BOTTOM LINE: Detroit visits New York looking to extend its three-game road winning streak.
The Knicks are 24-13 in conference play. New York ranks third in the Eastern Conference in team defense, allowing only 111.9 points while holding opponents to 45.9% shooting.
The Pistons are 26-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Detroit is fifth in the NBA scoring 18.4 fast break points per game led by Cade Cunningham averaging 3.7.
The Knicks make 47.2% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.1 percentage points higher than the Pistons have allowed to their opponents (44.1%). The Pistons average 5.3 more points per game (117.2) than the Knicks allow (111.9).
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Pistons won the last meeting 118-80 on Feb. 7. Daniss Jenkins scored 18 points to help lead the Pistons to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 19.8 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson is averaging 23.3 points and 6.1 assists over the last 10 games.
Cunningham is averaging 25.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 9.6 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 8-2, averaging 119.0 points, 46.3 rebounds, 29.6 assists, 7.7 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.7 points per game.
Pistons: 8-2, averaging 118.7 points, 43.9 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 11.5 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.4 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: OG Anunoby: day to day (toe), Miles McBride: out (ankle).
Pistons: Ronald Holland II: day to day (personal).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio aims to keep its six-game win streak intact when the Spurs take on Phoenix.
The Spurs are 24-13 in conference play. San Antonio has a 6-4 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Suns have gone 22-16 against Western Conference opponents. Phoenix is sixth in the Western Conference with 15.0 fast break points per game led by Devin Booker averaging 3.3.
The Spurs' 13.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.7 more made shots on average than the 12.3 per game the Suns give up. The Suns are shooting 46.0% from the field, 0.4% higher than the 45.6% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Suns won 111-102 in the last matchup on Nov. 24.
TOP PERFORMERS: De'Aaron Fox is shooting 48.4% and averaging 19.4 points for the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama is averaging 24.4 points over the last 10 games.
Booker is averaging 25.2 points and 6.3 assists for the Suns. Dillon Brooks is averaging 25.0 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 8-2, averaging 120.1 points, 47.1 rebounds, 29.6 assists, 7.3 steals and 7.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.1 points per game.
Suns: 5-5, averaging 110.0 points, 42.7 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 9.1 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.1 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Lindy Waters III: day to day (knee).
Suns: Isaiah Livers: out (shoulder), Cole Anthony: day to day (not injury related), Grayson Allen: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta heads into the matchup with Philadelphia as losers of three in a row.
The 76ers have gone 19-18 against Eastern Conference teams. Philadelphia ranks ninth in the Eastern Conference in team defense, giving up just 115.9 points while holding opponents to 47.1% shooting.
The Hawks are 13-20 in Eastern Conference play. Atlanta ranks second in the NBA scoring 18.0 fast break points per game led by Jalen Johnson averaging 4.2.
The 76ers score 116.2 points per game, 2.4 fewer points than the 118.6 the Hawks give up. The Hawks are shooting 47.2% from the field, 0.1% higher than the 47.1% the 76ers' opponents have shot this season.
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Hawks defeated the 76ers 120-117 in their last meeting on Dec. 14. Dyson Daniels led the Hawks with 27 points, and Paul George led the 76ers with 35 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyrese Maxey is averaging 28.9 points, 6.8 assists and two steals for the 76ers. Kelly Oubre Jr. is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Johnson is averaging 23.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 19.9 points and 3.2 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 6-4, averaging 114.1 points, 40.1 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.9 points per game.
Hawks: 5-5, averaging 115.9 points, 43.2 rebounds, 28.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.6 points.
INJURIES: 76ers: Joel Embiid: day to day (knee), Quentin Grimes: day to day (illness).
Hawks: Jonathan Kuminga: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago hosts Toronto looking to break its three-game home slide.
The Bulls are 16-22 in Eastern Conference games. Chicago has a 9-5 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Raptors are 24-15 in conference matchups. Toronto is second in the Eastern Conference with 29.3 assists per game led by Immanuel Quickley averaging 6.1.
The Bulls average 14.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 more made shots on average than the 12.8 per game the Raptors give up. The Raptors are shooting 47.3% from the field, 0.6% lower than the 47.9% the Bulls' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Raptors won the last meeting 123-107 on Feb. 6, with Brandon Ingram scoring 33 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Giddey is averaging 18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists for the Bulls. Matas Buzelis is averaging 16.4 points over the last 10 games.
