Power Rankings, Week 21: Warriors enter Top 5, Wolves move up in Top 10

Record: 54-10

OffRtg: 122.0 (1) DefRtg: 110.9 (7) NetRtg: +11.0 (2) Pace: 100.5 (10)

The Cavs clinched a playoff spot on Wednesday, but they haven’t slowed down, and their winning streak is now at 14 games.

Three takeaways

• The Cavs still aren’t very close to ranking in the top five defensively for the season, but they’re second on that end of the floor since the All-Star break. They’ve seen a drop in opponent 3-point percentage, but also lead the league in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (52%) since the break, down from 55.4% (seventh) before the break.

• They’ve allowed just 104.8 in De’Andre Hunter’s 299 minutes. Hunter has been on the floor down the stretch of all the Cavs’ close games since he arrived, but has played most of his minutes at the four and the Cavs have outscored their opponents by 19.7 points per 100 possessions in 283 minutes with Hunter on the floor with only one of the two starting bigs. He’s played just 21 total minutes in place of Max Strus and with the other four starters.

• The Cleveland offense also ranks second since the All-Star break, despite some struggles from Darius Garland. He has an effective field goal percentage of just 42.1% since the break, down from 59.4% prior. That’s the biggest drop among 126 players with at least 200 field goal attempts before the break and 75 since.

The Cavs are 25-4 (with nine straight wins) against the nine Eastern Conference teams that currently have losing records, set to host the Nets (3-0) and Magic (2-0) this week.

Week 21: vs. BKN, @ MEM, vs. ORL

Record: 53-11

OffRtg: 118.4 (4) DefRtg: 105.6 (1) NetRtg: +12.8 (1) Pace: 100.8 (6)

The Thunder have put together another winning streak (their fourth of at least seven games) and continue to run away with the best record in the Western Conference.

Three takeaways

• The league’s No. 1 defense had seen some slippage, allowing 119.1 points per 100 possessions over a six-game stretch that ended with a 137-128 win over the shorthanded Rockets (missing four starters) last Monday. But they’ve held the Grizzlies, Blazers and Nuggets to just 96.4 per 100 (and just 50.4% shooting in the paint) over the last three games.

• They’re still not forcing a lot of turnovers. Thunder opponents have committed just 13.8 per 100 possessions (15th in the league) over the last nine, down from 18.0 per 100 (highest by a wide margin) prior. Oklahoma City (5) and Denver (8) combined for just 13 total turnovers (second lowest total of the season) on Sunday.

• The offense still ranks first (123.9 points scored per 100 possessions) since the All-Star break. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 40 or more points in each of his last three games and is now averaging 34.6 per 36 minutes, which would be the fourth highest mark in NBA history for a player who played at least 2,000 minutes.

After the Thunder play the second game of their back-to-back against the Nuggets, they’ll play five straight games against the Eastern Conference. They’re currently 21-1 against the East (what would be the best record for any team against the opposite conference in NBA history), but a tough, three-game trip tips off in Boston on Wednesday.

Week 21: vs. DEN, @ BOS, @ DET, @ MIL

Record: 46-18

OffRtg: 119.2 (2) DefRtg: 110.1 (5) NetRtg: +9.0 (3) Pace: 97.4 (27)

After losing the first game of their seven-game homestand to the Cavs, the Celtics have won four straight, beating the second and third place teams in the West along the way.

Three takeaways

• The Lakers beat the Celtics at their own game on Saturday, making one more 3-pointer (14-13) than the hosts. But the Celtics beat the Lakers (first in free throw differential) at their own game, outscoring them by nine points at the line. Boston ranks second in opponent free throw rate (20.1 attempts per 100 shots from the field), with a rate of just 16.1 per 100 (lowest in the league by a wide margin) over the last four weeks.

• With Kristaps Porziņģis out a fifth straight game, Al Horford’s defense was under the microscope on Saturday. Luka Dončić scored 16 of his 34 points (shooting 4-for-7) against Horford, but the Lakers scored just a point per possession in Horford’s 37 minutes on the floor. According to Second Spectrum tracking, opponents have scored just 0.89 points per possession when Horford has defended a ball-screen that has led directly to a shot, trip to the line or turnover. That ranks sixth among 83 players who’ve defended at least 250 direct ball-screens and is down from 0.97 points per possession last season.

• The Celtics are 12-4 without Jrue Holiday, but his recent, four-game absence (before his return on Saturday) was one of their worst stretches of defense (118.8 points allowed per 100 possessions) this season. Their offense hasn’t been at nearly the same level as it was last season with their four perimeter starters on the floor, but their defense has been terrific (107.0 allowed per 100) in 654 total minutes with Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum together.

The Celtics have just four games remaining against teams with winning records, with their game against the Thunder on Wednesday the most intriguing on the schedule (league-wide). Their early-January, 13-point loss in Oklahoma City was their worst offensive game of the season (92 points on 97 possessions).

Week 21: vs. UTA, vs. OKC, @ MIA, @ BKN

Record: 40-22

OffRtg: 114.4 (11) DefRtg: 112.6 (13) NetRtg: +1.8 (13) Pace: 98.4 (22)

The Lakers’ eight-game winning streak ended in Boston on Saturday. Worse is that LeBron James suffered a groin injury that will have him out for at least as many games as he’s missed to date (four).

Three takeaways

• James was playing some terrific basketball, averaging 28.4 points (on an effective field goal percentage of 60.4%), 10.3 rebounds and 7.2 assists since Feb. 1. He was one assist from his 11th triple-double when he was injured, with this being only the fourth of his 22 seasons in which he’s had at least 10.

• The Lakers have played just 108 minutes with Luka Dončić on the floor without James, but they’ve outscored their opponents by 46 points (22.6 per 100 possessions) in those 108 minutes. Dončić seemed to be dealing with a back issue on Saturday, but has averaged 31.2 points over the last five games, his highest-scoring five-game stretch of the season.

