Category: NBA

Tuesday night in Portland, and a late one at that, the Suns came out flat. Really flat. Like a team that knew it was a quick one-game hop to Rip City before heading back home and treated it accordingly. The opening stretch was brutal. One of the worst quarters of basketball they have played all season, at least for the first half of it. They found their footing late, but not before staring at a 41-30 deficit.

For the second straight game, the paint was a problem. A big one. Second-chance points piled up fast. 23 of them in the first half alone, fueled by 11 offensive rebounds. And then came the stat that made you double-take. Portland, the worst three-point shooting team in the league, went 13-of-30 from deep. When everything that can go wrong does go wrong, that is usually what it looks like. And for the first time this season, it genuinely felt like the effort was missing.

Here is the contrast. You still cannot bury this team.

Even before halftime, the Suns started clawing. Down 19 at one point, they trimmed it to five by the break. The second half was a different story altogether. Their brand of basketball finally arrived, even if it took an extra quarter to unpack. And once again, the third quarter was the turning point. They outscored the Blazers 34-22 and flipped the entire feel of the game.

Consistency is the standard, and that is where the Suns reasserted themselves after halftime. This was a strange game. The late start played a role. So did the sluggish opening. This team usually brings its effort wire to wire, and you rarely see them come out as flat as they did. But the defining trait of this season showed itself again. The ability to recover. To settle. To respond.

That showed up in Portland. And it continues to be the reason this team keeps finding its way out of uncomfortable nights.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

The matchup against the Clippers was a descent into pure basketball sludge, yet Grayson Allen clawed his way through the wreckage to emerge as the Bright Side Baller.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 51 against the Trail Blazers. Here are your nominees:

Collin Gillespie
30 points (10-of-17, 8-of-14 3PT, 2-of-2 FT), 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, +5 +/-

Mark Williams
24 points (11-of-14, 0-of-0 3PT, 2-of-3 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, -7 +/-

Grayson Allen
24 points (9-of-18, 6-of-11 3PT), 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, +1 +/-

Jordan Goodwin
16 points (6-of-9, 2-of-4 3PT, 2-of-4 FT), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, 0 turnovers, +9 +/-

Royce O’Neale
11 points (5-of-12, 1-of-5 3PT), 7 rebounds, 0 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, +2 +/-

Dillon Brooks
11 points (3-of-16, 1-of-4 3PT, 4-of-4 FT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, -4 +/-

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‘Twas a late night in Rip City. Who gets your vote?

Just when the Clippers got some momentum, they made a major move? Just when they started winning, they dealt one of their two stars? Just when they were turning heads, they cut their Beard? 

This might seem like the most Clippers move ever. 

But not so fast.

The Clippers’ decision to deal James Harden for Darius Garland on Tuesday is a smart long-term move for a franchise that needs to look ahead. 

The 26-year-old Garland is 10 years younger than Harden. He’s a two-time All-Star in 2022 and 2025. He could be a cornerstone of their future, which they’re clearly looking to reshape in the 2027 offseason. 

The move benefits Harden, too.

It gives him a chance to win now alongside Donovan Mitchell,  and secure a contract extension that the Clippers weren’t willing to pull the trigger on for a 36-year-old. 

Unlike Harden’s previous departures from Houston, Brooklyn and Philadelphia, this wasn’t an acerbic breakup colored by strong-arming and bitterness. Rather, this was a mutually beneficial handshake for both parties. 

The Clippers desperately needed to get younger after entering this season with the oldest roster in NBA history, with an average age of 33.2 years old. Meanwhile, Harden, who’s one of the most lauded players in the league to have never won a championship, gets a chance to play for a team that’s in fifth-place in the wide open East, as opposed to ninth-place in the very crowded West. 

The Cavaliers won 64 games last season before being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by Indiana. For the Cavs, Harden is a savvy vet with lots of postseason experience who could help them break the glass ceiling that has been impenetrable since LeBron James left Cleveland in free agency in 2018. 

As for the Clippers, they’re punting this season in hopes for their future. 

But let’s be real, they weren’t going to win anyway.

