John Calipari was in familiar territory Wednesday night. Calipari’s No. 25 Arkansas team beat No. 6 Louisville 89-80, handling the Cardinals from the opening tip. Calipari moved to 20-8 all-time against the Cards, with a majority of those wins coming when he coached Kentucky from 2009-2024.
Nets win back-to-back games for first time this season after topping Bulls, 113-103
CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. had 33 points and 10 rebounds and the Brooklyn Nets won consecutive games for the first time this season, beating the depleted Chicago Bulls 113-103 on Wednesday night.
Noah Clowney scored 18 of his 20 points the second half to help the Nets improve to 5-16. Nic Claxton had 14 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
Josh Giddey had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his fifth triple-double this season for Chicago. The Bulls dropped to 9-12 with their fifth loss in a row.
Chicago played without seven injured players, including rookie forward Noa Essengue, the 12th overall pick in the NBA draft, who will have surgery on his left shoulder and miss the remainder of the season.
Porter followed up on a season-high 35-point effort in a 116-103 home victory over Charlotte on Monday night. Against Chicago, Porter hit four of his five three-point baskets in the second half as Brooklyn pushed back after Chicago narrowed the Nets lead to as little as five.
Nikola Vucevic finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu added 16 points, but Chicago was held to 42.2% shooting and committed 16 turnovers.
Up next
Nets: At Utah on Thursday night.
Bulls: Host Indiana on Friday night.
No. 10 Iowa State breaks program scoring record in 132-68 win over Alcorn State
Milan Momcilovic made his first eight 3-point shots while scoring 27 points and No. 10 Iowa State prepped for its weekend visit to top-ranked Purdue by setting a program scoring record in a 132-68 rout of Alcorn State on Wednesday night. The Cyclones (8-0) broke the previous school record of 130 points in a 67-point win over The Citadel in 2016-17. The 64-point margin against Alcorn State (1-9) was tied for their fifth-largest ever.
Despite swirling trade speculation, Karl Anthony Towns guides Knicks to 119-104 win over Hornets
Just a few hours before the New York Knicks tipped off on Wednesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, reports surfaced that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had asked the team to facilitate a trade to send him somewhere else. Given his stated desire over the summer to be dealt to the Knicks, multiple sources began finding ways in which the Knicks could finally swing a deal to add the All-Star and make a push for an elusive NBA title.
Almost all of those trade scenarios included sending Karl Anthony Towns out of town. This also comes after the Knicks didn’t agree to a contract extension with Towns before the October deadline. Yet, despite all of that noise, it was Towns who carried the team to a 119-104 victory on Wednesday night with a 35-point, 18-rebound, five-assist showing.
Coming off a tough loss on the road against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, the Knicks looked noticeably fatigued in the second game of their back-to-back. Their jumpshots consistently fell short. Their passes were not nearly as crisp or well-timed, and the defense was frequently sloppy. Fortunately for them, the now 6-16 Charlotte Hornets were similarly sloppy, and a determined Towns was more than enough to help them pull out the win.
Not that the Knicks didn’t try to let Charlotte pry the game away. After leading by 15 at the end of the first quarter, the Knicks built a 20-point lead with 7:18 left in the first half. The Hornets couldn’t seem to buy a bucket, and the Knicks were getting easy looks in transition. It seemed like they would cruise to a victory. However, the Hornets went on a 26-9 run to pull the game to within three before a Jalen Brunson buzzer-beater half-court three gave the Knicks a six-point cushion going into the half.
Brunson finished with 26 points and five assists of his own, while shooting just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc for his second straight mediocre shooting night. Still, the Knicks built up another huge lead in the third quarter before LaMelo Ball pulled the Hornets back to within eight again in the fourth. Ball paced the visitors with 34 points on 12-of-27 from the field (5-of-13 from beyond the arc), with nine assists, and eight rebounds, while rookie Kon Knueppel chipped in 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
But at the end of the day, Towns and the Knicks were simply too much.
