Category: Basketball

Basketball News

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Nets drop third straight after 119-109 loss to Raptors

NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 25 points to help the Toronto Raptors beat the Brooklyn Nets 119-109 on Tuesday night.

Immanuel Quickley had 24 points for Toronto, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Scottie Barnes finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Jakob Poetl had 12 points and 10 boards.

The Raptors won for the fifth time in six games. They shot 49.5 percent (45 for 91) from the field and outrebounded the Nets 50-36.

Nic Claxton and Michael Porter Jr. each had 21 points for Brooklyn, losers of 10 of its first 11 games to start the season. The Nets are winless in six games at home.

Playing its third game of a five-game trip, Toronto led 60-52 at halftime and increased its lead to 14 points early in the third quarter.

Brooklyn closed to 83-81 late in the third, but Toronto responded with three consecutive baskets, including a buzzer-beating floater from Jamal Shead.

Quickley’s three-pointer sparked a 7-0 run for the Raptors that made it 102-89 with 7:41 left.

Toronto has won in its last three visits to Barclays Center.

Up next

Raptors: Continue their trip at Cleveland on Thursday.

Nets: Visit Orlando on Friday.

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Knicks win fifth straight, stay unbeaten at home with 133-120 victory over Grizzlies

The Knicks led by 23 points at halftime, and as much by 28 points in the third quarter, holding on to beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 133-120, on Tuesday night.

New York has now won five straight games as the team improved to 7-0 at home to start the season. It's also the first time in franchise history they've scored 130-plus points in three straight contests.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Coming off a 40-point first quarter on Sunday against the Nets, the Knicks continued their stretch of fast starts against the Grizzlies. Memphis went up 5-0, but New York came storming back in what became a track meet at the Garden. OG Anunoby opened the scoring, and with Mitchell Robinson out, Landry Shamet stepped up with five of the team's first 11 points. Jalen Brunson then hit a three for his first points of the night and Ja Morant came right back with his first bucket on a floater.

Karl-Anthony Towns started to get going midway through the first quarter, blowing by Jock Landale for a two-handed slam to go up 18-15. Memphis continued to keep up, finding ways to score inside and tie the game at 30-30. 

-- Anunoby scored on a layup, Miles McBride came in and hit a three, and Anunoby got the crowd on their feet with a two-handed reverse dunk. The Knicks used that momentum and closed the quarter on a 12-0 run, as Josh Hart scored an and-one layup and Brunson hit a floater with 0.6 seconds left on the clock to put them up 42-30.

It's New York's second straight 40-point first quarter and seventh 40-point quarter of the season already.

-- The 12-0 run became a 19-0 run into the second quarter as Anunoby got another dunk, Towns scored quickly, and McBride made his second three-pointer. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Morant tried to stop the bleeding, but Towns made his first three-pointer to go up 52-35. Jordan Clarkson then heated up, scoring 10 straight of his own to pace the Knicks' second unit and build a 16-point lead, 63-47.

-- Memphis committed four turnovers in the first quarter, with three by Morant, and that trend became a real issue throughout the second. The Grizzlies turned it over eight more times in the second (12 total), allowing the Knicks to score in transition repeatedly (11 fast break points). Mikal Bridges' dunk put New York up 20 points with about a minute left in the first half, and then he connected with Hart for a three-pointer. Brunson hit a pull-up jumper with eight seconds left to make it a 77-54 game at the break.

New York won the second quarter, 35-24, as they shot 54.7 percent (29-for-53) from the field with 11 three-pointers (39.3 percent) in the first half. Brunson led the way for the starters with 14 points, while Towns and Bridges each had 10 points, Anunoby had nine, and Shamet had eight. Sandi Aldama was Memphis' leading scorer with 10 off the bench, with Jackson and Morant each scoring nine points.

-- Bridges scored on another Brunson assist, his ninth of the game already, to push the New York lead to 25 points with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. Towns and Brunson hit back-to-back three pointers to keep the big lead, up 96-71 at the halfway mark, but the Grizzlies didn't give up. Vince Williams Jr. and Jaylen Wells each made three-pointers before Towns and Clarkson hit threes of their own, making it an 111-83 game.

Morant, Cam Spencer, and Williams made three straight threes to close the quarter for Memphis, but they allowed Bridges to hit a three with 13 seconds left to go up 114-93 at the end of the third quarter. Still, the Grizzlies won the third, 39-37.

-- The Grizzlies wouldn't go away and cut the Knicks' lead to 12 points on a Wells three-pointer, causing Mike Brown to call a timeout with 6:11 left in the game. The turnover problems resurfaced in the fourth as Williams threw the ball out of bounds, leading to a Brunson three on the other end to go up 129-116. It was Memphis' 22nd turnover of the game and New York's 33rd point off turnovers.

