The 76ers will look to new pickup James Harden to help steer their upcoming playoff push.
NBA All-Star 2022 is in the books and after a few more days off, it will be time to get back to business.
But the next seven weeks aren’t just for fine-tuning. With James Harden (Friday) and Ben Simmons (TBD) set to make their debuts for the Sixers and Nets, respectively, it’s time for a near-total reset in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. The Phoenix Suns don’t have to integrate anybody new, but they do have to figure out how to play without Chris Paul (who hadn’t missed a game all season) for the next six (or more) weeks.
Other contenders – the Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks, namely – would probably like to find some kind of rhythm after stumbling into the All-Star break. The New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings would surely like to get a couple of practices in with their new acquisitions, so they can come out of the break stronger than they went in. And the Nets and Warriors aren’t the only teams hoping to get key contributors back from extended absences as soon as possible.
It’s time for a bit of a reset in the Power Rankings, as well. The Suns still occupy the No. 1 spot (about as locked in as any team could be), but there’s been a shuffle in the top 10. And as we come out of the break, we’re focusing a little less on the day-to-day and serving up some season-long statistical nuggets that help define what makes these teams good, bad, or interesting.
Plus-Minus Players of the Week
Teams of the Week
Make It Last Forever: Portland (2-0) — Break up the Blazers! No, wait. They did that already.
Something Just Ain’t Right: New York (0-2) — The ship be sinking again.
* * *
East vs. West
Schedule strength through Week 18
Toughest: 1. Portland, 2. Indiana, 3. Orlando
Easiest: 1. Milwaukee, 2. Chicago, 3. Phoenix
Schedule strength is based on cumulative opponent record, and adjusted for home vs. away and days of rest before a game.
* * *
Movement in the Rankings
High jumps of the week: Chicago (+4), Dallas (+4), Denver (+4)
Free falls of the week: Cleveland (-4), Milwaukee (-4)
* * *
Week 19 Team to Watch
Dallas — The Mavs have won six of their last seven games, with Luka Doncic averaging 35.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists over that stretch. They currently sit in fifth place in the Western Conference, trailing the fourth-place Jazz by a game and a half. The two teams will meet three times in the next five weeks, with the first of those three meetings in Utah on Friday (9 p.m. ET, League Pass). After that, the Mavs will travel to San Francisco to face the Warriors on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
* * *
Previously…
Last week: Sixers, Nets switch gears as Suns, Grizzlies hold top spots
All-Star notebook: Key stats on every 2022 All-Star
This time last year: Jazz stay at No. 1, but Nets closing in fast — In what may have been a harbinger of things to come, the Jazz’s nine-game winning streak came to an end when they couldn’t get stops against the Clippers. The Timberwolves fired Ryan Saunders and hired Chris Finch from off the Raptors’ bench. The Cavs lost 10 straight games, while the Spurs had four straight games postponed. Joel Embiid scored a career-high 50 points against the Bulls, Terry Rozier beat the Warriors at the buzzer, and Anthony Edwards had one of the greatest dunks in recent memory.
The archive: NBA.com Power Rankings
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league has averaged 98.6 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes and 110.1 points scored per 100 possessions this season.
NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail or contact him via Twitter.
Last Week: 1
Record: 48-10
Pace: 100.0 (7) OffRtg: 113.5 (3) DefRtg: 105.4 (3) NetRtg: +8.1 (1)
Everything was going right for the Suns, who have won 18 of their last 19 games. But Chris Paul, who’s played in 148 of a possible 152 games in Phoenix, broke his thumb against Houston on Wednesday and could miss the rest of the regular season.
The Suns will obviously look for backcourt help in the buyout market, but for now, the point guard position belongs to Cameron Payne and Elfrid Payton. Payne, who missed the last 13 games before the break with the wrist injury, has seen the second biggest drop in effective field goal percentage (from 57.6% to 46.2%) among 232 players with at least 200 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons. Payton, meanwhile just 38% from the field and a brutal 3-for-13 from the line over those 13 games that Payne missed, with the Suns (who won 12 of the 13 games) being outscored over his 171 minutes on the floor.
Devin Booker, who ranks eighth in the league in usage rate, will surely take an even larger role in the offense. Last season, he shot a little better with Paul off the floor than he did with him on the floor. This season, it’s the opposite. Booker has an effective field goal percentage of 54.0% (on 760 shots) with Paul on the floor, but just 43.2% (on 300 shots) with Paul on the bench.
The good news is that the Suns have a relatively easy post-break schedule, with 13 of their 24 games against the 15 teams currently below .500. That includes four of their next five against teams no better than the 25-34 Blazers.
Three numbers to know…
1. Currently third in both offensive and defensive efficiency, the Suns would be just the third team in the 26 seasons for which we have play-by-play data to rank in the top three on both ends of the floor, joining the 2014-15 Warriors and ’16-17 Warriors. Both of those teams won the championship.
2. The Suns are 24-3 (.889) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes (with 12 straight wins), which would be the best clutch record in the 26 seasons for which we have clutch data. They’re also the only undefeated team (36-0) when leading after the third quarter. They also have the league’s best record (40-2, with 39 straight wins) after leading by double-digits, and are the only team with a winning record (11-10) in games they trailed by double-digits.
3. The Suns’ starting lineup has played 625 total minutes, 117 more than any other five-man group. (It also led the league in total minutes last season at 706.) It’s outscored its opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions, a mark that ranks 11th among 24 lineups that have played at least 200 minutes. The Suns have had the league’s top-ranked bench in each of the last two seasons.
Week 19: @ OKC, vs. NOP. vs. UTA
Last Week: 2
Record: 41-19
Pace: 99.9 (8) OffRtg: 113.1 (5) DefRtg: 108.6 (9) NetRtg: +4.5 (5)
The Grizzlies have the league’s No. 1 offense in February (123.7 points scored per 100 possessions), and they went into the All-Star break with Ja Morant and Desmond Bane combining for 74 points against the Blazers. But their defense left for the break a game too early (it was the Blazers’ third most efficient game of the season) and their six-game winning streak came to an end.
The Grizzlies still have the second best record (18-10) in games played between the 15 teams that went into the break with winning records. Only 10 of their 22 remaining games are against the other 14 (they have the league’s third easiest remaining schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage), but their post-break schedule begins with visits to the 31-28 Wolves and 38-21 Bulls.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Grizzlies lead the league in fast break points per game (16.9), points in the paint per game (57.3), and second chance points per game (18.1).
