Category: NBA

WASHINGTON — Luka Doncic, and his historic performance in the nation’s capital, was the buzz coming of the Lakers’ season-best road win over the lowly Wizards on Friday night.

But starting big man Deandre Ayton provided the best glimpse in a while of what the Lakers need from him to have a shot against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.

And isn’t just about Ayton’s statistical production.

His 28 point-13 rebound double-double to go with three assists and three blocked shots against the Wizards tells part of the story. 

Friday was Ayton’s third 20-point double-double in his last 25 games after he had seven in his first 17 games of the season. His 14 field goal attempts marked the seventh time in that same 25-game stretch that he took at least 10 shots, compared to the 10 games he took at least 10 shots in his first 17 games. Friday was the third time in his last 12 games that Ayton, who had a game-best plus-30 individual plus/minus, had a positive plus/minus for a game. 

But more importantly than the actual raw production itself is what the numbers underscore: Ayton was involved and engaged, which can go hand in hand.

For the last month, the Lakers have spoken about needing to get Ayton involved more offensively. And how the other areas of his game — defense, rebounding and focus — can wane if he isn’t feeling a part of the offense, which isn’t uncommon in the NBA, especially for big men dependent on their ball handlers to get them touches.

Yes, the Wizards’ atrocious defensive play, especially in transition, made it easier for the Lakers to get Ayton the ball. 

But it was clear from the opening tip that the Lakers were emphasizing Ayton. And they benefited from his heightened level of engagement. 

“Listen, it’s our job to feed him,” LeBron James said. “Feed the beast. He was very active. When he’s rebounding, it gives us an opportunity to get out and play fast. He’s been key for our wins for sure.”

The numbers back James up.

When Ayton takes at least 10 field goal attempts, the Lakers are 15-2 compared to 11-14 when he takes nine or fewer shots. They’re 21-6 when Ayton grabs at least eight rebounds, and 5-10 when he has fewer than seven boards.

Last season’s playoff run that ended in the first round after dropping four of five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves, in which then-starting center now backup big man Jaxson Hayes was benched, showed how important the center position is for the Lakers.

Doncic, James and Austin Reaves may be the reason why the Lakers have a shot to be a threat in the playoffs. But Ayton’s involvement and engagement will determine how much of a threat they can be. 

“[He] definitely makes a big difference,” Doncic said of Ayton. “We just have to keep involving him.

While Ayton was great in Washington, Doncic’s showing against the Wizards shouldn’t be taken for granted. 

His stats speak for themselves: a 37 point-13 assist-11 rebound triple-double in 31 minutes. 

He had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the first half. It was the second time in the play-by-play era (1997-98) that a player recorded a 25+ point triple double in a half – with Doncic also being the first to do so in 2023 when with the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic was aggressive. Efficient. Decisive, as coach JJ Redick put it. 

The Lakers go as far as Doncic leads them. 

“He’s beyond special,” LeBron James said of Doncic. 

But for the Lakers to accomplish what they believed they could be capable of when they put this roster around Doncic, James and the soon-to-be-back Reaves together last summer, they’ll need Deandre Ayton to have more games like he did on Friday night.

The NBA All-Star Game is returning to the Southland in two weeks and a part of the annual weekend event that has grown in popularity in recent years is the Rising Stars Challenge, which affords fans the opportunity to watch the league’s top rookies and second-year players compete in a four-team tournament.

Rosters for the mini-tournament to take place on Friday, Feb. 13, at Intuit Dome were drafted this week by a trio of Hall of Famers in Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, who will join former NBA player and current NBC/Peacock analyst Austin Rivers as the four honorary coaches (Rivers will coach the G League squad).

Anthony had the No. 1 pick and drafted Dallas rookie forward Cooper Flagg. McGrady went next and chose Charlotte rookie guard/forward Kon Knueppel while Carter opted for Philadelphia rookie guard VJ Edgecombe at No. 3. (Rosters attached at bottom of story.)

Quentin Richardson, drafted by the Clippers with the 18th pick of the 2000 NBA draft, knows all three Hall of Famers well. He was Anthony’s teammate on the New York Knicks in 2012-13 and faced cousins McGrady and Carter many times throughout their respective careers. Richardson, now 45, enjoys All-Star Weekend and is delighted to see the festivities back in the city where his NBA journey started. A highlight of his 13-year career was making his last nine shots to win the three-point contest in 2005.

“I participated in the Saturday night rookie-sophomore game my first couple of years in the league and I just love the event,” said Richardson, who played for the Clippers from 2000 to 2004 when they were co-tenants with the Lakers at what was then called Staples Center, now Crypto.com Arena. “It’s a platform for the fans to look at the real future stars of the league, the up-and-comers, and with the international boom there’s so many different young international guys they may not know well from different teams that are out on display that weekend.

