Power Rankings, Week 16: Knicks, Spurs take step forward

Record: 36-12

OffRtg: 116.1 (11) DefRtg: 108.3 (2) NetRtg: +7.8 (2) Pace: 100.8 (15)

The Pistons went 2-1 on a tough trip out West, handling the Nuggets and Warriors, but coming up empty offensively in Phoenix. Then they returned home and beat the Nets by 53 points.

Three takeaways

• Over his first four seasons in the league, Cade Cunningham had one game with at least 10 assists and zero turnovers. He’s had three this season, and the two in the last two weeks have come in a one-point win over Boston and a two-point win in Denver. Cunningham’s assist/turnover ratio of 2.63 would be, easily, the best mark of his career.

• The Pistons still rank 25th in turnover rate (15.4 per 100 possessions). But on defense, they’ve forced 17.3 per 100, what would be the highest opponent turnover rate for any team in the last six seasons. They’ve committed 35 fewer turnovers than their opponents over their last four games, with their differential against Brooklyn on Sunday (8-25) being tied for the second biggest in any game this season.

• The Pistons still have the league’s third-ranked bench for the season, and Isaiah Stewart remains a candidate for both Kia Defensive Player of the Year and Kia Sixth Man of the Year. But bench minutes weren’t good over their three-game trip out West, when they were outscored by 22.2 points per 100 possessions in Jalen Duren’s 56 minutes off the floor. They cut a 19-point deficit down to two three midway through the third quarter on Thursday, but then saw the Suns open things up again with a 15-2 run.

Coming up: The rest of the Pistons’ four-game homestand includes another meeting with the Nuggets and their second with the Knicks. They beat New York by 31 in the first meeting (also in Detroit), but will be at a rest disadvantage on Friday.

Week 16: vs. DEN, vs. WAS, vs. NYK

Record: 39-11

OffRtg: 117.9 (4) DefRtg: 105.8 (1) NetRtg: +12.1 (1) Pace: 101.0 (14)

Six of the Thunder’s final eight games before the All-Star break are coming against other teams in the West’s top seven, with five of those six games on the road. They’re 1-1 in that stretch thus far, having split games in Minnesota and Denver.

Three takeaways

• Isaiah Hartenstein returned from a 16-game absence last week, and he helped keep Nikola Jokić in check in the Thunder’s win in Denver on Sunday. But with Jalen Williams and Alex Caruso having missed the last seven and six games, respectively, the Thunder have still had all of their top seven guys from last year’s playoffs for just five of their 50 games. That group doesn’t include Ajay Mitchell, but he could be in the top seven this year, and he’s missed the last five games.

• There have been two games in the last two seasons where the Thunder never held a lead, and both wire-to-wire losses (Feb 13, 2025 and Jan. 29, 2026) were in Minnesota. The Thunder remain the only unbeaten team (they’re 18-0) when they’ve outscored their opponent from 3-point range, but the Wolves have made 23 more 3s than them over their three meetings thus far.

• The Thunder have the league’s second toughest February schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage, with 10 of their 12 February games coming against teams that currently have winning records. They’re still tied for the second best record (14-8) in games played within that group after their win in Denver on Sunday, but after winning their first seven games against those other over-.500 teams, they’re 7-8 since mid-December.

Coming up: The Thunder will play two more big games within the top seven in the West this week, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage for their final meeting with the Spurs (in San Antonio) on Wednesday. They’re just 3-4 in rest-disadvantage games thus far, with one of those four losses having come in San Antonio.

Week 16: vs. ORL, @ SAS, vs. HOU

Record: 33-16

OffRtg: 116.2 (10) DefRtg: 111.1 (3) NetRtg: +5.1 (6) Pace: 100.4 (17)

The Spurs have alternated wins and losses for their last seven games, a stretch that includes one of each in Houston. They came back from 16 points down to beat the Rockets on Wednesday and are sending their coaching staff to L.A. for All-Star Weekend.

Three takeaways

• The Spurs held the Rockets to just 23 points on their final 39 possessions (0.59 per) as they came back from 16 points down on Wednesday. They’re trailed only 17 of their 49 games by double digits and are now 6-11 in those games, with five of the wins having come against Houston (twice), Denver, New York and Oklahoma City.

• The Spurs still rank third in defensive rebounding percentage, but they grabbed just 61,7 percent of available defensive boards over their last three games of January, with second chance points being much more than the overall difference in their recent losses to the Pelicans (outscored 27-9 on second chances) and Hornets (18-4). They began February by holding the Magic to one of their worst offensive rebounding games of the season.

• Devin Vassell re-entered the starting lineup on Saturday afternoon and, interestingly, he replaced Harrison Barnes instead of Julian Champagnie. It was the first time in more than 10 years that the 33-year-old Barnes (one of three Spurs that have played in every game) came off the bench in a regular season game, but he was on the floor (instead of Champagnie) down the stretch and committed a damaging foul on a Miles Bridges 3-point attempt with a little more than a minute left.

Coming up: The last time the Thunder were in San Antonio, the Spurs had a rest advantage and won by 20. They’ll have a rest advantage again for the fifth (and final) regular season meeting on Wednesday.

Week 16: vs. OKC, @ DAL, vs. DAL

Record: 30-17

OffRtg: 117.8 (5) DefRtg: 111.9 (5) NetRtg: +6.0 (4) Pace: 96.8 (27)

The Rockets lost a rematch with the Spurs on Wednesday, blowing a double-digit, second-half lead. But they’ve won seven of their last nine games overall and are just a game in the loss column behind second-place San Antonio.

Three takeaways

• With the loss to the Spurs, the Rockets are just 2-6 in games played between the top four teams in the West, having scored just 109.5 points per 100 possessions over the eight games. That includes just 23 on 39 (0.59 per) as they were doubled-up by the Spurs (46-23) over the final 19 minutes on Wednesday. After huge game (33 points on 15-for-17 shooting two nights earlier), Alperen Sengun has shot just 16-for-54 (29.6%) over the last three, though he had the go-ahead bucket with less than 30 seconds left against Dallas on Saturday.

• The offense has struggled for much of 2026, and the Rockets just aren’t getting much production from beyond the arc these days. But the last five games have been their best stretch of defense (104.8 points allowed per 100 possessions) this season. Of course, three of those games came against teams that rank in the bottom 10 offensively, and they’ll face three top-10 offenses this week.

