Category: NBA

The best thing about the Sacramento Kings is that the Wizards can say, “At least we’re not the Sacramento Kings.”

Yes, the Kings beat the Wizards, 128-115 last night. It was their 12th victory of the year — just two more than the Wizards. But Sacramento has been bad while also being the league’s third oldest team (weighted for minutes). The Wizards at bad and young, which means they can still peddle hope. The Kings don’t even have that.

The Kings have no hope of being good with their current roster. They need to sell off their veterans for young players and draft picks. Their challenge is similar to where Washington was when Michael Winger and Will Dawkins took the helm — the older guys are pretty good with limitations and flaws, but their contracts are out of line with their production.

Their biggest challenge is the poor leadership of their owner Vivek Ranadive, which is something that likely won’t be rectified until he sells the team.

The game itself was at least somewhat entertaining. The Kings went on a 19-0 run to close the first quarter with a 19-point advantage. The teams played more or less even the rest of the way — the Wizards closing the gap to under five points a couple times in the second half. Each time, Sacramento responded with a run of their own to expand the margin.

It’s hard to overstate how bad Washington’s defense was in this one. The Kings entered the game with the league’s second worst offense, and with a generous helping of open and wide-open shots, posted a 128 offensive rating (points per possession x 100). That’s 18 points above their season average, and more than 12 points above league average.

The Kings achieved this absurd efficiency despite committing 18 turnovers and shooting just 19-30 on free throws. They connected on 15-31 (48.4%) from three-point range and posted an effective field goal percentage of 67.3%.

Russell Westbrook, a career 30.8% three-point shooter, shot 6-9 from deep, which boosted his three-point percentage this season to 35.7%.

Overall, the Wizards got decent production from their starting group (missing Khris Middleton and Bilal Coulibaly). Their bench — with the exception of Malaki Branham, who played probably the best game of his career — was a disaster.

Thoughts & Observations

• Credit to head coach Brian Keefe for some tank-tastic lineup choices. For several (disastrous) minutes, he had a group out there that include AJ Johnson, Will Riley, Jamir Watkins, and Marvin Bagley III. I think the fifth was Bub Carrington. That grouping meant they had no one who could threaten the defense or lead an effective offense.
• The Wizards were -22 in Johnson’s 11 minutes of action.
• They were -19 in 22 minutes with Riley on the floor.
• Carrington played 38 minutes and took just four shots, but was still productive overall with 9 assists and 2 steals.
• Carrington has an odd mix of attributes. He’s 6-4 and rebounds at a level that suggests good size, strength, athleticism and competitiveness. He defends like a small, slow, weak guy — bigger players score at will when he defends in the post, quicker players drive with little resistance, his closeout are ineffective. He rarely drives, generates paint touches or gets shots at the rim, but is still an above-average playmaker. He’s shot well from deep, but has been astonishingly bad converting the few inside shots he gets.
• While I liked seeing Justin Champagnie in the starting lineup, and his overall production was decent, I thought his defensive work was subpar — especially early in the game.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

• eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
• OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
• TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
• FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)

FOUR FACTORS	WIZARDS	KINGS	LGAVG
eFG%	55.0%	67.3%	54.4%
OREB%	17.5%	30.8%	26.2%
TOV%	11.0%	18.0%	12.8%
FTM/FGA	0.178	0.235	0.212
PACE	100		99.7
ORTG	115	128	115.7

Stats & Metrics

PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is 115.1. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 114, the league — on average — would produced 22.8 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -2.8.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Bub Carrington	39	81	158	11.9%	4.0	123	2
Tre Johnson	30	62	109	24.9%	-1.0	121	-1
Kyshawn George	24	50	131	24.4%	1.9	146	-12
Alex Sarr	28	58	128	25.0%	1.7	123	-5
Justin Champagnie	27	56	149	17.4%	3.2	119	-12
Malaki Branham	13	28	145	25.6%	2.1	240	11
Marvin Bagley III	19	40	110	19.8%	-0.4	13	-8
AJ Johnson	11	24	63	25.2%	-3.2	-9	-22
Jamir Watkins	26	55	67	14.5%	-3.8	-25	0
Will Riley	22	46	68	19.5%	-4.3	-64	-18
Anthony Gill	1	2	0	34.7%	-0.9	-318	0

KINGS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Russell Westbrook	31	65	145	25.4%	4.8	240	0
Precious Achiuwa	28	57	171	15.3%	4.8	212	-2
Zach LaVine	32	67	136	15.1%	2.0	128	10
Dennis Schroder	20	42	156	23.5%	3.9	203	12
Nique Clifford	19	39	135	18.6%	1.4	173	19
Domantas Sabonis	21	44	116	26.0%	0.0	126	14
Dylan Cardwell	19	39	149	14.2%	1.9	109	23
Maxime Raynaud	22	45	101	15.7%	-1.1	89	-7
DeMar DeRozan	33	68	111	21.0%	-0.7	51	-7
Malik Monk	16	33	60	27.0%	-4.9	-103	3

This is the fourth and final meeting between these two flawed-but-feisty Western Conference also-rans. Dallas won Game 3 of the season series just two days ago in a 144–122 blowout behind Klay Thompson’s 26 points and an unexpected 3-point deluge. Utah leads the season series 2–1, but both wins came at home — one in overtime, one in a 116–114 squeaker.