Quickley is scoring 17.0 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Raptors. Ingram is averaging 22.1 points and 4.6 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 1-9, averaging 111.9 points, 42.0 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 124.7 points per game.
Raptors: 6-4, averaging 112.0 points, 43.2 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 9.1 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points.
INJURIES: Bulls: Jalen Smith: day to day (calf), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Isaac Okoro: day to day (knee), Tre Jones: day to day (hamstring), Zach Collins: out (toe), Josh Giddey: day to day (hamstring).
Raptors: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Boston travels to Golden State for a non-conference matchup.
The Warriors are 18-10 on their home court. Golden State is sixth in the Western Conference at limiting opponent scoring, allowing just 113.7 points while holding opponents to 47.2% shooting.
The Celtics are 17-10 in road games. Boston ranks last in the Eastern Conference recording just 23.9 assists per game led by Derrick White averaging 5.6.
The Warriors average 16.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.3 more made shots on average than the 14.0 per game the Celtics give up. The Celtics are shooting 46.7% from the field, 0.5% lower than the 47.2% the Warriors' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brandin Podziemski is averaging 12 points and 3.5 assists for the Warriors. Moses Moody is averaging 15.3 points over the last 10 games.
Nikola Vucevic is scoring 16.7 points per game and averaging 9.0 rebounds for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown is averaging 21.6 points and 6.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 4-6, averaging 109.4 points, 40.4 rebounds, 29.4 assists, 12.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.5 points per game.
Celtics: 7-3, averaging 107.3 points, 47.2 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 6.8 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.2 points.
INJURIES: Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Kristaps Porzingis: out (achilles), LJ Cryer: day to day (hamstring), Will Richard: day to day (knee), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Seth Curry: out (back).
Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland seeks to build upon its five-game win streak with a victory against Brooklyn.
The Cavaliers are 20-13 in Eastern Conference games. Cleveland ranks fifth in the league averaging 14.7 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 35.8% from deep. Donovan Mitchell leads the team averaging 3.6 makes while shooting 37.6% from 3-point range.
The Nets are 11-22 against Eastern Conference opponents. Brooklyn is 5-24 against opponents with a winning record.
The Cavaliers average 14.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.3 more made shots on average than the 12.4 per game the Nets allow. The Cavaliers average 107.7 points per game, 8.2 fewer points than the 115.9 the Cavaliers give up.
The two teams match up for the second time this season. The Cavaliers defeated the Nets 131-124 in their last matchup on Oct. 24. Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 35 points, and Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 31 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell is averaging 29 points, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen is averaging 18.3 points and 9.5 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Porter is averaging 25 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Nets. Day'Ron Sharpe is averaging 11.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 9-1, averaging 124.1 points, 43.1 rebounds, 29.5 assists, 10.4 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.4 points per game.
Nets: 3-7, averaging 104.7 points, 43.3 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 7.6 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.4 points.
INJURIES: Cavaliers: Max Strus: out (foot), Evan Mobley: out (calf), Dean Wade: day to day (ankle).
Nets: Noah Clowney: day to day (ankle), Nic Claxton: day to day (hip), Michael Porter Jr.: day to day (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 07: Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz looks on against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Kia Center on February 07, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the new regular articles I’m wanting to do is a Utah Jazz Question of the Day. I’ll do these as often as I can with questions I hope our community would like to discuss. If you have any questions you want to go over, let me know in the comments.
For today’s question, it’s somewhat related to our “beloved” commissioner who punishes our team for doing the thing most likely to lead to eventual championship contention. The question is: What is the change you would most like to see from the league?
For me, I have a pretty easy one. I hate it when teams, at the end of the game, up three or more, foul to put players at the line for two free throws. To me, it ruins the end of games and any chance of a game-tying or game-winning play. For this, the easy fix is that if a team is up by three or more, any foul in the final minute is a technical free throw for the opposing team, followed by a side out with the ball.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Isaac Asuma scored 15 points and Grayson Grove scored 13 points and Minnesota ended its five-game Big Ten Conference road losing streak by beating Oregon 61-44 on Tuesday night.
Cade Tyson scored 12 points and Bobby Durkin 11 for Minnesota (12-14, 5-10) which last won on the road in conference on Jan. 3 when the Golden Gophers beat Northwestern, 84-78.
The Ducks now have lost 11 of 12.