• The Rockets announced on Wednesday that Steven Adams will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left ankle. They were at their best (plus-11.8 points per 100 possessions) with Adams on the floor, but have still been a terrific offensive rebounding team (38.4%) with him off the floor.

Coming up: The Rockets are 0-2 against the Thunder, with the last meeting having been their worst offensive performance of the season (91 points on 100 possessions). The third (and final) meeting is Saturday in Oklahoma City.

Week 16: @ IND, vs. BOS, vs. CHA, @ OKC

Record: 33-17

OffRtg: 120.8 (1) DefRtg: 116.5 (22) NetRtg: +4.3 (8) Pace: 98.5 (26)

The Nuggets went an impressive 10-6 without Nikola Jokić, but were surely happy to have the three-time Kia MVP back in the lineup on Friday. He led them to rest-disadvantage win over the improved Clippers, though they didn’t have enough in their first meeting with the Thunder two nights later.

Three takeaways

• If Jokić was at all rusty in his return, it didn’t show. He scored 31 points in less than 25 minutes against the Clippers, shooting 8-for-11 from the field and 13-for-17 from the line. Things were tougher against the champs on Sunday, when he scored just 16 points in 29 points, while turning the ball over six times. The Nuggets took the Thunder to seven games in the 2025 Western Conference Semifinals, but they’ve lost six of the last eight regular-season meetings. (Three more are coming after the All-Star break.)

• The Nuggets are still missing three starters. Before getting Jokić back, they announced that Aaron Gordon will be out 4-6 weeks, having re-aggravated his right hamstring injury. Christian Braun and Cam Johnson are still out, and we’re probably going to get into March with their preferred starting lineup having still played in just 10 games together. The Denver offense has still been ridiculously good (129.4 points scored per 100 possessions), but the defense has suffered in 639 minutes with Jamal Murray and Jokić on the floor without Gordon.

• Of course, maybe the preferred starting lineup is different than it was at the start of the season, because Peyton Watson isn’t slowing down. He had a team-high 29 points against the Thunder and has now averaged 22.5 since the start of Jokić’s absence, up from 10.7 before that, with only a small dip in efficiency.

Coming up: The first two games of the Nuggets’ three-game trip are the end of their second (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. They’ve lost five of their last six games to the Knicks, who they’ll visit on Wednesday, when both teams will be playing the second game of a back-to-back.

Week 16: @ DET, @ NYK, @ CHI

Record: 30-20

OffRtg: 114.3 (15) DefRtg: 112.0 (7) NetRtg: +2.3 (11) Pace: 99.3 (22)

The Suns went 3-2 on their longest homestand of the season (beating the Pistons and Cavs last week), even though they were without Devin Booker for all five games. They’re now 4-5 without their All-Star and just percentage points behind the Lakers for a top-six spot in the West.

Three takeaways

• The Suns have scored just 106.9 points per 100 possessions over the nine games without Booker, with their loss to the Clippers on Sunday just being just the fourth time this season they’ve scored less than a point per possession. They only committed five turnovers and shot well (19-for-46, 41%) from 3-point range, but their 12-for-47 (26%) inside the arc was the worst 2-point shooting game for any team in the last six seasons.

• But the Suns’ defense was holding up well before that, allowing just 107.4 points per 100 possessions over their last six games in January. They forced three turnovers out of the Nets in the final minute and a half of their four point win on Tuesday. Then they kept the Pistons off the glass (Detroit’s third worst offensive rebounding game of the season) and the Cavs off the free throw line (Cleveland’s third lowest free throw rate) over the next two games.

• While the Suns got destroyed inside and on the glass by the Clippers on Sunday, it was the third straight game where they made at least eight more 3-pointers than their opponent. Phoenix ranks second in 3-point differential, having outscored its opponents by 7.3 points per game from beyond the arc.

Coming up: The only team with a better 3-point differential is the Warriors, who’ve made 14 more 3s than the Suns over their three head-to-head meetings (2-1 in favor of Golden State). The final meeting is Thursday in Phoenix, the third of three straight games against the three teams directly behind the Suns in the standings.

Week 16: @ POR, vs. GSW, vs. PHI

Record: 31-19

OffRtg: 116.6 (9) DefRtg: 111.8 (4) NetRtg: +4.8 (7) Pace: 101.6 (10)

The Wolves have followed their five-game losing streak with four straight wins, and they’re now 2-1 against the Thunder after beating them with a rest disadvantage on Thursday.

Three takeaways

• The Wolves have climbed into the top five on defense for the first time this season. Their recent surge on that end of the floor has been aided by the Warriors scoring just 83 points on 107 possessions without Stephen Curry last Monday, but the Wolves have allowed fewer points per 100 than the league average in six straight games. Opponent 3-point shooting has something to do with that (the Mavs were 3-for-18 on Wednesday), but the Wolves have also been fouling less and rebounding better.

• The win over the Thunder was the end of a stretch of four games in five days for the Wolves. They’re now 6-3 (5-1 since Thanksgiving) in the second games of back-to-backs, with two wins over the Spurs also included. They’ve allowed just 107.6 points per 100 possessions over those last six games with no rest, and their opponent was also playing the second game of a back-to-back in only two of the six.

• Naz Reid has been a bellwether for the Wolves, and he’s averaged 19 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals off the bench over the winning streak. Minnesota has outscored its opponents by 25.9 points per 100 possessions in Reid’s 113 minutes on the floor over the four games and is now 26-2 when he’s registered a positive plus-minus this season.

Coming up: The Wolves have the easiest February schedule among the top 10 teams in the West, and they’re one game into a stretch where they’re playing seven of eight against teams with losing records. The lone exception is their visit to Toronto on Wednesday, the first of two meetings with the Raptors.

Week 16: @MEM, @ TOR, vs. NOP, vs. LAC

Record: 31-18

OffRtg: 118.9 (3) DefRtg: 113.5 (12) NetRtg: +5.5 (5) Pace: 98.8 (23)

The Knicks have rewarded those who didn’t panic, following a 2-9 stretch with six straight wins. That has them back in second place in the East, with some big matchups coming this week.