Their 17-5 record following their 6-21 start was exciting. It generated headlines. It was a feel-good story. But they had already lost too much ground to compete in a conference with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Webanyama, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic. 

For the Clippers, this may look like a step backward.  

Garland, who’s averaging 18 points, 2.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists through 26 games, missed the Cavaliers’ first seven games of the season while recovering from toe surgery and has been sidelined since Jan. 16 because of an ankle sprain. Harden, meanwhile, has played in 44 of a possible 49 games, averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists. 

In other words, if Harden is rolling, Garland is strolling. 

But this is the first of what will be many important steps the Clippers need to take to rebuild. They failed to make the playoffs in 2022 and they haven’t gotten past the first round of the playoffs ever since. Garland might not be at Harden’s level now, but he has a lot of potential. 

It was a smart gamble, even though Garland’s contract is similar to what the Clippers balked at giving Harden. Garland is owed $42.2 million next season and $44.9 million in 2027-28. 

For the Clippers, the Leonard-Harden experiment just didn’t work. Leonard has been injured too often. Harden can no longer carry a team. The Clippers are looking forward to 2027 and this is preparing them for their potential post-Leonard era. 

Even though Leonard looks like an All-NBA player right now, he’s complicated. He has missed more than 200 games since joining the Clippers in free agency in 2019, as well as multiple playoff series. Not to mention, both he and the Clippers are currently being investigated regarding allegations that a $28 million endorsement deal with the company Aspiration was used to circumvent salary-cap rules. 

Leonard is under contract through the 2026-27 season. He’s still capable of tilting the league to his will when he’s healthy. But in many ways, he’s a wild card. 

By trading Harden, the Clippers made it clear that they’re preparing for what’s next. 

This move was a step in the right direction for both parties, giving both the Clippers and Harden a shot at the futures they desire. 

The frenzied final 48 hours before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET NBA trade deadline posed a challenge for the Celtics as they arrived in Dallas to face Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks.

Hours before tip-off, the Celtics reportedly traded guard Anfernee Simons to the Bulls for center Nikola Vučević. Simons was immediately downgraded from available to out due to personal reasons, stripping Boston of its leading bench scorer and leaving a void in the rotation. Luka Garza, finding confidence beyond the arc in Dallas, filled that void.

Garza played 20 minutes off the bench in Boston’s 110-100 win on Tuesday night, and carved out his domain at the top of the key, rewarding feeds from Payton Pritchard.

“That’s generally where you get most of your shots off the pick-and-pop. It’s always an above-the-break kind of area, so I try to work on that a lot,” Garza told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Over time, I’ve grown more and more confident in it, and my teammates trust me. If I get it and get into a good rhythm stepping into the ball, I feel like I’m knocking it down.”

Three times, Garza used the pick-and-pop to create space at the top of the key, and three times he knocked down a 3-pointer from that spot. He finished with 16 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from deep, tying his career high for made threes in a game. It marked Garza’s most in-sync performance from beyond the arc in a Celtics uniform, as he grew into a critical part of the offense throughout the night.

“Anytime you can catch a rhythm and make some shots in a stretch like that where our offense is really going, it’s definitely big time,” Garza told reporters. “So I know they’re important, especially when we’re playing guys like Gafford who are sitting in a drop. One way you can expose that is by stretching the floor and giving guys more space. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Garza’s four made 3-pointers tied his second-most attempts in a game this season and marked the fifth time in his career he has hit at least three.

Boston’s ability to lean on Garza as a floor spacer — a role he rarely occupies — helped offset the loss of Simons in a way opposing defenses wouldn’t typically anticipate. Garza is shooting a career-best 47.6 percent from three on limited volume (1.5 attempts per game), well above his career average of 36.1 percent. Typically, his greatest impact comes on the offensive glass, where he turns teammates’ misses into second-chance opportunities and forces opponents to pay for defensive miscues.

In Dallas, Garza showcased one of the most important aspects of his growth: his versatility.

