Category: Basketball

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What we learned as Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler combine for 61 in Warriors' loss

What we learned as Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler combine for 61 in Warriors' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Two teams came to Chase Center on Sunday with two-game win streaks. 

The Atlanta Hawks are the ones leaving town with a three-game win streak after the Warriors fell to them 124-111. 

The Warriors had a chance to earn their third three-game win streak of the 2025-26 NBA season and second at home. A win also would have put the Warriors four games above .500 for the first time this season, and beating the Portland Trail Blazers next game would have given the Warriors their first four-game win streak of the season. Those chances were wiped away in a 13-point loss.

Steph Curry scored a game-high 31 points but was 3 of 11 on 3-pointers. The Warriors now are 6-7 when he scores 30-plus points this season. Jimmy Butler scored 30 points for the fourth time this season, and also had seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. 

Missing shots and taking a step back in the turnover category turned the game into a track meet. That isn’t the kind of game the small, old and slow Warriors are built for playing the long, young and fast Hawks. The Warriors were outscored in fastbreak points 23-17, points off turnovers 28-11 and saw the Hawks have a 15-point advantage from deep.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors falling to 21-19 on the season. 

Playing Through Jimmy 

If it weren’t for Moses Moody shooting free throws, the same group that went on a 13-0 run at the end of the third quarter Friday night would have played the final three minutes and 47 seconds of the first quarter on Sunday. That group consists of Butler, Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford. Those five bring a combination of two-way impact, high IQ and shooting around Butler. 

All the ways that Butler stuffs the stat sheet showed up in the first quarter with five points, four assists and three rebounds. His four assists led to 10 points on passes to Horford twice, a cutting Quinten Post and a Curry 3-pointer. In the second quarter, Butler became the Warriors’ go-to scorer. 

Butler scored 10 straight points in the second quarter as he dominated around the rim and got to the free-throw line. The scoring barrage brought him to 17 points at halftime. 

Though Butler scored another 13 points in the second half, seven fewer than Curry but seven more than anybody else, his effort still came up short in a tough loss.

Disastrous Third Quarter 

A Dyson Daniels layup put the Warriors in a 12-point hole at the 8:47 mark of the third quarter, to which they responded admirably and went on an 11-0 run to get within one point of the Hawks. However, the Warriors were then outscored 24-9 the rest of the quarter. Just like that, the Warriors went from trailing by six points at halftime to facing a 16-point deficit. 

Curry had one of his third-quarter flurries of 12 points in eight and a half minutes, but the rest of the Warriors scored just 13 points. As a whole, the Warriors went 9 of 21 from the field (42.9 percent) and 3 of 13 on 3-pointers (23.1 percent) in the quarter. The Hawks were much more efficient, going 14 of 25 from the field (56 percent) and made 4 of their 10 threes. 

It’s not like the Hawks lit up from long distance in the third quarter – Luke Kennard did. The sharpshooter who is in the game for one reason was a perfect 4 of 4 while the rest of his teammates missed all six of their tries. 

But the Hawks also swiped three streaks and scored 13 points off four Warriors turnovers. 

New-Look Hawks 

Watching Trae Young drop dimes and let it fly from deep in a Hawks jersey is long gone. The Hawks chose a timeline and direction without him and are sticking to it. They’re now a Jalen Johnson-led team, which started well before trading Young to the Washington Wizards. 

The Hawks selected Johnson No. 20 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, the same year the Warriors took Jonathan Kuminga at No. 7 and Moses Moody at No. 14. Johnson gradually was given more opportunities and made the Year 3 leap, a season in which he actually played 60 fewer minutes than Kuminga, clearing the runway for him to take off last season before being injured. 

Now, the Hawks have a 24-year-old Johnson who is playing like an NBA All-Star and franchise player. Why they’ve handed him the keys was clear against the Warriors. Johnson in one game against the Warriors last season scored 15 points with 14 rebounds, four assists and two steals. This time around, he was even better and finished at 23 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. 

Acquiring Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, from the Minnesota Timberwolves over the summer also was one of the more underrated offseason moves around the league. Alexander-Walker has gone from averaging 9.4 points per game last season to 20.5 entering Sunday, which is the biggest improvement in the NBA. He scored 17 points in the first half against the Warriors, and ended leading the Hawks with 24. They are the top of the pyramid for a new wave in Atlanta.

