Power Rankings, Week 12: Spurs stay in lead; Rockets, Pistons in Top 5

Record: 25-10

OffRtg: 118.1 (6) DefRtg: 112.8 (8) NetRtg: +5.4 (7) Pace: 101.0 (16)

Victor Wembanyama avoided major damage to his knee in an awkward fall in the fourth quarter of the Spurs’ win over the Knicks on Wednesday, but he’s missed the last two games and the Spurs have lost three of their last five.

Three takeaways

• The Spurs’ win over the Knicks was a 134-132 barn burner, featuring a franchise-record 11 3-pointers from Julian Champagnie and a huge put-back from Luke Kornet. But these last five games (113.5 points scored per 100 possessions) have still been their worst stretch of offense this season. Their loss to the Cavs last Monday (in which the entire team made only seven 3s) was the only time the Spurs have scored less than a point per possession, and their loss to the Blazers over the weekend was just the third time they’ve shot under 50% in the paint.

• The good news is that the Spurs’ worst five-game stretch of offense isn’t all that bad. Their offense has been at its best with Devin Vassell on the floor, and he’s missed the last three games. They’ve still seen the league’s fourth biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions, and they’ve scored 119.1 per 100 in De’Aaron Fox’s 602 minutes on the floor without Wembanyama.

• With their win over the Knicks on Wednesday, the Spurs are 7-1 (not including the Emirates NBA Cup final) against the other six teams that have won at least 65% of their games this season. They’ve scored 124.1 points per 100 possessions over those eight games, even though three of them came against the No. 1 defense of the last 30 years. Seven Spurs have averaged at least 13 points against those other top-seven teams.

Coming up: The Spurs’ one loss within the top seven in the league was to the Lakers (in L.A. and with Wembanyama) in early November. They avenged that in the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals, and meeting No. 3 will be Wednesday, when both teams will be playing the second half of back-to-backs. After that, the Spurs will embark on a tough, three-game trip that takes them through Boston, Minnesota and Oklahoma City.

Week 12: @ MEM, vs. LAL, @ BOS, @ MIN

Record: 30-6

OffRtg: 118.8 (5) DefRtg: 104.4 (1) NetRtg: +14.4 (1) Pace: 101.5 (12)

The Thunder now have as many losses against the rest of the league as they do against the Spurs, having blown an 18-point lead and come up short down the stretch in Phoenix on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Thunder still have a top five offense, but that’s the end of the floor where they’ve struggled more (107.6 points scored per 100 possessions) in their six losses. They’ve seen the league’s second biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage from last season and their 11.4% on Sunday was their second lowest mark of the year. Isaiah Hartenstein has missed the last four games and the Thunder have grabbed a much higher percentage of available offensive boards with him on the floor (31.6%) than they have with him off (21.8%).

• The Thunder are still 14-5 (only the Pistons have been better) when they’ve been outscored from 3-point range and they beat the Hawks last Monday despite being outscored by 39 points from beyond the arc, the biggest discrepancy for a winning team this season. (They also had the biggest discrepancy for a winning team last season.) But 3-point shooting was the difference in Phoenix on Sunday, the second time the Thunder allowed their opponent to make nine corner 3s.

• The Thunder haven’t forced turnovers at quite the same rate as they did last season, but they still lead the league in opponent turnover rate (17.6 per 100 possessions) for the third straight year. Their win over the Blazers on Wednesday was the fourth time they’ve forced at least 25, something they did just three times last season. Portland is responsible for the Thunder’s lone loss against the bottom 20 teams in the league, but the Thunder are responsible for two of the three times the Blazers have scored less than a point per possession.

Coming up: Three of the Thunder’s six losses have come in the second games of back-to-backs. Their loss in Phoenix on Sunday was the first half of their seventh back-to-back, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they host the Hornets on Monday night.

Week 12: vs. CHA, vs. UTA, @ MEM, vs. MIA

Record: 26-9

OffRtg: 116.7 (9) DefRtg: 110.6 (2) NetRtg: +6.1 (5) Pace: 101.3 (13)

The Pistons are without three of their top eight players and, with their loss to the Heat on Thursday, they had lost three out of four games for the first time. But they remain three games ahead of the second-place Knicks after picking up a gritty win in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon.

Three takeaways

• The Pistons’ starting lineup has played 230 total minutes together (fourth most of any lineup in the league), but they lost Tobias Harris to a hip injury on Tuesday and Jalen Duren to an ankle sprain two nights later. Isaiah Stewart makes for a pretty good fill-in on defense (either at the four or the five), and remains the league’s best rim protector, with opponents having shot just 62-for-148 (41.9%) at the basket when he’s been there. The Pistons have allowed just 104 points per 100 possessions in 307 minutes with Stewart and Cade Cunningham on the floor without Duren.

• Paul Reed started alongside Stewart on Sunday, but the Pistons closed both of their last two games with Stewart as the lone big. Daniss Jenkins (6-for-7 from 3-point range) and Javonte Green made that decision pretty easy in Cleveland, where they combined for 36 points off the bench. The Pistons have the league’s fourth-ranked bench this season, up from 10th last season.

• The Pistons are in the bottom 10 in turnover rate for what would be the sixth time in the last seven seasons, and they had 21 turnovers in their loss to the Heat on Thursday. That was their fourth-worst offensive game of the season (112 points on 108 possessions), but a late flurry of 3-pointers had them back in it … before they committed an inbounds turnover with 29 seconds left.

Coming up: The Pistons’ longest homestand of the season (six games over 15 days) begins Monday with their first of three meetings with the second-place Knicks. They lost their three home games in the first round of last year’s playoffs by a total of six points.

Week 12: vs. NYK, vs. CHI, vs. LAC

Record: 21-11

OffRtg: 121.2 (3) DefRtg:112.5 (6) NetRtg: +8.6 (2) Pace: 97.1 (28)

The Rockets still have the league’s second-best point differential, but they’re in fifth place in the West, and their four-game winning streak came to an end with an ugly game in Dallas on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• Still lacking a point guard, the Rockets have seen the league’s biggest jump in turnover rate, from 14.0 per 100 possessions (11th lowest) last season to 16.2 (second highest) this season. The game in Dallas on Saturday was actually the first time since November (15 games) that they committed fewer turnovers than their opponent, and they had 25 more shot opportunities than the Mavs, the second-biggest differential in the league this season. But shooting just 50% in the paint and 10-for-41 (24%) from 3-point range, it was still their worst offensive game (104 points on 101 possessions) of their 32.

• The loss was just briefly within five points in the last five minutes, but the Rockets have now lost their last four clutch games, allowing 73 points on 55 clutch possessions (133 per 100) over that stretch. Their 21 wins have come by an average of 16.7 points, while their 11 losses have been by an average of just 6.8. So they’re 21-11 with the point differential of a team that’s 25-7.

