Category: Basketball

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Brooklyn Nets demolished again, this time by L.A. Clippers, 126-89

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

At first, it was just a bad start. It quickly grew worse. And by the time Kawhi Leonard jogged into a pull-up three, extending the lead to 47-14 and forcing Jordi Fernández to call another timeout, it was officially ugly. The Los Angeles Clippers had dogged the Brooklyn Nets in less than 15 minutes of game-time, and the next three-ish quarters would be simply cosmetic for the Clippers, a botched botox for the Nets.

The Nets never let it get quite as bad as their 54-point loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday, nor their franchise-worst 59-point loss to these Clippers about a year ago. But when you’re trailing by nearly 40 points in the first half, it feels about the same…

If the Nets hadn’t been blown out by the Knicks earlier this week, they could have used the injury excuse, as feeble as it would be. Noah Clowney (back soreness), Cam Thomas (ankle sprain), and Nolan Traore (illness) all missed this one; Terance Mann was re-inserted into the starting lineup and Ben Saraf saw his first NBA action since December 6.

But Brooklyn shot 20% from the field in the first quarter, trailing 38-14 after 12 minutes of play, quickly destroying any hope that Friday’s resilient performance against the Boston Celtics was a sign of things to come. The Nets had their issues in that game too — notably their crunch-time defense — but they took a formidable opponent right down to the wire. With a career-best night from rookie Nolan Traore (21 points), it was just about the perfect loss in a tanking season.

Sunday’s night’s loss to the Clippers just stunk. Ben Saraf scored six points with four turnovers, Drake Powell put up five points and four turnovers, and Danny Wolf shot 3-of-13, inventing new ways to miss layups. Egor Dëmin shot just 3-of-11, but he did hit three straight 3-pointers while getting fouled on another in the third quarter, giving the Nets fans bored enough to keep the game on for that long something to hold onto.

Not that the veterans did much better. In fact, Wolf and Dëmin were the only Nets to reach double-digits; the team shot 33.7% from the floor and a grotesque 20.9% from deep. However, all 12 Nets played and all 12 scored, including a triple from E.J. Liddell, so that’s something? The highlight of the game may have been Terance Mann getting a technical foul on Dëmin’s behalf…

Conversely, the Clippers shot 56.4% from the floor, including a tidy 12-of-25 from three. Like the Nets, all 12 of their guys scored, led by 28 points from Kawhi and 19 from James Harden.

“It’s part of life and part of learning and part of finding the next Nets,” said Jordi Fernández. “Because we know and believe that we have the right vision here of doing what we want to do and being successful as an organization with great ownership and management. And we’re obviously going to need the right pieces on the floor, the play-and-compete is a certain standard. And right now, out of three games, one out of three as far as being competitive is not good enough.”

Chris Carrino and Sarah Kustok did a much better job at filling space than I’m doing with the rest of this article, discussing the impending Super Bowl matchup and Kerry Kittles’ career. Carrino even closed with positivity, noting that Brooklyn shot 22-of-25 from the line in the formidable Intuit Dome, dropping a gem: “The Whammy beats The Wall.”

Fernández was not so cheerful in postgame: “I brought this up before: You can lose, and you can be a loser. For 18 minutes we lost, and we’re competitive. And for 30, we’re losers. So we have to decide what we want to be and who we want to be.”

The NBA has not yet announced the date of the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery.

Final Score: Los Angeles Clippers126, Brooklyn Nets 89

Milestone Watch

Nothing to see here. Move along.

Next Up

<p>Christian Petersen/Getty Images</p><br>

The Nets continue their five-game road trip by paying a visit to old friend and Coach of the Year candidate Jordan Ott. Tip-off against the Phoenix Suns is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET.

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Game Recap: Suns fall once again to Miami, 111-102

It was a frustrating loss for Phoenix, beaten 111-102 by Miami in a game where the Suns never really found their rhythm. Jaime Jaquez (20 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists) punished a too-permissive defense, while Brooks (26 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) was one of the few offensive engines for Phoenix on an otherwise rough night.

The Suns lost the rebounding battle (59-56), had their shooting touch stay in the locker room (37% from the field, 20% from three, 80% from the line), and killed their own chances by committing 24 fouls. A perfect cocktail for spending the night chasing the score without ever truly threatening Miami.

Game Flow

First Half

A fairly tight start to the game that we could have largely avoided with a bit more focus and execution as the team had 4 turnovers in the first 3 minutes (7-7). Spoelstra calls the first timeout after nearly 6 minutes of play (13-15 in our favor). The tendencies of both teams are confirmed: the Suns shoot boldly from three, while the Heat attack aggressively in the short mid-range and in the paint.

After this timeout, Miami adjusts well: more defensive intensity and more presence on the offensive glass, snagging 5 offensive rebounds and 8 second-chance points. The Suns’ offense starts to stall, and the lack of rebounding forces Jordan Ott to call a timeout with 4 minutes left in the quarter. But the Heat keep pushing where it hurts and go on a 17-2 run since Spoelstra’s first timeout, with 2 minutes still left in the quarter.

Result: 32-21 for the Heat after 12 minutes. The Suns clearly were not in their game: 5 turnovers, 15 rebounds conceded, and already 10 fouls committed…way too much. They needed to shift gears and wake up, because the face they’ve displayed was far from pretty.

Phoenix was much better in the second quarter: more aggressive on the boards (5 to 1 in 3 minutes), which allowed them to cut the deficit to 4 points (38-34). The momentum gradually flips: Phoenix ramps up the intensity, goes on a 19-8 run and ties the game (40-40, 7 minutes before halftime).

The Suns even take the lead at the free-throw line (42-44), fueled by collective aggressiveness, much stronger defense — Miami goes 4 minutes without a field goal — and a very impactful stint from Livers (4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 stocks).

But at halftime, the Heat have almost regained a 10-point lead, and it makes sense. The Phoenix offensive flow was simply terrible as they were shooting from anywhere, at any time. Hard to expect better with a 2-of-19 from three, and nearly half of their shots taken more than a meter behind the arc. Where were they even trying to go with this?

Second Half

The start of the second half looked eerily similar to the beginning of the game: too many missed shots, too many poor offensive decisions. The Suns were a bit more present on the boards, but were still committing way too many fouls. Result: 67-56 after four minutes, and Jordan Ott is already forced to call a timeout.

