LOS ANGELES — It all started on a recent episode of the Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul podcast, when the agent — LeBron James' agent — suggested the Lakers should talk to Memphis about a trade for All-Star and DPOY Jaren Jackson Jr., with Los Angeles sending fan favorite Austin Reaves to Tennessee.
"I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel. And I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they're not sensible to know that, then I don't know what to tell them."
There are a number of teams that have their eyes on Jaren Jackson Jr., and if Memphis might make him available in the wake of a Ja Morant trade. To this point, the Grizzlies are shooting down all those inquiries, league sources have told NBC Sports. The perception from other teams is that the Grizzlies are not ready to tear this thing down to the studs and rebuild. They believe they have a good supporting group led by JJJ, and if they can land another star, they could be right back in the mix in the West.
LeBron has to distance himself from the comments for locker room reasons, but Rich Paul is right. The Lakers are retooling their roster after Luka Doncic was gifted to them, and with that they need an elite two-way center who sets strong screens and can roll hard to the rim. Jackson fits that bill, plus he can do more on offense. He would be a fantastic fit for the Lakers, and if the price were Reaves (likely with an unprotected first-round pick) they should jump at it.
The reality is Jackson is not available, and this summer Reaves is going to get a much-deserved massive raise. He has played at an All-Star level when healthy and shown he can carry the offense while Doncic is out. Reaves is a fan favorite, loves playing in Los Angeles and the Lakers should not consider trading him unless the return is just too good to pass up. That's unlikely, which is why next season we will almost certainly see Reaves still in a Lakers' uniform and Jackson in Grizzlies colors.
Midfielder signs long-term deal after move from Atlético
Thomas Frank: ‘Conor will bring leadership and maturity’
Conor Gallagher has pledged to bring “special moments” to Tottenham after completing a £34.6m transfer from Atlético Madrid. The London club moved quickly for a midfielder they have long admired after losing Rodrigo Bentancur to a hamstring injury at Bournemouth last Wednesday, beating off competition from Aston Villa. Bentancur has since undergone surgery.
Spurs looked at Gallagher at the end of the 2023-24 season only for him to go from Chelsea to Atlético for £34m. Before the Premier League game between Chelsea and Spurs in May 2024 at Stamford Bridge, the home support unfurled a giant banner of Gallagher. “Chelsea since birth,” read the caption about their academy product. The subtext was clear: do not sell him to Spurs.
Ja Morant — in Berlin, a comfortable 4,800 miles away from Memphis, where rumors of his imminent trade from the Grizzlies are swirling — addressed those rumors for the first time, mainly with a series of short answers.
Asked his reaction to the reports that Memphis is listening to calls to trade him before the Feb. 5 deadline, Morant said he would have to "live with it," reports Joe Varden of The Athletic, who was in Berlin (where the Grizzlies will face the Magic on Thursday). Here are a couple of other highlights from the press conference, as reported by Varden.
Asked if he expected to be with the Grizzlies beyond the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5, Morant quipped: "I'm the only one you asked that question to?"
...the NBA universe would like to know his reaction to potentially being traded, and asked him to compare the situation to the other challenges he's faced during his career, Morant called it "different."
Then there were questions about Morant's cryptic social media posts.
when dat smoke clear over only ones who love you gon be round
Asked about his cryptic social media posts in the wake of the reports about his future in Memphis, and the online criticisms of his posts (he's been called "Emo Ja," and he made the reference himself as part of his answer), Morant said: "Yeah, I see it. It's cool. Funny."
Morant has already been ruled out of Thursday's game against the Magic in Berlin due to a calf contusion, although he said in the press conference that he feels good. It is possible that Morant will play in the second game of the European series in London over the weekend.
Memphis is reportedly listening to trade offers for the 26-year-old two-time All-Star, although the market for him is limited due to concerns about availability (he has not played in six consecutive games since 2023), his ego and baggage, the $87 million he is owed for the two seasons after this one, and whether he still can consistently be the explosive driver and scorer that made him the most dynamic player in the league four or five years ago. There are teams willing to take a chance on him — the Heat and Raptors are the most mentioned, with reports he would like to go to Miami — but the return for Memphis will not be much more than the expiring contracts Atlanta got back recently for Trae Young.
