Category: Basketball

The Knicks looked like themselves again on Wednesday night, beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 123-111, to snap their four-game losing streak.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Looking to shake things up after a season-low 90 points on Monday night, Mike Brown inserted Miles McBride into the starting lineup in place of Mitchell Robinson. However, McBride and the Knicks started out slow, as he missed his first two three-point attempts and the team found themselves down 7-0. The Clippers grew their early lead to 14-5, forcing a Knicks timeout about four minutes into the first quarter.

The group woke up out of the timeout -- Mikal Bridges drilled a three, OG Anunoby got a dunk, and McBride hit his first three-pointer to cut the lead to one point. Jordan Clarkson and Jalen Brunson then hit their first threes of the game to put NY ahead briefly before veteran big man Brook Lopez made a three of his own to make it a 22-21 game.

-- James Harden nailed back-to-back three-pointers and was fouled on another attempt with the clock winding down, making all three free throws to put LA up 31-27 after the first quarter. He led all scorers with nine points after one, while Brunson and Anunoby had seven apiece for the Knicks. Both teams shot 46 percent and had 11 rebounds in the first.

-- McBride caught fire early in the second quarter, hitting three straight threes to keep the Knicks in it. The former second-round pick kept it going with another jumper to tie the game at 42-42. The back-and-forth contest continued through the second as Brunson tied it up with a three-pointer before Kawhi Leonard scored five quick points to push the Clippers lead to 56-51 at halftime.

Los Angeles outscored New York, 25-24, in the second quarter thanks to Leonard's 12 points, which gave him 21 at the break on 8-for-13 shooting. Brunson only had three points in the second, with McBride scoring 11 of his 14 points to pace the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns struggled with just six points on 2-for-8 shooting.

-- Offensive rebounds began to become an issue for the Knicks as Ivica Zubac dominated the glass with two offensive boards on LA's first possession of the third quarter, scoring inside after a miss. He then converted two more offensive rebounds into two more baskets to put the Clippers up four. 

New York fought back with Anunoby making his first three of the night at the 7:34 mark and Towns showed fight, attacking the rim by Zubac for a layup and making the foul shot to tie the game at 70-70. Guerschon Yabusele then gave the Knicks a 73-72 lead, their first since going up 23-22 in the first quarter.  The high-scoring third quarter finished with Tyler Kolek connecting with Bridges to put New York up 90-87, outscoring LA 39-31 in the frame. 

-- Towns completed a three-point play and then grabbed his third offensive rebound, finishing inside for five quick points to open the fourth quarter and force an early Clippers timeout. The former No. 1 pick stayed in a groove with another driving layup and Kolek hit Anunoby running out for a dunk to extend the lead to 105-92. Brunson continued to apply the pressure with two straight threes and then Yabusele scored five straight to make it a 15-point game and ignite the Garden crowd.

-- All five starters scored in double figures. Despite early struggles, Towns finished with 20 points (6-for-18 from the field), 11 rebounds (four offensive), and a season-high seven assists. Anunoby also had 20 points, while McBride had 16 with four threes, and Bridges added 15 points, nine boards, and five assists. The team had 32 assists and outrebounded LA 48-40. Leonard finished with 25 points after a cold second half, Harden ended with 23 and Zubac had 22 points.

Game MVP: Jalen Brunson

Brunson scored 11 points in the third quarter to swing the game New York's way, and finished with a game-high 26 points on 9-for-12 shooting. He also had seven assists and three rebounds over 33 minutes.

Highlights

Jalen Brunson knocks down the triple and the Knicks lead in Q1 pic.twitter.com/0NrMtZjGv3

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 8, 2026

Deuce from deep! pic.twitter.com/CT8Y67Ylx9

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 8, 2026

KAT lobs it up to Mitch for the jam pic.twitter.com/3VPZPkEf53

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 8, 2026

Another triple for Jalen Brunson! pic.twitter.com/uWPMPNLCLC

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 8, 2026

Kolek 👀 Mikal pic.twitter.com/niWYzdV6rY

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 8, 2026

Yabusele from deep! pic.twitter.com/SHLExG3R17

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 8, 2026

What's next

The Knicks head out West for a four-game road trip starting on Friday against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns at 9:00 p.m. ET.

