Category: Basketball

@Kameel888 -- I am wondering, was there any truth to the Knicks being interested in Donte DiVincenzo? Has there been any movement in that regard? Thank you, Ian!

Hey Kameel, I’m sure the Knicks would love to have Donte DiVincenzo on the team. They hated losing him in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, and he was part of the fabric of the 2023-24 team. With regards to any movement, I’ve checked around on this for the past few days and haven’t heard about any significant movement. People on all sides of a potential trade see it as highly unlikely. I’m not questioning the ClutchPoints report on DiVincenzo and the Knicks, but I don’t think there is anything happening there.

The Knicks would have to trade either Josh Hart or Mitchell Robinson to make a deal work. They aren’t trading Hart. I don’t see how they can trade Robinson; if they did trade him, it wouldn’t make sense to get a non-big in return.

@tru_zoom -- When will Shamet and McBride get reevaluated again?

I think we’ll have an update on Landry Shamet by the end of the month. At the time of the shoulder injury, there was a strong belief/optimism that Shamet could avoid surgery. I believe that is still the case. Shamet continues to rehab the injury but hasn’t needed a surgical procedure. That’s a good sign for a Knick team that leaned on Shamet before he got hurt.

With regards to Miles McBride, he has been working vigorously on the court with Knicks coaches. I don’t know if he is fully sprinting yet, but he has been cleared for contact; he just hasn’t had the chance to take contact in a scrimmage setting because the Knicks haven’t practiced (NBA teams rarely practice during the heart of the regular season). But based on the available information, I would guess that McBride is back before the end of the calendar year.

@AndrewA59778512 -- Ian, for Jalen Brunson, is it more rest for him?

@DylanBackerESM -- Do you think OG’s injury is anything serious, or are they mainly just resting him? Seems like they’re just resting Brunson.

Six games in 10 days for the Knicks, going back to the NBA Cup Final in Las Vegas, plus the early start on Christmas Day. I think this is all in the name of resting Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby. I assume this was all about giving Brunson and Anunoby a night off (Tuesday at Minnesota) amid a tough stretch of the season.

Steve Kerr acknowledges the Warriors' grim reality as a ‘fading dynasty' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Steve Kerr on Wednesday acknowledged the obvious but unspoken truth within the Warriors.

The golden days of yore are over. And they’re not coming back, because that’s not how the aging process works.

“We are no longer the ‘17 Warriors, dominating the league,” Kerr said. “We are a fading dynasty.

“We know that. Everybody knows that.”

The 2016-17 Warriors were an all-time great squad featuring four All-Stars: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. That team posted a 67-15 record in the regular season and went 16-1 in the postseason.

Those Warriors took a 27-4 record into a Christmas Day game against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The current Warriors have been a middling bunch, with Curry as the only certain All-Star. Taking a 15-15 record into their Christmas Day game against the Dallas Mavericks, they’re aiming for a third consecutive victory – which would tie their longest streak of the season.

Moreover, they’re two days removed from a win over the Orlando Magic that was blighted by a heated public squabble between Kerr and Green.

“We have issues, just like every other team has issues,” conceded Kerr, who said he and Green apologized to each other and that each apologized to the team. “But we have to work through them. And I believe that this was a major step in that happening. And I feel really good about where our team is on the floor, about where we’re heading. I see the potential to do exactly what we did last year, to really go on run and give ourselves a chance and where we are as a team, as an organization.

“The most important thing for me is for guys to recognize that there’s beauty in the struggle. There’s beauty in what we’re trying to accomplish right now.”

The Warriors have 52 games to pull themselves together and rise from eighth place in the Western Conference into at least the top six; they’re 3.5 games behind sixth-place Houston. Their preseason goal was to finish among the top four, and they are five games behind the fourth-place Lakers.

“What is up to us? How do we carry ourselves, night to night? How connected are we? And can we give ourselves another swing at the plate?” Kerr said. “We did that last year. I was really proud of the team last year, despite the loss against Minnesota. (Without) the injury to Steph, who knows how far we would have gone?

“But we gave ourselves a chance, and that’s the goal here. We know where we are. We’ve got to know who we are. We got to know what’s possible, and we have to take pride in the struggle, because this is part of life.”

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Draymond Green open to coming off Warriors bench; Steve Kerr not interested originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – There is a growing sentiment that Warriors coach Steve Kerr might consider asking Draymond Green to take the path once tread by Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson.