Whenever that trade goes down, it likely won't happen until the Grizzlies get back from their European adventure, at least. And it may well drag out closer to the deadline.
Bucks fans had every right to boo their team Tuesday night. The Bucks were blown out at home by a Timberwolves team without Anthony Edwards (foot issue maintenance) and Rudy Gobert (suspension). The Bucks turned the ball over 20 times, were down 31 at the half and had no answer for Bones Hyland, who finished with 23 points.
Antetokounmpo's postgame explanation was pretty straightforward, via Jamal Collier of ESPN.
"Whenever I get booed, I boo back...
"I play basketball for my teammates. I play basketball for myself and my family. When people don't believe in me, I don't tend to be with them. I tend to do what I'm here to do, what I'm good at. ... It won't change home or away. But yeah, I've never been a part of something like that before and I don't think it's fair. I don't. But everybody has their opinion to do what they want to do.
"I'm not going to tell them what to do and how they should act when we don't play hard. Or when we lose games, or when we're not where we're supposed to be. I don't think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on [a] basketball court after I've been here 13 years. And I'm basically the all-time leader in everything."
Antetokounmpo was understandably frustrated during the loss, but his actions will only add fuel to the trade speculation fires around him. However, it doesn't change where things stand: The Bucks arent going to trade him in-season unless he asks to be traded, he has said he would never do that, Milwaukee is trying to add talent not trade him away, and with his salary (and the fact he only would want to go to specific places) it's next to impossible to trade him in-season anyway.
Still, from the outside, the relationship feels a little more strained today than it was yesterday.
Shaun Wane has left his position as England’s head coach with immediate effect, the Guardian can reveal, leaving the national team on the hunt for a replacement for the Rugby League World Cup later this year.
Wane oversaw England’s 3-0 Ashes defeat against Australia last autumn but insisted in the aftermath of that series that he was keen to continue and rebuild going into the World Cup in the southern hemisphere this year.
Lakers forward LeBron James, left, dribbles as guard Marcus Smart follows during Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Weary and downtrodden from a losing streak that stretched to three games after a loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, the Lakers entered Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with Luka Doncic and LeBron James both listed as “questionable.” It looked like an inevitable loss would be coming.
That is, until James collected a full-court baseball pass from Marcus Smart in the first quarter and slammed it down with one hand. The superstar still had his bounce Tuesday.
Doncic and James led the way as the Lakers (24-14) avoided their season-long losing streak. Doncic, who was dealing with groin soreness from Monday’s loss, had 27 points and 12 assists while James, playing on back-to-back nights for the first time this season, had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
“It's remarkable,” coach JJ Redick said of James. “His competitive stamina is off the charts.”
Redick said he didn’t expect James to play Tuesday. He had not played in two games in as many days all season, and, at 41 years old, James said his status for all back-to-backs going forward should be “to be determined.”
Then James dominated with his third 30-point game of the month and his 61st 30-point double-double as a Laker, passing Kobe Bryant for seventh most in franchise history.
“I don't take for granted the LeBron stuff,” Redick said. “It's unfortunate actually — not to go on a little tangent here — but it's actually unfortunate how much this guy puts into it and how much he cares and the way certain people talk about him. It's crazy. Come be around him every day and see how much this guy cares. It's off the charts.”
Redick then followed the tangent when asked why it was “unfortunate.”
“That's the nature of envy,” the coach lamented. “It's the nature of envy. You're not going to get a click, you're not going to get a response, by saying something nice about somebody, by acknowledging someone's greatness, by acknowledging how much they care and how much they work and how much they've accomplished and continue to accomplish and continue to go after something. I mean, you got to say something bad about him. You got to go on TV and knock him. You got to go read into, ‘Oh, he did this pregame and he did this.’ It's all just nuts. Be around him every day. He's unbelievable.”
Teammates have tried futilely to beat James to the arena or the practice facility in the morning and can never seem to arrive early enough. His extensive pregame routine Tuesday, only hours after he played 33 minutes and 13 seconds on Monday in Sacramento, included an ice bath in a hyperbaric chamber before arriving at the arena then hours of activation, treatment, stretching and lifting before the game.
