Category: NBA

LeBron James strolled to the scorer’s table Tuesday night and went through his pregame routine of throwing chalk up in the air, an iconic moment in his NBA-record 23rd season and on his 41st birthday.

James still marvels with his abilities to be a force at this stage of his career, leaving teammates and opponents in awe.

But the Lakers were unable to give James the celebration he wanted, losing 128-106 to the Detroit Pistons at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers, who had 20 turnovers, have lost four of their last five games, and their 11 losses this season have been by at least 10 points.

James finished with 17 points and Luka Doncic had 30 points and 11 assists but they took a seat on the bench for good with four minutes and 9 seconds left when the Lakers were down 122-96.

The Lakers (20-11) were better defensively in the third quarter after struggling in the first half. After giving up 36 points in the first quarter, 34 in the second, the Lakers gave up 26 in the third and were down 96-88.

But the Lakers fell apart in the fourth, getting run over by an 18-6 Pistons run that put the Lakers in a 20-point hole midway through the quarter. Detroit went on to outscore the Lakers 32-18 in the quarter.

Lakers coach JJ Redick called a timeout with six minutes remaining, but that didn't stop the Pistons (25-8), who got 27 points and 11 assists from Cade Cunningham.

Before the game, Redick said he's had conversations with James about what it takes to play at such a high level for so long.

“He talked about, you had to sacrifice loved ones,” Redick said. “I think there's an external cost that comes with caring, and I think there's also an internal cost, and that can be exhaustion, could be burnout, could be mental fatigue, physical fatigue.

Read more:Lakers takeaways: Nick Smith Jr. shines in win over Kings with Austin Reaves sidelined

"That's why you don't see many — I don't know about in other industries — but you don't see many great athletes that can sustain it for as long as he sustained it."

Detroit also showed its ability to sustain a level of greatness, scoring 70 points in the first 24 minutes and making 67.5% of their shots and 57.1% of their threes. They had 19 fast-break points in the first half.

Doncic had 24 points in the first half, making eight of 10 free throws.

James had 15 at the half, going five of 10 from the field and three of six from three-point range.

Etc.

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura missed the game with right calf soreness and is expected to be out for about a week.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud facing ‘rite of passage' amid Kings' struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — At least the rookies look good.

Doug Christie once again was unhappy with the Kings’ effort after a disheartening 131-90 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night at Intuit Dome. Still, Sacramento’s coach was proud of how guard Nique Clifford and center Maxime Raynaud continued to grow.

Clifford finished with a team-best 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting and three triples, while Raynaud poured in 12 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

“These players are good, man,” Christie said of the rookies. “They’re trying to do the right things. We’re here for them; we’re going to support them; we’re going to show them film; we’re going to develop; we keep working with them.”

It was the first time the Kings and Clippers met during the 2025-26 NBA season.

That also means that Tuesday night’s 41-point loss was the first time Clifford and Raynaud faced Los Angeles stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, who combined for 54 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, seemingly without breaking a sweat.

Christie discussed his rookies’ growing pains against the Clippers duo, emphasizing that Clifford and Raynaud only will improve as they stack professional experiences.

“You have to go through the league first,” Christie said of Clifford and Raynaud. “You know, that was the first time they have seen Kawhi, that’s the first time they have seen James Harden. Nique got some fouls against [Harden] that he’s like, ‘What did I do?’ And I’m just like, ‘Listen, man, you got to put yourself in the right position … You can’t wait for him to hit you; you have to hit him first.’ There are little things that [Clifford] has to learn; the same with Max. 

“We have to live with some of those mistakes from Max and Nique. But I will tell you that they’re not coming from a bad place. Those kids are just trying, they’re figuring it out, and that’s everything that we can ask for from them. And they continue to improve. The bumps and bruises they’re going to along the way [are] part of what you have to go through in this league to figure it out — and they will; I mean, I’m not worried about that.”

Clifford, whom Sacramento selected No. 24 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, now is up to six games of double-digit scoring. And Raynaud, who was drafted by Sacramento at No. 42, continues to settle into the starting center spot in place of the injured Domantas Sabonis and is up to six double-doubles.