“Luka is able to give us advantages in different ways,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Sometimes he’ll force a veer and get us an offensive rebound. Sometimes he’ll just get us open threes. Today, it was his ability to pop and force 2-on-1s that way. I thought we missed him on a couple in the first half, then our guys made an adjustment and got him open looks in the second half, which forced them into different defensive coverages and allowed us to execute in different ways.”

As the Mavericks focused on guarding Boston’s usual offensive threats, such as Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Pritchard, Garza capitalized on the openings he found. He recognized that Dallas wasn’t accounting for him as a perimeter threat, and he turned it to his advantage, proving he could knock down multiple three-pointers and become a legitimate weapon from that spot on the floor.

Garza’s efforts to build confidence as a shooter didn’t come at the expense of his usual duties as a backup frontcourt player. He still grabbed four rebounds (all offensive), added two steals, an assist, and a block, proving he can be a Swiss Army knife in limited minutes off the bench.

“I thought Luka was great in the second half,” Mazzulla added.

With Simons out of the equation, Mazzulla was forced to make adjustments. He removed Pritchard from the starting lineup for the first time this season, slotting him into the sixth-man role, and moved Baylor Scheierman into the starting five. It was a change, but not one the Celtics weren’t prepared for, as they had spent the season stressing the importance of their core principles and delivering a clean, on-brand 48 minutes of basketball.

This approach allowed Boston to withstand Flagg’s 36 points while also creating an opportunity for Garza to take a step forward in his development.

“This year, our margin for error has been slim,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media. “If we don’t come to play, if the other team wins the margins, we’ll lose games that we’re supposed to win. Those film sessions we’ve had — I call them Celtics University — it’s like a classroom. Everybody’s got their notepads, asking questions, breaking down the film and the details of everything, because the details are most important. The difference between good and great players is the details.”

Several former Maryland men’s basketball players have impressed away from College Park this season, giving Terps fans something to root for.

Former star Jahmir Young has been one of the most impressive ones, and that was rewarded Tuesday.

Young is one of 26 G League players selected to participate in events during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend. He will play for Team Red in the Next Up Game and also participate in the 3-point contest.

Back-to-back for Jahmir Young! ⭐️

The @miamiheat Two-Way signee has been selected to his second straight #NBAGLeagueNextUpGame presented by @att. pic.twitter.com/p5YzCsxfbG

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) February 3, 2026

Young has had a stellar season for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He averages 26.6 points per game (second-most in the G League) and 9.7 assists per game (third-most in the G League) while also contributing six rebounds and 2.3 steals an outing.

Those contributions on the court were rewarded earlier in the year, with the Miami Heat converting Young’s deal to a two-way contract, which allows him to occasionally play in the NBA. He has totaled 34 minutes over seven games for the Heat — including 11 minutes in games on Feb. 1 and Feb. 3 — and shot 6-of-15 from the field, totaling 14 points, six assists, three rebounds and two turnovers.

That could lead to more NBA playing time for Young, who was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bulls in 2024, waived in July and picked up by the Heat a month later.

NBA All-Star 2026 is based in Los Angeles this year. The 3-point contest will take place Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m., and the Next Up Game will take place Feb. 15 at 2:30 p.m. Both events are available to watch on the NBA Channel and the NBA App.

In other news

Maryland men’s lacrosse’s season-opening game against Loyola (Md.) has been moved indoors.

Another big schedule update. I’m told Saturdays @TerpsMLax vs @LoyolaMLAX game has officially been moved indoors to Jones-Hill House.

— James Hogan V (@james_hoganv) February 3, 2026

Three Maryland wrestlers remain ranked in the top 20 nationally at their weight class.

Holding strong in the rankings 🐢💪#TurtlePower🐢💪 x #TFINpic.twitter.com/ag1QGyn2hb

— Maryland Wrestling (@TerpsWrestling) February 3, 2026

Maryland football extended an offer to four-star class of 2027 defensive lineman Sam LeJeune and class of 2027 wide receiver Bryan Porter.