Leave the starting lineup and come off the bench.

Green, according to Kerr, would not oppose such a move.

“He’s told me,” Kerr said Wednesday after practice. “He told me, this year, ‘I’ll go to the bench if you need me to.’ I know what Draymond is about. He’s about winning.” 

The thought of such a move is based mostly on the dynamic between Jimmy Butler III and Green. Each is most valuable with the ball in his hands and, naturally, each is diminished when playing off the ball. When both are on the floor with Stephen Curry, ball distribution sometimes gets stifled.

Another factor that makes it conceivable to bring Draymond off the bench is that neither he nor Butler is a spot-up shooter. Butler is an opportunistic shooter, and Green is a pass-first ballhandler who sometimes is a reluctant shooter.

But Kerr is not ready to make any such change.

“That’s not even a consideration for me right now,” he said, “Because I’m really excited about this starting lineup: Steph, Draymond, Moses (Moody), (Quinten Post), Jimmy, I think it’s a great starting lineup for us, because we get the size and shooting of Quentin next to Dray, which takes the pressure off of him. And Dre is at his best next to Steph. He should play most of his minutes with Steph. Those two guys are incredible together.

“So, the idea of bringing him off the bench, I understand it in theory, like, well, maybe we can get this or get that. That’s all we do as a staff is think about this stuff. All day long. And we’ve had every discussion about how to make our team the best. I’m convinced it’s with what we’re doing right now.”

Kerr persuaded Iguodala to come off the bench in 2015-16 because his two-way versatility and intellect were better suited for the second unit than Harrison Barnes. Iguodala made only 25 starts over his final seven seasons, with two teams.

Kerr’s decision to have Thompson come off the bench, much to Klay’s chagrin, was in hopes of finding a game-changing scorer with the second unit. That lasted only 14 games.

Though Kerr acknowledges that Green has spent more time working on his 3-point shooting from the corners – a reliable threat from the corners would an ideal asset for lineups featuring Curry and Butler – he’s not ready to make any adjustments.

Golden State’s current starting lineup is 2-1 and will play its fourth game on Thursday, Christmas Day, against the Dallas Mavericks.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Warriors' Steve Kerr shoulders blame for heated Draymond Green bench incident originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The incident between Draymond Green and Steve Kerr is water under the bridge.

A video surfaced online during the Warriors’ 120-97 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday that showed a heated discussion between Green and Kerr on the team’s bench in the third quarter that concluded with the veteran forward walking off into the locker room.

Both Green and Kerr addressed the incident after the game, admitting that tempers boiled over, but expressed confidence that they would be able to move past it.

It appears they have.

Kerr spoke to local reporters on Wednesday, and shared where things stand between him and Green while shouldering the blame for the incident.

“We talked today, we had a great chat,” Kerr said. “Frankly… Monday night was not my finest hour. That was a time I needed to be calm in the huddle. So I regret my actions in that exchange. I apologized to Dray, he apologized to me, we both apologized to the team. These things, they happen. Especially when you get two incredibly competitive people like Dray and me. Over the 12 years we’ve been together, this has happened occasionally. I’m not proud of it. We had a great chat.

“I care so much about Draymond. And the relationship we have is like family. And like family, you go through ups and downs. My number one goal, honestly, is for him to finish his career as a Warrior, with us, fighting — metaphorically, not literally — and competing together. Until we’re both done. And I believe that’s going to happen. Because I believe in Draymond and I believe in myself, and I believe in everything we’ve built for the last 12 years.” (h/t The San Francisco Standard’s Danny Emerman)

Kerr revealed that both he and Green also discussed the incident with the team and apologized for it and said he expects “the very best” from Green in Thursday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center.

“I do,” Kerr said when asked if he thought the air within the team was clear now. “I think there’s always going to be dynamics within a team, any team, that exist all season long. And it’s the coach’s job and the leaders of the team’s job to help guys through those circumstances. We have issues just like every other team has issues. But we have to work through them.

“I believe this was a major step in that happening. I feel really good about where our team is on the floor, about where we’re heading. I see the potential to do exactly what we did last year. To really go on a run and give ourselves a chance.”

There has been plenty of outside speculation surrounding Green’s future with the Warriors, especially since Monday night’s incident. However, Kerr believes it’s clear that Green wants to finish his illustrious NBA career with one team and one team only: The Warriors.