Both teams are missing key frontcourt pieces, but Dallas is especially decimated. Dereck Lively and AD are out. Gafford and Flagg are both doubtful. And Kyrie still hasn’t returned from knee surgery. That leaves the Mavs trying to scrape together a frontcourt from Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and a prayer that Max Christie has gotten over the recent illness.

The Jazz, for their part, are now missing Markkanen, Kessler, and Niang — leaving Brice Sensabaugh and Keyonte George to carry much of the load.

🏀 Fixture, Odds and Injuries

Utah Jazz (14–27, 5–15 Away) @ Dallas Mavericks (16–26, 12–11 Home)
📍 American Airlines Center — Dallas, TX
🕓 4:10 PM CST, Jan 17
📺 KFAA-TV / NBA App

📊 DraftKings Odds (as of 8:00 AM CST)
UTA +3.5 (−110) | o241.5 (−112) | ML +136
DAL −3.5 (−110) | u241.5 (−108) | ML −162

🩻 Injury Report Highlights
Mavericks:
Cooper Flagg (ankle) — Doubtful
Daniel Gafford (ankle) — Doubtful
Dereck Lively II — Out (foot surgery)
Kyrie Irving — Out (knee)
Anthony Davis — Out (hand)
P.J. Washington — Probable
Max Christie — Probable
Jazz:
Lauri Markkanen — Out
Walker Kessler — Out
Georges Niang — Out

Side and Total Leans

Despite a thinned-out roster, Dallas is laying -3.5 at home. That reflects recent form (including Monday’s 22-point win) and ESPN’s matchup predictor, which gives the Mavericks a 70.7% win probability. But that number is inflated by names who are either out or doubtful tonight.

Over/Under at 241.5 still feels steep given how many primary options are out — particularly with Cooper Flagg (18.8 PPG, 47.8 FG%) listed as doubtful. Without his scoring and tempo, the Mavs may struggle to keep pace with their own previous explosion. The only caveat would be another outburst of a showcase vibe from Klay Thompson.

🧠 Lean: Jazz +3.5
🧠 Lean: Under 241.5

If Flagg and Gafford both sit, and Dallas can’t get out in transition, expect a grindier version of Wednesday’s track meet. If you were of the mind that the Jazz would refuse to win this game under any circumstances, taking Dallas is defensible. At this point, both teams are slowly morphing into the final tank-y form. It is just tough to see the Mavericks winning again, given the tumbleweeds rolling through the lineup.

Player Props

Naji Marshall o18.5 Points (−106)
Marshall has been one of Dallas’ steadiest contributors during the injury purge — scoring 22 or better in his last three efforts. With Cooper Flagg likely out again and PJ Washington managing an ankle, Marshall’s mid-post game and slashing lanes remain live against a Jazz team that is not in try-hard mode on defense. There’s room here for a clean 7-of-13 with free throws on top.

Brice Sensabaugh o18.5 Points (−106)
With Lauri Markkanen out again, Sensabaugh has taken the scoring reins for Utah — notching 27 points Thursday on a hyper-efficient 10-of-15 from the floor. He’s hit 26+ in three of his last four, and even with Max Christie returning for Dallas, the matchup remains juicy. Christie is expected to take on primary wing defense responsibilities but is just returning from illness, and may not have full lateral burst or game legs yet. Sensabaugh’s blend of strength and footwork could still carve up this thinned Mavs perimeter.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL will honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by displaying “Choose Love” in the end zones and on helmet decals for all divisional round playoff games this weekend.

“Choose Love” and “It Takes All of Us” will appear on opposite end zones at the Super Bowl next month. Host teams will select the end zone stencils for the conference championship games.

“Dr. King’s message continues to guide how we show up in meaningful moments across the league,” said Anna Isaacson, SVP of social responsibility for the NFL. "'Choose Love’ has become an important and widely embraced message for our teams because it reflects the values Dr. King championed — dignity, empathy, and a commitment to our shared humanity. Bringing it forward in the Divisional Round and again at Super Bowl LX reflects that continued relevance.”

“Choose Love” was first introduced in 2022 when the Bills adopted it as a unifying message for their community after a shooting in Buffalo. NFL teams have widely embraced the stencil, and it was featured at the Super Bowl last year following an attack in New Orleans.

The NFL has used on-field social justice messaging for the past six seasons. Teams featured an end zone message of their choice at each home game throughout the season, selecting from four options: “End Racism,” “Stop Hate,” “Choose Love” or “Inspire Change.” “It Takes All of Us” was stenciled in the opposite end zone for all games.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

The Boston Celtics hit the road tonight for a matchup with the new-look Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Jaylen Brown continues to torch his opponents, but his total is too high for my liking. I’ll explain in my Celtics vs. Hawks predictions why I see value in the Under.

Read more in my NBA picks for Saturday, January 17.