“For me, he’s one of a kind,” Doncic said. “To be in his 23rd season, to play back-to-back, it costs everybody. But for him it’s probably even more difficult. It shows how much he cares.”
Despite owning nearly every record and accolade, James said he still has no choice but to keep his standard high.
“I would never disrespect the basketball gods,” James said. “I understand that it's a real thing. … Every time I hit the floor or I'm at a practice, whatever the case may be, trying to set an example for my teammates and the younger generation that's watching me or watching throughout my career. I mean, shoot, my son is right over there.”
With three minutes and 43 seconds left, James was just one rebound shy of his first triple-double since Feb. 1, 2025, but didn't chase the significant stat. After hitting a free throw, he quickly committed a take foul to stop the clock so he could leave the blowout.
He subbed out for son Bronny.
Rui Hachimura returns off the bench
Rui Hachimura made his return from a right calf strain that kept him out for two weeks, scoring seven points on three-for-seven shooting with two rebounds. He was on an 18-minute restriction, which kept him on the bench at the beginning of the game. Hachimura was the Lakers’ first sub, coming in for James with six minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
“He's our best catch-and-shoot guy,” Redick said of Hachimura before the game, “so looking forward to [having him back].”
Hachimura was one of three from three-point range Tuesday as the Lakers shot 55.9% from three, a season high. The shooting spree came less than 24 hours after the Lakers, who rank 24th in three-point shooting percentage, were a frigid eight for 36 from deep against Sacramento. Hachimura is shooting a team-high 44.5% from three-point range this season.
Deandre Ayton shoulders the load
With Jaxson Hayes sidelined because of left hamstring soreness, Deandre Ayton had a second consecutive double-double with 17 points and a season-high 18 rebounds.
Ayton’s energy has appeared to fluctuate in recent games, including two games in which he did not finish the fourth quarter on the court. Ayton promised to be a defensive anchor for the team that picked him up in free agency after he flamed out with Portland last season, and the 7-footer has been good, Redick said, “when he’s engaged.”
“It just, you know, just more consistency," Redick said. "He's shown he can do it … Deandre's told on himself: he can be a really good defender.”
Hayes’ defensive struggles got him benched late last season, but Redick has commended the center’s improvement on that end of the court. Hayes has delivered what Redick called several “teach tape verticalities” this year to protect the rim. His progress on defense and electric dunks on offense helped Hayes earn closing minutes in clutch games against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 2 and the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 9.
But Hayes felt the hamstring injury late in the game against Sacramento and couldn’t return, Redick said. The team got imaging on the injury and will soon know more. Without his frontcourt running mate, Ayton said he wanted to bring the same mindset he’s had all season to help the Lakers bounce back from Monday’s disappointing loss.
“You can say one thing about these back-to-backs,” Ayton said, “but being in the NBA, having games that you lose or you didn't play so well in as a team, you get another opportunity like tonight to redeem.”
The NBA trade deadline is nearing, and the league already blessed us with a Trae Young deal as an appetizer. Now the main course is coming, and with the Eastern Conference wide open and the West closer to that than imagined, you can expect a buffet of transactions.
Here’s your primer for the incoming trade season, looking at the league’s big players, and how the Knicks might be approaching the deadline...
Biggest names
The domino many are waiting to fall is Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo formally requesting a trade from the Bucks. We’ve seen flip-flopping quotes and buzz, but nothing definitive to put him on the market. In fact, signs point to the Bucks being buyers in a last ditch effort to keep him aboard.
Ultimately that’s likely how this ends, with an inevitable Giannis deal in the offseason when it’s much easier to pull off. This would also give the Knicks a shot to win with this roster under a new head coach -- something they likely want to see before blowing it up again.
The two next biggest names are Anthony Davis and Ja Morant, two unlikely Knicks targets for differing reasons. Davis will have surgery and likely miss the rest of the regular season, which he’s already been in and out of, while Morant plays the same position as Jalen Brunson and is a big question mark off the court.
Other rumored names are Lauri Markkanen, Domantas Sabonis, and Zach LaVine. Two high-level guys in Michael Porter Jr. and Jonathan Kuminga look certain to be dealt.
