Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was not feeling a reporter's question about rookie Cooper Flagg following the Mavericks' 111-107 loss to the Rockets on Jan. 31 at Houston's Toyota Center.
Kidd was asked about reports of "criticism" he'd received for playing Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, at point guard. Dallas' fifth-year coach interrupted the question, responding with a profanity-filled rant slamming those reports while flexing his career resume.
"I don't give a (expletive) about the criticism. Criticism? That's your opinion. You guys write that bull(crap)," Kidd said. "That's not ... I've done this. I've played this game. I've played it at a very high level. I know what the (expletive) I'm doing.
"But I don't give a (expletive) what you guys write. Because you guys have never played the game. And so, I build players. So, I know what the (expletive) I'm doing. So, to take criticism, it only makes me better. Because if I wasn't doing it right you guys wouldn't be poking holes in what I've done."
The Mavericks have lost four consecutive games. Their next matchup is Tuesday, Feb. 3 against the Boston Celtics at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
For weeks, the buzz had been that Keon Ellis was the most likely player to be traded before the Feb. 5 deadline. It didn't even go down to the wire.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder in a three-team deal that sees Dario Saric heading off to Chicago, a trade first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by multiple reports. Michael Scotto of Hoopshype had laid out a framework for this trade earlier in the day.
This trade is a win for the Hawks, who both save money — nearly $47 million in salary and taxes for a team still over the second apron — and get a better wing defender and 3-point shooter in Ellis. The Hawks had hoped that Hunter would fill their need on the wing, but he is averaging 13.9 points a game, has come off the bench a lot this season, is shooting 30.9% from beyond the arc, and is not a lockdown defender. Ellis, on the other hand, is a plus defender (even if he is three inches shorter) and is shooting 36.8% from 3 this season.
Here are other notes on the trade.
• Chicago picks up one or two late second-round picks — one is reportedly in 2029, the worst of Detroit, Milwaukee or New York's second-rounder — for taking on Saric.
• Ellis and Schroder are going to really help Atlanta's perimeter defense.
• Hunter became someone the Cavaliers could trade because of the emergence of Jaylon Tyson, who has played better for them in the same role.
• Schroder is averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 rebounds this season and gives the Cavaliers depth at the point.
• This could mean less Lonzo Ball for the Cavaliers. He has not worked out as hoped for them this season.
• Sacramento had been looking for a late first-rounder for Ellis but did not get any picks as part of this trade.
• Sacramento is not done dealing — this trade adds $6.9 million in salary this season and moves them over the luxury tax line. Kings' ownership is not going to pay the tax for a 12-38 team that is last in the Western Conference. More moves are coming.
• Sacramento adds $10.1 million in salary next season with Hunter.
• Multiple reports say the Kings are excited and believe Hunter can help them on the wing. Can Keegan Murray and Hunter pair well together? We're going to find out.
• Moving on from Ellis and Schroder helps the Kings clear up a crowded backcourt and get more run for rookie Nique Clifford, who has shown some promise.
• Chicago is waiving guard Jevon Carter to create a roster spot for Saric.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Slovenian Ziga Sesko lifted his game after a shaky first set to beat favored American Keaton Hanse 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday in the junior boys final at the Australian Open.
Sesko had little time to savor his victory, other than to lift the trophy over his head at the after-match presentation. He was due to board a flight home hours after the final to join the Slovenian team for a Davis Cup tie against Turkey, starting Friday.
The seventh-seeded 17-year-old started a slight underdog against fourth-seeded Hanse, from Torrance, California.
Hanse looked the stronger and more steady player in the first set, breaking for a 3-2 lead in the fifth game and comfortably holding to take the set in 38 minutes.
Sesko lifted strongly in the second set, gaining more purchase on serve and beginning to crush his forehand while also mixing in a difficult backhand slice. He broke Hanse in the sixth game and took the set in 37 minutes.