Nate Bittle scored 15 points and Kwame Evans Jr. 13 for Oregon (9-17, 2-13) which scored a season-low point total shooting 38% (20 of 53) and 10% (2 of 20) from 3-point range. Evans went 2-for-2 shooting from the foul line, the only trip the Ducks made to the line the entire game.
Minnesota led 22-17 at halftime and began distancing itself in the second half. Oregon used a 9-0 run to turn a 29-21 deficit with 17:33 remaining into a one-point lead on a 3-pointer by Evans four minutes later.
Grove responded with a dunk, Asuma converted a layup and Durkin made a 3 and Minnesota never trailed again. The Golden Gophers outscored Oregon 22-6 and turned a 39-36 advantage into a 61-42 lead with 1:29 remaining.
Minnesota leads the all-time series, 8-3.
Up next
Minnesota: Hosts Rutgers on Saturday.
Oregon: Travels to Los Angeles to face USC on Saturday.
NEW DELHI (AP) — South Africa chased down a victory target of 123 with 40 balls to spare Wednesday to finish the group stage of cricket's Twenty20 World Cup unbeaten.
South Africa opted to field first and restricted United Arab Emirates to 122-6, with veteran pace bowlers Corbin Bosch returning 3-12 from four overs and Anrich Nortje taking 2-28.
The South Africans raced to 123-4 in 13.2 overs, taking the last seven runs in singles after their fourth wicket fell.
Rain showers delayed the start of South Africa’s reply and then the first over netted just one run.
But from that point on, the Proteas accelerated to victory by adding 13 runs off the second over and 18 from the third until Haider Ali bowled skipper Aiden Markram for 28 from 11 balls — all but two of his runs coming from boundaries.
Dewald Brevis led the scoring with 36 before he was out within two scoring shots of victory, and Ryan Rickelton scored 30 as the 2024 runners-up dominated the bowling.
For the UAE, Alishan Sharafu led the scoring with 45 from 38 deliveries before he was caught in the outfield off Nortje's bowling in the 18th over.
The South Africans rested David Miller, frontline spinner Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi ahead of the Super 8 stage.
In matches later Wednesday, Pakistan will take on Namibia in Colombo with a spot in the Super 8s at stake, and co-host India will finish off the Group A program against Netherlands at Ahmedabad.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson drives down court as Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook gives chase. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
But when he hits free agency again — which he can if he doesn’t take his player option for 2028-29 — he will be eligible for a max contract of five years and projected to be worth a little over $417 million.
He hopes the Knicks play ball.
“If I’m thinking about playing well to make sure I get paid, that could mess with me,” Brunson told Vanity Fair. “I play best when I have a free mind, and that did that for me. A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team. One hundred percent I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of. … Obviously we’d love for them to do right by me. I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed.”
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after hitting a 3-point shot in the first half at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, Tuesday, January 27, 2026. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
An All-Star in three straight seasons, Brunson, 29, has continued to play at a high level this year. He’s averaged 27 points (on 47 percent shooting) with 6.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds per contest. In what’s been a streaky, topsy-turvy year for the Knicks, they’re still firmly in the thick of the Eastern Conference race, sitting in third place with a 35-20 record, six games back of the Pistons for first.
The 29-year-old Brunson, however, said earlier in February that he isn’t concerned so much about regular-season results come the spring and summer months.
“I don’t look at regular-season games as a barometer because, come playoffs, it’s a different basketball game,” Brunson told reporters. “Especially when you talk about a seven-game series. I’ve been with different teams that went to the Finals or played deep in the playoffs that lost the season series to teams and still won in the playoffs.”
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — P.J. Haggerty scored 34 points, Nate Johnson added a career-high 33, and Kansas State cruised past Baylor 90-74 on Tuesday night in the debut of Wildcats' interim head coach Matthew Driscoll.
K-State (11-15, 2-11 Big 12) never trailed and held a double-digit lead for most of the second half to end a six-game skid. Driscoll replaced previous head coach Jerome Tang, who was fired Sunday night after four season at the helm.
Johnson’s layup gave the Wildcats a 21-point lead with 10:39 remaining. He surpassed his previous career-best 31 points with a dunk with 1:37 remaining.
Haggerty shot 15 of 23 overall. Johnson was 11-of-16 shooting and made five of the Wildcats' eight 3-pointers. Johnson also had nine assists and matched a career-high with six steals.
