Updates from day seven at Melbourne Park Spizzirri v Sinner, Keys defeats Pliskova 6-3 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena Any thoughts? Get in touch with an email
Pliskova 0-1 Keys (9)* The 186cm Czech intersperses a trademark ace between a series of unforced errors to hand Keys a couple of break points. She saves the first but Keys secures the early advantage with a lovely in-to-out forehand winner. The champion has started strongly, striking the ball cleanly from the baseline. Pliskova, by contrast, looks a bit flat-footed and lacking timing.
The players are out on RLA. Key’s’s neon green Nike outfit is irridescent in the bright sunshine. Pliskova is serving in orange Adidas.
Friday night in the NBA is always a spectacle, but January 23rd brings a slate so sharp it could cut glass. From a high-stakes clash at Little Caesars Arena to a spicy showdown in the City of Roses, the Association is kicking off the weekend on a high note.
I’ve sifted through the stats and ignored the noise to lock in a high-octane moneyline parlay for tonight’s slate. Whether you’re looking to pad your bankroll or just want more skin in the game, my NBA picks are designed to turn this evening’s hardwood drama into a calculated win. The research is done; all that’s left is the payout.
Best of all, this parlay has been BOOSTED by our friends at bet365.
Cade Cunningham is the engine that makes the Pistons' offense go, but hunting mismatches is going to be a nightmare tonight. Houston has positional size across the board and elite wing defenders to keep him contained.
Atlanta’s offense thrives on putting your defense in the blender to generate assists. That won’t work against Phoenix. They have one of the best perimeter defenses in the league and they could pick up the Hawks up full-court to disrupt that flow.
+756 BOOSTED ML PARLAY 📈@JonMetler breaks down all three legs 🗣️🗣️
There’s a small edge on the current price, but the edge will grow if RJ Barrett and Collin Murray-Boyles are officially cleared—and word is they both have a chance. With Portland playing Donovan Clingan in deep drop coverage, look for BI3 and IQ to feast in the mid-range.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — Levante scored in the last minute of stoppage time to beat Elche 3-2 in La Liga on Friday and notch a first home win that boosted its chances of avoiding a quick return to Spain’s second tier.
Levante came into the match as the only club which had not won at home this season and that record did not look like ending after it went behind to an Alvaro Rodríguez goal after 11 minutes.
However, Pablo Martínez levelled five minutes into the second half with a brilliantly executed flick.
Adrián de la Fuente put Levante ahead midway through the second period only for Adam Boayar to equalize for Elche in stoppage time with a stunning overhead kick.
That looked like that until Alan Matturro popped up in the 96th minute to head home from a corner kick and spark delirious scenes at Ciutat de València Stadium.
“Our fans gave us that support, that belief,” Martinez said. "Thanks to them we were able to score the third goal and give them something to celebrate.”
Levante has picked up seven points in the four games since Luís Castro replaced Julián Calero as coach before Christmas. It remained second from bottom but was four points clear of bottom side Oviedo and two behind Alaves.
Of course Giannis Antetokounmpo is frustrated. So is everyone invested in Milwaukee's basketball team, including its players and fans. At media day back in October, Antetokounmpo was clear — "I've said this many times, I want to be in a situation that I can win" — and in the past weeks, Milwaukee got to test itself against some of the best teams in the league in Minnesota, Denver, San Antonio and Oklahoma City. What the Bucks found was a huge gap between them and the elite teams (all four games were losses). The latest was a blowout loss to the Thunder, after which Antetokounmpo said the Bucks played selfishly.
So when ESPN's Shams Charania went on the Pat McAfee Show Friday and said that Antetokounmpo is frustrated, that is no doubt accurate — Charania is the definition of well-sourced — but the bigger question is, does his frustration actually change anything on the ground? First, here is Charania's quote.
"The frustration that Giannis Antetokounmpo has is at an all-time high. He's frustrated with the losing. He's frustrated with the situation, and I will say this, I've spoken to about a dozen sources on-and-off for weeks now, and the tension that's in the air within that organization, in that locker room, it's at an all-time high, and there's this somewhat of a splintering environment that we're seeing going on there, because when a player of Giannis' caliber maybe has a wandering eye, or maybe doesn't know what his future holds there, and having these intense conversations with the organization about what that looks like, there's going to be such high levels and degrees of uncertainty within that organization."
This comes after ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on SportsCenter (hat tip Real GM) that the entire league is watching what is happening with Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, but he eventually tapped into reality, even if that is not sexy for ratings or clicks.
"The entire NBA trade season is hinging on what happens with Giannis. Because if Giannis comes onto the market, not only would be there immense interest in him, but because of the size of his contract and the potential of a multi-player trade, I think you could see this see generate two, three, four different teams involved in trades and many, many players.
"The Bucks, to this point, have yet to cross the Rubicon there. And Giannis has yet to cross the red line and ask for the trade."
