Category: NBA

Three-game win streaks are on the line Wednesday as the Boston Celtics travel to Toyota Center to face the Houston Rockets.

With Anfernee Simons traded to the Chicago Bulls, my Celtics vs. Rockets predictions call for a strong performance from Payton Pritchard.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this marquee matchup on Wednesday, February 4.

Celtics vs Rockets prediction

Celtics vs Rockets best bet: Payton Pritchard Over 24.5 points + rebounds + assists (-112)

Payton Pritchard is averaging a career-best 26.5 PRA this season, and he’s gone for 25+ in 23 of 49 appearances.

He’s posting 24.7 at home compared to 28 on the road, and he's gone for 25+ in 14 of 24 away games. 

Celtics vs Rockets same-game parlay

The Celtics got smoked in their last matchup with the Rockets, but they're playing better basketball now and should keep this one competitive.

Boston is 16-10 ATS on the road and 6-3 ATS as the road underdog, while Houston is 8-13 ATS at home and 8-12 as the home favorite. 

Celtics vs Rockets SGP

• Payton Pritchard Over 24.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Celtics +5.5
• Under 216

Our "from downtown" SGP: Sengun stuffs stat sheet

Alperen Sengun has hit the Over on this combo line in four straight, and I expect him to extend that streak tonight. He's averaging 16.8 rebounds + assists at home, and he's gone for 16+ in 12 of 17 at Toyota Center.

Celtics vs Rockets SGP

• Payton Pritchard Over 24.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Celtics +5.5
• Under 216
• Alperen Sengun Over 15.5 rebounds + assists

Celtics vs Rockets odds

• Spread: Boston +5.5 (-110) | Houston -5.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Boston +180 | Houston -220
• Over/Under: Over 216 (-110) | Under 216 (-110)

Celtics vs Rockets betting trend to know

The Rockets have hit the Under in 17 of their last 21 games (+12.60 Units / 55% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Rockets.

How to watch Celtics vs Rockets

Celtics vs Rockets latest injuries

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

Mavs trade Anthony Davis to Wizards in 8-player deal, reports say originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Just over a year after being traded to Dallas for Luka Doncic, the Mavericks have reportedly dealt Anthony Davis to the Wizards as part of an 8-player deal, according to multiple reports.

ESPN’s Shams Charania is reporting the Mavericks are sending the 10-time All-Star to Washington along with Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum. In exchange, Charania said the Mavericks will receive Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks and three second-rounders.

“Dallas is receiving a 2026 Thunder first-round pick and a 2030 protected Warriors first-round pick in this deal from the Wizards along with second-rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago) and 2029 (Houston),” Charania tweeted.

Davis joined the Mavericks a year ago in a shocking trade that sent fan-favorite Doncic to the Lakers.

Davis came to Dallas with a long history of injury issues and aggravated an abdominal strain in his debut. In his year with the team, he has missed more games than he has played for Dallas due to various ailments and he’s currently out until after the All-Star break with ligament damage in his left hand.

When he’s been healthy for the Mavs, Davis has averaged 20 points per game and nearly 30 minutes on the court per game. For the Wizards, Davis will join point guard Trae Young as the second former All-Star acquired in a trade this season.

The Milwaukee Bucks started their three-game homestand with a win against the Chicago Bulls 131-115. Despite a scare in the third quarter, the Bucks held off the Bulls and coasted to the win in the fourth. Milwaukee won the season series against Chicago, taking the first three games of their four-game set. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Myles Turner

23 minutes, 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 5/10 FG, 2/3 3P, 3/4 FT, -7

He did pick up a couple of early fouls, but other than that, it was a good game for Turner. I’m interested in how he will be used if Giannis and KPJ come back, but I hope this time has shown the coaching staff there’s a lot more to use Turner in other than spot-up shooting.

