Category: NBA

LOS ANGELES — James Harden has passed Shaquille O’Neal for ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

The Los Angeles Clippers guard made a 3-pointer early in the third quarter on Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets, pushing his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular season game. O’Neal had 28,596 points in 1,207 games over 19 years.

Harden, who began the night 14 points behind O’Neal, finished with 32 points in the Clippers’ 117-109 win against the Hornets. He had 13 points in the first half — including 11 in the first quarter — and scored 11 in the third and eight in the fourth to increase his scoring total to 28, 614.

Harden entered the night averaging 25.6 points per game, his highest average since the 2019-20 season (34.3 points per game) when he won the last of three straight league scoring titles.

Harden, who began the game with 28,582 career points in his 17th season, faces a steep climb to the next spot. Wilt Chamberlain is eighth with 31,419 points, in just 1,045 games over 14 years. LeBron James is the all-time leader with 42,601 points entering his game with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. Following him are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant.

Harden recently moved up to 12th on the all-time assists list. The 11-time All-Star also ranks second all-time in 3-pointers made, behind Stephen Curry.

It may be flying under the radar with casual fans, but Rudy Gobert is having another Defensive Player of the Year-level season, anchoring the Timberwolves' top-10 defense.

However, the Timberwolves will have to get by without him on Tuesday night against the Bucks because Gobert will be serving a one-game suspension for racking up six flagrant foul points this season, the league announced Monday.

Gobert picked up a flagrant foul on Sunday when contesting a Victor Wembanyama and not giving him room to land — this was a clear flagrant, it's not up for debate — and he picked up a technical on the play for bumping the referee.

This gave Gobert five flagrant fouls on the season, and because one of them was a flagrant two, he had six points and earned the suspension. He will have to serve a game suspension for every future flagrant foul this season as well (Gobert reached that limit in 40 games, there is half a season to go).

The slippery court that forced the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls to postpone their game last Thursday has slid both into a tough stretch of the schedule.

The league announced that the postponed game been rescheduled for Jan. 29. Additionally, the Chicago at Miami game, previously scheduled for Jan. 30, has been rescheduled to Jan. 31.

What that means in practice is that both the Bulls and Heat will now have to play four games in five days and play each other three times in that stretch.

This all came to pass because of condensation on the court that made it unsafe to play the teams' scheduled Jan. 8 game. The combination of a Blackhawks game the night before (so there was ice under the floor) with an unseasonably warm and humid day in Chicago led to condensation forming on the court. While there were extensive efforts to mop up and towel off the court, the water would just come back because of the conditions.

It was unsafe, and ultimately, both coaches — along with league representatives and the referees — chose to postpone the game rather than risk players' health.

"I'll take the f****** fine. Curtis (Blair), those dudes was terrible tonight. I don't care. They can fine me whatever they want."

Ask and ye shall receive. The NBA fined Jaylen Brown $35,000 on Monday for "public criticism of the officiating," the league announced.

Brown said he was "irate" after the Celtics lost to the Spurs on Saturday in a game where Brown scored 27 points, took 28 shots, and didn't get to the free throw line once. For the game, Boston shot four free throws to San Antonio's 20. After the game, Brown ranted about the officials and put up an NSFW social media post along the same lines.

"I hope somebody can pull up the clips," Brown said, via the Associated Press. "It's the same s*** every time we play a good team. It's like they refuse to make the calls and they call touch calls on the other end. That's just extremely frustrating...

"Somebody please pull it up. Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy. ... I'm irate at how they officiated the game today."

While this is not the first time Brown has criticized the officiating of Celtics games this season, it is his first fine.

We have moved into the dog days of the season, which can lead to strange results as players grow tired and start looking ahead to the All-Star break. All that gets taken into account in these latest NBA Power Rankings.

1. Detroit Pistons

(28-10, last week No. 1)
Detroit seems to have answered every question this season. The only question facing the Pistons now is "can they beat good teams in the playoffs?" While that can't be answered until April and May, they have been doing it during the regular season — Detroit is a league-best 10-4 against teams over .500, including 6-1 on the road. If you don't want to do the math yourself, the Pistons are 18-5 against teams below .500. Also impressive: The Pistons are 6-1 on the second night of a back-to-back this season. When the All-Star Game starters are announced a week from today, expect Cade Cunningham to be among them.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