Three takeaways

• Through their first 43 games, the Knicks held their opponent under a point per possession just once. But they’ve done it five times over this six-game winning streak, climbing from 18th to 12th defensively in the course of 12 days. Much of the improvement is the opponents shooting just 27.1% from 3-point range over the six games, but the Knicks have also been forcing a lot more turnovers (16.6 per 100 possessions) while fouling less. Their defensive rebounding percentage has also seen a significant jump.

• For the second straight season, the Knicks’ starting lineup hasn’t been great. It’s outscored opponents by just 4.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark which ranks sixth among nine lineups that have played at least 200 minutes.

• But New York’s bench minutes have been terrific of late, with the Knicks outscoring their opponents by more than 52 points per 100 possessions in Josh Hart’s 94 minutes off the floor over the winning streak. Landry Shamet scored 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting in their win over the Lakers on Sunday.

Coming up: With their win in Toronto last week, the Knicks are 7-4 within the top six in the East, set to play two more big road games this coming weekend. They have a win over the Celtics at home, but have allowed 134 points per 100 possessions as they’ve gone 0-2 in Detroit and Boston thus far.

Week 16: @ WAS, vs. DEN, @ DET, @ BOS

Record: 31-18

OffRtg: 120.7 (2) DefRtg: 113.1 (11) NetRtg: +7.6 (3) Pace: 95.9 (30)

The Celtics had a four-game homestand with all four opponents having losing records. They had a disappointing loss to the Hawks on Wednesday, but took care of business against Portland, Sacramento and Milwaukee.

Three takeaways

• The Celtics haven’t been shooting well over the last few weeks. They have an effective field goal percentage of just 52.9% (17th) over their last 12 games, down from 56.2% (fourth) over their previous 37. Derrick White is still well below 50% for the season, having seen huge drops from last season in both his field goal percentage in the paint (from 63.8% to 48.3%) and his 3-point percentage (from 38.4% to 32.4%).

• But the Celtics are a littles less reliant on shooting this season. They rank second in turnover rate (12.5 per 100 possessions) and have been the league’s third most improved offensive rebounding team, grabbing 33.6% of available offensive boards (fifth), up from 29.1% (18th) last season. Luka Garza (13.5%) and Neemias Queta (11.5%) rank seventh and 20th in offensive rebounding percentage among 286 players who’ve averaged at least 15 minutes per game.

• Wins over the Blazers and Kings last week were the Celtics’ seventh and eighth wire-to-wire victories (games in which they never trailed) of the season. That’s two more than they had all of last season and two more than any other team has this year. They’ve been the league’s third best first-quarter team (plus-10.5 per 100 possessions), with its best first-quarter offense (123.2 scored per 100).

Coming up: The home team has won the first two meetings between the third-place Celtics and the second-place Knicks, who are tied at 31-18. The third meeting will be in Boston on Sunday afternoon, the middle game of a three-game homestand to close the pre-break schedule.

Week 16: @ DAL, @ HOU, vs. MIA, vs. NYK

Record: 30-21

OffRtg: 116.8 (7) DefRtg: 113.6 (13) NetRtg: +3.2 (9) Pace: 101.8 (8)

The Cavs remain shorthanded. Darius Garland has missed the last nine games and they lost Evan Mobley to a calf strain early last week. But they have the league’s third best record (13-5) over the last five weeks and reinforcements are on their way via a trade.

Three takeaways

• Over the 90 games (including playoffs) for which he was on the Cavs’ roster, De’Andre Hunter played a total of 96 minutes as the fifth guy alongside Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The Cavs were great (plus-19 points per 100 possessions) in those minutes, but Hunter’s overall production was not. Time will tell if the trade that brings Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder (for now) makes the Cavs better, but it definitely makes them cheaper and smaller.

• Though Mobley had a five-game absence in December, the last three games have been the first three that Mitchell has played without both Garland and Mobley. He’s averaged just 18.3 points over the three games and the Cavs struggled in Phoenix on Friday, when Mitchell had eight turnovers. But they got stops against the Lakers two nights earlier and got a huge game (40 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, two steals and four blocks) from Allen in Portland. The Cavs have outscored their opponents by 11.8 points per 100 possessions in 403 total minutes with Mitchell on the floor without either Garland or Mobley.

• Their 30-point win over the Lakers on Wednesday gave the Cavs their first five-game winning streak of the season. It was also their best five-game stretch of defense (104.3 points allowed per 100 possessions), though it certainly helped that their opponents shot just 52-for-191 (27.2%) from 3-point range over the five games. The streak came to an end when the Suns (who were without Devin Booker) shot 23-for-48 (48%) from beyond the arc on Friday. The Cavs are 3-11 when their opponent has made at least two more 3-pointers than they have.

Coming up: The Cavs’ five-game trip is spread out over 11 days, with a pair of two-day breaks this week. They had a rest advantage when they lost in Phoenix last week and they’ll have another one in Sacramento on Saturday. They’re just 2-3 (0-1 on the road) in rest-advantage games thus far.

Week 16: @ LAC, @ SAC

Record: 23-25

OffRtg: 115.9 (12) DefRtg: 115.6 (20) NetRtg: +0.2 (16) Pace: 96.7 (28)

The Clippers split tough games in Denver and Phoenix over the weekend, allowing the Nuggets to have their most efficient offensive performance since Christmas, but then holding the Suns under a point per possession.

Three takeaways

• The Clippers are within two games of .500 for the first time since they were 3-5, and they have a positive point differential (plus-7 over their 48 games) for the first time since they were 2-1. Improvement from when they were 6-21 (112.8 points scored per 100 possessions, 118.9 allowed per 100) to the 17-4 stretch they’re on (120.0, 111.3) has been about even on both ends of the floor.

• Part of the defensive improvement has come inside, with the Clippers ranking fifth in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (55.4%) over the last 21 games, up from 19th (58.2%) through their first 27. The Suns’ 9-for-34 (26.5%) in the paint on Sunday was the worst paint shooting game for any team in the last seven seasons.

• The Clippers don’t just have the league’s best record (17-4) since Dec. 20. They also have the league’s best record (8-3) against the 16 teams that are currently over .500 over that stretch. They were 1-15 against the top 16 teams before that.

Coming up: The Clippers are two games into a stretch (spanning the All-Star break) where they’re playing 11 of 12 against those teams with winning records. They’re just 1-5 in rest-disadvantage games and will be at a disadvantage when they host the Sixers on Monday.

