Nikola Jokić sidelined by knee injury: timeline and fantasy impact

Already playing without three starters due to injury, the Denver Nuggets lost their franchise cornerstone, Nikola Jokić, to a left knee hyperextension in the final seconds of the first half of Monday's loss to the Miami Heat. On Tuesday, the Nuggets announced that the three-time Most Valuable Player will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

Given how the injury occurred, with teammate Spencer Jones falling into his knee, things could have been much worse for the Nuggets' star center. It goes without saying that Jokić being out will significantly affect the Nuggets' starting lineup and rotation, not to mention fantasy basketball overall. He's been a fixture atop the rankings in recent years, regardless of league format. Let's look at the impact of Jokić's injury, beginning with the Nuggets' starting lineup.

Who will replace Jokić in the starting lineup?

This is an easy question to answer. Jonas Valančiūnas, who was acquired from the Kings during the offseason to give Denver a reputable backup center, is the next man up. He started the third quarter of Monday's defeat, and in 11 minutes accounted for six points (3-of-3 FGs), three rebounds and one blocked shot. However, all of those minutes were played during the third quarter. Zeke Nnaji replaced Valančiūnas in the lineup with just under a minute remaining in the third, and within the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, the Heat's lead was up to 19, and they would go on to win by a 147-123 final score.

Valančiūnas can undoubtedly provide value as Denver's starting center, but no one is going to expect his production to reach Jokić's floor, much less the former MVP's ceiling. However, it would make sense to add Valančiūnas, who is rostered in 14 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Who else is affected by Jokić’s absence?

The entire Nuggets rotation is affected by his absence, but hopefully, help will be on the way soon. Christian Braun (70 percent rostered, Yahoo!) and Aaron Gordon (48 percent) have been out since November 12 and 21, respectively, with the former sidelined by a sprained left ankle and the latter a strained right hamstring. While Braun was due for re-evaluation in six weeks, which would be this week, Gordon was given a re-evaluation timeline of four to six weeks. Given the amount of time missed, they're likely to be under minutes restrictions once they're cleared to return. But giving them back would undoubtedly help the Nuggets depth-wise.

As for those who are currently healthy, Jamal Murray (100 percent) will have to shoulder an even heavier workload offensively. Nuggets' lineups with Murray but without Jokić have struggled this season. According to Cleaning the Glass, while Denver has averaged 113.5 points per 100 possessions in this scenario, they've given up 121.5 points per 100 possessions. Given Jokić's importance on the offensive end of the floor, the team's efficiency will take a hit with him unavailable. Murray's scoring may increase out of necessity, but can he function as the hub that the other Nuggets can play off of for an extended period? We're about to find out.

Role players like Peyton Watson (17 percent), Tim Hardaway Jr. (17 percent), Bruce Brown (six percent) and Spencer Jones (six percent) will have to step up offensively. Since moving into the starting lineup after Braun's ankle injury, Watson has averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks and 1.5 three-pointers in 30.7 minutes, shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 74.5 percent from the foul line. He may be the most promising option with Jokić out, especially given his defensive value.

Hardaway has been mainly a points and three-pointers option, so losing a playmaker of the caliber of Jokić isn't good. As for Brown, he'll be interesting to watch. His impact as a supplementary playmaker was one factor in the Nuggets' run to the 2023 NBA title and made him a viable standard-league option. However, he hasn't reached those heights in his second stint with the team. Providing 10th-round per-game value in eight- and nine-cat formats over the past two weeks, Denver will need Brown to offer greater value as a playmaker with Jokić sidelined.

Nuggets' Nikola Jokić avoids serious injury but will be sidelined for at least the next month

When Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokić went down clutching his left knee in the second quarter of Monday night's loss to the Miami Heat, many NBA fans feared the worst. However, it appears that the three-time MVP avoided the worst-case scenario.

How long does a hyperextended knee take to heal?

Jokić being out for a month is certainly not good news, but the fact that all of his ligaments are intact means that Jokic avoided the worst type of hyperextension. A hyperextended knee can frequently lead to damage to the MCL, ACL, or PCL, but it seems that Jokić avoided tears to all of those ligaments. The Nuggets will re-evaluate their center in four weeks, but it seems like he should be able to return in early February, in plenty of time for the playoffs, which is great news for Denver.

Denver is already without three other starters: Christian Braun (left ankle sprain), Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), and Cam Johnson (right knee injury). As a result, the team will need to rely on players like Tim Hardaway Jr., Payton Watson, and Jonas Valanciunas with Jokic sidelined.

