Record: 6-0

OffRtg: 112.5 (15) DefRtg: 95.1 (1) NetRtg: +17.4 (2) Pace: 102.4 (6)

The Thunder aren’t just 6-0. They’re also the only team that hasn’t played a game that was within five points in the last five minutes. So all six wins have been comfortable.

Three takeaways

• The Thunder have six comfortable wins despite ranking just 15th offensively. In five of their six games, they’ve held their opponent to at least 13 fewer points per 100 possessions than that team has scored in other games this season. (i.e. the Clippers scored 110.5 per 100 through their first five games, but were held to 92.0 per 100 on Saturday.)

• The one exception was their win in Portland on Friday, when the Thunder scored 137 points on 100 possessions (the third most efficient performance for any team this season), with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shooting 11-for-12 inside the arc. The Kia MVP candidate is just 12-for-43 (28%) from 3-point range, with the Thunder (who led the league last season) ranking 20th as a team.

• Though the Thunder haven’t had any injury absences (beyond Isaiah Hartenstein and a pair of less-consequential Williams), they don’t have a lineup that’s played more than 34 minutes. That’s because they’ve changed the fifth starter every game, with Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins each getting two starts. Alex Caruso continues to come off the bench, though the Thunder have outscored their opponents by an amazing 59 points (43.9 per 100 possessions) in his 65 minutes alongside Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Thunder are back in Denver (where they opened the season with a win) on Wednesday. They’ll then begin their longest homestand of the season, with all six games against Western Conference teams that finished at or above .500 last season.

Week 3: vs. ORL, @ DEN, vs. HOU, vs. GSW

Record: 7-0

OffRtg: 121.9 (2) DefRtg: 107.7 (5) NetRtg: +14.3 (3) Pace: 100.9 (11)

The Cavs remain perfect, though they needed a tough shot from Donovan Mitchell to escape from Milwaukee with victory No. 7 on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The Cavs’ starting lineup (with Dean Wade in place of the injured Max Strus) has averaged less than 10 minutes per game and has outscored opponents by just 1.8 points per 100 possessions. Bench minutes continue to be terrific, in part because reserves are usually on the floor with a combination of two starters. The Cavs’ big win in New York on Monday came with a 25-8 run spanning the third and fourth quarters.

• Even with Caris LeVert out on Saturday, the Cavs won a game in which the starting lineup was outscored by 13 points in a little over 11 minutes. Sam Merrill played a big role, scoring a season-high 17 points in 22 minutes. Merrill (92.1%) and Wade (80.5%) are two of the five players who’ve taken at least 25 shots this season with more than 80% of those shots coming from 3-point range.

• The Cavs also committed six fewer turnovers (7-13) than Milwaukee. They rank third in turnover differential (-4.4 per game), having seen the league’s biggest drop in turnover rate and its fourth biggest jump in opponent turnover rate.

The Cavs will face the Bucks again on Monday, this time in Cleveland. With a win, they’d be the first team since the 2015-16 Warriors to start 8-0 with an average point differential of at least 10 points.

Week 3: vs. MIL, @ NOP, vs. GSW, vs. BKN

Record: 6-1

OffRtg: 122.5 (1) DefRtg: 110.7 (13) NetRtg: +11.8 (4) Pace: 99.6 (18)

The Celtics are not perfect, and sometimes the 3-pointers don’t fall. Loss No. 1 came in Indiana on Wednesday when they rallied from a 24-point deficit but lost in overtime.

Three takeaways

• Two nights after missing 38 triples in the Indiana loss, the Celtics took less than half of their shots from beyond the arc for the first time this season. With Al Horford out in Charlotte on Friday, they had two rotation guys — Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta — who don’t shoot 3s, and they scored a season-high 56 points in the paint.

• They got outscored from 3-point range in both of their weekend games in Charlotte, but were a +42 at the free-throw line. Jayson Tatum is just 10-for-44 (23%) from deep over the last four games, but he’s 37-for-45 from the stripe over the last three. That takes his free-throw rate to 47 attempts per 100 shots from the field, easily the highest rate of his career and up from 35 per 100 last season. With improved shooting inside the arc, his overall efficiency (true shooting percentage of 63.2%) is also a career-high mark, despite the long-range struggles.

• Kornet was still in the starting lineup on Saturday, because Jaylen Brown was out with a hip flexor strain. The Celtics have won the last 15 games (going back to late in the 2022-23 season) that Brown has missed.

Brown will be out again when the Celtics conclude their four-game trip in Atlanta on Monday. That will be their third rest-advantage game of the season thus far.

Week 3: @ ATL, vs. GSW, vs. BKN, @ MIL

Record: 5-1

OffRtg: 111.6 (16) DefRtg: 107.9 (6) NetRtg: +3.7 (8) Pace: 100.2 (16)

After splitting their first two games in L.A., the Suns have won four straight and are one of five teams with fewer than two losses.

Three takeaways

• It really looked like the Suns were putting last season’s fourth-quarter issues behind them. They came back from seven down in the fourth to beat the Lakers on Monday (getting 10 straight points from Kevin Durant) and completed another big comeback against the Clippers with a 34-26 fourth quarter (featuring a pretty screen, roll and kick from Devin Booker) three nights later.

• But after a 44-18 third quarter against the Blazers on Saturday, they let the visitors cut a 26-point, fourth-quarter lead down to two, with Dalano Banton’s 3-pointer for the lead spinning in and out with about 30 seconds left. Overall, the Suns are in the middle of the pack (minus 0.1 points per 100 possessions) in the fourth quarter, and if they’re inconsistent in the final 12 minutes of regulation, that’s still much better than what they were last season.

