Category: NBA

Two years after playing in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament South Region, Charles Bediako will be back on the hardwood for Alabama men's basketball.

The 7-foot center's return to the Crimson Tide is one of the biggest storylines in college basketball, as he was recently granted a temporary restraining order to return to Nate Oats' program after playing in the G-League after going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft.

He's the latest player to re-enter college basketball after being in the NBA draft and playing in the G-League, a growing laundry list of players that started with Thierry Darlan and London Johnson committing to Santa Clara and Louisville, respectively.

Here's what to know about Bediako and his situation at Alabama ahead of the 17th-ranked Crimson Tide's SEC clash against Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET inside Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama:

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Is Charles Bediako playing for Alabama today?

Yes, the expectation is that Bediako will play for the Crimson Tide on Saturday against Tennessee. Alabama added Bediako to its official roster on Friday, Jan. 23, and he will wear No. 14.

"First of all, the system is clearly broken and I'm all for figuring out a way to fix it, but since the NCAA has already allowed professionals to play virtually every team we've played this year or will play as a former professional player on their roster, you tell me how I'm supposed to tell Charles and the team that we're not going to support them when he's been deemed legally eligible to play. So Charles is still within his five-year window. He's 23 years old. He's pursuing his degree here at Alabama," Alabama coach Nate Oats said on Jan. 23 during a media availability.

"We've got our roster spot open so this is not taking any opportunities away from a high school recruit or anybody else. Charles shouldn't be punished for choosing to go the academic route out of high school rather than the professional route like the international players did. So again, my personal opinion on all this is we need a uniform and transparent system that doesn't punish the Americans, that takes the hypocrisy out of it, that gives equal treatment to Americans and international players both, while also allowing high school players the opportunities they need coming out of school.

"So someone should be able to come up with a system that checks all those boxes, but for now we're going to continue to support Charles, our team, and we're working closely with our administration, our compliance department on all of this. So that's what I've got on that. Now for the Tennessee game, listen, and I know Charles will draw a lot of attention for this game, but yeah, we are planning to play him. He's eligible to play. We're going to follow the court orders."

REQUIRED READING: Nate Oats takes America First stance on Charles Bediako

Latest on Charles Bediako situation at Alabama

The Crimson Tide forward declared for the NBA Draft following his sophomore season with the Crimson Tide in 2023 but was not selected by one of the NBA's 30 franchises. A veteran G-League player, Bediako most recently was playing for the Detroit Pistons' G-League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. He had four points and three rebounds in the Cruise's 127-103 win against the Birmingham Squadron on Jan. 17.

As noted by the Tuscaloosa News — part of the USA TODAY Network — the NCAA denied Alabama's initial request to restore the 23-year-old's eligibility to return to the Crimson Tide. In a countermove, Bediako filed a lawsuit against the NCAA with the Tuscaloosa Circuit Court on Tuesday, Jan. 20 to use the remainder of his eligibility. He's enrolled in classes at Alabama as well.

On Wednesday, Jan. 21, Judge James Roberts Jr. granted Bediako a temporary restraining order to return to the Crimson Tide as a collegiate student-athlete until his next injunction hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

The NCAA shared its displeasure with the judge's decision in a statement on Jan. 21.

"These attempts to sidestep NCAA rules and recruit individuals who have finished their time in college or signed NBA contracts are taking away opportunities from high school students," the NCAA said in a statement. "A judge ordering the NCAA let a former NBA player take the court Saturday against actual college student-athletes is exactly why Congress must step in and empower college sports to enforce our eligibility rules."

An added layer to the headlines that this situation has created is that Judge Roberts is a frequent guest lecturer at Alabama and is listed by the Crimson Tide Foundation as an active "Circle" level donor in the Lifetime Giving Society.

In a statement shared on Jan. 23, NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt spoke on the pre- and -post NBA Draft eligibility rules that the NCAA has and the NCAA's withdrawal deadline.

"If these rules surrounding the NCAA pre- and post-draft rules cannot be enforced, it would create an unstable environment for the student-athletes, schools building a roster for the following season and the NBA," Gavitt wrote. "The NCAA membership has a set of rules in place regarding the pre- and post-NBA draft eligibility that have clearly been in place and supported by all parties until these recent court challenges."

Statement from NCAA senior vice president of Basketball Dan Gavitt about collegiate eligibility. pic.twitter.com/x559XtzI3p

— David Worlock (@DavidWorlock) January 23, 2026

Charles Bediako stats

Since leaving Alabama, Bediako appeared in 82 G League games across three seasons with the Austin Spurs, Grand Rapids Gold and Motor City Cruise.

Here’s a look at his stats from his professional career:

• 2023-24 (Austin): 5.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 14.6 minutes per game
• 2024-25 (Grand Rapids): 9.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game
• 2025-26 (Motor City): 4.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 15.1 minutes per game

Charles Bediako college stats

In two seasons at Alabama, Bediako averaged 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 19.4 minutes per game while shooting 67.3% from the field and 48.8% from the free-throw line.

Here's a year-by-year breakdown of Bediako's stats at Alabama:

• 2021-2022: 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.7 assists per game while shooting 69.2% from the field
• 2022-2023: 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 0.6 assists per game while shooting 65.9% from the field

How old is Charles Bediako?

Born on March 10, 2002, Bediako is 23 years old.

Charles Bediako draft

Bediako entered the 2023 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at Alabama, but went undrafted. He instead signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs and joined their G League affiliate in Austin, Texas.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charles Bediako, ex-G League player, set to play for Alabama today

Does father really know best?

The history of college basketball matchups of fathers and sons coaching against one another has been heavily tilted toward the fathers in recent history.

Richard Pitino will try to change that when Xavier takes on Rick Pitino and St. John's at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Jan. 24, from the Cintas Center in Cincinnati.