Leon Rose / Getty Images/SNY Treated Image
Biggest movers
The Knicks aren’t expected to chase a big fish, or even be one of the more active teams. They’re one of the surest contenders in the East with only slight holes to fill when fully healthy.
Who might stir the pot big time in early February is the aforementioned Bucks, desperate to build something of a winner around Giannis. Another big buyer could be the Hawks, fresh off the Young trade with assets and young talent in tow.
If they decide to go all-in on a run this year, the Pistons could get active with Tobias Harris' salary and draft capital around their dangerous core. The Timberwolves and Rockets should be cornering the guard market, with the Heat and Raptors window shopping, while the Clippers only have incentive to buy so long as they don’t give up future assets.
On the selling side, the Knicks can target tanking teams like the Nets, Wizards, and Jazz for some marginal talent at cheaper costs. Also, watch out for the Celtics potentially trying to cash in on this surprising season and lower their tax bill.
What do the Knicks do?
While we may be in for a wilder trade season than usual, it won’t be because of New York, unless Leon Rose pulls the trigger on some massive surprise trade. They’re a bit restricted under their current cap and asset situation, don’t want to mess with a winning core, and don’t have viable targets out there to even consider doing so.
The probable outcome is a small deal around Guerschon Yabusele’s salary for a depth upgrade. That may not inspire awe for fans, but it’s what the team needs most -- not another blockbuster deal.
The deadline brings out the league’s most desperate teams in hopes of reshaping their roster for the home stretch. If it’s any indication of how their season is going, the Knicks largely being absent from the festivities is a good sign.
The world of soccer throws up no shortage of questions. In today’s column, we endeavor to answer three of them
As damaging as Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona was for Xabi Alonso’s credibility as Real Madrid manager, the scenes after the game ultimately finished him off. The sight of Kylian Mbappé overriding Alonso, insisting his teammates leave the pitch as the manager requested in vain that they give Barça a guard of honour, summed up an untenable situation.
The world No 7 on his teenage trip to west Africa, his fundraising efforts and finding his form ahead of the Australian Open
“Well, imagine you’re 13,” Félix Auger-Aliassime says, smiling. “I had been to Europe. I had been to America. I live in Canada. And then you go to Togo; it’s a little different, you know?”
Auger-Aliassime, the seventh best tennis player in the world, was describing the homecoming he enjoyed 12 years ago as he first caught a glimpse of Togo, the country his father, Sam, was born in and emigrated from to Canada before his son’s birth. It was a significant moment in his life.
The Boston Celtics will spend the next month linked to every available player 6-foot-10 or taller. But even if the Memphis Grizzlies were willing to consider offers for former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., it’s hard to see how the Celtics could afford the long-term splurge.
The Celtics could put together a package built around Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, and draft picks to get into any Jackson Jr. sweepstakes, but the long-term financial implications make a swap seem unlikely.
Jackson is making $35 million this season (22.6 percent of the cap) before his salary balloons to an average of $50.5 million over the next three seasons. Even if the Celtics were able to stomach that number this season, it becomes basically untenable moving forward.
For the 2026-27 season, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will combine to earn $115.6 million. Add in Jackson’s $50 million and Derrick White’s $30.3 million salary, and the Celtics are at nearly $200 million in total salary for four players next season.
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Boston would be launching back above the second apron after swallowing hard to get off of it this past summer. The Celtics would still have to navigate pesky repeater tax penalties that would drive the total cost of this roster to the moon, and leave no pathway to resetting those penalties without moving on from at least one of those core pieces.
The Celtics obviously need to figure out what the next iteration of a championship-contending frontcourt looks like, particularly after moving on from Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet this past summer.
Neemias Queta has performed beyond expectations as Boston’s starting big man and Luka Garza has reinvigorated the bench since his return to the rotation in late December. Still, the big-man position — and size in general — is Boston’s greatest area of need, even if Tatum will add some much-needed size and rebounding whenever he’s back on the floor.
Jackson Jr.’s defensive pedigree is intriguing, as is his ability to stretch the floor on the offensive end. He’s still only 26 years old. The downsides: His rebounding is underwhelming (5.6 per game this season and only one season with 6-plus rebounds per game) and he can be a bit of a foul magnet.
