Category: Basketball

The Knicks led by 17 points with just over eight minutes to go on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers. After a choppy first half that saw the Knicks get dominated by Joel Embiid and allow the Sixers to shoot 65% from the field, the Knicks had dominated the first 16 minutes of the second half and had all but salted the game away.

Karl-Anthony Towns had barely played due to early foul trouble, and the team had been forced to go to Ariel Hukporti in a key spot in the fourth quarter. Still, all the correct buttons were being pressed for the Knicks… until it didn’t.

As the team has done so many times in the month of January, the offense ground to a halt after a Hukporti’s layup with 8:17 left. The Sixers would score 12 straight points and cut the deficit to five before the next Knicks’ basket over three and a half minutes later. Over a span of 6:20, they scored just four total points and went 1-for-14 from the field and 1-for-4 from the foul line, a truly disgusting effort to nearly piss away a big win.

Yet, they held on. They held on despite some of the worst clutch basketball you’ve ever seen, missing half their free throws, and some ill-advised decisions. Part of that was the simple fact that a lot has to go right to overcome such a deficit in so little time, but the other part was an important lineup switch made by Mike Brown, whose seat had become unexpectedly hot after the team’s disastrous start to the month.

Towns fouled out in just 16 minutes with 5:24 left. It was another bleh game for him, which is a story for another day. Brown inserted Mitchell Robinson in the game, who was a team-best plus-14 in the game and was an integral part of the team’s massive third quarter by shutting down Embiid and demolishing Philly on the boards. The decision to ride Robinson past his likely minutes limit was a big one on its own.

But Robinson had already logged over 25 minutes, a minute off his season high. If he closed the game, he would be over 30 minutes for the first time since April 11 of last season and just the third time since the December 2023 stress fracture in his ankle seemed to permanently put him on a minutes restriction. As such, Robinson only spent 86 seconds in the game before being lifted for…

Deuce McBride. Not Hukporti or Mikal Bridges, it was McBride.

Despite facing a full-throttle and healthy Embiid, Mike Brown elected to go to a bold small-ball lineup, keeping Bridges on the bench to run out a never-before-seen Brunson-McBride-Shamet-Hart-Anunoby lineup. OG Anunoby has very rarely played a small-ball 5 as a Knick and this was a bold way to use it.

Did the lineup do well? Not really, the Sixers outscored the Knicks the rest of the way. What the lineup did, however, was take Embiid out of the rhythm he was gaining to start the Sixers’ run. The former MVP had scored eight of his team’s last 11 during this run and would only manage one putback layup the rest of the game.

Anunoby’s strength is his strength. He lacks the speed to stick a guy like Tyrese Maxey or De’Aaron Fox or any small, shifty guard, but makes his money by being able to use his strength to stonewall players who use their physicality to get points. Embiid is one of those, especially when he’s on.

They also didn’t lose anything on the boards. Grabbing rebounds isn’t always about having the bigger or savvier center, but about effort. This ludicrous standing putback dunk was a big part of holding off the Sixers.

One of the reasons the Knicks made the change from Tom Thibodeau to Mike Brown is lineup versatility. There haven’t been the revolutionary five-out spacing lineups that people envisioned (Brown has reverted to a Thibs classic to start most games), but there have been occasional lineups and adjustments that are necessary over the course of an NBA season that make you think “This is why they made the change they made.”

He passed a big test on Saturday. There are undoubtedly more to come.

The Long Island Nets returned home court Monday night for a game vs. Motor City Cruise. The game got underway at 7:00 p.m. EST, and early on, it looked as if it wasn’t going to be Long Island’s night. the Nets found themselves down by 16 points, but ultimately they came back to win it, 112-106.

After going down early, the Nets dominated the offensive glass in the third and picked up five steals to take an 83-80 lead over the Pistons G League team going into the final frame. Long Island closed out the win by shooting 88.9 percent (8-for-9) from the line in the fourth and going on a 14-5 run to snap Motor City’s five-game win streak…

The Nets trailed by as many as 16 points, marking the largest comeback win of the season for Long Island and the team’s first comeback from a deficit of at least 15 points since a 16-point comeback win over Motor City on March 22, 2025. The Nets G League affiliate’s record is now 9-6, good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Long Island starters combined for 72 points with two vets, Nets two-way Tyson Etienne (22) and Long Island signee Malachi Smith (23) leading the way.

Grant Nelson has now started six straight games after returning from a seven-week rehab of a balky knee. He once again played a solid all-around game despite still being on a minutes restriction, The 23-year-old 7-footer played a little less than 20 minutes, his high since returning and flirted with a double-double, yet again. He shot the ball well, connecting on four of his eight attempts, as well as making two-of-three from the foul stripe, the last of which sealed the win…

Nelson finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, which was a team best, as well as block and two assists. In his six starts, Nelson is averaging 28.9 points and 12.9 rebounds as well as 1.4 blocks, per 36 minutes. He’s also hitting 67% of his shots overall and 88% from the stripe. Although he shot nearly 30% from three in 160 college games, he’s only attempted two deep shots since returning although one of his four field goals Monday night was on the line.

.A small sample no doubt, but a growing one. No word yet on when the Nets might remove the restrictions, but the near 20 minutes he played Monday is the most he’s played in those starts.

E.J. Liddell, one of the Nets current two-ways along with Etienne and Chaney Johnson, remained with Brooklyn on the West Coast.. With the trade deadline just about 10 days away, Brooklyn could elevate one of their two-way players to a standard NBA deal if one opens up or waive the player from their NBA roster while retaining the players G League rights.

Malachi Smith, the 6’4” combo guard who was Liddell’s high school teammate once again got the start Friday with Brooklyn rookie PG Ben Saraf, also with the big club. Smith reminded Long Island exactly why the started him in the first place. He led the team in scoring with 23 points. Smith shot the ball very well, as he connected on eight of his 14 shots, including going four of six from three-point land.

Smith also contributed in other ways, as picked up four assists. That’s become an area where the 6’4” 24-year-old’s game has he’s exceled, getting s his teammates involved, particularly now with Saraf and Nolan Traore in Brooklyn.

Etienne, was second on the team in scoring in this one. After having a rough few performances shooting the ball, the 6’0” 26-year-old Etienne landed six of his 14 shots, six of 13 from deep, for a total of 22 points. Etienne also hauled in four rebounds and a team-high seven assists. This also marked Etienne’s 11th game with at least five makes from long range since joining the Nets, the second-most such games in franchise history.

Small forward Nate Williams, who turns 27 next month, looked to be more on his game in this one, tallying 16 points. Williams shot the ball well, hitting on six of his 14 shots. He also had three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. When Williams is on his game, he looks like one of the best on the court. Tonight, fortunately for Williams, was one of those nights. It was 13th consecutive game getting into double-digits in the points category. The 6’7” Sag Harbor native has the most NBA experience on Long Island, having played 47 games.

Rounding out the starting five, the Nets third two-way Chaney Johnson made his presence felt in this one. The 6’7’ 3-and-D prospect, youngest player on Long Island’s roster, got into the double digits in scoring, picking up 10 points. However, Johnson had a bit of a lackluster day shooting the ball. He connected on just three of his 10 tries, including going 1-of-4 from deep. But he had five rebounds, two assists, and one block to his credit…

Where Johnson excelled was as a ball hawk in this one. The 6’7” 23-year-old picked up a team-leading and game-leading four steals. It also marked a career-high.

The Long Island bench was quiet in this one, but was headlined by Tre Scott, who picked up 10 points, becoming the sixth and final player this game to get into the double-digit mark. He also had five rebounds to his credit. David Muoka also tallied six points and seven rebounds off the bench. Alex Schumacher, a 6’3” shooting guard signed last week, had eight points. Muoka (Hong Kong) and Schumacher (Switzerland) are the team’s two international players.

Next Up

The Long Island Nets (9-6) return to their home court on Wednesday, January 28th, as they once again face off with the Motor City Cruise. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on ESPN+ and the Gotham Sports app.

