Jalen Williams left the Oklahoma City Thunder's game against the Miami Heat in the first half with right thigh soreness, according to the team. He was subsequently officially ruled out for the rest of the game.
The Thunder had a 52-46 lead against the Heat with 5:39 left in the second quarter at the time of Williams' exit. He struggled to move down the court after he attempted to drive toward the basket with the ball and two defenders in front of him. He did not make the basket.
It was initially thought that Williams injured his hamstring as he limped back to the locker room. It remains unclear if he will miss any upcoming games.
Williams finished with eight points, three rebounds and three assists in 14 minutes of play on Saturday night. He shot 3-for-5 from the field and was 2-for-2 from the 3-point line.
Williams has already been a regular name on the OKC injury report, having missed the first 19 games of the season after recovering from wrist surgery.
Jalen Williams' 2025-26 season stats
Williams has averaged 17.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game in 23 games played.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Montreal scored three straight goals, including Cole Caufield’s second of the game 33 seconds into overtime, to give the Canadiens a 6-5 come-from-behind win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Trailing 5-3 late in the third period, Montreal pulled goaltender Samuel Montembeault and got within one with 4:24 remaining when Juraj Slafkovsky tipped a Lane Hutson shot for his second goal of the game. Alexandre Carrier tied it 65 seconds later when he beat Leevi Merilainen glove side. Josh Anderson also had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens.
Jake Sanderson, who also had three assists, had given the Senators what appeared to be insurance when he scored his 10th at 7:55 of the third, beating Montembeault short side to give the Senators a 5-3 lead.
Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens and David Perron also scored for the Senators. Merilainen stopped 13 shots.
The Senators started the second period with a two-man advantage. Tkachuk scored his 10th of the season just 42 seconds in.
With 1:36 remaining in the second, Artem Zub fired a shot from just inside the blue line and it went off Perron’s skate in the crease to give Ottawa its first lead.
Montreal had a goal called back midway through the period but got it back late in the period, on the power play again, when Nick Suzuki won a puck battle along the boards and fed Caufield who wristed a shot past Merilainen.
Lane Hutson had three assists and passed Henri Richard (101) for the most assists by a Canadiens player at age 21 or younger in franchise history.
The Spurs made it more difficult than it had to be, but they prevailed against the Timberwolves in a battle of superstars. Anthony Edwards had 55 points while Victor Wembanyama finished with 39 in a close game that featured plenty of big moments for both teams.
The first half had one constant for the Spurs: terrific defense that kept their opponent at 22 points in each quarter. Everyone was great one that end, except for specific plays. The offense was another story. De’Aaron Fox started out the game hot and Keldon Johnson did his job at leading the second unit, but there were too many turnovers and missed open looks in the first 12 minutes, so San Antonio actually trailed heading into the second quarter.
Once the offense caught up to the defense, the Spurs went on a massive run. Everything clicked as Castle dished out assists to Kornet, and the shooters connected from beyond the arc. But it was Victor Wembanyama’s jaw-dropping second-quarter performance that helped San Antonio get a 48-point frame that gave them a massive buffer. The Alien got himself going by getting to the line and then caught fire from outside, on his way to a 20-point period that had the Silver and Black sitting pretty at the break.
The Wolves, who were on the second game of a back-to-back, could have given up. Instead, they did what they have done to the Spurs in the past and completely took control of the game, chipping away at the lead by mostly playing with more energy and physicality and beating their opponent down the court in transition. Everything was easy for Minnesota, as they got into the bonus early and had Julius Randle coming alive to help a dominant Anthony Edwards. San Antonio reacted to avoid a bigger disaster, but only led by 12 after three.
The comeback attempt continued in the final frame, with San Antonio’s poor floor balance allowing the visitors to run off every miss and forcing fouls on the other end. Minnesota’s defense played with ferocious physicality that the Silver and Black couldn’t match. The Wolves took the lead at one time, Edwards was just unstoppable, and the Spurs were doing their best to hold on. They did enough to give themselves a chance at a close game in which Wemby and Fox had huge contributions to lead the team to an ugly but emotional win.
Observations:
The Spurs came into the matchup on a six-game losing streak to the Timberwolves, including two losses to them this season. It wasn’t easy, but the streak was finally snapped.