(33-7, last week No. 3)
Two Thunder games this coming week — hosting the Spurs and then traveling to face the Rockets — are good mid-season tests to see if the mid-season slump that made OKC look beatable continues, or if they have returned to form (watch that Spurs/Thunder game as part of Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC and Peacock). Being the team with the target on its back is something the Thunder have had to adjust to this season, coach Mark Daigneault said last week. "When you win the championship and you start the way we started, it comes with the territory… It's a competitive privilege to be a team that other teams are up to play for." The best news out of OKC in recent weeks is that Nikola Topic has resumed training at the team's facility following chemotherapy for testicular cancer. This is a great milestone for Topic that deserves to be celebrated.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves

(26-14, last week No. 6)
Minnesota is looking more and more like the team that has gone to the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years — coming from 15 down on Sunday to beat the Spurs was the latest example. Minnesota has all the hallmarks of a contender: It is top-10 in the league in both offense and defense, it is clutch and second in the league in points scored in the fourth quarter per game, and it has the superstar to take and make the big shot when it matters. Speaking of Anthony Edwards, he played it down like it was no big deal, but it is — congratulations to Edwards on becoming the third youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000 points.

4. San Antonio Spurs

(27-12, last week No. 2)
After missing just a couple of games following a knee hyperextension, Victor Wembanyama was back on the court last week. Wemby pushed to come back sooner, with coach Mitch Johnson saying, "I do know his long-term health and making sure we keep that kid from himself in terms of his competitiveness [is a priority]. We want him to be healthy for years, not for just trying to win the next couple of games." Just after Johnson said that, Wemby went and dropped 30 on the Grizzlies in 21 minutes, but had to sit out the clutch minutes at the end of the game due to a minutes limit and the Spurs lost by one. The Spurs are doing the right thing, but when Wemby can do this, how injured is he?

5. Boston Celtics

(24-14, last week No. 5)
The Celtics don't slide in our rankings this week, but losses last week to the Timberwolves and a shorthanded Nuggets team raise a question about just how good this team is against the best (the Celtics are 11-9 against teams over .500 this season). Those concerns (and the return of Jayson Tatum in the next couple of months) are why they are actively looking for another big man to solidify the front line. The Celtics can solidify their position in the East with seven games in a row against the conference coming up, but six of them are on the road.

6. Phoenix Suns

(24-15, last week No. 8)
Let's give owner Mat Ishbia some props. We all rolled our eyes this summer when he said the focus in Phoenix would be on culture building — too many previous owners and GMs had said that and not followed through, and we hadn't seen that from Ishbia to that point — but he has done it. Give Dillon Brooks the locker room assist, along with the quiet leadership of Devin Booker (who, because the West is ridiculously deep, is a borderline All-Star). It is all working for the team that is the biggest surprise in the league. That culture will be put to the test over the next couple of weeks as the Suns head out for a five-game road trip through the East. Grayson Allen returned after missing nine games with a right knee injury, adding depth to a team that has thrived this season because it is stacked with good players.

7. New York Knicks

(25-14, last week No. 7)
The Knicks went 3-5 (without Josh Hart in the lineup, but he returned on Sunday and had 18 points and six dimes in a Knicks win. It's not a coincidence the team struggled without him — he is the Knicks' glue guy. He makes everyone else fit. "He's the heart and soul of the team from an energy perspective," Miles McBride told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. "I bring a lot of energy, we got a lot of guys that do. But he's been doing it for so long and we've all been able to use him as the nucleus." New York is 1-1 so far on its road trip with a back-to-back against the Kings and Warriors remaining before a return to Madison Square Garden.

8. Houston Rockets

(22-14, last week No. 4)
Alperen Sengun's absence for essentially four games (he only played one minute in the game he got injured) showed exactly how much the Rockets depend on him, and why he should be an All-Star. The Rockets don't take a lot of 3-pointers (31.2 a game, 29th in the league) but make a top-five 37.2% when they do. Without Sengun on Friday against Portland, the team went 1-of-17 from 3 in the fourth quarter and lost. With him out, plus the one game he returned (a loss to the Kings), the Rockets are shooting a league worst 24.3%. The Rockets will try to get right with five straight home games, but that includes a Thursday-Friday back-to-back against the Thunder and Timberwolves.

9. Denver Nuggets

(26-13, last week No. 9)
The Nuggets are a very respectable 4-3 since Nikola Jokic went out, and while their league-leading offense has fallen off without the Joker, it is still a solid 14th in the league over those seven games. While Jokic is "antsy" to return, according to coach David Adelman, the wins and the fact that Denver remains third in the West mean they can afford to be patient about bringing the MVP candidate back. The day to really watch on that front is Jan. 30, when the Nuggets host the Clippers: If Jokic is out past that date he will miss too many games to qualify for postseason awards or the All-NBA team under the league's 65-game rule. Which is a stupid rule (I can guarantee you voters already took games played into account), but that is a discussion for another day.

