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Karl-Anthony Towns early, Landry Shamet late lift Knicks past Heat, 140-132, in NBA Cup

Karl-Anthony Towns poured in 39 points and the Knicks’ bench added 75 to beat the Miami Heat 140-132, in NBA Cup action on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

The pace, as expected, was blistering, and the shooting was pure as Towns set the tone early with 31 in the first half as he connected on 13 of 26 attempts from the floor (6-for-14 from deep) and added 11 rebounds, four assists, and a block, and was a plus-13 in 38 minutes on the night.

Playing without Jalen Brunson after he sustained a Grade 1 ankle sprain in Wednesday’s loss, New York lost OG Anunoby midway through the first quarter with a left hamstring injury. The bench erased that disadvantage, with their best game of the season, including going 24-for-41 from the floor and 11-for-20 from beyond the arc.

Landry Shamet scored 15 points in the third and 15 more in the fourth to give him 36 in the game. Jordan Clarkson had 13 of his 24 in the first half, and Josh Hart had a vintage game with his first triple-double of the year: 12 points (5-for-8 shooting) with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

The Heat went cold in the fourth and couldn’t keep the Knicks off the offensive glass (nine in the period), allowing them to keep possessions alive and turn a six-point lead into a 14-point edge with 4:20 to play. Miami cut the game to eight with a minute left, but New York kept them at an arm's length as both teams played out the final Cup minutes harder than normal.  

Norman Powell had 38 points on 12-for-22 shooting (8-for-15 from deep) as all five Heat starters had double-digits and Jaime Jaquez added 23 off the bench. But the Knicks had just enough against one of the league's highest-scoring offenses, making 21 threes on 53 attempts (39.6 percent) and coralling 51 rebounds (20 offensive).

“Fun game for the fans, probably,” head coach Mike Brown said after the win. “It was almost like a glorified pick-up game with good spacing. 

“... Both teams were just hooping.”

Here are the takeaways...

- With Brunson out due to his right ankle sprain, it was expected that Towns was going to have to carry the load. After the Knicks missed their first eight shots, with a turnover, Towns knocked down back-to-back threes to finally get the offense going. A Towns old-fashioned three-point lead put the home side ahead by one, erasing the early 7-0 deficit thanks in part to six early offensive rebounds, four from Robinson and two from Anunoby. Later in the first, an 8-0 run by the Knicks' big man put New York back up by one again, giving him 18 in the quarter on 7-for-10 shooting (3-for-6 from deep). 

After five early points in the second, Towns was quiet before exploding again for back-to-back threes before adding two more at the line to give him 31 for the game with his individual 8-0 run for a 69-62 lead with two minutes left in the half. The pace didn't slow a bit in the second with the Knicks going for 46 points (15-for-23 from the floor), grabbing a 78-68 halftime lead, holding the Heat to 11-for-23 from the floor in the period.

Miami changed its strategy after the half, sending more doubles the big man's way, and after a quiet third (four points on 2-for-7 from the floor), Towns entered with New York up a dozen in the fourth and had an equally quiet quarter with just four more points, all from the line, as he went 0-for-3 from the floor.

- Already down Brunson, the bench was going to be asked to pick up the load. And losing Anunoby after a few minutes didn’t help matters. At the half, the bench had 31 points, with Clarkson stepping up for 13 (2-for-3 from deep and 5-for-7 from the line), Hart adding 9 (4-for-5 from floor) with five rebounds and four assists, Shamet had six (2-for-5 shooting) but with three fouls, and Guerschon Yabusele three on his lone shot in four minutes of first-half action as he continues to see little time in the rotation.

As the Knicks looked to weather a storm that saw the 10-point halftime lead shrink to two, Shamet had 15 points in the third on 6-for-9 from the floor, including two threes and a dunk over the seven-foot-tall Kel'el Ware. He kept it up in the fourth, too, with 15 more, always popping up when the Knicks needed him, getting his name chanted by the MSG faithful.

Clarkson finished 6-for-13 from the floor (3-for-6 from deep and 9-for-11 from the free-throw line), he had five rebounds (four offensive) and three assists, and was a plus-4 in 33 minutes.

- It wasn’t all gravy early: Mitchell Robinson picked up a pair of illegal screen fouls and then, 13 seconds after the second bad pick, was whistled on the defensive end, sending him to the bench with 3:29 left in the first quarter. And Anunoby was seen on the bench holding the back of his left leg and went back to the locker room a few moments later. (He was then ruled out after the period.) Combined with a blistering pace and Miami shooting 55 percent (11-for-20) compared to New York's 43.3 percent (13-30) and the visitors had a 35-32 edge after 12 minutes.

Robinson saw some time in the second and grabbed two more offensive rebounds, but picked up his fourth foul under two minutes into the third quarter and was back on the bench. He picked up his fifth as the Heat cut the deficit to two with 2:06 left in the third. After two more offensive rebounds in the fourth, Robinson's final line was no points (0-for-2) with 10 rebounds (eight offensive), two assists, two turnovers, and was a minus-5 in 14 minutes.

Anunoby finished with two points (1-for-4 shooting), three rebounds, and a foul in 5 minutes; he was a plus-1.