• That Booker assist against the Clippers was to Royce O’Neale, who continues to be a closer for the Suns. Phoenix is 4-0 in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. Sometimes that’s in place of Jusuf Nurkić, though the numbers have been great (plus-28 per 100 possessions) in 88 total minutes with Durant and O’Neale on the floor with either Nurkić or Mason Plumlee.

The Suns tip off the Eastern Conference portion of their schedule with games against Philadelphia and Miami. They were 12-3 in home games against the Eastern Conference last season, though they lost the first two.

Week 3: vs. PHI, vs. MIA, @ DAL, vs. SAC

Record: 5-1

OffRtg: 118.6 (4) DefRtg: 101.0 (2) NetRtg: +17.6 (1) Pace: 100.3 (15)

The Warriors are 3-0 without Stephen Curry, having scored more efficiently in the three games (119.9 points per 100 possessions) than they did in the three games he played (117.4 per 100).

Three takeaways

• Buddy Hield was 1-for-9 from 3-point range in the Warriors’ one loss, but has shot 29-for-49 (59%) from deep in their five wins. He’s averaging a team-high 22.2 points in only 25.4 minutes (as the Warriors continue to play more than 10 guys every night), with his 31.4 points per 36 being the most he’s averaged in his career (by a huge margin) and up from 16.9 per 36 last season.

• Jonathan Kuminga has taken well to coming off the bench, averaging 18.7 points on a true shooting percentage of 61.7% over the last three games, up from 8.0 on 41% in his three games as a starter. It’s helped that a higher percentage of his shots (73% vs. 58%) have come in the paint.

• The Warriors have been at their best on defense, ranking second in opponent field goal percentage in the paint (49.5%) and first in opponent effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint (44%). It should be noted that their first five games came against teams that currently rank in the bottom 11 offensively, with their overtime win over the 11th-ranked Rockets (in which they blew a 31-point lead) on Saturday being the first time they’ve allowed more points per 100 possessions than the league average.

Curry is listed as questionable for Monday, when the Warriors’ five-game trip continues in Washington. The last three games — at Boston, Cleveland and Oklahoma City — will be the biggest tests of their season so far and probably their toughest three-game stretch of the entire season.

Week 3: @ WAS, @ BOS, @ CLE, @ OKC

Record: 3-2

OffRtg: 121.6 (3) DefRtg: 113.3 (16) NetRtg: +8.3 (5) Pace: 95.8 (30)

The Knicks went 2-2 as they played their first four games against 2024 East playoff teams, then clobbered the Pistons on Friday.

Three takeaways

• Karl-Anthony Towns scored 44 points in the Knicks’ win in Miami, capping the performance with a couple of buckets against former teammate Jimmy Butler. Towns was 4-for-5 from 3-point range on Wednesday and 11-for-17 (65%) from deep for the season, but he’s taken 62% of his shots in the paint, with that being his highest rate in the last eight seasons.

• After Towns’ 44 in Miami, Jalen Brunson had 36 (shooting 6-for-8 from deep) in Detroit. The Knicks have scored a remarkable 1.7 points per direct possession (action leads directly to a shot, turnover or trip to the line) when Towns has set a ball screen for Brunson (39 possessions total).

• Josh Hart left the loss to Cleveland on Monday with a shin contusion. Two nights later, he was listed as questionable … and played more than 42 minutes in Miami. Over their five games, the Knicks have been at their worst (minus 6.1 points per 100 possessions) with Hart off the floor.

Having scored more than 126 points per 100 possessions over the first two games of the trip, the Knicks will now visit the team (Houston) that ranks 11th defensively. Then they’ll play four straight games against teams that currently rank in the bottom 10 on that end of the floor.

Week 3: @ HOU, @ ATL, vs. MIL, @ IND

Record: 4-2

OffRtg: 111.1 (17) DefRtg: 106.4 (3) NetRtg: +4.7 (7) Pace: 99.2 (21)

The Mavs haven’t haven’t hit their stride (especially offensively) yet, but they went 3-1 last week, with a big rest-disadvantage win in Minnesota included.

Three takeaways

• It’s certainly too early to really believe in the Mavs as a top-10 defensive team, as their numbers have been buoyed by games against the Spurs (who rank 27th offensively), Jazz (30th) and Magic (25th and without Paolo Banchero). They’ve allowed more than 117 points per 100 possessions over their other three games.

• One of those other three was Tuesday, when the Wolves registered an effective field goal percentage of 63.0%, the highest mark for a losing team so far this season. The Mavs countered that by committing 10 fewer turnovers (10-20), and they got big 3s from both of their star guards down the stretch to get their fourth straight win in Minnesota (going back to Game 1 of the conference finals).

• Luka Dončić is registering a career-low mark for effective field goal percentage (46.9%), having seen big drop-offs both in and outside the paint. But he still scored 32 points in less than 32 minutes against the Magic (who have a top 10 defense) on Sunday.

The Mavs’ five-game homestand (their longest of the season) concludes on Friday with their second of four meetings with the Suns. The first (a 12-point loss in Phoenix) was the Mavs’ worst offensive game of the season thus far (102 points on 98 possessions), even though Dončić scored 40 points in less than 40 minutes.

Week 3: vs. IND, vs. CHI, vs. PHX, @ DEN

Record: 4-2

OffRtg: 116.8 (5) DefRtg: 117.8 (27) NetRtg: -1.0 (17) Pace: 101.2 (10)

After a 3-0 homestand to start the season, the Lakers hit the road and took two losses before their offense recovered in Toronto on Friday.