REQUIRED READING: Winter Storm Warning: Which college games are affected by weather?

This will be the fifth time the Pitinos have faced off against one another. Rick has a 3-1 record against his son, including the Red Storm's 85-71 win over Richard's New Mexico on Nov. 17, 2024.

Here's what you need to know about fathers and sons coaching against each other in college basketball:

Father-son matchups in college basketball history

Overall, father-son coaching matchups have occurred 22 times before Saturday, with fathers posting a 19-3 record in that time.

Western Kentucky coach Ed Diddle faced off against his son, Middle Tennessee coach Ed Diddle Jr., 12 times between 1957 and 1962. Diddle Sr. got the better of Jr. in 11 of those 12 matches.

Outside of the Pitinos, the only other father-son coaching matchup since 2014 happened between Tubby Smith and G.G. Smith. The father and son faced off in 2014 and 2017, with Tubby earning wins with Texas Tech and Memphis over Loyola-Maryland.

• Jan. 30, 1957: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 79-72
• Feb. 20, 1957: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 86-82
• Jan. 23, 1958: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 69-67
• Feb. 18, 1958: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Middle Tennessee 81-75
• Jan. 19, 1959: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 89-65
• Feb. 28, 1959: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 110-85
• Feb. 6, 1960: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 109-89
• Feb. 27, 1960: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 109-80
• Dec. 1, 1960: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 70-67
• Feb. 25, 1961: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 84-73
• Jan. 20, 1962: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 89-69
• Feb. 10, 1962: E.A. Diddle (Western Kentucky) vs. Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee) | Western Kentucky 87-81
• Dec. 1, 1981: Ray Meyer (DePaul) vs. Tom Meyer (Illinois-Chicago) | DePaul 78-53
• Jan. 6, 1994: Butch van Breda Kolff (Cornell) vs. Jan van Breda Kolff (Hofstra) | Hofstra 70-56
• Nov. 26, 1994: Hugh Durham (Georgia) vs. Doug Durham (Georgia Southern) | Georgia 87-57
• Nov. 17, 2000: Nolan Richardson (Arkansas) vs. Nolan Richardson II (Tennessee State) | Arkansas 90-68
• Dec. 19, 2012: Rick Pitino (Louisville) vs. Richard Pitino (FIU) | Louisville 79-65
• Nov. 14, 2014: Rick Pitino (Louisville) vs. Richard Pitino (Minnesota) | Louisville 79-55
• Nov. 14, 2014: Tubby Smith (Texas Tech) vs. G.G. Smith (Loyola-Maryland) | Texas Tech 71-59
• Dec. 23, 2017: Tubby Smith (Memphis) vs. G.G. Smith (Loyola-Maryland) | Memphis 83-71
• Dec. 18, 2022: Rick Pitino (Iona) vs. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) | New Mexico 82-74
• Nov. 17, 2024: Rick Pitino (St. John's) vs. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) | St. John's 85-71
• Jan. 23, 2026: Rick Pitino (St. John's) vs. Richard Pitino (Xavier) | 1:30 p.m. ET

Rick Pitino vs. Richard Pitino record

Rick is 3-1 all-time against his offspring. Here's a look at their previous matchups:

• Dec. 19, 2012: Rick Pitino (Louisville) vs. Richard Pitino (FIU) | Louisville 79-65
• Nov. 14, 2014: Rick Pitino (Louisville) vs. Richard Pitino (Minnesota) | Louisville 79-55
• Dec. 18, 2022: Rick Pitino (Iona) vs. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) | New Mexico 82-74
• Nov. 17, 2024: Rick Pitino (St. John's) vs. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) | St. John's 85-71
• Jan. 23, 2026: Rick Pitino (St. John's) vs. Richard Pitino (Xavier) | 1:30 p.m. ET

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: History of father vs son coaching in college basketball

Anytime that Rick Pitino and Richard Pitino go head-to-head against each other as father and son, it's a national storyline.

That's once again the case on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET inside the Cintas Center, when No. 25 St. John's travels to Xavier. But there's an extra layer to it this time around, as the elder Pitino is chasing career win No. 900 against his son, a feat that would put him in sole possession of fourth place among Division I men's basketball coaches for all-time wins.

"I think he will do everything humanly possible to stop it," Rick Pitino said following the Red Storm's 65-60 win over Seton Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 20. "... This is going to be a lot of fun. Great game. If we lose, I'll leave my team in Cincinnati."

Rick Pitino is well aware how special it would be to earn career win No. 900 against his son on Saturday ❤️ @StJohnsBBallpic.twitter.com/vuwP9dS2rZ

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 21, 2026

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Saturday's game marks the first time the father-son duo will go head-to-head against each other in the Big East, after Richard Pitino was hired to lead the Musketeers this past offseason following Sean Miller leaving for Texas and the SEC. It's the fifth overall time in their careers that they will go head-to-head.

In true father-son fashion, Richard Pitino had some fun on X (formerly Twitter) with his dad's milestone ahead of his media availability on Friday, Jan. 23.

"Can’t believe I’m going for my 258th win vs. my dad. What are the odds???" Richard Pitino wrote on X on Jan. 23.

Here's what to know about Rick Pitino's coaching career, and the head-to-head history of the father-son duo:

Where is Rick Pitino coaching now?

Rick Pitino is in his third season at St. John's, "New York's basketball team." He was hired by the Johnnies in March 2023 following a three-year stint at Iona, which served as his unofficial reinsertion into college basketball after a brief stint away from it following his exit at Louisville.

