Category: Basketball

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You'd better finish opening your presents quickly because the NBA is bringing the heat early on Christmas Day, with the New York Knicks hosting the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden at noon ET in an NBA Finals rematch.

I had a strong stance on this matchup during the NBA Finals, and it hasn't changed. Let's dive into my early NBA picks for a loaded slate on Friday, Dec. 25.

NBA Christmas Day predictions

The NBA delivered an incredible Christmas Day slate, starting with an NBA Finals rematch before LeBron James returns to Los Angeles to face Luka Doncic as a 76er. 

And while some questioned Golden State's inclusion, Stephen Curry vs. Nikola Jokic as the nightcap is the perfect way to end Christmas Day.

Spurs vs Knicks (12 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)

Spurs vs Knicks opening odds

Spurs vs Knicks early pick: Knicks -1.5

em-105 at DraftKings/em

The New York Knicks have the matchup advantage against the San Antonio Spurs, just as they did in the NBA Finals, so I'm backing them again on Christmas Day. 

Karl-Anthony Towns' spacing and the starting five's shooting limit Victor Wembanyama's ability to roam defensively. As long as nobody gifts De'Aaron Fox a jumper, New York should cover.

Heat vs Celtics (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)

Heat vs Celtics opening odds

Heat vs Celtics early pick: Celtics -5.5 

em-110 at DraftKings/em

The Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat matchup is fascinating with Giannis Antetokounmpo now in South Beach.

Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo give the Heat one of the NBA's most imposing interior defenses, but that strength doesn't align with Boston's Mazzulla-ball offense, which is built around bombing away from three rather than attacking the paint.

Give me the Celtics -5.5.

76ers vs Lakers (5 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)

76ers vs Lakers opening odds

76ers vs Lakers early pick: 76ers +1.5 

em-115 at DraftKings/em

I'm shocked to see the Philadelphia 76ers as underdogs. I wasn't a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers' free-agent moves, and by Christmas Day, Philadelphia should have plenty of games under its belt to establish roles and usage.

Jaylen Brown was a nightmare for Luka Doncic at the point of attack in the NBA Finals, and I expect more of the same.

Take the Sixers at +1.5.

Thunder vs Timberwolves (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)

Thunder vs Timberwolves opening odds

Thunder vs Timberwolves early pick: Timberwolves +3.5

em-105 at DraftKings/em

The Oklahoma City Thunder lost Lu Dort this offseason, a physical defender who has given Anthony Edwards problems in the past as his primary defender.

Not only did the Thunder lose perimeter depth, but the Minnesota Timberwolves added a major creator in LaMelo Ball. 

That matters here because the Wolves have often forced the ball to Edwards against the Thunder in matchups that aren't favorable for him. Ball can handle the Thunder's pressure and create open looks for the Wolves' secondary scorers. 

Nuggets vs Warriors (10:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN)

Nuggets vs Warriors opening odds

Nuggets vs Warriors early pick: Nuggets -3.5

em-110 at DraftKings/em

I personally have high hopes for the Denver Nuggets next season. I think they caught a ton of bad breaks last season, as they had a hard time integrating Cam Johnson into the offense, while Aaron Gordon missed a ton of time with an injury.

When healthy, this is one of the best starting fives in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors feel like a deflated team heading into next season after missing out on LeBron.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The biggest date on the NBA calendar, at least in the first half of the season, is undoubtedly Christmas Day.

And on Tuesday, Aug. 11, the league revealed the games that will be played December 25. The league historically preserves its best matchups and rivalries, offering a five-game slate that highlights some of the game’s biggest stars. LeBron James has been a fixture. So have Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokić, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others.

This time, however, things will be a little different, as James will be playing for his fourth different team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Interestingly, their opponent on Christmas happens to be the team where his son and former teammate, Bronny James, plays.

Here’s a ranking of the 2026 Christmas Day NBA games, from worst to first:

MORE: Ranking NBA opening week national TV games from worst to first

NOTE: All games on ABC and ESPN and all times Eastern.

5. Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors

Game time: 10:30 p.m.

Stephen Curry has been a fixture on Christmas Day, but this feels more like a nod to past performance and what has worked in the past. The Warriors, with their age, injury concerns and lack of offseason additions, may struggle to compete this season in the West. Christmas Day can be an opportunity for the league to introduce casual fans to some of the game’s upcoming stars; think of Victor Wembanyama in 2024 at 20 years old, dropping 42 points at Madison Square Garden in a close loss. This felt like a missed opportunity to pass the torch.

4. Philadelphia 76ers at Los Angeles Lakers

Game time: 5 p.m.

The storyline is there: LeBron James is making his return to Los Angeles and will face off against Luka Dončić and the Lakers, presumably for the first time since he signed with the 76ers. His son, Bronny James may play, which would mark the first time a father and son have been opponents in the same game in NBA history. Yet, though James delivered a championship to Los Angeles, fans never held him in the same regard as franchise icons like Magic or Kobe or Shaquille. It should make for compelling theater but there are better basketball matchups out there.

3. Miami Heat at Boston Celtics

Game time: 2:30 p.m.

