) over that stretch. Indiana ranks 28th offensively and had its most efficient game of the season (135 points on 104 possessions) on Sunday.

Some of that bad defense has been zone defense. According to Synergy tracking, the Heat have averaged 28.7 possessions of zone over their last 20 games, up from 8.7 through their first 55. Over their last 10 games, their opponents have scored 1.12 points per possession against the zone, up from 0.93 per possession prior.

The Miami offense has seen the league’s fifth biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions since the All-Star break, but it scored just 11 points on 25 possessions in the fourth quarter in Indiana on Sunday. The Heat committed only one turnover over those 12 minutes, but shot 5-for-28, including 1-for-18 outside the restricted area. Bam Adebayo has an effective field goal percentage of just 41.5% over his eight games since scoring 83 points.

Coming up: Regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage, the Heat have an easier remaining schedule than the eighth-place Magic or 10th-place Hornets. But that’s because they play two games against the Wizards, and their other five are against teams with winning records. The two teams with the worst records in games played between the top 10 teams in the East are the Sixers (11-20) and the Heat (12-18), who will meet in Miami on Monday, having split the first two meetings.

Week 24: vs. PHI, vs. BOS, vs. WAS

#18

LogoOrlando MagicLast Week:15↓

Record: 39-35

OffRtg: 114.3 (17) DefRtg: 114.2 (16) NetRtg: +0.1 (17) Pace: 100.0 (19)

The Magic have had their ups and downs all season, and the roller-coaster ride has seemingly hit a new low. They’ve lost seven of their last eight games, with the only win coming by four points over the Kings. That was followed by a 52-point loss in Toronto on Sunday.

Three takeaways

The Toronto loss on Sunday was the Magic’s worst offensive game of the season (87 points on 104 possessions), and came with 28 turnovers, the most for any team in the last three months. But they’ve also allowed 128.6 points per 100 possessions over their last six games, easily their worst stretch of defense this season.

That has the Magic in the bottom half of the league on defense. They’ve seen the league’s third biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions from last season, when they ranked second defensively. They’ve seen the biggest drop (by a wide margin) in opponent turnover rate, from 16.8 (second) last season to 14.5 (17th) this season. That’s with Jalen Suggs playing more minutes and averaging more deflections per 36 than he did last season.

Paolo Banchero averaged a pretty efficient 35 points over the three games before Sunday, but then shot 3-for-14 in Toronto. Though he’s shooting just 31% from 3-point range, he’s registering a career-best true shooting percentage of 56.7%, mostly because he has a free-throw rate of 50 attempts per 100 shots from the field, the highest of his career and fourth highest among 159 players with at least 500 field goal attempts. That true shooting percentage of 56.7% still ranks just 30th among the 38 players who’ve averaged at least 20 points per game.

Coming up: The Magic will begin their final stretch of five games in seven days with a rest-advantage game against the Suns on Tuesday. They’ll be at a disadvantage the following night against the sixth-place Hawks, who they trail by two games in the loss column.

Week 24: vs. PHX, vs. ATL, @ DAL, @ NOP

#19

LogoPortland Trail BlazersLast Week:19

Record: 38-38

OffRtg: 112.7 (23) DefRtg: 113.6 (12) NetRtg: -0.9 (20) Pace: 102.0 (7)

The Blazers went 3-1 on a four-game homestand in which all four opponents were in the bottom 10 in the league. They’re back at .500, 1 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Clippers and 1 1/2 games ahead of the 10th-place Warriors.

Three takeaways

The Blazers held all four opponents during that homestand under a point per possession, making it (statistically) their best stretch of defense this season. This is set to be their first better-than-average defensive season since 2018-19, when they reached the Western Conference Finals.

But the Blazers themselves scored just 93 points on 104 possessions in their loss to the Mavs on Friday, one of just 11 games this season in which both teams scored less than a point per possession. The Blazers are in position to be one of three teams (the Nets and Wizards are the others) to rank in the bottom 10 offensively in each of the last three seasons.