-- Towns scored 21 points with 13 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks in 31 minutes. Bridges had 22-7-4-4, while Anunoby put up 16 points on a tough shooting night (7 of 17, 1-for-10 from three). Morant finished with 16 points, 10 assists, and eight turnovers in the loss. Jackson and Aldama each scored 19 points, plus Wells had 18 points.

New York attempted a team record 55 three-pointers, making 22 of them. The franchise record for three-point makes in a game is 24 (Oct. 22, 2021 vs. Magic).

Game MVP: Jalen Brunson

Brunson finished with 32 points, including 6 of 9 from three, with 10 assists and five rebounds. He was a plus-20 in his 35 minutes.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks will stay at home for a back-to-back on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic at 7:00 p.m.

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Duke dominates Army 114-59 on Veterans Day at West Point

Dame Sarr had 19 points and Isaiah Evans added 16 points, and No. Duke beat Army 114-59 on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils played on Veterans Day at West Point in honor of former coach Mike Krzyzewski, who was a cadet there and basketball player under legendary coach Bobby Knight.

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No. 25 Kansas cruises without Peterson to 77-46 rout of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Kohl Rosario scored 16 points to help make up for the absence of fellow freshman Darryn Peterson, and No. 25 Kansas bounced back from last week's loss to North Carolina with a 77-46 rout of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday night. Flory Bidunga added 12 points while Bryson Tiller and Tre White had 11 apiece for the Jayhawks (2-1), who held the Islanders (1-3) to 32% shooting while winning their 22nd consecutive nonconference home game. Peterson, the nation's No. 1 recruit, scored 21 points in his debut against Green Bay and 22 against the Tar Heels.

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2026 NBA All-Star Game: All the details on new three-team, USA vs. international players format

The timing could not be more perfect.

The NBA All-Star Game returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026 — right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. There is no better time to set up a first-of-its-kind All-Star Game pitting the best of the USA vs. the NBA's deep international talent pool, a world team.

Now we have the details on exactly what that will look like when the games are played on Feb. 15, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California (home to the Los Angeles Clippers).

  • The 24 All-Star players will be divided into three teams — two USA teams and one world team — that will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games. Each of the three teams will have a minimum of eight players (getting to the 24 in a traditional All-Star format).
  • Selection of All-Star players will remain the way it has been for many years. Fans (along with NBA players and select media) will vote for the 10 starters, five from the Eastern Conference and five from the Western Conference. Following that, a vote of the coaches will select the seven reserves from each conference.
  • The one big difference: Votes — and the rosters — will be positionless. Fans will be able to vote for five guards (or, with the West these days, five centers) to start if they choose; they will no longer be locked into two backcourt and three frontcourt players. The same will be true of the coach selections for reserves. This simply fits better with the increasingly positionless style of the NBA game today.
  • If that selection process does not end up with 16 U.S. players and eight international players (including American players with ties to other countries, if necessary), then NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select an additional player or players to join either group to reach that minimum. Which means some teams could have nine or more players.
  • How the players will be assigned to the two U.S. teams will be determined at a later date.
  • Once selected, those three teams will play in a classic round-robin format: Team A will play Team B in Game 1; the winning team from Game 1 will take on Team C in Game 2; followed by the losing team of Game 1 meeting Team C in Game 3.
  • From there, the top two teams by record advance to the finals, a fourth game. (Note: if all three teams have a 1-1 record after Game 3, the tiebreaker would be point differential.)

Bringing the energy

After the last handful of years, Silver and the NBA have been searching for ways to get more player buy-in — not to mention passion and energy — for the All-Star Game. The hope is that this format change will encourage players to bring the energy fans want to see.

"I would love that. Oh, I would love that," Giannis Antetokounmpo said at last season's All-Star Game about the idea of a USA vs. the World format. "I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I'd take pride in that."

"I would love to. My opinion is that it's more purposeful," Victor Wembanyama added about the idea at the time. "There's more pride in it. More stakes."

That eight-man World Team roster could be stacked: Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, Alperen Sengun, Joel Embiid and Jamal Murray (not to mention Franz Wagner, Lauri Markkanen and more) could qualify for the international team.

Whoever ends up on the court, the pride of playing for one's country should inspire one of the best All-Star Games we have seen in a long time.

When is the 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

The NBA All-Star Game returns to the Los Angeles area this season, with the game being played on Feb. 15, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers, and will be broadcast on NBC Sports and Peacock. The All-Star Friday Night Rising Stars game (featuring NBA rookies and second-year players) as well as the All-Star Saturday Night events, including the Dunk Contest and 3-Point Contest, will also take place at the Intuit Dome. Fans will be able to watch all of it on NBC Sports and Peacock.

