Category: Basketball

With the Knicks trailing and disjointed for most of their nationally-televised, playoff-intensity contest, head coach Mike Brown turned to two of his bench guards — Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson — to provide a lift late in the ball game. The poised floor general and sparkplug scorer went beyond their job descriptions, mounting massive runs that scored their team a decisive victory, further adding to their pedigree and readiness for the championship hunt ahead.

Does this story sound familiar to Knicks fans? It should, as it seems to happen every other week now. 

What started off as a low-risk, high-reward veteran’s minimum flier and rocky second-year development project have turned into a devastating combination for opponents and a surprise surge of depth for a team that’s struggled with the issue for two years now. They’re winning New York the biggest games on the biggest stages of their schedule, and if that’s any indication of what’s to come in the playoffs, the Knicks will be at a new level of formidable.

But let’s start at the beginning. New York drafted Kolek 34th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, but he failed to find consistent playing time in his rookie season.

There were stronger, more veteran options, and though Kolek had impressed in Las Vegas Summer League and some spot backup minutes, he didn’t look fully confident and prepared defensively. Entering this training camp with a new coach but similar competition, Kolek was seemingly at risk of being moved before a surprise retirement announcement from Malcolm Brogdon. 

He was unremarkable in preseason and in spot minutes to start the year, but when Landry Shamet went down with an injury in late November, Kolek seized his opportunity. He’s since averaged 7.1 points, 3.8 assists and 0.8 assists in 16.6 minutes per game on 57 percent shooting from two, 38 percent from three, and very few giveaways. 

Kolek’s brought a new level of defensive intensity to his court presence, and seems to have found a liking to Brown’s offensive system. His veteran teammates also have a newfound trust in him to control the ball.

Clarkson is 33 years old and came to the Knicks with far less to prove than Kolek but just as much to accomplish. He played for three teams prior, his latest stop in Utah, where he cemented himself as a Sixth Man of the Year winner and reliable postseason contributor.

His production slowed with age, and the stakes around him disappeared with the talent. With a chance at bringing his plug-and-play ball handling and scoring to a contender desperately needing it, he took the veteran’s minimum to sign in New York.

It wasn’t the hottest or most consistent of starts, but Clarkson’s gotten more comfortable as the season has progressed, climaxing in the last couple of weeks. He scored 15 in the Cup Championship, 18 the game after, and 25 on Christmas, helping will the Knicks to three victories that looked out of reach.

Kolek and Clarkson have had great individual performances, but it’s been their production as a tandem that’s flipped entire games on their heads. First in the Cup Championship, when the two controlled the fourth quarter, finishing the game with a combined near-30 off the bench.

Then, with the Knicks looking hapless and trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter, they totally shifted the momentum again. Both were constantly pushing the ball, getting into the paint and connecting from three.

The two combined for 41 points and 11 assists in the clutch victory, with Clarkson chipping in three steals. In both wins, Brown trusted the combo deep into the final period, even grouping them with Jalen Brunson for stretches. 

Just Kolek and Clarkson as a pairing, now seen much more frequently since the injuries to Shamet and Miles McBride, is outscoring opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions in 192 minutes. It will be interesting to see how Brown keeps this duo intact once those pieces return. 

In the meantime, the Knicks are happy to have such a weapon off the bench as the season enters its midpoint and the starters’ legs start to get heavy. Not only will that help steal them regular-season wins when the stars don’t have it, but potentially a playoff series down the line.

Kolek and Clarkson having these huge nights to win the Cup and then beat the Cavs on Christmas Day brings major confidence that they can do the same in a pivotal playoff game. The Knicks scrambled to find those kinds of guys at the end of their bench in past postseasons, but seem to finally have it.

Sixers sign wing MarJon Beauchamp to two-way contract  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers have shuffled their two-way contract slots shortly before turning the calendar to 2026.

MarJon Beauchamp has inked a two-way deal, the team announced Friday. 

The 6-foot-7 wing signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Sixers in October. He’s played seven G League games for the Delaware Blue Coats this season and averaged 20.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists. 

Beauchamp began his professional career with G League Ignite and was the 24th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Bucks. The 25-year-old has made 135 NBA appearances and posted 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest. 

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, Beauchamp is with the Sixers in Chicago for the opener of their five-game road trip Friday night.