• L.A. is 3-1 without James and it’s better for him to miss games now than six weeks from now. But it’s still not a good time for him to be injured, because a brutal stretch of schedule is coming. Starting with their game in Milwaukee on Thursday (and thanks to a postponement), the Lakers will play three straight back-to-backs and six games in nine days. Stretches of four games in five nights don’t exist (on the normal schedule) anymore, and the Lakers essentially have two of them overlapping each other.

That stretch includes their two remaining games against the third-place Nuggets, whom they lead by one game in the loss column. They’ve split the first two meetings, with the road team winning both by more than 20 points.

Week 21: @ BKN, @ MIL, @ DEN, vs. PHX

Record: 36-28

OffRtg: 113.4 (16) DefRtg: 111.3 (8) NetRtg: +2.1 (11) Pace: 99.7 (16)

The Warriors keep winning. They’re now 11-1 with Jimmy Butler in uniform, though they remain in a tight race for the final guaranteed playoff spot in the West.

Three takeaways

• Stephen Curry had a sub-par shooting night (4-for-15 from 3-point range) against the Pistons on Saturday, so Draymond Green hit the go-ahead 3 in what was the Warriors’ 38th clutch game (second most). Green had missed his previous 11 clutch 3-point attempts (his last make was Jan. 19, 2023) before that and still has accounted for just 5.5% of the Warriors’ buckets when he’s been on the floor in clutch time this season. That’s the second lowest rate among 154 players who’ve played at least 50 clutch minutes.

• Curry has handled the ball more since Butler’s addition (5.3 minutes per game, 17.5% of his time on the floor) than he did prior (4.5 minutes, 14.1%). But he’s seen a drop in the percentage of his shots (from 56% to 50%) that have been self-created, per Second Spectrum tracking.

• The bigger improvement since adding Butler has come on offense, but the Warriors have now allowed just 106.7 points per 100 possessions (forcing 18.3 turnovers per 100) in the 12 games he’s played in, including just 103.0 per 100 in Butler’s 378 minutes on the floor.

Their win over the Pistons started the Warriors’ longest homestand of the season (seven games over 13 days), and they’ll have a rest advantage against the Blazers on Monday. They’re still just 2 1/2 games ahead of the ninth-place Kings, who they’ll host three nights later.

Week 21: vs. POR, vs. SAC, vs. NYK

Record: 41-23

OffRtg: 119.1 (3) DefRtg: 114.4 (20) NetRtg: +4.7 (5) Pace: 100.9 (5)

The Nuggets have been pretty good about taking care of business, but with their 24-point loss in Oklahoma City on Sunday afternoon, they’ve dropped their last 10 games within the top nine in the league.

Three takeaways

• That losing streak within the top nine goes back to November and the Nuggets have lost those 10 games by an average of 15.8 points. They have allowed the opponents to score an amazing 127 per 100 possessions in the 10 losses, and their last two games (an overtime win against the Suns and the loss in Oklahoma City) were the ninth and 10th times they’ve allowed more than 125 per 100. They did that just seven times last season, when league-average efficiency was higher.

• Overall, the Nuggets have allowed 1.0 more points per 100 possessions than the league average (113.4 per 100), which would be their worst defensive mark in the last seven seasons.

• Aaron Gordon returned from a three-game absence on Friday, but played 39 minutes as the Nuggets went to overtime against the Suns and then left in the first quarter of their loss in Oklahoma City on Sunday afternoon with a calf issue. The Nuggets haven’t been much worse in 609 minutes with their other three returning starters — Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokić — on the floor without Gordon (plus-10.1 points per 100 possessions) than they’ve been in 468 minutes with all four on the floor (plus-10.6 per 100). The offense has been a little better and the defense has been a little worse without Gordon.

Their loss in Oklahoma City on Sunday was the start of the Nuggets’ third (and final) stretch of five games in seven days, though they’ll have a rest advantage against the second-place Lakers (who will be without LeBron James) on Friday. Denver (6-0) is one of three teams — the Celtics and Cavs are the others — that are undefeated in rest-advantage games.

Week 21: @ OKC, vs. MIN, vs. LAL, vs. WAS

Record: 40-23

OffRtg: 117.9 (5) DefRtg: 113.9 (15) NetRtg: +4.0 (7) Pace: 98.1 (24)

The Knicks played three good teams last week, and they’ve lost three straight games for the second time this season, losing Jalen Brunson to an ankle injury along the way.

Three takeaways

• The Knicks have scored just 106.3 points per 100 possessions (28th) since the All-Star break, down from 119.9 (second) before the break. That’s the league’s biggest drop by a healthy margin, with the losing streak being their worst three-game stretch of offense all season (101.7 per 100) and their loss to the Clippers on Friday without Brunson being just the second time they’ve scored less than a point per possession.

• Karl-Anthony Towns (from 59.6% to 49.6%) and Miles McBride (from 52.7% to 45.1%) have seen the seventh and 11th biggest post-break drops in effective field goal percentage among 126 players with at least 200 field goal attempts before the break and 75 since. Towns has seen a drop in the paint, but it’s mostly about 3-point percentage (43.8% vs. 30.8%). The Knicks have shot below 30% from beyond the arc in each of the last three games.

• The Knicks are 1-5 since the All-Star break (they were 11-11 before the break) against other teams currently with winning records.

The rest of the Knicks’ five-game trip includes another game against the Warriors, who came back from a double-digit deficit at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Brunson is out, but the Knicks will have a rest advantage in Sacramento on Monday, with their previous meeting with the Kings (a 23-point win in late January) having been one of their best offensive games of the season.