• The Rockets rank second in the percentage of their shots (14%) that have come from between the paint and the 3-point line. They’re only 18th in mid-range field goal percentage (40.7%), but shot 32-for-54 (59%) from mid-range over their four-game winning streak. This would be the sixth time in the 13 seasons of tracking data that Kevin Durant has shot 50% or better on at least 200 pull-up 2-point attempts, tying him with Chris Paul for the most seasons for any player in that stretch.

Coming up: The Rockets’ schedule remains road-heavy for another week, but they’ll have a rest advantage at home against the Suns on Monday, and they’ll face only the Blazers and Kings on the ensuing three-game trip. They did lose in Sacramento 15 days ago, blowing a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead and coming up short in overtime.

Week 12: vs. PHX, @ POR, @ POR, @ SAC

Record: 23-13

OffRtg: 117.2 (8) DefRtg: 112.7 (7) NetRtg: +4.5 (8) Pace: 101.0 (17)

The Wolves lost to the Nets and Hawks in the last five days of 2025, with the Atlanta loss on New Year’s Eve (which ended the Hawks’ seven-game losing streak) being perhaps their worst of the season. But they began 2026 by finishing their road trip with comfortable wins in Miami and Washington.

Three takeaways

• Improvement had to begin with the start. The Wolves lost the first quarter in eight of their final nine games of December and had the league’s worst first-quarter offense over the final 26 days of the month. But they had a 12-0, first-quarter run in Miami and won the first quarter by double-digits (for just the third time) in Washington. Anthony Edwards scored 30 of their 65 total first-quarter points (on 11-for-15 shooting) over the back-to-back.

• Strong starts are good for a team that’s 19-2 (second-best) in games it led by double-digits.

• Turnovers have been a bellwether for Minnesota. With the two weekend wins, the Wolves are 16-3 when they’ve committed fewer than 15 turnovers and 7-10 when they’ve committed 15 or more. Overall, they’ve seen the league’s fifth biggest drop in turnover rate from last season.

Coming up: The Wolves have three games left on a stretch of eight straight against the Eastern Conference. They’re 3-1 against the top eight in the East after their win against Miami over the weekend, and will face the Heat again on Tuesday.

Week 12: vs. MIA, vs. CLE, @ CLE, vs. SAS

Record: 23-12

OffRtg: 120.7 (4) DefRtg: 115.2 (16) NetRtg: +5.5 (6) Pace: 99.8 (23)

Before last weekend, the Knicks hadn’t lost two straight games since October. But they’ve now lost three straight, doubling their loss total at Madison Square Garden (from two to four) in the span of 27 hours on Friday and Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The two weekend losses at home were just the fifth and sixth times that the Knicks shot below 50% in the paint. Additionally, their loss to the Hawks on Friday was the only time they’ve scored less than a point per possession. OG Anunoby had a six-game stretch where he shot 7-for-38 (18%) from 3-point range and, even after going 3-for-5 from deep on Saturday, is registering the second-lowest effective field goal percentage (53.3%) of his career.

• Defense has been a bigger problem, with the Knicks allowing 120.6 per 100 (27th in the league) over their last nine games. They rank in the bottom six in opponent effective field goal percentage, opponent free throw rate and opponent turnover rate over that stretch. Defensive rebounding has been far less of an issue, but the Spurs and Sixers each had big offensive rebounds down the stretch last week.

• The Knicks have been without Josh Hart for the last five games, and they were also without both Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson against the Hawks on Friday. Three of their four losses at home (all except that loss to Atlanta) have been rest-disadvantage games, where they were playing the second game of a back-to-back and their opponent was not. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges have combined to shoot 15-for-53 (28%) from 3-point range in the second games of back-to-backs and 41% with rest.

Coming up: The Knicks now trail the first-place Pistons by three games, and they’ll meet for the first time on Monday. It’s a matchup of two of the league’s top five rebounding teams, though Detroit will be without a big man (Jalen Duren) on the glass.

Week 12: @ DET, vs. LAC, @ PHX, @ POR

Record: 22-12

OffRtg: 122.3 (2) DefRtg: 114.5 (15) NetRtg: +7.8 (3) Pace: 96.5 (30)

The Celtics aren’t going anywhere. They’re now just a half-game behind the Knicks for second place in the East, and their offense hit a new high on Saturday as they put an end to the Clippers’ six-game winning streak.

Three takeaways

• The Celtics had the league’s No. 1 offense in December, and they hit a new high in their second game of January. Their 146 points on 92 possessions (158.7 per 100) against the Clippers on Saturday was the third most efficient performance for any team in the 30 years of play-by-play data. There have been 12 times in those 30 years where a team scored more than 150 per 100, and the 2025-26 Celtics account for two of the 12.

• That first game of more than 150 per 100 (at Washington on Dec. 4) came without Jaylen Brown. This one came with Brown scoring 50 points on 18-for-26 from the field and 8-for-10 from the line. His pull-up 2-point percentage (50.8%) and pull-up 3-point percentage (39.6%) are both the best marks of his career and huge jumps from last season (40.7% and 29.2%).

• Payton Pritchard is an amazing 68-for-114 (59.6%) on pull-up 2s, which would be the best mark for a player with at least 100 attempts in the 13 seasons of tracking data.

Coming up: The Celtics’ two longest homestands of the season are just four games long, and the first of those two homestands begins Monday with their first meeting with the Bulls.

Week 12: vs. CHI, vs. DEN, vs. TOR, vs. SAS

Record: 21-14

OffRtg: 114.9 (15) DefRtg: 113.1 (9) NetRtg: +1.8 (11) Pace: 99.9 (21)

The Suns have won six of their last seven games, picking up their best win of the season on Sunday when they came back from 18 points down and beat the Thunder on Devin Booker’s step-back 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left.

Three takeaways

• The game was tied, so Booker didn’t need to shoot from beyond the arc. He’s always had a big differential between how well he’s shot on pull-up 2 pointers (49.6% over the last eight seasons) and how well he’s shot on pull-up 3s (32.1%), and that differential is bigger than ever (50.0% vs. 26.1%) this season. Booker’s 30-for-115 on pull-up 3s is the worst mark among 32 players with at least 75 attempts. Overall, he’s shooting a career-low 29.5% from 3-point range … but he made the biggest one of the Suns’ season thus far.

• Booker’s game-winner was preceded by a big, step-back 3 from Dillon Brooks on an isolation against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Brooks has isolated on 8.8 times per 100 possessions, and the Suns have scored 1.17 points per possession when one of his isolations has led directly to a shot, turnover or trip to the line. That mark ranks fourth among 50 players with at least 100 direct isolations and is up from his mark of 0.89 points per possession (on just 3.2 isos per 100 possessions) over his previous three seasons.

