BOTTOM LINE: Memphis visits Houston looking to break its four-game road losing streak.
The Rockets are 15-14 in conference matchups. Houston ranks seventh in the NBA with 52.9 points in the paint led by Alperen Sengun averaging 13.7.
The Grizzlies are 5-4 against opponents from the Southwest Division. Memphis is fifth in the Western Conference with 11.8 offensive rebounds per game led by Zach Edey averaging 3.9.
The Rockets average 11.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.0 fewer makes per game than the Grizzlies allow (14.4). The Grizzlies average 13.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 12.4 per game the Rockets allow.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Rockets won the last matchup 124-109 on Nov. 6. Amen Thompson scored 28 points to help lead the Rockets to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is scoring 26.3 points per game with 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Rockets. Thompson is averaging 19.7 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 51.4% over the past 10 games.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is scoring 18.9 points per game with 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists for the Grizzlies. Jock Landale is averaging 13.9 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 55.6% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 5-5, averaging 108.8 points, 48.8 rebounds, 22.9 assists, 8.3 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.2 points per game.
Grizzlies: 3-7, averaging 114.4 points, 46.4 rebounds, 29.2 assists, 7.0 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.9 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Aaron Holiday: day to day (back), Steven Adams: out (ankle).
Grizzlies: Scotty Pippen Jr.: out (toe), Ja Morant: out (elbow), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Ty Jerome: out (calf), Brandon Clarke: out (calf), Santi Aldama: out (knee).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota comes into the matchup against Golden State after losing five games in a row.
The Timberwolves have gone 14-14 against Western Conference teams. Minnesota is fifth in the Western Conference with 33.5 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.4.
The Warriors are 16-13 in conference games. Golden State is ninth in the Western Conference with 11.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Jimmy Butler III averaging 2.3.
The Timberwolves average 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 12.6 per game the Warriors give up. The Warriors are shooting 46.2% from the field, which equals what the Timberwolves' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the third time this season. The Warriors won the last matchup 111-85 on Jan. 25. Stephen Curry scored 26 points to help lead the Warriors to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 22.3 points, seven rebounds and 5.5 assists for the Timberwolves. Donte DiVincenzo is averaging 3.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Brandin Podziemski is scoring 12.2 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Warriors. Curry is averaging 3.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 4-6, averaging 118.0 points, 46.9 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 7.9 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.5 points per game.
Warriors: 7-3, averaging 123.7 points, 40.5 rebounds, 31.8 assists, 9.9 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.1 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: out (foot).
Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Jonathan Kuminga: out (knee), Seth Curry: out (back).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (33-11, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (31-15, third in the Western Conference)
Denver; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit will try to keep its three-game road win streak alive when the Pistons take on Denver.
The Nuggets are 12-8 on their home court. Denver ranks eighth in the Western Conference at limiting opponent scoring, giving up only 116.2 points while holding opponents to 46.8% shooting.
The Pistons are 14-6 on the road. Detroit ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 18.2 fast break points per game led by Cade Cunningham averaging 3.5.
The 120.7 points per game the Nuggets average are 10.6 more points than the Pistons give up (110.1). The Pistons are shooting 48.0% from the field, 1.2% higher than the 46.8% the Nuggets' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jamal Murray is averaging 26 points and 7.3 assists for the Nuggets. Peyton Watson is averaging 20.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks over the past 10 games.
Cunningham is averaging 25.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 14 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 107.3 points, 39.0 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.6 points per game.
Pistons: 8-2, averaging 112.3 points, 44.6 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 12.1 steals and 8.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.8 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Tamar Bates: out (foot), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Jonas Valanciunas: day to day (calf), Nikola Jokic: out (knee), Christian Braun: out (ankle), Peyton Watson: day to day (ankle), Jamal Murray: day to day (hamstring).
Pistons: Caris LeVert: out (illness).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Sacramento Kings (12-35, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. New York Knicks (27-18, fourth in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento will look to break its nine-game road losing streak when the Kings play New York.