The All-Star center suffered the injury on the final defensive possession of the half. Jokic was alone under the basket when Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. drove to the hoop. Jokić stepped up to help teammate Spencer Jones, who was backpedaling. Jones didn’t see Jokić and stepped on his left foot, causing the center’s knee to hyperextend and sending him to the floor, where he grabbed at his left knee. Trainers came over to assist Jokić, who was able to get up on his own, but was noticeably hobbling to the locker room and grabbing onto objects to help keep him upright.

Can Jokic still win MVP?

At the time of his injury, Jokić had 21 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 19 minutes. He came into the game as the odds-on favorite to win another MVP, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 11.1 assists per game this season. However, being on the shelf for the next month may have shifted the MVP odds back in favor of Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who also won the award last year.

A player needs to have played in at least 65 games to be considered for year-end awards. Jokić has currently played in all 32 of Denver's games. That means he can only miss 17 games from here until the end of the year. The Nuggets play exactly 17 games in January and have one game on Wednesday, December 31st, so if Jokić were to miss the entire month of January, he would be ineligible for MVP or any other year-end awards. While the Nuggets would clearly like their best player to be eligible to take home those awards, their priority will be to ensure he's healthy for the playoffs, which means that Jokić should be considered a long shot to win MVP or take home any major awards this season.

How to watch Detroit Pistons vs. LA Lakers: TV/live stream info, preview for tonight's game

Head to Peacock tonight for an exciting Coast 2 Coast Tuesday NBA doubleheader. The excitement begins at 8:00 PM ET when the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Memphis Grizzlies, followed by a Detroit Pistons vs LA Lakers showdown at 10:30 PM.

See below for additional information on how to watch both games and follow all of the NBA action on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

Detroit Pistons:

The Pistons fell 112-99 to the LA Clippers on Sunday in the team's second straight loss. Cade Cunningham led the way for Detroit with 27 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds. Jalen Duren finished with 18 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Despite the loss, the Pistons (24-8) remain atop the Eastern Conference and second in the league behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. Detroit's 24 wins are tied for the third-most through 32 games of a season in franchise history.

NBA: Boston Celtics at Portland Trail Blazers
Clingan has notched a double-double in six out of his last seven games.

LA Lakers:

After a 16-6 start to the season, the Lakers are 4-4 in their last eight games. The team is coming off a 125-101 win against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. Luka Doncic scored 34 points, LeBron James finished with 24, and Nick Smith Jr. added 21 off the bench.

James turns 41 today, and tonight's game would make him the 12th player in NBA history to play at 41 years or older.

How to watch Detroit Pistons vs LA Lakers:

  • When: Tonight, Tuesday, December 30
  • Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  • Time: 10:30 PM ET
  • Live Stream:Peacock
NBA: Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
Antetokounmpo will have the opportunity to play four games in Week 11 against some of the NBA’s worst defenses.

What other NBA games are on tonight?

Philadelphia 76ers vs Memphis Grizzlies - 8 PM ET on 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.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

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.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies: TV/live stream info, preview for tonight's game

Head to Peacock tonight for an exciting Coast 2 Coast Tuesday NBA doubleheader. The action starts at 8:00 PM ET when the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Memphis Grizzlies, followed by a Detroit Pistons vs LA Lakers showdown at 10:30 PM.

See below for additional information on how to watch both games and follow all of the NBA action on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

Philadelphia 76ers:

The 76ers fell 129-104 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, marking the team's third straight loss. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points, Quentin Grimes added 13, while Paul George and Justin Edwards each scored 12.

Joel Embiid did not play on Sunday due to a sprained right ankle and right knee injury management.

The 76ers have dealt with several injuries to key players, resulting in 17 different starting lineups this season — tied for second most in the league behind the Indiana Pacers. However they've managed to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference, largely due to their starting backcourt. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who have started 25 games together, are posting the second-most points per game (44.7) by any starting backcourt in the NBA this season.

NBA: Boston Celtics at Portland Trail Blazers
Clingan has notched a double-double in six out of his last seven games.

Memphis Grizzlies:

After opening the season 4-11, the Grizzlies have won 11 of their last 17 games. They are coming off a 116-112 loss to the Washington Wizards on Sunday. Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 31 points and 8 rebounds,and Ja Morant scored 21.

