Category: Basketball

Jalen Duren is representing the Detroit Pistons in the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest. He joins Los Angeles Lakers big Jaxon Hayes and San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant in the infamous contest.

Duren was already named an All-Star this season. The dominant big is averaging an 18-point, ~11-rebound double-double. His team defense has improved, he’s creating off the bounce, and his effort as a whole is through the roof.

The casual fan who begins to pay attention to the NBA after the Super Bowl will be seeing a lot of Duren in Los Angeles in the middle of February.

The Dunk Contest has been “dead” for a while now. Mac McClung has won the event three years in a row, and he’s not a standard NBA player. His dunks were pretty cool, but the star power in the dunk contest hasn’t been there.

John Wall was the last All-Star to win the contest in 2014 as he won with Team East. Jaylen Brown was an All-Star when he participated in the 2024 contest, but we aren’t usually getting the brightest stars these days.

Duren has a chance to stamp himself on another national stage. We see his skyscraping jams on a nightly basis, but the world’s about to see how he floats. Duren is fourth in the league with 111 dunks this year. A high dunk count doesn’t necessarily mean one can be an entertaining dunker, but Duren can fly and has some wiggle.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls some tricks out of his bag. It’s hard coming up with dunks that have never been done, but Duren putting his name in this hat can be good for his notoriety. Being the All-Star that delivers at the dunk contest is a cool footnote for his already phenomenal season.

Finally home. The Brooklyn Nets closed out their five game road trip with a Sunday night tilt against the Eastern Conference leading Detroit Pistons. The Nets were never in it and got stomped out by the Pistons 130-77. A loss is a loss, I guess?

The opponent tonight is trying to break into that contenders tier. The Los Angeles Lakers are the center of attention in the NBA, but they aren’t where they really want to be yet. They’ve been on the road the past few weeks thanks to the Grammys and tonight is the last night of their eight game road trip. Fortunately for them, they’ve been in New York the past few days so they won’t experience any jet lag tonight. They took on the Knicks Sunday night at the Garden and lost 112-100. Getaway day is the best day.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 7:30 PM.

🤕 Injuries

No Haywood Highsmith. Ziaire Williams and Noah Clowney are questionable. All three two-ways are in Long Island and Ben Saraf is still with Brooklyn.

Adou Thiero is out. Austin Reaves is close to returning, and is listed as questionable. Bronny James is questionable as well.

🏀 The game

Two days away. The trade deadline is fast approaching and teams need to figure out what to do. The Lakers are always in the market, but two players they reportedly had in mind were traded for each other over the weekend. A valuable lesson you can take going forward: NEVER trust the Sacramento Kings to make good decisions.

If the Lakers want to make it back to the Finals for the first time since 2020, they’re going to have to start defending at a higher level. LA is 25th in defensive rating, allowing 117.1 points per 100 possessions. I can’t think of any contender with a defense this porous. JJ Redick has a lot to work on before the season is out, and if the Lakers fall short once again, they’ll enter the off-season with a lot of uncertainty facing them.

At the very least, they have the franchise star in tow for the foreseeable future. Luka Doncic is still one of the game’s brightest stars. He’s an engine that controls the offense in a few that few people ever have in basketball history. Doncic can do just about everything imaginable on that side of the ball and is someone you trust to make the right play every time he has the ball in his hands. However, his efforts on defense leave a lot to be desired and if he can’t give you a C+ effort on that end, things get troublesome.

Feel like we’ve been saying it a lot recently, but how will the Nets respond after a 50 point beatdown? They can’t afford to fall behind in the ways that they have been due to their talent discrepancy. And on a night where there will be a lot of purple and gold in the building, falling behind by a bunch early will make for a LONG night in Brooklyn.

Having Noah Clowney back should help the Nets on the glass. LA is 11th in the league in rebounding while the Nets are near the bottom of the ranks. The Nets will try to keep Jaxson Hayes and DeAndre Ayton off the boards as best as they can. Ayton’s numbers look nice, but he’s generally been ok from everything I’ve read from Lakers reporters I keep up with. Considering so many people wanted Ayton out the NBA not too long ago, that’s not too bad!

So will this be Cam Thomas’ last home game as a member of the Nets? The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly have interest in him, but no moves have been made as of yet. If he does go, Steve Lichtenstein has a nice synopsis of where CT is at this point in his career:

“Of course, any new club should know what they’re getting with Thomas, whose shot selection and defense have been the source of endless criticism. The fact is that he has yet to show he can be a winning player—the Nets’ best stretch of basketball this season occurred while he was out of the lineup in December. He has the team’s lowest defensive rating and fourth-worst net rating.

But Thomas can get buckets. The Nets don’t beat the Jazz without Thomas’ 14 points on seven field goal attempts in the second quarter. Few players have his ability to create looks on his own and then make the high-degree-of-difficulty shots. Don’t discount his knack for drawing fouls, a useful skill for playoff basketball.“

A good showing against a playoff team could impress any last minute suitors out there.

