Category: NBA

Lonzo Ball’s froze in confusion. The question – “What do you think about the NBA dress code?” – hung in the air for a second before he cracked a sheepish grin.

“There’s a dress code?” he said, smiling.

Twenty years after the introduction of a rule that once roiled the league and ignited a culture war over image and identity, one of the NBA’s current players didn’t even know it existed.

“Now do-rags are flying, along with jerseys and baggy stuff,” said Ball, a point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers. “I didn’t know we had a dress code. I just knew we had to put something on.”

Former NBA commissioner David Stern instituted the dress code, which went into effect at the start of the 2005–06 season. The policy has been relaxed since Adam Silver succeeded Stern in 2014, but the initial rollout – as with most change – came with controversy and pushback.

The code required all players to dress in business or conservative attire when arriving and departing games, on the bench when injured, and when conducting official NBA business.

Players bristled at the announcement because the policy effectively banned oversized T-shirts, do-rags, jerseys, and other “hip-hop-inspired” attire.

The league’s move was widely seen as a critique of Black culture – a policing of expression and a response to the NBA’s discomfort with hip-hop aesthetics that had become inseparable from basketball itself. The backlash was immediate, loud, and deeply personal.

Related: Mark Cuban made the Mavericks relevant. But is his legacy rotten? | Lee Escobedo

For many, it was also a direct attack on Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson, who became the poster child for what not to wear. Iverson, then one of the biggest stars in the league, was known for his tattoos, braids, and baggy gear.

In a recent interview on The Breakfast Club radio show and podcast, Iverson said his influence on other players helped trigger the NBA’s response. “David Stern and the rest of the NBA were like, ‘No,’ because it was all right when I was doing it,” Iverson recalled. “But then everybody else said, ‘OK, if he can do that, we can do this.’ You see Kobe coming in with diamond chains and baggy clothes, and everyone started doing it. Then the league was like, ‘Hold on, we’ve got to do something about that.’”

Twenty years later, that moment – once seen as a culture war between the league office and players – has come to represent something far more complicated. Instead of erasing individuality, the rule inadvertently helped create a fashion renaissance that reshaped both the NBA and global style.

What began as a mandate for “professionalism” evolved into tunnels lined with photographers, endorsement deals with high-fashion brands, and players driving global trends in ways the league never imagined. Former NBA forward Ira Newble, who remains racially conscious, vividly remembers the tension.

“Everyone seemed upset and up in arms about the dress code,” Newble, who was playing for the Cavaliers when the ban came in, says. “No one wanted to have a dress code. It was a big deal.”

Players were used to traveling in sweats, hoodies, or whatever felt comfortable during long road swings. The style of the time – oversized clothing, long white tees, and baggy jeans – was heavily linked to hip-hop culture.

“My style at that time reflected hip-hop culture,” Newble says. “I had the braids and wore baggy clothes. The sentiment among players was that the NBA was trying to take away from the cultural end. Iverson was an influence of that culture. That’s what the controversy was about. It felt as though they were trying to change and get rid of hip-hop culture.”

But Newble also recognizes how the moment evolved. “Everything kind of grew in a different direction where hip-hop culture can still be embraced within the dress code,” he says. “So it’s cool to see how it evolved.”

Inside the league offices, the intent was different, according to Kathy Behrens, the NBA’s president of social responsibility and player programs.

“We felt at the time that it was important for our players to present themselves in a more professional fashion when on league business,” Behrens says. “We were not demanding a suit culture, but we did want to raise the level of how players showed up.”

She says the league anticipated pushback, but emphasized it was never meant to sanitize hip-hop expression.

“We knew what the goal was, and it had nothing to do with changing our players’ fashion or culture,” she says. “We talked with many players about this change before implementing it.”

What the NBA didn’t expect, Behrens admits, was what happened next.

“The reality is our players embraced the change very quickly and truly raised the level much higher than we anticipated,” she says. “Pre-game ‘fits’ became a thing. It soon became a competition over who could dress the best. How you dress became a cultural touchpoint.”

Two decades later, the league still maintains a dress policy, though it has evolved with changing definitions of “professional attire” and is not as strict as it once was, allowing the players to be more creative with their fashion choices. But the legacy remains.

“When the people most impacted by it embrace it the way our players have, you have to feel that it worked as intended,” Behrens says.

When the rule came in, Jameer Nelson was in his second NBA season with the Orlando Magic. Nelson, now the 76ers’ assistant general manager, can appreciate how the policy unified the league.

