Welcome to our weekly NBA breakdown — a quick look at the top storylines from the last seven days around the league.

The headlines this week: Sacramento’s slide is turning into a nightmare, Atlanta are thriving without Trae Young, and Nikola Jokic continues to redefine greatness.

Team of the Week: Atlanta Hawks

One of the most intriguing developments of the season is unfolding in Atlanta. The Hawks were expected to take a leap after revamping the roster, adding Kristaps Porziņģis, and finally getting key players healthy again. But the early weeks were underwhelming — defensive struggles, unclear roles, an inconsistent identity. Then Trae Young went down injured… and everything changed.

Since losing their franchise star, the Hawks have gone 7–2, including a five-game winning streak powered by the emergence of Jalen Johnson, who delivered a jaw-dropping stat line against Utah:
31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists, 7 steals.

Atlanta now lead the NBA in assists per game — without the league’s top assist man of the last five seasons. They’ve climbed to fourth in the East, with a manageable schedule ahead.

The key question: What happens when Trae returns? The Hawks will need to balance his ball-dominance with the free-flowing play that is driving their success. And with long-rumored trade talks lurking, this hot streak could spark some big decisions.

For now, the message is clear: Atlanta are dangerous again.

Underperformers of the Week: Sacramento Kings

Sacramento’s fairytale resurgence feels like a distant memory. After their electrifying 2023 playoff return, the Kings look uninspired and directionless.

The numbers are brutal:

27th in defensive rating

25th in offensive rating

Six straight losses

Second-to-last in the West

This is a roster stacked with scoring options — players who can drop 20 on any given night — yet nothing is clicking. Rumors of a roster shakeup are finally gaining momentum. Names like Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan could attract major interest, but the deeper question remains:

What is the long-term vision for a franchise with just one playoff berth in two decades?

Player of the Week: Nikola Jokic

We are running out of adjectives. The three-time MVP is making yet another MVP campaign feel inevitable. This week, Jokic averaged:
39 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists

His masterpiece came against the Clippers:
55 points on 18-for-23 shooting, dismantling every defensive scheme thrown his way.

He currently leads the league in both rebounds and assists, and with Denver’s bench ranking third-best in the NBA, his supporting cast looks locked in as well.

A fourth MVP isn’t just realistic — it feels probable. Jokic is cementing his place among basketball’s legends.

Play of the Week: Tre Mann Takes Flight

Nothing gets the league buzzing like a smaller guard posterizing a shot-blocking big, and Tre Mann delivered. The 1.91m guard soared over Myles Turner (2.11m) for a spectacular slam.

Charlotte won’t rack up many victories this season, but moments like this keep them electric.

Story of the Week: Nico Harrison Dismissed in Dallas

After nine chaotic months, the Mavericks have parted ways with General Manager Nico Harrison, ending one of the most controversial front-office experiments in recent NBA history.

Harrison made the infamous decision to trade Luka Dončić to the Lakers for Anthony Davis and a first-round pick — a move he defended relentlessly, insisting the league underestimated the value of defense. Davis remains sidelined, and the franchise has unraveled around the deal.

Owner Patrick Dumont offered a lukewarm apology that did little to convince fans he has a long-term plan. The Mavs are now expected to rebuild around Cooper Flagg, but 2025 may go down as one of the darkest years the organization has ever seen.

The NBA never lacks drama, and if this week proved anything, it’s that fortunes can rise and fall fast. Atlanta are flying, Sacramento are sinking, and Nikola Jokic remains the league’s immovable force.