The Knicks have gone 17-6 in home games. New York is eighth in the league averaging 117.8 points and is shooting 46.9% from the field.
The Kings are 3-19 on the road. Sacramento is 9-16 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 13.9 turnovers per game.
The Knicks are shooting 46.9% from the field this season, 2.2 percentage points lower than the 49.1% the Kings allow to opponents. The Kings average 10.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.8 fewer made shots on average than the 14.4 per game the Knicks allow.
The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Kings defeated the Knicks 112-101 in their last matchup on Jan. 15. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 27 points, and Mikal Bridges led the Knicks with 19 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.5 points and 11.4 rebounds for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson is averaging 18.1 points over the last 10 games.
Dennis Schroder is shooting 41.6% and averaging 12.8 points for the Kings. Malik Monk is averaging 2.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 4-6, averaging 108.5 points, 46.8 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.1 points per game.
Kings: 4-6, averaging 114.8 points, 41.1 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 5.7 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.4 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: None listed.
Kings: Keegan Murray: out (ankle), Zach LaVine: out (back).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
New Orleans Pelicans (12-36, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-10, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Western Conference foes Oklahoma City and New Orleans square off on Tuesday.
The Thunder are 28-6 against conference opponents. Oklahoma City ranks seventh in the Western Conference with 25.4 assists per game led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 6.2.
The Pelicans are 6-25 in Western Conference play. New Orleans is 2-3 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Thunder are shooting 49.2% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 48.4% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pelicans average 6.9 more points per game (114.8) than the Thunder allow their opponents to score (107.9).
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Thunder won 126-109 in the last matchup on Nov. 18. Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 26 points, and Jeremiah Fears led the Pelicans with 24 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Holmgren is shooting 57.1% and averaging 17.8 points for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.9 points over the last 10 games.
Trey Murphy III is scoring 22.2 points per game with 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Pelicans. Zion Williamson is averaging 21.1 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 63.0% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 7-3, averaging 119.3 points, 42.4 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 8.6 steals and 7.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.0 points per game.
Pelicans: 4-6, averaging 114.8 points, 45.5 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 8.8 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.7 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: out (hip), Nikola Topic: out (groin), Jalen Williams: out (thigh), Alex Caruso: out (adductor), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee), Isaiah Hartenstein: out (calf).
Pelicans: Dejounte Murray: out (leg).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The starting center gutted through a finger injury suffered in Friday’s loss to the Celtics, playing with a bandage on his right pinky. He was slated to have imaging on the finger Saturday morning, but the results weren’t available yet.
Los Angeles Clippers center Brook Lopez (11) and forward Kawhi Leonard (2) play for the ball against Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) during the first half at Intuit Dome. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
“Yeah, I think it’s his right hand. I know that he’s going to play. He’s got some discomfort, but I really give him credit,” coach Jordi Fernández said of Claxton, who finished with six points and five rebounds in 24 minutes.
“He finished [Friday’s] game, and then he’s willing to be out there. Obviously, we care about his health, and everything is fine. Everything’s fine. So, credit to him for wanting to play [and] compete with his teammates.”
Midway through the third quarter, Claxton was raked across the hand by Kawhi Leonard, going up for a shot that was blocked with 6:52 in the period. He grimaced in pain and was clutching his hand for several moments afterward, but stayed in the game.
With Brooklyn’s Noah Clowney sidelined by a sore back, Terance Mann started against his old Clippers team. And the veteran not only got a first-quarter tribute video, but an ovation from the L.A. crowd for which he’d played five-plus seasons.
Mann – who had eight points and three rebounds in 19 minutes – had been a second-round draft pick by the Clippers in 2019 and started in the 2021 Western Conference Finals before being traded to Atlanta midway through last season.
“Yeah, I mean, The Wall, I love The Wall. You know, I was the one that introduced The Wall to the world,” said Mann. “So, I feel like I’ve got a special bond with those guys up there and everybody up there. Yeah, man, you know I love the fans, they love me. Some part of me will always be a Clipper.”
