Ranking Each NBA Team on the Early-Season Panic Meter
Two weeks into the NBA season, we're still firmly in small sample-size territory.
However, that doesn't mean we don't have enough data to draw general conclusions based off of each team's early-season play and how it's stacked up against expectations.
For those unfamiliar with the panic meter, here are the general guidelines: A zero is the lowest possible rating, meaning absolutely no panic at all. Readings between one and four are classified as low, those between five and seven are moderately high and ratings between eight and 10 are characterized as high, or very panicked.
Fans of the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, you've been warned.
Atlanta Hawks
1 of 30
Panic Meter: 3
The good news in Atlanta is that Mike Budenholzer has the Hawks offense humming along through six games, averaging 105 points a contest. They've yet to score fewer than 100 points in a single game.
The bad news is that Atlanta's defense is surrendering 103.5 points per night, as they've allowed opponents to record an effective field-goal percentage of 53.1, according to Basketball-Reference.
One reason for the Hawks' offensive success may have to do with their ability to take care of the ball. As of Sunday, Atlanta ranked No. 1 in the NBA in turnover percentage (12.3).
Thus far, the addition of Paul Millsap appears to be paying significant dividends, as he and Al Horford lead the Hawks with point-per-game averages of 20.2 and 18, respectively.
In addition, both members of the Hawks' starting frontcourt are shooting better than 51 percent from the field, as Millsap leads the team with a mark of 57.3 percent.
In a messy Eastern Conference, Atlanta continues to fly under the radar as a sneaky postseason qualifier.
Boston Celtics
2 of 30
Panic Meter: 3
The Boston Celtics' panic meter reading came down considerably after Brad Stevens guided his squad to an upset victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday night, but that doesn't mean the Celtics are without their fair share of problems.
It's frustrating that Stevens' grab-bag young guns and veterans have failed to mesh offensively, but the Celtics' early-season struggles are indicative of what could wind up being a high lottery pick come June.
Boston finds itself at the back of the pack in the offensive department, averaging a meager 92.7 points per game and 99.7 points per 100 possessions, per Basketball-Reference, as the Celtics lack innovative creators off the dribble.
Stevens has his guys playing hard, which is really all he can ask for at this point in the season.
Brooklyn Nets
3 of 30
Panic Meter: 6
It would have been nearly impossible to predict what's unfolded in the Atlantic Division over the first two weeks of the season.
The Brooklyn Nets are currently tenants in the cellar of the Atlantic while the Philadelphia 76ers are holding down the top spot that was supposed to be reserved for Jason Kidd's squad.
Instead, the Nets have lost three of their four games thus far to the teams that selected No. 1, 2 and 3 overall in the 2013 NBA draft, per NBA.com's John Schuhmann, and are still working out the kinks in terms of establishing an identity.
Underwhelming on both ends of the floor, the Nets have allowed three more points per 100 possessions than they've produced, per Basketball-Reference, while point guard Deron Williams continues to struggle offensively to the tune of 10.8 points per game.
It generally takes a while for star-studded superteams to mesh, so it may be a few weeks before panic completely subsides in Brooklyn.
Charlotte Bobcats
4 of 30
Panic Meter: 2
What has gotten into the Charlotte Bobcats?
Steve Clifford has his group playing strong defense in the early going, as they've allowed just 95.5 points per game, which has contributed to a relatively strong 3-3 start.
While the Bobcats offense hasn't looked particularly sharp, they have five players averaging double figures through five games, and point guard Kemba Walker leads the way with 17.3 points per game.
The most pleasant surprise, though, has been last season's No. 2 overall draft pick, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. MKG has shown out early, particularly on defense.
In the team's first meeting against the New York Knicks, Kidd-Gilchrist held his own against Carmelo Anthony thanks to impressive defensive persistence, quick feet and superb length.
Once Al Jefferson returns at full strength, the Bobcats offense should see a lift on the interior as well.
Chicago Bulls
5 of 30
Panic Meter: 4
Derrick Rose is back, and that's reason to celebrate. But Rose's performances have been underwhelming thus far, as he's shown plenty of rust after sitting out of competitive basketball for more than a full calendar year.