“It’s one of those weekends you always want to go to, you always want to be a part of."

The Rookie Challenge was established in 1994 and featured two randomly selected teams of first-year players. The name was changed to Rising Stars Challenge in 2012 and the current tournament-style format was adopted four years ago. Since 2023, the format has been 28 players — 21 rookies and sophomores and seven G League players.

“I’m intrigued by the format,” Richardson said. “When I played it was just the rookies and sophomores, two teams, but the kids have gotten behind this so the NBA has been very good about pivoting into different things to try to gain more excitement around the games for that weekend. I’m all for it.”

“It’ll be awesome [at Intuit Dome],” said Richardson, who lives in Orlando and co-hosts the "Knuckleheads" podcast with Darius Miles. “The young fellas will be put on display for the world to see and that venue is going to be put on display for everyone to see as well. I believe it’s the newest arena we have in the NBA. So much technology went into it, so it’ll be a great stage for everyone to come and witness and enjoy that.”

Richardson, Miles and Keyon Dooling starred in the 2004 documentary "The Youngest Guns" about their first three seasons with the Clippers. Richardson hosts NBA HooperVision in addition to the pregame, halftime and postgame shows for the Magic.

“The rules have changed in a way that you’re allowing the fans to watch more scoring,” he said. “The pace has been sped up, the three-point shot is a bigger deal now, they shoot it with a higher volume. From a fan’s standpoint you want to see more scoring and more defense, but the defenders now have that much more skill because they don’t have as many rules in their favor.”

In the Rising Stars mini-tournament, Team A will face Team B in the first semifinal and Team C will play Team D in the second semifinal. The two winners will meet for the championship. For each semifinal, the first team to reach or surpass 40 points is the winner. For the final, the first team to reach or surpass 25 points will be the champion.

“I like how they draft for it,” Richardson said. “It picks from the essence of how we all grew up when you played in the park or rec league, wherever you went, one guy had two dudes to choose and you get to pick your five, so it’s kind of taking you back to the essence of how we grew up playing ball. It’s something we’re all familiar with so that’s a little twist that takes us back to our roots.”

In November, the NBA announced that the All-Star Game will adopt a new USA vs. the World format: a round-robin tournament featuring two teams of American players and another of international players, each consisting of at least eight players. The top two teams based on record will advance to the finals. All four games will be played with a 12-minute time limit.

“Absolutely, it’ll continue to be a global sport,” Richardson said. “Especially with them talking about NBA Europe, that’ll make everything bigger and better. They’ve got the Africa League so from commissioner David Stern to now Adam Silver they’ve done an incredible job of growing the brand. Proof is in the amount of international guys we have in the league now. It’s known far and wide and it’ll continue to get bigger and bigger.”

Richardson thinks the success of the All-Star Game is dependent on the best players participating.

“It just takes a couple of guys … one or two of the right guys to come out and participate,” he said. "When a couple guys do it, I think you’ll see the turn. The three-point contest, the dunk contest, it’ll take one big-name guy to go out and do it and everyone else will say, ‘Oh wait, he’s doing it? I need to do it.’ It’ll get back there. It’s a great weekend for the NBA … it’s like a family reunion. I just go out there and enjoy it.”

RISING STARS ROSTERS

Team Melo

Cooper Flagg (Dallas), Reed Sheppard (Houston), Stephon Castle (San Antonio), Dylan Harper (San Antonio), Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans), Donovan Clingan (Portland), Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto)

Team T-Mac

Kon Knueppel (Charlotte), Kel’el Ware (Miami), Tre Johnson (Washington), Alex Sarr (Washington), Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City), Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland), Cam Spencer (Memphis)

Team Vince

VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia), Derik Queen (New Orleans), Kyshawn George (Washington), Matas Buzelis (Chicago), Egor Dёmin (Brooklyn), Cedric Coward (Memphis), Jaylen Wells (Memphis)

Team Austin

Sean East II (Salt Lake City), Ron Harper Jr. (Maine), David Jones Garcia (Austin), Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (San Diego), Alijah Martin (Raptors 905), Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley), Yang Hansen (Rip City)

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND SCHEDULE

(at Intuit Dome unless noted)

Friday

4 p.m.: Celebrity Game at Kia Forum (ESPN)

6 p.m.: Rising Stars Challenge (Peacock)

8 p.m.: HBCU Classic, Hampton vs. North Carolina A&T, at Kia Forum (Peacock)

Saturday

10:30 a.m.: NBA All-Star media session (NBA TV)

2 p.m.: All-Star Saturday: skills challenge, three-point contest, slam-dunk contest (NBC and Peacock)

Sunday

11:30 a.m.: NBA G League Next Up Game at Convention Center (NBA TV)

2 p.m.: 75th NBA All-Star Game (NBC and Peacock)

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The buzz is building around what a healthy Philadelphia 76ers team could do in the second half of the season, and they can pad their record tonight against the 13-37 New Orleans Pelicans.