The Wolves were missing Rudy Gobert, out with injury. As a result, rookie Joan Beringer got early playing time and did a solid job in his first stint against Kornet, but struggled against Wembanyama. He then got to start the second half, as Naz Reid suffered an injury, and impressed with his tools and motor, playing a huge part in the Wolves’ comeback attempt. France keeps producing intriguing young players.
The officials allowed a lot of contact in the past matchup, helping Julius Randle keep Wemby under control. They were quicker to blow the whistle this time, and as a result, Wemby lived at the line in the first half. In the second half, the refs’ willingness to call fouls worked against the Spurs. In the end, both teams finished with 28 free throw attempts.
It’s always hilarious when NBA players look like they have never seen a zone defense before. It happened to the Spurs a lot on Saturday, but most teams have those games, which are equal parts baffling and funny to watch.
The Spurs’ broadcast highlighted how good Julian Champagnie has been on the boards recently, showing a clip of Mitch Johnson praising his work on the glass. He had a massive board after a missed free throw by Edwards. Champagnie continues to add skills that could earn him a sizable contract in the offseason. He’s extension-eligible, and it would be great if Brian Wright could get him to sign a team-friendly deal, but it would be understandable to hold off due to his inconsistency as a shooter.
Mike Conley missing a right-handed floater was a reminder that Father Time comes for us all. The Wolves have a chance to win it all because of their core and their superstar, but they need a significant upgrade in the back court just as much as the Spurs arguably need one at the forward spots.
The third quarter was one of the worst the Spurs have had all season. A complete lack of urgency from a team that at this point should know it can’t just flip the switch. Especially against an opponent that thrives once it builds momentum. At their best, San Antonio looks like a contender, but they’ll need to continue learning how to avoid complacency.
The Spurs are horrendous at coach’s challenges. It’s not a new thing, but it’s still frustrating to watch. They lost the one they called for, and it cost them the opportunity to have one for later. Every little edge matters against elite teams and San Antonio has to manage its challenges better.
The Harper – Castle – Kornet lineups can be rough on offense at times. Fortunately, they have Keldon Johnson to bail them out. Keldon continues to have the best season of his career, maybe not by the numbers but definitely by how much he’s contributing to wins.
For the Timberwolves fans’ perspective, visit Canis Hoopus.
The Spurs will host the tanking Jazz on Monday, January 19, at 6 p.m. CT.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — JT Toppin had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 15 Texas Tech rallied in the second half for an 84-71 victory over 11th-ranked BYU on Saturday night, ending the Cougars' 13-game winning streak.
Christian Anderson scored 22 points and LeJuan Watts added 20 for the Red Raiders (14-4, 4-1 Big 12), who beat the Cougars for the fifth consecutive time after losing the first three meetings between the schools.
Robert Wright III had 28 points while leading scorer AJ Dybantsa was limited to 13 points on 6-of-17 shooting for BYU (16-2, 4-1). The Cougars had a 12-game Big 12 regular-season winning streak stopped, going back to an 84-66 loss at Cincinnati last February.
Texas Tech went on a 30-6 run over most of the final 10 minutes after Wright scored eight points during a 16-2 burst that put BYU up 61-52 with 9:26 remaining.
The Red Raiders pulled even at 63-all with three free throws from Jaylen Petty after he was fouled on a 3-pointer, and a three-point play from Toppin.
After Dybantsa scored to put the Cougars in front, Toppin gave Texas Tech the lead for good with a 3 from the top of the key. Watts then hit another 3, and stole a pass at the other end to set up Anderson from long range for a 72-65 lead.
Richie Saunders scored 18 points for BYU, while Dybantsa had just two points on 1-of-6 shooting after halftime.
Up next
BYU: Utah visits next Saturday, two weeks after the Cougars' 89-84 road win over their biggest rival.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Luka Doncic was ruled out of the Los Angeles Lakers' game on Saturday night against the Portland Trail Blazers because of left groin soreness.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said the injury was probably an “accumulation of a longer week.” The Lakers are in the midst of playing five games in seven days.
“More lingering if anything," Redick said about Doncic's injury, "and obviously wanted to be safe. The MRI was good. He's day to day."
Doncic, a five-time All-Star, leads the league in scoring this season with an average of 33.6 points, and also averages 7.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists. He had 39 points in the team's 135-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.