10. Toronto Raptors

(24-16, last week No. 12)
Jakob Poeltl has missed the last 10 games, which is why the Raptors are active in the trade market looking for a big man. That said, his absence has not hurt the Toronto defense, as the team is seventh in the league over its last 10 games, and it has gone 7-3 overall (sitting fourth in the East). The Raptors beat the 76ers on Sunday but have a rematch on Monday, then later this week host a red-hot Clippers team led by Kawhi Leonard, a guy Raptors fans know well.

11. Cleveland Cavaliers

(22-18, last week No. 10)
The Cavaliers have played well during a tough stretch of the schedule, going 6-4 in their last 10 and posting the eighth-best net rating in the league (+4.8) during that stretch. While the Cavaliers have already lost as many games this season as they did all of last season and sit seventh in the East, they are just two games back of the No. 4 seed and the chance to host a first-round playoff game. Cleveland has an opportunity to help itself in the East standings this week with two games at Philadelphia.

12. Los Angeles Lakers

(23-13, last week No. 11)
Is the national media too hard on the Lakers? My old friend Darius Soriano at Silver Screen and Roll argued that recently, and he's not totally wrong. It's interesting to point out that the Lakers have essentially the same point differential this season as the 14-25 Charlotte Hornets (the Lakers are -12, the Hornets -13), but the reality is the Lakers are 10 games over .500 and sitting fifth in the West. While the Lakers are looking hard for a 3&D wing at the trade deadline, their problem is that 29 other teams are looking for one, and the price to get a good one — such as Herb Jones in New Orleans — is higher than the Lakers can pay at the deadline.

13. Philadelphia 76ers

(21-16, last week No. 13)
Paul George has been key to the 76ers' strong play of late — winners of 5-of-7 — because he has been the guy carrying the team in the minutes (particularly at the start of the fourth quarter) when both Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are getting a rest. Even with more things going right, this team does things like last Monday's loss to a shorthanded Denver team, which just makes them hard to trust. One game against the Raptors and two against the Cavaliers this week are the kind of games the 76ers need to win if they are really going to earn our trust, and not just tease us with a few nights flashing their potential.

14. Orlando Magic

(22-18, last week No. 16)
The Magic are the comeback kids — they have nine wins this season in games where they trailed by at least 10 points, tied for second-most in the league. However, the more important comeback this week was the return of center Mo Wagner to the lineup. He has missed the first half of the season recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last December (last season he averaged 12.9 points and 5.9 rebounds a game off the bench). His brother, Fanz Wagner, is expected to return to the lineup soon (hopefully before the team's game in Berlin on Thursday). Finally, we all heard Paolo Banchero call bank before he launched the game-winner against the Nets, right?

15. Golden State Warriors

(21-19, last week No. 15)
One thing holding this season's Warriors back: They are not very good in the clutch. Golden State is 8-12 in games within five points in the final five minutes, and they have a -8.6 net rating in those minutes, largely because they have the second-worst clutch defense in the league this season. That shouldn't be the case on a team with veterans Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Golden State is 2-1 to start an eight-game homestand, where they have a chance to pad their record and move up the Western Conference standings.

16. Los Angeles Clippers

(15-23, last week No. 19)
Frankly, this ranking may be too low considering the way the Clippers are playing of late. The Clippers are 9-2 in their last 11 games with a +10 net rating in those games (and a top-10 offense and defense in that stretch). With a healthy Kawhi Leonard dominating games, the Clippers — a team many were writing off just a few weeks ago — are within half a game of the play-in tournament (and you can be sure this is not a team the top squads in the West want to see early in the playoffs). Very winnable home games this week against Charlotte and Washington should continue the streak.

17. Milwaukee Bucks

(17-22, last week No. 17)
The Bucks are 5-3 since Giannis Antetokounmpo's return to the lineup (but the only win in that stretch against a team over .500 came against the Lakers). For the season, the Bucks are 14-11 in the games Antetokounmpo plays, a winning percentage that ultimately would work out to a 46-win season, which would have the Bucks in the mix for a top-six seed. As it stands, they still have work to do to get into the play-in. Unsurprisingly, Antetokounmpo leads the NBA in points scored in the paint this season, both total (500) and per game (20).