How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs Memphis Grizzlies:

  • When: Tonight, Tuesday, December 30
  • Where: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
  • Time: 8:00 PM ET
  • Live Stream:Peacock
NBA: Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
Antetokounmpo will have the opportunity to play four games in Week 11 against some of the NBA’s worst defenses.

What other NBA games are on tonight?

Detroit Pistons vs LA Lakers - 10:30 PM ET on 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.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

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.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Donovan Clingan leveling up

With the end of 2025 nearing, let's take a look at which players are ending the year on a high note and which could use a reset once the ball drops.

Without further ado…

→ Watch the NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC and Peacock! The 76ers take on the Grizzlies at 8 p.m. ET before the Pistons square off against the Lakers at 11 p.m. ET. Both games are available on Peacock. Check your local listings for the NBC game in your area.

NBA: Orlando Magic at Denver Nuggets
Anthony Black had his best game of the season Saturday, but he’s been impressive for the last three weeks.

STOCK UP

Maxime Raynaud — C, Kings

Raynaud’s become a reliable starting center for the Kings in Domantas Sabonis’ absence. The rookie has notched four double-doubles over his last six games, which includes a career-high 29-point outing in the overtime loss to the Trail Blazers during mid-December. Raynaud doesn’t make three-pointers or tally many assists, and only occasionally produces more than a couple of blocks — potentially limiting fantasy basketball ceiling a bit. However, there’s no denying that he’s being heavily counted on to produce, and his stock is currently up during what’s been a pretty strong rookie season. What will happen to his production upon Sabonis’s return to the Kings' starting lineup? We’ll have to wait and see.

Anthony Black — PG/SG, Magic

If you were able to steal Anthony Black from your league’s pool of available players, congratulations! He’s been one of Orlando’s best and most productive players over the past week, averaging 27.8 points and 4.3 three-pointers over the past four games, while also tallying 4.5 assists and generating multiple steals in three of those four contests. In other words, Black is doing a lot and has delivered strong fantasy performances. There’s no reason to believe that he won’t remain aggressive on the offensive end in looking to create for both himself and others. His production is even more needed in the absence of Franz Wagner, who remains without a timeline for return.

Donovan Clingan — C, Trail Blazers

Portland has had a fun season, even with the team seemingly on a never-ending rollercoaster ride in regard to wins and losses. The recent absences of veteran players such as Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant have allowed a younger nucleus to form and find their way. Of the many, Donovan Clingan has been one of the most consistent of late. He’s averaging a double-double on the season and has secured five in the past six games, including a monster 18/18 line against the Celtics recently. What makes the sophomore center unique is his floor-spacing ability that complements the rebounding and shot blocking — he’s gone 9/13 from deep over the last six games and is slowly coming around as a three-point shooter after a rough start to the season. Clingan’s clearly “the guy” at center for Portland and should be going forward.

STOCK DOWN

Anfernee Simons — PG/SG, Celtics

I’ve been waiting for a Simons breakout game to reset his course, but not even a recent return game in Portland against his former club could serve as the turning point. While the veteran guard’s shooting efficiency held up over the first couple of months of his Celtics tenure, he’s struggled throughout December, posting 38.4/29.2/95.2 shooting splits en route to just 11.4 points per game. Simons has only logged more than 20 minutes once over the last three games and is firmly entrenched in his reserve role behind the starting backcourt of Payton Pritchard and Derrick White — that shouldn’t change so long as the Celtics continue to win games. Perhaps Simons will leave his cold shooting in December and regain his shooting touch in the new calendar year.

Zaccharie Risacher — SF/PF, Hawks

The second-year leap has yet to come for the first overall pick of the 2024 draft, nor does it appear on the horizon. The Hawks have lost seven straight games and Risacher has been held to single digits in three of those contests while hardly being involved on the offensive end. His failure to be a difference-maker on the glass or as a facilitator, combined with limited stocks, has left him with very little fantasy impact. Recent buzz from Marc Stein mentions Risacher as a potential trade candidate, and that buzz could potentially grow louder so long as the Hawks’ slide and his lack of production continue to coincide.

Deandre Ayton — C, Lakers

Ayton’s fantasy production has slowed since a relatively strong November. He’s dealt with some minor injuries of late, which caused him to miss a couple of games. But in his three games since returning, the former No. 1 overall pick is averaging just 11.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and less than 1.0 blocked shot per game. Limited field goal attempts, no three-point production, and hardly any free-throw activity are some reasons for the low scoring output – things that aren’t likely to change overnight. Ayton’s high field-goal efficiency is notable, but without more activity, he won’t provide much value from a fantasy basketball perspective at the moment.

