So as Kuminga continues to maneuver what’s likely to be his impending Warriors divorce, Butler will remain by his side regardless of the outcome. Butler told reporters after the Warriors’ win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday that their relationship hasn’t changed at all despite Kuminga being out of coach Steve Kerr’s rotation lately.
“Same. He better come to my house tonight and eat dinner, play some dominoes,” Butler said (h/t ESPN’s Anthony Slater). “That is my brother, so I care less if you’re out of the rotation. We hang out. That’s my friend, That’s my brother. That’s not going to change.
“Basketball is basketball. I love him like a brother and I wish him the best. And I still see him in here getting his work in, so his mind’s right.”
Kuminga has been benched or played limited minutes over the past few weeks as the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline approaches. Now more than ever, his future with Golden State is uncertain.
The 23-year-old wing can’t be dealt until Jan. 15, and several reports indicate that a move is in the works.
Regardless, that doesn’t change anything for Butler and his relationship with Kuminga.
“That ain’t got nothing to do with me,” Butler said. “I’m still going to call and check on him. I’m still going to go visit him, still go to his house, eat his food and play with his kids. His future, though, that’s between him and whoever else. But the bond and the brotherhood that we’ve built, ain’t no future going to change that.”
Kuminga started the first 12 games of the 2025-26 NBA season, but has played only six times since. He’s averaging 11.3 points on 43.1-percent shooting from the field and 32.0 percent from 3-point range. He hasn’t played in 10 of the past 11 games.
Butler was asked about whether he sees the uncertainty of Kuminga’s future weighing on him.
“Nope. Not at all,” Butler said. “I told JK, you come in here and be a pro of all pros. Come here and get your work done. You smile. You have a good time because you’re still an NBA player. You’re one of the best people in the world and I’m not even talking about basketball. So you keep smiling, you keep being the great human being that you are.”
VJ Edgecombe surely spoke for just about everyone in the cramped visiting locker room at Madison Square Garden when he paused during the middle of his media scrum with an admission.
“I don’t even know what today is,” Edgecombe said.
Whatever the day — Saturday, it turns out — Edgecombe’s first long NBA road trip ended in fun fashion. No one minded thinking about the Sixers’ road ahead, too.
The 19-14 Sixers concluded their five-game trip with three straight wins. There was minimal daydreaming required for those inclined to picture a best-case playoff scenario where the Sixers’ stars are healthy, their backcourt a youthful, joyful powerhouse, their role players ready and able to do valuable, unglamorous jobs.
It’s no coincidence that only Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) have been sidelined lately.
“I think for three games in a row, we’ve had the same lineup,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said postgame. “You’d have to check your notes, that might be a record for us. … I really don’t remember that happening for a long time. So we’ll take that, and we can hopefully get to four on Monday (vs. the Nuggets).”
Both Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey made many special plays on both ends of the floor in Saturday’s victory over the Knicks. They also appeared tireless and sometimes even immune to misses. The pair totaled 62 points on 24-for-38 shooting. Joel Embiid joined them in the highly efficient department with 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting.
“I think the main thing is we see how good we can be when we’re gelling,” Edgecombe said, “when everybody’s touching the rock, when everybody’s playing hard, when everybody’s bought into their role. I think we see how good we can be.”
Embiid was in a tongue-in-cheek mood after the game. The seven-time All-Star’s final make was his first dunk all season, an unguarded flush with 24.9 seconds left. He raised his arms, grinned and ran down the floor with one finger in the air.
“Feels good,” Embiid said. “Easy one. I wish it would’ve been one off the backboard. That’s the next step.”
“It’s always good to be here and talk back to the fans,” he said. “They were quiet today, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re losing the whole game. But I always have fun going back and forth with them. Sometimes it’s good to be liked, sometimes it’s good to be hated.”
As Embiid himself would acknowledge, nothing is ever set in stone for him and the Sixers. He’s played very well during the team’s three-game streak — 27.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists per contest — but sustained health has been elusive since Embiid suffered a left knee lateral meniscus tear in late January of 2024. Going back much further, he knows all about strange, sad plot twists that have derailed promising seasons.
That doesn’t mean the Sixers are foolish to like how they’re playing and believe they can keep improving.
After enduring a nightmare of a season, they’re on track to win far more than 24 games.
“It’s super rewarding, given the season we had last year and everything we had to deal with — the injuries, new players, just gaining rhythm with one another,” Paul George said. “This year we’ve still been battling injuries and have still had some unfortunate luck on that side, but I think the biggest difference is we just feel better as a group. We trust in the process of this team. … You just naturally gain camaraderie and I think it’s carrying over.
“I think it’s safe to say everyone in this locker room is starting to enjoy being out on that floor, playing on both ends. We’re just gelling. … Everything that we’ve been trying to connect, it’s translating on the court.”