Isaac Williams IV scored 16 points to lead Baylor (13-13, 3-10), which has lost four straight. Tounde Yessoufou added 14 point for the Bears. Cameron Carr chipped in with 12 points and Dan Skillings Jr. scored 11. The Bears made just three of their 24 3-point attempts.
Johnson made four 3s and scored 16 points, and Haggerty added 13 points to help K-State build a 41-34 halftime advantage. The Wildcats shot 5 of 11 from long range while Baylor missed 11 of 12 attempts from beyond the arc.
Williams' layup pulled the Bears to 66-57 with 8:20 left but they didn't get closer.
Up next
Baylor hosts Arizona State on Saturday.
K-State is on the road Saturday to face No. 13 Texas Tech.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Dailyn Swain scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Matas Vokietaitas recorded a double-double and Texas held off gutty LSU for an 88-85 win on Tuesday night.
Vokietaitas scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope each scored 18 for a Texas squad which shot 56% (29 of 52). The Longhorns' 23-of-34 performance from the foul line helped keep the Tigers alive.
Pope, Swain and Mark were each in double figures with 11, 11 and 10 points respectively before halftime after which Texas appeared poised to runaway with it.
In his return from a knee injury, Max Mackinnon came off the bench to score 21 of his 29 points in the second half for LSU. Marquel Sutton scored 19 points, Mike Nwoko 15 and Jalen Reece 14 for LSU.
Pope's jumper with 32 seconds left made it 87-82 to help seal the win. The basket occurred after Nwoko missed a floater in the lane which would've reduced the Tigers' deficit to a point. Pope missed two foul shots with 1:16 left.
The Longhorns (17-9, 8-5 SEC) led 30-25 with 5:17 left before outscoring LSU 18-8 before halftime and led 48-33 at intermission.
LSU (14-12, 2-11) rallied, however, and managed to get within four points on two occasions at the midway point of the second half.
Texas has won five straight conference matchups for the first time since 2021.
Marred by injury all season, LSU has lost four straight and 11 of 13.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Blue Cain scored 20 points, Jeremiah Wilkinson added 19 points off the bench and Georgia beat Kentucky 86-78 on Tuesday night for its first win at Rupp Arena since 2009.
Georgia (18-8, 6-7 SEC) had lost 12 straight at Kentucky since a 90-85 victory on March 4, 2009.
Cain made two free throws with 4:05 remaining for a 78-69 lead following a Flagrant 1 foul. But the Bulldogs turned it over on the ensuing inbounds play and Otega Oweh raced the other way for a fast-break dunk while being fouled. His free throw cut Kentucky’s deficit to six.
Marcus Millender answered with a long 3-pointer for Georgia to make it 81-72 with 3:33 remaining. The Bulldogs did not score again until Somtochukwu Cyril grabbed an offensive rebound and banked in a shot in the paint with 44.3 seconds left for an 83-78 lead.
Denzel Aberdeen made Kentucky’s last field goal of the game with 3:03 left before the Wildcats missed five straight.
Cyril and Millender each had 14 points for Georgia, which had lost five of its last six overall.
Oweh led Kentucky (17-9, 8-5) with 28 points. Collin Chandler added 18 points on a career-high six 3s and Aberdeen scored 14. The Wildcats entered allowing an average of 65 points per game.
Wilkinson made a 3-pointer with two seconds left in the first half to give Georgia a 39-34 lead at halftime. Cain and Cyril combined for 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
Up next
Georgia: Returns home to play Texas on Saturday.
Kentucky: Goes on the road to play Auburn on Saturday.
Sean Marks 10-year tenure as GM of the Brooklyn Nets may be most easily understood through a series of snippets from the NetsDaily archives:
June 30, 2019 … 5:13 p.m. ET … The Clean Sweep
In a coup with few historic precedents, the Brooklyn Nets will sign Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan in the next few weeks becoming the big winners of free agency 2019…
Sources: Durant will sign a 4-year, $164M deal with the Nets; Irving will sign 4-years, $141M.
February 9, 2023, 1:34 a.m. ET … End of the Big Three….
The inability of the Nets to capitalize on their signings of KD and Kyrie — and the subsequent trade for James Harden — now becomes a managerial failure of the first order with first Harden, then Irving and finally Durant asking out.
“This is the greatest failure in NBA history,” said Zach Lowe on NBA Today without exaggeration. One league source told NetsDaily Wednesday that a housecleaning is likely to follow at HSS Training Center this off-season.