Why Kendrick Perkins believes Jonathan Kuminga can fix ‘broken' Warriors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic out at least 4 weeks with hyperextended left knee

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cleveland’s meh year in review: The top 10 sports stories in 2025

Cleveland’s meh year in review: The top 10 sports stories in 2025My New Year’s wish for Cleveland sports fans for 2026 is quite simple: Something, anything, more hopeful and exciting than what we just witnessed.

When I began reviewing the year for the top 10 moments of 2025, it was difficult to even find 10 items. The Cavs collapsed in the second round of the playoffs, the Guardians were eliminated quickly from the playoffs after a dismal summer and a thrilling September, and the Browns are forever double-dipping in the punch bowl.

Here it is. The 10 most, uh, impactful moments in 2025 Cleveland sports. Some are heartfelt, some leave a sting. Hopefully, better days lie ahead.

10. Bernie Kosar’s life-saving transplant

In the overall scheme of things, this could rank No. 1. But since it’s more of a medical miracle than a sports story, we’ll begin with uplifting Kosar news. The Cleveland football legend was fighting for his life, enduring multiple surgeries a day to try and stop internal bleeding, when a liver donor emerged in November. The family of Bryce Dunlap, a 21-year-old Browns fan, donated the liver to Kosar after Bryce died from a tragic medical emergency. Kosar is still battling additional health problems, but the new liver is giving him a fighting chance.

9. Cleveland awarded W team

WNBA basketball is returning to one of its original colonies — with a much larger fan base this time and wildly more popular. The Cleveland Rockers were a dud when they debuted in 1997. The team was barely drawing 7,000 fans when it folded in 2003. This time, it will likely look much different. The league is exploding in popularity, and the rebranded Rockers will be owned by Dan Gilbert. The Cavs are one of the best in the NBA at in-game entertainment. The Rockers will surely enjoy the same feel when they return as an expansion team in 2028.

8. Browns get their dome

It was a long, sometimes ugly battle, but Jimmy and Dee Haslam finally got approval for their long-coveted dome stadium. The total price tag is expected to be around $2.4 billion and should open in 2029. Haslam navigated legal battles with both city and county officials, but ultimately is getting what he wanted because Jimmy always gets what Jimmy wants — besides a winner. Now the question is whether anyone can afford to go, and will the product be worth watching in four years?

7. Atkinson, Vogt named coach/manager of the year

Kenny Atkinson was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year in his first season and Steven Vogt was named MLB’s Manager of the Year. Vogt is now 2-for-2. He has managed a team twice in his life and was voted the best in the league at doing it both times. Quite impressive. The Cavs started on a 15-0 tear and won 64 games in their first season under Atkinson, although the second season hasn’t gone quite as well. Vogt navigated the Guardians through devastating gambling accusations over the summer and resuscitated a team that appeared dead in July. They rallied to win the division, which leads us to …

6. Guardians’ September rally

The Guardians were 15 1/2 games out of first place in July and remained 11 games behind Detroit in September. The Tigers’ collapse, coupled with the Guardians’ incredible tear of going 17-2 over three weeks in September, completed the unlikely comeback. It was all for naught since the Tigers won the Wild Card Series anyway, but the Guardians at least got their first look at George Valera and Chase DeLauter, two outfielders who will hopefully help this franchise for years to come.

5. Garrett chases sack record

Myles Garrett was about the only thing to get excited about with the Browns this season. It was an eventful year for Garrett, which began with his trade demand and his press tour during the Super Bowl. Garrett turned that into a massive $160 million extension and then responded with a career year in pursuing the single-season sack record shared by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, Garrett is the Browns’ Maserati that is fun to drive while their house is in foreclosure. If he breaks the mark next week in the season finale, it will come with a distinction. Strahan set the record during a 16-game season. Watt needed 17 to tie it. Garrett will also need 17 games. He has all but wrapped up another Defensive Player of the Year award. That will have to be his consolation prize.

4. Tom Hamilton inducted into Hall of Fame

One of the very best humans and broadcasters in professional sports finally had his day when Hamilton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame last July as the Ford C. Frick winner after four other attempts as a finalist. Hamilton’s “Swing and a drive!” calls are legendary, as is his warmth and personality. Hammy is one of the best. Period. At life and in his chosen field. His election was richly deserved.