The Kings aren’t where they want to be as a team, now with an 8-25 record entering the new year.

But Clifford and Raynaud are taking advantage of their respective opportunities, particularly the “bumps and bruises,” as Christie emphasized.

“It really is a rite of passage, man,” Christie said. “Like, you got to go through it. Because a lot of times, what you see in this league is, even with a team, they’ll have success for a year, and then they come back, and you’re like, ‘What happened?’ Because this league figures you out.

“If you don’t take advantage of this time, if you don’t go through and have all of those bumps and bruises, you know, that rookie year kind of drags on into next year. And before you know it, you kind of get labeled, and those are things that we don’t want for our players. Player development is big; they got to take this stuff seriously.”

Christie added that he advises his youngsters to journal their experiences after every game so that they have a “vast amount of knowledge” to reflect on in future matchups.

It seems that Clifford and Raynaud, despite their team’s struggles, have nowhere to go but up.

“The biggest part of all of that is that they are good kids, and they want to be good,” Christie said. “So they stay in the gym, they listen, they do the right things …”

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Observations after Edgecombe sinks game-winning 3-pointer, Sixers beat Grizzlies ih OT  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

VJ Edgecombe’s clutch exploits came on the road with the Sixers.

The rookie buried the second game-winner of his career Tuesday night in Memphis. The Grizzlies hard hedged Tyrese Maxey on the perimeter and he dished to Edgecombe, who nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with 2.2 seconds left in overtime. Cedric Coward’s miss at the final buzzer cemented a 139-136 Sixers win.

With their first victory of a five-game road trip, the Sixers moved to 17-14 and snapped a three-game losing streak. They’ll play the Mavs on Thursday night. 

Memphis dropped to 15-17. Ja Morant starred for the Grizzlies with 40 points and Coward posted 28 points and 16 rebounds.

The Sixers got 34 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high eight assists from Joel Embiid. 

Maxey had 34 points and 12 assists. Edgecombe added 25 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. 

The Sixers’ two injury absences were Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).  According to a team official, both players are continuing to progress and started to be “reintegrated into team activities” at Monday’s practice. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ dramatic OT win Tuesday:

Déjà vu at the start

Edgecombe swished a three-pointer for his team’s first basket. Outside of that, there was little to like early on for the Sixers. 

Memphis jumped in front and took a 17-7 lead on Coward’s corner three. The Thunder had opened 9 for 9 from the floor Sunday in their blowout win over the Sixers. Two days later, the Grizzlies started 7 for 8. 

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse called timeout. Though the Sixers certainly did not snap into lockdown defense mode, they at least stabilized the situation overall.

Maxey had a second straight outstanding start highlighted by near-perfect shooting. The 25-year-old scored a dozen points in both the first and second quarters. His only first-half miss was a tightly guarded three on the Sixers’ final possession of the first quarter. 

Maxey-Embiid duo flowing 

Embiid committed two fouls in under seven minutes. Edgecombe picked up his third peronal at the 9:26 mark of the second quarter and sat out the rest of the first half. 

The Sixers still earned their first lead with Maxey sitting early in the second quarter. Embiid drilled a top-of-the-key three and had success on multiple occasions when he popped off of double drag actions. A Jared McCain fast-break layup put the Sixers up 47-46. 

The Maxey-Embiid two-man game was brilliant once the Sixers’ superstar guard checked back in. The duo diced up Memphis’ defense with pick-and-pops, dribble handoffs and heaps of individual talent. The Embiid-Maxey pair posted 43 points in the first half on just 23 field goal attempts and eight assists. 

Nurse played a big frontcourt of Embiid and Adem Bona late in the second half. Largely thanks to Embiid’s defense, the Sixers fared well. The Sixers forced a flurry of turnovers and Embiid had a bright, energetic defensive stretch with two blocks and a steal. Bona did all the dirty work and chipped in four points, six rebounds, two blocks and two assists. He was deservedly the Sixers’ lone backup center and Andre Drummond stayed on the bench.

On top of the production, Embiid’s mobility and minutes were encouraging. He logged a season-high 38 minutes in Memphis.

