The Thunder remain the league’s only unbeaten team after defeating the Pelicans, tying their franchise record with a 7-0 start.
After two weeks of hoops, only one team remains unbeaten.
Surprise, surprise … It’s the Oklahoma City Thunder.
No championship hangover. No issues with the absence of Jalen Williams … or Chet Holmgren. They have the league’s No. 1 defense, once again.
The champs are 7-0, with the point differential (despite a couple of close calls) of a team that would finish with 71 wins.
Not a bad start, though not a shock.
But the Bulls and Sixers are tied for first place in the East?
Plus-Minus Players of the Week
Teams of the Week
Make It Last Forever: Portland (3-0) — The Blazers have wins over the Warriors, Lakers and Nuggets.
Something Just Ain’t Right: New Orleans (0-4) — The Pelicans got absolutely clobbered in three of their four losses.
* * *
East vs. West
The West is 16-10 (.615) against the East in interconference games after going 10-7 last week.
* * *
Movement in the Rankings
High jumps of the week: Portland (+8), Houston (+7), Milwaukee (+7)
Free falls of the week: New Orleans (-6), Orlando (-6)
* * *
Week 3 Team to Watch
Chicago — The Bulls are one of five East teams with winning records, and they’ll face three of the other four (Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Cleveland) this week.
* * *
Previously…
OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
The league has averaged 114.6 points scored per 100 possessions and 101.6 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.
* Emirates NBA Cup game
NBA.com’s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man’s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, contact him via Bluesky.
#1
Oklahoma City ThunderLast Week:1
Record: 7-0
OffRtg: 117.3 (7) DefRtg: 104.2 (1) NetRtg: +13.1 (1) Pace: 98.8 (26)
Jalen Williams is going to miss some extra time because he had to have a screw removed from his surgically repaired right wrist. But that’s no big deal for the Thunder, who are now 20-0 without Williams since the start of last season.
Three takeaways
Williams hasn’t been the only starter out. The Thunder have been without Chet Holmgren (back) for the last three games and were also missing Lu Dort (illness) on Sunday afternoon. The absences could challenge their depth, but they’ve still outscored their opponents by 11.3 points per 100 possessions (allowing just 92.4 per 100) in 104 total minutes with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander off the floor this season.
The champs were 6-0 despite ranking last in 3-point percentage (29.6%) through Saturday. They’ve been a little better (10-for-29, 34%) on clutch 3s, with Alex Caruso and Gilgeous-Alexander hitting big ones in the final minute of their win over the Kings on Tuesday. And they busted out offensively over the weekend, shooting 20-for-48 (42%) from deep (getting at least two 3s from six guys) in their 31-point win over New Orleans.
The Thunder have seen the league’s second-biggest drop in pace from last season, and that’s mostly about their transition offense. According to Synergy tracking, only 13.5% of their possessions have been in transition. That’s the lowest rate in the league and down from 19.3% (11th) last season.
Coming up: The Thunder’s perfect record should be challenged on the back-to-back that tips off a four-game trip. They’ll have a rest advantage when they visit the Clippers on Tuesday, but will be at a disadvantage the following night in Portland. The game against the Blazers will be a matchup of the teams that rank first (Portland) and second in turnover differential.
Week 3: @ LAC, @ POR, @ SAC*, @ MEM
#2
Denver NuggetsLast Week:3↑
Record: 3-2
OffRtg: 121.1 (3) DefRtg: 109.6 (4) NetRtg: +11.5 (3) Pace: 100.1 (21)
The Nuggets are the only team that ranks in the top five on both ends of the floor, but they’re just 3-2, having dropped a pair of nail-biters after blowing fourth-quarter leads.
Three takeaways
The Nuggets have allowed 40 points on just 24 clutch defensive possessions (167 per 100), with their opponents having shot an amazing 7-for-8 on clutch 3-pointers. Those opponents are also 9-for-10 on clutch free throws, with Jerami Grant hitting the game-winners (one unintentionally) after Aaron Gordon got caught with a bad foul on what would have been a very difficult shot with one second left on Friday.
After recording triple-doubles in each of the Nuggets’ first four games, Nikola Jokić came one assist short of No. 5 on Friday. (Christian Braun missed an open 3 with 35 seconds left that would have given Jokić the triple-double and probably sealed the win for Denver.) Jokić’s usage rate of 22.0% (which doesn’t take assists into account) is down from 28.5% last season and would be his lowest rate since his rookie year.
As was the case in the preseason, the Nuggets have seen a big increase in their use of zone defense. According to Synergy tracking, they’ve played at least 10 possessions of zone in three of their five games. Overall, they’ve been the league’s second-most-improved defensive team, having allowed 5.5 fewer per 100 possessions than they did last season.
Coming up: The Nuggets are home all week, with a chance to avenge their opening-night, overtime loss (in which they were outscored, 61-37, in the restricted area or on free throws) when they host the Warriors on Friday.
Week 3: vs. SAC, vs. MIA, vs. GSW*, vs. IND
#3
Los Angeles LakersLast Week:6↑
Record: 5-2
OffRtg: 117.1 (8) DefRtg: 115.4 (17) NetRtg: +1.7 (12) Pace: 101.6 (16)
The Lakers went 2-1 without Luka Dončić, who returned over the weekend, led them to two more wins, and is averaging 41.3 points per game.
Three takeaways
The Lakers were the only team that hadn’t outscored an opponent from 3-point range … until Sunday, when they were a plus-18 from beyond the arc in their wire-to-wire win over the Heat. Dončić shot just 1-for-11 from deep, but he assisted on six 3s and is now an amazing 34-for-41 (83%) in the paint for the season, despite having just one dunk.
Who is number 12? It’s Jake LaRavia, who scored 27 points on 10-for-11 shooting in the Lakers’ win in Minnesota on Wednesday, and then had 25 on 10-for-13 against the Heat. The only two other times in his career (143 total games) that LaRavia had at least 10 buckets in a game were at the very end of the Grizzlies’ ugly, 2023-24 season. He also ranks fifth in the league with 28 total deflections.
His dad remains on the shelf, but Bronny James got some rotation minutes on Sunday and was on the floor with Dončić, LaRavia and Austin Reaves as the Lakers closed out the win over the Heat. James finished with assists and three steals, also throwing down a dunk on a fast-break lob from Reaves.
