MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein was set to return Thursday night against Minnesota after missing 16 games because of a strained right calf.
Hartenstein last played Dec. 28 in a victory over Philadelphia. The defending champion Thunder were 11-5 in his absence.
The return of the 7-foot Hartenstein gives Oklahoma City added size to pair with 7-foot-1 big man Chet Holmgren. Hartenstein leads the Thunder in rebounding at 10.4 per game and had an 11.2 scoring average.
“He’s an elite offensive rebounder, elite screener, great pocket passer, above the rim finisher on the rolls. He obviously brings a lot of stuff to the table for us and expands our optionality as a team,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We welcome him back. We’re certainly thrilled to have him back.”
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Olivia Miles had 20 points and six assists, Donovyn Hunter added 15 points, and No. 12 TCU never trailed Thursday night in a 79-77 win over Kansas.
TCU starters Clara Silva and Marta Suarez fouled out 32 seconds apart on back-to-back offensive fouls with a little more than five minutes to play and Miles fouled out in the closing seconds. Suarez had 13 points and eight rebounds and Silva added nine points for TCU (20-2, 8-1 Big 12).
Kansas, which went into the game shooting 36% (second in the Big 12) from 3-point range, made a season-low two 3s on 12 attempts.
Jaliya Davis, the four-time reigning Big 12 freshman of the week, had 29 points — her ninth 20-point performance in 12 games played this season — and nine rebounds for Kansas (13-9, 3-7). The 6-foot-3 Davis, who made 11 of 19 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line Thursday, is averaging 22.7 points since she returned from a lower-leg injury on New Year's Day in a 79-72 loss to West Virginia.
S’Mya Nichols added 24 points for the Jayhawks.
Kansas scored nine of the first 11 fourth-quarter points, seven by Davis, to trim its deficit to 67-65 with 3:58 remaining but Miles answered with a three-point play and Clara Bielefeld hit a 3-pointer that gave the Horned Frogs a six-point lead with 2:14 to go. Miles added a short pull-up jumper with 18 seconds left before Veronica Sheffey made a free throw that made it 78-74 with nine seconds left.
Up next
Kansas: The Jayhawks host Colorado on Sunday.
TCU: The Horned Frogs play Sunday at No. 21 Texas Tech.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Grace VanSlooten scored 17 points, Kennedy Blair had 15 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals, and No. 13 Michigan State beat Purdue 86-65 on Thursday night.
Michigan State took control during a 12-0 run late in the first quarter to build a 27-12 lead. The Spartans also held Purdue to just eight points in the second quarter to extend their lead to 50-23 at the break. The Boilermakers were 2-of-16 shooting in the second quarter.
VanSlooten scored eight points in the third quarter and Michigan State's lead did not drop below 20 points in the second half.
It was the most points Michigan State has scored in a Big Ten game this season.
Inés Sotelo added 12 points and Jalyn Brown scored 11 for Michigan State (19-2, 8-2 Big Ten). Former Boilermaker Rashunda Jones struggled in her return to West Lafayette after playing two seasons for Purdue. Jones was held to five points on 2-of-12 shooting for the Spartans.
Avery Gordon made 9 of 11 shots for 20 points to lead Purdue (11-10, 3-7). Madison Layden-Zay scored 18 points and made six 3-pointers. Hila Karsh added 10 points.
Michigan State has won five of the last six overall meetings with Purdue, and five straight at Mackey Arena.
Up next
Michigan State: Returns home to play No. 9 Michigan on Sunday.
Purdue: Goes on the road to face Minnesota on Sunday.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Olympic gold medalist Sha'Carri Richardson was arrested and charged with speeding in Florida on Thursday, according to law enforcement.
Richardson was arrested for allegedly going 104 mph (167 kph) on a parkway just outside of Orlando. A spokesperson for the Orange County sheriff's department said she was “dangerously tailgating and traveling across lanes of travel to pass other motorists.”
