Following another playoff-like matchup against the Eastern Conference–leading Detroit Pistons, head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the defensive strides second-year wing Baylor Scheierman has made, even in defeat.
When asked about Scheierman’s growth as a decision-maker on both ends of the floor, Mazzulla pointed to a different area of development. “To me, his growth is more about his defensive versatility,” he said.
That versatility has not gone unnoticed by those who regularly watch the Celtics. Scheierman exceeded expectations defensively as a rookie, particularly as a playmaker on that end, but seeing him take on such varied assignments — “sometimes he’ll guard the best player, sometimes he’ll guard the big,” as Mazzulla noted — stood out enough to warrant a deeper look into his defensive impact.
Last year, albeit in low minutes, we didn’t see much of Scheierman guarding many different positions or quite frankly, the ability to, and the numbers show it per Bball Index.
A portion of this is definitely attributed to the fact that more of his playing time last season came in garbage minutes, but even as he began to crack the rotation toward the end of the year, he was typically matched up against low-usage players on opposing teams.
This year, things look much different.
Scheierman has dramatically flipped several metrics that have proven important to the Celtics this season, including matchup difficulty, defensive positional versatility, and the percentage of time spent guarding stars and starters. Among those, the spike in matchup difficulty stands out most.
His defensive impact is impressive on its own, but it becomes even more striking when considering that he’s gone from guarding the least threatening players to consistently taking on the league’s top scorers.
Last season, he ranked at the very bottom of the league, just the 3rd percentile, in matchup difficulty. This year, he has catapulted to the 70th percentile, a shift that has been a major factor in boosting his overall defensive positional versatility grade from the 58th percentile to an elite 98th percentile, placing him among the league’s best.
Mazzulla highlighted Scheierman’s versatility in Monday’s game, saying, “There’s a couple possessions where he’s on [Isaiah] Stewart, a couple possessions where he’s on [Cade] Cunningham.” The Stewart matchup, in particular, may have flown under the radar.
The Celtics’ bigs ran into serious foul trouble in the first half. Neemias Queta picked up two fouls, while Luka Garza accumulated four in just three minutes and 15 seconds of play. Xavier Tillman saw some time, but for the final three minutes of the second quarter, Scheierman, who hadn’t played in the opening frame, was tasked with playing center on defense.
Here, he hits an important three stopping a Pistons run then goes down and matches up with Stewart. As Cade drives, he’s right there to stop the drive forcing a shot over the top which allows Derrick White to swat it.
In the third quarter, Sam Hauser picked up his fourth foul just three minutes in, which led to Scheierman logging the remaining nine minutes of the period. During that stretch, he matched up with Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, and Tobias Harris on multiple possessions.
He also shined in the team’s only win over the Pistons this season, logging a season-high 30 minutes, scoring 13 points, and delivering strong defensive play.
But when we talk about versatility, there’s one clip that sums it all up.
Mazzulla closed his remarks on Scheierman by saying, “I think just his continued growth in defensive physicality and understanding of the system is kind of where he’s made the most growth to where you build a level of trust.”
When your coach is willing to ask you to guard superstars as different as Cade Cunningham and Victor Wembanyama, it’s safe to say that trust has been earned.
Good morning, it’s Wednesday, January 21st. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 24-20 and play the Charlotte Hornets tonight on the road.
Cleveland is 1-1 against the Hornets this season. They dropped their first meeting in a disappointing overtime loss, then bounced back a week later to beat the Hornets 139-132 in Rocket Arena. The Cavs were 4-0 against the Hornets last season.
Today’s Game of the Day
Oklahoma City Thunder at Milwaukee Bucks – 9:30 PM, ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network
Even if these two teams aren’t in the same stratosphere, I can’t pass up a chance to watch Giannis Antetokounmpo try to work his way around this elite Thunder defense. It’s like watching an immovable object take on an unstoppable force. Few teams in the league can give Giannis a greater challenge than the Thunder.
OKC has won three of its last four matchups with the Bucks. Their last loss was in the 2024 NBA Cup Final, when Milwaukee took home the trophy. I’m not sure if anyone remembers that, so I figured I’d remind you, just in case.
After 16 consecutive DNP-CDs, Jonathan Kuminga returned to the court Tuesday night and put up 20 points. The out-of-favor Buddy Hield made all six of his three-pointers on his way to 25 points. But the Golden State Warriors starters didn’t play any defense and the Toronto Raptors shot 21-for-34 on three-pointers in a 145-127 win.
The starting lineup seemed to be reeling without Jimmy Butler, who is out for the season with a torn ACL. Brandin Podziemski joined the starters in Butler’s place, and the team replaced Quinten Post with Gui Santos to start the second half. Steph Curry missed his first five three-pointers. In the first quarter, the starters missed all seven of their threes and shot 6-for-17 overall while Toronto ran out to a 26-10 lead.
