Tobias Harris was one of four Detroit players to score at least 10 points [Getty Images]
Tobias Harris scored 25 points as NBA Eastern Conference leaders Detroit Pistons held on to beat the second-placed Boston Celtics 104-103 on Martin Luther King Jr Day.
Jaylen Brown, who registered 32 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, almost snatched victory when his shot in the final seconds bounced off the rim at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Jalen Duren contributed 18 points and nine rebounds and Cade Cunningham 16 points and 14 assists for the Pistons.
"We wanted this game. It's a heck of a win for us," said Harris.
"Two of the best teams in the East - our group is always up for the challenge."
The Pistons improved their record to 31-10, while the Celtics are 26-16.
Western Conference leaders and defending NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder got back to winning ways with a 136-104 victory at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Thunder went into the game on the back of a defeat by the Miami Heat and dominated the Cavaliers as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points.
Victor Wembanyama scored 33 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs, who are second in the Western Conference, to a 123-110 home win against the Utah Jazz.
Wembanyama scored a season-high seven three-pointers in a display which also included 10 rebounds, while six other Spurs players reached double figures in points.
Atlanta Hawks (20-25, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (18-23, 11th in the Western Conference)
Memphis, Tennessee; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta looks to break its four-game losing streak with a victory over Memphis.
The Grizzlies are 10-11 in home games. Memphis is 9-9 when it wins the turnover battle and averages 14.9 turnovers per game.
The Hawks are 13-12 in road games. Atlanta is the league leader with 31.0 assists per game led by Jalen Johnson averaging 8.0.
The Grizzlies are shooting 45.5% from the field this season, 2.3 percentage points lower than the 47.8% the Hawks allow to opponents. The Hawks average 14.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.1 more makes per game than the Grizzlies give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 18.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Grizzlies. Santi Aldama is averaging 13.0 points over the last 10 games.
Onyeka Okongwu is averaging 16.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 21.8 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 44.0% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Grizzlies: 3-7, averaging 114.3 points, 46.8 rebounds, 28.7 assists, 7.5 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.7 points per game.
Hawks: 4-6, averaging 111.2 points, 43.6 rebounds, 30.0 assists, 10.9 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.1 points.
INJURIES: Grizzlies: Scotty Pippen Jr.: out (toe), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Ty Jerome: out (calf), Brandon Clarke: out (calf).
Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis: out (achilles), Zaccharie Risacher: out (knee), N'Faly Dante: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Indiana Pacers (10-34, 15th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (26-16, second in the Eastern Conference)
Boston; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Indiana Pacers take on Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference action Wednesday.
The Celtics are 19-10 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston averages 116.7 points while outscoring opponents by 6.7 points per game.
The Pacers are 7-22 against conference opponents. Indiana has a 4-27 record against teams over .500.
The Celtics average 116.7 points per game, 1.6 fewer points than the 118.3 the Pacers give up. The Pacers average 110.1 points per game, 0.1 more than the 110.0 the Celtics give up to opponents.
The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Pacers won the last matchup 98-96 on Jan. 13. Pascal Siakam scored 21 points to help lead the Pacers to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Derrick White is shooting 39.1% and averaging 17.7 points for the Celtics. Brown is averaging 27.8 points over the last 10 games.
Siakam is averaging 23.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and four assists for the Pacers. Andrew Nembhard is averaging 15.4 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 6-4, averaging 116.1 points, 48.2 rebounds, 22.7 assists, 6.3 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.5 points per game.
Pacers: 4-6, averaging 110.1 points, 42.4 rebounds, 29.2 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.3 points.
INJURIES: Celtics: Josh Minott: day to day (ankle), Jayson Tatum: out (achilles).
Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin: day to day (thumb), Obi Toppin: out (foot), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota visits the Utah Jazz after Anthony Edwards scored 55 points in the Timberwolves' 126-123 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Jazz are 0-8 in division matchups. Utah has a 6-19 record against teams over .500.
The Timberwolves are 4-4 against the rest of their division. Minnesota ranks fifth in the Western Conference with 33.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.5.
