Last week, Victor Wembanyama became the 1st player in 50 years to tally 50+ PTS, 20+ REB & 5+ BLK in a game.

There was a widely held assumption that this was going to be the East’s year.

The Western Conference has had a better record than the East in interconference games in 24 of the last 27 seasons. But this year, the East added LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis, while also getting Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum back to full strength.

There were going to be 11 good Eastern Conference teams competing for 10 playoff and Play-In spots, with the West not quite as deep. Heck, even though the West had the better overall record last season, the East had 10 teams that were at least four games over .500, while the West had only seven.

Yep, this was the year.

And through three weeks? The West has won 23 of its 29 games against the East.

The Hawks and Raptors are a combined 11-2 within the conference, but they’re 1-6 against the West. And the East hasn’t even played any games against the Spurs yet.

It’s still early. Only 6% of the interconference schedule has been played, and neither the Knicks nor Sixers have faced a Western Conference opponent. But 23-6 is still

wild given the preseason expectations.

Plus-Minus Players of the Week

Teams of the Week

Make It Last Forever: Oklahoma City (4-0) — Next man up.
Something Just Ain’t Right: Memphis (0-3) — Losses to the Pelicans and Pacers, along with a 31-point loss to the Thunder, make for a rough way to come down from a surprising 6-0 start.

East vs. West

The West is 23-6 (.793) against the East in interconference games after going 13-4 last week.

Movement in the Rankings

High jumps of the week: Minnesota (+9), Golden State (+5), Oklahoma City (+5)
Free falls of the week: Memphis (-10), Detroit (-7), Orlando (-5)

Week 4 Team to Watch

Toronto — There are seven East teams currently at .500 or above, and the Raptors are the one that hasn’t faced any of the other six. After hosting the Grizzlies on Monday, they’ll play five of their next six games against the Celtics, Sixers, Knicks (x 2) and Pistons.

Previous Power Rankings

Key Stats to Know

OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)

The league has averaged 112.4 points scored per 100 possessions and 100.3 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.

A rest-advantage game (or rest-disadvantage game) is one where one team played the day/night before, but the other (the team with the advantage) did not. Teams are 15-12 (.556) in rest-advantage games, 10-3 at home and 5-9 on the road, 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

LogoSan Antonio SpursLast Week:4↑

Record: 8-2

OffRtg: 117.2 (5) DefRtg: 107.1 (5) NetRtg: +10.1 (3)

The Spurs’ winning streak is at eight games, over which they’ve ranked in the top three on both ends of the floor. They’re 8-2 for the second straight season, though they have a better point differential than they had through 10 games last year.

Two takeaways

Victor Wembanyama scored 52 points (adding 24 rebounds and eight blocks) against the Mavs on Wednesday … with a broken jump shot. After that game, he was 7-for-29 (24%) from mid-range and 12-for-50 (24%) from beyond the arc. But he scored 45 of those 52 points in the restricted area (13-for-16) or at the free throw line (19-for-23), and he may have found his shooting stroke over the weekend. He wasn’t as dominant inside, but made seven of his 12 3-point attempts in Sacramento and Portland.

The Spurs’ starting lineup still doesn’t play a ton of minutes; at 10.5 minutes per game, it ranks 13th among lineups that have played at least five games together. It was also outscored by the Kings on Friday. But it’s allowed just 85.8 points per 100 possessions, the best mark among the 22 lineups that have played at least 50 total minutes, and it’s been much better offensively (114.9 scored per 100) than the Spurs were when De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle shared the floor last season.

Coming up: The Spurs had the league’s best interconference record last season, going 26-4 in regular-season games (that counted in the standings) against the East. Their first interconference game this season is Wednesday in Chicago, the end of a four-game trip.

Week 4: @ PHX, @ CHI, vs. GSW*, @ UTA

#2

LogoOklahoma City ThunderLast Week:7↑

Record: 8-2

OffRtg: 113.4 (17) DefRtg: 105.5 (3) NetRtg: +8.0 (5)

Despite the injuries, the Thunder are one of five teams with only two losses. And they’re looking dominant again, having beaten the Grizzlies and Wizards by a total of 70 points over the weekend.

Two takeaways

Over the course of 27 hours, the Thunder climbed from 12th to third on defense. The Grizzlies’ 97 points on 104 possessions on Friday was their worst offensive game of the season, and the Wizards’ 75 on 99 was the worst offensive game for any team by a wide margin. The two teams combined to shoot just 32-for-76 (42%) in the paint.

Coming up: The Thunder’s longest road trip of the season is only four games long, and it begins with a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back in Portland. They blew a 22-point lead and suffered their first loss of the season at the Moda Center around this time last year.

Week 4: @ POR, @ POR, @ LAC*, @ SAC

#3

LogoMinnesota TimberwolvesLast Week:12↑

Record: 8-3

OffRtg: 116.2 (8) DefRtg: 105.1 (1) NetRtg: +11.1 (2)

The Wolves lost two of their first three games without Anthony Edwards, but they’ve since won four straight. They handed the Rockets their first home loss (and worst defensive game) of the season on Wednesday and then ended the Pelicans’ four-game winning streak two nights later.

Two takeaways

All three of the Wolves’ losses came on their first stretch of five games in seven days, with two of them being rest-disadvantage games on the road. The other one (vs. Golden State) doesn’t look as bad now that the Warriors have won seven straight games as it did at the time, and the three losses have come by a total of just 17 points.

