Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

The stressful trip grew even more trying for the Lakers when two more core players weren’t able to play in the last leg of a five-game journey that tested L.A. in many ways.

Steady defensive ace Marcus Smart (viral illness) and the solid Rui Hachimura (left calf soreness) missed the second night of back-to-back games Saturday against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Form, the two of them sidelined along with LeBron James (sciatica) and Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain).

That left it up to Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton to lead the rest of the Lakers to the finish of the eight-day trip and overcome the dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Doncic, Reaves and Ayton combined for 86 points, and the Lakers opened a 31-point, first-half lead that went a long way in pulling off a 119-95 win over the Bucks.

Doncic led the way with 41 points, nine rebounds and six assists, making big shots and getting to the line to turn back the Bucks and help the Lakers finish their trip 3-2. Doncic was nine for 19 from the field, including five for 11 from three-point range. He made 18 of 20 free throws.

Reaves had 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds and also hit big shots to block the Bucks' comeback, while Ayton had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Read more:With LeBron nearing a return, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic lead Lakers past Pelicans

Antetokounmpo finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, but his effort wasn’t enough to lift the Bucks, who also were playing a back-to-back.

The Lakers’ lead got sliced to 13 in the fourth quarter, but Doncic and Reaves wouldn’t let the Lakers lose their grip, both drilling threes and making free throws to ensure they pulled out the win.

The Lakers started the trip with a loss in Atlanta to a Hawks team missing several starters and key role players. Then the Lakers lost to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder by 29, leaving them staggering at 1-2 on the trip.

But the Lakers got their mojo back Friday in New Orleans against the Pelicans, then went out and smoked the Bucks despite being even more shorthanded.

Lakers coach JJ Redick’s only update on Hachimura’s injured calf was “it’s tight.”

Redick was asked if Hachimura was injured against the Pelicans.

“I think he’s been having some tightness all week,” Redick said. “With a back-to-back, probably just smart to hold him out tonight. But I don’t think it will be a lingering thing.”

Redick had said he expected rookie Adou Thiero to make his debut this weekend, and the 6-foot-8 forward did.

Asked what he wanted to see from Thiero, Redick said: "Very simple — just be a banshee."

Thiero, out to start the season while recovering from left knee surgery, had four points and an offensive rebound in five minutes, scoring his first NBA basket on a fast-break dunk off an assist from Bronny James.

The Lakers went hard in the second quarter, outscoring the Bucks 35-16 in building a 63-34 lead at the half. Ayton was a big force in the second quarter, scoring 14 points on six-for-nine shooting and grabbing four rebounds.

The Lakers shot 63.6% from the field in the second quarter, 50% from three-point range (two for four). Their defense was stellar, holding the Bucks to 15.8% shooting.

The Bucks battled back in the third quarter behind better three-point shooting, but the Lakers leaned on Doncic and Reaves to head home with a winning trip.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Why Draymond Green disagrees with Charles Oakley's opinion of his playing style originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green sees and hears everything, even commentary from former NBA players.

19-year NBA veteran Charles Oakley recently said Green’s style of play wouldn’t have worked in the 90s, citing the Warriors’ forward’s penchant for trash talking as something that would’ve been different in his era. (h/t basketball network)

Green first and foremost expressed the respect he has for Oakley, before offering a detailed response as to why he disagrees with the longtime enforcer’s opinion of him during a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show.“

“Uncle Oak is my guy, so there will be no slander here. I got the utmost respect, Uncle Oak did it at the highest level at what he was in this league, and I respect that” Green said. So what I will say is this. I respect everything Uncle Oak said and his opinion is his opinion. I disagree with some of it, as in like Draymond’s style wouldn’t fit in the NBA in the 90s. And I disagree with that because my style of who Draymond Green is, I created my style.”

Green averaged 16.2 points per game in his senior season at Michigan State, serving as a dynamic scorer on one of the nation’s best teams. Upon arriving in the NBA as a second-round draft pick, Green had to reinvent himself to sustain his professional career. The Warriors forward explained how that adaptability would translate to any era, not just modern basketball.

“I’m a basketball player, so I know how to adjust to different situations. When I came into this league, I was not who I am today. I created this guy, who I am today,” Green explained. “When I came in this league, I scored the basketball. That’s kind of who I was and how I got here. I also rebounded the basketball and passed the basketball, it’s kind of who I was and how I got here. Most importantly, I was a winner before I got here and after I got here.