Karl Anthony Towns dominates with physical performance
With Brunson mired in another poor shooting night to start the game, it was Karl Anthony Towns who paced the Knicks from the start, scoring eight points and securing four rebounds before the game’s first timeout was called. The big man showed off tremendous playmaking ability all night, dishing out five assists and throwing a few other impressive passes that didn’t wind up in made baskets.
In addition, unlike many of his other outstanding performances this season, Towns showed off his versatility on Wednesday night by doing much of his damage in the paint.
The big man, who came into the game attempting 5.3 three-point attempts per game, only attempted one three-point shot in the first quarter and a half of action. Instead, he bullied the Hornets in the paint, scoring eight of his first 10 points in the restricted area, including a sequence with five minutes remaining in the first quarter where he was blocked twice by Hornets back-up center Ryan Kalkbrenner, but grabbed two offensive rebounds and then finished with a layup in traffic.
On the night, 20 of his 35 points came in the paint. He came into the game averaging 10.6 points in the paint per game, which was tied for 27th in the NBA, behind smaller players like De’Aaron Fox, Jaylen Brown, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Tyrese Maxey, among others. He also attempts only 7.1 shots per game in the restricted area per game.
However, Towns and the Knicks saw a matchup advantage against a Hornets team that allows the 7th-most made field goals per game inside of five feet. The Hornets also came into the day 22nd in FG% allowed in the paint, but they had allowed the 12th-fewest attempts in the paint per game in the league.
They were not so fortunate on Wednesday.
Hornets have an interesting decision at the center position
When most people think of the Hornets, they think of LaMelo Ball hoisting up threes from any spot on the court or the impressive rookie season of Kon Knueppel. However, the Hornets also have an intriguing center duo of Moussa Diabete and Ryan Kalkbrenner.
While neither player is a household name, they are important parts of the Hornets' rotation, and figuring out how to stagger their minutes has been a unique challenge for head coach Charles Lee.
Diabate, who started the game on Wednesday, is a 23-year-old former second-round pick who is averaging 9.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 23 minutes per game. Kalkbrenner, who, at 7’1”, is three inches taller than Diabate, is also a 23-year-old second-round pick who is averaging 9.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks while shooting 81.1% from the field.
Even though neither player is a dangerous scorer, they are a big reason why the Hornets rank 13th in the NBA in offensive rebounding and 14th in rebounding overall.
While Coach Lee seems to use a “hot hand” approach to determine which big man gets more minutes, it seems that the team has been more effective overall with Diabate on the court.
The former Michigan Wolverine is smaller than Kalkbrenner but more athletic and a dynamic offensive rebounder. The Hornets have +15 Expected Wins with Diabate on the court. Their offense is 7.3 points per possession better, and their offensive rebounding rate improves by 10.8%. Meanwhile, the Hornets have -24 Expected Wins with Kalkbrenner on the court and are 11.6 points per possession worse.
Despite Kalkbrenner’s shot-blocking ability, the Hornets are also a better defense with Diabate on the court and have a 4.7% better defensive turnover rate in his minutes. With the Hornets struggling to establish consistency during the 2025-26 season, it might not be a bad idea for them to see what happens if they give Diabate a more extended run.
Josh Hart continues to pace Knicks after slow start
When the season began, there were a few questions surrounding Knicks wing Josh Hart. The man who seemingly never left the floor under the previous head coach, Tom Thibodeau, was likely going to be coming off the bench and playing significantly fewer minutes than he had before.
Then, in training camp, Hart aggravated a nerve injury in the ring finger of his shooting hand, which causes his finger to swell and go numb, obviously impacting his shooting and ball-handling. Hart decided to delay surgery until after the season, but the results were not good early in the year.
In the first 10 games of the season, Hart averaged 8.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 0.8 steals in 23.8 minutes per night. He was shooting 44.4% from the field (33.3% from deep) with a 51% effective field goal rate
On top of his offensive struggles, he was posting an uncharacteristically poor 116.1 defensive rating and a 10.1 Player Impact Estimate. He seemed frustrated by his performance and his role, and there was some worry that he might not fit into Mike Brown’s new system as well as he had under Thibodeau.
