For the second straight season, the Los Angeles Lakers\u2019 record is better than what it \u201cshould\u201d be if we evaluated them based on point differential.<\/p>\n
Through Sunday, the Lakers outscored their opponents by 1.4 points per game, a differential that ranks eighth<\/a> in the West. But L.A. sits pretty comfortably in the top five in the standings<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Minnesota Timberwolves, meanwhile, are one of three West teams<\/a> that rank in the top 10 on both ends of the floor. But they\u2019re in seventh place, four games in the loss column behind the Lakers, who don\u2019t rank in the top 10 on either end of the floor.<\/p>\n The Lakers have been much better in close games than the Wolves: they are 20-13 (fifth best<\/a>) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, while Minnesota is 18-23 (seventh-worst). Point differential can be a better indicator than a team\u2019s record of how good a team is, but late-game execution also matters a lot.<\/p>\n Here are the three teams with the biggest difference between their actual wins and their \u201cexpected\u201d wins, based on point differential\u2026<\/p>\n 1. Washington: 15-51, with the point differential of a team that\u2019s 10-56<\/p>\n 2. Los Angeles Lakers: 41-25, with the differential of a team that\u2019s 36-30<\/p>\n 3. Portland: 29-39, with the differential of a team that\u2019s 25-43<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the other end of the spectrum \u2026<\/p>\n 1. Minnesota: 40-29, with the differential of a team that\u2019s 45-24<\/p>\n 2. Memphis: 43-25, with the differential of a team that\u2019s 48-20<\/p>\n 3. Boston: 49-19, with the differential of a team that\u2019s 53-15<\/p>\n Plus-Minus Players of the Week<\/p>\n Teams of the Week<\/p>\n Make It Last Forever: Minnesota (3-0) \u2014 The Wolves\u2019 eight-game winning streak includes a fifth straight win over the Nuggets. * * *<\/p>\n East vs. West<\/p>\n The West is 201-156<\/a> (.563) against the East in interconference games after going 12-11<\/a> last week.<\/p>\n Schedule strength through Week 21<\/p>\n Toughest: 1. Toronto, 2. Washington, 3. New Orleans * * *<\/p>\n Movement in the Rankings<\/p>\n High jump of the week: Chicago (+3) * * *<\/p>\n Week 22 Team to Watch<\/p>\n LA Clippers<\/a> \u2014 Norman Powell is back and the Clippers\u2019 offense has never been stronger. But they\u2019ve reached the toughest part of their schedule with five games against the Cavs (x 2), Grizzlies, Thunder and Knicks over the next two weeks.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n Previously\u2026<\/p>\n OffRtg<\/a>: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank) The league has averaged 113.5 points scored per 100 possessions and 99.7 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.<\/p>\n NBA.com\u2019s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man\u2019s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, contact him via Bluesky<\/a>.<\/p>\n #1<\/p>\n Record: 56-11<\/p>\n OffRtg: 121.5 (1) DefRtg: 110.9 (7) NetRtg: +10.6 (2) Pace: 100.5 (9)<\/p>\n The Cavs\u2019 16-game winning streak<\/a> ended with a five-point loss to the Magic on Sunday, Cleveland\u2019s worst offensive game (103 points on 100 possessions) in more than two months.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Cavs were a little better, statistically, over their 16-game winning streak (plus-13.0 points per 100 possessions<\/a>) than they were over their 15-game streak to start the season (plus-11.5). The recent streak was also tougher (in regard to the opponents) and more road-heavy, with four road wins over teams \u2014 the Pistons, Celtics, Bucks and Grizzlies \u2014 with winning records. Their win in Memphis on Friday came without Donovan Mitchell.<\/p>\n While the Cavs are 6-0 without Mitchell, they\u2019re 5-3 without Evan Mobley, who missed the loss to Orlando with a foot contusion. Cleveland has now been 8.3 points per 100 possessions<\/a> better with Mobley on the floor (plus-14.4) than they\u2019ve been with him off the floor (plus-6.1), with the bigger difference coming on defense. They\u2019ve allowed 118.9 points per 100 possessions in 192 minutes with Mitchell, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen on the floor without the Defensive Player of the Year candidate.<\/p>\n The four teams currently in the Eastern Conference portion of the SoFi Play-In Tournament<\/a> seem likely to remain there, and one of them will be the Cavs\u2019 opponent in the first round of the playoffs. Those four teams (all below .500) now account for four of the Cavs\u2019 11 losses<\/a>, with the Bulls being the only one of the four that Cleveland hasn\u2019t lost to. The one remaining game against the Play-In group is against Chicago in April.<\/p>\n There are still three opponents \u2014 the Clippers, Kings and Spurs \u2014 that the Cavs have yet to face, and they now play their next six (and nine of their next 11) games against the Western Conference. Their longest road trip this season (five games over eight days) begins in L.A. on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ LAC, @ SAC, @ PHX, @ UTA<\/p>\n #2<\/p>\n Record: 56-12<\/p>\n OffRtg: 118.5 (4) DefRtg: 106.2 (1) NetRtg: +12.2 (1) Pace: 100.7 (7)<\/p>\n There are still four weeks left in the season, but the Thunder need just two more wins to clinch the best record in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Thunder\u2019s loss to the Nuggets last Monday was their worst defensive game<\/a> of the season (140 points allowed on 99 possessions) by a huge margin and, at that point, they ranked 17th<\/a> defensively since the All-Star break. But they then held the Celtics, Pistons and Bucks to just 109.1 per 100 over a 3-0 trip, even though they lost Lu Dort to a hip injury in Detroit on Friday.