That lead would grow to 30 points midway through the third quarter, before Kuminga and Buddy Hield helped cut the lead to 108-94 with 12 minutes to play. Hield’s fifth three-pointer got the lead to single digits with five minutes to go, but the Raptors answered with back-to-back threes from Brandon Ingram (22 points 4-for-6 from deep) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (14 points, 4-for-4 on threes) that shut down the comeback.
Hield was +10 in 19 minutes, meaning the Warriors were -28 in the 29 minutes when he sat. Will Richard was +7 in his 23 minutes and Kuminga was +3, but the team simply couldn’t stop the Raptors scorching shooting. The Raptors scored 70 points in the first half, the highest total the Warriors have given up all season, then scored 75 in the second half.
The main culprit was Immanuel Quickley, who tied a career high with 40 points and made nearly every shot he took. Quickley was 11-for-13 from the field, 7-for-8 on three-pointers, and a perfect 11-for-11 from the foul line — all while dishing out 10 assists. Five of those dimes turned into three-pointers, meaning Quickley was involved in 12 of Toronto’s 21 threes — and three more turned into layups or dunks. He had three turnovers, but got two steals. It may have been one of the most efficient 40-point games in NBA history.
Out West, Immanuel Quickley was putting on a SHOW!
😤 40 PTS 😤 10 AST 😤 7-8 3PM 😤 11-13 FGM 😤 TOR W
He's the first player in NBA history to record 40+ PTS, 10+ AST, and 5+ 3PM while shooting over 80% from the floor! pic.twitter.com/scRvWk0tUd
Scottie Barnes was nearly as efficient, shooting 12-for-18 and handing out 11 assists, while also making both his free throws. And Mamukelashvili, one of the best free agent bargains of the summer, finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, along with four assists, two steals, and a block. He also showed off a sweet shot fake when the Warriors over-committed to stopping him behind the arc.
The loss ended the Warriors’ four-game win streak and a stretch where they went 12-4 in 16 games. But it also reignited the years-long debate about Jonathan Kuminga, who is either a victim of Steve Kerr, a victim of his agent, a future All-Star, an untradeable player, a waste of Steph Curry’s prime, or the player who’s about to spark the Warriors’ run to a Cinderella play-in tournament run.
Hield and Kuminga are the most common Warriors to see in trade rumors and they both demonstrated their usefulness. They could easily end up back in the starting lineup or back out of the rotation when the Warriors go on the road again, though Kerr called Hield “one of the most professional players I’ve ever coached.”
Kerr on Buddy Hield: “One of the most professional players I’ve ever coached. Just the energy, the spirit, whether he’s playing or not, what he brings to the gym is amazing.”
It’s hard to blame the team for coming out flat after the emotional devastation of the Butler injury. It’s impressive that Kuminga responded so well after his month on the bench and it’s somewhat stunning that Kerr managed to play 13 guys significant minutes and even got LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons some run.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens leading into the trade deadline and when the Warriors go on the road for the first time in two weeks. They have to hope it includes more three-point defense.
Adding players off the waiver wire can help fantasy basketball managers navigate injuries to their squad. However, for those who need more of a long-term solution, a trade might be the best way to increase their chances of winning a championship. Here are some players to consider buying low on, selling high on or who are worth holding onto in fantasy at this time.
Buy
De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are 5-4 over their last nine games. Despite their winning record, Fox has underwhelmed with averages of 15.7 points and 1.4 3-pointers. One of the biggest reasons for his decline was him shooting 27.1% from three during that span. For the season, he has shot 34.3% from deep.
The good news is that Fox still averaged 5.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.0 steals during that nine-game span. His usage rate won't match his tenure with the Kings because of all the talent around him on the Spurs, but he is an efficient scorer, shooting 47.0% from the field for his career. His recent shooting woes might have created a rare buy-low opportunity for him in fantasy.
Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers
Since returning from injury, Zubac has averaged 12.1 points and 9.9 rebounds over his last nine games. In four of those games, he played fewer than 28 minutes. However, he has logged at least 30 minutes in three of his last five games as he continues to be further removed from his ailment.
Zubac hasn't been able to replicate his production from his breakout campaign last season, but he hasn't exactly been a disappointment by providing 14.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He is also shooting 60.5% from the field and 72.2% from the charity stripe. His slow start in his return from injury makes him someone to try to acquire at a discount.
Sell
Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets
There is nothing about Porter's stats that indicates he should be someone to sell in fantasy. He is having the best season of his career, averaging 25.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.8 3-pointers. After never averaging more than 13.6 shots per game for a season in his career, he has jacked up an average of 18.8 shots a night with his new team.
