Clasificación de potencia, Semana 21: Thunder, Celtics y Lakers suben en el Top 10

Record: 47-17

OffRtg: 117.5 (5) DefRtg: 110.2 (3) NetRtg: +7.2 (3) Pace: 100.9 (13)

The Spurs are 15-1 since Feb. 1, a stretch that includes a sweep of the Pistons, an incredible comeback from 25 points down against the Clippers, and a thrashing of the Rockets on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Victor Wembanyama had a few quiet (and inefficient) offensive games at the end of the Spurs' 11-game winning streak. And his offense wasn't really needed in the Spurs' 40-point win in Philadelphia on Tuesday. But he's scored 94 points (on a true shooting percentage of 69%) in less than 91 minutes over the Spurs' last three games. That includes 27 in less than 22 minutes (in the second game of a back-to-back) against the Clippers on Friday, when he had two go-ahead buckets (a pick-and-pop 3 and a leak-out dunk) in the final 70 seconds. Not coincidentally, it's been the Spurs' best three-game stretch of offense this season (129.1 points scored per 100 possessions), even though two of the three opponents (Detroit and Houston) have top-10 defenses.

• With that, the Spurs are now a top-five team on both ends of the floor. They ranked in the top five on both ends three times under Gregg Popovich: 2006-07 (won the NBA Finals), 2013-14 (won the NBA Finals) and 2015-16 (lost in the Western Conference semifinals).

• Wembanyama is also averaging 4.5 blocks over the Spurs' 10 games since the All-Star break. He's got more blocks than fouls for the third straight season, but he has been more physical this year, averaging 3.3 fouls per 36 minutes, up from 2.6 per 36 over his first two seasons. Of course, the Spurs still lead the league in opponent free-throw rate (23.3 attempts per 100 shots from the field).

Coming up: The Spurs and Nuggets last met in November, when they combined to score more than 136 points per 100 possessions in a three-point, San Antonio win that clinched a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. They still have three more meetings left on the schedule, and the Spurs will have a rest advantage at home on Thursday, one of three very intriguing games this week.

Week 21: vs. BOS, vs. DEN, vs. CHA

Record: 50-15

OffRtg: 116.8 (8) DefRtg: 105.9 (1) NetRtg: +10.9 (1) Pace: 100.6 (14)

The Thunder aren't getting any healthier as Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell remain out, and both Alex Caruso (hip contusion) and Isaiah Hartenstein (calf tightness) left their Wednesday game in New York early. But they've won five straight games (with wins over the Nuggets and Knicks included) and have the best record in the league again.

Three takeaways

• But the streak has also been the Thunder's best stretch of defense (100.4 points allowed per 100 possessions) since Christmas, and it has included games against the league's first and third-ranked offenses. For the season, Oklahoma City has allowed 8.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average (114.3), which would be the best differential for any team in the 30 seasons of play-by-play data.

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit huge step-back 3-pointers in the closing minutes of the Thunder's wins over the Knicks and Warriors last week. As things stand, he'd be the third player in the 13 seasons of tracking data (joining Chris Paul in 2016-17 and Kevin Durant in '21-22) to shoot 50% or better on at least 300 pull-up 2-point attempts and 38% or better on at least 150 pull-up 3-point attempts.

Coming up: The Thunder have more games remaining against the Eastern Conference (nine) than they do against the West (eight). That includes both of their meetings with the Celtics, who will be in Oklahoma City for a marquee matchup on Thursday.

Week 21: vs. DEN, vs. BOS, vs. MIN

Record: 45-18

OffRtg: 116.0 (11) DefRtg: 108.9 (2) NetRtg: +7.2 (4) Pace: 100.2 (17)

The Pistons have finally hit a speed bump. They hadn't lost more than two straight games all season, but have now dropped four straight, including one (without Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson) to the Nets on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The offense has been sub-par over the losing streak, with the nadir being the fourth quarter against Brooklyn. That's when the Pistons scored just 15 points over their final 20 possessions and blew a 17-point lead to a team that was previously 1-43 when trailing by double-digits. The Pistons are still 5-2 without Cunningham this season, but they've scored just 107.6 points per 100 possessions in 1,070 minutes with him off the floor.

• The Pistons have also allowed 119.7 points per 100 possessions over the losing streak, their worst four-game stretch of defense since December. Fouls remain an issue; the Pistons rank last by a healthy margin in opponent free-throw rate (32.4 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and their last seven opponents have all scored at least 20 points at the line. Rebounding was also a problem in their weekend back-to-back, with the Heat's 28 second-chance points on Sunday being their third-highest total of the season.

• Their losses to the Cavs, Spurs and Heat last week were the seventh, eighth and ninth times this season that the Pistons have allowed more than 120 points per 100 possessions. Eight of those nine games have come on the road, where the Pistons have allowed 6.9 more points per 100 (112.4, eighth) than they have at home (105.5, second). That's tied for the league's biggest home-road differential on either end of the floor.

Coming up: The Pistons have more road games (10) than home games (nine) remaining on their schedule, though four of those road games are in Brooklyn, Washington (x 2) and Indiana. They'll have a chance for some revenge (and will have a rest advantage) when they visit the Nets on Tuesday.

Week 21: @ BKN, vs. PHI, vs. MEM, @ TOR

Record: 43-21

OffRtg: 119.8 (2) DefRtg: 111.6 (5) NetRtg: +8.2 (2) Pace: 95.3 (30)

The Celtics got clobbered by the Hornets on Wednesday, but they're undefeated (2-0) with Jayson Tatum, who moved pretty well upon returning from a 10-month absence.

Three takeaways

• Tatum shot just 12-for-32 (38%), but he totaled 15 rebounds and nine assists in his 54 minutes in the Celtics' wins over Dallas and Cleveland. He took more than half of his shots from 3-point range, but also had three drives against Evan Mobley among his six buckets on Sunday. He had the ball for 12.0% of his minutes on the floor, down from 14.4% last season.

