Record: 21-4

OffRtg: 120.4 (2) DefRtg: 110.7 (9) NetRtg: +9.7 (2) Pace: 100.8 (9)

The Cavs suffered their fourth loss of the season in Miami on Sunday. More important is that they suffered the first injury to their top four players, with Evan Mobley turning his left ankle in the first half.

Three takeaways

• The injury came a little more than 24 hours after Mobley scored a career-high 41 points in Charlotte. He shot 6-for-8 from 3-point range but also scored 20 points in the paint for the third time this season. While his 22 3-pointers for the season are tied for his total over each of the previous two years (and one shy of his career-high 23 as a rookie), he’s also seen a jump in free throw rate.

• The Cavs will play just twice over the next 11 days, with those two games against the Wizards and Nets, so there’s no better time for one of their best players to have turned an ankle. They’ve now played just 45 total minutes (getting outscored by 4 points) with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen on the floor without Mobley. More important when they lose one is that they can’t have a star guard and a rim protector on the floor at all times. Their 260 Mitchell-Mobley minutes without Garland or Allen have been much better (plus-12.6 points per 100 possessions) than their 254 Garland-Allen minutes without Mitchell or Mobley (minus-0.5 per 100).

• When the Cavs have lost, it’s been more about defense (123.2 points allowed per 100 possessions in the four losses) than offense (113.5 scored per 100). And it’s been mostly about how well their opponents have shot from 3-point range (35.1% in wins vs. 46.8% in losses). According to Second Spectrum tracking, 51% of their opponents’ 3-point attempts have been wide open, a rate that’s right at the league average.

The Cavs will have more multi-day breaks (three) in the next 11 days than they’ve had thus far (two). They’ve won their two games against the Wizards by a total of 50 points and will host the league’s worst team again on Friday.

Week 8: vs. WAS

Record: 19-5

OffRtg: 120.2 (3) DefRtg: 110.8 (10) NetRtg: +9.3 (3) Pace: 98.6 (21)

The Celtics got a good win over the surging Bucks on Friday but suffered their third home loss of the season the following night against Memphis. (They won their first 20 home games last season, not losing at TD Garden until Jan. 19.)

Three takeaways

• No matter how often you watch them, it’s still jarring how unabashedly the Celtics are launching 3-pointers this season, whether they be contested, early in the clock, off the dribble or whatever. The win over Milwaukee was the eighth time they’ve taken at least 60% of their shots from beyond the arc, having never done it last season (including playoffs) and with every other team having done it just once this season (the Bulls on Sunday).

• The Pistons shot 20-for-39 (51%) from 3-point range on Wednesday and the Celtics (21-for-53) still outscored them from beyond the arc. The loss to Memphis came with Boston shooting 18-for-60 (30%) from deep, with Jrue Holiday being dared into a 4-for-17 performance. But the Celtics still have the league’s best record (8-4) in games in which they shot worse than the league average (36.0%) from 3-point range.

• The Celtics have also been able to win games while still giving guys days off. Five of their top eight guys missed at least one of their four games last week and they’ve still had all eight available just once (at Chicago 10 days ago). Their when-healthy starting lineup (with Kristaps Porziņģis) has played in just three games together but is still their second-most-used lineup of the season.

The Celtics, 10-1 against the 13 teams currently at or below .500, will play the Pistons and Wizards this week.

Week 8: vs. DET, @ WAS

Record: 18-5

OffRtg: 115.2 (8) DefRtg: 103.3 (1) NetRtg: +11.9 (1) Pace: 100.4 (10)

The Thunder remain at the top of the Western Conference, now three games in the loss column ahead of the Grizzlies, Rockets and Mavs.

Three takeaways

• The Thunder continue to force turnovers at an incredible rate, with Utah’s 29 turnovers (18 of them live balls) on Tuesday tied for the most for any team in a game in more than three years. Last season, they led the league with 12 games of forcing at least 20 turnovers, and they have 10 already this season.

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has seen a big jump in 3-point rate from last season, but after a 1-for-10 performance in Toronto on Thursday, has shot just 32.6% from beyond the arc. He’s shot a career-best 62.5% in the paint though, leading the league in drives per game (21.5) for the fifth straight season.

• Last season, the Thunder led the league in both the percentage of their 3-point attempts that were off the catch (80%) and the percentage that were wide open (66%), according to Second Spectrum tracking. They’ve seen big drops in both rates (to 69% and 60%), but the latter mark (wide-open) still ranks third.

When the Thunder lost to the Mavs (without Luka Dončić) a few weeks ago, it was during the five-game stretch when they didn’t have Chet Holmgren or Isaiah Hartenstein, and they got destroyed on the glass. They’ll have an opportunity to avenge that loss and earn a trip to Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Week 8: vs. DAL*, vs. GSW/HOU

Record: 16-8

OffRtg: 117.2 (4) DefRtg: 109.9 (8) NetRtg: +7.2 (5) Pace: 101.1 (7)

The Mavs have won seven straight (despite a crazy travel schedule) and 11 of their last 12, with the only loss having come in overtime (and on the road).

Three takeaways

• The Mavs’ deadline trades last season have affected their defense. But they also changed the team’s shot profile, with Dallas taking 46% of its shots in the paint after acquiring Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, up from 42% (the league’s lowest rate) prior. This season, the Mavs have taken 50% of their shots (eighth highest rate) in the paint, with that being the league’s biggest jump from last season (43% overall) by a huge margin.

• With more shots in the paint, you can also get more free throws. Over their four December games, the Mavs have attempted 72 more free throws than their opponents. That includes the league’s biggest differential (44-14) of the season in their win over the Grizzlies on Tuesday.

• Dereck Lively II has now started the last 12 games he’s played in and, even though he’s now playing against other starters, the defense has still been much better with him on the floor (100.0 points allowed per 100 possessions) than it’s been with him off the floor (112.9 per 100) over that stretch.