• While the Suns are the league’s most improved defensive team, their defensive rebounding hasn’t been quite as good as it was last season. But their win on Sunday was the Thunder’s second-worst offensive rebounding game of the season.

Coming up: The Suns have still played a league-low four interconference games and, after a two-game trip through Houston and Memphis, they’ll play 12 straight against the Eastern Conference. They’ll be at a rest-disadvantage against the Rockets on Monday, currently 8-9 within the top eight in the West.

Week 12: @ HOU, @ MEM, vs. NYK, vs. WAS

Record: 23-12

OffRtg: 123.0 (1) DefRtg: 116.9 (21) NetRtg: +6.2 (4) Pace: 100.2 (20)

The good news is that Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon both returned from extended absences on Sunday. But that was six days after the Nuggets lost Nikola Jokić to a left knee injury and four days after Jonas Valančiūnas went down with a right calf strain. If you count the game that Jokić went down at halftime (with the score tied), the Nuggets are 1-3 without the three-time Kia MVP.

Three takeaways

• Before last Monday, DaRon Holmes had played a total of exactly four minutes and 24 seconds in his NBA career. Now, he’s the starting center for the third-place team in the Western Conference. Holmes scored 11 points in the Nuggets’ win in Toronto on Wednesday and had six assists two nights later in Cleveland, but he’s averaged just 20 minutes over his first three starts. Zeke Nnaji probably has to play, but he’s been mostly out of the rotation this season, so we may see a lot of Gordon or Peyton Watson at the five over the next few weeks. The Nuggets lost by 12 on Sunday, but outscored the Nets by 11 points in a little less than 15 minutes with neither Holmes nor Nnaji on the floor.

• Jokić’s on-off differential is more about offense, and the last four games have been the Nuggets’ worst stretch of offense this season (115.6 points scored per 100 possessions). However, that mark is still above the league average. They had bigger issues on defense in the second half vs. Miami (84 points allowed on 49 possessions) and in their loss to Brooklyn on Sunday (the Nets’ best offensive game of the season). The returns of Braun and Gordon should help on that end, but that big body in the middle of the floor (and on the glass) is also critical.

• The good news is that the Nuggets have the Western Conference’s easiest January schedule. But they’re now just 12-6 against the 14 teams that are currently below .500.

Coming up: The Nuggets will complete their seven-game trip with visits to Boston and Philadelphia. Then they’ll play nine of their next 10 games against those teams with losing records.

Week 12: @ PHI, @ BOS, vs. ATL, vs. MIL

Record: 22-11

OffRtg: 117.4 (7) DefRtg: 117.6 (24) NetRtg: -0.2 (16) Pace: 99.8 (22)

The Lakers suffered their sixth loss by at least 20 points on Tuesday, struggling to score against the Pistons’ second-ranked defense. Their point differential for the season is zero, but they’re in third place in the West after winning a pair of close games against the Grizzlies over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• The Lakers are now an amazing 12-0 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. They faced fourth-quarter deficits in both games against Memphis, but scored 69 points on 51 fourth-quarter possessions (1.35 per), with LeBron James leading the way. The 41-year-old scored 21 points on 7-for-9 shooting, adding six assists over the two fourth quarters.

• As Austin Reaves has missed all but 37 minutes over the last nine games, James has (unsurprisingly) seen a jump in usage rate. But he’s matched it with a jump in efficiency, from a true shooting percentage of 53.5% through his first eight games to 59.3% over the last nine.

• The Lakers’ defense remains under the microscope. The Grizzlies (who rank 23rd offensively) weren’t a big test, but the Lakers allowed a not-so-unreasonable 115.8 points per 100 possessions over the two games. And the numbers were better (110.3 allowed per 100) in 54 total minutes with James and Luka Dončić on the floor together over the weekend.

Coming up: The Lakers are just two games into a stretch where they’re playing eight of nine against teams that have losing records, now 15-3 against that group with their weekend sweep of the Grizzlies. The one exception in that stretch is their visit to San Antonio on Wednesday, when both teams will be playing the second game of a back-to-back. They’ve split the first two meetings, with the Lakers winning the game (Nov. 5) that Victor Wembanyama played.

Week 12: @ NOP, @ SAS, vs. MIL

Record: 20-16

OffRtg: 115.0 (14) DefRtg: 111.9 (3) NetRtg: +3.1 (9) Pace: 104.7 (1)

The Heat went 2-1 against good teams last week, eviscerating the Nuggets’ defense to close out 2025, and then beginning the new year with an impressive win in Detroit. They’re in the middle of a mix of five Eastern Conference teams (fourth-eighth place) separated by just a game and a half.

Three takeaways

• The Heat lost Jaime Jaquez Jr. to an ankle sprain in the second quarter of their 10-point loss to the Wolves on Saturday. Jaquez’s on-off differential isn’t nearly as huge as it was early in the season, and the Heat got a comfortable win over the Pelicans without him on Sunday night. Norman Powell scored 34 points (shooting 9-for-12 from 3-point range) and the Heat held an opponent under a point per possession for the fourth time.

• Jaquez’s time on the floor has still been critical, in part because the Heat’s current starting lineup has been outscored in its 127 minutes, with the double-big combination (Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware) still very much in the red. Tyler Herro has now missed the last 11 games, but he was “available” on Sunday, so we could see him back on the floor (presumably sending Ware back to the bench) this week. Herro has played in just six games, but he’s been efficient (with 50/40/90 shooting splits) in his 191 minutes.

• Ware has done his best spacing the floor, and he was 3-for-6 from 3-point range in the Heat’s win over Denver last Monday, which was the fifth most efficient offensive performance (147 points on 102 possessions) for any team this season. He’s now 45-for-102 (44.1%) from beyond the arc after going 35-for-111 (31.5%) as a rookie, one of four players – Chet Holmgren, Lauri Markkanen and Trey Murphy III are the others – with at least 45 dunks and 45 3-pointers.

Coming up: With their wins over the Nuggets and Pistons last week, the Heat are 4-6 (tied for the third most wins) against the top six teams in the league. They’ll play both of their games against the Thunder in the next two weeks, and will be at a rest disadvantage in Oklahoma City on Sunday, the end of a four-game trip.

Week 12: @ MIN, @ CHI, @ IND, @ OKC

Record: 21-15

OffRtg: 114.0 (19) DefRtg: 112.4 (4) NetRtg: +1.7 (12) Pace: 99.7 (24)

Over the last 15 days, the Raptors have losses to the Nets, Wizards and shorthanded Nuggets. But they’re also 4-0 within the top 10 in the Eastern Conference, with a big, comeback win (in a rest-disadvantage game) against the Magic last Monday.