Coming up: The Wolves’ win over Utah on Sunday was the start of an eight-game homestand (tied for the longest in the league this season). They have a league-low five rest-advantage games this year, with the first of the five being a visit from the Bulls on Saturday.

Week 4: vs. DAL, vs. CHI

#4

LogoHouston RocketsLast Week:1↓

Record: 7-3

OffRtg: 118.6 (2) DefRtg: 109.4 (10) NetRtg: +9.2 (4)

After a West-best 7-1 start, the Rockets have lost two straight games to slide out of the top four in the conference. They still have a league-high six wins over teams that enter Week 4 with winning records. (No other team has more than four.)

Two takeaways

Durant is the most efficient high-volume scorer (25-plus points per game) in NBA history, and his true shooting percentage of 64.9% would be his highest mark in the last four seasons. But his usage rate (23.1%) is the lowest of his career and he took just six shots from the field in the Rockets’ win over Boston last Monday. The other three returning starters have also seen (smaller) drops in usage, with Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart both carrying more of a load than their ’25-26 counterparts.

Coming up: The Rockets have outscored their opponents 11.4 points per 100 possessions at home, and they’re back at the Toyota Center for three more games this week. The homestand begins with a marquee matchup with the Nuggets on Monday.

Week 4: vs. DEN, vs. GSW, vs. UTA*, @ WAS

#5

LogoPhiladelphia 76ersLast Week:3↓

Record: 9-2

OffRtg: 110.3 (20) DefRtg: 107.6 (6) NetRtg: +2.7 (15)

The Sixers suffered their first loss with Joel Embiid in the lineup on Friday, unable to make another comeback from a huge deficit against the Cavs. But they got a big win in Detroit (avenging their previous loss) earlier in the week and remain at the top of the Eastern Conference.

Two takeaways

The Sixers already have as many clutch wins (eight) as the Nets had all of last season. The flip side of that is that, while they’re tied with the Lakers for the league’s best record, they have the 15th-best point differential (plus-3.1 per game), that of a team that’s 7-4. They’ve now scored 79 points on 57 clutch offensive possessions (139 per 100), getting contributions from almost everybody who’s seen the floor with the score within five points in the last five minutes.

Coming up: Jaylen Brown won’t make his return to Boston until Jan. 21, but he’ll face his former team for the first time on Tuesday. That’s the start of what could be a big, three-game homestand, especially if Tyrese Haliburton is back in the Pacers’ lineup by Sunday afternoon.

Week 4: vs. BOS, vs. TOR, vs. IND

#6

LogoBoston CelticsLast Week:6

Record: 8-2

OffRtg: 117.9 (3) DefRtg: 106.3 (4) NetRtg: +11.6 (1)

The Celtics lost in Houston (without Paul George) last week, but they’ll be playing for first place in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday. Having won their last two games by a total of 59 points, they’re in the top five on both ends of the floor for what would be the fifth straight season.

Two takeaways

The Celtics have been switching up their starting lineup. Neemias Queta has replaced Mitchell Robinson as the starting center (though they’ve also played a few minutes together), while Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo González and Mike Conley have all taken turns in the starting backcourt. Payton Pritchard remains a reserve, while Sam Hauser only started the game (Wednesday vs. Milwaukee) that Jayson Tatum missed. But Pritchard has played the fourth-most minutes on the team, and the Celtics have been at their best (plus-21.2 per 100 possessions) with Hauser on the floor.

The Celtics shoot a lot of 3s, but their opponents shoot more. Boston opponents have taken 51.2% of their shots from 3-point range, which would be the highest opponent rate in the 48 years of the 3-point line by a wide margin. Only 47% of their opponents’ 3-point attempts (the league’s eighth lowest rate) have been wide open, but they’re probably getting a little lucky, with opponents shooting just 32.7% (second lowest) on those wide-open 3s.

Coming up: There are just six teams with winning records in the Eastern Conference, and the Celtics’ first games against two of the six will be a road back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday. First up is a visit to Jaylen Brown and the Sixers, with first place in the East on the line.

Week 4: @ PHI, @ TOR, vs. DAL

#7

LogoNew York KnicksLast Week:10↑

Record: 5-4

OffRtg: 114.1 (15) DefRtg: 108.3 (7) NetRtg: +5.8 (9)

After a 0-3 start, the Knicks have won five of their last six games to climb over .500 for the first time. They’re one of two teams (the Rockets are the other) that haven’t lost a game that wasn’t within five points in the last five minutes, and last week’s three wins all came by double digits.

Two takeaways

OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are both still shooting below 30% from 3-point range, while Jalen Brunson is just 28-for-71 (39.4%) in the paint. But the offense has picked up (119.6 points scored per 100 possessions) over the 5-1 stretch. The shooting has been a little better, but they’ve also cut down on turnovers and continued to give themselves a ton of second chances.

The regular starting lineup has still scored less than a point per possession in its 95 total minutes. But last Monday, the Knicks turned their game against Brooklyn around with a 16-2 run with both Brunson and Bridges off the floor to start the fourth quarter. And with Josh Hart (ankle) out the last two games, the new starting lineup (with Landry Shamet) outscored the Bulls and Cavs by 16 points in its 23 minutes.

