Category: NBA

Celtics survived Magic without Queta, but what if he misses more time? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It might feel like hyperbole to suggest Neemias Queta is the most irreplaceable player on the Boston Celtics roster given what Jaylen Brown is doing on a nightly basis. But for a team lacking pure size in an overhauled frontcourt, it sometimes feels like a healthy Queta is vital to Boston’s overall success.

The numbers through the first 17 games of the 2025-26 season seem to confirm as much. 

Queta owns the best net rating on the team, with the Celtics outscoring opponents by 16.8 points per 100 possessions in his 396 minutes of court time. Perhaps more noteworthy: Boston has been outscored by 6.3 points per 100 possessions in Queta’s 372 minutes off the court. He’s the only player on Boston’s roster in the negative for off-court net rating.

Which, stated more simply, suggests the Celtics play their best basketball with Queta on the court, and their worst basketball without him.

The team’s rebounding percentages plummet without Queta, while Boston’s defensive rating spikes by 20.3 points per 100 possessions when he’s not on the floor.

So, when Queta limped off the court after landing awkwardly trying to block a shot early in Boston’s win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday, it put the Celtics in a precarious spot.

With Orlando operating without key frontcourt personnel, the Celtics were able to lean into small-ball lineups, often featuring Josh Minott at the center position. Boston built a 26-point first-half lead, then held on at the finish line for a 138-129 triumph at TD Garden.

A lineup featuring Minott alongside the remaining starters of Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Jordan Walsh was a team-best +9 in just under eight minutes together. Another lineup that paired Minott, Pritchard, and Brown with Anfernee Simons and Hugo Gonzalez was also +6 in just under four minutes together.

Mazzulla admitted the Celtics were able to get away with going small given the limited personnel that Orlando had available. If Queta were to miss any additional time, the ability to stay small gets a bit more daunting, especially with size-filled teams like Detroit, Minnesota, Cleveland, and New York looming on the schedule.

The Celtics essentially have five “bigs” on their roster this season. Queta is the only pure 7-footer in the bunch. Luka Garza, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman and Minott have filled minutes at center, too.

Here’s how the top-used big combinations (20+ minutes) have fared this season, per PBPStats tracking: 

Queta’s impact, regardless of lineup, is emphasized yet again. The Celtics elected to keep Garza on the bench Sunday and just ride the smaller lineups with Minott. The soon-to-be 23-year-old forward (his birthday is Tuesday) produced one of his best outings of the season with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting with seven rebounds over 19:30.

If Queta misses additional time, the Celtics will face tough choices. They could try to stay small and ride the trio of Minott, Garza, and Boucher. They could consider recalling 6-foot-11, two-way big man Amari Williams, who is averaging 12.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in seven appearances for Maine this season but has seen just seven minutes of NBA floor time. 

The injury to Queta, regardless of how long it keeps him out, stresses again just how razor-thin the margins are for the Celtics. Last season, it didn’t matter if Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford were getting rest days, as the team could navigate with Queta and Luke Kornet.

Now, things get tricky even with just one starter absent.

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games case originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.

The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.

Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.

Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.

Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday’s proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.

Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.

Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to exploit insider information about players to win bets on NBA games.

Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.

They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”

Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.

The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.

Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.

Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

But he is perhaps most beloved in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.

Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons’ title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.

After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.

He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a multiyear extension with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Clippers.

After his arrest, he was placed on unpaid leave and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as interim coach.

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games case originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.

The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.

Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.

Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.

Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday’s proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.

Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.

Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to exploit insider information about players to win bets on NBA games.

Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.

They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”

Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.

The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.

Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.

Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

But he is perhaps most beloved in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.

Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons’ title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.

After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.

He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a multiyear extension with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Clippers.

After his arrest, he was placed on unpaid leave and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as interim coach.

DeMar DeRozan reportedly drawing trade interest from Western Conference rival originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

From now until February, trade speculation will hover over the Kings after their rough start to the 2025-26 NBA season.

Just one month into the season, one of Sacramento’s star players already is drawing trade interest from a Western Conference rival.

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly have shown “some interest” in 36-year-old forward DeMar DeRozan, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported in a column published Monday, citing league sources.