What league sources have told NBC Sports has not wavered: The Bucks will not trade Antetokounmpo unless he demands it. This is the best player in franchise history, still in his prime, and he's the guy who drives the team's economy right now, that's not a player a smaller-market team trades away. Antetokounmpo has said it’s not in his nature to demand a trade and he would never do that. Unless one side suddenly and unexpectedly flips its position, Antetokounmpo will remain a Buck through the end of the season.
Those same sources say this summer is where the rubber meets the road. The Bucks will offer Antetokounmpo a max contract extension. Every time that has happened before, he has signed the deal (although the last couple of times he used it as leverage to force an upgrade to the roster before putting pen to paper). If he signs it, then the status quo continues. If he's frustrated enough not to sign the extension, then the Bucks have to seriously consider trading him or risk him leaving in 2027 as a free agent and them getting nothing. But all of that is this summer.
For now, and for all the frustration in Milwaukee, there doesn't appear to be a trade coming.
Nuggets vs Bucks best bet: Aaron Gordon Over 17.5 points (-115)
The Denver Nuggets are still considering making an honest effort against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, the second half of a back-to-back that is taxing an already injury-riddled roster.
They could sit their few healthy starters, but the injury report suggests both Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray may play.
Of Denver’s true five starters, only Gordon is as generous as “probable” tonight.
He has cleared this prop in four of his nine games since returning from his own injury, and Murray’s questionable status tonight lends more value to this prop.
Murray has both hamstring and hip concerns. The smart move would be to rest him tonight.
At that point, the offensive emphasis must be on Gordon.
Denver should ease up as this game goes along, the back-to-back exacting a cost and thus dooming this game to an Under.
Nuggets vs Bucks odds
Spread: Nuggets +8 (-110) | Bucks -8 (-110)
Moneyline: Nuggets +225 | Bucks -275
Over/Under: Over 214.5 (-110) | Under 214.5 (-110)
Nuggets vs Bucks betting trend to know
Milwaukee has hit the game total Under in 21 of its last 30 games (+11.10 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Bucks.
How to watch Nuggets vs Bucks
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Friday, January 23, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Nuggets vs Bucks latest injuries
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MILAN (AP) — Serie A leader Inter Milan recovered from conceding two early goals to beat lowly Pisa 6-2 and open a six-point gap on Friday.
One of the shock results of the season looked possible at the San Siro when Inter found itself 2-0 down midway through the first half against a team that had not won in 10 league games.
However, three goals in the seven minutes before halftime transformed the match and put Inter on the way to a ninth win in 10 league games.
Pisa took the lead after 11 minutes thanks to a moment of inspiration from veteran striker Stefano Moreo. Yann Sommer’s pass out was poor and Moreo pounced before looking up from 35 meters out and stroking the ball over the goalkeeper’s head into the empty net.
Stefano doubled Pisa’s lead in the 23rd with a header from a corner kick.
Inter pulled one back from the penalty spot seven minutes before halftime when Piotr Zielinski converted after Matteo Tramoni handled inside the box.
Lautaro Martínez nodded in the equalizer two minutes later and Francesco Pio Esposito hit the third on the stroke of halftime when he headed home a cross from Alessandro Bastoni.
Federico Dimarco made it 4-2 eight minutes from time, Ange-Yoan Bonny added a fifth with a nice individual effort four minutes later, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan rounded off the scoring with a sixth in stoppage time.
Inter was six points clear of city rival AC Milan and nine ahead of defending champion Napoli.
The win was especially welcome for Inter given that the top four play each other this weekend. AC Milan is at fourth-placed Roma on Sunday, and fifth-placed Juventus is at home to Napoli on the same day.
Inter recover from 2-0 down to go six clear in Serie A
In Ligue 1, PSG go above Lens, who play on Saturday
Inter were shocked to go two goals down at home to relegation-battling Pisa but fought back to earn a 6-2 win at San Siro on Friday, as they continue to set the pace at the top of Serie A.
Stefano Moreo scored twice to put Pisa 2-0 up, the first thanks to a howler from the goalkeeper Yann Sommer, but Inter were ahead by the break. Piotr Zielinski converted a penalty and Lautaro Martínez and Francesco Pio Esposito both scored with headers in six minutes just before half-time.
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — St. Pauli and Hamburg drew 0-0 in a lacklustre derby that lifted St. Pauli off the bottom of the Bundesliga on Friday but did little to animate a dismal run of one win in 15.
The match between the two biggest teams in Germany’s second city failed to spark, particularly in a first half that saw just one shot on target, and that in stoppage time.
There were a few more chances in the second 45 minutes but no one with the composure to stamp his mark on the game.
The result moved St. Pauli from last to third to last.
Mainz was in last place.
Hamburg has gone five games without a win but climbed one place to 13th, five points ahead of St. Pauli.