18. Portland Trail Blazers

(19-21, last week No. 22)
Deni Avdija leads the NBA in average drives per game at 20.4 — that's over two a game more than second place Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With drives come free throw attempts, which is why he leads the league in total free throw attempts and is second in attempts per game (to the Lakers Doncic). All of that is why Avdija laughed off comments from the Rockets' Tari Eason about Avdija getting favorable whistles. "That made me laugh, for real. Let's address it. I drive the most in the league. I'm very physical. I'm not shying away from contact. I'm going downhill and I don't care who's in front of me. I'm going straight through them. And I'm not playing for those fouls, but I'm going to get fouled. This is part of the game. I can't control it. I'm very aggressive. I initiate the contact and that's my game … if it's hard to stop, you've got to own it or do something else." You can watch Avdija and decide for yourself, he and the Trail Blazers take on the Warriors in the second game of Coast to Coast NBA Tuesday on NBC and Peacock this week.

19. Atlanta Hawks

(20-21, last week No. 20)
Atlanta has moved on from Trae Young, and while we can say there was a missed opportunity cost there — they could have gotten more a year ago, or even last summer — the fact is that trading away the face of the franchise and a fan favorite is never easy. That the team came to the realization it was time and convinced ownership to do it for what amounted to a salary dump is a win. It was time for both sides to move on and they did. The Hawks have won their last two games since the trade, and they also have that New Orleans Pelicans pick in their back pocket.

20. Miami Heat

(20-19, last week No. 14)
This ranking may be too low for Miami, but they have lost 4 of 5, including an ugly one to Indiana over the weekend. The good news is that Tyler Herro has returned to the lineup after missing the last 11 Heat games (and had 21 in that loss to the Pacers). Things do not get easier for the Heat as they face the Suns, Thunder, and Celtics this week.

21. Chicago Bulls

(18-20, last week No. 18)
The best reason for optimism in Chicago? The play of second-year forward Matas Buzelis. He has taken a big step forward this season, particularly of late, averaging 19.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and three assists per game in January. "I think the biggest thing with him that I've been the most pleased with and that's been really consistent from him is he's not holding the ball and dancing with it," Bulls coach Billy Donovan said (via Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times). "He was decisive when he had it in space. Whether it was shooting the ball or driving the ball, he was decisive, and I feel like that's how he has to play." Buzelis just looks more comfortable on the court now.

22. Charlotte Hornets

(14-25, last week No. 23)
There are plenty of changes in Charlotte. LaMelo Ball got moved to the bench — something he wanted to do, according to coach Charles Lee — and instantly responded with a 33-point outing. However, he returned to the starting five the next game in a win against Utah. Also, Grant Williams made his season debut (he had been out since tearing his ACL 14 months ago) and put up nine points in 14 minutes, looking understandably rusty in his first game back. Last season, Williams averaged 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds a game for the Hornets. Last week's win over the Thunder will go down as one of the season's highlights.

23. Memphis Grizzlies

(17-22, last week No. 21)
Memphis and Ja Morant are ready to part ways, but league sources NBC speaks with think this is more likely to be an offseason trade. This is not unlike the Trae Young trade situation, which ended up being basically a one-team market (and that team is off the board). There are teams willing to take a chance on Morant, but questions about his availability, concerns about his salary, and the fact that the Grizzlies are looking for a first-round pick in return make this look more like an offseason move than one that happens before Feb. 5.

24. Dallas Mavericks

(14-25, last week No. 25)
As of this writing, the Mavericks have not made an official announcement on how long Anthony Davis will be out with ligament damage in his left hand, but it's long enough that his trade market is sunk. That domino falling knocks over a lot of others. First, Daniel Gafford just became one of the more likely players to be traded at the deadline as Atlanta, Toronto, and others that had their eyes on Davis start looking at the next big in line, and he also happens to be a Maverick. (Keep an eye on Boston in the Gafford sweepstakes.) One other thing to watch is how Davis' injury affects Kyrie Irving's potential return this season. If Davis is out for a significant period of time, do the Mavericks pull the plug on the season and push Irving to take the rest of it off to recover from his torn ACL?

25. Brooklyn Nets

(11-25, last week No. 24)
If one thing seems inevitable at the trade deadline, it's that Brooklyn will trade Michael Porter Jr. — he is the hottest name in league trade talks right now. The question is how much the Nets can get back for a guy averaging 25 points a game this season. On the court, the Nets have had a couple of nice in-game comebacks in the past week, but have still dropped 6-of-7.