Sacramento acquired DeRozan during the 2024 offseason via a sign-and-trade deal with the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls. After a “difficult” debut season with the Kings in 2024-25, DeRozan was committed to bouncing back and competing in his second season with the team.

But so far, not so good.

The Kings currently are 4-13, just one spot ahead of the last-place New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference standings. DeRozan recently didn’t hold back on the state of the team, stating the Kings are in a “s—-y place” and that “everything right now for us is just s—-y” after the Kings dropped their eighth game in a row.

In his 17th NBA season, DeRozan is averaging 17.9 points on 49.5 percent shooting, with 3.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 32.8 minutes.

The Clippers are seeking another scorer capable of lifting the burden from James Harden, who has been doing his best to keep the franchise afloat in the Western Conference after the season-ending injury to Bradley Beal and Kawhi Leonard’s inconsistent availability. Los Angeles (5-12) has gotten off to an underwhelming start to the season after initially being widely considered a contender in the West.

DeRozan has a partial guarantee on his deal for the 2026-27 season for nearly $10 million of his $25.7 million salary.

A Compton, Calif. native, DeRozan could return close to his hometown this season.

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DeMar DeRozan reportedly drawing trade interest from Western Conference rival originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

From now until February, trade speculation will hover over the Kings after their rough start to the 2025-26 NBA season.

Just one month into the season, one of Sacramento’s star players already is drawing trade interest from a Western Conference rival.

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly have shown “some interest” in 36-year-old forward DeMar DeRozan, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported in a column published Monday, citing league sources.

Sacramento acquired DeRozan during the 2024 offseason via a sign-and-trade deal with the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls. After a “difficult” debut season with the Kings in 2024-25, DeRozan was committed to bouncing back and competing in his second season with the team.

But so far, not so good.

The Kings currently are 4-13, just one spot ahead of the last-place New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference standings. DeRozan recently didn’t hold back on the state of the team, stating the Kings are in a “s—-y place” and that “everything right now for us is just s—-y” after the Kings dropped their eighth game in a row.

In his 17th NBA season, DeRozan is averaging 17.9 points on 49.5 percent shooting, with 3.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 32.8 minutes.

The Clippers are seeking another scorer capable of lifting the burden from James Harden, who has been doing his best to keep the franchise afloat in the Western Conference after the season-ending injury to Bradley Beal and Kawhi Leonard’s inconsistent availability. Los Angeles (5-12) has gotten off to an underwhelming start to the season after initially being widely considered a contender in the West.

DeRozan has a partial guarantee on his deal for the 2026-27 season for nearly $10 million of his $25.7 million salary.

A Compton, Calif. native, DeRozan could return close to his hometown this season.

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Blazers coach Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games case originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Portland Trail Blazers coach and basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges he profited from rigged poker games involving several Mafia figures and at least one other former NBA player.

The five-time All Star, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, was arraigned in a federal court in New York City on money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy charges, both of which carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Some of Billups’ co-defendants are also charged with running an illegal gambling business and engaging in an extortion conspiracy.

Chris Heywood, his attorney, has said Billups is a “man of integrity” and denies the charges.

“To believe that Chauncey Billups did what the federal government is accusing him of is to believe that he would risk his Hall of Fame legacy, his reputation and his freedom. He would not jeopardize those things for anything, let alone a card game,” Heywood said after Billups appeared in federal court in Portland, Oregon, when prosecutors first announced the indictment on Oct. 23.

Billups wore a dark gray suit during the brief arraignment and spoke only to answer the judge’s yes or no questions. He has been free on bond since his initial court appearance in Oregon.

Billups was arguably the most prominent name among more than 30 charged in last month’s sprawling federal takedown of illegal gambling operations linked to professional sports. The other defendants were also expected to appear in the Brooklyn court for Monday’s proceedings, in which the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers will likely discuss next steps in the case.

Prosecutors say the 49-year-old Denver native, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year, was involved in a scheme to rig Mafia-backed illegal poker games in Manhattan, Las Vegas, Miami and the Hamptons.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also nabbed in that alleged scheme, which prosecutors say utilized a range of sophisticated technology that allowed the gambling to be rigged, such as altered card-shuffling machines, hidden cameras in poker chip trays, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table to read cards.