“Oh yeah. One of the things I love about Draymond is his loyalty … He’s loyal to the Warriors. Loyal to me. Loyal to Steph [Curry]. He wants to be here his whole career. I want nothing more than that. I love Draymond, love everything he’s meant to me, to the organization, to the Bay. He’s a complicated guy.

“He’d be the first to admit that. He’s very complex. But he’s undyingly loyal and passionate and I will go to bat for him as long as I’m coaching him here. Honestly, I’d go to bat for him 20 years from now when we haven’t been together. That’s how strongly I feel about him. And that’s how I want this thing to end with us, whenever that is.”

With the incident now behind them, Green, Kerr and the Warriors will re-focus and look to extend Golden State’s current winning streak to three games on Christmas Day against former Warriors guard Klay Thompson and the Mavericks.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

The Celtics' biggest holiday gift? Being ahead of schedule originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Merry Christmas, Celtics fans. Boston doesn’t have a game on the NBA’s marquee day for the first time in a decade, but we suspect it will only be a one-year holiday hiatus. Heck, if the league could flex the Celtics into the Cavaliers’ spot on Thursday, they probably would.

Instead, you can spend the 25th savoring the strides these Celtics have made since a jarring summer overhaul. Think about how hazy the future appeared after all the summer changes, and contrast that with the optimism that flows about where this team is headed.

It’s easy to get caught up in the wins and losses — the fact that Boston sits seven games over .500 and in third place in the Eastern Conference with a third of the season in the rearview is encouraging on its own — but the real victory here is just how bright the future appears.

Jaylen Brown has muscled himself into the MVP conversation while making 30-point nights seem routine. Jayson Tatum has attacked his rehab from Achilles surgery and has a chance to at least ponder a return in a season most thought he’d miss entirely. Boston’s entire cluster of young wings, including recent draftees Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez, have all impacted winning far more than anyone could have expected to this point.

Joe Mazzulla is pushing all the right buttons, and while he’d be the first to suggest that nobody cares, he deserves to be in the way-too-early conversation for Coach of the Year. And if they keep their foot on the accelerator heading into calendar year 2026, the Celtics could give president of basketball operations Brad Stevens even more motivation to seek big man help that would bolster the roster for a stretch run.

The Celtics are 18-11 with the sixth-best point differential in the NBA (+5.9). They’d be on pace to hit Phil Jackson’s 40/20 rule (40 wins before 20 losses) if not for a couple stumbles against inferior opponents. They still might get there given a favorable strength of schedule through the early portion of 2026.

But again, taking a step back: Even if Boston does throw itself into contention more than most expected this season, the longer-term future is even more tantalizing. It’s fair to daydream about what a Tatum/Brown combo is capable of when, 1) Tatum has fully shaken rust from his Achilles rehab and 2) Teams can’t load up on Brown again with Tatum back on the floor.

Big man Neemias Queta has thrived in increased minutes. Walsh has been a revelation, looking like an All-Defense stalwart whom opposing coaches and players can’t stop gushing about. And then there’s 19-year-old Gonzalez, with his limitless motor, who makes the kinds of winning plays that endeared Marcus Smart to fans throughout his Boston tenure.

There were so many questions surrounding this team entering the season. Could Brown thrive in the 1A role? Could Mazzulla get the most out of an overhauled roster that lost a ton of talent? Could Queta fill the big-man role after the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet? Would any of Boston’s young wings emerge as viable rotation options in the long term?

The answer to each questions has basically been an emphatic, “Yes.” Beyond some long-distance shooting slumps for Payton Pritchard and Derrick White, there hasn’t been much to fret for these Celtics through the first two months of the new season.

A lot has to continue to go right this season for the team to be truly competitive this season. But it feels OK to daydream, given both the wide-open nature of the East and Tatum’s potential return. Nothing about what the Celtics are doing feels fleeting. In fact, it feels like the team can be even a bit more consistent in all facets of the game.

The Celtics have already posted wins over all their top East rivals. They’ve beaten Orlando, Detroit, Cleveland, New York, Toronto and Miami while going 13-4 since November 12. Boston owns both the No. 2 offensive rating and the No. 2 net rating (+9.8) in the NBA in that span.