- Mikal Bridges got off to a slow start, including blowing a breakaway dunk after a steal, and he had four points on 2-for-6 shooting early but walked into a three after grabbing his fourth steal of the first half to give him nine points in the half. After Bridges hit a three to open the third, he missed his next three from deep in the quarter to go 1-for-5 in the frame, but added two more steals, two rebounds, two blocks, and a turnover.

Bridges got a three to go (after a Hart steal and an extra pass by Shamet) to give the Knicks a 14-point edge, their largest of the game, and force a Heat timeout 2.5 minutes into the fourth in the hopes of stalling the 10-0 New York run.

He finished with 15 points on 6-for-21 shooting (3-for-12 from three) with seven steals, five rebounds, five assists, and was a plus-7 in 42 minutes.

- Miles McBride, getting the start for Brunson, started slow, 2-for-6 from the floor (1-for-4 from deep), for five points with two rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes. He finished with nine on 4-for-10 shooting (1-for-6 from deep) with four assists, three rebounds, and was a plus-1 in 30 minutes.

Game MVP: Landry Shamet

It will be known as the Landry Shamet game as he went 12-for-19 from the floor (6-for-12 from deep) with three assists and two rebounds and was a plus-11 in 38 minutes off the bench. 

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks hit the road after the productive 6-1 home stand hit the road for five games, starting off Monday night in South Beach against the Miami Heat. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.

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Knicks' OG Anunoby leaves Friday's game vs. Heat with hamstring injury; ruled out for remainder of contest

The Knicks are already short-handed with the loss of Jalen Brunson, but they will also be without OG Anunoby for their NBA Cup game against the Heat on Friday.

New York's forward injured his left hamstring on a fastbreak when he missed a layup and grabbed at his left leg. He was in visible discomfort on the Knicks bench during a timeout and went into the locker room with a few minutes remaining in the first quarter. The team ruled him out after the first quarter was completed.

Anunoby played just five minutes, scoring two points on 1 of 4 shooting (0-for-1 from three) to go along with three rebounds. 

While not having Anunoby for Friday's game is a blow to the Knicks, losing him for an extended period of time would, obviously, be worse, especially the way he's played this season. The 28-year-old is averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game through the first 11 games of the season. 

Those numbers and his play have caused first-year coach Mike Brown to declare that his forward is playing like an All-Star and that he deserves to be in consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. 

This story is still developing....

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Steph Curry, Warriors show Spurs, NBA they still can climb the tallest mountains

Steph Curry, Warriors show Spurs, NBA they still can climb the tallest mountains originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN ANTONIO – Anything and everything a basketball fan could ever want from two regular-season games in November was cinematic greatness, attuned to Oscar winners on IMAX between the Warriors and San Antonio Spurs in a three-day span. 

The superstar highlights. The intensity. The record books being rewritten. 

They had it all, including two comeback Warriors wins after beating the Spurs by five points Wednesday night and then outlasting them 109-108 off two Steph Curry free throws with six seconds left that gave him his 48th and 49th points of the game, one game after dropping 46. 

While Curry walked to the free-throw line, Victor Wembanyama, who now has witnessed Steph rip his heart out in his home country of France in the Paris Summer Olympics and his NBA home of San Antonio, tried all he could to rile Spurs fans enough to distract him. It didn’t work. 

Curry swished his first free throw, walked towards the Spurs crowd and mockingly did similar gestures back at them as he talked his talk. 

“I’m aware of everything,” Curry said. “It’s pretty fun. You have to find something to take the nerves out, and for me that’s just embracing the moment, smiling and having a good time.” 

A week before the Warriors’ win against the Spurs on Wednesday night, an illness kept Curry out for three straight games, in which his team went 1-2. He returned Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder but only scored 11 points in 20 minutes in an ugly blowout loss as the cold still lingered. He could have sat out the second night of a back-to-back in San Antonio, but that wasn’t an option after being embarrassed by the defending champions. 

The showman showed out in historic fashion. Curry’s 46 points on Wednesday gave him 43 games of 40 or more points after turning 30 years old, putting him one behind Michael Jordan. The 37-year-old then one-upped himself, knowing exactly when he had tied MJ. 

Dribbling the ball between his legs and pulling up from 29 feet away, Curry swished a three with six and a half minutes remaining to give him 41 points, cutting the Warriors’ deficit from 10 points to seven. 

The player then became the performer. Curry made a ‘2’ and a ‘3’ with his hands across his chest to the crowd running back to the other side of the court. He knew the moment in the heat of the game, and still could be the entertainer everybody comes to see. 

“Very aware,” Curry said. “I did it backwards, though. It’s the second time I’ve done that. But yeah, I was aware of it for sure. 

“I didn’t know I was one away until last game and then obviously was asked about it, and then when I got over that number – that’s pretty cool, just from an individual accomplishment perspective. To be able to be in that company and longevity is something that I pride myself on. So that was pretty cool.”

He also joined Jordan and LeBron James as the only players aged 37 years or older with back-to-back 40-point games. 

And he’s now the oldest player in NBA history to have back-to-back games of at least 46 points. 

