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

Warriors face tough test in daunting back-to-back vs. Nuggets, Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – With less than a month remaining in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, the Warriors have three back-to-backs left to get through.

Their final one is a flight to Phoenix, followed by a home game against the San Antonio Spurs the next day on April 9. The week before, the Warriors play the Lakers in Los Angeles to finish a six-game road trip and then play the Denver Nuggets the next day back at home. First, they will have to take care of business on Monday and Tuesday against the Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center, in that order. 

One game at a time. As the Warriors came home from a 4-1 five-game road trip to play seven consecutive games at home, three games stood out more than the rest. Playing the New York Knicks, Nuggets and Bucks – three games in four days against three of the better teams in the NBA – wasn’t going to be easy. But the Warriors continue to be a rejuvenated machine since Jimmy Butler’s arrival.

Golden State extended its win streak to six in a row by beginning the homestand with wins over the Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings, then withstood a rock fight of a win over the Knicks to make it seven in a row. Now comes the daunting task of the back-to-back. 

“We’re on a good run, but we know exactly what’s happening,” Steve Kerr said after the Warriors’ win Saturday night. “Nobody else is losing behind us. We’ve got to keep fighting and keep winning. We can’t stop and look around. We’ve got to just continue to improve and we’ll see what happens in the end. 

“We know everybody is playing well. The West is just loaded.” 

While the No. 6-seeded Warriors have enjoyed a seven-game win streak, the Minnesota Timberwolves (40-29), tied with the Warriors in the standings but one spot behind them because of the tiebreaker, are on an eight-game win streak. The LA Clippers (38-30) only are 1.5 games behind the Warriors and Timberwolves and now are on a three-game win streak. 

However, the Warriors on Monday night hope to end a win streak. Not of their own, but of the Nuggets’ own against them. 

The last time the Warriors beat the Nuggets was April 27, 2022 in Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs. The last regular-season game the Warriors beat the Nuggets was more than three years ago on March 10, 2022. These two teams looked a lot different back then. 

Draymond Green still was out due to injury, and Gary Payton II also was sidelined. The Nuggets were hit even harder. 

Jamal Murray missed that entire season. Michael Porter Jr. missed the entire season after playing the first nine games. Bones Hyland, now a fringe NBA player at best, was the Nuggets’ leading scorer off the bench. How far back does Denver’s win streak go against Golden State? 

The Nuggets’ second-leading scorer off the bench that game was DeMarcus Cousins in his final NBA season. 

What the Warriors have done recently is control the controllables. Wins have come in multiple ways. Some against teams higher in the standings, more often than not against teams lower in the standings in a softer portion of the schedule. Most teams have been without at least one star, like the Knicks not having Karl-Anthony Towns against them on March 4, only to be without Jalen Brunson in San Francisco 11 days later. 

Both the Warriors and Nuggets have question marks on Monday night’s injury report. Steph Curry (back) and Quinten Post (right ankle) are questionable. Brandin Podziemski is expected to make his return from lower back soreness Tuesday night against the Bucks after missing five games. Nikola Jokić (right elbow, left ankle), Murray (right ankle) and Aaron Gordon (right calf, left ankle) all are questionable. 

Looking to bounce back from a loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Bucks should be at full strength, five weeks after being down Giannis Antetokounmpo when they lost to the Warriors in Milwaukee.

Outlasting the Knicks was a perfect example of how much every small detail matters against teams that have championship aspirations. The same mentality will have to carry over to survive the Nuggets and Bucks on the Warriors’ home court over a 24-hour span. 

“The shot making wasn’t there,” Green said Saturday night. “It just wasn’t there for us. So all those other small things matter. Sometimes the shot making can bail you out of some stuff. That’s just kind of the way it goes, especially when you play with Steph Curry. He’ll bail you out fast. 

“It wasn’t there for us, and we still found a way. We still did everything we needed to do to ultimately come out with the win. You got to be able to win games like that, and we did.” 

The Joker is in a heated battle to become the sixth player ever to win four MVPs. Giannis is the forgotten one in the MVP race, averaging 30.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. The Warriors have the second-best defensive rating in the league since Butler’s team debut. They were turnover-happy in their previous five wins before playing the Knicks, responding by having 11 turnovers – nine without two shot clock violations – that resulted in eight points.

