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Lakers hopeful Rui Hachimura will return from injury in the days ahead

Los Angeles, CA - October 24: Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) dunks.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura dunks during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in October. Hachimura has missed the last six games because of right calf soreness. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

It's still unclear exactly when Rui Hachimura will return for the Lakers after missing six games because of right calf soreness, but coach JJ Redick said the forward is trending toward playing soon.

That could be as early as Monday night when the Lakers play at the Sacramento Kings or Tuesday night when they play the Atlanta Hawks at Crypto.com Arena.

Hachimura practiced Sunday and took extra shots after the session. “He was able to do everything in practice," Redick said.

Read more:Luka Doncic and LeBron James both falter at finish as Lakers lose to Bucks

Hachimura has been rehabbing for two weeks. He took part in a few practices and is eager to return.

Does he think he will play against the Kings?

“I think so. I think I felt good after [practice], but I got to check with the trainers and everybody and then we’ll see for tomorrow," Hachimura said.

When he does return, Hachimura will be on a minutes restriction and will probably come off the bench, Redick said.

Hachimura said his calf has “healed," giving him a chance to practice with the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G League team.

Hachimura is averaging 12.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in 27 games. He is shooting 52.1% from the field and 44.5% from three-point range,

“I’m fine,” he said. “I feel good about it."

Hachimura is aware how calf injuries have led to more serious ailments for NBA players. Although staying healthy is a priority with free agency looming at the end of the season, Hachimura said his main concern is helping the Lakers win games.

Read more:Luka Doncic has a triple-double, but LeBron-less Lakers lose to Spurs

“I think at the end of the day ... I’m trying to help this team win. That’s the whole purpose of being here,” he said. “I’ve been here for four seasons now. I think I’m one of the guys that has been here the longest too, so I’m happy to be here playing with these guys. The coaches and everybody, I love these guys.

"Of course the contract and stuff is coming up. But at the end of the day I’m just trying to focus on everyday, just in the moment. ... We got a second half that is coming. As a team too, but for me, I got to be ready for the playoffs.”

NBA suspends Kings guard Dennis Schroder

A day after the NBA suspended Sacramento point guard Dennis Schroder three games for confronting and attempting to strike Luka Doncic after a game on Dec. 28, Redick offered little insight into the incident.

“It's a league matter,” Redick said. “So, I don't really have a comment on it, to be honest with you. They made their decision. And it's up to them.”

The league said the incident occurred approximately 40 minutes after the game when Schroder sought out Doncic in a Crypto.com Arena hallway and initiated the confrontation.

The two had been sniping at each other all game, with Doncic at one point taunting Schroder for not signing an $84-million contract with the Lakers in 2021.

After the game, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, Schroder was hiding and waiting to attack Doncic in the hallway.

Redick was asked if he was aware of what happened.

“There's very few things I'm not aware of,” Redick said.

For his part, Schroder posted on social media, “Attempting,” with several emojis.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Josh Hart officially returning to Knicks' starting lineup Sunday against Trail Blazers

The Knicks are set to receive a big boost on Sunday night, as Josh Hart is officially available for the road meeting with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Hart will slide right back into the starting lineup and won't face a minutes restriction. 

His return is certainly a welcomed sight for New York, as the forward has missed the last eight games with an ankle injury suffered in the win over the Cavaliers on Christmas Day.

SNY's Ian Begley said on this week's edition of the Putback that Hart had been "getting close," and he was upgraded to questionable for the first time on Saturday night. 

Now, the training staff has deemed he's made enough progress for a full return. 

The Knicks remain in second place in the Eastern Conference, but they struggled mightily with Hart sidelined, going 3-5 and dropping five of their last six games.

The 30-year-old had been playing some of his best basketball of the season before going down with the injury, putting together 14.5 points and 9.1 rebounds over his last 15 games. 

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Ja Morant trade rumors: Destinations, trade ideas, Bucks among teams with some interest

With Trae Young in the nation’s capital and Anthony Davis missing time with a hand injury (which ends trade talk about him), Ja Morant becomes the biggest name potentially moved at the deadline.

Memphis should be able to get more of a return for Morant than Atlanta got for Young because teams are "more intrigued by his potential than Trae," as one former front office person put it to NBC Sports. That said, Morant's baggage, injury history, and salary mean the Grizzlies are not going to get near what they got last summer for Desmond Bane (Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four firsts, and a pick swap). Meanwhile, Morant remains sidelined with a calf injury.