Blessed to receive my 20th d1 offer from @4GoLive to Maryland. Baltimore remix. pic.twitter.com/oZc3BM8uXi

— Sam LeJeune (@sam_lejeune08) February 3, 2026

I am extremely blessed and honored to receive an offer from Maryland. @bccoachvito@BCBROTHERHOOD@D_Wrobo@CoachLocks@Latrell__Scott@ChadSimmons_@TomLoy247@BrianDohn247@BrandonHuffman@KinslerLatish@adamgorneypic.twitter.com/1yzh1a73Qx

— Bryan Porter (@bryan_porter08) February 3, 2026

Maryland men’s basketball alum Kevin Huerter got dealt to the Detroit Pistons ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

Just in: Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit have agreed to a multi-team deal that sends Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley Jr. to the Bulls and Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric to the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. Detroit also receives a 2026 first-round protected swap from Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/pgxqr1WT90

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2026

Maryland men’s basketball’s Diggy Coit’s story was beautifully covered by the Big Ten Network.

Diggy Coit had no offers out of high school.

He worked hard to lose weight and delivered pizzas during his free time.

The Journey shares the record-setting @TerrapinHoops star's long path to College Park 👇 pic.twitter.com/8zPlB22F7M

— Maryland On BTN (@MarylandOnBTN) February 3, 2026

James Harden is set to join the Cleveland Cavaliers from the Los Angeles Clippers, with Darius Garland moving in the opposite direction after the sides agreed a trade.

Harden, 36, is an 11-time NBA All-Star and regarded as one of the greatest guards in history, but he has never won an NBA title.

Although the deal is yet to be confirmed by the NBA, Harden said the opportunity to win a first championship was key in deciding to move.

The Cavaliers are fifth in the Eastern Conference in their pursuit of a play-off spot, while the Clippers are ninth in the West.

"I see an opportunity to win in the East - they got a very good team, coaching staff, all of the above," Harden told ESPN.

"As much as I wanted to stay in LA and give it a go, I've never won one before. As a basketball mind, I think we have a bit better chance."

Harden has helped the Clippers climb the table after a dismal 6-21 start this season, but sat out Sunday's defeat by the Philadelphia 76ers while talks with the Cavaliers progressed.

Harden, who won the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award in 2018 while with the Houston Rockets, denied speculation that he requested a trade from the Clippers.

"That wasn't the case at all. In life, not even just basketball, when things don't work out, there are ways to end things in relationships without having to crack each other," he said.

"Maybe we just don't see a future with each other. Maybe we just outgrew each other. Whatever the case may be, I feel like our situations weren't like that."

Across stints at five franchises, Harden has scored 28,805 points, putting him ninth on the NBA's all-time list.

The Cavaliers have not won a title since 2016.

Garland, 26, averages 18 points this season in a campaign blighted by injury.

As part of the trade, the Clippers secured a second-round pick for this year's draft.

The Clippers host the Cavaliers on Wednesday, but Harden and Garland must pass medicals before the trade is confirmed.

The Spurs are back in the win column again, just in time for a visit from the NBA’s best team (by record), fresh off of their 40th win of the season.

The Spurs have had the Thunder’s number for most of the season, with a 3-1 record against them, but the Thunder finally flipped the tables in the last contest with a 21-point win, and I expect they’ll be out to avenge both their record against San Antonio and the once-building sentiment that they’re in the reigning champs’ collective heads.

The book is out on how the Spurs can defeat OKC. They must deny penetration and interior scoring, refrain from giving the Thunder any breathing room beyond the arc, and avoid getting sloppy against the team that leads the NBA in points off turnovers.

Rebounding (4th) will assist in denying the Thunder extra possessions and keeping them from getting easy points from an offense that’s spent most of the season in the top 10 for points scored in the paint.

While the Thunder are near the top of the league in Effective Field Goal Percentage (4th) and True Shooting Percentage (3rd), a vulnerability has been exposed by the Spurs in their long-distance shooting.

Oklahoma City sits in the middle of the pack in both three-point percentage (15th) and three-pointers made (15th), and their offense simply does not move anywhere near as fluidly when they’re having difficultly inside.