2. The Grizzlies have been the league’s best team (+2.2 points per game) in the first six minutes of the first quarter.
3. The Grizzlies have the league’s best record (23-2, .920) when shooting 35% or better from 3-point range.
Trae lob from halfcourt.
And then Ja. Just, Ja.#NBAAllStar on TNT & TBS pic.twitter.com/buoub2idUz
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
Week 19: @ MIN, @ CHI
Last Week: 4 ↑
Record: 38-21
Pace: 96.1 (28) OffRtg: 111.9 (8) DefRtg: 107.4 (6) NetRtg: +4.5 (6)
The Heat come out of the break in first place in the East, and their top four players – Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry – have missed an average of 17.5 games. They’ve had all four for just 15 of their 59 (they’re 10-5 in those games) and just three times since Thanksgiving. All four have been on the floor together for just 65 total minutes.
The Heat’s starting lineup continues to be dominant, and they’ve outscored their opponents by 16.5 points per 100 possessions in 426 total minutes with Butler and Adebayo on the floor together since they both got back from extended absences. Prior to that, they were outscored by 2.2 in their 358 minutes together.
Miami has a home-heavy post-break schedule, and it gets real interesting next week. But it begins in New York, with the Heat having won eight of their last nine games against the Knicks.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Heat are the only Eastern Conference team that ranks in the top 10 on both ends of the floor.
2. Heat opponents have taken 46.2% of their shots from 3-point range. That would be the highest opponent rate in NBA history, topping their own mark of 45.9% last season.
3. The Heat have outscored their opponents by 11.7 points per 100 possessions in the first quarter. That’s the best mark for any team in any quarter.
Week 19: @ NYK, vs. SAS
Last Week: 7 ↑
Record: 34-26
Pace: 97.3 (24) OffRtg: 110.3 (18) DefRtg: 104.9 (2) NetRtg: +5.4 (4)
The Celtics went into the break with a confounding loss to the Pistons, which ended both their nine-game winning streak and their streak of six straight games holding their opponent under a point per possession. Obviously, in regard to the defense, it’s noteworthy that they were missing both Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III. And the Celtics’ destruction of the Sixers on Tuesday improved them to 12-7 in games against the other teams in the East’s top eight. That’s the best record (and the most games played) within the group, and they’ll begin their post-break schedule with a visit to Brooklyn.
The aforementioned defense (best in the league by a huge margin as they’ve won 11 of their last 13 games) is the main fuel behind the Celtics’ rise from 11th to sixth in the Eastern Conference. But the offense has also been improved, and the improvement has come with more passing. The Celtics rank seventh in ball movement since Christmas (348 passes per 24 minutes of possession), up from 17th prior to that (322).
Three numbers to know…
1. The Celtics’ starting lineup – Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Williams – has outscored its opponents by 26.5 points per 100 possessions, the best mark among 24 lineups that have played at least 200 minutes together It’s allowed just 88.8 points per 100, the best mark among 63 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes together.
2. The Celtics are 34-26, with the point differential (+5.4 per game, best in the East) of a team that’s 42-18. That’s the league’s biggest differential between a team’s “expected” wins and its actual wins. They have the league’s fifth worst record (11-18) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes and lead the league with four losses in games they led by double-digits in the fourth quarter.
3. The Celtics have switched 40% of ball-screens, the league’s highest rate (and up from 29% last season), according to Second Spectrum tracking.
Week 19: @ BKN, @ DET, @ IND
Last Week: 9 ↑
Record: 33-25
Pace: 97.8 (21) OffRtg: 111.9 (7) DefRtg: 109.9 (14) NetRtg: +2.1 (10)
For the season, the Nuggets have outscored their opponents by 5.4 points per 100 possessions through the first three quarters, and have been outscored by 8.9 per 100 (the league’s second worst mark) in the fourth. But they went into the break with a 39-30 fourth quarter at Golden State, coming back from a seven-point deficit with a minute and a half to go. Monte Morris (returning from a three-game absence) hit the game-winner and Bryn Forbes also had seven points in that fourth quarter. Forbes has shot 27-for-63 (42.9%) from 3-point range over his 15 games with Denver and the Nuggets’ bench ranks 11th (+1.3 aggregate point differential per 100 possessions) over that stretch, up from 28th (-4.3) prior to that.
The Nuggets’ first six games out of the break are against teams that currently have losing records. They’re 22-7 against that group thus far.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Nuggets rank last in drives per game (32.0), but second in assist percentage (66.2%) and third in ball movement (357 passes per 24 minutes of possession).
2. The Nuggets have the league’s biggest differential between their opponents’ field goal percentage in the paint (59.0%, second highest) and their opponents’ effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (48.3%, eighth lowest).
3. The Nuggets have been 20.7 points per 100 possessions better with Nikola Jokic on the floor (+10.1) than they’ve been with him off the floor (-10.6). That’s the biggest on-off differential among 330 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes for a single team. Aaron Gordon has the 11th biggest differential (+7.0 vs. -5.1).
MONTE MORRIS WINS IT FOR DENVER AT THE BUZZER 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/NHTxpZWeEI
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 17, 2022
Week 19: @ SAC, vs. SAC, @ POR
Last Week: 3 ↓
Record: 42-17
Pace: 98.9 (15) OffRtg: 111.4 (11) DefRtg: 104.6 (1) NetRtg: +6.8 (3)
At their best, the Warriors have been the best team in the league, and they’re 2-1 against the Suns. But the Dubs haven’t been at their best for a while, and they went into the break losing four of their last five games, their worst stretch of defense this season (118.0 points allowed per 100 possessions). Draymond Green won’t be back right away (Green and Klay Thompson have still been on the floor together for just seven seconds), but the final Suns-Warriors game – certainly the biggest post-break game in the Western Conference – isn’t until March 30.
That game is at home, but the Warriors are tied (with the Blazers) for the league’s most road-heavy post-break schedule (14 of 23 games on the road). And it begins in Portland on Thursday, with the Warriors having held the Blazers under a point per possession over their two meetings thus far.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Warriors have outscored their opponents by 6.1 points per game in the restricted area. That’s the league’s best restricted-area differential, but it breaks down to +11.8 points per game in the 33 games that Green has played and -1.2 points per game in the 26 games he’s missed.
2. The Warriors are the only team that ranks in the top five in both 3-point percentage (36.2%, fifth) and the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range (46.4%, second).
3. The Warriors rank second in opponent 2-point percentage (50.4%) and third in opponent 3-point percentage (33.4%). The Suns (fourth and first) are the only other team in the top five in both.