The reason to consider selling high on Porter is that he has sat out two of the last six games for the Nets. As they build up losses, they are looking for excuses to rest Porter, not play him more. If Porter isn't dealt by the trade deadline, we could see plenty of rest days for him down the stretch. Now might be the time to capitalize on his excellent first half.
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Trading Ball right now isn't exactly moving him at his peak value. He has seen his role decline this season, averaging the fewest minutes of his career. He has even come off the bench in two of the last six games. In his last two games, he played a total of 40 minutes. With his reduced role, Ball has averaged 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.7 3-pointers over his last 10 games.
The Hornets have not won many games during Ball's tenure with the franchise. With Kon Knueppel emerging in his rookie campaign and Brandon Miller finally healthy, Ball may continue to see fewer minutes during the second half of the season. His production hasn't completely torpedoed, and he has a lot of name value, so see if you can still trade him for a valuable return. Rest days could also come into play for Ball down the stretch, with the Hornets likely to miss out on the playoffs again.
Hold
Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic
Jalen Suggs (knee) remains out for the Magic, but their depth chart has improved lately with Franz Wagner returning from injury. He played limited minutes in both of his first two games back, yet the initial results were not encouraging for Bane. In Wagner's first game back, Bane scored 13 points on 13 shot attempts. In the second game, he produced 11 points over 12 shot attempts.
Wagner's return from injury hurting Bane's usage rate is worrisome because Bane is already having the least efficient season of his career. He is shooting 44.8% from the field and just 33.2% from behind the arc. Across his last 12 games, he has shot 24.1% from deep. Even with all of that in the fold, it's difficult to complain too much with Bane averaging 18.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.6 three-pointers for the season. Wagner's return doesn't help his fantasy value, but also don't panic and trade Bane away at a discount.
Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets
Bridge has hit a rough patch. Over the last seven games, he has only averaged 14.0 points. That's despite him shooting 50.7% from the field and 44.1% from 3 during that span. For the season, he shoots 44.6% from the field and 33.7% from behind the arc.
Part of the reason for Bridges' recent decline in scoring is that the Hornets have been involved in some blowouts. Four of their last seven games were decided by at least 20 points. In two of those games, he logged 22 and 23 minutes. He averages 33 minutes per game for the season, so as the Hornets are involved in closer games, Bridges should play a lot. Don't read too much into his recent disappointing stat lines.
In back-to-back games, the Lakers have rallied in the second half to pull out wins. On Sunday against the Raptors, they trailed by three entering the fourth before coming out on top.
Then, on Tuesday in Denver, they were down by 14 entering the third quarter and shut down the Nuggets’ offense, holding them to just 36 points the rest of the way.
Winning games while trailing for most of them isn’t a recipe for success, but it was encouraging to see the Lakers fight back in both games and get victories against a pair of winning teams.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
This was a complete game from LeBron. He attacked the paint all night long and was integral in LA’s comeback. His emphatic dunk in the fourth put an exclamation point on the game and killed any hopes the Nuggets had of winning.
LaRavia disappeared in this game. He didn’t bring much offense, the defense was poor and the rebounding was non-existent. If he is going to remain a starter, he has to be more consistent.
Considering Ayton was ruled out for the second half, grading him feels a bit unfair. Overall, he was cleaning up the glass well and started a bit slow offensively. Hopefully, his eye injury isn’t too serious, and he can return soon.
Smart was a second-half superstar for the purple and gold. All of his 15 points came after halftime. Not only did he score for LA, but he did his typical Smart things. He was hustling and flying around the court, being a ball of energy. The Lakers took that momentum and used it to change the trajectory of the game.
This was Luka’s first game since being named an All-Star as a Laker. He demonstrated why he was the NBA’s top vote-getter with his performance against the Nuggets.
In the first quarter, he was a perfect 6-6 from the field. As the game progressed, his rebounding and assists increased and he dismantled Denver.
This was a superstar performance from Dončić and a reminder that regardless of their current position in the league, the Lakers have a very bright future with Luka entering his prime.
With Ayton out, Hayes had to step up and he was fantastic. He did what he always does, and that’s score near the rim, be explosive and be a willing defender.
This was the most Hachimura has played since returning from his calf injury. His scoring was efficient, but he looked much better and had a good rebounding game.
If he continues to play this well and no other Lakers step up, don’t be surprised if he’s back in the starting lineup during this road trip.
While Vanderbilt’s strongest qualities are on the defensive side of the ball, he needs to provide some offense as well. In this game, he scored no points and missed both shot attempts. The defense was good, and he gave the Lakers some size, but he needs to do more.
Timme has been taking advantage of his opportunities. He had a great game against the Raptors, and the moment he checked in, he hit a 3-pointer at the top of the key.
He brought some offensive production and positive defensive energy to this game, helping LA earn a rare win in Denver.