Ultimately, it’s the price tag that poses the biggest challenge, as well as the draft capital that you’d have to expend to land a player like Jackson Jr.
Taking on that sort of salary makes it vital to have a steady stream of low-cost draftees coming into the program, and Boston would have to mortgage much of that future as well as basically all of its flexibility.
Ron Fowler left his role as executive chairman of the San Diego Padres in 2020 [Getty Images]
A former executive chairman and co-owner of Major League Baseball team the San Diego Padres is set to take a controlling stake in League One club Lincoln City.
American Ron Fowler initially bought a minority interest in third-tier Lincoln in April 2024, and he is now poised to replace Arizona-based Harvey Jabara as the majority shareholder if his bid is cleared by the English Football League.
Lincoln's board approved a proposal from Fowler to increase his stake - through his company Liquid Investments - to more than 25% on 11 December.
Fowler, whose son Andrew is also involved in the club, will take on the position of chairman at LNER Stadium and will "assume responsibility for the funding of the club for the immediate future".
The ownership shake-up at Lincoln, who are second in the table, was confirmed as a "future development" in the club's annual accounts covering the 12 months up to June 2025.
"Acquiring 25% or more of the share capital is regarded by the EFL as acquiring control and consequently Liquid Investments Inc will need to demonstrate they are eligible to acquire control and are able to and will provide the necessary funding to ensure the club can continue to operate post-acquisition," the club noted in its report.
Fowler will take on responsibility for a promotion-chasing club that reported a loss of just under £2.9m relating to the 2024-25 season.
While the club's turnover was a record £8.5m, up from just under £7m the previous season, their losses were down from just under £3m a year earlier.
It was also a season in which the club's shareholders put £3.6m into the club.
Funding that Fowler now intends to put into the club is said to have already been "earmarked" for "various projects at the LNER Stadium".
Fowler is a business owner in the beverage industry in the United States.
He turned his attention to English football after his involvement in the Padres came to an end in March 2022, having served as vice-chairman after passing on control of the MLB team 16 months earlier.
Dante Fabbro(3), Charlie Coyle(8,9-ENG), Zach Werenski(17-PPG), and Boone Jenner(8-GWG) powered the CBJ offense, and Jet Greaves made 29 saves to beat the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.
The Rick Bowness era has begun with a win.
The Blue Jackets jumped on the Flames quickly in the first period by scoring twice. But when the Flames scored in the dying seconds of the second period to tie the game, you could feel the energy get sucked out of Nationwide Arena.
They didn't quit though. Blue Jackets superstar Zach Werenski scored a power play goal with about 15 minutes to play to put Columbus back on top, but per the norm, it didn't last long. Mikael Backlund scored the Flames third power play goal of the night to tie the game yet again, this time at three. Another blown third period lead.
But Captain Boone Jenner would not be stopped on Tuesday night. Having already registered a fight, he would score what would end up being the game winner with 1:34 left in the game. He then recorded an assist on Charlie Coyle's empty net goal to record the rare Gordie Howe Hat Trick.
They do need to clean the penalty kill up though. They gave up three power play goals that almost cost them this win.
Bowness said of the win, "We asked them to compete and we did. We competed. We played very well. In the first 40 minutes, we weren't giving them anything 5-on-5. Clearly, the penalty kill is the one that set us back, so we'll work on that. We can fix that."
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus (1-1-0) and Calgary (1-1-0) concluded the season series with both teams winning their respective home contests. The home team has now won eight of the past nine games in the overall series.
With both teams scoring five goals in their respective victories, the winning team has now scored four or more goals in seven of the last 10 games of the series.
Both teams won their games by multiple tallies and have done so in five-straight meetings as well as in nine of the past 10 outings in the all-time series.
The Jackets won their second consecutive game and opened a stretch of seven of the next eight games at Nationwide Arena.
The Blue Jackets scored first for the 26th time this season, 21st time at Nationwide Arena, and are 16-6-4 when doing so (8-4-1 at home).
Columbus head coach Rick Bowness earned the win in his first game behind the bench.
