Monday is also the opening of trade season, with several dozen players (who signed new contracts in the offseason) now eligible to be traded. A year ago, on Dec. 15, the Brooklyn Nets traded Dennis Schr\u00f6der to Golden State<\/a>, sending Dorian Finney-Smith to the Lakers two weeks later.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s another mid-December move to be made this year, it\u2019s not as obvious. Perhaps teams will wait to see if the big domino is going to fall before the Feb. 5 trade deadline. But maybe the Oklahoma City Thunder also don\u2019t look quite as unbeatable as they did three days ago.<\/p>\n Plus-Minus Players of the Week<\/p>\n Teams of the Week<\/p>\n Make It Last Forever: San Antonio (3-0) \u2014 The Spurs were really good without Victor Wembanyama and took down the champs in his return. * * *<\/p>\n East vs. West<\/p>\n The West is 55-45<\/a> (.550) against the East in interconference games after going 2-1<\/a> last week.<\/p>\n Schedule strength through Week 8<\/p>\n Toughest: 1. Sacramento, 2. Portland, 3. New Orleans * * *<\/p>\n Movement in the Rankings<\/p>\n High jumps of the week: New Orleans (+4), San Antonio (+3) * * *<\/p>\n Week 9 Team to Watch<\/p>\n Boston<\/a> \u2014 One game separates the third-place Celtics from ninth-place Atlanta, and they\u2019ll play three big games this week. They\u2019ll host the first-place Pistons on Monday (7 p.m. ET, peacock) and the sixth-place Heat on Friday, before visiting the fifth-place Raptors on Saturday night.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n Previously\u2026<\/p>\n OffRtg<\/a>: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank) The league has averaged 114.9 points scored per 100 possessions and 100.8 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes this season.<\/p>\n NBA.com\u2019s Power Rankings, released every Monday during the season, are just one man\u2019s opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, contact him via Bluesky<\/a>.<\/p>\n #1<\/p>\n Record: 24-2<\/p>\n OffRtg: 119.8 (5) DefRtg: 103.4 (1) NetRtg: +16.4 (1) Pace: 101.2 (14)<\/p>\n We don\u2019t have to worry about whether or not the Emirates NBA Cup final should count toward a wins record or a record-long winning streak, because the Thunder didn\u2019t make it that far. Their 16-game winning streak came to an end<\/a> with a narrow loss to the Spurs in Las Vegas on Saturday.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The loss was the Thunder\u2019s worst offensive game<\/a> of the season (109 points on 107 possessions), and their struggles on that end were mostly about their 9-for-37 (24%) shooting from 3-point range (including 1-for-5 on clutch 3s<\/a>). The Thunder are one of only three teams with multiple wins (they\u2019re 2-1<\/a>) when shooting below 25% from beyond the arc, but overall, teams are 12-30 (.286) when making less than a quarter of their attempts from deep. It remains a make-or-miss league.<\/p>\n The Thunder remain in the top five on both ends of the floor, but when accounting for the league-average jump in efficiency, they\u2019ve taken a small step backward offensively this season. They\u2019ve improved regarding shooting and free-throw rate, but only the Kings have seen a bigger drop in offensive rebounding percentage. Isaiah Hartenstein returned from a six-game absence on Saturday (it was their first game with all of their top seven players<\/a> from last year\u2019s playoffs), and their offensive rebounding percentage has been highest<\/a> with him on the floor.<\/p>\n Both of the Thunder\u2019s losses have come in games they led by more than 15 points. That matches their loss total (they were 66-2) in games they led by more than 15 points last season (including the playoffs).<\/p>\n Coming up: The Thunder\u2019s schedule has begun to get tougher, with their two Cup games last week the start of a stretch where they\u2019re playing seven of nine against teams that currently have winning records. Their visit to Minnesota on Friday is also the first of four rest-disadvantage games they\u2019ll have over the span of 18 days.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. LAC, @ MIN<\/p>\n #2<\/p>\n Record: 18-6<\/p>\n OffRtg: 124.4 (1) DefRtg: 114.8 (17) NetRtg: +9.6 (3) Pace: 100.5 (20)<\/p>\n The Nuggets got an easy win in Sacramento on Thursday, with Nikola Joki\u0107 shooting 14-for-16 on his way to 36 points. They\u2019ve won four straight games<\/a> overall and 11 straight on the road<\/a>.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Nuggets now have the league\u2019s No. 1 offense by a pretty healthy margin as they\u2019ve scored 9.5 more points per 100 possessions than the league average. That would be the best differential in the 30 seasons of play-by-play data. But they\u2019ve played three more games against teams<\/a> that currently rank in the bottom 10 defensively (10) as they have against teams<\/a> that currently rank in the top 10 (seven), and their schedule is about to get much tougher in that regard, with 10 of their next 11 games coming against top-10 defenses.<\/p>\n The Nuggets\u2019 starting lineup \u2013 with Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson in place of Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon \u2013 has outscored opponents by 20.8 points per 100 possessions, the best mark<\/a> among 21 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes. Braun and Gordon have (basically) been out for the last 11 games, with Jones and Watson combining to shoot 33-for-74<\/a> (45%) from 3-point range over that stretch.<\/p>\n The Nuggets also have the league\u2019s fifth-ranked bench<\/a>, up from 22nd<\/a> last season. They\u2019ve outscored their opponent in Joki\u0107\u2019s minutes off the floor in six of their last eight games.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Nuggets haven\u2019t played the Thunder or Lakers, but they\u2019re 5-1 within the top seven in the West, with the highlight being their three-point win<\/a> in Houston on Nov. 21. They\u2019ll face the Rockets two more times this week, hoping to end a four-game losing streak at home as they begin a four-game homestand on Monday.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. HOU, vs. ORL, vs. HOU<\/p>\n #3<\/p>\n Record: 16-6<\/p>\n OffRtg: 121.4 (4) DefRtg: 111.0 (2) NetRtg: +10.3 (2) Pace: 98.0 (27)<\/p>\n The Rockets struggled to put away the Clippers on Thursday, but they escaped with a two-point win to stay even with the Nuggets in the loss column at the top of Tier 2 in the West.