LeBron James will miss the game against the San Antonio Spurs with right sciatica and left foot arthritis, the Lakers announced Wednesday.

James has starred for the Lakers (23-11) during their three-game winning streak, averaging 29 points in victories against the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans. He's paired effortlessly with Luka Doncic as the duo scored 30 points each in Tuesday’s win over the Pelicans. But after missing 14 games to start the season because of sciatica, the 41-year-old James recognized he might not be able to play a second game in as many nights.

“His foot typically the day after a game is sore, so that’s the primary thing,” coach JJ Redick said before the game. “… We’re hoping that he gets to the point where he can play in back-to-backs with his body, but this stretch and this month, it’s going to be tough to say that.”

James will miss his 17th game this season, putting him right on the edge of continuing his streak of 21 consecutive All-NBA honors. Players have to appear in 65 games to remain eligible for postseason awards. The Lakers are beginning a busy January that ends with their longest trip of the year: the eight-game Grammy trip.

The Lakers are also without Austin Reaves (calf), Rui Hachimura (calf) and Adou Thiero (knee). Hachimura participated in a workout with the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers in L.A. on Wednesday as he progresses back to the court.

Guard Gabe Vincent (back) will be available for Wednesday’s game while on a restriction of about 18 minutes, Redick said.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton show Warriors surest path to top-six playoff seed originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – A couple of X-factors showed out Wednesday night, and the only way the Warriors can make the ascent of their dreams is if this becomes a semi-consistent pattern.

It’s profoundly evident these Warriors have no chance of thriving if they throw all their hopes into the lap of Stephen Curry. It’s unfair. Silly, even. Same, for that matter, applies to the best of Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green. All three are essential, but the rest of the roster – a battalion of X-factors – must have the ability to threaten opponents.

De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford did more than that Wednesday night in a 120-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center. They delivered the kind of goodies the coaching staff and the Curry-Butler-Green trio have consistently insisted were within the reach of the supporting cast.

Melton and Horford combined for 30 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal. Melton was plus-4 over a season-high 25 minutes, and Horford was plus-9 over 19 minutes.

“Those are two guys that connect our lineups,” Green said of Melton and Horford.

“Those two guys weren’t available much or at all early in the year, and they’re both trying to find their legs, their rhythm,” Curry said. “But you can see how much of a difference they can make off the bench.”

Melton was terrific, dropping a season-high 22 points, twice punishing the Bucks with timely 3-pointers. He scored with high efficiency, shooting 8-of-13 from the field, including 5-of-9 from deep.

Wide open trey 8️⃣

📺 @NBCSAuthenticpic.twitter.com/iEVu6eHmmG

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 8, 2026

After spending most of December searching for his shot after returning from a yearlong recovery and rehab from ACL surgery, Melton has found it.

Horford brought the kind of assortment bag that put a gold star on his stat line and his fingerprints on the game: eight points, on 3-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-4 from deep, along with team- and season-high 10 rebounds and six assists.

“We’re starting to get to the point where we’ve been able to bump his minutes up,” coach Steve Kerr said. “And he looks healthy. Playing him 19 minutes gave us a new heavy rotation. And he was terrific. He did everything.”

This is the Horford the Warriors expected when they signed the 39-year-old to a contract in the offseason. Fill in the gaps, no matter what they are.

“My impact, I feel like it’s anything that has to do with winning and making winning plays, whether it’s rebounding, whether it’s assists,” Horford said. “I know I can shoot the ball, so being able to be a floor spacer for the group and shoot. Just impacting in different ways. But this was a game that a lot of that came together, which was nice for me.”

THIS AL HORFORD SEQUENCE >>>

📺 @NBCSAuthenticpic.twitter.com/vD4Dhudi35

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 8, 2026

Though Curry shone, Butler and Green did enough to support him.

Curry totaled a team-high 31 points, 13 of which came during a third quarter that allowed Golden State to take a 16-point lead (98-82) into the fourth quarter. His step-back 3-pointer with 26.1 seconds remaining extinguished Milwaukee’s hope of a comeback.