At a time when the Timberwolves play the Pacers on Monday night and then face the New Orleans Pelicans in two straight games, wins over the Nuggets and Bucks would be huge for the Warriors. It’s what can keep them out of the play-in tournament as they climb up the Western Conference standings. There also is more to this than just the final score.

How they handle adversity, how every possession is full of intent against the Nuggets and Bucks, like they did to beat the Knicks, is what the Warriors can lean on moving forward to complete their three toughest games since bringing Butler into the fold.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

NEW YORK (AP) — Cam Johnson scored 28 points, Keon Johnson added 22 and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Atlanta Hawks 122-114 on Sunday night.

Tyrese Martin had 16 points for the Nets, who snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the second time in 12 games. Jalen Wilson and Trendon Watford finished with 13 points apiece.

Trae Young had 28 points and 12 assists for the Hawks, who have dropped two in a row after winning four straight. Onyeka Okongwu added 21 points and 15 rebounds.

The Hawks led by 10 in the third quarter, but the Nets had it down to one by the end of the period and outscored Atlanta 31-22 in the fourth.

Takeaways

Hawks: Dyson Daniels had five steals to extend his NBA lead and has 24 games with four or more, the most in an NBA season since Hall of Famer Allen Iverson had 24 in 2002-03.

Nets: Brooklyn put together an impressive finishing kick on the second night of back-to-back games after falling 115-113 to Boston on Saturday.

Key moment

The Nets led by one before a 10-0 surge in the fourth gave them a 109-98 lead on Keon Johnson’s 3-pointer with 6:56 remaining.

Key stat

The Nets have won six straight against Atlanta at home. The Hawks’ last win in Brooklyn was on New Year’s Day in 2021.

Up next

The Nets are in Boston on Tuesday after losing to the Celtics at home on Saturday. Atlanta visits Charlotte on Tuesday.

The Clippers are trending in the right direction, and on top of it, they are becoming whole with leading scorer Norman Powell back and with James Harden sustaining his high level of play.

They've won six of their last seven games, with the Clippers’ 123-88 blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday at the Intuit Dome pushing their winning streak to three.

“This was a good professional win,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.

For Lue, the shift began with the Clippers playing defense at a higher level while not forcing the action.

Read more:Clippers' strong third quarter leads to blowout of the Hawks

Before the game, Lue talked about how Harden has been a consistent force, something the All-Star proved against Charlotte with 31 points on nine-for-15 shooting. He also made four of seven three-point attempts, 10 rebounds and seven assists in just 31 minutes.

"We pretty much need to win these games,” Kawhi Leonard said after finishing with 21 points, five rebounds and five assists in 27 minutes. “Obviously James has been playing at a great level. ... It’s just been a collective group [effort].”

Lue said the Clippers are comfortable playing through Leonard and Ivica Zubac more frequently. Zubac finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high eight assists in 28 minutes.

“It’s been great,” Leonard said about Zubac’s play, especially the center’s passing ability. “Like I said, if the other team is switching or if we need a basket, he’s able to relieve us and with his efficiency. The other team is seeing that and bringing two guys to him and he’s making the right play.”

In addition, Lue has integrated Bogdan Bogdanovic (seven points, four rebounds) and Ben Simmons (three assists, zero points) more into the fold. It has all added up to the Clippers playing with greater purpose.

“Just trying to fit all these pieces together,” Lue said. “We have [14] games to do it, which is more than enough time if we just lock in and understand what we’re trying to do. So I’m excited about that challenge.”

One player who struggled to put the pieces together Sunday was Powell. After missing 12 of the last 13 games because of knee issues and a right hamstring strain, he scored just seven points on three-for-13 shooting.

The next seven days will provide the Clippers with tougher challenges.

They face Cleveland, Memphis and Oklahoma City next. The Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA, the Thunder the second best and the Grizzlies are fourth in the Western Conference.

Read more:Kawhi Leonard's spectacular buzzer-beater lifts Clippers to OT win over Kings

But because the Clippers have found their groove — like when they built a 38-point lead against Charlotte — they are more prepared for the task ahead as they try to climb out of the No. 8 spot in the West.