Maxey capped the first half with a fantastic play when he somehow hit a leaning, double-pump three with 1.1 seconds left in the second quarter. He looked amazed by his own work. 

Maxey made his 800th career three-pointer Tuesday (he’s currently at 802). Allen Iverson is first in Sixers history with 885.

Edgecombe saves the day

The Grizzlies scored the first six points of the second half and the Sixers appeared on their way to more third-quarter misery. Coward and Wells drained threes against the Sixers’ zone defense to give Memphis a 90-81 lead.

The Sixers replied with a much-needed run.

Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes each turned steals into fast-break baskets. The Sixers had a major turnovers advantage (20-9) in Memphis.

They took a slim lead into the fourth quarter, but Morant had a hot start to the final frame. After making a mid-range jumper on McCain, he got Bona on a switch and then drove in for a tough one-one layup with his left hand.

While Edgecombe did not shoot especially well for much of the night, he came through with tons of timely plays in the fourth quarter and OT. George converted a cutting layup and Edgecombe sunk two threes in a row. The Sixers led by seven points with a little over four minutes on the clock. Edgecombe had a 13-point fourth period.

The Sixers struggled to stamp a win, failing to find a decisive basket. Embiid committed his fifth foul on an illegal screen, Maxey missed a mid-range jumper, and Morant made a game-tying floater.

Memphis had a chance to win on the final play of regulation but couldn’t capitalize. Grimes and Embiid swarmed Morant. Jalen Wells and Santi Aldama both missed go-ahead three attempts.

Eventually, the Sixers’ stars saw a few shots drop again in OT. Maxey made a driving lay-in through contact and Embiid hit two mid-range hoops.

Morant jetted past Edgecombe and laid the ball in with 18.3 seconds to go in OT, tying the game up again.

As has become his habit in the NBA, Edgecombe shook the play off and saved the day.

Observations after Edgecombe sinks game-winning 3-pointer, Sixers beat Grizzlies in OT  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

VJ Edgecombe’s clutch exploits came on the road with the Sixers.

The rookie buried the second game-winner of his career Tuesday night in Memphis. The Grizzlies hard hedged Tyrese Maxey on the perimeter and he dished to Edgecombe, who nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with 2.2 seconds left in overtime. Cedric Coward’s miss at the final buzzer cemented a 139-136 Sixers win.

With their first victory of a five-game road trip, the Sixers moved to 17-14 and snapped a three-game losing streak. They’ll play the Mavs on Thursday night. 

Memphis dropped to 15-17. Ja Morant starred for the Grizzlies with 40 points and Coward posted 28 points and 16 rebounds.

The Sixers got 34 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high eight assists from Joel Embiid. 

Maxey had 34 points and 12 assists. Edgecombe added 25 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. 

The Sixers’ two injury absences were Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).  According to a team official, both players are continuing to progress and started to be “reintegrated into team activities” at Monday’s practice. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ dramatic OT win Tuesday:

Déjà vu at the start

Edgecombe swished a three-pointer for his team’s first basket. Outside of that, there was little to like early on for the Sixers. 

Memphis jumped in front and took a 17-7 lead on Coward’s corner three. The Thunder had opened 9 for 9 from the floor Sunday in their blowout win over the Sixers. Two days later, the Grizzlies started 7 for 8. 

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse called timeout. Though the Sixers certainly did not snap into lockdown defense mode, they at least stabilized the situation overall.

Maxey had a second straight outstanding start highlighted by near-perfect shooting. The 25-year-old scored a dozen points in both the first and second quarters. His only first-half miss was a tightly guarded three on the Sixers’ final possession of the first quarter. 

Maxey-Embiid duo flowing 

Embiid committed two fouls in under seven minutes. Edgecombe picked up his third peronal at the 9:26 mark of the second quarter and sat out the rest of the first half. 

The Sixers still earned their first lead with Maxey sitting early in the second quarter. Embiid drilled a top-of-the-key three and had success on multiple occasions when he popped off of double drag actions. A Jared McCain fast-break layup put the Sixers up 47-46. 

The Maxey-Embiid two-man game was brilliant once the Sixers’ superstar guard checked back in. The duo diced up Memphis’ defense with pick-and-pops, dribble handoffs and heaps of individual talent. The Embiid-Maxey pair posted 43 points in the first half on just 23 field goal attempts and eight assists. 