3. Cavs lose to Pacers

The Cavaliers’ remarkable 64-win regular season came crashing down quickly in the postseason. A stunning second-round exit in five games to the Indiana Pacers derailed what was expected to be a potential Finals run for the No. 1 seed in the East. Injuries certainly played a role, but the hangover still seems evident. This isn’t the same team as last season. Sure, there have been more injuries, but something looks broken right now. The Cavs have 3 1/2 months to get it fixed before we really begin keeping score.

2. Guardians’ gambling scandal

Major League Baseball, the Guardians and the sports world at large were stunned when a pair of Cleveland pitchers were taken off the field over gambling allegations. Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase were ultimately charged in federal court for throwing fraudulent pitches, triggering a larger conversation around micro bets. Baseball responded with cap wagers on micro bets. I maintain that the only solution is to ban them entirely.

1. Browns draft Shedeur Sanders

The Browns rocked the draft when they selected Sanders in the fifth round, No. 144. Haslam has since acknowledged that when they left the team facility following the second night of the draft, taking Sanders was not in their plans. All of that changed by the next morning, and he was a Brown by that night. Sanders leads the team in passing yards and has been a constant source of headlines since his arrival. Sometimes his play has matched the attention. Mostly, it has not.

Thank you all for reading along this year. Have a safe and Happy New Year, and we’ll talk again in 2026.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Guardians, WNBA, NFL

2025 The Athletic Media Company

December to remember: Digging deeper on Jaylen Brown's dominant month

December to remember: Digging deeper on Jaylen Brown's dominant month originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jaylen Brown has a chance Tuesday night in Utah to shuffle past Larry Bird and become the first player in Boston Celtics history to score 30+ points in 10 straight games.

Brown’s impact in December goes beyond his scoring production, however. It’s how he’s generating his points while helping Boston entrench itself near the top of the East standings.

Brown is averaging an NBA-best 32.7 points per game in the month of December. Most notably, his 3-point percentage has crept up to 43.2 percent over the past nine games. That’s up 8.4 percent over his first 20 games of the season. His true shooting percentage has climbed to 64.3 percent over the past nine games, up from 57.8 percent in his first 20 games. 

Brown got good news and bad news on Monday. He was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time this month. But when the NBA’s All-Star balloting came out, he slotted a surprising sixth in the East.

Brown promptly dubbed the voting a “PR contest” on social media. But even the biggest online troll would have trouble punching holes in Brown’s play this season, particularly as opposing defenses load up against him while 1) Jayson Tatum rehabs and 2) Derrick White and Payton Pritchard navigate some efficiency woes.

To hammer that home: The stat-tracking savants at BBall Index peg Brown in the 95th percentile for matchup difficulty, suggesting opposing teams routinely put their best defenders on Brown.

And yet few have been able to help keep him south of 30 points. 

Let’s dive deeper into how Brown is piling up his points and impacting winning this month: 

Cloud 9.0

Brown is averaging nine free throw attempts per game in December, jumping up more than two attempts per game from the start of the season (6.8 attempts over first 20 games).

Only five players in the NBA are averaging more than 9.0 free throw attempts per game this season: Luka Doncic, Deni Avdija, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zion Williamson, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Brown is knocking on the door to the top 10 in free throw attempts overall, now averaging 7.5 per game this season.

Even more encouraging: He’s shooting 80.2 percent at the stripe over his last nine games. And part of the reason he’s getting to the free throw line so consistently … 

Stuck in drive

Brown is averaging 19.1 drives per game in the month of December, per NBA tracking data. Only Avdija is averaging more (21.4). Brown is one spot ahead of reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander this month, and is scoring with MVP-like efficiency on his treks.

Brown is shooting 62.8 percent off drives in December, while generating points on 76.7 percent of all drives. For the season, Brown ranks third in the NBA at 17.3 drives per game while shooting 58 percent on all shot attempts off those drives.

Foul magnet

To further emphasize Brown’s ability to draw whistles: He’s drawn non-shooting fouls on 3.5 percent of Boston’s plays this season, which ranks in the 99th percentile among all wings, per Cleaning the Glass data.

Only Kevin Durant gets fouled on the floor more often.

Brown is drawing 7.2 fouls per 75 possessions overall, which ranks in the 98th percentile (ninth out of 504 players) per BBall Index tracking. 

Mid-range maestro

Brown continues to thrive in the midrange, making 51 percent of his shots there over the last nine games (58 of 113). He’s on pace to shoot a career best in the mid-range.

Perhaps most notable, though, is that Brown is shooting 78 percent at the rim (28 of 36) over his last nine games, a notable bump up from his 70 percent clip (64 of 91) at the rim over his first 20 games.