👀 Player to watch: LeBron James

Time waits for no man. We’re starting to draw closer to the end of a historical, genre defining career. And when you start to zoom out and look at the scope of everything, it really puts things into perspective

Wow.

This is year 23 for LeBron James, and the legend is doing his best to stay in the game. He’s at career lows in minutes per game and usage rate as JJ Redick and the Lakers coaching staff do their best to nurse him through the regular season. The hope is he’s as close to full strength as possible when the playoffs begin so he can play with no restrictions. Before we get there, we’re going to get nights where he’s non-existent on defense or just playing at an average level. However, when the moment calls for it, he can still dial it up and deliver a vintage performance. And who knows, maybe this is the last time James plays in Brooklyn. Enjoy these moments while you still can.

Michael Porter Jr is expected back tonight. MPJ missed Sunday’s game due to a death in the family, and we send our condolences to him and his loved ones. He’ll get a chance to match up with James and build a case to be an All-Star injury replacement. He had a chance to make the team outright, but NBA coaches went in a different direction. Either way, an opportunity to compete against an all time great is always worth getting up for, so look for Porter Jr to be locked in early.

📺 From the Vault

I was in Philadelphia for Unrivaled over the weekend, and before I left town, I got a chance to check out the Ruth E. Carter “Afrofuturism in Costume Design” exhibit at the African American Museum in Philly. Two films Ruth worked on were Malcolm X and Black Panther, so let’s take two trips back in time

More reading: Silver Screen and Roll, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Los Angeles Lakers Game Notes – Los Angeles Lakers
• Brooklyn and Los Angeles set for cross-conference contest – AP
• Nets’ demoralizing losses starting to take a toll with silent quitting concerns emerging – Bridget Reilly – New York Post
• A Nets trade deadline forecast: Bad timing for Giannis, Michael Porter Jr.’s future – Brian Lewis – New York Post

The NBA trade deadline is almost here, and everyone is talking about Giannis Antetokounmpo. The writing is on the wall for the Greek Freak to finally find a new home, but it’s highly possible the Milwaukee Bucks will wait until the summer to accept a deal. Fear not: there are plenty of other players who should have appeal on the immediate trade market. Check our list of 30 potential trade candidates for a long list of names who could be on the move.

The byzantine mechanics of the NBA salary cap makes some trades almost impossible to complete. I wanted to come up with a trade that sent Zach LaVine to the shooting-deprived Toronto Raptors for Jakob Poeltl and a first-round pick, but the salaries just don’t work out. I tried it as a three-team deal and still couldn’t figure it out.

There are a few teams with the right mix of draft picks, expiring contracts, and veterans looking for a new home who are uniquely suited to make deadline deals. This includes two teams hunting the championship in the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons, plus play-in tier clubs like the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers. Here are three deals we’d like to see.

The Thunder get aggressive for Michael Porter Jr.

The Thunder are the favorites to win the championship this season, but their lack of shooting around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander threatens to doom their back-to-back bid. In this deal, the Thunder trade Lu Dort and two first-round picks to Brooklyn for Michael Porter Jr. MPJ is one of the best shooters in the NBA by draining 40 percent of his threes on nearly 10 attempts per game. Dort has been a foundational figure for the Thunder, but the team already has multiple gritty perimeter defenders who could fill his void with Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace remaining. The Thunder are sending Philly’s pick in this draft which is currently slated to be No. 18 overall, plus Denver’s first-round pick next year. The Nets could probably flip Dort this summer for even more draft capital. OKC hasn’t looked all that dominant since their 24-1 start, but this trade would give them even better odds of repeating as champions.

The Blazers push for playoffs with Ayo Dosunmu

The Blazers are already buyers at the deadline after adding Vít Krejčí from the Hawks. They also already owe the Bulls a lottery-protected first-round draft pick from the Lauri Markkanen-Larry Nance Jr. three-team trade from 2021. In this deal, Portland lowers the protections on the pick to top-4 to get Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago. Dosunmu is having a career-year with 45 percent three-point shooting and solid on-ball defense as he gets ready to enter unrestricted free agency this summer. The Blazers need a guard right now to push for the playoffs. The guard rotation next year could get crowded with Damian Lillard and Scoot Henderson returning from injury and Jrue Holiday still around, but Dosunmu’s quick-hit driving ability and newfound three-point stroke works in almost any lineup. The Bulls get back a likely mid first-round pick in this scenario, and Portland still covers itself if it misses the playoffs and gets lottery luck. A tip of the hat to Blog-a-Bull for coming up with this one.