Last season, Pitino led St. John's to one of the program's best seasons since the Lou Carnesecca era in Queens, as the Red Storm finished with a 31-5 overall record, won their first Big East tournament title since 2000 and grabbed a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Rick Pitino coaching career 

Here's a stop-by-stop breakdown of Rick Pitino's coaching career, which includes multiple college basketball programs and NBA organizations:

Head coach position unless noted otherwise

• 1974-1976: Hawaii (assistant)
• 1976-1978: Syracuse (assistant)
• 1978-1983: Boston University
• 1983-1985: New York Knicks (assistant coach) *
• 1985-1987: Providence
• 1987-1989: New York Knicks *
• 1989-1997: Kentucky
• 1997-2001: Boston Celtics *
• 2001-2017: Louisville
• 2018-2020: Panathinaikos **
• 2020-2023: Iona
• 2023-Present: St. John's

* Denotes NBA job

** Denotes EuroLeague job

Rich Pitino coaching record

• Career record: 889-316
• NCAA Tournament record: 55-22
• Final Four appearances: 1987, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2012*, 2013*
• National championships: 1996, 2013*

* Denotes vacated by NCAA

Rick Pitino holds an 899-316 overall record across his 38 seasons as a Division I men's basketball head coach, including a 65-23 record in three seasons at St. John's.

The 73-year-old coach made history last season when St. John's earned the No. 2 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament, as he became the first Division I men's basketball coach to take six different schools — the others being Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and Iona — to March Madness.

He's won two NCAA Tournaments in his coaching career, though his second one at Louisville was vacated by the NCAA. His first national championship came in 1996 at Kentucky.

Pitino's 2013 NCAA Tournament ring being vacated is a major reason why he's coaching at St. John's today. The ex-Louisville head coach was fired for cause by the Cardinals after an FBI investigation was prompted by Adidas paying recruits to go to Louisville. Pitino, who in 2020 said he deserved to be fired at Louisville after years of saying the opposite, was charged by the NCAA with a Level II violation in 2020, citing him for "failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance" during his tenure at the University of Louisville.

This was one of two scandals that the NCAA looked into during Pitino's time with the Cardinals; the first was a sex scandal that emerged in 2015.

What is Rick Pitino's record vs. son Richard Pitino?

Saturday's matchup between Xavier and St. John's will be the fifth iteration of the Pitino rivalry, with Rick holding a 3-1 lead in the all-time series.

The first head-to-head matchup between the father-son duo came in 2012, when Rick was at Louisville and Richard was at Florida International University, in which the elder Pitino's fifth-ranked Cardinals won 79-55. The two then met two years later in 2014 during Richard's second season at Minnesota; that game also went to Louisville.

Richard Pitino's lone win against his father came in Rick's final season at Iona in 2022, when New Mexico defeated the Gaels 82-77 down in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at The Pit.

The most recent Pitino clash came last season at Madison Square Garden. St. John's RJ Luis Jr. led the Red Storm to an 85-71 win at "The World's Most Famous Arena" over Richard's Lobos, scoring 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds.

"It is what it is. It comes with the territory," Richard Pitino said during his Jan. 23 media availability. "There's a lot of amazing things that come with being his son, and there's every now-and-then 2% is a little bit annoying, but the other 98% is phenomenal."

Here's a game-by-game breakdown of the Pitino vs. Pitino rivarly:

• 2012: Louisville 79, FIU 55 (Rick Pitino leads 1-0)
• 2014: Louisville 81, Minnesota 68 (Rick Pitino leads 2-0)
• 2022: New Mexico 82, Iona 74 (Rick Pitino leads 2-1)
• 2024: St. John's 85, New Mexico 71 (Rick Pitino leads 3-1)

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rick Pitino chases 900 wins. His son, Richard, stands in the way.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla threw rookie Hugo González into a critical spot in Friday night’s 130-126 win over the Brooklyn Nets in double overtime — quite literally.

It was a contrasting moment for González as earlier, in the first quarter, Mazzulla yanked the 19-year-old with visible frustration after a mental mistake led to a Michael Porter Jr. 3-pointer. González took it in stride and admitted that Mazzulla’s call was the right call.

“He was right,” González told reporters, per CLNS Media. “You can be mad if you think that you did the right thing and he subs you out, but he was right. What I did was some bull****.”

For many rookies, getting subbed out and being met with disappointment on the sideline could rattle confidence. González, however, isn’t like most rookies. He took his seat on the bench, patiently waited, and when the final 2.5 seconds of the team’s first of two overtime periods arrived, it became redemption time.

Mazzulla used his left arm to push González onto the court, replacing Boston’s only active center at the time, Amari Williams. Immediately, González was thrust into a crucial moment in crunch time. He caught the inbound pass from Baylor Scheierman and decided to keep things simple.

“Just basically try to make a play, try to catch it, and try to find somebody,” González recalled.

Instead, the play demanded much, much more from González. He cut from the right elbow to the left corner, causing defensive miscommunication as Porter and Noah Clowney focused on Brown. Scheierman fed him, and with space to fire away, González drilled a clutch game-tying 3-pointer, sending the Celtics and Nets into a second overtime, tied 118-118.

He maintained the very mindset Mazzulla makes an effort to reward. González stayed poised and prepared enough to provide the Celtics with whatever the game called for. It just so happened that this time, it called for González to be the hero.

“You gotta be ready to play in any position, especially when you’re not (a veteran),” González told reporters. “You’re gonna need to be ready to play in any single (spot), and if you need to play center, you’ve got to play center and do whatever the team needs and try to help teammates like (Jaylen Brown), Payton (Pritchard), and Sam (Hauser) to make plays — just try to make them better.”

As much as González wants to make a difference, none of his impact is forced. It goes unnoticed sometimes, but it’s all authentically Hugo. He’ll turn up the jets like his legs are powered with NOS from The Fast and the Furious. He’ll challenge anyone at the rim, dive for any loose ball, and go the extra mile, no matter what that requires. Teammates and coaches noticed the signs during Summer League, and the fact that González can provide that version of himself — whether he’s playing extended minutes or limited minutes — has kept him from any G-League trips down to Maine ever since Opening Night back in October.