Week 16: vs. PHI, vs. CLE, @ SAC, @ MIN

Record: 30-21

OffRtg: 113.7 (20) DefRtg: 112.4 (8) NetRtg: +1.3 (14) Pace: 99.2 (21)

It took them three tries, but the Raptors became the third team to match its win total from last season with an ugly victory over the Jazz on Sunday. That has them holding onto a top-four spot in the East.

Three takeaways

• Before the win on Sunday, the Raptors lost a pair of big games within the top eight of the Eastern Conference, coming up empty offensively against the Knicks and getting clobbered in the fourth quarter in Orlando. They had double-digit, second-half leads in both games and were 26-4 (third best) in games they led by double-digits before Wednesday, but allowed the two opponents to combine for 152 points on 101 second-half possessions.

• The Raptors also shot just 14-for-54 (25.9%) from 3-point range over the losses to New York and Orlando. This would be the fourth straight season where they ranked in the bottom 10 in both 3-point percentage (34%, 28th) and the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range (37.5%, 24th).

• Collin Murray-Boyles returned from a four-game absence last week and was immediately back in the starting lineup alongside the Raptors’ four regulars. After a good start against the Jazz on Sunday, the Murray-Boyles lineup has outscored opponents by 0.9 points per 100 possessions (bad offense, good defense) in its 115 total minutes.

Coming up: The Raptors’ win against Utah on Sunday was the start of a five-game homestand that takes them into the All-Star break. The home team has won the last seven meetings between the Raptors and the Wolves, who haven’t played each other in more than 14 months. Their meeting on Wednesday is the first game of a back-to-back for Toronto.

Week 16: vs. MIN, vs. CHI, vs. IND

Record: 29-19

OffRtg: 116.7 (8) DefRtg: 117.1 (25) NetRtg: -0.5 (18) Pace: 99.4 (20)

The Lakers are 4-3 on their stretch of eight straight road games, having been pretty inconsistent on both ends of the floor. They’re holding onto a top-six spot in the West, but are just percentage points ahead of the seventh-place Suns, who have the head-to-head edge (2-1) at this point.

Three takeaways

• Deandre Ayton had one of his best games of the season in Washington on Friday, scoring 28 points (on 12-for-14 shooting), grabbing 13 rebounds and blocking three shots. Consistency remains an issue and Ayton doesn’t get to the line very much for a big man who’s taken 93% of his shots in the paint. But, he’s still having his most efficient scoring season of his career (true shooting percentage of 68.1%) and the Lakers are 15-0 when he’s scored at least 17 points.

• Austin Reaves has now missed the last 19 games, with the Lakers going 10-9 over that stretch. But he was listed as questionable for each of their last two games and he could make his return on Tuesday. Reaves, Luka Dončić and LeBron James have played just 140 minutes (over eight games) together, and the Lakers have been outscored by 9.8 points per 100 possessions in those minutes.

• Last season, the Lakers had the league’s biggest differential between their record at home (31-10) and their record on the road (19-22). This season, they’re one of eight teams with a better record on the road (17-11, .607) than they have at home (12-8, .600). They’ve played the league’s most road-heavy schedule to date, and have one more game (in Brooklyn on Tuesday) on their eight game “trip.”

Coming up: After the game in Brooklyn, the Lakers will play 15 of their next 18 games at Staples Center, with a stretch of eight straight home games spanning the All-Star break.

Week 16: @ BKN, vs. PHI, vs. GSW

Record: 27-21

OffRtg: 115.0 (13) DefRtg: 114.0 (14) NetRtg: +1.0 (15) Pace: 99.8 (19)

The Sixers have won three straight games and remain in the top six in the East, but Paul George has been suspended for violation of the league’s Anti-Drug Program and will be out until the final 10 games of the season.

Three takeaways

• With their win over the Pelicans on Saturday, the Sixers are 7-2 with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid in the lineup without George, with the first six of those nine games having come in the first three weeks of the season. They’ve outscored their opponents by 9.5 points per 100 possessions (scoring an efficient 125 per 100) in 345 total minutes with Maxey and Embiid on the floor without George.

• The defense hasn’t been great of late, with the Sixers having allowed 121.7 points per 100 possessions over their last four games. The last three have come against teams – the Bucks, Kings and Pelicans – that rank in the bottom seven offensively. The Sixers still rank as the league’s fourth most improved defensive team from last season, but that was their worst defensive season in the last 29 years. This group ranks 29th in defensive rebounding percentage and got clobbered on the glass by the Kings on Thursday, when the score in second-chance points was 24-0.

• But the Sixers won that game, coming back from 11 points down with 7 1/2 minutes left, their fifth win in a game they trailed by double-digits in the fourth quarter. No other team has more than three such wins and the record for the 30 seasons of play-by-play data is seven. (It’s held by three different teams, including last season’s Bulls and Nuggets.)

Coming up: The Sixers are the only team that hasn’t played in the Mountain or Pacific time zones, and they’ll begin a five-game trip with a rest-advantage game at the Intuit Dome on Monday. One of those other wins after trailing by double-digits in the fourth came against the Clippers in November.

Week 16: @ LAC, @ GSW, @ LAL, @ PHX

Record: 27-24

OffRtg: 113.8 (17) DefRtg: 112.0 (6) NetRtg: +1.8 (13) Pace: 105.1 (1)

Given that Chicago was missing three of its best players, the Heat’s loss on Saturday was pretty disappointing. But they went 2-1 in their three straight games against the Bulls, rebounding with a 43-point win on Sunday night, to remain comfortably in the top eight in the East.

Three takeaways

• The Heat ranked 26th offensively (110.6 points scored per 100 possessions) in January, when they scored an anemic 98.2 per 100 in 273 minutes with Bam Adebayo off the floor. But they began February on the right foot, scoring 134 points on 106 possessions against the Bulls, with Kel’el Ware (one of seven Heat players in double-figures) scoring 17 points in a little more than 18 minutes off the bench.

• It may not be a coincidence that the Heat got that 43-point win with Davion Mitchell returning from a six-game absence on Sunday. He’s not having his most prolific or efficient scoring season, but the Heat continue to be at their best (plus-6.2 points per 100 possessions) with Mitchell on the floor.