• Though the Hornets are the No. 2 rebounding team in the league, the glass wasn't the issue in the Celtics' 29-point loss on Wednesday. Boston has been the league's best rebounding team since Feb. 1, even though it hasn't had a single dominant rebounder. Neemias Queta (17.2%) ranks 16th among individuals over that stretch, with six other Celtics having grabbed more than 11% of available boards while they've been on the floor.

• Nikola VuÄević fractured his finger in the Celtics' win over Dallas on Friday and is expected to miss a month. The Celtics have outscored their opponents by 13.5 points per 100 possessions in VuÄević's 260 minutes on the floor and his absence has them relying even more on Queta, who played 36 minutes (his second-highest total of the season) in Cleveland on Sunday. Tatum's return gives them more small-ball options, but they haven't really played without a center since the All-Star break.

Coming up: The Celtics have, by far, the toughest remaining schedule among the top four teams in the East. Twelve of their 18 games are against teams that currently have winning records, and two more are coming against the 32-33 Hornets. They'll visit San Antonio and Oklahoma City this week, with another meeting with the Thunder coming later this month. Their loss to the Spurs in January was one of the four times this season where the Celtics scored less than a point per possession.

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

Record: 41-24

OffRtg: 118.1 (3) DefRtg: 111.8 (6) NetRtg: +6.3 (5) Pace: 95.3 (23)

The Knicks went 3-2 on a stretch of five straight games against teams with winning records. They picked up impressive wins over the Spurs and Nuggets, in which they held two top-five offenses well below league-average efficiency.

Three takeaways

• The Knicks continue to have the league's No. 1 defense (103.5 points allowed per 100 possessions) over the last 6 1/2 weeks (22 games). Half of those games came against teams that rank in the top 11 offensively, and the Nuggets' 103 points on 100 possessions on Friday (when the Knicks had a rest advantage) were Denver's least efficient offensive performance with Nikola Jokić in uniform.

• The Knicks' offense has struggled, with losses to the Thunder and Lakers last week being the ninth and 10th times that they've scored fewer than 105 points per 100 possessions. There's no season-long correlation between how often defenses have switched screens and how inefficiently the Knicks have scored, but the Thunder had some success when they had more switchable defenders on the floor, and the Lakers had the highest switch rate on ball-screens (54%) that New York has seen all season, according to tracking data. (The third-highest rate was another inefficient game in Cleveland last month.)

• The Knicks trail the second-place Celtics by three games in the loss column, but have the edge (2-1) in the head-to-head tie-breaker and the much easier remaining schedule. Only four of their 17 games are against teams currently more than two games over .500, and they're currently 21-7 vs. the bottom half of the league.

Coming up: After they visit the Clippers on Monday (the end of a stretch of five games in seven days), the Knicks will play about as soft a seven-game stretch as any team is going to get. They'll finish their five-game trip in Utah and Indiana, and then return home to play the Warriors, Pacers, Nets (in Brooklyn), Wizards and Pelicans.

Week 21: @ LAC, @ UTA, @ IND, vs. GSW

Record: 39-25

OffRtg: 117.2 (6) DefRtg: 113.1 (13) NetRtg: +4.1 (7) Pace: 100.9 (12)

The Cavs split their two games within the top four in the East last week, beating the Pistons without Donovan Mitchell and losing to the Celtics as he returned from a four-game absence.

Three takeaways

• The difference between the two games was on the Cavs' end of the floor. They didn't have a 3-point rate at or above 50% in any of their previous 25 games, but took more than half of their shots from beyond the arc in both games last week. They were 17-for-46 (outscoring the Pistons by 24 points) from deep on Tuesday, but were 13-for-45 (including 0-for-14 in the second quarter) in the loss to Boston. For the season, they have the league's sixth-biggest differential between their record when they've shot the league average (35.8%) or better from 3-point range (26-7, .788) and their record when they've shot worse (13-18, .419).

• Another difference was the absence of Jarrett Allen, who missed the loss to Boston with left knee tendinitis. The Cavs have been solid (plus-4.8 points per 100 possessions) with Evan Mobley on the floor without Allen, but not nearly as good as they were last season (plus-11.6).

• The Cavs won the second half by nine points on Sunday, but couldn't climb all the way out of the hole they put themselves in during the first 24 minutes. They've now been 8.1 points per 100 possessions better in the second halves of games (plus-8.3 points per 100 possessions, second best) than they've been before halftime (plus-0.2, 16th), with their differential on offense (7.4 scored per 100) being the second biggest half-to-half differential for any team on either end of the floor.

Coming up: The Cavs are done playing the Pistons, Celtics and Knicks, but they have seven games remaining against the 5-10 tier in the East. They'll complete their season series with the Sixers on Monday, having scored 124.8 points per 100 possessions as they've won the first three meetings.

Week 21: vs. PHI, @ ORL, @ DAL, vs. DAL

Record: 40-24

OffRtg: 116.1 (10) DefRtg: 112.2 (9) NetRtg: +3.8 (8) Pace: 101.6 (9)

The Wolves had an 8-1 stretch before the weekend, but they're only allowed to be so good for so long, and a five-game winning streak came to an end with an ugly loss (at home) to the Magic on Saturday afternoon.

Three takeaways

• The Wolves rank just 10th statistically (plus-3.6 points per 100 possessions) over this 8-2 stretch, because the two losses have each come by 27 points, while the five wins in between all came by single digits. They still have a better point differential (that of a team that's 41-23) than their record, but that differential has shrunk considerably.

• Anthony Edwards did his part on Saturday, scoring 34 points, going 13-for-14 at the free-throw line. But Donte DiVincenzo and Jaden McDaniels combined to shoot 0-for-15 (0-for-10) from 3-point range and the Wolves scored less than a point per possession for just the fourth time this season. They're now just 14-12 when Edwards has scored more than 30 points and just 12-13 when he's had a usage rate of at least 32%.