This was an excellent Eastern Conference rivalry in the early 2020s that lost its luster after Miami languished in recent seasons. The addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat should revive it. Both these teams are gritty and they’ll have contrasting styles; the Heat will look to push pace in transition, while the Celtics slow things down and launch 3s. They’re also superb on defense. This could end up being a low-scoring game more reminiscent of the early 2000s, but that should be taken as a high compliment.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves

Game time: 8 p.m

The Thunder may very well be the best team in the NBA, when fully healthy. And though they lost some key players like Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Joe, they remain deep and talented. The Timberwolves are intriguing because they took a risk in adding LaMelo Ball to give Anthony Edwards another ball handler and shot creator. The Thunder have been the best defensive team each of the last two seasons. What a way to test this new Minnesota offense.

1. San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks

Game time: 12 p.m.

It’s the early game but make no mistake: this should give us the best basketball. You have Wembanyama going back to the Garden, where fans will surely try to make him uncomfortable. You have a Spurs team that is presumably bothered about the way they closed out the NBA Finals. And you have the newly-crowned Knicks trying to prove that they were no fluke. And, if it happens to go down to the wire, expect fireworks because this Knicks team has shown it is no stranger to a good comeback.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking 2026 NBA Christmas games: Where does LeBron vs. Bronny James land?

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The NBA has announced its Opening Night schedule, and it did not disappoint. 

LeBron James makes his Philadelphia 76ers debut on ring night at Madison Square Garden, while several other marquee matchups round out a loaded three-game slate in my early NBA picks for Tuesday, Oct. 20.

NBA Opening Night predictions

The Celtics begin a new era led by Jayson Tatum. Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James make their 76ers debuts, the Knicks raise their championship banner, and the nightcap features the two teams with the shortest NBA Finals odds. 

How's that for an opening night?

Celtics vs Pistons (3 p.m. ET, NBC)

Celtics vs Pistons opening odds

Celtics vs Pistons early pick: Celtics +2.5

em-115 at DraftKings/em

I'll gladly take the Boston Celtics as an underdog against the Detroit Pistons. The Jaylen Brown-for-Paul George trade raised eyebrows, but this matchup shows its value.

George gives Boston another versatile perimeter defender who can switch onto Cade Cunningham and hold his own, even if Detroit uses actions to get Derrick White off Cunningham. 

76ers vs Knicks (7 p.m. ET, NBC)

76ers vs Knicks opening odds

76ers vs Knicks early pick: Knicks -4.5

em-110 at DraftKings/em

The Philadelphia 76ers are stacked and rightfully among the favorites to win it all, but I'm not backing them on opening night. 

Too many high-usage players need to mesh, while the New York Knicks bring continuity and familiarity — which is exactly what helped them win the title.

Thunder vs Spurs (9:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

Thunder vs Spurs opening odds

Thunder vs Spurs early pick: Spurs -1.5

em-110 at DraftKings/em

The San Antonio Spurs are a brutal matchup for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and nothing this offseason changed my mind. 

If anything, San Antonio widened the gap by adding Tobias Harris for depth, while Oklahoma City had to sacrifice key role players like Isaiah Joe, Lu Dort, and Aaron Wiggins to create cap space.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

They’ll be stocking the luxury suites and personal wine cellars of the Chase Center with milk and cookies again this year. For the 14th season in a row, Steph Curry and Draymond Green will be working on Christmas Day, as the Golden State Warriors host Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the final game of the NBA’s annual December 25th basketball marathon.

NBA Christmas Day 2026 on ABC and ESPN:

– Spurs @ Knicks
– Heat @ Celtics
– 76ers @ Lakers
– Thunder @ Timberwolves
– Nuggets @ Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 11, 2026

The NBA generally tries to showcase the best possible matchups and its biggest stars for the annual event, and for over a decade, that’s meant Steph Curry and the Warriors. Curry himself is 5-7 on Christmas, averaging 18.1 points, though the Dubs have gone 3-0 in Curry-era games where the Baby-Faced Assassin sits.

The league almost always opens the holiday slate with a game at Madison Square Garden, a rare place where there’s a guaranteed rabid sellout crowd for a noon game on Christmas. This season, they’re making it an NBA Finals rematch, with the Knicks hosting Harrison “The Black Falcon” Barnes and the rest of the San Antonio Spurs. Tobias Harris fans are pumped!

The Boston Celtics host the Miami Heat in the next game, an intense rivalry that shouldn’t change even with Jaylen Brown gone and Giannis Antetokounmpo in South Beach. The annual LeBron James game has his new tea, the Philadelphia 76ers, visiting his old team, the Los Angeles Lakers, which could feature the first time an NBA player even dunks on his own son!

Just kidding, Bronny isn’t going to play.

Then two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Minnesota Timberwolves in what could be a fun rivalry game but is also slated in the East Coast dinner/West Coast nap slot, traditionally the place reserved for the small-market yuletide game.

Why does Curry underperform on Santa’s big day, scoring 6.7 points below his career averages? It might be the level of competition, as the Warriors tend to be matched up against other powerhouses on the holiday. It could be that Curry tires himself out wrapping presents for four children, not to mention whatever he gets for Ayesha, Dell, Sonia, Sydel, Damion Lee, David Lee, Kent Bazemore, Gary Payton II, Doc Rivers, Mark Jackson, and the rest of the extended Curry clan. Or perhaps it’s the crushing disappointment of knowing that his annual Christmas wish of the Warriors getting him help is once again not going to come true.