Grade: B

Ryan Rollins

35 minutes, 21 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds, 8/12 FG, 5/8 3P, +9

What a game it was for Rollins. He hit a vital three-pointer to stem the tide that the Bulls were throwing the Bucks’ way. You can’t ask for much more from a player who gives you a 21-point and 10-assist double-double.

Grade: A-

Kyle Kuzma

31 minutes, 31 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 12/22 FG, 3/5 3P, 4/7 FT, +18

Kuzma was aggressive from the jump, and it continued all night. He was solid on defense against Buzelis and White, and the offense was fantastic.

Grade: A+

AJ Green

30 minutes, 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/9 3P, +3

It was a solid night for Dairy Bird, who helped Milwaukee with their initial run to take the lead against Chicago. It wasn’t all just catch-and-shoot threes for Green, as he continues to expand his three-point arsenal. 

Grade: B+

Amir Coffey

22 minutes, 2 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1/3 FG, -17

Coffey got the nod in the starting lineup with Bobby Portis as a late scratch. He didn’t look good at all, and there’s a reason he’s typically a bench warmer when everyone is healthy.

Grade: D+

Jericho Sims

21 minutes, 9 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 4/6 FG, 1/2 FT, +29

After some rough performances, this was a much-needed game for Sims. He was active on the boards and aggressive in the right spots. The only true lowlight was him falling to the floor as Buzelis nailed a three (even if it might have been an offensive foul).

Grade: B-

Cole Anthony

12 minutes, 4 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2/3 FG, +12

These are the type of games they need to see from Anthony moving forward. He needs to play within himself and fill the box score with contributions beyond scoring.

Grade: B-

Gary Trent Jr.

23 minutes, 15 points, 5/8 3P, +17

Out of everyone on the Bucks who needed a good shooting performance the most, it was Trent. He’s had a significant drop-off from last year, but he tied a season high in three-point makes with five. He’s only done that twice this season, once in the season opener against the Wizards and against the Heat back in November.

Grade: A-

Pete Nance

27 minutes, 15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 6/8 FG, 3/5 3P, +17

Keep giving this man more minutes. Nance showed off all his skills, especially his basketball IQ and shooting. There were times he was outmatched on defense, but he gave full effort all night.

Grade: A-

Andre Jackson Jr.

12 minutes, 2 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1/2 FG, +3

Even with the Bucks missing five rotational players, Jackson continues to get the short end of the minutes. He looked ok during his time on the court, but unless there is a coaching change, I don’t see Jackson sticking in Milwaukee past this season.

Grade: C+

Doc Rivers

It’s hard to give Doc much praise considering the Bucks finally made their shots. Yet, if Doc’s game plan was for them to attempt 38 threes, then I have to give him credit for it.  

Grade: C+

Garbage Time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Inactive: Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gary Harris, Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis Jr., Taurean Prince

Bonus Bucks Bits

• We received injury updates before the game about a couple of Bucks guards. Kevin Porter Jr. is close to returning from his oblique injury, according to Doc Rivers. He could be back as early as today or as late as Friday against the Indiana Pacers.
• Gary Harris, on the other hand, will be out for the next couple of games, and potentially longer.
• This was the third career game in which Rollins has dished out 10 or more assists. He was asked about which area in his playmaking has improved the most after the game:

“I’m just making the right reads and getting down hill. Just letting the game develop for me and I’m not forcing things and forcing my shots too early.”

• With the trade deadline just a day away, Kuzma was asked how he handles the distraction of it all:

“Me personally, I manage it because this is year nine and I’ve been in trade deadlines since I came into the NBA. My experince is a lot different from others, I’m going to go home after this and go to sleep. I sleep every night, I don’t think about it too much, but when you’re a younger player it’s a little bit different. If you’re a guy on the bench, it’s a lot different. We’re all human and you really can’t esacape it. You can’t escape the talks, you can’t escape because of the world we live in, but they pay us the big bucks. It doesn’t matter if you get traded the next day, whoop-de-do. It’s a buisness and we’re all like contractors and we move and play and it’s just how it goes.”