Three takeaways

• For the third straight season, the Lakers lead the league in free-throw differential, having outscored their opponents by 9.5 points per game at the line, what would be the largest differential in NBA history. Anthony Davis may have just two 3-pointers in six games, but his free-throw rate (60 attempts per 100 shots from the field) is the highest of his 13-year career by a huge margin. Austin Reaves (12-for-14) outscored the Raptors (11-for-13) at the line by himself on Friday.

• The Lakers rank 27th defensively, having seen the third biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions. And it’s not about 3-point shooting, with their opponents having shot just 35.5% from beyond the arc (down from 37.6% last season). It’s more about the interior, with their opponents having shot 62.9% in the paint, the league’s second worst mark and by far the Lakers’ worst mark in Davis’ six seasons in L.A. And it hasn’t been much lower with Davis on the floor (62.4%) than it’s been with him on the bench (64.4%).

• Last season, the Lakers had the worst point differential (+0.6 points per game) among the 18 teams that finished with winning records. This season is the same, with L.A. having been outscored by four points over its six games. All four wins have been by seven points or fewer.

Regarding the defense, the Lakers have played six teams currently ranked no lower than 16th offensively (and that 16th-ranked team is the Suns). They’ll face two bottom-eight offenses this week, visiting the Pistons (with a rest advantage) on Monday and hosting the Sixers (who may be a lot more potent than they’ve been so far) four nights later.

Week 3: @ DET, @ MEM, vs. PHI, vs. TOR

Record: 3-3

OffRtg: 113.6 (13) DefRtg: 114.0 (18) NetRtg: -0.4 (14) Pace: 98.3 (25)

The Wolves got a big win over the Nuggets on Friday, rallying from 10 points down with less than four minutes to go. But that was sandwiched by losses to the Mavs and Spurs in which they allowed more than 120 points per 100 possessions.

Three takeaways

• After last season, the Wolves had nowhere to go but down regarding where they rank defensively, and they’ve seen the league’s biggest jump in points allowed per 100 possessions. Their opponents haven’t shot better from 3-point range, but they’ve shot much better in the paint (59% vs. 53% last season) and the Wolves have also seen the league’s second-biggest drop in opponent turnover rate.

• The defense has been much better (109.6 points allowed per 100 possessions) with Rudy Gobert on the floor, but the starting lineup has not been great (minus 7.1 per 100) overall. The Wolves have been an amazing 39.4 points per 100 possessions better with Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the floor (plus 19.3 per 100) than they have with him off the floor (minus 20.1 per 100).

• The starting lineup’s issues aren’t about Julius Randle’s efficiency. Randle has a true shooting percentage of 69.8%, the fifth-best mark among 139 players with at least 50 field goal attempts, one spot behind teammate Naz Reid (70.6%) and three spots ahead of the guy (Karl-Anthony Towns) he was traded for (68%).

The Wolves’ first stretch of five games in seven days begins Thursday, though it starts with a rest-advantage game in Chicago and includes three games against the Blazers.

Week 3: vs. CHA, @ CHI, vs. POR, vs. MIA

Record: 3-3

OffRtg: 113.8 (12) DefRtg: 112.6 (15) NetRtg: +1.2 (12) Pace: 99.9 (17)

After an 0-2 start, the Nuggets have won three out of four, getting their first comfortable victory (and their first home win) by beating the Jazz on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• Given the issues with their bench and who the opponents were (Toronto and Brooklyn), the Nuggets probably didn’t want to go to overtime in both games of their first back-to-back, with Nikola Jokić logging a total of 84 minutes. But they picked up their first two wins, having trailed each game by at least 15 points and benefitting from missed free throws down the stretch of both.

• Bench minutes were slightly better last week, though still not great. The Nuggets’ lineup with Michael Porter Jr. as the only starter — which Denver tried last week — was outscored by 28 points in 21 total minutes. It included Dario Šarić, who wasn’t in the rotation against Utah on Saturday.

• With Jamal Murray out on Saturday, Russell Westbrook was in the starting lineup. He shot just 2-for-11 and has the worst effective field goal percentage (35.9%) among 139 players with at least 50 field goal attempts, but Julian Strawther had his best game (19 points on 7-for-11 shooting) off the bench in the 26-point win over the Jazz.

The Nuggets’ five-game homestand continues this week and big tests against the Thunder and Mavs await. Their season-opening loss to Oklahoma City (also at home) was their least efficient regular-season offensive performance (87 points on 99 possessions) in the last seven seasons.

Week 3: vs. TOR, vs. OKC, vs. MIA, vs. DAL

Record: 4-3

OffRtg: 114.7 (8) DefRtg: 112.6 (14) NetRtg: +2.2 (10) Pace: 103.5 (3)

The Grizzlies continue to deal with injuries, losing Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart in their loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday. But they climbed back above .500 by holding the Bucks and Sixers to 102 points per 100 possessions later in the week.

Three takeaways

• Last season, the Grizzlies were the only team without a five-man group that played at least 100 minutes together. This season, they’re the only team without one that’s played at least 20 minutes together. Their projected starters are stuck at 11 minutes and they continue to go deep on their bench.

• With Bane and Smart out, Ja Morant and Scotty Pippen Jr. played 24 total minutes together over the last two games, with the Grizzlies outscoring their opponents by 28 points in those 24 minutes. Part of that was the opponents (Milwaukee and Philadelphia) shooting 6-for-24 from 3-point range, but the offense was also super efficient. On Thursday, Morant had a triple-double less than five minutes into the second half. Two nights later, the two point guards combined for 25 assists.

• The Grizzlies have outscored their opponents by a league-best 14.0 points per game in the restricted area, with their biggest differential (+32) coming in Philly on Saturday when the Sixers shot just 11-for-27 in the restricted area.

The Grizzlies had a rest advantage when they lost to the Nets last week, and they’ll have another rest advantage in Brooklyn on Monday. Then they’ll return home to face the team (the Lakers) that led the league in restricted-area differential last season.