Week 21: @ SAC, @ POR, @ GSW

Record: 37-29

OffRtg: 114.5 (10) DefRtg: 110.9 (6) NetRtg: +3.6 (8) Pace: 98.1 (25)

Playing against a soft stretch of schedule, the Wolves have won five straight games. They’re eight games over .500 for the first time, and they’re still in the fight for a top-six spot in the West.

Three takeaways

• With Rudy Gobert returning from a 10-game absence on Sunday, the Wolves are healthy again. They managed to rank 12th defensively over Gobert’s time on the shelf, even though it included their three games against the Thunder. This win streak has been one of their best stretches of offense all season (125.1 points scored per 100 possessions), with five players averaging more than 15 points over the five games.

• With that, the Wolves are now one of five teams that rank in the top 10 on both ends of the floor. They have finished in the top 10 on both ends just once (2003-04) in their first 35 seasons.

• The Wolves have a shot at a guaranteed playoff spot, and they have the easiest remaining schedule of the four teams in the No. 6-9 tier in the West, with nine of their 16 remaining games against teams currently below .500. With their five-game winning streak, they’re 16-2 against that group since Christmas, having scored 118.7 points per 100 possessions over those 18 games.

The Wolves have also won four straight games against the Nuggets (going back to Game 6 of the Western Conference semis), and they’ll have two days off before playing in Denver on Wednesday. They’ll then begin a five-game homestand with a visit from the Magic.

Week 21: @ DEN, vs. ORL, vs. UTA

Record: 35-27

OffRtg: 115.2 (8) DefRtg: 114.2 (18) NetRtg: +1.0 (15) Pace: 100.6 (8)

Tyrese Haliburton (hip issue) has missed the last two games, and the Pacers lost them both (in Atlanta), but still have a big opportunity this week.

Three takeaways

• Haliburton had been terrific since the All-Star break, registering an effective field goal percentage of 75%, the best mark among 131 players with at least 75 post-break field goal attempts. He had also averaged 12.5 assists with an assist/turnover ratio of 10.71 over his last six games, recording at least 10 in all six.

• Before the two games in Atlanta, the Pacers had scored 10.5 more points per 100 possessions with Haliburton on the floor (116.8) than they had with him off the floor (106.3). They were relatively efficient (117.4 per 100) in the two-game series overall, but scored just 13 points on 17 clutch possessions, losing the two games by a total of eight points.

• Bennedict Mathurin returned from a four-game absence on Saturday and played 40 minutes off the bench, scoring a team-high 30 points. He’s registering career-best marks for effective field goal percentage (53.4%) and true shooting percentage (58.7%), shooting 57.9% in the paint, up from 49.2% through his first two seasons.

The Pacers will be at a rest disadvantage (having played the night before) for both of their meetings against the Bucks this week, and they’ve scored just 106.5 points per 100 possessions (their third worst mark vs. any opponent) as they’ve dropped their first two games against Milwaukee. Haliburton is listed as questionable for their game in Chicago on Monday.

Week 21: @ CHI, vs. MIL, @ PHI, @ MIL

Record: 40-24

OffRtg: 117.6 (6) DefRtg: 111.9 (10) NetRtg: +5.6 (4) Pace: 104.1 (1)

The Grizzlies lost Jaren Jackson Jr. halfway through a four-game losing streak at home. But they took care of business with wins in Dallas and New Orleans over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• The Grizzlies have allowed 6.4 fewer points per 100 possessions with Jackson on the floor (107.3) than they have with him off the floor (113.7), which is a huge differential for a starter. It’s mostly about the interior, as the Grizzlies have done a much better job of defending the paint, avoiding fouls and rebounding with Jackson on the floor.

• But they were able to dominate inside without Jackson over the weekend. The Grizzlies didn’t shoot very well in the paint against the Mavs on Friday, but paint points were 74-38 in their favor, because their 74 shots in the paint were the most for any team this season. Over the two wins combined, they outscored their opponents by 21 points (50-29) on second chances. This season, the Grizzlies rank first in paint differential (plus-8.3 per game) and sixth in second-chance differential (plus-1.6).

• Ja Morant still hasn’t played in more than five straight games all season and is still just 10-for-55 (18%) from 3-point range since the All-Star break, but the weekend wins came with his first two 30-point games in three months.

The Grizzlies’ win in New Orleans on Sunday was the start of their second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. The rest of it is a four-game homestand that includes games against the Suns and Heat where both teams will be on the back end of a back-to-back.

Week 21: vs. PHX, vs. UTA, vs. CLE, vs. MIA

Record: 39-25

OffRtg: 113.8 (13) DefRtg: 109.7 (4) NetRtg: +4.1 (6) Pace: 99.1 (19)

The Rockets are still in fifth place, but they’re just two games into a stretch of playing 12 of 13 against teams with losing records. That run began with a home-and-home sweep of the Pelicans.

Three takeaways

• The Rockets’ win over New Orleans on Saturday was their 10th in which they never trailed and their most efficient offensive performance (146 points on 101 possessions) of the season by a healthy margin. It came with 11 assists (with some really good vision included) from Amen Thompson, who finished one rebound shy of his fourth triple-double of the season, spraining his ankle in the fourth quarter.

• As Fred VanVleet has missed 15 of the last 16 games with his own ankle injury, Thompson (who is expected to miss a couple of weeks) has averaged a team-high 5.9 assists (up from 2.9 prior). Houston has been 8.2 points per 100 possessions better with the 22-year-old on the floor (plus-2.0) than it has been with him off it (minus-6.2) over that stretch.

• Dillon Brooks was 7-for-11 from 3-point range on Saturday and is registering career-high marks for both 3-point rate (52.8% of his shots) and 3-point percentage (39.4%). But he’s shot just 44.2% in the paint and has still yet to have a season where his effective field goal percentage or true shooting percentage weren’t worse than the league average.

