Power Rankings, Week 2: Pistons, Timberwolves climb into Top 3

Record: 3-0

OffRtg: 107.4 (20) DefRtg: 97.0 (2) NetRtg: +10.4 (8)

The Thunder had a perfect start to the season, picking up double-digit wins over the Spurs and Nuggets. But then Jalen Williams suffered a gruesome right leg injury late in their win over the Clippers on Sunday.

Two takeaways

• The defense has been terrific, with the Nuggets’ 84 points on 94 possessions on Thursday being a worse offensive performance than any that they had last season. The Thunder have somehow allowed just 77 per 100 in Alex Caruso’s 67 minutes on the floor, and his 7.5 deflections per 36 minutes rank fourth among 210 players who’ve logged at least 50 minutes total.

• The offense has been sub-par, though the Thunder have scored plenty efficiently with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor. They’ve scored just 57 on 77 (74 per 100) with him off the floor, and the lack of Williams for an extended period certainly won’t help in that regard.

Coming up: The Thunder were just 7-7 in the second games of back-to-backs last season, but they’re one of three teams with a league-low seven rest-disadvantage games this year. The first is Monday against the Suns, after which they’ll play 12 of their next 17 games on the road.

Week 2: vs. PHX, @ DAL, @ HOU

Record: 3-0

OffRtg: 118.7 (6) DefRtg: 106.4 (7) NetRtg: +12.4 (5)

The Pistons had the best record (18-7) in games played between Eastern Conference playoff teams last season, and they’ve begun the new year with impressive wins over the Celtics, Heat and Sixers. They had a rest advantage for their wire-to-wire victory in Philadelphia on Sunday, but were without Jalen Duren (out at least two weeks) and Ausar Thompson (ankle sprain).

Two takeaways

• The Pistons made 14 or more 3-pointers in only 20 (24%) of their 82 games last season, but they’ve made at least 14 in all three games this year. They’ve seen the league’s second biggest jump in 3-point rate (from 35% to 43% of their shots), and they’ve shot 42.0% (third best) from beyond the arc, with Duncan Robinson 15-for-28 (54%).

• The defense hasn’t been quite as tenacious as it was last season. That’s resulted in the league’s biggest drop in opponent turnover rate, but also its biggest drop in opponent free throw rate. Duren committed just two fouls in his 38 minutes against the Celtics and Heat.

Coming up: The Pistons swept the Knicks last season (winning the three games by an average of 28 points), but didn’t get a chance of facing the champs in the playoffs. They’ll play (at least) four times this year, with the first meeting at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Week 2: @ NYK, vs. CHA, @ BKN*

Record: 3-0

OffRtg: 119.0 (5) DefRtg: 96.1 (1) NetRtg: +23.0 (2)

The Wolves are the second team in NBA history (joining the 2004-05 Jazz) to win each of their first three games by more than 20 points. And the third of those wins came against a team (Toronto) that had won its first two games by a total of 53.

Two takeaways

• The Wolves have the league’s No. 1 defense, and the defense has been at its best (81.2 points allowed per 100 possessions) with LaMelo Ball on the floor. His minutes have been limited (22.8 per game) and 68% of them have come alongside both Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. But Ball also leads the team with 4.8 deflections per 36 minutes, up from 2.6 with the Hornets last season.

• They dominated the possession game in Miami and Orlando, producing the two biggest shot-opportunity differentials (+18 and +19) for any team in Week 1. Things flipped in that regard (-12) against Toronto, but the Raptors shot 10-for-48 (21%) from outside the paint. The Wolves are still one of two teams (Portland is the other) that rank in the top five in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage.

Coming up: The Wolves have just seven rest-disadvantage games (tied for fewest in the league) this season, but two of them are this week. Their win over the Raptors on Sunday was the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 2: @ CLE, vs. GSW, vs. LAC*, @ SAS

Record: 3-0

OffRtg: 122.6 (3) DefRtg: 112.5 (17) NetRtg: +10.2 (9)

No team had a more impressive Week 1 than the Rockets. They clobbered the Mavs, edged the Spurs and beat the 2-0 Hawks on the road. We may have already seen the defensive play of the year, with Amen Thompson blocking Victor Wembanyama’s layup in the final seconds on Friday.

Two takeaways

• The offense is off to a hot start, with the Rockets the only team that ranks in the top five in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. They also scored 13 points on nine clutch possessions against the Spurs on Friday, with Alperen Sengun scoring or assisting on 11 of the 13.

• Fred VanVleet (who sat out the second game of the weekend back-to-back) is just 6-for-18 from the field and isn’t getting them into their offense much faster. But he has 16 assists and zero turnovers. Overall, the Rockets’ turnover rate (15.9 per 100 possessions) is a little higher than it was last season (15.7 per 100), but the league-wide rate is way up (it’s early) and Houston’s rate has been much lower (14.6 per 100) in VanVleet’s 61 minutes on the floor.