The Jazz score 119.1 points per game, 4.4 more points than the 114.7 the Timberwolves give up. The Jazz average 120.0 points per game, 7.5 fewer points than the 127.5 the Jazz allow.
The teams play for the third time this season. The Timberwolves won the last meeting 120-113 on Nov. 11, with Edwards scoring 35 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Keyonte George is averaging 24 points and 6.8 assists for the Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 17.5 points over the last 10 games.
Gobert is scoring 11.0 points per game and averaging 11.4 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Edwards is averaging 25.2 points and 3.7 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 2-8, averaging 116.8 points, 42.5 rebounds, 30.7 assists, 8.3 steals and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.8 points per game.
Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 122.6 points, 46.5 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 8.3 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.3 points.
INJURIES: Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: day to day (illness), Georges Niang: day to day (foot), Brice Sensabaugh: day to day (illness), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder).
Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: out (foot), Naz Reid: day to day (shoulder).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (31-10, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (10-35, 15th in the Western Conference)
New Orleans; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit will attempt to extend its three-game win streak with a victory against New Orleans.
The Pelicans have gone 7-18 at home. New Orleans averages 13.6 turnovers per game and is 8-15 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents.
The Pistons are 13-6 in road games. Detroit ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference with 32.9 defensive rebounds per game led by Jalen Duren averaging 6.8.
The Pelicans make 46.5% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.6 percentage points higher than the Pistons have allowed to their opponents (43.9%). The Pistons average 11.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.6 fewer made shots on average than the 14.8 per game the Pelicans give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Derik Queen is averaging 12.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the Pelicans. Trey Murphy III is averaging 23.3 points over the last 10 games.
Cade Cunningham is averaging 25.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 9.8 assists for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 2-8, averaging 112.5 points, 43.0 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 8.3 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.1 points per game.
Pistons: 7-3, averaging 110.7 points, 44.3 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 11.7 steals and 8.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 101.3 points.
INJURIES: Pelicans: Jose Alvarado: out (oblique), Dejounte Murray: out (leg), Herbert Jones: day to day (ankle).
Pistons: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Phoenix visits Philadelphia for a non-conference matchup.
The 76ers have gone 11-11 in home games. Philadelphia ranks ninth in the Eastern Conference with 48.2 points per game in the paint led by Tyrese Maxey averaging 11.7.
The Suns have gone 12-12 away from home. Phoenix has a 4-6 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The 76ers average 116.7 points per game, 4.8 more points than the 111.9 the Suns allow. The Suns average 114.7 points per game, 0.7 fewer than the 115.4 the 76ers allow to opponents.
TOP PERFORMERS: VJ Edgecombe is averaging 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals for the 76ers. Maxey is averaging 28.5 points over the last 10 games.
Devin Booker is averaging 25.3 points and 6.4 assists for the Suns. Dillon Brooks is averaging 19.2 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 6-4, averaging 117.6 points, 41.7 rebounds, 23.0 assists, 10.4 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.5 points per game.
Suns: 7-3, averaging 113.3 points, 43.1 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.6 points.
INJURIES: 76ers: Paul George: day to day (knee).
Suns: Jalen Green: day to day (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Anthony Duclair scored twice and the New York Islanders beat Vancouver 4-3 on Monday night, handing the Canucks their 11th consecutive defeat.
Tony DeAngelo had a goal and an assist for the Islanders (27-17-5). Ryan Pulock's second goal of the season put New York ahead for good with 4:02 remaining in the second period.
Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer and British Columbia product Mathew Barzal each had two assists. Ilya Sorokin stopped 29 shots.
Duclair has seven goals in his last seven games after scoring four in his first 38 appearances this season.
Max Sasson, Evander Kane and Drew O’Connor scored for the NHL-worst Canucks (16-28-5), who have lost eight straight games in regulation. They are 0-9-2 during the losing streak, and still winless in 2026.
Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves for Vancouver, which fell to 4-14-3 at Rogers Arena and hasn't won at home since Dec. 6.
Sasson gave the Canucks an early lead, scoring 2:49 into the game, and Kane put them up 2-1 with his eighth goal of the season before the end of the first period.