The Saturday win began the Rockets’ longest homestand of the season (six games over 10 days). The only team they haven’t faced this season is the Magic, with two meetings coming in the next 10 days.

Week 21: vs. ORL, vs. PHX, vs. DAL, vs. CHI

Record: 35-29

OffRtg: 111.8 (20) DefRtg: 109.5 (2) NetRtg: +2.3 (9) Pace: 98.6 (21)

After a 2-6 stretch on the road, the Clippers had a 3-0 homestand, getting a huge win against the Kings on Sunday thanks to Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beating game-winner.

Three takeaways

• Two teams are tied for the league’s biggest home-road differential in regard to winning percentage: the Lakers (25-7 at home, 15-15 on the road) and the Clippers (22-10 at home, 13-19 on the road), which maybe says something about the L.A. nightlife. The bigger difference for the Clippers has been on defense, where they held two top-10 offenses to just 103.5 points per 100 possessions over the weekend.

• Leonard was just 2-for-11 on clutch shots before Sunday’s game-winner, which came at the end of his first 40-minute night in more than 14 months (since Jan. 3, 2024). He’s still yet to find a real groove offensively (he’s 3-for-19 from 3-point range over his last three games) or play in both games of a back-to-back, but the Clippers have been strong when he’s been on the floor with other starters.

• James Harden is two years older than Leonard, has played in 61 of the Clippers’ 64 games and scored 50 points (his most in 139 games with the Clippers) in their win over the Pistons on Wednesday. He still hasn’t seen any real surge in efficiency, but his ability to carry a huge load offensively has been critical, especially with Norman Powell having missed all but nine minutes of the last 10 games.

The Clippers will now head out on a three-game trip that begins with a New Orleans-Miami back-to-back. They have 10 games remaining against teams currently under .500, with four of those 10 coming this week.

Week 21: @ NOP, @ MIA, @ ATL, vs. CHA

Record: 36-27

OffRtg: 113.8 (14) DefRtg: 111.8 (9) NetRtg: +2.0 (12) Pace: 100.5 (9)

With the Knicks on a slide and missing Jalen Brunson, the Bucks might have a shot at the No. 3 seed in the East (if they want it). But they lost both games of a weekend back-to-back at home and will be trying to hold onto fourth place with two games against the Pacers this week.

Three takeaways

• The Bucks defended the Cavs’ top-ranked offense pretty well inside the arc on Sunday, but they were outscored by 30 points from 3-point range, where Cleveland shot 19-for-47 (40%). More concerning may be that, with the weekend losses to the Magic and Cavs, the Bucks’ offense has scored just 103.8 points per 100 possessions over its last seven games against teams that currently rank in the top 10 defensively.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only Buck who scored somewhat efficiently over the weekend. He also had 32 points in less than 25 minutes against Dallas on Wednesday, with all 20 of his field goal attempts coming inside the arc. His 3-point rate is a career-low 4.1% and Antetokounmpo is now shooting 46.8% from midrange, fifth (right behind Damian Lillard) among 24 players with at least 150 mid-range attempts, easily the best mark of his career (previous high was 41.5%) and up from 35.1% last season.

• The Bucks have still played just 24 games (two fewer than any other team) against the 15 teams that currently have winning records. Their loss to the Cavs on Sunday was the first of eight straight games (and dropped them to 9-15) against that group. That includes a 0-9 mark against the top three teams in the East, with one game (March 28 vs. the Knicks) remaining.

The loss on Sunday was also the Bucks’ 13th and final rest-disadvantage game of the season. They’ve played just seven rest-advantage games thus far, but have four remaining, including two against the Pacers (with fourth place in the East on the line) this week.

Week 21: @ IND, vs. LAL, vs. IND, vs. OKC

Record: 36-29

OffRtg: 113.7 (15) DefRtg: 112.0 (11) NetRtg: +1.7 (14) Pace: 100.3 (11)

The Pistons went 2-2 on a trip out West, beating the two opponents — Utah and Portland — likely heading to the Lottery. They also lost to the two — the Clippers and Warriors — who are comfortably above .500.

Three takeaways

• The Pistons are 10-19 (.345) in games played between the 15 teams currently over. 500, which includes Detroit’s post-All-Star break wins against the Clippers and Celtics. Only the Kings (9-20) have a worse mark, and the bigger difference for Detroit between those 29 games and their 36 games against the bottom 15 teams in the league has been on defense, where they allowed the Clippers and Warriors to attempt 67 free throws last week.

• The Pistons also have the league’s biggest differential between their record when they’ve won the first quarter (28-9, .757) and their record when they’ve lost the first quarter (6-20, .231). Since Feb. 5, they’ve won the 11 games they haven’t trailed after 12 minutes and lost the four games they have (even though they erased early deficits against both the Clippers and Warriors last week).

• Cade Cunningham continues to put up big numbers (31.3 points and 7.3 assists over the four-game trip), but those big numbers extend into the turnovers column. He had 28 turnovers over the four games, with the biggest being a steal by Moses Moody (with the Pistons down two) in the final minute of their loss at Golden State on Saturday.

Their win in Portland on Sunday was the start of a stretch where the Pistons are playing eight of nine games against teams currently below .500, with their schedule set to get much tougher after that. They haven’t seen the Wizards since mid-November, when Cunningham had a triple-double with five steals in a 20-point win. Their final two meetings are Tuesday and Thursday in Detroit.

Week 21: vs. WAS, vs. WAS, vs. OKC

Record: 33-30

OffRtg: 116.0 (7) DefRtg: 113.8 (14) NetRtg: +2.2 (10) Pace: 99.5 (17)

The Kings remain in the mix for a top-six spot in the West, but injuries have come at a bad time.