If Santa Stevens can leave another big man under Boston’s tree — even if it doesn’t happen until January or early February — the team could further shore up the rebounding woes that have conspired against its middling defensive rating.

It’s often said that the NBA season doesn’t start until Christmas. But that would diminish what the Celtics have accomplished lately. There could still be some bumps in the road this season and it’s fair to tread cautiously with expectations. But it doesn’t seem far-fetched to think that Boston could re-emerge as a legit title contender no later than the 2026-27 campaign.

So, enjoy a quiet Christmas. It’s probably the last one without the green team for a while. The Celtics feel ahead of schedule. And that’s the best gift they could have given their fans this holiday season.

Christmas Day delivers an NBA feast, with five marquee matchups featuring playoff implications, star power and plenty of fantasy intrigue. From a bruising Eastern Conference showdown at Madison Square Garden to a heavyweight clash between San Antonio and Oklahoma City, this slate offers no shortage of storylines. Injuries loom large across several games, creating potential value swings and unexpected rotation changes. Superstars like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell headline the action, while emerging contributors could swing outcomes. Here's a game-by-game breakdown of what to watch as the NBA takes center stage on Christmas.

Christmas Day NBA Matchups

Cleveland Cavaliers (17-14) at New York Knicks (20-9)

New York leads this season series 1-0. They're 7-3 over their past 10 games and are 14-2 at home. Cleveland is 5-5 over their past 10 and are 6-6 on the road.

Like many of the games on this Christmas Day slate, there's a notable injury report. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby are both questionable, while Evan Mobley remains sidelined. Potential absences to Brunson and Anunoby could lead to more minutes for Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson, plus Mitchell Robinson and wing players like Ariel Hukporti. For the Cavs, Dean Wade has been starting in place of Evan Mobley, and Sam Merrill is coming off a great performance and will help with the team's offensive punch. Jaylon Tyson and Jarrett Allen should also continue seeing expanded roles. Donovan Mitchell has been Cleveland's best performer, averaging 31.9 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals this month. Brunson has been New York's best player, but know for sure that Karl-Anthony Towns will be available. In December, he's producing 23.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals.

San Antonio Spurs (22-7) at Oklahoma City Thunder (26-4)

The Spurs lead this season series 2-0. They're 9-1 over their past 10, winning seven straight, and are 10-5 on the road. OKC is 7-3 over their past 10 and are undefeated at home.

This game has a much cleaner injury report than Cavs/Knicks, though Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell are notably questionable. Absences to them could create more opportunities for Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso and others. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to produce at an MVP level, averaging 32.4 points, 6.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks in December. For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama has come off the bench for five straight games and produced 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 blocks in 20.6 minutes. It's unclear if he'll rejoin the starting five and see a minutes increase for Christmas Day.

Dallas Mavericks (12-19) at Golden State Warriors (15-15)

This is the first time these teams have faced off this season. The Mavericks are 3-9 on the road but are 6-4 overall across the past 10 games. Golden State is 9-4 at home and 5-5 across the past 10 games.

Dallas has a handful of role players questionable for this game, and one starter in PJ Washington. Cooper Flagg is coming off an excellent performance, with 33 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, one steal and one block against the Nuggets. Anthony Davis has rounded back into form as well, averaging 26.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks across his past six games. For the Warriors, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler continue to be the team's go-to options offensively. Curry is averaging 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals over his past five. During that same stretch, Butler is averaging 21.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals.

Houston Rockets (17-10) at Los Angeles Lakers (19-9)

This is the first matchup of the season for these squads. Houston is 9-8 on the road and 4-6 across the past 10. The Lakers are 7-4 at home and 5-5 over the past 10.

Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura are questionable for this one, as is Jaxson Hayes. That means we could see expanded roles from Austin Reaves and LeBron James as the Lakers' primary creators, while Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart could see extra run. Reaves played 22 minutes in his return from a calf strain Tuesday but should be at full strength for Christmas. In his prior 10 games, he averaged 27.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Over LeBron's past six games, he's putting up 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.0 steals. The Rockets are being led by Alperen Sengun, who is having a career year with 23.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks.

Minnesota Timberwolves (20-10) at Denver Nuggets (21-8)

Denver leads this season series 2-0. They're 9-5 at home and 7-3 across the past 10. Minnesota is 8-5 on the road and are 8-2 over the past 10 with a three-game win streak.

