Oklahoma City holds the top spot and the Top 10 is mostly unchanged after NBA All-Star 2025 in San Francisco.

Norman Powell, James Harden and the Clippers rise into the Top 10 in the latest edition of the Power Rankings.

All-Star 2025 is behind us, 66% of the season is complete, and the home stretch begins (with a make-up game) on Wednesday.

While the top three teams in the league remain the favorites, a crazy trade deadline has created more uncertainty than usual as we come out of the break.

Most of that uncertainty is in the Western Conference, where the fifth-place Los Angeles Lakers added Luka Dončić and the 10th-place Golden State Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler.

It might take some time for those players to get in sync with their new teams, but those squads could now have much higher ceilings than they did before.

More teams beyond the Lakers and Warriors have reshuffled their rosters, so there are plenty of new lineups and combinations to watch and evaluate over the next few weeks.

Plus-Minus Players of the Week

Right Way: Cade Cunningham (DET) was a plus-61 in two games last week.
Wrong Way: Josh Giddey and Coby White (CHI) were both a minus-58 in two games last week.

Teams of the Week

Make It Last Forever: LA Clippers (2-0) — Former Hawks Bogdan Bogdanović and De’Andre Hunter (Cavs) are both undefeated with their new teams.
Something Just Ain’t Right: Chicago (0-2) — And the Bulls are still in the Play-In!

East vs. West

The West is 161-121 (.571) against the East in interconference games after going 4-3 last week.

Schedule strength through Week 17

Toughest: 1. Toronto, 2. Washington, 3. New Orleans
Easiest: 1. Cleveland, 2. New York, 3. Milwaukee
Schedule strength is based on cumulative opponent record.

Movement in the Rankings

High jumps of the week: Brooklyn (+3), Detroit (+3), Golden State (+3)
Free fall of the week: Miami (-3)

Week 18 Team to Watch

Golden State — The Warriors’ next two games could be the most important games left on their schedule. They’ll visit the ninth-place Kings on Friday and host the eighth-place Mavs on Sunday afternoon.

* * *

Previously…

Last week: Celtics, Nuggets take a step forward
The archive: NBA.com Power Rankings

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 113.2 points scored per 100 possessions and 99.7 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.

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 Thunder

Last Week:1

Record: 44-10

OffRtg: 117.3 (6) DefRtg: 104.5 (1) NetRtg: +12.8 (1) Pace: 100.4 (8)

The Thunder went into the break with just their second double-digit loss of the season, but they’re still eight games up on the second-place Grizzlies at the top of the Western Conference.

Three numbers to know

They’ve outscored their opponents by 12.9 points per game, which would be the best point differential in NBA history, topping the mark of the 1971-72 Lakers (plus 12.3 per game). They remain the only team that hasn’t lost a game by at least 20 points.

They’ve committed 6.1 fewer turnovers than their opponents, which would be the best differential in the 48 seasons for which turnovers have been counted.

be just the second team in the 29 seasons of play-by-play data (joining the 2022-23 Toronto Raptors) to lead the league in both turnover rate (11.9 per 100 possessions) and opponent turnover rate (18.0 per 100).

Having come back from 21 points down against Miami on Wednesday, they’re 12-7 in games they trailed by double-digits, which would be the best record when down 10-plus in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

The Thunder are playing five of their first six post-break games on the road, and they’ll be back in Minnesota (where they lost last week) on Sunday.

Week 18: @ UTA, @ MIN

  #2 Boston Celtics

Last Week:2

Record: 39-16

OffRtg: 118.8 (4) DefRtg: 109.6 (5) NetRtg: +9.3 (3) Pace: 97.8 (26)

The Celtics seemingly woke up at the start of February. They’ve won seven of their last eight games, with victories in Cleveland and New York.

Three numbers to know

The Celtics are the only team that ranks in the top five on both ends of the floor. They’re 39-16 with the point differential of a team that’s 43-12, with that being the league’s biggest differential between a team’s “expected” wins and its actual wins.

They already have more losses at TD Garden (17-10, .630) than they had in either of the last two seasons (32-9 and 37-4), but are 22-6 (.786) on the road. That would be the third-biggest road-home differential in NBA history.

Only 21.5% of their points, the league’s lowest rate, have come from fast breaks (10.2%, lowest) or second chances (11.3%, ninth lowest).

This spark for the Celtics seemed to be a comeback from 26 points down late in the third quarter in Philadelphia on Feb. 2. They’re back in Philadelphia on Thursday.

Week 18: @ PHI, vs. NYK

#3 Cleveland Cavaliers

Last Week:3

Record: 44-10

OffRtg: 121.9 (1) DefRtg: 111.5 (8) NetRtg: +10.4 (2) Pace: 100.6 (7)

The Cavs lost a head-to-head meeting with the Celtics a couple of weeks ago, but overall, they’ve won eight of their last nine games to remain six in the loss column ahead of Boston.