It’s frustrating because the team is clearly capable of much better, but the upside of this team is that it never quits. A small 9-0 run forces Spoelstra to call a timeout in response: when the aggressiveness is there, and Phoenix attacked the easy spots, everything becomes much simpler.

The gap stabilizes around five points (78-73, 2 minutes left in the third quarter), and Livers’ energy is doing a lot of good. But if the Suns wanted to finally take the lead, they had to stop fouling: we’re already giving up 22 points at the line.

The quarter ends with the Heat up 82-77. We can thank Isaiah Livers’ prayer three-pointer for keeping Phoenix within striking distance heading into the final act of the night.

The fourth quarter starts poorly, and the punishment is immediate: down 12 (89-77). It’s almost logical in the end. The Suns’ offensive flow is simply horrible. It’s hard to say, but there’s no other word. With 10 minutes left, they were shooting 36% from the field, 21% from three, 79% from the line. Add to that an assist-to-turnover ratio close to even, and you get maybe one of their worst offensive performances of the season.

I’m not usually pessimistic, but down 15 with 7 minutes to go, given the flow of the game, it’s hard to see a scenario where Phoenix could actually take the lead. Coming back, sure. Taking the lead? I doubt it. They never managed to capitalize when we had the chance.

Jaime Jaquez has been hurting them since the end of the third quarter. He’s already at 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists: the Heat’s sixth man is finding easy shots, playing the right way, and getting rewarded. That’s exactly what Phoenix should be taking inspiration from if we don’t want to suffer through this closing stretch.

107-94 with 3 minutes left. The Suns try to make a push, but it feels too late. Classic basketball irony: it’s when there’s no pressure left that we start playing simply, attacking the right spots, sharing the ball. This loss is going to be frustrating.

Fleming and Maluach check into the game: time to prove something. Do what you have to do to earn credit. Hayes-Davis, Bouyea, and Dunn are also on the floor. They know, I know, you know: see you against Brooklyn in two days. Final score: 111-102.

Up Next

After this very frustrating loss, the Suns will try to bounce back against the Nets in two days, a home game where we should normally be favored. But in the NBA, you never really know what to expect (tonight’s game was proof of that).

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Lakers vs. Bulls preview: Road trip heads East

The Lakers (27-17) look to build off their recent victory in Dallas where they will take on the Bulls (23-22), who are also coming off an impressive win. This is the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Chicago Bulls

When: 5 p.m. PT, Jan. 26

Where: United Center

Watch: Spectrum SportsNet

For the first time in this current road trip, the Lakers didn’t allow themselves to go down by double figures before halftime against the Mavericks. Instead, they put on a terrific two-way performance to begin the game and while they may have lost the lead in the third quarter, they staged a comeback to come away victorious. It was a different script this time, but one that perfectly encapsulates this team.

It’s uncertain how much longer this Lakers team can keep relying on comeback victories to save them but hey, if it’s working and leading to wins right now, then maybe they’re never going to change. After all, the purple and gold are now 14-2 in clutch games, which still ranks first in the league. This should once again be tested against the Bulls, who are also one of the best clutch teams in the association.

In fact, the Bulls are coming off an impressive clutch victory against the Boston Celtics and have now won four straight games. They also recently beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and L.A. Clippers. They average 117.9 points per game, which ranks seventh in the league. Their offense is what propels them to victory because, similar to the Lakers, their defense is below average.

Chicago may not have All-Stars on its team, but it has players who can play like one on any given night. Coby White is someone that Los Angeles may have a tough time with, as well as Matas Buzelis and Kevin Huerter, given their lack of perimeter defense. Chicago also has the likes of Josh Giddey and Nikola Vučević, who can impact the game when they want to. The Lakers’ defense — which has shown promise in spurts over the last three games — needs to be present in this one.

Note that the Bulls are the seventh-best 3-point shooting team in the league and are a very good rebounding team, qualities that the Lakers don’t possess. However, the Bulls don’t score and defend well inside the paint, so that’s where the Lakers can take advantage.

Will L.A. go with their small-ball lineup that spearheaded the comeback against the Mavericks last Saturday? Or will they go big and give Deandre Ayton — who had one of his worst games as a Laker on Saturday — the opportunity to bounce back? Whatever the case may be, the Lakers will need another good game from Luka Dončić because the Bulls don’t have an answer for him or for LeBron James.

The Lakers have been extremely up-and-down as of late. They haven’t won three straight games since Jan.7 but at least they’re performing better recently. This roadtrip has so far been good for them and if they keep it up, they’ll be able to avoid falling into the play-in category of the competitive Western Conference standings.

Now that they head east, let’s see if Los Angeles can keep their winning ways going.

Notes and Updates

  • The Lakers’ injury report has a new name on it in Jake LaRavia (left quad contusion) who is questionable.
  • As expected, Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) are listed as out.
  • For the Bulls, Tre Jones (left hamstring strain) is doubtful while Zach Collins (right toe sprain) and Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) are out.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

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Complacent Spurs outhustled by Pelicans, lose in Devin Vassell’s return

The Spurs suffered one of their worst losses of the season. Their thrilling comeback attempt shouldn’t eclipse the fact that they once again seemed to underestimate a less talented team that was a lot hungrier than they were. The Pelicans played with physicality, and their reward was a 104-95 gutsy road win that should have been impossible to pull off without San Antonio’s complicity.

It was an encouraging start for the Silver and Black. They seemed to have a sound defensive gameplan to defend Derik Queen by putting Stephon Castle on the playmaking big man, and they were executing well on offense on two-man actions with Victor Wembanyama and Castle, mostly because De’Aaron Fox was hitting his corner threes. The Spurs pushed the ball whenever they could and got Devin Vassell back off the bench to bolster their offense. Unfortunately, they just couldn’t get separation when they were at their best, and the second unit struggled mightily on defense. The Pelicans felt much more comfortable attacking Luke Kornet, who played a deep drop and didn’t have much help from the main defenders in pick-and-rolls. Through mostly hustle on defense and the offensive boards, New Orleans managed to only trail by three after one.