Brooklyn Nets guard Terance Mann (14) moves to the basket against Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins (20) during the first half at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Rookie Nolan Traore was out against the Clippers with an illness after a career-best 21 point effort Friday.
Cam Thomas sat out with a sprained left ankle.
“He’s sore. He’ll be out [Sunday] and we hope that he’ll be back soon. We don’t know exactly when,” Fernández said of Thomas. “So, going through the proper work and making him feel better and then have him back on the court when we can.”
With the Nets shorthanded in the backcourt, rookie Ben Saraf was recalled from Long Island and made his first NBA appearance since Dec. 6. The point guard finished with six points in 17 minutes off the bench.
“Improvement. All our guys that have played under Mfon [Udofia, Long Island Nets head coach], they’ve done a great job getting better every game competing,” Fernández said. “And it’s not just about them; it’s about playing within a system and making the group competitive. So, happy with what we’re seeing.”
The Nets play Tuesday in Phoenix. Suns star Devin Booker is out with a right ankle sprain.
There is losing. And then there’s playing like losers.
Sunday night Brooklyn looked like the latter.
For the second time in three games, the Nets embarrassed themselves, this one a 126-89 beating at the hands of the Clippers before 17,927 at the Intuit Dome.
It marked Brooklyn’s fifth straight defeat, and their tenth in the last 11 games. For a tanking team, losing the game isn’t a concern. But losing their competitiveness – becoming losers – is a grave one.
“We won the third quarter; we were competitive from those six minutes of the second. And outside of that, the other 30 minutes, we played like a losing team,” said Jordi Fernandez. “You can lose; and you can be a loser. So for 18 minutes, we lost and we were competitive. And for 30, we were losers. So we have to decide what we want to be and who we want to be.”
Brooklyn showed little fight, a horrid way to start a five-game road swing. But these problems started before their delayed cross-country flight.
Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) shoots against Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) during the second half at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
While the worst defeat in team history – a 59-point caning – had actually come last Jan. 15 in this same building, the second-worst was Wednesday’s 54-point loss to the Knicks. After a brief bounceback Friday vs. Boston, the Nets backslid.
Brooklyn was flat from the start, down 38-14 after the lowest-scoring first quarter of the season. They fell behind by 40 and never fought back.
“It’s part of life and part of learning and part of finding the next Nets…we’re obviously going to need the right pieces on the floor that play and compete to a certain standard,” said Fernandez. “And right now, out of three games, one out of three as far as being competitive is not good enough. We should be 3-for-3 competitive, whether you win or lose.”
The tanking Nets have decisions to make, both by the Feb. 5 Trade Deadline and in the offseason. Players will be asked to acquit themselves and required to compete. None covered themselves in glory Sunday, about as ice-cold as the blizzard back home.
Michael Porter Jr. got held to single-digits with just nine points on uncharacteristic 3-of-11 shooting, and 0-of-4 from 3-point range. He has been dealing with a sprained MCL, and was off his game. Rookie Danny Wolf led the Nets with 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists off the bench, all team-highs. Egor Demin added a dozen points, but was 3-of-11 overall and 3-of-10 from deep.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) and center Brook Lopez (11) defend the basket against Brooklyn Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) during the second half at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Nets had lost 121-105 to the Clippers on Jan 9, but this was far worse.
“They were just the better team. It wasn’t much to it. They just dominated us last game and dominated us (Sunday),” said Porter. “We’ve got to get back to competing every night. So from players to the guys on the bench to the coaches, we all just got to get back to competing. I could’ve definitely done a better job. Our starting unit could’ve done a better job. It was just an-all around bad effort.”
Brooklyn shot just 33.7 percent and 9-of-43 from deep. And they got torn to shreds on the other end by Kawhi Leonard (28 points) and ex-Net James Harden (22 points, eight assists and six rebounds).
The Nets trailed by 24 after one, and coughed up 18 unanswered points in the second.
Brooklyn was down 64-26 with 3:13 left in the half after a bucket by Jordan Miller.
The next play was even more embarrassing. Brooklyn ended up with a 5-on-4 possession, after Kris Dunn came up gimping. But the Nets missed four shots on the possession, before Dunn hobbled back into the play and grabbed the rebound.