The Slovenian dominated the final set, breaking Hanse in the third game. While he was broken in the sixth game for 3-3, he broke back immediately to lead 4-3. Sesko had two championship points on Hanse's serve in the ninth game and conceded only one point in his last service game to take the final on his third match point.
Hanse and Sesko are close friends on tour and have warmed up together all week. Both were playing for the first time on the Rod Laver Arena, the roof of which was closed against the possibility of rain.
“I'd like to congratulate Ziga on an amazing tournament and really well-deserved win,” Hanse said. “I hope I can get revenge on him somewhere in the future.”
Sesko is the third Slovenian to reach a Grand Slam junior singles final and the first since Katarina Srebotnik won the Wimbledon and US Open titles in 1998.
“Keaton is an amazing man, an amazing tennis player,” Sesko said. “I hope we will play many more times and I hope you don't get the revenge.”
Junior Girls
Ksenia Efremova of France beat Ekaterina Tupitsyna of Russia 6-3, 7-5 in the junior girls final, which was the first meeting of the pair.
She’s a very, very good player,” said Efremova, who is the first French girl to reach a Junior Grand Slam final since Elsa Jacquemot won the Roland Garros girls’ title in 2020.
“You maybe don’t hear a lot from her but I know that she’s practicing a lot in Russia and she’s competing there. She doesn’t really travel much," Efremova said ahead of the final. “It’s going to be a very great and interesting match between us because she’s an aggressive player."
Tupitsyna showed that aggression in hitting 21 winners agaisnt 45 unforced errors in the final. But Efremova was steadier, put 72% of first serves in play and won 58% of first serve points.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — David Fuchs scored 30 points to lead San Francisco to an 87-82 victory over Pacific on Saturday night.
Fuchs made 11 of 18 shots with a 3-pointer and 7 of 9 free throws for the Dons (14-10, 6-5 West Coast Conference), adding nine rebounds.
Tyrone Riley IV added 16 points and six rebounds for San Francisco, which led 35-32 at halftime. Junjie Wang and Legend Smiley both scored 11. Ryan Beasley had 11 assists to go with eight points.
Elias Ralph scored 23 points to pace the Tigers (15-9, 6-5). TJ Wainwright had 15 points, Justin Rochelin scored 14 and JJaion Pitt added 10 points and six rebounds off the bench.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nate Ament had 22 points, Jaylen Carey came off the bench to score 13 and Tennessee beat Auburn 77-69 on Saturday night.
Ament made only 4 of 16 shots with two 3-pointers for the Volunteers (15-6, 5-3 Southeastern Conference), but he went 12 for 15 at the free-throw line, adding eight rebounds. Carey hit 5 of 9 shots and 3 of 4 free throws and also grabbed eight rebounds.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie added 11 points and five assists for Tennessee, while DeWayne Brown II totaled 10 points and seven rebounds.
Keyshawn Hall had 21 points to pace the Tigers (14-8, 5-4), who saw a four-game winning streak end. Tahaad Pettiford had 11 points and seven assists.
Ament and Carey both had 11 points as Tennessee jumped in front 13-4 on its way to a 41-31 advantage at halftime.
Sebastian Williams-Adams and Kevin Overton both had three-point plays in the first 1:46 as Auburn quickly cut it to 43-37 to begin the second half.
Hall hit a 3-pointer and Elyjjah Freeman followed with a dunk to cut it to 53-49 with 11:19 remaining. Evans made two free throws and J.P. Estrella and Bishop Boswell had back-to-back baskets as the Volunteers pushed the lead to 59-49 with nine minutes left.
Freshman Filip Jovic turned an offensive rebound into a three-point play and Auburn trailed 59-56 with seven minutes to go. Gillespie scored the final four points as Tennessee answered with a 6-0 run and maintained a two-possession lead to the finish.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist to set a franchise record for defensemen by extending his point streak to eight games in the Minnesota Wild's 7-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.
Joel Eriksson Ek, Mats Zuccarello and Brock Faber also had a goal and an assist apiece for Minnesota, which won its third straight game and now has points in five straight games. Kirill Kaprizov, Vladimir Tarasenko and Tyler Pitlick rounded out the scoring for the Wild, while Jesper Wallstedt stopped 39 shots.
Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jack Roslovic scored for the Oilers, who had their three-game win streak halted.
Edmonton's Tristan Jarry gave up five goals on 20 shots before getting the hook midway through the second period. He was replaced by Connor Ingram, who made seven saves in relief.
Penalty killing has been a problem for Edmonton recently and the Oilers gave up two power-play goals to Minnesota and have surrendered six goals on 14 penalties over the last four games.
The game was tied at 2-2 after one period but the Wild took control in the second period with three straight goals.
The Wild took the lead 35 seconds into the second period and never looked back. Ryan Hartman won a faceoff, sliced a pass to Zuccarello and the winger sent a shot soaring over Jarry’s glove to put Minnesota up 3-2.
Draisaitl left the bench for several minutes early in the second, but returned and finished the game. Evan Bouchard extended his point streak to four games with four goals, eight assists across the stretch.
Minnesota swept the three-game season series against the Oilers.
Up next
Wild: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.
Oilers: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kaapo Kakko scored the go-ahead goal 3:18 into the third period and the Seattle Kraken held on for their fourth straight victory, 3-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.
Eeli Tolvanen and Jared McCann scored in the first period for the Kraken and Joey Daccord made 27 saves. Chandler Stephenson had two assists.
Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner tied it at 2 with goals in the second period for the Golden Knights, who have lost four in a row and six of seven. Jack Eichel had two assists and Akira Schmid stopped 20 shots.
With the game tied at 2, Kakko backhanded the rebound of Adam Larsson’s shot past Schmid to put Seattle back on top. The Kraken have won five of their last six.
Tolvanen scored at 6:50 of the first period to give Seattle a 1-0 lead. McCann made it 2-0 at 13:04 on the power play when he took a pass from Vince Dunn and put it over Schmid for his 200th career goal.
Barbashev cut it to 2-1 at 8:52 of the second period. Marner tied it with 12 seconds left in the period on the power play with a wrist shot past Daccord.
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 30: Luke Travers #33 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on before the game against the Boston Celtics on November 30, 2025 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
That trend continued as ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reported late Saturday evening that the team is also waiving former second-round pick Luke Travers.
As part of this three-team trade, the Cleveland Cavaliers are waiving Australian forward Luke Travers, sources told ESPN. He had been on a two-way deal with the Cavs. https://t.co/fBvabEeD11
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The Cavs selected Travers with the 56th pick in the 2022 draft. He spent the next two seasons playing in Australia’s NBL before signing a two-way deal with Cleveland in August 2024.
Travers spent the majority of the last two seasons playing with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate. This season, Travers averaged 18.1 points, nine rebounds, and 5.1 assists on .430/.284/.636 shooting splits with the Charge in 14 games.
Travers has struggled to make the transition to the NBA game. He’s a good team defender and rebounder, but hasn’t found his role on the offensive side. Travers doesn’t have the handle or athleticism to continually get to the basket, so he needed to develop as an outside shooter. So far, that hasn’t happened. Travers shot just 28.4% from three this season with the Charge and shot 26.2% the year before.
The offensive limitations kept him from getting meaningful minutes with the Cavs. He played just 24 games and 191 minutes in two seasons combined with the Cavaliers. Most of which were in garbage time.
With the move, the Cavaliers currently have one open two-way spot with Enaruna and Nae’Qwan Tomlin currently occupying the other two. Tomlin will likely not be in that role for long. He’s eligible for just six more games with the Cavaliers under his current contract, which will presumably be converted to a standard deal after the All-Star break.
The Cavaliers and Kings were involved in a three-team trade Saturday night.
The Cavaliers acquired some depth ahead of what they envision being another chance at a postseason run.
They traded De’Andre Hunter to the Kings — the last-place team in the Western Conference — on Saturday in exchange for guards Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis, with the Bulls also joining the deal as a third team who ended up with a pair of second-round picks and forward Dario Saric, according to ESPN.