After missing 51 straight games, Matisse Thybulle has played in 20 straight, and he’s scored in double-figures in each of the Blazers’ last three wins. He’s also averaging an amazing 9.2 deflections per 36 minutes, 2.9 more than any other player who’s played at least 300 total minutes this season. The Blazers have allowed less than a point per possession in Thybulle’s 342 total minutes.

Coming up: With two games left against the Clippers, the opportunity is there for the Blazers to climb to eighth in the West. But they’ve lost 14 of their last 17 games against teams that currently have winning records and are 0-2 against the Clippers, having scored just 108.2 points per 100 possessions over the two games.

Week 24: @ LAC, vs. NOP

#20

LogoGolden State WarriorsLast Week:20

Record: 36-39

OffRtg: 113.8 (19) DefRtg: 113.7 (13) NetRtg: +0.0 (18) Pace: 100.3 (16)

The Warriors hadn’t won two straight games since mid-January, but they picked up three straight wins last week, beating the Mavs, Nets and Wizards by a total of 14 points. The streak ended in Denver on Sunday, but it gave the Warriors a small chance to finish ninth (instead of 10th) in the West.

Three takeaways

The Warriors’ leading scorer over the winning streak was Gui Santos, who averaged 24.7 points on 63% shooting over the three games, including a career-high 31 against the Nets on Wednesday. Stephen Curry has been out since the start of February, and the Warriors have scored 10.8 more points per 100 possessions with Santos on the floor (112.8 per 100) than they have with him off the floor (102.0 per 100) over that stretch.

Though Curry has played in only 39 games, the Warriors have a higher effective field goal percentage (55%, 12th) than they did last season (53.6%, 20th). But they’ve seen the league’s third-biggest jump in turnover rate, its fourth-biggest drop in free throw rate, and its sixth-biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage.

Moses Moody returned from a 10-game absence on Monday, but then suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee in overtime of the Warriors’ win in Dallas. Moody was given some of the tougher defensive assignments, the defense was very good (108.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) when he was on the floor, and he was one of 16 players who have shot better than 40% on at least 300 3-point attempts this season.

Coming up: The Warriors will now have a five-game homestand that includes three visits from top-six teams in the West. They’re 7-12 (2-7 at home) against the top six, with two of those wins having come in San Antonio. The Spurs are at the Chase Center on Wednesday.

Week 24: vs. SAS, vs. CLE, vs. HOU

#21

LogoNew Orleans PelicansLast Week:21

Record: 25-51

OffRtg: 113.2 (20) DefRtg: 117.5 (24) NetRtg: -4.3 (22) Pace: 101.0 (11)

The Pelicans have seemingly run out of steam. After a 10-4 stretch in which they played spoiler (against the top 20 teams) five times, they’ve lost five straight games, with the last three coming by a total of 66 points.

Three notes on the defense

The Pelicans rank as the league’s seventh-most improved defensive team, having allowed 1.6 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season. But that’s mostly because last season was the worst defensive season in the 24 years since the franchise moved to New Orleans. The defense has been solid (111.2 points allowed per 100 possessions) in limited (272) minutes with Dejounte Murray and Zion Williamson on the floor together, but the Pelicans are one of three teams (the Bucks and Kings are the others) that have allowed less than a point per possession just one time all season.

They’ve allowed just 41.3 drives per 100 possessions, the fewest for any team in the last three seasons, according to tracking data.

Coming up: The Pelicans have won their last eight games (and are 9-3 overall) against the other four teams in the bottom five of the Western Conference. One of their two remaining games against the bottom five is in Sacramento on Friday, when the Pelicans will be at a rest disadvantage.

Week 24: @ POR, @ SAC, vs. ORL

#22

LogoChicago BullsLast Week:22

Record: 29-45

OffRtg: 112.5 (24) DefRtg: 117.2 (23) NetRtg: -4.7 (23) Pace: 102.9 (3)

The Bulls got a spoiler win over the Rockets last week, but their streak of three straight trips to the Eastern Conference Play-In is officially over. They’re just 5-20 (only the Pacers, Nets and Wizards have been worse) since Feb. 1.

Three notes on the defense

The Bulls have allowed 2.6 more points per 100 possessions than the league average, making this their worst defensive season in the last seven years. They’re one of seven teams that (when you take the league-average increase in efficiency into account) have been at least one point per possession worse on both ends of the floor than they were last season.