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Rockets continue to have the highest offensive rebounding percentage in the 30 seasons for which we have play-by-play data (41.5%<\/a>), and their 53.8% on Thursday was the highest single-game mark<\/a> for any team this season. The go-ahead bucket, a tip-in from Amen Thompson<\/a> with 17.2 seconds left, came on their fifth shot of the possession. Their offensive rebounding percentage in the clutch is 50.7%<\/a>.<\/p>\n Josh Okogie was the fifth starter for the fourth straight game, but bench minutes were critical. The Rockets regained control with a 16-2 run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Reed Sheppard was on the floor instead of Okogie down the stretch, and Aaron Holiday drew an offensive foul on Kawhi Leonard with a two-point lead and less than 15 seconds left. Tari Eason has missed the last 11 games, but the Rockets\u2019 bench still ranks second in the league<\/a>, behind only that of the Thunder.<\/p>\n Sheppard has an effective field goal percentage of 60.7%, up from 45.2% last season<\/a>. That\u2019s the biggest jump among 224 players with at least 200 field goal attempts last season and at least 100 this season.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Rockets are probably going home after their game in Denver on Monday, but they\u2019re playing their next six games on the road, a stretch that includes another trip to Denver and concludes with their Christmas Day game against the Lakers.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ DEN, @ NOP, @ DEN, @ SAC<\/p>\n #4<\/p>\n Record: 20-5<\/p>\n OffRtg: 117.4 (9) DefRtg: 111.1 (3) NetRtg: +6.3 (5) Pace: 101.5 (11)<\/p>\n The Pistons are the second team with 20 wins and have a two-game lead at the top of the Eastern Conference after blowing out the Hawks on Friday.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Eleven days earlier, the Hawks were in Detroit less than 24 hours after playing two overtimes in Philadelphia, and the Pistons beat them by just one. The Pistons\u2019 point differential (plus-6.3 per game, second<\/a> in the East) is still that of a team that\u2019s just 18-7, but the 27-point win on Friday was, easily, their largest margin of victory<\/a> this season.<\/p>\n It was a potent offensive performance (142 points on 106 possessions) against a team that had ranked ninth<\/a> defensively over Trae Young\u2019s absence, and Cade Cunningham scored just 15 points in less than 23 minutes. The Pistons\u2019 three-game winning streak has been their best stretch of the season (128.1 points scored per 100 possessions<\/a>) on that end of the floor.<\/p>\n They doubled up the Hawks (42-20<\/a>) in the restricted area, taking their season-long, restricted-area differential to a league-best plus-12.5 points per game. They\u2019ve seen a big jump from last season in the percentage of their own shots that have come at the basket, with much of that coming from Jalen Duren\u2019s jump in usage rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Pistons lost in Boston less than three weeks ago when Cunningham missed a free throw for the tie with 4.4 seconds left. They\u2019re back at TD Garden on Monday and will then play six straight games against teams with losing records.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ BOS, @ DAL, vs. CHA<\/p>\n #5<\/p>\n Record: 18-7<\/p>\n OffRtg: 122.0 (2) DefRtg: 113.3 (11) NetRtg: +8.6 (4) Pace: 99.1 (26)<\/p>\n The Knicks have won nine of their last 10 games<\/a> and are heading to the Emirates NBA Cup final, thanks to two efficient offensive performances against two top-10 defenses \u2013 those of the Raptors and Magic \u2013 last week.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Knicks now rank second offensively, having scored more than 125 points per 100 possessions<\/a> over the two elimination games. Jalen Brunson totaled 75 points over the two games, shooting 21-for-32<\/a> (66%) inside the arc and 8-for-14 from 3-point range. Pull-up 2-pointers are always going to be a large portion of his shot diet and his 51.3% on pull-up 2s<\/a> this season is the best mark of his career.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t just Brunson scoring inside on Saturday, with the Knicks\u2019 70 points in the paint against the Magic being their high<\/a> for the season. They rank fifth in paint differential (plus-4.1 points per game), even though their big jump in 3-point rate has come with the league\u2019s second biggest drop in the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint, from 50% (ninth highest) last season to just 46% (seventh lowest) this season.<\/p>\n The Knicks have gone 16-4 since Nov. 1, and only four<\/a> of those 20 games have been within five points in the last five minutes. They\u2019re tied with the Thunder (15-0) and Nuggets (15-0) for the most wins (they\u2019re 15-2) in games that weren\u2019t within five in the last five.<\/p>\n Coming up: Paint points will be harder to come by against the Spurs on Tuesday, but Karl-Anthony Towns (10-for-19 from 3-point range over the Knicks\u2019 five-game winning streak<\/a>) is obviously the best player to have if the Knicks want to pull Victor Wembanyama away from the basket. If you count the Cup final (which doesn\u2019t count in the standings), the Knicks are three games into a stretch where they\u2019re playing 13 of 15 against teams with winning records.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. SAS*, @ IND, vs. PHI, vs. MIA<\/p>\n #6<\/p>\n Record: 18-7<\/p>\n OffRtg: 118.0 (7) DefRtg: 113.8 (14) NetRtg: +4.2 (8) Pace: 100.9 (16)<\/p>\n The Spurs went 9-3 during Victor Wembanyama\u2019s absence<\/a>, but they\u2019re in the Emirates NBA Cup final because he was back in uniform on Saturday and helping them put an end to the Thunder\u2019s 16-game winning streak.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The win on Saturday was the Spurs\u2019 worst offensive game<\/a> of the season (111 points on 106 possessions), but it was also the Thunder\u2019s worst (109 on 107). Oklahoma City scored just 40 points on 48 possessions (shooting 4-for-13 in the paint<\/a>) in Wembanyama\u2019s 21 minutes on the floor. The Spurs have now allowed 110.7 per 100 in the 13 games he\u2019s played and just 104.3 per 100<\/a> in his 437 minutes on the floor.