AUXERRE, France (AP) — Bradley Barcola scored his second goal in two games to give Paris Saint-Germain a late win over lowly Auxerre and return to the top of Ligue 1 on Friday.
Barcola rescued PSG when, with the match heading to a 0-0 draw, he finished a counterattack in the 79th minute and squeezed the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
Until then, second-to-last Auxerre had frustrated second-from-top PSG without threatening to score. Auxerre did not have a shot on target all night at Stade de L’Abbé-Deschamps.
Barcola’s sixth goal of the season capped a fine performance, although the winger will rue missed chances that could have secured the three points earlier.
The result took PSG two points ahead of surprise pace-setter Lens, which faces a difficult tie at third-placed Marseille on Saturday.
Auxerre remained above only last-placed Metz on goal difference.
Boston Celtics (27-16) at Brooklyn Nets (12-30) Friday, December 23, 2026 7:30 pm ET Regular Season Game #44 Road Game #24 TV: NBCSB, YES, NBA-LP Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub, 101.9 FM, Sirius XM Barclays Center
The Celtics head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets at Barclays Center for the first of 2 consecutive games on the road. This is the 3rd of 4 meetings between these two teams this season. The Celtics won the first meeting 113-99 in Brooklyn on November 18. They lost the second meeting 113-105 in Boston on November 21. They will meet for the final time on February 27 in Boston.
Brooklyn is the youngest team in the league this season, with an average age of 23.98. The Celtics won the series 4-0 last season. The Celtics are 146-75 overall all time against the Nets and they are 69-40 when playing on the road against Brooklyn. This is the first of back to back games for the Celtics. They will play at Chicago on Saturday. They are 3-3 in the first of back to back games this season.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 5.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1.5 games ahead of 2nd place New York and 4th place Toronto, 3 games ahead of 5th place Cleveland and 3.5 games ahead of 6th place Philadelphia and 7th place Orlando. The Celtics are 20-10 against Eastern Conference opponents and 6-4 against the Atlantic Division. They are 14-9 on the road and 6-4 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a win in their last game.
The Nets are 13th in the East, 7 games behind 10th place Atlanta,5.5 games behind 11th place Milwaukee, and 3 games behind 12th place Charlotte. They are 2 games ahead of 14th place Washington and 3.5 games ahead of 15th place Indiana. They are 9-18 against Eastern Conference opponents and 3-8 against the Atlantic Division. They are 6-16 at home and 2-8 in their last 10 games. They have lost their last 3 games.
The Celtics had one game at home after a 4 game road trip. After this game at Brooklyn, they will head to Chicago for their second straight game on the road. They will then have a 4 game home stand where they will host Portland, Atlanta, Sacramento and Milwaukee. Then, they are on the road at Dallas and Houston before playing Miami, New York, and Chicago at home, taking them into the All Star Break.
After this game at home, the Nets will go on a 5 game road trip through the LA Clippers, Phoenix, Denver, Utah, and Detroit. They will then play one game at home against the Los Angeles Lakers before one game on the road at Orlando. Then they will have a 3 game home stand where they will host Washington, Chicago and Indiana before the All Star break.
Jayson Tatum remains out for the Celtics as he continues to rehab from the Achilles tear he suffered in last year’s playoffs. Josh Minott will miss his 9th straight game with an ankle sprain. Derrick White has been added to the injury report and will miss this game for rest. I took a guess that Baylor Scheierman will once again get the start but with Joe, you never know. Neemias Queta was a late addition to the injury list due to illness. He will be a game time decision. I would guess that Luka Garza would get the start if he is unable to play. For the Nets, only Haywood Highsmith is out due to a knee injury.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Payton Pritchard vs Egor Demin
SG: Baylor Scheierman vs Drake Powell
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Michael Porter, Jr
PF: Sam Hauser vs Noah Clowney
C: Neemias Queta vs Nic Claxton
Celtics Reserves Anfernee Simons Hugo Gonzalez Xavier Tillman Jordan Walsh Luka Garza Chris Boucher 2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga Amari Williams Injuries/Out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out Josh Minott (ankle) out Derrick White (rest) out Neemias Queta (illness) questionable Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Nets Reserves Tyrese Martin Ben Seraf Day’Ron Sharpe Cam Thomas Nolan Traore Ziaire Williams Jalen Wilson Danny Wolf
Two-Way Players EJ Liddell Tyson Etienne Chaney Johnson
Injuries/Out Haywood Highsmith (knee) out
Head Coach Jordi Fernandez
Key Matchups Jaylen Brown vs Michael Porter, Jr Porter is clearly the Nets best player and is averaging 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1 steal per game. He is shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.6% from beyond the arc. In the 2 games gainst Boston this season, he averaged 29 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 56.8% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc. The Celtics must do a better job of slowing him down in this game.
