Category: Basketball

The Orlando Magic look to sweep their two-game Euro set with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies this afternoon from O2 Arena in London.

The Grizzlies could have Ja Morant back in the lineup, but my Grizzlies vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks have Orlando finishing off its European excursion with a win.

Magic vs Grizzlies prediction

Magic vs Grizzlies best bet: Magic -3.5 (-115)

This Orlando Magic frontcourt set the tone against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday, crushing Memphis on the boards (+17) and snagging 19 offensive boards, while converting 16 turnovers into 24 points and dominating the paint 50-38.

Memphis, meanwhile, staggered to its seventh loss in the last nine games, and it's having a hard time defending the basket, allowing 122.1 points per game in those losses.

The good news for the Grizz is that star guard Ja Morant (calf) is listed as probable after missing six straight games. His 19 points and 7.6 assist averages would be much welcomed for a team that’s 21st in scoring at 114.8 points per game.

One thing Morant won’t be able to do is handle all that interior heft for the Magic, who rank in basketball’s Top 5 in points in the paint, averaging 54.2 points.

With the win in Berlin, Orlando improved to 4-2 ATS against Memphis in the last six head-to-head matchups. Even with Morant back in the lineup, I don’t see how the star pairing of Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero squanders this opportunity to end their Euro trip with a win.

Magic vs Grizzlies same-game parlay

Paolo Banchero has been on fire of late, including dropping 26 on Memphis last time out and scoring 23+ points in five of his last seven games.

Meanwhile, Franz Wagner played great in his return to the lineup. Forget shaking the rust, he’s picking up right where he left off: not including the game where he got hurt, Wagner had scored at least 18 points in 21 of his previous 23 games played.

Magic vs Grizzlies SGP

• Magic -3.5
• Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points
• Franz Wagner Over 17.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Oh, oh, oh... It's Magic!

If Morant does play, the Grizzlies will be monitoring him closely. I don’t think he’ll get a ton of minutes, which should eat into his production. Also, before getting hurt, Ja had scored 19+ points just three times in his last nine games.

And we’re taking the Under for Wendell Carter’s rebounding line. He's pulled down eight boards just once in his last four games.

Magic vs Grizzlies SGP

• Magic -3.5
• Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points
• Franz Wagner Over 17.5 points
• Ja Morant Under 18.5 points
• Wendell Carter Jr. Under 7.5 rebounds

Magic vs Grizzlies odds

• Spread: Magic -3.5 | Grizzlies +3.5
• Moneyline: Magic -165 | Grizzlies +140
• Over/Under: Over 231 | Under 231

Magic vs Grizzlies betting trend to know

The Grizzlies have lost 24 of their last 26 games against teams with a winning record. Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Grizzlies.

How to watch Magic vs Grizzlies

Magic vs Grizzlies latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Nacho Elvira benefitted from dramatic final-hole mishaps by Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry to win the Dubai Invitational by one shot on Sunday, securing his third title on the European tour.

The 190th-ranked Elvira did what the two Ryder Cup stars couldn’t and kept out of the trouble down No. 18, making a stress-free par and shooting 69 to finish on 10 under in the first tournament of 2026.

A few minutes earlier, Lowry had been on that number heading down the last but found the greenside bunker from his approach, then water from the sand. He made a double-bogey 6 for a round of 69 and wound up two strokes back.

Before that, McIlroy arrived at the 18th tee a shot behind Lowry but pushed his drive way right into the rough, sent his approach into the bunker, and couldn’t get up and down. McIlroy and Lowry were tied for third place.

Daniel Hillier of New Zealand shot 65 and was alone in second place on 9 under.

“It means the world,” said Elvira, whose wife and children ran onto the green to celebrate with the 38-year-old Spaniard. “You tell me on Tuesday I would be winning this, I’d never believe you.

“Anything that happens after this, nothing can compare.”

Elvira started the final round in the lead and held a three-shot advantage on 11 under after making birdie at No. 7. Then came back-to-back bogeys from No. 8 before he saved par at the par-5 No. 10 after hitting into water off his second shot, keeping him in touch with Lowry, McIlroy and a crowd of challengers.

Around an hour before the finish, five players — Hillier, McIlroy, Lowry, Marcus Armitage and Elvira — shared the lead on 9 under before Lowry rolled in a 30-footer for birdie at No. 15 to take the solo lead. He couldn’t hang on.

Lowry was seeking a first European tour title since September 2022 and a first win anywhere since capturing a team victory with close friend McIlroy at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April 2024.

McIlroy has won plenty since then — including the Masters last year to complete the career Grand Slam — and looked like starting 2026 with another victory after making five straight birdies from No. 9 to take a share of the lead.

He played the final five holes in 1 over, however.

“I wasn’t really focused on winning the tournament,” the No. 2-ranked McIlroy said. "I was just trying to piece it together and make some good swings and try to hit a few more fairways, which I did for the most part. Would have been nice to hit the fairway at the last to give myself a chance for birdie there.