“So it didn’t affect me either way,” Nelson says. “But it was cool to see the brotherhood, the fraternity of basketball players, move in the same direction, whether we liked it or not.”

Nelson laughs at how players have flipped the narrative completely.

“You can see now how the personalities are being shown through fashion,” he says. “I have my own style, more old school, more casual. Somebody told me yesterday I dress hip-hop slash front office.”

He says players today simply have more tools to showcase their creativity.

“These brands, because of social media, take advantage of it,” Nelson says. “If social media was as big back in 2005, we probably would’ve done the same thing. Getting dressed is art. It’s how you express yourself without even speaking.”

Few players symbolize that shift more than those in the current era, where tunnel entrances resemble fashion runways and some players are followed by photographers and videographers from the parking garage to the locker room.

Take Cavaliers star Darius Garland, considered one of the team’s most fashionable players. He marvels at how far things have come.

“The league implemented a dress code 20 years ago – that’s crazy,” Garland says. “Now we can put on our own stuff. We can express ourselves.”

To Garland, fashion and business are intertwined.

“A lot of guys have different avenues of revenue with clothing pieces,” he says. “Guys have Lululemon deals, Armani deals. It’s crazy now. With the dress code not being a dress code anymore, it’s giving us money we can put in our pockets, and it lets us express ourselves.”

If only the league had embraced a more relaxed dress policy earlier, says Garland.

“Hip-hop culture influences basketball, and basketball influences hip-hop culture,” he says. “Everyone wants to see what athletes are wearing so they can wear it. We are the influencers.”

What began as a controversial, racially charged flashpoint has become a cultural engine, embraced by the league, celebrated by players, and followed by millions worldwide.

The NBA tried to define professionalism. The players redefined it instead. The dress code did not suppress the culture. It amplified it.

Years later, the runway to the locker room, once a battleground, is now one of the most influential stages in global fashion.

“You can trace the swag back to [Iverson],” Ball says. “The tattoos, the braids, the baggy stuff. We came a long way from [the NBA] punishing him for expressing himself. Now [hip-hop fashion] is at an all-time high again. We need to give Allen Iverson a lot of respect.”

It took a decent chunk of time --  perhaps 15 games, in an attempt to quantify the stretch -- for Karl-Anthony Towns to discover his purpose and play with confidence in a reworked Knicks offense under new head coach Mike Brown. 

But the veteran superstar finally found what he was looking for.

While the Knicks didn't need Towns to assert much dominance in order to clinch a 12th straight win over the city-rival Nets on Monday night, he immediately commanded the spotlight and delivered welcomed efficiency. Not only did he score a game-high 37 points with 12 rebounds in their 113-100 win at Barclays Center, he shot 14-of-20 from the floor.

Towns didn't rely on three-point attempts this time. Yes, he still took a few jumpers from beyond the arc, making three on four tries, but the big man's attack plan sparked a breakout effort. He attacked the rim instead, asserting his dominance in the paint as the Knicks' go-to weapon. He was an aggressor, not a settler.

"I've had slumps before, experience teaches me a lot. Keep shooting, keep trusting the work," Towns said after the win. "I know it's disappointing, especially for me who puts so much time in the gym and you're not seeing the results every day you'd like at the standard you anticipate. But never change the grind."

The Knicks fell just short of attempting 40 threes in Brooklyn -- they were five off from the number Brown hopes the team averages this season -- but high-octane offense can be displayed in different ways. And what the team received was Towns contributing in all spaces.

Of course, Towns exploited weaker competition. It shouldn't matter to the Knicks, though. They're allowed to be pleased this version of him showed up. They're allowed to believe this performance returns and lifts the offense to an even higher level.

"He was really good. Again, trying to move him around quite a bit," Brown said of Towns. "Tried to have him at the elbow, in the post, in the pick-and-roll game. You can see his comfort level is starting to get there... Great game by KAT, picking his sports to drive it, shoot it, spray it."

Towns is averaging 21.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.4 rebounds with nearly one-fifth of the regular-season in the books. He's still searching for that valuable groove from three, though -- his shot percentage of 31.4 is currently a career-low.

The Knicks picked up their 12th consecutive win over the Nets, 113-110, on Monday night at Barclays Center. 

Here are some takeaways...

- Mike Brown turned to a smaller lineup with Mitchell Robinson (illness) and OG Anunoby (hamstring) sidelined, as Josh Hart received his first start of the season alongside Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns. 