Since the 2024 Western Conference semifinals, the Mavs have won five of their last six games against the Thunder. But they were without Luka Dončić and the Thunder were without Isaiah Hartenstein when Dallas won in Oklahoma City last month. So it should be a very different game when they meet in the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Week 8: @ OKC*, vs. GSW/HOU

Record: 17-8

OffRtg: 116.5 (5) DefRtg: 108.5 (7) NetRtg: +8.0 (4) Pace: 104.6 (2)

The Grizzlies have won nine of their last ten games, getting a signature win (with a signature dunk) in Boston on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The Grizzlies are the only team that ranks in the top seven on both ends of the floor. It’s not a surprise to see them there on defense, but the offense, especially the shooting, is something new. The Grizzlies haven’t ranked higher than 20th in effective field goal percentage in the last 10 seasons, even when they had the league’s fourth-ranked offense (thanks to lots of rebounds and few turnovers) three seasons ago.

• Of course, the shooting is strongest in the paint. The Grizzlies are the only team that ranks in the top five in both field goal percentage in the paint (59.6%, fourth) and the percentage of their shots that have come in the paint (54%, fourth). Brandon Clarke (69.0%) and Santi Aldama (66.4%) rank seventh and 13th in field goal percentage in the paint among 113 players with at least 100 attempts.

• The Grizzlies rank ninth in free throw rate, but they attempted 30 fewer free throws than the Mavs (44-14) in their loss on Tuesday, with that being the biggest discrepancy in any game this season. Part of that discrepancy was a coach’s challenge that backfired (turning into two shots for Dereck Lively II) and a silly Marcus Smart foul 94 feet from the basket, both on the 13-0 Dallas run that turned an eight-point lead (with 3:15 left) into a five-point defeat.

The Grizzlies got one of the two interconference games this week, and it’s against the only team (Brooklyn) that’s beaten them twice this season. They were outscored by 36 points from 3-point range over the two losses, shooting less than 30% from beyond the arc in both.

Week 8: vs. BKN, @ LAL

Record: 14-9

OffRtg: 112.4 (15) DefRtg: 107.6 (4) NetRtg: +4.8 (8) Pace: 101.0 (8)

The Warriors ended their five-game losing streak by beating the Rockets without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The stars returned over the weekend, but the Warriors needed a big second half to earn a split of their two-game series with the Wolves.

Three takeaways

• After scoring 118.4 points per 100 possessions (fourth in the league) over their first 12 games (including three without Curry), the Warriors have scored just 105.8 (28th) over their last 11. Jonathan Kuminga has the fifth-worst true shooting percentage (49.1%) among 96 players with at least 100 field goal attempts over that stretch, and his season-long mark (51.6%) is way down from 59.8% over his first three seasons in the league.

• Kuminga did score 33 of the Warriors’ 99 points in their ugly win over the Rockets on Thursday. He’s the Warriors’ new starting power forward, apparently, starting ahead of Green (who made his return) the following night against Minnesota. Of course, Steve Kerr reshuffled his lineup on Sunday (with Andrew Wiggins out), starting Green alongside Kuminga. The Warriors are one of six teams that don’t have a lineup that’s played at least 75 minutes together.

• All five games on the losing streak were within five points in the last five minutes, with the Warriors scoring just 10 points on 26 clutch possessions. The clutch offense wasn’t much better the last four days, but Kuminga was 3-for-3 on clutch shots against Houston, and they held the Wolves to just three points on seven clutch possessions on Sunday.

No matter who they play in the NBA Cup semis or the game between the quarterfinals losers in the West (Dallas or Oklahoma City), the Warriors are three games into a stretch where they’re playing seven straight against teams that currently rank in the top eight defensively. They’ve won both their meetings with the Rockets thus far, with the two teams combining to score less than 108 points per 100 possessions over 101 minutes.

Week 8: @ HOU*, vs. DAL/OKC

Record: 16-8

OffRtg: 112.4 (16) DefRtg: 105.4 (2) NetRtg: +7.0 (6) Pace: 99.8 (13)

The Rockets lost two straight games for the first time but salvaged their three-game trip through California with a win over the Clippers on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Their loss in Sacramento on Tuesday was the Rockets’ worst defensive game of the season, while their loss at Golden State two nights later was their worst offensive performance. One common issue was that they were outscored in the paint by double-digits both nights. The Rockets were outscored in the paint just three times in their first 18 games, but have been outscored in the paint in each of their last six (by an average of 13 points).

• The Rockets have outscored their opponents in the first, third and fourth quarters this season. But closing the second quarter was a problem against the Kings (11-1 run to close the half) and Warriors (9-1 run to close the half). Then the Rockets went on their own, 12-0 run to close the half against the Clips, with Jalen Green scoring the first seven of those 12 points.

• The Rockets were without Fred VanVleet on Sunday, with Amen Thompson taking his place in the starting lineup. The Rockets have allowed just 84.6 points per 100 possessions in 181 total minutes with Thompson, Dillon Brooks and Alperen Sengun all on the floor. That’s the best on-court defensive mark among 856 three-man combos that have played a least 100 minutes together.

After losing to the Warriors without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green last week, the Rockets will likely see them both on Wednesday, when a trip to Las Vegas will be on the line. The Warriors have attempted 47 free throws per 100 shots from the field in the two meetings thus far, with that being their highest rate vs. any opponent and the highest rate for any team vs. the Rockets.

Week 8: vs. GSW*, vs. DAL/OKC

Record: 14-9

OffRtg: 121.1 (1) DefRtg: 114.1 (18) NetRtg: +7.0 (7) Pace: 97.4 (26)

The Knicks got a big win over the Magic to reach the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals for the second straight season, but their second four-game winning streak of the season came to an end with a loss (without Karl-Anthony Towns) to the Pistons on Saturday.