Pull-up a chair

Brown is tied for third in the NBA in points off pull-up attempts in December. Only Doncic (14.3) and Gilgeous-Alexander (13.6) create more off the dribble.

Brown is tied with Jalen Brunson at 13.2 pull-up points per game this month. That number is up for Brown after averaging 10.6 pull-up points per game over his first 20 games. 

There are some areas that Brown could tighten up. His turnovers have climbed a bit in December, though he’s handling the ball more often this month. His defensive rebound percentage has dipped at a time when Boston is playing smaller and could use him to be even more active on the glass. He has sometimes sacrificed his pursuit of rebounds in an effort to box out opposing bigs. 

Ultimately, we’re nitpicking here considering how impactful Brown has been. The Celtics own the best offensive rating in the NBA in December, scoring 124 points per 100 possessions. Boston’s +11.1 net rating is tops in the East by three points, and second in the NBA behind only the Thunder (+11.2) in that span.

Brown is a huge reason for that consistent offensive output.

Warriors' Draymond Green provides updated list of NBA championship contenders

Warriors' Draymond Green provides updated list of NBA championship contenders originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As the NBA season turns the corner into 2026, Warriors forward Draymond Green has additions and subtractions to his list of serious title contenders. 

Previously, he listed five Western Conference teams as his contenders: the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors. 

The Warriors, as Green explains on a new episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” released Monday, have fallen off his list of serious contenders. But he remains optimistic. 

“We’re 16-15. Can’t say you’re a real contender at 16-15,” Green said of the Warriors record at the time, which now is 17-16. “However, I think it’s starting to come together for us. And I think for us, the one thing that stands out is that we have a great defense.” 

After Golden State’s 120-107 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, the Warriors have a 109.7 defensive rating. That’s the fifth-best in the NBA, and third-best in the Western Conference. 

Green points to the Warriors’ offensive struggles as the reason for their middling record. 

“What has struggled is our offense, and now our offense is starting to turn the corner. Great defense, top two defense in the league, you can contend with that,” Green explained “And so, we’re not a serious contender right now– because of the record, we’re not even a playoff team right now. But, down the line, I think the Warriors are returning to your list of serious contenders.” 

The Warriors are in the middle of a good stretch right now, winning four of their last five games. They have averaged 122.4 points per game during that stretch – much better than their season-average of 115.1 points per game. 

As for the rest of his previous list, Green removed the Clippers because of their abysmal 10-21 start to the season, while the Nuggets and Thunders remain strong contenders, with the Lakers dropping slightly. 

“The Lakers, they’re a fringe. If they can’t figure out the defensive end, you can’t contend,” Green said. “But, if they can figure out the defensive end, we know they have the offensive firepower…” 

“… Right now, they’re on the fringe but not quite a real contender.” 

He made one addition from the Western Conference – the San Antonio Spurs who currently are 23-9 and have notched three wins against the defending-champion Thunder in this month alone. 

In the Eastern Conference, Green has high praise for the Detroit Pistons. 

“They got a serious-contender record, and they’re putting it together,” Green said. “And like I said before, they lost a series they should have won last year. So, I think you have to put them in that category out of the East.” 

Green also mentions the New York Knicks as one of the best teams in the East, but more of a fringe contender. 

It’s still early into the season, but the dog days of January might give Green and the NBA a clearer picture sooner rather than later. 

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Three-time MVP Jokic suffers 'gut-wrenching' injury

Nikola Jokic in action for the Denver Nuggets against the Miami Heat
Jokic won the NBA's MVP award in 2021, 2022 and 2024 [Getty Images]

Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic suffered a "gut-wrenching" knee injury as the Denver Nuggets lost 147-123 at the Miami Heat.

Jokic was hurt late in the first half in an accidental coming together with team-mate Spencer Jones.

Jones stepped on the foot of Jokic who immediately collapsed to the ground clutching his knee.

The 30-year-old has had a scan and will be re-assessed in four weeks' time.

"Immediately, he knew something was wrong," said Nuggets head coach David Adelman.

"This is part of the NBA. Anyone who gets hurt, it's gut-wrenching, especially somebody as special as he is.

"We'll move on as a team. Obviously, right now, I'm more concerned just about him as a person and the disappointment of going through something like that."

Jokic, who leads the NBA season in rebounds and assists, had 21 points and eight assists in the game before suffering the injury.

