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Facing the NBA's top team and one of the league's elite players, the Clippers needed to be at their best Sunday if they were to extend their winning streak to six games.

But they failed to deliver in the final seconds against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, losing 103-101 in a tense battle at the Intuit Dome.

“A lot of turnovers. Even at the end of the fourth, we had two or three turnovers at the end,” Kawhi Leonard said. “Yeah, we fought hard. We was in the game the whole game. Just calls could have gone either way. But salute to them. They've been the best team in the league.”

The Clippers missed an opportunity to tie the game when Derrick Jones Jr. made only one of two free throws with 1:22 left, leaving the Clippers down 101-100 before things really started to unravel.

Read more:James Harden scores 30 as red-hot Clippers pick up their fifth straight win

Two costly turnovers, including one by Ivica Zubac after he fumbled the ball out of bounds with 1:01 left, ended one chance to take the lead. Then, with 21 seconds left, Norman Powell missed a shot, and after Zubac got the offensive rebound, Kawhi Leonard missed a shot with four seconds remaining.

The loss dropped the Clippers (40-31) to eighth in an increasingly tight Western Conference postseason race. They are one game out of sixth place for the final automatic playoff berth with 11 games left.

"I already played in the play-in and I ain’t trying to do that again," said Powell, who finished with nine points. "So, you’re watching closely on positioning, wanting teams to lose, want to keep the way we’re playing going. Bounce back on this road trip. But, yeah, definitely, everybody is trying to avoid that play-in right now.”

Gilgeous-Alexander, held to seven-for-29 shooting from the floor, finished with 26 points. He made all 11 of his free-throw attempts, including two in the final seconds.

Leonard had 25 points and 10 rebounds. James Harden, who finished with 17 points, moved past Moses Malone for 11th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Zubac had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

After the game, Harden limped around the locker room. He had been kneed in the left thigh by Thunder guard Luguentz Dort in the third quarter. Harden said he rolled his foot during the play.

The Thunder, who swept the season series against the Clippers, have the NBA's best record at 59-12 and the league’s leading scorer and most valuable player candidate in Gilgeous-Alexander (32.9 points per game).

It wasn't all bad news for the Clippers — coach Tyronn Lue was back on the sideline. He missed five of the previous seven games because of back pain, with the Clippers going 6-1 over that stretch with assistant coach Brian Shaw at the helm.

Lue thanked his coaching staff for keeping the team in good shape.

“I feel a lot better,” Lue said. “I’m just going to take it day by day, game by game. ... The pain from my shoulder and back kind of went down my leg a little bit. ... I feel really good as far as my back and shoulder. Now, it’s just trying to get the leg part better, but I do feel better from that regard. That’s what was giving me the most problems."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

3 observations after Sixers' losing streak hits 4 games with defeat to Hawks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

To no one’s surprise, the shorthanded Sixers’ losing streak reached four games Sunday night in Atlanta.

The Hawks picked up a 132-119 victory at State Farm Arena. Atlanta moved to 35-36 overall and the Sixers dipped to 23-48. 

Quentin Grimes recorded 26 points and six assists. Justin Edwards added 22 points.

Hawks star Trae Young posted 28 points and 12 assists. Rookie Zaccharie Risacher had 22 points.

The Sixers had 10 players out with injuries. Below is the full list:

• Tyrese Maxey (lower back sprain and right finger sprain) 
• Joel Embiid (season-ending left knee injury) 
• Paul George (season-ending left adductor and left knee injuries) 
• Jared McCain (season-ending left lateral meniscus surgery) 
• Eric Gordon (season-ending right wrist surgery)  
• Kelly Oubre Jr. (right knee sprain) 
• Lonnie Walker IV (concussion) 
• Adem Bona (left ankle sprain) 
• Kyle Lowry (right hip injury) 
• Andre Drummond (left toe sprain)

Oshae Brissett was also ruled out in the second half because of right knee swelling.

The Sixers will complete their six-game road trip Monday night against the Pelicans. Here are observations on their defeat to the Hawks: 

Inauspicious start 

Nothing about the first two minutes suggested the Sixers were going to snap their skid. 

The team committed turnovers on its first two possessions and Atlanta scored the night’s first five points. And, with just 89 seconds elapsed, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse got a technical foul for his sideline complaints about the officiating. 

Individually, Edwards again started very well. He scored eight points in about six minutes and continued to show growing comfort at attacking closeouts when open jumpers aren’t available. Edwards has drawn 11 free throws over the last two games. Before Friday, he’d averaged just 1.2 free throws per game in his rookie year. 

The Sixers’ defense again leaked all sorts of points. Georges Niang quickly drilled two long-range shots after checking in. Three Niang free throws with 3.9 seconds left in the first quarter gave the Hawks a 35-24 lead. 