Three takeaways

• The Knicks have climbed out of the bottom 10 on defense, with the winning streak (101.6 points allowed per 100 possessions) being their best stretch on that end of the floor by a wide margin. Of course, all four games (plus their loss to the Pistons) were against teams that rank in the bottom 10 on offense, and much of the improvement was about how poorly those opponents shot from the perimeter.

• While they’ve seen a huge drop in offensive rebounding percentage, the Knicks remain strong (fifth) on the defensive glass. Towns has grabbed 31% of available defensive boards when he’s been on the floor, the second-highest rate among 329 players who’ve averaged at least 10 minutes per game and the highest rate of his career by a huge margin. His previous high (27.2%) was in the last full season (2017-18) that Tom Thibodeau was Towns’ coach in Minnesota.

• Despite the loss to the Pistons over the weekend, the Knicks have been 11.3 points per 100 possessions better at home (plus-12.9, second best) than they’ve been on the road (plus-1.6, 10th). That’s the league’s third biggest home-road differential, with the much bigger difference on the defensive end of the floor.

This year, the Knicks will be at home for the Cup quarterfinals (they lost in Milwaukee in 2023), having lost to the Hawks in Atlanta in early November. They allowed 121 points on just 99 possessions in that game, with the Hawks’ 27 second-chance points being eight more than the Knicks have allowed in any other game this season.

Week 8: @ TOR, vs. ATL*, vs. MIL/ORL

Record: 17-9

OffRtg: 110.5 (23) DefRtg: 105.7 (3) NetRtg: +4.8 (9) Pace: 97.6 (25)

An oblique injury to Paolo Banchero had turned Franz Wagner into a sure-fire All-Star … until Wagner suffered an oblique injury himself on Friday. Now the Magic have to survive without both of them.

Three takeaways

• Maybe it’s just Jalen Suggs’ turn. The fourth-year guard scored 26 points in a little more than 31 minutes as the Magic beat the Suns in their first game without Banchero or Wagner on Sunday. They did score more efficiently with Suggs on the bench and have still scored an anemic 95 points per 100 possessions in his 198 total minutes on the floor without Wagner or Banchero.

• The win over the Suns came at the Kia Center, improving the Magic to 10-0 (the only undefeated team) at home. They’ve played the league’s most road-heavy schedule thus far and the bigger difference between the Home Magic (116.8 points scored per 100 possessions) and the Away Magic (106.5) has been on offense. Weirdly, the Magic players with the biggest home-road splits regarding field goal percentage are centers Goga Bitadze (73% vs. 60%) and Mo Wagner (61% vs. 50%).

• After shooting 18-for-35 (51%) from 3-point range in the first game of their recent five-game trip, the Magic shot 26% from deep over the last four, and they weren’t much better (12-for-36, 33%) at home on Sunday. They’re only a tick behind the 29th-ranked Wizards, but their season-long 31.1% from 3-point range would be the worst mark for any team in the last 12 seasons.

Magic-Bucks is the only one of the four Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinal matchups that we haven’t yet seen this season. The home team won all four games between Milwaukee and Orlando last season, with the bigger difference between the wins and losses coming on Milwaukee’s end of the floor.

Week 8: @ MIL*, vs. ATL/NYK

Record: 14-11

OffRtg: 110.4 (24) DefRtg: 108.5 (6) NetRtg: +1.9 (13) Pace: 98.3 (23)

The Clippers might be coming back to the Play-In pack in the Western Conference, having lost their last two games.

Three takeaways

• The Clippers may have run out of gas when they played the Wolves (without Norman Powell) on Wednesday, after which they were tied for the league lead with 24 total games played. They were 3-1 in the second games of back-to-backs to start the season, but have lost the last two by 32 and 28 points. Their three days off before their loss to the Rockets on Sunday was their first multi-day break since before Halloween.

• Terance Mann is out a few weeks with a fractured finger suffered in the Clippers’ win over Portland on Tuesday. After starting the first 11 games of the season, Mann had come off the bench for the next 12. He had shot much better (effective field goal percentage of 56.9%) as a reserve than he did as a starter (41.1%) and the Clippers’ starting lineup (with Kris Dunn in Mann’s place) has outscored opponents by 16.4 points per 100 possessions in 110 total minutes.

• Alas, that lineup didn’t play together in either of the last two games, with Powell missing the loss to Minnesota and James Harden out (for the first time this season) against Houston on Sunday. That was the Clippers’ only game between last Wednesday and this coming Friday, so just one game missed turned three days of rest into eight.

With the new schedule, the Clippers are playing three of their four games against the Nuggets in Denver, where they won in Week 1 behind 37 points from Powell. They’re back at Ball Arena on Friday.

Week 8: @ DEN

Record: 12-10

OffRtg: 114.1 (9) DefRtg: 111.5 (11) NetRtg: +2.7 (12) Pace: 97.3 (28)

The Heat have won three straight games for the first time. It’s also the first time they’re two games over .500, which is good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Three takeaways

• The first two wins came against teams — the Lakers and Suns — going through some struggles, but the Heat handed the Cavs just their fourth loss of the season on Sunday. The streak has mostly been about offense, with Miami scoring a pretty incredible 130 points per 100 possessions over the three games and climbing into the top 10 on that end of the floor.

• Tyler Herro has been the offensive star, averaging 27.3 points (on an effective field goal percentage of 73%) and six assists over the three games. For the season, Herro is registering career-best marks in 2-point percentage (54.8%), 3-point percentage (42.2%) and free throw rate (22.4 attempts per 100 shots from the field). His true shooting percentage of 63.2% ranks eighth among 43 players who’ve averaged at least 20 points per game.