As of Friday afternoon, the Sixers listed VJ Edgecombe, Dominick Barlow and Quentin Grimes (illness) as probable against the Bulls. Joel Embiid (right knee injury management) was questionable, while Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) remained out. 

The Sixers waived rookie two-way contract shooting guard Hunter Sallis before signing Beauchamp. Two-ways Barlow and Jabari Walker have been regulars in the Sixers’ rotation. Barlow’s been especially versatile and valuable, starting 15 games and averaging 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.8 steals. 

JJ Redick repeats the same key words after every loss: effort and execution. The Lakers found none of either at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday in a 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets that played out with a plot as familiar as a Hallmark holiday movie.

Getting outhustled by a team that simply played harder with more energy, the Lakers (19-10) dropped their third consecutive game. It’s their longest losing streak of the season and left the team questioning its identity.

“I don't know what has to change,” said guard Luka Doncic, who led the Lakers with 25 points and seven assists, but had six turnovers. “But definitely something needs to change.”

Here are three takeaways from the loss:

Vibes are bad

When the Lakers were climbing up the Western Conference standings, improbably winning games with LeBron James and Luka Doncic injured and celebrating Austin Reaves’ 51-point performance and ascent into stardom, the vibes were high. Players jumped off the bench to cheer for each other. They championed team bonding exercises such as slideshow presentations that introduced themselves to each other and a field trip to a Porsche driving experience. It all felt surprisingly easy, especially for a team that had several new additions.

“We had it,” Redick said wistfully Thursday. “We had it. I always say this about culture, I always say this about a good team being a functioning organism.”

Redick snapped his fingers.

“It can change like that,” he continued. “We don’t have it right now.”

Read more:Lakers lose Austin Reaves, then get called out by JJ Redick after loss to Rockets

All three of the Lakers’ most recent losses have been blowouts. With an average margin of defeat of 20.7 points, their total point differential has dropped to minus-15 on the season, which ranks 16th in the NBA.

Forward Jake LaRavia said in the locker room that there felt like a “disconnect” on the team, but couldn’t verbalize more about how things had turned so suddenly. The team’s seven-game winning streak at the end of November feels like a distant memory, although it should serve as a constant reminder of how a team shouldn’t let its guard down, especially when it was just collecting wins off teams with losing records.

“This [has] kind of been the trending thing even when we were winning,” forward Jarred Vanderbilt said. “Obviously wins kinda shadow a lot of stuff. But it's been the same pretty much all year of how we finished games, lose games: transition defense, rebounding and stuff like that. It's been a trend all year."

LeBron James, who played in his 13th game this season after missing the first 14 games because of sciatica, had 18 points and five assists and declined to speak with reporters after the game, along with Marcus Smart (six points, two rebounds) and Rui Hachimura (zero points, two assists).

To further exasperate the lingering injury bug, Reaves left the game after the first half because of left calf soreness. It was the same calf that sidelined him for three games last week.

Jarred Vanderbilt shooting for larger role

Vanderbilt was one of the few bright spots for the Lakers, finishing with eight points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal. His energy off the bench in the second quarter, especially when playing with Smart, who fought through a right shoulder injury, helped the Lakers force four turnovers in a five-minute stretch. Vanderbilt’s three-pointer with 4:16 remaining in the second that trimmed the lead to four was one of the few moments that made the mostly apathetic holiday crowd roar.

Vanderbilt’s offensive deficiencies were the primary reason he fell out of the rotation for 10 games, but since returning to the lineup regularly against Phoenix on Dec. 14, Vanderbilt has made seven of 13 three-pointers in five games, including three for four on Thursday. It was his first game as a Laker with three made threes.

Outside of LaRavia, who stayed on the court after both teams had otherwise emptied the bench, Vanderbilt was the only Laker who had a positive plus-minus. The Lakers outscored the Rockets by five in Vanderbilt’s 26 minutes and 23 seconds on the floor.

“I feel like I try to come in the game and bring that energy and hoping guys could feed off it,” Vanderbilt said. “But we need to play [like] that for 48 minutes. … We just got to dig deep and want to do it.”

Lakers get buried on the boards

The Rockets (18-10) are not just the NBA’s best rebounding team, but they could be the best in a generation. The team’s 55.6% rebounding rate is the best in the NBA on record since at least the 1996-97 season.