Three takeaways

• The Kings have been without Domantas Sabonis (hamstring strain) for the last five games and lost Malik Monk to a toe injury last week. The offense (which ranks seventh since the De’Aaron Fox trade) hasn’t suffered, with Sacramento scoring 120.7 points per 100 possessions over Sabonis’ absence. The ball has mostly been in the hands of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, who’ve combined to average 51.4 points over the five games. LaVine has been the much more efficient former Bull, now shooting 31-for-59 (53%) from 3-point range since the All-Star break.

• Statistically, the Kings have been the league’s fourth most improved team since the All-Star break, 9.6 points per 100 possessions better than they were before the break. Before Wednesday, they had won four straight games by an average of 23.3 points per game. They’re the only team in the top five in post-break improvement on both ends of the floor.

• But they lost their first two clutch games since the break, blowing fourth-quarter leads to the Nuggets and Clippers. DeRozan (6-for-11) and LaVine (2-for-7) took 18 of their 22 clutch shots over the two games. That dropped them back below .500 (16-18) in clutch games for the season.

The Kings have just two games remaining within the 6-9 tier in the West, with the first on Thursday when they visit Golden State. They got clobbered by the Warriors in their first game out of the All-Star break, but still trail them by just two games in the loss column and would hold the head-to-head tie-breaker with a win this week.

Week 21: vs. NYK, @ GSW, @ PHX

Record: 30-34

OffRtg: 111.9 (19) DefRtg: 114.4 (19) NetRtg: -2.4 (20) Pace: 104.0 (2)

With a 3-1 March, the Hawks have climbed into seventh place, the spot for the best Eastern Conference team with a losing record.

Three takeaways

• With two wins over the Pacers (who were without Tyrese Haliburton) last week, the Hawks are 11-10 against the six teams with winning records in the East. They have two wins against each of the top five teams and have scored more efficiently in those 21 games (114.4 points per 100 possessions) than they have otherwise (110.7), even though the player who’s taken the most shots (Trae Young) has an effective field goal percentage of just 47%.

• Young was just 1-for-10 on clutch shots last week, with all four of the Hawks’ games being within five points in the last five minutes. But Caris LeVert was 6-for-8, with the game-winning layup at the buzzer in Memphis after an incredible defensive play from Dyson Daniels. Twenty of the Hawks’ 30 wins have come in the clutch, with only the Hornets (12/15) having a higher rate.

• LeVert continues to come off the bench, but has been on the floor in all eight of the Hawks’ clutch games since he arrived. Zaccharie Risacher has been in the starting lineup since October and Mouhamed Gueye has started 11 of the last 12 games, but the two have played 19 and seven of the Hawks’ 151 clutch minutes, respectively.

The Hawks have the easiest remaining schedule of the three teams in the No. 7-9 range in the East. They’ll play five of their next seven games against three of the bottom five teams in the East, currently 6-4 against the bottom five.

Week 21: vs. PHI, vs. CHA, vs. LAC, @ BKN

Record: 28-37

OffRtg: 110.8 (24) DefRtg: 114.5 (21) NetRtg: -3.7 (22) Pace: 99.5 (18)

Might the Blazers be the team that takes the final SoFi Play-In Tournament spot from the Mavs? They have the best post-break record among the teams behind Dallas, even though they’ve lost three straight games.

Three takeaways

• The Blazers got the Thunder’s B Team (all of their starters were out) on Friday and had a rest advantage against the Pistons two nights later. But they lost both games, scoring just 97.1 points per 100 possessions over the weekend. Defense continues to be where Portland has seen the bigger improvement as it has gone 15-9 since mid-January. Only the Lakers have allowed fewer points per 100 possessions than Portland (109.3) over that stretch.

• The biggest source of the improvement has been opponent 3-point shooting: 38% (30th) through their first 41 games and just 32.4% (third) over the last 24. So there’s probably some luck involved there. The Blazers have also seen improvement in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (from 18th to fifth) and defensive rebounding percentage (from 30th to 16th).

• The Blazers have been 15.6 points per 100 possessions better with Scoot Henderson on the floor (plus-12.1) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-3.5) over these last 24 games. The bigger difference has been on offense, where Henderson now has a true shooting percentage of 55.2%, up from 48.9% last season. That’s the third biggest jump among 103 players with at least 500 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons.

As they try to climb the standings in the West, the Blazers will have to win some more games against the East. After they visit the Warriors (with a rest disadvantage) on Monday, they’ll play nine of their next 12 games against the opposite conference. Their second seven-game homestand begins Wednesday with a visit from the Knicks.

Week 21: @ GSW, vs. NYK, vs. TOR

Record: 30-34

OffRtg: 114.7 (9) DefRtg: 116.7 (27) NetRtg: -2.0 (19) Pace: 98.8 (20)

The Mavs’ injuries have opened the door to the Western Conference Play-In Club for the Suns, and they took a step toward that door by beating Dallas on Sunday. But (many) tougher games await.

Three takeaways

• Last week was certainly the Suns’ best since the start of February. They beat a good team (the Clippers), took the Nuggets to overtime in Denver, and handled their business against the shorthanded Mavs. It was their best three-game stretch of offense (128.3 points scored per 100 possessions) all season, with six guys averaging double-figures over the three games. Two of those were centers Nick Richards and Mason Plumlee, who combined to average 31 points on 76% shooting.

• Of course, with the loss in Denver (in which the Nuggets scored an amazing 24 points on 13 overtime possessions), the Suns became the fourth team to surpass its loss total from last season (49-33). They’ve seen the league’s fourth biggest drop in winning percentage and its third biggest drop in point differential per 100 possessions (-5.1).

• When you take the league average into account, the much bigger drop-off from last season has come on defense. The Suns are the only team that’s gotten worse in each of the four factors (opponent shooting, free throw rate, turnover rate and rebounding percentage) on that end of the floor.

