Category: NBA

LONDON (AP) — A heckler yelled “leave Greenland alone!” while Vanessa Williams sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” before tipoff of an NBA game in London between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic on Sunday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted that the U.S. should control Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and said earlier this week that anything less than the Arctic island being in U.S. hands would be “unacceptable.”

The heckler's outburst drew some scattered laughter and applause. Williams was unfazed and completed the song.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Week 13 did not exactly bring good fortune for the Suns as they opened a road trip through the East against three teams sitting above .500. You can say the Eastern Conference is the lighter side of the league, and you would not be wrong. If the Suns were parked over there with a 25-17 record, they would be staring at the three seed. That does not make this stretch soft. Phoenix felt every bit of it this week.

The endings were cruel. The Suns were outscored 54-44 in the fourth quarter across the first two games, and the whistle was not doing them any favors. Through the first three quarters of the past three games, Phoenix was called for 43 personal fouls while opponents were whistled for 44. It felt balanced until it did not.

Across those three games in Week 13, the gap widened. The Suns were hit with 24 personal fouls in Q4. Their opponents drew 12. That is the kind of math that turns close games into long nights, especially when the legs are heavy and the margin is thin.

Road trip foul split is telling: first three quarters are nearly even (44–43).

In fourth quarters, Phoenix gets penalized for physicality while opponents largely don’t. That late-game discrepancy deserves scrutiny. https://t.co/nQFvsjc4ve

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) January 18, 2026

So the math is not mathing here. For whatever reason, through the first three quarters, the foul count stays even. Then the fourth quarter hits, the temperature rises, and suddenly the Suns are getting dinged for their physicality while the opposition skates.

The Pistons committing one foul in the fourth quarter is absurd, especially for a game that looked more like a wrestling match than a track meet. Detroit shot 14 free throws in the fourth. The Suns shot zero. That is not variance. That is unlucky. Or shit officiating. Your call.

It was also unlucky that Devin Booker twisted his ankle. He gutted it out against the Knicks, limp and all, but the Suns as a whole were limping through Week 13. They still walked away 1-2.

So what did we learn? The defense travels. This team is tough as nails. They went 16 rounds with three of the better teams in the Eastern Conference and did not back down. They were five points up late against Miami. Five points up late against Detroit. They did not close either one, but the ability to pester, disrupt, and annoy showed up every night.

The next step is turning that aggression into road wins against quality teams. If the Suns want to make noise in the postseason, that is non-negotiable. Week 13 gave them the tape. Now it is on them to use it as fuel.

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Week 13 Record: 1-2

@ Miami Heat, L, 127-121

• Possession Differential: +0.1
• Turnover Differential: 0
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +9

The road trip opened with a punch straight to the jaw in Miami. The Heat tried to end the night early, going up by 20, but these Suns do not fold anymore. They swung back after halftime, won the second half, forced steals, collected techs, and turned the paint into a war zone.

Devin Booker went down, came back, and led. Bam Adebayo going nuclear from deep ruined the ending, but the tone was set. This trip is a stress test, and Phoenix showed it is built for contact.

@ Detroit Pistons, L, 108-105

• Possession Differential: +1.7
• Turnover Differential: -4
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -5

Detroit was another sixteen-round fight that ended in a TKO, the second straight fourth-quarter collapse with Phoenix running on fumes. Yes, Devin Booker was out. Yes, the identity showed up. The effort never dipped. But losses still count the same, and back-to-back ones have a way of leaving bruises that linger as this trip drags on.

@ New York Knicks, W, 106-99

• Possession Differential: -2.1
• Turnover Differential: -5
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -2

The Suns did not need a must-win in mid-January, but they absolutely needed this one. Down 0-2 on the trip, Phoenix walked into Madison Square Garden and let the bench hijack the night. A 39-14 second-unit avalanche flipped the game after a Knicks haymaker run, while the defense squeezed the life out of a top-three offense.

No frills, no flexing. Just a reminder of who these Suns are and why nobody enjoys playing them.

Inside the Possession Game

• Weekly Possession Differential: -0.3
• Weekly Turnover Differential: -11
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -11
• Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +8

And now your weekly graph that looks more confusing as the weeks progress.

From an analytical lens, this was not a clean week for the Suns. Inefficiency showed up across the board.

They posted a 48.1% rebounding rate, which ranked 20th in the league over that stretch. The effective field goal percentage landed at 50.6%, fourth worst during the week. The turnover ratio checked in at 1.7, sixth worst. The offensive rating finished at 112.2, ninth worst. That is what happens when you walk into hostile buildings and play teams that want to turn every possession into a collision.