Three numbers to know

The Cavs have scored 8.7 more points per 100 possessions than the league average, which would be the second-best differential in 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

Their effective field goal percentage of 58.7% would be the highest in NBA history, while their assist/turnover ratio of 2.23 would be the fourth highest in the 48 seasons that turnovers have been counted.

They’re the only team that ranks in the top five in field goal percentage in the paint (61.1%, second), mid-range field goal percentage (43.8%, fifth) and 3-point percentage (39.3%, first).

They’ve played the league’s easiest schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage, but also have the best record (20-6) in games played between the 16 teams that are currently above .500.

The Cavs have three games remaining against the third-place Knicks, who they haven’t seen since October. The first is in Cleveland on Friday, when both teams will be playing the second game of a back-to-back.

Week 18: @ BKN, vs. NYK, vs. MEM

#4  Denver Nuggets

Last Week:4

Record: 36-19

OffRtg: 119.5 (3) DefRtg: 113.7 (16) NetRtg: +5.8 (6) Pace: 101.0 (5)

The Nuggets have the league’s longest active winning streak, eight straight victories, capped by a 55-point performance from Jamal Murray against the Blazers on Wednesday.

Three numbers to know

The Nuggets have averaged 59.9 points in the paint per game, the most (by a healthy margin) for any team in the 29 seasons for which we have shot-location data.

They lead the league in both field goal percentage in the paint (61.2%) and the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint (54.4%). They rank last in 3-point rate (34.7% of their shots) by a wide margin and for what would be the second straight season.

They have the league’s biggest differential between their record when they’ve won the first quarter (23-2, .920) and when they’ve lost the first quarter (12-17, .414).

But they also have seven wins (they’re 7-14) in games they trailed by double-digits in the fourth. That’s tied for the most for any team in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

Nikola Jokić leads the league in on-off differential for what would be the fourth straight season, with the Nuggets having been 20.5 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (plus-12.3) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-8.2).

The Nuggets have only seven remaining games (the fewest in the league) against the 14 teams currently below .500. The first is a rest-advantage game against the Hornets on Thursday.

Week 18: vs. CHA, vs. LAL

 #5   New York Knicks

Last Week:5

Record: 36-18

OffRtg: 119.9 (2) DefRtg: 113.9 (18) NetRtg: +6.0 (5) Pace: 98.2 (23)

The Knicks kept the fourth-place Pacers at bay with a big win in Indiana on Tuesday, then got some Jalen Brunson heroics to edge the Hawks in overtime.

Three numbers to know

The Knicks’ starting lineup has played 806 minutes, 278 more than any other lineup in the league. It has outscored opponents by 5.4 points per 100 possessions, a mark which ranks ninth among 20 lineups that have played at least 200 minutes.

Brunson leads the league in time of possession (8.7 minutes per game) and clutch usage rate (46.5%), with the latter being the highest rate for any player in the last six seasons.

He’s one of two players – Nikola Jokić is the other – who’ve shot better than 50% (34-for-64) on at least 50 clutch shots.

Josh Hart has a career-best effective field goal percentage of 61%, up from 49.3% last season.

That’s the biggest jump by a wide margin among 85 players with at least 500 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons. Mikal Bridges (from 52.1% to 56.9%) has seen the sixth biggest jump, though he’s also seen the biggest drop in free throw rate among that group.

The Knicks are 0-5 against the top three teams in the league, set to visit two of them – the Cavs and Celtics – this weekend. Their game in Cleveland on Friday begins a stretch where they’re playing 11 of 14 on the road (where they haven’t lost since Jan. 4).

Week 18: vs. CHI, @ CLE, @ BOS

 #6  Memphis Grizzlies

Last Week:6

Record: 36-18

OffRtg: 117.8 (5) DefRtg: 110.9 (7) NetRtg: +6.9 (4) Pace: 104.5 (1)

The Grizzlies are barely holding on to second place in the West, having lost two of their last three games before the break.

Three numbers to know

The Grizzlies have been 13.8 points per 100 possessions better than they were last season, which would be the biggest season-to-season jump in the 29 years for which we have play-by-play data.

This wouldn’t be the best season in franchise history regarding winning percentage, but it is concerning point differential (plus-7.5 per game).

They have the league’s biggest differential between their record vs. the 14 teams currently below .500 (23-3, .885) and their record vs. the 16 teams currently above .500 (13-15, .464). The latter is the 10th best in games played between the top 16 teams.

They’ve averaged 34.2 transition points per game, most in the 21 seasons of Synergy tracking by a wide margin, with the second-highest average coming from this season’s Bulls (30.0).

After losing three of their first six games against the Eastern Conference, the Grizzlies have won 13 of their last 14. They’ll begin their post-break schedule with three visits to teams in the East’s top seven.

Week 18: @ IND, @ ORL, @ CLE

#7    Los Angeles Lakers

Last Week:7

Record: 32-20

OffRtg: 114.6 (9) DefRtg: 113.9 (17) NetRtg: +0.8 (13) Pace: 98.6 (22)

Luka Dončić played his first two games as a Laker last week, but they split their home-and-home series with the Jazz, seeing their six-game winning streak come to an end in Utah on Wednesday.