Butler didn’t shoot well (6-of-15, including 1-of-5 from distance) but managed 21 points, five rebounds and three assists. Green, playing with controlled fire, contributed 14 points, seven assists (with one turnover) and three rebounds.

A couple of X-factors filling in superbly allowed the core trio to survive ordinary games from Butler and Green.

“It’s always great to have those guys stepping up, because, like we’ve said all year, we need those guys to win,” Green said. “It’s not just going to be an effort of us three doing it . . . and that’s never been the answer. When you look at teams that think that’s the answer, they’ve been wrong every time. So, we depend on our guys. We trust our guys.”

On this night, the “guys” the Warriors depended on were Melton and Horford, along with 18 intense minutes from Gui Santos. On another night, it might be Gary Payton II or Moses Moody or Brandin Podziemski or Quinten Post or Will Richard or Trayce Jackson-Davis or, of course, Pat Spencer.

They’re all X-factors for Golden State, which is greatly enhanced when any two or three bring it as Horford and Melton did against the Bucks. It’s the Warriors’ surest path to climbing out of eighth place in the Western Conference and into at least the top six.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

What we learned as Steph Curry outduels Giannis in Warriors' tight win vs. Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Returning from a frustrating road loss to the Clippers in LA, the Warriors on Wednesday night began an eight-game homestand that can define their season, less than a month away from the NBA trade deadline. 

The start of a two-week stretch at Chase Center was picture-perfect for the Warriors in a 120-113 win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

It took the Warriors going 5 of 10 on threes in the fourth quarter of their loss to the Clippers to get to 24.4 percent for the game. Shooting wasn’t such a problem playing the Bucks, as Golden State shot 48.9 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three with 18 makes.

Steph Curry led the Warriors with 31 points, six rebounds and seven assists. De’Anthony Melton (22 points) and Jimmy Butler (21 points) gave the Warriors three 20-point scorers on a night where five players scored in double figures.

Gui Santos' no-look pass sets up a Steph triple 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wlpulhJlwy

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 8, 2026

The Warriors continued to improve their ball security and had just nine turnovers one game after giving up seven. As the ball hummed, six Warriors had multiple assists, which was twice as many that had multiple turnovers.

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was an unstoppable force, finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ win that pushes them to 20-18:

The Others Step Up

What a difference it makes when the Warriors actually make shots. There have been flaws and cracks in the defense, but shotmaking has become a season-long problem nearly at the halfway mark. The Warriors entered their 38th game ranked 27th in field goal percentage and 15th in 3-point percentage for the 20th-ranked offensive rating in the NBA. 

They resembled a much better product than those numbers back in front of their home fans. 

The biggest positive was the “other guys.” In this case, we’re talking about players not named Curry or Butler. Those two combined to score 51 points Monday in LA, which was half of the team’s total, while the rest of the starting five scored 15 points with a 17.6 shooting percentage and went 1 for 11 on threes. In the first quarter alone, the other three starters – Draymond Green, Moses Moody and Quinten Post – scored 14 points.

Moses Moody from the corner 🙌 pic.twitter.com/DJeo3OMlev

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 8, 2026

That number rose to 25 points by halftime. The final total between those three was 34 points. But they weren’t alone. Melton scored 20 points for the first time since Dec. 27, 2023 and the Warriors won the bench battle 34-24.

Red-Hot Curry

Efficiency was Curry’s only problem in the Warriors’ previous game. While he led both teams with 27 points, Curry did so on 9-of-23 shooting (39.1 percent) and 4 of 15 on threes (26.7 percent). He cleaned that mess two days later.

Curry was slicing and dicing the Bucks’ defense without breaking a sweat. He made it look easy and still found ways to get fans out of their seats. As the Warriors held an 11-point halftime lead, Curry was a plus-21 and the second-highest among the starting five was Moody at plus-5.

He just kept cooking in the second half, too. Curry had his latest third-quarter flurry of 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He could have pulled out his Night Night celebration with his stepback jumper that sealed the deal with 26 seconds remaining.

Curry finished the night 12-of-21 shooting (9 of 12 on 2-pointers and 3 of 9 on 3-pointers).