• The Bucks set a new season best with 23 made three-pointers, shooting 60.5%. It’s the first time since December 5, 2023 that the Bucks have shot over 60% from deep.
• Pete Nance also put up a season high 15 points, and was just two points shy of tying his career high in scoring.

Up Next

Last night was the first game of a back-to-back at home. They will host the New Orleans Pelicans today with draft lottery implications on the line. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central and will be televised on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

Yesterday’s big trade finally solved the glaring issue of needing more center depth (with all due respect to Queta and Garza). It cost the Celtics some guard depth though. So will the team make another move to add a backup guard or go with what they have?

In theory Jayson Tatum coming back gives the Celtics the scoring punch that they are losing with Simons heading out. While Simons wasn’t exactly a “ball handler” or “distributor,” he was at least capable of bringing the ball up on occasion. Here again, Tatum (at nearly full speed) can help out in this regard.

Still, it would be nice to have a guy that can give us some point guard minutes in a pinch. Maybe that guy can be found in the buyout market (Mike Conley? CP3?). Or maybe there’s someone kicking around the G-League that could use a call-up.

Or maybe there’s another deal out there that Brad is looking into. I’m not sure why the Bulls seem to have a team full of guards and couldn’t throw one of them our way in yesterday’s deal (well, technically they haven’t completed the deal yet and could expand it in the coming days). After a relatively quiet month, things sure are picking up lately.

So what do you think? Is Brad done dealing before the deadline? Or is he going to keep making moves?

(All times Central)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Thursday, February 5
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN'S)
6:30 p.m.

Penn State at Michigan — FS1, Fox Sports App, Fubo Sports

NBA BASKETBALL
7 p.m.

Washington at Detroit — FDSN Detroit, Monumental SN 2, NBA League Pass

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

SAN FRANCISCO — As the buzzer sounded and capped the Golden State Warriors' final game before the NBA trade deadline, Draymond Green was on the court sharing laughs and conversations with teammate Stephen Curry and Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry.

Was the 113-94 loss on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at Chase Center Green's final game as a Warrior?

The Warriors have had multiple players' names swirling around the rumor mill ahead of the 3 p.m. ET (noon PT) trade deadline on Thursday, Feb. 5, and Green was one of them.

The Warriors' next game against the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 5 at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) is after the deadline.

Green has been mentioned in a potential trade that would send him and other Warriors players to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to ESPN. NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Jan. 23 that Green would be included in a trade, rather than Jimmy Butler, who tore his ACL in a season-ending injury on Jan. 9.

Stein said the potential trade would include Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, who grew up in Greenfield of Milwaukee County in Wisconsin.

The Warriors are willing to trade Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, and Jonathan Kuminga for Giannis Antetokounmpo, per @TheSteinLine

“The Stein Line was the first to report on Jan. 23 that Jimmy Butler would not be included in Golden State's Giannis offers and it has since… pic.twitter.com/va391CKEbG

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 4, 2026

Green said after the loss to the Sixers that he doesn't know if he's played his last game for the Warriors.

"Maybe," Green told USA TODAY Sports. "I don't know. I don't foresee it that way. But if I have, like I said it's been an amazing run. But I don't know, we'll see. I don't sit and think about the possibilities of what may happen. It's gon' be what it's gon' be, regardless. That just, it is what it is."

Green finished the game with six points, seven rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes. He wore his jersey during his postgame conference with reporters as he does with most postgame scrums, nothing unusual. But he acknowledged that there's a "possibility" he could be traded.

"It's a possibility that I might get traded. It's kind of just what it's like −yeah but at some point it's going to come to an end," Green told reporters about being involved in trade rumors and his Warriors' tenure. "Whether it's a day or two or a year or two, it's going to come to an end at some point. You got to be okay with that. It's not something that I can hold onto forever because I can't play basketball forever. It's got to come to an end at some point anyway."