Curry in a two-game span scored 95 points, made 29 shots, including 14 threes, and went 23 of 24 at the free-throw line.

On the other side was Wembanyama doing out-of-this-world things at 7-foot-7, with a pitbull a foot shorter than him barking up his tree. Draymond Green doesn’t back down. Never has, never will.

“Draymond is always going to battle,” Steve Kerr said. “He’s one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever been around. Obviously, he was getting pretty emotional out there.” 

When Wembanyama, on an out-of-bounds play, caught a pass with his left hand and hammered home a dunk on the heads of Green and Jimmy Butler, the Frenchman bumped Green and yelled right in his face. But this is Draymond. Saginaw’s own looked straight up with the top of his head meeting Wembanyama’s chin. 

He frustrated him to no end on Wednesday, and the ball didn’t touch Wembanyama’s hands on the final play with Green guarding him.

The fire only grew from there. An irate Kerr poured more gasoline on it shortly after, letting the referees know his expletive-laden feelings for a technical foul. 

“That tech right there probably got us going more than anything,” Gary Payton II said. “Steve fights for us. We’ll run through a wall for him. We love to see that fire from him.” 

Kerr’s technical foul gave Wembanyama three free throws, including the two from a loose-ball foul on Butler that put him over the edge, giving the Spurs a 10-point lead at the 7:25 mark of the fourth quarter. The Warriors then outscored the Spurs 27-16 the rest of the game. 

In a one-minute and eight-second stretch late in the fourth quarter, Payton and Brandin Podziemski made three 3-pointers on three straight Warriors offensive possessions. The Warriors went from trailing 100-95 to leading 101-100. Podziemski assisted Payton’s first three, then blocked a shot from De’Aaron Fox. It was Payton who assisted Podziemski’s three, and a Podziemski defensive rebound led to Payton’s triple that gave Golden State the lead.

Those two were the epitome of clutch after coming through in several ways Wednesday night, too. All small parts of the game that make Podziemski a critical piece shone, and Payton’s lockdown defense on Fox sealed the deal on the final shot of the game.

This baseball series of adjustments and deep intentions brought out the best of both teams, creating a playoff atmosphere just three and a half weeks into the season. 

“It did feel like a playoff game, especially tonight,” Kerr said. “The other night, it was a little different. A little looser, a little freer. Tonight felt more like the physicality of the playoffs.” 

Some might say the Warriors are the past. They’ll tell you they’re the present, showing the future what it takes to climb the NBA’s mountain. The climb itself can feel as exhausting as ever for the Warriors. The extra gear to get them to the top is still there.

The greatness. The drama. The passion. These games had it all, begging for more on an even bigger stage down the road.

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How Steve Kerr's passionate pregame speech fueled Warriors' wild win over Spurs

How Steve Kerr's passionate pregame speech fueled Warriors' wild win over Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr has seen a lot in his three-plus decades in the NBA, so the Warriors coach is no stranger to instilling the needed motivation when his team finds itself in a rut.

Sometimes it’s a pep talk; other times it’s a fiery display on the sideline, with the latter proving invaluable in the Warriors’ thrilling 109-108 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at Frost Bank Center.

Kerr received a technical foul in the fourth quarter after vehemently disagreeing with a loose-ball foul called on Jimmy Butler with 7:25 remaining in the game. Kerr’s animated display sparked something within the Warriors, who went on a 27-19 run to snatch a one-point victory in the final seconds.

After the game, Warriors star Steph Curry — the star of the night with 49 points — explained how much of an impact Kerr’s energy has on him and his teammates.

“We love it, he has broken clipboards along the way, he has gotten technicals — he gets fiery,” Curry told reporters after Friday’s win. “This morning, he was in his bag in terms of his speech he gave in our pregame meeting this morning. You can tell he still has that fastball if he needs it. It’s important for us to have that energy over the course of 82. We’re all in this together. He talked about that this morning, he showed it out there, and whether you win or lose, you just want to have a unit and a team that’s together. Coaches included.”

So what exactly stood out about this morning’s motivational speech from Kerr? Drawing back to his days with the Chicago Bulls, where he won three NBA titles alongside Michael Jordan in the late 90s.

Kerr used a compelling comparison to fire up his players, likening their assignments to that of a big-time band on tour, emphasizing the importance of all the moving pieces needed to complete the puzzle.

“He rarely talks about his Chicago days, and he gave some references to how they approached their team and their identity by comparisons to how a band comes together and everyone is playing a role,” Curry said. “You got your lead singers, you got your bass, your acoustic, your electric whatever. You got your stage hands, you got the guy who’s plugging in the speakers. He said he was just above plugging in the speakers guy.

“It speaks to it all matters, there’s value in all of that when a band is going on tour. I think Phil Jackson instilled that in him, 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.”

While Curry’s historic scoring outburst led the way, it took a collective effort to get across the finish line against a tough Spurs team. Plays like Gary Payton II’s go-ahead three in the final minutes of the fourth quarter proved to be the difference on a night when Golden State needed every contribution possible for its thrilling victory.

It remains to be seen which band the Warriors most closely resemble, but it’s clear this group is capable of making sweet music together when the rhythm is right. And Friday night’s win is the kind of performance that will leave Dub Nation calling for an encore.