“So, I became who I became while not quite being myself, which is why I love me and I’m so proud of me. Because I feel like if you task someone with becoming someone totally different than who they ever were, they may become serviceable NBA players but they usually don’t become potential Hall of Famers.”

Green also highlighted the difference in play between the 90s and today as being a key factor into why he disagrees with Oakley’s assessment.

“And so that’s why I’m so proud of me, because regardless of how I had to do it, I went and made it happen,” green said. “But by no means don’t make the mistake, I was never this player. I just happened to make this player great. So, I disagree with not being able to play in the 90s. The skill level wasn’t as high as it is today. They did not run up and down the court like we do today, the game was way slower.

“Yeah, guys were bigger, and you can say guys are soft today but I’m sorry to tell you, Nikola Jokić ain’t soft. I’m sorry to tell you, [Victor Wembenyama] is a little skinny, but he ain’t soft. The game ain’t bruising like it used to be, but quite honestly we’re not allowed to do that. We’re not allowed to play the game as physical as they played it. Also, nobody wanted to see that s–t. So, the game kind of changed to increase the ratings of more basketball that people want to see. I respect and love the OGs but it’s different, the game is played totally different today.”

Green is a four-time NBA champion and a Defensive Player of the Year Award winner, with a Hall-of-Fame caliber resume that makes it difficult to envision a scenario where he wouldn’t be able to play in another era and find similar success.

Looks like Green and Oakley will have to respectfully agree to disagree on this one.

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Draymond Green calls out ‘losers' critical of Jonathan Kuminga's Warriors role originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green is tired of the Jonathan Kuminga slander.

After Kuminga agreed to a two-year extension with Golden State that ended a summer-long contract standoff, it the young forward and the team were ready to move on and focus on basketball.

But people can’t get enough of the drama.

Kuminga started the first 12 game sfor the Warriors before coach Steve Kerr wanted to shake things up and had Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski come off the bench during Golden State’s first game of a back-to-back set against the Spurs in San Antonio.

In that game, Kuminga didn’t play the entire second half and some speculated he was upset for being pulled out of the starting lineup. However, it was later revealed that he is dealing with bilateral knee tendinitis.

“Obviously, I think JK has been playing really well. So to go out of the starting lineup, it kind of sucks,” Green shared on his “The Draymond Green Show.” “But I think also people make starting and coming off the bench sometimes more than what it really is.

I know everyone loves a good drama. Everybody’s saying, ‘Oh man, he’s being the scapegoat,’ and this, that and all that. There’s no scapegoat. We’re 13 games in. Ironically, all the people that start running around saying scapegoat are people that never won. So you think there’s a scapegoat needed. But in Game 12, when you know what it takes to win a championship, there’s no scapegoat. In Game 12, also when you’re not front-runners and you’re champions, there’s no scapegoat anyway.

“Decisions are just kind of made, and you move on and you make the best decision that you think is going to put you in position to win. And so I found it very funny hearing a lot of people that never won and some losers say, ‘Oh man, he’s being scapegoated,’ like, only bad teams and losers panic in Game 12 of an 82-game season with 70 games left.”

Green acknowledged that yes, something needed to change after the Warriors had come off an ugly road loss to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

That loss dropped the Warriors to 6-6 on the season at the time, which Green believes was a large enough sample size to evaluate what was working well for the team and adjust what wasn’t. So, as all championship caliber teams do, to Green’s point, Kerr made the change he felt was necessary.

One thing Green will do is take accountability for the basketball side of things, but he won’t stand for the false narratives being tossed around about his teammates.

“I know JK was questionable to see if he was going to play last night, and he ended up not playing because he wasn’t really feeling it,” Green shared. “But of course, people are going to create drama and say Kuminga didn’t come out after halftime because he was mad he didn’t play. Unfortunately, guys, I live this thing. So I know a few more things that y’all don’t know. And I know JK was questionable because his knees were sore before OKC. Voila! Oh my God! It’s not what y’all thought. It’s unbelievable. Look at that.