Rose has turned the ball over five times a game through five contests and has been unable to find a consistent stroke, as he sits at 32 percent shooting from the field.
A major concern for Rose has been his inability to finish at the rim as well, as he's shooting just 35.9 percent inside the restricted area, according to NBA.com's stats database.
It's a given that Rose won't sustain such a miserable offensive pace, but when the turnaround will occur remains to be seen.
With Chicago's offense relying on Rose to do the majority of creating off the dribble, we won't truly know where the Bulls stand in the Eastern Conference until their offense finally starts producing up to snuff.
Cleveland Cavaliers
6 of 30
Panic Meter: 7
It's been a puzzling start for the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose defense has led the way while their offense has failed to show any real signs of life.
According to Basketball-Reference, the Cavs rank 11th overall in defensive efficiency, but shooting woes have contributed to several early losses.
Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters, the team's three primary scorers, are all shooting below 44 percent from the field, while C.J. Miles has been the most consistent shooter at 50 percent. That's a trend that needs to be reversed.
However, Irving's per-game numbers have been strong across the board, as he's averaging 19.9 points, five boards and eight dimes a night.
More disappointing news: Center Andrew Bynum openly admitted that his knees aren't going to get any better and that he's considered retirement as a result.
That, and No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett has already suffered a sprained right shoulder.
Dallas Mavericks
7 of 30
Panic Meter: 3
The Dallas Mavericks haven't changed one bit.
Rick Carlisle's squad has plenty of offense and not enough defense, a trend that has seemingly become the norm for Dallas over the past few years.
The good news is that free-agent signee Monta Ellis seems to be taking nicely to his new surroundings, producing plenty of points (23 per game) and doing so in an efficient fashion, having posted a PER of 19.3 to date, according to Basketball-Reference.
Pushing the ball and scoring points has worked well so far for the Mavs, who dismantled the Los Angeles Lakers to the tune of 123 points last Tuesday, but it's their defense that really needs improvement.
Currently, the Mavs are allowing opponents to rack up a combined effective field-goal percentage of 50.8, per Basketball-Reference, while allowing the league's sixth-most points per game.
Denver Nuggets
8 of 30
Panic Meter: 10
Prior to the 2013-14 season, many projected that the Denver Nuggets would see a sizable drop-off in offensive production and wins due to their lack of offensive creators and a slower pace.
Unfortunately, those projections have been all too accurate.
Denver's been unable to find their footing on either end of the floor and are currently posting a negative net rating per 100 possessions, as they've allowed 107.1 and created just 100.2, per Basketball-Reference.
And now that JaVale McGee is out indefinitely with a leg injury, according to Aaron Lopez of the Nuggets' official website, the Nuggets are even thinner in the rim-protecting department.
It's early, but the Nuggets are primed to be the league's biggest disappointment after winning 57 games a season ago.
Detroit Pistons
9 of 30
Panic Meter: 5
It's been a mixed bag of results for Maurice Cheeks' boys thus far. Their defense has held steady, but shooting inconsistency has plagued the Detroit Pistons so far.
According to NBA.com's stats database, the Pistons are struggling mightily when it comes to mid-range and long-range jumpers, as their floor spacing has been suspect due to the presences of Josh Smith and Greg Monroe.
With few floor-stretchers who double as off-the-ball creators, the Pistons offense currently ranks 21st in three-pointers attempted and 26th in three-point percentage.
One other concerning offensive statistic of note: We know Josh Smith has historically struggled with long- and mid-range jump shots, and that has been evident early.
He's averaging a staggering seven three-point attempts per game and is hitting on just 28.6 percent of them. Let's hope those numbers are more indicative of a small sample size than anything else.
Golden State Warriors
10 of 30
Panic Meter: 0
Alongside the Indiana Pacers, the Golden State Warriors are one of the two teams who can stake their claim as the league's best through three weeks.
Not only have the Warriors maintained the league's most high-powered attack from beyond (No. 1 overall in threes made and No. 2 overall in treys attempted), but they're also now playing defense, both inside and out.
According to Basketball-Reference, the Dubs are currently in possession of the league's second-best defensive rating, which is mighty impressive when you consider that they allowed 105.5 points per 100 possessions (14th overall) a year ago.