Coming up: The Rockets and Hawks will be the first teams done playing each other this season, with their home-and-home set concluding in Houston on Monday. The Rockets will be at a rest disadvantage when they face the Thunder for the first time (Saturday in Houston).

Week 2: vs. ATL, @ MIL, @ DAL, vs. OKC

Record: 3-1

OffRtg: 105.5 (26) DefRtg: 102.4 (5) NetRtg: +3.1 (12)

The new-and-improved Sixers got off to a great start, going 3-0 (with wins over the Knicks and Cavs) before suffering a rest-disadvantage loss (without two starters) to the Pistons on Sunday. In their first back-to-back, they sat LeBron James in one game and Joel Embiid in the other.

Two takeaways

• While offense is the greater curiosity, defense is the greater concern with the Sixers’ new core. But their starting lineup allowed the Knicks and Cavs to score just 56 points on 74 defensive possessions (76 per 100), with some terrific rotations down the stretch in New York on Tuesday. Embiid remains a huge difference-maker on that end of the floor.

• Alas, Adem Bona is the only other healthy center on the roster, and the Sixers started a frontline of James and Dean Wade against the Pistons (who were without Jalen Duren) on Sunday. Over the four games total, they played 30 minutes with neither Embiid nor Bona on the floor (James has been on for almost all of those), and they’ve been outscored by 14 points (allowing 75 on 60 defensive possessions) in those 30 minutes.

Coming up: The Sixers were the only team to play four games in Week 1, but they’ll now have two days off before visiting Indiana on Wednesday. Their second meeting with the Knicks will be the first Emirates NBA Cup game in East Group B, what should be the best group of the six.

Week 2: @ IND, vs. NYK*, @ CHA

Record: 1-2

OffRtg: 110.5 (14) DefRtg: 111.3 (14) NetRtg: -0.7 (14)

A season with big expectations got off to a rough start for Victor Wembanyama (1-for-13 against the Thunder) and the Spurs. After losing to Oklahoma City and Houston, they trailed the shorthanded Mavs (no Kyrie Irving or Cooper Flagg) late in the third quarter on Saturday before pulling away in the final 13 minutes.

Two takeaways

• The Spurs’ new starting lineup played limited minutes (just 9.4 per game) and the results were mixed. It outscored the Thunder by 10 points on Tuesday, but scored an anemic 30 points on 45 offensive possessions (67 per 100) against the Rockets and Mavs over the weekend. The offense was at its best with last season’s starter (Julian Champagnie) on the floor.

• Victor Wembanyama has struggled with his jump shot. Combining preseason and Week 1, he’s shot 2-for-11 from mid-range and 5-for-28 from beyond the arc. But the Spurs have allowed less than a point per possession with him on the floor, while allowing 133 per 100 with him on the bench.

Coming up: The Spurs’ win in Dallas over the weekend was the start of what seems like a pretty soft, 12-game stretch of schedule that should have them at or near the top of the West in mid-November. Minnesota is the toughest opponent on that stretch, but the Spurs will have a rest advantage when they host the Wolves on Saturday.

Week 2: vs. SAC, @ UTA, vs. MIN

Record: 3-0

OffRtg: 125.9 (1) DefRtg: 112.4 (16) NetRtg: +13.5 (4)

The Lakers are taking advantage of a soft start to their schedule, though they had to overcome an 11-point deficit against the Clippers and dig out of an 18-point hole in Utah.

Two takeaways

• The league’s No. 1 offense has been led by Luka Dončić, who scored 52 points in Utah on Sunday and has a usage rate of 41.8%, which would be the highest rate for any player in the 31 seasons of play-by-play data. Austin Reaves has averaged 26.7 points with a ridiculous true shooting percentage of 82.0%, the highest mark among the 48 players who averaged 20-plus in Week 1.

• Walker Kessler (16.7 per game) has been nearly as efficient and, not surprisingly, the Lakers’ defense has been at its best (105.6 points allowed per 100 possessions) with him on the floor. His 10 dunks in his Lakers debut on Wednesday were more than he had all of last season (nine in five games) and are tied for the fourth most for any player in a game in the 31 seasons of play-by-play data. Only Shaquille O’Neal has had more.

Coming up: The Lakers are one of three teams with three sets of five games in seven days this season. The first begins Tuesday with a visit from the 2-0 Blazers, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage at the Intuit Dome the following night.

Week 2: vs. POR, @ LAC, @ GSW*, vs. TOR

Record: 1-1

OffRtg: 114.6 (10) DefRtg: 115.5 (20) NetRtg: -0.9 (15)

The Celtics had two big games in Week 1, they were both within five points in the last five minutes, and they split them. They blew a 22-point, second-half lead in Detroit and then held on to edge New York in their home opener.