“Getting guys back healthy, playing together, trusting each other, playing better defense than when we played in a stretch before that,” Zubac said about the Clippers' improved play. “And, that’s it. We’re kind of figuring it out. Defensively we’re better and we’re slowly getting guys back. ... We got a good squad when we’re healthy. So, just keep building, keep building. We’re in a final stretch of the season and we got to get as many wins as we can and everyone [has] got to be locked in.”

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Orlando Magic fought back to upset the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-103 and end the Cavs' 16-game winning streak.

Orlando recovered from a 13-point half-time deficit to win, with Paolo Banchero scoring 24 points and Franz Wagner adding 22.

Cleveland have already secured a spot in the end-of-season play-offs and remain well placed to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers ended their four-game losing run with a 107-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

LeBron James missed the game with a groin injury, but Luka Doncic was fit enough to play and was the Lakers' leading scorer with 33 points.

Elsewhere, Quentin Grimes scored 28 points against his former team as the Philadelphia 76ers overcame the Dallas Mavericks 130-125.

Western Conference leaders the Oklahoma City Thunder recorded a 121-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks to improve their record to 56 wins and just 12 losses, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 31 points and eight assists.

Anthony Edwards scored 41 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves extended their winning streak to eight matches by beating the Utah Jazz 128-102.

The Portland Trailblazers fought back from a 16-point deficit to end a five-match losing run in a 105-102 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

James Harden scored 31 points for the LA Clippers in a 123-88 win against the Charlotte Hornets, while Cameron Johnson's 28 points helped the Brooklyn Nets defeat the Atlanta Hawks 122-114.

Dorian Finney-Smith hobbled around, the ankle problems that kept him off the court in the Lakers’ losses to Brooklyn and Denver, obvious. Still, he fought with Kevin Durant and helped push the Phoenix star into missing eight of his first nine shots.

In the second half, Finney-Smith would hit two big threes and have a key offensive rebound.

Jordan Goodwin hadn’t started consecutive games this season, nevertheless consecutive games for a team with NBA title hopes, and here he was Sunday, harassing Devin Booker. He opened the game with a tip-in and finished it by extending a possession with another hustle play.

Read more:'They told me to go play, so I go play.' Austin Reaves can carry the Lakers when asked

“Never judge a player by his box score,” JJ Redick said of Goodwin, who had just two points and four fouls.

And Jaxson Hayes, a former lottery pick given up on by the team that drafted him and by most of the league, feasted at the rim and ran in and out of defensive switches, the Lakers quickly reestablishing their defensive intensity after a four-game road trip where they never totally made it off the plane.

“We knew we had to be better,” Luka Doncic said.

Even though they didn’t have LeBron James and Rui Hachimura in their starting lineup, Hayes’ return and Finney-Smith's and Goodwin’s defense made the Lakers look more like the team that had won eight straight and not the one that just dropped four in a row on the road.

Playing their first of five home games this week, the Lakers recaptured their identity largely thanks to their role players, the team clamping down on the Suns during a 107-96 win.

None of this is to say the Lakers’ healthy stars weren’t terrific — they were.

One game after he nearly willed the Lakers to a win in Denver, Austin Reaves scored 28 to go with six assists and four rebounds. He hit a three over rookie Oso Ighodaro and drew a foul, Durant slumping back into his seat on the Suns’ bench. He drove past Booker, absorbed the contact and scored, flexing at the Lakers’ bench.

And Doncic, who didn’t play in Denver on the second night of a back-to-back set, scored 33 points to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists — his fifth game in the past six where he scored at least 30.

“Getting there,” Doncic said, “but every day I’m feeling better.”

The Lakers play again Monday night against San Antonio.

James, who has missed the past four games, did an on-court workout Sunday but he’s still unlikely to return for a little bit despite being called “day to day.” The expectation is the Lakers will be conservative with his recovery from a strained groin while he ramps up to a return.

Without him, the Lakers have their formula — a formula that requires Hayes back on the court and the team playing with the right spirit.