The Pistons buy low on Coby White

What can the Bulls get for Coby White on the brink of free agency? The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly interested, but I’m skeptical Minnesota would accept on a deal that sends Joan Beringer and Rob Dillingham to Chicago for White. Chicago should prefer that Minnesota deal over this Pistons offer if it has it on the table, but if not, I still think this package from Detroit is acceptable. The Pistons need another ball handler and shooter next to Cade Cunningham, and White can be instant offense when he’s at his best. This trade returns Paul Reed to Chicago, a DePaul alum, who is on a cheap $5.5 million deal next year and can provide big man depth. It also gives the Bulls four second-round picks that have a chance to be in the top half of that round. If the Bulls aren’t going to sign White in free agency, getting a haul for him now makes sense even if they can’t land a first-rounder.

James Harden returns to the Rockets

James Harden wants out from the Clippers, and his former team the Houston Rockets make a lot of sense. The Rockets and Clippers can haggle over the protections on this 2028 first-round pick, but deal essentially sends three of Houston’s non-contributors this season to Los Angeles for a near All-Star level point guard. Harden is still pretty damn good at age-36, and he could give the Rockets the shooting and playmaking juice they need for a playoff run.

The Hornets swing big on Jaren Jackson Jr.

Update: Jaren Jackson Jr. has been traded to the Utah Jazz. Read our trade grades for the deal here.

The Charlotte Hornets were by far the best team in the NBA during January. This team has an extremely bright future if LaMelo Ball can stay healthy next to Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, but they still need a big man who can block shots and stretch the floor as a shooter. Those players are extremely hard to come by, but Jaren Jackson Jr. fits the bill. I debated whether there should be two or three future first-round picks going back to Memphis in this deal, but it makes sense for both sides either way. The Hornets really could be poised to contend in the East next year, especially if they land a player like JJJ. Memphis would be leaning fully into a rebuild.

Cam Thomas to the Raptors

The Raptors need a little more offensive firepower for the playoff push, so why not take a chance on Thomas for some end-of-bench guys? Thomas clearly isn’t in Brooklyn’s long-term plans, but maybe someone like Jonathan Mogbo could find a home there. Toronto would get to test run Thomas to see if they’re interested in re-signing him. With the East wide open, it makes sense for the Raptors to add another guard with some shooting ability.

The Golden State Warriors are running thin on star power when the Philadelphia 76ers come to town on Tuesday.

Golden State will be without Stephen Curry for the foreseeable future and with Jimmy Butler gone for the year and Jonathan Kuminga sidelined, veteran forward Draymond Green is left to hold down the fort.

My 76ers vs. Warriors predictions see the Dubs’ offense running through Green, prompting plenty of assists from the “point forward”. 

Here are my best NBA picks for February 3.

76ers vs Warriors prediction

76ers vs Warriors best bet: Draymond Green Over 5.5 assists (+110)

Draymond Green has long been one of the better playmaking forwards throughout his NBA career but with Stephen Curry out, Draymond’s role in the Golden State Warriors’ offense spikes. 

He'll get a surge in ball possession and potential assists against the Philadelphia 76ers tonight. On the season, Green averages 5.3 dimes on 10.0 potential assists with a team-high 69.4 touches per game.

He logged 33 minutes against the Detroit Pistons on January 30 – the first time he’s played 30+ minutes since Jan. 5 – after Curry left the game with knee soreness. Green finished with six assists in the loss.

The Sixers are a middle-tier defense and give up their share of assists, with foes averaging 27.5 helpers per contests. Philly is also 25th in defensive assist-to-FGM rate, watching opponents record an assist on more than 65% of their buckets.

Projections for Green range from 5.4 to 6.8 assists with my number landing at 6.3 dimes from Draymond tonight. That should have the Over 5.5 assists priced around -145 but we’re getting plus-money on this prop.

76ers vs Warriors same-game parlay

The Sixers may be missing Paul George but this Warriors roster is running short on star power with Curry, Jonathan Kuminga and Jimmy Butler all out of action.

Green’s going to log more minutes and touches, with projections closer to seven dimes.

Draymond will also have to crash the glass, with his forecasts as high as eight boards.

76ers vs Warriors SGP

• Philadelphia 76ers moneyline
• Draymond Green Over 5.5 assists
• Draymond Green Over 5.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Golden State of Emergency

While the 76ers take down Draymond and the Dubs, Tyrese Maxey might not have to go off to do so. His scoring projections come in short of his points prop.

76ers vs Warriors SGP

• Philadelphia 76ers moneyline
• Draymond Green Over 5.5 assists
• Draymond Green Over 5.5 rebounds
• Tyrese Maxey Under 28.5 points

76ers vs Warriors odds

• Spread: 76ers +3 | Warriors -3
• Moneyline: 76ers +130 | Warriors -155
• Over/Under: Over 221.5 | Under 221.5

76ers vs Warriors betting trend to know

The 76ers are 9-4 SU in non-conference games this season, including 3-1 SU when visiting Western Conference competition. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Warriors.

How to watch 76ers vs Warriors

76ers vs Warriors latest injuries

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

The Lakers are a flawed team.

That’s not even a hot take. After an early exit out of the playoffs last season, this team looks headed for a similar, perhaps even identical, path.

In theory, the trade deadline should offer a perfect solution to their problems. However, the Lakers do not sound like a team particularly close to a deal based on the reporting so far this week.