Week 3: @ BKN, vs. LAL, vs. WAS, @ POR

Record: 3-2

OffRtg: 110.8 (19) DefRtg: 109.2 (9) NetRtg: +1.6 (11) Pace: 97.8 (27)

The Heat continue to produce expected results. They’ve beat the Hornets, Pistons and Wizards, while losing to Orlando and New York.

Three takeaways

• The Mexico City Game on Saturday was a wire-to-wire victory and marked the first time the Heat weren’t outscored with their starting lineup on the floor. Overall, the lineup has been outscored by 15.7 points per 100 possessions, the second-worst mark among 19 lineups that have played at least 50 minutes.

• They still had all five starters on the floor when they were within four points late in their loss to the Knicks on Wednesday. And really, the presence of Nikola Jović in the lineup hasn’t been the issue. The Heat have also been outscored by seven points (allowing 54 on 41 defensive possessions) in 20 minutes with the other four starters on the floor without Jović.

• Bam Adebayo is 0-for-8 from 3-point range in the United States (going 0-for-2 in each of the Heat’s first four games), but was 3-for-5 from beyond the arc as he scored a game-high 32 points in their win over Washington in Mexico City. The 13 attempts account for 21% of his total shots, up from 2% through his first seven seasons in the league.

The Heat are back from Mexico City for just one game (Monday vs. the Kings). They then begin their first of two six-game road trips, and the Western Conference half of this one — at Phoenix, Denver and Minnesota — is a doozy.

Week 3: vs. SAC, @ PHX, @ DEN, @ MIN

Record: 3-3

OffRtg: 115.1 (7) DefRtg: 110.3 (12) NetRtg: +4.8 (6) Pace: 102.1 (8)

The Kings recovered from an 0-2 start and won three straight games before losing in overtime in Toronto on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• We got a taste of the late-game prowess of De’Aaron Fox and DeMar DeRozan on Friday when the duo hit three straight pull-up 2-pointers to turn a tie game in Atlanta into a six-point lead with a little less than five minutes left. The following night in Toronto, Fox and DeRozan scored 20 of the Kings’ 22 points as they rallied from 13 down late in the fourth quarter. But while they’re a combined 8-for-14 on clutch 2-pointers and 8-for-8 on clutch free throws, they’re 2-for-10 on clutch 3s, missing three of them for the tie in the final 20 seconds of overtime on Saturday.

• With the addition of DeRozan (who already has 11 more mid-range attempts than any other player), the Kings have gone from third in 3-point rate (43.2% of their shots) last season to 21st (39.8%) this season. They were a plus-30 from beyond the arc against Portland on Monday, but have been outscored by at least 18 points from deep in four of their six games (including each of the last three).

• Having lost three games by four points or fewer, the Kings have the league’s biggest discrepancy between their point differential and their record. Their three most-used lineups have outscored their opponents by 92 points (31.7 per 100 possessions) in 131 total minutes.

One of the five teams with a worse 3-point differential than Sacramento (-9.5 points per game) is the Clippers (-12.5), who the Kings will host on Friday. Before that, they’ll get a chance to avenge their loss to Toronto.

Week 3: @ MIA, vs. TOR, vs. LAC, @ PHX

Record: 3-4

OffRtg: 107.2 (25) DefRtg: 108.5 (8) NetRtg: -1.2 (18) Pace: 100.8 (12)

Two days after scoring 50 points (and generating Anthony Black’s game-winning 3-pointer) against the Pacers, Paolo Banchero suffered a torn oblique muscle that will have him out for at least a month.

Three takeaways

• The Magic weren’t a very good offensive team with Banchero in uniform, and without him, offense will be a real struggle. Their loss in Dallas on Sunday was the third-worst offensive game (85 points on 101 possessions) for any team this season and they’ve now scored just 96 points per 100 possessions in 154 total minutes with Banchero off the floor.

• It was just a single possession, but Jalen Suggs being unable to generate a good shot with the Magic down two in Chicago on Wednesday was a decent illustration of their offensive issues without their star. After blowing a 20-point lead, the Magic scored just 10 points on 13 clutch possessions in the loss.

• Tristan da Silva scored 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting off the bench in Cleveland on Friday and was rewarded with his first career start two nights later in Dallas. A 23-year-old rookie, da Silva already has some polish to his game and seems comfortable shooting from beyond the arc, though it’s unclear if he can do much off the dribble.

The Magic’s five-game trip continues with a rest-disadvantage game in Oklahoma City on Monday. They scored just 105.4 points per 100 possessions (their third-worst mark vs. any opponent) over two losses to the Thunder last season.

Week 3: @ OKC, @ IND, vs. NOP, vs. WAS

Record: 2-4

OffRtg: 111.0 (18) DefRtg: 117.1 (25) NetRtg: -6.1 (24) Pace: 100.4 (13)

The team that the Celtics swept in the Eastern Conference Finals is the team that handed Boston its first loss of the season (after blowing a 21-point, fourth-quarter lead). But the Pacers are 1-4 outside that win over the champs, and they’ve already lost two big men (James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson) to torn Achilles.

Three takeaways

• The overtime win over the Celtics was not the Pacers’ best offensive game, but (with Jackson starting in place of Myles Turner) they held Boston to just 22-for-47 (47%) shooting in the paint, what would have been their lowest single-game opponent mark all of last season.

• Pascal Siakam bailed his team out after it blew that 21-point, fourth-quarter lead, hitting a turnaround jumper to tie the game in OT and then a 3-pointer to win it. Each of the Pacers’ last four games has been within five points in the last five minutes, and (even with the Siakam heroics) they’ve scored just 46 points on 50 clutch possessions over that stretch.