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No. 16 Illinois builds big early lead, then holds off No. 19 Iowa, 75-69

Keaton Wagler scored 19 points, Andrej Stojakovic and Kylan Boswell each had 17 and No. 16 Illinois continued to win on the road in the Big Ten Conference, holding off No. 19 Iowa 75-69 on Sunday. The Illini (13-3, 4-1) won their fifth consecutive game and stayed tied for third place in the conference. Three of Illinois’ wins in conference play have come on the road — the Illini also won at Ohio State and Penn State.

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Ja Morant trade rumors: Destinations, trade ideas, Bucks among teams with some interest

With Trae Young in the nation’s capital and Anthony Davis missing time with a hand injury (which ends trade talk about him), Ja Morant becomes the biggest name potentially moved at the deadline.

Memphis should be able to get more of a return for Morant than Atlanta got for Young because teams are "more intrigued by his potential than Trae," as one former front office person put it to NBC Sports. That said, Morant's baggage, injury history, and salary mean the Grizzlies are not going to get near what they got last summer for Desmond Bane (Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, four firsts, and a pick swap). Meanwhile, Morant remains sidelined with a calf injury.

There is a ton of news on potential Morant destinations, so let's break it down in bullet points:

• The Milwaukee Bucks, desperate for more talent to put around Giannis Antetokounmpo, are interested in Morant, reports the well-connected Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

This pairing seems an odd fit because Morant and Antetokounmpo play a similar style of offensive game — they need the ball in their hands to drive downhill, get in the lane and score or create for others. Neither is great off-ball. This feels like it would be just two stars taking turns, and how much better does that make the Bucks?

Still, this is a legitimate rumor. Owczarski also reports the Bucks are still interested in Zach LaVine, a fit that makes more sense on the court.

• The Sacramento Kings are "lukewarm at best" on adding Morant, reports John Hollinger at The Athletic. Which is the smart move for Sactown, while this team needs talent, Morant is not the roll of the dice this team should take. However, as noted by Hollinger, the unpredictable Vivek Ranadive factor means they can't be ruled out.

• One interesting name Hollinger brings up as a dark horse: the Brooklyn Nets. They will trade away Michael Porter Jr. at the deadline — he is the player most certain to be traded — and might be the perfect team to take a flyer on Morant, hoping a new situation is what he needs to return to his All-Star form.

• A lot of people bring up Minnesota because it could use a point guard, but league sources told NBC Sports not to expect them to get in the mix (the Timberwolves would have to give up too much depth to make the money work, like a three- or four-to-one deal, and they are looking for a less expensive option at the point).

• Toronto is another team mentioned, with the trade being Immanuel Quickley and other assets to the Grizzlies (which is what the Raptors offered to Atlanta for Young last summer). Does that make sense for Toronto now? The Raptors sit fourth in the East. Why would they mess with their chemistry and send out multiple players to bring in Morant, who would dominate the ball on a team best at sharing it? Expect Toronto to go after a center.

• Miami gets mentioned as having interest, although it's fair to question if Morant is a fit with the Heat culture. Jake Fischer at The Stein Line reported that the Heat are asking themselves exactly that, "whether the organization could foster a productive environment for Ja Morant to bounce back to his All-Star best."

• A Morant for LaMelo Ball swap of point guards — something speculated about early in the season — is very unlikely now, Fischer reported. With Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller in Charlotte as key parts of the future, it's hard to imagine why the Hornets would make this deal.

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3 Knicks' defensive concerns that must be addressed

The Knicks' defensive inconsistencies were on full display in a 112-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. New York’s defense came alive in the fourth quarter, holding Phoenix to 18 points, but in the previous two quarters, the club gave up 66 points.

The performance was a microcosm of the Knicks’ defense all season, which has been inconsistent. Currently tied for second place in the East with a 24-14 record, it’s been the year of experimentation for New York. We’ve seen more zone defense, switches, as well as the occasional trap. 

Despite these new wrinkles, the defense has produced underwhelming results. The Knicks defense is ranked 19th in the NBA after 38 games, and is 27th in the month of January. As we near the halfway mark of the season, let’s look at three major concerns with the Knicks' defense.