Coming up: For the second straight Monday, the Lakers will be playing the second half of a back-to-back against the Blazers (who will be rested this time). They return home to get their first taste of the new Spurs before heading out on a five-game trip.
Week 3: @ POR, vs. SAS, @ ATL
#4
Houston RocketsLast Week:11↑
Record: 3-2
OffRtg: 126.5 (1) DefRtg: 113.5 (12) NetRtg: +13.0 (2) Pace: 96.8 (28)
After losing their first two games by a total of five points, the Rockets have won their last three by a total of 73, overwhelming opponents with the league’s No. 1 offense.
Three takeaways
The Rockets’ wins over the Nets and Raptors last week came with two of the three most efficient offensive performances for any team this season, and their 137 points on 92 possessions against Brooklyn is tied for the 15th most efficient performance in the 30 years for which we have play-by-play data. That was with a 0-for-6 performance from mid-range.
Some of this offense is obviously unsustainable, with the Rockets currently shooting an NBA-record 45.4% from 3-point range. Tari Eason, Alperen Sengun and Josh Okogie are a combined 30-for-55 (54.5%) from beyond the arc, having shot a combined 30.4% over their careers before this season. Of course, few teams rely on 3-point shots less than the Rockets, who rank 28th in 3-point rate (35.4% of their field goal attempts).
Okogie replaced Steven Adams in the starting lineup last week, when the new group outscored opponents by 22 points in 39 minutes, taking only 19 (30%) of its 63 shots from beyond the arc. Sengun has still played more than half of his minutes alongside Adams or Clint Capela, with the Rockets outscoring opponents by 29 points per 100 possessions in those double-big minutes.
Coming up: The Rockets’ frontline will have a very intriguing weekend when they complete a three-game trip with games in San Antonio and Milwaukee. They’ve won eight of their last 10 games against the Spurs, holding them to just 105.1 points per 100 possessions over four meetings last season.
Week 3: vs. DAL, @ MEM, @ SAS*, @ MIL
#5
Milwaukee BucksLast Week:12↑
Record: 4-2
OffRtg: 120.8 (4) DefRtg: 115.4 (18) NetRtg: +5.4 (7) Pace: 102.4 (12)
The Bucks picked up impressive wins over the Knicks and Warriors last week, the latter coming without Giannis Antetokounmpo. But they couldn’t get stops against the Kings on Saturday, coming up short when the rim got in the way of Antetokounmpo’s pass to Myles Turner.
Three takeaways
Kevin Porter Jr. suffered a knee injury on his way back from an ankle injury (suffered in the first quarter of Game 1), is out another month, and has probably lost his starting job already. Ryan Rollins has been a revelation, averaging 18.2 points, 5.5 assists and 2.3 steals, scoring a career-high 25 points against the Knicks and then topping that with 32 against the Warriors. He knows how to use his 6-10 wingspan on defense (5.6 deflections per 36 minutes) and on offense, where he’ll turn a drive through traffic into an unexpected dunk. His 27-for-36 (75%) shooting in the paint ranks seventh among 134 players with at least 25 attempts.
The Bucks rank in the bottom six in shooting-opportunity differential for the fourth straight season, having averaged 4.2 fewer than their opponents. They had nine fewer than the Kings on Sunday.
Coming up: The Bucks are one of three teams with a league-low six rest-disadvantage games this season, with their first coming Tuesday in Toronto. Their first stretch of five games in seven days begins five days later with a visit from the Rockets.
Week 3: @ IND, @ TOR, vs. CHI*, vs. HOU
#6
Golden State WarriorsLast Week:2↓
Record: 4-3
OffRtg: 114.8 (17) DefRtg: 112.7 (9) NetRtg: +2.1 (11) Pace: 101.1 (19)
After an impressive 4-1 start in which all four wins came against last season’s Western Conference playoff teams, the Warriors traveled East and took a step backward. They lost to the Bucks without Giannis Antetokounmpo and the depleted Pacers, who were playing the second game of a back-to-back.
Three takeaways
The Warriors scored just 106.8 points per 100 possessions over the two losses and are back in the bottom 10 (26th) in turnover rate for what would be the fifth time in the last six seasons after a reprieve (14th) last season. Stephen Curry had 10 turnovers (with just six assists) over the two losses, also shooting just 4-for-16 from 3-point range in Indiana on Saturday.
The Indiana loss was the best game of the season for the Warriors’ 23rd-ranked bench. They took a double-digit lead with a 24-8 run spanning the third and fourth quarters, with Curry on the bench the entire time. But, with their starters back on the floor, they faltered down the stretch, shooting 0-for-6 on clutch 3-pointers and 1-for-3 on clutch free throws.
For what would be the eighth time in the last 10 seasons, the Warriors have been at their best in the third quarter. The third quarter score in their wins over the Grizzlies and Clippers early last week was Warriors 68, opponents 38.
Coming up: Their losses in Milwaukee and Indiana began a stretch where the Warriors are playing 10 of 12 games on the road, and their biggest game in that stretch could be their visit to Denver (their NBA Emirates Cup opener) on Friday. They got 42 points from Curry as they came back from 14 points down to beat the Nuggets in Week 1.
Week 3: vs. PHX, @ SAC, @ DEN*, vs. IND
#7
New York KnicksLast Week:4↓
Record: 3-3
OffRtg: 116.2 (11) DefRtg: 115.3 (16) NetRtg: +0.9 (14) Pace: 99.9 (23)
After a 0-3 road trip, the Knicks returned home and got some revenge on the Bulls, remaining one of two teams (the 3-2 Clippers are the other) that are undefeated at home and winless on the road.
Three takeaways
There have been a lot more 3s in New York games this season. The Knicks themselves have seen the biggest jump in 3-point rate by a wide margin, from 38.2% (28th) last season to 48.5% (fourth) this season. They were 20-for-42 (48%) from deep in their win over the Bulls on Sunday, with six Knicks making at least two 3s.
They’ve also seen the second-biggest jump in opponent 3-point rate, with 46.7% of their opponents’ shots (fifth-highest) coming from beyond the arc. That’s been a little bit of an issue with their opponents having shot better than 40% from deep in four of their six games. Overall, the Knicks and their opponents have combined to make 32 3-pointers per game, the league’s highest combined mark and up from 25.6 (seventh-lowest) last season.