None of what González has experienced in Year 1 was planned, including his biggest shot in the NBA.

The reason Mazzulla placed González in that situation was simple: trust. With Brown, Pritchard, Hauser, and Scheierman around him, he trusted that González would come through, even without the instruction of a playbook. It was about trusting one’s instincts and letting everything else play out.

“The play wasn’t necessarily for him,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Need threes are a crapshoot. You never know what defense they’re in — are they reading the floor? Are they reading after? Are they matching up? Are they on the body? Off the body? So it was really just a read where those four guys had to make a play, and Hugo made a great play and a great pass.”

That singular play highlighted Mazzulla’s tactical mastery. Sure, circumstances have forced him to lean on inexperienced players like González, but it’s how Mazzulla is doing it that’s made a difference. Everyone involved is benefiting. Playing González in that spot carried risk, especially with the Toronto Raptors inching toward Boston’s No. 2 seed spot, but it worked. It allowed González to boost his confidence, showed teammates they can trust him to take a big shot, and further weaponized a shorthanded Celtics team that has continued to raise its own bar.

The Celtics have reached the point where they can confidently say they know what to expect from González — and that’s huge. His foundation is pure, raw hustle. That’s something coaches can’t teach. Those are intangibles a player either has or doesn’t. From there, everything else can be developed: his 3-point shot, his ball-handling, his strength. González is a developmental piece who, even as-is, can make a difference and impact winning.

For a rookie, that’s rare to come by.

“That was a big-time shot from the rookie,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media. “He’s been playing well all season, and to see him make that shot for us to get a big-time win — that was a big moment for us as a team, and a big moment for him too.”

González took only four shots on Friday night, and that included two attempts in overtime: two jumpers, a transition layup leading a fastbreak, and a tip-in off a Scheierman miss. Before his overtime attempts, González hadn’t recorded a single field goal attempt since 2:34 of the third quarter. Still, he stayed ready to deliver whenever the Celtics determined his time to contribute had arrived.

“It’s also easy when you got a coach that’s trusting in you, teammates that are trusting in you, that if you take a shot, you’re gonna make it,” González told reporters. “That helps a lot.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be taking on the Orlando Magic on the second end of a back-to-back on Saturday. They’ll face off against the Magic twice in three days.

The Magic haven’t had the season many envisioned after they traded for Desmond Bane this offseason. The offense is still a mess as they lack a primary initiator and don’t have enough three-point shooting to make up for it.

Orlando’s defense has also been worse than expected. They come into this game 15th in defensive rating after being second in that category the last few seasons. The dip on that side of the court is what has led to the middling results so far.

Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (26-20) at Orlando Magic (23-20)

Where: Kia Center – Orland, FL

When: Sat., Jan. 24 at 7 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Cavs -1

Cavs injury report for Friday’s game vs. Sacremento Kings: Darius Garland – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League), Luke Travers – OUT (G League)

Magic injury report: Franz Wagner – OUT (ankle), Jalen Suggs – PROBABLE (knee), Colin Castleton – OUT (G League)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Magic expected starting lineup: Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Tristan de Silva, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

Previous matchup: The Cavs lost to the Magic 108-103 last March. Cleveland won two out of three against Orlando last season.

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	116.9 (11th)	114.6 (12th)	+2.3 (12th)
Magic	114.5 (20th)	115.2 (15th)	-0.6 (17th)

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo expects to be out for about four to six weeks with a calf injury.

Antetokounmpo played 32 minutes of his side's 102-100 defeat by the Denver Nuggets on Friday before coming off in the final minute of the game.

"Probably the next steps will be, go to [an] MRI tomorrow," said the 31-year-old, who produced 22 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists against the Nuggets.

"After the MRI, they'll tell me, probably, I popped something in my calf, in my soleus, something. They'll probably give me a protocol of four to six weeks that I'll be out.

"This is from my experience being around the NBA."

He added: "After that, I'm going to work my butt off to come back. That will probably be the end of February, beginning of March."

Antetokounmpo was hurt in the first quarter, exited briefly and came back to play a total of 32 minutes.

Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers defended the decision to allow Antetokounmpo to continue playing after the first-quarter issue.

He explained: "I asked our [medical] team five different times.

"I didn't like what my eyes were seeing, personally. Giannis was defiant about staying in."

The two-time MVP recently criticised his team-mates amid their poor form.

The loss to the Nuggets was a fifth defeat in six games for the Bucks and leaves them 11th in the Eastern Conference. Their final game of the regular season is on 12 April.

"We're not playing hard, we're not doing the right thing, we're not playing to win, we're not playing together," said Antetokounmpo following their previous outing, which ended with the Bucks being beaten by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"Our chemistry is not there, guys are being selfish, rather try to look for their own shots than look for the right shot for the team. Guys are trying to do it on their own."

SPINDLERUV MLYN, Czechia (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin earned a place on the podium of a World Cup giant slalom for the first time in two years Saturday, finishing third in the last GS before the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The race was won by defending Olympic champion Sara Hector, who held on to her opening run lead for her first victory since January 2025.

“You always have to keep working, it's so many strong girls as you can see today,” the Swedish winner said in a course-side interview. “I am super happy that in the end I crossed the finish line first. That's a really cool feeling.”

Shiffrin, the 2018 Olympic GS gold medalist, trailed Hector by 0.23 seconds and the American shared the podium with second-placed teammate Paula Moltzan, who was 0.18 off the pace.

Shiffrin holds the women’s record for most career World Cup GS wins with 22 but hadn’t had a top-three result in the discipline in 11 events since coming runner-up at a race in Slovakia in January 2024.

