The Boston Celtics will spend the next month linked to every available player 6-foot-10 or taller. But even if the Memphis Grizzlies were willing to consider offers for former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr., it’s hard to see how the Celtics could afford the long-term splurge.
The Celtics could put together a package built around Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, and draft picks to get into any Jackson Jr. sweepstakes, but the long-term financial implications make a swap seem unlikely.
Jackson is making $35 million this season (22.6 percent of the cap) before his salary balloons to an average of $50.5 million over the next three seasons. Even if the Celtics were able to stomach that number this season, it becomes basically untenable moving forward.
For the 2026-27 season, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will combine to earn $115.6 million. Add in Jackson’s $50 million and Derrick White’s $30.3 million salary, and the Celtics are at nearly $200 million in total salary for four players next season.
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Boston would be launching back above the second apron after swallowing hard to get off of it this past summer. The Celtics would still have to navigate pesky repeater tax penalties that would drive the total cost of this roster to the moon, and leave no pathway to resetting those penalties without moving on from at least one of those core pieces.
The Celtics obviously need to figure out what the next iteration of a championship-contending frontcourt looks like, particularly after moving on from Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet this past summer.
Neemias Queta has performed beyond expectations as Boston’s starting big man and Luka Garza has reinvigorated the bench since his return to the rotation in late December. Still, the big-man position — and size in general — is Boston’s greatest area of need, even if Tatum will add some much-needed size and rebounding whenever he’s back on the floor.
Jackson Jr.’s defensive pedigree is intriguing, as is his ability to stretch the floor on the offensive end. He’s still only 26 years old. The downsides: His rebounding is underwhelming (5.6 per game this season and only one season with 6-plus rebounds per game) and he can be a bit of a foul magnet.
Ultimately, it’s the price tag that poses the biggest challenge, as well as the draft capital that you’d have to expend to land a player like Jackson Jr.
Taking on that sort of salary makes it vital to have a steady stream of low-cost draftees coming into the program, and Boston would have to mortgage much of that future as well as basically all of its flexibility.
Draymond Green isn’t ready to leave the NBA anytime soon — but for the first time, he’s no longer shutting the door on what could come next.
After the Warriors’ 119-97 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, Green spoke candidly about his evolving mindset toward coaching, acknowledging that the idea resonates with him more now than it did even a couple of years ago.
“As I get closer to the end, I think a little bit more about it, and I’m definitely closer than I was a couple years ago,” Green told reporters. “You had asked me two years ago, I would’ve told you hell no.”
That shift, Green explained, stems from his growing sense of responsibility to pass down what he’s learned — and a belief that the game loses something when veteran knowledge isn’t shared.
“You play this game for all these years, and then you’re just done — like, where does the knowledge go?” Green said. “What did you do? What did you give back to those to keep it moving forward, to keep the game growing? You owe it to the game to leave it in a better place than it was when you found it.”
Green credited former NBA player Pete Myers for instilling that philosophy in him early in his career, and emphasized it’s why he’s intentional about mentoring younger players whenever he can.
That approach hasn’t gone unnoticed inside the locker room. Third-year guard Brandin Podziemski pointed to Green’s basketball IQ and leadership.
“Really, really smart guy when it comes to basketball,” Podziemski said. “X’s and O’s, knows how to talk to people, how to be a leader — all things you’d want in a good coach, I think he brings, so I could definitely see that in his future for sure.”
Jimmy Butler echoed that sentiment, praising Green’s anticipation and feel for the game.
“His basketball mind is out of this world,” Butler said. “He sees all the plays before they happen. He’s always studying the game, and he wants everybody to be great. I actually really do believe he’d be a phenomenal coach.”
For now, Green insists his focus remains on playing.
“I still think I’ve got quite a bit left in the tank,” he said. “But it’s definitely not a ‘no’ anymore.”
So much is made from fans and commenters that Nick Nurse doesn’t run any plays, that he’s taking a lazy approach to calling the Sixers offense.
Now nearing the halfway point of the season, the Sixers have posted a middling offensive rating (114.8), ranking 13th in the league, while shooting the 15th-most threes, making the 14th-most and not excelling in any specific statistic so far.
There are fair criticisms of the job Nurse has done so far this season but let’s dive into what the ideas are behind the offense.
Nurse’s main offensive philosophy lies in creating mismatches in isolation, something that helped him elevate the Raptors from early round playoff purgatory into NBA Champions.
The 2019 champion Raptors had a slew of isolation scoring experts.
Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Vleet, and Kyle Lowry all excelled at their individual shot making.
Putting them in positions to succeed was something Nurse leaned on for his offense.
Creating mismatches by getting his guards isolating opposing bigs, or identifying the weak defensive link for Leonard and Siakam to exploit, the Raptors were able to create advantages on offense with their given offensive skill sets.
While Nurse also had set plays to get easier looks for shooters, or open looks at the rim, he also understood that the offensive firepower in the NBA can be unleashed in isolation.
This offensive strategy would not work with every NBA team. A certain roster build is necessary that includes several gifted scorers who are capable on the defensive end. Players who are upper tier athletes who won’t back down from moments where the focus is solely on them.
Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe are four players that Nurse loves to put in the same isolation situations.
All four guys (wild that one of them is a rookie) are able to get their own shot against defenders.
While fans clamor for Nurse to “run more plays” (something he does a lot of already and something we will dive into in the future), oftentimes the best offense can come just from putting one of the aforementioned Sixers in an isolation that favors them.
The concepts on offense don’t have to be complex. With the right players it can look like nothing is happening. The simplicity of the ball screen has stayed in the NBA for as long as it has because it’s so effective.