• Boxscore: Long Island Nets 112, Motor City Cruise 106 – G League
• Game Highlights: Long Island Nets 112, Motor City Cruise 106 (Video) – G League

The Washington Wizards signed Skal Labissiere to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

Labissiere comes to the Wizards from the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G-League affiliate, where he is playing this season. He is averaging 19.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season with Capital City. Labissiere was the No. 28 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, though he ultimately began his NBA career with the Sacramento Kings. He has mostly bounced in and out of the NBA and G League since beginning his professional career.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

#1 – Turnovers battle

Going into the game, there was one certainty: this game would be about turnovers and taking care of the ball. While the Boston Celtics are among the very best teams at protecting the basketball, the Portland Trail Blazers are the team with the highest turnover rate in the league.

Nonetheless, they are also very aggressive and have shown throughout the season that they can force teams to lose focus and turn the ball over more often than usual. And that is exactly what happened last night at the TD Garden. The Celtics posted their fourth-worst turnover rate of the season, at 17% – back in December in Portland, they had the same issue with a 19% turnover rate. But this time, they were able to get the W despite their turnover problems.

What helped is that the Celtics also did a very good job of punishing Portland’s inability to protect the ball, forcing 18 turnovers from the young team while allowing only 17 assists. The Celtics’ defense was on point last night, and it all started by daring the Blazers to make their jump shots.

#2 – Making the most of the lack of shooting

Very early in the game, the Celtics decided to live with shooting variance and dare the Blazers to make their shots – or to drive into a crowded paint.

That approach forced a different shot profile than usual for the visitors. Usually, they are among the teams with the highest volume of shots at the rim (34% rim frequency). Yet last night, Boston took the rim away from them, and the Blazers’ lack of shooting made that easier, as they are dead last in three-point percentage at 33.7% since the start of the season.

Overall, this worked out pretty well on the defensive end, with only 94 points allowed, as the Blazers made just 25% of their attempts from deep. On the other side of the court, the defensive coverage was quite different.

#3 – How to deal with aggressive coverage

Similarly to what the Brooklyn Nets tried a few nights ago, Portland chose to be aggressive on the ball-handler in pick-and-roll situations. Often, the goal was to force Jaylen Brown to give up the ball and slow down the offense.

Against such coverage, the Celtics decided to go with Sam Hauser as a screener. This created a trap for the Portland defense because, as they sent two players at the ball-handler, it freed Hauser just a few meters from the ball – and he loves to convert from these situations.

Because of those consequences, the Blazers adjusted. Instead of sending two players straight away, they waited a little before committing the second defender, making the pass to Hauser impossible. And this is where Boston’s team IQ comes in. Because Hauser knows he can reach the ball, he runs to the free-throw line to give Brown an easier pass against the trap.

From that situation, the Celtics create a four-against-three advantage, and that leads to another open shot for Mazzulla’s team.

#4 – Living with the mid-range against the drop

While the Celtics generated great shots against aggressive coverages, I had more mixed feelings about their approach against drop coverage. The Celtics took 26 mid-range shots in the second half of the game and made only eight of them.

Yes, the Celtics like these short and long mid-range zones, but it can be a trap. These shots are less efficient than drives to the rim and do not generate free throws. It also sometimes felt like Portland were dictating where the shots were taken, rather than the opposite.

This, combined with the high number of turnovers, helped the Trail Blazers stick around until the end.

#5 – Rookie push

Yet, despite some trouble on offense, the Celtics could always count on the push from their high-energy rookies. Hugo Gonzalez and Amari Williams brought the juice needed to impact the game on both ends. On this first play, they saved the possession after Jaylen Brown struggled to keep the ball alive.

On the very next possession, they forced a jump ball that was won by JB, allowing Boston to get the ball back quickly.

As usual, Hugo brought the energy on the offensive glass and forced offensive fouls, but Amari also made his mark. On this play, he protected the rim, triggered a transition, ran the floor to offer an option below the rim, and scored the and-one. A five-point swing within a few seconds – instant impact.

But Amari wasn’t the only one who created a five-point swing within a few seconds.

#6 – +5 in the last seconds of quarters

Against an aggressive opponent at the end of the first quarter, Anfernee Simons drove to his right and triggered Toumani Camara’s stunt, leaving Pritchard alone. The help from the corner was too far away to disrupt PP’s quick release, and that was the first buzzer-beater of the night.

Twelve minutes later, Payton hadn’t scored another bucket since his buzzer-beater in the first. With only a few seconds remaining before halftime, he quickly pushed the ball up the floor and didn’t hesitate to drive… almost lost the ball, but secured it just in time to fade away for another buzzer-beater.

A five-point addition in the final seconds of both quarters, in a game decided by fewer than 10 points – a game changer.

#7 – Fighting back in transition

Those buzzers weren’t the only illustration of the Celtics’ willingness to fight for that win last night. While their transition defense can sometimes be sloppy, that wasn’t the case against Portland. The Celtics were able to contain the young team’s desire to run and limited them to just 1.05 points per possession in transition, compared to 1.53 points per transition possession for Boston’s offense.

One of the leaders of that effort was Simons, despite being targeted every time he was on the court.

#8 – Portland attacking Simons

Maybe it was ego, maybe it was tactical, but Simons’ former teammates definitely went after him when he was on the court, especially in the second half with Jerami Grant.

Yet Simons made sure to show his former team that, despite his smaller frame, he is becoming a much better defensive player in Boston. He fought well through screens and did his best to stay in front of his matchup, even against bigger players. In the end, the Trail Blazers scored a few baskets and got to the free-throw line by targeting him, but Simons’ efforts were impressive.

#9 – White saving the day

Despite losing the ball on nine possessions throughout the game, it was Derrick White who saved the day against the Trail Blazers. First, with a three, then after another smart action from Hauser, who asked for the ball at the free-throw line to swing it to White for the dagger.

Then came the steal to seal the deal. Notice how the Celtics’ coaching staff matched him up with Williams, knowing he would be involved in the play, either as a passer or a screener.

#10 – Thank you Jrue

A very well-deserved standing ovation for Jrue Holiday was the least Boston could do to celebrate the man – and the player – that he is. On and off the court, Jrue had a huge impact on the Celtics and was one of the keys to banner 18.

BOSTON — Before Monday night, Celtics rookie Amari Williams had limited NBA minutes to his name, spending most of this year with the team’s G League affiliate in Maine. When the opportunity finally arrived against the Trail Blazers, the 23-year-old made the most of it.

Williams logged a career-high 25:53 minutes in Boston’s 102-94 win over Portland, leaving a strong impression in the process.

“I thought Amari did a great job today,” Jaylen Brown said. “I thought he looked exceptional. He came out, protected the rim, and was where he was supposed to be for the most part. Amari made it easy for us tonight, but any given night — depending on how the team is playing us — that communication has to be great.”

Originally, the Celtics rolled with Neemias Queta at starting center. But coach Joe Mazzulla made the substitution at 7:27 in the first quarter, swapping Queta out for Williams. Two minutes and 38 seconds later, Williams ran a pick-and-roll with Derrick White, cut, and found an easy two-handed dunk without a Trail Blazers defender in sight.

Gradually, through each passing possession, Williams grew more and more comfortable. He attacked the rim, challenged Portland’s Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III for rebounds, and walked away having nearly notched a double-double, with nine points and seven rebounds. Teammates, both on the floor and watching from the sideline, got a glimpse of what Williams could bring to the table, and they were impressed.

“His rebounding and boxing out, protecting the rim — and we got to use Amari more for his passing ability because he can really pass,” Payton Pritchard said.

Pritchard mentioned that limited practice runs with Williams make it difficult to get him up to speed. That makes his acclimation process a two-way street, as the weight doesn’t lie solely on Williams; it’s also on everyone in the locker room to adapt and help maximize Williams’ usage on the floor. Sometimes that looks like running pick-and-rolls to catch opposing defenses sleeping. Other times, it’s Williams hovering around the paint to generate offensive looks without ever touching the ball.

For someone who hasn’t spent most of the season with the team, it could be overwhelming. The Celtics understand the position that puts Williams in.