<\/p>\n The Lakers lead the league in free-throw differential, but the Spurs handed them their worst differential (29-17) of the season on Wednesday. San Antonio has seen the league\u2019s third biggest jump in free throw rate from last season, with Wembanyama (from 22.1 to 41.4 attempts per 100 shots from the field) and Stephon Castle (from 34.8 to 52.0 per 100) having seen the third and seventh biggest jumps among 120 players with at least 200 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons.<\/p>\n Their three games last week were the first three games in which the Spurs had Castle, De\u2019Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper all in uniform. They haven\u2019t had all three on the floor together, but each player has had their moments. Harper (on the floor instead of Castle) had the game-winning bucket<\/a> in New Orleans, Castle scored an efficient 30 points (while also guarding Luka Don\u010di\u0107) in L.A., and Fox had the first six points on the critical, 13-0 run to close the first half against the Thunder.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Cup final will come against an even better offense than that of the Thunder, and the Knicks are more of a jump-shooting team than Oklahoma City. But Wembanyama\u2019s presence in the paint should help the Spurs defend the 3-point line better, with the corners being particularly important on Tuesday. The Knicks\u2019 5 corner 3s per game<\/a> would be the most for any team in the 47-year history of the 3-point line, and they were 8-for-15 from the corners<\/a> in their Christmas win over the Spurs (the last game Wembanyama played vs. New York) last year.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. NYK*, vs. WAS, @ ATL, @ WAS<\/p>\n #7<\/p>\n Record: 18-7<\/p>\n OffRtg: 118.0 (8) DefRtg: 116.5 (20) NetRtg: +1.5 (14) Pace: 100.2 (22)<\/p>\n The Lakers\u2019 defense (or lack thereof) kept them from making another trip to Las Vegas, but they\u2019re holding on to a top-four spot in the West after picking up another clutch win (without Austin Reaves<\/a>) over the weekend.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Lakers rank 29th<\/a> defensively (122.4 points allowed per 100 possessions) over the last three weeks, and only two of their nine games in that stretch have come against teams \u2013 the Celtics and Spurs \u2013 that rank in the top 10 on offense. Their paint defense hasn\u2019t been terrible over that stretch, but they\u2019ve seen a reduction in opponent turnovers and their opponents have shot a league-high 42.8%<\/a> from 3-point range over those nine games. The Spurs\u2019 17-for-38 (45%) on Wednesday was their fourth-best 3-point shooting game<\/a> of the season.<\/p>\n According to tracking data, only the Hornets and Clippers have had worse luck than the Lakers in regard to how much their opponents have overperformed from 3-point range in relation to the quality of the shots.<\/p>\n The Lakers were also outscored by 12 points at the free-throw line (their worst differential of the season) on Wednesday. They still rank first in free-throw differential (plus-4.9 points per game) for what would be the fourth straight season, having outscored the Suns by 12 points at the line (despite Reaves\u2019 absence) on Sunday. LeBron James won the game by going 2-for-3 at the stripe after he was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 3.9 seconds left. That kept the Lakers undefeated (9-0<\/a>) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes, and they\u2019re now 18-7 with the point differential of a team that\u2019s 14-11.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Lakers\u2019 win in Phoenix on Sunday was the end of a stretch of six straight games against teams with winning records. They\u2019re 11-2 against teams currently below .500, set to visit the Jazz and Clippers this week. They\u2019re 7-2 against the Clippers over the last three seasons after losing 11 straight before that.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ UTA, @ LAC<\/p>\n #8<\/p>\n Record: 15-10<\/p>\n OffRtg: 121.4 (3) DefRtg: 115.0 (18) NetRtg: +6.3 (6) Pace: 96.2 (30)<\/p>\n A three-day break cooled off the Celtics\u2019 offense and their five-game winning streak came to an end in Milwaukee on Thursday. They\u2019re still in third place in the East, with some big games coming up this week.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Celtics had scored an amazing 131.5 points per 100 possessions over their previous eight games and had 71 on 53 (with an 11-point lead) early in the third quarter on Thursday. But they then scored just 30 points on their final 43 trips down the floor and suffered their first double-digit loss<\/a> in more than a month.<\/p>\n They remain the only team that hasn\u2019t lost a game (they\u2019re 11-0<\/a>) when shooting the league average (36%) or better from 3-point range. But the Celtics were just 14-for-49 (29%) from beyond the arc on Thursday, falling to 4-10 when they\u2019ve shot below 36% from deep. That (11-0 vs. 4-10) is the league\u2019s biggest such differential by a wide margin.<\/p>\n The Celtics have seen the league\u2019s biggest drop in 3-point rate from last season, but still rank last, by a wide margin, in the percentage of their shots (38%) that have come in the paint. They rank second (behind the Kings) in the percentage (14%) that have come from mid-range, with Jaylen Brown (71-for-143, 49.7%<\/a>) having already made more mid-range shots than he did all of last season (64-for-160, 40%<\/a>).<\/p>\n Coming up: The Celtics are 8-5 in games played between the nine Eastern Conference teams with winning records, with three games within the top nine this week. They will have a rest advantage for their first meeting with the Heat on Friday, but will be at a disadvantage the following night in Toronto.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. DET, vs. MIA, @ TOR<\/p>\n #9<\/p>\n Record: 14-12<\/p>\n OffRtg: 114.2 (16) DefRtg: 114.2 (16) NetRtg: -0.0 (17) Pace: 100.0 (23)<\/p>\n The Suns got clobbered by the Thunder in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, and they\u2019ve lost five of their last seven games overall.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Devin Booker missed three games before returning on Sunday, and this 2-5 stretch has been tough, with all seven games coming against teams ahead of the Suns in the Western Conference standings. They\u2019re 5-7 within the top seven in the West, with none of the other six teams having played more than eight games within the group.