They’re in the top six in both opponent free throw rate and defensive rebounding percentage, but rank 29th in opponent turnover rate for the second straight season, having forced just 12.3 per 100 possessions. They rank last with just 14.1 deflections per game.

They’ve seen the league’s second biggest jump in opponent 3-point percentage, from 34.4% (second) last season to 36.7% (24th) this season. But on average, their opponents’ 3-point attempts have been slightly more contested than they were last season.

Coming up: The Bulls (8-14) and Pacers (7-16) have the two worst records in games played between the bottom 10 teams in the league, and Indiana has won all three head-to-head meetings. They’ll meet for the final time in Chicago on Wednesday.

Week 24: @ SAS, vs, IND, @ NYK, vs. PHX

#23

LogoDallas MavericksLast Week:24↑

Record: 24-50

OffRtg: 110.1 (26) DefRtg: 114.9 (18) NetRtg: -4.8 (24) Pace: 102.4 (5)

The Mavs put an end to a five-game losing streak on Friday, edging the Blazers in an ugly game (one of 11 this season where both teams scored less than a point per possession), with Brandon Williams and Marvin Bagley III teaming up for the two biggest buckets of the night. They’re still in line to have better Lottery odds than they did in 2025.

Three notes on the defense

The Mavs had a top-10 defense (112.6 points allowed per 100 possessions) through their first 50 games, which coincided with the trade deadline. They’ve ranked 25th defensively (119.7 allowed per 100) since then, with a big difference being their opponent field goal percentage in the paint (56.4% vs. 61.8%).

The Mavs rank 29th with just 14.1 deflections per game. Among 260 players who’ve played at least 1,000 minutes, Klay Thompson (1.1) and Max Christie (1.2) have averaged the third and ninth fewest deflections per 36.

As was the case last season, the defense was at its best with Dereck Lively II on the floor. But Lively played just 115 total minutes in seven games before having season-ending foot surgery.

Coming up: The Mavs have two games remaining against other teams with losing records. The first is in Milwaukee on Tuesday, when they’ll be playing with a rest disadvantage.

Week 24: vs. MIN, @ MIL, vs, ORL, vs. LAL

#24

LogoMilwaukee BucksLast Week:23↓

Record: 29-45

OffRtg: 111.9 (25) DefRtg: 118.2 (27) NetRtg: -6.4 (25) Pace: 98.4 (23)

The Bucks’ nine-year playoff streak (the second longest active streak in the league entering the season) is officially over, and they’re likely to finish with their worst record since they went 15-67 in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s rookie season.

Three notes on the defense

With the Bucks having allowed 3.6 more points per 100 possessions than the league average, this will also be their worst defensive season since Antetokounmpo’s rookie year. Antetokounmpo playing a career-low 1,039 minutes has a lot to do with that, but this will also be the first time in the last 10 seasons that they allowed more points per 100 with him on the floor (114.9) than the league average (114.6).

The Bucks have seen the league’s biggest jump from last season in opponent effective field goal percentage, its second biggest jump in opponent free throw rate and its fifth biggest drop in defensive rebounding percentage. They were even outrebounded in their 693 minutes with both Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner on the floor together.

According to Synergy tracking, the Bucks rank second in the percentage of their defensive possessions (9.2%) in which they’ve played zone. The 1.00 points per possession they’ve allowed in zone ranks 11th among the 20 teams that have played at least 100 total possessions of zone this season.

Coming up: The Bucks are 14-8 (5-5 without Antetokounmpo) in games played between the bottom 10 teams in the league, with four games left against the group. They’ll host the Mavs and Grizzlies this week.

Week 24: vs. DAL, @ HOU, vs. BOS, vs. MEM

#25

LogoMemphis GrizzliesLast Week:27↑

Record: 25-49

OffRtg: 113.0 (22) DefRtg: 117.1 (22) NetRtg: -4.1 (21) Pace: 101.6 (9)

The Grizzlies had lost 13 of their last 14 games before edging the Bulls on Walter Clayton Jr.’s 3-pointer with 15.2 seconds left on Saturday. That has them eighth in the upside-down standings (26% chance at a top-four pick) with eight games to play.