San Antonio’s offense looked stagnant at times in the opening frame, but things fell completely apart in the second. They didn’t score a single fastbreak point and had to go up against a surprisingly disciplined Pelicans half-court defense that didn’t give up many good looks. Had the Spurs managed to make it a defensive battle, they could have stayed in front or within a couple of possessions, but they had no answers for Zion Williamson, who scored 10 points and dished out three assists in the quarter, taking defenders off the dribble and challenging Wembanyama inside as a roll man. The offensive boards kept going New Orleans’ way and the Silver and Black couldn’t match the energy of their opponent. There was a sense of frustration that resulted in Fox getting a technical at the end of the half, which finished with the visitors up nine.

The Pelicans missed the technical free throw after the break, but it didn’t take long for them to reach a double-digit lead in spite of it. It was a completely disastrous start to the half for the Spurs, which played with little physicality and urgency and made inexplicable mistakes on both ends. Mitch Johnson sat his entire starting lineup arguably a timeout too late, and San Antonio found some life, especially through the play of their two rookies. With Williamson resting and the momentum on their side, the Silver and Black chipped away at a lead that had reached 20 at one point and seemed insurmountable given the way the team was playing. Several names stepped up to get the team back in it by using their opponent’s recipe: just play harder. Heading into the final frame, New Orleans was still up 14, but there was hope of a comeback.

The problem with digging yourself a hole and trying to climb out of it is that it drains the energy needed to fight once you get back up. The Spurs played with inspiring physicality and intensity for long enough to not only catch the Pelicans but take the lead. Then they just ran out of juice. Some questionable coaching decisions didn’t help, but it’s likely San Antonio reverted to relying on threes instead of pushing the pace and attacking the rim at every opportunity because the ones that made the comeback attempt possible were exhausted, and the ones who sat during it were out of rhythm. New Orleans deserves all the credit for always continuing to play, relying on hustle and aggressiveness when the execution wasn’t there, and for pulling off a completely deserved win against an opponent that likely didn’t take them seriously, but hopefully learned its lesson.

Game notes

  • Is this loss the end of the world for the Spurs? A reason to panic? It depends on how you see them. If they are a young team overachieving during a developmental year, it’s not a big deal. If you think they are a dark-horse contender, the trend of being outhustled by physical teams and the questionable coaching decisions are definitely concerning. Choose your own adventure.
  • Victor Wembanyama had 16 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks. The three wasn’t there, plus he missed several free throws, so the offense is nothing to worry about. While he had amazing plays on defense, he was late on rotations, especially in the fourth, and looked a step too slow. It’s probably a lack of familiarity with the scheme, combined with having to cover too much ground, but Wemby has looked mortal on defense at times lately.
  • Devin Vassell’s return was a bright spot. He looked understandably rusty at times, but he hit some shots and was up to the challenge to play against a physical team. He also learned the lesson. “You don’t want to be a team that’s looked at as being soft,” he said postgame.
  • It’s incredibly tempting to put the loss on Stephon Castle. The team went on a run with him on the bench and crumbled with him on the floor, especially on offense, in the second half. But why was he out there to close when Harper and Fox had both been better on that end? It likely wouldn’t have made a difference, but Mitch Johnson should probably gone with the guys that got the game close in the first place to try to get the win.
  • We recently discussed whether Carter Bryant should continue to get playing time with Vassell back. He earned his eight minutes on Sunday by knocking down shots and playing fearlessly. He should be someone the coaching staff always looks to throw on the floor when the team lacks energy.
  • The Spurs missed 32 of their 44 three-point attempts and 13 of their 32 free throws. Had they hit shots, especially the timely ones, they might have stolen the win despite being outscored by 24 in the paint and allowing 26 second-chance points off 19 Pelicans offensive rebounds.

Play of the game

A fan won $10,000 by making a half-court three off the shot clock, so it wasn’t all bad on Sunday.

Next game: at Houston Rockets on Wednesday

The Spurs will have time to marinate in this loss before heading to Houston to face a direct rival for seeding.

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A well-oiled Warriors machine dominates the Timberwolves

With the Golden State Warriors maintaining a nine-point over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Warriors were sauntering into their after-timeout (ATO) play with Stephen Curry bringing the ball up the floor and Quinten Post trailing close behind him. De’Anthony Melton lifts toward the wing in order to receive the pass from Curry; Melton then immediately dishes the ball to Post at the top of the arc. Meanwhile, Curry relocates to the opposite wing via a “shallow” cut.

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While the top action is developing, there is another layer of action happening underneath the rim, in the form of Gui Santos receiving a cross-screen from Will Richard:

The purpose of this auxiliary action soon comes to light. With Richard setting the screen, Santos lifts up to set a ball screen for Curry. The screen has the distinct purpose of creating confusion below in order to create confusion up top. Naz Reid insists on fighting over the screen to stay on Santos. Reid also expects the cross-screen to be a maneuver intended to get Santos the ball on the right block; therefore, he stops just short of the right block. However, Santos does no such thing:

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With Reid instead forced to guard the ball-screen action for Curry up top, the Wolves default into sending two on the ball against Curry, with the right corner unoccupied and whole side for Curry and Santos to work with. As expected, Curry dishes the ball to the rolling Santos, who sees only Anthony Edwards — the low man — in his path. Edwards steps up to help on the roll, but falls victim to a nifty up-fake by Santos, who gets an open layup for his effort:

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By his standards, Curry had a subpar shooting game: 26 points on 7-of-18 shooting (3-of-10 on threes). He managed to add seven assists, tallied four steals, and still managed to put up a decent true shooting mark of 59.2 percent. The Warriors outscored the Wolves by 16 points in Curry’s 27 minutes and 38 seconds of time on the floor.

Curry did his job despite the less-than-gaudy shooting splits. But he was greatly helped by the supporting cast surrounding him. Santos made an impression on his roll during the possession above, but he had his greatest impact with Curry off the floor, along with a second-unit squad that rotated between the likes of De’Anthony Melton, Al Horford, Quinten Post, Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski, and Will Richard.

Amazingly, the different configurations of the non-Steph crew managed to generate sufficient offense to get them by without their sole remaining offensive fulcrum (and without their other offensive fulcrum, out for the season due to an unfortunate ACL tear).

