The Associated Press national player of the week in men's college basketball for Week 7 of the season: Anderson scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half and hit two free throws with 3.4 seconds left to cap Texas Tech's rally from a 17-point deficit to beat No. Duke 82-81 Saturday at Madison Square Garden. The 6-foot-3 sophomore guard also converted a three-point play with 1:14 left to give the Red Raiders an 81-77 lead against the previously-undefeated Blue Devils.
NBA reportedly brainstorming new ideas to discourage tanking
In the wake of the gambling scandal that rocked the league at the start of the season — where some gamblers allegedly used inside information about a team sitting key players late in the season to place bets — the NBA is again looking for ways to reduce tanking. The league wants to limit teams from "deliberately manipulating" their rosters or sitting players to improve their Draft Lottery odds.
That was a key topic at a Board of Governors meeting last Friday, with the league soliciting ideas from owners, general managers and others, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. He said the league presented several ideas seeking feedback, ones designed to keep non-playoff teams from tanking, including:
• Limiting pick protections to either top four or 14 and higher, which would eliminate the problematic mid-lottery protections.
• No longer allowing a team to draft in the top four two years in a row.
• Locking lottery positions after March 1.
No new regulations have yet been adopted, the league is still gathering information and floating ideas. Any changes would require approval from the Board of Governors (the owners).
Some of the teams tanking the hardest in recent seasons were when a team had a mid-lottery pick protection, and teams changed their rosters or sat players in order to retain those picks for a year. For example, Dallas had a top-10-protected pick in its 2023 and sat Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić in their final game; or, like the Jazz this season, who have a top-eight-protected pick, although they are not yet tanking hard (but other teams are watching their moves heading toward the trade deadline).
The third suggestion — locking lottery positions on March 1 (or another date) — would simply lead teams to tank earlier in the middle of the season.
The second proposal — not allowing a team to select in the top four in consecutive years — would have directly stopped two of the best young teams in the league from forming. San Antonio drafted Victor Wembanyama (2023), Stephon Castle (2024), and Dylan Harper (2025) with top-four picks in consecutive years and they form the core of the current No. 2 team in the West. Houston drafted Jalen Green (2021), Jabari Smith Jr. (2022), Amen Thompson (2023), and Reed Sheppard (2024) high in the lottery to form key parts of its young core as well.
The challenge for the NBA is that basketball is a sport where one player can literally change a franchise's prospects, and elite teams need a top-5-10 player and a couple more in the top-25-30 to contend. The best — and often only — way for most teams to get those players is through the draft. Teams have scouted the level of talent coming in for every class (and this coming June's draft is particularly deep at the top), which will always lead teams to look for ways to improve their chances of getting one of those picks.
The league last amended the draft rules to limit tanking in 2019, after "the process" 76ers became a story and the league was concerned about a race to the bottom by other teams. At that time, the league changed the odds so that the three worst regular-season teams each have a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick and a 52.1% chance of being in the top four. As a result, over the last three seasons, the team with the worst record in the NBA fell to fifth, while Atlanta (10th-worst record) and Dallas (11th) jumped up to land the No. 1 pick.
The NBA already introduced new injury reporting rules, which also were tied to the gambling scandal that hit the league. The league is forcing teams to update their injury reports on game days earlier and more often so that there is no inside information about a player or players sitting out (or coming back) that someone with inside information could profit from.
Nebraska to the Final Four? Why that pie-in-the-sky notion isn’t so unfathomable
Could this be the year Nebraska finally wins its first ever NCAA tournament game?
Why Draymond Green reportedly is ‘frustrated' with his current Warriors role
Why Draymond Green reportedly is ‘frustrated' with his current Warriors role originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It’s been an eventful week for Draymond Green.
On Saturday, the star forward was ejected in the second quarter of the Warriors’ win over the Phoenix Suns. Two nights later, Green didn’t play for the majority of the second half in Golden State’s victory against the Orlando Magic after getting into a heated exchange with coach Steve Kerr on the Warriors’ bench.
Now, ESPN NBA insider Marc J. Spears reported Tuesday that Green is “frustrated” with his role in Golden State, which perhaps could explain why he and Kerr butted heads.
“I’m hearing too that Draymond is a little frustrated with having to guard centers and having to guard guys that are 40-to-50 pounds heavier than him on a nightly basis,” Spears said on “NBA Today” (h/t @ohnohedidnt24 on X/Twitter).