26. Washington Wizards

(10-28, last week No. 26)
Trae Young has yet to step on the court for Washington, but said he wanted to go to the Wizards because he believed he could help turn the organization around. "It's a day-by-day process. I know what it takes. It's not going to be easy. But I know this is a place that I'm excited about and I was excited about whenever I heard it could be a possibility." These last two games could be telling. We may not see much of Young in a Wizards uniform this season — especially if he starts to raise the floor of this team — because the Wizards owe their first-round pick to the Knicks, but it is top-eight protected. As of the trade, the Wizards had the fourth-worst record in the league, and with that, were guaranteed to keep their pick. Washington does not want to give up that pick this season, heading into what scouts consider a very good draft. If Young starts to inspire a lot of winning, expect there to be an injury or some reason for him to sit the rest of the season.

27. Utah Jazz

(13-25, last week No. 27)
When the Jazz put their best players on the floor, they have a respectable offense and a team that can pull off some upsets, which is why once a week or so, Lauri Markkanen gets rested now. The latest example of that was Saturday, at home, when he sat against Charlotte and the Hornets led by as many as 46 in a rough outing for the Jazz. You want to know why everyone in Utah is high on Keynote George? Watch this game-sealing bucket to beat the Mavericks — that is the whole bag of moves.

28. Indiana Pacers

(8-31, last week No. 30)
Indiana snapped its 13-game losing streak last week, and with that congratulations go to coach Rick Carlisle for reaching 1,000 wins in his career. Carlisle was a quality NBA player — he has a ring from the 1986 Celtics — who has been an even greater coach, one of the best Xs-and-Os minds in the game. It took a while for the Pacers to get Carlisle to 1000 because of how hard injuries have hit this team — Indiana has used a league-leading 22 different starting lineups this season (in 38 games).

29. Sacramento Kings

(9-30, last week No. 29)
Sacramento remains one of the most active sellers at the trade deadline with Zach LaVine (maybe to Milwaukee), Domantas Sabonis and Keon Ellis being the players most likely to need a go bag next to the door. The Kings' impressive win on Sunday over the Houston Rockets — snapping a seven-game losing streak — keeps them out of the bottom spot in these rankings.

30. New Orleans Pelicans

(9-32, last week No. 28)
Trey Murphy III has had some big games of late, scoring 42 in a loss to the Lakers (a team that could really use him) and then 35 in a win against the Wizards on Friday. Also in that win, Derik Queen had his first career triple-double with 14 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists. With games against the Nets and Pacers this week, the Pelicans have some opportunities to pick up wins (and move out of the bottom of these rankings and the 15th slot in the Western Conference.

Two teams at opposite ends of the standings meet tonight in Indianapolis when Payton Pritchard and the Celtics (24-14) take on Pascal Siakam and the Pacers (8-31).

Boston sits just ½ game behind the Knicks in the Atlantic Division while the Pacers languish in last in the Central, 20.5 games behind the Pistons. The success of the Celtics has been a surprise considering Jayson Tatum (Achilles) remains sidelined, but Jaylen Brown’s play has elevated him to the fringe of MVP consideration. Some may argue Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles)should garner some MVP attention as well. The Pacers’ point guard has not played this season, but his value to Indiana has never been more obvious. He has been sidelined since last season’s NBA Finals and without him, as their record indicates, the Pacers have been dreadful.

All that said, Brown (back) is likely out tonight which obviously changes the handicap and puts more of the onus on offense on Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. With that in mind, lets take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including thelatest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Celtics vs. Pacers

• Date: Monday, January 12, 2026
• Time: 7:30PM EST
• Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
• City: Indianapolis, IN
• Network/Streaming: Peacock

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game odds for the Celtics at the Pacers

The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:

• Moneyline: Boston Celtics (-230), Indiana Pacers (+190)
• Spread:  Celtics -5.5
• Total: 226.5 points

This game opened Celtics -6.5 with the Total set at 224.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule! 