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Podziemski’s downhill momentum and paint touch, preceded by a Melton slot cut and a dribble handoff by Post, collapses the Wolves’ defense toward the drive. Reid helps off of the corner, with Bones Hyland being the remaining defender guarding the “two-side” (i.e., the side of the floor with two offensive players occupying the corner and the wing). Hield’s lift draws Hyland toward him, with Santos left open. Podziemski promptly kicks out to create the open corner look.

The flow that the non-Curry contingent was able to muster was a sight for sore eyes, even while the Warriors managed to blend complexity with simplicity. The Melton-Horford duo, in particular, stood out with regard to their tandem and chemistry in pick-and-roll action.

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The initial Melton-Horford screening action doesn’t generate an overt advantage — but it does help in what happens down the line. Julius Randle is forced to switch onto Melton, who stays put in the right corner after giving up possession (and making Randle the “tag” man in a pick-and-roll situation). A Hield-Horford pick-and-roll lures Randle away from Melton in an attempt to tag the rolling Horford, who promptly kicks the ball out toward the open Melton for the three.

Other instances of the Melton-Horford pick-and-roll were more simpler outcomes born out of simple process:

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Horford coaxes Donte DiVincenzo to switch onto him after the screen and promptly slips toward the rim to take advantage of DiVincenzo’s top-side position. Edwards attempts to bump DiVincenzo off of Horford via a “scram” switch, but Edwards is still considerably smaller than Horford. In the end, the switch does little to alleviate the predicament, with Melton finding Horford on the entry pass and Horford immediately going up for the layup without much trouble.

With a defense that was humming in almost every regard — they forced the Wolves into 25 turnovers (a turnover percentage of) with 25 points scored off of those turnovers — the Warriors headed into the game visibly prepared to execute the defensive gameplan, with the effort and tenacity to boot. Despite a Wolves squad that may have been affected by the tragic events that occurred the previous day, the Warriors were purely business-minded in their approach.

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With Moses Moody unable to get through DiVincenzo’s screen, Draymond Green steps up to meet Edwards around the handoff. His sudden switch and jump toward Edwards forces the Wolves superstar to pass the ball immediately toward Rudy Gobert. But with Podziemski having switched onto Gobert, the pass is deflected and ultimately intercepted, with Gobert committing a foul to add insult to injury.

This, along with other crisp defensive possessions, contributed to a night in which the Warriors kept the Wolves to 83.3 points per 100 possessions — their worst offensive game of the season — while simultaneously notching their second-best defensive game of the season in terms of points allowed per 100 possessions. With Melton and Horford reportedly (and expectedly) being held out for the rematch tomorrow night — and Curry’s status also up in the air — it was paramount that the Warriors would at least come out of this unexpected back-to-back slate with at least one win. Mission accomplished, although a win tomorrow night would be a nifty bonus.

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Monday's Time Schedule

All Times EST

Monday, Jan. 26

NBA

Indiana at Atlanta, 1:30 p.m.

Philadelphia at Charlotte, 3 p.m.

Orlando at Cleveland, 7 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Memphis at Houston, 8 p.m.

Portland at Boston, 8 p.m.

Golden State at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m.

NHL

Boston at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

Los Angeles at Columbus, 7 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Utah at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Anaheim at Edmonton, 8:30 p.m.

T25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 1 Arizona at No. 13 BYU, 9 p.m.

No. 5 Duke vs. No. 23 Louisville, 7 p.m.

T25 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 6 LSU vs. Florida, 8 p.m.

No. 17 Tennessee at No. 18 Mississippi, 4 p.m.

No. 25 Washington vs. Rutgers, 3 p.m.

_____

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Late game execution earns the Raptors another win

For the fifth and final game of their road-trip, the Toronto Raptors faced the Oklahoma City Thunder, clinching their fourth-straight victory, to the tune of 103-101. This was the first of their two contests this season, but Oklahoma City hasn’t lost at home to Toronto since 2022, a streak that the Raptors have now finally been able to break.

This matchup was tight from start to finish, with neither team able to build much of a lead. Ultimately the late-game defensive heroics of Scottie Barnes secured the win for the Raptors.  

After a phenomenally strong start to the season (24-1) the Thunder have slowed down significantly, going 13-8 in the games that followed. Like many other teams at this stage of the season, they are battling injuries, missing Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, and Isaiah Hartenstein among others from their lineup. Despite being shorthanded, the Thunder put on another performance to be expected of the reigning NBA champions from top to bottom. 

Headlined by the dynamic performance of Canadians Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, their defence, ball movement, and shooting helped pave the way for their whole lineup. As a Canadian, it’s fun to watch them play well… except against Toronto… Shai finished with 24-3-6 with a steal and a pair of blocks while Dort had 19-8-2 along with two steals. Kenrich Williams and Aaron Wiggins also had strong performances off the bench. 

Across the court, Toronto’s controlled ball movement was crucial for them from start to finish. Only 2 turnovers in the first half that didn’t lead to a single point for the Thunder was a key to this game. It wasn’t for lack of passing though, with many of their assists occurring in transition or tight to the basket through the defence. Their placement and execution were instrumental, highlighting the Raptors’ continued developing chemistry.

It was another all-around effort from the Raptors with six players in double figures. Immanuel Quickley had another excellent road performance with a 23-point, 11-rebound double-double while shooting 6-10 from long range. Scottie had another almost triple double with 10-10-8. His biggest contributions were defensive though, as he continues to make a case for defensive player of the year. He added a steal and three blocks to his growing defensive numbers, with a level of intensity in the stretch that sealed the game’s outcome for Toronto. Shooting only 3-8 would be enough to deflate many players, but there was no dip in effort for him and it paid off.

IQ came out strong from the opening minutes of the game. He scored an early 9 points in only 6 minutes of action, along with a pair of rebounds due to his aggressive energy on the defensive boards. His scoring was crucial for the Raps as no one else was able to really get much going. 

Ingram struggled against Chet Holmgren’s length, managing to shoot only 2-7 from the field while looking a little uncomfortable throughout the first. Despite shooting only 39% from the field collectively in the quarter, the Raptors were down only 5 points. 

Toronto settled in to start the second, utilizing a combination of high screen and rolls and drop-off passes at the rim to catch up and periodically lead in a back-and-forth with the Thunder. Ingram was able to operate more easily in the absence of Holmgren, cashing in 6 points quickly. 