How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

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Nico Harrison is out in Dallas, now is time to pivot, build around Cooper Flagg

Nico Harrison is out as the Dallas Mavericks general manager — something that needed to happen.

Not just because he traded away Luka Doncic, a top-five player in the world entering his prime — although it's hard to imagine a more fireable offense for a GM. More than that, Harrison's firing had to happen now to stop everything that was to come. He had staked everything on his belief that trading away Doncic was what was best for the franchise and had made the Mavericks contenders right now, behind Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, two championship players, but ones who are now older and with injury histories. Sure, Dallas now had No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, but Harrison was all-in on the short term and winning now with these Mavericks, not thinking long-term. Every move he would have made was going to be about the two- to three-year championship window he said the team had. He would have extended Anthony Davis this summer. It would have boxed the team in.

Dallas now has a chance for a reset, but what comes next?

Finding a new GM

Before picking a direction, Dallas has to pick its next decision-maker.

In the short term, Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi will serve as co-interim general managers, the team announced. Finley has been in the Mavericks front office for 11 seasons following his 15-year playing career. Riccardi has been in Dallas since 2022, having come over from the Brooklyn Nets. Both are likely to be interviewed and in the mix to get the job full-time.

One name instantly floated — by none other than former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban — is Dennis Lindsey. He spent seven seasons as the general manager of the Utah Jazz, and has also worked in the front offices of Houston and San Antonio. He is currently the senior vice president of basketball operations with the Detroit Pistons. Lindsey has experience in the role and knows Dallas, although how having the public support of Cuban plays with the current Mavericks ownership is up for debate.
One other name to watch: Jason Kidd. He is currently the Mavericks head coach, but since his time in Brooklyn it has been no secret in league circles that ultimately, he would like to end up being in the front office, putting a team together. Kidd has a strong relationship with team governor/owner Patrick Dumont, which helps.

Whoever the Mavericks choose, they need to do so relatively quickly, because there are major decisions ahead, and they are coming fast.

Pivot toward Cooper Flagg

Dallas has started the season 3-8, although a big part of those struggles is Irving's absence as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered last season. Without him, Harrison turned to D'Angelo Russell to run the point, and while that was the best available option it was not a good one. It led to the situation where Kidd asked Cooper Flagg to play point forward, and he has done as well as a rookie being asked to play out of position could be expected to. But it's not ideal.

That 3-8 start, along with Irving's continued absence, points to a clear direction the Mavericks should take:

Pivot hard and start building around Flagg. Now.

Dallas controls its own draft pick this season, in what is considered a very deep draft at the top. The Mavericks do not control their own picks from 2027 to 2030 — they have only one shot at this.

Doing that leads to other obvious moves. That starts with trading Anthony Davis, maybe at the trade deadline but definitely by next summer. Explore trading some of the other veterans, including Irving, as well as Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington (Dereck Lively, at age 21, should stick around).

It may take a handful of years to bring the entire thing together, but what San Antonio has done around Victor Wembanyama is the model. The Spurs didn't rush it (as much as his otherworldly talent pushes the timeline), they got a little lucky in the NBA Draft Lottery but selected wisely with reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (who has taken a big step forward in his second season) and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper. When the opportunity arrived to land a high-level player who should pair well with Wemby in the form of De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio jumped at it. It took a few years, but we can all see the plan coming together.

Flagg is not Wembanyama, but the model is the same.

To be clear, the market for Davis — age 32 and with a history of nagging injuries — is not ideal, but there will be interest. Tell Irving to take all the time he needs and then some before returning this season. Then, this summer, work with Irving and test the trade market for a player who is still one of the better point guards in the game.

Dallas should have other goals, such as getting below the luxury tax in the short term and ideally finding a trade with Charlotte, which controls the Mavericks' 2027 first-round pick.

Harrison had a team in the NBA Finals just two seasons ago, then, inexplicably, traded away a star player in his prime, thinking that would give the franchise a better championship window. While there will be a temptation for ownership and the new GM to try to keep that timeline going, it's time to consider those sunk costs. The combination of injury-prone stars and elite teams in Denver and Oklahoma City makes a two- or three-year window seem like a long shot.

It's time for Dallas to think long-term. It's time to pivot and build around Flagg.

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Edwards scores 18 to lead No. 2 South Carolina past Clemson 65-37 for 15th straight win in series

Joyce Edwards scored 18 points and Tessa Johnson added 13 as No. 2 South Carolina beat Clemson 65-37 on Tuesday night for its 15th straight victory over its state rival. The Gamecocks (3-0), who have won the previous five games with the Tigers (2-1) by an average of 48 points, struggled at times to put away their Atlantic Coast Conference rival. Clemson was within five points three minutes before halftime and trailed by 10, 45-35, entering the final quarter.