- That group got off to an extremely sloppy start on both ends of the floor. The Knicks shot 4-of-14 from the field over the opening few minutes and continued giving up open looks from downtown, allowing Brooklyn to hold a slim two-point advantage when the first quarter came to a close (26-24). 

Noah Clowney got off to a strong start for the Nets, leading the team with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting. 

- New York's second unit of Hart, Towns, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, and Ariel Hukporti got them going early in the second. Even with Brunson resting on the bench, they were able to put together a commanding 11-0 run to open their largest lead of the first half, at the time (eight). 

The Knicks looked like they were ready to put this one away as they pushed the advantage out to as many as a dozen, but Brooklyn answered back with a late first-half surge, and they were able to cut it all the way back down to a one-possession game heading into the break (51-48). 

Both teams shot a combined 25 percent from behind the arc over the first two quarters (NY 3/14, BKN 7/26). 

- Things were back-and-forth coming out of the break before the Knicks took over and opened a comfortable double-digit advantage that they never looked back from. New York scored a game-high 38 points in the third quarter while shooting 64 percent from the field, including 5-of-9 from behind the arc. 

- Towns led the way in perhaps his best offensive showing of the season, finishing with 37 points on 14-of-20 shooting (just 3-of-4 from three) while reeling in 12 rebounds and dishing three assists. The big man did have a bit of a scare after falling hard on his hip on a drive to the basket early in the fourth, but he returned to the court after a timeout.

Brunson had 27 points, Bridges chipped in 16 points, and Hart did it all (seven points, 12 rebounds, seven assists). 

- Jordi Fernandez's young and hungry squad showed much more fight this time compared to the last meeting. Clowney finished with a career-high 31 points on the night including seven threes, Drake Powell pitched in 15 on 5-of-10 shooting, and big man Nic Claxton had eight points. 

New York picked up their second road win of the season in seven tries. 

Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns

The big man dominated the paint all night, finishing with a game-high 37 points. 

Highlights

KAT with the spin move and bucket to get the scoring started tonight 🌪️

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/lqPjJb2Bsa

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 25, 2025

Jalen Brunson nails the corner three 🎯

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/zsN6bGFUCx

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 25, 2025

Nifty moves from Deuce 😤 pic.twitter.com/xt789SN90W

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 25, 2025

What's next

The Knicks close their road trip with an NBA Cup matchup with the Hornets on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

How fiery Steve Kerr sparked Warriors' scorching second quarter in win over Jazz originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – With Draymond Green watching from the bench Monday night, the Warriors shook off an ugly first quarter, pressed the “power” button in the second quarter and became the team Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Steve Kerr keep insisting they are.

Hustle? Check. Grit? Check. Ball movement? Check. Rebounding? Check. Shooting. Check. Spirited defense, without Draymond? Double check. And two – two – turnovers, neither of which was costly.

Those 12 scorching minutes during which the Warriors outscored Utah by 21 launched them to a 134-117 victory that buried a three-game losing streak.

It all came together and a very visible tongue-lashing by Steve Kerr late in the first quarter.

“We just wanted some good vibes around here,” said Curry, who scored a game-high 31 points. “We had good practice yesterday. Utah was coming off a back-to-back (set). We wanted to get off to a better start than we did.

“But we responded after that quick timeout. Coach lit a fire underneath us, and I’m just glad the way we responded as a whole. We know we can play better, but it’s nice to have a little bit of offensive rhythm tonight and see the ball go in after a rough start.

Kerr, hopping off the bench to call a timeout, was livid about a defensive breakdown by Brandin Podziemski with 1:53 left in the first quarter that allowed Keyonte George to drain a wide-open 3-pointer, his fourth in the quarter without a miss.

“Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen were the two guys that we wanted to contain tonight and pay special attention to,” Kerr said. “And 10 minutes into the game, George is 4-for-4 from 3. Wide open shots. We just lost our focus, and I just wanted to gently remind them that we needed to focus more.”

The Warriors were being torched, as the Jazz shot 61.9 percent from the field, including 70 percent from beyond the arc, in the first quarter. Utah led by as much as 11 and took a 35-26 lead into the second quarter.

“Talents like that, they’re going to score,” Curry said. “But we gave him four wide-open 3s. And anybody knows that shouldn’t happen in this league if you’re keying on two of their best players, two of their best scorers.”