The 25-year-old sprinter is one of the fastest women of all time, winning a silver medal in the 100 meters in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, and gold in the 4x100 relay that same year. Richardson's Olympic medals came after she was disqualified from the 2020 Olympics when she tested positive for chemicals found in marijuana.
Last year, Richardson issued a public apology to her boyfriend, Christian Coleman, after she was arrested on a fourth-degree domestic violence offense for allegedly assaulting Coleman at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in July.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 27: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on January 27, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was nearly 50 years ago the Nets and Nuggets competed in the 1976 ABA Championship, the final ABA game ever. The two teams have had different fates since the merger but that’s not here nor there. The Nets have lost six straight and it isn’t getting easier tonight.
🏀 KEY INFO
Brooklyn Nets (12-33) at Denver Nuggets (31-16)
WHEN: 9:00 PM ET
WATCH: YES Network
⚠️ INJURY REPORT
Nets:
Ziaire Williams: OUT – Left Calf Contusion
Egor Dëmin: OUT – Left Plantar Fascia Injury Management
Cam Thomas: OUT – Left Hamstring Injury Management
Noah Clowney: OUT – Back Injury Management
Haywood Highsmith: OUT – Right Knee Surgery, Injury Recovery
Tyson Etienne: OUT – G League Two-Way
Chaney Johnson: OUT – G League Two-Way
Nuggets:
Aaron Gordon (Right Hamstring Strain)
Christian Braun (Left Ankle Sprain)
Nikola Jokić (Left Knee Bone Bruise)
Cameron Johnson (Right Knee Bone Bruise)
💬 DISCUSSION
Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.
Jan 28, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets mascot Dunkstronaut performs during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Houston Rockets vs Atlanta Hawks
January 29, 2026
Location: Stoat Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
TV: Space City Home Network, ESPN
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790
Online: Rockets App, SCHN+, ESPN App
Time: 7:00 PM CST
Probable Starting Lineups
Rockets: Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun
Hawks: The Spectre of Trae Young, Dyson “The Vacuum” Daniels, Nickiel-Alexander-Walker, Corey “80s Hair” Kispert, Mouhamed Gueye, Xian Ko-Loko,
Most of the Hawks are injured. Many of the Rockets are injured. That’s how it goes, sometimes.
Jan 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts on the bench during a video tribute shown on the scoreboard during a timeout in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
No athlete has ever had their life play out in the public eye more than LeBron James. For more than two decades, fans have had an up-close view of LeBron.
It’s with that context in mind that Wednesday’s scenes in LeBron’s latest return to Cleveland were noteworthy. During a tribute video that wasn’t unique to this trip back home, emotions overwhelmed LeBron on the bench, moving him to tears.
While retirement has been a possibility for LeBron since he uttered the words after his playoff loss to the Nuggets years ago, this feels like one of the first times it really feels on the cards. LeBron, though, has remained adamant postgame that he hasn’t thought about retirement yet and he doesn’t know if this will be his last season.
LeBron James reiterates that he doesn't know what the future holds for him beyond this season.
That’s been the consistent message from LeBron throughout the year. For now, the approach seems to be to get through this season and then assess things in the offseason with no thought to the future.
However, the emotions of Wednesday do not seem to be someone who may be playing future seasons in the NBA. Sure, LeBron could be taking every moment in and treating each road game as his potential last time in that arena.
LeBron James says every road arena he's been in, he tries to take everything in. Said he hasn't made a decision about his future, but it could always be his last game somewhere
Again, while the special patches have been made for other athletes, this move felt like one made as part of a farewell tour.
There’s a very real chance that this is not his final season and all of this is easily explained away. Right now, that still seems like the likeliest outcome. It would be hard to imagine LeBron quietly riding off into the sunset after the season. And if anyone deserved to be celebrated with a farewell tour, it’d be LeBron.
But the odds of this being LeBron’s final season are increasing. While he may continue to say he hasn’t thought about it and he’ll assess things at the end of the year, he’s acting like someone in the middle of their final season.
Maybe Wednesday was just the moment catching up to him. Maybe he thought back to all those years ago when a teenage LeBron was playing in front of these fans.