Knicks win third straight nail-biter after beating Pelicans, 130-125

The Knicks went to the wire with the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, ultimately coming out on top with a 130-125 win.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Making his second consecutive start and third this season, Mohamed Diawara wasted no time to get in on the action, backing down his defender and dropping one in to score the game’s first points before draining a three-pointer to put the Knicks up 5-0 in the early going. The five early points already matched Diawara’s career-high, but the French native selected by New York in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft was far from done. 

-- After the Pelicans went on a quick 9-0 run to take the lead, Jalen Brunson stopped the bleeding with a three-point play before hitting his first three-pointer of the night to tie the game. Diawara, who entered the contest with six made threes in 18 attempts this season, drilled his second of the game to re-take the lead. Nearly two minutes later he made another one from downtown to give him 11 points in six minutes.

-- An 8-0 run by New Orleans, including threes from Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey, gave them a four-point advantage but there was Diawara once again, this time scoring on a running layup assisted by Brunson to pull the Knicks to within two.

-- In nine minutes, Diawara led New York with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting (3-for-3 from deep). He also had a rebound and added two steals. However, he wasn’t the most impressive player on the court in the first quarter as Bey blitzed the Knicks with 23 points, going 8-for-11 from the field and 4-for-5 from three to help the Pelicans lead 41-37 after a whirlwind of an opening quarter.

-- Tyler Kolek entered the game for the first time to start the second quarter and immediately made his presence felt, making one of two free throws and then hitting a three for the Knicks’ first four points of the quarter. 

-- Despite help from OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns offensively, New York was unable to grab the lead in the early part of the quarter as Zion Williamson, making his first start following seven games of coming off the bench, took over for a stretch, scoring 10 points before getting subbed out. He had 18 points at the half.

-- After nearly two scoreless minutes by both sides, the offense picked back up thanks to Brunson who subbed back in and scored eight straight points for the Knicks. But it was Anunoby who tied the game at 65 with a running layup before Poole's three-pointer gave New Orleans the lead once again. Anunoby scored 16 in the quarter after getting blanked in the first.

-- During the scoring barrage in the final two minutes of the half, Diawara hit another three-pointer, his fourth of the game in as many attempts, to give him 16 points but even that wasn't enough as the Pelicans led 75-72 at halftime.

-- Following the break, both offenses went right back to work, trading baskets left and right. Williamson kept his pace going for New Orleans and Trey Murphy III drilled two three-pointers, the second of which gave the Pelicans a 10-point lead. 

-- As for the Knicks' offense, it was a team effort as they got at least one basket from all the starters in the first six minutes, as well as a contribution from Kevin McCullar Jr. after his big night against the Atlanta Hawks. But after Anunoby hit a three with 5:48 remaining in the quarter, both offenses hit a three-minute dry spell. It wasn't until Poole's layup with 2:35 left to play that a ball went in the net. 

-- From there, more bench players for New York hit some shots, including threes by Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson and a floater from Trey Jemison III. Seven players came off the bench for the Knicks, including Miles McBride who returned to the lineup after missing the past nine games with an ankle injury. McBride finished with 14 points in 18 minutes.

-- Nevertheless, when the quarter was over New Orleans extended its lead to 103-96.

-- New York's defense finally showed up in the fourth quarter as it held the Pelicans to just three points in the first five minutes. During that time, the Knicks tied the game on McBride's three-pointer and took the lead on Towns' triple 20 seconds later -- their first lead since the final minute in the first quarter. 

-- After KAT's three-ball, New York went scoreless for two minutes which allowed New Orleans to re-take the lead. But in crunch time, Brunson came alive and knocked down two threes to tie or take the lead and to keep up with Murphy who stayed on fire from deep. Brunson got some help with McBride and Anunoby each hitting big shots to take the lead as the Pelicans would not go away. 

-- But it was Brunson's floater and layup in the final 60 seconds that extended his team's lead before McBride hit four key free throws at the end of the game to seal the game and give New York a wild 130-125 win.

Game MVP: OG Anunoby

Despite going 1-for-8 from deep, Anunoby finished with 23 points after going scoreless in the first quarter and hit big shot after big shot all game. He also had 11 rebounds, three steals and a block and was a game-high plus-16 on the night.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks finish off their three-game road trip with a battle against the San Antonio Spurs on New Years Eve at 7 p.m. in what will be a rematch of the NBA Cup Finals.

Nets' three-game winning streak snapped with 120-107 loss to Warriors

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 27 points and Jimmy Butler finished with 21 as the Golden State Warriors beat the Brooklyn Nets 120-107 on Monday night.