Week 19: @ POR, vs. DAL
Last Week: 5 ↓
Record: 35-23
Pace: 96.3 (27) OffRtg: 111.0 (14) DefRtg: 109.2 (11) NetRtg: +1.9 (12)
The Sixers were outscored by 45 points in their two games against the Celtics and Bucks last week, and their offensive struggles against Boston shouldn’t be dismissed, even with the reset that they’re about to undergo. But they salvaged the week with their three-point win in Milwaukee. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey combined for 24 free throw attempts in the win, and now they add the guy who’s attempted 1,935 more free throws than any other player over the last 10 seasons.
The Sixers have 10 more games within the top eight in the East, but the James Harden era begins in Minnesota with the Sixers’ final rest-advantage game of the season (the Wolves host Memphis the night before). The Sixers are one of only six teams with a losing record (4-6) in rest-advantage games thus far, with one of those losses having come (in double-overtime) against Minnesota. Embiid was a plus-11 in 45:26 in that game, but the Sixers were outscored by 12 points in his 12:34 on the bench. This is the fifth time in his six seasons that the Sixers have more than 10 points per 100 possessions better with Embiid on the floor than they’ve been with him off the floor, but they now have the ability to stagger his minutes with one of the best offensive players in NBA history.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Sixers are one of two teams with winning records – Brooklyn is the other – that don’t rank in the top 10 on either end of the floor.
2. The Sixers have seen the third biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions, from 107.0 (second) last season to 109.2 (11th) this season.
3. Embiid leads the league in usage rate at 37.7%, the fourth highest mark in the 26 seasons for which we have play-by-play data. One of the players who’ve had a higher usage rate is James Harden (39.6% in 2018-19).
Week 19: @ MIN, @ NYK
Last Week: 12 ↑
Record: 35-24
Pace: 95.8 (30) OffRtg: 110.8 (16) DefRtg: 107.2 (5) NetRtg: +3.6 (8)
Spencer Dinwiddie played his first two games with the Mavs last week, but Luka Doncic isn’t yet carrying a lighter load. He has a usage rate of 41.9% in February, with his 49 points in New Orleans in the last game before the break coming with the highest single-game usage rate of his career (53.6%). The Mavs have scored almost 123 points per 100 possessions in his 299 minutes on the floor this month, so no complaints. And they’ve won six of their last seven games, with wins over the Sixers and Heat included.
The Mavs come out of the break with two tough road games. They’re 6-7 within the top six in the Western Conference, 4-2 at home and 2-5 on the road. That includes a narrow loss in Utah (in which they were without Doncic) and a 38-point defeat at Golden State.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Mavs have taken only 42% of their shots, the league’s lowest rate, in the paint. And they have the league’s fourth biggest differential between their field goal percentage in the paint (58.4%, sixth) and their effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (49.0%, 21st). They’re the only team that doesn’t have a single player who’s shot 38% or better on at least 100 3-point attempts.
2. The Mavs’ recent starting lineup – Doncic, Jalen Brunson, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dwight Powell – has scored 130.5 points per 100 possessions in its 133 minutes. That’s the best mark among 63 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes together.
3. The Mavs are one of three teams – the Cavs and Thunder are the others – that have gone from the bottom 10 (last season) to the top 10 in defensive efficiency. They’ve seen the league’s third biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions.
Week 19: @ UTA, @ GSW
Last Week: 13 ↑
Record: 38-21
Pace: 99.0 (13) OffRtg: 113.4 (4) DefRtg: 111.4 (20) NetRtg: +2.0 (11)
The Bulls went into the All-Star break with a five-game winning streak in which they scored 171 points on 127 possessions (134.6 per 100) in the fourth quarter. DeMar DeRozan totaled 67 points (47.7 per 36 minutes) on 25-for-35 shooting and Coby White was 10-for-15 from beyond the arc over those five fourth quarters. Their win over the Kings on Wednesday was the Bulls’ fifth game in which they’ve shot 50% or better from the field, 40% or better from 3-point range and 90% or better from the free throw line. No other team has more than three such games and only four other teams have more than one.
That game was also just the fifth in NBA history (and the first in exactly one year) in which both teams shot 50/40/90. They can’t control their opponents’ free throw percentage, but the Bulls ranked 27th defensively (117.3 points allowed per 100 possessions) over the last three-plus weeks before the break. And they have one of the league’s toughest remaining schedules in regard to opposing offenses, with 12 of their 23 (including each of their first five) post-break games against the other teams that currently rank in the top 10 on that end of the floor. They’re 2-0 against the Hawks, with the two teams having combined to score 123 points per 100 possessions in their home-and-home series at the end of December. They’ll play twice more in the next 11 days.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Bulls have seen the league’s second biggest jump in overall winning percentage, though just its eighth biggest jump in point differential per 100 possessions from last season. They’ve seen the second biggest jump in clutch winning percentage, from 14-21 (.400, fifth worst) last season to 20-11 (.645, fifth best) this season.
2. The Bulls rank first in field goal percentage (48.3%), second in 3-point percentage (37.6%), and first in free throw percentage (81.7%). They would be the fourth team in the last 15 seasons to rank in the top two in all three categories.
3. The Bulls are tied for the league’s fourth best record, but have the worst record (3-12) in games played between the top 10.
Week 19: vs. ATL, vs. MEM
Last Week: 6 ↓
Record: 35-23
Pace: 97.0 (25) OffRtg: 110.0 (19) DefRtg: 105.8 (4) NetRtg: +4.2 (7)
The Cavs’ had one of those ready-for-the-break performances last week. Their game in Atlanta was their fifth most efficient offensive performance of the season, but it was their worst defensive performance (124 points allowed on 94 possessions), so they went into the break with their first two-game losing streak of 2022. Their last two games against the Hawks are their only two losses (they’re 12-2) when they’ve scored at least 117 points per 100 possessions.
Lauri Markkanen (right ankle sprain) was initially listed as questionable for that game on Tuesday, so it seems likely that he’ll be returning from an 11-game absence this week. Thirteen of the Cavs’ 24 remaining games are against teams currently over .500, but they have four games left against the Pistons and Magic. Their post-break schedule begins with a visit to Detroit, where they lost a little more than three weeks ago.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Cavs have been 12.5 points per 100 possessions better than they were last season (-8.3, 28th). That would be the third biggest season-to-season improvement in the last 25 years, topped only by the 2007-08 Celtics (14.3) and the ’97-98 Spurs (13.2). The Cavs have been both the league’s most improved team on offense (scoring 4.8 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season) and its most improved team on defense (allowing 7.7 fewer).
2. The Cavs have seen the league’s biggest jump in 3-point percentage (from 33.6% to 35.3%) and its third biggest jump in the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range (from 34.7% to 39.1%).