Three takeaways

• Last season, the Raptors had two wins (fewest in the league, they were 2-45) in games they trailed by double-digits. This season, they already have eight (tied for third most, 8-14), having come back from 21 points down to beat the Magic on Monday. They erased a 13-point deficit against Denver two nights later, but scored just eight points on 12 clutch possessions, and Brandon Ingram’s heave for the tie came a fraction of a second too late. That loss ended their eight-game winning streak with RJ Barrett in uniform.

• The Raptors now rank as a top-five defensive team. They’ve probably been a little lucky regarding opponent 3-point percentage (34.9%, third), but they force many turnovers. They’ve also seen a big reduction in the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint, going from 49% (11th highest rate) last season to just 46% (sixth lowest) this season. Not coincidentally, they lead the league in the (lowest) percentage of their opponents’ possessions that have been in transition (16.2%).

• Jakob Poeltl has missed all but seven minutes of the last nine games, and the Raptors have used a few different players alongside their four healthy starters. With Ochai Agbaji starting against Denver, Scottie Barnes was guarding Jonas Valančiūnas. But with Collin Murray-Boyles in Agbaji’s place to start the third quarter, Barnes had the Jamal Murray assignment. With his current numbers, he’d be just the third player in the 53 years that steals and blocks have been counted (joining Kevin Garnett and Giannis Antetokounmpo) to average at least 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks in multiple seasons.

Coming up: The Raptors went 0-2 against the Celtics at home this season, and they’ve lost their last seven games in Boston. They’ll try to end that streak on Friday, currently two games (three in the loss column) behind the third-place Celtics.

Week 12: vs. ATL, @ CHA, @ BOS, vs. PHI

Record: 19-14

OffRtg: 114.8 (17) DefRtg: 113.7 (13) NetRtg: +1.0 (15) Pace: 100.4 (19)

The Sixers have followed a three-game losing streak with three straight wins, all on the road. They picked up their second win at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, getting big performances from all four of their stars.

Three takeaways

• The winning streak is the first time that Paul George and Joel Embiid have both been available for three straight games. They’ve also been the Sixers’ first three wins (they were previously 0-4) with both in the lineup. After scoring just 105.4 points per 100 possessions over the three-game losing streak, the Sixers have scored 124.1 per 100 over the winning streak, their best stretch of offense since October.

• VJ Edgecombe was 5-for-6 from 3-point range in the final 10:15 of the Sixers’ overtime win in Memphis on Tuesday, draining the game-winner after setting a screen for Tyrese Maxey. He’s now 17-for-28 (61%) on clutch shots, including 8-for-13 on clutch 3s, with the eight makes already tied for the most for any rookie in the last six seasons. There was no clutch time in New York on Saturday, in part because of one spectacular Edgecombe sequence – a block on a corner 3, leading to a fast-break dunk – early in the fourth quarter. (Edgecombe was also tasked with guarding Ja Morant and Jalen Brunson in those two games.)

• Kelly Oubre remains out and the Sixers remain one of four teams that don’t have a lineup that’s played at least 75 minutes. Their starting lineup with Dominick Barlow alongside Maxey, Edgecombe, George and Embiid is now their most-used lineup and has outscored opponents by 8.4 points per 100 possessions in its 66 total minutes.

Coming up: The Sixers’ win in New York on Saturday was the first of three straight rest-advantage games. After hosting the Nuggets and Wizards, they’ll play five straight within the top eight in the Eastern Conference, a stretch that includes two games each against the Raptors and Cavs.

Week 12: vs. DEN, vs. WAS, @ ORL, @ TOR

Record: 20-16

OffRtg: 115.0 (13) DefRtg: 113.7 (11) NetRtg: +1.4 (14) Pace: 101.1 (14)

The Magic have alternated wins and losses for their last 10 games. They slipped out of the top six in the East with a loss in Chicago on Friday, but climbed back in with their second win over the Pacers in the span of five days.

Three takeaways

• In his second game back from a seven-game absence, Jalen Suggs suffered a right knee injury late in the third quarter in Chicago on Friday. The Magic outscored the Bulls by 15 points in Suggs’ 20 minutes on the floor, but lost by seven, shooting 0-for-10 from 3-point range in the final 10 minutes. For the season, Orlando has been 13.3 points per 100 possessions better with Suggs on the floor (plus-10.1) than its been with him off the floor (minus-3.2).

• Desmond Bane had three of those 10 3-point misses in the final 10 minutes in Chicago, including two pull-up attempts for the tie in the final two minutes. He responded with 31 points on 12-for-17 shooting on Sunday, and the Magic are a much-improved offensive team this season, but Bane’s 35% from 3-point range is, easily, the worst mark of his career. He’s seen a jump in the percentage of his attempts that have been off the catch, but has seen drops in both his catch-and-shoot and pull-up 3-point percentage.

• The Magic shot just 3-for-21 (14%) from 3-point range in their win in Indiana on Wednesday. That was the fewest made 3-pointers for a winning team in more than three years (since the Pelicans made three in a win on Nov. 9, 2022). The last time a team made fewer than three 3s in a win was almost six years ago (Feb. 3, 2020).

Coming up: The Magic have the league’s easiest January schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage, and they’re currently three games into a stretch where they’re playing five of seven against the bottom five teams in the league. Their best defensive game of the season (statistically) was a win in Washington in early November and they’ll be back at Capital One Arena on Tuesday.

Week 12: @ WAS, @ BKN, vs. PHI, vs. NOP

Record: 20-17

OffRtg: 116.1 (10) DefRtg: 113.7 (12) NetRtg: +2.4 (10) Pace: 102.1 (7)

The Cavs went 3-3 in a stretch of six straight games against teams with winning records, continuing to show some signs of the team they were last season. They’re just a half-game behind the Magic for a spot in the East’s top six.

Three takeaways

• Evan Mobley was back in the starting lineup last week and the Cavs’ four games were their best stretch of defense this season (105.3 points allowed per 100 possessions). Three of the four opponents had top-10 offenses (though the Nuggets were obviously shorthanded) and they held the four to just 45.1% shooting in the paint. They rank third in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (54.8%) for the season, and that mark has been a tick lower (54.6%) with Mobley on the floor.

• The offense is still searching for some consistency, and the Cavs scored just 110 points on 101 possessions as their three-game winning streak came to an end against the Pistons on Sunday. That included just 43 points on 48 possessions with Donovan Mitchell and/or Mobley on the bench, and they’ve now been 15.7 points per 100 possessions better offensively with Mitchell on the floor (119.8 scored per 100) than they’ve been with him off the floor (104.1). That differential last season was just 1.5 per 100.