“How about this? JK has been one of the most bought-in guys on the team all year. How about that? Oh my God, he’s not the f–king a–hole and baby that y’all try to make him out to be, and think he’s always complaining. How about that? JK has made it very clear he wants to be an All-Star. He thinks he has All-Star potential, and he wants to fulfill that. He’s made that very clear, 1,000 percent we all know that. So when you feel like things aren’t quite going your way to allow it, that you’re going to be upset as a competitor, of course. Kid works his ass off.

“Of course, you want to feel some type of way. Who would want someone that doesn’t feel any type of way? Great. I’ll show you a loser right to your face. So I found that very interesting. You all just kind of try to take whatever you want and spin it, and I’m here to tell you that you never have to do that with my words.”

Well, there it is.

If there’s ever any confusion on Kuminga’s supposed unhappiness with the Warriors, just check in with “The Draymond Green Show” to get anything cleared up.

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Steph Curry reveals heartwarming reason for wearing Kobes during pregame warmups originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry flipped the sneaker world on its head after news broke that the two-time NBA MVP would be parting ways with Under Armour after 12 years, with everyone eager to see what shoe he would sport next.

Curry sent social media ablaze on Friday night when he wore the Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita” during pregame warmups before Golden State’s 109-108 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.

Take a look at Steph's shoes during warmups 👀 pic.twitter.com/QPXzdQwun9

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 15, 2025

The shoe originally was released in 2022 to honor basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant, who both tragically passed away in a January 2020 helicopter crash.

Curry revealed that he wanted to take advantage of the moment to pay tribute to both Kobe and Gigi, honoring their legacies, knowing there would be plenty of eyeballs on his footwear.

“I know it’s weird seeing me in anything else other than my own shoes, but just the idea of what he meant — I’ve talked about Kobe a lot. That specific pair, I think it speaks for itself, what it means,” Curry told reporters after Friday’s win. “Other than that, just something I wanted to take advantage of that moment and pay tribute. I think it gave me some good energy tonight.”

Curry certainly channeled his inner “Mamba Mentality” in the epic victory, dropping 49 points on 16-of-26 shooting and 9 of 17 from beyond the arc in 26 minutes of action.

Steph is ON ONE right now 😱pic.twitter.com/lbhUe16oR4

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 15, 2025

Curry also took a moment to pay homage to another NBA great on Friday, throwing up the number 23 after tying Michael Jordan for the most 40-plus point games after the age of 30.

ANOTHER 40-PIECE FOR STEPH 💦pic.twitter.com/LAvCDvXAOR

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 15, 2025

While Curry has proved he can be dynamic regardless of the shoes on his feet, the heartwarming gesture to honor Bryant and his daughter reflects the high-level character that is synonymous with the Warriors superstar.

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Jackson Rowe gives hilarious locker room speech after Steph Curry's big game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr doesn’t always want to do all the talking.

Especially after the coach already had given the Warriors a passionate pregame speech before Friday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, Kerr wanted to give someone else the opportunity to address the team in the locker room after a nail-biting 109-108 win.

So, Kerr turned to Draymond Green to pick a rookie or young player to put on the spot and evaluate another Steph Curry masterclass. Green originally chose rookie guard Will Richard before changing his mind and selecting second-year forward Jackson Rowe.

Rowe, like the rest of us, tried to find the right words to explain what the world had just witnessed from Curry. So he kept it simple.

“God just blessed Steph, man,” Rowe said as the locker room burst into laughter. “I don’t know. There ain’t no answer for him. There ain’t no answer.”

Poor Jackson Rowe got put on the spot 😅pic.twitter.com/3la5XJsSPS

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 15, 2025

Curry, also hysterical sitting at his locker, loved it.

I mean, what more can you say?

Curry finished with 49 points on 16-of-26 shooting from the field and 9 of 17 from 3-point range, with four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 36 minutes.

He compiled a whopping 95 points in two consecutive games against the Spurs, both leading to wins for Golden State.

Curry might be blessed, as Rowe stated, but so is the basketball world that gets to watch him.

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Victor Wembanyama explains why he got in Draymond Green's face after poster dunk originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Victor Wembanyama‘s poster dunk over Draymond Green, and the theatrics that ensued, came from bottled-up emotions.

After the Warriors’ thrilling 109-108 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, the young Spurs phenom explained to reporters why he got in Green’s face after the monstrous slam.