While the move is largely due to the lack of assets the Lakers have and how few solutions to their weaknesses exist on the market, it could also signal the front office’s hesitance toward making a deal.

In a vacuum, there is logic to the idea. This is a transition year, the Lakers are not one move away from contending for a title and they will have more cap space and draft picks this summer to build a team around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

But we’re not operating in a vacuum, and the history of this front office — and specifically President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka — kicking the can down the road from transaction cycle to transaction cycle is at the forefront of fans’ minds. Obviously, the best answer is threading the needle by finding someone who can help now and in the future, like a Herb Jones.

However, this is where the Lakers run into the issue of not having enough assets to make a big swing. The Pelicans remain intent on multiple first round picks for Jones, something the Lakers can’t even offer.

What the Lakers can afford is spending a first round pick on a player like Naji Marshall, who the Mavs are holding out for a first round pick for. He would address a big need as a wing defender, but he comes at a steep price and would cost the team future flexibility this summer. He also has the same flaw so many other current Lakers do in an ability to knock down perimeter shots.

And therein lies the problem with so many players available. There is no perfect solution to the Lakers’ problems and no one they can afford that will push them over the hump.

The Lakers do have a handful of expiring contracts they could move in trades. But expiring contracts only have value in deals with long-term money, something the Lakers are still hesitant to take back.

Again, the argument can be that they should be interested in those deals, but they clearly aren’t. Restrictions placed on them by both the league as to what draft picks they can trade and by themselves as to what contracts they want back place them in a weird spot where they likely stand pat, yet again, at the deadline.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

On today’s episode, Ryan Eichten and Leo Sun take a look at the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 137-128 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade landscape, and much more:

— The Timberwolves four-game winning streak came to an end Monday night in another disappointing defensive performance. It was another example of the Wolves playing at a different level depending on who they are facing that night.

— The Timberwolves have enough talent and injury luck with that talent to finish as a top-three team in the Western Conference, but inconsistent play might prevent them from reaching their ceiling as a team.

— Julius Ranlde struggled to score efficiently as he put up 19 points on 5-14 shooting with Jaren Jackson Jr. providing the defensive resistance. Anthony Edwards scored 39 points, but like most of the Wolves’ roster, did not defend well enough for much of the game.

— On Thursday, the Wolves took down the Oklahoma City Thunder for the second time this season, leading the game from start to finish. The Wolves’ defense played with the right amount of physicality, while the offense rained down 3-pointers.

— Jaden McDaniels has been sensational for the Wolves of late inluding 29 points on 11-14 shooting in Monday’s loss to the Grizzlies. Naz Reid has also had an outstanding week, providing exactly what the Timberwolves needed off the bench.

— With Thursday’s trade deadline looming, all eyes turn to Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks. It is still to be seen if the Bucks decide to trade Giannis now or wait until the offseason, but the rumblings have been that the Wolves have been one of the most active in pursuit of the two-time MVP.

We are just a little over 48 hours from the trade deadline on Thursday at 3 PM EST, and the Hawks are rumored to be active in the market.

Already, the Hawks have turned Trae Young and Vit Krejci into CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert, Duop Reath, and two second rounders. But clearly, the decision-makers see an opportunity to try to set the franchise up for more success either in the short term or the long term (or ideally both).

The latest rumor is a somewhat shocking one — James Harden has begun working with the Los Angeles Clippers to find a new home. Even more unexpected is that there is some link with the Atlanta Hawks of all teams. Intel from Marc Stein and Jake L. Fischer of the Stein Line substack:

Sources say that Harden, through various stretches of this season, has also eyed Minnesota and Atlanta as teams that appeal to him as potential landing spots, but neither the Timberwolves nor the Hawks are expected to pursue such a deal. The Wolves have been focused intently on their pursuit of Antetokounmpo as the deadline draws near. The Hawks, meanwhile, only ever seemed to be a plausible trade partner when they had Trae Young on the roster. Young, of course, was dealt to Washington on Jan. 9 and the Clippers, for that matter, did not show interest in a Harden-for-Young exchange. Sources say Atlanta, for its part, has largely abandoned searching for aggressive moves in the wake of shipping Young to the Wizards … such as the Hawks’ well-chronicled pursuit earlier this season of Dallas’ Anthony Davis.

It’s possible that Harden no longer sees Atlanta as a possible destination like he reportedly did “through various stretches this season,” but with the Hawks not expected to pursue a trade here (and for reasons I outlined this morning), this sounds like much ado over nothing.

As for Anthony Davis, that link remains there — although his most recent hand injury complicates things. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype brought us info in this regard last week, as well as the Indiana Pacers’ possible pursuit of Onyeka Okongwu:

While trade talk surrounding Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis and the Atlanta Hawks has subsided following his hand injury, there’s other trade news surrounding Atlanta to discuss. 