A simple ball screen to get Maxey onto a big man on the perimeter, or to get Embiid the ball deep in the post against a much smaller player can be all you need.
Nurse also runs a fair number of “empty side” ball screens, to eliminate any help defense that can come from the baseline. This helps Maxey and Embiid work in ample space and use their prowess to carve defenses.
The true speed bump for Nurse’s offense has been the changing availability up and down the roster.
The pace of the offense changes violently depending on which players are available. It can be the frantic, blazing offense commanded by Maxey, or the methodical, all-eyes-on-me offense that Embiid has anchored for several seasons now.
The Maxey offense is wild. It’s fast. It’s fun. It’s something Philadelphia hasn’t seen in a long long time and it’s a change of pace turned up to the highest notch.
Maxey could well be one of the twitchiest players the league has seen, blending his straight line quickness with deceleration that confounds defenders and leaves them guessing if they should try to follow him to the rim, or try to retreat with him to the three point line.
His improved playmaking has elevated his teammates as oftentimes, more than one defender is needed to stop the simplest of Maxey isolations.
It’s a tough ask to find another player who has his combination of speed, shooting, handle, strength, flexibility, and overall burst.
Play too close and he goes right around you.
Take a step back, he shoots right over you.
But a bigger defender on him? He’s too fast for them.
Put a quicker guard on him? He’s too strong for them!
Although Maxey’s Most Improved Player Award from 2023-24 sits somewhere in his home, you could argue this current season has been the true breakout as Maxey ascends towards super stardom.
Maxey gives Nurse’s offense movement with the ball in his point guard’s hand. His breaking down of defenses opens passing windows, cutting lanes, and shooting opportunities for himself and others.
Maxey has run ball screen actions with several players as his screener this season. Embiid, Jabari Walker, Dominick Barlow, Andre Drummond, Adem Bona, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes. Jared McCain, Trendon Watford, Kelly Oubre (ok basically the whole roster) have been involved in screening for Maxey.
Teams will throw their best guard and wing defenders on Maxey or give him different looks to try to slow him down.
While this can work to an extent, the lesser defender on the screener can get switched onto Maxey.
The most notable so far was on Edgecombe’s game winner in Memphis. The Grizzlies attempt to hide a weaker defender Ja Morant on Edgecombe.
The Sixers put him in the ball screen action to force him and the Grizzlies into a decision with quick communication.
The Grizzlies decide to blitz Maxey who finds Edgecombe with an open shot for the lead.
Given that Maxey has taken such another huge leap, the offensive hub that has been Embiid for seasons on end seemed to be dwindling to an end.
That was until the recent surge of play that looks as close to the Embiid of old as we have seen in some time.
This offense has been predicated on Embiid operating out of the post, trying to find cutters when he’s double teamed, drawing fouls on defenders reaching, and scoring on practically everyone who faces him.
This style led him to a scoring title, MVP, and a staple as the top points scorer in the league.
As injuries continue to beat him down, he can no longer be the initiator of the offense.
The physical toll of his style of play draws too much contact for his body.
Putting him against smaller defenders later in the possession is something that can extend his longevity.
With Maxey now leading the offense and controlling the ball, Embiid has transitioned to more of a decoy and play finisher for the first time in a long time.
Nurse’s offense doesn’t give Embiid as many post ups as before. He’s now operating in the middle of the floor near the free throw line, often receiving a pass from Maxey who has created an advantage.
Trusting his offensive players to capitalize on the smallest of advantages may not be the flashiest offense, but Nurse and Maxey have led the Sixers to a 22-16 start in a season that had the potential to repeat the abject failure of the 2024-25 season.
If the simplicity of the offense can sustain for the rest of the season and into the spring time will be the true test to see what Nurse has up his sleeve.
While the main philosophy of Nurse’s offense relies on these mismatches and tiny advantages, there are several other sets Nurse runs to give his players a favorable chance to score.
More on Nurse’s offense will come in the following weeks.
21 different players nailed a three in tonight's Warriors-Trail Blazers game, which is the most players with at least one 3-pointer in a single game in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/If9NL7MtPb
Warriors guards De’Anthony Melton and Moses Moody led the way, both tying for a game-high four 3-pointers made. Golden State finished with a whopping 40.4 3-point percentage.
The Warriors attempted 57 three-point shots against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, tying a season-high.
“The ball just went in. Sometimes it’s that simple,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr explained to reporters after the win. “We had some good looks the other night that didn’t go, and you just keep firing, and we did that. [57] threes [attempted] is a lot.”
Steph Curry, the NBA all-time 3-point leader, made just two 3-pointers, which were his only field goals made in the game. Entering Wednesday, he is tied with Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell for most 3-pointers made this season (143).
Each Portland player who entered the game made at least one 3-pointer. However, the Trail Blazers finished with just a 29.8 3-point percentage.
The previous record was 20 players in a game, done three separate times, according to SportRadar. The first occurrence of 20 different players making a 3-pointer came between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks on Aug. 4, 2020, during the NBA bubble.
This season, the most players in a single game to make a 3-pointer was 18, done twice. Both games included Golden State and Portland: Trail Blazers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 23 and Thunder vs. Warriors on Dec. 2.
Mike Brown will make his first return to Sacramento on Wednesday night since being fired by the Kings less than two months into the 2024-25 season.
Brown, who was hired by the New York Knicks in July 2025, spoke to the media in Sacramento on Tuesday for nearly seven minutes to discuss his tenure with the Kings that ended abruptly and as a shock to the entire NBA.
Brown shared what he learned from his time in Sacramento.