Three numbers to know

Statistically, the Lakers were the second most improved team between Christmas and the All-Star break, 8.7 points per 100 possessions better over that stretch (plus-5.9, fifth best) than they were through Christmas (minus-2.8, 21st).

They’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in pace, having averaged 2.8 fewer possessions per 48 minutes than they did last season.

They lead the league in free throw differential for what would be the third straight season, though this year’s differential (+2.8 points per game) is a big drop from last season (+4.6).

They’re the only team that ranks in the top five in both free throw rate (27.0 attempts per 100 shots from the field, first) and opponent free throw rate (21.8 per 100, fifth).

The Lakers are one of two teams — the Spurs are the other — with a league-high eight back-to-backs left on their schedule. The first (thanks to a postponement) is their first two games out of the break, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage in Portland on Thursday.

Week 18: vs. CHA, @ POR, @ DEN

#8      Houston Rockets

Last Week:8

Record: 34-21

OffRtg: 113.6 (12) DefRtg: 109.3 (4) NetRtg: +4.4 (7) Pace: 98.8 (20)

The Rockets were able to end their slide with a couple of wins at home, but they went into the break with an ugly loss to the Warriors.

Three numbers to know

The Rockets have averaged 5.9 more shooting opportunities per game than their opponents, the league’s biggest differential.

They’ve grabbed 36.3% of available offensive rebounds, the league’s highest rate by a wide margin and the highest rate for any team in the last 21 seasons.

Their 18.1 second-chance points per game would be the second most for any team in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

They rank last in ball movement, averaging just 293 passes per 24 minutes of possession, according to Second Spectrum tracking. They’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in assist rate, recording assists on just 54.5% of their field goals (30th), down from 59.4% (27th) last season.

The Rockets’ initial starting lineup has outscored opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions in its 416 minutes, but they’ve been outscored by 1.6 per 100 in 316 minutes with the other four starters on the floor without Jabari Smith Jr., who’s missed the last 22 games. The much bigger difference has been on defense (103.8 vs. 115.9 allowed per 100).

The Rockets are tied with the Wolves for the best record (12-6) in games played between the top eight teams in the Western Conference. Minnesota has won two of the three head-to-head meetings, and the final one will be Friday in Houston.

Week 18: vs. MIN, @ UTA

#9 Minnesota Timberwolves

Last Week:9

Record: 31-25

OffRtg: 113.6 (14) DefRtg: 110.2 (6) NetRtg: +3.4 (8) Pace: 97.8 (25)

The Wolves went into the break by handing the Thunder just their second double-digit loss of the season.

Three numbers to know

The Wolves have played 34 games that were within five points in the last five minutes, tied (with Golden State and Houston) for the league lead.

They’re just 15-19 in those clutch games (four more clutch losses than they had all of last season) and 16-6 otherwise, with that being the league’s second-biggest differential. They’re 31-25 with the point differential of a team that’s 35-21.

They’re one of two teams – the Cavs are the other – that rank in the top five in both 3-point percentage (37.7%, fourth) and the percentage of their shots that have come from 3-point range (45.4%, fifth).

Anthony Edwards leads the league with 227 3-pointers, more than he’s made in any of his previous four seasons.

They rank just 22nd in 2-point percentage, so they have the league’s biggest differential between the value of their 3-pointers (1.13 points per attempt) and the value of their 2-pointers (1.06).

The Wolves have the West’s easiest remaining schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage.

However, their post-break slate begins with four games against teams — the Rockets, Thunder (twice) and Lakers — ahead of them in the West standings.

Week 18: @ HOU, @ UTA

#10    LA Clippers

Last Week:12↑

Record: 31-23

OffRtg: 111.5 (19) DefRtg: 108.3 (2) NetRtg: +3.2 (9) Pace: 99.0 (19)

The Clippers have won three straight games, with a quality win over the Grizzlies included.

Three numbers to know

The Clippers have seen the league’s second-biggest drop in both points scored per 100 possessions (-6.4) and points allowed per 100 possessions (-6.3).

They’ve gone from fourth on offense and 16th on defense last season to 19th and second.

The Clippers are 10-5 with Kawhi Leonard in the lineup and have outscored their opponents by 16.8 points per 100 possessions in 254 minutes with Leonard, James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac on the floor together.

Harden (from 20.2% to 28.6%) and Powell (from 19.3% to 26.7%) have seen the biggest and fourth biggest jumps in usage rate from last season to this season among 256 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes each year.

Harden’s jump has come with a big drop in efficiency, while Powell has registered his highest true shooting percentage (63.3%) of the last four seasons.

The Clippers’ post-break schedule begins with their longest road “trip” of the season (seven games over 13 days), though two of the seven games are in the other L.A. arena.