Nurse played a big frontcourt of Embiid and Adem Bona late in the second quarter. Largely thanks to Embiid’s defense, the Sixers fared well. The Sixers forced a flurry of turnovers and Embiid had a bright, energetic defensive stretch with two blocks and a steal. Bona did all the dirty work and chipped in four points, six rebounds, two blocks and two assists. He was deservedly the Sixers’ lone backup center and Andre Drummond stayed on the bench.

On top of the production, Embiid’s mobility and minutes were encouraging. He logged a season-high 38 minutes in Memphis.

Maxey capped the first half with a fantastic play when he somehow hit a leaning, double-pump three with 1.1 seconds left in the second quarter. He looked amazed by his own work. 

Maxey made his 800th career three-pointer Tuesday (he’s currently at 802). Allen Iverson is first in Sixers history with 885.

Edgecombe saves the day

The Grizzlies scored the first six points of the second half and the Sixers appeared on their way to more third-quarter misery. Coward and Jaylen Wells drained threes against the Sixers’ zone defense to give Memphis a 90-81 lead.

The Sixers replied with a much-needed run.

Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes each turned steals into fast-break baskets. The Sixers had a major turnovers advantage (20-9) on Tuesday night.

They took a slim lead into the fourth quarter, but Morant had a hot start to the final frame. After making a mid-range jumper on McCain, he got Bona on a switch and then drove in for a tough one-one layup with his left hand.

While Edgecombe did not shoot especially well for much of the night, he came through with tons of timely plays in the fourth quarter and OT. Paul George converted a cutting layup and Edgecombe sunk two threes in a row. The Sixers led by seven points with a little over four minutes on the clock. Edgecombe had a 13-point fourth period.

The Sixers struggled to stamp a win, failing to find a decisive basket. Embiid committed his fifth foul on an illegal screen, Maxey missed a mid-range jumper, and Morant made a game-tying floater.

Memphis had a chance to win on the final play of regulation but couldn’t capitalize. Grimes and Embiid swarmed Morant. Wells and Santi Aldama both missed go-ahead three-point attempts.

Eventually, the Sixers’ stars saw a few shots drop again in OT. Maxey made a driving lay-in through contact and Embiid hit two mid-range hoops.

Morant jetted past Edgecombe and laid the ball in with 18.3 seconds to go in overtime, tying the game up once more.

As has become his habit in the NBA, Edgecombe shook the play off and saved the day.

What we learned as Nique Clifford lone bright spot in Kings' loss to Clippers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Kings seemingly had a chance to earn their ninth win of the 2025-26 NBA season on Tuesday night against a Los Angeles Clippers team that entered with 10.

That was not the case — at all.

Two days after losing 125-101 to LeBron James and the Lakers on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena, the Kings were thrashed 131-90 by Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers just 20 minutes away at Intuit Dome.

Los Angeles continued its midseason resurgence and four-game winning streak to cap off Sacramento’s demoralizing stay in the City of Angels.

The Kings battled early, but trailed 34-20 after the first quarter and 73-40 at halftime. Sacramento, which shot an uncompetitive 34 of 83 to Los Angeles’ 46 of 90, never held a lead.

Rookie guard Nique Clifford led the Kings with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting with a trio of 3-pointers, two assists and one rebound. Fellow rookie Maxime Raynaud and Russell Westbrook followed with 12 points apiece.

Here are three takeaways from the Kings’ 41-point, blowout loss.

Keegan Murray’s Return

Keegan Murray looked healthy after missing the Kings’ last two games with a calf injury suffered in Sacramento’s 136-127 loss to the Detroit Pistons seven days ago at Golden 1 Center.

Despite posting 11 points on a subpar 4-of-13 shooting, Murray more importantly played a team-high 20 first-half minutes and 30 total minutes without visible limitations mobility-wise.

He got up for one dunk, one block and two rebounds. Notably, he often — and relatively comfortably — guarded Leonard, Los Angeles’ top offensive threat.