Coming up: The Knicks had a rest advantage when they won in Cleveland over the weekend, but they’ll be at a disadvantage when the two teams meet again at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. Then they’ll head out of a four-game trip that includes their first two meetings with the Raptors. The Knicks won all five meetings last season by at least 16 points.

Week 4: vs. MIL, vs. CLE, @ IND*, @ TOR

#8

LogoLos Angeles LakersLast Week:11↑

Record: 9-2

OffRtg: 121.7 (1) DefRtg: 114.1 (21) NetRtg: +7.5 (7)

The Lakers have won five straight games and have the best record in the Western Conference. They’re also 2-0 without Luka Dončić, having held on after blowing almost all of a 26-point lead against the Pistons on Sunday.

Two takeaways

Dončić’s usage rate (39.8%) has dipped below the play-by-play era record of 40.2% (Russell Westbrook in 2016-17), but his efficiency remains high, and he had 18 free throw attempts as he recorded his second 50-point game of the season against Portland on Friday. His 40.1 points per game would be the third-highest mark in NBA history, and his true shooting percentage of 67.9% would be the highest for a player who averaged at least 32 (37 total instances).

The Lakers have a bottom-10 defense, even though they’re one of five teams that rank in the top 10 in both opponent field goal percentage in the paint (55.1%, seventh lowest) and the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint (46%, ninth lowest). Only the Heat have allowed more 3-pointers per game, and no team has allowed more second-chance points per game.

Coming up: The Lakers’ win in Detroit on Sunday was the start of a four-game trip, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage in Atlanta on Monday night. But after that, their next six games are against teams with a cumulative record of 10-48 (.172).

Week 4: @ ATL, @ MIL, @ PHX

#9

LogoDetroit PistonsLast Week:2↓

Record: 6-3

OffRtg: 113.2 (18) DefRtg: 105.4 (2) NetRtg: +7.8 (6)

The Pistons dominated the Hornets (x 2) and Nets on a three-game winning streak, but couldn’t handle a step up in competition, falling to the Sixers and Lakers (without Luka Dončić) last week. They also announced Sunday that Jalen Duren (who’s been out since the first half of Game 2) won’t be back for at least another two weeks.

Two takeaways

The Pistons have been the league’s best second-half team, outscoring their opponents by 16.5 points per 100 possessions after halftime. But they’ve been outscored by 0.9 per 100 (19th) in first halves, and they couldn’t recover from a 37-14 Sixers run spanning the first and second quarters on Wednesday or a 38-14 first quarter from the Lakers over the weekend. They’ve trailed by double digits in six of their nine games, having done so in only 29 (35%) of their 82 last season.

Coming up: The Pistons don’t have any road trips longer than four games this season, and their first of four four-game trips begins in Washington on Thursday. The road team will have a rest advantage in both games against the Wizards this week.

Week 4: vs. WAS, @ WAS, @ MIA

#10

LogoGolden State WarriorsLast Week:15↑

Record: 7-3

OffRtg: 116.7 (6) DefRtg: 112.1 (13) NetRtg: +4.6 (13)

Stephen Curry is on a heater and the Warriors have won seven straight games, even though they’ve trailed four of them by double digits. They ranked 29th defensively over their 0-3 start, but are sixth on that end of the floor over the course of the winning streak.

Two takeaways

Curry has averaged 33.8 points on a true shooting percentage of 73.3% over the streak, and he had 17 of the Warriors’ 29 clutch points in their overtime win over Orlando on Saturday. His season-long true shooting percentage of 70.8% would be the highest in NBA history for a player who averaged at least 30 points, topping his own mark of 66.9% in 2015-16.

Yaxel Lendeborg would have the highest true shooting percentage (63.0%) in NBA history for a rookie who averaged at least 20 points. He’s only 7-for-30 (23%) on pull-up 3-pointers, but he hit a huge one in overtime on Saturday. The Warriors had shot 1-for-13 on clutch shots over their first three games that were within five points in the last five minutes, but were 10-for-15 against the Magic.

Coming up: The Warriors won both of their games in San Antonio (a two-game series) last season, with Curry totaling 95 points on 57% shooting and 23-for-24 from the line. They’ll be back at the Frost Bank Center on Friday, with first place in West Group C (both teams are 1-0 in Cup play) on the line.

Week 4: vs. NOP, @ HOU, @ SAS*

#11

LogoPortland Trail BlazersLast Week:9↓

Record: 6-3

OffRtg: 117.6 (4) DefRtg: 112.2 (14) NetRtg: +5.5 (11)

The Blazers won six of their first seven games for the first time in 27 years, and they ended a 12-game losing streak in Denver last Monday. But they then ran into Luka Dončić and Victor Wembanyama over the weekend, and their schedule will remain tough for the next few weeks.

Two takeaways

The Blazers were held under a point per possession by the Spurs on Saturday, and their starting lineup with Scoot Henderson in Ja Morant’s place has scored an anemic 83.2 per 100 in its 52 minutes. Henderson has shot just 6-for-36 (17%) from 3-point range, the third worst mark among 185 players with at least 25 attempts.

But the Blazers still rank as the league’s second most improved offensive team, having scored 4.5 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season. They’ve seen the biggest jump in effective field goal percentage, the second biggest jump in free throw rate, and the third biggest drop in turnover rate. The context is that six of their nine games have come against teams that currently rank in the bottom 10 defensively.