The Thunder were able to get ahead with their superior 3-point shooting led by Lu Dort and Isaiah Joe. Toronto’s ball movement and transition play allowed them to outscore OKC by 9 in the frame to hold a 54-50 lead on the way into the locker room.  

The Raptors were able to sustain their lead for much of the third quarter, held onto with solid defence. The help was active and they were able to get extra deflections and touches on the ball that denied Oklahoma City opportunities. Scottie continued to struggle from the field, but even more so with the whistle. Committing his fourth foul sent him on the bench, while OKC lost Jaylin Williams for the remainder of the game after a tough fall while trying to draw a charge. 

Shai began to look for his own shot now, with Walter and Shead both struggling to contain him. Toronto worked to find a solution for the zone defence the Thunder showed intermittently but were able to stay within a possession by the close of the quarter.

In the final frame it took only a couple minutes for Scottie to earn his fifth foul and return to the bench. In his absence, the bench was able to keep them in the game with Dick, Shead, and Walter all contributing. 

Walter continued to evolve in his assignment of Shai, fighting to deny him the ball on every possession. The Raptors worked hard, doubling him at times to try and force what was left of OKC’s bench to make shots. In the final minutes, they relied on IQ to make a pair of big 3-pointers from the same spot in back to back possessions. 

As with much of the season, their late-game execution was solid, holding a single-possession lead with half a minute left in the game. A massive block by Scottie earned Toronto the ball back, and after Shead missed a pair of free-throws, he came up big again to tip the rebound out where they retained possession of the ball and IQ could convert the free-throws. They let the last few seconds run out, played disciplined defence to avoid fouling, and walked off the floor with another win. 

Next, the Raptors will return home to face another tough competitor in the New York Knicks, hoping to keep their win streak alive. They will have an extra day to rest and help with lingering injuries to the lineup. Tune in Wednesday at 7:30pm on Sportsnet.

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San Antonio vs. New Orleans, Final Score: Spurs stunned by late Pelicans run, 95-104

Carter Bryant did well in his limited third quarter minutes

Despite a comeback attempt that spanned much of the fourth quarter, San Antonio was ultimately waylaid by one of its worst shooting efforts of the new year. The Pelicans also showcased superior mettle and execution to go ahead by as much as 20 before holding on for the road win. Despite getting 17 early free throws, San Antonio converted only 10 of them, and finished 19-for-32, including four straight bricks in the closing moments. New Orleans created countless second chances, getting to more 50/50 balls and securing offensive rebounds, and overpowered the Spurs with their physicality and defensive pressure in the process.

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (16 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks) struggled with the brute force of his Pelicans’ counterparts, while receiving spirited efforts off the bench from Devin Vassell (13 points) and Keldon Johnson 15 points).

The Pelicans were led by identical statlines from Zion Williamson (24 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists) and Saddiq Bey (24 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists)). Trey Murphy III (12 points and 7 assists) and Yves Missi (10 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks) when it mattered to help New Orleans get and keep a strangehold on the game.

The teams struggled through a roughshod first quarter, where New Orlean’s Bey put up almost half of his team’s points, and outside of Fox’s couple of buckets, the heavily-favored Spurs could not create any real separation. Guards Dylan Harper and Vassell hit back-to-back transition baskets to make it a 3-point game. Highly-coveted trade target Murphy III and rookie Fears supplied the bulk of the offense for New Orleans. Despite getting outplayed for much of the first, San Antonio still led 28-25.

San Antonio continued to see a lot of shots meekly fall off the trip to start the second. The Pelicans capitalized on the offensive ineptitude with two Jose Alvarado triples and a monstrous Williamson dunk. The Spurs struggled to find any flow offensively despite re-taking the lead for a few moments, and behind Williamson’s power and Fears’ daring, New Orleans took command of the sloppy game. Williamson’s and-1 put the Pelicans ahead by nine at the break.

Emboldened by that first half, Williamson continued to wreak havoc on Wembanyama as the primary defender and the Spurs with two lay-ups. The Pelican’s 16-6 run put them up 19 rather quickly and San Antonio went to their bench for most of the remaining minutes in the frame. The Spurs could not knock down shots to make it a single-digit game.

Observations

  • The Pelicans broadcast made it seem like there were eight Spurs out there against them.
  • The 31-14 record makes me think of the 2002-2003 ‘ahead of their time’ campaign.
  • I haven’t looked at the shot chart, but there’s particular spots where Fox’s three-ball looks more solid (left wing being one)
  • It’s either going to be “Devin Vassell!!!!“ or “DEVIN VASSELL!?!!!@#$!@#%” tonight
  • Too many “settling-for-this-three 3’s” for Wembanyama.
  • When did this version of Bey materialize?
  • Late in the third quarter, Harper couldn’t convert a contested layup, but then trailed the play for nearly 15 seconds. Not okay.
  • Slow and Steady Sequence of the Game #1: Late in the first period and after what seemed like the fourth botched Pelicans fast break, it went Fox, Vassell, Fox, then Kornet for a reverse deep in the paint.
  • Crunch Time Sequence of the Game #2: Missi was turned away at the rim by Wembanyama and then double-dribbled to turn the ball back to the Spurs.

Game Rundown

As part of a solid 8-2 San Antonio start, Castle picked Queen clean and got himself a transition dunk. Bey had New Orleans’ first six. Fox’s second three put the Spurs up 11-6. Wembanyama smartly drew a second foul on Queen on an dunk-and-1. Bey’s three brought him to a quick nine points. San Antonio’s reserve guards cobbled together a 6-0 run. The teams traded baskets with New Orleans’ (Fears) and San Antonio’s (Harper) rookies impressing with their driving and finishing skills. The Spurs left the first up 28-25.

During an opening 12-5 run to start the second, the only thing stopping New Orleans was two offensive fouls – including Queen’s third. Barnes hit a corner three along with Champagnie’s freebies (not an easy thing given the putrid 5-for-11 from the line prior ro this point) put San Antonio back up. The Pelicans’ clumsy defense (and 4 fouls on Karlo Matkovic) put the hosts in the foul bonus halfway through, but the Spurs could not find their touch from 15 feet away. Williamson attacked Wembanyama on the dribble-drive to create a handful of opportunities, and Murphy’s three put the Pelicans up eight. New Orleans caught fire in their halfcourt offense to get it to 56-47.