The Warriors' defensive boost has been provided by Andre Iguodala on the perimeter and a healthy Andrew Bogut on the interior. Health is always a huge question mark, but if those two can remain upright, they'll have the Warriors looking like legit title contenders come springtime.
We'd also be remiss if we didn't mention the play of Klay Thompson, who's off to a torrid start averaging 20.4 points per game while shooting a mind-numbing 46.8 percent from distance.
Houston Rockets
11 of 30
Panic Meter: 4
The Houston Rockets remain a bit of an enigma entering the third week.
Kevin McHale's offense is cruising, per usual, to the tune of 98.2 possessions per 48 minutes and an offensive rating of 10.7, according to Basketball-Reference.
But goodness gracious, is Houston's defense atrocious. And that may be putting it lightly.
Perimeter defense has completely eluded the Rockets up to this point, with James Harden, Chandler Parsons and the rest of Houston's wings allowing the opposition to sit wide open in the corners and freely waltz into the paint.
They're firmly a Western Conference contender, but until we see a consistent killer instinct from Houston's big guns on both ends of the floor, it won't be appropriate to label them as elite.
It also doesn't help that Dwight Howard and Omer Asik can't seem to mesh on the offensive end, as the Rockets are a staggering 21.2 points better per 100 possessions offensively when Asik sits, per NBA.com's stats database.
Indiana Pacers
12 of 30
Panic Meter: 0
There's no cause for concern in Indiana, where the Pacers have opened the season in style with a franchise-best record of 7-0.
How are they doing it? Well, it's safe to say Frank Vogel's team is getting it done the same way they did last season: with defense first.
The Pacers currently lead the NBA in opponent's points per game (85.3) and points allowed per 100 possessions (92.3), according to Basketball-Reference.
From an individual standpoint, it's hard not to get excited about the work Paul George and Roy Hibbert have put in.
The former is making it known that his name belongs in the MVP conversation early with averages of 25.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, four assists, 1.7 steals and 46.8 percent shooting (42.9 percent from three), while the latter is staking his claim as the league's best defensive center early and often, averaging a staggering 4.3 blocks a night.
Los Angeles Clippers
13 of 30
Panic Meter: 3
The Clippers will be one of, if not the best offense in the NBA this season, but they've yet to prove they can play a complete 48 minutes of defense.
L.A.'s defense is barely averaging a net positive point differential per 100 possessions, as they've allowed opponents to gash them to the tune of 108.9 points per 100 possessions, according to Basketball-Reference. That's saying a lot considering they rank second in the NBA, scoring 112.7 points per 100.
Chris Paul will carry the Clippers to immense regular-season success, but L.A.'s new basketball darling isn't going to win on the strength of its high-powered offense (110 points per game) alone.
Los Angeles Lakers
14 of 30
Panic Meter: 4
It's hard to gauge exactly how much the Los Angeles Lakers should be panicking given that Kobe Bryant is still weeks away from returning to the floor, but there has been plenty of good and quite a bit of bad for L.A. over the season's first two weeks.
The positives: They downed the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets, two of their biggest Western Conference rivals, and Mike D'Antoni's offense is producing an adequate 98.3 points per game.
L.A.'s bench has also been superb thus far and was averaging a league-leading 52.9 points per game as of Sunday, according to HoopsStats. They can thank Xavier Henry, Jordan Farmar, Jordan Hill and Wesley Johnson for that.
And now the negatives: The Lakers, much the way they were last season, are still an incredibly poor defensive squad, which may ultimately be their downfall. And it's not like Bryant's return is going to fix those problems on the perimeter.
The Purple and Gold are currently ceding 105.4 points per 100 possessions, according to Basketball-Reference, which ranked 20th overall as of Sunday night.
Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 30
Panic Meter: 9
Surprisingly enough, the Memphis Grizzlies' early struggles can be attributed to poor defense more than a sputtering offense.
According to Basketball-Reference, Memphis currently ranks 18th overall in defensive efficiency, while they've posted 104.1 points per 100 on the offensive end.
And despite their mild early-season successes on offense, the Grizzlies are still playing at a snail's pace, much the way they did in 2012-13, generating 93 possessions per 48 minutes, per Basketball-Reference.