“Every day you feel like you’re learning, whether you’re learning from something good or something bad,” Brown said (h/t CBS13’s Jake Gadon). “But there are a lot of stuff I learned. Trying to figure out different types of problems we had. Trying to enhance whatever we had that was good here. There’s just a tremendous lateral growth that I went through here. Not just on the floor, but out in the community, too.
“I really enjoyed being out in the community and getting to know the people out there. That was a lot of fun as well.”
The “Beam Team” Kings won 48 games during Brown’s first season as head coach. He was awarded Coach of the Year, and then-general manager Monte McNair was named Executive of the Year.
Sacramento won two games less the following season, but the Western Conference shakeup dropped the Kings all the way to the ninth seed.
After making the playoffs in his first season and falling just short in his second, there was increased pressure riding on Brown and the Kings entering the 2024-25 season. But a 13-18 start to the campaign was enough for Kings ownership and front office to part ways with Brown, as he was fired while driving to the airport for a road trip.
Brown was asked if he was surprised that he wasn’t given more leeway after the newfound success and culture refresh he brought to the city.
“Those situations, it’s part of life. Sometimes things happen. You may think one thing, you may think another thing, but at the end of the day, who knows? The best thing you can do in life is keep moving forward. That’s what myself and my family has done. We really love New York. We’ve embraced the change.
” … [There are] a lot of good things if you keep your mind present and moving forward, and that’s what we’ve done. We’ve really enjoyed our time being in New York, even though it’s been a short amount of time so far.”
Brown was let go on Dec. 27, 2024. He didn’t land — or seek — another NBA job the rest of the season.
Instead, he chose to utilize the time to travel with his wife, never letting the thought of his Kings tenure potentially being his last NBA head-coaching gig.
“I never really think that way,” he said. “When it happened, you process it real quickly and then literally, my wife and I went to Australia, then from there we went to Brooklyn, then we went to Puerto Vallarta and then we went to St. Barts. It’s life, you know? You keep moving forward. You can really beat yourself up if you try to guess or figure out what should’ve happened, why it happened, what could’ve happened, all that stuff. So, life is short. I try to embrace it.
“I enjoy what I can enjoy and control what I can control. If I can’t control it, try to find something else to do.”
Former Kings head coach Mike Brown returns to Sacramento tonight as the Knicks face the Kings at the Golden 1 Center.
The 2023 Coach of the Year opens up on:
• The emotions of returning • His time in Sacramento & the community • Regrets from his tenure • Organizational… pic.twitter.com/sw88kqFhKy
Brown said he doesn’t have any regrets from his time in Sacramento, but rather thinks about the “what-ifs” from the injuries the team sustained in his second year.
Former starting Kings shooting guard Kevin Huerter suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in March. A few weeks later, Malik Monk, the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year, also was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a calf injury.
Brown believes the Kings would have won 50 games had they not lost those players to injuries.
After Brown was fired, Doug Christie replaced him as interim head coach. Christie had the interim tag removed from his title for the 2025-26 season, in which the Kings currently hold a 10-30 record.
A lot has changed since the last time Brown stepped into the Golden 1 Center building. Most notably, former Kings franchise point guard De’Aaron Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs last February. The Kings also hired Scott Perry as their new general manager after relieving McNair of his duties.
Brown was asked about the massive turnover since his departure, but he kept his response vague.
“Not being here, you don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors,” Brown said. “So I don’t think much about it. They have their reasons for doing it because they’re here every day and I’m not. I can’t say much on that.”
One Kings player who remains from the Beam Team era is fourth-year forward Keegan Murray, someone Brown said he loves and is excited to see, as evidenced by his “KEEGAN! MURRAY!” chant.
Brown is focused on his new team, the Knicks, who are 25-14 and the No. 2 seed in the East, but he acknowledged it will be an emotional night as he steps into the building where he has many unforgettable memories in a city he still has a lot of love for.
“I think the crowd will be good,” Brown said. “You never know. I enjoyed my time here. I enjoyed the fans here. Hopefully, they appreciate what we accomplished while I was here. … The reality of it is, coming back here, a place we really enjoyed, yeah, it’s a little emotional.
“But at the end of the day, the fans, if they cheer me or hug me when they see me, trust me, they want to kick my ass and the Knicks’ ass. And we want to do the same.”
The NBA trade market is officially open for business. With Atlanta already sending Trae Young to Washington and the NBA Trade Deadline approaching, roster values are beginning to shift across the league. Savvy fantasy basketball managers don't have to wait for the next blockbuster to act, though, as this is often the best time to capitalize on slumps, hot streaks and changing team directions.
Whether you're looking to buy low on proven talent, sell high on an unexpected breakout or stay patient with a struggling star, these fantasy basketball trade tips will help you navigate the market and position your roster for the stretch run.
Buy
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Adebayo is in the midst of a disappointing stretch, averaging just 13.0 points over his last 10 games. He attempted 12.1 shots per game during that span, which isn't far off from his season average of 13.6 attempts. However, the main reason for his decline in scoring is that he shot just 41.3% from the field.
Even with Adebayo struggling with his efficiency, he provided 10.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game during that 10-game span. With him attempting more 3-pointers this season, his overall shooting percentage has declined to 45.6%. Still, it's difficult to complain too much with him providing 16.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 3-pointers per game. This might be an opportunity to acquire him at a slight discount in a trade.
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Much like Adebayo, Castle has gone cold from the field. Over his last nine games, he has shot just 34.2%, including 24.1% from behind the arc. That left him to average 13.9 points and 0.8 3-pointers. On the bright side, he still averaged 5.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.2 steals over those nine matchups.