Celtics vs Hawks prediction

Celtics vs Hawks best bet: Jaylen Brown Under 30.5 points (-112)

Jaylen Brown is having an All-Star campaign for the Jayson Tatum-less Boston Celtics. The guard is averaging 29.4 PPG, which ranks fifth in the Association.

This is undoubtedly the best season of his career, and it’s clear that a bigger role without Tatum is bringing out the best in him.

However, Brown’s total is set at 30.5 this evening, and given his recent numbers, the Under makes the most sense here for a best bet. The former California Golden Bear has cashed the Under in points in three straight, and in four of his last five.

Brown has 27 points in each of the last two games, which is still remarkable. But, he’s only hit Over 30 points twice in January across seven contests.

Celtics vs Hawks same-game parlay

Onyeka Okongwu has developed into a very nice piece for the Atlanta Hawks over the years, and he’s averaging 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per night. The USC product is coming off a 26-point performance on Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

He’s hit the Over in points in three of his last five appearances, and Okongwu also finished with 15 points in one of those games as well. He’s averaging 15.4 PPG at home this season.

Derrick White is never afraid to chuck up triples. After all, he’s averaging 3.1 makes on 9.5 attempts for a 32.8% clip. Not the most efficient, and White has hit the Under in triples in six of eight games in January.

In fact, he’s averaging 2.5 makes this month for a 26% clip. White isn’t shooting the rock with much confidence lately – he’ll stay under four treys tonight.

Celtics vs Hawks SGP

• Jaylen Brown Under 30.5 points
• Onyeka Okongwu Over 15.5 points
• Derrick White Under 3.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Queta crashes the glass

The Hawks are allowing 15 rebounds per game to centers, and Neemias Queta has cashed the Over in three of his last six outings.

Celtics vs Hawks SGP

• Jaylen Brown Under 30.5 points
• Onyeka Okongwu Over 15.5 points
• Derrick White Under 3.5 threes
• Neemias Queta Over 9.5 rebounds

Celtics vs Hawks odds

• Spread: Boston -3.5 (-110) | Atlanta +3.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Boston +135 | Atlanta -160
• Over/Under: Over 230 (-110) | Under 230 (-110)

Celtics vs Hawks betting trend to know

The Boston Celtics have hit the Moneyline in 32 of their last 45 away games (+11.45 Units / 9% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Hawks.

How to watch Celtics vs Hawks

Celtics vs Hawks latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Dallas Mavericks will look to sweep a 2-game home set Saturday when they meet the Utah Jazz again.
 
Dallas dropped a season high in a 144-122 victory Thursday and enters this as 4.5-point favorites in the NBA odds.
 
My Jazz vs. Mavericks predictions and NBA picks have the scoring binge settling down, with these teams settling in Under a monster line on Saturday, January 17. 

Jazz vs Mavericks prediction

Jazz vs Mavericks best bet: Under 241.5 (-110)

The Dallas Mavericks are not a high-powered offensive machine, averaging just 113.6 points per game (23rd), but the Utah Jazz certainly made them look good. 
 
The Jazz are the NBA’s worst defensive team, allowing an incredible 127.4 points per game, which enables teams to shoot a league-high 49.3% against them, including 37.6% from 3-point range, the second-worst mark in the league.
 
A lot of things just went right to have Dallas ring up 144 points, including hitting 19-for-46 from 3-point range, a 41.3% clip, from a team that ranks dead last in 3-point shooting at 33.8%, while also converting 17 Utah turnovers into 30 points.
 
This is a team that still won’t likely have Cooper Flagg (ankle) back in the lineup, as he’s listed as doubtful, along with big man Daniel Gafford (ankle). They’ll be joining Anthony Davis (hand) on the sideline.
 
The good news is that both Max Christie (illness) and P.J. Washington (ankle) are probable after missing the last meeting.
 
Utah will still be without its best player, as Lauri Markkanen (illness) has already been ruled out. That didn’t slow down the Jazz scoring machine, currently sixth in the NBA, from putting up points.
 
Over has cashed in two of the last three, but Dallas and Utah have gone Under the total in seven of the previous nine.
 
The Mavericks have also gone Under in six of their last eight. While there will still be a bunch of points, I think the track meet of buckets slows down here.

Jazz vs Mavericks same-game parlay

I think it goes from heat check to reality check for Brice Sensabaugh. A guy who’s averaging 11.8 points just had 27 against Dallas, and he’s scored 26 or more in three of four games, including 43 against Chicago. Consider that in his previous 30 games, he has cracked 19 points just three times.
 
Klay Thompson is on a mini-heater, hitting at least six triples in every other game over his last six. But he’s been lights out vs Utah, drilling at least three money balls in five straight games against the Jazz. 

Jazz vs Mavericks SGP

• Under 241.5 points
• Sensabaugh Under 18.5 points
• Thompson Over 2.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Thompson stays hot

Isaiah Collier dropped 12 dimes against the Mavs last game, and has had at least eight assists in three of his last four, and in both games against Dallas this season.
 
Dwight Powell has grabbed eight or more boards just once in his last five games. Even on a team without many of its big men, Dallas’ team collective rebounding effort should keep Powell’s numbers down.