Mitchell Robinson made his season debut on Friday and started each of the Knicks’ two weekend games, though he played just 12 total minutes alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks have outscored their opponents by 11.9 points per 100 possessions in 109 minutes with their four full-time starters on the floor together, an improvement on their numbers from last season.
Coming up: Last season, the Knicks had the league’s second-biggest differential between their record with rest (45-22, .672, fifth-best) and their record in the second games of back-to-backs (6-9, .400, 18th). Game 2 of their seven-game homestand (Monday vs. Washington) is also the second game of their first back-to-back this season.
Week 3: vs. WAS, vs. MIN, vs. BKN
#8
Cleveland CavaliersLast Week:5↓
Record: 4-3
OffRtg: 111.3 (26) DefRtg: 111.0 (6) NetRtg: +0.3 (16) Pace: 102.6 (11)
Before they could get Darius Garland or Max Strus back, the Cavs’ injury list got longer. Jarrett Allen (finger) and Sam Merrill (hip) both missed multiple games last week, and Donovan Mitchell (hamstring) sat out their loss to the Raptors on Friday.
Three takeaways
Mitchell returned from a one-game absence to score 37 points (shooting 8-for-15 from 3-point range) in an important win over the Hawks on Sunday. The Cavs still scored fewer than 110 points per 100 possessions for the fourth time this season. They scored fewer than 100 per 100 just eight times all of last season (zero times before Thanksgiving), and one of those was their season finale, when they rested most of their rotation. Overall, they’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions.
Injuries to the starters hurt the depth, and the Cavs’ bench ranks 25th (it ranked third last season). Larry Nance Jr. has shot just 12-for-39 (including 1-for-9 in a start on Sunday) and his minutes haven’t been good, especially for the Cleveland offense.
The Cavs will give up some corner 3-pointers, and their opponents have shot an amazing 30-for-54 (56%) from the corners this season. But after giving up a couple of in-rhythm, weak-side looks to Duncan Robinson early in their game in Detroit on Monday, the Cavs locked down and ultimately held the Pistons to just 95 points on 106 possessions, one of the worst offensive performances for any team this season.
Coming up: The Cavs are one of four teams with three stretches of five games in seven days. Their first begins with an NBA Emirates Cup game in Washington on Friday, with the Cavs having won 12 straight games against the Wizards.
Week 3: vs. PHI, @ WAS*, vs. CHI
#9
San Antonio SpursLast Week:8↓
Record: 5-1
OffRtg: 117.0 (9) DefRtg: 108.2 (2) NetRtg: +8.8 (4) Pace: 98.8 (27)
The Spurs got off to the first 5-0 start in franchise history, but the party came to an end on Sunday, when they trailed by as many as 31 points in Phoenix.
Three takeaways
They’ve also outscored their opponents by more than 20 points in the restricted area in four of their six games. That includes their game in Phoenix on Sunday, when the score at the basket couldn’t make up for the difference on the perimeter. The Suns shot 19-for-33 (58%) from 3-point range, outscoring the Spurs by 27 points from beyond the arc.
De’Aaron Fox should be getting close to his season debut, but the Spurs lost Dylan Harper to a calf injury on Sunday. Fox’s eventual return should have the biggest effect on Stephon Castle, who ranks 12th in the league in time of possession at 6.3 minutes per game. The reigning Rookie of the Year has shot much better both inside the arc and from beyond, while also registering a free-throw rate of 62.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field, fifth highest among 137 players with at least 50 field goal attempts and up from 34.8 per 100 last season.
Coming up: After visiting the Lakers on Wednesday, the Spurs will play seven of their next eight games at home. They’ll open NBA Emirates Cup action with a huge matchup against the Rockets on Friday, having scored just 105.1 points per 100 possessions (their second-worst mark vs. any opponent) against Houston last season.
Week 3: @ LAL, vs. HOU, vs. NOP
#10
Minnesota TimberwolvesLast Week:7↓
Record: 3-3
OffRtg: 115.3 (14) DefRtg: 116.9 (23) NetRtg: -1.6 (20) Pace: 100.0 (22)
The Wolves lost their first two (full) games without Anthony Edwards (hamstring strain), getting beaten by Austin Reaves at the buzzer on Wednesday. But they won in Charlotte thanks to 30 points from Julius Randle over the weekend.
Three takeaways
Mike Conley has replaced Edwards in the starting lineup, led the Wolves in time of possession, and registered an assist-turnover ratio of 16/3 over the three games without their star. The Conley lineup has outscored opponents by 15 points (14.2 per 100 possessions) in its 53 total minutes.
The difference between the Wolves’ wins (107.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) and losses (126.2 allowed per 100) has been defense. As is often the case with a Rudy-Gobert-anchored team, it’s about how the opponents shoot on 2-pointers outside the restricted area. In the three losses and including Reaves’ game-winner, the Lakers (x2) and Nuggets have shot 57-for-92 (62%) on those non-restricted-area 2s.
Randle is off to an efficient start to the season, ranking third in true shooting percentage (68.7%) among 44 players with a usage rate of at least 25%. He’s 16-for-34 (47%) from 3-point range, while also registering career-best marks in the paint (63.5%) and at the line (82.5%).
Coming up: Randle scored just eight points in his return to Madison Square Garden last season, but the Wolves won by 17. They’ll finish a three-game trip there on Wednesday before making their way West, with a brief stop at home for their NBA Emirates Cup opener.
Week 3: @ BKN, @ NYK, vs. UTA*, @ SAC
#11
LA ClippersLast Week:9↓
Record: 3-2
OffRtg: 115.1 (16) DefRtg: 115.9 (20) NetRtg: -0.8 (18) Pace: 96.6 (30)
The Clippers have had a pair of ugly losses (by 21 and 19 points) on the road, but they’re 3-0 at home after surviving a scare against the winless Pelicans on Friday.
Three takeaways
The Clippers were the only team that hadn’t played a clutch game before Friday, when they blew a 17-point, second-half lead to New Orleans and escaped with a win on Kawhi Leonard’s pull-up jumper at the buzzer. That (34 points on 11-for-16 shooting, five assists) was Leonard’s best offensive game of the season, and he added six steals on the other end of the floor. He’s one of two players averaging at least 20 points on 50/40/90 shooting splits.