“Overall it was a good first week back. I felt like I learned a lot of stuff about my game. I wasn’t very sharp, but hopefully I’m a little bit sharper going into next week than I was going into this week.”

The European tour isn't travelling far for its next event — about a half-hour drive up the coastline to the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club starting Thursday.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

After last night’s game, when Clutch Sports Hector Ledesma reporter asked Anthony Edwards what makes the Timberwolves play so hard against the Spurs, the “Ant-Man” responded,

“They got Wemby.”

This was the third meeting of the Spurs and Timberwolves, but only the second to include Victor Wembanyama. Wemby wasn’t available last November. Last Sunday, Minnesota came back form a 19-point deficit to steal a one-point win.

Last night, they threatened to do it again.

The Spurs lost three of the four quarters in last night’s game, but it was their 48-point second quarter —the Spurs highest since 1987 — that kept them just out of the Timberwolves reach.

In fact, the Spurs went into the locker room with a 25-point lead only to lose the third and fourth quarter, the lead and scramble to put the toothpaste back in the tube.

Once the Spurs relinquished the lead, it was the back and forth between Victor Wembanyama and Anthony Edwards that kept the fires burning. From hot shooting to the two battling each other one-on-one, their cutthroat style of play on the court and their comments regarding one another reveals mutual respect.

Wemby’s response Edwards candor,

“It’s an honor and it’s the best thing to have the best players go as hard as they can because it makes us better, it makes me better.”

Anthony Edwards scored 55-points, a career high, in their loss. Considering it was the second night of a back-to-back for Minnesota, making it a game down the stretch was impressive, though of little consolation to the team who’s been knocked out of the Western Conference Finals twice over the last two seasons.

Edwards, one of the most adept players of this generation, carried the lion’s share for the Timberwolves. Of ten players who saw time, only six scored. And Edwards, along with Jaden Daniels and Julius Randle, all played over 40 minutes apiece.

For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama led the team with 39 points, trading baskets with Edwards as the final frame was dwindling down. Fortunately, Wemby got support from all angles. From Fox and Castle’s assists to Champagnie’s rebounds, from Barnes’ timely threes to Luke Kornet’s momentum shifting block, there were highlights from all angles. But none rocked the Frost Bank Center more Keldon Johnson’s clutch three that eventually put the game in the win column.

And a game in the win column is what the Spurs will focus on for the moment. There is film left to analyze, there are edges left to smooth, but as Wembanyama stated after giving up a twenty,

“We’ve got to win no matter what.”

---

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I would not label any game in mid January as a must-win, especially given what the Suns have already done to put themselves in this position. But in the context of this road trip, part of a six-game stretch that started 0-2, a win in New York at Madison Square Garden was badly needed. Not a must-win. A needed one.

You can start with the bench. They flipped this game. Phoenix outscored New York 39-14 from the bench, and after the Knicks ripped off a 16-0 run in the third quarter, it was the second unit that calmed everything down. When Ryan Dunn, Jordan Goodwin, and Oso Ighodaro checked in, the energy shifted immediately. The game tilted back.

It is also worth noting the context. The Knicks entered the night with the third-best offensive rating in the league at 119.8. The Suns held them to 99 points. New York also came in as one of the best three-point shooting teams in the NBA, and they kept firing anyway. It caught up with them. They went 1-of-11 from deep in the fourth quarter.

Credit the Suns’ defense. 9 steals. 17 forced turnovers. Relentless pressure. That effort completed the sweep of the Knicks this season, as Phoenix has now beaten them twice. Sometimes you do not need style points. You need a win that reminds you who you are. This one did exactly that.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

Back-to-back BSB’s for the Gray Suns, Grayson!

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 42 against the Knicks. Here are your nominees:

Devin Booker
27 points (7-of-18, 1-of-5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 blocks, 4 turnovers, -3 +/-

Grayson Allen
16 points (4-of-14, 4-of-13 3PT), 0 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, +15 +/-

Jordan Goodwin
13 points (5-of-6, 3-of-4 3PT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers, +18 +/-

Mark Williams
14 points (5-of-8, 0-of-0 3PT), 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 turnovers, -12 +/-

Collin Gillespie
11 points (4-of-10, 2-of-5 3PT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, +8 +/-

Ryan Dunn
8 points (3-of-4, 2-of-3 3PT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, +23 +/-

---

I got a million ways to get it. Choose one.

1. Ridiculous First Half Scoring Display

The Boston Celtics went absolutely nuclear on the Atlanta Hawks, winning 132-106. Boston had an incredible scoring night, especially in the first half. They scored 82 points and 52 of those points came in the second quarter alone. Via Dick Lipe on X, that 52 point second quarter is the 2nd highest quarter in Celtics history, only trailing the 54 point 4th quarter they scored vs. the San Diego Clippers on 2/25/1970. In the first half, Boston shot 30-48 (63%) from the field and 14-24 (58%) from three.