Also absent against the Trail Blazers was starting center Deandre Ayton, who had left knee soreness, and Jaxson Hayes, who was unavailable because of left hamstring tendinopathy. Maxi Kleber earned his first start of the season.
The Detroit Pistons took care of business against an undermanned, overmatched Indiana Pacers, blitzing Indy 121-78. It was the fewest points the Pistons had surrendered since a 116-77 win over the Charlotte Hornets in 2015. It was the 10th time in the 3-point era the Pistons beat a team by at least 40 points. JB Bickerstaff joins Chuck Daly as the only coaches in Pistons history with at least three wins of 40 or more points. Bickerstaff did it three times in 122 games.
There wasn’t much to analyze in this one as the Pacers were down their six most important players, with several guys resting on the second half of a back-to-back. Without the likes of Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, TJ McConnell, and Bennedict Mathurin, the Pacers simply couldn’t generate any offense.
A Jalen Duren free throw with 5:07 left in the first quarter put Detroit up 24-2. The Pacers hit a couple shots, and Detroit let its foot off the gas a bit, but the game kinda went like that the whole time. At halftime, it was 59-25. By the midpoint of the third quarter, Cade Cunningham and Duren went to the bench permanently, and there was a lot of garbage time for a lot of reserve players to show their stuff.
The Pacers were held to 35% from the floor and 22% from three. Detroit had a 34-9 advantage in points off of turnovers. It was an ugly game.
The only downside for the Pistons was that it was clear early on the refs had no interest in dragging out the game any more than necessary and swallowed their whistles. Detroit did their typical bulldog, attack-the-basket offense, and it was rarely rewarded with free throws regardless of contact. That meant a lot of empty trips down the floor.
The Pistons were led by a trio of players with 16 points: Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, and Javonte Green, who were all 4-of-6 from three. The only player in a Pistons jersey to play past the 24-minute mark was Ron Holland. The Pacers were led by Jarace Walker, who scored 13 points on 12 shots.
Detroit gets a rest day and then hosts the Boston Celtics back in Detroit for a game with more stakes, and one certain to be much closer.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Max Domi scored at 3:08 of overtime on a 2-on-1 with Auston Matthews to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs past the Winnipeg Jets, 4-3 on Saturday night.
Domi also had an assist, Matthews scored his 24th goal of the season and Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a goal and two assists. Bobby McMann tied it in the third, and Morgan Rielly added two assists.
Dennis Hildeby stopped 27 shots as Toronto closed a four-game trip 2-1-1.
Alex Iafallo, Kyle Connor and Nino Niederreiter scored Winnipeg, and Connor Hellebuyck made 33 saves. The Jets had won four in a row.
The Jets led 3-1early in the third period. Ekman-Larsson scored at 5:58, and McMann’ tied it with 4:27 remaining.
Without two of their starters, the Knicks just could not muster enough offense in their 106-99 loss to the Suns at MSG on Saturday evening.
Jalen Brunson (ankle) and Josh Hart (ankle) did not dress for this game, leaving the Knicks looking for answers offensively. Miles McBride, who made the start, did his part, scoring 23 points on 9 of 18 shooting (5-for-11 from three) with five assists, two rebounds and two steals. He was a team-high plus-six on the court.
Phoenix star Devin Booker, who missed their last game due to an ankle injury and was questionable heading into Saturday's tip, suited up and provided more than enough for the Suns. He had a game-high 27 points and was a menace getting to the hoop, going 12 of 14 from the charity stripe.
New York has lost three in a row and eight of their last 10 games.
Here are the takeaways....
-The Knicks got off to a hot shooting start, hitting three of their first four three-point attempts. That allowed New York to keep a lead through most of the opening quarter as they led 27-19 after the first.
New York shot 50 percent in the quarter to the Suns' 36 percent.
-The second quarter saw the Suns make a 12-0 run in the middle part of the frame to take a lead, but the Knicks' defense finally hunkered down to retake the lead, backed by steals from McBride on back-to-back Phoenix possessions, which led to eight straight points. It was a back-and-forth game from there, as the teams went into halftime 56-55 in favor of the Knicks.