<\/p>\n Defense has sparked the Suns\u2019 improvement. They\u2019ve (unsurprisingly) taken a step backward on offense, despite a huge jump in offensive rebounding percentage. They\u2019ve shot much less effectively than they did last season, are one of only four teams that have seen a drop in free-throw rate, and they\u2019ve had the league\u2019s third-biggest jump in turnover rate.<\/p>\n The Suns are the only team that\u2019s beaten the Wolves since Thanksgiving, having held on for a three-point win in Minnesota last Monday. Phoenix has seen the league\u2019s biggest drop in opponent transition points per game<\/a> from last season, and the Wolves had just 11 (their second-lowest total of the season) in the loss.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Suns have scored just 105.7 points per 100 possessions over eight games against teams<\/a> that currently rank in the top 10 defensively. They\u2019ll play a pair of games against the Warriors\u2019 fourth-ranked defense this week, having scored just 107 on 100 in a loss in San Francisco<\/a> last month.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. GSW, @ GSW<\/p>\n #10<\/p>\n Record: 17-9<\/p>\n OffRtg: 118.0 (6) DefRtg: 113.2 (10) NetRtg: +4.8 (7) Pace: 100.5 (18)<\/p>\n The Wolves saw their five-game winning streak come to an end with another clutch loss to the Suns on Monday, and they\u2019ve played the last two games without Anthony Edwards. But they won them both and remain comfortably in the top six in the West.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n After losing their first two games without Edwards this season, the Wolves have won their last four. They\u2019ve scored 122.1 points per 100 possessions over the four wins, which have all come against teams \u2013 Charlotte, Brooklyn, Golden State and Sacramento \u2013 currently with losing records. Julius Randle led the way, but the scoring was pretty balanced<\/a> in the two wins this weekend. This would be the second straight season where the Wolves have been a little better<\/a> with Edwards off the floor (plus-6.1 per 100 possessions) than they\u2019ve been with him on the floor (plus-4.1).<\/p>\n According to tracking data, Randle has isolated 12.7 times per 100 possessions. That\u2019s the league\u2019s 15th-highest rate (Edwards is 11th) and up from 12 per 100 last season. The Wolves have scored 1.34 points per possession when a Randle iso has led directly to a shot, turnover, or trip to the line, the best mark among 47 players with at least 75 direct isolations this season.<\/p>\n Even with Edwards missing the last two games, the Wolves\u2019 starting lineup has played 64 more minutes<\/a> than any other lineup in the league, with only the Lakers, Rockets and Knicks getting fewer minutes per game<\/a> from reserves. The regular starters have outscored opponents by 12.7 points per 100 possessions, the eighth-best mark<\/a> among 21 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Wolves\u2019 win over Sacramento on Sunday was the start of their longest homestand of the season (five games over 10 days). They\u2019re 4-0 in rest-advantage games this season and their next one will be Friday against the Thunder. The Wolves\u2019 first game against the champs (Nov. 26 in Oklahoma City<\/a>) was a one-possession game with less than a minute to go, but they couldn\u2019t finish.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. MEM, vs. OKC, vs. MIL<\/p>\n #11<\/p>\n Record: 15-11<\/p>\n OffRtg: 115.7 (11) DefRtg: 112.1 (6) NetRtg: +3.6 (9) Pace: 101.5 (12)<\/p>\n The Magic earned a trip to Las Vegas with a comeback victory over the Heat on Tuesday, their third win (tied for the league lead) after trailing by at least 15 points. But they couldn\u2019t keep up with the Knicks\u2019 offense in the NBA Cup semifinals.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Magic rank as the league\u2019s second-most-improved offensive team, having scored 6.7 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season. But they still need to defend to win, and they\u2019re1-6<\/a> when allowing more than 115 points per 100 possessions. They allowed the Knicks to score a season-high 70 points in the paint and another 23 at the free-throw line on Saturday.<\/p>\n The Magic got good news on Franz Wagner last week, but the forward is still going to miss multiple weeks<\/a> with a high ankle sprain. While Tristan da Silva started during Paolo Banchero\u2019s absence, Anthony Black has replaced Wagner, and the Magic have now outscored their opponents by 30.8 points per 100 possessions<\/a> in 92 minutes with Black, Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane on the floor together.<\/p>\n Bench minutes were a problem on Saturday, with the deciding 17-3 Knicks run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Suggs also had to leave the game with a sore left hip, so for the second straight Monday, we await news on an injury to one of Orlando\u2019s best players. Suggs has been somewhat limited (25.6 minutes per game<\/a>, no back-to-backs) in the first place, but the Magic have been 10.3 points per 100 possessions<\/a> better with him on the floor (plus-9.6) than they\u2019ve been with him off the floor (minus-0.7).<\/p>\n Coming up: The Magic will play nine of their next 12 games on the road, with a four-game trip beginning in Denver on Thursday. They\u2019ve already played four games against the league\u2019s second-ranked offense (that of the Knicks) and now they\u2019ll face No. 1.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ DEN, @ UTA<\/p>\n #12<\/p>\n Record: 14-11<\/p>\n OffRtg: 115.0 (13) DefRtg: 111.9 (5) NetRtg: +3.0 (10) Pace: 105.3 (1)<\/p>\n The Heat ran out to a 15-0 lead in the NBA Cup quarterfinals in Orlando on Tuesday, but after scoring 18 points on their first seven possessions, they scored just 90 on their last 96 trips down the floor, falling to 0-3 against the Magic. It was their first loss (they\u2019re 9-1) after leading by at least 15 points, having had nine such losses (tied for third most in the 30 years in play-by-play data) last season.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Heat are 3-3 with Tyler Herro in uniform, though their preferred starting lineup has been good<\/a> (and not just because of that hot start on Tuesday) in its 71 minutes. The Heat bench ranks 28th<\/a> in December after ranking sixth<\/a> through Nov. 30. They\u2019ve been outscored by almost 28 points per 100 possessions<\/a> (with anemic offensive numbers) in Kel\u2019el Ware\u2019s 106 minutes on the floor this month.