BOSTON: HIGHEST SCORING QUARTERS
54 vs. San Diego, 4th, 2/25/70
52 TONIGHT, 2nd
52 vs. Minn. Lakers, 4th, 2/27/59
51 vs. LA Clippers, 2nd, 11/25/24
50 vs. Denver, 1st, 2/5/82

— Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) January 18, 2026

2. Jaylen Brown’s Homecoming

On the day before this game, Jaylen Brown went back to his old high school, Wheeler High School in Marietta where he got his number retired. Brown was a 5-star recruit coming out of Georgia and in his 2014-2015 senior year, Brown averaged 28 points and 12 rebounds to help lead Wheeler to a 30-2 record and a 6A state title.

This homecoming must have inspired Brown in this game, finishing with 41 points on 14-30 shooting in only 30 minutes.

Mr. Georgia Basketball #FCHWPOpic.twitter.com/r1QH2829p1

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) January 17, 2026

Brown was automatic from the jump in this game, scoring 18 points in the first quarter. His first basket of the game saw him cutting through the lane for a floater on the fast break. The next bucket came on a switch with Onyeka Okongwu. Brown attacked the basket, initiated contact, and finished over the Hawks big man. The third basket came on a midrange jumper over Nickeil Alexander-Walker similar to his fourth basket which was a midrange jumper over both Jalen Johnson and Mouhaned Gueye. His fifth basket after Jordan Walsh set a nice screen that resulted in a wide open three. The final bucket was his best of the quarter where he drove on Okongwu, got him to jump, and finished the layup for an And-1.

The second quarter is where Brown scored his next 11 points, starting off with another nice layup over Vit Krejci. His second basket was maybe his best play of the night where he got fouled by Krejci on the way up. Brown then blindly threw up a circus shot that went in, looking like Michael Jordan. Brown finished the quarter bullying smaller Hawks defenders. His third basked came on another midrange jumper over Alexander-Walker while his final basket saw him put CJ McCollum in the weight room on a driving layup.

By the third quarter, you could tell Brown was in the zone and he set the tone with his first shot coming from just inside the logo for a deep three. His next basket involved Luka Garza setting a great screen that Brown was able to go around for a reverse layup. Brown continued to attack Gueye for his final two buckets. He went to work in the midrange with a half-spin into a driving layup for an And-1 on his third basket. Then he finished off his homecoming with a beautiful midrange jumper.

3. Sam Hauser, Flame Thrower

Sam Hauser is arguably the best shooter in NBA history to wear number 30. Well, maybe not, but when he is hot, Hauser can turn into prime Steph Curry and completely takeover a game. In this matchup against Atlanta, he finished with 30 points on 10-21 shooting from three. His shooting numbers are a little bit skewed due to the fact that he was shot-chucking in the fourth quarter to try and break the Celtics all time record for threes in a game held by Marcus Smart at 11. Hauser does occupy 3 of the top 10 most three pointers in a game in Celtics history, this being the second time he hit 10 threes in a game, the first coming against the Wizards on 3/17/2024.

Hauser did break an NBA record however, attempting the most threes in NBA history without taking a two-point shot. All 21 of Hauser’s shot attempts came from beyond the arc, breaking the previous record that was originally held by J.R. Smith, Malik Beasly, and Malik Monk at 17.

Sam Hauser took 21 3’s tonight without taking a 2.

That’s never happened in NBA history.

— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) January 18, 2026

After hitting one three in the first quarter, Hauser went on a tear in the second quarter, shooting 6-6 from beyond the arc. The first three of the quarter was a running pull up jumper after relocating on a Gueye attempt. The second one came after running around a Garza screen into a pull up jumper over McCollum. The third was wide open from the corner after some nice ball movement. Hauser was feeling himself by the fourth one where he got a straight away three over a late contest by Jalen Johnson. The fifth came on a wide open three from the wing on a nice pass from White. Finally, he ended the quarter with his best play of the night. After Brown missed a three, Hauser stole the ball from McCollum and all in one motion threw up a heat check over Krejci that had the Celtics bench going crazy.

4. Neemias Queta Incredible Effort

Something that is going to be lost in Brown’s 41-Point Homecoming performance and Hauser’s 10 Three Pointer Game is how solid Neemias Queta was. Queta finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds on 5-7 shooting but it really felt like he was aggressive on the boards and hunting his shot early on.

This play at the 8:41 mark of the second quarter is a perfect example of what I am talking about. After Simons threw up a lob that Queta couldn’t handle, Gueye got the rebound for the Hawks. Queta didn’t give up on the play however, stealing the ball away and going back up for a thunderous two-handed jam.

The other play I have to show is this vicious poster that Queta had on Vit Krejci. With White handling the ball, Queta was able to slip out of a screen to receive the ball in a wide open lane to the basket. Krejci however wanted to show some defensive effort and paid the ultimate price. Click! Click! Welcome to your Kodak Moment, Vit Krejci.

5. Derrick White Did a Little of Everything

Derrick White finished this game pretty quite on the scoring front with 7 points on 3-4 shooting but his fingerprints were on every other part of this game. White tied his Celtics career high with 12 assists in this game alongside 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. White was able to show off his defense on the opening play of the second half. White intercepted a Jalen Johnson pass and took it all the way back for an easy two points.