Kings coach Doug Christie surely wasn’t satisfied with Sacramento’s two-game stretch in Hollywood. But returning home for New Year’s Day with a healthy Murray must be somewhat pleasing.

Hometown Woes

It always is special when DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook, a pair of Los Angeles natives, have the opportunity to play back home in front of family and friends.

Tuesday night, however, did not feature either of the NBA icons’ best performances.

Westbrook, a former Clipper, quietly finished with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting with four assists and three rebounds. 

And DeRozan, the Kings’ current leading scorer with Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis sidelined with injuries, posted a quiet eight points on 2-of-8 shooting with seven boards and three assists.

The Kings needed more out of everybody against the Clippers. Though they could’ve used a boost from their hometown heroes — especially against other big-time local products such as James Harden and Leonard.

Kawhi Keeps Cookin’

Leonard recently has been on a mission, and unfortunately for the Kings, dominating Sacramento was the 6-foot-7 forward’s latest task.

The reigning Western Conference Player of the Week sleepwalked his way into an efficient 33 points in 33 minutes with five assists and five rebounds.

Leonard, of course, was coming off a career-high 55-point game in Los Angeles’ 112-99 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

“He’s been playing at an incredible level,” Christie said of Leonard pregame. “I had watched some games earlier, and he hadn’t been playing at that level. And I’m looking, it was like 40 [points], then 55, and I was like, ‘Right before you play us.’ ”

There aren’t any superstars that any team wants to face. But at the moment, Leonard is one of the league’s scariest scorers, and the schedule aligned in a way that did the Kings zero favors.

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Warriors star Steph Curry returns to his alma mater Davidson for unique honor originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The list of ideas for Davidson College to honor Warriors star Steph Curry has to be running low.

But his alma mater found another way Tuesday afternoon, when they welcomed their assistant general manager of the university’s basketball programs back on campus for the official renaming of I-77 Exit 30 to Stephen Curry Interchange.

“This is my forever home,” Curry said after the new signage was unveiled, via The Charlotte Observer.

“For me to be able to represent so many people that made this possible, I hope that that’s what they feel. A diploma is one thing. An elite achievement is another thing. This [sign] is another. I might be stealing the sign to take it home.”

A homecoming to remember

Honoring a legacy that started with @DavidsonMBB, Exit 30 to Davidson College is now officially the Stephen Curry Interchange. pic.twitter.com/b4OGoSIEFp

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 31, 2025

Steph returned to Davidson tonight to celebrate the renaming of the nearby "Stephen Curry Interchange" 🥹pic.twitter.com/uWMZfjjPlH

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 31, 2025

Curry’s wife Ayesha and his Golden State teammates Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody were in attendance for the momentous affair, which took place during halftime of the Davidson Wildcats’ 89-83 overtime loss to the Duquesne Dukes.

Dubs supporting Dubs https://t.co/z0GkZUrOdcpic.twitter.com/NTlN8FnXla

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 31, 2025

Ayesha reppin' Steph's college jersey at the Davidson game❤️ pic.twitter.com/KAXXhIcK3u

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 31, 2025

Curry played three seasons at Davidson from 2006 to 2009, where he was named a two-time Southern Conference Player of the Year, consensus All-American and NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player before he was selected by the Warriors with the No. 7 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

In the summer of 2022, shortly after the Warriors’ fourth NBA championship, Curry had his No. 30 jersey retired by the school, was inducted into its Hall of Fame and officially earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. In March 2025, Davidson named Curry assistant GM of the college’s basketball programs, making him the first active player in U.S. pro sports to take an administrative job with an NCAA team.

“You’ve represented our values of leadership and service,” Davidson College president Douglas Hicks said Tuesday during the ceremony. “You’ve lifted up youth from Ada Jenkins Center here in Davidson to schools across Oakland.

“Everybody knows that the entrance to Davidson is Exit 30, and we hope that your heart will always lead you back to [the town of] Davidson and Davidson College.”

With a fitting ceremony on Dec. 30 for No. 30 officially done, the Warriors now look ahead to facing Curry’s hometown Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday at Spectrum Center.

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Draymond Green explains hilarious NSFW chirp at elderly Nets superfan Mr. Whammy originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green rarely turns down a chance to trash talk opposing players.