• Norman Powell has missed the last two games for personal reasons, but is a first-time All-Star at 32. He made his big leap last season, but he’s again seen a jump in both points per game (23 ppg) and points per 36 minutes (27 mpg), both the highest marks of his career. His efficiency (true shooting percentage of 61.2%) is down a little from last season, but it’s been remarkably consistent over the last several years.

Coming up: The Heat have the league’s fifth easiest February schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage, and their visit to Washington on Sunday will be the start of six straight games (spanning the All-Star break) against teams currently below .500. Before that, they’ll visit the Celtics, having allowed 124.6 points per 100 possessions (their worst mark vs. any opponent) as they’ve lost the first two meetings.

Week 16: vs. ATL, @ BOS, @ WAS

Record: 27-23

OffRtg: 114.8 (14) DefRtg: 112.1 (9) NetRtg: +2.7 (10) Pace: 101.2 (13)

The Warriors are still comfortably in eighth place in the West, but they’ve lost four of their last six games, with some rough offense included.

Three takeaways

• The Warriors played the Jazz on Wednesday, and they scored 140 points on 107 possessions, improving to 12-1 when they’ve scored at least 125 per 100. But the last five games have still been their worst stretch of offense this season (106.3 scored per 100). The Warriors played without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in Minnesota last Monday, and the loss was the fourth worst offensive performance (83 points on 107 possessions) for any team this season. They’re 1-5 without either Curry or Jimmy Butler, having scored an anemic 95.1 points per 100 possessions over those six games.

• Turnovers have been an issue again. The Warriors have had 57 over their last three games and have now committed 15.3 per 100 possessions, a rate which ranks 24th and is up from 14.1 per 100 (14th) last season. Only three teams have seen bigger jumps.

• The Warriors seem to have settled on a new starting lineup, with Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford joining Curry, Green and Moses Moody. The overall (131) Green-Horford minutes have been pretty bad offensively, but the lineup has outscored opponents by 25 points in its 35 minutes thus far.

Coming up: The Warriors’ game against the Sixers on Monday will be their third straight rest-advantage game. Then they’ll play in Phoenix and L.A., now 7-8 (4-4 on the road) within the top eight in the West after that loss in Minnesota last week.

Week 16: vs. PHI, @ PHX, @ LAL

Record: 25-23

OffRtg: 113.9 (16) DefRtg: 114.3 (15) NetRtg: -0.4 (17) Pace: 100.6 (16)

The Magic picked up a couple of big wins within the top eight in the East last week, coming back from double-digit deficits to beat the Heat and Raptors.

Three takeaways

• Just when it looked like they were going to fall into the bottom 10 in efficiency (for what would be the 14th straight season), the Magic came alive offensively, scoring 125.2 points per 100 possessions over the wins against Miami and Toronto. That included 154 points on 104 possessions (148 per 100) over the two second halves. Desmond Bane, Anthony Black and Paolo Banchero all totaled more than 50 points over the two games, with Bane scoring 16 in the fourth quarter vs. the Raptors as the Magic turned a 13-point deficit into a 10-point win.

• Banchero and Bane were pretty efficient (combined 44 points on 16-for-29 shooting) in the Magic’s loss to the Spurs on Sunday, but they didn’t get much help. Banchero’s season-long effective field goal percentage is still below 50% (169th among 190 players with at least 300 field goal attempts), but it’s at 54.3% since Dec. 31, up from 46.4% before that.

• The Magic are 4-0 vs. the seventh-place Heat, with all four wins coming by single-digits and one more meeting coming in mid-March. (They last swept the Heat in 2007-08.) Orlando is 10-10 within the top eight in the East overall, with those 20 games being the most that any of the eight teams have played within the group.

Coming up: The second half of the Magic’s tough, two-game trip is in Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Then their last four games before the All-Star break will be at home against teams with losing records. They’re 13-8 (6-4 at home) against the 14 teams currently below .500.

Week 16: @ OKC, vs. BKN, vs. UTA

Record: 22-28

OffRtg: 117.1 (6) DefRtg: 115.3 (19) NetRtg: +1.8 (12) Pace: 98.7 (24)

Through their first 44 games, the Hornets hadn’t won more than two straight. But they now have a six-game winning streak for the first time in almost 10 years, with the streak including three wins over teams – Orlando, Philadelphia and San Antonio – with winning records.

Three takeaways

• With their wins over the Sixers and Grizzlies early last week, the Hornets became the second team to match and surpass its win total from last season (19-63). They would be just the sixth team in the 30 years of play-by-play data to see a season-to-season improvement of more than 10.5 points per 100 possessions.

• The much bigger improvement has come on offense, where the Hornets have now climbed to sixth. They lead the league in efficiency (123.1 points scored per 100 possessions) over the course of the winning streak, with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel all shooting a good ball. They’ve combined to go 58-for-131 (44%) from 3-point range and 53-for-56 (95%) from the free throw line over the six games.

• The Hornets have a much better point differential (that of a team that’s 28-22) than their record, because they’ve struggled in close games. But after losing six straight games that were within five points in the last five minutes, they’ve won their last three. They’ve generally closed games with their starters, but Sion James was on the floor for the biggest play of the game in Dallas on Thursday, saving the ball and getting it back to Knueppel after Knueppel deflected Copper Flagg’s pass. The Hornets actually rank 29th with just 14.2 deflections per game, but got a big one in a big moment.

Coming up: The Hornets trail the 10th-place Hawks by a game and a half, they’ve split the first two games of the season series, and the final two meetings are in the five days leading into the All-Star break. The first of those is in Atlanta on Saturday, two days after the league’s No. 1 defensive rebounding team (Charlotte) meets its No. 1 offensive rebounding team in Houston.

Week 16: vs. NOP, @ HOU, @ ATL

Record: 24-26

OffRtg: 113.7 (18) DefRtg: 116.7 (24) NetRtg: -3.0 (23) Pace: 102.5 (4)

After climbing above .500, the Bulls dropped back below with a three-game losing streak. They got a shorthanded win in Miami on Saturday, but then got clobbered in the same arena 24 hours later.

