The Boston Celtics, reigning NBA champions, are poised to make history this season. With a winning percentage of .594, they trail only the San Antonio Spurs (.596) in the all-time standings among active franchises. If the Spurs finish 41-41 this season, the Celtics need only a 47-35 record to surpass them.
The Los Angeles Lakers, with a .591 winning percentage, also have a mathematical chance of reaching the top spot. However, the Spurs, Celtics, and Lakers are likely to dominate the top three positions for the foreseeable future.
Other notable team milestones include:
* New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors approaching 3,000 all-time victories
* Indiana Pacers aiming for a .500 all-time record
* Denver Nuggets closing in on 2,000 wins
* Memphis Grizzlies two wins away from 1,000
* Detroit Pistons playing their 6,000th game
Individually, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic is on track to challenge Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain for the highest career scoring average. Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant is nearing 30,000 career points, poised to become the most efficient 30,000-point scorer ever.
Chris Paul, now with the Spurs, is entering his 20th NBA season, joining an elite group of players with such longevity. He is within reach of Jason Kidd’s all-time assists and steals records.
Coaching milestones include:
* Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat) passing Red Auerbach for third-longest consecutive tenure with one team
* Doc Rivers (Milwaukee Bucks) approaching Phil Jackson’s all-time wins mark
* Rick Carlisle (Indiana Pacers) set to tie Bill Fitch for 11th all-time wins
Gregg Popovich, the all-time wins leader, has coached against nearly half of the 350 head coaches in NBA history and is set to add three more to his list this season.
Other players poised to move up the all-time lists include:
* James Harden (Los Angeles Clippers): Approaching the top 10 in career points
* Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors): Nearing 25,000 career points
* DeMar DeRozan (Sacramento Kings): Closing in on 25,000 career points
* Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks): Approaching 20,000 career points
* Klay Thompson (Dallas Mavericks): Nearing 2,500 career 3-pointers
In the Western Conference, predicting the No. 1 seed has become increasingly difficult, with seven different teams holding the top spot in the last seven seasons.
Finally, Denver Nuggets’ Russell Westbrook is one triple-double away from 200 in his regular-season career, a remarkable achievement that surpasses the combined triple-doubles of several NBA teams.