Neemias Queta vs Nic Claxton Claxton is averaging 12.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He is shooting 58.3% from the field and 16.7% from three. In the 2 games this season against the Celtics, he averaged 12.5 points, 11 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1 block while shooting 36.4% from the field with no threes. In the Nets’ win over the Celtics, he put up his first career triple double. The Celtics need to keep him out of the paint and be aware of him on defense as he is a good rim protector.
Honorable Mention Sam Hauser vs Noah Clowney Clowney is averaging 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 38.9% from the field and 32.3% from beyond the arc. In the 2 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 16 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal while shooting 47.8% from the field and 40% from 3.
Keys to the Game Defense – As always, defense is a key to winning this, and every, game. The Nets are 26th in the league with an offensive rating of 111.4 while the Celtics have an offensive rating of 121.3 (2nd). The Celtics are 13th in the league with a defensive rating of 113.7. The Nets are 26th with a defensive rating of 117.7. In the Nets win over the Celtics, they shot 52.4% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc. The Nets shoot 40.8 three pointers per game (6th) and they make 14.2 per game (10th) so the Celtics need to especially defend them on the perimeter. The Celtics have to play tough defense from the tip through the final buzzer in this one and not allow the Nets to get any offensive rhythm.
Rebound – Rebounding is also an important key to winning every game. The Celtics are 10th in the league, pulling down 45.1 rebounds per game. The Nets are 30th with 39.7 rebounds per game. It is important for the Celtics to rebound the ball to give themselves extra possessions and to prevent the Nets from getting the same along with 2nd chance points. Much of rebounding is effort and the Celtics have got to put out more effort than the Nets to grab rebounds for all 4 quarters.
Don’t Underestimate – The Celtics need to stay focused and be aggressive from start to finish. The Nets have not been playing well, but they play hard and will always try to beat the Celtics. The Celtics did underestimate them in their last meeting and ended up losing. The Celtics can’t underestimate them because they have lost 8 of their last 10 games. The Celtics should have the talent to win easily, but if they underestimate the Nets and come out with less than 100% effort, they be surprised with another loss to them. They also are coming off a 120-66 drubbing at the hands of the Knicks and so they may be looking to gain back a little self respect with another win over the Celtics. Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics are a much better team when they move the ball and don’t lapse into iso ball. They are 17-1 when they have 25 or more assists and they are 10-15 when they have fewer than 25 assists. Even though the Celtics usually take good care of the ball, they lose focus at times and turn the ball over too much. They need to make careful passes and keep the ball moving.
X-Factors On the Road Again – The Celtics are playing on the road again after one game at home. They will be playing in front of a hostile crowd and have the distractions that go with travel and playing on the road. The Celtics need to focus on the game and not on the distractions that come with playing on the road and in an unfamiliar arena. They need to get some motivation from avenging their loss in the last game against the Nets.
Officiating – I know that I say this every game, but the officiating always can be an x-factor in every game. Every crew calls the game differently whether they call every little ticky tack foul or they let a lot of contact go and let the teams play. Some refs favor the home team and some not so much. We have already seen a game where one non call can change the outcome. The Celtics have got to adjust to the way the game is being called and not let the officiating take away from their focus.
The surging Detroit Pistons are sitting atop the East and are the last opponent the Houston Rockets would want to face on the second night of a back-to-back.
Houston is coming off a taxing overtime loss in Philly, and my Rockets vs. Pistons predictions lean on Jalen Duren’s nonstop motor to cause problems for the visitors tonight.
Check out my NBA picks and betting tips for Friday, January 23.
Rockets vs Pistons prediction
Rockets vs Pistons best bet: Jalen Duren to record a double-double (-115)
The Detroit Pistons have a strong case as the best defense in the Eastern Conference, and Jalen Duren is a huge part of that. An All-Star candidate and one of the NBA’s best rebounders, his presence around the rim at both ends makes this a must-have prop.
It all starts on the boards. He ranks fifth in the league with 10.9 rebounds per game, and that jumps to 12.1 RPG on the road. The Houston Rockets will be without Steven Adams here, and the Kevin Durant-Alperen Sengun frontcourt logged big minutes last night.
That makes them vulnerable to the hosts’ bruising style.
The offensive glass — where Duren is hauling in four boards per game — is also often his path to scoring. He’s finished with a double-digit points tally in 12 straight contests, and he’s shooting 63% from the field this year, fueled by a steady diet of dunks.
That part of this pick feels like more of a formality.
Detroit may need Duren’s all-around hustle more than ever tonight, with Cade Cunningham, Caris LeVert, and Ron Holland II dealing with illnesses (though only LeVert is expected to sit out).
In what figures to be a defensive struggle at Little Caesars Arena, look for Duren to own the paint.
Rockets vs Pistons same-game parlay
Both of these teams have peppered the Under lately. It’s 9-1 in the Pistons’ last 10 contests, and 8-2 for the Rockets in that same span.