Coming up: Their loss to the Spurs over the weekend began a stretch where the Blazers are playing eight of 10 against teams that currently rank in the top seven defensively. The first of a league-high six sets of games where they’re playing the same team twice in a row is a back-to-back against the Thunder (to whom they’ve lost 19 of their last 20 games) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Week 4: vs. OKC, vs. OKC, @ SAC*

#12

LogoCleveland CavaliersLast Week:8↓

Record: 5-5

OffRtg: 115.0 (10) DefRtg: 112.4 (16) NetRtg: +2.6 (16)

The Cavs got an impressive win (without Jarrett Allen) over the Sixers on Friday, but were swept in a home-and-home set by the Thunder earlier in the week and lost another game to the Knicks on Saturday night. They haven’t found much consistency on either end of the floor.

Two takeaways

When you take the drop-off in league-wide efficiency into account, the Cavs’ drop-off has been about even on both ends of the floor. They haven’t finished well in the paint (where James Harden has shot just 35%) and they’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in opponent turnover rate, from 14.9 per 100 possessions (10th) last season to just 13.0 (29th) this season. Their defense ranks last (by a healthy margin) in average pick-up distance, according to tracking data.

The Cavs have a top-10 bench overall, but they’ve been without Jaylon Tyson (ankle) for the last five games, and Allen’s absence has had Thomas Bryant in the rotation for the last few. They’ve been outscored by almost 30 points per 100 possessions in Bryant’s 60 total minutes on the floor this season.

Coming up: The Cavs have played the East’s third toughest schedule to date in regard to cumulative opponent winning percentage (.592). Things will be a little easier in that regard over the next few weeks, and they’ll have a rest advantage for their rematch with the Knicks on Wednesday.

Week 4: @ CHA, @ NYK, @ MIA*, vs. DAL

#13

LogoDenver NuggetsLast Week:13

Record: 5-3

OffRtg: 115.3 (9) DefRtg: 113.7 (18) NetRtg: +1.6 (17)

The Nuggets blew a double-digit, second-half lead against the Blazers last Monday, but they’ve won four of their last five games, with their best win of the season coming against Toronto on Wednesday.

Two takeaways

Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokić are a combined 18-for-69 (26%) from 3-point range, while Jamal Murray is just 6-for-24 (25%) from mid-range. But the Nuggets outscored the Raptors by 30 points (76-46) in the paint on Wednesday, with Jokić scoring all 32 of his points in the paint (13-for-17) or at the free throw line (6-for-7). His free throw rate (25.2 attempts per 100 shots from the field) would still be the lowest of his career.

Coming up: The 5-3 Nuggets will face the 7-3 Rockets twice in the next 12 days, with the first meeting in Houston on Monday. Denver won three of the four meetings (with a 36-point victory in March) last season, with Jokić and Murray combining to average 55.3 points over the four games.

Week 4: @ HOU, @ MEM, @ NOP

#14

LogoDallas MavericksLast Week:14

Record: 6-4

OffRtg: 114.1 (13) DefRtg: 109.3 (9) NetRtg: +4.8 (12)

The Mavs allowed the Kings to get off the schneid last Monday, but they’re 6-2 with Kyrie Irving in uniform, with the two losses having come in Houston (on opening night) and San Antonio (by one point).

Two takeaways

The Mavs had some modest success with P.J. Washington as the lone big in their loss to the Spurs on Wednesday, when Victor Wembanyama scored 52 points. But for the season, they’ve been outscored by 29 points (allowing 137 per 100) in 57 total minutes with Washington as the only big on the floor. The good news in that regard is that Santi Aldama made his season debut on Friday and totaled 20 points and 11 rebounds in less than 28 minutes against Utah and Brooklyn.

Aldama’s two games were the Mavs’ two best rebounding games of the season by a wide margin, and they outscored the Jazz and Nets by 24 points (37-14) on second chances. They’ve seen the league’s second biggest jump in offensive rebounding percentage, from 27.9% (27th) last season to 34.6% (sixth) this season.

Coming up: The Mavs are one of three teams with a league-high 14 rest-disadvantage games, and the first of the 14 is their game against the Pacers on Monday. Then they’ve got a tough, three-game trip and will be at a disadvantage again in Boston on Sunday night.

Week 4: vs. IND, @ MIN, @ CLE, @ BOS

#15

LogoMemphis GrizzliesLast Week:5↓

Record: 6-3

OffRtg: 114.5 (12) DefRtg: 108.6 (8) NetRtg: +5.8 (8)

After a 6-0 start, the Grizzlies fell back to earth last week. They lost close games to the Pelicans and Pacers, and then got clobbered by the Thunder. And with the West off to a strong start, the losing streak has taken them from first to seventh place.

Two takeaways

The difference between the first six games and the last three has been about even on both ends of the floor. The Grizzlies scored efficiently in the overtime loss to New Orleans and allowed only 107 points on 102 possessions in the loss to Indiana, but the two opponents combined to score 33 points on 25 clutch possessions.

The Grizzlies still rank as the league’s most improved defensive team, having allowed 9.8 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season. Some of that is 3-point luck, but they’ve also seen the third biggest drop in opponent field goal percentage in the paint and the biggest jump in defensive rebounding percentage. It helps that Zach Edey has already played more than half as many minutes as he did all of last season, and Cedric Coward has also grabbed 22.1% of available defensive boards, up from 16.0% last season and the best mark among 147 players 6-6 or shorter who’ve averaged at least 10 minutes per game.