• DiVincenzo still ranks second with 153 catch-and-shoot 3s, and he's one of eight players who've shot 38% or better on at least 250 total attempts from beyond the arc in each of the last four seasons.

Coming up: The Wolves now head out on a big, four-game trip, currently 9-12 (3-6 on the road) within the top nine in the West. They'll begin with a back-to-back in L.A., now 6-1 in the second games of their last seven back-to-backs, with the only loss having come by three points in San Antonio.

Week 21: @ LAL, @ LAC, @ GSW, @ OKC

Record: 39-25

OffRtg: 120 (1) DefRtg: 116.3 (22) NetRtg: +3.8 (9) Pace: 99.0 (22)

The Nuggets won two straight games for the first time since January, never trailing as they beat the Lakers on Thursday to hold onto fifth place in the West (for the time being). Then they got Aaron Gordon back from a 17-game absence on Friday, but suffered their worst loss of the season, getting clobbered by the Knicks over the final three quarters and losing Jamal Murray to an ankle sprain along the way.

Three takeaways

• In beating the Jazz and Lakers, the Nuggets put together two straight efficient offensive games after a stretch of four where they scored just 107.7 points per 100 possessions. Nikola Jokić has seemingly found his shot inside the arc, shooting 43-for-61 (70%) from 2-point range over the last four games, including 13-for-14 against the Knicks on Friday. He continues to have issues from beyond the arc, now 23-for-76 (30%) from deep since returning from his extended injury absence. The Nuggets still lead the league in 3-point percentage (38.9%) and have seen the second biggest jump in 3-point rate (40.5% of their shots, 19th highest) from last season (35.6%, 30th).

• Murray totaled 73 points in the wins over Utah and L.A., and had 12 in less than 18 minutes before leaving the game against New York. He's registering career-high marks for points per game (25.5), assists per game (7.2) and true shooting percentage (61.9%), with his assist/turnover ratio (3.04) being the second-best mark of his nine seasons. Murray and Jokić have at least 100 assists to each other for the sixth time in those nine years.

• The Nuggets are seven games into their stretch where they're playing 11 of 12 against other teams with winning records. They're just 2-11 against that group since Jan. 9, having scored just 110.5 points per 100 possessions over those 13 games.

Coming up: The Nuggets are 0-3 against the Thunder (0-2) and Spurs (0-1), having allowed 122.5 points per 100 possessions over the three games. Gordon didn't play in any of the three, and their visit to San Antonio on Thursday is the second game of a back-to-back. First up is the third of four games against the champs, with Murray listed as questionable as of Monday morning.

Week 21: @ OKC, vs. HOU, @ SAS, @ LAL

Record: 39-24

OffRtg: 116.8 (7) DefRtg: 112.1 (8) NetRtg: +4.8 (6) Pace: 96.8 (29)

The Rockets have alternated wins and losses for their last six games, sliding back to fourth place in the West. The first five of those games were all within five points in the last five minutes, but they lost by 25 in San Antonio on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Rockets were outscored by 30 points from 3-point range in Washington last Monday, but they were a plus-14 in the restricted area and a plus-13 from the free throw line, beating the Wizards by five. It was also the first time since Christmas that they had an offensive rebounding percentage of 50% or higher. They rank third in offensive rebounding percentage and 22nd in defensive rebounding percentage since losing Steven Adams for the season, having ranked first (by a huge margin) and fifth prior.

• The Rockets' win over Portland on Friday was the sixth time that they allowed less than a point per possession. Reed Sheppard started in place of Jabari Smith Jr., had three blocks, and is now averaging 5.0 deflections per 36 minutes, fifth most among 212 players who've played at least 1,000 minutes this season.

• The Rockets have struggled with their clutch offense, and they lost to the Warriors on Thursday when Kevin Durant missed a couple of critical free throws at the end of overtime. But Alperen Sengun had three buckets to tie or take the lead in the final 1:45 of regulation, and he now leads the league with seven field goals (on 15 attempts) to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime.

Coming up: With their loss in San Antonio on Sunday, the Rockets are 5-7 within the top six in the West, with eight of those 12 games having been within five points in the last five minutes. They have five games remaining within the West's top six, two each against the Lakers and Wolves and a visit to Denver on Wednesday. That's the end of a stretch of five games in seven days and they'll be at a rest disadvantage against the Nuggets. They're 4-1 in rest-disadvantage games after their win over Portland last week.

Week 21: vs. TOR, @ DEN, vs. NOP

Record: 39-25

OffRtg: 116.4 (9) DefRtg: 115.8 (21) NetRtg: +0.6 (16) Pace: 99.4 (20)

The Lakers have won five out of six games for the first time since early December, picking up one of their best wins of the season on Sunday, when they held the Knicks' third-ranked offense under a point per possession.

Three takeaways

• The Lakers struggled to stop the Nuggets' top-ranked offense on Thursday, but they've allowed just 106.8 points per 100 possessions over this 5-1 stretch. It's helped that the opponents have shot just 28.1% from 3-point range over the six games, but the improvement has them on the brink of climbing out of the bottom 10 on defense. They still rank just 27th in opponent effective field goal percentage (55.8%), having seen the league's biggest jump from last season (53.9%, 12th).

• The last two wins (vs. the Pacers and Knicks) came without LeBron James and with Luka DonÄić and Austin Reaves carrying the Lakers' offense. The Lakers are now 9-2 with DonÄić and Reaves in the lineup without James, and they've outscored their opponents by 10.3 points per 100 possessions in the younger duo's 426 total minutes on the floor without the 41-year-old James. The bigger difference between those minutes and when all three have played together (plus-0.4 per 100) has been on offense.

• With their loss in Denver on Thursday, the Lakers are 4-7 in games played between the top six teams in the West. They started 3-0 against that group, but are 1-7 since mid-November, scoring just 105.6 points per 100 possessions over those eight games. The only win (Jan. 20 in Denver) came against the Nuggets without Nikola Jokić.