Or maybe it was a glimpse into someone realizing that was their last trip back home.
In another timeline, the discussion right now would be about whether Austin Reaves should be an All-Star in the West — that was the level he was playing at before his calf injury.
Now, the conversation is about his return, which could be as early as Friday in Washington, as he has been listed as questionable for the game.
Also questionable for that game is Luka Doncic, who injured his ankle falling off the raised court in Cleveland on Wednesday night. Doncic returned to the game after the fall, but ankles can tighten up over time and the Lakers likely want to be cautious.
Luka Doncic has gone back to the Lakers locker room after appearing to injure his foot stepping back on this shot attempt:pic.twitter.com/uakOseB1GX
"It is absolutely a safety hazard," Lakers coach JJ Redick said of the raised court after his team's loss. "And I don't know why it's still like that. I don't."
Reaves averaged 26.6 points a game, shooting 36.5% from 3-point range, while dishing out 6.3 assists and grabbing 5.2 rebounds a game in the 23 games he played before the injury. The Lakers have gone 9-8 while he was out.
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: Josh Hart #3, Jalen Brunson #11, OG Anunoby #8 and Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks look on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the NBA Emirates Cup Final on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When Tom Thibodeau was relieved of his duties after the Knicks’ unceremonious exit at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in May, there were a few prevailing grievances that led to the coach’s downfall.
One of them was a stubbornness to lineup construction. Thibodeau’s defense always required a rim protector, preventing him from ever considering a small-ball lineup despite the options presented. He played a tight rotation and stuck with his chosen starting lineup through thick and thin, only experimenting due to injuries or desperation.
The lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns started out looking like one of the best starting five’s in the NBA, but heavily regressed after New Year’s for a myriad of reasons. The defense was sub-standard with two flat-out bad defenders and the five-out spacing that the team envisioned fell apart with Hart’s shooting struggles.
Having bad lineups happens, but when they’re played to this extent? It’s alarming. It took until Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final for a change to be finally made. The Knicks used a grand total of 13 starting lineups in 100 games.
Enter Mike Brown, who was hired, in part, for more lineup versatility. He opened the season planning to have Mitchell Robinson start over Hart, but the frequent unavailability of the load-managing big man forced some different lineups, which included Ariel Hukporti, Deuce McBride, and Landry Shamet.
Eventually, Hart, who got off to a brutal start to the season, was put back in the starting lineup when OG Anunoby went down with an injury. Instead of reverting to a lineup with Robinson or McBride, however, Hart stayed in the starting lineup for the December 5th bludgeoning of the Jazz when Anunoby returned.
It started out great. The lineup had an exceptional +21.5 net rating in 77 minutes across 10 games through mid-December. It was being used in proper doses and wasn’t being leaned on for nearly 20 minutes a night.
A big reason for the big turnaround was an elite 106.4 defensive rating. Despite two negative defenders on the court, the lineup worked and the offense was supercharged by Hart’s newfound shooting stroke.
And then, suddenly, it fell apart. Since December 20, that lineup has played 106 minutes across nine games and has a putrid -8.4 net rating. All of a sudden, that elite offense had fallen apart and opposing offenses began exploiting the defensive shortcomings of Brunson and Towns.
This, coupled with the team’s overall struggles (which may be in the rearview mirror…), has caused some discussion on whether Mike Brown should embrace a different lineup. After all, he’s already used more starting lineups (16) than Thibs used last year in half the games.
But is it so simple? There are four realistic candidates for a fifth starter around the team’s top four. Assuming no Giannis-level trade occurs before the deadline, the Knicks will have the next 2.5 months to figure out which of the four gels the best between Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson.
The case for Deuce McBride
The most criminally underpaid player in basketball, Deuce has been a reliable 3-and-D asset for the Knicks since he emerged into the rotation 25 months ago after the team traded away Immanuel Quickley. There have been some inconsistent stretches (and a few injuries), but the 25-year-old has taken another leap in his spot-up shooting and is probably the team’s best point-of-attack defender.