For Minnesota, Jaden McDaniels is questionable. His potential absence could lead to more minutes for Jaylen Clark and Terrence Shannon. Anthony Edwards continues to lead the way with averages of 28.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals. Denver could be even more shorthanded than usual as Cam Johnson suffered a knee sprain Tuesday against the Mavericks. Assuming he is sidelined, more minutes should be in store for Tim Hardaway and Spencer Jones. Nikola Jokic is putting up MVP numbers with 28.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 10.8 assists and 1.4 steals in December. 

Austin Reaves returned from a left calf strain that sidelined him for three games, but the Lakers’ second-leading scorer did nothing to fix the team’s most glaring weakness.

The Lakers' defense collapsed in a 132-108 loss to the Suns on Tuesday at Mortgage Matchup Center, giving up a season-high field goal percentage (59%), tying their mark for most points allowed this season. Led by a combined 17-for-29 shooting from star guard Devin Booker (21 points) and Dillon Brooks (25 points), the Suns easily eclipsed the 56.5% they shot against the Lakers on Dec. 1.

The Lakers (19-9) lost consecutive games for the first time and limped into a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets with a multitude of injuries.

Playing without Luka Doncic, who is day to day with a left leg contusion he sustained Saturday against the Clippers, LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points on seven-for-14 shooting. Deandre Ayton had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double while Reaves came off the bench for the first time in two seasons and scored 17 points with two assists and three turnovers.

Coach JJ Redick said Reaves was not on an official minutes restriction after his weeklong absence, but that the team would monitor his workload “in real time.”

Calf injuries, even the most minor, have been major concerns for the NBA since three stars suffered Achilles tendon tears during last season's playoffs. Reaves, who carried the team during the early part of a season that has featured injury absences from James and Doncic, led the team in minutes per game. His 775 minutes entering Tuesday were second-most on the team behind Rui Hachimura. The Japanese forward missed his second consecutive game with right groin soreness.

When asked whether Reaves needed a physical reset after carrying such a large load, Redick admitted a break may have been necessary.

Reaves looked out of sorts when he entered with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter. He fumbled the handoff on his first touch coming off a screen. When he tried to thread bounce passes through tiny windows, the ball was kicked away or deflected. He got attacked on defense and gave up consecutive driving layups to Suns guard Jamaree Bouyea.

Bouyea had 14 points off the bench, including a layup over Marcus Smart, who failed to draw a charge call, in the third quarter. While Smart laid in the key appealing to officials, Bouyea didn’t hesitate to leap over the Lakers' guard and score. The Lakers fell behind by as many as 29 in the third quarter, and Redick quietly waved the white flag with 5:22 remaining in the third when he put reserve forward Maxi Kleber and rookie Adou Thiero onto the floor.

The Phoenix crowd started to file out in bunches with seven minutes remaining when the lead reached 30.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Knicks got 40 points from Karl-Anthony Towns, but playing without two starters, New York fell 115-104 at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.

With Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby getting the night off amid the Knicks’ tight run of fixtures after their NBA Cup run, Tyler Kolek and Mitchell Robinson were bumped into the starting lineup. That put New York (20-9) in a tough spot against Minnesota (20-10, winners of five of six).

Towns looked to carry the load on offense, scoring 14 first-quarter points on 5-for-9 shooting. That was quite the turnaround for KAT after scoring just two points on 1-for-5 shooting over 29 minutes in Sunday’s win. Kolek looked to force the issue and contributed six points (3-for-7 from the floor), including some tough lay-ups to go along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the opening quarter.

For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards tallied a quick 13 points and Donte DiVincenzo dished out four assists for a 31-28 Minnesota lead.

At the start of the second quarter, the Knicks' five of Kolek, Robinson, Josh Hart, Mohamed Diawara, and Kevin McCullar Jr. got blitzed for a 10-2 run. Minnesota’s run hit 17-2 for a 16-point lead before Towns put in back-to-back buckets and two at the line to give him 20 in the game. That started a 16-5 run, capped by a Jordan Clarkson three (the first points from the bench), forced a timeout with the deficit at five and 3:25 left in the second. New York cut it to one on a second Clarkson three, before the hosts took a 58-52 lead into the break. 

The big issue at the interveal: outside of Towns, the Knicks were shooting 12-for-35 (34.3 percent) from the floor.