3. The Cavs are the only team that hasn’t lost a game by 20 points or more.
Week 19: @ DET, vs. WAS
Last Week: 11
Record: 36-22
Pace: 98.1 (19) OffRtg: 115.9 (1) DefRtg: 109.0 (10) NetRtg: +6.9 (2)
The Jazz were going into the All-Star break with a seven-game winning streak … until they blew a 12-point lead with less than six minutes to go in L.A. on Wednesday. The loss dropped the Jazz to 12-17 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. They have the league’s best record (24-5) in games that weren’t within five in the last five, and they’ve had both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert for only one of those five losses (Nov. 11 vs. Indiana).
Even with the loss to the Lakers, the Jazz rank second offensively and third defensively in the month of February (coinciding with Mitchell’s return from an eight-game absence). February wins over the Nuggets and Warriors have improved them to 6-6 vs. the other teams in the West’s top six, set to face the Mavs (1-0) and Suns (0-2) this week. Both losses to Phoenix came without Mitchell and Gobert.
Three numbers to know…
1. For the second straight season, the Jazz lead the league in 3-point differential, having outscored their opponents by 8.3 points per game from beyond the arc. But that’s less than half their differential from last season (+17.6 per game).
2. Only 59% of the Jazz’s 3-point attempts, the league’s lowest rate, have been off the catch. Donovan Mitchell (6.0), Mike Conley (4.0) and Jordan Clarkson (3.8) rank fourth, 14th and 16th in pull-up 3-point attempts per game. Conley’s 88-for-206 (42.7%) on pull-up 3s is the best mark among 79 players who’ve attempted at least 75.
3. The Jazz have outscored their opponents by 11.4 points per 100 possessions with Gobert on the floor and by 10.4 per 100 with Hassan Whiteside on the floor. Those are the fourth and sixth best on-court marks among 290 players who’ve averaged at least 15 minutes in 30 games or more.
Week 19: vs. DAL, @ PHX
Last Week: 8 ↓
Record: 36-24
Pace: 100.1 (6) OffRtg: 112.5 (6) DefRtg: 109.4 (12) NetRtg: +3.2 (9)
The Bucks have the league’s toughest post-break schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.554), with 15 of their 22 games against the other 14 teams that currently have winning records. They’re just 11-14 within that group thus far, having allowed 127.8 points per 100 possessions as they’ve lost their last four against good teams. The latest of those losses was Thursday, when the Sixers amazingly scored on 17 straight possessions spanning the second and third quarters, a 40-13 run that turned a 12-point Bucks lead into a 15-point deficit.
The Bucks lost three of their last four heading into the break and they rank 26th defensively (117.5 points allowed per 100 possessions) over the last month, having ranked sixth prior to that.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Bucks are one of three teams (the Bulls and Suns are the others) that rank in the top 10 in field goal percentage in the paint (57.7%, eighth), mid-range field goal percentage (42.0%, eighth), and 3-point percentage (36.1%, seventh).
2. The Bucks have been the league’s best first-half team, outscoring their opponents by 9.0 points per 100 possessions before halftime. But they’ve been outscored by 2.1 per 100 (the league’s 10th worst mark) in the second half. That’s the league’s biggest half-to-half drop.
3. The Bucks have scored 12.4 more points per 100 possessions with Jrue Holiday on the floor (117.0) than they have with him off the floor (104.6). That’s the third biggest on-off OffRtg differential (behind only those of Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon) among 330 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes for a single team. George Hill has the league’s biggest differential on defense, with the Bucks having allowed 15.5 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor (98.2) than they have with him off the floor (113.7).
Did someone order a 5️⃣ 0️⃣ piece?@Giannis_An34 was UNSTOPPABLE and EFFICIENT for the @Bucks leading them to the W!
🏀 50 PTS (17/21 FGM)🏀 14 REB
🏀 4 AST pic.twitter.com/yDLn9wabqg
— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2022
Week 19: vs. BKN
Last Week: 10 ↓
Record: 32-25
Pace: 96.5 (26) OffRtg: 111.5 (10) DefRtg: 109.8 (13) NetRtg: +1.7 (13)
The Raptors are searching for a ninth guy for Nick Nurse to trust, and Thaddeus Young provided some good minutes as they went into the break with an impressive win (without Fred VanVleet) in Minnesota. Maybe the most interesting thing is that the Raptors have grabbed 89% of available defensive rebounds in Young’s 33 total minutes on the floor. And those 33 minutes have come against teams – New Orleans and Minnesota – that rank in the top six in offensive rebounding percentage.
The seventh-place Raptors come out of the break with seven games (including three back-to-backs) in 10 days, a stretch that features an important home-and-home with the eighth-place Nets next week. They have the league’s second best record (8-3) in the second games of back-to-backs.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Raptors have seen the league’s biggest drop in the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range, from 44.4% (fourth highest) last season to 38.3% (20th) this season.
2. The Raptors lead the league in turnover differential, having committed 3.4 fewer turnovers per game than their opponents.
3. The Raptors rank last in assist percentage, having recorded assists on just 54.5% of their field goals, a drop from 60.7% (14th) last season. Their eight assists at New Orleans last Monday were the fewest for any team in a game since the Raptors themselves had seven on March 11, 2017.
Week 19: @ CHA, @ ATL
Last Week: 14
Record: 31-28
Pace: 100.8 (3) OffRtg: 111.5 (9) DefRtg: 110.0 (15) NetRtg: +1.6 (14)
Technically, Anthony Edwards got his first win against LaMelo Ball on Tuesday. But after turning his ankle, Edwards didn’t play in the second half of the Wolves’ overtime win over Charlotte. Karl-Anthony Towns (who has taken far fewer clutch shots than D’Angelo Russell this season) hit three clutch 3s as the Wolves capped off a comeback from 13 points down in the fourth quarter. Six of their last eight games have been within five points in the last five minutes, though they never made things really interesting as they lost to Toronto on Wednesday.
That was the second game of a back-to-back, and the Wolves will have three more back-to-backs (with two-day breaks in between) in the next two weeks. The opponents for the first two of those are the Grizzlies, Sixers, Cavs and Warriors, with the Wolves currently 6-11 against the nine teams that have won at least 60% of their games.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Wolves have seen the league’s third biggest jump in winning percentage and its second biggest jump in point differential per 100 possessions (+6.9) from last season. They’ve seen the third biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions (+2.3) and its seventh biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions (-4.5).
