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Power Rankings, Week 18: Thunder lead

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#7

Los Angeles Lakers
Last Week:7
Record: 32-20

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

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

Three numbers to know

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

They’ve seen the league’s biggest drop in pace, having averaged 2.8 fewer possessions per 48 minutes than they did last season.
They lead the league in free throw differential for what would be the third straight season, though this year’s differential (+2.8 points per game) is a big drop from last season (+4.6). They’re the only team that ranks in the top five in both free throw rate (27.0 attempts per 100 shots from the field, first) and opponent free throw rate (21.8 per 100, fifth).

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

Week 18: vs. CHA, @ POR, @ DEN