Week 18: @ MIL, @ IND

 #11   Indiana Pacers

Last Week:10↓

Record: 30-23

OffRtg: 114.4 (10) DefRtg: 114.3 (21) NetRtg: +0.1 (16) Pace: 100.7 (6)

After a strong six weeks, the Pacers didn’t have a great finish to their pre-break schedule. But they eked out an overtime win in Washington on Wednesday to remain in fourth place in the East.

Three numbers to know

After ranking second in offensive efficiency last season, the Pacers have seen the league’s third-biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions (-6.1). Only the Pelicans and Clippers have seen bigger drops.

They lead the league in ball movement, averaging 396 passes per 24 minutes of possession.

The Pacers have allowed just 105.0 points per 100 possessions in 791 minutes with both Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam on the floor.

They’ve allowed 114.9 per 100 in 1,228 minutes with one on the floor without the other, and they’ve allowed 127.2 per 100 in 540 minutes with neither on the floor.

The Pacers have played the fewest true home games in the league, with only 22 of their 53 games having come at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

They’ll play six of their first seven post-break games at home, a stretch that begins with visits from three teams in the top six of the Western Conference.

Week 18: vs. MEM, vs. LAC

#12    Dallas Mavericks

Last Week:11↓

Record: 30-26

OffRtg: 115.4 (7) DefRtg: 113.5 (14) NetRtg: +1.9 (10) Pace: 99.8 (15)

The Mavs went into the break with their top four bigs on the shelf, but they’ve somehow won four of their last five games to remain in the top eight in the West.

Three numbers to know

The Mavs have seen the league’s biggest drop in 3-point rate, from 44.1% of their shots (second) last season to just 39.8% (22nd) this season. They’ve seen the biggest jump in the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint.

The Mavs have allowed 8.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with Dereck Lively II on the floor (106.4) than they have with him off the floor (114.7).

That’s the second biggest on-off differential on defense (smaller than only that of Pascal Siakam) among primary starters who’ve played at least 750 minutes.

Kyrie Irving leads the league in fourth-quarter scoring at 7.5 points per game, but the Mavs have seen the league’s second-biggest drop in clutch winning percentage. They’re 14-15 (20th) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, down from 23-9 (second best) last season.

The Mavs are one of three teams with a league-low 26 games remaining on their schedule. One of the most important could be their visit to San Francisco on Sunday, with the 10th-place Warriors trailing them by just a game in the loss column.
Week 18: vs. NOP, @ GSW

#13    Golden State Warriors

Last Week:16↑

Record: 28-27

OffRtg: 112.1 (17) DefRtg: 111.8 (9) NetRtg: +0.3 (15) Pace: 99.7 (17)

The Warriors are 3-1 with Jimmy Butler, their best four-game stretch of defense (106.7 points allowed per 100 possessions) since their first four games after Christmas.

Three numbers to know

The Warriors are the only team in the top five of Second Spectrum’s shot quality metric on both offense (fifth highest) and defense (second lowest). But they rank 23rd in effective field goal percentage and 12th in opponent effective field goal percentage.

They’ve scored 13.4 more points per 100 possessions with Stephen Curry on the floor (116.4) than they have with him off the floor (103). That’s the third biggest on-off differential on offense (trailing only those of Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) among 306 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes for a single team.

They have the league’s 27th-ranked offense (106.1 points scored per 100 possessions) before halftime and its sixth-ranked offense (118.4 per 100) in the second half.

That’s the biggest half-to-half differential for any team on either end of the floor, and it’s not just about shooting.

They also have a much higher free throw rate, a much lower turnover rate, and a much higher offensive rebounding percentage after halftime.

The 10th-place Warriors come out of the break with what might be their two most important games remaining on their schedule. They’ll visit the ninth-place Kings on Friday and then host the eighth-place Mavs two days later.

Week 18: @ SAC, vs. DAL

 #14  Milwaukee Bucks

Last Week:13↓

Record: 29-24

OffRtg: 113.6 (13) DefRtg: 112.4 (11) NetRtg: +1.2 (11) Pace: 100.3 (9)

The Bucks went 3-3 as they played their final six pre-break games without Giannis Antetokounmpo, getting a win without either of their two All-Stars in Minnesota on Wednesday.

Three numbers to know

Antetokounpo has averaged 21.2 points in the paint, the most for any player in the last 25 seasons. But as a team, the Bucks rank 28th in points in the paint, both per game (43.0) and per 100 possessions (42.8).

Only 56% of Bucks possessions, the league’s lowest rate, have come with a paint touch, according to Second Spectrum tracking.

They lead the league with 36 games of shooting the league average (35.9%) or better from 3-point range.

They have the second biggest differential between their record in those games (26-10, .722) and their record when they’ve shot worse than average (3-14, .176).

On the other end of the floor, they’ve allowed their opponents to take only 46% of their shots, the league’s lowest opponent rate, in the paint.

The Bucks are 0-4 when playing the second game of a back-to-back on the road, having lost those four games by an average of 18.8 points. They’ll begin their post-break schedule with a home-road back-to-back, with the second game in Washington on Friday.