2. The Wolves rank last in two of the four factors on defense, having allowed their opponents to grab 29.7% of available offensive rebounds and having put them on the line for 28.8 free throw attempts per 100 shots from the field. They’ve been outscored by a league-worst 2.7 points per game from the free throw line.
3. The Wolves’ starting lineup has outscored its opponents by 22.1 points per 100 possessions, the second best mark among 24 lineups that have played at least 200 minutes together. It ranks first offensively and eighth defensively among those lineups.
🚨 Karl-Anthony Towns opens the final round of #MtnDew3PT with 29! 🚨
2 shooters left on TNT. #NBAAllStar #StateFarmSaturday pic.twitter.com/lyfAOUv6Es
— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2022
Week 19: vs. MEM, vs. PHI
Last Week: 15
Record: 30-31
Pace: 99.0 (14) OffRtg: 107.6 (26) DefRtg: 108.4 (7) NetRtg: -0.9 (19)
The Clippers were victims of the Suns’ clutchness last week, but went into the break winning three of their last four games. It was a strong stretch defensively (105.1 points allowed per 100 possessions), but their two wins last week – against Golden State and Houston – were two of their four most effective shootings nights of the season. Terance Mann totaled 45 points on 19-for-30 shooting and Luke Kennard was 8-for-9 from 3-point range over the two wins.
The Clips haven’t been over .500 since they were 19-18 on Jan. 3, but they’re currently just a game below and their first five games out of the break are against teams below them. That includes two games each against two teams – the Lakers and Rockets – who the Clips have already beat this month.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Clippers have scored 9.1 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season (116.7, third). That’s the tied for the fourth biggest season-to-season drop in the last 25 years.
2. Though they’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in 3-point percentage (from a league-leading 41.1% last season), the Clippers still rank fourth (36.3%) and are the only team with five players – Nicolas Batum, Amir Coffey, Luke Kennard, Marcus Morris and Norman Powell – who’ve shot 38% or better on at least 100 3-point attempts.
3. The Clippers have played the fourth most possessions of zone defense (386) and have allowed the fewest points per possession (0.85) among the 20 teams that have played at least 75 possessions of zone, according to Synergy tracking.
Week 19: @ LAL, @ HOU
Last Week: 16
Record: 28-30
Pace: 98.6 (17) OffRtg: 113.9 (2) DefRtg: 113.3 (27) NetRtg: +0.5 (15)
The Hawks went into the break on fire offensively, scoring more than 130 points per 100 possessions as they won both ends of a back-to-back against the Cavs and Magic. Trae Young totaled 63 points on an effective field goal percentage of 63% over the two games and was just one of four Hawks who hit big 3s down the stretch of the Cleveland win.
Last season (when the schedule was split in half), the Hawks saw the league’s biggest post-break jump in winning percentage, going from 16-20 (.444) before the All-Star break to 25-11 (.694) after it. And this year, they have the league’s fifth easiest post-break schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.483). Their toughest four-game stretch over those seven weeks is their first four games out of the break, when they’ll play the Bulls (x2), Raptors and Celtics. The Hawks are currently 2-5 against those three teams (8-12 against the East’s top eight overall), with both wins having come (at home) against Boston.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Hawks are the only team that ranks in the top five on one end of the floor and in the bottom five on the other end. They’ve combined with their opponents to score 113.6 points per 100 possessions, the league’s highest combined mark.
2. Only 19.2% of the Hawks’ points, the league’s lowest rate, have been fast break points (8.4%, second lowest) or second chance points (10.8%, seventh lowest).
3. The Hawks’ lineup of Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kevin Huerter, John Collins and Clint Capela has outscored its opponents by 32.3 points per 100 possessions, the best mark among 63 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes together. But it’s played just 12 total minutes since late November.
Week 19: @ CHI, vs. TOR
Last Week: 17
Record: 31-28
Pace: 99.2 (12) OffRtg: 111.4 (12) DefRtg: 111.2 (19) NetRtg: +0.2 (17)
The Nets were able to put an end to their 11-game losing streak with a comfortable win over the Kings, and they followed that up with a comeback from 28 points down at Madison Square Garden. They ran out of gas against Washington on Thursday, but Seth Curry (who was in a bit of a slump before being traded) shot 12-for-23 from 3-point range in his first three games with Brooklyn and Cam Thomas took over down the stretch against the Knicks.
The Nets have 10 games remaining against the seven teams in front of them in the East standings, and six of those 10 are their first six games out of the break. So their most important stretch – a real opportunity to make up some ground – is these next two weeks. But it doesn’t sound like Kevin Durant will be ready go to on Thursday and, with just 47 days between Thursday and the start of the Play-In tournament, the Nets obviously can’t risk a setback with Durant’s left knee. Kyrie Irving (unless his status changes) will be available for only two of those first six games, and we still don’t know if/when Joe Harris will return. It certainly would be nice to have Ben Simmons against Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo this week.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Nets are the only team with a losing record at home (13-15) and a winning record on the road (18-13). They have the league’s top-ranked road offense (114.8 points scored per 100 possessions) and its 27th-ranked home offense (107.6).
2. The Nets are the only team that ranks in the bottom five in both ball movement (309 passes per 24 minutes of possession, 27th) and player movement (10.6 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession, 27th), according to Second Spectrum tracking.
3. The Nets are the only undefeated team (they’re 20-0) after leading by 15 points or more, but they’ve been the league’s second worst team (-1.9 points per game – only Detroit has been worse) in the first six minutes of the first quarter.
.@24_camthomas… not afraid of the moment 🤩 pic.twitter.com/2i5kn2XjYW
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 17, 2022
Week 19: vs. BOS, @ MIL
Last Week: 20 ↑
Record: 27-31
Pace: 100.3 (5) OffRtg: 108.8 (23) DefRtg: 110.3 (16) NetRtg: -1.4 (20)
The Lakers got one of their best wins of the season on Wednesday, coming back from 12 points down with less than six minutes to go to stun the Jazz. LeBron James took over down the stretch, scoring 10 straight points on the Lakers’ 16-2, game-changing run. But more was needed from James because Anthony Davis suffered a nasty ankle turn earlier in the night, and the big man will miss at least the Lakers’ next 11 games. L.A. is 10-10 in games that James has played without Davis and is a plus-4 in James’ 840 total minutes with Davis off the floor.
That’s not bad, but to make the situation worse, the Lakers have the Western Conference’s toughest remaining schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.538), with 14 of their 24 games against teams that currently have winning records. The post-break slate does start off relatively easy, with six of their next eight games against teams currently below .500. The Lakers are 18-13 (13-4 with James, 5-9 without him) against that sub-.500 group.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Lakers have seen the league’s biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions from 106.8 (first) last season to 110.3 (16th) this season.