It’s also been a winning ticket in the past four meetings between these teams, and I see that trend continuing with both teams ranking in the Top 5 in points per game allowed.
I’m laying the points, too, with Cade trending towards playing.
Detroit is 6-3-1 ATS in its last 10 outings, while Houston drags an ugly road record into this matchup.
The Rockets are 11-13 SU on their travels this season, and they’ve dropped five in a row away from Toyota Center.
Rockets vs Pistons SGP
Jalen Duren to record a double-double
Under 218.5
Pistons -4.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Dishing Durant!
Houston is asking a lot of Kevin Durant, who’s averaging 38.7 minutes per game this month and doing the heavy lifting in late-clock situations.
KD has dished 5+ assists in three of his last four games, and Detroit will gladly force the ball out of his hands here.
Rockets vs Pistons SGP
Jalen Duren to record a double-double
Under 218.5
Pistons -4.5
Kevin Durant Over 4.5 assists
Rockets vs Pistons odds
Spread: Rockets +3 (-110) | Pistons -3 (-110)
Moneyline: Rockets +135 | Pistons -160
Over/Under: Over 218.5 (-110) | Under 218.5 (-110)
Rockets vs Pistons betting trend to know
The Rockets are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Rockets vs. Pistons.
How to watch Rockets vs Pistons
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Friday, January 23, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime
Rockets vs Pistons latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
My family and I spent some 17 hours of our Australian summer holidays road-tripping, nothing but the open road and the music blaring through the car speakers to stimulate our senses. It was during this—somewhere in-between my country shuffle and the kids’ umpteenth play of“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters—that the idea spawned: when you think of the Bucks’ season so far, what song(s) come to mind? And so it was born—Brew Hoop’s midseason mixtape.
Finn: “man at the garden” by Kendrick Lamar
Defining lyric:“Tell me why you think you deserve the greatest of all time, m*****f*****.”
Connection: On “man at the garden,” Kendrick powerfully asserts his merit for, as he repeats time and time again, “it all.” The superstar rapper cites the work he’s put in (“wakin’ up at 6 a.m./six miles a day, conditionin’ my wind”) and the commendable morals and approaches he’s moved through life with (“I see you as a human first/even when you didn’t understand your worth”), delivering his bars in a way that’s borderline cockily braggadocios, but also just unabashedly honest, as the premise of the song is a man explaining why he deserves to enter a biblical paradise. Kendrick’s attitude on this track feels like a strong match for Giannis this season, especially after the events from the Timberwolves blowout. “I don’t think anybody has the right to tell me what or how I should act on the basketball court after I’ve been here 13 years and I’m basically the all-time leader in everything,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about his booing exchange with Milwaukee fans. That’s not the humility we’re used to seeing from the MVP and it’s understandable—frustration has followed the big fella wherever he’s gone this year. He’s in a position where he wants “it all” and he’s earned “it all,” as well as the right to let the world know. Now, it’s up to the Bucks to prove why they deserve their greatest of all time.
Zac: “Heads You Win” by Charley Crockett
Defining lyric:“I should’ve seen it coming/But fools like me never do/Heads, you win/Tails, I lose.”
Connection: I had a long look at Crockett’s “Welcome to Hard Times” before deciding on this one. “Heads You Win” documents a cowboy’s longing for a lost love, one that stays with him like a “living apparition.” Substitute the lost lover for the Bucks of recent years—heck, even the Bucks that have appeared at certain times this season—and the song works just as well. In this reading, we—Bucks fans—are the narrator, coming to the realisation that, despite all the optimism of the off-season, we really “should’ve seen [this season’s struggles] coming”. Yet, just like the cowboy, “fools like [us] never do.” It also reframes the pain of fandom, acknowledging that “if [we] are being honest/It really ain’t [the Bucks’] fault.” And while we’ve been stuck on a “corner/Spilling memories” of recent glory, Jon Horst has kept flipping coins, only for luck to land the wrong way (injuries, perfect fits on paper not materialising etc.). In the end, “you”—other NBA teams, opposing fans, media—invariably win whether it’s heads or tails, as the Bucks just can’t get it together on a consistent basis and we are left with hearts that “can hardly stand it” and minds that are “unglued,” stuck with a team not good enough to contend and without the assets to make a rebuild attractive.
Jack: “Thought It Was” by Iann Dior feat. Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker
Defining lyric:“I lost my mind/Chasing a feeling in the hills at night/City of Angels, but it hurts sometimes/ Finally made it, but it don’t feel right/Don’t feel like I thought it would.”
Connection: OK, I cheated a bit since I couldn’t think of a song that accurately conveyed my feelings about this season. However, I did find the above song, whose chorus could apply to the last five seasons since Milwaukee won the title in 2021. Put simply, the Bucks have been “losing their mind” by “chasing the feeling” of winning a title. They “finally made” the trade that they believed would get them back there (Lillard), but it “didn’t feel right.” It “didn’t feel like they thought it would.”