Three takeaways

• If the Bulls are willing to trade Ayo Dosunmu, the price may be going up. The 26-year-old guard averaged a team-high 22.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5 assists over the last four games in January, going 4-for-4 on clutch shots (adding two clutch assists) in the Bulls’ win in Miami on Saturday. Dosunmu is registering career-high marks (by healthy margins) for both points per 36 minutes (20.5) and true shooting percentage (63.5%).

• Josh Giddey was back in the starting lineup on Wednesday in what was his fourth game back from an extended absence. But he had a quiet night as the Bulls lost in Indiana, and he missed all three of their games against the Heat. The Bulls are 7-9 without Giddey, who had missed just 14 games over the last two seasons combined.

• The Bulls have started 10 games (including two last week) with a jumbo frontline of Matas Buzelis, Jalen Smith and Nikola Vučević, and they’ve outscored their opponents by 2.0 points per 100 possessions in the trio’s 148 total minutes together. The offense has been potent on both ends of the floor (121.4 combined points scored per 100) in those minutes.

Coming up: The Bulls still have a better record vs. the eight East teams ahead of them in the standings (10-9) than they do against the six East teams behind them (6-9). That latter mark includes an 0-2 record vs. the Bucks, with the Bulls having scored just 104.4 points per 100 possessions over the two games. The third meeting is Tuesday in Milwaukee.

Week 16: @ MIL, @ TOR, vs. DEN

Record: 24-27

OffRtg: 113.4 (21) DefRtg: 114.5 (16) NetRtg: -1.1 (19) Pace: 103.0 (2)

The Hawks had a four-game winning streak (with wins over the Suns and Celtics) and a chance to get back to .500 on Thursday. But they’ve since lost two straight games, somehow allowing the Pacers’ 30th-ranked offense to score 80 first-half points on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The Hawks were the league’s fifth most efficient offensive team over the last five seasons (2020-21 through ’24-25), but they’re in the bottom 10 this season. Additionally, their loss to the Rockets on Thursday was the seventh time they’ve scored less than a point per possession. Their effective field goal percentage (55.3%) would actually be the highest mark in franchise history, but they’ve seen the league’s second biggest drop from last season in free throw rate and its third biggest drop in offensive rebounding percentage.

• Those two drops are personnel-related, of course. Trae Young made about three times as many free throws as any other Hawk last season. And Clint Capela was their best offensive rebounder.

• The Hawks did get a quality, double-digit win in Boston on Wednesday. Turnovers haven’t been the reason their offense ranks 23rd since January 1, as they’ve committed just 11.9 per 100 possessions (second fewest) over their last 12 games. They had just nine in the Boston win and committed 13 fewer than the Pacers (tied for their best differential of the season) in their loss on Saturday.

Coming up: The 10th-place Hawks have the league’s second easiest February schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage, and it includes two pretty big games against the 11th-place Hornets in the last five days before the All-Star break. The first is in Atlanta on Saturday.

Week 16: @ MIA, vs. UTA, vs. CHA

Record: 23-27

OffRtg: 112.5 (23) DefRtg: 115.2 (18) NetRtg: -2.7 (22) Pace: 101.9 (7)

After climbing over .500 for the first time since mid-November, the Blazers have lost five straight games, a stretch that includes a loss in Washington on Tuesday.

Three takeaways

• The Blazers have scored just 101 points per 100 possessions over the losing streak, their worst stretch of offense this season. Deni Avdija has missed three of the five games and was relatively inefficient (28 total points on 10-for-28 shooting) in the two games he played. Donovan Clingan, meanwhile, has somehow shot just 22-for-56 (39%) over the losing streak.

• Jrue Holiday also missed the Blazers’ loss to Cleveland on Sunday, having played in nine of the previous 10 games. Portland has had both Avdija and Jrue Holiday available for 16 games total and has outscored its opponents by 4.2 points per 100 possessions in 346 total minutes with both on the floor, but is just 7-9 in those 16 games.

• The good news is that the Blazers can start playing Western Conference opponents again. They’re still 18-14 (tied for sixth best) in games played within the West, but are now 5-13 against the East. Having played their last six games against the East, they’ll now play eight of nine against the West.

Coming up: The Blazers’ loss to the Cavs on Sunday was the start of a five-game homestand. But after hosting the Suns, they’ll go into the All-Star break with their third (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. They currently lead the 12th-place Grizzlies by 3 1/2 games, set to play a head-to-head back-to-back this weekend.

Week 16: vs. PHX, vs. MEM, vs. MEM

Record: 19-30

OffRtg: 110.3 (27) DefRtg: 112.6 (10) NetRtg: -2.3 (21) Pace: 102.4 (5)

Cooper Flagg has been putting up some huge numbers, but the Mavs have lost four straight games and are now 3 1/2 games out of a SoFi Play-In Tournament spot in the West.

Three takeaways

• Flagg missed the Mavs’ loss to the Wolves on Wednesday, but came back to total 83 points against Charlotte and Houston, with his 49 against Kon Knueppel and the Hornets being the most in NBA history for a teenager. He shot 25-for-34 (74%) in the paint over the two games and is now averaging 10.8 points in the paint per game, which would be the most for a rookie under 6-foot-10 in the last 15 years.

• The Mavs’ defense has held up OK, allowing 114.1 points per 100 possessions over the losing streak, with all four opponents ranking in the top 10 offensively. But beyond Flagg, offense has been a struggle. They’ve scored just 97.7 points per 100 possessions in his 81 minutes off the floor during the losing streak, and the loss to the Wolves without him was the sixth time this season that they’ve made five or fewer 3-pointers.

• The Mavs had a stretch where they went 8-5 against the 16 teams that currently have winning records. But they’ve lost three straight and are now 9-17 against that group overall. Their loss in Houston on Saturday was their first in seven straight games against winning teams.

Coming up: The Mavs are just 1-7 in rest-advantage games and will play their ninth on Thursday, the first game of a home-and-home set with the Spurs. The first meeting (on opening night) was the Mavs’ second-worst offensive game of the season (91 points on 101 possessions).

Week 16: vs. BOS, vs. SAS, @ SAS

Record: 13-38

OffRtg: 112.0 (25) DefRtg: 118.3 (27) NetRtg: -6.4 (25) Pace: 101.4 (11)

The Pelicans have been more competitive of late, with three wins in the last 10 days and each of their last seven losses having been determined by 10 points or less. But they remain in 14th place in the West and without a first-round pick in this year’s Draft as we approach the deadline.