But Philadelphia had to mount a late comeback to dodge a stumble against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday and it also takes a hit with Paul George sidelined by suspension, leaving my Pelicans vs. 76ers predictions leaning on Tyrese Maxey needing to put on his cape again here.

Get a closer look at this January 31 clash with my free NBA picks and betting angles.

Pelicans vs 76ers prediction

Pelicans vs 76ers best bet: Tyrese Maxey Over 7.5 assists (+110)

After carrying the Philadelphia 76ers offense for large chunks of this season, it must be a nice luxury for Tyrese Maxey to have co-stars to lean on. 

For tonight’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, I’m looking past Maxey’s scoring and targeting his playmaking instead. He’s averaging 6.9 assists per game this year, just outside the Top 10 in the NBA, but there’s a much higher ceiling for this prop these days with a healthier roster around him.

Maxey has nailed this Over in five of his last eight outings, and he’s averaged 8 APG in that span. That’s a reflection of several key developments, including VJ Edgecombe’s continued rise and, most of all, Maxey’s ability to set up Embiid in the pick and roll.

With Embiid crushing opponents in the mid-range, a chunk of Maxey’s dimes stem from that play, and it’s asking a lot for Zion Williamson or Derik Queen to make the right reads.

I’m grabbing the slight plus odds here, especially with the length of Herb Jones shifting Maxey from scorer to passer at times.

Pelicans vs 76ers same-game parlay

The Pelicans have shown some fight lately, and they’ve covered the spread in four straight outings. With the 76ers making hard work of their home date with the Kings earlier this week, I’m taking the points here and trusting Zion and Co. to keep this one close.

Saddiq Bey has been on a steals hot streak, with at least one swipe in each of his past six games, and he snared three steals on Friday against the Grizzlies. With Embiid still a little limited with his movement, he’s a turnover candidate, and that’s where Bey could pounce.

Pelicans vs 76ers SGP

• Tyrese Maxey Over 7.5 assists
• Pelicans +10
• Saddiq Bey Over 0.5 steals

Our "from downtown" SGP: Pels need a dominant Zion

Zion Williamson has nailed this Over in four straight games, and he’s even finished with a double-digit rebounds tally in three of those outings.

An active Zion performance is a must if New Orleans is going to hang around in this matchup.

Pelicans vs 76ers SGP

• Tyrese Maxey Over 7.5 assists
• Pelicans +10
• Saddiq Bey Over 0.5 steals
• Zion Williamson Over 6.5 rebounds

Pelicans vs 76ers odds

• Spread: New Orleans +8.5 (-110) | Philadelphia -8.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: New Orleans +230 | Philadelphia -280
• Over/Under: Over 232 (-110) | Under 232 (-110)

Pelicans vs 76ers betting trend to know

The Pelicans are 28-22 ATS this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. 76ers.

How to watch Pelicans vs 76ers

Pelicans vs 76ers latest injuries

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

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has been given a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA's anti-drug programme, the league has announced.

The nine-time NBA All-Star, who has averaged 20.5 points over his 16-year NBA career, said he mistakenly took an "improper" medication.

George, 35, said in a statement to ESPN: "Over the past few years, I've discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication.

"I take full responsibility for my actions and apologise to the Sixers organization, my team-mates and the Philly fans for my poor decision making during this process.

"I'm focused on using this time to make sure that my mind and body are in the best condition to help the team when I return."

The NBA said George would be suspended without pay for the duration of his ban. He is not eligible to return until the 76ers play the Chicago Bulls on 25 March - when there will be only 10 games of the regular season remaining.

My mind’s been mush all week. There’s a bug going around the family that finally found me. My ADHD is turned up to 11. I’m absolutely burnt. The harder I try, the worse it gets, like your car’s stuck in the snow and you keep hitting the gas, going nowhere as the rut deepens. I’m behind on work. Focus is difficult, so I step away, do something, anything else, to change my focus, break free from the rut. But doing something, anything else triggers the cortisol chorus of guilt: “Shouldn’t you be working?”

Breaking the cycle means starting small: break the work into smaller pieces. In last night’s 127-97 Knick win over the Portland Trail Blazers, Mikal Bridges only made three baskets. But one of them reminded us — and two Blazers in particular — of the multiplying power of one small step.

In the final minute of the third quarter, the Blazers were down 16, a swing spot, score-wise; give up a 3 and you’re down 19 and getting blown out; make a 3, you’re down 13, just a mini-run from a competitive game. After Bridges missed a corner 3, Shaeden Sharpe rebounded near the foul line, passed to Jerami Grant and got the ball back as he crossed midcourt. 48 seconds in the quarter, 18 on the shot clock. Perfect time to run a little clock and get a quality two-for-one. Entering the fourth down 12 or 13 instead of 16 is big psychologically. The Blazers ended the frame down 18.