The Warriors signed veteran big man Al Horford this past offseason, in large part to allow the 6-foot-6 Green to play more as a power forward than a center. However, Horford has battled injuries to start the 2025-26 NBA season, playing in just 13 of Golden State’s 30 games and starting only once.
While young center Quinten Post has impressed in his second season, he’s averaging less than 19 minutes per game. As a result, Green frequently has to play significant minutes at center, serving as the primary defender against post players that often are over six inches taller than him.
Kerr said before Monday’s game that Horford could return from a back injury for the Warriors’ Christmas Day matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. Maybe that will help ease Green’s frustration as Golden State looks to get back on track for the new year.
Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Russell Westbrook and Brook Lopez back into fantasy relevance
Happy Holidays! We’ve got another unusual week in the association, with zero-game slates and Christmas Day games on deck.
Let’s get into what we might expect moving forward.
→ Watch the NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC and Peacock! The Nuggets take on the Mavericks at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the Rockets at the Clippers at 11 p.m. ET. Both games are available on Peacock. Check your local listings for the NBC game in your area.
Ware had an outstanding Week 9, culminating with a 28-point, 19-rebound effort against the Knicks.
Raphielle JohnsonSTOCK UP
Brook Lopez — C, Clippers
The Clippers ended their five-game losing streak with a win over the Lakers this past weekend, but lost arguably their most durable player, Ivica Zubac, in the process. With Zubac out for at least the next few weeks, that provides Lopez a massive opportunity to become a relevant fantasy basketball option. In his first year with the Clippers, Lopez has underwhelmed and been completely out of the rotation for stretches while the team struggled. Yet, he took advantage of his increased playing time against the Lakers and finished with 11 points, three three-pointers, and a pair of blocked shots — anything along those lines should be expected as he presumably steps into the starting lineup for the time being. The veteran center has the potential to log some even better performances if the three-point volume remains. Nonetheless, Lopez is in a good spot, and if he plays well over the next couple of games, he could be a worthwhile fantasy option.
Russell Westbrook — PG/SG, Kings
It’s not all bad for everyone on the Kings; just ask Westbrook, who remains a nightly triple-double threat in his 18th NBA season. The BIG numbers aren’t there as frequently as once before, but the former league MVP is still getting the job done in several categories — he’s averaging his most points and assists since the 2022-23 season, and his most rebounds since Year 1 with the Lakers. And on high volume, Westbrook is shooting the best three-point percentage of his career. He’s taking advantage of his starting role with Sacramento and has been one of the team’s most productive players. His stock should continue to rise as he gets more comfortable and grows in his role.
Kyshawn George — SG/SF/PF, Wizards
George has hardly slowed down after a very fast start to his sophomore season. The scoring has fluctuated over the past week, mostly due to inefficient three-point shooting, but he has made up for it by functioning as an impactful passer, productive rebounder, and a disruptive defender who consistently collects stocks. The bottom line is that George is proving he can remain an impactful fantasy basketball player on any night, given his ability to be involved in several areas of the game — this is his floor. His ceiling is the occasions when he’s got it all clicking. He’s averaging 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists over his last three.
Christmas Week is always somewhat awkward in fantasy basketball because of the unusual schedule.
STOCK DOWN
Malik Monk — SG, Kings
It’s been a down season for the Kings and several of their veteran players. Of the many established names on the roster, Monk is the latest to find himself in an unfavorable spot. Before logging five minutes of game action in Sacramento’s recent come-from-behind win in overtime over Houston, he had spent the previous two in uniform but unable to crack the rotation. The versatile combo guard has, admittedly, been confused by the sudden lack of playing time, as have many followers, such as myself. Monk had combined for 34 points, eight assists, and six three-pointers in the two games prior to being benched, and also had 25 points and five threes in a game against the Rockets earlier this month. It doesn’t appear as though a return to the rotation is imminent, leaving him firmly in this “Stock Down” category.
Mark Williams — C, Suns
Williams’s lack of involvement and production on the offensive end has been both surprising and concerning, following an eight-game streak of double-digit scoring performances, which included four with at least 15 points. He hasn’t played more than 19 minutes in three of the last four games, resulting in five or fewer shot attempts and less than 10 points in said games. Williams is also collecting just 5.1 rebounds per game in December, far below the 9.1 he tallied in November and the 9.4 in October. Perhaps a more favorable matchup with the Lakers, whom he logged 20 points against in between his three recent low-scoring games, could get him back on track.