The move also reportedly freed up around $50 million in salary and luxury tax space, while also allowing them to get under the second apron next season, the outlet added.
De’Andre Hunter goes up for a dunk during Cavaliers’ blowout win over the Lakers on Jan. 28, 2026. AP
Ellis, a 26-year-old, has averaged 5.6 points per game this season while also carving out a key role defensively for the Kings.
Schröder, a former Net for 52 games who will play for his 11th different team when he officially suits up for the Cavaliers, has contributed 12.8 points and 5.3 assists per game in Sacramento this season.
He also has logged 74 postseason appearances throughout his career — including last year, when he and a pesky Pistons team took the Knicks to six games.
During that first-round showdown, Schröder averaged 12.5 points while playing over 27 minutes per game.
Dennis Schröder drives to the basket during the Kings’ blowout road loss to Jan. 30, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Those additions cost the Cavaliers the presence of Hunter, who started 23 of the 43 games he logged for them while averaging 14.0 points per game — down from the 17.0 he averaged with the Hawks and Cleveland last year en route to finishing fourth in voting for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
Though this deal didn’t serve as a blockbuster by any means, it still served as a domino to fall ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline Feb. 5.
Keon Ellis attempts a 3-pointer during the Kings’ blowout road loss to the Pistons on Jan. 25, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
The Cavaliers sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and are tied with the fourth-place Raptors in winning percentage, with the path to the NBA Finals still wide open in a year that hasn’t featured the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton and the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum as they recover from torn Achilles.
Another major domino that could fall before the deadline features Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who reportedly indicated that he’s ready for a trade from the only team he has ever played for.
The Knicks are expected to make a bid for Antetokounmpo and serve as one of his preferred destinations, according to The Post’s Stefan Bondy — but it’s unclear if they possess enough to out-bid other teams and win the sweepstakes.
For now, though, the smaller deals will continue to happen.
SYDNEY (AP) — In a masterful performance, as he’s done so many other times, Alexander Volkanovski successfully defended his featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Diego Lopes at UFC 325 on Sunday afternoon.
New South Wales native Volkanovski (29-4-0) won on all three judges’ scorecards 49-46, 49-46 and 50-45, much to the delight of the crowd inside Sydney Olympic Park.
With precision punches and stellar footwork, Volkanovski looked even more dominating than he did during his unanimous decision victory over Lopes (27-8-0) at UFC 314 on April 12 in Miami.
“We were ready for him to make the right adjustments; his team did a good job,” Volkanovski said. “Last (fight), we moved to the right, he did a great job of cutting that off. But that just means I’m going to use all my other tools.”
Which he did, dominating nearly all 25 minutes of the fight, something the 37-year-old admitted he would have rather not needed against his younger foe.
“I wanted to grab a hold of him and put him down, but he was strong; I didn’t want to stand for 25 minutes, I’ll be honest,” Volkanovski said. “But we got the job done.”
After an uneventful first round that was littered mostly with layered feints from both fighters, the action picked up in the second round.
Volkanovski even attempted a jumped guillotine that Lopes slipped out of before attempting a rear-naked choke at the end of the round.
Both fighters landed massive right hands in the third round, the champion with a double-right that staggered Lopes and the challenger with a quick strike that briefly dropped Volkanovski to his knees.
Volkanovski, who tied Jose Aldo for the most title fight wins in UFC featherweight history with eight, was methodical over the final two rounds to seize the win in front of his hometown fans.
“I almost had my moment in Perth,” Volkanovski said, referring to his lightweight championship loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 on Feb. 12, 2023. “But I got my moment here in Sydney.”
In the co-main event, No. 8 lightweight Benoit Saint Denis (17-3-0) got his fourth-straight victory when he scored a technical knockout of No. 6 Dan Hooker (24-14-0) at the 4:45 mark of the second round.
Saint Denis, who hasn’t seen a third round since his UFC debut in 2021, began a ground and pound with several brutal elbows before finishing with a bevy of punches.