“It’s not trying to prove anything to anybody,” Wembanyama said (h/t Mike Finger). “It’s just, at some point, somebody speaks to you a certain way, you have to respond a certain way.”

IF THIS WOULD'VE COUNTED 🤯 #NBAonPrime

Watch Warriors-Spurs on @PrimeVideopic.twitter.com/El0AT1GhGL

— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) November 15, 2025

After the dunk, which didn’t actually count because officials ruled Green fouled Wembanyama before the slam, the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama hunched over Green as the two began to exchange words.

The Spurs bench — and the entire Frost Bank Center crowd — got out of their seats in awe of what they just witnessed. Then, as Wembanyama and Green continued to go at it, Spurs fourth-year forward Jeremy Sochan got in between the two and shoved Green away from his teammate.

Eventually, players on both sides got involved as they tried to de-escalate the situation.

Wembanyama finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, one steal and three blocks in 38 minutes.

Ultimately, though, Green, in 33 minutes, finished with six points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three blocks, the win and the last laugh in San Antonio.

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Steph Curry explains Under Armour split, next moves in sneaker free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN ANTONIO – Steph Curry, for the second straight game in the Warriors’ second consecutive road win, scored more than 40 points Friday night in a 109-108 victory against the San Antonio Spurs. 

But there was something different about Curry’s pregame look Friday night at Frost Bank Center. Much different.

It was announced Thursday that Curry and Under Armour were parting ways in a move that shocked the basketball and sneaker world. Curry always has all eyes on his famous pregame warmup routine. On Friday, all eyes were on his feet. 

Curry wore black and white Mambacita Kobe 6 Nike shoes before his first game as a sneaker free agent since 2013.

Take a look at Steph's shoes during warmups 👀 pic.twitter.com/QPXzdQwun9

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 15, 2025

“I’m a free agent out here. New beginnings,” Curry said after the win. “I was blessed to have an unbelievable experience, take a chance on something that meant a lot to me over the last 13 years and I’m extremely proud of myself, my team, everybody that was able to touch that business for that long. We all should be proud of what we were able to accomplish in taking a basketball brand and category that wasn’t really a thing to where we did. But I’m excited about the future.” 

Originally a Nike athlete, Curry made the move to Under Armour in 2013, where he became the face of their basketball brand. 

He then launched Curry Brand through Under Armour in 2020. The assumption was that the Warriors superstar would be locked in with Under Armour for life. That isn’t so anymore. 

The Curry Brand will move forward independently. Under Armour still will release the Curry 13 shoes in February 2026. After that, their marriage is over. Starting now, he is a sneaker free agent, explaining that a change right now is best for all.

“Just in the best interest of both parties,” Curry said. “The sneaker industry is difficult, and like I said, things change over time, and to the point of you give your best effort to create something sustainable.

“A little disappointing, though, knowing how it turned out, based on where Curry Brand has been the last five years and the announcement we had two years ago. But I think it’s the right thing for everybody. For me to take the opportunity with Curry Brand and what we’ve done in the community, what we’ve done standing for something. ‘Change The Game For Good’ is our tagline and hopefully having something to show for it down the road, I’m excited for that.” 

Curry always has spoken highly about the late Kobe Bryant, and how he paved a path for women athletes in basketball. His Curry Camp now hosts the same amount of girls prep starts as boys. Wearing the specific pair of Kobes he did in San Antonio was intentional.

Even knowing how odd it looked to see him wear different shoes for the first time in more than a decade.

“I know it’s just weird seeing me in anything else other than my own shoes,” Curry acknowledged. “But just the idea of what he meant. I’ve talked about Kobe a lot. And that specific pair, I think it speaks for itself and what it means. Other than that, it’s just something that I wanted to take advantage of that moment and pay tribute. 

“I think it gave me some good energy tonight.” 

Once the game started, Curry was back to wearing a white colorway of his current Curry Brand Under Armour shoes. There was then a switch. Curry in the second quarter put on a pair of his Curry Series 7 shoes that feature blue, red and yellow colors. 

Keep your eyes peeled to what shoes Curry has on his feet as this continues and he seeks new partnership deals. Curry will keep wearing other brands, possibly trying multiple versions from different companies. 