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2025-26 NBA Power Rankings: Rockets, Pistons, Heat in Top 10, while the 76ers and Warriors are out!

The 76ers and Warriors are the latest teams to get the boot out of my top 10 rankings, while the Western Conference claims my top three spots. The Eastern Conference does have four teams make the list, but the fourth almost lost to the Washington Wizards, so maybe there should be three....enjoy the list and the games on Peacock Tuesday night!

All Championship odds are courtesy of DraftKings.

Vaughn Dalzell’s Week 4 NBA Power Rankings

Oklahoma City Thunder Primary Logo
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (10-1)
NBA Finals odds: +210
Points Leader: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33.6)
Rebound Leader: Isaiah Hartentstein (11.4)
Assist Leader: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (5.9)

The Thunder are undoubtedly the No. 1 team in the NBA with a 10-1 start. The lone loss came by two points to Portland on the second night of a back-to-back and third game in four days. It wasn't a shocker, much like the double-digit wins Oklahoma City put up after that.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now has seven straight 30-point games and 10 out of 11. Jalen Williams appears to be days, if not a week or two at the most away from making his return to the Thunder, which bolsters the starting lineup and defense for the best team in the NBA. Oklahoma City ranks sixth in defensive efficiency without Williams, but something tells me they will be top three with him.

Denver Nuggets Primary Logo
2. Denver Nuggets (7-2)
NBA Finals odds: +550
Points Leader: Nikola Jokic (25.2)
Rebound Leader: Nikola Jokic (13.0)
Assist Leader: Nikola Jokic (11.9)

Denver has won four straight games over Sacramento, Miami, Golden State, and Indiana. The Nuggets have back-to-backs on deck with Sacramento and the Los Angeles Clippers before wrapping up a three-game road trip at Minnesota (Anthony Edwards could be back).

Nikola Jokic has been playing like an MVP through nine games as he leads the Nuggets in points, rebounds, assists, and minutes. Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon are both averaging per 20 points per game and if they can just get Cam Johnson going (8.0 ppg), this offense can be even more dangerous. Denver ranks top three in both offensive and defensive efficiency, the only team to rank top five in both categories.

Los Angeles Lakers Primary Logo
3. Los Angeles Lakers (8-3)
NBA Finals odds: +1600
Points Leader: Luka Doncic (37.1)
Rebound Leader: Luka Doncic (9.4)
Assist Leader: Luka Doncic (9.1)

The Lakers five-game winning streak was snapped to the Hawks in Atlanta, but Los Angeles bounced back with a blowout win over the Hornets in Charlotte.

The five-game road trip continues for the Lakers with Oklahoma City, New Orleans, and Milwaukee left. The trio of Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, and Austin Reaves are 4-1 together in their small sample size through 11 games.

New York Knicks Primary Logo
4. New York Knicks (6-3)
NBA Finals odds: +1300
Points Leader: Jalen Brunson (27.2)
Rebound Leader: Karl-Anthony Towns (12.7)
Assist Leader: Jalen Brunson (6.2)

New York is one of the hotter teams in the league with four straight wins over Chicago, Washington, Minnesota, and Brooklyn, so not the most impressive opponents. All four of the games have come at home for the Knicks and they have three more until Nov. 14. The Knicks are 6-0 at home so far.

New York is one of a few teams that doesn't travel across the country until the end of December and start of January, so they are in prime position to be a top seed in the East by Christmas.

Cleveland Cavaliers Primary Logo
5. Cleveland Cavaliers (7-4)
NBA Finals odds: +850
Points Leader: Donovan Mitchell (30.4)
Rebound Leader: Evan Mobley (8.6)
Assist Leader: Donovan Mitchell (5.4)

Cleveland is riding a four-game winning streak with victories over Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington, and Chicago until an insane 140-138 OT loss to Miami.

The Cavaliers have seven straight home games after their road matchup with the Heat on Wednesday, which sets them up to stay hot. Cleveland doesn't start traveling across the country to the west coast until after Christmas, so I expect Cleveland to be a top three team in the East until the New Year strikes.

Milwaukee Bucks Primary Logo
6. Milwaukee Bucks (7-4)
NBA Finals odds: +4000
Points Leader: Giannis Antetokounmpo (33.4)
Rebound Leader: Giannis Antetokounmpo (11.9)
Assist Leader: Giannis Antetokounmpo (6.2)

Milwaukee has cooled off over the last six games with a 3-3 record, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing like an MVP leading the Bucks in points, rebounds, and assists.