I would say his best assist of the night came on his final one in the third quarter. White was around the top of the three point line and fired a cross-court pass to a wide open Hauser in the corner for three.

6. Baylor Scheierman Stepped Up

When Payton Pritchard was ruled out of this game with left ankle soreness, Baylor Scheierman was elevated to the starting lineup for the second time in his last three games and he was a positive contributor. Scheierman filled up the stat shat, finishing with 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals while shooting 3-6 from beyond the arc. Baylor was showing off early in this game, getting a nice pass from Brown and hitting a no-dip three in the corner.

The 3 steals is the big thing I want to highlight from his game tonight. The first one came when he doubled Jalen Johnson and was able to take it away. This led to a fast break opportunity for the Celtics that resulted in a wide open three from Anfernee Simons. The second steal came when Johnson passed it to Okongwu under neath the basket where Scheierman was able to wrestle the ball away from him and go the other way. The last steal might have been my favorite however, intercepting a pass from McCollum and diving in the floor to get possession of it. Those hustle plays are what I love to see out of Baylor Scheierman.

7. Incredible Ball Movement

When I think of the most beautiful plays on a basketball court, somewhere at the top of that list is beautiful ball movement leading to a basket. There is something so soothing about seeing three passes along the perimeter into a wide open three or easy bucket underneath. The Celtics did a great job of this against the Hawks, finishing with 27 assists as a team. My favorite of the night came in the second quarter where the ball started with Scheierman passing it to Queta. Queta passed to Hauser and slipped towards the basket. Hauser then found White wide open in the corner who immediately zipped it to the block for Queta to put in a wide open layup.

8. Lockdown Defense

Not only did the Celtics go on a scoring barrage in this game, they were also able to stifle the Hawks offense all night long. Atlanta finished the game shooting 38-102 (37%) from the field and 15-46 (33%) from three while committing 11 turnovers. Boston also finished with 9 steals and 8 blocks on the night, really imposing their will on a Hawks team that didn’t even look like they wanted to be there. It felt like Atlanta was playing a preseason game out there and Boston took full advantage of it.

9. Glass Cleaners

The Celtics have done a great job at rebounding the basketball in their win against the Heat on Thursday and that carried over into this game. Boston out-rebounded Atlanta 55-47 and almost every player on the Celtics finished with a minimum of 2 rebounds on the night no matter how many minutes they played. This is the type of energy that Joe Mazzulla looks for when it comes to being dominant on the glass. If Boston can continue to rebound at this rate, I wonder if they don’t look to trade for a center at the deadline and ride with the rotation of Queta and Garza with Jayson Tatum coming back.

10. Maine Celtics Appearances

Anytime there is a blowout of this proportion, by the fourth quarter the two-way players normally get their chance to shine. In this case, Ron Harper Jr. and Amari Williams were able to play and showed some nice flashes. Harper Jr. played 6 minutes in the fourth quarter and finished with 3 points and 3 rebounds on 1-2 shooting. The Celtics ran a nice play that started with Xavier Tillman on the block who passed it back out to Scheierman at the three point line. Baylor then whipped a pass to Harper Jr. where he was able to knock down the wide open three.

Williams played the entire fourth quarter and finished with 3 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. However, I would say his best play of the night came on his 1 assist. Simons found Williams who was cutting to the middle of the floor. Williams being an excellent facilitator with the ball in his hands, found Hugo Gonzalez back on the wing for a wide open three.

The two blocks that Williams had were also pretty impressive, showing strides in his defensive game. The first one came when Corey Kispert was trying to go coast-to-coast but Williams chased him down the whole way and blocked his shot. It was called a goaltending but the Celtics reviewed it and got it overturned. His second block was also great, meeting his fellow rookie Asa Newell at the summit to send it back.

I love when the Maine Celtics guys get to come up and show off for the big club. Amari Williams impressed me the most since the last time we saw him play. He looked a lot more athletic and didn’t look lost on the court. Granted it came in garbage time, but I wonder if the impressive play he’s shown in Maine this year will get him a spot playing more minutes in Boston at some point this season.

ATLANTA — In the background of a brilliant, overachieving Celtics season, Sam Hauser has quietly become a starter.

The fifth-year Celtics veteran rarely makes the headlines. He’s not one of the team’s shiny young prospects, nor is he one of their established go-to guys. He hardly ever puts up crazy numbers — Hauser has only eclipsed 20 points in a game three times this season — and he’s not so young that Celtics fans gush over his sky-high potential, like they do the more recent draftees.

But that doesn’t mean Hauser hasn’t been exactly what the Celtics have needed this season.

While Jordan Walsh, Josh Minott, and Hugo Gonzalez have all had hyped-up, breakthrough moments this year, Hauser has simply done what everyone’s expected.

He’s defended solidly, and shot the ball well. And, he’s embraced an ever-changing role, unbothered by whether or not he’s coming off the bench or starting: “It really doesn’t matter to me, to be honest with you,” he said on Thursday.