Coming up: The Grizzlies are one of three teams with a league-low seven rest-disadvantage games, with the first coming against Brooklyn on Saturday. That’s the second game of their only stretch of five in seven days.

Week 4: @ TOR, vs. DEN, @ NOP*, vs. BKN

#16

LogoToronto RaptorsLast Week:16

Record: 5-4

OffRtg: 116.5 (7) DefRtg: 110.9 (11) NetRtg: +5.6 (10)

Still playing without Kawhi Leonard and missing at least one other starter in a couple of games last week, the Raptors went 2-2 on their first extended road trip of the season, with RJ Barrett leading seven guys who averaged double figures over the four games.

Two takeaways

The Raptors lost some depth in the summer and have been dealing with more absences than that of Leonard, but they’ve had the league’s fifth-ranked bench through the first three weeks. They’ve been at their best with Allen Graves or Collin Murray-Boyles on the floor, and they got 30 points off the bench from Alijah Martin in Milwaukee on Saturday. (His previous career high was nine.)

The Raptors are the only team that’s won the possession game in every game they’ve played. Their opponents have a true shooting percentage of 59.9% (fourth highest) and the Bucks even had a higher mark (57.5%) than they did (56.7%) on Friday. But the Raptors had 14 more shot opportunities, taking their season-long average to plus-11.3 per game, which would be the highest mark in NBA history by a healthy margin.

Coming up: The Raptors will play eight of their next 10 games at home, but after they host Memphis on Monday, they’ll play five of their next six against the Celtics, Sixers, Knicks (x 2) and Pistons. They went 3-13 against that group last season, with two of those three wins coming against Philly.

Week 4: vs. MEM, vs. BOS, @ PHI, vs. NYK

#17

LogoAtlanta HawksLast Week:19↑

Record: 7-4

OffRtg: 114.7 (11) DefRtg: 111.6 (12) NetRtg: +3.1 (14)

A four-game winning streak, including two wins over Trae Young’s Wizards, has the Hawks in the top four in the Eastern Conference. Three of the four wins were within three points in the final minute, but Onyeka Okongwu made some big plays (a running hook in Indiana and some rim protection the other two nights) in the clutch.

Two takeaways

Kingston Flemings returned from his one-game suspension and replaced CJ McCollum in the starting lineup for the last three games. Flemings shot 16-for-26 (62%) over his three starts and blocked Michael Porter Jr. on a huge possession in the final minute of the Hawks’ rest-disadvantage win over Brooklyn on Saturday. McCollum was the closer the night before and the two small guards have played just five total minutes together.

Coming up: The Hawks are 0-3 against the Western Conference, but they’ll have a rest advantage when they host the Lakers on Monday. Then they’ll play six of their next eight games on the road, a stretch that begins with visits to two teams – Chicago and Milwaukee – that are a combined 2-17.

Week 4: vs. LAL, @ CHI*, @ MIL

#18

LogoMiami HeatLast Week:17↓

Record: 4-6

OffRtg: 111.1 (19) DefRtg: 116.8 (26) NetRtg: -5.6 (22)

The Heat doubled their win total last week, but the two wins came against the Clippers and Kings and by a total of just seven points. They came back from 20 points down in L.A., with Klay Thompson draining the game-winner with one second left in overtime.

Two takeaways

Prior to Sunday (when the Kings shot 11-for-37), the Heat were getting hammered from 3-point range, with their opponents having made at least 16 3s in eight of their first nine games. According to tracking data, only 40% of their opponents’ 3-point attempts (the league’s lowest rate) have been wide open, but their opponents have shot a league-high 46.4% on those wide-open attempts. Overall, they’ve had the league’s worst luck in regard to how well their opponents have shot.

Pelle Larsson was in the starting lineup on Sunday, with Andrew Wiggins coming off the bench for just the 14th time in 894 career games. The Wiggins lineup has still played the most minutes (109) of any lineup in the league, but it’s allowed 127 points per 100 possessions, the second worst mark among the 22 lineups that have played at least 50 minutes. Some of that, of course, goes back to opponent 3-point shooting (50-for-101, 49.5%).

Coming up: After finishing their five-game road trip in Utah on Tuesday, the Heat will have two days off and then begin a five-game homestand. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage against the Pistons on Saturday night, having lost the first meeting (also at home) by 17 points.

Week 4: @ UTA, vs. CLE*, vs. DET

#19

LogoWashington WizardsLast Week:20↑

Record: 4-6

OffRtg: 108.1 (23) DefRtg: 113.0 (17) NetRtg: -4.8 (21)

Anthony Davis played in the Wizards’ first eight games, but he’s missed the last two with a right ankle sprain. The Wizards have dropped three straight, losing both ends of a home-and-home set with Trae Young’s former team and getting clobbered in Oklahoma City on Saturday.

Two takeaways

Young totaled 41 points in the two losses to the Hawks, but had almost as many turnovers (13) as assists (16). He’s still getting to the line a lot and his field goal percentage in the paint (57.8%) would be the best mark of his career, but his effective field goal percentage (46.9%) is still the lowest of his career, because he’s shot just 7-for-20 (35%) from mid-range and just 18-for-63 (29%) from beyond the arc. The Wizards’ offense has actually been better with him off the floor.