Jones was also charged along with Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier in a separate scheme at the same time that allowed gamblers to exploit insider information about players to win bets on NBA games.

Prosecutors say the poker scheme Billups was involved in defrauded victims of an estimated $7 million starting in at least 2019.

They say he served as a celebrity “face card” that could draw wealthy, unsuspecting players to the games. Prosecutors said during one game, the scheme’s organizers exchanged messages saying one of the victims “acted like he wanted Chauncey to have his money” because he was “star struck.”

Prosecutors say Billups, who earned about $106 million from his playing days, received a portion of the ill-gotten gains. After one rigged game in October 2020, for example, they say he was directly wired $50,000.

The scheme organizers also had to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno mob families for operating within the illegal poker games run by the New York criminal enterprises, prosecutors said.

Mafia members, in turn, helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, they said.

Billups was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 draft by the Boston Celtics after starring in college for the Colorado Buffaloes. He played 17 years in the NBA, with stints with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

But he is perhaps most beloved in the Motor City, where he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot” for his knack of making clutch shots.

Billups was named the NBA Finals MVP during the Pistons’ title run in 2004 and had his No. 1 jersey retired by the team.

After retiring in 2014, Billups embarked on a career as a TV analyst before pivoting to coaching.

He was hired as Portland’s coach in 2021 and signed a multiyear extension with the Trail Blazers earlier this year after the team missed out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season in 2024. Billups previously served as an assistant coach on the Clippers.

After his arrest, he was placed on unpaid leave and the Trail Blazers named assistant coach and former NBA player Tiago Splitter as interim coach.

TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes scored 17 points, Ja’Kobe Walter added a season-high 16 and the Toronto Raptors won for the 11th time in 12 games, beating the Brooklyn Nets 119-109 on Sunday night.

Brandon Ingram had 14 points and Immanuel Quickley scored eight of his 13 in the fourth quarter to help Toronto extend its winning streak to seven.

Toronto’s RJ Barrett scored 16 points before leaving midway through the third because of a sprained right knee. Barrett landed awkwardly after his steal led to a fast break dunk.

Brooklyn’s Tyrese Martin scored a season-high 26 points. Michael Porter Jr. had 25 and Noah Clowney added 22.

Nic Claxton had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets. Claxton had his first career triple-double in Friday night in a win at Boston.

Toronto’s Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 12 points in his first start of the season, Gradey Dick also scored 12 points and Jamal Shead had 11.

Porter’s layup with 4:24 left in the fourth tied it at 104, but Quickley made two 3-pointers as Toronto replied with a 10-0 run over the next 2 1/2 minutes.

Ingram reached 10,000 career points with a 3 in the second, his only basket of the period. Toronto led 65-58 at the intermission.

Mamukelashvili started for center Jakob Poeltl, who sat because of a sore lower back. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles returned after missing two games because of a sore right knee.

Up next

Nets: Host New York on Monday night.

Raptors: Host Cleveland on Monday night.

Warriors' Steve Kerr unsure about Jonathan Kuminga's rehab from knee tendinitis originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga already has missed the Warriors’ last five games due to bilateral patellar tendinitis, and it doesn’t seem like a return to action is imminent.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr shared an uncertain update on Sunday, failing to provide much of a timeline for the young forward’s recovery from what is effectively soreness in both knees.

“He’s got to tell you where he is,” Kerr told reporters when asked about Kuminga’s activity on Sunday [h/t ClutchPoints’ Kenzo Fukuda. “He didn’t do anything. We didn’t do scrimmages, but we did live drill work, and he barely did any of that. So, [he’s] not moving well, so training staff [is] working with him. I have no idea what he’s doing.”

Still, Kerr asserted Kuminga’s status remains day to day.

“Honestly, I just talked to the training staff. They tell me it’s day to day,” Kerr explained. “So, talking to JK, and he said he’s not moving that well, so I can’t tell you what the outlook is.