• According to Synergy tracking, the Pacers have already played more possessions of zone defense (14, including a few in all three games last week) than they did all of last season when they were the only team to play less than 10 possessions of zone. The increased use of zone may go along with a general aim of protecting the paint better than they did last season.

The Pacers’ visit to Dallas on Monday will be their first of 10 rest-advantage games. Two nights later, they’ll host the Magic without the guy (Paolo Banchero) who dropped 50 on ’em last week.

Week 3: @ DAL, vs. ORL, @ CHA, vs. NYK

Record: 3-3

OffRtg: 113.9 (11) DefRtg: 110.2 (11) NetRtg: +3.6 (9) Pace: 97.3 (28)

Last year, the Rockets didn’t win a road game until Dec. 8. They got two road wins last week, including an impressive, wire-to-wire victory in Dallas on Thursday.

Three takeaways

• The Rockets somehow rank 11th offensively, despite ranking 28th in effective field0goal percentage, one of two teams — the Jazz are the other — that rank in the bottom 10 in field goal percentage in the paint (28th), mid-range field goal percentage (29th) and 3-point percentage (23rd). After coming back from 31 points down to send their game against the Warriors to overtime on Saturday, they shot 1-for-12 (0-for-5 from 3-point range) in the extra period.

• They’ve shot a league-worst 28.3% on wide-open 3s, with three starters — Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr. — a combined 8-for-42 (19%).

• They’ve mitigated the poor shooting by ranking third in turnover rate and second in offensive rebounding percentage. Fred VanVleet leads the league with an assist/turnover ratio of 8.5 (34/4).

Five of the Rockets’ six games have been within five points in the last five minutes. That includes their two games (which they split) in San Antonio, with their third meeting with the Spurs coming on Wednesday.

Week 3: vs. NYK, vs. SAS, @ OKC, @ DET

Record: 2-4

OffRtg: 107.4 (24) DefRtg: 108.2 (7) NetRtg: -0.8 (15) Pace: 99.5 (19)

After an impressive, 2-1 start, the Clippers have dropped three straight and are one of only three Western Conference teams at least two games under .500.

Three takeaways

• Each of the Clippers’ first five games were within five points in the last five minutes, and they had a six-point, second-half lead against the Thunder (the only team that hasn’t played a clutch game) on Saturday. But they were then outscored by 24 points (38-14) over the next 15 minutes.

• The Clippers have led all six of their games by double-digits. They’ve outscored their opponents by 24.1 points per 100 possessions (only the Celtics have been better) in the first quarter, but have been outscored by 8.9 per 100 thereafter. (Some of that is just opponent 3-point shooting: 33% in the first vs. 42% otherwise.) So while they were 44-7 (tied for sixth best) when leading by double-digits last season, they already have four losses this year.

• Norman Powell has adjusted just fine to starting games on the floor instead of on the bench, averaging 25.2 points with a true shooting percentage of 64.1%. That’s third among the 20 players averaging 25 points or more, trailing only the marks of Nikola Jokić and Anthony Davis. James Harden’s 23 assists to Powell are the most from any player to a single teammate.

It seems that the Clippers will see Paul George in uniform when their five-game homestand concludes with a visit from the Sixers on Wednesday. First, they’ll face the Spurs, against whom they’ve won seven straight.

Week 3: vs. SAS, vs. PHI, @ SAC, vs. TOR

Record: 3-3

OffRtg: 106.6 (27) DefRtg: 107.4 (4) NetRtg: -0.8 (16) Pace: 98.1 (26)

The Spurs have won two straight games, getting their best victory of the early season on Saturday, when they knocked off the Wolves with a big second half.

Three takeaways

• The Wolves were the league’s best defensive team by a wide margin last season. But the win on Saturday, was the Spurs’ best offensive game (113 points on 96 possessions) thus far. And that was more about their shooting in the paint (26-for-34) than their shooting from beyond the arc (13-for-42), even though the 13 3s were a season high. Overall, the Spurs are one of two teams – the Pelicans are the other – that rank in the bottom 10 in three of the four factors on offense.

• As the Spurs began the season 1-3, they were outscored by 18.9 points per 100 possessions with Chris Paul on the floor. But over their wins against Utah and Minnesota, Paul was a plus-49, totaling 34 points (on 13-for-22 shooting) and 23 assists (with just two turnovers). The 39-year old has taken 60% of his shots from 3-point range, easily the highest rate of his career.

• Victor Wembanyama’s Defensive Player of the Year candidacy will depend, at least partially, on where the Spurs rank as a team on that end of the floor. Through two weeks, they rank fourth, having allowed 18.9 fewer points per 100 possessions with Wembanyama on the floor (99.2) than they have with him off the floor (118.1).

They’ll play three teams that rank in the bottom seven offensively this week, with the exception being their visit to Houston on Wednesday, their third meeting with the Rockets.

Week 3: @ LAC, @ HOU, vs. POR, vs. UTA

Record: 3-4

OffRtg: 110.0 (20) DefRtg: 117.2 (26) NetRtg: -7.2 (26) Pace: 98.9 (22)

The Pelicans managed to get a win over the Pacers on Friday, but have lost four of their last five games, mostly because they’ve had only one or two of their top six guys available for the last three.

Three takeaways

• The Pelicans scored just 89 points on 94 possessions in their second of back-to-back losses at Golden State, but the other end of the floor has been the larger issue. They’ve allowed 123.9 points per 100 possessions over this 1-4 stretch, what would have been their worst five-game stretch of defense all last season.

• The defensive drop-off has come both inside and out. They’ve seen the league’s third-biggest jump in opponent 3-point percentage, its biggest jump in the percentage of their opponents’ shots that have come in the paint, and its fourth-biggest drop in defensive rebounding percentage.