• The Cavs’ offensive drop-off is mostly about shooting, but they’re also not taking care of the ball quite as well as last season. Mitchell and Darius Garland have both seen jumps in turnover rate, and they combined for 14 of the team’s 34 turnovers over their two weekend games.

Coming up: The Cavs are now just one loss from matching their total from last season, and their challenging (and season-defining?) stretch continues with a home-and-home set with Minnesota this week. They scored almost 128 points per 100 possessions as they swept the season series last year.

Week 12: @ IND, @ MIN, vs. MIN

Record: 19-17

OffRtg: 113.9 (20) DefRtg: 112.4 (5) NetRtg: +1.5 (13) Pace: 100.7 (18)

The Warriors are seemingly one bad stretch away from the end of an era, but they’ve won six of their last eight games. The only loss came in overtime (after a brutal late-game meltdown in Toronto) and in Oklahoma City without their three veteran stars.

Three takeaways

• Ignoring their star-less loss in Oklahoma City, the Warriors have scored 121.6 points per 100 possessions over this 6-2 stretch. Stephen Curry has led the way, and he’s been getting to the line more. His free-throw rate of 29.5 attempts per 100 shots from the field would be the second highest of his career, and it’s at 34.5 per 100 over his last seven games. Every trip to the line matters more when you shoot 93%.

• Even with more free throws, the Warriors are a perimeter team, having been outscored by an average of 9.6 points in the paint per game, the league’s second biggest discrepancy. The only team with a bigger one is the Nets, and the Warriors were a plus-26 in the paint (56-30) last Monday in Brooklyn, overcoming the Nets’ 24-point advantage from 3-point range. It was Brooklyn’s worst defensive game (120 points on 96 possessions) since before Thanksgiving. The Warriors have still outscored their opponents in the paint in just five of their 36 games.

• It’s been 10 games since the Warriors decided to stick with a consistent starting lineup: Moses Moody and Quinten Post alongside their three stars. But that group has still played just 64 minutes together over that stretch, in part because Draymond Green (ejected in the second quarter against Utah on Saturday) has a hard time finishing games. The lineup has been average on both ends of the floor, getting outscored by two points over those 64 minutes. But bench minutes have been improved, even though the rotation still goes 13 deep on some nights.

Coming up: With the Clippers having won six of their last seven games, the eighth-place Warriors’ visit to L.A. on Monday feels a lot more important than it did a couple of weeks ago. After that, they’ll begin an eight-game homestand, the longest in the league this season.

Week 12: @ LAC, vs. MIL, vs. SAC, vs. ATL

Record: 17-20

OffRtg: 114.6 (18) DefRtg: 115.5 (17) NetRtg: -0.9 (17) Pace: 103.2 (3)

Trae Young (quad contusion) has been out again, and the Hawks had one of their best stretches of the season without him. They lost a competitive game in Oklahoma City and then ended their seven-game losing streak with wins over Minnesota and New York. But they’re still three games under .500, having lost a rest-disadvantage game in Toronto on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• In beating the Wolves and Knicks, the Hawks held two top-10 offenses to just 98.5 points per 100 possessions. Kristaps Porziņģis was available for both games (coming back from a 10-game absence) and the Hawks allowed just 61 points on 77 defensive possessions (79 per 100) in his 35 total minutes on the floor. The Hawks have also been at their best offensively with Porziņģis or Young on the floor, but they haven’t played together since October.

• Young has now missed 27 of the Hawks’ 37 games, one shy of the most games he’s missed in his previous seven seasons (28 in 2023-24). The Hawks’ lineup with Nickeil Alexander-Walker in his place and Onyeka Okongwu at center has now played 238 minutes, third most in the league. It’s outscored opponents by 6.0 points per 100 possessions, a mark that ranks sixth among 12 lineups that have played at least 150 minutes.

• Alexander-Walker has seen the third biggest jump in usage rate (from 15.5% to 24.2%) among 323 players who’ve played at least 200 minutes in each of the last two seasons. His assist/turnover ratio is down, but his scoring efficiency is up, with his field goal percentage in the paint (54.3%), his free throw rate (24.3 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and his free throw percentage (85.0%) all being the highest marks of his career. His 3-point rate is below 50% for the first time in four years, but he’s tied for second with 40 corner 3s on 53% shooting.

Coming up: The Hawks still have a winning record (11-9) on the road and a winning record (7-6) against the Western Conference. They’ll play a second straight game in Toronto on Monday, and then play five straight games against the West, a home game (with a rest advantage) against the Pelicans, followed by a four-game trip.

Week 12: @ TOR, vs. NOP, @ DEN, @ GSW

Record: 15-20

OffRtg: 113.1 (23) DefRtg: 114.3 (15) NetRtg: -1.2 (18) Pace: 101.8 (9)

The Grizzlies had fourth-quarter leads against the Sixers and Lakers (twice) last week, but wins against good teams remain elusive. Plus, they’ve got a tough January schedule.

Three takeaways

• The Grizzlies have lost four straight games and all four were within five points in the last five minutes. They’ve been outscored by 23.1 points per 100 possessions (with bad numbers on both ends of the floor) over their 53 fourth-quarter-and-overtime minutes over the losing streak. Ja Morant has actually shot well (15-for-23) over those minutes, but he wasn’t available on Sunday and late-game offense has been a struggle for almost everyone else on the roster.

• Only four teams have seen a drop in opponent free-throw rate from last season, and the Grizzlies have seen the biggest, from 26.7 attempts (sixth highest) in 2024-25 to 25.3 per 100 (lowest) this season. Jaren Jackson Jr. has actually averaged his most fouls per 36 minutes in his last five seasons, but some of the Grizzlies’ most foul-prone guys from last season just haven’t been available as much this year.

• But they played the Lakers twice over the weekend, and L.A. was 60-for-72 from the line over the two games. The two games against the Lakers and an overtime loss to the Sixers on Tuesday have been the Grizzlies’ worst stretch of defense (122.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) since early November. This week, they have more games against top-10 offenses (those of the Spurs and Thunder).

Coming up: The Grizzlies are halfway through a stretch of six straight games against teams with winning records, now 2-17 against that group after their two losses to the Lakers over the weekend. One of those two wins came in Phoenix in October, but they’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they host the Suns on Wednesday.

Week 12: vs. SAS, vs. PHX, vs. OKC, vs. BKN

Record: 12-22

OffRtg: 115.5 (11) DefRtg: 117.8 (25) NetRtg: -2.2 (20) Pace: 96.7 (29)

The Clippers ran their winning streak to six games, and then got Ivica Zubac back from a five-game absence on Saturday. But the streak came to an end as they got demolished by the Celtics’ offense.