The third quarter started poorly: Two Wolves threes sandwiching offensive fouls by Robinson and Towns (his fourth foul, fifth turnover), and the deficit was back to 12. But after missing their first four shots, the Knicks used a 10-2 spurt, including five from Kolek, to force a Minnesota timeout. A further 7-1 spurt gave the Knicks a lead midway into the quarter at 69-67. 

But as Mike Brown turned more to the bench, Edwards led the Wolves on a 9-0 run, giving him 32 in the game, to push it back to a seven-point Wolves lead. The Wolves’ star had 16 in the quarter on 7-for-10 shooting while his teammates went 2-for-12 in the quarter for an 85-79 advantage.

Julius Randle, held to eight points through three quarters, took over in the fourth with eight-straight Wolves points to force a timeout as their lead hit 97-85 with 6:51 to play. Randle kept it going, scoring the next seven for Minnesota before an Edwards dunk made it a 16-point lead with under five to play. The Knicks again had one more counterpunch as KAT and Hart combined for a 10-3 move to make it a nine-point game with 3:10 to play. But that was New York’s last gasp.

The Knicks were sunk in part by 19 turnovers, leading to 22 Timberwolves points and shooting 41-for-99 from the floor (41.4 percent). They did out-rebound their hosts, 55-42.

Here are the takeaways...

- KAT, soon after he sparked the Knicks’ big second-quarter surge, picked up his second offensive foul of the quarter (third foul overall) and was forced to the bench with 2:58 to play in the half. Sittig with 24 points (9-for-13 shooting), four rebounds, four turnovers, and was a plus-5 in 15 minutes. But after the hot start, Towns connected on just three of his next nine from the floor and picked up his fifth foul with five left in the game before he scored a quick five to give him 40 on the night. 

Towns would foul out in the final minute. He finished with 40 points (14-for-24, 3-for-6 from deep, 9-for-11 from the line) with 12 rebounds (four offensive), one assist, one steal, five turnovers and was a plus-7 in 35 minutes.

- Kolek looked to do more on offense, but other than a few good drives, struggled from the floor in the opening half: 3-for-10 from the floor (0-for-3 from deep) for six points. He did have four rebounds and three assists, but was a minus-12 in his first 12 minutes. After going 3-for-7 from the floor in the third, he put in a quick five points on two possessions when he checked in midway through the fourth. 

He finished with 20 points (9-for-22 shooting, 2-for-6 from three) with 11 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and two turnovers, but was a minus-7 in 31 minutes. For Kolek, those are career highs in points (just his second game in double figures, with both coming in the last three games), rebounds, and minutes.

- Bridges grabbed the Knicks’ first opening field goals, and without Brunson, was going to have to pick up some slack on offense while taking on the challenge of guarding Edwards. But Bridges, who made 3 of 6 in the first quarter for six points, attempted just two field goals in the second to give him nine points in the first half. 

After a 2-for-5 third quarter, Bridges didn’t find the touch in the fourth, finishing with 15 points on 7-for-16 shooting (1-for-6 from three) with three rebounds and was a plus-3 in 38 minutes.

- Hart continued to pop up in the right spots, hauling down seven rebounds, dishing out six assists, and grabbing two steals with five points in 22 first-half minutes. Late in the third, he tangled with Rudy Gobert on the defensive glass, but it was the Knicks man who was assessed a foul that was reviewed and upgraded to a flagrant foul as Hart, who was seated, was judged to have attempted to trip the Wolves’ 7-footer. He finished with 12 points (5-for-14 shooting) with 15 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, six turnovers, and was a minus-5 in 42 minutes.

- Robinson, who grabbed an offensive rebound on the first miss of the game. The Knicks tried to get the big man on a few lobs in the first quarter, but couldn’t find the connection. He struggled to assert himself and was being dragged to the perimeter on defense. Robinson was a team-worst minus-13 in 15 first-half minutes with just two points and two rebounds.

It wasn’t his night as he finished with two points (1-for-4) with seven rebounds (six offensive), two blocks, and a team-worst minus-15 in 26 minutes.

- Off the bench, Clarkson, Diawara, and Ariel Hukporti all saw time in the first. McCullar and Pacôme Dadiet got action in the second, but other than a pair of threes from Clarkson (2-for-6 from the floor), the bench wasn’t offering much as the other four were scoreless with Diawara missing his lone attempt and Dadiet missing twice from deep.