Castle is not a good 3-point shooter. He shot 28.5% from behind the arc during his rookie season and is shooting 27.3% this season. Still, he is shooting 46.1% from the field while providing 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 2025-26. He should remain a very valuable fantasy option during the second half of the season, so try to acquire him now before he gets his shot back on track.
Sell
Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers
Nembhard is having a breakout season, averaging 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 1.9 3-pointers. With Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) out, Nembhard has played 32 minutes per game and with a career-high 23.9% usage rate so far. Prior to this season, he had never posted a usage rate higher than 16.3%.
While Nembhard is thriving, the Pacers are not. They have the second-worst record in the NBA as they find themselves basically out of the playoff hunt already. Entering Wednesday, they are 9.5 games behind the Bulls for the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers could become a tanking team during the second half, which might mean rest days are on the horizon for Nembhard. See if you can trade him now for a player with a better outlook down the stretch.
John Collins, Los Angeles Clippers
Entering Monday's game against the Hornets, Collins was in the midst of his best stretch of the season. Across the previous five games, he averaged 19.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 3.2 3-pointers. It certainly helped his cause that he played 33 minutes per game during that span. However, he also showed efficiency that is not sustainable, shooting 72.2% from the field and 69.6% from behind the arc.
Collins came back to reality against the Hornets, posting three points and five rebounds over 30 minutes. Ivica Zubac recently returned from injury and has been playing more each game, so Collins could see his playing time dip again soon. In a disappointing season while averaging 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds, this might be a rare opportunity to sell high on him in a trade.
Hold
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
The Hawks decided to take their franchise in another direction when they traded Young to the Wizards. It appears that the Grizzlies are prepared to do the same with Morant. Morant is currently out with a calf injury, but it was reported last week that Memphis is entertaining offers to deal him before the trade deadline.
Injuries and poor shooting have plagued Morant this season. He has appeared in just 18 games and shot 40.1% from the field. Never a great 3-point threat, he has shot an abysmal 20.8% from deep so far. His value is at a low point right now, so don't trade him at a discount. A move to a new team could revitalize him for the stretch run.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks
One of the reasons why the Hawks wanted to trade Young is because of how poorly their defense performed when he was on the floor. They have been much better when Alexander-Walker plays more minutes. Not only is Alexander-Walker a big upgrade on the defensive end of the floor, but he is having the best offensive season of his career with his averages of 20.7 points and 3.0 3-pointers.
With Young out of the picture, Alexander-Walker is set up to start alongside Dyson Daniels for the remainder of the season, barring another trade. The Hawks acquired CJ McCollum in the trade with the Wizards, but he has come off the bench in both of his first two games with his new team. McCollum is not a good defender and is in the later stages of his career, so he will likely remain in that bench role moving forward. There's no need to consider selling high on Alexander-Walker as he could remain a stellar fantasy option moving forward.
Luka Doncic and Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu reach for a loose ball in the first half. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Luka Doncic and LeBron James were listed as questionable for the Lakers' back-to-back game Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Doncic because of left groin soreness, James because of left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica.
Also, checking the stat sheet before the game, the Lakers were listed as one of the worst three-point shooting teams and one of the worst defensive shooting percentage teams in the league.
Well, Luka played and LeBron played and the Lakers shot lights-out from three-point range and were solid across the board on defense while building a 32-point lead in the third quarter and rolling over the Hawks 141-116 at Crypto.com Arena.
“We didn't expect him (James) to be able to play. I mean, that's just the nature of a 41-year-old body who plays heavy minutes. And he just said, "I'm going to try. I'm going to try to do everything I can, do my normal routine if I'm able to go.’ And same thing with Luka,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “So, both those guys I thought just completely led the group tonight and it was evident 22 assists between them. Obviously they made some shots too, but I just thought they did a great job of leading the group.”
Doncic felt soreness in his groin when the Lakers played at Sacramento on Monday night and was unsure about playing Tuesday. But he played and delivered 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds.
“For me, I want to play,” Doncic said. “So, obviously I wasn’t feeling 100%, but in my head, I always want to play.”
After playing 33 minutes and 17 seconds, Doncic was asked how he was feeling physically.
“It’s a little bit worse than yesterday,” he said. But I’ll be fine."
James didn’t play in the second game of a back-to-back game last week at New Orleans and San Antonio and said he will be listed as TBD, to be determined, in such scenarios. But James played against the Hawks and nearly produced a triple-double with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
James described what went into his day that led him to playing in his first back-to-back game of the season.
“Woke up, got in the cold tub. I got in the cold tub in the hyperbaric chamber,” he said. “After the hyperbaric chamber, I took a nap, then I played PGA EA golf for a little bit, as I [wore compression boots] for 45 minutes, and I took a shower, got dressed and headed here.
"And once I got here, I did my normal game day routine — activation, treatment, rehabbing, stretching, lifting, mentally, doing everything while I watched TPG on the TV.
"And then me and (my trainer) Mike (Mancias) looked at each other, and he looked at me, asking me, ‘What you thinking? I said , ‘I think I feel pretty good.’ And then there's a pregame meal in between there.”
Coming into the game, opponents were shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.4% from three against the Lakers, ranking them 28th and 26th, respectively, in the NBA.
The Hawks began the game ranked fourth in three-point shooting, making 37.4%, and they were ranked eighth in field-goal percentage, making 43.6%.
All of the above made for a bad recipe for the Lakers entering the game.
But when the game started, none of that mattered to the Lakers, who held the Hawks to 45% shooting and 28.3% from three-point range.
The Lakers shot 55.9% (19 for 34) from three-point range.