Unfortunately, I am not sure how long Ryan Rollins can be their second-leading scorer (16.5) and Milwaukee expects to win. Role players like Kyle Kuzma, Gary Trent Jr, and Cole Anthony will have to step up if Milwaukee wants to maintain their status as a top four team in the East.

San Antonio Spurs Primary Logo
7. San Antonio Spurs (8-2)
NBA Finals odds: +3500
Points Leader: Victor Wembanyama (25.7)
Rebound Leader: Victor Wembanyama (12.8)
Assist Leader: Stephon Castle (7.7)

After going 5-0 to start the season, San Antonio dropped two consecutive games, then won the next three. The best part about their last win, De'Aaron Fox made his return to the Spurs after only 17 games with the team last year.

Fox averaged 19.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in that small sample size (6-11 record). To open this season, the former King scored 24 points on 9-of-14 from the field, 2-of-5 from three and 4-of-5 from the line, to go along with three rebounds and three assists over 31 minutes against New Orleans.

Fox scored 21 points against the Bulls with five assists and four rebounds. San Antonio has five straight home games on deck coming against Golden State (twice), Sacramento, Memphis, and Atlanta.

Houston Rockets Primary Logo
8. Houston Rockets (6-3)
NBA Finals odds: +1000
Points Leader: Kevin Durant (24.8)
Rebound Leader: Alperen Snegun (9.9)
Assist Leader: Alperen Snegun (7.3)

Since losing the first two games of the season, Houston has won six of the last seven games. The Rockets have knocked off the Nets, Raptors, Celtics, Mavericks, Grizzlies, and Bucks — but only Milwaukee has a winning record of that group.

Houston leads the NBA in offensive efficiency and ranks eighth on defense, plus the best rebounding percentage. The assist to turnover ratio ranks 21st, which will need to improve amid all the youngsters in the starting lineup, but Houston is in a good spot.

Detroit Pistons Primary Logo
9. Detroit Pistons (9-2)
NBA Finals odds: +4500
Points Leader: Cade Cunningham (27.5)
Rebound Leader: Jalen Duren (12.0)
Assist Leader: Cade Cunningam (9.9)

The owner of the NBA's current longest winning streak deserves a spot in the top 10, right? Over the past six seven, Detroit has beaten Orlando, Dallas, Memphis, Utah, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Washington. Only the 76ers have a winning record of that bunch, so the No. 9 spot will do.

Miami Heat Primary Logo
10. Miami Heat (7-4)
NBA Finals odds: +8000
Points Leader: Norman Powell (24.5)
Rebound Leader: Kel’el Ware (8.8)
Assist Leader: Daivon Mitchell (7.5)

The Miami Heat are my surprise entry to the top 10. Miami has quietly put together a stellar start to the season, especially with three straight wins. The Heat beat the Cavaliers in epic fashion on Monday night, plus beat Portland by five and Charlotte by 18.

Out of the Top 10

Philadelphia 76ers Primary Logo
10. Philadelphia 76ers (6-4)
NBA Finals odds: +2500
Points Leader: Tyrese Maxey (33.2)
Rebound Leader: Andre Drummond (8.1)
Assist Leader: Tyrese Maxey (8.2)

Since Nov. 4, the 76ers have lost three of the past four games with the 21st ranked defensive efficiency and 24th in assist to turnover ratio. In the past four, Philadelphia lost to Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit, three teams with winning records, so no the worst stretch of competition to take losses against.

Portland Trail Blazers Primary Logo
8. Portland Trail Blazers (5-5)
NBA Finals odds: +40000
Points Leader: Deni Avidja (25.5)
Rebound Leader: Donovan Clingan (8.8)
Assist Leader: Jrue Holiday (8.1)

Portland has continued to turn heads over the past five games as they have taken on some of the best teams in the NBA, including my top three ranked squads — Thunder, Nuggets, Lakers, and Magic — going 2-2 in that stretch with a loss to Los Angeles and Orlando, plus another to Miami (in the past five overall).

The Blazers unfortunately are 4-3 in the past seven games, but all of their losses on the year have come to potential playoff teams, so I like where Portland is while not having the record Houston, Detroit, or others may have.

Golden State Warriors Primary Logo
7. Golden State Warriors (6-5)
NBA Finals odds: +1400
Points Leader: Steph Curry (26.8)
Rebound Leader: Jonathan Kuminga (7.2)
Assist Leader: Draymond Green (5.8)

Over the past week, Golden State beat Phoenix (118-107), then lost to Sacramento (121-116) and Denver (129-104) before routing Indiana (114-83) in a revenge spot. The Warriors have dealt with injuries in the first 10 games, which is concerning long-term. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler have all missed games so far, plus Moses Moody and Al Horford.