“We’re gonna have to learn on the fly when he gets in, but it should be quick,” Pritchard said. “He reads the game really well, so it’ll be fun playing with him.”

Then there’s the coaching factor. For Mazzulla, it comes down to doing what’s best for Williams from a perspective his teammates can’t provide. We’ve seen it at times with fellow rookie Hugo González and veteran Josh Minott. If Mazzulla spots a miscue he deems inexcusable, he’ll hold the Celtics culprit accountable, often with trips to the bench, animated earfuls, or both.

So with Williams, it’s about finding that sweet spot of trusting the process and establishing a standard.

“It’s keeping the patience on the stuff that you have to teach, and losing your patience on the stuff that has to be non-negotiable,” Mazzulla said. “Regardless of whether you’re playing out in the park or playing in the NBA, it shouldn’t matter. It’s just understanding that the differences are in that.”

Balancing those two sides of patience isn’t easy.

“One of the greatest gifts you can give young players is coaching them hard, because you get into a situation where they may not get that all the time,” Mazzulla said. “I think holding them to the highest standard is something they should want. So I don’t know if it’s impatience as much as it’s, ‘Regardless of who you think you are, I still think there’s a standard we can get to, and we’ve got to do it. That’s just how it goes.’”

The way Mazzulla views the team is the same way he views the roster: it’s about getting the most out of everyone, both collectively and individually. That outlook comes with a caveat — if someone isn’t pulling their weight, Mazzulla won’t hesitate to look elsewhere on the bench for a contributor to get the job done. Against the Trail Blazers, Williams embodied the principles that come with that mentality, doing a little bit of everything while adding an assist, a steal, and two blocks to his stat line.

In January, Williams averaged just over seven minutes across four games. His playing time against Portland nearly matched his combined total (29 minutes) from his first six career appearances over the season’s first three months. Even in a season when Mazzulla has been at his most experimental with lineups and rotations, Williams has had to wait his turn at the table.

Through 10 games with the Maine Celtics, he has averaged 12.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, along with 1.8 blocks, while shooting 60.5% from the field.

Williams, the most recent center drafted by the Celtics, at times even outshone Robert Williams III, the last center Boston selected before him in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Mazzulla admitted that juggling the priority of winning can also heighten the degree of difficulty in player management, which trickles down throughout the entire coaching staff — not just Mazzulla.

“Yes, we do have to win the game, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to play the guys who give it everything they’ve got every single day,” Mazzulla said. “… It just validates the work because if you don’t give them chances to validate them, then they’re not going to work hard. And I think it validates the staff because at the end of the day, I have to speak to Amari knowing that, up until the point he checks into the game, there’s a full level of trust in everything the staff is telling him.”

Just over 24 hours removed from being absolutely demolished by the Charlotte Hornets, the Philadelphia 76ers are back in action on Tuesday night to host the Milwaukee Bucks sans Giannis Antetokounmpo.

It’s a good thing there’s a quick turnaround here. I don’t think the Sixers want more time to dwell on their last contest. On Monday afternoon, Philadelphia put up a pathetic display for one of their worst losses all season falling to Charlotte 130-93. The Sixers even trailed by 50 at one point in the game. Joel Embiid and Paul George did not play (left knee injury management), but still. Just truly pathetic.

Fortunately, the Sixers will have to quickly flush that one from their memory with another game ahead on Tuesday.

This is the squad’s ninth back-to-back of the season so far with seven more ahead. In zero-days rest games, the Sixers are 5-3 this campaign. They will have had a few more hours of rest than a typical back-to-back, though. Philadelphia’s game on Monday in Charlotte was moved up to 3 p.m. ET (originally 7 p.m.) to give the Sixers more time to get back home in the wake of the winter storm that ripped through the East Coast this past weekend.

The Sixers’ injury report will not be made available until this afternoon. That being said, both Embiid and George did not play yesterday against the Hornets. Based on the pattern of the duo simply not playing both ends of back-to-backs, it would not be surprising to see both Embiid and George back available for today against the Bucks.

Per usual, we will keep you posted on everyone’s official statuses once they are available.

We do know that the Bucks will be without Giannis, who currently has no timetable for return after being diagnosed with a calf strain. It goes without saying that Milwaukee is a completely different team without Giannis, who is averaging 28 points and 10 rebounds per game in 30 contests this season. The Bucks are 3-11 this season when Giannis is sidelined.

Kevin Porter Jr. is also out with an oblique strain and Taurean Prince remains out recovering from neck surgery.

The last time the Sixers and Bucks faced off was also the second leg of a back-to-back for Philadelphia. Strangely, three of the four times the Sixers play the Bucks this season are second legs of back-to-backs. NBA brilliant scheduling at work!

But I digress. The Sixers are 2-0 against the Bucks this campaign. The squads had their most recent matchup back on Dec. 5, 2025, in Milwaukee with both Giannis and Embiid absent. The Sixers won 116-101 thanks in no small part to Quentin Grimes leading the team with 22 points off the bench on 7-for-9 field goal shooting (6-for-7 from long range) with five assists. Frankly, it was one of the last good (or even decent) Grimes performances, with the guard struggling mightily as of late to say the least.

In the teams’ first matchup back on Nov. 20, 2025, Tyrese Maxey put up a career-high 54 points on 18-for-30 field goal shooting (6-for-15 from three-point range) with nine assists, three steals and three blocks in a truly dominant performance. No Embiid nor Giannis for that one either.

The biggest thing this game provides for the Sixers is an opportunity to get momentum on their side. It feels like every time this team wins a good game, such as their overtime win over the Houston Rockets on Jan. 22, they follow it up with a big stumble into a loss or losing streak. That’s simply not going to cut it in a tight Eastern Conference. The Sixers haven’t been able to string four or more wins together since starting the season 4-0.

With a Giannis-less Bucks team ahead followed by meetings with the 12-win Sacramento Kings and 12-win New Orleans Pelicans, there’s not much excuse for not getting the ball rolling in their favor here.

The Sixers and Bucks tip off in South Philadelphia at 8 p.m. ET.

Game Details

When: Tuesday, January 27, 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

The Portland Trail Blazers look to snap a two-game losing streak when they visit Capital One Arena to face the Washington Wizards tonight. 

With neither team producing consistent offense, my Trail Blazers vs. Wizards predictions expect a low-scoring game in the nation’s capital.

Read on for my NBA picks for Tuesday, January 27. 

Trail Blazers vs Wizards prediction

Trail Blazers vs Wizards best bet: Under 232.5 (-110)

The Portland Trail Blazers are on the second night of a back-to-back, a spot that often leads to tired legs, a slower pace, and fewer clean looks late in games. 

The Washington Wizards offense remains inefficient and relies on heavy minutes from a short rotation, regularly leading to turnovers, rushed shots, and prolonged scoring droughts. 

While both teams rank among the league leaders in pace, their last five games have featured far fewer possessions. Add declining offensive efficiency into that mix, and we have a low-scoring affair tonight. 

Trail Blazers vs Wizards same-game parlay

Deni Avdija missed last night's clash with back issues. The line suggests he will play tonight, but he’s failed score more than 26 points in three of his previous four games.

The Trail Blazers defend the arc well, and Kyshawn George has failed to knock down three or more triples in six of his previous seven games.

Trail Blazers vs Wizards SGP

• Under 232.5
• Deni Avdija Under 26.5 points
• Kyshawn George Under 2.5 made threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Clingan to Relevance

Donovan Clingan has snagged 12 or more rebounds in four of his previous six games and meets a mediocre Wizards squad, allowing the second-most boards per game. 

The Blazers defend at a higher level and control tempo. Washington remains unsettled after trading CJ McCollum, leaving a young roster still searching to find its bearings. 

Trail Blazers vs Wizards SGP

• Under 232.5
• Deni Avdija Under 26.5 points
• Kyshawn George Under 2.5 made threes
• Donovan Clingan Over 11.5 rebounds
• Trail Blazers moneyline

Trail Blazers vs Wizards odds

• Spread: Trail Blazers -7 (-110) | Wizards +7 (-110)
• Moneyline: Trail Blazers -260 | Wizards +210
• Over/Under: Over 232.5 (-110) | Under 232.5 (-110)

Trail Blazers vs Wizards betting trend to know

The Under is 7-3-0 in the Portland Trail Blazers' previous 10 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Wizards.