Healthy or not, that’s who the Lakers need to be — even if the odds were stacked against them. They’d just been on a road trip, they’d just suffered a brutal loss in Denver on Friday and they needed to be at their home arena first thing Sunday to play the Suns.

And they were the team that played hard.

“That to me, that says everything about our group,” Redick said proudly.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Draymond blasts Stephen A. for ‘weak' LeBron, Bronny comments originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith made waves recently after a verbal encounter with NBA superstar LeBron James during the Los Angeles Lakers’ matchup with the New York Knicks on March 8.

Smith confirmed LeBron approached him about comments made about his son, Bronny James, by the ESPN talking head.

Stephen A. Smith begins First Take confirming that LeBron James confronted him at last night's Lakers game over comments about Bronny James.

"That wasn't a basketball player confronting me, that was a parent, that was a father." pic.twitter.com/QTWmScRIGF

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 7, 2025

Shortly after Smith made an appearance on “Gil’s Arena,” saying he thought James’ decision to approach him in that manner was “weak” and “bulls—t.”

"I thought it was weak. I thought it was bullsh*t."@stephenasmith gives @GilsArenaShow the full story of what happened during his confrontation with LeBron 😳 pic.twitter.com/K6rtZsbYvf

— Underdog (@UnderdogFantasy) March 11, 2025

Warriors forward Draymond Green took exception to Smith’s comments, citing his disapproval of the ESPN analyst’s choice of words on the matter during a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.“

“I think a lot of problems that guys have with media is … to call something that that man did bulls–t and weak. Like those are words when we grew up, like you’d get hands put on you when we grew up in those types of words,” Green said.

“So the problem that people have with media is, you go on there, you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s weak.’ Weak? Like calling another man weak? That’s not basketball, which is actually what Bron was saying in the first place, ‘Lets keep it basketball.’ Because calling a man weak, that’s not basketball, and you’re paid to talk about basketball.

“You call Bron weak for for stepping to you, but you’re taking shots at him as a father on TV, behind a camera. Most would say that’s weak. And then he will say, ‘I’m paid to do that.’ No, you’re paid to analyze, you’re paid to debate on the show.”

Green then mentioned a run-in with former Warriors general manager and current colleague of Smith’s Bob Myers.

“As soon as I saw him [Smith] say it, Bob was up here that day,” Green explained. “And Bob was like ‘I work with Stephen A tomorrow, got ya’ll game tonight, I’m in the studio tomorrow so I’m with Stephen A.’ I was like, ‘Oh, you make sure you tell Stephen A that I have no respect for what he said yesterday.’

Green further detailed that Smith’s initial comments irritated him as well.

“You go on TV, national TV calling out this African American, this black father who has raised another successful black, young man,” Green said. “You go on TV calling him out as a father because his son plays in the NBA? That’s ass backward … how does that even make sense?”

While Smith has never shied away from speaking what’s on his mind, Green certainly doesn’t either. Smith’s comments clearly have struck a nerve with not only James, but others around the NBA as well.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Why Draymond believes Butler makes Warriors ‘real ball club' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s hard to adequately quantify momentum, but it’s something that can’t be ignored when a team is rolling like the Warriors are right now.

Golden State is 14-2 since acquiring All-NBA wing Jimmy Butler via trade, with confidence levels through the roof as the Warriors continue to rack up wins.

Following Saturday’s 97-94 victory over the New York Knicks, Draymond Green offered a very blunt assessment of Butler’s impact on the Warriors.

“It’s a real ball club now,” Green told ABC’s Lisa Salters. “With [Butler] on this team, whether he has 11 points or 30, it makes us a real ball club. And when we’re a real ball club, we usually win championships.”

Golden State’s gritty triumph over New York is the 12th consecutive game the Warriors have won with Butler in the lineup, improving the Dubs’ record to 14-1 overall when the six-time NBA All-Star takes the court for them.

The Warriors long have been synonymous with NBA greatness, and Butler’s presence now allows Green to enter games with a similar confidence Golden State exuded when it spent the better part of a decade at the pinnacle of the sport.

“Feels great. After getting beat up on a little bit the last few years, it feels amazing to just walk in and know that you have a chance to win,” Green told Salters. “That’s what we play for, you put a lot of work in, you want to play on the biggest stage. To put these wins together, it feels amazing.”