In a lightweight bout, No. 14 Mauricio Ruffy (13-2-0) used a flurry of punches that began with a thunderous right hand to score a technical knockout of No. 9 Rafael Fiziev (13-5-0) at the 4:30 mark of the second round.
In what culminated with a bloodied slugfest in the third and final round of their heavyweight battle, No. 15 Tallison Teixeira (9-1-0) earned a unanimous decision over No. 12 Tai Tuivasa (15-9-0).
Quillan Salkilld (11-1-0) opened the main card by making quick work of Jamie Mullarkey (18-9-0) with a rear-naked chokehold in the first round. It was Salkilld’s fourth-straight win.
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 23: De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Cleveland Cavaliers boxes out during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 23, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a few days of speculation, the Cleveland Cavaliers have traded away De’Andre Hunter to the Sacremento Kings in a three-team deal. They’ll be receiving Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from the Kings. Dario Saric, a 2029 second-round pick from the Kings, and the Denver Nuggets’ 2027 second-round pick — which the Cavs previously owned — are being sent to the Chicago Bulls.
BREAKING: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, sources tell ESPN. The three-team deal includes the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks. pic.twitter.com/Hoc6bP0hhj
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The Cavs acquired Hunter at the deadline last season, but it simply didn’t work out long-term. Hunter was good for the remainder of last regular season. That didn’t carry over to the second round series against the Indiana Pacers. He missed Game 2 with a thumb injury and wasn’t himself when he returned to the lineup. Hunter averaged just 9 points and 4.5 rebounds on 36.7% shooting from the floor that series.
That carried over to this season. Hunter was given a chance to prove that he could fit with the starting lineup, but struggled to find his role. As a starter, Hunter averaged 15.4 points on .429/.303/.843 shooting splits. The inefficient shooting and lack of effort on defense resulted in him being moved back to the bench.
Switching to a reserve role didn’t do much to help him regain his shot. Overall, Hunter averaged 14 points and 4.2 rebounds on .423/.308/.869 shooting splits in 43 games with the Cavs.
Perimeter defense has been an issue for Cleveland after trading away Isaac Okoro this summer. Ellis should help. He’s known as one of the better defenders for his position, and should help an area of need.
Ellis is only 6’4”, which puts his natural position at shooting guard. That’s a spot on the depth chart that is already clogged with that being Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, and Max Strus’s best position.
On the season, Ellis is averaging 5.6 points and 1.3 rebounds on .397/.368/.625 shooting splits.
Schroder should help shore up the backup point guard position with Lonzo Ball seemingly on his way out. The journeman guard is averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 assists per game on .408/.343/.820 shooting splits.
The move will also save Cleveland $50 million in luxury tax payments this season. How much it helps them financially in the longrun remains to be seen. Schroder is owed $14.8 million next season and $15.5 million (with just $4.3 million guaranteed) in 2026-27. Ellis will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason if his contract isn’t extended with the Cavs.
The Cavaliers are still over the second apron by $13.9 million after the completion of the deal. We’ll see if additional moves are made before the trade deadline on Feb. 5.
Here comes your man. No, really. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This one wasn’t pretty, but it was effective in the end.
Tonight none of the big names for the Rockets had a good offensive night. Sengun just looks broken right now, but of course he’s playing because Adams is out for the season, and no one has seen fit to reward Capela’s generally very good play of late with more minutes for him. The Rockets did enough late in the game, and held on to a lead that persistently narrowed as they once again had great difficulty with late game offense.
The Rockets finally got to play the Mavericks in Houston, and the game was close. Some people might wonder how Dallas, without Day-To-Davis, and Kyrie Irving can be competitive. One is they drafted what looks to be a truly amazing player in Cooper Flagg, who is doing what he’s doing at 19, and two, their roster is actually set up to work around such a player. It was built for Luka Doncic (and Irving was the second PG, and mostly an off ball scorer) but it largely works for Flagg as they are, without much fanfare now, using Flagg almost exactly as they did Doncic. That team reached the Finals, so being competitive, minus Irving, isn’t actually a miracle.