Andrew Wiggins — SG/SF/PF, Heat
It’s difficult to say exactly what’s caused the Heat to sputter over the past few weeks and lose seven of their last nine games. However, receiving minimal scoring production on offense from one of the team’s more proven players could be part of the issue. Whether due to low volume or inefficient shooting, Wiggins has scored better than 13 points only twice so far in December — he’s been even less productive as a scorer recently, averaging 9.0 points on 9-of-31 shooting over the past three games. Contributions on the defensive end have helped keep the fantasy production from falling off. Still, fantasy managers would like to see the former NBA champion pick up his scoring production and put together more well-rounded performances.
Mike Dunleavy, Warriors focused on improving with team's current roster
Mike Dunleavy, Warriors focused on improving with team's current roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors sit at an even 15-15 two nights before Christmas, a disappointing record for everyone from top to bottom.
Golden State’s general manager, Mike Dunleavy, joined Bonta Hill, Chris Mullin and Festus Ezeli on “Warriors Pregame Live” prior to the Warriors’ win over the Orlando Magic on Monday at Chase Center and discussed whether he envisions another blockbuster trade happening before the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline.
“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better, Dunleavy said. “But I wouldn’t bank on that type of move. To get a guy like Jimmy Butler, to have the improvement that we did … that’d be pretty unrealistic.”
The Warriors made a splash minutes before the trade deadline last year, landing Butler, which completely turned their season around.
After acquiring Butler, the Warriors ended the season 23-8 with momentum heading into the postseason. An injury to Steph Curry in the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves halted the run, but there’s no excuse for why things haven’t clicked so far this season.
“I think the key, frankly, with this team right now is improving it from within, Dunleavy continued. “The biggest area we know is turnovers.”
The Warriors currently have the fifth-most turnovers per game at 16.2. Only the Trail Blazers, Rockets, Clippers, and Hornets average more.
“We’ve got to start taking care of the ball, Dunleavy stated. “We’re doing some really good stuff defensively. People talk a lot about our size, between Quinten and Draymond, when those two are in the game our rim protection is fantastic. When Steph’s off the court, and Jimmy’s on with the group. Our offense is pretty good.”
The Warriors still lack a consistent scoring big on their roster. Al Horford was signed during the offseason in an effort to fill the void, but the move hasn’t panned out so far.
“This has become a possession game in the NBA with the rebounding, the steals, taking care of the ball,” Dunleavy concluded. “I think we’re all frustrated, we know what the issue is, and we’ve just got to go solve it.”
The frustrations have been loud. From Steve Kerr and Draymond Green getting into it on the sidelines to Jonathan Kuminga receiving multiple DNPs. This team is searching for consistency and has found nothing but distractions.
Golden State currently sits at the eighth seed in the Western Conference as the group looks to build on a two-game win streak against the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day.
Warriors' Draymond Green must stay true to his word that problem won't linger
Warriors' Draymond Green must stay true to his word that problem won't linger originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Instead of focusing on the first-half performance of Jimmy Butler, the second-half showing of Steph Curry, the overall impact Brandin Podziemski and a long list of players had contributing to a 23-point Warriors win Monday night, all talk has been consumed by Draymond Green and coach Steve Kerr’s public heated argument during a third-quarter timeout.
The voice that stood out the most following the incident wasn’t Green or Kerr. A dejected Curry spoke to the bigger picture at hand, a problem that can grow if not taken care of immediately.
“It’s unfortunate that we’re up here after considering where we’ve been, two-game win streak and protecting our home court, that the vibes of the questions are a little bit more negative than they should be,” Curry said. “I get why you’re asking them.”
Curry did not want to answer questions about the incident. He knew he’d have to. Curry was looking at the box score when first asked about it and requested the reporter to repeat the question.
“Just having a good conversation,” he sarcastically answered.
“That’s kind of for them to talk about, not me,” Curry continued.
There lies the problem. Curry was a perfect 6 of 6 from the field and 3 of 3 from 3-point range in the third quarter after missing all six of his threes in the first half to help him get to 26 points while also leading the team with six assists. Butler was aggressively in control in the first half as Curry struggled and efficiently reached 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting with six free throws. Moses Moody gave the Warriors three 20-point scorers in a game where he was 8 of 11 from the field and went 3 of 6 on threes.