After the Pelicans’ 16-6 opening salvo, Coach Mitch Johnson did a hockey substitution, and Carter Bryant hit two threes shortly after. Vassell hit an open three and forced a Pelicans turnover. Despite there being several opportunities to shave the deficit further, San Antonio still trailed 14 going to the fourth with a buzzer-beating Vassell attempt trickling off the rim after going halfway down.

For the Pelicans fan’s perspective, please visit The Bird Writes.

I think I wrote this last game I did, but San Antonio heads east on I-10 for a chance at regular season redemption against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets Wednesday night at 8:30 PM CDT on ESPN.

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Steph Curry joins NBA's top 20 all-time scoring list in Warriors win

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s career has been filled with several milestones and memorable moments.

The latest milestone came Sunday when Curry entered the NBA’s history books as a top 20 all-time scorer.

Curry had 26 points, seven assists and four steals in 28 minutes of play during the 111-85 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. During the game, Curry passed John Havlicek (26,395 points) for 20th on the all-time list and is tied with Paul Pierce for 19th with 26,397 career points.

He will chase San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan (26,496) for 18th place.

The Warriors will play the Timberwolves on Monday, Jan. 25. Curry is questionable for the game after playing through some knee soreness on Sunday.

NBA career scoring leaders

Here are the top 20 players with the most points in NBA history (does not include points scored in ABA):

  • 1. LeBron James — 42,786 (through Sunday)
  • 2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — 38,387
  • 3. Karl Malone — 36,928
  • 4. Kobe Bryant — 33,643
  • 5. Michael Jordan — 32,292
  • 6. Kevin Durant — 31,648 (through Sunday)
  • 7. Dirk Nowitzki — 31,560
  • 8. Wilt Chamberlain — 31,419
  • 9. James Harden — 28,745 (through Saturday
  • 10. Shaquille O'Neal — 28,596
  • 11. Carmelo Anthony — 28,289
  • 12. Moses Malone — 27,409
  • 13. Elvin Hayes — 27,313
  • 14. Hakeem Olajuwon — 26,946
  • 15. Russell Westbrook — 26,917 (through Sunday)
  • 16. Oscar Robertson — 26,710
  • 17. Dominique Wilkins — 26,668
  • 18. Tim Duncan — 26,496
  • T19. Paul Pierce — 26,397
  • T19. Stephen Curry — 26,397 (through Sunday)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors' Stephen Curry joins NBA's top 20 all-time scoring list

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Rookie Ben Kindel scores twice, leads Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Canucks

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Rookie Ben Kindel scored twice in the second period to lead the Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday and a sweep of Pittsburgh's four-game western Canada trip.

Kindel, from nearby Coquitlam, British Columbia, had a large contingent of supporters on hand for his second multi-goal game. The 18-year-old had gone 20 games without a goal after scoring eight in his first 28 and has 10 goals and 12 assists in 48 games.

Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins (26-14-11), and Stuart Skinner stopped 19 shots and won for the seventh time in eight games.

Jake DeBrusk and Teddy Blueger scored in the third period for the Canucks (17-30-5), who failed to complete their comeback try and dropped their second straight. Kevin Lankinen stopped 21 shots.

Malkin and Kindel made it 2-0 with goals 3:17 apart in the second period. Malkin opened the scoring by taking a pass from Thomas Novak that went over a Canuck defender’s stick, then beat Lankinen. Kindel made it a two-goal lead by directing in a shot from defenseman Ryan Shea. Kindel gave Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead at 17:22 by beating Lankinen on a shot from the faceoff circle.

Pittsburgh opened its trip with a 6-3 win over Seattle on Monday, beat Calgary 4-1 on Wednesday, then defeated Edmonton 6-2 on Thursday.

Veteran Kris Letang returned to the Pittsburgh lineup after missing two games with an upper-body injury.

The Canucks have just one win in their last 14 games (1-11-2). Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko missed his eighth game with a lower-body injury.

Up next

Penguins: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

Canucks: Host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday in the sixth game of an eight-game homestand.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Looking at the calls and explanations of the late officiating in Sixers-Knicks

The final minute or so of the Saturday afternoon contest between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks was an absolute cluster that seemingly took 15 minutes real time because of a number of puzzling officiating calls.

After the marathon ending, the Sixers ultimately fell 112-109 hosting the Knicks. Let me get this out of the way: I am not doing this to try to say the officiating caused the loss. The Sixers’ loss was caused by the Sixers. You don’t score go ice cold and score 13 points in an entire period against a tight opponent and expect to come back from that.

Now that that’s established, we can move on to the point of the article. With little time to stop and analyze the sometimes-confusing calls as the game was concluding in real time, now we can look back at individual plays, the calls on the floor and their impact as well as the NBA official’s Last 2 Minute Report final explanations about each.

This is the Sixers’ second time in two games with an interesting L2M report after the officials missed a relatively-obvious goaltending violation right near the end of regulation against the Houston Rockets back on Thursday. The basket, had it been scored, would have given Philadelphia a two-point lead with about three seconds to play. The Sixers ultimately won the contest in extra time, but the L2M report admitted that the no-call for goaltending was incorrect.

Now that the report for Sixers-Knicks is out, let’s go through the more controversial calls from the end of that one.

33.3 seconds to play: Offensive foul called on Jalen Brunson overturned upon challenge review to an away-from-the-play defensive foul on VJ Edgecombe

On the floor: The call here was originally an offensive foul on Jalen Brunson for the contact with VJ Edgecombe. However, the Knicks challenged and, after review, the call was changed. It was determined by officials that Edgecombe’s contact with Brunson preceded Brunson’s hook on the rookie, changing the outcome to an away-from-the-play foul (since the ball had not been inbounded yet) on Edgecombe.

The impact: This was a monumental swing, as it not only meant taking possession away from the Sixers and giving it back to the Knicks, but gave New York a free throw as well. Brunson hit the free throw, extending their lead to four points — a two possession game.

In the L2M report: The report calls the decision made after the review to be a correct call.