Week 18: vs. LAC, @ WAS, vs. MIA

#15 Detroit Pistons

Last Week:18↑

Record: 29-26

OffRtg: 113.1 (15) DefRtg: 112.4 (12) NetRtg: +0.7 (14) Pace: 99.7 (16)

The Pistons have a four-game winning streak, with all four wins having come by double-digits.

Three numbers to know

The Pistons have been the league’s most-improved team regarding winning percentage and its second-most-improved team concerning point differential per 100 possessions (+9.7).

They already have more than twice as many wins as they had all of last season (14-68), and they’re the only team when adjusting for the league average, that’s been at least two points per 100 possessions better on both offense (+5.5) and defense (-4.2).

They have the league’s biggest differential between their record after leading by double-digits (25-4, fifth best) and their record after trailing by double-digits (5-22, ninth worst).

Malik Beasley leads the league with 162 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, 39 more than any other player has made. Cade Cunningham ranks second with 179 assists on 3-pointers, one fewer than Trae Young.

The Pistons have nine rest-advantage games left on their schedule, with no other team having more than six. Their first is in Austin on Friday, but after that, they’ll begin their third (and final) stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 18: @ SAS, @ ATL

 #16     Portland Trail Blazers

Last Week:14↓

Record: 23-32

OffRtg: 110.2 (24) DefRtg: 115.6 (24) NetRtg: -5.4 (24) Pace: 99.1 (18)

After their 10-1 stretch, the Blazers went into the break with an 0-3 road trip, allowing 135 points per 100 possessions over their two-game series in Denver.

Three numbers to know

The Blazers are 23-32 with the point differential (-5.6 per game) of a team that’s 17-38. That’s the league’s biggest differential between a team’s actual wins and its “expected” wins. They have 15 losses, but only four wins, by at least 20 points.

Over their 10-1 stretch, the Blazers ranked first defensively (104.7 points allowed per 100 possessions), up from 28th (117.5) before that. They’re still in a position to have a bottom-10 defense for the sixth straight season.

Jerami Grant has a usage rate of 19.3%, down from 25.5% last season. That’s the third biggest drop among 256 players who have played at least 500 minutes in each of the last two seasons, and it’s come with a significant drop in efficiency.

The Blazers have two rest-advantage games left on their schedule and the first is their first game out of the break, a visit from the Lakers on Thursday. They’ve lost the last five meetings, including two in L.A. earlier this season.

Week 18: vs. LAL, vs. CHA

  #17   Phoenix Suns

Last Week:15↓

Record: 26-28

OffRtg: 113.9 (11) DefRtg: 115.6 (25) NetRtg: -1.7 (20) Pace: 98.7 (21)

The Suns lost six of their last seven games before the All-Star break, with the only win coming in overtime against the Jazz.

Three numbers to know

The Suns are 17-12 (sixth best) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, but just 9-16 otherwise. That’s the league’s biggest such differential.

They’ve averaged 5.0 fewer shooting opportunities per game than their opponents. That’s the league’s worst discrepancy.

They rank in the bottom 10 in offensive rebounding percentage (27th), defensive rebounding percentage (21st) and opponent turnover rate (28th).

This would be Kevin Durant’s 13th season of averaging at least 25 points per game with a true shooting percentage of 60% or better. That’s four more seasons than any other player in NBA history, with LeBron James (9) and Stephen Curry (8) next on the list.

The Suns begin their post-break schedule with a four-game road trip, and their visit to Chicago on Saturday is the start of their third (and final) stretch of five games in seven days. They’re just 2-9 in the second game of back-to-backs.

Week 18: @ SAS, @ CHI, @ TOR

#18  Orlando Magic
Last Week:19↑

Record: 27-29

OffRtg: 107.2 (29) DefRtg: 108.7 (3) NetRtg: -1.5 (18) Pace: 96.6 (29)

The Magic went 2-1 on their three-game homestand before the break, somehow losing the game (vs. Atlanta last Monday) in which they shot well from 3-point range.

Three numbers to know

The Magic were not a good 3-point shooting team last season (35.2%, 24th), but they’ve still seen the league’s biggest drop in 3-point percentage, ranking last at 30.6%.

They don’t have any of the 123 players who’ve shot the league average (35.9%) or better from 3-point range. The Rockets (1) are the only other team with fewer than two.

They’re 17-10 (.630) at home and just 10-19 (.345) on the road, with that being the league’s biggest home-road winning percentage differential.

Franz Wagner is one of two players – Victor Wembanyama is the other – who have played at least 500 minutes with their team at least five points per 100 possessions better on both offense and defense with them on the floor.

Overall, Orlando has been 12.3 points per 100 possessions better with Wagner on the floor (plus-5.6) than it has been with him off the floor (minus-6.7).

After the Magic play in Atlanta on Thursday, they’ll begin their second seven-game homestand with a visit from the Grizzlies.