Does Nurse find the recent success satisfying after a year full of hardship exception signings and undermanned, outmatched nights?
“We’ve got a long way to go,” he said. “I told you at the start of the season that we were in a big hole we had to dig out of. We’re still digging. Still, conditioning, rhythm, health can get a little better. I think we just build on that.”
With the holidays in the rearview mirror, the NBA slate has a more familiar look in Week 12. There are three days, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with double-digit games, with Thursday being the light game day. Unfortunately, fantasy managers have a lot of injuries to navigate, including Denver's Nikola Jokić and San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama. As is always the case, availability and scheduling will affect how managers craft their rosters for what they hope will be a successful week. Let's look at the Week 12 schedule and some of its key storylines.
Thursday is the only game with fewer than six games on the schedule, with it being a four-game night. Three of the eight teams in action, Charlotte, Chicago and Utah, will be dealing with a back-to-back. All three have some availability concerns. The Hornets have been hit hard by injuries in the frontcourt, with Ryan Kalkbrenner, Moussa Diabaté and Mason Plumlee all missing the team's final game of Week 11. Plumlee underwent surgery and is looking at a long-term absence, but fantasy managers will be more concerned about Kalkbrenner and Diabaté anyway. PJ Hall has made a few starts, and he may have value in deep leagues given the injuries and the Hornets' four-game Week 12 schedule.
As for Chicago, their most significant injuries have occurred on the perimeter, with Josh Giddey and Coby White sidelined. Giddey will be re-evaluated in two weeks after straining his left hamstring, while White's right calf injury will keep him out for at least one week. With those two off the board, Tre Jones, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter will all have increased fantasy value in Week 12, and the Wednesday/Thursday back-to-back should not be an issue for any of them, provided they get through Chicago's first two games of Week 12 unscathed.
Lastly, there's Utah, which has not needed the excuse of a back-to-back to sit key players in the past. Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkić have been sidelined on multiple occasions, and Keyonte George missed the team's New Year's Day loss to the Clippers. It isn't the "silly season" yet, but players like Kyle Filipowski, Brice Sensabaugh and Isaiah Collier stand to take on added importance during Week 12.
- Be ready to move on from fringe Lakers at the end of games on Friday.
Not only do the Lakers play just three games in Week 12, but they won't be active on either Saturday or Sunday. While the absences of Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura may complicate things for some fantasy managers, others are likely to conclude that they're better off scouring the waiver wire for value during the final two days of Week 12 than holding onto Marcus Smart or Jake LaRavia. The Lakers' three games are against New Orleans, San Antonio and Milwaukee, beginning with a Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back.
- Miami, Minnesota and San Antonio end Week 12 with Saturday/Sunday back-to-backs.
These three teams may prove most valuable to fantasy managers at the end of the week since they'll be active on Saturday and Sunday. While a player like Minnesota's Mike Conley won't be great to have, since he hasn't been playing both games of back-to-backs, some intriguing options should be available in most leagues. Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jović, and San Antonio's Julian Champagnie are three who may have added value toward the end of Week 12, due to both their production and injuries to other rotation players.
- How long will the Spurs be without Victor Wembanyama?
Regarding the Spurs, will Wembanyama be available at all during Week 12? And if so, how many games will he play? While San Antonio is scheduled to play four games, it has two back-to-backs, which may limit the 7-foot-4 phenom to two games at most if he can play to begin the week. After escaping severe damage to his left knee during Wednesday's win over the Knicks, Wembanyama is considered day-to-day and will travel with the team to Tuesday's game in Memphis.
That's followed by games against the Lakers (Wednesday), Celtics (Saturday) and Timberwolves (Sunday) to conclude Week 12. Luke Kornet was outstanding in Saturday's loss to the Trail Blazers and will be a starter as long as Wemby is out. How much he plays when allowed to start depends on how well he and Kelly Olynyk play. Olynyk was better on Friday against the Pacers, so he played more, and the roles reversed the following night against Portland.
- Brooklyn won't play its first game of Week 12 until Wednesday.
While the Lakers are the team to avoid at the end of Week 12, the Nets won't offer much value at the beginning of the week. Brooklyn won't play its first game until Wednesday, the first of three games on the team's slate. And the last, Sunday in Memphis, is the first of a back-to-back with Brooklyn visiting Dallas the following night. The back-to-back could loom large for Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton (who's currently away from the team for personal reasons), Cam Thomas and Terance Mann. The "silly season" isn't here yet, but players like Egor Dëmin and Danny Wolf may have added fantasy value at the end of Week 12. As for its beginning, that won't be the case.
For the second time in the last four games he played in the Chase Center, Draymond Green was ejected.
With a couple of minutes left in the first half, Green was frustrated that there was no call (3 seconds or travel) on Utah's Kyle Filipowski — and he let the baseline official know it. That led to the first technical, but Green could not let it go (as has happened before). Eventually, he was handed a second technical and an ejection.