Grade: B+
JJ Redick
Redick adjusted well to losing his starting center. He gave Timme more time, and he also made some other good moves, like increasing Hachimura’s minutes.
While Redick played 10 guys, he still ran a tight rotation, with everyone who played logging at least 10 minutes.
Grade: A
Tuesday’s DNPs: Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Kobe Bufkin, Bronny James
Tuesday’s inactives: Austin Reaves, Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon
Houston Rockets (26-15, fourth in the Western Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (23-19, fifth in the Eastern Conference)
Philadelphia; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Houston seeks to extend its three-game win streak with a victory against Philadelphia.
The 76ers have gone 11-12 at home. Philadelphia scores 116.5 points and has outscored opponents by 1.1 points per game.
The Rockets are 11-12 in road games. Houston leads the Western Conference with 16.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Steven Adams averaging 4.5.
The 76ers' 13.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.4 more made shots on average than the 12.6 per game the Rockets allow. The Rockets are shooting 47.9% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.5% the 76ers' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyrese Maxey is averaging 30 points, 6.7 assists and 2.1 steals for the 76ers. Joel Embiid is averaging 21.8 points and 6.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Kevin Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 5-5, averaging 116.3 points, 42.3 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 10.6 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.3 points per game.
Rockets: 5-5, averaging 105.9 points, 50.1 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 7.7 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 43.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.7 points.
INJURIES: 76ers: Paul George: day to day (knee), Joel Embiid: day to day (injury management).
Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Denver Nuggets (29-15, third in the Western Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (10-32, 14th in the Eastern Conference)
Washington; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Denver hits the road against Washington trying to continue its four-game road winning streak.
The Wizards are 6-14 on their home court. Washington allows the most points in the Eastern Conference, giving up 123.6 points and is allowing opponents to shoot 47.6%.
The Nuggets are 17-7 on the road. Denver averages 121.4 points and has outscored opponents by 4.4 points per game.
The Wizards' 12.6 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.5 fewer made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Nuggets allow. The Nuggets are shooting 49.9% from the field, 2.3% higher than the 47.6% the Wizards' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Nuggets won the last meeting 121-115 on Jan. 18. Jamal Murray scored 42 points to help lead the Nuggets to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Alex Sarr is averaging 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks for the Wizards. Tre Johnson is averaging 12.9 points over the last 10 games.
Murray is averaging 26 points and 7.4 assists for the Nuggets. Peyton Watson is averaging 22 points and 6.2 rebounds over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 2-8, averaging 110.5 points, 43.0 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.1 points per game.
Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 36.8 rebounds, 25.1 assists, 6.0 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.
INJURIES: Wizards: Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (knee), Bilal Coulibaly: out (back), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Trae Young: out (quad).
Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Tamar Bates: out (foot), Nikola Jokic: out (knee), Jonas Valanciunas: out (calf), Christian Braun: day to day (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings host Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors in non-conference play.
The Kings are 9-15 on their home court. Sacramento has a 10-22 record against opponents above .500.
The Raptors are 13-9 on the road. Toronto is the NBA leader with 19.2 fast break points per game led by RJ Barrett averaging 4.0.
The Kings average 10.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.2 fewer makes per game than the Raptors allow (12.8). The Kings average 114.2 points per game, 6.5 fewer points than the 120.7 the Kings give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Westbrook is averaging 15.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and seven assists for the Kings. Zach LaVine is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Immanuel Quickley is shooting 42.4% and averaging 16.3 points for the Raptors. Jamal Shead is averaging 1.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 4-6, averaging 110.3 points, 41.3 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.4 points per game.
Raptors: 5-4, averaging 115.4 points, 41.8 rebounds, 30.9 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.7 points.
INJURIES: Kings: Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
Raptors: Jakob Poeltl: day to day (back), Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb), RJ Barrett: day to day (ankle), Ja'Kobe Walter: day to day (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Miami Heat (23-21, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (22-22, ninth in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Portland will attempt to keep its three-game win streak alive when the Trail Blazers take on Miami.
The Trail Blazers are 12-10 in home games. Portland is fourth in the Western Conference in rebounding with 45.2 rebounds. Donovan Clingan paces the Trail Blazers with 10.9 boards.
The Heat are 8-14 on the road. Miami is sixth in the NBA with 45.7 rebounds per game led by Kel'el Ware averaging 9.8.
The Trail Blazers' 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are the same per game average that the Heat allow. The Heat average 119.5 points per game, 1.3 more than the 118.2 the Trail Blazers allow to opponents.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last meeting on Nov. 9 the Heat won 136-131 led by 29 points from Nikola Jovic, while Deni Avdija scored 33 points for the Trail Blazers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Clingan is scoring 11.3 points per game and averaging 10.9 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Shaedon Sharpe is averaging 21.6 points and 4.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Bam Adebayo is averaging 17.2 points and 9.6 rebounds for the Heat. Norman Powell is averaging 19.7 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 49.6% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 8-2, averaging 116.5 points, 44.6 rebounds, 23.9 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.