Final Stats
CBJ APP
Player Stats
Dante Fabbro scored his 3rd goal.
Charlie Coyle his 8th and 9th goals of the season. He also collected his 20th assist and had 7 shots on goal. He posted his third three-point performance of the season with two goals and an assist (2-1-3) and has goals in back-to-back games for the first time this season (3-1-4). He now sits two goals shy of 200 for his career (198-316-514, 996 GP).
Zach Werenski scored his 17th goal and had 2 assists. He also had 5 shots on goal. He posted his fifth three-point effort of the season with a goal and two assists. He has points in each of his past 15 contests at Nationwide Arena (11-18-289, 11 multi-point outings), for the second-longest home points streak in club history and trailing his 22-game streak from Nov. 1, 2024 – Feb. 22, 2025. He has notched 50 points for the third-straight campaign and became the fourth active U.S.-born defenseman with as many consecutive seasons (Adam Fox from 2021-22 to 2024-25; Quinn Hughes from 2021-22 to 2024-25; John Carlson from 2017-18 to 2019-20). Werenski improved his career mark against Calgary to 6-8-14 with five multi-point efforts in 16 career games, including 4-5-9 in his last seven games played and has 4-4-8 in his eight career home games with back-to-back multi-point performances at home vs. the Flames (2-3-5).
Boone Jenner scored his 8th goal, had two assists, and had a fight. He registered the first Gordie Howe hat trick of his NHL career tonight after scoring the game-winning goal with 1:34 remaining in the third period as well as assisting on Coyle’s empty net tally and earning a fighting major against Rasmus Andersson in the second period. His seventh multi-point effort of the season (1-1-2) also makes him one assist shy of 200 for his NHL career (207-199-406, 773 GP). He also became the third player in franchise history with 30 career game-winning goals, behind only Rick Nash (44) and Cam Atkinson (42)
Jake Christiansen picked up his 2nd assist.
Dmitri Voronkov recorded his 14th assist.
Adam Fantilli got his 17th assist. He also won 9/14 faceoffs.
Kirill Marchenko tallied his 22nd assist.
Kent Johnson set a season high with 20:55 time on ice.
Ivan Provorov had 6 shots on goal.
Team Stats
The Jackets power play went 1/4.
The Columbus PK couldn't make a stop, giving up 3 power play goals on three chances.
Columbus won 55.4% of the faceoffs - 36/65
The Blue Jackets had 21 hits.
Up Next: Columbus is back home to play the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
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So much is made from fans and commenters that Nick Nurse doesn’t run any plays, that he’s taking a lazy approach to calling the Sixers offense.
Now nearing the halfway point of the season, the Sixers have posted a middling offensive rating (114.8), ranking 13th in the league, while shooting the 15th-most threes, making the 14th-most and not excelling in any specific statistic so far.
There are fair criticisms of the job Nurse has done so far this season but let’s dive into what the ideas are behind the offense.
Nurse’s main offensive philosophy lies in creating mismatches in isolation, something that helped him elevate the Raptors from early round playoff purgatory into NBA Champions.
The 2019 champion Raptors had a slew of isolation scoring experts.
Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Vleet, and Kyle Lowry all excelled at their individual shot making.
Putting them in positions to succeed was something Nurse leaned on for his offense.
Creating mismatches by getting his guards isolating opposing bigs, or identifying the weak defensive link for Leonard and Siakam to exploit, the Raptors were able to create advantages on offense with their given offensive skill sets.
While Nurse also had set plays to get easier looks for shooters, or open looks at the rim, he also understood that the offensive firepower in the NBA can be unleashed in isolation.
This offensive strategy would not work with every NBA team. A certain roster build is necessary that includes several gifted scorers who are capable on the defensive end. Players who are upper tier athletes who won’t back down from moments where the focus is solely on them.
Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe are four players that Nurse loves to put in the same isolation situations.
All four guys (wild that one of them is a rookie) are able to get their own shot against defenders.
While fans clamor for Nurse to “run more plays” (something he does a lot of already and something we will dive into in the future), oftentimes the best offense can come just from putting one of the aforementioned Sixers in an isolation that favors them.