But the Canucks gave up two goals in 1:24 late in the second and couldn’t recover in the third despite a late goal from O’Connor.
Pulock gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead when he took a pass from Schaefer at the top of the slot and sent a shot over Lankinen.
The Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies played out back-to-back fixtures in Berlin and London on Thursday and Sunday respectively [Getty Images]
London hosted its 10th regular season NBA match on Sunday as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Orlando Magic 126-109, but there was a different feel to the occasion than in previous games in the city.
Three days on from the Magic's win over the Grizzlies in what was Berlin's first regular season NBA match, the Grizzlies' victory concluded a European double-header that brought much excitement around the sport and its potential room for European growth.
In 2027, Paris and Manchester will host a double-header, the latter also getting its first NBA in-season match, while 2028 will see Berlin and Paris take another game each.
All four cities are among those being touted by the NBA as part of its long-term plans for an independent European league that could launch within the next two years.
At grassroots level, basketball is the fastest-growing sport across the United Kingdom and has received further recent investment from the NBA, UK government and regionally too.
But professionally, the UK is significantly straggling on its European counterparts and while there were a record four UK-listed players on NBA rosters in starting squad this season, it is still a low number compared to other European nations.
As plans continue to develop over a potentially transformative NBA European league, there is a sense that this is a potentially major moment for the future of British basketball.
The London Lions compete internationally in EuroCup, EuroLeague's second-tier competition [Getty Images]
In recent years, British basketball has lurched between a string of crises.
In 2024, the British Basketball League dissolved after serving as Great Britain's top-flight men's basketball competition for 37 years and has since been replaced by Super League Basketball (SLB).
In October 2025, Fiba, basketball's world governing body, suspended the British Basketball Federation over governance issues which also prevented Great Britain's men's team from competing in international matches.
That suspension was lifted a month later after Fiba recognised SLB as the new domestic top-flight league.
At a grassroots level, there is more positivity around the future of basketball across Great Britain.
In September 2025, the NBA and UK government committed to a joint £10m investment into grassroots development of basketball and, before Sunday's O2 game between Memphis and Orlando, Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan also announced a further investment of almost £2m into grassroots and coaching development across London.
Khan has also set up taskforce designed specifically to help to grow British basketball that includes representation from various bodies across sport, governance and basketball.
"100% basketball can sort itself out," said London Lions CEO Lenz Balan, part of Khan's taskforce.
"There are a lot of positive things even independent of NBA Europe and EuroLeague and Fiba being interested in our league and that's driven by the clubs themselves and the Super League Basketball.
"There's capital coming in, there's expertise coming into the ecosystem. I think everybody within the SLB is sort of on the same page."
The NBA's current plans for 'NBA Europe' and why now?
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has described NBA Europe as a "decade-long" project [Getty Images]
The NBA is planning the launch of an independent European league under the working title of 'NBA Europe' that could start within the next couple of years.
Talks remain ongoing, but current plans lead towards it starting out as a league of between 12 and 16 teams that could include promotion and relegation.
London, Manchester, Paris and Berlin, the four European cities hosting NBA matches between 2026 and 2028 are all expected to have teams in NBA Europe.
The league is expected to consist of existing basketball teams, completely new sides and football clubs that currently do and do not have associated basketball teams.
Talks remain ongoing and are in preliminary stages, but there is a real sense of optimism around the plans and under the NBA's running, has the potential to completely transform Europe's landscape.
London is being tipped as among the key cities for the NBA's European hopes, despite its current lack of basketball presence.
With its global appeal to current US audiences, infrastructure that includes the O2 and a reported new indoor arena in the process of being built, the English capital is being earmarked as what could become a model city to be emulated across the league and other potential NBA Europe host locations.
"We know that here in London in particular, in many ways we think this market is tastemakers for much of Europe," Silver added.
"The last I looked, I think the O2 is the leading arena throughout Europe and I think from a revenue standpoint, exceeds most arenas around the United States.
"Culturally, all the top acts come through there, I think there is this New York-London connection from a fashion and music standpoint."