Houston’s dominance on the boards was at the top of Redick’s mind before the game when he estimated the Rockets were the best rebounding team since the 1994-95 Mavericks. He emphasized the importance of gang rebounding against a team known for its physically imposing double-big lineup and athletic wings.

Read more:Amid injury 'chaos' for Lakers, LeBron James is starting to look like his old self

Then the Rockets grabbed two offensive rebounds in their first two possessions. The Rockets outrebounded the Lakers 48-25, the Lakers’ largest rebounding deficit since Nov. 8, 2023, which was also against Houston. Houston had 17 offensive rebounds, only one fewer than the Lakers’ defensive rebounding total, and with 12 rebounds, center Alpren Sengun matched the Lakers’ entire starting lineup on the boards.

“Everybody gotta give better effort,” Doncic said, “starting with me.”

Doncic had five rebounds, tied with Vanderbilt for the team lead. Center Deandre Ayton had just two boards and 10 points in 36 minutes and 17 seconds. It was the 7-footer’s lowet rebounding total of the season.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Steph Curry heaps praise on ‘true hooper' Cooper Flagg after Warriors-Mavs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry already is familiar with Cooper Flagg, as the former No. 1 overall draft pick attended Curry’s camp as a top high school prospect.

But Thursday night was the first time the Warriors superstar played against Flagg in an NBA game during Golden State’s 126-116 win over Flagg’s Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day at Chase Center.

And it’s safe to say Curry was impressed.

“Just a true hooper,” Curry said of Flagg in a postgame interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “Competitor. You forget how young he is. Just his presence out there on the court. The future is bright. I’m glad he got this experience, his first year to understand what the bright lights feel like.

“The league is in good hands.”

Wow. That’s certainly high praise for a rookie from one of the best to ever play the game.

Flagg finished Thursday’s contest with a game-high 27 points on 13-of-21 shooting from the field and 1 of 3 from 3-point range, with six rebounds, five assists and one block in 36 minutes.

In 31 games so far this season, Flagg is averaging 19.4 points on nearly 50 percent shooting, with 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

There certainly still is plenty to learn for the 19-year-old rookie, but playing against some of the best to ever do it will only help him maneuver the highs and lows of a rookie season.

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Klay Thompson drops funny quip about Steph wearing his shoes in Warriors-Mavs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Sneaker free agent Steph Curry had fun with his choice of shoes for Thursday’s game against his former Splash Bro and the Dallas Mavericks.

The Warriors superstar rocked Klay Thompson’s KT11 shoes during Golden State’s 126-116 win over Dallas on Christmas Day at Chase Center.

STEPH IS WEARING KLAY'S SHOES 🚨

DAL/GSW is LIVE on ABC & ESPN! pic.twitter.com/ideL3E7PGb

— NBA (@NBA) December 25, 2025

After the game, Thompson expressed his gratitude to Curry for showing him some love through his kicks.

“It was great,” he said (h/t The Dallas Morning News’ Mike Curtis). “Really cool. Wish he didn’t get a win in them, but it was awesome. Respect.”

Thompson is as intense a competitor as anyone, so it’s no surprise that while he appreciated Curry’s gesture, the loss was all that was on his mind postgame.

Curry and Thompson were Warriors teammates for 13 seasons, and together, alongside Draymond Green, they helped bring a new era of winning basketball back to the Bay with four NBA championships during a dynastic run.

Thompson departed Golden State in the 2024 offseason for a fresh start in Dallas.

In Thursday’s game, Thompson finished with just seven points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field and 1 of 4 from 3-point range in his return to the Bay.

Meanwhile, Curry, in Thompson’s kicks, had 23 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field and just 2 of 10 from distance.

While the Splash Bros now are on different paths in their respective NBA careers, nothing will ever erase the success and memories they made side by side.

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Nikola Jokic recorded a 56-point triple-double and broke a record set by Steph Curry as the Denver Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 on Christmas Day.

The Serb hit 56 points, recorded 16 rebounds and 15 assists - becoming the first player in NBA history to hit at least 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a triple-double.

Three-time MVP Jokic hit 18 of his 56 points in overtime, breaking Curry's record of 17 overtime points from 2016.

The Timberwolves took the game in Denver to overtime after clawing back a 15-point deficit in the final five minutes of the game.

Anthony Edwards top-scored for the Timberwolves with 44 points, including the game-tying three that took the game to overtime.