Point-of-attack

New York’s most glaring weakness on the defensive end is guarding the point-of-attack. Mikal Bridges has often been New York’s prime defender, and has struggled for the most part in a season and a half of chasing ballhandlers.

Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart are all quality wing defenders, but they have all looked better in help roles where they can disrupt passing lanes and cut off drives rather than defend speedy guards capable of getting into the paint.

Miles McBride has been effective at times in the role. He has a near 6-foot-9 wingspan. But he’s also a 6-foot-2 guard, so there’s some matchups where that won’t be ideal. Landry Shamet is another capable point-of-attack defender. Shamet should return soon from a shoulder injury.

The Knicks could make a move externally. Names like Jose Alvarado,Ochai Agbaji, and Keon Ellis have been floated as potential trade targets to improve the defense. But realistically, those players wouldn’t be focal points of New York’s rotation. 

Brown has employed a zone at times to combat New York’s defensive issues and it’s been hit or miss. Most likely, the Knicks will have to improve from within to elevate the defense. 

Defending behind the arc

New York’s lack of an elite point-of-attack option has bled into another part of the defense, the three-point line. The Knicks are overhelping in the paint to contain drives and shots on the interior. 

That strategy is working to a degree. New York is keeping teams subdued on the inside. The Knicks allow 46.2 points in the paint per 100 possessions per NBA Stats, the sixth best mark in the league. But the focus on the paint has exposed the perimeter. The Knicks are giving up the third most three-point attempts in the NBA. Opponents are also shooting 37.3 percent from three, a figure that is tied for 27th in the NBA. 

New York struggled to contain the three on Friday, giving up 15 three-pointers in the first three quarters, before holding the Suns to just one trifecta in the final quarter. One reason for the improved defense was a switching strategy on the pick-and-roll. Switching could be something the Knicks defense goes to more as the season wears on. 

Star liabilities

New York’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the two weakest defenders among the team’s top seven rotation players. But as the two top scorers on the team, they’re also crucial to New York’s offense. It’s a delicate balance that the Knicks have to constantly manage.

The opposition will try to bring Brunson and Towns into offensive actions to attack the two stars and create chaos. In the Eastern Conference Finals last year, that combination was exposed repeatedly by the Indiana Pacers. This year’s playoffs will be a major test on defense for Brunson and Towns.

The Knicks have not defended well with Brunson on the floor, giving up 119.4 points per 100 possessions in his 1,235 minutes. When the star point guard sits, New York is allowing 106.3 points per 100 possessions, a number that would rank second in the NBA. It’s not to say that Brunson is the sole reason for New York’s defensive issues, but it’s a number to monitor for the rest of the season.

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Celtics' Jaylen Brown calls out officials after loss to Spurs, including NSFW social media post

Jaylen Brown looked like an MVP candidate with 27 points and eight assists in the Celtics' 100-95 loss to San Antonio, an outing which included a couple of ridiculous 3-pointers over Victor Wembanyama.

However, a frustrated Brown didn't get to the free throw line once in the game. In fact, Boston as a team got to the line just four times all game long, compared to 20 for the Spurs. After the game, Brown went off on the officiating.

"I hope somebody can pull up the clips," Brown said, via the Associated Press. "It's the same s*** every time we play a good team. It's like they refuse to make the calls and they call touch calls on the other end. That's just extremely frustrating...

"Somebody please pull it up. Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy. ... I'm irate at how they officiated the game today."

Brown took his NSFW rant to social media.

Brown can count on a fine from the league, but he'd gladly pay it to get what he sees as a fair whistle.

The Spurs allow the lowest percentage of free throws to shot attempts in the league, and the second lowest number of allowed free throws a game at 21.3 — call it the Victor Wembanyama effect. With the best rim protector in the league in the paint (and a solid defender in Luke Kornett there when he's not), teams tend to pull up more and shoot further out. Brown was no exception, he had four shots inside four feet (make that six feet and he was 3-of-6 shooting) while he took nine shots between four and 14 feet.

That said, no free throws for Brown and just four for the Celtics as a whole was hard to get your head around. Brown made his point postgame and will get the fine he asked for because he did.