With this latest ejection, Green has nine technicals this season (in just 29 games), putting him more than halfway to the total of 16 and an automatic one-game suspension.
The Warriors won the game 123-114, behind 31 points from Stephen Curry. Green had eight points and three rebounds prior to his ejection.
The Knicks chipped away at a big second-half deficit for the second consecutive game, but ultimately fell to the 76ers at the Garden, 130-119.
New York has now lost three straight games and two straight at home. The 76ers have now defeated the Knicks in both of their games this season, both at MSG.
After not playing in the Knicks' disappointing loss to the Hawks on Friday, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson returned to the lineup, but the size wasn't enough as the combination of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined for 62 points.
The last time Maxey was at the Garden (Dec. 19), the point guard posted 30 points with nine assists in the 76ers' win. Maxey one-upped himself on Saturday, scoring 36 points on 14 of 22 shooting with eight rebounds and four assists. He also had a steal and two blocks.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points on 10 of 21 shooting, four rebounds and four assists.
Here are the takeaways...
-It was a physical game early, with the refs swallowing their whistles for both teams -- to the chagrin of the players and coaches. The Knicks took advantage of the physicality, especially Brunson, who scored 12 points on 3-for-7 shooting and 5 of 7 from the free throw line.
However, the 76ers shot 61 percent from the field thanks to their paint points. They only took three three-pointers in the quarter (1-for-3), with Joel Embiid (7 points), Edgecombe (7) and Maxey (6) giving Philadelphia the early 31-30 lead after one.
-Brunson was on the bench to start the second, and the combination of KAT, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Jordan Clarkson and Miles McBride was careless with the ball. The 76ers forced turnovers and frustrated Towns with their physicality, so much so that the big man picked up a technical foul with about eight minutes to go in the quarter. With Brunson on the bench, Towns forced it whenever he touched the ball, leading to turnovers and poor possessions.
The three ball would help the Knicks cut into Philly's lead, but the 76ers used the three themselves to push their lead to double digits. A late flurry from the Knicks helped them cut their deficit to 66-58 at the half.
Brunson scored 21 points at halftime, while the only other Knick to score in double figures was Anunoby (12). Towns had just two points on 1 of 6 shooting. Philadelphia, after shooting just three threes in the first quarter, was 7 of 14 in the second and the Knicks could not adjust. Edgecombe had a team-high 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting (4 of 6 from three) in the first half.
-The Knicks' defense continued to be porous in the third as the 76ers got whatever shot they want, building a game-high 17-point lead midway through the frame. The second group off the bench helped cut a 19-point deficit to 12 with a minute to go in the third, but Maxey's whip-around pass to former Knick Quentin Grimes for a three stopped New York's momentum. McBride made all three free throws when he was fouled taking a three as the Knicks went into the final quarter down 99-87.
-Towns' offensive game finally woke up to start the fourth as the big man went at Embiid down low to help the second unit cut the deficit to nine points. With 9:04, however, the Knicks had a chance to cut into the Philly lead even more, but Edgecombe blocked a Bridges three that led to a fastbreak, and the rookie guard finished it with a dunk to force a Mike Brown timeout.
The Knicks tried to claw back, but Maxey wouldn't allow it. With four minutes to go, Maxey launched a deep three on a broken play in front of the Knicks bench to keep the 76ers lead in double figures. But a pair of McBride threes and some timely defense helped the Knicks cut the lead to seven with two minutes remaining.
A big offensive rebound by Paul George and a steal by Edgecombe in the final minutes sealed the game for Philadelphia.
-Embiid, who missed the last meeting, had 26 points with 10 rebounds and five assists.
-Towns finished 23 points and 14 rebounds while Anunoby (19), Bridges (12) and McBride (20) rounded out the double-digit scoring for New York.
Game MVP: Tyrese Maxey
The young guard willed the 76ers to a win. Whenever the Knicks made their run, Maxey had an answer.
SAN FRANCISCO – There’s a trend surrounding the Warriors that’s starting to become more noticeable than their fondness for turnovers.
With two minutes and 25 seconds remaining in the first half and the Warriors struggling in a frustrating second quarter, Draymond Green received two quick technical fouls for an automatic ejection.
Green was loud with his voice and his hands towards umpire Simone Jelks as Kyle Filipowski, whom Green was defending, clearly camped in the paint beyond the allowed three seconds. That resulted in his first tech.
As Green turned his attention to Jelks, Lauri Markkanen went right past him for a dunk.
Then came the second tech as Green turned his attention towards referee Kevin Cutler, who nearly instantly felt a verbal line was crossed, sending the 35-year-old back to the Warriors’ locker room for the rest of the game. The Warriors’ response on the court was just as immediate.
