Power Rankings, Week 6: Raptors, Suns enter Top 10 fray

Record: 17-1

OffRtg: 119.6 (4) DefRtg: 102.8 (1) NetRtg: +16.9 (1) Pace: 100.3 (24)

The Thunder’s winning streak is at nine games, and they avenged their only loss of the season on Sunday, beating the Blazers by 27 points.

Three takeaways

• The Thunder’s point differential is now plus-16.9 points per game, the best mark for a team’s first 18 games in NBA history. Their third-quarter point differential of plus-7.3 points per game would be the third-best full-game differential in the league, behind only those of the Rockets and Nuggets.

• With Jalen Williams out, the Thunder had been struggling offensively when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the bench. Through last Monday, they had scored 22.4 more points per 100 possessions with the MVP on the floor (125.4) than with him off the floor (103.0). But bench minutes have been much better (116.0 scored per 100 with Gilgeous-Alexander off the floor) over the last three games, with Ajay Mitchell (15 points on 57% shooting) the team’s second-leading scorer over that stretch.

• Williams’ absence has also kept Isaiah Hartenstein in the starting lineup for all 18 games, and he’s now played almost as many minutes alongside Chet Holmgren (296) as he did all of last season (316). The Thunder have allowed just 98.1 points per 100 possessions in those 296 minutes.

Coming up: Visits from the Wolves and Suns this week will be the Thunder’s first two games against teams that currently rank in the top 10 offensively since they beat the Rockets on opening night. The last time the Wolves were in Oklahoma City, they scored just 94 points on 105 possessions as the Thunder clinched a trip to the Finals.

Week 6: vs. MIN*, vs. PHX*, @ POR

Record: 12-4

OffRtg: 121.9 (2) DefRtg: 112.2 (9) NetRtg: +9.7 (3) Pace: 100.8 (19)

The Nuggets are down two starters, with both Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon out for multiple weeks. With that, they’ve seen some slippage, suffering as many losses last week (2-2) as they had through the first four (10-2).

Three takeaways

• The Nuggets did win the biggest game of the week, holding the Rockets’ top-ranked offense in check and getting big nights from Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray in Houston. They lost two double-digit leads, but still earned their first clutch win of the season. Denver is now 1-4 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes and still unbeaten (11-0) in games that weren’t close.

• They held the Rockets to just 10 points on 12 clutch possessions on Friday, but the Nuggets have still allowed 78 on 53 clutch defensive possessions (147 per 100) overall. The Kings’ eight-game losing streak came to an end on Sunday, when they scored 128 points on 96 possessions (Denver’s worst defensive game of the season), including 12 on six possessions with the score within five in the last five minutes.

• The defense has already slipped from second (a week ago) to ninth, and it could slip out of the top 10 with Gordon out. The Nuggets have allowed 11.5 fewer points per 100 possessions with Gordon on the floor (105.0) than they have with him off the floor (116.5).

Coming up: The Nuggets will face two top-10 offenses – those of the Spurs and Suns – this week. Since they lost their NBA Cup game to the Blazers, they’ll need help from San Antonio to win West Group C.

Week 6: @ MEM, vs. SAS*, @ PHX

Record: 10-4

OffRtg: 122.5 (1) DefRtg: 112.1 (8) NetRtg: +10.4 (2) Pace: 98.1 (27)

The Rockets split a pair of marquee games last week, holding off the Cavs in Cleveland but coming up short against the Nuggets on Friday night.

Three takeaways

• The Rockets remain one of three teams – the Nuggets and Thunder are the others – that haven’t lost a game that wasn’t within five points in the last five minutes. They’re now 4-4 in the clutch after scoring just 10 points on 12 clutch possessions (with Kevin Durant shooting 0-for-3 and Alperen Sengun committing two turnovers) against Denver. Overall, they rank eighth in clutch offense (116.0 points scored per 100 possessions) after ranking 18th (106.6) last season.

• They went back to their big lineup last week, with Steven Adams getting his first two starts since the first two games of the season. The Rockets have been much better offensively (126 points scored per 100 possessions) in 255 minutes with Sengun at the five, but much better defensively (106.6 allowed per 100) in 261 minutes when he’s played alongside Adams or Clint Capela.

• Reed Sheppard played more minutes than Adams and Josh Okogie (the previous starter) combined on Friday, scoring a career-high 27 points on 9-for-13 shooting against Denver. Sheppard has still played just 31 total minutes alongside the four full-time starters, with the Rockets having allowed just 61 points on 63 defensive possessions (97 per 100) in those minutes.

Coming up: Last season, the Rockets had the league’s biggest differential between their record with rest (45-20) and their record in the second games of back-to-backs (7-10). This season, they’re the only team that hasn’t played a back-to-back, and their first is a two-game set in Utah that begins on Sunday. They won’t have a rest-disadvantage game until mid-January.

Week 6: @ PHX, @ GSW*, @ UTA

Record: 14-2

OffRtg: 117.2 (8) DefRtg: 110.0 (2) NetRtg: +7.1 (4) Pace: 101.4 (15)

The Pistons have won 12 straight games and they’re now healthier than ever, with Jaden Ivey making his season debut and Tobias Harris returning from a nine-game absence over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• With Ivey and Harris making their returns on Saturday, and with players like Daniss Jenkins, Javonte Green and Paul Reed earning continued playing time over the winning streak, the Pistons used 12 players in the first half in Milwaukee. It will be interesting to see how the rotation eventually thins out and if Ivey eventually replaces Duncan Robinson in the starting lineup. Robinson has shot 43-for-91 (47%) from 3-point range over the winning streak, though the Pistons have outscored their opponents by only 4.8 points per 100 possessions in his 150 total minutes alongside Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren.

• Overall, the Pistons’ point differential (that of a 10-4 team) doesn’t quite match their record, but they’re now one of six teams that rank in the top 10 on both ends of the floor, ranking sixth offensively over the course of their winning streak. Their effective field goal percentage of 73.1% in Milwaukee on Saturday was the second-highest mark in franchise history (highest in the last 31 years).