How to watch Trail Blazers vs Wizards

Trail Blazers vs Wizards latest injuries

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

There’s something different about Arizona this season.

On the surface, it looks like the typical Tommy Lloyd team. The Wildcats started the season with impressive wins, rolling into the new calendar year playing a fast, fun brand of basketball that puts them in the upper echelon of title contenders.

It always seems smart to buy stock in the top-ranked Wildcats. The only issue is it has gone to waste in March. The same vibe has existed during this season, and you may be hesitant to buy-in again given the recent postseason history. Maybe you need to see more — or just avoid it entirely.

NCAA tournament bracketology: Big Ten dominates March Madness projection

Mid-major power rankings: Keep eye on these teams in March

But there’s something different about these Wildcats. This team looks like it can be legit and break the Final Four curse; Arizona got through its first major test of 2026 with a road win at Brigham Young — just not in the prettiest of fashion.

For the majority of the night on Monday, Jan. 26, Arizona looked like it was the best team in the country. It went into a hostile Marriott Center — where 13th-ranked BYU hasn’t lost in nearly a year — and silenced more than 18,000 people. 

The Wildcats dominated both sides of the ball, and answered everything the Cougars tried. Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley were slicing and dicing while BYU star AJ Dybantsa struggled to find a rhythm after dropping 43 points just two days before. 

It was a 19-point game with just under 11 minutes to go and we were ready to declare Arizona was no longer the team that can’t get it done when the lights are brightest. That was until the Wildcats showed part of that identity isn’t gone yet.

Arizona let BYU hang around and the Cougars made a late push, all while the Wildcats were falling apart. Not defending the perimeter. Collapsing on the boards. A flagrant foul. Turnovers.

BYU made a 12-2 run in the final minute to make it a one-point deficit with 16 seconds left, and the Cougars had a chance to steal the win, only for Burries to save the day with a block from behind.

In what was looking like an emphatic statement to the rest of the country, Arizona instead showed it isn’t invincible. Yes, they deserve to be the unanimous No. 1 team in the country with a 9-0 Quad 1 record, tied for most wins in the category with Duke.

Yet the game in Provo, Utah was eerily similar to how the season goes: fantastic start, but fall apart at the end. Arizona has looked so dominant recently, mostly because it hasn’t been tested in some time. 

After beating Connecticut, Alabama and San Diego State all before Christmas, the competition has been easy to start Big 12 action. Five of the first seven games came against the bottom half of the conference, all mostly blowout victories.

We want to see how this Arizona team stacks up against other elite teams before it’s worth investing in. It passed the first test, but plenty more are on the horizon.

BYU was just the start of a 10-game stretch where Arizona will play six ranked teams, all of which are in the top 14 of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. Trips to Kansas and Houston? Good luck with that.

This will be the time for Arizona to prove its legitimacy. It certainly is capable of doing so. What’s scary about the Wildcats is they are lethal in numerous ways. Opponents walk into the arena and don’t know who will be the deadly assassin, mostly because it’s a team full of them.

One night it’s the guards in Burries, Bradley or Koa Peat, the next it’s the veteran big man Motiejus Krivas, and so on. Like against BYU, it can be multiple of them, which shouldn’t give teams much of a chance. 

This Arizona team has all the makings of being the one that gets back to the Final Four for the first time since 2001. It has the tools and recipe to be cutting the nets by then.

But then we remember how the end always goes, where this mighty looking ship gets taken out by an iceberg that should have been avoidable. This upcoming stretch will show if Arizona is done sinking, and ready to finish the voyage.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arizona is the No. 1 team in the country, but can't be trusted fully yet

The Mavericks were 1-1 this past week and remain locked into 12th place in the West. They played both games at home, beating Golden State (123-115) and losing to the Los Angeles Lakers (116-110). Dallas was supposed to fly to Milwaukee for a game on Sunday, but due to inclement weather, the game was postponed. Naji Marshall led the team in scoring with 25.5 points per game. Kyrie Irving (knee) and Anthony Davis (finger) remain out.   

Grade: C+

The Mavericks had a good win against the Warriors. They survived an onslaught from Steph Curry, which, frankly, was breathtaking to witness. Curry had 38 points on 8-of-15 from deep, and each subsequent shot was more incredible than the last. Still, Dallas was able to mitigate the “other guys” and likely got saved from a massive night from Jonathan Kuminga when he exited with an injury after scoring 10 points in nine minutes. Naji Marshall, Max Christie, and Cooper Flagg were all really good, and had the fourth quarter of the Lakers game not happened, this might have been an A+ week.

But the Mavericks get a C+ instead. And yes, that fourth quarter was so bad, it cost them two grades. With 9:38 remaining in the game, the Lakers had put together one of the worst 14.5-minute stretches of basketball I have ever seen to begin the second half. They had scored 14 points until then, and Dallas held a 93-79 lead. From that point forward, Los Angeles outscored the Mavericks 37-17 in just over 9.5 minutes of game time. If you don’t want to do the math, that’s a pace of 187 points per 48 minutes the Mavericks allowed to close the game.

Their defense was putrid, they got stagnant on offense, and head coach Jason Kidd refused to shake things up. Brandon Williams had an excellent run to close the third and was a big reason why Dallas held that lead. But his magic ran out quickly in the final frame, and yet Kidd stuck with him until the clock hit zero. Cooper Flagg was passive and settled. P.J. Washington was in the game, but you could not tell. The lack of a point guard on this team was never more obvious than when Dallas could not get a good shot for what seemed like hours while the Lakers got bucket after bucket on the other end.

And, as horrible as the Lakers’ (and specifically Luka Doncic) defense was in the first three periods, they were just as lights out defensively in the fourth. It was the kind of loss that would have driven everyone mad if the Mavericks were playing for a playoff seeding. With three games in four days this week, they need to flush that collapse and build on the seven quarters they played at a very high level.

Straight A’s: Max Christie

I could have given Naji Marshall A’s this week, too, but Marshall is just doing what he has done all year. Christie, on the other hand, has added things to his game that he did not have last season, and maybe not even earlier this year. Everyone knows about the shooting: 45.5 percent from 3-point range on 5.8 attempts per game. But what I have been most impressed with is his two-point shot diet. He shot 50 percent on 12 twos this week and showed off some moves that were very mature. One stands out against the Lakers, where he caught the ball in transition, pushed, and used his body effectively on a slow euro-step to go into Jake LaRavia and draw a foul:

He has rapidly improved in his time in Dallas. Christie is just 22 and making under $9 million for the next two seasons. He may be playing well enough to bring in a serious return in trade, but I think it is in Dallas’s best interest to retain him as part of their young core. Much like how I felt about Quentin Grimes, it is important to actually keep some of the young, talented guards you have instead of trading them for cost control purposes. Christie certainly falls in that category and is an excellent complementary piece for a rebuild around Cooper Flagg. 

Currently Failing: P.J. Washington

Washington has not been the same since injuring his ankle against Houston earlier this month. In the three games he has played since, he has scored just 24 points in 79 minutes while shooting 33 percent from the floor. His impact has been overwhelmingly negative, and he just looks off. His head is not there right now, and you can tell by the way he is moving on offense. Every dribble and push shot or floater looks a step slow, and you can see his brain over-analyzing what to do in real time. It’s not a matter of talent, because we all have seen what he can be. Washington just needs to refocus and stop thinking as much when he is out there. With all the trade talk surrounding Dallas, it is probably a good thing for Washington that he cannot be dealt this season. It is in his best interest to focus on playing for the rest of the year without distractions and finish strong.

Extra Credit: Luka Doncic

Before Saturday’s game against the Lakers, former Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic reached out to 22 online personalities to invite them to the game for a meet-and-greet, as well as a chance to sit in his suite for the action: 

This group included our very own editor-in-chief, Kirk Henderson, who brought his son with him for an experience they will both remember for the rest of their lives. It was an awesome gesture by Doncic, and one that he absolutely did not have to do. In talking with people who were invited, everyone agreed that he could not have been nicer. 