2. The Lakers are the only team without a lineup that’s played at least 100 minutes. Their most-used lineup has played just 77 minutes, and their most-used lineup that includes both James and Davis has played just 47 minutes.
3. The Lakers lead the league with 12 losses (they’re 20-12) after leading by double-digits.
LEBRON JAMES WINS THE #NBAAllStar GAME FOR #TeamLeBron IN CLEVELAND.
Storybook. pic.twitter.com/7huDFODsXD
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
Week 19: vs. LAC, vs. NOP
Last Week: 19
Record: 23-36
Pace: 100.3 (4) OffRtg: 111.0 (15) DefRtg: 110.6 (18) NetRtg: +0.4 (16)
As we come out of the break, Gregg Popovich (1,333) is two wins from tying Don Nelson (1,335) atop the all-time wins list for coaches, the Spurs are two games behind the Blazers for the final Play-In spot in the West, and they still have three games left on their annual rodeo trip. They’re 3-2 on the trip thus far, with six Spurs having averaged double-figures over the five games. The Spurs’ new starting lineup (with Devin Vassell) has outscored their opponents by almost 27 points per 100 possessions in its 56 minutes since the Derrick White trade.
The Spurs have six games remaining against the three teams – Portland, New Orleans and Sacramento – they’re fighting for that final Play-In spot, and that includes three meetings with the 10th-place Blazers. But their post-break schedule begins with two of their five remaining games against the Eastern Conference. They’re currently just 9-16 (3-11 since Jan. 1) against the East.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Spurs’ assist/turnover ratio of 2.23 would be the highest mark in the 45 seasons for which turnovers have been counted, topping the mark of the 1991-92 Bulls (2.16).
2. The Spurs’ free throw rate (20.0 attempts per 100 shots from the field) would be the fourth lowest in NBA history.
3. The Spurs have outscored their opponents by eight points this season. Their .390 winning percentage would be the worst in NBA history for a team with a positive point differential. They’re 8-18 (only the Pacers have been worse) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes and they’re the only team without a win (they’re 0-28) when trailing after the third quarter.
Week 19: @ WAS, @ MIA
Last Week: 18 ↓
Record: 29-31
Pace: 101.1 (2) OffRtg: 111.3 (13) DefRtg: 112.0 (23) NetRtg: -0.8 (18)
The Hornets needed this All-Star break, having lost nine of their last 10 games, with the only win having come against the Pistons. They ranked 29th offensively (103.3 points scored per 100 possessions) over that stretch, which dropped them from seventh (two games in the loss column out of fifth) to ninth place (tied in the loss column with the 11th-place Wizards) in the East and from third to 13th in season-long offensive efficiency. They shot just 29% from 3-point range over the 10 games, with Miles Bridges and Kelly Oubre Jr. combining to go 27-for-132 (20%).
The offense hasn’t been much better with Gordon Hayward on the floor (110.7 points scored per 100 possessions) than it’s been with him off the floor (109.1), but the Hornets are now 3-10 without him (including the game this month when he sprained his ankle in the first quarter), and all indications are that he’ll be out for a while longer.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Hornets have seen the league’s biggest jump in pace, from 99.0 possessions per 48 minutes (18th) last season to 101.1 (second) this season. They lead the league in the percentage of their possessions (19.4%) that have been in transition.
2. The Hornets have played 581 possessions of zone, most in the league according to Synergy tracking. The 0.85 points per possession they’ve allowed in zone is the second best mark among 20 teams that have played at least 75 zone possessions.
3. Charlotte opponents have taken 74% of their shots from the restricted area or 3-point range. That’s the league’s highest opponent rate.
Week 19: vs. TOR, vs. DET
Last Week: 22 ↑
Record: 27-31
Pace: 97.5 (23) OffRtg: 109.1 (22) DefRtg: 111.7 (22) NetRtg: -2.6 (22)
The Wizards aren’t done. They’ve won three of their last five games, with eight different guys averaging double-figures over that stretch. Their win in Brooklyn on Thursday was their most efficient offensive performance (117 points on 97 possessions) in more than a month, and it came with a season-high 20 points from Rui Hachimura, who has shot 9-for-13 from 3-point range over his last five games.
Now the Wiz are set to add Kristaps Porzingis to the mix. With Charlotte having lost nine of its last 10, the Wizards are tied in the loss column with the ninth-place Hornets. And Washington has the easier remaining schedule, with 15 of its 24 games against teams currently below .500. The Wiz are currently 12-12 (5-9 with Bradley Beal, 7-3 without him) against that group.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Wizards have seen the league’s biggest drop in pace, from 104.7 possessions per 48 minutes (first) last season to 97.5 (23rd) this season.
2. The Wizards have the league’s biggest differential between their field goal percentage in the paint (57.2%, 11th) and their effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (47.3%, 26th). They’re the only team that ranks in the bottom five in both 3-point percentage (32.8%, 28th) and the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range (36.0%, 26th). They’re one of two teams – Detroit is the other – with only one player (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) who has shot 35% or better on at least 100 3-point attempts.
3. Wizards opponents have taken only 35% of their shots from 3-point range. That’s the league’s lowest opponent mark.
Week 19: vs. SAS, @ CLE
Last Week: 24 ↑
Record: 25-34
Pace: 98.5 (18) OffRtg: 109.5 (20) DefRtg: 113.7 (28) NetRtg: -4.2 (25)
The Blazers have won four straight games for the first time since before Thanksgiving, and the last two wins (at Milwaukee and Memphis) were much more impressive than the first two (vs. the Lakers and Knicks). Anfernee Simons has averaged 30.3 points on 51% shooting over the winning streak, Jusuf Nurkic scored a season-high 32 points against the Grizzlies on Wednesday, and Josh Hart’s three games with the Blazers (72 total points) have been the second highest-scoring stretch of his career, topped only by the last three games of his rookie season in L.A. (75 total). Justise Winslow, meanwhile, has made more shots from outside the paint in six games with the Blazers (9-for-28) than he did in 37 games with the Clippers (7-for-35).
The Blazers’ post-break schedule is front-loaded, with their next six games against teams that currently have winning records. After that, 14 of their final 17 are against teams currently below .500. And maybe that doesn’t matter much, because with those two wins last week, they have almost as many victories over the good teams (12-21) as they do against the sub-.500 group (13-13).