The concepts on offense don’t have to be complex. With the right players it can look like nothing is happening. The simplicity of the ball screen has stayed in the NBA for as long as it has because it’s so effective.
A simple ball screen to get Maxey onto a big man on the perimeter, or to get Embiid the ball deep in the post against a much smaller player can be all you need.
Nurse also runs a fair number of “empty side” ball screens, to eliminate any help defense that can come from the baseline. This helps Maxey and Embiid work in ample space and use their prowess to carve defenses.
The true speed bump for Nurse’s offense has been the changing availability up and down the roster.
The pace of the offense changes violently depending on which players are available. It can be the frantic, blazing offense commanded by Maxey, or the methodical, all-eyes-on-me offense that Embiid has anchored for several seasons now.
The Maxey offense is wild. It’s fast. It’s fun. It’s something Philadelphia hasn’t seen in a long long time and it’s a change of pace turned up to the highest notch.
Maxey could well be one of the twitchiest players the league has seen, blending his straight line quickness with deceleration that confounds defenders and leaves them guessing if they should try to follow him to the rim, or try to retreat with him to the three point line.
His improved playmaking has elevated his teammates as oftentimes, more than one defender is needed to stop the simplest of Maxey isolations.
It’s a tough ask to find another player who has his combination of speed, shooting, handle, strength, flexibility, and overall burst.
Play too close and he goes right around you.
Take a step back, he shoots right over you.
But a bigger defender on him? He’s too fast for them.
Put a quicker guard on him? He’s too strong for them!
Although Maxey’s Most Improved Player Award from 2023-24 sits somewhere in his home, you could argue this current season has been the true breakout as Maxey ascends towards super stardom.
Maxey gives Nurse’s offense movement with the ball in his point guard’s hand. His breaking down of defenses opens passing windows, cutting lanes, and shooting opportunities for himself and others.
Maxey has run ball screen actions with several players as his screener this season. Embiid, Jabari Walker, Dominick Barlow, Andre Drummond, Adem Bona, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes. Jared McCain, Trendon Watford, Kelly Oubre (ok basically the whole roster) have been involved in screening for Maxey.
Teams will throw their best guard and wing defenders on Maxey or give him different looks to try to slow him down.
While this can work to an extent, the lesser defender on the screener can get switched onto Maxey.
The most notable so far was on Edgecombe’s game winner in Memphis. The Grizzlies attempt to hide a weaker defender Ja Morant on Edgecombe.
The Sixers put him in the ball screen action to force him and the Grizzlies into a decision with quick communication.
The Grizzlies decide to blitz Maxey who finds Edgecombe with an open shot for the lead.
Given that Maxey has taken such another huge leap, the offensive hub that has been Embiid for seasons on end seemed to be dwindling to an end.
That was until the recent surge of play that looks as close to the Embiid of old as we have seen in some time.
This offense has been predicated on Embiid operating out of the post, trying to find cutters when he’s double teamed, drawing fouls on defenders reaching, and scoring on practically everyone who faces him.
This style led him to a scoring title, MVP, and a staple as the top points scorer in the league.
As injuries continue to beat him down, he can no longer be the initiator of the offense.
The physical toll of his style of play draws too much contact for his body.
Putting him against smaller defenders later in the possession is something that can extend his longevity.
With Maxey now leading the offense and controlling the ball, Embiid has transitioned to more of a decoy and play finisher for the first time in a long time.
Nurse’s offense doesn’t give Embiid as many post ups as before. He’s now operating in the middle of the floor near the free throw line, often receiving a pass from Maxey who has created an advantage.
Trusting his offensive players to capitalize on the smallest of advantages may not be the flashiest offense, but Nurse and Maxey have led the Sixers to a 22-16 start in a season that had the potential to repeat the abject failure of the 2024-25 season.
If the simplicity of the offense can sustain for the rest of the season and into the spring time will be the true test to see what Nurse has up his sleeve.
While the main philosophy of Nurse’s offense relies on these mismatches and tiny advantages, there are several other sets Nurse runs to give his players a favorable chance to score.
More on Nurse’s offense will come in the following weeks.