Despite interest from the Indiana Pacers and other teams who’ve checked in on Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks have been resistant to moving their 25-year-old center, league sources told HoopsHype. Meanwhile, Atlanta has been open to adding frontcourt depth if the right fit presents itself. 

Okongwu has shown improved confidence in his 3-point shot and is one of only four centers who’ve made over two 3-pointers per game, along with Nikola Jokic (2.1), Myles Turner (2.2), and Naz Reid (2.4). As a starter, Okongwu has shown a growing all-around game, averaging 16.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks. 

Conversely, Kristaps Porzingis ($30.73 million) and Luke Kennard ($11 million) are considered potential trade candidates due to their expiring contracts leading up to the trade deadline, as discussed previously on HoopsHype. 

The Hawks also have nearly $7 million in room under the luxury tax and have signalled a willingness to help other teams duck the tax for second-round pick draft compensation, HoopsHype has learned. 

It’s worth noting that Atlanta still has a $13.1 million traded player exception from the Bogdan Bogdanovic trade, which can be utilized. In addition, Atlanta center N’Faly Dante suffered a season-ending torn ACL and has a non-guaranteed contract for next season, which makes him a potential cut candidate if Atlanta needs another roster spot at the trade deadline to complete a trade.

Should the Hawks chase James Harden? Could Okongwu be on the block? Please let us know in the comments.

Recall that, despite all the off-court noise, actual professional basketball is still being played (you can debate the quality, but the fact is they’re still being paid!) by the Milwaukee Bucks, who return home tonight to face the Chicago Bulls. The Bucks are actually up 2-0 in the season series, taking them down pretty convincingly in early November and late December (Giannis’ first game back from his initial calf injury). Of course, Milwaukee had Giannis suited up in both contests and will not tonight.

Where We’re At

You know what everyone is talking about regarding the Bucks, and it’s not exactly their current on-court product, which remains bad. They’ve lost eight of their last nine and enter the day on a five-game losing streak—three of those Ls have occurred since Giannis’ second calf injury. Myles Turner and Ryan Rollins have looked good at times after assuming command of the sinking ship, but the only things that will stop Milwaukee from taking on water start with a healthy Giannis and a Doc Rivers firing. Neither seems likely to happen in the coming weeks, and if the Bucks want a high lottery pick, maybe that’s not a bad thing in the short term.

Chicago is still doing their thing: toiling around just under .500 and at the back of the play-in race. It’s what the Bulls do. They’re coming off an odd scheduling quirk that had them face the Heat for three consecutive games, thanks to a rescheduling necessitated by damp court conditions at the United Center on January 8; Miami took two of the three, including a 43-point blowout on Sunday. The Bulls have see-sawed recently: a four-game win streak crested them above .500 for the first time since Thanksgiving, but dropping four of their ensuing five has them essentially right back where they started. The Miami “series” came without leading scorer Josh Giddey, who the Bucks won’t see tonight either.

Injury Report

Milwaukee remains without Giannis (calf strain) and Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique strain), both out indefinitely. Taurean Prince is still out, perhaps for the season, after neck surgery. They’re joined by Gary Harris, who will sit with a hamstring strain.

Chicago has a laundry list of injuries. The following Bulls are out: Zach Collins (toe sprain), Noah Essengue (shoulder surgery), Josh Giddey (hamstring strain), Tre Jones (ditto), and recently-acquired Dario Saric (hasn’t gotten in yet). Kevin Huerter (back spasms), Julian Phillips (wrist sprain), and Jalen Smith (calf injury management) are questionable.

Player To Watch

After a mid-January swoon, Ryan Rollins is back to normal with 66 points in his last three, to go with a beautiful .565/.615/.667 (just 6/9, though) shooting line. He’s also racked up 19 assists to just four turnovers in that span, with five steals. He had 20 in each of his other outings against Chicago this season, hitting some big shots and making a few key plays late to secure that December victory. Maybe he likes playing the Bulls? Watching him play is one of our few joys this year.

How To Watch

FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 7:00 p.m. CST.

The road trip continues, as the Jazz are welcomed by our fellow bottom-of-the-league dwellers in Indiana. Viewers have been warned: This game will contain a substantial amount of unethical tanking. Utah is slowly sinking into what they were always meant to become, currently sitting 13th in the West with a 15-35 record. Whilst our fellow tank connosiours in Indiana are slightly ahead (or behind?) with a 13-37 record, dead last in the Eastern Conference. The Jazz won the first meeting between the two teams back in November, previously covered by our gorgeous, handsome staff writer Kato Parina.

The Jazz are going to squeeze as much juice out of this Keyonte injury as they possibly can; he’s out yet again, along with Jusuf Nurkic and the rest of the regulars.