• Jalen Duren’s offensive improvement continues to be a bright spot. He’s averaging 20.5 points (25.6 per 36 minutes), up from 11.8 last season, seeing a slight increase in efficiency with a huge jump in usage rate. He’s scored at least 19 points in seven straight games and had some terrific high-post dimes to cutters in the win in Milwaukee.

Coming up: The Pistons have played six of the other nine Eastern Conference teams that currently have winning records, with the three exceptions being the Heat, Knicks and Raptors. An NBA Cup meeting with Toronto could be in the cards, but they’re not scheduled to face New York and Toronto until Jan. 5 and Feb. 11, respectively. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they visit the Heat on Saturday.

Week 6: @ IND, @ BOS*, vs. ORL*, @ MIA

Record: 12-6

OffRtg: 116.5 (14) DefRtg: 111.9 (6) NetRtg: +4.6 (12) Pace: 102.3 (8)

The Cavs are hanging around behind the surprising Pistons and Raptors, having gone 4-2 on their longest homestand of the season while still dealing with multiple absences in their rotation.

Three takeaways

• Darius Garland returned from a five-game absence over the weekend, but Jarrett Allen missed both games with a finger injury. That means the Cavs’ four core players have still played just 37 total minutes over three games together. The Cavs have scored an amazing 133.9 points per 100 possessions in 78 total minutes with Garland and Donovan Mitchell both on the floor.

• The Cavs have needed more from Mitchell, and he’s delivered, averaging a career-high 32.4 points per 36 minutes on a career-high true shooting percentage of 65.6%, up from 27.4 per 36 on 57.5% last season. He’s shot 35-for-59 (59.3%) on pull-up 2-pointers, up from 43.3% last season and the second-best mark among 24 players who’ve attempted at least 50.

• The Cavs are 3-1 without Allen, and they’ve kept him on the bench in the late stages of some games in which he’s been available. But they’ve still been much better in 190 minutes with both Allen and Evan Mobley on the floor (plus-14.9 per 100 possessions) than they’ve been in 394 minutes with Mobley on the floor without Allen (plus-2.9) or in 174 minutes with Allen on the floor without Mobley (plus-7.0).

Coming up: The Cavs are 0-2 against the second-place Raptors, who they trail by half a game. Their third and final scheduled meeting is Monday in Cleveland, the first of three straight games against other East teams with winning records. The Cavs are 5-5 against that group overall.

Week 6: @ TOR, @ ATL*, vs. BOS

Record: 12-4

OffRtg: 115.8 (15) DefRtg: 113.3 (14) NetRtg: +2.5 (15) Pace: 101.2 (16)

Year 23 for LeBron James is underway, and the league’s all-time leading scorer totaled 28 points, nine rebounds and 20 assists in his first two games back in the Lakers’ lineup. With a four-game winning streak, L.A. has climbed to second place in the West.

Three takeaways

• James had 12 assists and just one turnover in his season debut, which was the Lakers’ best offensive game (140 points on 107 possessions) since Week 1. When you take the league average into account, the Lakers have taken a small step backward offensively this season, even though half of their 16 games have come against teams that currently rank in the bottom 10 on defense.

• It’s only two games, but the pattern from last season has continued — the Lakers are performing much better with James off the floor (plus-40.3 per 100 possessions) than they did with him on it (minus-7.6). They staggered the minutes so that Luka Dončić (whose league-high usage rate did not take a dip) was the star who played some minutes without the other two (James and Austin Reaves).

• The Lakers almost blew what was a 13-point lead with less than five minutes left on Sunday, escaping when Lauri Markkanen missed a good look for the lead in the final seconds. But they remain one of two teams (the Pistons are the other) that are undefeated (they’re 11-0) in games they led by double-digits.

Coming up: The Lakers haven’t played consecutive home games since their first two games of the season, and they’ve played nine of their last 12 on the road. They’ll begin a four-game homestand with an NBA Cup game (against the similarly 2-0 Clippers) for first place in West Group B.

Week 6: vs. LAC*, vs. DAL*, vs. NOP

Record: 11-6

OffRtg: 116.9 (10) DefRtg: 112.0 (7) NetRtg: +4.8 (10) Pace: 100.7 (20)

The Suns’ schedule got a little tougher last week, but they haven’t slowed down. They’re now 3-2 against other teams that currently have winning records, pulling off an incredible comeback against the Wolves and, later, running past the Spurs in the second half over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• It was somewhat of a miracle that the Suns were able to force three turnovers as they came back from eight points down with less than a minute to go against the Wolves on Friday. But the Suns force a lot of turnovers, having seen the biggest jump in opponent turnover rate from last season. Their 19 steals in Portland three nights earlier were the most for any team this season.

• Devin Booker fouled out well before the comeback began, and it was Collin Gillespie draining the game-winning runner with 6.4 seconds left. Gillespie’s numbers have been remarkably consistent over his three years in the league, but he’s finally getting a real opportunity to play and his 193 total points this season are just one shy of the 194 he totaled all of last season. The Suns have the league’s fifth-ranked bench and have outscored their opponents by 22.2 points per 100 possessions in 170 minutes with Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin on the floor together.

• Having allowed just 107.2 points per 100 possessions over their last seven games, the Suns are now one of six teams that rank in the top 10 on both ends of the floor.

Coming up: Now the Suns’ schedule gets really tough. Their win over San Antonio on Sunday was the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days, which includes games against three of the top four teams in the West. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage against the Rockets on Monday night.

Week 6: vs. HOU, @ SAC*, @ OKC*, vs. DEN

Record: 11-5

OffRtg: 117.2 (9) DefRtg: 111.8 (5) NetRtg: +5.4 (8) Pace: 100.0 (26)

The Spurs won their first three games without Victor Wembanyama and had a double-digit, second-half lead in Phoenix on Sunday, but then couldn’t get stops over the final 23 minutes.

Three takeaways

• With Stephon Castle also out for the last three games, Julian Champagnie and Luke Kornet have been in the starting lineup. The new group was outscored by nine points in its 32 minutes (allowing 82 on 67 defensive possessions) over the three games, but bench minutes were big in wins over the Grizzlies and Hawks. Keldon Johnson seems to be the biggest beneficiary of Wembanyama’s absence, averaging 17.8 points on 65% shooting over the last four.