More NBA trade news: Sacramento Kings forward De'Andre Hunter adjusts to new digs post-trade

More NBA trade news: Clippers trade James Harden for Cavaliers' Darius Garland: Instant reactions

'Business as usual'

Green is 35 years old. He was drafted by Golden State out of Michigan State with the 35th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He's become a Defensive Player of the Year, four-time All-Star and a four-time NBA champion in 14 seasons with the Warriors.

Green told ESPN's Anthony Slater that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr talked to him before the game that his name has been mentioned in trade talks and asked how his wife was handling it. Green said "that's when it got real" to him and he spoke to his son about it on the way to Tuesday's game.

"I was like 'yo what if I get traded?' He was like 'well why would they trade you,'" Green said summarizing the chat pregame with his son. "I was like 'It's just the business. I've never been traded but it can happen to anybody.' He was like 'Oh, I just don't understand why they would do that.'"

He told reporters that he's spoke to the front office, but added, "it's probably not quite the conversation you think it was" and that he talks to them "pretty often."

Green didn't feel like he played his last game with the Warriors. But he reflected on his time in the Bay Area after 13 to 14 years.

He said "it's business as usual."

'All good things must come to an end at some point'

Green has been getting the question for the last couple days now and said "it doesn't wear" on him since he can't control it. If anything, he said, he can't wait for the deadline so people will stop asking him about it.

"A lot of people want to know how I feel about it, if I'm upset about it, I'm not at all," Green said. "If that's what's best for this organization, that's what's best for this organization. I'm not like 'aww man, they (expletive) me over' or something like that, I don't really feel that way."

Green has averaged 8.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks in 42 games with the Warriors in the 2025-26 regular-season. For his 14-year NBA career, he averages 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1 block per game.

He won the 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Award after being named runner-up in 2015 and 2016. Green has made NBA All-Defensive team nine times.

Kerr said that Green will have a statue outside of the Chase Center for what he's meant to the franchise, on 95.7FM The Game's Willard and Dibs radio show.

"[Draymond and I] have talked [about the trade rumors]. I think what's really tricky for Draymond is this is the only place he's ever known. He's going to have a statue outside the building someday.

Really weird position for him to be in for sure because there's never really… pic.twitter.com/JmBG1tvgR0

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 3, 2026

"If you would have told me 13 and a half years ago like 'yo I'm going to hand you this sheet of paper and you can sign it to be in a place for 13 years and a half years, would you sign it?' I would've signed it faster than you can blink," Green told reporters. "So what do I have to sit and worry about? What do I have to be upset about? I've been here for 13 and 1/2 years. That's longer probably than 98% of NBA players have been in one place and a guy from Saginaw has been in one place for 13 and a half years. I don't know that it ends at 13 and a half, but if it does what a (expletive) run it's been."

He's seemingly content with whatever his destiny may be. There's no animosity from Green towards the Warriors, he said that he's "blessed," "lucky" and "grateful."

"My family hasn't had to move anywhere since I started my family," Green said. "That's incredible. I don't take that for granted. There's guys that's been on the move every year, moving their family two, three times in a year. So, I have so much gratitude for where I am in my career, the run I've been on here And I don't know that it ends or what not. We'll all see. But if it does, it does. All good things must come to an end at some point."

If it comes to a point where Green needs to say goodbye, then he'll say goodbye, he said.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Draymond Green reacts to trade rumors after Warriors vs 76ers game

The Knicks’ All-Star guard reflects on the unexplainable energy of Madison Square Garden, road playoff battles, and what winning in New York truly demands.

Madison Square Garden has a way of turning basketball games into something closer to mythology, and for Jalen Brunson, it’s a feeling that still resists explanation. The New York Knicks’ All-Star point guard has played on some of the sport’s biggest stages, but when the Garden tightens into playoff mode, it becomes something else entirely. In a conversation for Boardroom’s latest Cover Story, Brunson tried to put words to the electricity that ripples through the building when the stakes rise.