We like to think that Curry simply gets too excited about the holiday, finding it hard to fall asleep or snooze past dawn, and thus plays sleep-deprived every Christmas. By contrast, Dec. 25 happens long after the horse racing season ends, so Nikola Jokic won’t be distracted at all by his true favorite sport. And Canadian Jamal Murray should be a calm, cool, and collected since he’s more pumped about all the Boxing Day hockey waiting for him the next day.

Nuggets! Warriors! Christmas! Don’t fall into a turkey coma before it’s over!

We’re deep in the offseason and, well … the Golden State Warriors still really haven’t done anything. Seems like a good time for a mailbag. The community had some great questions!

Warriorrallis:
How to save the NBA

I ain’t streaming sporting events so likely a mute point as my sports fandom is likely nearing its end

On court/screen animation is annoying as hell

The kersey’s are going the way of NASCAR

The NBA, like NASCAR, is in a fantastic place economically. The jersey patches are ugly, the court advertisements are distracting, and it’s infuriating that you have to subscribe to 17 different streaming platforms to watch every game. But the sport is reaching more fans than ever before and making more money than ever before. I don’t think it’s particularly in need of saving, even if it’s at times frustrating.

NorthStateWarrior530:
Is this roster better than their record last season would suggest?

Talent wise, absolutely. There’s no way that you can look at a team with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Draymond Green, Kristaps Porziņģis, and a solid bench, with Steve Kerr coaching it, and think the true talent level is 37 wins. But the annual question with the Warriors is: how healthy can they be to actualize the talent that’s on the roster?

If the question is, “Will they win more games than last year?” then I’m still saying “yes,” though. Sure, Butler and Moses Moody are going to play fewer games this season than last, but they’ll have a full season of Porziņģis, and even with his many health issues, he should far exceed the 15 games he played with Golden State a year ago. More importantly, Curry should play more than 43 games this year … and, as a reminder, the team went 24-19 when Curry played last year, and 13-26 when he didn’t.

So yeah. Even with Butler’s injury, I think this roster is better than a 37-45 team … there are just abounding questions about actualizing that.

NorthStateWarrior530:
Is 2nd place in the Pacific Division a realistic expectation? With the Clippers clearly sinking to the bottom and the Kings with their general ineptitude, it’s really a 3-way race to the top of the Pacific Division between the Suns, Warriors, and Lakers. I imagine the Lakers will be at the top, but is Bridges really that much of a difference maker for the Suns?

Perhaps this is me being overly semantic, but I would change the word “expectation” to “goal.” The Lakers, Suns, and Warriors could shake out in any combination, and heck, the Clippers could even get into that group depending on how the Kawhi Leonard situation shakes out.

I’m skeptical that Miles Bridges will make a big difference on the Suns (other than making them the easiest team in the league to hate), but Phoenix did win eight more games than the Dubs last season. The goal should be to finish ahead of the Suns — and maybe even the Lakers, depending on how the post-LeBron era goes — but I’m not sure if it’s an expectation, per se. It should be close, though. I would predict Golden State to finish second, but I’m always a little higher on the Warriors than I should be.

ScottWarrior:
1. where do you think JK will end up next season and for how much?
2. Given the Warriors admitted not really contending, just playing hard and with dignity, do you think it is safe to assume they are not going to do any trades during the season?
3. What two teams in the East are you looking forward to see playing against each other next season?
4. What Warriors player will be discussed the most on this blog next season?

Thank you for your answers. Feel free to answer as few or as many as you want, but if other people don’t have much to ask, I may get lucky to see all my questions answered.

I always appreciate the great questions, ScottWarrior! Let’s take them in order…

I think Jonathan Kuminga ends up on the Lakers. That’s where the bulk of the smoke has been, and I tend to believe that, more often than not, things get resolved where the smoke is wafting. Especially since there aren’t exactly teams lining up to sign JK. The Lakers also make the most sense, both for the team and for Kuminga. From LA’s standpoint, they’re in desperate need of athleticism and someone who can replace Rui Hachimura; from Kuminga’s standpoint, there’s a clear opening in the starting lineup and limited options on the bench, meaning he has an avenue towards the playing time he covets.

The biggest hold up has been, as it was last year, a disagreement between Kuminga’s camp and the rest of the basketball world with regards to what he’s worth. Last year Kuminga and his agent held out and won that disagreement, due to Golden State’s unique situation. This year? I don’t think they win, and will have to settle for a modest contract.

One of the big issues, though, is that the Lakers don’t have the cap space to sign Kuminga outright, and would likely have to execute a sign-and-trade. But sign-and-trades have to be for a minimum of three years. It’s a little hard to imagine anyone agreeing with Kuminga on what a fair value over the life of a three-year deal would be. So I’d expect something in the $8-12 million annually range, with opt-outs so that Kuminga can once again test a market that his agent seems eternally convinced will materialize.

As for your second question, Golden State’s openness to making a midseason trade will, I think, depend on two huge facters: how they’re playing, and who is available. The Dubs are open about not being a contending team right now, but getting back to contention as quickly as possible is always the goal. They might be content to go into the season aiming for the back end of the playoffs (what other option do they have?), but they’re not giving up on contending while Curry and Butler are still around.