OG Anunoby went into the break with a team-high 13 points while McBride (10) and Karl-Anthony Towns (12) were the only Knicks scoring in double figures at this point. Towns, who scored 10 points in the opening frame, had just two points in the second.
-Phoenix got out to a 10-3 run to start the third quarter, forcing head coach Mike Brown to call a timeout. Whatever the first-year Knicks coach said worked as New York went out to a 16-0 run to regain the lead and take a 10-point cushion at one point, but the Suns persisted and tied it at 77-77 with 1:30 left in the quarter. On the final possession of the quarter, Booker drove and tossed up a prayer as he was fouled, and the ball banked in for an and-one to go into the fourth up by three.
-The physicality of this game ramped up a notch as players fought for loose balls, and hard fouls on players taking it to the hoop were plentiful. Two of the Suns' guards (Grayson Allen and Oso Ighodaro) had to miss time with busted noses.
An 8-0 run, mostly because of the Knicks' inability to knock down shots, pushed the Suns to have a 95-87 lead with six minutes remaining. The Knicks started to chip away at the Suns' lead, and got Dillon Brooks to miss a three, but Mark Williams picked up the offensive rebound and kicked out to Royce O'Neal, who hit a three to put Phoenix up by nine, forcing another Knicks timeout.
The Knicks tried to make a comeback, but their shots weren't falling, even when they cut the lead to five points. The Suns made their free throws and bled the clock away for the seven-point victory. The Knicks scored just 22 points in the fourth quarter.
-The Knicks shot 40 percent from the field but just 33 percent from three. Towns tied McBride with 23 points but he was just 7 of 16 from the field and just 3-for-8 from three. He airballed a three-pointer in the waning minutes, which would have cut the Phoenix lead to four points. The MSG crowd rained boos on Towns as the last gasp comeback attempt was extinguished.
Anunoby (21) and Mikal Bridges (15) were the only other Knicks to score in double figures.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have hired Kevin Stefanski to be their next head coach.
Stefanski joins the Falcons after a six-year stint with the Cleveland Browns, where he was a two-time Associated Press Coach of the Year and led the group to a 45-56 overall record. He was fired on Jan. 5 after a 5-12 finish to the 2025 season.
“We’re thrilled to land a lead-by-example leader in Kevin Stefanski, who brings a clear vision for his staff, our team and a closely aligned focus on building this team on fundamentals, toughness and active collaboration with every area of the football operation,” Ryan said in a statement.
Falcons owner Arthur M. Blank brought Ryan on as his second-in-command and a key decision-maker for the franchise.
“Coach Stefanski is a team-first leader who puts a premium on accountability for everyone and a player-driven culture," Ryan added. "His experience in Cleveland and Minnesota has given him a great understanding of the importance of working in sync with scouting, personnel and the rest of the football staff to maximize talent across the roster and in doing everything possible to put our players in the best position to succeed."
Stefanski was named AP Coach of the Year in 2020 after leading the Browns to the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and their first playoff win since 1994 with an 11-5 record. He won it again in 2023 when the Browns made the playoffs and finished 11-6.
The coach climbed the ranks in Minnesota for 14 years with the Vikings before being hired by Cleveland in 2020. He overlapped with Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2018 and 2019.
“I’m beyond thrilled to be charged with leading this iconic franchise,” Stefanski said. “I am grateful to Mr. Blank and Matt Ryan for trusting me to coach this football team and there are many talented players on our roster that I cannot wait to coach. We share a vision for this football team that I believe will make Falcons fans everywhere proud."
Stefanski inherits a roster that includes four players who were named AP All-Pros in 2025. Bijan Robinson was named a first-team running back and second-team all-purpose player. Tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., right guard Chris Lindstrom and safety Jessie Bates III each earned second-team honors.
But he also finds some uncertainty at quarterback. Shortly after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal in 2024, the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the NFL draft. Cousins lost the starting job after underperforming midway through the 2024 season. Penix finished his rookie season and started the 2025 campaign as the starter before going down with a season-ending knee injury.
Cousins stepped in for the last nine games, leading the Falcons to a 5-4 record and four straight wins to close out the season. Penix's recovery is expected to linger into training camp.
Stefanski has experience with quarterback uncertainty. The Browns had rotating quarterbacks throughout most of his tenure after trading former first-overall pick Baker Mayfield and acquiring Deshaun Watson. Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders each quarterbacked the offense in 2025.