I think Golden State is an obvious downgrade in the power rankings, especially with the six-game road trip starting in Oklahoma City coming up.

New to the Top 10:

Miami Heat Primary Logo
10. Miami Heat (7-4)
NBA Finals odds: +8000
Points Leader: Norman Powell (24.5)
Rebound Leader: Kel’el Ware (8.8)
Assist Leader: Daivon Mitchell (7.5)

Miami is now 5-0 at home compared to 2-4 on the road, but plays at home in three of the next four. Unfortunately, the Heat play the Cavaliers again, then the Knicks twice, and Warriors in that stretch.

Detroit Pistons Primary Logo
9. Detroit Pistons (9-2)
NBA Finals odds: +5000
Points Leader: Cade Cunningham (27.5)
Rebound Leader: Jalen Duren (12.0)
Assist Leader: Cade Cunningam (9.9)

Detroit almost folded against Washington Monday on Peacock, but won 137-135 in an OT thriller. The Pistons host Chicago on Wednesday in a rematch of the opening season loss (115-111). After that, the 76ers come to Detroit for a rematch of Sunday's game, which the Pistons won, so it's a formidable schedule to keep the heater going.

Houston Rockets Primary Logo
8. Houston Rockets (6-3)
NBA Finals odds: +1000
Points Leader: Kevin Durant (24.8)
Rebound Leader: Alperen Snegun (9.9)
Assist Leader: Alperen Snegun (7.3)

The Rockets are 5-1 on the road this season with the only loss being the 2 OT thriller on opening night versus the Thunder. Houston plays four of the next five at home, so they could rack up wins quickly, especially with three of the next four against the Eastern Conference.

How to Watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones. Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

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Suns' Jalen Green out at least 4-6 weeks with strained hamstring

After missing most of training camp and the first eight games of the Suns' season due to a hamstring strain, Jalen Green returned last Thursday and dropped 29 points on the Clippers. Two nights later, he left the Suns game after less than seven minutes of play, having re-injured that hamstring.

Green is now out with that strained right hamstring and will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks, the Suns announced Tuesday.

It was obvious Green had re-injured himself in the first quarter on Saturday. After making a pass to Ryan Dunn, Green grabbed his hamstring and immediately limped toward the bench. He had to be helped off the court by staff.

Green played his first four seasons with the Rockets, making an All-Rookie team his first season, and averaging 21 points a game while shooting 35.4% from 3-point range last season. This summer, he was traded to Phoenix as part of the Kevin Durant trade.

Green being out has meant more run for Grayson Allen, who is having a career year, averaging 18.6 points a game and shooting 44.7% from beyond the arc, including dropping 42 points on the Pelicans Monday.

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What we learned as Nuggets dominate fourth quarter in Kings' third straight loss

What we learned as Nuggets dominate fourth quarter in Kings' third straight loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO — Two hours after coach Doug Christie delivered a heated message to reporters gathered at Golden 1 Center, the Kings couldn’t match their coach’s passion on the court and were handled fairly easily 122-108 by the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

Domantas Sabonis isn’t yet back to full strength but still was a force for Sacramento, with 19 points and eight rebounds despite being saddled in foul trouble much of the night. Drew Eubanks came off the bench with 19 points and seven rebounds in the Kings’ third consecutive loss.

DeMar DeRozan added 18 points while Zach LaVine and Malik Monk had 12 points apiece.

The Nuggets got control of this one early, scoring 15 points in the first four minutes before many fans had even found their seats. The Kings weathered that storm and took the lead by the end of the first quarter but couldn’t sustain the momentum.

Led by another monster night from Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets didn’t face much resistance after halftime. Jokić had 35 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists.

The Nuggets led 60-56 at halftime before the Kings made a run and got within 85-82 heading into the fourth quarter.

Denver tried to pull away and got some breathing room that lasted momentarily, until Russell Westbrook made three free throws, Sabonis sank a 3-pointer and Monk scored on a layup to get the Kings within 110-99.

That was as good as it got down the stretch. Sabonis fouled out with 3:38 remaining, and the Nuggets (8-2) waltzed their way over the final seconds.

Here are the takeaways from Tuesday:

Battle of the Bigs

Anytime the Kings and Nuggets go at it, it’s must-see TV for fans of ridiculously talented big men.

Sabonis, still a little sore from his rib injury, carried the Kings’ offense early with 11 points in the first quarter when Sacramento flipped a 24-15 deficit into aa 34-33 lead.

Sabonis finished with a respectable line on 8-of-12 shooting. Jokić, as always, was a one-man force for which the Kings had no formula to stop.