In order to keep up with high-powered Western Conference bomb squads like the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, the Grizzlies are going to need to undergo some sort of rapid offensive reformation.
Miami Heat
16 of 30
Panic Meter: 4
How much can the Miami Heat really panic? Yes, they're off to a 4-3 start, having lost to the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics, but it would be foolish to cast them aside as a panic-ridden pretender.
LeBron James has been his usual efficient self, averaging 24.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and eight assists all while shooting 57.9 percent from the field and 47.6 percent from three-point land.
Dwyane Wade (20.2 points per game) and Chris Bosh (18.5 points per game) have both held their own offensively, but it's the play of Ray Allen that's really caught my attention.
The 38-year-old has been getting it done off the dribble as well as off the catch and is currently shooting 70.8 percent on two-point field goals and a steady 36.7 percent from beyond the arc.
A dark horse for Sixth Man of the Year, perhaps?
Milwaukee Bucks
17 of 30
Panic Meter: 7
This may come as a shock to some of you, but the Milwaukee Bucks are boring.
Not only does their roster lack intriguing talent outside of Larry Sanders and rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they've been playing at one of the league's slowest paces, producing just 91.8 possessions per 48 minutes, according to Basketball-Reference.
Unfortunately, Sanders is off to a putrid start and is currently averaging more personal fouls (three) than points (2.7).
One of the few positives that can be gained from the Bucks' first two weeks under Larry Drew is that the new ball coach is letting John Henson see some extended run, a much-needed development after he dominated in 13.1 minutes per game last season.
Henson has more than doubled his playing time thus far and is averaging 10.8 points and 5.4 boards in a larger rotational role.
As B/R's Howard Beck explains here, the Bucks are stuck in basketball purgatory with no clear direction, and this team figures to be on the outside of the playoff picture come spring, stuck with a back-end lottery pick that will only fuel their mediocrity.
Minnesota Timberwolves
18 of 30
Panic Meter: 0
For a team that was believed to be a fringe playoff contender entering the 2013-14 campaign, the Minnesota Timberwolves have to be positively delighted with the way the season has played out two weeks in.
Kevin Love is officially back in business after an injury-plagued 2012-13 season and is torching opponents to the tune of 27.2 points, 14.7 rebounds and five assists per game while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from three, as of Sunday.
Sustaining such gaudy averages may seem like a lofty goal, but it would be foolish to doubt Love's abilities. If he maintains his current pace, Love may very well find himself in the thick of the MVP conversation at season's end.
There's also the matter of Minnesota's defense, which has shown significant improvement from last season.
As of Sunday, Rick Adelman's team ranked sixth overall in defensive efficiency, allowing 99.3 points per 100 possessions, per Basketball-Reference.
Another huge plus: Kevin Martin has given the Timberwolves a reliable presence from beyond the arc and is shooting better than 50 percent from three.
New Orleans Pelicans
19 of 30
Panic Meter: 5
We're still learning so much about the New Orleans Pelicans, so it's difficult to draw conclusions based off of what we've seen over the first two weeks of the season.
Except for this: Anthony Davis is an absolute beast.
The Brow is filling up stat sheets like no one's business, and his performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday evening is indicative of what we should expect from the athletic freak of nature throughout the season.
Davis torched L.A. to the tune of 32 points, 12 boards and a career-high six blocks while shooting 66.6 percent from the field and 72.7 percent from the stripe. In doing so, he became the youngest player ever to post a 30-10-5 line.
And while his production may be a given, it remains to be seen how the Pelicans backcourt will mesh, as Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon are still getting used to each others' games.
Ryan Anderson's return from a chip fracture in his toe will lift the Pelicans bench, but for now, Monty Williams' bunch is still very much in a transitional stage.
New York Knicks
20 of 30
Panic Meter: 10
Could things get much more frustrating for the New York Knicks?
Center Tyson Chandler—arguably the team's most important player—is out four to six weeks with a non-displaced fibula fracture, Amar'e Stoudemire looks like a shell of his former self, Andrea Bargnani is providing positively no defense, and Carmelo Anthony has been unable to produce efficiently (41.3 percent shooting from the field).