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Knicks head coach Mike Brown defends decision to keep Jalen Brunson in against Magic

Mike Brown has been a part of some crazy comebacks during his time in the NBA, and he wasn’t going to let Wednesday night’s chance for one go by without a fight. 

But with the Knicks down 16 with just under two minutes to play against Orlando, Jalen Brunson suffered a right ankle injury, which raises questions about the new head coach’s late-game strategy.

“I’m trying to win the game,” Brown said ahead of Friday night’s matchup with the Miami Heat. “A couple minutes left, stop and two threes, and it's a two-possession game. And that’s all I was trying to do, is win the game.

On the night, the Knicks, struggling all night, entered the fourth quarter down 18 and cut the lead to nine with six minutes to play. At the 4:18 mark, Brown took a timeout after the Magic hit a three-pointer to push the lead back to 15. In the flow of the game, pulling the starters at that point would have seemed like a premature waving of the white flag. While his side was having an off night and playing on the back-end of a back-to-back, sneaking up and overtaking Orlando in the closing moments wasn’t out of the question.

Out of the timeout, with his starters still in the game, Brunson hit a layup and then the Knicks got a pair of stops. However, Karl-Anthony Towns and then Brunson both missed floaters with a chance to cut the deficit closer and turn up the heat on Orlando. But they got no closer.  

And in Brown's defense, there wasn't another stoppage of play to send in the reserves between his timeout and Brunson's injury, which was sustained when the guard stepped on a defender’s foot driving to he basket with 1:54 to play.

“If I feel like our guys are still being competitive and still trying to play the right way and win the game, and I feel like there’s a chance, then I’m gonna try and win the game,” the head coach said. 

But Brown said there is no set strategy for making this determination.

“It could change,” he said. “Sometimes it may be four minutes left in the game, depending on the flow of the game. Sometimes it may be right down to the second.”

Additional testing on Brunson’s ankle revealed he sustained a Grade 1 ankle sprain, league sources tell SNY's Ian Begley, meaning he would miss Friday's game and the guard would be evaluated daily.

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Nuggets' starting guard Christian Braun out at least six weeks with left ankle sprain

Christian Braun exited the game last in the first half on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers after rolling his ankle following a collision with James Harden near midcourt, and did not return to the game.

Braun is out much longer than that, he will be re-evaluated in six weeks due to a left ankle sprain, the Nuggets have announced.

Braun started all 11 games for the Nuggets, averaging 11.4 points a night, plus taking on key defensive assignments on the perimeter. The Nuggets have been 10.7 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor compared to when he is on the bench. With him out, expect to see a lot more Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. for Denver.

Braun signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the Nuggets this offseason, a deal that does not kick in until next season.

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Steph Curry was ‘very aware' of tying Michael Jordan record in Warriors' win

Steph Curry was ‘very aware' of tying Michael Jordan record in Warriors' win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry always knows.

Granted, he didn’t know until Wednesday that he was one game away from tying Michael Jordan for most games with 40-plus points after turning 30. But once he was informed of the stat, he wasted no time, matching Jordan’s mark with a 49-point outburst during the Warriors’ 109-108 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at Frost Bank Center.

After the game, Curry made it clear he knew exactly what he’d done once he reached 40 points in the fourth quarter.

“Very aware. I threw up the [23],” Curry told reporters. “I did it backwards, though. It’s the second time I’ve done that. But, yeah, I was aware of it, for sure. I didn’t know I was one away until last game, and then obviously I was asked about it.

“Then, when I got over that number — that’s pretty cool, just from an individual accomplishment perspective, just to be able to be in that type of company. The longevity is something I pride myself on, so that was pretty cool.”

It’s not the first time Curry has joined the same company as Jordan, and it probably won’t be the last time, either. After all, they are two of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, and Curry clearly has a lot of respect for Jordan as well.

Perhaps when Curry scores 40 points again to eclipse Jordan’s record, he will throw up a 23 as intended, instead of an unintentional 32.

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Pelicans, Saints owner Gayle Benson: 'Let me be clear about this: The teams are not for sale'

With NBA owners seemingly more focused on European expansion than on adding teams domestically, speculation has bubbled up about the potential sale of the New Orleans Pelicans and the team being moved to Seattle (or possibly Las Vegas).

Benson shot that idea down in an interview with Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (hat tip ProFootballTalk).

"Let me be clear about this: The teams are not for sale. That's in capital letters. I want everybody to know the teams are not for sale. I get tired of people asking me [if they're for sale]. I'm going to turn 79 in January, but I'm pretty healthy. I hear that people want to talk to me about buying the team. I'm like, well, that's a waste of my time. That's not going to happen. And people need to calm down about the team moving."

"It remains that when I die, both teams will be sold to the highest bidder and those proceeds will be used 100 percent to improve this community."

Benson was also asked about the job status of coach Willie Green. The Pelicans hired a new head of basketball operations last summer in Joe Dumars, and the Pelicans are off to a dreadful 2-9 start, both of which usually land a coach on the hot seat.