Doncic will always be loved in Dallas. He will never look normal in purple and gold. We don’t know if he has had thoughts about returning to play for the Mavericks one day, but it is clear that he still thinks about the city and the fans regularly. 

The 2026 NBA Draft is a source of hope for teams desperately seeking a savior. This was always going to be a great class with three potential No. 1 overall talents sitting at the top in Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa, and Duke’s Cameron Boozer, but it looks even better now as more freshman studs have continued to emerge.

Houston’s Kingston Flemings and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler weren’t on our preseason draft board. Both had already solidified themselves as lottery picks in our last update, and they look like even stronger prospects now after Wagler dropped 46 points on Purdue and Flemings hung 42 points on Texas Tech over the weekend.

For this update, I simulated the lottery drawing via Tankathon, and one lucky team moved way up to land a top prospect. The selections in this mock don’t really factor team fit into consideration, and more mirror my evaluations of the players in this class. Here’s our latest projection of the 2026 NBA Draft.

1. Indiana Pacers – Cameron Boozer, F, Duke

You don’t draft for fit with the No. 1 overall pick. Boozer is the best prospect in this year’s draft, and in my opinion one of the strongest NBA prospects of the last decade. If the fit is a little wonky with Pascal Siakam right now, who cares: Boozer was born in July 2007 and Siakam was born in April 1994, meaning they aren’t exactly on the same timeline. Boozer will probably be a full-time four eventually, but he’s versatile enough to play the three early in his career while Indiana figures out what it needs around him and Tyrese Haliburton long-term. His intersection of brains, brawn, and skill is so enticing that it eclipses any concerns about his athletic explosiveness or fluidity. Boozer is massively productive and he’s been driving winning at an elite level dating back to high school. He’s an excellent shooter, passer, and driver for his size, and he knows how to make plays defensively even without quick-twitch movement ability. With Boozer and Haliburton, the Pacers could run the East for a long, long time.

2. Dallas Mavericks – Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas

The Mavs jumped up from No. 8 in the lottery standings to the No. 2 pick in our sim, and if that happens Dallas fans are never allowed to complain about the Luka trade again. Peterson hasn’t been at his best this season as he’s dealt with a hamstring strain and constant cramping issues, but if his burst can return to form, he has everything teams want out of a lead guard. Peterson’s shot-making is a signature skill in this class, and he’s shown he has easy NBA range both off the dribble and off-the-catch. He’s a ball dominant star who demands high usage, but he also moves better without the ball than similarly heliocentric players. While his rim attacking and defensive playmaking haven’t looked as good as advertised as he’s battled his various ailments, I fully trust both areas to bounce-back once he’s healthy. Peterson and Cooper Flagg would have the chance to be an all-time NBA duo.

3. Sacramento Kings – A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU

Dybantsa is a monster scoring prospect as a huge 6’9 wing with rare athletic explosiveness, flexibility, and shot-making. He should punish switches at the next level with an overwhelming amount of length and power against smaller wings and guards, and too much speed for bigs. BYU has been an awesome system to showcase Dybantsa’s strengths with wide open driving lanes inside the arc, and I do wonder how he’ll adjust to the NBA if he needs to be more of a shooter. For now, Dybantsa is only hitting 30.2 percent of the 53 three-pointers he’s taken, which is a slight concern in terms of both volume and accuracy. I’m more worried about Dybantsa’s defense: he doesn’t just imprint his will on that end despite his phenomenal tools. Dybantsa feels more likely to go No. 1 than No. 3, but he has more holes in his game than Boozer and Peterson, and to me that makes him the clear third-best prospect in this class.

4. Washington Wizards – Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina

Wilson is an explosive 6’10 forward with a non-stop motor who makes some jaw-dropping plays above the rim on both ends of the floor. Wilson can be a clunky fit in a halfcourt offense as a total non-shooter right now (5-of-20 from three), but he still makes an impact with his transition scoring, offensive rebounding, and impressive passing. He has some real shot-making touch from mid-range, and shows some awesome pivot moves to score around the basket. The real signature skill for Wilson’s offense is his ability to dunk absolutely everything, with 60 dunks in his first 19 college games. He can do a little bit of everything defensively: switch onto the ball, provide secondary rim protection as a roamer, end possessions with a rebound, and get out into the passing lanes with his length. Wilson plays so hard on every possession and has such good physical tools that it’s hard to see him failing even if the jumper never comes around. He should be an excellent role player at minimum with the potential to be more.

5. Atlanta Hawks (via Pels) – Kingston Flemings, G, Houston

Flemings has my vote for the best prospect in a loaded point guard class because he can play on or off-the-ball on offense while providing solid defense. His driving ability jumps off the screen with an explosive first-step, nasty change-of-direction moves, and the ability to stop on a dime. He can create an advantage with the ball in his hands, but he might be even better extending advantages by catching the ball on the move and attacking decisively. His pull-up mid-range game should be built for playoff moments, but it would be nice to see him shoot more threes or get to the foul line more often. Flemings’ playmaking is even better than his scoring, showing a sixth sense for finding teammates at the rim while avoiding turnovers. Defensively, Flemings has a strong chest, long arms, and quick hands that helps him rack up steals and blocks (5.8 percent stock rate) and quickly turn defense into offense. He’s not the biggest lead guard, but he’s still a natural facilitator with scoring punch and defensive ability. That sounds like a top-5 prospect to me.

6. Brooklyn Nets – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville

The Louisville freshman just made his return from a long absence due to a back injury, but he’s looked like a capable offensive engine with pull-up shooting, high-level playmaking, and the ability to attack off the bounce all part of the package. Brown has been cold as a shooter so far this year, but the high school and international tape shows a player who can create his own look from deep and knock it down. His playmaking has a case for best in class among this lot of point guards (I’d still give Flemings the edge there), and while I don’t think he’ll be a plus defensively early in his career, he has the height and flashes of takeaway production that at least gives him a chance on that end. Brown has dunk contest-worthy athleticism, three-point contest-worthy shooting, and awesome passing. If it all holds, he has enough other skills to be a high-level guard.

7. Utah Jazz – Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington

Steinbach’s offensive rebounding might be the single best skill in this class outside of the top-three prospects. He’s simply a monster on the glass who does a great job establishing position inside, reading the ball off the rim, and controlling it with his impossibly good hands. He’s a fluid athlete inside the arc who can catch the ball on the move and finish plays above the rim, and he’s showing good touch on awkward finishes as an interior scorer. Steinbach is not an outside shooter right now (9-of-27 from three), but his touch is good enough from the foul line (76 percent) that he should have some long-term upside there. Steinbach probably has to shoot it at least a little bit because he’s not really big enough to play center, and he’s not at all a defensive anchor. I see him fitting best in a two-big front court where he can help gain extra possessions on the offensive glass and his defensive shortcomings can be covered by a primary rim protector and rangier wing defenders. Utah feels like a good fit for that context long-term, and he could certainly improve a middling rebounding team from day one.

8. Charlotte Hornets – Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan

Yaxel Lendeborg might be older than fifth-year Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, but he’s also one of the most complete prospects in this class with rare tools that should translate to immediate success. Lendeborg has been developing at his own rate after not playing organized basketball until he was 15 years old, and now after junior college and mid-major stops he’s become one of the best players in the country. Lendeborg was mostly a center the last two years at UAB, but he’s made a successful transition to the wing at Michigan where he’s upped his three-point rate while continuing to have a big impact defensively. He has an ideal physical profile for an NBA front court player at 6’9, 240 pounds with a 7’4 wingspan, and he has a real chance to be a long-term shooter after hitting 33.3 percent of 8.5 three-point attempts per 100 possessions so far this season, as well as 88 percent of his free throws. The Hornets have looked good lately with a core of LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, and Brandon Miller, and adding a massive front court player with shooting ability like Lendeborg could make them a playoff team in the East next season.