“JK can tell you that better than I could, so he needs to feel better and be able to move better before we can put him out there. Maybe we’ll get imaging done on the knee, but yeah, we got to figure it out. We missed him. We played in Miami, when we were missing all our guys. The other night, we were tired. We need him, but he’s got to get right before he can play.”

Communication between the Warriors’ staff and Kuminga already has been a hot topic in recent days, and there appears to be some disconnect between Kerr and the promising 23-year-old regarding this ongoing injury.

“I didn’t talk to him today, but I was hoping that he was going to scrimmage today,” Kerr continued after a follow-up question about the exact nature of the ailment. “But he didn’t do that, so it’s obviously worse than we thought.”

Kuminga is averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 27.7 minutes across 13 games during the 2025-26 NBA season. He started in the Warriors’ first 12 regular-season games before coming off the bench in Golden State’s win over the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 12.

However, Kuminga reportedly felt like the “scapegoat” as a result of that change in his role, and he hasn’t played in any games since then. Golden State has gone 2-3 in his recent absence with three straight losses as the team tries to get back to winning ways after a hot start to the season.

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Observations after Sixers lose to Heat in 1st game without Edgecombe  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers had a slow start to their Sunday afternoon and never managed to earn a lead against the Heat.

They fell to a wire-to-wire 127-117 defeat at Xfinity Mobile Arena, dipping to 9-7 on the season. Miami moved to 11-6 with its fourth consecutive win. 

Tyrese Maxey posted 27 points and six assists. Andre Drummond scored 14 points and grabbed 23 rebounds.

Norman Powell poured in 32 points. Kel’el Ware had 20 points and 16 rebounds.

Rookie VJ Edgecombe missed his first game with left calf tightness. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse called Edgecombe’s absence “precautionary.” 

The Sixers remained without Joel Embiid (right knee injury management), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Adem Bona (right ankle sprain). 

Bona has returned to on-court work but will stay out Tuesday night vs. the Magic, a team official said Saturday. Embiid is still classified as “day-to-day.” Though he’s continued to experience “some soreness,” doctors say he’s progressing, per the official. 

Here are observations on the Sixers’ loss Sunday:

Subpar start without Edgecombe 

Quentin Grimes started for the first time this season and began the day with Maxey, Justin Edwards, Paul George and Drummond. 

The Sixers’ starters struggled. Powell sunk a transition three-pointer to put Miami up 12-5 and scored eight quick points.

Fresh off of his career-high 54-point night against the Bucks, Maxey posted seven of the Sixers’ first nine. Outside of Maxey, however, the Sixers began 0 for 5 from the floor.

The Sixers didn’t have much pace or movement offensively in the first quarter. One reason was the Heat hardly ever handed the Sixers a free opportunity to attack in the open floor. Miami scored the game’s first 13 points off turnovers. Meanwhile, Grimes tallied just two points in the first period. 

Handy 2nd-unit scoring 

Especially when Drummond sat, the Sixers’ lack of size emerged as a big problem early on. 

Second-year center Ware had six offensive rebounds in the first quarter and Jaime Jaquez Jr. got rolling in the post. Miami scored 37 first-quarter points, 22 in the paint, and had a 10-point advantage through 12 minutes. 

The Sixers fell behind by 16 points early in the second … and then surged back with a 16-0 run. 

Trendon Watford had a productive stint, including an and-one layup, and was much better overall than he’d been in Milwaukee with an 19-point, nine-rebound, seven-assist outing. Grimes made a driving layup that evened the game at 49-all. 

Jared McCain also chipped in useful offense off the Sixers’ bench. He scored a season-best 15 points Sunday on 5-for-11 shooting and played a season-high 26 minutes.

The Sixers couldn’t quite grab a first lead of the afternoon. They fouled Powell twice on three-point attempts in the final minute of the second quarter and trailed by four at intermission. 

Heat fend off every run  

The Sixers’ third quarter opened poorly — not an unfamiliar storyline early this season — and Grimes’ foul trouble became a major issue. 

After Grimes picked up his fourth personal with 10:15 left in the third quarter, Nurse kept him in. The 25-year-old guard then fouled Powell yet again on a long-range jumper. He exited with five fouls and a little under nine minutes to play in the third. McCain subbed in. 