“The good thing about this situation is, I love my own shoes when I’m out there hooping. That’s why I put those back on, and why I’ve designed the kicks that I have for as long as I have,” Curry said. “But yeah, I’m going to have some fun with this in terms of whatever opportunities are the right fit. 

“I’ll try everything out.”

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Steph Curry's heroics in wins vs. Spurs sends message to Warriors teammates originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As Stephen Curry’s teammates were celebrating him for being the blessing that he is and surely was this week in San Antonio, his performance over those two games stands as an unspoken message for the Warriors.

To his teammates: Even at age 37, I can do enough to lift us to great heights. But I’m going to need more help, as it is essential for us to reach our goal of being a serious contender.

Curry realizes none of the Warriors possess his deep box of offensive skills. There is a reason he is the only unanimous MVP award winner in league history. There is a reason he is widely considered one of the 10 best players to step onto an NBA court. It is safely assumed that he is the most influential player of his era.

But Curry also knows everyone wearing a Warriors jersey can be as committed as he is to do whatever it takes to win. Is that too much to ask?

After playing 34 minutes and scoring 46 points to lead Golden State to a 125-120 win over the Spurs on Wednesday, Curry came back on Friday to play 36 minutes, his highest total this season in a regulation game. His response was to blast the Spurs with 49 points – 31 in the second half, the last two being the clinching free throws in a 109-108 victory.

This is a man who missed three games last week with an illness.

“I think he’s fully healthy now,” Gary Payton II told reporters at Frost Bank Center. “I don’t think he’s sick anymore. It’s just good to see him out there getting his normal runs. his normal jogs, normal bounce, normal rhythm. Once he gets going, we just try to find him, try to get him open, make it easy for us.”
When Curry goes nuclear, it does make the game easier for his teammates. Their priority becomes, as Payton said, getting the ball to Steph and letting him destroy the opposing defense.

But 95 points over two games is 47.5 per, a totally unsustainable number for anybody who ever graced the NBA, aside from Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. As great as Curry is, that absurd level of production is bound to dip. And when it does, he does not want to see his teammates inspecting their fingernails.

And all he wants is for them to lend a more reliable helping hand. Because that’s what it’s going to take.

For a while on Friday, there wasn’t much aid. Curry accounted for 10 of the 18 points the Warriors scored in the first quarter and 18 of the 47 they totaled in the first half. Jimmy Butler III and Will Richard rode shotgun, each putting in 10 points. The other seven Warriors contributed seven points.

So, coach Steve Kerr turned to Curry and extended his minutes beyond what he would have liked.

“We just couldn’t really get our offense going and it felt like we were going to have to ride him a few extra minutes,” Kerr said. “We didn’t plan on playing him the whole third. I tried to take him out with about two minutes left, but there was no stoppage in play, and he played the last eight.”

Kerr had spent part of the morning addressing the team. He talked about the components of success, using the various elements of a music band as an example.

“He was in his bag in terms of the speech he gave in our pregame meeting this morning,” Curry said. “And you could tell like he still has that fastball if he needs it.”

Kerr explained how bands thrive best when every member of the touring party knows their role, accepts it and commits to it, from lead singer to guitarists to drummer to stagehands. If any member of the group isn’t focused and on point, the whole show suffers.

“But it speaks to how it all matters,” Curry said. “There’s value in all of that when a band is going on a tour. I think Phil Jackson instilled that in (Kerr), and he used that as a reference for how we need to play and how we need to approach our identity.

“It’s going to take a long time to get through this year in terms of doing that but it’s great to have a reference.”

For the Warriors to become the team they think they are, Buddy Hield, averaging 5.4 points over his last 12 games, shooting 30 percent from deep this season, will have to rejoin the band. Brandin Podziemski must be quicker at moving the ball and more careful with his decisions. Jonathan Kuminga, once healthy, will need to become the player he was in the first two weeks of the season. Al Horford must knock down triples at 37-to-40 percent.

Once they were humbled by a blowout in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, the Warriors did some soul-searching. They then landed in San Antonio late Tuesday night and spent Wednesday and Friday following Curry. He gave them what they needed.

If his teammates were watching him closely, they saw someone setting an example of a total commitment to victory. Which seems worthy of following.

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Pelicans fire coach, ex-Warriors assistant Willie Green after rough 2-10 start originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Former Golden State Warriors assistant Willie Green has been dismissed by the New Orleans Pelicans just 12 games into his fifth season as head coach.