Coming up: The Lakers have three games left on a stretch where they will have played 15 of 18 at home, and that includes two big ones within the top six in the West. They trail the third-place Wolves by just a game and have already won the head-to-head tie-breaker, with both wins having come in October. The final meeting is on Tuesday in L.A.

Week 21: vs. MIN, vs. CHI, vs. DEN

Record: 37-27

OffRtg: 113.5 (19) DefRtg: 112.5 (10) NetRtg: +1.0 (15) Pace: 98.2 (25)

The Suns got Devin Booker back from a four-game absence last week, and they've won three of their last four games to stay in the mix for a top-six spot in the West.

Three takeaways

• With their weekend wins over the Pelicans and Hornets, the Suns became the seventh team to surpass their win total from last season (36-46). They still rank as the league's second most improved defensive team, allowing 5.2 fewer points per 100 possessions than in 2024-25. Dillon Brooks has been a part of that, but the Suns have allowed just 110.4 points per 100 possessions over his seven-game absence thus far. The low score on Sunday was more about it being one of the slowest-paced games of the season, but the Hornets' 99 points on 88 possessions were still just the second time in their last eight games that they've been held below league-average efficiency.

• Offense can still be an issue. The Suns scored just 103 points on 103 possessions as they lost to the Bulls (who were without Josh Giddy and Matas Buzelis) on Thursday, one of only two losses in the last 11 days by a team currently in playoff or Play-In Tournament position against a team in the bottom 10. They're one of four teams that rank in the bottom 10 in both field goal percentage in the paint (55.9%, 24th) and the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint (43%, 27th), and they've now been outscored in the paint in 11 straight games.

• Haywood Highsmith's season debut on Friday didn't get as much hype as the one that took place in Boston, especially because Highsmith's first action was for just two seconds when the Suns were sealing their win over the Pelicans at the free-throw line. But Highsmith was one of the first two guys off the bench midway through the first quarter (and registered a plus-19 in 21 minutes) against Charlotte on Sunday, when Phoenix was without Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin. The Suns' bench ranks eighth in the league, but they've had some issues winning the minutes when Booker is off the floor.

Coming up: The second of the Suns' two six-game trips begins in Milwaukee on Tuesday and includes two back-to-backs. Phoenix is currently 12-9 (4-4 on the road) against the Eastern Conference after splitting their home games against the Bulls and Hornets last week.

Week 21: @ MIL, @ IND, @ TOR

Record: 36-27

OffRtg: 113.8 (18) DefRtg: 111.8 (7) NetRtg: +2.0 (12) Pace: 99.2 (21)

The Raptors remain that team, the one that beats the teams below it in the standings and loses to the teams above it.

Three takeaways

• With their victory over the Mavs on Sunday, the Raptors have won their last nine games against teams that currently have losing records. And with losses to the Knicks and Wolves last week, they've dropped their last eight against teams that currently have winning records. The difference between those two streaks has been huge on both ends of the floor and a little bigger (103.7 vs. 118.5 points allowed per 100 possessions) on defense.

• The Raptors are still the league's most improved clutch team, 19-12 (sixth-best) in games within five points in the last five minutes after going 10-22 (29th) last season. But after cutting a double-digit deficit down to two in the closing minutes against the Knicks on Tuesday, they saw New York go on a 9-0 run. Toronto has scored just 10 points on 15 clutch possessions as it's lost its last three games within five in the last five.

• The Raptors are holding onto fifth place in the East, leading both the Heat and Magic by a game, with a slightly easier remaining schedule than both. Finishing fifth would be a dramatic improvement from last season (11th) and important for a team that's 0-8 against the top three teams in the conference.

Coming up: The Raptors have four more opportunities to pick up a win against the Pistons (x 2), Celtics or Knicks. Three of those four games are on the road, but they'll host the Pistons on Sunday, having never led in the first meeting (which was also in Toronto).

Week 21: @ HOU, @ NOP, vs. PHX, vs. DET

Record: 35-28

OffRtg: 114.0 (16) DefRtg: 112.6 (11) NetRtg: +1.4 (13) Pace: 100.1 (18)

The Magic have won four straight games for the first time this season, climbing into the top six in the East and within a game of the fifth-place Raptors.

Three takeaways

• Three of the wins came against the Wizards, Mavs and Bucks (without Giannis Antetokounmpo). But the Magic also won by 27 in Minnesota on Saturday, holding the Wolves to just 92 points on 102 possessions. Last season, the Magic had the second-best defense against the league's top-10 offenses. This season, they're in the middle of the pack (117.8 points allowed per 100 possessions in 21 games) against the top 10. But they shut down Minnesota's 10th-ranked offense on the road, ending the Wolves' five-game winning streak and drawing close to ranking in the top 10 defensively for the first time since Week 10.

• Paolo Banchero has nine games of 30 points or more this season, and four of the nine (all in wins) have come since the All-Star break. Overall, he's averaged 26.2 points on a true shooting percentage of 60.3% since the break, up from 21.3 on 55.9% prior.

• Overall, the Magic are the league's second-most-improved team since the break, 11.3 points per 100 possessions better than before it. The bigger improvement has been on defense, where they rank third over the last three weeks.

Coming up: After two days off, the Magic will begin their second stretch of five games in seven days with a visit from the Cavs. They're 4-8 (with five straight losses) against the top four teams in the East, a mark that includes two losses (by a total of 30 points) to Cleveland.

Week 21: vs. CLE, vs. WAS, @ MIA

Record: 36-29

OffRtg: 114.7 (13) DefRtg: 111.4 (4) NetRtg: +3.3 (11) Pace: 104.5 (1)

The Heat had been hovering around .500 since mid-December, but had suddenly won five straight games, including wins over the Rockets, Hornets and Pistons. That has moved them ahead of the Sixers and just percentage points behind the Magic for sixth place in the East.

Three takeaways

• The Heat have scored 123.3 points per 100 possessions over the winning streak, their best stretch of offense this season. All five games have come without their leading scorer (Norman Powell), but Tyler Herro has now played in nine straight games and has seemingly found his rhythm. He's averaged 24.6 points over the streak, shooting 56% from the field (including 17-for-33 from 3-point range) and 18-for-19 from the line.