Jazz vs Mavericks SGP

• Under 241.5 points
• Sensabaugh Under 18.5 points
• Thompson Over 2.5 threes
• Collier Over 7.5 assists
• Powell Under 7.5 rebounds

Jazz vs Mavericks odds

• Spread: Jazz +3.5 | Mavericks -3.5
• Moneyline: Jazz +140 | Mavericks -165
• Over/Under: Over 241.5 | Under 241.5

Jazz vs Mavericks betting trend to know

The Mavericks have won each of their last eight home games against the Jazz. Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Mavericks.

How to watch Jazz vs Mavericks

Jazz vs Mavericks latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Nacho Elvira will head into the final day of the Dubai Invitational with a two-shot lead after a 3-under 68 in Saturday's third round, while Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry also remained in contention.

Elvira started the day tied for the lead with Lowry and started slowly with six pars and a bogey on the seventh, but birdies on the ninth, 10th, 13th and 17th meant he pulled away with an 8-under total of 205.

Lowry is in a three-way tie for second with Marcus Armitage and Dylan Fritelli, who recorded the best round of the day with 65.

McIlroy is one shot further back in fifth after making three birdies on the back nine for a 68.

Elvira's only previous wins on the European tour came at the Cazoo Open in 2021 and the Soudal Open in 2024.

The Dubai Invitational is held every other year. Two years ago, Tommy Fleetwood benefited from two huge errors on the back nine from McIlroy to win the tournament following a back-and-forth final-round duel. Fleetwood was tied for 20th on even par Saturday.

Next week sees the Dubai Desert Classic, which McIlroy has won four times. He has also won the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai three times.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The NBA trade deadline is three weeks away, leaving plenty of time for movement and speculation among the 30 teams in the league.

The trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks served as the biggest trade in the days leading up to the 2025 deadline. While 2026 has already seen the Atlanta Hawks trade away Trae Young, both were drafted early in the first round of the 2018 NBA draft before being traded for each other.

Guard Trae Young may not be the only point guard moved before the deadline. Here’s who else could be on the move.

Point guard market

Ja Morant could be on the move from Memphis, with his career stalling in recent years. Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the Sacramento Kings could be a team to watch, as long as it doesn’t "involve giving the Grizzlies any significant draft capital."

The Minnesota Timberwolves could be in the market to add a point guard, according to an ESPN report, but it remains to be seen if that happens and who those potential candidates could be.

The Timberwolves would be expected to move on from one of their key players to make a notable trade happen due to the lack of “tradable first-round picks” available for the franchise.

What could the Warriors do?

Jonathan Kuminga made his intentions clear earlier this week with his demand for a trade. The Golden State Warriors make the most of the situation and bring in a player who may be better suited for them in the process.

ESPN's Kevin Pelton believes Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. could be a player Golden State could consider. Porter has a $38 million salary, but would add another long-range shooter with size to the lineup. The Warriors would likely have to send a player over, such as  Moses Moody, to make that deal come together.

Who else is in the market for Porter? ESPN's Zach Kram believes Porter could also be a major upgrade for the Detroit Pistons, who remain a contender at the top of the Eastern Conference.

More: Where will Jonathan Kuminga be traded? NBA experts share predictions

Will Giannis Antetokounmpo be traded?

There will always be the consideration of Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded away by the Milwaukee Bucks. Whether it will actually happen remains to be seen.

"I'm just not sure who the team is that would be willing to go all-in right now for him," a scout told ESPN's Jamal Collier regarding Antetokounmpo. "Teams are looking to hold onto their cards until the summer."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA trade rumors, players who could be moved before 2026 deadline

The Los Angeles Lakers have dropped four of their last five games, but they’ll be shorthanded tonight as they search for a win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Both teams are playing the first legs of back-to-back sets, and my Lakers vs. Trail Blazers predictions expect a low-scoring game, with young center Donovan Clingan active on the glass.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this showdown at Moda Center on Saturday, January 17.

Lakers vs Trail Blazers prediction

Lakers vs Trail Blazers best bet: Donovan Clingan Over 11.5 rebounds (+100)

Donovan Clingan is pulling down a career-high 10.7 boards per game this season, but he's averaged 11.9 rebounds across his last eight games. In that span, Clingan has secured 12+ rebounds five times, including 12 in his last game out.

Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes are both questionable, giving Clingan a favorable matchup against a banged-up Los Angeles Lakers frontcourt. The Lakers will be without their two leading scorers. The Portland Trail Blazers will likely be missing its top scorer and will potentially be without its second-leading scorer.

I’m expecting a low-scoring game and plenty of missed shots from two banged-up rosters. That should lead to ample rebounding opportunities for the second-year man out of UConn.

Clingan has averaged 11.2 rebounds per game at home compared to 10.2 on the road. Given his favorable matchup at Moda Center, I’ll take the Over at even money.

Lakers vs Trail Blazers same-game parlay

Austin Reaves is still out, and Luka Doncic will sit out Saturday, too. With so much offensive firepower on the sideline, someone else will need to step up for the Lakers.