Well, beginning with an exciting win on November 14th over the Miami Heat in the NBA Cup, Hart has changed the entire narrative on his season. Over his last nine games, coming into Wednesday, Hart was averaging 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.8 steals in 34.3 minutes per game. He's shooting 55.3% from the field (45% from deep) with a 65% effective field goal rate.
His defensive rating had also improved to 113.7, and his Player Impact Estimate was up to 14.6.
His performance has not gone unnoticed as head coach Mike Brown put the blame on himself for Hart’s poor start: “I'll take the hit on that…The tough part was, even backing up further, [Hart] didn't really play in the preseason; he didn't even really practice in the preseason. So, for me, I was behind the eight ball and was really trying to figure out how to incorporate him with what we're trying to do. It just took time, and he was extremely patient with the process…His sacrifice was unbelievable because when I took him out, he just sat. When I called his number, he went out and played. But more importantly, his belief in the process, even if he thought I was wrong, was awesome.”
On Wednesday, Hart only scored 15 points and was seemingly everywhere, also registering eight rebounds and eight assists with one block, one steal, and a +/- of 12. The veteran is back to being an impactful player in addition to just a team leader, and that has helped the Knicks win six of their last eight games.
Brazile scores 21 points as No. 25 Arkansas hands No. 6 Louisville its 1st loss, 89-80
Trevon Brazile scored 21 points to lead five Arkansas players in double figures as the 25th-ranked Razorbacks built a big lead and held off No. 6 Louisville 89-80 on Wednesday night. Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas added 17 points apiece for Arkansas, which made 27 of 35 free throws (77%) and outrebounded the Cardinals 46-36. The loss was the first this season for Louisville, which never led in the game.
Knicks maintain home-court dominance in 119-104 win over Hornets
The Knicks extended their home winning streak to four games on Wednesday night, overcoming some lulls on offense and defense to beat the Hornets, 119-104, at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways...
-- It didn't take long for Karl-Anthony Towns to assert dominance in the paint. He contributed a team-high 10 points and seven rebounds in the first quarter, more than half the production he delivered against the Hornets down in Charlotte just a week ago (19 points, 10 rebounds). The Knicks' lead reached an effortless 15 points after 12 minutes, and with tough defense that forced six turnovers, they held the Hornets to a measly 12 points on 5-of-20 shooting. Interestingly enough, the Knicks couldn't buy a bucket behind the arc in the first -- they made just one, via Mikal Bridges, on nine attempts. The effort was far worse from the Hornets, however -- they started an unacceptable 2-of-14 from three.
-- The Knicks' offense was anything but aesthetically pleasing in the second quarter. A lead that extended to 20 points with 7:46 remaining was cut in half just three minutes later, and that quick 14-3 run from the Hornets forced the Knicks to burn a timeout. The message from head coach Mike Brown didn't seem to translate either, as the Hornets took advantage of Knicks mistakes by cutting their deficit down to three, 50-47, just a minute before halftime. The praise for strong first-quarter defense was premature -- the Knicks gave up 35 second-quarter points.
-- While the first half ended on a three-point buzzer-beater from Jalen Brunson, extending the Knicks' lead to 53-47, they struggled to correct their efficiency issues early in the third quarter. Call it lucky timing, as the Hornets weren't equipped for any exploitation. Steadily, the Knicks regained composure on both ends of the floor and pushed their lead back up to 18, midway through the period. After three, they led 90-75 behind more flexing from both Towns and Brunson around the perimeter.
-- Fears of the Knicks wasting another comfortable lead seemed to disappear when the fourth quarter began. They opened the period on a 7-0 run, stretching the margin to a game-high 22 with 9:28 left, and by the 7:03 mark, all five Knicks starters reached double-digit points. Much to the Hornets' credit, they kept on buzzing. Lamelo Ball commanded the rallying effort, reaching 31 points midway through the final quarter and making the Knicks sweat. But the stark difference in talent kept the Knicks from further stress, as Towns and Brunson flipped the switch back on and bumped the lead back to 16 with 1:36 to go. The closing seconds were sloppy, but harmless.