If the Warriors overachieve and are comfortably above .500 in January as they prepare for Butler’s return, then they’ll be hitting the trade market hard. If a disgruntled star becomes available, they’ll make a run … as they did for LeBron James, and Kevin Durant, and LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and LeBron James. But I certainly wouldn’t expect any notable trades.

Great question about Eastern Conference matchups. From a theatrical standpoint, the Philadelphia 76ers vs. the Boston Celtics will be the most must-watch games of the season. Two of the best teams in the East, already rivals, both fully revamped for a contending year, and you add in the Jaylen Brown storyline? Might as well get Netfliux there for the documentary.

From a pure basketball standpoint, though, I think I’m most curious about watching the Sixers face the Miami Heat. Seeing how those teams match up against each other is going to be absolutely fascinating, if we’re ever lucky enough to watch them play when everyone is healthy.

And finally, the player that will be discussed most on Golden State of Mind this year: Brandin Podziemski. Between the inconsistent play, the personality that has stans and haters alike, and the large payday that he is coveting (and likely to receive), there will be no shortage of talking points for Podz this year. The discourse will run wild!

greg156:
do you see curry, green or even klay embracing a ginobili-type future (2027-28+) where they sign for peanuts, come off the bench, play 15-20’ and help the team go forward?

Klay yes, Draymond maybe, Steph no.

It’s taken a while for Klay Thompson to get there … his final year with the Warriors was awkward, as was his first with the Mavericks. But last year he started to embrace a smaller role. He started just eight games, and played fewer than 22 minutes per night. His performance, admittedly, was quite poor, but his attitude wasn’t. Klay is the epitome of a basketball lover: every chance he gets, he gushes about how much he loves to play basketball. It’s all he wants to do.

There’s a stark contrast there between he and the other two. Green and Curry have wives, kids, and countless ventures outside of basketball. Klay? He’s basketball first, second, and, now that Rocco is sadly no longer with us, third. There aren’t many players in sports who have made the type of money and amassed the type of accolades that these three have, who still want to squeeze every last drop of basketball out of their life that they can … but I suspect Klay is one of them. He’s the guy who’s still going to be playing pickup at 60. If there’s a ball and a court, he’s lacing up his Antas and hooping … and if someone’s willing to pay him some money to do it, all the better.

Green is a maybe because he’s already trending towards that role. During the brief period where it looked like Kuminga was breaking out, Draymond embraced a bench role. A dip in minutes is not going to come without a few fights with Kerr, but Green is pretty aware of his limitations. I don’t think he’s going to hold on for as long as he can, but he’s enough of a team player to take a smaller role if it means getting to keep competing, especially with Curry.

As for Steph? I just don’t see it. He’s climbed too high on the mountain to have any interest in the view from basecamp. It’s not easy to go from being arguably the best player in the league, and a top-10 all-time player, to someone who comes off the bench for 15-20 minutes. Even if the ego can handle it, the competitive juices often can’t.

And even setting that aside, Curry is a family man with numerous business ventures, more money than anyone will ever know what to do with, philanthropic foundations, and a potential career in golf awaiting him. He’s not gonna waste any years trying to hang on to a career that’s slipping away.

Hamster Ball:
1) There is a contingent of people who want to start the rebuild now vs just running it back each year. I don’t see Lacob trading Steph, unless Steph requests it. So, for fun, let’s say next year Steph signs for 4 million a year, just like LeBron did this year. What moves could the Warriors then do to make it a contending team?

2) Warrior fans are really spoiled. Most years, there is some sort of hope that the Dubs can do a deep run in the playoffs. However, this season, it is harder to come up with a reason to believe. The Dubs only won 37 games in a season where many teams were tanking and are running it back with an old squad. Give us a reason to believe in this team next year.

That hypothetical is fun! The Warriors would have basically no money on the books … Butler and Green will also have reached free agency, while Porziņģis’ deal is only partially guaranteed for $3 million. Golden State’s books will basically be Moody ($13.4 million), Yaxel Lendeborg ($6.4 million) and whatever Podziemski potentially signs for (if he does). So basically, in this hypothetical, the Warriors can throw a bag at absolutely anybody.

Which brings us to the critical part: who is available? Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić can both opt out of the final years of their deals, but, even if they do, it will likely be to sign an extension with their current teams. Those two would represent the surefire way to contention, but it seems deeply unlikely that they would sign with Golden State. Could they sign two players from the next bucket, which includes Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Paul George, and Karl-Anthony Towns (all but Leonard also have player options they’d have to opt out of)?

Probably the best way to get something done would be to have a poor season, get a decent draft pick, and trade a haul of picks + Podziemski for a star, and then sign one other high-caliber player. A lot easier said than done.

As for a reason to believe in the team next year, well … the biggest reason for belief is to look at how good they were at the end of the 2024-25 season. From the time that Butler debuted on February 8, 2025, until the end of the regular season, the Warriors were third in the NBA in both record (23-8) and garbage time adjusted net rating (+9.5), per Cleaning The Glass. They were second in the West in both cases, behind only the eventual champion Thunder. They beat the No. 2 seeded Rockets in the postseason and, had Curry not suffered an injury, likely would have made the Western Conference Finals.

That core is still here, and now they’ve added Porziņģis, with hopes that Lendeborg can be a difference-maker. The cold water, of course, is that Curry, Green, and Butler are all two years older, and Butler is no guarantee to be the same player post-ACL tear. But on paper, this team is more talented than one that spent two months being one of the three-best teams in the NBA. It will take a lot of things going right for that to materialize, but there’s something in there worth dreaming on.