Heat: 4-6, averaging 115.0 points, 45.0 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 8.0 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.2 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Jerami Grant: day to day (achilles), Scoot Henderson: out (hamstring), Matisse Thybulle: out (thumb), Robert Williams III: day to day (knee), Jrue Holiday: day to day (calf), Blake Wesley: out (foot), Kris Murray: out (back), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
Heat: Tyler Herro: out (toe), Kel'el Ware: day to day (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Lakers (26-16, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (19-24, 10th in the Western Conference)
Inglewood, California; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Clippers host the Los Angeles Lakers trying to prolong a three-game home winning streak.
The Clippers are 10-14 against Western Conference opponents. The Clippers have an 11-15 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Lakers are 4-5 against Pacific Division teams. The Lakers are 5-0 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Clippers average 112.3 points per game, 4.2 fewer points than the 116.5 the Lakers give up. The Lakers are shooting 49.6% from the field, 2.6% higher than the 47.0% the Clippers' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Clippers won 103-88 in the last matchup on Dec. 21.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ivica Zubac is scoring 14.8 points per game with 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Clippers.
Luka Doncic is scoring 33.5 points per game with 7.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 22.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and seven assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Clippers: 7-3, averaging 112.5 points, 38.9 rebounds, 23.3 assists, 8.9 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.3 points per game.
Lakers: 5-5, averaging 113.4 points, 42.6 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 6.9 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.6 points.
INJURIES: Clippers: Kawhi Leonard: day to day (ankle), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Derrick Jones Jr.: out (knee), Bogdan Bogdanovic: out (hamstring).
Lakers: Austin Reaves: out (calf), Adou Thiero: out (knee), Deandre Ayton: day to day (eye).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
San Antonio Spurs (30-14, second in the Western Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (15-29, 13th in the Western Conference)
Salt Lake City; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Utah hosts the San Antonio Spurs after Keyonte George scored 43 points in the Utah Jazz's 127-122 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Jazz are 9-21 against Western Conference opponents. Utah allows the most points in the league, giving up 127.4 points per game while allowing opponents to shoot 49.4%.
The Spurs have gone 17-12 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio ranks sixth in the Western Conference with 25.9 assists per game led by Stephon Castle averaging 7.0.
The Jazz are shooting 46.7% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 45.9% the Spurs allow to opponents. The Spurs' 47.2% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.2 percentage points lower than the Jazz have allowed to their opponents (49.4%).
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Spurs won 123-110 in the last matchup on Jan. 19. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 33 points, and George led the Jazz with 30 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: George is averaging 24.4 points and 6.7 assists for the Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is averaging 20.2 points and six assists for the Spurs. Wembanyama is averaging 22.1 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 46.5% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 3-7, averaging 118.1 points, 43.3 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.7 points per game.
Spurs: 5-5, averaging 109.7 points, 46.8 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.5 points.
INJURIES: Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: day to day (illness), Georges Niang: day to day (foot), Brice Sensabaugh: day to day (illness), Kevin Love: day to day (rest), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder).
Spurs: Devin Vassell: out (thigh).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Golden State Warriors (25-19, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (18-26, 12th in the Western Conference)
Dallas; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Golden State will try to prolong its four-game win streak with a victory against Dallas.
The Mavericks are 10-18 in Western Conference games. Dallas has a 7-10 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Warriors have gone 15-12 against Western Conference opponents. Golden State averages 116.9 points and has outscored opponents by 2.9 points per game.
The Mavericks are shooting 47.3% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points higher than the 47.1% the Warriors allow to opponents. The Warriors average 16.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 4.7 more made shots on average than the 11.7 per game the Mavericks allow.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Warriors won the last meeting 126-116 on Dec. 25. Stephen Curry scored 23 points to help lead the Warriors to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cooper Flagg is averaging 18.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Mavericks. Naji Marshall is averaging 16.8 points over the last 10 games.
Curry is scoring 27.4 points per game with 3.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Warriors. Jimmy Butler III is averaging 17.0 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 53.2% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 6-4, averaging 115.7 points, 45.3 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 7.6 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.8 points per game.
Warriors: 7-2, averaging 123.6 points, 41.0 rebounds, 31.7 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.
INJURIES: Mavericks: Daniel Gafford: day to day (ankle), P.J. Washington: day to day (personal), Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Kyrie Irving: out (knee), Dante Exum: out for season (knee), Anthony Davis: out (hand), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (illness).
Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Al Horford: day to day (injury management), Seth Curry: out (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Three-point shooting has been a major need for the Toronto Raptors this season, who are shooting the worst percentage in the league. But that was not nearly the case tonight.