Off the bench, Podziemski was one of the best players on the floor for either team as a plus-36 that met the eye test. Gary Payton II provided constant energy in 10 minutes, as did Gui Santos in his 10.
And then for Green himself, he was mostly solid in his 18 minutes with nine points, seven rebounds, two assists and one turnover. But he also was one of two Warriors (Will Richard) with a negative plus/minus. None of those numbers will be remembered. Him going back and forth at Kerr and eventually deciding on his own to leave the bench and go to the Warriors’ locker room is all that will be remembered.
The decision to leave the bench solely was on Green. Once he decided to do so, Kerr wasn’t going to let him play again, beginning at the 8:31 mark of the third quarter.
Both of Green and Kerr, as well others who spoke after the game, said the issue won’t linger.
“We’re good. We’ll move forward. We’ll be all right,” Green said.
History is why Green is confident this won’t spill over to a larger problem.
“Because none of the other ones ever have,” Green said. “We still keep winning, so we’ll be all right.”
But is this just a blip in the road, or an insight into something bigger?
Green was ejected the previous game, a 119-116 win against the Phoenix Suns, for giving a profanity-laced argument at a referee. Moody, 23, was the one trying to hold Green back during his ejection. Moody also was the one physically holding onto Green on the bench Monday night and got in between Green and Kerr before assistant coach Anthony Vereen escorted him down the tunnel.
The decision to remove himself from the situation can be taken multiple ways. Some might feel like Green quit on his team out of selfish emotions in the middle of a game while trailing. There also can be some maturity seen in Green feeling like the smartest decision was to cool himself down away from Kerr.
“I just felt like it was best for me, and everybody,” Green said. “You stay in a hot situation, there’s no way to stop it. So I just wanted to remove myself.”
The basketball of all this also has to be spoken about. The Warriors were a plus-16 after Green’s ejection Saturday night. They were even better without him Monday, outscoring the Magic 54-26 the rest of the game.
“It means we’ve got guys on the bench who are dying to play,” Kerr said. “This is the NBA, and all these guys have their careers at stake. They want to win, they want to play. So when their opportunity comes up, they’re ready to play.”
Green is turning the ball over more than ever before, and the Warriors still are at their best when he’s at his best – physically and emotionally.
On a night where there was so much positive to focus on from a game where the Warriors earned their second straight win to get back to .500 (15-15), and the entire Chase Center crowd sang “Happy Birthday” for Draymond’s son DJ on his ninth birthday, the lasting image can’t be him losing his cool and having to take himself out.
Even if this isn’t the last clash between Green and Kerr – and it likely won’t be – the problem can’t become public, and it can’t linger. Not now, not again. These Warriors can’t afford it, and neither can Green.
Knueppel the fastest player to 100 three-pointers
Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel became the fastest player to score 100 three-pointers in the NBA during a 139-132 defeat at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The 20-year-old, the fourth pick at the 2025 draft, reached the landmark in only 29 games when he scored in the first quarter at Rocket Arena.
Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen held the previous record of 41 games, while playing for the Chicago Bulls in 2017-18.
Knueppel scored five of the nine three-pointers he attempted against the Cavaliers to finish with 20 points, while LaMelo Ball contributed 23 and Brandon Miller 20 for the Hornets.
But Donovan Mitchell racked up 30 points, DeAndre Hunter 27 and Darius Garland 27 with 10 assists for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers are seventh in the Eastern Conference and the Hornets 12th.
How the Mamba stole Christmas: The origins of Kobe's ‘Grinch' sneakers
How the Mamba stole Christmas: The origins of Kobe's ‘Grinch' sneakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Black Mamba went green for Christmas and changed the sneaker game forever.
Kobe Bryant’s Nike partnership produced some of the most iconic signature shoes of all time, but nothing compares to the heat he brought to Staples Center on Dec. 25, 2010. The Los Angeles Lakers legend stepped onto the floor and introduced bright green shoes that are seen to this day.
The Lakers will be back on the Christmas stage this year when they face the Houston Rockets, and Bryant’s kicks are sure to be seen across the five-game NBA slate on Thursday. What exactly are the green shoes, and how are they attainable?
Here’s a look back at the quintessential Christmas kicks:
Nike Kobe 6 Grinch origin
Originally dubbed “Green Mamba,” both the name and design played off Bryant’s nickname, as the shoe featured two-toned green scales.
The red logo on the tongue gave the shoe a Christmas look. That holiday combo, along with the particular shade of green, led people to nickname the shoe after the Grinch.