<\/p>\n Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been powering the offense, averaging an amazing 35.1 points<\/a> (no other player has averaged 30) since the break. But, even though Jalen Williams has missed the last 3 1\/2 games, the Thunder have also been surviving when the Kia MVP candidate gets to rest. They\u2019ve outscored their opponents by 11.0 points per 100 possessions<\/a> in his 213 post-break minutes off the floor, up from plus-0.4 per 100<\/a> with him on the floor before the break.<\/p>\n The Thunder will have a chance to complete a regular-season sweep of a potential first-round opponent when they visit the eighth-place Clippers on Sunday. They\u2019ve committed 33 fewer turnovers than the Clips (33-66) over their first three meetings<\/a>.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. PHI, vs. CHA, @ LAC<\/p>\n #3<\/p>\n Record: 49-19<\/p>\n OffRtg: 119.2 (3) DefRtg: 110.4 (5) NetRtg: +8.7 (3) Pace: 97.2 (27)<\/p>\n On Wednesday, the Celtics surpassed their loss total from last season (64-18<\/a>). Two nights later, they clinched no worse than sixth place in the East, extending their active playoff streak (longest in the league) to 11 years.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Celtics went 2-2 in their four marquee matchups over their seven-game homestand, with the difference between the wins (107.4 points allowed per 100 possessions vs. the Nuggets and Lakers) and losses (126.2 per 100 allowed vs. Cleveland and Oklahoma City) being mostly about defense. It was noted in this space last week that Boston ranked second<\/a> in opponent free throw rate, but the Thunder had 23 more attempts from the line than the Celtics (35-12) on Wednesday, with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White both fouling out.<\/p>\n Kristaps Porzingis returned from an eight-game absence on Saturday, scoring a game-high 24 points (though he shot just 1-for-7 from 3-point range) in the Celtics\u2019 win in Brooklyn. But Derrick White was out and Jaylen Brown left early with back spasms. The Celtics\u2019 preferred starting lineup has still played together in just two of their last 17 games, and it\u2019s still been outscored by 1.6 points per 100 possessions<\/a> in its 307 minutes.<\/p>\n The Celtics took 63 (67%) of their 93 shots from 3-point range in the loss to the Thunder, shooting just 2-for-11 from the corners. They eclipsed the 60% mark again two nights later in Miami and now account for 14 of the 18 instances<\/a> where a team has taken more than 60% of its shots from beyond the arc this season. That\u2019s a new record for games with a 3-point rate greater than 60%, topping the previous mark of 13, set by the 2018-19 Rockets<\/a>.<\/p>\n After the Celtics host the Nets on Tuesday, they\u2019ll begin their longest road trip of the season (six games over 11 days), which gets off to a slow start with games in Utah and Portland. With their win in Brooklyn over the weekend, they\u2019re 25-3<\/a> against the bottom 11 teams in the league.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. BKN, @ UTA, @ POR<\/p>\n #4<\/p>\n Record: 39-28<\/p>\n OffRtg: 113.8 (15) DefRtg: 111.2 (8) NetRtg: +2.6 (10) Pace: 99.6 (16)<\/p>\n The Warriors have now won seven straight games<\/a> overall and 12 straight<\/a> with Jimmy Butler in uniform.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The bigger improvement since the Butler addition continues to be on offense, where the Warriors scored at least 130 points per 100 possessions for the sixth and seventh times<\/a> in wins over the Blazers and Kings last week. They shot over 50% from 3-point range both nights, with six Warriors making at least five 3-pointers<\/a> over the two games.<\/p>\n Butler was not one of those six players and has an effective field goal percentage of just 46.1% with the Warriors, the 10th worst mark<\/a> among 200 players with at least 100 field goal attempts since the trade deadline. But Stephen Curry and Butler are two of the seven players<\/a> who\u2019ve shot 88% or better on at least 100 free throw attempts over that stretch.<\/p>\n The Warriors continue to be much better offensively with Curry on the floor, but since the Butler addition, they\u2019ve still outscored their opponents by 9.9 points per 100 possessions<\/a> in Curry\u2019s 242 minutes on the bench. That includes a mark of plus-19.3 per 100 in 190 minutes with Butler on the floor without Curry.<\/p>\n The Warriors are still closer to falling back into the SoFi Play-In Tournament group in the West than they are to catching one of the four teams (second-fifth place) with 25 losses. But they have an easier remaining schedule than all four, as well as two games remaining against the third-place Nuggets. Both of those games are at home (the Warriors are the only team<\/a> that hasn\u2019t lost at home since Feb. 1) and the first is Monday.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. DEN, vs. MIL, vs. TOR, @ ATL<\/p>\n #5<\/p>\n Record: 41-25<\/p>\n OffRtg: 114.4 (11) DefRtg: 112.9 (13) NetRtg: +1.5 (13) Pace: 98.4 (23)<\/p>\n The Lakers lost the first three games of LeBron James\u2019 absence<\/a>, but put an end to their four-game losing streak with a comfortable win over the Suns on Sunday.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The four straight losses all came on the road, while the win on Sunday came at home. The Lakers now have the league\u2019s biggest home-road differential regarding winning percentage (26-7 vs. 15-18<\/a>) by a healthy margin. Statistically, the difference has been about even<\/a> on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n Before last week, the Lakers led the league in free throw differential, having attempted 3.5 more per game than their opponents. Then, in the first three games of James\u2019 absence, the free-throw-attempt totals were 101-53 in favor of the opponents. They got back on the positive side on Sunday when Luka Don\u010di\u0107 was 13-for-14 from the line on his way to a game-high 33 points.