There is a ton of news on potential Morant destinations, so let's break it down in bullet points:

• The Milwaukee Bucks, desperate for more talent to put around Giannis Antetokounmpo, are interested in Morant, reports the well-connected Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

This pairing seems an odd fit because Morant and Antetokounmpo play a similar style of offensive game — they need the ball in their hands to drive downhill, get in the lane and score or create for others. Neither is great off-ball. This feels like it would be just two stars taking turns, and how much better does that make the Bucks?

Still, this is a legitimate rumor. Owczarski also reports the Bucks are still interested in Zach LaVine, a fit that makes more sense on the court.

• The Sacramento Kings are "lukewarm at best" on adding Morant, reports John Hollinger at The Athletic. Which is the smart move for Sactown, while this team needs talent, Morant is not the roll of the dice this team should take. However, as noted by Hollinger, the unpredictable Vivek Ranadive factor means they can't be ruled out.

• One interesting name Hollinger brings up as a dark horse: the Brooklyn Nets. They will trade away Michael Porter Jr. at the deadline — he is the player most certain to be traded — and might be the perfect team to take a flyer on Morant, hoping a new situation is what he needs to return to his All-Star form.

• A lot of people bring up Minnesota because it could use a point guard, but league sources told NBC Sports not to expect them to get in the mix (the Timberwolves would have to give up too much depth to make the money work, like a three- or four-to-one deal, and they are looking for a less expensive option at the point).

• Toronto is another team mentioned, with the trade being Immanuel Quickley and other assets to the Grizzlies (which is what the Raptors offered to Atlanta for Young last summer). Does that make sense for Toronto now? The Raptors sit fourth in the East. Why would they mess with their chemistry and send out multiple players to bring in Morant, who would dominate the ball on a team best at sharing it? Expect Toronto to go after a center.

• Miami gets mentioned as having interest, although it's fair to question if Morant is a fit with the Heat culture. Jake Fischer at The Stein Line reported that the Heat are asking themselves exactly that, "whether the organization could foster a productive environment for Ja Morant to bounce back to his All-Star best."

• A Morant for LaMelo Ball swap of point guards — something speculated about early in the season — is very unlikely now, Fischer reported. With Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller in Charlotte as key parts of the future, it's hard to imagine why the Hornets would make this deal.

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3 Knicks' defensive concerns that must be addressed

The Knicks' defensive inconsistencies were on full display in a 112-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. New York’s defense came alive in the fourth quarter, holding Phoenix to 18 points, but in the previous two quarters, the club gave up 66 points.

The performance was a microcosm of the Knicks’ defense all season, which has been inconsistent. Currently tied for second place in the East with a 24-14 record, it’s been the year of experimentation for New York. We’ve seen more zone defense, switches, as well as the occasional trap. 

Despite these new wrinkles, the defense has produced underwhelming results. The Knicks defense is ranked 19th in the NBA after 38 games, and is 27th in the month of January. As we near the halfway mark of the season, let’s look at three major concerns with the Knicks' defense.

Point-of-attack

New York’s most glaring weakness on the defensive end is guarding the point-of-attack. Mikal Bridges has often been New York’s prime defender, and has struggled for the most part in a season and a half of chasing ballhandlers.

Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart are all quality wing defenders, but they have all looked better in help roles where they can disrupt passing lanes and cut off drives rather than defend speedy guards capable of getting into the paint.

Miles McBride has been effective at times in the role. He has a near 6-foot-9 wingspan. But he’s also a 6-foot-2 guard, so there’s some matchups where that won’t be ideal. Landry Shamet is another capable point-of-attack defender. Shamet should return soon from a shoulder injury.

The Knicks could make a move externally. Names like Jose Alvarado,Ochai Agbaji, and Keon Ellis have been floated as potential trade targets to improve the defense. But realistically, those players wouldn’t be focal points of New York’s rotation. 

Brown has employed a zone at times to combat New York’s defensive issues and it’s been hit or miss. Most likely, the Knicks will have to improve from within to elevate the defense. 

Defending behind the arc

New York’s lack of an elite point-of-attack option has bled into another part of the defense, the three-point line. The Knicks are overhelping in the paint to contain drives and shots on the interior. 

That strategy is working to a degree. New York is keeping teams subdued on the inside. The Knicks allow 46.2 points in the paint per 100 possessions per NBA Stats, the sixth best mark in the league. But the focus on the paint has exposed the perimeter. The Knicks are giving up the third most three-point attempts in the NBA. Opponents are also shooting 37.3 percent from three, a figure that is tied for 27th in the NBA. 