But the 24-year-old was ejected in the extra period for arguing over foul calls as the Nuggets clamed the win.

The Nuggets are third in the Western Conference, with the Timberwolves in fifth.

• NBA Christmas Day results

By Adam King, RotoWire
Special to Yahoo Sports

The early-fantasy-basketball-season shenanigans are now behind us, and our focus shifts to solidifying rosters and narrowing our categorical needs. Injuries continue to be a narrative that no one likes to see, yet one that presents players with unexpected opportunities. As always, the waiver wire is the place to be, providing managers with bargain players who could be about to ascend in the fantasy basketball rankings. And remember, never assume a player is rostered. It always pays to double-check, just in case they have been overlooked.

Identifying players who are benefiting from expanded roles — whether it's an offensive threat delivering points and 3s or a defensive-minded player boosting your blocks and steals — is vital as you navigate the season.

Let's dive into nine key NBA sleepers whose current stats suggest they are poised for significant value and are currently rostered in fewer than 40% of Yahoo leagues.

Yahoo High Score Leagues

Collin Gillespie, Phoenix Suns (33% rostered)

For whatever reason, Gillespie continues to be under-rostered across all formats, including High Score leagues. He typically provides adequate production on both ends of the floor, while also playing starter-level minutes. In three games over the past week, Gillespie has averaged 41.3 fantasy points per game, on the back of 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.7 steals.

While the eventual return of Jalen Green will have some sort of an impact, that time doesn't appear to be coming any time soon. If Gillespie has been dropped or is simply floating around in your league, now is the time to rectify that.

Sandro Mamukelashvili, Toronto Raptors (16% rostered)

With Jakob Poeltl continuing to deal with back issues, Mamukelashvili has been able to make the most of his opportunities thus far. Despite questionable defensive contributions, steady offensive production has seen Mamukelashvili pop up on the points-league radar, scoring at least 32 fantasy points in three of his past four games.

During that span, he has averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 combined steals and blocks, good enough for 28.7 fantasy points per game. While his overall ceiling is somewhat limited, he is worth picking up, at least until we get some clarity regarding Poeltl's availability.

Sam Merrill, Cleveland Cavaliers (15% rostered)

Having just returned from a multi-game absence, Merrill has already moved into the starting lineup, supplanting Jaylon Tyson. While it has been a very small sample size, it appears as though Merrill is going to play a sizeable role for the Cavaliers, at least for the foreseeable future. Over his past two games, Merrill has averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals, totaling 34.5 fantasy points per game. Assuming he can hover around the 28-minute mark, Merrill makes for a low-upside, yet relatively safe option, even in High Score leagues. 

Standard 9-Category Leagues

Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets (9% rostered)

Trusting anyone on the Brooklyn roster can be a risky decision. However, perhaps now is the time to have some faith when it comes to Demin's role going forward. He has scored at least 14 points in four straight games, averaging 16.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.5 3-pointers in 29.5 minutes per game.

Common sense tells us that the Nets should be prioritizing Demin as the point guard of the future, a fact that could very well translate into immediate fantasy value. While there will almost certainly be some ups and downs, fantasy managers could get ahead of the situation by snapping him up now, then re-evaluating in the near future. 

Hugo González, Boston Celtics (5% rostered)

González has been somewhat of an unlikely hero of late, having carved out a sizeable role in the Boston rotation over the past three games. During that time, he has averaged 8.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks in 31.4 minutes per game, seemingly moving ahead of players like Jordan Walsh and Josh Minott. There are no guarantees when it comes to the Celtics' frontcourt rotation, although González certainly brings it on both ends of the floor, endearing himself to the Boston faithful. This run could come to an end at any point, but for now, González is worth picking up, just to see if his production is sustainable.

Tari Eason, Houston Rockets (30% rostered)

Since returning from a 14-game absence, it's been challenging to get a read on what Eason's role might look like moving forward. In three appearances over the past week, Eason has averaged 12.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.7 3-pointers in 20.0 minutes per game. Perhaps even more encouraging is the fact that he started during Thursday's win over the Lakers, playing at least 26 minutes for just the fourth time all season. Eason has proven that he can contribute on both ends of the floor in limited minutes, making him a viable asset across most formats. If he can consistently chalk up at least 25 minutes per game, top-70 upside could be back on the table.