<\/p>\n The Lakers almost won in Denver without Don\u010di\u0107 on Friday, when Bronny James got some real rotation minutes and Austin Reaves had 37 points, 13 assists and four steals. Reaves has been the key offensive cog in these four games without the elder James, with L.A. scoring an anemic 86 points per 100 possessions<\/a> in his 42 minutes on the bench.<\/p>\n The win vs. the Suns was the start of a five-game homestand, but the Lakers are just halfway through their stretch of six games in eight days (three straight back-to-backs). They\u2019ll have rest disadvantages against the Spurs on Monday and against the Bucks three nights later, currently 6-3 (3-0 at home) in the second games of back-to-backs.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. SAS, vs. DEN, vs. MIL, vs. CHI<\/p>\n #6<\/p>\n Record: 40-29<\/p>\n OffRtg: 114.7 (9) DefRtg: 110.6 (6) NetRtg: +4.2 (7) Pace: 98.1 (24)<\/p>\n The Wolves are a perfect 8-0 this month, keeping up with the Warriors, with whom they\u2019re in a virtual tie for sixth place in the West.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a soft stretch of schedule, with seven of the Wolves\u2019 eight March games coming against teams with losing records. Only two of the eight games have been within five points in the last five minutes, and two close wins is still a good thing for a team that was 16-23 in clutch games through February. The Wolves scored 10 points on six clutch possessions against the Magic\u2019s top-five defense on Friday, with Anthony Edwards scoring the first five points on 9-0 run after the score was tied with less than four minutes left. He had missed 11 straight clutch shots prior to that.<\/p>\n The Wolves have played one good team this month, and on Wednesday, they improved to 3-0<\/a> against the Nuggets, who they could certainly see in the playoffs again. They\u2019ve held the league\u2019s second-ranked offense to just 106.8 points per 100 possessions<\/a> over the three games and have outscored Denver by 20.6 per 100 in Nikola Joki\u0107\u2019s 110 minutes on the floor, his worst on-court mark<\/a> vs. any opponent.<\/p>\n Donte DiVincenzo has been back for 10 games, but the Wolves have stuck with Mike Conley in the starting lineup (though DiVincenzo started with Conley out vs. Utah on Sunday). The arrangement seems to be working (again), with the two guards having combined to shoot 44-for-85<\/a> (52%) from 3-point range over the winning streak.<\/p>\n Indiana had the league\u2019s second-ranked offense last season, but was held in check 110.6 points per 100 possessions<\/a> as they lost both games to Minnesota\u2019s top-ranked defense. The Wolves and Pacers are one of 12 pairs of teams (all East-West matchups) that have yet to face each other this season, with the first meeting set for Monday, when Indiana will have a rest advantage.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. IND, vs. NOP, vs. NOP<\/p>\n #7<\/p>\n Record: 43-25<\/p>\n OffRtg: 119.3 (2) DefRtg: 114.9 (22) NetRtg: +4.3 (6) Pace: 100.9 (5)<\/p>\n The Nuggets finished 2-2 against the Thunder \u2026 and 0-2<\/a> against the Wizards (who are 2-23 against other teams in the Western Conference).<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Nikola Joki\u0107 totaled 96 points<\/a> in the two games vs. Washington, but the Nuggets scored just 29 points on 39 offensive possessions (0.74 per<\/a>) in his total 18 minutes on the bench against the league\u2019s 28th-ranked defense. His overall on-off differential (19.1 points per 100 possessions) has been bigger in previous seasons, but the differential of 23.2 per 100<\/a> on offense is the highest of his career.<\/p>\n Overall, the Nuggets\u2019 have been worse on defense, where they\u2019ve seen the league\u2019s fourth-biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions from last season. A big part of that is allowing a lot of corner 3s<\/a>, including at least four (more than the league average) in 16 straight games now. After regaining the lead in the final minute on Saturday, they allowed Kyshawn George to drain a wiiiiide-open look<\/a> from the left corner with 10 seconds left.<\/p>\n But the bigger difference between their wins and losses has been on the other end of the floor. Their win in Oklahoma City last Monday was the Thunder\u2019s worst defensive game<\/a> (statistically) by a wide margin. Two nights later, the Nuggets scored less than a point per possession in losing their fifth straight game to the Wolves.<\/p>\n The Nuggets have 14 games left, with half of them against other teams in the top seven of the Western Conference. They\u2019re currently just 6-8 within the top seven and just 3 1\/2 games ahead of the seventh-place Wolves, so they\u2019ll continue to be under the spotlight for the next few weeks.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ GSW, @ LAL, @ POR, @ HOU<\/p>\n #8<\/p>\n Record: 42-24<\/p>\n OffRtg: 117.7 (5) DefRtg: 113.6 (14) NetRtg: +4.2 (8) Pace: 98.0 (25)<\/p>\n The Knicks are 2-2 since losing Jalen Brunson to an ankle injury<\/a>, remaining solidly in third place in the East.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Losses to the Clippers and Warriors without Brunson have been the second and third times<\/a> that the Knicks have scored a point per possession or less. But they\u2019ve scored more efficiently over these last four games (110.1 points per 100 possessions<\/a>) than they did over their previous eight games since the All-Star break (107.4). They had a huge offensive night (133 on 100) in Sacramento last Monday and were already slumping offensively before losing their star.<\/p>\n Their last two games were the Knicks\u2019 first two clutch games without the guy who leads the league<\/a> in clutch usage rate. Mikal Bridges led the team in clutch usage over the two games, draining the buzzer-beating, overtime game-winner<\/a> in Portland on Wednesday. Karl-Anthony Towns, meanwhile, had more clutch 3-pointers in the two games (3-for-5<\/a>) than he had previously (2-for-9<\/a>). But the Knicks scored just five points on eight clutch possessions, with as many turnovers (two) as field goals, in their loss at Golden State over the weekend.