On Saturday night, in a 132-106 Celtics win over the Atlanta Hawks, Hauser was at his very best, exploding for 30 points on 10-21 shooting. It’s a flow state he’s reached many times throughout his Celtics tenure, and one all sharpshooters can resonate with.

“Everything you put up, it just feels like it’s going to go in, or it’s going to feel really good,” Hauser said afterwards. “And that’s just kind of how it was tonight.”

Hauser didn’t end up breaking the Celtics franchise record for most threes in a game; after hitting his 10th three-pointer early in the fourth quarter, he missed six straight three-pointers to close the game. (Marcus Smart currently holds the Celtics’ franchise record for most three-pointers in a game, having made 11 in a 2020 game).

As his pursuit of the record went to the wayside, Hauser’s teammates joked around on the bench.

“It was terrible,” Jaylen Brown said, laughing, while Hauser hovered over Brown’s postgame press conference with a listening ear.

Brown, fresh off a 41-point performance of his own, recalled how the last time Hauser came close to setting the Celtics record for most three-pointers in a game, he sprained his ankle shortly after hitting his 10th three-pointer.

“I didn’t play that game, and I was in the back, and I was like, ‘Bro, you got to get back out there. I need you to get that record,” Brown recalled. “And he was like, ‘Oh, it’s gonna come back to me.‘ That was two years ago…. It might be another two years.”

I asked Jaylen Brown about Sam Hauser for the three-point record and he started laughing:

“It was terrible. I remember when Sam almost had the record when we were in Washington, and he hurt his ankle, and I didn't play that game, and I was in the back, and I was like, ‘Bro, you… https://t.co/lyQkOoDsCWpic.twitter.com/7teciexpdD

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) January 18, 2026

“But it was a joy to watch, man,” Brown said. “We was all rooting for him.”

After a slow start, Sam Hauser’s shooting has come back around

Hauser dealt with a shooting slump in the early part of the season, but the numbers are coming back around. Since December 1st, he’s hit 43% of his three-point attempts (in contrast, in November, he shot 27.5% from outside the arc).

When the shot wasn’t falling, Hauser consulted his father, whom he refers to as the ‘Shot Doctor.’ Dave Hauser taught Sam how to shoot as a kid and regularly gives him feedback when the shot is straying.

“He knows me better than anybody else,” Hauser said. “So hearing his thoughts means more than any other word that’s said to me about my shot — just because he knows he seen me from here shoot all the way here [lowers hand] until now.”

Today, despite an ice-cold November, Hauser is shooting 38.9% from three-point range on the season — and he seems well on his way to another 40%+ shooting season. (Famously, he has never shot below 40% from three; not in high school, not in college, and not in the NBA.

Last year, when Hauser was experiencing a shooting slump, his mom, Stephanie, told CelticsBlog that she knew the numbers would come around.

“I just said to him, just keep shooting, because you know, in the end, it will all suddenly end up at around 40% — because your whole life, that’s exactly what’s happened,” Stephanie said.

Hauser continues to be underrated defender

The idea that Hauser is a defensive liability is misguided.

“He’s one of the better defenders that we have,” Joe Mazzulla said plainly last week.

For Hauser, the defensive success oftentimes stems from the fact that he closely studies opposing players’ tendencies.

“The coaches do a good job with sending us personnel edits,” Hauser said. “They send us write-ups of the [opposing players’ shot] percentages, or where they’re driving, or how often they’re driving that way, or what hand they like to drive with.”

Hauser studies those scouting reports, eager to make up for any athleticism deficit he has with meticulous preparation, a process that Mazzulla has lauded.

“I’m not the quickest player laterally, so for me to know that and to try and to anticipate some of these things — it’s big for me to try to keep the guy in front and make it hard for them to try to shoot,” Hauser said. “I try my best. I don’t always do it well, but I try my best.”

Mazzulla pointed to two defensive plays that illustrated Hauser’s defensive preparation: a steal against RJ Barrett last Friday against the Raptors and one against Nikola Jovic against the Heat on Thursday.

The numbers also back up Hauser’s level of discipline; he is in the 98th percentile in defensive fouls, meaning that only 2% of defenders foul less than him, per Cleaning the Glass.

“He knows players’ tendencies; he can take those away in real time,” Mazzulla said. “He’s physical, much more physical than people think, and he’s versatile.”

Hauser has been far from the flashiest story of the season.

But he’s been a key member of a Celtics team that now holds the second-best record in the Eastern Conference — and the second-best net rating in the NBA.

And, Hauser’s contributions have looked like something different every night. Some nights, they’re subtle. Other nights, they’re louder.

On Saturday night, they looked like 10 three-pointers.

Red Auerbach put together a phenomenal dynasty in Boston, starting in 1956 when he schemed and maneuvered to land Bill Russell. But Russell, as great as he was, couldn’t win titles on his own, and so Auerbach put pieces around him to keep his team winning. Bill Sharman and Bob Cousy were already there, but over time, Auerbach got players to help Russell like KC Jones, Sam Jones, John Havlicek and Tom Sanders.