The Falcons also have several other staffing decisions ahead of them, including general manager.
“We will get to work immediately putting together a first-class coaching staff and working hard to get to know all the great people that are so important to getting us all where we want to go,” Stefanski said.
NEW YORK — The Phoenix Suns defeated the New York Knicks 106-99 on Saturday for their first win of their six-game road trip.
A back-and-forth battle for the majority of the game, both teams had to whether each other’s large runs but BLANK came away victorious, pulling away late. Devin Booker returned from his ankle injury to lead the team in scoring but the victory was a team effort, with six players scoring in double figures. Dillon Brooks had one of his worst shooting nights of the year but it did not matter.
New York’s first game back from a four-game road trip, Knicks fans were loud but the Suns played loud when it mattered most, a contrast from their performances late against the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons earlier this week.
Now 25-17 on the year, the Suns snap their losing streak at two with the second of their Eastern Conference road trip pending.
Game Flow
First Half
The Knicks struck first, going ahead 13-6 and forcing Jordan Ott to take a timeout less than four minutes into the game. Karl-Anthony Towns had it going early for New York. Over the next six minutes, scoring was limited with both teams scoring just a combined 17 points. Only four different Suns scored as the score at the end of 12 minutes was 27-19 New York.
In the first quarter, Devin Booker passed a Phoenix Suns legend in the NBA all-time scorer list.
The Suns went on a 17-4 run to start the second and take their first lead since early in the first, and the team played more balanced on offense. The Knicks responded with a run of their own to retake the lead, thanks in large part to their hot three-point shooting; they hit 63% of their first 13 triples.
After a flurry of runs from both teams, the squads exchanged baskets to end the second half. New York led 56-55 at the break. The two teams’ splits at the half were similar. Phoenix shot 43.9% from the field and 39.1% from three, while New York shot 42.9% from the field and 42.1% from three.
Second Half
The third quarter was 12 minutes of runs by both teams. Phoenix went on a 10-3 run to go up six which was followed by a 16-0 run by New York to give them a 10-point lead. Madison Square Garden was loud and the Knicks fans were roaring.
When the Suns stopped the Knicks’ run, they finished the quarter on a 13-0 run to end the third, capped off by Devin Booker’s And-one with 0.3 seconds left in the frame. Jordan Goodwin’s effort and quick five-point scoring burst were pivotal.
A slow start to the final quarter, the game started to slow down in its final moment. Collin Gillespie took control of the first half of the fourth, hitting shots and organizing the offense. Phoenix was playing better late than they did against the Pistons and Heat in their previous two games.
Relying mostly on the starters and Grayson Allen, Phoenix pulled away late, avoiding a small scare at the end when New York cut it to five.
Up Next
The Suns will stay in New York City and face the Brooklyn Nets on Monday in the first half of a back-to-back.
The Dallas Mavericks have seen a lot of the Utah Jazz over the past month, with their most recent faceoff just two days ago. Dallas repeated their success from Thursday night with a 138-120 win Saturday.
Let’s get to the grades!
Brandon Williams: A
22 PTS / 4 REB / 5 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
Williams had a very nice game on both sides of the ball. He scored on efficient shooting (8-for-13), played solid defense and made some nice passes. His assist-to-turnover ratio (5:2) wasn’t mind blowing, but there isn’t much to complain about in respect of his overall performance.
Max Christie: A
22 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN
Christie returned to action looking as though he didn’t miss a beat. He had himself a sound night in all respects, shooting well in his return (7-for-13). He took care of the ball and played sound defense without racking up fouls. Highlight play: cutting off a passing lane for a steal he took the other way for a layup in the second quarter.
Caleb Martin: C+
3 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN
Martin’s near-flawless shooting was absent Saturday night, though he grabbed a few boards and dished some dimes. He didn’t hurt the Mavs, but also didn’t do a whole lot to favorably impact the game. Highlight play: on the opening tip Martin moved as though clairvoyant, getting to a spot before the jump ball was even touched, perfectly positioning himself to gain possession. It was a small thing, but pretty cool to see.
Naji Marshall: B+
16 PTS / 5 REB / 6 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN
Marshall had a hot hand and did a bit of everything, but his grade takes a hit for the high turnover (3) and high foul (4) totals.