Kerr’s reminder prompted the Warriors to grow fangs and use them in the second quarter. They opened with a 21-0 run and outscored Utah 41-20. They limited the Jazz to 8-of-27 shooting from the field, including 2-of-11 from distance.

Meanwhile, Golden State was shooting 58.6 percent from the field, including 53.8 percent from deep, with Moses Moody (10 points) and Buddy Hield (nine) accounting for almost half the 41 points, while Pat Spencer and rookie Will Richard came off the bench, bringing energy.

The game had flipped. The Warriors, despite a few lapses, looked like a different team over the final three quarters, posting a 108-82 advantage.

“We took care of the ball, and that’s priority No. 1 for us,” Kerr said, referring to eight turnovers after the first quarter. “When we take care of it, we generally win. We’re 9-1 now, when we win a turnover battle, and like 1-8 when we don’t. It’s obvious what our measuring stick is, and that helps our defense. I like that. I like the way the ball moved. And once we got a Pat and Will out there, I really liked the ball movement, the flow, the energy, it just it felt right.”

One clue of the team’s energy is that of the 11 Warriors who played, all but one grabbed at least two rebounds. The persistence on the glass allowed them to post a 50-47 rebounding edge over a much bigger Utah squad.
Hield, slumping most of the season, delivered his most productively efficient game thus far, finishing with a season-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, including 4-of-8 from distance. He added five rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes.

From big things to the little things – the kind of things neglected all too often – it was 36 minutes of high-quality hoops that allowed the Warriors to roll to a rare feel-good win.

Now, it’s about staying on point, finding consistency and gathering momentum.

“That’s the biggest thing, understanding how they’re trying to score who’s going to have the ball,” Curry said. “But you have to just go step-by-step in terms of us putting together 48 minutes of solid sound defense, where we’re truly proud of the way we play, start to finish.

“We know we haven’t done that yet.”

With 63 games remaining, there will be plenty of opportunities to change that.

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Keegan Murray shines thanks to new mindset in Kings' OT win vs. Timberwolves  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The difference a two-way wing like Keegan Murray can make. 

Behind Murray’s 26 points and a career-best 14 rebounds, the Kings, 18 games later, picked up consecutive wins for the first time in the 2025-26 NBA season, edging past the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-112 in overtime on Monday night at Golden 1 Center. 

In October, Murray tore the UCL in his left thumb during a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers and underwent surgery, forcing him to miss the first 15 games of the season.

In that span, the Kings racked up a poor 3-12 record, including an eight–game losing skid. It appeared as if there were no possible remedies to Sacramento’s ailment. 

Insert, Murray, who early on in his third season, is proving why the Kings shelled out a five-year, $140 million extension for his services. 

“It makes a big difference having Keegan Murray back,” veteran DeMar DeRozan told NBC Sports California’s Kyle Draper, Morgan Ragan and Deuce Mason on “Kings Postgame Live.” 

“One of our best players. A guy that could go out and do everything. He changed the dynamic of the floor, so having him out there definitely helps.” 

"It makes a big difference having Keegan Murray back."

DeMar praises Keegan's talent 🤝 pic.twitter.com/N0HGh0bmeR

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 25, 2025

Sacramento now has won two of the three games that have featured Murray. The 25-year-old is back. The Kings are back. 

But perhaps more importantly, Murray’s long-awaited two-way aggressiveness and fierce mentality are here.

“I think I just had a really good offseason,” Murray told reporters. “I got away from Sacramento a little bit. I feel like I just unlocked a different mindset going into this year. 

“Obviously, I couldn’t start this season. Obviously, I missed a month to start. For me, it’s just finding my rhythm back and each game I’m feeling more comfortable on the court. So, aggression is not really an issue for me this year.”

"I feel like I just unlocked a different mindset going into this year."

Keegan shares how he improved over the offseason 👏 pic.twitter.com/DfVlp8Nst5

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 25, 2025

Murray drilled a wide-open 3-pointer to give the Kings a 110-107 lead with two minutes left in overtime, helping Sacramento overcome a once 10-point deficit with 3:04 minutes left in the fourth quarter. 

DeRozan, who surpassed Alex English in the league’s all-time scoring list, posted a team-high 33 points. 

DeMar DeRozan passes Alex English on the NBA's all-time scoring list 👏 pic.twitter.com/3Q0M7Z4JxB

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 25, 2025

Malik Monk added 22 points off the bench for the Kings, while Precious Achiuwa registered 10 points and seven rebounds for Sacramento.