Six days later, she crashed in a downhill on the course that will be used for the Olympics next month and then didn’t compete in GS again until the start of the 2024-25 season.

In November 2024, she sustained a puncture wound to the right side of her abdomen and severe damage to her oblique abdominal muscles in a crash at her home GS in Killington, Vermont, and subsequently suffered from lingering post-traumatic stress disorder.

This season, Shiffrin racked up three fourth places before ultimately returning to the podium Saturday, three weeks before the Olympic race in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Moltzan, who's chasing her maiden career win, got her third podium of the season, leading a strong showing by the U.S. team, with Nina O’Brien in fifth and AJ Hurt in eighth.

In the opening run, Hector edged out Camille Rast of Switzerland by 0.02 seconds, with GS rankings leader Julia Scheib of Austria 0.26 back in third.

Rast dropped to fourth, while Scheib skied out in the final run.

Overall World Cup champion Federica Brignone, who made a strong return to racing from a nine-month injury layoff on Tuesday, and her Italian teammate Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill champion, sat out the event in Czechia, with a weekend of speed racing coming up in Switzerland next week ahead of their home Olympics.

A slalom on the same hill is scheduled for Sunday.

___

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

BROOKLYN — Plenty went wrong down the stretch in the Celtics’ double-overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets.

A 9-point lead with just over two minutes to go in regulation was squandered, with Brooklyn getting putback after putback as the deficit dissipated. The Celtics’ two primary bigs — Luka Garza and Neemias Queta — both fouled out. And Jaylen Brown, who shot 33% from the field, missed three consecutive shots in the first overtime period that would have helped seal the deal.

Still, after the final buzzer sounded, it was the Celtics who rejoiced, players leaping off the bench to tackle two-way rookie Amari Williams after he made several crucial plays in the second overtime period.

In street clothes, Jayson Tatum pumped his fist in celebration. Hugo Gonzalez, who hit the biggest shot of the night, went berserk. And Xavier Tillman, one of only two active Celtics who never laced up, rejoiced as if it were he who made the game-saving play.

Look how happy everyone was for Amari Williams after his massive block https://t.co/KhWWdhSdZupic.twitter.com/Ah7O5Zh4mT

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) January 24, 2026

And, despite a litany of mistakes down the stretch, the Celtics walked away with a 130-126 win.

Why?

Because, as cliché as it sounds, they never gave up.

For several stretches of the night, a Celtics victory seemed incredibly unlikely. The most deflating moment came when they trailed by 5 points with 8 seconds to play in the first overtime, the kind of deficit teams very rarely overcome.

But, rather than accept defeat, they ran masterful back-to-back plays.

First, Sam Hauser threw a full-court inbounds pass to Williams, who found Payton Pritchard for three. Then, after Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore split a pair of free throws, and Baylor Scheierman subsequently found Hugo Gonzalez for a wide-open corner three that sent the game to a second overtime period, in part thanks to a Jaylen Brown cut that helped create some defensive confusion (and to Mazzulla, who subbed in Gonzalez at the last second).

(If you’re counting, in just the final 10 seconds of the first overtime, six different Celtics made game-winning plays.)

Still, in totality, the Celtics’ win was littered with mistakes that Joe Mazzulla said the team would continue to work on cleaning up: missed defensive rebounds, defensive miscommunications, and missed shots.

But what stood out most for Mazzulla wasn’t the late-game execution; it was the team’s resolve.

“We don’t always play perfect, but you can guarantee that we play hard,” Mazzulla said. “And that gives you a chance every night.”

Jaylen Brown, who tallied his fifth career triple-double on Friday (with 27 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds), said that a culture centered around playing hard was born at training camp.

“It just started from before the season — we just set a precedent, just set a tone for what we want Celtics basketball to be,” Brown said. “And it wasn’t an excuse for none of our guys — not me, or for anyone from top to the bottom.”

Several times this season, that philosophy has meant that Brown himself has gotten pulled out of games and temporarily benched, something that might not have happened in previous seasons.

But, he’s welcomed that.

“If you’re not playing hard, if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, you’re not putting in the effort, then you don’t need to be out on the floor,” he said plainly.

Asked Jaylen Brown about the Celtics’ identity of playing hard, no matter what else:

“It just started from before the season — we just set a precedent, just set a tone for what we want Celtics basketball to be. And it wasn't an excuse for none of our guys, not me, or for anyone… pic.twitter.com/3OkgMrfzrJ

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) January 24, 2026

Brown explained that this identity was new; in the past, the Celtics were able to get by and win games simply by being the more talented team. But this year’s roster — inundated with young, more unproven players — had no choice but to commit to always playing hard.

“We’re not the most talented team out there,” Brown said. “We got some good guys, some talented guys, some good potential that we’re still cultivating and developing. But a lot of our guys, this is their first time playing meaningful minutes.”

Payton Pritchard, who finished with 32 points and 4 assists, echoed that sentiment.

“What I like about this team is just how hard we play — every night, somebody new can step up and win the game for you,” Pritchard said. “That’s what I appreciate.”

Joe Mazulla made clear from the start of the season that the Celtics being the hardest-playing team was non-negotiable. Now, the Celtics find themselves with the East’s second-best record at 28-16, and the NBA’s second-best net rating at +7.5. It’s probably a spot in the standings they have no business holding. But, in large part thanks to their hard play, the Celtics have continued to live among the league’s elite teams.

“What you start to notice being in the NBA for a long time, playing hard is 70% of the battle, you know what I mean?” Brown said. “If you can do that, the rest of the stuff is just plus or minus. But, playing hard will get you by a lot.”

Friday’s victory included a little bit of everything (and everyone). Sam Hauser, who has been on a heater, added 19 points on 7-12 shooting and hit a big three in the second overtime. Payton Pritchard poured in 25 points after halftime.