The Suns now trail the Mavs by just a game and a half, but still have the league’s toughest remaining schedule, with 15 of their 18 remaining games against teams currently over .500.

Week 21: @ MEM, @ HOU, vs. SAC, @ LAL

Record: 30-35

OffRtg: 107.8 (28) DefRtg: 109.5 (3) NetRtg: -1.7 (18) Pace: 96.7 (29)

The Magic went 1-6 on a seven-game homestand, with three losses to the Raptors (x 2) and Bulls included. But they hit the road and got a quality win in Milwaukee on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• There was a time when the Magic looked like one of the league’s most improved teams. But on Thursday, they became the sixth team to match its loss total from last season (47-35). They’ve seen improvement (even when you take the league-average drop) defensively, but on the other end of the floor…

• Orlando ranked 22nd offensively last season and has seen the league’s fourth-biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions (-5.1), set to rank in the bottom 10 on that end of the floor for the 13th straight year. The last time the Magic didn’t rank in the bottom 10 offensively was the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, when their leading scorers were Dwight Howard, Ryan Anderson and Jameer Nelson.

• The Bucks shot 48% from 3-point range on Saturday, but that was on only 23 attempts and Orlando (12-for-32) outscored them by three points from beyond the arc in a two-point win. The Magic rank 26th in opponent 3-point percentage (37.0%), but continue to have the league’s lowest 3-point rate (38.1% of opponent shots) and are now 17-10 when they’ve outscored their opponent from beyond the arc.

Their win in Milwaukee on Saturday starts both a five-game trip and a stretch where the Magic are playing five of six against teams that rank in the top 10 defensively. Their visit to Cleveland on Sunday is both a playoff rematch and a potential playoff preview, with the Cavs having won by 40 in Orlando less than two weeks ago.

Week 21: @ HOU, @ NOP, @ MIN, @ CLE

Record: 29-34

OffRtg: 111.6 (21) DefRtg: 112.2 (12) NetRtg: -0.6 (17) Pace: 97.2 (28)

The Heat have slid to ninth place in the East, having gone 1-4 on their third (and final) stretch of five games in seven days.

Three takeaways

• The four losses came by a total of 16 points, with the Heat struggling on both ends of the floor down the stretch. They’re essentially tied with the Bucks for last in clutch offense (96.9 points scored per 100 possessions), with both turnovers and missed shots (on good looks) plaguing them last week. Tyler Herro is now 27-for-95 (28%) on clutch shots, what would be the worst mark in the last 10 seasons for a player with at least 75 attempts.

• The Heat’s loss to the Bulls on Saturday was also their sixth (they’re 20-6) in games that they led by double-digits in the 4th quarter. That’s tied for the third most for any team in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data, with the most being eight (2013-14 Pistons). They’ve scored just 94.4 points per 100 possessions in the fourth quarter over their last 21 games.

• The Heat got Andrew Wiggins and Kel’el Ware back from five and three-game absences, respectively, on Saturday. Their starting lineup (with Wiggins, Ware and Davion Mitchell) had its best outing (plus-9 in 13.7 minutes) and overall, they’ve been better on both ends of the floor in 318 minutes with Bam Adebayo on the floor together (plus-3.5 per 100 possessions) than they’ve been with Adebayo on the floor without the rookie (minus-2.1 per 100).

The Heat’s schedule remains home-heavy for the next 2 1/2 weeks, but after hosting the Hornets on Monday, they’ll play six straight games against teams with winning records. They’re just 1-11 against that group since mid-January.

Week 21: vs. CHA, vs. LAC, vs. BOS, @ MEM

Record: 26-36

OffRtg: 112.8 (17) DefRtg: 115.4 (24) NetRtg: -2.6 (21) Pace: 100.1 (12)

The Spurs got a win over Brooklyn on Tuesday, but weren’t very competitive in Sacramento or Minnesota over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• Playing without Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs rank 28th defensively (121.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) since the All-Star break, having seen the league’s biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions from before the break (114.1, 19th). There have been 21 games this season where a team scored at least 30 second-chance points, and two of the 21 came against the Spurs in the last three days.

• Stephon Castle continues to come off the bench, but has been the Spurs’ leading scorer (23.3 points per game) over the last six games. He’s seen big jumps in the percentage of his shots that have come in the paint (61% vs. 53% prior) and his field goal percentage in the paint (64.6% vs. 52.5%).

• The Spurs have suddenly have an opportunity to capture the final SoFi Play-In Tournament spot in the West. They trail the 10th-place Mavs by three games in the loss column and Dallas is depleted and reeling. Plus, the teams will play two games in San Antonio this week. The other two games on the Spurs’ homestand are against the Hornets and Pelicans.

Of course, the Spurs trail Dallas by six games in the win column and have a jam-packed schedule going forward. Their loss in Minnesota on Sunday began their second stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 21: vs. DAL, vs. DAL, vs. CHA, vs. NOP

Record: 32-33

OffRtg: 114.1 (12) DefRtg: 114.0 (16) NetRtg: +0.1 (16) Pace: 100.0 (14)

The Mavs were already in a (somewhat self-inflicted) rough spot … and then Kyrie Irving tore his ACL last Monday.

Three takeaways

• We probably can’t expect a full-strength Irving until the 2026-27 season. He’ll be a free agent the summer before that and will turn 35 years old in March of 2027. Twelve days before that, Anthony Davis (who’s now missed the last 12 games) will turn 34. The duo played 25.2 minutes together before Davis’ injury in his Mavs debut last month.

• The Mavs appear heading back to the Lottery, having lost five straight games. Their biggest issues continue to be on the defensive end of the floor, where they’ve allowed 126.3 points per 100 possessions over the losing streak. Their only available big man (Dwight Powell) played just 14 total minutes over their two weekend losses, when they allowed the Grizzlies and Suns to total 142 points in the paint.