The Clippers’ two losses have been very different. On opening night, they allowed the Jazz to score more efficiently (129 points on 95 possessions) than they did in any game last season. At Golden State on Tuesday (when they had a rest advantage), the Clippers themselves scored just 79 on 89, the second-worst offensive performance for any team this season. That included only 17 points on 29 possessions with Chris Paul on the floor, and thoughts of a dominant second unit have not yet come to fruition, with the Clips struggling to score with the 21-year vet running the show.
The Clippers were 9 points per 100 possessions better at home than on the road last season — the league’s biggest differential. New season, same story so far.
Coming up: The Clippers’ win over New Orleans was the start of a stretch where they’re playing six of seven games at home. But this week brings their first back-to-back, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage against the Thunder on Tuesday.
Week 3: vs. MIA, vs. OKC, @ PHX, vs. PHX
#12
Detroit PistonsLast Week:10↓
Record: 4-2
OffRtg: 114.3 (18) DefRtg: 111.3 (7) NetRtg: +3.0 (10) Pace: 101.8 (15)
Since their opening-night loss in Chicago, the Pistons have won four of their last five games, with the only defeat coming in a rest-disadvantage game against the Cavs.
Three takeaways
In that loss to the Cavs, the Pistons committed 26 turnovers, the most for any team in a game this season. They followed that with wins over the Magic and Mavs, committing just 22 turnovers total. Cade Cunningham had zero turnovers (for just the seventh time in his career) against Orlando and just one (with a career-high 18 assists) against Dallas. He hasn’t shot well (career-low effective field goal percentage of 44.6%), but Cunningham has been making plays.
Double-bigs are a thing now, so the Pistons have brought back the combination of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, who played just eight total minutes together last season. They’ve played 23 minutes together this year, with the Pistons allowing just 50 points on 51 defensive possessions in those minutes. There was also an offensive possession against the Cavs on Monday where Duren handled the ball in a pick-and-roll, with his drive eventually leading to a catch-and-shoot 3 for Stewart.
Even with one big man on the floor, the Pistons are dominating inside. They’ve outscored their opponents by 16.3 points per game, the league’s second biggest differential, in the restricted area. Restricted-area points in Mexico City on Saturday were Pistons 52, Mavs 14, with Duren (10-for-11) outscoring Dallas at the basket by himself.
Coming up: The Pistons have a good opportunity to keep rolling. They’ll have rest advantages in Memphis and Philadelphia this week, with games against the Jazz and Nets in between.
Week 3: @ MEM, vs. UTA, @ BKN*, @ PHI
#13
Chicago BullsLast Week:17↑
Record: 5-1
OffRtg: 118.3 (5) DefRtg: 112.9 (11) NetRtg: +5.4 (8) Pace: 102.9 (9)
The Bulls had their first 5-0 start in 29 years (since the middle of the second three-peat) before losing at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Three takeaways
The Bulls’ improvement from last season has been a little more about offense than defense, but the offensive success feels a little more real, with their opponents having shot just 28-for-108 (26%) from 3-point range over their first four games. They did limit attempts in those games (just 30% of their opponents’ total shots), but couldn’t continue to do so in their home-and-home set with the Knicks. New York made 10 more 3-pointers over the two weekend games (38-for-87) than those first four opponents did total.
With his 23 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists on Sunday, Josh Giddey has as many career triple-doubles at Madison Square Garden (four) as LeBron James, with only Josh Hart (11) and Julius Randle (five) having more among active players. Giddey, Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić are the only players averaging at least 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Giddey has been, by a huge margin, the best 3-point shooter (40.7%) of the three.
Coming up: After hosting the Sixers on Tuesday, the Bulls will play 10 of their next 13 games on the road. That includes a visit to Cleveland on Saturday (the second game of a back-to-back for both teams), with the Bulls having lost 11 of their last 12 meetings with the Cavs.
Week 3: vs. PHI, @ MIL*, @ CLE
#14
Portland Trail BlazersLast Week:22↑
Record: 4-2
OffRtg: 115.4 (13) DefRtg: 110.1 (5) NetRtg: +5.3 (9) Pace: 105.5 (3)
The Blazers have won three straight games, coming back from 10 points down in the fourth quarter against the Nuggets on Friday. They’ve seemingly picked up where they left off last season, when they had a top-five defense over their last 41 games.
Three takeaways
The Blazers continue to turn teams over at a remarkable rate. They rank fifth defensively, despite being the only team that ranks in the bottom 10 in three of the four factors on that end of the floor. They’ve committed at least three fewer turnovers than their opponents in all six of their games (30 fewer over the last five), having forced 21.1 per 100. The Nuggets had four turnovers on 11 clutch possessions on Friday, with the last one (a 24-second violation) coming after Toumani Camara tied up Nikola Jokić with the score tied in the closing seconds.
They’re also one of three teams that rank in the top 10 in both 3-point rate (45%, ninth) and (lowest) opponent 3-point rate (37.6%, fourth), and they’ve outscored their opponents by 66 points from beyond the arc over the three-game winning streak.
Jrue Holiday has been providing some offense, scoring 51 points over wins in L.A. and Utah, then dishing out 13 assists against the Nuggets. He leads the Blazers in time of possession (4.7 minutes per game) and his usage rate (21.7%) is, unsurprisingly, much higher than it was in his two seasons in Boston (16.1% and 15.6%).
Coming up: The Blazers will now play four straight rest-advantage games (the longest such streak for any team this season), where they’re rested and facing a team on the second night of a back-to-back. But it’s a tough stretch in regard to the opponents — the Lakers, Thunder, Heat and Magic — and L.A. should have Luka Dončić, who was absent in the Blazers’ win last week.
Week 3: vs. LAL, vs. OKC, @ MIA
#15
Philadelphia 76ersLast Week:18↑
Record: 5-1
OffRtg: 123.0 (2) DefRtg: 115.8 (19) NetRtg: +7.2 (6) Pace: 100.3 (20)
The Sixers won’t be going 82-0, as their comeback from 24 points against the Celtics on Friday came up short. They’re one of four teams with fewer than two losses, and their offense remains afire.
Three takeaways
Three of the Sixers’ first four wins came after they trailed by double-digits in the fourth quarter. They were 0-46 when trailing by at least 10 points in the fourth quarter last season and are almost halfway to the record for the most such wins (seven) in the 30 seasons for which we have play-by-play data. They’re offense has been pretty anemic (93.3 scored per 100) in third quarters, but they’ve shot 26-for-50 (52%) on fourth-quarter 3-pointers, with Quentin Grimes 8-for-11.