Three takeaways

• The Clippers scored 127.2 points per 100 possessions over the six-game winning streak and have climbed from 23rd to 11th offensively in the span of 17 days. Kawhi Leonard had eight career (regular-season) 40-point games before Dec. 23 and three over the last five games of the streak. He’s registering the highest marks of his career for both points per game (28.3) and true shooting percentage (62.9%).

• Leonard’s 3-point rate (35.7% of his shots) is also the highest mark of his career. As a team, the Clippers have seen the league’s second-biggest jump in 3-point rate, from 38.7% (25th) last season to 43.9% (eighth) this season. And that rate was over 50% over the winning streak, in part because Zubac was out and Brook Lopez was playing a lot more. They outscored their opponents by an average of 23.5 points from beyond the arc over the six games.

• There’s still some work to do on the other end of the floor. The Celtics’ 146 points on 92 possessions (158.7 per 100) as the streak came to an end on Saturday was the third most efficient performance for any team in the 30 years of play-by-play data. The Clippers have now allowed 8.4 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season, which would be the biggest season-to-season jump in the last 19 years. The defense won’t be helped with Derrick Jones Jr. suffering another right knee injury (putting him on the shelf for at least another six weeks) in what was just his fourth game back from his last one.

Coming up: The Clippers are still just 4-13 on the road and, after finishing their five-game homestand with a visit from the Warriors on Monday, they’ll play 13 of their next 19 games on the road, a stretch that takes them to the All-Star break.

Week 12: vs. GSW, @ NYK, @ BKN, @ DET

Record: 16-20

OffRtg: 113.0 (24) DefRtg: 116.2 (19) NetRtg: -3.2 (22) Pace: 102.3 (5)

The Blazers look a bit more like the competitive team they were hoping to be this season. They’ve won four of their last five games, a stretch that includes victories over the Celtics and Spurs.

Three takeaways

• The 4-1 stretch was five games in seven days, and three of the opponents rank in the top six offensively. But the Blazers’ defense has been much better in the second games of their seven back-to-backs (109.3 points allowed per 100 possessions) than it’s been otherwise (117.9 allowed per 100), and it’s been better in 15 games against the league’s top-10 offenses (114.6) than it’s been in 21 games against the bottom 20 (117.4).

• The Blazers also scored 122 points on just 94 possessions in New Orleans on Friday, the only game in their last 15 that they’ve committed fewer turnovers than their opponent. Their five best offensive games of the season (where they scored at least 124 per 100) have all come against the Pelicans (x 2) and Warriors (x 3).

• The Blazers have seen the league’s fourth biggest jump in 3-point rate, from 41.8% of their shots (17th highest) last season to 45.5% (sixth) this season. They’ve taken 48% of their shots from beyond the arc over this 4-1 stretch, making at least five more 3s than their opponent in each of the four wins. Deni Avdija leads the league with 135 total assists on 3-pointers (23 more than he had all of last season) and sealed their win over the Spurs on Saturday with a step-back of his own.

Coming up: The Blazers will play eight of their next 10 games at home, a stretch that includes a two-game set with the Rockets this week. Their worst defensive game of the season (140 points allowed on 101 possessions) was in Houston in mid-November.

Week 12: vs. UTA, vs. HOU, vs. HOU, vs. NYK

Record: 12-22

OffRtg: 114.8 (16) DefRtg: 121.6 (30) NetRtg: -6.8 (26) Pace: 102.7 (4)

The Jazz remain pretty competitive, but after their impressive back-to-back wins over the Pistons and Spurs, they’ve lost three straight games and have fallen to 30th in defense.

Three takeaways

• The Jazz came back to take the lead against the Clippers on Thursday, but that was the third game that they trailed by more than 15 points before scoring. In the 30 seasons of play-by-play data, there have been only 33 total games where a team was down by more than 15 before scoring its first points, and the 2025-26 Jazz are somehow responsible for three of those 33. No other team has had more than one of those ugly starts in the same season.

• The Jazz rank eighth offensively (117.7 points scored per 100 possessions) since Dec. 1, and it hasn’t been a particularly easy stretch regarding the opposing defenses (six of the 15 games against the top 10). Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George have both averaged more than 27 points over that stretch, shooting a combined 73-for-176 (41.5%) from 3-point range and 166-for-184 (90.2%) from the free throw line.

• The Jazz have been closing some games with rookie Walter Clayton Jr. on the floor alongside Keyonte George. The offense has been pretty potent on both ends of the floor (127.2 combined points per 100 possessions) and the Jazz have outscored their opponents by 3.9 per 100 in 168 total minutes with the two 22-year-olds on the floor together.

Coming up: The Jazz are 4-4 in games played between the seven Western Conference teams with losing records, set to face the Blazers (6-5) and Mavs (3-8) this week. They beat Dallas in overtime in the first meeting after coming back from an eight-point deficit with a little more than three minutes left.

Week 12: @ POR, @ OKC, vs. DAL, vs. CHA

Record: 16-20

OffRtg: 113.6 (21) DefRtg: 115.7 (18) NetRtg: -2.2 (19) Pace: 99.3 (26)

The Bucks are 4-1 in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s five games back, but it’s been the easiest five-game stretch of schedule that they’ll face all season.

Three takeaways

• The opponents have been the Bulls, Hornets (x 2), Wizards and Kings. The loss came against Washington on Wednesday, when Antetokounmpo missed an uncontested jumper for the win. The Bucks scored just six points on 13 clutch possessions in the loss and their star has shot just 2-for-13 from outside the paint over his five games back.

• They were much better down the stretch (17 points on 11 clutch possessions) against the Hornets two nights later, with a quick-action, empty-corner dribble-handoff setting up Antetokounmpo for the go-ahead dunk with 4.7 seconds left. They closed that game with Kyle Kuzma on the floor instead of Myles Turner and Antetokounmpo at the five, but the two-time MVP has played just eight of his 635 total minutes without Turner, Bobby Portis or Jericho Sims also on the floor.

• The Bucks actually won the possession game in both of their weekend wins, having gotten fewer shot opportunities than their opponent in 13 straight games before that. There is a team with a lower offensive rebounding percentage than Milwaukee, but that team (the Thunder) ranks first in both turnover rate and opponent turnover rate. The Bucks rank 19th in both, so they’re not finding other ways to get extra possessions.

Coming up: The schedule now gets much tougher. If the Bucks are going to get back in the SoFi Play-In  Tournament picture in the East, they’ll have to win some more games against the West. Their win in Sacramento on Sunday began a stretch where they’re playing nine of 10 games against the opposite conference, with seven of their next eight against West teams with winning records.