Three numbers to know…
1. The Blazers have seen the league’s biggest jump in assist percentage (AST/FGM), from 51.5% (30th) last season to 58.7% (21st) this season. They’ve also seen the league’s second biggest jump in ball movement (+39 passes per 24 minutes of possession) and its second biggest jump in player movement (+0.4 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possessions).
2. The Blazers are the only team that ranks in the bottom five in both opponent 2-point percentage (54.7%, 28th) and opponent 3-point percentage (37.2%, 29th).
3. Simons has a usage rate of 23.9%, up from 18.0% last season. That’s the fourth biggest jump (behind only those of Ricky Rubio, Reggie Jackson and Desmond Bane) among 280 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes in each of the last two seasons. Four of his five highest single-game usage rates have come in February.
ANFERNEE SIMONS, EVERYONE! pic.twitter.com/4jQjMTRlJm
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 17, 2022
Week 19: vs. GSW, vs. DEN
Last Week: 23
Record: 23-36
Pace: 97.6 (22) OffRtg: 108.8 (24) DefRtg: 111.7 (21) NetRtg: -2.9 (24)
CJ McCollum has averaged 28.4 points on an effective field goal percentage of 59.2% over his five games with his new team, and the five games have been the Pelicans’ best stretch of offense this season (117.0 points scored per 100 possessions). But they’ve lost four of the five, because they’ve allowed more than 125 per 100 over those four losses. So the Pels are basically the new Blazers.
And they’re now two games behind the real Blazers for the final Play-In spot in the Western Conference. The Pels’ post-break schedule analysis is kind of funky. They have the fewest games remaining (8) against teams that currently have winning records, but they have the league’s eighth toughest post-break schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage. That’s, in part, because five of those eight games are against the Suns (x2), Warriors and Grizzlies (x2). The first of those five is Friday in Phoenix.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Pelicans are the only team that ranks in the top five in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.
2. For the second straight season, the Pelicans have the league’s worst 3-point differential, having been outscored by 6.5 points per game from beyond the arc.
3. The Pelicans have allowed a league-low 16.1 transition points per game.
Week 19: @ PHX, @ LAL
Last Week: 21 ↓
Record: 25-34
Pace: 96.1 (29) OffRtg: 108.4 (25) DefRtg: 110.3 (17) NetRtg: -2.0 (21)
The Knicks had fourth-quarter leads of at least six points in each of their last four games before the All-Star break. And if they went into the break with a four-game winning streak, they’d be tied in the loss column with the ninth-place Hornets. Alas, they were able to hold onto just one of those four fourth-quarter leads. And their loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday was their third defeat (all in the span of 12 days) in a game they led by more than 20 points. The rest of the league has 10 such losses total.
Charlotte is in a free fall and there are two head-to-head meetings left on the schedule. But the Knicks themselves have lost 13 of their last 16 games, ranking 27th offensively (107.4 points scored per 100 possessions) over that stretch. They have a tougher remaining schedule than both the Hornets and the Hawks, though they should have RJ Barrett back from a four-game absence when they host the Heat and Sixers this weekend.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Knicks have seen the league’s second biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions, from 107.8 (fourth) last season to 110.3 (17th) this season.
2. The Knicks have seen the league’s biggest jump in the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range, from 34.7% (24th highest rate) last season to 42.8% (eighth highest) this season. But they’ve seen the third biggest drop in 3-point percentage, from 39.2% (third) to 35.2% (16th).
3. The Knicks’ starting lineup has played 428 minutes and been outscored by 13.8 points per 100 possessions, the third worst mark among 24 lineups that have played at least 200 minutes. It’s been the worst defensive lineup (116.6 points allowed per 100) among those 24. This would be the first time in the last five seasons that a lineup has been outscored by more than 10 points per 100 possessions in more than 300 minutes.
Week 19: vs. MIA, vs. PHI
Last Week: 25
Record: 22-38
Pace: 99.9 (9) OffRtg: 109.4 (21) DefRtg: 114.3 (29) NetRtg: -4.9 (26)
After winning their first two games with Domantas Sabonis, the Kings lost two straight going into the All-Star break. So they come out of the break with three teams between them and the final Play-In spot in the West, trailing the 10th-place Blazers by 3 1/2 games. And they don’t have many opportunities to really make up ground, with only three games remaining – two against the Pelicans and one against the Spurs – against those three teams in front of them. The 1976-91 Braves/Clippers have ordered the champagne, ready to pop bottles when they’re no longer co-holders of the longest playoff drought in NBA history.
The Kings put an end to their 13-game road losing streak in Washington nine days ago, but they’ve still lost 13 of their last 15 games away from the Golden 1 Center. And they have a road-heavy post-break schedule, with only nine of their 22 remaining games at home.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Kings have the league’s biggest differential between their record vs. the 15 teams currently under .500 (17-13, .567) and their record vs. the 15 teams currently over .500 (5-25, .167). Twelve of their 22 post-break games are against the latter group (the good teams).
2. The Kings have held their opponent under a point per possession just twice (a Nov. 7 loss to Indiana and a Dec. 4 win over the Clippers). The Hawks (thrice) are the only other team that’s done it fewer than five times.
3. This would be the 16th time in the last 19 seasons that the Kings ranked in the bottom 10 in defensive efficiency and the eighth time in the last 14 seasons that they ranked in the bottom five.
Week 19: vs. DEN, @ DEN
Last Week: 27 ↑
Record: 18-40
Pace: 98.8 (16) OffRtg: 102.0 (30) DefRtg: 108.6 (8) NetRtg: -6.6 (27)
Josh Giddey has scored just 0.65 points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, by far the worst mark among 55 players with at least 200 ball-handler possessions. But the 19-year-old rookie can drop some dimes, and he went into the break with three straight triple-doubles. Over the 10 games that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been out, the Thunder have scored 105.0 points per 100 possessions with Giddey on the floor (that’s higher than Gilgeous-Alexander’s season-long mark) and just 92.1 with him off the floor.
When the Thunder host the Suns on Thursday, it will have been almost four weeks since Gilgeous-Alexander sprained his right ankle. It will be interesting to see how the Thunder manage his load for the rest of the season, but it would be good for SGA to find his 3-point stroke again. Among 187 players with at least 100 3-point attempts in each of the last two seasons, he’s seen the biggest drop in 3-point percentage, from 41.8% last season to just 27.8% this season. Giddey (26.7%) is the only player who’s shot worse on at least 200 3-point attempts this season, while Ty Jerome (42.3% to 29.0%) and Kenrich Williams (44.4% to 33.9%) have seen the second and fourth biggest drops from last season among those 187 players.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Thunder have scored 8.2 fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average. That would be the eighth worst differential in the 26 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.