And, three different bench players (Anfernee Simons, Hugo Gonzalez, and Luka Garza) logged double-digit points off the bench; Gonzalez went a perfect 4-4 from the field for 10 points, while Garza made 5 of 9 shots en route to a 12-point outing.

But the game also featured critical moments that had nothing to do with shotmaking: a drawn Scheierman charge, a massive Garza swat that got Tatum out of his seat, and a Gonzalez block on a Cam Thomas jumper.

For Brown and the Celtics, it was the relentless effort — particularly on the defensive side — that mattered most. It’s that effort that has made this Celtics team beloved by fans, and that made Barclays Center sound like Boston’s home court.

“I think the fans respect that more than anything,” Brown said. “The X’s and O’s will be the X’s and O’s, [you’ll] make or miss shots, but your effort — playing hard, defending, things like that — that’s stuff that I think the city of Boston represents.”

Good morning, it’s Saturday, January 24th. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 26-20 and play the Orlando Magic on the road tonight at 7 PM.

This is Cleveland’s first game of the season against Orlando. They went 2-1 against the Magic last season. They will play each other again on Monday, this time in Cleveland.

Today’s Game of the Day

• Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks – 8:30 PM, ABC, ESPN

You can basically mark this matchup on your calendar every time it happens. As long as Luka Doncic is in the NBA, his games against the Dallas Mavericks will be worth watching.

I don’t have to re-litigate the blockbuster trade that shook the league nearly a year ago. We all remember, and we’ve all seen the utter chaos that Dallas has spiraled into since then. But the Lakers aren’t taking the NBA by storm, currently sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference.

The Rest of the NBA Slate

• Washington Wizards at Charlotte Hornets – 12 PM
• New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers – 3 PM
• Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves – 5:30 PM
• Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls – 8 PM
• Miami Heat at Utah Jazz – 9:30 PM

The Knicks versus the 76ers is one to watch. Joel Embiid is looking more like himself lately, and the Knicks are desperate to get back on track after losing seven of their last 10.

Cavs links of the day

• Cavs vs Kings Player Grades: An ugly win is still a win – Fear the Sword
• Cavs Kenny Atkinson is taking suggestions on three-point defense – Fear the Sword

NBA links

• LeBron on Buss report: ‘Don’t care how somebody else feels about me’ – ESPN
• NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: Latest on Karl-Anthony Towns and Jonathan Kuminga – Yahoo Sports
• NBA Midseason Lessons: What we are hearing from all 30 teams – ESPN
• KIA MVP Ladder: Leaders remain unchanged while Tyrese Maxey enters the top 5 – NBA.com

The Knicks hit ABC this afternoon trying to stop Tyrese Maxey and the 76ers and to avoid an 0–3 hole in the season series. A matinee . . . oh joy.

New York enters at 26*–18, while Philadelphia is 24–19. The Sixers bring the confidence of a team that has already beaten the Knicks twice at Madison Square Garden and now plan to do it at home. The Knicks, struggling of late, hope to carry over momentum from their record-setting slaughter of the Nets on Wednesday.

The first two meetings followed the same script. The Sixers solved the Knicks’ defense, and the Knicks could not solve Maxey. Having a season worthy of MVP consideration, the peppy point guard scored 30 in their December contest and followed with 36 and eight boards on January 3. Maxey controlled the tempo and nimbly navigated whatever coverage New York threw at him. In the frontcourt, Philly’s star center Joel Embiid had his way and, when he sat, Andre Drummond brought rebounding and floor-spacing. Rookie VJ Edgecombe impressed, too, and coach Nick Nurse’s club had a counter for every Knicks push. 

In the first game, New York was neck-and-neck until sinking in a 20-point fourth quarter. In the rematch, a promising first quarter was squandered by a terrible next three. 

The Knicks’ stars have produced. Jalen Brunson scored 22 and 31 in the losses, and Karl-Anthony Towns was steadily around 20 and 10. The issue was timing and resistance. December’s fourth quarter bogged down into late-clock jumpers, while January turned into a track meet that had New York panting.

For today’s matinee, both teams are monitoring stars: Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable for New York with back spasms, while Philadelphia has Joel Embiid (ankle) and Paul George (knee) both listed as game-time decisions.

Prediction

Despite everything, ESPN.com likes New York at 58%. Interesting. Their oddsmakers must be trying to skew the betting lines, because Philly has past performance and home court in their favor, not to mention New York’s lousy record since winning the (cursed) NBA Cup. We’ll take it, ESPN, but it’s fishy.

After Wednesday’s 54-point flogging of the Nets assuaged some panic about the Knicks’ recent play, today’s game feels less like a must win. It does smack of a prove-it game, though. Brooklyn is a glorified G-League team. New York’s effort today will show us if they truly are back on track. 

The last time the Knicks appeared on national TV, just this past Monday, they were embarrassed by the lowly Mavericks. Today they will redeem themselves. In a tightly-fought contest that comes down to the final minute, we’ll see some overdue Captain Clutch heroics—in a shot-for-shot duel with Maxey—and the Knicks will get their 27th win of the season. New York by two.

Game Details

Date: Saturday, January 24, 2026

Time: 3:00 PM ET

Place: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA

TV: ABC

Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count. 

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won his second successive toss and elected to bat against England in the second one-day international on Saturday.

England top-order batters struggled against Sri Lanka spinners and lost the first game of the three-match series by 19 runs despite Jamie Overton and Rehan Ahmed showing late aggression in the run chase.

Opening batter Zak Crawley was ruled out of Saturday’s match with a knee injury and was replaced by Will Jacks, who missed the first match due to illness.

Sri Lanka continued with its combination that won the first game with spinners Dunith Wellalage and Jeffrey Vandersay troubling England batters in the middle overs.