It’s possible that this is related to a shortage of distributors, but whether it’s a personnel issue or their ball-movement’s Achilles heel is a matter of debate. That they’re 18th in assists, 28th in assist percentage, and 18th in assist ratio is not. Something goes amiss when they’re denied the interior, suggesting their offense is riding a fine line between team-play and heliocentric distribution.

Offensively, the Spurs will need to push the pace at every opportunity, exercise patience in picking the stingy Thunder defense apart, and make the paint their home. The Thunder are tops in the league in fast break defense and denying points in the paint, but the speed of San Antonio’s guards and Wemby’s length have positioned them as one of the few teams that can create advantages in those areas.

And, of course, the Spurs will need their long-distance shooters to be firing on all cylinders. A lot of San Antonio’s games have gone as their three-point shooting has gone, and that’s led to a bit of scuffling over the last month.

It’s very unlikely they’ll taste victory if that goes poorly against the Thunder, unless they can return the favor defensively. That could be a lofty challenge with perimeter-defending maestro Stephon Castle out for the night.

Still, this Spurs team has proven that the Thunder are not some unbeatable juggernaut, and they seem to play them with maximum focus, confidence, and drive. Their playbook against the Thunder has given other teams ideas, and OKC is coming into this one at 6-4 over the last ten games (identical to the Spurs), so don’t be surprised if they come away with another victory against a Thunder team that refuses to acknowledge how good they actually are.

Now, if we could only get them to play this way against everyone!

Oklahoma City Thunder (40-11) vs San Antonio Spurs(33-16)

February 4th, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT

Watch: ESPN/FanDuel Southwest| Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Jeremy Sochan – Out (Quad), Lindy Waters III – Out (Knee), Stephon Castle – Doubtful (Groin)

Thunder Injuries: Thomas Sorber – Out (Knee), Nikola Topic – Out (Cancer), Ajay Mitchell – Day-t0-Day (Abdominal Strain), Jalen Williams – Out (Hamstring)

The Los Angeles Clippers had won 16 of their last 20 games to roar back into the fringes of the Western Conference playoff race. Which is when James Harden decided he wasn’t going to play for the team again without a contract extension. Now he’s a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards. pic.twitter.com/IHhhhabJnX

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026

That’s not ESPN’s finest Photoshop work on that graphic.

Harden demanded a trade last week after the Clippers rejected his request for a two-year extension to his contract, reportedly worth roughly $40M per season, which would wreck the Clippers’ long-standing plan to max out their cap space in the summer of 2027, when many contracts, including that of tree-lover Kawhi Leonard, expire.

Plus, Steve Ballmer may have bristled at paying top dollar for Harden at age 38, much as the Philadelphia 76ers balked at giving Harden a maximum contract extension back in the summer of 2023, when Harden demanded a trade, refused to play, and called team president Daryl Morey a liar during a trip to China, admittedly a country that’s very sympathetic to Daryl Morey slander.

James Harden: “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of. Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.” pic.twitter.com/AmHJ0WwbF2

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2023

How did it come to this? Part of it comes from the Clippers signing Harden to an overly-clever deal where he has a 2026-27 player option worth $42.3M he must exercise by June 29, but the Clippers can waive him by July 11 and owe him only $13.3M. This was a smart move to save money and a dumb move for anyone who has paid attention to Harden’s feelings about contracts for the last five years.

Once Harden was playing well this season — and he has been a borderline All-Star, averaging 25.4 points and 8.1 assists — that option became a ticking time bomb. He wasn’t going to risk picking up his option and then getting waived, nor was he willing to roll the dice on unrestricted free agency. Even when he was unhappy with the Sixers in 2023, Harden still picked up his player option, choosing to wait months for a trade rather than simply become a free agent.

This author would guess we will hear news of a Harden extension soon. He was happy to go to the Cavaliers, even though it meant foregoing most of his 15% trade kicker.

In return, the Clippers received two-time All-Star Darius Garland, who is 10 years younger than Harden and the son of former Golden State Warriors guard Winston Garland, the last active NBA player to be named “Winston.” (Cassius Winston has been out of the league since 2022, and he doesn’t count.) In a sign of how far Garland’s star has fallen, it was the Cavs who had to include a second-round pick to complete the deal.