• The Heat have been at their worst in the first quarter, but their starting lineup for nine of the last 10 games — with Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith — has outscored opponents by 20.7 points per 100 possessions in 116 total minutes over that stretch.

After four straight games against teams with winning records, the Heat get a pair of below-.500 squads — Toronto and Detroit — with their newly scheduled games for the next eight days. They’re 7-4 against the 12 teams that currently have losing records.

Week 8: vs. TOR

Record: 12-11

OffRtg: 111.8 (17) DefRtg: 108.2 (5) NetRtg: +3.6 (11) Pace: 98.0 (24)

A four-game winning streak had the Wolves climbing the Western Conference standings, but it came to an end with a second-half collapse at Golden State on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Wolves seemingly found last season’s defense, allowing an incredible 87.7 points per 100 possessions over the winning streak, down from 113.0 per 100 over their previous nine games (2-7). Even with the loss on Sunday, they’re back in the top five on that end of the floor.

• The strong defense continued through the first half on Sunday, when the Wolves were up nine at the break, holding a 9-0 record (one of two undefeated teams) when leading at the half. But they allowed the Warriors to score 44 points on 25 possessions in the third quarter, with 24 of those points coming in the paint or at the free throw line. The loss leaves Denver (5-0) as the only undefeated team when leading at the half.

• Even with that third quarter, their opponents’ effective field goal percentage has seen a bigger drop in the paint (49.2% over the last five games vs. 57.7% prior) than it has from the outside.

The second win in the winning streak was at home against the Lakers last Monday, with L.A. shooting just 6-for-31 from 3-point range. They’ll meet again at the Target Center on Friday.

Week 8: vs. LAL, @ SAS

Record: 12-10

OffRtg: 115.4 (7) DefRtg: 113.6 (16) NetRtg: +1.8 (14) Pace: 101.8 (5)

It’s tough when a guy tallies 104 points, 30 rebounds and 16 assists over a back-to-back, and his team splits the two games. It’s even tougher when the loss comes to a team that had lost 16 straight.

Three takeaways

• Nikola Jokić’s career-high 56 points in Washington on Saturday didn’t come particularly efficiently, at least by his own standards. He recorded the highest usage rate (46.6%) of his career (774 games, including playoffs) and accounted for 74 of the 102 points the Nuggets scored (via points and assists) in his 39 minutes on the floor.

• Amazingly, the loss (to the team that ranks last defensively by a healthy margin) was also the sixth-worst offensive game of the season for the Nuggets, who are 0-6 when they’ve scored fewer than 108 points per 100 possessions. They’re also now 0-3 all-time when Jokić has scored 50 points or more, so he wisely scored only 48 in Atlanta on Sunday. (Both games came without Jamal Murray, it should be noted.)

• One of Jokić’s best traits is his touch, which was on display on the game-tying bucket against the Warriors on Tuesday. After turning Stephen Curry around with a fake pass, his 18-foot jumper just died on the rim before rolling through the net. His 52.4% on 2-point shots outside the restricted area is his worst mark in the last six seasons, but still ranks sixth among 79 players with at least 75 attempts.

When the Nuggets host the Clippers on Friday, it will have been more than a month since they won two straight games. They lost to the Clippers (in L.A.) eight days ago, despite a triple-double from Jokic.

Week 8: vs. LAC

Record: 13-12

OffRtg: 111.4 (20) DefRtg: 114.3 (19) NetRtg: -2.8 (19) Pace: 104.5 (3)

The Hawks won six straight games, beating the Cavs twice and ending the Bucks’ seven-game winning streak along the way. But they ran into Nikola Jokić on Sunday, and the loss to the Nuggets dropped them back into seventh place in the improving Eastern Conference.

Three takeaways

• Trae Young has shot just 31% from 3-point range this season, including just 20-for-82 (24%) over his last 11 games. But he drained the overtime game-winner against the Lakers on Friday, the Hawks’ fourth straight win (they’re 8-5) in games that were within five points in the last five minutes. Young leads the league in both clutch assists (17) and total clutch free throws, which have accounted for 25 of his 45 clutch points.

• The loss to the Nuggets came without both Jalen Johnson (shoulder issue) and Bogdan Bogdanović (quad contusion). The Hawks had some good bench minutes earlier in the week, but overall, have been 13.7 points per 100 possessions better with Johnson on the floor (plus-1.2) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-12.5).

• Young’s game-winning 3-pointer gave the Hawks one more 3 than the Lakers, making that just the fifth game this season in which Atlanta has outscored its opponent from beyond the arc. With Denver (not a high-volume 3-point team whatsoever) outscoring the Hawks from deep on Sunday, the Hawks have the worst 3-point discrepancy (-11 points per game) for any team in the last two seasons.

The Hawks were outscored by 21 points from beyond the arc when they beat the Knicks by five early last month. They’ll make their first trip to Madison Square Garden for the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Week 8: @ NYK, vs. MIL/ORL

Record: 12-11

OffRtg: 113.9 (10) DefRtg: 113.0 (14) NetRtg: +0.9 (15) Pace: 99.1 (16)

Khris Middleton made his season debut last week, and he hit a pair of big shots as the Bucks got a much-needed win in Brooklyn on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The huge difference between the Bucks’ two wins and their two losses last week was on the offensive end of the floor, with the win in Brooklyn being their most efficient game (118 points on just 91 possessions) of the season. They’re now 11-5 when they’ve shot the league average (36.0%) or better from 3-point range and 1-6 when they haven’t, with that being the league’s fourth biggest differential.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo has had 11 games with zero 3-point attempts, with his season-long 3-point rate (3.4%) the lowest of his career and down from 9.1% last season. But with the Bucks down one and about a minute and a half left in Boston on Friday, Antetokounmpo pulled up in transition and launched a 3 that was off the mark. The Bucks didn’t get another chance to take the lead and Antetokounmpo is now 3-for-15 from beyond the arc for the season. Only Charles Barkley (26.6% on 2,020 attempts) has shot worse on as many career 3-point attempts as Antetokounmpo (28.5% on 1,860).