“You can sit here and talk about how crazy it is and how it’s jumping and how you’re going to feel the energy, good or bad,” Brunson told Rich Kleiman. “You’re going to feel the energy. You can’t just explain it; you have to experience it.” He paused, then said what most players eventually realize. “It’s insane. There’s no better place to do anything, not just play basketball, to do anything, perform anything that goes on in that arena.”

For Brunson, that atmosphere isn’t just fuel; it’s responsibility. Still early in his Knicks tenure, he’s already acutely aware of what it means to carry expectations in a city that remembers everything. Legacy is part of the conversation, whether he invites it or not. But Brunson keeps his focus narrow.

“I know I got a lot more to do, a lot more,” he said. “This is cool and all, but my goal is to win. I want to win. I’m going to do whatever it takes, and I’m going to die trying.”

That same playoff intensity showed itself on the road, too. Brunson pointed to a night in Detroit, where clutch shots silenced a roaring crowd that refused to let up. “Their crowd was loud,” he said. “Detroit in the playoffs was crazy. That was a really cool moment.” When asked about Pistons star Cade Cunningham, Brunson saw a familiar trait: leadership without noise.

“He’s not loud,” Brunson said. “He gets the job done. He gets his teammates involved. He does everything you ask of him, and then he goes home.”

In New York, that quiet resolve plays just as loudly as any roar. And inside the Garden, Brunson is learning exactly how far it can carry him.

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The Knicks extended their winning streak to seven last night, shellacking the Washington Wizards in what felt like a home game, 132-101. 

SOUND UP 🔊🔊

it's the knicks 6th borough takeover‼️ pic.twitter.com/iJUJEjZcFf

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 4, 2026

It was the exact kind of win that inspires confidence, the kind of win where every single player who steps on the floor contributes in a big way. Four starters had 19 or more points – hold for Josh Hart, who added seven points and seven dimes of his own. Ariel Hukporti shined in a backup center role, posting 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Shamet, Clarkson, and Kolek all made their marks off the bench. 

a wire-to-wire win on the road. 🔋 pic.twitter.com/0WnZlvKYLc

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 4, 2026

The Knicks were far superior to a younger Washington team, and it showed.

Tonight, the win streak gets seriously tested as New York travels back home to take on the 33-18 Nuggets, the third seed in the West that just welcomed back three-time MVP Nikola Jokic to the lineup. They’re still a bit banged up, with Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson sidelined, but it’ll be a formidable test nevertheless. Denver sustained their winning ways even with Jokic sidelined, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Knicks compete with them on the second end of a back-to-back.

Denver’s offense is one of the best in the league – as a team, they average 120 PPG on 49.5/39.8/81.4 splits. Jeez. That being said, their defense is only middle of the pack, which is to say that points should be abundant tonight.

Jokic leads Denver with 29.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game. Jamal Murray is a motor, scoring at 25.5 points per game. Peyton Watson contributes on both ends with averages of 15 PPG and 1.2 BPG, and Christian Braun delivers nine points and his three-ball has fallen off a cliff this season. Their likely starting five tonight:: Jokic, Murray, Braun, Jalen Pickett (8.2 PPG), and Watson.

Prediction

The Knicks have been rolling as of late, and I truly believe they can continue their winning ways at the Garden. Denver is still working Jokic properly back into the lineup. No Mitch, no Deuce, no problem. It’ll be a close one, but the Knicks take this one by four tonight.

Game Details

Teams: New York Knicks (32-18) vs Denver Nuggets (33-18)
Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: ESPN, MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

The Wizards traveled to New York where they took on a savvy, veteran, professional team and got vanquished, 132-101. The home town crowd enjoyed the New York-sized victory, chanting “MVP” when Jalen Brunson shot free throws in the third quarter.

Editor’s Note: The game was played in DC.

Note back to the Editor: On TV, they showed entire sections of the stadium filled with people wearing Knicks regalia. Are you sure?!

Editor’s Note: Yes.