"I really like Willie Green, but I hired Joe Dumars to assess our basketball operation. And that's what he is doing. He is assessing Willie and all the players. He and I spent the entire halftime (of the Portland Trail Blazers game on Wednesday night) talking. When he makes a decision, that's up to him. That's why I hired him. I trust Joe, because I feel like he knows people. He's known Willie since he was a child, so they know each other. And if he can fix that problem, then he'll fix it. If he can't, then that'll be his decision, not mine. I've left that in his hands."

The Pelicans have missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons and have made the postseason just twice in the previous eight seasons, losing in the first round both times. Beyond that, the Pelicans just have a poor reputation among players and agents. Check out what former Pelican player Kendrick Perkins (now of ESPN) said on the RJ Defends podcast:

"Here's the problem with New Orleans. Great city — one of my favorite cities to live in ... They're always going to be second to the New Orleans Saints. That city is all about the Saints — from the ownership down to Mickey Loomis. They don't give a damn about the Pelicans. It's so bad that if you want to eat — you know how all NBA organizations now have first-class facilities with breakfast, chefs, post-practice meals? In New Orleans, you leave the Pelicans facility, and you gotta walk across the street to the Saints' facility just to eat. And all your food is in boxes in the cafeteria."

Benson seems unlikely to make a new significant financial investment in the Pelicans or their arena, the Smoothie King Center, which could use it. She has now also made it clear she is not selling the team, and while things change (and all team owners' public comments should be taken with a grain of salt), it appears the Pelicans are going nowhere. At least for the foreseeable future.

All of which means Pelicans fans have to hope that Dumars can figure everything out.

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Observations after Sixers waste great start to 2nd half, lose to shorthanded Pistons

Observations after Sixers waste great start to 2nd half, lose to shorthanded Pistons originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers couldn’t stop the NBA’s hottest team from rolling to its ninth consecutive win Friday night.

They fell to the highly shorthanded Pistons, dropping a 114-105 game at Little Caesars Arena in NBA Cup play. 

Detroit improved to 11-2 and the Sixers fell to 7-5.

In NBA Cup East Group B, the Pistons are 2-0 and the Sixers 0-2. The Sixers’ next Cup game is set for Nov. 25 vs. the Magic. 

Tyrese Maxey had 31 points, seven rebounds, three assists and four steals.

Detroit’s top scorer was Javonte Green with 21 points. Daniss Jenkins posted 19 points and eight assists.

The Sixers were without Joel Embiid (right knee soreness) and Paul George (left knee surgery recovery). Jared McCain is on G League assignment.

Kelly Oubre Jr. was ruled out in the third quarter because of a left knee hyperextension.

Detroit was down six players, including Cade Cunningham (left hip contusion), Jalen Duren (right ankle sprain) and Tobias Harris (right ankle sprain). 

The Sixers will return to Philadelphia and play the Clippers on Monday night. Here are observations on their loss to the Pistons:  

Edgecombe refreshed, knocking down shots 

Paul Reed made a layup to kick off the scoring against former Sixers teammate Andre Drummond. A few minutes later, Reed beat Drummond for a long offensive rebound and eventually slammed in an emphatic dunk. Reed (10 points, eight rebounds) and Drummond (12 points, 11 boards) exchanged some trash talk throughout the night.

Maxey was forceful as a scorer in the first quarter, even posting up on a couple of occasions. He recorded 10 of the Sixers’ first 19 points. 

VJ Edgecombe drained long-range jumpers on his first two shots and clearly benefited from getting a little rest before the Sixers’ trip to Detroit.

During a physically taxing stretch of the schedule the past five games, Edgecombe’s scoring high was 12 points. The rookie had 13 in the first half and made at least three three-pointers for the first time in November. 

Barlow back and on the boards 

Dominick Barlow returned after missing the Sixers’ last nine games because of a right elbow laceration. He checked in to begin the second quarter with a sleeve on his right arm. 

Barlow sunk a corner three on his first attempt. After a Sixers stop, Justin Edwards did the same to put the team up 38-31. Fresh off of a 22-point performance in the Sixers’ win over the Celtics, Edwards had 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting. 

Though Barlow made a mistake on the perimeter when Ron Holland II picked off his pass, he recovered in impressive fashion. Barlow hustled after Holland and soared for a chase-down block. The initial foul call was overturned following a challenge by Sixers head coach Nick Nurse. 

As a rebounder, Barlow picked up right where he left off. He snagged six boards (three offensive, three defensive) in his first stint.

Conditioning did not appear to be an issue for Barlow The fourth-year forward played 29 minutes on the night and tallied 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. High-effort, productive work after weeks on the sidelines. 

Sixers waste new lineup’s hot start to 2nd half

Maxey and the Sixers hit a cold patch in the second quarter and the Pistons went on an extended run.

Reed blocked Maxey’s lefty layup try on the Sixers’ final possession of the first half. Maxey had just two points in the second quarter and Detroit held a 63-54 halftime lead. 

Nurse on Tuesday had mentioned the idea of switching up lineups to start the second half as one potential way to address the Sixers’ third-quarter woes. He turned to that option against the Pistons, inserting Barlow for Trendon Watford and Quentin Grimes for Oubre. Maxey, Edgecombe and Drummond were the three Sixers who started both halves.