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Lineups:

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka (captain), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Ratnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando

England: Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid.

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

Nic Claxton suffered a finger injury in the Nets’ 130-126 double overtime loss to the Celtics on Friday night, and is slated to have imaging Saturday.

Brooklyn’s center hurt his right pinkie, leaving the game before returning to finish with 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 39 minutes.

“It’s sore. I really don’t know. I’ve just got to get X-rays, MRIs. So I don’t know,” Claxton said. “It is sore though. It was just locking up, so I just put some tape on it. I’ll know more (Saturday) probably.”

It’s uncertain exactly how much clarity Claxton or Brooklyn will get.

Claxton is tentatively slated for imaging Saturday morning in New York, with the team flying to California at midday. There is a chance he could get imaging once they arrive.

Either way, results won’t immediately be available.

The Nets start a five-game road trip with Sunday’s game at the Clippers.

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• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND NETS STATS

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If Claxton can’t play, Day’Ron Sharpe likely would get his fourth start of the season.

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Michael Porter Jr. had 30 points and eight rebounds in a bounce-back effort after Wednesday’s horrible outing vs. the Knicks.

The forward had shot just 41.4 percent overall and 33.3 percent from deep in eight games since spraining his MCL vs. Orlando.

“Yeah, I think it’s turning a corner,” Porter said. “The last eight or nine games, ever since that Orlando game, I’ve not felt as explosive on my cuts and stuff. So I feel like I’ve dropped off a little bit. But that’s mostly just because of that knee soreness.

“But the good thing was that it was nothing that I couldn’t play through, no structural. It wasn’t unsafe to play, it was just a little sore. So I decided to play through it, not rest it; and I’m just getting back feeling like it’s a non-issue. It felt the best it has; so I think by the next game or two, it’ll be back to 100%.”

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Cam Thomas, arguably Brooklyn’s best bucket-getter, suddenly can’t buy a basket. He had seven points on 2-for-8 shooting Friday, and 0-for-2 from deep.

In his last eight games, Thomas is averaging 8.9 points on 29.8 percent from the floor and 27.3 from behind the arc in 22 minutes for a minus-6.9.

But he said he’s perfectly healthy, that he’s just doing what’s being asked.

“I’m playmaking. They wanted to see playmaking,” Thomas said. “I’m coming off the bench. You take what you can get.”

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Jordi Fernández on Egor Dëmin and fellow teen Real Madrid product Hugo Gonzalez: “We all know how big international basketball is in the NBA. … The NBA is not looking at your passport, which is a good thing, especially nowadays. You are welcome, and you can grow in this league.”

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Dëmin logged just 21:05 to Nolan Traore’s 36:51, but Fernández said the former wasn’t being ‘punished.’

The Brooklyn Nets sulked back to the visitors’ locker room after a historic, 54-point loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday night. Jordi Fernández headed to a brief postgame presser, where he fell on the sword in his typically monotone style. Did the head coach really believe he was “responsible” for the ass-kicking, that halfway through the season “players are not responsible for it, so I got to make sure that they understand the values that we have,” or was it just something to say?

Players did not tear the visiting locker room apart. Rookie Drake Powell mentioned that a couple veterans spoke a sentence or two, but it was not exactly a scene out of Remember the Titans. Guys got dressed leisurely, sat on their phones, and chatted — maybe slightly softer, a little more somber, than normal.

“I mean, I don’t know if I said much directly after,” said Michael Porter Jr. Friday. “We all were kind of a little — obviously just had our feelings about the game. But later that night, I texted the guys and just told them like, ‘yo, that’s my fault. I’ve got to come in with that energy.’”

To Porter Jr. and the Nets, Wednesday was not a shameful chapter in a rivalry matchup or a devastating blow to team morale. It was a bad day at work.

“It’s the time leading up to the game,” explained MPJ at Friday’s shootaround. “It’s the day off, how you spent your day off in between games, how much sleep you got. All those things play a part to how your body, your nervous system, your mind feels when it’s tip-off time. And I felt like those two days were a little shaky for me in terms of preparation, and that’s what separates the good players and the average players from the great players, that time in between.”

Playing 82 games in 170 days does not provide much time for reflection, only for routine. Nic Claxton finally used the E-word on Friday morning, but he wasn’t stewing over the loss: “I’m in the present now. We focused on tonight, we know we got to be a better team tonight, because that’s not gonna happen again. t’s unacceptable. Obviously, it was embarrassing. We’ll be ready to go tonight.”

Nets fans seeking more public atonement from their leaders were out of luck. But Porter and Claxton veterans that they’ve had to be despite being 27 and 26, didn’t have to grovel; instead, they gave the Boston Celtics (missing Derrick White) one hell of a game on Friday night.

Now, there were embarrassing moments in this one too. Barclays Center was filled Celtics fans cheering their hearts out and serenading Jaylen Brown with unmistakable “M-V-P” chants far louder than any “Broooooook-lyyyyyn” chants begun by the PA announcer. I felt particularly bad for two die-hard Nets fans in front of press row, about to triumph over the sea of green they were engulfed in before their favorite team defended a last-second sideline-out-of-bounds play befitting of their 12-31 record…

Hugo González. CLUTCH.

Hits the triple to send the game to DOUBLE OVERTIME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/lszFiZIoiC

— NBA (@NBA) January 24, 2026

Still, Claxton and Porter fulfilled their promise. Though MPJ’s impact wavered as the game went on, he indeed brought the right energy out of the gate, cutting hard and crashing the glass. Noah Eagle called him “spry” on the YES Network broadcast. Claxton capably guarding Jaylen Brown in isolation was crucial to Brooklyn’s defensive gameplan, and Brown ultimately shot 9-of-27.