Three notes on the defense

The Grizzlies are one of only two teams (the Heat are the other) that have had a better-than-average defense in each of the last seven seasons, but that streak will come to an end. They did have a better-than-average defense (111.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) in Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 1,382 minutes on the floor, but he was traded at the deadline, continuing a remarkable breakdown of their young and talented core.

They’re one of only five teams with a lower opponent free-throw rate than they had last season, but they’ve seen the league’s biggest jump in opponent field goal percentage in the paint, from 55.4% (seventh) last season to 58.9% (22nd) this season.

According to tracking data, the Grizzlies have played the least zone in the league, ranking in the bottom six in zone percentage for the fifth straight season.

Coming up: Even with their win over the Bulls on Saturday, the Grizzlies have the worst record (6-20) among Western Conference teams against the East. Three of their four remaining interconference games are against the top five teams in the East, with the Knicks and Raptors at FedExForum this week.

Week 24: vs. PHX, vs. NYK, vs. TOR, @ MIL

#26

LogoSacramento KingsLast Week:25↓

Record: 19-57

OffRtg: 110.1 (27) DefRtg: 120.3 (28) NetRtg: -10.1 (29) Pace: 100.2 (17)

The Kings are 0-4 on a five-game trip through the Eastern Conference and they’ve allowed an amazing 129.7 points per 100 possessions over their last seven games, keeping them in the mix to finish last defensively for the season.

Three notes on the defense

The Kings are set to rank in the bottom 10 defensively for what would be the 19th time in the last 23 seasons. They’ve allowed 5.7 more points per 100 possessions than the league average, which would be their second-worst mark over those 23 years.

Counting only road games, 71.1% of the Kings’ opponents’ shots have come in the restricted area. That’s the third-highest opponent rate in road games this season and (with the Hornets’ 26 on Tuesday) their defense also accounts for three of the eight games where a team has made at least 25 3-pointers.

Coming up: The Kings were one of three teams with a league-high 14 rest-advantage games this season, and they still have three left on their schedule. The second of the three will be their last game within the bottom 10 in the league, a visit from the Pelicans on Friday.

Week 24: @ TOR, vs. NOP, vs. LAC

#27

LogoUtah JazzLast Week:26↓

Record: 21-54

OffRtg: 113.0 (21) DefRtg: 120.8 (30) NetRtg: -7.8 (26) Pace: 103.0 (2)

The Jazz have lost five straight games, a streak that includes a loss (at home) to the Wizards in which they scored less than a point per possession against the league’s 29th-ranked defense.

Three notes on the defense

The Jazz are in a tight battle with the Wizards (and the Kings are lurking) to see who will rank last in points allowed per 100 possessions. If it’s the Jazz, they’ll be the first team in the 49 years since turnovers have been counted to rank last defensively in three straight seasons. And with them having allowed 6.2 more points per 100 possessions than the league average, it would be the worst defensive season for any team in the last seven years.

Their opponents’ effective field goal percentage (57.60%) would be the second-highest opponent mark in NBA history, just a tick lower than that of the 2022-23 Spurs (57.62%). The Jazz rank last in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (61.8%) and opponent effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (54.1%) this season. They also rank last in opponent shot quality, according to tracking data, with their opponents having taken 45.6% of their shots from 3-point range, which would be the highest opponent rate in the last five seasons. And 28% of their opponents’ 3-point attempts (the fifth-highest rate this season) have come from the corners.

According to Synergy tracking, the Jazz rank last in transition points allowed for the third straight season, though the 28.5 they’ve allowed per game is a drop from 29.7 (the highest in 22 seasons of Synergy tracking) last season.

Coming up: The Jazz are 0-9 since the All-Star break against teams that currently have winning records, and they’re just two games into a stretch of six straight against that group. They do have a win (in January) over the Cavs, who they’ll host on Monday.