Overall, the Sixers’ shooting hasn’t been lights out; They rank 12th in effective field goal percentage. But they have outperformed their shot quality (which ranks 28th, according to tracking data) and rank in the top 10 in each of the other four factors on offense.
All those comebacks require the Sixers’ scorers to play to the wire, and Tyrese Maxey (42.4), VJ Edgecombe (38.9) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (38.1) rank first, second and fourth in minutes per game. The Sixers have scored 19.7 more points per 100 possessions with Maxey on the floor (124.2) than they have with him on the bench (104.5).
Coming up: The Sixers’ Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back in Chicago and Cleveland is suddenly kind of big. They’ll then have two days off and play 10 of their next 13 games at home.
Week 3: @ CHI, @ CLE, vs. TOR, vs. DET
#16
Miami HeatLast Week:14↓
Record: 3-3
OffRtg: 116.4 (10) DefRtg: 108.9 (3) NetRtg: +7.5 (5) Pace: 107.1 (1)
The Heat were making some noise with a new offense and a three-game winning streak. But they’ve been playing without Norman Powell (in addition to Tyler Herro) and have dropped the first two games of a four-game trip.
Three takeaways
After coming off the bench in the season opener, Kel’el Ware has started the last five games. But his minutes have not been good, and he was on the bench at the start of the second half in L.A. on Sunday. The Heat have been outscored by nearly 29 points per 100 possessions (allowing 133 per 100) in 48 minutes with Ware and Bam Adebayo on the floor together, but are a plus-24 per 100 (allowing just 98.3 per 100) in Adebayo’s 157 minutes as the lone big.
Their loss in San Antonio on Thursday was the Heat’s slowest-paced and worst offensive game of the season. They registered just 19 transition points after averaging 35.8 through their first three games. They got back on the run (41 transition points) in L.A. on Sunday, but couldn’t get stops.
Their defense still ranks third, though it’s yielded a lot of corner 3s. The percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come from 3-point range and the percentage of their opponents’ 3-point attempts that have come from the corners are both top-five rates. It’s a pace-aided number to an extent, but the 13 corner 3-point attempts per game that the Heat have allowed would be the most for any team in the 30 seasons for which we have shot-location data.
Coming up: The Heat’s loss to the Lakers on Sunday was the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days, which will take them from coast to coast. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage at the Intuit Dome on Monday night and again against the Blazers over the weekend.
Week 3: @ LAC, @ DEN, vs. CHA*, vs. POR
#17
Boston CelticsLast Week:21↑
Record: 3-4
OffRtg: 115.2 (15) DefRtg: 114.2 (13) NetRtg: +1.0 (13) Pace: 96.7 (29)
The Celtics responded to their 0-3 start with three straight wins, knocking off the Cavs and (previously-undefeated) Sixers before getting clobbered by the Rockets on Saturday.
Three takeaways
The Celtics’ starting lineup wasn’t the problem over the first three games of the season, but they made a change (Josh Minott in, Sam Hauser out) last week. The new group outscored opponents by 25 points in 37 minutes over the winning streak, despite shooting just 9-for-32 from 3-point range. The overall numbers aren’t as good as those of the original lineup, but the Celtics have rebounded much better with Minott on the floor than they have otherwise.
As was the case in the preseason, the Celtics have seen the league’s biggest jump in average pick-up distance on defense. With that has comes a big jump in opponent turnover rate, and they’re one of the two teams (the Thunder are the other) that rank in the top five in turnover rate on both ends of the floor. Payton Pritchard and Derrick White have a combined assist-turnover ratio of 67/16 (4.47).
But Pritchard (9-for-50, 18%) and White (17-for-68, 25%) have been the two worst shooters from 3-point range among 58 players with at least 35 attempts. The percentage of Pritchard’s attempts that have been wide open (48%) has seen a small dip from last season (51%), though the percentage that have been off the catch (70%) is actually up (from 63%).
Coming up: The Celtics have a good opportunity to climb above .500, hosting the Jazz and Wizards early this week, currently holding winning streaks of five and eight games against those opponents, respectively. The schedule will get tougher after that.
Week 3: vs. UTA, vs. WAS, @ ORL*, @ ORL
#18
Atlanta HawksLast Week:15↓
Record: 3-4
OffRtg: 111.9 (25) DefRtg: 114.9 (15) NetRtg: -2.9 (22) Pace: 102.9 (10)
Trae Young is out for at least a month after suffering a right knee injury in Brooklyn on Wednesday. The Hawks were able to beat the Nets and Pacers without him, but came up short in Cleveland on Sunday.
Three takeaways
Through their first four games, the Hawks had scored an anemic 91.1 points per 100 possessions in Young’s 60 minutes off the floor. But their offense picked up after losing Young late in the first period on Wednesday. In those first seven quarters after his injury, they scored 123 per 100, with pretty balanced scoring over the wins in Brooklyn and Indiana. The time of possession has also been pretty balanced, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels all averaging between 3.9 and 4.4 minutes of possession over the last three games.
The Hawks might be able to survive Young’s absence with defense. Additionally, with Alexander-Walker in Young’s place, they have what could be a terrific lineup on that end of the floor. But they’ve allowed almost 122 points per 100 possessions in 106 minutes with Alexander-Walker, Daniels and Johnson on the floor together.
The Hawks are one of two teams – the Sixers are the other – with three wins in games they’ve trailed by double-digits, but they need to get off to better starts. In the last three games of their four-game trip, they trailed 12-0 in Brooklyn, 18-6 in Indiana and 16-2 in Cleveland. They’ve had double-digit, first-quarter deficits in five of their seven games overall.
Coming up: Having spent last week on the road, the Hawks are back in Atlanta for a three-game homestand. They’ll have two days off after hosting the Magic on Tuesday, but will then begin a stretch of five games in seven days with another visit from the Raptors. They trailed by as many as 29 points in their opening-night loss to Toronto.
Week 3: vs. ORL, vs. TOR*, vs. LAL
#19
Orlando MagicLast Week:13↓
Record: 3-4
OffRtg: 113.0 (22) DefRtg: 112.7 (10) NetRtg: +0.2 (17) Pace: 103.3 (6)
A four-game losing streak had the Magic topping most of the “most disappointing teams” lists last week. But they got some schedule relief and have won two straight, taking care of business in Charlotte and Washington.