Widely known as Satch, Sanders, a New York native, attended NYU when it was still a basketball power.

Drafted in 1960 in a draft that included Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Lenny Wilkens, Sanders settled in with the Celtics quickly. He was a very good offensive player with the Violets, but the Celtics asked him to focus on defense, which he did. He won eight rings during his career, which is two more than Michael Jordan got and three more than Magic Johnson.

After his career ended in 1973, Sanders did a number of useful things, including setting up an NBA program to help rookies transition to the league. As Russell says in this video, to lead is to serve and Sanders has never hesitated to serve.

Now 87, along with Cousy, Sanders is one of the last of the Russell-era Celtics. He is universally regarded as a gentleman and one of the best people the league has ever been associated with.

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In just 12 minutes, the Boston Celtics outscored their entire second half with a 52-point surge in the second quarter, soaring past the Atlanta Hawks and into the NBA’s record books on Saturday night.

Jaylen Brown and Sam Hauser were the conductors behind a freight-train Boston offense, shooting 19 of 25 from the field and draining 11 3-point attempts, tying an NBA record set by the Oklahoma City Thunder for the most points scored in a quarter. Options were nonexistent for Atlanta from there, as the Hawks faced a 31-point halftime deficit before the Celtics closed out their slaughtering 132-106 win on Saturday night.

“I thought we played with a high level of pace,” head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston.

Brown and Hauser combined to score 30 points in the second quarter, with Hauser going a perfect 6-for-6 from beyond the arc. Off the bench, Anfernee Simons added 11 points, becoming the third Celtic to reach double figures by the end of the frame. Boston outshot Atlanta by 10 field goal makes, committed three fewer turnovers, and saw every player finish with a positive plus-minus — while all Hawks finished in the negative heading into the second half.

Boston’s 52-point barrage is the most ever by a road team in the second quarter, falling just five points short of the all-time record of 57 set by the Phoenix Suns in 1990.

“Obviously, we made every shot, but I think it was our ability to get out and run,” Mazzulla continued. “Get stops, get out and run.”

The Hawks scored 51 points in the first half and weren’t in the same ballpark as the Celtics in terms of efficiency. Atlanta shot 35.4% to Boston’s 62.5%, and the scoreboard didn’t see another lead change after the first quarter, ballooning to a 43-point Celtics advantage by the end of the third quarter.

Mazzulla noted that, as impressive as the second-quarter avalanche was, maintaining the mindset that brought it to life is even more important. Rather than dwell on the highs of reducing Atlanta’s defense down to its smallest form, Boston is looking ahead. There’s no time to pat themselves on the back or scroll through social media to check out all the records they set. Instead, it’s about understanding that the result doesn’t change the approach. That’s the standard.

“It’s just the balance of toughness and grace,” Mazzulla told reporters. “It’s a long season, so just because we played well tonight, that doesn’t mean anything the next day. Or if we had lost tonight, that doesn’t mean anything the next day. You just have to keep it at that. As long as we can come in the next day, not knowing if we won or lost, we can just get better. I think the guys do a great job of — whether we lose a close game or win — coming in the next day, and you can’t tell what the past result was. Just gotta keep that up.”

Brown’s one-man 41-point clinic, as dominant as it was, took a back seat to the team’s second-quarter scoring storm. Everyone who took the floor contributed, even if it didn’t mean putting the ball in the basket. Rookie Hugo González grabbed four rebounds, Derrick White dished out seven of his 12 assists, and the team forced three steals, controlling both ends of the floor for the entire frame.

It was a peak demonstration of the core principles Mazzulla has instilled in the locker room, reinforcing Brown’s trust as an MVP candidate in Boston’s group of unproven contributors.

“That second quarter, when we are playing in sync and in alignment, we’re tough to stop,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media.

Meanwhile, the Hawks were out of sync the rest of the way. Atlanta mustered only 55 points in the second half, shooting a slightly better 38.9% on 54 field goal attempts. The divot Brown, Hauser, and the Celtics dug proved to be far too deep for the Hawks to escape from.

Nearly two weeks removed from the franchise’s trade of star guard Trae Young, coupled with the absence of center Kristaps Porziņģis, the Hawks entered the night in an already difficult spot — one that only worsened once both teams met at center court for the opening tip-off.

It was a dilemma Brown chalked up to more than just defensive lapses.

“Sometimes you get tired, physically, and that’s what causes you to miss,” Brown told reporters. “It’s not really the defense sometimes. Sometimes you just have a hard time trying to catch your breath. So I try to just focus on my breathing and just come out and be aggressive.”

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (6-11, 3-1 SWAC) at Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (6-12, 3-2 SWAC)

Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Monday, 6:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Bethune-Cookman visits UAPB after Jakobi Heady scored 23 points in Bethune-Cookman's 79-63 victory against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils.

The Golden Lions are 4-1 on their home court. UAPB is third in the SWAC with 9.2 offensive rebounds per game led by Jaquan Scott averaging 2.4.