With a menacing Murray on the floor, purple beams await the Kings.

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Keegan Murray shines thanks to new mindset in Kings' OT win vs. Timberwolves  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The difference a two-way wing like Keegan Murray can make. 

Behind Murray’s 26 points and a career-best 14 rebounds, the Kings, 18 games later, picked up consecutive wins for the first time in the 2025-26 NBA season, edging past the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-112 in overtime on Monday night at Golden 1 Center. 

In October, Murray tore the UCL in his left thumb during a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers and underwent surgery, forcing him to miss the first 15 games of the season.

In that span, the Kings racked up a poor 3-12 record, including an eight–game losing skid. It appeared as if there were no possible remedies to Sacramento’s ailment. 

Insert, Murray, who, early on in his third season, is proving why the Kings shelled out a five-year, $140 million contract extension for his services. 

“It makes a big difference having Keegan Murray back,” veteran DeMar DeRozan told NBC Sports California’s Kyle Draper, Morgan Ragan and Deuce Mason on “Kings Postgame Live.” 

“One of our best players. A guy that could go out and do everything. He changed the dynamic of the floor, so having him out there definitely helps.” 

"It makes a big difference having Keegan Murray back."

DeMar praises Keegan's talent 🤝 pic.twitter.com/N0HGh0bmeR

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 25, 2025

Sacramento now has won two of the three games that have featured Murray. The 25-year-old is back. The Kings are back. 

But perhaps more importantly, Murray’s long-awaited two-way aggressiveness and fierce mentality are here.

“I think I just had a really good offseason,” Murray told reporters. “I got away from Sacramento a little bit. I feel like I just unlocked a different mindset going into this year. 

“Obviously, I couldn’t start this season. Obviously, I missed a month to start. For me, it’s just finding my rhythm back and each game I’m feeling more comfortable on the court. So, aggression is not really an issue for me this year.”

"I feel like I just unlocked a different mindset going into this year."

Keegan shares how he improved over the offseason 👏 pic.twitter.com/DfVlp8Nst5

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 25, 2025

Murray drilled a wide-open 3-pointer to give the Kings a 110-107 lead with two minutes left in overtime, helping Sacramento overcome a once 10-point deficit with 3:04 minutes left in the fourth quarter. 

DeRozan, who surpassed Alex English in the league’s all-time scoring list, posted a team-high 33 points. 

DeMar DeRozan passes Alex English on the NBA's all-time scoring list 👏 pic.twitter.com/3Q0M7Z4JxB

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 25, 2025

Malik Monk added 22 points off the bench for the Kings, while Precious Achiuwa registered 10 points and seven rebounds for Sacramento.

With a menacing Murray on the floor, purple beams await the Kings.

Download and follow The Deuce & Mo Podcast

Steph Curry acknowledges intent in wearing Michael Jordan shoes before Jazz game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There is intent behind everything Warriors star Steph Curry does.

Which is why it should come as no surprise to anyone that it wasn’t a coincidence that the sneaker free agent wore Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game” shoes as he arrived at Chase Center for Monday’s contest against the Utah Jazz.

After all, Jordan’s iconic 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 performance came against the Jazz in Salt Lake City.

“It’s kind of cool understanding the history of the game and the themes around certain teams we’re playing,” Curry told reporters after the game. “So I brought out the ‘Flu Games’ and the ‘Final Shots.’ And then played in the Sabrina 3.

“So just kinda … Everybody should be on alert. I’m calling everybody. Trying to get some good product but it’s just fun to, again, honor certain eras, moments in the game, current athletes who are doing great things and just having fun with it.”

"It's just fun to honor certain eras, moments in the game, current athletes who are doing great things."

Steph Curry details the thinking behind his shoe choices in sneaker free agency 👟 pic.twitter.com/CsOhvCdcyz

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 25, 2025

Curry switched from the Jordan XIIs to the Jordan 14s for his pregame warmups.

But instead of returning to his customary Curry Brand kicks for the actual game, the Warriors superstar wore New York Liberty star and Bay Area native Sabrina Ionescu’s Nike “IONESCREW” Sabrina 3s against the Jazz.

Stephen Curry is playing in the “IONESCREW” Sabrina 3s tonight — with @Sabrina_i20 in the house.