June 25, 2024, 10:46 p.m. ET … Rebuild!
NetsWorld turned upside down.
Mikal Bridges, the centerpiece of the Brooklyn Nets trade of Kevin Durant a year and a half ago, has been traded to the New York Knicks in one of two monster moves that has sent Brooklyn into a full rebuild. In the other, the Nets and the Houston Rockets executed a swap of picks that will bring two of the Nets trade assets from the James Harden trade back to Brooklyn. adding to the rebuild.
The trades are the latest in a series of moves that have taken the Nets from being the odds-on NBA championship favorite in 2021-22 to a team whose short-term future looks bleak.
Up, down, up again?
It’s tempting to recount a long list of successes and failures over the decade, but why? The Nets success, failure, even identity are tied to Sean Marks, his skills, his personality. He has been the Nets, for good or bad. That is undeniable after a decade in the job in the NBA … maybe in most jobs. He has gone from having been personally and emotionally thanked on the concourses of Barclays Center to having some of those same fans demand his firing on social media and having pundits literally laugh at his draft choices on national TV. At present, there is no indication — none— that his relationship with Joe Tsai, the principal owner, is anything but solid. His contract, whose terms have never been publicly discussed, appears to have one more season to run after this one. Think continuity, continuity, continuity. Joe Tsai does.
It’s also tempting to grade the tenure, or grade where the Nets stand currently, maybe even grade each transaction, then add it all up. Not much value there either. Everyone from fans to pundits knows what happened (see above) and their opinions aren’t going to change. It’s clickbait to be discussed and forgotten. Besides, there are plenty of pundits who have and continue to grade Marks.
Just this morning, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports did his semi-annual rankings of NBA front offices, apparently unaware of the anniversary. He ranked Marks and the Nets at No. 15. That put them just behind the Miami Heat (Pat Riley) and just ahead of the Detroit Pistons (Trajan Langdon, his former acolyte!) Like many who believe in Marks, both inside and outside the organization, Quinn’s analysis is somewhat defensive.
The Nets are the team I most consistently find myself defending in arguments about these rankings. A lot of the criticism Brooklyn’s front office gets is unfair. Sean Marks took over a team without control over its first-round picks, built it into a championship favorite, and then watched it fall apart because of a pandemic. I’m not punishing a general manager for COVID, and if I were to punish general managers over abrupt James Harden trade requests, we’d be dinging a huge chunk of this list. Besides, they’ve rebounded quite nicely.
And Rick Carlisle, as good a head coach as there is in the NBA right now, had kind words for the Nets future just last week.
“They do a great job of developing young players here. Jordi’s been really top of the heap with what they’ve done the last couple of years. [Nolan] Traore’s gonna keep getting better. [Egor] Dëmin’s getting better. Their young bigs have progressed a lot over the last couple of years. The future here is very bright.”
That’s better than any pundit’s take!
What it ALL means is that GMs, including Marks, are judged on one thing: “what have you done for me lately?” and “lately” in the context of multi-year rebuild is very very subjective. The Nets are tanking or “playing the probabilities” as some might say and it shows in the (losing) record. On the other hand, Marks & co. have followed the time-honored rebuilding path — acquire good young players and draft picks, optimize cap space and otherwise be patient just as he did in the first rebuild in hopes of getting back to the promised land. And never, ever, minimize luck, good or bad.
Brian Lewis recently interviewed Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman, one of Marks’ biggest supporters (and a GM with similar longevity and legions of fans who think he too has stayed too long.) He advised fans to think about what Marks has done once already, believing he can do it again.
“Process is something that is important, but doesn’t guarantee ultimate outcomes,” Cashman told The Post. “Sean has proven he can build a winner. He’s done that. Ultimately they didn’t get to the promised land with the championship, but he did everything lined up to put himself and put themselves in a position to do so. And I know he’s capable of doing that again.
“That’s what he’s going through right now in the fact that Joe Tsai — one of the brightest minds of our generation — sees the talent in Sean to stay invested in [him] to lead that operation. I think it’ll pay off for him in the end, and pay off for the Brooklyn Nets, because Sean is someone that you’d rather have on your team than put in the open market for somebody else to benefit from.”