An increasing number of international players in the NBA, a growing viewership in the league across Europe, and the fact that five of the NBA's past seven Most Valuable Player awards have been won by European players all point towards a prime opportunity for the NBA to capitalise.
Who is backing an NBA Europe league?
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, who attended Sunday's NBA match in London, is among those to publicly show support for the NBA's Europe plans [Getty Images]
While NBA officials are putting significant backing into these plans, support for a European league run by the NBA has quickly become widespread.
As well as Silver describing interest from potential investors and sponsors as "significant", current and former players have been showing their support for a potential European NBA league.
"The NBA has been such a successful brand and they have talked about expansion for 20 years ever since I was in the league, so I'm excited that this next step is finally here," Dirk Nowtizki, the first European to win the NBA's MVP award, told BBC Sport.
"If the NBA normally does something, they do it right. Hopefully, it is going to be good for European basketball and exciting."
Khan has also told the BBC he strongly backs a London franchise in the proposed NBA Europe league.
Khan and Silver met at half-time of Sunday's match in London to discuss NBA Europe.
"I think it's really exciting that the NBA have announced a new league in Europe. It's going to be amazing. I'm determined we're going to have our own team in London and win," Khan told BBC Sport.
"We've had more NBA games in London that any city outside the US. We have a special relationship with basketball and the NBA.
"With the NBA, they've invested record sums in London renovating basketball courts, investing in indoor basketball sessions, training up coaches and investing two million pounds in basketball in London."
A record total of 71 European players started the NBA season on opening night rosters this season.
"From what I've heard, the idea of expanding basketball [brings] us all closer together," said Spain's Santi Aldama, who plays for the Grizzlies.
"I think anything that benefits basketball and basketball players and giving people chances is good. Anything that grows basketball is good for sport."
The NBA has worked on Europe plans in collaboration with Fiba.
The challenges faced by the NBA
EuroLeague chief executive Paulius Motiejunas has previously criticised the NBA's plans and questioned whether they are necessary [Getty Images]
The NBA's main opposition has come in the form of EuroLeague, which currently operates Europe's primary club basketball competition.
EuroLeague has been in strong in its objection to NBA Europe and has recently threatened the NBA with legal action should it approach EuroLeague clubs over a switch to NBA Europe.
"I'm here to grow basketball in Europe, to make it better," EuroLeague chief executive Paulius Motiejunas told BBC Sport in October. "From time to time, you have these new projects or new ideas coming. They can either grow the status quo or make it much better or they can hurt.
"I truly believe that this will only hurt the status quo rather than make it better if it continues to be in a way that it has been presented."
There are other stumbling blocks and logistical issues to work out, such as scheduling, ticket pricing, format and travel.
Should the league go ahead in line with current proposals, it could see teams from potential franchises in London and Manchester travel as far as east as Turkey and Greece for league matches.
"I think it's a good idea, it's a matter now of travel. Can you logistically do it and how would you logistically set it up?" Isiah Thomas, a 12-time NBA all-star, told BBC Sport.
"You know, 20, 30 years ago, you didn't have the type of logistics that we have now in terms of moving around the countries and moving around different places worldwide.
"Logistically now you can easily set up tournaments, and there's enough talent and in different countries where you can really have a pool of resources that you can continually pull from because the game is being taught at a very early young age."
NBA commissioner Silver also says that an NBA Europe league may not be profitable in its infancy and may have to play matches early on in smaller arenas while larger ones are constructed.
Silver also says that, while the league may not initially produce profits for a number of years, any early profits will go back into continued development of the sport across Europe in line the league's long-term commitment to an NBA Europe project.
Early suggestions around NBA Europe ticket prices are that they will be in line with pricing for European sporting events and therefore, will be available to supporters of a broad demographic range.
What next?
Former Sweden, Manchester United and AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic featured at Monday's NBA presentation to potential investors [Getty Images]
Following Sunday's match in London, the NBA hosted a invite-only presentation to potential stakeholders, investors and sponsors at the league's current NBA Europe proposals.