Expected Starting Lineups

Celtics

• PG Payton Pritchard
• SG Derrick White
• SF Hugo Gonzalez
• PF Sam Hauser
• C Neemias Queta

Pacers

• PG Andrew Nembhard
• SG Johnny Furphy
• PF Aaron Nesmith
• PF Pascal Siakam
• C Jay Huff

Important stats, trends and insights: Celtics at Pacers

• Boston has won 8 of their last 10 outright against Indiana but the Pacers are 7-3 ATS in those 10 games
• The OVER has cashed in 8 of the last 10 games between the Celtics and the Pacers
• The Celtics are 12-7 on the Moneyline on the road this season
• The Celtics are 20-18 ATS this season
• The OVER has cashed in 17 of the Celtics’ 38 games this season
• The Pacers are 6-15 at home on the Moneyline this season
• The Pacers are 20-19 ATS this season
• The OVER has cashed in 14 of the Pacers’ 40 games this season

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
 

Jay Croucher’s (@croucherJD) Favorite Plays: Payton Pritchard OVER 6.5 Assists AND Derrick White OVER 3.5 3-Pointers

"I don't really understand how it's even possible, but Boston has had the league's #1 offense for 2 months now, and Payton Pritchard's growth as a playmaker is a key reason why. Jaylen Brown is out tonight, and with Brown off the floor Pritchard averages 7.6 assists per 36 minutes. I expect him to hit the over tonight.

Who are those assists going to? How about Derrick White. I'm taking White to make at least 4 threes tonight. White attempted 17 threes last game - that's a lot - and his usage climbs from 21% to 32% without Jaylen Brown, so I expect him to ramp up his scoring as Boston's #1 option tonight.

You can check out my plays for tonight’s games by searching “Peacock” on the DraftKings Sportsbook App."

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
 
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Celtics & Pacers game:

• Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
• Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pacers -5.5
• Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 226.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar! 

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: 
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) 
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) 
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick) 

With the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline coming fast, so do the NBA trade rumors. Here are some of the latest.

Ja Morant

Check out our much longer post from yesterday detailing things on Ja Morant, including potential landing spots (spoiler alert: there aren't many), but here are two quick updates.

• The Grizzlies are looking to get a first-round pick back for Morant in any trade, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line. That may not be available — Trae Young was just traded in a salary dump that saw no picks on the move. While Memphis is expected to get a slightly larger return for Morant than Atlanta got for Young, a first may be too much to ask.

• To that end, on Monday’s Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Tim MacMahon, who has been following this trade talk closely, said "the feedback we got on Ja wasn't any more favorable than the feedback that we got on Trae."

Anthony Davis

This was pretty obvious as the news broke, but league sources confirmed to NBC Sports that Anthony Davis’ hand injury has ended any chance he will be traded before the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.

He may not have been traded even if healthy, there was a limited market for the 10-time All-Star (due to concerns about availability and his salary of $54.1 million this season, $58.5 million next season, and he has a $62.8 million player option in 2027-28, plus he wants an extension).

Consider the Anthony Davis trade talks tabled until the offseason.

Hawks interested in Gafford

Atlanta had been chasing Anthony Davis harder than anyone else, but with Davis' injury putting that pursuit to bed, the Hawks are now interested in another Dallas big man: Daniel Gafford.

Gafford is not the talent Davis is, but he is rock solid in the paint and the price to get him is considerably less than AD, meaning the Hawks don't have to put Zaccharie Risacher in any deal, notes Marc Stein at The Stein Line.

Both the Boston Celtics (looking to solidify their front line) and the Indiana Pacers (looking ahead to next season) are also showing interest in Gafford, Stein adds. Speaking of Boston…

Celtics searching for big

One of the key reasons this was expected to be a gap year for the Celtics was at the five: Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis were traded away, and Neemias Queta was being thrown into the fire. Turns out, Queta was ready for the heat, averaging 10 points per game on 65.1% shooting, grabbing 8.1 rebounds a game and being a plus defender.

With Boston now sitting as the No. 2 seed in the East and the return of Jayson Tatum on the horizon, this is no gap year in Boston — they could be a legitimate threat to come out of the East — and with that they are looking to add a big man, reports our own Chris Mannix.

Michael Porter Jr.

We noted it in the last of these roundups, but it bears repeating: Brooklyn's Michael Porter Jr. is the player most likely to be traded before the deadline.

One league source told John Hollinger of The Athletic that it’s a “lock” the Nets will trade Porter.

Give an all-he-can-eat buffet of shots in Brooklyn (something he never had in Denver), Porter is averaging a career-high 25.9 points per game. He can help a playoff team looking for scoring and floor-spacing shooting. The question now is, can Brooklyn start a bidding war to up its return in this trade?

Domantas Sabonis

Sabonis has been linked to Toronto, but the Kings "are not interested in taking back the contracts of either Immanuel Quickley or Jakob Poeltl," reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. In that case, it's tough to put together a deal that works.