• The more efficient offense has come with a slower pace. The Heat have averaged 99.7 possessions per 48 minutes over the five games, down from 104.9 per 100 prior and their slowest stretch since Christmas. Some of that is a jump in offensive rebounding percentage on both ends of the floor, but the Heat have also cut down on turnovers.

• The Heat still rank last with 19 ball-screens per 100 possessions, but in one of their most important games of the season to date (Friday in Charlotte), they set 47, according to tracking data. That was, by far, their highest total of the season and they scored 44 points on 31 possessions (1.42 per) when a ball-screen led directly to a shot, turnover or trip to the line.

Coming up: The Heat have just five games remaining against teams that are more than a game below .500, and two of them are in the next four days. After that is their final chance to get a win over the Magic, with whom they're (basically) tied for sixth in the East. The Heat have scored just 108.3 points per 100 possessions over the four losses to Orlando, with all four determined by single digits.

Week 21: vs. WAS, vs. MIL, vs. ORL

Record: 32-33

OffRtg: 117.7 (4) DefRtg: 114.2 (16) NetRtg: +3.5 (10) Pace: 98.0 (26)

The Hornets climbed above .500 for the first time since they were 2-1 by handing the Celtics their worst loss of the season on Wednesday. But they're back under .500 after losing a much more important game (Friday vs. the Heat) in terms of grabbing a top-eight spot in the East. They also began a four-game trip with a double-digit loss to Phoenix.

Three takeaways

• The Hornets were at a rest disadvantage on Wednesday, but held the Celtics' second-ranked offense to just 89 points on 92 possessions. Their much larger improvement this season has been on offense, but they've also seen the league's sixth biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions (-1.5) from last season. And the win in Boston was the third straight game that they allowed less than a point per possession.

• But in losing to the Heat and Suns, the Hornets allowed two not-to-great offenses to score more than 120 points per 100 possessions, forcing just 14 total turnovers over the two games. As good as the offense has been, Charlotte needs to get some stops to win, and is now 6-27 when its allowed its opponent to score more efficiently than the league average (114.3 per 100).

• The Hornets got great bench minutes in their wins over the Mavs and Celtics last week and have outscored their opponents by 14.3 points per 100 possessions in Coby White's 110 minutes on the floor. The reserves weren't so great in Phoenix on Sunday, but the Hornets' bench ranks third since White's first game, up from 12th before that.

Coming up: The Hornets had won 10 straight road games before their loss in Phoenix on Sunday, the start of a four-game trip that concludes in San Antonio on Saturday night. The Hornets edged the Spurs (with Collin Sexton shooting 5-for-5 from 3-point range off the bench) in the first meeting.

Week 21: @ POR, @ SAC, @ SAS

Record: 31-32

OffRtg: 115.6 (12) DefRtg: 115.3 (18) NetRtg: +0.4 (17) Pace: 96.9 (28)

The Clippers had some roller-coaster games last week, but they've won four of their last five (including a win at Golden State) and are now just a game behind the Warriors for eighth place in the West.

Three takeaways

• The Clippers won games last week (at Golden State and at Memphis) they trailed by 17 and 19 points, respectively. And they lost a game (at San Antonio) that they led by 25. Not surprisingly, league-wide winning percentage in games led by double-digits (.747) is the lowest it's been in the 30 seasons of play-by-play data, and the Clippers are one of six teams with at least 10 wins (they're 11-23) after trailing by double-digits and at least 10 losses (they're 25-10) after leading by double-digits.

• Darius Garland made his Clippers debut last week, averaging 15 points and 5.3 assists in 24.3 minutes in his three games. Turnovers were a bit of an issue at Golden State, but the Clippers won all three games Garland played in (he sat out the loss in San Antonio) and outscored their opponents by 22.4 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.

• The Clippers now have a positive point differential on the season. They had lost four straight clutch games, but got a three-point win in Memphis on Saturday, with Isaiah Jackson making two big defensive plays (stripping Cedric Coward and stuffing Ty Jerome) down the stretch. They're still just 11-14 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, but only two teams have played fewer. And with the victory in Memphis, they're 13-1 since Christmas against other teams that currently have losing records.

Coming up: The Clippers begin a five-game homestand with a visit from the Knicks on Monday, the first of three straight rest-advantage games. The third (against the Bulls on Friday night) is the start of their second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 21: vs. NYK, vs. MIN, vs. CHI, vs. SAC

Record: 33-31

OffRtg: 114.0 (17) DefRtg: 113.6 (14) NetRtg: +0.4 (18) Pace: 102.9 (2)

The Hawks have won six straight games to climb to two games above .500 and within just 2 1/2 games of a top-six spot in the Eastern Conference.

Three takeaways

• The first five games were all against teams with losing records, but the winning streak also coincides with CJ McCollum replacing Zaccharie Risacher in the starting lineup. The McCollum lineup has now outscored opponents by 24.1 points per 100 possessions, a mark which ranks second among 28 lineups that have played at least 150 total minutes together. The context is that the first four games of the winning streak came against teams in the bottom eight on offense. In allowing just 98.5 points per 100 possessions, the lineup has benefited from the opponents' shooting just 31% from 3-point range.

• Among the six teams in the No. 5-10 tier in the East, the Hawks have the easiest remaining schedule regarding cumulative winning percentage (.494). They've also been the least dependent of those six teams on the strength of the opponent, currently 16-20 (best among those six teams) against other teams that enter Week 21 with winning records.

Coming up: But the winning streak did begin with a dip in strength of schedule, and the Hawks have three games left on a stretch where they're playing eight of nine against teams with losing records. Things will get tougher next week.