Markkanen made both free throws from Green’s two techs, giving the Jazz a four-point swing and a 12-0 run. They led 60-48 after the two free throws. But whether it was a fire lit inside them or something else, the Warriors outscored the Jazz 10-5 to end the half and by 21 points the rest of the game for a 123-114 win.
Collectively, the Warriors didn’t agree with Green being tossed so quickly. And they won’t lean into the notion that the team is better without him.
“Nah, hell nah. That ain’t the formula,” Jimmy Butler said. “No, no, no, no, no. We need Two-Three out there. When you’re a man down, you got to pick up everything. It’s generally hard to cover up what he does on both sides of the floor. …It’s so hard to do what he does. But it’s a collective effort when he’s not out there.”
“I can tell you this: You look at Draymond’s career and he’s on the plus side in a massive way over and over again,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr added.
Nobody can take away Green’s accomplishments in a Golden State jersey. He’s a four-time champion, a future Hall of Famer, one of the most unique players in NBA history and only a handful of guys historically can be mentioned in the same breath as him defensively.
The numbers, especially over the last month, also unveil a different picture of the current version of Green and the Warriors as a whole.
Kerr used 11 players Saturday night, and only three had a negative plus/minus. De’Anthony Melton was a minus-3 in 25 minutes off the bench, but he stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, three 3-pointers, two assists and two steals. Rookie Will Richard was a minus-1 over 18 minutes in reserve. Both were in the positive in the second half sans Green.
In 12 minutes before his ejection, Green was a minus-15. Since Dec. 1, he has produced a positive plus/minus twice in 11 games – once against the 12-win Charlotte Hornets, and once against the 10-win Brooklyn Nets. Overall, he now is a minus-65 in that month-long span.
Green, in his last seven games, has been ejected twice and left the bench early in another. He hasn’t finished three of his last four home games at Chase Center. The Warriors responded to his ejection against the Phoenix Suns and were a plus-16 without him. They then outscored the Orlando Magic by 28 points after his incident with Kerr on the bench.
Wins for the Warriors followed both times, as well as Saturday night against the Jazz.
The saving grace one night after a 37-point trouncing from the Oklahoma City Thunder was Steph Curry’s 20-point third quarter, which also was without his running mate of the last 14 years. Curry went into the half with nine points on 2-of-7 shooting and then reeled off his latest vintage third-quarter flurry to the tune of 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting, 4 of 6 on threes and was a plus-11 in 11-plus minutes to give the Warriors a four-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
Fans were in for a treat during that stretch. Curry pulled off both his signature look-away 3-pointer with the ball in the air in the third quarter, as well as yet another triple nearly from the logo.
Still serving a show on a nightly basis, Curry’s longtime coach knows where the credit belongs.
No plays need to be drawn up. Advice would be a laughing matter. Watch him let it fly and reap the rewards.
“It wasn’t me, it wasn’t my play calls or anything. It was just Steph,” Kerr said. “That’s how good he is.
“But again, everything felt right in the second half. The spirit, the energy, the level of competitive fight. You’re much more likely to make shots when you have that approach.”
The same spirit, energy, level of competitive fight and approach must be in conjunction with Green on the floor for the Warriors to ride the momentum they believe they’re building right now. It’s the only way to fight the narrative that matches the numbers, enjoying a win without this trend blossoming into something bigger.
The East leading Detroit Pistons will be without two key starters for at least the next week.
Center Jalen Duren, who is playing at an All-Star level this season, has suffered a right ankle sprain and will be re-evaluated in one week, the team announced. Duren has taken a big step forward this season, averaging 17.9 points per game on 63.3% shooting and 10.6 rebounds a game.
His absence means to expect more Isaiah Steward and Paul Reed at the five, which is about as good a backup center combo as there is in the league.
Wing Tobias Harris has a left hip sprain that will sideline him and have him re-evaluated in two weeks. Harris is averaging 13.4 points a game and is shooting 33.3% from 3-point range. Sixth man Caris LeVert is day-to-day with right knee inflammation and is not traveling with the team for its game this weekend in Cleveland.
It's a tough week for the Pistons to be without these starters as they face a Cavaliers team that has won three in a row, then the Knicks.
NEW YORK — The Sixers have had quite a sweet start to 2026.
They finished a five-game road trip with a third consecutive victory Saturday night, earning a 130-119 win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
The Sixers now stand at 19-14. New York fell to 23-12 with its second home loss this season to the Sixers.
Tyrese Maxey had 36 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Joel Embiid posted 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. VJ Edgecombe recorded 26 points, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Jalen Brunson’s 31 points led the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns had a 23-point, 14 rebound double-double.
The Sixers’ only two injury absences remained Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor sprain).