In our own discussions, we heard that last line more than once from professionals much of what Lewis heard from Cashman and others. He’s very smart and has a record better than most when it’s all added up, but there are others who take more tempered approach. Smart yes but at the same time subject to big mistakes brought on by hubris is one criticism.
The Nets, said one, have had a general tendency to hang on to players too long, often have too high an asking price. Then, those players “fuck up the locker room” before being traded on the cheap or cut. That list is long, but can be repeated by any Nets fans who’s worn black-and-white and felt black-and-blue: Ben Simmons, Spencer Dinwiddie, James Harden, Cam Thomas and of course, Kyrie Irving. (No we are not re-litigating Kyrie’s exit.)
That he said has let to volatility and plain old-fashioned chaos, something players like to avoid.
On the other hand, said the same source, the Nets — Marks and Tsai — know what to do when the big decision arrives, arguing they can “kill” at the right moment, noting what they got for Kevin Durant and Mikal Bridges, trades that ultimately led to a haul of more than 10 draft picks and some ancillary assets.
It’s all part of the way Marks looks at things, say those who know him: don’t dwell on the failures or successes. Move on. He is not one to replay his failings over and over in his head. These are sunk costs. And he doesn’t care that someone, whether Brian Windhorst or Bill Simmons or Jake Fischer, doesn’t like what he did. He has a thick skin and an ability to shut out what he dismissively calls “noise.”
“One thing I really appreciate about him is he never looks back” Irina Pavlova, the Mikhail Prokhorov executive ran the Nets and led the search committee that recommended him, told Lewis. “Once something’s gone, ‘Boom. What’s next?’ He builds from there, which is great, especially for a team like the Nets where there’s something going wrong all the time.”
Indeed, Marks understands it is a business, something he learned as a player, toiling for seven NBA clubs and one in Poland. He in fact holds the NBA record for fewest minutes — less that 10 per game — in a career lasting 10 years or longer. He’s also worked with two of the most successful businessmen ever, ones who earned their fortunes in the cut-throat post-Communist Russia and still-Communist but wild west economically China. He’s not a babe in the woods.
He is charismatic, helped by that daunting 7-foot visage, but often hubris has taken over, say critics. He may not be a dictator but he knows what he wants is a common refrain … and a big part of that is loyalty.
Historically, his selection of head coaches, arguably the most impactful decision any GM ever makes, has been the weakest lines on his resume’. At this point, it seems like Marks has finally found his coach. It seems everyone from owner to fans to players to competitors believe that Jordi Fernandez is the real deal. Hiring him was another one of those “killer” moves the league source described. Multiple teams had interviewed Fernandez but decided for whatever reason, passed But before he hired Fernandez, Marks record was not so good, the thinnest entry on his resume’.
He chose a development expert in Kenny Atkinson, who did his primary job but then was dumped. The official press release back in 2020 said the departure was by mutual agreement but by the time Atkinson returned to the head coaching job in Cleveland last year he made it very clear that he was “fired” and that it still stung. He said he was told that he lost his job because didn’t match what the Nets wanted in the treatment of “superstars.” Steve Nash, who Marks had long wanted in some capacity before hiring him to replace Atkinson, was a valiant attempt to match a superstar coach with a superstar team, but one of those superstars let it be known he wanted Nash — and Marks — fired and the x’s and o’s? Well, that was an issue. Jacque Vaughn, on the other hand, is seen in less positive terms. Much less positive.
Indeed one big issue, intimately related to those coaching issues, was his and the organization’s willingness to do the bidding of those superstars. Kyrie didn’t think the team needed a coach. He or KD could do it, he said. KD wanted Ime Udoka even after he had been suspended by his previous employer for harassment. Durant also didn’t like a lot of the supporting roster, didn’t like how the roster was constructed. Harden remained out of shape virtually the entire time he was on the roster, his attention devoted more to strip clubs than weight rooms. Among each other, there always seemed an uneasy truce.
A lot of that has been seemingly been rectified in public actions. There’s plenty of evidence that they are going for the homegrown, high character player. It’s not just lip service. The historic five first rounders spoke to that, their youth, their character, their willingness to make things work. Marks & co. apparently learned their lesson. No need to call about Ja Morant! No more short term fixes. No more chances.
As B.J. Johnson, Marks No. 2 said in the SCOUT docu-series produced by the Nets internal media, “A lot of work went into what Brooklyn is going to be in the future. Regardless of who comes in here, we’re not going to change. They’ve got to adjust to us. Overall, that’s what it’s about here.”