The Wildcats are 3-1 in SWAC play. Bethune-Cookman has a 2-9 record against teams over .500.

UAPB's average of 8.0 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.2 more made shots on average than the 7.8 per game Bethune-Cookman gives up. Bethune-Cookman has shot at a 45.0% clip from the field this season, 1.7 percentage points fewer than the 46.7% shooting opponents of UAPB have averaged.

The Golden Lions and Wildcats square off Monday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Quion Williams is averaging 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.8 steals for the Golden Lions. Alex Mirhosseini is averaging 14.1 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 40.5% over the last 10 games.

Heady is shooting 44.0% from beyond the arc with 1.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Wildcats, while averaging 16.6 points. Quentin Heady is averaging 10 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Lions: 6-4, averaging 85.8 points, 33.8 rebounds, 18.8 assists, 7.0 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 49.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.4 points per game.

Wildcats: 4-6, averaging 71.0 points, 27.7 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 85.1 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Anthony Edwards scored a career-high 55 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves' Timberwolves but was unable to prevent a 126-123 defeat by the San Antonio Spurs.

Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points for the Spurs, completing a vital rebound in the final seconds, as his side closed out their second successive win.

The Spurs led by 25 points at half-time after producing their highest-scoring quarter in 39 years, before Edwards dragged his side back into contention.

The 24-year-old scored with 3:28 to play to put the Timberwolves 110-108 ahead, before Wembanyama's shot tied the game.

In the late exchanges, Edwards missed one of two free throws, while Wembanyama scored one of his own, and the Timberwolves star couldn't complete a three-pointer attempt from beyond half-court in the last moments.

Edwards is the fifth player to score 55 points in the NBA this season, one of whom, Nikola Jokic, also has the highest individual total with the 56 points he scored against the Timberwolves on Christmas Day.

It is the second time this month Edwards has beaten his personal record, after he scored 53 against the Detroit Pistons on 4 January.

The Pistons hammered the Indiana Pacers 121-78 in their Saturday game, leaving last season's finalists at the foot of the Eastern Conference table, while defending champions the Oklahoma Thunder lost 122-121 to the Miami Heat.

The LA Lakers, who were missing star guard Luka Doncic, fell to a 132-116 defeat by the Portland Trail Blazers, while the Golden State Warriors completed their third win in a row with a 136-116 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

• NBA plans to 'tap into European football culture'

INDORE, India (AP) — India captain Shubman Gill won the coin toss and opted to bowl against New Zealand in the third and final one-day cricket international on Sunday.

India won the first ODI in Vadodara by four wickets before New Zealand leveled the three-match series with a seven-wicket victory at Rajkot on Wednesday.

India has made one change with left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh coming into the side for Prasidh Krishna.

New Zealand has fielded an unchanged side.

The Black Caps are hoping to win its first ODI bilateral series on Indian soil. The visitors have previously lost all seven encounters here against India.

The pitch at the Holkar Stadium is perfect for batting and a tall score should be in order. Evening dew and short boundaries should favor the chasing side.

Meanwhile, batter Shreyas Iyer and wrist spinner Ravi Bishnoi have been added to India’s Twenty20 squad for the ensuing five-match series starting Jan. 21 in Nagpur. They come in for the injured Tilak Verma and Washington Sundar, respectively.

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Lineups:

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay, Michael Bracewell (captain), Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Kristian Clarke, Jayden Lennox

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Right ankles are plaguing the Knicks.

Saturday was too soon for Jalen Brunson. And Josh Hart joined him on the sideline.

Brunson missed his second straight game with a sprained right ankle during the 106-99 loss to the Suns at Madison Square Garden. He had been upgraded to questionable leading up to the game.

Hart was out, too, with right ankle soreness.

“He’s just a little sore,” coach Mike Brown said of Hart. “So we’re just going to be cautious, especially this time of year.”

Miles McBride and Mohamed Diawara started in their place.

Brunson suffered his ankle sprain in the loss to the Kings in Sacramento on Wednesday. It was considered a minor sprain, The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported.

But it’s the second time this year he sprained that ankle — he missed two games earlier in the year with a sprained right ankle.

Hart missed eight games with a sprain to that right ankle, but returned for three games prior to Saturday. And he returned with no minutes restriction for those three games. In Thursday’s loss on the road to the Warriors, he played 37 minutes.

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

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Now, he is dealing with soreness.

Brunson and Hart are both considered day-to-day.

The Knicks have not been at full strength since Nov. 22, when Landry Shamet went out with a shoulder sprain during a loss to the Magic in Orlando. Shamet returned Thursday, with Saturday representing his second game back.

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Tyler Kolek’s rough stretch continued Saturday.

He was a game-worst minus-17 in 17 minutes off the bench, recording just two points on 1-for-3 shooting from the field. He had three turnovers and just one assist.

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Saturday was the Knicks homecoming game, with dozens of alumni at MSG to celebrate. Fans had a chance for autographs and pictures prior to the game.

Alumni also rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange earlier Saturday.