Morgan: “We Beseech Thee” by the New Broadway Cast of Godspell (feat. Nick Blaemire)
Defining lyric:“Father, hear thy children’s call/Humbly at thy feet we fall/Prodigals confessing all/We beseech thee, hear us!”
Connection: I’ve been playing this album on repeat after the sibling gifted it to me this Christmas. What does a Stephen Schwartz (of Wicked fame) musical about the gospels have to do with the 2025-26 Milwaukee Bucks, you ask? This instant ear worm is essentially a repeated chorus ending with, “We beseech thee, hear us!”
Van: “Keep The Customer Satisfied” by Simon & Garfunkel
Defining lyric:“And I’m one step ahead of the shoeshine/Two steps away from the county line/Just trying to keep my customers satisfied/Satisfied!”
Connection: While the title and that lyric might sound a bit on the nose, and not all the lyrics are corollary, this deeper cut by one of my all-time faves immediately popped into my head when thinking about these Bucks. From the iconic duo’s last album, Bridge Over Troubled Water, this was a Paul Simon composition that may allude to his songwriting exhaustion under high expectations and undue criticism. That informed his writing on The Boxer, the album’s lead single, so it probably did here too. Now, this team is certainly facing a lot of just criticism, but the Prohibition-era references feel particularly apt: they’re barely managing to stay above poverty (shining shoes for richer folks/teams) but not quite as close to relative safety (evading mobsters/vultures who want Giannis across the county line/.500 line). They’re in between, trying to keep fans (and Giannis) satisfied. But unlike Simon’s fans, they’re not currently succeeding.
Zac: “Bitin’ List” by Tyler Childers
Defining lyric: “To put it plain, I just don’t like you/Not a thing about the way you is/And if there ever come a time I got rabies/You’re high on my bitin’ list.”
Connection: I’ll preface this by saying that my connection is solely to the season itself and not any of the Bucks players. You might find it particularly fitting for some though—or even coaching or front office staff. I won’t judge. Promise. A good ol’ sing-along, “Bitin’ List” is one for those of us who need to purge after the frustrations of this season: blowouts to bottom feeders, losing streaks, underwhelming play from our preseason second and third ranked players. So, yeah, if I indeed did have rabies—and the first half of the 2025-26 season was something, you know, tangible—you can bet your bottom dollar that I’d be finding a way to bite it. But only after I’d sharpened my teeth.
Matthew: “Waiting in Vain” by Bob Marley
Defining lyric:“I don’t wanna wait in vain for your love.”
Connection: The defining lyric could apply to many things for Giannis this season. Specifically, I thought of it first as Giannis not wanting to wait around for this team to be a contender, because he wants to play meaningful basketball now—not to mention the feeling of waiting to come back from injury and waiting to decide if he will be on the team or not. Other lyrics, like “Don’t treat me like a puppet on a strong/Cuz I know how to do my thing,” also help to reinforce the feeling of how this trade process has been stringing us and him along.
Zac: “Sorrow” by The National
Defining lyric:“Don’t leave my hyper heart alone on the water/Cover me in rag and bone sympathy/‘Cause I don’t wanna get over you/I don’t wanna get over you.”
Connection: One of my favourite songs of all time, “Sorrow” is a portrait of all-consuming lows. Regarding the Bucks’ season, the lyrics stay true but find new meaning, with the opening line—“Sorrow found me when I was young”—a fitting reminder of the losses that found the Bucks following the season’s opening week and a half. And, like the sorrow that finds itself in the speaker’s “honey” and “milk,” sorrow has tainted the pleasures of the Bucks’ season too (see KPJ going down on opening night; the blowout loss to the Nets following what felt like a momentum-building win against the Celtics etc.). But it’s the song’s chorus that’s most poignant: our hearts are still “hyper” and, despite the losses and the injuries and the trade rumours—the season’s sorrows—we “don’t wanna get over” it, and so we keep coming back for more.
Matthew: “Make It Better” by Anderson .Paak
Defining lyric:“Make it better.”
Connection: For a more positive spin, this entire song works as a metaphor for how Giannis and the Bucks have fallen on hard times with their love, but are trying to mend it and make it work. We have to acknowledge the difficulties of the season, but this option is hopeful!
There you have it, from hip hop to country, gospel to reggae, this Bucks season has reverberated across the musical spectrum. It shouldn’t be surprising; after all, basketball is music—the bounce of the ball, the flick of the net, the thumping systole and diastole that comes whether you’re catching a body or watching it happen from the stands. And while the first half of 2025-26 might have mustered mostly melancholy, a key trade or coaching change could easily see the second half turn euphonious.
As always, share your thoughts on our selections in the comments—and don’t forget to queue a track or two of your own!
In head-to-head fantasy basketball leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.