• Johnson continues to do most of his damage in the paint, where he’s shot 64-for-94 (68.1%), seventh best among 106 players with at least 75 paint attempts. The Spurs outscored their opponents by 34 points in the restricted area over their first three games without Wembanyama before struggling to finish inside in Phoenix on Sunday. They still ranked third in restricted-area differential (plus-10.3 points per game).

• The Spurs trailed the Grizzlies by a point with 2 1/2 minutes left on Tuesday, but then closed the game on an 11-0 run, with Harrison Barnes scoring the first seven of those 11 points. Barnes has also picked up some of the slack in Wembanyama’s absence: the 33-year-old is registering the best marks of his 14-year career in 2-point percentage (66%), 3-point percentage (45.2%) and free throw percentage (90%).

Coming up: The Spurs’ loss in Phoenix on Sunday was the start of a stretch where they’re playing seven of eight games on the road, and their current, four-game trip includes their first meetings with both the Nuggets and Wolves. The Spurs were one of two teams (the Wolves were the other) with two wins in Denver last season.

Week 6: @ POR*, @ DEN*, @ MIN

Record: 12-5

OffRtg: 119.2 (5) DefRtg: 112.6 (11) NetRtg: +6.6 (5) Pace: 101.5 (13)

The Raptors are the only team to have clinched a spot in the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals, and they’re now in second place in the Eastern Conference with a seven-game winning streak.

Three takeaways

• The Raptors have won 11 of their last 12 games, and they avenged the one loss in Philadelphia on Wednesday. They have the best record (5-1) in games played between the 10 Eastern Conference teams that currently have winning records, having allowed just 110.2 points per 100 possessions over those six games. Last season, they were 3-19 against the six East teams that finished over .500.

• The Raptors remain a relatively low-volume 3-point shooting team, with only 36.6% of their shots (the league’s fourth-lowest rate) having come from beyond the arc. But they’ve shot 44.6% from deep over their last four games and have seen the league’s third biggest jump in 3-point percentage from last season. Scottie Barnes’ 41.4% is up from just 30% over his first four years.

• RJ Barrett suffered a right knee injury in the third quarter of the Raptors’ win over Brooklyn on Sunday. Jakob Poeltl has been in and out of the lineup, but the Raptors’ other four starters have played in all 17 of their games, with Barrett, Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley having already played more minutes together (349) than they did all of last season (285).

Coming up: The Raptors are 2-0 against the Cavs, though Cleveland was without three starters (including Donovan Mitchell) in the first meeting and playing the second game of a back-to-back in the second. Both teams will be playing the second game of a back-to-back when they meet in Toronto on Monday.

Week 6: vs. CLE, vs. IND*, @ CHA, @ NYK

Record: 9-6

OffRtg: 119.7 (3) DefRtg: 114.8 (18) NetRtg: +4.9 (9) Pace: 101.0 (17)

The Knicks got their first road win of the season on Wednesday, surviving in Dallas when Brandon Williams hooked Landry Shamet as he drove for the game-tying layup. But they’ve lost three of their last five overall and are 1-5 away from Madison Square Garden.

Three takeaways

• Their loss in Miami (without Jalen Brunson) last Monday was kind of ugly, but this 2-3 stretch has been the Knicks’ worst five-game stretch of defense (120.4 points allowed per 100 possessions) this season. Not coincidentally, OG Anunoby has missed all but five minutes of the last four games. The Knicks have now allowed 14.5 fewer points per 100 possessions with Anunoby on the floor (106.4) than they have with him on the floor (120.9).

• New York also lost Shamet to a shoulder injury in the first quarter of its road loss to Orlando on Saturday. He was starting in place of Anunoby, has already played 41% of his minutes total from last season and hit two huge 3-pointers in the final 65 seconds in Dallas on Wednesday. Shamet’s 28-for-66 (42.4%) from 3-point range would be the best mark of his career.

• The Knicks have still seen the league’s biggest jump in 3-point rate from last season, and their rate of 47% (37 of their 79 field goal attempts) in Orlando on Saturday was the highest rate for any team against the Magic (who have the league’s second-lowest opponent rate). But they were outscored by 28 points (50-22) in the restricted area, and they’re now 1-4 against Miami and Orlando.

Coming up: One of their other two losses came in Milwaukee in October, and the Knicks will host the Bucks on Friday. Two nights later, they’ll have the first of four meetings against the improved Raptors.

Week 6: @ BKN, @ CHA*, vs. MIL*, vs. TOR

Record: 11-6

OffRtg: 116.6 (13) DefRtg: 111.2 (4) NetRtg: +5.4 (7) Pace: 106.4 (1)

The Heat are legit. They’ve been shorthanded (beyond the absence of Tyler Herro), but have won four straight games, with all four wins having come against solid or good teams.

Three takeaways

• Two of the four opponents had top-10 offenses (at the time), but the Heat have allowed just 101.4 points per 100 possessions over the winning streak, climbing back into the top five on defense. They’ve forced 17.1 turnovers per 100 possessions (up from 14.3 through their first 13 games), winning the possession battle in all four wins after losing it in each of their nine games prior to the streak.

• It’s not a coincidence that Bam Adebayo returned from a six-game absence on Wednesday. The Heat have allowed just 105.5 points per 100 possessions with Adebayo on the floor, including just 101.9 per 100 in his 265 minutes at the five (with Kel’el Ware off the floor).

• Fast pace and great defense generally don’t go together. Over the previous 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data, only 14 (9.7%) of the 145 teams that have ranked in the top five in pace have also ranked in the top five on defense. (More than twice as many have ranked in the bottom five defensively.) That’s less than one every two years, though the Thunder have done it in each of the last two seasons.

Coming up: Herro is expected to make his season debut when the Heat host the Mavs on Monday. That will be one of two matchups of top-five defenses in Miami this week, and the Heat will have a rest advantage when they face the first-place Pistons for the first time on Saturday night.

Week 6: vs. DAL, vs. MIL*, vs. DET

Record: 10-6

OffRtg: 118.1 (7) DefRtg: 112.6 (12) NetRtg: +5.5 (6) Pace: 101.5 (14)

The Wolves continue to take care of business against lesser opponents, but remain winless (0-6) against the other 16 teams that currently have winning records. They somehow blew an eight-point lead with a minute left in Phoenix on Friday.