Oubre appeared to pick up his left knee injury late in the second quarter. He asked out of the game and never returned. This story will be updated with any further information on his status.

The Sixers’ new second-half lineup provided the desired results right away. 

The team’s defensive pressure elevated and offense suddenly started to look much easier. The Pistons didn’t score until the 7:38 mark of the third quarter and the Sixers stormed back with a 14-0 run. Grimes and Barlow each chipped in threes. Drummond knocked down two triples in the third quarter.

Nurse didn’t make any substitutions until almost seven minutes into the third. That sub was Edwards, who drilled a top-of-the-key three that gave the Sixers an 83-71 lead. 

Their double-digit advantage did not last for long. Jenkins banked in a half-court shot at the third-quarter buzzer and Wendell Moore Jr.’s driving layup to begin the fourth tied the game. Nurse called timeout after a Reed lay-in that lifted the Pistons to a 94-92 edge.

Maxey’s tough shotmaking kept the Sixers in it. However, Detroit often had answers late in the fourth, including a tightly contested Caris LeVert three with the shot clock winding down.

Once the weekend’s over, the Sixers will aim to put together a more complete game and bounce back at home.

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What we learned as Steph Curry drops unreal 49 points to stun Spurs in NBA Cup

What we learned as Steph Curry drops unreal 49 points to stun Spurs in NBA Cup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

In Steph the Warriors trust.

This has been a very good formula for more than a decade, and it served them well once again Friday night.

Stephen Curry poured in a game-high 49 points, willing and dragging and pulling the Warriors to a 109-108 victory over the Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

Jimmy Butler III put in 19 points, with Will Richard and Brandin Podziemski each adding 10, but their efforts were totally overshadowed by Curry’s spectacular performance.

Trailing by 10 with 6:51 remaining, Golden State’s search for the momentum that would come with successive wins over a high-quality team was in doubt. The Warriors outscored San Antonio 24-13 over the final 6:42 to close out the triumph.

Here are three observations from a second consecutive feel-good road win, this one in an Emirates Cup game, for the Warriors, who improve to 8-6 overall and 1-1 in group play:

Chef cooks again

The Warriors basically left it up to Curry to carry them to a two-game sweep of the Spurs. Darned if he didn’t come through.

Curry scored 31 points in the second half – exactly half of the 62 points Golden State managed after intermission. His 49 points came on 16-of-26 shooting from the field, including 9-of-17 from beyond the arc and 8-of-8 from the line, including a pair of clinching free throws with 6.4 seconds remaining.

Curry scored 14 consecutive points for the Warriors to close the third quarter, which ended with them trailing 79-77. He scored 10 in a row in less than two minutes midway through the fourth quarter.

This was Curry’s 44th game with at least 40 points since his 30th birthday. That ties him with Michael Jordan for most in NBA history after that birthday. Coming off a 46-point outburst on Tuesday, this marks the first time since Nov. 11, 2022 that Curry posted back-to-back games with at least 40 points.

Bench shows signs of life

Coming into San Antonio this week, Golden State’s bench had been among the most productive in the league, averaging 40.2 points per game.

That group managed only 23 points in a 125-120 victory Wednesday night and further declined on Friday, finishing with only 19 points while San Antonio’s reserves put in 27.

After scoring only seven points in the first half, Golden State’s bench came alive in the second half, putting in 12 points – six each by Gary Payton II and Brandin Podziemski.

Podziemski entered the game shooting 12-of-34 from the field, including 6-of-17 from deep over his last five games. After missing five of his first six shots, he drained a pair of triples in the fourth quarter.

Payton, who was struggled with his shot all season, drilled two 3-pointers inside the final five minutes.

The question now is whether the Warriors’ bench can make up for the loss of Moses Moody, the team’s top bench scorer, moving into the starting lineup. Any recovery begins with Buddy Hield, who was scoreless for the first time this season and is averaging 5.4 points last 11 games) points over his last 12 games.

Steph could’ve used a little more help

The Warriors shot 28 percent from the field, including 16.7 percent from beyond the arc, in the first quarter. It got better, but not by much.

While Curry, Butler and Richard went into halftime with a combined 38 points on 14-of-20 shooting from the field, including 6-of-12 from beyond the arc, their teammates combined for nine points on 3-of-26 shooting, including 2-of-13 from deep.

It got better in the second half, with the Warriors scoring 62 points after a 47-point first half. But Curry’s teammates accounted for only 31 of those points, on 11-of-27 shooting from the field, including 4-of-10 from deep.

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Steph Curry joins Michael Jordan in exclusive NBA company after scoring outburst

Steph Curry joins Michael Jordan in exclusive NBA company after scoring outburst originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s worth celebrating any time you’re alone in a category with Michael Jordan.

And that’s exactly where Steph Curry finds himself after a 49-point outburst in the Warriors’ 109-108 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, tying Jordan for the most 40-plus point games (44) after the age of 30 in NBA history.

Curry’s explosive scoring effort is the second time this week he has eclipsed the 40-point mark against the Spurs at Frost Bank Center, after a 46-point masterpiece in Golden State’s win on Wednesday night.