It’s almost a certainty that the Jazz are severely held back without Keyonte on the floor, falling to 0-3 when he’s absent. Isaiah Collier will likely receive the starting role once again if nothing changes, and we need to start seeing an impact. Of course, he’s not the type to lead an offense or turn into a dangerous scorer, but it’s hard to be a serviceable NBA role player if you can’t shoot the ball, make smart decisions and play with confidence. Though he’s a valuable transition facilitator and an unselfish player. But at what point does a player become too unselfish? Tonight’s Pacers are near the bottom of the NBA (24th) in conceding assists in mid-range, where Collier facilitates the majority of his offense. If Collier can set up his teammates while limiting mistakes in his aggressive, downhill style, that’s a job well done for me.

Now don’t be fooled by the Pacers’ measly record in 2026 — they’re still capable of winning games, backed by their Finals supporting cast. The team has struggled to establish a consistent rotation, with more players often on the injury report than in the lineup. Beyond the obvious catastrophic injury to Tyrese Haliburton, injuries throughout the season, including Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, and Andrew Nembhard, have disrupted chemistry.

If you needed to look out for one player, you’re going to find it in recently named 2026 NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam; ignoring the Eastern selections is a hilariously worse talent range than the Western Conference. He remains a reliable self-creator that can score in isolations, post mismatches and attack closeouts. The Jazz key: Don’t give him downhill angles. Make him operate sideways. His efficiency spikes when defenses give him space to build momentum — that’s when the spins, euro-steps, and foul-drawing come out like we’re all familiar with. The Jazz cannot allow themselves to get out-hustled, which has accounted for historically awful rebounding performances as we’ve this season. Just over a week ago, they allowed Miami to corral 26 offensive rebounds, resulting in 22 second-chance points. Pacers rank 21st in offensive rebounds, sitting at 10.7 a game — meaning it shouldn’t be too gigantic an issue for the Jazz to cover, but it greatly weakens the effectiveness of Siakam from the floor.

Injury Report

Jazz:

OUT – Keyonte George (left ankle sprain), Jusuf Nurkic (rest), Georges Niang (left foot, fourth metatarsal stress reaction), Walker Kessler (left shoulder surgery)

Pacers:

OUT – Obi Toppin (right foot stress fracture), Tyrese Haliburton (torn achilles)

How to watch:

Who: Utah Jazz (15-35) at Indiana Pacers (13-37)

When: February 3rd, 5:00PM Mountain Time

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Channel: Jazz+, KJZZ

Radio: 97.5/1280 The Zone

The Mavericks were 0-3 this past week but remain in 12th place in the West. They lost to Minnesota (118-105) and Charlotte (123-121) at home, then traveled to Houston, where they lost to the Rockets (111-107). Cooper Flagg led the team in scoring with 33 points per game. P.J. Washington suffered a concussion in Houston and will miss tonight’s game against Boston. Kyrie Irving (knee) and Anthony Davis (finger) remain out.   

Grade: B-

An 0-3 week may not usually warrant a solid grade, but Dallas played hard and had two incredible performances from Cooper Flagg in their last two losses. They were perfect games for the current state of the Mavericks: lose without lying down and get something inspiring from their top pick. 

The battle between Flagg and his college roommate, Kon Knueppel, was a sight to behold. Flagg was just one point shy of a 50-point game, while Knueppel hit eight threes and the game-winning free throws. It was a display of two young players poised beyond their years, dueling it out until the final seconds. Truly, the highlights from this game are worth the 15-minute watch:

The Mavericks showed similar fight against Houston and nearly pulled off a 3-1 series win against them this year. But, as was their downfall against Charlotte, they could not execute in the last few possessions. The loss to Minnesota is not even worth discussing; it was one of the more boring games Dallas has played this season. They have an exciting week upcoming, however, where they play Boston in Dallas tonight on NBC and have a home-and-home with the Spurs this weekend. If they can play as they have over the last few days, there should be a lot of fun basketball to be had.

Straight A’s: Cooper Flagg

It is remarkable how much Flagg has improved in such a short period of time. In his first 15 games, he averaged 15.5 points on 45.5 percent shooting. He started the season at point guard and, because of that, had a steep learning curve before he got his feet under him. Since he adjusted (i.e., the last 30 games), he has put up 21.9 points on 49.5 percent shooting. The game has slowed down for him in real time, and this culminated in back-to-back masterpieces this week, where he had 49 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday and 34 points and 12 rebounds on Saturday. The kid has got serious game.

Out of high school, he was a defensive prospect. Now, it’s his offense that wows crowds and gives fans a reason to dream about what he can be. He has lived up to the hype on the defensive end as well. The Mavericks, as bad as they have been, still hold a top-10 spot in defensive rating, and Flagg is the anchor of that. He is an awesome, fun rookie, but he is also a unicorn of an asset. Having a player this good on a rookie deal (which lasts four seasons) speeds up the timeline quite a bit and makes it imperative that they build a solid core around him as quickly as they can.

Currently Failing: Trade Value

The trade deadline is this Thursday, February 5. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Dallas’ phone lines are “wide open”. This reeks of desperation from the Mavericks, which is disappointing but not surprising. Dallas’ main trade pieces (Daniel Gafford, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson) have all had lackluster to mediocre seasons at best, and their best trade asset, Naji Marshall, seems to have a market value lower than the Mavericks’ asking price of a first-round pick. 