More than a subtle admission that the previous plan — go for it all, spend wildly, throw together the best of the best and hope for a ring — wasn’t the right choice. They will have to find a superstar or superstars to bring them back into contention. Maybe it’s whoever they get lucky enough to get in the lottery come May 10. Maybe it’s someone who is attracted by the progress they see in the young kids and Jordi Fernandez and of course, there’s always the bright lights and big city of New York. If you can make it here … you know the rest.
Overall, the current report card is mixed, but generally positive as Carlisle alluded. Lessons get learned.
The development operation is seen as a solid, better than most. One league source discussing one of the Net recent pick-ups told ND that the player may not have shown much with his previous team “but he has a chance with Nets development staff.”
The performance team retains a very good reputation as well despite a lot of turnover, essentially four performance directors in four years and some recent drama. The medical team is staffed by the Hospital for Special Surgery. None better. The scouting staff is reportedly the largest in the NBA and Marks just recently added the Oklahoma City Thunder’s director of scouting. That can’t hurt. Its success of course will take some time to define.
The “soft science” part of the staff — analytics, capology, etc. — is also seen in a positive light, but again there’s been turnover. There are some rising stars like Kory Jones and Kyle Hines. Both are nominally assistant GMs for Long Island but play bigger roles than that, Jones in Brooklyn’s basketball operations, Hines in scouting and development. Makar Gevorkian is the capologist who’s helped Marks through some of the team’s bigger moves.
Now, the big challenge for the Nets GM: the next 10 years. Whether he’s around or not, his imprint is going to on this team, his team for a long time. Brooklyn is now younger after the deadline than they were before and they were the youngest in the league by a not insignificant margin. Their draft pick in June will also be a teenager. But for all the preparation, it’s time to execute. As one league source told NetsDaily, the right draft choice alone could mean the difference of years.
Every indication is that the rebuild portion of the team’s overall strategy is now nearing an end. Now, it’s build rather than rebuild. Expect aggressive moves across the board.
As we have repeated ad infinitum, they have every possible asset needed to be aggressive, the 33 draft picks (10 first rounders and 20 second rounders that can be traded whenever they want,) perhaps $50 million in cap space and as Sam Quinn noted, an owner willing to spend. It should be noted, as Bloomberg News did, that about half of Tsai’s net worth is now sports-related and the Brooklyn Nets are the centerpiece. He wants to win. He will accept no less.
Feb 1965; Unknown location, USA; FILE PHOTO; North Carolina guard Doug Moe (35) in action during the 1965 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Malcolm Emmons/Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
DENVER — Doug Moe, an ABA original who gained fame over a rumpled, irreverent and sometimes R-rated decade as coach of the Denver Nuggets in the 1980s, died Tuesday. He was 87.
Moe’s son, David, notified several of the coach’s friends that his father had died after a long bout with cancer, Ron Zappolo, a longtime Denver TV personality and good friend of Moe’s, told The Associated Press.
The Nuggets, in a social media post, called Moe “a one-of-a-kind leader and person who spearheaded one of the most successful and exciting decades in Nuggets history.”
Moe went 628-529 over 15 seasons as a head coach, including stints with the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers. He never won a title — his most memorable run coming in 1985 when his best Denver team fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals. He was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1988.
More than for wins and losses, Moe will be remembered for his motion offense and for the equally entertaining shows he put on while prowling the bench during his coaching days.
His Denver teams led the league in scoring over five straight seasons in the early ‘80s, and he rarely ran a set play.
He called the people he liked the most “stiffs,” (or worse) and used more colorful language to drive points home to some of his favorite foils — Kiki VanDeWeghe, Danny Schayes and Bill Hanzlik stood out.
The coach stalked the sidelines in one of his well-worn sports coats, usually without a tie (he had a small stash of “emergency suits” in his closet for bigger events), his hair a mess and his overtaxed voice barely at a croak by the end of most games.
The Nuggets bench, along with the 10 rows behind it, was no place for children, but within hours, Moe would be at the bar or coffee shop hanging with many of those same players he’d excoriated, often himself wondering where that foul-mouthed man on the sideline had come from.
“Sometimes I think I have a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality. I clown around a lot before and after a game, but once a game starts, my emotions just take over,” Moe said in a 1983 interview with The New York Times.