2. 31% of their minutes, the league’s highest rate by a wide margin, have come from rookies. (Next closest is Houston at 24%.)
3. The Thunder have seen the league’s biggest drop in the percentage of their opponents’ possessions that have been in transition, from 16.1% (seventh highest rate) last season to just 14.2% (third lowest rate) this season.
Bazley forces OT at MSG ‼️ pic.twitter.com/u6PVyh0eHL
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 15, 2022
Week 19: vs. PHX, @ IND
Last Week: 26 ↓
Record: 20-40
Pace: 98.0 (20) OffRtg: 110.4 (17) DefRtg: 113.1 (26) NetRtg: -2.7 (23)
The Pacers ended their seven-game losing streak (their longest of the season) in their last game before the break, outscoring the Wizards, 74-36, in the paint. Tristan Thompson had 16 of those 74 points in the paint in what was his fourth and final game with the Pacers, with five of his eight buckets having been assisted by Tyrese Haliburton (3) or Buddy Hield (2). The Pacers have scored 121.7 points per 100 possessions in 133 total minutes with their two new guards on the floor.
With only nine guys available, the Pacers needed Thompson to play 21 minutes on Wednesday. Hopefully, they’ll come out of the break a little healthier, so we can see what Haliburton and Malcolm Brogdon (and eventually Myles Turner) can do together. Ten of the Pacers’ next 13 games are against teams that currently have losing records. They’re 12-15 within that group so far.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Pacers are one of two teams – the Hornets are the other – that rank in the top five in both ball movement (358 passes per 24 minutes of possession, second) and player movement (11.4 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession, fifth).
2. The Pacers have the league’s worst record (9-25, .265) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes and have a league-high 11 losses in games they led by at least five points in the fourth quarter. They had a positive point differential through their 40th game of the season (after which they were 15-25).
3. The Pacers have seen the league’s second biggest drop in pace, from 102.0 possessions per 48 minutes (fourth) last season to 98.0 (20th) this season. Only the Wizards have seen a bigger drop.
Week 19: vs. OKC, vs. BOS
Last Week: 28
Record: 13-47
Pace: 99.4 (10) OffRtg: 103.8 (28) DefRtg: 112.4 (24) NetRtg: -8.6 (28)
The Magic have lost their last four games by double-digits, getting outscored 130-77 in the first quarter. The defense was (relative to their season-long stats) worse than the offense over the four games, but all four opponents ranked in the top seven offensively and the Magic scored a paltry 77 points on 107 possessions (with more turnovers than assists) over those four first quarters. For the season, the Magic have trailed 82% of their games (49/60), the league’s highest rate, by double-digits.
The Magic have the league’s most home-heavy post-break schedule, with 15 of their 22 games at the Amway Center. It starts with a three-game homestand in which all three games – one against the Rockets, two against the Pacers – are winnable.
Three numbers to know…
1. 50% of the Magic’s minutes, the league’s highest rate, have come from rookies (23%, third highest rate) or second-year players (27%, second highest).
2. The Magic are the only team that ranks in the bottom 10 in all four of the four factors on offense, ranking no better than 25th in any of the four.
3. Among 232 players with at least 200 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons, Wendell Carter Jr. (from 11.2% to 34.1%) and Chuma Okeke (from 43.5% to 60.6%) have seen the biggest and fifth biggest jumps in the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range. They’re two of the Magic’s four players (tied for the league lead) that have shot under 33% on at least 150 3-point attempts. The Magic have seen the league’s second biggest jump in 3-point rate as a team, from 35.6% (23rd) last season to 41.3% (14th) this season.
JALEN SUGGS OFF THE BACKBOARD TO COLE ANTHONY!!!
Next bucket wins.#CloroxRisingStars on TNT pic.twitter.com/NXiijp23k3
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022
Week 19: vs. HOU
Last Week: 30 ↑
Record: 13-45
Pace: 99.3 (11) OffRtg: 103.0 (29) DefRtg: 113.0 (25) NetRtg: -10.0 (30)
The Pistons’ were able to get a win before the All-Star break, scoring an efficient 112 points on 99 possessions against what’s been the league’s best defense over the last month. It was their first win with Jerami Grant since Nov. 17, and Grant had the game-winner, a tough bucket over Jayson Tatum. Grant’s effective field goal percentage remains under 50% for the second straight season, but the win in Boston was certainly his best offensive game (24 points on 8-for-13 shooting) since his return from a seven-week absence.
The bottom three teams in the league all get the same Lottery odds, so there isn’t much drama in that regard for either Detroit or Orlando, who both have five fewer wins than the Thunder (fourth in the reverse standings). A head-to-head meeting in Oklahoma City on April 1 is the only game in a Western Conference arena the Pistons have left on their schedule.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Pistons rank 30th in 2-point percentage (48.7%) and 29th in 3-point percentage (32.0%). The Magic rank 29th and 30th.
2. The Pistons are one of two teams (the Wizards are the other) with more wins over the 15 teams currently over .500 (against whom they’re 7-26) than they do against the 15 teams currently below .500 (6-19).
3. 49% of the Pistons’ minutes, the league’s second highest rate, have come from rookies (13%, ninth highest rate) or second-year players (36%, highest).
Week 19: vs. CLE, vs. BOS, @ CHA
Last Week: 29 ↓
Record: 15-43
Pace: 101.2 (1) OffRtg: 107.1 (27) DefRtg: 116.4 (30) NetRtg: -9.4 (29)
The Rockets went into the All-Star break with a seven-game losing streak (their third of seven games or more), though they came close to knocking off the Suns on Wednesday, playing in Phoenix without Kevin Porter Jr. or Christian Wood. Dennis Schroder scored 23 points, though he had six turnovers in his second game with the team that has the worst turnover differential in the league (+3.0 per game). Jae’Sean Tate and Eric Gordon each had turnovers in the final minute and Gordon missed a contested 3 for the tie.
The Rockets still have a winning record (11-10) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, but they’re a league-worst 4-26 against the 15 teams that went into the break with winning records. Their first three post-break games are against teams below .500, though two of those are against the Clippers, who clobbered the Rockets on Thursday.
Three numbers to know…
1. The Rockets are the only team that ranks in the bottom five on both ends of the floor. Last season, they were one of two.
2. The Rockets lead the league with 6.4 dunks per game, with 36% of their shots (the league’s highest rate) coming in the restricted area.
3. The Rockets have allowed 24.4 transition points per game, most in the 18 seasons of Synergy play-type tracking, topping their own record of 23.8 two seasons ago.
Week 19: @ ORL, vs. LAC