The Raptors’s offense erupted in Chase Center Tuesday night, fuelled by a red-hot 21/34 shooting night from beyond the arc and crisp ball movement that resulted in a season-high 42 assists on 51 made field goals. Leading the charge was Immanuel Quickley, who tied his career-high 40 points along with 10 assists on 11/13 shooting. Scottie Barnes also had a great performance, putting up 26 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists on 12/18 shooting.
The Raptors finished with a season-high in points, beating the Golden State Warriors 145-127, and are now 1-1 to start their five-game Western Conference road trip.
The game was a true wire-to-wire win, with the Raptors jumping out to an early 10-0 lead and holding a double-digit advantage nearly the entire game. The impressive effort came despite yet another short-handed effort: Toronto was without two of its starters in RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, and two of its rotation players in Ja’Kobe Walter and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles.
As a result, head coach Darko Rajakovic went with a new starting lineup for the eighth consecutive game, this time with Gradey Dick getting his first start of the season.
The Warriors, meanwhile, had injury woes of their own. While they entered the game on a four-game winning streak, this was their first contest since Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL that has dramatically altered their hopes of making noise in the postseason.
Indeed, the Warriors started the game looking like a team that had just gotten bad news. The Raptors were not simply hitting their shots, but they were also out-running and out-passing the Warriors out of the gate. The Warriors’ defensive rotations were slow in the halfcourt, and they offered little resistance in fastbreak and even semi-transition defense.
Meanwhile, Butler’s absence allowed the Raptors to hone in on Stephen Curry, who generally had one of Jamal Shead or Ochai Agbaji glued to him throughout the game. Curry is averaging 27 points per game this season, but managed just 16 points and three assists against the Raptors. (Butler’s absence also meant that Warriors coach Steve Kerr freed Jonathan Kuminga from purgatory; Kuminga, who hadn’t played since December 18, put up 20 points and five rebounds.)
Quickley’s career night got off to a quick start, going 3/3 on threes halfway through the first quarter.
Jamison Battle played some solid minutes off the bench. Barnes did an excellent job playing off the attention Battle commands off-ball as a shooter. On one play, Barnes drew a defender’s attention by looking at Battle on the perimeter – then fired a no-look pass to Agbaji under the basket for two easy points.
The Raptors finished the first quarter with a 41-28 lead.
That lead was blown open as the second quarter wore on and the Warriors looked even slower, their helpside defense even more absent. Sandro Mamukelashvili hit back-to-back threes, AJ Lawson and Jonathan Mogbo found easy buckets in transition, and Quickley hit his fourth three (on as many attempts) to extend the lead to 59-31. The Raptors were not only getting easy looks by pushing the ball off turnovers and misses, but even off of made baskets.
The Warriors brought the lead down to 20 heading into halftime. But Toronto grabbed the momentum right back, playing some of their strongest basketball of the game to start the third quarter and taking a 30-point lead.
That stretch included another pair of threes for Quickley, who made his first six threes of the game. Quickley was dangerous as a catch-and-shoot threat – a threat which we’ve seen be further unlocked when Quickley plays alongside Jamal Shead, who scored 10 points and eight assists. Quickley also had a nice lefty and-one layup off a dribble hand-off from Barnes – and the team followed that possession by forcing the Warriors into a 24-second shot clock violation.
Meanwhile, the Raptors’ best sequence of the game came on a 2014 Spurs-esque possession in which all five Raptors touched the ball, ending in a Brandon Ingram three in the corner.
Ingram provided his usual injection of necessary shot-making, scoring on a mix of catch-and-shoot threes and tougher mid-range looks that helped supplement the offense, albeit during a rare game that had practically no dry spells. He finished with 22 points, four boards and five assists.
But with Curry on the bench, the Warriors finally displayed some energy and fought back, going on a 29-13 run that brought the Raptors’ lead to 104-90. The same defensive breakdowns that had plagued the Warriors were now hitting the Raptors, who allowed easy transition buckets, plus a Kuminga layup to end the quarter after he ran the full length of the court right past the defense.
The Warriors managed to tighten the lead to just nine points about halfway through the fourth quarter. But the Raptors were able to survive the onslaught of Buddy Hield threes thanks to timely shot-making by Barnes in the mid-range, and clutch three-pointers by Ingram and Mamu that put them up by 15.
Mamukaleshvili finished the game with 14 points and 12 rebounds, including a couple of offensive rebounds that helped extend key possessions in the fourth.
Dick, in his first start of the season, shot ⅖ from beyond the arc, which was a promising return to form in a season where he’s shooting just 30% from three.