The rest was garbage time, and that garbage stunk.
Brooklyn (12-32) is fifth in the lottery standings, 1 ½ games behind fourth-place Sacramento and just two out of the coveted Top 3 spots.
“They just played better than us,” said Porter. “They were obviously the better team tonight so that’s pretty much it. They were better than us.”
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 26 points to lead the Golden State Warriors past Minnesota 111-85 on Sunday, the fifth straight loss for the Timberwolves and their longest skid in more than three years.
Curry added seven assists and four of his team’s season-high 20 steals after being listed as questionable to play because of knee soreness. Moses Moody added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors (26-21), who moved within 1 1/2 games of the Timberwolves (27-19) for seventh place in the Western Conference.
Brandin Podziemski had 12 points, six assists and four steals for the Warriors, who have won seven of their last 10 games.
PISTONS 139, KINGS 116
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 29 points and 11 assists and Detroit routed Sacramento for its fifth victory in six games.
The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons rebounded from a home loss to Houston on Friday night to improve to 33-11. Tied at 35 after a quarter, Detroit broke it open in the second by outscoring the Kings 43-30.
Cunningham was 13 of 22 from the field, hitting 3 of 5 3-pointers. Pistons center Jalen Duren added 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, and Tobias Harris had 16.
Malik Monk led Sacramento with 19 points, and DeMar DeRozan had 16. The Kings have lost five straight to drop to 12-35.
Domantas Sabonis played his fifth game for Sacramento after after missing two months because of a knee injury. He had 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting and eight assists and seven rebounds in 24:44.
RAPTORS 103, THUNDER 101
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Immanuel Quickley had 23 points and 11 rebounds to help Toronto defeat the NBA-leading Oklahoma City.
R.J. Barrett scored 14 points and Scottie Barnes added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who won their fourth straight.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting. He scored at least 20 points for the 117th consecutive game, the second-longest streak in NBA history.
Lu Dort scored a season-high 19 points, Kenrich Williams scored 15 and Chet Holmgren added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder.
PELICANS 104, SPURS 95
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Saddiq Bey and Zion Williamson each had 24 points and 10 rebounds and New Orleans squandered a 20-point lead before rebounding to beat San Antonio.
San Antonio held a 24-5 advantage to open the fourth quarter, but New Orleans closed the game on a 17-3 run to avoid a season sweep by the Spurs.
Victor Wembanyama had 16 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks to lead San Antonio. Keldon Johnson added 15 points as the Spurs failed to capitalize on a double-digit rally.
New Orleans’ lead swelled to 19 points midway through the third quarter, leading San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson to sub out his entire starting lineup following a timeout.
The lineup change worked as San Antonio went on a 21-4 run bridging the third and fourth quarters. The Spurs scored 16 straight points to close the run.
HEAT 111, SUNS 102
PHOENIX (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 22 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 20 and Miami beat short-handed Phoenix.
The Heat had a short turnaround after blowing out Utah 147-116 on Saturday night, but took advantage of Phoenix playing without two key players who suffered injuries in Friday night in a 110-103 loss at Atlanta.
Devin Booker, a four-time All-Star, rolled his right ankle in third quarter against the Hawks and will be re-evaluated in a week. Jalen Green came out after feeling pain in his second game back after missing 33 with a hamstring strain.
The Suns labored without Booker’s team-leading 25.4 points per game, shooting 37% and 7 of 35 from 3. Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 26 points and Grayson Allen added 18 despite shooting 4 of 18 from the floor, including 1 of 11 from 3.
The NBA’s fourth-highest scoring team, Miami led by five after three quarters and pushed it to 101-83 midway through the fourth on their way to finishing a five-game trip 3-2. Norman Powell added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
CLIPPERS 126, NETS 89
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half as Los Angeles built a 38-point lead in the second quarter and beat Brooklyn.
James Harden scored 19 points, John Collins added 18, and Jordan Miller had 16. Ivica Zubac finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Clippers, who were coming off a victory over the Lakers on Thursday, won for the eighth time in nine games.