New York struggled to contain the three on Friday, giving up 15 three-pointers in the first three quarters, before holding the Suns to just one trifecta in the final quarter. One reason for the improved defense was a switching strategy on the pick-and-roll. Switching could be something the Knicks defense goes to more as the season wears on. 

Star liabilities

New York’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the two weakest defenders among the team’s top seven rotation players. But as the two top scorers on the team, they’re also crucial to New York’s offense. It’s a delicate balance that the Knicks have to constantly manage.

The opposition will try to bring Brunson and Towns into offensive actions to attack the two stars and create chaos. In the Eastern Conference Finals last year, that combination was exposed repeatedly by the Indiana Pacers. This year’s playoffs will be a major test on defense for Brunson and Towns.

The Knicks have not defended well with Brunson on the floor, giving up 119.4 points per 100 possessions in his 1,235 minutes. When the star point guard sits, New York is allowing 106.3 points per 100 possessions, a number that would rank second in the NBA. It’s not to say that Brunson is the sole reason for New York’s defensive issues, but it’s a number to monitor for the rest of the season.

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Celtics' Jaylen Brown calls out officials after loss to Spurs, including NSFW social media post

Jaylen Brown looked like an MVP candidate with 27 points and eight assists in the Celtics' 100-95 loss to San Antonio, an outing which included a couple of ridiculous 3-pointers over Victor Wembanyama.

However, a frustrated Brown didn't get to the free throw line once in the game. In fact, Boston as a team got to the line just four times all game long, compared to 20 for the Spurs. After the game, Brown went off on the officiating.

"I hope somebody can pull up the clips," Brown said, via the Associated Press. "It's the same s*** every time we play a good team. It's like they refuse to make the calls and they call touch calls on the other end. That's just extremely frustrating...

"Somebody please pull it up. Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy. ... I'm irate at how they officiated the game today."

Brown took his NSFW rant to social media.

Brown can count on a fine from the league, but he'd gladly pay it to get what he sees as a fair whistle.

The Spurs allow the lowest percentage of free throws to shot attempts in the league, and the second lowest number of allowed free throws a game at 21.3 — call it the Victor Wembanyama effect. With the best rim protector in the league in the paint (and a solid defender in Luke Kornett there when he's not), teams tend to pull up more and shoot further out. Brown was no exception, he had four shots inside four feet (make that six feet and he was 3-of-6 shooting) while he took nine shots between four and 14 feet.

That said, no free throws for Brown and just four for the Celtics as a whole was hard to get your head around. Brown made his point postgame and will get the fine he asked for because he did.

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The numbers back up Jaylen Brown's vent about officiating in C's-Spurs

The numbers back up Jaylen Brown's vent about officiating in C's-Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jaylen Brown made at least a $25,000 donation Saturday night by delivering a vociferous postgame rant about the officiating after his Boston Celtics endured a narrow loss to the San Antonio Spurs. 

Having already sounded off multiple times this season — including after a loss to the Denver Nuggets earlier in the week — Brown made his firmest and most direct declaration while accepting that his wallet would be lighter in the aftermath.

“I feel like, honestly, (the Spurs) just got away with a lot. And I’m tired of the inconsistency,” said Brown. I’ll accept the fine at this point. I thought it was some bulls— tonight. I think [the Spurs are] a good defensive team, but they ain’t that damn good.”

“I hope somebody can just pull up the clips, because it’s the same s— every time we play a good team. It’s like they refuse to make a call then call touch fouls on the other end.”

Brown did not shoot a single free throw over 43 minutes, 22 seconds of floor time against the Spurs. The Celtics generated just four free throw attempts overall, tied for the second-fewest in franchise history.

Boston’s free-throw rate in Saturday’s game was the worst in the NBA this season.

Did Brown deserve more calls? The numbers certainly suggest a harsh whistle in recent games against top competition.

In losses this week to the Nuggets and Spurs — two of the top teams in the Western Conference — Brown was credited with 54 total drives. He drew just one shooting foul, or 1.9 percent of his total drives.

For the season, Brown ranks third in the NBA in total drives. He gets fouled on 8.9 percent of those treks, which would suggest an expected output of 4.8 shooting fouls off those drives against San Antonio and Denver.

Brown’s free-throw attempts, which climbed to a season-high 8.7 per game in December, are down to 5.8 per game in January. The Celtics as a team rank 30th in the NBA in both free throw attempt rate and free throw attempts per game (18.9). They rank 27th in the NBA while drawing fouls on 6.3 percent of all their drives this season.