Week 18: @ ATL, vs. MEM, vs. WAS

#19   

Last Week:20↑

Record: 28-27

OffRtg: 115.3 (8) DefRtg: 114.3 (20) NetRtg: +1.0 (12) Pace: 100.1 (11)

The Kings won the first two of their three games against the Pelicans in the last six days before the break. But they let one get away on Thursday, and they’re in a position where every game is crucial.

Three numbers to know

The Kings have a much better record under Doug Christie (15-9, .625) than they had under Mike Brown (13-18, .419).

But they’ve been worse statistically, outscoring opponents by just 0.2 points per 100 possessions (14th) under Christie vs. plus-1.6 (13th) under Brown. They’re 10-3 in clutch games since the coaching change, having gone 6-13 prior.

The Kings have been outscored by 6.4 points per game from 3-point range, the league’s worst discrepancy.

They’re one of three teams that rank in the bottom 10 in both 3-point percentage (25th) and 3-point rate (23rd), and they’re one of three teams that rank in the bottom 10 in both opponent 3-point percentage (29th) and opponent 3-point rate (23rd).

They lead the league in the percentage of their shots (16.3%) that have come from mid-range, a rate that’s more than double that of six other teams.

DeMar DeRozan leads the league (for the fourth straight season) in mid-range shots, with his 427 being 195 more than any other player has attempted.

The Kings have the league’s second-toughest remaining schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage (.533). It gets started with a huge game against the Warriors on Friday, with the Kings having won the first two meetings.

Week 18: vs. GSW

#20 Miami Heat

Last Week:17↓

Record: 25-28

OffRtg: 111.2 (21) DefRtg: 112.2 (10) NetRtg: -0.9 (17) Pace: 97.4 (28)

The Heat went into the break with four straight losses, sliding from sixth to ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

Three numbers to know

As they stand now, this is the Heat’s worst season in the last 10 years (since 2014-15), both regarding winning percentage and point differential per 100 possessions.

They have a top-10 defense for what would be the fifth straight year but are one of only eight teams that have allowed more points per 100 possessions than they did last season.

The Heat have played the most zone defense for what would be the third straight season. They’ve allowed 0.98 points per possession in the zone, a rate that ranks sixth among 16 teams who’ve played at least 100 zone possessions, according to Synergy tracking.

They lead the league with four losses (they’re 17-4) in games they led by double-digits in the fourth quarter, more than they had in the last two seasons combined (61-3).

The Heat are tied for the league’s most home-heavy remaining schedule, with 18 of their 29 games on Biscayne Bay. But they’ll come out of the break with a three-game trip that starts in Canada on Friday.

Week 18: @ TOR, @ MIL

#21      San Antonio Spurs

Last Week:21

Record: 23-29

OffRtg: 112.4 (16) DefRtg: 114.1 (19) NetRtg: -1.7 (19) Pace: 100.0 (14)

The Spurs are just three games in the loss column behind the eighth-place Mavs, but they’re just 5-13 since early January.

Three numbers to know

The Spurs ranked 14th defensively (111.9 points allowed per 100 possessions) when they were 18-16 and in eighth place in the West. Over their 18 games since they rank 28th on that end of the floor (118.3 allowed per 100).

The Spurs lead the league in opponent free throw rate (19.3 attempts per 100 shots from the field).

Victor Wembanyama has averaged 1.68 blocks per personal foul, the highest rate for any player with at least 100 total blocks in the 52 seasons that blocks have been counted.

Over their five games with De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs have been better in their 110 minutes with both Fox and Chris Paul on the floor (plus-5.5 points per 100 possessions) than they’ve been in 104 total minutes with one on the floor without the other (minus-2.7 per 100).

For the first time in the last 13 years, the Spurs begin their post-break schedule at home, but their two “home” games this week are in Austin, and their game against the Suns on Thursday is the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days.

Week 18: vs. PHX, vs. DET, @ NOP

#22  Atlanta Hawks

Last Week:22

Record: 26-29

OffRtg: 111.2 (23) DefRtg: 113.5 (15) NetRtg: -2.3 (21) Pace: 104.2 (2)

The Hawks are 3-1 since trading De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanović at the trade deadline, with the one loss coming in overtime in New York.

Three numbers to know

The Hawks have seen the league’s fifth-biggest drop in both points scored per 100 possessions (-5.2) and points allowed per 100 possessions (-4.9). This would be the highest they’ve ranked defensively in the last eight seasons.

They’re one of four teams – the Bulls, Warriors and Pacers are the others – that rank in the top five in both ball and player movement, according to Second Spectrum tracking.

They ranked last in ball movement last season, but have seen the league’s biggest jump in passes per 24 minutes of possession.

Trae Young leads the league in assists per game (11.5), assists on dunks (142), assists on 3-pointers (180) and clutch assists (29).

But his turnover rate (12.9 per 100 possessions used) is the highest of his career and his true shooting percentage (56.1%) would be his lowest mark since his rookie season.

Ten of the Hawks’ first 12 post-break games are at home, a stretch that begins with games against the two teams directly ahead of them in the standings. They already have (road) wins over the Magic and Pistons this month.