Knicks shopping Yabusele, Dadiet

We all heard James Dolan loud and clear: These Knicks think they have all the talent they need to make the Finals and win it this season. Which is why any trade they make at the deadline will be more around the edges of the team, not to its core.

With that, the Knicks are checking the market for backup big Guerschon Yabusele and guard Pacôme Dadiet, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line. How much of a market there is for either of them remains to be seen, but don't be shocked if the Knicks make some moves on the fringes.

Three major pieces of news were announced over the last week, and both carry major fantasy ramifications.

Trae Young was dealt to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. It’s unclear when or if he’ll take the court for Washington this season, and young guys like Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington should see extended run for the foreseeable future.

Anthony Davis sustained ligament damage in his left hand in Thursday’s loss to the Utah Jazz, and according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he could miss multiple months. With Dereck Lively II done for the season and Daniel Gafford injury-prone, guys like Naji Marshall and Moussa Cisse are in line for expanded roles.

Ja Morant is also on the trade block, which means significant run for another Grizzlies point guard who’s been offering strong production as a starter.

Wizards, Mavericks and Grizzlies find their way into this week’s column, but there are a number of other quality options to consider. Here are the top fantasy basketball waiver wire adds for Week 13.

→ Watch an NBA doubleheader on Peacock on Monday night, as the Celtics take on the Pacers at 7:30 p.m. ET before the Lakers square off against the Kings at 10 p.m. ET!

Priority Adds

1. Collin Murray-Boyles
2. Peyton Watson
3. Ayo Dosunmu
4. Cam Spencer
5. Bilal Coulibaly
6. Egor Dëmin
7. Naji Marshall
8. Toumani Camara
9. Mitchell Robinson
10. Keldon Johnson
11. De’Anthony Melton
12. Day’Ron Sharpe

Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers (42 percent rostered)

Camara has been excellent on both ends of the court, and he’s averaged 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.5 swats across his last four appearances while logging just over 38 minutes per tilt. He’s ranked just outside the fifth round in per-game fantasy value in that span, and he should continue to see big minutes until Kris Murray and/or Jerami Grant return. Caleb Love has been a strong source of points and triples with Murray and Grant out of action, and he’s worth a look too, especially if you need help in those categories.

Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets (37 percent rostered)

Watson was enjoying a breakout campaign before injuries decimated Denver’s rotation, but the additional run he’s been afforded has only accelerated his growth. In six games prior to Sunday, he averaged 24.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.3 triples while scoring 20 points in each contest. Watson’s streak of 20-point games was snapped on Sunday, but he contributed a 19/8/6 line with a pair of blocks and four triples. Over the last month, he ranks just outside the top 100 in per-game fantasy value, and over the last week, he’s been a top-50 guy. It’s absurd that he’s still available in more than 60% of Yahoo! leagues.

Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards (27 percent rostered)

Coulibaly has played and started 11 straight games, posting averages of 12.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.2 triples across 27.8 minutes. His work on the defensive end is particularly valuable to fantasy managers, and his role should only continue to grow with CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert gone. Khris Middleton is unlikely to stay with Washington beyond the trade deadline, setting the stage for Coulibaly to see even more playing time down the stretch. Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington are also candidates for increased run, especially if Trae Young remains sidelined.

Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls (26 percent rostered)

Josh Giddey still doesn’t have a clear timeline to return, and Dosunmu has been huge in his absence. Tre Jones and Kevin Huerter have stepped up to fill the void, but Dosunmu has been electric off the bench, with averages of 18.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.4 blocked shots and 2.8 triples across 26.8 minutes over his last five outings. Dosunmu is a first-rounder in per-game fantasy value over the last week, yet he’s widely available on the waiver wire, making him quite the attractive target.

Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies (24 percent rostered)

The NBA Trade Deadline is just over three weeks away, and Ja Morant is on the block. With news that the Grizzlies will entertain trade offers for their superstar point guard and Morant currently on the shelf with a calf injury, we may have seen the last of him in a Memphis uniform. Spencer has been the most productive fill-in for Morant, and the UConn product may become a permanent fixture in the starting lineup. Over his last four outings, Spencer has averaged 13.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.3 triples across 29.2 minutes while posting fifth-round fantasy value.

Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs (24 percent rostered)

Johnson has been a great spark off of San Antonio’s bench, offering efficient microwave scoring and solid rebounding. Over his last four games, he’s scored 18.3 points and knocked down 2.3 triples per game while shooting 57.4% from the floor and 90.9% from the charity stripe. He’s also corralled 5.8 boards per contest. Johnson ranks as a seventh-rounder over the last week, and managers in need of points and triples should scoop him up.