Sharpe took two dribbles, went around a Donovan Clingan pick, then the career 33% shooter from deep launched from there with 16 on the shot clock and of his teammates behind the arc, while every Knick besides Jalen Brunson, Sharpe’s defender, was either in the paint or the midrange. Sharpe missed, the Knicks rebounded and while Bridges missed a 3 on the other end, he took it with 30 seconds left, leaving just enough time for a New York two-for-one.

With 16 seconds left and Caleb Love dribbling the time down near center court, Sharpe, guarded by Bridges, went to the corner nearest celebrity row, hunched forward and rested his hands on his knees. He held that pose while Love, smothered by Landry Shamet, struggled to get free. He held it while Love lobbed a no-chance 30-footer (with eight seconds left in the quarter and five on the shot clock). He held it even after the shot missed.

To be fair, no Blazer besides Clingan came inside the arc to crash the offensive glass. Maybe their emphasis was getting back in transition if the Knicks made one last push. Spoiler: they didn’t.

As Love’s shot went up, Bridges rotated 90 degrees, from facing Love at the top of the key to facing Sharpe in the corner, to box him out. As soon as Bridges saw Sharpe doing his still-life schtick, his head whipped around to follow the play, rotating his body back to facing midcourt instead of the sideline. Once Bridges realized Diawara had the uncontested rebound, he took off, launching off a slight spring in his step. The flat-footed Sharpe didn’t flinch until Diawara was passing to Brunson, who got the ball with four seconds left.

Brunson took two dribbles, during which time the non-Sharpe Blazers all turned their attention on him, meaning the only Blazer aware of Bridges was the cornerback who’d just been beaten by the receiver. Sharpe got the attention of Sidy Cissoko, normally a good idea. Cissoko is 21 and has a 6-foot-10 wingspan. But Cissoko, like Sharpe, picked a bad time to disassociate.

When Diawara got the rebound, Cissoko was at the 3-point line. When Cissoko first realized Bridges was streaking by, he was at the other 3-point line. For the two seconds in-between, he showed all the hustle of late-stage Barry Bonds after drawing a walk, lollygagging with some extra L’s and G’s thrown in. So it didn’t matter how hard he ran once he recognized Bridges was a threat, the centimeters away he was from deflecting Brunson’s pass. By not taking that first small step toward their larger goal, Sharpe and Cissoko could never get caught up.

By the way, I’m not down at all on Sharpe or Cissoko for these lapses. If there’d been a camera on me at work when I was their age, you couldn’t seen my first day at Wal-Mart, when the lawn and garden manager going on break gave me their medieval dungeon master-sized set of keys and I promptly clipped it around my eyebrow ring, never considering the strength-to-weight ratio of an eyebrow ring versus 10 literal pounds of keys. Reader, it hurt.

Five wins in a row has the Knicks, per sprewellhasmouthstofeed, “grooving.” Next game’s in seven hours, when the Lakers make their annual pilgramage to the Mecca. If you’re struggling with something, do something small. Do small things consistently. Most snow, eventually, melts.

College basketball has quite a conundrum on its hands with eligibility rules, and it's coming to a had rapidly.

The latest player attempting to get reinstated is former UCLA guard Amari Bailey, who was a one-and-done with the Bruins after the 2022-23 college basketball season and played in 10 regular-season games in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets.

REQUIRED READING: He played in NBA, wants back in NCAA basketball. 'Hard no,' says one college leader

"Right now I'd be a senior in college," Bailey told ESPN in a statement. "I'm not trying to be 27 years old playing college athletics. No shade to the guys that do; that's their journey. But I went to go play professionally and learned a lot, went through a lot. So, like, why not me?"

While he isn't the first player to do rejoin the NCAA after declaring for the NBA, Bailey is the first to have actual NBA playing experience, to which NCAA senior vice president of external affairs Tim Buckley said in a statement on Jan. 30 that the NCAA will not grant an eligibility waiver "to any players who have signed an NBA contract."

American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti also expressed his frustration on the matter on social media.

"Another unnecessary potential obstacle for an aspiring high school athlete. Hard no," Pernetti said.