<\/p>\n The Knicks are back home for just one game before heading back out for a back-to-back on the road. But their next five (and nine of their next 12) games are against teams currently below .500. They\u2019ve won their last 10 games against that group, though the last nine have all been decided by single digits.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. MIA, @ SAS, @ CHA, vs. WAS<\/p>\n #9<\/p>\n Record: 43-25<\/p>\n OffRtg: 117.7 (6) DefRtg: 111.8 (10) NetRtg: +5.9 (4) Pace: 104.1 (1)<\/p>\n The Grizzlies couldn\u2019t slow down the Cavs on Friday, but have won five of their last six games and are in a three-way tie with Houston and Denver for spots 2-4 in the West.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Playing without Jaren Jackson Jr. (who returned on Friday), the Grizzlies struggled to put away Phoenix and Utah last week. But they survived, with Ja Morant hitting big shots in the final minute of both games. They\u2019ve won their last four games that were within five points in the last five minutes, allowing just 29 points on 36 clutch defensive possessions over that stretch. That has them ranking first<\/a> in clutch defense and puts them above .500 (17-15<\/a>) in clutch games for the season.<\/p>\n There was no clutch time on Saturday when the Grizzlies beat the Heat by 34. It was their league-leading 11th victory in which they never trailed.<\/p>\n After playing nine of their last 11 games at home, the Grizzlies now embark on a five-game trip. They\u2019re 0-2 against the Clippers, having scored just 105.7 points per 100 possessions (their third-worst mark<\/a> against any opponent) over the two games. The third and final meeting is Friday in L.A.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ SAC, @ POR, @ LAC<\/p>\n #10<\/p>\n Record: 43-25<\/p>\n OffRtg: 114.0 (14) DefRtg: 109.3 (2) NetRtg: +4.7 (5) Pace: 99.0 (19)<\/p>\n The Rockets have taken advantage of a soft stretch of schedule to win six straight games<\/a> and climb back to second place in the West.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Fred VanVleet returned from a five-game absence last week, but the Rockets were without Amen Thompson (ankle sprain) for all four games. With Tari Eason also sitting out the second game of a back-to-back, their win against the Bulls on Saturday was the first time since Jan. 1 that they started a game with their original lineup (Jabari Smith at the four). They\u2019re 21-10 when that lineup has played together and have outscored opponents by 7.2 points per 100 possessions in its 443 minutes. That mark ranks eighth<\/a> among 21 lineups that have played at least 200 minutes.<\/p>\n The Rockets continue to lead the league<\/a> by a wide margin in offensive rebounding percentage (36.4%) and outscored the Mavs by 27 second-chance points (29-2<\/a>) on Friday. The difference wasn\u2019t so big the following night against the Bulls, but Jalen Green sealed the win with a tip-in<\/a> that put them up four with 14 seconds left.<\/p>\n The Rockets became the sixth team to surpass its win total from last season (41-41) on Friday. After taking the league average drop into account, they\u2019re one of four teams \u2014 the Pistons, Thunder and Blazers are the others \u2014 that have seen season-to-season improvement of at least one point per possession on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n This is the second time the Rockets are 18 games above .500. The last time that happened (32-14), they lost six straight. But they still have three games left on a stretch of nine straight against teams with losing records and they\u2019ll close their six-game homestand with a visit from the Sixers on Monday.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. PHI, @ ORL, @ MIA, vs. DEN<\/p>\n #11<\/p>\n Record: 38-29<\/p>\n OffRtg: 114.0 (13) DefRtg: 112.1 (11) NetRtg: +2.0 (11) Pace: 100.5 (11)<\/p>\n The Bucks got a couple of important wins last week, but couldn\u2019t compete with the Thunder over the weekend.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n With their loss to the Thunder on Sunday, the Bucks are 0-11 against the top four teams in the league, with the last five losses all coming by double-digits. They\u2019ve scored just 105.2 points per 100 possessions over the 11 games, with Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. having combined for an effective field goal percentage of just 43.3% on 231 total shots.<\/p>\n The Bucks earned the head-to-head tie-breaker<\/a> with the fifth-place Pacers by splitting their two rest-advantage games last week. Home-court advantage should mean something if that\u2019s the No. 4-5 matchup in the playoffs because both teams are in the top five in regard to home-road winning percentage differential. Three of the four meetings<\/a> were within five points in the last five minutes.<\/p>\n The strength of the Bucks\u2019 and Pacers\u2019 schedules going forward is about even, though Indiana\u2019s is much more home-heavy. The Bucks will play nine of their final 15 games on the road, having been 8.4 points per 100 possessions<\/a> better at Fiserv Forum (plus-5.8) than they\u2019ve been in other teams\u2019 arenas (minus-2.6). That\u2019s the league\u2019s third-biggest differential.<\/p>\n The Bucks are just 3-6<\/a> in Western Conference arenas, set to begin their longest road trip of the season (five games over nine days) in San Francisco on Tuesday. They\u2019ll have rest advantages against the Warriors and again against the Lakers two nights later.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ GSW, @ LAL, @ SAC<\/p>\n #12<\/p>\n Record: 38-30<\/p>\n OffRtg: 112.5 (18) DefRtg: 109.3 (3) NetRtg: +3.2 (9) Pace: 98.5 (21)<\/p>\n The Clippers have won six of their last seven games and remain in the mix for a guaranteed playoff spot in the West, trailing the sixth-place Warriors by just a game and a half.