All of the Knicks' worst fears have been realized early, and it will be up to Mike Woodson to steady the ship with Chandler out.
The silver lining in Chandler's absence is that it will force Woodson to roll with the smaller, more offensively proficient lineups that buoyed the Knicks down the stretch last season. Look for plenty of two point guard sets involving Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni moving forward.
The bad news, though, is that Bargnani will now be tasked with anchoring (if that's even possible) the Knicks' interior defense.
Oklahoma City Thunder
21 of 30
Panic Meter: 1
Panic? What panic? After stumbling out of the gates with a tight three-point win over the Utah Jazz and a 19-point road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Oklahoma City Thunder's offense was revived thanks to the early return of Russell Westbrook.
Since the electric point guard's return, the Thunder have been clicking on all cylinders, and everyone's favorite sniper, Kevin Durant, is off to a strong start in terms of reclaiming the NBA's scoring title.
The biggest surprise of all, though, has been the rapid emergence of rookie center Steven Adams, who could soon make the overpaid and underwhelming Kendrick Perkins obsolete.
Adams has done a fine job of holding down the middle when given opportunities by Scott Brooks, and it was never more evident than on Friday night against the Detroit Pistons when Adams went off for 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in 30 minutes of action (nearly double the time Perkins saw).
Orlando Magic
22 of 30
Panic Meter: 2
The Orlando Magic's panic meter reading should only be higher if you're of the opinion that they should be tanking.
However, if you're one who enjoys watching young teams develop quality pieces, the Magic's relatively hot start has to be a breath of fresh air.
While they did fall to the Boston Celtics, the Magic proved their up-and-coming status with wins over the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
Center Nikola Vucevic turned heads yet again by dominating the Clippers frontcourt with a 30-point, 21-rebound performance against Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in what can only be described as one of the most impressive individual performances we'll see over the season's first month, if not first half.
Victor Oladipo's play has been noteworthy as well, having posted a defensive rating of 95, per Basketball-Reference, while tallying 1.6 steals a night to go with a steady 11.4 points.
Philadelphia 76ers
23 of 30
Panic Meter: 0
The Philadelphia 76ers could not be happier with their start to the season.
A 3-0 start that included wins over the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat was cause for celebration, and then the team rapidly fell back to earth with two straight losses to the Washington Wizards and Golden State Warriors.
However, a bounce-back win over the Cleveland Cavaliers confirmed much of what we learned over the first three games: The Sixers are capable of coming back from double-digit deficits.
Fans have been encouraged by what they've seen out of rookie Michael Carter-Williams and swingman Evan Turner, each of whom are producing numbers that have the Sixers offense rated among the league's top five in scoring average.
They can attribute that to a system that's now predicated around looks at the rim and an abundance of three-pointers.
Carter-Williams, in particular, has been a pleasant surprise, and his per-game averages of 18.7 points and 8.1 assists have made him the early Rookie of the Year front-runner.
Plenty of losses are on the way, but the Sixers have proven that they're well on their way to taking some nice developmental steps in what many thought was going to be a lost season.
Phoenix Suns
24 of 30
Panic Meter: 0
Out of nowhere, the Phoenix Suns have quickly emerged as one of the most fun teams in all of basketball.
Eric Bledsoe is quickly validating the hype with brilliant offensive displays, averaging 20.3 points and 7.5 assists while shooting 50.6 percent from the floor.
I don't think it's too early to say that someone is going to throw a sizable four-year offer sheet his way when free agency opens in the summer.
However, Bledsoe was expected to thrive when given stater's minutes.
You know who wasn't? Miles Plumlee, Markieff Morris and Gerald Green.
Each member of that unsuspecting trio has put forth admirable performances to this point in the season, and while they may eventually fall back to earth, it's nice to see that Jeff Hornacek has his group energized and playing solid ball on both ends of the floor.
Portland Trail Blazers
25 of 30
Panic Meter: 4
The Portland Trail Blazers' season has been a tale of two ends of the floor.
As you may have expected, offense hasn't been a problem for Portland with Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge leading the way.
Aldridge in particular has seen a high volume of shots, and if the season ended today, he would finish with the most field-goal attempts per game in a single season for his career.