Week 21: vs. DAL, vs. BKN, vs. MIL

Record: 34-29

OffRtg: 114.3 (14) DefRtg: 114.6 (17) NetRtg: -0.3 (19) Pace: 100.0 (19)

Joel Embiid has missed the last four games and the Sixers have lost three of the four. They also needed a 12-2 closing run to edge the Jazz on Wednesday. Tyrese Maxey is out for the next two games with a sprained finger, and their loss to the Hawks over the weekend has them in danger of losing their spot in the top eight of the East.

Three takeaways

• The Sixers have dipped (just a hair) below league average in offensive efficiency, having scored just 103.5 points per 100 possessions over these last four games. In addition to Embiid and Paul George, they've also been without VJ Edgecombe for the last 2 1/2 games, and Andre Drummond somehow attempted four 3-pointers (missing all four) in just 5:10 of playing time against the Spurs on Tuesday. (He was replaced by Adem Bona in the starting lineup for the last two games.)

• Their 40-point loss to the Spurs took the Sixers' season-long point differential below zero. They're now 34-29 with the point differential (minus-0.3 per game, 10th in the East) of a team that's 31-32, taking the Lakers' spot as the only team that's been outscored this season and still has a winning record.

• The Sixers were up seven at the half in Atlanta on Saturday, but then lost the third quarter by double-digits for the 18th time. They remain in the bottom two in both third-quarter offense (105.4 points scored per 100 possessions, 30th) and third-quarter defense (122.8 allowed per 100, 29th) and the 4.3 points per game that they've been outscored by in the third quarter would be the sixth worst mark for any team in any quarter in the 30 seasons for which we have by-quarter stats.

Coming up: With Maxey out, this week brings the Sixers' only stretch of five games in seven days and two of their four remaining back-to-backs. They're 4-9 (3-3 on the road) against the top four teams in the East, set to visit the Cavs on Monday and the Pistons three nights later.

Week 21: @ CLE, vs. MEM, @ DET, vs. BKN, vs. POR

Record: 32-31

OffRtg: 114.1 (15) DefRtg: 112.9 (12) NetRtg: +1.2 (14) Pace: 100.4 (16)

Stephen Curry (who's missed the last 13 games) is scheduled to be re-evaluated this week. Meanwhile, the Warriors are winning just enough to remain in eighth place in the West.

Three takeaways

• While the Warriors remain 4 1/2 games behind the seventh-place Suns, they have the fifth-best record (10-12) in games played between the top eight teams in the West. They found a way to get an overtime win in Houston on Thursday, outscoring the Rockets by 20 points (42-22) in the restricted area and getting big buckets from Al Horford in the final minute of both regulation and overtime. The Warriors are still just 12-15 in games within five points in the last five minutes, having scored just two points on seven clutch possessions in Oklahoma City on Saturday.

• Horford has started alongside Draymond Green in each of the last three games, and Green had one of his best offensive games of the season (16 points, 4-for-6 from 3-point range) in the loss to the Thunder. Though Curry hasn't played, the Warriors' offense has been better with the two veteran bigs on the floor together since the All-Star break (111 points scored per 100 possessions in 67 minutes) than it was before the break (98.4 per 100 in 173 minutes).

• The Warriors lead the ninth-place Clippers by just a game, and L.A. has the easier (and more home-heavy) remaining schedule, with only seven of its remaining 19 games coming against teams currently over .500. The Clippers also have a 2-1, head-to-head edge, with the final meeting in L.A. on the last day of the season.

Coming up: The Warriors' schedule isn't that much tougher than the Clippers', and they have eight games remaining against the bottom 10 teams in the league (they're set to play the Jazz and Bulls on Monday and Tuesday, respectively). They're 14-5 against the bottom 10, though one of those losses (in New Orleans) came since the All-Star break.

Week 21: @ UTA, vs. CHI, vs. MIN, @ NYK

Record: 31-34

OffRtg: 112.5 (23) DefRtg: 115.5 (19) NetRtg: -3.0 (21) Pace: 102.0 (7)

After missing (essentially) seven games, Deni Avdija was back in the Blazers' lineup on Sunday, when they also got a season-high 28 points from Scoot Henderson in a 20-point win over the Pacers.

Three takeaways

• Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 35 points (tying his career high with eight 3-pointers) in the Blazers' win in Memphis on Wednesday. He's averaged 34.5 points + rebounds + assists per 36 minutes, up from 22.6 last season, with that being the biggest jump among 279 players who've played at least 500 minutes in each of the last two seasons. He's seen the biggest jump (from 4.5 to 7.9) in assists per 36 and the fourth biggest jump (from 13.0 to 21.0) in points per 36.

• Holiday, 35, has been a critical piece for the Blazers. Over Avdija's seven-game absence, they were 11.1 points per 100 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor than they were with him off the floor (minus-11.8), essentially losing their game in Houston on Friday (getting outscored by 20 points) in the 11 minutes he sat.

• With their wins over Memphis and Indiana last week, the Blazers are 15-8 (10-6 with Avdija) in games played between the 13 teams currently below .500. If they can take care of business against lesser teams, they have a chance to get themselves to .500 and move up in the West standings, where they're currently trailing the eighth-place Warriors by just two games. They're playing 12 of their remaining 17 games against teams currently below .500.

Coming up: The Blazers scored less than a point per possession (without Avdija) in a 16-point loss in Charlotte nine days ago, and they'll complete the season series at the Moda Center on Tuesday.

Week 21: vs. CHA, vs. UTA, @ PHI

Record: 21-45

OffRtg: 113.1 (22) DefRtg: 117.7 (26) NetRtg: -4.6 (23) Pace: 101.3 (11)

Not surprisingly, the Pelicans are rising toward the top of the bottom 10 teams in the league, picking up wins over the Kings and Wizards last week. That gives them as many wins as they had last season (21-61).

Two takeaways

• Zion Williamson missed only one game with his ankle injury and he started at center in three of the Pelicans' four games last week, with DeAndre Jordan, Yves Missi and Derik Queen all coming off the bench. The lineup of Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Saddiq Bey and Williamson still isn't a great floor-spacing unit, but it outscored the opponents by eight points (10.4 per 100 possessions) in its 40 total minutes over those three games.