9. Milwaukee Bucks – Jayden Quaintance, C/F, Kentucky

Quaintance tore his ACL in Feb. 2025, and he didn’t look like himself upon debuting in Dec. after transferring to Kentucky. He’s currently out of the lineup again with swelling in the same knee, and it’s possible he always returned too early. Before the injury, Quaintance looked like an elite paint defender as a 17-year-old freshman at Arizona State. His combination of length (7’5), strength, and quickness easily makes up for his lack of height as a 6’9 center, and allows him to have rare coverage versatility while cutting off the most valuable spots on the floor. Offensively, he showed some flashes of playmaking feel at ASU, and looked better as a driver in a small sample at Kentucky. The truth is that Quaintance’s offense is a major question as an undersized non-shooter with poor touch from the foul line thus far. With a lot of questions about the players in this range, I still like Quaintance for his mix of youth, physical tools, and defensive acumen at the five. I would not be at all surprised if he fell down the board to around the late lottery given the persistent offensive questions in what has been a lost season.

10. Memphis Grizzlies – Koa Peat, F, Arizona

I’m still having a hard time ranking Peat in this class despite the relatively uncomplicated evaluation of his game. Start here: After a killer high school career, Peat has immediately been one of the best and most productive players on arguably the best team in college basketball as a true freshman. The 6’7 wing has a super powerful frame that dishes out punishment to opponents on both ends of the floor. On offense, Peat sets hard screens, rolls to the basket with force, and finishes through contact inside the paint. He’s just a total non-shooter at this point, which is his biggest limitation as a player, and makes him a tricky fit to build around. He projects as a good defender who can hound bigger wings at the point of attack, and he also has some switchability with enough strength to keep bigs away from the paint and the quickness to hang at least a little bit with smaller guards. I love Peat’s motor and play-finishing, but could still see myself dropping him eventually given how hard it is for 6’7 non-shooters without spectacular defensive IQ to impact the game at the highest levels.

11. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clips) – Braylon Mullins, G, UConn

Mullins has a case as the best off-ball three-point shooter in the class, and he’s shown he has a chance to compete defensively, too. The 6’6 wing is making 36.5 percent of his threes on 8.8 three-point attempts per 100 possessions, and he’s taken advantage of the Huskies’ pristine spacing to also convert 64.4 percent of his two-point attempts even if it’s only at 3.5 per game. With a 3 percent steal and 2.3 percent block rate, Mullins doesn’t look like a defender who will have a target on his chest at the next level. He projects as a solid connective wing with high volume three-point shooting right now, and that’s something every team could use.

12. San Antonio Spurs (via Hawks) – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois

Wagler was the No. 150 recruit coming out of high school, but he’s made an instant impact since he’s arrived on campus at Illinois. The 6’6 freshman has moved into more of an on-ball role recently, and he’s shown flashes of high-level off-the-dribble shooting and good decision-making as a passer. Wagler wasn’t a highly regarded recruit because he’s simply not an explosive athlete, to the point where he hasn’t recorded a single dunk this year and hasn’t produced many blocks or steals. That’s usually an alarming sign for a 6’6 potential lottery pick, but if he keeps shooting the ball at this level, it might not matter. I worry about Wagler’s ability to do the dirty work early in his career if he’s not getting a lot of usage. He looks long (there’s no wingspan measurement on him but I’d guess 6’10) but he lacks strength and just doesn’t project as any kind of stopper or glass cleaner right now. Still, it’s impressive that Wagler has finished 65 percent at the rim with 89 percent being unassisted, and his slow-motion step-back threes when he gets a big on a switch can be a thing of beauty. If the Spurs are looking for a young wing with shooting upside around Victor Wembanyama, Wagler makes sense starting around this range. This is mostly a Best Player Available pick.

13. Chicago Bulls – Patrick Ngongba, C, Duke

Cameron Boozer gets all the attention for Duke, but his front court partner Patrick Ngongba has also been quietly driving the Blue Devils’ success. The 6’11 sophomore center is one of the most efficient play-finishers in the country with 73.3 percent shooting on two-pointers, with many of those makes coming against crowded paints in the halfcourt. Ngongba is also an awesome passer who will zip the ball into cutters, and he’s shown some long-term shooting promise this year too. Ngongba’s defensive paint protection is good with long arms and a strong base, and the numbers back it up: Duke’s defense is 11.5 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor. I do wish he was a little bit more of an ass kicker on the glass, and it doesn’t always seem like he plays with the best motor. Still, Ngongba is a solid two-way center with flashes of perimeter skill that gives him both a high floor and some sneaky upside. That’s a worthy swing for a Bulls team that desperately needs a big man in their young core.

14. Portland Trail Blazers – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama

Philon is a drive-and-kick master with a deadly floater game who has made a real leap as a three-point shooter this year. The Alabama guard felt like he could have been a first-rounder last year, but opted to return to school at the 11th hour for an NIL deal. It feels like he’s improved his stock this year as he’s taken on a primary ball handler role in the wake of Mark Sears’ graduation, but he was always going to face frame questions after weighing in at 175 pounds at the combine with a tiny 8’3 standing reach. Philon is really shifty off the dribble, and if he can maintain his 38 percent three-point stroke, he can be a spark-plug guard that generates paint touches and blends scoring and playmaking. The Blazers have Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson ready to go for next year, but Philon still fits the roster pretty well long-term if they think he’s the best player available.

15. Miami Heat – Dailyn Swain, F, Texas

Swain followed Sean Miller from Xavier to Texas for his junior season, and he’s become one of the most complete wings in the country. Swain was always an athletic wing defender with a great frame (6’8, 225 pounds), and he’s continued to shine on the defensive end at Texas while taking a bigger offensive jump. Swain is a true slasher now who has made 70 percent of his shots at the rim with 83 percent of those looks coming unassisted. He’s shown an improved mid-range game off the dribble, and he’s still an 80 percent free throw shooter for his career. Swain just isn’t a good three-point shooter yet, but his driving and passing look better than ever, and he’s also impacted the game on the margins. This is way higher than where he’s usually at in mock drafts, but both his athletic and statistical profiles are so good that this doesn’t feel like a reach.

16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Magic) – Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt lost three straight after their 16-0 start, but sophomore star Tyler Tanner is still driving their success. Tanner is about as small as an NBA prospect can be these days at 6-foot, 175 pounds, but he plays incredibly physically despite his lack of size. He’s started the year with 13 dunks in his first 19 games, and he’s putting up ridiculous steal and block rates defensively. He’s super fast with the ball in his hands, and he usually makes good decisions with it with a +4.4 assist to turnover ratio. Tanner is going to have to be a great shooter to be successful in the league at his size, and so far this year he’s making 39 percent of his threes and 87.6 percent of his free throws. The NBA really doesn’t like small guards right now, but Tanner’s statistical profile is so good that he’s worthy of a look.

17. Golden State Warriors – Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State

Jefferson has become one of the best players in the country as a senior at Iowa State. At 6’9, 240 pounds, he’s a physical forward with rare passing ability for his size. Jefferson’s 28.7 percent assist rate is a massive number, and the fact that he’s improved to a 36 percent three-point shooter on his first 53 attempts this year shows even more comfort playing on the perimeter offensively. He’s a really good defensive rebounder who can provide some paint protection defensively, too. Jefferson potentially gives a team the benefits of a double big look without cramping their spacing if his shooting improvement holds, and the value he adds as a passer should be enough to lock him in as a first rounder.

18. Atlanta Hawks – Aday Mara, C, Michigan

Mara is a massive center at 7’3, 255 pounds, with a reported 7’7 wingspan. He’s a bit of a plodding athlete, but his rim protection in drop coverage is an elite skill (12.6 percent block rate, No. 8 in the country) and he’s a ridiculous passer for his size. Mara will bomb outlet passes after grabbing a rebound, and his ability to hit cutters out of the high post is every bit as dazzling. He’s a terrible shooter at this point, and his 44 percent free throw mark will have to improve for serious looks in this range. Still, Mara’s size and smarts are an enticing combo.