It is not a good situation to be in. Dallas is a non-contender and a second apron team, an impossible combination of death sentences. As previously stated, with how good Flagg is already, increasing financial flexibility as soon as they can manage it is paramount. This starts with trading away their older players for expiring contracts and/or draft capital. If Dallas is unable to do this by Thursday’s deadline, it will be the second consecutive February of incompetence by the organization and could set them back more than they already are.

Extra Credit: Jason Kidd

Coach Kidd is not known for his demonstrative nature. In fact, he is notorious for his lack of emotion during games and in post-game press conferences. That’s why the internet went berserk when he lashed out after being asked about national criticism for playing Cooper Flagg at point guard:

This was refreshing to watch. I want my coach to stand up for himself and the players. I want Kidd to yell at referees. I want him to show that he cares. To this point, we have gotten virtually nothing of the sort. Whether you agree with fellow Mavs Moneyball staffer Brent Brooks and think Kidd has nothing to lose, or you have your tin foil hat on about the timing of the incident, this is a net good. I do not want the version of Kidd that says he’s “watching just like the rest” of us. I want this version who is passionate and fiery and defends his decisions, rather than leaving them up for interpretation. Plus, “I know what the f*** I’m doing” is great on a quote card.

The Mavericks are trying to scrape together some rhythm amid a four-game slide, hosting a Celtics team that’s found theirs. Boston enters 26–11 over their last 37 games with a plus-nine net rating, even while navigating their own key absences. What they haven’t lost is identity — relentless three-point volume, layers of guard play, and enough length inside to clean up misses. Dallas, meanwhile, is working with a skeleton crew in the paint and leaning more on Cooper Flagg every week. Can he carry the Mavs to a win or cover?

Let’s scan the lines in search of value.

🏀 Fixture:
Boston Celtics (31–18, 14–10 Away)
@ Dallas Mavericks (19–30, 11–12 Home)
📍 American Airlines Center — Dallas, TX
🕢 7:00 PM CST, February 3
📺 NBC Sports, Peacock, KFAA

💰 DraftKings Odds (as of 6:35 AM CST):
Spread: BOS −7.5 (−105) | DAL +7.5 (−115)
Total: 221.5 (O −115 / U −105)
Moneyline: BOS −270 | DAL +220

🎲 Game Side Pick: Celtics −7.5

The Mavericks will need to win the math battle with rim pressure, transition, and a few hot hands from midrange. The problem? Boston shoots over 42 threes a game, ranks third in percentage, and won’t stop shooting even if they start cold.

Jaylen Brown has been cooking (29.4 PPG), but it’s the middle of Boston’s rotation — Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons, Neemias Queta—that keeps their machine rolling. If Dallas can’t generate turnovers or limit second chances, the game starts tilting early on and may not recover.

It’s enough for a lean.

📊 Player Prop: Cooper Flagg over 20.5 points (−122)

Flagg’s recent line against Charlotte wasn’t just 49 points — it was a message: he knows it’s his team now. Even more impressive? His 34 on the road in Houston against their defensive talent. Flagg will deploy a mix of post-ups, cuts, and self-created looks that Boston can’t fully erase, even with their elite wing defense.

With usage stable and minutes north of 36 in close games, Flagg has room to hit this without needing to shoot the lights out. Role meets rhythm—not flashy, but solid.

📊 Player Prop: Neemias Queta over 8.5 rebounds (−131)

Queta’s quietly become a reliable rebounder in extended minutes. The Celtics’ barrage from three-point range creates long rebound opportunities, and Dallas isn’t fielding much resistance on the interior right now.

He pulled 8 in 31 minutes vs. Milwaukee, and 15 the game before that vs the Kings. If he stays on the floor, he clears. It’s a volume spot, and the matchup says go.

The Philadelphia 76ers have a chance to notch their first five-game win streak of the 2025-26 season on Tuesday night when they face the Golden State Warriors.

The Sixers opened this back-to-back last night, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers (sans James Harden) thanks in no small part to a career-night from Dominick Barlow. The hero of the evening posted a career-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting along with 16 rebounds and two steals. Alright then, Dom.

The Sixers have now strung together four victories in a row for the first time since starting the season 4-0. Yes, tonight is unfortunately another 10 p.m. ET tipoff. It’s also another back-to-back for Philadelphia, their 10th of the season. For what it’s worth, the Sixers are 6-3 so far this year on zero days rest.

This game is going to offer a golden (pun intended) opportunity to keep momentum in Philadelphia’s favor, too, with the Warriors coming into Tuesday’s contest without their biggest stars. Steph Curry, who really needs no introduction at this point in his career, leads Golden State averaging 27.2 points (shooting 39.1% from long range on a 11.5 attempt per game clip in 39 games this season) but will be sidelined for this one due to knee soreness. Jimmy Butler, the team’s second-highest scorer posting 20.0 points per contest across 38 games, is out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL back in mid-January.