Why did Cleveland make this move? Some of it is his fit alongside 6-foot-2 Donovan Mitchell, another small guard, which teams have exploited in the playoffs. Some of it is his contract, which costs roughly $87M for the next two seasons. The Cavaliers traded De’Andre Hunter earlier this week for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis in a move that saved them $50M in payroll and luxury taxes combined. Ditching Garland reduces their future liability, and they could get under the second luxury tax apron by trading Lonxo Ball before Thursday’s deadline.

The biggest factor might be Garland’s recent history of injuries. He was hobbled during last year’s playoffs with a toe injury that he’s continued to battle this year, and has underperformed his regular-season averages in his playoff career.

It’s a rare situation where adding James Harden actually might give Cleveland a better playoff performer. And if Harden does falter in the playoffs (he’s definitely going to falter in the playoffs), the Cavaliers do have Ellis and Schroder off the bench, and sophomore sensation Jaylon Tyson, the second-best former California Golden Bear named Jaylen/Jaylon in the NBA.

The Clippers got an escape ramp off their aging roster with an actual young player with actual talent, though they probably get worse this season. The Warriors don’t have to see their old friend The Beard until April 2. Harden gets to hang out with Cleveland legends Machine Gun Kelly, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and Flo from Progressive. The Cavaliers get one of the greatest scorers, partiers, and floppers in NBA history. And there’s still a day and a half before the trade deadline!

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Jake Heidbreder scored 29 points and his basket from the left baseline at the buzzer gave Fresno State an improbable 98-96 win over UNLV on Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs (11-11, 5-6 Mountain West) outscored UNLV 9-4 in the final 23 seconds to steal the win.

Zaon Collins scored 16 points, DeShawn Gory and reserve Bastien Rieber each scored 15 points and Wilson Jacques 10 for Fresno State which shot 59% (29 of 49) including 53% (8 of 15) from 3-point range.

Fresno State managed to overcome 15 turnovers to just 11 assists.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn scored 28 points, Howie Fleming Jr. scored 23 points and Kimani Hamilton 14 for UNLV (10-12, 5-6).

Down 96-93, David Douglas Jr. made a 32-foot, 3-pointer with 1.5-seconds left to bring Fresno State into a 96-all tie.

On the ensuing inbounds, Howie Fleming Jr. overthrew Naas Cunningham on the other end of the floor and the ball went out of bounds to give possession back to Fresno State at its basket.

After an officials review to confirm Fresno State possession, Heidbreder faked an attempt to set a screen and froze his defender. He then sprinted to the baseline for a clean look from 14 feet to end it.

Up Next

UNLV: Hosts Grand Canyon on Saturday.

Fresno State: Travels to play Nevada on Saturday.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Collin Gillespie scored a career-high 30 points, Mark Williams had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns bounced back from a slow start for a 130-125 win over the reeling Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

Grayson Allen also scored 24 points on 11-of-14 shooting and Jordan Goodwin had 16 points and 10 rebounds on a night when the Suns played without leading scorer Devin Booker (25.4 points per game), who was out with a right ankle sprain. Jalen Green was also out of the Suns' lineup.

Gillespie tied a career high with eight made 3-pointers and also had 10 assists.

Jerami Grant had 23 points to lead Portland, which lost its sixth straight game. Donovan Clingan had 14 points and 15 rebounds. Shaedon Sharpe added 19 points for Portland.

The Trail Blazers also played without their leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, Deni Avdija (25.5 points per game), who has a lower back strain and was just named to his first All-Star game.

Vit Krejci had five points in his Portland debut after being acquired in a trade with Atlanta.

Portland jumped to a 41-30 lead after one quarter but Phoenix pulled within 72-67 at halftime. The Suns took control by outscoring the Blazers 34-22 in the third quarter.

Williams’ layup with 3:55 left in the third quarter put the Suns ahead for good at 88-87.

The Trail Blazers turned the ball over 17 times, six more times than the Suns.

Up next

Suns: Return home to play Golden State on Thursday night.