The Rockets lead at the half 59-51, and it might be hoped that they’d continue to build on their lead and have an easy time of it. But if you’ve watched the Rockets much this season, “Win, Over Easy” is rarely on the menu these days.
Cooper Flagg, coming off a 49 point outburst (in a loss) to Charlotte, scored scored 34 tonight, and seemingly all of Dallas’ points from midway through the 4th quarter that weren’t free throws, sort of lucky, or Klay Thompson annoyingly realizing he was in Houston, and making a few shots late, too. It wasn’t quite enough.
Durant, Thompson and Sengun all scored late, but the Rockets made it harder than it needed to be on themselves. They are persistently bad at trying to pass, and overpassing, on what should be easy looks, or an opportunity to go strong at the basket and get free throws. One example late was Tari Eason, on a fast break, deciding to pass to Jabari Smith at his feet. Jabari probably needed to slow down, and be a trailer rather that running beside or ahead of Eason, but these are offensive fundamentals, and best ignored in favor of More Defense. The point being, they do this sort of thing a lot. Some of it is being young, but for a bunch of young athletes to clank as many fast breaks as they do is distressing.
The shooting for the likely scorers was just bad, to make things more interesting. The two usual top scorers went Durant – 6-17, Sengun – 6-20. They did have 8 and 7 assists respectively, so they contributed to the team that way. Fortunately Jabari was 7-13 and 3-5 from three. Tari Eason was 7-15, also 3-5 from three. Amen Thompson was, you guessed it 7-15 as well, and took zero threes (yay). Sheppard was only 3-8, mainly due to going 0-4 from three. He looks to be rushing his shot, and there’s rarely a reason for him to do so. Josh Okogie, though, continues to be a nice surprise, 5-11, but recorded that great number again, 3-5 from three. If the Rockets are shooting it well from three, their lives could be made a lot easier by simple Shooting More Threes. They did take more than Dallas tonight, 26-23.
Many of the non three point misses for Eason, Jabari and Okogie came from unforced errors, and bad decision making on some shots. Okogie overall has been a great surprise, and very valuable to the Rockets. This is fortunate, as Dorian Finney-Smith has effectively contributed nothing to the team so far. His ten minutes tonight were slightly disastrous. This is worrisome, as the Rockets need him to play better, so hopefully the second half sees him being the player we’ve hoped to see since the signing last summer.
Tonight we also saw the offense only be initiated by Thompson, Sengun, and to a limited extent Sheppard. We saw Durant positioned far better to score and pass, as well. What we didn’t see, thankfully, was the Rockets spamming the same Durant high dribble hand off, ISO, play, very much at all. It appears to have registered that defenses key on that. This had positive effects. The Rockets turned the ball over only 5 times. Durant turned it over once, to his 8 dimes, Sengun 2 to his 7. Thompson? Say Amen, somebody, 9 assists and no turnovers.
Just eliminating so many live ball turnovers, ones that are very difficult to defend in transition because they occur above the top of the three point arc, may have been the difference in this game.
Sengun really, really, seems to need a rest and to heal up. He’s moving poorly, and has trouble getting to where he needs to be on both offense and defense. It’s affecting his shooting as well. You could take the past few weeks as evidence Sengun is now a bad player, or go with the overwhelming weight of his previous seasons and consider what might be wrong with him.
Why Capela can’t take another 8-10 minutes per game, to let Alpie rest a bit, is beyond me. His offensive chemistry with Reed is very good, as well. Capela does the traditional center PNR, with strong, real, pick setting. He rolls to the rim pretty well even now. Alpie almost doesn’t do it at all. This is a shame, because Sengun rolling and diving to the basket to score, dime a say, cutting Amen, Tari, Jabari or Durant on the baseline, or pass to a shooter in the opposite corner strikes me as something that would be incredibly difficult to stop.