The power forward is averaging 20.5 field-goal attempts through six contests, the second most of any player in the Association behind only Carmelo Anthony.
The league's reigning Rookie of the Year, Damian Lillard, looks strong as well, averaging 20.5 points while dishing out 5.7 assists and committing just 1.8 turnovers a night.
Where problems arise for Portland is on the defensive end. Along with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, the Blazers have tainted the Western Conference's defensive reputation, surrendering 107.5 points per 100 possessions, according to Basketball-Reference.
Sacramento Kings
26 of 30
Panic Meter: 8
It's been all downhill for the Sacramento Kings since capturing a season-opening win at home over the Denver Nuggets.
Scrapping and clawing their way to 92.3 points per game, the Kings' offense has disappointed due to a general inability to consistently knock down shots, making just 42 percent of their baskets through six games.
The defense has been even worse, allowing a league-worst 110.3 points per 100 possessions, per Basketball-Reference.
However, there have been some individual bright spots, as DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas have looked particularly good thus far.
Cousins, whose effort still needs to be more consistent on both ends of the floor, is averaging team highs in points (23.5), rebounds (9.7) and steals (2.2) while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor.
And Thomas, in 27.5 minutes per game off the bench, has been simply wonderful, pouring in 18 points a night on 47.3 percent shooting from the floor and 36.8 percent shooting from three.
San Antonio Spurs
27 of 30
Panic Meter: 0
Like always, no one's talking about the early success of the San Antonio Spurs.
And while they may be old and boring, there's no team in the NBA that plays a more disciplined brand of basketball.
That was particularly evident on Sunday, when the Spurs slaughtered the New York Knicks, 120-89, thanks to 53.9 percent shooting from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.
It's particularly ironic because prior to tipoff, Gregg Popovich told the media that his team is currently playing at a "C-plus, B-minus," per the New York Times' Scott Cacciola.
It's not going to be sexy or glamorous, but the Spurs will win plenty of games and do so on their own terms.
Toronto Raptors
28 of 30
Panic Meter: 7
Simply put, these feel like the same old Toronto Raptors, stuck in basketball purgatory with no promise of short- or long-term prosperity on the horizon.
For example, Toronto's three wins this season have come over the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, who have a combined record of 5-14.
Their four losses, however, have come to the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Charlotte Bobcats and Indiana Pacers. That should tell you all you need to know about where this Raptors team stands in the grand scheme of things.
Rudy Gay, the team's leading scorer, continues to struggle with the concept of efficiency, shooting 37.4 percent from the floor while posting an efficiency rating of 16.1 (one point above the league average).
To make matters worse, Toronto is playing at the league's slowest pace, generating just 90 possessions per 48 minutes, according to Basketball-Reference.
Utah Jazz
29 of 30
Panic Meter: 9
At 0-7, the Utah Jazz remain the league's lone winless team.
And while that would ordinarily be reason to mark them down as a 10 on the panic meter, it was expected that the Jazz would face some serious struggles as their rebuild gets underway.
With far and away the league's worst offense, Utah is managing a paltry 87.7 points per game and a league-worst 94 points per 100 possessions, per Basketball-Reference.
Factor in a defensive rating of 107.9, and the Jazz are currently posting a net differential of minus-13.9 points per 100 possessions.
The silver lining in all of this, of course, is the promise of a high lottery selection down the road. However, there are still plenty of games to play, and Utah will undoubtedly face some stiff competition in the loss column from the likes of Philadelphia, Phoenix and Boston as the season wears on.
Washington Wizards
30 of 30
Panic Meter: 7
After their performance over the second half of last season, you were probably expecting the Washington Wizards' defense to carry them in the early going.
Interestingly enough, the opposite has been true to this point, as the Wizards entered Sunday night's contest with the Oklahoma City Thunder allowing a league-worst 107 points per game. Opponents are also shooting a league-best 49.4 percent against the Wizards.
Offensively, things have been much more positive in the nation's capital. John Wall's shooting percentage remains in the low 40s, but near double-double averages have overshadowed his relatively minor shooting inefficiencies thus far.
Two straight wins over Philadelphia and Brooklyn helped breathe life into the Wizards, but they've yet to hold an opponent below 100 points.