Two takeaways

• Jayson Tatum struggled (6-for-23 shooting) in Detroit, but he took over down the stretch against the Knicks, hitting three straight jumpers in the final 90 seconds to put the game away. He’s totaled 18 assists over the two games, but had just six free throw attempts to go with his 49 shots. The Celtics again rank in the bottom three in both free throw rate (28th) and the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint (30th).

• They’re also one of three teams in the bottom five in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, with Mitchell Robinson yet to make a big impact on the glass. Neemias Queta played a few more minutes off the bench than Robinson did as a starter over the two games and was on the floor in clutch time both nights.

Coming up: The Celtics’ four-game homestand continues with two games against the Bulls sandwiching a rest-disadvantage game against the Nets. They were 5-5 (1-2 at home) in rest-disadvantage games last season and are one of three teams with a league-high 14 of them this year.

Week 2: vs. CHI, vs. BKN, vs. CHI*, @ ORL

Record: 2-1

OffRtg: 108.3 (19) DefRtg: 97.8 (3) NetRtg: +10.5 (7)

The Raptors were the sixth team in the 31 seasons of play-by-play data to get through their first two games without ever trailing. But Kawhi Leonard (knee swelling) was a late scratch for their showdown with the Wolves on Sunday, when they led for just 17 seconds in a 23-point loss.

Two takeaways

• The Raptors have dominated the possession game, averaging 13.5 more shot opportunities than their opponents, the league’s biggest differential by a huge margin. They’ve struggled on the defensive glass, but have committed 9.7 fewer turnovers per game than their opponents. Leonard has seven steals in only 52 minutes, while Collin Murray-Boyles has 15 deflections in only 56. (The other side of that aggressiveness is the league’s highest opponent free throw rate.)

• The Raptors have ranked in the bottom 10 in 3-point percentage in each of the last four seasons, and shooting has been a struggle once again, even though they rank seventh in the percentage of their 3-point attempts (56%) that have been wide open. The four perimeter starters are a combined 14-for-62 (23%) from beyond the arc.

Coming up: The Raptors will be the first Eastern Conference team heading to the West Coast, with a four-game trip beginning in L.A. on Sunday. They were 6-9 in Western Conference arenas last season.

Week 2: vs. ORL, vs. ORL*, @ LAL

Record: 0-3

OffRtg: 103.4 (29) DefRtg: 110.6 (13) NetRtg: -7.2 (21)

The postseason vibes have not carried over and the champs are somehow 0-3 for the first time in seven years. They were handed a tough schedule for the first two weeks, but their game against the Magic on Sunday was very winnable. And they led by 10 with a little more than nine minutes left before committing a flurry of turnovers and allowing Orlando to score 35 points on its final 22 possessions.

Two takeaways

• The good news is that the Knicks’ struggles are mostly about shooting. But that’s not just a rough start from the perimeter, because the bigger drop-off has been in the paint, where only the Nets have shot worse. The Knicks have also seen the league’s third biggest drop in shot quality from last season, according to tracking data.

• The starts haven’t been terrible, and the Knicks’ starting lineup has outscored their opponents by four points over its 13 total first-quarter minutes. But it’s been outscored by 26 points (scoring an anemic 50 points on 76 possessions) thereafter. Overall, Mikal Bridges has shot 5-for-23, including 0-for-10 from 3-point range. He hasn’t attempted a single free throw and the Knicks have scored just 87 points per 100 possessions in his 90 minutes on the floor.

Coming up: The Knicks got clobbered by Detroit in their three meetings last season, though they had their full starting lineup for just one of those three games. So there will be plenty of intrigue when the 3-0 Pistons play at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Week 2: vs. DET, @ CHI, @ PHI*

Record: 1-1

OffRtg: 106.9 (21) DefRtg: 108.3 (10) NetRtg: -1.4 (16)

After blowing a 29-point lead in Philadelphia on Thursday (a call back to Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in New York), the Cavs almost lost all of a 22-point, fourth-quarter lead against Brooklyn over the weekend. But they held on for their first win.

Two takeaways

• Turnovers (44 through two games) have been an issue, even though the Cavs rank in the bottom five in ball movement and had just 18 assists on their 39 buckets in Philly. They’re also in the bottom three in offensive rebounding percentage and have had 20 fewer shot opportunities than their opponents over the two games.

• James Harden is getting to the line, but he’s just 6-for-20 from the field and he and Donovan Mitchell have combined for as many turnovers (19) as assists. The Cavs’ starting lineup has scored just 61 points on 65 offensive possessions (94 per 100), but bench minutes have been good. Their reserves are a combined 9-for-28 (32%) from 3-point range, but they took control of both games late in the first quarter with subs on the floor.

Coming up: The Cavs will have a rest advantage when they host the 3-0 Wolves on Monday. They’ve won 16 straight games against the Wizards, who they’ll face two nights later.