Standard Points Leagues

Bruce Brown, Denver Nuggets (12% rostered)

In what is simply a case of last man standing, Brown has to at least be considered, given that Denver is currently without three regular starters. With Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cam Johnson all sidelined, Brown's versatility is going to be crucial for the Nuggets. Although his production during Thursday's overtime win over the Timberwolves was somewhat underwhelming, he has now played at least 27 minutes in six straight games. His ability to chip in across multiple categories lends itself to most fantasy formats, including points leagues.

Tyler Kolek, New York Knicks (6% rostered)

With New York now at least open to the idea of dipping into its depth, Kolek has been able to carve out a meaningful role in recent times. He has played at least 22 minutes in four of the past five games, scoring at least 16 points in three.

Although some of his value has come as a result of injuries to other players, Kolek may have done enough to remain in the rotation on a regular basis. An ankle injury Josh Hart suffered during Thursday's win over the Cavaliers could provide Kolek with yet another window of opportunity, adding to his potential fantasy value. 

Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets (27% rostered)

As a player who should have been rostered across most formats for at least the past month, Clowney remains available in far too many leagues. He continues to provide adequate production on both ends of the floor, averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 combined steals and blocks in three games over the past week. He has been consistently logging starter-level minutes, at least when the game is moderately competitive. Nightly production has been an issue for Clowney in the past, perhaps giving managers cause for concern when attempting to evaluate his rest-of-season value. However, based on what we have seen thus far, it looks as though he could be here to stay.

Healthy Al Horford immediately unlocks new element for Warriors in return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Everything the Warriors imagined when they pinpointed Al Horford as a main offseason target in NBA free agency came together in a Christmas culmination for the 39-year-old who missed the previous seven games over the last three weeks.

The ability to stretch the floor as a center who’s a legitimate 3-point threat came back to life immediately upon Horford’s return in a 126-116 win against the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center. So did his basketball smarts in Year 19, his rebounding, being a difference maker defensively and imprinting his impact in multiple ways. This was what made the Warriors sink even further into trusting experience instead of Father Time’s worries.

Horford, in only 11 minutes off the bench, scored a season-high 14 points and had four rebounds, two assists and two steals. 

His coaches and teammates after the win spoke to what a healthy Horford does for them.

“It’s the vision of what he would add to our team from the jump,” Steph Curry said. “I know that he’s battled a lot of injuries and absences and he’s trying to, personally, I’m sure, find a rhythm. That availability is huge. 

“But it’s why he is who he is. Why he’s had the career that he’s had and why he’s such a coveted big man, because what he can do.” 

The Warriors took off shortly after Horford entered his first game since Dec. 4. They were ahead 18-15 when he came in with five and a half minutes remaining in the first quarter. He played the rest of the quarter and the Warriors were then up by 12 points going into the second. Golden State scored 22 points the rest of the first quarter with Horford, and he scored 12 of them. 

All from behind the 3-point line, fitting right into the Warriors’ plans from months ago. 

Horford’s first two threes pushed the Warriors’ lead from two to five on catch-and-shoot opportunities. The third he made gave the Warriors a nine-point lead off a perfect pick-and-pop with Jimmy Butler. And the fourth came with some old-school flair in the final seconds. 

Al Horford is on a HEATER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/kOnsvVK0TH

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 25, 2025

Each of Horford’s last three 3-pointers was assisted by Butler. 

“Got Al (Horford) back, big gator,” Butler said. 

“Definitely spreads the floor, challenges shots at the rim, high-IQ type player,” he continued. “Then he’s just really, really fun to play with. As long as you’re out there having fun, being joyful, ball’s moving, you’re guarding, you’re competing, that’s who he is, that’s who he’s always been.”

Butler and Horford’s games really click. They go together and make sense whenever they share the floor. For seven-plus minutes, Butler and Horford were part of a lineup alongside De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski and Will Richard that outscored the Mavs 26-17. 

There was a sequence in that span where Horford pivoted from guarding a driving Caleb Martin to picking his pass off in the paint and taking it down the court before dishing a bounce pass for Butler to take off two feet for a two-handed jam. 

Butler cleared for takeoff 🛫 pic.twitter.com/hdLSYKQmz5

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 26, 2025

In a 10-point win, Curry believes Horford’s stretch of making four threes in three minutes and 43 seconds changed the game.