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The numbers back up Jaylen Brown's vent about officiating in C's-Spurs

The numbers back up Jaylen Brown's vent about officiating in C's-Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jaylen Brown made at least a $25,000 donation Saturday night by delivering a vociferous postgame rant about the officiating after his Boston Celtics endured a narrow loss to the San Antonio Spurs. 

Having already sounded off multiple times this season — including after a loss to the Denver Nuggets earlier in the week — Brown made his firmest and most direct declaration while accepting that his wallet would be lighter in the aftermath.

“I feel like, honestly, (the Spurs) just got away with a lot. And I’m tired of the inconsistency,” said Brown. I’ll accept the fine at this point. I thought it was some bulls— tonight. I think [the Spurs are] a good defensive team, but they ain’t that damn good.”

“I hope somebody can just pull up the clips, because it’s the same s— every time we play a good team. It’s like they refuse to make a call then call touch fouls on the other end.”

Brown did not shoot a single free throw over 43 minutes, 22 seconds of floor time against the Spurs. The Celtics generated just four free throw attempts overall, tied for the second-fewest in franchise history.

Boston’s free-throw rate in Saturday’s game was the worst in the NBA this season.

Did Brown deserve more calls? The numbers certainly suggest a harsh whistle in recent games against top competition.

In losses this week to the Nuggets and Spurs — two of the top teams in the Western Conference — Brown was credited with 54 total drives. He drew just one shooting foul, or 1.9 percent of his total drives.

For the season, Brown ranks third in the NBA in total drives. He gets fouled on 8.9 percent of those treks, which would suggest an expected output of 4.8 shooting fouls off those drives against San Antonio and Denver.

Brown’s free-throw attempts, which climbed to a season-high 8.7 per game in December, are down to 5.8 per game in January. The Celtics as a team rank 30th in the NBA in both free throw attempt rate and free throw attempts per game (18.9). They rank 27th in the NBA while drawing fouls on 6.3 percent of all their drives this season.

Given Boston’s shot profile, which leans heavily 3-pointers and long mid-range jumpers, it’s not surprising that the Celtics don’t draw as many fouls as some teams. But Brown has been demonstrative toward officials on multiple occasions when he believes opponents have dislodged him on drives to the basket. 

The Nuggets and Spurs have physical, handsy defenses that might get a bit more leeway from officials given their consistency aggressive playstyle. But the 20-4 free-throw disparity in favor of the Spurs on Saturday night was impossible to ignore.

Jaylen Brown took one more shot at the officials late Saturday night on X.

“Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy,” said Brown. “I’ll take the f—ing fine. [Official] Curtis [Blair and] all them dudes was terrible tonight. I don’t care. They can fine me whatever they want. But it’s crazy. Every time we play a good team, it’s the same bulls—.”

Brown admitted free throws weren’t the entire story of the game and fretted his own uneven play in the fourth quarter. He went 1 for 9 in the frame and missed a wide-open 3-pointer in a 2-point game with 1:19 to play. He turned the ball over soon after, and the Spurs cashed in with a bucket that essentially sealed the game. Two of Brown’s five turnovers came in the final quarter.

Brown also acknowledged that the Celtics have to be better at defending without fouling on the other end. But the overall disparity and what Brown perceived as a more firm whistle against the Celtics left him fuming.

“Zero free throws tonight,” said Brown. “The inconsistency is f—ing crazy. Give me the fine.”

After a smaller rant after Boston’s loss to Denver on Wednesday, Brown got a favorable whistle during the Celtics’ win over Toronto on Friday. That whistle evaporated the next night.

The question now is whether officials will be more likely to give Brown calls after he went so far as to name-check an official as part of his frustration on Saturday night.

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Week 13 Fantasy Basketball Schedule Primer: Low-rostered Lakers like Jake LaRavia should be popular

The Week 13 fantasy basketball schedule is an interesting one, in that every day has between six and nine games. However, that doesn't mean there aren't any quirks for fantasy managers to navigate. The Lakers have the first five-game week of the season, while four teams are only playing twice during Week 13.