• Middleton shot just 5-for-18 in his first two games back but was 10-for-10 from the line. He hit two clutch jumpers on the game-deciding 12-2 run in Brooklyn on Sunday and had 11 assists in 43 total minutes.

The Bucks and Knicks are the only teams to reach the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals both years, and Milwaukee is the only team to host both times. They clobbered New York in the quarters a year ago and will get the shorthanded Magic at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday.

Week 8: vs. ORL*, vs. ATL/NYK

Record: 12-11

OffRtg: 113.3 (12) DefRtg: 114.4 (20) NetRtg: -1.0 (16) Pace: 98.7 (19)

Kevin Durant was only back for 3 1/2 games before suffering an ankle sprain against the Spurs on Tuesday. The Suns are 1-9 (with eight straight losses) without their biggest star.

Three takeaways

• The much bigger difference between the Suns’ games with Durant (109.2 points allowed per 100 possessions) and their games without him (121.2 allowed per 100) continues to be on defense. Their loss in New Orleans on Thursday put an end to the Pelicans’ nine-game losing streak and was the first time in almost a month that the Pels had scored more than 120 points per 100 possessions. Two nights later, they allowed the Heat to score 121 points on just 95 possessions, their second most efficient-performance of the season. And on Sunday, the Magic scored more efficiently than their season-long mark even though they were without Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

• The difference is almost all about how effectively their opponents have shot. And the bigger difference is in the paint: 53.6% in games Durant has played vs. 63.0% in games he’s missed.

• Devin Booker’s scoring has been only slightly higher, while his efficiency has been down in the games Durant has missed (25.2 points per game, true shooting percentage of 56.1%) vs. the games Durant has played (24.6, 59.5%). Bradley Beal has seen a much bigger jump in production while scoring slightly more efficiently: 21.8 points per game on 59.8% vs. just 15.8 on 59.2% in the games Durant has missed.

The only win without Durant came (by eight points) in Utah, where the Suns will travel for a second visit on Friday. Their next four games are against those that currently have losing records.

Week 8: @ UTA, vs. POR

Record: 12-13

OffRtg: 116.3 (6) DefRtg: 112.7 (13) NetRtg: +3.6 (10) Pace: 99.0 (17)

The Kings have won two straight games for the first time in more than a month, clobbering the Spurs and Jazz over the weekend.

Three takeaways

• After coming off the bench in his first 169 games with the Kings, Malik Monk has started the last five. The offense has been efficient on both ends of the floor in the 97 minutes that the new lineup (though it’s long been the Kings’ closing lineup) has been on the floor together over the five games, with the Kings’ lineup and their opponents combining to score 122 points per 100 possessions.

• That lineup somehow got outscored by four points over the two weekend wins, so bench minutes were critical. After a rough game off the bench on Thursday, Kevin Huerter totaled 42 points on 16-for-21 shooting in the two games. The Kings have the league’s fourth-ranked bench over the two weeks that Huerter has been a reserve.

• The two weekend wins were the Kings’ two most efficient offensive performances of the season and came with their two largest margins of victory.

The Kings’ first newly scheduled game is an opportunity to exorcise some demons. They were 0-6 against the Pelicans last season and their first meeting in ’24-25 is a visit to New Orleans on Thursday. That’s the second game in a stretch where they’re playing six of eight against teams that rank no higher than 24th defensively.

Week 8: @ NOP

Record: 7-15

OffRtg: 106.7 (27) DefRtg: 111.7 (12) NetRtg: -5.0 (25) Pace: 97.2 (29)

The Sixers have won four of their last five games, with Joel Embiid returning from a seven-game absence on Sunday afternoon.

Three takeaways

• Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey played more than four times as many minutes together in Chicago on Sunday (26.2) as they had through the Sixers’ first 21 games (6.1). They outscored the Bulls by 14 points in those 26 minutes, holding Chicago to just 41 points on 57 possessions (0.72 per).

• Overall, the 4-1 stretch has been the Sixers’ best stretch of defense (104.2 points allowed per 100 possessions) this season, with three of the five opponents scoring less than a point per possession. The first four games came against teams — Detroit, Charlotte and Orlando (x 2) — that rank in the bottom 10 offensively, but Chicago ranked ninth on that end of the floor before Sunday. George has been a big part of that defensive improvement and wasn’t available for the Sixers’ loss to the Magic on Wednesday, so they’ve won the last four games he’s played.

• Embiid scored 31 points in a little less than 33 minutes in his return, with 10 of his 13 buckets being assisted by Tyrese Maxey, who recorded his first career triple-double. Embiid shot 3-for-14 from outside the paint but took just as many shots (10-for-14) in the paint. Only 22 (38%) of his 58 shots through his first four games came in the paint.

Despite the 3-14 start, the Sixers are tied in the loss column with two of the current SoFi Play-In Tournament teams in the East. One of those two is the Pacers (10-15), who the Sixers will host after four days off. One of their two wins without George came (in overtime) in Indiana in October.

Week 8: vs. IND

Record: 13-11

OffRtg: 113.0 (14) DefRtg: 117.0 (26) NetRtg: -3.9 (22) Pace: 98.7 (20)

LeBron James missed a game for the first time on Sunday, but the Lakers put an end to their three-game losing streak with a big fourth quarter against Portland.

Three takeaways

• The win was, statistically, the Lakers’ best defensive game of the season, holding the Blazers to 98 points on 97 possessions. They remain one of three teams — the Pelicans and Wizards are the others — that have yet to hold an opponent under a point per possession. Overall, only New Orleans has seen a bigger jump in points allowed per 100 from last season than the Lakers (+2.2).