Week 24: vs. CLE, vs. DEN, @ HOU, @ OKC

#28

LogoBrooklyn NetsLast Week:28

Record: 18-57

OffRtg: 108.7 (30) DefRtg: 117.8 (25) NetRtg: -9.1 (28) Pace: 97.5 (27)

The Nets put an end to a 10-game losing streak and moved ahead of the Pacers and Wizards in the win column with a 17-point victory over the Kings on Sunday. They’re 11-11 in games played between the bottom 10 teams in the league, with four more to come in the last two weeks.

Three notes on the defense

The Nets have defended 30% of opponent ball screens, the league’s highest rate, with “blitz” or “show” coverage, with Nic Claxton (30%) and Day’Ron Sharpe (28%) having the two highest blitz rates among 165 players who’ve defended at least 250 ball screens. The aggressive defense has had them forcing turnovers at a better-than-average level (14.7 per 100 possessions, 13th), but 53% of their opponents’ shots, the league’s highest rate, have come in the paint.

The Nets rank last in clutch defense, having allowed 127.8 points per 100 possessions with the score within five points in the last five minutes. Their clutch record (6-26, .188) would be the second worst for any team in the 30 seasons for which we have clutch data.

Coming up: The Nets’ win over the Kings on Sunday was the start of their longest homestand of the season. It’s six games over 12 days and includes three more games within the bottom 10 teams in the league. They’re 2-1 against the Wizards, who will be at Barclays Center on Sunday.

Week 24: vs. CHA, vs. ATL, vs. WAS

#29

LogoIndiana PacersLast Week:30↑

Record: 17-58

OffRtg: 110.0 (28) DefRtg: 118.2 (26) NetRtg: -8.2 (27) Pace: 101.6 (8)

After losing their first 16 games after the All-Star break, the Pacers placed spoiler twice last week, upsetting the Magic and Heat with two of their three best offensive games of the season. So they’re even with the Wizards at 17 wins, having played one additional game.

Three notes on the defense

This will be the fourth time in the last five years that the Pacers ranked in the bottom seven of the league defensively. They’ve allowed 3.6 more points per 100 possessions than the league average, what would be their second worst differential in the 30 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

Only 37.2% of their opponents’ shots, the league’s lowest opponent rate, have come from 3-point range. The Pacers are the only team that ranks in the bottom five in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (59.4%, 26th) and the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint (52%, second highest).

Coming up: The Pacers have just 17 wins total, but they’ve won their first three meetings with the Bulls, allowing just 106.0 points per 100 possessions, their second best mark vs. any opponent. They can complete the season sweep in Chicago on Wednesday.

Week 24: @ CHI, @ CHA, @ CLE

#30

LogoWashington WizardsLast Week:29↓

Record: 17-57

OffRtg: 109.5 (29) DefRtg: 120.7 (29) NetRtg: -11.2 (30) Pace: 102.4 (6)

The Wizards beat the Jazz by 23 points (behind 26 and 17 rebounds from Julian Reese) on Wednesday, improving to 6-5 in games played between the bottom five teams in the league. But they’re 5-47 (with 17 straight losses) against the top 20 teams after weekend defeats at Golden State and Portland.

Three notes on the defense

The Wizards are set to rank in the bottom three defensively for the third straight season, and this will be their worst defensive season (6.1 points allowed per 100 possessions more than the league average) in the 30 years for which we have play-by-play data.

As things stand, this will be the second straight season where they were the only team that ranked in the bottom 10 in each of the four factors on defense (opponent effective field goal percentage, opponent free throw rate, opponent turnover rate and defensive rebounding percentage).

Counting only road games (to account for shot-charting discrepancies from arena to arena), 33.8% of their opponents shots have come in the restricted area. That’s the league’s highest opponent rate. They do rank 11th in opponent field goal percentage in the restricted area (on the road), with Alex Sarr having seen a big improvement in his rim protection numbers. Opponents have shot 55.5% at the rim when he’s been there, down from 62.2% last season.

Coming up: The Wizards will be at a rest disadvantage when they complete their four-game trip in L.A. on Monday. They still have a stretch of five games in seven days, and it begins with a Miami-Brooklyn back-to-back over the weekend.

Week 24: @ LAL, vs. PHI, @ MIA, @ BKN