Week 18: vs. ORL, vs. DET

#23 Brooklyn Nets

Last Week:26↑

Record: 20-34

OffRtg: 108.6 (27) DefRtg: 114.6 (22) NetRtg: -6.0 (27) Pace: 96.2 (30)

The Nets have won six of their last seven games and are suddenly a threat to take the last Play-In spot in the East.

Three numbers to know

The Nets ranked 25th defensively (116.7 points allowed per 100 possessions) through their first 43 games, but have had the No. 1 defense by a wide margin (106.1 allowed per 100) over the last four weeks.

They’ve taken 24% of their shots, the league’s highest rate, in the last six seconds of the shot clock, according to Second Spectrum tracking. They’ve averaged 15.5 seconds per possession, also the league’s highest mark.

Cam Johnson is the only player who’s shot 55% or better on at least 200 2-point attempts, 40% or better on at least 200 3-point attempts and 88% from the free-throw line.

He’s registering career-high marks for field goal percentage in the paint (64.0%), free throw rate (28 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and true shooting percentage (65.2%).

The 12th-place Nets have a slightly tougher remaining schedule than the 10th-place Bulls and 11th-place Sixers. They’ll face them each one more time (both on the road), with the game in Philly on Saturday.

Week 18: vs. CLE, @ PHI

#24  Toronto Raptors

Last Week:24

Record: 17-38

OffRtg: 109.9 (26) DefRtg: 115.8 (26) NetRtg: -5.8 (26) Pace: 100.0 (13)

After a strong stretch in late January, the Raptors have been playing some of the league’s best teams and have lost five of their last six games.

Three numbers to know

The Raptors are one of two teams — the Wizards are the other — that rank in the bottom five on both ends of the floor. This would be the lowest they’ve ranked offensively in the last 13 seasons.

They rank second in the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint (54.1%) and 29th in the percentage that have come from 3-point range (36.6%).

They’re tied for the most games (36) in which they’ve been outscored from beyond the arc and are 7-29 in those games.

They’ve had Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes all in the lineup for just seven of their 55 games. They’re just 1-6 in those games and have been outscored by 22.1 points per 100 possessions in their 127 minutes on the floor together.

The Raptors have, by far, the league’s easiest remaining schedule regarding cumulative opponent winning percentage (.398), with only five of their 27 games against teams currently above .500.

They’re 10-8 in games played between the 14 teams currently below .500, though that includes a 1-2 mark against the Heat, who are in Toronto on Friday.

Week 18: vs. MIA, vs. PHX

 #25  Philadelphia 76ers

Last Week:23↓

Record: 20-34

OffRtg: 111.2 (22) DefRtg: 115.0 (23) NetRtg: -3.8 (22) Pace: 97.4 (27)

The Sixers have lost five straight games, including three in which they had all three of their stars.

Three numbers to know

The Sixers are one loss from being the second team to match its total from last season (47-35). They’ve seen the league’s second biggest drops in both winning percentage and point differential per 100 possessions (-6.9).

When you take the league average account, the drop-off has slightly bigger on offense (-3.6) than its been on defense (+3.3).

Their most-used lineup has played just 72 minutes together, the fewest for any team’s most-used five-man unit. And it includes Caleb Martin, who’s no longer on the team.

The Sixers have been much worse offensively and much better defensively with Joel Embiid on the floor (106.1 combined points per 100 possessions with their opponents) than they’ve been with him off the floor (114.9 combined).

Embiid’s effective field goal percentage of 49.3% would be the worst mark of his career and ranks 200th among 235 players with at least 250 field goal attempts.

The Sixers have led both of their meetings with the Celtics by at least 16 points, but they blew a 26-point lead at home earlier this month. The third meeting is back in Philly on Thursday and the start of what’s a relatively easy post-break schedule.

Week 18: vs. BOS, vs. PHI

#26   Utah Jazz

Last Week:27↑

Record: 13-41

OffRtg: 111.3 (20) DefRtg: 118.3 (28) NetRtg: -7.0 (28) Pace: 100.1 (10)

The Jazz handed Luka Dončić his first loss as a Laker and are now in third place in the upside-down standings, tied in the win column with the Hornets and Pelicans.

Three numbers to know

The Jazz have committed 5.6 more turnovers per game than their opponents, the worst differential (by a wide margin) in the 48 seasons for which turnovers have been counted.

They rank last in both turnover rate (17.4 per 100 possessions) and opponent turnover rate (11.8 per 100).

They’re a league-worst 5-17 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, ranking last in clutch defense (126.6 points allowed per 100 possessions). They were 16-17 in clutch games last season.

They’ve outscored their opponents by 4.4 points per 100 possessions in 344 minutes with Lauri Markkanen, John Collins and Walker Kessler on the floor together, but are just 7-14 in games in which all three have been available.

The Jazz have a home-heavy remaining schedule, with homestands of seven and six games. The former begins with a visit from the Thunder on Friday.
Week 18: vs. OKC, vs. HOU

  #27  Chicago Bulls

Last Week:25↓

Record: 22-33

OffRtg: 111.6 (18) DefRtg: 116.4 (27) NetRtg: -4.8 (23) Pace: 103.7 (3)

The Bulls went into the break with a four-game losing streak, losing the four games by an average of 24.5 points.