Egor Dëmin, Brooklyn Nets (23 percent rostered)

Dëmin’s rookie campaign got off to a slow start, but he’s come on strong over the last week, offering second-round fantasy value to managers in that span. His performance on Sunday against the Grizzlies was lackluster, but in three games prior, he racked up 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 4.3 triples. Brooklyn appears invested in developing its young talent, and Dëmin should remain an integral part of Brooklyn’s rotation through the end of the 2025-26 season.

Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks (22 percent rostered)

Marshall has started three straight games for the Mavs, and with Anthony Davis on the shelf for the foreseeable future, Marshall should be locked into the first unit. Over his last three starts, Marshall has averaged 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 triples while shooting 56.3% from the floor. He’s only knocked down half of his free-throw attempts, but managers who can handle the inefficient shooting from the charity stripe should add Marshall now.

Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors (18 percent rostered)

The rookie has shined as a starter, making the most of his new opportunity with averages of 11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.3 swats across 31.7 minutes over his last four outings. He came away with a monster stat line of 17 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks across 42 minutes in Sunday’s OT victory over the 76ers, securing the win and becoming the first player in team history to reach those numbers in a single game. CMB has leapfrogged Sandro Mamukelashvili as the backup center, and his role should continue to grow as Jakob Poeltl deals with a lingering back issue.

Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets (11 percent rostered)

With Nic Claxton back in action, Sharpe has come off the bench in two straight contests, but he’s averaged seven points, 11 boards, two dimes, a steal and 0.5 blocks across 19 minutes in that span. Sharpe’s role may grow, as he splits time with Claxton, and the former sports career per-36 averages of 16 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.6 swats. He’s worth a speculative look, especially if you need rebounds.

Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks (10 percent rostered)

Robinson provided six points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks across 25 minutes on Sunday as the Knicks snapped Portland’s five-game win streak. Robinson has seen his playing time and production tick up as of late. Across his last four games, the backup big has averaged five points, 11 boards and 1.5 swats while logging at least 24 minutes in each.

De’Anthony Melton, Golden State Warriors (7 percent rostered)

Melton has missed more games than he’s played this season due to nagging injuries, but he’s been able to stay healthy and get involved in Golden State’s rotation over the last two weeks. Across his last four games, Melton has averaged 14 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 swats and 2.3 triples across 22.9 minutes. He’s effective on both ends of the court, and his ability to score, hit triples and rack up defensive stats makes him a worthwhile addition in most formats.

Other options:Julian Champagnie (25%), Jake LaRavia (22%), Ryan Kalkbrenner (21%), Kelly Oubre Jr. (19%), Daniel Gafford (19%), Sam Merrill (17%), Isaiah Collier (15%), Malik Monk (14%), Justin Champagnie (10%), Zeke Nnaji (6%)

It's the Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers in tonight's Peacock NBA Monday matchup. This is the third of four meetings between the two teams this season. Boston won both contests in December. Tip-off for tonight's game is at 7:30 PM ET on Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch the Celtics vs Pacers game and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.

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Boston Celtics:

The Celtics are coming off a 100-95 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. Derrick White finished with 29 points and 9 rebounds.

Jaylen Brown had 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. The four-time All-Star is on track for career highs in points per game (29.5), assists (5), and field goals made per game (10.9). He has 21 games this season with at least 30 points.

The Celtics are 9-3 in their last 12 games and currently sit third in the Eastern Conference.

RELATED:Celtics’ Jaylen Brown calls out officials after loss to Spurs

Indiana Pacers:

After a franchise-record 13-game losing streak, the Pacers have won their last two games. They defeated the Hornets 114-112 on the road last Thursday and most recently defeated the Heat 123-99 on Saturday. However, the Pacers have yet to win three consecutive games all season.

In addition to superstar Tyrese Haliburton, who is out for the season with an Achilles injury, 13 other players have missed time. Pacers players have missed a combined 216 games this season. The team's 23 different starting lineups are the most in the league this season.

RELATED:Pistons’ starters Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris to miss several games with injuries

How to watch Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers:

• When: Tonight, Monday, January 12
• Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• Live Stream:Peacock and NBCSN

Week 13 Fantasy Basketball Schedule Primer: Low-rostered Lakers like Jake LaRavia should be popular

The Lakers have the NBA’s first five-game week of the season, while four teams only play twice.

• Raphielle Johnson,

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.

Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

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NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule

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