• The Pelicans had an eight-point, fourth-quarter lead in L.A. on Tuesday, but then saw the Lakers go on a 22-4 run. They cut a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit down to one in Phoenix on Friday, but couldn't complete the comeback. They scored just seven points on 10 clutch possessions over the two games and are now 11-23 (only the Nets have been worse) in games within five points in the last five minutes, ranking 28th in clutch defense.

Coming up: The Pelicans are the only winless team (they're 0-4) in rest-advantage games. They have four remaining on their schedule, with the first being a visit from the Raptors on Wednesday.

Week 21: vs. TOR, @ HOU

Record: 27-36

OffRtg: 112.4 (24) DefRtg: 117.0 (25) NetRtg: -4.6 (25) Pace: 98.4 (24)

Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a 15-game absence last week, but the Bucks promptly got clobbered by the Celtics, who were playing without Jaylen Brown. Two nights later, they lost their most important game of the season, blowing a 16-point lead to the Hawks.

Two takeaways

• Before his extended absence, the Bucks had outscored their opponents by 6.1 points per 100 possessions with Antetokounmpo on the floor. But over his 79 minutes last week, they were outscored by 8.6 per 100, with the offense (107.6 scored per 100) being the bigger issue. The good news is that he was much more efficient (19-for-34 shooting, 23 free throw attempts) against Atlanta and Utah than he was in his return against Boston (7-for-19, seven free throw attempts).

• Antetokounmpo's return wasn't the only lineup change last Monday. Ousmane Dieng started, Ryan Rollins came off the bench, and Kyle Kuzma was DNP'd. But by the end of the week (and with Kevin Porter Jr. out with a knee issue), the starting lineup included Dieng, Rollins and Kuzma. The teammates with the best on-court numbers alongside Antetokounmpo are Porter and AJ Green.

Coming up: With the Hawks and Heat both playing well, the Bucks' chances of making the Play-In are fading fast. They do get another head-to-head opportunity in Miami and Atlanta this week, currently 7-11 (5-2 with Antetokounmpo) against the No. 5-10 tier in the East.

Week 21: vs. PHX, @ MIA, @ ATL, vs. IND

Record: 26-38

OffRtg: 112.1 (25) DefRtg: 116.7 (23) NetRtg: -4.6 (24) Pace: 102.5 (4)

The Bulls were one of the two bottom-10 teams to play spoiler last week, beginning a five-game trip with a wire-to-wire win in Phoenix. In the second game of the trip, they lost by 16 to the Kings.

Two takeaways

• The Bulls rank last offensively (106.0 points scored per 100 possessions) since the trade deadline, having ranked 18th (113.7 scored per 100) prior. Their offense slide actually started a little before that, but that's still the biggest post-deadline drop-off for any team on either end of the floor.

• With Jaden Ivey and Anfernee Simons out, Collin Sexton is getting a little more playing time than he would otherwise, averaging 25 points on 59% shooting over the last four games. The offense has been pretty anemic with him on or off the floor, but the Hornets have outscored their opponents by 0.5 points per 100 possessions in Sexton's 301 minutes on the floor since his arrival last month.

Coming up: The Bulls' five-game trip gets tougher this week, though they'll have a rest advantage at Golden State on Tuesday. They're 5-2 in rest-advantage games thus far, with one of the two losses having come to the Warriors in early December.

Week 21: @ GSW, @ LAL, @ LAC

Record: 23-39

OffRtg: 113.5 (20) DefRtg: 115.8 (20) NetRtg: -2.2 (20) Pace: 101.5 (10)

The shorthanded Grizzlies played the Wolves, Blazers and Clippers close last week, but lost all three games, with the loss to Portland on Wednesday creating more separation between the Western Conference Play-In Tournament teams and the bottom five.

Two takeaways

• The Grizzlies have shot better than average from 3-point range in six straight games, with six players shooting better than 40% on at least 17 attempts over that stretch. They outscored the Clippers by 36 points from beyond the arc on Saturday, their biggest differential of the season. But, still starting 6-foot-7 Olivier-Maxence Prosper at center, they continue to get clobbered on the glass and in the paint.

Coming up: Thanks to a few schedule changes, the Grizzlies are playing four games in five nights (Monday-Friday) this week. The front ends of the two back-to-backs are two of their six remaining games within the bottom 10 in the league.

Week 21: @ BKN, @ PHI, vs. DAL, @ DET

Record: 21-43

OffRtg: 109.5 (29) DefRtg: 114.0 (15) NetRtg: -4.5 (22) Pace: 102.4 (5)

Cooper Flagg returned from an eight-game absence on Thursday, but he hasn't been able to stop the Mavs' losing streak, which is at seven games.

Two takeaways

• Flagg played both nights of the Mavs' Thursday-Friday back-to-back and averaged 27.3 minutes over his three games back. But he shot just 34% (including 2-for-11 from 3-point range) and the Mavs have scored an anemic 100.3 points per 100 possessions over the seven-game losing streak.

• Flagg had another impressive finish to put the Mavs ahead with 37 seconds left in Orlando on Thursday, his fifth field goal of the season that tied the game or gave the Mavs the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime. But the Mavs couldn't get the stop they needed to get the win, and they've now lost their last 15 games against the 20 teams currently in playoff or Play-In Tournament position.

Coming up: Thanks to a postponement, the Mavs will play four games in five days, starting with their visit to Memphis on Thursday. That's the first of their four remaining games within the bottom 10 in the league, with the Mavs currently 10-12 (fourth worst) within that group.

Week 21: @ ATL, @ MEM, vs. CLE, @ CLE

Record: 19-45

OffRtg: 113.2 (21) DefRtg: 120.5 (30) NetRtg: -7.3 (26) Pace: 102.7 (3)

Lauri Markkanen remains out and the Jazz continue to have the league's fifth-worst record. But they put an end to a seven-game losing streak with a win in Washington on Thursday.