Week 12: @ GSW, @ LAL, @ DEN

Record: 12-23

OffRtg: 115.3 (12) DefRtg: 117.8 (26) NetRtg: -2.5 (21) Pace: 99.6 (25)

The Hornets had a promising stretch after Thanksgiving, but they remain securely in the bottom five in the East, losing three straight games before getting a comeback win in Chicago on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The Hornets have been the league’s most improved offensive team, but defense seems to determine their results. They scored more efficiently in each of their three losses last week than they did in Chicago on Saturday, but allowed 128.7 points per 100 possessions over the losing streak. They’re 11-4 when they’ve allowed fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average (115), and 1-19 when they’ve allowed more.

• Ryan Kalkbrenner has missed the last seven games, but the Hornets still rank second in the percentage of their minutes (44%) that they’ve gotten from first or second-year players. With Moussa Diabaté and Mason Plumlee also out, two-way big PJ Hall has started at center the last two games and second-year forward Tidjane Salaün was also getting some regular rotation minutes until missing the Hornets’ win in Chicago on Saturday. Salaün has just 102 field goal attempts, but his effective field goal percentage is 63.7%, a huge leap from his 41.4% (third worst among 333 players with at least 200 shots) as a rookie.

• Kon Knueppel and Miles Bridges each missed games last week, so the Hornets’ four perimeter starters — LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Knueppel and Bridges — have still played in just 14 total games together. But Charlotte has scored an amazing 128.9 points per 100 possessions in 155 minutes with all four on the floor.

Coming up: The Hornets’ weekend back-to-back was the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days, which ends with a rest-disadvantage game against the Pacers on Thursday. With their Lake Michigan split over the weekend, they’re 7-7 in games played between the seven Eastern Conference teams with losing records.

Week 12: @ OKC, vs. TOR, vs. IND, @ UTA

Record: 17-18

OffRtg: 113.5 (22) DefRtg: 117.2 (23) NetRtg: -3.7 (23) Pace: 103.5 (2)

A 7-2 stretch had the Bulls back at .500, and they had a great opportunity to climb above that mark after leading the Hornets by 15 points in the second quarter on Saturday. But their offense shut down in the third and they fell back under .500.

Three takeaways

• Coby White and Josh Giddey both suffered leg injuries in the Bulls’ loss to the Wolves last Monday, so they’ve played their last three games without their starting backcourt. They managed to win the first two, scoring 125 points per 100 possessions against New Orleans and Orlando. The offense was solid through the first 25 minutes against Charlotte, but then the Bulls managed to score just four points on 16 trips down the floor, seeing an 11-point lead turn into an 11-point deficit.

• Though they’re just a game below .500, the Bulls are one of five teams that rank in the bottom 10 on both ends of the floor. They’re just 4-9 in games that weren’t within five points in the last five minutes.

• The Bulls trailed the Magic by as many as 13 points on Friday and were still down five early in the fourth quarter before going on a 14-2 run. It was their league-leading 10th win (they’re 10-15) in games they trailed by double-digits. They also led the league (with 19) last season and ranked second (with 16) the season prior. Of course, with their loss to the Hornets the following night, they’re tied (with Memphis and New Orleans) for the most losses (they’re 7-4) in games they led by at least 15.

Coming up: With that comeback against Orlando, the Bulls are 8-5 against the eight teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings, though their worst loss of the season came (at home) against Miami in November. The Bulls will be at a rest disadvantage when the Heat return to the United Center on Thursday, the third of three games against the East’s top eight this week.

Week 12: @ BOS, @ DET, vs. MIA, vs. DAL

Record: 13-23

OffRtg: 109.4 (28) DefRtg: 113.1 (10) NetRtg: -3.7 (24) Pace: 102.3 (6)

Anthony Davis missed only two games with his latest injury, played 76 total minutes over his first two games back, and led the Mavs (with 26 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks) to a win over the Rockets on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The win on Saturday ended a four-game losing streak and was the Rockets’ worst offensive game of the season (104 points on 101 possessions). The five games prior were the Mavs’ worst stretch of defense (120.3 points allowed per 100), but they still rank in the top 10 on that end of the floor, having seen the league’s sixth biggest improvement from last season. Of course, a lot of that improvement is from the league’s second-biggest drop in opponent 3-point percentage, and time will tell if it sustains.

• The Mavs beat the Rockets despite shooting just 3-for-10 from mid-range and making only eight 3-pointers themselves. They have the league’s second-biggest differential between their field goal percentage in the paint (57.5%, 16th) and their effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (48.2%, 29th). Naji Marshall, Brandon Williams, Davis and Cooper Flagg have the fifth, sixth, 10th and 12th biggest differentials, respectively, among 175 players with at least 75 shots in the paint and at least 75 shots outside.

• The Mavs erased a 17-point deficit in Portland last Monday and had a wide-open 3-pointer for the lead with seven seconds left, but Marshall missed that shot and they lost what could have been a huge game regarding the Western Conference Play-In picture. They’ve now lost their last seven road games, with four of those seven losses having come to other teams in the bottom seven in the West.

Coming up: Overall, the Mavs are just 3-8 (only the Kings have been worse) in games played between the seven West teams with losing records. The three-game trip that begins Tuesday includes games in Sacramento and Utah.

Week 12: @ SAC, @ UTA, @ CHI

Record: 11-22

OffRtg: 112.3 (25) DefRtg: 116.7 (20) NetRtg: -4.4 (25) Pace: 97.7 (27)

After a 7-3 stretch, the Nets lost three straight games, with a 20-point defeat in Washington on Friday. But they got back on the winning side over the weekend, with Michael Porter Jr. leading the way against his old team.

Three takeaways

• Porter missed both games of the Thursday-Friday back-to-back. The Nets are now 0-6 without their leading scorer, with the six losses having come by an average of 17 points. They’ve scored just 103.3 points per 100 possessions in his 694 total minutes off the floor, though the offense has been much better (117.3 scored per 100) in 145 minutes with Cam Thomas on the floor without Porter. (Defense is another story.)

• Porter returned to score 27 points in a win over the Nuggets on Sunday, the Nets’ best offensive performance of the season (127 points on just 95 possessions). While the Nets had the No. 1 defense in December, they’ve improved more (vs. last season) on offense, even when you take the league-average jump into account. They’ve seen the league’s biggest jump in field goal percentage in the paint, from 52.9% (29th) last season to 58.0% (11th) this season. Day’Ron Sharpe (68.3%) and Porter (67.3%) rank 10th and 12th among 172 players with at least 100 field goal attempts in the paint, with Sharpe’s mark being the highest of his career by a wide margin.

• The Nets needed that efficient performance on Sunday because they’ve suffered some slippage on the other end of the floor. After allowing just 103.5 points per 100 possessions over their first 10 games of December, the Nets have allowed 123.8 per 100 over their last four games. And that jump is more about their opponents’ shooting inside the arc than beyond it.