Week 2: vs. MIN, vs. WAS, @ ATL, @ MIL

Record: 1-1

OffRtg: 106.1 (24) DefRtg: 110.0 (11) NetRtg: -3.9 (18)

The Nuggets led the Thunder for most of the first 36 minutes on Thursday, but they couldn’t hold on and scored just 84 points on 94 possessions (what would have been their worst offensive game last season) in the opener. They flipped the script in Game 2, trailing by as many as 23 points, but coming back to beat the Pelicans in overtime.

Two takeaways

• The Nuggets have replaced Cam Johnson (sprained ankle in the first half on Thursday) in the lineup with three different rookies, none of whom were selected in the first round of the draft. Alpha Diallo started the second half against the Thunder, Bryce Hopkins started vs. New Orleans, and Trevon Brazile closed out the OT win. Brazile seems to be the best two-way option and he finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, a steal and two blocks on Saturday, draining a huge corner 3 in overtime. The opponents shot just 6-for-23 (26%) against him over the two games.

• The Nuggets haven’t tried any small-ball, playing Marvin Bagley III for every non-garbage-time minute that Nikola Jokić has been on the bench. Denver (36 on 42) and its opponents (38 on 42) have combined to score just 74 points on 84 possessions (88 per 100) in Bagley’s 20 total minutes.

Coming up: The Nuggets have now won seven straight games against the Pelicans, who they’ll visit on Wednesday. Two nights later, they’ll begin Cup play in Phoenix, having won five straight against the Suns.

Week 2: vs. GSW, @ NOP, @ PHX*

Record: 2-1

OffRtg: 120.6 (4) DefRtg: 105.8 (6) NetRtg: +14.8 (3)

A lopsided win or loss can skew a team’s numbers at this point in the season, and the Hawks had the most lopsided win of the season on Friday, beating the Hornets by 47 points. They also had an important win, edging the Magic behind two huge 3-pointers from Nickeil Alexander-Walker on opening night.

Two takeaways

• Dyson Daniels still isn’t being guarded on the perimeter, but he remains a monster defensively, and he racked up 13 steals and 24 total deflections over three games. The Hawks are one of four teams that have forced more than 20 turnovers per 100 possessions, and they’ve allowed less than a point per possession with Daniels on the floor.

• Jalen Johnson is just 2-for-14 from 3-point range, but he’s the only player in the league averaging a triple-double (21.7, 10.0 and 10.0) after Week 1. And he has just seven turnovers to go with his 30 assists. His nine assists to Alexander-Walker (including two on those clutch 3s on Wednesday) are the most from any player to a single teammate.

Coming up: The Hawks are two games into their only stretch of five in seven days. It will conclude with what could be a tough back-to-back against the Heat and Cavs.

Week 2: @ HOU, vs. MIA, vs. CLE, @ NOP

Record: 2-1

OffRtg: 117.4 (8) DefRtg: 112.9 (19) NetRtg: +4.5 (10)

The Pacers had a disappointing home opener, trailing the Mavs by as many as 37 points on Friday. But they still had as many wins in Week 1 as they had through their first 18 games last season.

Two takeaways

• The Pacers went to a lot of Tyrese Haliburton-Pascal Siakam pick-and-rolls down the stretch of their opening night win in New Orleans, and they’ve scored 1.62 points per chance when a Siakam ball-screen for Haliburton has led directly to a shot, turnover or trip to the line. That’s the second best mark among 39 combinations with at least 15 direct ball-screens, according to tracking data.

• One of those screens led to an incredible, lefty floater (plus a foul) from Haliburton that put the Pacers ahead with 1:23 left. He’s taken 56% of his shots in the paint, up from 36% through his first five seasons in the league. The Pacers rank third in the percentage of their shots (53%) that have come in the paint, having seen the league’s biggest jump from last season (46%, 26th).

Coming up: With games against the Sixers and Heat, the Pacers’ schedule gets a little more serious this week. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage in Milwaukee on Monday.

Week 2: @ MIL, vs. PHI, @ MIA*, vs. BKN

Record: 2-0

OffRtg: 123.5 (2) DefRtg: 100.5 (4) NetRtg: +23.0 (18)

So far, so good in regard to the Blazers’ new backcourt. They’re one of six undefeated teams in the West, having clobbered the Suns on opening night and run past the Kings in the second half on Friday.

Two takeaways

• The Blazers led the opener 21-0. Two nights later, they scored the first 15 points of the third quarter. The reserves got a piece of that action, but the starting lineup (featuring Ja Morant and Damian Lillard in the backcourt) has outscored their opponents by 30 points in a little more than 18 minutes. It’s helped that the opponents have shot just 1-for-12 from 3-point range against it.

• Last season, the Blazers ranked fourth in 3-point differential, outscoring their opponents by 5.8 points per game from beyond the arc. They’re a plus-57 (total) from deep through two games, with Toumani Camara having taken 17 of his 21 shots from 3-point range and connected on nine of the 17 attempts. He’s increased his 3-point rate every year he’s been in the league.