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Norman Powell was back in the lineup on Sunday, having played less than nine total minutes over the previous 13 games. The Clippers\u2019 offense had already picked up without him and has now scored 119.2 points per 100 possessions (seventh in the league<\/a>) over their last 11 games, up from 111.2 (21st<\/a>) previously. They\u2019ve scored at least 120 per 100 in each of their last four games and are now 19-3<\/a> when they\u2019ve done so.<\/p>\n Ivica Zubac has averaged 20.4 points<\/a> on 66% shooting over this 11-game stretch and has now been assisted by James Harden 169 times<\/a>. That\u2019s 24 more assists than any other player has to a single teammate and comes at a rate of 3.4 per 36 minutes on the floor together, up from 2.7 per 36 last season. Zubac had eight assists<\/a> in the Clippers\u2019 win over Charlotte on Sunday.<\/p>\n Bogdan Bogdanovi\u0107 has also seen dramatic improvement, registering an effective field goal percentage of 67.4% over the last eight games, up from 46.6% over his first eight games with the Clippers. He scored a season-high 30 points in their win in Miami on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The Clippers\u2019 win Sunday over the Hornets started a four-game homestand that gets much tougher going forward. Five of their next six games are against teams \u2014 the Cavs (x 2), Grizzlies, Thunder and Knicks \u2014 in the top seven in the league. They\u2019re 2-0<\/a> against Memphis, but 0-3<\/a> against Oklahoma City, having yet to face the best team in the West with Kawhi Leonard in uniform.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. CLE, vs. MEM, vs. OKC<\/p>\n #13<\/p>\n Record: 37-29<\/p>\n OffRtg: 115.1 (8) DefRtg: 114.3 (15) NetRtg: +0.8 (15) Pace: 100.6 (8)<\/p>\n Tyrese Haliburton\u2019s return from a three-game absence got the Pacers back in the win column, though they lost the second of two rest-disadvantage games against the Bucks, losing the head-to-head tie-breaker<\/a> and remaining in fifth place.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Pacers\u2019 loss in Chicago without Haliburton last Monday was just the fifth time<\/a> they\u2019ve scored less than a point per possession. They\u2019re 0-4 without their point guard after going 7-6 without him last season, with T.J. McConnell\u2019s minutes not nearly as productive offensively<\/a> as they were in \u201923-24.<\/p>\n Overall, the Pacers have scored 5.5 fewer points per 100 possessions<\/a> than they did last season, the league\u2019s second-biggest drop. And it\u2019s mostly been about their interior, with Indiana seeing the league\u2019s fourth-biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage and its fifth-biggest drop in the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint.<\/p>\n Haliburton\u2019s miracle four-point play<\/a> beat the Bucks on Tuesday and he played even better (24 points, 15 assists, five steals and zero turnovers) in Milwaukee over the weekend. But the Pacers were outscored by 19 points (scoring just 14 on 21 offensive possessions) in his 11:26 on the bench. They\u2019re now 8-8 in games played between the top six teams in the East, with their only two games remaining within the group (both against the Cavs) coming in the last four days of the season.<\/p>\n The Pacers\u2019 weekend split in Philadelphia and Milwaukee was the start of their only stretch of five games in seven days, though they\u2019ll begin their longest homestand of the season (five games over eight days) with a visit from the Mavs on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ MIN, vs. DAL, vs. BKN, vs. BKN<\/p>\n #14<\/p>\n Record: 37-31<\/p>\n OffRtg: 113.6 (17) DefRtg: 111.8 (9) NetRtg: +1.8 (12) Pace: 100.5 (10)<\/p>\n The Pistons have lost four of their last six games<\/a>, but aren\u2019t in any danger of losing their spot in the top six in the East.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Pistons have generally done a good job of taking care of business against bad teams and had won 10 straight games against those currently below .500 \u2026 until losing the second of two straight against the Wizards last week. They came back from 13 points down, but couldn\u2019t get the stops they needed down the stretch, allowing Washington to score 17 points on 12 clutch possessions.<\/p>\n Five of the Pistons\u2019 last six games have been within five points in the last five minutes, and they\u2019ve lost four of those five close ones, now 3-8 in clutch games (and ranking 28th<\/a> in clutch defense) over the last two months.<\/p>\n One of those close games was against the Thunder on Saturday (when Cade Cunningham was ejected late in the third quarter). Detroit had been outscored by 28 points in Cunningham\u2019s 29 minutes, but Dennis Schr\u00f6der had a terrific game (17 points, 11 assists, zero turnovers) off the bench. The Pistons have had the league\u2019s third-ranked bench<\/a> since the addition of Schr\u00f6der, up from 16th<\/a> before that.<\/p>\n The Pistons have six games remaining against teams that currently have losing records, and five of the six are in the next nine days. That includes their two meetings with the Pelicans, who they haven\u2019t beaten in more than four years (seven straight losses).<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ NOP, @ MIA, @ DAL, vs. NOP<\/p>\n #15<\/p>\n Record: 33-33<\/p>\n OffRtg: 115.6 (7) DefRtg: 114.6 (19) NetRtg: +0.9 (14) Pace: 99.5 (17)<\/p>\n Domantas Sabonis returned from a six-game absence on Friday, but he wasn\u2019t able to stop a four-game losing streak<\/a> that has the Kings back at .500.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The first of these four straight losses was by one point in overtime. The last three have been by an average of 23.7, and it\u2019s been the Kings\u2019 worst three-game stretch of defense (132.3 points allowed per 100 possessions<\/a>) this season. Each of the three opponents \u2014 the Knicks, Warriors and Suns \u2014 have shot better than 50%<\/a> from 3-point range.