The Warriors superstar was lights out from deep, even draining a triple over 7-foot-4 Spurs big man Victor Wembenyama.

Curry was on the money from downtown all game, but caught fire in particular during a 17-point barrage in the third quarter.

His excellence wasn’t limited to the perimeter, as Curry hit an unfathomable and-1 floater that you’d have to see to believe.

Friday is Curry’s third 40-point game of the 2025-26 NBA season, with the two-time MVP not showing any signs of decline in his 17th professional season.

At this rate, Curry will be standing alone sooner rather than later, but for now, any exclusive statistic shared with just Jordan is something the Warriors star can keep his head held high about.

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Steph Curry joins Michael Jordan in exclusive NBA company after scoring outburst

Steph Curry joins Michael Jordan in exclusive NBA company after scoring outburst originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s worth celebrating any time you’re alone in a category with Michael Jordan.

And that’s exactly where Steph Curry finds himself after a 49-point outburst in the Warriors’ win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, tying Jordan for the most 40-plus point games (44) after the age of 30 in NBA history.

Curry’s explosive scoring effort is the second time this week he has eclipsed the 40-point mark against the Spurs at Frost Bank Center, after a 46-point masterpiece in Golden State’s win on Wednesday night.

The Warriors superstar was lights out from deep, even draining a triple over 7-foot-4 Spurs big man Victor Wembenyama.

Curry was on the money from downtown all game, but caught fire in particular during a 17-point barrage in the third quarter.

His excellence wasn’t limited to the perimeter, as Curry hit an unfathomable and-1 floater that you’d have to see to believe.

Friday is Curry’s third 40-point game of the 2025-26 NBA season, with the two-time MVP not showing any signs of decline in his 17th professional season.

At this rate Curry will be standing alone sooner rather than later, but for now, any exclusive statistic shared with just Jordan is something the Warriors star can keep his head held high about.

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Fantasy Basketball Weekend Start/Sit Decisions: Derik Queen starring in reserve role

Whether you’re in a Yahoo! High Score league, a Sleeper league, a league with a games cap or simply have so many players with games scheduled that you can’t start them all, making a decision about who to start or sit can help you win or lose your matchup.

Obviously, in many leagues, having more games played each week ends up being the difference in a matchup. This is not me saying to bench a player in a points league without a games cap. Even if I’m expecting a terrible game, five points is better than zero!

The Nets, Hornets, Mavericks, Warriors, Rockets, Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Magic, Trail Blazers, Kings and Spurs play twice this weekend, so if you’re just looking to maximize games, prioritize those teams.

NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Utah Jazz
Fantasy Basketball Minutes Report: Austin Reaves returns, Ace Bailey joins the starting lineup
Each week we’ll dig into shifting rotations, uncovering which players deserve more attention in fantasy basketball.

▶ Guards

Start: Miles McBride, New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson is dealing with an ankle injury, and while there hasn’t been any report that would indicate a long-term absence yet, getting out in front of it is a good idea. If McBride starts multiple games, he’s a valuable streamer. At minimum, he should have a strong performance against the Heat on Friday. Brunson has already been ruled out for that game, so McBride should start. Miami plays at a faster pace than anyone in the league, which should help boost McBride’s stats.

Start: Sam Merrill, Cleveland Cavaliers

It’s unclear how long Darius Garland (toe) will be sidelined, but Merrill will continue to start in his place. The Cavs only have one game this weekend, but it’s against a Grizzlies team that hasn’t defended the three-point line well this season. This is a great opportunity for Merrill to get back on track; he opened the year as a starter and averaged 4.5 triples per game across their first four games before suffering a hip injury.

Sit: Donte DiVincenzo, Minnesota Timberwolves

DiVincenzo has struggled the last three games with Anthony Edwards back (though he was good in Edwards’ return), and this weekend isn’t going to get any easier. Minnesota plays the Kings and the Nuggets. Sacramento hasn’t been great lately, but they’ve done a decent job at defending three-pointers this year. Plus, there’s the added motivation from head coach Doug Christie after their last game, which came in a threat to switch up the starting unit. Denver has been one of the best teams at defending the three-point line this year. This isn’t a great chance for DiVincenzo to get back on track.

Sit: Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets

Sheppard is starting to figure things out, but this weekend isn’t ideal for him. The Rockets play the Trail Blazers and Magic, and both teams rank in the top four in fewest three-pointers allowed per game. Sheppard has hit at least four triples in three straight games and knocked down a season-best five treys against Washington on Wednesday, but that streak could certainly come to an end.

▶ Forwards

Start: Bogdan Bogdanovic, LA Clippers

With Bradley Beal (hip) set to miss the rest of the season, John Collins has moved into the starting lineup, but it’s Bogdanovic that has been more productive. Over his last three appearances, he has averaged 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 three-pointers in 26 minutes per game. He has two games this weekend, and while the matchups aren’t ideal, he has been effective when Beal is injured.

Start: Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets

Clowney has been starting for Brooklyn, and he has been really productive in four of their last five games. The matchup with the Magic on Friday isn’t an easy one, but it’s an opportunity for him. However, it’s the game against the Wizards on Sunday that is intriguing. Washington has the worst defense in the league, which makes it a great opportunity for Clowney to have a productive night.