Green was part of Steve Kerr’s staff during the Warriors dynasty, helping Golden State capture back‑to‑back championships in 2017 and 2018 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

After years of observing the greatness of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, Green transitioned into a head coaching role in New Orleans.

In 2021, he brought stability to the Pelicans, guiding them to their first playoff berth since 2017‑18 by defeating the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers in the play‑in tournament. They went on to fall to the Phoenix Suns in the opening round. His time with the Pelicans was marked by flashes of promise, including a 49‑win season in 2023‑24, but also by challenges with injuries to stars like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

Green finished his tenure in New Orleans with a record of 150‑190 over more than four seasons.

Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars has named assistant James Borrego as interim coach. The Pelicans are set to host the Warriors on Sunday night.

Green played in the NBA from 2003 to 2015, spending most of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers (2003–2010) before stints with the New Orleans Hornets (2010–11), Atlanta Hawks (2011–12), Los Angeles Clippers (2012–14), and Orlando Magic (2014–15). He appeared in 731 games and averaged 8.3 points per contest.

After retiring, he joined the Warriors as an assistant in 2016, later helping the Suns reach the 2021 Finals before becoming head coach of the Pelicans.

Facing the Miami Heat for the second time in the season’s first 12 games, Knicks head coach Mike Brown knew what he was going to get from Erik Spoelstra’s team Friday night at Madison Square Garden. And he knew what his team had to do to weather the storm in their first game without Jalen Brunson.

“We have to do a better job of guarding the basketball,” Brown said ahead of the NBA Cup matchup. “A lot of the quote-unquote top teams in the league, if you look at it, give up the most threes per game because they’re shifting and protecting the paint because it’s easier to score in the paint than outside the paint, so we’re no different. 

“When you play a team like Miami, they really put a premium on you guarding the ball first and then your shifts being in the right position and making sure you’re able to get out to shooters to be the second jumper. We’re getting better in that area, but tonight’s another test for us to see where we’re at because of the uniqueness of how they play in that regard.”

“And more importantly than that: Their transition is unbelievable. They just keep coming at ya, keep coming at ya, keep coming at ya, whether it’s a make or a miss. And so we have to do a fantastic job with our transition defense for 48 minutes because they’re capable of putting up 150 points in the blink of an eye.”

After 48 minutes on Friday, the Heat poured in 132 points, with 48 points coming in the paint, and Miami connecting on 19 of 44 (43.2 percent) of shots from behind the arc in a game with a blistering pace, with seemingly a majority of the Heat possessions resulting in a shot in under eight seconds. But it was Brown’s team that came out victorious, thanks to 39 points from Karl-Anthony Towns and 36 points from Landry Shamet off the bench, and on an off-shooting night, seven steals from Mikal Bridges.

“Fun game for the fans, probably,” Brown said after the 140-132 final. “It was almost like a glorified pick-up game with good spacing… on both ends of the floor, and both teams were just hooping.

“They’re so hard to guard, they just catch the ball, they snap drive, they put their head down, and as soon as they feel contact, they almost explode into you.”

Brown then took his glasses off to examine the stat sheet more closely, “This is the first time we won a game where a team shot 30+ free throws. It was extremely hard to keep them off the line.”

“Wasn’t great tonight defensively. None of us were,” Shamet said after his career-high scoring night. “We didn’t guard like we are accustomed to, but that’s a credit to them, too. They drive the ball at you every single possession; it’s hard to guard. Credit to them. We definitely gotta be better, I gotta be better on that front. 

“Taking pride on that end of the floor, shots aren’t always gonna go in, can’t control that all the time. So we gotta be a team that’s gonna win games defensively… so, that’s gotta be the constant.”

Josh Hart, who added a triple-double (his first of the season) with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, was the team's player of the game on defense, Brown said, in part because he went 4-for-4 on 50/50 balls.

"We won the possession game barely, and we needed every one of those 50-50 balls that he came up with," the head coach said. "So heckuva job by Josh, getting a triple-double tonight."

A new wrinkle on the night saw New York go to a zone defense, something they went to after losing defensive stopper OG Anunoby for the night to a hamstring injury midway through the first quarter. Brown said that was done without total preparation.