Coming up: The Blazers’ win in Sacramento on Friday began a stretch where they’re playing six of seven (and 12 of 16) games on the road. Next up is a visit to L.A., with Luka Dončić having missed his teams’ last seven meetings with Portland.

Week 2: @ LAL, vs. MEM, @ UTA

Record: 1-2

OffRtg: 106.5 (22) DefRtg: 111.9 (15) NetRtg: -5.4 (19)

The Magic won a battle of 0-2 teams at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, giving head coach Sean Sweeney his first career victory. But, already missing Paolo Banchero, they lost Jalen Suggs to a non-contact knee injury with a little more than two minutes left.

Two takeaways

• Banchero had a big night (35 points on 10-for-12 shooting, 10 assists) against the Hawks on Wednesday. But with the win in New York on Sunday, the Magic are now 28-19 without him over the last three seasons. Jase Richardson started in his place, but Tristan da Silva was the Banchero-or-Franz-Wagner replacement last season, and Anthony Black was on the floor down the stretch, having missed the Magic’s first two games.

• The Magic have seen the league’s biggest jump in 3-point rate, from 38.6% of their shots (24th) last season to 47.1% (third) in Week 1. Desmond Bane’s rate has jumped from 35% to 72% (28/39) and after shooting 21-for-79 (27%) from deep in their two losses, the Magic were 18-for-42 (43%) on Sunday.

Coming up: The Magic’s win in New York on Sunday began a stretch where they’re playing 13 of 18 games on the road. Up next are two games in Toronto, where they lost both of their games last season, with the March 29 defeat coming by 52 points.

Week 2: @ TOR, @ TOR*, vs. BOS

Record: 3-0

OffRtg: 117.4 (7) DefRtg: 106.6 (9) NetRtg: +10.8 (6)

The Grizzlies are the most surprising of the league’s six undefeated teams through Week 1, even if they’ve only played the Jazz, Warriors and Kings. It’s their first 3-0 start since the 2017-18 season, when they started 5-1 and then went 17-59 thereafter.

Two takeaways

• In this space in August, the Grizzlies’ key question was “How good is Ty Jerome?” with a note that the point guard averaged 31.4 points and 9.0 assists per 36 minutes (in a small sample size) last season. Well, Ty Jerome might be pretty good. It’s another small sample size, but Jerome has scored 104 points in 95 minutes, shooting 15-for-25 (60%) on pull-up jumpers through the first two games and then going 14-for-14 at the line in Sacramento on Sunday.

• The Grizzlies are 3-0 despite having the league’s 29th-ranked bench and missing a starter (Cedric Coward or Zach Edey) in each of the last two games. They’ve outscored their opponents by 57 points (46.0 per 100 possessions) in 58 minutes with their three full-time starters (Jerome, Jaylen Wells and Cam Boozer) on the floor together.

Coming up: The third game of the Grizzlies’ four-game road trip will be their second game against the Jazz. Both teams will be playing the second game of a back-to-back in Utah on Monday.

Week 2: @ UTA, @ POR, vs. SAC

Record: 2-1

OffRtg: 112.0 (12) DefRtg: 110.1 (12) NetRtg: +1.9 (13)

The Wizards are 2-1, and the second win (Saturday in Chicago) was the second game of a back-to-back! That’s confirmation that it’s a new era in Washington, because they were 2-42 in the second games of back-to-backs over the last three seasons.

Two takeaways

• Trae Young has shot just 37%, including just 8-for-26 (31%) from 3-point range. But he has 34 assists (18 on dunks and layups) with just seven turnovers, and he has an incredible knack for drawing fouls. He leads the league with 35 total free throw attempts and the Wizards have outscored their opponents by 7.3 points per game, the league’s best differential, at the line.

• The Wizards have been outscored by 14.1 points per 100 possessions in 72 total minutes with Anthony Davis on the floor with either Alex Sarr or Deandre Ayton. But they’re plus-17.1 per 100 (with much better offensive numbers) in 71 total minutes with only one of the three bigs on the floor.

Coming up: The Wizards’ win in Chicago on Saturday began a stretch where they’re playing eight of 10 games on the road. But they’ll be at home when they open the Emirates NBA Cup against the Hornets on Friday. Washington is 1-11 all-time in Cup play.

Week 2: @ CHA, @ CLE, vs. CHA*

Record: 2-1

OffRtg: 101.0 (30) DefRtg: 112.5 (18) NetRtg: -11.6 (24)

The Hornets are missing two starters (Coby White and Kon Knueppel), they’ve had the league’s least efficient offense, and they’ve been outscored by 35 points over their three games. But they’re 2-1, with a clutch win over the Heat (after losing a 23-point lead) on Saturday.

Two takeaways

• The Hornets’ 81 points on 100 possessions against Atlanta on Friday was the worst offensive performance for any team in Week 1. Turnovers were an issue when LaMelo Ball was off the floor last season, they were an issue again in the preseason, and they had 48 through their first two games. They cleaned things up a little (15 turnovers) and had four guys with 20-plus points against Miami.