Three takeaways

• The Wolves’ defense has shaped up after a rough start to the season. They’ve allowed just 106.0 points per 100 possessions (second in the league) over their last eight games after allowing 119.4 (27th) through their first eight. The Mavs’ 96 points on 108 possessions last Monday were the fourth-worst offensive performance for any team this season.

• They’ve forced more turnovers over the last eight games (17.4 per 100 possessions) than they did over the first eight (14.9 per 100), with the Suns turning the ball over 28 times on Friday. The Wolves have also seen a big drop in opponent field goal percentage in the paint, from 58.8% to 50%.

• The Wolves themselves committed a season-high 22 turnovers on Friday, including three in the final minute as the Suns finished the game on a 9-0 run. Julius Randle has registered the lowest turnover rate of his career (9.3 per 100 possessions used), but had two of the miscues before Anthony Edwards opened the door for the Suns by going 0-for-2 at the line with 12.7 seconds left.

Coming up: The loss in Phoenix was the start of a three-game trip that concludes Wednesday with the Wolves’ first meeting with the Thunder. They lost their three playoff games in Oklahoma City by an average of 23.7 points.

Week 6: @ SAC, @ OKC*, vs. BOS, vs. SAS

Record: 10-8

OffRtg: 116.8 (11) DefRtg: 113.7 (15) NetRtg: +3.0 (13) Pace: 100.6 (21)

The Magic had a 6-1 stretch that included two wins over the Knicks, and the only loss came in Houston (and in overtime). But they were extra shorthanded in a rest-disadvantage game in Boston on Sunday, when a comeback from 26 points down came up short.

Three takeaways

• Break out the champagne, because the Orlando Magic have a better-than-average offense. They climbed from 20th to 11th on that end of the floor last week, scoring 126.1 points per 100 possessions over their four games since that loss in Houston. Paolo Banchero remains out, but seven players have averaged at least 11 points over the four games.

• In a league where 28 of the 30 teams have a higher free-throw rate than they did last season, the Magic have seen the league’s biggest jump, from 26.9 attempts per 100 shots from the field (second) in 2024-25 to 35.7 per 100 (first) in ’25-26. That rate has been a little lower (30.4 per 100) over the six games without Banchero, but Franz Wagner is averaging 6.3 points per game at the line, up from 4.5 last season.

• In addition to Banchero, the Magic were without Jalen Suggs (second game of a back-to-back), Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze in Boston on Sunday. Two-way center Orlando Robinson got the start, but he and Jonathan Isaac (4:54) combined to play just 18 minutes and it was the Magic’s worst defensive game of the season (138 points allowed on 97 possessions). The Celtics’ 64 points in the paint were 10 more than they had scored in any other game.

Coming up: The Magic and Pistons are both 2-0 in the NBA Cup, but both will play Cup games on Wednesday before meeting in Detroit two nights later. Before Sunday, the Magic’s two worst defensive games of the season came in late October in the two cities – Philadelphia and Detroit – they’ll revisit this week.

Week 6: @ PHI*, @ DET*

Record: 11-7

OffRtg: 115.5 (16) DefRtg: 112.7 (13) NetRtg: +2.8 (14) Pace: 101.6 (12)

After losing two straight games for the first time since they had Trae Young in uniform, the Hawks took care of business against New Orleans and Charlotte over the weekend, improving to 9-4 without their point guard.

Three takeaways

• Jalen Johnson is doing it all. He’s had at least 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in each of his last eight games, averaging 24.1, 10.9 and 9.1 over that stretch. Over those eight games, the Hawks have been 38.6 points per 100 possessions better with Johnson on the floor (plus-15.1) than they’ve been with him on the bench (minus-23.5).

• The Hawks have been getting clobbered on the glass, ranking 28th in rebounding percentage (45.8%) over their last six games. The rebounding numbers have been good (58.3%) in limited (57) minutes with both Onyeka Okongwu and Kristaps Porziņģis on the floor together, and we saw some of those minutes in San Antonio on Thursday. But the Hawks had only one or the other in their weekend back-to-back.

• The Hawks have seen the league’s biggest drop in pace from last season, though that’s mostly about the absence of Young. They’ve averaged 107.6 possessions per 48 minutes with him on the floor and just 100.8 per 48 with him off the floor.

Coming up: One of the Hawks’ first games without Young was a loss in Cleveland (their second-worst offensive game of the season) at the start of the month. They’ll host the Cavs on Friday and then begin their second stretch of five games in seven days in Philadelphia.

Week 6: @ WAS*, vs. CLE*, @ PHI

Record: 9-7

OffRtg: 116.8 (12) DefRtg: 115.2 (19) NetRtg: +1.6 (16) Pace: 100.0 (25)

Paul George made his season debut last week and he helped the Sixers get an overtime win in Milwaukee on Friday, scoring 21 points in less than 25 minutes. But overall, the Philly offense has cooled off, and they’ve alternated wins and losses for their last nine games.

Three takeaways

• The Sixers were overperforming in terms of shot quality (which still ranks last), so it’s not a surprise that their offense has seen a drop-off over the last 15 days. They’ve scored just 110.8 points per 100 possessions (24th) over their last seven games, down from 121.3 (first) through their first nine.

• Tyrese Maxey is still putting up big numbers in big minutes. He scored a career-high 54 points in the overtime win in Milwaukee, tying the game with a pair of free throws with seven seconds left in regulation. He continues to average more than 40 minutes per game, and the Sixers have scored 15.7 more points per 100 possessions with him on the floor (117.7) than they have with him off the floor (102.0).

• The Sixers’ loss to Toronto on Wednesday included another brutal third quarter, in which they were outscored 44-26. They’ve won the third period just twice this season, and they lost both of those games. Overall, they’ve been outscored by 28.6 points per 100 possessions in the third quarter, with the league’s 29th-ranked third-quarter offense and its 28th-ranked third-quarter defense.

Coming up: With their losses to the Raptors and Heat last week, the Sixers are 2-6 against the eight other Eastern Conference teams that are at least two games over .500. One of those wins (their best offensive game of the season) came Oct. 27 against the Magic, who will be back in Philly on Tuesday. Their first meeting with the Hawks will come five days later.

