3 stats ahead of key national TV games in Week 2
Seth Curry enters Tuesday as the NBA’s top 3-point shooter at 76.5% (13-17).
Note: All stats and rankings through games played on Monday, Oct. 25.
Tuesday, Oct. 26
Philadelphia 76ers (2-1) at New York Knicks (2-1), 7:30 ET, TNT
• Entering Tuesday’s games, the Sixers rank second in the NBA in 3-point shooting (43.1%) and 10th in opponent 3-point percentage (33.3%). Their differential of 9.8 percentage points is second in the league only behind Utah (12.6). The Sixers have the league’s top 3-point shooter in Seth Curry, who has made 13-17 (76.5%) to open the season.
• The Knicks enter Tuesday’s game ranked eighth in 3-point percentage (36.7%), but first in 3-pointers made (18.0) and attempted (49.0) per game. The Knicks are scoring a league-high 44.6% of their points from 3-point range; a big change from a season ago when they finished 18th at 33.0%.
• The Sixers swept the season series (3-0) with the Knicks last season and held New York to just 95.0 points per game. Through three games, the Knicks are averaging 121 points per game this season, which is a 14 ppg increase over last year’s season average of 107 ppg – the highest differential in the league through the first week of action.
Denver Nuggets (2-1) at Utah Jazz (2-0), 10:00 ET, TNT
• Rudy Gobert, the reigning DPOY, was matched up with Nikola Jokic, the reigning MVP, for 19:37 last season over the course of three games, allowing Jokic to score a total 52 points in 66.7% shooting while dishing 12 assists against six turnovers
• This is a meeting of the top two rebounders of the young 2021-22 NBA season as Rudy Gobert has averaged 20.5 boards through two games and Nikola Jokic has averaged 16.0 through three games. However, as a team, the Jazz rank third (52.0 rpg) while the Nuggets rank 20th (44.7 rpg).
• Utah finished second in the league last season in opponent field goal percentage, holding teams to 44.7% shooting from the field. Through their first two games of the 2021-22 season, that strong defense has continued as they pace the league at 38.4% allowed.
Atlanta swept the season series with New Orleans last season, averaging 124.5 points per game.
Wednesday, Oct. 27
Atlanta Hawks (2-1) at New Orleans Pelicans (1-3), 7:30 ET, ESPN
• Through four games played, Brandon Ingram leads the NBA in mid-range shot attempts (8.8 per game – two more than any other player) and is tied with Kevin Durant for most mid-range shots made (4.0 per game).
• Through three games played, Trae Young is averaging 25 points and 10 assists per game. The Hawks are shooting 52.9% from the field and 38.5% from 3-point range off his passes as he has created 24.3 points per game with his assists. Young’s 49.3 points scored or created by assists is the highest total in the league.
• The Pelicans picked up their first win of the season on Monday behind 27 points from Brandon Ingram and a 22-point, 23-rebound game from Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas finished tied for the most 20-20 games last season with three and has the first of the 2021-22 season.
Memphis Grizzlies (2-1) at Portland Trail Blazers (1-2), 10:00 ET, ESPN
• Entering Tuesday, the Grizzlies lead the NBA in overall scoring (123.3), points in the paint (60.7; 5.4 ppg more than any other team) and second-chance points (21.3; 3.3 ppg more than any other team).
• This is a matchup of the top offensive rebounding team (Memphis with a 37.3% offensive rebound rate) against the top defensive rebounding team (Portland with an 83.0% defensive rebound rate).
• Through three games, the Grizzlies lineup of Steven Adams, Jaren Jackson Jr., De’Anthony Melton, Ja Morant and Desmond Bane has outscored its opponents by 43 points in 47 minutes on the court together. That is the highest point differential of any five-man lineup in the league.
Joel Embiid averaged 31 points and 10 rebounds in two games against the Pistons last season.
Thursday, Oct. 28
Detroit Pistons (0-3) at Philadelphia 76ers (2-1), 7:00 ET, NBA TV
• Entering Tuesday’s games, the Sixers and Pistons are on polar opposites of the effective field goal percentage rankings. Philadelphia leads the league at 56.8% shooting, while the Pistons are ranked 30th at 44.6% with both teams having played three games.
• Early in the season, the Sixers rank last in the league in pace (97.67 possessions per 48 minutes), while the Pistons rank 20th (100.83). By comparison, the Sixers finished last season ranked 12th (100.12).
• Seth Curry is shooting a perfect 6-6 on corner 3-pointers through Philadelphia’s first three games. He shot 31-52 (59.6%) on corner 3s last season, while teammate Danny Green led the NBA with 90 corner 3s made on 43.9% shooting.
