NBA Audit — Week of Nov 5–11, 2026
Week of Nov 5–11, 2026 · published 2026-11-03
The game that tells us the most this week is in Detroit. The Pistons, with a recent record of 6-1, host a Philadelphia 76ers team at 7-1. Both are playing like contenders, but they get there differently. Detroit allows just 104.9 points a night, the stingiest number among the teams on this week's schedule, while scoring 114.3. Philadelphia scores 111.8 and allows 110.1, so its résumé is more about winning close than winning big. Something has to give, and I want to see whether a good-not-spectacular offense can solve the best defense in this group.
Week of Nov 5–11, 2026 snapshot
The scoring range across this week's teams is huge. The Toronto Raptors lead at 121.9 points per game, with the Memphis Grizzlies close behind at 121 and the Houston Rockets at 120. At the other end, the Charlotte Hornets are scoring just 97.1 while allowing 109.4. That is a long way below everyone else, and it makes Charlotte the clearest outlier of the week.
Charlotte also drew the widest scoring gap on the schedule, 15.3 points per game, in its trip to face the Brooklyn Nets. That one comes with a catch. Brooklyn is 1-6 recently and allows 114.8, so it isn't exactly a juggernaut. This is a test of whether a team that struggles to score can get anything going against a defense that has been leaky.
Featured matchups
Start with Houston and Minnesota, because it's the best clash of styles. The Rockets score 120 and allow 108.1, with a recent record of 7-1. The Timberwolves, at 5-3, score 117.8 and allow 112.1. Both offenses should be comfortable here, and Houston has the home floor and the cleaner defensive numbers. Minnesota is no pushover, though.
Atlanta at Washington is a fun one. The Hawks score 118.1 per game against a Wizards team at 110.8, and the numbers point to Atlanta's offense having the better night. Washington is 4-3 recently and defends reasonably well at 109.7 allowed, so it is no soft target. The Wizards' hopes lean on Trae Young, who averages 9.1 assists, and Anthony Davis, who pulls in 9.3 rebounds. Atlanta counters with Jalen Johnson at 8.9 rebounds.
Chicago at New York is a battle of problems. The Bulls are 1-6 recently and allow 123, the worst defensive number in this group. But they score 116.5, and the Knicks manage only 106.3. That is the tension: if New York can't take advantage of a defense that porous, it's hard to see where its offense comes from. The Knicks do have Karl-Anthony Towns, who leads this week's group in rebounding at 11.5. Chicago has C. Wilson and Josh Giddey, whose numbers show up below.
Cleveland at Oklahoma City is a quiet mismatch on offense. The Cavaliers score 118.6, while the Thunder score 108.8. Oklahoma City is 5-2 recently, though, and allows 111.6, so it's winning without scoring. Cleveland, at 4-3, allows 117.4, which keeps this one interesting.
Boston and Milwaukee looks lopsided on paper. The Celtics score 119.3 and allow 108.7. The Bucks are 1-6 recently and allow 122.3. The scoring gap is 8.9 points per game in Boston's favor, and Milwaukee's defense needs a dramatic improvement.
Then Toronto at Denver. The Raptors have the best offense in the group, and Denver at 114.4 is merely average. Toronto is 4-3 recently and allows 112.3, and the Nuggets at 3-3 allow 115, so the visitors look like the team with the edge in the scoring numbers.
Team form (week matchups)
The hot teams are easy to name. Philadelphia and Houston are both 7-1, while Detroit and Memphis are 6-1. Memphis is the one that looks the most complete: 121 points per game, 7 above the league average, while allowing 110.4. Houston is 6 above the league average on offense, and its defense, at 108.1 allowed, is 5.2 better than the league average. Boston is 5-2 with 119.3 scored and 108.7 allowed, a quietly dominant profile.
Toronto's offense is 7.9 above the league average, but its defense is only 1.1 better than average, and its record is 4-3. That is a team that's good, but not yet great.
Now the other side. Chicago, Milwaukee, Utah and Brooklyn are all 1-6 recently, and Indiana is 2-6. The Bulls and Bucks stand out for the wrong reasons, allowing 123 and 122.3 respectively. Those are the worst defensive numbers in the group, 9.7 and 9 worse than average. Utah and Brooklyn have problems on both ends. Charlotte, at 3-5, has an offense 16.9 below the league average, which is a number that can sink a season.
New Orleans at 3-4 and New York at 3-4 are in the middle, and Denver at 3-3 and Atlanta at 4-4 are right there with them.
Player rates in this week's matchups
The scoring leaders in this group are Jayson Tatum of Boston at 25.7 points per game, Tyrese Maxey of Philadelphia at 25.2 and Ty Jerome of Memphis at 23.1. Jerome is the surprise name. C. Wilson of Chicago is at 21.6 and Brandon Miller of Charlotte at 21.5. Miller is carrying a Charlotte offense that has little else going, which makes his trip to Brooklyn one to watch.
On the glass, Towns leads at 11.5, with Memphis's C. Boozer next at 10.3 and Anthony Davis of Washington at 9.3. Jalen Johnson of Atlanta is at 8.9, and Charlotte's Moussa Diabate is at 8.7.