FringyLooneyTic:
With his “runner’s knees,” do you think it is likely that Curry will make it to the playoffs this year? ALSO: Has everybody forgotten that Draymond Green suffered a lower back injury during the 2021-22 NBA season involving a herniated disc at his L5-S1 vertebrae levels, which irritated his sciatic nerve and caused severe calf weakness and leg pain? It seems quite likely that all this speculation about team-building is for naught, with players who are likely to NOT be available for a full season load.

Well, I don’t think you’re breaking any news here, FringyLooneyTic. Even if people have forgotten the specificity of Green’s injury during the championship run, no one is laboring under the disillusion that Green, Curry, Butler, Porziņģis, or Al Horford are young players with sterling health histories. The Warriors will almost surely have multiple players miss significant time this year. How much time — and which players — will answer your question about returning to the playoffs.

oaklandwarrior1:
What’s going on with Demar Derozan? Was he never a target for the Warriors even after the Lebron strike out? Is he too expensive? He seems to be just what we need – a secondary scoring threat.

DeMar DeRozan would definitely be a huge addition for the Warriors. He’s not exactly the prototypical Kerr-ball player — he scores mostly in isolation, isn’t a good three-point shooter, and isn’t much on the defensive side of the ball — but the Dubs are desperate for scoring, especially while Butler is sidelined.

That said, these things usually work very slowly. DeRozan is in no rush, because finances aren’t really an issue here. When players are bought out, they sign for either the minimum or whatever the amount they forfeited in the buyout is, which is always a small amount. Unlike other free agents, DeRozan isn’t trying to create a bidding war or needing to pounce on a team that has cap space. He can basically pick from any team that wants his services.

Which means the Warriors have to convince him to join them, which I’d guess they’ve started the groundwork for. But so often, these types of players wait until deep in the offseason, just in case something changes. If DeRozan has a team he’d like to play for but they don’t need him, it would behoove him to wait a month or so, in case that team has a player suffer a serious injury. I would guess that DeRozan is chasing an opportunity to compete for a championship, and thus will look at other teams before turning to the Dubs.

Cosmo4gsw:
How would you define a successful season for the Warriors?

I just want everyone to get along and have a good time. That seems successful enough to me.

Jokes aside, I think two things need to happen for the season to be successful: they need to be reasonably competitive, and they need to show signs that point to being even more competitive in 2027-28 when, critically, Curry, Green, and Butler will all be a year older … and, as things currently stand, headed for free agency.

On the competitive front, that means making the playoffs and having a competitive showing. I don’t think going 40-42, winning in the play-in tournament, and getting swept in the first round is a successful season. Being the fifth or sixth seed and having a competitive first-round series? Now we’re at least getting somewhere.

On the looking-forward front, that can occur in a few ways. The most straightforward path to envision is that Lendeborg looks like a slam dunk pick. Remember, once upon a time Klay Thompson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were No. 11 picks, too. The Warriors are expecting Lendeborg to be a quality role player, but if he’s a whole lot more? Well, that’s setting the table for future years.

It also could come from Podziemski taking a big step forward, or the team acquiring a star at the deadline. But those are the keys to success: put up a good fight this year, while leaving no doubt that next year will be even better.

Thanks for the really great questions, everyone!

Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is one of the nicest human beings you’ll ever meet. During his playing days, Nowitzki was always a fierce competitor, but he still found a way to be nice and respectful toward most guys he played against. According to one former NBA player, that aspect of Nowitzki’s game used to make him mad due to the conflicting mind games it created.

On a recent episode of the Roadtrippin podcast, Channing Frye was asked this question by a fan: In your 14-year career as a player, who pissed you off the most on the court, and what did he do to piss you off? Frye’s answer probably wasn’t what the fan was expecting.

“Probably Dirk,” Frye said. “Because he’s so damn nice. … I watched a lot of Dirk. I loved his game. He was just unguardable. I mean, it was literally like, ‘What am I gonna do?’ He’s an inch taller than me and shoots the way he does. He was smart. He’s a big dude, strong. I mean, it was just like, ‘God, I’m so tired of having to guard this guy.’ And I was like, ‘What are you gonna do?’ And then he’d be the nicest guy, and I’d be like, ‘Shut up, Dirk… I hate that you’re nice and I like you. You’re a good dude… and you just gave me 40.”

Nowitzki may not have been mean to anybody verbally or physically most of the time, but he was certainly mean to a lot of people in the form of bucket-getting. One glaring example that sticks out to me is after Game 4 of the 2011 NBA Finals, when Nowitzki, despite battling a 102-degree fever, pushed through and helped the Mavs tie the series at 2-2. Afterward, Miami Heat stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James were seen mocking Nowitzki’s sickness with fake coughing in the American Airlines Center hallways.

Nowitzki never showed any visible anger from that incident; He simply stayed the course, continued to torch Miami, and got the last laugh by winning the championship in six games on the Heat’s home court. I’m sure that pissed D-Wade and LeBron off too.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country.

We’re still just under two years out from tip-off, but we do finally have a name for Cleveland’s WNBA expansion franchise. The Cleveland Sirens will be the newest professional sports team coming to Cleveland.

