What is Third Quarter Scoring Margin?
Third Quarter Scoring Margin tracks point differential in the third quarter.
Third Quarter Scoring Margin | NBA Team Stats
| Team | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 5.3 | 10.0 | -0.7 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 11.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| 1 |  | 5.3 | 15.0 | 14.3 | 7.2 | 5.7 | 3.5 | 7.0 | 0.7 |
| 3 |  | 4.3 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 1.8 |
| 3 |  | 4.3 | 19.0 | 5.7 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 9.3 | -0.7 | 0.4 |
| 5 |  | 3.0 | 9.0 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 4.7 | 1.0 | -1.3 |
| 6 |  | 2.3 | -5.0 | -0.3 | -0.2 | 1.1 | 6.5 | -2.0 | -2.5 |
| 7 |  | 1.7 | -1.0 | -0.7 | -3.2 | -0.4 | 3.8 | 0.4 | -1.9 |
| 7 |  | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.3 | -0.2 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 1.3 |
| 9 |  | 1.6 | -3.0 | -1.3 | -3.4 | 1.0 | -0.8 | 3.7 | 0.2 |
| 10 |  | 1.5 | -1.0 | 0.0 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 5.4 | -4.0 | -0.3 |
| 11 |  | 1.3 | -19.0 | -1.0 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 4.9 | -3.6 | -1.0 |
| 12 |  | 1.1 | 1.0 | -1.7 | -0.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.5 |
| 13 |  | 0.9 | 9.0 | 3.3 | 0.6 | -2.1 | 5.9 | -4.8 | -2.5 |
| 14 |  | 0.7 | -9.0 | -9.0 | -6.8 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 1.4 | -0.4 |
| 15 |  | 0.4 | 0.0 | -6.3 | -1.6 | 1.9 | 4.7 | -3.8 | 1.5 |
| 16 |  | -0.3 | 6.0 | 2.3 | 0.8 | -0.2 | 2.2 | -2.7 | -0.4 |
| 17 |  | -0.7 | 0.0 | -1.0 | -2.4 | 0.3 | -1.0 | -0.3 | 0.8 |
| 18 |  | -1.0 | -10.0 | -1.0 | -0.2 | -1.1 | -3.6 | 2.6 | -2.1 |
| 19 |  | -1.4 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 4.2 | -1.6 | -6.0 | 1.3 | -2.0 |
| 20 |  | -1.5 | 3.0 | -1.3 | -1.2 | -2.0 | 4.4 | -5.7 | 2.7 |
| 20 |  | -1.5 | -9.0 | -3.0 | 0.6 | -0.8 | -0.3 | -4.7 | 1.5 |
| 22 |  | -1.8 | 9.0 | 4.0 | -1.4 | -1.1 | 0.7 | -5.4 | 2.5 |
| 23 |  | -2.0 | -9.0 | -5.0 | 1.0 | -2.0 | 1.3 | -4.2 | 1.5 |
| 24 |  | -2.1 | -10.0 | -5.3 | -3.0 | -2.1 | 2.2 | -6.4 | 0.8 |
| 25 |  | -2.2 | -9.0 | 3.7 | -2.0 | -3.5 | -2.8 | -1.9 | -0.1 |
| 26 |  | -2.9 | 10.0 | -1.3 | -1.8 | -2.4 | -2.3 | -3.3 | -0.3 |
| 27 |  | -3.7 | -9.0 | -4.3 | -5.6 | -4.7 | 3.2 | -8.6 | 2.1 |
| 28 |  | -4.8 | 9.0 | -2.3 | -1.0 | -3.8 | -4.7 | -5.0 | -2.6 |
| 29 |  | -6.0 | -3.0 | -1.3 | -0.8 | -5.0 | -4.3 | -8.0 | -1.7 |
| 30 |  | -6.4 | -15.0 | -5.3 | -3.6 | -6.4 | -8.5 | -5.0 | -1.3 |
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Which teams have the highest third quarter scoring margin in the NBA in 2026?
Through games played November 12, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers & San Antonio are tied for the NBA lead in third quarter scoring margin at 5.3. Detroit & Minnesota are tied for third at 4.3. A gap of 7.5 points separates the leaders from the 25th-ranked team.
Only 3.8 points separate first from tenth. Memphis is fifth at 3.0 & Indiana sixth at 2.3. Washington & Boston are tied for seventh at 1.7. Portland is ninth at 1.6 & Golden State tenth at 1.5.
Four separate ranks inside the top 25 are shared by more than one team. Dallas is 11th at 1.3, Houston 12th at 1.1, Philadelphia 13th at 0.9, New Orleans 14th at 0.7, Cleveland 15th at 0.4, Atlanta 16th at -0.3 & New York 17th at -0.7.
The last seven teams in the ranking sit inside 0.8 points of each other. Milwaukee is 18th at -1.0 & Brooklyn 19th at -1.4. Oklahoma City & Phoenix are tied 20th at -1.5. Charlotte is 22nd at -1.8, Denver 23rd at -2.0, the LA Clippers 24th at -2.1 & Orlando 25th at -2.2.
How this ranking is measured
30 NBA teams are ranked for the 2026 regular season. The top 25 appear above. Third Quarter Scoring Margin tracks point differential in the third quarter. Figures are as of November 12, 2026 & are recalculated on StatRankings after each game's play-by-play is processed.