While Dick’s shooting night was a promising return to form, the team’s offensive performance as a whole would be more aptly described as a remarkable display of shot-making and togetherness. Sure, the 62% three-point shooting is an unsustainable clip. So was their 22/22 night from the free throw line. But the buzzing ball movement, which contorted the defense and led to assists on four in every five buckets? That’s something this team can keep up.
The Raptors and Warriors entered the game with identical 25-19 records. This was the first night of a back-to-back for the Raptors, who are now 26-19, and are set to take on the 12-32 Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
The Golden State Warriors began the post-Jimmy Butler III era on Tuesday and … well … it didn’t exactly go very well, as the Dubs were crushed by the Toronto Raptors 145-127. It perhaps wasn’t as bad as the score suggests though, as it was kind of a case of “one of those games.” The Raptors are the worst three-point shooting team in the NBA, yet shot 21-for-34 (61.8%) from deep, easily their best shooting performance of the season. They were led by a career game from Immanuel Quickley, who shot 11-for-13 from the field, 7-for-8 from deep, and 11-for-11 on free throws for 40 points, setting the NBA record for highest true shooting percentage (112.1%) on a game with 40 or more points. Painfully, while it was just the 18th time in NBA history that a player scored 40+ on 100% or better true shooting, it was the second time this season … with both instances coming at the expense of Golden State’s defense (Aaron Gordon, as you probably could guess, was the other).
So it wasn’t so much a case of the Warriors playing horribly, and more a case of them playing mediocrely, while running into the hottest shooting performance imaginable. My grades will reflect that (I’m also giving everyone a little bit of a pass given that they were only 19 hours removed from finding out that their second-best player is out for the season), and thus probably be a little bit better than you expect for a blowout loss. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each individual player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Tuesday’s games, league average TS was 58.1%.
Moody has been red hot from three-point range lately, though that didn’t carry over into this game. Instead, he heated up from inside the arc, which was nice to see. He’s a quality player as a good three-point shooter, but being able to get easy shots at the rim is one of the secrets to taking his game to the next level. Watching him shoot a perfect 5-for-5 on twos was a delight.
It wasn’t his best defensive performance, but it was more a case of “good offense beats good defense” than bad defense.
Green returned after a one-game absence to nurse a sprained ankle. He did a lot of good things in this game, though it wasn’t nearly enough given the quality of Toronto’s offense.
Grade: C+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists, worst plus/minus on the team.
I think I speak for everyone when I say it was great seeing Post have such a strong rebounding game. Seven boards in 18 minutes! That’s more like what we all want to see out of a center.
He also played well on offense. Quite well, I thought. He didn’t get a lot of minutes, and he was removed from the starting lineup in the second half, but that was more due to the way the Raptors were beating the Warriors up and down the court than anything he did.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Podz has been playing some inspired ball lately, but this game wasn’t really it. I liked a lot of what he did on defense, though his lack of speed was exposed on a few occasions. On offense, he tried to do a little bit too much and it came back to bite him.
This game just goes to show you that anything can happen on any given night in the NBA. The worst-shooting three-point team in the league had one of the best shooting performances we’ve seen in the NBA this year, while the greatest shooter in the history of the sport couldn’t buy a bucket. Curry missed more free throws than the entire Toronto team, and that basically sums up the entire night.
GPII was a little bit out of control on a few occasions, and he didn’t provide the rebounding boost that we’ve grown accustomed to, but he was an absolute spark plug on offense, and was probably the closest thing the Warriors had to shutting down Toronto’s offense.
Very nice to see Santos out there after missing two games with an ankle injury. The Warriors are going to need him in a post-Butler world: not just because they’re missing their best forward, but because high-energy players are critical for keeping a team afloat when they lose a leader. And one thing we know is that Santos will always bring the energy.
I’m very curious to see what happens with Melton’s minutes in the aftermath of Butler’s injury. He’s really been finding his rhythm and game lately, and I think it’s pretty clear that he’s — at worst — the third-best player on the team now. He’s also the player who makes the most sense to slide into Butler’s role of running the offense when Curry is sidelined. He obviously isn’t the scorer that Butler is, but he can still get buckets, and he’s a tremendous passer and facilitator. Keep an eye on his role and his minutes.
He really helped the Warriors in this game, even though the stats were ugly. Five turnovers is brutal — and the most he’d had in a game since November, 2022 — and he didn’t shoot the ball well. But the offense just clicked when he was on the court. Like Curry with his gravity and wizardry, you could see why Melton helps the Warriors so much, even though he gets a poor grade.
Grade: C- Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
TJD is settling back into a rotational rhythm where he plays 10-20 minutes when Al Horford sits, and is mostly out of the rotation when Horford plays. He did some nice things on defense in this game, but the Warriors can’t have a non-scoring center play 12 minutes without grabbing a rebound. He just really didn’t do much at all.