Those aren't the only reactions from those within college athletics and college basketball, with some reactions including AI generating photos of NBA players playing in college uniforms like LeBron James, who never attended college, and Nikola Jokic.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness bracketology: Big Ten leads NCAA basketball projection, but one team is slipping

College basketball reacts to Amari Bailey college basketball re-instatement request

Here's a snippet of reactions from social media on Bailey's ask to re-enter college basketball:

Come on...If an athlete signs a professional contract, played in professional games, and is paid as a professional. Cut and dried, the eligibility door is closed. Another unnecessary potential obstacle for an aspiring high school athlete. Hard no. https://t.co/UIBeAZxjdN

— Tim Pernetti (@Tim_Pernetti) January 31, 2026

The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any players who have signed an NBA contract. Congress can strengthen NCAA rules so professional athletes cannot sue their way back to competing against college students. https://t.co/hrSqL7xr8b

— Tim Buckley (@Tim_BuckleyMA) January 30, 2026

College basketball is not a do-over safety net. If you leave it, with a full understanding of the consequences, live with the results of your decision. https://t.co/ROnUgKBA7Z

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) January 30, 2026

No offense to Amari Bailey, but if you are a head coach and staff, you say “No, thank you.” Don’t waste your energy.

— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) January 31, 2026

Next up https://t.co/tW7VYizw6rpic.twitter.com/lgBaZPIdOW

— Matthew Travis (@MatthewJTravis_) January 31, 2026

It gets dumber by the day. https://t.co/qMy0ijSTHY

— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) January 30, 2026

I’ll say it: shame on any program that recruits Amari Bailey to play for them.

— Ryan Hammer🔨 (@ryanhammer09) January 30, 2026

A draft deadline has existed for DECADES to vet and guard against these kinds of regrettable choices. Amari Bailey wasn't forced to leave UCLA after averaging 11.2 points. Decisions have consequences. Live with them instead of trying to litigate your way back to a lower level. https://t.co/oEfX3ysQ1S

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) January 30, 2026

Embarrassing… https://t.co/5QTmUwwo5Y

— Jimmy Dykes (@CoachJimmyDykes) January 31, 2026

Speaking from experience here

I made a bad decision and left school early to play professionally. Full transparency, my career was rewarding in many ways but not what I hoped for.

I had to live with my decision. It changed my life in a positive way.

I think this is all crazy https://t.co/OZEknb6SgR

— Terrence Oglesby (@T_Oglesby22) January 31, 2026

"College sports" are officially dead https://t.co/VVYDcRk6wD

— Todd Fuhrman (@ToddFuhrman) January 30, 2026

I don’t care what colleges are recruiting him. Every single coach and college fan needs to be against this.

This is insanity. https://t.co/4BgtefCbXK

— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) January 31, 2026

https://t.co/sRyiLOQvtUpic.twitter.com/TVk3yyTHeQ

— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) January 30, 2026

To me, the moment you step onto the court in an NBA game, you are ineligible to play in college.

This should be an easy line to draw. https://t.co/JPIdQFscd8

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 30, 2026

The "no consequences for my actions" era! https://t.co/owCykXBQTG

— Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) January 30, 2026

One step closer to @KingJames in March Madness inevitably https://t.co/xrkkFS0JRl

— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) January 30, 2026

I'm going back to La Salle to play intramural hoops. https://t.co/uUGoZw5Eae

— Mike Sielski (@MikeSielski) January 30, 2026

This is absurd.

How are there no adults in the room to create and clarify rules to keep this from happening?

Time to move on, bro. https://t.co/xYAjQK9dx1

— SEC Numbers Guy (@secnumbersguy) January 31, 2026

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Don't waste your energy.' Social reactions to Amari Bailey's re-entry request

Detroit Pistons point guard Daniss Jenkins, who is currently on a two-way contract, reportedly rejected an offer to have his deal converted into a standard minimum NBA contract, according to Marc Stein on Substack. That should be a temporary bump in the road to securing Jenkins’ future in Detroit for this season and beyond.

It’s been clear for months now that two-way guard Daniss Jenkins is destined to stick with the Detroit Pistons all season and have his deal converted into a standard NBA contract. It’s been clear from Jenkins’ play, and it’s also been clear with how the Pistons have utilized the second-year undrafted player.

Detroit has never been shy about having him up with the big club and putting him into games. Despite there still being several months in the season, Jenkins only has three games of eligibility left with the Pistons under his current two-way deal.

Stein writes that “no alarm bells are sounding in Motown yet.” Stein writes that Jenkins’ camp believes he has played well enough to garner multi-year offers in the open market in July as he enters restricted free agency.

As far as what a final deal might look like, Stein looks at breakout two-way players of years’ past and notes that a Jenkins deal might look similar to Ajay Mithcell’s in OKC (three years, $9 million) or Deuce McBride in New York (three years, $12 million).

Whatever the number ends up being, it shouldn’t impede Detroit’s ability to keep improving the team, and Daniss has been exactly what this team has needed, with toe-to-toe PIstons DNA.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India (AP) — Ishan Kishan crashed 103 runs off 43 balls as India beat New Zealand by 46 runs in the fifth Twenty20 on Saturday.