• Brandon Ingram, the only one of the top six guys who’s played every game, can still take (and make) some tough mid-range shots. But he’s also a more willing 3-point shooter than he’s been in the past, shooting 42% on a career-high 6.4 attempts per game. That should allow him to better complement Zion Williamson and the Pelicans’ other ball-handlers (when they’re healthy).

The Pelicans have both the fewest rest-advantage games (4) and the fewest rest-disadvantage games (6) in the league this season. The first of the latter is Monday, their third meeting with the Blazers and the third game of their four-game homestand.

Week 3: vs. POR, vs. CLE, @ ORL

Record: 3-3

OffRtg: 105.8 (29) DefRtg: 110.0 (10) NetRtg: -4.3 (21) Pace: 106.6 (1)

With their win over the Magic on Wednesday, the Bulls were over .500 for the first time in almost two years (since Nov. 4, 2022). But their time amongst the winning lasted less than 48 hours.

Three takeaways

• The Bulls have been outscored by 26.1 points per 100 possessions in the first quarter and have trailed five of their six games by more than 15 points. But they came back from 20 down in Memphis on Monday and again against Orlando two nights later. Last season, they were one of three teams with a league-high three wins after trailing by 20-plus, and they’ve already got two this year.

• They erased a 17-point deficit in Brooklyn on Friday, when they outscored the Nets by 18 points (51-33) from 3-point range. But they came up short offensively down the stretch and got destroyed in the paint. The Bulls have been outscored by at least 34 points from 2-point range in three of their last four games.

• Even though Josh Giddey was shooting 10-for-17 from 3-point range before he went 0-for-4 on Saturday, the Bulls’ starting lineup has scored just 93.2 points per 100 possessions, the worst mark among the 19 lineups that have played at least 50 minutes. That includes just 65 points on 79 possessions (82 per 100) in the first quarter.

The Bulls will have a pretty good chance to get back over .500 when they host the Jazz on Monday. They’ve won four straight against Utah and scored almost 128 points per 100 possessions over their two wins last season.

Week 3: vs. UTA, @ DAL, vs. MIN, @ ATL

Record: 3-4

OffRtg: 114.3 (9) DefRtg: 117.8 (28) NetRtg: -3.5 (19) Pace: 103.4 (4)

The Hawks lost four straight games, including two against the Wizards over which the opponent shot 45% from 3-point range. But the streak came to an end in New Orleans, with the Hawks doubling up the Pelicans (66-32) in the paint.

Three takeaways

• The Hawks have been dealing with injuries to four guards/wings, and De’Andre Hunter’s absence has had Zaccharie Risacher in the starting lineup for the last five games. The No. 1 pick had 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks in Washington on Wednesday, but his effective field goal percentage (36.4%) is the third lowest mark among 139 players with at least 50 field goal attempts.

• Trae Young has basically played half of his minutes with the rookie. The Hawks have been outscored by 11.6 points per 100 possessions in 133 minutes with the two on the floor together, but are a plus-11.1 per 100 in 132 minutes with Young on the floor without Risacher.

• Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 29 points in the first of the Hawks’ two losses to the Wizards. Then he matched it in their win in New Orleans on Sunday. The 22-year old has been handling the ball a lot more and has seen a huge drop in effective field goal percentage (47.6%) from last season (56.2%), though he’s also seen a big jump in free throw rate.

The Hawks’ win in New Orleans was the start of their first stretch of five games in seven days, and their rest-disadvantage game against the Celtics on Monday is the first of two meetings in the next nine. The home team won all four meetings between Atlanta and Boston last season.

Week 3: vs. BOS, vs. NYK, @ DET, vs. CHI

Record: 3-4

OffRtg: 114.2 (10) DefRtg: 114.7 (20) NetRtg: -0.4 (13) Pace: 98.9 (23)

New coach Jordi Fernandez has the Nets playing with more juice than last season. After dropping their first two games, they won three of four, with the only loss coming against Denver in overtime.

Three takeaways

• The Nets scored 121.7 points per 100 possessions over that 3-1 stretch, with Cam Thomas and Dennis Schröder combining to average 52 points on a true shooting percentage of 65%. Schröder was on fire from 3-point range, while Thomas was 35-for-38 from the line over the four games.

• This team is looking more competitive than expected, but being consistently competitive might be a level it can’t reach. The offense cooled off on Sunday afternoon when the Nets scored just 92 points on 93 possessions in a double-digit loss to the Pistons (who came into Brooklyn ranking 23rd defensively). Thomas didn’t get to the basket or the line much, and if he’s not cooking, there probably aren’t enough sources of offense elsewhere.

• Dorian Finney-Smith could be in the last year of his contract (he has a player option for next season) and is likely on the radar of contending teams who might need another forward for the stretch run. But he’ll need to make open corner 3s for whatever team he’s playing on in the Spring and he’s just 3-for-17 from the corners thus far, missing a wide-open look for the win against Denver on Tuesday.

The Nets’ first stretch of five games in seven days ends with a visit from the Grizzlies on Monday. But after three days off, they’ll begin what is likely their toughest stretch of the season, six games (five on the road) that include two meetings each with the Celtics and Knicks, as well as a visit to Cleveland on Saturday night.

Week 3: vs. MEM, @ BOS, @ CLE

Record: 2-4

OffRtg: 115.3 (6) DefRtg: 119.4 (30) NetRtg: -4.1 (20) Pace: 99.4 (20)

The Hornets were somewhat competitive in two games against the Celtics over the weekend, but couldn’t come all the way back from two bad starts.