Hawks’ bench has major edge 

Another reason the Sixers fell behind is Grimes wasn’t on his A-game early. He missed his first two jumpers short and only scored two points in the first quarter. Still, Grimes managed to post at least 25 for an eight consecutive game.

Once both benches entered the picture, Atlanta had a sizable advantage. The Hawks outscored the Sixers’ second unit by a 36-11 margin in the first half. On top of Niang’s 20 points, Dominick Barlow recorded a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Clearly, the Sixers don’t have tons of manpower or firepower off the bench.

Their four available second-unit players Sunday were Jared Butler, Ricky Council IV, Alex Reese and Brissett. Council followed up his career-high performance against the Spurs with 14 points in 19 minutes, but he fouled out early in the fourth quarter.

Lottery picture update

Risacher had a big third quarter and the Hawks’ lead continued to expand. His corner three stretched Atlanta’s advantage to 81-60.

From there, the only real question was exactly how much the Sixers would lose by. Though the Sixers kept plugging away, cutting a deficit as high as 27 points down to 11 with a little under four minutes left, the fourth quarter was still low-stress for Atlanta.

Of course, the subtext of every Sixers defeat is that it boosts their NBA draft lottery outlook. (The team’s first-round pick this year is top-six protected.) After Sunday’s games, the Sixers are tied with the Nets for the league’s fifth-worst record. New Orleans is fourth-worst at 19-53.

The Raptors sit slightly behind the Sixers and Nets in terms of the draft lottery picture at 24-47. Like the Sixers, they’re on a four-game losing streak. Toronto dropped a 123-89 game Sunday to the Spurs.

Kings share encouraging Sabonis injury update before game vs. Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Good news Kings fans.

Domantas Sabonis has made significant progress in the return to play process after missing Sacramento’s last three games with a moderate right ankle sprain, the Kings announced in a statement on Sunday. Sabonis will be questionable for Sacramento’s matchup with the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics on Monday night at Golden 1 Center.

The star center injured his ankle during the second quarter of the Kings’ 132-122 win over the Memphis Grizzlies last Monday.

Sacramento managed to grit out two tough wins over playoff-caliber opponents without Sabonis, earning impressive victories against the Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers before falling to the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks in back-to-back games.

While center Jonas Valančiūnas has filled in admirably during Sabonis’ absence, the All-NBA big man’s return to the court will be a massive boost to the Kings’ pursuit of a postseason spot in an air-tight Western Conference playoff picture.

Sabonis is averaging 19.2 points, 13.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists during the 2024-25 NBA season, and will seek to make an immediate impact upon his return to action.

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Kings share encouraging Sabonis injury update before game vs. Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Good news, Kings fans.

Domantas Sabonis has made significant progress in the return-to-play process after missing Sacramento’s last three games with a moderate right ankle sprain, the Kings announced in a statement on Sunday. Sabonis will be questionable for Sacramento’s matchup with the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics on Monday night at Golden 1 Center.

The star center injured his ankle during the second quarter of the Kings’ 132-122 win over the Memphis Grizzlies last Monday.

Sacramento managed to grit out two tough wins over playoff-caliber opponents without Sabonis, earning impressive victories against the Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers before falling to the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks in back-to-back games.

While center Jonas Valančiūnas has filled in admirably during Sabonis’ absence, the All-NBA big man’s return to the court will be a massive boost to the Kings’ pursuit of a postseason spot in an airtight Western Conference playoff picture.

Sabonis is averaging 19.2 points, 13.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists during the 2024-25 NBA season, and will seek to make an immediate impact upon his return to action.

Download and follow The Deuce & Mo Podcast

Report: Steph to join Warriors in Miami, status vs. Heat uncertain originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors won’t be without Steph Curry for long.

Curry will join the Warriors in Miami, with his status for Tuesday’s matchup against the Heat dependent on treatment response for his pelvic bruise over the next two days, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday, citing sources.

Stephen Curry is traveling to join the Warriors in Miami, and his status for Tuesday's game against the Heat depends on treatment response for his pelvic bruise over next two days, sources tell ESPN. Golden State is on game two of a six-game trip. https://t.co/SA3Tsrz51A

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 23, 2025

Curry exited the Warriors’ 117-114 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday after suffering a pelvic contusion in the third quarter. An MRI on Friday revealed that Curry sustained no structural damage, with the Warriors announcing the superstar point guard would be re-evaluated Monday.

It appears there’s optimism Curry could be available Tuesday after Golden State struggled without the two-time NBA MVP in a 124-115 loss to the Atlanta Hawks Saturday.