The Lakers’ big lead was sliced to 11 points in the fourth.
But back-to-back three-pointers by James and Marcus Smart, both off passes from Doncic, and a Doncic basket gave them a 19-point lead, and they never looked back.
The Lakers scored 81 points in the first half, a season-high for points in a half, a half in which they opened a 23-point lead and had the Hawks reeling from the beginning.
“We shared the ball great,” Doncic said. “We knocked down shots, so it was very fun out there.”
Rui Hachimura had missed the previous seven games with a right calf strain but was back in action against the Hawks. He had seven points and two rebounds in 18 minutes.
ETC: The Lakers signed guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day contract Tuesday. The 6-foot-5 Bufkin played in seven games for the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G League team, where he averaged 28.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists over seven games. He has appeared in 27 career NBA games over two seasons with the Hawks. “You know, during the stretch, we'll have opportunities during this 10-day,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.... Backup center Jaxson Hayes didn’t play against the Hawks because of left hamstring soreness. Redick said Hayes got some “imaging” Tuesday on his injury and that the Lakers will have “more information” going forward.
Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, and Austin Rivers have picked up a side hustle, coaching during NBA All-Star Weekend.
The four NBC broadcasters — three of them Hall of Famers — will coach the Rising Stars Game on Feb. 13, the Friday night of All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. The game will start at 9 p.m. Eastern that night and be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
Presenting the honorary head coaches for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars!
NBA Rookies and Sophomores will be drafted onto three teams on Tuesday (1/27) at 7:00pm/et on Peacock, with NBA G League players to comprise the fourth team.
This year's Rising Stars game will be must watch because it is overflowing with talent from an impressive and deep rookie class.
Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper, Derik Queen and Tre Johnson are among the rookies expected to take part in the game at the Intuit Dome (the home of the LA Clippers). There are plenty of talented second-year players expected to participate as well, including Stephon Castle, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher.
All of those rookies and sophomores will be drafted onto three teams, with the draft taking place in two weeks (Jan. 27) at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock. NBA G League players will make up the fourth team. Those four teams will be put into a straight-up tournament, where in the initial round the first team to reach or surpass 40 points will win and advance to the championship game. In that title game, the first team to reach 25 points wins.
When is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?
The NBA All-Star Game returns to the Los Angeles area this season, with the big game itself played on Feb. 15, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, home of the Los Angeles Clippers. All events will be broadcast on NBC Sports and Peacock. The All-Star Friday Night Rising Stars game (featuring NBA rookies and second-year players) as well as the All-Star Saturday Night events, including the Dunk Contest and 3-Point Contest, will also take place at the Intuit Dome. Fans will be able to watch all of it on NBC Sports and Peacock.
How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors reached the halfway point of the season Tuesday night, and rarely have they looked better than they did in Game 41.
That their tip-to-buzzer 119-97 victory came over a skeletal version of the Portland Trail Blazers matters not because these Warriors (22-19) have not earned the right to overlook any version of any opponent on their schedule, particularly one they had lost to three times this season.
On a night when Stephen Curry, with his father, Dell, in attendance at Chase Center, did not find his shot – 2-of-9 from the field, including 2-of-8 from deep – his teammates provided more than enough cover.
This was one of those rare occasions when Curry and Green were spectators for the entire fourth quarter, and Butler played only 90 seconds in the fourth before joining them on the bench. The fourth “uncle,” Al Horford, played six minutes for the fourth for conditioning.
Here are three observations from Golden State’s second blowout win in its last three games:
Pride matters
Having lost to Portland in all three previous meetings this season, and realizing the Blazers were a mere 2.5 games back in the Western Conference standings, there surely was a measure of pride within the hearts of the Warriors.
Their commitment to avoiding a season sweep against a rebuilding team was prevalent early, as they took leads of 11-4 and 33-15 in a blistering opening quarter.
The Blazers were without leading scorer Deni Avdija (lower back soreness), who is having a terrific season. Also unavailable were No. 3 scorer Jeremi Grant, part-time starter Kris Murray and Matisse Thybulle.
The Warriors, healthy as they have been all season, led by as much as 29 in the first half. They spread joy across the roster, as 14 players took the floor – everyone by Jonathan Kuminga – with 12 getting into the scoring column.
Golden State has not given itself many cathartic victories this season, but this one can be defined as such.
Melton keeps coming
As Melton has found his rhythm after missing the better part of two seasons with injuries – including a torn ACL sustained in November 2024 – he continues to exhibit the full scope of his abilities.
After playing solid defense but struggling with his shot in the first few weeks upon his Dec. 4 season debut, his defense continues to be stellar, but his scoring has become the answer to Golden State’s dreams.
His 23 points came in only 18 minutes off the bench, as he shot 9-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. He scored 11 points in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, crushing any notion of a late Portland comeback.
Melton, over the last eight games, is averaging 13.7 points on 52.5-percent shooting from the field, including 42.5 percent beyond the arc.
Coach Steve Kerr has been carefully increasing Melton’s workload. At this rate, he could enter the starting lineup in a matter of weeks.
Far from perfect
Coming off a light practice (mostly video study) on Monday after being demolished by the Atlanta Hawks a day earlier, this matchup presented the Warriors with a splendid opportunity to play a clean game.
They failed to meet that standard.
While it looks impressive enough to hold the Blazers to 24 first-quarter points on 39.1-percent shooting from the field, including 20 percent from distance, 10 of those points came off Golden State turnovers.
Green, who of late has been much more careful with the ball, was the primary culprit. He regressed to his worst tendency, committing six turnovers in 22 minutes.