If you want a true five-out lineup, this is the choice. Everyone in this lineup can shoot, even if OG is struggling mightily from above-the-break. It’s a dream for Mike Brown. It also gives you someone to stick on a star guard like Tyrese Maxey or Donovan Mitchell, allowing Bridges to do what he does best off the ball.
What do the numbers say about this lineup? Well, similar to the current starters, it’s gotten significantly worse as the season has progressed:
Pre-December 20: +12.3 net (26 min) Post-December 20: -7.1 net (66 min)
What’s interesting about these lineups is that Deuce is helping the offense go into hyperspeed. Even since 12/20, when the team has looked much worse on both sides of the ball, this lineup has a blistering 130.5 offensive rating. It’s just the defense that’s the problem because, personally, I don’t think a 137.6 defensive rating is good.
As you’ll see with Shamet, it just seems to be a common trend in Brunson and Towns’ lineups. Whether it’s possible for them to be co-stars is a story for another day. If you want to maximize the offense, it’d be smart to go with a lineup that has a 127 ORtg in 92 minutes.
Deuce McBride 3pt sniper
• 46% from 3 (4th in NBA min 100 attempts) • 2nd in the NBA in above the break 3P% (min 50 attempts) • 19th in 3PM per game
It’s going to be sad when the Knicks won’t be able to retain Landry Shamet this offseason. They snagged him late in the offseason the last two years and have gotten quality bench minutes out of the journeyman wing. His spot-up shooting ability has fully returned after concerns it disappeared in Washington, as he’s shoot 41% from downtown in 72 total games as a Knick. Some of this team’s best runs have come with him on the court.
So why not give him a shot to start? He has started six games this season due to injuries, but hasn’t since he hurt his shoulder in Orlando in November. Since then, he’s had an up-and-down role as a reliable shooter who can hold his own defensively and provides needed hustle.
Wrote this in my story for tomorrow on the Knicks' improved defense, but can't understate how much Shamet's return and Brown's change in rotation has helped with the defense.
The problem is that Shamet with the starters is the worst performing of these lineups, at -5.8 on the season in 57 minutes. It’s also not a “whole team struggling” problem, as it was negative when he went down in November.
Shamet’s two most-used lineups aside from the starters have something in common: no Brunson or Towns.
McBride-Clarkson-Shamet-Anunoby-Towns: +30 net (23 min) Brunson-McBride-Shamet-Anunoby-Robinson: +59.2 net (23 min)
He plays well with McBride and Anunoby, which makes sense, but the other pieces are free-flowing. It doesn’t appear that he’s a good fit for the starters, especially considering he’s kinda like Deuce in his strengths, just slightly worse while being bigger. Still, if Deuce is ever out, it’s worth considering.
The case for Mitchell Robinson
The lineup that the Knicks came into the season hoping to use hasn’t been used nearly as much as it should, but that’s due to injuries. Mike Brown and the training staff came into 2025-26 with a clear plan to limit Robinson’s workload to maximize him for the playoffs. That means no back-to-backs, no 30+ minute games, etc.
But at some point, the Knicks will probably encounter a matchup where they just cannot take Big Mitch off the court. If he isn’t ready to play that workload, they’re crippling themselves. By that nature, it seems likely that Mitch will continue to increase his in-game workload as the season goes on.
Unlike the other three lineups, the starters with Mitch have been a significant positive, posting an elite +12.4 net rating in 51 minutes behind stellar defense.
However, once again, that number is dragged down by the team’s recent slump. The lineup has only played 16 minutes together since mid-December and has gotten eviscerated on both ends of the floor. It really just seems like a team-wide issue, as there are multiple lineups with different strengths and weaknesses, all struggling concurrently.
So, again, it’s a story for another time with the whole Brunson-Towns tandem, but what does Mitch provide that the others don’t? How about game-breaking rebounding?