<\/p>\n The Kings haven\u2019t shot nearly as well and continue to lead the league in the ratio of mid-range attempts to 3-point attempts (0.42). They\u2019ve been outscored by 108 points from 3-point range over the last three games, taking their season-long 3-point discrepancy to 6.8 points per game. Only the Pelicans (minus-7.5) have been outscored by more points per game from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n Big deficits often come with bad first quarters, and the Kings have been outscored by 41 points<\/a> (scoring just 62 on 73 offensive possessions) in the opening period over these last three games. For the season, the Kings have outscored their opponents by 2.8 points per 100 possessions over quarters 2-4, but have been outscored by 4.8 per 100<\/a> in the first.<\/p>\n Having played 17 of their last 23 games on the road, the Kings will now begin their longest homestand of the season (seven games over 11 days), though their second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days begins with a visit from the Cavs on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. MEM, vs. CLE, vs. CHI, vs. MIL<\/p>\n #16<\/p>\n Record: 32-36<\/p>\n OffRtg: 112.1 (20) DefRtg: 114.5 (18) NetRtg: -2.4 (21) Pace: 103.8 (2)<\/p>\n The Hawks remain at the top of the SoFi Play-In Tournament group in the East, but are just a half-game ahead of the Magic, having blown a double-digit, second-half lead in Brooklyn on Sunday.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Hawks have seen the league\u2019s fifth-biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions (+4.9) since the All-Star break. But the offense cooled off a bit over the weekend, with their loss to the Clippers on Friday being the ninth time<\/a> the Hawks have scored less than a point per possession. That happened just seven times over the last two seasons combined.<\/p>\n Zaccharie Risacher continues to show the benefits of a rookie hiatus. He\u2019s averaged 13.9 points<\/a> on an effective field goal percentage of 61.0% over 22 games since missing a stretch of six straight in January. He averaged just 10.5 on 46.2% over his 39 games before that.<\/p>\n With Jalen Johnson out, Mouhamed Gueye has started 14 of the last 15 games. But the second-year big has averaged just 16.3 minutes<\/a> over that stretch, with Georges Niang getting more (25.8) off the bench. It\u2019s very much an offense-defense trade-off, with Atlanta having scored 9.9 more points per 100 possessions<\/a> with Gueye off the floor (118.6) than it has with him on the floor (108.7) over these last 15 games.<\/p>\n The Hawks and Magic both have easy remaining schedules, with only four and five games, respectively, against teams currently over .500. The first of the Hawks\u2019 four is Saturday against the Warriors and comes after a three-day break. It\u2019ll be more than four months since their first meeting with Golden State, one of those other eight times that the Hawks have scored less than a point per possession.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ CHA, vs. GSW, vs. PHI<\/p>\n #17<\/p>\n Record: 32-37<\/p>\n OffRtg: 107.8 (28) DefRtg: 109.3 (4) NetRtg: -1.5 (17) Pace: 96.7 (29)<\/p>\n The Magic went 3-2<\/a> on a pretty tough road trip that was bookended by impressive wins in Milwaukee and Cleveland, with the latter ending the Cavs\u2019 16-game winning streak.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The game in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon was a matchup of the league\u2019s best and worst 3-point shooting teams. The Magic (13-for-31) won the battle beyond the arc, with the Cavs going 0-for-4 on 3-pointers to tie or take the lead in the final minute. The Magic have shot 36% or better from 3-point range in six of their last nine games<\/a>, having done so in just 11 of their first 60.<\/p>\n Five Magic players<\/a> have shot better than 40% on at least 20 attempts from deep over these last nine games. They\u2019re led by Paolo Banchero (24-for-59, 41%), who also had the go-ahead jumper from the free-throw line on Sunday. Banchero has averaged 29.1 points<\/a> on an effective field goal percentage of 52.6% over the last 15 games, up from 19.7 on 43.6% over his first 15 games after returning from an extended absence.<\/p>\n The Magic won on Sunday despite having nine fewer shooting opportunities than the Cavs. They still rank second in shooting-opportunity differential, having averaged 4.4 per game more than their opponents.<\/p>\n The Magic\u2019s reward for their win in Cleveland is a week where they\u2019re only playing twice. Their game against the Rockets (who lead the league in shooting opportunity differential) on Wednesday is a rematch of a 13-point Houston win from last week in which the teams combined to score just 98.4 points per 100 possessions.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. HOU, @ WAS<\/p>\n #18<\/p>\n Record: 31-37<\/p>\n OffRtg: 114.7 (10) DefRtg: 116.7 (27) NetRtg: -1.9 (19) Pace: 98.6 (20)<\/p>\n The door to the Western Conference Play-In Club remains wide open for the Suns, who aren\u2019t quite sure that they want to pay the cover charge.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Suns got a solid win over the Kings on Friday, shooting 24-for-43 (56%) from 3-point range. It was the 15th game<\/a> in which they took more than half of their shots from 3-point range, something they did just four times<\/a> last season. Overall, they\u2019ve seen the league\u2019s fourth biggest jump in 3-point rate (+6.0%), though that\u2019s come more at the expense of shots in the paint (-3.6%) than from mid-range (-2.3%).<\/p>\n The Bol Bol Experiment appears to be over. After starting eight straight games, Bol came off the bench in Houston on Wednesday, and then played 43 total seconds over the Suns\u2019 two games over the weekend. Despite how big they are, the Suns have allowed 121.4 points per 100 possessions in 180 total minutes<\/a> with Bol and Kevin Durant on the floor alongside Nick Richards or Mason Plumlee.