There was just enough sloppiness by the Warriors to give the coaching staff enough ugly video to review, should they be inclined to show it.
It’s even less often that Golden State’s turnovers – 13, giving Portland 21 points — are irrelevant, but this was one of those nights.
Ja Morant remains the hottest name in trade speculation, but while there is a lot of smoke, how much fire there is remains in doubt.
The most interesting question may be: Do the Grizzlies already have an acceptable trade lined up and in their back pocket, and are they shopping Morant publicly, hoping another team steps up with a better deal? Or is this it? There's a lot to talk about, so let's break it down in bullet points.
Morant may want to go to Miami, but does Miami want Morant? While the Heat have been star-hunting for a couple of seasons, they might only have interest in Morant if the price was low enough (keep reading the next bullet point about what that might be). Nichols goes on to make an excellent point about the Heat taking a potential flier on Morant.
"Heat Culture is not boot camp for wayward souls. It is not, 'Oh gee, the Heat will clean him up.' Heat Culture is, 'We are tough and we are disciplined, and you either play by our rules or you leave and go home. We are not here to babysit you, hope you get up to our level.' And that's why the players who have worked there have really worked.
"Morant, and the way he approaches the game, seems to me to be the opposite of that. I used to live down in Miami, I used to cover that team, it just seems to be the opposite of what that team represents and stands for. And I know he wants to go down there, from what I've heard, I just can't imagine that would be a smart move."
"He's not attacking the rim nearly like he used to be. … He's a bad jump shooter who's shooting more jump shots than ever. And I'll just quote an East executive from then: 'The combination of pain in the a**, injury-prone, not that good anymore, and big contract is a bad one.'"
• Realistic fake trades. About all those fake trades floating around, the return Memphis will get for Morant will be similar to what Atlanta got for Trae Young, who was dealt for expiring contracts. Zach Lowe explained this well on his podcast:
"I saw some fake trade where it was like [Andrew] Wiggins plus [Jamie] Jaquez and two first-round picks, and I was like, 'What are you smoking?' The Miami trade is more like [Tyler] Herro plus dead money [Terry Rozier] and not much more than that.
"I think some team will trade something real for him eventually. It's the ultimate 'buy low' thing; He'll never be this unhealthy. The off-court stuff is hopefully in the rear view. He's totally unmotivated there, and will get the motivated chip on his shoulder [once traded]."
• Motivated Morant. The idea that there is a Ja Morant revenge tour is what gives him a little more value than Young (that and the fact that Morant has, in the past, shown he can be a decent team defender). That said, Morant has not looked like an All-Star for a few seasons, he's not been consistently healthy for a while (he has not played six consecutive games since 2023), and he's not developed a 3-point shot that teams fear (20.8% this season). More concerning, scouts have told NBC Sports that Morant is not driving as much as he used to, not blowing by players and finishing inside (or kicking out) like he once did.
That said, there are teams willing to find out whether that is still in him and if he is motivated. Draymond Green laid out the positive case for Morant on his podcast.
"Needless to say, if Ja Morant is traded, whatever team lands him instantly gets better. Make no mistake—when you have that level of talent, your team improves overnight.... And sometimes when you think about reviving a career, etc., sometimes guys just need a fresh start. And I don't know that Ja feels he need a fresh start. I don't know the sentiment around that. But maybe he do. But I think nonetheless, if he does get a fresh start, I think we'll see the Ja Morant that we've grown accustomed to seeing."
• What might Memphis get in return? Expect the return for Morant in a trade to be a young player with potential who has struggled in his current setting, and expect any picks dealt to be heavily protected, or more likely swaps and second-round picks. Certainly not unprotected firsts. Teams are willing to take a flyer on Morant, but they are not giving up much to do so.
• Long-term money. What makes this trade different from Young and Atlanta is that the Hawks did not want to take back long-term money in any trade, but that is not the case in Memphis. Just last summer, the Grizzlies got four first-round picks and a swap for Desmond Bane, except at least one of those firsts (and really, two) was for taking on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's contract (two years and $43 million). The same is true here, Memphis is letting teams know that if they get the right compensation, they will take on a longer contract as part of this trade, according to Kevin O’Connor at Yahoo and other reports.
• Is Toronto a destination? Along those lines, look north of the border. Toronto could be facing win-now pressure, which is why they would be open to a splashy trade, like one for Morant, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line.
The Raptors want to get off Immanuel Quickley's salary (he is owed $97.5 million over three guaranteed seasons after this one), and if the Raptors are willing to include the right draft compensation, the Grizzlies will be open to the idea. How well the ball-dominant Morant fits with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram is up for debate (what the Raptors need more is a center) but it's worth watching, this could be more than just smoke.
• More fake trades.At The Athletic, Zach Harper came up with a couple of realistic Morant trades: One to Brooklyn (a team others have mentioned as a dark horse) and one to Chicago. Would the Bulls want to pair Josh Giddey and Morant, moving Giddey more off the ball? Not sure they do, but Chicago needs talent so if the price was right… maybe?
• Jaren Jackson Jr. In all the talk about a potential Morant trade, other front offices are wondering if the Grizzlies will blow the whole thing up, specifically trading former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. (a player a lot of front offices covet). Teams are being told the Grizzlies have no interest in trading him, league sources told NBC Sports. That is not going to stop teams from asking.
Where things stand with Anthony Davis' hand injury remains up in the air, with Davis stepping in to deny the latest reports.
Davis is "likely to undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand," reports Shams Charania of ESPN, something that would sideline Davis for months. Charania's use of the word "likely" is interesting as a qualifier, implying Davis is still looking to find a way back sooner from this injury.