Trail Blazers: Host Memphis on Friday night.

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

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Denver Nuggets (33-18, third in the Western Conference) vs. New York Knicks (32-18, second in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Knicks -5; over/under is 226.5

BOTTOM LINE: New York hosts Denver trying to extend its four-game home winning streak.

The Knicks are 20-6 on their home court. New York is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 27.0 assists per game led by Jalen Brunson averaging 6.0.

The Nuggets have gone 19-8 away from home. Denver is 6-7 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Knicks are shooting 47.1% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 46.7% the Nuggets allow to opponents. The Nuggets average 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.2 fewer makes per game than the Knicks give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 19.8 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 19.2 points over the last 10 games.

Jamal Murray is scoring 25.6 points per game and averaging 4.3 rebounds for the Nuggets. Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 113.4 points, 49.0 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 8.3 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 99.8 points per game.

Nuggets: 5-5, averaging 109.2 points, 40.6 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 7.0 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.3 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: Mitchell Robinson: day to day (ankle), Josh Hart: day to day (undisclosed), Mohamed Diawara: day to day (ankle), Miles McBride: day to day (ankle).

Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Tamar Bates: out (foot), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Oklahoma City Thunder (40-11, first in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (33-16, second in the Western Conference)

San Antonio; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -2; over/under is 225.5

BOTTOM LINE: Western Conference foes San Antonio and Oklahoma City square off on Wednesday.

The Spurs are 19-13 in Western Conference games. San Antonio scores 116.9 points and has outscored opponents by 5.0 points per game.

The Thunder are 30-7 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City is seventh in the Western Conference with 25.5 assists per game led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 6.4.

The Spurs average 12.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer makes per game than the Thunder allow (14.5). The Thunder average 13.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 more makes per game than the Spurs allow.

The teams meet for the fifth time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 14 the Thunder won 119-98 led by 34 points from Gilgeous-Alexander, while Stephon Castle scored 20 points for the Spurs.

TOP PERFORMERS: De'Aaron Fox is averaging 19.8 points and 6.2 assists for the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama is averaging 23.6 points over the last 10 games.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.8 points and 6.4 assists for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 6-4, averaging 112.2 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.3 assists, 6.3 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.0 points per game.

Thunder: 6-4, averaging 116.8 points, 42.8 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 8.3 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.0 points.

INJURIES: Spurs: Stephon Castle: day to day (adductor), Lindy Waters III: day to day (knee), Jeremy Sochan: out (quad).

Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: out (hip), Nikola Topic: out (groin), Jalen Williams: out (thigh), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Boston Celtics (32-18, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (31-17, fourth in the Western Conference)

Houston; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Rockets -5.5; over/under is 216.5

BOTTOM LINE: Houston heads into a matchup with Boston as winners of three straight games.

The Rockets have gone 17-4 in home games. Houston scores 116.0 points and has outscored opponents by 6.0 points per game.

The Celtics are 16-10 on the road. Boston ranks second in the league averaging 15.5 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 36.7% from downtown. Derrick White leads the team averaging 2.8 makes while shooting 32.0% from 3-point range.

The 116.0 points per game the Rockets average are 7.1 more points than the Celtics allow (108.9). The Celtics average 15.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.4 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Rockets give up.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Rockets won 128-101 in the last meeting on Nov. 2. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 26 points, and Baylor Scheierman led the Celtics with 17 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Amen Thompson is averaging 18.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Rockets. Durant is averaging 24.4 points over the last 10 games.

Jaylen Brown is averaging 29.5 points, seven rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard is averaging 16.6 points and 4.5 assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 8-2, averaging 111.3 points, 49.2 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.0 points per game.

Celtics: 7-3, averaging 113.2 points, 46.8 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.7 points.

INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Kevin Durant: day to day (ankle), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Dorian Finney-Smith: out (ankle).

Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (achilles), Chris Boucher: day to day (personal).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Utah Jazz (16-35, 13th in the Western Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (25-27, ninth in the Eastern Conference)

Atlanta; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Jalen Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks host Lauri Markkanen and the Utah Jazz in non-conference action.