• L.A. also ranks in the bottom five in clutch defense. James and Anthony Davis responded after their embarrassing loss in Miami, combining for 77 points, 20 rebounds and 19 assists in Atlanta on Friday. But the Lakers still lost in overtime, losing Trae Young after he gave up the ball and allowing him to get an open look at the game-winning 3-pointer.

• Never before had James’ team been better with him off the floor and he’s had on-off differentials in the double-digits in 11 of the 17 seasons for which we have on-off data. But the Lakers have now been 12.5 points per 100 possessions better with him off the floor (plus-4.1) than they’ve been with him on the floor (minus-8.4), with the bigger difference on defense.

Having lost by 29 in Minnesota last week, the Lakers are back at the Target Center on Friday. They’re 3-6 in games played between the 10 West teams that currently have winning records, having split two meetings with each of the two teams they’ll face this week.

Week 8: @ MIN, vs. MEM

Record: 12-12

OffRtg: 111.7 (18) DefRtg: 113.9 (17) NetRtg: -2.1 (17) Pace: 99.5 (15)

After a three-game losing streak dropped them below .500, the Spurs got Victor Wembanyama back from a two-game absence and got a rest-advantage win over the Pelicans on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• The Spurs have now gone 10 games without winning the first quarter, getting outscored by 34.1 points per 100 possessions over those 120 total first-quarter minutes. They were up 13 with 2:30 left in the first period against the Kings on Friday, but that lead was gone by the end of the quarter and they were eventually in a 12-point hole midway through the second.

• The Spurs allowed just 107.8 points per 100 possessions over Victor Wembanyama’s first (three-game) absence, but they allowed the Bulls and Kings to score 133.5 per 100 without him last week. Overall, they’ve allowed 8.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with Wembanyama on the floor (108.2) than they have with him off the floor (116.5), a bigger differential than they had last season (6.1 per 100).

• With an inbounds pass to Wembanyama midway through the second quarter on Sunday, Chris Paul passed Jason Kidd for second in career assists. Paul’s assist/turnover ratio of 4.77 would be the second highest of his career and while the Spurs’ defense needs the 20-year-old phenom, the offense needs the 39-year-old vet. San Antonio has scored 10 more points per 100 possessions with Paul on the floor (114) than it has with him off the floor (104).

With those big on-off differentials, the Spurs’ bench ranks 25th this season. But the bench had some good minutes (without Tre Jones or Devin Vassell) in their first meeting (a 13-point win) against the Blazers. They’re in Portland for meeting No. 2 on Friday.

Week 8: @ POR, vs. MIN

Record: 10-15

OffRtg: 113.7 (11) DefRtg: 117.4 (27) NetRtg: -3.7 (21) Pace: 104.8 (1)

The Bulls began December with a pair of double-digit wins, but when they came home and got healthier (Coby White back), they dropped two games to close neighbors — the Pacers and Sixers — in the Eastern Conference standings.

Three takeaways

• Their game against the Pacers on Friday was just the fifth time this season that the Bulls had more shooting opportunities than their opponent. And they did pretty well with their shooting opportunities, going 21-for-50 (42%) from 3-point range. But the Pacers shot much more effectively on the other end of the floor and had their third most efficient-game of the season. Only the Pelicans and Lakers have seen bigger jumps in points allowed per 100 possessions from last season than the Bulls (+1.7).

• Where they’ve seen the biggest drop-off goes back to that shooting-opportunity discrepancy. The Bulls have forced just 11.8 turnovers per 100 possessions, the league’s lowest opponent rate and down from 14.2 per 100 (eighth highest) last season. The big season-to-season jump in pace somehow has their opponents taking much better care of the ball.

• The Bulls are the only team with a winning record on the road (7-6) and a losing record at home (3-9). Statistically, the bigger difference has been on offense, with Coby White one guy who’s shot much better on the road.

The Bulls have two games left on a stretch of six straight against teams that are currently at or below .500. Friday brings their first meeting with the Hornets, also the end of a three-game homestand (their first homestand of more than two games).

Week 8: vs. CHA

Record: 10-14

OffRtg: 113.1 (13) DefRtg: 116.6 (25) NetRtg: -3.5 (20) Pace: 96.6 (30)

The Nets put an end to a three-game losing streak with an ugly win over the Pacers last week, but couldn’t hold on against Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon.

Three takeaways

• Dorian Finney-Smith has had the best shooting season of his career (effective field goal percentage of 61.2%), and the Nets offense has been at its best (119 points scored per 100 possessions) with him on the floor. They scored less than a point per possession as he missed four games (also Games 2-5 of Cam Thomas’ absence), but broke out offensively (113 on 92) with Finney-Smith making his return against the Bucks on Sunday.

• Alas, that wasn’t enough, as the Bucks scored 118 on 91, including 20 points on 12 clutch possessions. The Nets are one of two teams — the Wizards are the other — that rank in the bottom five in three of the four factors on defense, 30th in opponent effective field goal percentage, 30th in opponent free throw rate, and 26th in defensive rebounding percentage.

• The rebounding could see improvement with more minutes for Day’Ron Sharpe, who made his season debut last week and played 44 total minutes over three games. The fourth-year big ranked third in total rebounding percentage (19.9%) among 288 players who averaged at least 15 minutes per game last season.

Just 1-4 since they came back East, the Nets are still 6-1 against the Western Conference, and they got one of the two extra interconference games this season. The opponent is the only team they’ve beaten twice, having held the Grizzlies to just 108.8 points per 100 possessions over the two meetings.