Davis posted this not long after the Charania report.
Yall better stop listening to all these lies on these apps!
Davis also replied "lies" to an aggregation site's echoing of Charana's report. There has been no official confirmation from the Mavericks on Davis' plans (or, for that matter, details about the injury).
In addition to his injury report, Charania adds that Dallas is reengaging in trade talks with "multiple interested teams." The idea is that if Davis has surgery, he might be able to return during the playoffs and help a team. Assuming Davis even goes through with the surgery, betting on him being able to return and be impactful is a considerable risk for a team, the kind of gamble contenders are hesitant to make in-season. These teams would be giving up a large package of players and picks in the hope that Davis could make a comeback during the playoffs and step right in, instantly helping them in an intense series. He'd also be "establishing himself for the long-term elsewhere," Charania writes. A Davis trade in the offseason remains the most likely outcome.
Davis' injury happened to be on what appeared to be an innocent play against Utah on Jan. 8. Lauri Markkanen tried to drive past Davis, who was physical in response, but he got his hand caught up in Markkanen's jersey. Davis was clearly in pain and left the game.
Anthony Davis walked off the court late in the fourth quarter vs. Utah after suffering an apparent left-hand injury.
Davis, an NBA champion and 10-time All-Star, has played well when healthy this season, averaging 20.4 points on 50.6% shooting, grabbing 11.1 rebounds per game, plus playing at an All-Defensive Team level on that end of the court. Dallas has been looking for a trade partner as it works to pivot to building around No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. However, pulling off an in-season trade for a 32-year-old injured player making $54.1 million — plus $58.5 million next season, a $62.8 million player option after that, and he wants a contract extension — is very difficult to pull off.
LeBron James wears a special patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season. (Justine Willard / Associated Press)
LeBron James wore a patch on his jersey for the first time Tuesday commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season in the city where he played his first NBA game. It features a silhouette of his pregame chalk toss and three colored stripes that represents the three franchises he has played on — the Lakers, Cavaliers and Heat.
James, who scored 22 points in the Lakers' 124-112 loss to the Sacramento Kings, will wear the patch for the remainder of the season. After each game, the patch will be removed from his jersey for that game, dated and shipped to a Topps’ production facility to be authenticated and inserted into a pack of trading cards.
“Super cool. Super surreal. Super humbled, blessed,” James said. “I walked in here and saw it for the first time. It was like an emotional moment as well. Just think about the journey thus far and have an opportunity to be here where it kind of all started obviously, but in this city.
"And it's been a heck of a journey and people have followed my career and my fans have followed my career to get an opportunity to be a part of it."
Lakers fans might not get the chance to see James and his patch up close on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. There's a good chance he will not play in the second game of a back-to-back.
“We’ll see how he feels in the morning,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (33-7) have lost just seven times in 40 games this season. As impressive as their start has been it might be even more impressive that the San Antonio Spurs (27-12) have beaten them three times. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs look to improve to 4-0 this season against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder tonight in Oklahoma City on NBC and Peacock.
After “sputtering” in late December and earlier this month, the Thunder have won their last three. Truth be told, they have only struggled in stretches surrounding games against the Spurs. They are 9-6 in their last 15 games but three of those losses were to San Antonio. It feels worse than it actually is for the Thunder because they started the season winning 24 of their first 25 games.
Losers Sunday in Minneapolis to the Timberwolves, the Spurs are just 3-3 in January. Wembanyama (24.3PPG, 11.1RPG) is the headliner for San Antonio but running mates De’Aaron Fox (20.7PPG, 5.8APG) and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (17.2PPG, 6.8APG) help form one of the stronger nucleuses in the league.
The initial meeting between these teams this season was back on December 13. The Spurs pulled out a nail-biter, winning 111-109 in Oklahoma City. The most recent two games have been less than close. San Antonio won at home by 20 on December 23, 130-110, and won by 15 on Christmas Day in OKC, 117-102.
This rivalry is certainly building into one of the best in the league. Lets take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Spurs at Thunder
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Game Odds: Spurs at Thunder
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: San Antonio Spurs (+260), Oklahoma City Thunder (-325)
Spread: Thunder -8.5
Total: 229.5 points
This game opened Thunder -6.5 with the Total set at 229.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Spurs at Thunder
Spurs
PG De’Aaron Fox
SG Stephon Castle
SF Julian Champagnie
PF Harrison Barnes
C Victor Wembanyama
Thunder
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Cason Wallace
PF Luguentz Dort
PF Jaylin Williams
C Chet Holmgran
Important stats, trends and insights: Spurs at Thunder
OKC is 19-2 at home this season
OKC is 19-21 ATS this season
OKC is 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games
San Antonio is 13-7 on the road this season
San Antonio is 22-16-1 ATS this season
San Antonio is 6-5 ATS in their last 10 games
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Jay Croucher’s (@croucherJD) Play: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to be tonight’s King of the Court
“It's Tuesday night, so we're playing King of the Court at DraftKings. All customers get one shot at a share of 1 million dollars in bonus bets. The key is to select the player who leads the association tonight in points, rebounds and assists combined. I'll take the MVP SGA. Shai’s office is that 10 to 16 feet area in the midrange and he is shooting 59% on those short middies. For context, Dirk Nowitzki, one of the greatest midrange shooters of all time, shot 47% on those shots in his career. Shai remains completely unguardable and should have plenty to prove tonight not wanting to fall to 0 and 4 against San Antonio."