Jake LaRavia has averaged 14.1 points across his last nine games as a starter, and he scored at least 16 points five times in that span, including two straight.

Without its two leading scorers, Los Angeles will struggle to score points in this one. Likewise, Portland is expected to be without leading scorer Deni Avdija, and second-leading scorer Jerami Grant is questionable.

The Lakers have hit the Under in six of their last 10, and the Blazers have gone Under in seven of 10.

Lakers vs Trail Blazers SGP

• Donovan Clingan Over 11.5 rebounds
• Jake LaRavia Over 15.5 points
• Under 223.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: James Dishes

King James is dishing just 6.9 assists per game this season, and he's recorded nine or more in just six of 22 appearances.

I'll take my chances on the Over with plus-money odds as Luka Doncic is sidelined. Doncic is averaging 8.7 assists per game, and with him out of action, LeBron James should be the team's primary facilitator tonight.

Lakers vs Trail Blazers SGP

• Donovan Clingan Over 11.5 rebounds
• Jake LaRavia Over 15.5 points
• Under 223.5
• LeBron James Over 8.5 assists

Lakers vs Trail Blazers odds

• Spread: Los Angeles +3.5 (-110) | Portland -3.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Los Angeles +135 | Portland -160
• Over/Under: Over 223.5 (-110) | Under 223.5 (-110)

Lakers vs Trail Blazers betting trend to know

The Portland Trail Blazers have hit the Moneyline in 24 of their last 40 games at home (+15.15 Units / 29% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Trail Blazers.

How to watch Lakers vs Trail Blazers

Lakers vs Trail Blazers latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Dallas Mavericks (16-26) meet the Utah Jazz (14-27) Saturday in a game with an early 4:00pm CST tipoff at American Airlines Center. If any of that sounds familiar, it’s because the two teams faced off Thursday, with the home team Mavericks winning in a blowout, 144-122. Both teams were coming off a loss the night before (Dallas lost to Denver 118-109, while Utah fell 128-126 to Chicago) and both teams were without their leading scorer, but Dallas’ crew of bench and two-way players made an effective supporting cast for Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall as the Mavs nursed a 30-point lead for much of the second half. Saturday’s clash, the finale of the season series between these clubs, caps a four-game homestand for Dallas.

Big and rich

The presence of forward Lauri Markkanen, who missed the Jazz’ last two contests with illness, has been the difference between the Jazz looking like a pretty competent outfit, as they did Monday in an impressive 123-112 road win against Cleveland, and the Jazz team that gave up 150 points to Charlotte Saturday and 144 to the Mavericks Thursday. Markkanen scored 33 and 28 in these teams’ first two meetings, both Jazz home wins in which they outmuscled Mavs lineups with and without Anthony Davis. Markkanen and center Kyle Filipowski took over in overtime Dec. 15 after the Mavericks had spent much of the game outscoring their opponents in the paint. In their next game Jan. 8 when the Jazz needed buckets after the Mavericks erased a 14-point deficit in the third quarter, they went after Daniel Gafford as Markkanen drew Davis away from the basket. With Markkanen sitting Thursday, the Mavericks turned the tide and pushed the smaller Jazz lineups around, harassing Filipowski into 1-of-5 three-point shooting and coming up with rebounds as they protected their lead.

Brice cooker

Guard Brice Sensabaugh was electric down the stretch against the Mavericks Jan. 8, drawing a charge on Cooper Flagg, finding Keyonte George and Markkanen for baskets, and doing some scoring on his own, including a huge three-pointer and a steal and layup in the final two minutes. Thursday’s contest was not as competitive but he scored 27 on 10-of-15 shooting, the latest in a run of recent efficient performances. Sensabaugh and Lewisville-born George, both third-year players, join a core of young players for the ostensibly tanking Jazz who are developing ahead of the team’s rebuilding schedule. Second-year forward Cody Williams is finally rounding into form after a shaky start to the season; the Jazz are not yet a good defensive team but Williams is a good perimeter defender whose offense is catching up. Ace Bailey, the No. 5 pick in last year’s draft, scored 15 most recently against the Mavericks but was held to one make on five tries from three.

Today is tomorrow

The Mavericks’ bossiness near the basket Thursday was all that more impressive considering that the team was missing the top three big men on the depth chart, plus PJ Washington and Cooper Flagg, both out with ankle sprains. To make it work, the Mavericks leaned heavily on center Moussa Cisse, guard Miles Kelly, and forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who all topped 20 minutes. Kelly made three of eight three-pointers, Cisse tallied his first career double-double, and Robinson-Earl debuted with 12 points and seven boards. While Flagg is considered doubtful to play Saturday, the possible return of Max Christie, who missed Thursday’s game with illness, would give the Mavericks some shooting and scoring at the rim which will be much needed if the Jazz have more of their starters available.

For the second straight season, injuries have the Mavericks needing to get creative to field a healthy lineup, using their recently awarded 10-day hardship exception to sign Robinson-Earl. There has been no shortage of tough news lately for the Mavericks, and the forecast after this game calls for six more weeks of winter- of the Mavs’ next 13 opponents between now and Feb. 20, all but two (the Bucks and Hornets) have a winning record.