Three takeaways

• The two games against the champs were the second and third times that the Hornets have lost the first quarter by at least 12 points. They’ve scored more than a point per possession in the first quarter in only one of their six games, but have scored more than 130 points per 100 in the fourth quarter in five of the six.

• Their loss to the Celtics on Saturday was the first time that the Hornets committed fewer turnovers (13-15) than their opponents (they had committed 27 more through their first five games). LaMelo Ball is registering career-high marks for both 2-point percentage (55.9%) and 3-point percentage (40.5%), but has an assist/turnover ratio of just 1.15, down from 2.27 over his first four seasons.

• Brandon Miller returned from a four-game absence on Saturday, the first time the Hornets had Ball, Miller, Josh Green and Miles Bridges in the lineup together. But center Mark Williams remains out (he doesn’t seem close to a return) and Nick Richards missed the Saturday loss with a shoulder issue, leaving Grant Williams to start at the five against his old team and less than 24 hours after being ejected for a flagrant 2 foul on Jayson Tatum.

The Hornets don’t play the Celtics again until the last two games of the season, and they now have a one-game trip to Minnesota, where they won (despite 62 points from Karl-Anthony Towns) in January.

Week 3: @ MIN, vs. DET, vs. IND, @ PHI

Record: 2-5

OffRtg: 113.0 (14) DefRtg: 118.9 (29) NetRtg: -6.0 (23) Pace: 102.6 (5)

The Raptors had RJ Barrett in the lineup for the first time on Monday, only to lose Scottie Barnes for a few weeks when he took an elbow in the face.

Three takeaways

• The Raptors blew double-digit, fourth-quarter leads against both the Nuggets and Kings last week, eventually splitting the two games that went to overtime. But the starts of games have been a much bigger problem than the finishes. They’ve been outscored by 25.9 points per 100 possessions in the first quarter, falling into a 26-point hole against the Lakers on Friday.

• Gradey Dick already has as many 20-point games (four) as he did all of last season, when three of those four came in the Raptors’ last 13 games. He had a career-high 30 in Charlotte on Wednesday and then topped that (with 31) against the Lakers two nights later. He’s 22-for-36 (61%) on 2-pointers outside the restricted area, with the biggest of the 22 being his late-clock floater for a 3-point lead with 20 seconds left in overtime on Saturday.

• The clutch defense has been, statistically, worse than the first-quarter defense. The Raptors allowed 51 points on 37 clutch defensive possessions (1.38 per) last week, with Jakob Pöltl getting beat by Jamal Murray and LaMelo Ball on big drives late in their losses to the Nuggets and Hornets.

The Raptors will play 10 of their next 13 games on the road. After a 4-1 start, they lost their last 10 games in Western Conference arenas last season, also dropping their first (in Minnesota) this year.

Week 3: @ DEN, @ SAC, @ LAC, @ LAL

Record: 2-5

OffRtg: 108.6 (23) DefRtg: 114.0 (17) NetRtg: -5.4 (22) Pace: 96.8 (29)

After losing their first four games, the Pistons have won two of three, holding both the Sixers and Nets under 105 points per 100 possessions. The win over Philly ended a 34-game losing streak against the eight Eastern Conference teams that made the playoffs last season.

Three takeaways

• The Pistons might be pretty good if they could take care of the ball and/or force a few turnovers on the other end of the floor. On opening night, they committed one fewer turnover than the Pacers. Since then, they’ve committed at least five more than each of their six opponents, racking up a total differential of +44 turnovers over those six games.

• They’ve mitigated the turnover issue somewhat by being the only team that ranks in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage. Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart (who haven’t played together this season) rank first and 16th in individual rebounding percentage among 246 players who’ve averaged at least 15 minutes per game.

• Cade Cunningham has averaged 5.1 turnovers per game (third most) and has an assist/turnover ratio of just 1.33, down from 2.19 last season. But the Pistons have scored just 98.3 points per 100 possessions in 85 minutes with Cunningham off the floor. They’re using Jaden Ivey (assist/turnover ratio of 1.25) as their back-up point guard.

The Pistons were 1-14 at home against the Western Conference last season, with that tied for the second worst home record vs. the opposite conference (minimum 11 games) for any team in NBA history. The first West team to come to Detroit this season is the Lakers on Monday, when the Pistons will be at a rest disadvantage.

Week 3: vs. LAL, @ CHA, vs. ATL, vs. HOU

Record: 1-5

OffRtg: 109.7 (21) DefRtg: 116.7 (23) NetRtg: -7.0 (25) Pace: 101.6 (9)

The Bucks almost beat Cleveland on Saturday in what was their first clutch game of the season, but couldn’t get the stop they needed in the final seconds and are 1-5 (or worse) for the first time in 24 years.

Three takeaways

• The Bucks actually got out on the break in Memphis on Thursday, scoring as many transition points (34) as they did in their previous two games combined, according to Synergy tracking. But they shot 9-for-42 (21%) from 3-point range and lost the first quarter by 16 points, trailing by as many as 31.

• The Bucks have suffered big drop-offs on both ends of the floor from last season, but it’s on defense where they’ve been more consistently sub-par, allowing more than 116 points per 100 possessions in all five games of their losing streak. The defense has been a little better than average (111.7 allowed per 100) in 121 minutes with both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez on the floor, but has allowed more than 121 per 100 in 153 total minutes with one of the two on the floor without the other.

• Overall, the Bucks have been outscored by 22.4 per 100 with Bobby Portis on the floor, with that being the third worst mark among 197 players who’ve averaged at least 20 minutes per game.

After the Bucks complete their home-and-home series with the Cavs, they’ll begin their first stretch of five games in seven days, which features tough games against the Knicks and Celtics over the weekend.