After claiming a 6-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night, the Montreal Canadiens were taking on the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. Alexander Ovechkin and the Caps have had the Habs’ number of late, but without Tom Wilson, Jacob Chychrun, Justin Sourdif and Pierre-Luc Dubois, the locals came out flat, so to speak.
Of course, the Caps still had Alexander Ovechkin, but the Great Eight is not as much of a threat without his proper supporting cast. Even on the power play, the sniper still just stands there waiting for the perfect feed, even though it’s clearly not coming. At times, the fans even booed their once-devastating man advantage. Still, thanks to a fantastic third frame, the Capitals came back from 0-2 to win 3-2 in overtime.
Brendan Gallagher has made the headlines recently, but not necessarily for the right reasons, as fans and media alike have started questioning whether he’ll remain in the lineup when the injured Habs are ready to return. In this game, however, he scored an important goal, not only because it gave the Canadiens a 2-0 lead, but because it was the 243rd of his career, which means he’s now tied with Mats Naslund for the 14th most goals scored while playing for the storied franchise.
Chose qu'on aime réentendre: «De Danault à Gallagher»
Of course, Gallagher needed 881 matches to reach the milestone while Nastlund only needed 617 games, but still, for a fifth-round pick to have that kind of career with the same franchise is quite a feat. Gallagher has earned everything he has done in his career, nothing was ever given to him.
Frankly Disappointing For Montembeault
If there remained any doubts about whether Samuel Montembeault was fully back, they should have been eclipsed by his performance tonight. Flawless through 40 minutes after having made 17 saves, the Canadiens’ goaltender was put through a real test in the third as we faced 16 shots. While he did allow two goals, they were both nice deflected shots from Ethan Frank, and neither can be held against the Habs’ goaltender.
Montembeault's puck tracking and rebound control were on point, and he played a calm, collected game despite mounting pressure, especially late in the game. Without his heroics, the Caps wouldn’t have needed the overtime period to seal the deal. Washington added another 10 shots in the extra frame, and the goaltender stood tall as captain Nick Suzuki was stuck in the box, but with 39 seconds left, Connor McMichael called game.
Without Guhle, But With Anderson
Since the game was the second part of a back-to-back, the Canadiens elected to give Kaiden Guhle a night off and to bring Jayden Struble back into the lineup. While the decision makes sense from a workload management standpoint for Guhle, it meant that Noah Dobson spent 28:37 on the ice and Mike Matheson 27:54. Meanwhile, Arber Xhekaj only saw 7:03 of action, the fact that he was in the penalty box for so long after getting 17 penalty minutes didn’t help his cause much, and Jayden Struble only played 9:43 after he looked a bit worse for wear following a hit.
In his first game in 13 days, Josh Anderson did well, scoring the Canadiens’ first goal as they were on the penalty kill.
While the Canadiens leave Washington with a point, they could definitely have used two, and sooner rather than later, they may start regretting not having many regulation wins, since it's the first tiebreaker if points are tied.
21 different players nailed a three in tonight's Warriors-Trail Blazers game, which is the most players with at least one 3-pointer in a single game in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/If9NL7MtPb
Warriors guards De’Anthony Melton and Moses Moody led the way, both tying for a game-high four 3-pointers made. Golden State finished with a whopping 40.4 3-point percentage.
The Warriors attempted 57 three-point shots against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, tying a season-high.
“The ball just went in. Sometimes it’s that simple,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr explained to reporters after the win. “We had some good looks the other night that didn’t go, and you just keep firing, and we did that. [57] threes [attempted] is a lot.”
Steph Curry, the NBA all-time 3-point leader, made just two 3-pointers, which were his only field goals made in the game. Entering Wednesday, he is tied with Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell for most 3-pointers made this season (143).
Each Portland player who entered the game made at least one 3-pointer. However, the Trail Blazers finished with just a 29.8 3-point percentage.
The previous record was 20 players in a game, done three separate times, according to SportRadar. The first occurrence of 20 different players making a 3-pointer came between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks on Aug. 4, 2020, during the NBA bubble.
This season, the most players in a single game to make a 3-pointer was 18, done twice. Both games included Golden State and Portland: Trail Blazers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 23 and Thunder vs. Warriors on Dec. 2.