Fourteen teams play twice this weekend, including the Celtics, Nets, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pistons, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks, Pelicans, Thunder, Suns, Kings and Raptors. Prioritize those teams if you’re looking to maximize your games played.
That’s often what it comes down to in standard points and category leagues, but that’s not always the case. Leagues with some sort of games cap or best ball formats like Yahoo High Score leagues aren’t just looking for volume, though having two chances at a big night is a good strategy in best ball leagues.
Absolute must-start: Mavericks F Naji Marshall
Marshall has consistently been one of the best streaming options in fantasy basketball over the last few seasons when he gets the chance to start. As a starter over the past two weeks, Marshall has averaged 21.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 3-pointer per game while shooting 57.3% from the floor.
This weekend, he’ll be matched up against the Lakers and Bucks on a back-to-back. Both teams rank near the bottom of the league in defensive rating and rebounding percentage over their last five games. Marshall’s recent production, combined with two favorable matchups this weekend, is a recipe for him to have another monster weekend.
Guards
Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies
Ja Morant has been ruled out with an elbow sprain for Friday’s game and could remain out on Sunday. Anytime Morant is out, Spencer should be streamed in confidently. Spencer is averaging 11.4 points and 9.3 assists per game in 10 starts this season, and they get to take on the Pelicans and Nuggets this weekend. Both teams have struggled on defense in recent weeks.
Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
Rollins has been at his best this season when Kevin Porter Jr. isn’t in the lineup. KPJ is expected to miss an extended period of time with an oblique injury, so Rollins should be in for a productive weekend. He’s averaging 18.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.5 triples per game this year when KPJ doesn’t play, and Friday’s matchup against the Nuggets is favorable, even if Sunday’s game against the Mavericks will be tougher.
Max Christie, Dallas Mavericks
Christie has been on fire lately, and he is set up this weekend with two favorable matchups. He is averaging 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 5.3 triples over his last three games and gets to take on the Lakers and Bucks in a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday. Over their last 10 games, the Lakers are 24th in defensive rating, while the Bucks are 27th. Look for Christie to stay hot this weekend.
Forwards
Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers
Tell me if you’ve heard this story before: Tyson is stepping up for the Cavs while other perimeter players are injured. Over the past week, he has averaged 23.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.3 triples per game. Friday’s matchup with the Kings should be easier for him than Saturday’s against the Magic, but that’s enough for him to be worth starting this weekend.
Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics
Hauser’s value is tied to his shooting from deep, and he has been unreal as of late. This is definitely a scenario to ride the hot hand. He’s been starting lately, and over the past two weeks, he has averaged 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 3s per game while shooting 56.1% from the floor. Brooklyn is the Friday matchup, and they have struggled on defense recently. Saturday’s game against the Bulls isn’t quite as favorable, but Chicago hasn’t fielded an elite defense by any means.
Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
Coward has been solid all year, but he gets to take on two struggling defenses this weekend, which should lead to some big production. As mentioned previously, both the Nuggets and Pelicans have poor defensive ratings over their last 10 games. Coward hasn’t popped recently, but he has been consistently productive and has the upside to go off.
Centers
Sandro Mamukelashvili, Toronto Raptors
The status of Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb) is what prevents Mamu from being the absolute must-start of the week. CMB could play, and Mamu should still be productive if he does. However, if CMB remains out, the sky will be the limit for Mamu. Over his last four games, Mamu has averaged 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 triples per game. They’ll take on the Thunder on Sunday, and OKC has been one of the worst rebounding teams in the league for most of the season.
Mark Williams, Phoenix Suns
Williams’ up-and-down minutes allocation has been frustrating at times, but this weekend is set up for him to thrive. They’ll take on the Hawks and Heat, and they rank 23rd and 26th in rebounding percentage over their last 10 games. Miami has also struggled to defend the paint recently, and both teams play at a fast pace, which means extra possessions for Williams to produce.
Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics
Queta is currently questionable with an illness, so if he doesn’t suit up, this spot would turn to Luka Garza or Xavier Tillman. Queta hasn’t missed a game since November, and Tillman started in his place for that one. They’ll take on the Nets and Bulls this weekend, and Brooklyn has been one of the worst rebounding teams in the league recently. Queta has been awesome all season and should feast on the Nets down low.
At Mavs Moneyball we operate out of an instance of Slack, that’s how we do business, chat, watch games, etc. It’s one of those things I wish we could open to the public (a Discord?) but I don’t have time to manage one more thing. So sometime I’ll come back to a given Slack channel and see enough for an article. The Draft channel is easily the one where things get the most intense. So we’re going to do a weekly post: what is your hottest draft take from this last week of games or watching tape?
Tyler: Christian Anderson Jr. should have more consideration as a potential lottery guy in this class. Anderson was a standout at the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer, earning all-tournament honors. The other two guys to earn those honors? AJ Dybantsa and Mikel Brown Jr., who both should go top 10 in this draft.