Or sometimes — as was the case in the Warriors’ 120-107 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night — opposing fans.

In the third quarter, Green was at the line for a pair of free-throw attempts. That’s when 89-year-old Nets superfan Bruce Reznick, a.k.a. Mr. Whammy, stood up behind the basket trying to distract the Warriors star.

After making his first free throw, Green walked towards the baseline and pointed at Mr. Whammy, who was recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in October for his well-known fandom.

“Sit your old ass down!” Green yelled, before backing it up with another make on his second attempt.

Draymond going back and forth with Nets superfan Mr. Whammy 🤣🍿 pic.twitter.com/DgxDG2hc5n

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 30, 2025

After the game, Green was asked about the humorous interaction, which had caused a stir on social media.

“Can’t be distracting me on my free throws, man. Go sit down somewhere,” Green told reporters with a laugh.

“That was fun. I had a lot of fun tonight.”

Draymond on chirping Mr. Whammy:

“I told him to sit his old ass down somewhere, man. Can’t be distracting me on my free throws… That was fun. I had a lot of fun tonight.” https://t.co/Jsgx7MSSdypic.twitter.com/y4buRSq8gw

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 30, 2025

Of course, this isn’t the first time the notoriously outspoken star has made headlines for his interactions with opposing fans.

But this occasion seems to have been all in good fun, though Green eventually did miss a free throw at that end of the court later in the game. So we’ll call this round a 1-1 draw between Mr. Whammy and Green.

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Draymond Green responds to Steve Kerr's claim that Warriors are ‘fading dynasty' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Ahead of the Warriors’ Christmas Day game against the Dallas Mavericks, coach Steve Kerr dubbed his team a “fading dynasty.” 

It seemed like a harsh truth for a team that has won four championships in the last 10-plus years. 

Warriors star Draymond Green, a focal point of that dynasty, did not dispute Kerr’s assessment. 

“When you get down to it, the reality is it’s true. Dynasties don’t last forever. What you do is you try to prolong them as long as you can. You try to build on them as much as you can. But it’s true,” Green said Monday on “The Draymond Green Show.”  

“Now, he didn’t say we’re a dynasty that faded. He said we are a fading dynasty. Guess what? Steph Curry’s in year 17. I’m in year 14. Klay Thompson, who’s gone, would be in year 15. When you talk about the dynasty, Steve Kerr is in his 12th year of coaching …” 

“We’ve been at it for a while. So, when he says we’re a ‘fading dynasty,’ everyone knows that he’s not throwing salt. He’s not putting the team down. It’s true. But it’s our job as the ones inside the dynasty to try to prolong it as long as we’re given the opportunity,” Green continued.

In the three seasons after their 2021-22 NBA Championship, the Warriors have ended with two second-round playoff exits and missed the playoffs once in between. The team has been mired in a continuous hassle to stay above a .500 record and still sit at 17-16 well into the 2025-26 NBA season. 

It’s clear, to Kerr and Green alike, that the once-firm grip that Golden State had on the NBA has been unclenched. 

Nevertheless, the Warriors are not laying down. The blockbuster acquisition of Jimmy Butler last season catapulted a team through the finish line and into a postseason run that arguably ended prematurely with an injury to their superstar Curry. 

“How long can we extend it? How much more can we do? That’s the goal. That’s the mindset. That’s the mission,” Green said. 

The Warriors organization – at least Kerr and Green – are aligned in that mission. 

“We know where we are. We’ve got to know who we are,” Kerr said last week. “We got to know what’s possible, and we have to take pride in the struggle, because this is part of life.” 

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Why Kendrick Perkins believes Jonathan Kuminga can fix ‘broken' Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has not played in eight of Golden State’s last nine games. 

NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins believes reversing that trend can fix the Warriors. 

“The Warriors are broken!!!!” Perkins wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after the Warriors’ 141-127 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. 

“One day Steve Kerr is going to realize that you need size and athleticism “Kuminga” to compete against the good teams in the League.” 

The Warriors are broken!!!! One day Steve Kerr is going to realize that you need size and athleticism “Kuminga” to compete against the good teams in the League.

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) December 28, 2025

Kuminga started the first 12 games of the season before coach Steve Kerr made changes to the starting lineup following a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in November. The 23-year-old forward exited the following game due to a knee injury, causing him to miss the next seven games. 

Kuminga then struggled to find his footing after his return, averaging just 7.8 points in his next four games played. He has been mostly absent from the rotation since. 

“It’s tough because he’s not really a short-minute player,” Kerr told reporters after the Warriors’ 120-107 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. “I played a bunch of guys eight, 10 minutes. JK is a guy who needs rhythm – he’s not like a Gui [Santos] who’s going to come in or Pat [Spencer] and just fly around and play with great energy for four minutes and come out – he needs some rhythm.”  

“So, he always has to stay ready and there’s a pathway there. But right now, it’s not there, but things change quickly in the NBA.” 

In Kuminga’s 18 games played, the Warriors are 9-9 with a +0.3 net rating. In the 15 games without the young forward, the Warriors are 8-7 with a +3.3 net rating. 

In his last appearance, Kuminga scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field while also grabbing four rebounds against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 13. He logged 9:31 of playing time. 

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Nuggets center Nikola Jokic out at least 4 weeks with hyperextended left knee originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Nikola Jokic is only going to miss a few weeks, which is surely cause for the Denver Nuggets to take a giant sigh of relief.

The Nuggets’ superstar center has been diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee, the team said Tuesday, adding that the three-time MVP will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

It’s an obvious blow to the already short-handed Nuggets — but is not a season-ending issue nor one that would require surgical repair. If Jokic misses a month, that means he would be sidelined for about 16 games but could be playing again before February’s NBA All-Star Game.

The 6-foot-11 Jokic — considered by many to be the best player in the world right now — got hurt with about three seconds left in the first half of Denver’s 147-123 loss in Miami on Monday night.

Jokic entered Tuesday ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring this season at 29.6 points per game, plus leads the league with averages of 12.2 rebounds and 11 assists per contest. The only other player in NBA history to average at least 12 rebounds and 11 assists over a full season was Oscar Robertson for the Cincinnati Royals in 1961-62.

“Obviously, it’s part of the game,” Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said Monday night after the game — speaking before the team got the word on the severity of Jokic’s injury. “But we never want to see it happen. … Next man up. We’ve got to focus on what’s in here.”

Denver has five games left on a seven-game road trip, one that resumes Wednesday when the Nuggets visit the Toronto Raptors.

Jokic was alone under the basket and appeared to step forward to help Denver’s Spencer Jones defend a drive by Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. as time was about to expire in the second quarter. While backtracking, Jones stepped on Jokic’s left foot and it seemed the center’s knee buckled a bit.

Jokic collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee. He was helped to his feet, then made his way to the locker room under his own power but with a pronounced limp.

Denver has been playing without three would-be starters in Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cam Johnson. Even after dropping four of their last six games the Nuggets are still currently No. 3 in the Western Conference at 22-10, with Jokic having played in all 32 of those games.

That’s about to change, obviously. Denver is 13-23 over the last five seasons when Jokic isn’t in the lineup, and any slippage in the coming weeks would be damaging to the Nuggets’ playoff positioning. The Nuggets entered Tuesday only three games ahead of Phoenix, which is currently seventh in the conference.

“You just have to stay with it as a team and as a group,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said Monday night. “And honestly, you have to stay with it as a team and a group because that’s how you best support your teammates that are out — by honoring them when you play. So, we’ll move on from there. This is part of the NBA.”

The injury interrupts what might be Jokic’s best season of his career. Not only is he leading the league in rebounds and assists, but he’s shooting a career-best 43.5% from 3-point range and tops the NBA with a true shooting percentage — a formula that accounts for 3-pointers and free throws — of just over 71%.

“It’s like a quest for efficiency and consistency, and I think that’s whether he admits it or not, he sees it as a craft,” Adelman said before Monday’s game, a couple of hours before the injury happened. “He’s trying to look at it as something, ‘What can I get better over the year at?’ And I think it’s been really impressive to watch him over these years, not be satisfied with it, and attack new journeys.”