Three takeaways

• The Pelicans’ trade with Atlanta at last year’s Draft gets talked about more. But the trade that sent CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk to Washington for Saddiq Bey, Jordan Poole and the Draft rights to Micah Peavy was also pretty fascinating. Poole has now been DNP’d in four straight games, but Bey continues to have a strong comeback season after missing all of 2024-25. He’s had two games of more than 30 points in the last five and is now averaging a career-high 16.5 points on a career-high true shooting percentage of 57.6%. The Pelicans’ offense has been at its best (113 points scored per 100 possessions) with him on the floor.

• Dejounte Murray still hasn’t played and the Pelicans are basically starting four forwards and Derik Queen. That lineup has, amazingly, outscored opponents by 10 points (7.1 per 100 possessions) in 71 minutes together. But the Pels still closed their loss in Philadelphia on Saturday with Yves Missi on the floor instead of Queen.

• Of course, any roster-construction conversation has to start with whether Queen and Zion Williamson fit together. The Pelicans have been outscored by 8.6 per 100 in the duo’s 476 total minutes on the floor, which have been played at a very fast pace (105.4 possessions per 48 minutes).

Coming up: The Pelicans are 0-3 (one of two winless teams) in rest-advantage games. Their best chance at getting a win in one (they have five remaining on their schedule) could be Wednesday in Milwaukee, with the Bucks hosting the Bulls the night before.

Week 16: @ CHA, @ MIL, @ MIN

Record: 18-29

OffRtg: 112.5 (22) DefRtg: 114.6 (17) NetRtg: -2.1 (20) Pace: 101.3 (12)

The Grizzlies have lost six straight games and are 3-13 since late December, sliding from ninth to 12th place in the Western Conference.

Three takeaways

• The Grizzlies rank 21st offensively (111.5 points scored per 100 possessions) over the 3-13 stretch. Jaylen Wells has an effective field goal percentage of just 39.8% since Jan. 1, the worst mark among 188 players with at least 100 field goal attempts in 2026.

• With their losses in Houston and New Orleans last week, the Grizzlies are 12-14 (one of two teams with losing records) in games they led by double-digits. Over this 3-13 stretch, they’ve outscored opponents by 3.3 points per 100 possessions before halftime, but have been outscored by 13.5 per 100 after halftime.

• Ja Morant has missed 11 of the last 13 games and Scotty Pippen Jr. still hasn’t played, but Ty Jerome made his season debut (as the starting point guard) on Saturday, and he scored 20 points in less than 20 minutes. Jaren Jackson Jr. was out with a quad injury, and it was the Grizzlies’ worst defensive game (131 points allowed on 101 possessions) since early November.

Coming up: After completing their two-game series with the Wolves on Monday, the Grizzlies will go into the All-Star break with their longest road trip of the season (five games over eight days). Their best shot at getting back in the SoFi Play-In Tournament mix may be a back-to-back in Portland over the weekend.

Week 16: vs. MIN, @ SAC, @ POR, @ POR

Record: 18-29

OffRtg: 112.1 (24) DefRtg: 116.6 (23) NetRtg: -4.5 (24) Pace: 98.7 (25)

The Bucks have a five-game losing streak and are now 3-14 without Giannis Antetokounmpo. It still seems more likely that he remains on the roster past Thursday’s trade deadline, but we’ve certainly seen crazier things happen in this league.

Three takeaways

• The losing streak has been the Bucks’ worst stretch of offense this season (104.6 points scored per 100 possessions). They’ve actually grabbed a few offensive rebounds of late, but they totaled just 20 3-pointers (on 28% shooting) and 24 offensive rebounds over their weekend losses in Washington and Boston.

• Myles Turner had a couple of big games in Antetokounmpo’s absence, scoring a season-high 31 points in Philadelphia and totaling 21 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks in Washington. He’s still registering his lowest usage rate (18.1%) of the last four seasons and his worst true shooting percentage (58.4%) of the last six. He’s taken just 33% of his shots in the paint, the lowest rate of his career.

• Still struggling to force turnovers, the Bucks have had 54 fewer shot opportunities than their opponents over their last six games and have now averaged 4.7 fewer over the season. That’s the league’s worst discrepancy.

Coming up: One of the Bucks’ three wins without Antetokounmpo was in Indiana just before Christmas, and the Bucks will complete a three-game homestand with a visit from the Pacers on Friday.

Week 16: vs. CHI, vs. NOP, vs. IND

Record: 13-36

OffRtg: 108.4 (30) DefRtg: 115.9 (21) NetRtg: -7.5 (27) Pace: 101.7 (9)

The Pacers have won three of their last four games, but are back in 15th place in the Eastern Conference with the Wizards’ win over Sacramento on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Pacers still rank last offensively, but the last two games have been the first time since Dec. 5 and 8 that they’ve scored more efficiently than the league average in two straight. Aaron Nesmith may finally be finding a rhythm, having averaged 18.0 points on an effective field goal percentage of 72.7% over the last four games, up from 13.1 on 45% over his 24 games before that. He had both the go-ahead bucket and the game-saving block in the Pacers’ win over the Bulls on Wednesday.

• Pascal Siakam also had big isolation buckets in both of the Pacers’ wins last week. The All-Star has averaged 13.5 isolations per 100 possessions, 10th most in the league and almost double his rate from last season (7.2 per 100). The Pacers have scored 1.03 points per possession when a Siakam iso has led directly to a shot, turnover or trip to the line, a rate which ranks 18th among 30 players with at least 200 direct isolations.

• The Pacers have been 10.2 points per 100 possessions better at home (minus-2.8, 25th) than they’ve been on the road (minus-12.9, 29th). That’s the league’s second biggest home-road differential and it’s been more about the offensive end of the floor (111.3 vs. 105.0 scored per 100).

Coming up: The Pacers have two games left on their four-game homestand, though they’ll be at a rest disadvantage against the Jazz on Tuesday. Then they’ll go into the All-Star break with a four-game trip.

Week 16: vs. HOU, vs. UTA, @ MIL, @ TOR

Record: 13-35

OffRtg: 109.5 (29) DefRtg: 119.8 (29) NetRtg: -10.3 (30) Pace: 101.9 (6)

The Wizards put an end to their nine-game losing streak on Tuesday and have suddenly won three out of four to climb past the Kings, Pelicans and Pacers in the combined standings.