Danny Wolf scored 14 points and Egor Demin had 12 for the Nets, who shot 28% in the first half and 34% (29 for 86) overall, including 21% (9 for 43) from 3-point range. Brooklyn lost its fourth straight and has dropped 10 of its last 11 games and 13 of 15.
Let’s not beat around the bush: The Lakers aren’t NBA title contenders.
At least, not yet.
And don’t kid yourself either, because you already knew they weren’t, despite having flashes of being the type of team that could play deeper into the NBA calendar.
Lakers’ Luka Dončić works the floor against Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall, Jan. 24. AP
Yes, the Lakers — with a 27–17 record after Saturday’s road win over the Dallas Mavericks for their third victory in four games — are jumbled up with a few other Western Conference teams in the standings, and aren’t too far behind the No. 2 spot.
Yes, they’ve had significant injury misfortune: LeBron James sidelined for training camp, the preseason, and the first 14 regular-season games due to sciatica; and Austin Reaves playing just two games since mid-December because of calf injuries.
Because of their misfortunes in player availability, the Lakers have had their three best players in Reaves, James and Luka Dončić for the same game just eight times out of the 44 they’ve played so far.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves handles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on Dec. 25, 2025 at Crypto Arena, Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
Speaking of Dončić, the Lakers also have an MVP-quality player, which is historically necessary for championship contenders.
And yet, as of right now, they aren’t contenders.
Not like the Thunder. Or the Nuggets. Or the Spurs. Or the Eastern Conference team of your choice, since that conference does have to be represented in the NBA Finals.
The Lakers’ defense? Not good enough, ranking No. 25 across the league — which is an improvement on that end of the floor after they picked up their play over the last week.
LeBron James reacts after a basket by the Dallas Mavericks during the game on Jan. 24 in Dallas. AP
Their offense? Very good, ranking No. 9, but not great like it needs to be to compensate for their poor perimeter defense, and far from the heights expected of them with Dončić, James and Reaves on the roster.
The roster? Not balanced enough with players consistently effective on both ends of the floor, or that complement one another.
Their effort and execution? Not consistent enough, which is why 15 of their 17 losses have been by double digits, and they have a negative point differential on the season, which can often be a better indicator of the quality of a team instead of their record.
Do you know what true contenders are? Consistent.
The Lakers are still figuring out who they are on a nightly basis.
“For the group as a whole, the effort and execution piece is probably the biggest two things,” Lakers Coach JJ Redick said Saturday. “I’ve used the word ‘consistency’ a lot. We’re just looking for that. Because again, we’ve shown that we can execute on both ends. And we’ve shown that we can have effort on both ends. It’s just a matter of consistency.”
The good news for the Lakers is that despite their obvious flaws, many of which were evident before they even played their first game, they’re closer to being contenders than it often feels.
Dončić talks to Coach JJ Redick during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Jan. 6. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Here’s what needs to happen to help them go from pretenders to contenders:
First, when Reaves makes his return to the floor, which appears to be imminent and could be during the Grammy road trip, do NOT go back to the starting lineup of Dončić, Reaves, James, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton.
Although it only played a small sample of minutes (85), that unit was responsible for the team’s slow starts to games from mid-November through mid-December. It performed poorly on both ends of the floor, leading to a minus-19.9 net rating.
The Lakers’ current starting lineup, with Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia in place of Reaves and Hachimura, hasn’t been great (minus-1.6 net rating), but it’s been good enough because it has balance. And the players are slotted into roles they’re better suited for defensively. When fully healthy, Smart, who’s been the team’s best defender this season, should start in place of Hachimura, who can still be valuable in a reserve role.
It’s a shame the Dončić-Reaves-Smart-James-Ayton lineup has only played three minutes.
The Lakers also need to be elite offensively. Very good or borderline great isn’t good enough for a team that’ll have its defensive struggles, even if Smart is in the first unit and more balanced lineups are used throughout the game.