Given Boston’s shot profile, which leans heavily 3-pointers and long mid-range jumpers, it’s not surprising that the Celtics don’t draw as many fouls as some teams. But Brown has been demonstrative toward officials on multiple occasions when he believes opponents have dislodged him on drives to the basket. 

The Nuggets and Spurs have physical, handsy defenses that might get a bit more leeway from officials given their consistency aggressive playstyle. But the 20-4 free-throw disparity in favor of the Spurs on Saturday night was impossible to ignore.

Jaylen Brown took one more shot at the officials late Saturday night on X.

“Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy,” said Brown. “I’ll take the f—ing fine. [Official] Curtis [Blair and] all them dudes was terrible tonight. I don’t care. They can fine me whatever they want. But it’s crazy. Every time we play a good team, it’s the same bulls—.”

Brown admitted free throws weren’t the entire story of the game and fretted his own uneven play in the fourth quarter. He went 1 for 9 in the frame and missed a wide-open 3-pointer in a 2-point game with 1:19 to play. He turned the ball over soon after, and the Spurs cashed in with a bucket that essentially sealed the game. Two of Brown’s five turnovers came in the final quarter.

Brown also acknowledged that the Celtics have to be better at defending without fouling on the other end. But the overall disparity and what Brown perceived as a more firm whistle against the Celtics left him fuming.

“Zero free throws tonight,” said Brown. “The inconsistency is f—ing crazy. Give me the fine.”

After a smaller rant after Boston’s loss to Denver on Wednesday, Brown got a favorable whistle during the Celtics’ win over Toronto on Friday. That whistle evaporated the next night.

The question now is whether officials will be more likely to give Brown calls after he went so far as to name-check an official as part of his frustration on Saturday night.

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Week 13 Fantasy Basketball Schedule Primer: Low-rostered Lakers like Jake LaRavia should be popular

The Week 13 fantasy basketball schedule is an interesting one, in that every day has between six and nine games. However, that doesn't mean there aren't any quirks for fantasy managers to navigate. The Lakers have the first five-game week of the season, while four teams are only playing twice during Week 13.

Add in the back-to-backs, injuries and teams looking to improve their draft lottery odds, and it's clear that the "silly season" is not far away. In fact, is it starting up earlier than in previous years? Washington acquired Trae Young, and it's unknown when he'll make his first appearance in a game. And Ja Morant has been out while his name has come up in trade rumors. Here's a look at the Week 13 schedule breakdown and some of its key storylines.

Week 13 Games Played

5 Games: LAL

4 Games: BKN, CHA, CHI, DAL, DEN, HOU, IND, NOR, POR, SAC, TOR, UTA

3 Games: ATL, BOS, CLE, GSW, LAC, MIA, MIN, NYK, OKC, PHI, PHX, SAS, WAS

2 Games: DET, MEM, MIL, ORL

Week 13 Back-to-backs

Sunday (Week 12)-Monday: BKN, PHI, SAC, TOR

Monday-Tuesday: LAL

Tuesday-Wednesday: CHI, DEN, NOR

Wednesday-Thursday: DAL, NYK, UTA

Thursday-Friday: HOU

Friday-Saturday: IND, MIN, WAS

Saturday-Sunday: CHA, DEN, LAL, POR

Sunday-Monday (Week 14): BKN

Week 13 Storylines of Note

- Week 13 is a good week to roster Lakers players.

After a poor fantasy schedule in Week 12 because they didn't play on Saturday or Sunday, the Lakers have an excellent slate for Week 13. They'll play five games, including Monday/Tuesday and Saturday/Sunday back-to-backs, which boosts the values of some of the team's low-rostered players. Even if Rui Hachimura can return from his calf injury during Week 13, Jake LaRavia will be worth a look in fantasy leagues due to the back-to-backs. Marcus Smart, as enigmatic a fantasy option as he can be, also has added value because of the schedule. As for Luka Dončić and LeBron James, their workloads will be worth tracking. Do they play all five games, or will the Lakers look to give them at least one night off? The answer will have a significant impact on fantasy basketball leagues next week.

- Be ready to move on from Bucks players after Thursday.