No Slowing Down for Russ

One day shy of his 37th birthday, Westbrook showed without question he still can get down and get it done with the young guys.

The nine-time NBA All-Star guard repeatedly drove through the heart of the Nuggets’ defense, ending each time with an acrobatic score or dishing to an open man in the corner.

His shooting numbers for the night were nothing great (3 of 12), but Westbrook’s influence on the court went beyond scoring. As usual, Westbrook was in triple-double mode all night. He finished with 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Sacramento doesn’t necessarily need this type of offensive night from Westbrook on a daily basis. They brought him in mostly for depth and his veteran savvy. But if can get to the rack like this, the Kings definitely will take it.

Rough Road Ahead

The Kings had hoped to build some momentum on this homestand for team’s upcoming road trip. Instead, Sacramento has lost three straight at Golden 1 Center with another game to go before packing up to leave town for a few weeks.

After hosting the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, the Kings head to the road for games at Minnesota, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Memphis and Denver, three of which are unbeaten at home this season.

The Kings are just 1-4 away from Sacramento, so the upcoming trip takes on added significance. They have to win three or more games on the trip to consider it a success. Anything else will make the climb back to respectability a lot more difficult.

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Observations after Edwards has monster night off bench in Sixers' win over Celtics

Observations after Edwards has monster night off bench in Sixers' win over Celtics  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers shook off another rough third quarter and beat the Celtics on Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Justin Edwards played a giant role off the bench, scoring 22 vital points in a 102-100 win.

Ironically, the Sixers got their game-winning hoop immediately after Edwards’ one miss. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored the go-ahead put-back layup with 8.7 seconds left. 

Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and nine assists. Quentin Grimes posted 18 points. Andre Drummond tallied a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double.

Jaylen Brown scored 24 points to lead the Celtics. Derrick White added 18.

The Sixers were without Joel Embiid (right knee soreness), Paul George (left knee surgery recovery), Dominick Barlow (right elbow laceration) and Johni Broome (right ankle sprain). 

Next up for the 7-4 Sixers is a trip to Detroit and a Friday night matchup with the Pistons. Here are observations on their victory over Boston:

Early shooting woes

The Sixers scored on their first three possessions and the Maxey-Trendon Watford duo continued to show off its chemistry. Maxey took a Watford handoff and canned an open three-pointer. Watford nailed an early catch-and-shoot jumper assisted by Maxey. 

Though the Sixers soon hit a dry spell, their defense was very successful in the early going against both Brown and White. Each missed several clean looks. Brown started 1 for 7 from the floor and White opened 1 for 8, including a three he air-balled wide left. Payton Pritchard began 0 for 5, too. 

The Sixers were not exactly on fire either and ended the first quarter up 23-22.

VJ Edgecombe defended well but remained cold as a shooter, starting 0 for 5. Edgecombe finished 2 for 11. Over his last five games, the rookie has gone 17 of 61 (27.9 percent) from the floor.

Edwards a big bright spot off bench

Jared McCain checked in late in the first quarter and shared the floor with fellow guards Edgecombe and Grimes.

In his third game of the season, McCain still did not look close to the player he was his rookie season. He missed a mid-range jumper and couldn’t convert a leaner through contact. The 21-year-old was called for a charge when he tried to drive and kick the ball out to Edgecombe on the wing. 

Overall, McCain again appeared to have trouble moving freely and trusting his instincts with the brace on his left knee. He had some shaky moments as a ball handler. Jordan Walsh poked the ball away from McCain a couple of times well behind the third-point line.

McCain logged seven minutes and did not play in the second half. He’s 0 for 9 from the floor so far.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse used a five-man bench. Edwards was a big bright spot in the first half.

The lefty wing had two long-range jumpers, an and-one layup, two assists and two offensive rebounds. When Maxey checked back in with 5:18 to go in the second quarter, the Sixers held a nine-point lead. Grimes polished off an and-one to make it 41-31. 

Edwards kept rolling and truly caught fire in the fourth quarter (more on that below). He shot an incredible 8 for 9 from the field.

Sixers overcome more 3rd-quarter struggles

Boston managed a mere 41 points in the first half. The Celtics shot 28 percent from the field and 19 percent beyond the arc over the first two quarters. 

Again, the fate of the game seemed like it would largely came down to whether the Sixers could be better than their early-season norm in the third quarter. Going into Tuesday night, the Sixers had an NBA-worst net rating of minus-36.3 in third periods

They added another abysmal third quarter to the list vs. the Celtics.

After a Drummond missed three, Neemias Queta jammed in a dunk. Brown sunk a turnaround jumper. Oubre turned the ball over and White made a triple that lifted the Celtics to a 54-53 lead.