Kishan hit 10 sixes and six boundaries in India's mammoth 271-5, India's fifth highest T20 total against a full member.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav added 63 off 30 balls with six sixes and Hardik Pandya hit 42 off 17.

World Cup addition Finn Allen powered New Zealand's reply with 80 off 38 but he didn’t get much support and the Black Caps were all out for 225 in 19.4 overs.

Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh took 5-51 in four overs and rounded off India's last match before beginning its defense of the T20 World Cup title next weekend at home. India finished the five-match series a 4-1 winner.

Overall, the match aggregate of 496 runs was the second-highest in T20s.

India opted to bat first but Sanju Samson failed again, out for 6. Fellow opener Abhishek Sharma hit 30 off 16 but was out in the fifth over at 48-2.

From there, Kishan and Yadav shared 137 runs off only 57 balls, the second-highest partnership for any wicket for India against New Zealand.

Kishan raced to 50 off 28 and accelerated. The next 50 came off only 14 balls. Overall, he reached 100 off 42 balls, the quickest century against New Zealand and fifth fastest overall for India.

Overall, it was the seventh quickest hundred in T20s.

Yadav, meanwhile, scored 50 off 26 balls. Together they took India close to 200 before Yadav fell in the 15th over, stumped off Mitchell Santner.

Kishan and Pandya combined for another 48 runs off 18 balls before the centurion was out caught.

Pandya hit four sixes and a four as India crossed 250 in the 19th over, setting an imposing challenge for the Kiwis.

In reply, Allen hit his straps immediately and smashed six sixes and eight fours. He notched up 50 off only 22 balls and put on 100 off 48 balls with Rachin Ravindra, who made 30 off 17.

Fit-again Axar Patel bowled Allen in the ninth over to break that partnership. Thereafter, New Zealand lost regular wickets and didn't revive the chase.

Ish Sodhi notched 33 off 15 balls and Daryl Mitchell 26 off 12 but it wasn’t enough.

It’s a perfect night to check in on the NBA rookie class, with the top four picks all in action, headlined by Cooper Flagg in the national TV spotlight.

Dylan Harper and Kon Knueppel go head-to-head in the early tip, while VJ Edgecombe takes on Derik Queen and the New Orleans Pelicans, and my top NBA player props dip into that pool of future stars as well as a wager on a man who played in last year’s Finals.

Read on for my top NBA picks for the January 31 slate.

Best NBA player props today

Prop #1: Pascal Siakam Over 36.5 points + rebounds + assists

-110 at bet365

The Indiana Pacers are 6-5 in their last 11 games, and Pascal Siakam deserves a ton of credit for keeping his foot on the gas pedal in a season that’s heading for a high lottery pick. He’s averaging 24.4 ppg in January, and his scoring should be the focal point for cashing this combo Over tonight against the Atlanta Hawks.

He’s gone past this O/U number in five of his last seven games, including a 26-9-4 stat line against these same Hawks on Monday – and I’m banking on a repeat effort here.

With Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith providing the spacing, Siakam has had more room to operate, and he should be able to feast against a Hawks team that’s allowing 118.1 PPG, which ranks in the bottom third of the league. Of course, it helps Indiana that Kristaps Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu are both on the injury report.

But Spicy P’s contributions are showing up elsewhere in the box score, too. He’s dished 5+ assists in six of his past nine outings to go with some big nights on the glass, and his rebounds tally would surely get a boost if Jalen Johnson is ruled out for Atlanta.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network SE-Atlanta, FanDuel Sports Network-Indiana

Prop #2: Jaden McDaniels Over 1.5 three-pointers

+110 at bet365

When Jaden McDaniels is knocking down three-pointers, the Minnesota Timberwolves become very tough to beat, and he was a perfect 5-for-5 from downtown in Thursday’s statement win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

McDaniels has found a nice shooting rhythm lately, making 2+ three-pointers in five of his last six contests and posting a 49% mark on triples this month. He’s never going to be a high-volume marksman, but plenty of his looks are wide open with Anthony Edwards drawing a crowd on his drives.

That’s the formula I’m looking for as the T-Wolves take on the Memphis Grizzlies, who are on the second night of a back-to-back set and slumped to a disappointing loss in New Orleans yesterday.

Minnesota has the fourth-highest 3-point percentage in the league at 37.4%, and that spells trouble for a depleted Memphis squad that’s giving up the third-most attempts (40) from beyond the arc this season. Look for McDaniels to be one of the beneficiaries.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network-NO, FanDuel Sports Network SE-Memphis

Prop #3: Cooper Flagg Over 20.5 points

-112 at bet365

It’s worth tuning in for this Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets showdown just to see what Cooper Flagg serves up as an encore after his 49-point masterpiece earlier this week.