The Bucks are one of four teams playing only twice during Week 13. However, unlike the other three teams discussed below, Milwaukee plays its games on Tuesday and Thursday. Does the schedule give fantasy managers added motivation to trade Myles Turner, whose "sell high" window slammed shut during Week 12? What happens with Bobby Portis after the end of the games on Thursday? While he's been more productive than Turner recently, the combination of the schedule and his reserve role may make Portis expendable in the eyes of some fantasy managers. At this point, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter Jr. are the two players who must be held onto, no matter what the schedule looks like, with Ryan Rollins also in that discussion. As for the others? It's probably time to either make a deal or drop them to the waiver wire for the final days of Week 13.

- Detroit, Memphis and Orlando don't play their first game of Week 13 until Thursday.

The Pistons, Grizzlies and Magic won't play their first games of Week 13 until Thursday, with the former playing its second on Saturday. Memphis and Orlando will play their final game of the week on Sunday as part of a six-game slate, making them teams worth mining for streaming value ahead of those contests. Detroit has been hobbled by injuries recently, with Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and Tobias Harris all sidelined. While players like Daniss Jenkins and Paul Reed, to name two, have stepped up at various points, holding on to them until Thursday could be challenging. Hopefully, that's enough time for some of Detroit's main options to get back onto the court.

Memphis' injury situation is complicated by recent trade rumors involving Morant. Will the team be able to find a new home for him before the trade deadline? Also, how will the rumors affect his availability before something happens? Cam Spencer has been a valuable option at point guard, whether he starts or comes off the bench, while Santi Aldama and Jock Landale have added importance due to Zach Edey's injury. Orlando remains without Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, but Moritz Wagner will make his season debut on Sunday as he returns from a torn ACL. Anthony Black is a player who fantasy managers should hold onto despite the poor early schedule, but Wendell Carter Jr. may not be in some formats.

- The Nuggets have two back-to-backs during Week 13.

The Lakers aren't the only team that has two back-to-backs to navigate. Denver is one of the others, and the Nuggets are still awaiting the return of Nikola Jokić. He still has a few more weeks on the shelf, but the back-to-backs will impact the availability of some of Denver's other fantasy mainstays. Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon and Spencer Jones all missed time during Week 12, and that could also be the case in Week 13. And with all four of the Nuggets' Week 13 games being part of back-to-backs, this could be a case where players are only available for two games. While Murray may be able to offer three (or four) games' worth of production in two appearances, that won't be as easy for Braun or Gordon to do, especially with their minutes being restricted.

- The Nets also have two back-to-backs; what does that mean for Michael Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas?

Brooklyn also has two back-to-backs, one of which begins with the final day of Week 12. Porter was ruled out of Sunday's matchup with the Grizzlies; hopefully, that means he will be available for Monday's matchup with the Mavericks. If so, Week 13 could be a three or four-game week for MPJ, as the second back-to-back is another Sunday/Monday set. As for Thomas, not only are the back-to-backs a concern, but so is his playing time. He hasn't surpassed 24 minutes in any of the six games he's played since returning from a hamstring injury. And Thomas being available for Sunday's game likely means that he won't play in Dallas on Monday. There's a chance he's only active for two games in Week 13; add in the restriction, and this could be a challenging week for those who have him rostered. Nic Claxton is someone else to watch; Week 13 could be when fantasy managers receive a preview of what's to come in Brooklyn during the "silly season."

- Dallas' four-game week will get very interesting due to Anthony Davis and P.J. Washington missing time due to injury.

Davis, another star who has been the subject of trade rumors recently, suffered a left hand injury during Thursday's loss to the Jazz that's expected to cost him six weeks minimum. And that's if he doesn't need surgery. As for Washington, he's missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Add in Brandon Williams sitting out Saturday's loss to the Bulls with an illness, and the Mavericks head into a four-game Week 13 down three rotation players.

As much as it's been reported that decision-makers would like to see what a trio of Davis, Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving would look like on the court together, would that be good business for the Mavericks? The 2026 first-round pick is the last that they'll have complete control over until 2031. Week 13's schedule includes a midweek back-to-back; fantasy managers may get some clues about what the Mavericks plan to do the rest of the season, even though the team is only three games out of the final play-in spot in the loss column.

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Kings' Dennis Schroder suspended three games for going after Luka Doncic in arena hallway postgame

Sacramento Kings' point guard Dennis Schroder has been suspended three games without pay for "confronting and attempting to strike another player" in the hallway of Crypto.com Arena back on Dec. 28, the NBA announced on Saturday.

Schroder sought out and tried to start something with Luka Doncic, reports insider Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime and NBATV.