In the lineup’s brief time together, they’re killing teams with a 53.3% overall rebounding share and a ludicrous 37.1% offensive rebounding rate. It’s a common theme with Robinson, whose second-most used lineup (w/Brunson/McBride/Hart/Bridges) has a near-50% offensive rebound rate.
The possession battle with the double big is a tremendous advantage, especially on days that the Knicks are making shots. That’s an unstoppable offense and should mask defensive issues. It also provides a real rim protector and should help with the team’s struggles defending the pick-and-pop and drive-and-kicks.
The case to stay with Josh Hart
If the Knicks hadn’t just won four in a row, the calls to make a drastic change would be louder. Now that they’ve stabilized, is that the best course of action?
The last four games have featured Thibs-ian levels of starter usage, with the starting five playing a staggering 58 minutes in that span. No other combination featuring the Big Four has more than two minutes. The lineup hasn’t been dominant by any stretch, but has been +2.3, the best stretch in a good bit.
The biggest problem with Hart last season was both his unwillingness to shoot and his poor efficiency when he did. This year? He’s one of 21 qualified players to be shooting 40% from deep on at least four attempts a game. Only one other Knick (Deuce) can say they’re in that club. When Josh is firing from distance, it’s going in.
Plus, this lineup provides something that the other ones can’t attest to: secondary playmaking.
Josh Hart is the Knicks’ third-best playmaker. The top two, Brunson and Kolek, are both small point guards and should rarely share the floor. Without Hart, the Knicks rely too much on Brunson initiating the action on every single play, whether it’s iso ball or finding an open shooter through a drive to the rim. Hart can alleviate some of that as a willing passer who only shoots when he knows he can make it.
There’s no perfect solution for the Knicks right now, as they try to balance an inconsistent bench and inconsistent shooting and defense. This upcoming stretch will tell them a lot about how things will go as the playoffs draw nearer, and it’s worth experimenting when you can.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 11: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets during a pre-season game on October 11, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (19-28) host the Charlotte Hornets (20-28) on Thursday night. Dallas is playing the second night of a back-to-back, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. The Hornets have won 4 in a row and look great as they try to surge up the standings. It’s a fun night for the Mavericks as they retire the jersey of 1981 number overall pick Mark Aguirre, a much overdue event.
Heres the main things you need to know before tipoff.
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Charlotte Hornets
WHAT: Retiring Mark Aguirre’s jersey
WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
WHEN: 7:30 pm CST
HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass
Both Cooper Flagg and Klay Thompson are playing tonight after missing the last game with variations on injury management. Brandon Williams is questionable with an ankle injury. Naji Marshall is getting the game off after not missing a game all season. Moussa Cisse is questionable as well. Grant Williams and Mason Plumlee are missing this game for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is listed as probable with a left ankle injury.
Expect a charged game for the Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki’s expected to be in the building along with Isaiah Thomas to see Aguirre’s jersey retired. It’s going to be an emotional thing for Aguirre. As for the game itself, I think Flagg and Kon go at it in a major way. The Charlotte Hornets are playing much better ball as of late and Dallas might be heading the opposite direction. Institutionally, the Mavericks are tanking, but do not tell the players that. It should be a much better game than the Wolves game where Dallas loooked nearly listless.
Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!
“It is too expensive,” Weah was quoted as saying this month by France's Le Dauphiné. “I am just a bit disappointed by the ticket prices. Lots of real fans will miss matches.”
“First of all, I think players need to talk on the pitch, playing football, not outside of,” Pochettino said Thursday during a Zoom news conference from Coral Gables, Florida. “It is not his duty to evaluate the price of the ticket. And then also my job, my duty is to prepare the team, the U.S. men’s national team in the best way to perform. We are not politicians. We are sport people that only we can talk about our job and I think if FIFA does something or takes some decision, they know why, and (it) is their responsibility to explain why. But it is not about us to provide our opinion. Our responsibility is to perform, play and perform on the pitch and then the people that is in charge of the federation, maybe he can give his opinion, but I am the head coach of the federation."