Week 8: @ MEM

Record: 10-15

OffRtg: 110.9 (22) DefRtg: 113.4 (15) NetRtg: -2.5 (18) Pace: 98.5 (22)

The Pistons came up short in their bid to make the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals, but got a nice win over one of the quarterfinalists on Saturday, beating the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Three takeaways

• The Pistons have shot 38-for-75 (51%) from 3-point range over their last two games but only got one win out of the two because 20 3-pointers in Boston wasn’t enough on Wednesday. The Celtics got 13 more shooting opportunities than the Pistons, who continue to have the league’s third-worst turnover differential (+2.9 per game).

• Malik Beasley was 13-for-21 (62%) from beyond the arc over the two games, including 6-for-6 from the corners. He was the league leader (by a wide margin) with 105 corner 3s last season and is one behind Mikal Bridges (33) for the league lead this season.

• Beasley has started seven games but also leads the Pistons with 496 total minutes played off the bench. Detroit ranks 16th in aggregate bench NetRtg, but that’s a huge improvement from 30th (by a healthy margin) last season. Only the Grizzlies and Cavs have seen bigger jumps.

The Pistons have now lost 11 straight games to the Celtics, who are responsible for two of the five games in which Detroit has allowed more than 125 points per 100 possessions this season. Their second matchup TD Garden in nine days is Thursday.

Week 8: @ BOS

Record: 7-17

OffRtg: 111.0 (21) DefRtg: 115.5 (22) NetRtg: -4.4 (24) Pace: 100.2 (11)

The Raptors are 2-2 on the five-game homestand (their longest of the season) that ends Monday, 2-0 against the East and 0-2 against the West.

Three takeaways

• Scottie Barnes had games of 35 points (in a win over Indiana) and 14 assists (in a loss to Dallas) last week. The absence of Immanuel Quickley has had an effect, but Barnes has been much more of a ball-handler this season, with Toronto setting twice as many ball screens for him per 100 possessions (33.2) as they did last season (16.6), according to Second Spectrum tracking.

• Since Barnes’ return nine games ago, the Raptors have been 16 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor (plus-2.6 per 100) than they’ve been with him off the floor (minus-13.4 per 100). That latter number includes getting outscored by 17.4 per 100 in 89 minutes with RJ Barrett on the floor without Barnes.

• Kelly Olynyk could give the bench a little lift, having made his season debut on Saturday, shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field (all 3-point attempts) and 4-for-4 from the line. He could certainly reduce their 3-point discrepancy, now at 6.8 points per game (seventh-worst).

The last time the Knicks played in Toronto (March 27), they had the second most efficient offensive performance (145 points on 93 possessions) for any team in the 29 seasons for which we have play-by-play data. They’re back on Monday.

Week 8: vs. NYK, @ MIA

Record: 10-15

OffRtg: 111.7 (19) DefRtg: 116.0 (24) NetRtg: -4.3 (23) Pace: 101.1 (6)

The Pacers put an end to two losing streaks over the weekend. Their win in Chicago on Friday ended their own, four-game streak (and an eight-game losing streak on the road), and their loss to Charlotte on Sunday ended the Hornets’ eight-game streak.

Three takeaways

• Their win in Chicago on Friday didn’t just end an eight-game road losing streak. It was also the Pacers’ first win that wasn’t within five points in the last five minutes. It was, seemingly an offensive breakthrough (132 points on 104 possessions), but the offense struggled again as they lost to the Hornets two nights later.

• The Pacers’ loss in Brooklyn on Wednesday was the only time this season that the Nets have held their opponent under a point per possession. The Pacers have still seen the league’s third-biggest drop in offensive efficiency from last season. Their shooting is much worse (with Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard seeing significant drops in effective field goal percentage), but they’ve also seen fewer second chances. They rank 28th in offensive rebounding percentage (24.5%), down from 16th (28.4%) last season.

• The ball and player movement is still there. The Pacers rank in the top five in both, having seen increases in both vs. last season. But they’ve now been without Aaron Nesmith for the last 19 games. Even at the time he got hurt (through six games), the offense was much better with Nesmith on the floor.

The Pacers have two games left on a stretch of six straight against teams that currently have losing records, just 5-8 in games played within that group after the weekend split.

Week 8: @ PHI, vs. NOP

Record: 7-17

OffRtg: 109.1 (26) DefRtg: 114.7 (21) NetRtg: -5.6 (26) Pace: 97.3 (27)

The Hornets put an end to an eight-game losing streak and got their first win without LaMelo Ball, holding on to beat the Pacers on Sunday.

Three takeaways

• Brandon Miller has a usage rate of 32.2% (seventh in the league) over Ball’s six-game absence, up from 25.8% prior. He hasn’t been shooting as effectively but has almost as many free throw attempts over the six games (30) as he had over his first 14 (31). And because he’s a 90% shooter at the line, his overall efficiency has taken only a small dip.

• Mark Williams (returning from a left foot injury) made his season debut last week and played 30 total minutes over three games. The Hornets allowed 87 points on just 57 possessions (153 per 100) in those 30 minutes, but Williams looked terrific (12 points, five rebounds, two assists) in less than 11 first-half minutes against the Cavs on Saturday.

• The Hornets are obviously being very cautious with Williams’ ramp-up. He didn’t play at all in the second half against Cleveland and wasn’t in uniform the following night against Indiana. With Moussa Diabaté missing both games, the Hornets played quite a bit of small ball over the weekend, getting outscored by seven points in a little less than 36 total minutes with no center on the floor.

Their win in Indiana on Sunday began a stretch of five straight games against teams with losing records. The Hornets are 5-3 within that group thus far.

Week 8: @ CHI

Record: 5-18

OffRtg: 109.5 (25) DefRtg: 119.0 (29) NetRtg: -9.5 (28) Pace: 99.8 (14)

All three games on the Jazz’s three-game trip last week were decided by 27 points or more, and they won one of the three.