Schroder will sit out three games, starting Sunday against the Houston Rockets, including the Kings hosting Doncic and the Lakers on Monday. Schroder has averaged 13 points and 5.7 assists a game this season coming off the bench for the Kings.

The incident will cost Schroder $291,807 in salary, reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

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Why Bill Simmons oddly declined to watch Steph Curry, Warriors play vs. Clippers

Why Bill Simmons oddly declined to watch Steph Curry, Warriors play vs. Clippers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Bill Simmons isn’t a fan of the 2025-26 Warriors.

In fact, the sports media personality shared that he recently declined the opportunity to watch Steph Curry, one of his favorite NBA players, in person because of how frustrating it is for him to watch Golden State.

Here is what Simmons said about passing on the Curry Show on his “Bill Simmons Podcast.”

“I have Clippers season tickets I share with the one and only Mike Tollin,” Simmons prefaced. “Usually, we go to the Warriors games together because Steph Curry and [Nikola] Jokić are my two ‘I’m going if they’re there.’ [Victor Wembanyama] has now entered that group. Jokić, Curry, Wemby; I’m there if they’re in town. [Tollin] asked … ‘I can’t go Monday. You want the tickets?’ I said, ‘No. Let’s sell him.’ And we sold them. I rain-checked it [and] made up an excuse.

“‘I’m under the weather, Steph. I can’t make it today.’ I just didn’t want to watch him on a s–t Warriors team with f–king Draymond [Green] getting kicked out of every other game, or Steve Kerr getting mad at the refs, or these f–king guys that come in, and [Jimmy] Butler taking 10 shots. I couldn’t do it. It was going to make me mad. I wanted to enjoy my Monday night. Didn’t go. Steph Curry, who’s, by the way, having an incredible year — couldn’t do it.”

Simmons clearly didn’t hold back — regardless of his affinity for Curry.

And ironically, Simmons was right to miss the Warriors’ date with the Clippers on Monday at Intuit Dome. Golden State was defeated by Los Angeles in a frustrating fashion, 103-102.

But despite Simmons’ harsh words, the Warriors have been on one of their better stretches of the 2025-26 NBA season. Golden State has won eight of its last 11 games, including a 34-point blowout win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night at Chase Center.

Maybe Simmons should give watching Curry and the 2025-26 Warriors live another shot.

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Kings' Dennis Schröder suspended by NBA for attempting to strike opposing player

Kings' Dennis Schröder suspended by NBA for attempting to strike opposing player originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings will be without Dennis Schröder for at least their next three contests, after the veteran point guard was suspended without pay for three games by the NBA for confronting and attempting to strike an opposing player on Dec. 28, the league announced Saturday.

The incident occurred following Sacramento’s 125-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.Com Arena, when Schröder sought the opposing player in a hallway to initiate the confrontation 40 minutes after the game’s conclusion.

Schröder will begin serving his three-game suspension on Sunday when the Kings host the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center.

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Lakers superstar Luka Dončić is the player Schröder initiated the confrontation with, citing sources.

The 13-year NBA veteran is averaging 13 points, 5.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game across 31 contests for Sacramento this season.

Schröder has scored in double figures in 11 consecutive contests, leaving a scoring void in the Kings’ already depleted lineup that is missing All-NBA big man Domantas Sabonis as Sacramento attempts to turn around what has been a rough start to the 2025-26 season.

For now, they’ll have to find a way to do so without Schröder, who isn’t eligible to return until the Kings host the Washington Wizards on Jan. 16.

On top of Sacramento’s matchup with Houston on Sunday, Schröder also will miss games against the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, both being played at Golden 1 Center in the midst of a six-game homestand for the Kings.

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Kings' Dennis Schröder suspended by NBA for attempting to strike opposing player

Kings' Dennis Schröder suspended by NBA for attempting to strike opposing player originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings will be without Dennis Schröder for at least their next three contests, after the veteran point guard was suspended without pay for three games by the NBA for confronting and attempting to strike an opposing player on Dec. 28, the league announced Saturday.

The incident occurred following Sacramento’s 125-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena, when Schröder sought the opposing player in a hallway to initiate the confrontation 40 minutes after the game’s conclusion.

Schröder will begin serving his three-game suspension on Sunday when the Kings host the Houston Rockets at Golden 1 Center.

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported, citing sources, that Lakers superstar Luka Dončić is the player Schröder initiated the confrontation with.

The 13-year NBA veteran is averaging 13 points, 5.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 27.3 minutes per game across 31 contests for Sacramento this season.