Week 6: vs. ORL*, @ BKN*, vs. ATL

Record: 9-9

OffRtg: 112.6 (23) DefRtg: 112.2 (10) NetRtg: +0.4 (17) Pace: 101.6 (11)

The Warriors have lost three straight games, struggling to get much offense beyond that of the ageless Stephen Curry.

Three takeaways

• The Warriors have now lost more games with both Curry and Jimmy Butler in the lineup (8-6) than they did after Butler was acquired last season (22-5). The minutes with both on the floor have been better (plus-10.7 per 100 possessions) than they were last season (plus-5), but bench minutes have been a problem.

• The Warriors’ bench ranks 22nd after ranking eighth last season, with only three teams – the Pacers, Bucks, Wizards – seeing bigger drop-offs. Golden State led by 11 midway through the third quarter on Friday, but then saw the Blazers go on a 30-12 run spanning the third and fourth.

• The Warriors have been 18.6 points per 100 possessions better with Draymond Green on the floor (plus-8.9) than they’ve been with him on the bench (minus-9.7), with the bigger difference coming on defense (even though Green is mostly defending against the opponents’ starters). They were outscored by 17 in 16:36 with Green on the bench in their eight-point loss in Orlando last Monday.

Coming up: The Warriors had played a league-high 18 games through the first 32 days of the season, but the five-game homestand that began with their loss to the Blazers on Friday includes three two-day breaks, giving them some practice and recovery time.

Week 6: vs. UTA, vs. HOU*, vs. NOP

Record: 8-9

OffRtg: 114.9 (18) DefRtg: 117.0 (21) NetRtg: -2.2 (18) Pace: 100.9 (18)

The Bucks lost Giannis Antetokounmpo to a groin injury last Monday, and they’ve dropped four straight games to fall below .500 for the first time.

Three takeaways

• The Bucks had a winning record (8-7) without Antetokounmpo last season, but they’re 1-3 without him this year and have been outscored by 11.7 points per 100 possessions in his 412 minutes off the floor. That differential is entirely about offense, though the defense was absent on Saturday, when the Pistons shot 63%, including 16-for-30 from 3-point range.

• The Bucks did go to overtime against the Sixers without their star on Thursday, when Ryan Rollins registered career highs for both points (32 – tying his mark from earlier in the season) and assists (14). Rollins has shot 11-for-17 (best among 29 players with at least 15 field goal attempts) in the clutch, but he wasn’t close on the potential game-winner in regulation, and the Bucks allowed the Sixers to score 17 points on 10 possessions in the extra period.

• The Bucks have leaned into their zone defense a little more in Antetokounmpo’s absence, playing a season-high 44 possessions of zone in their overtime loss in Philadelphia on Thursday, according to Synergy tracking. They rank second (behind the Rockets) with 11.6 zone possessions per game for the season and second in points allowed per possession (0.86) among the 12 teams that have played at least 50 total zone possessions.

Coming up: The Bucks’ perfect record (12-0) in Emirates NBA Cup games played outside of Las Vegas could be in jeopardy if Antetokounmpo doesn’t make his return this week. One of those eight wins without him last season came in Miami, and first place in East Group C will be on the line at Kaseya Center on Wednesday.

Week 6: vs. POR, @ MIA*, @ NYK*, vs. BKN

Record: 9-8

OffRtg: 118.8 (6) DefRtg: 114.0 (16) NetRtg: +4.8 (11) Pace: 96.5 (30)

The Celtics’ three-game winning streak came to an end with a loss (at home) to the Nets on Friday, but they got back above .500 with their best offensive game of the season, scoring 138 points on just 97 possessions against the shorthanded Magic on Sunday night.

Three takeaways

• Although their loss to Brooklyn was somewhat ugly, the Celtics have scored 126.9 points per 100 possessions over their last five games, up from 115.5 over their first 12. Jaylen Brown has led the way and is doing well with a huge jump in usage rate, posting a career-best true shooting percentage of 59%.

• The Celtics have seen the league’s biggest drop in 3-point rate from last season, but their wins and losses have been more dependent on their results from beyond the arc. They’re 7-0 when they’ve shot the league average (35.9%) or better from 3-point range and 2-8 when they haven’t. That’s the league’s biggest differential, and they had the 15th biggest (37-6 vs. 24-15) last season.

• Neemias Queta and Luka Garza are limited offensively compared to the bigs the Celtics had last season, but they’ve given Boston a boost on the glass. Garza and Queta rank seventh and 16th in offensive rebounding percentage among 292 players who’ve averaged at least 12 minutes per game and the Celtics have seen the league’s eighth biggest jump in offensive rebounding percentage from last season. Only the Rockets and Blazers have averaged more second-chance points per 100 possessions.

Coming up: The Celtics’ win over Orlando on Sunday was the first of five straight games against teams with winning records. They lost in Detroit (despite 41 points from Brown) in Week 1 and will have a couple of days off before getting their second shot at the Pistons on Wednesday.

Week 6: vs. DET*, @ MIN, @ CLE

Record: 9-7

OffRtg: 114.3 (20) DefRtg: 116.6 (20) NetRtg: -2.4 (19) Pace: 104.2 (2)

The Bulls’ first stretch of five games in seven days was a wild one. The night after losing in double overtime in Utah (extending their losing streak to five games), they upset the Nuggets in Denver. They blew a 21-point lead in Portland, but won at the buzzer. They were smoked by the Heat and almost lost to the Wizards, but completed the stretch with another one-point win.

Three takeaways

• The Bulls’ nine wins have come by an average of just 5.7 points, with the last four having come by three points or fewer. They’re 9-7, but rank in the bottom 11 on both ends of the floor.

• Coby White played in just one game in both of the Bulls’ back-to-backs, but he’s been on the floor down the stretch of all three games he’s played in, hitting Nikola Vučević for the game-winner in Portland. White got his first start on Saturday and he’s one of four players (Luka Dončić, James Harden and Nikola Jokić are the others) averaging at least 28 points and eight assists per 36 minutes. The Bulls have outscored their opponents by 13.9 points per 100 possessions in his 89 minutes thus far.