• One bright spot has been two-way player Brandon Williams, who’s totaled 19 assists and six steals over the last three games while scoring a career-high 31 points against Memphis on Friday. But Williams left the Mavs’ loss to Phoenix with a hamstring issue.

Given their continued attrition, the Mavs may need to sign an extra player or two before they play the second game of their Sunday-Monday back-to-back in San Antonio. That’s the start of a stretch where they’re playing eight of 10 on the road.

Week 21: @ SAS, @ SAS, @ HOU, vs. PHI

Record: 26-38

OffRtg: 112.0 (18) DefRtg: 116.0 (25) NetRtg: -4.0 (23) Pace: 103.5 (3)

The Bulls have won two straight games for the first time in 2025, strengthening their status as a SoFi Play-In  Tournament team by beating two of the others — Orlando and Miami — on the road.

Two takeaways

• The Bulls trailed both games after 36 minutes, but outscored the Magic and Heat by 23 points (despite shooting just 6-for-24 from 3-point range) over the two fourth quarters. They haven’t been particularly good (outscored by 3.9 points per 100 possessions) in fourth quarters overall, but lead the league with 11 wins (they’re 11-32) when trailing after the third.

• Fifty of the Bulls’ 65 fourth-quarter points over the last two games have come from Coby White (27) and Tre Jones, who has started the last three games in place of Lonzo Ball. White had the go-ahead baskets on tough drives both nights, Josh Giddey hit the dagger 3 from 26 feet (capping a 26-point triple-double) on Saturday, and the Bulls have scored 53 points on 39 clutch possessions (1.36 per) as they’ve won their last three games that were within five points in the last five minutes.

Only eight of the Bulls’ 18 remaining games are against teams currently with winning records, but their visit to Houston on Saturday is the start of their longest road trip of the season (six games over 10 days) and a stretch of nine straight games against the Western Conference.

Week 21: vs. IND, vs. BKN, @ HOU

Record: 21-43

OffRtg: 109.9 (26) DefRtg: 115.2 (22) NetRtg: -5.3 (25) Pace: 99.9 (15)

After sweeping a two-game series in Orlando, the Raptors went 1-1 to start a stretch of five straight games within the bottom seven teams in the league.

Two takeaways

• The Raptors sat their starters down the stretch in Orlando on Tuesday and allowed the Magic’s 28th-ranked offense to score 16 points on nine clutch possessions, but still won when Ja’Kobe Walter drained a somewhat awkward 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left. More impressive was that they successfully executed a creative “elevator doors” play for an A.J. Lawson 3 for the lead two possessions earlier. Elevator doors plays are always fun, but tough to pull off, because the shooter is always traveling directly away from the basket when he passes through the doors.

• The Raptors’ offense continues to be anemic (102.5 points scored per 100 possessions) in their limited minutes with Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes on the floor together. But the defensive numbers have been better in their minutes since the All-Star break (111.5 points allowed per 100 possessions) than they were before (124.4 allowed per 100), with a huge drop in opponent 3-point percentage (from 42.6% to 31.0%) being the key factor.

The Raptors’ four-game homestand will conclude with a second straight game against Washington and a visit from the Sixers. Toronto still has the best record (7-3) in games played between the bottom seven teams in the league, with nine games remaining within that group.

Week 21: vs. WAS, vs. PHI, @ UTA, @ POR

Record: 17-48

OffRtg: 110.3 (25) DefRtg: 118.5 (30) NetRtg: -8.2 (29) Pace: 100.0 (13)

After a 5-2 stretch, the Pelicans got back to playing good teams and have dropped four straight games .

Two takeaways

• The Pelicans have been starting a big lineup, with Trey Murphy III and Zion Williamson on the wings and Kelly Olynyk and Yves Missi up front. Size usually helps on defense, but the lineup has allowed an amazing 129.2 points per 100 possessions in its 78 minutes. That includes 36 points on 22 defensive possessions (1.64 per) in their loss in Houston on Saturday, what was both the Rockets’ best offensive game and the Pels’ worst defensive game of the season. It was also the 10th game in which the Pelicans never held a lead, with that total leading the league.

• With that, the Pelicans now rank last defensively. They’ve allowed 6.6 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season (111.9, sixth), a jump more than double that of any other team. (The Sixers’ jump of 3.1 per 100 is the second biggest.)

The Pelicans’ stretch of five straight games against teams in the top eight in the West concludes with a visit from the Clippers on Tuesday.

Week 21: vs. LAC, vs. ORL, @ SAS

Record: 21-42

OffRtg: 108.6 (27) DefRtg: 115.2 (23) NetRtg: -6.7 (26) Pace: 96.4 (30)

A 7-2 stretch had put the Nets in contention for the last SoFi Play-In Tournament spot in the East, but they’ve since dropped seven straight games, with losses at Washington and Charlotte (in which they had rest advantages) included.

Two takeaways

• The Nets led by 22 early against the Warriors and by 14 late in Charlotte, but now have 12 losses (they’re 16-12) in games they’ve led by double-digits, tying their total from last season (28-12). They now rank as the league’s worst fourth-quarter team, having been outscored by an incredible 34.6 points per 100 possessions (scoring just 90.9 per 100) in the fourth quarter over the seven-game losing streak.

• Cam Thomas has played in four of the Nets’ last five games but has shot just 7-for-31 (23%) from 3-point range since his return. He did have 13 assists (and just two turnovers) over the Nets losses to the Spurs and Warriors last week and, as you might expect, the offense has been pretty efficient on both ends of the floor (121 combined points per 100 possessions) in the 70 minutes that Thomas and D’Angelo Russell have played together.