In the end, the team got it done, and I’m sorry for a shorter recap, but I’m pinch hitting tonight. More wordy recaps will surely follow, but not tonight. Tonight we can be grateful the Rockets got a win, after things got dicey late.
The Old TC continues to be a fortress for the Rockets, their record there is 17-4.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 31: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans in the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 31, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Pelicans 124-114. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings: Tyrese Maxey – 19 VJ Edgecombe – 6 Joel Embiid – 6 Paul George – 6 Andre Drummond – 2 Jared McCain – 2 Dominick Barlow – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Justin Edwards – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Sixers celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Finals team with a 124- 114 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
It was their first matchup without Paul George, who was suspended earlier on Saturday for 25 games due to violations of the league’s anti-drug policy.
Despite having a large lead for the majority of the game, the Sixers defense left a lot to be desired, and opened the door for the Pelicans to make it close in the second half.
Fortunately, the Sixers were able to pull things together in the fourth quarter.
There were strong performances all over the floor for the Sixers, but none better than our leading Bell Ringer nominee.
Embiid is making a strong case for an All-Star selection, earning his first 40-point game of the season. He got started early and did not let up on Pelicans rookie Derik Queen, hitting a flurry of pull-up shots over him. He had his shooting stroke early and carried that into a more aggressive second quarter, where he would earn nine free throw attempts to help bring his first half total to 23.
The third quarter saw only one shot attempt for Embiid at the beginning of the frame, and he was quiet until the fourth quarter.
As the Pelicans closed the gap, Embiid hit a three, baby jumper and layup to maintain the lead until an 8-0 New Orleans run sprung them out in front 107- 104 with exactly six minutes remaining. He hit another big three to end the run and tie the game. A few trips later, he hits a beautiful turnaround fade over Yves Missi.
As the Sixers began to pull away, Embiid hit another big three to help seal the deal, pumping the lead to seven with just under a minute left in regulation. A free throw late brought him to 40 points for the first time this season and first time since he scored 50 against the Knicks in Gam 3 of the 2024 first round.
He got to share the moment with his son postgame:
Awesome moment with Joel Embiid and his son Arthur postgame.
In the first game following George’s suspension, Oubre found himself involved often and was a vital part in keeping the Sixers afloat in non-Embiid minutes. It was the perfect example of how to stay involved offensively without being a primary ball handler.
In the first half, he was consistently getting in the paint in transition, where VJ Edgecombe assisted him with savvy passes deep in the defense, and helping out on the defensive boards.
He was responsible for some of the only offense in the third quarter, hitting two threes before the team as a whole went dormant. In the fourth, he had some sneaky good passes, including a skip pass to Edgecombe for the dagger three.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 29: Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 29, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Kings 113-111. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are just a few certainties in this world. Death, taxes and no one understanding what the Kings are doing.
On Saturday night, the Kings, Cavs and Bulls completed a three-team trade that involved two Lakers trade targets. Cleveland sent De’Andre Hunter to Sacramento, who will send Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis to Cleveland. Chicago will receive Dario Saric and a pair of second round picks.
BREAKING: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, sources tell ESPN. The three-team deal includes the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks. pic.twitter.com/Hoc6bP0hhj
Every so often, the Kings pop up with a move that reminds everyone they are still the Kings.
In Keon Ellis, they had a very highly coveted player who they could get at least a good draft pick for. As a team without much to look forward to in the future, getting a pick and a chance at a young prospect should be appealing.
Instead, they attached him to Schröder, a player they signed to a three-year deal this summer despite having Malik Monk, Zach LaVine and Russell Westbrook (eventually) on the roster. They could have simply not signed Dennis, had more playing time available and, if they were set on trading Ellis, gotten a pick and value back.
Or, they could just attach him to Dennis to salary dump him for Hunter, a player who is having a career-worst year, is older than Ellis and is under contract next season, too.
What are they doing?????
Alas, this takes two of the few names connected to the Lakers off the market. Ellis was an intriguing young option while Hunter was a much riskier option. After rumors heated up over the last week, they were tempered down on Saturday ahead of the trade itself.