• The Bulls lead the league in ball movement (400 passes per 24 minutes of possession) and rank third in player movement (11.1 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession). The 400 passes per 24 would be the most for any team in the last seven seasons.

Coming up: The Bulls’ win over the Wizards on Saturday began a stretch of four games where the opponents have a (current) cumulative record of 9-57. They begin a four-game trip in New Orleans on Monday night.

Week 6: @ NOP, @ CHA*, @ IND

Record: 7-10

OffRtg: 114.9 (19) DefRtg: 117.4 (22) NetRtg: -2.5 (20) Pace: 103.6 (3)

The Blazers put an end to a four-game losing streak with a comeback win at Golden State on Friday, but they clobbered in Oklahoma City over the weekend and are 2-7 over the last 16 days.

Three takeaways

• The Blazers have been without Jrue Holiday for the last five games and, with Scoot Henderson and Blake Wesley also out, two-way guards Sidy Cissoko, Javonte Cooke and Caleb Love have all seen rotation minutes. Love hit two huge 3-pointers in the final two minutes of the win over the Warriors on Friday, but is otherwise 11-for-50 (22%) from beyond the arc.

• Both of those Love 3s were assisted by Deni Avdija, who’s been the de facto point guard, averaging 6.6 minutes of possession (11th in the league) over Holiday’s absence. The offense was solid (118.6 points scored per 100 possessions) in Avdija’s minutes over the first four games, but the Blazers played the Thunder on Sunday and scored less than a point per possession for the first time this season.

• The other end of the floor remains a bigger problem. The Blazers have allowed 124 points per 100 possessions over their last seven games, with only the Wizards having allowed more over that stretch. At this point, we can forget that this team had a top-five defense (better than the Thunder!) after the All-Star break last season.

Coming up: The Blazers will be at a rest disadvantage when they complete a stretch of five games in seven days in Milwaukee on Monday. Then they’ll begin a stretch of five straight games against teams that are currently at least six games over .500, with their third meeting with the Thunder coming on Sunday afternoon.

Week 6: @ MIL, vs. SAS*, vs. OKC

Record: 5-12

OffRtg: 113.8 (21) DefRtg: 119.2 (25) NetRtg: -5.4 (24) Pace: 97.1 (29)

Kawhi Leonard returned from a 10-game absence on Sunday, but his return wasn’t enough for the Clippers in Cleveland. They went 2-4 on their road trip, are 3-4 with Leonard in the lineup and remain behind the Jazz in the Western Conference standings.

Three takeaways

• Leonard scored 20 points and the Clippers outscored the Cavs by three points in his 26 minutes on the floor on Sunday. But bench minutes continue to be a major issue. Cleveland took control with a 12-0 run spanning the first and second quarters and put the game away with a 20-3 run spanning the third and fourth. Chris Paul has been back in the rotation for the last four games and he had 13 assists in just 40 total minutes over the weekend, but the Clippers have scored less than a point per possession in his 177 minutes on the floor this season.

• As much as they miss Norman Powell’s offensive production, defense is where the Clippers have been much more disappointing. They’ve now allowed 9.8 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season, by far the league’s biggest jump. The loss in Cleveland on Sunday was the 10th time they’ve allowed more than 120 points per 100 possessions, something they did just seven times before the All-Star break last season.

• According to tracking data, the Clippers have seen the league’s biggest drop in the percentage of ball screens that they’ve switched, from 31% (sixth highest) last season to just 13% (second lowest) this season.

Coming up: The Clippers are 5-12 overall, but they’re 2-0 in the Emirates NBA Cup, and they’ll visit the similarly 2-0 Lakers on Wednesday, with first place in West Group B on the line.

Week 6: @ LAL*, vs. MEM*, vs. DAL

Record: 6-11

OffRtg: 109.9 (25) DefRtg: 114.3 (17) NetRtg: -4.4 (22) Pace: 101.9 (10)

The Grizzlies have been without Ja Morant for all but six minutes of the last five games, and Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) has missed the last two. But they won them both, taking advantage of a couple of other Western Conference teams – the Kings and Mavs – near the bottom of the standings.

Three takeaways

• While Morant and Jackson (and others) are out, the Grizzlies have now had Zach Edey back for four games, and they’ve outscored their opponents by 17.4 points per 100 possessions in the big man’s 101 minutes on the floor. A lot of that success is about rebounding, with Memphis grabbing 57.8% of available boards with Edey on the floor (compared to just 49.6% with him off it). Over the last three games, the Grizzlies have outscored their opponents by 54 points (73-19) on second chances.

• Santi Aldama got his first two starts of the season in Jackson’s place and led the Grizzlies in scoring both nights, totaling 49 points on 20-for-35 (57%) shooting. He also put the Grizzlies ahead for good on Saturday with an amazing finish over Daniel Gafford. Aldama’s usage rate (20.3%) is the highest of his career, and he’s taken less than half of his shots from 3-point range for the first time since his rookie season.

• With Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. having yet to play, Cam Spencer has been a regular in the rotation. He’s already tallied more points, rebounds, assists and steals than he did in the entirety of his rookie season. Spencer (instead of Vince Williams Jr.) played down the stretch of the Grizzlies’ win in Dallas on Saturday and either scored or assisted on the team’s two buckets for the lead in the final two minutes.

Coming up: The Grizzlies will have some opportunities for more wins when they head out on a four-game trip that begins Wednesday and takes them through New Orleans, L.A. and Sacramento. They’re 4-0 against the other six Western Conference teams that currently have losing records.

Week 6: vs. DEN, @ NOP*, @ LAC*, @ SAC

Record: 5-13

OffRtg: 105.3 (30) DefRtg: 110.6 (3) NetRtg: -5.3 (23) Pace: 102.9 (5)

Anthony Davis has now missed the last 13 games, and the Mavs are 3-10 over that stretch, though it hasn’t been particularly tough in regard to the opponents.

Three takeaways

• No matter the strength of the opponent, the Mavs play close games, and most of them haven’t been very pretty down the stretch. Thirteen of their last 15 have been within five points in the last five minutes, and, overall, the Mavs and their opponents have combined to score just 102 points per 100 clutch possessions. Dallas scored just seven points on 13 clutch possessions against the Knicks on Wednesday, with Klay Thompson missing everything on a 3-pointer for the tie and Brandon Williams’ game-tying layup being waived off by an offensive foul.