The Hawks have gone 9-14 in home games. Atlanta is the league leader with 30.7 assists per game led by Johnson averaging 8.0.

The Jazz are 6-18 in road games. Utah ranks eighth in the Western Conference with 43.7 rebounds per game led by Jusuf Nurkic averaging 10.2.

The Hawks are shooting 47.3% from the field this season, 1.9 percentage points lower than the 49.2% the Jazz allow to opponents. The Jazz are shooting 46.8% from the field, 0.8% lower than the 47.6% the Hawks' opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the second time this season. In the last meeting on Nov. 14 the Hawks won 132-122 led by 32 points from Onyeka Okongwu, while Markkanen scored 40 points for the Jazz.

TOP PERFORMERS: Johnson is scoring 23.2 points per game with 10.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 18.7 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 48.0% over the past 10 games.

Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Jazz. Keyonte George is averaging 18.9 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 48.0% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 5-5, averaging 113.7 points, 44.4 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.6 points per game.

Jazz: 2-8, averaging 113.9 points, 41.0 rebounds, 30.9 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 124.9 points.

INJURIES: Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu: day to day (face), Kristaps Porzingis: day to day (illness), N'Faly Dante: out for season (knee), Duop Reath: out for season (foot).

Jazz: Kevin Love: day to day (illness), Keyonte George: day to day (ankle), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), John Konchar: day to day (neck).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Philadelphia 76ers (29-21, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (30-19, fifth in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Philadelphia will attempt to build upon its five-game win streak with a victory over Los Angeles.

The Lakers are 12-8 in home games. Los Angeles is eighth in the Western Conference with 25.1 assists per game led by Luka Doncic averaging 8.7.

The 76ers are 14-8 on the road. Philadelphia is 11-17 against opponents with a winning record.

The Lakers score 116.3 points per game, 1.0 more point than the 115.3 the 76ers allow. The 76ers' 46.0% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.5 percentage points lower than the Lakers have allowed to their opponents (48.5%).

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Lakers won 112-108 in the last matchup on Dec. 8.

TOP PERFORMERS: Doncic is scoring 33.4 points per game with 7.9 rebounds and 8.7 assists for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 20.5 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 49.7% over the past 10 games.

Tyrese Maxey is averaging 28.9 points, 6.8 assists and two steals for the 76ers. Kelly Oubre Jr. is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 115.6 points, 41.1 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 8.8 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.3 points per game.

76ers: 7-3, averaging 117.0 points, 42.4 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 10.1 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.8 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Adou Thiero: out (knee).

76ers: Joel Embiid: out (injury management).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Washington Wizards (13-36, 14th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Detroit Pistons (37-12, first in the Eastern Conference)

Detroit; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Detroit hosts Washington looking to extend its three-game home winning streak.

The Pistons have gone 23-6 against Eastern Conference teams. Detroit is fourth in the NBA with 13.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Jalen Duren averaging 3.8 offensive boards.

The Wizards are 8-20 in Eastern Conference play. Washington averages 15.2 turnovers per game and is 7-6 when turning the ball over less than opponents.

The Pistons average 11.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 fewer makes per game than the Wizards allow (13.8). The Wizards are shooting 45.7% from the field, 1.6% higher than the 44.1% the Pistons' opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Pistons won 137-135 in overtime in the last matchup on Nov. 11.

TOP PERFORMERS: Duren is averaging 18 points and 10.7 rebounds for the Pistons. Cade Cunningham is averaging 19.7 points over the last 10 games.

Bub Carrington is shooting 40.0% and averaging 10.1 points for the Wizards. Tre Johnson is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pistons: 8-2, averaging 117.0 points, 43.4 rebounds, 27.6 assists, 11.7 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.5 points per game.

Wizards: 3-7, averaging 110.0 points, 43.3 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 9.8 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.1 points.

INJURIES: Pistons: Kevin Huerter: day to day (back), Dario Saric: day to day (not injury related).

Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (hamstring), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Tre Johnson: day to day (ankle), Trae Young: out (quad).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.