For playmaking, Young leads at 9.1 assists, followed by Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton at 7.6. Tatum shows up again at 7.2, tied with Chicago's Giddey, and LeBron James of Philadelphia is at 7. Tatum is the only player to appear in both the scoring and assist lists, and that is a good measure of how much Boston asks of him.
Notes on the numbers
Each team is graded on points scored and allowed per game for this week's featured set. Every offense is then lined up against the defense it actually faces.
Week of Nov 5–11, 2026 team scoring vs featured-set average
| Team | Form | PPG for | PPG against | For vs avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Raptors | 4-3 | 121.9 | 112.3 | 7.9 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 6-1 | 121 | 110.4 | 7 |
| Houston Rockets | 7-1 | 120 | 108.1 | 6 |
| Boston Celtics | 5-2 | 119.3 | 108.7 | 5.2 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 4-3 | 118.6 | 117.4 | 4.6 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 4-4 | 118.1 | 115.2 | 4 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 5-3 | 117.8 | 112.1 | 3.8 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 3-4 | 117.7 | 116.5 | 3.7 |
| Chicago Bulls | 1-6 | 116.5 | 123 | 2.5 |
| Denver Nuggets | 3-3 | 114.4 | 115 | 0.3 |
| Indiana Pacers | 2-6 | 114.4 | 116.5 | 0.4 |
| Detroit Pistons | 6-1 | 114.3 | 104.9 | 0.2 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 1-6 | 112.4 | 114.8 | -1.7 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 7-1 | 111.8 | 110.1 | -2.3 |
| Washington Wizards | 4-3 | 110.8 | 109.7 | -3.2 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 1-6 | 110.4 | 122.3 | -3.6 |
| Utah Jazz | 1-6 | 109.3 | 115.5 | -4.8 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 5-2 | 108.8 | 111.6 | -5.3 |
| New York Knicks | 3-4 | 106.3 | 113.1 | -7.8 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 3-5 | 97.1 | 109.4 | -16.9 |
Week of Nov 5–11, 2026 matchup comps — offense vs the defense it faces
Home PPG is what the home offense usually scores; Away PPG allowed is what the visitor’s defense usually gives up — Home off vs away def is simply that offense minus that defense (positive means the home attack outpaces this opponent). The mirror columns do the same for the away offense against the home defense.
| Matchup | Home PPG | Away PPG allowed | Home off vs away def | Away PPG | Home PPG allowed | Away off vs home def |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers @ Detroit Pistons | 114.3 | 110.1 | 4.2 | 111.8 | 104.9 | 6.8 |
| Atlanta Hawks @ Washington Wizards | 110.8 | 115.2 | -4.4 | 118.1 | 109.7 | 8.3 |
| Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics | 119.3 | 122.3 | -3.1 | 110.4 | 108.7 | 1.7 |
| Charlotte Hornets @ Brooklyn Nets | 112.4 | 109.4 | 2.9 | 97.1 | 114.8 | -17.7 |
| Chicago Bulls @ New York Knicks | 106.3 | 123 | -16.7 | 116.5 | 113.1 | 3.4 |
| Indiana Pacers @ Memphis Grizzlies | 121 | 116.5 | 4.5 | 114.4 | 110.4 | 4.1 |
| Utah Jazz @ New Orleans Pelicans | 117.7 | 115.5 | 2.2 | 109.3 | 116.5 | -7.3 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers @ Oklahoma City Thunder | 108.8 | 117.4 | -8.7 | 118.6 | 111.6 | 7 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves @ Houston Rockets | 120 | 112.1 | 7.9 | 117.8 | 108.1 | 9.7 |
| Toronto Raptors @ Denver Nuggets | 114.4 | 112.3 | 2.1 | 121.9 | 115 | 6.9 |
Week of Nov 5–11, 2026 points per game leaders (current season)
| Player | Team | Value | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics | 25.7 | — |
| Tyrese Maxey | Philadelphia 76ers | 25.2 | — |
| Ty Jerome | Memphis Grizzlies | 23.1 | — |
| C. Wilson | Chicago Bulls | 21.6 | — |
| Brandon Miller | Charlotte Hornets | 21.5 | — |
Week of Nov 5–11, 2026 rebounds per game leaders (current season)
| Player | Team | Value | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karl-Anthony Towns | New York Knicks | 11.5 | — |
| C. Boozer | Memphis Grizzlies | 10.3 | — |
| Anthony Davis | Washington Wizards | 9.3 | — |
| Jalen Johnson | Atlanta Hawks | 8.9 | — |
| Moussa Diabate | Charlotte Hornets | 8.7 | — |
Week of Nov 5–11, 2026 assists per game leaders (current season)
| Player | Team | Value | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trae Young | Washington Wizards | 9.1 | — |
| Tyrese Haliburton | Indiana Pacers | 7.6 | — |
| Jayson Tatum | Boston Celtics | 7.2 | — |
| Josh Giddey | Chicago Bulls | 7.2 | — |
| LeBron James | Philadelphia 76ers | 7 | — |
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is sports analytics commentary—not gambling advice, not investment advice, and not a prediction of guaranteed outcomes. We do not promote sportsbooks or wagering. Always verify statistics against official league sources.
Content is intended for a general sports audience interested in stats and trends. We do not target minors with wagering messages.
Data attribution: Stats for informational analysis only. Verify figures against official league sources.