How to watch/listen

You can watch the game on KFAA Channel 29 or MAVS TV (streaming), or listen at 97.1FM KEGL (English), and 99.1FM KFZO (español)

After a rocky road trip, the Knicks (25*-16) return to Madison Square Garden tonight for a rematch with the Phoenix Suns (24-17).

Not ten days ago, New York lost in Arizona, 112-107. The game was tight until Phoenix hit the gas, leaning on Devin Booker’s shot-making and a timely third-quarter surge to seize control. Jalen Brunson led New York with 27, and the Knicks got balanced support from Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, and Mikal Bridges, but a 14–0 Suns run lopped off their heads.

New York’s offense runs through Brunson, whose sprained ankle makes him a game-time decision. When the Knicks stall, it’s usually because secondary creation dries up or the three-pointers aren’t falling. Or they turn over the ball too often. Or their defense degrades to one-ply. Or their bench players look like Encino Man discovering sports. Or their coach has a postgame, sideline rubdown with that night’s villain. For a team with championship aspirations (and Dolan’s expectations), the problems are manifold. When their troubles are all activated at once, as we saw on the recently completed road trip, the disappointment is spectacular.

Towns remains a confounding puzzle piece: his rebounding and interior scoring can fill up a scoresheet, but foul trouble, turnovers, and general aloofness are regular bugaboos. The eye test alone will tell you that something is off, and the numbers support it. Towns is shooting at, or almost at, career lows from the field and from deep. Furthermore, he is averaging below 21 points for just the third season of his career.

From our distance, we have no idea why the highly decorated big man is decomposing. He could be playing hurt, confused by the playbook, incompatible with his teammates, performing badly in Fortnite, getting old, annoyed by trade rumors, or anxious about his wedding engagement. Maybe he just wants a hug from Mike Brown, but instead watched the coach give that bully Draymond Green a full bear wraparound. Whatever it is must be addressed soon, for two reasons. First, the Knicks can’t win the Finals with their Number Two player underperforming like this. Second, he’s tanking his trade value. Has anyone else drawn a heart around February 5 on your calendar?

Sorry for all the list-making today. Just caught myself sounding like Rick Moody and shuddered.

Is KAT alone to blame? Of course not. OG Anunoby has played inconsistently for a month, with some nice quarters (he tried to spark a rally on Thursday) offset by stretches when he looks positively wiped out. That can happen when you defend the opponent’s best player nightly, and clean up the slop let through by the point guard and center. The reticent Ogugua never spills tea, but aren’t you dying to know his thoughts about his teammates?

While I’m piling it on: the bench usually fails to contribute meaningfully. You can blame injuries to an extent. It definitely hurt to have Landry Shamet miss twenty-some games and Deuce McBride eleven. Mitch, I wrote about here.

The healthy guys haven’t been much help, either. Veteran Jordan Clarkson has logged a zero or less in the plus-minus column twenty times this season. He has recorded double-digit plus-minus figures seven times, but only three of those games came against teams with winning records. Fellow guard Tyler Kolek has by turns glowed like a savior and looked as lost as a jay-vee high schooler. Mohamed Diawara and Kevin McCullar Jr. both had fleeting moments in the sun, followed by disappearances. Who knows what’s up with Trey Jemison III? And I’m blanking on someone. Wasn’t there another kid, way down there on the pine, partial to baguettes? Pac Man something?

What does all this add up to? Me feeling less optimistic than ESPN.com is about today’s tilt, that’s what (they give New York a 65% chance). Maybe the oddsmakers factored in that Booker is a game-time decision due to a sore ankle. Ignore all that. Booker loves to play at the Garden, and Brunson knows his team needs a hero. I’d bet you a donut—if I knew you and had a donut—that both suit up.

Back home and looking to reset, the Knicks will need sharper defense and steadier offense. Controlling the glass, defending the arc, and finishing possessions are what it takes. Phoenix won the first meeting late by loading up on Brunson and capitalizing on 18 turnovers. New York must counter more strongly this time, and perhaps they will with the Garden crowd at their backs. Let’s predict that our heroes dig deep, wipe the smugness from Dillon Brooks’ and Grayson Allen’s faces, and prove they still got it down the stretch. Knicks by four.

Game Details

Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, NYC
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

The Minnesota Timberwolves lost a close one to the Houston Rockets on Friday, and the path forward doesn’t get any easier when they travel to Frost Bank Center to face the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

San Antonio is rested and healthy, and my Timberwolves vs Spurs predictions expect the home team to cover the spread and get back in the win column against the Wolves.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this Western Conference showdown on Saturday, January 17.

Timberwolves vs Spurs prediction

Timberwolves vs Spurs best bet: Spurs -6.5 (-110)

Anthony Edwards hit a game-winner to take down the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Target Center, but Ant-Man is banged up, and the Spurs are playing at home. Saturday’s rematch offers a great opportunity for San Antonio to deliver a win and cover the spread.

The Spurs are 11-7-1 ATS at home and 9-7-1 as the home favorite. The Minnesota Timberwolves are 9-12 ATS on the road, 3-4 as the road dog, and 5-9 with a rest disadvantage. The Spurs sport a +7.2 point differential per game at home, good for the sixth-best mark in the Association.