Realistically, the Lakers weren’t going to be able to match a package including Ellis to acquire Hunter, nor should they have attempted to. The Lakers will now have to move on to other options ahead of the deadline.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 03: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball against Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on April 03, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images
By late January, the NBA begins to stop lying to you. The schedule has done its damage, the injuries have told their stories, and the standings have enough scar tissue to matter. You can’t hide anymore, you can only adapt, scramble, or fold. This is the point in the season where illusions die quietly. No more small-sample optimism, no more “once we’re healthy” excuses. Just records, tendencies, and teams revealing exactly who they are.
Sometimes comparison really is the thief of joy. But when you’re deep in the trenches of an NBA season, it helps to look around and see where everyone else stands. The Pacific Division as of January 31st tells five very different stories with four teams fighting for playoff positioning, and one franchise that’s basically waving the white flag before February even starts.
The Lakers (29-18) and Suns (30-19) are locked in a proper division race, basically tied at the top. Both teams are rolling: the Lakers just demolished Washington 142-111 behind Luka Doncic’s casual 37-point triple-double, while the Suns are riding a three-game win streak despite Devin Booker nursing a sprained ankle. Dillon Brooks has been Phoenix’s unlikely savior, dropping 40 against Detroit and 27 against Cleveland while Booker recovers.
What’s wild is how different their paths look. The Lakers are 20-12 at home but a dismal 9-13 on the road, which could haunt them come playoff time. Phoenix doesn’t have that same home/road split issue—they’re just winning games regardless of venue, though their 2-3 division record suggests they struggle when facing their neighbors.
Golden State (27-23) sits 3.5 games back in third place, definitely in the playoff conversation still trailing the top two. The injuries to Jimmy Butler’s ACL (out for season) and Stephen Curry knee (left the loss vs Pistons early) have only created a fever pitch for a trade before the deadline. The Warriors are what they are at this point: a solid team that can beat anyone on a good night but lacks the consistency to truly compete with the division’s elite. Their 17-8 road record is their saving grace, because that ghastly 10-15 record on the road is killing their season. But the team that they are now and who they will be at the trade deadline could be two different things hmmmm.
Meanwhile the Clippers (22-25) occupy that dangerous fourth-place spot where they are close enough to smell the playoffs, far enough to worry about the play-in tournament. They just saw their impressive 16-3 stretch over 19 games get snapped by Denver, and now they head to Phoenix for a measuring-stick game Sunday. Kawhi Leonard (27.7 PPG) and James Harden (25.4 PPG, 8.1 APG) are doing their part, but Bradley Beal’s season-ending hip surgery stripped away crucial depth.
Even still, this team was thought to be dead in the water until they apparently jettisoned Chris Paul and locked in.
"We're seeing togetherness in this group. And this togetherness has transformed since they released a certain individual in CP3. Now I'm not pointing a finger, I'm just stating the obvious." ✍️@KendrickPerkins on the Clippers being 15-3 in their last 18 games 🏀 pic.twitter.com/Qdwm7uZwAt
Then there’s Sacramento (12-38), currently perfecting the art of losing basketball games. The Kings are on an eight-game skid, 0-5 on their current road trip, and sporting a putrid 3-22 road record overall. They’ve dealt with injuries to key pieces like Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Russell Westbrook. They’re 17 games back of the Lakers and functionally eliminated from playoff contention before Valentine’s Day.
That’s your Pacific Division, two teams battling for top 4 seeding, your Dubs trying to figure out what they have, the Clippers crawling back in to the edges of the conversation on sheer grit and swag, and the rolling dumpster fire that is Sacramento.
Teams With The Best Odds To Win The Pacific Division, Per @KalshiSports
Phoenix Suns — 42.0% Los Angeles Lakers — 34.0% Golden State Warriors — 27.0% Sacramento Kings — 4.0% Los Angeles Clippers — 2.0% pic.twitter.com/21JVnlaVnb