Steph buries a DEEP triple 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Z48QIzpAda

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 8, 2026

On a night where Curry did a bit of everything, the stat that he might be proudest of is one. Curry’s only turnover came with 15 seconds left when he lost the ball out of bounds. 

Horford’s Huge Impact 

As he read the direction of Melton’s 3-point attempt in the final minute-plus of the second quarter, Al Horford crashed to the middle of the paint, grabbed the miss and found Melton in the left corner for an open three that went through this time. Horford’s rebound already was eighth of the game and third on the offensive glass. 

Nobody was better for the Warriors than Horford in the second quarter. The Warriors and Bucks were tied at 31 points after the first quarter. But the Warriors then went on an 11-0 run in the final two minutes of the first half prior to the Bucks making a 3-pointer in the final few seconds. Horford in that span had three points, three rebounds and an assist. 

He played six and a half minutes in the second quarter and was a plus-14 with six points on two 3-pointers, six rebounds and three assists.

THIS AL HORFORD SEQUENCE >>>

📺 @NBCSAuthenticpic.twitter.com/vD4Dhudi35

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 8, 2026

Horford inhaled a season-high 10 rebounds. The veteran center also made two threes and connected the game on both sides. Getting these versions of him and Melton consistently can be game-changing for Golden State.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Trae Young is moving on from Atlanta — but staying the same conference.

The Washington Wizards reportedly acquired the star point guard from the Hawks in a major trade to open 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIf8rhrRFu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 8, 2026

Shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert are the players headed to Atlanta in return. No draft picks are expected to be exchanged by either team.

News of Young’s potential trade first broke Monday, with the Wizards also emerging as the preferred destination.

The 27-year-old, who went No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. Young has also played just 10 games this season, with Atlanta 17-21 at the time of the trade. Washington is 10-26, second to last in the Eastern Conference.

Young is posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.

A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide Washington with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns should Washington make a leap soon. He has a $48.9 million player option next season before entering unrestricted free agency.

The Wizards were led by McCollum’s 18.6 points per game, but his $30 million expiring salary will instead go to Atlanta, where he may help a play-in tournament push. Kispert, the 2021 No. 15 overall pick, is averaging 9.2 points on 39.5% 3-point shooting in a bench role.

Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, is the next best scorer after McCollum at 17.2 points, with Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly all contributing on a young team. Veteran Khris Middleton has also started all 23 games he’s appeared in.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has led the way with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.5 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot. The Hawks will now turn the page and search for the next big star.

Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Trae Young is moving on from Atlanta — but staying the same conference.

The Washington Wizards reportedly acquired the star point guard from the Hawks in a major trade to open 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIf8rhrRFu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 8, 2026

Shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert are the players headed to Atlanta in return. No draft picks are expected to be exchanged by either team.

News of Young’s potential trade first broke Monday, with the Wizards also emerging as the preferred destination.

The 27-year-old, who went No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. Young has also played just 10 games this season, with Atlanta 17-21 at the time of the trade. Washington is 10-26, second to last in the Eastern Conference.

Young is posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.

A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide Washington with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns should Washington make a leap soon. He has a $48.9 million player option next season before entering unrestricted free agency.

The Wizards were led by McCollum’s 18.6 points per game, but his $30 million expiring salary will instead go to Atlanta, where he may help a play-in tournament push. Kispert, the 2021 No. 15 overall pick, is averaging 9.2 points on 39.5% 3-point shooting in a bench role.

Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, is the next best scorer after McCollum at 17.2 points, with Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly all contributing on a young team. Veteran Khris Middleton has also started all 23 games he’s appeared in.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has led the way with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.5 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot. The Hawks will now turn the page and search for the next big star.

Observations after Sixers' stars all produce in win over Wizards  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ stars all scored efficiently and led the way Wednesday night in the team’s 131-110 win over the Wizards at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Joel Embiid had 28 points on 10-for-14 shooting and seven rebounds. Tyrese Maxey posted 22 points (9 for 15 from the floor) and eight assists. Paul George scored 23 points and shot 7 for 10.

The Sixers were at full strength for the first time this season. The Wizards were very undermanned amid reports of their trade pursuit of Trae Young.