“Replay review of the foul called on Brunson (NYK) pursuant to a coach’s challenge was deemed successful. Edgecombe (PHI) extends his arms outward and initiates illegal contact with Brunson (NYK) off-ball, which affects his FOM. The contact from Edgecombe to Brunson occurs first and prior to any from Brunson.”

In short, they agree that the challenge outcome changing the foul from Brunson to Edgecombe was correct by game officials.

9.9 seconds to play: Defensive foul called on Paul George overturned upon challenge review to a clean defensive play with Sixers having imminent possession

On the floor: This was originally called a defensive foul on Paul George. Nick Nurse challenged and, after review, the defense by PG was determined to be clean and the Sixers’ had imminent possession (clear possession immediately following the incorrect whistle) by way of Edgecombe catching the rebound.

The impact: Hindsight is always 20/20 of course, but even in real time PG seemed to be pretty damn vertical on this shot contest. If anything, it was certainly more obvious that the Edgecombe/Brunson play. This nearly gave the Knicks free throws to extend their lead back to two possessions.

The call was changed ultimately in the Sixers favor, but at the cost of the team’s second challenge and final timeout as well as the stoppage of play itself halting a Sixers’ possible counter attack when Edgecombe had grabbed the rebound.

In the L2m report: The report called the final decision, the one made after review that George had not committed a foul, was a correct non-call.

“Replay review of the foul called on George (PHI) pursuant to a coach’s challenge was deemed successful. George (PHI) maintains verticality and absorbs the contact that occurs during Anunoby’s (NYK) layup attempt.”

So, the post-challenge decision was deemed correct, meaning the initial call was wrong.

5.8 seconds to play: No defensive foul called with Landry Shamet appearing to be trying to intentionally foul Tyrese Maxey

(Another thing to get out of the way very quickly: intentional foul or not, I think Maxey’s decision to heave this up and hope for the call was an extremely poor one. Even if you feel that contact, it’s a huge risk to rely on the whistle in that game-defining situation, plus there was enough time to just try to get a better look for the shot.)

On the floor: No foul was called on the floor and game played on, with Maxey’s airball heave landing out of bounds and giving the Knicks possession with time quickly running out.

The impact: This call, or lack thereof, made the difference between Maxey shooting two (if the defensive foul was called on the floor) or three free throws (if the foul was called as during Maxey’s shooting motion) and the Sixers getting zero free throws while losing possession with only a few seconds left to play.

In the L2M report: This was crucially determined to be an incorrect non-call by the game officials in the report. “Shamet (NYK) extends his arms forward and initiates illegal contact with Maxey’s (PHI) body in attempt to commit a take foul.” At the time, the Sixers were already in the bonus. Even if they called it a take foul on the floor, Maxey should have been shooting from the line.

3.0 seconds to play/end of game: No defensive foul called with Jalen Brunson appearing to be trying to intentionally foul Joel Embiid

On the floor: No foul was called on the floor as Joel Embiid grabbed the rebound from Brunson’s missed free throw and turned up court. Brunson appeared to possible commit an intentional foul-type grab of tapping the arm and back of Embiid before Embiid threw the ball forward, but the officials did not observe or call a foul on the play. This one, in my opinion, would have been a much closer call than the missed one on Shamet.

The impact: To state the obvious: it ended the game. The Sixers had somewhat of an opportunity, with Joel Embiid coming up with the rebound on Brunson’s missed free throw, leaving the Sixers five seconds down three points. Is it a great opportunity? Maybe not. But an opportunity nonetheless.

With no call on the play, the bounce pass attempt from Embiid to Maxey was intercepted by OJ Anunoby and game clock hit zero.

In the L2M report: The report says this was a correct non-call from the officials. “There is no clear and conclusive angle that confirms Brunson’s (NYK) contact is to Embiid’s (PHI) wrist/arm and not to the ball or the part of Embiid’s hand that is in contact with the ball.”

What did you think about the officiating from the last few minutes of the Sixers and Knicks contest? Which calls do you think they got right? Wrong? Are you satisfied by their explanations? Let us know!

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Gardiner, Daniel and Karvinen score goals, Goldeneyes beat Torrent 3-1

DENVER (AP) — Jenn Gardiner, Izzy Daniel and Michelle Karvinen each scored a goal on Sunday to help the Vancouver Goldeneyes beat the Seattle Torrent 3-1 at Ball Arena as part of the PWHL’s Takeover Tour.

Emerance Maschmeyer had 33 saves for the Goldeneyes.

Jessie Eldridge scored a goal for Seattle (4-1-2-6), which beat Toronto 6-4 on Tuesday, has lost three of four. Hannah Murphy had 28 saves.

After Murphy stopped a one-timer by Gardiner, Hannah Miller passed it to Daniel for a tap-in goal that gave the Goldeneyes the lead for good with 13:37 left in the game.

Karvinen capped the scoring with 6:18 to play.

Vancouver (5-1-2-7) beat the Torrent 4-3 in overtime in the season opener for both teams.

Gardiner's goal with five seconds left in the first period gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead. From the left side, Gardiner slipped a low wrister inside the back post.

Eldridge beat the defense to a puck pushed ahead by Julia Gosling and beat Maschmeyer stick side with 6:20 left in the second period to make it 1-1.

Up next

Seattle: The Torrent visits Ottawa on Wednesday.

Vancouver: The Goldeneyes play Wednesday at Minnesota.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

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Final Score: Warriors win 111-85 in makeup game over Timberwolves

The Golden State Warriors got a big win in Minneapolis with a 111-85 victory over the Timberwolves in Sundays’ makeup game from Saturday, and somehow, that 26-point margin feels like it coulda been even wider. The Warriors took care of business in a game they had to have to get their mojo back after the Jimmy Butler ACL injury and Jonathan Kuminga tweaking his own knee. The Dubs blew this game open with a big 38-17 third quarter and never looked back.

Steph Curry did Steph Curry things, dropping 26 points on 7-of-18 shooting while handing out seven dimes while collecting four steals. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards activated video game mode for Minnesota with 32 points on 13-of-20 shooting, and it still wasn’t enough. When your best player cooks like that and you lose by 26, that’s a tough pill to swallow. It’s enough to make you wanna fight!