Three takeaways

• The Wizards still rank 29th defensively, and they remain the only team that ranks in the bottom 10 in each of the four factors on that end of the floor. But they’ve put some distance between them and the Jazz, allowing just 105.2 points per 100 possessions over their three wins (all against teams that rank in the bottom eight offensively) last week.

• Jamir Watkins is on a two-way contract and has played just 359 minutes this season. But he was on the floor for defense with the Wizards up two in the closing seconds against Portland on Tuesday, and he made a good contest as Shaedon Sharpe missed a step-back jumper for the tie. Watkins has averaged 5.7 deflections per 36 minutes (seventh among 360 players who’ve played at least 300 minutes) and the Wizards have allowed just 109.6 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.

• With their loss to the Lakers on Friday (the second game of a back-to-back), the Wizards are 1-14 without Khris Middleton. They’re 12-21 with him in the lineup, though he and the Wizards’ other starters watched from the bench for the entire four quarters on Sunday as the reserves pulled out their win over the Kings. Skal Labissiere (playing just his second game of the season) and Sharife Cooper (another two-way guy) had the big buckets down the stretch.

Coming up: The Wizards are still just 2-22 against the 16 teams that have winning records, though they did have a 13-point, fourth-quarter lead in their one visit to Detroit (in November) before losing in overtime. They’ll be back at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday.

Week 16: vs. NYK, @ DET, @ BKN, vs. MIA

Record: 13-35

OffRtg: 110.5 (26) DefRtg: 118.0 (26) NetRtg: -7.5 (26) Pace: 96.4 (29)

The Nets went 1-4 on a pretty tough trip that ended with a 53-point loss in Detroit on Sunday, and they’ve lost 16 of their last 19 games overall.

Three takeaways

• The Nets did get their first win (they were previously 0-8) without Michael Porter Jr. on Friday, holding their opponent (the Jazz) under 110 points per 100 possessions for the first time in 13 games. They’ve allowed 19.9 fewer points per 100 possessions in their wins (103.5) than they have in their losses (123.4), with that being the biggest win-loss differential for any team on either end of the floor.

• Porter also missed the game in Detroit on Sunday, and the Nets have now been 12.3 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (minus-2.1) than they’ve been with him off the floor. That differential is, unfortunately, more about offense, with the Nets having scored a paltry 101.7 points per 100 possessions in Porter’s 1,061 minutes off the floor.

• Eight of the Nets’ last 13 losses (including narrow defeats in Phoenix and Denver last week) have been within five points in the last five minutes. But with the blowout in Detroit on Sunday, they became the fourth team in NBA history with multiple losses of at least 50 points, and their two came in the span of just 12 days.

Coming up: The Nets’ week should be more telling regarding what (trades) happen off the floor, but they do have an interesting meeting with the Wizards on Saturday. They’ve split their first two games with Washington (both on the road), with the first meeting being their second-best offensive game of the season (129 points on 99 possessions) and the second meeting being their fifth-worst (99 on 103).

Week 16: vs. LAL, @ ORL, vs. WAS

Record: 15-35

OffRtg: 113.5 (19) DefRtg: 122.1 (30) NetRtg: -8.6 (28) Pace: 102.7 (3)

The Jazz have lost six straight games, helping the Nets end their seven-game losing streak along the way, to drop 20 games below .500.

Three takeaways

• Ace Bailey seemed to have found his shot over the last eight games of January, averaging 16.8 points on an effective field goal percentage of 59.5% over that stretch. But he had just two free throw attempts to go with his 111 field goal attempts over those eight games. For the season, he’s one of 11 players with at least 300 field goal attempts and a free-throw rate below 10 attempts per 100 shots from the field. He also began February shooting just 1-for-10 in the Jazz’s loss in Toronto.

• Utah opponents have taken 45.7% of their shots from 3-point range, which would be the second-highest opponent rate in the 47 seasons of the 3-point line. They also rank 29th in opponent 3-point percentage (37.8%) and have been outscored by 8.6 points per game from beyond the arc, the league’s second-worst discrepancy. They’ve been outscored from 3-point range in each of their last 11 games and by an average of 19.4 points over that stretch.

• Despite their loss to Brooklyn last week, the Jazz still have a winning record (3-2) in games played between the six teams that are at least 20 games below .500. That mark includes a 152-128 win over the Pacers (their most efficient offensive game of the season) in November.

Coming up: The Jazz actually had a rest disadvantage in that win over the Pacers, and they’ll be at an advantage in Indiana on Tuesday night. It’s a matchup of the league’s 30th-ranked offense and its 30th-ranked defense, and it’s Game 2 of a five-game trip that began in Toronto on Sunday.

Week 16: @ IND, @ ATL, @ ORL

Record: 12-39

OffRtg: 109.6 (28) DefRtg: 119.6 (28) NetRtg: -10.0 (29) Pace: 100.9 (18)

The Kings’ losing streak is at nine games. While it’s been a tough stretch in regard to the opponents, it now includes a loss in Washington, in which the Wizards were playing their third stringers against Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan in the fourth quarter.

Three takeaways

• The Kings freed Keon Ellis, trading him, Dennis Schröder and Dario Šarić for De’Andre Hunter. They were at their best (plus-3.0 points per 100 possessions) with Ellis on the floor last season, but this season was a different story. Hunter (who has one more year on his contract) gives them some needed size on the wing, but has never been a particularly disruptive defender and has had a rough shooting season (31%) from beyond the arc.

• The Kings’ schedule is finally easing up, but they continue to have, by a healthy margin, the worst record (4-13) in games played within the 14 teams currently below .500. They’ve scored less efficiently in those 17 games (107.8 points per 100 possessions) than they have otherwise (110.6 per 100).

• The Kings have also lost 13 straight road games, with their last road win having come (in Miami) on Dec. 6.

Coming up: The loss in Washington was the start of a stretch (that takes them into the All-Star break) where the Kings are playing five of six games against teams currently below .500. They’ve scored just 100.5 per 100 as they’ve lost their first two meetings with the Grizzlies, who will be in Sacramento on Wednesday.

Week 16: vs. MEM, vs. LAC, vs. CLE