“Good night to be at the Garden, it’s alumni night,” Brown said. “To honor the guys that were before us is a good night because they laid the foundation helping this building become iconic and the Knicks being what they are today. Good night for those guys to be in the house.”

The Lakers (24-15) will be on another second night of a back-to-back as they host the Toronto Raptors (25-18) at home on Sunday. This will be the final time they see the Raptors this season.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors

When: 6:30 p.m. PT, Jan. 18

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

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The Lakers just don’t have the juice right now. Their most recent loss to the Trail Blazers perfectly depicted that and it doesn’t help that they’re in the midst of one of the most grueling stretches in their schedule. As a result, they’ve lost six out of their last 10 games and have now dropped to the sixth seed of the Western Conference.

There are a lot of obstacles in the purple and gold’s way right now: key players in and out of the lineup, the absence of Austin Reaves and the fact that their flaws, especially on the defensive side of the ball, have been more exposed as of late. There’s obviously no solution to this besides getting healthy and a trade, which right now is not in their control.

What the Lakers can control, though, is their effort every game, which they badly need to do if they want stop losing games.

On Sunday, the Lakers are stumbling upon a really good Raptors team, one that’s not going to be easy to play on a back-to-back. This is the best the Raptors have looked in years because Brandon Ingram has been a huge asset, averaging 21.8 points per game. Knowing that he’s playing in Lakers territory on Sunday, it’s fair to expect him to go all out in this one. It helps Ingram that he has reliable role players around him such as Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, who is listed as questionable for this one.

The Raptors’ biggest strength all season has been their defense, which ranks fifth in the league. It’s especially good during clutch time, to the point that Los Angeles needed a game-winner from Rui Hachimura to save them in their last match against the Raptors. Toronto has a penchant for keeping games close and performing well in the clutch, which explains why they are the third-best team in the league in late-game scenarios — right after the Lakers and Thunder.

It’s going to be a tough ask for the Lakers to beat a scrappy and young team given how they’re playing right now, but it’s also something they’ve accomplished in the past. The last time they were blown out on the first night of a back-to-back, they put together one of their best performances the following night. Hopefully, it’s the same case for this one because they really could afford a win in this difficult stretch of theirs right now.

Notes and Updates

• For the Raptors’ injury report, RJ Barrett (left ankle sprain), Jakob Poeltl (lower back strain) and Ja’Kobe Walter (right hip pointer) are out. Immanuel Quickley (back spasms) and Jamison Battle (left ankle sprain) are questionable.
• Since they played on Saturday, the Lakers haven’t released an injury report yet for this one. But as expected, Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) will be out.
• It’s uncertain what the status of Luka Dončić (left groin soreness), Deandre Ayton (left knee soreness) and Jaxson Hayes (hamstring tendinopathy) will be for this one.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Defending champion Great Britain won the first event of the sixth season of Sail GP Sunday, beating home favorite Australia and France in a three-boat final.

Britain hit the start line fastest in the final, edging France while Australia incurred a boundary line penalty in the start box and had to start behind its two rivals.

The British team then sailed a flawless race to hold the lead throughout while Australia crossed the finish line just ahead of France.

“It's an incredible start to the 2026 season,” British driver Dylan Fletcher said. "We had a few problems yesterday but I'm really proud of the way the team came together today and it's great to get the win.

"There's plenty to work on but we'll keep chipping away all season.

Racing took place at the mouth of the Swan River near Fremantle, a coastal town near Perth in Western Australia.

The famous Fremantle Doctor, a strong south-westerly sea breeze, came in just in time for racing each day, gusting around 35kmh and creating choppy conditions which were among the most extreme many crews have experienced.

Racing takes place between identical 50 foot catamarans which rise out of the water on foils, allowing boats to “fly." On Sunday boats reached speeds of more than 90 kph (56 mph). In the windy conditions, boats were using an 18 meter wing sail.

Spain, New Zealand miss Sunday fleet races

Only 11 of the 13 boats in this season's Sail GP series lined up in the first of Sunday's three fleet races. Spain missed the entire event after suffering a training mishap while New Zealand was ruled out of the event after a collision with Switzerland only minutes into the opening race of the season.

Switzerland was on starboard jibe approaching the end of the second left on Saturday's first race and had the right of way, while New Zealand, on port, tried to cross ahead of the Swiss boat. New Zealand seemed likely to just scrape past but the Swiss boat collided with the stern of New Zealand's boat.

New Zealand was later penalized by umpires for its part in the incident.

The New Zealand boat suffered extensive damage but is expected to be able to race in its home event in Auckland, New Zealand from Feb. 14.

Series newcomers Sweden won two of the four fleet races on the first day Saturday while Australia and France won one each. Sweden was in contention for the final until the seventh and last fleet race Sunday, when an error at the start saw it trail the field. It finished fourth overall, just outside the top three.

Britain won the first two fleet races Sunday to secure its place in the final. Italy was second and Australia third in the first race while France and Australia were second and third in the second race.

Canada won the start and led throughout the final fleet race to beat France, Australia and Britain.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports