Tune-In Tidbits: NBA TV Thursday, March 18, 2021

• The Jazz remain the only team ranked in the top five in both offensive (116.6, 2nd) and defensive (108.5, 4th) rating. Their success on both ends largely comes from beyond the arc, hitting 39.7% of their 3-point attempts (3rd) and making 17.0 3-pointers per game (1st). The Jazz also hold teams to 35.3% from 3-point range on 31.0 shots from deep, placing them sixth and first in the league, respectively.

• Donovan Mitchell (10.0 ppg) and Bradley Beal (9.1 ppg) rank sixth and 11th, respectively, in scoring as the ball handler in pick-and-roll plays. While Mitchell scores more points, Beal has the edge in efficiency, scoring 0.97 points per possession with a 49.6% effective field goal percentage, compared to 0.90 and 45.7% by Mitchell.

• The Wizards are 4-6 (.400 win percentage) on the second night of a back-to-back as they will be on Thursday. This season, the Wizards have been better on zero days rest compared to one day rest (9-14, 0.391) or multiple days reset (1-5, 0.200). A key has been the play of Bradley Beal, who is averaging 35.6 points, 5.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds on the second night of a back-to-back this season.

• Washington’s Bradley Beal ranks 10th in the league (and 2nd among guards) with 12.2 points in the paint per game, averaging 4.3 field goals made on 54.2% shooting on drives to the basket. Against Utah, he’ll have to contend with Rudy Gobert defending the rim as Gobert ranks second in the league in blocks (2.9 per game) and eighth in rim protection, holding opponents to 52.2% shooting at the basket.

• Russell Westbrook ranks second in the league in assists at 10.1 per game, with Bradley Beal as his most frequent assist connection (2.3 per game). Last season was the first time since 2013-14 that Westbrook finished outside the top four in assists per game. He joins LeBron James and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with 20,000 points, 7,000 assists and 6,000 rebounds.

LeBron James has recorded triple-doubles in back-to-back games. He needs one more to become the fifth player with 100 career triple-doubles.

• LeBron James has recorded triple-doubles in back-to-back games to give him 99 for his career. If LeBron can do it again tonight, he would become only the fifth player in league history with 100 career triple-doubles. LeBron has strung together three straight triple-doubles three times in his career.

• After dropping six of their previous eight games, the Lakers have won three in a row entering Thursday’s game. During this three-game stretch, Montrezl Harrell has averaged a team-best 23 points per game on 73.2% shooting. The Lakers have four players averaging at least 13 points on at least 52% shooting during this win streak.

• LaMelo Ball remains atop the Kia Rookie Ladder this week. He leads all rookies in assists (6.2 per game) and steals (1.6 per game) and ranks second among all first-year players in scoring (15.7 ppg) and rebounding (5.9 per game). Since steals became an official stat in 1973-74, only three other rookies have matched LaMelo’s averages this season: Ben Simmons (2017-18), Michael Carter-Williams (2013-14) and Magic Johnson (1979-80).

• A key difference between these two teams is their reliance on the 3-point shot, which accounts for 37.2% of Charlotte’s points (7th-highest mark in the league), compared to 28.8% of Los Angeles’ points (4th-lowest mark in the league). The Hornets average 13.9 3-pointers made per game and shoot 38.4% from beyond the arc (6th). The Lakers hold their opponents to 35.3% shooting from three (7th) and limit their opponents to 32.9 attempts (9th).

• The Hornets (15.5 ppg) and Lakers (14.8 ppg) rank fourth and seventh, respectively, in fast break points this season. The Lakers are led by LeBron James (4.6 ppg, 3rd) and the Hornets are led by Terry Rozier (3.9, 7th).