Three takeaways
After scoring just 102.5 points per 100 possessions over their first three games (all at home), the Magic have scored 121.4 per 100 over their last four (all on the road). After a slow start, Paolo Banchero has averaged 26 points on 56% shooting over the road trip. He was 5-for-10 from 3-point range over the two wins, but the bigger improvement has come in the paint, where he’s shot 25-for-33 (76%) over the last four, up from 13-for-31 (42%) through the first three.
In total, Banchero has taken 56% of his shots in the paint, up from 46% last season. He’s seen a bigger jump in free-throw rate, with his 60.5 attempts per 100 shots from the field ranking eighth among 137 players with at least 50 field goal attempts.
Coming up: The Magic had just 13 deflections when they lost to the Hawks in Week 1, though that loss was more about the other end of the floor. They’ll close their five-game trip in Atlanta on Tuesday, and then play seven of their next nine games at home.
Week 3: @ ATL, vs. BOS*, vs. BOS
#20
Toronto RaptorsLast Week:20
Record: 3-4
OffRtg: 115.8 (12) DefRtg: 117.1 (24) NetRtg: -1.3 (19) Pace: 103.1 (8)
After losing four straight games, the Raptors got weekend wins over the shorthanded Cavs and Grizzlies. They’re one of five 3-4 teams in the Eastern Conference.
Three takeaways
The Raptors’ feast-or-famine defense allowed almost 126 points per 100 possessions over their four-game losing streak, forcing turnovers, but also yielding too many layups, free throws and offensive rebounds. Then they got to play the Cavs without Donovan Mitchell and the Grizzlies without Ja Morant, and they allowed just 106 per 100 over the two wins. We could see if the improvement is real when they face two top-five offenses (those of the Bucks and Sixers) this week.
The Raptors certainly wouldn’t have been the favorite to be the first team to shoot better than 50% on at least 30 3-point attempts this season. But they did that on Wednesday … and lost by 18, getting clobbered on the glass and outscored by 32 points (54-22) in the restricted area by the Rockets. They’ve been an improved defensive rebounding team, but their total rebounding percentage on Wednesday (30.5%) was the lowest for any team in any game in the last 19 seasons.
They didn’t shoot 50% from deep in Cleveland on Friday, but Jamison Battle was 6-for-6 from beyond the arc, with all 20 of his points coming in the second half (because he didn’t play before halftime). Battle is basically the Raptors’ 12th man and played two minutes two nights later against Memphis. It’s unlikely that he’ll ever shoot 6-for-6 from deep again, but the Raptors may just need Battle to be a more regular part of the rotation to help with their spacing and 3-point rate (which ranks 25th).
Coming up: Having played four of their last five games against the Western Conference, the Raptors will now play 14 straight within the East. The start of a five-game road trip (Friday) is a return to Atlanta, where they won by 20 on opening night.
Week 3: vs. MIL, @ ATL*, @ PHI
#21
Memphis GrizzliesLast Week:16↓
Record: 3-4
OffRtg: 112.4 (24) DefRtg: 116.8 (22) NetRtg: -4.4 (25) Pace: 103.9 (4)
It’s not good when, less than two weeks into the season, your best player is showing lackluster effort and openly calling out the coaching staff. The Grizzlies suspended Ja Morant for their loss in Toronto on Sunday and have now dropped three of their last four games.
Three takeaways
Of course, Morant’s minutes have been limited with both Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome having been unavailable all season. The other options at point guard are Cam Spencer (who isn’t really a point guard) and two-way rookie Javon Small.
Morant did have the game-winning bucket with 7.3 seconds left in Phoenix on Wednesday, when Cedric Coward also hit a big 3 down the stretch. The Grizzlies have been at their best (plus-8.9 per 100 possessions) with the rookie on the floor. Coward is the only NBA player this season who has shot 65% or better on at least 30 2-point attempts, 45% or better on at least 20 3-point attempts and 90% or better from the free throw line.
Coming up: A tough, four-game homestand begins with a rest-disadvantage game against the Pistons on Monday and includes visits from the Rockets and Thunder. Memphis had the worst record (6-19) in games played between the eight Western Conference playoff teams last season and, including a four-game sweep in the first round, has lost 13 straight games to Oklahoma City.
Week 3: vs. DET, vs. HOU, vs. DAL*, vs. OKC
#22
Dallas MavericksLast Week:19↓
Record: 2-4
OffRtg: 104.2 (30) DefRtg: 112.0 (8) NetRtg: -7.8 (26) Pace: 103.9 (5)
Daniel Gafford made his season debut on Saturday, but not before Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis were lost to injuries. The Mavs’ big lineups haven’t been so big, and their only wins have come against Toronto and Indiana.
Three takeaways
With the other centers out, Dwight Powell was called upon against the Pacers on Wednesday and his 29 minutes were the most he’s played in a game since the start of last season. He came through, totaling 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks, and the Pacers shot just 11-for-36 (31%) in the paint with Powell on the floor. The Mavs have outscored their opponents by 19 points (allowing 102.8 per 100) in 126 total minutes with one of their three true centers (Gafford, Lively or Powell) on the floor, but have been outscored by 69 points (allowing 119.9 per 100) in 162 minutes otherwise.
The team that was supposed to dominate inside has ranked last in offensive rebounding percentage and been outscored by 12.3 points per game (the league’s biggest discrepancy) in the restricted area. The two biggest restricted-area differentials in any game this season are Spurs-Mavs (50-12) in Week 1 and Pistons-Mavs (52-14) on Saturday.
The injuries to the bigs have allowed the Mavs to add some shooting to their starting lineup. Max Christie has started the last three games and is now 16-for-32 (50%) from beyond the arc, ranking second with 11 corner 3-pointers. The Mavs have scored 22.4 more points per 100 possessions with Christie on the floor (111.1) than they have with him on the bench (88.7).
Coming up: The Mavs will be without Davis for at least one more game, and the next one (their first true road game of the season) is against the big Rockets on Monday. They got absolutely clobbered on the glass (without Davis, Gafford or Lively) in the final meeting (a 37-point loss) last season.