Golden State is in the midst of a crucial six-game road trip as the Warriors cling to the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed in a jam-packed postseason race.

The Warriors have been able to tread water without Curry during the 2024-25 NBA season, posting a 7-4 record when the superstar guard isn’t active.

However, it’s clear how critical Curry is to the Warriors’ pursuit of avoiding the NBA Play-In Tournament, and with little room for error it seems Golden State will do everything possible to get its franchise cornerstone back on the court as soon as possible.

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The Washington Wizards' defense was the perfect remedy for a struggling Knicks offense. After scoring 105 or fewer points in three of the last four games, New York (44-26) was able to find an offensive rhythm in a 122-103 win against the lowly Wizards on Saturday.

Despite the victory, New York’s offense has hit a rough patch this season. In the last 15 games, the Knicks are ranked 25th in offensive efficiency, scoring 109.7 points per 100 possessions. Once the top-ranked offense earlier in the season, the Knicks have dropped to fifth in the category. A part of the recent slide can be attributed to the absence of Jalen Brunson, who has missed the last eight games due to an ankle injury. But some of New York’s nadir in the category happened with the All-Star point guard in the lineup.

The three-point line has recently proven to be a significant concern for New York. The Knicks are struggling to get up threes, ranking 21st in attempts per 100 possessions. When the Knicks are able to hoist shots from deep regularly, they are not converting. New York is 24th in three-point percentage (34.6 percent) during this time span. The corner three has been a weapon for Knicks teams under the Tom Thibodeau era. The club is shooting a league-worst 30.2 percent on corner threes during this span of games.

Where the Knicks miss Brunson the most is his ability to drive in the paint and kick out to open shooters. New York’s other core players, such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, often drive into the teeth of the defense with blinders on. They are primarily looking to score rather than set up teammates. Per NBA Stats, the Knicks have the third-lowest rate in assists on drives in the last 15 games.

One of New York’s weaknesses this season and last has been a lack of secondary creation from a perimeter player. Even when Brunson returns, some teams have discovered ways to slow down the Knicks' offense effectively. Strategies such as having a center guard Josh Hart, while putting a wing on Towns, have been effective. Also, teams trapping Brunson in the pick-and-roll has worked at times too.

Ways to solve the scoring woes

The easiest solution for the Knicks is to shoot better. Several players have been in slumps. Cam Payne is shooting just 30.3 percent over the last 20 games after a hot start earlier in the season. Hart has cooled down considerably and is often reluctant to shoot now.

One strategy that has worked for the Knicks is turning defense into offense. During this offensive stupor, the Knicks’ defense has ranked 10th, much better than earlier this season. New York has found scoring opportunities in transition off of misses and forcing opponents into turnovers.

Also, the team is going to need internal improvements in playmaking. Bridges has stepped into a bigger role amid Brunson’s absence. He’s averaging 5.0 assists in eight games without Brunson in the lineup. Though Bridges has shown an effective pull-up shooting game out of the pick-and-roll, he’s lagged as a passer and playmaker for most of the season.

Bridges’ recent increase in reps as a creator on offense could be an important development for the Knicks offense once Brunson returns.

New York’s offense has largely been a success this season, but this recent slide has highlighted some weaknesses, like the team’s overreliance on Brunson. But it does give the team an opportunity to put players in different positions and figure out different solutions.

Warriors' Butler shrugs off Heat return as just ‘another game' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

For Jimmy Butler, the Warriors’ upcoming matchup with the Miami Heat on Tuesday is just another game. On just another day that ends in -y.

And while that might be the sentiment that Golden State’s veteran forward coveys publicly, the first game against his former team since the blockbuster Feb. 5 trade is one Butler likely has had circled for quite some time.

However, you wouldn’t know that based on his comments about the upcoming matchup after the Warriors’ 124-115 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

“Yeah, I was traded from there, yada, yada, yada,” Butler said after Saturday’s loss about his return to Miami. “Yeah, it didn’t end the way that people wanted to, yada yada yada.

“But that’s so far behind me now. I don’t even think about it. I don’t pay attention to nothing except for the trajectory of this squad.”

Butler led the Heat on two NBA Finals runs in four years, and as he prepares to return to the arena where he played five-plus seasons and created countless memories, he is not worried about the reception he will receive from Heat fans on Tuesday night.

“Not really, don’t make no difference,” Butler said. “I’m a member of the Golden State Warriors. I love that fan base. They showed me a lot of love while I was there. But I’m there to win now. I’m on the opposing team.”

While Butler had plenty of success during his time in Miami, he and the Heat ultimately fell short of their ultimate goal.

“We were alright,” Butler shared. “We didn’t win nothing like we were supposed to. So I don’t know. We made some cool runs. We had some fun. I think that’s all we did.”