Week 3: @ CLE, vs. UTA, @ NYK, vs. BOS

Record: 1-4

OffRtg: 106.8 (26) DefRtg: 115.7 (21) NetRtg: -8.9 (29) Pace: 98.5 (24)

Joel Embiid and Paul George practiced on Friday, but the Sixers’ loss to the Grizzlies the following night was their fifth without the two stars.

Three takeaways

• Four teams rank lower offensively overall, but the Sixers are the only team that hasn’t scored at least 110 points per 100 possessions in any game this season. They rank in the top 11 in each of the other factors on offense (free throws, turnovers and rebounds), but are 29th in effective field goal percentage, in the bottom three in both field goal percentage in the paint and effective field goal percentage on shots from outside the paint.

• Tyrese Maxey ranks sixth in scoring at 29.8 points per game but needs the other stars to help him score more efficiently. His 2-point percentage (47.9%) and 3-point percentage (26.3%) are both the lowest marks of his career.

• He’s also not getting consistent help from elsewhere in the rotation, with the Sixers’ other two double-digit scorers — Kelly Oubre Jr. and Caleb Martin — having a combined effective field-goal percentage of 42%. Rookie Jared McCain got more playing time last week and totaled 31 points against Detroit and Memphis.

Embiid is still out, but George is expected to debut as the Sixers begin a three-game trip in Phoenix on Monday. Embiid played in only three of their 15 games in Western Conference arenas last season.

Week 3: @ PHX, @ LAC, @ LAL, vs. CHA

Record: 2-5

OffRtg: 106.4 (28) DefRtg: 114.5 (19) NetRtg: -8.1 (28) Pace: 100.3 (14)

The Blazers just might be more competitive this season. They got a clutch win over the Clippers on Wednesday, and then had second-half leads against the Thunder and Suns over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• Those second-half leads disappeared pretty quickly, with the Blazers getting outscored by 47 points (82-35) over the two third quarters against Oklahoma City and Phoenix. Having been outscored by double-digits in two third quarters before that, they’re an amazing minus-42.2 per 100 possessions in the third period for the season. (They’d still be just 3-4 if you erased all their third quarters.)

• If they are more competitive this year, it’s because of improved defense. Blazers’ opponents have taken just 42% of their shots in the paint, with that being the league’s lowest rate and down from 50% (seventh highest) last season. They’ve done that while also being one of only nine teams with a lower opponent free throw rate than they had last season.

• The offense has been a struggle. The Blazers are the only team with four players — Deni Avdija, Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons — with an effective field goal percentage below 47% on at least 50 shots.

The Blazers’ first stretch of five games in seven days ended with their loss in Phoenix over the weekend. Their second one begins with their visit to San Antonio on Thursday.

Week 3: @ NOP, @ SAS, @ MIN, vs. MEM

Record: 2-3

OffRtg: 109.4 (22) DefRtg: 117.0 (24) NetRtg: -7.5 (27) Pace: 104.6 (2)

The Wizards weren’t competitive in their first two games, but they swept a home-and-home with the Hawks thanks, in large part, to the two-way play of Bilal Coulibaly.

Three takeaways

• In the first win over the Hawks, Coulibaly scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter (even scoring as a roll man), while also doing some good work in defending Trae Young. Two nights later, he scored a career-high 27 on 11-for-14 shooting, and he followed that up with an efficient 22 in the Wizards’ loss to the Heat in Mexico City. For the season, the second-year wing has a true shooting percentage of 72.9%, second among 139 players with at least 50 field goal attempts.

• With Kyle Kuzma missing the last two games with a groin strain, the Wizards have started Jordan Poole, Coulibaly (who’s 20 years old) and three rookies. They’ve gotten 33% of their minutes from rookies, the league’s highest rate by a huge margin, but still a little lower than the 35% that last season’s Blazers got from first-year guys. The Wizards have only been outscored by six points in the three rookies’ 44 total minutes on the floor together.

• One of the three rookies is Alex Sarr, who continues to start at the five, with Jonas Valančiūnas coming off the bench. Only 26 (21%) of Sarr’s minutes have come alongside Valančiūnas or Marvin Bagley III, and the Wizards haven’t been so bad (minus-5.4 per 100 possessions) in the 98 minutes when the rookie has been the lone big.

The Wizards (4-26 in interconference games last season) will play four of their next five games against the Western Conference, with a five-game trip beginning in Memphis on Friday.

Week 3: vs. GSW, @ MEM, @ ORL

Record: 0-6

OffRtg: 97.7 (30) DefRtg: 116.0 (22) NetRtg: -18.3 (30) Pace: 102.2 (7)

The Jazz’s season was already off to a bad start, and then they’ve been without Lauri Markkanen (the only guy who can keep them somewhat afloat) for the last 2 1/2 games.

Three takeaways

• The Jazz are just the fifth team in NBA history (the first in the last 16 years) to start the season 0-6 while getting outscored by at least 18 points per game. Among the previous four, the best final record belonged to the 1998-89 Kings, who finished 27-55 and in 10th place in a 13-team Western Conference.

• The good news is that the Jazz ranked 22nd defensively after ranking 30th (that’s last) last season. They’d rank much higher if they could rebound. Even though they still struggle in transition, they’re eighth in initial defense (subtracting second-chance points).

• On offense, the Jazz’s effective field goal percentage of 45.2% would be the lowest mark for any team in the last 13 seasons. They’ve shot no better than 31% from 3-point range in each of their last five games.

The Jazz have some winnable games on the rest of their four-game trip, especially with the way the Bucks have started the season. Seven Jazz players averaged double-figures as Utah won both games against Milwaukee last season.

Week 3: @ CHI, @ MIL, @ SAS