• Ball’s departure hasn’t affected the team’s affinity for shooting from deep. They lead the league in 3-point rate (after ranking second last season), having taken 53% of their shots from beyond the arc. Their first two games came with two of the three highest single-game rates in Week 1, and the biggest shot on Saturday was Grayson Allen’s incredible and-one 3-pointer with a little more than three minutes left.

Coming up: The Hornets are one of three teams with a league-high 15 rest-advantage games, and the first is Wednesday in Detroit, where they had their worst offensive game last season.

Week 2: vs. WAS, @ DET, @ WAS*, vs. PHI

Record: 1-2

OffRtg: 112.0 (13) DefRtg: 117.9 (21) NetRtg: -6.0 (20)

The Mavs got a good win in Indiana on Friday, but lost Cooper Flagg to a left shoulder injury along the way. Still, they managed to hang with the Spurs for 36 minutes without Flagg or Kyrie Irving the following night.

Two takeaways

• Flagg shot 14-for-23 (61%) and had 17 free throw attempts in his 1 1/2 games, and the Mavs scored an efficient 131 points per 100 possessions in his 50 minutes on the floor. But they scored less than a point per possession in his 94 minutes off the floor, including just 33 points on 37 possessions (89 per 100) in Irving’s 18 minutes without Flagg.

• Mavs not named Flagg had a free throw rate of just 17.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field, and Dallas was outscored by 12.7 points per game, the league’s third worst discrepancy, in the restricted area. Irving took just seven (29%) of his 24 shots in the paint, which would be the lowest rate of his career by a healthy margin.

Coming up: The Heat are 0-3, but they rank first in restricted-area differential. The Mavs play in Miami on Monday, with Flagg listed as questionable. After that, they’ll play six of their next seven games at home, with visits from the Thunder and Rockets coming later in the week.

Week 2: @ MIA, vs. OKC, vs. HOU*

Record: 0-3

OffRtg: 105.1 (27) DefRtg: 121.4 (27) NetRtg: -16.3 (30)

The Giannis Antetokounmpo Era in Miami is off to a rough start. The Heat are 0-3 for the first time since the 2007-08 season, when they finished 15-67, tied for the worst mark in franchise history.

Two takeaways

• The offense hasn’t been good, but the defense has obviously been much more disappointing. And it’s been much worse in the 50 minutes that Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo have been on the floor together (136 points allowed per 100 possessions) than it’s been in 81 total minutes with one on the floor without the other (113.2 allowed per 100). The both-on-the-floor struggles are largely due to the opponents having shot 24-for-46 (52%) from 3-point range, which makes it a little less concerning.

• The Heat again lead the league in the percentage of their possessions (27%) that have been in transition, and Antetokounmpo ranks fourth with 7.7 transition points per game. But his teammates have shot just 6-for-23 (26%) from 3-point range off his passes.

Coming up: The Hawks and Pacers should provide a pair of tough tests for the Heat’s defense. Indiana had the most efficient offense among Eastern Conference opponents against Miami two seasons ago.

Week 2: vs. DAL, @ ATL, vs. IND*

Record: 1-1

OffRtg: 108.6 (18) DefRtg: 123.0 (30) NetRtg: -14.4 (29)

The Suns’ season got off to a dreadful start, as they became just the sixth team in the 31 seasons of play-by-play data to trail a game by at least 20 points before scoring. They got off to another slow start against the shorthanded Warriors on Saturday, but recovered for a comfortable win at home.

Two takeaways

• The biggest factor in the Suns’ surprising year last season was a huge improvement in the possession game. But they lost it big time in their first two games this year, totaling 17 fewer shot opportunities than their opponents. They got clobbered on the glass and rank last in rebounding percentage (by a healthy margin) after Week 1.

• The difference between the Suns’ two games was almost entirely on offense, where they shot 58% against the Warriors, with Devin Booker going 5-for-5 from mid-range on his way to scoring 43 points. They rank last defensively, having allowed 120 points on 83 defensive possessions (145 per 100) with Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks on the floor together.

Coming up: The Suns are one of five teams that have played only two games, and they have just two more this week. But climbing out of the basement defensively will be tough against Oklahoma City and Denver. They allowed 130.6 points per 100 possessions as they were swept (in three games) by the Nuggets last season and 127.2 per 100 as they were swept by the Thunder in the playoffs.

Week 2: @ OKC, vs. DEN*

Record: 1-2

OffRtg: 112.3 (11) DefRtg: 121.8 (28) NetRtg: -9.5 (23)

Flipping the “competitive basketball” switch is easier said than done, and the Jazz needed some clutch-time bounces to go their way against the Pelicans to pick up their only win in Week 1.