Add in the back-to-backs, injuries and teams looking to improve their draft lottery odds, and it's clear that the "silly season" is not far away. In fact, is it starting up earlier than in previous years? Washington acquired Trae Young, and it's unknown when he'll make his first appearance in a game. And Ja Morant has been out while his name has come up in trade rumors. Here's a look at the Week 13 schedule breakdown and some of its key storylines.

Week 13 Games Played

5 Games: LAL

4 Games: BKN, CHA, CHI, DAL, DEN, HOU, IND, NOR, POR, SAC, TOR, UTA

3 Games: ATL, BOS, CLE, GSW, LAC, MIA, MIN, NYK, OKC, PHI, PHX, SAS, WAS

2 Games: DET, MEM, MIL, ORL

Week 13 Back-to-backs

Sunday (Week 12)-Monday: BKN, PHI, SAC, TOR

Monday-Tuesday: LAL

Tuesday-Wednesday: CHI, DEN, NOR

Wednesday-Thursday: DAL, NYK, UTA

Thursday-Friday: HOU

Friday-Saturday: IND, MIN, WAS

Saturday-Sunday: CHA, DEN, LAL, POR

Sunday-Monday (Week 14): BKN

Week 13 Storylines of Note

- Week 13 is a good week to roster Lakers players.

After a poor fantasy schedule in Week 12 because they didn't play on Saturday or Sunday, the Lakers have an excellent slate for Week 13. They'll play five games, including Monday/Tuesday and Saturday/Sunday back-to-backs, which boosts the values of some of the team's low-rostered players. Even if Rui Hachimura can return from his calf injury during Week 13, Jake LaRavia will be worth a look in fantasy leagues due to the back-to-backs. Marcus Smart, as enigmatic a fantasy option as he can be, also has added value because of the schedule. As for Luka Dončić and LeBron James, their workloads will be worth tracking. Do they play all five games, or will the Lakers look to give them at least one night off? The answer will have a significant impact on fantasy basketball leagues next week.

- Be ready to move on from Bucks players after Thursday.

The Bucks are one of four teams playing only twice during Week 13. However, unlike the other three teams discussed below, Milwaukee plays its games on Tuesday and Thursday. Does the schedule give fantasy managers added motivation to trade Myles Turner, whose "sell high" window slammed shut during Week 12? What happens with Bobby Portis after the end of the games on Thursday? While he's been more productive than Turner recently, the combination of the schedule and his reserve role may make Portis expendable in the eyes of some fantasy managers. At this point, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter Jr. are the two players who must be held onto, no matter what the schedule looks like, with Ryan Rollins also in that discussion. As for the others? It's probably time to either make a deal or drop them to the waiver wire for the final days of Week 13.

- Detroit, Memphis and Orlando don't play their first game of Week 13 until Thursday.

The Pistons, Grizzlies and Magic won't play their first games of Week 13 until Thursday, with the former playing its second on Saturday. Memphis and Orlando will play their final game of the week on Sunday as part of a six-game slate, making them teams worth mining for streaming value ahead of those contests. Detroit has been hobbled by injuries recently, with Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and Tobias Harris all sidelined. While players like Daniss Jenkins and Paul Reed, to name two, have stepped up at various points, holding on to them until Thursday could be challenging. Hopefully, that's enough time for some of Detroit's main options to get back onto the court.

Memphis' injury situation is complicated by recent trade rumors involving Morant. Will the team be able to find a new home for him before the trade deadline? Also, how will the rumors affect his availability before something happens? Cam Spencer has been a valuable option at point guard, whether he starts or comes off the bench, while Santi Aldama and Jock Landale have added importance due to Zach Edey's injury. Orlando remains without Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, but Moritz Wagner will make his season debut on Sunday as he returns from a torn ACL. Anthony Black is a player who fantasy managers should hold onto despite the poor early schedule, but Wendell Carter Jr. may not be in some formats.

- The Nuggets have two back-to-backs during Week 13.

The Lakers aren't the only team that has two back-to-backs to navigate. Denver is one of the others, and the Nuggets are still awaiting the return of Nikola Jokić. He still has a few more weeks on the shelf, but the back-to-backs will impact the availability of some of Denver's other fantasy mainstays. Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon and Spencer Jones all missed time during Week 12, and that could also be the case in Week 13. And with all four of the Nuggets' Week 13 games being part of back-to-backs, this could be a case where players are only available for two games. While Murray may be able to offer three (or four) games' worth of production in two appearances, that won't be as easy for Braun or Gordon to do, especially with their minutes being restricted.