"We were having trouble guarding them off the dribble, and so we just wanted to try and junk up the game, give them a different look, see if we could get them out of rhythm a little bit," he said. "You think that it worked, but I don't know, it's a good team, and Spo is a great coach. They missed a few out of it. We gotta do a better job rebounding it.

"But the reality is, we worked on the zone one day, and it wasn't the zone that we used tonight. We kinda just threw that together, and our guys did, not a great job, a helluva job of responding and reacting to the zone that we called on the fly."

A quirk in the schedule means the Knicks won’t have to wait long for their next matchup: they play the Heat in their next game on Monday night in Miami. Brown’s plan will be similar. 

“We gotta keep trying to guard the ball better by showing our hands and hopefully they don’t get these calls the next time we play ‘em,” he said. 

The Knicks went into Friday's NBA Cup game against the Miami Heat short-handed after Jalen Brunson (ankle) was ruled out for the game. New York was down another starter when OG Anunoby left early with a hamstring injury, putting the bulk of the offensive pressure on Karl-Anthony Towns.

But while KAT did his thing -- scoring a game-high 39 points -- it was the bench, especially Landry Shamet, that stepped up to help the Knicks beat Miami, 140-132.

"It’s about the next man up. Who that next man is going to be, I don’t know," head coach Mike Brown said after the win. "There’s no way I could have told you these guys were going to score the ball the way they did, or Josh [Hart]get a triple-double. A lot of things I couldn’t tell you. We have a standard that we all bought into and all embraced and a way we play offensively and defensively, and if we stay within that, good things will happen most times."

New York's bench outscored Miami, 75-39, led by Shamet's 36 points, a new career high for the guard. 

The 28-year-old guard credited Brown's system for the team's success on offense on Friday -- and, really, all season -- saying it brings out a connectivity between the players that makes scoring easier.

"It could be any one of us any night, we were just playing within our system," Shamet said of his performance. "Sometimes shots find you, we all play aggressive and benefits everyone. It helps when KAT has a massive quarter like he does, and that makes a lot more opportunities when so much attention in the second half is on him. Just playing off one another, and it found me."

Shamet's previous career-high was 31 points, which he's done twice, but on Friday, he showed his full arsenal of offensive tools.  He was incredibly efficient, shooting 12-for-19 from the field, including 6 of 12 from deep. He made all six of his free-throw attempts, grabbed two rebounds and had three assists. He cut to the basket and even posterized one of Miami's big men to get the MSG crowd on their feet, and chanting his name.

"These fans know I love them," Shamet said of the crowd and the chanting. "I’ll say that till I’m blue in the face, love it. Love the energy every night. Cup game on a Friday, it’s as good as it gets. It was very fun."

Interestingly enough, Brown admitted that it was his coaching staff that pushed him to keep Shamet on the floor in the second half. When the Heat clamped down on Towns, who scored just eight points in the second half, Shamet and the others took advantage. Shamet scored 30 of his points in the final two quarters to help put the Heat away.

But Brown wasn't surprised by Shamet's performance on Friday. He saw Shamet's tape from last year and was impressed with his shooting, defense and ability to cut to the basket. 

"People can sleep on him if they want, but if you think of him at Wichita State, he was a point guard then and was extremely athletic," Brown said of Shamet. "He will dunk on you in a heartbeat. It’s not just about his shooting, and he’s making great decisions." 

It was a magical night for Shamet, who has provided Brown with much-needed depth off the bench so far this season. And now with the availability of Brunson and Anunoby up in the air, Shamet and the rest of the bench's contributions will matter more than ever. 

But Shamet stays prepared. Knowing he may potentially get more minutes with Brunson out didn't change his approach and, in fact, he didn't even know he was having a 30-point half while it was happening. It's a part of the mentality that Shamet says this Knicks locker room instills and will continue to have as the year goes on.

"That’s what makes this group special, have a lot of guys that care about winning. Whatever it takes," he said. "We had Jalen out, lose OG early there and we got contributions from across the board from everyone. It’s the mentality we have to have and will continue to have. It’s next man up. A lot of teams talk about this, but this group really embodies it and will continue to."

LeBron James is making progress in his return from injury and trending toward a return to the lineup, and that's a good sign for a Lakers team in search of something positive while on a five-game trip that has had mixed results.