Flagg went 20-for-29 from the field against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, and he’s the biggest threat to a gritty Houston defense here, especially with Anthony Davis still out.

While the Rockets have given Flagg tough tests in the three meetings this year, the Dallas rookie is a quick learner, and I expect him to stay on the attack after his season-best outing.

The Mavs are so short on shot creators that the ball is going to end up in Flagg’s hands early and often, and he’s shooting 48% from the field despite shaky numbers from downtown.

Flagg has reached the 20-point mark five times since the calendar flipped to 2026, and he’s hit this Over in four of the five games where he’s logged at least 30 minutes on the court.

• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ABC

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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

There is less than a week to go before the NBA trade deadline, and the Detroit Pistons need to do something. That could be as small a move as they formally create a roster spot for Daniss Jenkins or a large move, including, according to Marc Stein, trading a whole lot for Michael Porter Jr. or a good amount for Miles Bridges.

Stein writes on Substack that the Pistons “have continued to internally weigh the idea of pursuing wing scorers such as Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr or Charlott’es Miles Bridges, but no firm indication has yet emerged that Detroit is actively engaged in trade talks for either.”

If the Pistons go big-game hunting, it’s no surprise that Porter Jr. would be at the top of their list. Porter is the most coveted large wing shooter on the trade market, and that checks every box on Detroit’s wish list. He is shooting 39% from three on nearly 10 attempts a game, is a legit 6-foot-10, and has acquitted himself well in the playoffs. He is under team control for one more season beyond this one at $40 million.

Bridges, meanwhile, is not the shooter that Porter is, but he’s a thick unit that can switch between either forward spot, is a willing (if not terribly efficient) perimeter shooter, and can create offense for himself and occasionally for others. He has been a 20-point-per-game scorer on the Hornets for the three seasons prior to this one, and even though he’s taken a slight step back to 18.5 points this season, it is at the service of a better offense for himself and his teammates.

Bridges also takes care of the ball despite having it in his hands quite a bit. His career turnover percentage is just 10% while his usage rate this season of 23.1% would rank second in the Pistons’ rotation after Cade Cunningham.

What would it take to obtain either of these players? Well, there’s the rub, as they say.

Stein writes that the Nets are seeking “more than” a first-round pick to ship out Porter, and the Hornets are seeking “at least one first-round pick” for Bridges.

He also indicates that the league anticipates no splashy moves in Detroit at the deadline, and that tracks with everything we’ve heard up to this point.

However, the Pistons are playing really well, and it is also incredibly clear that they need more shooting and scoring on the roster. Could they be getting more comfortable with the idea of being more aggressive this season? We’ll know in less than a week.

Cam Thomas may have finally found a suitor.

Mike Scotto of Hoopshype reports Saturday in his reporting that the Milwaukee Bucks have interest in the Nets shooting guard who (coincidently or not) had his best game in weeks Friday night, scoring 21 points off the bench and being one of the team’s leaders in a win. After missing 20 games to a hamstring strain, Thomas is now coming off the bench. For the season, he’s averaging 16.1 points and 3.3 assists in 18 games with shooting splits of 40/32/85 shooting splits.

While trade talks surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo have garnered all the league’s attention, the Milwaukee Bucks have explored other smaller moves. 

With that in mind, Cam Thomas and D’Angelo Russell are both on Milwaukee’s radar contingent on other deals the Bucks are working on, league sources told HoopsHype.

Thomas, a proven bucket getter that averaged 22.9 points in 91 combined games in his prior two seasons, would potentially be useful for the Bucks, who rank fourth-worst in points per game (111.8). It’s worth noting that Thomas has a no-trade clause and would need to approve of any trade.

Thomas, of course, exercised his team option back in September, turning down a two-year $30 million (with second year a team option or a one-year, $9.5 million a deal. The whole process a seemingly signaled that he’d like to move on after four tumultuous seasons in Brooklyn. Thomas is making $6.0 million this season but because he exercised the option, he must approve any trade. If the Nets do not trade him or waive him, they will still have his Bird Rights as an unrestricted free agent.

The 24-year-old trade market has been devalued for a variety of reasons, some related to his style of play and now his health. In the last year and a half he’s missed 73 games to hamstring strains. Indeed, NetsDaily was told that the Nets didn’t receive a single trade offer last summer for Thomas.

Never a dull moment.

Paul George has been suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, the league announced in a statement.

The following was released by the NBA: pic.twitter.com/hveY31Fzpg

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 31, 2026

The Sixers’ veteran forward released a statement to ESPN:

Statement from 76ers' Paul George to ESPN: “Over the past few years, I’ve discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication. I take full responsibility for my… https://t.co/0CpqjNToue

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 31, 2026

The league and George did not indicate the specific drug that was used.