<\/p>\n The Heat have now scored just 106.4 points per 100 possessions<\/a> over their four-game losing streak. Three of the four games were on the road against teams (Dallas and Orlando) that currently rank in the top seven defensively (the fourth was a rest-disadvantage game against the Kings). They were also outperforming their shot quality by a fairly large margin through their first 21 games, which means they may have been due for some regression.<\/p>\n Overall, the Heat have been 2.6 points per 100 possessions better<\/a> than they were last season. When you take the league-average increase into account, that breaks down to 1.3 points per 100 possessions better on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Cup loss in Orlando marked the start of a stretch where the Heat are playing nine of 11 games against teams that currently have winning records. It includes two important home games against the similarly reeling Raptors, with whom they\u2019re tied in the loss column.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. TOR, @ BKN, @ BOS, @ NYK<\/p>\n #13<\/p>\n Record: 15-11<\/p>\n OffRtg: 115.1 (12) DefRtg: 113.2 (9) NetRtg: +1.9 (12) Pace: 100.2 (21)<\/p>\n Despite a big game (including 6-for-8 from mid-range) from Brandon Ingram, the Raptors weren\u2019t very competitive against the Knicks in the NBA quarterfinals on Tuesday. They\u2019ve now lost six of their last seven games<\/a>, sliding from second<\/a> to fifth place in the East.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Prior to Thanksgiving, the Raptors were 9-1 when they won the first quarter. Since then, they\u2019re 0-3<\/a>, having had some serious second-quarter issues. Over their four-game losing streak, they\u2019ve lost the second quarter by a total of 52 points<\/a> (148-96). Their opponents have scored those 148 points despite shooting just 10-for-30<\/a> (33%) from 3-point range over those 48 minutes.<\/p>\n Over their first 17 games, the Raptors made eight more 3-pointers than their opponents. Over their last nine games, they\u2019ve made 38 fewer 3-pointers than their opponents, and a deficit of 12.7 points per game is tough to overcome, even if Ingram\u2019s mid-range shooting feels automatic at times. They\u2019ve seen a small drop in 3-point rate and shot just 31.7%<\/a> from beyond the arc over these last nine games.<\/p>\n Given Barrett\u2019s injury, their having played a league-high 26 games<\/a> (through Tuesday) and this 1-6 stretch, the Raptors are\u00a0surely happy to have had five days off and a trip to Miami as their consolation for losing in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. They remain the league\u2019s fourth most improved team in regard to winning percentage and its third most improved in regard to point differential per 100 possessions.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Raptors have played nine of their last 11 games at home, and they\u2019ll now play five of their next six on the road. They\u2019re 1-4 in the second games of back-to-backs (with anemic offense over those five games) and they\u2019ll have another one (vs. Boston, at Brooklyn) this weekend.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ MIA, @ MIL, vs. BOS, @ BKN<\/p>\n #14<\/p>\n Record: 15-12<\/p>\n OffRtg: 114.5 (14) DefRtg: 114.0 (15) NetRtg: +0.5 (16) Pace: 102.2 (6)<\/p>\n The Hawks got clobbered in Detroit on Friday, but picked up a second important win over the Sixers two days later. They\u2019re in ninth place, but have as many wins as the third-place Celtics.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Trae Young might return this month, but he\u2019s now missed the last 22 games. Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is has missed seven of the last eight and will reportedly be out at least another two weeks. The Hawks\u2019 lineup with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu in their places has now played 179 minutes, third most in the league<\/a>. It\u2019s outscored opponents by 4.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark which ranks 15th<\/a> among the 21 lineups that have played at least 100 minutes.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a little surprising that the lineup ranks higher offensively (11th<\/a>) than it does defensively (12th<\/a>) among those 21 lineups. The Hawks haven\u2019t quite leaned into a defensive identity in Young\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n A long break cooled Jalen Johnson off a bit. But while he shot just 12-for-36 over the Hawks\u2019 two games last week, he\u2019s recorded four straight triple-doubles<\/a>, and Dyson Daniels (season-high 27 points on 13-for-19 shooting) picked up the offensive slack against Philly. Despite Young\u2019s absence, Daniels has seen a drop in usage rate this season and a drop in efficiency<\/a>. His true shooting percentage of 51.8% is the eighth-worst mark<\/a> among 132 players with at least 200 field goal attempts.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Hawks still have a losing record (5-6<\/a>) at home after the win over the Sixers on Sunday. After they visit the Hornets on Thursday, they\u2019ll begin their longest homestand to date (five games over nine days).<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ CHA, vs. SAS, vs. CHI<\/p>\n #15<\/p>\n Record: 14-11<\/p>\n OffRtg: 114.4 (15) DefRtg: 113.3 (12) NetRtg: +1.0 (15) Pace: 100.5 (19)<\/p>\n Joel Embiid has played in three straight games for the first time this season, playing more than 30 minutes all three nights. But the Sixers were without Tyrese Maxey (for the first time) in their two games over the weekend and lost an important matchup with the Hawks on Sunday.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Over these last three games, Embiid has taken 34 (53%) of his 64 shots<\/a> in the paint, up from just 33% of his shots over his eight games prior. As he scored a season-high 39 points in a win over the Pacers on Friday, he was 8-for-10 in the paint and 13-for-18 at the free throw line, with a big, and-one put-back<\/a> to put the Sixers up six with less than three minutes left. But he wasn\u2019t quite as effective against the Hawks on Sunday.