At that point, Maxey grew more aggressive, driving hard and drawing frequent contact. He drained a three to give the Sixers a 66-63 edge.

The Celtics had a lot left in the tank. Brown scored six straight points and White made threes on Boston’s final two possessions of the third. Grimes rather miraculously cut the Sixers’ deficit to 77-71 by hitting a half-court shot at the third-quarter buzzer. That shot meant the Sixers lost the third by 16 points.

After an Edwards steal and slam early in the fourth quarter, the Sixers trailed by three and Maxey subbed back in.

Instead of Maxey, it was Edwards who pushed the Sixers back in front. He believed he could make everything and was correct.

Edwards drained threes on three consecutive possessions to put the Sixers up 93-92.

The game stayed tight down the stretch. Edgecombe appeared to have missed a three long, but he got a high, generous bounce through the hoop to build the Sixers’ lead to 100-96.

They couldn’t extend that advantage. Maxey missed two tightly guarded shots in the paint. Brown got Oubre to bite on a pump fake and drew two free throws with 33.5 seconds left. He split them, knotting the game at 100-all.

Maxey then probed the Celtics’ defense and found Edwards open on the perimeter. He finally missed, but Oubre was there to grab the rebound and score the go-ahead bucket.

The Sixers disrupted the Celtics’ plans on their final play and White threw up a deep heave. Queta had a put-back chance just before the final buzzer, but he couldn’t convert and the Sixers celebrated a nervy win. 

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NBA confirms U.S. vs. World 2026 All-Star Game format. What to know

NBA confirms U.S. vs. World 2026 All-Star Game format. What to know originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The wait is over: The NBA on Tuesday announced the reveal of the U.S. vs. World All-Star Game format to be played in 2026.

In the game, two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players (world) will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games.

NBC and Peacock will broadcast the league’s annual midseason showcase on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. PT at the new Intuit Dome, home of the LA Clippers.

As previously done, 24 All-Stars will be selected (12 from each conference). But unlike previous years, players will be selected regardless of position. The process of assigning U.S. players across the two teams will be announced at a later date.

If All-Star voting doesn’t meet the exact quota of 16 U.S. players and eight international players, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select players to fit where needed. In such case, a team may have more than the eight-player amount.

The round-robin tournament will start with USA A vs. USA B in Game 1. Game 2 will be World vs. USA A followed by World vs. USA B in Game 3.

The two teams with the best record from the three games will face off in the championship match. If there is a 1-1 split between all three teams, the tiebreaker would be point differential.

Each of the four games will feature just one standard 12-minute period. The winner will be whichever team has the most points after 12 minutes.

It’s the latest format in a line of experiments by the NBA, which includes the classic West vs. East, followed by two team captains based on All-Star voting. A target score was also introduced, followed by a mini-tournament last season in which the then-“NBA on TNT” crew of Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith drafted their rosters, along with a Rising Stars team comprised of rookies and sophomores.

But that format wasn’t well received in the end despite being a fresh tweak, leading the NBA to finally land on the U.S. vs. World idea that has proved intriguing in the past but never actually came to fruition — until now.

Posted on

NBA confirms U.S. vs. World 2026 All-Star Game format. What to know

NBA confirms U.S. vs. World 2026 All-Star Game format. What to know originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The wait is over: The NBA on Tuesday announced the reveal of the U.S. vs. World All-Star Game format to be played in 2026.

In the game, two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players (world) will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games.

NBC and Peacock will broadcast the league’s annual midseason showcase on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. PT at the new Intuit Dome, home of the LA Clippers.

As previously done, 24 All-Stars will be selected (12 from each conference). But unlike previous years, players will be selected regardless of position. The process of assigning U.S. players across the two teams will be announced at a later date.

If All-Star voting doesn’t meet the exact quota of 16 U.S. players and eight international players, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select players to fit where needed. In such case, a team may have more than the eight-player amount.

The round-robin tournament will start with USA A vs. USA B in Game 1. Game 2 will be World vs. USA A followed by World vs. USA B in Game 3.

The two teams with the best record from the three games will face off in the championship match. If there is a 1-1 split between all three teams, the tiebreaker would be point differential.

Each of the four games will feature just one standard 12-minute period. The winner will be whichever team has the most points after 12 minutes.

It’s the latest format in a line of experiments by the NBA, which includes the classic West vs. East, followed by two team captains based on All-Star voting. A target score was also introduced, followed by a mini-tournament last season in which the then-“NBA on TNT” crew of Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith drafted their rosters, along with a Rising Stars team comprised of rookies and sophomores.

But that format wasn’t well received in the end despite being a fresh tweak, leading the NBA to finally land on the U.S. vs. World idea that has proved intriguing in the past but never actually came to fruition — until now.