This week brings the Nets’ second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days, with the Nets (at Chicago, vs. Boston) or their opponent (at Cleveland, vs. Atlanta) having a rest advantage in four of the five games.

Week 21: vs. LAL, @ CLE, @ CHI, vs. BOS, vs. ATL

Record: 22-41

OffRtg: 111.2 (22) DefRtg: 116.1 (26) NetRtg: -4.9 (24) Pace: 97.6 (26)

The Sixers are still in 11th place in the East and picked up a win against the Jazz on Sunday, but are now playing without all three of their stars.

Two takeaways

• Tyrese Maxey was dealing with a finger injury that had clearly affected his shot; Among 126 players with at least 200 field goal attempts before the All-Star break and at least 75 attempts since, he’s seen the second-biggest drop in effective field goal percentage (from 52.4% to 38.2%). Then, he suffered a back contusion against Portland and has missed the last two games. Before the win over Utah on Sunday, the Sixers had lost their last eight games without their point guard.

• Three reserves played more minutes than all five of the Sixers’ starters on Sunday. One of the three was center Adam Bona, who finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds, two steals and five blocks in less than 32 minutes. Philly had been getting clobbered on the glass and had grabbed just 43% of available rebounds with Andre Drummond on the floor over the three-game losing streak that preceded the game on Sunday. Drummond still leads the league in individual rebounding percentage, but his rate of 21.0% would be his lowest in the last 11 seasons.

The Sixers are 10-10 in games played between the nine East teams with losing records, with 10 games left within the group. The first two of those are in Atlanta and Toronto this week, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage for what is their first of three meetings with the Hawks.

Week 21: @ ATL, @ TOR, vs. IND, @ DAL

Record: 13-49

OffRtg: 105.9 (30) DefRtg: 117.6 (28) NetRtg: -11.7 (30) Pace: 102.2 (4)

The Wizards have won four of their last six games and now trail both Charlotte and Utah by just two in the win column.

Two takeaways

• The four wins have come against the Nets, Hornets, Jazz and Raptors. The Wizards are now 8-4 (second best) in games played between the bottom seven teams in the league. They’re 6-0 within the group since Feb. 1, having scored 118.3 points per 100 possessions over those six games. A lot of Wizards (and former Wizards) have contributed to that success, with only five having played in all six games. Bilal Coulibaly has led those five, averaging 17.2 points per game over the six wins.

• Through January, the Wizards had been outscored by 15.2 points per game, the worst point differential in NBA history. But they’ve climbed to minus-12.0 (fourth worst) over their 15 games since Feb. 1, having seen improvement on both ends of the floor. Khris Middleton’s numbers (12.3 points and 4.1 assists per game, 45% shooting) aren’t particularly noteworthy, but since he started playing after the All-Star break, the Wizards have been 23.3 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (plus-9.5) than with him off the floor (minus-13.8).

The Wizards have six games remaining against the other six teams that have won less than 35% of their games this season. Their win in Toronto on Saturday was the start of their longest road trip of the season (seven games), which includes more meetings with the Raptors and Jazz.

Week 21: @ TOR, @ DET, @ DET, @ DEN

Record: 15-48

OffRtg: 106.7 (29) DefRtg: 114.2 (17) NetRtg: -7.5 (28) Pace: 98.3 (23)

The Hornets put an end to a nine-game losing streak by coming back from 14 points down in the fourth quarter against Brooklyn on Saturday.

Two takeaways

• The final score on Saturday was 105-102, but it was the second slowest-paced game of the season (86 possessions for the Hornets, 88 for the Nets) and the Hornets’ most efficient offensive performance in a game in which they didn’t have LaMelo Ball. After scoring just 95.6 points per 100 possessions over their previous 10 games (and looking like they were going to finish last in offensive efficiency), they’ve scored 116.9 per 100 over the last three, almost ending the Cavs’ winning streak on Friday.

• Miles Bridges has averaged 31.7 points over the three games, also coming up with the game-saving block on Saturday. His effective field goal percentage (49.9%) and true shooting percentage (54.5%) are still his lowest marks in the last five years, with the latter ranking 39th among 47 players with a usage rate of 25% or higher. Ball (53.6%) ranks 44th.

The Hornets will play 12 of their final 19 games on the road, currently holding the league’s worst road record (5-24). Their last road win was against the Lakers coming out of the All-Star break, and they’ll be back in L.A. (to face the Clippers) at the end of their four-game trip this week.

Week 21: @ MIA, @ ATL, @ SAS, @ LAC

Record: 15-49

OffRtg: 111.2 (23) DefRtg: 118.4 (29) NetRtg: -7.2 (27) Pace: 100.6 (7)

The Jazz are one of three teams without a win in March. Their five-game losing streak includes four losses to other teams in the bottom seven in the league.

Two takeaways

• Losses to the Pistons and Raptors last week were the Jazz’s sixth and seventh games with at least 25 turnovers. That’s the most games with at least 25 turnovers for any team in the last 10 seasons. The Jazz still have the worst turnover differential (by a wide margin) in the 48 seasons for which turnovers have been counted, having committed fewer than their opponent in only seven of their 64 games.

• John Collins and Lauri Markkanen have each missed eight of the last nine games, so there’s been playing time available on the frontline for Kyle Filipowski. The rookie averaged 22.5 points (on an effective field goal percentage of 67%) and 8.3 rebounds over the Jazz’s four games last week, with the Jazz outscoring their opponents (by 4.7 points per 100 possessions) in his 111 minutes on the floor. At one point on Wednesday, Marcus Smart was playing back-up center for the Wizards, and Filipowski buried him under the basket.

One team the Jazz have yet to play this season is the Celtics, who they’ll meet twice in the next 12 days. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage as their five-game trip continues in Boston on Monday.

Week 21: @ BOS, @ MEM, vs. TOR, @ MIN