Representatives from football clubs Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan were in attendance, as were basketball clubs Olimpia Milano and Alba Berlin.
A number of private equity firms also attended including JP Morgan, KKR and Raine.
NBA legends Paul Gasol and Tony Parker also featured at the meeting, as did former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
"I'm a believer that if NBA comes with a business case and a business model and can combine it with the European fans, it will be a perfect match," said Ibrahimovic.
"And that's why we are here: to make it successful and to make it magic, because we believe in it."
It is understood that investors wanting to enter a team in the league will be charged an entrance fee of between €500m (£433.7m) and €1bn (£867.5m), ranging on a case-by-case basis.
Due to that, the NBA remains open to potential investment from sovereign wealth funds for NBA Europe franchises, the sorts of which are currently prohibited by the NBA in its primary league.
By the time Manchester hosts a double-header with Paris in 12 months, there will be a much clearer picture of the future of the NBA's plans and whether a 2027-28 season launch is as realistic as currently targeted.
"I think it would be fantastic to grow the game and hopefully elevate it to new heights in Europe," said two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, whose family originates from London.
"Huge upside in London because it's not traditionally a basketball city or country in the UK. To build a fanbase, to build a club, to bring new fans into the game would be incredible for Europe, basketball and the NBA.
"The players coming into the league are more and more international, the fans are growing throughout the world. London would be a fantastic place to bring the game."
TheRockets won their matchup against the Pelicans on Sunday pretty easily, with the return of Dr. Jaswishy, and Kevin Durant eclipsing Dirk Nowitzki’s career scoring mark. Dirk had recorded a nice congratulatory video for Kevin Durant, which was played in Toyota center upon points 31,362 being scored. That is, truly, a lot of basketball points.
Tonight’s matchup is with the Spurs, and will mark the 5th and final game of Houston’s much needed home stand. But don’t worry, they’ll be off to Philadelphia and Detroit later this week, lest their home/road games played split become too normal. The Rockets can finish this stretch 4-1 with a win, but in the Spirit of AK I can only suggest that a dismal, dispiriting loss will occur. It’s better not to hope, as the Texans demonstrate in Divisional Round year after year.
Anyhow this should be a good one, as it will be on NBA/Peacock, after their big day of mostly not great MLK day games (Detroit v Boston was very good).
Looking ahead because we don’t have to take it day by day – the Pretty Decent 76ers on Thursday.
Tip Off
7:00PM CT
How To Watch Peacock/NBA
Injury Report Rockets Steven Adams: Out (Ankle)
Fred VanVleet: Out (Acl), Tari Eason: Day-To-Day, One Day At A Time, Play It By Ear, (Ankle)
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Alex Killorn broke a second-period tie, rugged newcomer Jeffrey Viel scored his first goal of the season and the Anaheim Ducks beat the New York Rangers 5-3 on Monday night.
Cutter Gauthier scored twice on his 22nd birthday — the second into an empty net in the final minute — to push his season total to 22. Mason McTavish also scored to help Anaheim to its fourth victory in a row following a nine-game losing streak.
Lukas Dostal made 19 saves, surviving a wild scramble on a late 21-second two-man advantage.
Matthew Robertson, Artemi Panarin and Vladislav Gavrikov scored for New York, and Spencer Martin stopped 21 shots in his fourth NHL game of the season.
Seeing time with Igor Shesterkin sidelined by a lower-body injury, Martin was back in goal after stopping 25 shots Saturday in a 6-3 victory in Philadelphia that ended a five-game losing streak.
Killorn gave Anaheim a 3-2 lead with 1:58 left in the second period. He scored off a rebound of Jacob Trouba’s long shot after a prolonged scramble behind the goal.
Gauthier padded the lead at 1:01 of the third, and Gavrikov countered for New York at 7:11 with a long shot on a power play.
Viel tied it at 2 at 8:29 of the second with his first goal for the Ducks and the first in 12 NHL games this season. Acquired from Boston on Friday for a 2026 fourth-round pick, Viel controlled Ryan Poehling’s feed from the blue line and beat Martin from close range.