After two straight games in the starting lineup, Richard returned to the bench for this game and … well … it didn’t go particularly well. He continues to play with far more control and poise and intelligence than a rookie should have, but his game was entirely devoid of impact plays.
Hield shot the ball so well that you would have sworn he was wearing a Raptors jersey. If you didn’t watch the game, let me just tell you: he played every bit as well as that stat line would suggest. Maybe he was inspired by his close friend Butler. Maybe, being the lovable professional that he is, he just knew exactly what the team needed. Either way, Hield caught a Klay-esque heater and it was an absolute joy to watch. It also got the team back in the game late in the third quarter, when he had an outrageous sequence in the closing minute: he was fouled on a three, made all of the free throws and, nine seconds later, following a Melton steal, drained another three, pulling the Warriors to within 14 points when they had trailed by 30 earlier in the quarter.
He had been out of the rotation for a while, but with Butler out for the season, the Warriors are going to need Buddy’s offense.
Grade: A++ Post-game bonus: Led the team in points, best plus/minus on the team.
Hield may have been the best player for the Warriors on Tuesday, but Kuminga was the best story. Earlier in the day I opined that it was time for the Warriors to play Kuminga again. And shortly before tip-off, Mike Dunleavy Jr. held a press conference in which he plainly laid out reality, saying that while Kuminga did demand a trade, there still needs to be market demand for a trade to work.
And then the game came and Kuminga played for the first time in 33 days, and played double-digit minutes for the first time in 45 days. And if it weren’t for Hield’s all-world shooting performance, Kuminga would have been the best player on the Warriors.
He made his entrance to start the second quarter, and looked out of sorts — pretty understandable given the situation. He was a little unsure of where to be, and moved tentatively, something that anyone who played sporadic minutes during their playing days can relate to. He badly missed a pair of free throws.
That short stint in the second quarter was all he needed to shake off the rust, apparently. He returned in the third quarter and didn’t take a seat again until the white towel was waved. His offense was nothing short of ferocious: he punished Toronto’s defenders, and muscled his way to the hoop. Kuminga’s isolation offense may not be the Platonic ideal of a player in Steve Kerr’s system, but with Butler out, the Warriors need someone who can get a bucket by himself, moving downhill. Kuminga is that person.
He may be unhappy with the Warriors, but that didn’t show in his energy, effort, or selflessness. He made good passes. He played with a smile on his face and high-fived his teammates. And he gave it his all, especially on a sensational play to end the third quarter, when he rushed down the court for a buzzer-beating transition layup.
Kuminga didn’t look like a player who had spent the last six weeks accumulating rust, other than in the first few minutes. He looked like a player who spent the last six weeks determined to come back stronger than ever. Maybe his play will make another team excited to trade for him; but if not, he has to be a big part of the rotation going forward. He just has to.
That’s one hell of a stat line there, Pat. My word! Nine points on perfect shooting, and five assists in nine minutes? The Warriors may have lost a one-sided game, but their bench positively showed out.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.
LJ Cryer
2 minutes, 0 points, 1 foul, -3
Cryer made his NBA debut on Monday, but I wasn’t working and thus didn’t do grades. So I missed the chance to congratulate him, so we’ll do that today, instead.
Grade: A+++ for a lifetime of hard work resulting in a dream accomplished
Leons also made his season debut last night, but it wasn’t his NBA debut, as he briefly appeared in six games for the Oklahoma City Thunder last year. So he gets spared the sentiments — still fun to see him out there, though.
Grade: Incomplete
Tuesday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, Seth Curry, Al Horford
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Arseny Gritsyuk and Cody Glass each had a goal and an assist and the New Jersey Devils held on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on Tuesday night.
The Devils, who improved to 17-0-0 when leading after two periods, have won four of their last five outings, including a 2-1 overtime victory on Monday against the host Calgary Flames.
Matthew Savoie scored for the Oilers, who had a two-game winning streak halted — the ninth time this season they have failed to extend a winning streak to three games.
Jake Allen survived a barrage in the third and recorded 21 saves to earn the win in net for New Jersey, while Tristan Jarry made 15 stops in his Oilers’ home debut.
Defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who was a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 10, picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games, during which he has collected seven points.
The Oilers' Curtis Lazar skated in his 600th career NHL game against his former team, where he spent portions of three seasons from 2022-25. He has played for seven NHL squads and has 50 goals and 80 assists.
The Devils regained the lead a minute-and-a-half after Edmonton tied the game 1-1 as they caught the Oilers on a bad change and Glass beat Jarry cleanly to the stick side for his 11th goal of the season.
Connor McDavid came into the game with at least one point in all 17 of his career games against the Devils (7 goals, 24 assists), which stood as the second-longest active point streak by a player against a single opponent. However, he was held pointless on the night and the streak came to an end.