This is Curry’s first time wearing Nikes in a game since 2013. pic.twitter.com/GLkGREheGB

— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) November 25, 2025

Sabrina Ionescu is at Chase Center tonight 👋

Her New York Liberty squad recently hired Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco to be their head coach pic.twitter.com/n4nDssyK5N

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 25, 2025

“We have a long history — she’s from the Bay, and just obviously following her career,” Curry told reporters. “There was a time when she was coming out of school, and I was trying to get her to Curry Brand. It’s hard to get an Oregon Duck to leave Nike. But it was cool.

“It was kind of a coincidence — I didn’t know she was going to be here until yesterday — and I just had a pair of shoes, and it was a great moment. She’s doing amazing things, she’s a champ and to honor another Bay Area athlete that’s doing amazing stuff.”

Curry parted ways with Under Armour earlier in November and has been rocking other shoe brands before Warriors games. Monday was the first time since 2013 that he had worn non-Under Armours.

While it’s clear Curry is putting thought into the shoes he is wearing, it’s not known when he will decide on a new sneaker home for his Curry Brand kicks.

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What we learned as Steph Curry's smooth 31 points power Warriors' win over Jazz originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Between the Warriors and Utah Jazz, one team was bound to snap a three-game losing streak Monday night at Chase Center. 

Luckily for the home fans, the team that found its way back into the win column was the Warriors, beating the Jazz 134-117.

Scoring was spread up and down the Warriors. Steph Curry scored a game-high 31 points on 12-of-24 shooting and now has scored at least 30 points in five of his last six games. The sneaker free agent played in Nikes, the first game he had done so since 2013, rocking a pair of IONESCREW Sabrina 3s with Bay Area native and New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu in the building.

Steph goes HIGH off the glass 🤌 pic.twitter.com/CWioISsWmW

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 25, 2025

Jimmy Butler scored an efficient 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and Buddy Hield dropped a season-high 20 points off the bench on 8-of-13 shooting and 4 of 8 from deep, also adding five rebounds and four assists.

The Jazz began the game ahead 11-0 as the Warriors missed their first six shots, including five 3-pointers. Each team then used its own extended runs in the first half, as the Warriors strung together a spectacular second quarter and very strong third to give them a 22-point lead entering the fourth. 

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ blowout win.

GP2 Gets The Starting Nod

How did Steve Kerr combat an already-small Warriors team against the much-bigger Jazz on a night where Golden State was without Draymond Green and Al Horford? Putting a 6-foot-2 Gary Payton II on a 7-foot Lauri Markkanen to begin the game, of course. 

Payton from the get-go did all the small things (no pun intended) that make him so valuable in certain matchups. He was cutting behind Utah’s defense, grabbing rebounds and keeping the ball moving right away. The Warriors’ first three made shots were all assisted by Payton. 

GP2 makes it a 15-2 Dubs run 🥵 pic.twitter.com/sS6ZuL89KY

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 25, 2025

Standing 10 inches shorter than Markkanen and still frustrating him was only one part of Payton’s game. Payton, in 21 minutes, scored nine points, came down with six rebounds and dished a career-high eight assists. 

Oh, and Markkanen went just 6 of 15 from the field, making one of his five 3-point attempts. 

18-0 Run … Without Steph

The goal when Curry sits is to stay afloat. To keep the game in reach, stay even if possible and win on the margins the best you can. Another way to win the non-Steph minutes is to go on an 18-0 run without him.

And that’s exactly what the Warriors did in the second quarter. 

The Warriors entered the second quarter down by nine points, 35-26. They then led 44-35 when Curry came back in at the 7:13 mark, going from trailing by nine points to having a nine-point lead themselves. Points came from four different players: Moody (eight), Butler (four), Quinten Post (three) and Will Richard (three). 

Those four players, plus Pat Spencer, were the ones on the floor for the run. A Curry three then made it a 21-0 run, before a Kyle Filipowski three finally ended the Jazz’s scoring drought.

Curry still scored eight points over seven minutes in the second quarter, but it was all about what the Warriors were able to do without him. His teammates scored 33 points in the second quarter, which would have outscored the Jazz by 13.

Moody closes out a 41-20 quarter for the good guys 💪 pic.twitter.com/s2nIjQ2WyH

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 25, 2025

Message Received 

An irate Kerr called a timeout with a little under two minutes left in the first quarter after yet another open 3-pointer made by Jazz guard Keyonte George. Kerr was clapping his hands and letting his team have it. In particular, the message seemed to be aimed at Brandin Podziemski, who tried blaming a teammate for George’s corner three while he guarded nothing but open space. 