The Suns lost the possession battle. They lost the fight on the glass. Yet they still walked away 1- 2. This six-game road trip was never going to be a stroll, and the front end was always the rougher side of the climb. The back half lightens up, at least on paper. To me, a successful trip looks like 3-3. That path is still there. The margins are thin, the tape is loud, and the opportunity is still very much alive.

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Week 14 Preview

We have four games on deck in Week 14, which means it is time for my weekly micro-rant about the NBA schedule. The Suns have played 42 games. Meanwhile, teams like the one they are about to face on Tuesday have only played 39. Brooklyn and Houston are both three games behind Phoenix at this point. Sure, that means more games are coming for them later, but it still feels strange. The NBA schedule has always been weird. It remains weird. Micro-rant complete.

The week opens in Brooklyn on Monday, and credit where it is due, the scheduling gods finally nailed one. The Suns were already in New York after playing the Knicks, so they did not have to ping pong to Atlanta and back. They got to park it in the Big Apple for a couple of days and breathe.

The opponent is a Nets team sitting at 12-27, but do not let that record fool you. They are feisty. Michael Porter Jr. is doing real work over there, playing well enough to actively sabotage whatever tanking dreams Brooklyn might have. Then again, why tank at all when you already walked out of the last draft with five first-round rookies? This one has trap game written all over it.

The Suns then head to Philadelphia on the second night of a back-to-back, which is never polite. The Sixers sit at 22-8, seventh in the East, and they have been rolling lately with six wins in their last nine. Tyrese Maxey is a full-blown problem right now, pouring in 30.3 points a night. Joel Embiid is still there. Paul George too, who will inevitably create space with a few well-timed push-offs that somehow never get called.

The trip wraps up Friday in Atlanta. The Suns were up 22 in the fourth there earlier this season and somehow walked out with a loss. Atlanta has since moved on from Trae Young, deciding he was not the long-term answer. That torch now belongs to Jalen Johnson, who has looked every bit like the future while averaging 22.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Hawks have dropped three straight, but closing a road trip is never simple. There are no freebies waiting at the finish line.

The week closes back home on Sunday against the Miami Heat, the same Heat the Suns saw recently on their floor and handled themselves well against. Miami plays at the fastest pace in the league, and their offense is built less on screen and roll and more on isolation. They want to turn you, beat you off the dribble, and live at the rim. It is relentless, and it tests your legs and your discipline.

The real storyline of Week 14, though, might be this. We could finally see Jalen Green back. As I am writing this, I am waiting on the injury report for Brooklyn, because there is a chance a questionable or probable tag shows up. If that happens, this stretch could be the moment the Suns start to feel whole again. The pieces lining up. The picture sharpening. Stay tuned.

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How do you see it unfolding next week?

BERLIN (AP) — Substitute Jeong Woo-yeong scored a late equalizer as Union Berlin snatched a point with a 1-1 draw at Stuttgart in the German league on Sunday.

Chris Führich had put the hosts ahead near the hour-mark before Jeong’s equalizer in the 83rd minute extended Union's unbeaten run to five matches.

Stuttgart missed the chance to move into the top three. Sebastian Hoeness’ team is fourth in the standings, level on points with third-placed Hoffenheim, which has one match in hand.

The hosts dominated early on — with Union threatening on the break — and took the lead when Ramon Hendriks set up Führich, who slotted home with right-footed strike.

Jeong came on in the 75th minute and the South Korea midfielder scored against his former club with a precise finish into the top corner.

Bayern Munich, which routed Leipzig 5-1 on Saturday, tops the standings with an 11-point lead. Second-placed Borussia Dortmund scraped past St. Pauli 3-2 on Saturday after letting a two-goal lead slip.

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

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss the final two games of the team's current road trip due to knee inflammation.

Leonard missed Friday's four-point win in Toronto with a right ankle sprain, but NBA reporter Chris Haynes reported that the knee issue in his left leg is what's now causing the most concern. Haynes reported that Leonard is being sent home for treatment and he'll be evaluated once the team returns on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Leonard, 34, has been the driving force behind the Clippers' recent surge. The six-time All-Star has averaged 32.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists over his last 13 games, 11 of which resulted in Clipper wins.

With Leonard out, the Clippers defeated the Raptors in overtime 121-117 on Jan. 16, to improve their overall record to 18-23.

For the season, Leonard is averaging a career-high 28.2 points per game, while shooting 49.7% from the field and 94.1% from the free throw line.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kawhi Leonard to miss time with knee inflammation, per report

Following their Dec. 29 win against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Knicks improved to 23-9 and looked like one of the few, true contenders in the wide open Eastern Conference.

But since then, New York has lost eight out of their last 10 games and are now 25-17. They are just a half game up on the Toronto Raptors (25-18) for the No. 3 seed in the East and only two games up on the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers (22-18), who would land in the NBA Play-In Tournament if the regular season ended today.

It's been a very frustrating stretch for the Knicks, something star Karl-Anthony Towns was asked about after the team's 106-99 loss to Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. 

"A lot, a lot of frustration," Towns said. "That's all I got."

The big man went on to discuss his level of concern for the team after their third straight loss as they look to right the ship.

"I don't like losing any games, so of course for me, the concern is winning the next one," Towns said. "Just staying focused on the task at hand, winning games, and giving our fans something to cheer for."

Head coach Mike Brown also talked about the level of concern amid New York's recent skid, but downplayed the urgency, saying the team needs to "keep trying to fight."

"You don't want to lose games at all, but especially going 2-8 in the last 10. There's concern there, but not to the point to where we're going to overhaul everything," Brown said. 

"We got to work. We got to look in the mirror and see how we can individually help the group, starting with me. And then we got to get in the gym, we got to work as much as we can. We got to keep trying to fight like we did tonight, and if we do, we're going to give ourselves a chance."

It's clear there is plenty of room for the Knicks to improve, whether that be on defense (bottom five in defensive rating since Dec. 1 and 19th overall in the NBA this season at 116.1) or finding consistency in their three-point shooting (35.1 percent over last 10 games, 15th in the NBA, per StatMuse).

"I think everything," OG Anunoby said when asked what the team can improve on. "You can always get better at everything. Even if we were winning games, we would still be trying to improve everything."

Luckily, with the Knicks needing to get back on track fast, their schedule gets a bit easier over the next week. They'll face the Dallas Mavericks on Monday and the Nets on Wednesday before a matchup with the feisty Sixers next Saturday.

The Lakers find themselves in a precarious situation.

This year’s roster needs upgrades. However, Indiana doesn’t have much in the way of sweeteners to make those improvements. Misses on Jalen Hood-Schifino and Dalton Knecht mean the young prospects aren’t there to put into trade packages and undoing the Russell Westbrook trade and making the deal for Luka Dončić depleted the team of their first round picks.

Simply put, the Lakers don’t have the means, as things stand, to make notable upgrades to this team.

That makes the recent report from Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports all the more intriguing. The Lakers appear to be looking to replicate a move made by Phoenix last year in which they would trade away a future unprotected first round pick for multiple first round picks of lesser value.

The Suns traded an unprotected 2031 pick to Utah in exchange for first rounders in 2025, 2027 and 2029. Those picks were the least favorable of Cleveland, Minnesota and Utah’s in each year, to give a sense of the types of picks the Lakers could see come back in a similar trade.

In theory, it makes a lot of sense for the position the Lakers are in. What the team needs now is some flexibility and the ability to make moves now that Luka is on the team. Optionality is one of President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka’s favorite words and the Lakers don’t have a ton of it when it comes to trades.

The problem is finding a team willing to do this type of deal. The list of teams with a plethora of picks and a willingness to play ball is short. Incredible short. In fact, after doing a bit of research, it feels like there are only about a handful of teams on paper who could be willing to make that type of deal.

Oklahoma City Thunder

This is the most obvious choice and if Pelinka is serious about this, he should be calling the Thunder daily. There’s an absolute trove of picks OKC could be willing to trade as, over the next two years, they have eight first round draft picks.

The problem is that most of the picks they own from other teams are actually valuable. In 2026, they have the Clippers’ and Sixers’ picks. In 2027, they have a pick swap with the Clippers and potentially the Spurs’ pick.

They do, however, have Denver’s first rounders in 2027 and 2029 and with Nikola Jokic going nowhere, those are prime picks to target.

Would a deal sending out the Lakers’ 2032 first round pick for 2027 and 2029 Nuggets first rounders and an OKC first round in that span work?

Brooklyn Nets

After OKC, the options are much less obvious and much slimmer. Brooklyn has a host of firsts, but they’re also a team that is not competitive right now.

That being said, it’s hard to figure out what the Nets’ plan is right now either. Sure, it’s to tank and acquire picks, but their selections with those picks in the last draft were some head scratchers.

Would they be open to consolidating some firsts after making so many picks in the 2025 draft? They own three future Knicks picks in 2027, 2029 and 2031, all picks likely to be at the end of the draft. They also own a 2032 Denver pick as well as the worst pick from Dallas, Houston and Phoenix in 2029.

On top of that, if they do trade Michael Porter Jr. this season or in the summer, that will certainly net them at least another first.

While they don’t have their 2027 pick, the bevy of picks they have at the end of upcoming first rounds could make them willing to do this sort of deal.

San Antonio Spurs

The final two teams really likely only make sense if the Lakers are looking to get back two firsts and perhaps some seconds, of which they only have one as things stand.

The Spurs have a bunch of picks, but a lot of them are going to be valuable, like Atlanta’s in 2026 and 2027, the Clippers’ in 2029 and Sacramento’s in 2031.

But there are two picks that are interesting in Boston’s 2028 first and the better of Dallas and Minnesota’s first in 2030. The fact that it’s the more favorable of those two teams makes it a little more unclear if they would include that pick, but they also could be a team confident enough in what they’re building, so long as Victory Wembanyama is around, that they’d include their own pick.

Utah Jazz

Negotiating with Danny Ainge sounds like a punishment that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies, but despite being the team that did this type of deal recently, Utah still has enough picks to potentially do another version of it.

It would, again, be a lesser version, but Utah does own Cleveland’s first in 2028 and the better of Cleveland and Minnesota’s picks in 2029. Those picks are probably a bit too good to be included in this deal, but it also shows how few teams may be willing or able to do this kind of deal and the challenges Pelinka will face in completing it.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

PARIS (AP) — Strasbourg new coach Gary O’Neil enjoyed a succesful Ligue 1 debut, guiding his team to a 2-1 win over local rival Metz in the French league on Sunday.

O'Neil, who started his tenure with a comfortable win at a fourth-tier club to reach the last 16 of the French Cup last weekend, was appointed earlier this month as a successor to Liam Rosenior, who left for Chelsea.

Strasbourg had failed to win its past five league matches and the win lifted O'Neil's side to seventh in the standings. Metz remained last, with just 12 points from 18 matches.

Diego Moreira put the hosts in front in the 12th minute but Strasbourg did not hold onto its lead for long as Gauthier Hein leveled from the spot. Forward Martial Godo headed home the winner just before the interval.

Rosenior’s departure has left fans opposed to the multi-club ownership model fuming, amid calls for the resignation of president Marc Keller. Strasbourg has been owned by Chelsea owner BlueCo since 2023. Some Strasbourg fans again protested the ownership setup on Sunday by deploying hostile banners in the stadium.

On Saturday, Lens secured a 10th consecutive win across all competitions to stay atop the Ligue 1 standings. Lens defeated Auxerre 1-0 and remained one point ahead of defending champion Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG warmed up for next week’s Champions League match at Sporting with a convincing 3-0 win over Lille on Friday. Third-place Marseille won at mid-table Angers 5-2 ahead of a Champions League showdown with Liverpool next week.

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

Last night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets felt more like “rebuilding” than “tanking.” The Wizards played a flawed game loaded with mistakes and miscues, and were competitive throughout, carrying a small lead into the fourth quarter and forcing fourth quarter heroics from Jamal Murray and Tim Hardaway Jr. to ultimately lose.

Facing a team devoid of centers (Nikola Jokic and former Wizards great Jonas Valanciunas were both out with injuries), Washington dominated inside — +10 on the boards, 27-4 advantage on second chance points, and outscoring Denver 66-50 in the paint.

They lost because of an array of defensive breakdowns, and some elite shotmaking from Murray.

A few notes I took during the game:

• Denver won the opening tip and seconds later, Jalen Pickett walked into a wide open three. What happened? The Wizards didn’t match up properly. Two defenders were on Peyton Watson, and Tre Johnson (who was the closest defender) watched instead of sprinting into a closeout.
• In the first half, Wizards defenders repeatedly sagged into the lane off Murray. While the team’s defensive priority is protecting the paint, there is no way — none — that leaving Murray undefended in the corner was part of the defensive game plan. They stopped helping off him in the second half.
• Washington’s transition defense was poor for a few reasons. First, not sprinting back. Second, not matching up in ways that make sense. Third, ball watching and failing to notice opposing players positioning themselves for shots.
  • One Nuggets fast break got a transition corner three from Hardaway. Jamir Watkins got back but ball watched — failing to notice Hardaway running behind him to the corner. Watkins first noticed Hardaway when the ball swung to the man above the break, who Watkins picked up. When the pass went to the corner, Watkins sprinted to close out but was too late. Meanwhile, Marvin Bagley III and Justin Champagnie jogged back to the defensive end and never got involved in the play.
  • In the second quarter, Champagnie missed a three. While he watched the ball in flight, Bruce Brown (who’d closed out) ran to the offensive end. Bagley, Bub Carrington, and Tre Johnson all jogged back, but all three stopped out top and none of them noticed Brown behind them.
  • In the third quarter, Khris Middleton stopped playing to complain about a foul non-call. Meanwhile, his man got a wide open corner three in transition, which he (fortunately for Washington) missed.
• The Wizards defensive scheme uses some of the “pre-helping” concepts pioneered by the Oklahoma City Thunder and being used by more teams around the league. Basically, the weakside “low man” comes halfway into the lane to be in position to help if there’s a drive. It’s generally a good method of complicating penetration and reducing the number and quality of opponent at-rim attempts. The drawback can be giving up open threes.
  • One play made me laugh: Middleton was low man. He pre-helped on a Murray drive against Alex Sarr, who’d picked him up on a switch. Middleton came all the way across the lane and was (theoretically) in position to cut Murray off. Unfortunately, Middleton’s lack of mobility meant that Murray still got all the way to the rim — he made a nice pass to Spencer Jones, who’d made a cut behind the help…which Carrington (who had weakside zone responsibility) missed because he was ball watching.

I know the preceding is a recitation of woes, but this game wasn’t bad. They were competitive in ways they should have been based on who was missing from the opponent’s lineup. They made mistakes early on and corrected them during the game. The scheme they’re trying to execute is good. What I noticed as problems are pretty normal for young players and are correctable with experience and acceptance of coaching.

Thoughts & Observations

• Champagnie does a nice job of cutting to the rim when his man moves into a help position or turns his head.
• Strong offensive game from George — an efficient 29 points to go with 5 rebounds and 7 assists. He was credited with three blocks, though I do not think he played well defensively — he’s guilty of ball watching, leaving his man to help when it’s not necessary, and not matching up properly.
• Murray was the first guard in several weeks (at least) to figure out a counter to Sarr’s chase down blocks when driving the switch. Instead of a more normal extension into a layup, Murray jumped straight up as he laid the ball in. Sarr crashed into him and it became a three-point play.
• Sarr did as well as any big man could be expected when switched onto Murray. He prevented penetration a couple timed, forced Murray into difficult shots at others, and even poked the ball loose once.
• Bagley had another strong game off the bench. I’m curious to see Sarr and Bagley play together.
• With Bilal Coulibaly out, the Wizards had no strong point of attack defender.
• Abysmal game from Tre Johnson, who hit just 1-10 from the floor and missed all four of his three-point attempts. I didn’t love his shot selection, which was heavy on runners and floaters, which tend to be low value shots. The one he made was runner.
• Aaron Gordon was two points from a triple-double. Filling in a center, he tallied 11 assists, including one pass that was Jokic-light — he caught the ball in the post and instantly spun and hit a shooter in the opposite corner — literally behind his head. There was no way he could see the man before he went into the pass. I call it “Jokic-light” because Jokic would have made the same pass but no-look.
• Peyton Watson has been on a scoring binge with Jokic out. He has an impressive package of skills and the ability to make shots. His offensive efficiency would have gotten a solid boost if he’d shot better than 4-8 from the free throw line.

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	NUGGETS	LGAVG
eFG%	51.6%	61.2%	54.4%
OREB%	33.3%	11.4%	26.2%
TOV%	10.9%	11.8%	12.8%
FTM/FGA	0.167	0.200	0.211
PACE	101		99.7
ORTG	114	119	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	+/-
Kyshawn George	32	67	145	28.9%	5.8	243	-6
Justin Champagnie	26	55	112	20.3%	-0.4	152	1
Marvin Bagley III	20	42	144	24.8%	2.9	200	2
Khris Middleton	27	57	131	22.1%	1.9	136	-9
Jamir Watkins	21	44	193	4.9%	1.7	96	3
Will Riley	16	34	97	18.7%	-1.2	62	1
Bub Carrington	39	82	86	18.5%	-4.5	20	-6
Alex Sarr	28	60	102	24.0%	-2.0	15	-8
Tre Johnson	31	65	52	14.5%	-6.0	-78	-8

NUGGETS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Jamal Murray	39	83	128	36.1%	3.8	272	5
Tim Hardaway Jr.	36	75	131	25.0%	2.9	150	0
Aaron Gordon	32	68	119	16.8%	0.4	125	14
Spencer Jones	29	61	180	6.1%	2.4	90	-6
Jalen Pickett	22	47	107	15.3%	-0.6	112	8
Peyton Watson	35	74	106	23.7%	-1.7	64	5
Zeke Nnaji	16	34	125	11.8%	0.4	81	-8
Julian Strawther	6	12	0	6.5%	-0.9	2	2
Bruce Brown	25	52	84	14.3%	-2.4	-35	10

LONDON (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant started against the Orlando Magic on Sunday and was on a minutes restriction after a six-game absence because of a right calf injury.

“We’ll try to maximize his minutes and try to do it in a smart way," Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo said at a pregame news conference at London's O2 Arena.

Morant missed the first of the two-game NBA Europe series when the Magic beat the Grizzlies 118-111 in the league’s first regular-season game in Germany.

Iisalo said the medical update he received about the two-time All Star was positive a day after Morant practiced with the team.

“We’ve discussed this several times this season, when you miss a bunch of games, it’s not so easy to (go) right away into big minutes," Iisalo said of his expectations for Morant.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

After a ‌tight ‌victory against Minnesota, Houston aims to snag another one against New Orleans. This year, the Rockets sit at 0-1 against the Pelicans, following a 133-128 defeat in overtime. From there, New Orleans picked up just four wins.

So far, the Rockets have shown flashes of real power mixed with some shaky stretches, pulling off wins in high-speed matchups, yet dropping others they should have claimed. In the latest outing, Kevin Durant dropped 39 points to beat the Timberwolves, highlighting his knack for those huge scoring bursts. When Houston locks in, their fast breaks and board work stand out; they often cash in on extra shots and own the glass.

New Orleans, though, packs a serious scoring punch when everybody’s fit, even amid all their troubles this campaign. Still, injuries and uneven play kept them from accumulating wins, and lately, betting lines favored the Pacers over them, pointing to deeper issues across the board.

Houston has to cut down on turnovers and draw solid efforts not only from Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, but also from guys like Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, and Jabari Smith Jr too.

Tip Off

6:00 CT

How To Watch
Space City Home Network

Injury Report
Rockets
Fred VanVleet: Out (Acl),
Dorian Finney-Smith: Day-To-Day (Ankle),
Tari Eason: Day-To-Day (Ankle)

New Orleans

Herb Jones (right ankle sprain) – Out
Dejounte Murray (right Achilles rupture) – Out

Let’s do it again. The Chicago Bulls almost pulled off an improbable comeback, but the Brooklyn Nets escaped with a 112-109 win on Friday night. The W snapped their five game losing streak.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Amazingly, this game will tip off after 7 PM. More on that in a bit.

Injuries

No Ziaire Williams, Michael Porter Jr, Drake Powell, or Haywood Highsmith.

Zach Collins and Noa Essengue are out. Patrick Williams is questionable. Josh Giddey has been upgraded to doubtful as he recovers from a left hamstring strain.

The game

Brooklyn won games one and two. They’ll wrap up the season series in February.

Noah Clowney continues to impress. The kid collected a double-double as his 23 points and 11 rebounds paced the Nets frontcourt. The more he plays well, the more he becomes an integral part of the Nets future when they return to playoff contention. Keep at it and the results will be there.

The Bulls found their three point shooting at the right time on Friday night. They went 6-12 from deep as they made their furious comeback. They’re tenth in threes attempted and 14th in efficiency, which is pretty respectable. For the Nets, they’ve got to make sure they make things tough on the Bulls and limit any quality looks they can generate.

Nolan Traore got the bulk of the point guard minutes over Egor Dëmin, and it shows the importance of having two decent young guards on the roster. When one doesn’t have it, you can turn to the other one and see if he can bring home. Either way, it serves as a valuable learning lesson for both of them and should help as they continue their careers.

Without Porter Jr in the lineup, look for Cam Thomas to be one of the team leaders in field goal attempts. If all else fails, Thomas can get shots up at the rim. And with him being unlikely to play on Monday due to the back-to-back, he’ll have even more incentive to hunt for his shot tonight.

Player to watch: Nikola Vucevic

When Vucevic has it going, he’s hard to slow down. Vuc has a great touch, is solid in the post, and can stretch the floor. There’s a reason why he’s always given the Nets hell over the years and Chicago will make sure he gets the ball as much as possible this evening.

Nic Claxton will keep on keeping on. Clax grabbed a season high 14 rebounds on Friday as he helped the Nets to a +6 advantage on the boards against the Bulls. Securing possessions matters a ton in close games and if we have another one that goes down to the wire, Claxton’s work on the glass will go a long way in pushing the Nets to a win.

From the Vault

I feel very safe saying that just about everybody at the United Center will have their attention on the LA Rams vs. Chicago Bears at Solider Field this evening. It’s the first time the Bears have been in the divisional round in 15 years. With that in mind, let’s take a trip back in time.

More reading: Blog a Bull, The Bigs, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter, City of Nets

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Chicago Bulls Game Notes – Chicago Bulls
• Brooklyn visits Chicago on 4-game road slide – AP

Steph Curry flattered by Collin Sexton's hilariously aggressive defense originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Guarding Steph Curry is an undertaking very few in the NBA are prepared for.

Hornets guard Collin Sexton was ready for the challenge in the Warriors’ 136-116 win over Charlotte on Saturday at Chase Center, and he did his best not to leave Curry’s side.

Quite literally.

With 8:20 remaining in the second quarter and the Warriors leading 47-39, Sexton, with his arm around Curry, followed the Warriors superstar stride-for-stride across the court. When Curry, who noticed Sexton hovering, kept walking past Charlotte’s bench and toward the locker room, Sexton hilariously followed him off the court.

Collin Sexton was ready to follow Steph to the locker room 😭 pic.twitter.com/vGCirmyIZ8

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 18, 2026

All Sexton is doing is what every coach probably preaches to their players when matched up against Curry: Wherever he goes, you go. And you don’t leave his side.

Of course, Sexton didn’t do anything wrong, he was just being overly aggressive in sticking by Curry’s side, but when asked about the viral moment after the game, Curry couldn’t help but feel flattered at the attention paid to him.

“There’s a part of you that fights it just because it’s not real basketball,” Curry said. “But there’s also a part of it that’s flattering … knowing that you demand that much attention and what it does to create shots for other guys.”

Whether it was Sexton and Charlotte’s defense or just a poor shooting night, Curry was held at bay with 14 points, three rebounds and five assists on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 2 of 8 from 3-point range in 29 minutes.

Hopefully future opponents don’t take Sexton’s antics further and follow Curry out of the building.

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One word to describe this current era of the New York Knicks has been stability. Over the past three years, the club has won at least 47 games and been victorious in at least one round in the postseason.

This season, the Knicks are on pace for a similar outcome, as they are in third place with a 25-17 record after 42 games. But despite the similar record, something seems off. After losing 106-99 to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night, the Knicks have dropped eight of their last 10 games. Only two games separate them from the seventh seed in the East and a play-in appearance.

New York’s last two months have been unlike the last few years, unstable. Before this recent swoon, the Knicks had won 15 of 18 games, including the NBA Cup Championship game against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Knicks have a lot of room to grow after the first half of the season. But as the year rapidly progresses, it will be much more difficult to escape the funk the team is currently in.

Defense has been the number one concern in New York’s first half of the year. This season, New York is ranked 19th in defensive efficiency. The largest issues have been overhelping on the perimeter and allowing easy drives into the paint, which is leading to a steady stream of easy three-point looks from the opposition.

Built around star Jalen Brunson, New York’s offense was deadly to start the year. The Knicks are still ranked third in offensive efficiency overall this season, but the offense has also slowed down recently. Since the start of the new year, the Knicks are just 21st in offensive efficiency. They are 23rd in three-point shooting at 34.7 percent.

Injuries have been a factor in New York’s first half of the year. Brunson has sprained his right ankle twice this season. OG Anunoby missed a handful of games with a left hamstring strain. Josh Hart has been in and out of the lineup with a sprained right ankle. Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride and Landry Shamet have all also missed significant time.

New coaching scheme

Coach Mike Brown has made some adjustments in his first season in New York. Brunson has the ball in his hands a lot less. The team is attempting more threes compared to last year. Brown has given some of the younger players on the bench spot minutes.

These decisions have mostly paid off. Brunson is having another All-Star season, New York’s offense has been one of the best in the NBA for most of the year, and unlikely contributors like Tyler Kolek have made highlight moments early on this season.

But Brown has not been without fault. As mentioned before, New York’s defense has been poor. And it’s only getting worse. The Knicks rank 29th in defensive efficiency in January. Brown also hasn’t been able to unlock Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks’ star center is having his worst shooting season of his career, and his scoring numbers have dropped significantly from last season.

Towns has seemed uncomfortable in a slightly adjusted role under Brown. He’s posting up less and doesn’t touch the ball as much as last season.

Eyeing the future

New York’s coaching switch from Tom Thibodeau to Brown this summer was an indication of a belief in the roster for the foreseeable future. But what if the team is unable to advance further with Brown than it did with Thibodeau? It could lead the team to re-evaluate if the roster is good enough.

The Eastern Conference is wide open. The Knicks might never have a better shot of making the NBA Finals than this season. But being a Finals favorite comes with extra pressure.

Looming over this season is Towns’ contract. The five-time All-Star center is locked into his deal for next season, but he holds a $61 million player option for the 2027-28 season. Towns’ future isn’t the only one to monitor. Robinson is also likely to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. McBride could become a free agent in the summer of 2027.

With the Knicks approaching the feared second apron, keeping this core together will be pricey going forward. An early playoff flameout could shift how the front office feels about the roster.

Despite the doom and gloom, there is still a path for the Knicks to get to the NBA Finals. The offense has been effective, and that will give the team a chance. But the defense and better play from Towns will be needed for the club to build an airtight case as a true contender.

The Los Angeles Lakers are feeling the squeeze of the schedule when the Toronto Raptors come to town Sunday.

Los Angeles is playing the second game of back-to-back outings and its fifth game in seven days. That wear and tear is showing on a roster already missing key players.

The recent return of small forward Rui Hachimura helps, and my Raptors vs. Lakers predictions expect him to pick up the pace — especially from beyond the arc — in this tight turnaround versus Toronto.

Here are my best NBA picks for January 18.

Raptors vs Lakers prediction

Raptors vs Lakers best bet: Rui Hachimura Over 1.5 threes (+160)

Rui Hachimura has been limited in minutes since returning from a calf injury on January 13, coming off the bench as he works his way back into form. 

Given the state of the Los Angeles Lakers’ rotation heading into Sunday, Hachimura has a significant chance of more playing time and re-insertion back into the starting lineup after coming off the bench the past three games.

In that span, Hachimura is a collective 3 for 10 from beyond the arc with limited touches on offense. Before going down with the calf strain, he was one of the Lakers’ premier perimeter threats and was averaging more than 30 minutes a game.

“He’s our best catch-and-shoot guy,” L.A. coach JJ Redick told the media of Hachimura. “He’s one of the best guys in the league."

Los Angeles is already missing standout guard Austin Reaves and could be without guards Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart, and center DeAndre Ayton tonight -all listed as doubtful. 

On the season, Hachimura is averaging just shy of 13 points per game, with a team-leading 43.3% rate from beyond the arc for 1.7 triples per contest.

Player projections for Sunday night are a bit tempered for Hachimura, taking into account his limited minutes this month. Those forecasts sit between 1.2 and 1.4 makes from distance, but I believe there’s an edge for the Over 1.5 given how I think L.A. runs in the second of back-to-back outings.

Raptors vs Lakers same-game parlay

The Toronto Raptors have been excellent at bouncing back from losses this season. The Raptors have won six of their last seven after a defeat, going back to December 23.

Hachimura has been on a minutes limit in his first three games back from injury. Los Angeles may be forced to play him more with the rotation running thin tonight.

Scottie Barnes bangs on the boards with a depleted L.A. lineup, potentially missing their only true big man.

Raptors vs Lakers SGP

• Raptors moneyline
• Rui Hachimura Over 1.5 threes
• Scottie Barnes Over 7.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Dino-Might!

Los Angeles is hurting and tired, playing their fifth game in seven days.

Hachimura will get more touches with the L.A. backcourt depleted.

Barners is projected for more than nine rebounds tonight.

Immanuel Quickley is forecasted for more than 18 points against a thin L.A. backcourt.

Raptors vs Lakers SGP

• Raptors moneyline
• Rui Hachimura Over 1.5 threes
• Scottie Barnes Over 7.5 rebounds
• Immanuel Quickley Over 16.5 points

Raptors vs Lakers odds

• Spread: Raptors -1.5 | Lakers +1.5
• Moneyline: Raptors -125 | Lakers +105
• Over/Under: Over 223.5 | Under 223.5

Raptors vs Lakers betting trend to know

The Over is 5-2 when the Lakers play on zero rest this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Lakers.

How to watch Raptors vs Lakers

Raptors vs Lakers latest injuries

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