Dwight Powell: A-
10 PTS / 8 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN
Powell was quietly Powell, grabbing boards, hitting his limited shot opportunities, and setting solid screens — one of which got him free throws when Keyonte George committed a flagrant foul by running him over and pushing him to the ground. His steal total gives his grade a boost beyond his other contributions.
Jaden Hardy: C+
12 PTS / 1 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 17 MIN
Hardy can be streaky for sure, and on Saturday his shot could have been better (5-for-13). He did little else and his plus/minus was in the negative for most of the night. Still, he did what you’d want him to do — drop double-figure points in limited minutes.
Moussa Cisse: B-
9 PTS / 10 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN
Cisse was solid, though some of his stats came in garbage time. He also had the worst plus/minus on the team (-minus-17).
Klay Thompson: A
23 PTS / 0 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 2 BLK – 20 MIN
Thompson’s first half alone had him in the “A” range: 7-for-10 from the floor, 6-for-9 from deep, 3-for-3 from the free throw line, 23 points. He even dished two assists around his prolific shooting. He came back down to earth in the second half, but very few minutes played was a factor in that.
Final thoughts
If you’re on board with Team Tank, you might be a bit chapped to see Utah doing it better than Dallas by sitting players somewhat arbitrarily in both this, and the game Thursday night. Utah is just behind Dallas in the Western Conference standings, so the losses for them are wins from a certain perspective.
I’m not a big fan of intentionally losing, but I would be lying to say a better pick this summer isn’t highly appealing. With the win, Dallas and Utah now have two wins apiece in the season series, but there is a long way to go before game 82 decides the final standings. For now, Dallas continues to look engaged with two-way players and others that don’t get a lot of burn showing up with maximum effort.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
On a night where Jaylen Brown scored 41 points, it was Sam Hauser who stole the show. He scored 30 points making 10 three pointers, including 8 of his first 9 looks. The Celtics smoked the Hawks 132-106 as the Celtics advance to 26-15 at the midway point of the season.
The Celtics were without Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, Josh Minott and Chris Boucher. They started Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta. The Hawks were without Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Kristaps Porzingis and N’Faly Dante. They started C.J. McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Vit Krecji, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Onongwu.
This was the Hawks first game back home after a 4 game west coast swing. Those are always tough, if you remember the Celtics were 0-5 in the first game back coming off of long road trips last season.
It was 14-11 at the second timeout. Jaylen Brown took 8 of the first 14 Celtics shots, making 3 of them for 6 points. Joe Mazzulla came out of that timeout with 4 new players surrounding Brown, Anferenee Simons, Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez and Luka Garza.
The Celtics led the Hawks, 30-23 at the end of the first quarter. Jaylen Brown carried the Celtics, scoring 18 points while no else scored more than 3. Brown also had 2 rebounds and 2 assists. He took 13 shots.
It was in the 2nd quarter that the Celtics turned up the heat and it happened from three point range. They outscored the Hawks 37-20 in the first 9:23 of the quarter and were 9/12 from threes.
They did not slow down to end the quarter either, scoring 52 points in the period and 82 in the first half, a new season high. They finished the 2nd quarter 19/25 from the field and 11/15 from three.
Boston led Atlanta by 31 points at halftime, 82-51. Jaylen Brown had 29 points while Sam Hauser had 21 points going 7/8 from three point range.
The Celtics contained the, as NBC Sports Boston’s Drew Carter said, “vintage Mazzulla Ball barrage” in the third quarter, taking a 40 point lead at the 9:20 mark in the 3rd quarter. They hit the 100 point mark with just over 8 minutes to go in the period.
Jaylen Brown hit the 40 point mark in the first three quarters of the game. He had 41 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists through three quarters (he did not play in the 4th). He was 14/30 from the field and 2/9 from three in 29 minutes.
The Celtics led the Hawks 117-74 at the end of three quarters. Hauser had 24 points while Neemias Queta and Anfernee Simons had 14 points each.
The 4th quarter intrigue was whether or not Sam Hauser would break the single game three point record for the Celtics, which is 11 from Marcus Smart in 2020. He did not, he made 10 threes in the game, only making 2 of his last 12 three point attempts.