In the grand tradition of Wizards/Bullets seeing their home stadium taken over by the opposing team’s fans, this one lands near the bottom. Sure, Lakers games probably take the top (bottom?) spot, but the Knicks faithful gave them a good run for their money last night.

Bright side: at least I got to listen to Walt Frazier, who remains thoroughly unique. Just once, I’d love to hear him on a broadcast with Charlotte Hornets play-by-play man Eric Collins. For fellow veteran Frazier watchers, last night he wore a leopard print blazer and a leopard print necktie. This ensemble is actually somewhat tame by his standards. I hope there’s a social media account that posts pictures of his outfits.

In addition to entertaining with his one-of-a-kind rhyming and SAT-word vocabulary, Frazier is a worthwhile listen on basketball topics. Last night, he shared how he returned from a sprained ankle in half the expected time by spending his nights in a chair putting his foot in and out of a bucket of ice. He talked about how some of the players being honored on “Black Excellence Night” were “my nemesis.”

And, he quickly and correctly answered the evening’s trivia question, “When was the last time the Knicks had two All-Stars in the same season.” He did have something of a cheat, considering that the correct answer was himself and Dave DeBusschere in 1974.

He also had this observation, which sounded like it could have been ripped from my notebook every time the Wizards play: “You can tell these guys are young by the turnovers they make. So careless with the ball.”

Speaking of being a “veteran,” every time I see AJ Johnson, my brain says, “A.J. English.”

For those readers who are younger than LeBron James, English was a 1990 second round pick out of Virginia Union University by the Bullets. He played two seasons for the team— 1990-91 and 1991-92. He actually wasn’t bad — at least good enough to think he could be on an NBA roster for a few years. He signed with the Portland Trail Blazers after those two years in Washington, didn’t make the team and never played in the league again.

Other highlights from the game: late in the half, the Knicks broadcaster shared the news that the Los Angeles Clippers had traded James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second round pick.

Thoughts & Observations

• In the first two minutes of the game, I jotted three notes, “Walt Frazier!!!” and “George out of control closeout” and “KAT overpowers Sarr for oreb and putback hook.” Feels like I could have copy-and-pasted that over and over all night long.
• In the first quarter, Mikal Bridges made a crosscourt pass to the weakside corner that used to be an example of amazing court vision and skill. It’s one John Wall made regularly. Now it’s routine in the NBA.
• Under new head coach Mike Brown, the Knicks tried to manage Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive deficiencies by forcing penetration to the middle (somewhat unorthodox at the NBA level) and helping hard from the perimeter. The result: New York gave up tons of threes and still had trouble controlling the paint. Now the Knicks are back to “icing” pick-and-roll (forcing the ball to the sideline) and trying to keep the ball out of the middle. In other words, the kind of scheme Tom Thibodeau was using.
• I had several notes about Wizards players doing a poor job of helping at-rim. One example was in the second quarter — Towns drove on Sarr for an and-one dunk. The weird thing was that Kyshawn George rotated into the perfect place to contest…and did nothing. He literally just stood there with his arms at his side and watched Towns dunk. On another second quarter play, OG Anunoby drove past George. Both Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly were in good “low man” position on opposite sides of the lane. Neither came over to cut off the drive or contest the dunk. I’m not sure what happened to George on the first example other than maybe he thought Sarr was in position to make a play. On the second, I suspect it was communication issue.
• The Knicks led by 27 at the half, which was their biggest halftime lead of the season.
• At the half, the Wizards were -25 or worse with each of the five starters on the floor. They finished the game at -30 or worse.
• Especially when he’s pivoting on his left shoulder, I’d very much prefer for Sarr to settle himself and shoot the jump hook rather than a fading jumper.
• In the third quarter, Walt Frazier joined me in wondering why the Wizards kept letting Jalen Brunson go left. It’s right up there with why they were literally trying to force Harden left when they played the Clippers earlier this season.
• The only real drama in this one was whether the Knicks could hold Washington under 100 points (as they have each of their victims in their current seven-game winning streak), and whether they could win by 40 or more. The Knicks failed on both counts.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

• eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
• OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
• TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
• FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)

FOUR FACTORS	KNICKS	WIZARDS	LGAVG
eFG%	61.7%	47.1%	54.3%
OREB%	22.0%	19.6%	26.1%
TOV%	8.9%	12.9%	12.7%
FTM/FGA	0.233	0.233	0.209
PACE	101		99.5
ORTG	131	100	115.5

Stats & Metrics

PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
AJ Johnson	24	50	148	19.9%	3.2	136	-1
Will Riley	25	53	114	25.8%	-0.1	93	-1
Marvin Bagley III	16	33	124	27.0%	0.8	119	-4
Alex Sarr	25	52	92	26.8%	-3.2	47	-31
Sharife Cooper	19	39	94	22.3%	-1.9	44	4
Kyshawn George	26	55	110	14.2%	-0.5	26	-33
Bub Carrington	25	52	96	24.6%	-2.4	23	-30
Khris Middleton	22	47	95	23.3%	-2.2	25	-31
Bilal Coulibaly	24	51	65	10.7%	-2.8	-4	-30
Justin Champagnie	20	43	36	18.2%	-6.2	-87	-4
Anthony Gill	7	15		0.0%	0.0	121	2
Skal Labissiere	7	16	98	8.2%	-0.2	29	4

KNICKS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Mikal Bridges	26	54	181	24.1%	8.4	376	23
Karl-Anthony Towns	26	55	108	31.0%	-1.4	200	30
Landry Shamet	21	44	177	14.4%	3.9	238	23
OG Anunoby	27	57	137	21.4%	2.6	182	13
Jalen Brunson	31	66	122	25.0%	1.0	156	32
Josh Hart	22	46	153	10.9%	1.9	179	34
Ariel Hukporti	22	45	139	16.7%	1.8	148	1
Mohamed Diawara	4	9	246	23.0%	2.7	594	4
Jordan Clarkson	21	45	130	18.1%	1.2	74	-3
Tyler Kolek	21	44	67	20.4%	-4.3	-46	10
Dillon Jones	9	20	97	6.4%	-0.2	64	-6
Trey Jemison III	9	20	40	15.4%	-2.3	-89	-6

Forsberg: Why Celtics may not be done adding after Vucevic trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

NBA trade season is in full swing, and the Boston Celtics are in the thick of the action.

The Celtics made a significant trade Tuesday, reportedly sending Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick to the Chicago Bulls in return for big man Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick. But president of basketball operations Brad Stevens still has time to make more moves before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

After Boston’s win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg broke down the additional flexibility Stevens and Co. gained by trimming about $6 million in salary (Simons is making $27.7 million this season, while Vucevic is making $21.5 million) and ducking under the first apron of the NBA’s luxury tax.

“They’re now off the first apron, which essentially unlocks one key benefit: If a player is waived who is making more than the mid-level exception — about $14.5 million — the Celtics can now make a play for that person,” Forsberg explained on the Celtics Talk Podcast with co-host Kayla Burton.

“Most of the time that’s minimum deals, but the Celtics actually have some trade exceptions if they needed to (take on) more (salary). … Long story short, they could make an aggressive offer towards a player who maybe was an All-Star in the past, but for whatever reason has been waived by their team.”

Forsberg is referring to the buyout market, where players who are released as a result of trades are free to sign with other teams after Thursday’s deadline. More often than not, those players are aging veterans who weren’t making a significant impact for their other teams. But there are diamonds in the rough, as the Celtics themselves proved in 2008 when they signed P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell, who were important depth pieces on a championship team.

As Forsberg pointed out, it’s also possible Boston makes another deal, with end-of-the-bench big man Chris Boucher a likely trade candidate.