The Warriors (39-28) valiantly are hanging on to the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed, with Butler’s presence sparking a crucial newfound energy that has allowed Golden State to keep pace in a frenetic postseason race.

While the days of Golden State’s dynastic dominance might be gone, the belief that they are capable of reaching basketball’s most prestigious mountaintop remain strong as ever.

Whether or not that comes to fruition remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain — the journey to get there will be must-see television.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

3 observations after Grimes leads Sixers to win over his former team  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers kicked off a six-game road trip by securing a Sunday afternoon win in Dallas.

They earned a 130-125 victory over the Mavs at American Airlines Center.

Quentin Grimes tallied 28 points and six assists for the Sixers, who improved to 23-44.

Jalen Hood-Schifino scored a career-high 19 points.

P.J. Washington had a 29-point, 12-rebound day for the 33-36 Mavs. Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall recorded 21 points apiece.

Both teams were injury-ravaged. The Sixers were down 10 players: 

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

The Sixers will face the Rockets on Monday night. Here are observations on their victory over the Mavs:

Dallas dominates 1st half in transition 

Facing his former team, Grimes predictably scored the Sixers’ first bucket with a driving layup. He also drained a mid-range jumper a couple of minutes later. For Dallas, Washington was the early go-to-guy. He scored the Mavs’ first six points and posted 14 in his opening stint. 

Dallas started 0 for 7 from three-point range, but the Mavs crushed the Sixers in transition. After Washington cruised in for a layup, Dallas held a 12-1 edge in fast-break points. The Mavs’ first-half advantage in that category was 23-4.

While the Mavs did sharp work running off of both turnovers and misses, the Sixers’ resistance was minimal in transition. Ball handlers often steamed forward and got all the way to the rim. That’s been the case in many games this season. 

According to Cleaning the Glass, the Sixers entered the day ranked 28th in transition defense (opponents adding 3.6 points per 100 possessions through transition play).

Sixers make do without centers 

Hood-Schifino was a bright spot in his second game as a Sixer. He swished a three-pointer on his first shot, made two more triples in the first quarter, and reached his NBA career high before halftime. 

Oshae Brissett and Chuma Okeke also played for the second time with the Sixers. 

Okeke, who signed a 10-day contract Sunday, first inked a 10-day Sixers deal last month. He ended up playing just two garbage-time minutes in the team’s Feb. 7 blowout loss to the Pistons. Okeke logged 16 minutes Sunday, threw down a put-back dunk in the first quarter, and finished with five points and four rebounds.

Brissett had 13 points, five rebounds and two steals. He played some as a small-ball center. Though Brissett has previously filled that role in the NBA, neither he nor Guerschon Yabusele are sterling rim protectors or great deterrents to opposing drivers. Alex Reese, who Sixers head coach Nick Nurse described Friday as a “stretch four,” played at center late in the second quarter. The Sixers shifted to zone defense for the final few minutes of the first half.

The team’s defensive effort was not stellar in a half where Dallas poured in 68 points, but it’s very challenging to hold up without any truly natural centers. 

Grimes stars in 2nd half

The Sixers made a surge late in the second quarter and kept rolling in the third.

Grimes was in the middle of the action. He stole the ball from Brandon Williams, pushed ahead on a fast break and dished to Ricky Council IV for a lay-in that put the Sixers up 70-68. 

Grimes did it all the third quarter — run the offense; drive hard; make tough shots through contact; defend well on the ball. His and-one layup late in the third extended the Sixers’ lead to 10 points.

As a team, the Sixers followed Grimes’ lead on both ends. They pressured the rim ruthlessly, played much better defense, and capitalized on the Mavs’ extreme lack of healthy players. The Sixers’ five-man bench scored 57 points and Dallas’ three-man second unit recorded 38.

With Grimes resting early in the fourth quarter, Hood-Schifino knocked down a key three. Okeke and Jeff Dowtin Jr. drilled timely jumpers, too.

The last minute was tense, but the Sixers never squandered their lead. Grimes, Jared Butler and Hood-Schifino all sunk clutch free throws to ensure the Sixers exited Dallas with a victory.