Three numbers to know

The Bulls have seen the league’s biggest jumps in pace, 3-point rate (3PA/FGA) and assist rate (AST/FGM) from last season.

With all that, they’ve been worse offensively (1.6 fewer points per 100 possessions than the league average) than they were in 2023-24 (0.6 fewer than average).

They’re the only team that ranks in the bottom five in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (59.3%, 28th) and the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint (49.5%, fourth highest).

They’re the only team that ranks in the top three in both ball movement (378 passes per 24 minutes of possession, third) and player movement (12.1 miles traveled per 24 minutes of possession, second), according to Second Spectrum tracking.

They’ve passed on 44.8% of their drives, the highest rate for any team in the last four seasons.

The Bulls are 2-0 against the Knicks, though Zach LaVine was their leading scorer as they scored 125.8 points per 100 possessions in the two games. The third and final meeting is Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

Week 18: @ NYK, vs. PHX

#28  New Orleans Pelicans

Last Week:29↑

Record: 13-42

OffRtg: 109.9 (25) DefRtg: 118.7 (29) NetRtg: -8.7 (29) Pace: 100.1 (12)

The Pelicans put an end to a 10-game losing streak on Thursday, beating the Kings in overtime behind 43 points from CJ McCollum.

Three numbers to know

The Pelicans have seen the league’s biggest drops in both points scored per 100 possessions and points allowed per 100 possessions.

Overall, they’ve been 13.3 points per 100 possessions worse than they were last season (plus-4.6, sixth), what would be the third biggest season-to-season drop in the last 26 years (since the Bulls’ “last dance”).

They’ve been 10.4 points per 100 possessions better at home (minus-3.6) than they’ve been on the road (minus-14.0), the league’s biggest home-road differential.

Their road mark of minus-14.0 points per 100 would be the worst for any team in the last 12 seasons.

Among 296 players who’ve played in at least 25 games in each of the last two seasons, Trey Murphy III (from 21.9 to 31.2) and Brandon Boston (from 7.3 to 16.0) have seen the fourth and fifth biggest jumps in points + rebounds + assists per game.

Boston’s jump has come with the biggest jump in minutes per game (from 10.8 to 23.6), while Murphy has seen a bigger increase in per-minute production.

The Pels’ worst road loss of the season (132-91) took place in Dallas, where they’ll begin their post-break schedule on Friday.

Week 18: @ DAL, vs. SAS

#29Charlotte Hornets

Last Week:28↓

Record: 13-39

OffRtg: 107.9 (28) DefRtg: 113.3 (13) NetRtg: -5.5 (25) Pace: 98.0 (24)

The Hornets scored less than a point per possession over an 0-3 road trip heading into the All-Star break.

Three numbers to know

The Hornets have more wins and a better record against the 16 teams currently above .500 (7-18, .280) than they do against the other 13 teams currently below .500 (6-21, .222).

The latter is the worst mark in games played between the bottom 14 teams.

They’ve been 12.5 points per 100 possessions better in the second halves of games (plus-1.0, 15th best) than they have in first halves (minus-11.5, second worst). That’s the league’s biggest half-to-half differential.

The Hornets have been 13.6 points per 100 possessions better with Moussa Diabaté on the floor (plus-3.8) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-9.8).

That’s the third biggest on-off differential among 306 players who’ve played at least 500 minutes for a single team, trailing only those of Nikola Jokić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Hornets have played the league’s most home-heavy schedule (29/52) to date.

They’ll begin their post-break schedule with their longest road trip of the season (six-games over just nine days), with five of the six games against teams with winning records.

Week 18: @ LAL, @ DEN, @ POR

#30   Washington Wizards

Last Week:30
Record: 9-45

OffRtg: 105.7 (30) DefRtg: 118.7 (30) NetRtg: -13.0 (30) Pace: 102.4 (4)

The Wizards went into the break with an 0-4 homestand, though they were competitive against some good teams.

Three numbers to know

The Wizards have been outscored by 13.4 points per game, what would be the third worst point differential for any team in NBA history.

They’re in position to be the first team in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data to rank in the bottom 10 in each of the four factors on offense and in each of the four factors on defense.

Only three other teams in that span – the last being the 2008-09 Clippers – ranked in the bottom 10 in seven of the eight.

They’ve gotten 45% of their minutes from rookies and second-year players, the league’s highest rate by a wide margin. Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr rank first, sixth and eighth among rookies in total minutes.

The Wizards’ numbers with all three on the floor (minus-10.7 points per 100 possessions in 252 minutes) are better than their numbers otherwise.

The Wizards have the league’s second easiest post-break schedule in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage.

After hosting the Bucks on Friday, they’ll play eight straight games against teams with losing records, currently 7-14 in games played within that group.

Week 18: vs. MIL, @ ORL