<\/p>\n Paul George has played in four straight games for the first time and scored a season-high 35 points in the loss to Atlanta. The Sixers have allowed just 101.7 points per 100 possessions in 80 minutes with George and Embiid on the floor together. That\u2019s obviously a small sample size (80 minutes), but overall, the Sixers rank as the league\u2019s most improved defensive team, having allowed 4.0 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season.<\/p>\n Maxey, George and Embiid have still played in just two games<\/a> together. The Sixers\u2019 two most-used lineups<\/a> still include Kelly Oubre Jr, who hasn\u2019t played in a month. Their most-used group has played just 39 minutes, the fewest of any team\u2019s most-used lineup.<\/p>\n Coming up: After another four-day break, the Sixers will have a rest advantage (and maybe all three of Maxey, George and Embiid) when they visit the Knicks on Friday. They\u2019ll be at a disadvantage against Dallas the following night, but that\u2019s the start of a stretch where they\u2019re playing five of six games against teams with losing records.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ NYK, vs. DAL<\/p>\n #16<\/p>\n Record: 15-12<\/p>\n OffRtg: 115.8 (10) DefRtg: 113.2 (8) NetRtg: +2.7 (11) Pace: 101.7 (9)<\/p>\n The Cavs got one of the league\u2019s easiest pair of NBA Cup fill-in games, but they trailed both the Wizards and Hornets by 17 points last week. They erased both deficits and won in Washington, but somehow went scoreless in overtime against Charlotte.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Jarrett Allen returned from a six-game absence on Sunday, but Evan Mobley was lost<\/a> to a calf strain two nights earlier. That means the Cavs\u2019 core four players have still played just 57 minutes<\/a> (over four games) together, and Darius Garland was hobbling down the stretch of the loss to the Hornets. Max Strus still hasn\u2019t played, and Larry Nance Jr. has missed the last seven games. Thomas Bryant has been available as a backup big, but (with Allen\u2019s minutes limited) the Cavs chose to play small (four guards and Dean Wade<\/a>) down the stretch on Sunday.<\/p>\n Garland shot 0-for-11 from 3-point range on Friday, when De\u2019Andre Hunter also missed multiple 3-point attempts by multiple feet. Garland was better on Sunday, but Allen shot just 3-for-8 in his return to the lineup. Among 224 players with at least 200 field goal attempts last season and at least 100 this season, Allen (from 70.6% to 56.3%<\/a>), Garland (from 56.2% to 42.8%<\/a>) and Lonzo Ball (from 50.4% to 39.8%<\/a>) have seen the third, fourth and seventh biggest drops, respectively, in effective field goal percentage.<\/p>\n The Cavs are still 9-2 (third best in the East) in games that weren\u2019t within five points in the last five minutes, but with the scoreless overtime on Sunday, they\u2019re 6-10 in the clutch<\/a>. That\u2019s just two fewer clutch losses than they had all of last season (26-12<\/a>).<\/p>\n Coming up: The Cavs have a league-high five home-and-home sets this season, with the first coming against the Bulls on Wednesday and Friday. They\u2019ve won 12 of their last 13 games against Chicago.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ CHI, vs. CHI<\/p>\n #17<\/p>\n Record: 13-14<\/p>\n OffRtg: 113.4 (20) DefRtg: 111.8 (4) NetRtg: +1.6 (13) Pace: 100.7 (17)<\/p>\n Stephen Curry returned from a five-game absence on Friday and totaled 87 points<\/a> over the Warriors\u2019 two weekend games. But they lost them both to drop back below .500.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Before Sunday, the Warriors were 7-0 all-time when one of their players (Curry or Klay Thompson) made at least 12 3-pointers. Now, they\u2019re 7-1, having wasted Curry\u2019s 48-point performance (12-for-19 from deep) in Portland. Of course, Curry made some mistakes himself down the stretch, missing a layup<\/a> for the lead in the final minute and then turning the ball over<\/a> when his team still had a chance to tie.<\/p>\n The Warriors still have a top-five defense, but they allowed the Wolves (who were without Anthony Edwards) and the Blazers (who have a below-average offense) to score more than 125 points per 100 possessions<\/a> over the two games. Draymond Green missed the Minnesota game, but was back on Sunday, when the player he was guarding (Jerami Grant) scored 35 points in less than 35 minutes.<\/p>\n The Warriors are just 8-8 in games in which they\u2019ve had Curry, Green and Jimmy Butler in the lineup, though they\u2019ve outscored their opponents by 12 points per 100 possessions<\/a> in their 254 minutes on the floor together. The search for the right combinations off the bench continues, with Jonathan Kuminga (who\u2019s not trade-eligible until Jan. 15) having been DNP\u2019d in three straight games.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Warriors are 5-5 against the seven teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings, a mark that includes a comfortable win<\/a> over the Suns in early November. They\u2019ll play a home-and-home set with Phoenix this week.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ PHX, vs. PHX<\/p>\n #18<\/p>\n Record: 11-14<\/p>\n OffRtg: 111.8 (25) DefRtg: 113.8 (13) NetRtg: -2.0 (18) Pace: 101.5 (10)<\/p>\n Ja Morant returned from a 10-game absence on Friday<\/a>, but had a turnover and two misses on possessions for the tie or the lead in the final two minutes of the Grizzlies\u2019 loss to the Jazz. It was their first loss to one of the 12 teams that currently have a worse record than they do.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Now that he\u2019s back, the question is whether Morant can find his shot. Not only is his 3-point percentage (12-for-65, 18%) ugly, but his shooting in the paint is also at a career-low 45% after he made just five of his 15 shots in the paint on Friday.<\/p>\n His return should help the Grizzlies\u2019 early offense. According to Synergy tracking, they\u2019ve seen the league\u2019s biggest drop in transition points per game, from 32.8 (first<\/a>) last season to just 22.9 (17th<\/a>) this season. But their 37 transition points on Friday were their most in the last 13 games.