-- The spotlight naturally belonged to Towns and Brunson, who combined for 61 points on 22 of 39 shooting. But it was Josh Hart who flirted with a triple-double, posting 15 points with eight rebounds and assists apiece in yet another start. Miles McBride, filling in for an injured OG Anunoby, also contributed 15 points on 4 of 9 shooting. Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson added six points each off the bench.
-- While the Knicks committed one more foul (19) than the Hornets (18) overall, they weren't whistled for the first 17:09 of the game, a new NBA record this season. They were charged for their sixth foul midway through the third quarter. Ironically, the Knicks still had a player foul out -- bench man Ariel Hukporti hacked six in just 13 minutes of action. He'll remember blocking two shots, though.
Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns
The Knicks' big man recorded his 16th double-double of the season, finishing with a stout 35 points, 18 boards, and five assists in 39 minutes. It was also his seventh 30-10-5 performance with the team.
Highlights
How the first quarter is going so far for the Knicks pic.twitter.com/skKDidIVIW
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 4, 2025
Jalen Brunson knocks down the buzzer beater triple to end the first half pic.twitter.com/1MS0s9WEKn
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 4, 2025
KAT 👌 pic.twitter.com/EiQ8lWx2fL
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 4, 2025
Josh Hart with the rejection! pic.twitter.com/mNTYTt7uIS
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 4, 2025
What's next
The Knicks (14-7) will continue their three-game homestand on Friday night, with a matchup against the Utah Jazz (7:30 tip-off).
Labaron Philon scores 29 points and propels No. 12 Alabama past Clemson 90-84 in ACC/SEC
Labaron Philon tied his career high with 29 points, Amari Allen added 20 points and 11 rebounds and No. 12 Alabama beat Clemson 90-84 on Wednesday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge. The Crimson Tide (6-2) led by 19 and then had to rally down the stretch after Clemson (7-2) took a two-point lead with 2:41 to play. RJ Godfrey led the Tigers with 19 points.
SEC punches back in ACC-SEC challenge with Arkansas’ upset of No. 6 Louisville after ACC’s 6-3 start
A day after the ACC secured a 6-3 lead with some high-profile wins in the ACC-SEC challenge, the SEC punched back with the upset of the event's second day.
Minnesota upsets No. 22 Indiana 73-64 in Big Ten debut for Medved as DeVries suffers first loss
Cade Tyson had 17 points and eight rebounds to help Minnesota upset No. 22 Indiana 73-64 on Wednesday in the Big Ten debut for both head coaches, the Gophers' Niko Medved and the Hoosiers' Darian DeVries. Langston Reynolds scored 17 points and Isaac Asuma added 15 for the Gophers (5-4, 1-0), who used a 40-25 rebounding advantage to hand the Hoosiers (7-1, 0-1) their first loss under DeVries and hold them to a season-low score after they were averaging nearly 90 points entering the game.
Potential Knicks trade target Giannis Antetokounmpo out 2-4 weeks with right calf strain: report
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo left Wednesday's game against the Pistons with what the team is calling a right calf strain.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Greek Freak is expected to be sidelined for two-to-four weeks.
The former MVP played just three minutes when he made a pass to guard A.J. Green from behind the basket. After Green made the layup, Antetokounmpo fell to the floor with a non-contact injury.
Antetokounmpo hobbled to the bench, where he sat for a few minutes before heading to the locker room.
Giannis down... pic.twitter.com/vJunYwplII
— Harris Stavrou (@harris_stavrou) December 4, 2025
The Antetokounmpo injury came just hours after trade rumors swirled around the forward.
Charania reported early Wednesday that the Bucks and Antetokounmpo have started to discuss his future with the team after a tough start to the season.