On the season, Anderson Jr. is averaging over 20 points and seven assists per contest, while shooting 49% from the floor and over 45% from three. He also plays basically every minute of every game. Anderson Jr. has played 37+ minutes in 17 straight games, going the full 40 in six of them. He’s a workhorse guard who is playing with elite efficiency and orchestrating the entire offense.
Even with the known concerns about his size (just 178 pounds) and athleticism, the Texas Tech product deserves to be in that same tier as your other mid-to-late lottery guards. He’s that good.
Joe: My Hottest take right now is that Dailyn Swain could go as high as late lottery. Not saying he will go that high, but I see the vision. Swain is one of the more intriguing long-term wing bets in this class. He is a 21-year-old two-way connector with size, athleticism, and a game that translates better to the NBA than to a cramped college floor. This season, he is averaging 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting an efficient 56 percent from the field.
The jumper is the clear swing skill at 27 percent from three and 65 percent from the line, but he has improved his production and efficiency every year, keeping his developmental arrow pointing up. Swain impacts games without requiring high usage. He is a good cutter who relocates well, runs the floor hard, and finishes downhill with either hand. In transition, he can handle, pass, and create advantages without forcing shots. As a passer, he plays with feel, even if he occasionally tries to make a difficult read instead of taking the simple one.
Defensively, his versatility drives his value. He can already guard positions one through three and has the frame and mobility to eventually take on some fours in switching schemes. His length, instincts, and movement give him real lineup flexibility at the next level.
The shooting will decide how far he goes. His mechanics and confidence from deep need work, but his efficiency inside the arc, cutting, and transition play already give him ways to score. In an NBA environment with more spacing, his downhill game and defensive impact should pop. If the jumper comes around, Swain profiles as the kind of high-level rotation wing every good team needs.
Kirk: I don’t really contribute much to draft content, I don’t have the bandwidth. But I saw Nathan Grubel appear on Locked on Mavs and how he talked about Cameron Boozer and I felt compelled to dig deeper. And I just don’t get it. The top of the NBA Draft is about selecting someone who can change your franchise. Numbers are numbers but when I’ve watched Boozer I haven’t felt the impact. Maybe I am crazy but pairing him with Flagg seems like a tremendous waste of a pick and fixes none of the current Maverick problems. Of course that would be a nice problem to have, drafting that high I mean, but that whole take from Nathan. doesn’t pass my casual eye test.
Bryan: Darryn Peterson at 21.6p/4.6r/1.9a on 49/42/82 shooting splits is number one with a bullet in this class and the ongoing debate about Cam Boozer or AJ Dybantsa possibly being drafted first instead still confounds me a bit. Peterson is the most complete prospect in this class and will enter the draft process as the best guard prospect since John Wall in 2010. He’s dealt with a hamstring injury that kept him off the court for a long while and affected his ability to move and drive for a while after his return, but he is usually an explosive athlete both vertically and laterally. Darryn’s an outstanding finisher who can do it with craft, finesse, and explosive leaping ability paired with being a fluid ballhandler with an array of moves, counters, fakes and mid-range step-backs.
His most criticized skill after what some believed to be an outlier senior year of shooting has proven to be elite indeed as he’s now a knockdown three point shooter off the bounce (both in iso and PNR) and off the catch (both standstill and as a movement shooter flying around screens). He has yet to turn the ball over this season as a pick-and-roll ballhandler and has flatly been the best scorer on or off ball in the class. Oh, and he’s also the best defensive prospect in the class not named Jaden Quaintance or Caleb Wilson and has been since high school.
This guy is inevitable and frankly the only reason debate rages on about who should be first overall this coming June is because he’s missed time due to the hamstring (an injury that can linger if not fully healed and very easily be tweaked again) and a need for content to fill the draft news cycle (stone, glass house, yadda yadda). If the Mavericks miraculously land the number one pick again, I know who I’m taking.
David S.: My hot take is Keaton Wagler is a lottery pick and I don’t mean at 14th. Stop me when hear something that doesn’t make an NBA scout drool.. Wagler is an 18 year old jumbo secondary initiator with a tight handle that can shoot the three, has great passing skills, and a high IQ player. He is more crafty than athletic, but his height, ability change speeds, shoot, and distribute the basketball make him an elite offensive weapon on and off the ball. Wagler is averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists with only 1.4 turnovers. Wagler is shooting around 40% from behind the arch and 82% from the free throw line.
Defensively Wagler’s length and IQ make him a promising defender in the NBA. On tape he has a long wing span, but we likely won’t know how long til the NBA combine. Physically Wagler will need to add more muscle to his wiry frame be a solid wing defender at the next level.
While I don’t see Wagler as a number one option in the NBA. If he becomes an average defender, he has the tools to help spread the floor for a teams number one option. The 6’6 combo guard will benefit greatly from an Illini deep run in the March Tournament.
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Detroit Pistons
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