<\/p>\n Given their schedule, the Suns will probably need to beat better teams than the Kings to catch Dallas. But with their losses in Memphis, Houston and L.A. last week, they\u2019re 1-10 since Feb. 1 against the 14 teams currently over .500, having allowed 123.5 per 100 over those 11 games.<\/p>\n To move up in the Western Conference, the Suns will also have to wins some games against the East. The second game of their Sunday-Monday back-to-back is the start of a five-game homestand in which all five games are against Eastern Conference opponents. It starts with a visit from the Raptors, to whom Suns lost by 18 points a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. TOR, vs. CHI, vs. CLE<\/p>\n #19<\/p>\n Record: 29-39<\/p>\n OffRtg: 110.9 (23) DefRtg: 114.5 (16) NetRtg: -3.6 (23) Pace: 99.4 (18)<\/p>\n The Blazers\u2019 quest to grab the West\u2019s final SoFi Play-In Tournament spot took a hit with a five-game losing streak that culminated with a heartbreaking loss to the Knicks on Wednesday. But they ended their skid with a comeback win over Toronto on Sunday.<\/p>\n Two takeaways<\/p>\n After missing the first 67 games, Matisse Thybulle debuted on Sunday. He played just six minutes, but the Blazers allowed just eight points on 15 defensive possessions in that time. Thybulle, who led the league<\/a> with 5.3 deflections per 36 minutes last season, had two steals and then blocked Orlando Robinson\u2019s 3-point attempt<\/a> to tie the game in the final seconds.<\/p>\n Over their last seven games, the Blazers have been 26.9 points per 100 possessions<\/a> better in the second half (plus 10) than in the first half (minus 16.9). The much larger difference (19.1 per 100) has been on offense, where 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan has somehow shot just 6-for-24<\/a> in the first half over those seven games. Another Blazer with a big half-to-half shooting differential over that stretch is Scoot Henderson, who scored nine clutch points<\/a> on Wednesday, having scored just two<\/a> in 31 clutch minutes before that.<\/p>\n The Blazers have lost their two games against the Grizzlies<\/a> by a total of 70 points, though both came before Thanksgiving. The third and final meeting is Wednesday, Game 4 of the seven-game homestand that will conclude with visits from the Nuggets, Celtics and Cavs.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: vs. WAS, vs. MEM, vs. DEN, vs. BOS<\/p>\n #20<\/p>\n Record: 28-39<\/p>\n OffRtg: 112.1 (19) DefRtg: 115.7 (24) NetRtg: -3.5 (22) Pace: 103.4 (3)<\/p>\n The Bulls won four straight games (for the first time this season) before beginning a six-game trip with a loss in Houston.<\/p>\n Two takeaways<\/p>\n With Nikola Vu\u010devi\u0107 returning from a seven-game absence last week (but coming off the bench for one game) and Josh Giddey missing the last two, there\u2019s been some mixing and matching with the starting lineup. Matas Buzelis has now started the last 16 games and Tre Jones has started the last six (in place of Lonzo Ball), with the Bulls being outscored by 13.4 points per 100 possessions<\/a> (scoring just 104.3 per 100) in their 129 minutes together over that latter stretch.<\/p>\n But bench minutes have generally been good, with the Bulls outscoring their opponents by 17.4 per 100<\/a> in Coby White\u2019s minutes off the floor over the last five games. Julian Phillips scored a career-high 16 points against Brooklyn on Thursday, with half of those 16 coming in a 34-18 fourth quarter when the Bulls turned a 10-point deficit into a six-point victory. That was their league-leading 12th win<\/a> in a game they traded after 36 minutes.<\/p>\n Their loss in Houston on Saturday was the start of the Bulls\u2019 longest road trip of the season (six games over 10 days), as well as a stretch of nine straight games against the Western Conference. They\u2019ve lost 10 straight games to the Suns, who they\u2019ll visit on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ UTA, @ PHX, @ SAC, @ LAL<\/p>\n #21<\/p>\n Record: 29-38<\/p>\n OffRtg: 111.1 (22) DefRtg: 112.6 (12) NetRtg: -1.5 (18) Pace: 97.0 (28)<\/p>\n The Heat have lost seven straight games<\/a> and have surpassed last season\u2019s loss total (46-36).<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Heat have scored just 104.6 (last in the league by a wide margin<\/a>) over the losing streak, down from 116.3 per 100 over their first seven games after the All-Star break. The shooting hasn\u2019t been terrible, but it hasn\u2019t been good, and they\u2019ve also seen drops in free throw rate and offensive rebounding percentage. Tyler Herro\u2019s season-long free throw rate (22.9 attempts per 100 shots from the field) would be the highest of his career, but he has just 14 free throw attempts<\/a> with his 107 shots from the field over the losing streak.<\/p>\n The Heat made changes to their starting lineup during the streak, tweaking things around their core of Herro, Andrew Wiggins and Bam Adebayo. They haven\u2019t found the right mix and have lost the last three first quarters by a total score of 98-70<\/a>. Miami has also been outscored by 13 points per 100 possessions<\/a> in 224 total minutes with Herro, Wiggins and Adebayo on the floor together.<\/p>\n At 28-38 (.433), this would be the Heat\u2019s worst season<\/a> in the last 17 years. Though they have a bottom-10 offense, the bigger drop-off from last season (when you take the league average into account) has been on the other end of the floor.<\/p>\n The Heat are just a game ahead of the 10th-place Bulls, having already lost the head-to-head tie-breaker<\/a>. Miami has more games remaining against teams currently over .500 (seven) than Chicago (five), with three of those seven in the next five days.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ NYK, vs. DET, vs. HOU, vs. CHA<\/p>\n #22<\/p>\n Record: 24-44<\/p>\n OffRtg: 110.1 (26) DefRtg: 114.5 (17) NetRtg: -4.5 (24) Pace: 100.1 (12)<\/p>\n The Raptors\u2019 soft March schedule has them 6-2<\/a> this month, though they blew a 15-point, second-half lead in Portland on Sunday.