19. Oklahoma City Thunder – Thomas Haugh, F, Florida

Haugh fits the bill of a connective wing who can finish plays inside, space the floor, and hold his own defensively. Florida’s offense is 13 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the floor, and its defense is 7 points per 100 better with him on, too. I’m a bit worried about his ability to score inside the paint when he doesn’t have a dunk, but he has appeal as a low-usage offensive wing who doesn’t need to spend time on the ball to have an impact.

20. Toronto Raptors – Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa

Stirtz might be the best pick-and-roll ball handler in the class with his ability to blend three-level scoring with good playmaking vision off a live dribble. He’s making 68 percent of his rim attempts (67 percent self-created), 47 percent of his mid-range shots, and 36.8 percent of his threes (60 percent unassisted) so far this year. Stirtz could struggle to contain the ball defensively, but he’s pretty good at getting into the passing lanes and scoring in transition. Iowa plays at such a slow pace that it’s hard to evaluate how he’ll adapt to the higher octane NBA game, but there’s a lot to like about both his skill set and production.

21. New York Knicks – Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas

Drafting a John Calipari guard is always a safe bet, and Acuff is next in line after a massively productive start for Arkansas. At 6’3, Acuff always has had grown man strength, and uses it on battering ram drives to the rim. His shot-making from deep (41 percent on 9.1 threes per 100 possessions) has exceeded all expectations, and he’s also shown the ability to hit tough mid-range pull-ups. He’s also proven to be one of the best pure playmakers in this class, and he’s especially good throwing lob passes for alley-oops. Acuff’s rim finishing against NBA length is a bit of a question, but his biggest concerns come on the defensive end. He just doesn’t do much off the ball defensively, and has the worst rebounding numbers of any first-round guard. Acuff could easily go 10 spots higher than this on draft night, but this feels like the right range to me.

22. Minnesota Timberwolves – Nate Ament, F, Tennessee

Ament entered the year tracking as a possible top-5 pick, but he struggled almost immediately against top competition. The idea of Ament is a 6’10 wing with a dribble, pass, shoot skill set, but evaluators have rarely seen it this year as he’s struggled to adjust to the physicality of the game on a cramped floor with Tennessee. His finishing has been poor (57 percent at the rim), he has more turnovers than assists so far, and his shot (28 percent from three on 8.2 attempts per 100 possessions) needs a lot more work. Tennessee was always going to be a tough offensive context for him, and there’s still a talented player in here somewhere with the right strength training program and shooting development. He had a breakout game against Alabama recently with 29 points on 10-of-20 shooting, and could be starting to earn back his reputation as a top prospect. This is probably his draft floor.

23. Los Angeles Lakers – Morez Johnson, F, Michigan

Johnson transferred from Illinois to Michigan over the offseason, and has proven he isn’t just a paint scorer this year. The sophomore has an outstanding physical profile at 6’9, 250 pounds with long arms, and he’s been beating up opponents all year in the best front court in college basketball. Johnson is one of the best defenders in this year’s class. He also kicks ass on the glass, finishes efficiently inside, and has shown significantly improved touch from the foul line (62 percent as a freshman to 78 percent as a sophomore). He’s still mostly a non-shooter from deep at this point (he’s 4-of-10 from three on the year), but if teams think he can shoot it eventually, his ability to defend all over the floor and bully people inside makes him a sure-fire first-rounder.

24. Charlotte Hornets – Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers

Lopez has been on the NBA’s radar for years as a strong 6’8 forward with loads of scoring upside. Born and raised in Mexico, Lopez has been spending his pre-draft year in the Australian-based NBL, where he’s showcased his ability to finish through contact, grab-and-go off the defensive glass, and provide some secondary shot-blocking. Lopez is a shaky outside shooter right now (30 percent on 69 attempts), and he’s not yet a good passer or decision-maker with the ball in his hands. His ability to defend will also be a bit of a question. Where he’s really good is attacking as a face-up scorer off the bounce at his size.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder – Cameron Carr, G, Baylor

A 6’5 wing with a reported 7’2 wingspan, Carr is a great outside shooter who has hit 43.3 percent of his first 97 attempts from deep. With 60 percent shooting from two point range, Carr is posting ridiculous 65.4 percent true shooting that makes him one of the most efficient scorers in this class. He has explosive leaping ability with the clear path to the basket, and has already thrown down 29 dunks this year. Carr is also 21 years old and still needs to add a lot of strength to his frame, improve his decision-making, and clean up his defensive technique. He might end up going much higher than this, because that combination of length and shooting will be appealing.

26. Boston Celtics – Malachi Moreno, C, Kentucky

Moreno is a mobile freshman center with great hands who impacts the game in a lot of areas outside of scoring. He’ll crash the glass, block shots, and keep the offense moving with his passing ability. Moreno isn’t super long (reportedly a 7’1 wingspan), doesn’t shoot threes yet, and has been an underwhelming finisher so far. He may not be quite big enough to anchor a defense without shooting ability, but his all-around impact is still impressive.

27. Denver Nuggets – Tounde Yessoufou, G, Baylor

Yessoufou is a 6’5 wing with a jacked frame who can hound the ball defensively, crash the offensive glass, and space the floor. He can’t do much off the dribble, so he’ll have to be a better shooter eventually than his current 30 percent mark from three.

28. Cleveland Cavaliers – Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston

Cenac is a 6’11 freshman big man who has the tools to eventually control the paint, and he’s also a very good outside shooter for his size. He’s hitting 38.5 percent of his threes on 39 attempts so far this year, and he’s also posting an excellent 27 percent defensive rebound rate. Cenac just plays kind of soft right now on the offensive end, and his feel for rotations isn’t great defensively yet. It’s hard to find a true stretch five, and maybe Cenac can turn into one one day if his feel and physicality improve.

29. Detroit Pistons – Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech

Anderson is small for a modern NBA game, but he’s a deadly shooter off the bounce and a good facilitator for his teammates. He’s hitting 44 percent of his threes on 157 attempts so far, and he’s also been really efficient scoring from mid-range and at the rim. His finishing volume isn’t very high and scouts will question whether he can finish over NBA length inside. He’s naturally going to get picked on defensively because of his lack of size, but Anderson has some hope on that end because he’s a high-IQ player with quick hands.

30. Washington Wizards – Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona

Krivas is a massive 7’2, 260 pound big man who has been quietly driving Arizona’s undefeated season. He’s been a super efficient scorer (69 percent true shooting) who cleans the glass on both ends, protects the rim, and makes his free throws (81 percent from the line). The Lithuanian isn’t much of a passer or shooter yet, but he’s really good at doing all the traditional big man stuff.

Last Thursday, Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger gave a press conference in a “State of Monumental Basketball” address.

I’m sorry I wasn’t able to break this down in depth last Thursday. Like most of you, I had to prepare for last weekend’s winter storm. If you missed it, the whole conference is below. A h/t to malsman for posting in “The Feed” about it.

The Wizards are finished “deconstructing.” The Mystics are still in it.

Over the last three years, the Wizards have experienced their worst stretch in franchise history. However, Winger, in his opening remarks, was explicit that the Wizards are finished with deconstructing after three seasons.

Considering that Washington recently acquired Trae Young, a multi-time All-Star point guard in his prime, that’s a sign that the losing stretches are coming to an end.

The Wizards will have to make decisions about which players stay and which ones go.

There has been a lot posted about the fact that Washington has a very young lineup. And last Saturday against the Hornets, they started the youngest lineup ever in NBA history.

Part of that is by design. But it also means that some younger players may or may not be part of the Wizards’ future. Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly are among those who figure to be with the Wizards for their sophomore contracts. However, the Wizards’ two-way players including Tristan Vukcevic, Jamir Watkins and Sharife Cooper as well as other additions like Cam Whitmore and Will Riley, may not have the minutes to play on a rebuilding Wizards team — when it doesn’t appear that the Wizards will be rebuilding next year.

David Aldridge of The Athletic asked Winger some pointed questions about whether Young’s addition could mean that the Wizards have playoff expectations next year. Winger responded doing that he isn’t going to have set expectations. However, with Young, the current core and presumably a high 2026 draft pick.