- The Nets also have two back-to-backs; what does that mean for Michael Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas?

Brooklyn also has two back-to-backs, one of which begins with the final day of Week 12. Porter was ruled out of Sunday's matchup with the Grizzlies; hopefully, that means he will be available for Monday's matchup with the Mavericks. If so, Week 13 could be a three or four-game week for MPJ, as the second back-to-back is another Sunday/Monday set. As for Thomas, not only are the back-to-backs a concern, but so is his playing time. He hasn't surpassed 24 minutes in any of the six games he's played since returning from a hamstring injury. And Thomas being available for Sunday's game likely means that he won't play in Dallas on Monday. There's a chance he's only active for two games in Week 13; add in the restriction, and this could be a challenging week for those who have him rostered. Nic Claxton is someone else to watch; Week 13 could be when fantasy managers receive a preview of what's to come in Brooklyn during the "silly season."

- Dallas' four-game week will get very interesting due to Anthony Davis and P.J. Washington missing time due to injury.

Davis, another star who has been the subject of trade rumors recently, suffered a left hand injury during Thursday's loss to the Jazz that's expected to cost him six weeks minimum. And that's if he doesn't need surgery. As for Washington, he's missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Add in Brandon Williams sitting out Saturday's loss to the Bulls with an illness, and the Mavericks head into a four-game Week 13 down three rotation players.

As much as it's been reported that decision-makers would like to see what a trio of Davis, Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving would look like on the court together, would that be good business for the Mavericks? The 2026 first-round pick is the last that they'll have complete control over until 2031. Week 13's schedule includes a midweek back-to-back; fantasy managers may get some clues about what the Mavericks plan to do the rest of the season, even though the team is only three games out of the final play-in spot in the loss column.

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Hornets build a 47-point lead in the 1st half and rout the Jazz 150-95

Brandon Miller scored 18 points, LaMelo Ball had 17 and the Charlotte Hornets built a 47-point lead in the first half of a 150-95 rout against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. It was the second-biggest win in franchise history for the Hornets and their largest on the road. The Hornets bounced back from a pair of frustrating losses in a big way, having fallen to Toronto by one point and Indiana by two in their last two games.

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Wisconsin hands No. 2 Michigan its first loss, 91-88

Saunders tied his career high with 14 rebounds as the Cougars (15-1, 3-0 Big 12) won their 12th straight game. Terence Brown scored 25 points for Utah but turned the ball over in the corner with 8.9 seconds left when his team had a chance to tie. Saunders was fouled and clinched the game with two free throws.

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Pope, Swain and Mark come up big as Texas stuns No. 13 Alabama 92-88 in Tuscaloosa

Jordan Pope scored 28 points, Dailyn Swain added 18 and a huge block in the waning seconds, and Texas stunned No. 13 Alabama 92-88 on Saturday night for its first Southeastern Conference win of the season. Tramon Mark also scored 18 for the Longhorns (10-6, 1-2 SEC), who avoided a three-game skid to open league play. Mark's layup with 23 seconds remaining gave Texas some cushion in crunch time.

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Oweh scores 22, Moreno adds 17 to help Kentucky beat Mississippi State 92-68

Otega Oweh scored 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting and had five of Kentucky's season-high 14 steals to help the Wildcats rally from a 12-point deficit and beat Mississippi State 92-68 on Saturday night. Malachi Moreno made 8 of 10 from the field and finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals for Kentucky (10-6, 1-2 SEC). Denzel Aberdeen added 16 points and Kam Williams scored 14 points.

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No. 14 Texas Tech hangs on for 73-71 victory at Colorado

Donovan Atwell scored 17 points, JT Toppin had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 14 Texas Tech held off a furious second-half rally by Colorado in a 73-71 victory Saturday night. Christian Anderson added 15 points for the Red Raiders, making their first trip to Boulder in nearly 16 years. Atwell went 5 of 12 from 3-point distance as Texas Tech (12-4, 2-1 Big 12 Conference) won a true road game for the first time this season.