The new WNBA team decided to forge its own path with this branding. Instead of using the name of Cleveland’s previous teams, the Rockers, or tying their identity closely to the NBA team, as we’ve seen with the Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics, etc., the Sirens are going ahead with something completely new and original. Their all blue logo and word marks are distinct in a city with a storied professional sports history.

Designed to make waves.

Our logo suite is more than a collection of icons — it's a reflection of Cleveland, the power of Lake Erie, and the future of women's basketball in The Land. Explore every detail below. #HearTheCall📢 pic.twitter.com/AltMoBEopV

— Cleveland Sirens (@clevelandsirens) August 5, 2026

Distinct and unique doesn’t always mean great. While I personally like the direction that the team is heading, I would understand if you thought otherwise. Casting aside tradition — even one that wasn’t necessarily great — is always a risky move. It would’ve been easier to just resurrect the Rockers’ name and just update the logo and uniform.

It also would’ve been just as easy to tie the team to the Cavs — similar to what we saw with the G League team, the Cleveland Charge. There is some value in tying all these related professional basketball teams together. Especially one that will be playing in the same arena as the Cavs.

So, what do you think of the new name and branding? Is this an A+ success? Or, are you more lukewarm to the new team name?

Let us know what you think in the survey and comments below.

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Believe it or not, but it has been over 3 months since the Celtics were eliminated from the playoffs. We’re still over 2 months away from training camp opening. So hopefully you have some additional hobbies and past times that keep you busy during these slow summer months.

Perhaps you watch other (inferior) sports. Maybe you are into movies or TV. You like to read blogs (apparently) so maybe you like to read books as well. Or maybe you like to travel or cook or jump out of airplanes.

We are all unique personalities that have our own separate lives and experiences. However, we all share a passion for the Boston Celtics (which of course unites us as superior intellects). Part of the fun is sharing those experiences with each other, so here’s your chance.

This is a mailbag, so I offer up my services to answer questions you might be interested in. However, I’m also giving you the chance to start topics and conversations by sharing your passions (no question necessary) with the rest of the group. [Disclaimer: Please keep everything PG13 at most. Thanks!]

So leave your questions and statements in the comments below and I will share my answers and thoughts in a separate post. Enjoy your summers!

The first crumbs of the 2026-27 NBA schedule have been revealed.

On Tuesday, Aug. 11, the league announced its nationally televised slate for opening week and Christmas Day, two of the marquee events on the calendar.

The announcement brought some joy and anticipation for hoops fans at a time when the NBA news cycle is in a lull. And, as expected, a few teams were prominently featured: the Philadelphia 76ers, with their additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown; the New York Knicks, fresh off their first championship in 53 years, and the Western Conference rivals San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

To be clear: none of the matchups unveiled are truly bad, but here’s a ranking of the nationally televised opening week games, from worst to first:

NBA OPENING NIGHT: Tripleheader features LeBron James, 76ers vs champion Knicks

NOTE: All times Eastern

9. Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers

■ Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 10 p.m. | ESPN

This rivalry always felt a little forced, but now that LeBron James is with the 76ers, the whole James-Stephen Curry draw is no longer there. Another element that may take the juice out of this matchup is that Warriors forward Jimmy Butler may not be back from his torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in January.

8. Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers

■ Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. | ESPN

This will be Philadelphia’s second game of the season, so fans will have already seen the new-look Sixers. And the Cavs are running it back, so we have a pretty good idea of what they’ll be. Still, this could be the eventual battle between teams vying for second place in the East (if not better), so it should be revelatory one way or another.

7. Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons

■ Tuesday Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. | NBC and Peacock

The problem here isn’t the matchup – it should be an intriguing game – it’s more about the time slot and the fact that this will be the first game to tip off the regular season. Typically, the defending champion is the team to get the first game of the year. Yet, the NBA is seemingly testing a late afternoon slot ahead of the primetime draw. Call me a traditionalist, but this feels like it steals some of the thunder from the Knicks raising a banner, and this very good matchup might get lost in the middle of the workday.

6. Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs

■ Friday, Oct. 23 at 9:30 p.m. | Prime Video

The Rockets underwhelmed last season, mostly because they could not find consistent play at point guard. Enter Fred Van Vleet, who is now healthy after the torn anterior cruciate ligament that robbed him of the entire season, and Houston could be significantly improved. As long as the Rockets have settled their internal tensions, they should compete. A test against the Spurs should be an excellent barometer.

5. Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder

■ Thursday, Oct. 22 at 9:30 p.m. | ESPN

Any time you get to see a matchup that features a pair of players – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić – who have combined to win five of the last six NBA Most Valuable Player awards, it’s appointment viewing. Adding that the Nuggets are looking to reset after a disappointing first-round exit and that the Thunder are looking to reclaim their status as a dominant force only makes it better.