The Wizards have seen the league’s biggest drop in pace, from 102.5 possessions per 48 minutes (sixth) last season to 99.7 (21st) this season. They’ve slowed down a bit offensively, but have also seen the fourth biggest drop in the percentage of their opponents’ possessions that have been in transition.

Coming up: Over their four meetings last season, the Wizards had 58 fewer shot opportunities than the Pistons, the worst total discrepancy for any team against any opponent in ’25-26. They’ll face each other three times this year, with the first two of those meetings coming this week.

Week 4: @ DET, @ IND, vs. DET, vs. HOU

#20

LogoPhoenix SunsLast Week:22↑

Record: 3-5

OffRtg: 113.8 (16) DefRtg: 119.5 (27) NetRtg: -5.7 (23)

After a 1-5 start, the Suns have won two straight games, outlasting the Rockets (after blowing a 19-point lead) on Saturday. This is the same spot (3-5) they were a year ago, but might the West be stronger this season?

Two takeaways

The two wins have coincided with a change to the Suns’ starting lineup, not in the backcourt (as might have been expected), but with Oso Ighodaro replacing Khaman Maluach at the five. The new lineup (which they used for their first two preseason games) was good against Orlando on Thursday, but bench minutes were huge in the win over Houston two nights later. Overall, the Suns have been at their best with reserves Ryan Dunn and Luke Kennard on the floor.

Devin Booker’s usage has been more consistent over the last four games than it was over the previous four. After two games of 30-plus points, he had just 24 against the Rockets on Saturday, but that included all seven of the Suns’ points on the game-deciding, 7-0 run with less than four minutes left. That included a pull-up 3-pointer and Booker is now 10-for-27 (37%) on pull-up 3s after shooting just 30% on them in each of the last two seasons.

Coming up: All three of the Suns’ wins have come at home, and they’ve still got four games left on their seven-game homestand. The Spurs are at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Monday, with the home team having won the last eight meetings between Phoenix and San Antonio.

Week 4: vs. SAS, vs. LAC, vs. CHA, vs. LAL

#21

LogoNew Orleans PelicansLast Week:21

Record: 4-6

OffRtg: 114.1 (14) DefRtg: 114.5 (23) NetRtg: -0.4 (4)

The Pelicans won four straight games and handed the Grizzlies their first loss last Monday. But the streak ended with a loss to the Wolves on Friday, and then they were on the wrong side of the Clippers’ second win on Sunday night.

Two takeaways

The Pelicans continue to have the most paint-heavy offense we’ve seen in a long time. They’ve taken 60% of their shots in the paint, the highest rate for any team in the last 14 seasons, topping their own mark of 58% last season. And their 57.8% shooting in the paint (ninth best) is a big improvement from last season (55.4%, 29th).

The Pels’ wins over Memphis and Utah last week were their second and third overtime games, and they’ve now played more clutch minutes (34) than any other team. Zion Williamson has been on the floor for all 34, and he’s shot 12-for-12 on clutch free throws. Both his overall free throw rate (60 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and his free throw percentage (76.4%) would be the highest marks of his career.

Coming up: The Pels’ loss in L.A. on Sunday was the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage at Golden State on Monday night and again against the Nuggets over the weekend.

Week 4: @ GSW, vs. BKN, vs. MEM*, vs. DEN

#22

LogoIndiana PacersLast Week:24↑

Record: 3-7

OffRtg: 109.0 (22) DefRtg: 112.4 (15) NetRtg: -3.4 (19)

Tyrese Haliburton remains out, but the Pacers almost beat the Hawks with only six guys on Monday, they ended their five-game losing streak in Memphis two nights later, and T.J. McConnell made his season debut over the weekend.

Two takeaways

The Pacers’ five-game losing streak coincided with Ivica Zubac’s five-game absence, though they were outscored by 22 points (and he scored just one) in his 19 minutes when he made his return in the win in Memphis. The Pacers have struggled offensively with Zubac and/or Aaron Nesmith on the floor, but they’ve had the league’s third most improved bench, getting some good minutes from guys like Quenton Jackson, Larry Nance Jr. and Jalen Slawson.

Zubac has been critical on the glass. The Pacers have outrebounded their opponent in only one of their 10 games and rank 29th in rebounding percentage (46.9%) overall. But that mark is 51.0% with their starting center on the floor and 45.9% otherwise. He ranks third in both defensive rebounding percentage and total rebounding percentage among 311 players who’ve averaged at least 10 minutes in five games or more.

Coming up: The Pacers trailed by as many as 37 points when they lost (with Haliburton) to the Mavs in Week 1. They’ll have a rest advantage when they meet again in Dallas on Monday.

Week 4: @ DAL, vs. WAS, vs. NYK*, @ PHI

#23

LogoOrlando MagicLast Week:18↓

Record: 2-7

OffRtg: 107.6 (24) DefRtg: 116.1 (25) NetRtg: -8.5 (24)

Still playing without Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero, the Magic have lost four straight games, with the good news being that there are only six teams with winning records in the Eastern Conference.