The Celtics shot 50% from the field and 42% from three while the Hawks shot 37% from the field and 32% from three. Boston’s next game is Monday night in Detroit against the Pistons at 8 EST.
The Utah Jazz were extremely successful in their tank lost to the Dallas Mavericks for the second time in a row 120-138.
In the Mavericks’ meaningless win, they showed that their depth is overall stronger than that of the Utah Jazz. Their reward? They jump two spots in the lottery standings and are closer to the play-in than they are to a top draft pick. Dallas now finds itself in a three-way tie with Milwaukee and Memphis, and is close to falling to 11th.
For Utah, they are now just two games up on the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings. The Kings, who have won four games in a row, are on their way to passing up Utah with Domantas Sabonis coming back soon. Brooklyn is winning more than they want behind the play of Michael Porter Jr., and we’re also seeing Indiana win some more games. Finally, the New Orleans Pelicans have no reason to tank because they don’t own their pick and are definitely going to win some games this season, they don’t want to. Utah would be exceptionally successful if it lost all three of its upcoming games against the Pelicans.
But how about the game that they played today?
Utah lost for a few reasons. One, they have one of the youngest rosters in history playing, and they’re also in the midst of a brutal road trip. It’s not surprising they struggled, and that’s perfectly fine. Games like this show who is worth investing in and who may not have what it takes, for now.
Keyonte George continues to show that he’s a future star for the Jazz. In the third quarter, he was 6/6 and exploded to finish with 29 points and 6 assists. George is proving to be a core part of the future and a player you can depend on to finish games. What’s exciting is that he will likely continue to improve. And what happens when the Jazz add even more talent? Does that open up even more room for him? He has a chance to be really special next year as the Jazz will be going for the playoffs.
We’re also seeing some exciting stuff from Cody Williams, who is turning into a legitimate rotation player and potential starter for Utah. Williams had 11 points (5/8 FG, 1/2 3PT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal in 27 minutes. The difference in Cody Williams is night and day from last season and even from a month or two ago. He plays with force on the offensive end and provides great length and athleticism on the defensive end. He’s also shooting the ball well from three recently, which is a great sign, even if it is on a small sample size. It’s something to watch as the season goes along, but Utah is looking like they drafted a good one in Cody Williams.
Brice Sensabaugh continued his latest scoring flurry with 25. He only shot 1/7 from three, but was 10/20 from the field. It’s nice that Sensabaugh can get this type of scoring when the Jazz need it, but it’s not translating to wins. Somehow, Sensabaugh has to figure out how to involve his teammates more and not just end up shooting it, no matter what is happening in the possession. That said, this scoring is a nice sign for the future, even if that future is a potential bucket getter off the bench.
Jazz fans have to be excited about the incremental steps that Ace Bailey is making. He had 18 points in this one with 8 rebounds and 1 assist. He is playing within the flow of the game and getting these points regularly. At some point in his career, he’s going to figure out his driving gam,e and it’s going to take him to another level. For now, we can be excited about all the small things he does, including the defense and the ball movement. Ace Bailey was a great pick.
It continues to be a little bit of a problem with what we’re seeing from Taylor Hendricks and Kyle Filipowski but for different reasons. Filipowski continues to be a pretty terrible defender and is allowing an insane rate of scoring at the rim. He does put up numbers, but it’s fair to ask if what he does on the offensive end outweighs what’s given up on defense. Taylor Hendricks is looking extremely slow. It’s probably related to the injury, and he needs grace, but it doesn’t look good right now. He doesn’t have the same quickness he had before and you can only hope it comes back. Right now, each minute is good because it must help his recovery, but it doesn’t help with winning games. It makes things tough for Will Hardy, who likely wants to allow some development, but things aren’t going very well while he’s on the floor. Let’s hope we start seeing him make steps towards becoming a rotation player. The benefit of what the Jazz are doing now is that it allows him to do that.
The Brooklyn Nets’ youth movement has been well documented this year. How could it not? In any conversation involving the team, you can’t get more than a minute or two without someone mentioning it. After all, Brooklyn made history seven months ago when it picked five players in the NBA draft, which we’ve since dubbed the Flatbush Five.