“They’re ready to move to 5-on-5 and we’ve just got to get that done,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame. “I would imagine that’s going to happen tomorrow, one way or the other. It’s not easy with all these games and travel to organize it, but they’re both ready to at least get out there and try 5-on-5. And when they do, that’s probably a big step toward getting them back on the court. It should be fairly soon, though.”
New York was down Josh Hart (right ankle sprain) and Landry Shamet (right shoulder sprain).
Here are observations on the Sixers’ win Saturday night:
Another look at Embiid-Bona pair
The Sixers had the game’s first three turnovers, including Embiid getting stripped by Mitchell Robinson in the post.
Embiid otherwise started well vs. Robinson, making an early mid-range jumper and beating the Knicks’ 7-footer inside on an and-one hoop. Robinson committed his second foul on the play. Embiid connected with a cutting Maxey for a lay-in that put the Sixers up 18-13.
Nurse kept testing out the Embiid-Adem Bona frontcourt and the Sixers were effective with their double-big lineup in the second quarter. Bona rarely does much of note outside the paint, but it’s clear why the Sixers have been intrigued by his skill set next to Embiid. At his best, the 22-year-old is a bouncy, high-energy player who doesn’t need the ball on offense to be impactful.
“I think that whoever’s playing that four, any of our bigs, we’ve got to have shooting in the other three spots,” Nurse said. “That’s for sure. … Joel likes playing alongside (Bona). I think there’s a good synergy there, so we’ll continue to look at that as we go along.”
Edgecombe not slowing down as scorer
As he had in the Sixers’ Dec. 19 win over the Knicks, Edgecombe served as the primary defender on Brunson. Both guards lit it up in the first half.
The Sixers made an 8-0 run that began late in the first quarter and ended with an Edgecombe three-pointer to kick off the second. About a minute later, Edgecombe nailed his third long-distance jumper on three attempts. No other Sixer made a three until a Jared McCain triple with 7:28 left in the second quarter built the Sixers’ lead to 46-38.
Edgecombe’s shown fantastic progress lately as an ultra-confident, three-level scorer. Over the past nine games, he’s averaged 21.2 points. The 20-year-old has posted at least 20 points in seven of those outings.
With Edgecombe running the show and the Sixers more than holding their own, Nurse had the luxury of sitting both Embiid and Maxey for over half of the second quarter. Once they returned, the two helped the Sixers extend their advantage to as many as 19 points in the third quarter.
Backcourt brilliance seals it for Sixers
Paul George swished two threes from the right corner in opening minutes of the third period.
The 35-year-old forward often seemed to be in the background Saturday behind Maxey, Edgecombe and Embiid. He had a very solid night with 15 points on 5-for-11 shooting, eight rebounds, six assists and two chase-down blocks in the second quarter.
Maxey stayed hot in the third, draining deep pull-up jumpers and preventing the Knicks from gaining any comeback momentum for much of the quarter.
The Sixers did hit a dry spell late in the third, but the Knicks missed out on multiple chances to slice their deficit to single digits before the final quarter. They eventually pulled within 100-91 on a Towns driving layup early in the fourth.
With a tremendous Edgecombe sequence, the Sixers halted the Knicks’ push. He jetted to the corner and blocked Mikal Bridges’ three-point attempt, then stormed down the floor and hammered in a fast-break dunk.
Maxey removed most of the lingering suspense with a fourth-quarter shotmaking spree. For good measure, Edgecombe added more highlights in the closing minutes, including a stolen inbounds pass, and the Sixers sealed another excellent victory at the Garden.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors seem to get a boost whenever Draymond Green is banished from a game.
Trailing by 12 when Green was ejected late in the second quarter, the Warriors responded by outscoring the Utah Jazz by 21 points over the final 26 minutes and cruising to a 123-114 victory Saturday night at Chase Center.
Golden State (19-17) recorded 32 assists and overcame 15 turnovers that gave the Jazz (12-22) 22 points.
Here are three observations from a game that dropped Utah to 0-11 at Chase Center:
Steph’s insane third quarter
After a nine-point first half during which he shot 2-of-8 from the field, including 2-of-7 from beyond the arc, Curry blasted out of intermission and delivered 11 minutes of spectacular offensive pyrotechnics.
His full arsenal was on display, everything from slashing layups to midrange jumpers to free throws to step-backs and pull-ups from distance – including a 36-footer. Coach Steve Kerr, who typically pulls Curry four or five minutes into the quarter, let him cook until less than a minute remained.
Curry’s third 20-point quarter of the season – and 45th of his career – came on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from deep and 4-of-4 from the line.
Moreover, Curry’s outburst powered a 42-point quarter for Golden State, wiping out a seven-point halftime deficit and allowing for a four-point lead (100-96) to open the fourth quarter.
Curry‘s 31 points came on 8-of-18 shooting from the field, including 6-of-12 from beyond the arc. He was 9-of-9 from the line.