Two takeaways

The Magic have seen the third biggest drop in points scored per 100 possessions and the fourth biggest jump in points allowed per 100 from last season. The defense is obviously the bigger disappointment, though five of their nine games have come against teams that currently rank in the top eight offensively. They rank 12th in defensive shot quality (according to tracking data), but they’re 25th in opponent effective field goal percentage.

Before this season, Franz Wagner had at least 10 assists in just two of his 344 career games. But he’s had 10 or more in four of his last five, with a career-high 15 in Phoenix on Thursday. His 8.0 minutes of possession per game rank seventh in the league and are up from just 3.0 minutes per game (fifth on the Magic) last season.

Coming up: The Magic are just two games into a stretch where they’re playing 10 of 13 on the road, but the schedule certainly eases up this week. There are four teams with only one win, and the Magic will play three of them in the next five days.

Week 4: @ SAC, @ UTA, vs. MIL*

#24

LogoLA ClippersLast Week:26↑

Record: 2-7

OffRtg: 110.2 (21) DefRtg: 113.9 (20) NetRtg: -3.7 (20)

The Clippers lost a couple of nail-biters before finally putting an end to their seven-game losing streak on Sunday with a comfortable win over the Pelicans. They ranked 26th offensively prior, but then had the third most efficient offensive game for any team this season, 139 points on 100 possessions.

Two takeaways

Keaton Wagler is coming off the bench, but his minutes have been pretty consistent, and he’s scored in double figures in seven of the Clippers’ nine games. He shot 6-for-8 from 3-point range over the last two games and, among the 209 players with at least 50 field goal attempts, only Rudy Gobert has a higher free throw rate than the Clippers’ rookie, who has 52 attempts to go with his 73 shots from the field (71 per 100).

Kris Dunn is providing a little more offense than he did in his first two seasons with the Clippers, and he remains essential on the other end of the floor. His 6.1 deflections per 36 minutes rank second among 173 players who’ve played at least 200 minutes, and the Clips have allowed 15.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor (105.4) than they have with him off (120.7).

Coming up: The Clippers have lost nine straight games to the Thunder, though the score was tied with less than six minutes left when they met in Week 1 in Oklahoma City. The Clips will hope to commit fewer turnovers than the 26 they had that night when they meet again in Emirates NBA Cup action on Friday.

Week 4: @ PHX, vs. OKC*, vs. CHA

#25

LogoUtah JazzLast Week:25

Record: 1-9

OffRtg: 102.8 (29) DefRtg: 114.5 (22) NetRtg: -11.7 (26)

The Jazz almost put their losing streak to an end in New Orleans on Wednesday, but Keyonte George’s game-winning jumper at the end of regulation came a fraction of a second after the buzzer. They’ve now lost twice in overtime, with their opponents (the Spurs and Pelicans) going on 12-0 and 14-0 runs in the extra period.

Two takeaways

Offense has been a struggle, with the Jazz having scored less than a point per possession over their last seven games. They’re the only team that ranks in the bottom 10 in field goal percentage in the paint (26th), mid-range field goal percentage (22nd) and 3-point percentage (26th).

The Jazz do rank as the league’s fifth most improved defensive team, in part because they ranked 29th on that end last season. They’ve seen the league’s biggest change in how they defend ball-screens, switching a lot less and playing drop coverage a lot more. That’s helped them go from 30th (62.0%) to fourth (54.0%) in opponent field goal percentage in the paint.

Coming up: Having played their first 10 games within the Western Conference, maybe the Jazz just need a couple against the East to get things going. They’ll host the Heat and Magic this week before playing (at least) their next 11 within the West.

Week 4: vs. MIA, vs. ORL, @ HOU*, vs. SAS

#26

LogoBrooklyn NetsLast Week:28↑

Record: 2-8

OffRtg: 105.6 (28) DefRtg: 114.8 (24) NetRtg: -9.1 (25)

The Nets got their second win of the season on Wednesday, avenging their opening-night loss to Charlotte with their best offensive performance (114 points on 94 possessions) of the season. But they blew a 17-point lead in Atlanta and got clobbered in Dallas over the weekend.

Two takeaways

The Nets lead the league in the percentage of their minutes (33%) that have come from rookies or second-year players, and another member of last year’s Draft class was back in the rotation last week. Danny Wolf gave them some good minutes off the bench and was on the floor down the stretch against the Hornets, then started both games of the Nets’ weekend back-to-back. The offense has been at its best (115.8 points scored per 100 possessions) with him on the floor.

In a game (in Atlanta on Saturday) that they lost by three points, the Nets had 10 more turnovers than the Hawks. They’re in the bottom four in turnover rate for what would be the third straight season, and Julius Randle is registering the highest rate of his career (15.0 per 100 possessions used). The Nets have been without Egor Dëmin for the last six games, but their turnover rate has actually been highest with him on the floor.

Coming up: The Nets should have some practice time this week, with two days off before playing in New Orleans on Wednesday and another two before they complete their four-game trip in Memphis.

Week 4: @ NOP, @ MEM

#27

LogoCharlotte HornetsLast Week:23↓

Record: 3-7

OffRtg: 99.7 (30) DefRtg: 113.8 (19) NetRtg: -14.2 (29)

Coby White and Kon Knueppel each made their season debut last week, but White has shot just 6-for-26 (23%) in his first three games and Knueppel played less than six minutes before re-injuring his left hamstring in the Hornets’ loss in Brooklyn. Two nights later, Brandon Miller left their 39-point loss to the Celtics with a hip strain.