Minnesota is on the second leg of a back-to-back set and will play its third road game in four days. Anthony Edwards is questionable after sitting out Friday, and even if he plays, he’ll likely be at less than 100%. I'll take the healthier, rested Spurs and the points as they get revenge against the Wolves.

Timberwolves vs Spurs same-game parlay

The Wolves and Spurs are two of the NBA's best defenses. Minnesota has hit the Over in 13 of 21 games on the road, but San Antonio has done so in just seven of 19 home games, including five of 17 as the home favorite. The Spurs have hit the Under in eight straight, and I don't expect that streak to end against the tired legs of Minnesota. Add in Anthony Edwards' injury, and this looks like a low-scoring game.

Victor Wembanyama has scored at least 24 points in 14 of 27 games overall, including eight of 14 at Frost Bank Center. He posted 29 points against the Wolves on Sunday, and he delivered 34 in his final matchup of the 2024-25 campaign with them. The superstar has averaged 25.4 points across his last five at home.

Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -6.5
• Under 228.5
• Wembanyama Over 23.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Wemby Spurs San Antonio to victory

Naz Reid is averaging 14.9 points per game this season, and he's scored 15+ in 22 of 42 games overall, and 11 of 20 on the road. Reid has reached the Over on this line in four straight games, including a 17-point performance against the Spurs on Sunday. With Anthony Edwards banged up, Reid could see a bump in offensive usage.

Timberwolves vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -6.5
• Under 228.5
• Wembanyama Over 23.5 points
• Naz Reid Over 14.5 points

Timberwolves vs Spurs odds

• Spread: Timberwolves +6.5 | Spurs -6.5
• Moneyline: Timberwolves +210 | Spurs -260
• Over/Under: Over 228.5 | Under 228.5

Timberwolves vs Spurs betting trend to know

The San Antonio Spurs have hit the 1Q Game Total Under in 29 of their last 40 games (+16.45 Units / 36% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Spurs.

How to watch Timberwolves vs Spurs

Timberwolves vs Spurs latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Rockets got back on the winning track on Friday night with a 110-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were playing without Anthony Edwards. Kevin Durant had a season-high 39 points to lead the way for the Rockets. Durant was 11-for-18 from the field, 6-for-8 from deep, and evem showed off some of his playmaking chops with 7 assists to go along with 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block. He did have 5 turnovers, however.

Houston also got a double-double from Alperen Sengun. He finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, while shooting 11-for-22 from the field. He also seems to finally be feeling better, as he was back to doing Alpie-like things.

SENGUN MADE RUDY LOOK TWICE 🔥

Watch the finish of Timberwolves-Rockets on ESPN and the ESPN App 🍿 pic.twitter.com/l8it8WCXr4

— ESPN (@espn) January 17, 2026

The only other two Rockets in double figures were Amen Thompson, who finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists on 5-for-12 from the floor, while Reed Sheppard woke back up a bit, also finishing with 14 points. He was 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-6 from three, though he’s still struggling getting minutes out of Ime Udoka, finishing with just 19 minutes of court time. As a comparison, Josh Okogie had 1 point on0-for-4 shooting, and he still played 33 minutes. Jabari Smith Jr. continued struggle, hitting just 3-for-12 from the field, he still played 38 minutes. Reed just can’t get any love, even when he’s playing relatively well.

Outside of Reed, Houston got just 8 more total points from its bench, with Dorian Finney-Smith throwing up another stinker with 0 points in 16 minutes.

The Rockets sat Steven Adams and only played Clint Capela 12 total minutes, so the Rockets actually lost the rebound battle in this one, but they shot 46 percent and were 12-for-28 from deep, so perhaps the offense is waking up a little bit.

The Wolves were led by Julius Randle with 39 points, and Naz Reid had 25 off of the bench, while Rudy Gobert had a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double along with 2 blocks, despite being put in a blender by Sengun.

The Rockets now move to 24-15 on the season and are in the five seed, three games back of the second seed. They’ll be back in action on Sunday versus the New Orleans Pelicans.

Luka Dončić will be unavailable for the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, Jan. 17.

The Lakers star has left groin soreness and will be out for the road game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the team announced Friday night.

Dončić injured his groin while warming up before a game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday. He'd managed to play in the three games since the injury, with the team going 1-2 during that stretch.

He is one of three players who have been ruled out for Los Angeles, along with Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain).

Luka Dončić stats

Dončić has averaged 33.6 points, 8.7 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game in 32 games played this season. He ranks first in points and fourth in assists this season.

Who is Luka Dončić's backup?

Kobe Bufkin is listed as the primary backup behind Dončić at point guard, according to ESPN. Bufkin has averaged 1.5 points and two rebounds per game. Gabe Vincent would also be considered. He's averaged 5.1 points and 1.4 assists per game in just 19 games this season, averaging 20.1 minutes per game.

When do Lakers play next?

The Los Angeles Lakers will play the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT). The game will be played at the Moda Center in Portland.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luka Doncic injury update: Will Lakers star play vs Blazers tonight?