Of course, Antetokounmpo named the Knicks as a trade destination over the summer and SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reported in October that the Bucks and Knicks had cursory talks involving Antetokounmpo.
Begley noted on Wednesday that "nothing has changed" for the Knicks on the Antetokounmpo front and there are still "big hurdles to clear."
Phoenix's Devin Booker to be out at least a week with groin strain
Devin Booker went back to the locker room with a couple of minutes to go in the first quarter Monday night against the Lakers, and when he came back out to the bench for the second half, he was in street clothes and did not set foot on the court again.
Booker is going to be in street clothes for at least another seven days, with the team announcing he suffered a groin injury and will be re-evaluated in a week. That means he will miss games against Houston and Minnesota, but the game to circle on the calendar is Dec. 10, one week away, when the Suns take on the Thunder in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, a knockout round game with a trip to Las Vegas for the semi-finals on the line. Booker might want to return for that game, but Phoenix's medical staff will want to protect him from himself if he is not ready.
Booker has a history of nagging groin injuries that goes back a few seasons. It's not exactly clear when Booker suffered this latest injury, though postgame Suns coach Jordan Ott said he thought it happened when Booker drove into and tried to finish over Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes.
"He fell, and I don't think it was right away," Ott said after the Suns' win. "He mentioned it might have been a couple of plays after. You could obviously see him trying to stretch it. At that point, we kind of know where these things are headed."
Booker is averaging 25 points and 6.7 assists a game this season and has been at the heart of the Suns' surprising 13-9 start. Expect Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie (who torched the Lakers with 28 points), and Jordan Goodwin to get more run with Booker out.
'A lot of slices of pizza left': Where the Lakers stand after 20 games
At about the one-quarter mark of their season, the Lakers sit second in the Western Conference with a 15-5 record. The 61-win pace would be the team's best year since 2008-09, but the Lakers aren’t satisfied yet.
“There's a lot of slices of pizza left in the box that we can still get after,” coach JJ Redick said.
Here are four takeaways from the first 20 games of the season as the Lakers begin a three-game trip Thursday in Toronto:
Read more:Former Laker Elden Campbell, known for his effortless style, dies at 57
Good vibes
Of the things Redick likes most about his team, the first compliments have little to do with the on-court product.
“The guys have bought in,” Redick said. “They get along, and they root for each other, and it's not fake.”
The relationships start from the top as the budding bromance between Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves has gone viral enough to warrant fascination even in Slovenia, where a reporter came from to ask Reaves whether he had plans to visit Doncic’s home country. Reaves’ and Doncic’s love-hate relationship has spread to the rest of the team, as center Deandre Ayton uses the playful trash talk from his teammates to get him going before games.
“Just letting me be me,” Ayton said of how his teammates have welcomed him since he signed with the Lakers as a major free-agent acquisition this offseason. “... They used to just talk [trash] to me before the game just to get me riled up and to where I’m riled up myself.”
Redick has preached the importance of a player-led team and empowered his players to connect and communicate with each other on and off the court. Getting to know teammates and coaches through slideshow presentations sounded like a gimmick, but then players including Reaves noted how easy it felt to connect as a group despite having so many new pieces. Redick praised his players’ ability to problem solve in real time, and it shows up in the team’s 6-0 record in games that are within five points in the final five minutes.
Bad turnovers
With the highest scoring duo in the NBA, it’s no surprise the Lakers are one of the best offenses in the league.
Doncic, who will miss Thursday's game for personal reasons, leads the league with 35.3 points per game. Reaves, who is setting himself up for a hefty pay day this offseason, is averaging a career-best 28.1 points and 6.6 assists per game. The Lakers are first in field goal percentage (51.3%) and rank eighth in offensive rating, averaging 118.3 points per 100 possessions.
The most glaring deficiency is turnovers, where the Lakers rank last in turnover percentage (16.2%).
They had 22 turnovers against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, the first game of what should be a revealing stretch of games.
The Lakers weren’t punished for their lackadaisical play during their seven-game winning streak against teams with losing records. But the Suns, who lead the league in steals, had no problem turning Doncic’s full-court prayer passes into transition buckets.