The nine-time All-Star has appeared in 27 games this season, averaging 16.0 points per game, while recovering from an offseason procedure on his left knee. He’d just started to play more regularly, appearing in 21 of the Sixers’ last 26 games. George played in just 41 games last season while dealing with injuries to his knee, hip, groin and hand.

The 35-year-old is in the second season of his four-year, $212 million max contract. There are luxury tax implications, for those curious about such things.

Paul George's 25 game suspension will cost him $11,742,294.

The Philadelphia 76ers will receive a luxury tax credit worth half that amount ($5,871,147).

This brings the Sixers from $7 million above the luxury tax line to just $1.3 million above it.

— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) January 31, 2026

It’s fair to wonder where this leaves the Sixers with the NBA’s trade deadline looming next Thursday. Without George for 25 games, Kelly Oubre Jr. is the only wing in the rotation. Second-year forward Justin Edwards has had an inconsistent sophomore season, but will likely see more action. The team also has MarJon Beauchamp signed to a two-way deal.

Will the Sixers consider entering the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes? Will they make other moves to help Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as they look to secure a guaranteed playoff spot in the East? Or will they simply stand pat and hope George can be healthy for any type of playoff run?

Things around the Sixers were finally starting to feel normal with George and Embiid playing fairly regularly and the team as a whole being healthy. It only make sense that something like this would happen to the strangest franchise in the NBA.

It's the second game of a most unusual 3-game regular season series, as the Chicago Bulls visit the Miami Heat. 

With both teams in a gruelling part of the schedule and many regulars appearing to be sidelined, my Bulls vs. Heat prediction will target the Under on Saturday.

Read on for my NBA picks for Saturday, January 31. 

Bulls vs Heat prediction

Bulls vs Heat best bet: Under 236 (-110)

The Chicago Bulls' loss on Thursday was their third straight, and their grip on the 10th and final play-in berth is much less secure, just 2.5 games ahead of the Hornets.

A Top-7 shooting team in the NBA, the Bulls were limited to just 39% shooting from the field, but stayed competitive by hitting 15 triples and shooting 39% from 3-point range.

Chicago is in the midst of playing 10 games in 13 days before the All-Star break, with no more than one day off between games and a pair of back-to-backs mixed in.

It's already taking a toll on the players, as Nikola Vucevic (rest) is listed as doubtful, while regulars Coby White (calf), Jalen Smith (calf), and Josh Giddey (hamstring) — who missed the last meeting between these teams — are questionable.

Emanuel Miller (migraine) is also questionable, while Tre Jones (hamstring) has already been confirmed out.

The Miami Heat are also in the midst of a four-game, five-night stretch, but the wins have helped fuel them, as they have ripped off three of four.

They've beaten the Bulls twice this season and will be seeking a fourth straight win over Chicago.

While they are averaging more than 120 points in their three previous wins, it's their defense, which has allowed just 103.3 points per game, that's been the deciding factor.

The Heat will need to lean into that defense, as their two leading scorers, Norman Powell (personal) and Tyler Herro (ribs) are both out, alongside guard Davion Mitchell (shoulder).

With so many impactful players sidelined, the total is the play here. Chicago has gone Under the total in four of its last five, while the two teams have cashed the Under in two of their previous three meetings.

Bulls vs Heat same-game parlay

Bam Adebayo had 12 boards in the last meeting between these teams, giving him at least 12 five times in the last eight games. There should be plenty more against the diminished Chicago frontline.

And that's why we're targeting Matas Buzelis' gettable 6.5 rebounding line. The 21-year-old has pulled down at least seven rebounds in three of his last four, including nine in the last meeting between these teams.

Bulls vs Heat SGP

• Under 236
• Bam Adebayo Over 10.5 rebounds
• Matas Buzelis Over 6.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Dr. Dru!

Jaime Jaquez Jr is coming off one of his best games of the season against the Bulls, scoring 19 points, adding 10 boards, and six assists. With Powell out, there will be plenty of shots and points to make up Saturday.

Dru Smith is coming off a 2-for-4 shooting night from 3-point range. He's also hit two triples in both meetings with Chicago and has connected on a moneyball in three straight games.

Bulls vs Heat SGP

• Under 236
• Bam Adebayo Over 10.5 rebounds
• Matas Buzelis Over 6.5 rebounds
• Jaime Jaquez Over 16.5 points
• Dru Smith Over 0.5 threes

Bulls vs Heat odds

• Spread: Bulls +5.5 (-110) | Heat -5.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Bulls +180 | Heat -210
• Over/Under: Over 236 (-110) | Under 236 (-110)

Bulls vs Heat betting trend to know

The underdog has won five of the last six meetings between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Heat.

How to watch Bulls vs Heat

Bulls vs Heat latest injuries

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