4. New York Knicks at Boston Celtics

■ Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. | Prime Video

While the Celtics-Pistons opener will be the first chance for fans to see the effects of the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade, this matchup – the home opener in Boston – may reveal whether these Celtics can truly compete with Jayson Tatum taking on even more responsibility. Plus, these are two of the iconic franchises with an intense regional rivalry, so it’s always a fun watch.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves at Miami Heat

■ Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

This one is ranked this highly mostly because of the novelty and the intrigue. This will be the first chance we get to see Giannis Antetokounmpo under coach Erik Spoelstra and the Heat. It’s also the first time we get to see the LaMelo Ball experiment in Minnesota with Anthony Edwards. Both these squads may not initially be ranked in the top tier of their respective conferences, but they have the potential to climb up the ladder. That starts with this game.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs

■ Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 9:30 p.m. | NBC and Peacock

This is probably the best rivalry in the NBA, and it’s pretty clear the teams each dislike each other. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs dominated this matchup last year, both in regular season and the playoffs. But the Thunder, even with a few losses, should be fully healthy. These are the two best teams in the West. Let’s see how the offseason impacted them.

1. Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks

■ Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. | NBC and Peacock

This is the crown jewel. You’ve got Jalen Brunson and the defending champion Knicks raising their first banner in Madison Square Garden in 53 years and receiving their rings, and you’ve got the new-look Sixers, who added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. Philadelphia won the offseason; this will be the first glimpse to see how it stacks up against the best team in the NBA.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking all the NBA opening week national TV games from worst to first

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country.

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It’s Hall of Fame week here at Bright Side of the Sun as we prepare for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame to welcome a new class into its sacred halls. Among those being inducted, the Seven Seconds or Less era will be well represented, as Mike D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire are set to be enshrined in Springfield, Massachusetts.

And we’ll do our celebrating. Make no mistake about that. But Hall of Fame week also creates another conversation, one centered around the players who still haven’t made it.

On the most recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons went through a list of 7 players he believes should be in the Hall of Fame but currently aren’t. And well represented among that group were three former members of the Phoenix Suns.

The first was Paul Silas, the man who still sits atop the Suns’ single-season rebounding leaderboard after averaging 12.5 rebounds per game in 1971. He spent three seasons in Phoenix and was a pit bull in all the right ways, earning an All-Star nod and two All-Defensive Second team honors. Holistically, he played 16 years, won three championships, and was a five-time All-Defensive player in the era of Redwood trees roaming the paint. At 6’7”, Silas was pound-for-pound one of the best interior players of his generation.

Then there’s Kevin Johnson, my favorite player growing up, and someone who was an absolute force before his body began to fail him in the mid 90s. When you look at his 12-year career and see averages of 17.9 points and 9.1 assists per game, it’s hard to understand why he still isn’t in the Hall of Fame. Of course, there may be off-court factors that play into that discussion.

And then there’s Tom Chambers. Chambers spent five seasons with the Suns and averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game during his time in Phoenix. He still holds the franchise record for points per game in a single season after averaging 27.2 in 1989–90. He’s also most notably remembered as the first unrestricted free agent in NBA history, something you would think deserves recognition in Springfield. 

Chambers was a four-time All-Star, with three of those selections coming as a member of the Suns, and he also holds the unenviable distinction of being one of only four players in NBA history to score more than 20,000 career points and not be in the Hall of Fame.

Perhaps this is a biased question, but it also sets up a point I plan to make later this week. So for this week’s Suns Reacts survey, I’ll ask you this: Should Tom Chambers be in the Hall of Fame?

Cast your vote, then let me know why or why not in the comments below. And while you’re there, share your favorite Tom Chambers memory.

Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys:

Do you have an extra $2,000 lying around or burning a hole in your pocket?

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If you do and you want to enjoy either the Philadelphia 76ers or the New York Knicks, you will have to pay at least that much to get inside Madison Square Garden when those teams open the 2026-27 regular season.

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The NBA released part of its regular season schedule this week, and the world champion Knicks, featuring NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, will receive their championship rings and get a banner raised to the rafters of the "World's Most Famous Arena" when the visiting 76ers, featuring LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, come calling on Oct. 20.

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Despite the roster turnover, the 76ers are still salty after New York humiliated them on the way to a four-game series sweep in the second round on their way to breaking a 53-year-old championship drought.

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Search and buy Knicks tickets here

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According to TickPick, the get-in price for the season opener is currently at $1,999. For that price, you will get the privilege of sitting nowhere near Celebrity Row, but in Section 400, where you can squint your eyes to enjoy four quarters of basketball and, on your way out of the arena, you can look through the large windows to watch people file in and out of Penn Station. A few rows behind courtside, two tickets are listed at $166,109 each.

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By comparison, for New York's Game 3 of the NBA Finals at MSG against the San Antonio Spurs, tickets were hovering around $8,000 on the secondary market.

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At Vivid Seats, the price is just as steep, where sitting in the same section will set you back at least $2,092, and for the average price of a used car, you can sit where you can at least see the jersey numbers on the players.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks championship opener vs LeBron's 76ers draws huge ticket prices

Brian Lewis on Tuesday examines the slow pace of the Nets rebuild which as of this past weekend has been underway in some form or another for three and half years since Kevin Durant became the final piece of the Big Three to be traded back on February 9, 2023.

As Lewis writes, there’s no hope of anything dramatic happening his coming season, which will begin October 21 somewhere in North America, the details of which will be made known on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET.

After going 20-62 last season (with a preseason over/under win total of 19.5), the Nets are tabbed to be one of the league’s worst teams again. They’re listed with the second-lowest wins over/under by FanDuel and BetMGM at 24.5.

Jordi Fernandez may think his charges can produce more wins than anyone inside or outside the organization, but other than the head coach, the consensus is the Nets will, um, struggle … for the want of a better word than another that also begins with “S.”