Postgame, Jordi Fernández said he was “proud of the brand of basketball we played, the competitiveness. We got better today, and that’s most important.”

MPJ respectfully disagreed: “We lost. That’s all I really care about. I don’t care about no fight, personally. Obviously it was a better performance collectively than last game, but we still lost. So it was a game we should have won. We’ve lost too many games this year that come down to the wire like this.”

Brooklyn improved their performance tenfold from Wednesday to Friday. Alas, it was Friday’s loss that bothered Brooklyn’s veterans more…

Nic Claxton with a very responsible reaction to Hugo's game-tying three: pic.twitter.com/v2QumrSzzd

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) January 24, 2026

Claxton was still muttering to himself about the loss in the locker room postgame. Wednesday’s loss might have elucidated the effect that organizational tanking has on its players — and why you try to keep their duration short. But Friday’s loss showed that players are wholly divorced from that strategy. While clearly an optimal development for Brooklyn’s long-term prospects, especially with the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers picking up wins on the same night, this one stung.

“We played a really good game,” said Clax. “I feel like we deserved to win. We just didn’t execute enough down the stretch, so we got to learn from it. But this is a tough loss though. This one really hurt.”

With the trade deadline 12 days away, both Claxton and Porter Jr. are sure to have a go bag packed at all times. But neither of them seem too concerned about the possibility of being traded.

“It seems like it’s the same thing every year, whether it’s — I mean, it’s a part of the business,” said Clax. “You see certain teammates, certain names in trade rumors or whatever, but you just got to be where your feet are and be a professional. It’s cliché, but it is what it is. It’s our job to come out here and perform whenever we put on a Brooklyn Nets uniform.”

MPJ. agreed: “Honestly, I’m just going with the flow. Whatever happens, happens. It’s out of my control. So, I’ve voiced already that I’m enjoying my time here, and I’m enjoying getting to grow with these guys and the day-to-day process with these guys. But everything else, I just try to let it be what it’s going to be.”

Brooklyn’s two highest-paid players have been pushed into early vet-status as a result of being on the NBA’s youngest team. This week, they were right for the part, easily shrugging a historic loss and trade rumors off their shoulders before leading one of Brooklyn’s most competitive games in 2026.

The Nets are 12-31, the worst team either player has been on — for MPJ, by a long shot. Now, they get to escape a brutal snowstorm in the Northeast by starting a five-game road trip in sunny Los Angeles. Once again, the task will be to rebound from a brutal loss; is it the same as rebounding from an outright embarrassment?

“No,” says Porter “It’s different. You learn from them in different ways. Obviously what happened at MSG the other night is unacceptable and there’s unlimited things to learn from. But tonight there’s very specific things, late-game situations. So you can learn something from any game.”

Nic Claxton simply sighed: “It’s so many games when you play an 82-game season. So, you really just can’t get too high, you can’t get too low. You get beat by 50, you got to be ready to respond. If you lose a tough game like this, you just kind of just got to be even-keeled through everything.”

While that is certainly a clichéd sentiment, the Nets just covered the entire bandwidth of defeat in three days, from Wednesday’s embarrassment to Friday’s gut-punch. In a losing season that promises to continue down this path, that cliché is a damn useful one. Perhaps for fans as well as players.

Cleveland Cavaliers (26-20, fifth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (23-20, seventh in the Eastern Conference)

Orlando, Florida; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Magic -1; over/under is 228

BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland hits the road against Orlando trying to extend its three-game road winning streak.

The Magic are 15-15 in conference games. Orlando ranks eighth in the league with 16.6 fast break points per game led by Franz Wagner averaging 3.9.

The Cavaliers are 17-13 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland is fifth in the league scoring 119.2 points per game while shooting 46.9%.

The Magic average 11.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.0 fewer makes per game than the Cavaliers give up (14.1). The Cavaliers average 14.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 more made shots on average than the 12.0 per game the Magic give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Desmond Bane is averaging 18.9 points and 4.5 assists for the Magic. Paolo Banchero is averaging 23.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists over the last 10 games.

Donovan Mitchell is scoring 29.0 points per game and averaging 4.8 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Jaylon Tyson is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 5-5, averaging 112.0 points, 43.2 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.2 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.3 points per game.

Cavaliers: 6-4, averaging 118.1 points, 44.7 rebounds, 30.0 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.1 points.

INJURIES: Magic: Jalen Suggs: day to day (knee), Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Colin Castleton: out (thumb).

Cavaliers: Max Strus: out (foot), Darius Garland: out (foot), Sam Merrill: out (hand).

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

New Orleans Pelicans (11-36, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (31-14, second in the Western Conference)

San Antonio; Sunday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio will try to keep its four-game home win streak alive when the Spurs play New Orleans.

The Spurs are 18-12 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio averages 117.9 points while outscoring opponents by 5.3 points per game.

The Pelicans are 4-7 against the rest of their division. New Orleans gives up 122.1 points to opponents while being outscored by 7.0 points per game.

The Spurs average 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 fewer makes per game than the Pelicans allow (14.9). The Pelicans are shooting 46.4% from the field, 0.4% higher than the 46.0% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Spurs won 135-132 in the last matchup on Dec. 9.

TOP PERFORMERS: Stephon Castle is scoring 16.9 points per game and averaging 5.0 rebounds for the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama is averaging 24.7 points and 9.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Trey Murphy III is averaging 22.3 points, six rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals for the Pelicans. Jordan Poole is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 6-4, averaging 111.3 points, 46.1 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.

Pelicans: 3-7, averaging 114.7 points, 44.1 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 9.3 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.3 points.

INJURIES: Spurs: Luke Kornet: day to day (adductor), Devin Vassell: out (thigh).

Pelicans: Jose Alvarado: out (oblique), Dejounte Murray: out (leg).

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