“That run that they had basically won us the game at the end of the first quarter, start of the second,” Curry said. “That was the difference in giving us a little bit of separation where we could also have that cushion the rest of the game.” 

Warriors coach Steve Kerr indicated during his pregame press conference that he wasn’t sure if Horford was even going to play despite finally being medically cleared and having gone through practices and scrimmages. Kerr wants to keep building continuity after landing on a starting lineup that includes 7-foot center Quinten Post. Trayce Jackson-Davis also has come on strong and re-entered the center rotation. 

Kerr even admitted after the win that he couldn’t have predicted Horford would look as good as he did. He and Horford talked before the game and Kerr told him he really didn’t know when he’d go in the game because of wanting to keep Jackson-Davis’ rotation.

Well, he was able to accomplish both. Kerr went to Horford at the 5:27 mark of the first quarter, replacing Moses Moody and keeping Jackson-Davis in the game. Always the smaller team, the Warriors all of a sudden had two 6-foot-9 centers on the floor, one who can get busy from downtown and another who throws down dunks.

“That’s a big lineup. Two-big lineup today,” Melton noted.

Jackson-Davis’ first dunk was off a screen for Curry at the top of the arc one possession before Horford made his first three. The two played with each other for a little more than two minutes on a night where they combined for 24 points, with Horford hitting four threes and Jackson-Davis being a threat at the rim, where he had three dunks, a cutting finger roll and a tip-in. 

“We can be more active on defense, honestly,” Melton also said. “Having those bigs out there, and with Al, especially the way he came back and was ready to shoot – we love it. We’ve been missing it. [Shooting from 3-point range] 4-for-6 is definitely something that we need. And also defensively, it allows us to sometimes grab rebounds and let Trayce run the floor and get all our wins out in transition, too. Al being out there and having more size allows us to finish possessions off.” 

Lob game strong 🥶pic.twitter.com/xTXVpht4Bu

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 25, 2025

It’s not just that Horford missed the Warriors’ last seven games. It’s that he had only played in two since playing four straight games in six days five and a half weeks ago from Nov. 12 through the 18th. It’s that he isn’t playing both games of a back-to-back and the start of the schedule was full of them, which has been one of many factors why Horford has found trouble in getting his rhythm. 

Really, it’s that Horford in his first 13 games couldn’t buy a bucket if he won the Powerball and was shooting 32.1 percent from the floor and 29.8 percent on threes while looking his age more often than not. 

As celebrated and displayed on Christmas, the story now can be a reminder of who Horford still can be when healthy. If he can maintain that health and build some rhythm, a new element of the Warriors is unlocked. The sizable one they dreamt of this past summer.

“We have a rotation, we’re healthy,” Kerr said. “Getting Al back today was huge. The way he shot it the first half, just creating that separation. Our centers are all playing well. I think QP, it’s funny because QP has not shot the ball well but he’s played really, really well defensively. To have Trayce Jackson-Davis out there doing the same, defending, blocking shots, and then to have Al … suddenly we have a pretty solid front line, should we choose to go big.”

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At halftime in Minnesota on Tuesday night, Knicks head coach Mike Brown lit into Tyler Kolek. The coach watched Kolek miss seven of his 10 shots in the first half and he wasn’t happy about it.

“You’ve taken 10 shots, the second most on the team, only made three; three or four of those shots were airballs,” the coach said. “If you want to take that many f------ shots, you gotta make (them).”

Kolek didn’t wilt from the criticism. He embraced it, going 6-for-12 in the second half of the Knicks’ loss.

At one point in the second half, he knocked down a three-pointer that led to a Timberwolves timeout. Walking over to the bench, Kolek looked Brown in the eye and delivered a message.

“I’m gonna knock that m---------er down,” he said to his coach.

Kolek carried that confidence with him back to New York. He entered the fourth quarter of a nationally televised game with the Knicks down 12 and 7:42 to play.

Five minutes and three Kolek three-pointers later, the Garden crowd was engaged in long, loud ‘Ty-ler Kol-ek’ chants.

Every fan in the building seemed to be stunned watching the Kolek show.

His teammates weren’t surprised though.

“It’s a testament to his mental strength, his mental fortitude and the work that he puts in,” Karl-Anthony Towns said.