Schröder has scored in double figures in 11 consecutive contests, and his suspension leaves a scoring void in the Kings’ already depleted lineup that is missing All-NBA big man Domantas Sabonis as Sacramento attempts to turn around what has been a rough start to the 2025-26 season.

For now, they will have to find a way to do so without Schröder, who isn’t eligible to return until the Kings host the Washington Wizards on Jan. 16.

In addition to Sacramento’s matchup with Houston on Sunday, Schröder also will miss games against the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, both being played at Golden 1 Center in the midst of a six-game home stand for the Kings.

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Steph Curry, Gary Payton II share love for Draymond Green's 3-point ‘booms'

Steph Curry, Gary Payton II share love for Draymond Green's 3-point ‘booms' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry is who most NBA fans think of when imagining a Warriors player making a 3-point shot.

But a classic Draymond Green splash never gets old.

Curry and Golden State teammate Gary Payton II hilariously shared their love for hearing Green yell his signature “boom” after his trio of triples in the Warriors’ blowout 137-103 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night at Chase Center.

“I tell him all the time, ‘You get that shot, we live with it. You take it. We got confidence in it. Get your feet set. And all I want to hear you say is ‘Boom’ at the end of it,’” Curry told reporters, having assisted on all three of Green’s 3-pointers,” because it gets everybody going when he’s knocking down those shots and making defenses pay for how they’re guarding us.

“You know, three points, sometimes they’re not all created equal. Those are big shots.”

Most of the Warriors’ opponents consider Green an afterthought when it comes to perimeter shooting; it isn’t the worst tactic, as Green has made just 32.1 percent of triples over his illustrious 14-year NBA career.

However, Green has made 790 shots behind the arc, and every one of them has helped coach Steve Kerr’s offense keep defenses honest.

Plus, hearing Green yell “boom” always makes for some fun.

Green finished with 11 points on 3-for-4 shooting from deep against the Kings. While Golden State cruised to victory, Payton enjoyed seeing his teammate space the floor and create even more offense for the Warriors.

“Boom — that’s it,” Payton told reporters when asked about the impact of Green’s 3-point shooting. “[Defenses are] going to have to start inching out to him sooner or later. But if they’re not, you’re going to start hearing a lot of booms.”

Curry is the greatest sharpshooter in the history of basketball. But he might have emerging competition, as Green has made 13 of his 33 triples, or 39.4 percent, over his last seven games.

Boom.

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Referee Bill Kennedy leaves court in wheelchair after suffering non-contact leg injury

Bill Kennedy, one of the NBA's most recognizable and popular referees, had to leave the court in a wheelchair Friday night after a non-contact lower leg injury.

There has been no official update on his injury or status, but 76ers coach Nick Nurse said postgame he heard rumors it could be an Achilles injury, adding, "Let's hope it's not that." Kennedy pulled up while running down the court, not near anyone else, which is never a good sign.

Most fans recognize Kennedy as the best at the coach's challenge calls on the mic.

Kennedy, 59, is in his 26th season as an NBA referee. He is approaching 1,500 NBA regular-season games officiated as well as 139 playoff games, which includes six NBA Finals games. Kennedy, the second openly gay official in the NBA, is one of the most respected and well liked referees by players and coaches around the league.

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Durant passes legend Chamberlain on all-time list

Kevin Durant makes a 'V' sign with his fingers above his head
Kevin Durant is a two-time NBA champion [Getty Images]

Kevin Durant moved past the great Wilt Chamberlain on the NBA all-time scoring list but his 30 points could not guide the Houston Rockets to a win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Durant, 37, has 31,435 points in his career and is now seventh on the all-time list. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers leads the way with 42,601.

The Trail Blazers triumphed 111-105 at Moda Center in Portland.

Chamberlain, who died in 1999, is the only player to score 100 points in an NBA game and was a two-time champion with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Lakers.

In 1962 he averaged a record 50.4 points a game, and was the leading NBA scorer when he retired in 1973.

"You see the numbers. You just can't comprehend somebody putting up 50 a game with 25 rebounds," Durant said before Friday's game.

"You want to compete with that and try to match that as much as you can.

"It's amazing just being in the top 10 with him, but to have the opportunity to pass him up, it's pretty sweet."

Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Lakers 105-101 in LA to claim a fifth win in seven games.

Stephen Curry finished with 27 points and a season-high 10 assists as the Golden State Warriors triumphed 137-103 at home against the Sacramento Kings.

The Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a 21-point deficit in the second half to win 117-116 at the Memphis Grizzlies.

Top 10 NBA points scorers

  1. LeBron James* - 42,601
  2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 38,387
  3. Karl Malone - 36,928
  4. Kobe Bryant - 33,643
  5. Michael Jordan - 32,292
  6. Dirk Nowitzki - 31,560
  7. Kevin Durant* - 31,435
  8. Wilt Chamberlain - 31,419
  9. Shaquille O'Neal - 28,596
  10. James Harden* - 28, 563

*Current player

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Luka Doncic and LeBron James both falter at finish as Lakers lose to Bucks

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 9, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.
LeBron James points toward an official after he thought he was fouled driving to the basket against the Bucks in the first half Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers have two of the best clutch players in the NBA in LeBron James and Luka Doncic. They have been the best clutch team in the NBA this season because of them and because they have led the way for the Lakers. They have won an NBA-best 13 games in the clutch this season.

But when the game hung in the balance Friday night, when the Lakers needed James and Doncic to be clutch, neither was able to deliver, their inability to do so a direct result in L.A. dropping a 105-101 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at Crypto.com Arena.

For as much as James did in keeping the Lakers in the game by scoring 13 of his 26 points in the final quarter and by nearly collecting a triple-double with 10 assists and nine rebounds, it was his last-second turnover that doomed them.

For as much as Doncic did in producing a near triple-double with 24 points, nine assists and nine rebounds, his poor shooting and foul trouble was not helpful in the end.

“I’d love to go undefeated in clutch games for a season, but you know, you can’t get too high, can’t get too low on stats like that,” James said. “You just play the game. And they made some plays. Big three by [Myles] Turner by our bench; obviously the free throws down the stretch by KP [Kevin Porter Jr.]. So, we had our chances.”

The score was tied at 101-101 after Jake LaRavia (13 points) drilled a three-pointer off a pass from Doncic.

Lakers guard Luka Doncic, center, makes a backwards pass over Bucks guard AJ Green (20) during the first half Friday.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic, center, makes a backwards pass over Bucks guard AJ Green (20) during the first half Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers never scored again. James missed a driving layup for the lead that was blocked by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Then Doncic fouled Porter on a three-pointer with 16.2 seconds left. It was Doncic’s sixth foul.

“I think we missed a couple of good shots down the stretch. Then I fouled (out). I had six fouls. First time in a long time,” Doncic said. “So, that’s on me. I can’t foul at that point.”

Porter made two of the three free throws for a 103-101 Bucks lead.

Doncic was asked about the foul.

“Yeah, I don’t think he shoots like that,” Doncic said of Porter's three-pointer. “The referee said it was a foul. So, I guess it’s a foul.”

Still, the Lakers were down only two points and they still had James on the court.

Read more:Luka Doncic has a triple-double, but LeBron-less Lakers lose to Spurs

But on his drive to the basket, James lost control of the ball for a turnover with 1.5 seconds left.

“For me? … I turned the ball over. You definitely can’t do that at that point and time,” James said. “So, Giannis, he made a great play by getting his arm and tipping it from behind, but can’t turn the ball over — obviously.”

Doncic lamented his shooting during the game.

He made his first two three-pointers to start the game, but it was all downhill from there. He was eight-for-25 shooting the field and had a rating of minus-14.

“Obviously my shot didn’t go well today,” Doncic said. “You know, could get better shots. So, wish I could have executed better than that.”

The Lakers played their fourth game this week, at times looking sluggish because of the workload.

It was the kind of night that saw Doncic pick up his fifth foul with 2.1 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Lakers trailed by as much as 12 in the second quarter, looking a bit slow.

So much — if not all — of the Lakers’ game plan was on trying to deal with the nearly unstoppable force that is Antetokounmpo.

And much of that job went to Lakers center Deandre Ayton, whom the LA felt was best equipped to handle the assignment because of his size (7-foot), length and strength.

But it also was going to take the Lakers as a group to slow down Antetokounmpo, who finished with 21 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Jarred Vanderbilt gave the Lakers a big effort with nine points and nine rebounds off the bench, and his usual tough defense.

Hachimura update

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura missed his sixth consecutive game because of right calf soreness. Hachimura has been working out and there is some hope that he can play Monday night in Sacramento.

“He's made a lot of progress just in terms of regaining strength and mobility in his calf and had a good workout today,” coach JJ Redick said. “There's a lot of optimism that he'll be available Monday, but we'll see how the next few days go.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.