Viel had no points and 30 penalty minutes in 10 games this season for Boston, and added another fighting major in his Ducks debut Saturday night in a 2-1 overtime victory over Los Angeles. In 66 career NHL games, he has four goals, two assists and 188 penalty minutes.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors is helped off the court
The Golden State Warriors defeated the Miami Heat 135-112 on Monday night, improving to 25-19 on the season and 11-4 over the team’s past 15 games. They continued climbing in the standings, hoping to escape the play-in. Yet, all that success became a moot point when Jimmy Butler III’s right knee bent in the wrong direction after he landed awkwardly catching a pass in the third quarter.
Butler screamed in pain, collapsed, and laid on the floor for several minutes as he was surrounded by his teammates. He had to be helped off the floor by Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga while he put no weight on his right knee. Regardless of the game’s outcome, no event on Monday has more of an impact on the Warriors championship prospects than Butler’s prognosis. But a best case scenario will likely sideline him for weeks, and a worst-case could end his season.
The Warriors were able to withstand a collapse for the moment after Butler’s exit. Steph Curry seemed to calm the team’s nerves with a step back three and a continued stretch of hot shooting helped the Warriors head into the fourth quarter with a 104-93 lead.
With Golden State already missing Butler and Draymond Green (who didn’t play due to an ankle sprain) for the final quarter, Curry was quickly pushed to the bench after unnecessarily picking up his fifth foul. Yet, for the second time in his Dubs tenure, Buddy Hield stepped up in a game when a star went down with an injury.
The Warriors season hangs in the balance, outside the confines of the court for the moment, but a scoring spurt from Hield and an explosion from Brandin Podziemski propelled Golden State to a 24-point lead that allowed Curry to rest for the remainder of the game. Hield scored 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the field (4-for-7 from three) while Podziemski scored a game-high 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting (3-for-7 from three).
Nearly everyone on the Warriors who played on Monday played well. Butler had 17 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals before he got hurt in 20 minutes of action. Quinten Post and Moses Moody combined for 28 points while shooting 7-for-11 from three. Even in a relatively quite night from Curry, he recorded 19 points and 11 assists.
The Warriors will get little time to reset without Butler. They will be back on the floor for the second half of a back-to-back tomorrow night when they face the Toronto Raptors.
SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler left Monday night's 135-112 victory against the Miami Heat at Chase Center with an apparent right knee injury.
The Warriors were leading 77-75 with 7:41 remaining in the third quarter at the time of the injury stoppage.
Butler jumped to receive a lob pass from guard Brandin Podziemski, which was met with contact from Heat guard Davion Mitchell as Butler was landing and going up for a layup.
It seemed as if Butler's knee buckled as he immediately fell to the ground before being tended to by the Warriors' medical staff.
Jimmy Butler had to be helped to the locker room after appearing to injury his knee pic.twitter.com/sOSpAxbbAP
Golden State's Jimmy Butler went down, grabbing his right knee, during the third quarter of the Warriors' game against the Heat. Butler and Davion Mitchell both went up as Butler tried to receive a pass in the post, and he landed awkwardly.
Jimmy Butler had to be helped to the locker room after appearing to injury his knee pic.twitter.com/sOSpAxbbAP
Butler had to be helped off the court and could not put any weight on his leg. The Warriors ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
Butler had a sprain of this same knee last season, and a meniscus tear in it back in 2018.
Butler is averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists a game for the Warriors this season. Golden State has been 9.2 points per 100 possessions better with Butler on the court this season.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Simon Nemec scored at 1:18 of overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Nemec took a backhand pass from Jack Hughes and beat goalie Devin Cooley from close range.
Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves to help New Jersey rebound from a 4-1 home loss to Carolina on Saturday night for its third victory in four games.
Dawson Mercer opened the scoring for New Jersey at 7:51 of the second period, and Nazem Kadri tied it at 9:44 of the period. Rookie Matvei Gridin got his first NHL assist on Kadri's goal.
Cooley stopped 29 shots. The Flames had won two in a row.
Devils defenseman Luke Hughes left in the second period after appearing to be shaken up during a puck battle along the boards.