Kolek’s 11 points in the fourth quarter were pivotal in the Knicks coming back from 17 down with 10:26 to play.

What you saw on Christmas Day was consistent with how Kolek has been playing of late.

He entered Christmas Day averaging nine points, five rebounds and five assists in his previous five regular season games. Those numbers don’t include Kolek’s 14-point, five-rebound, five-assist night in the NBA Cup title game against San Antonio.

You wonder how this run from Kolek will impact the Knicks’ approach at the trade deadline. Based on his recent playing time, logic tells you that Guerschon Yabusele is a candidate to be moved. The Knicks have also had interest in backup guards like New Orleans’ Jose Alvarado – an NYC native.

But does Kolek’s recent surge change how they view the backup point guard position? Does it make the team less inclined to spend assets on a backup guard? We’ll find out answers to those questions over the next six weeks or so. Right now, sit back and enjoy the Tyler Kolek show.

TOUGH TEAM

Kolek and the Knicks showed remarkable resilience and fortitude against Cleveland on Christmas Day. They trailed by 15 points with six minutes to go in the first quarter. They were down 17 with 10:26 to play.

The Christmas comeback featured strong play from all rotation players, but it doesn’t happen at all without Jordan Clarkson. 

The veteran had 25 points off the bench, hitting five three-pointers on 10 attempts. Kolek (16 points, nine assists) and Mitchell Robinson had four huge offensive rebounds in a three minute span of the fourth quarter. He assisted on two threes off of offensive rebounds in that stretch, which saw the Knicks cut Cleveland’s lead from 13 to three.

Josh Hart had challenged the bench after the Minnesota game to play aggressively. They obviously responded well on Thursday.

“Our group is extremely, extremely connected,” Brown said after the Christmas Day comeback. “Everybody believes in each other no matter who is out on the floor. When you feel that type of belief from your teammates, from your peers, the sky’s the limit.”

HART CONCERN

Hart exited the game in the fourth quarter with a leg injury. It’s rare to see Hart leave a game due to injury. The Knicks had no update on Hart after Thursday’s game. Losing Hart for any period of time would be difficult for New York. The club is already playing without Miles McBride (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder).

The Lakers felt good about their starting lineup Thursday when Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura returned from injury to restore their normal starting unit for only the seventh time this season.

But the good times didn't last long. Coming out of halftime down 10 points to the Houston Rockets, the Lakers announced Austin Reaves wouldn't play in the second half because of left calf soreness.

With another apparent setback for Reaves adding to the Lakers' desperate search for continuity, the team put up another inconsistent performance on defense in a 119-96 loss to the Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.

Read more:Austin Reaves' return can't save Lakers from dismal defensive effort in loss to Suns

The Lakers, who've lost three in a row for the first time this season, allowed the Rockets to shoot 53% from the field. Amen Thompson led the way with 26 points and Kevin Durant scored 25 as the Rockets out-rebounded the Lakers 48-25.

Reaves missed three games with a left calf strain before returning against Phoenix on Tuesday. He scored 17 points off the bench in the Lakers’ loss to the Suns.

Against the Rockets, Reaves started and played 15 minutes in the first half, scoring 12 points on five-for-eight shooting.

Reaves entered Thursday averaging 27.3 points per game, ranking him 11th in league scoring.

Doncic, who had been out with a lower left leg contusion, had 25 points and seven assists and LeBron James had 18 points. Hachimura (right groin injury management) didn’t score in his 28 minutes.

With so many players rotating through the lineup because of injuries, the Lakers have struggled to find solutions to their defensive issues.

They entered Thursday allowing 117.4 points per game, 19th most in the league. They were allowing the 26th highest field-goal percentage (48.4) and the highest three-point shooting percentage (40.1). They were next-to-last in rebounds, averaging 40.1 per game.

That was a real issue against the Rockets team that entered the game first in offensive rebounds (16.1).

And in this game, the Rockets got 17 offensive rebounds.

The Lakers didn’t have key role players Jaxson Hayes (left ankle soreness) and Gabe Vincent (lumbar back strain), adding to their woes.

“It’s the modern NBA where there’s injuries and then there’s not a lot of time to practice," Lakers coach JJ Redick said. "So, when you have continuity, you can kind of capture what you’re trying to do and you feel comfortable and good about it."

Read more:Jalen Brunson leads Knicks past Bucks in Christmas Day opener

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.