<\/p>\n While Morant is back, Zach Edey has a stress reaction in the ankle that he had surgery on in the Summer and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The Grizzlies have been an amazing 26.2 points per 100 possessions<\/a> better with Edey on the floor (plus-18.3) than they have with him off the floor (minus-7.9). That\u2019s, by far, the biggest on-off differential among players who\u2019ve played at least 200 minutes, and it\u2019s mostly about defense (94.5 vs. 118.5 allowed per 100).<\/p>\n Coming up: The Grizzlies still have seven games left on a stretch where they\u2019re playing 13 of 17 against teams currently below .500. They\u2019re 2-0 against the Clippers (who they\u2019ll visit on Monday), having held them to just 104.6 points per 100 possessions<\/a> over the two games (both with Edey).<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ LAC, @ MIN, vs. WAS<\/p>\n #19<\/p>\n Record: 10-16<\/p>\n OffRtg: 108.8 (28) DefRtg: 112.2 (7) NetRtg: -3.4 (20) Pace: 102.0 (7)<\/p>\n After a 5-15 start, the Mavs are 5-1 over the last 16 days<\/a>, with the only loss having come in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n After scoring just 105.9 points per 100 possessions (last in the league<\/a>) through their first 20 games, the Mavs have scored 119.0 (eighth<\/a>) over the last six. The turnaround almost coincides with Ryan Nembhard\u2019s move into the starting lineup (Game 20), but the offense has been much better<\/a> with Brandon Williams on the floor. Williams was also on the floor (instead of Nembhard) down the stretch of the Mavs\u2019 win over Brooklyn on Friday, giving them the lead for good with a second-chance 3-pointer<\/a> with 2:48 left.<\/p>\n The Mavs have climbed out of the basement in overall efficiency, but they still have the league\u2019s worst first-quarter offense<\/a> (103.4 points scored per 100 possessions). They\u2019ve won the first quarter just once<\/a> in their last eight games, but are now 7-8<\/a> (with four straight wins) when they\u2019ve lost the first quarter and only 2-7<\/a> when they\u2019ve led after the first 12 minutes.<\/p>\n The Mavs announced on Wednesday that Dereck Lively II will have surgery<\/a> on his right foot and miss the rest of the season. He\u2019ll still be just 22 years old at the start of next season, and this should be a long-term project built around Cooper Flagg, who turns 19 on Sunday. But through his first three NBA seasons, Lively will have played in only 98 regular-season games<\/a>.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Mavs are 3-4 against the other seven Western Conference teams with losing records and will face the 12th-place Jazz for the first time on Monday. It\u2019s the first of two trips to Utah in the next four weeks as their schedule remains road-heavy through the first 10 days of January.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: @ UTA, vs. DET, @ PHI<\/p>\n #20<\/p>\n Record: 10-16<\/p>\n OffRtg: 113.8 (18) DefRtg: 117.2 (22) NetRtg: -3.3 (19) Pace: 103.5 (3)<\/p>\n The Blazers went 1-4 on their extended road trip, allowing the Pelicans to score 143 points and end a seven-game losing streak on Thursday. But they returned home and got a clutch win over the Warriors on Sunday night.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Warriors outscored the Blazers by 12 points from 3-point range on Sunday, but it was the first game in the 47-year history of the 3-point line where both teams shot better than 50% on more than 35 attempts from beyond the arc. Portland has seen the league\u2019s second-biggest jump in 3-point rate, from 41.8% of its shots (17th highest<\/a>) last season to 45.6% (fifth highest<\/a>) this season. Among 224 players with at least 100 field goal attempts last season and 200 this season, Donovan Clingan (from 14.7% to 34.5%) and Toumani Camara (from 50.3% to 65.3%) have seen the second and sixth biggest jumps.<\/p>\n Shaedon Sharpe was back in the starting lineup (after six games off the bench) for the Blazers\u2019 two games last week, and he scored 35 points in one 12-for-18 shooting in the win over Golden State. Sharpe ranks 12th<\/a> in usage rate at 30.4%, a big jump from last season (25.0%). But he could still be more efficient and among the 47 players with a usage rate of 25% or higher, only Dillon Brooks has a lower assist\/turnover ratio<\/a> than the fourth-year wing (0.84).<\/p>\n The Blazers have still played the league\u2019s most road-heavy schedule, with only 10 of their 26 games having come at the Moda Center. But the win over the Warriors began a stretch where they\u2019re playing six of seven (and 20 of 29) at home.<\/p>\n Coming up: With their loss in New Orleans last week, the Blazers are 2-2 within the bottom five in the Western Conference, set to play their first two games (a home-and-home set) against the Kings on Thursday and Saturday. The home team has won the last seven meetings between Portland and Sacramento.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. SAC, @ SAC<\/p>\n #21<\/p>\n Record: 11-16<\/p>\n OffRtg: 113.4 (21) DefRtg: 117.0 (21) NetRtg: -3.6 (22) Pace: 99.7 (24)<\/p>\n Giannis Antetokounmpo remains on the shelf, but the Bucks had one of the most surprising wins of Week 8, ending the Celtics\u2019 five-game winning streak on Thursday. Three nights later, they lost by 45 points in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n Before the game in Brooklyn, the bigger difference between the Bucks\u2019 games with Antetokounmpo and their games without him was on offense. And the loss in Brooklyn was the worst offensive performance<\/a> (82 points on 100 possessions) for any team this season. Kevin Porter Jr. (2-for-13 and six turnovers) might have been due for an off night, having shot 58% in the paint, 56% from 3-point range and 96% from the free throw line over his seven games<\/a> before Sunday.<\/p>\n With or without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have been getting killed in the possession game. They\u2019ve had fewer shooting opportunities than their opponents in 18 of their 27 games, including each of their last six. They\u2019ve averaged 4.7 fewer per game, with only the Wizards having a worse discrepancy.<\/p>\n A 45-point loss will do some damage to your numbers, and the Bucks are now one of seven teams<\/a> that rank in the bottom 10 on both ends of the floor. They\u2019re one of three teams \u2013 the Celtics and Warriors are the others \u2013 that haven\u2019t ranked in the bottom 10 on either end of the floor in any of the last nine seasons.