Lewis enumerates all the issues the Nets have as they prepare for Thursday’s announcements, Media Day questions and training camp: Is Julius Randle as short-term hire bound for a contender? Will the Nets extend Michael Porter Jr., or trade him for even more assets? How will they handle the team’s “extreme youth” — with nine players 22 years old or younger on the roster? Not to mention how the East is now a mad house, with the defending NBA champions across the river, big new faces in Philadelphia, Toronto and Miami and an old one returning in Indiana, etc., etc.

The answer to the first question is apparently no. Jake Fischer said late Tuesday that an extension is “unlikely.”

Jake Fischer says he’s “not expecting an extension for Michael Porter Jr.” No details on whether he’s talking about today’s semi-deadline or long term. Nets have until next July to extend him. MPJ’s agent has said Porter will have “to chart his own course.” https://t.co/rkysB9PtAc

— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) August 11, 2026

The Nets are under no pressure. They have all season to extend him if they want to. He’s under contract through the end of this season and can extend him at any point. His agent, Mark Bartelstein has said that while Porter is happy with Brooklyn, he will have have to “chart his own course” depending on what Marks & co. do.

Lewis also delves into his analytic bag and finds some hope for the most patient of what has been a generally patient fanbase. Specifically, he looks at what other organic, pick-heavy rebuilds have produced, history offering hope.

With eight rookies on the Nets’ roster last season — including a record five first-round picks — they played those first-year pros a league-high 6,716 minutes. The Hornets were the next-closest at 6,241. (Editor’s note: It was not, despite comments by Marks and Fernandez the most minutes in the NBA ever.)

Over the past decade, only four other teams had as many minutes played by rookies: the 2017-18 Kings, 2021-22 Thunder, 2023-24 Trail Blazers and 2024-25 Wizards. And like last season’s Nets, that entire quartet was horrid, struggling to a combined .274 winning percentage or 22.5 win pace. But their lessons paid off.

The next year, those same four teams improved to a .402 percentage, or 33 wins, even with that average dragged down by the Wizards having tanked again this past season to get the top overall pick.

Those teams’ quantum leaps to contention came in Year 2 after the investment in rookie playing time. The first three examples vaulted to an average .528 win percentage, or 43-win pace. The Wizards are expected to improve in their Year 2 with Dybantsa, Trae Young and Anthony Davis.

A couple of those teams — the aforementioned Wizards and the Trail Blazers — are still works in progress but the Thunder of course remains the model. Get smart, get young, get lucky … as OKC did with Shai Gilegous-Alexander.

Marks and Joe Tsai continue to be in lock-step on the plan to use flexibility (which Lewis notes flexibility “is like air for the GM.”) He quotes Marks most recent comment on its value when opportunity arises.

“You just never know what’s going to come your way. So for us to have that optionality is going to be really important. But at the same time, I like the roster we have. I love seeing what I’m seeing out there. The guys are guys are playing hard, they’re playing the right way and they’re playing for each other. So I don’t think we’re in any immediate rush to do anything there, from adding more pieces.”

And of course they didn’t. They don’t seem to be interested in Peyton Watson, didn’t make any real effort to deal for Jaylen Brown — and one report noted he was not interested in them, preferring a contender; seemingly felt that Giannis Antetokounmpo was getting older (32 in a few months) but not cheaper; Austin Reaves was never leaving LA. and they didn’t want to pay the Pelicans an exorbitant three first rounders for Trey Murphy III.

Remember what Marks said back on Media Day last September that the Nets wouldn’t be making big moves unless the player “automatically and absolutely” changed the franchise’s projection. No more spending to get the fifth or sixth seed.

We will probably know more soon about how at least in the short run what the Nets are thinking. The end of business Tuesday is sort of a deadline for MPJ’s future. If they sign him to a extension of more than two years and a five percent raise, he can’t be traded this season, limiting their options.

They also have to decide by October 19 whether to sign Noah Clowney to a rookie-scale extension or let him become a restricted free agent next July. Twelve days after that, they have to decide whether to guarantee a third year for last year’s rookie class — Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf. Terance Mann is also eligible for an extension October 1.

Of course, they haven’t started to play games yet and everyone, fans to management to ownership — was thrilled by what they saw in Summer League from Demin and Mikel Brown Jr., who are the team’s first top 10 lottery picks taken in back-to-back drafts since 1995 and 1996 when they took Ed O’Bannon and Kerry Kittles. There’s enthusiasm as well about Day’Ron Sharpe getting his big chance, etc. Then, there’s all those draft assets and cap space and Tsai’s willingness to spend when it feels right.

Anyone who listened closely to Sean Marks or watched what he’s done or didn’t do over the past two years should’ve been prepared for all this to some extent. Being happy with it is a whole other conversation, one which goes on and on.

“Anytime you’re in a hurry, that’s when people make mistakes,” Marks said when asked about Porter, which Lewis notes can apply to their entire plan. “We’ve got a well thought-out plan here over not only the last couple of years, but the couple of years ahead. We’re going to try and find who the next Nets are going to be. I don’t think we want to do anything hastily or in a rush here.”

No rush indeed.

• The Nets’ timeline for a superstar trade keeps getting pushed back — until when? ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• NBA Extension Eligible Player Updates – Keith Smith – Spotrac

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