• When you play close games, the possession game is extra critical. But the Mavs have averaged 9.4 fewer shooting opportunities than their opponents over their last five games. Losses to the Wolves and Grizzlies last week (both played without Dereck Lively II) were Dallas’ two worst rebounding games of the season. They’ve been at their best on the glass (rebounding percentage of 52.8%) with Lively on the floor, but he’s played just 115 total minutes over seven games.

• Aside from the rebounding, the Mavs’ defense has been strong. They’ve seen the league’s third-biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions from last season, having held their opponent under 110 per 100 in each of their last three games and 10 times total this season. Only the Thunder have done so more often.

Coming up: The Mavs have still played just four true road games, but will play 11 of their next 16 away from American Airlines Center. They’ll have three days off between stops in Miami and L.A. this week.

Week 6: @ MIA, @ LAL*, @ LAC

Record: 5-11

OffRtg: 112.8 (22) DefRtg: 119.5 (26) NetRtg: -6.6 (25) Pace: 102.7 (6)

The Jazz have remained fairly competitive, but a three-game losing streak has dropped them back into the bottom five in the West.

Three takeaways

• The Jazz had an early, 11-point lead in L.A. on Tuesday, and they were up 18 against the Thunder three nights later. But they somehow lost those two games by a total of 46 points. The positive is that, after struggling in its first few games, the Jazz’s new starting lineup (with rookie Ace Bailey) had some good minutes last week and has now outscored opponents by 8 points per 100 possessions in its 84 total minutes.

• The Jazz don’t rank last defensively, so that’s an improvement from last season. But after allowing 115.8 points per 100 possessions over their first eight games, they allowed 125.2 per 100 over their next seven, with their opponents averaging 56 points in the paint. The Lakers scored another 54 points in the paint on Sunday, but the two-point loss was still the Jazz’s best defensive game of the season (108 points allowed on 102 possessions).

• Lauri Markkanen never played in more than 11 consecutive games last season, but he’s played in all 16 this year. He was averaging 30.6 points through Tuesday, but totaled just 39 over Utah’s weekend losses to the Thunder and Lakers. His minutes per game (35.8) and usage rate (27.2%) are both the highest marks of his career, and he’s scored more efficiently than he did last season.

Coming up: The Jazz have lost their last nine games at the Chase Center, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they visit the Warriors on Monday. They’ll finish NBA Cup action with a visit from the Kings four nights later, looking to avenge a one-point loss in Week 1.

Week 6: @ GSW, vs. SAC*, vs. HOU

Record: 4-13

OffRtg: 115.0 (17) DefRtg: 119.2 (24) NetRtg: -4.2 (21) Pace: 100.4 (23)

The Hornets have lost six straight games, a streak that includes the Pacers’ second win of the season and the Clippers’ fifth. They did get a little healthier over the weekend, though.

Three takeaways

• Brandon Miller returned from a 13-game absence on Saturday and immediately hooked up with LaMelo Ball for a highlight dunk. But Miller and Ball combined to shoot just 3-for-17 from 3-point range in the loss to the Clippers, who outscored the Hornets by 24 points from beyond the arc. Both Ball and Miller sat out the second game of their back-to-back on Sunday and have still played in just 42 total games together over Miller’s three seasons in the league.

• The Hornets’ losses to the Pacers and Clippers last week were the best offensive games of the season for both opponents. The Hornets had a streak of six straight games where their opponents shot 40% or better from 3-point range until the Hawks went 11-for-31 (35%) from deep on Sunday. The 41.1% that their opponents have shot from beyond the arc would be the highest opponent mark in the 47 seasons of the 3-point line.

• With the Nuggets’ clutch win over the Rockets on Friday, the Hornets are the only team that hasn’t won a game that was within five points in the last five minutes. They’ve scored just 46 points on 59 clutch offensive possessions (78 per 100), with the four Hornets who’ve attempted more than five clutch shots shooting no better than Kon Knueppel’s 5-for-15. They went scoreless on their final six possessions (shooting 0-for-5 with two turnovers) in their three-point loss in Atlanta on Sunday.

Coming up: The Atlanta loss was the first of four straight games against teams that currently have winning records, with the Hornets 0-9 against that group.

Week 6: vs. NYK*, vs. CHI*, vs. TOR

Record: 4-13

OffRtg: 109.5 (26) DefRtg: 121.0 (28) NetRtg: -11.5 (27) Pace: 102.5 (7)

The Kings remain near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, but their eight-game losing streak came to an end with a surprising, rest-advantage victory in Denver on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• After scoring an anemic 102.2 points per 100 possessions over the losing streak, the Kings busted out on Saturday, scoring 128 on just 96 trips down the floor, the most efficient game for any team against Denver’s ninth-ranked defense. They shot just 10-for-30 (33%) from 3-point range, but were 31-for-43 (72%) in the paint and 22-for-23 from the free throw line. Overall, the Kings have seen the league’s second biggest drop in field goal percentage in the paint from last season.

• Domantas Sabonis is out for at least a few weeks with a meniscus tear in his left knee. Sabonis is registering both his lowest effective field goal percentage and his lowest assist-to-turnover ratio in the last seven seasons. Additionally, the Kings have been outscored by a remarkable 18.7 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor, the third-worst on-court mark among 222 players who’ve averaged at least 20 minutes per game.

• Keegan Murray made his season debut on Thursday and logged more than 32 minutes in each of his first two games. He got his first start on Saturday and scored 19 points on 7-for-14 shooting against the Nuggets, but bench minutes were what got the Kings the win. Dennis Schröder has averaged 21 points per 36 minutes on an effective field goal percentage of 54% over his five games off the bench, up from 13.5 per 36 on 43.8% in his 12 games as a starter.

Coming up: The Kings blew a 20-point lead in Phoenix on opening night, when they were without both Sabonis and Murray. They’ll face the Suns again in NBA Cup play on Wednesday.