Defenseman Zach Whitecloud made his Calgary debut after being acquired from Vegas on Sunday along with two draft picks and a prospect in a trade that sent longtime Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Golden Knights. Whitecloud had two shots and three blocked shots in 22:33.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the New York Knicks on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, winning 114-97 . Both teams had players nursing injuries, but it was the Mavericks who ended up with the big win.
Let’s get to the grades!
Cooper Flagg: B
18 PTS / 7 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
Flagg had a solid game, but it was somewhat muted by a minutes restriction and Max Christie providing a lot of scoring punch. His four turnovers were somewhat glaring, but he hit 50% of his 14 shot attempts and chipped in a bit of everything.
Max Christie: A+
26 PTS / 6 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 35 MIN
Christie went absolutely out of his mind and it was a sight to behold. I’ve recently written about how nice it is to see him do more than shoot threes, but Monday night it was plenty nice to see him hoisting the long ball. Christie was 9-for-13 including a mind-boggling 8-for-10 from deep. His second half play came down to earth a bit, but it hardly mattered with the Mavs taking a 20+ point lead into the final frame. He led all scorers and hit a career high in three-point field goals for top marks.
Caleb Martin: C+
3 PTS / 1 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 1 BLK – 24 MIN
Most of Martin’s contribution came in the form of stuff you won’t see in a box score. He hounded the Knicks on defense, an effort highlighted by another three steals, but otherwise left the offense to others.
Naji Marshall: B
19 PTS / 8 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN
Marshall couldn’t be stopped in the first half, driving relentlessly to eviscerate the Knicks’ defense. As the game went on, he took more three-pointers, but only hit 1-for-6, driving his shooting percentage down. His game was very similar to Flagg’s, with his blemish being a lower shooting percentage rather than a high turnover total.
Dwight Powell: B
2 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
As ridiculous as it sounds, Powell is getting a bump for the absolute beating he took at the hands of Karl Anthony-Towns. Throughout his NBA career, Powell has been hit in the face more than a professional boxer, but Monday night was next level. Towns is known for his flailing knees, but Powell took a variety of groin shots and stayed professional, using it as motivation to play harder. In respect of his actual game, there isn’t much to talk about. The Knicks’ bigs decimated the Mavericks bigs, but Powell was a pro doing the dirty unsung work.
Klay Thompson: A-
14 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN
I’m inclined to go a bit high on Thompson’s grade, which seems counterintuitive relative to his recent play. That said, he did a nice job intangibly on defense, while grabbing boards, getting steals and even tossing a couple of assists to his teammates. In the limited time he played, it was a good game that looked better than even the box score may suggest.
Ryan Nembhard: C+
4 PTS / 3 REB / 5 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN
Nembhard didn’t have a huge impact on the stat line, struggling to find his shot (2-for-7) with a 5:2 assist-to-turnover ratio. Extra credit for checking in late in the third quarter to settle things down when the Mavericks were a bit out of sorts – it won’t show up in any statistical category, but it was undoubtedly significant and allowed Dallas to enter the fourth quarter with a 23-point lead.
Moussa Cisse: A-
15 PTS / 9 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 4 BLK – 20 MIN
Cisse did his best to match the Knicks’ size, and while his numbers may not have been as pretty at Karl-Anthony Towns’ or Mitchell Robinson’s numbers, he did work in just under 20 minutes of play. His four blocks were a menace to the Knicks, but his three turnovers and four fouls didn’t help his cause. Stepping up and hitting two free throws when the Knicks decided to Hack-A-Cisse was bigger than the final score may indicate.
Final Thoughts
Both teams were a bit beat up coming in, but Dallas was coming off two lopsided wins while New York has been struggling of late. The Mavericks came in like a wrecking crew, dropping the most first-half points the Knicks have given up all season. As expected, things got a bit closer here and there in the second half, frankly getting too close for comfort late in the fourth quarter before Dallas closed it out. The Mavericks have plenty of struggles right now with a lot of players out or having just returned, but you wouldn’t have known it in what was basically a full on drubbing of the Knicks Monday night.
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