Defense, on a night where the Warriors didn’t have Green as their savior, was missing in action early on. The Jazz shot 61.9 percent from the field in the first quarter (13 of 21), and went 7 of 10 on threes. George scored 15 points by himself, two fewer than the Warriors’ starters combined. 

Kerr kept Podziemski in for the rest of the quarter, but then replaced him to start the second quarter, where he remained throughout the rest of the first half. In fact, Podziemski didn’t come back in until there were a little under seven minutes left in the third quarter. He was a minus-10 at the time with two points. 

After the Jazz’s started scoring from downtown, they were held to 4 of 25 (16 percent) the rest of the game, and Podziemski ended as a minus-2 in 18 minutes with six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

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The legal battle between Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia and two of the franchise’s minority owners took another turn Monday, with the stakeholders accusing Ishbia of using the basketball organizations as his own “personal piggy bank” while hiding details of his spending from them.

Andy Kohlberg and Scott Seldin say Ishbia has mismanaged the pro basketball organizations, accusing him of financial malfeasance and of trying to use a capital call to try to bully them out of some of their shares in the franchises. Instead, they allege, it blew up in Ishbia’s face and afforded them an opportunity to take a majority share of the teams.

The accusations come in a legal filing made last week in Delaware court in response to a countersuit filed by Ishbia last month against the two minority owners, who had originally sued in August to begin what has become a messy legal drama.

“Ishbia does not own the Suns to make money for the company but he does operate it as a personal fiefdom for his own personal gain and for the benefit of his other businesses, including his mortgage company United Wholesale Mortgage,” the legal filing states. “The reality is that Ishbia is using the Suns as his personal piggy bank, including through a lengthy list of conflicted transactions — only some of which the Minority Owners are aware of.”

Ishbia, the two minority owners allege, made a loan to the Suns at an interest rate that is significantly above market rate. They say he leased the Mercury’s new practice facility to himself. They also claim that he has turned the Suns and Mercury into money-losing franchises while he intends to make money through UWM.

“This isn’t a lawsuit; it’s a shameless shakedown dressed up as legal process,” a spokesperson for Ishbia said. “From day one, Mat Ishbia was transparent that he was going to do things differently. Contrary to how the team was previously managed, Mat made it very clear he would invest significantly into the Suns and Mercury. He told all the investors that they could step up with him or sell their stake and step aside. Kohlberg and Seldin stayed in and now they’re trying to freeload off the value Mat created.

“Kohlberg and Seldin want to drag the organization backward, and they openly admit in this filing that investing in the team and its fans ‘makes no business sense.’ They are advocating neglect. They are free to sell their shares in the open market and if they don’t, they should be prepared to lose this lawsuit and participate in Mat’s continued investments in the teams and community.”

Ishbia, in an appearance on “The Draymond Green Show,” said the two minority partners “can sell if they want” and should be thanking him.

“Those people, they think about money. All the people think about money,” Ishbia said. “The way I look at it is, let’s do the right thing. Money follows success. It’s not the other way around.”

“And by the way, since I bought the team at $4 billion, it’s worth, what, $6 billion now? It’s gone up,” he said later. “I told them, ‘Instead of suing me, why don’t you just write me a letter and say, thank you? Your investment is worth more.”

"Instead of suing me, why don't you just write me a letter and say, thank you?" – @Mishbia15 responds to the minority owners' lawsuits on The Draymond Green Show… pic.twitter.com/YvqIus8Xfr

— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) November 24, 2025

 

The disagreement stems from a capital call this past summer. Kohlberg said he originally went to Ishbia last September looking for the majority owner to buy out his share because of his own liquidity issues. Ishbia bought more than half of the teams in early 2023 at a $4 billion valuation and has since then bought out other minority shareholders. Kohlberg, through the legal filing, said Ishbia did not respond initially. When he went to him again and asked that he answer his offer by June 1, 2025, Ishbia, the filing said, set a capital call for the next day.

That capital call, the two minority owners claim, was used as a way to dilute their shares in the teams, which could occur if they did not pay, and to create a new lower per-unit share price. They ended up contributing their share, but when another member did not, Ishbia set another capital call for the next month, according to the filing, and they paid again.

They later learned that more of the capital had not been funded and that Ishbia had used a debt-to-equity conversion to fill the financial gap. This maneuver, Kohlberg and Seldin say, was not the legitimate way to do that. The two minority owners also say that a July 8, 2025, capital call was also not fully funded on time. They argue that under the team’s operating agreement, they would be afforded to buy the shares Ishbia had not funded himself. If they did, they would then have a majority stake in the franchises.