Week 3: @ HOU, vs. NOP, @ MEM*, @ WAS
#23
Phoenix SunsLast Week:26↑
Record: 3-4
OffRtg: 113.7 (20) DefRtg: 116.1 (21) NetRtg: -2.4 (21) Pace: 102.4 (13)
The Suns have suddenly won two straight games, handing the Spurs their first loss of the season in a game that Phoenix led by as many as 31 points.
Three takeaways
The Suns lead the league in 3-point differential, having outscored their opponents by 12 points per game from beyond the arc. They hit nine more 3-pointers than the Spurs on Sunday, and they’re one of two teams – the Bucks are the other – that haven’t been outscored from 3-point range this season. They’ve seen both a big jump in their own 3-point rate and a big drop in their opponents’ rate.
With the departures of Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant, Devin Booker has seen only small jumps in time of possession (4.9 to 5.1 minutes per game) and usage rate (28.5% to 30.1%) from last season. He scored 28 points and dished out 13 assists against San Antonio and is registering career-best marks in both effective field goal percentage (58.9%) and free throw rate (45.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field).
Mark Williams had already been closing games, and he replaced Oso Ighodaro in the starting lineup on Wednesday. Regarding box score numbers, Williams had a relatively quiet weekend after totaling 45 points over his previous two games. But he’s got a Jokić-esque on-off differential, with the Suns having been 26.9 points per 100 possessions better with Williams on the floor (plus-11.3) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-15.6).
Coming up: In Week 1, the Suns allowed the Clippers to score 129 points on just 97 possessions, easily LA’s most efficient offensive performance thus far. They’ll face the Clippers two more times this week, a home-and-home set on Thursday and Saturday.
Week 3: @ GSW, vs. LAC, @ LAC
#24
Charlotte HornetsLast Week:23↓
Record: 3-4
OffRtg: 117.7 (6) DefRtg: 117.2 (25) NetRtg: +0.6 (15) Pace: 103.3 (6)
The Hornets have been without Brandon Miller for five games and were also missing LaMelo Ball on Sunday. But they ended a three-game losing streak with an efficient offensive performance against the league’s 26th-ranked defense.
Three takeaways
League-wide, 10 rookies have started at least one game this season. Three of the 10 are Hornets, with Sion James joining Kon Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner in the starting lineup for two of their last three games. The Hornets have outscored their opponents by 19 points in 45 total minutes with all three rookies on the floor, though that differential is aided by the opponents’ shooting just 7-for-33 (21%) from 3-point range.
The Hornets were 3-32 without Ball last season, with one of those three wins (by four points) coming at home against Utah. The Jazz were back in town on Sunday, and the Hornets won by 23 without their point guard. James and Knueppel combined to shoot 7-for-14 from beyond the arc, marking the third time this season that the Hornets scored more than 124 points per 100 possessions. They did that just twice last season, and overall, they’ve seen the league’s third-biggest jump in points scored per 100 possessions.
The Hornets went on a 20-5 run late in the first quarter on Sunday and cruised from there. Six of their seven games (including all three wins) have been determined by at least 16 points.
Coming up: The Hornets have a league-high 18 *multi-day breaks (not including the All-Star break) this season, with their second and third coming this week when they’ll play on just Tuesday and Friday. The latter game is their second trip to Miami (where they lost by 27 last week) and their NBA Emirates Cup opener.
* Also known as practice opportunities.
Week 3: @ NOP, @ MIA*
#25
Indiana PacersLast Week:25
Record: 1-5
OffRtg: 106.0 (29) DefRtg: 114.8 (14) NetRtg: -8.9 (27) Pace: 102.3 (14)
After starting 0-5 for the first time in 37 seasons, the depleted Pacers got off the schneid by coming back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter in a rest-disadvantage game against the Warriors on Saturday.
Three takeaways
After trying Ben Sheppard at the point for a few games, the Pacers turned to two-way guard Quenton Jackson over the weekend. And he came through with a career-high 25 points, six rebounds, 10 assists (with no turnovers) and three steals on Saturday. He had two of the three biggest buckets of the night, a catch-and-shoot 3 for the lead, and an impressive, isolation pull-up against Draymond Green to seal the win. In a five-point victory, the Pacers outscored Golden State by 20 points in Jackson’s 31 minutes.
Not surprisingly, Pascal Siakam’s efficiency has taken a hit, with his true shooting percentage of 51.9% being the lowest mark of his career. And not surprisingly, the Pacers’ offense still depends heavily on Siakam, as they’ve scored just 95.3 points per 100 possessions (and been outscored by 24.2 per 100) in his 87 minutes on the bench.
The Pacers still rank in the top five in both ball and player movement for what would be the sixth straight season. They’re leading the league in the former (397 passes per 24 minutes of possession) for what would be the third straight year.
Coming up: The Pacers and Bucks have faced each other a league-high 20 times in the last two seasons. Their first meeting of 2025-26 is Monday in Indiana, Game 3 of the Pacers’ four-game homestand.
Week 3: vs. MIL, vs. BKN, @ DEN, @ GSW
#26
Sacramento KingsLast Week:27↑
Record: 2-4
OffRtg: 113.9 (19) DefRtg: 117.7 (27) NetRtg: -3.9 (23) Pace: 101.3 (18)
The Kings were competitive in Oklahoma City last week, and they picked up an unexpected road win on Saturday, coming back from an early, 15-point deficit to edge the Bucks. Five of their six games have been within three points in the final minute.
Three takeaways
The Kings appear to be holding auditions for their fifth starter until Keegan Murray returns. Over the last five games (Domantas Sabonis missed the opener), they’ve started four different players alongside their core of Dennis Schröder, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Sabonis, with two-way, rookie big Dylan Cardwell getting the start on Saturday. Overall, the Kings have been outscored by 25 points per 100 possessions in 115 total minutes with the four regular starters on the floor together.
The Kings have shot pretty well (37.2%) from 3-point range, but they’re Team Mid-Range and rank 29th in 3-point rate, with only the Pistons having taken a lower percentage of their shots from beyond the arc. Over their three games last week, the Kings (who ranked 28th in 3-point differential last season) were outscored by 48 points from deep.
They also got outscored by double-digits in the paint in each of their first five games. Their streak came to an end on Saturday, when DeRozan outscored Giannis Antetokounmpo (who’s setting a record for paint points), 23-19, in points that came in the paint or from the free throw line.