Three takeaways

• The Jazz have the highest turnover (18.4 per 100 possessions) rate for any team in the last 18 seasons. The Thunder have the highest opponent rate (19.1 per 100) in the last 26 seasons. Put them together and you have Utah committing 29 turnovers in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, tied for the most for any team in a game in more than three years. Five Jazz players had four or five turnovers, and Utah has still committed fewer turnovers than the opponent in just one of its 23 games.

• They did have only 14 turnovers in their 42-point win in Portland (without Lauri Markkanen) on Friday. It was both the Jazz’s best offensive game of the season (141 points on 105 possessions) and the first time they’ve allowed less than a point per possession.

• Walker Kessler had five blocks in the win over Portland. His rim protection numbers (opponents have shot 54.4% at the rim when he’s been there) aren’t as good as they were over his first two seasons (51.2%), but the Jazz have still outscored their opponents with Kessler, Markkanen and John Collins on the floor together (even though they got clobbered with all three in uniform on Sunday).

The Jazz’s lone home game in a stretch where they’re playing eight of nine on the road is Friday against the Suns. Bench minutes were an issue when the Jazz lost the first meeting (also at home) last month.

Week 8: vs. PHX

Record: 8-16

OffRtg: 106.4 (28) DefRtg: 115.9 (23) NetRtg: -9.5 (27) Pace: 100.0 (12)

Things are getting ugly again for the Blazers, who’ve dropped four straight games, with a 42-point loss to the Jazz included.

Three takeaways

• The Blazers ranked 17th defensively through Nov. 30, a nice improvement for a team that ranked 23rd on that end of the floor last season and no higher than 27th in the four seasons before that. But they allowed an amazing 135 points per 100 possessions in their first three games this month to fall back into the bottom 10. And it’s not like they were facing three great offenses; Two of the three opponents — the Clippers and Jazz — rank in the bottom 10 offensively.

• Over the last five seasons (since 2020-21), the Blazers have now lost 10 games by at least 40 points, with no other team having more than four losses by 40-plus over that stretch. This season’s Blazers are now 8-16 with the point differential (minus-9.6 per game, third worst) of a team that’s 5-19.

• Anfernee Simons had a solid stretch of three games ending with 27 points on 8-for-11 shooting against Dallas eight days ago. But he’s shot just 13-for-39 (including 3-for-19 from 3-point range) over the last three. Simons has seen a drop in usage rate, but also a big drop in efficiency from last season.

With an added game at the Moda Center on Friday, the Blazers will play the Spurs twice in the next two weeks. The Blazers were outscored by 21 points from 3-point range in the first meeting (a 13-point loss in San Antonio).

Week 8: vs. SAS, @ PHX

Record: 5-20

OffRtg: 106.2 (29) DefRtg: 118.0 (29) NetRtg: -11.8 (29) Pace: 98.8 (18)

The hits just keep on coming. The Pelicans got Herb Jones and Brandon Ingram back from 18 and five-game absences respectively last week, only for Ingram to suffer a serious ankle sprain in his second game back. The Pelicans did manage to end their losing streak, beating the Suns with Jones smothering Devin Booker on the final possession, before losing Ingram again.

Three takeaways

• Over the 1 1/2 games they had them all last week, the Pelicans played 12 minutes with their five best available players — Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Jones, Ingram and Trey Murphy III – on the floor together, scoring 32 points on 25 offensive possessions. The win on Thursday was their best offensive game (126 on 103) in almost a month.

• Over his three games back, the Pelicans have allowed 112.3 points per 100 possessions in Jones’ 106 minutes on the floor and 128.6 in his 38 minutes on the bench. Jones’ 4.6 deflections per 36 minutes rank 10th among 307 players who’ve played at least 200 minutes, nine spots behind the guy — Dyson Daniels — the Pelicans traded for Murray.

• McCollum and Murray continue to shoot pretty ineffectively, but Murphy has seen an uptick, registering an effective field goal percentage of 69% over the last three games. He got a decent 3-point look for the tie in the closing seconds in San Antonio on Sunday, but his shot was off the mark.

The Pelicans went 6-0 (with an average point differential of 17.2 points) against Sacramento last season, so they’re probably happy to welcome the Kings to New Orleans for one of their newly-scheduled games on Thursday.

Week 8: vs. SAC, @ IND

Record: 3-19

OffRtg: 104.0 (30) DefRtg: 119.2 (30) NetRtg: -15.2 (30) Pace: 103.7 (4)

It’s always darkest before the dawn. The Wizards’ losing streak hit 16 games with their two worst defeats of the season, losses to the Cavs and Mavs by 31 and 36 points, respectively. But the streak stopped there, and they somehow beat the Nuggets on Saturday despite a 56-point performance from Nikola Jokić.

Three takeaways

• The win over the Nuggets was just the second time since the streak started that the Wizards scored more efficiently than the league average. Jordan Poole led the way with 39 points, but Justin Champagnie added a career-high 23 less than 24 hours after his twin brother scored a career-high 30 for the Spurs.

• Jonas Valančiūnas’ numbers were dwarfed by those of Jokić on Saturday, but he had a solid game (20 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, five blocks) against the reigning MVP. Valančiūnas has attempted just 10 3-pointers this season and is having his most efficient year (true shooting percentage of 62.6%) in the last four. He’s the only player who’s shot 55% or better on at least 100 shots from the field and 90% or better on at least 50 free throws.

• The Wizards still have a 22-game losing streak in the second games of back-to-backs, getting clobbered on Sunday by the Grizzlies, who had also played the night before and were without Ja Morant and Desmond Bane. So their last four games have been the win vs. Denver and three of their four worst defeats of the season.

The Wizards were shown no mercy when the two new games were announced last week. They’ll face the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, both of which they had previously been scheduled to play just three times. They’re 0-4 against the Cavs and Celtics thus far, having scored less than 97 points per 100 possessions over the four games.

Week 8: @ CLE, vs. BOS