Week 6: vs. MIN, vs. PHX*, @ UTA*, vs. MEM

Record: 3-13

OffRtg: 112.6 (24) DefRtg: 122.8 (29) NetRtg: -10.3 (26) Pace: 97.7 (28)

The Nets kept a step ahead of the Pacers and Wizards at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, getting win No. 3 in Boston on Friday. All three of their wins have come on the road.

Three takeaways

• The Nets have climbed out of the basement on defense, holding the Celtics to just 105 points on 97 possessions on Friday. They managed to limit Boston’s 3-point attempts (just 34 of their 90 total shots) while also keeping them off the free-throw line (14 attempts). For the season, the Nets rank ninth in (lowest) opponent 3-point rate (40.5%) after ranking 16th (42.4%) last season.

• The Nets have started the same lineup – Egor Dëmin, Terance Mann, Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton – in the eight games that Cam Thomas has been out, and the offense has been solid (115.5 points scored per 100 possessions) in its 116 total minutes. Porter has been making some tough shots, but that lineup has assisted on 80.2% of its buckets, the highest rate among the 18 lineups that have played at least 75 minutes.

• Clowney has been showing some flashes, scoring 41 total points over the Nets’ two weekend games. The size and length have always been there, but he seems to be playing with a little more motor in his third season. He remains a floor-spacing four (71% of his shots have come from 3-point range), but his 5.2 drives per 36 minutes are up from 2.9 per 36 over his first two seasons, giving his free-throw rate a boost as well.

Coming up: The Nets will have three days off after their rest-disadvantage game against the Knicks (to whom they’ve lost 11 straight games) on Monday. Then they’ll begin their only stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 6: vs. NYK, vs. PHI*, @ MIL

Record: 2-15

OffRtg: 107.4 (28) DefRtg: 119.9 (27) NetRtg: -12.5 (28) Pace: 100.6 (22)

Zion Williamson returned from an eight-game absence last week, and the Pelicans had some good minutes with him alongside Derik Queen. But they’ve now lost nine straight games.

Three takeaways

• Williamson sat out the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday, but he and Queen played 38 minutes together last week. The Pelicans outscored the Nuggets and Mavs by seven points over those minutes, scoring 116 on 86 offensive possessions (135 per 100).

• The Pelicans are 0-7 this season with Williamson in uniform, although they outscored the Nuggets by 14 points in his 29 minutes on Wednesday. He also had his most efficient scoring game of the season (22 points, 7-for-9 shooting, 8-for-11 from the line) in Dallas two nights later. His season-long free-throw rate (72 attempts per 100 shots from the field) is the highest of his career by a wide margin, but he’s shooting a career-low 51% in the paint.

• Over their last five games, the Pelicans have been outscored by 129 points (25.8 per game) from 3-point range. Their opponents have taken 47.6% of their shots from beyond the arc, which would be the highest opponent mark in the 47 seasons of the 3-point line.

Coming up: The first game of that five-game stretch was eight days ago, when the Pelicans were outscored by 48 points from 3-point range by the Warriors, who lead the league in 3-point rate. They’ll visit Golden State on Saturday, the first night of a two-game, two-day trip to California.

Week 6: vs. CHI, vs. MEM*, @ GSW, @ LAL

Record: 2-14

OffRtg: 106.1 (29) DefRtg: 118.9 (23) NetRtg: -12.8 (29) Pace: 102.2 (9)

Aaron Nesmith and Obi Toppin remain out, but the Pacers are a little more whole, with Bennedict Mathurin coming back from an extended absence last week. And they got their second win on Wednesday, hitting the Hornets with their best offensive performance of the season.

Three takeaways

• Mathurin has averaged 26.4 points in his five games, and he continues to get to the line a ton. His free-throw rate of 72 attempts per 100 shots from the field is tied for first (with Zion Williamson) among 243 players with at least 75 field goal attempts and is up from 41 per 100 over his first three seasons. The Pacers’ offense has been at its best (113.7 points scored per 100 possessions) with Mathurin on the floor.

• That 113.7 per 100 with Mathurin on the floor is still comfortably below the league average (114.8 per 100). The Pacers continue to struggle on offense and their loss in Detroit last Monday got away from them when they scored just four points on a stretch of 19 possessions (with 11 straight empty trips) spanning the first and second quarters.

• The win over Charlotte was just the second time that the Pacers have shot the league average (35.9%) or better from 3-point range. Every other team has done it at least four times, and the Pacers’ season-long mark of 30.7% from beyond the arc would be the worst for any team in the last 13 seasons.

Coming up: The bottom two teams in the Eastern Conference will meet for the first time when the Wizards visit Indiana on Friday. That’s the start of a four-game homestand for the Pacers.

Week 6: vs. DET, @ TOR*, vs. WAS*, vs. CHI

Record: 1-15

OffRtg: 107.9 (27) DefRtg: 123.4 (30) NetRtg: -15.5 (30) Pace: 103.3 (4)

The Wizards had an eight-point, fourth-quarter lead in Chicago on Saturday, but couldn’t close the deal and remain stuck on one win, having lost 14 straight games.

Three takeaways

• The Wizards have held double-digit leads in seven of their 16 games. But they’ve been outscored by an amazing 29.3 points per 100 possessions in the fourth quarter. They’ve had both the league’s worst fourth-quarter offense (101.5 scored per 100) and its worst fourth-quarter defense (130.8 allowed per 100) by healthy margins.

• The Wizards shot more effectively than the Wolves on Wednesday and the Bulls on Saturday, but they continue to get destroyed in the possession battle. They rank in the bottom five in turnover rate (26th), offensive rebounding percentage (27th), opponent turnover rate (29th) and defensive rebounding percentage (29th). They’ve also averaged 8.2 fewer shooting opportunities than their opponents, which would be the worst discrepancy in (at least) the last 50 years.

• Cam Whitmore’s playing time off the bench has been a little more consistent over the last seven games, and he’s averaged 23.8 points per 36 minutes on an effective field goal percentage of 63.8% over that stretch, with some highlights included.

Coming up: The Wizards are the only team that has never won an Emirates NBA Cup game, 0-10 all-time in Cup play, with their two losses this season coming by a total of 63 points. They’ll have two more chances at a win this week with a decent opportunity to end both of their losing streaks when they visit the Pacers on Friday.

Week 6: vs. ATL*, @ IND*