Golden State’s defense actually showed up. Holding Minnesota to 38% shooting and forcing 26 turnovers is the kind of effort that used to be standard around here. The Warriors turned those giveaways into 25 points while keeping the Wolves out of rhythm all night. When you’re getting 20 steals and limiting a team with Edwards and Julius Randle to 85 points, you’re doing something right. Golden State’s defense actually showed up. Holding Minnesota to 38 percent shooting and forcing 26 turnovers is the kind of effort that used to be standard around here. The Warriors turned those giveaways into 25 points while keeping the Wolves out of rhythm. When you’re getting 20 steals and limiting a team with Edwards and Julius Randle to 85 points, you’re doing something right.

Moses Moody quietly put together another solid performance with 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including five triples. Moody nailed 5-of-9 from deep and added 8 rebounds, another example of when he’s on he’s a guy who gives the Dubs a big lift. Brandin Podziemski snagged four steals of his own, added six dimes, grabbed five rebounds, and tallied 12 points in a spirited effort.

The win pushes Golden State’s record to 26-21, but with Butler done for the season and Kuminga’s future still murky, every victory feels like borrowed time. They defended well, shot well enough, and got contributions up and down the roster. That’s the blueprint. Whether they can replicate it tomorrow night in their second straight game in Minnesota? That’s the question that remains to be answered, in the meantime the Dubs can get some relief from a well earned victory.

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Miles McBride, Landry Shamet proving to be crucial defensive assets for Knicks

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey, left, drives to the basket with New York Knicks' Landry Shamet, center, defending during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, Image 2 shows Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks defends VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the Saturday game

For both Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, 3-point shooting is what most associate them with.

They are shooting 43.7 percent and 43.5 percent from deep, after all. Their ability on the other end of the floor often gets lost in the discourse.

But their defending is crucial, and something the Knicks can hardly replicate.

“Shots fall, sometimes don’t. It’s not as much of a controllable as your effort,” Shamet told The Post after the Knicks’ 112-109 win over the 76ers on Saturday in Philadelphia. “On the defensive end, you gotta find ways to — coaches and good coaches say it all the time — you gotta find ways to win games when the ball’s not going in. I think you just take pride in our principles and just try to guard. It’s a pride thing, a personal thing.”

Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks defends VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the Saturday game. NBAE via Getty Images

Coach Mike Brown has long praised and identified McBride and Shamet as the Knicks’ two best point-of-attack defenders — particularly when they were injured and the Knicks defense was shredded without them. It is the biggest weakness on their roster — Mikal Bridges has struggled in the role, allowing ball-handlers to break down their defense, get into the lane and hurt them.

Notably, it was McBride and Shamet — not Bridges — who were on the floor at the end of the game. Yes, Bridges was struggling badly with his shot, going 3-for-16 from the field. But it also became clear that McBride and Shamet were better equipped at guarding Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

Maxey and Edgecombe torched the Knicks in the first two matchups between the two teams this season — both 76ers wins at Madison Square Garden. McBride missed the first matchup, and Shamet missed both of the first two.

It’s not a coincidence Saturday’s results were much better, with both healthy and in the lineup.

“They’re huge,” Brown said. “Again, you don’t stop those types of guys [Maxey and Edgecombe], but to have a guy like Deuce coming off the bench, have a guy like Landry — both those guys are physical at the point of attack, whether those guys are trying to get over pick-and-rolls or trying to get over [dribble handoffs] or even pindowns. And to have that type of relentless pursuit with athleticism and strength and toughness and the mindset is phenomenal. And obviously, we need those guys.”

Bridges has been miscast in that role since the Knicks traded five first-rounders to acquire him last year. He has good straight-line speed, but is not as quick laterally. McBride and Shamet are both stronger as well, helping them keep ball-handlers in front of them.

It would not be surprising if McBride and Shamet continue to see more late-game minutes at Bridges’ expense.

Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, left, drives to the basket with New York Knicks’ Landry Shamet, center, defending during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. AP

“They were huge,” Josh Hart said. “I think Sham got two offensive fouls drawn from blowing up handoffs or stuff like that. So he was huge. Dude was great all game. Obviously that’s a tough match over there with Tyrese. So give those guys a lot of credit. He did really well and we need that.”

With better pressure at the point of attack, it better masks Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive deficiencies. Without constant penetration into the lane, OG Anunoby can operate where he’s best — acting like a free safety in football where he can be disruptive in passing lanes and create turnovers.

It can be contagious as well.

“I think it’s just coming in — if you’re coming off the bench you’ve got fresh legs,” Shamet said. “You’ve been observing and watching what’s been going on in the game. ‘How can I integrate myself as quickly as possible to what’s going on without any drop-off’ or ‘how can I elevate what’s going on?’ Sometimes it’s just as simple as ball pressure and picking up full court one or two times. Like I said, if you can start the domino the trickle down effect is real.”

Brown had begun to sound a bit like a broken record when he constantly mentioned missing McBride and Shamet in that role. But clearly there was a reason for it.

It can be a game-changer for the Knicks. 

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LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Clippers, 9:00 PM ET

Late night Nets! NFL Conference Championship games are clearing up in LA nonetheless, which means folks are gearing up for Nets-Clippers. The Nets will be shorthanded yet again in the first of five on the road.

🏀 Nets (12-31) @ Clippers (20-24)

⏰ 9:00 PM ET
📍 Intuit Dome (Inglewood, CA)
📺 YES Network

“As the Nets PR staff noted to ND, the trip west was eventful thanks to the weather in the Northeast… but they are now safely ensconced in L.A. where it’s 62 degrees and partly sunny. Nic Claxton and Day’ron Sharpe are going to be in for a fight on the inside tonight. Ivica Zubac is tied for fifth in the NBA in rebounding at a shade over 11 boards per game. He’s especially tough to deal with on the offensive glass as he captures almost four o-boards a night. To make things more challenging for the Brooklyn duo, Zu is tremendous at the rim.”- Brian

⚠️ INJURY REPORT

Nets

  • Cam Thomas
  • Nolan Traore
  • Noah Clowney
  • Haywood Highsmith
  • Chaney Johnson
  • Tyson Etienne

Clippers

  • Bradley Beal — OUT (hip fracture)
  • Bogdan Bogdanovic — OUT (hamstring)
  • Derrick Jones Jr. — OUT (knee)
  • Kawhi Leonard — QUESTIONABLE (knee)

💬 DISCUSSION

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.