<\/p>\n Two takeaways<\/p>\n The Blazers grabbed a couple of key offensive rebounds down the stretch on Sunday, and the loss ended a streak of nine straight games in which the Raptors outscored their opponents on second chances. They rank second<\/a> in offensive rebounding percentage since the All-Star break, up from 10th<\/a> before the break and 18th<\/a> last season. Colin Castleton (11.3%), Orlando Robinson (10.8%) and Jakob Poeltl (9.9%) rank 10th, 13th and 17th<\/a>, respectively, among 228 individuals who\u2019ve averaged at least 20 minutes in five post-break games or more.<\/p>\n Overall though, the schedule has been more helpful on the other end of the floor, where the Raptors have allowed just 109.3 points per 100 possessions (third best<\/a>) since the All-Star break, down from 115.8 (26th<\/a>) before the break. That\u2019s the league\u2019s biggest improvement, with league-average efficiency rising since the break.<\/p>\n The Raptors have just two games remaining against teams with winning records, and the first is at Golden State on Thursday, the end of their four-game trip. They\u2019re just 6-30 (with seven straight losses) against the 14 teams currently over .500, though one of those six wins came against the (pre-Butler) Warriors in January.<\/p>\n Week 22<\/a>: @ PHX, @ GSW, vs. SAS<\/p>\n #23<\/p>\n Record: 28-38<\/p>\n OffRtg: 113.7 (16) DefRtg: 116.1 (25) NetRtg: -2.4 (20) Pace: 100.1 (13)<\/p>\n With a chance to make things interesting regarding the last SoFi Play-In Tournament spot in the West, the Spurs split two games with the 10th-place Mavs last week. Then they shut down<\/a> De\u2019Aaron Fox for the season.<\/p>\n Two takeaways<\/p>\n The Spurs now rank last<\/a> defensively since the All-Star break (when Victor Wembanyama was shut down). The super-shorthanded Mavs had their second most-efficient offensive game<\/a> of the season (133 points on 98 possessions) last Monday, and four nights later, the Hornets (who rank 29th offensively) had the third-most-efficient game<\/a> for any team this season (145 on 99). The Spurs have allowed more than 130 per 100 in five<\/a> of their nine March games, having done so four times prior.<\/p>\n
\nSomething Just Ain\u2019t Right: Miami (0-4) \u2014 The Heat are testing the boundary of how far a former top-six team in the East can slide down the standings.<\/p>\n
\nEasiest: 1. Cleveland, 2. Indiana, 3. New York
\nSchedule strength is based on cumulative opponent record.<\/p>\n
\nFree falls of the week: Indiana (-4)<\/p>\n
DefRtg<\/a>: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg<\/a>: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Pace<\/a>: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633170_374_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>Last Week:1<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633172_49_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a>Last Week:2<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Boston Celtics<\/a>Last Week:3<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633173_545_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Golden State Warriors<\/a>Last Week:5\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633173_843_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>Last Week:4\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633172_429_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a>Last Week:8\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633172_701_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Denver Nuggets<\/a>Last Week:6\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633169_607_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
New York Knicks<\/a>Last Week:7\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633174_676_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Memphis Grizzlies<\/a>Last Week:10\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633174_559_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Houston Rockets<\/a>Last Week:11\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633171_470_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Milwaukee Bucks<\/a>Last Week:13\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633173_112_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
LA Clippers<\/a>Last Week:12<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633171_307_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Indiana Pacers<\/a>Last Week:9\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633170_356_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Detroit Pistons<\/a>Last Week:14<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633173_976_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Sacramento Kings<\/a>Last Week:15<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633171_473_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Atlanta Hawks<\/a>Last Week:16<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633171_466_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Orlando Magic<\/a>Last Week:19\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633173_925_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Phoenix Suns<\/a>Last Week:18<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633173_566_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Portland Trail Blazers<\/a>Last Week:17\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633170_776_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Chicago Bulls<\/a>Last Week:23\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633171_632_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Miami Heat<\/a>Last Week:20\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633170_390_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Toronto Raptors<\/a>Last Week:24\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1745633174_746_logo.svg.svg+xml\" "\\""){kind=logo}
San Antonio Spurs<\/a>Last Week:21\u2193<\/p>\n