Curry shot 8 for 15 from the field while Butler went 11 for 12 from the free throw line for the Warriors, who bounced back from an overtime loss in Toronto in Sunday to win for the fourth time in five games.

Trayce Jackson-Davis added 11 points and Gary Payton II, De’Anthony Melton and Will Richard each chipped in 10.

Michael Porter Jr. had 27 points and rookie Egor Demin added 23 for the Nets, who had their three-game winning streak stopped.

Golden State was sluggish in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 13 points. The Warriors recovered to lead by two at halftime before Curry, who struggled to find his shot in the first half, scored 10 points to lead Golden State to an 89-85 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Golden State led by 10 with 4:37 left in the fourth quarter before the Nets went on an 8-0 run to make it 107-103 after a pair of three throws from Terance Mann.

On the next possession, Curry leaned into Nic Claxton as he shot a floater and was fouled as his shot went through and hit a free throw.

Demin then answered with a 3-pointer before the Warriors scored on their next three trips, capped by Richard’s dunk that made 116-106 and sealed the victory.

The Warriors improved to 7-12 on the road.

Up next

Warriors: Continue their three-game road trip at Charlotte on Wednesday.

Nets: Host Houston on Thursday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic lead in first round of All-Star Game fan voting

In the year the All-Star Game switches to a USA vs. World three-team format (and returns to NBC while debuting on Peacock), two international players lead the first round of fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game.

Luka Dončić received the most votes in the West and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the East, as the NBA released the first All-Star Game fan-vote results. Here would be the starters for each conference at this point:

Western Conference

Luka Dončić, Lakers (1,249,518 votes)
Nikola Jokić, Nuggets (1,128,962)
Stephen Curry, Warriors (1,031,455)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (878,621)
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs (769,362)

Eastern Conference

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (1,192,296 notes)
Tyrese Maxey , 76ers (1,072,449)
Jalen Brunson, Knicks (1,040,601)
Cade Cunningham, Pistons (1,000,171)
Donovan Mitchell Cavaliers (851,155)

Five of the 10 starters voted in by fans are international players.

While the All-Star Game format has changed (more on that below), fan voting has largely remained the same. Fans vote for five starters — with no regard to position — and those votes (combined with player and media votes) will pick the starters for the game Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., the home of the LA Clippers.

After the 10 starters are named, a vote of the coaches selects the seven reserves from each conference.

That sets the 24 All-Star players headed to Southern California.

All-Star Game format

The timing could not be better for the NBA All-Star Game to return to NBC and debut on Peacock — the 2026 game lands right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. That set up perfectly for the first-of-its-kind All-Star Game pitting the best of the USA vs. the NBA's deep international talent pool.

The 24 All-Star players will be divided into three teams — two USA teams and one world team — that will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games. Each of the three teams will have a minimum of eight players (if the USA or World teams are short on players, the league office will select one or more players to reach the required number).

At the end of the round-robin, the two top teams will play a championship game (the fourth 12-minute game of the day) for the title.

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.

Nuggets' Nikola Jokic leaves game against Heat before halftime with knee injury

The Denver Nuggets fanbase and NBA fans across the globe held their collective breath with three seconds left in the first half of the Nuggets' game against the Miami Heat on Monday night when three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic went down in a heap, grabbing his left knee.

On the final defensive possession of the half, Jokic was alone under the basket when Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. drove to the hoop. Jokic stepped up to help teammate Spencer Jones, who was backpedaling. Jones didn't see Jokic and stepped on his left foot, which caused the center’s knee to hyperextend and sent him to the floor, grabbing at his left knee. Trainers came over to assist Jokic, who was able to get up on his own, but was noticeably hobbling to the locker room and grabbing onto objects to help keep him upright.

After the halftime break, the team listed him as questionable to return.

At the time of his injury, Jokic had 21 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 19 minutes. The fact that the Nuggets didn't immediately rule him out for the game is a mild positive sign. While the injury looked severe and had many people worried about a potential ACL tear, the hyperextension could also lead to a sprain or a bone bruise, so we'll have to await more news to know how long the Nuggets will be without their star.

Missing Jokic for any amount of time would be a brutal blow for a Denver team that is already without three other starters: Christian Braun (left ankle sprain), Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), and Cam Johnson (right knee injury). Jokic came into the game as the odds-on favorite to win another MVP, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 11.1 assists per game this season.

We'll continue to update this story as more information becomes available.