The team can get closer to reaching its offensive ceiling if the players are more consistent with being organized offensively, which includes running plays/sets. It’s proven to be when the Lakers are at their best.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
It’s obvious that a trade for a two-way wing/guard is needed. A player better than Smart who could guard bigger wings while also being a reliable 3-point threat.
The Lakers aren’t as far from being contenders as some might think. But if they don’t fix their obvious issues, we’ll be back here in early May talking about their season in the past tense for the third consecutive year.
The Memphis Grizzlies were supposed to play a game yesterday against the Denver Nuggets. However, due to bad weather that is sweeping across the United States, the game was postponed. Now, the Grizzlies will travel to Houston and be relatively rested if a bit disheveled.
The Rockets and Grizzlies are both around tenth in adjusted defensive efficiency, which means both give up about 114 points per 100 possessions. The difference between the teams is on offense, where Houston is fifth and Memphis is twenty-fifth.
Memphis’s best player, by efficiency, is Cam Spencer. I doubt anyone had that on their Bingo cards, but here we are. He’s got a true shooting percentage of 66.9% and assists on 33% of Memphis’s made shots while he’s on the floor. Jock Landale, freed from Houston’s “Go grab rebounds” play style, has flourished as well. Jaren Jackson Jr., Jaylen Wells, rookie Cedric Coward, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will get the majority of the rest of the minutes.
Memphis is dealing with plenty of injuries (see below) and seem headed for a future as sellers at the trade deadline.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half as the Los Angeles Clippers built a 38-point lead in the second quarter and beat the Brooklyn Nets 126-89 on Sunday.
James Harden scored 19 points, John Collins added 18, and Jordan Miller had 16. Ivica Zubac finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Clippers, who were coming off a victory over the Lakers on Thursday, won for the eighth time in nine games.
Danny Wolf scored 14 points and Egor Demin had 12 for the Nets, who shot 28 percent in the first half and 34 percent (29 for 86) overall, including 21 percent (9 for 43) from 3-point range. Brooklyn lost its fourth straight and has dropped 10 of its last 11 games and 13 of 15.
The Clippers charged to a 24-point lead in the first quarter and extended their advantage to 38 points in the second, carrying a 68-37 lead into the break. Los Angeles maintained its lopsided advantage in the third quarter and was ahead 96-66 headed into the fourth.
It was another lopsided win for the Clippers over the Nets in Los Angeles. When the teams met in LA on Jan. 15, 2025, the Clippers won 126-67, and the 59-point margin of victory is the only 50-point win for the Clippers.
Up next
Nets: At the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday in the second game of a five-game trip.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half as the Los Angeles Clippers built a 38-point lead in the second quarter and beat the Brooklyn Nets 126-89 on Sunday.
James Harden scored 19 points, John Collins added 18, and Jordan Miller had 16. Ivica Zubac finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Clippers, who were coming off a victory over the Lakers on Thursday, won for the eighth time in nine games.
Danny Wolf scored 14 points and Egor Demin had 12 for the Nets, who shot 28% in the first half and 34% (29 for 86) overall, including 21% (9 for 43) from 3-point range. Brooklyn lost its fourth straight and has dropped 10 of its last 11 games and 13 of 15.
The Clippers charged to a 24-point lead in the first quarter and extended their advantage to 38 points in the second, carrying a 68-37 lead into the break. Los Angeles maintained its lopsided advantage in the third quarter and was ahead 96-66 headed into the fourth.
It was another lopsided win for the Clippers over the Nets in Los Angeles. When the teams met in LA on Jan. 15, 2025, the Clippers won 126-67, and the 59-point margin of victory is the only 50-point win for the Clippers.
Up next
Nets: At the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday in the second game of a five-game trip.
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…
Nets get gifted a 5-on-4 possession and miss four shots
Kris Dunn limps to the sideline in the middle of the play and limps back in for the rebound pic.twitter.com/2dUsmmVyN8
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…
John Collins pushes Egor Demin after he wraps up James Harden on a fastbreak. Terance Mann comes in and shoves Collins with some words for him after.
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.
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).
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.
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.