Despite Butler’s subdued reaction to the Warriors’ upcoming game, the weight of the reunion is not lost on his new teammates.

“We got Jimmy over here, I know this is a big game for him,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “They got [Andrew Wiggins] over there. I know it’s a huge game for him. We want to win for Jimmy, they’re going to want to win for Wiggs. We got to come out ready to play.”

After a frustrating loss to the Hawks without injured superstar Steph Curry, the Warriors (41-30) will look to bounce back against the Heat (29-41) on Tuesday in a game that probably means more to Butler than he is willing to admit.

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The returns of LeBron James and Rui Hachimura could not save the Los Angeles Lakers from a sixth defeat in nine NBA games as they were well beaten by the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

James made his Lakers comeback after seven games out with a groin injury while Hachimura had missed 12 matches with a knee problem.

But they could not prevent the Lakers losing 146-115 - with Chicago running up their highest score of the season to improve their record to 31-40.

Coby White had 36 points for the Bulls and rookie Matas Buzelis added 31, while 22-year-old Australian Josh Giddey claimed his 15th triple-double - 15 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds.

Luka Doncic led Los Angeles (43-27) with 34 points - 29 in the first half - while James scored 17, and they cut the score to 65-64 at the start of the third quarter, but the Bulls had racked up a 104-89 lead going into the fourth.

• Antetokounmpo stars as Bucks beat injury-hit Lakers

Antetokounmpo inspires Bucks fightback

Elsewhere in Saturday's match-ups, Giannis Antetokounmpo notched 32 points and 17 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks rallied from a 14-point deficit to win 114-108 at the Sacramento Kings.

The Golden State Warriors remained without leading scorer Stephen Curry, because of a pelvis injury, as they lost 124-115 at the Atlanta Hawks, with Trae Young scoring 25 points in his his 41st double-double of the season.

Tyrese Haliburton returned from a three-game absence to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 108-103, with team-mate Pascal Siakam scoring a game-high 26 points.

Karl-Anthony Towns claimed 31 points and 11 rebounds to help the New York Knicks win 122-103 at home to the Washington Wizards.

• NBA champions Boston Celtics in record $6.1bn sale

There was less than a second left in the first quarter when LeBron James went to the sideline to inbound the ball. Sensing a moment to get the hottest player in the building, Luka Doncic, one more shot, the Lakers rushed their new star into the game.

Doncic hustled to the scorer’s table, unwrapping the heat pack from his lower back, unsnapping his warmup pants and zipping off his jacket.

James then fired the ball down the floor. But instead of it finding Doncic or any Lakers player, it badly curved toward the courtside seats, a screwball turnover in a game littered with mistakes.

Doncic, the player the Lakers acquired to fix their narrow operating margins, scored with ease Saturday night, making three-pointers from all over the court. He finished with 34 points, a carryover from a multi-week stretch of dominant offense.

Read more:Bronny James credits focus on his game for career-best 17 points during loss to Bucks

But everyone else? Back at full strength with James and Rui Hachimura playing for the first time in two weeks, the team looked like a group of strangers, badly beaten 146-115 by a Chicago team nine games under .500.

It was the most points the Lakers allowed this season.

And Doncic was far from perfect, all of his shot-making undone by seven turnovers and a disengaged defensive performance that helped the Bulls run away.

In the first half, the Lakers (43-27) were slow-footed, maybe a tax they needed to pay playing in their seventh game in 10 days. Their effort against Coby White in the first quarter was lacking, the Bulls guard quickly catching fire and matching Doncic bucket for bucket.

The Bulls (31-40) made 78.6% of their two-point shots in the first half, the Lakers' defense providing no resistance. They didn’t stop Chicago at the rim. They didn't stay in front of them on the perimeter. And once they got caught in rotations after switching, the Lakers moved like they had cement in their sneakers.

The Lakers' overall effort ticked up in the second half. The bad news? Somehow the defense was even worse, the Bulls scoring 81 points as they began to make shots from all over the court.

White finished with 36 and rookie Matas Buzelis had 31 points for Chicago. Josh Giddey nearly recorded a quadruple-double for the Bulls, finishing with 15 points, 17 assists, 10 rebounds and eight steals. The Bulls had seven players with at least 12 points and an eighth who scored nine.

James, in his first game after missing two weeks with a groin strain, looked badly out of rhythm on both sides of the court. He scored 17 but turned it over five times. Austin Reaves had 25 but couldn’t help the Lakers get stops. And Hachimura, limited to 18 minutes, looked out of sorts off the bench and only scored five points.

The Lakers play the Orlando Magic on the road Monday.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.