James has been working all week back in L.A. trying to get healthy from sciatica on his right side that has sidelined him all season.

Before the Lakers' 118-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Lakers coach JJ Redick said James took part in an individual workout on Friday following consecutive days of five-on-five practice with the South Bay Lakers.

The Lakers finish their trip against Milwaukee on Saturday night. James will then practice with the Lakers on Monday. If all goes well, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer could make his season debut and start his league-record 23rd season Tuesday against Utah at Crypto.com Arena.

Read more:Lakers can't keep up with Oklahoma City and are routed

When he does return, how will James, who turns 41 next month, adjust to the chemistry the Lakers have established with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves at the center of the offense?

“I've certainly thought about it,” Redick said about how James' return will affect the team. “The reality is, next week will be a great week for all of us to assess where we're at and figure out what we want to work on. It's rare that you have one game over the course of a week, so probably will think about it more then. But typically when you're playing every other day, you're using your time until 3 a.m. to review the game that you just played and then using the time the next day until 3 a.m. to get ready for the next game.”

Last season, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists last season, while shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range.

Lakers players don't think James' return will cause any issues.

Jarred Vanderbilt said James “can bring an element that we need, essentially, knowing that he can provide that.”

“I know it’s probably tough,” Vanderbilt said. “But even just the integration, trying to integrate himself as a player, as a team midseason is kind of tough. But we’re excited for his return, whenever he comes back, and I know he can provide exactly what we need for this team.”

Reaves (31 points, seven assists) gave the Lakers what they needed to improve to 2-2 on this trip.

“I think we just played harder (and with) a little more attention to detail,” Reaves said. “We executed our game plan a lot better.”

Read more:How one aspect of Rui Hachimura's game reminds JJ Redick of Michael Jordan

Doncic (24 points, 12 assists, six rebounds) gave the Lakers what they needed in a game that gave them a 2-0 record in NBA Cup games. He had 20 points and nine assists at the half. It was the second time Doncic has recorded at least those two stats in a half this season, making him and Reaves (once) the first Lakers to accomplish that feat since the 1996-97 season.

Deandre Ayton was a force for the Lakers inside with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans (2-10) with 35 points and six rebounds.

His teammates lauded his play, but Ayton was more concerned about the Lakers getting a win in Milwaukee to finish the five-game trip with a winning record and to take the sting out of the loss at Atlanta to open the trip and the blowout loss at Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

“This has been a hell of a road trip,” Ayton said. “The best way to do it is to finish off these two road games strong as hell and get back to L.A. and regroup. But we have unfinished business and, yeah, we’re trying to wash away those two Ls, man, with a good win tomorrow.”

Etc.

Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, who has been out all season recovering from left knee surgery, was activated but did not play against Pelicans. Redick said he hopes to give Thiero some playing time against the Bucks.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Franz Wagner scored 25 points, Tristan da Silva added 22 points and nine rebounds and the Orlando Magic held Brooklyn scoreless over the final two-and-a-half minutes for a 105-98 victory over the Nets on Friday night.

The win was Orlando’s second in NBA Cup Group play and dropped Brooklyn to 0-2.

Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who led 98-94 after a basket by Nic Claxton with 2:37 remaining. But, Wagner hit two three-pointers, da Silva made one and Brooklyn never scored again.

Desmond Bane scored nine of his 19 points in the fourth quarter for Orlando and Jalen Suggs finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Ziaire Williams had 15 points and a steal late in the fourth quarter — off Orlando’s 19th turnover — that put the Nets up 96-92. Noah Clowney had 12 points before fouling out with 1:58 remaining.

Da Silva got his first start of the season in place of Paolo Banchero, who is out with a strained left groin.

The Nets had a 53-37 lead midway through the second quarter, helped by 3-pointers, 59 percent overall shooting and 10 Magic turnovers. Three-pointers by da Silva and Bane, and Goga Bitadze’s block of an attempted dunk by Terrance Mann, turned the game around quickly. Orlando outscored the Nets 25-5 over the next eight minutes and led by as many as seven in the third quarter.

After making six of their first 11 3-point shots, the Nets made only four of 29 and lost for the 11th time in 12 games.

Up next

Nets: At Washington on Sunday.

Magic: At Houston on Sunday.