Joshua Robbins of The Athletic also asked a question about whether the Wizards trading Deni Avdjia to the Portland Trail Blazers was a mistake. Coincidentally, the Wizards will play the Blazers tonight. Winger said no, in part because his trajectory and age was ahead of the Wizards’ current younger core of players. This could also be — in part — why Corey Kispert was traded to Atlanta along with with CJ McCollum for Young.

The Mystics are Sonia Citron’s and Kiki Irifaen’s franchise — at least by default.

Winger explained that the Mystics are in year one of their rebuild under his direct control. And by default, he acknowledged that every veteran in the WNBA is on an expiring contract given free agency this year will be hectic.

As I have noted many times over the past couple of years, this effectively means that EVERY WNBA team is deconstructing in 2026. We have no idea who will be on any of the 15 teams until opening day, except All-Star players on rookie contracts. Citron and Iriafen certainly qualify there. Same with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever or Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings, among others.

No Mystics reporter asked any questions about playoff expectations in 2026. It’s quite frankly premature because of the pending free agency. But it is clear that at a minimum, Winger is looking forward to seeing how Washington’s 2026 draft picks mesh with Citron and Irifaen.

Winger did acknowledge a question by Kareem Copeland of The Washington Post about the Mystics’ arena size at CareFirst Arena and shared practice facility with the Wizards and whether that is a disadvantage for them. While he did toe the company line saying that CareFirst Arena does provide an intimate atmosphere for fans, Winger said that the Mystics will also be playing the majority of their games at Capital One Arena when current renovations are done. He also reiterated that the shared practice facility and the collegial atmosphere of Monumental Basketball (the Mystics, Wizards and the Capital Go-Go) are assets not hindrances.

Let us know what other things stood out from Winger’s conference in the comments below.

What to make of Jaylen Brown's comments about ‘sacrificing' for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

On Jan. 27, 2025, the Boston Celtics owned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 32-15 record.

Exactly one year later, the Celtics own the No. 2 seed in the East with a 29-17 record.

How has Boston not missed a beat despite playing without its All-NBA First Team superstar (Jayson Tatum) and losing four key rotation players (Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet) to trades and free agency?

If you ask Holiday, it starts with the mindset of the Celtics’ other All-Star, Jaylen Brown.

“Knowing Jaylen, I feel like he takes a lot of things personally,” the Portland Trail Blazers guard told reporters Monday after his first game back at TD Garden since being traded. “He doesn’t accept a lot, especially when it comes to being bad.”

While the Celtics have gotten encouraging contributions from young players like Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez, Brown has been the head of the snake. He’s averaging career highs in points (29.6), rebounds (6.8) and assists (4.9) per game and recently was named an NBA All-Star starter for the first time in his career.

Brown has benefited from a higher usage rate with Tatum sidelined; his 22.5 shot attempts per game lead the NBA. But as Holiday suggested, the 10-year veteran also is playing with a massive chip on his shoulder, fueled by the preseason narrative that Boston would take a step back without Tatum running the show.

“I felt like I’ve sacrificed over the years in order for us to be a championship-caliber team,” Brown told reporters after the Celtics’ win over Portland. “And I think now, we’re getting to see that a little bit: what exactly I was capable of, and what I was sacrificing.

“I think, before, maybe it wasn’t so obvious. I think now, being able to be at the helm of things, and us being the second seed in the East, versus last year (when) we finished second seed in the East. It’s almost been no drop-off with four players, five players (who) are essentially gone.

“The work from the coaching staff, the work from our leadership has been great. And I just try to make myself available every single night.”

There are a couple ways to interpret Brown’s comments. The first — and one that will surely make the rounds on Boston sports talk radio — is that Brown has enjoyed being the Celtics’ bona fide No. 1 with Tatum sidelined, and that there potentially could be some friction whenever Tatum returns to the lineup. Is there a scenario where Brown isn’t exactly eager to revert to his “1B” role and let Tatum re-take the reins?

The other interpretation: Brown clearly thrives on being motivated by his critics, and this is just the latest example. This isn’t the first time Brown has mentioned sacrificing personal stats for the good of the team. In fact, he brought it up routinely over the past two seasons. The result? Tatum and Brown co-led the Celtics to an NBA title in 2024, with Brown winning NBA Finals MVP.

There very well could be an adjustment period for the Celtics when Tatum returns to action, especially as he learns to play with newcomers like Gonzalez, Luka Garza and Anfernee Simons. But given Boston’s extensive track record of success over nearly a decade with Tatum and Brown on the court, Celtics fans needn’t worry about any real or imagined power dynamics impacting the team’s success.

Per Shams Charania:

The San Antonio Spurs have three players on the 2026 NBA Rising Stars roster.

Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle will represent the NBA Sophomores. He’ll play alongside Matas Buzelis (Bulls), Donovan Clingan (Trail Blazers), Kyshawn George (Wizards), Ajay Mitchell (Thunder), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Reed Sheppard (Rockets), Cam Spencer (Grizzlies), Jaylon Tyson (Cavaliers), Kel’el Ware (Heat), and Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies).

Ajay Mitchell, Jaylen Wells, and Cam Spencer are all second round picks who have elevated their game over the last season and a half.

Spurs guard Dylan Harper has been named to the NBA Rookies with Cedric Coward (Grizzlies), Egor Demin (Nets), Tre Johnson (Wizards), VJ Edgecombe (76ers), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Jeremiah Fears (Pelicans), Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors), Cooper Flagg (Mavericks), and Derik Queen (Pelicans). All players were lottery picks in the last draft.

Finally, Spurs two-way guard David Jones Garcia will represent the NBA G-League. He’ll be joined by Dylan’s brother Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics), Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars), Alijah Martin (Raptors 905), Tristan Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers), Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix), and Yanic Konan Niederhauser (San Diego Clippers).

This marks the first time in franchise history that the Spurs have multiple Rising Stars selections in the same season.

The Rising Star game will be played on February 13th at 9PM EST on Peacock.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis and Ja Morant are the three biggest potential targets ahead of the 2026 NBA trading deadline.

All three are injured, and all three will be sidelined well beyond the Feb. 5 deadline. This complicates the overall market.

Each player is expected to make an eventual full return to health, though each – to varying degrees – has his own complicated injury history. The problem arises in the risk potential suitors may be feeling to trade for players who have combined to miss 63 games this season, as well as the real assets required to pry those stars away from their teams.

This all points to a potential drag in the trading market, possibly making this a sleepy deadline – especially when compared to last season’s that saw stars like Luka Dončić, Jimmy Butler, De’Aaron Fox and Brandon Ingram each shipped to new teams.

As March Madness inches ever closer, we offer our latest attempt to project the men's basketball NCAA tournament field. While four different conferences are still represented on the No.-1 seed line, the upper quadrant of the bracket skews heavily toward the Big Ten.

For now the top regional seeds are unchanged from our previous installment of bracketology. Arizona has the strongest case for the top overall seed, with Michigan, Connecticut and Duke still projected to lead the regionals. The Wolverines head a group of five Big Ten squads among our projected top 12, despite preseason league favorite Purdue slipping to a No. 3 seed. Red-hot Illinois has moved up to a No. 2 along with still undefeated Nebraska, and perennial tournament contender Michigan State is also on the third line.

Mid-major power rankings: Keep eye on these teams in March

Weekend recap: Paying attention to Texas Tech yet? You should.

It might be a case of quantity over quality for the SEC, which is still well represented with 10 teams in the field but none seeded higher than Florida and Vanderbilt at No. 4 for the moment. The league’s automatic qualifier based on the current standings would be Texas A&M, though the Aggies likely will need to improve their profile should they require at-large consideration.

Seton Hall has toppled out of the field for now, leaving the Big East with just three tournament squads. The Mountain West also has three spots, though a couple of them are dangerously close to the bubble.

Bracketology: NCAA tournament field projection

March Madness Last four in

TCU, UCLA, New Mexico, Miami (Fla.).

March Madness First four out

Virginia Tech, Indiana, Missouri, Seton Hall.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), Big 12 (8), ACC (8) Big East (3), Mountain West (3), West Coast (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection led by Big Ten