Jonathan Kuminga, Seth Curry and LJ Cryer are also all out for the Warriors. Moses Moody is probable with left knee soreness.

This being the second leg of a back-to-back and a West Coast time zone game, the official injury report for Philadelphia will not be available until later today. The Sixers’ only absence on Monday was Paul George, out for another 23 games after being suspended for violating the league’s drug policy. Joel Embiid did play last night against the Clippers, posting 24 points. Embiid has not played a game on zero days rest all season, so one would expect him to be unavailable for Tuesday night’s contest.

We will bring you official availability information when it’s released.

Regardless, this is the perfect chance for the Sixers to keep momentum on their side, even on a West Coast road trip, a situation that can sometimes just be a matter of survival until you can get back home. The Warriors without Steph Curry are simply not the Warriors. The squad’s offensive rating goes from 119.3 with Steph down to 104.9 with him sidelined. He is responsible for 21.4% percent of the team’s total made triples the entire season despite having only played in 39 of 50 possible games. Curry has sunk 175 threes this campaign, with the next highest Warrior being Moses Moody with 112.

And, to be fair, even with Curry the Warriors have been a bit shaky this season to say the least. They currently sit in eighth in the Western Conference at 27-23 and have lost four of their last six games.

The only other meeting the Sixers have had with the Warriors this season, back on Dec. 4, 2025, ended in dramatic fashion with rookie VJ Edgecombe hitting the go-ahead shot down one end and Tyrese Maxey coming up with a huge block on De’Anthony Melton down the other end as time expired. The Sixers won 99-98. Curry was absent for that contest as well.

Back to tonight. Even if it is the second leg of a back-to-back for the Sixers, anything other than a victory on Tuesday night would mean a wasted opportunity.

The Sixers and Warriors tip off at 10 p.m. ET (sorry).

Game Details

When: Tuesday, February 3, 10:00 p.m. ET
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

The Los Angeles Lakers aim to end an eight-game road trip on a high note, but the Brooklyn Nets, and more specifically, Michael Porter Jr., stand in their way.

Brooklyn’s standout forward is the lone threat on this roster, averaging almost 26 points in his first season in NYC. 

My Lakers vs. Nets predictions call for L.A. to put the clamps on MPJ and force the rest of Brooklyn’s role players to step up.

Here are my best NBA picks for Tuesday, February 3.

Lakers vs Nets prediction

Lakers vs Nets best bet: Michael Porter Jr. Under 24.5 Points (-110)

Michael Porter Jr. closed out January with a red-hot run, scoring 30 or more points in three of his past four appearances. 

However, the versatile forward was forced to leave the team due to a death in the family, missing the past two games. Porter hasn’t played since facing the Nuggets on January 29, when he dropped 38 points on his former team. 

Porter has battled inconsistency throughout his career, as showcased by an up-and-down January. He’s followed big offensive efforts with poor shooting displays in the next game, and he’ll quickly need to shift gears after being off the court for five days.

The Brooklyn Nets struggle to score without him in the lineup (missing 12.3 points per 100 possessions), so expect the Los Angeles Lakers defense to focus on frustrating MPJ. 

The Lakers have some longer athletic forwards to throw at him on the perimeter and are among the best teams in the NBA at defending screens, which is a vital play set for Porter’s success. Los Angeles also does a solid job keeping foes from the offensive glass, where MPJ does damage, and limits second-chance looks at the hoop.

Porter’s projections vary, with some calling for 27 points. But most models top out below his scoring prop, with my number just flirting with 23 points. That should have the Under 24.5 priced around -150.

Lakers vs Nets same-game parlay

The Lakers can’t seem to get over the hump against good teams, so they need to win big against bums like Brooklyn.

Porter has been away for five days, and projections call for around 22 points tonight.

LeBron James has dished out six assists in each of his past two games and averages 6.6 dimes on the season.

Lakers vs Nets SGP

• Los Angeles Lakers -8.5
• Michael Porter Jr. Under 24.5 points
• LeBron James Over 5.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: End of the Road

The last thing the Lakers want for this road trip finale is for this to turn into a track meet. Brooklyn plays one of the slower paces in the NBA, which will limit Luka Doncic's output, with projections for him landing south of his scoring prop.

Lakers vs Nets SGP

• Los Angeles Lakers -8.5
• Michael Porter Jr. Under 24.5 points
• LeBron James Over 5.5 assists
• Luka Doncic Under 32.5 points

Lakers vs Nets odds

• Spread: Lakers -8.5 | Nets +8.5
• Moneyline: Lakers -360 | Nets +280
• Over/Under: Over 223 | Under 223

Lakers vs Nets betting trend to know

The Nets are 4-15 SU and 8-10-1 ATS versus Western Conference competition, including 2-6 SU and 3-5 ATS in non-conference home games this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Nets.

How to watch Lakers vs Nets

Lakers vs Nets latest injuries

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