The Toronto Raptors will be an even bigger challenge. The Raptors are fifth in the NBA in defensive rating and third in deflections, ahead of the fourth-ranked Suns.
Middling defense
Players have said that when the Lakers are at their best, it’s because their defense is clicking. Those moments have come only in spurts.
The Lakers are 18th in defensive rating and 24th in opponent effective field goal percentage.
But Redick is encouraged by the team's defensive activity and 17.8 deflections per game, which rank 15th in the league. Last year, the Lakers averaged 15.2 deflections per game. The improvement is the product of key offseason additions such as former defensive player of the year Marcus Smart and the rangy 6-foot-7 Jake LaRavia, but even Doncic has stepped up his defensive game.
Always quietly skilled at getting deflections, Doncic is drawing 0.38 charges per game after averaging just 0.07 last year. The Lakers lead the league with one charge drawn per game.
Trust the process
The Lakers have jumped ahead of many of their Western Conference rivals in the standings despite being without LeBron James for most of the season. Integrating him back will almost result in a new-look team.
Read more:Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves lament their turnover-plagued play in Lakers' loss
James has only played in five games, missing the first 14 games because of sciatica and one more because of left foot injury management. He’s averaging 15.2 points and 7.2 assists, taking a passive role in the offense as he continues to build up his conditioning.
The Lakers’ Big 3 of James, Doncic and Reaves has dazzled in moments. They combined for 99 points in a blowout win over the Clippers, but have only been on the court together for 91 total minutes.
Although Redick is pleased with the team's results after 20 games, he hasn't always been content with the process it took to get there. The coach who harped on building “championship habits” said the Lakers have delivered that standard in just 16 games.
“Within those 16 games, I don't know that we've had a complete game yet,” Redick said. “So that's the North Star: is being able to do what we're supposed to do for an entire game, and we're not there yet.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Why Jalen Williams cherishes Thunder's matchups vs. Warriors, Steph Curry
Why Jalen Williams cherishes Thunder's matchups vs. Warriors, Steph Curry originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Four years into his NBA career, Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams recognizes the privilege it is to lace them up against the Warriors.
Williams, after all, claims he’s been following Golden State from afar as long as he can remember, including during his collegiate career with Santa Clara, which included a stay at the Santa Cruz Warriors’ KP Arena during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The only thing that’s crazy to me is that you grow up watching those teams,” Williams said.
“Then, years later, you look back. I’m watching them when we were stuck in Santa Cruz for Covid, and just my whole college career, you just watch them.”
After having raised the 2024-25 NBA Championship banner in October, Williams believes the Thunder, who currently boast a league-best 21-1 record, aspire to build out a dynasty like the Warriors once did.
“And now, we’re kind of emulating something that they were doing,” Williams added. “It’s really cool. It’s special. Then, we also get to play some of the players that were on that run. So, you never take it for granted.”
Then, there’s the aspect of playing against a pair of Warriors – and league – legends like Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
“Obviously, Dray and Curry — they’re not going to be playing for that much longer,” Williams concluded. “So, it’s cool to get these opportunities to play them. It’s very surreal.”
Savor the opportunities, Williams.
Struggling Clippers release NBA great Paul
The Los Angeles Clippers have released 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul following the side's dreadful start to the season.
The Clippers, who have lost 14 of their past 16 matches, announced Paul's departure before their match against the Atlanta Hawks.
Paul, 40, is regarded as one of the best players in NBA history and is competing in his 21st and final season in the league.
"We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team," Clippers chief Lawrence Frank told ESPN.
"Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our under-performance.
"I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we've struggled. We're grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise."
In a post on Instagram, Paul confirmed his departure, writing "just found out I'm being sent home".
Paul and Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue had not been on speaking terms for "several weeks" before his departure, according to ESPN.
Paul spent six seasons at the Clippers from 2011 to 2017, before rejoining the franchise on a one-year deal in July.