The U.S. has friendlies against Belgium (March 28), Portugal (March 31), Senegal (May 31) and Germany (June 6) before their World Cup opener against Paraguay in June 12 at Inglewood, California.
Lakers guards Luka Doncic (77) and Austin Reaves have been listed as questionable to play Friday against the Wizards in Washington. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers have upgraded guard Austin Reaves (left calf strain) to questionable from out and listed guard Luka Doncic (left ankle soreness) as questionable for Friday night’s game against the Washington Wizards.
Reaves has been out since getting injured on Christmas Day against the Houston Rockets, a span of 17 games.
In 23 games this season, Reaves is averaging career highs in points (26.6), assists (6.3) and rebounds (5.2). Reaves is shooting 50.7% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range.
Doncic injured his ankle during the Lakers’ blowout loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night after falling off the side of Cleveland’s raised court while shooting a fadeaway three-pointer in the first quarter.
He hobbled to the Lakers’ locker room and was unable to put any weight on his leg. But Doncic did return to play and finished the game with 29 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 33.6 points per game and is third in assists at 8.7.
“I kind of got scared,” Doncic told reporters after the game in Cleveland. “It wasn’t a great feeling and looking back at the video, I think I got a little bit lucky. It hurts obviously more now, but, just, I tried to go.”
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 15: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns plays against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on January 15, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons get to face off against the Phoenix Suns for the second time in two weeks. This time, Detroit visits the Mortgage Matchup Center (yeesh, what a name) in Phoenix, Arizona. Detroit narrowly escaped with a win in the first matchup, 108-105. That game was close because Cade Cunningham was then playing his first game back after a 10-day absence because of a wrist injury and delivered one of his worst performances of the season. He shot just 3-of-16 and committed five turnovers. Conversely, the avowed enemy of Pistons fans everywhere, Grayson Allen, was torching the nets. He scored 33 points and hit 7 threes to almost will his team to victory.
Allen only has five games this season eclipsing the 20-point threshold, so hopefully he comes down to earth a little bit. Cunningham, meanwhile, seems to put the ailing wrist issues behind him. He scored 22 points in a win against the Denver Nuggets and 29 in a blowout against the Sacramento Kings, both times shooting better than 50% from the floor. Critically against the Nuggets, he had zero turnovers and dished 11 assists. That’s the Cunningham we like to see.
Game Vitals
When: 9 p.m. ET Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Odds: Pistons -4
Gordon aggravated a previous hamstring injury against the Bucks last week. That previous injury sidelined him for six weeks. Denver has held its own without Gordon — a key glue guy for them on both ends of the court — going 14-10 in the games he has missed so far. Denver has a +0.7 net rating when he is off the floor.
This is just the latest in a seemingly endless string of injuries in Denver this season. The Nuggets are currently playing without four starters in Nikola Jokic (hamstring, Christian Braun (ankle), Cameron Johnson (knee) and Gordon (hamstring). On top of all that, point guard Jamal Murray — who should be named an All-Star reserve — is day-to-day with a hamstring issue himself.
Denver has been an impressive 9-5 since Jokic went out and has held on to the No. 3 seed in the West. He is expected to be re-evaluated in the next week and is reportedly nearing a return. He has been out for a month with a bone bruise from a hyperextended left knee.
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 27: OG Anunoby #8 and Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks high five during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 27, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Nets, 76ers, Kings, and Raptors are not necessarily the Mount Rushmore of contenders in the NBA today. So a four-game winning streak against them alone shouldn’t, and doesn’t, overwrite the 2-9 11 game stretch the Knicks experienced not too long ago. But, if you look at the way they have played since players spoke openly about doing some soul searching, and looking themselves in the mirror, they’ve looked much better, and the numbers give fans reason to believe that their current winning streak is more than just beating up on bad opponents. That is certainly part of it, but the 76ers, despite being just 4-6 in their last 10 games, are still 25-21, and the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, and the Raptors, before losing to the Knicks last night, were just one loss behind the Knicks, and were 29-19.