The McCullar cameo (minus-11 in just four minutes) was especially rough, as was Diawara’s time (minus-12 in seven minutes) in the first half.

Clarkson accounted for 10 of the Knicks’ 15 bench points on 3-for-11 shooting, and he was a minus-9 in 30 minutes.

- GuerschonYabusele was unavailable for the night due to illness.

- DiVincenzo finished with 11 points and eight assists in 32 minutes. Gobert added 11 points and 16 rebounds (six offensive) to go with three blocks, two steals, and two assists in 38 minutes.

Game MVP: Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle

The Wolves guard finished with 38 points on 15-for-27 shooting (4-for-10 from three) with four steals, two assists, one rebound, one block, just one turnover in 37 minutes. While Edwards owned the first three quarters, Randle pipped in here because of his 17-point fourth quarter, as he finished with 25 points (10-for-20 shooting) with six rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes.

What's next

The Knicks return to Madison Square Garden to play the early game (12 p.m. tip) on Christmas Day against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 points, Egor Demin added 20 and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-106 on Tuesday night

Porter went 5 of 12 from the 3-point arc and Demin hit a couple of late 3s after the 76ers cut a 19-point lead to nine in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn shot 17 of 46 from 3-point distance to win for the third time in four games. Nic Claxton added 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid scored 27 points despite going out briefly early in the third quarter after banging his right knee. Paul George added 19 points, but 76ers leading scorer Tyrese Maxey was held to 13 points on 3-of-14 shooting. Andrew Drummond finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Porter scored 24 points in the Nets’ 96-81 win over Toronto on Sunday and eclipsed that in the first half against Philadelphia.

Porter had 25 points and hit 5 of 8 from 3-point range, helping the Nets build a 63-57 halftime lead.

Embiid did most of his work inside the arc, hitting 7 of 10 shots to score 19 points by halftime. Maxey, coming off a 38-point game against Dallas, had five first-half points on 1-of-7 shooting.

Embiid went to the locker room clutching his right knee after colliding with Brooklyn’s Terance Mann in the opening minute of the third quarter. Embiid returned to the bench and re-entered the game a few minutes later.

Brooklyn gradually stretched the lead even after Embiid returned, up 89-77 after three quarters. Philadelphia used a 10-0 run to pull within 99-90 midway through the fourth quarter, but got no closer after Demin hit a pair of 3s.

Up next

Nets: At Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.

76ers: At Chicago Bulls on Friday in opener of a five-game trip.

Kings' Doug Christie states ‘you never know' as Malik Monk trade rumors swirl originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Despite rumors swirling that the Kings are open to trading Malik Monk, coach Doug Christie said Tuesday that he expects the veteran guard to still be wearing a Sacramento jersey at the end of the 2025-26 NBA season.

“Until otherwise, I expect him to be here for his contract,” Christie said shortly after the Kings’ 136-127 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Golden 1 Center. “He’s signed to be a Sacramento King. He’s going to be a Sacramento King. If something else happens … that goes when trades and all that stuff come into play.”

Since joining the Kings as a free agent before the 2022-23 season, Monk’s popularity has soared in the state capital to the point where he is now one of the most beloved players on Sacramento’s roster.

That was on full display Tuesday when Monk strolled to the scorer’s table to check in for the first time.

In unison the Golden 1 Center crowd roared in appreciation at a level surpassed only when Monk canned a 3-pointer early in his first rotation.

He finished with nine points in just under 14 minutes, shooting 3 of 8 with a pair of 3-pointers to go with two of steals.

A nice night, for sure, but not enough to erase the looming cloud of a potential trade that lingered overhead at G1C. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported early Tuesday morning that the Kings have made Monk available to teams ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

When asked about the rumors, Christie deflected.

“That’s a [general manager Scott Perry] question,” Christie said. “I don’t have any anything there, but I love Malik. Always have. What we’re trying to do here is bigger than any one player, two players, anything. We’re trying to set something that is sustainable. We just changed things up in this particular moment.”

Monk was not available for comment. He changed quickly after the game and was long gone by the time media was allowed into the Sacramento locker room.

When Christie talked to reporters, he insisted things between himself and Monk are OK.

“Nothing personal, nothing like that.,” Christie said. “I’ve told him that I love him to death. But we are trying to shake things up, and we’re going to figure out how to find a way to be, first of all, competing at a really high level and playing to our standard, a particular standard.”