WENGEN, Switzerland (AP) — Marco Odermatt already has no equals on the World Cup skiing circuit.

Now the Swiss star is set to claim the record in the biggest event on home snow, too.

Odermatt led a shortened race Saturday to set up his fourth career downhill victory in Wengen – breaking a tie for the most downhill victories on the famed Lauberhorn course with Franz Klammer and Beat Feuz.

Austrian standout Klammer claimed his three Wengen downhill wins in the 1970s while Feuz, another Swiss skier, claimed his third victory in 2020.

What’s more is that Odermatt’s four wins would come in succession.

Odermatt finished a massive 0.79 seconds ahead of Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr and 0.90 ahead of Italy's Giovanni Franzoni, who claimed his first caeer victory in Friday's super-G.

Lower-ranked skiers were still coming down the course.

Strong winds prompted organizers to drastically shorten the course — making the narrow and tactical “Kernen S” section the key to the race. Odermatt mastered the section perfectly and carried away a faster speed on the exit than anyone else.

Franjo von Allmen and Alexis Money, two other Swiss skiers, stood fourth and fifth, respectively.

Von Allmen, the world champion in downhill last season, took a riskier approach and skied into a television camera lining the course inside the “S” section. Then he crashed in the finish area — although appeared unhurt.

Dominik Paris of Italy was sixth after registering the top speed at 151.57 kph (94 kph).

It’s the first of the two weekends at the circuit’s classic venues, with Kitzbuehel, Austria, up next. Then the focus will switch to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy — with the men to ski in Bormio.

Odermatt won gold in giant slalom at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and will be favored to win multiple medals at the upcoming Games.

Overall, it was set to be Odermatt’s 52nd World Cup victory, moving him within two wins of matching Hermann Maier for third place on the all-time men’s list. He's also got a massive lead in the standings as he chases a fifth consecutive overall World Cup title.

Odermatt immediately knew he had done something special again, screaming with delight in the finish area and waving to the crowd, which was made up almost entirely of fans waving Swiss flags.

___

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

YANBU, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Luciano Benavides exploited a navigation blunder by Ricky Brabec minutes from the finish of the Dakar Rally to sensationally win the motorbike title on Saturday by two seconds — the smallest margin ever.

Meanwhile, Nasser Al-Attiyah safely secured his sixth car title on the 13th and final stage, a flat-out 105-kilometer sprint along the Red Sea coast to Yanbu.

Brabec was hurtling toward his third Dakar victory. While Benavides' KTM was faster in real time, Brabec's Honda was collecting time bonuses for opening the way and extending his overnight lead of 3 minutes, 20 seconds.

Then seven kilometers from the finish Brabec took a wrong turn. Benavides didn't. He saw a headlight turn around and slowed to see who it was. When he realized it was Brabec, Benavides knew the “almost impossible” was possible.

“I saw the opportunity and I took it,” he said. “I felt ready all day. I told everyone at the start of the stage ‘This Dakar is for me.’”

Benavides finished second on the stage to teammate Edgar Canet, who won his third stage of this Dakar. When Brabec arrived 3:22 behind Benavides, the Argentine's team lifted him on their shoulders and shouted “Lu-chan-oh, Lu-chan-oh.”

“It's unreal,” Benavides said. “Two seconds after two weeks and almost 8,000 kilometers is something that is hard to understand.”

The previous closest margin was 43 seconds by Luciano's older brother Kevin. That was another stunning comeback. Kevin started the 2023 final stage 12 seconds behind and won his second motorbike title.

Brabec's Honda teammate Tosha Schareina was a distant third after coming second last year.

Luciano started his ninth Dakar never having reached the podium and just three months after tearing knee ligaments in the Moroccan Rally.

Even after he started the second week with consecutive stage wins, he rode in the shadow of teammate and defending champion Daniel Sanders, who was dominating the race until he crashed on Wednesday and broke his collarbone and sternum. Sanders continued practically riding one-handed and finished fifth for valuable points in the defense of his world rally-raid title.

Brabec won Friday's stage to gather an overall lead that even Benavides thought “was mathematically almost impossible” to overcome.

But, he said, “I never stopped believing. For me there was no strategy any days, I just give my best. I never tried to slow down. I feel bad for Ricky. He did a mistake and (it) cost (him) the Dakar.”

No. 6 for Al-Attiyah

Al-Attiyah confirmed his sixth car title — two behind the record of former teammate Stéphane Peterhansel -- and first for Dacia after a cautious final drive, nearly nine minutes behind Mattias Ekström, who won his car-leading fourth stage.

Nani Roma could hack only six minutes off the overall leader's pace and Al-Attiyah ultimately beat Roma by 9:42, easily the lowest margin of his six victories.

Al-Attiyah has won for four different manufacturers in 2011 and 2015 in Argentina, in 2019 in Peru and in 2022, 2023 and this year in Saudi.

Roma, the 2014 car champion, earned his first podium finish since 2019. Ekström's Ford held off Sébastien Loeb's Dacia by 37 seconds for consecutive third-place finishes.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing