Category: NBA

The Celtics' biggest holiday gift? Being ahead of schedule originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Merry Christmas, Celtics fans. Boston doesn’t have a game on the NBA’s marquee day for the first time in a decade, but we suspect it will only be a one-year holiday hiatus. Heck, if the league could flex the Celtics into the Cavaliers’ spot on Thursday, they probably would.

Instead, you can spend the 25th savoring the strides these Celtics have made since a jarring summer overhaul. Think about how hazy the future appeared after all the summer changes, and contrast that with the optimism that flows about where this team is headed.

It’s easy to get caught up in the wins and losses — the fact that Boston sits seven games over .500 and in third place in the Eastern Conference with a third of the season in the rearview is encouraging on its own — but the real victory here is just how bright the future appears.

Jaylen Brown has muscled himself into the MVP conversation while making 30-point nights seem routine. Jayson Tatum has attacked his rehab from Achilles surgery and has a chance to at least ponder a return in a season most thought he’d miss entirely. Boston’s entire cluster of young wings, including recent draftees Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez, have all impacted winning far more than anyone could have expected to this point.

Joe Mazzulla is pushing all the right buttons, and while he’d be the first to suggest that nobody cares, he deserves to be in the way-too-early conversation for Coach of the Year. And if they keep their foot on the accelerator heading into calendar year 2026, the Celtics could give president of basketball operations Brad Stevens even more motivation to seek big man help that would bolster the roster for a stretch run.

The Celtics are 18-11 with the sixth-best point differential in the NBA (+5.9). They’d be on pace to hit Phil Jackson’s 40/20 rule (40 wins before 20 losses) if not for a couple stumbles against inferior opponents. They still might get there given a favorable strength of schedule through the early portion of 2026.

But again, taking a step back: Even if Boston does throw itself into contention more than most expected this season, the longer-term future is even more tantalizing. It’s fair to daydream about what a Tatum/Brown combo is capable of when, 1) Tatum has fully shaken rust from his Achilles rehab and 2) Teams can’t load up on Brown again with Tatum back on the floor.

Big man Neemias Queta has thrived in increased minutes. Walsh has been a revelation, looking like an All-Defense stalwart whom opposing coaches and players can’t stop gushing about. And then there’s 19-year-old Gonzalez, with his limitless motor, who makes the kinds of winning plays that endeared Marcus Smart to fans throughout his Boston tenure.

There were so many questions surrounding this team entering the season. Could Brown thrive in the 1A role? Could Mazzulla get the most out of an overhauled roster that lost a ton of talent? Could Queta fill the big-man role after the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet? Would any of Boston’s young wings emerge as viable rotation options in the long term?

The answer to each questions has basically been an emphatic, “Yes.” Beyond some long-distance shooting slumps for Payton Pritchard and Derrick White, there hasn’t been much to fret for these Celtics through the first two months of the new season.

A lot has to continue to go right this season for the team to be truly competitive this season. But it feels OK to daydream, given both the wide-open nature of the East and Tatum’s potential return. Nothing about what the Celtics are doing feels fleeting. In fact, it feels like the team can be even a bit more consistent in all facets of the game.

The Celtics have already posted wins over all their top East rivals. They’ve beaten Orlando, Detroit, Cleveland, New York, Toronto and Miami while going 13-4 since November 12. Boston owns both the No. 2 offensive rating and the No. 2 net rating (+9.8) in the NBA in that span.

If Santa Stevens can leave another big man under Boston’s tree — even if it doesn’t happen until January or early February — the team could further shore up the rebounding woes that have conspired against its middling defensive rating.

It’s often said that the NBA season doesn’t start until Christmas. But that would diminish what the Celtics have accomplished lately. There could still be some bumps in the road this season and it’s fair to tread cautiously with expectations. But it doesn’t seem far-fetched to think that Boston could re-emerge as a legit title contender no later than the 2026-27 campaign.

So, enjoy a quiet Christmas. It’s probably the last one without the green team for a while. The Celtics feel ahead of schedule. And that’s the best gift they could have given their fans this holiday season.

Christmas Day delivers an NBA feast, with five marquee matchups featuring playoff implications, star power and plenty of fantasy intrigue. From a bruising Eastern Conference showdown at Madison Square Garden to a heavyweight clash between San Antonio and Oklahoma City, this slate offers no shortage of storylines. Injuries loom large across several games, creating potential value swings and unexpected rotation changes. Superstars like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell headline the action, while emerging contributors could swing outcomes. Here's a game-by-game breakdown of what to watch as the NBA takes center stage on Christmas.

Christmas Day NBA Matchups

Cleveland Cavaliers (17-14) at New York Knicks (20-9)

New York leads this season series 1-0. They're 7-3 over their past 10 games and are 14-2 at home. Cleveland is 5-5 over their past 10 and are 6-6 on the road.

Like many of the games on this Christmas Day slate, there's a notable injury report. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby are both questionable, while Evan Mobley remains sidelined. Potential absences to Brunson and Anunoby could lead to more minutes for Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson, plus Mitchell Robinson and wing players like Ariel Hukporti. For the Cavs, Dean Wade has been starting in place of Evan Mobley, and Sam Merrill is coming off a great performance and will help with the team's offensive punch. Jaylon Tyson and Jarrett Allen should also continue seeing expanded roles. Donovan Mitchell has been Cleveland's best performer, averaging 31.9 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals this month. Brunson has been New York's best player, but know for sure that Karl-Anthony Towns will be available. In December, he's producing 23.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals.

San Antonio Spurs (22-7) at Oklahoma City Thunder (26-4)

The Spurs lead this season series 2-0. They're 9-1 over their past 10, winning seven straight, and are 10-5 on the road. OKC is 7-3 over their past 10 and are undefeated at home.

This game has a much cleaner injury report than Cavs/Knicks, though Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell are notably questionable. Absences to them could create more opportunities for Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and others. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to produce at an MVP level, averaging 32.4 points, 6.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks in December. For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama has come off the bench for five straight games and produced 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 blocks in 20.6 minutes. It's unclear if he'll rejoin the starting five and see a minutes increase for Christmas Day.

Dallas Mavericks (12-19) at Golden State Warriors (15-15)

This is the first time these teams have faced off this season. The Mavericks are 3-9 on the road but are 6-4 overall across the past 10 games. Golden State is 9-4 at home and 5-5 across the past 10 games.

Dallas has a handful of role players questionable for this game, and one starter in PJ Washington. Cooper Flagg is coming off an excellent performance, with 33 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, one steal and one block against the Nuggets. Anthony Davis has rounded back into form as well, averaging 26.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks across his past six games. For the Warriors, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler continue to be the team's go-to options offensively. Curry is averaging 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals over his past five. During that same stretch, Butler is averaging 21.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals.

Houston Rockets (17-10) at Los Angeles Lakers (19-9)

This is the first matchup of the season for these squads. Houston is 9-8 on the road and 4-6 across the past 10. The Lakers are 7-4 at home and 5-5 over the past 10.

Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura are questionable for this one, as is Jaxson Hayes. That means we could see expanded roles from Austin Reaves and LeBron James as the Lakers' primary creators, while Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart could see extra run. Reaves played 22 minutes in his return from a calf strain Tuesday but should be at full strength for Christmas. In his prior 10 games, he averaged 27.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Over LeBron's past six games, he's putting up 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.0 steals. The Rockets are being led by Alperen Sengun, who is having a career year with 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks.

Minnesota Timberwolves (20-10) at Denver Nuggets (21-8)

Denver leads this season series 2-0. They're 9-5 at home and 7-3 across the past 10. Minnesota is 8-5 on the road and are 8-2 over the past 10 with a three-game win streak.

For Minnesota, Jaden McDaniels is questionable. His potential absence could lead to more minutes for Jaylen Clark and Terrence Shannon. Anthony Edwards continues to lead the way with averages of 28.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals. Denver could be even more shorthanded than usual as Cam Johnson suffered a knee sprain Tuesday against the Mavericks. Assuming he is sidelined, more minutes should be in store for Tim Hardaway and Spencer Jones. Nikola Jokic is putting up MVP numbers with 28.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 10.8 assists and 1.4 steals in December. 

Austin Reaves returned from a left calf strain that sidelined him for three games, but the Lakers’ second-leading scorer did nothing to fix the team’s most glaring weakness.

The Lakers' defense collapsed in a 132-108 loss to the Suns on Tuesday at Mortgage Matchup Center, giving up a season-high field goal percentage (59%), tying their mark for most points allowed this season. Led by a combined 17-for-29 shooting from star guard Devin Booker (21 points) and Dillon Brooks (25 points), the Suns easily eclipsed the 56.5% they shot against the Lakers on Dec. 1.

The Lakers (19-9) lost consecutive games for the first time and limped into a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets with a multitude of injuries.

Playing without Luka Doncic, who is day to day with a left leg contusion he sustained Saturday against the Clippers, LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points on seven-for-14 shooting. Deandre Ayton had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double while Reaves came off the bench for the first time in two seasons and scored 17 points with two assists and three turnovers.

Coach JJ Redick said Reaves was not on an official minutes restriction after his weeklong absence, but that the team would monitor his workload “in real time.”

Calf injuries, even the most minor, have been major concerns for the NBA since three stars suffered Achilles tendon tears during last season's playoffs. Reaves, who carried the team during the early part of a season that has featured injury absences from James and Doncic, led the team in minutes per game. His 775 minutes entering Tuesday were second-most on the team behind Rui Hachimura. The Japanese forward missed his second consecutive game with right groin soreness.

When asked whether Reaves needed a physical reset after carrying such a large load, Redick admitted a break may have been necessary.

Reaves looked out of sorts when he entered with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter. He fumbled the handoff on his first touch coming off a screen. When he tried to thread bounce passes through tiny windows, the ball was kicked away or deflected. He got attacked on defense and gave up consecutive driving layups to Suns guard Jamaree Bouyea.

Bouyea had 14 points off the bench, including a layup over Marcus Smart, who failed to draw a charge call, in the third quarter. While Smart laid in the key appealing to officials, Bouyea didn’t hesitate to leap over the Lakers' guard and score. The Lakers fell behind by as many as 29 in the third quarter, and Redick quietly waved the white flag with 5:22 remaining in the third when he put reserve forward Maxi Kleber and rookie Adou Thiero onto the floor.

The Phoenix crowd started to file out in bunches with seven minutes remaining when the lead reached 30.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Knicks got 40 points from Karl-Anthony Towns, but playing without two starters, New York fell 115-104 at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.

With Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby getting the night off amid the Knicks’ tight run of fixtures after their NBA Cup run, Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson were bumped into the starting lineup. That put New York (20-9) in a tough spot against Minnesota (20-10, winners of five of six).

Towns looked to carry the load on offense, scoring 14 first-quarter points on 5-for-9 shooting. That was quite the turnaround for KAT after scoring just two points on 1-for-5 shooting over 29 minutes in Sunday’s win. Kolek looked to force the issue and contributed six points (3-for-7 from the floor), including some tough lay-ups to go along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the opening quarter.

For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards tallied a quick 13 points and Donte DiVincenzo dished out four assists for a 31-28 Minnesota lead.

At the start of the second quarter, the Knicks' five of Kolek, Robinson, Josh Hart, Mohamed Diawara, and Kevin McCullar Jr. got blitzed for a 10-2 run. Minnesota’s run hit 17-2 for a 16-point lead before Towns put in back-to-back buckets and two at the line to give him 20 in the game. That started a 16-5 run, capped by a Jordan Clarkson three (the first points from the bench), forced a timeout with the deficit at five and 3:25 left in the second. New York cut it to one on a second Clarkson three, before the hosts took a 58-52 lead into the break. 

The big issue at the interveal: outside of Towns, the Knicks were shooting 12-for-35 (34.3 percent) from the floor.

The third quarter started poorly: Two Wolves threes sandwiching offensive fouls by Robinson and Towns (his fourth foul, fifth turnover), and the deficit was back to 12. But after missing their first four shots, the Knicks used a 10-2 spurt, including five from Kolek, to force a Minnesota timeout. A further 7-1 spurt gave the Knicks a lead midway into the quarter at 69-67. 

But as Mike Brown turned more to the bench, Edwards led the Wolves on a 9-0 run, giving him 32 in the game, to push it back to a seven-point Wolves lead. The Wolves’ star had 16 in the quarter on 7-for-10 shooting while his teammates went 2-for-12 in the quarter for an 85-79 advantage.

Julius Randle, held to eight points through three quarters, took over in the fourth with eight-straight Wolves points to force a timeout as their lead hit 97-85 with 6:51 to play. Randle kept it going, scoring the next seven for Minnesota before an Edwards dunk made it a 16-point lead with under five to play. The Knicks again had one more counterpunch as KAT and Hart combined for a 10-3 move to make it a nine-point game with 3:10 to play. But that was New York’s last gasp.

The Knicks were sunk in part by 19 turnovers, leading to 22 Timberwolves points and shooting 41-for-99 from the floor (41.4 percent). They did out-rebound their hosts, 55-42.

Here are the takeaways...

- KAT, soon after he sparked the Knicks’ big second-quarter surge, picked up his second offensive foul of the quarter (third foul overall) and was forced to the bench with 2:58 to play in the half. Sittig with 24 points (9-for-13 shooting), four rebounds, four turnovers, and was a plus-5 in 15 minutes. But after the hot start, Towns connected on just three of his next nine from the floor and picked up his fifth foul with five left in the game before he scored a quick five to give him 40 on the night. 

Towns would foul out in the final minute. He finished with 40 points (14-for-24, 3-for-6 from deep, 9-for-11 from the line) with 12 rebounds (four offensive), one assist, one steal, five turnovers and was a plus-7 in 35 minutes.

- Kolek looked to do more on offense, but other than a few good drives, struggled from the floor in the opening half: 3-for-10 from the floor (0-for-3 from deep) for six points. He did have four rebounds and three assists, but was a minus-12 in his first 12 minutes. After going 3-for-7 from the floor in the third, he put in a quick five points on two possessions when he checked in midway through the fourth. 

He finished with 20 points (9-for-22 shooting, 2-for-6 from three) with 11 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and two turnovers, but was a minus-7 in 31 minutes. For Kolek, those are career highs in points (just his second game in double figures, with both coming in the last three games), rebounds, and minutes.

- Bridges grabbed the Knicks’ first opening field goals, and without Brunson, was going to have to pick up some slack on offense while taking on the challenge of guarding Edwards. But Bridges, who made 3 of 6 in the first quarter for six points, attempted just two field goals in the second to give him nine points in the first half. 

After a 2-for-5 third quarter, Bridges didn’t find the touch in the fourth, finishing with 15 points on 7-for-16 shooting (1-for-6 from three) with three rebounds and was a plus-3 in 38 minutes.

- Hart continued to pop up in the right spots, hauling down seven rebounds, dishing out six assists, and grabbing two steals with five points in 22 first-half minutes. Late in the third, he tangled with Rudy Gobert on the defensive glass, but it was the Knicks man who was assessed a foul that was reviewed and upgraded to a flagrant foul as Hart, who was seated, was judged to have attempted to trip the Wolves’ 7-footer. He finished with 12 points (5-for-14 shooting) with 15 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, six turnovers, and was a minus-5 in 42 minutes.

- Robinson, who grabbed an offensive rebound on the first miss of the game. The Knicks tried to get the big man on a few lobs in the first quarter, but couldn’t find the connection. He struggled to assert himself and was being dragged to the perimeter on defense. Robinson was a team-worst minus-13 in 15 first-half minutes with just two points and two rebounds.

It wasn’t his night as he finished with two points (1-for-4) with seven rebounds (six offensive), two blocks, and a team-worst minus-15 in 26 minutes.

- Off the bench, Clarkson, Diawara, and Ariel Hukporti all saw time in the first. McCullar and Pacôme Dadiet got action in the second, but other than a pair of threes from Clarkson (2-for-6 from the floor), the bench wasn’t offering much as the other four were scoreless with Diawara missing his lone attempt and Dadiet missing twice from deep.

The McCullar cameo (minus-11 in just four minutes) was especially rough, as was Diawara’s time (minus-12 in seven minutes) in the first half.

Clarkson accounted for 10 of the Knicks’ 15 bench points on 3-for-11 shooting, and he was a minus-9 in 30 minutes.

- GuerschonYabusele was unavailable for the night due to illness.

- DiVincenzo finished with 11 points and eight assists in 32 minutes. Gobert added 11 points and 16 rebounds (six offensive) to go with three blocks, two steals, and two assists in 38 minutes.

Game MVP: Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle

The Wolves guard finished with 38 points on 15-for-27 shooting (4-for-10 from three) with four steals, two assists, one rebound, one block, just one turnover in 37 minutes. While Edwards owned the first three quarters, Randle pipped in here because of his 17-point fourth quarter, as he finished with 25 points (10-for-20 shooting) with six rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes.

What's next

The Knicks return to Madison Square Garden to play the early game (12 p.m. tip) on Christmas Day against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 points, Egor Demin added 20 and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-106 on Tuesday night

Porter went 5 of 12 from the 3-point arc and Demin hit a couple of late 3s after the 76ers cut a 19-point lead to nine in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn shot 17 of 46 from 3-point distance to win for the third time in four games. Nic Claxton added 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid scored 27 points despite going out briefly early in the third quarter after banging his right knee. Paul George added 19 points, but 76ers leading scorer Tyrese Maxey was held to 13 points on 3-of-14 shooting. Andrew Drummond finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Porter scored 24 points in the Nets’ 96-81 win over Toronto on Sunday and eclipsed that in the first half against Philadelphia.

Porter had 25 points and hit 5 of 8 from 3-point range, helping the Nets build a 63-57 halftime lead.

Embiid did most of his work inside the arc, hitting 7 of 10 shots to score 19 points by halftime. Maxey, coming off a 38-point game against Dallas, had five first-half points on 1-of-7 shooting.

Embiid went to the locker room clutching his right knee after colliding with Brooklyn’s Terance Mann in the opening minute of the third quarter. Embiid returned to the bench and re-entered the game a few minutes later.

Brooklyn gradually stretched the lead even after Embiid returned, up 89-77 after three quarters. Philadelphia used a 10-0 run to pull within 99-90 midway through the fourth quarter, but got no closer after Demin hit a pair of 3s.

Up next

Nets: At Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.

76ers: At Chicago Bulls on Friday in opener of a five-game trip.

Kings' Doug Christie states ‘you never know' as Malik Monk trade rumors swirl originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Despite rumors swirling that the Kings are open to trading Malik Monk, coach Doug Christie said Tuesday that he expects the veteran guard to still be wearing a Sacramento jersey at the end of the 2025-26 NBA season.

“Until otherwise, I expect him to be here for his contract,” Christie said shortly after the Kings’ 136-127 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Golden 1 Center. “He’s signed to be a Sacramento King. He’s going to be a Sacramento King. If something else happens … that goes when trades and all that stuff come into play.”

Since joining the Kings as a free agent before the 2022-23 season, Monk’s popularity has soared in the state capital to the point where he is now one of the most beloved players on Sacramento’s roster.

That was on full display Tuesday when Monk strolled to the scorer’s table to check in for the first time.

In unison the Golden 1 Center crowd roared in appreciation at a level surpassed only when Monk canned a 3-pointer early in his first rotation.

He finished with nine points in just under 14 minutes, shooting 3 of 8 with a pair of 3-pointers to go with two of steals.

A nice night, for sure, but not enough to erase the looming cloud of a potential trade that lingered overhead at G1C. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported early Tuesday morning that the Kings have made Monk available to teams ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

When asked about the rumors, Christie deflected.

“That’s a [general manager Scott Perry] question,” Christie said. “I don’t have any anything there, but I love Malik. Always have. What we’re trying to do here is bigger than any one player, two players, anything. We’re trying to set something that is sustainable. We just changed things up in this particular moment.”

Monk was not available for comment. He changed quickly after the game and was long gone by the time media was allowed into the Sacramento locker room.

When Christie talked to reporters, he insisted things between himself and Monk are OK.

“Nothing personal, nothing like that.,” Christie said. “I’ve told him that I love him to death. But we are trying to shake things up, and we’re going to figure out how to find a way to be, first of all, competing at a really high level and playing to our standard, a particular standard.”

A former Sixth Man of the Year runner-up who re-upped with the Kings last summer when he inked a four-year, $78 million contract, Monk was projected to be a big part of Sacramento’s once-promising future.

A lot of that promise has changed over the last two seasons. Mike Brown was fired as head coach after helping the Kings end the longest playoff drought in NBA history. Popular point guard De’Aaron Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs last season.

It appears that Monk might be the next one out the door.

“You never know,” Christie said. “When I was here in this jersey, I didn’t expect to get traded. It did happen.”

That was in 2005 when the Kings sent Christie to the Orlando Magic for Cuttino Mobley and Michael Bradley. If Monk is traded, the price of acquiring him could and should be a lot more.

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What we learned as DeMar DeRozan's 37 points can't push Kings past Pistons originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

SACRAMENTO – Two days ago, the Kings had Golden 1 Center rocking with a thrilling overtime win.

Two days before Christmas, the venue was the same — but the noise was mostly muted and the outcome was basically a lump of coal.

Not only did the Kings get smacked around handily by the Detroit Pistons 136-127 on Tuesday, they also saw another front-line player go down when Keegan Murray left the game in the second half after injuring his calf.

Murmurs also swirled throughout the night about Malik Monk being available in trade talks, a cloud that will most definitely linger overhead until a deal is done or the deadline passes Feb. 5.

Where the Kings are at that point likely will determine what, if any, other moves the franchise makes.

The way Sacramento looked against Detroit, no one’s job should be safe. That includes coach Doug Christie, whose style hasn’t produced any lasting or impactful moments.

DeMar DeRozan had 37 points and eight assists for the good guys. Russell Westbrook added 27 points and six rebounds while Precious Achiuwa had 15 points and 11 boards.

The Kings fell to 7-23 on the 2025-26 NBA season. They have lost six of seven, 10 of 14 and 17 of 21.

The Pistons took control early, dropping 37 points in the first quarter to take a double-digit lead. DeRozan scored 23 points in the first half but it wasn’t enough to overcome Detroit, which led 75-58 at the break,

Sacramento got within 15 early in the third quarter then pulled within 129-120 with 3:10 remaining in the fourth following DeRozan’s three-point play, but couldn’t muster another comeback.

Here are the takeaways from Tuesday:

Monk On The Move?

The loudest cheers from the Golden 1 Center crowd happened midway through the second quarter when Monk walked to the scorer’s table to check in.

The ninth-year veteran made his first bucket less than two minutes into his first stint then drained a 3-pointer after that as chanting monks played over the loudspeakers. That had been a tradition at G1C but was noticeably absent in the previous few games.

Monk, who had nine points in 14 minutes, has been a fan favorite in Sacramento ever since his arrival during the 2022-23 season, but there might have been more meaning to the ovations this time.

Minutes before tip-off a report from NBA Insider Chris Haynes surfaced that Monk has been made available for trade by the Kings, which if true certainly is no surprise.

Drowning From Deep

For a team that has mixed success shooting from deep over the season, the Kings seemed fascinated with trying to make things happen behind the arc against the Pistons.

That, like a lot of everything Sacramento tried, didn’t work out so well.

The Kings, who shot 29 percent (24-for-82) on threes in their previous three games, sputtered with their 3-point shooting for much of the night. They missed nine of their first 10 tries behind the arc and 13 of their first 18.

The struggles from deep took away what actually had been a decent shooting night for the Kings. They shot 31 of 59 on two-pointers.

Achiuwa was one of the few Sacramento players to have any sort of like shooting deep, connecting on 3 of 4 attempted threes.

No D At G1C

The Kings had a fairly decent night offensively, but this game turned on Sacramento’s inability to make consistent stops on the other end.

Time and time again the Pistons drove to the rack with very little resistance all game and nearly doubled the Kings’ scoring in the paint.

With Domantas Sabonis and Andrew Eubanks both injured, the bulk of the Kings’ interior defense was absent. Rookie Maxime Raynaud, who has been playing very well as of late, had eight points.

The defensive breakdowns weren’t limited to the big men. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham made seven of his first 10 shots and put up 16 points in the first half, many of them uncontested. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting.

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Obsevations after Maxey-McCain backcourt struggles in Sixers' loss to Nets  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Tyrese Maxey struggled all night long and the Sixers fell to a 114-106 defeat to the Nets on Tuesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Maxey had 13 points on 3-for-14 shooting, three rebounds, four steals, two assists and four turnovers as the Sixers dropped to 16-12 on the season. Brooklyn improved to 9-19.

Joel Embiid posted 27 points, six rebounds and four assists. Paul George recorded 19 points, four rebounds and four steals.

Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 28 points. 

The Sixers had three players sidelined by an illness in VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes and Dominick Barlow. The team canceled its morning shootaround as a result.

Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) remained out. 

The Sixers will begin a five-game road trip Friday night in Chicago against the Bulls. Here are observations on their loss to the Nets:

Embiid good to go after injury scare

Embiid suited up for his first game since the Sixers’ loss last Sunday to the Hawks. He’d missed the past two games with a “right knee injury management” designation in addition to an illness. 

Jared McCain started for the first time in his second season. Maxey, George and Jabari Walker rounded out the Sixers’ first five. 

Embiid had a smooth start offensively. He knocked down contested jumpers, sought out contact and seemed to believe he could score against whatever Brooklyn threw his way. 

The seven-time All-Star also looked to be fine on the conditioning front. Embiid played until the 2:45 mark of the first quarter and posted 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting and three rebounds in the period. 

Embiid had an injury scare just 25 seconds into the third quarter when Terance Mann bumped him as he jogged into the paint.

He grabbed his knee in apparent pain and eventually pointed toward the bench to request a sub. Andre Drummond entered and Embiid walked gingerly to the locker room.

About five minutes later, Embiid returned to the Sixers’ sideline. He checked back in with 6:49 left in the third quarter.

Nothing falling for Maxey

The Sixers took an 8-1 lead on a McCain fast-break layup, but the Nets responded with a run almost entirely about Porter’s shotmaking. His third three-pointer in quick succession gave Brooklyn a 12-10 edge.

On the other end, the Sixers’ outside shooters struggled. George and Walker air balled first-quarter three-point tries. The Sixers wound up shooting 40.7 percent from the floor and 25.9 percent beyond the arc.

Maxey went scoreless in the first quarter and missed his first six field goals. He was frustrated at times by Mann’s tight, physical defense and couldn’t hit the few open shots he managed to find. 

Maxey was obviously not thrilled about the officiating. Both he and Sixers head coach Nick Nurse appeared to have heated words with crew chief Courtney Kirkland during a stoppage near the end of the second quarter. 

The shorthanded Sixers’ guard rotation included little-used veterans Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry. After Maxey was whistled for his second foul with 2:11 to go in the first quarter, Lowry checked in for the first home action of his 20th NBA season. Gordon (12 points on 4-for-8 shooting) made the Sixers’ first two long-distance jumpers. 

The vet-heavy Sixers played zone defense early in the second quarter against the youthful Nets and didn’t fare badly. However, Brooklyn hit the Sixers with another run in the second and Porter kept causing serious problems.

Porter began 7 for 9 from the floor and piled up 25 points in the first half. The Nets held a six-point edge at intermission. 

Last-gasp surge not enough

Maxey continued to come up empty.

He missed an open three early in the third quarter to fall to 1 for 10 from the field. Maxey then committed his fourth foul on a Egor Demin four-point play and the Nets’ advantage reached double digits. The Sixers had too many of those sort of sloppy mistakes on both sides of the ball.

Drummond (12 points, 13 rebounds) made three tip-ins early in the second half and stayed on the court once Embiid returned. Walker’s foul trouble presumably played a role in Nurse turning to a double-big frontcourt. Adem Bona shared the floor with Embiid, too.

The Sixers’ deficit swelled as high as 19 points. McCain shared Maxey’s offensive woes. He dipped to 1 for 9 from the floor early in the fourth quarter with a pair of missed lefty layup attempts. The starting backcourt of Maxey and McCain finished a ghastly 6 for 25, including several makes in quasi-garbage time. It’s very challenging to beat any team with that kind of backcourt shooting.

All of a sudden, the Sixers summoned a burst of late-game energy.

Maxey swiped a steal and coasted in for a layup. Bona slammed in an alley-oop assisted by Embiid. Two Embiid free throws cut the Sixers’ deficit to 99-90.

The Sixers couldn’t create any serious drama in the final minutes. They committed a slew of fouls, Maxey air balled a three and Brooklyn sealed the deal on a bad Sixers loss.

Nick Young shares why latest Draymond-Kerr clash feels ‘different' than others originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Former NBA guard Nick Young only spent one season playing for the Warriors, but that 2017-18 campaign was long enough for him to witness a Draymond Green-Steve Kerr tussle or two.

Speaking on Gilbert Arenas’ “The Arena” podcast, Young lent his insight into Green and Kerr’s relationship, and why their clash Monday night isn’t the same as past quarrels.

“[Green and Kerr] always fight,” Young said. “They got into a big fight in [Oklahoma City] where we had to pull Draymond back, pull Steve Kerr back. But this time it’s different because they’re not the same championship team.”

On an otherwise feel-good night for the Warriors—they trounced the Orlando Magic to climb back to the .500 mark at 15-15—Green and Kerr became embroiled in a heated discussion during a timeout, prompting Green to leave the floor completely and take refuge in the Golden State locker room.

“Tempers spilled over,” Green said in his postgame press conference. “And I thought it was best that get out of there. I didn’t think it was a situation where it was going to get better. So, it was best to remove myself.”

Kerr essentially echoed Green’s telling of events in his own postgame presser.

“We got into it, obviously,” Kerr said. “And I took the timeout because I thought we lost our focus there a little bit. And we had it out a little bit. And he made his decision to go back to the locker room to cool off.”

A day later, Young expressed uncertainty over whether this current version of the Warriors is built to withstand a squabble between its head coach and most volatile player.

“Everything going on with Steve Kerr, [his situation with Jonathan] Kuminga…it’s a lot over there,” Young said. “I just don’t know where they’re at this year. They feel like they just need to blow everything up at this point. This ain’t the first [instance] of them fighting. OKC was probably the worst thing I’ve ever seen between a player [and] coach. They both [were] holding each other back and cussing…it was a lot. It was a lot.”

Despite the dramatics on Monday, Golden State pulled away in the second half for a 23-point win over Orlando, a positive sign that Kerr can still focus his squad even with distractions lingering on his own bench.

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Late last Thursday, Jalen Brunson added another clutch shot to his resume. 

Brunson hit a step-back 27-footer over Andrew Nembhard to give the short-handed Knicks a win at Indiana. 

Highlights of the shot quickly ricocheted all over social media. It elicited a rare ‘double Bang’ from Mike Breen. Another game-winning shot from the 2025 Clutch Player of the Year. 

“Our MVP – the league’s MVP – Jalen Brunson,” Mike Brownsaid after the game. 

Later in his press conference, Brown referenced another award. The coach named Trey Jemison III as his Defensive Player of the Game. 

Jemison III had five rebounds, a block, five points and played strong team defense in a key second-half stretch against Indy.

“Trey’s physicality and communication in the second half was off the charts,” Brown said.  

What you saw that night from Jemison III is the same intensity and effort he plays with in practices and workouts. 

“He brings energy (to every practice), makes you compete in practice,” is how one Knick staffer described Jemison. 

Jemison has split time this season between the Knicks and their G League club, the Westchester Knicks. He’s one of several young players immersed in New York’s player development program. 

All of the hours spent working with Knicks coaches have sharpened Jemison’s game (more on that below). But the foundation for his Jemison’s game – and the rest of his life – is his faith. 

Jemison hosts regular Bible study sessions on his Instagram page. 

He’s deeply spiritual and conducts study sessions to help his audience "understand the word of God." 

“A lot of times, people read the Bible, and it's like all these old words and they're like, ‘I'm not reading that.’ So I try to make it simple so people can stay (engaged),” Jemison says. 

He started doing study sessions on Instagram two years ago. At the time, Jemison says he had roughly 7,000 followers. Today, he has 70,000.

“When you go to God about something and you put him first, like, it's crazy the things you can really do,” Jemison says. 

From time to time, Jemison will hear from audience members impacted by his words.  

“It’s just priceless,” he says. “It's not an NBA game, not a dollar amount you can give (to match the value of) hearing somebody, say, ‘Hey you helped me get through a situation.’ That's just, yeah, that's a blessing for me.”

Jemison is one of the young Knicks heavily involved in the franchise’s player development program. New York has put resources into its program – hiring former St. Joseph’s coach Billy Lange to oversee things. 

Jemison says Lange and the whole player development group have helped him. 

Case in point: before the season, players had to make 10 free throws before they could leave the gym. Jemison was having a tough time until members of the coaching staff delivered a message: 

“You can make these free throws. You're a good shooter.”  

Jemison said the coach’s confidence helped him right away. From there, the Knicks worked a bit on Jemison’s form and his timing. After some fine-tuning, Jemison stopped getting stuck in the gym. 

“Their belief in me, and they're breaking down small small details... has switched it up completely,” Jemison says of his free throws. 

The former UAB star is grateful to be in New York, working with Lange and coaches like Mark Bryant and Carson Shanks and playing for Brown. Jemison and his agent, Derrick Powell of Dedicated Performance Sports, decided that the Knicks were a great option in part because of Brown. 

The Knick head coach likes what he’s seen from the 26-year-old. 

“He’s a physical presence. He’s a guy who communicates extremely well for a young guy,” Brown said earlier this season. “Guys like playing with him because they know he’s going to set screens and get them open. And he’s got good feet and a good motor.”

Jemison met with Lange and some Knicks coaches earlier this year to go through a development plan tailored for him.  The plan remains in place when Jemison is with the big club or the G League team. 

“They have a growth path for me,” Jemison says. “They don’t just ignore you because you’re on a two-way (contract). They want me to get better and grow my game so when my name is called, I can help the Knicks be the best team they can possibly be.” 

Jemison has worked with Shanks, Bryant and the group on passing this season. The coaches have Jemison III make live reads at a fast pace. 

“Now in games, it’s super slow for me. I see the cut before it happens,” Jemison says. “Now I understand, if I gotta screen this man, make this next pass, I know where to put it before he even cuts.”

That skill was on display in Indiana when Jemison made a well-timed pass to Brunson in the first half. 

With the Knicks’ plans to rest rotation players at times over the course of the season, Jemison should have more opportunities to show what he’s learned under Lange and his group. 

“My game is growing,” he says. “From my position coaches, to all my G League coaches, they are buying in and helping me set a higher standard for myself and it’s been great…. I love coming to work every day.”