“Ishbia blundered into the very trap he set for the Minority Owners and faced a devastating dilution of his ownership interest if his failure was discovered,” the filing said. ”A failure that would wipe off his net worth and put his continued status as an NBA team owner and governor in jeopardy.”

Since assuming controlling interest of the Phoenix organizations in February 2023, Ishbia has promised championships. He started by spending. With the Suns, he made a big, early splash, trading for superstar Kevin Durant. Ishbia and the front office later doubled down and traded for Bradley Beal despite the star guard’s injury history and burdensome contract that included a no-trade clause. The moves backfired.

Last season, the Suns were perhaps the NBA’s biggest disappointment. Built around Durant, Beal and Devin Booker, they had the league’s most expensive roster, yet they finished 36-46 and failed to make the Play-In Tournament. Ishbia promised change.

Over the offseason, he overhauled the roster and front office. Phoenix traded Durant to the Houston Rockets and negotiated a buyout of Beal, a move that got the Suns out of the second apron, a payroll threshold that limits an organization’s ability to make roster moves, as well as the luxury tax.

Built around Booker, this season’s team lacks star power but has played well over the season’s first month. Entering Monday, the Suns (11-6) were one of the NBA’s early surprises under first-year coach Jordan Ott and had won eight of their past nine.

The Mercury have been more successful. In July of 2024, the WNBA franchise opened a $100 million, 58,000-square-foot practice facility in downtown Phoenix. Last season, the Mercury advanced to the WNBA Finals, where the Las Vegas Aces swept them in four games.

But the off-court issues continue.

Kohlberg and Seldin, who have invested in the Suns for more than two decades, first began their legal battle against Ishbia this summer, when they sued him for a lack of transparency and the team’s unwillingness to provide them with internal financial records. They alleged that Ishbia’s capital call in June appeared to be “part of a leverage strategy to exert pressure on and dilute” their ownership shares.

Ishbia countersued last month, claiming the minority owners were trying to force him to buy out their ownership stakes at an “extortionate” cost. He dismissed their claims as part of a public-relations ploy.

Kohlberg and Seldin are the only remaining minority owners who still invested in the Suns and Mercury, and originally bought in while Robert Sarver led the franchises. Ishbia bought the two teams in early 2023 and has since rolled up minority stakes; he now owns roughly 85 percent of the franchises.

Ishbia professed this fall that he will not settle any of the seven lawsuits he and the teams face. In addition to the mismanagement complaint, former and current employees have accused the organization of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other issues. The Suns have denied these allegations.

“The truth is, you actually got to win a lawsuit,” Ishbia said in September. “And where I’m different than most successful people … is like, we don’t settle. If we don’t do anything wrong, I’m not paying someone. I hope you guys all report on how many lawsuits we actually lose.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, NBA, WNBA

2025 The Athletic Media Company

Steph Curry amazingly wears Michael Jordan's ‘flu game' shoes before Jazz game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Utah Jazz aren’t immune to shots from Steph “Petty King” Curry.

Before Monday’s game between the Warriors and Jazz at Chase Center, Curry, a sneaker free agent, entered the arena wearing Michael Jordan’s infamous “flu game” Jordan XIIs.

Steph showed up wearing the "Flu Game" Air Jordan XIIs ahead of Warriors-Jazz

Michael Jordan's infamous "Flu Game" also came against Utah 👀 pic.twitter.com/DkH4ldf4UT

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 25, 2025

During the 1997 NBA Finals, Jordan fought through flu-like symptoms to score 38 points to help the Chicago Bulls beat the … Jazz … in Game 5 to take a three-games-to-two series lead.

Curry switched to Jordan 14s for his pregame warmups Monday night.

Steph is now warming up in a pair of Jordan 14s 🔥 pic.twitter.com/f7w0Pe5ysj

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 25, 2025

Since parting ways with Under Armour on Nov. 13, Curry has been wearing different shoes as he arrives at arenas and during pregame warmups.

Once the game begins, Curry has been wearing his own Curry Brand shoes.

As Curry pays tribute to Jordan, the 37-year-old is one 40-point game away from breaking a tie with the six-time NBA champion for most such games after turning 30 years old.

The Warriors are in desperate need of a win, so there would be no better time for Curry to drop a 40-piece on the Jazz.

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