The Sixers appeared to be in serious trouble when they went down 85-71 on a put-back Bam Adebayo dunk. Again, they answered right away and prevented the game from getting out of hand.

McCain and Maxey each hit threes during a 10-0 run. A Drummond triple on the Sixers’ last possession of the third quarter cut the Heat’s lead to 99-93.

Grimes checked back in to begin the fourth and scored a couple of layups to trim the Sixers’ deficit to three points. Watford made a coast-to-coast lay-in to bring the Heat’s advantage down to 105-103.

Miami scored the next seven points and soon restored a double-digit lead. While the Sixers kept the game interesting, Miami never trailed and did solid work to capitalize on a strong start, fending off the Sixers’ comeback efforts.

Untimely injuries could impact inconsistent Warriors' hopes of recovery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Coming off three consecutive losses, the Warriors went back to school on Sunday. They spent two hours watching video displaying highlights and lowlights. They studied. They scrimmaged. 

These are things that any NBA team sensing slippage yet still aspiring for a championship ought to do when it’s sitting on a 9-9 record nearly a quarter into the season.

But the Warriors, in addition to the Jonathan Kuminga being on the sideline, also are nursing new wounds. Draymond Green has a foot sprain and could miss the game against Utah on Monday, and Al Horford is coping with sciatica and will miss at least a week.

Asked if the Warriors might assemble their eighth starting lineup of the season Monday, coach Steve Kerr left open the possibility.

“Well, just depends on Draymond’s availability,” he said. 

One week removed from a three-game win streak and hoping to build momentum, the Warriors since have lost the final two games of a six-game road trip, at Orlando and Miami, before coming home Friday seeking recovery, only to get smacked by the sub-.500 Portland Trail Blazers for the second time this season.

The Warriors, eighth in the Western Conference, analyzed all three games, watching “about 40 clips,” according to Kerr, who came away believing the failures are fixable.

“Rebounding killed us,” Kerr said, referring to Portland’s 52-32 advantage on the glass. “But probably five or six egregious defensive errors in communication and scheme, just getting back cut. Basic stuff.

“If you look at the three games as a whole, there were different things each game. In Orlando, the turnovers killed us. In Miami, obviously, we played without a lot of our (starters). We missed shots, but for three quarters, we were solid. And then the turnovers killed us. With Portland, we took care of the ball but had major defensive breakdowns.”

Jimmy Butler III, speaking after the game, implored everyone to be more prideful in their defense. To take matchups personally.

Seems that approach should reduce the number of open 3-pointers and layups Golden State is allowing lately.

“There’s some of that, and activity level often just covers up a blown coverage if you’re flying around,” Kerr said. “There were a lot of clips from the other night where the activity level wasn’t there. There were several missed, back cuts, behind us that shouldn’t happen. Is that fatigue? Is that lack of focus? Is that ‘Hey, let’s take it upon ourselves?’ It could be any of those. I don’t care which one we categorize it as.

“What I care is that we don’t give up a damn back cut with the game on the line, and we gave up several.”

So, where do the Warriors go from here? Depends. Recognizing the need for greater size, Kerr has more frequently turned to lineups featuring two players capable of playing center. He acknowledged Horford’s absence could force the staff to “rethink” that plan.

If Green and Horford, a generally effective duo, are out on Monday, that would leave only Quinten Post and Trayce Jackson-Davis. It’s a young combo but worth a look. Post’s 3-point shooting provides needed spacing, and Jackson-Davis can work the paint, focusing on rebounding and rim protection.

It is evident that the Warriors, ranked 22nd in rebounding, will have a difficult time chasing a championship if they remain in the league’s bottom 10.

It is evident that the Warriors, who rank 26th in number of turnovers committed at 16.9 per game, also must remain focused on limiting the giveaways.

It is evident, too, that Golden State’s season will remain a war on mediocrity unless its weaknesses on defense, particularly at the point of attack and the untimely lapses in concentration, aren’t addressed and corrected.

The cold fact is that with injuries to crucial players being a factor, meeting these challenges becomes increasingly difficult.

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Kevin Durant reportedly will miss Warriors-Rockets NBA Cup game on Wednesday originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors are set for a rematch of their 2025 NBA playoffs first-round series against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at Chase Center.

However, it appears the visiting Rockets will be without their key offseason addition, who happens to be an old friend of Golden State.

Fifteen-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant will miss Wednesday’s NBA Cup game due to a family matter, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday, citing sources.

Durant was a major part of two Golden State championship runs in 2017 and 2018 — he led all scorers during the infamous seven-game battle between the Warriors and Rockets in the 2018 Western Conference Finals.

But now, Durant apparently won’t be active for his first opportunity to face his former squad since joining the Warriors’ rival this past offseason. Of course, that move came after these teams squared off in last season’s memorable playoff series, in which Golden State also prevailed in seven games.

According to Charania, the star forward also will miss the Rockets’ matchup on Monday against the Phoenix Suns — another one of Durant’s former teams.

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In the starting lineup, coming off the bench or even on the pickleball court, Marcus Smart knows he can deliver what the Lakers need. So LeBron James’ return and the question of how it could affect his role isn’t slowing down Smart.

“I like to [think of] myself as a Swiss Army knife,” Smart said Saturday as the Lakers prepared for a game at Utah on Sunday. “It's not one thing I do great, but I do everything very well. … People come back, people get hurt. People have great games, have bad games. You have to adjust to whatever the game is calling for at that moment."

With four days to regroup after James made his long-awaited season debut, the Lakers (11-4) want to continue their strong start. Smart had started nine times in a row before James’ return. Smart then played a season-low 17 minutes in Tuesday's 140-126 win against the Jazz at home, scoring five points with three rebounds. He made just two shots, but coach JJ Redick commended Smart’s play off the bench along with the performances of Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes and Gabe Vincent.

Vincent returned from a sprained ankle that cost him 11 games to score six points on two-for-three shooting from three-point range. LaRavia led the bench group with 16 points and four rebounds. He was six for 10 from the field, including two three-pointers.

Signing as a free agent this offseason, LaRavia knew getting to play with James was part of the deal. He had to wait through training camp, the preseason and 14 games to get his wish, but it was worth it. The 24-year-old LaRavia, who was five days shy of his second birthday when James made his NBA debut, knocked down a first-quarter shot off a James assist.

“It was dope to finally get on the court with him,” LaRavia said. “He brings something to this team that I don't think we really had. It's another level of passing ability that he's able to do, and just the force he is on offense in transition and just when he has the ball in his hands.”

Read more:Hernández: LeBron James' 'very unselfish' play shows he can fit in. Will it continue?

The Lakers are tied for the second-fewest transition possessions per game but they've been picking up the pace. Through the first nine games the team was scoring 9.5% of its points in transition. That mark ticked up to 13.4% in the last five games.

Utah (5-10) is one of the fastest teams, averaging 102.6 possessions per game. With pace increasing over the years, the heavier workloads have made minor soft-tissue injuries unfortunate realities in the NBA. They also make extended breaks between games, like the four-day reprieve the Lakers had last week, a major luxury.

In between much-needed rest and efficient practice sessions for a team that has been fully healthy for only a week, the Lakers also used the time for team bonding in the form of a trash-talk-filled pickleball tournament.

Smart and Redick and a third teammate, head video coordinator Michael Wexler — whom Redick anonymously accused of eating during the entire tournament — went to the semifinals. They lost to Luka Doncic and player development coach Ty Abbott. LaRavia and assistant coach Beau Levesque won the championship. Redick raised questions about the fairness of the team pairings.

As with everything involving ultracompetitive athletes, even the innocent pickleball games got heated. Smart was trying to be mindful to not push his limits too much.

“The last thing I need to get out and do is roll my ankle trying to play pickleball,” said Smart, who said he would rather play tennis.

It was still a welcome break from the monotony of the season, Redick said. He graded the experience an A.

“We got through this week without wanting to kill each other,” Redick said with a smirk.

Etc.

Center Deandre Ayton missed practice Saturday because of an illness. He was expected to join the team on the trip to Utah.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.