Years before John Elway arrived, Moe was Denver’s biggest sports personality. Zappolo, the sportscaster, said there was a sweet teddy bear behind the game-day bluster.
“I don’t know if there’s ever been a more important sports figure in Denver, not only because of how successful he was, but how colorful he was and how kind he was,” Zappolo said. “There are a lot of people walking around today who feel like they were Doug’s best friend.”
A legend in Brooklyn and North Carolina before a pro career in the ABA
Douglas Edwin Moe was born Sept. 21, 1938, in Brooklyn, New York. As a teen he became well-known in New York basketball circles, where he would sometimes head to gyms using fake names to play on teams he wouldn’t otherwise be eligible for.
He paired with good friend Larry Brown at North Carolina, where as a 6-foot-5 small forward he twice earned All-America honors. But Moe’s college career was terminated early because of a point-shaving scandal for which he received $75 to fly to a meeting; he refused to throw games.
After a few years in Europe, Moe again became a package deal with Brown, as they winded their way through the new and fledgling ABA. Moe was a three-time All-Star over a five-year career that ended early because of his perpetually ailing knees.
His playing days done, he teamed again with Brown, working as his assistant with the Carolina Cougars, and then with the Nuggets toward the end of the franchise’s ABA days.
Moe insisted he never wanted a head coaching job — didn’t want to work that hard — but Brown coaxed him into taking a job in San Antonio. With the help of George Gervin, Moe won the division twice and made one conference final in four seasons with the Spurs.
Moe’s next stop was Denver, where he took over after another of his Carolina buddies, Donnie Walsh, got fired in 1980. The ensuing 10 seasons marked a golden era for the Nuggets, who played in rainbow uniforms and rewrote record books but never climbed out from the shadows of the Lakers and Celtics dynasties of the era.
Moe coached the top-scoring duo in NBA history and in its highest-scoring game
Alex English and VanDeWeghe finished 1-2 in scoring in the 1982-83 season, a feat no teammates have accomplished since. The Nuggets lost a 186-184 game to the Pistons in 1983 that remains the highest-scoring game in NBA history. Moe won 432 games with the Nuggets, and the franchise retired that number, with Moe’s name attached.
It took more than 30 years after Moe retired and moved back to San Antonio for the Nuggets to break through and become NBA champions.
Oddly enough, one of Moe’s most colorful coaching coups came at the expense of the Nuggets on the last day of the 1977-78 season when he was with the Spurs. In an early game, Denver, coached by Brown at the time, fed David Thompson on the way to a 73-point outburst against Detroit that briefly put him ahead of Gervin in a neck-and-neck battle for the scoring title.
So, that night, Moe told the Spurs to get out of “Ice’s” way. Gervin scored 63 against the Jazz to win the title by .07.
Moe’s coaching peak, however, came with the Nuggets, where his teams got considerably better when Fat Lever and Calvin Natt came via a trade in 1984. But both were injured during that 1985 conference final against the Lakers. The Nuggets dropped the last three games in a 4-1 series loss, and Moe never got closer.
Though the focus of the Nuggets was offense, Moe spent ample time preaching defense — insisting it, not the team’s scoring ability, would make the difference between winning and losing.
Once, incensed at the lack of effort during a blowout loss at Portland, he commanded his team to stop trying on defense and to let the Blazers make layups at will over the final minutes to set the franchise scoring record for a single game. That earned him a fine and suspension, only weeks after he was fined for throwing water on an official.
For the most part, though, Moe made a career out of not taking himself too seriously — a wryly wrinkled counterbalance to the slicked-down Pat Riley and the Laker Showtime teams that dominated the NBA’s Western Conference over the decade.
Moe even punctuated one of his lowest moments — his firing by the Nuggets in 1990 — by wearing a Hawaiian shirt and popping open champagne at the news conference while his wife, whom he called “Big Jane,” looked on. A day to celebrate, he insisted, because he would now be getting paid to do nothing.
Moe finished his head coaching career with an unsuccessful stint in Philadelphia that lasted less than a season before returning to Denver in supporting roles, including a return to the bench as George Karl’s assistant.
“Because I’m stupid, or something like that,” Moe said when asked to explain why he was coaching again.
Far from it.
And despite his insistence that he did little more than throw a ball out there, there was a well-honed, much-practiced method behind what looked like the madness of his always-in-overdrive passing game.
“There will never be another sports figure like Doug Moe,” Zappolo said. “He really was one of a kind.”