Draymond does it again
With 2:25 remaining in the first half, Green received two technical fouls and an automatic ejection after complaining long and loudly to two different officials.
Tech No. 1, whistled by umpire Simone Jelks, came after Green defended Kyle Filipowski in the paint beyond three seconds. When Jelks, stationed along the baseline, didn’t call the violation, Green turned toward her and protested. As he protested, Lauri Markkanen breezed past him for a dunk.
Tech No. 2 came after Green turned his ire toward referee Kevin Cutler, who wasted little time blowing his whistle and banishing Green, who walked directly to the locker room.
Though Green had a point with his protest, he took his protest far beyond what typical officials will allow. This was the third time in the last three home games that he failed to finish, twice due to ejections and once after a heated argument with coach Steve Kerr.
The Warriors won the first two such games, and the third on Saturday.
Melton finds wayward 3-ball
Since concluding rehab from ACL surgery and returning on Dec. 4, Melton has played solid defense, made smart plays and struggled mightily with his 3-point shot. The career 36.4-percent shooter from deep entered the game shooting 16.7 percent (6 of 36).
Melton made his first one with 3:58 left in the first quarter, drained his second 87 seconds later and a third with 2:13 left in the first half.
Melton’s 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field, including 3-of-7 from distance.
After missing five games due to a sprained ankle, Clippers center Ivica Zubac is off the injury report and is expected to return Saturday night when Boston comes to Los Angeles.
Zubac limped off the court during the Clippers' game on Dec. 20 against the Lakers with what turned out to be a Grade 2 sprained ankle. Zubac is averaging 15.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season, with his counting stats and efficiency down slightly from last season. A key reason for the dip is that defenses were more focused on him and collapsing down, and the Clippers were not making defenses pay for that choice.
That has changed with Zubac out. The Clippers face the Celtics looking for their seventh straight win, with the previous six wins all by double-digits. The turnaround starts with Kawhi Leonard playing some of his best regular-season ball in years, including dropping 45 on the Jazz in the latest win. The Clippers have also benefited from a lot of 3-point shooting luck during this stretch, shooting 41.2% from beyond the arc on increased volume in their last six games, while their opponents have gone cold, shooting below 25% from deep.
Tyronn Lue has found something in rookie backup center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, who has played well enough with Zubac out to justify minutes even with the starter's return.
LeBron James claps hands with Jake LaRavia and Luka Doncic after the Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
This is what the Lakers imagined when they nearly broke the NBA with the trade that brought Luka Doncic to L.A.
Doncic and LeBron James scored 30 points apiece during the same game for just the third time as teammates Friday to help the Lakers hold off the Memphis Grizzlies 128-121 at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic led the way with 34 points, using 17-of-20 shooting from the free-throw line to maintain his NBA-leading scoring average, while James had 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting with nine rebounds and six assists.
The Lakers (21-11) needed 41-year-old James to be at his best. They squandered 13- and 15-point leads in the first and second quarters, respectively, but pieced together a timely 12-2 run in the fourth to improve their record in clutch games to 11-0.
“It felt like nearly every time we needed a bucket, he just kind of willed [it],” coach JJ Redick said of James, “whether it was driving the basketball, getting to the paint, getting to two feet, and he was just phenomenal tonight."
Here are three takeaways from the win:
Jake LaRavia stars in his role
Laker Jake LaRavia celebrates making a three-pointer against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday at Crypto.com Arena. (Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
James and Doncic led the way, but another player set the strongest tone for the night.
“Obviously it started with Jake,” James said.
Jake LaRavia scored 21 points, hitting three of his six three-point attempts, with nine rebounds, two steals and a block. In the starting lineup for the injured Rui Hachimura (calf), LaRavia delivered the necessary spark of energy on defense while also getting his shot going early to add a scoring punch.
“When I just talk about roles and the amount of hats that I can wear with this team, some nights, this is what happens,” LaRavia said. “Other nights I'm that defender, connector, crasher, like all that kind of stuff. So just continuing to play confidently throughout but also understanding what my role is going to be each game.”
The Lakers coveted the 6-foot-7, 24-year-old forward during the offseason for his versatility on defense and his three-point shooting on offense. He hit his first three-pointer on Friday. Then he nailed another midrange jumper 28 seconds later. He had 11 points in the first quarter and 18 in the first half.
LaRavia knew almost instantly it could finally be his night again.
LaRavia hadn’t scored 20 points in a game since Nov. 2 as his playing time has fluctuated with the Lakers’ ever-changing injury report. He is also shooting a career-low 30.9% from three after shooting 42.3% from long distance last season.
But LaRavia asked his teammates to maintain their confidence in him as he worked with assistant coach Beau Levesque to fine-tune his shot again.
“He says, ‘Control the input and the output is going to show for itself,’” LaRavia said of the coach. “So that's kind of what I'm doing right now. I'm just working on my shot, starting with the basics again, and just kind of going from there. And, you know, hopefully I can find my rhythm again. And tonight was just the start.”
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes yells as he dunks in front of Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and center Jock Landale during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena on Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Last year, Jaxson Hayes watched the Lakers’ season end from the bench after he fell out of the playoff rotation in the first round against Minnesota. The 7-foot center started the first four playoff games, but never played more than 10 minutes in each as his role dwindled to not playing at all in the decisive Game 5.
After the benching, Hayes said he had something to prove this season.
He made a loud statement Tuesday, earning the closing minutes over starter Deandre Ayton. Hayes played 11 minutes and nine seconds of the tight fourth quarter and finished with13 points on five-of-six shooting.
Ayton had four points and six rebounds, but the Lakers were outscored by one during his 24 minutes and 49 seconds compared with a plus-eight scoring margin during Hayes' 23 minutes and 11 seconds.
"He was playing better,” Redick said of the decision to play Hayes at the end of the game.
Hayes has 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting in the last two games since returning from an ankle injury. Defensively, Hayes added two steals, two rebounds and a block Friday. Hayes is shooting a career-best 78%, but he does not qualify for the league’s official leaderboard with just 64 makes on 82 attempts.
Doncic praised Hayes for his improvement in the pick-and-roll, noting how the center is finding “the right pocket” while Doncic is handling the ball.
“His ability to control the paint for us has been huge,” said guard Marcus Smart, who flirted with a triple-double with 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. “… Just his ability to go get the ball at the highest point when we throw it and then defensively to alter shots, whether he’s blocking them or just changing shots for us allows our defense to pick it up from our guards even more. To have that urgency that he brings, that’s huge.”
Dalton Knecht to get more playing time
Lakers forward Dalton Knecht extends to shoot the ball while being guarded by Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. (Caroline Brehman / Associated Press)
Diminished defense headlined the Lakers’ December struggles, but the offense was also out of sync during the Lakers’ 5-7 month. They were ranked 18th in offensive rating during December and were shooting 33.9% from three-point range, which ranked 25th in the league.
With several of the team’s top shooters currently injured, Redick is opening the door for second-year forward Dalton Knecht to work back into the rotation. Knecht will get "consistent" playing time over the next few weeks, Redick said, but he won't be solely judged on his shooting percentage while he tries to stick in the lineup.
"Play hard,” Redick said before the game of what Knecht needs to do to stay in the lineup. “That's been the biggest playing emphasis for him all season. He's not going to be judged on whether he makes or misses shots. That helps. When you go through a stretch and you feel like your team isn't playing hard, you got to play the guys that are consistently playing hard.”
Knecht was scoreless in 10 minutes and 47 seconds against the Grizzlies, missing both of his three-point attempts and notching one turnover.
Knecht is shooting 37.3% from three in his short NBA career, but has struggled to stick in the lineup because of defensive lapses. He grabbed Maxi Kleber’s minutes at the end of the Lakers' rotation after not playing in the first half of a game since Dec. 23 against Phoenix, a blowout loss.
The Lakers are digging into their bench while injuries pile up. Austin Reaves remains out at least three more weeks because of a calf strain. Forward Adou Thiero was diagnosed with a right MCL sprain on New Year’s Eve and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
Guard Gabe Vincent is closing in on a return from a back injury that’s cost him seven games. The Lakers hope he can be available for at least one of their upcoming road games, Redick said, against New Orleans on Tuesday or in San Antonio on Wednesday.
"I didn't know that he broke another record tonight. He continues to break records," Kings coach Doug Christie said postgame. "Russ is a freak of nature. His competitiveness, his competitive drive, his spirit to continue to play as hard as he does, I think this is year 18 or whatever it is. Always been a fan of his and it's an absolute honor to coach him."
Westbrook finished with 17 points and teammate Keegan Murray had 23 for Sacramento, but it was not near enough on a night Devin Booker had 33 to lead the Suns to a comfortable 129-102 victory.
LeBron James is called for a foul after making contact with Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant while driving to the basket during the Lakers' 128-121 win Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
There have been good weeks and bad weeks for the Lakers this season.
Ahead of Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, they were trending downward after losing four of their last five games.
The Memphis game turned into a microcosm of that trend, with the Lakers building leads through effort and intensity only to see them crumble behind less-inspired play.
In the end, standout performances from Luka Doncic and LeBron James helped the Lakers surge late and hold on for a 128-121 win at Crypto.com Arena.
Doncic and James made sure the 15-point lead the Lakers held before it dissolved by the end of the third quarter wasn't completely achieved in vain. Doncic made 17 of 20 free throws in scoring 34 points with eight assists and six rebounds, and James had 31 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
They got help from Jake LaRavia, who scored 21 points on eight-for-12 shooting in addition to nine rebounds and stellar defense. Marcus Smart had 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Jaxson Hayes scored 12 points off the bench.
The Lakers improved to an NBA-best 11-0 when within five or fewer points of their opponent heading into the final five minutes.
“I think we have a lot of people that closed the game, especially (me), when LeBron, he took over today,” Doncic said. “(Jarred Vanderbilt) hit a big shot. Jake hit a big shot. Jaxson had a big dunk. So, it's just everybody.”
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes dunks over Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) and center Jock Landale (31) in the fourth quarter Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
It was a group effort that helped the Lakers seal the win in the fourth quarter. It also marked the first time since March that Doncic and James scored at least 30 points in the same game.
“It was just playing and playing in rhythm,” James said. “We’re trying to find ways that we can be productive. Obviously, Luka did a great job of getting to the free-throw line. ... He made a step-back three, a big-time shot there.
"Myself, just trying to sprinkle in a little bit here, a little bit there. Just trying to be consistent and be super efficient with my play. So we worked well off each other today and we led the group.”
The Lakers (21-11) went down 110-109 in the fourth quarter before going on a 12-2 run to take the lead for good.
The teams will meet again here Sunday night.
“We made some big-time plays offensively and we were sharing the ball, and guys made some big-time shots,” James said. “Vando’s three, Jake’s three on the other side of their bench at the end of the shot clock, Jax had a big-time dunk down the middle. So, those are key moments. And then defensively, we were able to get a couple shots, get a couple rebounds. That allowed us to kind of start pushing the lead up.”
Vincent update
Gabe Vincent (lumbar back strain) missed his seventh straight game, but Redick said the team hopes he can practice Saturday and that if he does, it will “be modified.”
Redick said Vincent will not play Sunday against the Grizzlies, but the hope is that he can play either at New Orleans on Tuesday or at San Antonio on Wednesday.
"We've got to get him exposure to live play, and with the travel day on Monday, that's gonna be tough," Redick said.
The Knicks have now learned the hard way that both superb and pitiful shooting displays from three-point range can be found in losing streaks.
Just two days after draining a monstrous 22 threes in a New Year's Eve road loss to the Spurs, New York posed no threat from beyond the arc, missing a ghastly 33-of-42 shots from deep in a flat 111-99 home loss to the Hawks.
While the Knicks played shorthanded, ultimately lacking the size and scoring threats to keep pace with Atlanta, the rough performance at Madison Square Garden couldn't have been anticipated.
They shot a season-worst 21 percent from three, and were held below 100 points for the first time.
To make matters worse, the Knicks struggled once again to defend with ample physicality and energy. They allowed the Hawks to score 58 points inside the paint, and by committing 15 total turnovers, another 19 points were tacked on in transition.
"If the shot's not falling, where else are we going to hang our hat? It has to be on the defensive end of the floor," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. "We didn't get it done throughout most of the game tonight... I thought we had some good looks that we normally knock down with the guys that are taking them, but you can't take away from what Atlanta did."
The absences of Karl-Anthony Towns (illness), Josh Hart (ankle), and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) on Friday placed pressure on Jalen Brunson to pull more weight than usual. And while the Knicks' captain embraced the challenge, scoring a game-high 24 points, he contributed to the three-point swoon, making just one on eight attempts.
"We just didn't have it tonight. I know that's a terrible, lame-ass excuse, but we let shot-making affect our overall gameplay," said Brunson, named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December. "That includes our pace, sense of urgency, everything. Just wasn't our solid basketball today."
Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby were fruitless from deep, too, finishing a combined 4 for 17. Miles McBride, thrust into the starting lineup, made a pair of quick first-quarter threes but then missed eight of nine from there.
"There's no excuse, we've just got to be better," Bridges said. "It is what it is, you've got to learn from it and get ready for tomorrow. Obviously we're missing three key guys, but we've got everybody else in this locker room to come in and step up."
The Knicks' low energy through three quarters of action prompted boos from fans, and Brown acknowledged their noise and frustrations. They've now dropped back-to-back games for the first time since losing three straight in late October.
Two nights before, the Milwaukee Bucks had the kind of loss a team trying to climb back into the playoff picture can't afford when CJ McCollum hit the game-winner for the Wizards.
Friday night looked like it could be another one of those games, but then Giannis Antetokounmpo did this.
In a wild game where the lead changed hands three times in the last 10.5 seconds, that shot proved to be the game-winner, and Milwaukee got the 122-121 victory at home.
Antetokounmpo finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds on the night. Ryan Rollins had had another big game for Milwaukee with 29 points and eight assists, while Bobby Portis added 20 points.
Rookie sensation Kon Knueppel led the Hornets with 26 points, while Miles Bridges scored 25, and Brandon Miller added 19. LaMelo Ball had 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting, with seven assists.
Eric Samulski