A former Sixth Man of the Year runner-up who re-upped with the Kings last summer when he inked a four-year, $78 million contract, Monk was projected to be a big part of Sacramento’s once-promising future.

A lot of that promise has changed over the last two seasons. Mike Brown was fired as head coach after helping the Kings end the longest playoff drought in NBA history. Popular point guard De’Aaron Fox was traded to the San Antonio Spurs last season.

It appears that Monk might be the next one out the door.

“You never know,” Christie said. “When I was here in this jersey, I didn’t expect to get traded. It did happen.”

That was in 2005 when the Kings sent Christie to the Orlando Magic for Cuttino Mobley and Michael Bradley. If Monk is traded, the price of acquiring him could and should be a lot more.

Download and follow The Deuce & Mo Podcast

What we learned as DeMar DeRozan's 37 points can't push Kings past Pistons originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

SACRAMENTO – Two days ago, the Kings had Golden 1 Center rocking with a thrilling overtime win.

Two days before Christmas, the venue was the same — but the noise was mostly muted and the outcome was basically a lump of coal.

Not only did the Kings get smacked around handily by the Detroit Pistons 136-127 on Tuesday, they also saw another front-line player go down when Keegan Murray left the game in the second half after injuring his calf.

Murmurs also swirled throughout the night about Malik Monk being available in trade talks, a cloud that will most definitely linger overhead until a deal is done or the deadline passes Feb. 5.

Where the Kings are at that point likely will determine what, if any, other moves the franchise makes.

The way Sacramento looked against Detroit, no one’s job should be safe. That includes coach Doug Christie, whose style hasn’t produced any lasting or impactful moments.

DeMar DeRozan had 37 points and eight assists for the good guys. Russell Westbrook added 27 points and six rebounds while Precious Achiuwa had 15 points and 11 boards.

The Kings fell to 7-23 on the 2025-26 NBA season. They have lost six of seven, 10 of 14 and 17 of 21.

The Pistons took control early, dropping 37 points in the first quarter to take a double-digit lead. DeRozan scored 23 points in the first half but it wasn’t enough to overcome Detroit, which led 75-58 at the break,

Sacramento got within 15 early in the third quarter then pulled within 129-120 with 3:10 remaining in the fourth following DeRozan’s three-point play, but couldn’t muster another comeback.

Here are the takeaways from Tuesday:

Monk On The Move?

The loudest cheers from the Golden 1 Center crowd happened midway through the second quarter when Monk walked to the scorer’s table to check in.

The ninth-year veteran made his first bucket less than two minutes into his first stint then drained a 3-pointer after that as chanting monks played over the loudspeakers. That had been a tradition at G1C but was noticeably absent in the previous few games.

Monk, who had nine points in 14 minutes, has been a fan favorite in Sacramento ever since his arrival during the 2022-23 season, but there might have been more meaning to the ovations this time.

Minutes before tip-off a report from NBA Insider Chris Haynes surfaced that Monk has been made available for trade by the Kings, which if true certainly is no surprise.

Drowning From Deep

For a team that has mixed success shooting from deep over the season, the Kings seemed fascinated with trying to make things happen behind the arc against the Pistons.

That, like a lot of everything Sacramento tried, didn’t work out so well.

The Kings, who shot 29 percent (24-for-82) on threes in their previous three games, sputtered with their 3-point shooting for much of the night. They missed nine of their first 10 tries behind the arc and 13 of their first 18.

The struggles from deep took away what actually had been a decent shooting night for the Kings. They shot 31 of 59 on two-pointers.

Achiuwa was one of the few Sacramento players to have any sort of like shooting deep, connecting on 3 of 4 attempted threes.

No D At G1C

The Kings had a fairly decent night offensively, but this game turned on Sacramento’s inability to make consistent stops on the other end.

Time and time again the Pistons drove to the rack with very little resistance all game and nearly doubled the Kings’ scoring in the paint.

With Domantas Sabonis and Andrew Eubanks both injured, the bulk of the Kings’ interior defense was absent. Rookie Maxime Raynaud, who has been playing very well as of late, had eight points.

The defensive breakdowns weren’t limited to the big men. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham made seven of his first 10 shots and put up 16 points in the first half, many of them uncontested. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting.

Download and follow The Deuce & Mo Podcast