Two takeaways

• Though Jusuf Nurkić is out, the Jazz still started the season playing big, with Jaxson Hayes starting alongside Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. But Ace Bailey has started the last two games instead of Hayes, and he had 17 points (on 8-for-11 shooting), 12 rebounds and four assists in their loss to the Lakers on Sunday. The defense has been bad (more than 127 points allowed per 100 possessions) with Markkanen and Jackson on the floor together, whether or not Hayes has been alongside them.

• The Jazz got destroyed in the possession game (16 fewer shot opportunities than the Grizzlies) in Memphis on opening night, and they rank 26th in turnover differential, having committed 4.3 per game more than their opponents. But their rebounding has improved with every game and they outscored the Lakers by 23 points (34-11) on second chances on Sunday, when half of Bailey’s 12 boards came on the offensive glass. It’s early, but he’s more than doubled his rebounding percentage from last season.

Coming up: The Jazz will get another shot at Ty Jerome (45 points in the opener) and the Grizzlies on Monday, Game 3 of their five-game homestand. They’ll have a rest advantage when they host the Spurs two nights later.

Week 2: vs. MEM, vs. SAS, vs. POR

Record: 1-2

OffRtg: 109.7 (17) DefRtg: 106.5 (8) NetRtg: +3.2 (11)

The Clippers might be better than expected. They’re 1-2, but after opening the season with a wire-to-wire victory over the Kings, they were pretty competitive on the road against two undefeated teams (the Lakers and Thunder).

Two takeaways

• Isaiah Jackson has been the starting center, but Brook Lopez is the Clippers’ second-leading scorer, averaging 18 points in just 23.2 minutes. He’s shot 6-for-11 from 3-point range, but has also taken 58% of his shots in the paint. That would be his highest rate in the last 11 seasons and is up from 35% last season.

• Though Lopez has played bigger, the Clippers have been outscored by 14.7 points per game in the restricted area. That’s the league’s worst discrepancy, and it’s mostly about the defensive end of the floor, where the Thunder had 50 restricted-area points on Sunday.

Coming up: The Clippers now have two days off, and they’ll have a rest advantage when they play the Lakers (who are 1-3 at the Intuit Dome) again on Wednesday. The Clips were just 5-7 (4-4 at home) in rest-advantage games last season.

Week 2: vs. LAL, @ MIN*, @ GSW

Record: 0-3

OffRtg: 115.8 (9) DefRtg: 118.2 (23) NetRtg: -2.4 (17)

The Pelicans played three (seemingly) good teams close in Week 1, but they came up empty down the stretch in all three games. So they’re 0-3 for the second straight year, having been outscored by a total of just 10 points.

Two takeaways

• Only the Nets had a worse record than the Pelicans (12-30) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes last season. And New Orleans is now off to a 0-3 start in the clutch. Zion Williamson missed a layup in the final minute against Indiana, committed an offensive foul when they were down one in Utah, and committed three of their four clutch turnovers in Denver.

• With Yves Missi (knee bone bruise) out, DeAndre Jordan started at center in Denver on Saturday. But the Pels went to Derik Queen alongside Williamson for most of clutch time, and they allowed just 72 points on 79 defensive possessions (91 per 100) in their 35 total minutes together.

Coming up: The Pelicans were at a rest disadvantage when they lost in Denver over the weekend, but they’ll have had three days off when they meet the Nuggets again on Wednesday. They’ll be at a disadvantage again against the Kings the following night, with a home game against Sacramento being the only time they held their opponent under a point per possession last season.

Week 2: vs. DEN, vs. SAC, vs. ATL

Record: 0-3

OffRtg: 110.2 (15) DefRtg: 122.2 (29) NetRtg: -12.0 (26)

The Warriors are 0-3 for the first time since 2007, when Kelenna Azubuike and Al Harrington were their leading scorers through three games. They had a shot to beat the Grizzlies on Friday, but shot 0-for-5 in the clutch, with Draymond Green also getting called for a costly offensive foul when they were down two in the closing seconds.

Two takeaways

• The Warriors were without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in Phoenix on Saturday, but they were also outscored by 27.6 points per 100 possessions over their 50 minutes on the floor together over the first two games. Curry is just 5-for-17 from 3-point range, and Green hasn’t made much of an impact on either end of the floor.

• Yaxel Lendeborg got taken to school by Luka Dončić on opening night, but he’s still the best thing the Warriors have going for them right now. He tallied 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists in Phoenix on Saturday, and he shot 6-for-7 on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers over the three games.

Coming up: Curry scored 42 points in his lone game against the Nuggets last season, an overtime win in San Francisco last October. The Warriors have lost their last seven games in Denver, where they’ll play Game 2 of their three-game trip on Monday.

Week 2: @ DEN, @ MIN, vs. LAL*, vs. LAC

Record: 1-2

OffRtg: 104.9 (28) DefRtg: 118.2 (23) NetRtg: -13.3 (27)

The Bulls lost their first five quarters of the season (60 total minutes) by 58 points. But they came back from a 15-point deficit to win in Milwaukee on Friday, and they got a breakout game (30 points and 14 rebounds) from Caleb Wilson in a loss to the Wizards the following night.