Paul is second on the NBA all-time list for assists with 12,552, behind John Stockton's 15,806.
He is also second in steals with 2,728, trailing only Stockton's 3,265.
Paul has not won an NBA title, getting to the NBA Finals only once with the Phoenix Suns in 2021, when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Clippers’ chaotic unravelling leaves Chris Paul as its most painful casualty
Pull out your Los Angeles Clippers bingo cards. Anyone have the square marked “owner and star player accused of skirting the salary cap through improper means”? Go ahead and stamp that one. How about “losing 14 of 16 after a hopeful 3-2 start”? Mark it. And yes, you can fill in “other star averaging nearly 27 a night at age 36 – including a 50-piece against the Detroit Pistons, one of the league’s best teams”. The box reading “Clippers fans tearing out their hair at alarming rates and contemplating shameful, fairweather defections” is probably safe to cross off, pending review. And after the wee-hours media cycle on Wednesday morning, everyone gets to tick the most dispiriting square of all: “beloved, decorated veteran unceremoniously kicked to the curb in his final season”.
Related: Chris Paul ‘sent home’ by reeling LA Clippers in stunning late-night move
The Clippers had posted a winning record every year since 2010-11, building a reputation as one of the NBA’s most reliable playoff fixtures. Twenty-one games into this young season, that identity has dissolved into something hazy around the edges – and unmistakably sinister.
The decorated vet in question is 40-year-old Chris Paul, who posted via an Instagram story that the Clippers were sending him home from their ongoing road trip. Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, confirmed the news in a statement to ESPN: “We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be a part of the team.” Frank added of Paul, amidst bland platitudes of his status as a Clippers icon, “I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance.” Clearly.
Paul joined the Clippers in 2011 and helped launch their long run of winning seasons before departing in 2017. (His eventual trade to Houston brought back seven players, a protected 2018 first-round pick and the better part of a million dollars.) In LA he averaged 18.8 points and 9.8 assists, made three All-NBA first teams and turned the franchise into Lob City with those feathered lobs to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan – finally giving a long-moribund club both identity and excitement. He stole the ball so relentlessly he mangled his own fingers, his gnarled digits earning a feature in the New York Times. People called him the “Point God”. He’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, all while standing just six feet tall. He never won a championship, making only the one NBA Finals appearance with the Phoenix Suns in 2021, but his Clippers years earned him enormous acclaim. Which is why returning in 2025 clearly meant so much – Paul accepted a reserve role for one last season, and the fans embraced the homecoming just as deeply.
The honeymoon didn’t last very long. Time dulls even the sharpest skills, however intact the instincts remain. Paul averaged just over 14 minutes and three points a game in his return. And, according to ESPN’s style-challenged scoop machine Shams Charania, he had been “vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable, which the team felt became disruptive”, even going weeks without speaking to Tyronn Lue. Was Paul truly so irritating that exile was the only option, or is management flailing for answers amid a grisly run of results? For anyone who thought injury was the only potential snag in this feelgood reunion, consider this a reminder: losing opens every old wound. What began as a heartwarming final-season subplot has now ended abruptly and awkwardly.
It only makes the Clippers – tied with the tragic Sacramento Kings for second-last in the West (thank god for the Pelicans, somehow worse than both) – look even more dysfunctional. Tell a new NBA fan, or an alien, that this team went life and death with Nikola Jokić’s imperious Denver Nuggets in last season’s playoffs and they’d stare back in confusion. Only the 4-17 Indiana Pacers, a game away from the NBA Finals trophy six months ago, have fallen harder. At least they can blame a brutal run of injuries.
As for Paul? His career will remain broadly respected and fondly remembered, this unfortunate final chapter aside. The one lingering regret is the obvious one: the missing championship. Sentiment surely played a role in his decision to return, but so did the chance – however slim – to chase that elusive Larry O’Brien trophy with a team that looked strong last spring. He won’t be winning with the Clippers now. And unless their early-season collapse is some grand basketball mirage, they won’t be winning without him either.