Indeed, the kids at the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush have received more attention than anyone this year. But while Brooklyn’s youth may start with the 2025 Draft class, it certainly doesn’t end there. Like the Flatbush Five, Noah Clowney is also on his rookie deal and that means this coming Summer, he’ll be eligible for an extensive and say sources, he’s likely get multiple offers and not insignificant ones. That of course is evident to Nets fans and the organization after games like Friday night when he had a double-double, 23 points and 11 rebounds, and some clutch moments..
Clowney, drafted by the Nets now two summers ago, entered this season at just 21 years of age. His birthday is in July. Danny Wolf, who the Nets drafted with their last pick this past summer, is also 21, though 70 days older that Clowney with a birthday in May.
But while Wolf may have extra months of life, Clowney has two NBA seasons on him, and it’s shown so far during Brooklyn’s 2025-26 campaign. Through 39 games, Clowney is averaging 13.3 points, 1.9 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. All clock in as career-highs, as do his 4.0 free throw attempts per game. Teams are also scoring less with him on the court for the first time in his career. Brooklyn is +9.3 point per 100 possessions better with him on the floor vs without.
But the “eye test” signals progress as well. For two seasons, he seemed to be nothing more than super-sized sharpshooter at the offensive end, but the Alabama product’s made an extra effort this year to put the ball on the floor, attacking closeouts and set defenders alike.
Noah Clowney REALLY making the leap (literally and figuratively) here.
He also appears to have put on more muscle. By all accounts, the improvement for Clowney has been no joke.
But for all that, there’s been little, if any attention to Clowney’s being eligible for an extension this coming summer. The basics are these: Brooklyn has him under contract until the summer of 2027. He’s eligible to sign a multi-year extension this July, which would kick in during the 2027-28 season. Clowney will be a restricted free agent meaning the Nets can match any offer.
Given his rise, a number of teams are likely to have interest in Clowney. A league source who’s familiar with their thinking has told NetsDaily that the San Antonio Spurs could be a part of that group, with an extension around $50 million over four years, an average of $12.5 million a year, a significant number in the Nets rebuild.
While Clowney has dramatically improved his offensive, some in the league think that his defense could hurt him when talks begin whether with the Nets or another team. That might be less of a concern for San Antonio who have Victor Wembenyama behind him.
While expected to compete in the Western Conference this year, the Spurs could be attractive. They represent one of the NBA’s surprise teams this year. They’re currently tied with the Denver Nuggets for the league’s third best record at 28-13 and are moving quicker toward title contention perhaps sooner than they intended.
If they have a gap anywhere in their rotation, its at the position Clowney plays as well. Harrison Barnes has started every game for San Antonio at the four this year, but is averaging his fewest points per game in over a decade. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton also recently named Jeremy Sochan as a trade deadline “player to watch.”
Historically, the Nets have not waited till to the last minute to negotiate. They signed Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson to extensions well before things got hairy. In both cases, the contract was front-loaded. In the case of Day’ron Sharpe last summer, they were able to use the lack of cap space in the NBA to negotiate a surprisingly team-friendly deal.
Of course, if Michael Porter Jr. stays with Brooklyn after the trade deadline and draft, he too will be eligible for an extension that will also kick in in 2027-28. Maximum: four years, $243 million. Would that complicate the Clowney negotiations? Unlikely … at the moment.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Nate Calmese scored 18 points, which included the winning jumper with 6.8 seconds left, and Wake Forest rallied for a 69-68 victory over Florida State on Saturday night for the Demon Deacons' first Atlantic Coast Conference road win this season.
The Demon Deacons used an 11-4 run to pull to 68-67 with 24 seconds left. Florida State called timeout after Calmese's floater ended the scoring, and the Seminoles' Robert McCray V missed a potential winning shot that hit the front of the rim to end it.
Calmese finished 8-of-19 shooting. Juke Harris and Myles Colvin added 15 points apiece for Wake Forest (11-7, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), which trailed 65-54 with 4:26 remaining.
Chauncey Wiggins scored 15 points to lead Florida State (7-11, 0-5). McCray finished with 12 points and five assists but committed 11 turnovers. Thomas Bassong chipped in with 11 points for the Seminoles.
Florida State scored the last four points of the first half to go up 34-31 at the break. Martin Somerville scored seven of his nine points in the first half for the Seminoles. Calmese scored 10 first half-points to pace Wake Forest.