Sit: Trendon Watford, Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers only have one game this weekend, and it’s against the Pistons, who have been elite on defense this season, especially in the paint. Since that surprising triple-double, Watford has been disappointing. He may continue to start, but the return of Dominick Barlow (elbow) could cut into Watford’s minutes.

Sit: Dillon Brooks, Phoenix Suns

Brooks is coming off one of the best offensive performances of his career, but his lone outing this weekend will come against one of the best defensive teams in the league. The limited opportunity combined with a matchup against the Hawks makes this a suboptimal weekend for Brooks.

▶ Centers

Start: Moussa Diabate, Charlotte Hornets

Ryan Kalkbrenner (personal) has been ruled out against the Bucks on Friday, which will be at least one start for Diabate. They play again on Saturday against the Thunder, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Kalkbrenner missed both. Diabate has been solid as a reserve, but his ceiling and minutes will both rise significantly with Kalkbrenner unavailable.

Start: Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans

It’s not really about matchups here; Queen is just playing too well to not start him. Queen isn’t starting yet, but he’s playing starter minutes. He had a career-best 26 points and played 38 minutes on Wednesday. The Lakers and Warriors aren’t easy matchups, but they shouldn’t scare managers away as Queen breaks out.

Sit: Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat

Miami only has one game this weekend, and it comes against the Knicks, who have been one of the best rebounding teams in the league this season. Ware didn’t do much against the Knicks as a starter earlier this year, but that was with Bam Adebayo available. Adebayo (toe) is still out, so Ware should play more minutes, but this isn’t an ideal matchup for Ware.

Sit: Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks

Lively (knee) will be back on Friday against the Clippers, who rank last in the league in pace. Slower pace leads to fewer shots, which leads to fewer rebound opportunities. Sunday’s matchup with Portland is more favorable, but Gafford and Lively haven’t played together yet this season. Plus, Anthony Davis (calf) could be back. It’s best to play it safe when it comes to the Dallas bigs and wait to figure things out next week; it wouldn’t be shocking if both play 15-20 minutes.

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Report: Teams interested in possible Domantas Sabonis trade

While predicting what the Kings' front office and ownership will do is a futile mission, there is logic to their trying to trade away their veterans at the trade deadline. Sacramento is a 3-9 team — one that is frustrating its coach — with a promising young player in Keegan Murray and an intriguing rookie in Nique Clifford, but not much else to build around. The Kings control their own draft pick this season, so trading away their veterans to focus on the future makes sense.

There is interest around the league in center Domantas Sabonis, Sam Amick of The Athletic said on SacTown Sports (hat tip Real GM).

"So, as it relates to Sabonis, my understanding is there are at least a few teams that have raised their hand to say, 'Yeah, he's somebody we'd want to talk about.' I've said it on your show before — I don't have that sort of information about Zach (LaVine)."

Sabonis, a three-time All-Star and All-NBA selection in 2023 and 2024, is averaging 15.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game this season, although his efficiency has fallen off sharply, including his shooting just 17.6% from 3-point range. He is a good passer and just 29 years old; teams may think that if they get him in their system, Sabonis will return to form.

That said, Sabonis is making $42.3 million this season and is owed $94.1 million over the two seasons after this one. If a team is going to take him on, they are going to have to want him. Just matching that salary will mean giving up a player of value.

LaVine, 30, is averaging 23.9 points a game and shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc this season, but is more ball dominant than Sabonis. LaVine is making $47.5 million this season with a player option for $48.9 million next season (he would be extension eligible this summer). Considering how difficult the Bulls found it to find a LaVine trade before the deal with the Kings last February (part of a three-team trade involving De'Aaron Fox to San Antonio), it may be asking a lot to expect the Kings to find a deal.

Don't be surprised if Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan and Doug McDermott also come up in trade rumors.

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Steph Curry rocks Mambacita Kobe 6s one day after parting ways with Under Armour

Steph Curry rocks Mambacita Kobe 6s one day after parting ways with Under Armour originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry, the self-proclaimed “Petty King,” wasted no time donning a different brand of shoes, a day after he parted ways with Under Armour.

During warmups before the Warriors’ game against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at Frost Bank Center, Curry wore Mambacita Kobe 6 Nike shoes, a strange sight considering the 17-year NBA veteran’s history with the two shoe brands.

While the 37-year-old wore the Kobes during pregame warmups, he switched back to his Curry Brand shoes for Friday’s game.

Curry began his professional career as a Nike athlete but an uninspiring sales pitch to retain him caused the Warriors’ star to jump to Under Armour in 2013.

The Curry Brand launched in 2020 as a sub-brand within Under Armour, seemingly locking Curry in with the company. But the sides decided to part ways on Thursday, allowing Curry to become a sneaker free agent next year.

With Curry’s Under Armour pact ending, he can wear other shoe brands over the next year as he pursues a new deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, citing sources.

Curry’s final shoe in partnership with Under Armour will release in early 2026.

Expect Curry to rock other shoe brands over the next year as he decides on a new partner.

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