When did Kobe Bryant first wear Grinch sneakers?
Bryant sported the Grinch kicks for the first time on a fitting occasion.
The defending NBA champion Lakers welcomed the newly formed Miami Heat Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to Staples Center for a Christmas Day showdown in 2010. Between the Lakers wearing their white uniforms, the Heat going with road red and the green sneakers worn by Bryant and other Lakers, the colors on the court matched the holiday spirit.
While the game is remembered for the shoe’s debut, it was an underwhelming afternoon for Bryant and the Lakers. He was held to 17 points as the Heat picked up a 96-80 win.
The Heat weren’t the only ones to leave Staples Center happy. Fans who had courtside seats for the game received a gift bag that included the now-iconic shoes.
How much did Kobe 6 Grinch sneakers cost?
The kicks were sold for an initial price of $130 and hit retail the same day as the game.
When did Nike relaunch Kobe 6 Grinch?
Nike relaunched the Kobe 6 Protro Grinch on Dec. 24, 2020, at $180.
The Grinch wasn’t the only Kobe 6 colorway to get a re-release. The Kobe 6 All-Star got a Protro re-launch in March 2021 at $190, the Kobe 6 White Del Sol got a Protro re-launch in June 2021 at $180 and the Kobe 6 Protro Reverse — which inverted the color scheme of the original Grinch shoes — released in December 2023 at $190.
In 2024, Nike released Kobe Grinch football cleats and a mismatched set — one green and one red — at $230.
How much do Kobe 6 Grinch sneakers cost now?
The kicks have more than tripled in price over the last five years, with a pair fetching an asking price between $600-$1,500 on most retail sites.
Does Nike still sell Kobe sneakers?
Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, announced a new partnership with Nike in March 2022 after she previously called out the company for a tribute shoe for Kobe and their daughter, Gigi, that went online without her permission. As part of the deal, all proceeds for Gigi’s shoes will be donated to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.
Conference seasons kick into gear following light AP Top 25 holiday week
The week of Christmas is typically a slow time on the college basketball, with a handful of games before and after the holiday. This week is no different with nine ranked teams playing, most against lower-tier programs. The marquee game over the next two weeks will come on Jan. 2, when No. 2 Michigan hosts No. 24 Southern California.
Wagler powers No. 20 Illinois past Missouri 91-48 for biggest blowout in Braggin’ Rights rivalry
The largest previous margin of victory in the series, which has been played 45 times since 1980, was Illinois’ 82-50 blowout in 2005.
No. 1 Arizona routs Bethune-Cookman 107-71 after sluggish start
The Wildcats scored 50 points in the paint, grabbed 20 more rebounds and converted 36 points off Bethune-Cookman's 22 turnovers. Arizona point guard Jaden Bradley had 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Arizona is one of six remaining undefeated teams in Division I and has seven straight wins by at least 20 points, its longest streak since eight straight 20-point wins in 1929, according to Sportradar.
Dybantsa gets first BYU triple-double since 2016 to lead No. 10 Cougars past Eastern Washington
AJ Dybantsa had 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to lead No. 10 BYU to a 109-81 victory over Eastern Washington on Monday night. Dybantsa became the first player with a triple-double for the Cougars since Kyle Collinsworth against UAB on March 16, 2016. Richie Saunders had 22 points to help BYU (12-1) go unbeaten through a four-game homestand.
Burries scores 20 points, No. 1 Arizona runs away from Bethune-Cookman for 107-71 win
Brayden Burries scored 20 points, Ivan Kharchenkov added 14 and top-ranked Arizona overcame a sluggish start to rout Bethune-Cookman 107-71 on Monday night. The Wildcats (12-0) remained No. in this week's AP Top 25 after shutting down San Diego State on Saturday, but labored early on offense in the final game before their holiday break.
Wagler powers No. 20 Illinois past Missouri 91-48 for biggest blowout in Braggin’ Rights rivalry
Freshman guard Keaton Wagler made a career-best five 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead No. 20 Illinois to a 91-48 rout of Missouri on Monday night. Sebastian Mack had 17 points off the bench to lead Missouri (10-3) as coach Dennis Gates left his reserves in for much of the second half with the game out of hand. After building a 16-point lead at halftime, the Illini poured it on with two 3-pointers from Ivisic in the opening minutes of the second half and finally pulled their starters with 2 1/2 minutes left.