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Spurs and Thunder game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Spurs +8.5
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total UNDER 229.5
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
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Tonight's Coast 2 Coast Tuesday features two exciting NBA matchups. The action begins at 8:00 PM ET, with a San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder showdown. Then at 11:00 PM, the Portland Trail Blazers take on the Golden State Warriors. Live coverage begins at 7:00 PM on NBC and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch both games and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
The Trail Blazers five-game win streak was snapped by the New York Knicks in a 123-114 loss on Sunday. Denji Avdija had 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists before suffering a lower back injury with under two minutes left in the game. He will miss tonight's game. Avdija has led Portland in scoring this season and is on pace to average career highs in scoring (26.1 ppg), assists (6.9 apg), and threes made per game.
The Warriors are coming off a 124-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. Stephen Curry finished with 31 points, marking his 13th game of the season with at least 30 points. The 11-time All-Star guard ranks ninth in the league in scoring among qualified players (28.8 ppg) and is on pace to lead the NBA in made threes per game (4.7) for the third straight season and five of the past six seasons.
Jimmy Butler also had a big night, finishing with 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Despite the loss, the Warriors have shown some improvement, going 8-4 in their last 12 games. Golden State has been ranked fourth in the league in scoring (119.3 ppg) since December 20.
The Warriors and Trail Blazers are currently eighth and ninth in the Western Conference, respectively. Neither team has been more than three games over .500 this season.
How to watch Portland Trail Blazers vs Golden State Warriors:
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
The midway point of the NBA season is almost here, as most teams have played close to 41 games, and some have already hit that mark.
Even with season-long data available, we will focus on the here and now. Which players are on the rise? Which ones are trending in the wrong direction? Let’s discuss.
→ Watch the NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC and Peacock, as the Thunder take on the Spurs in a marquee Western Conference matchup at 8 p.m. before the Trail Blazers visit the Warriors at 11 p.m. ET. Both games are available on Peacock. Check your local listings for the NBC game in your area.
Before his three-point, five-rebound outing against the Hornets on Monday, Collins had a season-best performance against the Pistons in which he added 25 points, seven rebounds, four steals, four blocks, and five three-pointers. The dominant showing included several season highs and was part of a five-game stretch in which the veteran forward had averaged 19.8 points, 3.2 three-pointers, and 2.2 blocks per game. Collins’ uptick in production is massive for the Clippers, who traded away Norman Powell this past offseason to bring him over from Utah, and as he continues to play well and have a positive impact on the Clippers’ recent strong play, he should keep seeing opportunities to play an important role and provide fantasy production.
Naji Marshall — SF/PF, Mavericks
There’s been a lot of discourse surrounding the Mavericks, but probably not enough about Naji Marshall and his sustained production. He’s quietly had a productive season and has put up some particularly nice numbers of late — Marshall has scored 15 or more points and also collected multiple steals in three of his last four appearances and is coming off one of his most balanced performances of the season, tallying a 22/4/9/3/1 line in Monday’s win over the Nets. With Anthony Davis sidelined, it’s reasonable to expect that Marshall fills a lot of those open power forward minutes. His fantasy value will be even higher in games that P.J. Washington is also unavailable for. Marshall is rostered in only 24 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
LaMelo Ball — PG/SG, Hornets
Ball came off the bench for the first time in years in a recent game against the Pacers and proceeded to take his game to a greater level. The superstar point guard scored 33 points, dished out eight assists, and collected three steals in the much-talked-about recent game against the Pacers, but moved back into the starting lineup stating lineup a game later to tally a nice 17/5/5 line in just 23 minutes of a 55-point win over the Jazz, before heading to his hometown to give the Clippers 25 points and a near-double-double. He’s also drilled 15 three-pointers over the last three games and tallied 5.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game over that span. Ball is currently in a nice rhythm that will hopefully sustain throughout the rest of the fantasy basketball season.
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STOCK DOWN
Jaden Ivey — SG/SF, Pistons
The return from offseason knee surgery and a 2024-25 season-ending leg injury has not gone as planned for Ivey, who is searching for a consistent role and success on a Pistons team rostered with several impactful backcourt players. Even with Cade Cunningham missing Saturday’s loss to the Clippers, Ivey only found his way to 20 minutes, totaling eight points and three rebounds. He’s averaging 8.2 points and 1.6 assists on 40.5/11.8/83.3 shooting splits through five games during January and has shot 50 percent from the floor and scored in double figures in just one of those five games. It’s hard to predict when or how a corner is turned, but things certainly aren’t trending in the right direction for such a talented player.
Ace Bailey — SG/SF, Jazz
Rookie seasons often are filled with ups and downs. For Bailey, he’s in the midst of one of the “down” periods. His stock was rising after a four-game December stretch that saw him average 15.0 points and 2.3 three-pointers, but ended in the fifth game when a hip injury against the Pistons limited him to 11 minutes, and cost him to miss five straight contests. Bailey has returned and played in two of the last four games, but combined for only six total points in 25 minutes. How long does the injury linger? When does he reclaim his former role in the rotation? These are questions we’ll have to wait to get answers for. But hopefully, the young and promising player can get back on track soon.
Dylan Harper — PG/SG, Spurs
Harper’s rookie season has also featured several twists and turns, with a timeline that saw him start the season strongly before getting injured, then return and eventually succeed in his role off the bench, and now struggle to find consistent production. He went scoreless with one rebound, one assist, and one steal in the Spurs’ most recent game against the Timberwolves, and had only totaled 17 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists on 7-of-32 shooting in the four prior games. Harper is in a tricky spot off the bench playing behind two high-minute guards in De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle. Yet he’s proven earlier in the season to be a productive, difference-making player regardless. He’ll have to find his way, once again, to get out of this slump.
Raphielle Johnson