“There’s probably another shoe to drop,” Forsberg said. “It’s not hard to put these pieces together. Chris Boucher was unlikely to be here long-term … so we’ll see what happens from here.

“They could look on the trade market. They still have plenty of exceptions. They have plenty of means. They might crawl back onto the first apron depending on how much salary they take on, but they could figure that part out. With the fact that Boucher’s money will come off, it should clear enough money to make some moves.”

So, which type of player should the Celtics target, either in a small trade or as a buyout signing? Forsberg lobbied for a steady veteran guard who can bolster the backcourt behind Payton Pritchard and Derrick White.

“The comp I would always use is a Kris Dunn type: a veteran guy who plays defense, can be a secondary ball-handler, spell Payton and Derrick at times,” Forsberg said. “(He’s) probably not going to play a ton of minutes in the postseason, but if you could get somebody like that on a minimum deal or end-of-season money, then it’s just another body to navigate both the end of the regular season and potential spot minutes in the postseason.

“Sometimes those guys catch lightning in a bottle.”

Dunn is set to take on a larger role with the Los Angeles Clippers after they traded James Harden, so he might be staying put. But one name to watch is veteran guard Mike Conley, who is expected to be bought out or traded by the Bulls after a three-team trade that sent him from Minnesota to Chicago.

While Conley’s best days are behind him at age 38, he has a wealth of playoff experience (108 postseason games played) and would provide experienced depth.

This came across my social media feed recently and I must admit, I got caught up in the scroll. Clickbait aside, there are some interesting trades that made quite a difference for a player or a team.

Some highlights:

#47- Hawks trade Rasheed Wallace to the Pistons (2004). This was an immediate impact as the Pistons won the Championship that year against a stacked Los Angeles Lakers. And the trade was lopsided as thr Hawks made no real gains from the exchange.

#44- Pelicans trade for Dejounte Murray (2024). Murray has struggled to find a home, and injuries haven’t helped. Dyson Daniels has shined for the ATL, making the trade even worse for New Orleans.

#42- Suns trade for Kevin Durant (2023). Just the thought that trading for KD could be a bad thing makes me shudder. While KD is still one of the purest scores, his time to lead a team toward championship seems to have passed.

#40- Spurs trade Dennis Rodman to thre Bulls (1995). This is the first trade listed involving the Silver & Black. While Rodman is the greatest rebounder of all-time, San Antonio seems to be where he decided to let his freak flag fly. But The Alamo City, with its heritage and military background, was not the spot for him to plant it. The Spurs took a hit on the trade in hopes of retaining the Spurs culture through its leader David Robinson.

#35 and #34 both involve Damian Lillard, but Portland is not the loser on either.

#27 Timberwolves trade Kevin Garnett to Celtics (2007). Celtics get a Defensive Player of the Year and a title in KG’s first year. Minnesota got some pieces who never panned out and still seek a title.

#25 Cavs trade the pick that becomes James Worthy (1980). Can you imagine the different trajedctory for the Los Angeles Lakers had they not acquired James Worthy?

#19 Pacers trade Kawhi Leonard to Spurs on draft night (2011). Love him or despise him, he brought a lot to San Antonio in his time with the Spurs. The 2014 Finals MVP impeded LeBron’s three-peat and grabbed a pair of Defensive Player of the Year trophies during his time in San Antonio.

#17 Luka Doncic on draft night. You think that was a bad idea not knowing hoe Trae Young and Doncic would develop, check out #1…

#10 Hornets trade Kobe Bryant to the Lakers (1996). And the legacy begins.

#7 SGA to OKC while Paul George heads to Clippers. It sounded good at the time. No one knew just how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would blow up. Hindsight.

Here’s the link to the entire article.

Did any of these trades stand out to you?

There were multiple bad trades involving the same teams, or the same players. What does that say about front offices and the longevity of a player? How about those few that traded for franchise legends- Kobe, Dirk, Dr. J, Bill Russell all could have (should have?) ended up on other teams.

Lots to unpack here.

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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.”