Let’s start with the offense. While a lot of the pessimism surrounding the Knicks during their rough patch was rightfully around their defense, their lack of offensive outbursts, and suboptimal execution was much more confounding given the talent on the roster. They had some of the worst shooting performances of the season, all within a short period, resorted to the Jalen Brunson-centric, isolation-heavy offense, and it led to a very predictable, tough-to-watch product that often struggled to score more than 100 points.
But over their last four games, the Knicks have looked much better as a whole. Individual players have still struggled, but we’re now seeing guys step up when they do. Karl-Anthony Towns’ struggles have been well-documented. Mikal Bridges had one of his worst offensive games as a Knicks against the 76ers, OG Anunoby coughed up seven turnovers against the Kings, and the aforementioned Brunson managed to score just 13 points against the Raptors last night. But in each game, guys stepped up, and that was made possible by the increase in ball movement, pace, fluidity, intentionality, and execution.
Against the Nets, Brunson led the way with 20 points, but he was supported by Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride, who poured in 18 points and 14 points off the bench, respectively. And in a historic 54-point blowout, we saw all five members of the starting lineup record three or more assists. Days later, against the 76ers, Brunson once again led the way with 31 points, but Anunoby was the star of the show, scoring 23 points on an efficient 10-15 shooting. Against the Kings, Bridges bounced back and backed up Brunson’s 28 points with 18 points on just 13 shots. And a day later, against the Raptors, in a game where Brunson and Towns combined for a measly 21 points, Bridges led the way with an emphatic 30 points, while Anunoby scored 26 points, Hart scored 22, and Tyler Kolek dished out 10 assists in 20 minutes off the bench.
That’s led to the Knicks being fourth in offensive rating during that span, and has solidified themselves as the third-best offense behind the Nuggets and Celtics. Sure, three of those four teams are bottom five in the defensive rating over their last four games, but one of those teams, the 76ers, is 13th in defensive rating on the season, and the Raptors enter today with the sixth-best defensive rating on the season. But after seeing this team struggle offensively against even the worst teams in the league, it’s a nice change to see them look more like their early-season selves on that end of the floor.
That being said, if you truly believed in Mike Brown and the collective talent of the team, you likely also believed that the shots would start going in again, and that one way or another, they’d find a way to become a good, if not great, offensive team again. Defensively, though, they’ve really turned some heads. Again, the level of competition hasn’t been amazing, and they did get torched by Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan, and Brandon Ingram to varying degrees. But as a whole, the defense looks much more active, physical, and connected than it was in a very long time.
Last Wednesday, they held Brooklyn to just 66 points. And before you convince yourself that’s because it’s the Nets, remember that the Nets scored 117 points against the Suns, 103 points against the Magic, and 96 points against the Rockets, all of whom have a higher defensive rating than the Knicks currently do. A few nights later in Philadelphia, they held Tyrese Maxey, who has historically played very well against the Knicks, to just 22 points, and held the Sixers to just 13 points in a pivotal third quarter that proved to be the difference. When they hosted Sacramento, they never gave up more than 26 points in a quarter, and held them to just 15 points in the fourth quarter, when it really mattered the most. And last night in Toronto, they managed to shut down everybody besides Ingram, holding them to just 64 points over their final three quarters without the help of two of their three best defenders, Deuce McBride and Mitchell Robinson.
Again, they haven’t gone out and slowed down the Nuggets, Celtics, Rockets, Thunder, Cavaliers, or any of the other top 10 offenses during this stretch, but it’s clear that the defense has been significantly better during this stretch. Because just a couple of weeks ago, they were getting lit up by the same Kings, the Mavericks, and Pelicans, who are all bottom five in the league in offensive rating.
New York is now one of just four teams, all of which are from the Eastern Conference, to be undefeated in their past four games, and ranks first in net rating during that stretch with a +25.6. This is a small sample size that is made up of just two playoff teams, and the upcoming few weeks will be full of harder tests that will show fans who these Knicks truly are. But for the time being, it’s been a positive sign to see them not only winning, but passing some of the eye tests we saw them fail very recently.