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Bucks have lost their seven road games<\/a> and, after hosting the Raptors on Thursday, they\u2019ll play 11 of their next 14 games on the road.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. TOR, @ MIN<\/p>\n #22<\/p>\n Record: 8-18<\/p>\n OffRtg: 113.8 (17) DefRtg: 117.3 (23) NetRtg: -3.5 (21) Pace: 99.7 (25)<\/p>\n The Hornets unusually split their two fill-in games, losing at home to the Bulls and then beating the Cavs on the road.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n The Hornets rank as the league\u2019s most improved offensive team, having scored 7.2 more points per 100 possessions than they did last season. Much of that is better finishing in the paint (56.4% vs. 52% last season). Ryan Kalkbrenner\u2019s 81.3% in the paint is the best mark (by a wide margin) among 126 players with at least 100 attempts, while Kon Knueppel\u2019s 59.8% is also above the league average (57.5%).<\/p>\n The bigger difference between their wins and losses has been on defense. The Hornets held the Cavs to just 25-for-52 (48%) in the paint on Sunday and are now 8-1<\/a> when they\u2019ve allowed fewer than 111 points per 100 possessions. They\u2019re 0-17<\/a> when they\u2019ve allowed more.<\/p>\n Knueppel totaled 62 points<\/a> on 23-for-40 (58%) shooting over the Hornets\u2019 two games last week. He now has a true shooting percentage of 62.4%, which would be the best mark in NBA history for a rookie who averaged at least 18 points.<\/p>\n Coming up: The Hornets are now 3-8 against the nine East teams that have winning records, and they\u2019ll face the first-place Pistons for the first time on Saturday.<\/p>\n Week 9<\/a>: vs. ATL, @ DET<\/p>\n #23<\/p>\n Record: 9-15<\/p>\n OffRtg: 113.3 (22) DefRtg: 120.7 (29) NetRtg: -7.4 (26) Pace: 102.9 (4)<\/p>\n The Jazz went into their four-day break with two losses by a total of 64 points<\/a>, but came out of it with a road win in Memphis, featuring a career-high 39 points<\/a> from Keyonte George.<\/p>\n Three takeaways<\/p>\n George went scoreless in a loss to Houston just 15 days ago, but he\u2019s also scored at least 27 points in eight of his last 12 games<\/a>. He\u2019s one of many players who\u2019ve seen a big jump in free-throw rate from last season (31 attempts per 100 shots from the field) to this season (43 per 100), and his 91.1% at the line is the best mark<\/a> among 41 players with at least 100 total attempts. Lauri Markkanen is second at 89.8%.<\/p>\n George now has 58 assists to Markkanen<\/a>, tied for second most from any player to a single teammate and seven more than he had to Markkanen all of last season (51<\/a>). That\u2019s a rate of one assist per every 10 minutes on the floor together, down from one every 15 minutes last year.<\/p>\n
\nSomething Just Ain\u2019t Right: Sacramento (0-3) \u2014 No need to change the batteries in the beam.<\/p>\n
\nEasiest: 1. Oklahoma City, 2. Denver, 3. Minnesota
\nSchedule strength is based on cumulative opponent record.<\/p>\n
\nFree falls of the week: L.A. Lakers (-4), Sacramento (-4)<\/p>\n
DefRtg<\/a>: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg<\/a>: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Pace<\/a>: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612760\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a>Last Week:1<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612743\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Denver Nuggets<\/a>Last Week:2<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612745\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Houston Rockets<\/a>Last Week:4\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612765\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Detroit Pistons<\/a>Last Week:5\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612752\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
New York Knicks<\/a>Last Week:7\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612759\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
San Antonio Spurs<\/a>Last Week:9\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612747\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Los Angeles Lakers<\/a>Last Week:3\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612738\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Boston Celtics<\/a>Last Week:6\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612756\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Phoenix Suns<\/a>Last Week:8\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612750\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a>Last Week:10<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612753\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Orlando Magic<\/a>Last Week:11<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612748\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Miami Heat<\/a>Last Week:12<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612761\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Toronto Raptors<\/a>Last Week:13<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612737\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Atlanta Hawks<\/a>Last Week:14<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612755\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Philadelphia 76ers<\/a>Last Week:15<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612739\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a>Last Week:17\u2191<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612744\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Golden State Warriors<\/a>Last Week:16\u2193<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612763\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Memphis Grizzlies<\/a>Last Week:18<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612742\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Dallas Mavericks<\/a>Last Week:19<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612757\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Portland Trail Blazers<\/a>Last Week:20<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612749\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Milwaukee Bucks<\/a>Last Week:21<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612766\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Charlotte Hornets<\/a>Last Week:22<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.nba.com\/logos\/nba\/1610612762\/primary\/L\/logo.svg\" "\\""){kind=logo}
Utah Jazz<\/a>Last Week:23<\/p>\n