Two takeaways

• Ace Bailey scored a career-high 32 points in the win over the Wizards, shooting 7-for-11 from 3-point range. He's obviously a potential bucket-getter, but he's probably too much of a jump-shooter given his size (6-foot-9), ranking 100th in the percentage of his shots (35%) that have come in the paint and 122nd in free throw rate (9.7 attempts per 100 shots from the field) among 125 players with at least 500 field goal attempts.

• Before the win in Washington, the Jazz had late leads against the Nuggets and Sixers, but came up short down the stretch. They still rank eighth in clutch defense and still have a much better clutch record (12-16) than they have overall, but they've allowed 78 points on 59 clutch possessions (1.32 per) as they've lost eight of their last nine games that were within five points in the last five minutes.

Coming up: The Jazz have lost nine of their last 10 games against teams that currently have winning records, and 12 of their remaining 18 games are against that group. Two of the exceptions are visits to Portland and Sacramento this week, with the Jazz currently 2-1 (the home team has won all three games) against the last-place Kings.

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

Record: 16-47

OffRtg: 109.6 (28) DefRtg: 118.3 (27) NetRtg: -8.7 (28) Pace: 97.1 (27)

The Nets lost 10 straight games before pulling off one of the more improbable comebacks you'll ever see. Their Saturday win in Detroit (where they lost by 53 points in early February) gives them 16 for the season and has them tied with the Wizards for third place in the upside-down standings.

Two takeaways

• Before Saturday, the Nets had lost their last 17 games against the 17 teams that currently have winning records, and they were a league-worst 1-43 (with 28 straight losses) in games they trailed by double-digits. They were down 23 in the third quarter and 17 with a little more than 10 minutes left, but then went on a 34-13 run, scoring those 34 points on just 18 possessions. The 23-point deficit is tied for the fourth-largest that any team has overcome to win a game this season.

• Day'Ron Sharpe was on the floor for most of that 34-13 run, scoring nine of those 34 points and grabbing three offensive boards. This year would be the fourth time in his five seasons that the Nets have been at least 5.6 points per 100 possessions better with Sharpe on the floor than they've been with him off the floor.

Coming up: The Nets have seven games remaining within the bottom 10 in the league, and five of the seven are at home. They lost their first meeting with the Grizzlies, who will be in Brooklyn on Monday.

Week 21: vs. MEM, vs. DET, @ ATL, @ PHI

Record: 15-50

OffRtg: 109.8 (26) DefRtg: 120.0 (28) NetRtg: -10.2 (29) Pace: 100.4 (15)

The Kings have tied the Pacers in the win column, beating the Bulls handily on Sunday behind a triple-double from Russell Westbrook and 30 points off the bench from Malik Monk.

Two takeaways

• Maxime Raynaud also had 26 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in the win over Chicago. He's had six double-doubles in his nine games (and is one of just six players averaging at least 15 points and 10 rebounds) since the All-Star break. There are no lost seasons in this league, and the development of the rookie big man could ultimately make this one worthwhile.

• With their split against the Pelicans and Bulls last week, the Kings are 7-12 in games played between the bottom 10 teams in the league, having scored just 111.4 points per 100 possessions over those 17 games. They have five games left within the bottom 10, with visits from the Pacers and Jazz this week.

Coming up: The Kings have seven games left on a stretch where they're playing nine of 10 at home. The one exception is a Saturday visit to the Intuit Dome, where they lost by 41 in December.

Week 21: vs. IND, vs. CHA, @ LAC, vs. UTA

Record: 16-47

OffRtg: 109.6 (27) DefRtg: 120.5 (29) NetRtg: -10.9 (30) Pace: 102.1 (6)

Trae Young made his debut last week, and the Wizards played the Jazz and Pelicans in his first two games. But they lost them both, running their current losing streak to eight.

Two takeaways

• Young totaled 29 points and 14 assists in less than 37 minutes over the two games, and the Wizards scored an efficient 96 points on 78 offensive possessions (123 per 100) with him on the floor. But they were outscored by 26 points (allowing 138 per 100) in his 59 minutes on the bench, falling to 11-10 in games played between the bottom 10 teams in the league.

• Overall, the Wizards scored efficiently against Utah's 30th-ranked defense, but they're on the brink of replacing the Jazz in the basement on that end of the floor, because they've allowed 128.9 points per 100 possessions over their last five games, their worst stretch of defense since early December. Utah's 122 points on just 94 possessions on Thursday were its best offensive game since mid-December, and New Orleans' 138 on 105 on Sunday was its best offensive game of the season.

Coming up: Better offenses are coming on the schedule. The Wizards' next eight games are against teams with winning records, with Washington currently 4-31 against that group.

Week 21: @ MIA, @ ORL, @ BOS

Record: 15-49

OffRtg: 108.8 (30) DefRtg: 117.0 (24) NetRtg: -8.2 (27) Pace: 102.0 (8)

With the Jazz beating the Wizards on Thursday and the Nets' incredible comeback in Detroit over the weekend, the Pacers are the only team without a win (they're 0-9) since the All-Star break. Seven of those nine losses have come against other teams with losing records.

Two takeaways

• Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam returned from five and three-game absences, respectively, last week. But the Pacers are now 7-20 with their three returning starters — Nesmith, Siakam and Andrew Nembhard — all available, and they've been outscored by 6.1 points per 100 possessions in 451 minutes with all three on the floor. The much bigger drop-off from their minutes together last season has been on defense.

• The Pacers lost by 20 points or more in seven (12%) of their first 58 games, but have now done so in four of their last six, with a 19-point loss to the Grizzlies in that stretch as well.

Coming up: The Pacers and Kings are now tied for the fewest wins (15), and they'll meet for the second (and final) time on Tuesday, with the Pacers having won the first meeting (Dec. 8) behind 28 points and 12 assists from Nembhard. That's the end of the Pacers' four-game trip, and they'll then return home and begin their only stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 21: @ SAC, vs. PHX, vs. NYK, @ MIL