Two takeaways

In each of the last two seasons (2024-25 and ’25-26), no team scored fewer than 85 points per 100 possessions more than twice. The ’26-27 Hornets have scored fewer than 85 per 100 in three of their 10 games. Overall, the 99.7 points per 100 that they’ve scored are 11.1 fewer than their worst 10-game stretch of offense last season.

The Hornets remain one of five teams that rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, but they were outrebounded for the first time on Friday, when Moussa Diabaté missed their loss to the Celtics. Both Diabaté and Ryan Kalkbrenner are rebounding like Steven Adams, with more offensive boards than defensive boards, in part because the Hornets have shot a lot worse than their opponents.

Coming up: Knueppel is out at least another four weeks, and Miller is listed as out for the Hornets’ game against Cleveland on Monday. They’ve lost their last 16 (and 28 of their last 30) games against the Clippers, who they’ll visit on Sunday afternoon.

Week 4: vs. CLE, @ PHX, @ LAC

#28

LogoChicago BullsLast Week:27↓

Record: 1-8

OffRtg: 107.4 (26) DefRtg: 123.6 (30) NetRtg: -16.2 (30)

The Bulls still have just one win (which came against the Bucks), having lost their last seven games by an average of 16.3 points. But they did hang around with the Sixers for all 48 minutes on Sunday afternoon.

Two takeaways

Defense remains a big problem. The Bulls rank in the bottom six in each of the four factors (shooting, free throw rate, turnovers and rebounding) on that end of the floor and they’ve allowed 11.2 more points per 100 possessions than the league average. That would be the worst differential (by a wide margin) for any team in the 31 seasons for which we have play-by-play data.

We’ll see if Nic Claxton can make an impact, having made his season debut on Sunday, when he blocked two shots in less than 18 minutes off the bench against the Sixers. Of course, Brooklyn’s 25th-ranked defense was much better with Claxton off the floor than it was with him on the floor last season.

Coming up: The schedule isn’t getting any easier in regard to opposing offenses, with six of the Bulls’ next eight games coming against teams that rank in the top 11 on that end of the floor. They’ve got three games left on a stretch of nine straight against teams that currently have winning records.

Week 4: vs. SAS, vs. ATL*, @ MIN

#29

LogoSacramento KingsLast Week:30↑

Record: 1-9

OffRtg: 107.5 (25) DefRtg: 120.1 (29) NetRtg: -12.6 (27)

The Kings got off the schneid with a comfortable win in Dallas last Monday, outscoring the Mavs by 36 points from 3-point range. But they then returned home and have lost the first three games of a seven-game homestand. This is the first time since 1990 that they’ve lost (at least) nine of their first 10 games.

Two takeaways

Less than 17 months after being selected with the 24th pick in the 2025 Draft, the Kings traded Nique Clifford to the Thunder for two second-rounders. Clifford isn’t particularly young (he’ll be 25 in February) and was somehow a minus-48 in just 50 minutes this season, but 50 minutes over nine games isn’t much of an opportunity for a second-year player (who showed some signs of promise last season) on a team that’s not competing for anything. It will be fascinating to see how he develops in Oklahoma City.

Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis have now played 1,281 minutes together over the last three seasons, and the Kings have been outscored by an incredible 12.5 points per 100 possessions over those minutes, with defense being the much larger issue. But they got good bench minutes in the win in Dallas last week, with Malik Monk scoring more points (24 on 9-for-14 shooting) than he had in his first five games combined (19 on 6-for-27).

Coming up: The Kings have four games left on their seven-game homestand and will be hosting the Blazers for the second time on Friday. They lost the first meeting despite getting 33 points from Darius Acuff Jr. and a 27-point triple-double from Domantas Sabonis.

Week 4: vs. ORL, vs. POR*, vs. OKC

#30

LogoMilwaukee BucksLast Week:29↓

Record: 1-9

OffRtg: 106.5 (27) DefRtg: 119.6 (28) NetRtg: -13.1 (28)

The Bucks erased a 22-point deficit in Boston on Wednesday and had a 15-point lead against the Raptors two nights later. But they’ve been unable to put four quarters together and have lost six straight games, tying the worst 10-game start in franchise history.

Two takeaways

Tyler Herro had a knee scare in the third quarter of another loss to the Celtics on Sunday, but he returned to the game. The Bucks have been one of the healthiest teams in the league, with their top nine guys in minutes per game having played in all 10 games. They’ve been outscored by just 1.9 points per 100 possessions in 143 minutes with their four full-time starters all on the floor, but have been outscored by 18.0 per 100 in 337 minutes with at least one of the four on the bench.

Brayden Burries replaced Ryan Rollins in the starting lineup last week and has averaged 13.0 points in 28.6 minutes in his four games as a starter, up from 8.8 in 15.9 in his six games off the bench. He’s only 6-4, but he’s had much more success in the paint (63% shooting) and in getting to the free throw line (42 attempts per 100 shots from the field) than he’s had from the outside (8-for-36 from 3-point range).

Coming up: The Bucks’ last six games have come against teams that rank in the top 10 offensively, and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they host the Lakers’ top-ranked offense on Wednesday. Luka Dončić scored 41 points in a Lakers’ win in Milwaukee last November.

Week 4: @ NYK, vs. LAL, @ ORL*, vs. ATL