Rookie Tre Johnson scored a team-high 20 points for the 10-26 Wizards.

The 20-15 Sixers will visit the Magic on Friday night. Here are observations on their victory Wednesday:

Ready to roll this time 

The Sixers had a much sharper start than in their overtime loss Monday to the shorthanded Nuggets. 

Embiid hit a mid-range jumper over Alex Sarr on the game’s opening play. Maxey drained a pull-up three-pointer, Embiid threw down a dunk set up by a flex cut and George dish, and the Wizards called timeout in an early 7-0 hole. Embiid asked the home crowd to amp up the volume. 

Maxey tried seven long-range jumpers in the first quarter and knocked down four. He and Embiid combined for 24 points in the first period on 9-for-13 shooting, five assists and zero turnovers. The Sixers had no turnovers as a team until 2.4 seconds left in the first.

The bar was low, but the Sixers needed a more focused, energetic start against another injury-depleted opponent. They checked that box.

Oubre and Watford’s returns

Kelly Oubre Jr. checked in at the 4:27 mark of the first quarter and the fans gave him a loud, warm welcome back.

He played Wednesday for the first time since suffering a left knee LCL sprain on Nov. 14. Oubre wore a brace on his left knee and a sleeve covered his entire left leg. 

The 30-year-old wing will certainly require some time to regain rhythm and conditioning. Oubre made a nice cut along the baseline near the end of the first quarter, but he couldn’t catch Quentin Grimes’ low pass. Early in the second quarter, Oubre air balled a contested mid-range jumper and came up short on a catch-and-shoot corner three attempt.

The Sixers didn’t score for the first 3:40 of the second quarter and the Wizards stormed in front with a 13-0 run. Washington’s bench had a 17-2 scoring advantage over the Sixers’ second unit at halftime.

Trendon Watford made his return from a left adductor strain in quasi-garbage time, subbing in with 4:45 to go in the fourth quarter and the Sixers leading by 18 points. He tallied three assists.

Oubre got a short turnaround jumper to drop in the fourth quarter. He logged 20 minutes and had two points on 1-for-4 shooting, three rebounds, two steals and an assist.

Deep down the bench

George’s jumpers were sweet in the second quarter off both the catch and the dribble. He reached his first 20-point game since Dec. 14 when he made a short jump shot with 8:13 to go in the third quarter.

Propelled by their star trio, the Sixers picked up steam late in the second quarter. Maxey’s and-one layup put the team up 58-51.

The Sixers never relinquished their lead and turned the contest into a blowout by early in the fourth quarter. VJ Edgecombe’s baseline jumper stretched the Sixers’ advantage to 20 points. The rookie again had a stat sheet-stuffing night, recording 13 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals.

By the end of the evening, everyone had played for the Sixers besides veterans Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry.

While they won’t often go that deep down their bench, the final minutes were a reminder that the team currently has many options and no one sidelined.

Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Trae Young is moving on from Atlanta — but staying the same conference.

The Washington Wizards reportedly acquired the star point guard from the Hawks in a major trade to open 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIf8rhrRFu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 8, 2026

Shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert are the players headed to Atlanta in return. No draft picks are expected to be exchanged by either team.

News of Young’s potential trade first broke Monday, with the Wizards also emerging as the preferred destination.

The 27-year-old, who went No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. Young has also played just 10 games this season, with Atlanta 17-21 at the time of the trade. Washington is 10-26, second to last in the Eastern Conference.

Young is posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.

A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide Washington with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns should Washington make a leap soon. He has a $48.9 million player option next season before entering unrestricted free agency.

The Wizards were led by McCollum’s 18.6 points per game, but his $30 million expiring salary will instead go to Atlanta, where he may help a play-in tournament push. Kispert, the 2021 No. 15 overall pick, is averaging 9.2 points on 39.5% 3-point shooting in a bench role.

Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, is the next best scorer after McCollum at 17.2 points, with Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly all contributing on a young team. Veteran Khris Middleton has also started all 23 games he’s appeared in.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has led the way with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.5 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot. The Hawks will now turn the page and search for the next big star.