Coming up: Last season, the Nets were outscored by the Clippers by 45.5 points per game (losses of 59 and 32 points), the second biggest single-season point differential for any team against any opponent in NBA history. Their first of two ‘25-26 meetings (both this month) is on Friday in Brooklyn.

Week 12: vs. ORL, vs. LAC, @ MEM

Record: 9-25

OffRtg: 110.4 (27) DefRtg: 121.3 (29) NetRtg: -11.0 (29) Pace: 102.0 (8)

After winning just four of their previous 26 games, the Wizards won four out of five, climbing out of last place in the East. Then they got clobbered by the Wolves on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Wizards no longer rank last defensively, because that 4-1 stretch was their best stretch of the season (108.8 points allowed per 100 possessions) on that end of the floor. That includes holding the Bucks to just six points on 11 clutch possessions in Milwaukee on Wednesday, with Alex Sarr’s block of Giannis Antetokounmpo leading to CJ McCollum’s step-back game-winner.

• The offense hasn’t been so bad, and the Wizards now rank as the fifth most improved team offensively, having scored 4.6 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season. They still rank in the bottom five on that end, but McCollum (who’s played in every game) has kept them somewhat afloat, as they’ve scored just 103.9 per 100 in his 598 minutes off the floor.

• Tre Johnson can shoot, and the rookie was 11-for-15 from 3-point range over a three-game stretch before Sunday. was 9-for-12 from 3-point range in the last two games of December. The Wizards are one of only three teams (the Nuggets and Bucks are the others) with at least three players (Johnson, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George) who’ve shot 40% or better on at least 100 3-point attempts.

Coming up: The Wizards have yet to play any of the bottom four teams in the Western Conference, but they’ll face the last-place Pelicans for the first time on Friday, having been swept in the season series each of the last two years.

Week 12: vs. ORL, @ PHI, vs. NOP, @ PHX

Record: 8-29

OffRtg: 111.9 (26) DefRtg: 119.5 (27) NetRtg: -7.6 (27) Pace: 101.8 (10)

The Pelicans have now lost seven straight games since that promising, five-game winning streak. The losing streak coincides with them losing Herb Jones to an ankle injury, and they’re now 1-14 (with 13 straight losses) without him.

Three takeaways

• Zion Williamson was back in the starting lineup last week and had his three highest scoring games of the season in the span of five days. He’s shot 63% over his last nine games, up from 50% over his first 12, also shooting better from the free-throw line as he continues to get there a lot.

• But the Pelicans allowed more than 125 points per 100 possessions in all three of those games that Williamson scored more than 30 points, even though two of them came against teams — the Bulls and Blazers — that rank in the bottom 10 offensively. It was their worst stretch of defense since an early-season, three-game trip that went through Denver and Oklahoma City.

• Even after their loss in Miami on Sunday, the Pelicans have played the league’s most home-heavy schedule. They’re just 6-16 at the Smoothie King Center, but have been 8.2 points per 100 possessions better there (minus-4.3, 26th) than they’ve been on the road (minus-12.5, 29th). That’s the league’s fifth biggest home-road differential.

Coming up: After hosting the Lakers on Tuesday, the Pelicans will play 12 of their next 16 games on the road. They’re 2-1 in games played between the bottom six teams in the league, having yet to face the Kings or Wizards. Their first meeting with Washington is on Friday night.

Week 12: vs. LAL, @ ATL, @ WAS, @ ORL

Record: 8-28

OffRtg: 108.3 (30) DefRtg: 119.8 (28) NetRtg: -11.5 (30) Pace: 101.1 (15)

Zach LaVine returned from a nine-game absence on Sunday, but Domantas Sabonis remains on the shelf and the Kings have lost their last five games by an average of 24.6 points.

Three takeaways

• The Kings now rank last offensively, having scored an anemic 101.4 points per 100 possessions over the five-game losing streak. Russell Westbrook has an effective field goal percentage of just 41.7% over the five games, with a big drop in assist/turnover ratio as well.

• While the Jazz have had three games where their opponent scored more than 15 points before they scored at all, the Kings still rank as the league’s worst first-quarter team, having been outscored by 13.7 points per 100 possessions in the opening period. Their wire-to-wire loss to the Clippers last Monday was the eighth time they’ve lost the first quarter by double-digits.

• LaVine came off the bench, but played almost 36 minutes in his return from an ankle injury on Sunday, when the Kings lost Keegan Murray to an ankle injury in the third quarter. The 37-year-old Westbrook and 36-year-old DeMar DeRozan are the two Kings who have played in all 36 of their games.

Coming up: The Kings had the league’s toughest schedule through Dec. 31, and they have the league’s toughest schedule in January regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage. After they host the Mavs on Tuesday, they’ll play 11 of their final 13 January games against teams that currently have winning records.

Week 12: vs. DAL, @ GSW, vs. HOU

Record: 6-30

OffRtg: 108.3 (29) DefRtg: 117.2 (22) NetRtg: -8.8 (28) Pace: 101.6 (11)

Rick Carlisle is still stuck on 999 career wins because the Pacers have lost 12 straight games, tied for the longest losing streak in franchise history. But they were relatively competitive against good teams last week.

Three takeaways

• The Pacers’ four games last week were all against teams that rank in the top 11 defensively, but they scored more than 120 points per 100 possessions for just the fifth and sixth times. They shot 18-for-34 (53%) in Houston, Pascal Siakam had a big game (34 points on 14-for-21 shooting) in Orlando, and they took care of the ball both nights. With that and with the Kings’ latest struggles, Indiana has climbed out of the basement in offensive efficiency.

• But while the offense has shown some signs of life, it’s still struggled in the biggest moments. Five of the 12 games during the losing streak have been within five points in the last five minutes, but the Pacers have scored just 21 points on 30 clutch possessions (0.7 per) during the streak. Aaron Nesmith had a pretty good look for the win against the Magic on Wednesday, but his shot was long. Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker are a combined 0-for-14 on clutch 3s this season.

• One other positive from the loss in Orlando on Sunday is that the Pacers outrebounded a top-10 rebounding team. They got absolutely destroyed on the glass (outscored by 43 points on second chances) over the three games prior, and they rank in the bottom three in rebounding percentage for what would be the third time in the last four seasons.

Coming up: The Pacers have the East’s toughest January schedule, but there’s a decent opportunity for a win with a rest-advantage game in Charlotte on Thursday. Their first meeting with the Hornets (a nine-point win in November) was the only time they’ve scored more efficiently than they did in Orlando on Sunday.

Week 12: vs. CLE, @ CHA, vs. MIA