Two takeaways

• Tiago Splitter’s Blazers led the league in shot quality last season, but were 22nd in effective field goal percentage. The Bulls may have a similar “good shots, bad shooting” profile this year. They were last in effective field goal percentage (46.0%) in Week 1, even though they ranked third in shot quality, with only 16% of their shots having come between the restricted area and the 3-point line. Leonard Miller (sixth), Wilson (ninth) and Jalen Smith (10th) are all in the top 10 in shot quality among 119 players with at least 25 field goal attempts.

• The Bulls are in the middle of the pack in field goal percentage in the paint (58.2%), but have shot just 28-for-124 (22.6%) from 3-point range. Wilson is 18-for-25 (72%) in the restricted area and 6-for-34 (18%) outside it.

Coming up: The Bulls’ schedule now gets much tougher, with their next seven games coming against the Celtics (x 2), Knicks (x 2), Sixers (x 2) and Spurs. Chicago was a respectable 12-16 against Eastern Conference playoff teams last season.

Week 2: @ BOS, vs. NYK, @ BOS*

Record: 0-3

OffRtg: 106.4 (23) DefRtg: 118.2 (22) NetRtg: -11.8 (25)

The Nets are one of two teams (the Pelicans are the other) that are 0-3 for the second straight season. Last year, their first win came in Game 8 in Indiana, where they’ll play Game 6 this year, having already lost to the Pacers at home

Two takeaways

• The Nets’ starting lineup was a plus-14 through their first two games and, despite some ugly starter minutes against the Pacers on Sunday, they’ve still outscored their opponents (by 1.5 points per 100 possessions) with Day’Ron Sharpe on the floor. That continues a trend from the last three seasons, where Sharpe somehow registers a positive plus-minus on a team that really struggles otherwise.

• The highest opponent 3-point rate in the previous 47 seasons of the 3-point line is 45.9%. Through three games, Nets opponents have taken 50.2% of their shots from beyond the arc, connecting on 40.3% of those attempts. They did have 20 3s themselves in Cleveland on Saturday, when they almost erased all of a 22-point, fourth-quarter deficit.

Coming up: The Nets are one of three teams with a league-high 15 rest-advantage games this season, and the first is a visit to Boston on Tuesday. They’ve lost 21 of their last 23 meetings with the Celtics.

Week 2: @ BOS, vs. DET*, @ IND

Record: 0-3

OffRtg: 110.2 (16) DefRtg: 119.4 (25) NetRtg: -9.3 (22)

The Bucks had fourth-quarter leads in each of their first two games, and they were tied with the Sixers late in the third quarter on Saturday. But they haven’t been able to close the deal and are one of four winless teams in the East.

Two takeaways

• The Bucks’ starting lineup has been solid, outscoring their opponents by 16 points (18.2 per 100 possessions) in 37 minutes. But they’ve been outscored by 19.5 per 100 in 107 minutes with at least one reserve on the floor, with the issues more about defense than offense.

• Four of their five starters (all except Jaime Jaquez Jr.) have a combined free throw rate of just 12.6 attempts per 100 shots from the field, and the Bucks have been outscored by 11.3 points per game (the league’s worst discrepancy) at the line. They were also outscored by 42 points in the restricted area (114-72) over their losses to the Wizards and Bulls.

Coming up: The Bucks are one of three teams with a league-high 15 rest-advantage games this season, and the first is a visit from the Pacers on Monday. They swept the season series with Indiana last season.

Week 2: vs. IND, vs. HOU, vs. CLE

Record: 0-3

OffRtg: 105.8 (25) DefRtg: 119.6 (26) NetRtg: -13.8 (28)

Before last week, the Kings’ first seven games looked like one of their easiest stretches of the season. But they’ve been unable to crack the win column thus far, though losses to the undefeated Blazers and Grizzlies were both within five points in the last five minutes.

Two takeaways

• DeMar DeRozan isn’t here anymore, but the Kings still rank fifth in the percentage of their shots (13%) that have come from the mid-range, with both Zach LaVine (9-for-14) and Darius Acuff Jr. (6-for-14) having more mid-range attempts than the Blazers (seven) or Hawks (13).

• Acuff has scored 22.3 points per game, tied (with Caleb Wilson) for the most among rookies. That scoring volume has been boosted by his minutes (35.9 per game, also most among rookies) and a usage rate of 33.2%, fifth in the league and what would be the highest usage rate for a rookie in the last 10 seasons. Acuff’s true shooting percentage of 41.2% ranks last among the 48 players who averaged at least 20 points in Week 1.

Coming up: The Kings will face the Grizzlies again on a four-game trip that begins in San Antonio on Tuesday. They lost their three games against the Spurs by an average of 19.3 points last season.

Week 2: @ SAS, @ NOP, @ MEM