Coming up: The Kings wrap their four-game road trip in Denver, having lost four clutch games to the Nuggets last season. They’ll then begin a five-game homestand, opening NBA Cup play against the Thunder on Friday.
Week 3: @ DEN, vs. GSW, vs. OKC*, vs. MIN
#27
Utah JazzLast Week:28↑
Record: 2-4
OffRtg: 113.4 (21) DefRtg: 117.4 (26) NetRtg: -4.1 (24) Pace: 101.6 (17)
After a 2-1 start, the Jazz have lost three straight games, beginning a five-game trip with losses to the Suns and Hornets by a total of 45 points.
Three takeaways
The other side of that on-off differential is Ace Bailey, whose career is off to a rough start. The rookie has shot just 11-for-40 (28%), including 2-for-15 from 3-point range, and the Jazz have been outscored by an amazing 35.1 points per 100 possessions in his 104 minutes on the floor. Less than half of those minutes (44/108) have come alongside Markkanen.
The Jazz had used 12 players through their first four games, and none of those 12 were Kyle Anderson or Kevin Love. But the two vets played over the weekend, with Love getting some first-quarter minutes off the bench in his debut on Sunday. Time will tell where they finish the season, but for now, both Anderson and Love can act as connectors in the Jazz offense, which has seen the league’s biggest jump in assist rate from last season.
Coming up: The Jazz have three games left on their five-game trip, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage in Boston on Monday night. With their loss in Charlotte on Sunday (and going back to March), they’ve lost eight straight games in Eastern Conference arenas.
Week 3: @ BOS, @ DET, @ MIN*
#28
Washington WizardsLast Week:29↑
Record: 1-5
OffRtg: 106.4 (28) DefRtg: 119.6 (28) NetRtg: -13.2 (28) Pace: 105.6 (2)
The Wizards went to overtime against the 5-1 Sixers last week, but they’ve lost four straight games, and none of the other three were close.
Three takeaways
Last season’s Wizards had the third-worst point differential in NBA history, getting outscored by 12.4 points per game. They’re at minus-14.0 per game through six games this season, with four of their five losses having come by 13 points or more. More than half of that differential (minus-8.5 per game) comes from free-throw differential, with the Wizards ranking 29th in free-throw rate (22.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field).
Bilal Coulibaly made his season debut on Thursday, immediately replacing Bub Carrington in the starting lineup, and registered 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in just 24 minutes in the Wizards’ loss in Oklahoma City. The first stints for the Wizards’ new starters were solid in that game and again against the Magic over the weekend, but what little success they had was fleeting.
The Wizards blew a 17-point, fourth-quarter lead against Philadelphia on Tuesday and scored just eight points on 16 clutch possessions. CJ McCollum shot 0-for-4 with the score within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime, getting blocked on a drive for the lead at the end of regulation. The 13-year vet is registering career-low marks in both effective field goal percentage (46.8%) and true shooting percentage (50.2%), but the Wizards have still scored 17.4 more points per 100 possessions with McCollum on the floor (111.2) than they have with him on the bench (93.8).
Coming up: The only team with a worse free-throw differential than Washington is the Celtics, who the Wizards will visit on Wednesday. They’ve lost six straight at TD Garden and scored just 96.5 points per 100 possessions as they lost all four games to the Celtics last season.
Week 3: @ NYK, @ BOS, vs. CLE*, vs. DAL
#29
Brooklyn NetsLast Week:30↑
Record: 0-6
OffRtg: 112.9 (23) DefRtg: 128.6 (30) NetRtg: -15.7 (29) Pace: 99.5 (24)
The Nets remain winless and completely unable to get stops.
Three takeaways
Over the previous 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data, the worst defense belonged to the 1998-99 Nuggets, who allowed 8.2 more points per 100 possessions than the league average. The Nets, through six games, have allowed 14.0 per 100 more than the league average. Their opponents’ 3-point shooting (43.3%) is probably unsustainable, though the percentage of their opponents’ 3-point attempts that have been wide-open (58%) is well above the league average (53%).
Bad defense starts in transition, and the Nets have allowed 35.3 transition points per game, a lot more than any team has allowed in the previous 21 seasons of Synergy tracking. (The record is 29.7 transition points per game allowed by last season’s Jazz.) Three of their six opponents (including the Rockets and Sixers last week) have topped the 40-point mark in transition.
The offense has been pretty good (123.2 points scored per 100 possessions) in Ben Saraf’s 91 minutes on the floor, but the rookie was DNP’d on Sunday after starting the first five games. Fellow rookie Egor Dëmin continues to come off the bench and has been limited to about 20 minutes per game. After taking all of his first 23 shots from 3-point range, he attempted two inside the arc on Sunday, scoring over Andre Drummond in the first quarter.
Coming up: The Nets will get a shot at the league’s 29th-ranked offense in Indiana on Wednesday. Four nights later, they’ll be at Madison Square Garden, having lost 10 straight games to the Knicks, a streak that started four days after they traded Kevin Durant in 2023.
Week 3: vs. MIN, @ IND, vs. DET*, @ NYK
#30
New Orleans PelicansLast Week:24↓
Record: 0-6
OffRtg: 106.8 (27) DefRtg: 124.2 (29) NetRtg: -17.4 (30) Pace: 99.4 (25)
The Pelicans erased a 17-point deficit against the Clippers on Friday, but they remain winless, with three ugly losses last week.
Three takeaways
For the season, their opponents have shot 70.0% in the paint, the league’s worst opponent mark by a huge margin. (Next worst is Toronto at 64.8%.) The Pelicans, who’ve defended the most shots at the rim, have not made much of an impact on the opponents’ ability to finish.
Rookie Jeremiah Fears has been in the starting lineup for the last four games, with Jordan Poole going to the bench for the last three. Fears had 21 points (on 10-for-15 shooting) and six assists in Denver on Wednesday and has shot a solid 23-for-38 (60.5%) in the paint. The Pels have scored an efficient 119.9 points per 100 possessions in 87 minutes with Fears and Zion Williamson on the floor together.
Coming up: The Pelicans have a decent chance to pick up a win when they host the Hornets on Tuesday. Their visit to Dallas the following night is the start of a three-game trip and their first of 11 rest-disadvantage games. They were the only winless team (0-7) in rest-disadvantage games last season.
Week 3: vs. CHA, @ DAL, @ SAS